October 11, 1983

It's been exactly 40 years ago today when Karey, who was barely 15 years old, died in a single car accident on a rural North Dakota gravel road near Colfax where she was heading to basketball practice with her friend, Katie, who was in the car with her.  Katie was ejected from the car and lived.  Karey was driving and Katie was the passenger.  Back then kids could get their 'farmers permit' at a very young age.  Knowing Karey like I did, she was probably fiddling with the radio, veered toward the ditch, over corrected, car got sucked into the gravel, car rolled.  End of story.

I remember not going to school that day.  I knew something was off.  Karey and I got matching shirts about a month or so earlier and I wore it for the first time the day she died not knowing when I got dressed in the morning how the day would end.  

I remember the phone ringing in the kitchen after dinner and my mother answering it.  Mind you, this was 1983 and phones still had cords.  It was my Aunt Emmy, Karey's mother.  I immediately knew what happened before my mother saying anything.  

I've blogged about this countless times before over my 16 years of this stupid blog.  I used to go to the Catholic church and light a candle for her each year.  Now churches have their doors locked unless there is a scheduled service or event.  

I remember being at Karey's funeral and wishing that time would hurl me 10 years into the future to escape the emotions I was feeling at the time.  Well, when that 10 year anniversary of her death came I wrote in my diary about it.  When the 10 year mark rolled around I had moved to CA, married, and had a kid.  

Truth be told my life would have not turned out like it did had Karey lived.  My plan was to move to North Dakota and attend NDSU Fargo with her.  GO BISON.  I had no idea what I wanted to to with life other than that.   Karey and I just knew that after we both graduated high school I was to move there and we would FINALLY get to live together at college.  We would get to PARTY DOWN and flirt with all the boys.  

I'm rambling, I know.  It's my blog and the anniversary of an unforgettable event in my life.  You are free to stop reading and leave.  I am not holding anybody hostage.  

I did have a dream about Karey last night.  Her deceased father, my Uncle Jim, was in it as well.  I saw Uncle Jim and he gave me a big hug.  He looked just like I remembered him when he was strong and healthy.  Karey took me on a ride in the sky in a vehicle that had no visible body nor parts, but we were sitting on something (weird, I know).  Karey was sitting on my left when she told me that someday everything would make sense.

It was then I woke up  in the middle of the night with my hacking COVID cough needing some flu medicine.  When I went back to bed the dreams did not get any less weird.  I dreamed about Dave, who was my first real boyfriend (and the first real loser I dated).  I was in a house and he was trying to come in and I kept telling him to stay out and that I was going to call 911.  He kept mocking me and saying he was going to come in anyway.  I remember shoving him away with what looked like some sort of broom screaming at him to leave me alone, go away, and to never contact me again.  

As usual, I woke up exhausted.  I'm not sure if it was the COVID cough or the nightmare of the ex-boyfriend returning.  

Rest in peace, Karey.  Not a day goes by where I don't think of you and where we both would be today had that fatal accident not happen.  Yup, even 40 years later you are still close in my heart.  I hope you and Bob Dog are having a lot of laughs on the other side along with Beezer.  You know, there was a time I think Beezer and I could have been a "thing" and ended up together had life taken a different turn.  I know Beezer and I both flirted with it.  Too bad his life was cut short as well and I was sad when I learned of his death.  Well, you, Bob Dog, and Beezer can laugh at what a mess up I am and how many mistakes I've made on my journey during this incarnation.......and I'm not done yet.  I'm sure there will be many more moments where you are all shaking your heads wondering WTF I'm doing.  

Well, I don't know what I'm doing, either.  I'm making it up as I go along.  I will gladly take any assistance the other side has to offer to avoid crashing into the wall and repeating another lifetime on this plane of existence.  I want to pass GO and collect my $200 karma and advance to the next level. 

Truth Bomb:  Like it or not, this is where we are all headed.  What's your story going to be?  Are you going to be an asshole thinking that because you are going to die you can do what you want without consideration to others?  Are you going to be a good person thinking that like Candy Crush you can advance to the next level? 

COVID - Again?

 Deja Vu!!  Yup.  I've got COVID - again.  Let's see, I've had 5 vaccination shots and still contracted it last November right after Thanksgiving.  I went to get my updated flu and covid shot a couple of Sunday's ago at the 24/7 walk in clinic prior to my trip to Philadelphia knowing I was about to step into a human petri dish also known as an airplane.  

Guess what.  The 24/7 walk in clinic was closed due to staffing shortages.  It's a sign of the times, I guess.  Off on my trip I went knowing I was at risk, but WTF.....what are we to do at this point?  Live in complete isolation? 

This time I did not lose my taste, but I feel like I have the world's worst hangover with a headache that hurts and pounds.  

Sorry to say that I will survive this unscathed and it will be something else that will claim my life.  I know there are plenty of you out there who wish me dead.  Request denied (for now).   Now that I think about it, is dying really all that bad? Dying is the ultimate snub to the world and all its self-inflicted, ego based suffering.  

I believe there is so much more than what we physically sense.  I'm getting off track (shocker).  

I'm going to bed now to watch ghost shows on tv and fall asleep.  After all, it is the season of death and the veil between the physical and spiritual world is as thin as thin can be.  With any luck, one of the lost Native Americans that wonder through my house will be standing at the end of my bed confused with what we have done to their hunting ground.  

 

 

Sea of Green

 Again, I keep reiterating how friendly people are in Philadelphia.  It's their lack of pretense that makes them genuine and likeable.  They have a reputation for being rough around the edges, but they will leave you alone unless you provoke them.  Gee, I guess that's why I get along so well with them.  I will leave you alone unless you &^%$ me off and will I give several warning shots along the way before I rip off your head and $h*t down your throat.  If I go off on you, you deserve it. 

We are not entirely rough and tumble white trash.  We can dress up and be classy socialites with refined social graces if we want to.  We all donned our finest cocktail attire to attend the Union League of Philadelphia reception on the eve of our arrival to the City of Brotherly Love.  yezzzzzzzzzz, so fancy.  Yezzzzzzzzzz so much history.  Yezzzzzzz, I know which fork to use.

Yes, it's fun to put on a fancy dress and get my hair done and sip champagne with men in tuxedos dancing to waltzes performed by a chamber orchestra. It was also just as much fun to go to South Philly on Sunday to Chickie's and Pete's on Packer Ave near the stadium to see the hard core Philadelphia Eagles fans in pure form.  

 

 

 

South Philadelphia

 Philadelphia is an interesting place.  The history is fabulous as are the museums.  Philadelphia is also a very walkable city.  Here's what I would like to ask city planners in Sonoma County.  Everybody is pushing for more condensed housing and public transportation thinking it's going to save the world.  Here's the dirty little secret.  More condensed housing near public transportation will not make anything more "affordable and environmentally friendly" for anybody.  The only thing it will do is make Sonoma County more crowded and congested.  

Philadelphia is ranked one of the most walkable cities in the United States.  They have public transportation that is far superior to ours.  They have row houses with no yards.  How does this help with getting people out of their cars?  It does not.  People park their cars in the middle of the street because parking is so scarce.  Here's a typical street.

On a lighter note we ended up in South Philadelphia yesterday to watch Sunday football near the stadium.  Eagle fans are very passionate.  It was fun to be part of their club for a couple hours.

 

Hi! I moved to Sonoma County and now I don't want anybody else here!

 Here is another thing that pisses me off.  We have the self-proclaimed preservationists who moved to Sonoma County from somewhere else and now they are damning anybody else who wants to mover here.  

These holier-than-thou hide under the one-eyed-snake endangered species and other environmental causes to halt anybody else moving moving here and providing housing.

These self-proclaimed environmentalists have usually pumped out about 4 kids.  Tell me.  Where are THEY supposed to live?  They will need to live in places where trees need to be chopped and rivers damned and valleys paved to make room for them.   Oh, we have not even mentioned parking.  

There are people on NextDoor who constantly complain about growth in Sonoma County.  Here's the irony.  They moved here from somewhere else.  We made room for them.  Now, they want to pull up the drawbridge after THEIR arrival?  How elitist is THAT?  These same people will tell you how democratic they are and love and prosperity for all and blah, blah, blah, blah...........just don't attempt to put any affordable housing, which they loudly advocate for, anywhere near THEM.  

Here's the truth.  They moved here from somewhere else because they could not stand what they voted for and came to Sonoma County for relief from crime, homelessness, vandalism, etc.

Now they are pissed we are calling them on their own bullshit.  

Sorry, relocated SF and OAK libs, we don't want you here.  We also don't want the hairy armpit environmentalists here who demand we pull up the drawbridge conveniently after their arrival.  These people are SO FAKE!  There is one on NextDoor who pisses me off citing all these environmental crimes for the need to build more housing...however....conveniently ignores their own environmental crimes for space (and offspring) they occupy here in town.  Of course, said environmentalist moved here from somewhere else and then ordained herself as the personal environmental protector of Sonoma County. 

Again, Sonoma County has been locked up for over 100 years.  You will never be considered a local.  I don't care how many chickens and sheep you fake newbie ranchers have.  You are all wanna be ranchers thinking that donning a Carhart shirt and seed cap gives you a pass.  

When you show up somewhere with animal feces on your boots (and hands) at a location that shall not be named for fear of transplants turning it into a yuppie tourist trap we may believe you are legitimate. 

Philadelphia, PA

 As I type this I am in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on the 13th floor of a historic hotel near historic landmarks.  I was here five years ago on a similar venture.  Wow.  People are honking their car horns and screaming in the streets.   Yup.  Fox news had that part right.  Sorry libs, Fox news does get it right sometimes despite your hating on it.

Sorry if the truth upsets you.

Here's tonight's synopsis.  We are here in Eagle Country representing Oakland Raiders.  I thought I would get my butt kicked because I donned a Napoleon Kaufman jersey from the 1990's along with a Raider cap. .  Nope.  I met a ton of guys who want to date me ;)       AND...... some of them have a full set of teeth :) ....and are homeless!!!!!  LOL

EXACTLY!!!!!!!  LOL!!!!!

Sooooooooo funny......  

Just having some fun in Philadelphia.  I do need to comment that people here are super friendly.  It makes me wonder where Californians are going wrong.  We have lost touch on how to just have fun and hang out.  

Think about that while you are dragging your garbage cans to the curb and recycling pickup.   When was the last time you invited your neighbors over for an impromptu BBQ?  I'm betting you're lamenting the lack of neighborliness while you isolate yourself in your cocoon.  You can't complain you do not know your neighbors when you never invite them over for even a lemonade and beef jerky on your font porch for 15 minutes. 

Try it.  You might get to know your neighbors.  

Here's today's Philadelphia Challenge:  Get to know your neighbors four doors down.  

This is why I love coming here to Philadelphia.  They push me out of my comfort zone.  They even love me while I'm wearing OAKLAND Raiders gear.  That was kind of funny.  A couple of people wanted to know where the Raiders were actually from......Oakland?   Los Angales????   Las Vegas?????   

True fans know the home base.  xxoo

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