It’s Still the Christmas City

Posted on December 21, 2014December 21, 2014 by Dusty Roads

In this era of political correctness where formerly mainstream concepts have to take a “back seat” to the minority out of “sensitivity”, I am proud of my City of Taunton. Since December 1914, the city of Taunton has provided a large annual light display each December on Taunton Green, giving it the additional nickname of “Christmas City”.

Taunton Green 2010

Each year a banner proudly proclaims “The Christmas City” over the display in the center of town. The display includes angels (gasp), and a nativity scene, (What!), a menorah, and even Santa Claus and to the best of my knowledge there has not been any complaint. Everyone I know looks forward to the Lighting of the Green. Every year, no matter the theme, the paths are lined with lighted Christmas trees, and families stroll the lighted paths.

Taunton Green 2011

It’s beautiful. Soft music, Christmas Carols, is piped in playing in the background.

Taunton Green 2012

For the last several years, since I got interested in photography, I’ve made it a point to photograph the Green in all of it’s Festive Glory.

Taunton Green 2013

This is a time when Santa Claus is banned from school Christmas parties…oh sorry Holiday parties, and other towns change the name of the December School vacation from Christmas Vacation to Winter vacation. Everyone is so afraid to offend instead of fostering understanding, tolerance and mutual acceptance.

Christmas trees are a pagan symbol but they have been embraced as a symbol of Christmas, a melding of different faiths. Beautiful decorated fireplaces are a tradition in many homes but the Yule Log was borrowed from the Wiccan celebration of Yule before it became associated with December 25.

I am happy Taunton stands by its tradition and I hope it will continue for many years to come. I hope someday people of other faiths will not feel so threatened by a Christian holiday that they can embrace the festive beauty of the season and enjoy it too. You don’t have to be a Christian to appreciate the colorful lights and artistic displays.

Taunton Green 2014

I have no wish to offend my Jewish, Muslin, Buddhist and Wiccan friends or any other religion I may have missed but I will end this post in the spirit of the season.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

The Tiles are here, The Tiles are here!

Posted on November 28, 2014November 28, 2014 by Dusty Roads

All the turkey and cranberry done and back to real life.

The Tile Guy called at about 9:30 am this morning to say he was on his way! When he arrived he had a whole bunch of tiles. I guess when I made my selection it came with a 3 inch border and then a twisty cap. Very pretty but it wouldn’t look right with the 3 inch lip the counter top people put in. So I decided to get rid of the twisty part and (sadly) the 3 inch trim. I really love that trim but it just doesn’t look right. (Sigh)

Just the back splash please.

The poor guy has a lot of repair to the wall to make. It was really gouged when they tore out the old yellow tiles. That has slowed him down somewhat but we are making progress.

It occurred to me last night as I sat in a turkey stuffed stupor that the kitchen came out close to the color I had planned for the bedroom. Now I’m not sure if I want the bedroom green after all. That could be a little too much green in such a small space. I will give this more thought once I get the house back together. Maybe a light blue?

My friend Jamie gave me another idea for the soffit area. I mentioned I might stencil some vines or something there and he suggested those signs you can get from the craft stores .

My personal favorite so far is ” A messy kitchen is a happy kitchen and this kitchen is delirious”

Another good one: “Kitchen Dinner Choices- Take it or Leave It”

I could get real tacky and put a neon “Eat” sign up there. Maybe even make it flash on and off???

How ’bout “I only have a kitchen because it came with the house.”?

But there are lots to consider and chose from.

Tile Guy will be back tomorrow at 9 AM to remove the placers and grout the tiles then I just need the microwave to arrive.

Once that is installed this project will be done…except for some painting that I will now need to step up to do.

I Was Just Thinking

Posted on August 19, 2014August 19, 2014 by Dusty Roads

I still haven’t felt up to going out and about much which is a big reason I haven’t posted much this summer. I think in addition to “feeling poorly” that I’ve also been a little “down in the dumps”. I’ve been lazy. But I admit I perked up when my last two posts of Buddy got some attention. I thought sure I’d neglected things for so long that no one would be paying any attention.

That got me thinking about things that have been in the news lately. First of all was the Robin Williams Suicide. So so sad. Of course it brought out all of the well meaning people who want to use Robin’s death as a call to arms to prevent other suicides. I guess if it helps save someone else then that’s ok. But I feel more for the man and all the demons he has battled. I think his recent diagnosis of Parkinson’s may have been the last straw. He just didn’t have it in him to keep fighting. RIP Robin Williams. You have earned a rest.

And what’s up with Ferguson, Missouri? I missed the beginning of this disaster. I just turned on the news one night and thought I was watching riots in a 3rd world country, not right here in the good old US of A. Are we back to the Civil Rights days? I gather that a white police officer shot and killed a black teenager. The police officer is on paid suspension while his world is exploding. No matter what I read I can’t get a handle on what happened here. A call for a sick person and a call for a robbery. Someone says Brown (the teenager) attacked the officer but another account says the officer was in his cruiser when he fired the first shot. The teenager was unarmed. He was shot 6 times. It sounds terrible. It is tragic. But haven’t we gotten past the riots and looting? Black or white, that doesn’t help anyone.

Is the Market Basket saga news to anyone besides people in Massachusetts and New Hampshire? A family owned business fired it CEO and almost all of the employees of it’s chain of grocery stores (Market Basket) walk off the job. The chain is losing tens of thousands of dollars while this dispute rages but the rift in the family is so bitter that they can’t come to any agreement. I think they are in the 5th week of this battle. The ousted CEO has offered to buy the chain of stores but no one can come to an agreement and the strike goes on. I don’t know the inner dynamics but from the outside looking in it seems we have a case of biting the nose off to spite the face. No matter what, the family is not going to let the ousted cousin win. They’d rather bankrupt the business.

What a sad, sad state of affairs. 🙁

Still Alive

Posted on July 26, 2014July 26, 2014 by Dusty Roads

Hi everyone. I’m still alive and kicking. I think I hit the “painful” stage of the shingles. The more the rash heals (its almost gone) the more I have the “phantom” pains. They are like they are buried deep and the “cramp” starts in the lower abdomen and runs around my side to my lower back. One friend of mine said they sound like contractions. Since I’ve never given birth I can’t speak to that. Some are fairly mild but then one will hit that doubles me over and takes my breath away. Also can’t stand my clothes rubbing on my waistline. The doctor took pity on me and gave me lidocane patches. They help some but don’t eliminate it completely.

But speaking of doctors, mine is doing something that really concerns me. Her office has been making appointments for me without asking me first. Last week it was with the physical therapist who had the good sense to call me. PT is on the agenda and we found a time that worked.

Yesterday I got a letter telling me they made an appointment for me with an eye specialist. I already had my annual eye exam and the specialist they made it with is terrible. I went to him once and will never go back again. Of course it’s the weekend so I can’t make my feelings known until Monday. Maybe that’s a good thing because right now I’d probably yell at them. I think they are being very presumptuous. I need to nip this trend right now!

I am not senile and I am quite capable of handling my own appointments. I could understand the PT. My doctor told me they would be calling but this eye exam…not gonna happen.

Well a friend of mine had a birthday this week so I’m going to try to have a nice lunch with her. Fingers crossed my aches and pains behave.

Sunday Morning Thoughts

Posted on June 22, 2014June 22, 2014 by Dusty Roads

It’s a beautiful Sunday morning. I had big plans but am I out there “getting it done”? No I just dragged my sorry butt out of bed. It’s not that I wasn’t awake early. I was awake at my normal time and even if I hadn’t been within 15 minutes of my “normal time” my fuzzy back-up alarm arrived.

No, I spent half the morning in bed because I guess I over-did it yesterday. My left hip and my lower back are dictating my activities today.

So Rocky’s persistence and 3 extra strength Aleve got me moving a little. After a hot shower I felt a little better or maybe it’s the pain killer kicking in. Buddy arrived right on schedule to get his morning blow dry. One of these days I’ll have to set the camera up on the tripod and take a picture of this. I’ve never had a cat that liked a blow dryer so much. Even when I had a Persian who was blow-dried every six weeks all his life, he merely tolerated it.

So then I log onto Facebook and what do I see…a whale breaching on the Captain John FB page….from the 9 am trip yesterday. I can’t seem to pick the right trip at all!

With such a late start I think I’ll concentrate on some housework while I work out a plan B. So I’m doing laundry and pretty proud of that. There is a painful obstacle between me and the laundry room. Stairs. I remember being able to run up and down them with no problem. That was before this “Hip thing” which only seems to be getting worse. Oh well, there are many people who are worse off than me so I’ll just limp my way through it.

Then I plan to mop the kitchen floor. Actually I scrub it on my knees so with the hip acting up, that should be interesting. Once that’s all done I’ll make a quick trip to the grocery store and then I’ll be free to go looking for something interesting to share with you.

You see I’m always thinking of what might interest you. I’m still trying to keep up these pages in spite of work getting in the way.