I Hate Texting!

I am about to show my age...all 51 years of it...I know this because when I shared my opinion on this topic to my daughter who is 26 years old...she said "You are showing your age!"

I hate Texting!
as in "Ronda send me a text with the information!"
I never learned to type having read that Jacqueline Kennedy said supposedly
"If you learn to type you become a typist!"
So...with this information I have sat waiting for my non-typing self to become the first lady!

So when asked to text information to someone this non-typing girl who was all thumbs to begin with can't use her thumbs to text...hence, I hate Texting!

I hate texting as in,
I am here and you are here...only you are hunched over a square box while you thumbs are moving at crazy rate of speed...making you look like some sort of evolutionary human being!
While I sit across from you looking like the missing link!

I do-not-like-greatly you sitting across from me Texting at a restaurant while I am forced to stare at wallpaper or make witty conversation with the waiter!

You Texting while with me...makes me feel there is a better party somewhere else and I haven't been invited!

When you are driving and Texting with me in your car....
Well, I don't have to type what I said...

Because I screamed it at 65 mph!

Texting is stupid....

They have this wonderful device and it is very near to what you are using right now...
Each individual has a number attached to their person...
you merely punch in these numbers (if your phone is super-fancy...you just speak my name)
and you will hear "Hello!"

And wonders of wonders...
It is like the person is sitting next to you!

OH WAIT... I AM SITTING NEXT TO YOU!

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

My guest blogger for July's Bloggy Book Club is Lauren, my future Daughter-in-law and she loves reading as much as I do.


The Art of Racing in the Rain was a pleasant surprise and probably not a book I would have picked up on my own. I have a bad habit of sticking with the same authors and I am trying to branch out. The story is written from the family dog’s perspective which presents a completely different light to the triumphant and tragic events this family endures. Garth Stein does an incredible job capturing what the dog feels; a difficult task when the character is not capable of talking. You fall in love with the characters and find yourself crying when tragedy happens and rejoicing when grace falls upon them.

I believe that anyone, not just those who love dogs, should invest in this book. There are a great number of lessons learned along the way that anyone can relate to. One that I took away with me was you will stay here on Earth until whatever it is you are supposed to do is accomplished. Sometimes people die unexpectedly and no one really understands it, but just as the dog learns in the book it merely means their job here is done.

As a dog owner, I often wonder how my dog views the world in which he lives. He experiences my life in the most unfiltered way possible. He is a witness to fights, growing in relationships, tragedies, and triumphs. I am able to be vulnerable in front of him because I do not have any fears of him judging me. He loves me unconditionally and never questions the things I do wrong. Maybe this is because he cannot talk? Or maybe not? I truly believe that dogs are sensitive, caring creatures and that even if they could talk they would help you learn from your mistakes and, just like a mother or a sister, be behind you every step of the way.

Come on People...Get Happy!

Tourists Come in All Sizes, Shapes and Shades of Red

I love to people watch and recently while at Disney...while all others in my party risked life and limb on a roller coaster ride...I had the opportunity!
We in Florida love our tourists...really...and if anyone here ever gives you the impression otherwise, you remind them it's because of you that we don't have a state income tax!

So...it is with love in my heart that I offer these observations...

For the love of God and all that is holy please put some clothes on those pale translucent white limbs and some sun block... say like 100 spf. Your bright red tender flesh reminds me how quickly shrimp cook in a fry pan!

Some fashion advice...even a 51 year old grandmother (me) knows you do not wear white or brown socks with flip flops...I mean really...I don't know how you say "Dork" in France but we here in Florida have a mental picture of you now to put in our dictionary.

Also...when your small child says..."Mom, I think I am going to be sick..." you have maybe, at most three seconds to get ready for vomit!
I must say Miss woman from New York...you don't seem to know the meaning of a New York Minute...but your small daughter does!

And...lady talking on your cell phone about your grandchildren and your daughter-in-law...I almost slapped you! (again, with only love-in-my-heart)
With everyone listening because you have a big and insensitive mouth you disparaged your grandchildren aged 11 and 13 by saying they are ungrateful brats because their mother hasn't taught them any better... I wondered what you have taught them!

To the older couple who sat with their disabled daughter in the wheel chair while she cooed like a baby...I saw you watching other people as I watched you...I know you felt badly about envying others. I hope my speaking to your daughter and she cooing to me made it a little easier.Thank you for sharing that it was her fourth birthday...I saw the tears well up in both your eyes when I said she was beautiful and she is...and so are both of you! I treasure this memory.

I saw much more...

friday foto and Cute Candid Carrie

Riley is checking out the latest from newegg.com...she and Miley were considering making some purchases!






They have made themselves at home at the rental house in Jacksonville...
they are getting used to living out of a suitcase rather quickly.


For more friday fotos visit Cute Candid Carrie and while you are there congratulate her on winning an opportunity to attend the very prestigious Bread Loaf Writers Conference. There are some expenses Carrie will incur attending this conference that I am hoping we can help her with.
If you have enjoyed your many Fridays with Carrie ...please join me in helping her with travel expenses as it is costly.
She is very talented and it is my pleasure and joy to be her friend...I know many of you feel the same way!
Email me or comment of your desire to help and I will let you know where to send the love!
And if you would like to blog about this...all the better!
Please visit Carrie and tell her how proud you are of her!

Random Ronda's Rants

I am in Jacksonville...it has been interesting...we stayed for a month in St. Augustine and then the following two months in Jacksonville. We are remodeling a few fast food restaurants...I won't say which because I will rant about that in the next sentence or two! It takes us about a month to remodel one and the work is fast paced and difficult...we are doing these because we don't have anything else right now!
We are grateful for the work but...it isn't fun being away from your home and family.
What is fun however, is living in someone else's home! We have chosen to rent homes in the area we are working in...I loved the older bungalow we stayed in St. Augustine and the walking lifestyle it afforded us. The second home was a third floor condo on the inter coastal...our dogs became city dogs quickly and learned what the "dings" of the elevator meant! The home we are currently staying is on the St. Johns river and so far has been very peaceful.

My rants...I do not ever shop at Walmart but the closest grocery store is a Super Walmart and so that is where I was yesterday...
They had two register lines open for 10 items or less, with about 10 people in each line. The other register line was labeled 20 items or less and had about five people in it...the other line was for the fools who bought more than twenty items and I was in ...IT! Me and about thirty people waited in one line with other people who chose to buy more than twenty items of Walmart's cheap stuff and we are rewarded... with a twenty minute wait!
This makes no sense to me!
I miss you Publix...very much!

My second rant...
We are remodeling a popular fast food restaurant...they really need to be remodeled...they look nice when we are done...nice little stucco boxes...with no insulation of any kind in them!!! In Florida...no insulation...yes, I am contributing to part of the problem!!!
I guess, this is more of a confession than a rant!
Enjoy your day!

Michael Jackson is Still Dead...

I am so tired of the Michael Jackson coverage that I am turning off all media in my car and home...this is just surreal to me. It has made me consider how our news coverage has become...not NEWS! Before, turning off Good Morning America...I heard that ABC is running three Michael Jackson specials today! CNN is just as bad.
I have wanted information on Tegucigalpa and I haven't been able to get very much at all.
But, Lord help me, I have heard every thought imaginable about Michael Jackson.


RIP Michael Jackson...but today I would like some peace from all the people trying to make money off of your corpse!

May you have a peaceful day and enjoy your blessings!
God bless the people of Honduras and keep them in your care.

It's a Pool Party for a Little Lady!

My grand daughter's second birthday party was last weekend and it was so much fun.

Her parents held a pool party in her honor complete with crown!


She loved trying on her new clothes saying "On" each time she got a new outfit!




She loved eating cupcakes and ice cream! Her cupcakes were lovingly made by Mommy and her older brother.

My sweet girl is fearless like her Mommy, Daddy and her brother...Here she is swimming...kind of...she makes my heart stop!
For more heart stopping pictures go see Cute Candid Carrie for friday fotos!

July's Bloggy Book Club

July's Bloggy Book Club choice is The Art of Racing in The Rain by Garth Stein and my guest blogger will be Lolo my future daughter-in-law who likes to read even more than I do!
I have already read this book and I loved it...it is written in a unique and captivating way...the narrator is a dog. I love this book...it will be one of my all time favorites and I look forward to reading what Lolo thinks. This is a great read and great story told by Stein and his character Enzo the dog.

Wordful Wednesday

This has been a hard month for me...I haven't been able to see my grand children very much as we have been away! They are angels...well, also a spider man and a kitty cat! These were stolen off of facebook...it is a wonderful invention that has allowed me to see what they are up to!
Have a wonderful Wordful Wednesday and to see what others are up to visit Angie at Seven Clown Circus