michael vick gets first endorsement

Between 2002-2007, michael vick and his co-conspiring cronies killed 13 dogs while operating a dog fighting organization. Today, he is not only back playing NFL football, but he has received the endorsement from "Unequaled Technologies" a footwear insert company!

michael vick went to prison, paid his dues to society and is now a revered professional athlete, again. It is easy for some sports fans to look away and believe that michael vick's puppet-like, orchestrated apology was "fo-real".
Keep in mind, using this man for product endorsement is like using Jeffrey Dahmer to endorse Cathlon cookware!

In case you think that michael vick's crimes were not worthy of attention, please take a moment to understand the extent of his involvement in the killings. According to information released from the prosecution, michael vick was DIRECTLY involved in the killing of at least 13 dogs. Dogs were wetted down and electrocuted with jumper cables, hung by the neck and strangled, slammed to the ground, shot and drowned. He even threw family pets into the ring with the fighting dogs.

This is the behavior of a sociopathic predator. His alleged statements of remorse are lies, pure and simple. I beleive that if he were to suffer a career ending injury or some event that would end his professional football career, he'd be back with his "homeys" acting like a thug and we would read about him involved in a shooting or other violent activity.

What in the heck is wrong with this picture. I cannot image that any responsible parent would want their child to look up to and admire the likes of michael vick!
Sure he did his time, but that doesn't excuse his behavior and certainly doesn't make him a role model...remember he went to prison because he got caught! Now, he's a sorry "mo-fo" because he did get caught!

Finally, don't buy or support ANY company that would endorse ANY person like michael vick...that goes for those trash talking Jet players too!

Go Pack GO!

Super Bowl XLV, here we come!!!

Rat #15

In the last 30 years here at Cobblestone Farm, I can only recall one rat infiltrating the horse barn. That particular rat ran into the tack room, where Floyd and Peggy lived and was promptly cornered. It was at that point, I gave the rat a swat with the broom, grabbed it by the tail and took him outside.

Y.C. was an outside cat back in the day and he eagerly watched as I walked the rat out to the fence row. "Hey Puddy" I hollered. "Look at what mom has for you."
Thinking our large yellow cat might take the bait, the rat was placed clearly where could pounce without much effort. Not. "Yeow", he looked as me as though I were crazy. Oh well, the rat was free at last and on his way to another barn.

In 2010, it was a different story. There were buildings torn down at a neighboring farm, resulting in a sudden jump in the rat population here. Over the past few months, I have LIVE trapped 15 rats and taken them up the road to a local wetland park. Put them in the rat ride (1990 Plym Acclaim) and take them down the road.

In November, I was seated in the barn petting BOB the whistlepig, when he and I both observed rat #14 come out, stroll over to Bob's dish and remove a peanut. That was the last straw. Out came the Nilla waffers and peanut butter for super bait. Rat #14 was on his way!

Rat #15 was a memorable guy. The trap was sitting next to the hydrant when he became captive. I felt sorry for #15, as he was the only rat who squealed! He squealed so loud, I thought he might have been hurt. I picked up the trap, consoled him for a minute and he actually stopped squealing. He calmly rode to his new home in the park, where he joined the rest of his rat family.

Bakersfield Blogger

Several years ago, I rode my motorcycle to Athens, Georgia for a Woman's Motorcycle Conference. It was there, I met a gal from Bakersfield, California. She is a life coach, writer and speaker. Recently, I came across her blog. The first topic was
forgiveness. "It is the hardest thing to forgive ourselves", she wrote.

Maybe it was the time of day or the mood, but it really took my thoughts rushing back. Over a lifetime, so many decisions are made in haste, for selfish reasons or without concern for their impact on others. Those hurtful decisions are the ones which make it nearly impossible to forgive ourselves. No matter how much time has passed, there is no repair kit available to "fix" things when other people are hurt. We live with the results of our decisions and hope we learn.

Forgiving others does seem so much easier.

I guess I'll have to wait for the next installment on her blog to see how a person can forgive themselves for things that really seem unforgiveable. How are we worthy of forgiveness for ourselves?

94

On January 7, 2011, Mother turned 94 years old! She enjoyed opening her presents, a bit of cake and ice cream (which I managed to resist) and a few laughs. We put the number 94 on her cake, but when the mention of lighting the candles, it was Mother who reminded me of the oxygen use on her floor! Her faculties are pretty much intact and she sure does enjoy having visitors. I am always amazed when she will tell me who was there, what they talked about and sometimes, what they were wearing. The clothing part usually refers to her sisters, who always dress the the "nines". It's cute how much attention Mother pays to these details.
With my Mother's family longevity, I hope to celebrate many more.

A letter to Ma

The letter was addressed to Lois V. Brown with the return address, PFC Walter Brown 36500163 Hq Det 2nd Bn 87 Mtn Inf Regt US Army Amphibian Training Force 9, Fort Ord,
Calif.

The letter read:

July 1, 1943
Dear Mother & All,
Received your letter and every thing is O.K.
We got our new dog tags today and we are still getting more
new equipment.
I got a letter from Dad the other day with a five in it, today
is pay day but we won't get paid for a few days. I'm allright I've
got some money.
Ma, Amphibian Training is training on land and sea. What we
probably will be doing is attacking islands that the Japs have taken
from us, and were going to get them back, and again we may go to Europe
we don't know yet. We have been practicing attacking our own bech out
here, we go out in small barges or attacking boats then attack at
a certain time and things like that, we went out the other day and
the other night and went under heavy artillery fire, boy is it
noisy. It sure makes a guy feel funny with those big shells going
over head and landing close by.
We got some new over seas fighting clothes coming but dont' worry
about me I'll come back.
Ma, I feel good about going across because some one has to go,
even fellow in here with children feel the same way.
And after I get out I wouldn't want people saying I was a
draft dodger, that one thing I'll be able to say.
Tell Jack to keep out as long as he can because there are to
many draft dodgers in that town yet.
Well Ma, I'll close.
Love,
Walter

This is the second Christmas I spend without my Dad. I've been cleaning up papers and I came across this letter. Unfortunately, my Mother never kept one letter from Dad that he wrote while in the service. I have only found two letters and it is sad to think she didn't keep these reflections of the war and the times. I suppose, since Mother had a large family, she might have been afraid her sisters or someone else might read her love letters from my Dad.
I miss my Dad and I cherish all of the fond memories. Discovery of this letter makes me feel close. Sometimes, I just pick up his "rule" or his hammer and it somehow brings me peace to know how much we loved each other.
So often I think WWWD? Dad was so filled with common sense and grass-root knowledge of how to do or figure out anything. He was and will always be my hero.

Field Trip

It was Tuesday, December 7th, Pearl Harbor Day and the day my Mother went on a field trip. The nursing home schedules a variety of field trips for the residents and Meadowbrook Hall was today's destination.
Upon arrival at the nursing home, we found Mother wasn't ready, thought the trip was cancelled and it was my fault. O.K. Let's rewind a minute and start over.
After much persuasion, a change of clothes, make-up and lipstick, she was ready to get on the little short bus. Toni, the nursing home activities director, drove the bus and somehow managed to load and unload this precious cargo.
Once inside the mansion, I spoke with Doug Thorpe, who was a greeter. I told him that Mother had worked for Mrs. Wilson in the 1930's and she was going to take the tour. Mr. Thorpe thought that my Mother might remember his wife, who was born on the property, Barbara Gay. The Gay family had the family farm on Squirrel Road and raised cattle at that time. Unfortunately, Mrs. Thorpe passed last year.
When Mother came in, I asked her about remembering the Gay family and she promptly recalled Barbara and said,"They were a nice family". Where was the bit of dementia from about an hour ago?
I pointed to a large oil painting of a young lady on a horse and asked, "Mother, who is that?" Again, a prompt reply,"Oh, that is Francis on one of her horses".
"Over there", I asked, again pointing to a larger oil painting. "That's Danny and Francis", she replied.
We took a small group photograph in front of that fireplace. That is Mother on the left, seated in the wheelchair, wearing the maroon jacket. Mother doesn't really smile for pictures.
I wheeled Mother through the entrance to the right of the fireplace (the only area where pictures can be taken)and she told me we were going to the living room and the sun room was on the other side. So much for needing the tour person.
"They have changed a few things here", she said. "Mrs. Wilson didn't put the tree (Christmas tree) over there".
Mother remembered the beautiful organ and the tiffany lamp, as we rolled by and went into the library area. This room contained and large table, which Mother remembered, but added, "Mrs. Wilson would not have had this rug on the floor."
As we proceeded through the mansion, there were areas where I could feel the presense of my Dad, whose hammer and hands touched many a piece of wood in the mansion.
Mother's job for Mrs. Wilson was the switchboard and other secretarial tasks she requested. We have photographs that Mother took in the late 1930's of the mansion, Mrs. Wilson's deer and horses. She worked there about five years.
The area of the mansion referred to as "Danny Dodge's wing" was intersting, as well.
When the man stationed in the upstairs area pointed to a bedroom and said, "This was the room where Danny Dodge's friends would stay when they spent the night." Quietly, Mother replied, "He didn't have many friends". This drew a facial expression of question from the tour person. I then told him that Mother had worked there. He was impressed.
Mother told the tour guides how nice Mrs. Wilson was to work for and each morning she would come to the "morning room" and have her coffee and discuss things with the staff. This was a room unknown to the tour guides, but Mother said it was off from the kitchen.
As we went down the elevator, Mother wanted to go down to the Ball Room. I think she must have seen many functions in that area during her time. Remembering as she did on this day was so much fun for those who were listening to this bit of history.

I was amazed how the tour guides and staff at Meadowbrook Hall treated Mother. She could have been the Queen Mum.