Older and Better with Shelly

Selfie. Rhymes with Alfie. It reminds me of a movie and the song back in the day. When I was growing up we never heard of a “selfie”. I remember getting my picture taken with Phil Donahue, Dick Clark, Patrick Duffy, then a real hunk. Now those pictures are something to show your grandkids. Of course I don’t know where the photos are now and my grandkids wouldn’t know who they were. In fact I can’t think of one thing I’ve ever done that they would be impressed about. So I digress. I’m not sure where the word selfie came from. I guess with the wonderful smartphones with cameras they have now, people started taking photos on the spot with their friends. It’s a great idea. It is lots of fun. They even have selfie sticks. I don’t have one yet. I can’t take a good selfie, my arms aren’t long enough. Maybe I can use a collapsible selfie stick, hopefully one that would fit in my purse. I like selfies but I do think taking one on the edge of the mountain ...

A dog named Sully. That name reminds me of Sully Sullenberger, the hero of flight 1549 who was able to save dozens of lives by landing a plane on the Hudson River in New York. Alas another Sully has emerged to save the day as President George H.W. Bush’s favorite companion. Not since Rin Tin Tin and Lassie has a dog received so much attention, praise, and love. Sully’s sad looking face is enough to make a grown person cry. And many have. Most people are interested in what’s going to happen to Sully.   They worry about how much he’s going to miss 41 and the Bush family, and wonder if the family should keep him as one of their pets. There’s even been long conversations on this on social media. Many are debating whether Sully is actually depressed, or whether he even knows his former owner is gone. Hundreds of people want to adopt him. They think he should have a home, forever. I know these service type dogs are trained and I guess they get used to havi...

With the passing of George H. W. Bush, fondly called 41, certain things come to mind. Back when 41 was president, the world was gentler, more peaceful, and more considerate. Today some of the things that go on are downright shocking. I’m trying to figure out, as a senior citizen myself, when exactly our country became so embroiled in the battle within the homeland. Certainly we’ve always had political parties but they managed to work within their boundaries to get work done. I’m not sure when a re-election campaign became more important than getting along and doing things for the people. Now days it seems like whatever party dominates Congress they are the ones that will keep anything from getting done. It’s about arguing back-and-forth and satisfying the contributors to your reelection campaign, not to mention favors to grant that we don’t even know about. Payback if you will. Every president says that they are going to do something about campaign finance r...

So here’s the deal. I have never once gone shopping on Black Friday. Not that I don’t like a good deal or a sale but the aggravation of fighting grown women acting like two-year-old's doesn’t appeal to me. Especially over a piece of merchandise that you’re probably not saving that much money on anyway. Plus who wants to get up at the crack of dawn, or not sleep at all, just to get into a battle royale on “discounted” merchandise? I would rather pay the best price I can find, or do without, before submitting my body and mental health to that type of anguish. When my kids were little, they had most of the popular toys. In most cases, we always managed to get them what they wanted without all the hassle. Yes we had friends that got up early or went to stand in line on Thanksgiving evening so they could get the good deals. But that’s just not my cup of tea. There is so much competition on just about everything now you really never know if you’re ge...

Has everyone had enough of election politics yet? Tired of watching the back-to-back-to-back commercials running endlessly on television? The only one profiting from all of this are the TV networks and stations. I guess I’m living in a dream world but wouldn’t it be nice if all the millions of dollars spent on TV propaganda was actually used to help feed poor kids, or fix our streets, our bridges and aging infrastructure? If they don’t reach you through the media they will get you by phone. Our phones have been ringing from pollsters and the election machine constantly all day and all night. I have to turn my cell and house phones off just to get some work done. I don’t know about you but I’d love to be able to turn on the news and hear actual news. All this election hype does is rile up the crazies out there, of which we have plenty! What happened to all the presidents that said we were going to have election reform? It has gone by the wayside with ...

Back in the day, fall meant a lot of things. Apple picking, cooler weather, hay rides and the premier showing of the new cars. New cars you ask? What’s the big deal about that? Well when I was a little kid growing up not everybody had a car. My mother was the first one in the family who got one. It was a ‘49 ford. Blue I think. She bought it so she could drive me to school and I didn’t have to walk so far. My parents were “ahead of the curve.” We were the first of our relatives to get a black-and-white TV. We were not wealthy by any means but my mom knew how to save and she believed in paying cash for everything. The family would gather at our house on Friday and Saturday nights to watch Lawrence Welk, the Texaco Star Theatre and Dinah Shore. I can hear it now,   “See the USA in your Chevrolet”, and Dinah would give us a big kiss. Dinah was considered a goody two shoes because she was so squeaky clean. Well she fell from grace a little later because she had a ...

OK I wanted to do this for a long time. But I don’t want to ignite a riot over one of my blogs. But I couldn’t hold it in any longer. Don’t want to offend anybody but here I go… For years people have debated who are smarter cats or dogs? Of course whatever animal you have, you think he or she is the more brilliant one. I’ve had cats for 50+ years and I can tell you, they’re smarter. They’re smarter than a fifth grader, they’re smarter than humans, they are smarter than anybody. Who else do you know who can lounge around, sleep most of the day, and not get a heart condition, diabetes or just fat? Who do you know that can throw up at will and have somebody clean up after them? Who do you know that is allowed to share your bed with you, and even sleep on your head? Who do you know that can convince you with two soulful eyes to share your dinner with them, after they’ve had their own. Who do you know that when they cry like a baby they get immediate at...