Top-of-the-Arch

TUESDAY TWO - A DUO AND ONLY ONE STANDING

2012-02-07T14:38:00.015-06:00

The above was one of the painted hardboards with cut-out "faces" on displayed along Delmar Boulevard during the Ice Carnival at the Loop last month. The young people seemed to enjoy this feature the most and had a good time placing their faces behind the openings. A young man got everyone laughing when he purposely placed his face where the female body was and singing in a real high pitch voice. There were a few little kids that needed help from their parents since the openings were too high for them. I always enjoyed seeing parents/grandparents engaging in fun loving activities with their kids/grandkids.

When we first walked pass the above ice sculpture, there was a line of people waiting to take photos with their faces behind the openings. So we kept walking. By the time we came back later, one of the figures was knocked down, perhaps because someone got up close and personal. I decided to include the "broken ice sculpture" image in this Tuesday Two post as it is fitting to what happened after the Superbowl on Sunday. The one standing is Eli and the Giants while Brady and my beloved Patriots fell apart on the ground. Enough about football, I am moving on giving full attention to hockey. Currently, the New York Rangers is leading in the Eastern Conference with 71 points while the #1 team in the Western Conference is my beloved Detroit Red Wings with 72 points. If the playoffs took place today between #1 seeds, these two teams would play against each other. I am not sure if I could take another "my heart is torn" game between my American hometown team and my beloved team!

SUPERBOWL XLVI

2012-02-05T17:20:00.005-06:00

Congratulations to my American hometown team the New York Giants for winning the Superbowl Championships. While I am happy for Eli and the Giants, I must admit that I feel real bad for Brady and the Patriots. (Image how much worse the entire Patriots team must feel.) If the Giants lost the game it would not be as bad as the Patriots not winning. Why, because the Giants being the Wild Card and made it to the Superbowl - that was an accomplishment, compared to the Patriots with a winning season, they were expected to win the Superbowl. It hurts deeply when you could not deliver what everyone wanted. 2nd time was not a charm for my beloved Patriots. Hey Qap, you just won a milk shake at Crown Candy, but you have to come to St. Louis to collect it - haa haa! (Above photo was taken at last month Ice Carnival in the Loop.)

BROTHER, CAN YOU SPARE A WOODEN BALL BEARING?

2012-02-04T10:27:00.026-06:00

My husband was pretty excited when he saw the displays of Leonardo's experiment of freely-rotating balls to reduce friction and heat between two plates. (Please don't ask me to explain further, I am just copying from the brochure.) After graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree, CP got a job with a company in Muskegon (hometown of Justin Abdelkader, left winger/center of the Detroit Red Wings). The company is a major manufacturer of ball bearings in all sizes ranging from those used in flashlights to the really big one installed in space shuttle.

CP started out as a tool designer then moving on to production/quality control. After 10+ years with that company, an opportunity presented with a promotion to be plant manager brought us to St. Louis. It was the right move and St. Louis has been a good place to live. A few more years later, CP could no longer put up with all the "b.s." from management and a vp of operation who threw tantrum whenever things didn't go his way, CP moved on with another company.

CP has been much happier as a pre-production quality control manager. His focus is more on making sure all the specifications and requirements are met. Even though CP gave up the income and the corner office, he no longer had to work long hours and weekends, dealing with shipping schedule or worst, unhappy customers and their unreasonable demands.

I am not sure if I believe the saying "Do what you love and the money will follow". I do believe that you need to find work that make you feel proud of yourself, make your decision based on what's most important to you and the people in your life, a workplace where you are respected and appreciated, where you are happy spending 8 hours each day putting your heart and soul into the work, and most of all, it is your precious life that is being wasted at a job you hate.

FRIDAY "LEONARDO DA VINCI" SKY

2012-02-03T02:15:00.015-06:00

Last Saturday, January 28th, after breakfast and before the Welcome Home Parade scheduled at noon, we went to see The Da Vinci Machines Exhibition. The exhibit has limited engagement and luckly for us it was extended thru February 28, 2012. The building is across from the City Garden in downtown St. Louis. The advertisement reads "Explore the mind of the greatest genius of all time at The Da Vinci Machines Exhibition. Over 60 machines on display, many of which are interactive, the collection features replicas of the major and most striking inventions of the original Renaissance Man."

For someone who is very mechanical challenge and has very limited knowledge when it comes to engineering or how things work, I really enjoyed the exhibit. I am not saying that I had better understanding of these machines. I was simply fascinated by the incredible mind of the man whom I thought became famous just for his paintings of Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. I never knew that he had so many inventions and how he was interested in so many complex subjects. "Approximately 1/3 of his original output has survived. Today, these manuscripts, known as 'Codices of Leonardo da Vinci' are amongst the most valuable books in the world" .

I was never interested in the movie Da Vinci Code but now I might have to watch to movie just to learn more the artist and the man.

Many of the inventions proved that Da Vinci was ahead of the time, many centuries in advance when it came to flying, exploring and building machines to improve working and living conditions.

I thought "de Qaptain" being an engineer would have enjoyed this exhibit. Too bad it was not here last April (2011) and only on display until the end of February this year. Who do you think could be compared to Leonardo de Vinci or modern Leonardo of the 21st century?

ST. LOUIS SUPPORTS OUR TROOPS

2012-02-02T16:54:00.016-06:00

Here are a few more photos from the Welcome Home Parade last Saturday, January 28th in downtown St. Louis. The parade was organized to welcome Iraq veterans and veterans from other wars also participated in the march along Market Street.

By the time we got to the parade, all the space in front by the fence on the street close to the floats was taken. I captured most images by zooming in with my cheesy camera but being a "shortie" I had to ask the people who stood in front to let me sneak in to take a few photos. Most of the people were nice and agreed to move back temporarily to give me some room. I took the photos, thanked these kind souls and move way back to the sidewalk. It was really cold and windy so we kept walking along the route with the parade instead of standing in one spot.

Everyone had fun when the bikers came around with their fancy decorated bikes. The kids especially enjoyed seeing performance (spinning in circle on the pavement) by the Shriners in their iconic miniture cars.

To all the servicemen and women, our thanks and appreciation for the sacrifice you and your family have made for the freedom and liberty we enjoy. God Bless you - we pray that you soon will be safely home.

HOW GREAT THOU ART

2012-02-01T09:51:00.020-06:00

The guidebook states that the above image is the most photographed and a favorite for visitors and wedding photos while couples exchanging vows. The altar of the Chapel of the Transfiguration with the large window framing the majestic Teton Mountain Range makes an almost perfect view. The rustic log Chapel was built in 1925 and has been functioning as an Episcopal church.

The Chapel is accessible all year around but religious services and weddings are conducted only during the summer months from May to September. It was nice to see there were many people just quietly sat in the small chapel. You could tell that they were visitors passing thru while on vacation but recognized that they should slow down and took the time to simply meditate. We said prayers for our country, our Armed Forces, our family and ourselves.

I thought of these images when we sang "How Great Thou Art" at Mass this morning. The winter has been unseasonably mild. The temperature has been in the upper 60s since Monday. So far we only had one sort-of winter snow without much accumulation. Looking up at the blue sky while walking back to my car, I thought of the wonderful memories of our recent road trip to the Northwest (Wyoming and Montana).

"O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder. Consider all the worlds thy hands have made. I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder. Thy pow'r throughout the universe displayed. Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee ; How great thou art, how great thou art! Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee; How great thou art, how great thou art!"

"When through the woods and forest glades I wander. And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees. When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur, And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze; Then sings my soul, my Savior God to theee; How great thou art, how great thou art! Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee; How great thou art, how great thou art!"

A SPECIAL TUESDAY TWO - 20,000+

2012-01-31T02:14:00.012-06:00

During my regular "just checking" that my little boring blog did not disappear into the black hole of cyberspace, I was pleasantly surprised to find "20,008" on the Hit Counter. Thanks for all my adoring fans, especially Qaptain Qwerty, only with your kind support that TOTA reached this special milestone.

I know that blogging is about what I am doing in my little boring world. But I need to have a purpose, some kind of goals to keep blogging. To motivate myself with posting regularly I would decide how many posts each year and then try to break that record (i.e. in 2011, TOTA had 242 posts compared to 241 posts in 2010). I admired those who post every single day, some even post 2-3 times, with passion, well-written materials and intelligent information.

I did not wish to copy/paste an image of the television movie/film "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea", so these photos taken when we were at the Grand Teton National Park last September (2011) would serve as a celebration for this milestone of my little boring blog received 20,000 hits.

My next milestones will be to reach 1,000th post and break the records with 243 post by the end of 2012. Or I could wish for another 10 followers as well as getting regular comments. (I appreciate all the bloggers who put up with my settings for posting comments - I am sorry to make you jump thru all the hoops. It is the only way I know so that I don't get any spam or "junk". Please know that your comments are appreciated and always made me very happy to "read" from you.) Thank you, thank you and thank you!

HERE WE GO AGAIN - 2ND TIME IS A CHARM - PATRIOTS V. GIANTS

2012-01-29T17:22:00.003-06:00

Our activities during the last few weekends were arranged around the NFL playoffs schedule. For football fans, it was the most exciting time of the year. It was full of surprises starting with the Pittsburgh Steelers being eliminated by the Broncos - thanks to Tebow's last minute touchdown. Moving on to the Divisional Round, more surprises with the 49ers defeated the Saints (36-32) and the most shocking was the Giants being the Wild Card sent the Packers (with a winning season 15-1) home with a major victory (37-20). I was nervous watching the Patriots v. Broncos game because I could not decide which team should win since I like both Brady and Tebow. The Giants were the only Wildcard team to move on to the Conference Round, facing the 49ers. The AFC game between Patriots v. Ravens - Brady did not play too well and the Patriots were lucky to win that game. The Ravens missed the field goal, unable to tie the game to send it to overtime. Interestingly, the Giants won the game with a field goal in overtime after the 49ers tied at the end of the 4th.
The XLVI Superbowl will be on Sunday, Feb. 5th in Indianapolis, Indiana. Watching all the activities leading up to the Big Day reminded of the excitement when we attended the XL Superbowl in Detroit. The Steelers won that year and the Seahawks never regained from that defeat. I am a bit nervous since this is the 2nd time my beloved Patriots play against my American hometown team the Giants. Five years ago I made the comment, "May the better team win". Not sure if I should say that again! I might just pay attention to the snacks (mini tacos and chicken wings are my favorite) instead of watching the game!
Hey Qap and Lone Gunman, would you care to place bets? You both could take the Giants against my Patriots. What would be your predictions (winning team and final scores)? How about milk shakes at Crown Candy for the prize?

WELCOME HOME - THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE

2012-01-28T18:09:00.009-06:00

To ALL the men and women who served our country THANK YOU. We are thankful for the freedom you provided.

Let's never forget. Bring ALL of them home.

FRIDAY "ST. LOUIS WELCOME HOME" SKY

2012-01-27T16:45:00.012-06:00

These photos were actually taken on Saturday, January 28th at the Welcome Home Parade for Iraq War veterans. St. Louis hosted this first major welcome home parade with thousands of people lining along Market Street in downtown, waving American flags and shouting "Thank You" to our servicemen and women as they marched from Kiener Plaza to Union Station. Most of the veterans waved to the crowd from military vehicles and floats sponsored by organizations. It was a real treat when we were able to reach out and shake hands (some gave hugs) to let the veterans know we were grateful for their service.

Don't get me wrong, I have always thought moving to St. Louis when my husband got the job transfer from Michigan was a good decision. St. Louis is a good place to live, mild winter compared to Michigan and much better cost of living compared to New York. Now I have one more reason to be proud of St. Louis for being the first in the nation to have this welcome home parade for our veterans. I clapped and shouted as loud as my voice allowed when the Vietnam veterans marched by where we stood. These veterans never received the welcome they deserved. I made eye contact with a veteran and said, "Cam On Ong". He understood the Vietnamese words I said, acknowledged my thanks and his eyes showed he was touched by my gesture.

It was a sunny but very windy day. I was glad to be able to capture this photo of the flag against the clear blue sky. Thanks to the two firemen (below photo) for staying up in this bucket to make sure the flag won't get twisted into a knot.

It was a great turnout and I was glad to see the full coverage of the parade by the media and tv networks. I plan to post additional photos of the parade in future posts.

THE LOOP 2012 ICE CARNIVAL

2012-01-25T21:21:00.010-06:00

There was no alien like the one above, but there were plenty of regular folks (included a grumpy geezer named TOTA) at the 2012 Ice Carnival in the Loop. The event was scheduled for the weekend of January 14th and 15th. It was cold but not windy and the streets were not covered with snow like last year. We again parked a few blocks away and walked along Delmar where the ice scupltures were on display in front of the sponsoring businesses. The sculptures were created as promotional pieces for the stores, some were very clever but not all the art works represent what is being sold in the stores.

Above ice sculpture was sponsored by Gyro House and it was fitting that it was Socrates or a typical Greek philosopher. (Hey Qaptain, have you been to Socrates Sculpture Park on Vernon Boulevard in Long Island City, Queens? I definitely would like to check it out next time I am in NYC.) We each ordered a house gyro with lamb meat and hold the onion for mine. Once again we are on a "diet" trying to cut back on sweet, so no baklava this time. Last year, I almost had to make an emergency trip to the dentist when a large chunk of honey would not let go of my dental crown.

Above sculpture was in front of a tattoo parlor. The line was long so I did not wait. Maybe next year I would get there early to be the first one in line!

TUESDAY TWO - A PAIR OF FEATHERS

2012-01-24T18:52:00.008-06:00

We have a small backyard and it is facing a rather busy two lanes road. Surprisingly the land still attracts wildlife such as deer (In 2007 our deer daughter June came to stay with us while giving birth to our deer granddaughter Heidi), squirrels, (my husband specially despises chipmunks), cardinals, blue jay, sparrows, yellow finch, hummingbirds and some kind of big black birds which we don't care too much. It all started around April of last year when I saw the yellow finch by the fence and decided that I wanted to see them "up close and personal" by the patio. They probably have always been flying around in our backyard but I never took the time to look out the kitchen windows. It must be old age that made me realize that I must take time to "smell the roses" or "watch the birds". We put out one feeder specifically for the finch and another feeder for hummingbirds. Currently we have one feeder for cardinals and one for blue jay. A bag of 20 lbs feed costs about $12. It just occurred to me whether we are becoming like the government with all the social (entitlement) programs that create dependency and a system that rewards people for being "freeloaders". Perhaps we should stop providing and let the birds fly around looking for food as nature intended. Don't the birds in the above photo look obese to you?

HAPPY NEW YEAR - TET - CHUC MUNG NAM MOI

2012-01-23T20:50:00.015-06:00

I thought the above ice scuplture of the dragon is fitting for this post celebrating the Lunar New Year being the Year of the Dragon.

This ice sculpture is on display in front of a business that sell baby stuff. I selected it for this post because the new year is like a baby. Hopefully this baby (looking good for being over 4,000 years old) will grow up strong, healthy and enjoy a bright future.

The business that sponsored the above sculpture was a sushi eatery. A whole fish is a popular dish on the Chinese New Year dinner menu. Fish, in Chinese pronunciation sounding like the word of abundance. Keep in mind if you are at such dinner, be careful not to flip the fish over because of an old superstition of equating flipping a fish with flipping a boat or fortune being turned upside down. Also, the head and tail of the fish must remain in tact to ensure good luck throughout the year.

Just a few more fish (from the Wildlights at the Zoo) for extra luck in 2012. (BTW, I am not really late with this post about the Lunar New Year or TET which is the Vietnamese New Year, since it is a 7 to14 days celebration - haa haa). Happy New Year to all and may the new year bring you good health, happiness, love, peace, blessings, liberty and justice!

FRIDAY "2012 EAGLE DAYS" SKY

2012-01-20T22:25:00.014-06:00

I took this photo after we walked the entire length of Old Chain of Rocks Bridge from Missouri to Illinois. Why do I need to explain that the photo is on the Illinois side? Because the "Eagle Days" banner on the Missouri side was tangled and twisted by the wind. Someone did not go a good job at securing it to make sure the wind would not blow it into a knot! Since the banner was up high and not easy to fix, the "knot" was left "flowing in the wind".

It has been a busy week and I am pleased to report that I have accomplished a few more re-organization projects. (Last month I re-organized our food pantry to make room so we could stock up ready for the winter months.) At the stores, I noticed many shoppers picked up containers and organize systems. It is the new year and we all seemed to believe that we could somehow be "clutter-free" or become "zero accumulation" if only we have things in place.

I started with re-organizing the coats closet in the front room. Then I spent the entire morning on Saturday putting all the video tapes in boxes and move them to storage space in the spare bedroom. I organized the DVDs and found there are a few duplicates. That is where our money goes, buying things we don't need because it is on sale or forgot that we already got the same items or where we put them. It took three days to re-organize the dry bar. Five loads in the dishwasher for all the wine glasses, beer mugs, souvenir shot glasses, and now they are sparkling cleaned. Next, I re-organized the storage room in the basement. We were able to donate a blanket, a set of travel bags and a box of Christmas decorations we should not purchase in the first place. The last few years, instead of putting everything back in the boxes after the holidays, we set the goals that we would give away those that we could live without.

After letting go of my wedding dress, I had courage to pack up three more dresses and sent them to a thrift shop that funds shelter for pregnant teenagers. One of the dresses was a traditional red Chinese dress called cheongsam. I wore it in 1989 at the reception in New York given by my parents to their friends so they could prove that I did not just run away without a proper wedding ceremony. I was 50 lbs lighter and 23 years younger, so it would be appropriate to give the dress away for a good cause because I would never fit in it again and for a 51 years old geezer, I would look hideous in a red cheongsam!

What are your plans to achieve "clutter-free" or zero-accumulation goals?

I AM THE MIGHTY ONE (NOT DA QAPTAIN)

2012-01-19T22:26:00.005-06:00

I don't know about the owner of the above license plate but I know that when it comes to finding interesting vanity plates, I am the "Mighty One" compared to Qaptain Qwerty. Apparently, Da Qaptain tried to show off in his recent post with a collage of images of vanity plates he captured during his daily running. Hey Qap, I bet you a chili dog at The Varsity that I would find the most interesting (and clever) plate. Are you up to the challenge?

TUESDAY TWO - EAGLE WATCHING

2012-01-17T16:09:00.004-06:00

The 2012 Eagle Days took place last weekend (January 14-15). This annual event started in 1996 by a group of environmentally oriented organizations. We only began going to the viewing the last three years (even though we have been living in St. Louis over 17 years). On Sunday (January 15th), we bundled up and walked the entire length of the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, 5,353 feet long, x 2 since we walked from Missouri to Illinois side and back to Missouri. (Hey Qap, that would count as my exercise of the month/year - haa haa).

There were spotting telescopes already set up by volunteers to assist guests with viewing of the eagles in the area. Individuals could also bring their own telescopes and binoculars. (The handsome young man, in black pants and black coat, on the left in the top and above photo would be my husband setting up his camera, testing a new zoom lense he just purchased. But we did not spot any eagles!)

There were also educational information and exhibits set up in warm tents located in the center of the bridge. It was disappointed that we did not see any eagles diving for fish in the river, not even roosting in the trees along the shoreline. It was sunny but freezing, in the upper 30s. However, it felt like 30 below zero when the wind blew across the bridge as the chill cut right thru the layers of clothes we were wearing. Eagle or no eagle, it was a good day to be outside.

FROM BIRTH TO ETERNITY - DR. KING LEGACY

2012-01-16T16:45:00.012-06:00

Photography or any image recording was not allowed inside, so I only took a photo from the outside of Dr. King's birth home at 501 Auburn Avenue. It is a modest Queen Anne-style, constructed in 1894.

In the courtyard of Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change is the Mediation Pool.

Above and below murals are on display outside of the King Center, showing the timeline of the struggles during the civil rights movement.

An eternal flame burns in a small circular pavilion directly fronting the white marble crypt where both Dr. King and Mrs. rest.

Outside the Freedom Plaza, Dr. King and Mrs. King final resting place, surrounded by a five-tiered reflecting pool, a symbol of the life-giving nature of water. The inscription on Dr. King's tomb reads, "FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST, THANK GOD ALMIGHTY I'M FREE AT LAST".

THE KING CENTER - SWEET AUBURN DISTRICT, ATLANTA, GEORGIA

2012-01-15T20:49:00.026-06:00

These photos were taken when my sister and I visited the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site during my trip in November (2011) to Atlanta, Georgia. We took MARTA, get off at Five Points station, then transfered to Bus #3. The Center, the Birth Home, this Historic Site and the Church all within walking distance on Auburn Avenue.

We first went to the National Park Service Visitor Center (450 Auburn Avenue) to sign up for the guided tour of Dr. King's birth home on 501 Auburn Avenue. While waiting for the scheduled time to visit the home, we toured the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, then walked to the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church and crossed the street to the National Historic Site. The Center has exhibits such as Dr. King's Nobel Peace Prize, personal bible, a handwritten sermon, the key to his room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis where he was assassinated and many items chronicling the civil rights movement.

The sculpture (below), outside the Historic Site, is the art work of Patrick Morelli. The scuplture reflects the ancient African ritual of lifting the newborn up the heaven and reciting the words, "Behold the only thing greater than yourself". Mrs. Coretta Scott King unveiled this monument as a tribune to Dr. King and as an inspiration to others to fight for dignity, social justice, and human rights.

I became very emotional when we visited the Freedom Hall, one of the exhibit rooms at the Center. The Freedom Hall includes photographic essays honoring Rosa Parks, Mahatma Gandhi and other civil rights/human rights leaders. It has been almost 5 months since the "incident" took place, yet I still felt the pains caused by the humiliation. I could almost envision Ms. Parks and Dr. King shaking their heads in disbelief and disappointment, as we wonder how could such blatant discrimination still happening in America. The year is 2011, yet there are people who act as if there were still two sections on buses, movie houses and segregate water fountains. In a small way, I hope Ms. Parks would approve that I defended my dignity, that I held those violated the laws accountable for their actions and I was inspired to fight so that social justice would be safeguarded, not just for myself but for others. I hope Dr. King would be pleased that it would be the best way to honor his birthday and his legacy.

FRIDAY "THE 13TH" SKY

2012-01-13T20:48:00.005-06:00

I am not a superstitious person, not to some extent as some people would go out of their way to avoid certain things or performing particular rituals to get rid of bad luck. I do admit that I rubbed the nose of the sculpture of a lion in front of the museum, but that did not help me win any jackpot. I do not believe that the number 13 carries bad luck nor do I think it is a good luck number either. I don't have any photos that would go the "Friday the 13th theme", so these photos would have to do. I extend many good wishes, and good luck, and that you will have good directions for the journeys in your life. There would be helpful signs to help guide you along, when to turn, which exit to take (or to avoid) and to stay on the right track (getting safely to where you wish to be). And if you need a little help, Aladin and the magic lamp would be there to lend a hand. (Above image is from Aladin, Wyoming)

FIRST SNOW FALL IN 2012

2012-01-12T00:40:00.020-06:00

Not only I back-dated my posts, I am also late (very late) writing about events that happened days (a long time) ago! My feelings were hurt (deeply hurt) when Qaptain Qwerty made fun of me in his recent post. Since I never claimed to deliver the latest news or provide intelligent opinion about current events, it is my provocative to write whatever and whenever (at my earliest convenience) on any topics. Take that, Qaptain!

Thursday, January 12th - I got up around 5:00 am for a drink of water, when I looked out the kitchen window, it was still dark but I could see the snow already covered the ground. I did not pay much attention to the weather report so I was surprised to see that it was snowing outside. It must have started coming down after midnight since the backyard looked like a white blanket of fresh snow. There were reports of accidents, vehicles got stuck and shut down of the major roads. St. Louisians were caught off-guard, unprepared for this first snow fall. The salt trucks were out in full force but did not help much during morning rush hours. My husband had to park at a church parking lot because he (and many other drivers) were unable to get up the steep hill then down to the industrial park. The road were cleared by the early afternoon. It still took my husband an extra half hour to get home.

I am glad that I made the trip last weekend to drop off my wedding dress and a few other items at a local thrift shop. Proceed from donations funds scholarships to individuals with special financial needs. It took me a few years to finally let go of my wedding dress. After we celebrated our 20th Wedding Anniversary in 2009, I mentioned to my husband that I planned to give away the dress. I would never fit into it again and there is no daughter for me to pass it on. Even if I had a daughter, she probably would not want to wear my dress anyway. I have kept the dress long enough. We will always have the memory (in our heart) so it was time to donate my wedding dress and hope that it would be put to good use for a worthy cause. To readers who are ladies, do you still have your wedding dress? How or what do you plan to put the dress to good use? To the male readers, you sure got off easy with very little work - all you had to do was to return the tuxedo after the wedding!

EVERS 2

2012-01-11T21:30:00.005-06:00

I was so pleased to see the above license plate "EVERS 2" after a few weeks of feeling bad (really bad) about the other license plate "NOT TWO"! I am encouraged by the message of "EVERS 2". Could the message be forEVERS tuesday 2? It is telling me that I should continue to publish the Tuesday Two theme because there would be millions of adoring fans who would be so disappointed if I discontinued the Tuesday Two posts. If you disagree with my theory, please feel free to let me know. I promise I will not feel real bad!

BELIEVE - HAPPY NEW YEAR (2012)

2012-01-10T09:50:00.004-06:00

Believe in yourself even when no one does.
Believe in your ability to create a bright future even when someone told you that, "You don't have any skills. You don't have an education. You don't even speak the language. No one will give you a job."
Believe in your mind that you would be able to obtain a college degree even when someone said, "Let's see how long you will last working full time and attending school at night."
Believe in your strength as a proud American, in your rights to defend your liberty and freedom, especially when someone wanted you to "move to the back of the bus".
Believe in your courage defending your dignity and honor when someone humiliated you because of the color of your skin.
Believe in your fight when someone disciminated against you because they thought as an Asian woman you were supposed to be quiet and submissive. They thought you were "confrontational and demanding" and how dare you asked to be treated with respect.
Believe in your ability to overcome setbacks. Remember that setbacks are not failure, only if you allow yourself to be defeated.
You have survived and rose above many tribulations - you have experienced tremendous hardships, more than an average person could even image.
Believe in the kindness of others. Believe that there are more good-hearted people in the world than those individuals who cowardly looked the other way even when they knew a morally wrong act was committed.
Surround yourself with those who lift you up. Avoid those who tear you down or those who allowed evil to triumph by doing nothing.
Remember to return kindness to those who needed a helping hand and to let them know that they matter.
Give thanks to God for His blessings. He will provide what you need. You might not know what His plans are but they will come according to His schedule, not yours.
Today is the 32nd Anniversary of my family coming to America and I celebrate this special occassion with these self-affirmations, believe in myself even when no one did.
And to YOU - Happy New Year - Believe in yourself and make 2012 your year!

WILD CARD WEEKEND

2012-01-08T13:28:00.012-06:00

Since the St. Louis Rams (2-14) did not make it to the playoffs (again) and I don't have any new football photos to post, so these photos will have to do. After the whole week of nice weather in the upper 60s (it reached 74s on Thursday), the temperature dropped down to mid-40s today. You could tell from these photos I took after coming out of church this morning that it was cloudy and grayish sky. After Mass, I brought Holy Communion to a parishioner who was discharged from the hospital earlier this week and is at home under hospice care. "Martha" looks weak compared to when I visited her on Wednesday. When I saw the red berries on the bare branches against the gloomy sky, I thought how about nature end-of-life, and sometimes we try to hang on to things, unable to let go, knowing that there was very little left. Martha smiled when I told her I also brought her a copy of the bulletin. After we prayed, I said goodbye and that I would bring her Holy Communion again on Wednesday even though we both knew that might not be necessary.

This is Wildcard Weekend "Do or Die" round. Yesterday, Saturday, Jan. 7th, the Detroit Lions gave the New Orleans Saints a hard time in the first half but could not hold the ground. The Saints advanced with a win 45-28, sending the Lions back to their den. The Houston Texans also won 31-10 over the Cincinnati Bangels. Latest news - my American hometown team the New York Giants had a big win 24-2 over the Atlanta Falcons (I should have bet with my sister who is now living in Atlanta but she does not care about football.) It should be a great match-up when the Giants play against the Packers in the Divisional Round next week.

TUESDAY TWO - NOT !!!!!!!

2012-01-07T20:30:00.001-06:00

The owner of the vehicle must dislike my "Tuesday Two" theme so much that he/she has to let me know by selecting the above license plate. If you disagree with my theory, what do you think the message "NOT TWO" was about? (You might already notice that I am such a boring person with no interesting hobby that I just go around and capture images of specialty license plates.) Do you have a specialty license plate?

FIRST FRIDAY SKY 2012

2012-01-06T22:31:00.015-06:00

I did not watch the Rose Bowl football game between Oregon and Wisconsin and I only watched part of the parade. I just thought the above photo taken in July 2010 when we were outside of the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasedena, California and other photos from the same trip were fitting for the first 2012 Friday Sky post. The Rose Bowl game is traditionally played on New Year's Day, same as the Tournament of Roses Parade, but since January 1, 2012 fell on Sunday, the game and the parade were scheduled on Monday, January 2nd.

The water tower with the "Historic Route 66" shield was more than just a welcoming sign as we drove straight into Kingman, Arizona. It was comforting whenever we saw the landmarks mentioned in the guidebook. We needed to know that we were on the right track. We did not mind the few times when we were off course and had to turn around. But when the temperature was over 100, we were hungry and have driven the whole day, finding a town with plenty of eateries and cold drinks definitely made a person feel better!There was little chance of missing the giant US Route 66 shield outside the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City, Oklahoma. On the complex, there were 2 giant Kachinas in front of the old Trading Post. Visitors could walk around the Old Town Museum, sort-of an outdoor museum, that included buildings depicted what was once life on Old 66, auto camping with old vehicles in the desert, neon tourist courts, motels, diners and gas stations. Murals, memorabilia and recorded narration provided stories of the Mother Road.

TOP OF THE STAR

2012-01-05T19:52:00.005-06:00

The title, "Top of the Star" came to my mind when I saw the above display at the Wildlights show at St. Louis Zoo. I hope 2012 will be a "top of the star" year for you!

PEACE AND JOY TO YOU

2012-01-04T20:28:00.010-06:00

Peace and Joy or Joy and Peace, from whichever side you are reading (left to right or right to left), I do wish you will have both, not just for the New Year but all the coming years.
I went to a holiday craft show and "won" the above ornaments as attendance prize when my raffle ticket was drawn - yippee! I did not make any purchase nor was looking for any particular item. I like going to craft shows to see all the creative items "crafty" people make using various resources, especially recycled materials.
Personally, I pray for a peaceful heart, less anxious and worries about things that might never happen. I try to be at peace with what happened. Being at peace does not mean you gave up or stop fighting. Having a peaceful heart gives me the strength to leave "the ugliness" behind, to move forward and to make better decisions.
I pray for joy in whatever I will be doing on the new journey.
Here is to joy and peace in whatever your new year resolutions will be or your future plans in your career and in personal goals.

TWO NEW YORK RANGERS

2012-01-03T09:36:00.007-06:00

Well, look closely you will see there are two New York Rangers goalies in the above photo. That was Henrik Lindqvist in the front but I forgot who the other goalie was since this photo was taken when the Rangers visited St. Louis in 2009. I don't have any photos from the 2012 Winter Classic on Monday, January 2nd between my American hometown New York Rangers vs. the Philadelphia Flyers, so these photos would have to do. The Rangers won 3-2 after trailing 0-2 in the 2nd period. Life is good and I am very happy!

The title for the above photo would be "Two Flyers and a Blues", also taken from when the Flyers visited St. Louis in 2009. That was when I had a few extra dollars burning in my pocket and decided to get the 10-game pack. I am proud to say that all the games that I selected, all 10 teams plus St. Louis Blues got into the playoffs that year (well, the Blues got eliminated after the 1st round). (Breaking News: I am excited that the 2013 Winter Classic could be held at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and my beloved Detroit Red Wings would be the hosting team for the game. Life is really good and I am really happy!)

HAPPY NEW YEAR - 2012

2012-01-01T01:28:00.007-06:00

Happy New Year - may all your hopes and dreams come true and may all your days filled with good health, peace and happiness.

Here is to 2012 and to all my "blogsphere" friends, thank you for visiting my silly boring blog, for your kind comments and for sharing your stories. Here is to many more years of happy blogging!

OLD FAITHFUL - YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING

2011-12-31T10:39:00.020-06:00

This is the last post of 2011 (I know I have been "cheating" with publishing posts that were "back-dated" but this is my blog and I "cheat" if I want to - hee hee). Since I ended the year in high note with photos from the Grand Teton, I thought images from Old Faithful would be sort-of like the "old man" fitting for the outgoing year.

A nice feature about admission fee ($25 per vehicle) at the Yellowstone was that it was good for seven days for access to both Yellowstone and Grand Teton. From the North Entrance, the first attraction was Mammoth Hot Springs. We briefly stopped to look at the Terrace but did not walk around and up all the stairs since it looked like it required a lot of energy. We did not even go into the Visitor Center there. We thought we should save our strengh for other points of interests. We continued to follow the directions to Sheapeater Cliff, Indian Creek, Roaring Mountain, Norris Geyer Basin, Steamboat Geyer and could not pull ourselves away from Gibbon Falls. Following Firehole Canyon, Fountain Paint Pots, Lower Geyer Basin, Biscuit Basin, Black Sand Basin and finally arrived at Old Faithful. We simply followed the path leading to where the crowd was. We could hear the hot, hissing steam rises from the ground when we got closer. Since you could see the steam from miles away, there was no point in fighting the crowd to get any closer.

There it was, the one and only Old Faithful, famous for its regularity and awesome power of "blowing" steam approximately 130 to 180 feet high, very 90+ minutes or so. (We did not try to set our watch based on Old Faithful eruptions. Not that we doubted its accuracy.) From any angle surrounding the geyer would be impressive views, so there was no need to be right in front, except if you are unable to stand, then there are benches you could sit down. You could also view the geyser activties from comfortable rocking chairs on the deck of the Old Faithful Inn.

Let's hope that Old Faithful will be as "faithful" in blowing steams for many more generations to come.

LAST FRIDAY SKY IN 2011- GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK

2011-12-30T10:39:00.020-06:00

After the whole day (Wednesday, September 7th) at Yellowstone National Park, we again entered thru the North Entrance from Gardiner, Montana to get to the Grand Teton National Park. We were overwhelmed by the manificient jagged mountains rising 7,000 feet with the chiseled peaks touching the blue sky. It was postcard perfect views all around us.

The unparalleled majestic mountains, the limitless blue sky, wide open spaces, we were awestrucked by the views around. Even though all the guidebooks and brochures listed abundant wildlife that fill the wilderness, most of the wildlife we saw, from very far away, were large herd of bissons, a few antelopes, a couple of deer, but no bighorn sheep, elk or moose. We did not mind not running into any grizzlies or black bear.

There was a young man (late 30s) from Finland who told us that he travelled by himself. "Johan" picked up a rental car from California and was on a month long trip across America. He approached us asking if we could take his picture. He then returned the favor and took our picture. Then as my husband spent time taking photos of his precious Pony, Johan took off ahead of us. Moving on to the next observation point, we again took photo for Johan and he took photo for us. When we saw Johan standing next to his car at the next stop, I realized he was waiting for us to repeate the "ritual". I had to laugh after the third time, Johan handed his camera to us as soon as we got out of our car and without saying a word, my husband took a photo for Johan. Then we handed our camera to Johan and switched the spot where he stood so he could take our photo. After a few more times, we waved good bye and wished Johan a safe trip when he finally took off for good!

Not that I would ever do it but I thought it would be a once in a life-time experience to witness what would be beyond words to describe the view of the moon over the jagged peaks of the Grand Teton. Since this is the last "Friday Sky" post of 2011, I thought featuring the Grand Teton would end the year with a high note - haa haa

GREAT TIMES IN 2011 (THE YEAR IN REVIEW)

2011-12-29T09:59:00.027-06:00

The year was coming to an end. I thought I should write about all the great times in 2011. Sure, there were bad (the worst and the really ugly) times but I would rather remember all the good instead. Let's start with the 31st anniversary of my family coming to America (we arrived JFK International Airport in New York City late evening on January 10, 1980). We've sure came a long way since then. I was a 19-year old refugee with hopes and dreams of saving the world. This year, I turned 50 in February, with hopes and dreams of seeing all the Original Six home games! In April, Da Qaptain came to St. Louis to run the Marathon. The visit was short, but we had a great time (Qap was disappointed with the Marathon being cut to only half because of the warm temperature but let's remember only the good thing, eh?) The following month (May), my sister and I spent a few days drinking and dancing on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans - haa haa. My husband and I celebrated our 22nd Wedding Anniversary in June. He still tells everyone that I "dragged" my feet on the way to the altar and the floor still shows the "skid" marks from my shoes. He also says that it was actually my parents' idea (not mine) to walk me down the aisle because they wanted to make sure I would not change my mind. My parents could not wait to marry me, their 28-year old daughter off!

In July, we began driving a portion of Lincoln Highway from St. Louis to Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio with a detour to Michigan. Last year (2010) we completed Route 66 Adventure with a road trip that totalling 4,437 miles, all the way to Santa Monica Pier in California.

August/September were busy months with three weddings, all from my husband side of the family. A wedding in Houston, Texas in August and two weddings in September, one in Michigan and the other in Colorado. When attending weddings, since most people take photos of the bride/groom, the wedding party (the adults), I enjoyed capturing images of the kids, especially the flower girls (above). It was pure beauty as I watched the girls playing around, unaware of the ceremony and all the "fussing" the adults were creating.

In September, we continued our Lincoln Highway Adventure, driving from St. Louis to Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Utah and to Colorado for the wedding in Vail. We drove a total of 3,838 miles. I was happy when we finally got home after almost 10 days on the road. But after a few days of rest, I was ready to be "on the road again"!

The above is the North Entrance into the Yellowstone National Park from Gardiner, Montana. We spent one full day at Yellowstone and another day driving thru the Grand Teton. We did not rush thru but there was so much to see that I wished we could have a whole week just driving around the parks. These were great times in 2011 and plannings are already in place for our 2012 road trips.

YOU DON'T GET FREEDOM AND LIBERTY FROM HOCKEY PLAYERS

2011-12-28T09:50:00.016-06:00

At a recent game, I noticed that as soon as there was announcement of the singing of the National Anthem, a man (about 60+ of age) sitting directly in front of us, got up quickly from his seat and walked out. I thought, "well, when you got to go, you got to go". Then at the beginning of the 2nd period, a serviceman who was on leave and his family were being acknowledged on the jumbotron. We stood up and applauded to show our appreciation to Sgt. Scott and to all the men and women for their service to our country. I looked around and saw that everyone stood up except the man in the front row. I thought, "well, maybe he has physical problems and could not stand up". The Blues finally scored to tie the game 1-1. The man, who walked out during the singing of the National Anthem and would not stand up to show respect and appreciation to a soldier, yet this man jumped up, clapped and shouted from the top of his lung. Five minutes into the 3rd period, there was a fight and this man again stood up, pumping his fists, yelling as if he was ready to jump onto the ice. I thought, "well, this man really has a mental problem". I leaned forward and spoke loud enough for him and maybe others around me to hear, "You don't get freedom and liberty from hockey players. Show respect and appreciation to our servicemen and women." The man turned his head half way toward my direction, then straighten up, turned back to the ice. I was ready to explain to that man about my comments that it is our servicemen and women who sacrificed their lives serving our country so he could enjoy the hockey games. It is the soldiers who deserved the respect and appreciation, not the hockey players. Perhaps this man should be sent to a country where he has to bow and pay homage frequently to the great leader, living in fear, only then he would appreciate the real heroes who provide freedom and liberty.

TUESDAY TWO - ONE, TWO AND THREE

2011-12-27T10:40:00.017-06:00

I took these photos from Zoo Atlanta and even though the theme was supposed to be Tuesday Two, I thought images of these prairie dogs would go together nicely for this post. That was me (above) standing, with a grouchy face, anxiously waiting and expecting something to happen, dreaming about "the big break", talking about all the big plans but never put forward the efforts to make the big dream happen. Only talk, no actions.

That was me, still standing and waiting for the big break. Laying in the sand would be my husband, happy-go-lucky, easy-going person. No desire to be part of the rat race or climbing high up the corporate ladder. CP admitted that he was not an ambitious man and would never sell his soul to the devil to get that corner office. He said he already got everything he needs to enjoy life, a loving supportive family, friends who care about him and faith that sustains him thru difficult times in life. Every day is a vacation day, CP said. I wish I could be more like CP, learning to relax and laying in the sand, watching the world go by!

These prairie dogs must have a secret about being happy, not a care in the world and definitely know how to enjoy life. A group of tourists pointing and laughing and nothing would disturb these guys. I realized that everything I need to know how to be happy and to enjoy life is from these prairie dogs!

LET THERE BE LIGHT

2011-12-27T10:05:00.023-06:00

Sunday, December 25th - Since we attended Midnight Mass and did not get to bed until almost 2:30 am, we felt entitled to sleep in until almost 10:00 on Christmas morning. It was too late for a full breakfast and too early for lunch, so egg sandwiches would have to be. We stayed inside all day and rotated between meals, a short nap, snacks, and another nap. It was a good and quiet Christmas day, just the two of us in our own cozy little world!

Monday, December 26th - We went out to lunch with "Jack and Jill". After lunch, we invited them over to our house for cake and coffee. We needed help to finish the birthday cake (half a sheet) I ordered for my husband. We know J-J for over 15 years and they are in their 80s. I first met Jill when we sat next to each other at the same table during the fashion show sponsored by the Ladies' Club from our parish. J-J are more like our parents than friends. Jack was in the Navy during the Korean War. Jill was originally from Texas and she still has the "drawl". We got along real fine, J-J tell us about their grandkids and we share stories about our road trips.

It started to rain and then turned into light snow on Monday evening. At around 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning, a loud noise woke us up and everything went dark. (I thought these photos from Wildlights at the Zoo fit with this post.) It sounded like a tire was blown up. My husband went to kitchen window to look out the direction where the noise came from. The ground was completely covered with snow. He came back and told me that it looked like fireworks with sparks shooting up the sky from the power lines. He called up the power company to report the outage. We went back to bed, under two extra heavy blankets. The power came back around 6:15 a.m. (We rejoiced, just like the penguins in photo above and the kids in below photo, jumping for joy.) We got a message from AmerenUE telling us that the snow caused a tree to fall over a power line. I was happy that I would not be deprived of coffee and hot breakfast. Life without electricity would not be fun!

CHRISTMAS 2011

2011-12-25T09:54:00.018-06:00

It has been our tradition, the last 7 years or so, to attend Midnight Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis (on Lindell in Central West End). We usually arrived around 10:45 p.m. to find "good seats". The Choral Program starts at 11:00 p.m. followed by Midnight Mass. The church was almost full but we were able to find two available seats. There was an old man who kept walking around looking for a family member. We chuckled when we heard the man whispering, calling out for "Mary, Mary". The usher finally approached the man and helped me find his "Mary".

The above and below images are part of the cakes I ordered for my husband's 53rd birthday. I ordered two cakes, one was delivered to his office the week before Christmas and the 2nd cake was picked up on the 24th, just in time for his birthday on Christmas Day :)

Both cakes had Happy Birthday, Christmas tree and decorations from the photos of my husband's pride and joy - the T-bird from our Route 66 adventure and the Mustang from our recent Lincoln Highway roadtrip.

*** Christmas Eve (Saturday, December 24th) was a busy day with making perogies. This year, we tried making a batch of cheese (sweet dry curd) filling instead of the regular mashed potatoes. We also made a batch of the traditional sauerkraut with mushroom. We decided to make only one pumpkin pie since we already had an apple pie the previous week when we invited Sister Roberta Anne and Brother Danny Matthew to the house for lunch.

We took a long afternoon nap in preparation for the Midnight Mass. Last year, it was almost 2:00 am when we got home after Mass. We enjoyed a nice and quiet dinner around 7:30 p.m. and opened our presents (another family tradition from my husband' side of the family) after dinner. My husband was disappointed that we did not have a white Christmas. The temperature was in the mid 40s and very dry. Personally, I don't miss the snow so a "brown" Christmas was just fine for me!

WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS

2011-12-24T10:39:00.006-06:00

Wishing you and your family a Merry & Blessed Christmas.

FRIDAY SKY - SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO

2011-12-23T10:39:00.015-06:00

Hearing all the reports about the snow covering the Southern Plains, part of New Mexico (Tucumcari), Arizona (Flagstaff) and Texas, made me think of our Route 66 adventure in July 2010. It was a wonderful road trip and we had beautiful sunny blue sky almost the entire 10-day, 4,437 miles from St. Louis, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona (with a side trip to Hoover Dam in Nevada) to Santa Monica, California and back to St. Louis. Looking at these photos, I am so ready for another road trip!

Santa Fe is filled with Old World charm and historical buildings. Above is the manificient Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. Construction of this Romanesque church with French architechs and Italian stonemasons, began in 1869 and continued until 1887. The Cathedral was elevated to a Basilica by Pope Benedict VXI in 2005.

A classic multi-story abode-style architecture, La Fonda Hotel (above) on E. San Francisco (off the Plaza) was called "The Inn at the End of the Trail". The current La Fonda was built in 1922. Trappers, gold seekers, soldiers, gamblers were regular guests at the hotel during the 19th century.

Because of tight schedule, we did not spend more time in Santa Fe. I wish we could stay the whole day/night and definitely attending Mass at Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. The whole city, compacted with layout of a mini-village, filled with gift/antiques shops, outlets catering mostly to women (i.e. assocceries and jewelries), and galleries.

We watched and gave a thumb up to the driver of the above firetruck as he skillfully maneuvered the vehicle around the tight street corner on the busy, crowded and narrow roads. I also noticed that all the three firemen were very good-looking. Not sure if physical appearance was part of the requirement/qualification to be selected by the Santa Fe Fire Department or the men were on the way to be featured on a TV commercial for the visitors and tourism bureau!

CHRISTMAS IN NEW YORK CITY

2011-12-21T09:55:00.023-06:00

I took these photos when we were in NYC last year (2010) at Thanksgiving. The workers were putting the final touch on the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. All the lights were strung around the tree, just waiting for the Lighting Ceremony which was scheduled after Thanksgiving. If we were still in town, we would have gone there to be at the ceremony but then again it would have been too crowded and we were too old to stand around for hours waiting, in freezing weather and after the ceremony trying to get thru the sea of bodies.

My husband still talks about how much he appreciated all the plannings I put together for his 50th birthday in 2008. I made all the arrangements from the flights to NYC (we got to the airport early and were able to upgrade to first class seats for only $100 each), to overnight accomdation at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel on Christmas Eve. After dinner at Oscar's, we walked to Radio City for the Christmas Spectacular Show. After the show, we walked to Rockefeller Center and then back to the Waldorf. The next day we attended Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral and then breakfast again at Oscar's. Good thing I made reservation months before the trip because the line was a mile long. People gave us the dirty look when we passed them, walked straight to the hostess, mentioned our name and were seated promptly. It sure was nice to have a little taste of how the people on the "right" side of the tracks live!

The above display was in front of an office building directly across from Radio City. I don't know if the lights would be turned on after dark.

I noticed that my posts detailing about our wonderful celebration of Christmas in New York in 2008 brought a large number of people from around the world to my little boring blog. There are visitors from places that I never heard of (due to my limited traveling and knowledge of world geography). Interesting places such as Sarmede, Veneto (Italy); Tirana, Tirane (Albania); and Brussels, Brussels Hoofdstedelijk, Gewest (a long name for a city in Belgium). I don't know what exactly trigger these posts to be included in the search engine. Could it be the excellent photos or my impressive writing? Well, whatever the reasons, thank you for visiting.

TUESDAY TWO - HAWKS AND WINGS

2011-12-20T10:40:00.007-06:00

These photos were from last year when we attended a Chicago Blackhawks v. Detroit Red Wings game on December 17th at United Center in Chicago. The Red Wings lost 1-4. The tickets were an early Christmas present from my husband. A year later, I still have not accomplished my goals to attend the Boston Bruins, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens homegames. (I have been to the other three of the Original Six - New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks.) There have been major setbacks and my piggybank is currently empty, so I just have to try again in 2012. Hopefully the sky won't come crashing down anytime soon!

Most of the Blackhawks fans in our section were rowdy but typical behaviors of being hockey fanatics. (Please note that I am not saying that all Blackhawks nor hockey fans were bad people.) It just happened that two individuals in the row behind us were spilling out "really stinky vocabulary". After 5 minutes of listening to the loud, almost screaming foul language, my husband turned around and said, "I am asking you to tone down your language. Maybe you are not aware that there are a couple of kids in the row in front of us. So please watch your language." What shocked me was a female voice and her comment, "This is hockey - the kids need to learn real life lessons." Only then, the father of the kids, a boy and a girl about 8-10 years old, turned around and tell these rowdy fans, "Shut your mouth or I will call security." The father then turned and thanked my husband. I questioned why the father waited until my husband, a stranger, stepped up before he being the father should have spoken up first being that those were his kids. The rowdy people quiet down and either they were removed by security or whatever happened, they never came back when the 2nd peirod started. The arena was loud and lived up to its name "the Mad House" but we had a great time, except a victory by the Wings!

IT'S A MAD, MAD WORLD (ANY GIVEN SUNDAY)

2011-12-19T21:21:00.011-06:00

"If we learned anything from Week 15, it's that anything can happen on any given Sunday or Thursday, or Monday", was the comment that was spoken by almost all the football analysts or the wannabe sport commentators like me. It was a mad, mad world in football last weekend and I will tell you what happened. The Colts (1-13) beat the Titans (7-7); the Eagles (6-8) ran the Jets (8-6) off the field with the final score 45-19 but the biggest surprise of all was the Chiefs (6-8) made history by handing the Packers (13-1) their first lost. Up until Sunday night, the Packers were undefeated, almost perfect season!

On Monday night (December 19th), the Steelers (10-4) lost badly 3-20 against the 49ers (11-3). Big Ben threw two interceptions in the 1st quarter and could not overcome his ankle injury. Of course, my beloved New England Patriots (11-3) won big (41-23) against the Broncos (8-6). I was torn between Brady and Tebow because I liked them both. I would not feel bad if the Broncos won - that would shut up all the anti-Tebow crowds!

On Thursday night (December 22nd), the IN Colts will face the Houston Texans. I don't know why they even bother playing since the Colts (1-13) definitely will miss the playoffs. (This entire season, they only won one game against the Titans). The Texans (10-4) already clinched the AFC South Division, so why take the risk that guys might be hurt. I am happy that the Lions (9-5), much improved this season, still have a chance getting into the playoffs being a Wild Card. Don't even get me started on the St. Louis Rams (2-12)!

(The photos above were taken at the October 30th game when the Rams got a surprise win against the Saints. The half time performance was from a local school band. The kids played well but I don't remember from which school.)

ROAD CLOSED

2011-12-19T02:39:00.011-06:00

A Christmas card from my former neighbor in Michigan arrived today. Becky wrote that she has ended her marriage to Jeff. They got married the year before we moved to St. Louis, so that was 18 years ago. Becky did not provide the details and I am not sure if I would ask or wish to know. She wrote it was sad, painful but necessary. I plan to call her after the holidays since Becky went to visit her daughter in upstate New York. Just to get away, she said. Becky was born in Syracuse, New York. She moved to Michigan with her first husband and decided to stay after the divorce. I started this post a long time ago. After I posted these images, I could not find a good story to fit these signs, Road Ends, Road Closed, Road Closed Ahead. I often wonder it would have been nice if there were signs like these to let us know so we could turn around before running into dead end in our marriage, employment or relationships. We could avoid the heart breaks if we could see down the road that the marriage will not last or to avoid the potholes on the uneven paving when making major decisions. It would have been nice to know that a new supervisor from hell would be taking over the department after we accepted what we thought was an ideal job. Looking back, we all encountered these "road closed" signs. We have no choice but to turn around and find another open road. And that was good because at least there was an option. The end of 2011 is almost here, and another year is ahead. So if you face these road ends, road closed, in your life, just turn around and consider the new year as the open road for new adventure and opportunities.

CHRISTMAS TREE IN ST. LOUIS

2011-12-17T16:54:00.008-06:00

We drove around downtown St. Louis wanting to see all the Christmas lightings but were disappointed that the decorations were not what we expected. The above Christmas tree was nice but did not draw a large crowd. In fact there were no tourists around the plaza, only homeless people. Don't get me wrong, I am not putting down St. Louis. (My husband said that in a few years, I will be living in St. Louis longer than being in Viet Nam. Would I be more St. Louisian than Vietnamese? Could I still say that I am a NewYorker/Yankee? How about telling people that I am from Detroit when it comes to the Red Wings?) I will admit that I always compare any tree to the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center in New York City. Is that why they say you could take a NewYorker out of New York but you can't take New York out of a NewYorker? What are the Christmas decorations in your town?

FRIDAY SKY - CHRISTMAS IN ST. CHARLES, MISSOURI

2011-12-16T17:58:00.020-06:00

We have not been to historic downtown St. Charles since last August. Actually, we just drove around trying to find a parking spot so we could attend the festival, I think it was Festival of the Little Hills or something like that. After driving around for about 5 minutes and scanning all the parking lots without seeing one empty space, we decided that we were too old to put up with the hassle of looking for parking spot or taking the courtesy shuttle or we could walk from wherever we parked. So technically, the last time we were in St. Charles was in April when we were with Qaptain Qwerty prior to the St. Louis Marathon. These photos were taken from last Christmas (December 2010). I especially like the way the house (photo below) is decorated, festive and elegant.

We invited Sister Roberta Anne and Brother Danny Matthew to our house for lunch after Mass on Sunday. I have been busy making our house presentable (by now you should know that not only TOTA is a cooking-challenge person but also house-keeping and very domestic-challenge individual). I tried cleaning the sitting/family rooms by putting (hiding) the clutter in the basement storage space. I got out the fine china to set up the dining table. Planning was going well until my husband suggested that we should ask if the guests would like to stay and watch the Patriots v. Broncos game. I was not too thrilled about this. Why you may ask - have you ever watch a football game with a nun and a Franciscan monk sitting next to you? What am I suppose to say when Brady threw an interception, "Oh too bad" and not the big "S%$@"? Do I just say "Oh no" when Tebow got sacked and not "D&#!"? More about what happened in the next post ........

EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A GLASS OF EGGNOG (BUT NOT WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING)

2011-12-15T20:20:00.013-06:00

I made a big mistake by going to the local grocery store that has a $5 off on any purchase of $50 or more. It is a saving offered on the third Thursday of the month. To make it worse, it is the 3rd Thursday before Christmas. Everyone was there not only for the monthly savings but also to get as many items as they think they might need for Christmas dinners. Of course, everyone also wanted to get the closest parking spot and when one driver pulling out, three vehicles were waiting to take his space. That caused traffice jam which prompted one person to press her horn and then another and then another. Finally, someone who looked like he was an off-duty police officer told everyone to calm down, directed the cars and got traffic moving again!

After the grocery store (all I wanted was creamer - got to have them flavored creamer for my morning coffee), I drove to the post office to drop off a few more Christmas cards. Good thing I was already slowing down after pulling into the parking lot because a van almost hit me head-on. I had enough room to quickly moved over. The driver of the van realized that she was going the wrong way when the person behind me rolled down his window, yelled out while pointing at the sign "Enter Only". She tried to back up but could not. So we all moved over to let her out - the wrong way! I want to tell everyone to calm down, stay away from the stores if you could and after you get home safely, have a large glass of eggnog!

MERRY CHRISTMAS MR. GRINCH

2011-12-14T19:33:00.014-06:00

Last Sunday, we went to see How the Grinch stole Christmas! It was our first time at the Peabody Opera House since the grand re-opening this past October. Opened in 1934, the building was originally named Kiel Opera House. It closed in 1991 and after 20 years of abandonment, the House was restored to its glory with a price tag of $79 million!

When my husband first suggested getting tickets to see The Grinch, I was not too thrilled about being surrounded by 6-year old kids, or the back of my seat being kicked at or being terrorized by a group of 10-year old girls who sang along the entire show. Silly me - none of that happened. I am pleased to report that the kids, and there were many of them, were well-behaved. No one cried, no one talked and no kicking the back of my seat!

Inside was what I expected to see, the sleek Art Deco, crimson velvet curtain, bronze fixtures, elegant chandeliers and the marble flooring. According to the website, the theater has 3,100 seatings but I could not image that many people in one place. The seating is all new and wider to accomodate the current (increasing) body size of the audience. In addition to concerts and theatrical shows, the Opera House is available for corporate events, conferences, weddings and private events.

Entering the building, we noticed the distinctive overhead lighting, the gleaming marble on the walls and columns and the two grand staircases with ornate metal railings. Even the ticket windows look plendid with special ordornments. We enjoyed the show and definitely will be back for more as well as going on a backstage tour.

TUESDAY TWO - BUTTERFLIES AND FLAMINGOS

2011-12-13T20:51:00.002-06:00

These displays are at the Wildlights. Above is called Flamingo Lagoon and below is Fantasy Butterfly Garden. The display is located in front of Monsanto Insectarium. Many people went inside the Insectarium (45 degree) to keep warm.

TUESDAY TWO - MONKEYS JUMPING AROUND

2011-12-13T16:56:00.007-06:00

One of the displays at Wild Lights at St. Louis Zoo is called "Chimpanzee Trapeze". We tried but could not capture the monkeys on the left. The flashing was so quick that we could only get the middle act (above) and the right side (below).

It rained all day today. The kind of gentle drizzling, enough to make your hair wet and your shoes squeak. I started working on our Christmas cards, hopefully it will be ready for mailing this weekend. We already got a few cards, some with name pre-printed because the person did not even bother to sign the cards, and then others with "annual brag letter" about all the fancy trips and big promotion! With so many people sending e-cards and the raising cost of postage, it would not be long before mailing Christmas cards became the thing of the past. Do you still send out Christmas cards?

ROCK PAPER SCISSORS

2011-12-12T13:52:00.007-06:00

When Benjamin saw the above sign "Rock Paper Scissors", he asked me what it was about. I explained that it was the name of a store selling paper products like greeting cards, supplies for scrapbooks, and anything "papertry". I also mentioned that "Rock Paper Scissors" is a universal game which I remembered playing when I was a child in Viet Nam. For adults, it is a way to settle a bet or to decide winner and loser.
Then Benjamin asked me how the game is played. I explained that there are usually two players, each either put his hand behind his back or shake his hand a number of times, then put the same hand out either in a fist (rock), out flat (paper) or with the index and middle figures extended, either pressed together or slightly apart (scissors). Winning is decided based on the following rules - paper wins against rock (paper covers rock), rock wins against scissors (rock crushes scissors) and scissors wins against paper (scissors cut paper). I told Benjamin that I had wonderful childhood memory playing this game because it was a lot of fun. Then Benjamin extended his two yellow hands -------------------

WILDLIGHTS AT ST. LOUIS ZOO

2011-12-11T09:45:00.013-06:00

We went to the Zoo last night. It was our first time walking through the Christmas Light Display. The annual evening walk is opened from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thousand of lights were strung on trees, along the fences, throughout the grounds with many fun animated lightings.

It is a family event where the kids could listen to storytellers or ride the carousel. Parking is free and admission is $5 per person. The entire zoo is not opened so it takes about 30 minutes to walk around and see all the displays. The cafe is opened for those wishing to get something to eat or hot chocolate as it was about 35 degrees. It was a crisp cold night for the walk but it could be a bit freezing to the bones, even with hats and gloves.

We offered to take photos when we see families and most of the people were appreciated. It was nice to see the kids having a good time with Mom and Dad or grandparents. I used to think of my nephew and wishing he lived nearby so we could enjoy these activities together. From an experience that was "a bad idea" when we were in NYC last year, I finally realized that JL has grown up and no longer the child that would be happy just sitting next to me while I read to him. Sadly, he is more interested in computer games than interacting with his "Big Auntie". I finally learned to accept that the kind of relationship I envision and hope to built with my nephew is not what he might wish to have. It is a lesson of letting go that most parents have to do with their children. You do your best, allowing them to fly away and hope that they won't be those "boomerang" kids!

FRIDAY "ST. LOUIS" SKY

2011-12-09T18:56:00.007-06:00

After seeing The Grinch at Peabody Opera House, we decided to drive around downtown St. Louis. Most of the time when we came downtown for the hockey games, it was in the evening. We usually left town right after the Rams or Cardinals games. We drove to Laclede Landing and along the riverfront. We had about 45 minutes before dinner reservation at Kreis Steakhouse.

We saw a few joggers but no bikers (bicycle). It was in the mid-40s and one lady running with only a shirt and thin sweatpants. I commented that she was very brave to be running along the riverfront where it was almost empty. She could be dragged into a vehicle and no one would be there to help. Or maybe she was an undercover police officer. I would love to see the guy's face after he tried to attack her, not only she fought back and then show him her police badge.

We had a nice dinner, started with crab cakes and we both ordered the Colorado lamb. For dessert, we shared a bowl of vanilla ice cream, for toppings, we selected toasted almonds and chocolate syrup. Going to the show and having a nice dinner was sort-of Christmas celebration for us. My husband often reminded me, "we are on vacation", because he said everyday is a vacation day and to enjoy each day as a vacation day especially it will be 2012 soon! (What are your thoughts about 2012 and the end of the world?)

DA WINGS IN ST. LOUIS (MERRY CHRISTMAS, FATHER RICH)

2011-12-07T20:52:00.009-06:00

These photos were taken at the December 6th game. The Wings lost again, for the 2nd time, to the Blues. My husband was able to get off work early, and we got to the arena enough time for the warm up. Last time, the game already started when we arrived. So, the Wings could not blame me for being a "jinx" since they lost whether I was there watching and like my husband said, "blowing kisses" to the boys while they were warming up!

The day after the game, I saw Father Rich after the 8:00 a.m. Mass. Before I could say hello, he said, "Well, the Blues beat your Wings again." (Father Rich saw us at a Blues v. Wings game and since then he gave me a hard time about being a Red Wings.) I thought since I already planned to go for Reconciliation before Christmas, I might well say what was on my mind. "Yes, Father, I am sure you will enjoy it more when the Blues finally won their 1st Stanley Cup." Father Rich did not have anything else to say because my response reminded him that the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup 11 times. Merry Christmas, Father. Remember that when it comes to hockey and my beloved Red Wings, don't mess with me!

TUESDAY TWO - FOOL ME TWICE, SHAME ON ME

2011-12-06T20:34:00.004-06:00

I sort-of temporarily ran out of material for Tuesday Two posts so this photo captured at 2:06 in the 2nd period of the 2nd visit (Tuesday, December 6th) by the Detroit Red Wings to St. Louis, will have to do. Notice that I left out the word "beloved" when referring to the Wings. They lost again 1-2 to the Blues. Must be too much milk and cookies! They fooled me in the 1st period when they "seemed" to play well but somehow could not score on power-play and too many turn-overs. At one point, the Wings could not clear the puck out their red zone and they looked more like players that just came up the minor! The next game is in April 2012. Will I be fooled again? The 3rd time (if the Wings losing the game) will be a sham, not a charm.

CUTE LITTLE BUDGIES

2011-12-04T09:26:00.021-06:00

When I planned my visit to Atlanta Zoo, I was mostly interested in seeing the Chinese pandas. I saw the pandas once at the Bronx Zoo, but that was more than 25 years ago. When I saw the above sign, "Boundless Budgies - A Parakeet Adventure", I almost screamed with excitement. I love these colorful birds. At St. Louis Zoo, the parakeets were kept in large cages with netting all around. Here they were in free-flights and we could get real close to them. At times, the parakeets literally bumped into visitors while flying around.

I have always been fascinated by these colorful birds. I read that parakeets are friendly, beautiful, clownish, easy to tame and they breed readily in captivity. Unlike the pandas who are so picky at mating and only mate once every 7-10 years! The main difference between the parrots and parakeets is the tail - most of the birds called parakeets have long tapered tails, whereas parrots tend to have shorter, blunter tails.

The American parakeet has another name as budgie, called by the rest of the world! Budgie came from the aboriginal Australian word, betcherage (budgerigar), meaning "good to eat" - blaah (I like parakeet better). Wild parakeets are found in only the wild green. Their primary predators are hawks, tree snakes and other raptors. Parakeets gained popularity around 1850 and later a yellow mutation occurred, leading to additional new mutations such as blue, white, gray-green, even violet.

I had to laugh (it is not really that funny - sad actually) when I read that parakeets in captivity are prone to become overweight because their activities are limited. Naturally, they should be flying, foraging for food, keeping away from predators, finding nesting sites, and protecting their youngs. In captivity, the birds don't have to do anything of these, everything is available for their enjoyment. Does it sound the social/political golden handcuffs with the sole purpose keeping certain group of people dependent on government subsidized programs?

I could not believe all the beautiful feathers and how adorable these parakeets are. Male parakeets are the best talkers and could repeat over a thousand words and phrases. Some even learned how to whistle. Parakeet does well when it gets lot of attention. I am surprised to learn that pairs are less likely to talk than the single bird and single birds with mirrors are often less likely to talk than single birds without mirrors. I thought it would be the other way around that the bird would see itself in the mirror and thought it was another bird and try to communicate with it. The move attention and affection the birds get, the more likely they would talk. Some birds like to be covered at night while others might get frightened in the dark.

After reading a book about parakeets and how much work involved in taking good care of these birds (proper housing/cage, nutrition, bathing, nail/beak care, wing clipping, general health, common illinesses, and potential problem behaviors), I decided not to run out and get a pair of parakeets. I think when I have an urge to see the parakeets, a trip to the pet store and to the zoo would be best!

BENJAMIN AT WORLD OF COCA COLA

2011-12-03T20:04:00.007-06:00

Benjamin was high on sugar after tasting all 60 flavors of drinks from around the world!

This is the lobby and waiting area before the tour. Behind Benjamin are sculptures of supposely coke bottles painted with the faces of happy "drinkers" from various countries in all the countries/continents, speficially from China, Latin America and Eastern Europe.

Benjamin and Dr. John S. Pemberton raised their glasses to make a toast for peace and happiness in the world.

FRIDAY SKY - THE A-TOWN

2011-12-02T21:21:00.014-06:00

This is Georgia State Capitol, completed on July 4, 1889, has the impressive 75-foot dome covered in gold leaf and topped by a Statue of Freedom. My cheesy camera was not good enough for a zoom, so no photo of the statue. It wasn't until after the Civil War (1868) that Atlanta became the state capital. My next visit will definitely include a tour of the building so I could see the six Corinthian columns in front and inside the 237-foot ceiling in the rotunda. The Capitol is within walking distance from MARTA Georgia State station, Blue or Green line will get you there.

Above is Georgia Dome, 71,500 seat stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons. The Super Bowl XXVIII in 1994 and again SB XXXIV in 2000 were held here. (Current NFL standings - the Falcons is among the Wild Card teams trying to get to the Playoffs). Below is Phillips Arena, home of the former NHL Atlanta Thrashers. The hockey team was moved back to Canada and became the Winnipeg Jets. Since the NBA (men) has been on the lock-out, only the WNBA (women) games are being played here.

Our walk thru Centennial Olympic Park was nice but short because it was getting late (the sun was going down quickly) and there was an unpleasant part of big city (there were many homeless people there). We did not feel threaten but constantly being asked if we had any change, we thought it would be best to get out of the park.

The Coca-Cola tower on North Avenue is covered in white sheeting with an image of a soda bottle. Last May, the 26-story building was illuminated and turned into a giant projection screen showing images from the company's advertising library and photos posted on the company's Facebook. The occassion marked the 125th anniversary of Coco Cola.

GETTING READY FOR CHRISTMAS IN ATLANTA

2011-12-01T09:45:00.015-06:00

Yes, TOTA was very impressed with Atlanta that I kept posting and writing about the A-town and since I took so many "cheesy" photos, it would be a crime not to share with my adoring fans - haa haa. The above "Coke" tree (I would not wish to impose my religion on the readers by calling it the Christmas tree - blaah!) was on display at the World of Coca Cola. My sister was working so I went on the tour by myself and really took my time to see all the exhibits and even tried a few different taste of sodas around the world.

At Centennial Olympic Park, workers were busy putting up Christmas decorations. (There, I said it - Merry Christmas to you Mr. Grinch!)

A worker saw me pointing the camera upward in his direction, he smiled and told his co-worker, "That is TOTA from St. Louis. She takes photos of everything wherever she goes. She even took picture of a piece of gum on the street!" The co-worker asked, "What does she do with the photos?" I was very pleased to hear the response, "She posts them on her blog. It is a very well-written and popular blog and I encourage ya'll to check it out and become one of her million followers" (Then I woke up and it was just a dream - haa haa haa haa haa haa)

I thought of Qaptain Qwerty and how much he would enjoy running in Centennial Olympic Park. I wish I had more time to see all the sculptures and so many other nice features at the park. I specially like the Fountain of Rings featuring the Olympic Ring symbol that was created just for the 1996 Olympic Games. Visit www.centennialpark.com for more information.

TUESDAY TWO - BUTTERFLIES

2011-11-29T18:56:00.006-06:00

The theme for December at the Butterfly House (www.butterflyhouse.org) is Snow in the Tropics when over 1,000 Paper Kite butterflies in free-flight over white orchids. The black/white butterflies gave an illusion of snow falling inside the tropical conservatory.

Not much happening after the 4-day Thanksgiving break, just the typical work load and daily lunch that consisted of left-over turkey. The weather was still in the mid-40s. CP finally stored his golf clubs away. He also put the hard-top on the T-bird and then carefully giving "her" a good coat of wax. I started looking around for ideas what to get CP for his birthday/Christmas. It is nice to marry to a man whose birthday is on December 25th. I only have to buy two presents and then decide which one is for birthday and the other would be for Christmas!

2011 THANKSGIVING WEEKEND

2011-11-27T20:05:00.017-06:00

Taking advantage of the sunny, warmer than expected weather, my husband worked on the Nativity display. After Ma passed away in 2006 (Pa passed away in 2000), the family went thru items in the house and getting it ready to sell, we mentioned that we would like to have the Nativity. We have been carrying on the tradition of displaying the Nativity in front of our house since then, just like the way Ma and Pa used to do during Christmas season.

For football fans, Thanksgiving is also a special time since we could eat and be merry watching the games all day. Traditionally, the Detroit Lions and now the Dallas Cowboys would schedule gameday on Thanksgiving. Nothing against Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay but I thought it would be funny if the Lions won the game and broke the Packers' winning streak. (Only serious football fans would understand why I thought it would be funny if that ever happened.)

My husband once again did a great job with cooking the turkey. He also made pumpkin and apple pies and my favorite side dish, green bean casserole. I reminded my husband of our "insider" funny story what happened in 2009 after we found the wishbone in the turkey. We silently made our wishes - my husband got the larger piece of the wishbone and I got the shorter part. CP then told me that his wish was that the exact model of the 2010 Mustang he ordered would be delivered sooner than scheduled. Well, he did get the Pony a few months earlier. What was my wish? I wish for peace in the world and for God's blessings for America. Talk about priority - if only I got the larger piece of the wishbone, the world would have been a peaceful place! (This year, we both wished for peace. Hopefully our wishes will come true!)

FRIDAY "THANKSGIVING" SKY - NYC IN 2010

2011-11-25T16:09:00.021-06:00

These photos were taken at last year (2010) Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in NYC.

Besides visiting my family, being in NYC during Thanksgiving also sort-of anniversary celebration for us. Exactly 22 years ago (1988) that my husband flew from Michigan to NYC at Thanksgiving to ask my parents for my hand in marriage. When my husband said that he was very nervous not only about asking but also about the language barrier as my parents did not understand much English, I told him not to worry because my parents would be so happy that their 28-year old daughter (an very old maid in Vietnamese culture) finally got married!

We had a wonderful time and 2010 Thanksgiving in NYC was a memorable event. My husband got his wish of eating a Nathan's Famous hotdog in Coney Island. We broke our piggy-bank to pay for a delicious steak for lunch at Peter Luger Restaurant (only cash and PL credit cards are accepted there). Thanks to my brother, QQ, for driving us to see our 1st home in America on Pelham Parkway in the Bronx. The next day, we walked around Flushing Meadows Park and then visited the apartment building in Elmhurst, Queens - our 2nd home in America. The highlights were spending time with my godparents, listening to my godfather telling stories about his service at the Battle of the Bulge during WWII, attending Mass with my 95-year old godmother and having dinner with my best friend from college and her family.

We are deeply thankful to be living in America and for the many patriots who love and serve our country. We thank God for His blessings and we pray that America will recover from its current downward, self-destructive path and with God's grace, we will once again look forward to brighter days.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

2011-11-24T09:21:00.001-06:00

SAVANNAH - CITY OF SQUARES

2011-11-23T18:55:00.017-06:00

Much of Savannah's charm and beauty is found in the layout of its historic squares by General Oglethorpe. On June 9, 1732, King George II granted a charter to British General James Edward Oglethorpe (1696-1785) and 20 Trustees for the creation of a new colony to be called Georgia, after the king. In 1733, General Oglethorpe landed on the historic bluff above the Savannah River and founded what would become the 13th colony in America. (I just found more information about these squares. Telfair Square is named for the Talfair family, whose members made important contributions to Georgia in the areas of politics, business, the arts and philanthropy. Well, no square will be named for TOTA, a poor church mouse!)Oglethorpe made his dream into reality with the layout of the new city. In this dream city, he created a town that filled with squares that would be earmarked as "green lungs" or public parks (he was green before the so-called green/environmental friendly stuff was cool). Oglethorpe wanted an orderly grid composed of 24 squares. (I went to the above Pulaski Square expecting to find a statue of General Kazimierz Pulaski but was greatly disappointed because there was no statue there. The General fought and died in the Battle of Savannah during the American Revolutionary War.) PS: The General was a Polish Count. (Again, no square is named for TOTA, the hockey fanatic for the useless talent of knowing the goalies in all 32 NHL teams or all the names and jersey numbers in the Detroit Red Wings roster!)I did not troll through all the 24 squares. Prior to the visit, I planned to visit and take photos of all the squares (just to prove that I was there) but I realized that the goal was not that important and down right silly. Walking, riding the horse carriage and driving around, I probably saw most of the squares. (Orleans Square named for the Battle of New Orleans, an American victory in the War of 1812.)

Madison Square is named for the fourth president of the United States, James Madison.

Johnson Square is named for Robert Johnson, the royal governor of South Carolina who aided Oglethorpe in establishing the colony of Georgia. Most of the squares are rather unadorned and basically patches of manicured greenery, Spanish moss hanging like curtains on beautiful oaks trees, wooden benches, fountains, inhabited by squirrels and unflattered residents. Johnson Square and Wright Square are two of the stately grandeur landmarks. Most visitors are interested in Chippewa Square where the bench which was a prop during the filming of the movie, Forest Gump. We were told the bench is in the museum, but that did not stop people from standing by the Chippewa Square sign for a photo op! My sister and I had our photo taken there too :)

TUESDAY TWO - GOOD MORNING SAVANNAH

2011-11-22T21:22:00.010-06:00

I was rushing back to the hotel after the 7:30 am Mass at Cathedral of St. John the Baptist to meet up with my sister for breakfast. Then I saw these well-dressed distinguished gentlemen sitting on the bench at Orleans Square. I said good morning and they greeted me with a smiled while continued with their conversation. They spoke quietly, just enough to hear each other. When I reached the other side of the square, I turned around and took the photo below.

It was a beautiful sunny and comfortable morning. These two gentlemen must be on their way to church. Or they are those who always dressed properly whenever they are in public setting. You just don't see this kind of social grace anymore. People (myself included) are careless with how they dressed and how many times did you see individuals (both young and old) and felt embarassed just looking at what they were wearing?

I started to slow down, no longer rushing back to the hotel. (My sister is not a morning person so she probably still was just getting out of bed!) I continued walking yet began to appreciate the warmth of the sun and the quiet of Sunday morning. There were no roses, just the smell of the fresh grass, the leave on the ground and the sun streaming through the Spanish moss hanging on the tree branches, simply a beautiful day in Savannah.

WHICH WICH VINNIE VAN GOGO TO THE BAR BAR?

2011-11-20T21:21:00.008-06:00

When you have a brother who is a self-proclaimed punster, you tend to spot signs or businesses with clever and funny names. I saw the Which Wich in Atlantic Station (midtown Atlanta). Vinnie Van GoGo is located near City Market in Savannah and the Bar Bar is in the center of Ellis Square, also in Savannah.

Notice the hand-written sign "CASH ONLY" - I wonder if anyone ever got their ear cut off writing bad check ;>)

At Vinnie, there are tables and chairs outside the restaurant, but don't try to sit down because food are only ordered to gogo - just kidding ;-)

FRIDAY "SAVANNAH" SKY

2011-11-18T21:19:00.018-06:00

We walked along Savannah River in the Riverfront District, a popular tourist area. Buildings along River Street feature restaurants, souvenir shops, galleries and businesses that cater to visitors. Looking up the building, you could still tell from the structures were once warehouses housing cotton ready for loading and shipping. Instead of bales of cotton being loaded onto ships and barges, the Savannah Belles Ferry is waiting to provide dinner cruise and entertainment to visitors. We skipped the old passageway of alleys because my sister was unable to walk on cobblestone walkways.

More images from the Gingerbread House (above) built in 1899 will be in future post. It is known as the most photographed house in Savannah and as the most beautiful and elegant structure. You could search for it to find out what the address is - not very flattering!

For a minute there, we thought we were in New Orleans when looking up at second-floor of the Marshall Hotel and saw the cast-iron veranda, a reminder of the French Quarter. The Marshall Hotel (123 E. Broughton Street) was considered the finest hotel in Savannah when it first opened in 1851 by a businesswoman, Ms. Mary L. Marshall. When the Union (damned Yankees) came, the building served as army hospital in 1864-1865. After the war, the hotel re-opened under new ownership and after going thru renovation. The hotel closed in 1957 and only the first floor was used for businesses. The current Marshall Hotel, opened in 1999, with all the modern conveniences such as king-size beds, flatscreen LCD tvs, luxirious bathrooms (http://www.marshallhouse.com/).

DA WINGS IN ST. LOUIS

2011-11-16T14:01:00.010-06:00

We went to the first match-up game of the 2011-2012 season between St. Louis Blues v. my beloved Detroit Red Wings. It was Tuesday (November 15th) evening so we did not get to the arena until after work. The City Hall parking lot (across from the arena) was full when we got there. We had to wait for the attendant to remove the barricade to open up more parking space. We missed the warming up, not that I did not already take enough photos of "the guys" from previous games.

I knew it was early in the season and there are many changes in the line-up with "old guys" being replaced by the "new kids", but the Wings' power plays were terrible. In the first period, the Wings could not score even when the Blues got a 5-minute penalty for personal misconduct (late hit from behind). Second period was not any better, the Wings passing was lousy and so many turnovers in the neutral zone. Even when #5, 13, 40, and 93 were on the ice, there was no scoring! The Blues had more shot-on-goal than the Wings in the third period. The Blues won 2-1 .

Watching the Wings skating around the rink (they sure did not play hockey the way I expected - blaah), the players looked like they already ate too much Thanksgiving turkey and stuffing. I am glad we did not spend our hard-earned money on the tickets. Last year we purchased club seats that included food/drink and a hockey stick to be autographed by the Blues players after the game. This year we just bought "cheap" tickets. Actually the seats are center-ice and just right below the suites level. Or I finally reached a point in my life with an attitude, "been there done that" - how much food could I eat or how many more autograph sticks do I really need?

Next game is again on Tuesday, December 6th. I just hope the guys don't play like as if they were stuffed with cookies and milk!

TUESDAY TWO - #200 PEACHTREE

2011-11-15T11:40:00.020-06:00

Walking along Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta, I came upon this building #200, across from the Hard Rock Cafe restaurant. At first I thought it was a giant peach sitting on top of the blue canopy. It was a giant red lightbulb normally found on Christmas tree or for New Year celebration.

It was my first visit to Atlanta, Georgia and I am impressed with what I saw, learned and interactions with the good people of "A-town". It is easy to get around town by car (a crossroads of three major interstate highways), by air (the airport might be a bit confusing but once you learned the system, it is very efficient and well-organized) and public transportation is dependable, clean, modern and safe. This is only my personal humble opinion and based on limited experience from living in New York City and visited Chicago, London, Paris and Rome, so I only compared Atlanta to these cities. Of course, once you managed New York Subway, other systems would be rather simple and easy.

I found downtown Atlanta to be interesting and a pleasant place for walking. I did a lot of walking in a few days there to make up for all the driving (non-walking) in St. Louis. There are many historical places and major attractions. (We went to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, World of Coca-Cola, Underground Atlanta, Margaret Mitchell House & Museum, the Fox Theater, even the Varsity). The good people of Atlanta are friendly and helpful. I fit right in with the southern customs of saying, "please", "yes, sir", "thank you, ma'am". Reading history of Atlanta, I could see its strength from a proud heritage of a city that rose from smoldering bitter ashes (after being burned down to the ground in 1864). When in Atlanta or elsewhere in the State of Georgia, you could step back in time to learn about the past, then enjoy all the modern attractions and look around at the on-going development to see what the city is getting into its promising position in the future. If I was 25 years younger, single and the economy is good, I would consider moving to Atlanta. But then that would be a reason anyone would re-locate to a new city where they could find suitable employment, reasonable cost of living, comfortable housing in a vibrant community and a good place to raise a family. What would be your dream town or perhaps you already are living there?

IT IS PEACHY IN ATLANTA (EXCUSE ME, WHERE IS PEACHTREE?)

2011-11-14T13:50:00.008-06:00

Stop by the Visitors Center at Underground Atlanta (65 Upper Alabama Street) and you will see the above display of more than a dozen streets named Peachtree. To make it more interesting, when looking for an address, be sure to check whether northeast (NE) or southwest (SW). When you see W. Peachtree Street, it is not west of Peachtree Street, it is entirely another street runs parallel with Peachtree Street.

This Peachtree Center is where you could get on the Red Line (North Springs) and Gold Line (Doraville) when going north. The Airport is the last stop going south for both Red and Gold lines. To transfer to the Green and Blue lines, you need to get to Five Points station. Visit www.itsmarta.com to read more about MARTA system, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.

There you have it - Peachtree Street NE,

and Atlanta Financial Center on Peachtree Road,

and here is the 138-foot light tower at Underground Atlanta where the Big Peach would be dropped at the stroke of midnight to ring in the New Year. It is Atlanta's very own version of New York Times Square 200-pound ball being lowered each December 31st. I am sure this Peach Drop does not attract the million-bodies crowd as the event at Times Square.

Visit www.peachdrop.com for more information about the festivities.

I will share photos from Underground Atlanta in future post.

WHO IS AFRAID OF NUMBER 13?

2011-11-13T16:36:00.020-06:00

Since I don't have a photo of a black cat or a tall ladder, this butterfly named Great Mormon from Southeast Asia, will have to be. When I made arrangement for the trip back from Atlanta, I wanted to spend an extra day (Saturday) with my sister and also to make it easier for my husband to pick me up, so I booked the returning flight on Sunday, November 13th.

I don't consider myself to be a supertitious person. I say things like, "knock on wood" while gently knocking on my own head, just as a joke. I broke a few mirrors but I never became paranoid that something bad would be happening for the next 7 years of my life. I just found that it was a funny coincidence when I got to the Atlanta airport while waiting to go thru security checkpoints, the agent tried to get things moving by telling the passengers to go to a shorter lane. I was directed to lane #13.

Mind you, I was not at all concern that I am flying on the 13th and now I stood in lane #13 and getting on an airplane to my seat #31E. As I was waiting at the gate (21A), a small question came to my mind - should I be worry? Not at all because there are many people, Qaptain Qwerty included, was born on the 13th and there were many times that his birthday fell on Friday the 13th. My Godfather birthday was also on the 13th. Hockey players are known as the most supertitious in sports, and many of them wearing #13 (like Pavol Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings) on their jersey and that is considered good luck. So who is afraid of #13, definitely not TOTA ;>)

DOOR #125 - PEACE

2011-11-12T17:33:00.007-06:00

I don't know when and how it started but I have been interested in the design and decoration of entry doors, whether buildings or homes. I was like a kid in the candy store when we were in Rome trying to take photos of so many interesting looking doors. They were all different, no two doors were exactly the same. In Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia, doors were painted blue, the color of happiness, against the white paint of the structure, just beautiful. The robin's egg-blue sympolized the color of the Mediterranean sea.

It was a treat when I saw the above door #125 with the word PEACE while walking along Liberty Street in Savannah. I was walking back to the hotel after the morning Mass and seeing the door reminded me that God has always provided strength and a peaceful heart for whatever is coming my way.

FRIDAY SKY - CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, SAVANNAH

2011-11-11T15:41:00.012-06:00

According to the Cathedral's website, "French Catholic emigres established Savannah's first parish, called the Congregation de Saint Jean-Baptiste, shortly before the end of the 18th century." Many of these emigres were nobles fleeing the French Revolution that had begun in 1789. In 1849, the Church of Saint John the Baptist, then the only Catholic church in Savannah, became the Cathedral.

In 1876, the new brick Cathedral was dedicated. The style was of French Gothic with imposing nave and transepts. Bronze-colored iron columns supported triple rows of groined arches. The brick structure was also stuccoed and whitewashed. The building of the spires was completed in 1896.

In 1898, the Cathedral survived the fire that nearly destroyed the structure, only the outside walls and the two spires remained standing. The Cathedral was rebuilt and re-dedicated in October 1900. A major restoration of over 50 stained glass windows was completed in November 2000, in time for the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the diocese and the 100th anniversary of the re-dedication of the Cathedral.

FRANKLY MY DEAR (HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MS. MARGARET)

2011-11-09T13:57:00.015-06:00

Yesterday, November 8, 2011 would have been Ms. Margaret Mitchell's 111th birthday. She was born in Atlanta, Georgia on November 8, 1900. So it would be appropriate for us to visit the restored three-story Tudor Revival mansion in Midtown Atlanta where Ms. Mitchell wrote her famous novel that was made into the movie, Gone With The Wind.

This is the side exit of the house where we would follow the walkway to another building to see display and watch the documentary "The Making of A Film Legend: Gone With The Wind."

The house is located at 990 Peachtree Street, NE at the corner of 10th and Peachtree. It was supposed to be a 10-units building. Ms. Mitchell lived in Unit #1 on the first floor. Photography or video recording was not allowed inside her apartment so I don't have any images to share. It was a tiny place that include a sitting area, a bathroom, a bedroom with enough space for a dresser, a sewing machine and a small table, interestingly a kitchen was located next to the bedroom. No wonder Ms. Margaret called her living quarter "the Dump"!

Above photo showed Benjamin sitting outside Unit #1, where Ms. Margaret sat looking out the street when she was not writing on her typewriter. On display in a room next to the gift shop was memorabilia from Ms. Mitchell's life that included photos from the family albums. I looked but could not find the Vietnamese version of GWTW, Cuong Theo Chieu Gio. There have been many controversial issues regarding the book and the movie. Whether you like the story or not, there are many, myself included, identify our struggle with the characters in the novel, specifically Scarlett and her famous vow, "God is my witness, I will never be hungry again."

There was Benjamin with his ever sunshine smile. (During the tour, one woman in her early 40s asked, "Where does Margaret Mitchell live now?". I had to control myself not to roll on the floor laughing. How could this person not know that Ms. Mitchell was hit and killed by a speeding taxi in August 1949?) The tour was interesting and a must-visit when in Atlanta. But when my sister asked if I enjoyed the tour, I had to respond, "Frankly my dear ....." ;>)

TUESDAY TWO - CHURCH DOOR IN SAVANNAH

2011-11-08T09:44:00.007-06:00

The address of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist was listed as 222 East Harris Street, Savannah, Georgia 31401, the above was a side door into administrative office.

The 7:30 a.m. Mass was in the lower level on the south side of the church. The main entrance into the Cathedral was not opened to the public until 9:00 a.m. I walked around the block and to the nearby squares. I went back to the hotel and made the trip later to take photos inside the Cathedral.

FROM SAVANNAH WITH LOVE

2011-11-07T09:39:00.014-06:00

That is right - I took these photos during my visit this week to Savannah, Georgia. (It was the reason why I am behind with blogging, trying to catch up with new posts.) My sister moved from NYC to Atlanta in September. I thought it would be nice to see where she lives and I would love to see Savannah again. We attended a conference in Hilton Head, South Carolina in 1998. After the conference, we drove to Savannah and I immediately fell in love with the city.

I flew into Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, picked up the car rental and drove to Atlantic Station where my sister lives. CH lives in a modern "Live, Work, Play" area. The next day we drove to Savannah. It was a four-hour drive but a simple route to follow. We took I-75 South for about an hour and then merged onto I-16 East for about 2.5 hours, right into Savannah.

I am going to borrow a few words from the Official Visitor Guide to describe this beautiful city and how it captured my heart. The moss-draped trees, the lush, tree-filled squares (all 27 of them), the picture-perfect cobblestone streets, the history and mystery in the architecture that were well preserved, and so much more that would give visitors a memorable experience of the Old South charm and its exquisite beauty.

We strolled the city's streets, stopping at the city squares to learn about this grid-like model of urban planning, homes, churches and businesses around each square, each with its own distinctive style. My sister pointed out the Moon River Brewing Company at 21 W. Bay Street. She explained that Savannah's only brew pub was the location of a Ghost Adventures where the crew was locked down for the night and did have a paranormal experience.

We had a full schedule while in Savannah. I even managed to attend a 7:30 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. After a walk along the Riverfront, lunch at the Cotton Exchange, Da Sistas enjoyed a 45-minute carriage ride around the Historic District. More about our dinner at Paula Deen The Lady & Sons Restaurant in future posts. My 2nd visit to Savannah was wonderful as in 1998. The City has so much beauty, charm and I love learning more about its history. Savannah definitely is on my list of many more returning visits.

FRIDAY 'CARDINALS" SKY - 2011 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS

2011-11-04T16:36:00.008-05:00

Here are a few more photos from downtown St. Louis when we "tried" to watch the St. Louis Cardinals parade.

We could not get into Busch Stadium. Tickets were sold-out by the time we got there. It was only $10 each or maybe $5 and all the money went to charities. I took the above photo standing outside the gate and it turned out pretty good (;-)

The next time you are at Busch Stadium, you would see that the above sign would be changed to 11 TIME WORLD CHAMPIONS with '11 added.

Thanks to Alisa (www.alisajoy.blogspot.com) and Bus Boy (www.bus-stories.blogspot.com) for your kind comments. I am just happy for the businesses in downtown St. Louis that they were able to have sort-of unexpected additional income.

Baseball season is over, I am more than ready to get into actions with football and hockey. My beloved Red Wings will be in town on Tuesday, November 15th - can't wait to see how the old lines/players matching with the additional players of young kids. Life is good and I am so happy :>)

CELEBRATIONS - 2011 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS

2011-11-02T10:43:00.014-05:00

Last weekend, downtown St. Louis was painted red for the celebration of the St. Louis Cardinals 11th World Series Championship. Even the water from the fountain was red. Fans going to the Rams game were wearing Cardinals jerseys. I saw many people wearing Halloween costumes. The whole town was filled with excitement.

On the way from the parking lot to the Rams game, we saw people already lined along the parade route. And that was only noon. The parade was scheduled at 4pm. By the time we got out of the Rams game, the streets were crowded with layers of fans waiting to cheer for their favorite Cardinals.

People stood around the base of Stan Musial sculpture or anywhere they could get to since there was no space along the sidewalks. From the photo below, you could see there were people on the roof top of the garage and peaking thru from lower parking levels.

After walking around the stadium, we decided to go up the roof of the West garage. From there, I was able to take the photos below.

We tried walking up to the bridge connecting the garage to the stadium (it would have been a perfect spot to watch, take photos when the parade went thru, under the bridge to get inside the stadium) but the nice police officers would not allow. They explained that those on the bridge parked their cars in the garage, walked over the bridge and stayed up there since before noon. No one was allowed to go up the bridge from the streets. "It is for safety", the nice police officer said. Being geezers, we did not feel like standing around, especially when it started to drizzle. We left just when the parade started. Later in the evening, we watched the parade on television from our living room and that was just fine!

TUESDAY TWO - FIRST DAY OF NOVEMBER

2011-11-01T16:36:00.008-05:00

Does it look like these two butterflies were just talking about how it was already the first day of November? Blink and the whole year of 2011 is almost gone! Remember "Y2K" and how the whole world was getting for all the chaos that came when the calendar turned on January 1, 2000! I am glad nothing really bad happened then. Eleven years later, "Y2K" was just another year that had passed.

We had a busy weekend. On Saturday, my husband was raking, blowing and getting the leave ready for curb-side picked up while I was helping out at a festival. On Sunday, we went to an early Mass. We only had time for a quick breakfast before heading down to the Rams game. Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints were marching in to St. Louis. It was sort-of a miracle that the Rams won their first game 31-21 over the Saints. Everyone talked about how the Rams must be motivated by the Cardinals winning the World Series. After the football game, we headed toward Busch Stadium for the parade. When it started to drizzle, we decided to leave and watch the parade on television instead.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

2011-10-31T07:49:00.010-05:00

These photos were taken in 2009 during our Route 66 Adventure to Oklahoma.
This Halloween, we had about 15 kids came by. It was a comfortable night. I don't remember all the costumes, just a few like Batman, a princess, a flying monkey, three vampires, a nurse and a ladybug. The little kids were cute and no big kids that did not really dressed up, just making the round in baggy clothes to get the candies.

My husband was not feeling well. He is in pains trying to pass a kidney stone. I already bought the candies and did not want to disappoint the kids. So we turned on the front porch light, put out the dancing ghost and the pumpkin filled with goodies. Between the Chiefs vs. the Chargers game (Monday Night Football) and the NY Rangers v. San Jose Sharks hockey game, I had the candies ready so I could quickly give them out and get back to the games. But each time I got up from the sofa to give out the goodies, the Rangers scored a beautiful goal. The bell rang, I got up and Cassel would throw a 45 yard touchdown. At around 8:30, I decided to take everything in, shut the light and closed the door. Next year I plan to put the bucket of candies out and let the kids help themselves!

FRIDAY "DEVIL TOWER" SKY

2011-10-28T15:42:00.009-05:00

"A brave man is a man who dares to look the Devil in the face and tell him he is a Devil." Benjamin must have felt so brave (not a yellow belly) when he recited this quote by James A. Garfield while looking sort-of up at the Devils Tower. I thought these photos from our trip in September would be appropriate for this Friday before Halloween.

After Sturgis-South Dakota, we continued to follow I-90 and then US-14 to Devils Tower National Monument in Wyomong. This landmark in the Bear Lodge Mountain could be seen from far away. It rose approximately 1,300 feet above the Belle Fourche River and over 5,000 above sea level. The Tower was the result of a volcanic uplift that took place almost 40 millions years ago.

Pieces of broken columns, boulders, small and large rocks at the base of the Tower. Some of the erosion were clearly visible. I started to get a bit nervous when I saw a rather large crack on the side of the Tower as if ready to fall off. My husband said we just had to get ready to run as fast as our feet could carry us!

I never saw the movie, Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Now that we visited the Devils Tower, I plan to watch the movie to we could carry on the tradition of saying, "We were there!" whenever we saw the places we visited being featured.

See that boulder on the left, it used to be part of the Tower. We did not take the path to walk around the Tower. I could not image being there when this boulder broke off and fell down to where it landed.

IF ALL ELSE FAILS . . .

2011-10-27T16:38:00.006-05:00

Use your head but make sure while it is still attached to your body!

Or hold on to your head while your "Big Sista" tries out her new move at the bowling alley!

HAPPY EVER AFTER, NOT !!!

2011-10-26T16:24:00.006-05:00

Since Qaptain Qwerty enjoyed my cheesy photos (haa haa), I tried to take as many as possible, especially when the photos fit so well like these two.

The top photo was one of the "creative artwork" around the townsquare in St. Genevieve. Walking a few blocks away, I saw this Bridal and Formalwear store. The owner must have a "dry" sense of humor to select the name "ever after" for his business. What "ever after", happy, miserable, regret, or I wish I knew then what I know now??? And the person who carved the pumpkin on top of the sign, might be warning anyone who is thinking of getting married! The pumpkin face with either a stunned or what-happened look sure did not represent "happy ever after".

TUESDAY TWO - CHURCH DOOR IN FARMINGTON, MISSOURI

2011-10-25T15:41:00.009-05:00

Last Sunday when we drove around historic downtown in Farmington, the first time I saw the address on the side of this church and I knew it would be perfect for the next Tuesday Two post.

Because it was one-way street, so I begged (well, requested nicely) that my husband circle around the block. CP dropped me off at the corner. I got out and took the photos. CP then had to drive around the block again, then came back to the corner, to pick me up.

Before you said that I was so lucky to have such a loving and sweet husband, and that he was a good man who was so accomodating to his wife's every little requests, you need to remember that the reason CP willingly drove around the block because he was driving the T-bird. He never missed any chance parading around town showing off his toy!

B-HAPAY (HOW ABOUT B-JALAY?)

2011-10-24T16:51:00.005-05:00

QQ, does this count for "spoonie"? How about "B-JALAY"? I came up with "B-JALAY" all by myself - haa haa.

PUMPKIN FACES AT THE ZOO

2011-10-23T17:39:00.011-05:00

These photos were taken from the Saturday when we were at the zoo. There were a lot of activities for the kids and they were excited when they saw these sort-of giant pumpkins. The zoo had to put the fence around these scupltures to keep the kids from climbing onto the pumpkins. Or sticking their little heads/arms/legs into one of the holes, got stuck and could not get out!

I bet these pumpkin faces are not as nice as the ones carved by the world-renowed artists, Benjamin and his young brother (but equally talented) Noah :)

Sunday, October 23rd - After Mass, we went for a Sunday drive in the country (to Farmington, Missouri). We stopped by St. Genevieve for lunch at Big Field Cafe. It was nice to see that the cafe was busy with both the locals and visitors. You could tell who were the locals because the owners recognized them and the subject of their conversation. We saw the before when the place was a mess, all gutted and now the after, how nicely the cafe is clean, inviting, decorated with art works from local artists. There is a gallery on the 2nd floor.

We were disappointed that the fall colors were not the bright red/orange, just the dull yellow, brown and a few red spots. It was nice Sunday drive in the T-bird, and that is good enough for us (well, more for my husband anyway!)

FRIDAY SKY - ST. LOUIS ZOO

2011-10-21T22:18:00.016-05:00

After a sunny warm weekend, the temperature dropped into the mid-50s earlier in the week. In the evenings, when the Cardinals played game 1 and 2 of the World Series in St. Louis at Busch Stadium, you could tell the fans at the ballpark were cold! Later in the week when the Series moved to Texas, it was sunny and warm again. I don't understand why game 3, 4 and 5 would be at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Texas. I thought game 5 would be in St. Louis, then game 6 in Texas and game 7 back to St. Louis. Well, what do I know about baseball anyway?

I could not resist and started buying candies for Halloween. Normally I would not get the candies until a few days before the 31st. I had to hide the goodies from my husband so he won't get into the bags before the kids show up. I also had to get rid of the candies quickly before I start eating them. The stores put out the candies with big signs of discounts. So I got a few bags this week, way too early, but I could not resist when it was a good sales.

This week I only went to 8am Mass on Tuesday and Thursday. I love seeing the school kids when they helped with the readings, singing and bringing up the gifts. I especially love listening to the 2nd graders. Their sweet voice always makes me smile. I need to get back to attending Mass everyday. When the cold winter comes with the snow falling, it would be hard to get out of the warm bed, early in the morning. I am sure the Sisters of Mercy would love to tell the story of how they had to walk in feet of snow, without snow boots, just to be at Mass!

900th POST (A BLOG OF TOTA BEGINS WITH A SMALL POST IN AUGUST 2006)

2011-10-20T08:47:00.013-05:00

This is the 900th post of this little boring, ramblings blog of mine! It is a major milestone and a good reason for celebrations. Special thanks always go to Qaptain Qwerty for helping me taking the first step, back in August 2006, toward the blogging world. Along the journey, QQ encouraged me to add photos (that was a bad idea) and gently nudged me whenever I slacked off. He never made fun of my cheesy photos and silly ramblings (well, a few times he did make fun of my obsession with hockey/football).

I have the privilege of knowing so many interesting bloggers. There are a few "cyber friends" that I treasure. The blogs I follow are those I read regularly, almost daily. (I don't know how some people could follow hundred of blogs.) I enjoy and appreciate Alisa (Displaced American www.alisajoy.blogspot.com), Nonna (Tasty Tales www.lynnskitchen202.blogspot.com) for letting me in their "home/kitchen".

Nonna is so kind with her comments even though I don't leave comments regularly on her blog nor any other blogs (sorry). When I first started blogging, someone told me to leave comments like, "Nice post" or "Interesting story", to drive traffic to my own blog. Another "trick" was to follow a lot of blogs (without actually visiting or reading), to get more readers/followers. Then what? The readers probably will visit once and never came back to my boring blog anyway. I don't have advertisement (Adsense) nor getting any commission for promoting any products. I am blogging/reading other people writing, for my own enjoyment, not to make money. There is nothing wrong with making a few dollars from blogging, but it is not something I am interested in, yet!

Blogging has been a wonderful experience and at times uplifting. It has created a circle of friendship and we no longer are just strangers sharing our thoughts. I have been praying for Vicky at The Westra World http://www.thewestraworld.blogspot.com/ and Leontien at http://www.fourleadcloverdairy.blogspot.com/ as they are going thru cancer treatments. (Vicky and Leontien, look forward to reading that you are on your way to complete recovery.)

There are a few bloggers that did not post regularly and I think of them often. (Hint - the Lone Gunman, how have you been? Hope all is well with you and your family.)
To all the blogging friends, thank you for sharing. To all my adoring fans and faithful readers, thank you and let the celebrations begin!

THESE ARE NOT FROM ZANESVILLE, OHIO

2011-10-19T16:19:00.008-05:00

Here are a few more photos from our recent visit to St. Louis Zoo. When I first saw the above "art work" I thought it was real. My husband explained that sometimes predators such as tigers or lions would carry their kills up high on the tree to avoid having to share with other lions/tigers that are freeloaders, too lazy to get their own food.

Then there was the above hyena that stood so still like as if he was posing. There were about five of us taking photos. Only after we started walking away that the hyena moved. I waited but he did not laugh or even grin to show off his teeth!

It must be after feeding time because these two big cats took a long nap and did not move the whole time we were there. I went back trying to take a good photo of them walking around but no luck.

I would like to visit the zoo during the winter, especially when there is a thin layer of snow. It would make an interesting photo of the above leopard with the snow on the ground as if it was laying on a white blanket. Maybe this winter I will finally go to the zoo instead of keep talking about it.

TUESDAY TWO - CLWN4-2

2011-10-18T22:17:00.005-05:00

I took the photo of the above license plate because I saw the number 2. Now I don't know it would be fitting for the Tuesday Two series because there is also number 4. Would any smart readers be able to tell me what "CLWN4-2" stands for? I have been trying to solve this mystery without any luck. (Sorry, no prizes for this contest, just bragging rights!)

A HAPPY DAY IN ST. LOUIS

2011-10-17T13:03:00.012-05:00

These photos were taken at the Cardinals v. Brewers game on Wednesday, October 12th. A very kind person gave us two tickets and we had a great time even though I am not much of a baseball person. But it is different when it comes to the playoffs. Especially how the St. Louis Cardinals being a Wildcard, trailing behind 10 games, unexpectedly won a playoff spot against the heavily favored-to-win Phillies. The Cardinals kept going, although some might even thought the Cardinals would be lucky if they did not get swept in the Division Series.

The fans received white towels with the Rally Squirrel printed on it. It was "real pretty" when everyone waved the towels and chanted "Go Cards". Again, not being a baseball person, you would think I must be drunk jumping up and down, screaming during the game!

Since my American hometown team, the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers were eliminted, it was only right for me to cheer for the St. Louis Cardinals. We have been living in St. Louis since 1995. That is almost 17 years ago. In a few years, I will be living in St. Louis in as many years as I lived in Viet Nam.

After sending the Phillies packing, the Cardinals casually took on the Milwaukee Brewers. Who would have expected the wild ride the Cardinals took to get to the World Series. Game 1 against the Texas Rangers would be scheduled for Wednesday, October 19th. Game 2 would be Thursday, October 21st. Both games would be in St. Louis at Busch Stadium.

Update - The Cardinals won 3-2 in Game 1. The Rangers came back with a win 2-1 in Game 2. It is 1-1 in the Series. Game 3 (10/22), game 4 (10/23) and game 5 (10/24) will be at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Texas. Hopefully, there will be game 6, back to Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Game 7 (if necessary) will also be in St. Louis. Go Cards!

NO MONKEY AROUND (A NICE DAY AT THE ZOO)

2011-10-16T13:33:00.011-05:00

Saturday, October 15th was a sunny and comfortable day. After breakfast, we decided to go to the zoo. It has been a long time since we were there. When we got to the parking lot, the entire town was there too because the lot was 99% full. Everyone wanted to be outdoor on a beautiful day.

There is no admission fee at St. Louis Zoo. The operating fund comes from annual property taxes paid by the good citizens of St. Louis County. There is however a charge of $12 to park in the lot directly across from the main entrance. There are plenty of street parking but you would have to either get there real early or willing to walk a few blocks which should be good for our "big fat belly" anyway.

When we were at Yellowstone National Park, we saw very little of wildlife. We saw many large herds of bisons, a dozen antelopes, a few deer and I thought I saw a coyote. I am not complaining because I would not wish to encounter a black or brown bear. I think seeing wildlife behind the cages at the zoo would be just fine for my education.

It was the first time I saw an okapi, a native of Republic of Congo. It looks almost like a zebra with a large brown blanket covering its upper body. It has a face between a dog and a mule. It might look like a zebra but its family tree is more related to the giraffes.

It was a good day to be at the zoo seeing the animals and watching the kids having fun from the OctoberFest activities that included face painting, making craft items and riding the train around the zoo.

Sunday, October 16th - The day began with NFL games countdown and all the intelligent discussions about the players, the coaches and current standing. The 49ers handed the Lions their first defeat of the season. The Packers are the only undefeated team. I can't wait for next Sunday when the Saints will be in town (hopefully the Rams will put up a good fight).

FRIDAY "BIG SKY" MONTANA THAT IS!

2011-10-14T17:39:00.017-05:00

Tuesday, September 6th - We were in Crow Country where the Crow Reservation is located in south-central Montana, about 10 miles from Billings. The Reservation covers approximately 2.2 million acreas. There are about 10,000 of enrolled Crow tribe members that live on or near the Reservation.

Someone wrote an article about his experience moving to Montana and the Big Sky Country changed his lifestyle. The person wrote that he learned to appreciate living in the vast open space. There is some kind of magical about the land. He wrote, "You could not be a jerk when you live and fall in love with the Big Sky Country." I could not wait to visit Montana again. If I was given an opportunity, I would love to live there, except during hockey and football seasons!

We passed by many large herds of cattle. It looked like they were rounded up to be ready for the next train ride. We tried to tell them that they were not going to Disney Land. We wonder if the cattles knew what Texas Roadhouse was! It was a lot of fun running parellel with the train. It helped when we were the only few vehicles on the road and there was nothing to see but cattles and grassland!

One of our favorite activities during our roadtrips was taking a break with a stop for pies and coffee. I love peace/blackberry cobbler, coconut cream pie and blueberry pie. My husband usually selected chocolate cream pie or double chocolate cake. The Bozeman Trail Steakhouse was not yet open for dinner but the young lady was kind enough to let us in and served us pies and coffee. After a full day of driving with a few stops at Devils Tower (Wyoming) and the Little Bighorn Battlefield (Montana), we were ready for a good night of rest. We could not wait for tomorrow when we knew we would have a great time at Yellowstone National Park.

DON'T CRY FOR ME (TOTA, DON'T BE A WHINER)

2011-10-13T22:13:00.005-05:00

I woke up with a backache and a stiff neck. I felt lousy all day. I went to a business meeting and could not wait for the discussion to be over. The frustration continued to build up because there were other matters that did not go right. I am sorry I could not share the details with you here.

How could these people live with themselves for doing something so unethical and immoral? I did not start the war and it was not a fair fight. The worst thing is those who looked the other way because they were not the one that was mistreated. I am reminded of the words spoken by Edmund Burke, "All that is necessary for evil to triumph over good is for good people to do nothing."

I started to feel sorry for myself. "It was not fair," I said. Then I realized what a whiner I was. I have so much blessings in my life. I have a strong support system from my family, friends, and even kindness from strangers. There is still so much good in this world. I should be thankful for what I have. I decided to visit a nearby rehab center. The residents gathered together for a prayer service on Friday afternoon. I helped the nurses bring the residents into the prayer room. After the service, I helped take the residents back to their rooms. Most of the residents were in wheelchairs and some have lost their mobility. I said to myself, "Well, TOTA, do you still feel sorry for yourself? You have so much to be thankful for. What is the matter with your self-pity, why me attitude? Just look around, there are people who are fighting illnesses and misfortune, what do you have to complain about?" So I kicked my "sorry a#@" and stopped being a whiner! I remember that God is great and Life is good.

TUESDAY TWO - ORCHIDS IN PAIRS

2011-10-11T20:37:00.011-05:00

Orchids in pairs or Orchids in Paris? Hey Qaptain Qwerty, is this qualified as "spoonie"?

BELLTOWER IN COLUMBUS, NEBRASKA

2011-10-10T11:01:00.009-05:00

This is the Quincentenary Belltower at Pawnee Park in Columbus, Nebraska. The belltower was officially dedicated on April 25, 1992. It was conceived as a lasting monument to the community's celebration of the Quincentanry, the 500th anniversary of Columbus' first voyage to the New World. I thought posting these photos would be appropriate for Columbus Day.

The project was made possible by the donation of ten church bells from the collection of Leonard Fleischer (a native of Grand Island, Nebraska, co-founder of Fleischer Manufacturing, a manufacturer of farm equipment). Each of the bells has area historical significance and a plaque near each tower tells of that bell's history.

The bells toll every 15 minutes. There I stood on a beautiful sunny day, the blue sky, the flags gently waving, it was almost a heavenly feeling hearing the sound of the bells ringing.

Have a good week and thank you for visiting :)

OWLS AND ORCHIDS

2011-10-09T21:22:00.010-05:00

Unlike other butterflies, the owl butterflies do not visit flowers for nectar, they prefer fruits as the main source for food. Can you tell how many gathered on the fruit tray of slices of orange in the above photo?

The owl butterflies are the largest butterflies and they got their name from the classic eyepot on the undersurface of their wings. During the day, they rest on tree trunks, on the walls, on the ground or on any surface.

In October, the Butterfly House features almost 100 blooming orchids and almost 2,000 owl butterflies from Costa Rica and Surinam got their "visa or working permit" to visit St. Louis during the month of October. The owl butterflies take wing in the evening in search for food and mates. I went to the Butterfly House on Tuesday when the Coservatory opens late until 7:00 p.m. We were surrounded by the owl butterflies flying in large group. It was a treat to see the owl butterflies in flight, in the dark. I saw a guest's head was almost covered by owl butterflies. He looked like he did not mind because they covered the areas where his hair no longer there.

I took these photos earlier in the day. The orchids looked so beautiful, especially with the sun shining, making the flowers so much more radiant.

It always made me happy whenever I visited the Butterfly House. Just seeing the colorful, beautiful blooming orchids and watching the butterflies in flight (so carefree so unconstrained) and for those moments, all my troubles seemed to be so far away!

Do you like orchids? Do you have orchids in your homes? Do you know the name of the orchids in this post? I will be sharing more photos of the butterflies and orchids in future posts.

FRIDAY SKY - SUNSET IN MONTANA

2011-10-07T11:01:00.010-05:00

These photos were taken after a long day of driving from Sturgis, South Dakota to Wyoming (we visited Devils Tower), and then to Montana (we stopped by the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument) and did not get into Gardiner, Montana until after 8:00 p.m. When we finally arrived at the hotel, the clerk told us that he cancelled our reservation and already gave the room to another guest. The hotel was completely booked. "There was no room at the inn", he said. He explained that it was because my credit card had an expiration date of July 2011. He tried to call earlier but I did not answer my cell phone. How could I when we were driving between mountains? I questioned why he did not call last week. I made our reservation in May and there was no problem then with the expiration date of July for arrival date in September. My husband made it clear to the clerk that whatever he had to do, he needed to find a room for us at another hotel in town because we were tired and we were not going to drive another hour to the next town. After calling three other hotels with "no room at the inn", the clerk found a room available at a nearby hotel. The next day we went back and spoke to the manager at the hotel. He offered us an upgrade to a suite at his hotel at regular room rate since we were going to stay in Gardiner the 2nd night. We told the manager that he handled it well and we appreciated how a bad situation was made right. We agreed that it was a smart business decision. Next time I know not to use credit card that was about to expire when making hotel reservation.

I AM SO HAPPY I COULD CRY!

2011-10-06T21:22:00.009-05:00

I am so happy I could cry because hockey season started, no NFL (football) lock-out and the Cardinals not only made the playoffs as a wildcard but advanced to the National Leage Series. (Ok, I was sadden that my American hometown team the New York Yankees were eliminated by the Detroit Tigers, my 2nd American hometown.) Above critter is not the famous squirrel that ran onto the field and then dashed across the home plate at Busch Stadium when the Cardinals v. Phillies game on Wednesday, October 5th. The Cardinals won the game and the squirrel became fans' favorite. (Some of you might remember the above was the squirrel that made holes on our plastic patio furniture a few years ago. We finally got a set of iron table and chairs. I would love to know what that squirrel told his dentist as to what happened to his front teeth after trying to take a bit out of our iron furniture.)

Not being much of a baseball person, I am glad that St. Louis Cardinals made the playoffs. It is good for the town. I am sure businesses in downtown St. Louis are grateful for the additional income. It would be interesting if the Cardinals and the Tigers meet again for another World Series. The Cardinals won the Championship over the Tigers in 2006.

I love the commercial with Christmas music playing in the background and the people are smiling, looking so excited while they are decorating their homes before the games. A voice came on, "It is like Christmas for football fans", that is so true! I was so happy when the lockout did not take place and the 2011-2012 NFL season started. A very nice friend who has season tickets is so kind to sell us tickets for the Rams v. Saints game on October 30th. How about them Detroit Lions, eh? After all the years being the joke of NFL, on the currently standing, the Lions are 5-0 being one of the two teams that are undefeated. Greenbay Packers is the other team also 5-0. The Rams are again struggling but I look forward to seeing Drew Brees when the Saints marching in to St. Louis on October 30th.

Of course, the most wonderful time of the year is when my beloved Detroit Red Wings come into town. Because the Red Wings always draw big crowd so the Blues v. Wings games are usually scheduled on weekdays and not weekends. Normally the weekends would have better attendance. NHL schedulers know that fans will attend the game if they schedule top teams on weekdays. October will be a busy month with baseball playoffs, football on the weekends and hockey games every other day - I am so happy I could cry!

TUESDAY TWO - EAGLES

2011-10-04T16:54:00.006-05:00

Since I again posting cheesy photos for the "Friday Sky" series, I thought it would be appropriate to also bring back the "Tuesday Two" series. My husband loves things with eagles and I love images of the flag on display, so the above is the best of both world.

It was late afternoon when we stopped by and there was no one at the outdoor gallery. We walked around admiring the beautiful art work. The price tags were pretty stiff, in the hundred and thousand of dollars. Poor folks like us could not even afford an eagle on a keychain.

According to the website www.dahlschainsawart.com, the artists, in their late 20's are known as "Brothers who Carve their Names in Wood". The gallery is located 2 miles from Mount Rushmore. If you love woodwork, make sure to stop by when you are in the area.

GOLD DIGGERS!

2011-10-03T17:40:00.004-05:00

Just a bit of humor to start off the month of October. Above image was captured during a "drive-by" shooting from Keystone, South Dakota thru Rapid City, Deadwood to our destination for the night in Sturgis.

FRIDAY "SOUTH DAKOTA" SKY

2011-09-30T17:40:00.006-05:00

We had beautiful sunny comfortable weather 9 days out of our recent 10-day road trip. The only day when it was pouring was when we were in Iowa. I am bringing back the Friday Sky series (Hey Qaptain Qwerty, it is not "Friday Freaks") with these photos taken while we were in South Dakota.