Sandspurs In My Feet

Long Long Time No Blog!

2008-03-26T13:20:00.003-04:00

Oops, I ment to post response to Meredith's RAK with my professional blog, it's Cracker Scraps !

What does smart mean anyuway?

2007-11-07T10:05:00.000-05:00

I must confess, this has been on my mind all night and it wasn't very nice to say!~ I guess I don't think that I am smarter than DH it's just that maybe I have a wee bit more common sense! He got home and sat at the counter crunching numbers for next years benefits package while I finished cooking supper. I just love it when we do this. We take turns cooking and the other one sits and talks to them.

I won't ever know if I could excel in physics or math because I have no desire to try! On the other hand DH worked at awful subjects like all of those weird organic/inorganic chemistry, and who knows what all. He is an excellent writer and I can take some lessons from him. I think my writing is about a 5th grade level, so no, I'm not smarter than a 5th grader!

I'm good at trivia, so I score points when I help him get some medical question right on his triva game and I'm pretty good at Bible questions too!

Everyone is different, I guess that's what makes life interesting. After hauling in a terribly heavy K & Company display rack from the garage, I planned to put the thing together. I must digress and wait for my man to get home and put it together for me. I feel certain that I could do it if I had the right tools and I were a little stronger BUT I can't find my hammer! For now, I'll not blame him for taking it and not putting it back as it is probably under the heap pile of stuff in my scrap room. Off to the shower, dress for the day and tackle this room. There's plenty for me to do without having that cabinet put together, although it would be more fun if I could organize it rather than just delegate items to a bin that will go in it once it's together!

Off to the shower!

I've Been Tagged!

2007-11-06T15:38:00.000-05:00

I've been tagged by Alicia
Here are the rules which must be posted on your blog if you are tagged:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

My random things...

1. I took my first commercial airline flight alone with my little sister when I was in the sixth grade. I've been flying alone and with others ever since. It's one of my favorite things to do.

2. I wish Walt Disney had never built Disney World!

3. Being over 50 isn't bad at all!

4. I drive my car fast when my husband isn't in the car with me.

5. I was made in Germany.

6. I like my new friends better than my old friends.

7. Secretly I think that I am smarter than my husband even though he was valedictorian of his class and has a degree in engineering!~

I tag: Jennifer, Amy, Jana, Dana, Meredith, Bev because she needs to play this again, Denise, and You (because everyone should get to play!!!).

2007-11-06T09:00:00.000-05:00

Wow, looks as if I have really neglected my blog! It's a good thing though! I've been spending much less time online and more time living life.In the past few months much has happened.

DD has graduated from nursing school and passed her boards. She is now an RN!

DS is living with his girlfriend and she is wearing a diamond ring. The date for their wedding is set for April 26, 2008. I'm also becoming a grandmother as future DIL has a sweet little 3 y/o.

Spent the month of October entertaining friends and attending CKU in Orlando. We went to the beach from there to enjoy a few more days!

I spent a lot of time in "therapy" trying to get out of this mess my life up to now has put my into. Learning how I got where I am. Also had marriage counseling with DH. We found that we really are on the same page but just needed a little professional help to get the conversation going properly. Things are better.

I've begun my Christmas shopping and have it mostly completed. Transitioned my scrap room back from the dining room to the little bed room so I can have formal dinners again. It's a good thing to see the family growing again. My DS and her family are actually coming for Christmas. They will stay next door with mom. I can only take so much!~ KWIM!

The wedding upcoming in April is bringing a secondary problem in that my DMIL will be coming to pay us a visit! After three weeks of togetherness with her in July of 2006, I have been up to my eyeballs with MIL! I'm so thankful she lives so far away. My SIL and BIL are also coming. They will be visiting their son at Patrick AFB where he is stationed. Then they will come over to join us for the wedding festivities! I plan to put them up in a nice hotel and call it good! Last time DMIL stayed at our house she slept on the living room sofa the whole time and would come into DH and my bedroom at night with a flashlight to use the bathroom. Geeze, I know she is antisex but DH certainly is not. What is she thinking?

Do you see how my mind and thoughts wander? That's how my brain is. My new BFF gets a kick out of it as I hop from one topic to the next! I'll try to do better about blogging. Maybe less time posting on the MB's and more time posting on the blog!

Love the way Alicia always ends with lights out! Can't really say that now. It's lights on for me! The only thing constructive that I have done today is to make my bed. That's progress! Off to the shower, dress, make chili for supper and the day is mine!

Dangit, just remembered I have to go talk to Maybell at 2:00 PM. Crap!

It's a New Day!

2007-08-14T18:05:00.000-04:00

After practically an entire summer off I have decided to pick up my blog again and get rolling. The fact that my isp changed didn't help! But that's taken care of now.

Without spending literally hours of time doing so, perhaps I can update and make my blog a place you want to visit.

At risk of baring myself too much I am going to approach the subject that is heavy on my heart!

My weight! For quite a while I kept the same weight and although it wasn't as low as I would like it to be I had nice clothes and felt good about myself. When my father died I packed on 10 pounds which has turned into 25 pounds. Yes, some of it has to do with my medications but mostly it has to do with me! I just feel as if I can't address my weight along with all the other issues in my life!

Well, I am wrong! I am a packaged deal and it all works together. I have decided to try to Scrap the Fat!

This summer I have been swimming a lot. Haven't lost any weight but it makes my head so much more clear. It makes me happy to be in the sunshine as hot as it may be, I love the sun.

I got my heel spur treated in January before my trip out West and now on July 4 it started giving me fits again. I've gotten two more shots and am improving but I must be able to walk when the weather cools down a bit. I need to burn some calories.

I've really tried to control what is available to eat in the house and to eat healthy foods in proper portions.

I've been off Lunesta for more than a month and beside being able to sleep just as well and wake up easier in the AM I have stopped binge eating late at night. I never have been one to eat in the night but for some reason I would be so hungry on this medication that I would get up and just pig out! I've even woken up in the morning with a slice of bread and butter in the bed with me.

I didn't say this was going to be all pretty. I feel like I'm really putting myself out for ridicule in some way. I'm sure no one would ridicule me to my face and really doubt that my dear friends would discuss this amongst themselves except perhaps in a caring way.

I have found out that Lunesta does have this side effect after learning it on a TV advertisement. I will say as much as I hate advertising pharmaceuticals this was a relief for me to find out and my primary reason for stopping the medication! I was too ashamed to even talk to my physician about this as I am so embarrassed!

That's enough for now, talk to ya later!

Cagon, take me away!

2007-05-14T15:04:00.000-04:00

I'm so disappointed. Yes, I am. Maybe it's a good thing~I can concentrate on my own projects! I learned a lot and I think that Bev and I nailed Stacey Julian. Stacey is so much more of a philosophy than someone you can "lift"! Where's the critique? How do I know why and how to improve. Yes, I am disappointed!

Cut the Strawberries into Squares!

2007-05-14T12:25:00.000-04:00

here is a reason for my BLOG name! The beach isn't just sun, surf, and sand! There are sandspurs and if you don't know where they are you'll get them in your feet. I know where they grow but once in a while one gets into my foot and it hurts!

This is not going to be a pretty BLOG so bear with me or skip it if you prefer!

While on my trip to Seattle and Texas my DH was roped into planning a 50th birthday party for one of his best friends who also happens to be one of his inspectors. I'm going to call him Bert. Bert has a girlfriend who lives in Orlando where we all used to live before they sent us to this Podunk part of the state to begin paving the planet here. Warning I ramble!

Bert has never been married and for that fact I have never known him to have a steady girlfriend. He is not gay but chose to be unmarried because he has neurofibromatosis which is a genetically linked condition, some know it as elephant man's disease...At any rate. Bert has been dating Dora for about five years now.

Friday AM I had to drive back up to Orlando to "help" prepare for the party! This woman had planned for 50 people. She had already baked brownies, cookies, and ordered a birthday cake.

She had platters of fruit and veggies. Chocolate and Cheese fondue, olives, pickles, crackers, cheese, M$M's, liquor filled chocolates, mints, potato salad, Cole slaw, rolls, baked beans, BBQ chicken she bought at Sonny's and a huge beef smoked brisket that my DH not only bought and paid for but smoked. She got all freaky when I was putting the brisket into the crock pot and using the BBQ sauce I bought and brought for the beef! I said, "don't worry, I'm not using it all, just enough so the brisket won't dry out!

Anyone who knows me knows that I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON! She knows that at chose to get up at 6:30 AM and head out to the grocery store to pick up the cake and whatever! She came home with I swear 10 packages of potato rolls! We already had white and wheat rolls from Sam's club but that was to cut up for the fondue! She looks me straight in the eye and says, "See, this is why I get up early!" I looked her straight in the eye and said, "Dora, I can not get up this early!. Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth!

I throw on my jeans and T-Shirt, no shower, no make up, no hair and we jump in the car. We have to haul her two cats in my Lincoln, that I DON'T EVEN LET MY DOGS RIDE IN to a friends house to get them away during the party! Then we go to P/U the chicken, buy about ten16 pound bags of ice, that I get to load into the car b/c she is having a pain! Then we bring them home.

Now we get to the cutting of the strawberries!~ Not only did I sit and cut every known veggie up but got to learn how to entertain! LOL! Where does she think I was raised, on a farm? OK, she runs the fork the length of the cucumber and says, "I'm going to show you how to make cucumbers decorative", biting my tongue at this point, slicing the cukes as ordered, my tongue is dripping blood.

Now, the strawberries. "Cut them in quarters, they're big!" OK, so I cut the first quart into quarters. NOT LIKE THAT SQUARES!' Well, I still don't quite know how you make squares out of strawberries but I guess she got the picture or I did it right because it's quiet now.

The time is pushing 3:00 PM and I'm still cutting bread and pound cake and angel food cake....I said, "Dora, when do I get some primp time?" She said, I could be excused! I am not a fast primper either!

I iron my skirt and shower, shave, blow my hair dry, curl it... you know the drill and dress for the pretense that we are going to RUTH CHRIS to celebrate not only Bert's 50th birthday but DH and my 16th wedding anniversary! All this for a party that reminds me of a half breed poodle mixed with a pit bull!

Oh, I'm not sorry that I've vented this fiasco, I've left out many details that just basicly fried my ass to get done with this. This is the land of the free and the home of free speech and I don't mean to offend anyone. To my knowledge neither of these parties knows what a blog is or even cares about the internet! Except Bert does like porn! I also won't go into the details about Dora complaining that Bert has been with the company longer than others yet gets paid less because he is not a good test taker and has street knowledge that should be recognized. Doesn't she have the sense to know that we can't put people on jobs that require certifications that they don't have because they aren't good "test takers"! I shut my bosses wife mouth up!

This is my last remark, for this post, I promise! The thing that hurt me the most was finding "A Year in Review" Scrapbook with a custom cover that I made Dora for Christmas stuck on the top shelf in the bedroom where DH and I stayed. That is the last thing I will ever make her. From now on I think I'll regift the dollar store special's she gives me!

TACKY~TACKY~TACKY!

2007-05-03T14:59:00.000-04:00

The rules: Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. At the end of your blog, you need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!

ONE: I hate dial up and all problems related to computers. I want my computer to work perfectly and I want a laptop that no one else monkeys with!

TWO: I was once a very good musician. I played the piano and the French horn. I was paid to play for different churches and was able to travel to Jamaica to perform. I used my piano playing as a cathartic means and wish with all my might that I could have a decent sounding piano and begin to plan again!

THREE: I worked as a registered nurse for almost 30 years in the operating room before I allowed myself to quit working, well, DH did have some say in the matter!

FOUR: I love to design scrapbook pages and do paper crafts. I would love to have enough work to support my love of travel and numbers one and two!

FIVE: I am thankful for having lived more than 52 years and thankful that my two children love me. I am thankful for a wonderful mother and last but not least my husband who puts up with me.

SIX: I eat cheerios and skim milk for breakfast almost every day.

SEVEN: The internet has changed my life and opened up so many doors. I am thankful for the many many girlfriends that it has put me in touch with!

I'm tagging Jennifer, Julianna, Dana, Molly Brown, Meredith, Jana, Julie!

This may take a few days to get the word out!

Now We Can Celebrate!

2007-04-30T15:47:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a day that every parent waits for. Kind of bitter sweet, naw, it was SWEET! I'm so proud of my girl! She has worked so hard and only three more months until she takes boards and becomes an RN!

She gets her wisdom teeth out Wednesday so mama get's to play nurse again! I dread it for her but I know she'll survive! Good thing they took all four of mine at the same time or I wouldn't have gone back! I'm not telling her that, though!

Better But Not Perfect!

2007-04-25T17:11:00.000-04:00

Time for a happy blog! I've been feeling so much better again this week! I've gotten a lot down around the house but still haven't gotten my scrappin' groove back on!

There's a lot going on this weekend! Friday is my mother's birthday and I still don't have a home made card for her. I will go through the city on my way to meet her and should stop and buy something nice for her.

Saturday we have a pig roast to go to! Dear sweet friend of mine who interned at the big hospital I worked at. We became friends and eventually moved to a satellite hospital outpatient surgery unit. It's a real shin dig and I sure as heck don't want to get looped on booze and be hung over for my little girls graduation the next day!

My little girl is graduating from college Sunday! Can you believe it? It's so unrealistic as we have one more summer semester to pay for and worse for her to study and pass before the big test! To top it all off she finds out tomorrow if she has to get her wisdom teeth out in between semesters. One is really hurting her!

On the other hand there's my slowly, ever so slowly boy growing up the hard way learning by mistakes! I never knew parenting could be so stressful when they're out of your nest!

A Happy Picture for a Sad Day

2007-04-19T15:29:00.000-04:00

Oh my goodness, what a fun time we had with our SLR Texas group! I haven't shared much about my trip but I plan to! Today, I'm getting through the day. Today would have been my father's 77th birthday!~ Mother will be 77 next week. That's not young. Will I miss my mother as much as I miss my father? Depression has me immobile today. I will allow myself some slack but tomorrow, it's over, the pity party will end! Will the grief end? How much time do I have left with my mother. Our family is gone, the kids are grown, doing their own thing. I've been missing them a lot lately, their rooms are so empty. I'm really feeling the empty nest.

I am afraid to go back to work as a nurse, I have felt it but not said it to anyone. I think I need to "get a life" to get out in public and work, something!

I want to cry but I don't. What good will it do? Life is happiness mixed with so much pain. To feel pain is to know you are alive, it is to realize happiness, it is part of what makes you human.

You don't have to feel like doing something to do it!

2007-04-11T14:59:00.000-04:00

So, how many times have I said that to my kids! "Mommy, I don't want to clean my room." Mommy, I don't want to study." Well, Mommy, "I don't want to clean out closets and clean up my scrap room!" Honestly, I can't believe how tired I have been. The trip really did put a lot of lead in my big butt!

However, I've adapted a policy of one big black garbage bag a day! Gotta go, gotta clean out the crap and clean up the space!

Yesterday I cleaned out my make up drawer, which is about deep enough for lipstick and eye liner. Threw away those yucky sticky MK glosses and cleaned that drawer out. I also bought a new basket for my makeup, etc. that won't fit in the drawer and has to sit out on the counter. I bought new clothes hampers. The ones I wanted were at Pier One and only $100.00 each and I need three. I bought three at WM and they were $15.00 each! For Pete sake we keep them in the closet. They're not even in the bathroom where anyone can see them. So, then I cleaned out the bazillion almost empty bottles of shampoo etc. from under my sink and put all the curling irons and brushes for a longer hair style in a bin to be dealt with later. It looks good and I feel better.

Today I cleaned out the linen closet and the curio cabinet in the bathroom because it was full of junk from Bath and Body works that is just not getting any attention anymore! Moved all my Vera Bradley purses into the drawer in my armour, which meant I had to clean that out, and placed linens into the linen closet. I about dropped dead when I realized the linen closet had gotten a fresh coat of paint when Daddy and I rebuilt the closet in October of 2003. That's how long it's been since I really went through things and did deep cleaning.

I hired a girl to come clean house for me on Mondays for three hours. She does the floors and bathrooms and whatever else I ask. She best clean these glass doors next week! Doggie nose all over them. But, the point is this, it springboards me into continuing on with these projects.

DH is in the city with the big dogs from the Bigger City/Hotlanta! He will be home in time for bed. I thought what a great day! I'll get my projects done and then begin to clean up my scrap crap. OMG, I still can't look at that stuff! I mean I've unpacked and have put away most of it from my tote but the table top looks like a heap pile of mess!

I need to get my scrappin' groove back! Yeah, after more than 70 pages in two weeks it stands to reason that I am burned out for a while. Scrappin' makes me feel connected to my peeps, I feel so lonely since I got all spoiled by having girl time for two weeks! I miss my CHI 5 Sisters, Bev, and Les! I'm beginning to feel like Miss Nancy on Romper Room, "and I miss Cassie, and Alicia, and Sally, and Lynn, and Denise, and Meredith, and people I haven't even ever met IRL!

When you start a project, at least for me, it's hard to find a place to stop. Last night DH came home and that meant dinner time but I have nothing to stop me today. No mom, no kids, no husband!

Oh, and to add to it! I can't take the car out of town until it gets new tires so that cx's a road trip to the city!

Am I going to turn into a soap opera watcher? Oh no, say it isn't so!

Scrap Happy

2007-04-06T19:16:00.000-04:00

Celebrating my visits to Washington and Texas. Journaling reads:

2002 I had a collision of life’s most stressful experiences. We moved, I left a job that I loved and along with it my friends. I’d dabbled in Scrapbooking but not until my father died did I sink deeply into depression and used my hobby for a healing time of putting the confusion of the past 24 months into order. My pictures reminded me of how my life had been until that point.

When my father died I quit working. I got online and found a whole new world of scrappy friends! I found new techniques and ideas. Last December I even landed a job in the industry.

The best part is the friends that I have made along the way. Of all the people pictured in this layout none had I known before! We live all over the country and get together as much as we can. To me that is the best part, the friends!

The products I used are:
imaginisce Paisley Picnic, Sidewalk Chalk Patterned Papers,
Let's Pretend Collection Paisley Daze rub ons also from imaginesce

I used brown bazzill to mount the pictures and scalloped bazzill. I do not have the names of the colors.

I Just Don't Understand!

2007-04-06T14:22:00.000-04:00

I switched to Beta Blogger but still have to go in the html template to add anything and it's driving me crazy! I intend to add your links ASAP! So sorry this is taking me so long!

Long Time No BLOG!

2007-04-05T11:15:00.000-04:00

Just returned from a whirl wind trip where I went from FL to WA and then to TX! WOW, what a ride! If I could survive on late nights and early AM's I'd do it more! (Yeah, like that's the problem, it's called cash flow)! DH told me I was "cut off" I don't need a thing, I made sure I bought it all while I was gone! Haven't looked at the bank statement in detail but the fridge was exactly as I left it.....meaning! He didn't eat at home!

Found out yesterday that Hoochie Mama is driving one of the company explorers! Pissed me off big time! DH is so stupid, she is a senior inspector but so what, all the other inspectors drive pick up trucks. I think a Pick Up fits her life style better anyway! Of course some one did point out to me that you can sleep, ah, lay down in the back of the explorer! I really don't think that DH is fing around with her but I will have my eyes open!

The carpets were all cleaned and the lawn manicured when I got home. I know he worked a lot while I was gone and I think that he got the point last July when I got all in his face! I called hoochie mama too and let her know that I knew and it had better stop! Hey, I'm not the one who did anything wrong.

I've got to quit answering d's calls! We do have a lot to talk about, he just wants to talk about the one thing we shouldn't talk about!]

Today I am making a LO for Scrappy Arts contest How Has Scrapbooking Enhanced Your Life? I even bought the paper at Meridawn's!

I got to meet two new MB buddies on my trip but have to admit it was difficult to be in Seattle and not be able to hook up with my girl Julie!

"Grandaddy, Things Change!"

2007-03-07T11:22:00.000-05:00

This is a statement that DD made in 1988 when we moved away from an abusive home. I took the kids and three suitcases, that was all! The next day grandaddy was pushing DD in the swing and out of her sweet little four year old mouth came the words, "Grandaddy, things change."

It's time for me to seperate my personal blog from my professional one. If you're looking for my professional blog, check out my links! That blog will not link to this one! For obvious reasons!

I'm In LOVE with the MUSIC of Carly Simon

2007-02-01T15:49:00.000-05:00

In December I bought a thee CD boxed set of music by Carly Simon. I've almost worn the crazy CD's out by now or at least worn out my mother with listening to them in the car!

Carly has a booklet of sorts in the boxed set. She writes about the music she sings and talks about how she knows when a song is just right. I thought that it had a lot to do with the way I feel about my scrapbook layouts. How do you know when they're just right? Do they have just the right pieces in just the right places? Does it need a little more, or does it need a little less.

Here's what Carly has to say about her song writing:
I've always wondered what would happen if I held on to one song long enough to make it perfect by my standards. I would keep it locked up in my creative chamber and feed it daily with new ideas, better chord changes, a dream-inspired alteration in the melody, a more sonorous word, more alliteration, simplification, cleaner lines. I suppose it would be somewhat like raising the perfect child. At what point does it become a monster child? Robot-like or over studied, precious? One of the interesting problems the songwriter faces is when to let the song go. Often it is just a matter of deadline and I think back and look at the songs I have chosen to include here, it is significant, the part that practicality plays. You gotta get it done. But when there is no deadline what is it that makes you finish a song? I have come to believe that you must fall in love. When you really fall in love with a song, it becomes perfect for that moment in time. Maybe in a year you'll look back and say: "How could I have loved that song so much?" But in the first blush, the honeymoon period, the song can do no wrong. That is when you want to shout it to the world and parade it in front of your friends. I think that's what the act of creativity must be about. It's about making something you believe is better than you are, and for a moment, you merge with it and think it's you and you are it. Even when I am in a state of self loathing I can write something that I fall in love with. Deluded though I might be, it makes me feel better about myself and it usually inspires me to write another song. This goes not only for songwriting, but for fixing dinner or arranging flowers. At some point, and mostly it's a combination of accident and inspiration (being led by a larger hand), it comes together in a way that seems just right at the time, and that is the time to let it go. Sometimes it's just because it fits for the day. It may not be the greatest song, but it fits your soul at the moment and therefore speaks honestly. So you let it go out there into the great, big, kind, cruel and indifferent universe. .........

All Night

2006-12-11T12:04:00.000-05:00

All night by Carly Simon

I have no need of half of anything
No half time, no half of a man's attention
Give me all the earth and sky
And at the same time add a new dimension
Half the truth is of no use
Give it all, give it all to meI can stand itI am strong that way

Give me all night
Give me the full moon
And if I can't take the whole of you
Give it to me anyway
Give me all night
'Till the last star fades
And if you can't take my heart and soul
Take it from me anyway

Don't give me fountains, I need waterfalls
And, when I cry, my tears will fill an ocean
The pain of love, I'll accept it all
As long as you'll join me in that emotion

Half of lovin' is no fun
Give it all, give it all to me
Give me all night
I can stand it
I am strong that way
Give me the full moon
And if I can't take the whole of you
Give it to me anyway
Give me all night
Give me the full moon
And if I can't take the whole of you
Give it to me anyway

Don't leave me guessing alone
Don't walk me half the way home
You can do that tomorrow
Just give me .Give me all night
Give me the full moon
And if I can't take the whole of you
Give it to me anyway

Give me all night
'Till the last star fades
And if you can't take my heart and soul
Take it from me anyway
'Till the last star fades
And if I can't take the whole of you
Give it to me anyway

Give me all night
Give me the full moon
Give it to me anyway
'Till the last star fades
And if you can't take my heart and soul...

"You're too sensative!"

2006-12-11T10:03:00.000-05:00

Awwh, bull shit! What a cop out of a thing to say! I'm mad at that man of mine again!

What happened to, "you look nice"?

What happened to, "these sheets feel/smell good"?

What happened to, "you look and smell and feel good"?

What happened to a goodnight kiss?

What are we doing wrong?

What are we doing right?

What happened to "Thanks for taking the time to pick out these

Say Goodbye to Joe because he's all Walshed Up!

2006-12-10T13:16:00.000-05:00

Don't you think it's pathetic how Joe seems like he is singing with no teeth or a mouth full of marbels or whatever! I wonder when this video was taken? This means we're just a bunch of saggy baggy old gimp and limp washed up wanabe hippies!

In the live DVD of the Eagles Hell Freezes Over Joe looks pretty decent but this version is def not his best! I like the music, it reminds me of college days and driving across LA to visit with my sister.

Appletini

2006-12-09T12:07:00.001-05:00

For Jodi! We missed you girl!

The Prayer Lyrics

2006-12-08T12:29:00.001-05:00

JOSH GROBAN LYRICS"The Prayer"(feat. Charlotte Church)I pray you'll be our eyesAnd watch us where we goAnd help us to be wiseIn times when we don't knowLet this be our prayerAs we go our wayLead us to a placeGuide us with your GraceTo a place where we'll be safeLa luce che tu daiI pray we'll find your lightNel cuore resteraAnd hold it in our heartsA ricordarci cheWhen stars go out each nightL'eterna stella seiNella mia preghieraLet this be our prayerQuanta fede c'eWhen shadows fill our dayLead us to a placeGuide us with your grace Give us faith so we'll be safe. Sogniamo un mondo senza piu violenza Un mondo di giustizia e di speranzaOgnuno dia la mano al suo vicinoSimbolo di pace e di fraternitaLa forza che ci daiWe ask that life be kindE'il desiderio cheAnd watch us from aboveOgnuno trovi amoreWe hope each soul will findIntorno e dentro a seAnother soul to loveLet this be our prayerLet this be our prayerJust like every childJust like every childNeeds to find a place,Guide us with your graceGive us faith so we'll be safeE la fede cheHai acceso in noiSento che ci salvera

In Loving Memory

2006-12-08T12:16:00.000-05:00

Ernest Lee Harris, Jr. DDS April 19, 1930-December 8, 2004

I love and miss you daddy, your girl!

JOY

2006-12-06T16:19:00.000-05:00

I am full of JOY! I am finding healing in all that I can. Listening to music much more than before and little surprises coming my way from the SJ Gals! I can't show you my work until it is published but then for sure it will be here!

I need a new song today so say goodbye to SMILE but keep on smiling!

Our Wedding Day

2006-12-05T17:20:00.000-05:00

"I do", said he. "Me too", said she. And they became a family.

May 16, 1991 Guernsey, Wyoming

SMILE

2006-12-05T14:11:00.000-05:00

Today is December 5, it's been a while since i posted a real lingo long. I can't say that this one will be especially long but I do want to say that I hope you take the time to hear the beautiful voice of Josh Groban and the lyrics of this song. Music is a way to heal my heart. I could have chosen The Prayer that Josh sang with Charlotte Church as I love it very much. It's time to keep moving forward and this song SMILE has come to my mind many times and just today did I discover that Josh sang it. He does such a nice job. We saw him in concert about two years ago and he was awesome! I recommend you go if you have the chance! Enjoy and SMILE!

I've Gone Beta

2006-12-03T17:02:00.000-05:00

Wow, who'd a 'thunk it! They let me in to the beta blogger! Gonna play around with this tomorrow! Woo HOO!

Giving Thanks

2006-11-23T15:55:00.000-05:00

I can't believe how happy everyone is and how well we are all getting along! I love my two kids and they seem so happy to be together. DD is so happy to see her brother and DS is so much more selfconfident because of is High School Diploma! Here in FL we are thankful for the cool weather. This is a good time of life~

I'm SO Happy!

2006-11-12T14:25:00.000-05:00

A Good Night's Rest

2006-09-15T08:18:00.000-04:00

What a difference a day makes. I'm well rested and up early. I feel so much better today. Don't know exactly what I'll do beside the grocery shopping and the sheet changing but I'm sure I'll find something!

DREAMS

2006-09-14T20:57:00.000-04:00

Today I got a circle journal in the mail. The topic is DREAMS. I am near to the end of those contributing to this journal so I have a lot of precessors ideas to draw on. Most of the pages are about childhood dreams of marriage, mother hood, the white picket fence and traveling. I too have had those dreams and seen them realized. I still love to travel but have forgotten how to DREAM. I need a new vision, a new idea, something to be excited about. I just don't quite know how to go about it. I don't want to dream about being a grandmother because A.) My kids aren't ready to be parents and B.) That is something that I cannot control. What are my dreams? How do I dream and consequently shape my future?

My wish is to be healthy, to be happy, to manage my depression so that I am not suffering so! I've stopped dreaming about being thin. Do women my age actually loose weight? What are the odds?

I've learned the only person you can change is yourself. I'd be happy with that! I want a dream a vision a plan for my remaining life. A plan that will allow me to be productive and happy in this next season. I don't think it's money but having and using the money you have wisely. I think it's happiness..........I want happiness.

Ten Days Later

2006-09-10T16:06:00.000-04:00

Today, if he were still living, would be my parents 57th wedding anniversary. Mom was a little sad, but she will be ok...Oh, how selfish of me, today also marks the death of DH's father in 1999. A lot of water under the bridge. In many ways I am glad to say that the two Dad's don't know the "trouble I've seen". Guess they had their own troubles, I'm sure. More news to come re: my new found football compromise with DH. I am so getting a wireless laptop. For now, the battery is dead! I hate it when that happens1

Labor Day Weekend

2006-09-01T09:15:00.000-04:00

Well I'm off in about an hour to go with mother over to the coast for the weekend. DH will join us tonight and DD will drive over tomorrow! I'm looking forward to it and can't decide to take my scrapping' stuff or not!

The worst thing we have to do is to go by the monument place and double check the grave stone for my parents graves for correctness before it is installed. It's bad enough that I have to remember that my daddy is gone but I'm going to really have to suck it up as my mother's name will be on the marker even though, she is still living since it's a dual headstone. I dread it!

Now that TS Ernesto is gone, from here anyway, I feel so much better. I hate the highs and lows I have in my life. Dealing with depression is just totally awful. I'm a fighter not a quitter so I will keep on trying until I get it right!

Hope the atmosphere at the condo is pleasant and who knows when I'll come back home! All that good civilization and shopping over there in Daytona! I'll be in hog heaven!

So THAT's Why It's Called a DEPRESSION

2006-08-30T13:43:00.000-04:00

I live in Sebring, we are in the center of the state and in the center of the now Tropical Depression Ernesto. The "weather" seems to be focused more toward the east coast and as the afternoon wears on there's always a fear of tornado's. We are accustomed to afternoon thunderstorms with lots of rain and lightening.

IMHO the government is now taking every precaution to protect the public at large and in the process scaring people, like me, to pieces!

I am thankful that God protects us, as his storms always demonstrate his sovereign hand! I must confess my Faith did not exhibit itself very well these past few days as I dreaded the storm. This is an example to me to let God handle the other "storms" in my life and trust Him with His protective hand.

Thanks to all of you who have been checking in on us and praying for those still waiting for their turn for Ernesto to pass.

Ernesto

2006-08-28T15:11:00.000-04:00

Finally, it has dawned on me why I am so depressed today! I fight depression in general but this Monday morning just absolutely sucked for me! No matter what I did it just didn't seem to help. So, I picked myself up by the flip flops and made myself get out of the house.

There's nowhere good to go around here. The mall stinks and even if it was a good one I shouldn't be out spending money.

I did need to go to Wally World and get some essentials like deodorant and laundry soap. Well, every stinking' person in three counties was there buying water and peanut butter. I finally decided to get what I needed as fast as possible and get the heck out of Dodge!

We have soooooooo many elderly people in this town. They are just oblivious to anything going on around them. Stand in the aisle and "farmer chat". Just irks me, they should do that on the shuffleboard court! Oh, it's too freakin' hot outside to be outside unless you're in a pool.

Anyway, it's that damn Ernesto, I am so sick and tired of hurricane's and tropical storms I could puke! It's all my scrap crap that freaks me out. Who cares about the rest! Every year it seems all the books go into plastic containers and then back out on the shelves. I just can't face it. So, I'm going to take my chances for now! If it stresses me out that bad then something wrong!

It must be all the TV hype, we never had all that growing up. No long drawn out moment to moment detail on what could/might happen. We just got the batteries ready and stored up canned food. Heck, we didn't even have bottled water. We just filled up the bathtubs with extra water. Of course, it probably didn't hurt that I was a child and knew my parents would take care of me.

The kids are grown, it's DH and one grown son. I'll get some canned food another day. The propane tanks are full and it's DH's job to get gasoline for the generator! Yes, we have a generator. My dad bought it for my mother before he died. I've got a flashlight and extra batteries and a pool full of water. What else could I ask for?

So, goodbye worries over Ernesto! Wow, I feel so much better now! Thanks everyone!

What Are They Thinkin' ???

2006-08-26T13:17:00.000-04:00

My absolute favorite message board has had a huge mistake in management, IMO! The administrator decided to have anything that was more than 15 days old and not responded to deleted! That means all of our hard work with instructions and our introductions and all of our discussions are gone! Just deleted! What is she thinkin'? Does this mean I am going to have to learn to run my own message board? We're all so upset that we don't quite know what hit us! The emails are flying between those of us who are such good friends IRL! I sure hope this gets straightened out SOON! What a goof! She totally went blonde on us!

BOM

2006-08-24T08:49:00.000-04:00

BOM = Book of Mine

Jana was asking about my BOM. I started working on this at the beginning of the summer. It's a scrapbooker's way of telling about themselves. It can include anything you want. Most people who have a BOM include thoughts, feelings, and ideas in addition to pictures. I hope to keep adding to mine for as long as I live.

I started out by following challenges set up by Alicia at www.scrappersgalore.com there are also challenges with ideas on other scrapbooker's web sites like Willow Traders. It gives you a "jumping off" spot.

Right now I am going to be journaling some real sensitive stuff but it will be hidden in a little book. I'll see if I can post it later.

When I was on vacation last month in Utah I picked up a book at a LSS called
The Me Book. This book features the artists of Autumn Leaves. The name that I recognize the most is Elise Flannigan. The back cover of The Me Book says

it's all about me....What is the me book all about? It's about getting to the good stuff, the nitty-gritty, the things that make us happy, sad, fulfilled, passionate and goofy. It's all about documenting the roles we play and the life experiences that make us who we are. These pages are about using your old photos in new ways, retelling old stories with a unique twist and learning a lot about yourself in the process

I guess the last statement really says it all for me. Eventhough I hope that someone does care enough to keep my BOM when I'm gone, for now it's about getting in touch with myself.

In the 70's people used to talk about "Going to FIND themselves". I thought that was dumb but now at the crossroads of loss of a parent, empty next syndrome,choosing to retire from nursing and then facing marital infidelity, I'm off to "find myself"!

He's On His Way Home

2006-08-23T17:00:00.000-04:00

Well, I thought this was a totally ME day and it is but my mindset has got to change! DH just called and will be home in two hours. I've got flylady boogie todo! Thinking about my private journaling for my BOM.

Over My Head!

2006-08-23T10:02:00.000-04:00

I could spend literally all day every day online but I don't do it.
#1 It's not healthy.
#2 It would get me in a heap of trouble.
#3 I might turn into some techno geek, but I doubt it, but then again there are those html classes I've been wanting to take.

I really used to spend much more time on the computer, even planned to start digital scrapbooking. Well, the digital scrapbooking is fun but it doesn't take the place of all the hands on with the textures etc. I have become a font freak and have over 700 fonts on my computer. I wanted to go back to community college and get some kind of degree in computers or at least take some classes. Right now I feel as if I know most of the alphabet but am missing a few vowels, KWIM? I'd like to get a concept in my brain from A-Z. Until I decide to go to school I'll hack away and try to learn as I go!

OK, I've decided, today is a scrappin' day. DH is gone to Tampa and who knows when he will be home. Dark-thirty. It's a comfort to have my pitbull "Rocky" here at my side in case anyone tries to come and keep me company!

So, What if it doesn't work? Can I delete it?

2006-08-22T20:40:00.000-04:00

I DID IT!

2006-08-22T19:01:00.000-04:00

Everybody go check out your links, I made them work. Woo Hoo for me!

Eggs

2006-08-21T14:10:00.000-04:00

Some of us over at Scrap Jammies and at Willow Traders adopt these egg things each month and get some kind of a critter. Some morph, some do not. It's just strange!

This is my eighth day in a row that I am feeling happy, it's a mind set, I am convinced. Things around my home are running more smoothly and I am able to accomplish more and more each day. I just do what I can and forget it until the next day. It's easier when I don't put so much pressure on myself.

I'm so excited to be having a whole gang of girlfriends coming to visit me in October! We are going to scrap our hearts out! They are all flying in from all over the country to be together. I think that's so wonderful to be making such great new friends all ofer the place.

I most dislike bookeeping tasks. I am elected to put everything into Quicken and pay bills for our household. It's part of staying home and not having an outside job. At least there's no boss to tell me I can't take a break! I got so far behind when we went on vacation for two weeks. Now I am going to have two months to reconcile this week. I'm still not done inputting all the transactions. Oh this does suck, I can't seem to ever get into it!

DH and I are really getting along well. We are happier than we have been for a long time. I want to do my part to make this work. I think he feels the same way.

Made in Nebraska

2006-08-14T20:18:00.000-04:00

I'm a Ford Mustang!

You're an American classic -- fast, strong, and bold. You're not snobby or pretentious, but you have what it takes to give anyone a run for their money.

"Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

Caught DH off guard and he took the test!

I Was Made In Germany

2006-08-14T15:13:00.000-04:00

I'm a Porsche 911!

You have a classic style, but you're up-to-date with the latest technology. You're ambitious, competitive, and you love to win. Performance, precision, and prestige - you're one of the elite,and you know it.

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

Can't Spend All Day!

2006-08-14T12:58:00.000-04:00

Does anyone know how I can get Alicia and Bev's Links to get that underline thingy so that it will link to their blogs? As far as I can see I have done them just like the two that are successful below that ie: Dana!

Dang

2006-08-09T23:21:00.000-04:00

"A" can't get the dang dashboard to cooperate! Won't give up! Keep in touch!

TMI

2006-08-08T16:06:00.000-04:00

OK, so maybe the last post was a little too much TMI but we're all adults here. I know many friends who are suffering from infidelity, two wrongs don't make a right and I have my own conscious to live with so as for me, no extramarital sexual experiences.

Try as You Might

2006-08-08T01:20:00.000-04:00

For me, I always expected to reach a point when my life would be stable, but, "NOOOOOOOOOOOh" it changes and expectations change, things change. I "freakin" change! I built my DH "high, way high on a pedistle and find he is nohing but human". I wish he would find full sexual fullfillment in me, but "NO" I have to live the "hell" of infidelity~ nevermind the fact that I have temptations of my own! Sorry MOM XO

Home Sweet Home

2006-08-03T13:22:00.000-04:00

Ah, how sweet my own bed felt the morning of August 2 at 2:30 AM as I finally laid my head on my own "feather" pillow with the 100% cotton 200 thread count sheets and pillow cases.

The trip home took us 19 hours as we left Scottsbluff at 7AM MT, few to ATL, circled and circled then bumped and bumped until there were several "pukers" in the crowd, thankgoodness it wasn't me! Storms in ATL caused us to arrive late and we almost had to run to the next plane which of course was on another concourse and at the end! We did get to Orlando on time but then stopped to eat and had an hour and a half drive home.

Good thing DH is the "boss" as we slept in until 10:30 AM and I drove him to work where he had a brand new truck waiting for him (company truck).

The dogs were so happy to see us that they "peed" the floor but I had my handy dandy swiffer wet jet ready to mop the tile.

I've spent a ton of time trying to catch up on everything online and need to hit the cleaning lady mode and kick some dust bunnies!

Thank God the TS Cris is fizzing out, I just can't handle a hurricane right now!

All added up other than air miles we drove about 1500 miles while out West!

Slow roll to DIA

2006-07-28T10:39:00.000-04:00

Bloggin on my way home from WY. We will spend the weekend here at in law's home and then fly home on Tuesday. We'll have to take a four hour ride from WY to Denver early that morning and then fly out about 3ish for home. If we're lucky we'll be in our own bed before Wednesday.

Once I am home I can post some pictures of Yellowstone and tell you more about our trip. Anyone want to help me scrap some of it?

I've got to look for a job real soon! I need to sell some stuff on ebay, and I need to have a garage sale but I've never had one and hate the thought of some pure strangers looking through my stuff.

Advice?

Dog Days of Summer

2006-07-19T14:40:00.000-04:00

Well, I do know what heat is and I do know what hummidity is! This place called WY is a sauna! I bought carmex, leg lotion, and eye drops! I'm surviving and enjoying a little down time alone today. Where there's a will there's a way, I finally hooked up DH's laptop to dial up at DMIL's. There both working on a "project"!

DD called from Florida and said she had her first observation in the OR at her school, my old stomping grounds! I was pleased that she met a very old friend of mine, of about 30 years, and Erin introduced herself to Teri. Erin liked the OR but said she's still unsure where she would like to specialize, no problem there, she's got plenty of time to decide. I told E that I would NOT push her into the OR although deep inside I want her to be a minime!

Thanks for checkin' out my blog Cassie, nothing exciting here yet, except I think I can relate to being stuck in Kansas a little better. Feel for ya girl!

The most fun time I've had so far is a day at the lake with BIL an SIL! I got to exercise and swim and enjoy the sun! Lots of BS going on but I ignore it for the most part!

Can't wait to get back to my routine but for now I'm thankful to have a little time without too many demands! DH's class reunion starts Friday night, Oh boy, can't wait!

DH did spring for a scanner so that I can scan DMIL's pictures and get them printed later. What a job, better hop to it!

Utah

2006-07-13T10:03:00.000-04:00

OK! Made it all the way to Utah after a 20 hour day of flying and visiting. I slept at least 10 hours last night and DH came in to tell me "they" were all going on a hike. So, I decided I'd better get my behind out of the bed. Found one last half cup of coffee, yes, it's cool enough to drink coffee, Woo Hoo! Checked in on my fav MB's with very little posting! Time's limited. I don't know what we're doing today but we are in the scrapbook capitol of the world and I asked DSIL to please take me somewhere so I can get some pieces of the newer BG lines and see what else gabs me and screams, buy me! I'll be checking out the new chatterbox too!

Anyway, tomorrow AM we trek across the state of Wyoming for the family reunion and then fun days with DMIL.

Internet Friends and MB posts!

2006-07-10T23:33:00.000-04:00

Wow, it's kind of like and outpost if you think about it~ In the olden days the cowboys would only see people at the post before going onto the next place! It might be weeks before I get to be really online again! So, it ain't all bad! I wish I had sent Cassie the sand dollars before I left. If I do it tomorrow, I won't have to feel bad. I wish Sachie hadn't gotten that job and had kept up the MB at SG! I want to see who won the June contest~I am in love with Willow Tree Traders, it's such a big group and I am a little weary of being the MB mama at SJ's! I love to lead out and give hints and "stuff" but seems it's not catching on like I'd like! I don't even own or get paid by the company! I do it from the "heart".

I am going to look for a real job when we get home in August. I need one for me! Take my word for it!

I guess in this current society I'd like to see things like a handshake and your word take meaning. Integrity and honesty. Being reliable and turstworthy. I can dream and I can live in my own little dream world. Trust who you are given reason to, extend trust to those you would like to be given trust, and "fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me!"

I'll be back a bloggin' in August! till them, for Pete sake, somebody read this mess!~

July Update

2006-07-09T19:46:00.000-04:00

FFF, ok for Friends, followers, and flakers. No offence please! Just a quickie check in and how de do de from me 2U. I'm going away on vacation soon, very soon! I will miss my computer and my cyber friends who, BTW, are IRL friends! When I get home I will update and catch up. In the mean time, remember when there was not internet? Well, I'm "back in time" I know that i'ts ok and think how cool the people of Cades Cove must have been! Ok, don't know about Cade's Cove? Ah Ha, Keeps ya commin' back. "I'll 'splain later Lucy!"

Try Again!

2006-07-09T13:19:00.000-04:00

Please Work!

2006-07-09T13:16:00.000-04:00

[img]http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/4;10724;127/st/20060801/e/Flying+Home%21/k/d4e2/event.png[/img]

Trying to post a little ticker hope it's successful or I'll be a little ticked!

Cracker Scraps

2006-06-29T07:42:00.000-04:00

For many Americans we are looking forward to celebrating Independence Day! That means like most holidays lots of food. DH will be smoking ribs and chicken on Sunday. Our community will have fireworks on Sunday night. Then as many of you have already discussed, a day of work and off again....
I've decided to make friends with FlyLady. I know I have to shine my sink but better get on track with her sometime today.
I've got a list to do starting at 9:00 AM. I'm going to go stay with three little girls while their mother goes for a job interview. She is a teacher but hates to leave her kids. Her DH is a coworker of my DH and J had surgery last winter for an acoustic neurona which is brain surgery. He has a seventh nerve palsy that causes one side of his face to droop. It has been a real adjustment for the family, bottom line is, mom's decided to go back to work since the littlest one is going to Kindergarten this year.
Sorry I've been laying low but life has been throwing me a lot of curve balls and they have mainly come from my male offspring child.
Only two more weeks until we go to WY. To scrap or not to scrap? I'll go crazy out there if I have nothing to do! I'd better throw in some kits to take along!
I've decided to fake it until I make it! I'm going to take the bull by the horns and get on with my life even if some stupid little kid (dS) tries to wreck it constantly.
I am almost finished a mini matchbook album of baby bunny "Bertie". I'll post it in the gallery today or tomorrow.
Our house has no groceries, can you believe I ate a can of garbanzo beans yesterday? Half for lunch, half for supper. It's not that we can't afford food it's just I was pure lazy! I do have to get some diet coke in this house TODAY!
I plan to finish Traci's "Favorite Travel Places" in time to mail tomorrow.
DD is coming home from school tomorrow for a couple of days but she too has to be in school Monday, summer school is such a crunch.
DH's schedule was changed and he is in the Keys right now. I expect that he'll be home early Friday afternoon. I didn't get to go because he flew and the company doesn't pay for the wife to go along. If we drove the company truck that would be a different story.

Nice Blog, Be Nice and post a NIce Blog

2006-06-28T21:48:00.000-04:00

If I should die before I wake I thank myself for this time I take. I hate to leave so much negative stuff floating on the top of my Blog! I'm going to say some nice things even if I have to make them up! Really, I can think of a few nice things!

Life is tough but without struggle there can be no victory! I feel that I am getting stronger every day since my big "WHAM" in the face, whenever it was, let's not count the days!

So, I am thankful in my trials that God entrusts me with them as I believe His promise that He will not give us more than we can bear. Man, it sure does feel like it sometimes.

Ongoing troubles with Mr. Hot Stuff 19 year old who knows it all!

DD is currently my "golden child" she's coming home Friday for the weekend! I'm so happy. I'm going to bed early tonight because I want to be well rested and carpe diem or whatever that fish term is. I know a gold fish is a carp isn't it?

I love rain, I love thunder and lightening storms, I love hurricaines as long as they're only little ones. It's like God's way of saying, I am in charge of things here! I feel a cozy sleep coming on tonight. I hear the Nigh Night train blowin' it's whistle.

Blog THIS~~~

2006-06-24T23:14:00.000-04:00

OK, I really am thinking of deleting this whole "blog" thing except that once in a while, like a comment from Bev, it's worth it all!

I've been silent as my mom taught me, "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all"! Well, life ain't all nice now is it? (Go, grr, get me V for poor English grammar!)

I cleaned and straightend and organized my entire Scrap, huhum, Studio today and still have to organize my pictures. Thank goodness I RAKed most of my stickers! What a pain! How times change!

OK, really just checking in to let you, yes you, know I am still alive and well, alive!

CAS! I still have the starfish and a newpaper article, don't give up on me!

My Scrap Studio is scrumpdeliscious!

"Southerners Will Believe Anything"

2006-06-08T22:17:00.000-04:00

OK, so what's with this? Today Ms "V" posted this line of horse shit:

Do you remember SCTV with Bob and Doug MacKenzie? I used to tell people in North Carolina that those guys were from Ely (my hometown in MN). I also used to tell people we rode to school on snowmobiles. Those southerners, they'll believe anything.

She's talking about her claim to education at Duke! What the hell is she thinking? I mean she knows where I am from, she knows my Daddy was from Raleigh, doesn't she think before she posts? Does she read what "we" have to say? IMAO she is socialized substandardly!

Ms. "V" eat a Peep and get your groove back!

Me and My Big Mouth!

2006-06-07T19:46:00.000-04:00

Sometimes a girl just has to speak up and speak her mind! We've got a nice little group of talented ladies over at the SJ message board. Well, for the past few months we've all been adopting these little eggletts from some techno guys and having fun with it! One of the newest members had this to say:
You guys slay me! I especially love where Lisa says, "That's why I love this group! The women on this MB are just so intelligent!" Cuz this whole "mystery egg" thing is breaking the ol' IQ meter, huh? I think this sort of nuttiness is probably what led to the fall of Roman civilization. One day, you're obsessed with mystery eggs or sic'ing lions on Christians, the next thing, bang, we're in the dark ages. Okay, maybe it's late and I should go to bed now.

Now what the heck does this mean? This person has slipped a brain cell or two! I met her IRL and she was really nice to me when I hurt my back but this is pure crazyness! I just couldn't stop my fingers from flying across the keyboard of my computer. Here is my response:

Well Val, it's just that we are all so highly intelligent members of Mensa that we need a little giddiness to break the stress! Let's see off the top of my head our major posters have degrees in: Law
Engineering and Finance
Engineering
Nursing X3
Accounting (CPA)
Pharmacists
Pilots
Physicians
Veterinarians
Episcopal Priests
Business Women
Cosmetologists--who you gonna trust your hair to?
Bookkeeping for the Sheriff's Department
and the most difficult job without a degree~
Motherhood!

Maybe it's time for me to go to bed! Oh wait, it's only noon! How stupid can I get!

As far as I know she hasn't read this post but I can't wait to see her post! The fall of the freakin' Roman Empire b/c some silly girls have fun waiting for their cyber eggs to hatch! Get a grip!

Thank God for free speech!

For the G Kids

2006-05-31T11:51:00.000-04:00

I’ve been meaning to sit down and write to you but I guess it’s harder than I expected it to be.

To say I am so sorry that your sweet daddy died seems so inadequate yet necessary. I am so sorry that you three are going through this terrible experience. I’m sorry for your mother and for all of your children. I know how much it hurts.

First of all, always remember that your dad wouldn’t want you to stop living because he had to. I’m sure he didn’t want to! I know my dad didn’t want to stop living, he just finally had to stop because he couldn’t take the cancer anymore.

Allow yourself time to grieve, when you’re alone let the tears wash away the hurt as the medical types will tell you crying produces some kind of cool body relaxing chemical, right? To me crying has not always come easily, it just isn’t who I am but when the tears come, they have become welcome cathartic tears.

Lean on each other. Cry in your mother’s lap. Your mother knows you best and knows that you are hurting. Your mother needs to know that you still need her. She needs to know what a valuable position she has in your family.

Don’t expect to get back to “normal”. Just take each day as it comes and you will learn to live with this empty spot named “daddy”. Depend on our heavenly Father to fill it. Life will not ever be the same so plan to learn to live your next phase in life. It will get easier and you will feel rhythm to your life once again.

Be careful not to neglect your spouses. Even though they are your best support system and love you dearly, they need you to be you! Remember to keep them as your number one person in your life.

The sting and hurt from the loss of a father leaves you forever changed. Like each big life experience it can’t help but change you in some way. You are changing all the time. This event has just been a more monumental one, a very painful one.

Continue to remember you father. For me it’s writing and making scrapbooks. I’m just about ready to take out the cards from December 2004 and look over them again. It’s ok to put things up until you are ready.

Did you shut your eyes during the picture presentations at your father’s funeral? They were beautiful. I need to tell B and G so. Their tribute to your father was a strong token of expression of their enduring friendship with you. Be thankful for those long time friends. I shut my eyes during my father’s picture presentation. Maybe now I’ll have the strength to look at it.

Things will never be the same again. Don’t expect them to ever be. Things will be better again as you heal ever so slowly from this blow of death. Make your life function in a new way. There are a lot of people who need you and want to be with you. Focus on what you have instead of what you do not have. Focus on what your father gave you and not what the cancer took from you. Love the traits in your father that you see in yourself. Be happy to be the one who shares that trait with others in your family. Let your father’s memory live through you.

Always have clothes clean and ready for a funeral. This is something that I did for many years. Then when my daddy died, I stopped! When your daddy died I needed my “funeral clothes”. Death is not a new concept but it’s new to us as we enter era of our parents aging.

What a tribute each of our father’s had at the church we all love. What a great thing to know what wonderful friends our parents have! Keep coming to D's Picnic in May. We need to see each other once a year if that’s all. It’s a little way of keeping our parents circle alive as the members go to sleep in the Lord.

I don’t claim to be an expert on the process of grief. I only offer you these words as a token of friendship and recent experience. Call me to cry, chat, ask, remember. My heart truly goes out to each of you!

Techno Granny Wannabe

2006-05-29T19:52:00.000-04:00

Wow! I can't believe all the neat stuff that people have on their blogs! Music, tons of pictures, blinkies, all the stuff that a granny techno wannabe should learn. Maybe if I tackle one thing a week I can learn how to do this! That way maybe, my brain will remain sharp! I've signed up for classes only to have to give them up due to DH's schedule. Actually, I've dreamed of the day I could be a SAHW and do as I please! Now after spending the past year in pure self indulgence I find that it's not rewarding and need to look for some constructive uses of my time.

I'm feeling the rhythm of life coming back to me. I need to put myself on a schedule as all my working career my schedule was dictated and boy did they work us hard in the operating room! I miss the friendships and the patient interaction but not the grunt work, it's really a physical job! Now that I've quit, they are getting computers in every OR in the country, even small town USA! I was ahead of my time with the computer on the consumer end but now I feel I'm feeling left to byte dust.

Someone tell me where to start!

Momentum

2006-05-29T13:15:00.000-04:00

For the past three hours I have been working on establishing a mailing list for a new CJ over at SJ's. I really like to do this sort of thing until I remember how time consuming it is. Sitting in my SJ Jammies looking out at the Atlantic Ocean, why am I inside? I got too much sun yesterday and DH went home.

I'm in the room with DM. It's a comforting place to be. We enjoy the company of one another even if we sit in silence. Mother is so lonely since Daddy went "to Sleep in the Lord" December 8, 2004. We talk about how we miss him and allow ourselves a few tears. Overall we're both doing well. Some days it's me who mother's mama and some days it's mama who mother's me.

Mother is teaching me how to be old. Yes, can you imagine? There are things that neither of us can do physically now, especially since I hurt my back. Mother says I just don't know how to sit and relax. I'm trying but I'd rather be creating something. I miss my scrap room and I'll be glad to get back to scrappin' in a few days. I hope my box of stuff has arrived from Chicago as I need it to get my CJ's out on time!

DH took a whole lot of close ups of me this weekend so now I can choose a new picture for my Circle Journals and for my Avatar. I think I've pulled it off again, looking decent that is!

We're going to Wyoming for three weeks this summer! Three long weeks in the middle of nowhere. We will do some traveling and visiting. I will be taking my "projects" along or else I will go buggers. Now to plan how to streamline the "stuff" take, I always take too much stuff and it makes it hard on everyone especially me having to keep up with all of the stuff!

I've got an obligatory event in June for my friend's daughter's wedding. It's not that I don't want to go but I don't know the crowd and it's a long drive both ways. DM will go with me and allow DH to stay home as it's not really his friend's child. She is an only child so this wedding should be an "all blow out!" It will have good music I am sure as the whole family is very talented!

So, the summer of momentum is upon me. I know it's not until June 21 but it sure feels like it here! The Circle Journal will be getting off the ground. I so hope this one goes without too much trouble. All it takes is for one person to fall behind and it bunches things up. Why and what is a Circle Journal? Ahh, that's for another day.

I need to write about how it feels to be old and not become a crotchetie old nurse suffering from every illness she can think of. Nurses make the worst patients. I don't want to be like that, but I am sure that I already am!

Enough rambling for now. Cas, I'm going to bleach the sand dollars for you and the kids!

Home Sweet Home

2006-05-23T10:58:00.000-04:00

It's so good to be home! It has been a long time since I cried because I was homesick but this time I did! The trip to Chicago was exhausting! It was worth every challenge from tripping head first into the concrete sidewalk, to getting "hailed on" while walking to dinner and throwing my back out the night before I flew home!

If anyone watches my blog I just wanted to check in and say they haven't gotten me yet!

I'm off to find Molly and see how she's doing at the "big house"!

Scrap Room Clean UP

2006-05-10T08:30:00.000-04:00

Scrap Crap organization:
From my list yesterday I still have the remaining items.
Finish DMIL's Squish book for mail tomorrow.
Make two altered clipboards,
one to show at Jammie Crop
One for my DM
Get items packed into my travel bag for Scrap book crop.
Plan clothes for five days and get them set aside.
Get my RAK together and mail to one of the local girls.(It's going to be heavy since I'm getting rid of my cardstock and switching to textured bazzill etc.)
If I can get this tied up my room will look neat and tidy and I can have this off my mind so that I can enjoy Mother's Day and the weekend. I'm still finishing up loose ends for SJ's and the Chi trip.

I can't wait to see my friends IRL as I don't have many around me since we moved. I'll be working on that when I get home. I've made contact with some gals in the county that scrap and then there's the LSS as well but I end up spending money when I go there!

Tuesday's To Do List

2006-05-09T13:57:00.000-04:00

My writing juices are dried up! I have had some pretty good ideas for LO's running through my brain. I haven't done much around here today as it's a down day for me. Guess I'm turning into a afternoon/night girl which totally does not jive with my DH who is forced to be an ALL DAY MAN.

DS found me an empty, new, quart size paint can that I have to go and get to make an altered project for Scrap Jammies. I worked at least 8 hours yesterday typing forms and brain storming! I sure do hope that we're on the down swing of the prep stuff and that I can finish my list:

Get a shower, get dressed, make the bed!
Clean the kitchen totally and put the spaghetti sauce in the crock pot to simmer.
Go to Lowe's and get the can.
Finish typing documents for SJ's
Finish DMIL's Squish book for mail tomorrow.
Make two altered clipboards, one to show at Jammie Crop
One for my DM
Get items packed into my travel bag for Scrap book crop.
Plan clothes for five days and get them set aside.
Get my RAK together and mail to one of the local girls.
(It's going to be heavy since I'm getting rid of my cardstock and switching to textured bazzill etc.)
Well let's see if I finish it all, NOT, finish some, add more, finish nothing!
This time next week I'll be boarding the plane!

NSD/Nurses Day

2006-05-06T10:52:00.000-04:00

National Scrapbook Day and Nurses Day

Wow, all rolled into one! I really could care less about it being nurses day except to wish and give honor to the nurses working so hard. We have to stick together because that "free coffee mug" that General Hospital gives us just doesn't fit my hand right anyway!

There are online crops galore around cyber world. I am hanging out at Scrappers Galore since they're the most fun. Scrap Jammies Crop in two weeks is their celebration or NSD. I stayed up late last night chatting with "A" and we had a blast. Both of our DH's were gone. Her's went fishing and mine was at the bar playing pool.

I've got work to do to get ready for Jammie Crop! I need to entertain DH to keep the fire stoked. I need to straighten up my scrap crap so that I can work on some pages. I'm making a squish book for MIL for Mother's Day which is yikes, a week from tomorrow!

Molly Brown

2006-05-04T08:44:00.000-04:00

Man, I can't believe I added Molly's link successfully, maybe there's hope for me yet! I've been on this computer now for over and hour and a half! Haven't even finished checking my favorite MB's! Maybe there's hope for this wannabe!

Beginnings!

2006-05-04T08:08:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm happy to see that Molly found me! It's not as if I didn't just shove the addy in her face, Hee Hee!

Today my daughter is going to shadow her instructor at big city hospital where she is in nursing school. DD is so excited and I hope and pray she retains her enthusiasm for a lifetime. She doesn't like the part of being to work at 7A for the day shift but the instructor had her come in at 8A. I suppose that was so that the instructor could get report and get a grip before having a really green student hanging onto her all day. The school is between semesters right now and this instructor is doing this out of the goodness of her heart as this is her second job. I guess all nurses don't eat their young! Hurray for times change even if it's slowly.

I'm going to Chicago in another week or so to meet up with some girlfriends, play and scrap. I can't wait!

Now that I'm on this blog thing I'm going to have to learn the html stuff and a lot of other techno stuff. There just aren't enough hours in the day! If my blog remains novice, so be it, it's readable!

I have to make myself clean the house today. For a SAHW I just hate housework. I do like the satisfaction from the result, it's the getting started that just about kills me. At least when you're in the OR and get your assignment you have no choice but to move it huney! Watch out or Dr. So and So will be rollin' that patient into the OR before you can even check the chart. What happened to the good old days when the circulator was in charge of the room? Now it seems like a free for all!

Oh man, I feel self motivation kickin' in just thinking of the thought of having to go back to work! More later........

Can I Blog?

2006-05-03T18:19:00.000-04:00

Seems like I signed up for this quite a while ago but Unsinkable MB my favorite blogger right now has inspired me to get moving with this. I spend so much time on message boards this is probably more appropriate!

I'm sure I can keep up with it but the question is will I?

I hope Molly finds me and I hope that I can encourage her!