FRIDAY MATINEE ON MONDAY..
reviewing....WALL-E

After seeing the adorable pitiful, rusty robot poster, tugging at my bleeding heartstrings, I decided to see Wall-E.


Our movie theatre was packed with mostly young children with their parents. About 20 minutes into the film most of the kids were up running around and not paying any attention to the movie.

I believe Pixar messed up when they cast the 2 main roles with NO DIALOGUE! The effects were really cool though, but it didn’t appear to keep small children entertained. I was bored at the end of the movie and just wanted it to end, and I’ve loved all the Pixar movies in the past, IE Finding Nemo, Cars, Monster Inc.

One thing that really bothers me, is the way these family movies are turned into "green" issues, portraying corporate America as a demon, destroying our world. I really wish they would express this in a different forum. I know Happy Feet went down the same road, and the message is lost on their core audience…young children.

The funniest thing about the movie was the 5 minute preshow short subject. I’d say this experience was night and day compared to KUNG FU PANDA, its WAY more entertaining.

So this was a mix for me...out of five stars, I give Wall-E:

OK, boys and girls...guess what today is?

FRIDAY MATINEE ON MONDAY!

I know you thought I forgot...but no way Jose! I'm not sure what I'm going to see, but I'm heading out the door, and the movie with the cutest poster, wins!

Come back later to catch my review. In the meantime, I made this cute mosaic even though no one tagged me!

The Questions:
What is your first name?
What is your favorite food?
What high school did you attend?
What is your favorite color?
Who is your celebrity crush?
What is your favorite drink?
Where would you go on your dream vacation?
What is your favorite dessert?
What do you want to be when you grow up?
What do you love most in life?
Choose one word to describe you?
Your Flickr name?

Here’s how it works . . .Answer each of the questions below.
Surf over to Flickr (set up an account if you don’t have one–it’s quick and easy) and type your answers (one at a time) into the search bar.
From the choice of pictures shown only on the front page, click on the one that moves you.
Once the page with your picture opens, copy the URL.
Surf over to the Mosaic Maker, set up your mosaic, and paste your URLs.
Click “Create!”

Ok, if you haven't made one yet, consider yourself tagged, because if I take the time to tag you, I'll miss my matinee. Come back and let me know!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY GIRL
...even if it was yesterday


Kelly Michelle, you were born on June 28, thirty-seven years ago. You were the cute little toddler girl that was affectionately known as "Termite". A good friend of ours started calling you that when you could barely walk. You spent the night at their house, and climbed out of bed very early and completely dis-assembled a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle that he had just finished putting together. So with much frustration in his voice he said, "She's small but destructive, just like a termite". And the nickname struck.

You came into this world way too small. Barely two pounds, and stayed in neonatal intensive care for four months. Then you came home needing oxygen constantly. You ate every hour, because sucking wore you out, and you'd fall asleep. After one year, we couldn't keep you down, and eventually it was apparent that you were way too feisty for oxygen! You were always tiny but nothing could keep you down or in!

Even though you were petite, you played varsity soccer all four years in high school. You also excelled in recreational leagues as well.

You were the best natured little girl, you still are. You are the most independent of all my girls. I'm sure some will disagree, but you left home, traveling to Albuquerque. You landed a great job, then within a couple of years, you applied for a promotional opportunity in Denver, and jumped at the chance to take it.

You married a great guy, and have two adorable boys. My sweet grandsons, Tyler and Zachy. ....who are very, very tired in this picture.
You unselfishly decided to make a career change, for much less money, working in the counseling office at a private boy's high school to insure the future educational opportunities for your own two boys. You love your job, and the students that attend the school. A girls division opened on the same campus (but separate), and you took on the additional job of coaching soccer there, and you love it.

So, Kelly, even though I tell you often how much I love you, I want to publicly tell you again how special you are, and how proud I am of you, the woman you've become and the mother that you are to your boys.

Happy Birthday, baby girl!

I really wanted to scan some pictures of you as a baby and kidlet, but my scanner froze up...that's why this is a day late.

BLAST FROM THE PAST
or, Life comes at you fast!

My son works for a company that has that slogan along with the saying, ...we're are on your side.

Recently several events have brought the past square in front of me. The first was an invitation to a retirement dinner for a guy who used to work for me part time when he was in high school and college. I looked at the invitation and thought there had to be two Gary H. because the one who worked for me was just a kid! Well, it was the same Gary H. The next event was knowing that my third oldest child was heading to California to attend her twenty year reunion this summer. The third event was the recent passing of my brother-in-law, who was several years younger than me. It's been several years since I've seen him, but the void is apparent. He will be missed, especially by my sister after 30+ years of marriage.

So with these events all coming at me fast, I started reflecting on the good old days, and how different life was when I was a carefree teenager living in Huntington Beach. It was a slower time back then, the town wasn't a resort, and it was sparsely populated due to the lack of employment opportunities. My father was self employed so we were fortunate enough to have a beach almost in our backyard, and the only time there were crowds where on the weekends in the summer, or Holidays.

I thought I'd tell you all a little bit about what being me was about back then, and how I spent my time when I wasn't in school, or doing chores...because we had some real chores, like washing windows, mowing lawns, doing ironing for a family of seven. The kind of things most kids our age did back then. You may think life as a teen growing up in a beach town was a bit different, and it was.

To start, I will tell you what this is, since you didn't guess and missed a chance at the $500 I almost offered as a prize.
It sits on the back side panel of this!
This is the first car Grandma J had. Well, not this car, but one like it in black. It was a 1958 Chevrolet, Delray. The cheapest model Chevrolet made. Seriously. I had to share it with my sister, who was a year younger than me, but it was wheels, and it got us where we had to go. Now, since I was a year older, I had a job, and since I had a job, it was considered selfish for me to take the car to work and just let it sit there doing nothing! So, on my days to have the car, I had to let my sister use it while I was at work, because really? Why should it just sit there! The only problem was, my sister didn't have a job. Which meant my sister didn't have the same cash flow that I had, which also meant most of the gas that went in the car where on my dime....most not all. And hey, just because gas was only twenty nine cents a gallon didn't mean it was free. And hello? Please don't forget to pick me up when I get off work. And, if you have a flat tire, don't hitch hike home and leave the car on PCH. Because someone has to get it fixed, and then pay the parking ticket. Just saying!

The thing is, my job was at night. I worked a dream job at this really cool place called the Golden Bear.
It was many things over the years, but in the early 60's it was a folk/blues coffee house/bar kind of place. I wasn't old enough to serve alcohol but most of the people who came at that time were into the coffee and expresso drinks. The people I met was unreal. Hoyt Axton practically lived there, as well as at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. To those younger readers, he wrote "Greenback Dollar" for the Kingston Trio and "The Pusher" and "Snowblind Friend", both recorded by Steppenwolf.
I got to know Theodore Bikel quite well, and paged for his bigger concerts in large auditoriums. Others who played there regularly were Joan Baez, Ian and Syvia, and Joe and Eddie (they recorded "There's a Meetn' Here Tonight", and "Children Go").

When Grandma J went out at night with her friends, it was to dances at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa, which was about 5 miles down the road. Dick Dale and the Del Tones played there on weekends. Dick Dale was known as the King of The Surf Guitar. He had two hits that I remember, "Miserlu" and "Let's Go Trippin", which was the inspiration for the Surfer's Stomp, a popular dance in Southern California. Dick Dale is still around, living in Newport Beach.

So like, is that all Grandma J did? Hang out in dance halls, work in beatnik joints? No way Jose! I was a good student, and eventually got a better job.

Now, this is my granddaughter in Florida, she's an East Coast surfer girl.
These are my oldest daughter's kids, Pooper and Beauty.
and can you guess who they take after? Yep, Grandma J.
OK, so that's not really me.....honest...It's not. But the truth is, I did surf. I wasn't a great surfer. Maybe I wasn't a good surfer. But I surfed. I had my own surfboard. I knew how to refinish it and bought my share of resin and fiberglass...something that had to be done regularly on the older heavier, Hobie longboards. And I used it. Often. That's what girls did if they had an ocean instead of a bicycle.

Today? I still love the ocean, and when I go in the water, it's body surfing only!

"Where have all the flowers gone, long time passing....where have all the flowers gone, long, long time ago......."

MIXING THINGS UP!

This is just a bit of a teaser of what I'll be posting later tonight. In the meantime, if you think you know what this means, or what it's related to let me know and you could win a $500 gift certificate*

*What I mean is, you could win the gift certificate if I offered one, which I'm not. But guess anyway, just for the fun of it! See you later tonight...be here or be square!

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS...
..is no secret

Because, when Grandma J steps into the world of gambling, corruption and brothels, she shares it all with her peeps! As my oldest daughter alerted you to on my last post, my flight out of the local regional airport, who's slogan is "We'll Take You There" was canceled, as were all flights to Houston, where I was supposed to connect to Vegas. The weather was fine, so why were all flights cancelled? Let me tell you...it's because it's the same friggin plane that travels to and from this local regional airport and Houston all day, and the next day. And because this condition is permanent and terminal (as in airport terminal), Grandma J wasn't happy with rescheduling for the next possible flight...the next day! So she walked all the way over to the only other airlines and got booked on their next flight which connects out of Dallas to Vegas.

Because this other airline is located about ten feet away, they arranged the change with the original airlines electronically. So, off we go, and because of the changes, Grandma J arrived in Las Vegas five hours late, but at least it was the same day.

I met Tabatha's Mommy, Marianne, who is also my son-in-law, Sgt. John's Mommy too...and my friend.
We stayed at the Four Queens downtown....
which isn't ritzy like The Strip with all the panhandlers and prostitutes. It's where the whole Vegas thing started way back when. It's also where the fabulous Fremont Experience is. Several years ago Fremont street was closed off for two blocks of hotels, that were renovated and covered to create a plaza with kiosks and a great laser show several times a night with great music.
Our room was on the fifth floor, and this is the view. This is what the covered Fremont Plaza looks like during the day from the street level.

These next pictures are from our room for the light show...which moves too fast for Grandma J's cheap camera.

And lookie who Grandma J found in the casino?

We had a blast, meeting old friends.

And getting chummy with people with familiar names, like John Wayne.
And maybe inhaling too much laughing gas...or developing a food allergy or something that might affect our small motor skills....just saying.

But two days later, the fun came to an end... or did it?

The final chapter of this junket is still raw and painful. Spending 22 hours to get home, with eight of them hanging with my new roomie was not the icing on the cake, just saying! The icing, if you want to call it that, was the fact that out of the zillions of others who attended our sleepover in the Houston airport, my new roomie and I were the ones who found the only four comfy chairs to make matching beds.

MONDAY MATINEE...
formerly Friday Matinee on Monday

You know I love you when I keep my commitment to you, and take time out of my busy schedule to go see this movie.
THE HAPPENING Don't get too excited because I think someone owes me big time. I mean really! I feel like I just flushed two hours of my life down the toilet. OK, I know the movie wasn't that long but I'm including travel time.
And of course, since it's not Valentine's Day, you are probably curious as to why I would post in RED. Well, reader, I will tell you. Red stands for this:

Do not pass GO!
and this:

that only made me want to go in the water more.

or this, which is why I don't wander off the main roads in Florida.
Whoopsie Daisy!

So have you figured out how I felt about The Happening? Honestly, I didn't want to do two negative reviews out of three, but I couldn't find anything redeeming about this film. Plot? Someone please tell me what it was. Suspense? Except for the first few suicides....nada. And for the record, I don't like suspense or scarey movies because I hide my face, or close my eyes while I plug my ears and say, la, la, la, la....really loud. But this movie didn't faze me. It was poorly done and almost laughable

My advice to you readers is buy a couple of gallons of gas instead.

I won't be posting tomorrow or the next day (Tues, Wed, oh yeah, and maybe Thursday)....or never if I win some huge jackpot. Because in case I haven't mentioned it before, I'm heading to Las Vegas Baby!

TIME FLIES WHEN YOU'RE BABYSITTING

I've spent the last five days and nights with JJ. His family came home tonight after delays in Dallas. I think there should be a movie called Delays in Dallas.

For those of you who don't pay attention when I gripe about air travel, you have to stop in Dallas going and coming to the regional airport here in Central Texas. Oh sure, you could probably fly direct anywhere from Austin, but no one will drive you or pick you up. It's about 65 miles and the traffic in Austin is terrible...so we all suffer through the Dallas delays.

They were at a family reunion for my SIL family in Tucson. This is what my grandkids brought me back.
This is a real cactus in a real little pot with real soil in it....with a magnet that holds it on my refrigerator!
And this is a Dream Catcher! It's supposed to be over my bed, but it think it's more appropriate to hang it on my refrigerator...where all my fantasies are stored.

One thing I want to share with you are these random photos. They all have the same thing in common about my littlest grandson, JJ.

I'm going to try to see my Friday Matinee tomorrow on Monday, as promised! It will be tight, because I have my aqua aerobics, and have to pack my luggage for my early morning departure to Las Vegas Tuesday morning. In case you are wondering, yes, I have to change planes...but it will be in Houston! That's a switch for me...and just when I was getting used to Dallas.

OBSERVATIONS, ANSWERS & TIPS
as requested, hinted at, or maybe I just want to share.

First and foremost, one of my readers asked me about Dr. Bob. Most of you know about my unfortunate accident involving my pinky finger and surrounding area.

Well, I went to see one of the best Orthopedic Surgeons in all of the world, because he was highly recommended, and I checked references and found a blog with a whole lot of chatter about Dr. Bob. They squeezed me in last Thursday, because my daughter referred me, and everyone knows that my middle daughter has major connections. Just saying.

The waiting room had at least twenty people in it, and I dreaded the wait. Lots of casts and braces. To my surprise, the staff worked like a well oiled machine. I had ex rays, and saw Dr. Bob in record time. He said the injury wasn't a fracture after all, like the regular doctor said. He did say it was "injured" and needed two units of time to heal. He explained that one unit of time is six weeks, two units of time is three months. He went on to say that Mother Nature makes the rules, not him, and the fact that Mother Nature is a woman, that should be enough explanation.

So, there you have it, all my faithful readers who sent me cards and well wishes
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I was reading another blog today, and she addressed the stats on her site meter. Funny, I often look at mine to see when my readers stop by. The ones that come via Google are interesting. Usually they Google a popular product they've seen on TV , and end up with my post on the product. Some actually use Google search to get to my site. I find it interesting that the same people Google me everyday. I'm not talking about my Public Servant Lurkers who might be too paranoid to put me in their "favorites" either.

So, others? If you insist on Googling my site for whatever reason, here's a shortcut you may not know about.


When you enter "ask grandma j", just click on "I'm Feeling Lucky"....because you really are! That will open my website.....Of course you can leave a comment if you love me found that helpful.
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Now, I want to say a few things about as seen on TV. Some of you know about my experience with the ShamWow. Well, I've been following her purchase of the Debbie Meyer's Green Bags. The jury is still out on the Green Bags, so I will be checking to see how well they worked. Another product I was curious about was this: Aqua Watering Globes. Don't these look interesting? They are pretty too! I thought perhaps there might be a cheaper way of getting the same results without the ritzy, light reflecting glass globes. So I checked out these:

I guess the four pretty glass Aqua Globes are cheaper than one Turkey baster.

WHAT'S THAT SMELL?

I have never been antsy about air travel. I do it often and I've been on some flights that had quite a bit of turbulence. It's on the really rough flights that I pretend I'm at Disneyland. Let's just say it keeps me sane and my heart rate within normal range.

Lately some pretty bizarre things have been happening on flights. Like the woman on a flight out of New York that duked it out with the flight attendant because he told her to put her cigarette out. This cause the pilot to land in Chicago instead of going on the San Francisco. People missed connecting flights, which to me, can be a major problem. With my upcoming cruise, a delayed flight could make me miss my ship leaving port. Or a delay could cause me to miss my connecting flight in Dallas on my trip to Las Vegas next week. Where I'm meeting up with my good friend, her mom.

But one of the worse thing that could happen? Here's a clue: Evidently an uninvited passenger, created a smelly situation on an American Airlines plane in Miami. That's right, a skunk was found in the cargo hold, discharging it's foul odor throughout the aircraft. When crews tried to remove the skunk, it released it's notorious rotten smell. The smell filtered throughout the cabin, and all passengers where taken off the plane.

I know from past experience, you cannot get that smell out. Do you think American Airlines will pay any claims for new luggage and contents?

**Loyal readers, and those of you who gave up on my Friday Matinees. I have temporarily renamed that feature to: Friday Matinee on Monday. With all the inconvenient interruptions lately, and all the kids hitting the theatres on Fridays, I had to make the switch. I promise I won't keep jerking you around make any further changes without your permission.

Also...Stayed tuned, I will update you soon on my visit to my new Orthopedic professional, Dr. Bob.

Love, Grandma J and JJ

LAUGH AT THIS....
..because I'm busy with you-know-who
(hint.....woof)

THE NEW BOSS

If you've ever worked for a boss that reacts before getting the facts and thinking things through, you will love this!

A large company, feeling it was time for a shakeup, hired a new CEO. The new boss was determined to rid the company of all slackers.

On a tour of the facilities, the CEO noticed a guy leaning on a wall.
The room was full of workers and he wanted to let them know that he meant business.

He walked up to the guy leaning against the wall and asked, "How much money do you make a week?"

A little surprised, the young man looked at him and replied, "I make $400 a week. Why?"

The CEO then handed the guy $1,600 in cash and screamed, "Here's four weeks' pay, now GET OUT and don't come back."

Feeling pretty good about himself, the CEO looked around the room and asked, "Does anyone want to tell me what that goof-ball did here?"

From across the room came a voice, "Pizza delivery guy from Domino's."

**************
Then there's this tidbit:

**************
And this gem:

My thanks to my former co-workers, who risk losing their jobs as Public Servants to send me this kind of stuff.

WOOF!

That's right, it's me and JJ. His family flew the coop to Tucson today for a family reunion for my son-in-law's family. They are gone for five days and JJ knows it. It's not like he doesn't have me to hang with, but really? My "one" to their "four" doesn't equate quite the same.
Although, I must say, I can't blame him, he does have some pretty comfy digs. From this vantage point he can see the front door, back door, master bedroom door, and staircase leading to my granddaughter and grandson's rooms. No one can get in or out without JJ knowing it.
Just as I start to wonder whether or not I matter, I utter those magic words that if responded to in the right way, will reaffirm JJ's love for Grandma J........

Who wants to go bye-bye in the car?

He loves me!!

Their PC is on the fritz, so I will try to come back to my place every day if possible to update. JJ can't stay here because I don't trust my nosey neighbors. If they see JJ and tattle, it's a $300 deposit....just to let him visit. Damn old farts!

SWIMMING IN THE POOL...
..at the compound

After my morning coffee, I put on my bathing suit and wandered out to the pool. The pool is about 30 feet from my back porch, so it's convenient to go over there several times a day. And that's what I did today.

This morning it was empty for a short time, which allowed me to do some laps in my awkward combo stroke. Then a few of the "guys" showed up. I keep waiting for the young, cute, tanned hunky guys to show up, but then I remember, this is a senior complex. After a while the guys started showing off, and then it got a bit scary so I left.

I skipped back over a while later for the aqua aerobics class. Not bad, but there's more yakking about who's doing it right than actual aerobics. As much as I enjoy this exercise class, I make a point of not remembering names.
After dinner I went back over for a nice evening swim. I ran into Donna.
This is Donna...OK, pretend this is Donna. Donna's a talker, and a little funky. That's OK, whatever floats her boat. She starts telling me about a phone conversation she had with her son on Father's day. She said she told her son she has a new pen pal....Theodore Kaczynski, the Una bomber, who is currently serving a life sentence, without the possibility of parole. She laughed, and of course I laughed too because, she was joking right? I mean even if it wasn't exactly funny, it's only polite to pretend and not be rude. So, yeah, I laughed right along with Donna.

Then Donna said, "I have to be careful or my son will have me locked up". I said, "Oh, I know, sometimes I'm afraid my kids will too." Donna looks at me with a straight face and asks, "How many times have you been admitted"? I'm like, "well none", she said, "They've taken me away three times." I guess she saw the stunned look on my face, and said, "oh don't worry, I only get loony when I forget to take my meds."

So, I slowly eased myself away, bid Donna a good night, and called it a day. Life is grand around the pool at the compound.