Tree house

Reading Susan's recent post made me think back to the time when the "moms" built a tree house for the "boys" several years ago. We thought that they would spend hours playing in their new fort. Preston was up there about twice before he discovered that there were spiders in the oak tree, and that was the end of that! Matthew played up there a few times too, but not nearly as much as I thought he would. I discovered that it is better to let the boys do their own thing. Sometimes a discarded cardboard box is the best play fort, and a hell of a lot cheaper! The tree house was up for about a year and a half before we tore it down. In this photo, Preston is in the house right before demolition began. Notice he is not touching anything in there, still scared of spiders!

"Hemi"

what a difference a haircut makes!

The way I see it. . . .

As I read the news and see the television reports, I don't know how much longer we will survive as a civilization. There seems to be so much unrest, fighting, and poverty. It is so depressing. Since I retired about 15 years before I expected too, I thought that the rest of my life would be stress free. I envisioned myself traveling around the country, pulling my travel trailer, care free. It looks like that is not a possibility unless a bring a wheelbarrow full of cash to pay for gas. It is kind of sad that we spend so much energy arguing and fighting. Our time would be so much better spent finding disease cures, looking for alternative fuel sources, helping the poverty stricken people. Instead the leaders and politicians run the world pursuing their own agendas, with no regard for the other guy and his opinion. I have always considered myself an optimist, but lately the whole state of the world has me really "down". The sad thing is that I really don't know what to do about it. Write my congressman? No one seems to care unless it is around election time. When I look at history, even in my short lifetime, I see other dire times when it looked like the end of the world was in sight. Maybe the world has always been this way, but now, more than ever before, it looks to me like we are on the brink of disaster.

Six weird things

I was tagged by Doubleknot to list 6 weird things about myself. Doubleknot said, "I know you are perfectly normal". HA! We will see!

1. I am a technical nut, I like any and all techie stuff.

2. I am WAY older than the young person inside my mind.

3.I am teaching myself to play the trumpet, and no one in my household knows this, I practice when I am home alone!

4. Now that I am retired and home alot, my three dogs are my new best friends!

5. I am so mechanical that I can take anything apart and put it back together.

6. I feel extraordinarily close to my "bloggie" friends.

Pain in the Neck

It took me several weeks to figure this out. I have had a pain in the muscle in the back (left side) of my neck. I kept thinking that I was "sleeping wrong" so I made an extra effort to place my pillows just right, and sleep on the non-affected side. Nothing helped, every morning I woke up, sometimes so stiff that I couldn't turn my head. I even considered going to the doctor. I like to figure things out on my own first, so when I visit the doctor, I can make my own diagnosis - then he can just agree with me! I am so glad I didn't go to the doc for this. It turns out that the pain in my neck is YOUR fault. Yes, that's right, it is because of you. Reading your blogs late into the night when I am sleepy has caused me to prop my chin on my left hand, with my elbow propped on the desk. I navigate thru the blogs with my right hand on the mouse, while I inadvertently hyper-extend my neck muscle by propping my head up! Pretty pitiful, I can't even hold up my own head! I have made an extra effort since I discovered this dilema to sit up straight and concentrate on correct posture. If you happen to see me propping my head, you have my permission to slap me out of this chair!

LIAR!

Most people think that the police do not/ can not / will not lie to them. Nothing could be further from the truth! The police are allowed to lie, it is covered by statute. They lie to get confessions, and it is perfectly legal. They just can't make promises to coerce a confession. One of the things I used to do with a burglary suspect is leave the interview room and get some generic fingerprint lift cards from an unrelated crime scene. I would come back into the room, throw the fingerprint cards down on the table, and simply say, "Who do you think these prints belong to?" Then I would leave again. Of course suspects are NEVER alone while at the police station, and I would go into the next room and watch through the two-way mirror. Usually a guilty suspect couldn't help looking at the cards. He would pick up the cards to see how clear the print lifts were, and even look at his own fingers to see if they compared. It was funny, a game of cat and mouse. Another thing I used to do is play the "What if I told you" game. It works like this, I would say to the suspect - "What if I told you someone saw you in that neighborhood?" (note: I did not say that someone did actually see them) Of course these sneaky tactics were meant to solict a confession from the guilty or absolve the innocent. If you are ever in police custody, remember, everything you do and say CAN be held against you. So shut up! Remember your right to remain silent. Let the evidence show your guilt or innocence. Lucky for me, everyone always wanted to talk.

Retirement is good!

Question: How many days in a week?
Answer: 6 Saturdays, 1 Sunday

Question: When is a retiree's bedtime?
Answer: Three hours after he falls asleep on the couch.

Question: How many retirees to change a light bulb?
Answer: Only one, but it might take all day.

Question: What's the biggest gripe of retirees?
Answer: There is not enough time to get everything done.

Question: Why don't retirees mind being called Seniors?
Answer: The term comes with a 10% percent discount.

Question: Among retirees what is considered formal attire?
Answer: Tied shoes.

Question: Why do retirees count pennies?
Answer: They are the only ones who have the time.

Question: What is the common term for someone who enjoys work and refuses to retire?
Answer: NUTS!

Question: What is the best way to describe retirement?
Answer: The never ending Coffee Break.

Thanks Bob!

No wonder. . .

. . .everyone hates to learn English. Note: if Chocolatebox reads these, she may give up trying to learn this language!

We must polish the Polish furniture.

He could lead if he would get the lead out.

The farm was used to produce produce.

The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

The soldier decided to desert in the desert.

This was a good time to present the present.

A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

I did not object to the object.

The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

The bandage was wound around the wound.

There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.

They were too close to the door to close it.

The buck does funny things when the does are present.

They sent a sewer down to stitch the tear in the sewer line.

To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

After a number of injections my jaw got number.

Upon seeing the tear in my clothes I shed a tear.

I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

I read it once and will read it again. (yes, you will!)

I learned much from this learned treatise.

I was content to note the content of the message.

The Blessed Virgin blessed her. Blessed her richly.

It's a bit wicked to over-trim a short wicked candle.

If he will absent himself we mark him absent.

I incline toward bypassing the incline.

thanks to "BOB"

Guess who?

I heard a "tap-tap-tapping" at my door this morning. I captured this photo outside in the garden. Could it be...??????

Remembering

April 1st marks the second anniversary of my friends death. Jody is missed by her friends and family. The "biting" grief is starting to subside, giving way to sweet remembrances. We always had fun, even at work in the throws of a serious case. Jody was a "crimes against children" detective. This is a specialized area for a detective that only investigates crimes with juvenile victims. In sexual abuse cases the job involves emotional interviews of traumatized children. Often times these cases lack of any physical evidence. Sometimes it is frustrating work, because you know that a crime has occurred, but there is not enough evidence to make an arrest. The way it works is that the lead detective will make the case, then three or four of us would go in for the actual arrest. Child sexual battery offenders have a lot to lose if they are caught and prosecuted. In Florida these offenses are "capital felonies", meaning they can get life in prison if convicted. I remember a particular case of a multi-victim offender that Jody finally got the goods on. Jody's husband, (who was my detective-partner), another plain clothes detective and I went along with Jody for the arrest. We parked on the next block and had a marked unit standing by to take the bad guy to jail. We were sneaking up the block approaching the offender's house, when Jody wispered, "Does anyone have handcuffs?" Everyone stopped and looked at each other, no one replied. Finally I said, "What would you people do if I wasn't such a boyscout?" I produced some handcuffs from my jacket pocket! It is difficult to carry all the cop tools when you are in plain clothes. You have to keep a gun, extra ammo, badge, handcuffs and a two way radio - all concealed! Detectives start to get complacent and keep this stuff under the seat in the car. I stopped carrying a purse and started wearing a shoulder holster many years ago. You know how you have to sometimes "dump out your purse" looking for something. Imagine trying to find your gun and handcuffs! When a bad guy threatens you, you don't have the time to say, "hang on a minute, it is right here in my purse somewhere!!!" Anyway, we got the creep arrested, and convicted. Jody never has to deal with these "scum of the earth" offenders anymore. She put many of them in jail. Job well done, Jody - Rest in peace.