HAPPY 2013

 

 






New Years Eve  between 2012  and 2013.  A time to celebrate the outgoing year and the incoming of a new year.  What shell happen.

I'm sitting here with my glass of champagne....waiting for the floor below me to open and me falling through the cliff.   What will the new year bring................In two words

                              NOTHING NEW  !!!




This year on this day, I have two losses in my life.  I have lost my Attorney and my Doctor.......both to retirement.  My Attorney was absolutely brilliant protecting me from legal forces.  My Doctor was extremely valuable keeping me going and even though she was a woman physician, I felt very comfortable to discuss all issues with her.  Thanks to both Stephan and Karen for these years.  I will miss you guys. Hope the replacements will be half as good as the both of you.

I will be here tomorrow..............with one bottle of champagne less................but I will be the same old person I have always been.  Still looking to self publish my first book and starting work on my second...............just like the last 5 years.

I sat today, thinking of my New Year's Resolution.  For the past upteen years,  I would think of how to improve my life:
give up smoking
loose weight
exercise more
read more
pay less taxes
pay no taxes
get bigger tax refunds
get rich
get richer
have sex
have more sex
have the most sex
have meaningful sex
clean the yard
get organized

NOT IN ANY NECESSARY ORDER

of all that I have promised myself, only one was totally accomplished, THE FIRST,  GIVE UP SMOKING.  check and double check

Now, can I really do something about all these failures........are New Years Resolutions meant to be broken............are they just a fiction of ones imagination.  So this year I will try several resolutions
I will try to understand other people feelings, laugh at those that have stupid ideas, be more sensitive to those that think the way I do.
I will listen to my Doctor who  advised to drink more RED wine......and to exercise more.  I will listen to my Attorney and think before I act by writing a pros and cons list before acting on the problem.   My only problem I can see is this exercise thing.........don't like it but realize it has to be done........ssssssoooooo.  after using the pros and cons idea I have come up with how to do this.  Every time I visit the food store,  I PROMISE.  to take my food cart ........back to its proper place    INSIDE the store.  that should do it.

That's it my friends..................another end to another year.................another beginning to a NEW ONE.                  HAVE A HAPPY, HEALTHY NEW YEAR   and I will see you in the new year.

2013 Contract
 

After serious & cautious consideration...
Your contract of friendship has been renewed for the New Year 2013
It was a very hard decision to make...
So try not to screw it up!!! My Wish for You in 2013
May peace break into your home
May thieves come to steal your debts.
May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $100 bills.
May love stick to your face like Vaseline
May laughter assault your lips!
May happiness slap you across the face
May your tears be that of joy
May the problems you had, forget your home address!
In simple words,

May 2013 be the best year of your life!!!

Happy New Year!!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL..............

I wanted to make sure this got out before Christmas, since my house has been voted the best decorated and draws approximately 250 cars per day passing by to get a look at it.  At one point we had to have policeman here to direct traffic.  My neighbors are not very happy with me, especially since last year we just had a red light bulb and a green light bulb that lite up the entrance way to our house. I felt so much energy from all the walking I have been doing that this idea emerged.


Make sure to read the story at the bottom…

"Good news is that I truly out did myself this year with my Christmas decorations. The bad news is that I had to take him down after 2 days. I had more people come screaming up to my house than ever.Great stories. But two things made me take it down.

First, the cops advised me that it would cause traffic accidents as they almost wrecked when they drove by.

Second, a 55 year old lady grabbed the 75 pound ladder almost killed herself putting it against my house and didn't realize he was fake until she climbed to the top (she was not happy). By the way, she was one of many people who attempted to do that. My yard couldn't take it either. I have more than a few tire tracks where people literally drove up my yard."

HOLIDAY CHEER  to all
and to all...............a good night.

SEE YOU AFTER THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY!!!!

HOLIDAY ............SPIRITS

 

TIS THE SEASON

TO BE   JOLLY!



Once again this year, I’ve had requests for my Vodka Christmas Cake recipe so here goes. Please keep in your files as I am beginning to get tired of typing this up every year! (Made mine this evening!!!!)

1 cup sugar,
 half pound butter,
1 tsp. baking powder,
1 cup water,
1 tsp. salt ,
 1 cup brown sugar,
 Lemon juice,
 4 large eggs,
 1 handful mixed Nuts,
 1bottle Vodka, 
 1 cups dried fruit
 4 cups self raising flour.

  Sample a cup of Vodka to check quality. Take a large bowl, check the Vodka again to be sure it is of the highest quality then Repeat. Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point, it is best to make sure the Vodka is still OK. Try another cup just in case. Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 eggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit. Pick the fruit up off the floor, wash it and put it in the bowl a piece at a time trying to count it. Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers, just pry it loose with a drewscriver Sample the Vodka to test for tonsisticity. Next, sift 2 cups of salt, or something. Check the Vodka. Now shit shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find. Greash the oven. Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl through the fekin window. Finish off the Vodka and wipe the counter with the fekin cat.

SOMETHING         SWEET   !!!!

‎1 lb large strawberries
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3-4 Tablespoons powdered sugar (or sugar substitute - to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

...

Instructions:
1. Rinse strawberries and cut around the top of the strawberry. Remove the top, (enough for a hat). Clean out the whole strawberry with a paring knife, if necessary (some of them are hollow already. Prep all of the strawberries and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Add cream cheese mix to a piping bag or Ziploc with the corner snipped off. Fill the strawberries with cheesecake mixture.
3. Once strawberries are filled, top with the 'hats.' Decorate according to photo.
4. If not serving immediately, refrigerate until serving.


Do you really understand your wife???




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bvf9kdovG_E


 

  Now.............. let me offer this Holiday Song for you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ooc5eJc5SHA


HOLIDAY  CHEER................OR ............................whatever !!!            This is   FFUUNNYY.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0HWhp31GIE

Have a very HAPPY HOLIDAY   from our house to yours.

LOOKING BACK AT MY TIME WITH ......SAS......

I have spent a few months more than 39 years with SAS.  I turned down 5 retirement programs. I would show up at work as much as an hour before my schedule and stay perhaps up to an hour after my shift..............(unless I was still working on things) , I felt needed.  I argued.......or rather discussed situations with many colleagues overseas about what I thought right or fair to help protect my peers, subordinates and their ideas.  From the first day with SAS, and for the next 10 years, this was my life. When I married in 1965 .........SAS took  second place...........then again, both Margot and I worked for SAS and had so much in common. On the birth of our first child............SAS dropped a little further but now became more important, as this was my lively hood. I became more dependant on SAS, it keeps us going.  We moved to Seattle soon after Lisa arrived and a new section of the book opened. I was their selection to start a new airport operation in this fantastic city.  Scott, our son came onboard and SAS dropped to 4th place ...............BUT..................more and more dependency was on SAS and more and more time spent...........at the office.  Retirement at the end of 1994 became reality but SAS still was important to me, for many reasons.
Now, after 18 years of retirement, I still find myself engrossed in SAS if only in my memories. I still have contact with many, many of my SAS friends and love to talk about............those good old days. SAS will always find a way to be in my memories.

I would like to dedicate this posting (in a small way) to SAS,  and thank them for the way it has treated me, and my family for all the years.

The first video is in Danish  but reflects the early years of SAS as a company, and I do remember a lot of these things shown.  The second video is a video I made of the Last visit of an SAS aircraft to Seattle, WA.   my station...............  You will have to copy and paste this one into the browser, apparently I did not get the proper authorization of some of the music so I had to redo the video in YouTube with different music. This is the original.  It reflects the sales staff of 1966, to the airport staff of the 60's-90's and then the staff that actually was there for that very last flight on July 31,2009.

In closing let me once again thank SAS, all it's management and employees  for what they have done to make this .................A COMPANY.    KEEP THEM FLYING, my friends

Vito      


http://youtu.be/7XUEcRB8ots



(the next one must be copied and pasted in your browser)



C:\Users\Mom And Dad\Videos\Last SAS Flt. to Seattle (2).wmv








http://youtu.be/7XUEcRB8ots

THINGS I REMEMBER GROWING UP WITH

It's funny how things go on in life..........while you are doing what ever it is your doing ........you may never think that it will lead to anything........after a while you begin to change your mind and begin to think .....that perhaps it is possible and finally after thinking about it over a longer period of time................you eventually succeed at actually doing them.  It goes the same way with things that you grow up with...............I first discovered this in 1995 when I got my first fax machine............How could I possibly have lived this long without this invention????? .......................now it's almost gone and scanning and emails have taken it's place.    WOW!!!  IT's just moving so fast.

This morning, I awoke with a stream of sweat running down my cheek, and the though that I had been sent back in time.  Back to the 40's and 50's.  This was my punishment, apparently for my not completely being able to appreciate everything given my mom and dad and their cute  "little Vito" during those days gone by.  I couldn't think fast enough at what exactly it was that I did not appreciate.   The list grew and grew and finally I became over whelmed with  "Things from the Past"
How many can you remember??

http://www.galionclassof64.com/retrolife/RETROLIFE.HTM

Now, that you have gone over this list.  Ask yourself........................"did we actually improve these things"? or are the things we have at our fingertips totally NEW!!!!

Thought of the day

Now remember:
Life is like a roll of toilet paper.....the closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes. So have fun, think 'good thoughts' only, learn to laugh at yourself, and 'count your blessings!!!

THE FAT LADY HAS SUNG. NOW ...IT'S FUN TIME

IT'S OVER !!!!! The fat lady has sung and we can now get away from all the hogwash........... "we, the people" , have been forced to listen to for the past.................who knows.

For those of you ...........that voted for the .............looser........suck it up, live with it for the next 4 years...........that's show biz..........for those that voted for the WINNER  do the same......just remember, no one is perfect.........it's all in the  POLICIES.

Now let's get this show on the road.......check this video out and  LET'S        PARTAY!!!
river dance father and son

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua-ZWcfvdEA

lookin' back

Taking into consideration ..............the happenings over the past few day............with the super storm known as Sandy hitting the east coast, I found that more than occasionally, I found myself  thinking about .............the area I grew up in..............and just how they were coping with all these problems.

I wanted to touch base with each of you just to see that you all came out of this tragedy safe and sound.  I was quickly reminded that because of the lack of power the only communication was cell phone........but didn't want to use your battery power just to talk with me..............just in case you needed that power at a time more needed, than some cousin, most have not seen for many years.   Having said that, I hope you realize that your safety is in my families thoughts. For those of you that get this blog...............please pass it on to those in the Pastor/Rizzo family that may not get it and to all our friends, and my past colleagues at SAS.

Now, I have spent just short of 40 years with SAS airlines and have always thought of these days as the most exciting, one can possibly have with one of the greatest employers in the world.  Sure, there were those days ................that I did not think of them in that matter ................but always tried to put those few bad days behind me.............one way or another..   Many thoughts, many dreams and many grand times are  embedded in this old mind............One of the funniest were the "sandwich wars" of the late 50's early 60's where Pan Am was suing SAS over the style of sandwiches the airlines served. Pan Am's definition of a sandwich................2 slices of white wonder bread with a filling of ham and cheese, cheese, egg salad, tuna salad.....sleeve of lettuce sliced tomato little mayo......or like we (employees of SAS)  2 slices of wonder bread with a filling of BALONEY.

The SAS sandwich was simply a single slice of  French, Italian,Pumpernickel,Sour dough bread covered with a variety of either shrimp, sliced egg, liver Pate, cheese , with a small cucumber, pickle on top. Three each to a passenger........very filling.  Literally a smorgasbord on a plate................but..................still an open face sandwich.   SAS won the contest.

For this I had to enclose a little video  about    PAM  ANN, enjoy!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbAO2z22bas

Well, its a day before the Presidential election and this will be a close one...........or at least that seems to be the consensus.      I'm thinking of holding a Democratic victory celebration and serving drink from Hawaii.............of course.  IF YOUR A DEMOCRAT    try this one one

KAMEHAMEHA COCKTAIL

1.5 oz vodka
1 oz. passion fruit syrup *
.25 oz Aperol
shake and strain over ice. Garnish with a mint sprig.

*  If you can't find passion fruit syrup, use an equal ratio of cranberry juice and passion fruit juice.

Now , my neighbor is a REPUBLICAN and is having a REPUBLICAN VICTORY PARTY.
Since Mr. Romney is from Utah and is a Mormon and..............doesn't drink ...........my neighbor is simply serving a glass of water with a slice of lemon in it (pit less of course)  and having a prayer session.   For those Republicans that are boozers though try this one on for size'  A drink from Utah.

ROCKWELL AND PORTER

1/5 oz High West double Rye
1oz. tawny port
Dash maple syrup
Dash Peychaud's bitter
Stir and strain over ice....garnish with an Orange zest.

Just think,    on Wednesday.       we will wake up to having Pres. Obama for another 4 years or we could end up with   THE 4 FACES OF Mitt Romney.             Who Knows???????

Talk with you next week.

HERE I GO AGAIN

Ole and Sven at the airport

Ole and Sven were drinking buddies who worked as aircraft mechanics  in                                                Minneapolis and one day the airport was fogged in and they were stuck in the hangar  with nothing to do.
Ole said, "I vish ve had somethin ta drink!"
Sven says, "Me too. Y'know, I hear you can drink dat yet fuel and get a buzz. Ya vanna try it?"
So they pour themselves a couple of glasses of Jet A and got completely smashed.

Next morning Ole woke up and is surprised at how good he feels. In fact he feels GREAT! NO hangover!
NO bad side effects. Nothing!

The phone rang. It was Sven who asks "How iss you feelin dis mornin?"
Ole says, "I feel great. How bout you?"
Sven says, "I feel great, too. Ya don't have no hangover?"
Ole says, "No dat yet fuel iss great stuff -- no hangover, nothin. Ve oughta do dis more often.."
Sven agreed."Yeah, vell, but dere's yust vun ting."
Ole asked, "Vat's dat?"
Sven questioned, "Haff you farted yet?"
Ole stopped to think. "No "

"Vell, DON'T, 'cause I'm in Iowa ..."

SCARY TIME OF THE YEAR

Well not only is this time of the year for our Presidential election...............scary to the point that if the challenger gets into office.................we are literally up shits creek...............but it is also HALLOWEEN, the time of year that witches on broomsticks fly about and monsters visit you demanding little treats...............or else..................!  Guess it's my retaliation to meet these demands that forces me to hook up the SMALL dry cell battery charge to the doorbell...........................and before you all write me about that,........ the charge is so small that it doesn't even leave a mark on their little fingers....................hahahahahahaha  only kidding  but it does make me feel a little Republican to run off these scare tactics.
I did find myself giving a little hand to my grand kids to carve their pumpkins.  WOW !!!! 16 and they still do these things,  When I was their age I was out going door to door collecting money for UNICEF.
......................

 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA  GIVE ME THE KNIFE NOW!!!!!!!HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Our daughter has moved to Hungary, originally for only 3 years. It turns out now that she and her husband have decided to stay on for a few more years.  I have always looked at Hungary being behind the Iron Curtain which is totally untrue .  Two years ago Margot and I visited Lisa in Hungary and I must say I was totally amazed at this country.  It was very beautiful and the people most friendly.  Let me share just a little of this country with you through pictures.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLOn2iPlfbA

See you soon!!!!  Hopefully before this election of President of the United States

GROWING UP ITALIAN

It's very simple, and as I remember, very true.  A very good friend sent this to me, and he is a very good friend (even though he and I are politically on different sides of the spectrum) 

I remember all that's included in this little video, even though some of it did not exactly pertain to my growing up.  I found myself lucky never to have grown up in a tenement, but rather in a house occupied by just my parents and myself, even though I did find it interesting that we did spend.....most Sundays.......at grandma and grandpa's .............with the whole family.

Share this short moment with me by watching this video.  It really reflects the happiness of the day's gone by.....................but never forgotten.       Thanks Ed for passing this on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=ZrkOwTKoaLs&feature=share


 

                

THE OLYMPICS.............and .........MORE

This week , I will start the blog off on a happy note and end it .....................well, you might say, a place where I had no intention of going until I heard and read some real antagonizing stuff.

I spent the last two weeks somewhat enjoying the Olympics.....probably because ........MY COUNTRY, came away with the most medals.  Did I expect less.............NO,  but it was close for a short while.  I was a little taken back by the comments of one or two our OUR players but overall, very happy with the outcome.

A friend of mine pasted this little video on to me and I found it to be extremely amusing so I hope you take a look at it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO_BnsrWMnI

it will certainly show the range of movement in performance.


ON TO MORE............

This past week, was certainly an eventful one. Mitt Romney,  better know as  WHY MY TAXES? selected Paul Ryan know as  HERE'S THE SOLUTION TO ALL YOUR PROBLEMS, as his running mate for the job of Vice President.  Now that most of the political analyst have checked in with their EXPERT commentaries,   we the people , will have the opportunity to express our feelings with ACTUAL VOTES.. The rhetoric that this selection has caused is both  AMAZING AND AMUSING but true.

On one hand we have Romney, a very wealthy man........as far as we have been told......only willing to offer 2 years taxes as proof of him paying taxes......but later admitting that he has paid taxes......but never less that 13%.  How grateful can one be that all people of this great nation share equally in making this nation GREAT. I also have never paid less than 13%.................my only comment is that after You have paid your 13%  you have hidden away in all kind of legal identities over one billion.....OH OK I exaggerated but only by 100 million.  I, on the other hand, have socked away after my 13% of tax  a grand total of $5.36.  Now just to repeat  ..........that's  Five dollars and thirty-six cents.  Now,  also I concede that you really had to go out and work for this day and night.  Finding a great Tax attorney, a really great financial advisor and CPA and watch over them constantly to make sure that you got all you DESERVED back from the US Government.  Me on the other hand, went out and found my tax attorney, CPA and all around whizz kid...... at the math contest......at our local high school with a promise that if he could keep control of my money.......I would be willing to pay him his salary in Subway Sandwiches.  Romney's guy suggested he hide his money in Switzerland, Cayman, open blind trusts for his kids, wife and housekeeper (housekeeper only to the extent that you carry a 10 million dollar policy on her if she damaged her nails in any way, shape or form from doing anything described as domestic duties)  My guy hid my excess in an OLD sock at the bottom portion of my dresser drawer.  Now , just not to be outdone by the amount of work it took me to gather my fortune,  my day began at 9AM-5PM as a street cleaner sweeping up after the trash left behind by the millionaires frequenting the bars and nightclubs the night before.  I came home after a 30 minute ride on the subway( where I was fortunate enough to gather a whole pack of cigarettes butts for the day) to dinner, change my clothes so that I could be at my taxi driving job at 7PM-3AM driving a limousine filled with all the rich and famous,to the bars and restaurants (hoping that some of them would accidentally forget their doggy bags in the back seat) arriving home at 4AM after that 30 minute subway ride and a quick shave at a local friends house. Slept until 6AM so that I would have time to get up and shower, make my breakfast of 2 eggs, 1 slice of toast and a cup of coffee..........make my lunch ........ a baloney sandwich............open faced.......so that I could have 2 of them and pack my snacks of 25 peanuts.   Only hope that I could find a water hose to wash all this good stuff down.

Not to show favoritism, I must also give a statement of.............my friend from across the aisle, Paul Ryan......an intelligent but ruthless man who want to take all my............entitlements?  away from me.
Makes me wonder what he has been doing in Congress the past decade with only having his name on 2 bills.  One requesting a name change to a Park, for some equally stupid reason.  WOW!!!  some job he must have.  Over 10 years of collecting the public money for a salary and doing absolutely nothing for it.  Talk about being over paid.  Next ............for some unknown reason he has stated over public radio and television how he has never accepted any stimulus package..............until some hard working employee has found out to the opposite.............and where he actually requested it from the Labor Secretary............DUH,   who me?????    Now, to beat all , he is the author of a proposed budget that will turn medicare upside down, halt social security as we know it ,stop medicaid , take up to a decade to pay any part of the debt off and a number of other ingenious ideas.

Now, just in case you are interested....here is an article explaining Ryan's plan

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/08/16/paul-ryan-budget-plan-average-american-family/?a_dgi=aolshare_email

Looks as though, we seniors had better be on our toes this fall and get our butts out there to vote.

See you next week....................

FACEBOOK.......or.......TWITTER???

I'm guessing that it was  about 3-4 years ago, an old friend, Bugsy emailed me and suggested that I get on Facebook...........in order to be able to correspond with my High school classmates.  This was a clincher for me, even though my daughter-in-law had tried to encourage me to join and I always found an excuse for not wanting to participate.  Well, Bugsy convinced me that it would open up a whole new chapter of my life.........good reasoning..........then it was shortly after that he selected to leave facebook............but here I am still on line .  It has proven several different things to me. One being the capability to monitor what my grandkids were doing and who they were talking with..............interesting stuff...........did I do the same at their age?????  NOT!!!  I think I have now been able to convince them that EVERYBODY in the world can see the stupid things your posting including future possible bosses.  I see their postings go from 100 per day down to 1 per week if that..............could it be they have listened to their ...............grandpa................?   NOT !  they just have picked up the all new way of socialising.............Tweeting with some of their twits and twots about doing twanothing all day.   Well, I have drawn the line.............I will not tweet with any of my twits or twots or any other twends.  Facebook is my thing and I find it more and more amusing with the things people discuss.  Where they are going, what they are doing at this exact moment and best of all the amount of brain power they use up  on things they know absolutely nothing about and refuse to even try to sit down and reason things out for themselves.  They are totally relying on what they read  from other facebookers pages and all the nonsense in the newspapers..............who BTW will eventually disappear in time..................or from commercials they see on TV.   The art of being able to sit down with a piece of paper............draw a line down the center.............put the word  PROS on one side and CONS on the other side and reason the problem out is disappearing.  How can people destroy themselves like this.
I especially like all the political garbage I see on Facebook and enjoy reading all the comments just to be able to see how people think and react to present situations. It's extremely encouraging to see so many different thoughts................some of which make me LMFAO!!!!

I'm totally amazed at how it open THE WORLD to people, some you know, most you don't.  I've just discovered that if I befriend one person that it opens all their friends up to my befriending and it keeps going on and on.  No wonder some people have friends up the wing wong.  I personally have 97 friends (after 76years)  while each of my 16 year old grandkids have well into 1800 each.  I once asked them how they got so many friends at only 16 years old.  Apparently they got an idea from the brownies and girl scouts............. set up a table outside the local Safeway food store and took names of other kids who  also wanted to be friends. I'm beginning to really enjoy this ........befriending and defriending with a little click of the button.  I'm meeting people I have actually never met , have nothing in common with them but still talk like we have been friends all our lives.  Is this really normal?
 I can now understand how people can become addicted to this type of social contact........since now I even find myself...............a poor old man with only 97 friends on my facebook...................checking in up to 10 times a day...........................just to see what the rest of the world is doing and thinking, even though I don't really care if they are in the Mens or Ladies room at the local  mall.   Several of my friends seem to have their facebook programmed to their GPS equipped phone and it reports to the world each and every time they make any sudden move. Don't need that.  The only thing I use my Superman watch GPS (that I got out of a box of Wheaties) for is to find my way to the mailbox and back..................without having stopped at my neighbors for a martini.

Having said all that I have...................I am hoping to add another 97 friends to my facebook over the next year.  Only thing is, I want them to be REAL friends and able to discuss REAL things............not just the baloney they might pick up  here and there..................then again there is always email.

 (just got a befriend request from Min-She-Do from Vietnam,  anyone know her?)

See you next week.

IT'S DAYLIGHT ..........SO WHAT

JUST REMEMBER if you want to read this in another language you can.....just by clicking on the note above and on the left .....then choose your language.

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

This past Thursday, I had lunch with a few of my followers, better known as peeps.........if I was age 50 or less. One of them, Sam, noted to me that I always seem to be sitting on my deck, drinking coffee and reading my morning issue of the newspaper.  Well, Sam,  just one word about that........At my age.....and one day you will also be there.......your best thinking will happen before the clock reaches 7AM. The morning seems the best time to be able to at least think kindly of all that matters.........before the day begins to listening to the bullshit news about how everything is either going tits up or in the crapper.  The only savior to that is lunch of Cajun chicken or salmon strips over a bed of Sweet Spring Baby Salad..........and a glass of water, or perhaps an Arnold Palmer, or a VERY DRY Martini.........which is very rarely consumed since it only gives away the result of the night before activity...................usually comes once a year...................................on Christmas day.

Here it is, now 3PM sitting on my deck.........having a bottle of water with Crystal Light lemonade flavoring in it..................uugghh!!!  Just saw a little baby bird zig zagging overhead and trying to land on the railing of my deck.  Guess what he wants??   FOOD.   Now, he is still to little to know that he has to grasp his little feet around that plastic rod of the bird feeder and he will then be able to eat as much as his little tummy can hold.  Seems he is a Republican sympathiser and just wants his mommy to fly around gathering food for him and then come back to feed him.............he's making a slave out of her and just to prove it I took this photo.

 

The Old and the weaker feeding the young fat cats........in this case,  fat birdy.  OOOOhhhhh if he only knew.....that someday the circle will be turned and he will have to do the same.......or perhaps not.  I wonder if she is aware of.........outsourcing.

AAHHH, that's really unfair of me..............but I warned you.......that's what happens if I am forced to do anything in the PM hours.....without a decent 20 minute nap.

Now it's planning time for dinner and a night of entertainment.  Shall I look at ...................reruns of the Olympics, now that I have read all about who the winners are.............which is pretty stupid.  Shall I plan on watching another Mariners game or just be happy with what Margot has taped from "THE VIEW"  or"THE DAILY SHOW" Guess I'll choose the later since anything past the 8th inning is read about in tomorrow mornings paper.  With getting up early it automatically means going to bed early.  How things have changed from days gone by........when daylight hurt my eyes and the nights were long and adventurous.

Now just to stimulate your funny bone, check out these two videos I got for you. I cant remember what they are of..............but I'm sure they are funny since I put them on this page as soon as I saw them.    Have fun and see you again.................................early in the morning next time!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp_hzrB_FI4

Talking about  food.  You may have to skip past the commercial in this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGeKSiCQkPw

which one was the best????

WHO? WHAT? WHERE?............................

Sometimes.................. I find that sitting and thinking about days gone by ......puts  many confusing things into this web of a mind. Only very small bits of information get pass at a single time.  This simply means I must constantly go back to add the little bits of info that does not pass through on schedule. It's ..........like.........saying.........  like the advertisement on TV..... where they speak of having a .................vaginal mesh...............I can only picture this as a little metal screen sort of thing that has blocker characteristics ................so in a way it would be a brain mesh........if moved a Little ......north.....in the body.  Does that sound realistic?? only some information slips through.

In having spent a few months short of 40 years with SAS airline, I am sure that I have not only met but have become friends with some of the most prominent people on earth......................but ..................I can't remember...............who they all are.............  I do know that as I search old shoe boxes of items collected over the years that I have located little pieces of paper with names and telephone numbers of all these folks, the only question now is.... were these names and number notes ........................made by me....................or are they actual priceless autographs with Hollywood invitations to visit them when travelling around their town?  I must admit that I always did have the kind of personality that enticed people to just want to be around me.......................but I can't remember...............WHY.     With age, one tends to loose a little bit of memory............almost to the extent that your   RAM  has to be upgraded every so many years even though your processor can remain stagnate or to put it in layman's terms..................... you want to have sex.........but forgot how................or WHY......I guess one might consider this ...............little forgetfulness..........good since it now activates the brain and forces one to think...........and then act.

 Some say, that, in your later years it's good to learn, another language..............really?  Did I do that well with English during my earlier years that I can now process enough brain power to learn..............a second language?   SAS, had sent me to Lund, Sweden (University of Lund)  to study Swedish............that was fun and I did meet people from around the world.........even China......that was there for the same reason.  Did I learn any Swedish?  guess I did although my wife, who was born and raised in Stockholm admits to this day, that I speak no Swedish at all, simply because Lund is in the southern part of Sweden called Skona , which was apparently part of Denmark and the TWANG  that resulted in the 2 different languages is called skonska, and not readily understood by the uppity part of Sweden (or at least they don't want to admit it). It can only be compared to our own.................above and below the Mason-Dixon line.  Even though we can understand the belows......we  born and raised Northerners pretend the "trailer-park"  language is only made for those belowers.   Anyway, I do admit, I had trouble in high school with adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, nouns, pronouns and all the other words but I can still put a sentence together, even though I'm still not sure if I have the proper amount of adverbs, nouns etc. involved in the breakdown.............some say I still have  "run-on" sentences,  is that a result of run-over sentences?
TRUE STORY:    I remember, just arriving back for my course in Lund, ....... I was sitting with the flight deck crew during their pre-flight briefing.  Now, this is the part of the operation where the flight deck crew discuss the planned route, weather en-route, expected differentials that may take place during the route, fuel requirements, diversion cities, if needed etc. etc. etc.  The SAS crew for the, most part could be made up of a combination of pilots from the three countries of Sweden, Denmark and Norway.  That particular day, the Captain, was Danish, first officer, Swedish and just to confuse the issue the second officer was Norwegian.   The three languages, even though having similarities, were different in the "counting"  The Danes seem to count backwards,(after they reach 20)  what I mean by that is when they come  to  twenty-one  that  would be 1 +20, whereas the Swedes would be similar to English.  The crew had decided to add fuel because of some uncertainty in the weather at their destination (Copenhagen) and the Captain, testing my new knowledge, gave me his decision as to how much fuel he wanted..........................in  Danish.  WELL, believe me ..............."all ears" (as my boss was called) was present in the background especially when I had to radio it forward to the fuelers................just to make sure the numbers that I heard, that I interpreted and that I passed on were.............THE SAME!!! as the Captain said and she had heard.    Astonishing......they were.........I had learned a second language or perhaps a third since I now understood Danish.   Achievement complete!!   I must also admit, at this time, that I do UNDERSTAND more of the language then I can SPEAK..............because of all their rules of using adjectives, nouns and pronouns etc.  When is'" A"  apple  different from "THE" apple......Oh my brain is hurting !!  better have another cup of coffee, better yet a glass of wine.

(just a note:    NOW  for all that speak another language, you may now read my blog in your NATIVE TONGUE.   Just under the heading in the upper left side of the page you will see a drop down named  translate.     click on that and pick a language .   Give it a try)

I have recently been asked by Margot to upgrade her cell phone to something...................easier to use.  I tried to explain that ..............that meant downgrading not upgrading  so here is the model that I got for her (after 6 months of searching).

f

for some unknown reason, things seem to work so much better when you are use to them. Texting is a little tricky on this puppy.......but we will get it down..............eventually.

Just have to get use to the ..................party line effect..........which is considered an option with "SCOOP TELEPHONE COMPANY"


More to come on the advancement of technology.  Guess you can order this phone from;

Someoldfartitems.com  if the page is still listed.  If not perhaps it will be opened soon.

Have a great week.

FIRST DAY OF SUMMER..........

Well,  here it is  July 5th and the first day of Summer for us, Pacific North westerners.  Seems every year our summer arrives...............from out of the blue on this day.............iso the official day sometime in June........ Just to back up this thought,  I can now advise you that ........this morning was the first time this year that my heating system did not automatically turn on at 0800 and at 60 degrees.   WOW !  that in its self is an achievement ....................just the thought that my heating bill could be under $100 for the month brings a BIG smile to this face.

Now, as I thumb through the newspaper, I can see all the important issues of the day help shaping this into a day  of.......... 5 on a rating of 1-10, one being the worst.

Our beloved Seattle Mariners baseball team loosing yesterday to Baltimore thus loosing the series,  well the good part is that they have a day off today..............sssssooooooo   they can't loose.

Our Seattle sounders soccer club tied with Salt Lake City  0-0  seems kind of mute but just can't explain how teams can tie at  zero.  Seems to me that they should at least play until someone scores ....A .....point,  or perhaps they just get so tired that they have to rest,  I can understand that with all that damn running up and down the field,  then again I take a look at our clubs manager and the poor bastard needs to go on a diet, since he looks like he swallowed a few of the soccer balls. 

Steve Nash was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the LA Lakers to firm up the back court with Kobe,  question is  why do they think a 38 year old guy will firm up anything  is beyond me.

Moving forward from section C to section B pg 10.......... I see that our local temperatures will be in the 80's for the next 5 day.........at least,  so I guess that means that I will just have to rest ...........sitting on my deck..........drinking a lot of fluids.   Either the Lemonade Crystal lite  or perhaps my Doctors suggestion....................a glass ......................or 2  of red wine..

The taxi fare from Seattle city to the airport will go up from from $32 to $40.  Guess this means more people will be using Seattle's new transit service.

Now, the main section.  Fires in Colorado are now 80% under control.............what does this mean? 

From what I understand , people are still being evacuated from their homes.......guess they are still in that 20% zone. (Does that mean the 80% portion are in the mountains?)   The suspicion is that they started from some people at a target range.  Another reason to restrict weapons...............of those unable to read and to reasonably be able to interpret the 2nd amendment.

The rest of the nation under a cloud of extreme heat entering the 8th day of temperatures over 100 degrees.  Ask yourselves now..................could you be convinced that this is GLOBAL WARMING?????  OR  is this just another man made phenomenon ?    To use a term of the day............WHATEVER  dude!!!!!!!!

Boeings competitor  Airbus is building a factory in Alabama................guess the French are looking for another .......................vacation playground.

Boeing beefing up 737 production in Seattle

and, of course the news breaker of the day..............Romney now thinks the Supreme court was correct in saying the  penalty fee (which his election committee, just yesterday said penalty was correct) is now saying that it is a Tax.  Does this now mean he raised taxes in Massachusetts with his program? (which is the same as Obamacare) but he denies that..........seems he has a problem understanding the difference if there is one.    OOOHHHHH, I am getting a headache over this ...........one day it's this......... next day it's that...............first make up YOUR MIND,................then make up mine.

Margot please get me another  Merlot   crystal lite!!!!!!!

Best thought is ...........................It's summer time,  where the hell are my shorts and sandals??????    

          

THE BIG AND THE BOLD!!!!

Well, my friends.........looks as though summer is beginning to peek around the corner in my little home town.  This morning is absolutley beautiful, sun shining brightly, warm air with a slight breeze, coffee, newspaper and my trusty laptop.  This is what life is about.  Sitting on the deck at 10am.........just thinking.  

This past month was a time for celebrating within the confines of my mind.  Lunch in Sweden with my guy friends, coffee with an old (and I don't mean that in age old) but in time old friend, my gig at Rubarber Jazz club in Stockholm,  baseball game for my birthday with my whole family (daughter and her spouce, Son and his spouce and twin boys grandsons and my wife)......a day to remember.  Midsommar party at a friends lakeside house.  Tried to take pictures of everything that happened so here goes with a few of them.

""The big and the bold.""   Typical of Swedish for Midsommar celebration and the drink of the day for my May Luncheon with........."the guys"     Beer and Aquavit.          The beer is used to cool down the effects of the Aquavit........of course

The guys............or better known as,   the family of friends (2 missing) plus  one never forgotten.




Play Ball !!!!!

Bryson, Cormick, Grandpa, Grandma,   Mariners lost  but still a GREAT DAY !!!


Midsommer (longest day of the year) at Lynn's    .................another day to overeat and overdrink.

The midsommar pole..........time to dance...........the frog.



or something like that.

Can hardly wait for July to start and life begins to slow down for a couple of months

Not to let you off the hook for listening to a little of my political ranting,  how about this sent to me from a friend.


The Wonder of it All

1. The sport of choice for the urban poor is BASKETBALL.

2. The sport of choice for maintenance level employees is BOWLING.

3. The sport of choice for front-line workers is FOOTBALL.

4. The sport of choice for supervisors is BASEBALL.

5. The sport of choice for middle management is TENNIS.

And....

6. The sport of choice for corporate executives and officers is GOLF.

THE AMAZING CONCLUSION:
The higher you go in the corporate structure, the smaller your
balls become.
Therefore, one might conclude, there must be a ton of people in
Washington playing marbles!


PS This also should include those with little "common sense".

 See you next week...................................................

BACK HOME.............

Well, back from Sweden and raring to go.  This trip was.........to say in a very few......or.....ONE WORD...............AWESOME.    My luncheon was........as always, the thrilling part of the trip.....but......this year I added a few other ..........."days to remember"    I met and was pictured lip singing a song with Deri Rowlands, a singer from Wales and his band........the Dream Team!!!!!

(even though a few of the words happened to..........slip out).

  Visited a real castle, the summer home of one of the members of our group

but also having a coffee with a SAS colleague and friend that I met ........oh......perhaps 50 or so years ago and haven't seen in perhaps the last 43 years..........but it was that moment when we each looked at the person we were facing  and instantly remembered not only the name of that person but how we met.  We then spent the next two and a half hours just talking, sipping a latte and reminiscing about days gone by.  Thanks Barbro  for  waking the Cob webs from days gone by.

Anyway,  the trip to Sweden is always fascinating and I must say.......I do look forward ......to those few days each year to be with..........DFG  (der four gang) and this group of amazing guys.

Now, Sweden also features another really fun day during the month of June,  usually on ..........the longest day of the year........but always celebrated on the closest Saturday, to give you some needed rest before starting back to work.  The day is called    MIDSOMMAR......(mid-summer) and includes eating, drinking, joking, dancing and lots of friends.  I hope this little video will better explain what I mean.   We usually attend ........our midsommar party at a good friends house, located on a lake in Federal Way............but does not lack anything from those parties in Sweden.  Lots of herring, aquavit, singing and the little surprises one might get  for having a blue paper cup or sitting on a green chair with a red dot painted on one leg.  Lynn,  you do one helleva job with this celebration , Thanks for including us!!!!                                    (CLICK ON THE NAV. POINT) 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8ZLpGOOA1Q&feature=player_detailpage


Just wanted to bring a little bit of Sweden to you and hope that ..............just because one advances in age..................Don't stop having fun..............or friends, two ingedients I think you need for a longer life.

See you next week.

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN............

Malmo, Sweden.    Beautiful,warm days are now a welcome after some light rain showers...........great day for shorts. Since I will be here for 8 days before heading north to Stockholm, might as well take advantage of this good weather..............and start my summer tanning.

My time in Malmo is always interesting as some friends drive me around showing me .........what they consider...........interesting sights and gives me the historical history attached.   A true way to visit and appreciate a city. Love the way, they enjoy life.

Now, the day has come when I must make my way up to Stockholm.  I will spend a week in Stockholm before the luncheon I attend.

An exciting Saturday.   A friend met me at Central Station in Stockholm and ................my day began.  A wonderful lite lunch at a seaside Bromma Restaurant .

Salmon, thinly sliced and accompanied by small white potatoes with a white cream sauce. Drink was a wonderful  Chardonnay.  Left the restaurant and taxied to his apartment, where the dessert was served as we watched film of some days gone by.  Left his apartment for dinner at  RUBARBER restaurant downtown Stockholm.  Was greeted by the matre de and then introduced to the band playing that evening. A singer from Wales named Deri Rollins accompanied by a saxophonist, drummer, base and keyboard. Excellent band . 

Was also introduced to Christer Andersson and his wife Lillemor, good friends of Sven, 

.......and apparently are well known amongst the patrons and especially the band. Wonderful people who are now working with me to try and bring Deri to America to perform.

                                          It just so happened that I was asked to a sing- a- long

The whole day topped off at about the strike of midnight.   Thanks for the day Sven. You

                                                                    are a wonderful host.  

That ended day one in Stockholm, Sweden. A gig with a great Jazz band in a fantastic restaurant.

""Rubarber"".