Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Another day in the frozen tundra.  It has been 3 days since I've seen another person.  I did manage to go outside today and after about an hour 1/2 of chipping away at the ice on my car I got the door open and started the car.  It was about another hour of running the defroster and chipping at the ice before I cleared the windshield and the windows.  There was more than 2 inches of ice under about a foot of snow.  My driveway is so bad I didn't try to drive the car because I was afraid I'd never get back up the driveway.  They say it will be above freezing tomorrow afternoon so maybe some of the ice will melt.  I have a feeling it will be several days before things really thaw out.

I had my little electric fireplace going in the living room for the past few days and when I plugged in the iron to finish ironing some shirts it tripped the breaker for the living room.  It actually blew the breaker because it will not reset now.  It's just loose and wiggles back and forth like a loose tooth.  No telling how much this will cost or even when I'll be able to get an electrician out here so there are still so many power outages etc. around town.  So I have no electricity in the living room and no tv or lights.  At least the heat is on and the kitchen.   I'll be completely stir crazy by tomorrow!

I talked to Ron on the phone today but he was in a sulky mood for some reason.  He won't ever tell you what the heck is wrong so I learned along time ago not to ask too many questions.   I hope he's in a better mood tomorrow.  I haven't seen him in a week.  His work schedule is such that we don't see each other during the week anymore.

I talked to some other people about their natural gas bills and everyone said they tripled this month.  I'm still going to call the gas company and have it checked out.  My bill was more than 5 times higher and that just seems crazy to me.  This is turning into an expensive winter!

OMG my ONG

WOW...What a shock....my natural gas bill went from $48.00 last month to $245.00 this month.  I'm in shock.......I just turned the heat off!  If you don't hear from me again call the authorities and tell them to come chip my frozen @#$% out of my house!

The snow is falling but friends aren't calling....boo hoo.......   Only because they aren't awake yet.  The freezing rain has stopped and it is now snowing big ole snow flakes.  Very pretty!  My tree limb is holding and so the power is still up.  Some rural areas have lost power and my brother lost his electricity last night but got it back about midnight.


My plans for today including doing my ironing (how exciting) and doing some work I brought home from the office.  No reason not to be productive.


I hope everyone is staying warm and safe.  Just enjoy the scenery if you can.

So far so good!

Well, the limb is still holding and the power is still on.  The trees are covered with ice as well as the lawn but cars seem to be moving without much difficulty.  I'm not sure when the snow is supposed to start but I've had a long day and I'm going to bed. 

Ice Age

Well, the ice is building up on the tree outside and one of the limbs is now laying on the power line.  If it continues I'm afraid the line may come down and I'll be without power once more.  Guess I'd better get my cell phone fully charged.  Good grief!


The weather has been deteriorating all day.  They think the worst is yet to come.  At least state employees didn't have to report to work except for essential personnel.  This is one time it is nice to be non-essential!    Right now I'm in a Tom Hanks movie marathon.  I've seen all these movies about a million times but they never get old.  I really like Tom Hanks.


Well, I'll be back if my power stays one.

Storm a brewing

Latest on the icestorm is that there could be anywhere from 1/4 inch of ice to 1 inch of ice from freezing rain/sleet later turning to snow.  What I love about Oklahomans is that anytime they hear there is going to be bad weather they flood Walmart like it is the coming of the Apocalypse.  When I left work at 9:45 last night I stopped at Walmart thinking it would be a good time to pick up a few things.  There weren't many cars in the parking lot but when I get inside the shelves were empty...............I mean call out your mother's name and hear it echo back empty!  The only kind of diet coke left was a measly 6 pack of lime/diet coke.  No thanks......I'll drink water.   Temperatures are only going to stay below freezing until Friday afternoon but I think they are just reacting to the icestorm we had 2 years ago when we had massive power outages.

My doctors report was great today.  All my blood work was good and I had lowered my blood sugar by one whole point.  Hooray............ however the orthopedist I also saw said "Young lady, (I appreciated the young part) you have a knee and hip replacement in your future."   I kind of figured that would be the finding but I wasn't really wanting to hear it.  I think it is a long way in the distant future or at least I hope so.

My boss announced his plan to retire in July at last night's board meeting.  I have worked with him for 20 years so there will be a bit of a transition to the next CEO.  I wish we could have retired together but since he is 6 years my senior it wasn't feasible.  A new boss could either make the next 5 1/2 years exciting and go by fast or could make it miserable.  Only time will tell.

So.....I'm off to wait for the icestorm.  I'll see how the roads are in the morning before making a decision as to whether to come in to work.

The Perfect Storm??????

Whether it is perfect or not we have another winter blast headed our way.  This one is going to be more ice than snow with the possibility of power outages state wide.  YUK..... The last time that happened I was without electricity for more than a week.   Just as I wrote that I thought about the people in Haiti and I take back all my whining.  If we ever think we have it bad we just need to pause a moment and think beyond ourselves.  We have no idea how bad it can get. 

I have more than a busy day ahead today.  Meetings all day long and in to the night.  I'm sure glad I got a good night's sleep last night.  I should be able to get to my doctor's appointment tomorrow morning before the weather goes to the dogs tomorrow night.

Time to get my head in the game and knuckle down.  Good day to all!

Good Weekend

Ron and I did a lot of shopping yesterday.  He was needing new clothes and new shoes and we had fun shopping the sales.  Did pretty good too.  I even managed to find a couple of pair of slacks on sale for myself.  Today we went by to say baby Jack's new pad.  His little nursey looks to cute and is just ready and waiting for the new boarder.

Life is good!

Alzheimer Test

Short  Neurological  Test
1- Find  the C below.. Please do not use any cursor  help.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

2-  If you already found the C, now find the 6  below.

99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
69999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999

3  - Now find the N below. It's a little more  difficult.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

This  is NOT a joke. If you were able to pass these 3  tests, you can cancel your annual visit to your  neurologist. Your brain is great and you're far  from having a close relationship  with Alzheimer.

Sick Leave 

I urgently needed a few days off work, 
But I knew the boss would not allow me to take  leave. I thought that maybe if I acted 'CRAZY' then he would tell me to take a few days off. 



So I hung upside down on the ceiling and made funny noises. My co-worker (who's blonde) asked me what I was doing. I told her that I was pretending to be a light bulb, So that the Boss would think I was 'CRAZY'And give me a few days off. 



A few minutes later the Boss came into the office And asked 'What are you doing?' I told him I was a light bulb. 



He said, 'You are clearly stressed out. 
Go home and recuperate for a couple of days.' 
I jumped down and walked out of the office.



When my co-worker (the blonde) followed me, 
The Boss asked her
..And where do you think you're going?'







(You're gonna love this.....)










She said,
'I'm going home too, I can't work in the dark!

Random Thoughts

I have a list of things to do in the next two weeks.  I have an early morning meeting on Thursday followed by a visit from Sears.  I had replacement windows put on my house about 7 years ago and now I have one I can't lock and the air just blows through.  I had to stuff towels around the window to keep the air out.  Definitely got to get that remedied.  I paid too much for those windows to have air whistling through the bathroom.  Oh and half of the storm door fell off when we had our Christmas Eve blizzard.  I have no idea how that happened but that will get fixed as well or replaced.

Next week I go in to see the diabetes doctor for my A1C3 test.  I have no idea how that will turn out.  I stick to my diet diligently but my blood sugar kind of does its own thing every now and then. However, for the most part it stays ok if I eat the way I'm supposed to eat.   Yesterday I veered off my diet for lunch and had an actual ham & cheese sandwich with bread.   Not a good idea.  My blood sugar spiked and then it plummeted.  I felt like @#$% the rest of the day.  Just a good reminder that I can't get off that diet.  I just can't handle very many carbs at all.

Ron's CT scan is looming just a couple of months away.  I don't dwell on it but it does make me nervous.  If it comes back clean I think I'll relax for another 6 months.  I know the doctor pretty much said we would know if the cancer was going to come back within 2 years.  I guess we will be living our lives in 6 month increments for a long time to come.

I can't believe it has been almost 10 months since my mother passed away.  It still seems like it was last week.  A lot of things have gotten better.  I don't think about it constantly anymore or second guess myself as much as I did at first.  I just miss her but I'm glad her suffering has ended.  The other night I went to bed and suddenly had the sweetest memory just come in my head.  When I was a little girl and I would go with my mother to visit my grandmother I always got to sleep with my mom.  We slept in the room at the front of the house in grandma's feather bed.  The windows were open and we'd listen to the trains as they would go by.  To this day I love the sound of a train and the rhythm of the wheels clackity clacking down the track.  My mother would always pull me toward her and wrap herself around me and we'd snuggle under the covers and  talk and talk until pretty soon my grandma would have to poke her head into the room, probably feeling a little left out.   Sometimes in the safety of the dark I would ask my mother my most profound questions.  It was on one of those nights that I decided to ask about the birds and the bees.  I needed some clarification concerning the information that I had recently received from my best friend but felt less embaressed about asking in the dark.  There was no shock in my mother's voice when I asked though my question concerned the meaning of a vulgar 4 letter word.  She simply and matter-of-factly explained the meaning of the word and how it was not considered something acceptable to say but then went on to answer all my other questions in a reassuring and loving way.   It was wonderful to have that memory again and in the dark I could still feel her arms and hear her sweet voice letting me know that she is still with me.

Too Cute!

 

 

 

Aren't these puppies cute.  I don't know if I'd pay to have them cut in such high fashion hairdoos but they sure are cute.    We were dog sitting this weekend for my niece's Yorkie and every time I am around one of the dogs for awhile I start wanting another dog.  I'm just not ready yet.  I want to be retired before I get another dog.  This has been the longest time I have ever been without a pet (8 years) now.  But, I just want to be able to devote my time and attention to a dog when I get another one.

The shower was very nice.  Lots of great food so all the guys were very content.  I learned about a lot of new baby things that were not around 38 years ago.  For instance....the Pee Pee Tee Pee.....a little hat for the little fella's pee pee.................Ron and I cracked up.  Someone is making a fortune on that idea.  Ron was fascinated with the Boppy....a nursing pillow that looks like (according to Ron) a horse collar.  There was no game playing just good food and good company.

We're #1, We're #1................

Ron and I went to see It's Complicated yesterday.  What a hoot!  We laughed out loud right along with everyone else in the audience.  It was fun to see the age of the audience.  We fit right in!  Only us seasoned seniors would really appreciate the humor of that movie though I can't see anyone not thinking it was funny.
.
Today Ron and I are going to a couple's baby shower.  Now that is a new concept since I had children.  When I was young birthin babies was totally a woman's job.  Expectant fathers were not allowed into the delivery room and new dad's pretty much left the care of the baby to mom.  I'm glad to see that has changed and that new father's are involved from beginning to end.  I think Ron agrees that this is a good change in tradition.  Ron was older when his daughter was born so he was able to be in the delivery room and says it was an experience he wouldn 't trade for a million dollars.  However, a baby shower is something new for him.  It was so cute.  The couple had a University of Oklahoma onesie on their baby registry and so Ron went to the Sooner Shop on his own to look for the gift.  He called me from the shop and said, "They have a bunch of stuff with the #1 on it but I don't know which one to get."  I cracked up but really, how many go year old guys do you know who would go shopping for a baby gift?  He's so sweet!  I tried to explain what a onesie was but I finally told him to ask the clerk.  :)

So, we are off to the baby shower.

How To Lose Your Job

I've been meaning to post this video ever since a co-worker of mine sent it to me.  If it is for real the subject matter isn't funny but you can't blame the interviewer for craking up.


Now, laughing inappropraitely isn't the only way to lose your job.  I had a friend once, a young man named Kurt who had a very good sense of humor and was cute as a bug to boot, he had a job with a large insurance company.  He was about 25 years old at the time and of course all his female co-workers were enamored with him.  Oh, did I mention that he was the spitting image of Michael J. Fox.  In fact the resemblance was so uncanny he was often stopped on the street and asked for autographs.  Anyway, it was fun and games with all the ladies and they would exchange little quips and sarcastic remarks.  Well, one day Kurt was coming down the stairs as one of his female co-workers passed him going the other direction.  Little teasing remarks were exchanged when the female laughingly replied "well just bite my butt".  So............he did!  

That was the end of that job........but big lesson learned.  No matter how willing a participant in the office banter NEVER take a woman up on her dare.  It will get your fired!   I have to add......shame on you young lady.......it was all fun and games until you got embarassed!

Mentors

Were you lucky to have ever had a mentor in your life whether it was as a co-worker, friend, or someone who just helped you navigate life?  Have you ever been a mentor to someone else?  I was lucky enough to have a group of special women in my life just as I was embarking on married life and motherhood.  They were my neighbors, a group of 5 women at least 10 years my senior.  Though they were only in the early 30's to me they were "older" women as I had just turned 20 when I moved into the block.  We were all stay-at-home mothers but we all had children the same age.  I was a first time mother and they had all just had their last child.  These women were not only my friends but role models as well.  Barbara lived across the street and she was the anchor of the group.  She was the first to move into the neighborhood and everyone else met through her introduction.    Cynthia lived next door and Vanda, Dee and Saundra were down the street.  Joyce was the only member of our coffee group who did not live on the block.

Almost every morning we would gather at someone's house for coffee.  In fact, it is from these women that I learned to drink coffee (though more milk than coffee at the time).   We'd meet with our baby carriers in tow and spend about an hour together just drinking coffee and talking.  Having twins and being so young these women were an invaluable resource of information.  I was the nervous new mother and they were the seasoned veterans.  I learned from them that no, my children would not die if they were exposed to germs or if I got their pacifiers mixed up.  They helped me retain a sense of humor and keep my feet grounded.  I don't know what I would have done without them.  We supported each other through many of life's challenges, the teenage years of our children, death of parents, and for some divorce and the shared grief of loss.  There were also celebrations, weddings, monumental birthdays and the birth of grand children.  

When I saw the movie Steel Magnolias it reminded me of this special time in my life, when wiser women than myself surrounded me and how lucky I am to have had them in my life.  Vanda and I are the last remaining members of that little group of women left on the block.  Cynthia, Dee and Saundra moved many years ago and Barbara passed away 3 years ago but we were at her side.  All of us eventually went back to work and those of us remaining seldom see each other now.  It seems strange that our communication is now through facebook and not the intimate often hilarious conversations we once had over a cup of coffee.

Finally Caught Up

Since my Christmas break I've been working to get caught up at work and I can officially say that now I have achieved my goal.  Nice feeling.  I don't know how long this euphoria will last but I'm going to enjoy it for now.

Sunday night Ron and used another of our free movie rental coupons and watched Public Enemies with Johnny Depp.  It was definitely suspenseful and held my attention all the way to the end.  Johnny Depp is good in anything but he really did a good job playing Dillinger.  The only problem we had was the sound quality wasn't very good and we struggled to understand what they were saying.  Maybe it isn't the movie's sound quality but the quality of our hearing that is the problem :)  Now my compaint is why do we romanticize gangsters?  They were cold blooded murdurers but the movies try to get us to feel sorry for them.   I'm sure the families of the victims he murdered didn't have any love lost  for him.  Anyway.....

I recently went to the mall with a 14 year old and a 12 year old.  This shouldn't have been a new experience for me but it was in this new technology age.  Both girls had their cell phones with them and their eyes glued on them the entire time we were shopping.  They were texting and receiving text messages faster than the speed of light.  I don't think I saw their faces or their eyes the entire time.  I don't want to sound like a cranky senior but what gives here?  These kids don't know how to BE in the moment.  They aren't engaged in their surroundings at all.  I think about everything they are missing.  I'm so glad I don't have to raise children in this new age.  I wouldn't be a very popular mother because I'd have to set some major rules about cell phones.  First of all who does a 12 year old need to talk to so urgently?  Their employer?  Are they expecting a text from their cardiologist?  I hope not!  Not to mention it is rude to have your head in the screen of your cell phone when you are supposed to be engaged in a social event or family get-together.  Time and place for everything!   Don't I sound like the bitter old maiden aunt?

Will you accept this rose?

Last night I watched ABC's the Bachelor and what a melodrama that was.  It seems one of the young women who had already professed her honorably intention that she was there "just for the bachelor" and to find true love found a little extra lovin on the side with one of the staff members of the show.   This show is better than a soap opera with all the drama.  Now, the show could have handled the situation off camera but heck that wouldn't have boosted ratings so they made it part of the show.  The staffer was fired, the woman shunned off to exile and the heartbroken bachelor (who had known this young lady less than 48 hours) managed to regain his faith in true love.  Not bad for a 2 hour episode.  From the preview shown for next week's show they are bootin off another one without the rose ceremony.  Gotta watch now no matter how silly it gets!

Recurring Dream

I have had a recurring dream (or theme) for as long as I can remember.  It is always that I am lost and trying to find my way somewhere.  There are always mitigating circumstances that make the challenge even harder.  I absolutely hate it when I have these dreams because I wake up anxious and exhausted.  Last night my dream was a little sketchy but the theme familiar.  I had driven somewhere to attend a seminar but when I came out I couldn't find my car.  (sounds like my awake time too)  There was snow everywhere so it made finding my white car like finding a needle in a haystack.  The next thing I know I am clear across town (in a city I didn't recognize) on foot trying to get back to the place where I left my car only now I have lost my purse and car keys.  I am trying to get a ride (from old highschool friends who are obviously highschool age)  I don't know if I was suddenly that age or not but I couldn't get a ride so I had to walk only I was lost and didn't know which way to go.  I was wearing flats with no socks and it was very, very, cold.  Then I woke up.  I have this kind of dream all the time.  Sometimes I'm lost in a forest and trying to find my way out.  Sometimes I'm lost but being chased by something or someone.  Sometimes I'm trying to find my way to a classroom where I'm supposed to be taking a test but I'm late.  Anyone else have a recurring dream or theme?

Oh, and speaking of nightmares....:)  Have you seen that site dedicated to the people you see at Walmart? http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/   Well, let me tell you.....they were all at my local Walmart yesterday!  What a circus!  I wish I had taken my own camera.  Almost all of them were wearing leggings and with very short shirts.  Now, this is a look not carried off well by very many people.  In my personal opinion, leggings belong on little girls or 13 year olds.  OK...there are some younger women who can get away with this look also.  BUT women over 40....not so much!  You can camoflauge cellulite in black but it doesn't make it go away and when you pair it with high heels...oooooohhhhheeeeeeeeeeehhhhhh now there is something dreams are made of!

Another peculiar thing about my dreams.  In all my dreams that involve my children they are exactly 7 years old.  They never age they are always, always 7 years old!   I need to go back and read my diaries from that year and see what traumatic thing happened that stopped their age progression in my subconscious!  Gad, I'm strange!

I've been thinking alot about mattresses lately.  I have no idea why since I absolutely love my bed and have no intention of purchasing another one but there are so many to choose from.  You can have a sleep # bed which will give you one more identifying marker.  Maybe I could finally be able to say I'm  a 10!  I once looked at one of those thermopedic beds, you know the mattress you lay down on and when you get up there is a complete body print left behind.  It reminded too much of a chalk outline in a crime scene.  Besides, my body impression is not the last thing I want to see as I start my day.

and just for fun.........

When you're from the country ~ you look at things a little differently...
 
A Montana rancher got in his pickup and drove to a neighboring ranch and knocked at the door. A young boy, about 9, opened the door. "Is your Dad home?" the rancher asked. "No sir, he isn't," the boy replied. "He went into town."
"Well," said the rancher, "Is your Mother here?"
"No sir, she's not here either. She went into town with Dad."
"How about your brother, Howard? Is he here?"
"No sir, He went with Mom and Dad."
The rancher stood there for a few minutes, shifting from one foot to the other and mumbling to himself.
"Is there anything I can do for you?" the boy asked politely. "I know where all the tools are, if you want to borrow one. Or maybe I could take a message for Dad."
"Well," said the rancher uncomfortably, "I really wanted to talk to your Dad. It's about your brother Howard getting my daughter, Suzie, pregnant."'
The boy considered for a moment. "You would have to talk to Pa about that," he finally conceded. "If it helps you any, I know that Pa charges $500 for the bull and $50 for the hog, but I really don't know how much he gets for Howard."

 

Jellybean Update

A while back I wrote about the little rabbit rescued by my daughter and her husband.  It had been beaten by some children and thrown over a fence into someone's yard.  The people who found him took him to my daughter and her husband because they had pet rabbits.  Well, they nursed him back to health although he was paralyzed.  But he eventually started chewing on his paralyzed legs and no matter how they treated them he just wouldn't stop.  They contacted a group in N. Texas for help and they took Jellybean.  His legs were amputated but he received a special wheelchair and is adapting very well.  It looks like he now has a good life ahead of him. 

You are always on my mind!

It's kind of strange how Ron and I have avoided any discussion of his bout with cancer.  We have had a 4 month reprieve from even thinking about it.  However, he finally mentioned it the other day and it seems he has been silently worrying about every new symptom he is experiencing and immediately attributing it to the possibility that the cancer has spread.  He's been having heartburn quite a bit and thought perhaps the cancer had spread to his stomach.  I was surprised when I learned that he was worrying because he hides it so well.  I told the heartburn could be caused by so many things, like his weight.  Sudden weight loss with no explanation would be cause for concern.  I also told him he needs to talk about any concerns he is having because anxiety and stress can also cause excessive acid in his stomach.  Fear can play havoc on the body.

It's weird but upon hearing a cancer diagnosis the world stops for a second.  Your brain goes numb, you cry and then you get on with the job at hand.  It is never far from you mind in the beginning.  If surgery is recommended you attack it like a warrior, recooperate and then wait.  Since Ron's surgery we seldom talk about it but every now and then I find myself going to that place where for one split second I imagine the unimaginable.  Since I can't really handle that thought I shake it off as quickly as possible.  I know my worrying doesn't change anything or prevent the worst from happening so I push it bak into the shadows of my mind.  This is truly a wait and see ordeal.  We'll just deal with things as they come!  I'm sure that by the time we get to the March CT scan it may be harder to repress our fear.


When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, 
When 24 hours in a day is not enough;
remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class
and had some items in front of him. 

When the class began, wordlessly, 
he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar
and start to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was. 

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured
it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again 
if the jar was full. They agreed it was. 

The professor next picked up a box of sand 
and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. 
He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded
With an unanimous 'yes.' 

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table
and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively
filling the empty space between the sand.
The students laughed. 

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided,
'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. 

The golf balls are the important things - God, family,
children, health, friends, and favorite passions 
Things that if everything else was lost 
and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car. 

The sand is everything else -- 
The small stuff.. 

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued,
'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life. 

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff,
You will never have room for the things that are
important to you. 

So... 

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play with your children. 
Take time to get medical checkups. 
Take your partner out to dinner. 

There will always be time 
to clean the house and fix the dripping tap.

'Take care of the golf balls first -- 
The things that really matter. 
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'

One of the students raised her hand 
and inquired what the coffee represented. 

The professor smiled. 

'I'm glad you asked'. 

It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,
there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'

FOR THE RECORD

Alas, I confess I have never had an affair with Tiger Woods!

Blizzards and Legends

 This was taken December 25th, 2009 outside the entrance of the hospital. Although the snow is beautiful the storm sure made for some treacherous driving conditions on Christmas Eve.

After reading the book "A Thousand White Women" my interest was renewed in my own Native American history and I recalled a story my grandmother told us when we were little.  She asked us if we knew where ants came from and then she told this Choctaw legend.  She said that the great Spirit made the very first people at the same time he made the grasshoppers, and both from yellow clay. They were born in an underground cave and then walked to the surface through a large tunnel. People and grasshoppers emerged together and traveled off in all directions. But the people were much bigger than the insects and trampled many of them.. Some even killed the great mother grasshopper who lived in the cave! Fearing they would be wiped out, the grasshoppers called out to Hashtali and asked that no more people be allowed to come forth. Now, the Great Spirit hears the cries of all living things and he took pity on the grasshoppers. He made the tunnel much smaller and turned the remaining people into ants so that they could no longer trample the grasshoppers. The ants you see today are those people. Don't step on them!

Here is a Choctaw superstition also shared by my grandmother.  Choctaw superstition said that when a sapsucker bird lands on a tree in your yard, you will receive some news soon. It may be good or it may be bad but you would hear of it that day if you saw the news bird.  Others thought that if a rooster crowed at an unusual time, there was danger nearby, or bad weather on the way. But the most common superstition was the idea that it was bad luck to say your own name! Choctaws of old never told anyone their own names. If you wanted to know what to call a new friend, you had to ask someone else for that person's name!

The Choctaws also practiced two customs which might seem strange because the reasons for these customs have become lost to history. After marriage, the bride's mother could no longer look upon the face of her son-in-law. Though they might talk to each other, they must be hidden from each other by some kind of screen. When nothing else was available, they had to cover their eyes with their hand. This must have made life very difficult for the mother-in-law, particularly when the family was traveling or were encamped for hunting or festivals. Many mothers walked about with their heads down, so that they might not accidentally see the face of a son-in-law. Can you imagine the problem of a mother with several married daughters and as many sons-in-law in the same camp? To some extent, this custom continued to exist until the early 1800s.  The other custom, now considered peculiar, is that after the marriage ceremony had been completed, the wife never again called her husband by name or spoke his name aloud to family or friends. She called him or referred to him as "My Husband" or "My Man," or after children had begun arriving would call him "My Son's Father" or some such term.

I find all the stories fascinating.  What a rich culture and heritage!

What I did over my Christmas Vacation!

Although I'm back to work I haven't quite let go of my brief glimpse of what I hope retirement will be like.  I took two weeks off over Christmas and enjoyed every minute of it.  This year I left the Christmas decorations in their boxes and decided to have a stress free holiday.  Nothing to put out and nothing to clean up.  I don't know if this is a permanent thing but for this year it worked out wonderfully.

Ron received about 50 free Redbox movie rental coupons from a very generous drive-through attendant at McDonalds who either didn't want to give them out all day one at a time or who was just mesmerzed by Ron's good looks and charm.  Either way it provided us with a free movie marathon that may continue well into the middle of 2010.  Since our selection has often been limited we have decided to just be open minded and watch what ever strikes our fancy.  Some of our choices have worked out pretty good while a few would have been a waste of time had it not been free and had we not been able to nap cozily by the fire through the whole thing.

One of the movies we rented was "The Other Man" a muddled little dud of a meodrama.  It stars Peter, (Liam Neeson) as a software designer who lives near Cambridge England who discovers e-mail correspondence and pictures on the computer of his absent wife, Lisa (Laura Linney), that reveals her affair with another man, Ralph (Antonio Bandares). Peter, who has fancied himself happily married for 25 years, is seized with sexual jealousy that transforms him into an anguished, wild-eyed monster.

 

Lisa, a high-end shoe designer, has mysteriously disappeared without leaving word of her whereabouts. Suspecting she has gone to meet her lover, Ralph , whose name and address in Milan Peter uncovers through unscrupulous computer sleuthing, he flies to Italy, bent on murdering his rival. No sooner has he arrived and spotted his prey than the movie just fizzles. Peter trails Ralph into a chess bar where they strike up a conversation and play an exceedingly dull game of chess, during which Peter, without disclosing his identity, elicits juiceless trivia about the affair.

Though Ralph has fiery eyes and dresses impecably, he is a self-described loser who, Peter notes with contempt, has pink hands. Long before Peter leaves Milan, any tension has drained away.


“The Other Man,”  bets all its dramatic chips on a whopping plot gimmick that is revealed two-thirds of the way into the film. That twist, which I wouldn’t dream of giving away, is so poorly prepared that instead of shocking you, it leaves you scratching your head and wondering what signals you missed. The remainder of the movie dribbles away in a hasty attempt at catch-up.

Now this movie left me a little confused, (although I caught on to the twist almost immediately) but there was no development of the characters which left me feeling empty.  It didn't give me any real insight into the couple's relationship or why she strayed in the first place.  Now Ron really enjoyed the movie and surprisingly had quite a different insight to the overall theme.  He said the movie's intent was to show Peter's discovery that it is possible for someone to truly love two people at the same time

Besides watching movies, enjoying the snow, and sleeping as long as I wanted, I read.  I had purchased a book recommended by Arkansas Patti, "A Thousand White Women" and that I had saved just for my time off.  I really savored it and was sorry when I finished.  Thanks Patti for recommending this book.

Now it is time to get back into the swing of work but I will continue to look longing into the future when I will be on holiday 24/7 and enjoying the fruits of my labor!


And just for good measure this little tid-bit was sent to me by my daughter!  Double click to enlarge!

As You Slide Down the Banister of Life...Always Remember....

1. Jim Baker and Jimmy Swaggert have written an impressive new book.  It's called... 'Ministers Do More Than Lay People'


2. Transvestite:  A guy who likes to eat, drink and be Mary.


3. The difference between the Pope and your boss,  the Pope only expects you to kiss his ring.  

 
4. My mind works like lightning...one brilliant flash and it is gone.


5. The only time the world beats a path to your door is if you're in  the bathroom. 

 
  6. I hate sex in the movies.  Tried it once.   The seat folded up, the drink spilled and that ice, well, it really chilled the mood.


7. It used to be only death and taxes.
    Now, of course, there's shipping and handling, too.
   


8. A husband is someone who, after taking the trash out, gives the impression that he just cleaned the whole house.


9 My next house will have no kitchen - just vending machines and a large trash can. 

 
10. A blonde said, 'I was worried that my Mechanic might try to rip me off.   I was relieved when he told me all I needed was turn signal fluid.'


11. Definition of a teenager?
     God's punishment . . . for enjoying sex.   
       
12. As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point the wrong way.

Something to think about

2010  HANDBOOK  Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that
   is manufactured in plants..
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2009.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their
       journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead
       invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her
      mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.. Problems
      are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra
      class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23.. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree...

Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything..
28. Spend time with/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends
      will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32. Do the right thing! Trust God for everything....
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything. In HIS on time....
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come.. Wait and See...
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it. You have work to do....
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.