Posts

Showing posts from September 29, 2013

The Sound of Silence

It was probably back in 2004 or 2005 that I took two groups of young adults at St. James's, Cambridge, MA out to dinner in Boston's North End. The young adults were those who were graduating from High School that year, and those who were already away at College but were home for the summer break. I ate with  two groups on two separate evenings to accommodate the various schedules of these fabulous young adults.   As it happened, at the first dinner I was seated next to graduating High School Senior Joe H at the first dinner.  If Calvin Coolidge was "silent Cal", Joe H was "silent, silent Joe". In due course Joe H spoke to me.  He said "I bet you wish that you were not sitting next to me, because I rarely talk". I responded with  "I am so happy to be seated next to you, for you have the gift of listening unlike people like I who are always talking". I meant it.  As a talker I am in awe of the listeners. ----------------------

Darn! Dash! how very embarrassing

So, my old HP  desktop having been consigned to the computer re-cycling centre, I was in the market for something new. I settled on a T-shiba lap-top at B-st B-y.  The price was right, and Gracie the employee  who attended to me knew her onions (or her megabytes). Darn it all, I know nothing about the Horse Power of this T-shiba "Satellite" - but it is incredibly fast.  I've had to adjust to a new Micr-soft system (designed by the Gates of Hell to be very confusing) - but that's part of the fun, and "sorting things out" keeps me out of trouble. I had to provide a wealth of personal information to Micr-soft before the machine would open.  This did not include my inside leg measurement -  but for those of you who worry about such things, it is 29".   (and it's almost impossible to buy pants/trousers in that size) --- but I digress. Micr-soft also made me create a new password in order to boot up this new machine.  Their instructions were c

Fine Dining: Steak and Kidney Pie. Kippers.

I've had a couple of cans/tins of "Fray Bentos" brand S t eak and Kidney Pie in my pantry for  "I forget how many" years. The "use by" date on the cans/tins has never bothered me because I believe the cans are made to survive for centuries  -  in fact I was planning to keep them for the end of the world. Since we are in yet another "end of the world" crisis in these United States I decided that today was the day to crack open one of them. Can opened, lid discarded, pie cooked at  450f for 35 minutes on a baking tray in the oven. Then an utterly delicious lunch Steak and Kidney Pie with Collard Greens. Anyone care to join me for leftovers? P.S.  I had kippers for supper, with Five Bean Salad (courtesy "Sam's Club) , and sliced tomatoes. The kippers also come in a can/tin.  They are smoked by "Bar Harbor Foods"  in the town of Whiting, Maine.    A great day for British ethnic food. 

Bye Bye dear old H.P.

My malfunctioning  old HP  desktop computer has been in a repair shop since Sept 20th. At first the repair shop folks and I thought that we were dealing  with little more than a faulty power supply. Now the repair  shop  folks, (having installed a new power supply system) tell  me that there are also  problems with the motherboard and the hard-drive I have no reasons to disbelieve them: First they did not lure me into buying expensive replacement parts. Second they will carefully recycle the component parts. So this sad blog comes to you via my cheap and slow and simple Gateway Notebook.   And I'll have to wander around various stores  on  Thursday 3rd as I search for an inexpensive replacement for my dead HP desktop.  It will most likely be a laptop, HUGSPOVE

To my good friends who are Republicans

Hi Republican Friends: We know each other.  We respect each other. We care for each other. We enjoy  these gifts of gracious relationships despite our political differences.  That's so good! I am of the opinion that the governmental shut down is un-necessary.  I am grateful for all the good things which come my way via the USA government. Perchance you disagree!  That's fine   -  we can still be friends. Nevertheless I beg you to think about the ordinary people   the "hoi polloi"  who serve our beloved United States in various governmental offices.  They are folks just like you and me. But their economic and social welfare is at risk. Without a regular pay check they may well have to choose between food on the table and the mortgage/rent payment. Do you as faithful Republican and Christian believers  think that this is  a  good and equal choice? I beg you my compatriot and Republican  Christian sisters and brothers  to do all that you can to change t

From Miss Pollyanna Ostrich: It's all very dismal and exhausting...

What is dismal and exhausting is the way in which the American  Government has lurched from crisis to crisis since 2008. Maybe the U.S.A. has become as ungovernable as Greece, or Italy, or Iraq, or Somalia,  Who'd have thunk that? But there are worlds beyond Washington D.C.  or Wall Street.  After all  I am Miss Pollyanna Ostrich  (maybe!)   I n my world  -  the world of religion/faith/belief (whatever?)  I see stuff which the Congress and Wall Street are too blinded by their  pride to see.  Viz: 1.  The exhausted old women and men who will not allow the Diocese  to close down their declining Church,  because it has a food pantry and a day care centre for wee children. 2.  The stubborn Nuns who insist that rapists and murderers on death row are children of God. 3. The tough women who care for 15 year old girls who are pregnant AND terrified. 4.  The republican minded business men who spend their spare time building homes with "Habitat for Humanity" 5.