Dr. Gill and the Gunman

That's right, Dr. Gill and the Gunman.  The title has to do with this Christmas, 2011.

As I approach the slippery slope down to 2012, it got me to thinking of funny stories and preferable fairly recent ones that I can remember...having a bit of a problem with that lately.  Anyway, Christmas was very quiet this
year as David, Amy and the kids went to New Mexico for the holidays.   And this year, Aubrey has a girlfriend, Megan who is living with him now, so needless to say, he's real busy...very busy.  So much fun to see him fawning over Megan and being himself, but with an extra coating of sweetness.  Plus, our 'Sunday dinner fixed by Chef Aubrey' days are over, came to a screeching halt the day Megan moved in.  We mourn the passing of this delicious weekly event.

Don't get me wrong, Megan is the best thing that has happened to Aubrey ever!  Wonderful person, sweet as they come and a compassionate lady.  The best part is she is so very good for Aub and he is extremely happy.

Anyway, back to Dr. Gill and the Gunman.  We spent Thanksgiving at the river with Dave, Aub and the grand kids.  We had so much fun.  One night Dave, Aub, William and Archer and myself played guitars and sang
like there was no tomorrow. Such a special time for all of us.  During that visit somehow the BB gun came out of the closet, but with that many guys it was bound to happen.  Archer's eyes were huge as he was taught how to

Click on the highlighted words below to check out the look on
Archer's face.....classic.

look down the barrel and aim and fire.  It was a "moment" for Grampaw and I.

So, naturally when Christmas was coming, Aubrey got Archer a huge plastic NERF gun that looks like it might possibly put some kid down, and of course Archer loved it.  The Gunman.

Then, there is" Dr. Gill", (Violet Olivia).  We exchanged gifts early since they were all leaving for New Mexico and one of my gifts to Violet was a nurses bag with all the goods in it.  This little girl is a born little nurturer.  She can slap a band aid on you or me, but especially Grampaw, her favorite patient, quicker than a lightning strike.  "Don't worry Grampaw, I'll take care of you."  Seriously, that's what she says.

Anyway, so a couple of days after the gift exchange/brunch thingy at David and Amys', she came to spend the

day with me.  When she arrived she had her doctor bag on her arm and another bag in tow.   She announced to me , "Matati, guess what I have in my bag?"  meaning the big bag.  "What do you have, Violet?"  Then

she proceeded to begin pulling out at least 12 little stuffed animals.  

Violet:  'Do you know who these guys are?'

Me:      'No, except for "hamster" , I know him.'

Violet:  'Matati, these guys are my patients."

Then she went to her doctor bag and pulled out a little sticker book of butterflies and proceeded to

stick them on some of her "patients".  

Me:  "Oh, Violet that looks so good on them".

Violet:  "They get a sticker today because they were very brave."

She really is a special little girl, soon to be three years old, January 19th. 

How to Write a Screenplay....Right?

Now I understand the reason my blog is called Starting Over....Again. Indeed, I am starting over again with this blog.

 I think my last post was in November, 2010.  It's not that I haven't thought about it.  In fact, I have been trying to figure out how I can remember everything that goes on in my life.  I  think it is this blog, but on the other hand, I watched a show on PBS about this woman who had the same sort of thoughts.  She decided to write a screenplay.  I thought, you know, that might be fun.  Then I decided that well....you have to change speakers quite often, which might get tedious.  Or....just write down all your thoughts about stuff.  Everything that you have wanted to get on paper before you forget.  Which is a big problem.  Then, after it is finished, go back in and plug in the different characters.  Hmm...I don't think that will work.  I got hung up on, well....whose name?  real person? fantasy person?  Family members?  God no!   So, I am still trying to figure it out. The screenplay could be called, wait for it......
"Stalk Yourself", or something akin to that......  I have no idea what that means or where the hell it came from.

Misadventures of a 65 year old Woman

Costco Trip

This is an email I sent after I had met my buddy, Joan at Costco for "lunch".  Best hot dogs in town!

Hey Joan,

I had fun yesterday at Costco.  Fast and furious.  Oh, and guess what?  I was wandering around that damn parking lot for a while looking for my truck. I was very hot and still could not spot my vehicle.  Then I remembered that all I needed to do would be to set off the alarm so I did and I could hear the horn beeping.  Still beeping and wailing...and ....lord, it seemed that I couldn't turn the damn thing off.  As I approached,  I realized that it was not my truck making all the racket. It was a nice Toyota Tundra pickup, but not my pickup.   I pushed my alarm button again and almost had a heart attack since it was about 2 vehicles over.  I walked over to it and there was this elderly

gentleman in a wheelchair with his wife.  She was pissed.  I had scared her husband horribly with all the beeping.  As his wife patted his shoulder and they he yelled at me, "What the hell are you doing?" He "rolled" away almost running over my foot. Plus..... 

Scene II -Act IV:  The little dorky security guard in his 3 wheeler, top speed 5 miles an hour, pulls up just as I was about to go for it with the old man and take him down.  Turns out, the Tundra truck driver had pushed his alarm button accidentally to add to the racket.

Me?....I had pushed the "Open your stupid doors" button about 80 times.  

Anyway, so glad they have surveillance cameras in that parking lot as I am sure someone will make some money on YouTube with that little confrontation. Oh and yes, I flipped off the old man, his nasty wife and the security guard on his tricycle.  

So Joan, you can tell all your friends about this idiot you have for a friend who almost beat up this

old man in a wheelchair in the Costco parking lot and almost decked the security guard in 103 degree weather in Texas.

Hint to friend:  Don't ever leave me unattended in the parking lot again!! 

When I got home I decided to "label" my alarm button.  Not pretty. It says:  "Don't Touch, Stupid"

Archer And Violet Go On Vacation

For the second time or maybe it is the third, David and Amy rented a house outside of Pagosa Springs, Colorado for a couple of weeks.  Last winter they rented a house there and Aubrey and I were lucky enough to be able to visit them.  Lots of fun playing in the snow with the kids and sledding, my favorite.  So, after they had  been gone a few days, David called and I was able to talk to each of them.  The house they rented was right
on the San Juan River so I knew they were having lots of fun in the water and looking for rocks.

When the call came I couldn't wait to talk to the kids, I was really missing them badly and couldn't wait to hear what
they had been up to.  First up....Archer.  This is how it went:

Me:        "Hi Archer, how are you, are you having fun?"
Archer:  "Hi Matati, yes."
Me:       "What is your favorite thing so far?"

Archer:  "Playing in the park".
Me:      "That must be lots of fun".
Archer:  "Yes, uh.....Matati, I need to go cuz my dinner is ready., bye."

Well that was just fascinating.

Up next, Violet.

Me:    " Hi Violet, how are you.?"
Violet:" Hi Matati, how was your day today, did you have a good day?"
Me:   " Well, ....yes I did"
Violet:  "What did you do today?"
Me:  "uh.....I cleaned the bathroom....."Violet what is your favorite thing so far?"
Violet:  "Well, I really like to drink Milk".

There you have it,we laughed and laughed about it,  but at least I got to hear their little, sweet voices.  I do miss them so much.

Staycation This Summer, 2011

Yes, I think it is trite too.  Staycation, what a stupid word, depressing almost. . 'Stay' being the operative word, but I must say that although we did stay home, we also renewed our talent for working together.  William and I for all of our big talk, our big plans, just stayed home much of the hottest summer in Austin that I can remember, yikes.

We finished making our deck with rails and new chairs and tables, new grill, stained the wood what we thought was a cedar color, but actually it came out Longhorn Orange, really orange.  The best part of the whole thing was renewing our love for working together.  We used to do it all the time when we were younger.  Always productive and usually a good time.  These days we are very slow.  What's the hurry, we have lots and lots of time.  Each piece of the project takes quite a while. But it does make me kinda humble.  I get it...this getting older stuff. Yes it is hot, but we only work in the mornings until about noon.

And again, I am so happy I bought my "pool" a few years ago.  This thing is the best ever.  Some people call it a horse trough or watering trough, but it is my pool, maybe a soaking tub.  I fill it up in the morning and by noon or 2 it is about the right temperature.  Ahhhhhhh...so nice.  Plus, after working outside on the deck and getting really hot and sweaty the "pool" feels great.  I mean, it ain't Barton Springs, but it does cool you off.  Then when everyone is done.  I just unscrew the thingy on the side and empty it.  Put it up on its' side and spray it out.  Done, ready for another day.  The grandchildren like it too, although Archer is almost too big for it as he knows how to swim now and, although Violet would prefer to make mud pies she likes to get in too.

"Matlock"

After learning of the loss of their wonderful dog, Matlock, I wrote to my friends, Jackie and Andy, in New Mexico. And, after hearing that my response to them touched peoples' hearts, I thought I would post it here in my Blog.

Dear Jackie and Andy,

I was so sorry to hear of Matlocks' passing.  What a great dog he was.  And, although I was not around him often, and in fact he didn't really

know me at all, he really saved me from myself that time I spent the night up at your place in Glorietta. Here is the little story.  A true story.

 I think it was when Amy, Archer, Granny and I came up for a couple of days, or maybe just one.  Anyway, when it came time to decide on sleeping arrangements, I opted for one of the little places up on the hill.  Jackie.... remember you gave me the grand tour of each one and I could decide where I would stay.

As the sun went down, it finally dawned on me, that it would be very dark up that hill, not to mention actually closing my eyes.  Yikes.  I never

let on how frightened I was and everyone said things like, "oh, you will be fine, we sleep so good when we stay up there."  Or, "hey, just leave the door open so the fresh air can keep you cool."  What?   Keep the door open, are you guys serious!  Don't you know there are wild animals in the forest?

Of course, I didn't let on how scared I was and I kept trying to figure out ways that ....well....after everyone was asleep, maybe I could get to one of the cars and just sleep in there.  No...I am not kidding.

So bedtime came,  I think Jackie or Amy escorted me up the hill to my room.  Hey, I was a trooper, went right in, turned on the lights, got in bed.........wait.....Let me just pause for a moment and tell you that I have camped in Colorado, New Mexico, Minnesota, Wyoming and Montana (Glacier).  I have actually been in the company of a big bear, in camp, while I was making breakfast for everyone in Colorado. In Glacier, I ran into a very large grizzly bear, on the way back from a hike.  So, it's not that I don't know what's out there.....I do.

Then, as I was about to make my run for the safety of the car.....I heard something.  Not a loud noise, just a sort of soft walking noise.  There was some huge animal about to come in the room.  Oh my god, my worst nightmare was coming true.  And me without a phone or anything.  I decided that I would do the unthinkable and turn on the light.

It was Matlock, big ol' Matlock.  He came ambling over to my bed, put his chin on the mattress and just looked at me like, "hey, I am here, you don't have anything to worry about", then he went to the doorway and laid down.  He didn't move all night and I slept peacefully, knowing he was there.

As far as he and I were concerned, we were soul mates. 

So, I was so very sad about him passing.  I do know what it is like to lose a life-long friend as we lost our beloved Annie, last November. We had had her since Aubrey was in elementary school.

 RIP Matlock.

Much love to you both,

Cathy

Huge Party on Saturday

I have been hearing quite a bit about a large event to take place this Saturday, a fairly religious event that sounds pretty scary to me. Turns out that only the Christians that have been "saved", will suddenly have their bodies converted into a different form and they will rise vertically into the air.( uh....what?)Many believe that they will pass right through ceilings, roofs of cars, etc. to meet Jesus Christ in the sky. (I think that is where the name comes from, "The Rupture".)

There will be some serious problems on planes, trains and automobiles as their pilots, engineers and drivers suddenly disappear and the vehicles crash. Yikes. The bodies of Christian believers who have died during the previous two millennia will rise out of their graves and ascend to meet Jesus.

And, I have been thinking that if this is true, I am very lucky to have some relatives that have been "saved".  Really.  Actually, I have seen them in the past and fairly recently, practicing converting into a different form and rising vertically into the air, but that was mainly due to alcohol and drugs.  You can't even talk to them, much less reason with them when they are like that.  A real drag, this Rupture thingy.

There is also an event called, "Post Rapture Looting" , that I will definitely be attending. Awesome.

There are some "Rupture" parties planned for Saturday and I understand there will be excessive amounts of booze there. So, put your party hats on and keep a wary eye on the person next to you.... you never know who will be "Rupturing", and who won't.