Bueller? Bueller?

For a cool 2.3 million (peanuts these days) you can pick up the house the Ferrari, the infamous Ferrari, was parked in from the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Location - Arlington Heights, IL. Probably has good schools.



I loved that movie. It was one of the few I managed to stay away through, which is a hallmark sign of a fave for me. Of course after it came out on video and entered the Davis household it probably played around here a couple trillion times.

Another bit of trivia: the teacher who gave the flat line attendance call, "Bueller? Bueller?" can be seen on CBS Sunday morning giving some interesting commentaries. It took me awhile to key him in as the same guy. He just loomed in my memory as someone from something.

I am about ready for a Ferris Bueller type of day off. Any takers??

Reception and Dance

Saturday night was a reception in Tad and Missy's honor, celebrating their marriage last February. We all had a good time, food, music, and of course - adult beverages. My SD card was maxed out so I have very few pictures, unlike the cruise where I peaked at over 700.

The crew at Lowe's went all out. Were they thinking of another party at about 400 lbs? I haven't asked just which of their spare bedrooms he will be sleeping in.




Merriment on the side:

A Noticer's Revelation

When Ron and I first began dating in 2000 he would often comment, "You are such a noticer." I wholeheartedly agree . I am always interested in detail; it's the little things that set someone or something apart.

One of my favorite pastimes, when I am semi-stranded with nothing to do or read, is just plain watch the crowd. What they wear, their hair, try to figure the configuration of the who they are with - parent, child, boyfriend, their kids, his kids, her kids. I assume I am wrong half the time, probably more than half, but just to observe or more to the point, notice, it is a great free hobby.

One of my newer noticing talents has been to detect breast implants. Possibly because there are more "new" ones around. I am not an expert nor am I any good at spotting reductions, but the implants seem to speak loud and clear on their own behalf. Don't get me wrong, I don't condemn or fault for any unnatural intrusion of a person's own body. In fact, if I could, I wouldn't mind leg extensions, enough to balance out the upper torso. Lord knows I have enough material to stretch out of my current legs. About 3-4 inches would be enough. And by the way, I would like them slim shapely while I am on the cutting board. Oh, never mind about me...

Let me tell you some of the hallmark signs of breast implants. First and foremost would be revealing necklines. It can be -40 below zero with a hollowing northwest wind and nary do the owners cover up the decolletage. There is always cleavage somewhere to be seen. In warm sunny weather, the halter top is the only top. And the halter fabric never seems to meet in the middle. Why is that? Last but not least, is the globular setting of each distinctive breast. They go from ground zero to grapefruit perfectness. And because they are never covered up or tucked securely into well fitting supportive brassiere, you just know they are the made-to-order variety. I wouldn't be surprise if a push up bra is worn to enhance the bought and paid fors.

Recently on the Huffingtion Post they had a piece on movie stars and their implants. I would give a click to the web site at this time, but I didn't want this to take on an ogle overture. You'll just have to go the Huffpo yourself and toggle around to to see what I am talking about.

There was one set though that is worth showing. It is so bad that if I were the recipient I would go for his or her significant part and render it just as hideous as the double barrels she is sporting. And what is with the Xiphoid? (that thingy sticking out below her-overexposed sternum) It looks like the doc left in a chili pepper. It makes for a fairly good fit should she should ever need CPR. But the last word is undoubtedly - she got rooked!!

Cougar??

It was brought to my attention today about the last blog entry. At the very end I commented regarding the "gorgeous bride." Indeed she was rapturous. But it seems the groom is a wee bit miffed? He, not gorgeous also? At the time I opted to follow my Midwestern Norwegian protocol: beautiful bride, best wishes, what a lucky guy - yada yada yada.

I'm letting the cat out of the bag. Jerry, you are one damn hottie!



P.S. Out Seattle way I did have a brush with cougar ism. I guess it is time to go nation wide. Love Aunt "rrrare" Mary Liz.

Long Week

It hasn't been a quiet week. Mother's Day I struck out for Fargo to "pack it up and haul it out." Tom came from Chicago. We met with the realtor on Monday. He left with his van packed to the roll bar rafters for the 11 hour drive back to the windy city. Tomorrow (Monday) I will talk to an estate buyer in hopes of them hauling out the boxes of stuff too good for the goodwill. I may have to drive back to Fargo this coming week.

Home Tuesday night, then Wednesday to The Lakota Good Samaritan Nursing home. A road trip to check out their buffet dining.

Tuesday Karlie had her 17th birthday. She celebrated with little fanfare: dinner in Minot with her girlfriends. Ron brought home a Dairy Queen cake which we all consumed pretty much without her. Sorry Karlie.



Thursday - catch up after missing two days of work. Friday I worked the Activity Assistant position so she could attend a funeral. Now I am further behind.

Friday Lacy turned 12. I was the lucky one to tag along after two 12 year olds as they roamed the mall on a Friday night. The three of us then went to a pizza joint in Minot, one that heralds games, inflatable climbing houses, and unbelievably cheap crappy junk you buy with your "tokens."

I read the newspaper, had a beer, and watched the 8 youths who worked the place, which by the way was so horribly dirty I couldn't believe the health department would let them stay open. They were cleaning tables after birthday extravaganzas that encompassed two and three tables at a gathering. Let me share with you their demolition of a party table: With bare hands (gloves not seen anywhere) they would gather all the crusts, used napkins, dirty silverware, pick up larger food items off the floor, and place them in the proper receptacles of an overloaded cart which housed garbage, stacks of soiled plates and sky high piles of dirty glasses. The kid who collected all these contaminated items, then gathered up the salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese bottle clumping them together with his germ laden hands, not wiped off in any fashion. The other kid grabbed a wet rag and proceeded to wipe off the three tables in one back and forth sweep, the entire length of the three tables. Not once did he turn the rag, use any circular motion - god forbid should he rinse it off into the bucket (also on the cart) of most likely tepid water. It was appalling and to think this is a popular dining spot for kids. Yuck, only scratches the surface.

It has been two days with no ill effects on the three of us so maybe it is too many years of dealing with infection control in a nursing home. I know I will most certainly refuse to patronize that place in the future.

Home to a sleepover with Shaylynn where they giggled and roamed the house half the night. I succumbed to exhaustion about midnight. If they continued with more hoopla I missed it.



When you're 12 you and your BFF (Best Friend Forever) lie around on the tramp and dream of being 13, maybe even 14.

Saturday was a wedding day for my niece, Kristy. She was married at the Norway Lutheran Church. Grandma Lillian and Grandpa Myron Espeseth were the first couple married there in 1946. In those days, in North Dakota, couples were married at the court house, minister's home or "at the home of the bride's parents." Kristy and Jerry will probably be the last wedding in the old brick church that overlooks the Mouse River Valley. The church closed about 15 years ago and only has one service in the summer and one at Christmas. Myles and I were married in that church in 1974. Her mother Lila in 1977 and her aunt Sandy in 1973, as were many cousins and neighbors.



The actual wedding was private due to limited seating but anyone who wasn't included in the wedding showed up at a lovely reception, dinner and dance in Minot. Lacy opted to stay at home after the wedding (no cute boys her age! ahhh, that would be 12 now) so I went on alone as Ron was working. It was a fun time and did I ever see people I hadn't seen in a long long time. Old lady that I have become though was safely home by 11:00. Late night by my standards.



The new Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Kuntz. Their first dance as newlyweds. She was a gorgeous bride, to say the very least.

Happy Mother's Day

This is my first Mother's Day where I won't be giving my precious mother a hug, a kiss and tell her how much I love her. She knew I was the one who wouldn't forget. My Dad and brother were a little negligent in the remembering area. She would lament, "I can always count you, Mary Liz."

Now she is watching down over me, prompting silently and hoping I listen better from her new loft then I did from the previous one. There just has to be a heaven so I can be with her again. I miss her deeply but knew it was time for her to rest eternally. She was so good to me even when I didn't deserve her unconditional love. "Thanks Mom, I could always count on you." Love, Mary Liz

Gun Boats

Guess who was spotted in these $540.00 gun boats? At a food pantry no less. Made by Lanvin in suede.

The Moves

Having taken dance for nine years when I was growing up in the usually quiet river city of Fargo North Dakota I did come to know that you either have it or you don't. That is, the ability to hear the music and feel the moves at the same time. Where the feeling is just as powerful as the moves and you know how to get it across. It flows out of you with little or no effort. I don't think I ever had "it" but I am sure for a few moments in time, back in those idyllic childhood days, I thought that I was pretty good at "the dance". After all I was the a girl that was going to: teach school during the week, teach dance on Saturday and write Nancy Drew books on Sunday. That was before I figured out how great it was to take an afternoon nap come week end. I know better now. An incidentally I have yet to pursue those childhood ambitions.

I have a FLIP video of Lacy doing some of her moves, they seem to flow out her with little or no thought. It is as if she plays music by ear, but instead she dances by feel. Sometimes I will be talking to her and she will answer me with a Buddha like move, head going one way, body the other and talking at the same time.

She took two years of Just For Kix dance and the then one year with a college girl, who I thought was somewhat of a rip off artist. But Lace loved her and would dance all the harder. I shot this tonight while she jumping around to the music on her cell phone. I think she has what it takes.

It Ain't Over 'til it's Over

Unbelievable, right up there with the Susan Boyle story. Check out the video. Mind that Bird

What is Going On?

Since her couture is my fervent hobby, this had to be addressed. When I saw the following photo in our newly arrived TIME magazine I ceased to be able to absorb the following (I don't know how many were left) 100 most influential people in the world, as the cover so boldly announced. I was cranked and ready for words.



What the hell happened to the facings on this dress?? I see there is stay stitching around the neckline and shoulders so possibly someone was planning to take it to the next level, which would be facings or maybe even a sleeve. Most of us really appreciate two, sleeves that is. Miss Yantzer (correct me if I am wrong Susan) our seventh grade Home Ec. teacher at Agassiz Jr. High, a.k.a Agony at Agassiz, would be spinning in her grave at the speed of sound if she saw this atrocity, if she is in fact dead.

I have in my personal Barbie collection, in the homemade clothes subdivision, lots of dresses that look just like this nefarious unfinished product. They are itsy bitsy teeny weeny dresses crafted out of fabric scraps my mother so religiously saved. To put in a facing, let alone a sleeve, was far too microsopic of work for my ten year old nail bitten fingers. But we all know Michelle is not microscopic.

I am at a complete loss to understand this new variety of fashion. The rules seem to have changed. Where was I, in the bathroom or on the phone as this bad idea took hold? But the real question is: where the hell are the facings? You tell me!!

Tummy Tubs

This is a cute video as well as a European style of baby baths. Sorry about the beginning commercial but that is the way life is in and on the free world wide web.

With four grandchildren, two under the four month wire, I had to see what this was all about. It looks like something comfortable for babies. Much older than that one would need to phone the fire department for extraction.

Take note of the little girl with the pink barrette as it reminds me of Lainey, who seems to make the most of anything that comes her way. Tummy tubs

All those little munchables and not a one is screaming because it is bathtime. It must be something of merit.

How to Blow a Sunday Morning

All is quiet and I have had a most pleasurable Sunday morning, doing exactly what I wanted. Nobody awake, Ron in Portal, CBS Sunday Morning is over and the Sunday morning paper is history. I settled on the couch with my trusty Dell and started a languorous Sunday surf of the Web.

These surfs are rapid during the week where time is of the essence and it seems there are 101 things to do or 101 things left undone. But Saturdays and Sundays are different. My first hit was to see if the newly acquired site New Old Age Blog had an update. I recently stumbled upon this while reading something else in the New York Times. So far it seems good. And after all I am in the business of old people, not to mention in personal pursuit of...

Seeing there were no recent updates I though I would go to the home page of the Times looking for other goodies to read. This was my find: Growing Up Buckley in the Sunday Times Magazine. It is a wonderful read by Christopher Buckley,the only child of ultra conservative columnist, essayist and opinionated William F. and Pat Buckley. In the fifties William F. founded the The National Review and later hosted television's "Firing Line" for what seemed like an eternity. This missive is taken from the younger Buckley soon to be published book.


Christopher writes of his newly acquired parent less status and the wild ride of being their child. At 55 he was "orphaned" in 2007 and 2008. Buckley the son tells of hugely witty events as well as tearful tender moments involving these two interesting people he calls Mum and Pup. Chris is a delightful humorist and writer; it is well worth the time (it is rather lengthy by Internet standards) it takes to stumble over the big words (japery - a new fave!) He comes by his verbosity rightly so, William F. was also noted for uncommon word usage.

Now the patient wait. The full course book is due out next month.

Over the Top

What is this woman thinking?? Doesn't anyone stop her at the door with a firm but friendly, "No no no no Michelle you're the First Lady now; this kind of crap was okay for the old days, but not now! You're going to get lobbed by the critics for another huge fashion faux pas."

She possibly could have flown under the radar with the sweater, blouse, and slacks. But the belt?? It doesn't even serve purpose if she were to have a hernia. I am irritated enough now just to let the stupid bow tied blouse alone.

Areial Updates

On Saturday Ron and I went for our overdue fly to check on water. The water is now causing a ruckus further downstream. Lots of these shots are downstream from Velva, in my old neighborhood and east.

Any commentary precedes the photo



Erik and Nicki's place now. Myles and I established this place in 1980 after the flood years of the 70's. It is quite high and dry!



Lawrence Nelson's place. This is where my mother-in-law Lillian grew up. Her brother is Lawrence so the place is still in the family. His son Harry set up shop and house on the dry hillsides as well.





The following two pictures are of the Espeseth home place, where Myles and I lived the first six years of our marriage. Three of those years were big floods.




We lived in the house on the right edge of the photo. It was a log house built in 1897. It was cool in the summer and cold in the winter unless you never left home and kept the fires going.




The meadow road goes straight and then makes a 90 degree turn to end up where it is dry. During the 70's floods we had steel posts marking the road and we went in and out on a tractor. (no cab in those days) We also had a speed boat parked out by the mailbox and would motor over to where we kept the vehicles.




If you double click on the photos you should see the picture in a larger format.

18 Days Old

I spent part of my Saturday afternoon holding my little granddaughter Mercedes. She is 18 days in these pictures. She doesn't much care for the world when she wants to sleep. I have yet to score an awake photo. Just means I'll have to visit more.

The Elements of Style

Fifty years ago today a teeny, weeny book hit the market that is still in use today, just not as vehemently as in years past. "The Elements of Style" or also known as "the little book," was primarily used in the college classroom as a resource for writing and composition. It was written by William Strunk, Jr. in 1918. The little book was privately printed by Mr. Strunk himself in an effort to "cut the vast tangle of English rhetoric down to size." His heralding cry was: Omit needless words!

Later in 1957 E.B. White, (yes, E.B. of Charlotte's Web fame) who was a student of Mr. Strunk's, was commissioned by Macmillan & Company to revise the homemade ditty for the college market. So henceforth (it must have taken him two years!) we have another birthday to celebrate. The Elements of Style. I myself need to invest some serious study time into this tome.

In the meantime, I will rely on my good and smart friend Karlyn to exorcise me from bad habits, bad spelling and bad grammar. She has been instructed to reprimand me repeatedly: never let up. My mother used to comment when I flubbed, "Mary Elizabeth that was a glaring error!" It usually involved the improper use go, went and gone. Both my mother and Karlyn paid attention in school. I, on the other hand, focused too much on the social element.

I found this card the other day and had to give it to Karlyn. But it needed to be shared on the blog on this momentous anniversary day. The card also keys into my style of grammar just a wee bit more.



Mary Liz, once again, relying on Karlyn for the correct answer. Thanks Karlyn! P.S. she hasn't told me yet.

Updates

Just a few updates:

The Doug and Emily Johnston's have evacuated their home. They may not have floodwater on the main floor but without power and septic it is tough to live there. When we moved out in '76 and '79 it was because we didn't have power or water - they came from my in laws across the yard. They had to leave when their basement filled.

Hildre's have lost their first dike around their farmyard. Today they were adding to the house dike to save their home.

Minot is to crest today and it will be about 2 days for the crest to arrive in Velva.

They have downgraded the weather, not the precipt anticipated, but still rainy weather.


The road to Karlsruhe (local vernacular: "The Lake Hester Road") has been sandbagged shut. That is needed to complete the diking system on the east side of Velva. Our champion nurse Connie will have to swim to work. I don't doubt for a minute that she would if it meant getting to work! We should all be that devoted.

A Little Fly

Today the weather was really nice, with highs in the 50's and no wind. The wind item is what makes and breaks this state. Our wind is like the little girl with the little curl in the middle of her forehead... When she is good she is very very good and when she is bad, she is horrid.

With a beautiful day underway Ron and I decided to go for a little fly. I had wanted to go up with my camera and see the water that is starting to develop into quite a problem around these here parts. And Ron always is eager for me to go flying with him.

So we have some area flooding photos. The crest isn't until about Friday - after we have three days of rain showers now in the forecast.

Remember if you want to have a closer look, double click on the photo and it will fill your screen. Arrow back to return to blog. You can really see some detail when you do this.

Meet your flight crew:







Heading East along the Mouse River:













Two places along Highway 52, near Velva










East of Velva where Carsten and his buddies were sandbagging.