He asked us...

is that a PIG????

Please!!! We were walking our lovely puppy...well 14 year old puppy!!!

I didn't know whether to cry or laugh. LOL But as I looked at Zoe I had to admit, with her weight, being coal black and walking with her head down and a strange gait because of her bad hips, she could possibly look like one of those black pigs that they keep as pets now. And the older guy was a distance away leaning on his car in his driveway!!! LOL

Here is a LO I did of our pretty baby from a while back.

 Click on image to enlarge

This is when Jim used to take her every Sunday to get her own egg McMuffin!! We didn't get anything, this was for HER!! Well, maybe she had one too many muffins!!! But, she doesn't go anymore because her hips are too bad and she can't jump into the car. Poor baby. It isn't fun to get OLD! But I will have to tell him next time that she prefers to be called Porker!!!

He was a nice man. We had never met before and spent a few minutes getting to know each other. He is from New York, testified by his accent. What surprised me was that he asked us where we were from because HE detected an accent. I had never had anyone tell me I had an accent before, but Jim says people tell him that all the time. So I guess Ohioans have accents, too!!

Spent yesterday doing a LO. I hope I get on a roll. I miss scrapping, but have not been motivated. And when that happens...nothing happens!!

This is a quote I found of Charlotte Bronte while reading The Apothecary's Daughter, by Julie Klassen. While not a book, I thought, with a great plot, it was one that made you think about the underlying things the book was saying about relationships. In that respect a very good book. An easy read with a surprising ending.

Loved my little seals that I saw while at Sea World, Orlando!! They are my favorites...but oh, are they ever noisy!!!

Well,  my breakfast has been served, so I had better go get it while the getting is good. Isn't Jim a sweetie??!!!

Have a great Sunday; for most, it is back to the grist mill in a very short time.

Thanks for taking time to stop by.



 

Pig graphic courtesy of Designed To a T.

I was told something

that I have known for a long time!! LOL Terry told me I am weird!!! LOL

You see, our washer went kibbutz the other day and so today we went to the club house to do some laundry! I was telling her how I, personally, would rather do the laundry at a laundromat or whatever. You can start the loads, 1, 2, 3. Take them out to dry, 1, 2, 3 and fold them or hang them as they come out, 1...2...3!! All done in just a couple hours rather than an all day affair!! And hey, you can hang out at the pool while you wait. Is that really cool or what?!!

But I said I really can't stop and think about everybody else using the washers and shoving their dirty laundry in them. I know they get washed, but the idea that dirty clothes go in there bothers me!!! LOL LOL

 

That's when she told me I was weird. Now really. Tell me something I don't already know!!!

Anyway that is the bit of insight into me tonight and all you are going to get!!!

Just in from walking/riding the dog time. Man. I love the night walk on Fridays and Saturdays. As you drive past the homes you can smell all the clean laundry. All the pretty detergents and fabric softeners everyone uses. It smells so good!! I know. Add that to the list of weird things about me.

I guess some of you wonder how that can be, because you haven't lived in Florida in a mobile home park. In that case, I need to explain that most people have their washer and dryer on their patios, outside utility rooms or carports because it gives more room inside and all that heat isn't inside that you have to cool.

So as you go by on the weekends you hear the washers and dryers running and the wonderful sweet smells of all the detergents and softeners. I happen to like it. It smells good and makes the area smell really homey!! Now. Are you convinced? Terry really does know me!! LOL (Weird!)

Well now. I do have a few more LO's to post. Let me see what they are.

This one you northerners ought to relate to. Golly. I am setting myself up here. This may also place me in the weird category! When I lived in Ohio I always HATED the snow after it got all schmucked up and dirty. I never really knew what to call it. Then one day I was watching Regis and Kelly and heard Kelly talk about this. Then she said the word. I fell in love with it and is my word for the year. From what I have heard it has been around for a while, but being slow and usually out of the loop I had never heard it. So I decided to make a LO about it. Here it is. Hope you like it!!

Bahahahaha!! It is call snirt!! Isn't that funny? A combination of snow and dirt!! Oh well. I liked it!! LOL Thanks to my Designer Digitals friend and photographer, sweet Anke,  that sent me this wonderful picture.

Oh, BTW. Just so you know what you can do with digital scrapping. In that picture, there was a bright red stop sign right between the two bushes and smack dab in the center of that white car. It really stuck out badly!! So. I did what they called cloning and made the stop sign disappear. It took about 10 minutes but so worth it!!

This is our son Brian when he was on the Mediterranean tour and went to Egypt. If you click the LO it should enlarge so you can read the journaling. It was a funny story.

And the last one is still in Egypt. At the pyramids.

That is about it for today. Working on another LO tonight but I am a slow go so it might be a couple days. Aw. At least I am having fun. That's what life is about.

So...HAVE FUN!!!

It has been brought to my attention....

that I have not blogged in a very long time. Yeh. That's right. I have been in a lag. Not doing much of anything really. Yet, wondering if I really want to blog at all.

One does not want to think too long about the Internet, you know. That once you post something...it is there eternally. Do I really want that? Not sure. I guess being retired has given me much time to pause. That can be a good thing. That can be a bad thing.

Anyway, here I am, so for now, I presume it is a go!!

However, I must admit, not much has been going on here. Same ole, same ole, but I really do like it that way. 

I have not even been scrapping much. But I have done a few and will post here.

I can say the weather has improved here. Yesterday it was 85 and purely delightful. However, I am not sure I need it to warm this quickly, as when I ride my bike in the morning, I was building up a head of steam, which I am not quite ready for yet! LOL But by the evening ride, the air had cooled and it was so wonderful to ride and greet friends in the park.
 

In the mornings, it is just Jim, Zoe, the dog and me because kids have taken off for school and parents are long gone to work. So that is our alone time which is really special. You can smell the aftermath of breakfasts having been cooked, the sounds of dogs saying hi, the birds starting to sing and an occasional shout of a mom to her still at home little one to do something they are not wanting to do!!! LOL I think this is my favorite of the two rides! I have always loved mornings. Guess that is why I am still up no later than 5 even though I have no reason to get up that early. 

I have become such a book worm. Right now I would rather read than anything else. I even take my Kindle when we go in the car because we usually have to stop at a store and Jim just runs in for something. It is so easy to flip on the Kindle and continue reading. Oh well, I guess it is good to keep your mind active!! LOL

So, here are the LO's I have been doing. I hope I remember which ones I have posted and don't double post.

This one is of Jim on one of the first 80 degree days we had when he decided to take in some sun!!

This is of our son Brian and his group that toured the Mediterranean for three months on the Vistafjord.

And this one is when he was doing a production called New Moon. 

I didn't know I had done so many that I had not posted. I have some more but will save them for later.

Till then, thanks for stopping by. Leave me a note and let me know you were here!! 

To Tase or Not to Tase!!

I saw something on TV yesterday that made me think about Tasers again. I had thought about this before but until yesterday hadn't thought about it recently.

There had been a news article on TV a while back here where we live, that was talking about Tasers. 

As just a little background, Tasers are electroshock weapons that use electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles. Per Wikipedia, "Taser International call the effects neuromuscluar incapacitation". Woo sounds bad.

I totally believe we need to use these. Da Da!! I watch Cops!!! LOL It seems as if sometimes that is their only choice, and it is better than shooting someone. Whether or not to use them really is not in question here.

My question is this. Did you know that in most police situations, at least from the information I saw on TV, which is all I have to base my knowledge on, is that in order for a police officer to be allowed to USE a Taser gun, he has to submit to having it used on him/herself?

First of all, while the Taser is not SUPPOSED to permanently harm, it has, as I have read, in some cases, caused permanent damage and even death. Unfortunate, but there are risks.

I just find it odd, that with the fact that the Taser carries risks, that you have to submit to the use of it on yourself before you are given consent to use it on someone else. After all, you don't have to have to be shot in order to use a gun.

I realize they want you to know what kind of pain you are dealing with, but you sure are not having to feel the pain of a bullet to know what kind of pain you are dealing with. Are you with me here?

Anyway, at this point, that is my stand. If anyone can explain why you have to have the Taser used on yourself before you can use it on someone else, let me know. I am still open minded about this; I  just don't understand the reasoning. Someone clue me in.

OK. That had been on my mind and I guess I have finally come to that decision about it unless someone else can elucidate for me. Not that what I feel changes anything, but I just like to get things settled in my mind about where I stand on some things.

Nothing going on here for sure. Just moseying along having a great time. Weather has improved somewhat. I think a little about the Ohio visitors loving this weather and I am saying I am COLD!! But good ole Jim reminds me that if I was coming from zero or below freezing temps I would be loving this, too. He's right as always!!!

Just finished a good book called The Justice Game, by Randy Singer. Excellent book about gun the control debate. He wrote the book because of a situation at the school his wife taught at and his children attended which had what could have been another Columbine. One lady had been killed and he had represented her family in the lawsuit against the gun store. This book was written seven years later.

He presented both sides of whether or not there should be gun control, all in a mystery type novel. He then put an online video showing the fictional case at the heart of this book and portions of the closing arguments for both lawyers. He asked viewers to watch the video and render a verdict. The verdict of the story reflected the verdict of the majority of the viewers.

A thriller of a book and a real eye opener. I thought I knew my feelings about gun control until I read this marvelous book. My views...while I won't say what they are...have change.

This is a great read and a real thought provoker. I highly recommend it!!

Well, I really have written a lot of feelings today. Guess that happens sometimes. Let me know your feelings on that Taser. I am in a need to know how you feel mood!!

Haven't scrapped, so nothing new on that front. Need to get busy and find some pictures!

Life is good. It's a great day. Enjoy!!

Back with my taters later.

And Then the Rain Came Down!!!

Oh  my goodness!!! Raining so hard. Has been since I got up and Jim says it is to rain for thirty-six hours!! We so need it, though. But we don't need gully washers like this. It is just going to roll off!!

I really do love rainy days. They eye doctor said it is probably because my eyes are sun sensitive. I don't know, everything always seems so clean and new when it rains and I love to hear the rain on our house. We have a metal roof and it is really loud but it sounds so pretty. You just have to crank up the TV if you really want to hear it clearly!! LOL Or maybe it is just us in our hearing getting worse. Nah. Can't be that!! LOL

I am so excited. My son, Brian, is a licenced massage therapist and he is trying to find a Reiki Master for me. This is a type of massage, I guess your would list it with that although it isn't massage. It is about realigning your body energy. It is supposed to help so many things in your health because it removes blockages because of stress. I hope I am explaining it right. But the guy he found to do it, he wants no other than a master, no longer is in Florida. But he is still trying to locate one. I am really excited about it. The hospitals are using it in the area and are having great help with it for cancer. I am hoping it will help with my MG and fibromyalgia!!

I want you to know I did yet another LO!! Yeah!!! Two in two days!! I am hoping I am getting back in the groove.

This is Morgan, Gloria's grand daughter. She has been dancing since she was in first grade. This is her performance in The Nutcracker with the Ashland (Ohio) Ballet Company last year. She is adorable!!! I am so proud of her even though I have never met her!! LOL I have done so many LO's of the kids of Gloria's kids, which I do know, that I feel like I even know THEIR kids!! OK. So I am a bubble or two off. I am comfortable there!

Click for larger image.

Not much going on today that I know of with all this rain. The morning is speeding by for some reason and we were up early.

Looking forward to my scrapper friend, Lynnie, coming down to Florida in a couple weeks. We met on Designer Digitals. She, too, lives in Ohio and I can't wait to see her and her husband, Dick. This time since we are not working we are going to spend some time together. This is the LO I did when she was down last year.

I have no sense!! Who would ever put a picture of themselves up like that without running it through Photoshop?  LOL LOL I guess I am just over that stuff. I am who I am. I earned those wrinkles so I guess I am going to claim them!! Besides, I don't look that bad for seventy-one. Right?

LOL I always add a few years. Well, until recently when I inadvertently forgot to do it! LOL Ah, old age, a wonderful thing...can't remember anything. But I really did used to do that. That way everyone thought I looked great for my age rather than saying, "Wow! Those kids have been HARD on her!!!" Made good sense to me. LOL

Well, lucky for you The Price is Right is on. Time to enjoy some TV with Jim. We have a simple life but boy do we enjoy it!!

It has been fun and will be back again. Enjoy your day. Smile. It makes life easier. Impossible to grump when you are smiling. I used to do that when I would get cantankerous customers on the phone at work. Never could be harsh as long as I smiled. Try it!

Take care all my taters.

More Time Equals Less Time

Seriously. Now that I am retired everyone thinks I have so much time. It is just not true. I have less time!! Honestly.

And it is all because I have more time to do all those fun things that I had to put off before. I still don't do more of the mundane things like clean...what fun would retirement be to do that? But now I have time to actually watch TV...and lots of it!! I am a talk show, game show and oldie but goodies freak!! Bewitched, Andy Griffith, I Love Lucy, Daniel Boone...plus my very favorite that I didn't watch when it was current...MONK!!! Oh my goodness!! I have never been a star follower person, but I really would adore being able to meet Tony Shalhoub. I know that in his role on Monk he plays a compulsive person, but I have seen him in other roles and this man is the finest actor I have ever seen. He plays roles to perfection, without a doubt!!

I have time to do my stitching like counted cross stitch, read book after book on my Kindle that I got from Brian for Christmas, play computer and Kindle games and run around with Jim at a moment's notice. So see...having more time is actually having less time.

All my different playing around has also cut into my scrapping time. To top it off, I had lost some of the mojo at the same time. Here is a LO I just did about it!

Click on image for larger view

This is the only thing I have scrapped since Christmas or before, I think. Hopefully I am back at it again!!

I have to tell you, though, how much I adore my Kindle. What a wonderful thing!! Not only can I read on it but I can surf the net, too. And it is so comfy to hold and you can even read it in the blaring sun which will be great for at the pool this summer. Print too small? You can enlarge it!! As Brian said, "Great for old people!!" I think he meant us!! He got his dad one, too!! LOL

I can't believe how fast it will download books. I downloaded a complete Bible on it in less than thirty seconds!! How I love having my Bible on it. I can highlight and make notes on it without a pen and highlighter in hand. Also Jim and I are synced together, so that we can both read the same books and can see each others notes or highlights about them. It is just too, too cool. I LOVE it!!!

I do feel compelled to complain about the weather, though! COLD. Freeze warnings!! Today is the warmest it has been in weeks and it is 67. It should warm up but is still called to bounce around some more before it is all over!!

In true Ohio fashion, we have a ceramic goose in our flower bed. At the time, she has no adorable outfit on. They have all sun-bleached out. Just as a funny, I need to tell you the neighbor told Jim this morning that he had the flowers covered with sheets to keep them warm but left the goose without anything!! Jim said it was OK. She said she was just ducky!! LOL Oh well, I thought it was funny!

Just one more thing I HAVE to share. I just had my birthday. I got one of the best birthday presents evah!!! I was sitting in my recliner, no doubt watching TV, on my birthday and the phone rang and it said (someone's name which I won't say here of course!) was calling. I could not believe my eyes. It was my best friend Gloria from Ohio!!! We had not talked in well over 20 years!!! Remember, I told you we had been friends forever in Ohio and somehow had drifted apart, but reconnected this past year?? That was about the greatest surprise I have ever had!!! And it was if there never had been a break in the time. We just picked up where we left off. Her voice was exactly the same!!! Her giggle and everything. It was just super!  So I just had to share that. Talk about birthday joy!! 

I had planned on calling HER on Christmas eve and for some reason every time I thought about doing it, I  never could pick up the phone and do it. Now I know, God was saying not to call and spoil her surprise. How great was that?

OK. I am out of  here for this time. Closing I am posting a LO of our beautiful grand daughter, Siana. It was her thirteenth birthday last year and I wanted to put it down on paper. 

Love each of you for stopping by. Till later, my taters...

Unbelievable!!!

We went out today!! Out to the stores, that is. Oh my goodness. What a mess!! We decided to stop in Jo-ann's to look for some Christmas stamps. Nothing. Not surprised being it is so close to Christmas. But haven't been in a scrap store for over a year and was really surprised. Jo-ann's, where I usually shopped, had virtually nothing. They had scrap things, just not much. They always had so much. And my goodness...was it ever expensive!!! And of course everything was 40-60% off as usual so that you couldn't use coupons on them.

So we went on down the the street a couple of blocks to Michaels. Wow! They used to be the ones that didn't have much and they had quite a bit. Their prices were up a bit from last I was in but they were still more reasonable. But still no stamps.

It was fun to look around again, though. I can't say I would ever go back to hands on. Just not there anymore. And I would hate having to go hunt for everything I need again. Now I sit and browse and when I find it, it is very inexpensive.

Anyway, back to my point. The stores, the craft stores at this point, were PACKED. People were not friendly, clerks or customers, so you could tell the holiday was pressing in on everyone.

After going to Michaels we decided to stop at the mall next door and grab some Chick-fil-A in the food court. PACKED. Everyone there was growling, too. 

Really. If this is what the Christmas celebration is...I say we either need to change our ways or give it up. I am wondering what God is thinking as He is seeing all this kind of attitude in honor or the birth of His son, our Saviour. Makes me sad.

We ate and started for home. Traffic was horrendous. We were probably six miles away from home at the farthest point...a straight line up the street to our house. Took forty-five minutes. First traffic was just slow. Then it came to a standstill. As it was...an accident. Got past that and as we were in the last couple blocks from our house we could see flashers at the intersection where we had to turn left to our place. We thought the street was open, but as we approached...road closed...accident. Did a "huey" as we call them  here and went around the block and came in from the other way. Traffic at a standstill again. So on and henceforth. We finally got home safe and sound, forty-five minutes later, thank the Lord!!

I think I will be staying home as much as possible.

Got a couple more LO's done, though. One is a collage of Gloria's stampers group's Christmas party. I like the way it turned out. Oh, BTW, I do need to say that the "liquid" that was being consumed out of the bottles was none less than Sparkling Grape Juice. You can't see the labels in the small pictures, but I can assure you it was indeed!! They were all laughing...but that was strictly from all the fun they were having!! LOL

Click for larger image

The last one I just finished today is one of where I worked. I was going through pictures and saw them and thought I need to do a retirement LO. So I did. I like this one, too. It is starting to scare me that I am liking my LO's. Perhaps I have finally found the style I like. That would be nice. It has only taken me about three years!! LOL

That is about it for today. Think I am about to curl up in the chair for a night of TV. Have recorded a bunch of Monk and they make me laugh. Jim says it is because we are so much alike!! You know, I did find myself straightening the apples in a display at the grocery the other day so all the stems were in the same place!! No kidding. (I just like stuff to be organized. OK???) Jim got a good laugh out of that one. I didn't even realize I was doing it. I was just by the apples waiting on Jim or something so I started straightening them. Duh!

Again, you have made my day stopping by to read my ramble, but I do have to say, I can ramble well!! LOL  (Quiet, Terry! I just give the facts!!) Thanks and hope to see you back here again.

A Yukky Day`

It is cold, dreary and raining, and neither Jim nor I feel like doing much. So I have been sitting at this computer most of the day giving myself a gigantic backache! Guess I can't complain about it then, can I?

I am seriously considering going and putting on my Eeyore slippers. I am that cold. It is about 77 in the house but it is damp and I still feel cold. I had wanted to go out on the screened porch and look at some things in my hands on stash but it is too cold. I will wait till tomorrow. Yowser, though, Tuesday we are supposed to have a high of 48. I might reconsider that thought and go out in a few minutes.

Did one LO this morning...actually really early this morning. Woke up thinking about it at 3 this morning, so I got up and worked on it till 4:15. Went back to bed and finished it when I got up this morning. I love to scrap about 3 in the morning. I don't know why, I just seem to do my best thinking then. I have to watch, though. When I do that, I keep going for several hours and if I do it too many days in a row, I want to reverse my days and nights like little babies do. That is not fun to try to get over. So I try to keep it under control and only do it once or twice a week.

Started another LO. Have the pictures in place but no idea what paper or anything I am going to use. I am leaning towards browns but one is never sure until you start looking at what you have!!

I had such a nice thing happen the other day right outside my own door. I was going out the door and standing at the car at the end of the driveway waiting for Jim to come out of the house when the cutest little girl about 8 or so came walking by. She lives about four houses away and has just recently moved in.

She was smiling so big and had a book opened in her hands. She couldn't wait to talk to me. She beamed as she closed her book and held it against her chest. She said, "I finally got the book I had been wanting!!" She was really honestly thrilled. She said, holding the book out away from her and looking at it, "I have to keep my cat away from it so it doesn't hurt it. It is a library book and I wouldn't want anything to happen to it!!!"  

She was the  most precious thing. I have not seen a child so excited about a book or so conscientious about taking care of one...or anything for that matter, in a very long time. We chatted until Jim came out and she said her goodbyes and was on her way. I need to see her again. She made my day and I have to find out if she enjoyed her book. She seemed happy, too, that someone was interested in her new "find". My hope is renewed. I was beginning to think kids were not reading anymore and that is a tragedy!! Sounds like teachers are teaching somewhere around here!!!

The tree decorating is proceeding. The tree is up and lights are on. Need to take another picture. I love having stages in pictures because I love each stage. So I need to do that as soon as I am done.

I have a few LO's to post this time. Going to the remainder of them just to get caught up.

Click on image for larger view

This is our son, Russ' daughter, Mariah. Pretty, pretty girl!!

This is another Gloria album page. They went to Cedar Point in Ohio, but only took a family picture. So I contacted Cedar Point and they were sweet enough to let me grab pictures off their web site. Would you believe they have seventeen roller coasters there? But many thanks to Cedar Point!!

This is Russ' youngest daughter, another beauty, Tabitha. She is the youngest.

And this one is of Nancy's daughter, Siana. I love this...seeing how her looks have changed through the years!!

Hang on, only two more!!!

And this little guy is Braisen, Nancy's youngest. I love the look on his face as if he can't remember what word he is supposed to say!!!!!

And last but not least...another of my favorites. Man Ideas. This one is of Buck, at work, when we were invaded by bees and he thought he would get rid of them after the bug man chased them from above the drop ceiling in the office. The bees waited outside the building for their scout to come back and tell them where to go. Buck, though, was afraid they would come back into the building. So he made his move. It never entered his mind that the bees would be faster than him. You know. After he sucked them up in the vac, I never asked what he did with them. Some things are just better not knowing.

Now I think I am about caught up. I have one hidden away, yet and one I am working on...that is it. I do need to take some new pictures.

So I am off and running. I don't know to where, but I am on my way.

Hope you have a great night and stay peaceful as the holidays get closer. Remember the reason for the season.

Blessings.

Floridians Don't Need It!!

I thought that Mother Nature knew this, but obviously she doesn't or perhaps it has slipped her mind.

Floridians DO NOT need cold temperatures to get into the Christmas spirit! We are quite content to experience a somewhat cooler climate than usual, but there is no need to get crazy about it! One cool snap, I repeat, cool snap, and we are good to go for the Christmas season!

We are the ones that really appreciate shopping in stores for Christmas presents, without sweating from wearing our coats inside where the management keeps the heat up because it is regulated from a state up north where it is below zero and they think all stores are experiencing the same deep freeze, or lugging it around with everything else while trying to look through all sorts of racks and shelves.

We are the ones that like to drive around looking a Christmas lights with the top or windows down, not freezing or trying to see out steamed up windows!! Better yet, we LOVE to take walks up and down the streets, being able to talk to everyone as we see the beautiful displays and hear the music they are playing to make their display even more meaningful!!

We don't need snow. We don't need slush. We don't need the wind blowing. We don't need a below zero wind chill. We don't need the winter coats. We don't need boots. And we sure don't need dead batteries!!

So she is on official notice. We have already had enough. We are in the Christmas spirit. Now you can move on. We get it. We remember what the holiday up north was like. Thank you for the reminder. Now scram!

Next week, we are to have a high of 48!! Come on. We don't have coats...at least most of us don't. We have a high transient population, especially in winter, that come here because they can not live outside up north. What are they to do? Freeze is the word. I feel bad about that. We have some shelters, but not nearly enough. It is very serious. And so many fires burn down homes and kill occupants because they are trying to stay warm with heaters and even candles. I don't think most people realize how hard it is here when the temps get so cold. So I ask for your prayers for the homeless and families not fortunate enough to have heat in their houses. Many, many homes have no heating system here.

With that being said and feeling very blessed, it has been a good week. Busy. Had to start getting ready to renew my driver's license. Have you done that yet? Oh brother!!! What a winner that is.

There is so much you have to take with you now to prove that you are not a terrorist. You only have to do it once unless something changes about you like your name or something, so it reads in the info.

I had to send to my birth county and get a certified birth certificate. $22. I had to locate my marriage license because my name had changed from my birth name. If it is not original, you have to get a certified copy. Get my original social security card. Still have mine so that was no problem. Get two proofs of residence. Home loan, credit card statement, bank statement...you get that one. I think that covers it for me. You are given a few options. No biggie if you plan early enough. It takes about a month to get a certified copy of anything...so beware. 

Then we have an eye test. Needed to get new glasses. So did that Tuesday. Will get them soon.

Then had to go online and set an appointment. If you don't you can wait three hours in line. Three of the places near me were already booked for all of December. My license expires the first couple days of January. So I finally found a place and got an appointment. 

Then would you believe...I had a two page form to fill out to take with me unless I wanted to do it when I got there. My idea of a good day is to get in there and out. So I filled it out and printed it off. It is ready to go now, too.

So everything is underway. Now I can go back to having fun again!! LOL Don't like being forced into time slots again. I gave that up when I retired. But I guess you can't get away from it all.

I have scrapped since my last blog. Let's see. Wow. I have done more than I thought. OK. I will just post a couple right now.

The first one is Gloria's album cover. I think it turned out pretty warm and homey feeling which is what you always feel at her house.

Click for larger view

The other one is of a bird and it's trainer that we saw at Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay. It was so cute to see how this cute bird reacted with the trainer. You knew for sure they had a love for each other.

So that is it for now. Going to get some things done. We are starting to put the tree up but we do it in stages. It is a bear to do. It is so old, as I have stated before, the same one we had for all the kids and Russ is 44. All the color is worn off the ends of the branches that tell you the order and there are 250 branches. But I just can't get rid of it! LOL

Hope you have a wonderful day. Thanks for sharing part of your day with me. I love each of you!!!

OH. Forgot that I haven't written about meeting with Serene. Had a blast!!!!! Will tell you more next time!!

DRESSING: That Love/Hate Relationship!!!

Did that get your attention? Hello!!? What is she going to drop on our willing ears now...right??? This one is something else!!!

First of all...I am still sitting in my Mu Mu as I type this. I love, Love...LOVE being in my loose fitting Mu Mu! I hate being dressed...like dressed in shorts and top. And from what I have gathered in reading blogs and forums, with the exception of one person, who will remain nameless...all us girls love hanging in out PJ's or Mu Mu's or sweat pants or whatever rather than bound up in all those "tight " clothes. Sorry guys...know you would love for us to look like women off the pages of Vogue for you, but get over it! It ain't gonna happen!!! Well, there are a few hubbies that just want us happy not matter what and we thank God for them. (Like they look like they are out of Esquire!! :))

I always blessed Joe where I worked. He told his darling wife to be herself. Forget the makeup, dress like what you want. I love you no matter what, and remember, I know what you look like. I wake up with you every  morning and love you to pieces!! Pretty good, right? This is not to say we run around in disarray!! Heaven forbid, NO. Just a comfy...er...disarray!! LOL Aw come on, you know what I mean!! LOL

So that, my friends is my I Hate Dressing!! Get it!!! LOL LOL Come on. Just humor me for once! OK?

Now. Here is the part that most of you will positively will not understand. I LOVE dressing. What, you say? After what I just wrote. But, yeah, I LOVE dressing. 

I thought that this was a normal thing, but then even when I mentioned this to Nancy last night, I realized that most people don't have a clue what dressing is!

To me, dressing is what most of you call stuffing!! I couldn't believe my own daughter didn't know what I meant when I said I wanted to make some of my own dressing. She said, what?? Where was she when she was growing up? Eating stuffing I guess!! LOL

When I was watching a Thanksgiving documentary...yes I do watch the History channel as hard as that is to believe...on TV last night is what made me think of it. The first stuffing mix, the predecessor of Stove Stop, was made, it was called dressing mix. I thought, well, there we go. Someone else calls it that, too. 

So after some googling I find out that the first "stuffing" was really dressing. Dressing had meat in it, as ours always did...sausage...and then because people always did their own baking there was always dried bread around and it was added, also. Isn't this fascinating?  LOL But now, stuffing is the bread filling, with or without meat that goes INSIDE something, as a turkey. Dressing, with or without meat, is what is cooked outside of the turkey. So today I am having my good old dressing...WITH sausage...cooked outside of something in a casserole!!! Yay!!! And this dressing....I LOVE!!!

So now...there is the Dressing: Love/Hate Relationship.  Bet you never could have guessed that one! That's OK. I didn't know where it was going myself!

My son and I eat it cold and hot. In fact, that is what I had for breakfast today! A bowl of dressing!! AND I am thinking about making more to have this next week for breakfast!! It is that good. Well, before you all gag...it is very good for you. Bread, sausage, butter onion, celery, beef broth...a pretty balanced deal. Better by far than that crappy cold cereal that is all sugar and carb. If it will make you all feel better, I will drink a glass of milk and have some OJ, too!

So, now I feel better that I have enlightened the world on dressing. I know in my heart of hearts you all will continue to eat your ole stuffing. Go ahead. It is OK. Just so you truly enjoy it!

Moving right on...I did do another LO for the Gloria album. Just random pictures of the fun day at Pleasant Hill Park. Working on more but back is acting up and can't sit at the computer too long. And you all know I am slow. But at least I can post this one. Hope you all like it.

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That is it for today. Don't have the faintest idea when we are eating. Haven't got that far, yet!! LOL 

Wishing each of you the best and happiest Thanksgiving...enjoying whatever is on your agenda today.

Thanks for stopping by and if I have bored you...so sorry...just doing my thing to brighten the horizons of those crazy enough to stop by here a second time!

I will be back with some other great bit of wisdom...but please don't hold your breath!!!

I Know She Doesn't Believe Me!!

Terry, that is!! Poor thing, just can't believe I don't have enough time to do all that I want or even need to do. She says all I have is time!! LOL

True, but now I have the opportunity to fill ALL THAT time with things I never had time for!! Like I have been wanting to post for two days and...just haven't had the time!!!!!!! I mean, like Mike Gallagher, the main character in the mystery I am reading, is biting at the bit to tell me who killed his partner! I can't leave him bottled up with what he has to tell me. The dog is counting on me to take her to see all her friends in the park. Starbucks is anticipating seeing me...to see how long I can keep ordering the same thing before I finally change my order just to confuse them!! My scrapper friends are looking for my comments on their posts...blogs to read............

Come on. Give me a break!! Now as she always reminds me...I  AM nine years older than her!! So I have had to work nine more years to get to this point. Right??? LOL LOL And I have to say I am lovin' it more each day!

I have completed two more Gloria pages. I like both of them. Humm. Actually, three more. I have been on a roll I guess!!

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This is Larry. Gloria's other half. I was thrilled I found pictures so he could have a page for himself. Dads so often get left out.

 

This is a group of pictures of family having some together time, enjoying being together.

And this one is the cousins having fun at the lake. I have just loved these pictures of all this kids having fun together. A lot of families never get to experience this.

That is what I have been up to the last few days. Have also had some computer glitches again, as everyone does. I think guru Nancy cleared up the last of them this morning. Seems to be working OK now. Thank you, once again, sweetie. She is really something else. Has come to our rescue more times than we can even count!!!

I need to go and get my day totally under way. I have found I am sitting too much in this computer chair. My back is screaming continually at me!! So, I am out of  here.

Have a great day. And as always, thanks a bunch for caring enough about me to stop by and read my chatter. I love you all!

Oh What a Beautiful Morning!!!

Now I am going to have an ear worm all the rest of the day. You know what an ear worm is, don't you?

It is when you hear a song and it gets locked in your head. No matter what, you keep hearing that song all...day...long!!! That is an ear worm. Well, now I will hear Oh What a Beautiful Morning. But that isn't a bad song to have stuck in your head.

I digress, the reason for that song is that Jim and I took the dog out this morning, me biking and the dog and him walking, and it was absolutely gorgeous!! I was very sunny and warm, yet you could feel the chill in the air. Everyone had pretty well gotten their day underway. They had left for work. The kids were all off to school except for two that seemed to be running late, coming through our park to cut through a little park that backs up against their school. Jim said he wouldn't want his little girl about third grade riding her bike through there by herself, but what could we do? She even stopped and got off her bike, took off her backpack and put her hood up and zipped up her hoodie. Didn't seem to bother her at all!!

Wow! You could still smell breakfast having been cooked, birds singing, and it was just Jim, the dog and I. Well, not Jim, the dog. But Jim, and the dog and I!!! LOL A great time!

Have a bunch of stuff that I want to do today. So lucky you, I am going to cut this short.

I finished a LO and am going to post it. It is of a lake in Ohio were everyone goes. Really a nice place. It is for Gloria's album. Got pretty homesick when I saw the pictures. It was someplace I liked to go. Oh well. I got to experience it second hand, anyway!!

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By the way, look at the circled area. This is a picture of the hen-eagle and her nest. So cool!!!

Hope you enjoy. Thanks for stopping by and will write again.

Where Would We Be

without cell phones??

Is the day of cameras gone?? LOL It seems everyone, but me, takes their pictures with their cell phones these days.

I can take pictures with mine, I just have no idea how to get them to my computer. So if my guru sees this, maybe she can clue me in. Like, do I need a special cord to plug in the computer, or what? See. I really am clueless on this one!!

The other day I was looking at Facebook and saw that Nancy had posted some pics of Siana and herself. I LOVED them. Wanting of course to scrap them I told her to send them to me. I should have known. She said well, just grab them because that is where I would have to get them. I took them with my cell phone!!

I had no idea she took them with her cell. They were great!! Why would I think she took them with her phone when she has, I think, about three wonderful digital cameras?? I wouldn't think that because I never use my cell to take pictures!! I would love one of those phones that does everything...but I really don't NEED one, and I sure don't need the cost, either!!! Too expensive to buy. Too expensive to run! Doesn't change the fact I would love one, though.

OOO. Just thought of something I just have to add. Why oh why do kids, and I mean kids, not older teens, need these super duper cell phones? More to the point, why a cell at all? Well, I guess I would want mine to have a cell, but I think I would opt for one that only calls home and 911. Just me, but I think it is totally unnecessary. I just thought of a whole other blog so I will let this idea rest.

My whole point of this blog is to show you the LO I did of those Facebook pictures. She posted them in black and white. I was glad because I think color would have not done these justice.

These are probably my favorite pictures of the two of them. I love, love, love them. So I decided to keep it absolutely simple and totally highlight the pictures. Hope you like them as much as I do.

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Don't you agree? Great pictures especially off a cell.

Gloria says they look like twins. I think she is right.

That's it for this post. Time to get the day underway. I smell food. I think Jim has breakfast about ready.

Ah! Life is beautiful. Enjoy the day no matter what is on your agenda.

Back later.

Guess I Need to Get a Life!!

At least that is what my younger son keeps telling me. I think he is just picking on me but one never really knows about him!!! LOL

That at least was what he was saying in his comment when he told me his plans for his Halloween costume for work this year. He said he was planning on being an Avatar. Oh. To myself I was thinking avatar like his Facebook picture. A thought I was not about to share with him!!! LOL

But then I did remember the movie that was out called Avatar and quickly fell into the scheme of things. You need to know Brian to really understand this. He is and has always been in theater and opera. So he always leans to loving the costume part of  life. So I knew this was going to be a big deal. He went on at length about what he was planning and mother sat and listened even though I had no picture in my head of where he was going with all this. He knew that. He knows I have no life and had most surely not seen the movie, so it was hard to really explain what he had planned in his head.

Time went on and each week I heard more of the details. He had laid plans to the nth degree...having the costume made the way wanted...setting up a person to do the makeup early before he went to work...I knew he had every detail down.

Then came the big day. As always, everyone loved his costume; they always wait in anticipation to see what he comes up with. They love it as much as he does, it seems. I always get reports from them!!!

Then came all the pictures. All thirty so of them!! The ham just doesn't seem to diminish with age. I guess that is a good thing. Anything that makes one happy...well, is legal and doesn't hurt anyone else...you should do. It is what keeps life interesting and fun...as it should be. So go for it!!!

I usually do a LO of him and of the office. This year, no one took any of the office so I just did one of him. I do think he did a great job. I went on the net and looked at the movie trailers and from what I could tell, it looked pretty much like he nailed it!!

So that is going to be my post for today. Did a double page LO. Kept it in dark colors...because that is the feel I got from the trailer, but also because that is what he likes. And he did like what I came up with which always makes me happy!!

Here it is. Hope you enjoy seeing it. 

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Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day and do something creative!!!

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!!!

It is so wonderful!! My mojo has returned!!! Yeah!!! But what is so funny....Jim found it for me. I guess it had gotten lost!!

I have not been able to scrap for a month or more. I would open up my Photoshop and stare at the page. Well, in the scrapping world, that is called loosing your mojo!! And I had lost it real good!! I was really dead in the water as far as having any creativity!!

But, as always, Jim to the rescue!! When we were shopping at Publix, one of our grocery stores of choice, we were having some fun just being old fogies and touring the store looking at all the new and odd things we never had time to look at before. You know, there are a lot of things I never new were even made!!!

As we were moseying down the second aisle, Jim says..."Hey! I found your mojo!!!" I look up from my electric cart and he is handing me a jar of Mojo Marinade!!! What a laugh we had with that!!! I held it in my hands and said it felt good to have it back!!! LOL And of course we had to get pictures...even though we went back to get them!!!

The greatest part...I have not had a hard time scrapping since. It is like I am rejuvenated for sure!! It feels wonderful. So of course I had to scrap the event!!! Going to post it and be out of  here, but wanted to post this before I called it a day!! I have more to post but I will do that later, hopefully tomorrow.

Here it is. The great Mojo LO!!! This was so much fun to do!!! 

Click on image to read journaling

Hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by and will write more later. It's late!!!

What Is That??

That is what I said when I woke up about two this morning. I couldn't figure out what it was. Ah!! At last I remembered. It was rain on the roof!! It has been over 30 days since we have had even a drop of rain!! Now it has rained off and on all day; a nice slow soaking rain, which is good, because if it had been a downpour it would have just run off and maybe even flooded.

When we first moved into the mobile home I could not get used to hearing the rain on the roof. It was soooo loud. Now I just love it. It reminds me of when it would rain and I was in the car as a kid. I just loved that sound. So, here I am again, enjoying a sound of Mother Nature!!

Not much done of any real importance today. Just had a nice enjoyable day. Ran out to the store and had a Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate from Starbucks and came home. It is just plum amazing what chocolate will do to a girl's well being. Ummm. Makes you feel like a million bucks. And that Salted Caramel one...well...just beyond words. I have Jim order it extra hot and it is just out of sight!! Try it!!

Well, I am not sure you are ready for this. Are you?? Oh, I will tell you any way. I SCRAPPED yesterday. And today for that matter. In fact, today I did not one but TWO LO's!! Ta Da!!! My mojo is BACK!!!!! I found it, and I have come across a wonderful discovery that I will share with you as soon as I get the LO about it done. Till then...BIG secret. But I hope to do it tomorrow so you won't have to wait too long.

I finished a Gloria LO and really like it and so does she. I send her each one before I finish to make sure there isn't something that she would like changed or added, so I already know it is a go.

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I loved the serious family portrait but there was also one just like it only everyone was having so much fun in it. I just had to be able to scrap it, too, so I decided to crop them into smaller ones so they could be a little larger and could be seen more. I think it worked good for this!!

And I love the quote I found for this. "A day without laughter is a day wasted." I really believe that. I do not think we laugh enough at all. It is proven that laughter can make people well, and keep people well. We need to laugh...so come on...give a laugh!!!

I heard on our news the other day that the classes at one school spend an allotted time each day in class just standing and laughing. Belly laughs. They have found there are less absences, better tempers and even better grades since they have started it. Isn't that amazing. I think God wants us to laugh.

Having been on the computer about all day, I am really getting tired, so I am out of here. Wanted to get this LO posted and jot a note which has become a complete blog, so out of here I go. Sleep great. Wake up with a smile and laugh when your feet hit the floor!!!

See ya.

A Job Half Done

Please. I can't stand it. I would rather nothing be done than to have it done wrong.

For example...we went to the mall a couple times this last week. Window shop if you need a name. As you go into the entrance of this one store that shall remain nameless, there is a metal stand at the place where you get carts to haul your kid and stuff around. For use in their store only. This rack has a sign on it that states in so many words to take a disinfectant wipe, PROVIDED, and wipe your cart for your and your child's health safety. 

Great. Seems like a great idea. Except. There were no wipes. Not only that. There was not even an empty container. This was early in the day as well, so it didn't just happen. So we grumbled about how that was not a good thing. Looked like they didn't really care at all.

On through the store we went, passing the four entrances as we went. Now let me tell you. There was not ONE of those racks that had even an empty container in it. Not one. None had even a container.

Now my point is this. If you are going to have these things and act as if you care, then have them stocked. I can fully understand an occasional empty container, even in the morning. But to have not even ONE that still had a jar!! Not acceptable. Especially since these are only a few feet from a cashier station which not one of them was busy either.

If you are going to have them, keep them stocked. If not. Take the silly little stand down so you don't look stupid. Wouldn't you think it is someone's job to see these are filled...at least at the start of the day? Even if it is the cashier? I know everyone is cutting back on personnel but a cashier could look up and see it is empty and replace it in less than 30 seconds. Come on people.

That is one of my pet peeves. I guess it came from my dad, years ago. I can still hear him telling me that he didn't care if I wiped off tables as long as I did it good. And feeling the way I did about my dad, I would always do what I did the way it was supposed to be done. I know I still make him proud, doing what I know I should do.

A very pretty sunny day here today. It is supposed to get into the 70's by Saturday. First thing Nancy said to me this morning was, "It's too cold!!" I said, "It's 66!". She said, "I don't care what it is...it's cold!!!". LOL Gotta love that. She was the one who when she lived in Ohio and called and I said I was freezing at 55 said, "Oh, poor baby!!!". Well, since she has moved to Florida, now all of a sudden 66 is COLD!! It's all in what you get used to!!! LOL

Trying to wind up loose ends this morning and want to spend the afternoon scrapping. I still haven't gotten to it. LOL I told Jim last night that I still didn't get to scrap. I just haven't had time!! He looked at me and laughed. I really haven't. I have been BUSY!!! LOL He laughed again. I really don't know where the time goes, it just goes. Guess I am spending too much time reading, running around, watching TV, reading and writing emails, taking online surveys that I get paid for, swimming, riding my bike, very little cleaning, talking to neighbors, organizing my stash, even surfing the web which I NEVER did before. Well, I should show Jim this list. He still would just laugh. He would say rearrange my priorities. I don't want to say, "You're right," to him so I think I will pass on that!! LOL But I should. I will work on it.

Going to post some of my LO's that I did a very long time ago. Don't think I posted LO's I did before I started blogging. This is one of Jim when the ATM ate our debit card just as we were getting cash and the power went out. It wouldn't give us our money OR card back. This is Jim calling the bank to see what we should do. We had to go pick the card up at the bank the next day. What a headache. We were afraid the  next customer would get our card and/or our money when the power came back on. They assured us they wouldn't.

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Hoping you do what you want today. Take my hint and do it in the right priority!! LOL At the end of the day, you will be content. Think I will take my advice and get some scrapping in. Will report back on whether it worked or not! All really depends on if we leave the house or not. Once you leave the house with Jim you usually get back too late to accomplish much else. He loves doing those running things. Me...I would rather stay put!!

Back at you later. Thanks for stopping by and passing some time with me.