...Izee's Thread

[Izee]

...WAFFLES!!!!  Just gotta talk about WAFFLES!!!

As a young child, I was VERY fussy about what I ate, so I didn't eat very much.  So, I was very skinny, the School Nurses would look me over to see if I had a problem.  Mom would pack me a healthy lunch, and I would just eat the carrots and celery and throw the rest away.  I was always looking forward to Wednesday...the school lunch was a HAMBURGER!!  I would eat the hamburger, and throw away the rest.  I would feel ashamed, Mom would scold me about how grateful I should be over having nice food, but being a child...it just didn't register on me.

But, on weekends, Dad would make WAFFLES!!!  I would get up early and wait in the kitchen, in my pajamas, and be happy when he brought out the waffle iron.  I would sit, and offer to help, but he wouldn't let me do much.  So, I just watched. 

The first waffle was for the birds, back then you had to put oil on the iron so the batter wouldn't stick, and the first waffle wasn't very good.  But, I would help peel the second waffle off the iron, and set it on my plate.  Butter and syrup followed, and well...nothing more was needed.  Mom would say I should add fruit and jellies, but NO!!!  Butter and syrup was enough...I eagerly ate the waffle.  So, I always had a nice breakfast on the weekends.

Dad was well aware of my love for his waffles, so, when I came home from breaks at College...I got waffles.     It even extended to when I got married, and visited with my H and my children.  He would pull the waffle iron out, mix the batter, and make waffles for me and my family. 

... ...He tried to teach me to make waffles, and I even carefully watched him, and wrote out a recipe.  I made them for my roommates in college, and they LOVED them...but I didn't think that they tasted quite right.  So, I was ALWAYS happy to visit, and get a waffle.  I seriously think that we don't perceive reality.  I think that there is an 'energy side' of us that registers things that our blood and muscle bodies just can't sense.  And, we can transfer that energy, and receive that energy from others.  So, Dad was putting HIS energy into the waffles.  That may explain Chefs...they can fix the same dish with the same ingredients...but some taste MUCH better.

A dear memory to me...

Dad got brain cancer, and he stayed at home.  I visited as much as I could...but...not as much as I wanted to.  I had a family, and lived in another town, and was a busy Trial Lawyer, and very active in Classical Music and 4-H.  So, the weekends got far apart.  I could see him failing...he was VERY strong, and refused to go into a Clinic, and was busy in the house.

Then, came that last weekend.  He was very weak, and didn't talk or visit much.  But...on Sunday morning...

...He brought out the waffle iron.  He waved me away when I said I could make it, and I just sat, and watched.  And...

...He made me a waffle!!!   

I was delighted, and put butter and syrup on it, and ate it, and hugged and kissed him, and cleaned things up.

I cried when he passed...and part of it was because he wouldn't ever make me a waffle again.

Waffles...

[Izee]

...'Fingering' the cello...

There you are, with the chunk of lumber between your legs, and you have to figure out which finger on your left hand to use to play a note.  So, for instance, on the A String you can play a B, C, and D naturals in the first position.  You just drop your 1st, 2nd, and 4th finger.  You can also slightly move a finger to make a note sound sharper or flatter.  To play higher notes on the A string, you have to move your hand down the neck of the cello.  The most common higher position is 5th Position, your thumb is at the base of the neck, and the bottom side of your hand is actually touching the shoulder of the cello.  Then, comes "Thumb Position", where you move your whole hand onto the fingerboard, and lay the side of your thumb on a note, often the A natural, and the fingers can do their stuff.

But, when playing a passage, which finger do you place on a note?  That is where you have to figure out how to 'finger' a passage.  And, being cellists, we need to be reminded of how to play a passage.  So, we would write the numbers from 1 to 4 above the note to tell us which finger to use.  In fast passages, you REALLY had to plan what to do, because you wanted to get the notes in tune, and also to keep that hand in the same place on the neck of the cello so you just didn't wander away into 'Out of TUNE LAND'. 

Once, I was feeling very ornery.  I knew that my Private Cello Teacher, Alan, who was the Professor of Cello, would sit with me at a Concert.  I was the Principal Cellist, but the Conductor would bring Alan in to strengthen the section.  I agreed with his decision, the other five cellists were rank amateurs who didn't practice enough.  So, on a Respigi Overture, I wrote in the most RIDICULOUS fingerings I could think of.     He came to the Rehearsal, and we got into the work.  The Conductor stopped the Orchestra at times, to work with a section, and Alan STARED  at me.  "Ah, are you REALLY playing those measure like that?" he whispered.  I smiled, and whispered back, "Yes, I think it sounds more expressive."  It was a bunch of 16th notes, in a quick tempo, so you really didn't hear them, you just heard some noise.

*SIGHS*     He 'PULLED RANK ' on me, and took the music with him and wrote in more correct fingerings.  I pretended to have trouble with how he had fingered it, and he just growled..."You need a two hour lesson on this work, and I will charge my higher rates."

I followed his fingerings...

[Izee]

...Soaring with the Eagles!!!!   

When I was flying sailplanes, I was ALWAYS very attentive to what was going on around me...especially when I was in the trainer.  The cockpit was in the nose of the fuselage, and the big honking wing was on top, so you couldn't see behind you.  There actually were mirrors, but I just didn't like them.  The little HP sailplane had the cockpit on TOP of the fuselage, and the canopy was clear, so you could see ALL around you.  I was in the trainer, and had found a good thermal, and got up to 8,000 feet.  The thermal then wimped out, and I straightened out from circling, and looked around.  I was watching for other aircraft, and also looking for hawks and eagles.  They find thermals very easily, Scientists actually think that they may be able to sense or actually see them.  Seeing birds like that circling means that they found one.  Next time you see hawks or eagles circling, watch them...they are not flapping their wings...but they are staying up.  They are in a thermal. 

So, I spotted a pair, about 1,000 yards away, and flew towards them.  I only lost about 500 feet of altitude, and entered the thermal.  In a sailplane, you know when you enter a thermal, even without looking at the rate of climb meter.  If a wing enters it, thermals are tight columns of rising air, it gets pushed up, and so you turn the plane on it's side, and turn towards the rising wing, and circle.  If you blunder straight into a thermal, well, you butt tells you, you feel a HUGH push from below, and you can turn in either direction.  If you turn away from the thermal, you immediately know, the air flows down around a thermal, you feel it and the rate of climb meter lets you know, so you haul on the rudder and the joystick and do a hard turn in the other direction, and usually you can find the thermal.

Anyway, I settled into a gentle circle, not banked too steep, and after a few turns, the eagles joined me.  I guess they were curious, or wondering if they could get to the 'snack' inside the big white bird.  That was a wonderful moment...we circled for about five minutes...and they left.  They were right beside my cockpit while we soared, I smiled and waved and spoke to them as we flew.  Soaring was so much fun.

Later in life, I let a client talk me into letting him give me flying lessons in return for my legal services.  That didn't last too long...quite frankly...I did NOT enjoy flying a little single prop plane.  It was noisy, and you had to wear a set of headphones and hear chatter, and you just flew straight.  I got scolded a lot when I first started doing turns, I did a turn like I was in a sailplane and turned the plane on it's side, pointing the wing at the ground as I pressed on the rudder.  My Instructor SHOUTED...

...HANDS OFF!!!!...

And so I let go, and pulled my feet off the rudders.  He straightened the plane out and asked me..."What the HELL were you doing?"  I was nervous, and I said, "Turning the plane".  He calmed down, and said, "We are not in a dogfight, this is how you turn", and did a very gentle turn, the wings were almost level.  I said, "OK", and after that flew that way.  But, as I said, it was boring, so I told him that I did not want to get a flying license.

Good thing that I never became a Commercial Pilot...flying a Boing 747 like a Schroeder 1-26 would have gotten me thrown in jail...

[Izee]

...Cutting up...

At Conservatory, I was a bit of a cut up...and...I was VERY PERSUASIVE.  I hauled anyone I could to 'help me out'.  (I figured that spreading the blame would take attention from me.)  So, as I reported, I did get the members of my String Quartet to participate.

But, playing the piano, I was LOST!  I mean, I always set my 'cut ups' to appear that it was someone other than me AT FAULT!!! I mean, I was a GOOD GIRL, when strange stuff happened, well, don't point your finger at ME!  But, when it was just me sitting my butt on the stool in front of the piano, there wasn't much that I could do.

But, after watching a Marx Bros Movie...I got an inspiration.   

I was going to play a Rachmaninoff Rhapsody...it is a difficult piece.  It was going to be at 'Solo Class', a no credit Course on Tuesday afternoons that we Music Majors HAD to attend.  Looking back, it was a brilliant idea by the Dean.  We Music Majors really did need to hear music and instruments that we were not familiar with in order to learn, and being a Music Major was more than just sawing on a cello...a Graduate should be familiar with ALL SORTS of music...and what different instruments sound like and what they can do.  The Trombone can be a very eloquent and expressive horn when played well.

So, I walked out in my 'Major Performance' gown, and stood by the piano, and curtsied.  After the applause and howls of lust from the men stopped...my gown was very low cut...I settled in...and immediately...

...I SUCKED!!!!!!!!  The music sounded like Hell.  I stopped, and tried playing again...but...I STILL SUCKED!!!

Then the 'Old Concert Hall Maintenance Guy' (He REALLY WAS an old man) emerged from the wings, and walked over to me.  He reached, and turned the music score in front of me a half turn, and set it back in the rack.  (The music had been upside down on the piano... )  He then walked off...

I looked at him, and then at the musical score, and played the work well.

I got 5 Curtain Calls...I think the guys wanted to see my cleavage as a curtsied...No way could I bow in my gown...my tits would have fallen out.  I would have been summoned to the Dean's Office again.   

The Professor of Piano, who gave me my private lessons...was NOT AMUSED!

The Dean did tell me that he was sorry to see me leave as a Music Major, but I did stay and played in Instrumental Classes.  He said that he was always trying not to laugh as he scolded me over something.

[Izee]

...Pavane...

My main cello is named 'Pavane'.  She was made by a really 'madwoman' in South Africa.  I met her at an International Cello Congress in Salt Lake City.  I was a struggling accountant, but I got my Husband to let me drive and stay for the week.  So, I drove from the SF Bay Area to SLT in our old VW 'Bug'.  No air-conditioning, so I was a total mess when I arrived at the College Campus.  We didn't have much money, so I signed up to stay in a Campus Dorm Room.  My cello 'Catherine' was with me. 

I settled into the little dorm, bringing back memories of when I was a student, and I worked with the other women on the floor to use the shower and such. 

My Private Teacher from H.S. was there, she stayed in a nice hotel, and we attended a lot of the events together.  We would go to the area where people were selling stuff, and I bought some music and a REALLY NEAT FOLD UP STAND.  So, that exhausted my spending money.  I ate the rather lousy food that the Event provided, and would steal rolls and cupcakes for my breakfast. 

But, my teacher kept getting me to look at a cello that a woman from South Africa was selling.  She was a 'luthier', she had MADE it...and it was pretty.  I tried it out, but $25,000 was WAY BEYOND my budget.     Plus, it didn't sound all that good.  But, my teacher kept pestering me to look at it, and I did borrow it for an hour to play with a Quartet.  I heard that YANOS STARKER had tried out the cello, and liked it, and said that he would tell his students to buy her cellos.

So, at the end of the Event, I drove back home, with my cello strapped down in the back seats of my VW bug, and the new $20,000 cello strapped in the front passenger seat.  I had got the Luthier to lower the price a bit. 

I had a bit of explaining to do when I got home...

But, Pavane woke up as I played her.  Once, during a private lesson, my Teacher took Pavane from me, and played part of a Sonata we were working on.  He told me, "That is how you need to play this."  I was sitting, slack jawed, and asked, "Did you hear all of the Overtones my cello was making?"  He stopped, and nodded, and carefully handed Pavane back to me and said, "This cello is developing very well."

Once, the Manager of the local Symphony called me, and asked to borrow Pavane.  The visiting Soloist's cello had had an accident, and he needed a good cello to play.  So, I brought Pavane to the Hall, and handed her over to the Guest Artist.  He played the Dvorak very well...and I giggled as I drove back from the Concert.  My CELLO had played that wonderful work...I tried to get up to that level of performance.

So, D. Haddad did a wonderful work...cutting and shaping wood...and "Pavane" was born.

[Izee]

This time of the year reminds me of the most heartless way a young man learned that he was going to be fired.   

I was working at the large Accounting Firm that had NINE PARTNERS, so with Secretaries and Staff Accountants, there were about 40 Members.  One year, the Partners decided that he would have the ENTIRE Firm Members pose for the Christmas Card that would be sent to the Clients.  So, we all had to gather outside the front of the Firm Building, and the Photographer moved us around so that the picture would be balanced.

Just before the picture was taken, one of the Partners called out...

..."Jack, (an Associate Accountant), Please step out of the picture."   

We Associates were all very quiet the rest of the day, and Jack didn't show up the next day.   

[Izee]

...Being an 'Over Educated Fool'...

I probably qualify as being 'Over Educated', I got a lot of letters after my name.  But, I like to think that I am not a fool.  I saved the Construction Company I worked for, in part, by 'plugging' the books by over $750,000 in just ONE two page journal entry.  My Staff were HORRIFIED...but I just said "Now the books are balanced after what our asshole predecessors did, I don't think I would trust them to count the number of almonds in a chocolate bar."  And, well, I got my 'plug' accepted by our Auditors, the IRS, and the Franchise Tax Board.  I can 'explain' my position very well...

I am amused at seeing all of the problems over, *gasp*,  STUDENT DEBT!!!!   

Hey, those kids signed the loans, and actually ASKED to borrow the money.  So, WHY THE HELL SHOULD THEY NOT PAY IT BACK???

My Husband and I lived very restricted financial lives after we got out into the real life, and paying off my Student Loans was FIXED in our budget.  We made the monthly payments, and lived frugally, but we were comfortable.  We had nice Apts, and ate well and had nice clothes, we just didn't go out on trips and bar hopping and such. That lasted for five years, and then I inherited a nice sum from an Uncle and we paid off the Student Loans...although I LUSTED  for a Datsun 240Z...I would have looked VERY GOOD driving one of those cute and powerful cars. 

But, Biden obviously wanted to buy votes.  I mean...if He REALLY wanted to help with Student Loans, well, WHY NOT help out those of us who paid, or are going to have to pay new loans off???  But, some kids who are graduating with basket weaving degrees will be grateful, and the ones with Business Degrees will be pleasantly surprised. 

Yanno, having to pay off the money I BORROWED was actually a good lesson in life at a young age.  I always weighed the cost of a loan when we needed to finance something, and made sure that our finances could handle it, so we always paid off our debt.  So, at a bit older age...I just have a little debt...and it was for things I bought for my Mother and my Daughter.  The terms were SO GOOD I just agreed, after all, paying off debt does help your credit rating. 

Anyway, yanno that those billions of loans being forgiven will be paid off by we Taxpayers, the Banks would fail if they had to forgive so much.  So, I hope that those kids will be very grateful.   

And...I still wonder...

...JUST HOW THE HELL CAN THE PRESIDENT DICTATE THAT CERTAIN LOANS WILL BE FORGIVEN???   SOME PEOPLE ARE GETTING THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS!!!  That WE are paying for!!!!

And, the Dems say that Trump will be a Dictator if he is elected.

Well, Biden just SHOWED him what a Dictator President of the US can do...

[Izee]

...Backpacking...ALONE!!!   

I just LOVED IT!  But, I was not stupid.  I did it at Lassen Nat'l Park, and would check in with the Rangers at the Head, and give them a map of where I planned to walk.  I would mark the Stations that I would pass by, and say that I would check in, and check out when I was finished.  They would nod...I looked to be in very good shape back then, and knew what I was doing...and well...I did look to be in good shape... ...but...

I was just wishing that I could pass out...I was at my first scheduled stop, and was...

...TOO TIRED TO FISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

I mean, ever been...

...TOO TIRED TO FISH???

I was sitting by a small lake...and was too tired to take off my clothes and get in to bathe.  And...in my frame of mind...men would have just WALKED ON BY as I was in the shallows, NAKED,  and waving at them to help me get out and...PUT MY CLOTHES BACK ON!!!!

So, I kept my clothes on...

I did calm down, and heated up a nice dehydrated package I had kept in a special pouch.  I ate it, and felt very content.  I later sat against a tree, and looked at the stars as I ran a Symphony through my head...it was a muddled mixture of many...and thought of just how much fun it was to be alive.

I mean, backpacking got my mind to set into it's survival selection.  All I had to worry about was walking safely, and eating my rations with reason, and finding a safe place to sleep.  I mean, what ELSE should a female have to worry about?  I didn't have to worry about other peoples problems...how I would get Mr Jones out of the lawsuit...how I would get Ms Smith out of her suit...and so on.

I set my sleeping bag on the thin mat I carried, and set the soft part of my backpack to use as a pillow.  I NEVER carried any fresh food, it was always dehydrated.  I did NOT want a bear or a mountain lion to smell something nice...I could never smell myself...but others did and stayed away when I had been backpacking.

I then resolved to NEVER head out on a backpacking trip, alone, AFTER...

...walking up to the top of Mt Lassen and back again on the same day...

[Izee]

https://youtu.be/vtV66X3S_2Q

This is one of my most favorite parts of Handels Messiah.   

I was in a small chamber orchestra in a small city, a Christian Church was performing the work.  I was happy, I was the ONLY cellist, and $150 was a LOT of money to me at that time of my life.  The Conductor just had time for one rehearsal, and me and the violist were sitting beside each other, and getting bored.  The amateur soloists were not very good, and the Chorus wasn't quite singing the lyrics properly.  Then, we got to this piece, and a very mousy looking man stood up, and I thought..."Oh HELL...he probably doesn't have the testosterone to sing this part.  So, we did the opening chord, and then he SANG OUT...

..."THUS SAYS THE LORD...THE LORD OF HOSTS..."

And we all CAME ALIVE!!!!

He had a very powerful Bass/Baritone voice, and he just took COMMAND of the work!  And...he was very soft and expressive, singing,

..."And who shall abide, the day of His coming"...

I did go up to him, after the rehearsal, and said that I was really looking forward to performing this with him.  He grinned and replied,

..."I heard you on the cello, you really did help me with my phrasing..."

I was feeling very warm when I drove back home.

It was a very intimate moment, although he was on the Stage, and I was in the Pit Orchestra.  We couldn't see each other, but we were listening very carefully to each other.  I didn't want to detract from his performance, and carefully listened to him. and modulated the sound my cello was making.  When he would end a phrase, singing, "And when He appeareth"...I was making Pavane sound very yearning.  And , when he got into, "For, He is like a refiner's fire"...I would be hammering my bow on the quick notes, not caring if I was covering him up...(I couldn't cover him, he was on the Stage, I was in the pit...and he must have had three sets of BALLS to be able to sing so loud and strong.)

The other members of the string group tapped their bows on my stand after some movements...that is how String Player applaud in a pit orchestra...

[Izee]

https://youtu.be/6jroBAl3WW8

A very nice performance of this lovely song.  Please enjoy   

When I was younger, I was often called to play my cello in Church Performances of various orchestrations of Christmas Music and plays.  Some were very nice semi-professional compositions and plays, and we would rehearse several times and perform the work at multiple events.  But, a few times, it was just our string quartet with a piano, and we would be off to the side in a church and play the music as Parishioners sang.   My most memorable one was at a small Church, they gave me $50 and FED ME DINNER with the Members, and there was just a guitar with me.  We played very soft works, like this one, and, well...it was a very Spiritual Moment for me.  I drove home feeling very relaxed, and full, and happy to have participated in the Service.

*S*    My violist friend and I would help each other get 'gigs', if a group hired me, I would ask if they needed a violist, and get them to hire her if they needed one.  One Church liked the way I played, and they would contact me in late November, and ask me to gather the musicians they needed for their work.  She did the same, and I was always happy to have six or seven 'gigs' lined up before Christmas, I would get a nice amount of spending money to buy gifts for Family and Friends. 

We would, however, make fun of another violist...we called her the "Gig Slut".  She would seek out places to perform...and was quite skilled as a performer so she did collect a lot of gigs.  A few times, I got a panicked call from the Gig Slut asking if I had the next evening open, that she REALLY needed a cellist for a performance she had just lined up.  If I was open, I always said 'Yes, what time do I need to be there?"

But, seriously, I always enjoyed performing on my cello at such events, they were low key, no stage fright, and the audience was always happy.  Once, our quartet was in front of the Altar, and a young girl and boy wandered over and stood beside me, watching ME play!!!  I smiled, and briefly spoke to them when the service was over, and let them touch my cello and bow, and said that when they got older they could learn to play one, too.  They were most mesmerized by my bow, and I explained that it was horsehair that were the long fibers, and then took the screw off the end of the bow and their eyes got wide seeing the cascade of yellow horsehair.  I broke off a hair for each of them, and they were amazed. I do hope that one, or both of them, took up a string instrument when they got older.

[Izee]

...Been busy, but it has been nice.  My Family and I had a nice gathering, we did not exchange gifts, we didn't have any children with us, and as I said to my Mother, "If there is anything I really want, well, I will go out and buy it."  She laughed, and said, "I do the same."  So, we just had a very nice meal, and sat and visited for a few hours, then had dessert and then broke up.  It was nice.   

I have been thinking about music for a while, lately.  My instruments are still their cases, and my electric piano is covered.  I am amazed that MUSIC is what I did for several years of my young adult life.  I even majored as a Music Performance Major for several years.  Those were AMAZING years, in many ways more challenging than Law School.  I spent hour after hour in closet sized practice rooms...(*Giggles*  Once, the door opened, and a middle class couple I had never seen before were standing there, and they asked me if they could take a picture of me playing the piano.  I agreed...I thought that maybe it was for a Publication.  After they took the picture, I asked them why they wanted it.  The man gruffly said, "Our daughter wants to major in music, we want to show her what she would be DOING for hours every day.  She needs to major in Business".  They left, and I almost fell off of the bench, I was laughing so hard.    )

I was watching a dramatic movie, and noticed that triplets were being added in the duple time frame of the music.  Most music is in duple time, and HEY, if 'DUPLE' isn't a word...IT SHOULD BE!!!  I have spoken.     But, triplets were being added.  They do add a lot of anxiety.  Beethovens 5th starts with triplets, and it is in duple time.  "Da da da...Dum....Da da da...Dum".  Those first three notes are triplets, you play THREE eighth notes when usually only TWO eighth notes occur in the beat.

Beethoven continued the triplets in the second movement,

https://youtu.be/6jroBAl3WW8

You can hear the lower strings...the cellos and bass...playing a quick triplet that lands on the beat.  The second movement starts at 16:52.  The really thrilling part begins at 21:10.  Beethoven puts together a truly thrilling and complex interaction among the musicians.  We cellos had a stamping beat we played at 23:50, and I was STAMPING MY BOW!!!!  At 25:10 my mind was SWIRLING!!!

Performing music is really an out of body experience.  I don't know how else to explain it.  I would look at the 'lollypops' on the score, but my mind was somewhere else.  I was aware that my body was moving, but my left hand was moving up and down the fingerboard, and my right had was 'shaping' the notes...not just pulling the bow back and forth. 

Well...I better get to bed, now.  and tomorrow...think about getting my instruments out of their cases...and taking the cover off of my piano.

[Izee]

...Flying a Kestral...

I have talked before about flying 'Sailplanes'.  Some people call them 'Gliders' since they don't have an engine.  But, 'Gliders' just fly straight, our military did use Gliders to bring troops in, but those things just flew straight.  Sailplanes can rise up in a thermal, or stay up in a wave.

And, all sailplanes aren't equal.  I learned in a Sweitzer 2:34, if memory serves me correct.  I was up front, and my Instructor was seated behind me.  The 2:34 was a rather ugly plane.  The wing was on the top, and the nose was large.  The wing was at the height of my head when I stood beside it.  But, I flew one from 2,000 feet to 10,000 feet, so it could do well.  There was a cute Sweitzer 1:26, it was a single seater, and the canopy was on the top, so your head would be held high, and you could see all around you.  But...there was also...the...KESTRAL....

It was a really lovely sailplane.  Pure white, with long tapered wings, and a 'T" tail.  The tail was shaped like a 'T", with the little wings on top.  I fell in LOVE with it, and would wash it down after an experienced pilot had flown it.  It was a very High Performance sailplane, and was designed for cross-country flights, or for flying into the Stratosphere.  The cost to rent it was expensive, and the Owner wouldn't just let anyone fly it.  He required that the pilot be skilled and experienced. 

One day, I had flown the 1:26, and was hanging around, talking with the other pilots.  I was describing where I had found a wave, and stayed up.  The Owner of the Kestral was sitting, listening, and nodding at times.  The middle aged guy probably thought it was nice to hear a young woman speak so well about sailing.  I was flabbergasted when he said to me, "The thermals are probably getting very strong now, hey, take my Kestral up and see what you can find."

I couldn't believe what he was saying, but 15 minutes later I was settling into the small cockpit of the Kestral.  The Owner said, "Take an hour...if you stay up longer I will get in the tug and hunt you and shoot you down."  I laughed.  But I whooped with joy as the Tug pulled me down the runway.  I was in a very reclined position, and the nose of the plane had plexiglass all over, so I could see EVERYTHING!!!!  I settled behind the tug, and lightly played with the rudders and the joystick to get a feel for the plane, and then at 1800 feet, I pulled the tow release, and did a soft climbing turn to the right.  The tug dived to the left, so the tow rope was well clear of me.

The next hour was...well...better than my Honeymoon.  I was alone in the Kestral, and the thing could somehow sniff out thermals.  I would be flying straight, and a wing would jump up...the Kestral was saying..."Hey bitch, here is a thermal."  I would turn hard in the direction that the wing was rising, and get into a thermal, and ride it up, and then search for another one.

I could have stayed up all afternoon, but, I watched my watch, and flew back to the field, and made a nice landing in an hour.  I had to be helped out of the cockpit...I just wanted to stay in the sailplane.   

I just couldn't get the experience out of my head.  I didn't have much money, but I caddied and did everything I could to earn money.  When I helped the Caddymaster wash golfers clubs, I dreamed that I would be able to earn and save enough money to buy a Kestral.

I ended up buying 'Katherine'...my cello...

[Izee]

https://youtu.be/mrudT410TAI?si=I4q9Kql3ZxPM9cQv

...I was insane in my younger years.  I can't BELIEVE what I did as a college student.  I was VERY angry at the girl that I got elected to be Student Body President.  I wanted to be appointed the Dean of Student Affairs, so I could have weekly meetings with Dr McCaffrey and discuss important issues.  But, the BITCH appointed me to be the ...SOCIAL DIRECTOR!!!  So, I was in charge of planning dances and such SHIT for the year!!!  And, I was a mousy little girl, never been to a dance, or such.  I almost turned down the appointment, but, I would get a half scholarship for serving, and I needed the help.  It was a very expensive college.  So, I pulled up my panties, and tried to get more 'sociable'. 

...I loved Donna Summer's music, and 'Killing Me Softly" hit me in a way that I can't describe.  I still feel a lot of anguish when I listen to it.  I am a manic/depressive, so I can over-react to things.  The song made me cry and I would go to my little bedroom, and lay in my bed for an hour.  At times, I would look over my budget, and sigh, I just couldn't afford to bring Donna to our campus.

...But...came the idiots that God above must have sent to me.  They said that they needed me to arrange a Concert for Donna in the Civic Auditorium.     I was flabbergasted!!!  But, I figured out that the City wouldn't let outsiders do a concert, but, me, as a local, could produce it.  So, well, I went along with it.  I was ALL excited, and even drove a car to pick her and her band up at the airport, and ended up driving several of her male black singers to the hotel.  They invited me in, but I just drove away.  If Donna had been in my car, and invited me in...I would have eagerly followed her. 

I didn't get to hear her sing, I was sitting in the box office clutching a shoe box that held ALL of the cash from the concert. 

I was just keeping my big mouth shut...and holding tight to the shoe box...

The idiot promotors and such were arguing over what had happened,,,the concert didn't go well...and I just sat there.  I had made sure that, since I was paying the expenses, I would get the CASH!!! 

The Cops who had been assigned to watch over me...I had hired a bunch for the Concert, and the Lt. had told two of them to stay with me...stood up, they were tired, and they hauled my butt out of the box office.  I was still clutching the shoebox.  They pushed me into the back of their cruiser, people wanted to speak with me, but they just pulled me along and got me into the cruiser, and we took off. 

I was relieved to count the money with the Finance Director, and go to bed.

And, shows how HONEST I am.  I did not take ANY of the money.  I could have easily stuffed a few handfuls into my panties and no one would have known anything.  But, it wasn't my money, so I got it all into the Student Accounts.

[Izee]

...Shopped today, with my Mother.     It is fun, I get her a shopping cart, and then grab one for myself, and we briefly separate.  She is very elderly, and moves slowly, but her mind is fully alert, and she can safely walk if she has support.  So, I quickly grab the items I need on my list, and then fall behind her and stay with her.  I will reach for heavy items or stuff high on the shelf.  When she has gotten all she has on her list, and is getting tired, we wheel our carts to the stand, and checkout.  I then PAY for it all.   

...I dunno what Biden and the Dems are babbling about what a wonderful economy we have.  They point at the Stock Market...but...we are paying almost $100 more each week for what we usually buy.  The prices on all items are HIGHER that they were a year and a half ago!!! 

...This next Election will be very important, no doubt.  Biden is senile, they were showing him at various locations, and he always had a blank confused look on his face, and his Wife or an Aide had to direct him what to do.  If he gets re-elected, well...Those that are BEHIND HIM will make ALL of the Important decisions.  And, well, we don't know WHO they are or what they want.  The Dems say that Trump is going senile, but he is always very vigorous at Public Appearances, and can correctly respond to questions.  He does say things that 'Politicians' usually don't say, but Trump is a Businessman and doesn't care if he offends people.

...*Sighs*...The Politicos and Dems are now saying stupid things like "DEMOCRACY WILL END IF TRUMP GETS ELECTED!!!"

..."Shit"...Even IF Trump said "I am now the Dictator!!!"...ah...you IDIOTS!!!!  We have Congress, the Courts, and the Military who would say..."Ah, think again".

...Trump did say that he would issue a lot of Executive Orders on his first day, but they would be to REVERSE Executive Orders by Biden.

...After all, Biden DID publicly say to the World..."Hey, come in here if you want a better life." and he issued Executive Orders to accommodate them.  And when the News shows that illegals get housing, food, job opportunities...well...what third world peasant wouldn't want to come here?

...And Biden IS sending our VETS out of homes so they can make room for ILLEGALS!!!

...Countries HAVE to have borders...or then they aren't countries.  I am afraid that it is already too late.  MILLIONS of illegals have come in, and they are having babies here, who under our Laws are American Citizens.  So, the Dems argue that Families have to stay intact, so illegals easily get in, and they set up their own ghettos and such, and demand that WE accommodate their cultures.   So, those Barbaric Third World people say that we have to accept child labor, women just being property, and such.  If we don't...well...we are just RASCIST and intolerant of other cultures.

...Shit, you want such Barbaric customs...STAY THE HELL IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY!!!!!  People used to come here to have an opportunity to get an education, and a better standard of life for their children, and they did what they could to adapt.  Our History is replete with uneducated people who came here, worked hard, and their children became educated and went on to become Doctors, Lawyers, and Scientists.    But, the Dems say it is OK to haul children out of school at the 6th grade, and then make them become semi-performing adults. 

...Trump has promised to execute the LARGEST deportation program in US History...but...WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE???

...Biden and the Dems ENCOURAGED the LARGEST illegal invasion in US History...   And, well...it WORKED!!!!

...Next generation...the good ol USA will be a confused combination of places trying EVERY culture in the World...and won't be a nice place to live in.

[Izee]

...Learning to not trust the creek...

As a very young child, there was a nice creek behind our house.  I would climb over the back fence, and get into it and explore.  Sometimes, it would be deep, and I would have to just walk along the banks, other times it was shallow and I could wade in it.  I was too young to understand 'tides', the creek emptied into the Bay Area, so the Ocean Tides did affect it.  I studied the creek very much, and collected plants and creatures, and put them in an aquarium.  The plants survived, but I learned to not place crawdads and other such creatures into it.  The creek was fun, and I would wade as far as I could in each direction.  It would pass under a military fence in each direction, and I stayed on my side.  I was afraid that if I crawled under the fence that I would get shot by the sentries.  Once, though...I did quickly crawl under and scurried to a ball that was on the other side, and grabbed it and crawled back onto my side.  It was a basketball...probably thrown over the fence by a kid.

But, as I once described, my parents were scurrying around, and I was told to pack a little suitcase with my favorite toys.  "You can't take them all" my Mother had said.  So, I did, and looked out the back window and saw the boy next door sitting on the fence.  So, I put on my raincoat, and climbed up beside him...and the creek was now a RIVER!!!  I was amazed...it was flowing VERY fast...and it was very deep!  NO WAY could ANYONE wade in it or even swim.  My Mother yelled at me to get back, and we drove across town to a Motel.

When we got back to our home three days later, the floor was covered with mud.  I was happy that my good toys were sitting on cabinets, Mom had seen to that.  So, Dad washed out the house with a hose...the floors were concrete...they were cheap homes built after WWII...and they were able to wash the walls and get us back living in them.  And... ...we children had the nice experience of the woman who drove by, and handed us each a HUGE Easter Basket full of candy and sweets.

So...I had a different attitude towards the creek after we got flooded out two times...