tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71827188278162285902024-03-15T18:12:00.239-07:00CrackedPotsandShardsCactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-57146548463371148502023-08-09T13:47:00.000-07:002023-08-09T13:47:19.257-07:00Signpost <p style="text-align: left;"> <b><span style="font-size: medium;">I </span>keep trying to avoid the inevitable reflection in the mirror but it is to persistent! It is aided by the annual reminder of my birth and those of the ones I love. Just yesterday was my wife's birthday. I don't think she realizes that every year she gets older - I get older! Then there are grand kids. Constantly calling to show love and respect, who does that? We have no great grandchildren as yet but we do have a "grand cat"</b><b> named *Cruz. (go figure) </b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Coming up this month is my 65th anniversary of my high school graduation! (when I was in high school I thought 65 was O L D!!! (funny, I can remember the taking of our graduation picture but I can't remember the graduation itself) The picture was one of those panoramic ones where you could get your face in at the beginning of the shot and if you ran fast enough, you could be in at the end. We were so many that we filled a third of the auditorium with grads and now we can have our reunion </b><span id="docs-internal-guid-3cf76ac4-7fff-b28c-455b-78a19a6064e5"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">in </span></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-ee22111b-7fff-0629-8d52-051203c31519"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">the dining room</span></span><b> of the local country club.</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>My mom died when she was 83, my dad, when he was 61. Both, heavy smokers. My family members don't seem to have a particular "event horizon" when it comes to time of death, some die early, some seem to go on forever. So, what does growing old really mean? I think it is more what you want to be about. Hobbies, travel, education, relationships.... these things have nothing to do with years. I thing for me it is more about joint pain, grey hair, gain/loss of weight and having to wear glasses to read. I guess it is, what it is. My best advice is: <u>get going living!</u> What happens tomrrow depends greatly on what you plan for. My favorite saying that I always gave to my students was: "A Goal Without A Plan Is Just A Wish".</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>* Cruz (the GrandCat)</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBAcSRt1VpQesnAskhA718uy3iCcwUPLYjcFIoxa5qUR3qJjtUSMsZlBAuJj8Tj5-udwTjcg4WkfMhGK-Q4bUSOssxqaEhp5jFMCdgmPD2iwtjHx6ifbEYI_rBoxJ1qhFnfM-yL0awgYZGjwJYAbVJ2JIUweG1_mbuXfGT26YEsLWIPokDLlFW2F0cbEU/s3182/20230726_162042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3182" data-original-width="2064" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBAcSRt1VpQesnAskhA718uy3iCcwUPLYjcFIoxa5qUR3qJjtUSMsZlBAuJj8Tj5-udwTjcg4WkfMhGK-Q4bUSOssxqaEhp5jFMCdgmPD2iwtjHx6ifbEYI_rBoxJ1qhFnfM-yL0awgYZGjwJYAbVJ2JIUweG1_mbuXfGT26YEsLWIPokDLlFW2F0cbEU/w130-h146/20230726_162042.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b></b></div><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p><b></b></p></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote>Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-86290874154046019292023-07-19T01:11:00.000-07:002023-07-19T01:11:21.841-07:00Dad's Birthday<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Y</span></b>esterday would have been my dads birthday. We did not have a party or big celebration, as a matter of fact I doubt that anyone outside of my wife and I even mentioned it. We did have some flowers placed on the altar of our church in his name but that was it. He would not have wanted more than that but I know he would have been pleased.<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKYWGuomej37Mt-1m_3uiZSJLtyWhZYXTLZnAJR-Y9y7Ifm8FQsZrKTOHujFCwHNhbEv_O0kVfyPHQmtJOsTPupPJ8OOhQGqSrirR_tBAdioM-T0HeM6RbCELjB63HNyhEcLXRz70p1PovMUgFR7Qrobc3nSOtj0HLAntsLXeP_mU5_BfF8Z2TvUWZYE/s2064/Dads%20flowers%20on%20altar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2064" data-original-width="1161" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKYWGuomej37Mt-1m_3uiZSJLtyWhZYXTLZnAJR-Y9y7Ifm8FQsZrKTOHujFCwHNhbEv_O0kVfyPHQmtJOsTPupPJ8OOhQGqSrirR_tBAdioM-T0HeM6RbCELjB63HNyhEcLXRz70p1PovMUgFR7Qrobc3nSOtj0HLAntsLXeP_mU5_BfF8Z2TvUWZYE/w129-h200/Dads%20flowers%20on%20altar.jpg" width="129" /></a></div></div><span><a name='more'></a></span>As I grow older I find that my thoughts go back to him more and more. Strange only that like most of us, we tend to remember our mothers more that our fathers. My dad, like most dads was the "bread winner" and so was not as present as was my mom. He came home at night, tired from work. Checked in and had his dinner while listening to the news on the radio and then went into the living room to read the paper. On the weekends he worked in the yard and his hobby, the huge garden in the back of the property. One day I asked him for bicycle. He patiently but firmly told me that we could not afford a toy that cost that much money and that I would probably break or loose quickly. I was disapointed but had to agree, we did not have money for toys. <p></p><p>A couple of weeks passed and then one Saturday he came to me!!! He asked me to come outside with him and so I did. Much to my amazement, there was a shiny black bicycle, with silver painted handlebars, black painted frame and paper rack. It even had a light that was powered by the back wheel and a <u>new</u> seat. He had found a used bike that was thrown on the junk heap, had the frame welded and then painted the whole thing. Today, you would say it was a mess but to me, it was freedom! </p><p>The story is not about me, it is told to help you understand the man who carried the vision of his sons disapointment in his heart and went out of his way to make my dream come true. </p><p>Thanks Dad.</p><p> </p>Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-62638352578742778772022-11-17T05:15:00.000-08:002022-11-17T05:15:54.516-08:00<p> </p><p>A Time for Hugs or Humbugs</p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>W</b><span style="font-size: x-small;">ell I am feeling the Spirit. The Holiday Spirit is everywhere. It is a little harder to feel it when we live in California or Florida but it is there if you look for it. One of my favorite Christmas </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">stories is "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens. I love the gradual change that takes place in the heart of Scrooge but more than that, I love the indictment of society that he represents. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">His reaction to those men who come to him for a donation to the poor is to say "are there no workhouses?" and "let them die and decrease the excess population". I see that attitude everywhere </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">and it strikes at the heart of why we have such a divided country and world and why most people live lives of quiet desperation. </span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqCi8jaclxS9r6Y59h-PjyZerS_hNWXo4sT0V0wKp4Y1BWbtdEtXpZbXHuaa8cFOkxHMaKsFPGSKd-6k1y1yvw5y1TI-2rmFFSMD73y9Kw5-17bpv_o3J4P2cgl25a9SbaGFZfZDPjzKPcViq76sRiJM7sopJbhadCXHH4_0CS1b2k9_0rbmwP0INX/s2048/PICT5328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqCi8jaclxS9r6Y59h-PjyZerS_hNWXo4sT0V0wKp4Y1BWbtdEtXpZbXHuaa8cFOkxHMaKsFPGSKd-6k1y1yvw5y1TI-2rmFFSMD73y9Kw5-17bpv_o3J4P2cgl25a9SbaGFZfZDPjzKPcViq76sRiJM7sopJbhadCXHH4_0CS1b2k9_0rbmwP0INX/w259-h194/PICT5328.JPG" width="259" /></a></div>I hope that you can look around and see the generosity and human kindness that is also in the world. It may be a challenge, but I have faith that it is there. Be of good cheer and be the one who brings cheer to others. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /> Remember Tiny Tim who says, "God bless us, everyone."</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Jack Caselles</div>Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-72678979388926017032022-11-08T12:04:00.000-08:002022-11-08T12:04:46.251-08:00<p> November 8, 2022</p><p><br /></p><p>Well, here I am again. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxuSAVIBEpZTJS_-KM2gM2w4uIVo92M03D-thrpL24DyZ7OzKk6Wy70J6wiB2k63QAv48DJtcwupOOAlmFqA5FnEjZz5YKC4a0ZboojxDOcY7Xm-mJ00VJJsEFsBtJYbRbkEXmDXn51Cz08rqgHcnvdogzLoyGY9OatJU6wyAIohf20ObrS1kmxiVw/s2608/20220416_194126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2608" data-original-width="1956" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxuSAVIBEpZTJS_-KM2gM2w4uIVo92M03D-thrpL24DyZ7OzKk6Wy70J6wiB2k63QAv48DJtcwupOOAlmFqA5FnEjZz5YKC4a0ZboojxDOcY7Xm-mJ00VJJsEFsBtJYbRbkEXmDXn51Cz08rqgHcnvdogzLoyGY9OatJU6wyAIohf20ObrS1kmxiVw/w123-h148/20220416_194126.jpg" width="123" /></a><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;">T</span><span style="text-align: left;">he truth is that I don't believe that anyone is reading these little messages, but I feel that I need to put down my thoughts on occasion, if for no-one else to read but me. I have been reading a diary I wrote back in August of 1983, while on a solo vagabond trip to France and Spain. It speaks to a sense of freedom that I had to go anywhere and the feeling of self worth that it brings. It also speaks of the longing I had to be with my sweet Vera and our children. </span><span style="text-align: left;">To paraphrase a line from a </span><span style="text-align: left;">book, </span><u style="text-align: left;">how sweet were my memories then.</u><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Since my last entry, we have sold our old house and our wonderful RV. We tried to adapt to SeniorLiving and now rent a home a mere block away from our old home. The plan was always to buyahouse in a nice community, fix it up, raise our children, wait for the value of the home to rise to a point determined to provide us with comfortable retirement. The plan worked. The children gone, the price where we wanted it to be and so we put it up and away we went in our 33' Winnebago. If you are waiting for the other shoe to drop, it didn't. Thanks to my dad for teaching me the skills to put together</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">a plan to take care of my family. </span></div><p></p><p>Today is election day. This is the day that our overwhelming government has to provide its citizen the right to "voice". But this is not just a voice to complain or spread ridiculous ideologies, it is a duty and pleasure to take part in our Democracy. We live in a country and maybe a world that is self indulgent to the point that we think we can determine what is or is not the truth. A fact is a fact no matter how many people say the contrary! The world is not flat! Nearly half of the population of these United States, believe that a man who defies all social and moral principals is qualified to determine what is truth, moral, ethical or medical. </p><p>I am saddened to see so many of my friends die. Ever since the early days of my youth my friends have died. George Pierner, Barbara Pope, Arnie Page, Marc Trummel, Jim Wyatt just to name a few. Friends who are gone, not because of age but of a wealth of other reasons. I thank God for long life, I can do nothing to be worthy of His gifts. I just hope that He can use me and that I can stay the course and run the good race. </p>Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-6111500230370046362021-09-26T13:41:00.008-07:002021-10-17T16:56:07.687-07:00It has been 11 years!<p><br /> <span style="font-size: medium;"> I</span>t has been eleven years since I started talking to myself on this "blog". Somehow it is satisfying to be able to speak what's on my my and have only the dog to respond to it. Yet, I don't really speak my mind because there is the chance that someone that I care about might be hurt to read it. We all have pain and disappointment that is caused by friends and family that hurts deeply but that we cannot speak about because they still are important and mean so much to us. I like to give the impression that I am a tough guy and that I am OK with letting people go when they hurt me, but that is really not how it is. John Wayne said, "Forgive you enemy, but remember the bastards name." That is true but at the same time you try not to loose a person only because they broke your heart. </p><p> I have been trying to keep busy during the pandemic by making little things out of clay. It is pleasing to see something nice come from the labor (passion) of your hands. </p><p><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrE4YMNGGGheRVEYYaRMeK5NpVEH2UzZCa8YKfdKTK11gjKb__VWwIcZBndzvPA8fVXe_XwygftZiNVPquSVxtO32x74Ez_5yIQdbKPN_5l2mLwzDypqNdVSimWITI7nzvWaIWIbyHTPw/s2048/20210712_074516.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrE4YMNGGGheRVEYYaRMeK5NpVEH2UzZCa8YKfdKTK11gjKb__VWwIcZBndzvPA8fVXe_XwygftZiNVPquSVxtO32x74Ez_5yIQdbKPN_5l2mLwzDypqNdVSimWITI7nzvWaIWIbyHTPw/w150-h200/20210712_074516.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2oYvAlbkJ7LZeIVUn83jvHC-NGBvSCuKnaBm9RjxkvaF49VkzzZwe4W5A5fFEoFRXtKTP_ZkoMnJx7yJF8L6crWS70bNBJ3x6tS-y6eiiYEf5Gf2QK7JUwGlkkOvuq19FUdNMtlKhwM/s2048/20210712_074325.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2oYvAlbkJ7LZeIVUn83jvHC-NGBvSCuKnaBm9RjxkvaF49VkzzZwe4W5A5fFEoFRXtKTP_ZkoMnJx7yJF8L6crWS70bNBJ3x6tS-y6eiiYEf5Gf2QK7JUwGlkkOvuq19FUdNMtlKhwM/w150-h200/20210712_074325.jpg" width="150" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMaA7Tu0DGDWMvmHmK6FtKmyo3EwuVvyCL_1owhXuZmOrvZE5r2He1vf7eZlma2ZNvuxzzzvV6yHxziNIruo6hvb7p4FM0ztvrlSV23JeTUizahQCXlvXMf4ABQ1IizZDMZZPj9qKMkzM/s2048/White+Vase+with+black+lines.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMaA7Tu0DGDWMvmHmK6FtKmyo3EwuVvyCL_1owhXuZmOrvZE5r2He1vf7eZlma2ZNvuxzzzvV6yHxziNIruo6hvb7p4FM0ztvrlSV23JeTUizahQCXlvXMf4ABQ1IizZDMZZPj9qKMkzM/w218-h173/White+Vase+with+black+lines.jpg" width="218" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmC2C4M6RPfT-tm_wJhyphenhyphen9UMh_n5im4EoPDyFLQkZ1oUTrSPFeoEX-PyxSUYgeuA_r3NUbV4Y1OT_3Jq6b8_z-zpWuBBD813Lve3iKpfIBsr_qaOuJteRqUXNJaHvmA3IXQoes4JiozzF0/s2048/Luminaria.dng" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmC2C4M6RPfT-tm_wJhyphenhyphen9UMh_n5im4EoPDyFLQkZ1oUTrSPFeoEX-PyxSUYgeuA_r3NUbV4Y1OT_3Jq6b8_z-zpWuBBD813Lve3iKpfIBsr_qaOuJteRqUXNJaHvmA3IXQoes4JiozzF0/w195-h130/Luminaria.dng" width="195" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitGTmbYI2f3vZgGLWVWL-L4_SVgamWflB7V8BTi_31oWeVWfH9lOC2JAwCL1RnXszKjT8DT8M3aZyFVgXmcEfWNsT9ExoZJEoaMZqBfzrrlnuxhq-SQC-pQRbfCrdkCHDhkSn8ALS6lMc/s2048/20210712_074138.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitGTmbYI2f3vZgGLWVWL-L4_SVgamWflB7V8BTi_31oWeVWfH9lOC2JAwCL1RnXszKjT8DT8M3aZyFVgXmcEfWNsT9ExoZJEoaMZqBfzrrlnuxhq-SQC-pQRbfCrdkCHDhkSn8ALS6lMc/w150-h200/20210712_074138.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibGy5wtkNfPV05tL3GklP4vGaE0c6C7dbiq5kAu97b1A9f8RKjxwB_UwxZWNvgv5MIiXvJxd0Y1wo8VdB7lfa2l7zx4DMlzoss_CAcrX7L-rN6DO6TMKqIEeYscm2xVr7aJYJzOJuxO_E/s2048/DSC_5099.NEF" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibGy5wtkNfPV05tL3GklP4vGaE0c6C7dbiq5kAu97b1A9f8RKjxwB_UwxZWNvgv5MIiXvJxd0Y1wo8VdB7lfa2l7zx4DMlzoss_CAcrX7L-rN6DO6TMKqIEeYscm2xVr7aJYJzOJuxO_E/w185-h123/DSC_5099.NEF" width="185" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2Hmh21zHmqLc1LoFNJlonzAksxN5X6dZoUOF_hhbYbiEMvIk8AcB8VnLq_lVz7HUppfSCxyEh1wdDZSa3mogSSpyDitH8BfAlWs8F1v-_oMlzpJcIHe3V2Ginglr6L0c9qwKsZHAtsQ/s2048/DSC_5108.NEF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2Hmh21zHmqLc1LoFNJlonzAksxN5X6dZoUOF_hhbYbiEMvIk8AcB8VnLq_lVz7HUppfSCxyEh1wdDZSa3mogSSpyDitH8BfAlWs8F1v-_oMlzpJcIHe3V2Ginglr6L0c9qwKsZHAtsQ/w243-h162/DSC_5108.NEF" width="243" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">(see Instagram: </span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script; text-align: left;"><b>10 Saguaro </b></span><span style="text-align: left;">)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibt7-LWbsaYiLBHflAHi41ESHeDMBGpPNqmrJQ-7olwO8PxhQtbpxhhooW9fnHuFGO4dlTZLOjEjs1qU5RQEJRNZw9qJdiFIQ8uBk0wUTJy5HBbZHTyp92ZNirq_1xEyKYvpxh1BTH7y8/s1880/Nates+Saguaro.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1253" data-original-width="1880" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibt7-LWbsaYiLBHflAHi41ESHeDMBGpPNqmrJQ-7olwO8PxhQtbpxhhooW9fnHuFGO4dlTZLOjEjs1qU5RQEJRNZw9qJdiFIQ8uBk0wUTJy5HBbZHTyp92ZNirq_1xEyKYvpxh1BTH7y8/w454-h244/Nates+Saguaro.jpeg" width="454" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-23171177623050640672021-07-26T11:45:00.000-07:002021-07-26T11:45:19.546-07:00Another Year (looking back - looking forward)<h1 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h1><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>Happy Birthday </h3><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="500" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0PSjKVGI1TGMsiNJEQPHnoDsU8yJyiGwEn9gx20T6uJ1tJdh_yMhWjpa37wcdC2k25Dc0s4r9ESsgANlisnLUSR46fXKyBA_ScfyFuwm6ktlb_XIuOXLa_glnpxztdoHpoAHogdBt3AY/w300-h221/Birthday+cake.jpg" width="300" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0PSjKVGI1TGMsiNJEQPHnoDsU8yJyiGwEn9gx20T6uJ1tJdh_yMhWjpa37wcdC2k25Dc0s4r9ESsgANlisnLUSR46fXKyBA_ScfyFuwm6ktlb_XIuOXLa_glnpxztdoHpoAHogdBt3AY/s500/Birthday+cake.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span> </span></a></div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Grateful! </span></b>The first word that comes to my mind on this day is Grateful! Grateful for the gift of life. None it is said are given to know the day or hour of our death, and so just to have lived this long and to have seen the fabulous technical, medical, and intellectual progress this world has made in my lifetime, gives me a feeling of joy in our collective accomplishments. Grateful to have been given enough time to realize that courage, loyalty, generosity, and love, are the real important things in life.</div><div> I watched my Dad die at the age of 61, my uncles in their 60s and 70s. Almost ALL of my "friends" are dead of Agent Orange or Cancer or just stupid behavior. I often wondered how old I would get and asked God to give me long life so that I could finally get my life together! In my late 20s I met my sweet Vera, and it was as if God had said, "Now I set you on the right path". </div><div> Today I become an octogenarian! Hah! I don't even know what that is supposed to mean. I feel the same as I did in my 20s. Crazy as it sounds I feel as though I could still play football and ski my pants off. Of course my body tells me differently, especially when I have to get down on the ground and then get up. OOF! I am grateful for Aqua Aerobics and walking to keep me moving. I am grateful for my hobby/passion, Ceramics. Making things out of dirt has open the doors to friendships, travel, mental growth, and a general direction for life. I have my own studio in my home, including a slab roller, a new kiln, and a fine new potters wheel. I teach seniors how to make pretty things and watch many of them grow with their interests. </div><div> The future is bright with our children and grandchildren leading the way. It is wonderful to think how we can be of help to them in the future. If I was asked to give advice at this time it would be,<b><u> "If you want to be a leader, get moving" and, "Never slow down, something may just catch up with you", and finally, "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got</u></b>".</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div>Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-29422413523996126392021-01-20T12:12:00.000-08:002021-01-20T12:12:20.963-08:00A New President - A New Peace?<p><span style="font-size: large;"><b> F</b>ear, anger hate are all hard wired and sit inside us like ticking time bombs. So why don't we all go running through the streets with flaming torches and pitchforks? The fuel that feeds these emotions comes from what I call the " empowered leader". This leader given voice by extreme radio broadcasters and some evangelical preachers, is free to feed the "big lie" to simple needy people who will follow forever if their fears, anger and hate are not addressed. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I wrote these words before the tragic and disgraceful attempt to overthrow a legally cast and counted election, and the peaceful transfer of power as outlined in the Constitution, and that is so sacred to this country. Those who were fed lies by their champion and empowered leader sought to take over Congress by violent and life threatening means, including kidnapping and murder. Some carrying bombs, nooses, and clubs. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAV-3QSI9kHasmik1sgYXD_9up-3aY3TUlFxOGKbOPZ-tR1KqtZH4O20SHUkhFd0KC0KoXbLRethUW9Bvv1jLmk-BxoiGRxfTGQREWJBw_oRBZP6ylbKGzPqAIWYO2FUfqZcjLbqZVXOg/s276/capito+takeover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="276" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAV-3QSI9kHasmik1sgYXD_9up-3aY3TUlFxOGKbOPZ-tR1KqtZH4O20SHUkhFd0KC0KoXbLRethUW9Bvv1jLmk-BxoiGRxfTGQREWJBw_oRBZP6ylbKGzPqAIWYO2FUfqZcjLbqZVXOg/w206-h137/capito+takeover.jpg" width="206" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Some of those misled people have been apprehended but those that led and planned the atrocity in Washington, have not and probably will never be held accountable. Soon we will turn the page that closed one chapter and begins a new one. What a great opportunity we have for change!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">We are not there yet, but some day, the people of this country will begin to remember that We are better than we were. We must begin to listen to the voices of those to whom we disagree. We must avoid the flames of discord, we need to give VOICE to those who feel they have none, and then we must LISTEN.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">This is the challenge we must all take up.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-6227941580898743582020-11-15T20:05:00.019-08:002021-07-26T11:07:36.436-07:00"Count yourself lucky if you live in exciting times"<p> </p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"> <span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The Chinese have said, “that you should
count yourself lucky if you live in exciting times.” </span> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hah!</b> A lot they know. 2020 has
been a year of incredible variation, a roller coaster of events political,
medical astronomical and .... we ain't done yet! Needless to say, when
hundreds of thousands of Americans and people all over the world are struck down
and some (way to many) die from viral infection, that it takes number one in
the events of this year. We have seen the Corona Virus (Covid-19) grow in
this country from 19 in June to over 200 thousand in November. (54,805,521
cases in the world today.) <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: white;"><o:p style="background-color: black;"></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This is an election year, the normal, peaceful, exchange of
ideas leading to the election and peaceful transition of leaders in a
democratic republic, the United States of America. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What a joke!</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">
The election of Donald Trump in 2016 was led begun by bullying and mean
spirited attacks by Trump on his opponent, Hillary Clinton, on national
TV and in the digital and the Right Wing media. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<o:p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;">
</span><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;"> What ensued was a series of over
hundred national embarrassments, including having to pay his mistress
(a porn star) compensation so that she would not testify against him in court. He
embarrassed the people of the U.S. with foreign confrontations and general
incompetence, not seen in the White House in modern history. The
normal checks and balances directed in the
Constitution disappeared in a flash. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<o:p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;">
</span><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;"> The Executive Branch lead by Mr. Trump hired cronies
and incompetents to lead cabinet and departments as long as they were loyal to
the President. The House and Senate were united as the Legislative branch
of HIS government. The Supreme Court was hanging on by a thread to
maintain an impartial Judicial Branch. It seemed as though we had gone
from a democracy to an Oligarchy in the blink of an eye. Lucky
for us the House achieved a Democratic majority in the mid-term
elections. Still the Senate dominated by a Republican Majority and a
Speaker, Mitch McConnell, so enamored by Mr. Trump that no policy suggested by
the Democrats, could clear the Senate and become law. That included even
laws that would provide health care for those in need during a worldwide
pandemic. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<o:p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;">
</span><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;"> Every time one of the President's appointees made a statement or
appeared to disagree with him, he had him fired! The President
filled one after another National Judges with those that would bring his
followers closer. This group of national supporters numbered in the
millions and threatened a civil ideological war. Trump even suggested
that the U.S. buy Greenland! (A surprise to the citizens and leaders of that
country) He called countries he disagreed with "shit holes" and
even pushed the Prime Minister of Montenegro so that he could have a better
spot for a photo shoot. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<o:p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;">
</span><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"> Then the bottom fell out! The last warrior in the
Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, died. It seemed that the rights won
by women, people of color and the Gay community would be erased in the next
session of the court. A Trump appointee was a true wing nut and it seemed
all was lost. </span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></o:p></o:p></o:p></o:p>Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-87458555353854253202020-07-19T09:15:00.000-07:002020-07-19T09:25:12.357-07:00His Life, How I see it<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Yesterday my Dad would have been 120 years old!</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">M</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">y dad was an immigrant from Spain</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He and my uncle came to America in 1914 through Ellis Island and worked as laborers on Hwy 1 (the old Boston Post Road). He settled in California and soon saw enough similarities with the climate of the Glendale foothills that he moved his family there. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To say that I have respect for him would be an understatement. He was the kind of man who held the respect of other men and the envy of their wives. He was a solid man, who gave his word and never failed to keep it. He never made things difficult for me, his way was to let every bump in the road become a learning experience. He was my safety net and my guide. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFmhyphenhyphen65kCCz8a6FY2O6O9G_nj6PstDemW16nUhtIBY0oikqyaJS8h1Aj7WrH5825-y0LqHu8h1lB8AkybhOyPxzSyn92Z4y2I6SrkVfn0WcTG7WyBw5KJABDHZVYv10gr7x0oAhhqnzU/s1600/Vincent+Caselles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1254" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFmhyphenhyphen65kCCz8a6FY2O6O9G_nj6PstDemW16nUhtIBY0oikqyaJS8h1Aj7WrH5825-y0LqHu8h1lB8AkybhOyPxzSyn92Z4y2I6SrkVfn0WcTG7WyBw5KJABDHZVYv10gr7x0oAhhqnzU/s320/Vincent+Caselles.jpg" width="249" /></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">M</b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">y birthday is exactly one week from his. I will be, God willing, "four score" years! At this point, I have lived 20 years longer than he did. He did hard labor (I never did) and he was a smoker, (I never smoked). He lived through a civil war in Spain but caught the Influenza, the so called "Spanish" flu although it originated on a military base in the USA. He loved his family in Spain and visited them with his family. It was not easy to afford but he took my mother and I to Spain for a summer. He loved to grow things and was never happier than when he, with a cigarette hanging from his lips and his pats rolled up to his knees, was out in the mud tenting to his garden. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> He represents many others who came to this country to start a new life. He spoke a broken English but made sure that I learned an eloquent sort of English so that speech would never be the stumbling block to me as it had been to him. He worked to earn his way, paid his taxes, eventually became an American citizen and for all, was a contributing member of the American society. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He was all this in the midst of a society that
demeaned his kind, tolerated him as an immigrant, and refused him an equal
place in a country that he had happily helped to build.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> He was an example of a disappearing type of man. Protective of his family, a stalwart of society, a "no nonsense" man with a great smile. In short, a great dad.</span></div>
<br />Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-46042620201987935882020-03-30T08:46:00.002-07:002020-03-30T08:46:25.747-07:00<b><a href="mailto:Cactus5225@gmail.com">Beware the Ides of March....2020</a></b><br />
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OK, this is March 30, 2020 and the 15th day of the Covid-19 pandemic. Yes that's right a world wide deadly virus that has us all huddled in fear. A virus that originates in an animal (some say bats) and ingested by some people, (ugh) has been passed from person to person all over the world. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6xUA_W0eThGZu8LFGToz031SHt9MJ3NvGP_jYh2_Icmk-ku6frx5Pu5tEWdSnJBIkaEoJlfVmVxKaOrqHxoBpTJZ9UiKA3tEnIPDiwB9RdnnL6rOhLkgMB5zWo-qsxlTZoYbE_rMz6Ww/s1600/covid-19+distance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="207" data-original-width="245" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6xUA_W0eThGZu8LFGToz031SHt9MJ3NvGP_jYh2_Icmk-ku6frx5Pu5tEWdSnJBIkaEoJlfVmVxKaOrqHxoBpTJZ9UiKA3tEnIPDiwB9RdnnL6rOhLkgMB5zWo-qsxlTZoYbE_rMz6Ww/s200/covid-19+distance.jpg" width="200" /></a> One of the effects of increased and some say improved transportation has allowed a bug to travel to every country in the world! Overnight the people of the world have been quarantined or urged to maintain "safe distancing" protocols in order to keep from being infected or from infecting others. There is no vaccine or magical cure that can stop it, hospitals fill up and there are not enough "ventilators" to ease the breathing of the sick. Children are told to stay indoors, grandparents are isolated from their families. The world looks like a scene out of a dystopian movie where all the streets are empty and all the shelves in the markets are bare. People are so afraid that they hoard things like toilet paper and bottled water. Hand sanitizers are a thing of the past and eggs are a premium. The stock market didn't just drop, it disappeared. In what seems like in just a moment, <u>the world has been turned upside down</u>.<br />
The issues of the day have all gone away! There are no other issues on the nightly news, or the talk shows on TV. All college and professional sports have been stopped, even the Olympics of this summer have optimistically been postponed until NEXT YEAR! All talk of political elections, rival politics, and national conflicts have faded in the light of this greater threat. <br />
What is clear is that when people have to stop driving, stop gathering together, stop going to work, and are forced to just turn off the industrial main switch, the world seems to get better! The skies are clear, the air is clean, the freeways are empty! There is less crime, world leaders are actually talking to one another in helpful ways, and the ozone layer is being repaired! If ever there was a proof of Global Warming or that the Earth is actually a living thing and that we are killing it, it is now! It is like God said "THAT'S ENOUGH!" "WASH YOUR HANDS, GO TO YOUR ROOM AND THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!" <br />
It all happened so fast that it seemed like a higher power just turned off the switch. So here we are, clinging to any kind of communications device we can in order to maintain our humanity. We will get past this as we have survived pandemics of the past. Let's just hope that we can learn our lesson and emerge smarter and more appreciative than when we were SENT TO OUR ROOMS. Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-36995847771015988652017-12-28T11:07:00.000-08:002017-12-28T11:07:37.850-08:00ON THE MARKET<br />
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span> <span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">If selling your home is new to you and you have lived in that
home for more than four decades this blog might be interesting to you. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> <b>W</b>e
</span>started this journey back in July when we two old "Boomer and Pre
Boomer" love children decided to "pull the trigger" and sell the
house that we had raised our three children in. They have already moved
as far away from us as their budgets could manage and being all boys, they
never come back <u>or call</u>. We had waited for the market to
regain its former levels after 2008 and now we were convinced that we could
recoup the "nest egg" investment that we had planned when we bought
the house. Unfortunately, we missed the buyers that usually come to
Claremont in the summer to find good schools and great activities in a
wonderful and quaint little town in a rural area near Los Angeles. <o:p></o:p></div>
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What ensues after that is a chapter out of a Steven King
novel. We had not anticipated the agony of moving! The actual
moving of furniture, so easy with three big boys to help, became a thing of
nightly tossing and turning and then came the pain. Sciatic nerves,
Carpal Tunnel, Groin Pull, and the bruises.....Oy Vey! Our plan was to
move some of our possessions into storage and then just roam this great country
in our motor home. We packed and sorted and had yard sales. We
agonized over what to keep and what to give/throw away. At one point we
could not find ANYONE to take an antique executive desk (that I loved) and so
we just took it to the dump and I watched them break it into pieces. We
found homes for chairs, and lamps, we sold our upright grand piano. (it had
hand carving and was concert quality. The buyer took if for her kids and
painted it white!) I have learned way to much about online "yard
sales" and people who promise to come and pick up things and then never
show up or call or anything...... (One guy wanted to buy a Torque wrench and
called to say he was on his way, only to call back later and say that he had
been confused with the Clermont in San Diego and the Claremont in Los
Angeles.) <o:p></o:p></div>
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Living in a home that has been gutted and emptied of all your possession’s
means that things that had become part of your life, almost friends, are gone,
and you are alone. We live in about 700 square feet of a 2300 square
foot house. We have our bed, a TV,
kitchen (that we use seldom) a couch and a desk. THAT’S IT!
On a positive note it is the first time I have had a clean garage.<o:p></o:p></div>
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If it wasn’t for the support and constant love
of my sweetie and loyalty and acceptance of our puppy, we would not be able to
do this. We constantly have to clean and
straighten up the house for potential buyers, and Realtor Open Houses. There is the multitude of house repairs after
the “Inspectors” come through and then there are the buyers that think that
they are entitled to anything they want and are just evil about it. We have had
(at this point) two buyers that “fell out” of escrow for one reason or
another. One of them after getting a
price reduction asked for a huge allowance to do remodeling and then would not
believe the evidence of the repairs we had done. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It
is now December, after Christmas. We
have to give a big THANK YOU to our church for the festivities and fellowship,
and to our son and his girlfriend for including us into their holiday family
get together. It wasn’t the big tree in
the living room with the lights and the gifts, it wasn’t the warm fire and kids
playing, it wasn’t Vera’s grand feast of wonderful food, but it was Christmas
and we each other and God and we are happy.<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0Claremont, CA, USA34.0966764 -117.7197785000000233.9915164 -117.88114000000002 34.2018364 -117.55841700000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-91331955391937883982017-07-30T19:18:00.000-07:002017-07-30T19:18:12.654-07:00<h2>
Starting out - Along the way #1</h2>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">S</span></b>elling the house we have lived in for 40 years! House just got to big and had to much equity to just keep living in it. So, we place our future in the Everlasting Hands and step out! </div>
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Saying goodbye to our old kitchen, packing and storing.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Packing </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Storing</td></tr>
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Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-46001051730783570202017-07-24T23:44:00.001-07:002017-07-24T23:44:21.899-07:00<h2>
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You don't look that old!</span></b></h2>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"> A</span></b> funny thing happens when you have a birthday. (Especially when it is your 77th birthday.) People start saying things like "you don't look that old" or "don't worry, you have a lot of years ahead of you". I never think about it much but that kind of "compliment" can really get you depressed. <br />
We are working at "down-sizing" which really means, the house is to big and our knees can't take the stairs anymore. I had forgotten how hard it was getting all that furniture, rugs, lamps, clothes, luggage, etc. up the stairs. I will always remember how hard it was to get that stuff down the stairs. Going up was like youth, the strength of me, the athlete, the beast, and three strong boys to help. Coming down is like age, slow, one step at a time, take time to breath, don't forget the sweat rag, sore muscles, ice, nap.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CZj7Y-OHZ9vuaBCPFGMOILjy4w8FpGsxM3KCB0mCsd2yzwqnWUzG49C3OrF4uGb155ASpySe31NBcpk3vo4DEPHUG95xKt3m3SCRY4h-IoYYXqZ8m399_VUsdivk9U06w66v7jvEM7U/s1600/After+Yard+Sale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CZj7Y-OHZ9vuaBCPFGMOILjy4w8FpGsxM3KCB0mCsd2yzwqnWUzG49C3OrF4uGb155ASpySe31NBcpk3vo4DEPHUG95xKt3m3SCRY4h-IoYYXqZ8m399_VUsdivk9U06w66v7jvEM7U/s200/After+Yard+Sale.jpg" width="112" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Off to the Dump!</td></tr>
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Today I take my compliments where they come. I got hit on by a woman in her late 80s yesterday. My mother died younger than the lady. At first I was shocked and felt a little disgusted by it, but when I did the math, I realized it would be like being 20 and being hit on by a woman 23. Wow! That would be sexy. So, as Einstein said, "time is relative". Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-65615154573267911152016-11-21T09:38:00.000-08:002016-11-21T09:38:50.480-08:00Where did the time go?<b style="font-size: x-large;"> </b><b> I </b>was looking at a folder with some pictures in it and noticed how much we had changed over time. Now that is not the most earth shattering revelation that I have ever come up with but, what the heck, this is my blog and I will call notice to what ever I want! Notice how the pictures tell the story of two people and the journey that take together. Notice also how many lives are impacted by their lives. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWBVjNUHDxaK4mXubyWyt6Gys7XiqmrVXy1IW-ir4pqL9o9IY9YKRWReTPQROb1jseOg6ui7Giw3i2hnoYA8KbaFMm5PsxMm8adUH3zDxxY_C_wi897oW_CZuLWW8I-ruSp4kh2cFyfM0/s1600/14.1CasellesJ+Wedding+group+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWBVjNUHDxaK4mXubyWyt6Gys7XiqmrVXy1IW-ir4pqL9o9IY9YKRWReTPQROb1jseOg6ui7Giw3i2hnoYA8KbaFMm5PsxMm8adUH3zDxxY_C_wi897oW_CZuLWW8I-ruSp4kh2cFyfM0/s200/14.1CasellesJ+Wedding+group+001.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vera and Jack et. al.</td></tr>
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Starting with their wedding. There stand her girlhood friends and his school and football buddies. One might imagine that they would all be friends forever. Sadly, only Vicky keeps in touch and Arnie<br />
died and Charlie and Tom have faded into the woodwork. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st house in Glendora</td></tr>
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Soon after the wedding, we started started a family and had to look for a bigger home. The one bedroom studio was just not big enough for what was to come<br />
We were cozy in our little apartment with it's bite sized rooms. A kitchenette, a "twin sized" bedroom, and bath and a living room that was home to so many fellow students that attended Azusa Pacific University, just down the road. But, when the babies started to come there was no stopping them and we had to move. We expected to have to start in a small two bedroom "Levitz" type house with the flat roof and stark surroundings, but through a miracle and a great real estate agent we were able to into a house that had been placed in probate. The house was wonderful! Two bedrooms, a huge domed living room with a fireplace decorated with real Batchelder tiles. There was a real dining room, a large kitchen a laundry room, and a detached garage that enclosed a backyard just made for children to play in. We were astounded to find out later that one of the doors that we thought let to a closet was really the door to a stairway up to a modified upstairs area that could be used for an additional two bedrooms and a den. WOW! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqmiB8BjOqaKVEtCitKK5z3YTrJlqOlIzf12yEWWSZhWhWNFRycEP90i160p7WepQQeQTFvQpYVbw0XK9vn797hLoKPjPEZTAraD9hNwUPHQnZo-1I1swnd3vd4gfh0XlEUccADRuV7g/s1600/Boys+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqmiB8BjOqaKVEtCitKK5z3YTrJlqOlIzf12yEWWSZhWhWNFRycEP90i160p7WepQQeQTFvQpYVbw0XK9vn797hLoKPjPEZTAraD9hNwUPHQnZo-1I1swnd3vd4gfh0XlEUccADRuV7g/s200/Boys+001.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lft to Rt. Brian, Marc and Adam</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOw3spga9yHces48-0GHqEN9b90pj1iNaa-8c3PObuM0mAAc8phJXlykoGHfjR-8Z21TRTXSPF8hYPDgI5Kugkyrg2_3yWsBDxh3SPyZKw0RpZCx7ondy03krEIGDa3_poaMOlvYcsQc/s1600/IMAG0038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOw3spga9yHces48-0GHqEN9b90pj1iNaa-8c3PObuM0mAAc8phJXlykoGHfjR-8Z21TRTXSPF8hYPDgI5Kugkyrg2_3yWsBDxh3SPyZKw0RpZCx7ondy03krEIGDa3_poaMOlvYcsQc/s200/IMAG0038.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lft to Rt. Brian, Adam and Marc</td></tr>
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Our joy increased as our family grew. Three wonderful boys, like the arrows in a hunters quiver, ready to grow strong and make their ways into the world. What a great mom Vera was. A new home, a crazy, driven husband who insisted on working two jobs, playing college football and completing his first degree in Psychology. She loved all of her four children then as she does now, Marcus, Brian, Adam and me. <br />
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<br />Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-88082363057011624052016-08-21T09:08:00.002-07:002016-08-21T09:08:37.848-07:00<h2>
Travels With Cactus</h2>
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Kauai: August 2016</h4>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"> F</span></b>inally, it's time to get away. We are the poster children for "cabin fever" and Kauai is one of our favorite "get aways." Starting with the local foods like Loco Moco (Beef patty over rice with gravy)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkvWWqJWBfXopDST3Ngc9-FddhxmxGCDrmNaNzHreWYmRwcKpDxNSHqXubPfCFjCzja3uKHRd2LngU6fal8KsuCl2jWY0pn5YPrfcOVz73zF7jgCfRAZY-mi2BeGalLD_KRL23SxVAjY/s1600/20160818_160602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkvWWqJWBfXopDST3Ngc9-FddhxmxGCDrmNaNzHreWYmRwcKpDxNSHqXubPfCFjCzja3uKHRd2LngU6fal8KsuCl2jWY0pn5YPrfcOVz73zF7jgCfRAZY-mi2BeGalLD_KRL23SxVAjY/s200/20160818_160602.jpg" width="112" /></a></div>
to Bubba Burgers. We stay at the beautiful Courtyard at Coconut Beach. Not you common Courtyard however, This one is more on the lines of a fine "smaller" hotel, with all the amenities and a view that is outstanding. It sits on a shoreline that juts out slightly into the sea on the windward side of the island. This means you get to see the sun come up and the Trade winds blow all the rain into the central part of the "Garden" island.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FJiZDK2Gb6CbtcNfQSPAlslEJFwVQtwpM4TGFIkR4upmEIlxT9B5EtuGGzznFZBg_S7RY58Q2Dgxljx_v-8WjxL6uaUpGGKRmwVIXs329VZnRHomT3fwQeXc628XoqTHD2EANqve8Pk/s1600/Platter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FJiZDK2Gb6CbtcNfQSPAlslEJFwVQtwpM4TGFIkR4upmEIlxT9B5EtuGGzznFZBg_S7RY58Q2Dgxljx_v-8WjxL6uaUpGGKRmwVIXs329VZnRHomT3fwQeXc628XoqTHD2EANqve8Pk/s200/Platter.jpg" width="200" /></a> We were upgraded to an ocean view, over sized room that was to die for. The people at the hotel are wonderful. They serve Mai Tais every afternoon and the music is very Hawaiian. We visited a local potter who uses a different technique and who has gotten very little notice in the ceramic world. I posted his pictures om my Facebook page and there were many potters who saw them and liked them.<br />
I used to be a "Hawaii snob". I felt that people who go to Hawaii just thought they were better than the rest of us, who went tent camping. One day we won a free trip to the Big Island and from the time I left the door of the aircraft and smelled the flowers I was hooked. We actually got so relaxed that we forgot to check out of our hotel and had to be given an extension. We have been coming back to the islands for the last 15 years, at least! I guess you could call us "Kamaina" by now. <br />
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We have visited the Islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and of course, Hawaii, "da big island" We love the Sun, the foods, the music, the rain (that isn't rain), the sound of the surf, the flowers that scent the air and mostly the ocean. The ocean is the life of the islands. Without the sea, there would not be the moisture in the air that is caught up in the clouds, that drop it our as rain on the top of the</div>
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volcanic mountains, that pours down as waterfalls and make the islands green.</div>
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Aloha</div>
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Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-7425173016711396622015-06-03T19:45:00.001-07:002015-06-03T19:45:11.431-07:00THE WAY OF LIFE<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> T</b></span>he sweet ladies of my ceramic class remind me of my mother. They are characteristically quiet while they work, meticulous and exact in what they do, and filled with wonderful and artistic ideas. So you see it seemed easy and natural to tell them about my mother. And to, maybe it is because my mother would have been in her nineties if she were still with us. I almost laugh to write that last part because I feel her so close all the time. I have written about her somewhere here in these ramblings. Her birthday would have been on June 6th. </div>
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You understand that I am not a boy (in age) and most who meet me consider me rather dangerous and overpowering. The truth is that I am rather sentimental and tend to be inwardly emotional. She taught me so much that I can't help but feel her (and sometimes see her) all around me. I have a sweater of hers, hung on a hanger and in a plastic bag, that I look at (and sometimes caress) every day. We have her rocking chair that sometimes for no reason just rocks on its own. (Recuerdos de los seres queridos son fuertes en mi familia). </div>
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One way to look at life is to see it as a quest, or more accurately, a pilgrimage. We are pilgrims seeking answers and miracles. We bring nothing with us and depend on the generosity of others along the way. Events such as love, work, graduations, children, etc. are just stops along the way to get our visa stamped. Oh! How we covet our "stamps". We hold them up to others and say, "see, I have more stamps than you do" or, "my stamps are bigger than your." </div>
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We forget on whose road we walk. Who gives us guidance and great gifts. We moan about the hardships along the road and pray and wail loudly for just a little more time to stay on the road. </div>
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It is almost my mom's birthday and I miss her, but, I know she walked her journey well. She was a good daughter, loved one man all her life, loved, educated and cherished her son with all her heart. She believed in God and followed His will in her life. <u>And, that is the way of life. </u></div>
Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-72686178364613337212015-01-19T11:14:00.001-08:002015-01-19T11:14:16.717-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Kitsch versus Art?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I </span>attended a lecture yesterday on the subject of the difference between Kitsch and Art given by Christie Johnson as a part of activities by the American Ceramic Society. All definitions aside, it is not my purview or within my abilities to make the distinction. No, I write this piece because I think it is important for all of us, artist or non artist to make a personal connection to life.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">W</span>hat do we look at when we see life? What a question you ask. I wonder if we really look at this wonderful gift we have been given with eyes that appreciate and honor what they see, or do we just view our surroundings as we might view a landscape through a train window. When do we take the time to appreciate the world that stimulates our senses? The smell of hamburgers on a grill, the blue of a perfect sky, the sound of a child's laugh, the taste of our lovers lips. Most people that I notice take more time to be concerned with their jobs, or their electronic devices than to really observe and take part in the wonderful world around them. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A</span>ll this takes time. Ah yes! Time to stop and smell the outdoors after a rain, to hear the chirping of the birds in the trees around you, and so many other things. <u>How much life are we living?</u> I tell people that when I began to think as an artist that I could actually feel the stirring on the other side of my brain. I went from being an anal left brained academician, who sensed only order, facts, results, to sensing textures, colors, shapes and feelings. Not all will want or be able to make that change, but all of us can take a few moments every day to really live! To see, smell, feel, and most of all to thank what ever higher power you believe in for the great gifts that are provided for us.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">O</span>ur time here is brief! No one knows the number of days or years of their lives. WORK IS NOT LIFE! Take time to really become part of the lives of your family and friends, Give to others, Become the symbol of MERRY CHRISTMAS and as "Auntie Mame" always said, Live! Live! Live!<a href="http://cactusjackceramics.com/">CrackedPotsandShards</a>Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-45254862929656452262014-04-08T18:48:00.000-07:002014-04-08T18:48:37.178-07:00Something I wanted to say <b><span style="font-size: large;">T</span></b>he definition of communication is loosely defined as a "give and take" at best, between two or more people. This is how it works. You share something with me, I think about it, and I reply. It is even better when both ends of the communication are on the same track. This is fairly difficult in a world where most people do not read but rely on "sound bites" for information. If we read, is usually the 20+ words allowed on "Twitter" or the few that we "text" to friends and acquaintances. <br />
<u>Now I ask you to read a "blog"</u> which is by definition an expression of ideas that take a little more time and number of words. Those ideas that deal with issues, or emotions that you feel you want to share but either don't have the time or that others don't have the time for. How sad that so called friends don't have the time to listen carefully and respond to a friend. I am as guilty as anyone. I text rather than phone, I use voice commands to "write" memos or texts rather than actually speak to someone. Honestly, it is more a factor of not being accepted for my responses than having the time. The reason for that is that when you are speaking to a friend you always have the fear that they want you to hurry. Most people are not listening to your points, they are just waiting for their turn to talk.<br />
Sooo! Why don't we begin a dialogue? If you have gotten this far you are not one of those people I described earlier but one who knows the art of good listening. What are your ideas, fears, emotions that you want to share? <br />
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Text me...Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-49796718326471686252013-12-23T10:28:00.001-08:002013-12-23T10:28:15.739-08:00Some thought on Wonder and Majesty <b><span style="font-size: large;">I</span></b>t is not hard to have things to say at Christmas time. There are memories of Christmases gone by, gifts and gatherings and music and all sorts of tantalizing things to stimulate the senses. For some there are not so great memories, but these words are for those who can see past them. These words then, are not memories but reflections of what Scrooge might call "Christmas Present." <br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">H</b>owever, is Christmas just a memory? For that matter is Christmas just a one time thing that happens in December? Why not have it go from image to feeling, like art does to the spirit? A feeling that fills us every time we see or remember that sculpture or painting or building. I am not satisfied to let it be just be a one time party with gifts and food, a colorful tree and food, but a <b>Spiri</b>t that lives in our hearts every day! Oh, I too will get tired of carols and eggnog soon enough but <u>do we have to put our loving spirits away with the decorations?</u> <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"> I</span></b> think of Christmas like I think of the memory of my mother, or the memory of the joy I felt when the first person referred to me as "artist". Memories that were overwhelming at the time but that I welcome every time they come to me. I used to dream about the clay spinning around on the wheel and looked forward to seeing how far I could stretch the clay before it cracked. I still weep to think of my mother, no longer here to give me her smile and hear the sound of her wisdom. <span style="color: red;"><b>But, I never want to let them go!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> L</b></span>ike those memories and emotions, I want Christmas to be in me and about me every day. I want it to be said of me, as it was said of Scrooge, that he knew how to keep Christmas, every day.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>GOD BLESS US, EVERYONE</b></span></div>
Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-6740141217904913032013-11-29T10:32:00.001-08:002013-11-29T10:32:36.753-08:00How Did This Happen?<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> T</span></b>here are times, when I am tired and just begin to crawl into bed, that I begin to think. Bad idea, you say, and I agree with you. It came to me, suddenly, that I am old! I don't feel old. I don't look particularly old, but the calendar doesn't lie. Getting old, and being old, don't necessarily cause me any angst, so what then is my problem? <br />
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I begin to reflect on my past. It was filled with great parents, wonderful experiences, (some joyful, some sad) that say to me; You've Lived! So many funny moments, moments filled with adventure and desire. People who have defined me in so many ways. My high school English teacher who opened my eyes to culture and art. My football coach who helped define my ideas of honor and teamwork. My fellow workers that shared a common burden and managed to keep their humanity. All good you say.<br />
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My problem is the idea that it all may be coming to an end! And that end is not that far away! I am a man of Faith and have Hope in Eternity, but I don't seem to be able to get away from the idea that "I" have an end! <u> I don't want to end, I want to continue for ever.</u> My mind says, silly man, "All men are mortal", but my gut says can't we work something out? It is disconcerting to have these thoughts, although, I imagine that I am not the only one who has them. So what are we to do? Maybe God is telling me, "Buck up, sissy pants". The reality is that all that thinking makes me depressed and vaguely anxious. I do not want to go "softly into the good night". <br />
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I am alive! I want to continue to think, act, dream and believe in life and action and laughter. I am looking forward to making new friends, finding new lovers, creating new art, and "boldly going where no person has ever been before". At least I want to stop worrying so much about it.<br />
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Got any thoughts?Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-34706714795725554902013-06-25T16:57:00.000-07:002013-06-25T16:57:47.460-07:00Phooey to the Good Old Days!<b><span style="font-size: large;"> T</span></b>oday is the first day of my new <span style="color: #cc0000;">e-store</span>. <a href="http://www.cactusjackceramics.com/">http://www.cactusjackceramics.com/</a> What a leap for someone who remembers dial phones and 8 track tape players! I grew up learning cursive writing and latter, typing. I remember telling my mother and father that the only thing I wanted for Christmas was a typewriter. It was a tangible link to Gutenberg and to movable type. A way for a Jack to climb the bean stalk and enter the world of giants. It was there to help write essays on Hemingway and Heller, to write articles for the school paper, and to make those little poems seem a bit more real in type. My illusions were soon to be dispelled when I was required to write a Masters Thesis! In those days every sheet was typed with a carbon as the only record of the work done. Misspell one word and you had to retype the entire page, or worse, any revision to a paragraph and the entire treatise had to be redone! An industry sprang up around how to "collate" pages. No Spell check! No Grammar check! God help you if you wanted to edit a footnote!!!<br />
Today, recording, editing, typesetting, addition of photos, and web references can all be done easily on the computer. What Gutenberg did with movable type, any computer can do. You don't even have to know how to type. Voice commands can write out your thoughts on your screen, punctuate, spell, underline and even color the letters and add little smiley faces. In a flash your words can be sent to hundreds if not thousands of people all over the world. Even those in countries that do not use the same language can, with a button, translate them into any language or dialect.<br />
So, to those who sigh and let their minds wander back to those "good old days", I say, in terms of the written word, WE NEVER HAD IT SO GOOD!Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-67505173249548275792013-06-05T23:24:00.002-07:002013-06-05T23:24:49.481-07:00Happy Birthday<h2>
June 6, 2013</h2>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"> T</span></b>oday we remember my mother's birthday. I remember her every day, but today is special. She was a marvelous talented woman, and if you read these posts (and there is no reason for you to do so) you have heard me talk about her in the past. </div>
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She was born in Mexico, in a colonial town called Guanajuato. Her father was a "horse whisperer" and Mexico was not safe for those who were friendly with land owners. She grew up in Wyoming and was not a healthy child. The youngest of five brothers and one sister she was expected to learn the domestic arts and take care of the older family members instead of having a life of her own. The family moved to Los Angeles and as family do, each member found a way to move forward. </div>
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Mom graduated from Roosevelt High School in the L.A. inner city and began a career in fashion design. She lived with her parents and with her Sister and her husband. They needed money and took in boarders. One of those was my father, a man trying to raise three teen aged sons abandoned by their mother. </div>
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Over the objections of her family, she married and had a child.....me. The early years saw her helping the family by working in a factory assembling thermostat controls, she was good with her hands and took a job with Luis Meyer (Indianapolis Race Cars) as a carburetor adjuster. I still have visions of her being called out of our home to adjust a carburetor for some famous Indy racer. I would look out into the street and see her with her head deep in the engine with all the men standing around, watching in wonder. She worked for years as a decorator at Gladding McBean Ceramics. Most of the "Desert Rose" and "Apple" pattern was drawn by my mom.</div>
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Mom and Dad worked hard and added to their property. They supported their families both in the United States and in Europe and Mexico. In 1961 my father died and mom was devastated. She was encouraged to travel and spent some time in New York with my fathers friends. One of those friends was soon to become the partner and confidante that she so needed. I new Frank DeVico longer than I new my father. I knew Frank as a generous and loving man. He moved to California and became Grampa to my boys. </div>
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Mom, Frank and my Dad are all gone now, they are all buried side by side in the churchyard cemetery at the San Fernando Mission, not far from a tree that my dad liked from the grave of Walter Brennan the actor.</div>
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Today is the 100th anniversary of the birth of this wonderful woman. We remember her today and will continue to remember her for as many years as we have to do so. So, if you have read this far, let's stop for a moment to remember her and all our moms and the love they still send us everyday.</div>
Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-51414109932403346522013-04-25T12:27:00.002-07:002013-04-25T12:27:43.608-07:00Look Out!<h2>
<b>Something new has been added to my life</b>. </h2>
No, we did not have another child! Vera, retired, and for the first time in over 45 years, I have a new girlfriend.<br />
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Work as all of you know, provides income, a support group, direction for you life, it also takes time. It is the contract we silently sign to give time for money, etc. Done out of the necessity clothe, house, and support the needs of a family, it drains away all inertia to improve relationships, open vistas of travel, create masterpieces of art and craft. </div>
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Vera and I met as she was about to enter college and I was living the BMOC (Big Man on Campus) role. We saw each other and as they say we were hit by the thunder bolt. We both agreed that having our children early and spaced together was best for us because we had so much that we wanted to do. We did travel with our children and we loved having their activities to be a apart of, but we are the type that like to hold hands and share life as a couple. So, now world, look out! Here come "Cactus and Dimples". There are books to share, places to go trouble to get into.</div>
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Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-58371834953106786772013-02-14T10:45:00.003-08:002013-02-14T10:45:43.096-08:00<br />
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HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!<br />
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What a great day is Valentines Day. Besides making tons of money for greeting card manufacturers and confectioners, it gives all people a reason to be nice to each other. Now you wouldn't think you would need an excuse to be nice but the nature of the electronic and cave-like existence we "urbanites" experience makes for seclusion and non expression.<br />
Expressing affection makes us vulnerable. What happens when you say, "I like you"? We give the other person the chance to give us a response (if they give one at all) that is not up to what we wanted or expected. The spine shrivels, the tears form, and we slither away back into our safe little dark caves. <br />
Well I'm here to tell you that you don't have to worry! You are NOT going to be rejected, if you don't get the "Hurrah or Fanfare" that you expected, learn to take what you got a enjoy it. The point is that the declaration of affection will return 10 or 100 fold. I have clung to an old song all my life that has a phrase that goes like this:<br />
"If you don't want to love me baby, somebody else will, somebody else will, somebody else<br />
will, if you don't want do love me baby, somebody else will,<br />
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<b>somebody else will LOVE ME BETTER!" </b></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>Love to all, be good to one another</b></span></div>
<br />Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7182718827816228590.post-25627105726237832102013-01-17T09:31:00.002-08:002013-01-17T09:31:39.944-08:00 We live in California. Having said that, last week we had evening temperatures in the 30s and that folks is cause for panic in the Southwest! If we had had rain, the local police would have closed the roads, and if it had snowed or gotten ice on the roads we would have called FEMA! Therefore, the sun and 70 degree weather today is like the beginning of Spring and all things are well with the world.<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/briancaselles?fref=ts">https://www.facebook.com/briancaselles?fref=ts</a> My dear friend and life companion of over 45 years is retiring today! She encouraged me to retire in 2002 but continued to work part time at the local college library. Today she calls it quits and that means we get to play. We are hoping to use our RV more often, attend the gym together, interfere in our grand children's lives, and create havoc where ever we go. I realize that this blog is mainly me talking to me, but should anyone else read this, send us your comments and maybe a few suggestions as to what to do, now that someone has let the dogs out.Cactus pots and shards.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010127038541256295noreply@blogger.com1