A Changed Relationship

I have so many thoughts running around in my head today. I really am trying to understand what has happened to my relationship with my daughter. We use to be so close....not a day went by that we didn't talk, now I am lucky to hear from her once a week. She seems so distant.

All of this brings back memories of my own Mother. She and my father were divorced or separated for most of my life. She never remarried. Her whole life was spent with us kids....me in particular. We stayed close while my children were small. She went on vacations with us and was a big part of our lives. When my kids starting getting older, I found that I kinda resented her going on vacations with us.....I still loved her, but wanted my family to myself or something.

I have always tried to be mindful of my feelings towards my Mother, when it comes to my daughter. I know she has to find her own way in this world and I guess growing away from me is just what all children do with their parents. I really thought we had something different than most Mother's and Daughter's. There was no generation gap. We shared the same zany sense of humor. We could talk about anything and again shared so much of the same views. Now, I feel overlooked. On her list of priorities, I don't think I even make the list anymore. There are so many examples, but the most recent was yesterday. She was out of town on her birthday so I told her to pick a day when she got back that I could come over, give her her presents and do a little celebrating with her. She told me the day and I got myself ready and went over for our visit. On my arrival at 11:30 she was doing her exercises, which she does religously. As she is finishing she is telling me that she has made other plans and didn't have time to let me know. Now, in this day and age, one can text, email, or call a person in a matter of just a few seconds, but I guess it just didn't seem important enough to her. She was all in a flutter, trying to hurry and make herself ready for her excursion with her friend. I said, "guess I'll just go", "happy Birthday" and I left. No matter how you look at it.....she was RUDE! I would never do anybody like that. If I make plans with someone, that's what I do and if not I would definately let the person know my plan had changed. Dr. Phil says, you teach people how to treat you, but I did not teach my daughter to be so disrespectful.

I know she loves me....just as I loved my Mother.

Where I Am Now

Here it is 2011. I am soon to be 57 and I find myself in a small....very small space of about 600 sq.ft. I know to the world looking in.....we must seem crazy, but in our quest for as much simplicity and freedom as one can have in this life, this is where we have landed.

I have no desire to live in a big house or own a new vehicle. It is the hunger for THINGS in our life that kept us like prisoners. We labored every day to maintain our American dream.....owning our home, driving nice vehicles.....keeping up with the Jones's, as they say.

I had no clue that there was any other way. It had been instilled in me since birth. I watched my Mother work every day of her short life. I think....if she could do it all over again would she do it differently? As I grow older and I see my life speeding by, like a runaway train, I know, with crystal clear certainty, that is NOT what I want. Unfortunately, we are not independently wealthy and we've not been avid savers, so we still rely on work, for now.

This little, 1 bedroom, green house holds, not only our last few pocessions, but the promise of the freedom we seek. As I see the rest of the world still laboring towards their dreams of things, I wonder WHY? In the end, when we are moments from closing our eyes for the last time, will it be a house or a car or any other THING our minds will be filled with or will it be the memories of a life that you chose to fill with all the love and adventure you could. We come into this world with nothing and leave it the same way, so why do we choose to carry that heavy load of things through out our lives?

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.