Just A Quick One

Still hard it on the taxes. Now into the income part of it and it's a royal pain.

Just wanted to share a quick note on Little Bit. This morning on the ride she wanted to play her spelling game. After a few rounds of me throwing out words she said stop. So, I did as requested. She then said,

"Papa."

"What, Honey."

"You do know I spell better than you."

"Yes, you do, so?"

She reaches and takes my hand in hers, I guess to soften the blow she's about to throw my way and continues, "Papa, I want you to give me a hard word. I want a word you'd never be able to spell. A really hard hard word. Okay, Papa."

I thought for a moment, turned to her and gave her beautiful brown eyes a hard stare and said, "Honeybun, are you really sure you want a hard hard word?"

She sighed, put on her stern face with, "Yes, Papa. A hard one."

Me, "Okay, here goes. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious."

Of course she knew the word having watched Mary Poppins untold times in her short life. She huffed, turned away and said,

"Papa, Nana's right, you're just a smartass, aren't you."

Nana and I need to have a word or two.

I let the smartass slid.

Stephen

Snowed Under

Sorry for the silence. I had a weekend filled with grandchildren and family and the written word was but a dust particle on my mind. Now, it's taxes.

The bad part is when my mind gets wrapped around taxes there's little room for anything else. Here it is officially my day off and I'm at my office soon to have papers scattered all over my desk. Guess I should have my Quicken program repaired, or, purchase a new one. Such is life.

When I finish my business taxes it's on to our combined income taxes. Glory glory.

The weather here is gray and slightly windy. Mild temps. Nice day to be stuck indoors. I hope all of you are well. I haven't had the time to browse your blogs....sorry. Oh, lost my Kindle. Or, it was stolen. I screwed the pooch, I believe, and left it behind at my surgeons office last Monday. Haven't as yet reached them to ask if some honest soul found and returned it to their front office. Had to call Amazon (good thing too) and ask them to freeze my account. They did confirm if its found, and the thief uses it to download books, it would be at my cost. So if you lose yours, call.

I shall return.

Stephen

Afternoon Snack

We have Little Bit this weekend and she requested a snack this afternoon. I asked what she'd like and she said those 'things' you told Nana about last night. Those 'things' were my late mother's date balls.

Like these:

Date Balls

These are a no bake easy treat and if you buy gluten free Rice Krispies cereal they are a gluten free treat!

Date Balls

1 pound dates, chopped
1/2 Cup butter
1 Cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups Rice Krispies
1 cup walnuts, chopped (you can substitute pecans)
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Combine dates, butter, sugar, and beaten egg in a saucepan. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Turn down heat if necessary after 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking or burning. Remove from heat and add vanilla. In a large bowl, mix the Rice Krispies and chopped nuts. Pour date mixture over cereal mixture. Stir. Let Cool. Roll into balls a little larger than a walnut. Put powdered sugar in a bag and shake a few balls at a time until coated with sugar. Store in covered container. They keep well. Do not freeze. Yields 6 dozen. 

Recipe from: these lovely ladies. 
 

Enjoy.

Stephen

As Requested, A Piece From The Past

We're on our drive to summer camp. Traffic that morning was bad. The car in front of me is slow, I mean slow, and I can tell the sucker is on his cell phone. I can't move right, I'm stuck. I get, well, mad.

Me, "Mumble, mumble, sorry "bad word" so and so."

I regret my words almost immediately. I look over at Little Bit and she's turned away as if the bloomed lavender Crepe Myrtles were the most important objects in here little life. I felt bad.
We move along at a silent snails pace for a few more minutes.

Then I say, "Sorry, Honey."

Her, "Papa."

"What, Honey?"

"It's okay, Papa, he can't help it."  I glance over with one of those questioning looks we all give children. She continues, "He's only a Democrat."

Silence. Then, "Little Bit."

"What, Papa."

"Why did you call him that?" She's still looking out the window, hasn't moved.

Her, "Papa, I love you more than orange juice,"  in a rapid little voice, quick.

My heart broke. She now thinks she's in trouble for something I said and she feels her response has placed the blame on herself.

This is all my fault and it began many months ago. It's all due to my big mouth and my impatience with others. Allow me to explain, please.

We were driving down a busy city street, and like above, a driver had cut me off. Little Bit was with me, of course, and without thinking I yelled, "Damn Democrat." She heard and remembered and had seen the person in the car.

Thirty minutes later we're standing in a checkout line at our local Publix grocery store. We're second in line. The lady in front of us is swiping one plastic card after another. Each swipe the cashier would say, "Sorry, it's rejected."
I began to mumble. Little Bit looks up at me, takes my hand and in a crystal clear very loud voice said, "It's okay, Papa, she's just a Democrat."

Now, I'm a fairly large man, I fear no human. I have a great deal of respect for others but I know my limitations and have long outgrown the need to pick fights, so when I say I wish I had had a place to hide at that moment, I mean it.

If looks could kill they would have that day. Yet, it was my fault.

Back to the ride.

I turn to Little Bit after she said she loved me more than orange juice and reached over and took her hand. Said, "Sweet heart, Papa isn't mad at you. It's okay. Please look at me." She looked over and I continued, "I love you, you're not in trouble. Papa is mad at himself and I'm sorry I said those words. Do you understand?"

Silence. We're close to her school and I feel the need to heal my habit and heal her hurt feelings.

"Little Bit."

In a small voice, "What, Papa."

"Sometimes I use words I shouldn't. Words that can hurt other people's feelings and I will try real hard not to say those words again." She's locked her little brown eyes on mine. "Please, Honey, don't repeat bad words you hear Papa use, okay."

I pull into the driveway. She sips the last of her morning orange juice. Then, "Okay, Papa, I won't."

I helped her from my truck and she reaches for my hand, "I still love you more than orange juice, how much do you love me?"

"More than the whole world, Little Bit."

A kiss and she's gone.

(This is a post from July of last year.)



Stephen

Email Update

Thanks to my friend, mmasse.


mmasseMar 8, 2012 08:54 AM

Just a minor annoyance with the email. Just as long as you remember to type your email in every time (especially when replying) it does not miss the "t". My daughter loves the pajama days. It usually means a good movie as well.

There, now you know how to avoid the problem when you email to my Comcast address. 

Thanks, my friend.

Stephen

Bits & Pieces

This morning we have short sleeve and sunglasses weather. It's tough to live in Florida. I've had two great days here at work. My biggest problem are those people that ask, "What was wrong with you?"  I'm sick (no pun intended) of giving out explanations.

Recently a local idiot here in town walked into his work place (a school) and killed his boss. A nice lady, then turned the weapon on himself thereby saving the justice system time and money.  Then, the local leftest media jumped on the gun is evil bandwagon.

Now I'm not a blogger that gives out second hand news. I give you, the reader, credit for an above average intelligence, I mean after all you are reading the mess I write, and I know you have smarts enough to read at least one newspaper a day and watch Fox news and glace, once in a while, at the Drudge Report. But having said that I do want to point out the inevitable event that occurs after a 'gosh let me shoot my boss because he or she fired me today.'

First day - he used an AK-47 'assault rifle.' You moan, "Yeah, here we go again..."

Second day - (real report) How did he ever 'legally' obtain one of those 'assault rifles?' Get it, legally.

Third day - He had one hundred rounds of ammunition and the 'assault rifle' had a thirty round 'clip.' I swear to all that is Holy, the leftist media interviewed a 'firearms instructor' that gave the last statement. He said, 'clip.'

Forth day - Let's ban all AK-47's.

We're at day three.

The idiot used a an everyday 'run of the mill' Romanian WASR that can be purchased legally at any local gun shop for between three and five hundred dollars plus tax. A semi-auto rifle....

Give me a break.

(click)

I seem to have a problem with my email. It's been brought to my attention numerous times. It isn't my fault folks, the problem belongs to Comcast and they admit it and can't seem to correct the problem. So, I have another account. I don't like it but if it's necessary and you feel the earth shatter and must indeed send me an email I will use it. I do receive most, not all, of your emails. If you find you get a message back after you've clicked away and the last 't' in Comcast has been dropped, don't panic.

Use, Stephen5150 at ymail dot com, and I'll try to check it daily. This email account doesn't automatically ping my computer like the Comcast address so your mail might sit for a couple of days...I promise to check as often as I can remember.

I'm days late in reading your nice blogs. I shall make an attempt today or this evening to catch up. I'm sorry I haven't posted any comments, but please understand I'm a full month behind in my labors. And, it's tax season and my Quicken program bit the dust a few months back which leaves me a bucket full of little receipts to manually add and subtract on my little machine....it isn't fun. Rest assured, I still keep tabs on you.

Little Bit was all happy this morning. It's 'pajama dress day' at her school. She was a little uncertain about stepping from the truck for breakfast. She asked if people would make fun of her and I said, no. She was cute as a button and everyone would think her pretty. She smiled and walked tall and proud into the restaurant and all the 'old farts' stood and gave her a smile and good morning. She blushed.

Above taken this morning.

Have a great day.

Stephen

Catch Up

I'm really behind the eight ball here at the shop. I've several weeks of 'stuff' that need my attention. I'm also deep into gathering all the little bits and pieces for the long dark and deep tax season. It isn't fun.

All this to say I will write, I hope, a far more interesting post as soon as heavenly possible. I've some good material, but lack the time.

I believe you'll like 'Mr. Know It All.'

Now, please excuse me while I sweep away a few cobwebs. And, again, my sincere thanks for all of your kind wishes and prayers over the last few weeks. God bless each of you.

Stephen