Sally Lael

Bits and pieces

Bits & Pieces – Biking in the nude? – That’s crazy!

Where can you bike ride in the buff and stay on the right side of the law?

Can you believe I just asked that? It’s another crazy press release! These people just have too much time on their hands and make money at it.

So this is World Naked Bike Ride month! I can’t believe all the days and months that are dedicated to some of the craziest stuff. To do this, they ranked the best cities for naked biking. Sorry, to disappoint you, folks, but Beardstown didn’t make this list either.

Bits and pieces

Bits & Pieces – Cicadas as an ice cream topping?

I think it’s safe to say that most places in our county have been pretty much cicada free. At least I haven’t heard many complaints. Now, Jacksonville, that’s another story.

I’m not sure why we don’t seem to have any and I’m not going to make any guesses, but I’m really glad we’re not experiencing what some communities are experiencing. 

This week I received a press release that said add cicadas to your favorite list of ice cream toppings. Excuse me! Not on my ice cream!

Bits and pieces

Bits & Pieces – How did I do that?

As you well know, my 20 y/o grandson, Mason, is my tech person, the one who gets my phone back to normal after my magic fingers screw it up. His favorite question is; 

“Grandma, how did you do this?”

My best and always response is;

“I have no idea.”

I recently had an unexplainable situation with my car. And that question popped up again.

I take my car to the dealership to be serviced regularly. A couple of weeks ago it was time for an oil change and its usual checkup.

Bits and pieces

Bits & Pieces – One of my proudest moments

As most of you know, I like to write. I’ve always liked to write for pleasure, but when I was in high school there were certain subjects I didn’t like to write. History was one of those subjects.

I had one of the greatest history teachers ever and that was Adele Hegener. Adele knew her history backwards and forward and she loved sharing what she knew. The problem was I simply didn’t like history. It wasn’t until I was an adult and started studying the Bible that I realized the importance of history and how it affects all of us.

Bits and pieces

Bits & Pieces – Quality time, reunions and memoriams

My daughter, Tarra, and grandson, Mason, were here for a few days last week and we had so much fun.

Usually they only come for a weekend, but Tarra’s job takes her to Springfield several times a month. Last week they arrived on Wednesday since she had to spend Thursday and Friday in Springfield so I got to “babysit” my 20-year-old grandson. And,wow, did we have fun!

This young man takes such good care of his grandma. And we laugh and laugh. 

One of the things the three of us enjoy is playing board games. However, I’m not very good.We played Clue and I’m terrible at that one. Tarra wins almost every game, but she did allow Mason to win one.

Bits and pieces

Bits & Pieces – The fun of little boys

Growing up across the street from the marina had many perks, especially for my three brothers. 

Back when we were kids, there wasn’t a marina, but there was so much raw territory for my brothers to explore. I never joined them for their fishing, hunting or exploring escapades, mainly because of my fear of snakes. But my brothers never flinched. In fact, my brother Danny brought a snake in the house (unbeknownst to any of us) and hid it. Unfortunately for me, the rascal escaped and decided to live in my room. I can’t even begin to tell you the screaming I did as I walked in my room and a snake is slithering across the floor. I’m sure it broke the sound barrier.

Bits and pieces

Bits & Pieces – Top places for Nude Gardening

Yep, you read that right!

I get press releases from all over the nation covering everything imaginable. Sometimes I just think people have too much time on their hands.

Last week I got a release about the top best cities and the worse cities for naked gardening.

Kids sitting in grass

Let’s take care of our youth

Watching the news, seeing the chaos on college campuses, so much unrest in the Middle East, politicians proving again and again they can’t be trusted......what’s going on? Where are we headed. Who or what is stoking the fire? 

Many questions, very few answers.

We are surrounded by so much that is wrong and it’s affecting all of us. But in the midst of all that is happening, we fail to see how it affects our most important treasure---our youth. And there is no way we can shield them from all of this.

Squamous cell skin cancer on Sally's hand.

Bits & Pieces – A PSA for my dear readers

This week’s column will be a little different than what you’re used to reading. Yes, I enjoy it when many of you have commented on the humor that I share with you, especially about my family. But today will not be entertaining you with humor but with concern for you and hopefully, some preventive care. 

A little over a week ago I was diagnosed with squamous cell skin cancer. I wish I could tell you this was my first one but unfortunately it’s not. Note: there is a picture in this column of my latest skin cancer.

Telephone graphic

Bits & Pieces – Telephone evolution: from landlines to cellphones

Phone technology has changed so much since I was a youngster that it’s unbelievable.

I grew up in an era when we had telephone operators that would say, “number please.” And we also had party lines, which meant you shared a line with another person. You weren’t supposed to listen in to another person’s conversation, but....... sometimes you just couldn’t help it.