Mother's Day

I've been hesitating on writing because I wasn't sure how my feelings were on this subject since Momma passed away. May has been a tough emotional month for my family. May 6 (Sunday) would have been Momma and Daddy's 52nd wedding anniversary. I stopped by my sister's house because she was having Daddy over for her famous roast and veggies and I invited myself on the way back from the lake. Daddy arrived and was a little quiet. He had been to the cemetary taking flowers to her grave and then he took pictures of her marker with his new digital camera. He said he thought we girls wanted to see them....(NOT) ... anyway, Sunday really sucked. Now we are dealing with Mother's Day. First I don't have a momma anymore and then one of my little chicks has really flown the coop and lives halfway across the continent. THIS SUCKS! My momma was my best friend and I miss her dearly. OK, now that is out of my system I'll rant on an offshoot of that subject...

Visiting graves...let's just say gross and yuck. I don't enjoy doing that and my Daddy loves to do that. My Daddy likes to go to the cemetary and cry and sob and cry. Several years ago after his Mom and Dad and brother passed away, and when he was drinking heavily, he would go to the cemetary and cry and sob and cry and then show up on my doorstep swaying in the wind with puffy eyes. (We lived close to the cemetary then.) As far as I am concerned once you are dead you are gone from this earth, somewhere, but NOT IN THAT CASKET! I guess it gives him comfort to know that is where she is but I find that creepy to think that my Momma is in the cold ground with the rain and snow and bugs and YUCK! I prefer not to think of that.

Whew...I guess I'm through rambling. Sorry this is a downer of a blog. Oh, and I hate all the Hallmark Mother's Day commercials!

Another boring day!

Today I "again" went into the office and typed one quote and answered all of two phone calls....all day long. It's okay though as I had spent last week cleaning out some old file drawers with my stuffed with some of my personal crap. I have a nasty habit of tearing out recipes and NEVER trying them so I had amassed a large pile of them. I spent the better part of the day cutting down and pasting recipes on index cards that I might "someday" try. I ended up throwing away a huge amount of the stack, thank goodness. What a huge mess. So my day as you can read was another boring day in Jill's world.

Rainy Days and "Thursday"

Rain, Rain, Rain...I know we need it but enough is enough. It is supposed to be "April showers bring May flowers" but this time it is "May showers bring drowned flowers." I have this awesome new car with a retractable hardtop and I hardly get to use it. I know that Oklahoma summer has yet to hit and I will have ample time to put the top down but I have a new toy and I want to play with it.

Do you ever find that there are some people that just make you go ooooo yuck and they really haven't done anything to you, maybe. Well, we know a couple, especially the husband that just makes me cringe and want to be nasty too and that is NOT like me AT ALL! (I am never mean to people, at least knowingly.) We have a lake house in a gated community and so the amount of homeowners there is rather small so the community is small. There is a homeowners board and I was asked a few years ago to sit on it. This man was the VP and going to be the Pres the next year, anyway I got shafted on doing the treasurers job and had to quit when my body and mind went absolutely haywire on the amount of crap I had to do (another story). This man that I hardly know at all has the gall to call me "darlin" all the time and Mister I am NOT your "darlin". He and his wife are absolutely the cutest couple you've ever seen (gag). The wife is just too cute and sticky sweet and way over the top with kindness. The husband is very handsome and very outspoken (as I said "darlin".) They have very outgoing dispositions to the point of nausea. Well, their daughter is getting married in a wedding to match Prince Charles and Diana, I mean, the girl actually has her whole college sorority as her bridesmaids....hello, over the top, and this is a fairly small town I think. They also went to Chicago to buy her wedding dress and go back and forth to have the fittings. Anyway, at one of the lake functions where everyone was at attendance the wife was gushing about the wedding and announced to some of us women that were standing in a circle to "Save the Date" for the wedding, I was standing among the women. (Wow, I thought I might be invited to this thing, huh...think again.) We've been "accidently" invited to their cabin for a dinner before (right place right time.) Well, then I found out that there is a huge wedding shower this weekend for the daughter at the lake and everyone in our little area of cabins has been invited...but not us. That's quite OK since I hardly know the girl, but so does half the people up there. Should I be hurt? Well, not really, but I am. We just can't break into the one group that has all the parties, although I'm in a little group that doesn't party with them either but we've been to several group efforts that includes many of the people up there, just not them. This weekend we saw them and I went out of my way to be nice and ask how they were, how's the wedding planning going, you know being nice and I will continue to be nice but I feel sometimes that we are out of our element up there by some people. Just because we are fairly new money doesn't give people the right to be snobby. They are not any better ,do you think. Maybe I'm getting it all wrong but my feelings get a little hurt by this crap. I'm thinking of doing a little gift for the girl anyway. I won't buy anything but I make a mean potholder on the sewing machine and those homemade gifts are nice. What do you think?

A sighting

prothonotary warbler, painted bunting


This morning I was sitting in my favorite chair reading my favorite author and out of the corner of my eye I caught the most glorious sight, a painted bunting. Oh my gosh! I feed a lot of birds and see goldfinches, cardinals, nuthatches, titmice, woodpeckers and an occasional prothonotary warbler. What a beautiful sight the bunting was. My mother always talked about them but I had NEVER seen one. Oh what joys the woods can bring.

Just Because

Just because I'm having a lot of wine you will read a LOT of rambling from me tonight. I'm here in my fabulous room, sitting in my new chair that is sitting on my beautiful new rug while I watch American Idol. I'm drinking a red wine that was made in Missouri and quite delicious (I can't remember the name exactly-Hermansberger?) and trying to make my mind focus on a particular thought.

The American Idol show is a kick-off show and a fundraiser. It's 2 whole hours of "stuff". I just want to know who is going home right now. I know that sounds callous especially since I just shed a tear watching Paula Abdul talk to a little girl talking about her parents working and struggling and she began to cry and so I cry......

I watched Entertainment Tonight and they shared (not reported) that Rosie O'Donnell is leaving The View....Yeah! I can't stand that woman since she is not EVEN funny anymore. She is using her star status to be annoying....glug, glug, glug...good wine....

My #2 daughter A has been flying all day long with her "boyfriend" to the East coast to help with Spock's Beard in their concert tour back there...Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, etc...she is getting to use her "education" as a recording engineer. Spock's Beard is a kind of off-shoot of Tears for Fears (the drummer, Nick is in Spock's Beard and is a friend of her's.) Anyway, she is going to being traveling for two weeks and her full-time job knew she would be doing this before they hired her so there you go. My kiddo is happy. I'm so very glad for her. The boyfriend is a little older than her but he is with her and in the same field and so they have a lot in commen. She is happy. Did I say she is happy. What you wish for your children is that they are happy and functioning, contributing adults in the world. She's happy.

The #1 daughter has been going through a rough time for the past couple of weeks. Her boyfriend/live-in's mother passed away, her great uncle passed away, one of her dear friends had some terrible medical stuff, and today the new homeowners found out that they may have to purchase an whole new heating/air system. She was in tears and they've both been sick.


OK-----I have had a brain storm. I'm watching the Idol Gives Back http://www.americanidol.com/idolgivesback and they were showing the poverty in Kentucky and that 23 out of like 500 families can afford to pay for school lunches. I THINK THAT IF WE HAVE PUBLIC EDUCATION THAT THE MEALS SHOULD BE FREE!!!!!!! How sad to not feed the children when they are in school.

Oh, sweet wine....sweet wine......woo hoo!!!!!!!and it's only Wednesday...!!!!!

More Babies

This is just a really cute picture of my little babies.....They are now 27 and 21...AWWWWWWW

Hmmmmm

You Are Agnostic

God? Religion? Maybe... you're just not sure. You're still figuring out your spiritual path... or figuring out you really don't care. You believe that no one really can know the true story about religion or God. So you might as well relax a little. You'll go crazy trying make sense of it all.

Are You an Atheist, Agnostic or a Believer?

Your EQ is 153

50 or less: Thanks for answering honestly. Now get yourself a shrink, quick! 51-70: When it comes to understanding human emotions, you'd have better luck understanding Chinese. 71-90: You've got more emotional intelligence than the average frat boy. Barely. 91-110: You're average. It's easy to predict how you'll react to things. But anyone could have guessed that. 111-130: You usually have it going on emotionally, but roadblocks tend to land you on your butt. 131-150: You are remarkable when it comes to relating with others. Only the biggest losers get under your skin. 150+: Two possibilities - you've either out "Dr. Phil-ed" Dr. Phil... or you're a dirty liar.

What's Your EQ (Emotional Intelligence Quotient)?

It's those little things that bug you.

Do you remember watching the episode of "I Love Lucy" where Lucy, Rickey, Ethel and Fred were getting on each others nerves. (I know I'm showing my age.) Fred was jingling the keys in his pockets, Rickey was drumming his fingers on the table, Ethel was making sucking-smacking sounds as she ate sweet sticky things and Lucy was stirring her coffee, tinkling the spoon in her cup. Well, every once in awhile, after 31 years of marriage those little habits pop up that drive me crazy about The Hubby.

Last night he came home from a trip about 10:30 pm. I was in bed watching TV trying to drift off to sleep. He was asking me questions and I mumbled answers as he proceeded to get his stuff ready for the next day. I drifted off to sleep and was brought back out of dreamland by this glow that invaded my eyelids. The bathroom light was on. I could hear The Hubby tapping the keys of the computer, it was 11:30. Now mind you, I get up at 4:45 AM every morning to go to Jazzercise and it is sometimes hard for me to get to sleep anyway. He ALWAYS turns the light on and leaves it on and then leaves the room. I tossed and turned and then heard him coming back into the room. Now, I had to contend with the teeth-brushing routine. He is absolutely fanatical about his teeth. He brushes a very long time, then he brushes his tongue with an electric brush, then he flosses and spits over and over again, then finally he swishes his mouthwash for a full 3 minutes. OH MY GOD! (And this is twice a day!) It might not seem bad but he is very, very vocal about it. Teeth done he slides into bed and begins the release of his joints and muscles. The sounds coming out of his mouth used to make the girls think we were having loud sex. He stretches and moans for a good five minutes before he gets still and within another five minutes I hear the beginnings of snoring. Great...there goes my good sleep.

Some more examples of The Hubby's "habits": The act of eating his "daily" oatmeal and raisins can bring me out of dreamland. The Hubby eats oatmeal for his cholesterol and doesn't miss a breakfast without it. The only time this bugs me is the weekends when I try to sleep in. I first hear the microwave slam shut and run. Then I hear the beep-beep-beep, then another slam as he retrieves the steaming bowl of oats. He then adds his Splenda and milk and the chorus starts. Ting-Ting-Ting-Ting-Ting-Ting-Ting-Ting on the sides of the bowl as he beats the oatmeal almost into a froth. I asked him one time why he had to beat instant oatmeal so much and he simply said to get it mixed up. Oh, Okay (eye roll.)

Oh, and I almost forgot the foghorn. Yes, I am talking about blowing his ample nose. He blows before bed and when he wakes up. (I know this is gross.) This act, if I'm not ready for it, can make me jump a foot off the ground. My God, he must not have many brains left in his head after the horn goes off, and please help me if he gets a cold. Speaking of his nose, that man can smell a bad smell a mile off. You cannot pull the wool over his head...nose. I used to try to quickly clean up puppy mess without him knowing but no amount of cleaner could escape his talent for smell. It also hurts that I can't wear very strong perfume because it hurts his head and gives him a headache (so do room fresheners.) He doesn't even wear men's cologne except for very special occasions, and I LOVE men in cologne.

OK...I'll stop ragging on my man. Just some funny observations on our other halves.

Migraines

My grandmother and sister have been plagued with migraines as long as I can remember. I have never had them...or least I thought I had never had them...until recently. In fact, a couple of years ago I was having this weird flashing wavy light thing happening in my eyes and I thought I was having eye problems. Well, my eyes were fine. I finally realized I was having a precursor to a migraine, although not severe migraines. Today, I'm sitting here at my desk and there it goes again. I thought I might not be able to drive home mainly because I couldn't see very well. I took an Advil and continued to work at my desk and then realized that the flashing wavy lines were gone, but wait, now there is tightness in my head and it begins.

Damn Rain

Rain, Rain, go away
Come again some other day!....

I'm so tired of rain. Surely we won't be under burn bans or below the normals on the rain charts this year. I had already put the sweaters and turtlenecks away for the season and here I sit in my new chair listening to thunder and shivering. I want Oklahoma spring and for goodness sake Oklahoma SUMMER! I'm in a bad mood and the dreary, cloudy and cold days are not helping at all. I can't even put the top down in my new car. I must be PMS'ing even though I've only had my monthly (haha) once since last fall and it wasn't much at that.

I'm just sitting here looking at the screen of my computer and am in a fog. I don't want to do anything or talk to anyone or flat anything. I hate this feeling. I've always described it to The Hubby as feeling like I'm in a glass box and every sound is muted to me. He will sense how I'm feeling and ask me if I'm in my box. After 31 years he sure as hell better know me by now. HaHa

DAMMIT! The phone just rang and The Hubby's favorite uncle, Uncle Skeeter passed away. He's upset and his mother is really upset. Also, the oldest daughter's live-in-love's mother had a heart attack last week, underwent 5 bypass surgery and then threw several blood clots and is now on a respirator in a drug-induced coma not expected to make it. This sucks and has eerie feelings of last year and the losses we all suffered in my family. Damn rain!

The Hubby is home and found me blogging and asked, "What is blogging? Is that a part of your MySpace." I explained it to him and he was curious about whether other people read my thoughts. I told him well, not many actually, only 2 or 3 people that I know of. Nice little hubby is in the kitchen blackening some steaks (I fixed some veggies) and he brought me a Turkey/Coke to drink...bless him...I know what he wants.....

Saturday Night

We stayed in town this weekend because it was Easter weekend (not that we go to church much.) We have decided to have the (his) family for dinner (KFC) tomorrow but you know the only ones showing up are his mother and his brother and partner. The rest of the family is fishing or with the new family.....OK I'm bitter. The Hubby's oldest brother remarried a few years ago and the new sis-in-law has a son and daughter with kids so the bro-in-law seems to spend more time the faux family than with us, the real family. I am bitter. You know he and his "bride" have been to our new house all of one time in over a year. YES, I AM BITTER and I'm not the only one. The bro-in-law's own sons with their own kids are bitter by his indifference to their children. I have a problem with that. The sis-in-law has been causing some problems with the focus on her own family to the detriment of his own family. I know this is a ramble but wo cares it helps me to ramble.

I've been sitting in my "room" today and totally enjoying it. I had The Hubby take me to Tuesday Morning to check out their new new delivery of rugs. I needed his truck since my "new" car can't handle large loads. I found a really pretty muted colored one to sit under my new chair and totally spent the day in MY ROOM! I have always wanted to have my own room and here I am 50 years old in my own room. I grew up sharing a room and a bed with my sister until I moved out when I married. I married, moved out and into a bed with my new husband over 31 years ago. I was desparate to have my own space and now I finally have it. It is MY room and no one, absolutely NO ONE can tell me what to do with it, I won't allow it. It is my room. The Hubby tries to insert his opinion on how I decorate or arrange or by rugs or chairs for it but I will have no part of his opinion on the subject. IT IS MINE! My space. I totally love it.

Man, 3 glasses of wine and I can type all kinds of junk.

Dancer in the Dark

OK...I know as I write this I've had 3 glasses of wine so I'm feeling no pain but I also have free speech of the mouth. When I drink the mouth doesn't stop and I say just what I think, sometimes brutally. Anyway, I have been watching the Independant Film Channel and just finished watching "Dancing in the Dark" with Bjork, and mind you I CANNOT stand Bjork as far as singing goes but....I was bawling by the end of the movie. I only caught the last 1-1/2 hour of the move so I missed the part that put her in the predicament she was in. The end of the movie I found that tears were pouring down my face and I just wanted to sob. Bjork is a little weird and her singing is appalling but the subject of the story was so strong. She is a girl going blind that likes to live part of her life in a fantasy world of musicals. There were some very well known actors in the movie, Joel Grey, David Morse (I love him) so there has to be something to it or they are really out there but I really liked the movie and will try to catch the first of it to get the full effect. I'm not sure I want to watch the end again because it was so powerful for me, but wait I might have to drink a few glasses of wine to get it again.......

The New Car!

My new little red .... Miata.....

A (possible) New Car

OK...I've been doing a head battle with The Hubby about what "I" want in a new car and what "HE" thinks I should have. I WANT a convertible and there is no discussion on that subject, that is what I want. So his big emphasis is that it be a hard-top, so we've (me) test driven 3 of the top ones. The other night I tried the Volkswagon Eos and really was not impressed but he loved it because it was a German car. I really didn't like it much. I WANT a Pontiac G6 which is very nice and the test drive was very nice. But last night, after the G6 test drive we decided to test drive a Mazda MX-5 Miata.....YIPEE!!!!! WOW.....Shazam!!!!!!! I'm in love and I think that is what I am getting. Yes it is smaller than the G6 but you know I'm not getting any younger and if I don't get my sports car now in my stage of life I'm not gonna. So now he will begin the negotiation part of the process. I will only be able to take one person at a time for a spin around the block but what a spin. Wish me luck!!!!!! Varrrroommmmmmmmmmmm

Oh Spring!

My New Chair.....

A Job that had to be done.

This past weekend my brother, sister and I, along with the watchful eye of our father cleaned out Momma's closet and some of the kitchen stuff. Daddy had been asking for awhile for us to help him clean out the stuff. It really wasn't very hard like I thought it would be. If we had done it like Daddy wanted to, this fall I think we would have a problem. Her clothes, her shoes, her coats, her nightgowns, all went into several black plastic bags. Sad. We then went into the kitchen and above the stove there are cabinets that held Momma and Daddy's first set of everyday dishes and some collectible Niloak pottery that was my great grandmother's. There were other little pieces and we all divied it up nicely. My oldest daughter, B got the everyday dishes and she loves them. I got the Niloak pottery as were Momma's wishes. Luckily my siblings and I work very well over this kind of stuff, and if my brother asks I will give him anything he might ask for, maybe. Now, with the sister I may rethink that as she is not as careful with stuff.

So this weekend we did a job that had to be done but we're not even finished yet. Daddy really wants us to come and clean nearly every closet and cabinet. This means I will have to make a lot more room for some cookbooks and crystal. I think it helps Daddy to have the stuff not around because it makes him sad to be in the house all the time with it and besides I think he is trying to really move on. He's seriously talking about dating and is looking forward to it if he can find someone to go out with....YIKES...not so sure I'M ready for that but it is his life.

Me Tarzan You Jane

As I have written before I am very happily married to The Hubby and have been for 31 years now but sometimes he can be a chauvinist. He is absolutely wonderful to have around the house and is a much better "housewife" than I could ever be. He does his own laundry, his own ironing and fixes his own breakfast. He will even load and unload the dishwasher and even washes by hand. The Hubby is fabulous at home but last night The Chauvinist or Tarzan Hubby reared its ugly head.

Here is the story:

He bought himself a new Avalanche truck a couple of weeks ago and now it is my turn. I have wanted a little sporty car, a red convertible sporty car for many years and thought I found what I wanted. Let me back up a little. This past weekend my little sister D went out with her two kiddos and bought herself a new Jeep and this was without the help of her husband.

Last night The Hubby and I were talking about it and Tarzan said, "Did she pay sticker."

Jane's response, "I have no idea."

Tarzan's response, "I can't believe W (her hubby) would let her do that."

OK...my mouth hung open. I was dumbfounded by his remark. Jane said, "Excuse me!" pause, "Excuse me!"

I was livid at him. I told him that she had every right to pick out her own car (even though she can't afford it) and that is was the third car she had personally bought. I told him that I was not allowed to do that and that I apparantly wasn't allowed to have what I wanted either because I'm not smart enough to know what I want, only The Hubby seems to know what I want.

Man, was I hot. I went into a tirade about having things picked out for me, especially cars. My first car my grandfather picked out (actually it was a kid car for all three of us). My second car my grandfather picked out for me. All of the other cars we have owned I have not been given a chance to shop around for what I want. Our first married car he brought home. The second one, a Jeep, he brought home. The third one, I got to actually test drive, after he had already picked out the one he thought we should have, a 1996 Impala SS (very cool car). The fourth car I was again taken to the dealership and was allowed to test drive this one, "Hey she likes it we'll take it. " Now, here we are at the threshold of the purchase of another car for ME and I'm not allowed to even get what I want.

The Hubby says that I won't be happy with a convertible because the tops wear out. He says they are loud and the tops don't last. The one I want is a hardtop. The last time The Hubby was in a convertible was over 30 years ago and so his basis for his knowledge is 30 years old. Now I'm afraid I'm going to pick out the wrong car because he has been such a know-it-all. I told him that I wasn't even allowed to pick out and purchase my own car. He said if I wanted to pick out my own car I could, just don't pay sticker and don't this and don't that...that's part of the point. I am a 50 year old woman and he doesn't give me credit for having a head on my shoulders. He thinks I'll see a pretty red car and be easily swayed.

Other instances of The Hubby picking out stuff:
- Came home to new washer and dryer and another time a new stove and dishwasher
- Our lake place: I went to the dentist for an hour and came back to the office and because of a glitch in the countertops he had already made decision to have butcher block countertops made and they were already done and he was going to pick them up and have them installed (The problem was that I HATE butcher block but guess what that is what is on my countertops at the cabin.)

ARGGGGGGGG!!!!!! I'm frustrated by this Chauvinist/Tarzan thing he has going on and I have allowed it to develop. Again, he is a really great guy but I sometimes feel like I'm drowning in this partnership of a marriage. It all goes along with us working together too. He is definetly an alpha male and since he is The boss it is very hard for him to let others take the lead, especially me.

I guess I feel better. We'll see how this car thing goes. I really have no idea if I'm going to get my little red convertible or an old lady car......

I guess I sound ungrateful for The Hubby. He has been instrumental in helping me attain my dreams...in fact I'm pretty much living a dream with what I had when I grew up...I sound spoiled...maybe I am but he made me that way...haha

Our 25th Anniversary

(I am listening to Chris Botti while I'm relating this story)

I was going back a re-reading previous posts and realized I promised to write about our 25th anniversary. (We've been married 31 years now.):

Our anniversary falls January 25 so for over two months The Hubby had been telling me to "Be Brave and Wear Pants." This scared me and my my mind went to the worst scenario. I just knew he was renting a hot air balloon. (I'm terrified of heights). The day came, a Saturday, and our youngest daughter and I were at a small classical concert at the Performing Arts Center during the afternoon. We arrived home to see The Hubby sitting in the kitchen in a suit and our oldest daughter B, home from college at the time, standing in her robe. The very first thing I noticed in the dimly lit kitchen was The Hubby's wedding ring which he had not worn for several years. He doesn't wear it for safety reasons at work and then he just couldn't get it on. I walked up to him and noticed a white limo pull up outside. It was not your ordinary limo, but one of those "truck" limo's. We went out and the girls took our picture and then I realized the meaning of "wear pants" for I had to hike myself up into the darn thing. Then it was on to the restaurant and on the way The Hubby presented me with my old "Add-A-Pearl" necklace that had only 13 pearls on. There were now 25 pearls.

We then drove to the restaurant, one which I had never eaten at before, The French Hen and had a fabulous dinner, although I can't even remember what we ate exactly right now. The thing I noticed most was The Hubby's constant preoccupation with his watch. He even left the table several times and I knew he was on the phone. After dinner The Hubby suggested we drive to our first apartment and have a kiss by the front door. We lived in this apartment for exactly one year and it was the best year. We loved the apartment and the area. I said sure. We drank champagne on the way there and then he presented me with another pearl necklace, a full one. The first one he explained was hard to do because the pearls were such an odd hue that there were hard to match so I got two pearl necklaces.

We pulled up in front of the apartment building and it looked so sweet. It only had 6 apartments in it and we had #1. We went into the little alcove and with my back to the door he leaned and kissed me. Then as he pulled back he said, "I wonder if anyone's home," and before I could stop him he proceeded to knock on the door. I was paniced. All of a sudden a violin began to play and the door was opened by our daughters. I was in shock. There inside the candlelit apartment were our beautiful girls, the violinist, my best friend C and her husband H and our minister David. The mantle was covered with candles and in the middle was a beautiful canary. I had mentioned that I wanted one and it was mine. I walked into the familar room with a huge smile on my face and tears. It was so very beautiful.

After the initial shock had somewhat worn off The Hubby turned to me and asked me to marry him again. I of course said yes and then David began. What was really neat was that my wedding ring is the second one. I had totally worn the first one in two and had it made into a necklace and we purchased a new one. We were able to use the new rings which made them special and not just something you go to the jewelry store, buy and put on. The Hubby and I renewed our vows in front of our girls and C and H. After the vows the violinist played and The Hubby and I danced while they all looked on. Wow, I was totally speechless, my face hurt from smiling.

We finally gathered ourselves up and headed back to the house. The girls rode in our limo with us and shared champagne while C&H drove the girls car back. When we arrived home the house was full of friends and family and there was a cake and refreshments that The Hubby had put together. Greeting everyone and visiting and sharing cake like newlyweds the evening was a huge success but The Hubby was not finished. We all gathered in the den around the VCR and The Hubby started a tape that was full of 25 years of pictures and music and then at the end The Hubby came on the screen and said some wonderful words directed at our guests, family, the girls and then to me. There was not a dry eye in the house.

Setting up this elaborate event The Hubby made contact with the guy that was living in our old apartment months in advance and as luck would have it the place was freshly painted white and the kid had sparse furniture. He had no living room furniture so it was easy to have the ceremony and dance. The Hubby and the oldest daughter, B went over earlier in the day and put dimmer switches in so we could dim the lights for the event. The kid didn't want anything for the trouble but we left him him champagne and money for his kindness. The be brave part of this thing is obvious isn't it?

So for everyone reading this, YES, I have the most romantic, caring, tender husband. He is quite wonderful even though I may grumble a little sometimes, that just comes with being married.

Rock My World

I have been having problems with my knee. I went to the doctor and he said he thought it was a sports injury..."Excuse Me!" Well, I do Jazzercise 5 days a week so it is possible. Anyway, we x-rayed my knee and yesterday the nurse finally called me. The only word I heard was "degenerative." Then I got on the net and started looking up degenerative knee, the words flooded my eyes and mind...... osteoarthritis, cartilage, Glucosamine-chondroitin, anti-inflammatories ( NSAIDs), Vioxx, Celebrex, and Bextra, joint replacement, arthroscopy, and arthritis (which runs rampant in my family.) I'm 50 years old and this is really rocking my world. It's all I thought about the rest of the day yesterday, and this morning when my eyes popped open it was the first thing I thought about. My daddy has bad knees and 27 years ago had arthroscopy. I do not want surgery if possible. The literature did say it could be brought on by excessive weight which I am guilty of. I am working on it and over the past 7+ years I have lost 60 pounds. I'm working on it.


DAMMIT....I hate getting old.

I have finally done it!

I have have finally done it. I have booked my week at Lake Austin Spa. YIPEEEEEE!!!!!! I go the last week in June. I also booked my flight so there is no turning back now. It was a very scary thing to pick the phone up and actually make the plans. I'm not a good traveler anyway, especially since I am going to be going by myself. This is something I have NEVER done before so we'll see. I'm already nervous and I have 3 months to wait. I'm going to a spa, I'm going to a spa, I'm going to a spa.......I'm giddy!

A Wedding

Last night The Hubby and I went to a wedding at our church (which we haven't attended for awhile - that's another story). It was a young couple who we have watched grow up. Our girls grew up with them at the church. The couple, Katie and Kevin were so very sweet. They have known each other since they were probably 4 or 5 years old (or even younger). Who would have thought that they would end up exchanging vows and spending the rest of their life together. They are also rather opposite so it is even weirder. The church was absolutely packed with family and friends coming together to celebrate this union. When the usher asked groom or bride we said both so it didn't matter where we got to sit. Since there is such a rich history from the church with these two, there were also in attendance many ministers that had been a part of their lives, seven to be exact (even the one who renewed our vows.) Needless to say, we had a grand time being a part of the next phase of their lives.

The Hubby's New Toy

Here we are with The Hubby's new toy...2007 Avalance. Now, where is my little red sports car!

The List

I've tried to bolded and italic the things I have done, but ...OK I will number the ones I have done at the end of the line.


Bought everyone in the bar a drink 1.
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
Held a tarantula 6.
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
Said "I love you" and meant it 8.
Hugged a tree 9.
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise 13.
14. Seen the Northern Lights
Gone to a huge sports game 15
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
Grown and eaten your own vegetables 17.
18. Touched an iceberg
Slept under the stars 19.
Changed a baby’s diaper 20.
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
Watched a meteor shower 22.
Gotten drunk on champagne 23.
Given more than you can afford to charity 24.
Looked up at the night sky through a telescope 25.
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
Bet on a winning horse 28.
29. Asked out a stranger
Had a snowball fight 30.
Screamed as loudly as you possibly can 31.
32. Held a lamb
Seen a total eclipse 33.
Ridden a roller coaster 34.
Hit a home run 35.
Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking 36.
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment 38.
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
Taken care of someone who was drunk 41.
Had amazing friends 42.
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
Taken a road-trip 47.
48. Gone rock climbing
Midnight walk on the beach 49.
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love 52.
In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them 53.
54. Visited Japan
Milked a cow 55.
Alphabetized your CDs 56.
57. Pretended to be a superhero
Sung karaoke 58.
Lounged around in bed all day 59.
Played touch football 60.
61. Gone scuba diving
Kissed in the rain 62.
Played in the mud 63.
Played in the rain 64.
Gone to a drive-in theater 65.
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
Started a business 67.
Fallen in love and not had your heart broken 68.
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
Gotten married 72.
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
Made cookies from scratch 77.
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
Got flowers for no reason 83.
Performed on stage 84.
Been to Las Vegas 85.
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
Kissed on the first date 88.
89. Gone to Thailand
Bought a house 90.
91. Been in a combat zone
Buried one/both of your parents 92.
Been on a cruise ship 93.
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
Raised children--currently raising child 96.
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
99. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
100. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking 101.
Had plastic surgery 102.
103. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
104. Wrote articles for a large publication
105. Lost 100 pounds
106. Held someone while they were having a flashback
107. Piloted an airplane
108. Touched a stingray
Broken someone’s heart 109.
Helped an animal give birth 110.
111. Won money on a T.V. game show
Broken a bone 112.
113. Gone on an African photo safari
114. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol 115.
Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild 116.
Ridden a horse 117.
Had major surgery 118.
119. Had a snake as a pet
120. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
121. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
122. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
123. Visited all 7 continents
124. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
125. Eaten kangaroo meat
Eaten sushi 126.
Had your picture in the newspaper 127.
128. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
Gone back to school 129.
130. Parasailed
Touched a cockroach 131.
Eaten fried green tomatoes 132.
Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey 133.
134. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
135. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
136. Skipped all your school reunions
137. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
138. Been elected to public office
Written your own computer language 139.
Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream 140.
Had to put someone you love into hospice care 141.
142. Built your own PC from parts
143. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
144. Had a booth at a street fair
Dyed your hair 145.
146. Been a DJ
147. Shaved your head
148. Caused a car accident
149. Saved someone’s life

Who's the Daddy!

Remembering a Friend

Today is the year anniversary of the phone call no one wants to get. My dearest, dearest friend Gail has been gone from this world for a year now. I so miss her still and will never be over it. This is a online toast to Gail. I love you Gail.

Love in the Afternoon

There is one good reason why being an empty nester is wonderful...it's called Love in the Afternoon! Need I say more!

What has my life come to.

What has my life come to. It is Monday evening and dinner is over, the dishes are done and The Hubby and I are watching our favorite Monday night shows, all on CBS. I say "we" are watching TV and I lie. I am watching TV. It is 8:18 pm and The Hubby has been snoring on the couch since 7 pm. It seems that nearly every evening we do the same dance. Dinner, chit chat a little, The Hubby reads the paper, I check out Blogger or crochet, or crossword.....BORING! We are OLD and stodgy already and we are only 51 years old. So quickly the kids are gone and the run, run, run ceases in a big way. Even The Hubby used to be a workaholic and was gone 7 days a week and worked 10-12 hours a day. Now he's home every night, I'm home every night and we're BORING. I don't know if I can stand to spend the rest of our lives doing this every night. I'm turning into my parents and I'm not ready for that.

My Weekend

We went to the retreat (aka: The Cabin, Heaven on Earth) on Friday afternoon and not a minute too soon. The Hubby (aka: The Boss)was driving me crazy at the office. He was stressed and the employees were not helping the situation. He's behind in billing and could not get anything done for the phone calls from the them. They just have to have him hold his hand sometimes and can't figure out a situation or whatever. He was snippy and mean and I got caught in the crossfire. He was so stressed that I snipped back and he growled that it was a miracle he wasn't home in bed with covers over his head and in tears. I looked him in the eye and I swear I saw tears. He was so stressed and he seems to take it out on me then. The other thing I have discovered is that I am the key to keeping his stress under control. Guess what the secret is. Ladies please take note because I have learned this over 31 years of marriage. SEX!!! Yes, I said it. SEX. This at least is the key to my hubby. Amazingly enough when he is relieved he is so much nicer to me and everyone else. If the employees knew why he is so nice sometimes the next day...hahahahah. This is not the only help. It helps that I'm pretty easy going, I'm patient, and understanding and I love him.

Wild Orchid

All I can say is rum and coke, Saturday night, kids no longer in the house (totally on their own) and the movie Wild Orchid. Is there anything else to say. Well I can say that Mickey Rourke is SO very hot in that movie. Wild Orchid, if you haven't seen it is beautifully filmed and is very close to X and I totally love it. I told The Hubby it is my favorite movie and he reminded me I also said that about Under The Tuscan Sun being my favorite movie. I thought a minute and replied that Under the Tuscan Sun is #2, Wild Orchid is #1 for me.

Monday

Today I had to take my Daddy to have his first cataract surgery. My sister was supposed to but her little boy has pnemonia and she is ill so of course there I was. My brother might have been able to but since I could, I did. This is really beside the point, I didn't mind at all...

Daddy and I drove to the outpatient surgery place and still it was fine, till they called me back to sit with him while he waited to go in. I followed the nurse past curtained cubicles till she stopped and said "Here he is." There Daddy lay on a hospital bed in a plastic shower cap thingy with a hospital top on and an IV drip in his arm. I was pulled immediately back to Momma on her death bed. My breath stopped for a minute. He was glad to see me and anxious to get the procedure over with. I rallied and sat with him while he dosed and waited. When the nurses came in off and on and asked him questions he mentioned Momma and how he missed her. I thought I was going to lose it. I'm telling you that was so hard to do and I have to do it again next month for his next eye.

???

It's Sunday morning and here I sit in our living room having just finished the Sunday paper and enjoying the sunshine that is streaming through my living room window. Finally, we have some warmer days and I plan on soaking up some of the warmth later on today. We didn't go to the cabin this weekend because The Hubby had to do some office work and I had a wedding shower to go to. As it turns out we also had family in town with their 8 month little girl, our great niece. This week is going to be a full one as it turns out I will have to take my father in for cataract surgery tomorrow. My sister D was supposed to take him but she has a sick kid. So Monday I'll take Daddy, Tuesday I'll take Daddy for post-op and next week the 2nd post-op. Next month we do it all over again and I'm waiting for the call that she can't take him again. Our brother, B usually helps too but he's been going out of town a lot with work lately and can't so of course good ole' "Jill" is always there for the back up.

The Hubby announced to me that since I was going to be absent from the office tomorrow that maybe I should go in today (Sunday) and do the mounds of invoicing that he put together yesterday that has amassed on my desk. I told him NO! I am not going to go in on Sunday (I usually do) and besides I have stuff to do at home today. I have got to get my taxes together and ready for the accountant. I hate this time of year. I think he is mad but you know, I spend a lot of idle time sitting at that desk, I can hold a little work for the work week, besides he has held off the invoicing for over a month what's another day or two, Right! ARGHHHHHHH!!!

I haven't heard from my friend about the mess up of the canceled lunch date. I suspect that since she has been taking pain meds that she probably doesn't remember that she made me mad and disappointed me. Too bad but that is usually how it goes for me with her. My oldest daughter Bri told me that I needed to get a new best friend. I told her I have friends but you just don't flush 22 years of a friendship down the drain. I told her I lost one best friend (sudden death) that I could always count on and that I couldn't lose another one. I so miss Gail. She was a different friend and one I could tell ANYTHING too and she would listen. With C I have to hold back and I don't like that because she is too judgemental and I am usually an open book. I will tell you most anything without reservation or embarrassment. I like to have friends who are honest but fair in judgement of me and others.

Oh,,,,I'm rambling again. That's just what happens in this crazy mind that sits in my skull on my shoulders. It kind of goes in all kinds of different directions. I will stop rambling now and toss down another cup of coffee before I dive into the baskets of tax junk.

What a Bum Day!

What a bum day I have had. My day started with a phone call from the lady from Norwalk Furniture where I had ordered my overstuffed chair and ottoman for my special room in our wonderful newly remodeled home. I ordered the chair a month ago and last week she told me the chair was done and they were needing 4 more yards of fabric to finish the ottoman. Well, this morning there was a crisis because the chair was NOT even started and there was not enough fabric because it was a discontinued fabric (she did not tell me that before, and it was the end of the bolt which had some flaws. So I had to go out and look at some fabrics that we might use to make the skirting around the chair and ottoman. I didn't like any of them and so it was back to the drawing board for her to scrounge something to go with the fabric I did choose that I am determined to use. I LOVE it and WANT it!

The other part of my crappy day was that I was meeting two friends for lunch at 11:30. This was the day and time decided on last week and my dearest friend and I discussed it last night. I showed up at the restaurant at 11:30 and waited. I called my best friend and got voice mail and then called the other friend. She answered and asked what I was up to. I told her I was sitting at the restaurant and she screamed, "C called me and canceled." What...why. My friend C told her I couldn't make it and besides she was having back issues and was on a little medication to ease the pain. I was crushed. Here I sat in a very nice restaurant, by myself in the middle of the room and was devastated. The friend E yelled, "I'm on my way. Order me the spinach salad," and then she clicked off. I waited till noon and E showed up and we had a great lunch. Friend C called my phone before E got there and was confused thinking I couldn't make it and apologized. I said that was OK but you know, it was not OK. I'm so tired of these things happening to me. This is not the first time I've been stood up by friends, other friends. What is it about me that people forget about me. Am I again the kind of person I was in high school an actual wallflower, a part of the scenery. I don't know, but I'm bummed.

My and my honey (aka The Hubby) in front of our retreat

A Little Bit of Summer

I know this is wishful thinking but I'm SOOOOOOOOO tired of the cold. I'm ready for Spring and Summer, yes I said an Oklahoma Summer. I'm tired of shivering. Hot flashes are not helping in this weather.

Digital

I have finally won my battle.

First of all our TV/Cable at home sucks. I watch almost exclusively CBS but we have terrible reception. We even had the stupid cable guys out and they told us we lived too close to the tower and we would just have to live with it...and they charged us for the visit...WHAT!!! We watched the Super Bowl with ghosts, red, green and blue hues fuzzing in and out. The score wasn't even visible at the top of the screen. Last night was the last straw. I can't watch my soaps - The Guiding Light and As The World Turns or Survivor or Two In And Half Men so something had to be done. The Hubby finally called today and tomorrow we get Digital Cable and it sure as hell better take care of the problem!

Also - At the office - I have been complaining about being bored sitting at my desk a lot lately and The Hubby had promised me a doohickey that can let me watch TV on my computer but he had to cancel the forever backordered doohickey. I was soooo very depressed about that. I had a TV at the office but it kicked the bucket, then I tried to tape at home but the fairly new VCR bit the dust and then with the stupid Channel 6 problem I was utterly defeated. Well, Friday he finally came through with the doohickey for my computer. Come to find out it is easily picked up at Best Buy...who would have known! It has been installed but the stupid metal building we are in only allows 1 home shopping channel and 2 save my soul channels and fuzzy at that. So, while The Hubby was on the phone with the cable guy for the home system he fixed it so we will get cable at the office. YEE HAW! I am so excited I can hardly stand it. Let's face it I'm a TV-holic to the max.

Get Ready to Laugh

This is hysterical. It takes off a little slow but worth the wait. Turn up and get ready to laugh.

Enough is Enough

Enough is enough. We are now into our 3rd huge winter storm and I've had enough. I hate winter, hate the cold, hate ice and snow. I'm spoiled and used to having or mild winters. To those who claim that we are in global warming...raspberries. I'm cold, I'm tired of washing the salt and sand off my car, I'm tired of having my husband having to taxi me around town, I TIRED OF WINTER and it's only February 1. Please bring on Spring and Summer!

Also-----

I also have to share that today is our anniversary. The Hubby and I have been married for 31 years now. I can't believe it has been that long. It seems that the years have just flown by. I guess as they say "Time flies when you're having fun." That is so true in our relationship. I may complain but he is my best friend and he still makes me belly laugh. He can still surprise me and I will share sometime our 25th anniversary. It was incredibly special.

Pictures from the girl in California!

John Taylor (Duran Duran drummer) and A

Paul Stanley of Kiss fame and A

Rick Springfield and A

More Ice Storm Damage

Here are some more pic's of the ice storm damage at our lake place. Incredible. It looks like bombs went off everywhere. The hillside is just littered with fallen trees and the tops are just gone out of them. A lone golf cart top(my card was full so pic) was absolutely pierced by a huge fallen tree branch. The power and water was off for 7 days which was a very bad problem for those who live there full time. It will take a while for the whole area to rebound from this devastation. On the other hand the ones who love the place for fishing are already making plans to wet a hook because the creek is up and that means the sand bass are biting.

What Country am I!

You're Thailand!

Calmer and more staunchly independent than almost all those around you,
you have a long history of rising above adversity.  Recent adversity has led to
questions about your sexual promiscuity and the threat of disease, but you still manage
to attract a number of tourists and admirers.  And despite any setbacks, you can
really cook a good meal whenever it's called for.  Good enough to make people
cry.


Take the Country Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid

Rick Springfield

OK...my youngest A is in LA at The NAMM Show...some music industry convention and she has talked to Nancy Wilson from Heart, C.C. DeVille, Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick AND Rick Springfield...so far. She is working at the show for Fender and Gruno (her online DJ Friend) and has only been there for about 3 hours. She called me and I got to TALK to Rick Springfield. So very cool and she said he looked really good. YUM!


I'll have more pic's of her with some of these people.

http://www.thenammshow.com/

Cabin Fever Never

As you may have read in previous posts The Hubby and I have our own business of which I spend a lot of time sitting in a windowless office. Sometimes the day is pierced with tons of phone calls and then there are days when I don't even pick the phone up or see a living soul. I play POGO on the computer and can see outside with cameras from my desk but basically I'm by myself most of the time. Plus the office is nothing but MEN, when I might see them. So, to my story:

Since we have had the winter of the century in Oklahoma I have been home except for one day in which The Hubby insisted he take me to the office. I have been home and throughly enjoying it. I have windows! Last night The Hubby made the statement, "I don't see how you can stay here everyday, pent up, it would drive me crazy." I turned to him with my jaw hanging and said, "What do you mean it's just like at the office only I have windows here. I stay busy. I read, clean, watch TV, water plants, watch the birds, just stuff." It stopped him dead, he blinked and looked at me and then had to turn it back on me, "You know there is stuff you can do at the office if you were motivated (that is the key word). You can answer the phone. The customers don't like talking to the answering service."

OK...First, I am NOT motivated anymore to sit there. Second, then why do we have an answering service if we don't even use it.

I was really pissed at him. He still doesn't get the boredom and apathy I feel sitting there. I don't know if he ever will. He's also upset because I haven't worked out with him since I can't get to Jazzercise. The last time I went with him to workout at his place he embarrassed me and felt like what I was doing was a waste of my time. Unknown to him I have been doing Pilates to my DVD's everyday. HMMMPH!

Next Tuesday is our 31st Anniversary, I guess I had better get over it. HaHaHaHaHaHaHa

More Ice Pictures

Lake house pictures of our steps and the backside of the steps. Also, a registered tree along the creekbank.

Finally done!

It's finally done...the Christmas if finally put away. YEAH! It's not calling me bad names anymore. Mocking me from the front room...My demons are in the attic. HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa....OK, I'm going stir crazy from all this ice and they are predicting more for the weekend. I HATE WINTER...give me a hot Oklahoma summer any day. Bring it on.

I've been so bored that I found my stack of old journals and read some entries. Very scary if anyone should find them and read them "while I'm still on this earth," especially The Hubby. Man I was a mess when I was younger. Poor little me. I certainly wasn't very happy with myself, not my life so much but myself and my attitude towards myself. It's kind of healing to read that stuff and see how far I've come in my life and my thoughts on my life.

Still frozen inside!

I'm still here safe inside the new abode, safe from the frozen tundra outside my door. The Hubby came and took me to work yesterday but he hasn't called today. I don't plan on driving yet till the driveway is a little safer. It's a steep incline and I don't particularly want to be in my neighbors front room. My friend C called this morning though and she was out galavanting around in the icebox we call Oklahoma and wanted to stop by to borrow the book we are reading for bookclub, Jenny McCarthy's "Life Laughs." She couldn't park in the drive or even walk up the drive. She slid down as she attempted to travail the slope. Instead she climbed over the front wall and the azaleas. Wow, what a woman. Not me. I would be in the street on my back saying, "Ouch."

Last night after work The Hubby wanted to have a glass of wine at the wine bar Vintage 1740 (http://www.vintage1740.com/home.html) and dinner at the Itailan restaurant next door but it was closed on Monday's. The Hubby loves to go out to eat when the weather is bad like snow because the places are almost empty. The problem is getting me into the places. I'm not too stable on my feet when it comes to walking...haha...I have taken a few tumbles in the past few years, three of which were in our garage in the old house. But, I actually walked on the frozen stuff into the wine bar and we enjoyed a few glasses of wine with all of the other two people in there. The Hubby's phone rang and he had an emergency call from a customer so we had to go by there and check his electric meter. Then we decided to pick up Jamils (best steaks in town) and take them home to eat. Yum, yum, yum!

Well, that updates my boring life for the past few hours. Not much to do except to STILL put away Christmas. I'm still trying to get it done but just don't want to. Oh well......

Monday is a workday.

Yes Monday is a workday and here I sit at the office again. Despite the ice on the roads, houses, trees and sidewalks nothing and I mean NOTHING deters The Hubby from going into the office. I thought I might get to stay home all day but NO! He called and said he would come pick me up. He would drive into the garage and then into the shop so I would not have to even set foot on the ice. I, of course, said OK. I HATE the snow, ice and winter in general so this is going above and beyond for me. I really couldn't see the point in traveling into the office since the banks and post office was closed, but The Hubby had come in on Saturday and there was a stack of invoicing on my desk I needed to type. So here I sit at my lonely desk getting to WORK! Oh well, nothing better to do I guess than nap, read a book, finish packing up the Christmas, my laundry. Toodles...type, type, type, type.....

Snowed In

It's 6:36 AM

It's 6:36 am Sunday morning and I can't sleep. I woke up to a sound that I figured out was the heat kicking on. I realized I needed to pee so I quietly made my way in the dark to the bathroom then I piled back to bed under the warm covers. All of a sudden The Hubby got up to go to the bathroom. Of course being a man he shut the door so he could turn on the light to see where to aim. Being a woman we do it in the dark just fine, this is our advantage to having "indoor plumbing." Anyway, I heard the toilet flush and then the shower start up. What the...! Since I was already fighting a sinus headache I beat him to the coffee and here I sit.

Yesterday was a pretty boring day. I did nothing. The plan was to take the Christmas down but all I got accomplished was taking all the ornaments off the tree and lay them in the floor in anticipation of being wrapped in tissue paper. I just didn't get very far, maybe today. Last night when The Hubby slid up the driveway and into the garage I had a small pot of hamburger stew and biscuits. We topped off the evening with a glass of wine and watching the movie Sideways.

I hear The Hubby in the bedroom with the blow dryer going, slamming cabinets, and shaving. I'm glad I wasn't sleeping because I would have been awakened by that noise. Well, I guess off to another day of stranded in the house with lots to do but no motivation. The Hubby I'm sure will try to go to the office again to work, nothing stops him, ever!

Ice Storm

Ice storm in Oklahoma...we're sitting tight in a warm home with a cozy fire, several bottles of wine, a pot of hamburger stew and a good book/movie. The only thing that could make this not happen is a power outage and so far we're good. The Hubby of course had to go in to the office to do some paperwork (work for me Monday.)

I'm so glad I'm staying put after seeing this video.

Brrrrrr...Baby it's cold outside.

Yesterday the sky was falling, according to the weatherpeople. Yes it is icy outside,yes it is cold, and yes we should stay inside, but really do we have to have constant television coverage about the weather. I can understand if it was tornados, but it is just ice and snow and we are going to be stuck inside for a few days, so what. The sky is NOT going to fall. The upside is that we don't have to watch commercials since that is where the weather reports pop-up but that does get old.

Today The Hubby will travel out on the icy streets. Nothing keeps him from venturing out, nothing. We decided on not going to the cabin this weekend because he had to work in the office and catch-up on billing. He likes to work on paperwork on the weekends because the phone is quiet and no one bothers him to get him off track. My task this weekend is to take down Christmas. It's all over the house and slowly but surely I have gathered it up and put it around the still adorned tree. I have to climb into the attic to get boxes and I am not a height person so that is unnerving. I've also got to finish a book and maybe take a nap. Yeah this is going to be a nice weekend, all cosy.

Last night we made good use of the cold and fireplace and a bottle of wine (wink). It is wonderful to be empty nesters. Yes, don't fret when those little ones are out in the world, embrace your honey and rediscover each other. It is so much fun. Trust me!

Hot Flash Anyone!

I am here early in the office trying to beat the weather. I missed Jazzercise this morning because I was so very sore from yesterday. I just lazed in the bed and then watched the weather. I thought I had better get some extra milk for The Hubby just in case, so off to the grocery store early. I couldn't believe it when I pulled into the parking lot. It was 7 am and the lot was jammed full. I walked in and fought with the tangle of shopping carts to break one free before I found the produce section. There was one bag of salad mix and most of the other bins were empty. Oh My Gosh! Then I pushed through the crowd of panicked faces to the meat for ham for beans. No chicken, No beef and very little pork stuff. The weather people are scaring people to death with this ice storm thing. It will only be a couple of days and then Oklahoma will warm up again. My goodness people, make a pot of beans or stew and enjoy the weekend inside with a good book. Hopefully the power won't go off but, well, we sell generators so that won't be a problem for us I hope.

Boy, did I miss the reason for this blog. I was sitting here at my desk and my face flushed then my whole body. I thought I was on fire. Thank goodness for the cold outside because I had to step outside and just enjoy the cold. If you know me at all I have always been cold up until this past year and half but today takes the cake. I remember when my mother had her own personal summers and she would be beet red with sweat pouring down her face. Sometimes she would get so hot she would be physically sick to her stomach. Oh wait, that could be the mix of hot flash and drinking. Anyway, I'm finally comfortable now. I guess it is close to that time of life and I am embracing it. Fan anyone!

??? Day

Well, yesterday I went to the doc to just see if the scale is moving in his office since it certainly is not moving in my house. ARGHHHHH!!!! I have amped up my workout and even lost 2 pounds over Christmas, which I put on over the New Year celebration! The only good thing is that I put on a pair of pants out of my closet that have not been worn in probably 2 years and they were barely on then. I put them on and zipped them right up with room to spare so I KNOW my body is-a changing. The doc said that I was in the best "medical" shape that he has ever seen me in in the past 15 years. HOORAY! Too bad the scale is not cooperating. Oh well, I'll keep up the good work.

Lots of stuff are happening again for my family. My youngest is back in California and she says in her blog (Jane of all Trades) that she is back home. The first morning back she got a call for an interview YEAH! But of course they needed her to start in the position right away and she had to say she was committed to a project (which she is not getting paid for) and couldn't. Granted this is only a part time job but it is a job. The guy told her he might have another position that he will look into for her. Then she got an email from a music artist that wants to possibly get her to record his song or something like that. This of course means she needs another computer program (ProTools) to aid with that endeaver. That track is where she wants to be. Whats another $200 or $300 to further her career and deplete my bank account.

The oldest daugther closes on her new home on Jan 24 and tonight is going to buy appliances. This is So very weird because this is the kiddo who didn't want to get married or have kids or even plant roots in one place. She wanted to travel and work somewhere that wasn't in the United States. Now here she is buying a house and appliances and has a guy in her life that she plans to make her future. I cannot quite wrap my head around this since she has been the other way for so very long. I just knew that I would have to travel to visit my kids. Still might with the youngest.

Raising kids is not an easy job. When you're young and get married and spout the words, "I want to have a baby." You really have no idea what it takes to raise them. I totally amazed myself when the oldest was born and we took her home, I kept her alive. Now I know that sounds weird but you just find it amazing that you are taking care of a real live human being and they are surviving. Then they grow up so very fast and are out the door before you know it. The in-between stuff is the easy thing. The ear aches, the tummy aches, the scraped knees and nightmares, the first boyfriend, first kiss, school, PTA, Pom Pom practices, or basketball games, the fights, the rebellion, the worrying in bed at night when they turn 16 and aren't home yet, these are the easy things. Now comes the hard stuff. You worry about what they are going to do with their life and hope to high heaven that you have given them the skills to be self-sufficient when they are out in the world without you. You will always be there to guide them. I'm 50 years old and not until last year did I not talk to my Momma and get her advice on something. That is the part of the job that never ends. This is the rewarding part, when they become functioning beings of the human race.

Concert tonite!

Tonite we are going to see CHRIS BOTTI! I can't wait. I've had my tickets for 3 months and have waited in anticipation for this night. I LOVE that guy. I'll let your know how it went...

Evolution

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK1NbGRACls

Oh I'm having fun now!

Oh, I'm having fun now. I finally have figured out how to get into my new Beta version and as you can see I am adding tons of pics and changing stuff. I'm having a blast creating. This is so very cool that I just can't stop myself. Enjoy everyone. The old pictures are of my great grandparents home that I LOVED to go to and stay. Way out in the country they totally lived off the land but were also college educated. As you can see by the wishbone doorway I don't have much of a problem with the African mounts since that is what I was used to seeing.

Too Many Checkbooks!

We have way too many checkbooks. We have one for the company, Money Market checking (blue cover), personal checking (computer checks), my Mary Kay checking (pink cover), and my personal inheritance trust checking (brown cover), way too many to keep track of. Well, The Hubby needed to take a check out of the MM Checking to pay for the rest of his African mounts. The checkbooks were at the office, I wasn't, and I told him the BLUE one NOT the Brown on. Well, today I'm trying to balance my mulititude of accounts and noticed a check missing, OUT OF MY personal inheritance trust checking. Now, the first problem is that he is not a signer on the account. The second, is that my account draws interest so it will miss out on a little interest. Goodness, I'll have to reimburse myself. Too funny really.

On the other part of the previous paragraph are the African mounts. A year and a half ago The Hubby went on African Safari for 2-1/2 weeks. He killed a kudu, impala, blesbok, springbok, black wildebeast, and a blue wildebeast. The three very large ones are now hanging in the cabin, those are the kudu, black and blue wildebeast. The others, impala, blesbok and springbok are not proudly staring down at me in our living room in town. Actually, they are very pretty and I really don't mind. I grew up with that at my great grandparents so I'm not offended by it. I told him that he had a VERY understanding wife to allow those to hang in our main living quarters, he agreed.

Now it is my turn to hopefully book my spa trip. I'm looking, just trying to get brave to travel there. I want desparately to go to Austin Lakehouse Spa. I've been dreaming of that place for ever. http://www.lakeaustin.com It would be fun to go with some friends (hint).

A Reading Weekend

OK...I thought this book looked interesting and so I slogged through it this past weekend. The comments on the back made me think it was a non-stop page turner that frankly I had a hard time trying to turn the page to finish. Yuck! I can't believe they actually made a movie of this one. My only thought would be the infidelity throughtout the book, a child molester, anger ridden men who can't grow up, just what they need to sell tickets at the box office. And I heard a TV critic suggest that Kate Winslet might earn an Oscar nod. Perhaps he is right if it is based solely on the performance. This is not worth the time at all and I'm sorry I did.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all....Oh My Goodness it has taken me awhile to get my other computer to FINALLY let me in so I can blog. I'm so very frustrated with this new version. I hope the kinks get worked out.

Hope all had a great New Year's bash. The Hubby and I spent the New Year at our lake retreat with several other people. We had a cabin progressive dinner. What great fun we had golf-carting to each others cabins and eating, and eating, and eating. I'm so glad I have not made dieting my New Year's resolution. Way too much stress.

I mentioned earlier in a previous entry that I was not going to make resolutions but I LIED! Ha! The only one I am going to make is to journal in my pen and ink journal everyday. I probably will do the online one not quite as often. I have to get my mind into the writing mode if I'm going to succeed in writing. There it is in print!!!

The new year is starting out with a bang. The youngest daughter Af is driving back to California with her roommate/best friend on Friday and I'm a little antsy but kind of ready to have my house back. She's been here for 3 weeks and I was really getting used to being empty nesters. I love her so very dearly but I want her to get on with her life. She is a certified Audio Engineer now but no job on the horizon, just "helping with CD's" which pays NOTHING! She's networking but she may have to do a little starving. I'm just not comfortable kicking her to the curb with no money or support, a beautiful, young girl living in California in the industry that she wants to be in. We'll get through.

The oldest daughter, Br informed us a few months ago that she is moving in with her boyfriend, and then a few days later they were talking marriage, very soon. Now she has put a contract on a HOUSE!!! not very far from us. The contract was accepted and it is an adorable house. I'm so very excited for her. She is a great girl with a great job and future. She is also getting her masters and is planting roots. See I can cut those apron strings successfully, it's just very hard to do.

I'm looking forward to 2007. I hope it brings all kinds of good stuff to my family, friends and myself. Everyone knows who has read my blogs that 2006 has been the year from Hell and I'm ready for some good stuff.

Blackeye peas anyone!!!!!Here's to good luck!