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We attended a reception and saw these shoes on the sidewalk by the main door. Evidently the owner of these sweet shoes just could not stand them any longer!

Okay not controversial at all, certainly not extreme nor unpopular or racist, just been listening to so many news casts that I felt I had to elaborate some "key" words to get your attention and maybe bend your thinking some what like the media does.

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Last week I had my left eye cataract surgery done. We drove the 100 mile trip so easily with our new GPS, in fact so easy that we arrived nearly an hour early for my appointment. We usually get lost but Fritz takes direction far better from the automated voice of the GPS than he does from Lucy's voice.

Des Moines Lutheran Hospital, what a nice older building, built in 1945 and maintained beautifully. Very pleasant place with excellent staff. Fritz and I were very impressed. After the procedure our nurse even made a fresh pot of decaf for me and served it with just the right amount of cream, now that is service!

Several hours later we had to meet the surgeon at his office so he could check my eye before we headed home.

His office is right by the beautiful Iowa State Capitol building so I blindly(literally) snapped this shot. Normally I use my left eye through the view finder with this camera so this actually turned out pretty good using my right eye.

The Iowa flag and US flag looked so nice as a rain storm approached I managed to stumble around to get this shot.

Here's the scary picture......Are you ready? My face was bruised from the surgery and remains bruised like a black eye. Also unable to wear my much needed eye make up and should avoid getting water in my eye while washing my hair. I find it easier to let my hair go until I want to "be careful".

Beware the following picture is rated PG for horror:

Other than looking scary I am doing very well and my vision is sharp and clear. Glasses only for reading small print.

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I'd like to think this is the real"me" at least it is the pre-op me.

                                                       What have you been doing as you see summer dancing it's last dance of the season?

I dearly love my yellow roses.

From the budding

to the opening of the bud

To the full bloom

To the last effort before falling away

It is all beautiful.

When did "cotton" balls become "fluffs"? Guess since there is no cotton in them they have to have truth in labeling. Fluffs? Not "polyester balls"  but Fluffs? 

I had passed this old house many times and one day finally screeched to a halt and turned off the highway onto the gravel road for a Kodak moment. It had been stirring my curiosity for quite some time. The absence of any outbuildings, no driveway and electrical lines to the poles sparked my interest even more.

Drawing closer I could see this emblem sign

I peeked into a lower window and several rows of folding chairs were in place as if a meeting was about to begin. The yard was mowed and the roof looked in good shape, but the several broken windows and dangling electrical wires spoke of neglect and disuse. I was surprised the emblem remained, Is this the Mason's emblem?

I keep a journal of quotes, witty sayings and profound thoughts that I hear, read or actually create from my own thinking. Often while reading a book, magazine or greeting card etc I will jot down what I think are interesting phrases or facts.

Seldom do I take the time to jot down the author or who to credit with it. Bits and  pieces of paper litter my desk. My journal is stuffed to overflowing with cards and papers as they wait for the day and the time I will organize everything for my own enjoyment later. Among all these things I have little notes about things I want to research like someone on tv saying "Kathy Griffin is the Will Rogers of our time." I thought,"who is this  Kathy Griffin?" I know who Will Rogers was, a humorous, social and  political commentator and rodeo movie star of the 20's and 30'. Sounds like someone we need now". A quote from Wikipedia says" his clean moral tone lead various schools to take classes to see his movies." Oh how I wish I had credited the author of "Kathy Griffin being the Will Rogers of our time".  When someone makes comparisons like this just how knowledgeable could he possibly be in anything else? I know who she is now, in case you do not know who she is just think 'as different from Will Rogers as night is from day.' If you do not know of her then you will not like her performances, believe me. What an outlandish comparison.

With that in mind I am trying to be more careful as I hurriedly jot down a phrase I like and really try to credit the source....and either to follow further that source or to run run as fast as I can from it. So not plagiarizing has value doesn't it?

Do you keep a journal? I actually call mine a 'sorta' journal'.

In my lifetime I have "dabbled" in many things. I am much like that saying,"Jack of all trades, master of none". The list is long and varied and no doubt boring to everyone but myself. A brief synopsis ranges from teaching myself to play the guitar, knitting, wine making, piano lessons, quilting, taking college classes in the evenings, making my own and my daughter's clothing, studying judo, taking an appraisal course on antiques and imitating Martha Stewart to a fault ( like hot gluing Sousaphones to the wall). Then there is golf which I love but am not good at but very eager to learn more. Getting into each and every interest with both feet, spending far more than I should and no doubt far more time than is healthy, then I pack it all away and begin an adventure into something else, always "knowing just a little about many things and many things about nothing". But today when I am not keeping house I find 3 hobbies enduring, antiques, golf and taking photos.

Did you note the fairly new looking bungee cord on that barn? Makes me wonder if that is holding the barn together. Also note what a big difference color or black and white makes. I do enjoy b/w.
Lately I've often been seeing the world through my camera lens and what a world it is!
This just might be the hobby I will stick with like my love of antiques and love/hate relationship with golf. Remember I warned you, it's all about me.