I Saw A Robin

I've been hearing robins on and off for a couple of weeks.  Some people say they migrate, others say they hang around if the winters are mild.  I believe they all went south this winter for some reason.  If I could have gone south, I would also have done so.  Anyway, when our kids were little, we encouraged them to all watch, and report back, if they saw a robin in the weeks before spring.  If they could confirm a robin sighting, we would bake a "worm cake".  A worm cake is a cake of any flavor chosen by the one who saw the robin, and was either filled by Gummy Worms, or Gummy Worms were crawling all over the frosting.  I think it's great idea for kids to anticipate the change of the seasons, and a worm cake is just the thing to bake when you see a robin.

Valentine's Massacre

The Valentine massacre in Florida was a horrible event.  How can we stop such things from happening?  I think there's only one way.  When a person's heart is right with God, all the other issues of respect for other people's lives, opinions, lifestyles, hurts against you (forgiveness), etc. will be in check.  That's the only way evil against your fellow human being will cease.  JN

I Think Dogs Are Spies

I think dogs are spies.  I don't know who exactly they are working for, but they are always watching me.  We have one dog named Rusty.  He's a Boxador, meaning he has a boxer front end and a Lab back end.  He follows me all around.  If he's not following me, he comes over and lies down in a location so he can watch me.  Even if his eyes are half closed, he's listening intently to whatever I do.

We used to have two cats, a brother and sister.  They don't care what a person does, unless I'm opening a tuna can, then they are all ears.  I don't think cats are spying on me.

The dog, he's always watching.  I'd like to know who he is reporting back to.  Not that I'm doing anything criminal.  I think whatever the dog tells his handlers is often pretty boring.  I'd just like to know how much the dog is getting paid and what exactly is he telling whoever it is that he's talking to.  The dog is home alone most of the day, so anyone could come to the door and get the lowdown on me and I'd never know it. (On the other hand, he's a fierce protector of the house and would bite anyone who he didn't know.)  Some day maybe I'll find out.  It might be in eternity in the afterlife.  Speaking of the afterlife, I hope Rusty isn't there.  I hear dogs get their voices back in Heaven.  Oh, boy! Will there be dogs in heaven?  That's a topic for another day. ~JN

We're Halfway Through

According to those who should know, we're half-way through the winter here in the Midwest.  You wouldn't know it by the temperatures and wind chill values recently.  It seems as though winter is here to stay and will never end.  I've heard (from younger folks) phrases like, "I've never seen it this cold".  Well, they just haven't been around Nebraska all their lives like some of us older folks have.  We used to have blizzards with drifts up to 6 feet tall, miserable winds, and devastating tornadoes.  It's just a matter of time until we get one of those years again.  Thankfully, we are not living in the northern most part of the Soviet Union, where they finally called off school because the air temperature was 88 degrees below zero today.  (Everything below -40 is just a bonus, I guess.)  How could you even survive for a few minutes in that kind of cold?  I'm ready for spring, in fact, I was ready for spring last week.  I know warmer weather will come, it always does, but I'm just plain tired of this weather and dreaming of fishing on a boat on the lake again. I should go through my tackle box while I'm waiting. ~JN

Let's Work Together

I am always amazed that a group of local senators cannot work together to get things done that really matter.  There are senators from both parties who cause more division than cooperation in what is supposed to be a non-partisan legislature called the Unicameral.  They seems to waste valuable time with pet projects, instead of focusing on bigger picture important issues.  There is one senator that recently wanted to get an initiative through the legislature restricting the sale of ivory, to protect animals such as elephants and rhinoceroses from poaching.  There are already federal laws restricting ivory sales.  Do we have an underground ivory market in Nebraska?  I've never heard about it.  I think persons with disabilities, for instance, would be better served with any money an ivory restriction law would cost.  The governor's budget has cut funds to those providing services to persons with disabilities, to the point where some agencies will have to close down.  Where will those persons with disabilities get services then?  My suggestions to senators, let's work together to solve those problems that are really important. Let the Feds deal with ivory.

I've Seen The Last Jedi

In an earlier post, I mentioned that I have seen every Star Wars movie in the theater since the first one I saw in St. Paul, Minnesota.  Well, I went to The Last Jedi Saturday with a friend.  (You just can't go to a Star Wars movie alone.) There were a few more questions answered and a few more questions!  Nice performance by Skywalker.  Those Jedi Mind Tricks are pretty good.  Looks like there was lots of fodder to keep the franchise going, especially for the younger crowd.  I don't know if I will be able to see the next Star Wars movie in the theater or not.  Shows are getting really expensive.  With streaming video getting better all the time, I may be sitting in my living room watching the next episode on my own TV.  There's nothing like the theater experience, but I might get close.

What's The Secret To Long Life?

What's the secret to a long life?  Some people say it's reducing stress.  Some say drinking red wine.  Some say lose weight.  Some think it's simply the genes you are blessed with. I've heard some say it's kale.  I can't imagine that would be the case.  I've tried kale smoothies, kale with chocolate, kale with salad, kale chips, and kale power bars.  It all tastes about the same.  If you compare kale and spinach, there's not much nutritional difference.  I'd rather eat spinach.  There's a woman who just had her 104th birthday, and she drinks two Diet Cokes a day.  She says that's the key to a long life.  It must be, since she will probably outlive us all at this rate.  If Diet Coke didn't make me hungry a half hour later, I'd get on a Diet Coke kick too.  There's a lot a person can do to improve your quality of life, like exercise, eating foods you like but watch your portions, take time to relax and do some recreation, etc.  I think genetics has a lot to do with it.  There was a woman who lived to be 102 and smoked every day of her adult life.  I wouldn't recommend that, but she must have had pretty strong genetics to overcome the side effects of smoking.  Stop worrying about the little stuff, because worry wears you down.  Get involved with organizations where you can give of your talents and help other people.  They will benefit, and so will you.  Above all, put down the kale and eat some chocolate.