tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59178434004164527542024-03-13T10:46:09.455-04:00Hunting Mosquitoes and Other Flights of FancyAn eclectic look at life in the Sunshine StateThe Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-38918427801830295222015-11-02T21:11:00.000-05:002015-11-02T21:11:14.266-05:0030 Days of Thankfulness Day 2Today I am thankful for my grandmother. We always called her Granny. It was by her own choice that she was called that and I'm sad to say I don't even know why she chose that. I know when speaking of her maternal grandmother she always referred to her as Granny, so I'm guessing it had something to do with that.<br />
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Growing up, my grandmother was my primary caregiver. My parents were very young when I was born. (I was born a year after they married and they married at eighteen.) Their primary focus was on making money. I was dropped off very early in the morning at my grandmother's house, long before school started, and after school I was at my grandmother's house until my parents got home from work. Often my parents would go away on the weekends and leave me with my grandmother. Honestly, this was for the best. My mom will tell you to this day she was never cut out to be a parent. In all honesty, my parents should have never had children. Be that as it may, my grandmother provided me with a stability I would have never had otherwise. She also taught me a lot. <br />
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My grandmother was a strong Christian and from as early as I can remember church, the Bible, praying, vacation Bible school, church camp, etc were a part of my life. For this I am very thankful. If not for my grandmother, I know I would not be saved today.<br />
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My grandmother also instilled in me the importance of learning and gave me a love for learning. She helped to develop my mind and push me to excellence. My grandmother was the one person who never said I was stupid when I was growing up.<br />
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She also gave me my love of reading. My grandmother read constantly. She often said if she didn't have a book to read then she would just read a phone book. I have to laugh because I have often found myself reading the cereal box when I'm trying to eat quickly and have deprived myself of reading material. Growing up, we used to go to the library at least once a week. We checked out tons and tons of books and we read every one of them. My favorite books were the horse books by CW Anderson. There was a series, Billy and Blaze, and I loved them! He had other horse books outside of the series that I loved as well. To this day, I wish I had his books! They were just lovely and I spent many long hours enjoying them.<br />
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Correspondence is another gift only my grandmother could have given me. I love to write letters. Growing up I had pen pals and, to this day, I still correspond with my friends. Yes, I use email, but some of my family and friends will also get a handwritten letter from me. I can't count the number of times someone has said to me that they are so thankful to have received my card because it was just what they needed at that moment.<br />
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So, yes, today was all about my grandmother in my thoughts. She's been dead many years now, but the gifts she gave to me are timeless. What has been mentioned here is only a smattering of the many gifts she gave me. There is so much in my daily life that I can attribute to her teaching and influence. I am glad she picked up the slack and raised me.The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-21510674254432061782015-11-01T21:25:00.000-05:002015-11-01T21:25:30.748-05:0030 Days of Thankfulness Day 1It's hard to believe it is already November 1st! I'm afraid this has been a very busy, sometimes trying, year. Unfortunately, there were many times I lost focus on the good things and let ungratefulness creep in. In light of that, I'm actually happy I'm now at the beginning of November and again thinking of what I am thankful for. In all honesty, it wasn't until I was writing out Thanksgiving cards this morning that I even decided to do this again!<br />
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The idea to do this again just kind of snuck up on me. I was sitting at my dining room table writing out Thanksgiving cards. I know sending cards is a very old fashioned thing to do, but I love to do it. I can't tell you how many times I've had someone tell me it just made their day to actually get something other than a bill or junk mail in the mailbox. And as I was working on the cards I started thinking about how great the people I was sending these cards to had been over the year. These are the people who wrote to my son while he was in boot camp. These are the people who were there for me when I was dying because my son had left home to pursue his own path. These are the people who have welcomed me into their homes and lives and accepted me for who I am and love me in spite of my shortcomings. These are the people who have encouraged me, consoled me, and just been there for me.<br />
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So today, I am incredibly thankful for my friends. I am thankful for the love and acceptance of true friends and I appreciate their willingness to accept me as I am. I am especially grateful that they love my son too. My son is the most important thing in my life and I am glad that they accept him into our friendships as they have. The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-72477396084501321702015-09-27T20:50:00.000-04:002015-09-27T20:50:14.328-04:00Magnificent MoonTonight, very soon in fact, we get to witness something that hasn't happened since 1982! For the first time in 33 years there will be a full, also known as a total, lunar eclipse during a Supermoon. It won't happen again until 2033. That's 18 years away! Additionally this lunar eclipse takes place during a Harvest Moon and something known as a Blood Moon. And, as if all that wasn't enough, this event marks the end of the tetrad.<br />
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For as long as there have been humans watching the stars, an eclipse of any kind has inspired both awe and fear. In fact, in 1504 Columbus used an event such as tonight's to convince the natives of Jamaica to continue feeding him and his men. This was on Columbus' 4th trip to the new world and a blight of shipworms had caused the loss of two of his ships. The remaining two ships he beached off the coast of Jamaica. Obviously he needed provisions for his men. At first the natives were happy to help, but as time wore on and relations became strained the natives decided to quit helping the explorers. Columbus had an almanac that predicted the total lunar eclipse during a Blood Moon, so Columbus told the natives that the gods were angry with them and with the rising of the moon they would see the wrath of the gods. Of course the moon was red and when the moon disappeared during the eclipse he told the natives that the gods' wrath was very great because they refused to help him. Obviously unaware of what was taking place, the natives were afraid and said they would help. Columbus then told them that the gods were pleased and the moon would reappear.<br />
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Today, because this is a total lunar eclipse during a Super Moon and a Blood Moon and it marks the end of the tetrad, many are saying we are now entering the end times as foretold by the Bible. Given today's current events, I believe it could be true. However, the Bible also says no man knows the time or day. So while this could certainly be a sign, I am not so sure it is going to herald the end times as we often think of them. Could I be wrong? Certainly. The only thing I can say to this is: Is your soul prepared for whatever may come?<br />
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While I'm sure those reading this know what all of this means, I'll give a quick run down of all the cool stuff mentioned above. Some of this I didn't know!<br />
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<strong>Total Lunar Eclipse AKA Full Lunar Eclipse</strong><br />
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A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth is between the full moon and the sun. A lunar eclipse can only happen during a full moon. The Earth's shadow covers the moon, as the sun, Earth and the moon are all in line causing the Earth to block the light from the sun. Tonight the eclipse starts at 9:07pm EST. The total eclipse begins at 10:11pm EST and lasts for 1 hour 12 minutes with the moon returning to completely normal, meaning partial phases have passed, at 12:27am EST. The eclipse will be visible to North and South America, Europe, Africa, parts of western Asia and the eastern Pacific. The eastern half of North America has the privilege of seeing every stage from beginning to the end of the partial phases.<br />
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Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse doesn't require special protective items in order to view it. In fact, you don't even need binoculars or a telescope. Everything can be seen with the naked eye. Of course anything that enhances your vision will add to your enjoyment.<br />
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And just a little bit of trivia: <br />
During the eclipse, the moon will be in front of the constellation Pisces.<br />
This is the last total lunar eclipse that will be visible anywhere on earth until 2018.<br />
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<strong>Supermoon</strong><br />
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A Supermoon is a moon that looks bigger than normal. Tonight the moon will look about 14% larger than normal. (I have also read other sources that say the moon will appear only 7% larger.) This happens because the moon's orbit around earth is not a perfect circle. When the moon's orbit brings it closer to the Earth, the moon simply looks larger in the night sky. There is no physical difference or change to the moon itself. The moon is the same moon as always, it just looks a bit larger. Furthermore, Supermoons are not uncommon. Supermoons occur 4 to 6 times each year.<br />
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Now it is uncommon for a total lunar eclipse to occur with a Supermoon. In fact, since 1900, this has only happened 5 times. 1910, 1928, 1946, 1982 and now 2015. Given all that must occur to make this happen, I am not at all surprised this has happened only 5 times in recent-ish history. Not only do the sun, moon and Earth need to align properly, but the moon's orbit must also draw it close to the Earth. That's really asking for a lot in one night!<br />
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<strong>Blood Moon</strong><br />
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This sounds a little scary, but science soon clears it up. Tonight, the moon will appear red. That red could be anywhere from a dusky rust color to, quite literally, blood red. It all depends on the atmosphere. During the total portion of the eclipse, the moon is going to appear to be a different color than you're used to seeing. This is due to the Earth's atmosphere scattering blue light more strongly than red light. It is the red light that reaches the lunar surface giving it the red tinge that causes so much superstition. Additionally, green and violet light is also filtered out more by the Earth's atmosphere causing an abundance of the strong red light to be present. The exact shade of red depends on the amount of extra particles in the atmosphere at the time of the eclipse. For instance, had there been a recent volcanic eruption, the moon would appear to be a much darker shade of red.<br />
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<strong>Harvest Moon</strong><br />
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Tonight's moon is also a Harvest Moon. All this means is that this is the full moon closest to the autumn equinox. The equinox this year was on the 23rd of September.<br />
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<strong>Tetrad</strong><br />
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Now this is where some people start to talk about the end times and what not. Like I said before, I am not dismissing it. I simply am not educated enough on the subject to have an opinion that I would give as solid fact. <br />
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A tetrad is 4 total lunar eclipses that take place at six month intervals. Because this is the end of the tetrad combined with it being a Blood Moon and a Supermoon, people are saying this will bring about the apocalypse. Maybe. I don't know. Again, all I can say is this: Is your soul ready? The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-45876786112356150412015-01-01T11:15:00.002-05:002015-01-01T11:15:09.074-05:00New Year 2015And here we are at the start of a new year. It seems like 2014 went by so quickly. And now we're looking down the barrel of 2015. How does that happen? Why do some years seem to go so much faster than others? <br />
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2014...<br />
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Some parts were great. Other parts not so much. I don't think I'd ever want to go back! Unfortunately the bad parts seem to overshadow the good parts. I learned that people will lie to you and hurt you without a second thought. But that also taught me something about myself. Although I have even less trust in people than I did before, I found I can still be kind to people and help them. I guess doing for others doesn't require that I trust them. Kinda sad.<br />
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2015...<br />
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My main goals this year are simply for myself. I want to view the world with less cynicism and I want to be more accepting of others. I think these two go hand in hand. Of course, I want to continue to reach out and be kind to others. This world is dark enough and unforgiving enough. I don't have to add to it. There are a lot of people who just need a little kindness. Why not give it to them? I also want to get in the habit of looking for and finding the things in people that make them who they are. The good things. The talents. Too often we overlook the good in favor of focusing on what we don't like.<br />
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I know these are not really lofty or even normal "resolutions", but these aren't really resolutions. I simply intend to make these a daily part of life. Resolutions tend to be temporary. I don't want these to be temporary.<br />
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I hope each of you have a blessed New Year. Remember, we're all in this together. Find opportunities to be kind to others and love yourself. The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-70229902981240532562014-11-28T11:27:00.000-05:002014-11-28T11:30:04.111-05:0030 Days of Thankfulness -- Days 17-27Soooooo....I wasn't so good at keeping this updated. But that's OK. I still did it and that's all that counts.<br />
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Day 17 -- Reconciliation. I didn't expect it to happen even though both parties were in the wrong. But out of the blue, he called. It shocked me, but I'm always thankful when a friendship can be restored.<br />
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Day 18 -- Being able to stock up for the holidays. The sales are already starting so that helps me get the massive amounts of food needed to make it through the holidays. It's nice to be able to stay home and just cook instead of rushing out at the last moment.<br />
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Day 19 -- Coworkers who like to cook. I've picked up a few recipes this year from my coworkers and they are great. I just got an amazing cranberry sauce recipe that is probably going to become a staple.<br />
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Day 20 -- Finally getting caught up at work! Sounds silly, but with the snowbirds back, getting caught up before the rush is really important. If you don't get caught up now, you won't be caught up until about March. If you're lucky.<br />
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Day 21 -- My son! It's his birthday and he is the best part of my life and I'm thankful for every day that I get to spend with him.<br />
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Day 22 -- Doctors. I spent a lot of time with doctors yesterday and am hurting today, but I'm really thankful for the doctors. Maybe I'll get better?<br />
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Day 23 -- Quiet days at home. I am so thankful when I have a day just to relax. I love the peace and just being at home.<br />
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Day 24 -- A short work week. I'm thankful for my job, but I sure do love a short work week. It means extra time with my loved ones!<br />
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Day 25 -- Extended family. I love keeping in touch with extended family. With Facebook, etc it's so much easier to keep up with parts of the family that you otherwise may not be able to.<br />
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Day 26 -- The stores that will NOT be open tomorrow. There are a lot of stores that are making the decision to open on Thanksgiving. This is NOT ok and I do not support it. Obviously for some stores (gas stations, pharmacies and the like) it's understandable that they are open and even necessary. But Macy's, Sports Authority, Best Buy, etc? Shame on them. They won't get my money tomorrow and they sure won't get my money throughout the rest of the year either.<br />
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Day 27 -- THANKSGIVING!!!!! This is just the best day of the year. I get to cook for the ones I love and spend the day with them. It's really great and it reminds me that when things look bad, at least I have my family.The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-21103423914765768882014-11-16T10:33:00.000-05:002014-11-16T10:36:04.515-05:0030 Days of Thankfulness -- Day 14-16It looks like I'm going to be doing these posts by multiple days instead of one a day. I suppose it's better than not doing it at all! I do think of what I'm thankful for every day, though.<br />
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Day 14 -- Salvation Army Bell Ringers. I heard my first bell ringer today. It really made me smile. That sound, like no other, really makes me feel like the holidays are here.<br />
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Day 15 -- Extra Coupons! Today I was in Bath and Body Works. I have tons of coupons for them and when I combine the coupons with their sales I can get six full size items for $22. That's less than the price of two regular price items! Yep, I'm going to take advantage of that! There was this older woman in there and she stopped me to ask me some questions. I don't know if she thought I worked there or if she thought I knew something because I had a ton of product in my hands. Regardless, we started talking. As we were talking, I found out she didn't have any coupons. Well, I had five. Was it really going to hurt me to share? No, not in the least. So I gave her one. It made me feel good.<br />
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Day 16 -- A conscience. Now pretty much everybody who has found out about this has said I'm crazy. But I don't think so. I think it was the right thing to do. When I was at Barnes & Noble yesterday, they have a special where you buy one item in the store and you can buy a Christmas themed bag for $9.95 instead of $19.95. I couldn't decide between the bags. A friend of mine was with me and he was buying a book, too. We each got a bag. Well when going through the line, on one of the orders, only the bag was rung up but not the book. I realized it when I was out in the parking lot. I went back inside, over his objections, and paid for the book. He says I was crazy and should have just taken the book. I don't agree. To take it, knowing you didn't pay for it, is stealing.The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-69897289206762960382014-11-13T21:04:00.001-05:002014-11-13T21:04:43.038-05:0030 Days of Thankfulness -- Days 10-13Well, that whole thing about being a normal person and posting every day like I'm supposed to didn't happen. I give up on being normal! So what have I been thankful for lately?<br />
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Day 10 -- My job! Let's face it, we all have to work and it helps if you don't completely hate your job. I'm not going to lie, there are times when I get very frustrated with my job, but overall, it's one of the best places I've worked. Probably the best place I've worked.<br />
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Day 11 -- Veterans. I'm not only thankful for our veterans because I have the day off. I am truly thankful for the sacrifices veterans have made for our country.<br />
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Day 12 -- Being able to help friends. I never really thought I had much to offer anybody, but it turns out, maybe I do. A friend of mine is going through a rough spot and apparently just being there and talking to him helps him. I'm glad I'm able to do that!<br />
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Day 13 -- Good sales people. Sounds weird, but it's true. Ever since my favorite person left Verizon, dealing with them has been hellish. Well tonight when I went in, we got a sales person that reminded me so much of our favorite person and he was simply a joy to work with. The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-13163559133449668622014-11-09T10:55:00.000-05:002014-11-09T10:56:18.255-05:0030 Days of Thankfulness -- Day 1-9I've been doing the 30 Days of Thankfulness elsewhere, but didn't think to do it here until today! Silly me! LOL So I'm going to catch up in this post and then just go to posting one a day like a normal, sane person. Yep, I got y'all fooled if you think I'm "normal and sane"! <br />
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Day 1 -- The Farmer's Market. Almost every Saturday morning I meet my mom at the local Farmer's Market held downtown. The big draw here isn't the fresh veggies and bread (although those are great), the best part of this is that I get to see my mom and spend time with her. We usually catch lunch a Harry's afterwards.<br />
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Day 2 -- Hallmark Channel! They have already started playing Christmas movies and I love it! Kleenex loves it too!<br />
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Day 3 -- My luppies! I love my dogs. No getting around it. And I love taking them on walks and just being with them.<br />
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Day 4 -- My son. I don't know what I would do without him. Sometimes he really pisses me off, but ultimately he's really the best son I could ask for.<br />
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Day 5 -- C. I'm not typing the name here to protect his identity. But dispite how things worked out he's supporting me in something that is really huge and scary and is a really good friend. And on days when I'm not doing so well mentally he somehow gets me through it.<br />
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Day 6 -- My job. Without it I couldn't pay the bills. Some days I get frustrated, but mostly I like my job.<br />
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Day 7 -- The weekend! I love the weekend. So much to do and enjoy. And Friday at 5pm starts the best part of the week.<br />
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Day 8 -- Cool weather. Yes, it makes me ache, but it's so much nicer than being out sweltering in the Florida heat! The Farmer's Markert today was great. And I discovered something I LOVE. Pickled asparagus.<br />
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Day 9 -- Sundays. Yes, they are the last day of the weekend, but Sundays are so quiet and lazy and enjoyable. When I had a church that I attended regularly, Sundays were especially nice. But either way, they are still a great end to one week and start of another.The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-67037916761419016392014-11-07T22:10:00.000-05:002014-11-07T22:10:51.046-05:00Every Vote CountsI voted Tuesday. I know that in the eyes of many, this isn't a very important thing and really isn't a big deal. But to me, it's a huge thing and very important. I know what many say, "My vote doesn't <em>really</em> count." I disagree with that. <em>Every</em> vote counts. I believe we have grown very complacent. None of us know what it's like to have no voice. None of you reading these words, unless you come from a repressed foreign country, have ever experienced a government in which you have no say. I'm not saying our government is perfect or that the will of the people is always done. You have only to look at the passage of the ACA (Obamacare) to see that the people are sometimes ignored. However, by and large, voters are represented by our elected officials.<br />
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What really struck me on Tuesday, was the low voter turn out. As a woman, I am keenly aware of the importance of voting. We were not granted the right to have a say in our own government until 1920! A full <strong><em><u>FIFTY</u></em></strong> years after black men were given the right to vote! Yet, I can't tell you how many woman have said to me, "Well, I'm not really into politics. I just vote how my husband tells me to vote." That statement is akin to nails on a chalkboard for me. Surely women can't believe themselves so out of touch with current affairs that they need to look to their husband to tell them what to do? <br />
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Honestly, anyone who makes the comment that they are not "into politics" just makes me want to scream. How can anyone not pay attention to what is going on around them? How can anyone not take an active interest in what is going on in Washington? It affects us whether we like it or not. Better to pay attention to who makes what decisions in an effort to better enable yourself to make informed decisions rather than bury your head in the sand and hope something goes right.<br />
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I often think that if more people took an active interest in politics and what politicians were really doing, things would be different. And when I say "active interest", I don't mean sitting about armchair quarterbacking. I mean knowing what is going on. Knowing why it is happening. Understanding what it means for this country now and down the road. And exercising your right to vote. <br />
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Of all the privileges we enjoy, voting is one of the most important. I simply do not understand why so few people exercise that right. I also do not understand why so many people vote for whomever they are told to vote for by a parent, spouse, etc.<br />
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I hope in the upcoming election voter turn out is better. Yes, it will be better than in this past mid-term election simply because it is a presidential election. However, it is my hope that turn out will be up even over the last presidential election. People simply must become more active for the good of the country.The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-46020047796750983142013-12-20T10:04:00.001-05:002013-12-20T10:04:46.534-05:00Mi Vida LocaBelieve it or not, I have not fallen off the face of the earth! Life has gotten in the way! Not in a bad way mind you. As I have mentioned before, my parents moved up here. Of course I love it. But sometimes life doesn't go exactly as planned. Not long after my mom got here, her previous employer called and pretty much begged her to come back. As the other house down south has not sold, she agreed to work a few days a week -- just long enough to help them get caught up. Well, that was April.<br />
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Skip ahead eight months. Here we are in December. I'm sure you're wondering what the big deal is. Well the house down south hasn't sold yet and she is still working. What does that have to do with my current busyness? The horses, cats, dogs, fish, birds, etc. were already here. Rather than move them back to the house down south my mom asked me to split my week between the two houses up here.<br />
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Have you ever tried to run two households? No? You have no idea what you are missing. I have never been so busy in my life! And I'm not sure there is an end in sight. I know reports say the housing market has recovered nicely, but I don't think those reports are looking at high dollar properties. Sure there is plenty of interest, the problem is people can't get the financing.<br />
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So it would seem, at least for the foreseeable future, I will continue to run two households. Thankfully I am not fully responsible for both! Let's just be honest here. There is no way I could handle being fully responsible for both! If I'm completely honest, I can't even believe I'm allowed to be responsible for myself!<br />
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I would like to say that I have more than just the previous excuse , but I don't. The fact is, all these animals, two houses and work have me so busy I don't know if I'm coming or going. In all honesty I have very little free time. In fact, I've not even read my 12-24 books this year. Of the 5-6 books that I have read, I've yet to review them for my reading blog. ( <a href="http://www.thewellreadfloridian.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Well-Read Floridian</a> ) Perhaps I'll do that next.<br />
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Despite the upheavel, I really can't complain. As a family we are blessed. We could be like so many others and have no place to live. It's all too easy to get caught in the trap of focusing on what isn't exactly as we might like it to be. Yet there are many with far less. And realistically speaking, nothing lasts forever. About the only thing you can count on is that change will come.<br />
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With that in mind, I will close this post. I hope each of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are looking forward to a great Christmas season. With the new year I am planning to do a 30 day New Year's challenge. Maybe. Some of the questions on this challenge probe pretty deep and are rather revealing. We'll see what the New Year holds!The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-56704245041566902812013-05-28T01:14:00.000-04:002013-05-28T01:14:52.496-04:00Memorial Day 2013I know I haven't posted anything in quite some time. My time has been consumed elsewhere, but I find I often think, "I should write about that and post it on the blog". Hopefully I will find more time to do so.<br />
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Today being Memorial Day, my mind has really been on our service men and women. I know that Memorial Day is a day to honor those who have given their lives for our country, but I find that I also think a lot about our active duty service members as well.<br />
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I was thinking today about just how many men have laid down their lives for our country. I started adding with the Revolutionary War and ended with the current numbers for Afghanistan. The number was staggering. It really made me sit back and think. That number represents a significant loss of life. In the case of World War II, a quarter of that generation was lost!<br />
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I am also reminded that our Armed Forces are volunteer. Yes, we have had drafts in the past. However, generally speaking, we have a volunteer Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. To think that there are men and women who love our country enough to willingly die makes me appreciate their sacrifice even more. These people <em>chose </em>to put themselves in harm's way. That is something I can't ignore.<br />
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When I complain about something happening in the political arena without fear that I'll be thrown into jail; when I worship in my chosen house of worship without fear that I'll be killed for believing as I do; when I move about my hometown freely at any time of the day or night with no fear that I'll be stopped and/or detained....I can't help but think of those who have made all of this possible for me. I live comfortably because they chose to live in discomfort. They chose to leave their families, miss holidays, miss births and graduations, miss funerals and weddings all so we never have to miss these things. They are on foreign soil facing our enemies so we don't have the fight here at home. And many of them have died. Many more will die. Yet, they go. <br />
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So, before you take Memorial Day for granted and think it's just an extra paid day off of work, think about what it really means. When you're having your cookout and watching your kids run around the yard playing, laughing and just enjoying life, think about why it is you're enjoying this moment. When you're enjoying the beach, picture for just a moment, just one person who has made the ultimate sacrifice. Many people died so you could live comfortably. They chose to put themselves in harm's way knowing they may die. Remember that.<br />
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No, Freedom Isn't Free<br />
CDR Kelly Strong, USCG (ret)<br />
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I watched the flag pass by one day.<br />It fluttered in the breeze.<br />A young
Marine saluted it,<br />And then he stood at ease.<br />I looked at him in
uniform<br />So young, so tall, so proud,<br />With hair cut square and eyes
alert<br />He'd stand out in any crowd.<br />I thought how many men like him<br />Had
fallen through the years.<br />How many died on foreign soil?<br />How many mothers'
tears?<br />How many pilots' planes shot down?<br />How many died at sea?<br />How
many foxholes were soldiers' graves?<br />No, freedom isn't free.<br /><br />I heard
the sound of taps one night,<br />When everything was still<br />I listened to the
bugler play<br />And felt a sudden chill.<br />I wondered just how many
times<br />That taps had meant "Amen,"<br />When a flag had draped a coffin<br />Of a
brother or a friend.<br />I thought of all the children,<br />Of the mothers and the
wives,<br />Of fathers, sons and husbands<br />With interrupted lives.<br />I thought
about a graveyard<br />At the bottom of the sea<br />Of unmarked graves in
Arlington.<br />No, freedom isn't free.The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-50942953174638298122013-01-01T20:50:00.000-05:002013-01-01T20:50:57.638-05:00New Year 2013Truthfully, I’m surprised I’m here to see it. 2012 was rough to say the least and presented a lot of challenges both emotionally, physically and spiritually. I’d like to say that I met those challenges with grace and poise and didn’t lose myself, but let’s be honest. I did not meet the challenges well at all. Particularly, the last 5 to 6 months of 2012 would best be forgotten. But I guess I’ll just take those last few months and try to find the good in them and vow to never let my guard down again. <br />
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Looking forward to 2013, I have to admit that I’m optimistic and very thankful to have a whole new year in which to discover more about myself, watch my son grow into a man, spend time with my family and grow spiritually. Exciting things are afoot and no matter the outcome, 2013 will be a good year.<br />
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Soon, very soon I hope, my parents will be completely moved to the North Central Florida area. The new house is only about a half hour or so from my house. It will be nice to have a half hour drive as opposed to the two hour drive we’ve had these past ten years. I pray that this move will bring us all closer together and that we will spend more time together. Not only will it be nice to have my parents so close, but it will be great to have PJ, Vader and Rammie close as well. (Provided they survive the move!) None of them are able to be ridden, but with all my health problems, I’m not convinced I want to ride anyway! I just enjoy grooming and treating them like 1200 pound dogs. They don’t really seem to mind it either! Well…ok…maybe PJ minds. He’s such a troll. All he wants is for you to feed him and then leave him alone. I’ve never understood why all of my dad’s horses are like this. Although I have to admit, PJ has <em>nothing</em> on Chief II. That horse was Satan incarnate. You think I’m joking… One day I’ll write about Chief II.<br />
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Other than my parents getting moved up here, I think the other big upcoming thing is my son starting his junior year in August. It hardly seems possible really. I distinctly remember bringing him home from the hospital. It seems like only a few months ago, not 16 years ago! I’d like to somehow stop time and keep him from growing up, but that is a selfish wish. I admit I have no earthly idea what I’m going to do when he leaves for college in two years. It’s always been just me and him. I’ve considered fostering teens, but truthfully that feels more like trying to replace my child than it does coping with the changes. I don’t know. But thankfully I’ve got a couple more years before I have to figure it out. Talk about punting! LOL<br />
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This year we have decided to put in new flooring. So that’s our huge plan for the house. I will likely paint before the new floor goes in since I am not the world’s tidiest painter. We’ve decided to do wood in the dining room, living room and down the hall. We are leaving the bedrooms carpeted so they won’t be so cold in the winter and we are going to tile the laundry room and kitchen due to the heavy traffic in both areas. We are looking to do this in spring. I’d like to do it while he’s on Spring Break, but I don’t know if I’ll get the time off of work or not.<br />
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In the yard and garden I’m planning to try to overcome the neglect of the last few years. With my health problems the yard and garden have been mostly neglected. I tried to do a few things, but physically I was unable to keep up. Now that I’ve overcome a lot of the physical issues I was dealing with, I’m hoping to be able to do more in the yard. I know it will help strengthen me if I can. <br />
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Speaking of physical issues, I’ve been given a mostly clean bill of health. The remaining issues are things that I can change and overcome. It’s nice to know I’ve got no permanent aliments at this point in time. To that end, I’ve set a few goals. Now that I can be more active, I want to keep working on my weight. We have a membership at the Y and we have been going, but contracting the flu a couple weeks ago put an end to that. I’m mostly over the flu now so we’ll start going back every other day as we were before I ended up visiting the nice people at the hospital. Leave it to me to get so sick from the flu I had to go to the hospital!<br />
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Spiritually I’ve hit a place where I’ve realized I can no longer leave God out of my day to day life and expect to be happy. Intellectually, I knew this to be true all along, but I’m hard headed and had to test the theory. I have to admit that going back to church, spending more time in prayer and spending more time reading my Bible has had a profound effect on how I view the world around me and how I feel. No, the world isn’t perfect and neither am I, but it doesn’t all seem so bleak now. It feels more hopeful. I know not everything will work out and I know there will be hurt and disappointment, but those things don’t seem so huge and problematic now.<br />
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This year, I’ve also decided to keep a Thankfulness Jar. A friend of mine shared the idea on Facebook and I’ve since seen it in several other places. The idea struck me as pure genius. It’s very easy to forget the good things that have happened throughout the year. So you write down the things you are thankful for and the blessings you have received and place them in this jar. You start on January 1st and then on December 31st you take everything out of the jar and review it. The nice thing about this, is that if I’m feeling down, I can always take my papers out and read them no matter what the date is. I really think this is an impactful, yet simple, way to bolster your spirit. I also like that instead of taking things for granted, I’ll be looking for things to put in my Thankfulness Jar.<br />
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I’ve made a few goals for the upcoming year as well. One of them my son and I arrived at together. Those of you who know us personally know that we eat out 2 or 3 meals a day 5 to 6 days a week. My son and I have decided that’s a huge waste of money, not to mention it really isn’t healthy. So our goal this year is to not eat out at all. Hey, we’re doing good so far. But…yeah…It’s only 9pm on January 1st. We have 364 more days to get through and I don’t kid myself that this is going to be a hard habit to break!<br />
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Since I’ll be cooking 1095 meals in my own kitchen this year, I’ve decided to try new recipes at least once a week. I’ve also decided to go back to organic food exclusively and cut way back on the amount of meat we eat. I see little point in going to the gym and not eating out because it is unhealthy if I’m just going to cook garbage anyway. <br />
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So, I embark on the journey of this new year with a few goals in mind and a much better attitude than I’ve had in a long while. I look forward to the journey and I look forward to those I will meet along the way. 2013 will be fun and I will enjoy every moment that I can.The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-85376434703307980162012-12-29T22:36:00.000-05:002012-12-29T22:36:32.896-05:00December SpringToday's weather was just beautiful! Days like today make me glad I live in Florida. Where else could I be working on my tan at the end of December? I spent the vast majority of the day sitting out on my deck reading and playing with the dog. If I didn't know better, I would think spring had come to Florida early. But I've lived here long enough to know we still have some bitter cold weather ahead of us.<br />
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Sitting under the stunningly clear cerulean sky got me to thinking. I kept saying to my son how much I loved the day and how beautiful the day was and I realized that for the first time in six months I was truly happy and at peace. For the first time in a long time I felt truly thankful. I was able to look at my life, my house, my health...everything with new eyes.<br />
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I was surprised to find that I was even looking forward to the new year. Yes, there are several struggles that I know I will face, but they don't seem quite as insurmountable as they once did. I don't know if it's because I did some "spring cleaning" and rid myself of some people who were dragging me down or if it was some other change that I've made. I know only that things don't seem as bleak as they once did.<br />
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For the first time in a long time when I said today that I was thankful for something, I wasn't just saying the words. For almost six months, I've said I was thankful for this or that because I knew I should be thankful for it, but I wasn't <em>truly</em> thankful. Today was different. There was feeling behind the words. When I said I was thankful for the beautiful day, I truly felt thankful. I felt content and happy and at ease. It was nice. <br />
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I know there will be days ahead when the feeling will be gone, but for some reason, I know those days will be temporary. For the past six months, I wasn't so sure it was temporary. It felt as though I had fallen into some dark place where light just couldn't reach. And it felt as though there was no escape. I am glad that is behind me now.<br />
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I hope tomorrow is as beautiful as today. I hope I continue to move forward and put some distance between myself and that dark place I was in. And I am thankful that I again have hope. The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-80648698980102874692012-12-26T11:38:00.000-05:002012-12-26T11:38:19.562-05:00Christmas Challenge 2012 -- Day 26Day 26 -- How was your Christmas?<br />
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It was as good as it could be considering how sick I am. I didn't cook and we didn't do anything. I slept most of the day. Maybe next year will be better.The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-85907457845431894192012-12-25T20:38:00.000-05:002012-12-25T20:38:16.188-05:00Christmas Challenge 2012 -- Day 25Day 25 -- Does your family have a Christmas breakfast or dinner?<br />
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Back when both sets of grandparents were alive we had two days of feasting. On Christmas Eve we always went to my mom's parents' house and had dinner and opened presents. We always had hog maw because it was my dad's favorite. He also loved my mother's mom's cole slaw so she always made that. And he really liked her homemade apple dumplings. So she always made that. Of course we had other stuff like mashed potatoes and what not, but those three things were always on the table for all the years of my childhood up until my grandmother got breast cancer and could no longer cook.<br />
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Then on Christmas Day we always went to my dad's parents' house for Christmas morning brunch. The last few years my dad's mom made a really good breakfast casserole among many other things. And for me she always made homemade egg nog. I looooved her egg nog. After brunch we would open presents. We went back for dinner. There was no particular set menu for dinner. Some years it was roast or ham. Some years it was turkey. One year my uncle hosted dinner at his house and we had duck and goose. But that was only one year. After dinner we always played this game. It would take much too long to explain. Suffice to say it was just a silly game that we call complained about but secretly loved.<br />
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Now? Well my grandparents are gone. And of the four boys, only my dad and his younger brother keep in touch. And neither of them are especially big on holidays. Their eldest brother hasn't been part of the family for decades now and Ric, the second to the youngest, has been dead well over ten years. My parents typically work, so we don't really do much of anything for Christmas. Sometimes if my son wants me to I go ahead and cook, but typically Christmas pretty much passes as any weekend day would.The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-33232642802252460382012-12-24T18:22:00.002-05:002012-12-24T18:22:38.920-05:00Christmas Challenge 2012 -- Day 24Day 24 -- Do you go to a church service or go caroling?<br />
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No. I keep saying I'm going to go to a midnight service or mass, but I never do. Maybe next year?The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-32567698284726386282012-12-23T08:50:00.000-05:002012-12-23T08:50:08.006-05:00Christmas Challenge 2012 -- Day 21 - 23I've been really sick and this is the first day I've had enough energy to work on this, so I'm going to catch up all in one post.<br />
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Day 21 -- What kind of tree you have: fake or real? If real, what type?<br />
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We haven't put up a tree in several years. But when we do put up a tree it's a real one. I don't know the type of tree we normally get, but it's the one that has the long needles. I don't like the short needled trees because they poke you and hurt.<br />
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Day 22 -- Do you have a wreath up?<br />
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No. I rarely hang a wreath.<br />
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Day 23 -- Ham or Turkey?<br />
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Actually we usually have hog maw. But if for some reason we don't have hog maw, then always ham. None of us care for turkey.The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-76047391958992739222012-12-20T21:09:00.000-05:002012-12-20T21:18:02.082-05:00Christmas Challenge 2012 -- Day 20Day 20 -- What color ornaments do you put on your tree?<br />
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Weeeellllll.....I don't put up a tree. But when I did, I had all kinds of ornaments because they had been handed down from both sets of grandparents. Sometimes I wanted a designer tree, but in the end I kept the old ornaments because they all had memories.The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-37618753339432848022012-12-19T23:30:00.000-05:002012-12-19T23:30:18.173-05:00Christmas Challenge 2012 -- Day 19Day 19 -- If you were an elf what would your name be?<br />
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I thought about this a little and I have no good answer. It's not like I know what kind of names elves have anyway. Well not true. I know what kind of names they have in books/movies like LOTR. But what if the elves at the north pole were a hybrid mix of elves and fairies. In which case would they have fairy names? Fairy names tend to be Celtic. Or would the names be a hybrid mix of an elf name and a fairy name? But what if elves were more like nymphs? What kind of names do nymphs have anyway? Or do elves come in nationalities? And I keep saying elves, but should I be more specific and say North Pole elves since there are LOTR elves? (Among other types of elves.) And if I was an elf, a North Pole elf that is, would I have to be like that creepy Elf on the Shelf? Man, that is the creepiest damn thing I have <em>ever</em> seen! Never mind. I'm good. I don't want to be a North Pole elf. I think I'll just be human and use my human name: Mo.The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-16436152375815123562012-12-18T20:51:00.001-05:002012-12-18T20:51:52.079-05:00Christmas Challenge 2012 -- Day 18Day 18 -- Which lights are better: white or colored and blinking or still?<br />
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All the lights are pretty but I prefer the white lights that do not blink.The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-3448006439376718382012-12-17T21:59:00.001-05:002012-12-17T21:59:51.849-05:00Christmas Challenge 2012 -- Day 17Day 17 -- Have you ever been to a Christmas parade?<br />
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Yes, and I've been in one too. Being in the parade was fun, but I really remember with fondness going with my grandparents. We didn't go every year, but the few years we did go I enjoyed it and I'm glad I have those memories to look back on now that my grandparents are gone.The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-57222730913158326182012-12-16T09:42:00.001-05:002012-12-16T09:42:28.081-05:00Christmas Challenge 2012 -- Day 16Day 16 -- When did you find out Santa wasn’t real?<br />
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We never did the whole Santa thing. Sure we had some Santa decorations, but it was always made clear where the presents really came from. And, yes, there were visits to Santa in the mall for the obligatory Santa Christmas picture, but it was clear this was just a silly little tradition. Santa was presented in the same way that a fairy tale was presented -- It was not true and was just for fun. <br />
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I've had some people say that I missed out on some huge childhood milestone by not having my family lie to me. Really? I think I'd have been more scarred if I'd found out later my family had been lying all those years. The most important thing we can give our children is honesty. If you can't be honest with your children, who on earth can you be honest with? Are you even honest with yourself? <br />
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Presenting Santa as true would be like presenting the story of Cinderella, Snow White or Beauty and the Beast as true. Surely no parent goes about presenting those as true. Why then would you present Santa as true? Is honesty not important to you? Do you not value your child's trust? The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-84978035874424024302012-12-15T08:45:00.002-05:002012-12-15T08:45:31.886-05:00Christmas Challenge 2012 -- Day 15Day 15 -- Have you started Christmas stocking yet?<br />
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Nope. Haven't in many years.The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-21195472776447046012012-12-14T19:57:00.000-05:002012-12-14T19:57:27.443-05:00Christmas Challenge 2012 -- Day 14Day 14 -- How many Christmas card do you usually send out?<br />
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Usually none. Some years I send them out, but most years I don't bother.The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917843400416452754.post-55317045895099995662012-12-14T07:01:00.000-05:002012-12-14T07:02:09.541-05:00Christmas Challenge 2012 -- Day 13Day 13 -- Have you ever had a white Christmas? If yes, do you ever want to have Christmas without snow and vice versa.<br />
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When I lived in New Jersey as an adult I was able to enjoy a white Christmas. People always use the word magical when speaking of Christmas, but I'd have to say this made it truly magical for me. I remember if fondly. Having grown up in Florida, it was a big deal for me. Now that I'm back in Florida I can say without a doubt that I wish every Christmas could be a white Christmas. Even when I was in Hawaii I missed my New Jersey Christmases with the cold and the snow. Of course Hawaii has its own unique take on Christmas, and it was fun, but it just wasn't the same.<br />
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<br />The Mosquito Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09358928254551940241noreply@blogger.com0