Wrapping Up The Month

 NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month)   Yes the month has come to an end but I think I am going to continue posting every day.  It is a good exercise to use the writing muscles.  I've had a time coming up with topics to post about but all in all this has been a good experience.  At one time I thought I wanted to become a fiction writer but I don't think that is for me.  Don't get me wrong I have a lot of stories in my head but I just can't seem to get them to fruition.  At night sometimes when I can't sleep I write stories in my head but that is just before I drift off, and of course I usually don't remember them.  I wish there was a typewriter connected to my brain that could write the stuff that floats around up their.  Just seems kind of crowded.  One day I hope to write about my childhood and I've done a bit of that in my journals.  I need to get The Hubby's childhood down in print.  It amazes me his stories with his brothers and friends.  His mother, I'm surprised she is sane and still standing.  Those boys did so much stuff to get in trouble for or even die from, but of course those were different times.  The world was a much different place where we could walk all over town and not be afraid.  We would come home when the street lamps came on.  It was a safer place so these stories are stuff you just don't live anymore but love to re-live through story telling.  There are a few things in my childhood I write in my journals that probably don't need to come out till some people are gone in my life.  I think everyone has a few secrets that need to stay secrets.

Thinking Cap

It is almost the end of the month and this is the 30th post for the month.  I've had to put on my thinking cap to come up with interesting topics worthy of the written.  I have baled a bit sometimes with pictures but I'm still here.  If I keep going I will have my 1,000 post by the end of the year and I'm thinking of a really BIG giveaway!!!  

Last night was a restless night of trying to sleep.  I don't know what was wrong with me but it was a toss and turn night.  I fell asleep about 10:30 but sweet Clayton woke me up at midnight because The Hubby had fallen asleep on the couch and Clayton could not stand it.  The Hubby trudged to bed and I was awake.  I tossed and turned and punched the pillow till about 3:30 when I finally drifted off.  Of course the alarm went off at 4:45 and I was up again, groggy.  I needed to hit the treadmill with Mr. Wade but I just couldn't get my mind together and I know the body won't cooperate with little sleep.  I'm even having a hard time getting my thoughts together here.  This doesn't happen often and I hate it when it does.  Sleep should be good tonight and very welcome.  Hopefully that thinking cap will kick into gear for tomorrow for an awesome blog post???!!! 

The Weekend

What a beautiful weekend.  Clayton surely loved laying out in the sun and soaking up the rays.  He was waiting for The Hubby to take him for his golf cart ride and a run in the meadow. 

Me, well I just lounged around in my hammock all day long reading.  I finished a book and started to finish another one I had started.

We, the community, are in the process of repairing the levee and so they had to drain the lake.  Sad really but it will fill up when we close up the sluice gate soon.

Even though the gate is open and the lake has pretty much drained there are still two springs that have rushing water running through.  It's kind of cool.

Sluice Gate

Pretty flowers...

The Hubby also smoked some ribs for dinner...yummy!

Fishing.  The Hubby caught this one Saturday morning early.  He did release it though.  What a beauty.

Letters

I've almost come to the end of the month of August and my attempt to blog every single day.  So far I've been successful.  I'm trying to come up with an idea here and hoping that if I keep typing and blabbering on that a spark of a thought will pop into my head and make its way to my fingertips...(run on). 

Okay, I have an idea.  Do you still write real letters, not typed but real, honest to goodness ink letters to anyone?  I do.  I am not as good as I used to be but I write letters.  I still even have a pen pal from high school that I write to.  He was from Pakistan but now resides in Canada with his wife and grown children.  I write to my cousins, friends from high school and old neighbors.  I love to write letters and think the ability is getting lost in our techie generation.  Even if it is a note of thank you or encouragement do it.  It is a wonderful experience.  You know several years ago we had a work issue and had to hire a specific kind of lawyer to help us out.  I learned so much and I think he saved our company and our sanity at the time.  After the dust settled I wrote him a thank you note.  Several months later we were hosting our annual Christmas BBQ lunch and invited him.  He showed up and hugged my neck and showed me in his suit coat jacket that thank you note.  He carried it with him everywhere.  Do you know that no one had EVER written him a thank you note.  I was amazed and so glad that it enriched his life.  See do it.   It works.  Write a letter a thank you note or just to say thinking of you.

Struggle

It has been a real struggle to write the past couple of days.  This everyday thing is definitely a challenge for me.  I've been very behind in reading my bloggy friends posts too.  Sorry everyone, hopefully I'll catch up this weekend.  It should be beautiful and I have not much to do.  I've been heavily into the book I'm reading on my Kindle, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and can't wait to finish it  It's not a hard read except for the foreign names of people and places but the end of it is pretty good.  I usually do a lot more reading in the summer but it's been rather slow too, along with the painting stuff.  I did paint a bit yesterday and then I hit Coldwater Creek and did damage to my credit card.  I HAVE to empty my closet a bit.  Hopefully on Sunday I'll get started on that. This week I was successful in getting a full week in of exercise, can't say that for the food, but exercise, yes.  I've had a sinus headache thing going on all week, except for today.  Also, have a tooth that is questionable so doesn't help the headache thing.    See I have a bit to say but it is a ramble.  Just what is flying around in my noggin.  Don't forget to check out the painting blog on the right.  I've started a couple more projects.  Later gators!

Day 26 - NaBloPoMo

It is day 26 of my attempt to blog everyday in the month of August for National Blog Posting Month or NaBloPoMo.  I thought I might go with their suggestion for today's topic but it asks, "What do you know about the day you were born."  I know absolutely nothing about the day I was born, absolutely nothing.   So now I'm trying to check out the other writing prompts which I've never done.  Well, what do you know, my Monday's post about nicknames was their prompt for Monday.  That was totally an accident but don't you know that great minds think alike! 

Okay, here's one from August 9:  "Have you ever turned anyone you didn't like at first into a friend? How did you do it?"  That is an interesting question.  As a matter of fact I have done this.  At our lake paradise I sat on the homeowners association board for a brief time and the president at the time just irked me.  I just couldn't put my finger on it.  I did not know the man and he called me "sweetie" or "darlin'" and it just rubbed me wrong.  He is a very good looking man,  Ken & Barbie-ish and I was kind of thrown into a high school mode of not trusting the looks and manners, and thinking of the high school jock who never had time for me.  Really I didn't know the man and I didn't give him a chance.  It was all me and my insecurities that played into it all.  I have to credit Harri into throwing him and his lovely wife and us into the mix of social interactions.  I got to know them and totally changed my mind and judgement.  He and I even talked about it and I apologized for being an idiot and judging when I shouldn't have.  In fact I usually condemn people for doing it and there I did it.  It was not fair and I might have missed out on making new friends that I had been missing.

Happy Birthday

Yesterday was my BFF's 51st birthday and we're all so very happy she is here to celebrate for this year and many more to come.  Cancer free she is and healing.  Happy Birthday my friend!!!!!  Love you.

Say GoodBye

Yesterday was a sad day.  I said goodbye to a high school classmate.  First let me say that I never talked to Ken in high school but that does not mean I don't care.  I am the official contact person for our high school class.  I do the cards, flowers, used to do the newsletter and I'm the keeper of all the important info and contact info.  He passed away after a battle with lung cancer and then brain cancer.  Ken left a wife, two daughters and four granddaughters.  He was a loving father, brother, husband, and grandfather.  He was a hard worker who loved to be in the great outdoors which was evident by the place he lived, in the country in a really fixed up cabin.  Ken was a football and wrestling star in high school and a ladies man.  All of the stuff outside of high school was new to me and really most of the high school stuff as I really didn't know him at all in school.  It was so cool today to see the church filled up with former classmates from our graduating class and the classes below us and above us.  It told a lot about who he was and who we are from the small town I'm from.  His sister gave a very wonderful eulogy telling the room what a good guy Ken was.  One of our classmates I noticed at the end of the pew was just crying to beat the band.  I asked later and was told that Ken had called him about a month before to have lunch and the guy didn't have time.  He was feeling the guilt at that moment.  So sad really. 

Now I'm going to be a little bad and I may get struck down but I have to say this.  The memorial service was just wonderful and all the talk about Ken was about 15 minutes long.  I have to interject here that it also took place at a Baptist church.  Now, after the 15 minute spiel the preacher got up.  Here we go.  We were PREACHED to for the rest of the hour, 45 minutes of non-stop preaching.  Trying to save our miserable souls.  Should anyone want to give themselves to....blah, blah, blah...  I'm sorry but you can tell here that I'm NOT that kind of person.  I actually used to be heavily involved in church and all it was about but I...well, not going there.  My point is that this was a special occasion to say goodbye to a friend and family guy not be saved.  If I wanted to be preached to or saved I would go to my church and not someones memorial service.  Sorry, I'm going to step down from the soapbox and try to remember the good guy who has left his mark on this world.

Nicknames

First this is post #900...amazing that in June it was #800.  I've been on a blogging push to write haven't I.

I was going to do the McLinky Monday but I just couldn't get my mind wrapped around 2 truths and a lie.   So today I've got another thought, nicknames.  When I was a kid I had a few nicknames throughout my childhood and teenage years.  In grade school one guy called me Crip' because of my broken leg and crutches.  In junior high my father called dubbed me Charlie Brown because I loved to say "Oh Good Grief."  In high school my best friend called me "Carla Binari", from a soap opera character on I think One Life to Live.  When I met The Hubby, he had a next door neighbor who loved to give people nicknames, names like "E, Ease, Flash, T, Bucky, and Abbott."  I was always jealous that I was never given a nickname.  It's kind of strange the pet names people get attached to themselves.  I guess my alter ego now is Jill of All Trades...just call me Jill.  Do you have a nickname?

Today The Hubby turns 55...Happy Birthday my love...

Hamburgers, Friends and Laughter

Last night we hosted a hamburger dinner at the cabin for The Hubby.  His birthday is tomorrow.  He will be 55 years old!!!!!  I decided that the day must not slide and called our friends and everyone was eager to help with wonderful food and friendship.  It was a bit hot so most of the ladies opted to stay in most of the evening but our cabin can hold all that.  We laughed, ate and spent a wonderful time together.  One lady, Sin baked his favortie cake, German Chocolate Cake which he devoured a huge piece.  The cards were read and everyone enjoyed a good chuckle.  All in all it was a great evening of hamburgers, friends and laughter....sorry I forgot to get the camera out.  

The Art of the Steal

You must check this independent movie out, "The Art of the Steal".  B told me about it so I watched it Thursday on the instant play on NetFlix.  Oh my goodness, for those art lovers it is very interesting.  It is a documentary about The Barnes Collection estimated to be worth over $25 Billion, yes, BILLION!  It has Cezanne, Monet, Modigliani, Picasso, Van Gogh, Renoir, Matisse, etc...  Amazing collection that was not offered to the public for viewing.  It was amassed by Albert C. Barnes, a co-developer of an early antimicrobial drug called Argyrol.  The house was located in a residential neighborhood (not unlike our Philbrook Museum in Tulsa) and became a school for artists.  Take time and watch the movie.  This is the trailer. 

 

Oops, Don't Lose It

Oops...don't lose it...Gotcha...

Just a funny little post today but I'm kind of stoked about it...

I put something out there about the exercise I've been doing and "kind of" watching my eating...

Well...

Usually my wedding ring is only loose during the winter months but here it is in the heat of August and the thing actually slipped down the knuckle of my finger!!!!!

YES...YES...YES...

The scale may not be shifting much but the body is showing signs...

This pumps me up and helps me get my A** out of be every morning at 5 am.

My Busy Life

Day 19...

My life is now busy as opposed to what...  B out for a few days but next week will begin her teaching schedule again.  Like last year it is a pretty hefty schedule which means I am now at the office most of the time again.  Really, her schedule is much more intense than mine.  I have had a nice summer of a few days off here and there and I've enjoyed it tremendously.  So 5 days a week I workout at 5:30 in the morning.  I rush home to ready for work and rush to the office which is mostly babysitting the phone.  No pressure there.  Then last night The Hubby decided he felt like going to dance class again.  (banging head on desk)  I am a supportive wife and I go but still not my idea of fun.  He is a bit frutstrated that I usually poop out after an hour and a half of constant dancing and spinning on a concrete floor.  Imagine.  But he has to (PLEASE) get that I'm done, just done.  I do the best I can and I laugh and enjoy some of it but...  Then the dance instructor handed out flyers for Night Club 2 Step on Monday's for 4 week sessions.  The Hubby's eyes lit up and I knew that I had to take hold of the situation right then and there.  He's been wanting to take NC2Step for awhile now and he was almost frothing right there.  I said that ONE NIGHT A WEEK ONLY, again.  That was our deal when this whole thing started and I'm enforcing that.  So we will probably drop the Wednesday night stuff for awhile and try the NC2Step.  I also may be not so tired as I am by Wednesday.  Boy, I'm sure getting my cardio in now.  Monday and Friday's 3 miles each day on the treadmill and then Monday's 2 hours of NC2Step.  Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday's are intense muscle days.  This weight had better start falling off of me and I MEAN NOW!

Friends We Miss

Blushing and the "L" Word

Yes, I am blushing a bit about yesterday's blog post.  It seems that you like me, you really like me.  Sometimes I don't feel it but from the comments I think I'm doing okay.  Sometimes I need that little kick in the can to bolster my lagging ego.  Thank you all very much for the heartfelt comments, they really made my day.

Now onto another subject near and dear to my heart, laundry.  I am going to be brutally honest here, I HATE laundry.  I hate everyting about it.  I hate washing, drying, ironing and putting away laundry.  Actually there was a time, a lifetime ago when I enjoyed doing it.  I know this sounds crazy, but I loved doing my babies laundry when they were young, probably between birth to 5 years old.  I love the little clothes and since I had girls the pink and ruffley stuff.  Oh those darling little

shirts and sunsuits...

The sweet smell of freshly washed diapers and baby blankets.  I just adored baby laundry. 

Skip ahead about 30+ years to now and I'm knee deep in my own laundry.  I hate it.  I hate to wash, dry and I NEVER iron unless I have a gun to my head.  The Hubby is totally on his own in every aspect of the laundry.  I can barely do mine much less his.  In fact, I have done my own laundry for the past month or so and have not folded or hung one thing.  It is all kind of folded and piled on the guest bed.  I live out of baskets and piles.  I need to not have a thing that needs to be hung.  I need bins or buckets to keep undies and socks.  I am a lazy person when it comes to the "L" word.  There, now you know one of my deep dark secrets.  Really you don't want to see my closet or at least the floor of it, scary. 

McLinky Monday - What Do You Write About.

The question for the day, McLinky Monday from the RHOK is, What Do You Write About.  Mrs. McGillicutty has posed the question of the day there and it comes to mind after her visit to BlogHer '10 in New York that just happened.  I was her traveling partner last year to the '09 event and the same question kept popping up for us.  I am still kind of lost with it but have a better idea this year of my focus here.  It probably helps that I have a couple more blogs to divy up the stuff that is in my head, art, cooking and now the ramblings that swirls in my noggin.  The stuff that appears here on Jill is about my life and the goings on in my life.  Sometimes I will have an opinion about something and very, very, very seldom it will be controversial.  I just like to write and show off pictures.  It really doesn't have to have a focus.  So the question of what I write about...short answer...whatever I want to write about.  Actually, that is not true either because I don't write anymore about marital spats, kid spats, or family squabbles, at least I try not to.  I try to write honestly about my life boring it may be.

Memories

I woke up early this morning and the first thoughts were of Momma.  Sometimes I don't know why they are there, but they are.  I think more in the summer because summer is when I spent a lot of my adult times with her at the old homestead.  We used to garden there, can veggies, cook and just hang out with the girls.  Momma was an only child.  Her mother, my granny was an awesome granny but we knew there were some kinks in Granny.  She was OCD which made mother's life kind of hard.  Granddaddy on the other hand was AWESOME.  I can still hear his snicker-laugh in my head and it makes me smile.  This morning, as I said before I woke up to remembering some of the weird stuff I learned from Momma and her quirks. 

Did you know why a snapdragon is called a snapdragon?  

Do you see the little bowl thing close to the bottom of the flower!  You squeeze it.  It snaps.  My girls used to love it when Momma showed them stuff like that. 

Did you know that when you plant tomatoes that you dig the hole deep and kind of wide, add fertilizer (used to get 10-20-10), add water, little more soil.  You peel off the lower leaves or stems and wrap the part that will be touching the ground with tin foil for cut worms.  You lay the plant sort of sideways in the horizontal hole, bending the top up but not breaking and cover with soil.  You also should always plant dill and marigolds around your tomato plants.  I'm not sure about why on the marigolds but the dill, for you organic gardnerers is for the tomato worms.  They prefer dill over the tomatos and it is so very true.  Works everytime plus when you pick the tomatoes you have the fragrant smell of dill when you brush it. 

Mother also had some odd ideas when we were young, like taking a tablespoon of cod liver oil will keep you healthy.  ICK!  Also comes back up very quickly.  Don't know how you can get any benefit from the brief time it was in my system. 

When you see a white horse you lick your thumb, wipe it on the palm of your other hand, make a fist with the licked thumb hand and smack the licked palm and make a wish.  Yeah, that one she sprung on us about a year before she died.  Weird.  Even made Daddy raise his eyebrows. 

It's funny the strange things you remember about loved ones.  My most favorite times with Momma were definetly during the summer at their house with the girls.  We would go to the vegetable gardens and get bushels of corn or green beans and can or freeze them.  The girls would play in the back yard on the swing set or help Momma in the garden picking something like tomatoes or garlic or apples.  We would make jelly or bake a cake or just food in general.  The girls received a wonderful experience with momma who was an awesome granny.  She was a better granny than a momma which I think is true of all granny's.  I learned stuff when she was teaching my girls that she NEVER shared with me growing up.  I hope to one day be that kind of granny.  Summer is Momma, or Granny!

Cooking

Check out the cooking blog I have resurrected...

Lady of Leisure

My time as a lady of leisure for summer fun is about done.  No I have no little ones beginning school.  B will begin teaching again at the junior college and so my time of freedom from the office will cease.  It happens every year and I'm used to it and I've enjoyed my time of not sitting behind the desk.  B so loves teaching and it is just a matter of time before she teaches full-time.  I don't mind working at the office with The Hubby but I've become accustomed to the time off.  Here's to back to school to EVERYONE! 

Hammock memories...

Uh Oh, Green

Uh Oh...I'm in the middle of trying to do the NaBloPoMo of posting everyday for a month.  This months challenge word is "GREEN".  I have not adhered to the exact word of green, at all in fact and they give you that option.  I am doing the everyday thing though.  It hasn't been a challenge except for yesterday and today.  My mind is in a bind of what to write and I am going to blame it on the heat.  Yeah that's the ticket, blame it on the heat, everything else is blamed on the heat why not this.  Works for me. 

Things that are green:

olives

grass

apples

peas

leaves
money

Now you name some_________________

Ride Off Into The Sunset

Sometimes wouldn't you like to just ride off into the sunset...

Hot Dog

Every evening Clayton starts whining and begging The Hubby to take him for a walk.  He loves to go but the little guy poops out pretty quick, hot weather or cold.   They only go around the block one time and when they come in the door The Hubby takes his collar and leash off and he immediately plops down on the cool floor, sprawling to cool his belly.  He's pooped, hot but oh he so loves his walk in the evening.

She' On The Mend

My dear sweet BFF is out of the hospital.  She had a hysterectomy last week after weeks of chemo and radiation for cervical cancer.  She went in last Wednesday and was just absolutely terrified.  C hates, HATES hospitals and a lot of doctors but she knew it was what had to be done, all of it.  Finally, today she is home and thrilled to death.  On top of the good news is that the pathology report shows absolutely no signs of cancer so the doctor said that this will fade into a bad memory.  She is GOOD!  Today I stopped by take her birthday gift early.  She needed it to help make her recuperation a bit easier.  A spa robe to lounge around in along with a cute tiny sock monkey for grins.  Let the healing begin.  I ended up staying with her for several hours and we had the most wonderful visit. 

Friendship Quilt

You know the girls at RHOK are doing their usual McLinky Monday question and today is about back to school time and whether you are happy or sad or even ready.  I can't really apply now as my kiddos are (almost) 31 and 25 but I do remember those feelings and I can say it was a joyous day.  I was usually exhausted by all the stuff they did during the summer.  I looked at it as a rest, until the school stuff started then I would be ready for summer again.  Anyway, my contribution to this is a bit off the mark but I will say that my Granny met Grandaddy when he was her  bus driver!  Yes, but really back in 1934 it really didn't matter because high school boys drove buses and he was in her class.  He really didn't meet her on the bus but he was her bus driver!  Now on to some nice memories...


At the cabin, laid across the log stair railing is this quilt.  It was given to me by my cousin in a box of stuff.  I quickly realized it was Greatgranny's by this little poem.  I think cousin gave it to me because each panel is signed by family members of Greatgranny and friends.  Some of the signatures are her daughter Cleo's, my Granny's inlaws.  1934 is when Granny and Granddaddy were married.  Since they all lived in a small area in Arkansas, Rudy, to be exact, they all knew each other.  This is really cool but I had forgotten about the poem here.  I have typed it out so as not to lose it as it is very old and faded.  It is actually not sewn but written with a marking pen of some sort and is slowly going away.  The second line I can't make out.  I love this truly.  To know my Greatgranny, Granny and various relatives have actually touched it is special.

My friendship quilt is finished

And carefully laid _______

I prize it very highly

For the message it has to say.

It speaks to me so softly

Each time I look its way

Oh loving hands and hearts true

That grow deeper day by day.

My friendship quilt is finished

And each night when I pray

I thank God for my loyal friends

That he has sent my way.

Maggie Broyles Wofford

1934

Donkeys and Goats

My weekend consisted of laying around reading, sleeping and playing with a friends little babies...baby goats to be exact.  We couldn't find the little ones in the barn area so had to trek out to a pasture and then Mr. Ed picked up this little newbie for me to hold.  Isn't he just precious. 

I so enjoyed snuggling with him but he had only one thing on his mind,

MOMMA!

There were several donkeys in the meadow and a couple of sheep and Mr. Ed said they were kind of the babysitter/watchdogs for the babies. 

What's that!

Oh, Mommie, Mommie, yummy, yummy

Salty or Sweet

Memory Lane.  That is where we are going this morning. 

I was sitting on the screened porch flipping through yet another cookbook I may never use.  It was the second cookbook by Trisha Yearwood, awesome and fattening recipes that look very yummy.  I came to the dessert page and there was a recipe that was basically iced saltine crackers with chocolate.  Wow, memory, fun and delicious memory. 

Greatgranny's kitchen was a treasure trove of just stuff when we were kiddos.  She had curtains over the cabinets instead of cabinet doors.  I have that in my kitchen at the cabin in honor of her decorating technique which was just the way it was really.  I remember one shelf on the wall had every kind of Watkins flavoring you can imagine.  We kids loved to utilize that shelf for the tastes we never tried before.  Sometimes the afternoons were kind of boring and while Granddaddy would take his nap while listening to the baseball games we got to cook.  We thought of it as cooking but really it was mixing.  Greatgranny would get out the graham crackers and vanilla wafers, powered sugar, milk, food coloring and the Watkins flavorings.  She showed us how to make icing with the ingredients, especially the flavors and start icing the graham crackers and wafers.  When the graham crackers and wafers ran out and the icing was plentiful then she would bring out the saltine crackers.  We would have the dining room table completely covered with the brightly colored iced things.  We would get a plate and put some on it and go around the house and the yard and serve to whoever was around.  There was no way we could have eaten all of the iced treasures.  It was so much fun and hopefully, one of these days I might get to do that with some grandchillin's.  Greatgranny was an awesome lady. 

Words

This is how I'm feeling today...

Sad
Angry
Frustrated
Disappointed
Exasperated
Let Down

Thank goodness it is Friday...

What Life Throws At You

Yesterday was Daddy's 75th birthday.  Happy Birthday Daddy!  He had his sisters and some of the nieces over for dinner to celebrate.  One of his sis's was born on his birthday 10 years after he was born so they share the day.  I sent him a beautiful flower arrangement for his guests and table since I was not able to be there.  I spent the day at the Cancer Treatment Center waiting with my best friends daughter.  My BFF was have a complete hysterectomy from the cervical cancer.  Poor thing was just terrified.  It was a 3-1/2 hour surgery as she had so much scaring from the radiation but they think everything is gone.  I finally had to leave for an appointment while she was still in recovery.  I will go today and check on her. 

Tuesday night we had company for dinner, the company that we tried to have for dinner last week but the calendars would just not come together.  It was a wonderful evening of visiting and food and just relaxation.  I love it when people come to my home and feel comfortable enough to put their feet up in the chair.  That tells me our home is comfortable and the guests feel at home.  My goal is met!  Before the guests arrived The Hubby and I had a quick, serious conversation about work and his stress lately.  He's just got to stop being such a worry-wart.  Since we have been in business, 31 years now, he takes things so hard that the stress starts working its mojo on him.  He doesn't sleep, eat or even smile and that is just not healthy.  Work is just fine but it is really kind of weird.  We have been through many years of ups and downs and really it's not even down but I guess watching the news and seeing the weirdness is taking it's toll on him.  I told him that everything is fine and to quit it as the frown he is carrying around is going to stick and I didn't want to live with that.  On Monday the RHOK girls writing prompt was about qualities in a friend and I think I have been tested on all fronts here.  My BFF and her surgery and life scare and The BFF Hubby and his stress stuff.  He told me he loved me and knew I loved him and that I was his best friend and knew that I was his rock and support.  I've had to pull it together to be there for my "friends".  It is what life throws at you and you have to be strong and love your BFF's tremendously.  Life rocks on!

Sex and The Dog

Gotcha!!!!!

This is not what you think but my girls may want to NOT read this.  You know your parents never ever...

When we decided to accept little Clayton into our lives, our house we forgot how it is to have a pet.  A pet that demands a lot of attention.  The little guy has put a little hitch in our "alone time" since moving in with us 11 months ago, much like little kiddo's running around can.  He barks and whines and interferes, so usually he is put in the garage with a treat for a bit.  Since it is so hot outside we have to put him in the laundry room, like we are leaving the house, tthen we go out the garage door and sneak in the front door.  This is just not right but what do you do, it is life with pets.  So if you drive by and see us outside with the garage door down, walking to the front door...don't come knocking.

Remodel On Hold

The bathroom remodel is in limbo as we wait yet again for more quotes.  Two years ago when we got quotes I thought I would have a stroke because we could have bought another house for what it was going to cost.  Yes, it was a "grand design" and we had the architect tone it down a bit and then, finally we started getting quotes again.  The remodel is a huge add on as the bathroom right now is tiny and the closets are, well, tiny too.  The quotes we got last Friday, well, we are again faced with prices that rival a new house.  Egads, and we're in construction.  Granted we are going to have a bathroom/closet/workout room added on but really.  Here are some pictures of what we have been living with for the past 5 years since we moved in.  This bathroom is the only room in the house that has not been remodeled. 

That closet straight ahead is mine.  It's too tall too for me of unusable space as I'm short and I'm tired of getting a step ladder if I want to use the shelf.  The wallpaper is little tiny flowers and very old.  The carpet is long gone, nasty stuff.  The Hubby's is off to the right and not much bigger (how that happened I don't know.)

This bathtub we NEVER use.  There's another tub in the guest bath and that is fine.  I like the window but just wait to see what we will do with the remodel/add-on.

Yeah, that's a fun little space and I mean little as the toilet is one of those low to the ground kind.  When I workout my quads I can hardly sit or stand up from it.  We have found (yes we are preparing) the joy of ADA rated toilets.  The are taller and so much better to "use". 

I'll keep you posted as we again wait for more bids that are more in our range to spend.

McLinky Monday - Friends

McLinky Monday with the RHOK girls...

Awww, a subject I've written on several times since I started my blog in 2006...What are the top 5 qualities that are most important in your friendships?

• A friend that is there for me, supportive.  I am there for my friends and expect it from them.  To be there in good and bad, happy or sad, there for the duration.
• A friend that is a good listener.  A friend is one who listens to all of my joys and sorrows and does not judge.  I think that is the one quality that I am best at and draws people to me. 
• A friend is honest.  I want someone to tell me if I'm being stupid.  Be honest with me please and I will return the favor. 
• Tolerance & Respect (counts as 2)  Now that honesty has been said, there is also tolerance and respect that you have for your friends.  No two people can have the same ideals and beliefs, EXACTLY...You have to respect a person. 

Technically that is five.

I've written here before about the need of a friend that thinks of me first sometimes.  A person that wants to drop in and have a cup of coffee at a moments notice.  A friend that wants to go shopping, to a movie, or just have a weekend at the lake reading all day long without a word spoken, but enjoying the companionship.  I envy some friendships where not a day goes by where they don't talk.  I had that kind of friendship with my mother and my friend Gail.  I've kind of lost that but I still have loads and loads of friendships.  They are different but that is okay, it is what makes life so wonderful, having all kinds of people enriching your life.  Hmmm, makes the world go 'round.

Hot, Hot, Hot

Yes it is hot!  Summer has finally arrived.  August is synonymous with HOT and that is the truth!  I really don't mind too much, in fact I love Oklahoma summers.  I may sweat buckets but very shortly it will be fall then winter and I HATE the cold.  Even going through menopause I still prefer summers.  Unfortunately the plant life will suffer as the heat drones on but I know it is the cycle that the earth goes through and we will again rejoice in the spring and rebirth of all the new grass, trees, and flowers.  The summer sounds just bring back a lot of childhood memories of Greatgranny's and the creek and food and fun.  Come on summer bring it on!