A Tradition Since 1938

Welcome to the Annual Gaithersburg MD Labor Day Parade, 2009. Lots of entertainment.
Children chatting it up with the local police..what are all those things on your belt and in your holsters, and how do they work? : )
Multi-cultural entertainment, befitting of our local demographic makeup.
Great music and enthusiastic and skilled dancers.
Outside the Gaithersburg Firehouse Museum. A fine beauty of a fire engine, I must say.
Dancers from Santiago. Music trucks with speakers led the way.
Usually a parking lot by the train station, and for shopping, today it's a place for delicious food assortments, souvenirs, as well as local area agencies and drinks and snacks.
The biggest balloon sculpture I ever saw..a Balloon Vehicle, at least 6 feet long!
The historic Gaithersburg Train Station..still in use today for commuters to DC and Point of Rocks on the MARC Line.
Old Towne Gaithersburg shops, after the street cleaner, and before it was open to traffic again.
The historic Thomas Cannery, which has been rehabbed and made into a commercial establishment with small private businesses.

It was a lovely cloudy day for the parade..not too hot, especially for the dancers and all who attended. The rain held out until it was all finished. Definately a fun way to spend the day.

Don't forget to check out the next upcoming event in Old Towne..Old Towne Day, September 25th, I think. Celebrating lots of local foods, crafts, bands, politicians, local vendors..plus you will probably run into people you know, for a good friendly time and day.

Credit where credit is due..

"A poem written by Rose Milligan of Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The poem was first published in the September 15th - 21st edition of The Lady (magazine) in 1998.

The poem is quoted on many web sites, as either an inspirational poem, or in order to reflect the ethos of that site. It is usually attributed to either "Unknown" or "Anon"."

I guess I wasn't the first person to not give credit to the previous poem- "Dust if I Must". But thank goodness for the information highway and Google for setting things straight. : )

Everyone Loves a Clean House. But.....

Remember...a layer of dust protects the wood beneath it.

'A house becomes a home when you can write 'I love you' on the furniture.'

I used to spend at least 8 hours every weekend making sure things were just
perfect - 'in case someone came over'
Finally I realized one day that no-one came over; they were all out living life and
having fun!
NOW, when people visit, I don't have to explain the 'condition' of my home
They are more interested in hearing about the things I've been doing while I was away living life and having fun.
If you haven't figured this out yet, please heed this advice.

Life is short. Enjoy it!
Dust if you must .........
but wouldn't it be better to paint a picture or write a letter,bake cookies or a cake and lick the spoon or plant a seed,
ponder the difference between want and need?
Dust if you must, but there's not much time . . .
with beer to drink , rivers to swim and mountains to climb,music to hear and books to read, friends to cherish and life to lead.

Dust if you must,
but the world's out there with the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair, a flutter of snow, a shower of rain.This day will not come around again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind,old age will come and it's not kind. .

And when you go - and go you must - you, yourself will make more dust!

It's not what you gather,but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived.

Author Unknown.

Ugly Americans

So I really enjoyed the presidential election debates with all the candidates, Democrats, Republicans, and others. And I have a great optimism about our country, despite all of it's problems- which in the end are exposed. And hopefully justice is served...sometimes late.

But the recent contentiousness that has been displayed over what I would expect would be bipartisan concerns, not only socially, but personally for all of our citizens, baffles me.

Who among us has not had health concerns? Whether with our children, our parents, ourselves, or other loved ones..friends and family alike? These are serious issues, which change our lives..and our outlook on our lives as well. Not taken lightly. These are life changing experiences. Mostly people, myself included, change their priorities in life.

To enjoy the good things, however small they may be, which are magnatized in perspective. Our values become treasuring the little details of life. Our relationships. Our loves. Our regrets. Our memories. Our laughters, jokes with our friends and families. Music that brings memories of our life. Our place in society..boomers, generation X, Y, whatever.

Caring for injured, sick, aging, and those who have been stricken with disease, through no fault of their own, becomes a huge priority, with enormous paperwork, health channels to try to learn, navigate, details on treatments with different doctors and opinions, trying to get appointments with specialists who are in high demand, insurance issues and problems, as well as the human aspect of it all. Just trying to maintain the day to day living and the quality of life...as best as we can. For those we love.

So why are some people screaming at each other? That is so not functional to help to try to solve the problems that most people have. It's totally anti- intelligent. Anti-intellectual. How can we try to get a better system when people are making up lies and acting like..well, I don't think dicks is a bad word, is it? You get the picture.

So, in the light of this current debate, on the health care of all Americans..I want to take a stand..for all of us who are caring individuals, mothers, sons, daughters, fathers, friends..to take a look at this perspective.

My grandmother, who passed away in 2002, at the age of 97, bought for our 3 children( over 20 years ago), who are all adults now, life insurance..of a very modest means. So I receive magazines from Jednota, Fraternally Yours, First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association, each month, with Czech news from around the USA. They have a new editor, Carolyn Bazik, who I think must be a very kind and lovely lady, and here is her editorial from this months newsletter. I hope she doesn't mind me sharing it with you. Although from her messages..I think not.

Perhaps if you read this and you agree, some people may rethink their strategies for reform. We def need reform, but we can't get it until intelligent discussion and discourse of ideas can happen first. That does not include SCREAMING and acting like raving stupid luntics.

I Believe Kindness Matters...Do You?

What type of person are you? Are you the kind who cheers up a room by entering it or are you the kind that causes people to cheer when you leave it? What do you bring to your interactions with co-workers, family and friends? Do you bring light, encouragement, optimism, and kind words? Or is it rather doom and gloom, pessimism, critiscim, and cynicism?

People often forget what we say and more often than not what we do, but as Maya Angelou said, "They always remember how we made them feel."

Here are some other wise words about kindness for you to ponder this month:

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience." - The Apostle Paul (Col 3:12)

"Don't wait for people to be kind. Show them how." - Anonymous

"The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention." - Oscar Wilde

"That best portion of a good man's life: his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love." - William Wordsworth

"Kindness is loving people more than they deserve." -Joseph Joubert

"We are made kind be being kind." - Eric Hoffer

"Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment." _ Benjamin Franklin

"You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom." - Theadore Isaac Rubin, M.D.

"Let no one ever comes to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness in your face, in your eyes, kindness in your smile." - Mother Theresa

"I choose kindness...I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me." - Max Lucado

"I've never known any human being, high or humble. who ever regretted, when nearing life's end, having done kindly deeds. But I have known more than one millionaire who became haunted by the realization that they had led selfish lives." - B.C. Forbes

The $8000 Tax Credit, an Opportunity Not to be Missed

After years of rising prices that shut some people who would have liked to purchase a home out of reach to afford it, the tables have turned. After a year of adjustments, we now have a market full of opportunities, not only in stabilized lower prices, but even more importantly, lower interest rates, and the government tax credit up to $8000 as an incentive for home ownership.

But these are not without stipulations.

You must not have been a home owner for 3 years, there is a limit on income requirements, as well as how much credit you can receive at settlement. This offer expires 1 December 2009. That means you must settle on your new home before that date. So if this is something you are interested in, you should be shopping and deciding on a home now, or very soon.

To see a short video explaining the $8000 tax credit for purchasing a home

All My Favorites

So, a dear friend of mine sent me this email link to a site that lists sooo many websites and information on the internet..and I thought I would share it with you.

I hope you enjoy it and find it useful to save and use whenever you need it, or just want to enjoy it. To access the site, click here.

And of course, if you are looking for real estate anywhere in the world, don't forget to check out www.re/max.com.

Clocks, Time, and more. Food for thought.

The mother of all clocks. Click here.