I have been trying to decide just what it is about getting older that I like. Honestly, there are a lot of reasons. But the foremost reason is that I like the fact that I have had just enough life experiences to be remotely qualified to comment on most of them. My hope is that reincarnation really exists so I can put to use in my next life what I have learned in this one. If I were to write a life resume it would consist of the following: I have 31 years experience as a single mother. I learned about raising multiples from my identical twins. I raised a child with a disability. I have a brother who suffers from schizophrenia and I know first hand the struggles of dealing with mental illness. I have over 40 years of work experience and have successfully mastered the art of "playing well with others." (A valuable lesson I learned in kindergarten) I have learned to cope with chronic pain having been diagnosed with juvenile arthritis as a kid. But most of all I have learned not to take life or myself too seriously. Though I am an expert on nothing I am experienced in much. My best advise to others is that no matter what the problem you are facing just wait...for like the weather it will change. Nothing endures forever. Never forget that there are opportunities for personal growth in every challenge we face. What we get out of life depends on how we choose to look at it.

Update on May 28th Post

This news story gets more interesting by the moment. The pharmacist who shot the 16year black youth while in the process of an armed robbery was charged with 1st degree murder. Saturday the other robber was apprehended and charged with the murder as well. Then the get-away driver was caught and charged with murder and the another man was charged with murder also. It seems the two older men talked the two younger boys into committing the robbery but by this time I'm getting a little confused but I can't wait to see how all this plays out. Now the NAACP is involved and of course the usual black lash of whooping, hollering, white folk. Both sides turn it into a racial issue not just one side. I just wish people could stop and think for one moment how they would react if they were the pharmacist or the parent of a dead 16 year old who made a very bad decision. I think all the accomplices should be charged because someone died during the execution of a felony. The law supports that. The law does not however support vigilante justice.

Sunday morning and I slept way too late. I guess it was that wild Satuday night watching the tv go on and off that did me in. I normally go to bed by 9:30 but I'm becoming a real party animal. I discovered somethiing else about the Uverse system. If you are on the phone the static causes you to get cut off in mid-sentence. That's not so bad if it is a tele-marketer but not so good if it is family or friends on the line. They just think you are rude. I have to say my patience is starting to run thin. My feeling now is they shouldn't offer the system until they have worked out all the problems. They will have trouble getting people to come back to it and word-of-mouth will kill em. I know....I have a big mouth! It is really cutting in and out today, much worse than yesterday.

Well, I'm going to dig in the dirt today. I've got a few outside projects to complete so I guess I'll get started. It's pretty sad when all I have to talk about is this stupid cable system. I've GOT TO GET A LIFE!

So far the Uverse isn't going as well as hoped. The tv keeps locking up and the picture freezes, the phone goes dead, and the internet goes down every 30 minutes. (Gotta type fast)..... Supposedly they are working on the line that goes to the main hub but who knows how long that will take. I'll give it about a week and if not worked out by then I'll get rid of it.

I have spent a rather lazy Saturday today. I just did laundry and ran a few errands but that was about it. All I want to do today is sleep and I've napped on an off all day. Gad...I'm turning into a geezer! I wish I had some profound thoughts going on in my head but nope...pretty much drawing blanks.

I had a moment today when I missed my mother so much I hurt. Everytime I feel that sadness I try to replace it with the realization that I would not wish her back to be miserable and I really wouldn't. But, it doesn't stop me from missing her and my father. I was so lucky to have had them as parents. I always wished for a relatiopnship like theirs but it wasn't in the cards for me. I was very sad about that when I was younger but now I realize we all have certain rolls in life and I guess mine wasn't as a wife but it definitely was as a mother. I filled that role pretty darn well if I say so myself. So...I'm content.

The sun is shining and all is well except I need to go back to school for an advanced degree if I'm ever going to loearn how to change the channels on the new AT&T Uverse system. So far I've managed to lock that sucker up at least a 1/2 dozen times. I simply wasn't born late enough to really be techno savy! I just know enough to mess things up.

It is supposed to be in the 90's today so I'm trying to throw a little water on the plants this morning. My green thumb is more a pale shade of purple. Again, I know just enough to make a mess.

I'm still trying to learn how to use my laptop and since I'm so used to a mouse the touch mouse is a little tricky. I keep skipping all over the screen and I also haven't figured out how to block and save text. It will just take me a little time to get things figured out. There are so many things I want to learn how to do.

Well, I'm off to move the sprinkler.

It's late and I really need to get to bed but I just finished watching some ET special about Jon and Kate Gosslin. I started watching Jon & Kate Plus Eight because of the twins and sextuplets. Having twins of my own I was fascinated how they could manage such a big family. Twins were enough of a challenge for me. Their children are so cute and it was a fun little show but it has turned into something else altogether. Who knows what is true or not but I have a problem with people being so anxious to watch the breakdown of a family. That's NOT entertainment that is just tragic. I'm finished watching it. I just hope they can do what is responsible and in the best interest of their children.

Divorce is just a sad thing. I realize that over 50 percent of marriages fail in this country and I'm not sure why. I never in my life expected to be divorced. It was one of the most painful experiences of my life if not the most painful. It certainly prepared me for future hurts because I figured if I survived that I could survive anything, and I pretty much have. I can't even imagine having to go through that under the watchful eyes and scrutiny of the entire country.

Deal Breakers

Everyone has certain things that they consider to be deal breakers in a relationship. For some this might include infidelity, engaging in risky behaviors, alcohol or drug use, but whatever your deal breakers are you need to clearly define them. When we are young we get caught up in attraction rather than the things that really sustain a relationship. Not to mention that many women still think the ole (after we are married he will change)notion. That might have been OK when I was young but I don't have time to wait for someone else to "change". Not to mention it isn't likely to happen anyway.

As I have aged I have definitely honed in on what I consider my own personal deal breakers. However, what may be a deal breaker in a romantic relationship may be tolerable in a friendship. For instance, I could not live with someone who smokes but that won’t prohibit me from friendships with smokers. I could never live with someone who has bigoted opinions and prejudices however I have acquaintances and some friends whose views I may not agree with yet we remain friends by respecting each other’s right to our own set of beliefs.

When I was younger I hadn’t really formed any deal breakers maybe because I hadn’t lived long enough to strongly establish my own set of core values. I was still following the values of my parents and family, which for the most part make up the majority of my value system even today. I hadn’t experienced the challenge of being with someone whose value system was so different from my own. I know they say that opposites attract but that really depends on what is so different about the two of you. I find that I’m not as accepting of some differences as I would have imagined I’d be. When my more liberal views collided with the conservative views of a particular suitor I found myself less tolerant than I would have hoped. I have very liberal social views but I live rather conservatively. I am not homophobic, I do not believe that all people of color have a chip on their shoulder and those that do may just have a good reason. I believe in paying taxes and do so without complaint. I’m not afraid of change and I think women should have the right to choose what happens to their own bodies. Even if I would not personally choose abortion I believe in another’s woman’s right to make that choice for herself.

Another deal breaker for me is a person must have a strong work ethic. I believe in hard work and I believe that all work is admirable. A person doesn’t have to be a “professional” but needs to have a good attitude about an honest days labor. Laziness is a real deal breaker for me. Procrastination is another pill I have trouble swallowing. If there is a job to do I want to get on it and get it done. I admire those who are the same way.

So sometimes I ask myself if I am over-the-top in my expectations of others or have I become too set in my ways from living alone for so long. I have high expectations of myself so I find it almost impossible to settle for less from others. I don’t expect to be like- minded in all relationships but there are some fundamental values that I just can’t compromise.

What are your deal breakers?

CSI has nothing like this!

For those who have served on jury duty...this one is something to think about...Just when you think you have heard everything!!
Do you like to read a good murder mystery?

Not even Law and Order would attempt to capture this mess. This is an unbelievable twist of fate!!!!
At the 1994 annual awards dinner given for Forensic Science, (AAFS)President, Dr. Don Harper Mills astounded his audience with the legal complications of a bizarre death. Here is the story:

On March 23, 1994......... the medical examiner viewed the body of Ronald Opus, and concluded that he died from a shotgun wound to the head. Mr. Opus had jumped from the top of a ten-story building intending to commit suicide..
He left a note to the effect indicating his despondency. As he fell past the ninth floor, his life was interrupted by a shotgun blast passing through a window, which killed him instantly.

Neither the shooter nor the deceased was aware that a safety net had been installed just below the eighth floor level to protect some building workers and that Ronald Opus would not have been able to complete his suicide the way he had planned.

The room on the ninth floor, where the shotgun blast emanated, was occupied by an elderly man and his wife. They were arguing vigorously and he was threatening her with a shotgun! The man was so upset that when he pulled the trigger, he completely missed his wife, and the pellets went through the window, striking Mr. Opus.

When one intends to kill subject 'A' but kills subject 'B' in the attempt, one is guilty of the murder of subject 'B.'
When confronted with the murder charge, the old man and his wife were both adamant, and both said that they thought the shotgun was not loaded. The old man said it was a long-standing habit to threaten his wife with the unloaded shotgun.. He had no intention to murder her. Therefore the killing of Mr. Opus appeared to be an accident; that is, assuming the gun had been accidentally loaded.

The continuing investigation turned up a witness who saw the old couple's son loading the shotgun about six weeks prior to the fatal accident.. It transpired that the old lady had cut off her son's financial support and the son, knowing the propensity of his father to use the shotgun threateningly, loaded the gun with the expectation that his father would shoot his mother.

Since the loader of the gun was aware of this, he was guilty of the murder even though he didn't actually pull the trigger. The case now becomes one of murder on the part of the son for the death of Ronald Opus.

Now comes the exquisite twist... Further investigation revealed that the son was, in fact, Ronald Opus. He had become increasingly despondent over the failure of his attempt to engineer his mother's murder.
This led him to jump off the ten-story building on March 23rd, only to be killed by a shotgun blast passing through the ninth story window.
The son, Ronald Opus, had actually murdered himself. So the medical examiner closed the case as a suicide.
A true story from Associated Press.

Latest News in Oklahoma

A pharmacist, in Oklahoma City, who shot a would-be robber six times was charged with first-degree murder Wednesday, and the prosecutor said only the first shot was justified. A security video shows two men bursting into the pharmacy and one of them is shot. Pharmacist Jerome Ersland then is seen chasing the second man outside before he walks past Parker to get a second gun, returns to Parker and opens fire. District Attorney David Prater said Ersland was justified in shooting Parker once in the head, but went too far when he shot Parker five more times while Parker lay unconscious on the floor. "It is alleged that Parker was unarmed, lying on his back, unconscious but alive, when he was shot in the abdomen. Ersland's attorney said Ersland was protecting himself and two women inside the Pharmacy and he thinks a jury will exonerate Ersland however Ersland's account doesn't match the video or the evidence collected at the scene. He shows no concern for his safety as he walks by Parker, and turns his back to Parker as he walks behind the pharmacy counter he is then seen to put the pistol he is carrying on the counter, and retrieve a second pistol from a drawer. This is the pistol Ersland used to shoot Parker on the ground, the detective said.
Jacobson said the suspect who ran away from the pharmacy was armed, but no gun was found near Parker. The person who fled had not been identified, and police said the investigation was ongoing. Ersland said that he was grazed by a bullet during the confrontation, but the evidence didn't support that. There was no evidence at the scene that the robbery suspects ever fired a round inside the pharmacy.

An autopsy determined Parker was alive after being shot in the head and died from the abdominal wounds.

Ersland, 57, is being held without bail in the Oklahoma County Jail. If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison with or without the possibility of parole, or receive the death penalty. The district attorney has not indicated whether he plans to seek the death penalty, which would require proving an aggravating factor in the crime.

I have a feeling this story will bring on a great deal of debate. I'm anxious to hear what others think.

Just to let you know.
No matter what situations life
throws at you...

No matter how long and treacherous
your journey may seem..
Remember ~~ there is a light at the end of the tunnel. ........

Ron is having a great deal of difficulty facing the prospect of aging. It seems his 60th birthday really put him in a funk. Everywhere he goes he thinks every senior citizen he sees is his own reflection. Not that I like to rub it in or anything I still enjoy the fact that I am now and forever will be younger than he is though my 60th birthday is only 2 months away. It doesn't really bother me as I have always secretly looked forward to being a senior. There are a lot of advantages if you retain a sense of humor and look for them.

According to Maggie Khun there are three good things about aging:
1. Everyone who has told you, "You'd better not do that," "That's not going to work" and, "Are you going to wear that?" is dead.
2. Since no one takes old people seriously, you can be the person you were always meant to be. Women can be more assertive, men can be more nurturing, and both can strive to be public nuisances.
3. Because there have been real losses along the way, this is the opportunity to make new friends, explore new interests and try on new roles.

I love the way older people sometimes like to make their children feel guilty. Like the son who called his mother:
"Hi Ma. How are you?"
"Not so good. I haven't eaten for 27 days, so I'm very weak."
"Good heavens, that's terrible. Why not?"
"I didn't want to have my mouth full of food if you should happen to call me."

More Signs That Old Age Might Be Creeping Up On You ...

· You like to be in crowds because they keep you from falling down.
· Your favorite section of the newspaper is '25 Years Ago Today.'
· A big evening with your friends is sitting around comparing living wills.
· Your clothes go into the overnight bag so you can fill the suitcase with your
pills.
· Somebody you consider an old-timer calls you an old-timer.
· Your idea of a change of scenery is looking to the left or right.
· Your knees buckle, but your belt won't

A little more humor:

Two elderly women were eating at a restaurant one morning. Ethel noticed something funny about Mabel's ear and she said, "Mabel, did you know you've got a suppository in your left ear?"
Mabel answered, "I have? A suppository?" She pulled it out and stared at it. Then she said, "Ethel, I'm glad you saw this thing. Now I think I know where my hearing aid is."

And just like the circle of life..... "Am I smiling, or is it gas?"

Maxine's One Day Employment At Walmart

So after landing my new job as a Wal-Mart greeter,
a good find for many retirees,
I lasted less than a day.......
About two hours into my first day on the job a very loud, unattractive, mean-acting woman walked into the store with her two kids,Yelling obscenities at them all the way through the entrance.
As I had been instructed, I said pleasantly, 'Good morning and welcome to Wal-Mart.
Nice children you have there. Are they twins?'
The ugly woman stopped yelling long enough to say,
'Hell no, they ain't twins. The oldest one's 9, and the other one's 7.
Why the hell would you think they're twins? Are you blind, or just stupid?'
So I replied,
'I'm neither blind nor stupid, Ma'am,
I just couldn't believe someone slept with you twice.
Have a good day and thank you for shopping at Wal-Mart.'
My supervisor said I probably wasn't cut out for this line of work.

Yesterday Ron was working in his garage and was standing on a ladder when the ladder broke and he fell hitting his head on the concrete. He doesn't know how long he blacked out but he was all confused when he woke up. Needless to say he ended up in the emergency room after a considerable amount of persuading and after a CT scan and an MRI it was determined he had a bad concussion. Duh! I picked him up at the ER and had him stay at my house last night. I put him in my daughter's old room because the Dr. said someone had to wake him up every 2 hours all night long. I set my alarm and every 2 hours I got up and strolled through the house to wake him up. I'm not his favorite person this morning and for that matter he's not mine either. Ha. Just kidding! I'm just very tired. I asked him if the doctor was able to find any common sense in his head when he did that MRI. I mean I've been looking for it for 7 years and I haven't seen a glimpse of any.

Thanks Liz.....this was priceless!

A man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration, as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.

As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up.

He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a holding cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, ''I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the 'Choose Life'license plate holder, the'Follow Me to Sunday-School'bumper sticker, and thechrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk; naturally...I assumed you had stolen the car .''

Well, it was all in vain. I couldn't get the AT&T service because I didn't have a 3 phase outlet so no internet connection or tv or phone service. Now I have to get an electrician to put in a new plug. What a mess. Sometimes nothing goes smoothly as we'd like it to go. But it is still a beautiful day! Can't wait to go home and dig in the dirt!

Another gorgeous day here in Oklahoma. The sun is shining and the sky is blue. I was met by a gaggle of geese this morning as I came in to work. There were at least 12 Canadian geese just strolling around. They come here every year to nest and make babies. There are probably 20 or more all together and as much as I love to watch them they sure do make a mess! They are not exactly discriminating poopers!

I actually made it to the nursery yesterday and purchased a trunk load of flowers. Since my horticulture knowledge is more than just a little limited I simply buy them for the colors. I have no idea what I purchased, other than the New Guinea Impatients. I know what they are but the rest is a mystery. I can't wait to get them planted. I may work on that when I get home this afternoon.

I'm switching today from Cox cable to A.T.& T. I'm actually getting internet connection at home. First time! Plus....they are actually putting the wiring down inside of the wall and not stapling it to the outside of my house! Hooray........I can take those ugly wires down now. With all the additional stuff I'll still be paying less than I did for Cox tv. Gee I'm thrifty!

Since I'm only babbling anyway I suppose I should get to work. I have a meeting in about 30 minutes.

My daughters decided that this year was the year I should hire my lawn mowed. Now I'm a rather independent person and I confess a little frugal when it comes to spending money for things I can do myself however this weekend was the first time in all my 59 years that someone else mowed my yard. I have to admit...........what a luxury and they were done in about an 1/8 of the time it takes me to do it. But...they did use a riding mower so it's not exactly comparing apples to apples. I have a very large yard and as I have aged and the arthritis has worsened I'll admit it is a bit much for me to maintain. It seems it takes me a great part of my Saturday as I have to stop and rest frequently. I've always gotten a lot of satisfaction from doing it myself but these days I have little energy left over to keep up the flowers beds. Maybe now, having it mowed, I will

have more time to dig in the dirt. Speaking of dirt.....I never made it to the nursery to get flowers for my window boxes. I did manage to re-pot one of the plants I received when my mom died. I finally have all but one planted. I'm hoping to get a little spring fever going so I'll get productive. I need to paint the outside of my house but I can assure you I don't have that much energy. I think I painted it for the last time about 6 years ago. It will have to be done by someone else this time or I'm putting up siding. One or the other! It sure takes a lot to maintain a home. Now when I do something to the house I'm hoping it lasts longer than I do!

Love Is A Many Splendid Thing

“How on earth are you ever going to explain in terms of chemistry and physics so important a biological phenomenon as love?” — Albert Einstein

Love, now there is a topic. Poets write about it, songs are sung about it, people long for it and yet how many of us really know what it is. How can it be truly defined? Can anyone grasp or explain love to its truest and deepest meaning? Its concepts are just a never- ending story of an open book of experiences. Love lies in one’s heart, where memories are but shadows lingering in your soul. I believe love is characterized by the desire to want good things for another person no matter what or when you care more for another’s happiness than your own. Love is not a noun but a verb, it is not a feeling but an ability.

Auntie Em, Auntie Em

Tornado season in Oklahoma is here and every year I wish I had a basement with a bed in it. I'd just go crawl in it and go to sleep and let the sirens blow. My daughter called me last night all excited saying a tornado was coming straight for her house. She wanted to get in her car and drive to my house. Then she said, "Oh, nope it's coming toward your house, I'm going back to bed." So I got in the hallway with a bunch of pillows. Ever since the May 3rd tornado 10 years ago I have a whole new respect for twisters. The devastation from an F5 tornado is mind numbing. It truly did look like a war zone. So many of my co-workers either lost homes or had family members affected by the storm. This morning I was talking to one of our nurses and she said that she remembers the story about a little baby being torn out of her mother's arms. The child was found several miles away covered in mud but otherwise unharmed. What a miracle! Christa said she now dresses her little boys in bright colored clothing when a storm is brewing. That way she would hope it would help rescuers find them if they were lost in a storm. She was even thinking about making special "tornado pajamas" with reflective tape on them. She wants to call them "Nado Jammies". I suggested she put a flying house on the front made out of reflective tape. Now, that should scare the jammies off a kid don't you think? There is only one flaw with her idea.....how well will they reflect light if they are covered in mud?

I've been thinking a lot lately about my own mortality. I suppose that is normal after losing someone so close. One thing I am fairly certain of is that I have lost my fear of death. Not that I'm in a big hurry to go or anything like that but it isn't as much of a mystery to me as it once was. I remember when I was a little girl it frightened me to think that I was going to die. My concept of death was only that I would be alone. I remember telling my mother that if I died I wanted to be buried with my favorite doll. My perception of death was not of being asleep but of just being alone. I've been reading a book by Dr. Elizabeth Kuebler Ross on life after death. I read her first book on the subject and this one is very similar. It has several accounts of near death experiences and in the latter part of her career she focused on children. It is very interesting but I can also see why it is controversial to many people. It seems to me that religion often perpetuates the fear of death. You'd think it would be just the opposite. I always thought that people of faith would have the least fear of death. My mother had a very religious mother who was often over-the-top when it came to religion. She preached and reminded everyone of all that went against her own beliefs. It was a sin for women to wear shorts, it was a sin to dance, etc. etc. I remember how we were always a little tense when grandmother was around for fear that we would be admonished for some sin or another. It seems the more she tried to force religion on us the more we pushed away. The thing is, her type of religion was everything negative. A person had no chance of being good enough. I think that is why my mother struggled with it so much. She tried so hard to be good enough but always worried that she wasn't. In the end I believe she realized just what a good person she was and just how loving God is.

Don't you just love it?

A hail storm just flew over and at first I thought I heard the clatter of tiny reindeer on the roof. Nahhh it was hail. What a surprise! Pretty good size hail. It was the size of those giant marbles I remember as a kid. I can't remember what they were called. Anyway.

I've been collecting names for awhile. Every time I hear an interesting name I write it down. Some names just sound like a children's book, such as Octavia Trueheart. Don't you just love that name? She is actually the neighbor of a friend of mine and I love her name. Sounds English. She just belongs in a book. When I was a kid I knew a family of Schwartz....their 2 children were Hankalashane Schwartz and Mortimer Schwartz, there was Howard, Harvey, Harry and Holly Haynes. Kids I baby sat when I was a teenager. I also collect the names of streets or roads if they sound interesting. Possum Walk Road is in Vadalia Missouri. I just loved the sound of it. Now, if I would just sit down and write some stories. I'm going to start with Octavia Trueheart!

Mother's Day Reflections

Reflect on these life lessons taught to us by our mothers:

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3 My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
" Because I said so, that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My mother taught me IRONY.
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out!"

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION .
"Just wait until we get home.."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way."

19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you

Another rainy day in a long list of rainy days. At least it was dry on Friday and I was able to get the lawn mowed and edged. We took my mother's ashes to Poteau and placed them with my dad's. I wasn't expecting it to be so emotional since it has now been a month since mom died. But emotions have a way of sneaking up on us and I found myself crying all the same. There were only a handful of us there, my mother's cousin Wanda, who is now 83 years old, and her 3 children (my cousins) as well as my brothers and myself. Once again it hit me that I no longer have parents and that I feel like the next in line. We picked out the family marker while we were all together and that will be up in about 6 weeks. The drive to Poteau was nice, it didn't start raining until we got there. It took about 3 1/2 hours and we came back about 5:30 p.m. I spent Mother's day with the girls. Julie is doing better but was pretty tired yesterday. She goes back to therapy today. It was a rainy, lazy day yesterday. I watched the movie Doubt with Meryl Streep. I have to confess I fell asleep for a few minutes. I'm not sure if I liked the movie or not. I was never sure of the priest's guilt.....I had my DOUBTS! Hmmmmmmm maybe that was the whole purpose of the movie! I haven't checked my calendar for the week because I'm afraid to look. I think I have 3 meetings scheduled so that's not bad. Guess I'd better start working.

Shirley & Marcy

A mom was concerned about her kindergarten son walking to school. He didn't want his mother to walk with him. She wanted to give him the feeling that he had some independence but yet know that he was safe.

So she had an idea of how to handle it. She asked a neighbor if she would please follow him to school in the mornings, staying at a distance, so he probably wouldn't notice her.

She said that since she was up early with her toddler anyway, it would be a good way for them to get some exercise as well, so she agreed.

The next school day, the neighbor and her little girl set out following behind Timmy as he walked to school with another neighbor girl he knew. She did this for the whole week.

As the two walked and chatted, kicking stones and twigs, Timmy's little friend noticed the same lady was following them as she seemed to do every day all week. Finally she said to Timmy, 'Have you noticed that lady following us to school all week?

Do you know her?'
Timmy nonchalantly replied,
'Yeah, I know who she is.'
The little girl said, 'Well, who is she?'
'That's just Shirley Goodnest,' Timmy replied, 'and her daughter Marcy.'

'Shirley Goodnest? Who the heck is she and why is she following us? '

'Well,' Timmy explained, 'every night my Mom makes me say the 23rd Psalm with my prayers, 'cuz she worries about me so much.
And in the Psalm, it says, 'Shirley Goodnest and Marcy shall follow
me all the days of my life', so I guess I'll just have to get used to it!'


May Shirley Goodnest and Marcy be with you today and always..

Wednesday I decided to switch from Cox cable to AT&T and I even signed up for internet connection. I don't know why I decided to switch other than the two young men who came by the house were so entertaining. I bet I was the easiest sale they had all day. I'm going to get phone with unlimited long distance (though I have no one to call), tv, internet all for less than what I was paying for cox tv only. Of course now I will have to learn where the channels are all over again. The next thing I'll want is a DVR to record shows. I'd never learn how to use that. I'm not the quickest learner when it comes to electronic gizmos.

I'm sure going to be glad when the weather gets a little better. All this rain has really made for some humid weather. My hair is just one big frizz ball. I've got curls sprouting out from no where and that's saying something since my hair is normally straight as a string! It's even humid indoors! I'm ready to work in the yard just as soon as it dries out. I've got flowers to plant and shrubs to trim.

I'm with my daughter today trying to help her with her recovery. She has to go to therapy this afternoon and I don't think she is looking forward to it. It was pretty tough yesterday. Tomorrow Jamie is going to take over and I'm going back to work. I've missed so much work the past 3 months I'm never going to catch up. Saturday we are taking mother's ashes to Poteau where they will be placed with my dad's ashes. It's been about 6 years since I've been there so it will be nice to visit again. I hope the weather is better Saturday since it is gloomy and humid today.

When I describe my mother as the most unselfish person I have ever known it isn’t that she gave her possessions away or that she was quick to give money to the needy, although she did all these things and more, it is that she was unselfish with her time. She gave her time to anyone that needed her help and without reservation or every begrudging the time lost. She did everything from the heart without complaint.

A great story about my mother is the time that a young black man decided to ring her door bell. He was just a guy working with a magazine subscription group that traveled across the country selling magazine subscriptions. He had no idea what he was getting into when he rang my mother’s door bell and decided to give her his prepared sales pitch. He started by saying the magic words, “Hi, I’m selling magazines to try to earn money for college.” Once those words left his mouth my mother was off and running. She responded by saying, “If you want to go to college we have a fine university right here in Norman.” Just then she grabbed her purse and car keys and told the young man to get in her car. She drove the bewildered youth straight to the admissions office at the university where she loaded him with pamphlets and information on financial aide. She then set him up to receive a tour of the campus while she waited in the student union. When he returned she had already called my dad and advised him that she was going to invite this young man to live with them and stay in their spare room so he could attend college. Fortunately my father was accustomed to these types of calls from my mother so he just shrugged and said ok. He said he never knew whom he might find at the supper table when he got home from work. This time however, the young man just looked confused and bewildered. He told my mom, “Hey lady, this was great and all but I’ve got to get back to my street corner by 5:00 or I will miss ride.” She obliged but not before letting him know he had an open invitation to live at her house and to go to college if he wanted to go. She once took a young girl to a junior college and before they left she had her on the cheerleading squad with a full scholarship. That woman was sheer magic!

Julie had her surgery and it went just fine. The only problem she had was afterward, she kept fainting so we had to stay at the hospital for several hours. She's been in a lot of pain but starts therapy this afternoon. Poor girl! I can't imagine! She can't stay by herself for at least 3 days so I'm taking off to be with her tomorrow. Her husband is with her today and Jamie will stay with her Friday. This is just a family affair. I'm anxious to see how she tolerates therapy today. It is bound to be painful.

Tomorrow my daughter Julie has surgery on her knee. She is having ACL reconstruction. This is a result of her spring break ski trip! I think that was probably the last time she will ever ski, or at least that's what she told her grandmother. They say that swimming is a good exercise for rehabilitation after this surgery and since her sister has a backyard pool maybe she can do a little rehab in it this summer and get a tan.

My weekend was quiet (except for the thunderstorm on Saturday). I accomplished very little, moved even less. I don't know why but I just felt like being lazy all weekend and I can honestly say I achieved my goal. I tried to do some writing but my brain was absolutely blank....not a worthwhile thought or creative idea to be found. So....I played solitaire instead. Now, that's a mind numbing but addictive little exercise. I was playing Spider Solitaire and I have no idea what that is but it was addictive. I found myself playing until 1:30 a.m. Sunday. I NEVER stay up that late but time just escaped me and I was enjoying not having to think of anything other than finding the next card in sequence. It was delightful!

I am actually going to set some goals for next weekend. I want to purchase and plant some spring flowers if the weather cooperates. I am facing my first Mother's Day without a mother. It makes me a little sad but knowing my mother is at peace is what makes it easier. Since Julie will be recovering from surgery I doubt the girls have any mother's day plans in store for me. I'll probably be taking care of Julie...which I don't mind doing at all.

Well, my great niece Sophie didn't make it through the whole night. I picked her up at school and then we met my daughters for dinner at the Olive Garden. She was the perfect 11 year old, polite and sweet. After dinner we went to my house where she did her homework and then we watched tv for awhile. About 9:45 we went to bed. Sophie in my daughters old room and me in my room on the other side of the house. About 11:30 the phone rings and it is Sophie's dad calling from the fire department where he is a captain. He told me Sophie had text him from the other room and told him she was scared! He couldn't talk her into waking me up so he told her he was coming to pick her up. I guess that made Sophie mad but he came anyway. Soooooooo I guess I have a scary house :) I remember doing the same thing when I was a kid. Sophie would have probably been fine if her sister had been with her but Chloe had a late softball game so she didn't come. We'll have to try again sometime......I kind of liked having a little girl in the house again.