Daughter's Visit

Well, she has gone home, or least her home, California and I already miss her but her life is there now.  We had a great time...We celebrated Father's Day, her 25th birthday and B's Alliday Show.  10 days packed with lots of love and fun.  Love you my darling...

Computers, Can't Live With 'Em, Can't Live With(out) 'Em

Of course Monday, bright and early the (work) computer was not on when I came in. It's weird that the screen is blank and when you wiggle the mouse, nothing.  It's been doing that for a few weeks now.  Anyway, so I had to reboot the bad way. The tower shows on with lights but it's not on. Very weird. Then the bad thing happened...QuickbooksPro, our accounting that I do EVERYTHING on has apparently crashed. I was able to get online help with the them and they accessed the computer, uninstalled the program and reinstalled and it is now working.  Was a bit freaked as Friday is payroll!!!!

Today, CRIPES!!!! I also have Quicken on the computer to keep my personal stuff and pay bills and so on and so on.  I have always had the two programs on the computer(s) since the early 90's, well, when I opened the Quicken it says there is a problem with the Quicken installation and that I need to uninstall and then reinstall and that my data is not affected.   Good thinig the data is there, somewhere, as I never back up my personal stuff...not smart. 

All this computer stuff this morning got started when I tried to go online to pay the electric bill for the cabin and apparently the electric company website doesn't recognize my email address to pay the bill (which I have done many times) yet they sent me the email to remind me. I tried opened the Quicken program to find the account number so I could call and talk to someone (funny, talk to someone) and pay the bill....EGADS!!!!! Not good for me.

My stomach is in knots every morning wondering if I will be able to do any work on this thing, and the computer is only 2 years old.  Should not have these issues. 

Don't forget to go HERE to enter for the giveaway for my Blog Anniversary...Go HERE, nowhere else to enter....


Sad note....A flies back to California today...will miss her.

More Anniversary - Don't forget the Giveaway!

Well, I have apparantly hit the wall with words as Monday's post celebrating my 4 year blog anniversary showed.  DUH!  I just could not come up with funny or interesting things to put down in print and am mad at myself.  My first blog post, as I had mentioned before, was me dealing with the death of my dear friend Gail, the death of our sweet dog and the illness and eventual death of my mother.  I did not do a retrospect kind of look at where I have come in four years. 

I have to say that I did not handle all the death in my life and ended up having a little counseling to try and deal with it all.  Still have days of sadness but that is to be expected.  I really found me during all of this.  I found the love of painting which has so enriched my life right now.  I've been through the marriage of our first born, the weight issue - up and down, and during the four years I have grown more than anytime in my life. 

Life is good for me and I rejoice in where the road I have taken has placed me in life.  I am so thankful for my family, friends and my blog friends. 

Be sure to comment and leave contact info on Monday's post for the giveaway and please pass it on.

Blog Anniversary

June 28, 2006 was my first blog post.  Please go and read this to see the frame of mind I was in when writing it.  It was a time of loss of my friend, our little dog and the waiting while my mother was dying.  I have always been a writer, not a good one but I do write.  Journaling have been a part of my life for years and when I figured out I could do it here I was all for it.  I still write in my journals but there are just some things that I don't leave to the public (or family) to read and judge.  When I die I'm sure my girls will have a heyday reading them or they just might be very bored.  Writing helps me to grow, mentally and spiritually.  It is a way for me to think and express, to work out what is going on in my head.  Today I am celebrating four years of blogging, sharing my thoughts, feelings, joys, concerns, my life with my little corner of the world.  I have found new friends here on Jill of All Trades and I love it.  It is a form of pen pals I think and as I have said before I even have a real pen pal that I have written to since 1972 so I am not afraid of a long time committment.  Thank you everyone for supporting me here and hopefully you will continue.  To celebrate here I am going to have a giveaway.  Yup, it has been awhile since I have done it but I want to thank eveyone.  Like the last time it will be very simple, no real rules except:

1.  Leave a comment with a real email address for contact. 

The end date for the giveaway will July 1, 4 days to symbolize 4 years.....Pass this on please. 

Up for grabs is summer pamper stuff -

The new Janet Evanovich "Sizzling Sixteen"

Coconut Lime lotion, shower gel, spray

Satin Hands for those beautiful hands

#840

This is post #840 and tomorrow will be #841...my 4 year anniversary.  Please read to see what is up.

Yesterday B's show, The Alliday Show was a huge success.  The attendance was awesome and the vendors were awesome.  I had a wonderful time and I thank all of "our" friends and family for supporting her in her venture that she has worked so hard for.  You know this was not like the usual "Arts & Crafts" show that I've attended.  It was full of a lot of artisans and that is what makes the difference.  Next year my dear friend C asked if I wanted to share a booth with my oil paintings and her water colors.  I'm up for it but I had better get busy and PAINT!  Have to have some note cards too.

Today, I'm planning a huge family dinner for both sides of the fam to celebrate the homecoming of our youngest, A.  She has been here since Father's Day and leaves to go back to her home on Wednesday.  It has been a really wonderful visit with her and I don't look forward to her leaving.  Today I'm going to do an easy meal of baked spaghetti, wilted lettuce salad, bread and a cake from Reasor's called Tres Leches (wonderful).  Very simple.  The wilted lettuce salad I've made for years but I recently and accidently picked up maple flavored bacon and it was AWESOME on the salad so going to try it again. 

Tune in tomorrow for the anniversary blog here.

(It is 8:31 and The Hubby is still in bed...that is a new one.)

The Alliday Show

Don't forget to go to the Ford Arena at the Tulsa Fairgrounds tomorrow for B's Alliday Show.  It's free admission and should be fun.  She and her partner April were on Oklavision at noon today and in the paper Scene section, Tulsa World an article tomorrow (Saturday).  Do a little shopping.  There are a lot of interesting handmade stuff.  I know I'm shopping.

Ford Truck Arena
9-5
Tulsa Fairgrounds
Saturday, June 26

See you there!!!!!

Forgive Me

Forgive me for not being here lately but I'm trying to do a little blog house cleaning and we are gearing up for B's big show this weekend, The Alliday Show.  She is so very excited and nervous.  Today she is being interviewed by the Tulsa World and on Friday will be on the noon OklaVision on channel 3.  There is tons going on now so pardon me please.  I am also comtemplating what I am going to write on June 28 as that is my 4 year blogging anniversary.  Can't decide if I want a giveaway or just write stuff.  Check in to see....later all and please forgive me for not visiting or writing here for the next few days...

Happy Father's Day

Yesterday we celebrated with a surprise for The Hubby.  Our youngest, A, the one who lives in California, came home and surprised him for Father's Day.  He had no idea.  We hadn't seen our baby since Thanksgiving so we were all very excited.  I set it up to meet at Kilkenny's on Cherry Street, the BIL and partner, the MIL, B&B, me and The Hubby.  We were all seated except for the SIL, B, as he had A in the car waiting for all to sit.  Then she walked in the door and The Hubby was shocked and very excited to see his baby.  She will be here for 10 glorious days, for Father's Day, her 25th birthday and B's Alliday Show next weekend.  Perfect timing for her to be home.  The 10 days will be filled with lots of family fun, laughter and love. 

This weekend The Hubby and I of course ventured to the cabin, heat and all.  Friday night was BBQ at one of the cabinites.  It was a nice evening of friends, laughter and food.  My kind of night.  Saturday I was all settled in for a day on the porch, ceiling fan on high, book in hand and lots of cool drinks.  Plans do change though and I was talked into joining pontoon boat group.  I found a bathing suit (found it was a tad big!), old sunscreen, book, glasses, beverages and we were off for what I was told a 4 hour cruise...I was told wrong.  We did not get home until about 9:30.  I really had a great time but was worried about poor little Clayton.  He eats at 5 and 5 everyday and it was 8 hours inside without a potty break.  Really worried, but he was just fine when we got back and very glad to see us.  The day on the boat was fun and I was a brave girl and jumped into the water twice.  I'm not a lake kind of girl anymore, used to be when I was young girl but I have to tell you the movie Jaws kind ruined it for me.  I also was plagued with swimmers ear when I would go to the lake as a girl, every single time we went so I am a little gun shy.  Even now my ears are a little wonky, have to get some drops in them.  The sunscreen, even though old did keep me safe except for a small area on my back, ouch.  I'm careful about the sun anymore, too many burns when I was little.  All in all this was an absolutely wonderful weekend.  How was yours!

Should I or Shouldn't I

Should I or shouldn't I have an opinion, a political opinion.  I have tried to not have any kind of political opinion on this blog and really what I'm about to say is not really political but morally right and out of anger and frustration.  This is to all the politicians and oil guys and blow hards.  I have been watching the news as has everyone else about the BP Scandal and all and it is just making me sick.  What I see is a tragedy that has happened in the ocean, not necessarily the US ocean but "OUR" ocean, the world.  It has affected us and the gulf coast so terribly that my heart is just broken.  The people, their livlihoods, their future, hopes and dreams are just crushed.  Their lives as they knew it are done, just done.  Our world will never be the same and I'm not just talking financially I'm talking about the actual world, the earth.  We as people of this earth are stewards of it and we have failed miserably to take care of it.  What is the matter here people.  I am watching the stupid hearings or whatever they are called with the BP exec on the hotseat and the congress people, blah, blah, blah.  He did it, she did it, they did it, I didn't do it, well neither did I, it's not my fault....BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.  Is that all they can do is jabber.  Get out of your seats and DO SOMETHING.  I do not want to wait around while you hash out blame.  Put on some hazemat suits and FIX IT, blame later.  Politicians, all they are good for is talk, talk, talk but no do.  Stand up, move from behind the podium and DO SOMETHING!  This goes to everyone, right down to Tony Hayward and everyone involved, put on the bright yellow suit and WORK!  I cannot take another picture of an oil drenched bird flapping around, dying with the stuff.  My heart hurts by the sadness of it all.  People, stand up and pay attention to our world and how fragile it is.  We are killing this earth with this crap. 

Dance!

Thought I would update on the dance lessons.  Yes, I am still going although occasionally I get a week off due to circumstances beyond my control ;).  Every Wednesday since January I have been attending the West Coast Swing classes with The Hubby.  It is Intermediate 1 and 2 classes so I guess you can say I am able to hold my own in class.  I have to admit, really have to admit that I'm have an itty-bitty touch of fun but it is not my life like it is for The Hubby.  He is just eat up with it and I AM NOT!  The classes seem to be expanding as there have been a few driving in from Stillwater for classes.  It's getting a bit crowded which is fun but then that is where I have to ease into meeting more new people, rotating on the dance floor with different partners.  That is where I have an issue but I'm trying.  The other day The Hubby said something about taking ballroom...I set my foot down and said NO but he kind was teasing me (I hope) that oh yes I would.  I am not into it!!!!!  So that is my update on the dance front. 

I have to say also that our class is at a rec center and we meet in a kids dance room with the ballet bars on the walls and a huge, HUGE mirror on one entire wall.  I know I said something about this before but, that damn mirror makes me crazy.  It bulges in the middle kind of like one of those weird mirrors in one of those...man, having a brain fart, can't think of the word, "something" house mirrors.  Anyway, it makes me look like an elephant dancing and I hate it, really hate it.  I come from home thinking I look really nice and slimmer and walk into this room and it totally deflates my ego.  HATE IT!  Can't wait till we go back to the old room with no mirrors again. 

Don't tell The Hubby, but our youngest is coming home for Father's Day to surprise him on Sunday.  She hasn't been home since Thanksgiving so we are all ready to see her.  We're going to dinner and she is going to show up and surprise him!  I also bought myself a FLIP camera but really haven't even used the thing and decided that he would love it to tape the dance lessons for review.  See I am trying to be supportive and if he EVER says again that I don't support him...well...WHAM! 

Giveaway

Wait it is not me but our daughter, B at Sheezkrafty...She is giving pretty little switch plates away.  The contest is until June 23, Wednesday so there is lots of time.  Just a few ways to enter so check it out.  It is in preparation for her big show, The Alliday Show .  These are just some of the switch plates she is giving away....

Veggies

McLinky Monday at RHOK - "How Did You Meet Your Spouse"

Today's question from RHOK is "How Did You Meet Your Spouse."  What fun is this question.  I will start at how our world's collided. 

My parents were hot into CB Radio world and their house was the "BA Parking Lot".  They became CB buddies with a young couple and the husband, Lyndall was a year ahead of me in high school.  I really didn't know him in school but got to know him through the CB stuff.  He married a girl that went to school in Tulsa, Jana.  Okay...whew...here we go...Jana went to grade school through to high school with Gail (the Gail, my friend later who passed away).  Gail was married to Kelly who was The Hubby's best friend.  Have I confused everyone here.  The solar system is beginning to churn here.  Jana and Lyndall lived in Tulsa in a house across from the fairgrounds.  They were going to have a cookout/party and I was going.  There was volleyball and cards and drinking and stuff.  The Hubby was supposed to meet up with an ex-girlfriend and probably get back together with her that night.  Gail and Kelly were highly opposed to that as it was not a healthy relationship.  They convinced The Hubby that he just had to go to this party because there was this girl there that he just had to meet, MWAAAAA!  I was out in the back yard with my long hair, down to my butt, in a halter top and hip-hugger jeans playing volleyball when this tall

good looking guy with long blonde hair walked through the back door.

Wow, he was, WOW!  I was immediately smitten...

We played a bit of volleyball, ate a bite and then went inside to talk and play cards.  I was a shark at cards back then so I beat him at every hand.  Not sure what we played, been way too many years ago.  He was smoking that night and I told him I hated it.  He never smoked again!  We talked and talked nearly all night.  My brother had driven my car home so I was without transporation.  I think the planners of the meet up set that all up.  He offered to drive me home very late in his cute little orange Volkswagon Beetle and I accepted.  I actually didn't even have a pair of shoes on.  Back in those days I never wore shoes, barefoot, halter top, hip hugger jeans, hair down to my butt, I was a wannabe hippie!  I sat Indian style in the Beetle with dirty feet singing to the top of my lungs to the radio.  I was a sight I'm sure.  We pulled up at the house and I was thrilled when he asked if he could call and needed the phone number.  He reached inside the glove box and actually had a little notebook (his little black book I thought) and took my number down.  He went around, opened my door and walked me to the front door where he gently kissed me.  Yeah, I was instantly in love with this guy.  I had never, ever been treated as nicely from any guy I had gone out with.  He was a gentleman.  The next morning, I say morning but it was actually noonish, my phone began to ring, but not from The Hubby.  It was my friend Jana who was going back and forth talking to Gail who was talking to The Hubby.  These two were busy getting the feedback from us on whether we wanted to go out again, did he/she like he/she...on and on the phone calls went.  He told Gail who told Jana that I was "built like a brick s__t house...hey, I was impressed.  Finally, he called and asked if I wanted to go out.  Sure.  We went to see The Great Waldo Pepper and I got to meet his mother and one of his brothers at their house.  It was constant contact from that moment on.  Our little universe was created on March 23, 1975, we were married January 23, 1976.   That is my story.  Hope you followed.

Just a Tad Angry

I am just a tad angry right now! 

It is Sunday and we've had a wonderful weekend.  Friday night at the cabin with friends for a BBQ dinner then back home on Saturday because I messed up putting a wedding reception on the calendar.  Last night was the reception along with MORE BBQ and fun with other friends.   Life is just moving along nicely today.  Grocery store for food for the week and the day spent putting paint on some canvases.  I also sold my first painting and two giclee prints so I'm an official artist now.  See pretty nice weekend!  Marinating a chuck roast for the grill, wilted lettuce salad with fresh cucumbers from Daddy's garden.  Yes nice weekend.

I am just a tad angry right now!

Chuck Roast on the Grill:

Marinate in -

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup cooking sherry

3 - 4 Tbls. Worcester Sauce

lots of Louisiana Hot Sauce

2 Tbls basil, chopped

2 Tbls garlic, chopped

Put everything in a ziploc bag and marinate overnight. Grill about 20 minutes or so on each side.

I'm a tad angry right now!

I just heard The Hubby talking on his cell phone and heard him talking to a guy that has a boat for sale.  Really, REALLY!  You sell my Miata because it is not practical and you are talking about buying a boat.  Must be that there needed to be room in the storage area for your boat. 

I'm a tad angry right now! 

Pork Chops

Now, I did have a cooking blog but since I don't cook that often I decided that it was not necessary. I will occasionally put stuff here instead. I'm not good with recipes so good luck!  This is more a meal and one of my fav's.  When I was about to get married some 34+ years ago my Daddy insisted that he needed to show me how to cook some stuff he knew how to cook.  These are his porkchops but I have tweeked them a bit over the years. 

I season them with seasoned salt and pepper.  Dip in beaten egg them dredge them in crushed Club Crackers.  The Club Crackers I like better because they have a buttery taste.  You might be able to used Ritz crackers too but I like Club.  I fry, yes I said fry, them in vegetable oil.  This is a comfort meal for me. 

My favorite side is Chicken flavor Rice a Roni.  I add canned mushrooms at the end sometimes.  I have friends that have never eaten Rice a Roni and shame!  I was raised on it and now they have Spanish Rice and more.

Yummy.....don't you think.  I will have this along with a green veggie.

A Boring Life

I lead a very boring life, and it's rather boring to me right now.  This week has been kind of blah!  I have enjoyed having the time off this week and I so yearn it but right now I am wondering if that is very good for me.  I seem to have gotten NOTHING done this week but in reality I have, just don't feel it. 

I got tons of stuff done at the office this week and I should feel good about that.  I have finished yet another painting (check out the art blog over to the right).  I have celebrated a birthday for a friend.  I have worked out 4 out of 5 days this week (so far).  I have watched two movies we rented and finished another book the past weekend (2 last weekend).  I had dinner with friends Wednesday night and coffee with another group of friends this morning.   I had my nails and pedicure done yesterday and  today I took a 2 hour nap to try and catch up on sleep and feel like doing the 5th day of workout-cardio tomorrow.  I planned on painting but that has not happened.  Kind of feel lonely and I know that sounds weird again but that is just how I feel.  Lonely with myself.  I mean I have been productive yet I feel BLAH!  Even though I think I am through the hormone packed part of my life I think this week I'm having a fluctuation of them again and feel  BLAH!  Hate this.

Sleepyhead

Today I'm a sleepyhead.  I don't know what is the matter with me but I woke up sleepy and went through my workout in a trance toying with the idea of going back to bed.  I keep closing my eyes while writing this and dozing off.  What is up with this.  Oh my goodness, sooooooooooooo sleeeeeeeeeplyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.  What, what.  Sorry, I have way too much to do today to hit the sheets again.  I have to get a gift certificate for a friends birthday for tomorrow night.  A bunch of us are going in on it and having dinner at Lucky's tomorrow night (another dance class I get out of .)  Keep it up people, Wednesday nights are great for me!!! (Hint, wink ;) )  I also have painting classes starting up again today and I'm so very happy!  Yesterday I started a landscape, a sunset on the Grand River I took last summer.  I've never done a landscape before.  It is an 18 x 24" canvas and while I was applying some wonderful pinks and blues and oranges and dark greens for  the 1st layer of color I found there was a bulge at the bottom of the canvas.  When I turned it over I found the middle support was just broken in two.  DAMMIT!  I have to chunk that one and throw it in the trash.  Had to start all over again!  Growl! 


Dang it...nodded off again.  I don't know if I'm going to make it today.  More caffeine....

McLinky Monday at RHOK

The question this Monday from the ladies of RHOK is very interesting and makes for a lot of thought I sometimes wish to forget - Who were you in high school.  Ah, that has been a few years ago, many years ago.  I graduated in 1974...OUCH!  That is 36 years!  I am totally not the same person I was in high school.  I grew up in the era of hippies, Nixon, Watergate and the Viet Nam War.  The age of long ironed hair and no makeup, bell bottom jeans and the beginnings of the idea of ecology. 

In the Urban Dictionary, look up the word wallflower and you will probably see a picture of me.  The online dictionary states:  "a type of loner. seemingly shy folks who no one really knows. often some of the most interesting people if one actually talks to them. cute.

I met this gorgeous girl, a bit of a wallflower, but very sweet."

That is me and how I have always been described in high school.  That is not me now.  I am bold and say my peace now.  I go to every reunion we have which is every five years.  In fact, since the 15th year reunion I have headed the committe and am the class contact.  In high school I belonged to two organizations, pep club in my sophomore year (for the football season only) and the ecology club (never went to a meeting).  That is the extent of my organizations!  I was so painfully shy that I would cry in bed at night to my Daddy, "What is wrong with me.  Why don't guys like me.  I'm nice but they don't give me a chance."  I was a miserable little girl. 

Just look at me now.

This is at a multi-class reunion from 1970-1979...I was the only one from my class and I stood proudly at the at the stage and had my picture taken.

Birthday Weekend

I turned one year older on Friday, 54 to be exact and I think I'm okay with that.  Friday night good neighbor at the cabin Harri threw a party for me, MWAAAAAA!  It was a Mexican Fiesta, my favorite food next to cheeseburgers.  Lots of fun, drink, food and drink!  I had a really good week leading up to the whole event.  I had lunch with my dear friend that has been battling advanced stages of cervical cancer and she arrived with tears, good tears as the blood work looks like she is beating it.  Friday I also wanted to take the time to renew my drivers license.  I wish I had copied it because I really had changed in my face from 4 years ago.  I was pretty jowly in the previous picture.  The picture at the left is on the way to the cabin.  The Hubby has found a scenic way to avoid much of the traffic.  It is kind of what my mother would have called the bottoms of the river area, lots of rich farm land.  Amazing the vast area of fields.  I love the drive but don't like one part of a horribly narrow old bridge that has a blind entrance.  Could be bad but thank goodness there is virtually no traffic.  Would hate to have a flat going that way. 

A called Friday to see if I was going to be home for a delivery but it was such a busy day I missed it.  We left for the cabin and the florist called to say he left it at the neighbors.  A sent me a beautiful flower arrangement for my birthday.

So pretty, don't you think!

Back in town yesterday The Hubby and I went to the office to work, work, work, work, work...When you are self employed sometimes it is weekends and nights and holidays.  He was behind in billing and so that put me behind in invoicing and I had tons of bills to pay, personal and business.  So we spent a good 5 hours there yesterday and I'm pretty caught up.  You would not believe the stack of mail I had done.  Kind of felt good to accomplish that much.  I still have a bit to go as I have several bank accounts to reconcile...ick! 

Landscape Makeover

This is the before of our house when the trees were sort of nice and the azaela's wer large and partial bloom.  The trees did not fair well after the ice storm a few years ago and the one on the right was taken out.  We finally had to make the decision to take the other out too as it started dying.  The whole front yard was very old landscape materials and had to be replaced...

With a landscape architect we made a lot of changes to the front...trees down, shrubs out...here we go...

Ta Da!!!!

By the way, today I'm 54 years old and wear it proudly!

Nothing At All

I really have nothing at all to say today but felt the need to at least post something.  I'm getting up there in blog posts, I think 823 or something like that.  This month will also be my 4 year anniversary of blogging and Friday (June 4) will be my 54th birthday.  Lots of stuff going through my head right now about age with the impending B-day.  54, that is just a bit too close to 60 and I'm not liking that at all.  I will just have to continue to exercise and live life to the fullest and do what I want to do.  I want to read, enjoy the hammock, have fun with friends, paint, enjoy the family, do what makes me happy.  Happy, healthy and content will get me hopefully get me a longer life.  I think that this should be the second or third or fourth phase of my life and I hope to live it to the fullest.  I was thinking about this yesterday, about the phases of "my" life and they may be different for everyone else.  I had the younger years with Momma and Daddy and Bro and Sis, the formative years.  Then it was on to the newlywed years (3) before we dove into the children years.  The children years go on for the rest of your life but there are stages there too, baby, toddler, school, young adult then adulthood.  Now I'm into the empty nest and all about me years.  I like all about me.  Haven't had that and I'm still struggling to fine tune the all about me.  It's kind of hard when you have a partner that has to be included in the all about me phase and that is just fine as long as he is working with me to achieve it and vice-versa.  Oh I am ramblin' today I see.  Think I need another cup of coffee to get my mind running straight.  It is a Monday on a Tuesday. 

Friday is birthday and this month I have to renew my drivers license.  Think I'll wait till the gray is covered for the picture.