~*~CASUAL COMMUNITY NEWS~*~
 

Issue XVI March 23rd  2003
 

Editorial.

Hi Folks,

Hooray! Spring has arrived at last! <wondering why I'm still cold though>.

Well, we had a wonderful time in Amsterdam. I was going to tell you all about it but Maggs beat me to it. I hope you all realise her version is only one side of the story!!! I don't snore!... though... the bit about the tram might be a tad close to the truth <S>

I'm back to a full compliment of sprogs again, middle sprog has arrived back from working in England (you can breath easier now Stumpy!) Of course he's broke again, I queried why and got this reply, "Work hard, play hard Mum". Now the playing hard bit didn't surprise me much, the working hard bit did!

Now this is the bit where everyone can say  awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, I have a chest infection. If I swallow anymore pills I think I will rattle. I'm not the best at taken pills and these ones are like torpedoes. Someone once told me once that if you hold one of your arms above your head as you swallow a pill it will go down easily. Now, how true this is, I don't know, all I know is that it seems to work, (even if I do look a bit daft!)

The war has started. I know we all have differing views on it and I think I am safe enough in saying that no matter what those views are, we all support the boys and girls out there doing a dangerous job and thinking of the families who are suffering a loss now. Let us also remember the many innocent civilians in Iraq who are suffering a dreadful ordeal at the moment. Can you imagine what it is like to be sitting hunkered down in your basement with the surrounding city being blown to pieces? As someone who has actually been very close to a bomb explosion, I can only guess at their terror. That is of course, those well off enough to actually own a basement. I don't think anyone wins in a war, except the politicians. I think we should make the politicians slug it out, now, that *would* be something worth watching!

On a lighter note, its Mother's Day here next Sunday. I love my Mum, she drives me mad at times, but she's *my* Mum! Here is a great big thank you to all the Mum's out there!

Thats all for this month folks, I am sure I will be feeling better shortly. I have to be, I start my A+ Certification course on Monday! Wish me luck!

 Lynda [Editor]

Any comments. articles, tips etc, please mail to LyndaAtCasual@Compuserve.com

Contents.

Editorial.........................................................................Lynda

All the A's......................................................................Maggs

Thoughts from the Farm [International Diplomacy]....Lizzie

Springtime in the Rockies.............................................Taffy

"Lil bits" from Ma'am..................................................Maureen

 ALL THE A’S………..ASSHOP, AMSTERDAM & AGONY



It was my Christmas present from my daughters a three-night, four-day trip to Amsterdam. What a wonderful gift to receive…but…theres always a but….I was to be accompanied by my sister…the one & only Lynda.

On a lovely Monday morn in February we set off for Belfast International Airport to catch our flight to Amsterdam. So far so good. To say we were flying with a ‘Cheap’ Airline is an understatement as we had to clean the plane before we disembarked at Schipol Airport. Here starts the adventure……..

Luggage collected, we exit the airport & find hordes of people trying to operate an automated machine for purchasing Bus/Train tickets into the City. I was immediately under orders from the Asshop….”Maggs, get the tickets”. I took one look at the machine & said, “You must be able to pay on the bus”..Exit Maggs with the asshop muttering along behind & lo & behold….Bus/Coach located, tickets purchased & her & me en route to our hotel. Ahhhh the Hotel……let me tell you….4* Grading…so heres Maggs expecting a wee tad of luxury. Check in….fine……Concierge shows us to our room…..SORRY……did I say room…..I mean shoe-box. It would have been like dancing a pas-de-deux….the asshop and me sharing this room. So being ‘Maggs’ & never stuck…I lift the phone, ring reception & request an upgrade to a suite. Yes….says the receptionist…& it will only cost you 20 Euros per night..”YESSSSSSS” says Maggs…Grab your suitcase Asshop we are moving. Did the concierge re-appear…not on your Nellie…so we lug our cases to our ‘Suite’…..BTW did I mention it was 20 Euros extra per night…Enter suite & guess what……we got a shoe-box with a cupboard attached. Oh and fore I forget a kettle, instant coffee & powdered milk…what luxury!!

That afternoon we left the hotel to explore Amsterdam for the first time & Maggs led the way cos the Asshop doesn’t know her right from her left (cleaned that up cos I really meant her a** from her elbow) & GUESS WHAT….We accidentally walked straight into the ‘Red Light’ District. My eyes still haven’t recovered..how do those girls hold those poses for so long & why don’t their extremities turn blue with cold? Course the asshop said I took her to the Red Light District on purpose…..course I didn’t ..you all know little innocent me….(secretly thinks she was applying for a job) LOL

The asshop ‘snored’ well that night, Maggs got a little sleep <S> & next morning we headed out first thing to explore Amsterdam for real. A beautiful city, even more enjoyable after she took me to a Dutch café for Breakfast, ordered Coffee & toast for us & we got Cheese & Ham toasties…but never mind ..even Asshops can’t get it right all the time. Walked for miles – then went to a beautiful café built in one of the old gates of the city called ‘De Waag’…I will abbreviate this part before I bore you all…Whilst having lunch, Maggs needed a ‘wee’ so headed down a steep flight of stairs to the ‘bathroom’ unbeknownst to the Asshop & in complete sobriety, Maggs fell down the stairs….awwwww….& on the way back up the stairs…I fell up into the arms of a bewildered Oriental Gentleman who was waiting to go down the stairs…Boyo can our Asshop laugh (didn’t she have to witness this one).

That night we headed out to the Sea Palace (Floating Chinese Restaurant) it was absolutely gorgeous…even though the Asshop made me walk the whole way back to our hotel ..I backtrack here…that afternoon..she dragged me into an Irish Bar & made me drink Hot Whiskies..whilst she drew cartoon pics of us on beermats & adorned their walls with them.

By now….you are all wondering what the point of me tale is…..Well I’ll tell you now…YOUR asshop is directionless – She has no sense of direction, no idea of left or right, north, south, east or west. In fact – she wanders aimlessly. BUT you all owe me a big vote of thanks because just as she was about to disappear below the wheels of a tram I screamed & saved her life!!!!!!!!!

<~~awaiting bouquets or brickbats <S>

Love from Maggs

PS: Amsterdam is a beautiful City…if you ever get a chance visit it.& if you ‘stray’ into the Red Light District & see a ‘Lady’ resembling our Asshop…..who knows who knows LOL.......
 

 INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY

Down on the farm.
 

We been readin in the city paper about all this arguin at the United Nations. Seems like those fellows can’t agree on anythin at all. They just go mincein around in their purty clothes with their little group carryin their papers and somebody else tellin them what the other fella just said, it puts me in mind of a bunch of little girls playin dress up in their mama’s clothes.

Now I happen to think we should just take back our building and start having those meetings out yonder in that there area where the twin towers used to stand. No air conditioning, no fancy, comfortable chairs, no first class dining facilities, and no other grand facilities, if you know what I mean, just some of those porta potties. Maybe that way they could get their minds on the business at hand and not on what’s in it for me.
Now I can hear all the whining startin right now, about how we are the unsophisticated unwashed, money grubbing people of the world. The french would be looking down their noses at us for not servin them first class wine in a crystal glass, the Germans would be telling about their fine automobiles, the Russians would be screaming “nyet, nyet,” and pounding their shoes. These folks seem to have forgotten where they are and how they got there. They have forgotten who provides most of the finances of the UN, they have forgotten who built this fine place for them to lolligag around in, all the while biting the hand that feeds them. I figger it wouldn’t take but a very few days out in the weather and having to think about business and those fellows would make up their minds one way or
the other. Don’t matter how they vote, they should just get on with it and do their job. It is time to pee or get off the pot.

It is very amusing also, to see all those hollywood stars coming out of the woodwork and tellin us ordinary folks how we should be thinkin. Preachin to us about how immoral it is to go to Iraq. Ain’t that funny------somebody in hollywood talkin about morals. All those hot lights must bake their brains. Somehow they have decided it is our fault that all those poor people in Iraq are starving, doing without medications, etc. Reckon what he does with all that oil money.

We don’t have that kind of problem out here on the farm. We don’t form no committees to decide who does what job, what we spend our money on. Actually there ain’t enough to argue about. Cept my egg money, now I do keep that for myself, that and the silk from that there corn crop. My man makes most of the big decisions, that is his place in life as it is part of his caring for his wife and family as he promised. I am not saying i cain’t influence him just a little, but we know our parts well by now. I
ask the fella upstairs to give our leaders wisdom and to keep our country and all our folks safe every night. Maybe we could all do that and help them out just a tad. Meanwhile, I think a trip out behind the wood shed would do those fellows at the UN a whole world of good. This is just Lizzie, ruminatin on the world situation.

copyright
 

Springtime In The Rockies

Denver, Colorado
While daffodils are popping their pretty little yellow heads out of the earth at forum member Strangelilbebe’s home in Tennessee, and our affable Host, Cookie, is running around in shorts in 90 degree Florida weather, Denver and the Rocky Mountain range to the west is recovering from the paralyzing storm that is now being called “The blizzard of 2003.” The year isn’t over yet, so I hope it won’t be necessary to initiate a numbering system; however, the snow pack, along with any additional snow that might come our way, is good news for drought-stricken Colorado!

This past week has had a surreal ambiance about it. I was snowbound for four days, looking out at the Christmas card-like landscape, my world a white and silent one, with tree branches along Bear Creek bending and kneeling from the weight of snow and ice on the agile limbs. The snow was beautiful, with some of the biggest flakes I’ve ever seen. I was alone, and it gave me time to stop for a while, read, sit by the fire, and to reflect on many things. It has also been the time where things are not quiet and peaceful on the other side of the world, and I thought about the contrast between there and here, my eyes filling at times as I contemplated the suffering and the lives being lost.

But spring has come marching in just as it does every year, and with it the lengthening of the days and the rebirth that’s happening in nature. At this time we think of renewal—our thoughts, our dreams, relationships and aspirations, and we experience those little spurts of energy that tell us something is happening. Spring is in the air, and it’s been felt for eons. Ancient peoples celebrated the rites of spring with magic spells and ceremonies offering sacrifices to the gods. Recovering from the sluggishness of winter, these celebrations served as prayer-like rituals believed to enhance fertility as well as ensuring the abundance of nature’s gifts.

Spring has been the inspiration for poetry, painting and music. In 1914, Russian composer Igor Stravinsky’s modern ballet, ‘Sacre du Printemps,” Rite of Spring, debuted in Paris where it caused rioting in the theatre. Stravinsky’s idea had come to him in a flash, envisioning a solemn Pagan rite as the frenzied grand finale unfolded, sage elders seated in a circle while watching a young girl dance herself to death as she sacrificed herself to propitiate the god of spring. A large part of the audience found the driving rhythms of the music, as well as the interpretation, scandalous and too suggestive.

The ritual of spring-cleaning originated from early times, with the superstitious ceremony of the floors being scrubbed in clockwise motion. In England in later years, after months of sooty fireplaces warming the manor houses, carpets, furniture and draperies had to be cleaned and aired. Heavy drapes were stored for the summer, and replaced with lighter window trimmings that would allow the summer breezes to cool the house. With the heavy immigration from England to the United States and Canada, “spring cleaning” found its way as the proper way of maintaining the home. Here we are, many generations later, still adhering to the old ways.

Well, it’s time to get off the computer, and begin my spring-cleaning. Oh…wait a minute, it occurs to me that I have to meet friends at a restaurant, and there’s a movie I want to see! I’ll worry about it tomorrow.

Hugs and happy days,
Taffy

LITTLE BITS FROM MA'AM
 

Happy Spring to everyone. Many of our members in the North and East are no doubt happy to see a bit of spring to be here. Many of our members have had "snow" issues and some have been captive in their homes. Hope you all are thawing out a bit and the warm weather is here to stay.

Casual Chat had a "first ever" event on March 15th our first political debate. It was a request by a new member Judge Bill and was a huge success. There was an agenda and everyone who participated brought out valid points and I have heard that is was enjoyed by those who attended. There is another debate or discussion scheduled for March 29th, please watch for announcements.

Our Thursday game/event has been canceled for a short time; Marie Ange is on a leave for a while and hope to see her return soon. We hope to get a back up event in that time spot soon. Hurry back Marie Ange

Tech and I have not been on any other trips in the RV this last month, we are getting repairs done and hope to be back on the road again very soon. Will keep you updated on the adventures, because they no doubt will be some kind of adventure. <RE>

Until next month, hope everyone takes good care ..

Ma'am