Slow down....

I want this night to slow way down...it has just been wonderful not working these last few days...enjoying time with my family and celebrating Christmas with a fancy feast at my sister's.  My oldest and her husband came to visit a few days too which was very nice, and with the youngest here too, it was a perfect weekend. We got to spend some time chatting, catching up, and of course gift giving.  To me, the thing that makes this holiday special is not the gifts, but being able to be with family and of course remembering the whole meaning behind Christmas the birth of Jesus...

Tomorrow it is back to the routine...back to work....so...for now...for a few more hours...I can relax, nobody else owns the rest of my night but me...so I'll blog again soon...but no more tonight :)

..okay.. NEXT YEAR...

I need to remind myself that next year I simply must take a few days off right before Christmas.  It just is so hard to work when not in the mood. It isn't that I'm in this huge holiday spirit, it is just that I see everyone shopping, laughing, traveling, visiting....and it does make me feel more in relaxation mode...okay then yes I guess holiday mood.

Speaking of work, have to get back to it. But I wanted to mention I got my newest SouthernBelleGourmet Gourmet Cupboard order and I was just WOWED by the 12 dips of Christmas that I got. I actually ordered 12 different kinds of hot chocolate, cocoa, and such. The box was a LOT bigger than I expected and the size of the packages are a lot bigger than I expected too. Each one will make SEVERAL cups of yummy hot stuff..not just a few!  I am so happy to have ordered that!

Wow..sorry it has been so long..

since I blogged.. didn't feel like it has been that long but guess I have been busy not blogging but doing things like working, finishing the Angel Christmas cards and getting ready for Christmas when I can.  I did send over 100 Christmas cards between personal cards and the Angel card project. Next year i would like to try to send one to everyone on that list. Hopefully I'll have enough time to do it.

It is hard to believe Christmas day is only a few days away. Am I ready?  No.  I still have to get presents for the few people we buy for. Hopefully tomorrow I can take a break from work and run out and just get it done. Yesterday morning I did my grocery shopping and saw a man with gray hair, a bushy beard and a gut.. and I almost asked him if he got called Santa Claus these days?... Then I stopped myself, thinking he might not find it as funny as I did so I just walked past him and then grinned.

It got up to 81 today, not that I'm complaining,...that is one of the main reasons for moving from PA...but it looks weird seeing Christmas decorations out when wearing short sleeves :)

Oh....and my youngest, the main reason for the theme of this blog..came home for Christmas break from college. Instead of sleeping in and doing nothing though, she is back to work for JC Penney. She wants to make money so she can start saving more for her car payments. She got a new car last weekend.  Her car was getting sluggish and before spending a lot more money on repairs, we talked about it and she said she could handle the payments. It is good to know she will have reliable transportation now. I was always a little worried she'd break down going back.

I'll try to stop back and blog before Christmas but just in case I don't get to it...hope everyone has a safe, happy, holiday !!  God Bless us everyone!

What I did this weekend...

Normally I have been working on the weekends, but there was not a lot of work this weekend so I decided to take 'off' and not work.  Yesterday took some time and decorated the living room for Christmas. We lit the little Christmas village that I have stretched across the book cases. I put a lot of decorations in front of the fire place too.  I opened the fireplace wire mesh covering to see how bad it looked as I was thinking it would be nice to put some thing lit up inside the fireplace since I think we used it all of one time in the 5 years we've lived here. It was just too blackened with use.  The previous owners must have used it a lot and I didn't know how to get the black off, so it wouldn't look very nice lighting up a dirty fireplace so we let it go.   I hung a few miniature stockings along the top part of the fireplace opening.

We decided not to bother putting up the (fake) tree this year. The way we have the living room, there really isn't room for it. I did buy a tiny evergreen tree (live) to put on a table near the floor lamp in the room though so we are going to use that as the Christmas tree this year.

As I was decorating I cleaning a little as I can't stand putting decorations on top of dust! :)  So did get the living room a little cleaner.  After that I worked on the Santa Angel project I participate in. This is at least the 2nd year I have participated.  It is a kind project run by one man who wants to spread a smile and a little joy to those lonely, sickly or unfortunate at this time of the year. The idea is to send everyone on the list a Christmas card.  I always enclose a small Christmas picture of the dogs too in each one  The list has over 250 names this year but I'll get less than 100 done.  At least that's something. I don't have a ton of money to spend on all that postage either so doing 80-90 will be fine with me.  I have 77 done so far. 

While working on cards yesterday hubby and I watched all 3 of The Santa Clause movies.  He didn't know there was more than 1.  It was nice watching some holiday themed movies.

Today I did my Sunday morning exercise, cleaned all 3 bathrooms, did 2 loads of wash, baked chocolate chip cookies, then worked on some more cards.  I'm watching a Christmas tape I made years ago as I am blogging.  I watched Miracle on 34th Street, The Grinch (cartoon one) and am watching Frosty the Snowman now. It was nice not working for once and getting a bit of a breather.  Will probably be working next weekend.  But it will be nice having the youngest home for the holidays at the end of the week so I am really looking forward to that!

GO OBAMA!! Although... my opinion...

may not be shared by everyone, I just heard President Obama speak or rather reprimand some reporters about their questions as to whether the public can believe Obama or not.  He has met so much opposition from the Republicans and even some Democrats that anyone listening could hear in his voice the frustration and angst for all that he is trying to do for this nation.

I belong to a few online groups and have heard complaints about how insurance premiums are going up. Yes, no one likes that, myself included and ours goes up every 4-5 months it seems.  However, we all need to look at the overall GOOD of things that are passed or implemented such as the Health Care Reform.  I for one am absolutely elated that pre-existing conditions MUST be covered now.  I have always hated that rule and felt it so unfair. No I do not have a pre-existing condition but I can understand how hard it is for anyone to get insurance, let alone change insurance companies that do.  I am also elated that my oldest who is 22 can STILL be covered under our policy until she is 26.  Otherwise she would not have any insurance.  So we all have to take some of the brunt of these added benefits..but it is just like taxes, it is for the benefit of our community and the nation as a whole.

I've heard folks complain about having to pay School Taxes when they have no children. Unfair as it may seem, would it be more fair for only those who have children to bear the burden of these taxes which would undoubtedly cripple some families financially?  And if so, should they pay per child, with the more children they have the higher their tax burden?  That is narrow minded and ridiculous.  After all, what are school taxes for?  To help maintain or for that matter better the school systems to help educate those who may be our community's future leaders, businessmen, doctors!  Yes folks who because of their education, may benefit the entire community.


Okay I am getting off my soapbox now because I really need to get back to work. But I just wanted to say to President Obama.  Thank You!!

Contest...spreading the news

There is a great contest that a fellow blogger is holding.
This is a great chance to win a 100 Visa gift card
..


go to her BLOG for all the details

http://totallytogetherreviews.blogspot.com/2010/12/olay-7-in-1-anti-aging-moisturizer-and.html

Signs....

Ever believe in signs?....I'm not sure that I do..but sometimes it seems ironic how things appear to you and if you don't hone in on them you don't even notice.

I have see two people recently, one a man and the other a woman who had osteoporosis so badly they were humped way over and I felt bad that they could not even see straight ahead and they had to actually look up and crick their necks to see what was in front of them.  I have rarely seen folks this bad off...and thought it strange that I saw two people within a few days of each other...I started wondering if this was a sign.  Was this a sign that I need to make sure I am getting enough calcium?  Is this a sign that I need to be careful or I'll end up like them?...

Perhaps it was a sign...perhaps it was coincidence...but I am going to try to be mindful and be more observant about things and people around me.

Meant to post this...on Friday...

..but had family visiting so sorry, the blog comes 2nd or 3rd or 4th...when the real deal is in my house!
It was great having both my daughters and son-in-law here for the weekend.  Thanks for visiting !!

.....

I was just thinking about how relieved

I am that I can throw out all the ads, and tune out

the Black Friday frenzy shown on TV this year...since

it was last year I announced to my extended family

that we would not be exchanging gifts (from then on)...

I just buy for my 2 daughters and since my oldest
is married now...something small for her hub (or
maybe combined gift for them)...but the PRESSURE
is off!

I am going to get them some gifts but nothing
hog wild. I can get things any time as sales are 
ongoing let's face it.  :-)

Hubby and I don't get each other anything either
as we both know it is more important to get out
debts paid off than to buy each other 'things'...
besides..if at Christmas we still have each other
and our health, that is gift enough for us!

Mammogram overkill revisited....

I have a good friend who just recently went through what I did 5 years ago well part way.... She got a mammogram and was instructed to come back for a second one which she did. At that time she was told there was something that was not identifiable and needed a needle biopsy.  She told me she remembered my botched up needle biopsy nightmare that I had shared with her not too long ago and sought a 2nd opinion.  She got that second opinion Thursday and turns out there is NO reason (and this was from a surgeon that specializes in breast surgery) for her to have a needle biopsy. 

How many other women DON'T get that second opinion though and have a needless biopsy done?  And no they are not a simple operation...the doctor who did mine 5 years ago, screwed up..the needle hit a vein and he told me was squirting out like something from C.S.I....which of course was NOT very comforting to me. Then I needed 2 stitches, right on the sensitive area of the nipple too, and then there was the bruising for days afterward. This was all done in a room adjacent to his office too, not a hospital or anything like that (to give the appearance that it is a simple procedure I think).

After my friend told me she was relieved to hear her good news, we got into a conversation about the whole wasteful 2nd mammograms and stress that it causes and then I got on the subject of how many women don't even GET mammograms as often as they should because you need a prescription for it. THAT costs money going to a doctor for those of us who don't have an HMO that covers everything, this can be costly and a pain, because most doctors are not going to let you just pick up a script ...you need to go in and get an exam and pay for that bill.

I did look up mammograms a little before blogging and some websites indicated that you do not have to have a prescription/referral in order to get a mammogram, well every place I have gone I have.  One website said you don't have to have a prescription but the place that does the mammograms can refuse you...okay so yes in most cases you probably DO need a script. I think that alone is preventing some women (again who can't afford it) from even getting a mammogram. I strongly believe a script should not ever be required.  Then if there is something suspicious it is up to the patient to decide if she wants further mammos, biopsies or what. Some websites I visited said that even if one can walk in an get a mammogram at a clinic they want to know the name and number of your doctor for following up. Why? Well I know why, it is so the doctor can follow up and badger...uh.. I mean advise you to get the needle biopsy. I don't think this should be a requirement either for a doctor's name and number.  Just tell ME if there is some issue and I'll decide if I think this is just a ploy to get more money out of me, or if it is something I really need to be concerned about.

"Now that's all I have to say about that" (Forrest Gump).




 

Time to ponder...

I got done my work what is considered earlier tonight than usual. I do not like it getting slower because I need the money, but it is giving me some time to ponder.

What do I ponder about?...Well today when I was walking one of the dogs, I was wondering what I would do if I won the lottery...and I mean BIG like $ Millions...the kind of winning that changes your life.

I know I would pay off all our debts and the house but not too sure that we would move to some big glamourous house but rather complete all the things we want to do with this house. The back yard would look awesome with some fountains, maybe a koi pond, and beautiful landscaping.
And the bathrooms and other things need a major facelift.

..so after all that what would I do? I am sure that I would do something as I just get bored too easily. If I don't work I would volunteer, actually now that I think of it, we would probably build a big dog shelter out in the country a bit, to house rescued shelties since we love them so much. I could see myself taking care of a bunch of homeless furkids like that. :-)

I would also visit my children more often as I do not get to see them very much.

I would definitely focus on staying the same person, staying humble about life and what is important. I would take more time to drink in the sunshine, observe nature like I like to do but don't get a chance often enough, and take more walks.

Guess I should start playing once in a while, huh?

Wonderful Weekend...

Believe it or not, I did not even turn on any computer on Saturday and that is very rare for me!

My youngest sister's husband decided to throw her a big 50th birthday party and she invited our siblings to come to town with their families to attend. And everyone accepted her invitation. So I was able to see relatives I haven't seen in 4 years! It was really nice seeing everyone again.

My sister has an Autistic son and I was very impressed by him this visit. The last time I saw him, he did not want to make eye contact, and kept to himself. He is sixteen (I think) now and when my sister asked him to say hi to me, he actually hugged me and looked at me and smiled! This was a major improvement to the last time I saw him. He hugged everyone he met and was very tolerant of situations he was put in. The fact that he even was willing to get on a plane impresses me.

My nephew and niece are so grown up, well they are grown up, but it is still hard to think of them as adults. You know what I mean..we all have relatives that we just think of as always being a kid.

My folks held up okay too throughout the festivities as I'm sure it was more than my mom would have liked to handle. She likes to socialize in small doses. It was nice having everyone here on Sunday for donuts and coffee. I had a chance to show off the back balcony I am so proud of having decorated with re-purposed things mostly.

My youngest came home for the weekend which is always wonderful, with her boyfriend. The only missing relatives were my other daughter and her hubby. She just couldn't get away with her current dance practices.

I hope my sister sends me some of the pictures she took so that I have some.

It was tough getting back into the work groove on Monday but of course by mid day I was back into work mode. Still was very nice NOT working over the weekend. It has been a month since I had a weekend off.

Well, Nite..

Funny post...

I am working way too many hours these days....sorry haven't blogged in a while but I did come up with something off the cuff that was funny that I posted to someone's post on Facebook. Here was her post:

"I loved you the minute I heard your heartbeat. I loved you the minute you were born. Then I saw your face and I fell in love some more. You were only a minute old, but I knew I would die for you, and to this day I still would. When you choose to have a child you make a decision to allow your heart to walk around outside of your body. Put this on your status if you have children that you love more than life ♥ ♥ ♥ '

and here is my response:
I loved you the minute I heard your heartbeat. But then you came out and started screaming..I liked you the minute you pooped your first greenish/yellow poo. I hesitated the first time you spit up all over me..from then on..its been a coin toss.

___
to my kids..I do love YOU!

Busy..busy

I am busy working again...a lot. So I don't have a lot of time to blog. But I do want to convey that I do have my website for my Gourmet Cupboard business finally! :)

and I am offering  free a sample mix...



Your choice:

Mexican Fiesta Dip mix (great with tortilla chips)

and/or Ranch Dip/Dressing mix from my business.

You can give me your email addy in a comment here on my
blog and I can contact you for your mailing address.

Feel free to check out my website and order some great easy meal mixes today!

Southern Belle Gourmet

Quick, Easy & Fun Gourmet Food
Mixes

Poem

Oh I wish I could go out and play...
but at this desk I have to stay...

for mine is but a life of work...
some days I think I'll go berserk...

at least for now I can look out and see...
the swaying leaves...wave to me...

Perhaps when all the debt is paid...
I think that I will have it made...


I know that when that time comes..
I won't ever have to be so glum.


(yes i made this up just now) :-)

Things...

Got done work earlier than expected so I decided to visit my blog and talk about what's new...

I am saving the pink lids from the Yoplait yogurt so that I can send them in and have .10 cents given per lid to try to help with cancer research.  I am up to 11 today.  Yeah!!

It was a busy weekend of work but that is good because I can always use the money. It was beautiful outside and that made it a bit harder to concentrate, but I got through it. 

Then this morning I got my two weeks of menu/groceries bought which is great, because then I have next Monday morning off.  I won't have to get up early to go grocery shopping. I don't ever go on the weekends because it is too busy then. I hate waiting in lines while the ice cream melts. This way going early in the morning I never have to wait in a long line.

Next month will be sort of a family reunion as one of my sister's husband is throwing a 50th birthday party hoopla for her and word is that my other siblings are coming to town for it.  We haven't seen each other in close to 3 years so it will be nice to see everyone again.  I need to make a mental note not to volunteer to work that weekend so that I can be free to hang out with them.

Haven't bought any Halloween candy yet but there is usually a good price on them a few days before.  We do not get many kids anyway so I won't be buying that many bags...but will get what I like for sure just in case there's any left ! ;-)

This picture says it all...

Good night...

My 'ahhhh' drink

We all have something we spoil ourselves with once in a while..don't we?  Whether it is having lunch out at that special eatery that has our favorite dish...or staying in bed longer than we should....or having a Kahlua and Creme....we all have to pamper ourselves every so often, so we don't go nuts.  Some evenings after a long day (and often night too) of work, I like to sit down and relax to one of these.... YUM!!

______

October is here and I am glad that we do not need to run the air conditioner hopefully until next Spring.  Although this month is the month of ghost and goblins and Halloween (and a lot of creepy movies that I do not care to see), the thoughts that cross my mind are how there are only 3 more months to save for real estate taxes and income taxes and a slight panic sets in that makes me re-evaluate the money going out.  I know I shouldn't get so serious in the same post that mentions relaxing with a Kahlua and Creme...but I can't help myself.  After all, this blog is about what is going on in my mind and life while I am preparing for full-time empty nest stage.

We had a cleaning lady for less than 2 months but we let her go last week.  I just can't see paying someone to clean, especially when hub is no longer running the store and can help with the cleaning and such until he gets busy doing something else. He has already started helping with dinner and does dishes practically every night and that is a big help for me. I can get more work done that way. And I am starting to do shopping for 2 weeks at a time with smart menus that can use leftovers from one meal for another, or buying large packages of chicken to split up and freeze for a few meals at a time. I definitely spend less by shopping this way than going every week. 

Enough about that!  Off to have my Kahlua and creme and to watch Saturday Night Live!

Yummy!!

Hey everyone!!

I am proud to announce I have joined Gourmet Cupboard!! :)

If you haven't tried the mixes, you should!  The are wonderful and so convenient!

 

If you would like Gourmet Cupboard
please review the products at http://www.thegourmetcupboard.com/
and email me what you would like to order
and I can paypal bill you your total.

I am looking to get my own Gourmet Cupboard website soon...

Here is something I made last weekend...gone in 3 days!...Chocolate Butterscotch Bars

 

 

 

 

Happy Day!..

Guess what?  My youngest is here visiting for the weekend again. Yippee! And she even is doing her OWN laundry!  How nice !   She got her hair trimmed today.  They curled it for her too and it looks cute!  She is growing it out so she can give it to the Locks of Love.  School is going well for her which I always love to hear.  She did get a parking ticket though which I'm making her eat ...lesson learned.  But I do know that parking is hard to come by there in campus so we may look into a paid parking spot for her.  We'll see.

I was scheduled to work all weekend but doesn't seem to be as much as was originally indicated.  It is okay as I'll just watch TV tonight with the family.  I like to watch Cops and Americas Most Wanted. 

Glad that the new season of TV is finally here! :)   Watched Greys Anatomy and tried out some other new shows.  I like Tom Selleck so watched the new show he is in. I think Saturday Night Live is a new one tonight too. Let's see if I can stay awake for it! :)

..well another year ..shot to hell...

..just kidding...but I am another year older now.  Yup had another birthday. Two of my siblings must have forgotten because I didn't get any happy birthday email from them, but that is okay. I had to work as usual and it really was just like any other day...but now if I need to put my date of birth the math will reveal another year older.   I don't feel any older than I did a year ago...but I know this year when I get my physical I will be asked once again when I am getting that colonoscopy.  I am not saying it is not a good idea, I'm just saying I do not really know that it is needed when one turns 50.

I heard from a woman the other day who read my blog article on my other blog that I rarely write on now. It was called Mammogram Overkill

She had an interest in it as she also had what she thought was needless mammograms.  I decided to share here what I responded to her with.

"Let me start off by saying I am no doctor so all I write is just my own observations and opinions.

I have a theory on why there is being so much needless needle biopsies,and additional mammograms. The equipment being used has grown so sophisticated that it can now pick up microcalcifications that used to not show up. And when the doctors see that, they want more tests. I'm sure for some this is helpful if they find out early on about stage 1 cancer. But for others like me and you (it sounds like), it really adds a
lot of stress.

Ever since I had the botched up needle biopsy in 2005, I have had a digital mammogram (recommended). And except for that time they wanted more films which was the time I wrote that blog article, there have been no instances of coming back for anything.

Who knows if I did or did not have any microcalcifications because there apparently are none now. Perhaps they moved and are now undetected. I don't know.

I am sorry you are being put through this extra prodding and aggravation. It is really your decision whether or not to go back in 6 months. I can see your questioning why it is necessary...thus the 'overkill' label. :)

I do not know if you watch Dr Oz at all but the other day there was a segment about cancer and he said that  all of us have some microcalcifications of cancer and the issue is whether these ever grow and become full blown cancer. I  thought that was a very interesting concept. There was a cancer research 'expert' there who emphasized measures that can be taken to avoid cancer  growth and the main thing that we can contribute for that is in what we eat!

There were 5 things that were excellent anti-cancer foods specifically that I wrote down and am going to try to eat more of ..or even eat as I never had a few of these. They were: Bok Choy, Flounder, strawberries, cooked tomatoes (cooking does something to them that gives them even greater capacity to ward off cancer), and artichokes. I've never had Bok Choy (suppose to be like a Chinese cabbage I think) or artichokes, but I am going to start trying them.

I also eat oatmeal (excellent fiber) for breakfast with cinnamon (good for keeping blood sugar down) and lots of colorful fruits and veges. Blueberries are loaded with anti-oxidants too...and I am going to get some chia seeds (found them online) that are suppose to be the highest anti-oxidant food out there.

Sorry, got off on a tangent. Please know that I feel for you and you are more than welcomed to stay in touch with me and let me know how things go. To be honest with you I don't even get my mammo every 12 months, but more like every 16-18 months As I just do not think it is necessary but that is just my opinion.

I read on an online health ezine I get that some medical professionals are saying we only need pap smears every 2-3 years, every 3 years after age 30, and I've been getting them every year or 18 months too! So I may start getting them less often now. Cervical cancer supposedly is slow growing so they found it not necessary to test every year...

..so things are constantly changing! I am going to be 53 in a few days , and I still have not gotten a colonoscopy! I am not quite sure when I will get one of those..."

~ Another critter! ~

Okay...a large critter...!   Hubby saw this crawling in our back yard right off the porch.  I was pretty brave getting darn close to it! :)

Oops....

I have been missing blogging this month and so for that I apologize to those of you who visit hoping to catch a snippet of what is new with me...

Before I go any further I want to wish my youngest a Happy Birthday tomorrow!! (a bit early).  It is always a little tough for her having a birthday on 9-11 when everyone is somber and reverent for what happened that day years ago.  My own brother was in the World Trade Center that morning but had left there about 15 minutes before the first plane hit.  So anyway.. Happy Birthday!!!  Hope you have a great day Stac!

We had a garage sale last weekend and got a decent amount of stuff sold but still have quite a bit left.  A neighbor came over and said she and a few others were going to have one in November so we boxed up what didn't sell so we can participate then too. We may sell more of the small things we have left since it will be the holiday season and some may be looking for gifts or stocking stuffers.

We had some gowns that my oldest had worn for either pageants or proms and they didn't sell and when I told her we'd try again in November she asked me to save them as she wanted to donate them to a charity she found out about that takes prom dresses/formals and provides them to needy teens who cannot afford prom dresses. How thoughtful!  So I am saving them for her to donate.  I'd actually much rather do that anyway than have someone trying to chew me down to $3.00 for a beautiful gown that cost us upwards of $100 or more!

There were some folks at the garage sale that were down right rude in what they wanted us to take. I understand there is some negotiation at garage sales but we had a really nice floor lamp at $30 and someone offered $10.  Sorry, nope!  I'd rather keep it or give it to charity!  I would never be that insulting!  I mean I expected someone to ask if we would take $27 or $25..but not that low. We had a microwave for sale that we had $30 on.  There was a couple who were genuinely interested in it. It was not used a lot and I had cleaned it up and it looked practically new. We plugged it in and heated some water in it to show them it worked. The man asked if we'd take any less and I told the man we'd take $25 for it and then he wanted to go down to $20 for it.  We stood our ground and said no.  Again, I'd rather keep it as a spare for our spare, than 'give it away'.   We did have some very nice folks who just paid the price that we had on items and I thanked those folks a lot more cheerfully than those that tried to push for lower and lower prices. We already had things marked low. 

Anyway, hubby decided to hold it Sunday and part of Monday too but I'm not sure that was worth it much.  By the time Monday was over I was exhausted.  What is it about garage sales that makes one so tired afterwards?!  I don't know.

Even though I am working this weekend we are having company for dinner and I am really looking forward to it. We rarely get together with anyone, not that we don't want to, just not a lot of time to make friends with how much I work.  Going to make my crock pot meatloaf...

....nite...

Yippee!!

The youngest is coming home for the long holiday weekend and I am so glad. I think the first time she leaves for school in August it is the hardest adjustment. This is because she's been home all summer and got used to her being around daily...sorry if I am repeating myself but since I'm feeling it..have to say it again.

Anyway...thrilled she is coming this weekend. We are having a garage sale too so she can help with that.

I am actually so happy about the garage sale. We have gone through so many stuffed drawers and cabinets and it just feels so great to have things de-cluttered. I went through half of my office too and so half of it looks really nice, the other half..well not so nice.  But I will get to it when I get a chance.

I was looking ahead at the fall schedule on television and it is still about 3 weeks away until the new shows start..oh the pain of it all....yes I know .. have no life but hey, at least takes very little to entertain me! :)

Empty nest..again...for a bit...

The pain of it all... we took the youngest to college today for her to start the adventure of sophomore year.  I took a few pictures.  Here are two of the dining room table.....BEFORE we headed out and AFTER we got back home.  Only thing left was a lonely hanger left behind.

Hubby came with me this time to get her to college since the store is closed and for once he was able to come along.  We had some fun in the car singing some songs together with some nice harmony if I do say so myself ;-).  It made the trip go faster.  I found a picture of our youngest from last year on her first day, so I am posting day one last year and day one this year.  Think she is going to enjoy this year!

                                                            DAY 1        2009

                                                         

                                                               DAY  1     2010
....so anyway, we got a good parking spot for unloading our cars...and carted all her stuff into her room.  Her roommate was already moved in but not in the room when we got there.  We walked around campus some since hubby had not seen it before and got some much needed lunch at the student center.  It was really a hot day to be walking around..about 105 degrees!

So time to get used to being back to hubby and me without any kids around.  I can do it... < Sigh>  really I can.   ;-)

More critter pictures....

I cannot take credit for these pictures as my hubby took these.. but hey he has more time right now since we closed the store and I am still working every day. The first pictures I am surprised he even spotted the snake on the bushes/vines next to the back porch. It blends right in with the green!! See it? See in the first picture the cement background, our porch is right there next to that bush it is wrapped around.

The next one may be the same lizard that was visiting on one of the patio tables before. This one is traveling down one of the porch supports and then sunning itself in the nearly 100 degree heat! :)

We also have at least 3 or 4 tiny things (geckos I think or salamanders) that are in and about the house.  They are only about 2-3 inches long and are really quick!  But I'll try to get a picture soon.

Back to school soon...

As my youngest gets ready to head back to college...and I get ready to feel the empty nest again for a bit anyway until she comes back for a weekend...I see how my emphasis on money or lack of it in the past when they were younger had a good influence on both my kids.  For a while there I was a single mom and so shopping at second hand stores and getting haircuts done by mom (me) were part of life back then.  I would often feel bad when I had to say "No, we can't afford that".

So..when textbooks and ordering them came up the other day I was prepared to shell out hundreds once again for them but my youngest searched and found some wonderful bargains and even one required reading book at .01 plus $3.99 shipping!  And a few others she found for less than $5.00 each.  I was floored at the bargains she found and although she did have to resort to the school book store for a few of them, the total was well below what I expected the cost to be! 

And my oldest who got married in March pulled together a very nice wedding with a budget of around $6000.  In today's age of costly weddings that was a real savings and she did an excellent job of looking for bargains and making some things by hand.  Her wedding dress was less than $900 and it was beautiful!  Anyone who has seen those bridal dress shows on television know that they can run upwards of $10,000+ just for a wedding dress!  So I am proud how wonderful her wedding turned out 'on a budget'. 

So instead of feeling guilty about bringing up money all the time...I can actually be happy that I did!

~Exotic Oatmeal ~

First of all YES there is Oatmeal under all that fruit!  I have oatmeal nearly every morning for breakfast.  It is great for our bodies.  Besides having all important fiber, it has Vitamin E, zinc, and other important nutrients.  I make the old fashioned oatmeal, not the kinds with tons of sugar and flavoring added.

I make 1/2 of what is needed for 1 serving and add a squirt of honey (better for me than processed cane sugar and I'm just not sure how healthy those sugar substitutes are)..and also a few shakes if cinnamon. Cinnamon helps keep blood sugar levels down. And NO, I am not a nutritionist...just learning things via the Internet and such.

Anyway...I have been expanding the things I am willing to try as of late and while at the farmers market there was a lady selling Jujube fruit.  I had never heard of this before but it has been around for thousands of years and was used for medicinal purposes in Ancient China.  So I thought I'd get some, it was only $1.00 for a heaping baggie of them.  It tastes to me like an apple that does not have much flavoring.  But the health benefits are worth it not having any exotic taste.  It is the fruit in the center of the picture. 

Surrounding it is a Kiwi fruit that I picked up at the grocery....well they don't have anyone selling that at the farmer market, and around that is a Clementine that I got a bag of when we were visiting my oldest and her hub last weekend.

And yes I do usually have my oatmeal blanketed with some sort of fruit concoction! So nobody can say I am not getting my daily recommended fruit intake. 

So I just wanted to share with you one of my breakfast creations, and urge everyone to try something NEW that is at your farmers market or grocery!  You may be pleasantly surprised.

fruit...er vegetables of my labor..

I have a balcony garden again this year and so far some things have survived and given us something to eat already.  The lettuce didn't make it.  It got too hot too fast, although in hind sight I could have pulled the small single leaves and they probably would have been fine and enough for one salad anyway...but no.. I was waiting for it to grow and look more like the photo on the front of the seed package. 

So okay, lesson learned.  I did get to pull 2 banana peppers and the green pepper wasn't really ready, but the branch had broken over so I had to pull it a little early.  This is the first time I've grown banana peppers and they are turning out very nice!  I have some cucumbers that are tiny so far too, so looking forward to getting some of those. I planted some zucchini but not sure if they'll make it as it is getting upward of 100 degrees these days.  But at least it is something! And I am proud of it!   We had the banana peppers and green pepper tonight in a stir fry I made along with some other veges we got from the local Farmers Market.  I bought Okra for the first time and put some of that in the stir fry.  I love going to the Farmers Market and buying locally grown food.  I will miss it when it is closed from December to April.  I will have to try to freeze some veges. 

Proud Mama...

As I watched my two daughters walking toward the pool steps to get in, I saw how mature, intelligent and attractive young ladies they have become! They grew up before my very eyes! ....

The youngest and I drove up to Dallas area this past weekend to visit my oldest and her hub for the first time since their wedding in March.  It was absolutely wonderful to see them and visit their apartment...that is after I got over going up the stairs to the 3rd floor that lead to their entrance.  I do not like heights and going up open stairways (you know the kind that you can see down to the ground) much past 2 stories...so yeah.. it was a little tough for me to go up that last flight of stairs.  But with my kids cheering me on, I was able to do it without a hitch by the time we were leaving Sunday afternoon.

Their apartment is nice and a lot more roomy that the last one. And it definitely was clean and tidy! We had a very nice visit and got to take in a movie 'Inception' which I recommend. It was good and kept me on the edge of my seat.  We also got to get some nice dining in, spent some time at the pool and just was good to get some chit chat in.

We also got to visit the campus where my oldest is going to start grad school this month. We couldn't get into any of the buildings as it was closed but it looks like a nice campus what we saw. 

The drive home Sunday went without a hitch but there was a lot of other cars on the road too and it was really hot in Dallas.  My car temperature gauge indicated at one time it was 110 degree outside!  It had not gotten that hot yet where I live but it did get up to 100 today.  Well it is summer in Texas !!!

I didn't realize how tired I was from the weekend until I could barely keep my eyes open at 9:00pm Sunday night after we were home a few hours.  Getting old...I know.  Still it was a nice weekend and a nice chance for us to get together before both girls start college again.

2 weekends in a row.. Woo Hooo!!

Last Saturday my oldest and her new hubby came to get some things that we needed to get rid of and I also got her to take her dance trophies and other 'stuff' she still had here at our house. She has a lot of trophies, ribbons and awards!  She enjoyed showing them to her hubby as she was packing things in boxes. I was happy she took so much with her.  She took some of her favorite dolls she got when she was young too, and even her own baby blanket which I saved for her.  It is still in pretty good shape for being 22 years old.

We are trying to go through and 'de-clutter' the house.  We have several things set aside for a garage sale and have the garbage can overflowing too!  Good thing trash collection is tomorrow. But anyway that is not what the Woo Hoo is about. 

The Woo Hoo is that I get to see my daughter and son-in-law 2 weekends in a row!  My youngest and I are going to visit on Saturday and see their new digs.  They moved closer to where the oldest will be attending grad school starting next month.  So I'm looking forward to seeing their new apartment and visiting some more!  This will be the first weekend I am not working in a long time...and I am overdue for the break!

Auntie :)

To my Aunt Arline

I did email you back the same day you wrote. I tried to reply again and also emailed you via my yahoo email which I never use, please let me know if you GOT my email.  You can email me or leave a comment here on my blog..

Softy...

I don't know what it is lately but I have started to care about bug's feelings.. yes bugs!
It wasn't long ago I posted this picture on facebook.

 I had never seek a stick bug before and it was a neat thing to get a snapshot of, but my hubby noticed that it was still near there the next day, just down to the next window sill area.  I just passed it off that it liked it on our back porch.  But a day or so later it didn't look like it was moving any more. The poor thing had died. And I felt bad.  I wondered if it would have lived if we would have put it on a tree or on the grass, if it might have lived.  Who knows. I just felt a little sad for our new back porch resident.

Then the other day there was a wasp that kept flying around me and landed on the screen on the window in my office and I shut the window so that I wouldn't feel the need to keep ducking every time I heard its wings buzzing near my head.  I was giving it a chance at survival though.  There is a small hole in the screen that it could get through and be outside if it was smart enough to go to that small hole and climb out. But hubby saw it later on in the afternoon and injured it by smacking the screen with his hand..and I saw it dragging one of its legs after that.  Long story short, found it the next morning in the window sill as it had not survived. I was a little mad at my hub for hurting it because I was giving it a fair chance of escape, and because he injured it, it died.  It isn't like there are not tons of wasps around here.  In fact there are nests all over the place on the house outside..but again I just felt bad for this insect.

And yesterday we picked up my youngest's car after being inspected and just kept the windows down on the way back and one of those katydid's at least that's what I call them, the things with the wings that make a lot of noise...got in the car, freaking my daughter out.  Lucky for her I was driving home (she left her license at home).  When we got home I was using a coat hanger and trying to coax it out from the back windshield where it kept buzzing and trying to get out the back.  I couldn't get it to come out.  I got a large metal spatula from the kitchen to try to get it out and only achieved wedging it further into the back windshield and alas, it too didn't make it. Again I felt a little sad.

So what is it??  Just getting damn sappy in my old age?..that I am starting to feel bad for the bugs that die?
Okay..wait.. I STILL hate those huge big black roach like things that get in the house...those things I do NOT feel sorry for, but for many of the other species of bugs...yup getting sappy.

....RRrrrrriiingg...

Last evening while my hubby and I were eating dinner, the phone rang....it was my youngest.  She just had a scary experience.  I asked her if she was okay. She said "Yes".  I asked if she hit someone and she said "No", but she had to jam on her brakes and they screeched and her tires smoked and laid black tread marks on the road for a bit.  She did stop in time and that is all that matters. After she felt calm enough to start driving again the rest of her drive back went well. She was somewhat paying attention but also told me her mind was on the class she just had in Physics. It is easy to get distracted while driving, even if you are not on a cell phone.  She knows she is going to have to pay better attention especially on those roads that have a higher speed limit when things can happen like 'That'!

My oldest was t-boned by a driver back in February and luckily she was okay but her car wasn't.  Could she have avoided the accident?  I guess possibly but it wasn't her fault. The other car came from her left and either thought he could jump out or turn right in front of her and he wasn't paying enough attention is my guess. 

Memories of some of my own experiences came flooding back after I got off the phone last night with my youngest. I remember driving home from a church dinner one evening by myself as a teen. It was probably a fellowship group gathering or something.  I had a pot on the passenger side floor with a lid on it and I recall it still had some food in it that didn't get consumed.  I had made a turn and the lid had slid off.  I immediately thought of food ending up all over my dad's Cadillac floor and reached down for the lid.  I looked up for a moment and was headed straight for a telephone pole.  You don't realize as a teenager when you lean down you can be unaware that you are turning your steering wheel even the slightest bit, and it can be deadly.  I immediately turned the steering wheel to the left and was able to avoid hitting the pole and the rest of the ride home did not worry about any lid falling off given the alternative of what almost Did happen!

Another time when I was dating my now husband, I was driving out to his house and was on a two lane country road following a stream of traffic headed to that town my then boyfriend lived in.  I thought I had something in my eye and I looked in the rear view mirror trying to find an eyelash, piece of lint or whatever was irritating it!  When I looked ahead again just a second later,  the cars in front of me had stopped. I to this day think an angel took hold of my actions because I swerved to the right went on some grass made it up to a driveway and then turned left and stopped. I was not going slow either! There I was on the driveway (as if waiting to turn right back out into traffic).  I don't know how I did all that. THAT is why I think an angel was surely making me do what I did.  If I had hit the car in front of me I would have been going at least 30 if not 40 mph and probably would have been severely injured as I don't think the car I had then had air bags.

I'm sure there are some other close calls..but those are the two that come to mind first.  At least I am proud to say I am not ever on my cell phone when I am driving and don't ever text either so that helps. Of course I'll take the help of any angels anytime too....and they are always welcome to help my girls out as well!! 

~ New Friend....~

Last evening my hub was out on the back porch having a smoke and he told me to come out and see what was on the table.  Cute isn't it?

Think I'll call him Little Grey.. :)

                  
                                              Hubby likes this next shot.
                   Says it looks like he's clinging to the edge of a planet

I'm still here...

I see this is the first blog for July..sorry about that.  Just been really, really busy between work and keeping up with the bookkeeping for the store, haven't had a lot of me time let alone time to blog.  I am only blogging right now because I'm waiting for some work...which is rare!

Now that we are winding down Wood Stock closing the end of this month, it figures that our highest sales ever so far was June when the words started getting out to our 'regulars' that we were closing who wanted to scoop up treasures they have been eyeing for a while but figured they could always come back to get.  Some of the vendors have lowered their prices some which has helped as well.  We did more sales in June than all of the other 5 months this year put together.  That's how SLOW it was! 

Hub is starting to realize how much is all ours in the store and where we are going to put everything.  My oldest is going to be coming down with her hubby to get some of the furniture including 2 pie safes that we were using for display cases that I've had since 1993 and I just would like to keep or keep in the family.  These are nice wooden ones with heart cut outs on each door and I got them in PA when we lived there at a store that sells Amish or Amish-like furniture. 

Let's see..what else. OH!  My youngest and I did see Twilight Eclipse on July 3rd.  I loved it!  Of course I'm a Twilight fan at this point, dare I say Twi-hard!  I was hoping during the previews they'd indicate when the next Final one is going to be out but no word on that.  We did find out that the final Harry Potter movie is coming out though in two parts, Part One is in November and Part Two don't remember..next summer I think. Those are ones I don't want to miss either as yes I am a Harry Potter fan as well, although those books I did not read.

It is pouring outside right now, but at least I'm not still in PA where I hear it has hit over 100 degrees the last few days. Funny!  Hotter there than here in Texas! :)    At least the lawn watering has been minimal this year and my balcony garden so far is doing much better than last year.  

That is it for now...Happy Thursday!

Ahh...

Sunday..and I finished my work yesterday. Lucky me. Actually didn't get as much as I expected to do so today I actually have some free time.  Although I did clean a little, I am planning on trying to get someone to clean for me again.  I have been working weekends for a while now and as long as there is going to be extra work, I can justify hiring a cleaner.  I hate spending all my spare time cleaning....in fact I hate cleaning period. 

I know some who actually like to clean but not me, especially dusting.  That has always been something I've hated to do because in no time the dust accumulates again.  It just seems like a lost cause. 

I did bake a peach pie today with the help of my youngest who had some time to help me before she headed out to work.  Hard to believe June is almost over already....August is going to come all too soon!  Anyway, also made 5 minute fudge which is always really good. The fudge I made for hubby because he doesn't like peach pie.  Both turned out really well.

I also have a turkey breast in the crock pot and that is making the living room smell really nice about now. I broke down and turned on the A/C late morning.  I've been turning it off when we get up and leaving it off until about 4:30pm or 5:00pm but the heat index today is suppose to get to 100 or more and I knew I would have the oven on, so I have the A/C set at 80 and it is perfect.  I do not like it cold in here and I know a lot of folks have theirs set at 70 all the time.  I'd be wearing long sleeves and probably sweaters if it were that cool in the house.

I've been doing laundry today too, but otherwise am going to lounge and not do any more cleaning. Hope to have someone doing that for me by next week.  ;-)

Hub is at our store and we only have another month until we are closed.  I think he is going to be happy he isn't tethered to the store 6 days a week all day much longer too. 

Looking forward to next Saturday as that is when my youngest and I plan to see Eclipse!  I have been looking forward to it for months. :)...

....off to do..whatever I want.

Happy Summer!

Today is the first day of summer although around here in Central Texas it already has seemed like summer for a while.  My balcony garden this year is doing much better than last year at least so far...now if I can just remember to keep watering it! :)   I spend more time on the back balcony now that we've made it so inviting, that I sometimes forget about my front balcony garden.

I have been working weekends again lately so I haven't had as much time to blog. But got to take the OT while it is available..that is my motto!  

I did take a little time away from work yesterday and took my dad a Father's Day card and some peaches and plums that I bought at a local stand. The peaches were Fredricksburg peaches which are suppose to be Da Bomb....around here. .. It was nice visiting my folks for a little bit. 

Mondays are somewhat hard on me when it comes to work after I've worked all weekend.  It is a little hard to get into the groove...but got through it okay.  Two of the furkids had a vet appointment this afternoon.  I am proud to say that Obi will be 11 on August 7th!  I have not had a dog live that long.  The closest was Reebok who died 6 months before he would be 10.  Obi is pretty healthy too so maybe he's got a good 3-4 years left.  He got his rabies shot today so he is good on that for the next 3 years.

I don't mean to sound like a teen, but I am really looking forward to the next Twilight movie.  I even read the 4th book which only took me a few days.  Well I better get back to watching The Bachelorette before my hubby thinks I'm not paying attention and changes the channel!

~ Closing ~

After 4 years of trying to get our store out of the Red, we are going to close the doors come the end of July...and frankly I couldn't be happier.  The monthly drain on my pay check to keep it open has been stressful if not depressing.  I blame myself partly, because when we had the store in Liberty Hill, the rent was much cheaper and the 2nd year in business we actually has a teensy net income to show on the tax return.

Stupid me thought that if we moved the store to what I would consider the main drag of this town, that surely we'd do wonderfully.  I couldn't have been more wrong.  The rent was more than double, the traffic on the road was I can't even say how many times over MORE than Rt 29, but it didn't make more people come in than at the old store and it has slowly been sucking the life out of my hubby who graciously has been at the store long hours, nearly daily for all those years.  We keep hearing how this town and whole area is great for those who wish to pursue a dream, but we've seen a lot of places closing including some favorite restaurants despite what we hear about the economy getting better.  Just don't have the means or desire to try to wait and see if it is just the economy that is the reason for the last bad 2 years..

Oh sure there are a concerned few in the community that keep coming in trying to give us suggestions for doing better, but none of them are anything we haven't already thought of ourselves and all of them, even the so called business grants in town we heard about, involve money or owing back.  Nope. Not going to happen. Not going into even more debt for a lost cause.

See me hubby had a wonderful idea 4 years ago, at my prompting to open a store nearly exclusively with wood furniture and art.  He is a wonderful wood burning artist and we had pictures hung in our garage that were just wasting away.  He opened up the store to include other wood artisans/furniture makers on a consignment basis and like I said, it really wasn't nearly as draining those first few years. The store filled up with beautiful works of mesquite, pine, and other woods I've never even heard of.  Beautifully lathe-turned hand made lamps, bowls, coffee tables, just beautiful pieces most, one-of-a-kind!

When I mentioned moving it to Georgetown, we were both excited at the prospects. This little cottage like building with the rusty metal roof needed a lot of help to make it presentable, but we were up to the challenge.  Hubby even personally installed some laminate flooring, spruced up the inside and painted it too. We did do what advertising we could including several months worth at the local movie theater, but alas, folks are just not interested enough in coming and buying something.  There are some occasional sales but not enough to make much difference.  Many folks ooohh and ahhh and say the all too familiar "We'll be back".  Those folks will probably be the same ones who turn into the entryway at Christmas and think "Oh no, why did they close?"  Simple, because promises of coming back, doesn't pay the bills!

Anyway, I need to get to work now but wanted to get off my chest how relieved I will be once what feels like an oil well leak will finally be plugged up!!

Balcony Before ~ After

I'm taking a little work break to post some photos! :-)
Here are 2 Before pictures and 3 After pictures of our back balcony after sprucing it up will things we already had except for the flowers and rugs which were bought.  We will still be adding some things here and there...but the bulk of it is done.  I am very pleased with how it turned out.

Improvments done consisted of: 3 pots that had nothing but weeds in them, planted flowers and also a tall plant my folks gave me because they got it from a neighbor and didn't want it; Long planters that were empty that were bought last year to grow vegetables in, filled with flowers. (I already have some planters in the front with veges..so these were not being used yet.); a glider and one rocker we took up from the back porch that were not used much; and a wrought iron rocking chair that was a rusting white paint and had been stored in the shed that hubby cleaned up and spray painted a color that matched the seat cover we already had for it too.!!  

  

Love it!!
 

Honest...

...I did NOT set out to make this a 'picture' blog....but I just have to post a few of the sunset photos I took from my back balcony Thursday night. This is the balcony that we are sprucing up and I will post MORE pictures when I post the Before and After of that.

  I was actually working at my desk when I saw this sunset and bolted to get the camera!

I better get to work now.  I took on a little work this weekend since the house was screaming CLEAN ME!  I spent the first half of today cleaning the downstairs and even scrubbed the kitchen floor so that now it is clean enough to eat off of : -)    I just got back from going to the local Farm Supply store to get dog food and they had some nice flowers on sale at 50% !  Woo hoo!  I love SALES!  I bought a flat of them to plant...you guessed it up on the back balcony.  I already have 2 ceramic planters that we had just sitting outside the garage with nothing but weeds in it, and also already had bought last year some wide short planters for vegetables but I think I'll use two for flowers as well.  So the only thing I had to buy was the flowers.  I will try to get them potted tonight because I need to get half my work done today as planned.

Tomorrow I am cleaning the upstairs, doing the last half of my work and attend for a few hours a Sheltie Rescue picnic with some great people and a great organization I belong to. 

Gotta get to work...

Can it really be June?..

June already?!  Wow, this year is going quickly.  Summer has arrived in Texas and I turned the A/C on for the first time this past week.  We still only turn it on in the early evening as I can stand an open window and small fan during the day while I work here at my desk.

Although I worked all weekend, I did take some breaks to tend to the balcony garden, do some laundry and clean up the back porch some.  I had also mopped the entire back balcony last month and was thinking about what we could do with it without spending a lot of money.  Hubby suggested moving some of the furniture we had on the back porch that we didn't really use much up there and that got me thinking about it. Now hubby is going to repaint a metal rocking chair that we have in the shed, I potted a plant my folks gave me that was sitting in a bucket on the back porch, and I am really excited about pulling it all together.  The back balcony has much more privacy than the front and the sun sets in the back too.  We are being creative using things we already have and the only thing that I have purchased is some indoor/outdoor rugs that I am waiting to get from RugsDirect.com to put underneath the furniture.  I took a few 'before' photos and will post them when I have it all set up with 'before and 'after' photos. 

Yesterday morning while I was weeding a bit of the flower area by the front porch, I spotted a beautiful spider web that was glistening with rainbow colors from the way the sun was shining through it.  I ran and got the camera and hope these show up well enough here.  The one taken further away shows the shimmery rainbow colors of the web the best. 

Live today as if it is your LAST...

I heard this somewhere today, either in the news or somewhere...
..but it is a phrase that has always bothered me.

Live today as if it were my last?  How?  If I took this literally, it
would not be productive at all and if I did it each day, I'd be poor
and homeless.

If I lived today as if it were my last, first of all I would skip work!
Why work 9-10 hours or even longer as I sometimes do for the almighty
dollar if it is going to be my LAST day.  That is no way to spend
my last day alive!

I would blow off work and do something fun with my family.
First though I would get my youngest to figure out how to record
my music on a CD.  I would play my guitar and sing and record until I was
hoarse.  I would ask my hub to try to get my music streamlined somehow.
After all my greatest desire has been to be a singer.  Everything else
is just going through the motions..

Once that was done, I would probably board the dogs although
I'd give them each a huge hug and kiss before I left.

I would insist on going up to where my other daughter is to include
her and her new hubby as well.  We'd eat out at a wonderful restaurant
and order the most expensive wine and fanciest entree' for once, instead
of always thinking about how much we are spending. I'd make sure to
save room for the highest calorie dessert my stomach could handle.

The conversation would range anywhere from light and carefree,
to serious and full of any words of wisdom that would come to mind.
I would remind my family how very important they are
and how much I love them.

I would want to be home in time to pick up the dogs, go home, pick
up my favorite Tika and put her on my lap, sit next to my husband
and watch one last sunset.

These are the first thoughts that come to mind if I were living my last day...

I suppose what that is saying really means is try to live each day to
the fullest and live by the Golden Rule.  I do that every day to the
best of my ability.  And when I can I sing and watch the sunsets
and do at least a snippet of what I would do if it really were the
last day..

~ Eclipse ~

I suppose I'm the last person on the planet..okay maybe just the last female on the planet who is remotely interested in the Twilight series to read Eclipse for the firs time.  I hadn't read any of the books before, but with the next movie coming out June 30th, I promised my youngest I would read the book before we went to see it.  She said "you GOT to read the book, mom".

Anyone who knows me, knows that I just do not read books.  I think it was due in part to my childhood.  My mom loves to read and I remember as a child often seeing her sitting in a chair with her face in a book more than I saw her doing anything else.  And as I kid I kept thinking there were so many things to DO, why waste time reading a book?!   So that is partly why I just don't ever take the time to sit down and read one.

Of course I am always busy too. If it isn't work, it is household chores, or furkids to tend to and then there are my favorite TV shows like Lost and 24 that are soon to end forever.

But back to the book. My youngest promised me it is an easy read and she read it surprisingly fast . That is another reason I don't like to read. I am not a fast reader and when things get really descriptive, if they do not keep my interest, I tend to skim over drawn out paragraphs. 

I started reading it on Monday and like so many others, I am just racing through it.  I only have about a third of the book to go and then I'll be done!  It is that good!  But I also know why it is going fast. It is mostly dialogue and when there are conversations, there are many one and two line paragraphs so the pages get read faster.  The print is not tiny either as I've seen in many books.  And I have to admit I am stealing minutes here and there just to read a few more pages.  Now this proves it has GOT to be good for ME to be doing that.

Of course I picture the actors from the movie as I'm reading, playing out everything that I read which I enjoy.  Beats trying to make up what these folks ...and monsters would look like.

Okay..got to get to work now. ..read later.    ;-)

Ahhhh....

Thursday I took the day off work so that I could drive out to help our youngest pack up her dorm and come home for the summer. With about an hour to go I accidently took a business route instead of staying on the main highway but after a call to her and her internet skills, she told me the road to turn left to get back on track. I was only about 10 minutes longer than I otherwise would have been.  I found a great country music radio station out of Houston too so I got some good singing time in.  I kept hearing song after song that I hadn't heard in a while and turned up the volume more and  more...and by the time I got to the college I had it cranked up like a teenager.

My daughter was was waiting for me with her room pretty well clean and packed up. I was very happy about that because all we had to do was lug her stuff and pack it into our cars.  Her boyfriend helped us with the heavy things too, thankfully!  If he wasn't there waiting for his family to come, I probably would have asked a man I saw who had a furniture dolly if I could borrow it.  We treated my daughter's boyfriend to lunch to thank him for his help.

We were on the road a little after 1:00pm and I followed my daughter home since she would not need to glance at the directions like I would have.  It continues to amaze me the amount of folks that want to pass someone already going the speed limit of 70 mph on a two lane road, but we had many jerk drivers who did.  One almost clipped my daughter's car trying to get around her before oncoming traffic caught up.

Anyway...we got home safe and sound and now we are back to 3 plates, 3 forks, 3 cups, more laundry and the like...but I wouldn't have it any other way.  I am glad she is home for the summer.
Hope it goes S L O W !!!