SIMCHA SUSIE MUSINGS

                                           SIMCHA  SUSIE  MUSINGS


                         These are strange times for all of us, having to remain in our homes for
                          the foreseeable future and dealing with things that for a lot of women
                          are normal procedure. For me, having to do my own hair is not normal!
                          When I started to work in an office and dealing with the public at the same time,
                          I went to the beauty shop every Friday early am before the office!  For those of
                          you that know me, you know that is really a difficult thing to do!
                          Because of the Fibromyalgia, I did not have to be in the office before ten am.
                          A small break.

                          I  have had my hair done each Friday morning for at least thirty-five years.
                          today,  at myself.I washed my own hair and I don't want to look  at myself.

                          It is a real hassle to get into the shower.  First I have to put the shamata that
                          my wheelchair rolls over down on the floor, which is there to soak up the water that
                          escapes the shower curtain. Then I have to get into the shower space, getting
                          as close to the seat as possible and transfer to the seat without turning myself
                          into a pretzel while holding onto the bars.  After sitting down, I have to bend
                          over and release the brakes on the wheelchair and shove it out, turn it straight
                          and push it past the opening of the shower, but close enough to bring it back when I
                          need it again., I am no
                          I am lucky to have a hand held gizmo that I can put in it's sleeve for the water to hit
                          my body without me holding it!  It is difficult enough to hold a wet slippery piece of
                          soap,  clean myself and not drop the soap.  According to me amputee doctor, I am
                          not allowed to use liquid soap. He said that the liquid rolls down the body and
                          brings down any and all germs with it and is more difficult to wash off. I guess
                          that admonishment was because of the  MRSA!
                          I use hand soap. There are many times that I have dropped the soap! That is why I
                          keep two bars in the niche.
                   
                          When done, I pull the wheelchair back back and peel the towels off - one for my
                          head, one for my body, and a dry one for the seat of my wheelchair.  Then I reverse
                          the process and sit down, release the brakes again, and push myself out of the
                          shower space, dry myself off, and go back into the bedroom!
                          Time to take a nap!

                   
                                            

SIMCHA SUSIE MUSINGS

 Today, the paving company that has been tearing up the streets of the condo development we live
 was  finally working on our side of the street. What dirty work!   


Watching the procedure, I was transported  back decades to playing with my son on the floor with his Tonka dump trucks!  I still find it fascinating to watch how the paving machine works. Two people are needed to drive and operate it. The trucks going backwards to line up with the front of the paving machine in order to fill the opening with their load takes precision!


Years ago, in one of  my many work lives I was a professional driver. I drove school buses
throughout the school year and for camp and charters during the summer.


One day, the young punk who was doing dispatching, thought it would be funny to give the older 
lady a ninety-five passenger  stick-shift bus without power steering!  It took a while to get out of the parking lot and continue to the camp route.  I remember trying to make a left turn on a very busy street and not able to  turn on one try!  Before I knew it, the cops were there thinking there was an accident! When I explained the problem, they stopped traffic and helped me back out
in order to complete my turn!

During the school year I was assigned to routes for a K through 5 elementary school, a 6 through 8 middle school and a high school.  The lower grades were not a problem. Nor was the high school. The middle school, on the other hand was the worst. These youngsters, neither babies nor older teens, are feeling their oats!

The day started with delivering the high schoolers to school before  8 am, then getting the middle
graders and then the little kids by 9 am. At lunch time, I was taking the youngest home and taking
the afternoon kindergartners  to school.
I also had to be around in case there was an early dismissal.  In addition there was school charters
for field trips. Drivers were to go in all kinds of weather and were not allowed to cancel trips by ourselves.

I recall teachers asking me what to do  about trips during blizzards. I told them that it was up to them, but that it would take a huge amount of time to get where they wanted to go and that it would likely have to turn around  and leave pretty quickly because it would take a very long time to get back to school in time for afternoon routes!  They would cancel the trip and wait for better weather.

At one afternoon pick up at the middle school, the kids on my route were in such high spirits that no one listened when I told them to sid down before I started the bus.  This was before seat belts in school busses.  I turned off the ignition, waiting for them to calm down. When I told them again  to sit down after an hour, they started to scream and throw stuff around. By that time, I had had it! I started the bus and drove directly to the Glenview, Il. police station. I used the onboard radio to call the station and asked for assistance. A few officers came out and I transferred these kids to the cops. I told them to call their parents to come and get them, that they were a menace, and that it was not safe for me to transport them anywhere!

Needless to say, for the next four years that I worked there, I did not have any further problems with any child or teacher in that school and neither did any driver in that school district!

I have many stories that I can write about, but what I really want is input from YOU- recommendations for restaurants, movies, trips, and other suggestions for things we might enjoy doing together.      CALL or TXT    616-212-3137    OR    EMAIL     sidnsues@gmail.com
   (Simcha Susie Musings)

Good Afternoon Everyone!

August is upon us and summer is half over, imagine that.
During July, when the temps were in the high 90's and the humidity was upwards of 74%
our AC was not working and everyone was sweltering,  I on the other hand was cold!
The windows were open, the fans were on and my husband turned the AC's in the back bedrooms on and put a small fan between them to pull the cold air into the great room where everyone congregates. It turned out that the AC system was down a pound of Freon.
Now everything is working fine.

Now something completely different!
DACA  DEFERRED  ACTION  for CHILDHOOD ARRIVALS  program is still alive despite the administration's efforts to kill it, and it is vital that eligible immigrant youth renew their two-year protection as soon as possible.

DACA renewal applications cost an outrageous $495.00 each, a sum that is out of reach for many immigrant families. The DACA renewal fund, run by United We Dream, offsets this cost.

My information came from Daily Kos.     campaigns@dailykos.com


This summer I reached out to my home community, asking them to stand up and be counted
to help the asylum seekers that are being dumped in Coachella, the very same people that  OR HAMIDBAR   is helping. I reminded them that our parents, grandparents  and great grandparents   were immigrants and that because their efforts we are able to live in such a wonderful place. I asked them to make a monetary donation to the Lady of  Soledad Church and I  would FED X them to the church! Then I remembered that Rabbi David donates three afternoons a week.  When I get those checks,  I will Fed X them to Rabbi David and let him get the couvet!


Reading the weekly email from OR HAMBIDBAR I found out more information on the feeding program at the United Methodist Church of Palm Springs. I knew that they have a feeding program, but not the specifics.  In case any of you have missed it, following is info on what kind of program, the name of the person  in charge and their email and phone number.  All are at the church in Palm Springs unless otherwise noted.

Desert Diner, hot lunches, every 2nd & 4th Thursdays  11.30am to 1pm
Just Pancakes Tuesday,  7.30-8.30am
Well in the Desert Lunches, served every Tuesday  11am to 1pm
Tim Griffin   tigriffin63@gmail.com     951-234-4220
CALL HIM TO VOLUNTEER!

Just Pancakes Sunday  7.30 to 8.30am
John Jones   eaglesnakecactus@sbcglobal.net   760-567-1909

Joshua Tree Breakfasts    Community United Methodist Church, Joshua Tree
Tim Griffin  951/234/4220   tigriffin63@gmail.com

REMEMBER CALL TO VOLUNTEER

WE who have so much, should give back to those who do not

SIMCHA SUSIE

         Thank you so much SALLY GOODMAN, for your review of Enzo's Restaurant
         in Rancho Mirage, 70030 Hwy. 111. Phone #  760/321-7635, Italian.  I checked the prices on           the menu and
         they are $$. Sally said the food was great and she rolled her eyes when discussing
         the  FROZEN  CREME BRULEE, which I take as being wonderful!

         Throughout my years as a Ballabusta, I've come across some of what I think of as
         crazy ways to clean pots and pans of burned on food.


                  1.      Take your largest bottle of Tomato Catsup!  Liberally pour on top of every
                           piece of burned on food, let stand overnight.  The acid in the tomato's will soften
                           the food. Then wash as usual. Everything comes out sparkling clean and
                           there is no need for hard scrubbing and or ruining your pot surfaces. Works
                           every time.

                 2.       Take a dryer sheet, place in a pot or pan, fill it with hot water and
                           leave overnight.  I have been told that this method works as well.


                3.        This one, even for me sounds crazy!  Cut or chop celery into very pieces 
                           and boil in pot or pan until celery becomes mush and let cool overnight. 
                          your utensil should become perfectly clean!

      These three methods for cleaning burned on food are what I call "bubbemeises"
     Yiddish for bubbe's stories, although the one with the catsup, I use all of the time!

    
     I've had to stop knitting and looming, so I try to find ways to do what I use to without hurting        my hands.  I have been cautioned about being too long on the computer, but Dr. - you can't
    take away everything that gives me pleasure!

   I am taking a lot of yarn to donate th the children's program in my South Haven, Michigan  home  community. We have programs for the children, ages 4 though teens, in our   recreation hall each summer evening. Diana, the lady that runs the program, is a retired principal, and loves the
kids. The "Rec" Hall has a "Juke  Box" and table games and sometime the older siblings come
to help with the younger children as well.
The Fourth of July Celebration will be held on Saturday, July 6th, with the usual BBQ. The signup calls have gone out, asking for gri;;ers, cleanup, setup, food donations, both sweet and  savory. There will be kosher hot dogs, burgers and chicken, a variety of salads and vegetables,
and of course kugels.  One can find a table outside on the lawn, under a tent, or inside. Dessert will be served inside.
This is the first meet and greet of the summer season. Of course there is a charge for all of this
deliciousness.  We also have a silent auction, a raffle, and the lucky bock! All of this fun is for togetherness and to fundraise to supplement the expenses of our community. 

June 11th, I made a birthday party for my husband , Sid, who turned eighty-three! How time flies!
The restaurant was La Casita on Date Palm, just south of Dinah Shore.  We arranged for one long table, set for twenty, and we had twenty-six! Esmeralda, the manager, had to bring over more tables. Even Pearl came, who is well on the way to her 103rd birthday. She ordered a bowl of chicken tortilla soup. but the bowl they brought her could have fed ten people - it was so huge.
Gail kindly ordered the birthday cake. Sid's favorite is Strawberry Shortcake and the bakery had never heart of that type of cake for twenty! Sid was verklempt. None of our friends could believe that he was eighty-three, they all said that he did not look eighty-three.  What does eighty-three look like?

Many  friends are like us, taking off for the summer, some going to Maryland and up the east coast, Big Bear and cool mountain air, Santa Barbra, Fire Island, NY., South Haven, Mi., but most stay here.

You will hear from me  this summer. Although I am home, I have not gone to the moon!



       

                           
                           

Good afternoon everyone,


Thank you so much SALLY GOODMAN, for your review of Enzo's Restaurant in
Rancho Mirage,