My Birthday

I decided to go to the park today after all. I wasn't going to go but changed my mind. You see, today is my birthday, and I don't have anyone to celebrate it with. There will be no cake or candles to blow out or smiling faces wishing me a happy birthday. I have no family and I am quite alone.  I love to come to the park and watch the families and kids playing and imagine what it would be like to be like they are here all having fun and picnics surrounding me all over the park. I sit on this bench and wonder why I have not been able to find such happiness like all these others that are here. They laugh and run and fly kites together. They are all smiling and their are young lovers walking hand in hand and they don't even see the park . They have eyes only for each other.

I don't regret my life. I just wish that I had shared it with someone that cared for me. Someone that I could call my own and someone that loved me above all. Life is funny sometimes isn't it. Just when you start to feel all is well, you get a kick in the head and then the sadness comes in and settles in your heart.  I have to stop thinking this way. After all , it is my birthday and I am glad that I am here and that I have the chance to walk and enjoy this park with all of these people. Maybe, someday there will be someone special for me and she and I will find some of these happy things that I hear people talk about all the time.

As for now, I will be content with what blessings I do have and smile at all those that stop to say hello and good morning as they enjoy their day here in the park. It is time for my cup of joe and sandwich. I even bought myself a cupcake today. I wanted something special because you see, it is my birthday. Great sunny day. Thank you Jesus, for this beautiful birthday.

 

Sad Day

I went to the park  today and sat on my bench and a young lady came and sat next to me and she was watching her small children at play. I had my thermos of coffee and I was drinking some and just watching all around the park. I noticed that there were two children that were not playing very nicely and the lady got up and walked over to them and started to pull them apart as they were hitting each other and screaming some very bad words at each  other. Her face was beat red and she seemed so upset and had such a hard time with these two boys that I almost got up and asked her if she wanted my help. I am glad I didn't. she had gotten them to stop and they turned their vicious mouths on her. I was shocked that two so young boys would talk the way they did to their mother. She reached out and gave them both a smack on their behinds and I couldn't believe my ears when I heard them say that they were going to call the police and tell them that she beat them.  I almost choked on my coffee.

I did get up and I walked over to the young frustrated mother who looked as if she was about to cry and told her that she did the right thing and if she needed anyone to say that she didn't hurt these two very bad boys, I would be happy to accompany her to the police station right now. I turned towards her so the boys could not see and winked at her. Her eyes smiled when she realized what I was doing and quickly agreed with me. She told the boys that we would all go to the police station and they could tell them what had happened here but that they had better be sure to mention their fighting and name calling and the names they called her also.  I just nodded my head and said that I had heard all that was said and would swear to it if need be. I told her that maybe we should stop at her house and pick up some extra clothes for the boys as the police would probably take them away and put them in a home until all of this was worked out and it was determined what happened here in the park.  The boys that at first looked so smugg now were scared when they realized that their game of insulting their mother and giving her a hard time and trying to scare her into not reprimanding them didn't work were starting to cry now.  I stooped down to there level and I told them that they were very lucky to have a mom that would take them to the park and spend time withthem and what they did and said to her was not very nice and they both should apologize to her immediately. Their little eyes full of tears  saddly apologized to their mom and I told them that if they ever called her those names again she could find me here and I would go with her to the station and they would be in big trouble.  I looked at this frazzled lady and she smiled at me. I can't understand how these children at such a young age are so disrespectful of their parents. This poor lady looked to be a decent and nice person settled with two boys full of the devil and trying to make her a slave to them by holding the system against her correcting them.  In this case, I am glad I was there. 

I know many children are abused and I would never stand for anyone abusing a child or an adult for that matter, but some of these kids now a days are using the system to scare their parents into doing anything that they want in fear of being taken to the authorities.

It is a no win situation. We need the laws to protect the abused people and children and you will always find those that will use the laws to their own advantage. I know of another case where a boy told his teacher that he was beaten by his mom and they called her in and she told him to show the principal the marks on his back that he said she gave him. He refused to do so. After waiting and asking him to show them the marks repeatedly, the boy admitted that he only said that because the mother had punished him the night before by not letting him use his play station, so he wanted to get even with her. 

Sad isn't it when the children are aware of the laws and can use them to punish good parents that are doing their best to bring them up as good citizens. 

Well, I bid the lady a good day and I headed back home to my house where I knew it would be quiet and peaceful. I decided that I had enough of the park for this day. My lovely day was almost ruined by these two children, but I am glad I was there to help this poor mom out. I don't think they will be pulling that on her again. 

Ahh the flowers are so lovely this time of year.I love walking down this lane to the street and seeingthem all in bloom. Pretty colors and slight breeze making them sway back and forth. Lovely.

Skylon Tower Canada

I was very lucky today because I was invited by a dear friend of mine to go with his group to the Skylon Tower in Canada for a late lunch and to view the Niagara Falls from the observation tower on top of the restaurant which is located very high in the sky. That is how it got its name.  It rotates very slowly so that all in the restaurant can see all around the city and get some magnificent views of the falls and all the other sites here in Canada.

We had a great lunch of Fillet Mignon and for dessert they gave us cheescake with strawberry sauce on it. It was unbelieveably scrumtious.  I was so full I was afraid that the elevator would fall with me on it. The elevator is located on the outside of the tower and as you asend and desend you can see all the site as well. I have never been so high up in any place before and it was very exciting to be able to ascend to such height and have lunch and take these absolutely wonderful pictures to share with all my friends. Niagara Falls is magnificent on the Canadian and American side and I have been to both and enjoyed the ride on the Maid of the Mist that you see here in the pictures also. We went on the boat and they take you right to the falls and tell you the whole history of the falls and you can hear the roar and see the tremondous power of the water as it rushed downward toward you. Needless to say, even with the raincoats on, you do get wet and I didn't mind at all because the day  was a hot one.  The captain of the boat was very knowledgeable and told all about the falls history and  stopped at both the American and Canadian Horseshoe falls. 

Afterwards we wondered around and I purchased a few things to take back for my friends and I enjoyed the day with my friend and his group he belongs too. He suggested that I join his group and go on more trips with them, and I promised to think about it.

The bus ride home was short and I decided that I wanted to go to the park as it was early yet, so I took a cup of joe with me and a few cookies and a bag of hard bread crumbs for the birds and settled down on my bench and relaxed and fed the birds. It was a great day for me and my good friend and he and I will go again to another place with his group. I just don't want to go all the time as I do like tosit in the park and watch the families and eat my lunch there too. You never know who you will meet and that is an exciting thing for me. I enjoy meeting people and talking with them. So for now, I will travel when I want to and not join the group.  They all said that I was welcomed anytime. Especially the women, there does seem to be a shortage of men in the group.  Well, as for me I am content with who and what I am and do not plan on changing anything at this stage of my life. Friends yes, I love to make them and have fun with them, but that is all I am capable of doing now.

I will have many nice memories to recall from todays trip and I am sitting here remembering all the pictures I took and can't wait until I get them back from the drugstore I am having them developed in. Can you believe that it only takes one hour now ? How amazing is that!! I will pick them up on my way home and show everyone tomorrow.

OLd Friend

I have been sitting of this bench in the park today just thinking of the past. There are so many good memories that I have and so many friends that I miss. Time takes its toll on us all, and it is sad that we have to lose some of our best friends to illness and accidents.

I remember one friend that I loved so much. He was the kindest person I have ever known. He never said a bad word about anyone that I can recall and he never told anyone how sick he was either. Every day we worked together and at night we would go out for supper and then have a few drinks before we went home. I noticed that he was losing weight and not having anything to drink and ate very little after awhile and mentioned this to him.  He just smiled at me and said that he was too fat and was watching his weight.

I believed him of course, and never thought that their could be any other reason for his weight loss and loss of appetite.

All to soon, he stopped coming in to work and when I called I was told that he was in the hospital and that things didn't look to good.

I went to that hospital and there he was all immacipated and not able to speak to me. How badly I felt. I had wished that he had told me about his conditon earlier because I would have spent more time with him and I would have told him how much I loved him and I would have helped him in any way I could.  I felt that he cheated me out of my last chance to show him how much he really meant to me by not telling me he was so ill. I know he just wanted to spare me, but did he really?  I don't feel that he did. I had so much to say and now I can't say it.

It is getting very windy now , and time for this old man to go home and get his cup of joe and maybe a graham cracker or two.  Good bye my good friend, I will miss you very much and I will always remember you in my prayers for as long as I live.

Forgive and forget

Today is a hot and dreary day. I am in the park and I am thinking of someone that feels that a wrong was done to him. He won't forget it and he won't forgive either. He has been told many times over that he is wrong in his assumptions but he won't listen . So he has made up his mind that what ever the other person wants he will say no to and that will teach that person for doing wrong to him.

How childish and uncalled for. What a misunderstanding . No matter how many times he has been told, he won't listen. He is stubborn and unyeilding. So, when ever the other person wants to go on a trip he won't go, or if the person wants to go to a show, he won't go. I think he is childish and I hope he grows up before he loses in the end a very good relationship with a good friend. 

Why do people do this sort of thing? Can't they see that we are all human and make mistakes and that is why God let erasers be invented?  I feel sorry for this fellow. He is losing alot in his life by being so stubborn. He will not listen to reason either.

Life is tough enough without a person that is holding a grudge against another. I can only shake my head and ignore the whole thing. No need to make waves so they say, it won't help anything at all.

Time to walk home. It is getting dark, and oh!! Hi Joey!! I still think ofyou. If you get a chance come see me again ok?  I sure miss our talks.

My cup of joe is waiting for me at home. I set the timer and it should be done by the time I get there. Lovely night out tonight. Lovely.

World new of bombings

Today as I sit on the bench in the park, I am overwhelmed by saddness at the horrible news coming out of London, England. I will never understand how anyone could do such a horrendous thing to human beings. To deliberately mange and kill for no reason is unconsciencable to me and I am sure to all in this world. What good does it do to kill so needlessly and with no feeling? What is this supposed to do ? What benefit does an organization get from doing such a cowardly thing? To plant bombs and walk away is cowarldy and not something that a normal healthy person would do. These people have no respect for human life and have no conscience at all. I wish I could be there to help in this crisis and let the people in England know how horrible I think this act was . Innocent people going about their day causing no problems to anyone don't deserve to be treated in such a way. I will never understand no matter how long I live about this sort of person/persons that get their thrills from killing innocent people. I will say prayers for all the injured and killed in this sensless attack on them. I hope that all Americans will pray for this country and its people in their time of need.  God bless all of them and help them get through this needless act of violence. 

 

EARLS RESTAURANT AND MUSEUM

I wasn't going to go to the park for lunch today because it is very hot out and I really don't like sitting in the heat of the day. I thought that later on at dusk I would take my walk then.

The doorbell rang and it was one of my buddies and he said that he wanted me to come out for lunch with him that he had a special place that he wanted to take me. It was about an hour away and it was a good day for a drive in his air conditioned car. So, I said I would like to go and we left the house.

Upon arriving in this small town, he knew just were to go to find this place he was so anxious to show me. We entered what looked like a nice clean restauant and he took me to the back of it where there were very large glass enclosed wardrobes. I could not believe my eyes when I looked inside of them. There was two dresses worn by Lorretta Lynn and her picture autographed and inside the case, there was an advertisement for boxcar Willie there too, and a letter written by Patsy Cline to Earl and she had given him an autographed photo of herself too. There were many other old memorable things in the cases. I enjoyed reading all about them and seeing them too. I was so glad that my friend came to get me and take me there with him. He just smiled at me and said that he knew I would be fascinated with this display and then he explained that all these stars knew Earl and entertained with him. Earl had a band and he was quite famous himself. What a wonderful lunch this turned out to be!!!  Hank Williams old albums and many others that I didn't know who they were all on display.  

I thanked my friend as we drove home for the great afternoon and I was very happy that I had decided to stay home instead of going to the park. I would have missed my friend and this chance to see all that good stuff.  Later, when it is cooler, I will go in the park for my walk,but for now I am just going to sit here and think about all the great things I saw today.

three sisters island

Today a bunch of us are going to Niagara Falls and have lunch in the Skylon Tower. I have always wanted to go there because it revolves and you get a beautiful view of the Niagara Falls. It is so high up that some of the women are a bit hesitate about going up that high. Well, we have reassured them that all will be fine. We can see the brand new casino that was built too. It is hugh. It takes up about 5 city blocks.  We are not going there. We are going to see the falls, but more important today is the three sister islands.  I have taken some pictures of the small falls there and the roaring rapids that go into the gorge too. Later , we will be going on the Maid of the Mist. It is quite a ride. You have to wear raincoats because you get soaked other wise. The boat goes right up were the falls reaches the bottom. It is so loud and it is very wet and misty there. The captain stays there for quite a long time as he tells all about the formation of the falls and how much water goes over it every day. It is a truely amazing sight. Everyone should go at least once in their life to see this amazing falls. This has been quite a day for all of us. The park around the falls is so pretty with flowers and many different types of trees and bushes to see. How wonderful to live so close to this place. It is nice to come here every year and see all the new additions to the area. This is on the American Side of the falls and they have a trolly that stops and goes and you can get off and on all through the park as many times as you want. I got real close to the rapids to take some of these pictures and I took many videos also.  I am glad that I decided to come with my friends instead of eating lunch in the park today. This was much more of an adventure and I enjoyed my self.  I will be sure to come again .