Keep Smiling Always

Last night was my first night on late nites at work. That is 11pm-7am for those folks who are unaware that people really work those hours. We were slammed with calls, computer problems and many arrests. It was fun and yet a bit intimidating at the same time.

Today Baxter, Rocko and I went on a 2 mile walk - it was in the 60’s. Of course, why wouldn’t it be? My sister says each time she goes to Florida, Iowa warms up and she is in Florida right now. I hope she is having fun and that the weather is great down there.

I still haven’t gotten a picture of the elusive Cardinal on the trail however, the Cherry Blossoms made up for the slight the bird keeps giving me. What a beautiful sight seeing not only the Cherry Blossoms but also the Lilac Trees blooming filling the air with their sweet scent. I love Lilacs. When I buy a place, I am planting several Lilac bushes all around the house.

After the walk, I visited with my son who was a doll cuz he made me pancakes and eggs. It was delicious.

A Superior Death

Started this book on Saturday and finished it around 2 am last night (or really early this morning). It is another from the Anna Pigeon series by Navada Barr. From the sounds of it, it is one of - if not the - first one of the series.

It is about Anna working as a park ranger at Lake Superior for a year. There is an old wreck that is in very deep water - only the “best” divers go down to it. Inside the wreck are five bodies that have been left there since the vessel sank years prior. Anyway, some out of town divers mention to Anna that the six bodies down there had kind of freaked them out. Of course, one body was really that of a local fisherman who had just gotten married.

Thus the mystery of who killed young Denny unfolds around us. Once again I had it figured out early on but I know a lot of that is that I spend more time analyzing each character then most people do when they are reading for pleasure.

Once again Navada does her homework on the surrounding area which makes the book informative as well as interesting. I don’t think she did as much research as she does in later novels but that is just my opinion. I kind of read her now to find out about our different national parks. LOL.

The book was pretty good - a little dry in spots but that is when I’d put the book down and go on to something else for awhile. It wasn’t spellbinding by any means but still kept a person semi-interested in the characters. Anna, because of her husband’s death, is something of a lush which I don’t really care for but that is just me. I get tired of the same old formula - an alcoholic person who can’t handle their own problems seemingly able to figure out complex cases that even the FBI can’t handle. I’d prefer that her character be one who is tormented by the past but yet strong and enduring - kind of a role model for real life folks. We all have problems yet most of us don’t turn to alcholism so why do the characters in books and in movies always seem to?

Anyway, I would recommend the book to anyone who wants to learn about another great environmental resource (Superior) and have a bit of a mystery plot too.

Hey Bus Driver, That Was My Stop…

Life is like a bus ride. We sit there, riding along the route, trying to entertain ourselves until our stop comes along. We could get off at any of the stops, start a new adventure by doing something different, but most of us wait until our usual spot comes into view before pulling the “stop request” string that runs the length of the bus on both sides.

Why do we keep doing the same things, over and over, expecting different results? We ride along the bus of life, watching others go bustling by in their cars or stand confused on the sidewalk waiting for who knows what. The bus stops and starts, it’s engines gunning up as if we were really going to take off with some speed…the engines strain, and we merge into traffic going possibly 15 miles an hour.

Some of us groan inwardly as, just when the bus of life starts picking up some real speed, someone pulls the cord and we slow down to a stop once more. Just like life - we go along happily and things start picking up for us, we start feeling in control and someone or something slams on the brakes. We think of our dreams and our desires - why doesn’t this bus ever get to the good stuff? Why are we left wanting a stop that doesn’t exist? Ever get the feeling you got on the wrong bus and your life is suppose to be heading in another direction altogether? What do you do? Jump out at the next available stop and try to find your way back to a familiar place?

When we pull the cord for our stop, we are making the choice to continue going down the same road we have been on. Each morning we get up and make the choice - do I get on the bus today or should I stay inside to hibernate (marinate) awhile? The stops I get off now aren’t the stops I’ll always get off. My life is still changing, mutating into new dreams and desires…with each mutation, a new stop on my bus route appears. Basically, I hope my life gets more settled and I find a permanent residence that I love. There are so many things I want to do, so many things I want to see, and worrying about the basics - shelter, transportation, and substance - seems so rudimentary to me. I should be beyond those things. But I’m not.

Once and awhile you’ll get someone who is reading - not paying attention to their surroundings. These people are drifting through life, letting life’s current or, in this case, the bus take them along. They don’t look out, they don’t make a connection with others, they just horde their contribution to society to themselves. Suddenly one of them will cry out “Hey, bus driver…that was my stop” as if the bus driver should have been looking out for them. They don’t take the responsibility of looking out for themselves. The bus continues on to the next stop and the person is practically freaking out because, omg, this is a new stop and how am I going to get back to where I am suppose to be??? They cower before the challenge of something different, a change in their life’s route.

So what is my point here? Don’t really have one actually. I was just sitting here thinking about how life is like a bus…

Ha Ha

Ha ha, I was right! The weather didn’t get bad like the weathermen predicted. Yesterday was in the high 50’s and today is in the mid 50’s with sunshine. So much for their “artic air with possible snow showers.” As my sister said, it must be nice to have a job where you can be wrong 3/4th’s of the time and not get fired.

Had breakfast with my neice and her significant other. It was a blast. We talked about our upcoming Wyoming trip and laughed about past trips in our lives that didn’t go so well. We were at the restaurant for almost 3 hours. They had to come over to get our plates at one point because they were getting low on plates. I think it was a friendly “get the hell out of here” kind of gesture but we ignored it. Getting together should be a leisurely experience - not something that has to be rushed.

I was up till almost 3 am last night so getting up early was more of a challenge then usual but it was fine. Wish my sister could have made it but she had to work her second job. Hopefully she can quit working so much this summer so we can do more together. One of the things about moving up was so that we could do more together so hopefully that will happen once the weather is good for hiking and canoeing.

Filled up my gas tank so you know what that means…yep, a Sunday drive is in order. I don’t know which direction Baxter and I will drive but I’m sure it will be nice. I love Sunday drives.

What a bad call…

Well, did I call it badly or not? The wind is blowing hard and the temp continues to drop as the night goes on. Suppose to be down to 38 degrees and SNOW possible tomorrow.

I froze being outside. Had to walk to my car and then take Wayne back to work. It is so cold out there I can’t get warm. Really hate being cold but oh well. It will warm up again soon. We actually had a tornado warning again so we got to put out another Hawk Alert. Work was very busy but I did awesome. I love when I do awesome.

The weekend is here and other then meeting my niece for breakfast on Sunday morning, I have no plans. Guess that isn’t a bad thing…especially since the weather is going to be bad.

Well, I’m tired and it is time to go to bed. I’ll try to call it better next time.

It’s Friday - Hooray!

I had a bad night at work last night. It made me wonder why I decided to stay in this field of work rather then go for a cushy desk job. I don’t know what to think. It really irritates the hell out of me.

I put an officer at the wrong corner for a traffic stop. The whole call ended up being a big mess but not a disaster. It could have been a disaster though had the guy needed help and I didn’t know where he was. His backup was headed to the right place so it wasn’t like his help wouldn’t have gotten there soon but still…it was my fault. I take responsibility for it. That was the only screwup I had but the night seemed endless and full of problems.

When I went to bed last night, I couldn’t sleep because I kept thinking about the job and why I was putting myself through this again. I wanted a secretarial job - but this popped up and seemed so perfect. {sigh} I know “this too shall pass” and the job will end up being fine but I hate making mistakes and hate also that I stress over them so that I can’t sleep. I don’t need the added stress in my life right now, ya know?

Yesterdays News

Windshield wipers slap across the windshield in happy harmony. They wisk the rain away almost as fast as it falls. I love the rain.

Overnight, it seems, our neck of the world awakened from its winter slumber. Trees have leaves growing, the grass turned emerald green and tulips are in bloom. Winter is all just a bad memory - you could almost see vapor from the collective sigh of 150,000+ people in our city.

Coats have been stowed - shorts and sweatshirts have replaced them for another year. Flip flops are out by the thousands. It truly is a sight to behold. One day I’m taking Baxter out for a walk wearing a coat and hat - the next day I’m out in a tshirt and sweatpants. It’s great!

Now that spring is in the air, there will be a lot of rain and mud - but in another month the blustery winds will dry it up for the hot summer days. With those days comes boating, hiking, frisbee golf, and bike riding. Hooray!

Wastewater Dumping In Atlantic

This story showed up on the internet today. Apparently three counties in Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties) have been dumping 300 million gallons of wastewater into the Atlantic DAILY since the 1940’s. Their pipes go out several miles before the dump occurs because, experts say, the ocean dissipates the waste so there is no environmental impact.

Let me quote: “State officials have argued for years that the waste dissipates at sea and causes little or no near-shore pollution because it is quickly carried north in the Gulfstream current. “The human health risks are low because of the dilution involved, and the outfall discharges are disinfected,” said Llewellyn.”

Um, how would you like to live North of Florida along that Gulfstream current? What’s that you say? “To be sure, waste-water sewage outfall pipes are not unique to Florida. Southern California, which also relies on them, is among areas where officials have been accused of treating the ocean like a giant toilet.” OHMYGOD, California does it too?

What the hell is wrong with people? We’d rather ruin our oceans then pay the money it takes to update, and keep updated, our wastewater plants? Give me a break already! We spend fistfulls of money on shit (pardon the pun) that we don’t need but just have to have - yet we are too constipated to spend it on saving our environment?

I’m sorry, this whole thing outrages me. I wrote letters back a few years ago when Florida decided to dump shiploads of nitrates into the Gulf…did it do any good? Probably not but collectively, many citizens working together, got the EPA to not approve new permits requesting to do the same thing. Who knew it was just a drop in the bucket compared to what these counties are dumping EVERY DAY. Ugh, makes me sick. I think we should make the people who agree to doing this kind of thing, drink the polluted water for a year…see if it really doesn’t harm people. Where are the scientific research results on how this practice of dumping raw sewage doesn’t hurt anyone or anything? They don’t have any because they are just blindly saying it doesn’t and hope that no one will call them on the mat about it.

“Marine scientists, however, say the minimally treated effluent is potentially harmful to humans, especially small children, the elderly and anyone with a weakened immune system. They also argue that it is hurting coastal ecosystems since it contains high levels of nitrogen, ammonia and other contaminants associated with the algae blooms that periodically suffocate coral reefs.

“The state has been reluctant to admit that these discharges are affecting the reefs,” said Peter Barile, a scientist at Marine Research and Consulting of Melbourne, Florida. “We’ve had very, very strong evidence but, amazingly, a reluctance by the state to admit this,” he said.”

What do you say we all send Janet Llewellyn, head of water resource management at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, some hate mail??

Yesterday’s Outing

Baxter and I decided to go for a long drive yesterday because the weather was so nice. It actually got up into the 70’s! We drove out to Sharon Center and in that general area…I was surprised to find that, even though so much has changed in IC, SC was exactly the same.

We stopped at the old iron bridge so Baxter could walk a bit and I could get some pictures. Trees are starting to bud which is just so cool. We will be encased in greenery before we know it! Some farmers have already planted their crop so little rows of plants are starting to pop up.

Basically we go on these drives to reconnect with Iowa. But I also keep my eyes open for that “perfect” house I need to get started on my vision of how I want to spend the rest of my life. I know God will reveal it to me when he is ready, but it doesn’t hurt to keep my eyes open.

Baxter is doing really well. He has more energy now and seems pretty much back to his old self. If he didn’t have staples to worry about, I would let him rough-house with the other dogs. I can just see one of them accidently pulling out a staple - ugh. Next week we will go have them removed.

Right now we are off to walk our two miles - the day is getting away from me so fast! Man, I wish I was rich so I didn’t have to work! I’d volunteer somewhere but not full time. Sigh.

Bones to Ashes

The above titled book, written by Kathy Reichs, is headed back to the library today. I started it on Saturday and finished it on Sunday night about 2 am.

This was my first experience with Ms. Reich’s writing. I know she has written at least one other book also with the word “bones” in the title. Why “bones?” Because her main character is a bone expert. Police departments all over Canada send their unidentified remains to her so she can analyze them & possibly id the victim. This book involved missing teenagers.

I found the book a little dull. Sometimes there would be interesting stuff going on and then other times it was as flat as the sheet of paper it was written on. Would I read another book by Ms. Reich’s? Probably so because her characters were interesting and some of the forensic information was stuff I hadn’t read before.