Friday, August 28, 2009

A Hint Of Fall Is In The Air

After a rainy night and a thundery morning, the clouds have turned white and fluffy in the middle of a blue sky.

But even better? It is one of those days that fall is in the air... and in the shadows. I love it! It makes me feel chipper and playful.

And even better, with the bright puddles left...a herd of dragonflys buzzing around.

Ok, so a group of dragonflies might not be herd. Maybe not a gagle. A slew? I know a flock, yes a flock of colorful dragonflys!



And, I have a Dahlia about to bloom, maybe tomorrow?







May everyones weekend start off in wonderment!

Smiles!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Monday, August 24, 2009

You Know You Don't Feel Good When . . .

Disclaimer: spoilers for those under age 15:)

"Guess what mom? I lost a tooth!"

"oh really?? (sniff sniff, lift head off pillow)...Well guess what? Here's $.50, there is no Tooth Fairy, is your bookbag ready for tomorrow?"

So I spilled a bottle of Niquel, ruining a patch of carpet.

Spilled my coupon organizer, coupons scattered across the floor like a bad game of 52 card pick up.

Knocked over a can of Sunkist.

But, no, I did not spill the beans.

No I did not tell The Man that there is no tooth fairy. It did cross my mind as I hid from human contact, soaking in the tub reading Julie & Julia, trying to distract from feeling bad.

Another disclaimer: sorry for the reference to being in the tub while thinking about all this. THAT, is a Facebook pet peeve of mine. Pet peeve being those that fill their status update with "sitting in a bubble bath playing on Facebook." Hello?? Do not need that update! hehe

Today I feel much better. Now I have a cough, but that beats faucet eyes and a running nose.

The Man received his change from the Toothfairy - aka, Will (this time). And yes, at 13 The Man does know who the toothfairy is, but he happily plays along, keeping that appearance of innocence a little longer. For that I am thankful. So many kids force their way through life growing up as quickly as they can. The Man, not necessarily. Now he might be already planning on when he gets his driver's license, but for the most part, he is in the here and now and happy!

More randomness: So I am not too far into Julie/Julia - now in the chapter after the eggs. Ok, Wine Poached Eggs?? That has me somewhat perplexed. I like food. I like trying new things, but purple eggs?? Mary, help me out here - do you have a pleasant visual for this??

So, who has read Julie/Julia? Seen the movie? Who all has pulled out their Julie Childs cookbooks? And next, have you poached eggs...and in wine?

P.S. Thank you for the well wishes, I am functioning today - have not spilled, knocked over or ran into anything.

Smiles!

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Monday Memories: Small Wishes

Ok.

Today my memory is selfish, short and simple - not even a picture.

Today I am remembering just a week ago.

A week ago


when


I


felt


like


a


human being!

I want to feel that way again! I have a wonderful mixture of sinus issues and allergies and it has just zapped me good!

So my small wish is for my eyes to quite running like faucets and my sinus' to cooperate so I don't sound like some gross creature snorting all the time.

Until I am functioning (which I am praying is REAL soon),
I bid you a wonderful Monday!!


And borrowing from a friend....


Cheers!

Friday, August 14, 2009

Photo Phun Phriday - The Dessert Party

It's Friday Foto Finish is with Carrie . . . .go here and check out the links!

July was a BUSY month, and in the midst of all the running and spinning, we had two birthdays.

Will and The Man both are July babies, so this year we had family over for a Dessert Birthday Party!



No birthday cake this year . . . a Birthday Lemon Meringue Pie. Who says you can't candle up a pie!




We also had Mini Chocolate Bundt Cakes; Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies; Mocha Brownie Trifle, a jar of Whoppers, Key Lime Pie, Ice Cream and a little bit of healthy - strawberries and blueberries

In addition to family, Demolition D invited his girlfriend. We have never had a girlfriend more than a couple days, let alone inviting them to a party!


(your opinion please, should I paint that door behind them white, along with the all the molding??) This is the room we spent months getting the wallpaper off the walls!

Birthdays are fun! Next up, Demolition D's . . . .

Smiles!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Thankful Thursday, Three Hours

Three Hours.

Three Hours alone at home yesterday. For that, I am so thankful! It was so needed.

Thankful for the fact that I almost want to complain that four days later the grass needs to be mowed again. Because that just means we have had plenty of rain, rain that has brought us out of the drought conditions and water restrictions of the past several years. Thankful for the green growing grass!

Thankful that Demolition D is driving soon and that saddens me. Thankful that it saddens me because the sad part is due to the nice rides together (ok, short a few shouts of “STOP” or “DON’T TURN!!!”) and how open and talkative he has been. I am glad his teen years are turning out less defiant and argumentative than his pre-teen years.

Thankful for the leveling off of a frenzied pace, and a few peaceful moments here and there.

Thankful that Saturday is coming and hubby and I can enjoy a day together, just the two of us.

Thankful for a list too long of thankfuls to name . . .

Smiles!

p.s. I forgot, I am thankful for the bargain capri lounge pants at Sams this morning: marked down to 4.81, the cash register rang them up for 2.81!! cha ching!!

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Monday Memories: Put Silk on A Goat - Still Have A Goat

I saw this great picture in a blog last night that brought back a memory (join in with Gayle) . . .

Once upon a time . . .

I thought goats were cute. As well as cats. . .

Then I had the worst 120 days in a job in my life! I worked for a local hospital and transferred to a new department. The department was responsible for hospital involvement in the community. Health fairs, screenings, prescription programs and so on. I loved the idea of being involved, in doing more than sitting behind a desk just answering a phone.

The new “boss” I had known only in an acquaintance sort of way for a good 15 years. I knew she was a little eccentric but she had always been so kind and pleasant.

I interviewed, was offered the position and accepted.

The week before I was to begin the new job, I started receiving unsolicited feedback on this move. Things like “you know about her and the cats don’t you?” Yes, I had heard about the cats – hard not to when she had started feeding so many strays at the office a health hazard had begun. But so what, she loves cats, I know lots of people who like cats.

“You heard about the mouse problem over there?” Nope. “they (the office) complained about the mouse problem, traps were placed, but then they would unset them – it was inhumane, they (the boss and her cronies) fed them instead” and not poison. At the end of the story, maintenance finally had to place poison in other spots to get rid of the rodents.

A former boss that had climbed the corporate ladder called. She had heard and her question was “you know she is crazy? Certifiable?” Now this was an alarm, but this came the Friday before the Monday I was to start. This comment was not a comment this person would make being mean or light hearted, which is not the type of person she is.

It is not in me to go back on something like that. I had accepted the job, I was to begin on the following Monday. Let your yes be yes and no be no – to the new office I would go!

Monday I awoke rather excited to see what would come of the new day and new setting. I arrived 15 minutes early. The office staff started arriving 15 minutes late. The boss ran in carrying an arm full of yarn (with, hay maybe, sticking out), knitting needles and papers, all in a frenzy, shaking her head, "I have to be at a meeting I will be back later," and out the door she went. Out the door went the others. Out the door went her two cronies – I call them the Siamese Cats. Remember the “we are Siamese if you please” cats in the Disney movie? How they watched and snooped and created trouble? Yup, that would be these two.

By 8:30 I was alone. That is when the tears rolled and I knew in my gut I had made the worst job choice (even with a failed business – that 120 days was the worse) ever.

Turns out she was always frenzied. Those balls of yarn and knitting needles? She always had them and was always kinitting. She knitted in meetings. She knitted in her back office as she verbally annihilated the folks she had most recently interacted with. What did she knit? Death blankets for any dying cats at her home. She took in all kinds of cats, but mainly those with leukemia, which she would order cancer drugs from Canada to doctor them with. When she knew they weren’t living much longer, the knitting would hit a new level of energy and intensity. We often wondered if her internal rage would ever let loose of those needles and they would go flying at her target.

The hays stuff sticking out of yarn, bags, or clinging to her trousers? It was hay. From the goats in her home. No not at her home. In her home. Not that that has to be a problem, other than we are in the hot south and the idea of a sweaty flea infested wild animal baying through the house leaving droppings just had a grossness to it. And yes, there were droppings scattered – pictures were displayed in her office of her family with goats in the house and droppings everywhere.

Now, to any readers that have goats taking up residence in their home, this is not to say that it is not possible. But with this particular household, it was gross. This was not temporary due to illness or extreme weather condition. The goats had full run of the house and there were plenty of hygiene issues with ALL inhabitants of the home.

Let me inject, here, another comment I received. A co-worker’s husband heard about this job move. He asked me if I had met her life partner yet. I had not. He had had to deal with the fellow where he worked and said he looked like he belonged with the Grateful Dead. Now I conjured up some Jolly Harley Davidson riding dude. I was a little off with my vision. As well as my interpretation of what I was being told. Yes, he had fuzzy gray hair. Yes, he might could pass for a biker dude. But that was not it. It was the odor. He smelled like the dead!

He did not bath but once a week. The household also did not embrace the use of deodorant, due to the possible link with cancer. I did mention this is the hotter than hades South and this 120 days was from May until September? Good, just wanted to be sure that part was there.

Now in this office also worked a few other people (3 to be exact) that were quite blown away by all we saw and smelled. There was one quite entertaining fella. He had worked for a time with, and testified against, a D.C. Mayor that committed a well publicized faux pas. He added to the daily events by giving me the background of crazy antics that occurred before my joining in their nightmare.

He told of the day he came in the office, jumped into his work, came back into the area with the copy machine and realized something else was in there. As he turned and looked down, there stood a goat!

Now there was much more about this adventure – the dumpster diving, the paranoia, the Osha order, the parnoia, the police chase thru the pecan grove, misappropriation of funds, the paranoia, Jeffrey Dalmer ties, the eight year old that would curl up into a ball on the floor if spoken to. The list went on and on.

And during this time, there grew a dislike of goats. Strange, I suppose that was a transfer of some feelings or the other.


But in bloggyland I have come across goat owners. Goat owners that make the bearded garbage disposals actually cute and back equivalent with any other farm animal, well chickens are still rather too dirty . . .


Anyway, Didilyn way over on the cool side in Oregon, with her wonderful little niche with horses and dogs, also has some goats. I so enjoy her posts. Recently she had a cute little post about a goat. The Homely Goat touched that ahhhh part of my heart and some affection was returned for the four legged bleater .



But this picture by Didilyn takes the cake, how can you not smile and enjoy?!?




Looks more peaceful than I ever would have thought of with goats.

Smile!

“If you’re short of trouble, take a goat.”
~ Finnish saying

Friday, August 7, 2009

Photo Phun Phriday - McGiver Style

I have not been able to join the Friday Fiesta in a very long time and have the perfect photo's to jump back in.
Thanks Carrie for hosting (check her out here).

The Man has a new strong interest in fly fishing, so Monday evening we headed out to my brother-in-law's pond to fish.

The gnats were swarming and a real pain.
Wanna know what you get when you have a swarm of gnats, an engineer, a fan and a car?




Gnatless reading with a pleasant breeze




And the perfect view


We are heading back this afternoon for more phun . . .

Smiles!

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

The Sand Dollar


I loved finding all the sand dollars at the beach. I vaguely remembered a story about the dove shaped shells inside, so when one broke, I was sure to get a picture.
I looked the poem up, and until then had not realized there were other characteristics about the sand dollar that I had not noticed - on the back of the sand dollar, I do not have a picture for that. But I thought I would share the poem and the pictures I do have.



The Legend of the Sand Dollar
There’s a lovely little legend
that I would like to tell,
of the birth and death of Jesus,
found in this lowly shell.
If you examine closely,
you’ll see that you find here,
four nail holes and a fifth one,
made by a Roman’s spear.





On one side the Easter lily, its center is the star, that appeared unto the shepherds and led them from afar.

The Christmas Poinsettia etched on the other side,
reminds us of His birthday,
our happy Christmastide.

Now break the center open,and here you will release,



the five white doves awaiting,
to spread Good Will and Peace.
This simple little symbol,
Christ left for you and me,
to help us spread His Gospel,
through all Eternity.





Author Unknown

Old Mother Hubbard

Went to the cupboard
to fetch a glass for a drink
but when she got there,
the cupboard was almost bare
she did not know what to think...




In a matter of 8 weeks, 9 glasses broke or went missing.

In comparison to our average of a glass a year broken, we were quickly headed to a bare glass cupboard.

The solution? Someone had commented months ago about issuing Dixie cups and paper plates. I took their advice on the cups.

I boxed up the remaining glasses and . . . .


We will take turns on purchasing!

Update: Clothes Detergent

The answer to the empty detergent container what was being used?

Spray 'n Wash

BUT. While we were at the beach, they made a purchase of detergent.

I am continuing with the purex sheets for the rest of us - that leaves that purchase for themselves. It seems they are better stewards of the detergent they paid for.

"If you hold a cat by the tail you learn things you cannot learn any other way" Mark Twain

Monday, August 3, 2009

Monday Memories

This is the longest I have gone without blogging since I started last fall, and I NEED to be back! So today I am jumping in, playing the memory game with Gayle at Planet M Files . . .

Isn’t it interesting how quickly summer passes and how fast those wonderful moments become memories?

We made it to the beach the beginning of July. The first couple days were cloudy and rainy but perfect!

When we left for the beach, we were not sure whether we were staying three days or more. We stayed more. We were there Tuesday thru Saturday and we rested. We had no idea how tired we were until we got there. We slept. We did not think about home, and we did not think or talk shop.

Will and I hung out at the house with his mom or on the beach with the boys. Made a couple trips to Lowes to add some storage and make some repairs on the house. The pace though was what we needed – beach time. We skipped the boat this time and we skipped scalloping. Took the peaceful road with this trip.





The waves were intense and gave the boys a run for their money. They tried surfing, but that was not a very successful venture. They mainly skim boarded . . .




And took their chances at staying upright, while battling the waves.

The clouds and rain finally moved out and let way to plenty of sunshine.




It is interesting how we can go to the same place every year and yet can still find something new to experience.

Where we go is Mexico Beach, what use to be a small fishing town on the Gulf of Mexico that has suddenly been inundated with Condo’s. In that stretch is also Port St. Joe and Cape San Blas. I noticed in a local brochure that Cape San Blas now has a light house you can tour/climb. We took advantage of the sunny day and headed over to check it out.

We stopped for Gatorades and breakfast bars in Port St. Joe. We missed the lighthouse turn off, so stopped in St. Joe state park to snack.

Guess what though? I left the bag with the bars at the store!!

We retraced our steps and found the lighthouse. Now this lighthouse was not exactly what I had conjured up in my mind. I suppose I was picturing the ones on the Atlantic coast. The ones with the little attached house . . .



We checked out the little museum. Real little! Paid the $5 per person and climbed those stairs.

The paying $5 per person to climb the stairs gave us a new perspective on the cost of the Disney World tickets!

But the view was breathtaking!




Lots of shells were found on this trip too!


And my favorites, the sand dollars (they were not alive)



Our last afternoon, Will was fishing off the beach, - and caught a flounder! He tried for a while longer, but not another one to be caught that day. It was perfect though for the two of us. We brought it back along with the scallops that were gathered by my sister in law and had a nice dinner after Demolition D and The Man left to spend the next week with their dad.


We had a great time and I am so ready to go back for a weekend!

Elvis has left the building . . .

I have a post for later today . . . but I can't get to the computer that has the pictures I want - gotta let sleeping folks lie . . .





I have missed blogland - reading and posting - and now I am back. Time to get back to some of what I enjoy. The shop is closed. An empty building/room. Lights off.





But my house is not!



This is blurry thank goodness, but it gives you an idea of the organizing I have ahead of me. I have a screened in room that looks the same. (I hate, loathe, despise moving!)

Drum Line practice has begun for Demolition D and we are within two weeks of his testing for his driver's license.

School begins for both D and The Man on Wednesday. The Man will be in 8th grade, oh my, the last year of Middle School. Are we ready for another one in high school??? Yikes!

Well, until later, I am off to empty a box or two or three . . . .

"Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did."

Smiles!