HEY! WHERE'S MY CART?

     A funny thing happened to me the other day that wasn't so funny at the time. My beloved SWMBO said that I needed to go to the grocery store. I was sitting and taking stock of my self and came to the conclusion that I didn't "need" to go to the store. I further wondered how SWMBO knew I needed to go to the store? Then I remembered that our granddaughters were coming over for a few hours and we needed provisions for the sweet little angels.

     So as I grabbed my hat to go to the store I asked SWMBO if she thought of anything else we needed from the grocery store to please put it on our shared shopping list. Our smart phones are connected so that when one of us adds something to the grocery list it magically appears on the other's smart phone shopping list app. So off to the store I go!
    Upon arriving at the store I grabbed a couple of cloth shopping bags from the back of the car. We bring our own shopping bags in an effort to help reduce our carbon footprint and thereby make this little blue marble a little cleaner as it hurtles through space.
     Anyways, I entered the store and selected the items on the grocery list and placed them in my shopping cart. I went to the Customer Service counter to conduct some business. I parked the shopping cart behind me adjacent a bin containing sale items. I conducted my business and when I turned around my shopping cart had vanished! It just disappeared! It just frickin' disappeared! I thought that I was having a monumental "senior moment!" 

     I asked the young man working the customer service counter if he perhaps saw what happened to my shopping cart. He looked at me like I was crazy and gently said "no." He asked me if I even had a shopping cart. He suggested that maybe another customer took it by mistake.  
     The game was afoot! I was a man on a mission! I retraced my steps throughout the store to see if perhaps I did have a monumental senior moment. No luck! The more I searched the more angry I got! I then proceeded to do a systematic search of every aisle in every department in the store. I finally located my shopping cart in the Pet Aisle hidden behind a floor display. The funny thing is that I didn't go down the Pet Aisle. I've got to tell you, I was a little steamed! If this was someone's idea of being funny...I don't get it! How dare they!?

     I went through the check-out without further incident. The more I thought about it the more I believe that I was the victim of a dumb prank! I still don't like it.

     Have you ever had anything like that happen to you? What did you do?

IS IT WEDNESDAY ALREADY? HODGEPODGE!

     It seems like just a week ago that it was Wednesday and time for another Wednesday Hodgepodge. Thank you Joyce for another set of thoughtful questions.

1. What's something you take for granted, that when you stop and think about it you feel truly grateful for?

    I suppose like most Americans I take the right to vote for granted. However, when I reflect upon other countries where people are not allowed to vote or who exercise their vote at great peril to their lives, I really appreciate the fact I get to vote secretly and that my little vote helps chart the future of this great nation. I like the fact that no one can tell me how to vote. 

2. The color brown-love it or no? What's your favorite shade of brown? Most loved something in your home or closet in a shade of brown?

     I like the color brown, I don't love it. We have some of the walls in our living room painted chocolate brown. I do not have a most loved something that is brown.

3. What's something you're looking forward to today?

     I'm looking forward to getting a delivery of heating oil and a delivery of a ton and a half of wood pellet fuel. SWMBO insists on being warm and I insist on pleasing SWMBO. The down side of the pellet delivery is that I have to find a place to stack the 75 forty-pound bags. I also had to move the 37 bags of pellets that the "Pellet Fairy" delivered a couple of weeks ago from the garage to inside the house to make room for the delivery later today.

4. The word 'feminism' is not new, but it has been generating all kinds of headlines in recent days and months. What do you think/feel when you hear the word? If you're a woman, do you want to be described as a feminist? Why or why not?

     I get mixed feelings when I hear the word "feminism." I believe that people should receive equal pay for equal work regardless of sex. A woman who has equivalent training, ability and experience should receive the same salary as a man. Sex should not matter. 
     The problem I have with some feminists is that they treat common courtesy as an insult. They resent a man opening a door for them or complimenting them on their appearance or giving up their seat for them. I find that aspect of feminism distasteful. I was raised to treat everyone with respect and courtesy, especially women. 

5. What's something you personally can't eat without making a mess?

     Anything with sauce! I cannot eat anything with sauce without getting some on my clothes. I often joke that I don't need a napkin when I eat, I need a drop cloth.

6. When did you last surprise someone with a little gift or when were you last surprised by someone with a little gift? What was it?

     SWMBO loves my meat stuffing. Saturday, SWMBO had to teach a pet first aid class and while she was at work I made six pounds of the stuff. She also had an eye appointment. When she pulled into the driveway to pick me up I met her with a steaming bowl of my stuffing. She was pleasantly surprised! 
     I was surprised by a delivery of a few bags of wood pellet fuel by the aforementioned Pellet Fairy a couple of weeks ago.

7. Share a favorite quote, saying, song lyric or scripture relating to gratitude.

     "I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well."    (Psalms 139:14)

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

     When I was stationed in merry ole England back in the mid-1970's with the U.S. Air Force it was really boring working third shift. The mission of the base where I was stationed was to essentially keep the lights on. If war in Europe broke out a wing of aircraft would fly into the base and operate from there.
     One of the things that annoyed our superiors was when out of boredom we would clown around on the radio. They said that it was childish and extremely unprofessional or some such nonsense. A couple of classic "Unauthorized Transmissions" are as follows...
    
POETRY  
     Patrol 1: Eeny meeny miney mo how do you read my radio?

     Dispatcher: Fee Fie Foe Fum, loud and clear with a little hum!

Here's another classic....

SCIENCE FICTION
      Patrol 1: Kirk to Enterprise, Beam me aboard!

      Dispatcher: Roger that Kirk, what size board is it that you require?

MENTAL HEALTH
     Patrol 1: I'm going crazy!

     Dispatcher: Who is this? What is your call sign?

     Patrol 1: I'm not that crazy!

FRESHLY MOWED GRASS HODGEPODGE!

     Today SWMBO and I had the granddaughters coming over to visit. SWMBO thought that the backyard needed mowing and asked me to take care of it. Loving yard work like I do, I jumped at the chance. (If you believe that last statement, I have a bridge in NY to sell you.) So I mowed the backyard. What has all this have to do with the Hodgepodge? Absolutely nothing! Enjoy this weeks Hodgepodge anyway!

1. I've read several posts and status updates recently describing end of year school field trips. Do you remember taking school field trips as a kid? Where did you go and do you recall a favorite? For any parents responding today, have you ever chaperoned a school field trip, and if so where?

     I have never chaperoned a field trip. I remember going on one 8th grade field trip where we went to a theater in the round and saw a production of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar." At the plays opening the actors came running down the aisle to the stage from behind us. It startled us to say the least.
     As an adjunct college teacher I went on a field trip to Washington D.C. with students in the Criminal Justice Program. We toured the Law Enforcement Memorial, U.S. Capitol, the White House, The FBI Academy, The U.S. Supreme Court and other monuments. One year we were honored by then U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter. Justice Souter graciously spent time with the students answering their questions and speaking to them about his experiences as a Supreme Court Justice. I suspect most of the students did not appreciate how significant or special a thing that was.

2. What's something you're tired of seeing online?

     The incessant pop up adds trying to sell one thing or another.
    

3. June is the month for roses. Which of the following expressions would you say has most recently applied to your life-'everything's coming up roses', 'there's no rose without a thorn', 'came out smelling like a rose', or 'wearing rose-colored glasses'? 

     I would have to say that there is no rose without thorns. Life is replete with examples of how good times are often accompanied by painful times. That's just life!

4. When grilling outdoors do you prefer gas or charcoal? Who does the grilling at your house? What's the last thing you ate that was cooked on a grill?

     Definitely Gas! It is so much cleaner than charcoal and there are no ashes to dispose of. I generally do the grilling at home. The last time we ate grilled food was on Memorial Day. We had pork ribs and hamburgers.

5. Are you afraid of the dark?

     Not really. I have spent the better part of my adult life working during the night hours so I am not afraid of the dark. I believe that I can avoid dangerous situations or if needed I can defend myself. Also, I am not above carrying a concealed firearm if prudence dictates that I do so.

6. Share a favorite song with a number in it's title.

     "25 or 6 to 4" by Chicago. "One" by Three Dog Night.

7. "Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves."(C.G. Jung). Do you agree? Why or why not?

     I agree. I have often found that the traits that really annoy me in other people are the very same traits that upon reflection I generally find in myself. I really don't know why that is, but it is. So I have to say that Mr. Jung has a valid point.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

     A man walks in to a butcher shop and he sees a showcase displaying bins with several types of brains. One bin had "Libertarian Brains" listed for $3.50 per pound. Another bin had "Conservative Brains" listed for $4.50 per pound. A third bin had "Progressive/Liberal Brains" for $129.50 per pound. The man asked the shopkeeper why the Progressive/Liberal Brains were so expensive? The shopkeeper answered " Do you know how many Progressive/Liberals you have to kill to come up with one pound of brains?" (Insert cymbal crash here)
     A man was ordered to apologize to a coworker for calling him a "stupid jerk!" The man went up to the coworker and said "I'm sorry I called you a stupid jerk. I thought you knew!" (Parum Pum!)

     Please understand that my anecdotes were meant to be amusing and not to give offense. If you took offense I apologize...I thought you knew! (Parum Pum!)     

U - UNUSUAL

Today's A to Z Blog Challenge letter is the letter "U." I thought about a number of words to write about such as "Unity" or "Utilitarianism" or "Unforgivable." I selected a word that I often identify with, and that word is "Unusual."

Many of your reading this know that I spent thirty years as a police officer. I have describe being a police officer as having a front row seat to the best show in town. I have seen so many unusual things during my career that now most things that strike others as unusual, I find to be fairly normal.

Sometimes while sitting around the campfire the subject of do you believe in ghosts or UFO's. This always starts an animated conversation.
For the record, I don't believe in either ghosts or extra-terrestrial life. 
These two subjects often elicit passionate, heated discussion and debate on the pro's and cons of each position.

Some people are absolutely convinced that they have either seen ghosts or attribute some inexplicable incident that they witnessed to the activity of ghosts. 
There are some things that happen that cannot be explained, however, I don't believe that these events are the result of the activity of spectral entities.

I believe in UFO's but I don't believe in extra-terrestrial life. If this seems inconsistent let me explain. I have seen things move across the sky that I could not either identify or explain. I just don't know what they were. They are unidentified flying objects.
I am not convinced that we have been visited by interstellar travelers or inter-dimensional travelers.

What do you think? Am I unusual?      

Q - QUESTION !

My A to Z Blog Challenge word for today is “QUESTION.” From the time that we could talk we question. One of our first questions is “Why?” Our parents heard that question so often that out of frustration they answered “Because I said so! That’s why!” or “Because I’m the Mommy, that’s why!”

As we grow older our question becomes more probing. We ask questions such as “How do birds fly?” or “Why do cats purr?” and the all time heart stopper “Where do babies come from?” As a typical male and father my answer was “Go ask your Mom!”

During the teenaged years the questions become more petulant. “Why can’t I stay out late?” or “Why can’t I go to the party? Everyone else is going?” They also give parents the third degree to justify their actions. “Did you ever drink alcohol before you were twenty-one?” “Did you ever smoke pot?” The worse...”Did you have sex before you were married?” UGH!!!

Adult years bring more substantial questions like “Why do I believe in God?” “Is the government really looking out for me?” “Will the Cubs ever win a World Series?”

Our senior years are fraught with questions like “Why did I do that when I was younger?” or “Why didn’t I do that when I was younger?” “Where are my glasses?” or “Where are my teeth?”

We ask questions all of our lives. The type of questions we ask are determined by our age at the time. We have different priorities at different times of our lives.

One more question, what do you think?

L - LAUGH

     I love to laugh! Despite all the trials of life I need to laugh. I suspect that I am not alone in this regard. I retired two-plus years ago after a 30 year law enforcement career. Here are a couple of amusing cop related anecdotes.

A state trooper stops a car filled with silver haired old ladies on the interstate for driving too slow. As the trooper walks up to the car he notices that except for the driver all the ladies are white as ghosts, gripping tightly on their seat belt.
The trooper speaks to the driver, telling her that he stopped her for driving too slow. The silver haired darling looked up at the trooper and told him that she was driving the posted speed limit of “25.” The trooper paused for a second and then realized her error. She was on Interstate 25. The trooper then understood why the passengers were all petrified, the car had just exited Interstate 95. (Insert cymbal crash here)

Another state trooper pulls over a car on the interstate. He walks up to the driver and informs him that he apparently left his wife at the previous rest stop a few miles back. The driver said “Thank God...I thought I’d gone deaf!”

I hope you laughed or at least was amused!

F - FUNNY

     Today is "F" Day at the A to Z blog. I had difficulty coming up with a word for "F" Day. You might say I pondered long and hard about an "F" word, not THE "F" word but any "F" word worth writing about.

My "F" word is "Funny." I love humor in all it's forms. There are certain stories and jokes that always makes me laugh no matter how many times I hear them. Here are a couple examples.

Two men are talking about death, specifically about how they would like to die. One says"I'd like to die like my grandmother did, peacefully and quietly in her sleep....not yelling and screaming like the other people in her car."

A man was stopped by a State Trooper for speeding. The Trooper walks up to the driver's window and explains to the driver why he stopped him. The Trooper goes on to explain that it is near the end of his shift and if the driver could give him an excuse for speeding that he has never heard before he would let him go with only a warning.
The man tells the Trooper "My wife ran off with a State Trooper two weeks ago and I thought that you were that Trooper trying to return her to me."
The Trooper says "Have a nice day!" and lets him go.

I hope these two short funny stories amused you and brought a little humor to your day!

"IT'S SPRING!" HODGEPODGE

     March is supposed to go out like a lamb if it comes in like a lion. This year it is going out like a lion. Apparently Mother Nature didn't get the Lamb/Lion memo. Well, at least we still have the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Our friend Joyce has come up with another series of thought provoking posers. I hope you enjoy reading them and the responses to them.

1. March is known as the windy month. Which of the following phrases best fits your March so far...'throw caution to the wind', 'three sheets to the wind', 'run like the wind', or 'see which way the wind blows'?

     I think "Run like the wind." This has been a busy month. Our grandaughter turned five years old this month and her party was the highlight of the month. She is such a sweet child and I'm happy to report my daughter and son in law are doing an exceptional job raising her and her younger sister. 
     Also, we celebrate the 31st anniversary of SWMBO's 29th birthday. Her 29th birthday was her favorite so we keep celebrating that one. 
     We also had Doctor appointments to repair her broken nose and monitor her cancer remission. So we're fairly busy this month.

2. Your favorite green food? Your favorite dish made with your favorite green food?

   
     My favorite green food would be green bell peppers. I love greem peppers in salads, in stews and on pizza. My favorite way to have green peppers is stuffed with a mixture of hamburg, rice, onions and tomato sauce.

3. Ever been locked out of your home-car-office-anywhere? Do tell!

    During the early days of my law enforcement career we often had only one car on the road per shift. During one such shift where I was the "Lone Ranger" I responded to an apartment complex to take a theft report. We always lock our patrol car whenever we leave it unattended.
     I take my report and finish my business inside the apartment complex. When I return to my locked patrol car I learned, to my great embarassment, that I had locked my keys inside. I resolved the problem by calling an off duty officer who lived nearby to come and bail me out. I took a fair amount of ribbing from my colleagues as you might imagine. 

4. Yoda, Kermit, Shrek, The Wicked Witch of the West, Oscar the Grouch, The Grinch, or Mike Wasowski (Monsters Inc.)...of the green characters listed, which one's your favorite and why?

     I have to go with "Yoda." He is kind, wise and a beloved Jedi Master. Need I say more?

5. "The first task of a leader is to keep hope alive."~Joe Batten Do you agree? Why or why not? 

    I agree that keeping hope alive is one of the tasks of leadership but I question whether it is the first task of leadership. It seems to me the first task of leadership would be dictated by the particular circumstances that a leader finds himself in.

6. Share a favorite song with an emotion in it's title.

    I have a few songs that fit the bill "More Than a Feeling" by Boston; "Feeling Alright" by Three Dog Night; "Love Hurts" by Nazereth. The Boston song is my favorite.

7. What's a road trip you'd like to take?

    I would love to have the resources to be able to buy an RV and drive throughout the United States with SWMBO and the fur babies visiting all the National Parks from Arcadia National Park in the State of Maine to Yosemite National Park in the State of California and all points in between.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

     What do your think happened to the Malaysian Flight that was lost a few weeks ago? I will offer a few ideas that range from the ridiculous to the sublime. First the ridiculous...
     A UFO of extra terestrial origin came down and transported the plane and all souls on board to another dimension for reasons that are clear only to the aliens. Depending on whether the plane and all souls on board are returned safely will determine whether the aliens are up to nefarious purposes or benevolent purposes.
Next comes the conspiracy theory...
     The aircraft and all souls on board were hijacked, either by the crew, or some of the passengers, or a combination of the two groups. The plane was flown to a secret landing strip on a remote island in the Indian Ocean where the plane is currently under cover being retrofitted for use in an upcoming terrorist attack. The passengers are either being held captive or they have been terminated with extreme prejudice. Now the most likely...
     The aircraft experienced a catastrophic, cascading, terminal malfunction that resulted in the aircraft crashing into the Indian Ocean with all souls on board being lost in the tragedy.
     The fact of the matter is that we don't know and that we will never know what happened until the aircraft is located and can be examined by experts. Any reports until that happens are just speculation. I pray for the passengers, crew and their families that empirical evidence showing the truth of what actually happened is found soon.

HEY MIKE! MIKE! MIKE! GUESS WHAT DAY IT IS? HODGEPODGE

     Some people find the GEICO camel "Hump Day" commercial annoying. As for me, I laugh every time I see it.  Another thing I enjoy whenever I see them are the weekly Hodgepodge questions. Thank you Joyce!

1. What was your biggest worry five years ago?  Is it still a worry?

     Retirement! As humans we all have the RC factor, that is the Resistance to Change factor. I approached retirement with great trepidation. Now that I am retired, I find that my worries were without basis or foundation in fact. Five years ago it was hard to believe that there would be life after retirement. I have found to my great relief that there is, in fact, life after retirement...and a pretty decent one at that!

2. Yesterday (October 15th) was National Grouch Day...what makes you grouchy? What cheers you up when you're feeling grouchy?

     If you were to ask SWMBO "Do you wake up grouchy in the morning?" She would answer "No...I usually let him sleep!" I am not a morning person...never have been, never will be! Having to wake up early in the morning makes me grouchy. Breakfast with my beloved SWMBO at one of our favorite restaurants cheers me up! Absent that, a good cup of coffee usually does the trick.

3.  In one word, how does it feel to be photographed?

     Awkward! I don't like being the center of attention.

4. Besides your parents, who would you say had the greatest influence on you in choosing your life path?  Explain.

     Indirectly, it was my Dad. I know the question asks for someone besides parents but Dad had the greatest influence choosing my life path. As we grew up my Dad instilled in both of his sons that we had an obligation to serve our country, preferably in the military. My brother and I both enlisted in the U.S Air Force. At the time I enlisted, the Air Force was short of cooks and cops. I chose to be a cop. When I went to Tech School I had an epiphany. I fell in love with the U.S. Constitution and the idea that we were a nation of laws, not of men. I became convinced that law enforcement was a noble profession. I spent the rest of my life pursuing a career in law enforcement and never looked back.

5. The crisp days of autumn are here ...what's something you like to eat, but only if it's crisp?

     Pork Rinds! Tortilla Chips and Salsa (Medium Hot) ! Potato Chips!

6. What's the most useless object you own?

     My Razor! Since I grew a beard last fall, I have not picked up my razor!

7.  Share a favorite fall memory.

     When I was a child, people in my neighborhood would rake leave into small piles and burn them. The aroma throughout the neighborhood was heavenly. Another favorite memory was raking leaves into a huge pile and diving into it, covering ourselves completely. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

       Are the members of the Tea Party really "anarchists?" Do they really want to abolish all government? Everything that I have read or seen on television tells me that the Tea Party are not anarchists. They do not advocate the abolition of all government.  
     What they do advocate is that the government abide by the restraints of power put on it by the U.S. Constitution. They further believe that our current government has grown too large and too intrusive into our lives. They further believe that the government spends too much and taxes too much. 
        If that makes them, as Senator Harry Reid refers to them, Tea Party Anarchists, then I too am a Tea Party Anarchist and coincidentally, so were our founding fathers! I think I'm in some pretty good company! They warned in their writings that the natural inclination of government was to grow more powerful and that government had to be restrained.  That is the genius of our Constitution. MAY GOD HELP US!

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE

     Well, it's Wednesday! That means it's time for the Hodgepodge questions of the week. These questions are brought to us by Joyce, purveyor of the "This Side of the Pond" blog. She has a knack of coming up with provocative questions. Please take time to join in on the fun.

1. Do you play games of luck/chance for money? Have you ever played bingo for money? Visited a casino?  Placed a bet on a horse? Bought a lottery ticket?
     I generally don't play games of chance. I did once attend a training seminar that was held at the Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. I walked around on the gaming floor just to see the gaming tables and the slot machines. There were a lot of slot machines. As far as lottery tickets go, I will but a ticket from time to time as the mood strikes me.

2.  Will you be preparing and/or dining on the traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage meal this St. Patrick's Day? Mashed-baked-hash browned-french fried...your favorite way to have potatoes?
     No! SWMBO and I don't do the St. Patty's thing. My favorite way to have potatoes is mashed.

3. What's the last thing you felt 'green with envy' over? 
     I don't recall ever being green with envy. I have thought to myself "That would be nice" when I saw something that someone else had, but I am okay with what I have. I really don't need anything! As long as I have God and SWMBO in my life I have everything!

4.  What's at the end of your rainbow?
     Heaven and eternal life!

5. March 12th marks the anniversary of the death of Anne Frank (June 12, 1929-March, 1945).  Anne's diary detailing her time spent hiding from the Nazi's during the war ranks as one of the best selling books of all time.  Besides your blog, do you keep any sort of diary or journal?  Was this a habit you developed as a child or is journaling something new for you?
     I don't keep a diary or journal.

6. What's an item in your home or closet that contains every color of the rainbow?
     A couple of our granddaughters' toys.

7.  Write a limerick with you as the subject.  You can do it!!  Just remember this is a family friendly blog...don't make me get out my wooden spoon. 
     I don't know how to write a limerick...thinking of one makes me a little sick...I must keep it clean...and not wax obscene...or Joyce will strike with her spoon stick!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
     The good news is that we all have eternal life. The bad news is that our bodies do not! We are not bodies that have a soul but rather we are all souls that have a body, a temporary body that is slowly wasting away daily. Our souls will live on forever, either with God in heaven or away from God, eternally separated from Him in a much less pleasant place. The choice is ours as to where we will spend that eternity.  The bad news is that many will choose separation from God and the less pleasant place. Think about it! Please choose wisely!

HODGEPODGE WEDNESDAY!!!

     This is my second Hodgepodge in as many weeks! Some of these questions are quite thought provoking. I am purposely answering these questions without first looking at SWMBO's answers. I did not want to be influenced by her wisdom. 

1. My real life friends came through with another question this week so thank you real life friends. When you've eaten in a restaurant do you complete their comment card? Do you take online surveys highlighted at the bottom of store receipts? 
     Sometimes yes, sometimes no! If the server and service were exceptional then yes. If the service or server were substandard or poor I do not. Everyone has an off day now and then and I choose not to compound it by complaining. Life is too short! I generally do not complete online surveys.

2. The (US) ban on women in combat was lifted at the end of January. It will probably be next year before specifics are worked out, but its been reported over 200,000 front line positions will eventually open up to women.  Your thoughts?
      Generally, I'm opposed to the idea. I strongly believe that it is a really bad idea. Men and women are significantly physically different and significantly emotionally different. The Israelis assigned women to combat years ago and have since backed off from that policy. Their experience can be instructional if we choose to learn from it.
     Having said that, if women are going to fill combat roles than they MUST meet the same standards, physical and otherwise, as anyone else. Not "gender normed" standards, but the same standards.

3.  In looking back at all the blog posts you've written, what's your favorite post title? 
            "One Man's Life...A Personal Reflection!" This was written to celebrate the life of a friend and church Elder who passed away from cancer. His name is Duane Coss and he enriched the lives of everyone who were privileged to know him. He was a man of impeccable character. I respected him! I trusted him implicitly! I loved him him as a friend. Judging from those who spoke at his memorial service, I am not alone in my opinion!

4. What's worse-overly permissive parents or overly protective parents?  Did your own parents lean more to the permissive or the protective category?  If you're a parent where do you fall? 
     Overly permissive is worse in my humble opinion. Boundaries are necessary to raise healthy, well adjusted children to adulthood. It is easier for protective parents to ease up on being protective when their kids show themselves to be trustworthy and responsible. However, it is more difficult for permissive parents to become more restrictive and controlling when, not if, the kids get into mischief.

5.  Candlelight-moonlight-firelight-bright lights in the big city...which one's your favorite? 
          A campfire out in the country is my favorite! Moonlight on a cloudless night is good, too!

6. Dr. Seuss's birthday was celebrated on Saturday. What's a favorite book you remember (Seuss or otherwise) from your own childhood?  Did books play an important role in your growing up years? Explain. 
     I loved to read as a young boy. I loved the Hardy Boys mysteries. I also enjoyed reading historical fiction.

7.  To quote Dr. Seuss...

"From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere." 

from One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

Share something funny you've recently read, seen or heard.  
       There are certain anecdotes that always make me laugh. Here's an example...A fish was swimming along and hit a wall. He said "DAM!"

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
     A recent news story reported that an elderly resident in a retirement home collapsed. A nurse from the facility called "911." The 911 Operator  asked the nurse to perform CPR. The nurse said that it was against the retirement homes policy for staff to administer CPR. The nurse made it clear, despite the pleading of the 911 Operator, that she was not going to perform CPR.
     When a medical professional refuses to try and save a life and idly stands by while that life ebbs away AND this behavior is acceptable, we are in big trouble as a society! We are in big trouble as human beings! Remember being taught that human life was priceless? Well, apparently it is not! What a shame!

     Thanks, Joyce, for another excellent set of thought provoking questions!

HODGE PODGE WEDNESDAY

     My beloved SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed), AKA, my wife, answers these Hodgepodge questions every week and has challenged me to participate as well. I am one of the few men who is secure enough in his manhood to do so!

1.  When were you last facing an ocean? Using just ONE word, describe how you felt as you faced that ocean.
We took our dogs to the seacoast one weekend two years ago and drove up along the coastal highway to Maine. My one word would be "Awed."

2. What are three sounds you hate to hear?
(1) SWMBO moaning in pain; (2) Any child crying; (3) Screeching tires that precedes a crash!

3. This question comes to you courtesy of some real life friends. Hi real life friends! When you shop for yourself, do you try everything on in the store before buying or do you buy, try on at home, and then return what you don't like or what doesn't fit?
I try on pants, shoes and jackets. I buy and try on the rest at home .

4. February 26th is National Pistachio Day...are you a fan of the little green nut? Do you use them in cooking and baking or prefer to eat them right out of the shell?
I love pistachio nuts and pistachio ice cream.

5. When did you last have to compromise with someone?  Were you happy to reach the compromise or slightly irritated it was necessary? 
Being married for as long as I have compromise is often necessary. Generally, I do what SWMBO wants me to do. Sometimes I dig in my heels and she compromises. Somehow it works out for both of us.

6.  Have you ever written a letter to an elected official? Did you get a response?
I wrote my Congresswoman for voting for a bill she had not read. She responded with a form letter response.

7. We 'March' into a new month at the end of this week...what's something on your March calendar guaranteed to make you smile?
March Madness basketball. This is another nail in Winter's coffin, meaning we are that much closer to Spring and Summer!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
SWMBO writes the blog, Life Through Bifocals. She is the love of my life, my dearest and best friend and the most wonderful person that I know. Travelling through life with her by my side is an absolute privilege and pleasure!

Well, how did I do for my first time Hodgepodge-ing?

THEY'RE ANIMALS I TELL YOU!!!

     Over my career I have had several incidents that involved wild or domestic animals. Sometimes when recounting these events to my friends, they bust my chops because what I said isn't what they heard.
     Exhibit "A" - I was driving up a hill that curved to the right. As I entered the curve, a huge owl was flying down the hill about four feet above the ground. It missed hitting my patrol car windshield by what seemed to be inches. Imagine having a bird strike while driving a car. When I recounted the incident to friends and colleagues, without exception and without missing a beat they asked me "How high were you flying?" 
     Exhibit "B" - While driving around at night it is very common to see whitetail deer along the side of the road or in the cornfields. I also hunt deer in the fall. I'm really great at hunting, not so great at finding. 
     I always see more deer along the side of the road while on duty then I ever have see in the woods. So, from time to time I have observed to my friends "I have seen more deer, sitting in my car, then I ever have in the woods." Again, without exception and without missing a beat they ask "How did the deer get inside your car?"
     Besides errant owls and free ranging deer, I have also had to corral domestic animals that had escaped from their enclosures.
     On one such occasion a bull had escaped and was running loose in a neighborhood. Being a city boy, born and bred, I had absolutely no idea how to return the errant bovine to it's rightful place. I kept envisioning a soon to be  news account of a police officer being hospitalized after getting gored by a bull. I did once witness a bullfight in Spain while I was in the military but there's never any picadors around when you need them and I left my red cape and matador sword at home.
     Fortunately, I was able to locate the bull's owner who returned the bull to it's enclosure.
     Another time I responded to a report of a burglary-in-progress. The homeowner reported hearing something crash in the living room. Upon investigating the report I noticed that the screen from the skylight was lying on the floor. I then noticed a pair of yellow eyes looking at me. The eyes belonged to a raccoon that had climbed onto the roof, stepped onto the screen and came crashing down into the living room.
     Being a city boy was of no help here, either. I had no idea about what to do. One thing that I was sure about is that if the animal attacked and/or bit anyone I was going to shoot it. I was not going to subject myself to a rabies series for nobody!
     What did I do you may ask? I opened a window and used some lattice work to form a ladder and coaxed the raccoon to the open window. Once the raccoon was leaning out the window, a quick push on it's butt sent it scurrying off into the night.
     Being a police officer exposes you to situations that range from the common- place to the bizarre. How to handle wild animals was never covered at the police academy. Upon reflection, these incidents still make me smile! 
     Enjoy your weekend and God bless you!   

YOU'VE GOT TO BE MAKING THIS UP!

       People sometimes ask me what being a police officer is like. There are many answers to this question. One of my favorites is "It's like having a front row center seat to the greatest show on earth!" It's incredible what we see on a daily basis. We see everything ranging from the horribly tragic to the absurdly funny. Here are a few examples of the latter.

       A police officer was operating stationary traffic radar. He clocked a vehicle exceeding the speed limit by 12 miles per hour. He effects a motor vehicle stop. He follows all the necessary protocols. He selects a safe place to make the stop. He positions his vehicle properly. He calls in the stop to Dispatch. When he leaves his patrol car he quietly closes the door. He walks up to the driver and professionally introduces himself. As he is explaining to the driver why he was being stopped the officer suddenly sees the car shudder and simultaneously hears a bump. Upon looking to his left the officer sees his patrol car tight against the  car that he stopped. Although the officer tried very hard to do everything right, he forgot one little thing...he did not place the gear selector of his patrol car into "Park" before getting out to make contact with the driver. The correct term for this is "OOPS!"

       A police officer stops in at a convenience store to get a cup of coffee. He parks his fully marked police cruiser in front of the store. He walks into the store and goes to the coffee bar. While he is at the coffee bar, in full uniform, a man walks in and walks up to the counter. The man pulls a gun, points it at the clerk and announces a robbery and demands cash. 

       The officer couldn't believe what he was seeing. He immediately took cover, drew his sidearm and to the utter amazement of the robber, announced his presence and made the felony arrest. This deep thinking robber walked past the fully marked police car to enter the store. You can't make this stuff up.

       Another deep thinker walks in to a Pizza Restaurant and asks for a job. The manager gives him  an application form and a pen. The applicant completes the form and hands it to the manager. His next move was to pull a gun and rob the store. He left leaving the store leaving the job application behind. He was arrested a very short time later. He apparently used his full name and address on the job application. He wasn't hired!

       Well, I hope you had a laugh or two. There are many more such examples of criminal humor which just might be the subject of future blog entries. Just when you think that you've met the dumbest person to ever draw breath, someone always comes along to prove you wrong! Enjoy your day.