Thursday # 8 Border State . . . A good friend

My good friend is a wonderful person believes in everyone and everything.

I have never heard her say a a bad word about anyone.

One day her husband kisses her goodby leaves the house to go to work and has a massive heart attack and dies on the street. She is now a widow with a child in High School 

and one at Junior Collage.

Among all the things she has to do in this most horrible of times, she applies for survivors befits  for her children.

Our government rejects her claim.

Why ?

Because her dead husband is alive and working in a restaurant in Los Angles.

Her husbands social security number was stolen and bought on the black market as hers was too. She is also working in Los Angles.

So now every month she has to check her credit to be sure who ever is using her dead husband SS Number is not buying a house, car, electronic, clothes or a speed boat.

All thanks to an illegal who thinks that is OK to steal some ones identity then sell it, so that they can live and work in America illegally.

Heads up

The drug cartel has moved it's identity thief ring several years ago from Texas to Arizona.

I just can't wait for Nancy Pelosi, Raul Emanuel or better yet the daughter of someone important identity get stolen. I bet then we would find out we really do have an illegal problem at the Border States. 

If my computer holds up ....

Friday will be of course Square Dog Friday and Monday will be about my brother.

Thanks everyone for reading how I feel about illegal immigration, and what is going on in the beautiful state I live in.

It is so overwhelming and very unbelievable that sometimes I can't believe it either 

and I live here.

Education...

This is the post that makes me cry.

My grandfather and grandmother came from Poland. 

They had to make it across Europe and the Atlantic Ocean to come to America.

This was as a time (still is but no one wants to know this) when you had a health check and you needed a sponsor or a job waiting, not an Anchor Baby.

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Education was very to my family. Learning English was very first step.

My mother remembers helping out the Aunts and Uncles who would sit down and study with their children. 

Education in my Border State is just a play for power and votes. 

And this makes me cry. Education is everything. It is the window to the world.

Not to be used as propaganda. 

The mantra when illegally crossing the border is...

I want a better life for my children.

I want my children to go to school

Don't break up the family

and the most important one

No habla ingles 

One of my best friends in California was a teacher. 

She has now since retired and is beyond happy.

Why ? 

She was a 3rd and 4th grade teacher. She was the teacher everyone wanted their children to have. I did and I wasn't even in her school district ! Her class were fun, exciting and filled with the love of learning.

And then.... California started teaching to the test. So each class and school had to be above a certain number to get funding. You taught what the test was.

Her classes were about half Hispanic and half everyone else and her classes became some of the lowest scoring ones.  Very surprising to me.

I found out why one year right after Christmas vacation. Friends were sitting around

having drinks and nibbles and she let slip how she was dreading going back to school. We all guessed wrong... 

She said that most of her Hispanic kids would come back with less English that they left with.  

During the week she could keep them up with their English but as soon as they went home no English was spoken. Weekend were bad. No English TV not even Sesame Street or cartoons. So after two weeks off her kids had  less and less. Even with the ESL classes.  If you don't speak it and listen to English how can you learn.

If she wanted to keep a child back  to repeat she couldn't. The mothers would come and scream at her that is was her fault that their children were not learning, she was a racist and all the while waving their Mexican flags.   It is never their fault all responsibility to teach them was hers. So she would watch her kids move on with less and less English till they dropped out.

So much for the mantra "I want my kids to go to school "

In Tucson there are several school districts the biggest being the Tucson School District.

This school district is in Congressmans Raul Griialve 

newly redrawn 3rd Congressional District.

His daughter is head of the Tucson School District which is heavily Hispanic. Her mother in law in also on the board. 

Several years ago Tucson High School started a class that was to to a bridge class. It was to be about the history of Mexico open to all students, then it go to be a class for only Hispanic students instead of American history. The class professes the Hispanic kids need to learn about their culture because it made them better students. 

Ummm I didn't have a class for Polish students, or my friend didn't have classes on Vietnamese culture. ( Tucson has a huge Vietnamese population) but we need a class in Mexican culture in a city that is covered in the history of Mexico ?  

Their proof was every student who took this class got a better grade average. Well yes that was true because every student who took that class got an A. 

In all of my children's classes from regular class to AP classes not one class had every student getting an A. Never !

Plus how can your be teaching Mexican History and not know that Cinco de Mayo is about The Battle of Puebla and not Mexican Independence Day. 

I learned that in my American History class.

Plus so many of the teaching and book had to do with revolution, guerrilla warfare and insurrection. One of the main heroes was Che Guevara who looks better in a beret  and holding a cigar than any man I know. 

But many of his greatest anti capitalist quest like Cuba have fallen short.  But we saw where this teaching was all going when the Arizona Department of Schools wanted to remove this class to possibly an after school class and held an meeting on this subject. The Tucson High School kids jumped up at the beginning of the meeting and PUSHED the school board members out of the seats to the floor and took over.

Violence rules. 

La Raza group and Raul Griialve were very please with this maneuver. 

They exploited the children again for their need for voting power.

Education is important, It is just not talk.

It is also responsibility for PARENTS to teach their children and make sure they are learning, doing homework and most of all if you are living in America learning English.

But you will never see this on TV news all you see is the one Hispanic student in school that is doing really great.

Tomorrow, a death and what happen to my best friend.

The anchor baby and me

Yesterday post was about my Mum, today is about me.

I am a high risk pregnancy because of the death of my baby Nicole 

and almost death of my son David.

So my next baby was born at the Hospital in Orange, California that has a Children's Hospital (neonatal unit) next to it. Just waiting for my baby.

I went to hospital and deliver a healthy baby, thank goodness.

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The lady in the next bed to me in the room was very young Hispanic.

Since the Hospital was a teaching Catholic hospital, everyone gets care. 

We both had caesarean deliveries, ate the same food, had doctors check us, she had never seen her doctor till the birth, I had seen my doctors, so basically everything the same but...

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Before I left with my baby I had  a stack of papers to read and sign.  A social security number for my baby and bills to be paid beyond my insurance.

My roommate left with a baby, and a stack of papers to sign, for social security, aid to dependent children, food stamps, government agencies that she could sign up for programs and all the church groups that would feed and clothe her. Plus section 8 housing.

I paid for her baby birth and all the free items she was now going to receive
from my hospital bill and tax dollars.

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Fast forward 28years.

Right before I moved from California to Arizona I read in the paper about a young  Hispanic couple  that was so upset. Seems the extra government program they were in was closing down in a month. They had a 15 month old child and were expecting another and they needed the program because "you know how expensive diapers and formula is !'
Well yes I do ! I know how expensive babies are.

Well sure enough they just signed up for another program and were very happy.

If you can't afford one child how can you afford another and another and another ?
Well you can if the government keeps paying you to have children.

What about the need of our newly homeless that have been downsized. Senior Citizen who have to chose what bills they pay that month or buy food and returning Veterans.
What care and help do they get ?

A Veteran has to wait for an appointment at a VA Hospital for months and could possibly die before seeing one, as the papers had shown. But if your an illegal you go into any hospital you can get immediate care and can have a baby too !

Another reason why having waves of more illegal Hispanic mothers and children invading the border states is nothing different for us. We see it and pay for them everyday.
Sounds harsh, you bet but many of us are overwhelmed.

Tomorrow Education !
This is the one that makes me cry.

RESPONSIBILITY

RESPONSIBILITY

The state of being the person who caused something to happen.

A task or duty that you are required or expected to do.

A duty or task  that you should do because it is morally right.

Accountability.

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First post that highlights what illegals has done to four important people in my life.

 About 35+  years ago my Mother  had to have surgery.

Being on MediCare she had to get all the paper work done before and she was to be responsible for any extra costs.

She lived about five minutes from a hospital you could see from her kitchen window.

I just assumed she would go there. But instead she had to go to the hospital across town.

About 35 minutes away.

Why ? according to her doctor the hospital was always on the verge of being shut down.

The maternity ward was hemorrhaging money.  The Hospital could not pay its bills. Turns out in all the years the hospital was open, there was never a baby born there that was not paid by the State of Arizona.  I could not believe this ! I was so shocked.

 So to keep the hospital open, the only one on the south side of town, they closed the maternity ward.  That way they could keep the hospital open and look for a buyer.

 Some time later it was bought and assimilated into a group hospital. And the Maternity Ward was again open.

 The press was there for the big day.  TV and Newspaper, cameras at the ready.

Before they could cut the cake the first baby was born. To a Mexican National who's baby was paid for by the State of Arizona. She was "accidentally" in Tucson shopping (?) She said she didn't know her due date and this baby was a big surprise. The thing is she already had four children living at home in Mexico. 

 Now to anyone reading this due date or not when the baby turns and starts down the birth channel you know it ! and after four children she knew what was going on. She was in Tucson for a reason. And so it starts again. Anchor Baby, over and over again.

  She has two options both illegal in the way she will use it.

#1 She and her child stay in Arizona. She will get section 8 housing, social security, food stamps and aid to dependent children and she will have her ANCHOR BABY. As soon as they can the other children we join the  Anchor Baby and mother along with a few aunts, uncles and cousins, all illegal but the new baby. Then another Anchor Baby will be born for the money and another......

#2  She will have her checks sent to a friends home in Tucson but she will keep living in Mexico, Once a month she will come back cash the check buy food get free health care and then go back to Mexico.  And the babies Social Security number will be rented out to use by other illegals.

  My Mother a legal citizen of the United States, who worked hard all of her life, paid all her taxes on time, never stole anything had to pay for her health care.
But an illegal who planed this baby to circumvent the law will get everything free  And will do it again and again. Along with all the extra government programs they can sign up for, church groups that will feed and clothe them and the food bank that gives them boxes of food and.......

How to fix this.

No more Anchor Babies. If your illegal just don't come here but that will not happen.
So if you are here and have your baby, illegaly, the child gets a Social Security Number and then gets put in the mothers arms and gets sent back to what ever country she came from. When the child is 21 only she or he can come back to America if that is what they want. 

#2  If you are already here with Anchor Babies, that is it. No More ! If you are on welfare, you get put on birth control and learn to be RESPONSIBLE and take good care of the children you have and only them. If you want more children take RESPONSIBILITY for them. Or the ACLU which will no doubt bring suit against this policy should pay for all of you and the many extra children needs.  

Sounds harsh and it is.  We need to stop this now. Girls, women and babies are not to be exploited like this ever !

Babies are not to be used for money by the very people that should love them, protect them and be responsible parents. Women are not to be use by husband, boyfriends or the drug cartels for money. Women and babies are not commodities.  They should not be exploited as a way to circumventing the law.

In the last U.S. Census, that was published in the newspaper and I read, Arizona is the fastest growing Hispanic state. Over half of the babies born here are paid for by the State Of Arizona. Of these babies most of them are born to teenage Hispanic girls. The #1 name for boys in Arizona is Juan. 

Tomorrow it will be me ! Because it will be about health care. Then two of my very best friends.

I hope you can stick with me so you can understand why many of us are overwhelmed by the massive needs of illegals. Never ending needs. Billions of dollars of needs all spent for votes.

Saturday dinner

If you have been reading this blog for anytime 

you know that all my children love to cook.  

One son who lives in Arizona is a fabulous Indian chef.

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 Duck Curry, Country Style

From Kerala

Today he made it with  dark chicken meat and it was divine.

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 Adding the coconut milk.

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 Favorite, Carrots stir-fried with green chilies.

From, Gujarat

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Duck Country Curry, Ginger Cabbage and Peas and the Carrots with Chilies.

The Cabbage with Peas was a new dish and also from Gujarat region.

Like the carrot dish, quickly stir-fried. It was fabulous. 

Now I have a new favorite.
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Hope everyone had a lovely weekend !

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happy. . . parsnip

music. . . Break The Fall,  Laura Welsh

Update, 

Mondays post about living in a Border State and City

will be about Anchor Babies and what is happening to our health care.

Square Dog Friday... because it is in their contract

We all know what day it is so lets just woof it already !

chkikin' strips are waiting

The Commonwealth Games are happening right now in Scotland.

And thanks to  John,  I am getting a small look into the games.

Besides all the fun there is one part of the opening that everyone 

and I mean everyone should watch. 

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You can only find one or two post on you tube.
And dumb old comcast will not show it even late at night.
But the opening ceremony was a hoot. 

Dancing tea cakes, the Lochness Monster, 

several singers (yawn) lots of dancers, several cute flubs 

and of course The Queen !  She looked so lovely.

But the stars of the show were the wee gud dugs.

Watson and thehamish looked on with pride at the Parade of Athletes, 

as the countries names were written on the darling coats of 

SCOTTIES.
Where can I buy that coat?

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 ack ! the cuteness is killing me !

I borrowed (stole) this photo from John's blog and I hope he will forgive me.

I could not find any photos other than his.

I am Scotty crazy as you already know.

The photo is from John's blog "Going Gently"

Do check the link above it only takes a second to read the post but 

Watson, thehamish and I spent longer gazing happily at the Scotty.

.....................

 They walked on their tiny legs going a mile a minute.

Such gud dugs !

But the best part was the SCOTTY wearing Scotland's name was named

HAMISH !

thehamish is so proud and also wondering why he was not there !

he told me...

youare always'callin me the weegud dug thehamish 

wee gud dug

why was i thehamish not invited

oh woe oh woe is me thehamish

woe.

scotties. . . parsnip

music. . . Light and Airy,  Jimmy Shand

update... my blog will continue with "what it is like to live in a border state" on Monday.

These posts will be stories of what happened to my mother and two very good friends because of the mass influx of illegals.

Health care, economics and education will be featured. 

then I will shut=up because it really doesn't matter. 

I am out voted

and so are you but you really don't know it yet.

living in a Border City... part 4

What will happen to all the children ?

The cities who are protesting the influx of this mass wave of mothers and children 

have good reason not to want them in their city. 

First of all when the mothers, children and teens are smuggled from whatever country, it is by the Drug Cartels. 

Years ago the cartels took over the people smugglers. Either you work for them or you were killed. They do not smuggle out of the kindness of their hearts is for money. Lots of money anywhere from 3,000 to 10,000 American.

Part of this money is needed to pay off the Mexican Army at the southern border. There is a zone on this border where the Army can shoot to kill anyone.  So when this amount of  Central Americans cross into Mexico you know the corrupt Army and Police are being paid off.   Usually the cartels will hold the people half way in a remote areas and ask the families for ransom to complete the trip or they will just kill them. Large graves are  found filled with Central Americans illegals that the cartel were paid to smuggled into the US.
 Not everyone who makes it into Mexico makes it to the US. So to have such a huge amount of mothers, teens and children make it to the US Border you know this was all planed. And very well planed !

The cities that have been protesting the shelters for unaccompanied illegal children know what is happening. It has happened all before and this is the last straw.

It is because of who/what the illegals are bring with them.  They are bring everything with them they say they are trying to escape. They are now own by the drug cartels, the gangs and the violence. If they owe money to the cartels the kids are used for drug runners, lookouts and guides. Women and children will be  exploited.

1. What you don't know is many of the children will be housed  for 45 day and then released to family, their illegal families in the US, with dates to return to court. 

This is happening in Oracle, Arizona right now.  We were informed that no one there is being sent back, all will be released to illegal families already here. And if you think any of these people will return for court dates,  let me show you a copper mine I have to sell. 

2. In the first holding area in Nogalas Arizona  the oldest was a 17 year old male. The next oldest were several teen girls who are pregnant and already have children with them. What happens to them ?   Guess !

They will have Anchor Babies.

When you are here illegally and have a baby in the US the baby is a citizen and the illegal mother and father (?) stay as the guardians. The baby receives Social Security,  aid to dependent children, food stamps and section 8 housing. 

They  are being rewarded for breaking the law and being illegal. 

The extended family will move in and next year there will be another Anchor baby to help with food stamps, aid to dependent children and all the extra free services the government gives out.

3. The rest of the children are the ones who were sent ahead so later they will say... you can't break up the family and the parents will soon come.  Section 8 housing, food stamps, aid to dependent children........ and so it goes.

 

Winners, 

Corrupt Mexico, the cartels, the illegals and the Hispanic groups that are pushing for this and the Democrat Party. Votes= power.

Losers.

The American homeless, the downsized, returning veterans, veterans at any VA Hospital, the working poor and our older Social Security Seniors who have to chose between food, meds or utilities that month and me. I think these people should apply for amnesty and pro bono service.

Now with all the illegals here where will they live ? They will move to Phoenix, Santa Ana,  Compton, Chicago, Detroit Baltimore and New York.

Will they be living in Beverly Hills, or on The White House lawn ?  

They will move into the neighborhood filled with illegals, gangs, drugs, and turf wars.  Just like where they lived before. Except now they get all these free stuff paid for by me and you.

Tomorrow... using women, anchor babies and children for money. 

Next up is education.

Border State part 3

Illegal

Unlawful, illegitimate, illicit, unlicensed,  criminal, violation of statutes, not sanctioned, not permitted or lacking legal rights.

The mass influx of children and teens crossing the border into Texas is what ?  

Illegal !

But the news and our government is as usual pointing fingers, the liberals are crying, sob stories are flooding the news but our President has been so indecisive  on this subject that for once the Democrat party (my party) has been literally caught with their pants down.

President Obama,  does not want to lose the Hispanic vote  (it is all about the votes) but with the current state of our economy he could not really just come out and say this. 

Yes, I know congress is partly responsible. But his hemming and hawing has put us all in trouble. From us,  to the children who are being used for money and power. 

And if you don't think this is a play for power boy do I have a gold mine in Arizona to sell to you.

Quick note, it was so weird and strange that when the holding centers in Texas became overcrowded where did he send the overflow ? not to any of the states next to Texas but Arizona the state that has been a thorn in his side.  The government sent bus loads of women and children dropped then off at the Greyhound Bus Station in Tucson with paper slips dated with the day they are to return to court. And then left ?

For all my life I have lived with the problems of illegals and I want to tell you I am burned out. Every bit of sympathy has been beaten out of me and then stomped on for good measure.

And the reason is all the Mexican illegals who for years, years and years and more years  have treated America has their personal bank accounts. Sob stories, crying, poor me, the children oh the children and tears more tears.

phiff !

When I moved back to Tucson I was excited as the governor at the time was Janet Napoiitano.  Not the fact she was a Democrat but the fact she was  constantly in the papers talking about our about the unsafe border, the mass of illegals crossing the border and the cost. The massive coast to Arizona.  At the time President Bush was in office. Gosh I thought, here was a Governor who was really concerned about our state. 

Then Mr. Obama was elected President. and she was chosen to be Secretary of Homeland Security. I was sad at Arizona's loss but I thought here is a person from the Southwest who understand our problems. 

Boy was I wrong because "Magically", the very next day there was no border problem in Arizona or any border state. She started toeing the party line. 

By the way, I am a registered Democrat but I vote across party lines.  

Right before she left Homeland Security and became the President of the University of California system she visited the border and gave it a thumbs up and was gone in a puff of dust.

phiff !

Tomorrow I will talk about (finally) illegals, the drug cartels,  corruption and money money money and more money and VOTES this is all about power and votes.

Sorry this is taking so long but I am trying to give you all a little back ground on this because the next few post you will not believe.

Mexico...

                      Here is the second post on what it is like to live in a border state.

Mexico

Another background post. I am trying to keep this short and as simple as I can.

Mexico is one of the wealthiest  country in the world.  Bet you didn't know this. They have vast quantities of  oil, natural gas, silver and gold mines. Land and the climate to grow huge amount of fruits and vegetables plus seafood ! Mexico is the 6th largest producer of oil and has a burgeoning solar power industry.
I read that Mexico produces more cars than any North American (USA ?) country.  GM, Chrysler and Ford have been there since around the 30's later came VW.  They also export electronics, trucks and machinery.
Mexico also holds a huge amount of American debt. Not sure how that works but a friend of mine was talking about this. Way over my head. I really do not understand this.

Mexico has always been the land of the very rich and the very poor.  Now it has established a  very large upper middle class when our middle class is all but disappearing.
So what the heck went wrong with Mexico.

 It is because Mexico is one of the most arrogant corrupt countries in the world.  It makes Russia and China look like 3rd grade bullies. It was hugely corrupt country before the drug cartels took over.  But the ground work is there.

The reality is much of the poor stay poor and Mexico, and the Catholic Church (my religion) does nothing to help, birth control is non-existence. The way they care for the poor is to point them towards  the US and say go.
The poor have limited health care beyond the clinics and educations stops when your are 15 years old. I will go into this in more depth when I write my posts about health and education.
Mexico wants as many of the poor to leave but be sure to send money back.
It is an huge industry.
From the making of shoes with maps on the insoles to carpet slipper produced to cover their shoes so when the illegally cross over the border so they won't leave foot prints. There even is/used to be a class held in a town on the west coast, who held a class in their city hall, not how to apply for a visa but how to sign up for all the free services you get across the border to the U.S.

Illegals is an export industry.

There is a now civilian group in Arizona that is patrolling the border. On Monday news they showed a tape from cameras they had set up along known trails. You see several groups of illegals  nightly, from 50 to 100 at a time crossing into Arizona. Along with these illegal are drugs. 60 % of all the drugs in America come through Arizona.

Next post illegals

also...
I appreciate the comments from yesterday.
I will answer your comment like I usually do so if you have any questions I will try to do my best.  But remember this is from what I see and read in the news.
Much of my information on Mexico and illegals comes from my friend who is Hispanic.
Much of his wife's family still lives in Mexico but my friends grandfather and grandmother were both legal citizens of America.




 

What it means to live in a border state and city.

 Not sure about this but here goes............

I will be posting for the next few days on what it means to live in a border state and city.

As I am not a writer. I hope to keep it as short as I can. Each post I will write about one subject from Mexico, economics, exploitation  of women and children by the drug cartels and their own families.  How the illegals have affected my family and two very close friends,  These are the stories you will never see on the news. It is the real life I/we live every day.
A little background on me.
I live in Tucson, Arizona which is about 66 miles from Nogales, Arizona and across the border to Nogales Mexico.
My family moved from Chicago to Tucson when I was very young. All and all my family has live here for almost 100 years. Not a super long time but enough time to see what is happening in my state.  I lived here till I graduated from The University Of Arizona in Tucson, then moved away to work.

Born in the 40's I grew up in the 50's lived through the 60's and made it through to today.

Today in the news our border with Mexico is overwhelmed by children who are being used by the Cartels,  Mexico and even their families.
I have lived with this for most of my life in California and Arizona. It is plain and simple exploitation to  circumvent the law for monetary gain and power on both sides of the border.

I lived through the Vietnam War protests but my cause was Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez and the battle to start the United Farm Workers of America. I am not sure if anyone reading this will remember the grape boycotts (started in 1965 lasted 6 years) in California that helped galvanize the UFWA. But I do and I still have a hard time buying grapes even today. This was a big impact on my life.

I will not go into the fight for UFWA but what it boils down to is the rights of workers for better working conditions, payment and the health problems of working with pesticides.

What I learned about economics, was something Cesar Chavez said. He was talking about the growers hiring illegal workers undercutting the boycott by UFWA.
Illegal workers who would work for less money, longer hours in horrible conditions.  The very things the union organize the boycott against the growers for.

What was true then has come around and is true today.
It was my "aha" moment.
You can't have a strong middle class (me)  or any middle class when we are being undercut by someone who will work for less money, paid under the table and not report it and for  longer hours with no benefits.
A strong legal workforce, befits us all.

Next post.......  Mexico.

Square Dog Friday... all gud dugs

Well we all know what day this is.

The best day of the week.

Square Dog Friday !

So lets woof it.

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I had an eye appointment on Thursday and my eyes still hurt from all the testing.

But so far everything has healed. So just eye drops for now. 

So today is Random Square Dog Friday.

With extra chicken strips for everyone.

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Blog friend John wrote a lovely post about one of his dogs who was just sitting and staring out a window. What was she thinking about ?

This reminded me about Watson and the Bunny. 

For almost a year Watson and the Bunny Sylvia, used to sit across from each other  and just look at each other for a longest time. 

Then one would get up and just walk away.  Zen time over.

I so enjoyed watching them but I never was able to get a photo of them together. 

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 Zen Watson.

 Sleeping gud dug Watson.

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 One

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 Two

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 Three . . . cha cha  cha

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 Poor Watson when ever he tries to nap, thehamish is sure to follow.

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 i thehamish is huntin' (Elmer Fudd voice)

 squirrrrrrrrrel

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 some times i gets dirty and nice tall person who feeds us 

gots' to wash my bottom

with water and stuff in the work sink but its gud cause i get to look at cookies  toys

and chkikin' strips

she is always givnin' me one 'cause i gud dug

yert

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Here is your pretty to start the weekend.

Evening sunset clouds.

I call this cloud 

"The Second Moon  Of  Tucson.

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 I just love the colors.

random. . . parsnip

music. . . Happy,  Pharrell

Wednesday In Japan... fireflies

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Family in Japan never fails to send me cards for spring and summer.
Japan has wonderful greeting cards, three dimensional fold-out and some with music. 

Family knows I am crazy about fireflies.
On one of my trips family drove me to the Firefly Bridge over the Arima-Gawa in Yamaguchi-cho, Niishinomiya,  Japan.

The small bridge goes over a river filled with reeds, flowers, trees and fireflies. So many fireflies that they dance like stars in the sky over, under,  around the bridge and you.
We got there very late one evening. I had just flown in day and was quite tired but so happy to see this lovely place.
Even though it was late people where still strolling around enjoying the evening. This was one of the most lovely evening I have spent. I think of it often and I can still feel the breeze and the fireflies dancing around me.

What is so sweet and hugs at my heart, is the local school children take care of this area/bridge. There are pictures that the children have drawn of fireflies that are framed all over this very small  bridge with a big heart.

firefly. . . parsnip
music. . . OST Totoro,   Joe Hisaishi

parley view parsnip... opps !

 

I was to start my posts this week on what it is like to live in a border state.

But

Between the monsoons and how the barometric pressure change affects me 

I have been somewhat "under the weather" (hahahahaha  clever me whoo hoo)

Instead, today I will post about Sundays storm. 

........................
.

 Looking west from my side yard.
Storm flew over me lots of wind, lighting and thunder heading southwest into Tucson. 
Then curling northwest. We had almost no rain.
But the valley where Tucson is was pounded.

Alerts on my phone just kept coming.
.

 Lighting looking south from my front door.
.

 Lighting behind the clouds.
.

 Three strikes one right after the other. 
The weather news will show the lighting strikes over the Tucson valley
 and they covered the the map. 
Today is round two. .
Rain clouds building up all day till the storm breaks, late afternoon.
Then we get a break for a few days till the storms regroup
...............................

And here is your "pretty" to start the week.
Some what X-rated.
So beware !
Proceed  at your own risk !
Really think about it before you look !
I am warning you !
Last chance to 
STOP.
.
thehamish likes to nap on his back.  
Oh Dear ! I need my smelling salts.
Today as I looked down and saw him roll over exposing his tummy
 and other parts to the doggy window and the whole world.  
Oh My Goodness !
I warned you.
Naughty naughty thehamish.
.

 .

Yert !

stormy. . . parsnip

music. . . Heinrich Maneuver,  Interpol

Square Dog Friday. . . Herbal Body Wraps

Here it is the best day of the week.

Square Dog Friday.

We all know the drill, so lets woof it.

.

The Square Ones went for their "Herbal Body Wraps" on Thursday.

 They are both so fluffy an more fabulous than ever.

.

 Could not believe Watson was sitting still and almost posing for me.

It was so wonderful !

I was trying to take a photo of his back legs that look like pantaloons.

.

 He comes back so soft like silk.

,

 My sweet baboo.

.

 I just love Dr. Watson

.

 His dementia is getting worst and he had a little harder time this visit when getting brushed out.

A little more anxiety. They are the best groomers (Poochini's) and treat him with care.

I am thinking of taking him every 4 weeks instead of 6. 

And see if that helps.

.

And guess who is next.
thehamish

 se me ilookin' gud

.

 I starin' down the snake

i am strong i thehamish
i am beautiful
yert

.

 i also not feelin' gud.

kinda sad

 i gots gud nose.

.

 I was cleaning and The Boys did not like (?) all the dust.

So thehamish just crawled into the crate with the gud dug Watson and snuggled down. Hiding his nose and face in Watson's neck.

thehamish is really not feeling great. I have to take him back to the eye doctor,

he is not tolerating the new eye drops.

.

 I have to go to the eye doctor on Thursday
to see if I am having another tear and vitreous fluid is leaking
 .

As thehamish would say 

Oh woe oh woe is me.

 In fact we are both saying

oh woe

.

........................

And just because I can 

here is your pretty for the weekend.

Monsoons clouds from Wednesday afternoon.

.

Thursday's sunset.
It really looked like this. It was so softly colored and glowed.

happy. . . parsnip
music. . . Under The Milky Way,  The Church

..............................

Many of you know I live in a Border State and Border City.
I have long thought about writing my feeling about what is going on with
the massive illegal problem.
But as this is just my fun blog about my dogs and the State I love,
I thought I would not write about this problem.
But.... with what has finally boiled over and how I feel about the fact my
political party (Democrat ) and a government doesn't give a "rat ass" about me, 
just as long as I keep paying my taxes.

So next week I will try to keep it short, I will write each day about,
Mexico, anchor babies, education, health care and the cartels trafficking and families
of children and women who are used as money.
I always listen to and give everyone a chance to speak about what they believe in.
Except for violence against women and children, especially in religious context and
discrimination  against gay and lesbians. And of course animal rights.
'
Take care everyone and have a great weekend.

Wednesday In Japan. . . coffee

Some of the best coffee I have ever had, has been in Japan.

In the hot summer months they make the very best Iced Coffee.

Just iced coffee no whipped cream, caramel, chocolate, syrup flavoring

or sprinkles. No sprinkles in coffee !

On cake, yes please but not in my coffee.

 .

I ordered a Japanese cold coffee maker.

You brew the coffee over night in the refrigerator. 

Daughter makes hers with her old Melita drip maker.

I am hoping this might help me with the acid (?)  in the coffee.

Coffee and my new medicines are not playing nice lately.

If you want it hot you can microwave it. 

But in the summer iced coffee even in the morning is just so good.

Especially if it is 85+ at 7 am.

.

 New coffee maker

.

 Fun directions in Japanese.

.

 Take re-usable coffee filter and fill to the line with coffee.
Using my blog friend wonderful Holy Cow Coffee Company coffee.

.

 Insert in jar.

.

 Slowly pour good filtered water to the very top slowly over the coffee.

Your coffee is only as good as your water.

.

 Then you let it sleep over night in the refrigerator.

Night night, sweet dreams.

yummmmmmmmm !   I had one glass this morning and we shall see how I do.
It was so good.

.

Here is your pretty for mid week.

Follower Em, thought the rain didn't look right in my last post.

The summer monsoons are needed but can be very dangerous and destructive.

Not at all like the wonderful and much needed Winter rains, that soak into the earth.

Summer monsoons are fast moving storms.  Rain and wind traveling across the Tucson valley. Leaving a torrent of swift moving runoff that takes rocks, boulders, trees, cars 

and people who think they can cross.  The swift running water flows in the streets
to the washes then into the rivers.
.

Not all the storms are destructive but many are.

Here are a few photos from past summers.

.

 .

.

 .

 .

 .

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coffee. . . parsnip

music. . . Heavy Clouds No Rain,  Sting

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parley view parsnip. . . what happened this weekend ?

What happened this weekend ?

Lots of lovely fireworks and RAIN !
.

Many have been saying the monsoons have started. 

But for me it really doesn't officially start till some 20/30 year old "boy" decides to drive his truck into the flooded railway underpass at Stone Avenue, in the City of Tucson. 

Then the fire department has to come out and rescue them.

There are signs all over saying do not enter when flooded. A measure painted on the wall.

But every year someone will assume the rules are not for them
and get stuck in the flooded underpass.
When the summer rains come down so fast in micro burst the water rushes down the streets into the washes then down to the rivers.

We had two swift water rescues this weekend and only have had two days of rain.

yert !

............

Yes, first day of rain !
.

.

 Saturday, second day of rain.
The rain poured down.
It was a fast moving storm with hail.
 It lasted 30 minutes at my home as it moved west.
The temperature went from 95 to 77.
.

 In the middle of the photo you can see the rain coming down on the right and left.

Before roaring by my home.

.

.

 Not a very clear photo of thehamish after a game a fetch.
I had to take it quick.
 He is holding a ball and his tongue is hanging out the side of his mouth
at at the same time.
I lurve this dog.
.

 And here he is sleeping. . .
.

 with the tip of of little pink tongue sticking out.
Cheeky little devil.
.

Oh the sweet baboo Watson is just waking up from a nap.
.
.......................

And just because I can, here is your pretty (hahahahaha)
to start the week.

i thehamish is not likin' the new eye drops not at all
oh woe oh woe is me
woe is me
woe
.

raining. . . parsnip
music. . . Never Can Say Goodbye,  Gloria Gaynor