Before I chat about what's all been happening with me - I want to post a tribute to someone I only got to know recently when I relocated to the USA. His name is Paul Harvey, who died recently at the tender age of 90.
Paul Harvey Official website is here
From the Chicago Tribune (read the whole article here ) ... Paul Harvey, A Chicago radio man whose melodious voice and hearty "Hello, America" were cherished by millions for more than 57 years on national broadcasts that were an entrancing mix of news, storytelling and gently persuasive salesmanship, died Saturday. He was 90.
Called "the voice of Middle America" and "the voice of the Silent Majority" by the media for his flag-waving conservatism, Harvey died surrounded by family in a Phoenix hospital, an ABC Radio Networks spokesman said. The cause of death was not immediately available.
"Paul Harvey was the most listened to man in the history of radio," said Bruce DuMont, president of the Museum of Broadcast Communications. ...
I knew him with the "rest of the story" stories and LOVED them - hubby and I often would make a point to listen to his show and reruns of it.
So from time to time on my blog I am going to post a tribute to him with one of his rest of the story, stories. The first one I heard of his was a story about Fidel Castro and it was very interesting but I cannot for the life of me find it. Anyway here is one that I want to post for now - and later in this post is more stuff about me and whats happening in my life recently...
Macie's Grudge
James Macie was illegitimate, a stigma which would cling to him for the rest of his life.
He died wealth; he died revered and renowned scientist. But such were the laws of eighteenth-century England that James Macie was denied in life the rights of the most ordinary citizen, denied those rights because of his illegitimacy.
So James Macie held a grudge. A lasting and bitter grudge for the lifelong deprivation of his honor. And we, you and I, benefited from that grudge in a most remarkable way!
James Macie was born in France in 1765, the illegitimate son of a British duke.
With Jim's father more or less out of the picture, the boy's devoted mother, herself a woman of wealth, returned to England with Jim and immediately set about the task of achieving her son's official acceptance.
She got this far: Jim was decreed a naturalized British subject. Still, because of his illegitimacy, his rights were restricted at almost every turn.
He could not enter Parliament.
He could not hold public office.
He could not hold a job under civil service
He could not enter the Army, nor the Navy, nor the church.
He could not receive any grants of property at the disposal of the Crown.
Perhaps least fair of all, he could never hold the title of his true father, the Duke of Northumberland.
Jim grew up knowing those restrictions. Maybe that accounts for his desire to excel at everything. Whatever the motivation, he did excel.
In 1786, Jim graduated from Pembroke College and shortly thereafter launched himself upon a scientific career. Many sophisticated experiments and published results later, Jim became a respected scientist. While his scientific colleagues, no more talented than he, were being knighted for their accomplishments, Jim was denied that honor. Through no fault of his own, but because he was born illegitimate.
It is no wonder that James Macie held a grudge. He vowed never to marry, realizing that the stigma of illegitimacy would pass to his children. Yet in his lifetime James Macie conceived another form of immortality. And the idea in itself would serve as his personal rejection of the country which had rejected him.
When Jim died in 1829, he died a wealthy man with no heirs who could claim his vast fortune, In his will he sought revenge on England by leaving all of his money ... to the United States of America!
Jim had never even visited the United States. Yet by willing his fortune to us, he disinherited England as it had disinherited him.
In his will he specified that his money was to be used for the foundation of an establishment which would increase and diffuse knowledge among men and which would perpetuate his true family name, denied him at birth. The name he adopted later in life. The name Smithson.
And thus, the gift he gave us - the establishment which in reality represents the torment of illegitimacy - is today our country's most magnificent storehouse of cultural and scientific accomplishment.
It is called the Smithsonian Institution.
and now you know THE REST OF THE STORY.
I am so chuffed that I will still be able to hear Paul Harvey's friendly voice saying HELLO AMERICA as he goes on to tell another lekker interesting story
OKAY ONTO STUFF ABOUT WHATS HAPPENING WITH ME...
Yip I know long time no type huh! Well firstly - we got a new puppy - well actually we rescued her - her name is Tandi or Ivory we cant make up our minds yet - hubby wanted Blondie but I am not keen.
We were driving up a lonely country road after a day of very rare snowfall around these parts - and she stood in the middle of the road - as we approached slowly she followed the car and my heart just went out to her - I could count the ribs each one of them and the knots on her spine she was starving - she jumped up to the window and that was it - she needed food, water and shelter from the ice cold weather and I couldn't drive on.
The first 4 days with us she ate 9 pounds of food and drank 6 gallons of water - shame poor thing - anyway she is delightful and also naughty with chewing everything she can get her paws on - but we will get through this - we love her and of course Eddie has been walking around with a bloody hardon for 2 weeks now because as fate would have it 4 days of us having her she came on heat.
I tried to keep them away and managed pretty well but they wore me down the last couple of days during the "most dangerous" stage of the on heat process - Eddie who hardly barks started howling like you see in the movies - well that did it for me. So soon we may have puppies but I also think if we do it may not be too many (I am hoping this is the case) as Eddie is a cross between a basset hound and a traveling salesman - and Tandi is a short haired golden retriever - well that's what I was told - and she does look like one - anyway we shall see - Eddie has the build and height of a basset - so he wasn't exactly able to reach - I know that if and when she is ready she will allow it and make it possible - however I watched them most of the time and she got frustrated too and grabbed him from time to time and tried to pomp him hahahahah - as if to say - listen poepall THIS is how its done - bloody hell do I have to draw you a map?!
I have put out the word for her, we have had her now for 3 weeks and not seen one flier or anything and I have also called the local vet to find out if any one has called about a lost doggy - believe me if it were mine I would be out knocking door to door and we don't live too far from where we found her.
The vet said no one had called and so enjoy our new addition to the family. This actually happens quite a lot in the country and I think that really sucks when people get puppies and just cross the city limits to dump them and go home and leave them out here to fend for themselves - and she looks like she was one of those. She is about a year old and in 2 min taught her to sit and give me her paw for a doggy treat - now I don't have to even say anything just show her the treat and she sits and gives her paw - too cute!
I will post a pic as soon as I get the camera working - Ja the hubby has been at his best fiddling (and not in that special way heheheh) and so now the lovely digital camera we had no longer works like it should because he tried to make it electrical as well as use batteries. But when using the batteries one day forgot to take out the wires for the electrical connection and as a result more voltage went through than should of and fried it like an egg - so now I don't know! and I cant just pick up the bloody thing and use it I have to wait for Professor Papenfoos to get home! grrrrrrrrrrrr
So that is the one bit of news the other is and this I am over the moon about - my hubby bought us a new home for our 10th anniversary - so although I am up in the air I am also stunned and excited and all that goes with this including stressed LOL - the paper work is going through as I type - its a buyers market right now and we couldn't pass up this opportunity - as some of you know - we lost our home almost 2 years ago to a fire and have been renting for the past 19 months and doesn't that burn your bum hey having to pay someone else's mortgage off rather than your own.
Anyway hopefully we should be taking occupation within the next month or so - here is a pic of it - please note the maroon ANYTHING is the first thing that is going to be going - I am not a lover of maroon - it has a lovely fenced in back yard - the whole property is on half an ache, which is more than enough for us - it even comes with a jacuzzi - not sure if its working or not - anyway I am over the moon - here is a pic... Please note too that this pic was taken in the middle of winter...
So there you have it - I am one chuffed little cricket - the house is 8 min drive from hubby's work vs 40 min drive now - so its closer to town and I wont be out in the boonies - as far as we know, although it has a city address, hubby thinks it's just outside the city limits - which is also good because there are quite a few ordinances and rules and tariffs when living in the city limits, that you don't have living outside the city limits.
Well that's about all the news - I have lots to say about this bloody bail out and AIG getting lekker bonuses and lekker geball hey! Those that got them, now have to pay 90% tax on them - I would prefer they did not get them to start with - but I am happy with 90% back rather than nothing - I'm sorry - I don't care what politics says or what legal documents say - a bonus is given when you do well - you don't get a bloody bonus when you run the company into the ground and expect us to bail you and you still get it - NO SIRREE BOB
Anyway China's take care of you and yours and if I don't see you thru the week I'll spot ja thru the window!
Hugs Moonie
