My Bathroom MakeOver

I have a couple of before shots, and some after shots. You may notice that these first two shots are a pale green. I call it seafoam, and the curtains are all battenburg lace. That was my absolute favorite color and fabric about, oh say, 10 years ago. Needless to say, even though I enjoyed it. I'm tired of it, and it doesn't go with the rest of my house.



My house is small, built in the late 60's, 3 bedroom, 1 bath house of about a thousand square feet. Plenty of room for me. But occasionally I get tired of the way it looks and decide to make a few changes.

About 3 years ago, my son pretty much gutted the bathroom, and put in a new tub and shower surround, new commode, vanity, floor and floor covering. At that time, I repainted it the same as it had been before because three years ago, I still loved the seafoam green.

The other thing we did ten years ago was that we painted the tile. This bathroom had a lot of tile and it was an off white with specks in it. Looked like egg shells from some strange variety of chicken. We took primer, and painted right over it, twice. Not one speck ever chipped or flaked. Even where it was around the tub and got wet continually, it never peeled .

It takes me a long time to pick what I want to do when I make a change. I started deciding I wanted to change about 6 or 7 months ago. I sorta decided what color I wanted, then went looking for fabric to make a new shower curtain. Once I got the material for that, I picked out some towels and rugs. Next was the paint. I took a piece of the material and matched one of the colors in it. Then I thought about it for a while. I wasn't totally sure how I wanted to make the shower curtain. Whether to gather it on a rod and keep it tied back all the time, or to make it so I could close it when

the shower wasn't in use. I decided on the latter as you will see in one of the pictures on farther down.

But the really funny thing is that depending on the time of day, and the amount of light shining in the room, determines the color of the walls. In the first picture taken of the vanity area, they look really gold.

By the way, I have to stop and give credit to my friend Mary. She spent a day and a half painting my bathroom. She painted the walls and the ceiling. And she always does a great job. She loves to paint, and I love her for it.

If you need something painted, I can give you her number. Just kidding, Mary.





In these other pictures, as you will see, the room looks very taupe. I cut off the top of the shower curtain accidentally, so you can't see how it pleats, but I put buttonholes across the top and then put it on hooks. The only problem I've encountered is that I have to adjust the pleats each time I close it so the curtain is distributed evenly. Other than that, I'm really pleased with the way it looks. I've toyed with the idea of making a straight strip to go behind the cutrain with buttonholes spaced the distance the hooks need to be to make it hang right, but I haven't gotten around to doing that yet. And if you know me well, probably won't.

These are my towels. I took some of the leftover fabric from my curtain, and put it across the bottom. I've noticed that someone, some one of my grandchildren have dried their little hands on my towel. I keep a towel lying on the vanity for such things, but do they use that one--noooooo, never. But that's ok, they are my favorite grandchildren, whichever one did it.

I hope you enjoyed the tour of my bathroom. I knew it was just what you wanted to read about and see today. I'm really pleased with it.

I hope the sun is shining in your corner of the world. As usual, it's raining here.

And I also hope you are having a great Tuesday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Will and the Leaf Collection

We finished Will's leaf collection yesterday. We ended up with 26 assorted leaves. The requirement was 20, so we're hoping for some extra credit on the 6.

In fact, I'll be very disappointed if he makes anything less than an 'A'.

We were able to get all these leaves by asking people what they had in their yard. They were most helpful, and quite willing to bring us one of each, with the name in a baggie.

Then, we did the drying and pressing thing. At one point, I had leaves being pressed in several rooms of the house. My biggest fear was they would mold or worse, become so brittle they would crumble into a thousand pieces.

Fortunately, they dried quite nicely, and then we sprayed them with a clear matte finish spray. I think they held up very well. The only ones that disintergrated was the Mimosa leaves, and the fuzzy mulberry leaf. Everything turned out good. The Catalpa wanted to curl and it looked kinda funny. It's the one just above his right hand.

We had fun working on this project. I don't know if Will actually learned anything, but he can remember memaw and mom helping with the project.

I hope you are having a great Monday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Friday and Superhero

It's Friday - ye-ha. I'm so glad. And Superhero is spending the night, and another ye-ha! He's such a sweet happy little boy. He likes to talk and tell tall tales. Sometimes we try to see who can tell the tallest one. He always wins.

He and one of his cousins(Princess#2) got progress reports from school last night. They are both in Kindergarten. They have different teachers, but it's amazing how close they are in progress. Some things he's a bit ahead of her, and others, she's ahead.

Their teachers had lots of good things to say about them. They are both already reading on 1st grade level, but won't be tested to see where they actually are until near the end of school. But they are both in the top of their respective classes. Superhero is in the top 4 with 3 little girls. I just know he hates that.

Princess #1 will get her report Monday. She's a big 1st grader this year. I'll be checking on that Monday afternoon. My 7th grade grandson got his report yesterday also. He keeps saying how hard 7th grade is, and I, as old as I am, remember how hard it was. He ended up with a mixture of A's, B'c and C's. So, all in all I think he did great.

Needless to say, I am very proud of my grandchildren. They are all bright, happy, well adjusted kiddos--as well adjusted as they can be and related to me.

I hope you are having a great Friday and looking forward to a wonderful weekend. Pray for our country. Love one another.

And Once Again It's Raining

I know, you are growing tired of my continual weather reports. My mood had begun to lift while the sun was shining, but if it continues to rain, I'll be right back down in the big black hole again. It has rained here allllllllll day. That's correct, the whole day.

I've been carrying my lunch the last two weeks so I don't have to go out, and today was one of those days I was truly thankful I had brought it.

My dad had a saying of sorts, in fact, he had several, but the one that comes to mind right now is that in the winter time, if he didn't feel good, he'd say that when the sap rises in the spring, he would feel better. I'm beginning to think he suffered from the same depression I do. The only difference is that when I'm depressed, I really don't care if the sap ever rises again or not.

Let me count my blessings and get off that other subject. I have three grown children who are self-supporting. I have 6 grandchildren ranging in ages from 2 to 22. Only one of whom is old enough to be self-supporting and as much as I'd like for him to go to college, he's out there working.

My son the contractor is in North Dakota pheasant and duck hunting. This means I get to help with his little ones. It's a hard job, but someone has to do it. Actually, I love being needed. I'm picking up the Banty Hen today while mom goes to Superhero's teacher conference. He went home with his other memaw today and is spending the night. I get him Friday night.

I love picking up grandchildren from daycare/school. They are always so happy to see me, and it makes me feel needed and loved. I know one of these days, they will all be too old to yell 'MEMAW' when they see me and run and give me a hug. But that's the way it's supposed to be. I just hope that when I move to the nursing home they'll come by and see me once in a while, and I hope I'll still recognize them.

That's enough moaning and groaning for today, and it's almost time to go home.

Hope you are having a great Thursday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Illness Abounds

I hope everyone who reads this post is feeling ok. Here at work, we have one gal who was diagnosed with Swine Flu yesterday after being in a meeting with all of us all morning. We've had two others go home this morning, one has nothing to do with the flu--girl stuff, and the other with an upset tummy.

My DIL and grandson(Superhero) are both sick, but fortunately neither of them were positive for Swine Flu. He has an ear infection, and she has a bad cold. And the Contractor is in North Dakota Pheasant hunting(lot of help he is when you need him). I'm on call to help with anything she needs me to do, and I am picking up The Banty Hen tomorrow afternoon while she goes to teacher conference.

The other two princesses are getting ready for the Miley Cyrus concert Friday night. I'm not sure if they are as excited as their mother, but she has been getting their 'stylin outfits' ready for over a week now. They are going to look like 25 year old midgets with the garb they will be wearing, but I guess as long as it's one night, it won't warp them too badly.

I've really enjoyed the sunshine the last few days, but I fear as all good things must come to an end, this will too. It's a bit overcast today, and there is a rain system to our south, west and north. When I looked just now at the weather map, it appears that the actual rain may go around us. Wouldn't that be the greatest thing? Well, one of them at least.

I hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Hello, Anybody Out There?

I know, I know, I've been gone. Actually, I haven't been anywhere, just haven't been posting. It's been gloomy, the weather has been awful, and I get very depressed in the fall and winter.

Then on top of the regular stuff, we've had all this rain. I think the farmers are finally beginning to get into the fields. Their crops have sustained a lot of damage.

As for me, my children are healthy, my grandchildren are healthy, but I think I've turned into an old curmudgeon. Can a female be that? Or is that strictly a name reserved for old men? I googled it. It is defined as "a crusty irascible cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas ". I don't know if that describes me or not, but I kinda like the idea of being a curmudgeon. I think I would like being crusty, irascible, cantankerous and full of stubborn ideas. But I don't like being old. So can I leave that part out?

Today the sun is shining. It is 72degrees outside and I have a big pot of beef soup waiting for me at home. Then I'm going to work on my grandson's leaf collection. I sure hope I get an A for all my effort. When I get it done, I'll post a pic or two.

I hope you are having a great day. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Being Nosey on a Wednesday

I have a question. When you eat soup/chili/stew, do you crumble your crackers in it or do you eat them on the side?

And if you crumble them in it, do you think this is good etiquette? In other words, if you were sitting beside Queen Elizabeth and soup were served, would you hold up your pinkie and slurp from your spoon, or would you crumble up your crackers and enjoy.

Things like this have always puzzled me. I need input.

And, sorry I've been away so long, just haven't had anything to say, but I've been reading blogs as time has permitted.

The weather here is absolutely perfect. Wish we were outside enjoying it.

Hope everyone is having a great Wednesday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Do You Get Your Feelings Hurt Easily?

Sometimes I have too much time on my hands and I begin to wax philosophical. And I was just sitting here thinking about people who tend to get their feelings hurt.

No one has hurt my feelings lately--not in a long time. In fact, I often say, you can't hurt my feelings. I don't think that is entirely true, but they don't get hurt easily.

I guess that means I not overly sensitive, so I don't take offense or look for reasons to be offended. I think that's a good thing. However, that becomes a two edged sword. If I'm not easily offended or hurt, then I'm not always sensitive to what I might do that would offend or hurt someone else.

Case in point. Many years ago, a friend of mine had remodeled a house and moved in. When I saw the house for the first time, I went on and on about what a beautiful job she had done with everything. I talked about what good ideas she had for doing the things she had done, and was quite vocal about how pretty everything was. I found out several years later that I had offended her. Her comment to another person was that I obviously thought she had no taste and therefore was quite surprised that everything looked so good.

That wasn't what I meant at all, but that was what she perceived. It's very important that we be careful about the things we say and do, especially what we say. I wouldn't hurt anyone's feelings on purpose, but as usual my mouth does it for me.

"He who will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile." 1 Peter 3:10

It's that guile part that gets me every time.

Have you ever hurt another's feelings without any intention of doing so? I'm thinking a lot of times, we don't know when we've hurt others, so we have to be really careful about what we say and how we say it.

I hope you've had a great Wedensday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Blue Monday

I think today is Blue Monday. Actually, I think it has been a blue few weeks. I'm in one of those periods where I don't care if I talk to anyone, I don't seem to be able to do anything. I would be quite content to just sit and stare off into space.

This happens occasionally with me. Sometimes it worse than others. I will interact with others as long as they are the ones to instigate it. But, I'm perfectly happy to be alone. I don't even have anything much to say and it is definitely difficult to do this post. In fact, if it weren't that at some point in the next few days, my oldest daughter would comment about my not posting, I probably wouldn't be doing this one.

I will get better, or something will happen in my life worth posting about. Maybe that's it, there's just nothing going on in my life worth even talking about. Hmmm. So there's nothing wrong with me at all. I'm just a dull, boring person. It's so wonderful to be able to figure out the answers to life's little questions. I suddenly feel so enlightened!

Hope you are having a great Monday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

I'm a Proud Memaw

If you follow this link, you will be able to listen to my 2 year old granddaughter(aka The Banty Hen) say the pledge of allegiance. This is the little girl who was asked to be taken out of Montesorri school.

They may not have realized it, but she is one smart little cookie.

http://ivanangelaandjoey.blogspot.com/

Hope you are having a great Wednesday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Kiddos Back In School

I guess all students, whether they are public, private or home schoolers, are back in the books. The public schools here in NE Arkansas all started last week, and this week the college students start the new semester.

I thought traffic would be terrible coming to work this morning, but I guess that will come Wednesday. Monday and Tuesday are just getting the new syllabus and learning what books to buy and I think you can do that online these days.

Some of the things I remember about starting school each year:
New clothes that scratch and itch.
Seeing old friends that you haven't seen all summer.
Finding out that some old friends moved and won't be back(and you don't know where they went).
Meeting the new kids.
Realizing that if you didn't have friends last year, you probably won't have any this year.

One summer when we were getting ready to start 8th grade, I got stung by a wasp on my face just to the left of my eye. You couldn't tell who I was, much less what I was, but I started school on that Monday anyway. I was embarrassed and humiliated. I was laughed at and made fun of. I would have loved to have had a bag to put over my head.

I don't have a lot of good memories about school. Thank goodness I don't have to ever do it over.

What do you remember most about your days in school? I hope your memories are better than mine.

Hope you are having a great Monday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

How Many Times Will It Snow This Winter?

I know it's August and who cares how many times it will snow this winter, but since weather prognostication is a science, let me tell you how to determine the number of snows in the winter.

I worked with an older lady a few years ago that said the number of snows each winter can be determined by the number of fogs in August. That seems a bit strange and whether it's totally accurate, I don't know. However, we've had several fogs this August(we're at 5 here in NE Arkansas) so we are thinking it may be a rough winter.

And remember, August isn't quite over yet. We have ten more days, so we may have a few more fogs. Anyway, next spring, we'll see where we stand on the number of fogs in August vs. the number of snows during the winter. Be sure to tune in to find out if this scientific approach works.

I hope you are having a great Friday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

What To Do About Prayer

I try to catch Huckabee on Saturday night. If I miss it then, I have a second and third chance on Sunday. This week, it was late Sunday night(after the 5 hour Cardinal game) that I watched it.

One of the segments had to do with a couple of educators(Mr Lay and Mr Freeman) somewhere in Florida who are being prosecuted by the ACLU for offering a blessing for a meal at a public gathering. These two men, one a principal and one a coach have a combined 70 years in education. If they are convicted, they will lose their jobs, pay a 5,000 dollar fine, serve some 'jail time' and lose their retirement.

This is a travesty! As Christians(and we are a Christian Nation, I don't care what President Obama says), we should not allow this type of persecution to happen. Where have we allowed people like Madelyn Murray O'Hare(may she never rest in peace) to take us? We are a country founded on Christian principles.

I understand that we aren't the only religion in this country. And even if I don't believe the way others do, I don't have a problem if they want to express themselves in prayer at a public place.
What ever happened to tolerance? It seems we Christians are the only ones showing any.

I have decided to send a dollar to these men via the Mike Huckabee show to express our support for them. I know that a dollar won't do much to help their legal defense, or to allow them to retire. That is if I'm the only one who sends one. But if everyone who reads this blog will send a dollar, and pass this post on to others who will do the same, maybe as a large group, we can make a difference. They go to trial in September. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could have hundred's of thousands of envelopes to show how many Christians there are in this country who are willing to take a stand and show support?

I am sending my dollar to Gov Mike Huckabee % ABC Radio Networks/Citadel Broadcasting, 444 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022. Be sure to put a note in the envelope saying you support Mr Lay and Mr Freeman and make sure your return address is on the outside. We don't want anyone saying this was a mass mailing from one place. I proudly put Shirley Smith, 712 Catfish Drive, Lake City, AR 72437 on my envelope.

You have my permission to put a link back to this blog on your blog or in an email to anyone and everyone who might participate in this effort. I want to show the ACLU and Pres Obama that we are indeed a Christian Nation and that it is wrong to take prayer away from us, our children and future generations.

I hope you are having a great Monday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Friday And It's Lake Time

It's Friday, and my peeps and I are heading to the lake for some much needed R & R. It's my circle of friends who are always there when I need them, and hopefully, I return the favor when I'm needed.

We played together in school, raised our families together, and now play together again. We go eat, we go to the movies, did I say go eat, travel some together, and oh, yeah, eat together. We try to celebrate each others birthdays(always an excuse to eat), and we laugh til we hurt, cry and sometimes do that other thing that I won't mention since that would be unladylike.

Oh, and we laugh at each other too. We constantly laugh at each other's shortcomings - not in a bad way- but if it's funny, let's face it, we're going to laugh.

This weekend we'll be spending a couple of days at M's lake home. Sound's special, huh. It's a big mobile home with a great deck and a porch across the front. We have to drive to the water, but there's a pontoon to ride around on, and it will be fun.

Mostly, we'll laugh, talk, play cards, swim and seems like I'm forgetting something--oh yes, we'll eat.

I have a joke. If Obama, Hillary and Biden were riding a donkey and it jumped off a cliff, who would be saved? Go to the bottom of the post to find the answer.

I hope you have a good weekend planned. If so, I'd love to hear about it. I plan on taking some pictures, so I know you are looking forward to that.

Hope you are having a great Friday. Pray for our country, and Love one another.

America would be saved.

Oh, My Has it Been Over A Week?

I guess I've lost all track of time. We've been really busy at work, so it's hard to post from here, and at home, there's just been so much to do(Cardinal Baseball on TV).

We've had quite an upsetting event recently. As you know, my DIL got a long note from the Montesorri school where The Banty Hen attends. She's only been there 5 weeks, but they just aren't happy with her behavior, or maybe I should say lack thereof.

She plays nicely with the other children, but isn't terribly interested in sitting during lession time(she's two, for goodness sake)and she eats her lesson material, and she likes to climb on the sink(who's watching these little ones?) So The Banty Hen's mom was basically asked to find child care accommodations elsewhere. At first I thought it was was funny, but then when she got the second note, I got downright angry. My DIL pays hard earned money for this beautiful, innocent child to be cared for, and this 'school' who is supposed to be the very best can't handle a two year old. I can't see any evil in her eyes, can you?

The other thing that ticked me off was that on one occassion at home, DIL told Banty to sit on her bottom. She grabbed her own cheeks and said in a cranky voice,'Aubee, sit down!'. We don't pinch cheeks to get her to do things and no one else in the family or church do that, so where do you think that came from. It is my opinion, and just my opinion, mind you, but I think that's what someone has been doing to her at school in order to make her do what they want.

So being the protective grandmother that I am known to be, I asked DIL if she wanted me to go beat up the whole bunch. She laughed and passed it off since she knows I'm a big chicken and probably wouldn't run a risk of either being beaten up myself or being put in jail. And I'm sure she wouldn't want to have to come bail me out.

She starts a new daycare on Monday, so today is the last day they have to deal with her. Maybe someday when she's president of the U.S, the Montesorri school will wish they could say she got her start at their school---ain't gonna happen.

I hope you've had a good week. We've had record rainfall and cool temperatures. More rain scheduled for tomorrow and Sunday. Thanks for letting me blow off some steam. I'm off my soapbox now.

Til next time, Pray for our country. Love one another.

Southern Fried

I don't know how well you can see this picture since I'm not the best photographer around. Actually, I can't even consider myself a photographer. I'm just an old woman with a camera in her hand. But what you are seening here is a supper I made for me, myself and I last night. The Contractor had run his lines Sunday and gave me some Flathead Catfish yesterday. I took it home and bagged it up in portions and froze all but 4 pieces, which I promptly 'fried up'. I had also bought a green tomato the other day(would you believe I paid a whole 50 cents for it, the absolute greed of some people). I also fried it up into 4 pieces. Then I cooked down a mess of green beans with some bacon. This made me a meal with enough to bring for lunch today. My mouth is already watering. I know some of you are saying, 'left over fried fish? ewww!' And to that I say, if it's the right kind of fish, and it's cooked right in the first place, it's very tasty. Flathead Catfish is like the Filet Mignon of fish. If fried correctly, there is no fishy taste, no funky taste or smell. Just pure white flakey goodness. I may have mine for break rather than wait til lunch.
The reason I had the fish in the first place was that my DIL needed me to pick up the Banty Hen. I used to call her Princess #3, but her title has changed. She's the non-conformist in the family, and at the ripe old age of 2 is hanging on by her thumbs at school. She has until the end of the month to get her act together or she will have to find another place to stay while her mother works. I digress.

I took her home, and her dad and brother were eating watermelon which she then dived into almost head first. Her dad gave her a piece for each hand, and as either of us would dig out a chunk for ourselves, she would cram one of her pieces into her mouth and reach for the one we had just retrieved. She is quite a funny little chick-a-dee.

I hope you are having a wonderful Tuesday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Ask And You Will Get Your Questions Answered

If you've checked my blog this morning, you may have noticed I received a comment from Will Spoon. As I said in my previous post I had enjoyed his blog; reading about his love for cooking, and most especially the stories about his family and his childhood.

He responded, and I have added his new blog to my list in Bloglines.com. Finding new friends in the blog world is pretty easy, but it's also easy to lose some as well, simply by not being able to find them for one reason or another. And since my motto is, 'You can't have too many friends', I certainly don't want to lose any.

Who knows, I might be out in the middle of nowhere and need one of my blog friends to come to my rescue. And as I would do for them, I'm (almost)sure they would do the same for me. As scattered around this world as we are, we are a pretty tight knit bunch.

The weather is beautiful here in NE Arkansas. We are in the middle of a cool spell and the temps won't get out of the high 80's with very low humidity. I hope it's great where you are(even those of you tramping around Alaska while the rest of us have to come to work). My brother and sister-in-law will be in town tomorrow and Wednesday looking for a house. This will be the first time in our grown life, we've lived anywhere near each other. I'm excited!!!!! I have two cousins that I barely know coming to town this weekend for a visit. I'm excited about that as well!!!! It is shaping up to be a good week.

I hope you had a great weekend and are having a wonderful Monday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Looking for Will Spoon

I used to read Teensy and the Boys, even won a contest for a cookbook(which I use), but I know Will changed his blog and I can't find it. If you are out there Will Spoon, send me the link to your blog. I always enjoyed your stories and your recipes.

I used to think I'd run across you again, but have finally given up.

Nature's Design

My friend MR lives in the house originally built for her husband's grandparent's. The home was built shortly after they married. This was around 1923 or 24. The tree in the pictures were planted shortly after. The one in the picture is a sycamore and stands approximately 25 to 35 feet from the back bedroom window.

They were gone to the lake last weekend when we had a pretty hard thunder storm and lightening struck this tree. There are no gaping holes in the tree, nor are there any limbs blown from it. Just these lightening trails all around the huge tree.

This house is on one of the higher spots in the area since it is near the river and there were no levees when it was built. It was common practice to build houses on high areas and often times several steps up off the ground to prevent flooding in the house itself. The floor of the house is high enough off the ground that an adult can almost stand upright and walk underneath it.

This seems to have caused another problem since lightening seems to strike the house quite often. They have to remember to unplug tv's, computers and now phones when they leave to spare them being zapped. And they have probably had trees struck before also, but this is such a strange exhibit of what the power of a storm can do. Not only did it run these trails all around and down the tree, the bark that was blown away hit their house like shrapnel. Two windows were broken and there are holes in the siding where these small pieces of bark hit. MR spent a good deal of time cleaning all the glass and tree bark out of the bedroom and porch area. And she continues to find pieces, many the size of half dollars in the house.

Someone told them if a person had been within about 15 feet of the tree when this happened, that the pieces of bark could have gone completely through them, probably killing them instantly. They were so fortunate not to have been at home when this happened since there is almost always someone sleeping in that bedroom that sustained most of the damage.

I think it is fascinating what the forces of nature can do. And thankful that I'm usually safe from it's fury.

I hope you are having a wonderful Friday. Pray for our country. Love one another

Exercise Log Day 2

I made it back to meet with my new personal trainer. We finished our testing today and afterwards I walked on the treadmill again and actually got my heart rate up to 120. He said that was good.

The testing we did today was to see how much I could bench press. The bar alone weighs 45lbs, and by the time I could lift no more, he had 150lbs on it. Can you believe that. I'm stronger than I thought. Then we did something similar for my legs. I sat in a cockpit type thing and pushed with my legs. I can push almost 200lbs. He said I did great. Great being a relative term I'm sure.

He probably thought this old fat woman wouldn't be able to do anything, but I gave it a try and actually think I surprised both of us.

Then I walked on the treadmill. I actually liked doing that. If I had room for one, I think I might actually use it. Problem is, I don't have a clue where I'd put one.

I won't meet with him again until Tuesday, but I need to keep walking, so I guess when I get home tomorrow night after going to eat pizza with my kids, I'll need to walk. And then again on Saturday and Monday.

I hope you are having a great Thursday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Exercise - Day 1

I met with my personal trainer today at 11:00. He is a grad student from India and he insists on calling me Maam. I'm not used to such politeness, but he's cute and sweet. He is from Southern India and says I should visit sometimes, it is beautiful. Wonder if he will put me up when I go. I told him I had never been abroad, just to Mexico, Grand Cayman andJamacia. But I have my passport and can go visit his home at the drop of a hat.

We did testing today to see what I was able to do. I can't do much, but it took a while. He weighed me and measured to see how tall I was. Measured around my waist, chest and hips and upper arm. Then we got down to some serious work. I did 4 push ups, 8 very limited crunches and walked 6 minutes on the tread mill at the rate of 1.7(don't laugh, it's not funny, you are hurting my feelings). By this time, I was totally drenched in sweat, my hair was stuck to my head, and I'm sure I don't smell too good.

Tomorrow we will do another couple of tests and then we will get down to business. Now if I can get out of bed tomorrow, that will be good.

Hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

It's a Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood

I'm starting a new exercise program today. As many of you know, I work on a college campus. One of the exercise science classes that prepare students for physical therapy needs guinea pigs. I'm going to be one of those.

We start today at 11:oo. I don't like to exercise. I hate to walk, but I have some health issues that need me to exercise in order to help keep them under controll. Being diagnosed with Type II Diabetes a couple of years ago, I am having problems keeping my sugar levels where they need to be. I work with a diabetes educator, and she has helped a lot, but I know that if I were exercising regularly, it would help those numbers go down dramatically.

Today we will just complete paperwork and get acquainted with our trainer, and will begin in earnest tomorrow. I can hardly wait.

Do you exercise regularly? If so, tell me what you do. Perhaps it will encourage me.

Hope you are having a great Tuesday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Late Post On Monday

I meant to post something early, but other things(like work)kept getting in the way, and then the old timers kicked in and I just about forgot.

I hope you had a great weekend. We got some much needed rain Saturday night/Sunday morning along with some thunder storm activity. Fortunately, there was no damage other than a few ruffled tree branches here and there.

I spent some time talking with a friend yesterday. We talked about how we sometimes impact other people without having any idea we did so. Something we thought was just an ordinary act done in ordinary circumstances may very well mean a lot to someone. It may be easy for us to remember a particular thing someone did or a kindness they showed to us, but we often don't think about what we've done for others, and I guess if we thought about those things, we'd be sorta patting ourselves on our own backs. But I hope that I have made a difference in someone's life. Probably not a life-changing event, but just some little kindness that caused them to think about something differently or maybe they passed it on to someone else.

I'm not good at expressing my feelings for the people in my life that I care about. I tell the grandkids I love them all the time, but I don't tell the other important people in my life. My son is good about telling me he loves me when we talk on the phone, and I appreciate that a lot. I need to do the same with my daughters. And I'm going to start.

Is there someone you need to remind that you love them, or someone you should thank for making a difference in your life. Maybe if we all did these things, it would be a nicer place to live.

I hope you have had a great Monday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Friday Long Drawn Out Friday

It's been another of those long days when it seems the end of the day will never come. The day started off busy enough, but has slowed to a crawl this afternoon. But why wouldn't it. It's Friday and that's what Friday's do.

We played cards last night. I missed winning by that much. Actually it was just about 25 or 30 points, but a near miss is as good as a mile.

My friend called a few minutes ago. They are on their way to the lake. The won't be home until Monday. They are going to rest. They've been going to watch their oldest grandchild play ball. He's been in a tournament all week and they've been to all the games.

My grandson(Superhero)has been going to vbs this week. I took him Monday and Tuesday night, then his other grandmother took him Wednesday and Thursday nights and I'm taking him again tonight. He'll spend the night with me and I think we are going to try to wash my vehicle in the morning. It won't be too hot early, and since we'll be working with water, maybe it won't get too hot.

I work for a university, and we got a post on the campus website this afternoon that we have two confirmed and 6 suspected cases of swine flu here on campus. The cases are among the student population of which I have very little contact. So hopefully, that virus won't waft it's way into our building over the next several days. Personally, I think they should close and disinfect the entire campus. Ten days should just about do it. The sick and almost sick are being isolated, so maybe they won't affect the rest of us.

A friend sent me this quote this morning, 'If the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off.'

Hope you are having a great Friday. Pray diligently for our country. Love one another.

Did You Watch?

Did you watch the celebration of life for Michael Jackson yesterday? I caught parts of it on the internet and was quite touched at the glimpse into the personal life of the family and their friends. In spite of everything, they did have some parts and pieces of childhood.

We the public only get to see what the media allows of people who are in the spotlight. We forget they have 'normal' lives. When they are at home, they go through the same routines we go through. Someone has to make breakfast, someone has to do the laundry, someone has to mind the kids.

His life is over. A new phase will begin for those touched by him. Lots of questions to be answered over the next several years. Where will his final resting place be? Who will take care of his children? What will happen to his estate? Hopefully everything will work out to the children's advantage.

I know people are tired of seeing nothing but coverage of Michael's death on tv, but it will subside over the next few days and things will get back to normal, or until someone else takes the spotlight.

I hope you are having a great Wednesday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

The Great Toilet Paper Delima

White Cloud has been my tp of choice for many, many, many years. When I had a family at home, I bought whatever was on sale, but as the number of hiney's in my household dwindled, I went back to my absolute favorite. It was soft, it was absorbant, it was sturdy, it was just the best.

A few years ago the Wal-Mart company bought the White Cloud factory and gained sole rights to where it was sold. Guess where they chose to sell--you got it--Wal-Mart only. Not Sam's or any other of their holdings, just Wal-Mart.

If you know me, and many of you do, you know that I avoid Wal-Mart like the plague. But if I wanted my beloved favorite tp, I had to make a couple of trips a year to their store.

I can now honestly say, I have no reason to go there any more. THEY HAVE CHANGED WHITE CLOUD. I bought a 24 pak a week or so ago, and when I picked it up, I thought it felt different, but wanting to get out as quickly as possible, I didn't pay close enough attention. But when I put the first roll on the holder, I knew right away something was definitely different. The first thing I noticed was how it was rolled. Not snug like before, but loose so as to make the roll the same size as it was before. Then the first use made me very aware it had been changed. I won't go into detail, just trust me, it was different.

So today, blog friends, I need some advice. I have to fine a new tp. What is your favorite brand?

Hope you have a terrific Tuesday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Great Holiday

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July holiday. My family and I celebrated on Friday night, July 3rd with a fish fry followed by lots of fireworks. We all had a great time. All except the little princess. She said the fireworks 'freaked her out'. Her mama took her inside away from all the noise. The rest of the kids enjoyed them completely.

Everyone scattered on the 4th. Daughter #1, her youngest son and I met at Cracker Barrel for a late breakfast. I then went home and stayed there until Sunday. Daughter #2 and her family spent the day with her in-laws, and I haven't heard from them, so I don't know if they made it through the weekend or not.

Son and his family cooked out with the neighbors and had another fireworks display Saturday night.

All in all, I think everyone had a great time.

How did you celebrate? Hope there were fireworks in your plans.

I hope you are having a wonderful(cooler here)Monday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Second Hand Headstone

I know that if you read my blog, you are aware of my rather warped(some say morbid)sense of humor. However, if it fits in with accomplishing a task and saves a buck at the same time, so be it.

Four years ago, while shopping for a headstone for an uncle that had passed, my cousins and I stopped in at a monument place near where we live. When we arrived, there didn't seem to be anyone around(like who'd carry off a headstone?) so we looked around. As I did, I noticed a stone that was a single headstone(for one person) that had my last name on it. I have a very common last name. It was gray, about 5 feet tall and quite nice. I also noticed that it had a lot of mud and dirt around the base.

It seems this headstone had been reposessed. Can you imagine going to the cemetery to pay respects to your dearly departed, and the headstone be gone with just a hole in the ground where once had stood the nice tall engraved stone?

Whoever had ordered it and had it set, had not paid for it, so the monument folks went and got it(can't say as I blame them). I didn't think too much about it at that time, but now four years later, that headstone is still leaning up against the monument building.

So here's what I'm thinking--are you with me already? I should be able to get a real deal on that stone. The last name is correct. All they'll have to do is grind off the first name and the date of birth and death, and I'm good to go. I'm seriously considering making them an offer. And I think it would just fit where I'm going to have my ashes scattered.

So what do you think? Would you consider buying a used headstone? If not, why not.

Hope you are having a great Thursday. Pray for our country. Love one another. And last but not least--Happy Fourth of July.

I'm Thick, Are You Thad?

Unless you read the title of my post with a lisp, it won't make much sense, but that's my sense of humor.

I had what I thought was an upper respiratory infection last week. My co-workers had it and had been diagnosed with it, so when I got the same symptoms, I decided that's what I had. I self medicated with a ZPak, and by Thursday, I felt pretty good.

In fact I felt good Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I even cooked all day Saturday, but when I woke up Sunday Morning with a throat so sore I could hardly swallow, I knew I was in trouble. I went ahead and got ready for church, but by 7:45, I was back down for the count. By noon, I was running a low grade temp and couldn't get warm. But do you think I gave any thought to going to sick call? It never even crossed my mind--even after I looked at my throat and realized it was covered with white spots.

Monday morning I called my Dr, but couldn't see him until 4 that afternoon. So I patiently waited and was in his office by 3:30. He verified that I had a strep infection, told me to start another ZPak and if I still had a sore throat when those were gone, start 5 days of Amoxicillin, which I don't think I'm going to have to do.

The yucky stuff has just about all gone from my tonsils, and except for a cough, I'm feeling much better. I may even get to celebrate the 4th with my family.

Hope you are having a better summer than I am. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Another Friday

Yipee!, it's Friday. That means two days of rest and recuperation--yeah right. It means some cleaning and laundry. Fortunately I don't have a bunch of yard work to do. Thank you my son.

I think I'm going to do some cooking tomorrow. My little neighbor lady has been sick for several months. Pneumonia in March in one lung, slowly got better, then had it in the other lung. She has 5 girls. One in Arizonia, 3 in Little Rock(2 1/2 hours away) and one about 30 minutes away. She only gets to see the one in Arizonia every couple of years. Those in Little Rock about once every 3 months or so, and the one closer about once a month.

She hasn't felt like cooking so the daughters laid in a supply of soup for her and I have decided she's slowly starving to death. I was sick one day last week and ate soup two meals and decided I couldn't hack that. The next day I took her two pieces of chicken and a biscuit from Popeyes, and she was so excited.

So, I've decided to make some mini meatloafs and some other things, put them in serving size containers and take them to her. I've been wanting some tamales so I may make up a batch of them and give her some of those also. I can't feed her every meal because I don't cook that much, but if I can supplement, maybe she'll gain some strength and get to feeling better.

She's such a nice lady. Her husband was a minister, and I think she is as intelligent in the Bible as he was. I take her to church on Sunday morning when she's able to go. We both are members of the Church of Christ, but we worship with different congregations, so I drop her off, then go on to where I attend, then when I get out, I go back and pick her up. It takes about 25 minutes to get to and from church, so we get to visit.

She always thanks me for taking her, but I thank her since I am the one who is reaping the benefits of her wisdom and knowledge.

Even when we get old and think we can't be of much service, God puts a seemingly small insignificant work before us from which we get so much more than we give.

I hope you are having a great Friday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

ps. I have a new line under my signature on my email. I thought I'd share it with you: "Dear Lord, Keep your arm around my sholders and your hand across my mouth. Amen" I've already gotten some comments on it.

Clematis Trivia

This is a picture of another Clematis that grows beside my front steps. I had a lady drive up in the yard and ask if it was real. When it was fully open, I called it my caskit piece because of it's size and the way it covered the entire foiliage.
It took me several years to be able to grow a Clematis. I would buy them in the spring, baby them and do everything I knew to do with them. They died. I bet I've laid at least a dozen or more to rest at one point or another.

One Wednesday night after Bible Study, I was lamenting my latest dead Clematis and a visiting minister's wife overheard my conversation. She said she had also had problems growing this particular flower and like me, she thought they were just beautiful.

She told me that an older lady had given her a piece of advice that had allowed her to have a yard full of them for years. She simply told her to 'keep their feet cool'. So, short of putting ice cubes on the roots, I figured the best thing was to pile as much mulch around the roots as possible. And that's exactly what I did. And it worked.

If you've never grown these flowers, try them. You'll get lots of compliments.

Hope you are staying cool on this very warm Thursday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

June 24th, 2009

I have a couple of pictures of my clematis that is blooming so beautifully in my yard right now. I just have to share them with you.

No more complaints about the heat. And thank you all for your comments about the dress and the princess wearing it. She spent the night with me Sunday night. She is an easy child to take care of. She doesn't complain. She doesn't cry, and best of all, she entertains herself. She has a bit of a stubborn streak, but at the age of 2, it more funny than annoying.

Lena, I'll take you up on your deal about the heat and cold, and Twisted, I hope you are right about being a mild July and August after this intense heat.

As we speak, my friend Carolyn is on her way to Seattle to meet up with her daughters and grandson. They will explore the area for a couple of days and then board a cruise ship for Alaska. I told her when I spoke to her the other night that in the event I win the lottery tonight, she'll have company on that cruise. I'm so jealous.

Memaw on a Hot Tin Roof!

Well, you all have heard me complain about the heat. I know it's hot where you are too, but here's my next installment of the Heat saga.

Today we have a heat advisory. I went out at lunch to run a couple of errands, and I fully understand why we are under a heat advisory. Does anyone remember back several years ago(and I'm talking over 20 here)when people were putting food in aluminum foil packets, putting it in either the back glass area of their car or under the hood, and having their dinner slow cooked when they got off work?

Remembr when people used to fry eggs on the sidewalk to show how hot they were? Well, people, let me tell you, they are that hot again, and it's only June. What will July and August be like?

Enough about heat.

I finished the sundress for my granddaughter and I think it turned out pretty well, especially when you consider I had to sew many of the stitches more than once. Had to fall back and regroup a couple of times. And I think I promised to show it to you when it was finished. I actually have two pictures to show you. One of the dress, and one of the little girl in the dress. She spent the night with me last night and I took her to school this morning. Her mom, dad and brother are canoeing today. Her brother was very excited. She kept saying, Bubba in the 'reever'.

I hope you are staying cool on this very hot Monday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

June 19th 1969

I know you may think I'm going back in time, but this is a day that I'll never forget. Forty years ago today, my mother died in an automobile crash.

She was 42(my brother and I disagree on her year of birth), but it doesn't matter. She was way too young to be taken from us. She had three children. A 22 year old son, a 20 year old daughter, and a 12 year old son. She also had a 2 year old granddaughter and a 1 month old grandson.

They were never given the opportunity to know this wonderful lady. I often say, 'if I could be 1/3 the person she was, that would be enough'. If you've read my blog, you've seen a picture of her as a young woman.

There's not a day that goes by that I don't miss her and grieve for the time I should have had with her.

I know this is a time to reflect on Fathers(mine has been gone 15 years) and I miss him dearly. It was as if I didn't really know him until we lost mother. I think he expected her to be the liason between us and him. He wasn't home much, and I saw or talked to her every day.

I miss them both, but I miss her most. I love you mom, and I shall never forget what you meant to me then and what you still mean to me now. I wish all children had a good mother just like you.

Have a great Friday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Hot! Hotter! Hottest?

It's a hot sunny 91 degrees here in lovely NE Arkansas this afternoon. I'm sure the heat indeces is over 100, but I refuse to find out. I went out at lunch(big mistake). The hot wind that is blowing just seems to drain everything out of you

One of the girls brought us all a cool treat for snack this morning. Did you know that McDonalds has a small yogurt cup that has strawberries and blueberries in it. There is also a small package of granola to sprinkle on top. It tastes like cheesecake. It is to die for! I'm not a 'can't live without my yogurt' person, but this was good enough to get hooked on. And it was only a dollar. I may have another one before the day is over.

Superhero's school is presenting a play on the school grounds(I may actually melt) at 6:30 tonight. You are supposed to bring a picinc lunch and I'm assuming, sit on the ground. I know it will be worth it, but I really dread the heat and that someone will have to help me get up when it's over.

He sang the songs for the play to me last night on the way home from Bible Study. And he is very excited about it, so I wouldn't miss it for the world. He attends Montesorri here, and since it's a year round school/day care, they have promoted the 5 year olds to kindergarten. He's really excited about that. He thinks he's getting a head start on his cousin who starts school with him in the fall. They'll both attend the same school, which is the one in the district where they live.

It's entirely too hot to think about anything else to post. And I hope you are staying cool.

Have a great day. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Oh Where, Oh Where has Memaw Been?

There are several answers to this question. Some might say, she's gone off the deep end, others might say she was never really here. My children would probably say she's been in one of those 'moods'.

Sometimes I get really depressed about all the wonderful things I see others doing in their blogs. Some of you make really great pictures that are quite professional, some of you are really creative with crafts or needle and thread, knitting up beautiful projects and sewing aprons and bags. Many of you cook and bake and have such scrumptious recipes on your sites.

And I sit and think I used to do many of those things, however, I never could take a decent photo, it seems that anything I attempt to make turns out to be a mess, and if I made all the recipes I find, I'd be in a coma or weigh more than I already do.

So, all that being said, it's time I got off my duff, quit feeling sorry for myself and got back into the blogisphere.

Today is my youngest granddaughter's birthday. Her party is Saturday, and I'm attempting to make her a smocked sundress. I don't think it's turning out as good as I wanted it to, but hopefully I'll have it finished by Saturday. She's a cute little red haired girl like her mama, and I'm making the sundress in turquoise and white dots. It will have a pink heart in the center with pink rosebuds around it. If I can finish it, I'll post a picture of it.

Her party is at the park, I hope it's pretty and cool(this is Arkansas, cool is a relative term) and everything turns out ok.

Have a great day--what's left of it. Pray for our country. Love one another.

I Think Everyone Should Laugh

Someone sent me an audio the other day entitled Left Brain's Grocery List or Left.mp3. I intended to share it with all my friends, but, well, you know, just because I have a degree in computer information systems, doesn't mean I can make things work here. It is a lady named Jeanne Robertson. My thinking is that she is a speaker for Women's conferences probably christian based. It's an mp3 file and I don't have a clue how to make it work in my blog. If someone wants to send me instructions, I will attempt to make it work because it is definitely worth listening to.

By the time she finished her story, I was in tears, I was laughing so hard. She has a southern accent and a husband who obviously gives her lot's of material worth sharing.

That's all I've got today, just thinking of you, wanting to make you laugh, not being able to. Such is life. As JD Clampett would say, "Makes me feel lower than a snake's belly in a wagon rut".

Have a great Friday(and weekend). Pray for our country. Love one another.

Rumors of My Demise

As Mark Twain once said,'Rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated'. Now I know that none of you thought I was dead, but some of you have contacted my daughter expressing concern for my conspicious absence. Let me express how much I appreciate you all for your concern and I'm genuinely sorry for the worry I've caused.

Well, everyone, it's just one of those things. I'm in a strange phase, mood, funk, something. I haven't much had a desire to do anything except hold my recliner down for fear it might float away.

And along with that, I just plain ole don't feel well. My bp is high, my glucose levels are high, and I just can't seem to get a handle on them. Oh, I'm working with my Dr, druggist, and a diabetes nutritionist, and hopefully in the next couple of weeks we can get me all straightened out. But it just gets so frustrating. Do I hear an AMEN on the frustrating.

Why isn't there a magic pill that will level everything out, make you thin and beautiful--well maybe beautiful is a little much to ask? I just get so dab burned, downright mad that I want to spit. Then I get to feeling sorry for myself, like that's going to help. Then I get to thinking about all the people who are much worse off than I, then I get ashamed of myself. It's some sort of viscious circle. One of those Catch 22 things. And who wants to hear about it all? I've probably lost everyone who started reading this by now.

But if you made it to this point, I hope you are having a great Wednesday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Ten Questions To Ask Your Mother Now

My oldest daughter sent me an article from CNN.com, with questions to ask your mother, and I decided to post them here. I don't know if she's planning to ask me these questions or not, but they seem hard. I know that there are a lot of questions I would have liked to ask my mother who died in an auto accident when I was 19.

Anyway, here they are. See what you think or go here and read the article. Oh and my smart alek answers.

1. What's the one thing you would have done differently as a mom?
Absolutely nothing, I was perfect.

2. Why did you choose to be with my father?
I was young and stupid.

3. In what ways do you think I'm like you?
None, you are more like your uncle John.

4. Which one of us kids did you like the best?
Whichever one I was talking to at the time.

5. Is there anything you have always wanted to tell me but never have?
Nope, I've not held too much back over the years.

6. Do you think it's easier or harder to be a mother now than when you were raising our family?
Yes, I was able to be at home with you when you were little.

7. Is there anything you regret not having asked your parents?
Not so much regret, as just things I'd like to know.

8. What's the best thing I can do for you right now?
Set up that appt with the nursing home, I'm tired of working for a living.

9. Is there anything that you wish had been different between us -- or that you would still like to change?
See answer #1. I think everything's still perfect.

10. When did you realize you were no longer a child?
What? You are saying I'm no longer a child? I have Peter Pan Syndrome. I'm never growing up.

My answers are all tongue in cheek. I have a hard time being serious. The questions, if answered in the way they are meant, are very thought provoking. But I can also see where they could cause one whopper of a family fight.

I've been thinking about working on an album for each of my children that chronicles their individual lives, and adding pictures of myself and their father when we were the same age of their pictures. I hope this is something I can work on at some point. I think it would be something they would enjoy.

Can you think of any other important questions you'd like to ask your mother?

Have a great Thursday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

DWTS Upset

Do you watch Dancing with the Stars? I have watched since season 3(I think) when Emmett Smith won. I enjoy watching all the dancing, but I could do without all the prep time they show on the first night and I could really do without all the stuff on the second night. Lets face it, the second night could be finished in a half hour.

But I was really shocked when Ty and Chelsie didn't get eliminated, but I think they were even more shocked. It was obvious that Lil Kim was in total shock, as was the look on everyone elses faces.

I just can't believe there are that many rodeo people voting for Ty, and I have no idea of the fan base for Jewel(I can't even tell you anything she sings). But evidently, it's pretty big for him to get to stay. I really like Ty. I bet he's an absolute hoot to be around. He seems to have a good sense of humor. He's just a good ole boy, who happens to be good at riding bulls, but I just have to agree with Len and the rest of the judges, he just doesn't have the smooth moves needed to dance.

If he gets past the next round, I'll be really surprised, just as he will I'm sure.

Have you watched the new show 'Cupid' about the guy who is from Mt Olympus and has to make 100 matches before he can go back. I think it's really cute. It's mushy, sappy and always has a good ending, but watching the interaction between him and the Dr. is really cute. She thinks he has some deep seated trauma that makes him think he's really Cupid, and he keeps trying to tell her he is. Me, my suspension of disbelief tells me he really is Cupid. Makes the show more fun.

I also watched the two oldest princesses play T-ball yesterday afternoon. They are on the same team with several other kids they already know. It was cute, and they had a great time.

Hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday(Superhero is spending the night with me). Pray for our country. Love one another.

I Have to Brag

My middle grandson is 11 going on 12. He is in 6th grade and says he hates school. We take that statement with a grain of salt because he says that about everything, and says it with a smile on his face.

He brought home his report card last week and had A's in all his classes except one and that was a B in Language. His mother told me she grounded him because of it, but she was only teasing. He is a very smart kid. We think he gets that from his father, cuz ain't nun of unins to brite.

Anyway, I called him when he got home from school and asked him if I could take him out to dinner for his good grades, and he said yes. We went to the Brick Oven which I have decided makes the best pizza in the whole world.

He's growing up on us, and it won't be many more years before he doesn't have time for us old folks, so I'm trying to take advantage of every opportunity to spend time with him. When he was a baby, he came and spent the weekend with me a lot. He doesn't do that any more, so I just get to see him at church or other special occasions. He always sits by me, and usually puts his head on my shoulder and tells me I'm comfy. I love it.

His birthday is the 16th of this month, and unbeknownst to him, I've ordered both he and his dad Cub's shirts. His dad is taking him to a Cub's game toward the end of the month, and I thought it would be nice if they both had shirts.

Are you as proud of your grandchildren as I am of mine? They are all very special.

Hope you are having a great Tuesday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Sleepy Monday

If you work a five day work week from Monday through Friday, which day are you the most sleepy at work?

The young lady who cleans our offices came in this morning while I was in the midst of a long yarn. She told me to quit that or she'd start. I got to thinking about which day is hardest for me to stay awake, and I decided it was definitely Monday.

So assuming I'm correct, and I'm more sleepy on Monday than any other day of the work week, there must be a reason. And I've figured it out.

I always manage to take a nap on Sunday afternoon. Doesn't matter if I've got laundry to do or floors to vacumn. Doesn't matter if I need to be sewing or anything else, I'm gonna take that nap. I think it's a tradition in my family. My mother always took a nap on Sunday. Truth be told, she may have taken a nap most days when we kids were at school, but I know for a fact, she always took one on Sunday afternoon. She deserved hers. I can't say that about myself. I don't and have never worked as hard as she did.

Back to the reason for my inability to stay awake on Monday. Once I have snoozed for an hour or two on Sunday afternoon, I have a difficult time sleeping through the night. I don't have any trouble going to sleep, it's the staying asleep that is hard. Then by the time I have to come to work, I haven't had restful sleep, and if you come by my office, you might just catch me nodding.

So which day is it for you?

Hope you are having a marvelous Monday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

What is Your Generation?

We hear about the X-generation, the Baby boom generation, and others. And as I was plugging money into the drink machine this morning, it dawned on me which generation I identify with most. I am definitely a part of the Pepsi generation. Now that doesn't mean I won't drink a Coke on occasion. I think it basically means that I was raised on cola's, or as Yankees say, 'Pop'.

Here in the South, where Coke originated, any type of carbonated drink is a 'coke'. I started drinking 'cokes' when I was a kid and they cost a nickel, and I remember all the hula-ba-loo when they went to six cents--yes, you heard correctly, six cents. Before too long they went to a dime and at that time, my dad said when they went to 15 cents, he'd quit drinking them.

If the truth was known, he probably had one days before his death in 1993, and I know for a fact they cost more than 15 cents by then.

Back to me and what I love most. If I'm hot and really thirsty, don't come at me with a bottle of water, unless it's to pour on my head. If I'm not feeling well, don't come at me with Pepto to settle my stomach. If I'm needing to get woke up in the morning, don't come at me with a cup of coffee. I simply need a 'coke'--whatever brand it may be. A cold coke will quench my thirst. A cold coke will settle my stomach, and a cold coke wakes me up in the morning. Oh yeah, I don't want a diet anything. Don't like em, can't stand em, might as well drink muddy water from a hoof print.

But here in lies the rub--I'm not supposed to have them. I have diabetes and high blood pressure. Not supposed to have the sugar, caffiene or the sodium that are part of the ingredients. But do you for one minute, think that makes a difference? Nope. When I try to get on a healthy diet, I will exclude cokes. And I can make it for a while drinking caffiene free tea sweetened with Splenda, but that only lasts a couple of weeks at best, and then something will happen, and I absolutely, positively have to have a coke, and one leads to another.

In other words, I'm totally addicted. Is there a 12 step program for people like me? Does Weight Watchers qualify as one--not that I'm a member or anything, but that comes to mind when I think of 12 steps.

I guess I'm just a total failure when it comes to being able to stay away from cokes. It's not like I have to have them to live. When I fail at a diet, I always say it's because I can't go cold turkey with food.

So here I sit, swigging on my Pepsi this morning. Enjoying it immensly. Knowing it's not good for me. I guess you should be praying for me.

Hope you are having a wonderful Thursday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Who Ordered This Weather?

Last week it was the wind. Oh and let me tell you, I hate when the wind blows. I live in an area that is mostly a sandy loam mixture of soil. When the wind blows, that stuff gets up in the air and lands smack dab on my furniture and floors. It's not as bad as it used to be before I got new windows and doors, but it still manages to get in.

This week it's the rain and thunder. And boy has it rained. This started yesterday, and continued all night. Now it's raining again today and probably will for the next couple. You may not get any dust, but I did get a surprise this morning(should have taken a picture). I walked through the living room and noticed something on the floor, then noticed it was moving, then realized it was two of those red worms that come up on the concrete during and after a rain. How they managed to get into the house is beyond me, but there they were. They now reside in the garbage can outside. They gave me the creeps.

In these pictures, you can't really see the rain falling, nor can you hear the thunder, but you can see the amount of water standing in my yard. We've gotten about 3 inches so far, and will probably get another 2.


Enough about the weather, here are a couple of pictures of my favorite girls. The one with Tiger belongs to The Contractor, and the two in my recliner belong to Daughter#2.


I hope you are having a great Tuesday. And I hope you are staying dry. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Show and Tell

My grandson, aka Superhero spends most Wednesday nights with me. This is something he's done for a while. Nothing new.

This morning as we were leaving for work/school, he said he didn't have anything for show and tell today. In the time we've been practicing this ritual, he hasn't needed a show and tell item. But he did today, and wasn't too happy that he had nothing in his posession.

So with his lower lip quivering(and melting my heart), I began trying to think of something worthwhile for him to take. I suggested he tell the story I had told him the night before about the spring frog that landed on my forehead one night after I'd turned the light out, but he just didn't think he could regale the class with that story unless he actually had a frog.

I thought for a minute and finally asked if he wanted to take one of my stones with him(I collect rocks). He wanted to know which one and what was special about it. I told him it was a Petoskey Stone that it was actually a fossil and it came from Michigan. You can read about them here. I know you are wondering how a country girl from Arkansas came to be in posession of such an interesting piece of history(coral that lived 350 million years ago in the Devonian age). It was given to me by my friend Jan who is actally from Michigan, and probably collected them as a child, and she was nice enough to share with me. I keep it in a shadow box along with some of my other favorite trinkets.

He said ok, but his heart didn't seem to be in it, but I turned around and went back to the house, ran in and got it anyway. Once he saw it, he knew it was something that would make a bit hit. I wrote the name, what it was and where it came from so he wouldn't forget on a piece of paper as I drove down the road. When we got to school, he went straight in and showed the teacher what he had and that he wanted her to keep it for security sake.


I hope it garnered the reaction he hoped for.

If you had to come up with something off the cuff for show and tell, what would it be?

I hope you are having a wonderful Thursday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Mondays YUK!

I'd tell you I hate Mondays if you didn't already know that.

I hate Monday's because I have to come back to work. I try every Monday morning to come up with a reason why I'm not able to come to work. Unfortunately, Sick of work isn't a viable excuse.

That's the only reason. The sun is shining. The temp is 70. Perfect weather to be anywhere besides work.

Fortunately, I have a window so I can see what it's doing outside, which makes me hate Monday's even more because I can see why I want to be somewhere else.

Is there a day of the week you hate?

Hope you are having a great Monday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Strange Relatives

My 5 year old grandson aka Superhero spends the night with me on Wednesday. I pick him and his suitcase up from daycare. We go to church, where we help feed the college kids, have Bible Study, and then to my house afterward. He is usually hungry and needs a snack, and we watch a little tv.

If you are around me long, you know I have a wierd group of tv programs that I like. On Wednesday night, it's Dog the Bounty Hunter. I know these are a rough bunch of folks, but they are very family oriented, and I honestly believe they care about the people they have to catch. Now don't get me wrong, I think they love the chase and the catch too.

Anyway, I allow Superhero to watch Dog catch the bad people. This week when we were going to school on Thursday morning, from the backseat, Superhero said, 'hey, memaw, that bounty man was at my grandma's house Easter'. I said he was, and he said yes. We talked about it for a few minutes and when I got to work, I sent an instant message to the DIL, Superhero's mom, told her what he said, and asked her if she didn't want me to know she had famous relatives, or if she was ashamed of them. She replied with an OMG and the little man rolling on the floor laughing(if you IM, you know the little man I'm talking about). She said her aunt's boyfriend had long blonde hair and wore the arm bands like Dog does.

I have told everybody that knows Superhero about our conversation. It just doesn't take much to impress that little guy.

Do you have famous or infamous relatives? My claim to fame is that my mother's cousins were the Wilburn Brothers. Unless you know old time country music, that name won't mean much, but they had their own show on Saturday afternoon in the 60's out of Nashville, and even though they weren't mentioned in the movie, Loretta Lynn got her start on their program. She was their girl singer. They also toured with Elvis before he became King and was traveling around from one honky tonk to another.

Hope you are having a great day. Pray for our country. Love one another.

A Sad/Funny Story

I was reading a blog yesterday that talked about a cousin's death and having to tell a brother. I, too, had to tell someone they had a loss, and it brought to mind a story about my children's father when he was a little boy.

My children's father was raised by his maternal grandparents. When he was very small, his great grandmother came to live with them. She thought this little boy hung the moon and was the only child ever born. When the other grandchildren came, she would hide this little boy's toys because she didn't want the other children to play with them. She did everything for him.

She became ill and was almost bedfast. She also had a habit of taking her medicine everytime she thought of it, so she had to have someone with her at all times. Being a farming family, everyone big enough was needed to work in the fields, so the little boy was given the job of sitting with grandma. I'm sure this wasn't what he would have liked to be doing, but sit with her he did and found this to be quite a chore.

Then after a protracted illness, the grandma passed. Having no phones, this little boy was sent down the road to tell the neighbors about grandma's death.

He, being about 5 or 6, proudly walked into the neighbor's house, propped his hand on his hip, leaned against the door and announced,'Well, grandma finally died'.

I've often thought about how much that old lady loved that little boy. I've thought about what a chore she was to this little boy and that his only thought in her death was that he could now go out and play rather than be confined. He never knew the joy he had brought to her, and he only remembered what he considered a form of punishment having to sit with her. He never knew what a blessing he was in her life. Wherever they are, hopefully they are together, and enjoying each other's company.

Who was a big influence in your young life that you may know only through the stories you've heard?

This is a beautiful day in NE Arkansas. Hope it is where you are and you are getting to enjoy it. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Spring Plants - New Life

Today is the spring plant sale here on campus. The plants are usually pretty nice, and reasonable. They have lots of flowering plants, trees and some vegetables. I'm picking up some tomato plants for the Contractor(he's got a garden going)and a flower or two for daughter #2. She has a flowerbed she's cleaned up and needs some plants for.

I'm interested in the Lantana's and wave petunias. My front porch gets a lot of afternoon sun and these are about the only things that do well that I like. Most of my flowergardening is done in containers on my porch. I'm not able to do what I used to, and out in the yard, things get overgrown pretty quickly. I do have a monkey grass border, but mostly just yard.

I'll try to have some pictures of what I buy on my blog tomorrow, then as the summer progresses, I'll let you see what a brown thumb I actually have.

Hope your garden is beginning to come alive. I'd love to hear about it.

Have a wonderful Thursday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

How Was Your Easter?

Easter is the official sign that Spring is on the way. We get to wear new outfits, at least the kids do, color and hide eggs, and spend time with family. I'm teaching the 5 year olds at church this quarter. I had 5 little girls and one boy this Sunday. The girls all had on new dresses, and most of them were made similarly to what the girls have on in the picture, but all different designs. They were really pretty, and I wished I had taken my camera.

I took off work on Good Friday and cleaned house. I cooked on Saturday, and all my family was together for a meal on Sunday. I made crockpot chicken and dressing, a ham with marmalade glaze, Pioneer Woman's baked Mac and Cheese, deviled eggs(daughter #2 kept saying they had too much paprika on them), mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce(out of the can), Sister Shubert's rolls(they are worth the price for the trouble they save), and two Snicker's pies.

The little ones played. After we ate, the four youngest put their Easter clothes back on, and had a few photos taken. I don't know who was the hardest to pose, the older three or the youngest.

I thought the girls all looked spiffy in their matching dresses. I think daughter #2 found them and with the DIL's approval, they got all three alike. Superhero co-ordinates very well in his green shirt. I don't know if you can see the princesses feet, but they are both barefoot. They didn't go to church that way, but it was too much trouble to put their shoes back on just for a picture.

You may also notice that Superman has both princesses in a sort of head lock. He is one loving kid and any time you take a picture of him, chances are his arm is around someone.

I hope you had a great Easter. Saw those you cherish, and found the egg with the best prize.

Have a great Wednesday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Spring is on the Way

I'm looking forward to Easter. It's a signal that Spring is actually here, or at least close. I know officially Spring has sprung, but it's time for things to actually turn green and bloom. And I can start wearing my summer clothes.

How many of you remember that you couldn't wear white before Easter or after Labor Day? Now I'm not a fashion statement. I'm more the what not to wear statement. I'm not up on the latest fashions, but I still hear my mother's voice in the back of my head saying things like,'you can't wear that yet, or you shouldn't still be wearing this now.

Along with good taste, many of the fashion rules we learned have been thrown out the window along with the length of skirts and shirts. Showing your belly button when I was young caused you to be the talk of the town and gave you a reputation. Short skirts did almost the same thing. I never had to have the length of my clothes measured in school, my dad wouldn't allow me to have anything that was too short. Too long was fine with him, but never too short. And Heaven forbid if I ever tugged on a skirt in his presence. I was promptly sent to put on something longer.

My oldest daughter has a favorite saying when she sees someone in something that is too tight or short. She says that just because they make it in your size doesn't mean you should wear it.

Do you think some people have warped mirrors that even though they are fat, they look thin in them? Or maybe warped eyeballs that see things one way when they are really another>

I'm not sure what got me on this subject today, but if you have any fashion statements to make, feel free to make them here.

Hope you are having a great Thursday(It's Conasta night for me). Pray for our country. Love one another.

Nosey Ole Me

I've decided to be nosey. Now if you know me, you know that I am not a nosey person. Really, just ask my daughters. They'll tell you that I try to mind my own business and don't usually ask questions. In fact, they get annoyed with me for not knowing all the details about things.

Now there's a good reason why I don't ask a lot of questions. If you tell me something and I attempt to repeat it, there's a good chance I'll get the facts all mixed up, so I've decided the best thing is the less I know the less I can repeat incorrectly.

But today I'm going to ask a question. If it's in print, maybe I won't get it too mixed up.

Are you getting a new outfit for Easter? If you are, then please describe it. If you aren't getting a new outfit, they why not? Is it because you are busy getting new outfits for others?

I personally am not getting a new outfit. I'm going to wear the same thing I wore last year. Why, you ask, I just don't need anything. And I'm not making dresses for the girls this year. I think this is the first year I haven't been sewing right up to Easter.

Hope you are having a great Tuesday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Oh Spring Where Art Thou!

Oh Spring--You keep teasing me with warm days and pretty blooms on the trees and bushes. My daffodils have bloomed--my hyacinths have bloomed, and now it looks like there will be a freeze tonight. I'm ready for the wind to calm and the days be warm enough that I can frolick about outside.

Like I'm going to frolick about outside or elsewhere. I would like to be able to get out without being blown in every direction, and I would like for the weather to be comfortable without a jacket. Just about the time I pitch my jacket in the laundry room for a final wash before being stored for the summer, I have to go dig it back out.

The news said that the peach crop may be devastated again this year. They lost one a couple of years ago, and the peaches were so expensive last year that you could hardly afford them. I think I've found a free source this year unless the freeze tonight gets them. I may have to put out my own peach tree for future use. I have a pecan tree, but have to fight the squirrel's for them. Maybe they don't like peaches.

Needless to say, this is a dreary Monday. The only bright spot is that the stump grinders came and ground my stumps this morning. My neighbor called early and told me they were there. She is retired, and has been holding the check I wrote to them so they could be paid when they were finished. She had stumps they ground also. She's a big help to me with things of that sort. She called me when the tree cutters came to see if I wanted mine cut, and she called when the grinders came through so I could get a deal made with them.

The other bright spot is my oldest daughter. She is on day 7 in her attempt to stop smoking. Even though she grumbles about it, she is making a hard effort to stop. I can only imagine how hard it must be. I'm addicted cokes. I can go a few days without one, but sooner or later, I break down and have one. So, to some extent, I can identify with what she's going through. I want her to stick it out for herself and for her two children. She has a son about 23 and one 12. She needs to be around to finish raising them.

Hope you are having a greta Monday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Last Night at the Taste of Home Show

I promised I'd let you know about the show last night. I left work at 5:00, and it took all of 10 minutes to get there. We were given a bag with magazines, and other goodies in it.

I was expecting to be able to sample at the booths (that means eat-free). However, the lines were horribly long and many of the people thought nothing of getting ahead of you in the lines. Note here to my daughters: I did not break line, nor get ahead of anyone.

What we found out though, was that the samples weren't free--nuh uh. You had to pay for most of them. Finally, after standing in line for about half an hour, we got some ice cream from Andy's. If you haven't had Andy's Ice Cream, you don't know what you are missing. Creammmy! Delish! and lots of other adjectives.

They wanted everyone in their seats by 6:30--some people didn't get there until 7:30. They took up our yellow cards we'd filled out for the door prizes, and promptly at 7:00 the show started.

Janie Dunn is the gal who did the show. She's funny, articulate and very interesting. She put on a good show. She did greek turkey burgers, mexican lasagna, granola(that I might even try), ginger chicken and pasta, shrimp salad, salmon with orzo, creme brulee, a fruit tart and lemonade. These cooked items were given as door prizes also.

They gave away lots of cookbooks, bags of groceries, gift certificates, a free-standing island, a side by side refrigerator, a queen set of mattresses and more. And I won N-O-T-H-I-N-G!

The show cost $14 to get in, and I basically left a cooking show hungry. Now something just ain't
right about that. We had to go to Sonic and get a burger. It was after 10:00 by the time we got out of the parking lot, and I don't usually eat that late, but I did last night. I was definitely in peril of wasting away.

I did see a lot of people I hadn't seen in a while. There were about 2,000 people there. I was disappointed in the number of vendors, and I'm alwasy unhappy that I left unfed.

Have you ever been to a cooking show? If so, tell me about your experiences.

Hope everyone is having a great Friday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

Taste of Home Cooking Show

A group of us from work are going to the Taste of Home Cooking Show tonight. It's here on Campus, and we are going directly after work.

It has been here before, then it moved to another city nearby, but has come back here. A couple of girls have been before and they say it's fun. The doors open at 3 this afternoon, but the actual show begins at 7. We are going at 5. You go through and visit all the booths where they are demonstrating their products and giving free samples. Then at 7, you watch the demos. I think it will be lots of fun.

One of my friends here at work gets the Taste of Home Magazine, then at the end of the year, she gets all of them in book form. After she gets the book, she shares the magazines with me. It has some really good recipes in it.

We paid a total of $14 for our tickets, but they say you get a goodie bad at the door that has stuff in it worth about $60.

I'll let you know more about it tomorrow. I might even share some great cooking tips if I can remember them.

Have a great Thursday. Pray for our country. Love one another.

April Fool's Day and a Funny

I love to play tricks on the people I love. Actually, I'd play tricks on strangers if I thought I wouldn't get shot. The only problem is, I'm not good at it. I don't have a poker face. I can't tell you some big elaborate story without getting tickled. And I usually get the whole thing mixed up and it ends up not being funny to anyone.

So, I guess I'll pass on the jokes today and just try to behave myself(no comments from children).

But let me tell you a couple of things I have managed to pull off. You may not see the humor in them, but we thought they were funny at the time.

On our boss's birthday one year, we ordered a cake, but we all called in that morning. Some of us began calling the afternoon before for a day's vacation, then some called in that morning saying they were not feeling well. As we sneaked into the office, we could hear her on the phone telling someone she had to cover everything that day because everyone had called in. While she was still on the phone we all yelled happy birthday.

Then one year for my friend's 50th birthday, I took her eighth grade school picture and enlarged it almost an 8x10, and made a wanted poster out of it. I put up about 40 around town and one near her house. When I went by later in the day, she had gotten out and gathered them all up. But she wasn't mad. She thought it was funny. I had put wanted in big letters at the top, and at the bottom something about birthday wishes for this 50 year old.

If you've played a joke on someone, tell me about it. I love to laugh at someone else's expense.

Have a great Wednesday. Pray for our country. Love one another.