R is for Retro

Some people like to mix the new with the old. For instance, I'm old, and I like new shoes! I've saved some of my favorite dresses from the 70's, but I don't believe I'm ever going to be that size again...! (I'll bet these hotties can still wear their 70's clothes!)

Then there is Mr. NoExcuses, who can't seem to completely tear himself away from the 70's! I'm convinced that Edwina, my oldest of the two girls, was born in the wrong decade. When she began to think about driving and getting that first car, all she wanted was a Volkswagen Bus. That made Mr. NoExcuses happy as a clam! We were lucky to find a friend who loves to fix up Volkswagens, and he just happened to have the perfect bus for Ed!



Then, when it was Katya's turn, Mr. NoExcuses just happened to find a convertible Karmann Ghia. It wasn't Katya's first pick, but once it was fixed up, and she bought a new pair of shades, she was living the dream!




Last spring, Ed had a little altercation with an SUV. The insurance company called it a total loss and wrote us a check. We kept the bus, just in case we found a way of fixing it. After much brainstorming, it was determined that it could not be fixed, so we cashed the insurance check, and bought another bus. Then Mr. Fix-It, I mean Mr. NoExcuses, pulled the guts out of the old bus and installed them into the new bus, and Voila! Ed is back in action, just in time for school!



This "R" post is brought to you by Jenny Matlock, Off On My Tangent, where she sponsors "Alphabe-Thursday." Please click on her logo below and see what my classmates have offered up this week!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sunday Repeat in My City

I was watching a repeat of "Extreme Makeover" yesterday (I watch TV when I procrastinate) and saw an episode of a few years ago about two makeovers in My City. I wrote a post about it in February of 2010, and felt compelled to re-post today. Ty Pennington is an amazing person, and the concept of the show is so powerful, it brings tears to my eyes every time I watch it. I'm pleased to bring you this post once again.

Have you heard of Unknown Mami? She has a delightful blog where she shares photos of her city on Sundays. She invites the rest of us to link up with her and share some of our own city's photos. Click on the logo above to visit Mami's Sundays in My City!

I live in St. Louis, Missouri. Welcome to my City!

Not far from where I live, there is a small structure in the middle of a parking lot of a strip mall. This small, but powerful structure is a drive-through coffee, snack and lunch shop. Welcome to “More Than Coffee, Helping Challenged People One Cup at a Time.” With each cup of coffee, patrons receive printed scriptures that have been applied to the cup’s heat protector. This is one way the owner glorifies God. Please stop by the website here and say hello!


I was privileged to meet the owner of More Than Coffee, Sam Malek, and get a first hand look at the shop. Sam's kind demeanor and huge heart immediately drew me in. He is an extraordinary Christian man who lives by the ideals of paying it forward. After his overhead expenses are met, all of his proceeds are given to local charities. His volunteer employees are capable young men and women who are passionate about their work. Oh, and by the way, all of his employees have a physical or mental challenge. Sam trains his crew in many aspects of the business. They participate in food preparation, taking orders, working the cash register, and serving the public with a smile and genuine interest in their well being. These employees take this training with them when they move on to paying jobs as they join the workforce along with the rest of us.

Two years ago, More Than Coffee was visited by Ty and his crew from Extreme Makeover Home Edition. Prior to the visit, Sam’s establishment was very small and would not accommodate wheel chairs. It does now…and then some! Everything Sam needs to run his business is at his finger tips.

If you visit St. Louis, you simply must stop by for a cup of coffee. You will leave with a feeling of joy knowing that you just paid something forward. If you live in St. Louis… well…get a move on! Your patronage will be a blessing for so many of our local charities.

Thanks for stopping by my City!

Laugh Out Loud!

Welcome to Saturday Centus brought to you by Jenny Matlock, Off On My Tangent. Jenny’s Friday escapades have left her just a little brain-mushy as she continues to challenge bright minds with simple, yet daring prompts for us to showcase our brilliant writing skills. Miss Jenny has, once again, allowed us to use a picture (I LOVE using pictures!) I give to you my 50 word (plus the prompt of Laugh Out Loud) assignment for your enjoyment.

Biggest Loser auditions were today. Dang! I entered the mall on the upper level and saw a few chubby people downstairs. I looked behind them and began to laugh out loud as I followed the line from one end of the mall to the other…and back! Dang! Ate some cookies.

Thanks for stopping by. Please click here and visit Jenny. You will enjoy reading some very entertaining short stories.

Have a great weekend!

The Letter "Q" - Brothers Quaid

Welcome to "Q" week at Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday! I wanted to write about how I want to be "Queen of the World", but I figured that one was already being used somewhere! So I thought I would amuse you with one of my former crushes, Dennis Quaid! I also felt the need to give his sometimes-"q"uirky brother, Randy, equal time.





Dennis Quaid was born in Houston, Texas, when I was just one year old. His father was a second cousin (two generations removed) of performer Gene Autry. Dennis is the younger brother of actor Randy Quaid. The Quaid brothers grew up in Bellaire, Texas, which is a small city surrounded by Houston, and in southwest Houston.

Quaid has Irish (like moi) and Cajun (French) ancestry. He studied Mandarin and dance at Bellaire High School in Bellaire, Texas, and later in college, at the University of Houston. After his brother, Randy, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "The Last Detail"(1973), Quaid dropped out of college before graduating and moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career of his own. He initially had trouble finding work but began to gain notice when he appeared in "Breaking Away"(1979)(when I first fell in love with him) and earned good reviews for his role in The Right Stuff (1983). He went on to star in films such as "Innerspace", "Dreamscape", "Enemy Mine", "The Big Easy" (sizzle, sizzle), "Wyatt Earp," "Dragonheart" and one of my favorites, "Frequency". Known for his grin...need I say more?

Quaid was married twice before he met his current wife, Kimberly Buffington, an Austin, Texas, real-estate agent. His first wife was P.J. Soles ('78-'83)(whom I do not know, but envy) and his second wife was Meg Ryan, with whom he had a son ('91-'01)(to whom I wrote endless letters begging her to leave him so that I could fulfill my destiny). Dennis and Kimberly had twins in 2007 in Santa Monica, California. (Normally, when there are children involved, it sort of cinches it for me!)





Now, big brother Randy is another story. He is best known for his character of Cousin Eddie in the "Vacation" movies starring Chevy Chase. His first experience with motion pictures was a minor part in "The Last Picture Show." His second picture garnered him an Oscar nomination for his supporting role in "The Last Detail" with Jack Nicholson. He has since been involved with many movies, but in the last few years, he has sort of "changed." Randy and his current wife, Evi, have been in and out of court for "suspicious" behavior and are now on the lamb from California authorities and living in Canada.


Thank you for stopping by to peruse my "Q" assignment. Please visit the elite school which I attend, located at Jenny Matlock, Off On My Tangent, by clicking on the logo below! Some of my classmates have some outstanding reports to share!

Sundays in My City - Cicada Spoils

Welcome to Sundays in My City, sponsored by the most beautiful... most bilingual... mother of the most curly-headed daughters, the lovely and talented Unknown Mami! Mami is always a bright spot in my Sunday mornings with her colorful and interesting photos of her city, her family, and anything or anyone else who has caught her eye.

I offer my most recent observation of our neighborhood... the spoils of our summer Cicadas. Last month, we were inundated by these irritating pests. Not only did we have the regulars, but we also had the big wave of bugs who had been dormant for the past 13 years. Those little buggers have gone, but we are now hosting yet another faction of the family. These Cicadas are larger, more colorful, yet just as disgusting as their cousins! At least the current bugs are not dive-bombing me when I take the dog out.

My picture is of a tree in our front yard, a sight that is seen over an area of hundreds of miles. All the leaves should be green, or the nasty brown they turn right before they drop. The bright red and brown leaves are what is left after the 13-year Cicadas sucked out everything the leaves knew as life! Gazillions of trees look like this; yet they are not dropping all of the dead, as is done in the fall. I'm sure many of my fellow Missourians know of this which I write!

It's in the high 90's, with 500% humidity. I live in St. Louis! Welcome to my City!


Please buzzzz over to Unknown Mami's Sundays in My City by clicking on the logo below. Even though she is at the BlogHer Conference, I know she will love to have you visit!

Sunny Monday

Welcome to Saturday Centus, the weekly challenge to present a story, poem, or other writing based on an idea provided by Jenny Matlock of Off On My Tangent. This week, we have been given the prompt of "You Are My Sunshine" and must only use 50 words. We can, however, use a picture! The prompt is in bold below.


She dragged herself to the kitchen on a rainy Monday morning. She tossed a bagel into the dishwasher, poured a cup of coffee, and set the cooking level on the TV to high. She inhaled the aroma of her coffee, and said as she stared into the black abyss, “you are my sunshine!”

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you enjoyed a glimpse into my Monday mornings! Please jog over to Jenny Matlock's by clicking the logo below!