Crime in Small Town Americana

I have always felt safer in the smaller towns in America-but that feeling is no longer there for me. There seems to be an increase of crimes in the small towns of America and I am unsure why.

I have found statistics that covers a 2 year period of time for a town in Northern California that I am very familiar with.

It is hard for me as a female to realize that 41 women reported being raped in that time frame. I cannot imagine how many rapes were NOT reported. (We all know many women do not report this type of crime.)

Can you also imagine 170 assaults occurring? That happens to be more than 130% of the national average. That number is hardly a drop in the pan when you realize that there have been more than 460 auto thefts in this town. That turns out to be more than 400% above the National Average...but even more staggering is the amount of thefts for the two years. There were over 2300 thefts which is more than 20 times the National Average.



I also wonder what type of losses employers in other "small towns" may have suffered due to damages or losses that have happened already - not to mention the guilt that might be incurred due to a female employee being assaulted.

I can honestly say that I will never feel safe in this part of "Small Town Americana" now that I have actually read these statistics...even if it is just walking to my car at night.



Statistics were taken from this location.

Crazy Mama

QUESTION: Who in their right mind would go "camping" and stay in a non-shaded area in a small compact space while enduring 110* temperatures??

ANSWER: Someone who wants to get away from the phone, the chores at home and yet still have all the comforts and conveniences of home.








(PS...you need 50amp service so you can run both ACs!!)

Pool Play Time

I was blessed with a visit from an Eagle Chat Member and part of her family yesterday. We met because of the Norfolk Eagle Cam that we both followed this past season. She is traveling with her daughter and grandson to a family gathering but was nice enough to adjust her schedule in order to spend time with some of my family and me.Our grandchildren are only a week apart in ages so we tried to make the visit more of a "play date" for the two grandchildren. I am sharing a few photos of the some of the fun we had.

We will have to plan a visit just so the adults can visit next time, kdg! (The only discussion we had in reference to the Eagles was about the calendar that we are ordering again this year. (It will be a great calendar if it is half as good as the 2010 calendar!)

Mindless Tasks

This really is a "useless matter" blog topic tonight but it was what popped into my pea-brained head...I started wondering why many claim that females are better "multi-taskers" then men are and here is one thought on it...

Females are taught to do housework when we are young...things like dusting, mopping, sweeping or any other basic cleaning chores. These things require very little thought so we hone our skills over a short period of time. We soon are able to do something else at the same time in order to occupy that empty thought process of cleaning (like talking on the phone). We continue to add things as we become more proficient in each task...which gives us the word "multi-task".

The reason why many men are not good multi-taskers is because what else can they do when they are mowing the lawn??

(Okay - it may be stupid...but this is my blog and that gives me the right to type what I want!)

Hummingbird Fun

You can hear just how a hummingbird sounds as you watch them eat and chase. Listen closely and you can hear a Mourning Dove coo in the background....(YouTube video is just below.)

Precious Moments

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No Explanation Needed

Twin Pins - Okay, Maybe not...but close!

Our Miniature Pinschers have been in the family for almost 5 years now so I felt it was time to share some of my "Twins pics".


We chose Rusty on June 22 of 2005 when he was less than 2 weeks old. We decided to get a female a few months after we brought Rusty home. Both of our dogs are from the Prancealots Miniature Pinscher Kennel. Our pups are even featured in a Miniature Pinscher book. (I guess I should break down and buy the book one of these days...)





























We have traveled there and brought each puppy home so I can honestly state that I have never seen a breeder that has such a clean and loving environment as what you will find at Prancealots. Robyn..I want to thank you again for giving us such an entertaining set of "twins"!

Unanswered Questions...

I was talking to a co-worker today and realized there are a few unanswered questions that we pondered but could not come up with the answers. We are not sure if there are any real answers - but why not ask them here to see if anyone else has any insight...

Some people at work will understand this better than others - but...

"Yo Dude...really - how did those sunglasses actually get into your pants pockets? You know they weren't yours."

Can anyone answer just how a pair of sunglasses that are yours can end up in another person's slacks pocket when you didn't give them to the person?

Can anyone tell me why people who have such great talent in some things have the attention span of a gnat?

Many of us have worked with people who are so skilled and are talented in one manner- but cannot stay focused on some of the simplest things. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

...and the last question...

Why do people who get picked up for "Driving Under the Influence" still continue to "drink and drive"?

This has always been something that I have wondered about. You will find some interesting facts about Drunk Driving here.

You see, I was hit head-on by William D. McCauley on February 5, 1995. Mr. McCauley was booked with over a .21 Blood Alcohol Level that Sunday night. I was off work for over a year going through physical therapy. The pain was so bad at times that I wished I had died. I will also admit that Mr. McCauley passed me one time years later on the freeway - driving recklessly - that I almost called 911 and reported a drunk driver. I also checked the paper the next day to make sure there had not been any accidents between where I was and Elk Grove.

The one moral of this blog - Please do not drink and drive - the life you save may be your own or someone else that has more to give than you....

Turtle Bay Exploration Park

I found a great place to visit when in the Redding, California area. It is the Turtle Bay Exploration Park. The main reason for my first visit was to see the Bald Eagle nest. Liberty and Patriot are the parents of three bald eaglets again this year...but the reason for this blog is to tell you about many other wonderful things to see and do around the Exploration Park.

You will find a very unique "pedestrian" bridge appropriately named the Sundial Bridge. On the east side of the Sacramento River you will also find the McConnell Arboretum & Gardens with some very different areas.

There is also a Museum, a railroad historical exhibit, a Turtle Pond and a children's playground - plus many more things as seen on the map.

I will also suggest going early in the day if you are visiting during the summer months. It will be much cooler then. You will also be able to enjoy a cool beverage or lunch at the Cafe at Turtle Bay when it is time to get out of the sun.

PS...don't forget to stop and enjoy the turtles in the turtle pond near the river as seen in that slideshow...and here is the other slideshow of the first visit to the Eagle Nest

Birds to Share

I thought I would share my "Birds" slideshow tonight. These are some of the birds I have been able to photograph in the recent months. I have been using a great book to help me identify the birds - along with some online friends. The pg numbers reference the page number of the book.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I have enjoyed taking them...

The Garden of Eagles

This year I started following the Norfolk Botanical Garden Eagles via a live web-cam. It has been a great learning experience along with "meeting" new friends via the "Eagle Chat" which has been sponsored by WVEC TV.


(Calendar Cover photo courtesy of Tim Fearington)

The Eagle Cam has many different groups involved...with one being The Wildlife Center of Virginia. This Center depends largely on donations to do what they do and one way they have found to help raise money is to offer a calendar where photographers have donated their photos of the Norfolk Eagles that were taken throughout the nesting season.

(photos courtesy of S. Taylor)

I believe this is the second year for the calendar project. I did buy one for 2010 and it is beautiful! You can now pre-order your 2011 Garden of Eagles Calendar so you can have them in time for Christmas presents or just so you start the new year with a fresh calendar. It is for a great cause plus you will have some wonderful photos to keep after the year is over! I am sure you will enjoy them as much as I have this year!

Here is a sample page of the upcoming Calendar...

November Calendar Photo Courtesy of James R Deal

Please click on calendar for an enlarged view.

Birds, Birds And More Birds

Little did I know that I would take a new hobby just from viewing a live webcam of a bird nest...but I have.

I have started to take photographs of many different birds.


The process does not stop after taking the picture. I will then try to identify them. One of the best books to identify a bird happens to be this book. I have found it at Costco for about the same price - but some money is donated to a wildlife rehab center if it is ordered from that specific link.
You should really look at the birds around you. They are not as drab as you may think! I will share other photos here soon -

Pretend Friends...

There are all types of friends that we encounter in our lifetime. Most of these friends are good friends...but not all friends turn out that way.

There will be some of our friends that we will have for the remainder of our lifetime. This is the friend that you may not talk to for a month or a year-but it makes no difference. it is like you talked the day before...nothing can break that powerful bond.

You may also have a childhood friend. You will have nothing but great memories of times spent growing up with this friend. This is a person that you would enjoy finding again and reliving those memories.

And then there are people you thought were your friends - these are the people who will treat you like a friend. They will let you believe they are trustworthy and would never do anything to betray your confidence. These are the people who will talk bad about you and laugh behind your back. They do not have the guts to say it to your face -and they will more than likely deny ever saying anything.

I have decided that these types of so-called friends do not deserve my friendship. My friendship is something that I choose to share openly with people I know will not hurt me on purpose...so those of you whom are my friends..I would like to say "Thank You for Being My Friend". For those of you who are in the other group - please feel free to look into your soul and ask yourselves why you are the way you are.

Lost....

The word "Lost" can mean many things to many people...

You may have "A Moment Lost" as in missing that perfect moment of a sunset ...

You may have a lost friend - someone that you may have lost contact with over the years. (Try to locate them on "FaceBook" - You might be surprised who you might find there!)

There may be a "Lost Opportunity" -like that perfect job opening that you ignore for a few days too long - only to find that they "found someone" while you procrastinated.

. ..or what about a lost dog .. and the feeling you have in the pit of your stomach until that furry four-legged friend runs into your arms to give you many "dog-breath" kisses.

...and of course - there is the "Lost Love of Your Life" . You may never be sure when you meet "The One" - you may even ignore it when it is there...and sometimes you won't even know it is there until years later. Don't miss your "Lost Love" - Open your eyes - open your heart - take a chance...otherwise there is a good chance that you will be one of those who will realize it "years later"...and then it will be too late....

Oregon Attractions...

I was telling a friend about a few of Oregon's attractions when I decided it would be easier to produce a "google map" with the locations. It then dawned on me - others might like it also - so here it is! (Make sure you zoom out on the map...there are many 'attractions' all along the coast and also inland!)

Make sure you click on this link of the map- you will find descriptions and some links on many of the attractions listed.


View Oregon Coastal Sights in a larger map

Picasa Fun!

Have any of you used Picasa before? It is a free photo program that makes it simple for many people to "fix" their own mistakes - or you can even show your creative side.
This program will allow you to do many things- from straightening your picture to correcting the color or even making it a black & white!. Here is a picture I took but you will see a few minor changes along the way.













This program will do many things for you - including keeping track of any photo on your computer. You do NOT need to be an expert..I just want you to go and play!

Just Plain Fun Stuff...

I happen to be an Administrator on an RV Forum -as some of you already know. It is a great place to meet and help new friends with miscellaneous questions or problems.

It is also a great place to make folks look and think about things.

Right now I have posted a few photos of a project that my husband has just completed...but the members are asking the wrong questions!

If anyone reads this blog in the next day or so - you will see the inverter in my photos is not the normal gray color of the factory installed inverter. That inverter is the Magnum Energy series.

We have replaced that inverter with the MagnaSine (or MS) series. This is a "Pure-Sinewave" inverter.

Many of us Monaco RV owners have gone to seminars on inverters. One of the things we were taught is that the Pure sinewave inverters are white - the other inverter is gray.

So - just in case you are a forum member -go look at the photos in this thread . The inverter clearly states MagnaSine on it and it is white. Now you know the answer!!

Syrupy Sweet

This post is of a different type. I am not sure that many people realize just how hooked on sugar - especially refined sugar - that we all have become.

I am sure very few of us realize how much sugar we consume. Do you have any idea how much sugar we should have each day? The answer is preferably zero for refined sugar - but they recommend no more than 40 grams per day - and this includes all the natural fructose/sucrose or any other type of sweetener you would think of.

I would bet that only a handful of you know that 7 grams of sugar is the equivalent of one and one half teaspoons of sugar ! Who knows how many teaspoons equal 1 cup? (48)

Are some of you good with your math? Any idea how many grams are in a bottle of "Ensure" and that the amount is very close to a non-diet soda?

My point in all of this is to make many of us aware of the sugar that is being consumed -even by our parents.

I hope many people try to cut down on the amount of sugar that is being consumed. It is in everything we eat or drink and I have no doubts it does effect us later in life - I have seen it first hand....

Northwest RV Supply Does It Again...

There is more than one thing that Northwest RV Supply does well so the title of the blog may fit many different circumstances. You should know that this would be like a "Do-It-Yourself" RVer's candy store with aisles and aisles of stuff crammed everywhere! You never know what you might find there ...anything from those silly little curtain hooks that seem to just disappear
or the "Smart Wheel" steering wheels.
You just have to know that you may find something you are looking for - along with something that you did not know you needed until you see it. (They specialize in Monaco and Country Coach surplus supplies.)




Joe & his staff tend to always have smiles on their faces even when that silly entrance doorbell won't stop dinging or when they have "crazy ladies" holding on the phone.
You will find an online store at their website ...but you should always call - even if you don't see what you are looking for online.
...I would suggest you call Joe and the crew toll free at 866-678-7467 if you are looking for something (they ship all over) or better yet, stop in at their location on the south end of Eugene, Oregon. (Just remember to tell them you want the "MonacoMama discount"!)

Hospice Care..Is It For You

I have finally experienced hospice care giving first hand. It is not something that I would wish upon anyone - after all...it means you are having to deal intimately with death. Not many people are comfortable with this fact. Some people have a hard time even admitting to themselves that a family member is terminally ill. That type of person I think would not be able to handle hospice care in their home.

Death is part of living. It just happens at the end of life. We personally found that it was easier to have our family member with us the last couple of weeks of his life - than to have him anywhere else. It is something that we do not regret doing. We know he was given the best care possible with more personal attention then he would have had anywhere else. His smiles and antics made the very private things we did for him worth every moment.

There are cons - you must be able to handle death and admit it is going to happen. It will also more than likely happen with you there and it is going to happen in your home. Can you handle those facts? Another con - Will the spouse be there? We also had the mate here and now they now cannot look in the area where the bed was without deep sorrow. Their partner died there ...nothing can change that. Will they ever get over it... I cannot promise you they will. It has been over 6 months and we still deal with it almost daily.

Would we do it again? ABSOLUTELY YES -it was worth having "Pop" here - sticking his tongue out at me -laughing and smiling those last few days. I know he died with dignity in the comfort and privacy of our home -where he knew he was surrounded with love.

We miss you Pop - but we are glad you are no longer suffering...