Friends....and Family....

Been thinking a lot bout friends and family. Am I a good friend? Am I a good relative?....I want to spend more time with my friends and family! On or about July 25th 2013, my friend, Richard Draeger, died. He was the first person my age I met and went out with when I moved to Rockport. He lived in the front RV park, but we shared Christmas '12 here with friends. He didn't like brussel sprouts, but said he enjoyed my roasted brussel sprouts. I could take Richards personality for bout 20 minutes at a time....I divorced one like him. My son Marc worked for him for awhile, but I think they goofed off more than worked though....ha ha. They got along great and talked morning till night. My Brother In Law informed me of Richards death....got to thinking and I really felt bad. I was celebrating my birthday with Robin Pebsworth...CC Hooks game and next night was seeing Uncle Lucius at Brewster Street. When I came home from those events I mentally noted that I really needed to get by and see him. As I drove by his trailer his dining table light was on, as was every night, and I just imagined him sitting there drinking his liquor and smoking cigs. It wasn't till I met his sister when she came from Aptos CA to take care of his business and take his ashes back to CA, that I realized....when I was going out, Richard was laying in his home dead! He was not discovered for approximately 4 days, massive heart attack/stroke.....4 DAYS! Marc and I were both upset. Heck, I even still had his voice mail on my cell phone wanting to make sure Marc got back to SA okay and if I needed anything to call him. 4 days...I wasn't a good friend. This was a wakeup call as to what being a friend means to me.....my friends/relatives that live across the state and country...there is no reason I cannot pick up the phone once a week and holler at them. No excuse from now on, friends and family are everything to me. I have close relatives that I don't really know and want to. Marc, Me, Kenny and a few others will disperse some of his ashes his sister gave me at Rockport Beach. She will spread his remaining ashes on a few beaches in CA (@Santa Barbara for one). I will stop before I start rambling and leave you with....life is too short: Some people live with love, Some people live with hate, But live the way you want to today...for tomorrow may be to late.

R.I.P. Richard Draeger, Surfboard Artist
10/30/1955 to 7/25/2013

Bitchin session!....when ya just gotta get it off your chest...

Borderline Hoarding?...When is hoarding, hoarding? I have 60 years of "stuff" I brought with me to Rockport when I moved from the old homestead. I want to hold on to the memories, but seems everything has a memory associated with it. Heck...Daddy had some items that were broken/parts that I still brought with me! How do you decide what to keep and what to throw away? Okay...some might say just do it, put it in storage or keep it. I am now living in a one bedroom camp house (love you sissy and bro in law) that will not accommodate furnishings and memories from a 3 bdrm with den house. I realize these things are material, but if you know me or anyone in my family, you would know we carry our heart on our sleeve and even a dust bunny can bring back memories! It has not been quite a year since I moved, but it is getting to the serious part of having to part with things I cannot fit into this house! I know those bolts, parts of something and outdated computer parts MIGHT come in handy one day....riiight! I still hang on to them though...like I don't have 800 more bolts or they cost only .99 at Dollar General. I do not want to just throw them out like trash and I do not want someone else using a memory that I've had for 55 years....what do I do?...help! I think my best bet would be to hold onto one, only one item from my past...of course it would be one in each category...lol. *how do you decide...do I keep my albums from the 60s an 70s(at least they're not 8 tracks)? I have started to put up shelves to put things on instead of get RID OF...probably end up with wall to wall shelves.

second topic....

Salespeeps/cashiers or anyone that works with the public!....Do they not train these people anymore? Has courtesy, respect, judgment and morals gone out the window? I have started to look for the more mature person when I shop! Please....say Hello to me, do not treat my loaf of bread like you play for the Missions, no...the bug spray does NOT go bagged with the deli meats, say your sorry if you make a mistake concerning me and my money, and for gosh sakes...if ya don't know say so! I am spending my money at the place you work...I am not here to listen to your problems at home...you discussing what the other checker and stocker did last night or watch you be in la la land and say nothing to me but my total amount I owe you! Of course some of the above only applies IF you can find someone that works there. I do not mind if the person helping me is from another country either....just make sure they can speak English if they are working with the public. I don't want to go though 3 peeps to get help and have to walk out of the store empty handed cause no one spoke English. If I go to another country..fine, no problemo! I have had cashiers not want to touch what I bought cause they do not like to eat them!?..that's just crazy. I'm sure they just love...i will tell them when they are right and when they are wrong. I ask a sales clerk NOT to put my franchise chicken purchase in a bag....I get the stink eye like I am asking for something they do not know how to do...training did not cover NOT putting the box of chicken in a bag. Wellllllll have ya ever had the bottom of the box fall out and had to eat your chicken out of the very sanitary, I'm sure, bag they packed it in? I feel like i have to explain why to the person I am giving MY MONEY to!

....okay folks, that's all for now. Let me know what you think on these topics, your experiences. If you could describe our world today...say compared to your childhood days...in just one word, what would that word be? My sissy Jeanne says: tohellinahandbasket...and yes...that is one word..lol.
xoxo to all....Renee

Soooo romantic and sexy w/Carey Hart

Watch "P!nk - Just Give Me A Reason ft. Nate Ruess" on YouTube

ADDING SOMETHING NEW....

ADVERTISING...yes, advertisements! I have had good results with these companies that I will soon be adding links so that you can check them out for yourself! Let me know what you think. Of course I do have a few faves....secondspin.com(great selection/prices/promo codes and SERVICE!)....timelife.com(great selection/service and payment plans!). If one hits your needs or fancy, please do check them out...lol...doesn't cost to look!!! Have a great day and will get back to posting here shortly.

The Birds!

Could they get any louder?...lol...moved to the coastal area...soooo nice....but Grackles(sp?)? SATX was bad enough with them...did they follow me here?  Did put up some wild bird feeders....lots of Cardinals and pretty Blank Birds...never seen bb's before. At the park where I live is a small pond with 2 resident ducks. Father an Son....won't mention what happened to mom. If i'm lucky, right before day break, a Blue Heron or White Crane will be in there too....too dark to take pic...just enough light to see though. After the Lamardegras was over, Kirby took us driving, one of our often outings, and I got to see my first Whooping Cranes. They are larger than the white Cranes we see often and have black on end of wings. (*can ya tell I got a thing for birds now!?....lol) On the island in lil bay I saw a Rosy Spoonbill....had to of been one since we don't have Pink Flamingos! The Seagulls are taking up with partners....nesting and fighting to keep their spot. The Skimmers "were" here, will be back I hope. When June/July rolls round, we'll be CREEPING along the roads in the park...as it says on the sign...."baby birds can't fly". Cute BIG babies, but noisy as heck...okay...really LOUD BIG DEMANDING TO BE FED BABIES! Last but not least...my fave...the Pelicans...white and brown. The browns let me get arms length close for pics, the whites are more stand offish. FYI...if you care...lol...during mating season, the browns get a very yellow headdress and the white males grow a lump on topside of bill. Really attractive, like a huge dry zit! Females must find it sexy. Okay....that's enough bout my birds. Gonna be a beautiful day here and I hope y'all have the same. xoxo Renee

Chilly Day...

Morning! Thought it was chilly here in R'port...nooo....lol...son marc's job sent him and his friend/boss to Kansas City KS....NOW that's 8CHILLY!  Sittin on my porch since 4 am, birds waking up and wind cutting through the screened in porch. All 4 of us snuggled up on the couch! Hopefully gonna finish with kitchen today and make my sissy proud! All for now....gotsta get started

Beautiful Day!

Had a wonderful weekend with my son Marc, turned 26 on the 3rd, and Sissy/hubby Kirby. Almost have camphouse in order! Yahoo! Today is Jeanne & Kirby's 40th anniversary. They're such a great couple...used to be a joke that if she didn't want him.....we do!

Time Flys.....

It's been quite awhile since I have posted....will have to get my thoughts together an post from laptop!