Times Were Certainly Different...

Ok Buckaroos....how many get those emails about a long time ago.

You know when times were better and easier..
when our Hero's were cowboys....

Do you remember the times when you were just a youngster with
dreams of Hoppy....thats Hoppalong Cassidy--i had a Hoppy bike with
2 holsters and chrome cap pistols.
and ...the Cisco Kid...Poncho..
Dale...Roy...and Gene...you get the picture.

Well, here is a rootin, tootin cowboy...Just give him a name...
I'll give you one guess who it is....don't you see those blue eyes....

Yes, its big Jim when I was little Jimmy.

Times were so different. The photo was taken near 2000 W. Rice st, Chicago IL....a long time ago.

Its just not the numbers that make it so long ago but what do you see.

A pony on the sidewalks of Chicago. A highly congested residential neighborhood.

Try that today in 2008. What agent of the government would start drooling at their mouth.

First, no helmet on the kid, no safety seat...where were his parents...child endangerment.... you get the picture and if you don't...there is no hope for you.

Government involved in everything and civil suits that have taken the fun out of our lives.

Life was simpler then....our kids won't have the memories...but we do. I am so glad I still enjoy and remember those simpler times.

The Elliott Stuff.....

DON'T FORGET TO DOUBLE CLICK THE PHOTOS TO ENLARGE THEM.

Update--Karolyns Nightmare

Just to update you all on Karolyns trip to Fla to help her parents thru Teds & Irene's hospitalization.

Gramps signed himself out of the hospital. He could barely walk but Dr. Idiot..Raj, said gramps wanted to go home.

When Karolyn & Nancy protested, Dr. Raj said he can't change the paperwork. Sari!!!

So they somehow got gramps home and he was upset. So upset that they left him overnight fend for himself.

The next morning, when they visited him, he told them that he would cooperate. He did to a degree.

Granny was just released from the hospital Tues. Once at home, she acted better but still is not capable of taking care of herself.

Gramps said he would take care of her.

A few legal things were taken care of, not much and Karolyn said she needed a break and flew home Friday morning.

Today we celebrated Nates bday by shooting off rockets and having two birthday cakes. One for Nate and one for Thomas next door.

Happy Birthday to you both.

Photos to follow tomorrow.

OH!!!!!! Karolyn and I are driving back to Fla Friday. She only took a break. We will be down there just after Jimmy and his in-laws stay on Siesta Key.

We will join them for a day in Disney.

Another bday party

Pads & Bars & Da Bears

Yesterday Sat, I visited with the boys and was exhausted. Ate two meals yesterday and slept (recovered) all afternoon and early to bed.

This morning I awoke about 5am and couldn't wait until I could rush to McD's and get something to eat.

Please 2 for 3 bucks, the sausage McMuffins and a Senior Decaf coffee. Its only .56 cents for coffee. I ate those sandwiches down fast. Almost as fast as the donuts while on the beat car.


Did the Panera coffee and later joined the Front Window Boys at Moretti's Bar. The Bears were playing Detroit and kicked their butts, yes the Monsters of the Midway.

Orton played good as qb and maybe should have been playing instead of the GROSSman last years. The bar was less full today with many of the same players and a women/girl that looked just like Palin. We laughed.

I rode the bike today and locked it outside Moretti's. Walking out of Moretti's I realized it rained and the seat was soaked.

Its probably been 5 decades since I rode a bike without sitting down. It was tough and I had to be careful. Too much pizza, beer and a Cobb salad to go, for grand daughter Sara.

I crashed on the couch and woke up around 7pm..oops, belly was still filled and I needed a walk.

I walked toward Park Ridge and suddenly: I smelled a pleasant smell, heard a voice on a loud speaker and saw a crowd of people outside the front steps of St. Paul of the Cross church.

"In the Mexican Tradition of prayer processions we will march thru the neighborhoods to support the homeless people."


Oh No, the PADS group. A group of churches getting together to open churches overnight to the homeless--Bums. (In Church Facilities with School Children all around)

I listened to some of the speech and all the cliches that they used in the 60's now applied to BUMS. I've written my opinion on this blog.

Then carrying a cruxifix they started walking. Bagpike blowing, a kid pounding a walking drum and all carrying lovely smelling candles.

Total about 100-150. Most my age or older. Marching for homeless in Park Ridge.

Let me add this up: first the McD's coffee seniors...to the Panera Front Window Boys to the Bar Boys...to the PADS marchers.

All this action and all I could think of....the PADS were leading a march with a cross in the front representing their religious beliefs...trying to force their religious beliefs on a city that would not interfere with their religious rights.

It seems there is a attack on religions right now.

And a strong movement to keep separation of religion & state.

Yet here were these well intentioned people forcing their beliefs onto everyone else.

Maybe they are justifying the attack on religions.

I think I have to go home and sleep on it.

A pony trip

It was a great day to spend with grandkids.

It was a great day to spend outdoors.

It was a great day to spend smelling horse stuff laying all around on the ground.

Another day out with the Jim/Lori Elliott's.

Hey Dad, do you want to join us when we take the boys for pony rides.

Sure, I'm by myself and Karolyn is still in Fla.



After coffee I drove over to Palatine, we all jumped into the van and drove to the corrals. It seems like so far into the country yet, its surrounded by Taco Bells, Wendys...etc.

Walking in we found more than pony rides. We found crafts for the boys and pumpkins everywhere, straw men and guess what else...yes, horses..small med and large.

We met the in-laws...Dallas & Phyllis. And Lori's sister Carrie with Bill and little ever so cute Hanna.

One dollar bought a good length ride on the Ponies. The kind of ponies you ride on your butt...not with track money.

They put helmets on all the kids. This proved a good idea when during the first ride of the day, the pony got nervous and bucked a little cowgirl off the horse.

I think the boys were excited and I took movies. But for the crafts I just took snapshots.

It was really nice being with such a nice family and wonderful in-laws.

It was fun watching the kids use paper and glue to decorate the pumpkins.

It was fun watching the kids use ice cream to decorate their faces

What was ever more comforting was getting home and crashing on the couch for 4 hours.

Those boys are cute but they wear out this grampa. Can't wait until the next adventure.

Fighting & Politics...siblings

Last night sat, i happened to turn on CBS and they were having one of these multimarshall arts fight.

A big black meanest looking guy. the celebrity Kimbo Mimbo..something. A very scary looking man.

He was facing a white guy with pink dye in his hair Seth Petruzelli. Not mean looking at all.

The ref was telling them the rules and I rushed to the bathroom to prepare for the fight.

I returned to the tv and they were patching up the black guys face and the white guy was running all around the ring celebrating.

It turns out the black guy is the baddest fighter,,,and his scheduled opponent got hurt at the last minute and they substituted the guy with pink hair.

It was a last minute substitution of a nobody against the experienced tough fighter.

But the nobody won in 14 seconds.

Then the excuses began...well, the champ prepared for someone else...the champ was nervous...the other guy had nothing to lose.
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Then I remembered that our recent debate where an unqualified to be in the debate with the older senator, a nobody competed with no chance against the experienced senator.

Of course there are different opinions on who won...but I think Sarah kicked butt.Just like the guy with the Pink Hair.

More From About Granny & Gramps

Karolyn has been calling frequently from Fla with news of her nightmare .

They thought they had things all arranged with granny in the assisted living home and the dr said that gramps would have to go there also for rehab.

Last night she went to visit gramps and found out that the dr has released gramps. Your father insisted he go home so I had no other option.

But he can't care for himself.

Well, I can not change my paperwork now. Dr. Raj repeatedly said. You must take him.

Gramps was taken to his own home but he was not cooperative with the girls and they had to leave him on his own. He said he was going to get granny out of the home and take care of her, himself.


Today, she said that Gramps was very cooperative this morning. Realizing he can't take care of himself and surely not granny.

They visited Granny and they have her under the proper medicine and is the sweet granny that they know.

Gramps just turned 90 and granny is 88.

Who knows what tonight will bring or tomorrow. The story continues....