God's Cake

This is one the best explanations. We all wonder many, many, many times over WHY?
Sometimes we wonder, "What did I do to deserve this?" or "Why did God have to do this to me?" Here is a wonderful explanation! A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going wrong, she's failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her and her best friend is moving away.
Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says, "Absolutely Mom, I love your cake."
"Here, have some cooking oil," her Mother offers.
"Yuck" says her daughter.
"How about a couple raw eggs?" "Gross, Mom!"
"Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?"
"Mom, those are all yucky!"
To which the mother replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake! "

God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!
God is crazy about you. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning.
Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart.
If you like this, send this on to the people you really care about.
Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.

Rom 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

sometimes I feel like I am running a quart low
in other words, I'm out of sorts
so the weather forecast of rain sounds mighty good to me (especially because I love rain)
added bliss would be to be at home when the rain comes, to feel the comfort of my home embrace me
because some weeks at work are not as good as others
like last week, and this week
to be home when the rain comes would be soothing and I know would 'put me in a better place'
and I wouldn't be running a quart low anymore this week
Cheers to the rain!     (which never came)

it actually started with an email from http://www.ancestry.com/

rarely do I read many of these emails, but this one caught my attention
it referenced 'Annie's Ghosts' and it got my attention
it was something that hit home - first of all, it was written by someone that grew up in Detroit (my hometown)
and it was about Eliose, a facility just outside Detroit whiched housed thousands of long-term patients
I have been curious about Eloise because of its history
and one summer while waiting for our niece to arrive at Metro Airport, my brother and I needed to kill some time and we ended up there
close to the airport, we drove around its many acres
I remember the feeling I had looking at what remained of the many buildings there
it was like I could 'feel' something
I searced the internet about Eloise, finding many references to ghost sitings
the more I read, the more intrigued I became
so, after reading some information about Steve Luxenberg's book, I decided this is a book I had to read
as luck would have it, I found a great price on Ebay - hard cover, perfect condition
so this is the book I read at night before turning out the light
most likely it will be the book that will define my reading this summer

after reading the first few chapters it occurred to me how much we have in common with others that we will never really know
how growing up in close proximities connects us with a familiarity that no longer exists
and how we have in common with others that we want to know more about our families but unfortunately it is not easy to come by information, because those that have the stories are no longer with us
I tinker at genealogy and have been lucky to have connected with some of my father's family
and I know that I will always be happy if I find out more pieces along the way
regrets?  oh yes
because I wish I would have had the insight to have asked more questions - taken lots of notes - to simply have learned more.....
with that being said, I know what I need to do
I need to leave what I know behind, my stories - for the future....just in case someone is curious

*********************

published May 5th 2009 by Hyperion
details hardcover, 401 pages
urlhttp://www.steveluxenberg.com
settingUnited States
literary awards Best Books of 2009 (Washington Post), Michigan Notable Book for (2010)

description

Beth Luxenberg was an only child; or so her son Steve believed until his mother, now fragile and almost an octogenarian, told a doctor that she had a disabled sister. Steve was puzzled: If his mother had a sibling, why had her existence been resolutely concealed for decades? His curiosity piqued, Luxenberg activated his journalistic skills to begin a probe into his family's lines. Following the trail took his investigation to Depression-era Detroit and tsarist Russia, Holocaust-plagued Ukraine and the Philippine war zone. Fascinating human interest; a real-life whodunit.

Copyright ©2010 SusanBranch.com. All rights reserved.

We're still enjoying spring, but summertime is just around the corner.
One of my favorite memories of being Little B was family picnics.  Family picnics in my family were BIG family gatherings.  Grandparents, lots of aunts and uncles, and even more cousins.  Back in the 1950's families were close and it was the norm to celebrate all through the year - not just holidays, but seasons.  And whether the picnic site was a long drive from home, or in a local park.  It didn't matter.  What mattered was (1) planning the picnic, (2) picking the site (slides and swings and lots of picnic tables), (3) picnic baskets stuffed with homemade food, (4) coolers full of beverages, (5) blankets for spreading on the ground, (6) games for the kids, probably cards for the big people, and (7) lots of fun.  Oh, and the camera - Brownie or Kodak moments - and probably a movie camera. 
just one of my memories of growing up in a large Polish family in Detroit     ♥

szczęśliwy (happy)

This has to be one of the funniest things in a long time.  I think this guy should have been 'Promoted,' not fired.

This is a true story from the WordPerfect Helpline, which was transcribed from a recording monitoring the Customer Care Department..............

Needless to say the Help Desk employee was fired; however, he/she is currently suing the WordPerfect organization for 'Termination without Cause.'

Actual dialogue of a former WordPerfect Customer Support employee (Now I know why they record these conversations!):

Operator: 'Ridge Hall, computer assistance; may I help you?'

Caller: 'Yes, well, I'm having trouble with WordPerfect .'

Operator: 'What sort of trouble??'

Caller: 'Well, I was just typing along, and all of a sudden, the words went away.'

Operator: 'Went away?'

Caller: 'They disappeared'

Operator: 'Hmm. So what does your screen look like now?'

Caller: 'Nothing.'

Operator: 'Nothing??'

Caller: 'It's blank; it won't accept anything when I type.'

Operator: 'Are you still in WordPerfect, or did you get out?'

Caller: 'How do I tell?'

Operator: 'Can you see the 'C: prompt' on the screen?'

Caller: 'What's a sea-prompt?'

Operator: 'Never mind, can you move your cursor around the screen?'

Caller: 'There isn't any cursor; I told you, it won't accept anything I type..'

Operator: 'Does your monitor have a power indicator??'

Caller: 'What's a monitor?'

Operator: 'It's the thing with the screen on it that looks like a TV. Does it have a little light that tells you when it's on?'

Caller: 'I don't know.'

Operator: 'Well, then look on the back of the monitor and find where the power cord goes into it. Can you see that??'

Caller: 'Yes, I think so.'

Operator: 'Great. Follow the cord to the plug, and tell me if it's plugged into the wall..

Caller: 'Yes, it is.'

Operator: 'When you were behind the monitor, did you notice that there were two cables plugged into the back of it, not just one?'

Caller: 'No.'

Operator: 'Well, there are. I need you to look back there again and find the other cable.'

Caller: 'Okay, here it is.'

Operator: 'Follow it for me, and tell me if it's plugged securely into the back of your computer..'

Caller: 'I can't reach.'

Operator: 'OK. Well, can you see if it is?'

Caller: 'No..'

Operator: 'Even if you maybe put your knee on something and lean way over?'

Caller: 'Well, it's not because I don't have the right angle -- it's because it's dark.'

Operator: 'Dark?'

Caller: 'Yes - the office light is off, and the only light I have is coming in from the window.'

Operator: 'Well, turn on the office light then.'

Caller: 'I can't.'

Operator: 'No? Why not?'

Caller: 'Because there's a power failure.'

Operator: 'A power .... A power failure ? Aha. Okay, we've got it licked now. Do you still have the boxes and manuals and packing stuff that your computer came in?'

Caller: 'Well, yes, I keep them in the closet..'

Operator: 'Good. Go get them, and unplug your system and pack it up just like it was when you got it. Then take it back to the store you bought it from.'

Caller: 'Really? Is it that bad?'

Operator: 'Yes, I'm afraid it is.'

Caller: 'Well, all right then, I suppose. What do I tell them?'

Operator: 'Tell them you're too stupid to own a computer!'

40 years of marriage...


A married couple in their early 60s was celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary in a quiet, romantic little restaurant.

Suddenly, a tiny yet beautiful fairy appeared on their table. She said, 'For being such an exemplary married couple and for being loving to each other for all this time, I will grant you each a wish.'

The wife answered, 'Oh, I want to travel around the world with my darling husband’.

The fairy waved her magic wand and - poof! - two tickets for the Queen Mary II appeared in her hands.

The husband thought for a moment: 'Well, this is all very romantic, but an opportunity like this will never come again. I'm sorry my love, but my wish is to have a wife 30 years younger than me’.

The wife, and the fairy, were deeply disappointed, but a wish is a wish.

So the fairy waved her magic wand and poof!...the husband became 92 years old.

The moral of this story: Men who are ungrateful bastards should remember fairies are female.....

a guy fairy tale

Once upon a time, a Prince asked a beautiful Princess...

“Will you marry me?” The Princess said “NO!”

And the Prince lived happily ever after and rode motorcycles and went fishing and hunting and played golf and dated women half his age and drank beer and scotch and had tons of money in the bank and left the toilet seat up and farted whenever he wanted.

A nun living in a convent next to a construction site overheard the coarse language of the workers and decided to spend some time with them to correct their ways. She decided she would take her lunch, sit with the workers and talk with them. She put her sandwich in a brown bag and walked over to the spot where the men were eating. She walked up to the group and with a big smile said: "Do you men know Jesus Christ?" They shook their heads and looked at each other very confused. One of the workers looked up into the steelworks and yelled out, "Anybody up there know Jesus Christ?" One of the steelworkers yelled down 'Why'? The worker yelled back, "Cuz his wife's here with his lunch."

my hoya surprised me with another blossom - just a couple months after the first one
not only do I have another lovely blossom, but this time the fragrance is amazing
when I come down the stairs in the morning, I can smell it right away   ♥

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being..

She said, 'Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?'

I laughed and enthusiastically responded, 'Of course you may!' and she gave me a giant squeeze..

'Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?' I asked.

She jokingly replied, 'I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids...'

'No seriously,' I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

'I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!' she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake.

We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this 'time machine' as she shared her wisdom and experience with me..

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor.

Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, 'I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know.'

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, ' We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.

There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die.

We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!

There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.

If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight.

Anybody! Can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets.

The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets..'

She concluded her speech by courageously singing 'The Rose.'

She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those months ago.

One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.

When you finish reading this, please send this peaceful word of advice to your friends and family, they'll really enjoy it!

These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE.

REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL. We make a Living by what we get. We make a Life by what we give.

God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage. If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

With Lindy at Mass - St. Lucy's

Back at Nana's

Saturday, May 8th - 13 months old - @ Nana's house

Michigan & Detroit Trivia

From 1910 to 1920, Hamtramck, Michigan, grew from 3,589 to 45,615 residents, leading the nation in growth for that period.
During the lumber boom era, the row of saloons that lined Water Street in Bay City was known as 'Hell's Half Mile'.
In 1936, Escanaba, Michigan harvested and processed 100,000 sq. ft. of birds eye maple to be used in the English Luxury Liner, the Queen Mary.
When the territory of Michigan was created on Jan. 11, 1805, Detroit was chosen as its capital.
Bagley's Corner was the original name of Bloomfield Hills.
The world's only marble lighthouse is located on Belle Isle. (Livingston Lighthouse)
Hog's Hollow was the original name of Utica, Mich.
There are over 11,500 lakes in Michigan ...
The home offices of Life Savers Candy, Beech-Nut Gum, and Squirt soft drinks are in Holland, Michigan.
In 1870, Detroit became the nation's first telephone customers to have phone numbers assigned to them.
Charles A Lindbergh was born in Detroit on Feb. 4, 1902.
The Stars and Stripes first flew over Michigan soil on July 11, 1796.
In Sept. 1908, William C Durant organized several independent automobile plants into what was to become General Motors.
Michigan began charging an annual license fee of 50 cents in 1915 for Autos.
Michigan's first police woman began walking the beat in Detroit in 1893.
In 1942, the Davison Freeway in Detroit was completed and became the world's first urban freeway.
The first soft drink, (Vernors Ginger Ale) was introduced by a Detroit Pharmacist, James A Vernor, in 1866.
Note: There were several 'elixirs' on the market at that time, including what would later be called Coca Cola.
These contained alcohol, whereas Vernors did not. Hence the name 'soft' drink.
The intersection of Woodward Avenue and Grand Avenue in Detroit proudly displayed the world's first traffic light in 1915, leaders of 19 countries and 26 States came to check it out in the first six months.
In 1688, Father Jacques Marquette founded the first permanent settlement in what would later become Michigan.
The world's first shopping mall (Northland Mall), opened in the Detroit suburb of Southfield in 1954.
Newspapers from overseas as well as this country wrote that it would never catch on......Duh?
The world's first painted highway center lines were featured in Trenton, MI in 1911.
They were used in other towns and was how Center Line, MI got its name.
Michigan ranks Number 1 nationally in the production of dog sleds.
The nation's largest indoor/outdoor museum complex is Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village.
Opened in 1904, the nation's oldest freshwater aquarium is the Belle Isle Aquarium.
The onion is Michigan's largest fresh-market vegetable crop.
YOU'RE AN OLD DETROITER (OR JUST OLD) IF........
.... You took a 'moonlight cruise' to Bob-Lo with Captain Bob-Lo, or went to Edgewater Amusement Park .
.... You shopped at Hughes and Hatcher, B Siegel, Peck and Peck, Himelhochs, Robert Hall, Crowley's, Shoppers Fair, EJ Korvettes, or Federals.
.... You rode the elevator at J. L. Hudson's, which was 'run' by an elevator operator.
.... You remember a Winkleman's and Sanders store in your neighborhood.
.... You remember the 'Big Snow', Buffalo Bob, Howdy Doody, Clarabelle, Phineas T. Bluster, Princess Summer-Fall-Winter-Spring..
.... You remember Twin Pines Dairy delivered milk and juice to the chute on the side of your house and Milky the Clown performed magic with the magic words 'Twin Pines.'
.... You remember the Good Humor man in a white uniform, ringing the bells as he drove down your street.
.... You remember Olympia Stadium.
.... You remember when Vernors was made on Woodward Ave. , and a bearded troll was on the bottle.
.... Your Mom got groceries at Great Scott, Food Fair, Wrigley's or Chatham.
.... Your Mom saved Holden Red Stamps, S&H Green stamps, or Gold Bell Gift stamps, and you licked them into those little books.
.... Kresge's and Woolworth's were 'Dime Stores.'
.... You had an uncle in the furniture business (Joshua Door).
..... You know who Bill Kennedy is.
..... You saw the Detroit Lions play football in Tiger Stadium.
.... You remember Black Bart and the Faygo song.
.... Or how about 'Which way did he go? He went for Faygo, old fashion root beer.'
.... You watched Rita Bell's! prize movies in the morning.
.... You remember Jack LeGoff and Van Patrick & Wolf-Man Jack.
.... You remember Milky the Clown, Soupy Sales, Johnny Ginger, Poopdeck Paul, Captain Jolly, Sagebrush Shorty and maybe even Sergeant Satko Salute.
.... You visited the Wonder Bread Bakery and got to take home a mini loaf of bread.
.... Your address had a two-digit 'zone' before there were zip codes. Detroit 19, Michigan. Omaha 4, Nebraska.
.... You remember 'Get on the right track at 9 mile and Mack, to get the best deal in town.
Roy O'Brien, it's the best deal in town.'
.... You remember a laundry chute and a milk chute and a coal chute.
.... You remember going to Detroit Edison with your Mom to exchange burned out light bulbs for new ones. (free)

Happy Birthday to me
what a wonderful birthday I had today
my grandson has been with me since yesterday morning
I took him to mass this morning and he was a little angel  ♥
my kids spent the day with me
we had a nice dinner and fabulous birthday cake with raspberries
life is good when I spend time with my children  ♥

it's Friday evening - a very rainy evening
in the morning I will be picking Keegan up
he is going to spend the weekend with me - the first time he has been away from his mommie
I'm excited....and maybe a bit nervous
I know Beth will feel weird to be away from him overnight - I know it won't be easy
she's a great mom
and for the little munchkin - who will only be 13 months tomorrow -
I wonder what he will be thinking to be staying with me and not being with his mom
what a blessing it is to be a grandmother
my camera is ready.......

♥

Ernie Harwell

1918 - 2010

Long-time Detroit Tiger Baseball Commentator

Ernie will always be remembered as the best of the best

as the distinctive voice at the heart of Tiger baseball games - our voice of summer

my personal memory will always be the many times he said "it's LONG GONE!"

You will be missed, Mr. Harwell

apparently my wisteria is well-enough established now
because I have been enjoying its blossoms for the first time
it is lplanted right outside the dining room windows
and right next to the windows sits my desk and computer
whether sitting at the computer, or walking in the vicinity of the south side of my house
you couldn't help but smell this lovely plant this past weekend

a nice little surprise in my backyard

to our amazement, Becky found these yummy Morels in the far corner of the backyard

it's nothing to do with the Kentucky Derby - it's just nature being cute    ♥