The concept of "A'Trezla" comes from a series of books that have come to be known as "The Liaden Universe" by Sharen Lee and Steve Miller.   There are 16 books in the series to date and it is an absolutely fantastic series of books.   It is a series of… Read full post »

Today has been an interesting day around here.  I've been "in and out" more than teenagers having sex.   On my arrival home from my next-to-the-last bit of running around I found someone parked in MY parking place.  I shook my head and shrugged and then parked the van next to hubb… Read full post »

I had a rather interesting conversation with one of the uncles earlier this week about the differences between education today and education when he was in school. 

Back when dinosaurs still roamed the earth (yep, that is hyperbole) children went to school in one room school houses.  … Read full post »

Time Magazine has an article on over-parenting that is available online and when I read it earlier I sat here shaking my head in agreement with a lot of what is in the article.  

Through the article I discovered that I am a "rebel".   I have spent years being… Read full post »

My fimily is peopled by a LOT of downright STRANGE people...   The funeral for my Uncle Dave this afternoon though I do believe sets records for STRANGE.  

This is my uncle Dave:  The decedant.  

 Yes, that is a wild hawk in his hands.  No, he's not w… Read full post »

Being a smart alec, I decided to offer up a couple of suggestions for Cappy's wedding to Cappy... 

Now since either Cappy or Cappy is going to have to be the "bride" I went in search of dresses and accessories for Cappy.  The following are my suggestions.  Cappy, feel free… Read full post »

This week has been "rough" for me.   I need to apologize to anyone who has noticed that I have been a might less tolerant than usual and a whole lot more ascerbic than usual around here.   There are reasons for both but those reasons don't excuse the behavior...they just make it… Read full post »

When strangers look around my house and see some of the things around here I am certain that they believe that my family "needs" all kinds of strange things.  Especially at this time of the year.   It sounds horrible but I usually shake my head and laugh at some of the… Read full post »

I just saw that Lou Dobbs is leaving CNN and "considering his options"...  

I have some completely FREE advice for him... 

It is identical to the advice that I have for darn near EVERY employee of Fox "News"...  

It is also identical to the advice that I have for… Read full post »

Yesterday Owl_Says_Who and Harry's Ghost shared, along with many of us who lived in the area at the time, information and memories about the storm that wound up sinking Edmund Fitzgerald 34 years ago.   This post isn't really "about" The Fitz (as it was called) but rather about storms on th… Read full post »

In Michigan they have a foreign language that is spoken, or rather what appears to be a foreign language if you don't know the "slang" in question. This is a short course in the language known as "Yoopanese"

Yooper: Someone who lives in da UP (Upper Penninsula)

Troll: Someone who… Read full post »

Frustrating!  It truly is.  I am pretty "up front" about the fact that English is not my first language.   What I don't generally do though is discuss the frustration that I feel when using the English language to express something that is clearly understood in my native language… Read full post »

I am amused every time that someone tells me that only the "indians" count coups.  Matter of fact, my usual reaction is to just smile and shake my head because counting coups is something that has been done in EVERY society since the advent of human beings. 

Just so that… Read full post »

In little towns all across America you see them...   people who "lead" and people who LEAD.  Sometimes they are the same people, but many times they are not.  Nowhere is this more evident than on the reservation.  

When the Reservations were being set up the "brilliant minds"… Read full post »

I know that many people fail to understand why it will not be anywhere near as "easy" for the United States to come to a point where Americans have "Universal Health Care".   One of the biggest reasons that it is likely that it will never happen is one that most people… Read full post »

Peppermint Patty cookies...

1 package brownie mix
1/2 to 1 C flour (amount varies depending on the type of brownie mix and the humidity)
**1 box of mints (peppermint patties, junior mints, Andes mints, etc...)

Preheat oven to 325* Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

Mix brownie mix according to package direc… Read full post »

The song says "Signs, Signs, Everywhere a Sign" and humans do have a tendency to put up a plethora of signs.   We even put them on one another. 

"S/he is a [whatever political party]" with a gasp of horror... 

"S/he is a [liberal/conservative/neo-con/progressive] with an even lar… Read full post »

The question that I posed came from the pronouncement someone made to the effect of "IF the disabled want something they need to find the money and do it themselves".   THAT kind of an attitude towards the disabled makes me a mite irritated given the things that the disabled have done… Read full post »

What DO the following list of people have in common?  Beyond the fact that they are all either famous or infamous.  

Robert David Hall 
Abraham Lincoln
David Bohm
Sir Isaac Newton
Greg Louganis 
William Orville Douglas 
Hank Williams, Sr.
Howard Hughes  
Jimmy… Read full post »

One of the most IRRITATING phrases that I hear on a fairly routine basis is "your son can't [do whatever] he's handicapped".  That is one of the most blatant discriminatory and ignorant statements that an able bodied person CAN say either to either the parent of a disabled child OR someone… Read full post »

16 years ago I was pregnant.  For a son and a daughter, although at the time I didn't know any more than that there was a pair of them in there rather than the single that I had expected. 

It's funny how things turn out...   The following is… Read full post »

This question actually comes from something that I saw earlier today.  I was hanging out on YouTube earlier hunting for a video of something and ran across Trace Adkins'  "Ladies Love Country Boys" video and in the video there is a billboard that reads "What is a REAL MAN made of?". … Read full post »

I wrote the following shortly after MrRaptor and I got married.   It was written immediately after a trip to the emergency room with my son because he had SEEN MrRaptor do something SUPREMELY stupid and decided to follow suit.  

To My Children's Father:

I'm writing this letter so that… Read full post »

Shortly before 6:30 pm in rural Otsego County Michigan a small private plane crashed on Interstate 75.   The pilot and passenger were airlifted in critical condition to Otsego Memorial Hospital in Gaylord Michigan. 

Interstate 75 is closed between exit 282 in Gaylord and exit 290 in V… Read full post »

The wonders of having nothing but brothers...  

I occasionally complain about the familial "good old boys network" however I do love my brothers.  I just don't like their collective attitude towards the female ofthe species much.  

According to them I am a GIRL.

~GASP~

According to my… Read full post »