2009

A new year starts tomorrow, but it is my reflection on this one that fills my thoughts. What a grand year this has been. Wayne and I have had one of the most memorable years so far. We traveled to Hawaii, Colorado, Mississippi, lakes and about and filled our lives with some very memorable moments. With our children and family close it has made our adventures that much better. We are experiencing the freedom that we always wanted. We go and do as we please, when we please.....it's GREAT! I actually feel like an adult.....no one to answer to. I am so looking forward to 2009, though the world is in kind of a mess right now, our little world is serene and fulfilling. I want lots more travel and adventure for Wayne and I. With old age creeping up on us, we surely have to seize the moment and I for one intent to. From here on out, it is the moon and the stars in our grasp all we have to do is rein them in. 2009......HERE WE COME!!!

Election Day

Today's the day
the votes are cast

Which one's gonna
fix the past

Turn out in droves
the lines are long

Must get the one
to right the wrongs

Each of us thinking
ours is best

He's the one
who'll pass our test

We think, ANY ONE'S better
than what we've had

Poor ole George W
for him, I am sad

Do you think, HE single handed
created our troubles alone

All the finger pointing
and the throwing of the stone

He's the one
with all the grief

His reign to end
is HIS relief

I anticipate a
big let down

The smiling faces
will turn to frown

The job is HUGE
and is gonna be rough

The Guy we elect
finds his tasks VERY tough

We shall see
if the one we admire

IS the one to run
our country, if not
our future's dire

The Vote

The last debate now over
proved to be quite
boring and mundane

Democrats STILL for Obama
Republicans STILL for McCain

Back and forth, right and left
we have to pick out the truth
amongst the lies

The vote draws near
they scramble about
mud slinging is on the rise

I'm quite perplexed
how do I vote,do I
vote for the one who lied least

Politicians and lying
go hand and hand, it's
just the nature of the beast

Democrats blame the Republicans
for our country's woes and mess

Republicans point the finger
at the Democrats, no wrongs
for them to confess

The stubborn Donkey and
the can't forget Elephant
the two shall never mix

With Closed minds and short
sightedness, OUR country
they CANNOT fix

WHY?

WHY, are there hairs
growing out of my chin

while my eyebrows
have become narrowed and thin

WHY, is my body
shaped more like a pear

more junk in my middle
that once wasn't there

WHY, is my face filled
with wrinkles and lines

to show of my age
through physical signs

WHY, when I listen
is it so hard to hear

I concentrate and try
but it still isn't clear

WHY, is my eyesight
that once was so keen

now, blurry on things
that once could be seen

WHY, do I get sleepy
in the middle of the day

like a child who's
worked hard, busy at play

WHY, do I ask why
they are common, I know

in time we ALL have them
they appear as we grow

The Debates

The debates are on
Mud slinging about

They spew their lies
Our tension, it mounts

Each wanting our vote
they prepare their attack

I'll reform Government
get Wall street back on track

Finger pointing to all
To themselves, they do not

One promising change
the other, HE fought

If I really believed
They had Americans at heart

I'd give them my vote
I'd do my part

I see no difference
just politicians at work

collecting our money
then going berserk

I can't truly say
one is better than the other

Their POLITICIANS, first and foremost
second job, for one, is MOTHER

I give them no praise
In their own minds, their GREAT!

It's scary and sad
cause, our country's at stake

NO MONEY!

The bailout monies
did not go through

Now, what's the Wall Street
gang gonna do

why, the CEO's will
collect their pay

Run off to the tropics
play in the sun all day

There's no accountability
none to take the fall

Except the naive Americans
somehow, to take it all

Make no mistake it's not just them
there's more to take the blame

Americans on a beer budget
but chose to drink champagne

Who would pay the mortgage
when the interest rate went higher

I guess they had magical thinking
and to themselves a liar

The house, now gone, their credit trashed
What good did any of it do

Life, now harder for all of us
biting off more than we could chew

Money Down The Drain

Bail out to come,
for the Wall Street crooks,

Our hard earned money,
to fix their books;

The figure is high,
cannot be repaid,

They won't even try,
just a promise they made;

The white shirted bureaucrats,
won't feel a thing,

The American people,
to feel the sting;

How much money,
how much more can they need,

The amount just grows higher,
we can't fill their greed;

The whip lashes harder,
on ALL workers backs,

What we get for our toil,
Just higher TAX.

Politics....PHOOOEEEYYYY!!!!

It makes me mad, this push and pull,
between Republicans and Democrats;

Their ALL politicians, in it for themselves,
some snakes, others, they are rats;

Sitting high above, they're placed on pedestals,
hand extended and waiting for their pay;

We've come to believe, it's a privilege,
to send our hard earned money, day after day;

It started, I thought, to run our country;
It's our lives, that it's now overtook,

Too much money, too much power, it's a magnet,
attracts the power hungry, greedy and the crooks;

Americans, open your eyes, we must WAKE UP!,
it's slipping away, each and every day;

We see it happening, but sit idly by,
NO BENEFITS FOR YOU, their gonna say;

Until the core of government is fixed,
the common man back at the reigns;

Someone who will fight, for the hard working Americans,
Shoot down the Senate, the Congress and their games;

It's gonna be the same old, same old,
no matter who they decide to elect;

Go to work, pay your taxes and get older,
Say nothing that's politically incorrect.

Tree Of Knowledge

I contemplate, and think and think,
about things, I use to not know of;

The tree of knowledge, I did partake,
Now, this wisdom, I will never be rid of;

My thoughts are clear, I'm not afraid
for there's a Lord that is true to me;

He is not vengeful, holds no wrath,
It's through love, that I can see;

Man's laws and stipulations,
are what most, believe are true;

They set their goals, for MANS eyes,
To reign over all they do;

It's so ironic, I'm quite perplexed,
That the masses, have come to believe;

In the dreams of some ordinary men,
When the thought, could have been to deceive;

If one should dream and tell today,
That the Lord had spoken to him;

He'd be called a false prophet, or just plain nuts,
We would think that his lights are just dim;

It is such magical thinking,
The dreams, that they had then;

Somehow, interpreted and written down,
For eternity to rule over men.

The Fifties

Seems that July is coming to and end. July has always been my favorite month, I guess from childhood cause it is my birthday month and as I got older it is the month that represents freedom to me......from school and then the anticipated vacation. Yep, people I turned 54 on the 21st. I am liking my 50's. The old body hasn't completely crapped out yet and I still have some resemblance of coherency a few moments at a time. A poem has come to mind.

At fifty four, I'm young no more,
but a child I may become;


For in my mind, thoughts float about,
and some are really dumb;


I like this age, it has it's perks,
She's old, just let her be;


Get away with most things I say,
but, DANG I cannot see;


Where are those specs,I search and search,
They're nowhere to be found;


I know they're here, I search some more,
THEY'RE HERE IN MY HAND....CONFOUND!


Disorienting and troublesome,
These things, they come my way;


Yep, the fifties, are proving to be quite great,
Now, the sixties????? I can't say


Till next time.

Beautiful Hawaii

I just watched the Movie of our Hawaii trip and it really was as much fun as it looked. I can't believe how fast the days went by. The flight over and back is the only draw back to a wonderful trip. We found that smoking is a thing of the past in airports and everywhere in Hawaii. Wayne really got edgy at times. They have it set up to where you can't go outside after you've gone thru security at the airports and you don't go making problems with security. The most amazing thing is that in Hawaii even outdoor events allowed no smoking. Most all the businesses are totally open to the outside....doors and windows open,but you not only couldn't smoke after stepping outside, you had to go all the way to the street, before lighting up. I know this was troublesome for Wayne, but he did not complain once, frustration could be seen in his eyes tho.

Hawaii is the most enchanting place. You actually can live with no air coolant. It would get a little hot thru the day, but there always seemed to be a cool breeze blowing......funny, but there would almost be a nip in the air, kinda like the first cool breezes of fall. It made it so nice. After returning back to good old Texas, I have my sinuses going crazy. Nose running constantly, with a case of dry eyes on the side. I didn't have any of that in Hawaii.....I guess from all the moisture in the air. They were actually having a dry spell there. Wayne didn't get to see one waterfall. Everything was still all green and plush with blooms on most every tree and the most luscious fragrant in the air. Dan would absolutely love it there. The coolness of the breeze is right up his alley. I tell you, we don't realize just how HOT it is here until you go somewhere like that. This is fainting weather here...GEEEEZZZZ!

My hair was one thing that didn't take to the Islands. It stayed flat on my head and looked dirty all the time.....yuk, I didn't like that. I am used to that dry, fly away look.

I am still quiet jet lagged. I thought I was fine, but am finding that I am wearing out very quickly. Wayne and I went to bed at 6:00 Monday afternnon and slept the night thru, but I don't think we have gotten back on Texas time yet. Guess I'll close this for now and say, till next time.

Pulled Back In

The pull towards this blog gets overwhelming at times especially when I go read other blogs. I keep trying to get out, but IT KEEPS PULLING ME BACK IN!.....hence the old movie line.

I am eager and proud to say that my last endeavor of losing weight has really come thru for me. Remember the just don't eat one....well it has proved to work. I have lost almost 15 lbs. I kept track of every morsel put in my mouth. I watched the calories instead of the fat intake and limited my calories to 1000 or less a day. I am afraid that with vacation will come the weight gain. I will try and not go crazy, but do intend to have a good time and then I guess I can go back to the stiff rigors of counting every calorie. It hasn't been extremely hard. It is just a matter of portion control and they have come out with some pretty delicious, low cal foods, even in the sweets category and I'm not talking about Jello.

The topics of today seem to be wearing me out. I tire of the political crap. To me, one politician is no better than the next. Republican.....Democrat, no matter. One can screw us as well as the other. Politician's are just like serial killers. They all have their own MO, each very distinct, but in the end, the outcomes they produce are the same.

I am trying so hard to distance myself from all the hub-bub, be it political or religious. I don't want to waste one moment of this life trying to discover or uncover the truth or meaning of this life nor who is going to be more apt at making it better......or worse. If things should worsen, it will be blamed on which ever candidate is in office and if things should begin to be somewhat better the Christian will be praising the Lord for that outcome. Christians make comments about people who had horrible things happen to them because they did not believe in God. Those same Christians cannot explain why bad things happen to the ones that do. Just last week a family leaving Church was hit by another vehicle and all of them were killed.....did they not believe deeply enough? I know, it will be said that they have gone to a better place, God called them home, but let it happen toooo, say, a gay couple and it was Gods rath that struck out against them for their sinful ways......don't ya find it pretty ironic? The same thing can happen to two different people and it is their belief that determines whether they were just called home or whether God struck them dead for their sins? It is always the judgers of this world that will answer that question.

DANG IT!!!! I didn't mean to go there. The very topics I wanted to steer clear of and that's what I write about.

I got the want to write, so I did. I wish life could be simple like it was as a child.....no burning questions nor approval or disapproval of anyone, just being glad of the sunrise, long days and moonlit nights to play in. Care free and happy, just to be. Till next time.

Still spinning

I had one interested reader in my vertigo blog, so thought I would give an answer back to them.

My light headedness is STILL with me. Not near as severe as it's onset, but there all the same. My wasted trip to the hospital was just that....WASTED. They ruled out things and told me what it wasn't, but never diagnosed what it WAS. They said I might have an inner ear infection, but NEVER even looked in my ears. I was Xrayed and tested in every other capacity, but NO ONE ever even looked in my ears. I chalk it up to my own fault for going to the hospital in the first place....I should have waited and just went to a family practitioner......THEY would have looked in my EARS, nose AND throat.

In getting back home that day, I took some antibiotics that I had left over from another sinus type infection from not too long ago. They may have lost their potency, I don't know, but as I said, I still have woozy spells.

It usually happens when I hold my head back or when lying down in bed...I can feel my head start to spin. It seems to be worse when my head is more to the left or I turn on my left side in bed, it does go away in just a second. I do still intend to have my regular Dr. look into this. I am not crazy nor am I a hypochondriac, as I feel the staff at the hospital thought. All they gave me was a sedative to take, which I didn't know until I received the bill or I would have refused it.

I am healthy and feel good except for that one thing. I am inclined to think that it has to do with my sinuses, although I did take antihistamines and the antibiotics to no avail.

My suggestion to you is to go to your regular Dr. and see what's going on in your ears, nose and throat. If you are having REAL vertigo and not just dizziness that requires a more extensive look. No one should feel dizzy or have the sensation of a room spinning unless they have popped the cork off of a couple of strong ones....know what I mean?

I hope this has been helpful. When I do make my trek to my Dr., I will give a full report as to what they find and hope that it can help someone else.

Till, next time?

The End Of The Truth

I have decided to take a hiatus from this blogging. I don't think people really want to know my opinion or thoughts on things. I grew up always keeping my thoughts to myself...making no one angry or upset by my words. I really thought that by expressing my views people would come to know me better. I have come to the conclusion that that is NOT the way of the world. Most, keep their inner thoughts to themselves, never allowing the outside world to know what goes on in their minds. There are good reasons for doing so, but To me, that is hypocrisy at it's best. We do it in the name of politeness. We all give up little pieces of ourselves every time we give over or act like we agree when we actually don't. My question, isn't it better to know a persons TRUE feelings rather than someone who portrays one thing, but is yet another. The TRUTH shall set you free.....AHHH! the truth, nobody really wants to hear it. Till some future date.

The Heart Wrenching Truth

I HATE this topic, but once again I will stand upon my soap box and give my opinion. Trace sends me an Msnbc article titled....ONCE AGAIN, CHILDREN ARE STARVING IN ETHIOPIA. First question....when have they ever NOT been starving? It tries to make it sound like, they are just down on their luck and have had a bad harvest. I read on and the more I read the madder I got. It goes on to say that 5 MILLION receive aid EACH year whether harvests are good or not.How many HUNDREDS of years is it going to take for them to see that FARMING isn't working for them. There have been droughts there since the beginning of time, yet some 80% live off the land. On that statement I beg to differ.....They DO NOT live off the land, they live off the charitable offerings of others. It said that their Government owns the land and buys ALL crops at a fixed low rate, so you see, it is their own people, THEIR Government that starves them. Why do we not hold them accountable? WHY do the people not hold their Government accountable. Do we not fight for our rights....there comes a time you have to say ENOUGH, we won't live like this another day. They have been victims long enough. ENOUGH with the flies in the eyes and the big swollen belly's of the poor little children that did not ask to be brought into such a world. What would we say to a woman HERE in America that kept having children even tho the last one died of starvation and the one she carries will likely die too, because her situation has not changed. I have asked this question before......WHERE ARE THE MEN????? They never show them standing there with big eyes filled with flies. You know why?? Cause they wouldn't get the sympathy that the women and of course ALL THOSE CHILDREN get. It is a BIG HUGE Money making business. Even our so called NONE PROFIT charities are making a killing. Have you ever done any investigating on the FEED THE CHILDREN charity....well, I have and it astounded me, the monies that the president and vice president made, when they are suppose to be NON PROFIT, well, let me tell you they profited, taking home hundreds of thousands of dollars. Money we think is going to help starving kids. It is that way across the board of charities supposedly there to help the needy. Charities are BIG business and we all know the corruption that comes when there are millions and millions of dollars at stake. There MUST come a time that the people of Ethiopia and everywhere hold themselves accountable for their plight in this life. The starving people need to be educated in the practice of BIRTH CONTROL.....would that not help them more than anything else??? Quit having children that you cannot feed. It is so amazing to me that they are starving to death, but can still have the energy and want to have sex. What loving parent would bring a child into this world knowing their fate and be willing to watch them suffer. The do gooders of this country and elsewhere that think they are helping, are just enabling these people to continue into a life of constant need from others. The way and only way to stop WORLD hunger is to stop the procreation. Till the populace can provide for themselves this will continue to be a problem with no end. No amount of money can end it. It only allows generation after generation to inherit a life long struggle filled with agony and pain. If they so choose to keep having children, then it is they that need to provide for those children. America cannot and should not keep helping those that do not help themselves. I hold each and every human being responsible for themselves and their offspring. Nothing is ever gonna change as long as we all keep thinking that throwing money at it is the solution......actually, it is a big part of the problem. Till next time.

Another Diet

I don't know what today is gonna be like , but I was quite irritated yesterday. I started a CRASH diet and I think it is already MAKING ME ANGRY! I am keeping total of the calories I eat and am only allowing myself 1000 a day. Yesterday I ended the day with only eating 755. It SUCKS!!!

My motivation is no other than...... WAYNE! Yes, my beloved is shedding pounds like you wouldn't believe. He, as you know does have his cigarettes to help curb his appetite and he gets those energizing packets to take each day. He has totally cut out breakfast and lunch and only eats dinner. He is already down 12 lbs in just a few weeks. The amazing thing to me is that he eats exactly what and how much he wants to at the dinner meal...... including, BIRTHDAY CAKE! I am so freakin envious of him.

I try so hard to lose those pounds in a healthy manner, but I can see that the good old stand by....JUST DON'T EAT!, is gonna have to come in to play this time. All the flushing, watching what I eat, exercising and I haven't lost a pound. Ok, that's it....game on....I AM GONNA LOSE SOME WEIGHT!!!

I looked up a calorie counter web site yesterday and intend to stay with it for as long as it takes. I was amazed that fruit had as many calories as it does. A medium sized banana has 100 calories.....that was my snack yesterday. I also went to a web site that helps you calculate what you should weigh according to your height, well, let me tell you, I would be a stick person if I weighed the 135 to 139 lbs that it said I should. I will be totally happy if I can get down to 150. There was a time, many years ago, that even 135 would have been over weight to me, but that body doesn't exist anymore and I don't even try and think I could get back to the weight I was in High school. That was a young girls body, for some reason the sand gets heavier as we age....or, maybe, we don't have sand as young people.

I really HATE getting caught up in the body image thing....cause that's all it is. I feel great at this weight and do whatever I want to do. My stamina doesn't seem to be affected by my extra pounds. I am like everyone else and would love to be wearing smaller sized clothes and I am going to really try hard this time to make that happen.

I'm gonna work on being happy for Wayne and give him the encouragement I would and do want from him. I think his motivation was his birthday and turning 53. He really gets caught up in the number....I say, it's just a number and ya know what???? so is our weight. Till next time

Toilet Monster

Yesterday, Trace and I DID meet Granny Doll at AppleBee's. We arrived much too early, which would have been ok, had it not been for the two rounders making havoc of our big girls luncheon get together. Trace and I tried to have some grown up intelligent conversation and DID all the way there, since those two were strapped in and watching a movie. In arriving, we parked and sat in the car waiting for it to get closer to time for our meeting. Well, the boys unstrapped and started making their way all over the car and finally wound up in the front seat with us. Kan perched on Traci's lap and Mason wallowing around on mine. Hands, touching EVERYTHING.... and feet, (with tennis shoes on), trampling and stomping about on mine. They finally get interested in pushing the buttons that make the windows go up and down.....wow!, some momentary relief. Windows UP, windows down....UP....DOWN...UP...DOWN..almost up.....right back down.....OK! OK! ALREADY!!! Let's just go in. We go in and it's like the hostess lady is trying to force us into sitting at one of those HIGH tables that have like bar stools at it....well, HELLO!!! do you see these two little THREE YEAR OLDS! That ain't gonna fly. She kept acting like that was all that was available, when we could clearly see empty tables everywhere. She then said she could put us at a booth, with three on one side and two on the other, just about that time Granny Doll walked in almost miraculously the lady says...OH, I have a table and escorted us to a perfect sized table for the five of us to sit in comfort with plenty of room. I don't know what all that other stuff was, in trying to force us in a table that just wasn't fitten....It wasn't FITTEN! I want to say that anytime I have been out to eat with either one of these grandsons by themselves, it hasn't been like the 3 ring circus it was yesterday, with both of them there. They did sit and eat pretty good. Mason, requested a potty break, so knowing he is still in training on this, I grabbed him up and flew to the bathroom. Well, let me tell you....he is ascared of the TOILET! I know the industrial type toilets in there were not like at home, but I thought, come on, geez....just TEE TEE. We tried sitting, which, you would have thought the thing was gonna swallow him up or something. He kept saying NO!!! NO!!!. So, then I tried to get him to just stand and do his business.....nope, that didn't work either. I pulled his shorts back up and back to the table we go. We start back eating and I am trying to get into the conversation....when, I gotta go TEE TEE was said once again. I know, he really does need to go, but he's terror of the potty was hindering his relief. As soon as we walk in the door he gets this wide eyed, terror ridden look on his face. I was trying my best to put him at ease, telling him it was alright and Granny was right there with him and to just hurry and TEE TEE and we could get out of there, again we tried sit down, we tried stand up. Someone flushed the toilet in the other stall and he throws himself against the wall and covers his ears with his hands. He was having a total freak out. Needless to say, we went back to the table, still needing to potty. We did have a tasty lunch and we got a few conversations in, before deciding...WE BETTER GO! The boys had already finished eating and were up running about trying to climb the walls and stuff. We went out and sat on a bench for just a few minutes and it was then that Mason could hold it no more, for the first time, I had had him, since the day before, he teedled in his pants. Luckily, he had a change of clothes so it wasn't a huge catastrophe. We said our good byes and started home. Man, don't kids make every event much more memorable......some will remain for life and will be told to those two when they are grown, numerous times, I'm sure. Till next time.

Mother's Day

What a glorious weekend. My Mothers Day actually started at the beginning of the week, when Katherine called and said she wanted to take me out to lunch for the up and coming Mothers Day on Sunday. We had good food with some interesting talk....a really nice time...THANKS KATHERINE!

The week flew by, on Friday Traci presented me with a Gardenia plant...I LOVE gardenia, THANKS TRACE! Saturday morning Traci and I headed to Sherman for breakfast and then to go spend the day with my Aunt's, cousins and various other family members. We had a blast as always. We cussed and discussed everything you can imagine. We tell tales that get us to laughing so hard we cry. My cousin, Sue can tell a funny story better than any stand up comic I have ever seen. We sit and eat and drink coffee, talk, laugh, eat some more, drink more coffee, laugh and laugh, till I get to feeling sick, cause I am sooooo full and laugh so hard.

There is no sweeter person in the world than my Aunt Jo. She makes you feel right at home. She has never put on aires or been uptight about ANYTHING. She always goes with the flow and has never seemed to sweat the small stuff. She is my kind of lady. She has FIVE kids, SIX grand kids, FOUR GREAT grand kids, but still so alive and vibrant, there seems to be no generation gap at all. She is truly a great person. We love the time we get to spend at her house. We didn't get on the road home until around 10:00 that night.

Sunday, Wayne and I made our way to Plano,to take his Mom out to eat. We arrived around 12:30, but decided to wait a little bit before heading to eat...hoping the crowds would be thinning. We left out at 1:30, arrived at our eatin joint at about 2:00 and there were people out the door all over the outside....EVERYWHERE!!! So, we went to plan B, which was to NOT EAT THERE! We decided to check out another one and tho it was pretty crowded, it wasn't quite as bad as the first one. It turned out to be a good choice. The food was really good, all you could eat, great service, nothing to complain about. We visited with his Mom, Dad and sister for a little bit and then made our way home.

Last, but certainly not least, My son, Dan comes knocking on our door and totally surprised me with a visit for Mother's Day.....perfect, absolutely a perfect Mother's day. He had a card for me, that he personally picked....I loved that.

I have the greatest family ever. I love them ALL so much. I am so blessed to have you all in my life. Thank you, to everyone! Till next time.

Space Case

The week has been a pretty quiet one. Wayne and I had our eyes examined Tuesday, just a check up and new glasses. I have to tell you, Wayne is a real HEAD case when it comes to stuff like that....meaning, he can't seem to get use to anything new. He is always soooo indecisive about what he wants. He comes out with all this info about can't see here, without doing this and can't see there unless doing that. I think those girls think he is Cuckoo!!! The thing is....No matter what he goes with, bifocal, trifocals, he is going to pick them apart until he finally takes them off his head and doesn't wear them at all, as with his last new glasses. He let them talk him into trifocals and he HATED them and never wore them. This time, he did the exact same thing and let them talk him into a progressive lens, which is a no line bifocal....TROUBLE, BIG TROUBLE!! He always asks me my opinion and I am always straight forward and honest and say DON'T GET THAT, you will HATE it. I know those girls think....WHAT A BITCH!!! she won't let him get what he wants....OH, they just don't know, I am trying to save THEM a big headache. I have explained the no line to him a thousand times....remember, I worked putting glasses on peoples faces for 10 years and I know, SPACE CASE, when I see one. Now, as for me. I simply wanted a line bifocal....cause you get more range of vision through them. I asked to have no correction put in the top and just my reading prescription in the bottom. I see fine in the distance and know, if I ever put glasses on that have the small correction in them for my distance, my eyes will adjust to it and then when I take them off things will look blurry....right now, things look blurry to me through the glasses. I have a slight astigmatism and that's it. I usually don't spend anything except what our insurance pays for, but Wayne is a different story. He got the progressive lens which our insurance does not cover totally, so we always have to pay a pretty big co pay for his glasses. I think he should get what he wants and I don't even care that we pay extra for it, but doing that and then he not wear them makes me so mad at him. The last frame he got which was almost two years ago, he had the trifocals put in and let me say, he had THEM remade twice and STILL never wore them. He went back with the same frame so there was no extra expense there, but those lenses.....man, oh man...those lenses. Almost everyone we know wears a no line bifocal......friends and family and I know if he puts that hard head into wanting to wear them...he can. If he can just turn that crazy thinking off and just wear the darn things. It is so comical, but absolutely ridiculous at the same time. He is gonna put those glasses on, start closing one eye, then the other...looking at something close then dart up and look in the distance, alternating, one eye closed then the other, on and on, till I want to slap him off the chair. I think his MAIN problem is...he HATES wearing glasses to begin with. He tried contacts....can you guess how those went over?? The really bad thing is, he actually has already tried to wear a progressive lens before, back when he first had to have a bifocal, some 6 or 7 years ago, but he doesn't remember and I didn't either till we were on our way home...toooo late! I'll just keep my mouth shut, fingers crossed and hope for the best. Till next time.

GRAND WEEKEND!

The weekend was a BLAST! It turned out to be even better than I had expected. We started it off with an out to eat brunch, Saturday morning, at THE GRAND BUFFET....Wayne's idea, but that's ok, out to eat anything is better than cooking. It was our first meal of the day and my stomach wasn't quite up for it. Wayne's shore was tho. He filled his plate 3 times.

Soon as we were totally stuffed we made our way to Winstar and arrived around 2:00. Wayne told me on the way up there that he was feeling lucky and he had his lucky rock that Trace had given him, so he was ready to go. Man!, the place was hoppin....tons of people were there already. We played and played until around midnight, if you can believe. Wayne WAS lucky and won back all our money at one point, but as with most people, we kept playing, but still walked out with almost half of what we went in there with.....so, you figure, 10 hours of fun and still walking out with money....YAHOOO!!!! BONUS!!!

We didn't get in bed until after 1:00 AM. I haven't been up that late in YEARS. We sure did have fun. Sunday morning we went and had breakfast out. We had planned one last out to eat for dinner, but Trace had called and asked if we wanted to cook out with them, so we decided spending some time with them would be more fun than out to eat alone and...IT WAS! We had pork ribs, Asparagus stuffed chicken breasts, baked beans, corn on the cob, hot bread and the most DELICIOUS cake...you just can't imagine. It was GRAND!!!

Our actual anniversary day, May 5th, was a boring old MONDAY, but that's ok cause we sure made up for it celebrating the WHOLE WEEKEND before. 35 years....WOW! and STILL having FUN!! Till next time.

35 Year Celebration

I have big plans brewing for this WHOLE weekend. Wayne and I will be married 35 YEARS come Monday....yep, May 5 back in good old 1973, we stood before a preacher and exchanged vows. The day started out Sunny and warm, but by the time the I do's were made and cake had been ate, it was coming a storm. Torrential rains fell just as we are trying to hop in our ride and make our way into our new life. Little did either one of us know that 35 years later, we would still be together. A lifetime of working, raising kids and all the other monotonous moments that filled our lives have flown by, in a blink of an eye.


Now, as we settle into our midlife years and actually have the time to enjoy each other, I know, I wouldn't have changed a thing. Getting married straight out of High school is NOT something I would recommend, but in having done so, we now.....FINALLY, can enjoy the freedoms that having grown kids, at fairly young ages has brought to us. This freedom has been a LONG time in coming and we have earned every moment we spend doing exactly what we want to. Being young parents had it's advantages and I'm sure some downfalls on the parenting scales, but we were always right there with our kids and loved each moment spent with them....and still do.

It is really hard to wrap my brain around 35 YEARS....I just can't believe THAT much time has gone by. I think a celebration of this magnitude warrants a WHOLE weekend....don't you? I see lots of out to eats and maybe some playing at Winstar, maybe, a romantic rendezvous at some nice hotel.....ok, I know I am dreaming. I AM married to the MOST UNromantic man, well maybe, the second most. His Dad, I think wins the gold star in UNromantic, but the nut didn't fall far from the tree. I am going to try my best to make it a joyful weekend for the both of us and I must say, in his older years he is at least TRYING to be more romantic, I guess I can't ask for more than that. Till next time.

TOXIC WATER

I've not been my ole bubbly self this week....can't put my finger on what's wrong. It may be, from being around Trace, who is, as she said PMS'ing.I actually slept until 8:00 this morning....I couldn't believe it! I have been having these real crazy dreams too. Anywho, in arising this morning, I went in and turned my coffee on and while waiting for it, I decided to fill our new water purifier thing back up. We just got it last weekend. We are trying to do our part of going GREEN, so instead of all the water bottles, we decided to just reuse them with clean clear water from our counter top dispenser.

Well, let's go back to yesterday. RB was having lunch with us and I had my good old reused water bottle sitting there. RB calls my attention to some microscopic particles floating about in my water. I lift my bottle to the light and sure enough there is some CRAP swirling around in my water....GOOD GRIEF!!I didn't think much of it really....just thought, OH WELL, that's just from the dispenser thing being new and some mi-nute particles didn't get rinsed out of it.

Now, fast forward to this morning. I decided to rinse the reservoir, put some water in it and swirled it about. I looked into the small opening....what did I see???? A piece of something rolling around....WHAT THE HECK!!! I took the whole top part of the thing off and found the reason I had particles floating in my water. I am going to clear my name of this right up front, WAYNE put that baby together, but evidentally never even opened the thing up and surely did not read the instructions, for if he had.....the instructions would be in a drawer some place and NOT IN THE RESERVOIR!!! Yep, there floating about is the instructions and right where it should be, is the filter, only thing is.....IT AIN"T OPEN!!! So, there sits the totally wrapped up filter, with the instructions floating close beside it........WONDERFUL!!! I wonder how many toxins we have drank since Sunday?? OH! GOOD! GRIEF! Men and their hang ups with instructions. I know that some how or another, this will be my fault, when I tell him what I found this morning. I do remember him asking about a filter and I did tell him the first one comes with it....didn't know I needed to tell him to OPEN IT! After putting the whole episode together, I have to laugh.....GOOFY, JUST PLAIN GOOFY!!Till next time.

A Painful Mow

I am up this Friday morning getting ready to take Baxter to the groomers.....he is a MESS!!!!and STINKS!!!, I told you he is a very stinky little dog. He still does a lot of scratching....allergy's, I guess. As for our other GIANT dog, Gus....he is fine, still have to keep him fenced, cause other wise he would run amuck. His area is about 20' by 20', it has big trees in it so he is always shaded and it is really a nice home, accept when we let the grass grow so high in there you couldn't even see him when he was laying down. I got my trusty little red mower and preceded to get that crap cut down to size. With all the tree debris, I first had to do a lot of picking up sticks. There were also rocks and stuff that my little mower would not have liked.....so, after doing my walk through, I began. OMG!!!! It was AWFUL!! I had to walk very slowly as to not choke my mower to the dying stage, even in doing that, it did die on me a couple of times. I pushed and fought through the jungle for over an hour, remember, I said this area is only 20X20 or so. To make matters worse it was hot and muggy that day....just what a menopausal, hot flashing woman needs to be out in and working no less. I was miserable. I did get it conquered and was quite proud of the results. That night came the after shock of my days labor. My right leg started hurting through the night. It wasn't a muscle cramp nor the joint of my knee, but just a deep pain that would kinda start out mild, then ravage into a throbbing pain. I would try and massage it, but couldn't tell that I was ever doing any good....well, I got up took an IBUPROFEN, which helped some and I did get to sleep after that, but this crazy pain lasted for days, all the time I am taking pain pills to ease it, finally, Trace and I got to take our walk yesterday afternoon.....by the time we got back home, the pain was gone and I had no pain through the night last night. Is that not the weirdest thing ever. I know it was the use of that leg in my mowing endeavor that brought on that episode, but who would have thunk that further use of that leg would be the thing to make the pain go away. The other very painful outcome of my taming of the yard was a blister the size of Rhode Island....and that was with gloves on. These aging bodies are really unpredictable. Ya never know exactly what is gonna make them crap out on you. I haven't used my mowing muscles since moving. I guess, I need to get the old bod broke in again. I'm not done yet old girl so just prepare yourself.... Till next time.

No No Wally

I am going to try and catch you up on some of the things going on in my life right now. Starting a few weeks ago, I decided to boycott Walmart.....yes my beloved Walmart, that I was at, at least once a week. Through stories from Traci and other things I have read, I learned that Wally was being unfair to his workers by cutting hours to the point that they were not eligible for any benefits. I know, you have gone to checkout and though there are 20 check stands that line the front of the store, there are only 4 or 5 that are manned with a real person. You also have the choice of checking YOURSELF out.....didn't ya ever think, WHY are there soooo many check stands, but most are not open??? Tell me, why anyone would want to check themselves out? I have always said, if they gave a 10% discount for doing your own checking, I might be interested, but the fact is THEY DON'T and not only that, every time you do it yourself you are eliminating SOMEONES JOB!!!That is how they are ridding themselves of workers and the cost of having them....again, if they were giving that savings to their customers, I might think, ok, I can go along with this to save some money, but PEOPLE!!!, all they are doing is getting RICHER and RICHER. I used to love that all Walmart carried was American made, not true anymore and hasn't been for sometime now. I just knew, I had to take a stand, don't give them our hard earned money. I do my grocery buying, mostly at Brookshire now. I know I spend a little more by doing so, but if everyone would care how we are being treated and do that, GIVE BACK thing in our own communities, support the Mom and Pop stores these big corporations would have to do better. Now, if and when Wally decides to change some of these policies and once again it is a good American company to work for and shop at, I will return with my money to spend.
Now, having said all that, long before this Walmart thing, I had stopped going to McDonalds. When I heard that their beef was coming from HONDUROUS or someplace, I thought HECK NO!!! Why, would you get meat from another country when you live in the cattle capitol of the world? Unfortunately, I know the answer to that......MONEY!!!I swear, doesn't anyone care about quality and patronage of our own country's products?? GEEZZZ!!! that's why we have all this crap sent over from China and anywhere else they can get it made cheaper than here. We are giving America away each and every day. Foreigner's own so much of American companies and the ones still owned by Americans are using foreign countries and their workers to assemble our products. Ok, that's my, STAND BY AMERICANS, story for the day. Hey, I'm with all this green stuff, but the losing of America IS the losing of the WORLD as we know it. Till next time.

The Great American Insult

The Chinese are insulted,
We don't like their junk;

It's full of lead and poisons,
The quality just stunk;

Think Americans should want it,
Think anybody should;

Ship that crap, to somewhere else,
We really wish you would;

It's cheap and non essential,
We'd never miss a piece;

Junk America can do without,
Less toxins to release;

Just because it's made cheaper,
then to us it is shipped;

We stop buying all that crap,
One less way, we get ripped.

My Blog

Oh, What a beautiful morning,
Oh, What a beautiful day;

Sitting here at my computer,
Thinking of something to say;

My being is happy and joyful,
There will be no outbursts of rants;

I am full of, YES I can do it,
No voices that tell me I can't;

So glad a goodwill demeanor,
In me, is alive and is well;

I use this blog, to expel it,
Good thoughts and good wishes, to tell;

Until the next time of my bidding,
I close with a farewell to thee;

Can't say what the next blog will bring us,
It's a mystery, to you... and to me.

Kids

Today, I start out with blissful happy thoughts. Today, my grandson Mason is coming over to spend the day. I haven't seen him in a few days and I miss him. He is quite the character. He is still small and does a lot of yammering, three year old yammering. Most times, I haven't a clue to what he is talking about. When I do get what he is saying, it is usually something quite funny and he DOES make me laugh. He can be quite the stinker when he gets tired or doesn't feel good....the same can be said for my other 3 year old grandson, Kannon. Think of two, 3 year olds, now that'll turn your hair gray. I do enjoy them and as I have said each one of my 4 grandsons are very special to me. They are all characters in their own right. I haven't yet announced that we are expecting our 5th grandchild in October. I wait in great expectation!!! I LOVE babies. This one comes to my Son and his wife....Mason's folks, yep, Mason will no longer be an only child. He doesn't quite get it yet...as I said, he's only three. I know there is nothing like having a sibling, through the rivalry and all, there is a special connection, a bond that only brothers and sisters share. I am so glad Mason will experience that feeling. I go and prepare for my day. Hope you have a good one too. Till next time.

Business Matters

Hellooooo and Good morning! You think I must be in a better mood this morn.....NOT SO!!! As usual I have already had a complication from my Mortgage company, that I was soooo certain was taken care of. It starts out by our Insurance company NOT cancelling a policy before another was taken out, in which, made our escrow lacking in funds and we were notified that there was a shortage and our Mortgage payment WOULD be going up. I immediately get on the phone to our Insurance company, cause I see on the analysis that TWO, mind you TWO insurance policies were on our house. They totally admit dropping the ball and would get the other policy canceled and get a rebate check to us ASAP. Now, the statement I received from the Mortgage company CLEARLY stated that we had until MAY 1st to get the shortage paid and keep our payment from going up and as a matter of fact it will be lower because of a lower insurance premium. I get up this morning and a draft has come out of our account for the HIGHER payment.....MY HEAD ALMOST BLOWS OFF!!!!! I immediately get on the phone and ask WHAT THE #$@#@$?????? I was informed that though the statement said the payment would go up May 1st, because we have it electronically drafted out of our bank account the payment is made a month in advance.......well, no one bothered to write that on their Summary and as a matter of fact, the stupid payment had already gone up BEFORE we even received the notice saying it was gonna. I just LOVE the service you get from these MULTI MILLION dollar Corporations. They tolerate no jack assing from you, but let them totally screw up and it's OH WELL, with no compensation or apology for their actions or lack there of. I had just got my head cooled off from all the paperwork from last week, taxes and the insurance crap.....now, I am gonna have to start all over again. I really don't like even thinking of business matters or politics and try not to as much as possible. I am quite the easy going, fun loving person when not ruffled by acts of ignorance by companies, I unfortunately do business with or delve into the political arena and think of all the misuse of our hard earned money by the government and so, I'll think no more on those subjects and say till next time.

Watch Out! Opinion's Ahead

There is so much going on in the world right now, to which, I have an opinion, I don't know which one to start with. I guess I will go with this presidential election....for which, I say, PHOOOOEEYYYY!!!!! They are all nuts! It is so easy to get up there and say the exact things, they know, the American people are concerned about. When in reality, probably NOTHING will get changed, except for maybe, some NEW form of Taxing us. Ya know, money is the fix all......if they could just get us workers to put more in the pot.....HECK! they could..... END world hunger, house the homeless, educate the illiterate, save the world from GLOBAL WARMING.....why, there would be nothing they couldn't accomplish....if we would just COOPERATE! For just a few cents a day the worries of the world could get fixed.......HA!!! are they kidding me!!! Now, speaking of money, brings me my next form of torture and that is ALL THIS GIVING!!!! Aren't we GREAT people.....we GIVE and GIVE and GIVE....yet ABSOLUTELY NOTHING really changes, but we LOVE for everyone to know just how much we GIVE. YOU DANGED IDIOTS!!!!! AMERICANS are losing their homes, jobs, SANITY!!!, but yet NO ONE is putting on a show for them, no one is standing up and saying....WE GOTTA HELP THESE PEOPLE!!!! Let's have a SAVE THE HOMES drive.....if everyone would contribute, just what you can, think how many homes can be saved. America and Americans are going down the tubes, but we are so desperately trying to help everyone else, we are the ones being forgotten. There are Americans trying to live on Social Security and it is a struggle, now mind you, these are folks that worked all their adult lives and paid and paid and paid into our wonderful government and now they get to live below the poverty level....when we have our government aid going out to people that have never contributed a dime. To give OUR Social Security to those that DO NOT deserve it, is a crime against tax paying Americans. What other country would take better care of foreigners and other undeserving leeches, with grants and loans and even our hard earned Social Security monies, supposedly set aside for us that worked and put into it. I don't know....there is something wrong with this picture. I think we have all gone deaf, dumb and blind. I just sent off our taxes to which we paid in more this year than every before. There were no earned income credits for us.....nope, we just work our butts off all year, why would we think we might get some money back or just break even. I don't know how it got to be, that the less you do the more you are rewarded. This stupid rebate or whatever you want to call it that we are suppose to be sooo grateful for, I would like to stick up the IRS's @#!@#. Does anyone get that in so many instances we have taxation without representation. Think of all the people that don't and have never had children yet they pay school taxes....why is that....how are they represented???? I agree with my daughter, we ARE becoming more and more a dictatorship. My angst isn't at the rich of this country....not anymore, at least they are out there pulling their weight, paying their taxes....it is all these do nothings that are sapping up the money meant for hard working Americans. How did it ever come to be that one person could sap off the sweat of anothers brow??? I've made my opinion quite clear. If everyone would just stop and think. Expect MORE from your fellow man, as in PULL YOUR OWN WEIGHT! Life wouldn't be so hard on any of us. Till next time.

Get Ready

Into this life, we set our course,
but mostly stumble through;

Have no idea what tomorrow brings,
Things change, they always do;

Just when you think you understand,
Life shows you that you don't;

Prepare yourself, as best you can,
Though, most of us just won't;

The unknown comes, that we must face,
Whether ready, scared or brave;

For all of us, the day will come,
It's him, who will, us save.

April 2 Blog

I just, today posted my April 2 blog. Check it out. I debated whether I wanted to post it or not and decided, that is how I feel and to say otherwise would be hypocritical and I'm not ashamed to express my view. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Till next time.

Camping Trip

We went a camping,
a camping we did go;

packed the trucks with all the things,
you have to have, ya know;

We went up into Arkansas,
the terrain was mighty tuff;

We pitched our tents and made a fire,
but the sleeping, it was rough;

The wind blew hard and it was cold,
the night, it had no end;

Till finally sunbeams thru the trees,
warmth from them, they did send;

The day was spent, quite joyful,
we looked and hiked about;

We grubbed out on the daily meals,
we ate too much, no doubt;

The second night was really nice,
but the potty trips were scary;

into the dark, bare butt exposed,
it really was quite airy;

two days pass, bathe, we did not,
our hygiene, it was lacking;

Sunday morn, cold weather back,
yep, we started packing;

All and all, it was fun,
some times, were quite rough;

So,at the end of our camping trip,
we agreed, we had had enough;

We'll probably go again sometime,
after we forget how hard it was;

It's definitely something different,
and we do it, just because.

WWJD

Why is it, that a Preacher can,
use a city to make a stand;

But, in no way can the city be used,
for others, who have different views;

I ponder this and wonder why,
Why is he such a bias guy;

To use a church in a political way,
seems, bureaucracy has come in to play;

Suppose to separate church and state,
more like, church and God, is my debate;

To judge, I thought it was a sin,
where did acceptance go and intolerance begin;

A preacher sues, what does that teach,
followers, who listen to him preach;

Throwing stones, is alive and well,
while hidding behind a Christian vail;

A Christian act, I ask you?
I ask, WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?

Visiting And Working

Oh my, I must say, the weekend went by very quickly and is nothing ,but a blur. We were up early Saturday morning. Wayne and Dan were doing some electrical repair at Wayne's sister's house. Katherine, Mason and I went to spend the day with Wayne's Mom. We arrived and she hadn't even had her toast yet,she was sipping on a cup of coffee, sitting in the living room. She has had some severe back pain for sometime now.....just watching her trying to make it to the kitchen and then stand to make her toast was just about all I could stand. She moans in pain with each step. Her Dr. has told her there is nothing more he can do for her, so, pain killers are her only defense. I just wanted her to get her toast ate so she could take a pill and get some relief. I hate that she spends most of her waking hours hurting, as does Wayne's Dad. He was up and headed over to see what the guys were doing and get his cane poked in for his two cents. We sat and talked, while Katherine napped and Mason played. Katherine had worked late the night before and rose much too early. We were there till late in the afternoon. Sunday was another working day for us....man was it HOT! The air was so thick and sticky. We went to do our weekly clean at the shop, missing last week , that place was a mess! We made a quick stop by Wally's to get some lunch fixens and find us a blow up mattress for our camping trip this next weekend. After getting home and having some lunch we got out and hooked up the RV to move it to the front, cause we have decided to sell it. The way gas prices are and just having a new plan for our future has ignited a new game plan. I intend to get it cleaned up and ready for display. We called it a day after moving it and stayed in the rest of the day. Wayne immediately fell asleep on the couch and I watched movies in the bedroom. He finally woke up about 7:30 or so and watched the end of a movie with me, then we were off to bed. That's it for our weekend, so I will say, till next time. Exciting stuff....HUH!!!

Boiling Blood

Hey There! I have gotten intrigued with my TV shows....all reality ones. There's AMERICAN IDOL, DANCING WITH THE STARS and SURVIVOR. I didn't think I was gonna like the people chose to dance this time, but ya know what??? I am really enjoying them. Though I think Pricilla Presely had one too many face jobs and looks quite weird when she smiles, I give her kudos for getting out there for the world to see. She is really quite a good dancer. Now, Idol has been really interesting, but they are starting to advertise "Idol Gives Back" which makes my blood start boiling. Look back through my posts and you will find, my rant and rave over this topic. They raised 75 MILLION dollars last time, but it seems, go figure, that these problems are still there. They always make it sound like that just a little change can feed a child, but for some reason 75 million doesn't get the job done.....so here they go again. Idol gives back.....HELLL FIRE!!!! Idol gives what they can get the American people and American corporations to donate to them. Oh, I am sure that for publicity purposes they will dig deep to offer up some minute figure, of that wealth that the show has brought in. Ya know, when you have thrown money at a problem for decades and the problem still exists, ya got to think......THIS AIN"T WORKIN!!!!! I am all for helping people and getting them back on their feet, but then they have to stand on their own and take responsibility for them selves. I love this adage....as long as the training wheels are on, you will never learn to ride the bicycle. Haven't we been the training wheels long enough? I know, I come off hard hearted, as I did last time, but I say what I know, most Americans feel. We really aren't doing these people any favors....it's just like the grown kid that doesn't want to leave the nest.....WHY WOULD HE???? He is being taken care of and doesn't have to do a thing. NO one in America should be starving.....that's why we have food stamps, Lone Star Cards and soup kitchens. What more do we need to do.....go shopping, bring the food home and cook it, then deliver to them ourselves. Come on people....get a grip! The African situation is more complex, but there again, we have tried to help for DECADES and though things may be somewhat better for some, the problem will never be solved unless the money is used to cultivate their lands and bring in some form of irrigation so they can start growing their own crops and start working towards a better future for their children. There again, they have to be willing to take the training wheels off and ride that bike by themselves, once they have been steadied and heading in the right direction. I do hope that some money has been put towards a new levee in New Orleans and that all this rebuilding is for not. New houses and businesses are just a temporary fix if something wasn't done about the LEVEES. Ya can't live in a desert and ya can't think your safe living in a place that is below sea level....HELLLOOOO!!!!Heck, we might as well relocate ALL of these people, it might just be cost effective in the long run. As for Survivor, they have really got some bird brains on this time. They vote off the strong helpful ones and keep the weak do nothings...what are they thinking??? I have just about had it with the ones that get lucky enough to be chosen to be on survivor and then decide they can't hack it and want to go home. I know I couldn't and wouldn't want to be away from my family that long and under those conditions.... especially under those conditions....what did they think it was gonna be like....a luxury vacation? Then there is poor Jonathan, crying cause he had to leave....sad, just sad. Well, that's my take on my beloved shows. Till next time.

Easter Frolics

We had one absolutely terrific Easter. We decided to celebrate on Saturday since the weather was so nice. We had heard of colder and maybe wet weather coming in for Easter Sunday. The guys had been cleaning up the yard....mowing and gathering leaves and sticks on Friday so we got us a little campfire going, gathered some chairs around and sat and talked and laughed. The ole Easter bunny had previously hid some eggs for the little un's to find. They had the BEST time ever.....ya know the hunting of those silly eggs is the funnest part, to HECK with the candy and diddies.
We had a ROARING campfire going.....heck, even the neighbors came moseying up to join in on the antics. We decided to not let the fire go without roasting some wienies and marshmallows.....so Katherine made a mad dash to the store for HOT DOGS, BUNS, and MARSHMALLOWS.....boy! did we grub out when she got back. It was like a three ring circus with everyone talking at once.....I need the wienies, where's the buns, who's got the mustard.....DANG! this fire is hot....WATCH THOSE KIDS!!!! It was a real blast. All that night air and smoke and laughter got Dan to hankerin for a CAMPING TRIP!!!so with just a little discussion and coming up with a date we have made our plans to go camping up in Arkansas in a week or two.I LUUUUVVVV TO GO!!! doesn't matter who's going where, I wanna GO! We have decided to Tent it....yep, no RV as a matter of fact, where we're going there's nothing.....I mean NOTHING! No water, electricity....just you and nature. I know it will be a blast.....I CAN'T WAIT! What a glorious weekend....guess that's it. Till next time

15 DAY WEIGHT LOSS

I am on a never ending quest trying to shed some of these pounds hanging on to my mid section. Do you know that I can't even bring my knees all the way to my chest because long before I reach my chest, my thighs are obstructed by a large roll of flubber........geez, I can remember being able to fold up like an accordion. My biggest peeve, is that I can't sit on my ankles anymore....ya know, down on the floor, legs folded underneath you and buttocks resting on your heels......MY dang left knee won't bend enough so that I can sit flat on that side......These are the things that I really hate about getting older and the thing is, they creep up on you slowly and unnoticed until that moment you want to sit on your freakin heels and cannot. I think, when the crap did that happen???? My ability to do such a simple thing..... the roll around the middle, I have noticed for some time now, always knowing I ain't gonna be pulling my legs up to my chest. It's kinda like being about 5 to 7 month pregnant, ya know that little belly sticking out just enough to inhibit some of your wantings to sit a certain way? Well, my newest weight loss plan has come from the Natural store. They are pills that resemble molded grass and smell like a blend of all kinds of herbs. This is called the 15 day weight loss CLEANSE & FLUSH. Now, if that doesn't sound intriguing and make you want to say....HEY!!! I WANNA DO THAT!! I don't know what would. I love the thought of being CLEANSED and my body FLUSHED.....I am a neat freak, ya know. My inner house has always had a problem with digested garbage getting stuck on my floors and walls....HEEE, HEEE, HEEE....get my meaning? Ya know, the old poop story. I have always been jealous of Wayne....dang him! He can be going to the bathroom before he can get his last bite of food swallowed. He'll go at night and then again in the morning.....there I would be, wishing I could go at least twice or better yet three times a week. AWWWW, the free feeling of being CLEANSED and FLUSHED. I think I am still in the cleansing stage, this is just my 3rd day. We shall see if their promise of a flatter belly really happens. I don't usually buy in to that product hype stuff, but I do have wishful thinking. HEY GOTTA GO!!!! I have a CLEANSING A CALLING!!! Till next time.

Spring Day

I love this day with all it brings; To my sight and touch, to my heart, it sings. The sunny day, warmth of the sun; To smell a flower, it's life, just begun. Clouds, soft and white, go floating by, to bring about a clear blue sky. The wind it whispers through the trees, to catch and blow about the leaves. The grass so green, cool to the feet; I sit and feel the moments fleet. A bird it sings up in a tree, the song it sings so blissfully; The stillness comes from deep within, the quiet calm, I know will end; I soak it up, bask in it all; The glories of the day, I saw.

My Ego At Play

Yesterday didn't turn out quite as warm and pretty as I had thought.....it stayed cloudy and very windy all day, despite this Trace and I took Kan and Mason to the park. They had the best time. They ran, climbed, jumped, and jabbered to each other as only they can. Most times we don't have a clue as to what they are saying, but they seem to understand each other with ease.
Trace and I have been in deep conversation about the Eckart Tolle book. I am almost to chapter 4 and as I am sure you know, Trace has finished it and even gone back thru a couple of times. I understand and get some of his thoughts and ideas, but then there are some that I don't agree with. I have trouble with ME, not really being me, but I...is who I AM. I know there is a deep inner self that we, ourselves only know. That thinking and the voice that is our thoughts, I believe IS us, not some egoistic thing that comes out of us to leach on to forms. God made our brains and made each of us individuals with our own personalities and ideas. I get that each of us has an inner connection. In the deep core of us all, we are the same, but to say that all forms around us are nothing, but gatherings of our egos seems to take all importance away...even from life itself. I guess if we could all just go frolic thru the meadows picking unlabeled things and gazing at....what I call a tree, we could easily go to that mystic and idealistic place that Tolle seems to have permanent residence in. I would be the first to say....stop and smell the roses along lifes path and live each day to the fullest and don't be tied down to materialistic things. I have voiced my opinion on THINGS, long before Tolle's reading. He diminishes LOVE to nothing, but a power to rule over someone else. That's not what LOVE is to me. Anyway, I don't want to come off like him....that I have some greater understanding of life and its meaning......that I have figured out the answers to questions that have been asked since time began. I just know, that I have to be true to ME or I or myself.....HECK!!!! all three of us. I know that God knows my true feelings so I might as well stick with what feels true and right in my heart cause that's the bottom line.....HE knows and that's all that matters. I am still reading the book and hope to gain more insight into the psyche of people. I have no fear of being swayed in my beliefs and am always open to the ideas and thoughts of others. Some of his words hold a lot of truth and can be very insightful. I do wonder how a person can take on the magnitude of such a profound topic and feel confidant enough with their interpretation that they would share it with the world and not at least "LABEL" his thoughts, as I think.....but then, that would be HIS ego....right? Till next time

A Day To Savor

I am up this morning and finally back on my regular schedule....since the time change I was having a hard time going to bed at normal time and not getting up till almost 8:30. This just didn't feel right to me. In awakening this morning it was still dark looking which fools my mind into thinking it's still early, when I look at the clock I see that it is after 7:00.....time to get up!
Yesterday, did turn out to be an absolute beautiful day. I had some errands to run....bank, Wally's, stuff like that. Trace and Kan road with me. We got back home right at lunch time, filled our belly's and decided to make a run to Grapevine to fuel up Traci's car. It was such a nice ride. I hate to say we didn't really do much out in the sunshine....didn't even go for our walk, but it was an enjoyable day none the less. Today, I am going over to pick up Mason so he can spend the day with me. The weather looks to be gorgeous again, I am hoping we can have some fun outdoors. He loves coming over and always is excited to play with Kan. Kan, kinda relishes in his new found power and likes to come and then go making Mason very upset.I always tell Mason that he will be right back, but that doesn't seem to soothe him any. He just hasn't gotten it yet. Being the only child with no other kids to play with makes being around Traci's three sooo exciting to him. He usually gets into a giggling state and anything Kan does just cracks him up.
I am going to get up and get going......I don't want to waste one moment of this day. I intent to savor every moment.Good health and light loads....till next time.

Has Spring Sprung?

Looks like it's going to be a gorgeous Texas day. The temp is suppose to be close to 80 today....YAHOOOOO!!! I am so ready for Spring. Wayne and I went and played at Winstar over the weekend. I always have so much fun there. No thoughts of anything just doin my thing and watching the other people doin theirs......I love it. Saturday night Mason came and spent the night with Pa Pa and me. He must have had a busy day cause he fell asleep by 7:30 and slept all the way till almost 9:00 the next morning. We all went and did some last minute moving out of stuff at Traci and RB old house. There was just a small amount of staging stuff. Dan took the old trampoline to restore for Mason and with one quick trip back to load the swing set we finished up. That's about it folks. I am still kinda in a fog when it comes to my writing. Lots of thoughts up there but seems the river has been damned up. Anyway, just thought I would jot down a hello and a few tid bits. I am gonna go and start planning some great adventure for this beautiful day. Till next time.

The Flow Is Blocked

>
I still can't seem to get back to wanting to write.

My mind is blank,
what can I say;
I'll have to blog,
another day;
I'll be back,
I know I will;
This writers block,
is there until;
So, till the words,
can flow, once more;
Out of my brain,
with ease, can pour;
Till next time,
I'll say ado;
Till the words, you seek,
are there for you.

Our Thoughts

Ah!!!! That daughter of mine......she is the deepest thinker. She does come from a long line of mind provoking women. Though, the book Oprah is promoting right now is an eye opener to a lot of people, I can't say....OH MY GOSH!!! My life's been changed. All the things it says somewhere in my soul, I have already felt and believed. I'm not saying I am more enlightened than other people, but I have taken each experience of this life and embraced it. I have always tried to find the lesson to learn from each one. Some are harder to find than others. If we all put more thought into our actions, just think of all the negativity that would end. In really thinking about what we say and do and how it is going to affect someone else we could eliminate a lot of conflicts. It is our thoughts that can bring about our true selves and help us live the kind of lives we really want. We hide behind masks, always afraid to be our true selves. My first thought comes to what Traci and I talked about yesterday, how we are all so ate up with what everyone else thinks of us....what we say, wear, drive, where we live.....who are we trying to impress? Why do we spend our lives comparing ourselves to each other....always trying to look better, have more....I just don't get it!!! I just want to live, get joy from each God given day. So much emphasis is put on money and the THINGS it can buy us. Sometimes, I feel like, I would like to shed myself of all my worldly possessions, just go back to being totally free or least as free as you can be in this adult life. I know, it is not possessions that make me happy. I have serenity and joy from each sunrise and sunset..... the breath of life breathed through all the hours in between and living in the moment. That's my thought for the day......Live in the moment, each one is a precious part of our lives. Till next time.

It Could Be Coming In The Wind

I am here....just absorbed into my everyday life. My blog site has made me upset and I am kinda rebelling against it....it won't do the way I want it to. I had patients in the beginning, but it has been months now and I am still having issues with it. Anyway, I think I am having a dry spell and can't or don't want to pick my brain with new or funny goings on in my life right now. I am feeling really well, but still have a swimmy head at times. I am eating healthy and Trace and I walk almost everyday......that always makes me feel better. My mind is filled with all the foreclosures going on.....I just keep thinking....there's got to be some big bucks in it for me and Wayne, somewhere. This just might be our payoff for establishing and keeping good credit all these years. I hate to be the vulture circling the dead and dieing, but someone is going to profit off the misfortunes of these ill advised mortgages. I feel it might as well be us. We are long overdue. I am keeping an open mind and my thoughts are optimistic......I see good things on the horizon for Wayne and I.....I just don't know the packaging it is arriving in. I am staying open to all avenues. It could come with the next blowing of the wind........so subtly, I will have to be very vigilant, eyes and ears open..... I wait in anticipation. Till next time

My Life

To describe my life,
with just one word;



Would be impossible,
would be absurd;

So many joys,
I've had to date;

So very much more,
to contemplate;

There's been sorrows,
filled with pain;

Growth and
lessons,
there to gain;

With each day,
I am in awe;

Through these eyes,
the beauty, saw;

When looking
back,
on childhood days;

My journey, just starting,
my path,
a maze;

To know the right turns,
the forks, to take;


Were my decisions,
my choice to make;


My travels
through,
this life of mine;


I feel have been,
a test in
time;



Don't know the answers,
but, true to heart;


I will always stay,
till I depart.

Taboo Talk

I awoke this morning feeling pretty refreshed. I took a Benedrel and an Advil just before going to sleep last night. My head seems to be getting better. I still have a light headed feeling, but no vertigo. Trace and I went on a walk yesterday morning. I think getting out and about helped me a lot. We did some other running around after that, making a quick run to Sprout's. Wayne and I are both trying to shed some pounds, so I am fixing really healthy meals and cutting our portions. Wayne told me a story last night about a delivery guy that he sees at work. The guy is a little shorter than Wayne, but much bigger around. They were comparing their weight and Wayne was astonished to hear that he weighs more than this guy. That was a no brainer to me......I told him......it's because muscle weighs more than fat. Luckily Wayne is still pretty active at work and gets in some physical activity there, cause he just won't do anything with me at home.....remember our walks, they didn't last but a few weeks and he was done with them. I get so irritated that with just a little effort he could shed those unwanted pounds, where as with me, I diet and exercise and .......NOTHING, ZIP, NADA, not one pound lost. I can't diet like I did when I was young. I feel my old body needs the nutrition and if I did go on a fast all it would do is make me lose what muscle tone I have.....see, it's danged if you do and danged if you don't. I do notice than when I cut the fat intake of my foods I have fewer hot flashes and they are less intense. I had one hot flash during last nights sleep and it wasn't until early this morning. I didn't get nearly as hot and it only lasted a few seconds. I like that. I often wonder about those hot flashes......do THEY burn calories??? Your body is working...steaming up like that, surely they burn calories.....not that I want to have enough hot flashes to lose the weight I need to..... heck, I'd rather be a little over weight than suffer through those dang things. Anyway, I am trying real hard to think up good tasting, nutritional things for us to eat. I could totally go on a Lean Cuisine diet. I like most of them and my portion is already figured for me. I can know exactly how much fat and calories I am taking in with each meal. It's just like the Jenny Craig or the Nutra system diets, it's just portioned out meals that are cooked in a less fatty way. Now, if you want the comradery or the weigh in's to help you, you will have to seek out the highly advertised groups. I want to ask a question.......why is it that of all the women I know that are around my age and I KNOW must be going thru the change, just like me, never talk about it. I have not had one discussion with friends or family members about the changes going on in our bodies and how it is affecting our lives. Is menapause still a taboo subject....things women don't talk about? I hear all the talk on TV and have heard and read all the jokes about it, but where are my menapausel sisters....why aren't we sharing our stories with each other.....maybe, we could enlighten each other with little tid bits of how we cope with our changing bodies and minds. Is it that you just don't want to think about it....WHAT IS IT?????? I want some feed back. Surely, I'm not the only 50 something woman experiencing these symptoms, who is willing to talk about it. I can remember as a young girl hearing stories of women who went thru the change and.....lost their minds......hey, I can relate to that. Other than horrifying tales like that, I never heard any of the women in my family speak of menapause or the symptoms it brings on. I had two grandmothers, but didn't know their menapause stories. They are both gone now. My Mother had cervical cancer as a young women in her 30's and survived it thru radiation, but the treatment caused her to go thru the change at that age. She was never on hormones or anything.......again, as close as she and I became, we never talked about what that had done to her physically or mentally. This is a common bond that we as women share, each of us having our own take on it. I have told my story, quite openly. I feel, menapause is just another stage of life that has it's rewards as well as it's pitfalls. I want to embrace each and every stage of this life, take from it the lessons we need to learn and use those lessons to enrich the remainder of our time on this earth. We are in it together, most of us experiencing much of the same things. It's comforting to know we are not alone in our journeys. Talk to me people!!! Till next time.

Monday, Monday

Here it is Monday morning. I have tons of things to do today. We got quite a lot of rain over the weekend and you know what that means.....MUD......EVERYWHERE! Baxter going in and out brought in most,but Wayne did his share also. I have floors to sweep and mop, clothes to wash, bathroom duty and just a whole gambit of things.
My dizzy headedness is still with me, but not as bad. I'm not experiencing the vertigo, like I was, just a little light headedness. I still can't figure why this came over me. I have had many sinus problems, but none ever took on this side affect.
I want to say, Wayne was so sweet to me.......I think, he thought, I may just croak on him. He worried over me most of the weekend. This was quite an awakening for him. He seems to think he wouldn't be able to go on without me......but he could. I told him, I would want him to. He would need to be there for our kids and grandkids. They would all help each other through. I know it's kinda morbid to talk of death, but it is a reality......we are gonna die. We don't know when or how, but it is coming for us all. I have never minced words about wanting to live to be an old woman, but it may not be in the cards for me....who knows. I worry so about Wayne and his health and he may live longer than me, despite his smoking.
I better get up and get going. My list grows ever longer and I need to start getting things checked off. Hope everyone has a great Monday. till next time.

My Head Is Spinning

I have had quite a weekend.....which actually started sometime Thursday night. I had done some yoga Thursday morning, everything seemed fine. I had been feeling a little drug out, not near as much energy as usual,but not sick, anyway, I suffered with back pain through my sleep Thursday night. I got up Friday morning with pain middleways down the right side of my back. I figured it was caused from a pose I had done with the yoga thing. I decided I would do a little palates and work it right out.....well, I got down in the floor and just as I got started the room started spinning and I was so drunk I couldn't even get out of the floor. I finally did make it on to the couch. The vertigo stopped, but I still felt dizzy or kinda light headed. I decided I better just sit on the couch and put the heating pad on my back. The vertigo thing was still happening , but not all the time. This was scaring me to death. I have never been dizzy like that before. Wayne, just so happened to call and of course in hearing his voice I felt like I could let go, so I started crying.....just in relief.....you know, how we women do. He instructed me to just take it easy and rest on the couch for the day. I took heed and stayed on the couch all day. I did get to feeling better and by late that afternoon got up and made Wayne his Valentine....Late Valentine, dinner of Pork Chops, Rice and Gravy. Things seemed pretty good until we went to bed and I tried to lay down.....OH MY GOSH....the room began spinning. These spells were so intense, I would feel sick to my stomach. Now, I had not been sick, as you know, I had nursed Wayne thru what we thought was the flu, but I had kept it at bay as far as I was concerned and aside from feeling tired, I thought I was fine. We debated wether or not to go to the Emergency room. Though this was scaring me to death, I decided to wait till morning and see how I felt then. Well, the night was long, with many awakenings and several dizzy headed trips to the bathroom. I got up first, I knew I still felt light headed, but wasn't having the vertigo sensation. I sat down on the couch and decided to try and lay down and THERE IT WAS AGAIN!!!! As soon as the room stopped spinning I got up and went and told Wayne he was gonna have to get up. I was in panic mode....WHAT THE CRAP WAS THIS?????? I thought of a blood clot, or blocked vein, CANCER...something causing this weird spinning. We dressed and made our way to the Emergency Room. The closer we got the more I didn't want to go.....I kept running it over and over, do I really want to go? Do I really need to go? NO, I thought, I don't want to go....do I need to???? Now, that I didn't know. In we go. We went through the usual things, all the questions and explanations of what brought us there that morning. They did a complete once over on me. Blood tests, Cat scan of my head, Xray of my back, EKG, urinanalysis....the whole nine yards. We were in there for HOURS and HOURS!!!!! The dizziness was still there, but all tests come back absolutely negitive. No signs of any malfunctions or anything that could contribute to my condition. I got a clean bill of health, with some dizziness on the side. Their diagnosis was that I had an inner ear infection of some sort that was causing the spinning. They gave me a Anti Vertigo pill, had me sit there for a few minutes and then sent me home. I do seem to be better, but I still feel somewhat lightheaded, just sitting here typing is causing me to feel drunk. I took an Allergy pill last night and slept like a baby. The spinning wasn't nearly as intense when I sat up for the first time this morning, but it is still there. The Dr. said the ear thing will correct on it's own. I am just gonna have to wait it out. This is one Valentines I will never forget. I was suppose to get to go out for dinner Saturday night, but had to settle for......Jack In The Box. Not that I wanted anything to be wrong with me, but I hate that ALLLLL that money spent was for nothing. I guess I can think of it as my yearly check up. I was given a clean bill of health and peace of mind does go a long way. Well, that's my wonderful weekend story. Till next time.

Valentine's Day

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!!! I had the most beautiful arrangement of red flowers in a gorgous red vase delivered to me yesterday. I have never been so surprised. I have had one great Valentines this year. It started out with a gift of old coins....which I love. There was a braclet made up of an Indian Head nickle and very old Indian Head penny's on either side of it.....I love it! That was last week....then, I think it was Monday, Katherine brought me a HUGE heart filled with MY FAVORITE chocolate covered cherries and a very pretty card. Then, yesterday....the flowers. Man, I am truely blessed. I know the old coins idea came from Traci and I know she did the foot work at obtaining them, but I guess I can give Wayne credit now, for I think he did the flowers all on his own. They were such a surprise....it made me cry. I was feeling pretty lonely and taken for granted. Those arrived just in time to renew me and make me feel loved.....by Wayne, that is. He can be a real downer to live with sometimes. He gets it in his head....OH WOE IS ME.....and he can't seem to get out of it. When in this state, he does a lot of sleeping and sitting. He comes in from work, eats his dinner and as soon as the last bite is swallowed, he's asleep. I sit there the rest of the evening by myself, listening to him snore. Nothing, I say or do can make this mood of his go away. I always think, if he would just get up and get to moving he would feel better. I think lack of sunshine plays a big part in his moods. It is so amazing, that a person can be one way when they are young and then be totally different as they age. I would have never dreamed he was such a couch potato when we were dating. We were always out and about, doing things, LIVING!!! I also believe, the less you do, the less you want to do. Your energy level just keeps getting lower and lower. I wish it were in my power to make him feel better, but unfortunately it is up to him. He's not good at doctoring himself....he doesn't even try. Sometimes, I think he likes being so down and out. Anyway, I hate it for him. I want us to live each day with vigor and happiness. I want our old heads to be filled with fun memories of all our adventures. You have to work at everything in this life....your mental health is vitally important to your physical well being. I hope he can get into a better place in his mind.....it will certainly help me. Till next time.

I'm No Couch Potato

Gosh, I can't beleive it is already Tuesday....seems, I was just writing a blog here and I look and see that was last Thursday. I'll start with Friday. All us girls were already together so we called the guys at work and asked if they would like to go out to eat that evening. I am always glad that the kids bring it up cause Wayne is more likely to go if they ask. Out to eat is like some kind of a torture treatment to Wayne....why....I don't know. It's not like he has to cook it or something. He is the BIGGEST couch potato I have ever seen and it seems, my energy and want to go have fun makes his butt stick to that couch even more. To me sitting and doing nothing is a sin....to sit in a house when the sun is shining and the weather is warm and gorgous is just a SIN!!! Anywho, the guys made it home and we loaded up and went to On The Border for some of their all you can eat enchiladas. We got there and GOOD GRIEF!!! the whole town of Denton was there. I went in and put our name in the pot and was told it was gonna be a 45 minute wait. We did wait for about 15 to 20 minutes then decided to go to a place in Sanger where we figured there would be less people and Dan and Katherine said it was sooooo good. I take the little light up thing back in to the girl and tell her to remove our name from the list. Off we go to Sanger. This is a small town just north of Denton. We got to the Mexican restaurant there and tho not as bad as On The Border there were still quite a few people there. We waited and waited and waited, what seemed to be 30 minutes at least. We finally got in and seated, but then another 20 minutes went by before we ordered.....well, I guess you have figured that we didn't get home till around 9:00. We started all that around 6:00. Saturday was a long dull day. I got up and went to Wally's while Wayne sat on the couch. We sat for the rest of the day. I did get him up to go pick up Hunt at Dan's and K's around 6:30 and we picked up some KFC while we were out, then back home to sit some more. Sunday morning we were catching up on reading our emails. One from Wayne's Mom concerned us. She was telling of a fall she had taken and now had a sore and swollen foot. We called her and Wayne being his usual tact self gave her a good chewing out for not calling us sooner. He asked if there was anything we could do to help and of course she said no....I said let me talk to her. Hey, I'm a housewife, I know that when I'm down ain't nothin getting done....at least not right anyway. I asked what I could do to help and asked about their meal situation....good gosh...I can't imagine relying on Glenn T. to feed me. I know Wayne learned everything he know's or doesn't know from watching his Dad . They could get in the kitchen and try to fix a meal and probably think they are doing a bang up job when in reality they have absolutely wore you out from all the questions.....where's the this, how do you do that, how long do I cook this for, do we have any?????? and so on. Just shoot me now cause the mess that's gonna come from that one little meal isn't gonna be worth it....I'll do without. After talking to her on the phone I got myself dressed and went to the closest store and got ingredients for a couple of casserole type dishes. I got back and went to cooking. We were on our way to their house by about 12:00. We had lunch together and I had time to throw a load of clothes on to wash, but it got to be almost 4:00 and we still had to clean the shop, so off we went. Man, if it weren't for the trip to Plano and the cleaning of the shop we would have vegetated on that freakin couch. Oh well, I got a fix yesterday with some running around with Traci. Target and Walmart and even lunch out......THANKS TRACE!!!!! I needed that. I am just like a dog.....if a car starts, I want to go and hanging my head out the window is a bonus.....I love to goooooo, and so I must for now. Till next time.