Today is Caro's annual mammogram day. She is one of the high risk women so she would get them annually under the new guidelines. I wonder how much money figured into the new Federal guidelines. As we entered MD Anderson we walked into a sale of some kind; bracelets, necklaces, blouses, scarves, and etc. I was afraid I would have drag her away. But no, the thrill of the gram called! It is a bleak and rainy day here. http://lyn1937.com/

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12.. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's,we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

46.Don’t insult anyone, you may be loosing a dear friend.”

Our daughter Misty wrote a very compelling article. Please click on the text below to access the rest of the story.

By the time I was six I was allowed to go out and play by myself, as all the neighbors were friendly. Being 6, I had no reason to doubt otherwise because my parents had no reason to doubt otherwise for that matter. One neighbor had grandson's, all around my age, and another neighbor had a daughter, who was much older than me, but had the mentality of my age, she had a brother who was more my own brothers age than mine. I would guess at that time he was probably 18. It was a trusted neighborhood. It was safe. It was established. It was a disaster.

Joe Simms is now dead and I hope roasting in Hell. I have no idea where Timmy Green is but now that I know this evil happened I will keep my eyes open. Maybe he can visit Joe.

I have been reading the Bible from a decidedly different viewpoint than in my college years. Then I read to gather information to use in arguments against the American "supermarket" Christian. Most of them have incorporated other writings into their mental image of the Bible writing. But yet I still find things that cause me to stop and consider. In Number the Israelites are told to count the Levites.
"Gershonite clans. 22 The number of all the males a month old or more who were counted was 7,500
Kohathite clans. 28 The number of all the males a month old or more was 8,600. Footnote some say 8,300
Merarite clans. 34 The number of all the males a month old or more who were counted was 6,200."
7500 + 8600 + 6200 = 22300
7500 + 8300 + 6200 = 22000
Numbers 3:39 says 22,000 Levite's first born, so why the discrepancy after thousands of years. Is there a hidden meaning to the difference?

So how is my life going? Well….I went in for my second cortisone injection;;;;;wait, wait first some background. I had my initial cortisone shot October 30 and slowly but surely every day I have had less back pain. Also my hips hurt less and my swollen feet have returned to normal. But more importantly when I go to water the porcelain I REALLY, REALLY water. The doctor told me to expect these effects. On my various photographic excursions up in the hill country I found myself walking up to a quarter mile free and easy. I am one happy (mostly) old dude. But I did have a nagging tickling in my throat and left nostril. I got home Wednesday afternoon and thus was able to watch my normal Thurday TV shows. But I was coughing and my sinus was draining and so looking forward to the second cortisone injection.

My wife and I got to the doctor's office right on time. I was so happy at the lack of pain I told everyone in the office. The nurse gave me the prep anesthesia shot and shortly after I was taken into the procedure room and given the final shot of "good" stuff. The next thing I know I am in the waiting room with the doctor asking why I did not tell them I was congested. I didn't think I was. He said they could not inject the cortisone because I was having difficulty breathing and thrashing around on the table. So I was discharged and told they would call me Monday to reschedule. CRAP!

Disappointed does not come close to describing my disappointment. The first was so dramatic I expected the second to really relieve the rest of the low level pain Now it is Monday night and the office did not call. But truthfully if I was congested Friday I am still congested. I think I will call Wednesday.

I announced in my last entry come hell or high water I was going to see "2012" so obviously we had a flood in hell because I did not even come close to the movies.

While I was searching my blog archives to assure I do not repost a recipe for spinach salad I found a funny, OK FUNNY TO ME, entry from soon after hurricane RITA. ClickHERE to see what I thought was so funny. Then check the new few entries for a truly outstanding salad.

Click the picture for comic strips on-line.

Only in America ......do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.

Only in America .....do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a diet coke.

Only in America ......do banks leave vault doors open and then chain the pens to the counters.

Only in America .....do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.

Only in America .........do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.

Only in America .....do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering.

 

Resort is had to ridicule only when reason is against us.
Thomas Jefferson

Webtvers email comments to Lyn1937 and I will paste into the comments. This Tripod comment form is not compatible with webtv.

Come Hell or high water I am going to see "2012" this weekend. I might even make a double header and see "Men Who Stare at Goats" also.

It has been almost a week since I wrote a full entry. I was in Austin watching the three grand kids and had a wonderful time being with those bright creative kids. It is hard for me to believe the girls are already teenagers. The kids all look skinny but they eat like horses. I took them to Waterloo Restaurant in Austin and watched the girls vanish huge cheeseburgers. The morning after their parents returned I went to Kerrville to visit my Brother in Law Mike Farhoudi and his wife Vinna. Mike has been on chemotherapy for a couple years and has decided he has had all the pain and agony he can take.

Mike is one of those wonderful people that makes one question God when they die. He is the sweetest most considerate men I ever knew. He and Vinna raised three wonderful sons. He has fought Liver cancer for years without bitterness. Now all modern medicine can do is minimize his pain. Where have all the billions spent on Cancer result gone and what good has it done? The way I read the cancer trends is that the declines in mortality from the various cancers is mostly due to life style changes. Fewer are smoking, healthier diets are being used, industry is reducing it emissions, people are exercising more, and yet cancer treatment consists of the same barbarous "poisoning" of the cancers as was practiced 50 years ago. All modern medicine has done is detect cancers earlier. It is not at all clear that early detection actually leads to better survival rates. It ain't happening to me but I am bitter to see such a good man is such shape.

Prior to leaving for Austin I had decided to make my life even more complicated by photographing all 254 county courthouses in Texas. So as I passed through the various counties I would make an excursion to the county seat and photograph the courthouses. Each time I took a picture I would write a mobile blog entry with my iphone. When I finally returned to "Shattered Manor" Wednesday. I discovered my email server had decided I was a spammer and was blocking all the mobile entries. When I finally got caught up on the entries I discovered there are many places that have pictures of all 254 current and most of the obsolete courthouses. So shall I continue or just collect courthouses as the opportunity arises? Please check on our daughter's writing by clicking HERE.

Click the picture for comic strips on-line.

On an a fishing trip to Alaska, two Texans from Odessa crashed in their private plane on a remote and uncharted Bearing Sea Island .

Both survived.

One of the men brushed himself off and then proceeded to run all over the island to see if they had any chance of survival.

When he returned, he rushed up to the other man and screamed, 'This island is uninhabited, there is no food, there is no water. We are going to die!'

The other man leaned back against the fuselage of the wrecked plane, folded his arms and very calmly responded,

'No we're not. I make over $250,000 a week..'

The first man grabbed his friend and shook him. 'Listen, we are on an uninhabited island. There is no food, no water. We are going to die!'

The other man, unruffled, again responded.

'No, I make over $250,000 a week.'

Mystified, the first man, taken aback with such an answer again repeated,

'For the last time, I'm telling you we ARE doomed. There is NO one else on this island. There is NO food. There is NO water.

We are, I repeat, going to die a slow death.'

Still unfazed, the first man looked the other in the eyes and said,

'Do not make me say this again. I make over $250,000 per week, I am a Baptist, and I tithe as well as make offerings into our building fund.

'MY PASTOR WILL FIND US!'

Power is not alluring to pure minds.
Thomas Jefferson

Webtvers email comments to Lyn1937 and I will paste into the comments. This Tripod comment form is not compatible with webtv.

Austin County Courthouse


The county seat is Bellville. My iphone map showed the county set to be in Sealy. But the county building there was one sixth the size of the Sealy city hall. A groundskeeper told me the courthouse was in Bellville. I had 20 minutes until sunset and it gets dark quick now. My old eyes just don't adjust like they used to. I found the courthouse only after asking for directions twice. With my creaky voice and sore throat I must have sounded like some kind of pervert because both time the people backed away from my car while they answered.

The courthouse is of the modern boxy style. But unlike the thing in Fredricksburg this building had style and class.


This and a bronze bell is all that was left after a fire destroyed the previous courthouse.

I found a web site that has multiple good pictures of ALL the Texas County Courthouses. Click HERE to admire some beautiful and some not so beautiful courthouses.

Colorado County Courthouse


The county seat is Columbus. The city is almost surrounded by the Colorado River. The courthouse is getting extensive upgrade to wiring, electronics, plumbing, and other things required in a modern office. All the scaffolding and trees makes it hard to see the building. Two years and they should be finished I was told by the guy running a backhoe.

The dome looks like it is made out of iron and must be massive. It is certainly more ornate than the dome on the Blanco County Courthouse.


However, like many of the old style courthouses the clocks are wrong. I expect the clocks will be repaired during the renovation.

Fayette County courthouse

One of the grand old style courthouses. This one in LaGrange, home of
the Weikel bakery. I had to sto. Too sleepy and throat really sore.
Dug the Cepasol out of the suitcase and the walked around the square
to wake up. I am sitting on a wall around the Veterans Memorial on
Veteran's Day. Thinking of Dad and Uncles who served. Thanks!




http://lyn1937.com/

Gooolllllyyyy!

The magnificent rest stop near the Johnson national park has free
wifi. First time I have noticed at any rest stop. I guess powerful
corrupt politicians get such remembrances. The whole county probably
numbers less than 30K. I didn't like him live and still don't.




http://lyn1937.com/

Peeper color

We may not get much leaf change here in Texas but when we do it is awesome. This was taken 8 miles from Kerrville after Fredricksburg. The shot is a composite of 5 taken with my iPhone. I got so sleepy on the way that I got a room at Motel 6 to take a nap. Room 117 has a great AC & a comfy bed. Slept like a log for 2 hours until my alarm woke me. Missed connections with Sis so I will visit her tomorrow on my way home or to Goliad. Destination depends on my night's sleep. http://lyn1937.com/

Blanco County Courthouse

This is in Johnson City. Yes that Johnson (LBJ). It has been the county seat since 1890 when the county seat was moved from Blanco, Texas.

Unlike the other more elaborate courthouses this one has a simple low dome.

I took a bunch of pictures of the courthouse. I am planning to take pictures of all 254 Texas County Courthouses and publish a book on-line of the pictures.

On the way to visit BIL Mike and SIL Vinna.