Since today is Valentine's Day, I'd have to have the soul of a warthog not to be moved by a song that makes me think of the AED!

Happy hoppin' y'all!

The Farmer's Daughter Lyrics



Wishing everyone a great week!

It's just a bit past 4 on this Tuesday morning in the OC and on any other Tuesday, I'd be blogging random thoughts. But in a few hours, the Amazing Egyptian Dude (AED) will be home after what has been the longest time we've spent apart since we got married almost 30 years ago.

What should have been the usual 5 weeks trip to get a container of products on its way from Cairo to Alexandria and from Alexandria to Long Beach became a nightmare of red tape the likes of which we have never experienced in the eleven years that we have been importing goods from Egypt to the US. The end result was that the AED had to extend his ticket once, then twice in order to get paperwork taken care of in Egypt so that we wouldn't have a similar problem for the next shipment. While he was doing battle with the bureaucracy of the Egyptian government, I struggled to hold down the fort at home.

Since he has been gone, the elderly lady for whom I have been responsible died and the battle over her estate has begun; I inherited a new rescue kitten that was so tiny when I got him, he literally fit in the palm of my hand; my sister, who has been here with me from Texas to get some much needed dental work done by a dentist friend of ours (she's a diabetic and has no dental insurance), was served with divorce papers out of the blue a few days ago and has been an emotional wreck ever since. Needless to say, with all the stress and excitement going on here, seizures have been an almost daily occurrence for me.

So no random thoughts on this Tuesday -- heck no! I am so ready for the AED to be back home because I have surely missed my pillar of strength!

Way back during the audition phase of last season's X-Factor (UK), I went out on a limb and predicted on my Facebook page that Matt Cardle would win. As the season progressed and the contestants were selected, I began to doubt myself and even to go back and forth between Matt and two others whom I really, really liked. But Matt was consistent throughout, and my prediction was correct -- he won! Today, I am moved by his first single which, I am thrilled to say, has retained the #1 spot on the UK charts for its 3rd week!

1. Container Arrivals.

We've had nothing but grief over the shipment of this latest container from Egypt to the US, which explains why the AED has been in Cairo since the beginning of October and won't be back home until next Tuesday. At long last, however, the doggone thing -- complete with dozens of damaged cartons and yards of green US Customs tape -- was delivered to our warehouses at 9 this morning. Now all the brother-in-law and I need to do is to get this 40-foot monstrosity unloaded within 24 hours, LOL! Did I mention that I am also very grateful for forklifts, pallets, plenty of warehouse space, and the friends who are willing to help get all

of those boxes out of the monstrosity?

2. Spayed Kitties.

Wilbur, the runt of the litter of rescue kittens I found in my backyard last July, became so attached to me that I had to keep him. With an already very quiet and squeaky voice, Wilbur began making very strange chirping noises, climbing up on the counters in the kitchen, hanging out on top of the fridge, and knocking the plants over when he "needed" a bird's eye view out the kitchen windows a couple of weeks ago. Turns out Wilbur is a girl and that (s)he was looking for some lovin'! Being the responsible pet owner that I am, I nipped that right in the bud!

As of Tuesday morning, Wilbur is no longer looking for love in all the wrong places. Wilbur is now a member of the nipped and tucked club. Just in case you're wondering about her name, I have no plans to change it. She knows it too well for me to do that now. Johnny Cash had a boy named Sue, so why can't I have a girl named Wilbur?

3. Netflix.

Ok, so I am a bit behind the times as far as this one goes; I didn't get a Netflix account until December 2. Since we did away with all the satellites that lined our roof and have been using only the free-to-air satellite channels in conjunction with our local ones, I have been a much happier camper. With the Netflix account and a nifty wi-fi hookup thingy, I can watch the BBC shows I love, as well as hundreds of documentaries, whenever I want. And when the AED comes home and finds all the old TV shows with cowboys that are available, he'll think he's died and gone straight to Roy Rodgers heaven, I'm sure.

4. Peach Rings.

Gummy Bears hold the key to my heart, but the peach rings sold at 7-11 rock my world! I'm sure that my dentist loves them just as much as I do, LOL! If there is a 7-11 near you and you haven't tried them already, then you should. These little gummy delights are simply amazing! I have never tasted an artificial peach anything that comes so close to the real fruit. Mmmmm....my mouth is watering just from writing about them!

5. Fridays.

'Nuff said on that one!

Hope everyone has a great weekend and that I actually make it through next week to post again!

It's so hard to start a post on the first day of a new year without sounding cliche! Here it is with the first day of 2011 nearly over, and I haven't made a post yet because I can't come up with an opening line that isn't corny, LOL!

This is the first New Year that the Amazing Egyptian Dude and I have spent apart. He's been in Egypt since October and won't be home until January 11th. I suppose if we were much younger it would have been horrible to have spent New Year's Eve on different continents but considering that we seldom make it past 10 o'clock anyway, it's not such a big deal.

The kids came over to spend the evening with me and Melody. We enjoyed our traditional jumbo platter of Red Lobster shrimp cocktail and various other finger foods through the evening and although we were prepared to play games and watch movies until it was time to ring in the New Year, I pooped out somewhere around 9 after having a sleepless night on Thursday. They, along with the niece, will be back in a couple of hours so that we can finish what we started yesterday and this time, I am determined to make it until at least 11!

I don't make New Year's resolutions but for those of you who do, I wish you success in fulfilling them. I pray that 2011 is a better year for all of us than 2010 has been for most of us. And for myself, I hope that I can get my blogging mojo back and post more frequently like I used to!

From the time I first heard him singing the train songs of Jimmie Rodgers, I have loved Merle Haggard. It was 1969, and I was just ten years old when my dad brought home Same Train, Different Time. So in tune with the American character is he, that I tell everyone to really know America, you must listen to Merle Haggard and pay attention to his lyrics. One of these days when the Brain is more cooperative, I plan to write a paper on the topic. Until then, I'll just have to content myself with a melodious voice and some of the most powerful lyrics ever written. Just in case you want more of the Hag, check out the tribute to him on the acclaimed PBS series, American Masters.


Lyrics

The warden led a prisoner down the hallway to his doom
I stood up to say good-bye like all the rest
And I heard him tell the warden just before he reached my cell
'Let my guitar playing friend do my request.' (Let him...)

Sing me back home with a song I used to hear
Make my old memories come alive
Take me away and turn back the years
Sing Me Back Home before I die

I recall last Sunday morning a choir from 'cross the street
Came to sing a few old gospel songs
And I heard him tell the singers 'There's a song my mama sang.
Can I hear once before we move along?'

Sing me back home, the song my mama sang
Make my old memories come alive
Take me away and turn back the years
Sing Me Back Home before I die

Sing Me Back Home before I die

Random Thought #1

I've been itching to change my blog template for a very long time and even added myself to a professional designer's incredibly long queue last summer. Unfortunately for me, that designer made some significant life changes, before my place in the queue came up, and is no longer designing blog templates. Despite hours of scouring the web for just the right freebie template, I haven't had any luck. Maybe out of sheer desperation for a change, I will resort to using Blogger's new design your own template feature thingy. Has anybody used it yet?


Random Thought #2

All three rescue kittens are still with me. Wilbur, the runt of the litter, is quite attached to me and with each passing day, I get more attached to him. This is exactly what I (and the AED) was afraid would happen. With such an adorable creature shadowing my every move, how could I possibly give him up?!

A few days ago, I sat on the couch to fold some laundry. Before I even had a chance to get myself and the laundry basked situated comfortably, I was surrounded by fur monsters. In the photo at the left are Dolly (top left), Charlotte (top right), Templeton (bottom left), and Maggie (bottom right). Wilbur isn't in the photo because he had buried himself in the warm clothes in the basket. Even with four "assistants," I didn't get much laundry folded for a while.

Random Thought #3

For anyone looking for an awesome iPhone speaker dock, let me recommend the one that Altec Lansing makes. I am incredibly impressed with the company. Let me tell you why.

The AED bought me this speaker dock for my birthday last year. I love, love, love this speaker! But when I brought home my new iPhone and tried to put it in the dock to charge, the darn thing didn't fit. All I could think of was that I would have to shell out another couple of hundred bucks for a new speaker dock when the one I had worked just fine. Being cheap, I quickly trashed that idea and began surfing Google to see if others who had the dock experienced the same problem. What I discovered was that Altec Lansing had a fix -- and a free fix to boot!

The new part arrived yesterday, and now my new iPhone fits perfectly in the speaker dock. How's that for a company standing behind its products? Go, Altec Lansing!

I liked Amanda's idea of choosing a general theme to describe what's moving her this Monday, so I jacked it -- but at least I am honest about my thievery!

In the wake of a miserable last week, I've decided to give in and surrender to the forces beyond my reach that wreak havoc in my life. I've come to the conclusion that sometimes it's better to actually lose the war because in doing so, one is forced to come to grips with one's weaknesses and limitations and to find a way to work with, through, or around them. Such is the case with my cluster headaches and seizures. And so, Brain, you win this time! With white flag in hand, I surrender to the power of your electrical impulses. For today, at least. . .

White Flag by Dido




Sweet Surrender by John Denver




Surrender by Elvis Presley

Today's random thoughts aren't completely random; they are things that have been stuck in my head for a few days and now need an escape. Lucky you!

Random Thought #1

After three years of flawless duty, I retired my iPhone 2G and bought a 32-gig iPhone 3GS last Friday. The decision to retire the 2G didn't come easy -- it works fine and does everything that I need it to do when I need it done. However, with the launch of iPhone 4, I learned that Apple would no longer support my trusty 2G, leaving it stuck with an outdated operating system. Considering all the nifty things that the iPhone OS4 is supposed to impress me with, it didn't make sense to hang onto what is now an outdated phone.

I know that patience is a virtue -- one that I need to work more seriously on improving in myself -- but waiting for an iPhone 4 was not on my agenda. Yes, it is the newest model and thus offers more time before becoming outdated like the 2G, but both Apple and AT&T have a backlog of orders for them. Besides, there's an issue with the antenna and reception and signal strength with the 4 that doesn't exist with the previous models. And seriously, what was Apple thinking in making both the front and the back of the phone out of the glass that is usually only on the front? I'd be terrified of cracking the darn thing because since it is so new, couture cases aren't readily available for it yet. And a lady has to have an awesome case for her iPhone!

So far, I'm thrilled with the new phone. Although I'm still in the process of adding wallpapers, music, and apps, what I have put on the phone so far works like a charm. But best of all, the newest Apple operating system, which I LOVE, is compatible with the 3GS! Now my gorgeous phone displays the wallpaper at all times, makes videos, and lets me organize apps into folders for a relatively clutter free screen. Oh, the joys of technology!

Random Thought #2

The rescue kittens are ready for new homes. Honestly, I have never given away kittens before and have no clue how to go about doing it. I posted on Facebook that they were ready for forever homes, but the only response I got was from dear friends who (1) live in different states and (2) already have enough pets. The AED says to put them on Craigslist, but I am concerned about the weirdos who thrive there. Any suggestions on how to get the word out that I've got three litter-trained, affectionate, purr machines in search of loving homes?

Random Thought #3

I think that a tribe of dirt-tracking ghosts lives in my house. Honestly, with only the AED and I at home these days, I am amazed to find that I can sweep and mop on Monday morning and find the ceramic tiled floors that the AED insisted we need looking like they haven't been touched for weeks by Tuesday afternoon! At least with the rugs (commonly called "Persian" carpets, but ours came from Egypt), I can attribute the need for daily vacuuming to the cats because they roll around and play on them and leave behind traces of their antics in the form of hair. But the ceramic tile? Where does all the dirt come from?! It's time for a seance to out the ghosts who seem to think that I need to go through life with a broom and mop attached to my hips!

Random Thought #4

I have the sweetest husband ever! For the past week, I have been in the throes of a cluster headache cycle with some of them being so intense that I now understand why this type is called the "suicide headache." With headaches coming several times throughout the day and lasting anywhere from 10-15 minutes to several hours, life hasn't been a lot of fun these past several days. Twice last week, I was completely down for the count and unable to go to the warehouse with the AED. Both times, he came home with a gift that he knew would make even a cluster headache seem inconsequential -- ice-cold Coca-Cola in a tall glass bottle. What a guy, and what a lucky woman I am to have him!

In honor of America's birthday, I chose one of my favorite Elvis Presley songs, "American Trilogy," from the Aloha from Hawaii satellite TV special that aired way back in the days when I was a teenager. You know, back in the days when only the government had satellite TV and were generous enough to share it with Elvis and his fans for a couple of hours. . .



Enjoy!

Thanks to Thom for sharing another meme; I love these things!


1. Do you feel that you need to keep repeating yourself when talking to a particular person?

Well, considering that the Amazing Egyptian Dude has lost a significant portion of his hearing and isn't exactly consistent about wearing his hearing aids, I spend an inordinate amount of time repeating myself when talking to him. One of these days he will wear his hearing aids on a regular basis, I just know it!

2. It's July. Do you have anything special planned?

Ummm . . . I consider living pretty doggone special. That's about all that I have planned for the month.

3. Who is your big celebrity crush?

I'm not really into celebrities, and certainly not enough to have a big crush on one.

4. Tell us about a local restaurant you are sure we'd love.

Mas' Islamic Chinese restaurant in Anaheim, California, is our favorite place for dining out. The best thing about this restaurant is that it is always packed with patrons that make up a mini United Nations. In addition to the Muslims who fill the place because the owner, a Muslim from China, follows our dietary laws and doesn't serve pork, you'll find Jews who keep Kosher dining beside California hippie types who are seated next to a group of college kids whose antics entertain the elderly couple sitting across the aisle. I have never ever been to the place when it wasn't, at the very least, nearly packed to the rafters.

5. Tell us about the shyest person that you deal with regularly.

None of the people whom I deal with regularly are shy -- at least not when they are around me!

6. What is your vision of heaven and hell?

One is good and the other ought to be avoided?

7. What is your neighborhood like?

Like most neighborhoods in Southern California -- filled with single family dwellings that have green lawns and cars in their driveways.

8. What's your favorite cook-out food?

Shish-kebab or steak -- I can't decide which I like better.

9. When was the last time that you saw fireworks?

Disneyland is just down the street from my home, so I see fireworks every night at 9:35 during the week, and a second display on Saturday and Sunday. God bless the Mouse House!

1. When it's quiet, the cats are either asleep or up to no good.

2. Probably because it's true, I haven't blogged in what seems like a month.

3. My heart is working as it should.

4. I don't have many family or friends with birthdays in July.

5. In the town where I was born lived a man who sailed the seas. And he told us of his life in the land of submarines.

6. The ability to make me laugh when I don't think I can is something I really love about my significant other / friend.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to catching up with my podcasts, tomorrow my plans include organizing the office and Sunday, I want to enjoy the shish kebab that the AED plans to BBQ!

In honor of America's Independence Day celebrations coming up this weekend, I wanted to celebrate the American Character with a list of interesting things about America and Americans. Here goes nothing!

1. 27% of Americans believe that we never landed on the moon. So how did Michael Jackson come up with the Moon Walk, then, huh?

2. Louisiana has 2,482 islands. Although with the BP oil rig disaster, they are disappearing.

3. There are about 500,000 detectable earthquakes in California each year. No wonder mine is the Rock & Roll state!

4. Jimmy Carter was the first US president to have been born in a hospital.

5. Our Pledge of Allegiance was written by a Socialist. Put that in your tea bag and steep it!

6. In the middle of the Mojave Desert, fifty miles from anywhere, is a phone booth. Why? Nobody remembers!

7. There are 140 towns and cities in America that have the word CHRISTMAS in their names.

8. Taft, California is home to the largest oil producing field in the lower 48 states.

9. Iced tea was served for the first time in 1904 at the St. Louis World's Fair. Now, it's a staple across the South.

10. The oldest capital city in the US is Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was founded in 1610.

11. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826, exactly 50 years to the day after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

12. Until 1796, there was a US state named Franklin. Today we call it Tennessee.

13. Thomas Edison, inventor of the light bulb, was afraid of the dark.