SisterOneofFour

2012-02-03T13:00:00.000-08:00

Guess who went to the ZOO!

YaYa's sweet girl and her Mommy & Daddy. She loves the animals!

Rock The Socks

2011-12-15T08:07:00.001-08:00

In honor of Baylor's Heismann Award Winner, Robert Griffin III (RGIII), our offices are "Rockin' the Socks". We're wearing crazy socks and donating new ones to a local charity!

2011-12-09T07:15:00.000-08:00

Happy stuff:

no lights on but the Christmas tree

glitter

goofy grins

long hugs

phone calls

cards

carols @ the hospital

silly songs

sparkly socks!

laughter

2011-11-22T08:11:00.000-08:00

Isn't this the cutest thing ever? My fabulous co-worker Maggin made it just for me! I am so blessed to have crafty friends!

Friday Fun - (you may want to read Thursday's post first!)

2011-10-17T11:50:00.000-07:00

Lindsey came to the house and off we went to the appointment - to be there at 7:30 AM - no earlier. I went to the window to 'register' and provide duplicate information of what was given 2-weeks ago to the gal at the other window, then asked to have a seat, that they would call me back soon. The waiting room was freezing cold! An hour later, I am called back - and nurse Jill escorts me past a curtained hallway - lots of 'recovery' areas I assume - most of which are empty. Now, on with the 'prep' "a la Jill".

Basic questions, she wrote answers, as I sat on the edge of the 'bed' - a gurney really with a thin mattress. One particular question led to another pre-op test: a pregnancy test - I kid you not - heck she wasn't kidding me either! Good news! I was NOT pregnant and the procedure could continue.

I was given the ultra-fashionable 'gown' that opens in the back - ooh la la! A front pocket and everything! I was told to take everything off, but could keep on my bra if I wanted - hah! Fooled her - I didn't even wear one! Glad I brought some socks and thanks to a nice warmed blanket, I could sit back and wait for my IV.

Jill connected the IV - even numbed the back of my hand - and told me it would just a be about 15 minutes. Patients - who I assumed just finished their procedure - were wheeled past me to their curtained area. Jill dimmed the lights in my area and apologized for the wait. Every once in a while I heard a radio station - my 'usual' morning show - but it never lasted too long. Another patient was brought to the curtained area next to mine - so I got to hear the same type of questions - including one "where do you work?" I was surprised to hear that my curtain buddy also worked at my place, although we probably wouldn't share stories.

Another 15 minutes and a promise of a short wait - and off I went to the operating room - ah - that's where the music was coming from! They had it quite cranked up! I met my doctor for about 5 seconds and answered a couple of questions, then came the lady who would help me take a nap. She asked that I put on my c-pap - which was a little comical considering all the other various and sundry wires to which I was connected - and I managed to get my hand stuck in the contraption on top of my head.

She assured me that they did this (the c-pap) all the time - and then - she fixed my pillow just perfectly!! Relaxation set in when she had me take a couple of deep breaths - and I was OUT!

I woke up quite alert - which I didn't think would happen given my normal reaction to medication that could even possibly make me sleepy. I was rolled back to a different 'recovery curtained area' and told that it was my job to "bear down and release the air that inflated the colon during the procedure". I was told it would be "music to their ears" - if you can imagine that. I had no problem following her direction and the next thing I knew, I was sitting up and drinking some grape juice.

No light-headedness, no sleepiness, grogginess or anything else that resembled a drunken stupor. I actually felt pretty good. No pain, no headache, I was joking with the nurse (not Jill) and Lindsey came back. Little did she know she would be in on the 'consult' with Dr. A - and get to see my pretty (?) pictures and a brief explanation of the lower extremities that is my colon! Lucky girl!

She promised not to post my pics on facebook or otherwise share them - then signed the release papers so she could take me home about 11 am. She pulled up outside the door and the CNA helped me to the car, although I did not feel dizzy or goofy at all. We even stopped for Mexican food (brunch-o?) on the way home. I was SO hungry and it tasted SO good!

I stretched out on the couch (my normal MO) and Lindsey took the chair. I thought I would just drift off to a comfortable sleep - but much to my surprise - I was wide awake! I got up and insisted that Lindsey take the couch - where she promptly took a nap. I made a couple of calls and let folks know I was "done" - then played on the computer. No laundry or other house work is allowed, ya know!

Dad stopped by to see how I was doing - and had to look at my pictures where he proclaimed that I was "clean" - heck, I should be!! The procedure included removing a couple of polyps, but rather routine I was told.

After he left, Lindsey and I sat around some more - she made sure I was ok to be by myself - reminding me not to bend over without support - and then she headed home. I watched some TV, checked the mail, then took a nice nap.

So, all in all, my fears for future procedures were quelled. I was well taken care of at the facility and of course by Lindsey. The prep from Thursday was definitely worse than the procedure on Friday - but not bad at all. I'll do it all again in three years!

Thursday prep for Friday Fun....

2011-10-08T18:26:00.000-07:00

I heard about it...but never actually been formally introduced. I have listened to stories from those who survived and advice on the 'best practices' insure an easy 'go'. Dreaded it, somewhat, but the prep would be worse that the procedure....or so I was told.

My last visit to the doctor resulted in a referral to a local office of gastric inspection - for my first ever colonoscopy. Gee, I am not that far beyond 50...but, recommendations are recommendations. Given a family history of gastric pathway roadblocks and such, I knew it was just a matter of time.

Armed with my list of 'special stuff', off I went to WalMart. The consulting nurse was kind enough to point out her recommended flavor of Gatorade with which to make my very own colon-cleansing solution with Miralax - lemon-lime! Of course you can't have the 'good' color drink or jello: Red or purple. Why make it tasty? It's just going to run right through!!

The day prior to the procedure, I took off at 1pm to start my prep. 2pm: 4 times the usual amount of itty-bitty pills to start...followed by a large glass of water. 4 times the usual amount = a quick turn around! I make quick trip to the bathroom before taking a little nap - and low and behold - no running water! Nada! Zilch! Zip! No water = no flushy! I called the water department and am told there is a leak 'in the area' and 'no, they cannot estimate when it will be repaired'. Ok, a little panic, but hey, I had time before I had to start the solution intake...scheduled to start @ 5PM. So, not too worried at this point, I took a nap.

I woke up at 4:45 with a little rumbling in the tummy - and headed for the second bathroom, still no water. Rats! (or something like that) - Now what! I had to stay on schedule - so off to the fridge for my perfectly pitchered portion, which I poured into a pretty stemmed glass - and drank it down - similar to someone on a drunken binge: chug a lug! Recommended to drink quickly - ya think? I mean who wouldn't want to linger over a glass of lemon-lime flavored liquid, thickened ever so slightly? The first taste wasn't so bad - 1 8-oz glass down, many more to follow - in 15 minute increments. Now the question was how much more ..... could be added ... in the toilet bowl?!?!?

I quick check told me all I needed to know....I had water again! Yes! Flushing commenced and the pipes chimed in with some loud gurgles. Whew! I survived that hurdle!

After a full day of 'clear liquids' - with the exception of my cafe Vienna which isn't exactly clear - but coffee was on the 'can have' list - I craved something more substantive. That craving quickly subsided with each beep of my kitchen alarm, followed by repeated trips to the bathroom.

I stayed up a little later, anticipating 'sleeping in' until at least 6:30 - having to report @ 7:30 on Friday.

HBSL!!

2011-10-04T09:44:00.000-07:00

It's time to say Happy Birthday to Sophia Louisa who is FIVE today!!! Hugs coming your way, Sophia! Stay sweet and I hope to see you soon! XOXOX

26 years ago today.....

2011-08-27T06:20:00.000-07:00

About 7:30 a.m. ....I became a Mommy. My sweet baby girl, Lindsey Kathryn, was born! Lindsey was almost a "Hillary"....but thank goodness she looked like a Lindsey Kathryn! She was named after another little girl I had the pleasure of baby-sitting for many years, and my best friend, Kathy. The labor was short...the delivery easy...and no pain medicine I might add...and the recovery room couldn't hold the happiness that filled my heart...even though there were plenty of others who groaned!

Just the day before I was in my OBGYN's office where he said, "See you in a week!"...well, Lindsey had other plans! Her Dad was determined to give her a different name, but after delivery, he went down the hall proclaiming: "It's a Lindsey Kathryn!". Our lives were never the same, as were the lives of her doting grandparents and many aunts, uncles and cousins to come!

Lindsey is the first grand-daughter born on her Dad's side...so a little spoiling set in...but I didn't mind. I was a first grand-daughter myself. Mom was out of town with my sister Laura when Lindsey came, but she got home as fast as she could and whizzed past the nurses station outside of visiting hours to see us. Grammy and Stephanie brought a paper to read while waiting for the arrival, but they didn't have time to read at all - but then the shopping commenced for all things pink!

Once my Mom brought us home from the hospital (Dad was at work), it was a whirlwind of diapers and formula. Memories were made and remembered now...the colic, the messy diapers, the sweet smell of a just-bathed baby, and snuggle time..just to name a few.

Lindsey is all grown up and married, but still my 'baby girl'...and now the Mommy of another sweet one who calls me YaYa. Lindsey is also the big sister to 'baby boy', aka "Bubba", Ryan. Lindsey is one-in-a-million...and she's mine!

Long Post - from a Long Hot-Sweaty Weekend of Fun...NOT!

2011-08-20T06:40:00.000-07:00

The Texas heat wave of 2011 continues....and not without its 'moments'.....like this one:

On a hot Saturday afternoon, I was puppy-sitting with sweet Bella, and dozing on the couch after Lindsey & Kylie headed home. When I woke up, it seemed a little warm and I thought, oh, that sunlight hitting the sofa must be making it really warm in here. Off to the thermostat where I see it "set" for 77, yet the "temperature" shows 82. Yipes! No adjustment will help and I start to panic...not to mention sweat! The house tends to warm a little quickly with 103+ temps!

With Bella on leash, I check the outside unit - nothing! No visible signs of ants that might have interfered with the contacts...a noted problem in Texas. That was the end of my professional observation...so I got on the phone to try to locate my favorite repair guy. No luck and a phone call to Lindsey who invited me over to her house - Bella and all - until it could be repaired. Most likely I'd spend the night, since Sunday was Kylie & YaYa day at church.

I threw basics in a bag - underwear, meds, pjs...then packed up Bella - food, snacks, leash, & kennel & headed to the car. A/C relief and Bella in the front seat! Another call to Lindsey determined I needed to meet them at the parking garage where they were running the ramps for exercise, Kylie in tow in the stroller. (I couldn't believe they were doing that in the HEAT!!) I would get their house keys and garage door opener and settle in before they returned home, but not before a quick trip to McD's for a large diet coke to quench my thirst.

I got to the house & unloaded Bella & stuff...dropped my stuff on the kitchen table...and decided I'd better take her outside to potty. I put her on the leash and headed out the front door, being careful to note that the dead bolt was unlocked. Just on the outside of the door, click! The door locked shut with the door knob's lock! No phone, no keys, no luck. I was stuck outside in the heat w/Bella, praying that Lindsey & all would arrive soon.

Bella did her thing as the sun was going down...and we walked down the street a ways...then I thought, I'll get a key from the neighbor across the street! No such luck, not home. Ok, I thought, I can handle this...the sun is going down, there is a slight breeze...and I found the garden hose! I got a drink for Bella and myself, hosed off my feet...and continued to sweat profusely. I watched vehicle after vehicle go up and down the street...the moon started to peek out and the street light came on. The sweat was stinging my eyes and salting my upper lip.

I lowered the tailgate on Joe's truck, thinking I'd sit for a bit...but it was too high off the driveway. More pacing back and forth with Bella and then back to the hose. This time I watered the grass a little bit and sprayed straight up in the air, hoping for some misty relief. Thank God it was after dusk and I prayed that I would not pass out before Lindsey got home. I held the hose above my head and soaked myself. The water was warm, not cool, but it did help a little. Bella was not nearly as interested in cooling off as she was chasing the cat next door. I was enjoying my wet clothes a bit when here came the familiar truck down the road.

I walked up to the truck window and grinned at Lindsey, my curly hair in tight curls, flat against my head. She asked "what are you doing? I called and got no answer so I thought you were asleep". I told her I locked myself out and had been there about an hour and a half. She frantically gave me her water bottle, but I refused....water I had!

I went in the house with them and into the bathroom - thank goodness THAT was not a problem while outside! Bella went to her kennel and bedded down for the night. I asked for a towel and sat on the couch and Lindsey set a fan in front of me while Kylie played with her toys. Joe showered while Lindsey de-baby-proofed the bathtub for me to shower later. I sipped on what was left of my diet coke, crunched on ice and cooled down. I had spoken to Stephanie and was told John Ed would go by the house after church the next day.

Lindsey took a shower next - heck, I didn't need hot water FOR SURE! I had the experience of no hot water a couple of weeks prior when a control on the water heater went out, so I was no stranger to cold showers. I anxiously awaited my turn and hoped that I wasn't stinking up the place too badly.

With Kylie in bed, Joe watching TV and Lindsey lounging, it was time for my shower. It felt so nice. Then I realized I didn't bring all of my pajamas....just a tank top. How special. Joe had gone to bed so I schlepped off to the computer room where my twin size bed was ready for me. I relaxed, but still couldn't get cooled down. There was no ceiling fan and I was just restless. I got up about 1:30 and logged in to the computer for a bit. I had not planned to go to church after this evening's events, it would be just me and Kylie as Joe & Lindsey headed off to work @ 6. My phone was dead - and I didn't bring my charger! Rats.

I did manage to sleep some, then got up and got Kylie to start our day. We just hung out, played, walked Bella (with the garage door OPEN) and watched TV. Kylie was an angel all day - she took a nap after lunch and I dozed on the couch - even got cool enough for a little cover! After Joe & Lindsey got home around 3, I used Lindsey's phone to call John Ed and he said he had fixed it - or so he thought he had anyway! He said if it was cool when I got home, it was fixed. He also shared that a wire had come loose in the outside unit, so thank you God it was nothing worse!

Happily I loaded everything back into the car and headed home about 6. I had work the next day and was looking forward to a good night's sleep. Lindsey had mentioned to me at some point that the a/c vent in the computer room had been closed - thus my experience with failing to get cooled off. It was 82 in the house once I got home...but no problem....that was cooler than I had been in a while!! Bella was enjoying running around the living room and I grabbed a big cold bottle of water to relax.

I had just logged in to my computer...when BOOM! What sounded like a gunshot was another sound I was too familiar with...a transformer on the power poll next to the neighbor's house had blown! The neighborhood was 'dark' as the sun was going down. I could not believe it...really??? Heating up again in no time, at least I had the forethought to charge my phone. I called Lindsey & told her what was going on and shared with another friend how comical the weekend had been, now being the icing on the cake. I called Encor & actually talked to a human who told me the 'trucks should be out there by 10PM". Great! It was 7!! One more call to Lindsey & she said they were heading over and I could come to their house.

Now, why were they coming over? My garage door opener wouldn't work - and while I could back out, the door had to be closed so I could go to their house. I loaded Bella back in the car - thank God I had not unloaded her stuff yet - and waited in the A/C for Lindsey & Joe. The plan was for Joe to lower my garage door, then have Ryan come by the next day to reconnect the opener when the power was back on. After just a little while, here they came. I was laughing and joking about it. Lindsey handed Kylie to me and we sat in the car with Bella while they went in the house to get the door lowered.

Success! The door was lowered and they returned to their truck to head home. At that point, Lindsey was looking at me and pointing in my direction. I didn't understand what she was saying, so she got out of the truck and told me to look - Encor was on the next street! Hallelujah! I didn't know what quite to expect - how long it would take - or if I should go ahead to Lindsey's house for the night. I decided to wait a little bit and they headed out.

About 3 minutes later...I had powerr!! Yahoo!! Back on the phone to Lindsey - who had just rounded the corner out of the neighborhood - and back they came!! Joe reconnected the door and I decided to go for a little drive to allow the A/C to cool off the house a little. I told Joe he was my "hero" - and promised to make a breakfast casserole for him sometime soon. I drove to Sonic and ordered a diet coke float - yes diet coke with regular-fully-sugared ice cream - not too shabby! Lindsey & Joe were two stalls down ordering a drink as well! Finally back home, I took Bella out once more, then off to bed! I was exhausted! The heat wave continues...we've broken a few records...and I've never been more ready for FALL!! It cannot get here fast enough!

2011-07-09T18:57:00.000-07:00

Kylie Jo's 2nd Birthday - TuTu Cute!
Party girl cheesing it up for the camera!

2011-06-19T20:09:00.000-07:00

If I were...

If I were a gemstone, I'd be an amethyst.
If I were a scent, I'd be baking bread.
If I were a pair of shoes, I'd be super comfy.
If I were the weather, I'd be rain falling while the sun is still shining.
If I were a facial expression, I'd be a grin with a dimple.
If I were a car, I'd be a stunt car in "Fast & Furious".
If I were a time of day, I'd be dusk.
If I were a month, I'd be October.
If I were a place, I'd be a library.
If I were a liquid, I'd be a limoncello.
If I were a taste, I'd be salty.
If I were an animal, I'd be a cardinal.
If I were an a sea animal, I'd be an otter.
If I were a food, I'd be popcorn.
If I were a color, I'd be sunshine yellow.
If I were a dessert, I'd be hot brownie sundae.
If I were a musical instrument, I'd be the piano.
If I were a flower, I'd be a daisy.
If I were a song, I'd be "Firework" by Katie Perry.
If I were a planet, I'd be Mars.
If I were an object, I'd be a crystal.
If I were a fruit, I'd be a kiwi.
If I were a sound, I'd be the sound of a baby sleeping.
If I were a day of the week, I'd be Wednesday.

How about you???

Favorite Musical Quotes

2011-06-19T12:35:00.000-07:00

OK....test your skill....Who said (sang) it:

"You're never fully dressed without a smile"

"Practically perfect in every way"

"Isn't it amazing what clever girls can do?"

"Follow the yellow brick road"

"Whistle while you work..."

"Think happy thoughts"

"All it takes is faith, trust and a little pixie dust"

"Don't rain on my parade"

"Hello, Sunshine"

"If you change your mind...I'm the first in line..."

"When you wish upon a star.."

"It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star"

"I'm singing....and laughing...in the rain"

"Gotta sing...gotta dance..."

"I'm gonna wash that man right outta my hair.."

"the corn is as high as an elephant's eye..."

"Thank heaven, for little girls"

"I'm defying gravity...."

"What I did for love..."

"let's go fly a kite"

"Let me entertain you, let me make you smile"

"Vintage"

2011-06-19T12:23:00.000-07:00

It's funny...looking at postings on Craigslist....and seeing things folks have posted as "antique"....a Barbie doll...a desk with a roll-out keyboard....etc. Even funnier are the attempts at spelling...under the 'furniture' section, I saw an "autumn" listed...twice...by two different folks. Wondering what the heck an "autumn" was...I looked...it was an "ottoman". Guess it didn't occur to them to use "foot stool"! So funny. If I did a search by the name of the piece of furniture, I think I would lose out! There is also the frequent use of "Sale" for "Sell"..and vice-versa...such as 'must SALE now'.....or 'garage SELL today only'..... or 'willing to SALE and deliver'.

Isn't an antique something that is AT LEAST 100 years old? And isn't vintage a nice way of saying old? So...guess that makes me more vintage than antique...though some parts are up for discussion!

2011-06-02T17:15:00.001-07:00


CLICK ON THE WORDLE TO ENLARGE...

2011-06-02T17:05:00.001-07:00

Somewhat Random Things...

2011-06-01T17:11:00.000-07:00

I know that I haven't posted in a long while...although I have had a couple of requests :-)
so here are a few somewhat random things that have been going on....in no particular order...
1. My baby boy turned 21 in April~
2. My baby boy moved into an apartment on May 1
3. I have yet to see said apartment, but have seen him a few times (not nearly enough!)
4. Almost willing to pay for yard mowing...
5. Taking out the trash & feeding the dog isn't so bad....
6. Perk: I come home to a room that looks just like I left it!!
7. Finally had my job title changed at work to reflect what I actually do - just a change, no raise (yet!) :-)
8. Been looking around for a car...no luck yet
9. Great Game Nights with Friends!
10. Just finished teaching my SS quarter for 1st grade...just in time! I still have hair!
11. Kylie is talking a little bit and I love to hear her call me "YaYa"
12. LK and I are planning Kylie's second birthday - fun!
13. I inherited some furniture from my Grandma by way of my baby sister...though it's not totally set up or anything...!
14. I'd really like to tackle painting some furniture (like my bedroom stuff)...inspired by those in my favorite blog lists!
15. I actually did paint a wooden "slatted" chair in spring green and sunshine yellow - with polka dots - and it's pretty cute!
16. I have completed my duties on a couple of committees and boards at work, plus one at the credit union...and have one more at church that ends this fall.
17. I am the contact person for our Weight Watchers @ Work Program - and this series we enrolled 29 members!! Whoo-hoo....discount for me!!
18. My total weight loss thus far (including a couple of gains between the losses!) = 14 pounds
19. I know I am not a huge participant, but I find that looking @ Facebook & occasionally posting something is fun. It's a great way to catch up with friends.
20. My friend Kathy is going to be a grandma ("G") for the second time and my friend Lee Ann will be a newbie Gramma this fall.
21. Anticipating a trip to NYC with the game night group - possibly in the fall.
22. I can park in my garage once again!!
23. Summer has already arrived in TX! Can you say HEAT and HUMIDITY?!?!?

2011-03-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

Miss Aurora took time to take some awesome pictures of Miss Kylie - we are so very thankful for her keen eye and abilities at capturing all this sweetness!!

Look her up on FaceBook!

2011-02-23T07:45:00.000-08:00

She is the apple of this YaYa's eye!!

random

2011-02-19T04:30:00.000-08:00

Random things since my last post - in no particular order:

*I lost almost 18 pounds. (Thanks to WWPointsPlus!)
*I found 3 pounds again.
*I celebrated my birthday - for a week! :-)
*KJ called me YaYa for the first time on my birthday.
*Snow and ice kept some of us from work for at least a day.
*Ryan fought off the flu.
*Daisies and Sunflowers make me happy.
*Kisses & hugs are the best!
*Rolling blackouts make me appreciate my love of candles.
*I've enjoyed a 'break' from Kwar.
*I love to read blogs on thrifty home decor, though I haven't attempted anything just yet.
*Sundays with YaYa involve time in the nursery and a nice nap at home.
*Microwaved sweet potatoes are....sweet!
*Baked sweet potato 'fries' are....yummy!
*I have an aversion to dusting (and housework in general), but cleaning out a few cabinets and drawers can give me a sense of accomplishment.
*Game Night with friends is the best medicine for the blues.

2011-01-01T05:47:00.000-08:00

2011 came in quietly which is actually pretty nice! KJ kept me entertained for a little while as her Mommy & Daddy went to the movies. She ate dinner and put on her new froggy pjs (a little big!) and then had fun turning the Christmas tree lights off and on (yes, the tree is still up - with lights only), dancing around, sitting on her stool and 'reading' her big book of colors/abcs/numbers/shapes, and of course, riding her giraffe. YaYa read her several books - or was it one book several times - and loved the snuggling up on the couch! She just did not want to give up and go to sleep, and of course when uncle RyRy came home from work a little early, she got her second wind! She was so excited to see unkie and followed him from room to room until he headed out for a night of video gaming with friends. She settled back down just a little bit for more books and a cup of milk, refusing to stay put for any length of time - but that was ok. I have a short 'movie' on my phone of her when she was almost a year old - and she loved to watch it over and over again, giving me a big grin as if to say: "Look, its ME! Ain't I cute?"

Mommy & Daddy walked in and her little face just lit up...Daddy was missing her for sure. He had worked all day and didn't get to see her until late. She complied with his request of "shuggies" (sweet little kisses) and hugs. She had to show him the little movie once more...then she was ready to put on her jacket and go bye bye, but not before giving YaYa some sweet hugs and kisses too. Yep, I had to have my KYLIE FIX! Can't go that long without seeing her. We'll go to church tomorrow and she'll get to see her cousins and her friend Benjamin.

Lindsey & I went 'after-Christmas-bargain-hunting' at several stores yesterday and KJ was a trooper most of the time. I think she was a little tired of riding in baskets, so every once in a while I would try to let her walk. Of course her fingers wanted to touch everything! She charmed quite a few customers and clerks, and squealed with delight whenever she saw another tot and waved like crazy!

Late in the day we headed out to the Weld House for an open house. It is just beautiful! She maintained a blog and scrapbooks about the entire process (with her Mom's help) and it was amazing to see the progress. The entire family worked so hard on building this house - and furnished it so nicely with things old and new (mostly old and refurbished!) that they need to be featured in a magazine. I enjoyed reading her blog everyday - and hopefully they will have future projects to continue the story.

KJ was infatuated with their big 'ol dog "Daisy Mae" and cat "Herman", plus the stairs held her interest for a while and wore her mommy out! KJ even got down on the floor to give Daisy a hug bye-bye. So cute! KJ was fussy on the way home, but probably due to being over tired from the days activities. Bless her heart, she had tears and everything! Not even a 'nilla wafer would soothe her. Funny how a YaYa can take the fussiness more than the Momma - but Momma did chase after her more that day! :-)

2010-12-24T09:56:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

Breakfast Casserole - check!
Broccoli Salad - check!
Cheese Ball - check!
Salsa - check!

Just a few hours left to pack presents up for the Christmas Eve event...then off to church for the Children's program....and then to the Dutschmann home for family, food and fun...to be followed by a short sleep...then up for Christmas morning with the kids....and Kylie....then off to Mom & Dad's for the Mathews family Christmas Day...more food and fun...and perhaps a nap!! Here's wishing everyone in blog-dom a most merry Christmas and blessed New Year!

2010-12-10T10:36:00.000-08:00

“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” ~Hamilton Wright Mabie

Holi-DAZE?!?!?!?!

2010-11-12T11:11:00.000-08:00

Isn’t it the truth? So much to do – and so little time to do it! I usually have my Christmas cards addressed and ready to go – either by mail – or by mailboxes at church – BEFORE Thanksgiving! No, I am not an over-achiever – just someone who enjoys sending a special card for the holidays! But alas, not this year! No excuses – just don’t have it done!

I am getting some help and taking a clue from my friend Angel at the Weld House blog, I am shopping for some peace of mind, right along with this time for peace on earth!

Have you visited Shutterfly to shop their amazing selection of photo cards? Oh My! It is so hard to pick out just one, but my favorite is not really a card…it’s this! Perfect for a relatively new YaYa such as myself…plus anyone else who cannot let one day go by without seeing my sweet granddaughter’s grin!!

The party invitations are just as AH-dorable! A keepsake and an invite all at once! How could you go wrong?!?! AND if you are a blogger…get this...bloggers can get 50 (count ‘em) 50 FREE holiday cards from Shutterfly! Do you hear angels singing?!?!? Sign up: http://bit.ly/sfly2010: http://bit.ly/sfly2010.

Look out holidays....here we come! Can't wait to check "CARDS" off my list!!

It's Fall Ya'll!

2010-10-04T15:52:00.000-07:00

Lovin' this weather! Kylie is attempting a little more walking each day - and loves the grass! Barefoot and in the grass is the way she rolls! These cooler temps do a world of good for me - I so enjoy Fall!

Got Wheels?

2010-10-04T15:44:00.000-07:00

It has been so long since I have posted - but I DID just get this cute picture today - so I am jumping at the opportunity to share it with you!

Miss Kylie loves to be in the driver's seat - in fact
when her Mom said it was time to go - she cried
like someone had just taken away her best friend!

Time seems to fly...

2010-07-10T17:42:00.000-07:00

YaYa's girl is a year old & she had her big birthday party today! Whew! YaYa is exhausted! :-) I wouldn't have it any other way! Lots of family and friends got to join in the fun at the church Family Center. Lindsey did a great job with the cupcake stacks and snacks, plus games for kids young and old to play - including "great" grandma!!

Kylie had her first bite of cake and got the hang of it pretty quickly! At first she just squeezed the icing through her fingers, but once it hit her tongue, it was gone! She didn't get all that messy, but Mommy swooped in and took her into the kitchen and hosed her down with the vegetable sprayer! I think she also managed to down a few bites of rice and beans from Jennifer, plus a dum-dum lollipop with her Daddy, and maybe sneaked in some ice cream and KoolAid. I hope her little system can handle it!

She received so many wonderful gifts - and no duplicates, either! I have been told that some of the toys are coming to my house to live - the noisy ones especially! Kylie was dressed in a sweet little parfait-colored sun dress to start - barefoot of course - but before the cake fest, she donned a pink onsie with a cupcake and candle - and spent at least two seconds, maybe three, in her pink marabou-trimmed party hat. She received plenty of clothes - and a pair of shoes to knock around in. Wonder if she'll keep them on her toes?

Kylie was so pleasant during the entire party - happily being passed from one person to another - and no breakdowns at all. She was really into her 'cell phone' and 'ipod'....she is so into buttons!!

I'll have to get some photos to share soon. What fun it is to be a YaYa!! Love you sweet girl!! XXOO

Would you like______ with that?

2010-06-17T13:50:00.000-07:00

I am one of those people that generally knows what she wants when she places her order at the drive-thru. I also speak slowly and at a level that can be heard. I also have the courtesy not to be on the cell phone when placing my order, asking someone to "hold on", or have the music in my car playing so loudly as all patrons can enjoy it as they wait for their turn.

How many times has this happened to you? After the pre-recorded greeting plays and you wait for an actual person to take your order, you do so, being sure to include any special instructions such as 'cut the onions' or 'sweet tea'. You tell the person, "that's it" when they ask if they can get you something else, only to have them recite the extras, the add-ons, etc that are available? Really? I already said 'that's it', but I imagine what I could say "Please include napkins with my order and yes, you can add a straw. Some ketchup or honey mustard would be nice, and by the way, please don't turn my order of fries upside down in the bag!". Another irritating feeling is when the employee says "order when you're ready" and when I recite my order, they say 'wait a minute - what was that?'. They should be ready!

Once I get to the window and they ask if I want salt/pepper/sauce/dipping sauce/ketchup, etc before the handoff which usually includes a drink, I appreciate it if they wipe off the cup where the soda has over-flowed and securely attach that plastic top. Just this week, I have had 2 different cups collapse in my grip, popping of the plastic top and shooting out ice and soda. One person just looked at me as I held my half-soaked hand with the cup still in it - not bothering to offer a napkin. Once she did hand me a handful and I wiped up the mess, she walked off before I had a chance to give her the mess of napkins back. The second person at least offered to take it back, apologize for the warped lid, and wipe off the cup. Beware the cup that is too full so that when you insert your straw you get a sticky mess all over your car console! Seriously - a little room at the top is ok!

Believe me, I don't mind waiting a bit for my food to be hot and correct to order! But please, don't have my food hanging out of the window as if it were a brass ring I will grab for as I drive by! Also, if its not asking too, too much ~ a pleasant "thank you" and invitation to return would be nice - not a 'thanks hun' or 'here ya go darlin' or 'gee, you smell good' (yes, that actually happened!)

What would it be like if when I got to the window to pay for my order, I started to ask: What was that total? Is that amount in US dollars and cents? Would you like that in cash? Paper or coins? Pennies, nickles, dimes and quarters? How about half-dollars? Do you prefer correct change? Would you take a cashier's or personal check? Do you accept the Diner's Club credit card or debit card? Do I have to sign a receipt? Do you have a pen I could borrow? How hot/cold is that drink going to be anyway? Etc....etc.

One more thing regarding the 'sandwich artists' at the local sub shop - they must really be into the 'art' side of the sandwich making, because when they asked me if I wanted cheese on my sub, I asked what kind they had available. Their reply was that I had the choice of the white...... the yellow..... or the orange. Hmm....what color do you suggest?

2010-06-07T07:33:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the insight, slugger! (see more @ conspiracy of happiness)

A New Creed - from the United Church of Canada - I like it!

We are not alone,
we live in God's world.

We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.

We trust in God.

We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God's presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.

Thanks be to God.

The Knots Prayer

2010-05-26T05:54:00.000-07:00

Dear God,

Please untie the knots that are in my mind, my heart and my life. Remove the have-nots, the can-nots and the do-nots that I have in my mind. Erase the will-nots, may-nots, might-nots that may find a home in my heart. Release me from the could-nots, would-nots and should-nots that obstruct my life. And most of all, Dear God, I ask that you remove from my mind, my heart and my life all of the 'am-nots' that I have allowed to hold me back, especially the thought that I am not good enough.

Amen

Author Known To God

2010-05-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

When you are sorrowful
Look again in your heart
And you shall see that in truth
You are weeping for that
Which has been your delight.

~ Kahlil Gibran

Just for Grins

2010-05-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

2010-04-30T13:49:00.000-07:00

WEATHER, WEATHER EVERYWHERE...

A 'WIND ADVISORY'?? I've heard of severe thunderstorm warning, burn ban, even tornado watch...but a wind advisory? What could the purpose of that be?? A wind advisory to:

warn people NOT to wear full or 'flippy' skirts or billowing gowns..
OR warn (some) people to be on the look-out for the same?
warn people that no amount of hair spray is going to help their 'do'
warn would be sail-boaters who can't already tell by the way the lake is white-capping that today may not be best for their regatta
warn campers who may want to start a camp fire that they'd better bring a whole bunch of matches
warn those among us lucky enough to be considered 'light weight' to put rocks in their pockets as they head out the door
warn those in the mood to fly a kite that said kite might turn into more of a scarf or simply break away altogether
warn those people working the drive-thru at Mickey D's that it's going to be extremely difficult to hear the customers place their orders due to "wind noise" (never mind that we can hardly understand THEM...ever!
warn people parking their car to be aware of the door-whip affect...as car doors tend to whip-open with the wind and surely ding those vehicles that are too close for comfort
warn people on cell phones outdoors that they may find people on the other end CAN'T HEAR...AT ALL....except for wind noise
warn people who use the drive-thru car wash that it won't be necessary to pay extra for the 'dry' option
warn people that WIND BURN is a real possibility today
warn people to watch for flying objects - including everything from cigarette butts to paper airplanes...they could be lethal!!

2010-04-29T13:55:00.000-07:00

The Word of the Day: palimpsest \PAL-imp-sest\ noun

1 : writing material (as a parchment or tablet) used one or more times after earlier writing has been erased
*2 : something having usually diverse layers or aspects apparent beneath the surface

I have multiple layers - do you?

2010-04-27T05:37:00.001-07:00

"I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be." – Groucho Marx

Staycation 101

2010-04-26T16:46:00.000-07:00

You too can master the art of Staycation with one easy lesson, just by following these steps - not necessarily in this order:

Call your friends and sing the "I'm on VA-CA-TION" song...loudly
Sleep "IN" - even if just until 7 a.m.
Stay in your PJs at least one full day. Although this may hinder you from running errands, it may enable you to catch up on much needed sleep (napping) and relaxation (reading, watching TV, etc.)
Cook as little as possible - and remind your child (who likes to eat, too) that he can pick up dinner on his way home from school
Plan to devote one full day to cleaning house
Ignore the item above
Catch up on organization of your 'paper trail' - recycle/shred/etc - and remain comfortable at every opportunity with a cup of coffee or diet coke
Shop on-line and consult with your daughter for some virtual gift card/actual gift card switcharoo to benefit the both of you...SCORE!
Take full advantage of caring for your oh-so-sweet grand child
Pamper yourself with a lengthy shower - but then under no circumstances do your makeup or hair
Schedule a haircut/color appointment - and chat with your stylist to your heart's content, no need to rush
Wander around the grocery store or WalMart as slowly as you'd like - check out the clearance racks and shelves and scope out 'projects'
Visit the home improvement store and pick up some caulk for your bathtub and wall patching materials. Leave these supplies in the sack on the counter when you get home
Enjoy dinner out on Tuesday with friends and don't worry about what time you get home
Relish the day time tv shows you would otherwise miss - since you don't own a DVR
Read your favorite blogs for more DIY project ideas - and pass them along to your daughter
Think about calling the contractor your friend recommended to replace your screen door - and remember it when that huge hail/windstorm moves through on Thursday around midnight
Remind your son to mow the yard - feel free to call, text or just yell as necessary
Praise your son when he completes it - and remind him next week it will happen all over again
Clean out your refrigerator/freezer - by eating most everything there is or offering it to your child when he forgets to bring home dinner or at least ask to do so INSTEAD of him bringing home dinner
Stay up late and watch Frazier re-runs - and have the chance to greet your son when he gets home from work - reminding him to get some rest
Take advantage of daily exercise: walk back and forth to the mailbox or pick up that box just delivered by UPS to your front door (remember to use your legs!)
Naps are essential to any staycation success story and no planning is needed, though leaving your computer on to tie up your phone may be wise
Play "lexulous" at every opportunity - and brag when you score over 300 on a single word ("frenzied" worked for me!)

XANADU!

2010-04-19T04:32:00.000-07:00

The group traveled to Dallas yesterday to see "XANADU" - you know, the disco-roller-skating-Olivia Newton-John-as-a-muse-who-falls-in-love-with-a-mortal story. Set in the 80's, complete with leg warmers and jeans rolled up (one leg only, please!), and the music of ONJ - such as "Have to Believe We Are Magic" and "Suddenly" - it was really amazing. The sets and costumes were spot on - with the lead using a self-imposed Australian accent - which was mentioned in the script. The sister-muses included two guys - and their dancing and other actions (such as roller skating) were wonderful - all while wearing the traditional Greek toga-like costumes. The musical was filled with puns - some more obvious than others - especially to those who actually saw the movie 30+ (?) years ago! The male lead - Sonny - had his moves and lingo down, portraying a California-surfer-artist-dude who's cut off jeans were the 'regulation' length of short-short! Whoo-hoo! Part of the audience sat on the stage - a much-coveted vantage point - and were in some respects, involved with the production - though no speaking parts were included. They did have to wave their glow-in-the-dark sticks during the finale roller-disco scene, complete with huge disco ball. What fun! As we were exiting the building, I heard a mom explaining to her kids: "Olivia Newton-John is Australian...and in the movie...". I bet some will go home and rent the movie and compare the two productions!

Next event on the cultural events calendar: WICKED!

2010-04-17T16:47:00.002-07:00

Rainy days and Mondays always get me.....wet! Its about time we had a rainy day, but personally I'd prefer it to come while I am at work. I know, beggars can't be choosers...and there ARE good points to rainy days I suppose:

time to blog & read blogs
laundry - wash & fold
pay bills
finish up pending projects (yeah, right!)
drink coffee (yum!)
hot tea & buttered toast (yum! yum!)
umbrellas
puddles
dry shoes
dust rinsed from the car (yahoo!)

Today was an excellent day for testing of patience...at Wal-Mart! I wandered around in the store during a downpour, taking my time, no big hurry to get anywhere at the moment, just picking up a few things for a gift basket I am putting together, but when I was ready to go, I was ready to go. You know the drill: long check lines - even in the "express/self check". I went to one, peeked over just to check my chances at the adjacent aisle and thought "nah, this one will do". Cute little boy to keep me entertained with his mommy and daddy, and I wasn't in a 'rush' so to speak, but when I saw the guy in front of the family checking out, I had to look twice.

The register asked him to deposit cash or choose payment type. He began to deposit his cash - from a plastic zip-lock bag - one penny after another. "Oh my gosh" I thought to myself, then I turned to the couple behind me with a smile and said "He's paying with coins", rolling my eyes in the guy's direction. "You're kidding" she said, and I moved aside so she could see. Her boyfriend said, "Well, I've been there. I've been in college with no money and had to scrape the bottom of the couch". I nodded in agreement, turned back to see the guy finish with the coinage and proceed to a dollar bill, of course needing to straighten it out before the machine would eat it. The couple in front of me were smiling, too, watching the coinage and bills. The guy finished up and left when the family stepped up to the screen and announced: "Four Dollars! His total purchase was just $4!", then he began scanning his items -and again, more than the 'express' line allows for - but what the heck. Bless the coin and dollar guy - I hope he's ok.

When the family guy got ready to pay, he turned and asked if anyone had a few coins to spare. We smiled as if to say, "get on with it already". The girl behind me said, "well, at least I got to get a good read out of a magazine while we waited" and I said, "that's the way to think positively"...and smiled to myself and thought: I should have stepped up and offered to pay for that guy's items! It wasn't so bad to have to wait - at least I was dry and being entertained - and cool...getting ready to head out into the rain again. Guess I can stand a little rain. :-)

2010-04-09T14:46:00.000-07:00

Miss Kylie enjoying Spring at the Arboretum.

2010-04-09T09:06:00.000-07:00

It is too stinkin' beautiful to be @ work today!!

2010-04-05T05:58:00.000-07:00

Easter Sunday

At sunrise, lilies, magnolias, kalanchoe, daisies and more in the altar area, orchids on Moms in the congregation. Little girls in pastels swish and twirl their skirts and click down the hall in 'high' heels. Little boys squirm in neckties and suit coats, at least until they walk out of church. A choir of children and adults fill the air with song and tears of joy mixed with memories. The trumpet accompanies the old favorites: "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" and "Because He Lives". Tone chime players concentrate on every note, the smallest playing the largest chime with an emphatic down beat. The Men's Club is cooking the pancakes with the tell-tale smoke filling the hallways. A special performance by the wee ones on a stage, flanked by a huge rainbow of hand prints, using this opportunity to show their Easter finery, sisters in matching dresses, singing at the top of their lungs, using the hand-motions to help tell the story.

Families gather for lunch, bringing special dishes, filling plates and stomachs. Cloudy skies don't halt the hunt for eggs. Windy conditions help to brush confetti from hair and clothes, broken shells decorate the concrete. Decorated plastic eggs are tossed aside as contents are emptied into baskets in search of the 'prize'. More confetti sticks in wind-blown hair, on little sweaty hands and in hidden places to be discovered later, probably for quite a time to come. The dogs join in the fun with a coat of bright-colored bits of paper, not seeming to mind.

A peaceful drive home as bluebonnets and Indian paint brushes line the highway and the sun begins to set, just peeking through the clouds. Humidity + wind = tangled tousled curls.

Sic 'em Bears!

2010-03-31T06:12:00.000-07:00

The Baylor Lady Bears beat Duke and advance to the Final Four on Sunday!

Spring has SPRUNG!

2010-03-29T14:14:00.000-07:00

A wonderful 75 degrees .... bluebonnets lining the highways .... Easter is just around the corner .... its definitely SPRINGTIME IN TEXAS!

2010-03-27T13:56:00.000-07:00

Strange snippets of dreams...

* I am wandering in a college dorm hallway, looking for my room, but I can't find any room numbers, and I have recently realized that I need to change clothes because my dress is too short. The dorm is coed. Unable to find my room,I hold down the hem of my dress and head to the library, where I sit down with a group of folks - who all look very familiar. They are the younger versions of current actors/actresses - like John Cusack, Demi Moore, Steve Martin and the great big guy on Harry Potter - sorry, I don't know his or his character's name. They are studying for a test and I am trying to figure out who they are or how they are connected. The next thing I know I am in a shopping mall - a version of one in our town from about 25 years ago - and I am shopping for something to wear instead of this short dress - and I keep having to pull it down along the hem. (What is it with clothes in this dream?)

* I can fly - but not everyone knows of this special power. I like to surprise people and fly from place to place much quicker than they can travel. No clothing worries in this dream - not even a cape to consider.

* Another dream - kind of hazy - but suffice to say it was of a more 'adult' theme and the details of which are not suitable for posting here. :-) P.S.: didn't have to worry about clothing in this one either....

2010-03-26T14:25:00.000-07:00

Another memory trigger for me has to be words - or phrases - how about you? The mention of "lynn-lynn-lynn" by my youngest sister (accompanied by a goofy face) guarantees serious laughter. "Uh-Huh, Sure" is a phrase used by me and my best friend Kathy in high school - we even had shirts printed! Another high school one: "waffle?" A more recent - dare I say daily - from KeKe: "OMS" (that's OhMyShaw! - in short hand or text if you will). From the movies - and there are many - too many to mention: "Run, Forrest, Run!" ; "I don't know nuthin' 'bout birthin' no babies"; "There's no place like home.."; just to name a few. Sometimes a word or phrase brings a memory back so quickly, I am smiling before I know it - looking like I am up to something I shouldn't be - but enjoying it just the same: "Well, THATS not good!" nudge nudge, wink, wink....lol... or "whatdyatalk? whatdyatalk?"

2010-03-26T12:54:00.000-07:00

Sweet baby girl got another tooth while at YaYa's house last night! She was miserable until baby orajel came to the rescue. That - plus a bottle - put her in the best mood ever. What a sweetheart. It's great to be a YaYa!

2010-03-26T12:35:00.000-07:00

Best veggie pizza ever...next to my own...has got to be Schlotzky's Deli! If you don't have one of these delis in your area, I'm sorry for making your mouth water! The bread they use for the crust - heavenly!! The veggies are diced to perfection - and when you ask for any 'extra', they kindly oblige. Even ordering at the drive thru is worth the wait for pizza perfection!

2010-03-18T11:30:00.000-07:00

I often associate particular pieces of clothing to memories I have made while wearing them...how about you? For example, my once favorite soft yellow pullover sweater with little embroidered flowers - always makes me think of spring. The green polo shirt that's so soft and comfy reminds me of a kiss. My favorite pair of jeans can remind me of many things - including the time I almost wet my pants from laughing so hard, or the time I took a tumble on the driveway. The striped sleeveless gauze shirt that tied in the front reminds me of being 16-17 and hanging out with my friends at the lake or in the parking lot on 'the valley'. And though not a piece of clothing, the much-loved blue blanket made by a dear neighbor for my daughter - always helps me feel better when I've got the 'yicks'. Guess there is something to 'the fabric of our lives'.

A few more "clothes" memories:

the peasant top & shorts I wore for junior high cheerleader try-outs
the flannel shirt that smelled like a campfire after a trip to Dad's dear lease
the baby-blue shirt, knit vest with tiny buttons, and jeans I wore on my first 'date'
the yellow t-shirt with a hot-dog transfer across the bust that always fit just right
the dark blue uniform top worn at my first job at the theatre concession stand
the royal blue snap-front PE outfit for junior high gym class, with white crew socks and tennis shoes
dotted-swiss dress with solid pinafore for Easter - made by Mom
knee-socks - graduating to panty hose

2010-03-12T16:01:00.000-08:00

I had a doctor appointment scheduled for Thursday morning - a fasting appointment - yeah, not so fun - wasn't looking forward to getting needle -stuck - but before that could happen, I came down with chills and fever Wednesday nite - so its a good thing I was going to the doctor. After waiting the longest time EVER in the waiting room, I finally got back to the smaller 'waiting' room about 50 minutes beyond my appointment time, feeling yuckier and yuckier - since I couldn't take any cold/flu meds before my blood-work. Turns out I have a bacterial infection - with other test results to follow next week.

I called work to report "sick" and went home for breakfast, picking up Ryan a Mickey D's breakfast on the way. I layed on the couch and he piled on the quilts and comforters - I was freezing! I took some pain reliever and told myself I'd go pick up my prescription shortly. Ryan hung out with me watching TV for a while - what else is he going to do on spring break w/no wheels?!!? I vegged out on the couch later while he went to help a friend move.

I was awakened by a door bell and knock on my door about 6 pm by none other than our city's finest - asking if 'is this your dog?'. Why would Ryan's dog be out of the back yard? He wasn't - it was his friend's dog who was staying in our yard a few days - who jumped the fence and started terrorizing the neighborhood. According to the two officers, she 'attacked' them or 'came at them, threatening to bite' - seems they were called by the neighbors who were 'cornered on their front porch. I called the dog's name, she calmed down, and I gingerly stepped thru my front yard - barefoot - to the back yard and put her inside the gate. Oh, forgot to mention that this puppy is a pit bull! A puppy pit bull who probably got spooked by the uniforms - who returned to the yard, then to my garage at my command.

The officer asked for my ID - so into the house and grabbing my cell phone I went, frantically calling R to get home. He called the dog's owner who came right over, in tears, saying "she's never done this before". The officers explained that the citation they wrote ME would have to be paid by April 7th - and that animal control would be in touch soon. Seems they couldn't re-issue the citation in the owner's name - but maybe the city court could do so.

The owner and I planned to meet on Friday - late in the day - so as to allow more time for me to recuperate. I was not relishing the thought of getting out at all - I felt like cr*! About 9:15, R headed to work. The doorbell rang about 10 - the Animal Control Officer was there to take a look at the dog(s) - yes, he had to look at R's dog too, and make sure her shots were up to date and he is registered - which we had no clue we were supposed to do. He wrote up a report - another document for MY signature - and I said I was planning on coming to the station later today and bring the pit's owner to pay the fee. He didn't know the amount of the fee - and advised me how to provide the certificate showing the shot record for R's dog. I had 72 hours to provide this information.

After multiple texts to R at work - I got in contact with the vet who told me that the shots were NOT up to date - so - guess who got to take the dog to the vet @ 2:15? Me! Oh hooray! I am not feeling well and get to coax and finally lift a 32.3 pound dog into the front seat of my car and drive him to the vet - where $188 later - we were good to go. Great - I still had time to get to the station to take care of the citation and provide the shot record.

Oops...let me rewind - I failed to mention that as I finally got the dog into the front passenger's seat and closed the door, I tripped over my own two feet and the bring lined driveway and fell to the pebbled cement surface with if recorded, I am sure would have won an AFV award! Oh yeah, I went down in such a graceful manner, I must have put those Olympic skaters to shame. I could see my scores of "10" flash before my eyes as I lay on the pavement in pain, with the dog peering at me from the front seat, wondering "what the he**" - as I am sure he was concerned for me. As I lay on my back and took a quick inventory of pain - I rolled to my side and again with such grace (I'm sure) got to my feet and into my car. I realized that I had my cell phone in my pocket - so I could have called someone if I had needed to. Great foresight, huh?

Still the pit's owner had not called to confirm we were going - her boyfriend was having emergency surgery. I decided to call ahead to see what the fee would be - maybe I'd just pay it and get reimbursed - but after hearing the grand total of $117 for a "dog at large" charge - I thought, no, she can handle making that payment. She did not return my call or text, and though I hope her boyfriend is ok, her dog is still in my garage - barking and yelping - while as time passes, I realize all the areas that I must have struck at some point in my fall - both palms, my left ankle, knee and thigh, left elbow and even my shoulder is a little tender. Can you say BC powder?!?! Oh, and my head hurts too ~ but no so much from the sinus infection anymore ~ a new and different kind of pain.

We are lucky enough to have a tree near the driveway that sheds little spikey balls - so surely one of those will show up eventually - as they didn't provided much of a cushion for my fall. I am thankful I wasn't wearing flip-flops or slides, as my feet would have probably hurt worse - and attributed to a MUCH more graceful strike of the pavement. My fingers are hurting now as I type - but what to name this entry????? "I'll Tumble For You"? "Bringing Down the House"? "I Keep Fallin'"? "I Get Knocked Down"? Oh I could probably name a few more - but I think the BC is calling again - has it been 6 hours already?

Gee, could I pack anything else into a sick day!?!? I have got to learn a better technique - and include a bounce of some type - or at least a SPRING - since today was a beautiful Spring day - for anyone who wasn't me!

2010-03-05T08:36:00.000-08:00

Another free picture collage by Smilebox

Just think about it....

2010-03-04T10:18:00.000-08:00

With time, women gain weight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room, it distributes out to the rest of our bodies. In that regard, we aren't heavy ~ we are enormously cultured, educated and happy!

With that in mind, when I look at my behind in the mirror I will think, "Good grief, look how smart I have become!"

Sweetness and Light

2010-02-25T09:17:00.000-08:00

She has such a sweet personality - and her eyes light up when she sees her YaYa (or Mommy or Daddy or Unkie, etc.). She even turns the little boy's heads when she sports a bow at church!! What a joy!

Hugs & Kisses

2010-02-04T08:54:00.000-08:00

Make a Smilebox greeting

Unconscious Mutterings from LunaNina

2010-01-24T05:26:00.000-08:00

A little fun from LunaNina....I say ... and you think ... ?
Food :: Hungry
Death :: by chocolate
Cafeteria :: lady
Need :: want
Born :: to be wild
Stitch :: in time
Badly :: so very badly
Blocks :: of time
Chuck :: Wagon
Spiral :: Staircase

http://subliminal.lunanina.com

Happy Baby

2009-12-16T14:37:00.000-08:00

Up close & personal - little miss Kylie with two new teeth - though you really can't see them too well. What you CAN see - those eyelashes and that sweet smile. She loves to 'talk' and even kissed the phone when her YaYa called!!

Little Miss Blue Eyes

2009-10-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

All decked out in denim for church yesterday -
and just so happens that YaYa wore denim too!

How about those blue eyes, boys?

Cuppycake, Sweetie Pie

2009-10-21T05:45:00.000-07:00

2009-10-01T12:46:00.000-07:00

Yep, I'm in charge....

2009-09-25T07:14:00.000-07:00

The Princess is "IN".

This sweet little girl brings a smile to my face everytime!

Sugar 'n spice & everything nice...

2009-09-25T07:13:00.001-07:00

Wouldn't you love to kiss on those cheeks?

Kylie - Just Sittin' Pretty

2009-08-28T10:41:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe she is growing so fast! Her little eyelashes
are starting to look darker - thanks to her Dad's genes!
She is such a sweetheart - and getting to keep her is the
best!! She loves to snuggle and cuddle and make her
YaYa smile!!

How do you like them toes?!?!?!

YaYa Hood Rocks!

2009-08-03T09:43:00.001-07:00

I just love being a YaYa! What better excuse do I need than my sweet grand daughter to smile and act silly? Holding this precious bundle and staring at her beautiful face is priceless. She was baptised yesterday and wore the gown that has been passed down through the family - and hardly made a sound during the entire church service. Ryan and Jenna are her God Parents - and are already on the road to spoiling her with lots of love.

Sweet Pea

2009-07-22T09:02:00.001-07:00

Just catchin' some ZZZs!

She really does open her eyes from time to time...and even cries on occasion!

2009-07-17T14:16:00.001-07:00

http://www.wordle.net/.

Delivery - Part II

2009-07-11T19:07:00.000-07:00

I headed back to the hospital after a short night's rest. It was so hot!! I planned to be there with Lindsey while Joe ran home to shower and feed the dog. Turns out we got a visit from the lactation nurse while Lindsey was eating breakfast. Though Linds thought she was 'weird', she was very informative.

Lindsey started pumping soon after that, knowing that anything she produced could be given to Kylie. The nurse showed how to use the machine and the manual pump and Lindsey got a little bit to take up to the NICU. She felt so much better after resting some the night before, and she managed to get back and forth to the ice machine down the hall and back and forth to the bathroom on her own. I helped her change clothes, then we called for a wheel chair to go upstairs to the NICU. Though I am sure Lindsey would say I am not much of a 'driver', we got there and scrubbed up just in time for Kylie's feeding...and the nurse gave her Lindsey's donation via a syringe in her mouth. Good Stuff!! I was watching Lindsey holding Kylie, so hard to believe my baby girl had her own baby girl! Then I said, "Do you think I could hold her?". Lindsey hesitated just a minute, then I told her, "If you just hand her to me, there's nothing they can do about it"...so she handed her over! Precious baby~perfect in every way! I got in a few sweet little kisses on her head and sang a little song to her, then all too soon, it was back into the isolettete, and Lindsey back to the room. Mom came up to the hospital at noon and went back with Lindsey to see Kylie. She was thrilled.

When we got back Joe was just about back from home and I headed out about 3, hoping Lindsey would get some rest. I think she was a little anxious to hear from the doctor, as everyone was. Karen sent a sweet "Prayer Bear" with balloons that sat in the room and eventually went up to the NICU in Kylie's bed. Several more friends visited and Lindsey's spirits seem to improve.

On the way home, I had car trouble and called a tow truck. I am lucky that the car stopped where I could coast into the Whataburger parking lot - so at least I had a cool place to wait. I called Lindsey & Joe - and Joe said his brother Daniel could probably fix it. So he went to pick up Daniel and headed my way after about 30 minutes, where I gave them the credit card to go to the auto parts store. About 30 minutes later, the tow truck arrived and we took the car to the house where Joe and Daniel were waiting. Turns out the driver knew Joe's dad, Johnnie, and worked with him. After two hours, the guys had the car working - a shredded accessory belt was the problem - that controlled my a/c and power steering.

Joe needed another shower, then headed back up to the hospital. Jim stayed with Lindsey while Joe was out. He managed to get some good pictures of Kylie in the NICU, then had them developed so I could fill my 'brag book' and take them to church. Lindsey and Joe visited the NICU as much as possible, feeding Kylie as much as they could. The doctor on call over the weekend said Kylie would have to stay another 5-7 days in the NICU, as her heart was still transitioning with a small slit causing a slight murmur. Again, common in newborns born Cesarean.

Friday morning I stayed home until afternoon, then went back up to the hospital. Jenna came back again and was so excited for Lindsey getting to hold Kylie. I don't know who's smile was bigger. She took a picture with her camera and posted it on Facebook. Later I was on the phone out in the hall and came back to find Lindsey asleep and Joe nodding off while sitting on the couch. I told him to lay down, which he did, then I eventually snuck out and went home.

Saturday, Lindsey was a little more successful with pumping, and I was so proud of her for continuing to try. The NICU had Kylie on a little feeding tube and a pacifier so she would know she had to suck to feed. She like that paci! The feeding tube didn't stay in too long, but then she became jaundiced. These days jaundice is treated with a 'beli-blanket' - they get the belirubin meds via a bright blue blanket instead of a light. Lindsey was released to go home Saturday, which was difficult for the new Mommy. She did well, got home to open mail and eat lunch - where I treated her to Bush's chicken. This was the first chicken she had eaten in 9 months since her pregnancy aversion. She enjoyed it very much. A little after lunch, Joe fell asleep on the couch, Lindsey in the recliner, and I took a little nap on Lindsey's chaise lounge. I helped Lindsey pump a couple of times - using the manual pump and the electric pump. They wanted to get back to the hospital, so I headed home.

I planned on an early evening for the 4th of July - watching a few fireworks on TV - thinking I might catch "yankee doodle dandy" in between. I talked to Rick and invited him over since he was in town to work on his Mom's yard, and we watched the movie "1776" until just after midnight ~ so much for an early night! He has a great memory for movies - both characters and script.

Sunday was filled with showing off Kylie's pictures at church. Lindsey & Joe trekked back and forth to the hospital, stopping at my house for pumping or resting a minute. They were looking forward to hearing from the neo-natologist on Monday and planned to get back to the NICU by 9:45 on Monday morning.

Kylie continued to improve - no sign of infection - they backed off her antibiotic and kept her under the beli-blanket. After the doctor checked her Monday, Lindsey called me at work to let me know she'd be coming home Tuesday! Wow! Not as long of a stay as expected. They took her 4th of July outfit for her to wear in her hospital pictures, which they took before she went home. Her head was too small for the little headband/bow combo, but she is a cutie nonetheless! Her pictures were soon posted on Hillcrest.net, so I got to share them with all my family and friends via the Internet. Thank goodness for sweet family and friends who prayed throughout the pregnancy and delivery of Kylie Jo!

2009-07-06T10:50:00.000-07:00

Here's Kylie!!!

Delivery - Part One

2009-07-05T12:01:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a whirlwind the past few days have been! I went to the hospital to meet Lindsey & Joe at 6AM on Wednesday, July 1st. She was in a 'triage' room, prepped and ready to go into the surgery suite for her epidural and the c-section. She was nervous, as was Joe, who donned his scrubs in preparation for his entry into the room on the nurse's cue. Lindsey allowed one picture before she went in. Her Dad, my Dad and our Pastor also came, then out to the lobby/waiting room we went. Lindsey's uncle John and cousin Jenna, along with Grammy came too. Before too long, Joe appeared, beaming. Kylie Jo was born at 7:47 a.m. and weighed in at 7 pounds 8 ounces - less than Dr. Wang predicted! What can I say - she's perfect!! She has a little hair - dark on the back and light on the top, and of course, has her Daddy wrapped around that little finger already. We went back to the nursery to take a peek of the precious little girl who will call me YaYa.

Lindsey had to go from a recovery room back to a labor/delivery room because the other rooms were full, and Kylie stayed in the nursery. Lindsey only caught a glimpse of Kylie's little cheek when Joe held her briefly. Anxiously waiting to see the baby, family arrived in the L/D room to chat. Still no Kylie in the room. After the nurse's explanations that the other rooms were full and that the doctor was coming at noon to see Kylie, Lindsey got some pain medication and tried to relax. Joe and I were joined by little cousins at the nursery window, then Dr. John came in and examined Kylie.

Kylie was breathing rapidly, which I understand is common in c-section babies as they transition from the womb to the world. Dr. John was further concerned that her lungs could be 'wet' and even though Lindsey tested negative for any infections on the previous Monday, he thought it best to rule out any possibility and send her to the NICU. It was a scary thought, although we all knew this was what was best for Kylie. Joe kept a stiff upper lip and I headed back to Lindsey's room to be there when Dr. John arrived. He beat me there and Joe soon followed. He explained everything very well, but of course it was overwhelming to Lindsey. There was little consolation as she had not yet really seen, let alone held, her baby.

We began to focus on the neonatologist arriving and visiting, to be followed up by Lindsey and Joe going to the NICU to see Kylie. Hours went by, visitors came and went, and construction began on what seemed to be in an area directly beneath the room! The jack hammers and drills caused loud noises, certainly not fit for a young Mom trying to rest/recover. The nurse could not believe that Lindsey had to be in that room. She called to see if there was a room available yet. While most everyone else had left or gone to grab a bite to eat, I stayed with Lindsey and Joe. The next thing we knew, the neonatologist came in and explained basically the same thing Dr. John had said. He was very cordial and assured Lindsey that this happens to 'a lot of newborns' and this was 'precautionary' more than anything. Next thing we knew, she was on her way to a room, thank goodness.

The room had a great view of the fountain, green grass, trees and a walkway. The temperature was well over 100 degrees out there, and the a/c was so nice. Lindsey was still dealing with some pain and the nurses were attentive, but still, no word from the NICU on when they could come up. The neonatologist said it would be a few hours to get Kylie set up on the IV and other monitors. The afternoon crept along and a few more visitors stopped by, well expecting to see Kylie. Initial text messages sent did not mention the NICU situation, although phone calls had explained those details later. Oh, the phone calls we made. I am sure my bill will reflect Kylie's birthday announcements!!

It was really great that Jenna could stay as long as she did at the hospital. She is so positive and outgoing, keeping everyone in stitches most of the time. She is Lindsey's 'girl cousin' on her Dad's side and they are great friends.

Lindsey & Joe got word that they could go up to see Kylie, but probably not hold her just yet. So while they were elated, Lindsey and Joe were both a little distraught. If Kylie's rapid breathing continued, she could end up having to stay another 7+ days! Joe took Lindsey up in a wheelchair to the NICU later that night and finally got to see Kylie. I knew that would raise her spirits and of course, it did. We are so blessed to have a new hospital with a NICU right upstairs and some great doctors. More phone calls were made with updates, and this YaYa did not know how tired she was when her head hit the pillow at home @ 11 p.m. What a day! I am glad I only live a few minutes from the hospital.

Ch-ch-ch changes...

2009-06-25T07:56:00.000-07:00

In just under a week my life will be forever changed with the arrival of my first grandchild, Kylie. I am anxious to see her, hold her, sing to her and more! Its difficult to concentrate on just about anything, but I am trying. My sweet friends had a "Sprinkle" for me Tuesday night - you know - there's a baby SHOWER, but a grandma gets a SPRINKLE! They had a salad supper, complete with punch and wonderful strawberry cake - and brought all the things a Ya Ya like me will need: diapers, diaper wipes, towels, bibs, baby food, spoons, bowls, powder, lotion, baby wash, a hat, two cute outfits and even a diaper bag! My mom topped it off with a "YaYa Paddle" which she designed - a puffy squishy wrapped 'paddle' made by dad, finished by mom with soft pink fleece and a bow. Hmm...wonder if I'll ever use that?? My friend KeKe stocked my fridge with a large bottle of wine and sister La gifted me with a "wine-a-rita" mix. Sweet! Something for Ya Ya to do when Kylie is with her folks!! I can't imagine a sweeter baby than my own two children, but Kylie will no doubt prove me wrong!! The plus side is my sweet baby girl is going to be a sweet mommy! Can't wait!

2009-06-23T14:50:00.001-07:00

I am no one special, just a common man with common thoughts. I’ve led a common life, there are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect, I’ve succeeded as gloriously as anyone who ever lived…I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul and for me… that has always been enough.
— The Notebook

2009-06-23T14:46:00.000-07:00

"You should be kissed and often and by someone who knows how."
— Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind

Ok...so I've read some really good quotes lately....

2009-06-23T14:40:00.000-07:00

Never take someone for granted. Hold every person close to your heart, because you might wake up one day and realize that you’ve lost a diamond while you were too busy collecting stones.
— Unknown

2009-06-23T14:04:00.000-07:00

Never think you’re nothing. Never cry at night over not being pretty enough. Never tell yourself you’ll never be good enough. Because to someone you’re everything. To someone you’re gorgeous. To someone you’re the world.
— Unknown

2009-06-23T14:00:00.000-07:00

I don’t really believe in regrets. All my experiences, even the ones that didn’t turn out the way I wanted them to, I firmly believe they were all worth it.
— Gilmore Girls (iamblessed)

So true...

2009-06-12T15:03:00.000-07:00

en·do·sym·bi·ot·ic

You may not be her first, her last, or her only. She loved before she may love again. But if she loves you now, what else matters? She’s not perfect - you aren’t either, and the two of you may never be perfect together but if she can make you laugh, cause you to think twice, and admit to being human and making mistakes, hold onto her and give her the most you can. She may not be thinking about you every second of the day, but she will give you a part of her that she knows you can break - her heart. So don’t hurt her, don’t change her, don’t analyze and don’t expect more than she can give. Smile when she makes you happy, let her know when she makes you mad, and miss her when she’s not there.
— Bob Marley (via megamazing) (via crazybeautiful) (via bon-bon)

Son Stuff

2009-06-09T08:16:00.000-07:00

You never stop worrying about your kids, do you? My son recently experienced a grease burn on the lower part of his leg while at work. It looked horrible – and felt horrible – you know, the kind of injury that you only see on someone else and it makes you cringe or makes you ache in your lower extremities – argh! He didn’t want me to treat it or wrap it or hardly look at it, but when he washed his car the next day, several blisters developed and oh! It looked even worse. When he showered he used a toothpick – yes a toothpick – to pop the blisters! NOT what his Mom taught him!! I insisted on having him spray the area with Dermoplast at least – to relieve the pain – and help it from getting infected. He did not want me to wrap it before he went back to work, but I told him that he couldn’t work with that burn exposed to the elements at the pizzeria!! I did my best Girl Scout/Mom first aid and used a non-adhesive bandage, taping it down with paper tape. He howled because it was so white against his tan (yet burned) leg and made him look like a hospital patient. So we covered it with an ace bandage – more skin tone friendly! Off he went to work. When I checked on him the next morning he had removed it all which I guess is good to let it breathe. Still, though, he wanted no more first aid – and insisted on wearing long pants. Right – THAT won’t bother that burn! Yikes! Later he was convinced by friends to purchase some liquid bandage so his burn wouldn’t be exposed – how about that – he took advice from his friends but not his Mom – oh well – that’s how it goes.
Late last night when he got home he was frantically looking for a ‘key’ – asking me while I was fast asleep if I had seen it. No, and I wouldn’t know what it looked like – but maybe I did see it – and put it in the junk drawer with the other tool-type-stuff? Then he told me he had a flat tire and that he needed to find the ‘key’ to get the lug nuts off – but – he had no spare – and his friend’s spare wouldn’t fit either. He and his friend ended up staying in the work parking lot with the car, calling AAA for a tow to his friend’s house – where the car awaits a new tire today. Seems someone stabbed the tire in the sidewall – ruining the tire for a simple repair. Today we shared a ride to my work – he went to school – and plans to meet up with his friend to go for a new tire – and then get to work. He was frustrated – and exhausted after not getting home until 2:30 a.m. – but I hope he learned a bit of a lesson: Spare in Trunk Benefits Boy with Flat Tire at Closing.

From CafePress...

2009-06-08T14:19:00.000-07:00

Nice

2009-05-26T19:32:00.000-07:00

Nice Things....

to find....an extra ice-cold cherry in your diet cherry limeade!

to hear....someone tell you that you are 'just adorable' (even though you know otherwise)

to see....an apologetic smile from someone who almost pulled out in front of you

to do....drop a hand-written note to a friend...even if its just across town

to read....a sweet note from your child

to feel....a good, long hug and you're not the first to let go

to taste....a home-cooked meal prepared by loving hands

to remember....those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so we could live freely

to have done....the fast food drive-thru clerk wipes off the soda from the side of your cup before passing it on to you...and does so with a smile

to smile about.....friends who love you, even with your faults

to know....that maybe you had something to do with some one's (or two some ones) future happiness

Coming Soon to a YaYa Near You....

2009-05-18T13:54:00.000-07:00

Looks like Kylie Jo will make her appearance a little earlier than previously planned – on or around July 1st by c-section! Lindsey goes back to the doctor in two weeks, so we’ll see what the doctor says at that time.

An early picture of YaYa's little Kylie Jo..

2009-05-01T14:24:00.000-07:00

Ain't she sweet?

He Loves Me....He Loves Me Not....

2009-04-23T12:24:00.000-07:00

Balderdash WOTD:

afettly - to totally, completely, shamelessly suck up to someone. but in a good way. because you've totally fallen for them and how hilarious they are.

More Color

2009-04-23T12:21:00.001-07:00

I Love Color!

2009-04-08T09:54:00.000-07:00

I love COLOR!! Paints, pencils, crayons....any object with color....prisms that make rainbows around the room....or in my car....bright colors make me happy!

Wish I would have thought of this....

2009-04-02T09:59:00.000-07:00

·1. Never do anything. If you wait around long enough, someone else will do it.
· 2. Don't move. Moving is overrated.
· 3. Never run. Running is the worst thing you can do. I had to run once.. big mistake.
· 4. If something is not in your reach, you don't need it. Before you get up to get something across the room next time, think. Do you really want to get up and walk all the way there and all the way back to get it? Yeah, I know. I felt stupid for moving all those times.
· 5. Don't have an opinion. Opinions are thoughts, and thoughts are work.
· 6. Don't work. Working is for suckers. Be a CEO if you can, they never do anything.
· 7. If you have to move, fuss about it. Make it well known that you're pissed off because you have to move. Sigh a lot. Drag your feet and arch your back at 60 degrees (bad posture helps you to conform to the shapes of couches when you sit down, and it makes you look tired).
· 8. Sleep as much as you can. Contrary to common sense and popular belief, sleeping is very productive.
· 9. Don't talk. Talking requires the movement of your jaw.. way too much work.
· 10. If you have to work, don't do it well. Example: If you have to rake leaves, push them out into the road or into your neighbor's yard. If you have a riding lawn mower, run over them a few times until the pieces are small enough to hide in between

I could probably post more, but I am too tired.

Inquiring Minds Want to Know

2009-03-27T05:49:00.000-07:00

Name: Marcia
Birthday: January 25th
Birthplace: Little Rock, AR
Eye Color: Hazel
Hair Color: Dark Brown with God's highlights
Height: 5'2 1/2
Ethnicity: French/Irish
Weakness: Mom's cooking
Most missed memory: Time with Grandma and Grandpa
Thoughts first waking up: uugh. How many times can I hit the snooze?
Last time you cried: last weekend, though I can't remember why at the moment
Song title that currently says how you feel: "Raindrops keep falling on my head...."
What is the perfect day for you: Anytime with lots of laughter
Ever been asked for an autograph? Yes actually. I was "Lady Stumble" in my high school's production of the "Canterbury Tales from the Wife of Bath". The request for the autograph was all in fun, I'm sure as I have not seen it for sale on E-Bay!
How do you vent anger? Cry, slam doors, yell
Who do you talk to most on the phone? My baby girl
As a kid, were you a lego builder? No, I was a Madge doll (you know, Barbie's friend) who I gave a really cool haircut (not!)
Do you chew on your straws? Oh yeah ~ and you know what that means
Do you sing in the shower? On occasion ~ sometimes those songs just won't go away til you sing em!
Who's the last person you stayed up late talking to on the phone to? Rick
The last place you went to in a plane? Tulsa
Do you cry at weddings? Usually
Are you afraid of the dark? No - love it!
What are you addicted to? Old movies - musicals mostly - like "Singin in the Rain", "Yankee Doodle Dandy", "Oklahoma", etc.
Crunchy or creamy peanut butter? Peter Pan Creamy, please
Who do you fight with the most? Myself?
Who can you tell anything to? Lindz, Mom, Sisters, KeKe
Who can't you get enough of? My family and dear family friends
Who makes you laugh the most? Lots of people - Dad, Mark, Uncle Skeet, Ryan, etc.
What is the worst feeling ever? When people I love are hurting and its possible I was on the other end!
How many pillows do you sleep with? Usually my one sobakowa buck-wheat-hull-filled little pillow...unless I have a headache...then its a nice fluffy one
How many rings before you answer your phone? A couple or so
How many times do you press the "snooze" button? See above
How do you sleep? Alas, alone...and with my CPap (oh so cute)...Hard and on my side...in a very dark and cool room....for as long as possible
Last time you laughed: This morning, listening to Jody Dean and the Morning Team on K-Luv Ever looked at someone ugly and said "EWWW"? No, but at something ugly - yes!
What is your favorite color? Yellow - though I wear more red, pink and green
What is your favorite state? Texas!

Are you among them or would you like to be?

2009-03-23T15:19:00.000-07:00

Here's to the Crazy Ones

"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes - the ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules and they have no respect for the status-quo. You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing that you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things."
- Jack Kerouac quoted in an Apple Computer Ad, 1997

Words to live by?

2009-03-23T08:22:00.000-07:00

"There comes a time in life when you have to let go of all the pointless drama and the people who create it and surround yourself with people who make you laugh so hard that you forget the bad and focus solely on all the good. After all life is too short to be anything but happy."

A little side business....

2009-03-20T13:30:00.000-07:00

You've got the guy, you've got the 'bling'
You've got the church where bells will ring.
Your invitations should make a 'splash'
And you can do it with little cash!
Calligraphy adds that special touch
To invitations that mean so much
You'll send to friends and family
And mark the day that "you" become "we".

If you would like a sample and price list, just leave me a comment! Thanks!

2009-03-12T06:22:00.000-07:00

I went to L's doctor's appointment for her first ultrasound...and yes, the doctor got a great shot of the little one....its a Kylie Jo!! Bring on the pink! July will be here before I know it...making me a GiGi or a NaNa or a Grandma of some sort. Yahoo!

Plum Paint Predicament

2009-03-05T06:13:00.000-08:00

I finally decided on the color of purple I want to paint the dresser/tv cabinet that has been sitting in the extra bedroom for a loooonnnng time: Baroque Plum. Such a pretty purple and it only took two times for the WalMart employee to mix it correctly. Just a quart of Baroque Plum should do the job - and R plans to paint next week during his Spring Break. I also picked up a roller and paint tray while I was there so there would be no excuses for not getting this project completed next week.

Once I got home, I grabbed all my WalMart sacks from the trunk, and plopped them in the front seat so I could retrieve my house key. I opened the door, turned back to the car and noticed Baroque Plum on the side of my car!!! Yikes!! The paint can was not sealed entirely and I must have splashed it when I moved the bags. Almost hyperventilating, I carefully looked through the bags for the paint...found it...only to find it was in the car seat, on the seat belt and the side door!

Thank goodness the WalMart plastic sack held a pool of paint as I lifted it out...dripping paint across the patio. I took the remaining sacks into the house and put them in the sink to avoid any excess spillage. Unfortunately, I did not notice the paint I tracked into the house on the carpet...little puddles of Baroque Plum from the back door and through the living room.

I got a bucket of soapy water and washed off the side of the car, took a swipe at the car seat and seat belt, then decided I'd better call WalMart. After holding for a manager, speaking to "Boyd" and then getting handed off to "Bill", I explained my plight. Purple paint on a maroon car - not so good - and even worse when tracked in on the carpet. His main concern seemed to be when I made the purchase - the time frame - and whether or not the employee used a hammer to close the paint. I reported the time from my receipt and even told him that I mentioned to the cashier to be careful, the paint sample smeared on top of the can was still wait. She appreciated the warning. I told Bill "yes, the young man used a rubber mallet to close the paint can - but evidently not quite good enough". At least the paint was latex and would probably come out with soap and water - but still - what a mess!! He apologized that it happened and took my name and number so he could call back after seeing what would be best to get the paint out.

I changed clothes after noticing I had paint on my jeans and tops of my tennis shoes - and of course the 81 degree weather did nothing to help me keep my 'cool'. I was sweating like a pig and continued to wash off the car. Bill called back to report he had found some "latex blaster" that according to the directions, should get the paint out of fabric. When no offer for help came from him, I asked if perhaps someone could bring me some of the 'blaster' - since I live such a short distance from the store. He took down the directions and in about 30 minutes, an assistant manager named Jana appeared at the front door. She asked to see the paint, so I took her through the house and out to the back patio where she proceeded to step in the paint - but hey - it was kind of difficult to avoid. When I pointed out that she was stepping in the paint - she said "that's OK, these are old shoes" and I thought well, you're not walking back through my house with that! The look on my face must have said it all as she said, "I'll just walk around the house to my car".

Jana told me to give the blaster a try and then call them to let them know how it worked, and to bring my receipt and come for more paint. It was 8pm and I was really in no mood to clean up the paint. I sprayed some blaster in the trunk and attacked it with a rag - some of it came up. Thank goodness R's backpack was spared from purple drops. I refilled the bucket and attempted to wash the paint further down the patio or just dilute it more. I moved the paint-filled bag (and wiped down the can) to another spot with a clean bag, and threw the puddled paint into the trash can. Pretty, pretty trash can! Royal blue on the outside - Baroque Plum on the inside!!

R could not come home to help as work was too busy. I cleaned up the outside of the car as best I could and washed off my shoes - then put my jeans in to wash. Then I was DONE! I was too tired to do anything else. I took some PM pain reliever and went to bed.

This morning, the paint looks more pink than plum - especially on the car seat - but at least it is dry to the touch. R will give it the once over today at school - at least the outside of the car - and then try more blaster later. I don't know when I'll venture back for more plum paint - but think I'll see if it comes out of the carpet first - just in case I need to ask Bill or Jana for the use of a steam cleaner.

2009-03-01T14:32:00.000-08:00

Somehow - a month after I had the flu - I got bronchitis! The doctor was surprised to see me, but said it wasn't unusual for this to happen. I spent two days with a fever, went to work one day, stayed home the next, went back again, only to go to the doctor the next day...so working for 2 1/2 days in a week - that about sums it up. The cough is horrible, but hopefully breaking up and getting better. I really did sound like I was coughing up a lung...and the doc said I was not contagious...hmmm....so how come it gets passed around so easily?? I am tired of taking pills, that's for sure and I will certainly be glad when I get my sense of smell back. Seriously, I had candles burning and realized I could not smell a thing...not even the spaghetti sauce cooking on the stove! No garlic, no onion, nothing! Gotta love the PuffsPLUS tissues, though - they are so kind to your nose!! I highly recommend them.

My Dad's older brother Robert (Uncle Bob) passed away last week. He was over 80 years old. Dad had left to drive to TN last Sunday and pick up his younger brother, then they went to NC and spent time with Uncle Bob. One thing I remember about Uncle Bob is that he would always say "Well, hello pretty (purty) girl!" to most any female he met - smart guy, Uncle Bob. He didn't have to remember names that way (though we know he knew ours!). He has three daughters-in-law - two of which are named Debbie, plus grand-daughters and great grand-daughters - and grandsons too - but perhaps the 'double deb' was the root of it all. Uncle Bob looked a lot like his Mom, my Grandma. Silver thick hair and a sweet smile. His wife, Aunt Josie, is an artist and Uncle Bob would do the framing of her water color and oil paintings. Dad is going to start driving back tomorrow and should be home Tuesday.

I really can't go into detail about an event that occurred recently - but will say it was quite a shock and left me with knot in my stomach. Though no pain was intended, it happened and has hurt several people. Trying to keep my mind off it has not been easy so to say the least, its been stressful.

Three folks retired from Sears last week - in efforts to retain their 'lump sum' pension by leaving by the end of February. One had 45 years of service, one 38 and one 32. Thats hard to believe in any work environment, but in retail these days - unheard of! I wrote each of them a poem and went to their 'luncheon' with Kyle. Though I didn't have much of a voice, and still coughing, I read the poems and visited for a little bit. It was nice.

R asked and I agreed to let one of his friend's dogs stay here while they saved some money for a pet deposit. "Cole", the pit bull, is a big dog and got along well with R's "Drift". We found out one morning that Cole can get over a chain link fence, but at least he sat nicely at the back door until I came to leave for work. That meant that the two of them were in the garage until someone could be home to be outside with them. One day, while we were at work, Cole managed to open the door from the garage to the house...and the two of them had quite a day messing up the living room. There was also evidence that they were on my bed and in R's room...probably lounging around, taking a nap. They left a couple of 'piles' which were less than lovely and R had the joy of cleaning up. He took the leaf rake to collect all the trash strewn around the room! Cole has since gone home to his master, and Drift misses him and moans frequently. Cole was well-behaved (to a certain extent) and at least listened when told to "sit".

In a couple of weeks, I'll go to the doctor with L & J for the ultrasound! So exciting! They hope to find out what they are having and start planning the nursery. Several folks have mentioned a shower, so sounds like they'll have lots of help preparing! There is so much cool stuff out there now for babies!

Are You Nice?

2009-02-19T06:10:00.001-08:00

I bet you are! Check out the link on the left - a really cool idea - Operation Nice.

Celebration City!

2009-02-13T06:04:00.000-08:00

Since my last post...here's what has been happening:

I celebrated my birthday for what seems like a month which was very nice! KK cooked dinner and we had a game nite - lots of fun with the girls and boys. Sweet gifts included a new fluffy soft robe and slipper socks; a Yankee candle; a cool distraction for my desktop with shifting green sand; a cookbook; some note paper and a mini album made from "poo-paper" (elephant dung!). Leave it to K to find something like that!

Mom took me shopping the next day and spoiled me with a new purse (pocket-book) and wallet, plus a couple of other goodies - from my sister B. On my actual birthday, Ryan brought me a bunch of daisies - my favorite! They last so long!! At work we celebrated my co-workers birthdays from the 22nd, 24th and mine on the 25th. So many nice phone calls and e-mails made for a great birthday. Kathy took me to dinner on Monday - and we talked non-stop. Her kids are all doing great - just leaving her with a temporary empty nest. That does free her up somewhat - to do fun things like going to dinner, though!

L & J planned to take me to dinner on Thursday, but a case of the flu delayed that for a week. L & J went to the store and stocked up on 'sickie supplies' for me - including another bunch of daisies! Sweet! I had a light case of the flu when compared to others who have suffered with it - but then R followed up with a 'touch' of pneumonia. His fever was much worse than mine, but the doctor assured us he was not contagious. He didn't want to miss school, but welcomed a couple of days off from work. We both have held on to a cough for quite a while.

The following week, L & J took me to dinner at the Cotton Patch, making it easy to stick with the low carbs for my diabetes. They gave me some oil for my lamperge in my favorite scent - "The Big Easy". My blood glucose readings have been much better - although my weight seems to have 'leveled off' - no more loss for the moment. CC and I met for dinner on Monday nite and sat and talked for 3 1/2 hours! What fun! We talked about the 'old' Sears days and the three folks that are retiring next week.

My eyes have gone from one extreme to the other - and back again! I have gone without glasses all together - then added 'readers' to be able to see the computer and read, plus wearing them at church to see the hymnal. The dollar store had the readers for a dollar a pair (go figure!) so I got a red pair and a blue pair - plus some sun glasses for driving. Yes, I could see to drive with no glasses at that point! I called the eye doctor and no appointment yet until my glucose levels have evened out a bit. Now it seems I am almost back to square one - I can see my computer fine, read fairly well - but now the distance vision is worsening AGAIN! I tried on my old glasses and they only work if I lean my head way back and look thru the bifocal part at the bottom - and that's just for seeing at a distance (e.g. - driving!!). My readers are a little 'foggy' at best...but I can read the small print with them. I have enjoyed going without glasses for the most part - but realize that will be short lived once my eyes settle down.

Last weekend I cleaned house starting Friday night, thru Saturday, and a little on Sunday. This included lemon-oiling all the wood furniture, cleaning my ceiling fan in the bedroom (yuck!) and the tile in the kitchen. I borrowed Mom's 'steam mop' - which worked great. I was glad to have the energy to clean - but still have more to do - including another ceiling fan!

L & J had another doctor appointment - and she has only gained a pound - not good! I told her I'd make a list of everything I cannot eat - and she should be able to eat that and gain!! She is finally past the early AM sickies from the night shift - thank goodness. She looks so cute in her maternity tops and jeans. I'll go to the doctor with them next month for the ultrasound - now they have decided they DO want to know what it is. So, if the baby cooperates - they'll have a general idea on how to decorate the nursery. Their friends are loaning them a crib and changing table (yahoo!) - and we are going shopping on Monday at Ikea for a little chest of drawers. She needs a rocker or glider and will be set. She and J are looking forward to baby showers planned by friends and family to stock the nursery. I have been looking on line and have a found a few cute things - but am holding off making any purchases for now.

A New Year..

2009-01-19T15:29:00.001-08:00

Our game nite group celebrated Christmas on New Year's Eve - and again, the gang surprised me with a video from Disney - where they asked all different people and characters at the parks to say hello to me. There was one costumed lady on the street before a parade, and she really yucked it up with the camera - not to mention Kyle and the gang. He focused his camera on her best features, and she really stayed in character and learned the gang's saying..."you put goodness out there...and goodness comes back", complete with the little hand/arm swoosh on camera, even when she was walking with her group out of the parade. What a hoot! Nate made a yummy casserole and I brought "sushi" - which was actually a spinach tortilla with whipped cream cheese and veggie sticks rolled up and sliced to resemble sushi; then of course, Nate's chocolate fountain (chocolate prepared by KeKe) and the stuff to dip in it. We toasted the New Year and exchanged Christmas gifts. Good Friends, Good Times. We played a game of Pictionary Man which I had given the boys - it was fun! You gotta try it.

Monday, January 5th it was back to work. Wednesday I had an eye doctor's appointment because my vision was continuously blurry. He dilated my eyes and said I would be back to "normal" in a couple of hours - well, not quite. It was 4:15 before both eyes were back to what looked normal and I could actually see! Oh well, another day off after a week and a half??? No problem. My eyes were so sensitive to the light...and I actually drove home - taking the back way, but admittedly, I should not have driven myself. I couldn't see the traffic lights because of the bright sunlight. My eyes have never been that sensitive before. He wrote me a prescription for new glasses - and I think the clue was when he threw the 'big E' up on the wall and I said it was blurry. I told him I also had a doctor's appointment scheduled for the following Monday where I wanted them to check for diabetes - and he said NOT to fill the script til the doctor got my blood sugar readings.

Over the holidays, I really had no appetite - and lost about 6 pounds - and was so very thirsty all the time! Waking up to drink water during the night was NOT my normal routine. I was chugging 20-oz bottles like it was going out of style - and I drank two gallons of skim milk in two days!! I could not get my thirst quenched. This, along with no energy, brought diabetes to mind. The doctor agreed, though he hoped it was just my thyroid. The lab took blood that Monday afternoon and Wednesday morning I got the results - type 2 Diabetes.

I went in Thursday to see the office diabetes specialist and she reviewed my chart, and almost fell off her chair when she saw my glucose level from Monday: 552!!! Yes, 552 with the exclamation points added to my chart by the lab. She could not believe that I had not passed out or gone into a coma. The doctor had already had me start two meds on Wednesday, but by Thursday, one of them was doubled, then tripled. The second was one pill to start, then two starting on Sunday. I left the office with a meter and reading material, including a 'fast food' guide to eating nutritiously - counting carbs. She also explained how the disease and treatments work, and how to read labels and counting total carbs. I can have 12 carbs daily and my blood sugar reading should be between 70 and 140.

I went to Mom and Dad's and he showed me how to use the meter and the NEEDLE! I was a little gun shy, but after a few trys, I had it down. I started a log of my before breakfast and before supper readings and my carb counts. Levels have been up and down...from 294, to 219, to 134 and back up to 213. The diabetes specialist said I only had to test it twice a day for 3 days during the week, but I used the week-end to get my feet wet. I have been eating oatmeal for breakfast - or toast with a little low fat cheese - so its a change all right and actually, I am already feeling better! I had energy to do things that needed to be done and learned that I need to 'snack' between meals to feel my best. I also need to increase my activity level (isn't that a nicer word than the "ex" word??) to 30-minutes a day, four days a week. That will most likely be accomplised by doing 'hall laps' at work, walking the dog, and eventually, a class or a trip to the SLC. Mom and Dad are super supportive as are my friends and other family members, and of course, L, J & R.

I had lunch with MJH as she was in town to visit with her daughter. We went to Olive Garden! I visited their site before I left and learned definitely NO breadsticks...and soup was even high in carbs! I also opted for the salad with oil and vinegar - no cheese, no croutons....and still, I have used 8 of my 12 carbs for the day. Oh well, veggies for dinner!! I enjoyed the visit over lunch, and MJH looked perplexed when I didn't join them in an Italian Margarita - so I had to tell her about my diagnosis. She is concerned and very supportive.

My first trip to shop for carb-appropriate food didn't net me much to fill my cabinets, but I'll get used to reading labels and making smarter choices - including - fish (yuck!) Not my favorite food for sure, but I can stand a tuna melt (tuna on a bagel with mustard and a little cheese under the broiler) once in a while! The side effects of the medicine haven't been too bad...except for the initial one...but I am surviving. I have also lost another three pounds - whoo-hoo! My pants are loose, too!

More Catch Up

2008-12-28T12:24:00.001-08:00

I took off the Monday after San Antonio - and so glad that I did. LK came over and we made the traditional goodies to take to our parties on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: Spinach Dip; Tortilla Roll-Ups; Broccoli Salad; and cheese balls to pass out to my nephews. Rested up I returned to work for one day - nothing much to do but a little work - and went home a half hour early. Wednesday was Christmas Eve - so I finished wrapping a few little gifts and prepared to get to church early for the Children's Program. Even though I don't have any children in the program (yet) - I always go to watch my Sunday School kids & previous year's Sunday School kids. They really did a good job, especially my great nieces and nephews. They all sang and some had speaking parts which they did with great ease. And of course, all of them, a fashion plate!!

After a little chat with the kids, off to my former MIL's home and all the family. What a crowd! After eating, drinking, singing Happy Birthday to Jesus, and listening to Matt's CD, the kids opened gifts first. Chaos!! Most were very sweet and gave hugs all around. The adults opened gifts next, which the kids so nicely distributed. L & J received a few little "baby" things and I got a script "family" and "grand kids" wall hanging on which to attach photos. Too too late we headed home about midnight.

I was up the next morning as L & J planned to be there between 8:30 & 9, so I preheated the oven and got the breakfast casseroles ready to go in. Just as L & J arrived, the casserole was ready - complete with J's request of tater-tots on top. It was pretty good if I do say so myself. After we opened gifts, we had a little time to rest before heading to Mom & Dad's. The kids gave me the traditional fluffy house shoes, my ME calendar, candles and B&B stuff. We surprised R with his car air intake. He was pretty excited.

We got to Mom & Dad's about 11 where everyone arrived slowly, ate a little, and settled in to have the kids open gifts first. My sister's boyfriend's two girls came along, making for a quite noisy time - but that was to be expected. Mom's tree and presents were beautiful, as usual, and Mom passed out bags for the girls to collect her famous bows in, including rules of the game: no stealing; keep your and your family's bows only. L & J had to hurry off to J's Mom's house, so they didn't make it back for dinner @ 5 - turkey with all the trimmings. A nap would have been nice in between, but that didn't happen. R & I left after dinner clean-up, and I stayed on the couch for an evening of Christmas movies, then bed.

I think this was the first time that all the kids and families were at Mom & Dad's in a while - so that makes 6 kids, 4 spouses, 1 boyfriend & 2 kids, and 10 grand kids.

Catch-Up

2008-12-27T17:07:00.000-08:00

Our choir Christmas party was held the Friday before our San Antonio trip, at the home of one of our sopranos and her bass hubby. Their house is so beautiful with about 8 Christmas trees. There was singing - of course - of Steve's songs about the choir and of my song about Steve the Director, set to the tune of Frosty the Snowman. There was also lots of food and plenty to drink and laugh about - plus a rousting game of "Swap". It was relatively new to me and many others, but made for quite a loud game which enticed many to join in.

Saturday morning K came by to pick me up. It was a warm day - about 75 degrees - but we packed our coats and toboggans in plan with the forecast of a cold front coming through. We stopped at the Dell Children's Hospital to see K's niece for an hour or so - wearing our pink fluffy halos and bringing bags of goodies. We arrived at the hotel about 4:30 and met up with Jim and Paula - then got ready to head to the river walk. We were to meet at 6:15 at St. Joseph's landing to load the first boat. K parked at the Mercado and we rode the trolley back to the river walk, where our driver did not let us out exactly where we wanted, and we ended up searching for the landing - which no one really could direct us to - making it there just in time, out of breath and sweating from the warm weather. We carried our coats, just in case.

There was some drama about who was to ride the first boat - evidently Steve didn't know the current status of some sweetie-pies who wanted to ride together - so they were scheduled on separate boats - que lastima!! After a delay, we were set to go, sitting on our coats, wearing our flashing necklaces and glow-in-the-dark earrings and hair pins. According to our driver, Rachel, the river walk was the most crowded ever - as we could tell - and she has been driving for 9 years. We enjoyed singing and waving to the crowd, pulling up next to folks enjoying their dinner, a wedding, and an outdoor scene from "Wonderful Life". There were lots of smiles and hand waving, cheering, and good wishes. During one portion of the ride where there was no one around, Steve wanted us to sing the Hallelujah Chorus - just to see if we could. We did, and from then on, about every 3rd or 4th song was the Hallelujah Chorus. I must admit we sounded pretty good with the acoustics of the bridges over the river!

Round two found less drama - except for the fact that I dropped my coat in the river - but before we got started, the local visitors convention group came to video tape us performing in the boat and are going to use it for a promotional video. Our driver just had time to down a bite of supper, then off we went. We passed other boats that were singing, too - but not near as loudly as us. It seemed they sung into their song books and not to the crowds. Our driver said we were the best boat EVER! David retrieved my coat and I wrapped it in a WalMart sack for the rest of the trip.

We trekked back to the Marriot to use the facilities and find the trolley stop to catch a ride back to the Mercado. What a crazy driver he was. As we gathered at the corner to walk across the street to "Mi Tierra", our group of 7 decided not to go along, and we headed to K's car. A quieter dinner was in order - and we found that at Chili's at the Quarry. Still laughing, sharing drinks and dinner, we were sort of glad the season was 'over' for the choir - then we headed to the hotel to sleep.

I got up the next morning about 8 to shower and get ready, allowing the others to sleep in, or so I thought. Seems the sound of the hair dryer woke them up. We found out that the cold front came in while we slept - and it was a windy 32 degrees. No coat - but thank goodness for the toboggan and scarf and gloves! We went back to the Mercado, so La could shop for something for her Mom, then headed out. A few miles down the road, we stopped at Cracker Barrel for lunch - where I took off my hat at the table - a big mistake - as my hair was ridiculously shaped into the hat hair I loathes. I actually didn't see it til I went to the restroom - OMG! What a mess, but what a laugh I had. Toboggan all the way home.

Cantata 2008

2008-12-15T12:50:00.001-08:00

This weekend was our home church performance of the 2008 Cantata "Why Christmas". After having practiced since July, I think the audience and our choir (kwar) director was pleased. Prior to this performance, we had already done so in Shreveport on Thanksgiving weekend, then "down under" in the caves at Burnet, (pictured above) not to mention still practicing in between.
Then after the home performance, we traveled to Clifton to sing once more at the Lutheran church there. Whew! What a few busy weekends we've had!

This weekend we head to San Antonio for what our group has dubbed the Saturday San Antonio Solstice Singing Celebration on the Riverboats. Its a wonderful time with the river walk decorated in lights and most folks in the Christmas Spirit of it all. One of our church members - who's daughter sings in the choir - rents two boats so that we all have an opportunity to sing - and the boat drivers love it almost as much as the folks walking or eating dinner along the way. We wear 'flashy' jewelry and fun hats and shirts, then go out to eat with our group after singing. We won't have much of a voice left by that time. Its a perfect way to round out the season.

Random thoughts...

2008-12-11T12:07:00.000-08:00

Everyone seems happy to... sing Christmas Carols; dress in festive clothes; bring good wishes to all they meet; shop for the perfect gift; attend church; keep secrets until Christmas morning; decorate the tree, the house and even the car!

Do cranky people seem less cranky this time of year? Or is it that we just choose to ignore the cranky part and look for the good?

Its easy to get overwhelmed at the thought of the "To Do" list. It seems to get longer every day.

And what about the "Christmas Music"? Sometimes its a little much, especially when blaring from every radio and store speaker system! An occasional drive to and from in silence is actually quite nice.

Cold sunny days are my favorite. Bundling up and putting on the sun glasses...even adding a scarf and riding without the heater turned on in the car. Sipping hot chocolate or hot tea or coffee...yum.

Great News!

2008-12-04T10:42:00.000-08:00

I am happy to announce that come next July - I'll officially become a Grand Mother. Whether I am Gramma, Granny, GiGi, Nanna, or Grandma - you can bet I'll love that little one like crazy!! This makes my folks 'great' grandparents for the first time - and of course all the aunts and uncles 'great' as well. We are praying that God blesses my daughter with an easy pregnancy and delivery - just like her Mom had!!

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-25T14:56:00.000-08:00

Here's hoping your Thanksgiving is a memory-making, picture-taking, plate-cleaning, hug-getting kind of Day!!

Another Fall...

2008-11-19T14:01:00.000-08:00

Rack up another fall for me! While taking the dog out to do his business last night, the dog ran amok and across the street. I walked calmly down the sidewalk with the light of the porch behind me, barely managing to see where the dog went, whistling and calling his name. As soon as I got across the street - in the dark, now - the dog of course darted back across the street to the dark area of the front yard. I turned and crossed the street, disgusted, and muttering his name...when I went to step up on the curb and into the yard, I misjudged the distance and fell to the ground kicking off my left house shoe in the process, landing on both palms and knees first, then close enough to smell the grass (weeds). Oh, didn't I mention I was in my pajamas? Yep, in my pink and blue 'fairy cakes' pjs and pink comfy flip-flop house shoes...there I was in the yard and on the curb, my bum in the air and then on the grass. I was so thankful that the neighbors who usually sit and smoke and cuss and discuss the day's events had already gone in for the evening, except for one who was walking around the corner, away from the house, thank goodness. So I get my bearings - or so I think - and attempt to get up - but stumble like a drunk at first. And where is the dog?? He is barking and sitting in front of the door - not coming over to inspect what happened - nope, just sitting and barking, seeming quite perturbed that I am not there to open the door. It was as if he said, "Hey! My master has fallen and can't get up! Somebody bring over a crane!" So, a free puppy he is no more...its leashed visits to the yard from now on! And me? No visual scrapes or bruises yet...but I feel like I could use a nice massage. And on subsequent trips out with the dog? I'll probably still wear my pajamas...with the darkness of night to hide my embarrassment.

Where is Emily Post when you need her???

2008-11-05T09:55:00.000-08:00

I went to vote early Tuesday morning and was about number thirty or so in line outside the church where it was pleasantly cool for the wait. I heard someone walk up behind me then answer his cell phone - no big deal - he was giving his daughter or wife the directions to the church. Next he popped open a can of soda, providing the back of my sweater with a light spray. Then he took a big old slurp of the soda - sounding like he was sucking it off the top of the can - followed by a muffled "aahh". I took a step forward. Then, again, another slurp/aahh. I thought 'what is wrong with this guy?...is he some punk kid who doesn't know any better? Surely he will stop when he realizes the noise can be so easily heard.' I took a step forward and looked back over my shoulder - no punk kid - but a mature (though rude) man stood there. He stepped up behind me - seriously - I think he was trying to get as close as possible to share the grossness that was his.

People were not 'packed' together in line...we all had a reasonable amount of space between us...except for slurpy-man and me. I tried moving to one side, then ahead...and he followed. I was actually hoping he'd get another call to stop the slurp. No such luck. One of the poll workers stepped outside the door and tried to address the crowd but I could not quite hear her - imagine that! The lady ahead of me said she just wanted to be sure that everyone double checked to see if they were at the correct place - and I was so hoping slurpy-man was NOT and would soon leave to infest another polling place. Again, no such luck...more slurp/aahh action followed. As the line advanced into the church, down the hall, around the corner and towards a set of double doors, I tried to distance myself from slurpy-man, but he quickly came along. Down the hallway from the voting area people stood generally two-across, as I suppose some folks brought their friends or spouses or neighbors....again, all with a reasonable amount of space between and around them. I saw what might be a possibility for escape, as they divided the line into smaller lines - alphabetically. "Please!" I thought to myself, "Let his last name begin with H-N or O-Z...then he will have to leave the spot directly behind me!"

A few more steps - a few more slurp/aahhs - and NO! Say it ain't so!! His last name is in the first part of the alphabet as is mine!! Now a loud toddler has taken the opportunity to have a fit and somewhat quell the slurp/aahhs - never did I think I would welcome that sound - but yes, it was a relief for a minute. Show my card, sign the book, step to the left. Wait....wait...slurp/aahh. Then I get my 'code' and wait for an empty booth. Soon I would bid slurpy-man a fond farewell. Yes! Two booths open up and the lady ahead of me and I head down the aisle to our little canopy. Although not quite totally 'private'...its a welcome ambiance compared to what I have endured in the last 30 minutes. I manage to cast my vote in record time...just as slurpy-man finds his way to his booth - depositing his empty can along the way. (At least he was not a litter bug!)

All that to say - HEY! I voted! - its great to live in America!