MEME: FROM BETTY & "BOOK GUY"

Ok...so Betty is trying to draw me into the culture of the BLOG...I'm not sure about this!?! Is an old lady ready for the fast paced world of new era communication? I can't even find home keys on the key board half of the time!!...ah, you too shall understand my trepidation in a few decades and will sigh, and say..."Now I know what heiffer meant!"
One of my favorite series of books is , of course, Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. And here are the instructions from the meme (whatever that is???):
1. Pick up the nearest book ( of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.
I cheated. I went upstairs to retrieve my book. (What sacrifices we make for our vanity!..my knees will never forgive me. Basement. Living floor. Bedroom & book floor. And back again. THERE AND BACK AGAIN. Wasn't that Bilbo's title for his memoir?) I tried to find War and Peace, which is, in my limited opinion, the best book ever written. In my 20's I read W&P at least five time....but I've read L.O.T.R. at least 7 times...yes, all 3 books! Like visiting an old friend that I never tire of greeting.
p. 123....where Frodo & friends have just arrived in the house of Tom Bombadil:
"The floor was flagged, and strewn with fresh green rushes. There were four deep mattresses , each piled with white blankets, laid on the floor along one side. Against the opposite wall was a long bench laden with wide earthenware basins, and beside it stood brown ewers fill with water, some cold, some steaming hot. ..."
I know that the movies left out Tom and Goldberry... and I know all of the adventure could not be included, but I did miss him (Tom, that is).
Meanwhile, back to W&P, I can't find my copy which is over 40 years old and my favorite translation. This is disturbing. I'm not sure who the translator was so I'm not sure I can replace the book. Betty, did I loan it to you? And how do I tag people? Help! I'm just an old cow trying to find her stall in the barn before it gets dark outside.

Meet Jack the Cat

Handsome fellow, isn't he? Now here is the BUT! Captain Jack Sparrow came to live with us about three and a half years ago. He was so tiny ...he fit in one hand. Now, he weighs about 18 pounds and likes to walk on us when we are in bed which is the only 'safe haven' for petting him.... on the bed, that is. (Tex claims Jack has knowledge of human anatomy and deliberately walks on his -Tex's- bladder around 5:30 every morning!) At other times, it is an understatement to say that he is unpredictable. In self defence, we had him declawed, but he still has teeth...and, although he is getting better, he bites. Thus we are very cautious about trying to pet him outside of the bedroom.....visitors are warned, but don't always heed the danger. Like his namesake, Jack is a pirate and quite capable of betraying you even as he smiles, rubs your leg, lovingly looks into your eyes, and chomps down on any convenient appendage! Last Sunday I was lounging in the recliner elbow deep in a romance novel (more about my vice later) when Jack pops up in the arm and nudges my hand to the top of his head. "What do you want, Jack?" "Pets." says Jack. Not one to miss an opportunity to be kind to the scaliwag I scratched and petted him for about 10 minutes...Could our resident villain be mellowing? He still has not won my complete trust, but we are working on a truce. Ah, Jack ....we really want to love you and you make it so difficult!

oops!

I'm just learning (..say does this thing have a spell check?...oh dear, I'm in trouble!)...Courtesy of my calf, Betty, who created this lovely place, today I start my first ...ugh...blog. ( I've always hated jargon. Only those who are "in" understand the terminology are privileged enough to participate in the conversation. )

I'm 61 years old, retired and enjoying life. Well, I've always enjoyed life. I was born in Texas, but never really felt much like a Texan. At 23 (1970)..almost 24..my husband and I moved to Denver and never looked back. We moved all our earthly possessions in the back of Triumph Spitfire....that included an imperious Siamese Cat who had just been neutered. She was not very pleased. Between 1970 and 1981, I learned to ski, started backpacking, had a baby. By 1981, Betty was old enough to graze own her own, so I started back to work. For 24 years I worked as an English as a second language ...uh.."specialist"...I also don't the word teacher..because you really can't teach anyone anything...you can only help them learn.

Marrying and becoming a mother helped me grow-up and see that my own wants and needs weren't always as important to me as those of my family.

Working with English language learners helped me widen my world and learnhow insulated my life had always been.

More later. That's enough for today.

FOR TOMMORROW: A RECIPE FOR CHOCOLATE PAN CAKE

Mooovin' and Shakin

Hey, y'all!!

Well howdy there folks. My daughter, Betty, started a newfangled thang called a "blog" for me, so I can let her know that she doesn't call often enough. She's a super-swell daughter and the Bull and I are mighty proud of her! (Of course, Betty is the cowgirl that is writing this post right now, as I can't seem to coordinate my hooves well enough to type.)