Franciscan Desert Rose Dishes

Bruce’s Mother, Hilda, loved these dishes and now so do I. Hilda and Harold visited the Franciscan company while on vacation in California during the mid-sixties. (The company was still the Gladding, McBean, & Co.) She bought a very large set of Desert Rose dishes including the large serving pieces. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy had ordered the same china for the White House; Desert Rose became one of the most popular china patterns ever sold. Hilda was so proud of them and although she used them every day, on holidays the whole set came out. Bruce can still remember Thanksgivings and special dinners at his mom’s house and how pretty the table looked.

When Hilda passed away, Bruce got the dishes. Several of the dishes are chipped and some missing so we added pieces via eBay, now the china cabinet is very full. Because the dishes meant so much to his Mother and she meant so much to Bruce, he figured out a special way to honor and remember her. He made a Desert Rose mosaic picture frame for his favorite photo of Hilda and Harold. He took a chipped plate and cut it into small pieces to make it. It turned out so pretty he made one for his brother. Isn't that a sweet way to remember the good times?

We used them very rarely, mainly because they cannot be put into the dishwasher. For ten years, I looked at them, wishing I had enough nerve to use this vintage set every day.

MissDazey Personal Story:

Last Sunday I was browsing eBay and found a set of new Desert Rose dishes at a very low price. These are not hand painted or as pretty as the original china, but they are dishwasher and microwave safe. They arrived Tuesday! I think I am as happy with them as Hilda was with hers in the ‘60s.

Do you have a favorite pattern of dishes or a story about them to share? If so, please leave a comment.

Dear Senator Kennedy

Dear Senator Kennedy,
I am writing today to tell you how much I appreciate all you have done and continue to do for everyone in America. I know this letter is way over due, and I apology for that. In fact, I owe you several thank-you letters.

One thank-you is for your work on Medicare, which is now paying for my doctors and meds. Another would be on Civil Rights; we now have President Obama in the Whitehouse. Because of your stand on the minimum wages, my young granddaughter brings home a bigger paycheck. I could fill pages with thanks.

The nation is talking nonstop about Health Care Reform. You sir, worked tirelessly for it; it is my hope and prayer that your work is fulfilled as soon as possible. Yesterday as I watched the news and tributes to you, I was watching 77 years of American history. The Kennedy family helped shape the USA in so many positive ways, the nation is grateful. At least I know I am.

Sincerely and Tearfully,
MissDazey

Retweet

MissDazey personal story:
You can follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/MissDazey42

My daughter told me about twitter several times before I joined, or even read her tweets for that matter. I had no idea what it was or why I should be on it. Then I began to see more and more about it on news shows and online. Of course, as soon as I joined I got addicted. I have met the nicest people, read some very informative sites, and found so many bloggers I would have never, ever known about otherwise.

I do numerous retweets, RT for short. When a post is marked with RT @ is means you have copied a post, and are giving the original author the credit. I usually check the links in a post to see what I am telling my followers about and if it’s a positive site before I retweet. By following links, I have read the most enjoyable and/or useful sites and blogs. Sometimes I get so excited about something I simply must share it. This blog is a good place to do that, so from now on I’ll write short reviews of what I find interesting on twitter every week or so.

Retweets stories:
The first one I want to share is this twitter post: RT @Camfed Carol Schillios is living on her roof in WA until she collects a million dollars to help women in Africa: http://ow.ly/jnnc The link will take you to the King5.com site and a story about Carol Schillios. Carol is camping on the roof of her store, to raise a million dollars for women in Africa. Be sure to click on the news video that tells more. Also, please visit Shillios.com to learn more about the work that the Shillios Development Foundation is doing. There a boutique where goods made by women in Africa are sold. The following video tells more about the store and the work they are doing to help African women.

Meanwhile, Good Night and God Bless!

Note: I was watching an old TV show starring Red Shelton and remember he ended his show when something like, “Good Night and God Bless.” Now I will too.

Time To Change The Subject

For the past week or so, I have blogged about the debate on Health Care Reform. Also, I have read dozens of news articles, blogs, and editorials on the subject. I think I’m ready to move on to other things. Suzy Welch said it best on Twitter: “Here's change I can believe in: a mandated 2-week cooling off period on the health care debate. Too many people talking past each other.” (http://twitter.com/SuzyWelch)

Now let me think for a moment about an extremely exciting topic for this blog post. It should be positive and funny, not too long to tell about, and interesting to people in the Elder Generation. (In case you have forgotten that’s people born between 1930-1945) Oh yes, there can’t be too many long words in the story, I can’t spell long words.

While I think on that, let me share some sites I like to visit on a regular bases. First thing every morning I check email, twitter, and hotmail, doesn’t everyone. Then the online bank statement to make sure no one has deposited a million dollars by mistake. Generally I read CNN.com and a couple of financial sites, click on the headlines that interest me. Actually, I got to thinking about my morning routine while reading a blog post on Time Goes By entitled Retirement Routine. It’s quite fun, and some of the comments even funnier. I am slowly working my way through the elder bloggers list. I am amazed at how many excellent writers are out in cyberspace.

I have always said I am not the social networking type, but it seems I visit several. I have belonged to Eons.com for a long time; now only belong to one group. It is the Missouri Friends Group. Another new to me site is Growing Bolder. It is really a combination of social networking and information. Through the past 5 years, I have belonged to several social networking sites for brief period. By the way, I do not like Facebook, so please don’t invite me to be your friend there. (Please and Thank-you) I do read and write about arthritis; I’ll write about those sites another time. I started an online journal of my balloon releases.

Well, I haven’t thought of a subject to write about tonight so I’ll just say “GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS.”

If It's To Be, It's Up To Me

I am proud to be part of “Elders For Health Care Reform Day on August 20” on the Time Goes By site. On that day there will be a list of bloggers across the cyberspace world blogging about the subject of Health Care Reform. Each of the bloggers will write about their own experiences and their own opinions.

I have posted about this subject the last week, please read them below. This post is a brief, but heartfelt commentary on my opinion of Health Care Reform debate going on now.

* Everyone should have access to the best health care possible and at an affordable cost.
* The high cost of health care can be controlled, as can fraud in Medicare and insurance claims.
* While I am proud to be an American with freedom of speech, the shouting at rallies and town hall meetings scares and embarrasses me.
* It is time for change.

What can I do? There are many small things and one very important big thing that I can do. The most important thing I can do is to study the issues and understand what is truth and fiction.

Everyday things I can do:

* Vote and support positive thinking people who believe in “Health Care Reform
* Live as healthy as possible, which means eating healthier and exercising.
* Continue to blog and support people with arthritis. Arthritis is a Journey
* Continue this blog for the “Elder Generation”

Stay tuned, this list will grow.

My Health Care Story, Index

I am joining other bloggers August 20 to support health care reform. I never, ever discuss political matters with people except my husband. I won't here. I do not know the answers, I haven't read the bills, and I know there are pros and cons of everything. Simply I am not an expert. These posts are my story and my opinions only.

For more information about the August 20 "Elders For Health Care Reform", click here.

Index to My Health Care Story:

1. Part 1
2. Part 2
3. Part 3

My Health Care Story, Part 3

These are facts and opinions from local health care professionals as quoted by the Springfield News and Leader. The hospitals referred to are St. John’s and CoxHealth in Springfield, MO. Please read the complete article in the August 16 edition of the News-Leader. Click here.

St. John’s Hospital during the last fiscal year, ending June 30, 2008, provided $33 million in charity care. CoxHealth had more than $93 million in shortfalls from Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement and charity care.

Clearly, the national health care delivery system is failing us due to health care being fragmented, inefficient, and uncoordinated. The results are lower quality and higher costs. Local hospitals are beginning to see a significant increase in uninsured patients seeking care and they expect this trend to continue.

Physicians owned ancillary services, pharmaceutical companies, and medical device companies all play a role in the high cost of health care today.

An executive director of a local health center thinks a healthy lifestyle must be mandated if real reform is to be accomplished. These include physical exams, change cooking oils in restaurants, added bike routes, and pass no smoking ordinances.

If we took our current health care budget- what we spend now- and applied it to a single payer system, we could pay for everyone to have health care by eliminating the dollars that we now spend on non-health care marketing, advertising, and stockholder profits.

My Health Care Story, Part 2

The health-care bill presented by the House of Representative: Click here

My Health Care Story, Part One

I am joining other bloggers August 20 to support health care reform. I never, ever discuss political matters with people except my husband. I won't here. I do not know the answers, I haven't read the bills, and I know there are pros and cons of everything. Simply I am not an expert. This post and those to follow is my story and my opinions only.

Note: This was originally posted August 3, 2009 on my arthritis blog “Arthritis is a Journey”.

This blog is a very delicate and meant to explain MissDazey dealing with OA and RA. Another “I can cope” post. Actually, I’m not sure when I first noticed I was having signs of arthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis. I do know I was just barely out of my teens and young mother of five. It was not until years later, probably 10 or so, that a doctor mentioned it during a routine exam. I brushed it off, after all people have more important things to worry about than aches and pains. Besides at that time my life was full of other serious issues, kids, a bad marriage, dire finances, and a few health matters. It’s a long, boring laundry list of “woe is me” time.

Having no insurance or resources going to a doctor was out of the question. I finally divorced, had a few years of good jobs, moved and traveled. I have wonderful fun memories of that time! (Then life came apart, no job, living in my car or with whichever family or friends were stuck with me. I don’t talk about it except with certain special friends.)I like to walk, always have. I could walk miles, and did as often as possible. That and not driving are the two things I miss most. The not walking bit was a gradual thing. I remember the first time my toes swelled so much I could barely get my shoes on, and my boss was coming into town. Yipes, that was in the mid-eighties.

Fast forward in time to January 1998 when I met my Mr. Right. I could do less then, but still drove, walk, and managed a house. By year 2000 my physical activity was cut in half. I remember so well when I could not hold my new baby granddaughter. It broke my heart. (She is nine now, gives big hugs, and has Grandpa and I under her spell.) About this time the RA took over big time, although the OA was trying hard to remain in control. The dreaded fatigue rules now and I am having trouble getting my brain to function. I researched things online, which made me depressed.

When I turned 65 I got on Medicare and starting the saga with doctors. The first one, Dr. J, explained clearly that extensive damage was done; some could be repaired surgery, but not much. Last week Dr. B said the same thing. I have seen many changes in the last 3 years, making adjustments as needed.

Now for the rest of the story as Paul Harvey would say. I am BLESSED! Of course, my biggest, most cherished blessings are family and friends. I have a silly sense of humor, get to travel, have a stable income, and most importantly enjoy LIFE. I have computers and the internet to keep me occupied and creative. I look around and see so many people with a great deal of worst problems, and am ashamed when I complain.

YES, I AM BLESSED! As my favorite saying goes, “If I had my life to live over, I’d pick more daisies.”

The Elder Generation

I was told recently that I call myself “old” too often. I know why I do it; it’s both a defense mechanism and an excuse. That is the subject of a long blog for another time. Today I am writing about one of my pet peeves and the solution I have to correct it. I don’t like being called a senior citizen. The first entry on this blog is about the subject, you can read it here. From now on, I am declaring I am a member of "The Elder Generation." (Think being told to respect your elders. Some churches have Elders.)

I give all the credit and applause for this term to Ronni Bennett, “Time Goes By” founder and proprietor. I recently discovered her site and instantly found a connection. I had the overwhelming sense of a positive comfort level. Ronni has researched and written about subjects important to people over 50 years old for several years. Quoting from her bio, “A large community of elderbloggers has developed over these five years, old people writing on their blogs about their past and present lives, interests, and passions.”

If you have not visited “Time Goes By,” please do so soon. Warning: you will not want to stop reading. I am having a delightful time reading the blogs, storytelling, and information on the site. There is a list of Elderbloggers in the right of the home page. I am clicking on one of the each day, which will keep me busy until spring.

There was an interesting article in our local business journal last week about businesses and multigenerational employees. Lynne Haggerman writes a column each week on human resources for Springfield Business Journal. She calls those born between 1922 and 1945 the veteran or traditionalist generation. I am calling those born between 1930 and 1945 “The Elder Generation” Why those years, that’s where myself and close family and friends fall, of course.

Friends Without Faces

This poem was posted on the Missouri Friends Eons group without further writer's credit and information. I thought it so true, wanted to share it here.

Friends Without Faces
by Thomas Teague

We sit and we type, and we stare at our screens,
We all have to wonder, what this possibly means.
With our mouse we roam, through the rooms in a maze,
Looking for something or someone, as we sit in a daze.

We chat with each other, we type all our woes,
Small groups we do form, and gang up on our foes.
We wait for somebody, to type out our name,
We want recognition, but it is always the same.

We give kisses and hugs, and sometimes flirt,
In IMs we chat deeply, and reveal why we hurt.
We do form friendships - but - why we don't know,
But some of these friendships, will flourish and grow.

Why is it on screen, we can be so bold,
Telling our secrets, that have never been told.
Why is it we share, the thoughts in our mind,
With those we can't see, as though we were blind.

The answer is simple, it is as clear as a bell.
We all have our problems, and need someone to tell.
We can't tell "real" people, but tell someone we must,
So we turn to the 'puter, and to those we can trust.

Even though it is crazy, the truth still remains,
They are Friends Without Faces, and odd little names

Play a "Vinyl Record" Again, Sam

There was a short piece on vinyl records recently on MSNBC. It seems they are making a comeback, though on a limited way. They are selling again in stores like Best Buy and eBay. Sales have increased to almost doubling in 2008. One young man in the story said the music sounded like it was in the whole room when played on a vinyl record. I was surprised that new records are being recorded by today’s artists.

Music is a big deal at our house, as well as in our car. By music, I mean our kind of music, Big Band, Frank Sinatra, Dolly Parton, Josh Brolin, and more. We have Sirius XM radio in our car tuned to either the Frank Sinatra or the ‘40’s channel; I can’t imagine traveling without it. We can also get these channels via our Dish Network on our TV. Add in a couple of CD players and radios, we are “in the music.” We don’t buy as many CDs as we used to now that we listen to XM radio. We have quite a collection though, especially of Frank Sinatra. Bruce has all of Frank’s songs memorized and sings along.

We also have a big stack of old vinyl records that Bruce cannot part with. Granted, he doesn’t play them, but they have special memories. He pointed out these are just a few of the hundreds of records he has had over the years. We have 3 record players. One is an old windup one that is an antique, which I keep threatening to sell on eBay. Another is a stereo in a beautiful cherry wood cabinet. It is the first piece of furniture that he and his first wife bought 50 years ago; what special memories he has of them dancing together for hours. (It doesn’t work, however I have wondered if we can fit a new machine into the cabinet.)

MISSDAZEY PERSONAL STORY

Vic Damone has been singing to us all week via a new CD. Bruce has special memories of Vic Damone from Christmas 1949. Bruce’s brother Bill was a freshman at West Point and Bruce and his parents drove from SW Missouri to visit him. They drove through New York City and there on a huge neon sign was a picture of Vic Damone. You can imagine the impact that had on a 14-year-old country boy. There was no time to go to hear Damone, something Bruce to this day regrets.

This blog post will be continued.

Volunteering, A Gift That Keeps On Giving

Americans are known for their caring and giving spirit, always ready for reach out to others. They give their money, experience, and time. No group represents the volunteer strength more than seniors do. Perhaps we simply have more time in our retirement years, maybe we are repaying kindnesses we have received in earlier years, or merely we are bored and need something to do. Some people suggest we are getting ready to meet our maker and need brownie points. Whatever the reasons, volunteering as Martha Stewart would say, “It’s a good thing.”

There is a delightful video this week on Growing Bolder site about volunteer Julia Sanchez. Julia volunteers at an animal shelter and babies and loves each of the variety on animals. It’s hard but rewarding work. Please watch the video to learn more. Click here. While on Growing Bolder, stay and visit awhile to see more video, audio, and blogs about numerous volunteers. One must see video is the one about the gb pet. Click here.

MISSDAZEY PERSONAL STORY

Bruce is very active with CoxHealth Auxiliary in Springfield, MO. He is there 2-3 days a week, sometimes more, and comes in bone tired. However, he would not give it up for anything. He and his buddies work in what is known as the “tunnel,” actually the warehouse area of the gift shop. The gift shop is the main fund raising effort of the CoxHealth Auxiliary and enables them to donate many thousands of dollars to numerous different projects each year. (Bruce also serves on the Auxiliary Board, but that is a subject for another blog.)

The pet therapy program is a favorite at CoxHealth. The “angels with paw” and their handlers are certified by accrediting organizations. The program has 24 handlers and 26 dogs. As one volunteer said, “A dog can express more with his tail in minutes than a person can express with his tongue in hours”

Up, Up & Away

I had a wonderful birthday month topped off with a balloon release. I had asked my friends and family to release a balloon to celebrate my birthday. Virtual and actual colorful balloons were released from South Carolina, Wisconsin, and of course in Missouri where I live.

The last one I was told about was let go by my long time, tried and true, friend Jacque. This is what she wrote in an email. I was so touched I cried happy tears.

This is to notify you that a blue balloon was released today, August 3, 2009 in honor of the life of Linda Crim. The release took place at Sunshine Valley Farms, Rogersville MO, at 11:00 a.m. The balloon sailed out over the apple orchard headed for the great beyond. A note was attached to it that read:
"This balloon was released in honor of Linda Crim and her life. Whoever finds this please stop and say a prayer for blessings on her. God bless!"

Another friend said her balloon was stuck in a tree, she wondered what that meant. My sister released hers in the middle of a rose garden while we visited on the cell phone. I cannot thank everyone enough for doing this and making my birthday so special. Besides balloons, my month was filled with emails, lunches, birthday cards and much more…it was filled with love and respect. Most importantly, it was filled with FUN!

Last note on the balloon release. It was such an exciting thing I have promised I would do this for all my friends and families birthdays from now on. So if I don’t know when your birthday is, please email me the information to this email lindacrim@gmail.com.

Why S.O.S.?

Why S.O.S.?

The short answer is I already had a blog set up for the title Seniors Online Supporters, or S.O.S. for short. (I was very active in PickensPlan.com for a year) The longer reason is I needed a way to express myself about issues people over 60 have. In the old days of Morse code SOS meant come quickly, help is needed ASAP. Perhaps there is not an urgent need for information, but this blog will help me keep track of things and a format to share. More than anything it’s a personal online journal that is public until further notice.

I like researching things. Fascinated seems like a better word than curious, although I think I am more inquisitive and probing. No matter what it’s called I like to learn more about things, figure out who’s who, the bottom line, and how can this concern me. Many times the word nosy fits. I have been that way as long as I can remember; I can even remember looking at pictures the "Book of Knowledge" before I could read the big words.

Jumping forward 60 years, I am so glad to live in the computer and internet era. In a few minutes, I can look up anything online. I look up everything, from silly little things like “who is playing in an old movie?” to years of research about arthritis, to travel information, and of course, all the news. (Add in several magazines I read)

OK, this is hopefully the last serious blog post for a while.