"My Sweet Willie".........a short story .................by Diane Ogden

"Sweet Willie" 

I was there.  I was there when the radio blared war in our kitchen. We were seated at the table about to say a blessing upon the thick, I think German, macaroni and cheese casserole Mom had prepared.  We, being my brother Jackson, and I, Julianna.

When Father held up his notorious hand it always meant, SILENCE!  That is when we heard the voice of the President of the United States coming across the radio airways with the chill of an icicle on each word he spoke. 

I kept interrupting saying, “Father, does that mean Willie, does it?  Will he have to go?” 

Dad just gave me that old angry I mean it eyebrow crunch, hand up signal. I sat in silence listening to the terrifying words.  My mind racing in so many different directions I lost myself to the place of tears.  Mom was standing behind  Jackson, her baby, crying in like manner.  At first I wasn’t mentally aware of what was happening.  The radio, Fathers anger, Mom crying, Willie, where was Willie?  And to hell with the macaroni and cheese dinner.  I suddenly sprang from my chair running toward the phone.  I lifted the mouthpiece only to find the operator telling everyone they would have to wait their turns. Then a sound that mimicked busy busy busy.  Running or even biking to Willie’s would be faster than waiting for the darn operator.  Once my wits were back I realized those phones would not be available for a month now that war had been declared.  That is when I heard the loud whaling voice of my mother behind me.  “Julianna, wait.  Wait.”  I ignored her and with one hard push I hit the pavement running.  Running to Willie.

Willie and I had been best friends all through grade school and into Jr. High School and High School. We had been through all the normal schoolyard games such as marbles, hoops, skipping, chasing's, hidings. Sometimes I would join the girls for hopscotch and jacks.  Willie would play ball and chase.  We even ate lunch together almost every day.  The other children made fun of us the first few years and then settled in knowing it was probably always going to be this way.  Willie and Julianna. 

Now I am not just running.  I am running scared.  Running for my life.  For Willie.  At the 4^th Street Exchange I saw him.  I saw Willie running just as hard and fast as I was.  He had to have heard the news about the same time we all did and as usual we had the same thoughts.  Finding each other.  I fell into his arms sobbing.  We both knew he would have to go fight a war we were too young to know much about.  We would soon realize he was a direct part of it and I was a direct extension of it and all the pain that comes with war.  We walked slowly back to my house arm in arm and the closer we got, it became clear the shadow standing at the front door was my mother waiting for me.  Her remarks were swift and harsh.  She found my interest in Willie overshadowing the fact my own brother would also be leaving.  And possibly our Father.  She was right.  I hadn’t thought beyond my Willie. 

And then he was gone.  I would sing to my Sweet Willie for the next forty years until I would finally meet him in the great beyond.

 I'll be comin home to you Sweet Willie,

I'm comin home to you..

Please don't fear Sweet Willie,

The Time is near,

I'm coming home to you...

For the War is old and forgotten by many...

 It took you from me too soon..

So be patient dear and please do not fear...

I'm comin home to you....

 We have a love that's forever and deep as the sea,

With eagerness I await thee...

Be it death or life, be it you or me...

I'm comin home to you...

 Where the valley light meets the dusk of day,

I'm comin home to you....

 I will never stop till the day is nay...

Where I meet you on the other side...

Be it floods or famine or a gunshot wound,

I welcome the end in sight.

 For my love is like the ocean deep

For it brings us always for keeps....

I'll be comin home to you sweet Willie,

I'm comin home to you...

 When the grass is green and the fields are yellow..

I'll be comin home to you....

I’ll be comin home to you… Sweet Willie

(Photo from WWII The Huffington Post)  I wrote the above short story and the song.  I sing it often and have for many years.  I do believe I lived this story in my past.  And I do believe I will be going home to my Willie some day.  There is but a veil between reality and the typed words from my heart.

Fixing all the errors.

I have taken some time off my blog to work on fixing all the errors in my fun little book.  The Cardboard Box.
And there were certainly a lot of them.   Sometimes I like to just sit down and write what comes into my head.  Later is the time to correct.  Although I dragged a few of you along with me this time. 
I'll be back, hopefully with some of my old humorous blog posts. 

Chapters messed up...

I know I have my chapters numbers off. 
Decided not to make a Part II.  Just haven't fixed it yet.
One more chapter to end Part I.......Working on it!

REDONE: Part II Chapter Three....................property of Diane Ogden

I insisted Billy drop me off at a little motel a couple miles down from the Club.  And Billy insisted he either come in or he would sleep in his truck outside my motel room door for he wouldn't be having me deserted twice in one night.  He concurred that in the morning he would take me to get Duke and then drive me back to Pamela's pad.  Even summer nights can get real chilly on the coastal side of Texas.  Having said that, Billy whoever he was slept in his truck.  After all half the night had already passed.  I did throw him a pillow and blanket from the second story balcony.  I felt a tad bit badly about not letting him into my room, but shucks, I didn't even know that man's last name.  I mean, he appeared to be a well spoken young man, but again, who ever really knows a stranger.  Not me!  Billy could have been an ax murderer and chopped me up into a million little pieces and threw my little pieces into the ocean with heavy rocks surrounding me in his self made for me body bag. 

Sometimes my imagination took off like a Texas Jack Rabbit running from a lightning bolt. The wandering thoughts usually happened when I was bored, or really just about anytime now that I think about it.

I was having trouble falling asleep knowing that Billy was outside sleeping in his truck.  Adding to that fact, I was worried that Pamela could be in trouble somehow somewhere.  Added to that, I was also hoping Duke was doing alright and not missing me or frightened. And to top all that off, I began imagining someone might break into my room and chop me up. That is when I fell into a deep exhausted sleep.  Next thing I heard was a pounding on my door so loud my dead great aunt was surely awoken from the dirt she was laid to rest in.  I leaped from the covers and carefully peeled back a corner of the insulated drapes so as to not let whoever was doing such a bang up deal outside my door, see me!  Surprise Surprise!  It was Billy whoever he was.  And behind him was the Texas sun bearing down brightly upon my crack in the curtains.  What time was it.  I shouted to Billy to stop with the banging alright already.  Jeez Louise.  I checked my watch and I was late to pick up Duke.  Those insulated motel curtains allowed me an extra couple hours sleep.  There was no time to shower, brush my teeth, or anything.  I threw my clothes on, grabbed my purse and out the door I flew, at which time Billy said someone had turned him in as a loiterer.  Turned out the owners called the police who came and told him to get up and get on his way.  That is when he came pounding on my door like a jackhammer doing serious business to a cement curb! 

We arrived at the Allen's where Duke had spent the night.   I could hear him barking but I couldn't make out where the sounds were coming from.  Oh God I hope they didn't leave him in the basement alone.  Or maybe they put him in the garage, or tied to a tree, alone and outside all night.  Or, or..... and there I went again.   Extreme imagination off the charts Julianna.   I rang the doorbell all the while mentally preparing my so sorry for being late speech.   No answer.  I rang again.  No answer.
Duke was barking!  I needed to get my dog and he needed me also.   Billy looked at me and I looked at Billy and then again.  He asked me what I felt I should do now.  I said I didn't have a dang clue and by the way what is your last name Billy Boy?  He informed me he hated the name Billy Boy and please don't refer to him as that ever again.  And then told me his last name was Connolly.  William Boyd Connolly.  I was impressed. Not only was he polite, he exercised chivalry.  He could dance, he was handsome, and he drove an out of sight truck.  I recall felling my next inquiry should have been as to what his job in life was.  Or maybe not.  I would be leaving very soon for other parts of the country so Billy Boy would be just another person I had met in my journey to Los Angeles.

Bill and I decided to check around the back yard which entailed climbing one short gate that led through the carport and then a more serious shimmy up a very tall fence line.   For some reason Billy's chivalry went over and above fence lines.  He hollered back to me that Duke was there but then I knew that considering Dukes continuous barking.   That is when the guttural sounds from man and dog hit the airwaves of my consciousness to a stage of danger sounds.  I shouted, "What is going on?"  Just then Billy came flying over the top of that fence with the rear end of his nice looking western slacks torn and hanging about his hot bum.  Wow, I commented.  But wait, Duke wouldn't ever do anything like that I didn't think, but then again I wasn't totally sure.  Billy informed me there was another very large and unkind animal guarding Duke who was passively laying by the back door.  In other words that wasn't Duke barking after all.  Now what, I thought.  But no words would come out of my mouth.  I just wanted my dog, my pink Cadillac and my money.  Seemed to be a continuing issue with me lately.

Billy found me a piece of paper to write the Allen's a note.  I left it in the mailbox as I figured they would not be entering their home through the front door. More likely the carport door behind the locked gate.  I was climbing into the Chevy when I noticed a car pull into the Allen's driveway, and behind that car were two Houston City Police cruisers.   I had about enough of the Johnny Law this past month.   I began searching for my brown paper bag considering I was gulping air.  That same danged air I gulped crossing the Mississippi and the same danged air I gulped through the last tornadic storm.  Billy asked me what in the world I was doing?   Just then the fuzz opened his drivers side door, yanked him out, exposed his hot bum and threw him on the ground.  I was next!!  I opened my passenger side door and screamed, "WAIT!"   That is when all at the same time I was thrown onto the ground, while Mr. Allen was also screaming, "WAIT! WAIT, I know her, I have her dog!"
Somehow at that moment those pigs weren't into listening. 

Turns out the neighbors called Mr. Allen at work, who in turn called the local Lawmen who in turn felt them needed to manhandle two young people.  My Lord those policemen each must have weighed near 300 pounds each.  At least one of the four knees between them had punctured my rear side.  Finally after some minutes of tussling and handcuffing Billy and I, the two hee-men pigs stopped long enough to listen.  Mr. Allen was apologizing up one side and down Billy's backside.  Yet after a few minutes of that nonsense, he got real serious and asked us why the hell we climbed his secure fence line.  I told him I had overslept at a motel because my friend deserted me over at the Fools Gold Night Club on Westheimer.  I didn't have your address with me so this kind young man drove me to my motel, slept outside in his truck, drove me here this morning to get Duke only to find no one home.  So we decided to climb the fence and get Duke and leave you a note.  But.....
Mr. Allen said, "But you got a surprise, right?  I see by the looks of your friends britches my guard dog Nitro had introduced himself."  

"Yes Sir." I said.

The officers unlocked the cuffs on Billy and I at which time the pig that was in charge of my personal being extended his hand to shake.  I swear by the light of day here we go again.  Throw me down, beat me up, put your knee in my buttock, handcuff me too tightly, and then want to be my best friendly acquaintance.  Just brought back Daddy J Bar J Oil and Cattleman to the front and center of my minds eye.  This time I did shake Johnny Law's hand because it was the smart thing to do considering my recent run of luck.  One never knows when one might need the fuzz, even a very large fuzz man. 

As the officers drove out of sight, Mr. Allen retrieved Duke for me.  And at that same moment I noticed Billy staring at me like I was, "Mirror mirror on the wall, whose the baddest of them all? Me!"  He said not one word.  Just stood there staring with his plaid boxers exposed behind the torn once hot western pants.  I started to say, "I'm so sorr......"  when Duke leaped up onto me licking and crying like an abandoned child at his first day of kindergarten!  I sat down on the grass and held Duke with love and adoration until he calmed down.  I assured him I would not leave him for a very long ever again.  Or at least until we had a more secure life. 

Okay, Okay Billy said.  I get it now!   That is some terrific dog you got there Missy.  I agreed as Duke leaped into the truck, sat down and waited for us to follow. Next up we headed for Pamela's pad.  I had forgotten that was still to be dealt with.  Billy made a pit stop at his house for a quick shower and a change of clothing.  Duke made himself comfortable on the very large studded leather sofa while I admired the artwork and other various unique items everywhere the eyes looked.  Whoa Cowboy, what and where do you come from I thought.  Just then Billy who know looked more like a Bill came trotting down the stairs ready to roll.  And so we did without so much as a word from me regarding the near mansion we just drove away from.  I was afraid to ask for fear he might say he was an oil and cattle man.  I had been to that rodeo before and wasn't ready for another one like the last one, if ever....

Monsanto’s Dirty Dozen: The 12 Most Awful Products Made By Monsanto

Monsanto’s Dirty Dozen: The 12 Most Awful Products Made By Monsanto

Writing These Chapters for a Reason..............by Diane Ogden

I have written two novels only to discover I am the Queen of passive voice sentences.  And the Queen of past and present tense confusion.  
This said, please note I am writing this little or big story to PRACTICE past and present tense writing.
Forget the Passive Voice......someone else can do that one for me.   I do wish I could remember Mrs. Covington's English Lit class.  Retention was always an issue for me.  So here I am writing repetitively every day so I can "get it" down pat.  Then go back and fix the novels.  One at a time.
Thank you for any input at all.  Just be nice.  
Diane O

This is an Article written about my Son in L.A. .................by dlakerev.com

http://dlakerev.com/all-american-cody-ogden/

Cynical?.........................by Diane Ogden

Well Good Morning Glory!  Not so sure anyone would say that to me anymore.  A few years ago, maybe. 

CloseStyle: MLA APA Chicago

Full Definition of CYNICAL

 

: believing that people are generally selfish and dishonest

: selfish and dishonest in a way that shows no concern about treating other people fairly

:  having or showing the attitude or temper of a cynic: 

a :  contemptuously distrustful of human nature and motives cynical

men who say that democracy cannot be honest and efficient — F. D. Roosevelt>

b :  based on or reflecting a belief that human conduct is motivated primarily by self-interest cynical

ploy to win votes>

 

I am not contemptuous.  Unless I am in the car driving alone.  Or watching Honey Goo Goo!  Or the guy with six wives and 56 children.  Or Politics.  Or stupid housewives of some big city somewhere.  Or magazines that brush away every single wrinkle or spot to the point the person looks like a wax figure.  So perfect I wont buy magazines anymore.  The one that did it was MORE...  It was the pictures of Diane Keaton looking like she was 16 years old.  MORE is a magazine for older women for God sake.  Do not insult my intelligence. Or "cops" that beat up innocent people.  Or weathermen who sensationalize the weather to draw in more viewers. The weathermen are starting to look like crazy soap opera stars in heat.  And danged if it never snows 26 inches.  Only half that.  Or commercials that flat out lie.  Shoes that cost way too much.  Doctors that only give us 15 minutes to see if we are going to safely make it through another day. Veterinarians should wear hoodies and masks because they are flat out robbers.  Dentists that charge insurance companies, not me. Oh I don't have insurance.  Corporations that control my life.  Elections that don't really count votes.  Pressing one for English.  WalMart people.  Tenants that do not pic up their dogs poop.

Religious freaks.  Car Insurance with tacked on Renters Insurance that never pays and if it does your rates double for four years.  Cable TV, namely Charter Communications who change their prices monthly by a few cents to make a few mill. Or double bill me so I have to take out an hours time to call customer service.  Or Magic Jack that quit working after I paid for a year and they have NO phone number to call. Service was great until it quit.  Automatic weapons!  What ever happened to small handgun to protect yourself?  No cure for the Homeless. 

 

Actually I am a very happy person who has become somewhat cynical.  I am working on it but not sure I will be able to fix it.  I use positive affirmations.  I pray.  I forgive.  Nothing is working so far.

Will stay on it! 

Laters:  Love you all. Morning Glory.   LOL

LifePath Number 9....................by Diane Ogden

Yup that's me.  MWAH!  I love playing with the numerology energies.  And every time I read one I am in awh of how right on they are.   Mine is the 9.

Lifepath 9:       
Those born with a Life Path number 9 are natural leaders, and they assume they are in charge even if they are not. If in a department store, people think they work there. They take care of everyone else but need to learn to speak up when they need help, love, and hugs. Nines often feel unloved or abandoned by their mother or father, or they feel completely responsible for them. It's hard for them to let go of the past.

People with a Life Path 9 are humanitarians. If your Life Path is a 9 you have an extremely strong sense of compassion and generosity. You are selfless and helping others is very important to you. You not only want to help others, but you feel very deeply for those less fortunate than yourself.

You are friendly and people like you. Your generosity knows no bounds, and you give freely of your money, time and energy. Your ultimate goal is working toward a better world.

Because you are so giving you may find that your finances are not in the greatest shape. You may also have a tendency to be scattered … your talents lie in so many different directions that you may find it difficult to focus on just one. If you are not following your Life Path and are instead pursuing materialistic gains, you could feel a deep level of dissatisfaction with yourself.

Number 9 symbolizes endings, spiritual consciousness. An individual with a Life Path number 9 can overcome a lot, and is often required to do so in their lifetime. If you have a Life Path Number 9 you most likely had a difficult relationship with one or both of your parents early in your life.

Life path number 9 is the number of completion and resolution. You will need to make choices, and not resist endings. Below are some key points you might want to take into consideration to help you on your path …
__________________________________________________________________________________

I was telling my son Daniel how its not that I expect anything in return from the people I help, but I do expect a bit more positive life from the Universe.  Actually I didn't even expect that until a couple of years of notsomuch kindness coming my way.  One of my son's is incarcerated.  He has saved the lives of three people while being so.  He has personally drawn 45 Christmas cards each year for family and rec's back maybe four.  His sentence should be reduced due to the acts of lifesaving but so far no go for him.
He sent me this:
 
Same with me Mom - I do for lots of people and get shit on.
I don't blame them though.
Noone has ever taught people how to be grateful and thankful.
Nor do they understand karma....
 You just keep doing for others as its kindness in its purity.
And when its done, without expecting anything in return,
 is when its the most powerful.

Photo is from:  sapphiresmoonbeams.com

Ham and More Ham....................by Diane Ogden

So today I was not voluntarily off work. Rather my helper was sick which meant no work.
Mid day I ventured out into the snowy weather to purchase my dog and I some food and to save my salt covered truckie with a car wash. 
I ended up at Metcalf's grocery to purchase myself four or five slices of ham, some anti-dandruff shampoo considering the below zero weather has affected my entire body and scalp, and some scotch for tonight's bringing in the New Year, as well as something sweet for the next couple days of seclusion before back to work.   I got the ham slices from the deli, walked on a ways and got the sweets, walked on a ways and OMG, Whalla light bulbs and streamers.....there in front of my eyes was a bin with SPECIAL OF THE WEEK....the biggest hams ever for $1.11 a pound.

Now listen. I did do a stint in math class.  And I did pass.  But nothing prepared me for this stretch of the numbers in the middle of the grocery store with no calculator.  Yes I need a calculator sometimes.
The four slices of ham at the deli cost me $9.49 a pound.  The big honker sale ham cost me $1.11per pound for a ten pounder.  So I bought it.  I took it home. I baked it.  I then starred at the dang hunk of pig wondering what I was thinking! (That was garage sale thinking! Get it before anyone else does) Did I have enough room in my apartment freezer for this hog.  I started carving and carving and more carving.  Did I forget I live alone.  I will be eating Ham until next New Years Eve!   Then I noticed I had a bag of cabbage left from Christmas.  So I pulled out a soup pan and peeled some potatoes, put a smidgen of that hog in the pan along with the cabbage and whalla, I ended up with another over the top amount of food.  I starred at it and said to myself, "What are you thinking today?"  I was outside the/my box for sure.  I froze what I could and idk what I will do with all that soup.  Maybe its an OMEN for BIG THINGS over the top to come for me this New Year of 2014.  Or maybe I should have studied fractions better considering my portions are off the charts.
I'd rather it had been fish I over purchased.  Ham, really?  I will be a swollen piggy thru June at least. 
Until then..........laters.

Eileen's Dark Chocolate Sponge Candy............by Diane Ogden

Christmas to me means Eileen's Dark Chocolate Sponge Candy.  I avoid it at all costs but it never works out.  I try to miss the isle where it lays all snuggly in a bin along side the milk chocolate sponge candy.  Or at the other store where it is stacked high in the produce section inside plastic bags with twist ties and a hefty price tag along side it.

Eileen's Dark Chocolate Sponge Candy reminds me of love, caring, sharing, romance, comfort to the max-ola.  I only think of FAT when I start to buy it and enjoy it.  Then suddenly I don't care.  I throw the word FAT right out the window with nutrition and health and heart attacks.   There is not one good nutritional anything Eileen's Dark Chocolate Sponge Candy has to offer my body.  But my mind adores it as if it were a date with a handsome prince.  Who dates handsome princes duh?  Well, you get my point right?   I love the stuff.  I swear every year I wont do it again but I do it again.  I eat some in the morning, some at noon, some in the evening.....until its all gone.  Every year the amount the seller puts in the bag gets smaller.  This year there were about eleven pieces in one bag.  Two bags for $5.  It wouldn't matter if  it cost $15 for eleven pieces.  I would buy it because it is love to me.  Sick!  But I cannot help it.   I just wonder if this didn't happen to me when I was a child.  Someone gave me Dark Chocolate Sponge Candy during an unusually happy event and my subconscious has harbored that connection ever since.  Or -  it could be that I just like the taste of pure burnt sugar.  Eeww.  Cant be!  I don't even eat much sugar that is why this is so weird.  Secretly I cant wait until the season is over and it is off the shelves and I can go back to working off the few pounds I ate with love.   Then again I cant wait until next year when it shows back up again!!

Christmas Spirit?..........................by Diane Ogden

And so this is Christmas!  Christmas traffic that is! Add the fact it is 5:00 going home traffic also, it is totally nutz out here.  Worst I have seen in years.  I was at the Barnes and Noble bookstore and the Metcalf's Grocery behind the mall.  I think I was not thinking clearly to get myself in that placement at that time of day and year.  That was like mopping myself into a corner and having to stand there until the WAX dried.  Not just the normal water wash, nope, WAX.  Obviously wax takes much longer to dry in case whoever is reading this doesn't know that fact.  Meaning I got myself stuck in the longest traffic line I have seen in years aside from an accident scene. 

I had to get onto the circle drive around the mall to get out of the mall circle of stores....   It was bumper to bumper for at least a mile around.  It looked just like the end of the movie "Field of Dreams" where the cars kept coming from afar.  You know if you build it they will come!  Well today was, it is two days shy of Christmas and they came....from every direction at me, and RUDE, I am talking RUDE.  They were pulling out in front of me, charging in from aside me.  One man cut across two lanes in front of others directly at my truck!  No one could move....His goal was to pull in to the same place I was pulling out of.  There were cars both ways with him in the center of it all.  I raised my finger to him, no not that one,  and then I made the inch sign meaning, "Sir you need to wait a minute!"  I did that twice and mouthed it clearly to him.  I am sure his wife was embarrassed of the old coot.  He signed back to me saying he wanted in and continued inching toward my truck. Where's my gun?  I inched out onto the around the mall lane behind a car and got as close as I could so big boy could get into the grocery lot.  But not only he turned and squirmed in behind me but about seven others follows suit.  The gall he had blew me away.  The gall many had today blew me away.  I have never experienced this before and I have been in a few big cities in my days on earth.  Today beat em all. 

I would be sitting at a green light waiting while at least FOUR cars went thru their red light holding all of us back .  People were just not full of the right spirits today.  Okay so after I got out into the roundabout the mall road, bumper to bumper was still the name of today's game.  Suddenly out of nowhere a very forceful man-woman (It was a woman with balls) came out of nowhere, Sears lot I believe, and cut her front bumper right in between myself and the car ahead of me.  There was no room for her at the inn so she just busted in!!  Had I looked away from the road to change my radio or whatever, I would have hit her and oddly enough it would have been my fault maybe.  Sucky Christmas shoppers. 
We certainly should not allow guns.  Today was a gun day for me.  I would have shot over the top of "cut across coots" head had I had one.  Maybe! 
Before all this I stopped at Barnes and Noble Bookstore.  Love that place, but not today.  They had eleven check out counters going yet there was still a line halfway back into the store.  I enjoy a crowd but this was nutzo.  As was the traffic!  I shall stay at home on Christmas Eve and not deal with those people.  They do not have the kindness Christmas Spirit!  50% were Donkey-holes.  Get it?
Laters......Merry Donkey Chirstmas.... (Get it?)  Okay so some of the traffic naughtiness rubbed off on me.  Do-Overs......Merry Christmas and stay out of traffic so you can maintain your happiness. 

True Kindness and Joy..................................by Diane Ogden

Most of us expect kindness and joy at Christmas time.  It is we look forward to every year,  November and December.  We can forget, set aside, or maybe override the pain of war, school shootings, family problems, abused animals and so on.  As December approaches and lights sparkle in windows, roofs, bushes, trees, in shapes of animals and Santa's,  it seems all that sparkling reflects to our brains like the sky in a calm lake.  Peace on Earth.  Then again thru the cracks come the old life problems and pains of course. 

I was experiencing a very heavy "brain day" yesterday.  Over the top in fact.  My faith had hit the floor boards. Wait, we don't have floor boards anymore.  Do over.  My faith had hit the floor with no where and no one to lift it back up.  Or so I thought. 

This Christmas I had decided to gift all my clients and their children.  Since the death of my father my own family has pretty much gone to the winds of time....dead.    Enough said on that subject.   And, considering if I am not giving I am not happy.....  Then again I am not sure I thought this through as thoroughly as I should have considering we are talking about 88 people plus all the cats and dogs adding to over 100!  What was I thinking?  Actually it has given me more joy than I expected.  Cats got catnip, dogs got small bags of no corn no wheat treats...  "little men" rec'd lighted spiders and "little women" got bubble baths and or pink lighted spiders and more!  For the adults I chose soy candles and or Christmas bags of red velvet cupcake mixes and brownies and coffee cakes.  Fun! 

I was merely going through the steps of working every day, coming home to washing supplies, choosing what to wrap up for who the following day and maybe not enjoying it as much as I should have.  Until!!!   I rec'd this thank you and JOY photo's of these little boys and girl opening  their simple tiny gifts .....   The joy in their faces transferred directly to my faded emotions and lit them up like a brilliant Christmas tree that filled all the cells of my mind and spirit.  That may sound dramatic but let me assure you I cant find enough words for what these simple photos offered me.  I am the one that would like to send and thank you for a thank you.  LOL.

                              This is Nora with her Hello Kitty drawing pad and new clay

                            This would be Harold and Charlie whose favorite gift was the
                                                            lighted SPIDERS!!  

Postal, Postal Employee...................by Diane Ogden

So I have a box to mail to my son.  A box filled with cookies and the stocking his deceased Grandmother knitted for him when he was a wee tot.  His first baby Christmas Ornament.  A Singing Santa on a Harley, (Singing "Born to be Wild!) And about twenty dozen cookies or so.
I work every day so getting these boxes filled and off was a challenge.  I completed the challenge once I found a box under my bed that fit the Singing Santa on the Harley.  (He wouldn't fit in the government box labeled Priority Mail.  I got that box finished easy, as well as it cost $16.75 no matter how heavy and the box was free.

Okay so I get to the United States Post Office today carrying my two HEAVY boxes, note, no electric doors.  I get inside and due to the fact they are heavy I set them on a counter and go back and stand in line.  Suddenly I hear a loud rather masculine female voice shout out, "You cannot send liquor boxes thru the U.S. Mail System!"  ( I didn't know the box under my bed was a liquor box!)

The large masculine woman was looking directly at me.  I said, "Me!"  She said, "Yup."  That is when other human beings in the line began informing me to go get some duct tape and cover the words on the box.  So I picked up  my heavy boxes, got thru the non electric doors back to my truckie, drove to Dollar Store, bought duct tape and stood outside in below zero coldness, yes I know that is not a word.  I taped the shit outta that box.  Couldn't see anything but lime green and a pretty river.

 I drove back to the United States Post Office, got out of my truckie, carried the two heavy boxes back inside, set them on the counter, went back and got into the long line.  Suddenly I hear a male voice shout out, "That's not gonna do it! Has to be totally covered.  I can tell that is a beer box."   I said, "But the human beings in the other line told me how to cover the lettering."  He said, "You asked me a question, now are you going to listen?"  I almost went effing postal.  I wanted to say, "Yes your honorable King Postal Man Worker standing next to Queen Donkey (ass) masculine Postal Worker!"  But I did not.  He told me since 9-11 no such boxes are allowed.
I really cannot recall everything else he said.  I sent the one box packed in the government box.....and was told this box would cost me twice as much because I did not use the government box.  Don't even go there Diane....just leave.  So I gathered my half duct taped box and left the building.  I have that box sitting on my table as I type.  I did not have time to go buy more duct tape.  I already used ten yards on it.
Personally I would be more cautious of a box completely wrapped in silver duct tape than I would one with all the lettering covered and a pretty picture showing.  Duh.  P.S. I am going to a different Post Office this time.  I usually go to my kinder small town Verona, Wisconsin Post Office.  They do not holler at me there.  I hate it when that happens....

What I Learned Today..................................by Diane Ogden

Today was an odd day.  It snowed enough to make roads hazardous so I stayed home.  I baked at least 500 cookies, did the laundry, learned from face book why people are overweight (fat) by the recipes they post....   I learned how man has bred dogs unmercilessly to make them what they are today to make money. Even if the dogs are uncomfortable.   I learned there is a road or more than one that is no more than a ledge next to a 2500 foot drop off.  I learned about several pileups on the I System due to snow.  I learned in one of those pileups a small dog was ejected from a vehicle and is lost. Note:  It is freezing outside.   I read about a couple miracles from somewhere in the world.  Got to see a few friends Christmas Trees and one who gave their son an early gift considering they were snowed in.  Watched the State Farm commercial about Jake who calls the husband in the middle of the night and the wife wants to know what Jake is wearing.
How to keep fleas out of my house.   Many people telling of Dove sightings under Pine Trees.  Some Instagram pics and definitely some political bull chit.  I got to watch my neighbors video of someone plowing over their mailbox. (they have a window cam I guess as every year someone kills their mailbox!)  How Border Collies make their own fun.  Heck so do I!
Football scores. Someone doing a handstand for four minutes.  Whoopie Doopie.  No really, I am happy for them.  How to get rid of arm jiggle (yah right long as your in your 30's) How an Elephant saved a kitten from a river.  A lady with one brown eye and one blue eye adopted a cat with one brown eye and one blue eye...... and the list could go on for what I learned just today.  And I think my world is fairly small so I am proud for all my brain took in and I can only hope will retain for some great reason some great day in my life..  Laters...............

The Stolen Christmas Tree.....................by Diane Ogden literally

I am not a hoarder.  But I am an accumulator.  And I have two full storage bins.  One is actually a borrowed bin from my neighbor.  She is a young girl who has not accumulated yet.  I am a "Golden Girl" with much cumulation.  Since Oprah's decluttering advice I have been trying to de-cumulate. 

So this is Christmas.  A Happy Time of the Year! 

I wandered down to my bins to haul my Christmas tree up and I found three trees.  Not so unusual because I bought one for outside and had one for inside and the other one had all its lites blow out. 
I dragged them all up.  Cut all the old blown wire lights off one of the trees, re wired it with new ones.  I could not believe how those lights were wrapped around and around as well as clipped on.  That was a mess I shall not go through ever again.  Just sayin.

The tallest one had lost it top lights last year and this year the bottom went.  So....I restrung lights on that tree. 

Then my neighbor across the way called and asked me if I wanted her old Christmas Pine Tree.  Yes I did!  I drove over and hauled that one home and added lights to it also.  I now had FOUR very pretty trees spaced out in my apartment.  And one small one on the buffet.  So that makes FIVE!  I have had a glorious week of festive cheer all about trees.  I didn't even have to put ornaments up..... 

Then yesterday my neighbor, the young girl who has not accumulated yet and who loaned me her bin because all she uses it for is her bike knocked on my door.  I let her in and she is admiring all my beautiful festive Christmas trees.  She is talking about getting her tree and how she thinks she may have taken hers to her parents house.  I am listening but not "getting it!"  I stupidly said,  "Yah, I didn't know I had this many trees myself, but I just kept finding boxes with trees in them."  That is when the brain light bulb at least flickered a bit.  I looked at her and she is looking at my trees, and I said, "OMG, is one of these yours?"   She said she thought so!   I then went through each of the tree's private lives heritage and discovered the one that was not mine, but hers!  Yes I had inadvertently stolen her Christmas tree.  I was so embarrassed.  I had been so proud of my little lighted Christmas Tree farm village inside my apartment I failed to realize on of them was stolen.  I immediately walked over to the lil cutie and unplugged it, carried it to her, handed it over like it was a stolen child with humble apologies to boot.  I couldn't believe the girl had to knock on my door to see if I had her tree.  And I did.....   I can only hope I do not have anything else that belongs to her.  This was bad enough.  I can laugh about it, but I am seriously embarrassed.  Who steals someone else's Christmas Tree.... from that persons private storage bin no less.

Hey at least I unboxed it, set it up, handed it to her all ready to go.  And her box is back in her bin. 

IRS....................is closed!..................by Diane Ogden

So I received a letter from the Internal Revenue Service.  Anytime a letter comes from the revenuer people's stomachs begin to hurt as well as their brains melt and legs get squishy.  All that and more happened to me as well.  I opened it up.  It said they found I made a $19.00 error.  That my gross income was $19 more than I said.  That meant I owed them $155.00.  I do not know about you  but that doesn't really make any sense.  But then they can say whatever they want and you are supposed to believe it.  I decided to "pay" them a visit.   I took the day off, put my lil dog in the truck and we headed out to where the Internet said they had an office.  Got there and it was EMPTY.  So I called a tax office on my smart phone and they told me where the new office was.  I put that address into my GPS and headed out for a new direction.  Knowing they closed their office every day from 12:00 - 1:00 for lunch.  Wouldn't want to pay someone to office sit for an hour I suppose.  I get to the new address. Park the truck, lock it up, go in and up the elevator and what do you think?   It's closed.  The sign says it isn't supposed to be closed! Monday hours 8:30 - 4:30.

 It was not even noon.   The janitor came walking past and I inquired why it was closed.  He said, 'It's closed a lot."   I say someone is slacking and considering we can never find a human being to talk to when we call the IRS no one will ever know this employee is slacking.  Closing is not slacking, its out right not showing up.

If you look close you can see my lil dog sitting up waiting for me in the truck!
So I drive back home....look up which numbers will get me a person to talk to.  I start at 12:15......I get a person.  I also get put on hold several times.  Get a new person.  Get put on hold more.  The lady finally says she will put in a dispute notice and I should hear back in January.  We hung up and it was 1:55.  Nearly two hours on my cell phone.  Nutz!   And no solution.  No wonder they used to shoot those "Revenuer's" in the olden days.
Be well, Be safe, Be Happy, and get rich so you can mail them a simple $155.00 so you can keep them as far away from you as humanly possible!  And Ssshh, they might hear us.

Laters..........