New Gadget in my life

Well, I got one of those handy dandy Smartphones, a gift from my son.  I've been happily pushing buttons, sliding screens and trying to remember where I saw this gadget or that gadget.  Settings are the main thing.  I received the phone yesterday.

Today, an emergency trip to the ER with my father.  Of course, I had to learn how to message, call and add contacts.  Good thing my sister was with me.  She had her trusty phone and did the majority of the calls.  I managed four out of the 26 notifications we usually send.  Of course, before I could do that, I had to charge the battery.  Still hadn't taken the charger and ear phones out of the plastic.

So, during the time immediately after the ambulance departed with my father, I was tearing open the plastic to charge the phone.  Was able to charge it enough to get it turned on.  Then Sis shows up and we head out.  Lucky for me, I'd bought a car charger.  Unfortunately, it wasn't needed as Sis had one of those handy dandy dual chargers.  So, I'd wasted precious time and energy tearing the plastic off the car charger.  We arrived in time to get the pertinent info to hospital staff.  Then, I made the trek to the waiting room to finish charging the phone, and start the adventure of making phone calls on the handy dandy smartphone.

Yesterday, when my phone was being set up, I was shown the instruction book.  It was carefully packed inside the box along with the other essentials I'd need.  I was duly informed that I'd not need that book as the phone was designed for on the job training.  So, I was sitting there, greeting people who hadn't yet answered their phone.  Why?  Cause I'd forgotten to swipe it to the left; or was that right? Finally broke down and used my old phone to make a couple calls.  Then began the arduous process of finding the phone numbers, transferring them to my new phone, then trying to call or message.

By the time I managed to answer a couple of the messages coming in fast and furious, Sis comes to let me know I needed to call everyone and tell them Father was being held overnight.  I sighed.  She stood there, gave me the look, sat down and proceeded to make a few calls, send text messages like a madwoman, give cheerful greetings to passing people we knew who were also making a trip to the ER.  So, I duly picked up my phone, managed a hello to one person as three were on their way out as the patient was being transferred and proceeded to make one call home.

Still, one out of 26 wasn't bad.  By the time we left, my phone was fully charged, had a few more of the contacts added, and was at least finding the screen where I could call.  Was I happy when Sis came to tell he was in his room and I could leave off trying to call.  We arrived to find him eating, wondering where the TV was.  Relief flooded my frazzled brain.  At last, something I could easily handle.

From father

{dated 31 Oct 2011}
to #1 daughter

I am fully convinced that nothing is ever done until everyone is convinced that it ought to be done, and have been convinced for so long that it is now time to do something else.

Father

{As you can see, father, we need to discuss another way of getting your blogs. I came across this while cleaning my inbox of spam and/or other junk. I miss the most important emails all because I have to get those dang emails from my soon to be 7th favorite site. On top of that, they keep asking me for permission to send emails. What's up with that?}
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{dated 19 Nov 2011 at 1521}
to #1

men, and women, occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.

also nobody even does his best, that's why we all have a chance to do better.

father

{Now, this is something I must ponder on. Thanks for those words of wisdom on this fine Monday afternoon. I think I must write a longer post on this one.}
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{dated for 19 Nov 2011 at 1620.}
to #1

a person who never makes mistakes must get tired of doing nothing.

father

{Well this one I caught. Just didn't take time to post it as you know very well that we had fry breaded dogs and birthday cake on Sunday. Which, by the way, was a bit of fun. We played dice after you left specially as we know how you feel about gambling. teehee.}
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{dated for 19 Nov 2011 at 2107}
to #1

it is better to undertake a large task and get it half done than to undertake nothing and get it all done.

father

{Thrice in one day? Interesting! Veerrry iiiinnnnteeeresting.}

November is that time again

Every year for the past five years, I've been getting ready for the trick or treaters and writing at midnight, 01 November, [0000] which is what I did tonight. I've been getting my sort of outline ready. Spent the last couple days looking over the NaNo site. Some changes have taken place.

A n n d, on my third favorite place, I've been frantically trying to get a 50% 4 in 1 stove for the you know what. and doing the three or so Catering Orders with it's attendant goals. You know the ones that everyone [at least the ones I see in "the forums,"] likes to complain about because there is so much to do in one 7-10 day period.

Some of us have even managed to convert all our stoves to the handy-dandy 50% ones. Not the nifty little 4-in-1. Oh no, that one you have to trick or treat and that involves going to your buddies walls. Now the fine thing would be a light or something like the kiddies have. Then you'd know if someone had a treat. I think it might have been something to do with the trick or two that happened to get posted. Those aren't as noticible. Drats. NaNo has affected me already and I only wrote 50 words.

I manage to stay awake until midnight, write my paragraph and go to sleep. This year, I am also trying to do a little more than I usually do. I have the cover for the book set. Now to get the thing uploaded while at the same time not worrying about editing. Not sure how that is going to work out. Might not make 50,000 words.

I also spent a lot of time sleeping since I got back from "the trip." I did get a chance to look over the pictures and will be setting up a photo album. I will also be working on my neighbor's camera and Ipad whenever the camera gets here. She mailed it to herself. Then I will have a few more of the prettier, ...not prettier, more stunning pictures of Bryce Canyon. Antelope Canyon was breathtaking also.

The Grand Canyon which was the highlight of the trip was not as awe inspiring because I was so high up. We didn't go down into the canyon. The rim where I walked to take pictures didn't have a railing. Of course, I walked along looking at the little 3x4 window of the camera. I happened to really look at the ground, saw the round stones, saw how close the edge was and decided it was not the place to be tripping. I usually manage to walk into something during the day. [Father used to yell at me "Get your nose out of that book. You're supposed to be cooking." Sigh, thump, ouch for grabbing the hot handle of the griddle.] It was along that order, so I moved a couple feet away and didn't get many good shots. Huuuuah.

Well, what do you know? I wrote more in this blog than I did for the official start of Nano.

From Father

to #1 daughter

I remember when you were in elementary school yet and was attempting to form a new band. Well, here is something for thought.

The employees at the tire factory have formed their own orchestra and they're calling themselves the "Rubber Band".

Father

From Father

Sent to me on Tuesday:

Thoughts to ponder on your elder's trip.
And if love is blind, how can there be love at first sight?
How do you tell when you've run out of invsible ink?
Youth is when you blame all your problems on your parents. Maturity is when you learn that everything is the fault of the younger generation.

Have fun on the trip

Father

Sent to me on Wednesday:
to #1

Show me a man in hot water and I'll show you a man who doesn't have cold feet.

Father

And now, father, I will be checking why the notifications aren't working. You may have to send me a text message. Smoke signals are getting lost in the wind and rain the past couple days. The moccasin telegraph has broken due to the cold outside. Heck, I had to hitchhike to the store because I could only make it halfway there. no. #1

Another post from Father

To #1

Cross a four leaf clover with poison ivy and perhaps you will get a rash of good luck.

from Father

Father's post for the week

advice from one who loves you.

Never work before breakfast. If you have to work before breakfast eat your breakfast first.

Father

A Few Words from my father

A Few Words from my father:

My how time flies! Seems like just a little while ago that Millie arrived as a premature baby, weighing only four pounds ten ounces. So small and tiny that she had to live in an incubator for a couple weeks until her weight reached five pounds. And now, just the other day, August 1st, 2011, in fact, she became an official elder having attained the age of fifty five.

She thrived however, and I'm sure if you ask her she'll tell you about the time as a three or four year old she was running into the house, bumped her head on the table, then whirled around and bit it.

Meanwhile, consider: An echo can have the last word but it doesn't contribute much that's new.

Fathers who should know better.

My father and I sat and had a long talk about the business yesterday. Interesting.

Me: Well.

Father: {shrugs his shoulders while trying to hide a grin.}

Me: {tapping my foot}

Me: {drumming my fingers on the table}

Father: {puts palms up in the air, shakes his head, then hides his mouth with one hand.}

I gave an exasperated sigh, shook my head and left the room before he could see the twinkle in my eyes.

That's the extent of the conversation we had about the 'guest post'. He followed me into the kitchen and told me I write good. Told my sister I'm a chip off the old block. As if that will excuse any more pranks he has up his sleeve. Somehow, I'd forgotten just where my sister gets her sense of humor. I failed to foresee this possibility.

I've been working on some guidelines for him. Today, he told me that he'd come up with something for me. Huuuuh, I don't know. I don't think I will announce when he is guest blogging anymore. I'll just post it after I see it. That way, if I get two or three solved crytograms as his post, I can leave it on my computer. Sometimes, it's hard to keep one step ahead of him, and come to think of it, my sister. I grew up with gullible written on my forehead.

I am the oldest, hence I shouldn't be falling for these little pranks of theirs. I may have posted on this very subject before, somewhere, somewhen. I keep telling myself, "I won't fall for their tricks again." A week, two weeks, sometimes a month goes by. Wham. There goes Millie's forehead again. Gullible must be painted in neon colors and it just gets to be too much for them to resist.

That's the only explanation I can think of. The younger ones also do this on a smaller scale. So far, I've managed to discourage them at least. Now, they all know how to read. It might get to be a tad difficult to keep their shenanigans in check.

I will see if my father is sufficiently recovered from his bout of laughter over the past day or so. Maybe I will get a decent blog post from him. I should strike while the guilt is thick. Yes, that is exactly what I'll do. {leaving to get a pack of the 'you know what' while the getting is good.}

Guest Blogger - My father

Well, I received the guest blog entry. The guest blogger is my father, of course. He is the man who wrote a column called "Facts by Ax" in the reservation newspaper in the nineties. Here is his entry:

computers make it less complicated to do more things, but most of the things they make less complicated to do don't need to be done.

Methinks he's having a bit of fun with me. Fathers. He does cryptograms. He calls me on the phone to give me words of wisdom. The foregoing is an example of the words he expects me to live by. And now, that his debut is over, maybe we'll get more of the same. Or not.

One never really knows just what he is likely to write. And, of course, now you have an idea of where I get some of my humor from. Ahhh well. I shouldn't have told him to keep it short. It must be my own fault. Methinks a submissions guideline is in order specifically tailored to my father. I must get to working on that right away.

Walk in the Dark

The stars were bright tonight as I walked home.  The village is becoming more civilized with street lights most of the way.  One stretch along Lovers Lane is dark.  See three porch lights with mine being furthest away.  I'm making an effort to enjoy the beauty of the night sky.  Frogs are quiet tonight.


Wishing my ride would come along.  Stayed on the other side of the road when I got by the cemetery.  Crossed over when I got near the corner.  By then my cigarette is almost out.  So, must concentrate on the sky.  


Too late.  One chill goes up my spine and I push away the stories that crowd through my mind's eye.  Make my feet keep their rhythm, angle my eyes to my porch light, still a ways yet.  Flick my eyes back to the sky.  My ears are tuned for the sound of the car, still hoping it'll get here.  


Ahhhh.  Light.  I've crossed the invisible line and relax.  Amble to the door and go inside. 


Sometimes I think about the old, old days.  I know what it is like to have no electricity, no indoor plumbing.  When I read about something happening in those days, I can see it.  I walked a lot but no where near what some of my ancestors walked.  


One of my great great great uncles had an ear infection.  His wife and sister ran all the way to the village from a logging camp near Gheen.  The superintendent hooked up his horse and cart and they went back to Gheen.  When they got there, it was decided to put him on the train and send him to Duluth.  That was where he died.  The women ran about 20 miles in 5 hours.   


My greatgrandmother often went to the woods to get birchbark.  My mom says she didn't know how Grandma carried that big stack on her back.  The men would go hunting deer and drive them towards one another in the hopes of getting enough to feed the village.    Traveling to get enough food and supplies for winter was around 70 miles one way.   


My great aunt was taken out of the Indian School and sent to live with her grandparents.  The grandparents lived in Canada.  Not sure where but that was a journey of about 70 miles.  From Wakemup Village to the Indian School was only 20 miles.  


I get leery walking 1/2 mile in the dark, with the pertinent part only about 100 yards.  My aunts, grandparents, others thought nothing of running in the dark for miles when they had to. I'm glad I have the choice to ride in a car to travel those distances.  Guess I won't complain about walking to the store.  Now, to find a way to stop the chills when it's dark.

Father's Day 2010

My father was born in the roaring 20's.  He served in WWII.  He talks about many different things that happened during his lifetime. 

One of his favorites is when my sisters and I were sent to get water at dusk time.  There wasn't any electricity in the village.  We had taken too long to get over the hill back to the house.  As we came around the corner, a black shape was coming up the hill towards us.  "A bear!" We dropped the buckets and tried to run.

After he shouted to let us know it was him, we still weren't ready to believe it.  One sister ran most of the way back up the hill, one tried to hide behind a bucket and one was swept up into his arms.  He finally calmed us enough to get us into the house.

I've been doing family history research.  Looking at the era he grew up in has given me a clearer picture of the man who is my father.  I don't always agree with him; I'm not quite the daughter he thought he raised.  He still lets me be me.

He's my father and I love him.