Thursday, August 21, 2008

Talkin' with the Parental Units

Does anyone know what those black and blue butterflies are called?
 
["The ones that have been in a fight!"]
 
All right, who's the wiseguy? Hardy-har-har. No comments from the peanut gallery!
 
They're pretty common around here, and today on my way back from the compost bin, one flew right up to me. There was another one sitting on a butterfly bush. They're the prettiest things--mostly black, but at the bottoms of their wings, they have blue spots and a few orange spots. If I were a butterfly, that's what color I'd want to be, but then I look good in black. <grin>
 
Getting some laundry done, and got caught up with my folks. I talked with Dad for a long time about our various wildlife sightings, then talked with Mom even longer. Whew! She may be getting close to 80, but she can still talk a blue streak! All the Florida relatives are doing well, if a bit waterlogged. Mom and Dad are going on a short trip to Kentucky, not this weekend, but the following. I know they'll enjoy that. Salyersville has a festival each year in which the geneological society features a particular family. My Mom's family was featured several years ago, but now another branch (her mother's father) is being featured. They're picking up my Aunt June on the way down, and I'm sure they'll have a blast!
 
Mom told me something interesting about my young cousin Russell, Aunt June's grandson. He'll be 18 this December, but he's been taking flight lessons. He had his first solo flight the other day. Wow, a pilot license at 17?? Way to go, Russell! I asked if he wants to be an airline pilot or something, and my Dad thinks that he may be wanting to get into one of the service academies, e.g., West Point. I hope it works out for him, if that's what he chooses to do. He's a nice young man.
 
Mom isn't any too pleased with Sen. McCain's negative behavior---
 
Whoops! Sorry! Warning: Political Content Ahead!
 
---as of late, but she liked Sen. Obama's response, something to the effect of how John McCain doesn't believe the economy is in trouble...but he can't remember how many houses he owns, when there are people that are close to losing the ONE home they have! Mom laughed and said, "I thought that was pretty good." They recently watched a couple of specials about the lives of both candidates, and she said they were really good. She said she doesn't think it's cool (I'm paraphrasing there--Mom doesn't really talk like that) that McCain cheated on his first wife, and that led us to John Edwards. She asked me, "What do you think about that, Honey?" I said, "I think he's toast." Mom laughed and said, "He IS toast!" She said that everyone seems to like his wife, and for him to cheat on her when she had cancer was pretty awful. I said, "Oh, but he says she was in remission when the affair took place...like THAT makes it better!" Mom agreed that that was no excuse.
 
I've talked politics with Dad for years, but Mom and I usually talk about other things. It's pretty fun to talk politics with Mom! Who knew?! She tells it like she sees it, and I'm enjoying getting her perspective on things.
 
When talking about Edwards, a song popped into her head, and she sang a little bit of it to me. She says it's an old old song she remembers from when she was a girl, and when I did a search, I found it right away!
 

You Can't Do Wrong And Get By

Lethal A. Ellis 1929

Oh you can't do wrong and get by
No matter how hard you may try
So just do what you  please and try to feel at ease
For you can't do wrong and get by

No hypocrite can do wrong and get by
No matter how hard you may try
Salvation you say you've got but God knows you've not
So you can't do wrong and get by

No liar can do wrong and get by
No matter how hard you may try
For when you have to die you can't tell a single lie
And you can't do wrong and get by

I wonder if Elizabeth is walking around the house singing that song to John? And maybe every so often, she says, "Hey John, did you know that song was written by a guy named Lethal?" Heh heh....

My cousin Bill (I still want to call him Billy, like I want to call his brother Tommy...old habits die hard) in Texas sent me some neat pictures today. The subject was "capturing the nanosecond," and all the pictures were snapped at an amazing moment, resulting in some wonderful and unique pictures. Here is my absolute favorite! It's Super Cat! I might have to write a profile on Super Cat soon....

 

 
 
 
 

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Try this site for your butterfly and see if it is what you are talking about. Helen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papilio_glaucus

Anonymous said...

Love the song.  Maybe that is KarmaKat flying by, humming the lyrics :o)

Anonymous said...

That picture with the cat sailing through the air is hilarious!!!!!
Connie

Anonymous said...

I wish I could talk with my mom about things.... my dad was the one I had the normal conversations with.... my mom lives in her own little world, and could care less about anything outside of it, but we're coping.

Joann

Anonymous said...

We can't have political conversations in this household.  It turns out to be a war every time. It's two republicans (me & Kevin) and two democrats (Nicci & Brandon).  No side seems to win here! LOL
Missie

Anonymous said...

I can not mention politics to my mom...she is totally whacked...you are so lucky to have normal and nice parents. Edwards deserves to be toast. McCain has no idea how MANY homes he owns? Goodness  and people think HE will help the working poor of America, like me? Dude is clueless.
XO