HAPPY NEW YEAR...............One of the new Illinois laws is that you cannot drive and talk on your cell phone.  Great law.  So I bought a Bluetooth.  Now it was a little complicated to get it all set up.  Plug in, charge, make sure it is compatible with your phone.   I made sure I was ready on my first drive with my new little toy.  I am safe.  Ok, my first person to call will be Barry.  I have it set up to just speak in the phone and say Call Barry.  So here goes..........."Call Barry".....call Jerry?, you do not have a Jerry on your call list.................I said "Call Barry"............oh you want to call Barry.  I said yes!  calling Barry.......ring, ring, ring,,,,,,,,but not in my ear. Oh, I forgot to turn the blue tooth on..........wait, wait,  I am driving.....pull over on the side of the road.....Turn on blue tooth.. OK.  I am ready!!!!!  I am driving........"Call Barry".......call Jerry!  NO........ CALL BARRY!   I think I need a lot more practice.  I wonder how many accidents have occurred trying to get the blue tooth to work.  It might just be easier not to use a phone at all while driving. 

Driving without distractions is very important.  I remember  years ago when the kids were little.  No car seats.  Rambling around the car and dealing with them.  Fighting in the back seat, and trying to drive safe.  I made sure I always had a small car so that it was easy just to reach back and slap all of them.  I was being safe, right?

We all have so many distractions while driving.  I drive a stick shift and  I am able to talk on the phone, drink a cup of coffee,  change the radio station, and shift in all 5 gears all at the same time.   

I will try to be safe from now on with my new blue tooth.  I did find out one great benefit.  It is easier to wash dishes with a blue tooth in.  Have a great NEW YEAR.

I heard of a bridge just up the road.

It has been said that it was very old.

I yearned to see this structure of the past,

and take photos that I knew would last.

Upon the approach, feeling its ancient appeal,

Abandoned and silent these bones of steel.

I almost could imagine the horses and cart,

I creeped up so slowly to stand on its heart.

I wanted to cross to feel the ancient ghosts

Unsteady I tried getting half way at most.

But the past held me back, I could not go

As the bridge shook and teetered to and fro.

I will leave you alone this beauty of the past

to harbor your memories that I know will last.
 

 

Built in 1901, the Pratt Truss Bride is listed by the state of Illinois as a historic bridge because of its style. Truss bridges are known for their load-bearing elements, forming numerous triangular shapes holding the bridge through compression and tension.  The bridges were was to analyze for early 1900's engineers and used construction materials more efficiently than other designs.  The Pratt Truss style was found to be practical for spans of up to 250 feet and were commonly used for railroad bridges.  The bridge on Stagecoach Road spans 100 feet with iron supports and a wooden deck. There are not too many of those types of structures left in the state of Illinois. 

RETIRED?

So everyone is always asking me, "What do you do all day, now that you are retired?".   I always try to answer, "Everything I wanted to do when I was working, but could not fit it in".  I am usually busy from the time I get up until that short time after supper, when I am usually exhausted.  It is great to spend all day with your best friend, I mean Barry, (even though we do spend a lot of time away from each other since he gets up at 10:00 AM and I get up at 5:00 AM - Makes for a great retirement and marriage). I love to improve on my websites and help others build theirs. I have three businesses. ADVOCARE, which proves to be rather productive.  I love learning about nutrition and keeping healthy and helping others do the same. The photography business, which is more of a hobby, also can prove to be productive at times.  I try to exercise daily.  The third business is E-Bay.  Very time consuming, but I love getting bargains and making a profit.  I tote grandkids to school and home almost daily, and available for my "over the river" grandkids to babysit at the drop of a dime.  I love my grandbabies who are all growing up so fast.  I help my big grandson try to find purpose in life, helping him publish his book, and encouraging him to write another.   I enjoy the many luncheons with my past coworkers.  I love the fact that I can sit and relax and read a great book if I want. Spring/Summer time proves to be even busier, with gardening and walking in the woods.  I tried growing herbs last year and dried them.   Camping with family is always fun.  I always try to find a new craft, like the OLIBELLA hand and body scrub, which I still make for friends and family.  My last disaster was the concrete flower bird baths.  The new one that I am interested in hub cap flowers.  (I will post pictures later).  My last endeavor is joining the choir.  I love my choir and church.  The best thing about being retired is that I do not have to do any of the above if I don't want to. 

Check out my grandson's book on Amazon.  "Spilt Inklings"


 http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/182-4258838-5711700?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=spilt+inklings

THE CHOIR

So, I must reveal a secret.  I decided to join the choir at church.  This decision had not come by lightly.  About 2 years ago, maybe 3, Barb, the organist asked me to join the choir.  Of course, I declined, because I have been told by many people, mostly my family that I CANNOT SING, and you know, I know I cannot sing, but I can carry a tune…. Mostly off key.  Many months went by, but Barb kept after me to join the choir.   I kept saying no.  Thinking to myself, why would anyone want someone who could not sing, in their choir?  Then she said, you know the only requirement to sing in the choir was to be able to walk up the stairs to the choir loft.  That intrigued me, as I have never been up in the choir loft.  The thought was always on my mind.  I finally took that climb up those steep stairs. Thank goodness there was a banister to hold on to.  Out of breath, and not able to talk, much less able to sing, I found a remarkable kinship and  friendship that I always knew was what the Catholic faith was all about.  I found my church family.  I was welcomed with open arms, thanking me over and over for coming, and I felt almost at home.  I thought to myself, this is not too bad, people cannot see me as the choir loft is in the back up, up, up and away,  and I can always lip sing. 

The first practice, I kept thinking, why are they thanking me?  They have not heard me sing!  Barb, the organist,  said here are some of our books and music  and if you have a keyboard at home, you practice the songs.  WHAT???!!!

I cannot read music!!!  Keyboard.  Oh no! Why did they think I could play or read music.  I CAN ONLY LISTEN TO THE SONG, AND HOPEFULLY REMEMBER WHAT IS SOUNDS LIKE AND THEN MIMIC IT.   I am thinking the only requirements are to walk up the stairs.  I did that, I am in!  I thought BUT  here is the music with all these little squigglies and notes, oh yes I do know they are notes.  Doe, a deer a female deer, and so on.  I am trying to recall, back 50 years when I was in music class in school, to, yes, I remember…… Every Good Boy Deserves Food???, no that is not it…….EGBDF…….Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge or Fun??? Oh well.  FACE……where does that come in?  I do know most of the songs, including some of the latin ones, but I cannot read music. 

I am amazed at how anyone can look at those squiggley notes and know what it should sound like.  Do, re, me, fa, so, la, ti, do………where do they go??……..on those lines, Oh yes, I remember, called bars. 

So, I am singing in the choir, mostly lip-singing.  Will they ever find out I cannot carry a tune?

Our choir director is AMAZING. So talented, we are so lucky to have someone like him in our little town of Jerseyville, Illinois., …….I know he must know I cannot carry a tune.  But he keeps telling us to belt it out.  ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA….. I am thinking, can he hear this voice. My voice…….He must. 

I am in awe at anyone who can read music, play music, sing music by following those notes on the bars with the squigglies on them.  It is a different language.  The music is in my soul, but that is it.  My vocal cords do not know what to do with all those notes. 

This is an ongoing story.  We are practicing for Christmas.  Maybe I should try to learn to read music at my old age, I am just thinking.  Can this old dog learn new tricks? 

ADVOCARE

http://www.loseweightafter50.info/

After using AdvoCare products for 4 years now, I truly believe that I am younger.  I feel younger.  I look younger.  After retirement, I am free now to do the things I want to do and the things I love to do.  I would not be able to do anything if I did not feel as amazing as I do.  I attribute it using the AdvoCare products.  I am hooked for life!