Is it still Spring?

Our temperature hit 90 degrees yesterday! It's hard to believe it's still Spring! Seems we just jumped to Summer! I turned the air conditioner in the car on for the first time on the way home from Tallahassee yesterday. At first all it did was blow HOT air. Turned it off and on a couple of times to no avail and was beginning to think I needed to have it serviced. Then I noticed a button on the dash...A/C. Punched it and glorious COLD air came out. Amazing what a difference a little button can make! I haven't turned the AC on in the house. Early last night it was pretty warm inside, but I opened both the front door and the French doors and got a lovey cool breeze through, 'course it did blow some dust bunnies around. I was hoping it would blow them outside...no such luck!

Yesterday was Mother's 84th birthday. Except for the fact that she was told it was her birthday she didn't know and didn't care. I'm sure that today she doesn't remember...in fact, I'm sure that shortly after we left she didn't remember. It's hard to believe that just a little over a year ago she was a very young 82...now she's a very old 84!

Wednesday I brought home the cutest old corner desk. It's small, has a drop lid and is on 3 tapered legs. Inside it has 2 small drawers and 5 or 6 cubbies. There are 2 decent sized drawers on the outside as well. Cute, cute, cute! I got it for $2 and for stenciling our nursery's name on some folding chairs and tables. Not a bad deal! Poor desk had been stored in a dirt floored garage for who knows how long and was filthy. After I got it home and got it cleaned and polished it turned out to be a really nice piece. Getting it into my little car and then into the house was really the challenge. I still have bruises on the inside of both arms from wrestling it! I feel I came out ahead on this deal! I still have about 15 chairs and 2 tables to stencil. Should be able to finish that up Monday or Tuesday.

I'm debating as to whether or not I should go the the doctor's office this morning. Mercy scratched my right leg quite badly this morning. She didn't do it with malice, she was just urging me out of bed and into the kitchen for her breakfast. I slept in until 5:45! The place is about 5 inches long and pretty deep in several spots. I had trouble stopping the bleeding and it still hurts. It doesn't need stitches. I cleaned it and put Sulfodene on it...don't think the Doc could or would do much else. There, I just answered my on question. I'll just keep an eye on it.

Okay, tonight is Dinner with the Ladies. I didn't go for 2 weeks and that was nice. Then Ruth called Wednesday night and caught me off guard. She asked me if I wanted to "come back"! I asked her what in the world was she talking about and she had been told (Leah Jane) that I didn't want to do Fridays any more. Told her that I didn't want to do every week any more and that yes, I'd do it this week. That's okay...I figure I'll go once a month on the Friday following getting my SS check! Gee, the joys of a small town! There are folks here that have no idea what friendship means and wouldn't know how to keep their mouths shut if they were sewn shut! There are many perks to small town living, but I stupidily have trusted a couple of folks that I really didn't know anymore. Can't undo it, but can and will guard my every word with these 2 from now on! Snakes! They are just snakes in the grass!!!!!

Shirley jumped off of the foot rest of my recliner Wednesday night and did something to her left shoulder. She hobbled on 2 back legs and the 1 good front one the remainder of the evening. I had to carry her out and back in when she needed to go out and had to lift her up into my lap and onto the bed. I rubbed it for her and it didn't seem to hurt her when I did that, but also didn't seem to help. When she got up yesterday morning she was able to use it, but slowly and quite gingerly. Today she's okay. She'll be 7 May 1st as will Goodness and Mercy. That's not that old, is it?

This is better!

Wow! Two weeks in a row and I didn't do Dinner with the Ladies on Friday night! It's absolutely amazing to me how much better Friday felt not having the obligation of going to something I didn't want to go to felt! Once more, I wasn't completely honest about my reason for not going (cited the Fletcher Family Reunion), but the event I used was true, I'm just not going. I'm guessing that next week I'll just have to say "no".

Thursday was a busy day for me. I planted 2 crape myrtles (pink), a Coral Bell Azalea and 18 daylilies in the back yard around the patio. Yesterday (and again this morning) my lower back is killing me. I guess I'm just getting too old for that sorta stuff. I weeded a very large area, removed grass, too, but there's still lots more I'd like to do. I only had one bag of mulch left over from last year and was able to spread it out pretty well. Doesn't look wonderful, but looks tended.

I worried about Jazzy and the stuff I'd planted, but it seems that since she was out there with me (as were Shirley, Goodness, Mercy, Bandi and Smokey!) and I told her it was mine she's pretty much left it alone. I think she ate one daylily as I can't find it, but so far everything else is in place...sure hope this holds!

Then Thursday night Leah Jane had me over for supper. Soup and pie. Delicious! We visited for a while and I got home right when Survivor started. Boy, those people on that show are so stupid!

I have a pot of stew simmering on the stove now and it smells so good! A couple of months ago I bought 2 pot roasts (buy one get one free). I made pot roast with one and froze the other one (also froze several bags of pot roast and gravy for later). So yesterday I partially thawed the whole frozen roast, cut it in half and refroze half (it still was partially frozen, so I'm not worried about that). Then I cubed the remaining half and seasoned and floured it and put it in the 'fridge. Of course by this morning the cubed meat had pretty much turned the flour into a paste so I added more flour and tossed it around. Browned the meat off really nicely and added some finely chopped onion, garlic, bell pepper and celery. While that was all making merry in the pot I diced an onion and a potato and tossed those into the pot. Added some brown gravy that I made earlier this week with garlic and red wine and added a little more water and a half a cup of black coffee. Wish you could smell this! It's fantastic! Later I'll add some frozen green peas and I may make a pot of rice to serve it over. Yum! I'll take Leah Jane some and freeze some and still have enough to eat on for a couple of days!

I'm really enjoying having things in the freezer that are ready to thaw, heat and eat. Even though I only work 5 hours a day, some days I just don't feel like cooking when I get home, however, I ALWAYS feel like eating. In general I enjoy my cooking much more than anything I can get out and the selection is broader. It's also so much cheaper to eat at home and healthier, too!

I'm trying to figure out how to make a slip cover for one of the chairs in the living room. It seems like it should be a simple thing to do, but for some reason I just can't get my head wrapped around it. Those folks on the home improvement shows make it look so easy. I guess I'll Google it and see what comes up.

Pictures

This is the front porch, the spirea is still blooming and you can see the red nandina berries. I wish I'd had film and had taken some pictures before the storms took all of the azalea bloom! This is my first iris bloom of the year...beautiful! The pink Knock Out rose is just really coming into it's own!

Jazzy. Hasn't she gotten big? When she first arrived she was too tiny to go up the steps, now she takes them in leaps and bounds! You can see the land scaping she's done...all of that used to be grass!

Smokey, Goodness and Jazzy.

Jazzy getting a bath from Goodness.

Bathing just wears one out!

I just looked at the dates on the pictures. Obviously I need to figure out how to change the date, 'cause it's 2009, NOT 1994!

Well, I didn't do Friday Night with the Ladies. I was less than truthful, well, I stretched the truth a bit. When Ruth called I told her that I couldn't go because I had a date. Actually, I was asked out, but I didn't go. I'm just not up for that yet. Guess I'll have to have a date every Friday night!

Thursday I spent hours going through some clothes that Mother and Bert brought over here 2 or 3 years ago. They just drove up and unloaded his van into my living room and left. These were all things from Mother's closet that she couldn't use any more. Well, she knew I couldn't use them as the majority were size 6! So Thursday I finally cleared out the guest room of all of it. Took it up to Wag the Dog (the Humane Society's thrift shop). They were delighted to get it and I was thrilled to have it all out of my house!

I just made some pickled eggs. Haven't done that in years! Used beet juice, cider vinegar, brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, thinly sliced onions and sliced garlic. Took a sip of the pickling juice before pouring it over the eggs and it took my breath away! Good stuff, just not to drink! Sure does make pretty red eggs! They'll sit in the 'frige for a couple of days before I eat them.

Weather's rather warm and overcast. Slight chance of rain in the forecast. I'd like a little, but there is flooding all around. The next county over to the east still has major evacuations and road closings! They were talking about closing I-10 earlier this week, but so far they haven't. Our local paper on Wednesday had lots of pictures of roads here in Jefferson County that are flooded and closed. It's really been a wild spring!

What am I supposed to do?

This Friday night thing is really getting old! When our leader, Ruth, called this week I told her that I wasn't going to be able to make it and, to make a very long story short, she insisted and I went! It wasn't fun and even though I got a burger and fries and it was good and cheaper than the regular fare, I resented spending both the money and the time for something I didn't want to do! Why is this so hard to get out of?

Then, yesterday she called and invited me over for wine and cheese tonight with a couple of other folks. I actually lied and told her that an old friend was in town and I'd be seeing her! She is in town, but we don't have any plans to get together, we had a nice phone visit yesterday. I don't like to lie. I should be able to just say no! What's wrong with this picture? I feel sorry for Ruth, she's old and a widow and crippled, but she has around the clock help and a driver and goes constantly. She has plenty of money and doesn't lack for anything she wants or needs. She makes me feel like I'm being used for entertainment and I don't like it! I'm just not going to show up this coming Friday night and I guess I'll just have to stop answering her calls. For some reason she makes me feel guilty if I say no! Cross your fingers that I'll get some gumption!

This is the oddest Spring weather! Both tomorrow night and Tuesday night we are supposed to be below freezing! Guess I'll have to get the space heaters back out and bring in the potted plants that I can lift! And, tonight and tomorrow we are looking for more storms! Weird, huh?

When is this basketball stuff on TV going to end? I'm so tired of basketball knocking stuff I watch off the tube! What's wrong with ESPN? That's a sports channel...can't they have it on there and leave everything else alone? Phooy on them!

This is a cloudy and chilly day...perfect for hot tea and movies!

This year it's April that's a lion!

I've always heard that March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb...well this year's certainly confused! The past 3 days have really been stormy! The wind, lightening and thunder and torrential rain really had my nerves on edge! The animals were quite jumpy, too! We're still under a flash flood watch and we were under tornado watches almost the entire time. Today's supposed to be beautiful and tomorrow cloudy, then it's back to the storms for Sunday and Monday. At least we're almost out of our 10" rain deficit!

When I walked out back this morning it felt like I was in a different world. The SUN is shining! It's a little chilly, but beautiful. The strong winds blew away the majority of blooms that were so beautiful this year, but the greenness of everything makes up for their loss. The last trees to bud out each spring are the pecan trees and they have all budded! That is suppose to mean that the cold weather is over. Yeah!

Went online to check my electric bill and found that it has dropped $107.23 from last month. I sure needed that! It's $88.85. That's pretty good. I had 3 months of the bill being over $200! And I never cut on the furnace! Just think if I'd been using the furnace and paying for propane too!

Gasoline prices are creeping up. Monday it was $2.09 at the local BP and Wednesday it was $2.19. The prices are always a few cents cheaper in both Tallahassee and Thomasville, but, you know, it uses gas to go there and to come back, so unless I have to go for some other reason it'd be rather stupid to go just to get gas!

I got an e-mail from my youngest daughter. Sure was nice to hear from her, it's been a long time! She has a blog: bethsnikpmot.blogspot.com, check it out.

Tonight is Dinner with the Ladies. Not looking forward to it.

Tomorrow I'm taking Shirley in to have her nails trimmed. She sounds like she tap dancing on these hardwood floors!

I think I'll get some bedding plants and top soil tomorrow and get the hay bales planted. I can't put it off forever!

Stormy, stormy weather!

Wow! The weather across the panhandle was just amazing for the last 3 days! We had sustained winds of 20 mph with gusts (and rather prolonged ones at that!) of 65 mph! For once I didn't lose any of the limbs from the pecan trees, I think they all came down a few weeks back when the winds were only 30ish mph! I got over 5 inches of rain here at the house, don't know what the official rain fall was.

The timing of the rain was just perfect for me. Friday morning I had 12 bales of hay delivered and I have to keep them soaked for 3 days! So there you go! This coming weekend I plan to plant tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash in the bales. I'll try to remember to take pictures at various stages in this process so you can see how or if it all works out. Everything I've read about hay bale gardening sounds so good!

Well, Friday night for Dinner with the Ladies we went to another restaurant. I'd made reservations and the table was nice. The food was iffy and the service was terrible and it stormed the entire time (we ate outside). Perhaps I expect too much from this small town? So next week the powers that be have dictated that we go back to the former restaurant we've been going to. I'm going to order a hamburger and see what happens. I'm sick of the seafood that all tastes alike (and is very greasy!) and the steaks that are never cooked the way I want them! I know I keep saying it, but I've just got to stop this weekly thing...it's not working out in my best interest!

This morning I went to Tallahassee. Left home before daylight (7ish) and my sister and I went to breakfast and then on to the nursing home to do Mother's clothes. The things we took out of the closet we just stuffed in the box the new things came in and tossed the box in the dumpster! Sure feels good to have that done. Mother must have been at breakfast as we didn't see her, but we did see her room mate. Then it was back to my sister's house to sort through the stuff we'd taken from Mother's bathroom a month or so ago. Good to get that done too!

I've been having a horrible metallic taste in my mouth for several weeks. Finally really sat down and thought about anything new in my diet or habits. Around the start of flu season I added zinc to my arsenal of vitamins and things that I take daily. So about 5 days ago I stopped taking the zinc and the metallic taste is almost (but not quite) gone. So much for a prophylactic dose of zinc to prevent colds and flu! I was beginning to really think something was terribly wrong!

I have so many things I want to do today. It would be so nice to get something done! I hope I do!

Busy weekend

Wow! I had so many obligations this past weekend that I didn't feel like me!

Friday night, of course, was Dinner with the Ladies. We went to the same old place and the service was just horrid and the food boring! This week I've been charged with getting reservations at another restaurant. Hope I don't have any trouble.

Saturday Leah Jane had a small dinner party and even though it was very nice, I was away from home! You know me....

Sunday was the day that almost did me in. I met my sister, Bert and my step sister and her husband for lunch in Tallahassee. That meant that in order to be there on time I had to leave here at 10 after 11! Then, I was a little after 4 getting back! I was invited to a cocktail party at Edgewood plantation at 5:30 and got back home a little after 7! A full and tiring day. Needless to say, I slept through most of The Amazing Race!

Yesterday at work after doing catch up (that's always what awaits me on Mondays) I got settled into my new office. It's a very nice office, but has been used for storage and has piles of stuff that I don't know what to do with. So, I've just shoved most of it into a corner and that's that!

I hope the phone system has been fixed today. Yesterday the phone didn't ring in my office...makes it rather hard to catch it! Three of us were shuffled around and the extensions are all messed up, and, I have no mouse! Kinda hard to use the computer that way! They say I'll have one today...we'll see.

Tomorrow is the final day of my work week and I'm looking forward to yard work, house work and just being home!

Happy First Day of Spring!

Actually we still have about 37 min. until it's officially Spring, but that close enough! It has looked like Spring here for several weeks, but the last couple of days have felt like early Summer! The temperature is going to slightly cool down for the next few days and that will be welcomed. If only it would rain! We are already in a 10" deficit for the year!

I made a cake last night! Those of you who know me know I don't bake much, I love to cook, but I find baking so intimidating. Well anyway, I really wanted something sweet and only had chocolate available and didn't want chocolate! I drug out my old Bundt pan...can't figure out how old it is, probably around 37 years old, and I made a cake! I toasted chopped pecans and diced 2 Granny Smith apples that I sauteed in a little butter with brown sugar (also added a little cinnamon, salt and black pepper). Made a basic yellow cake and put the apple/pecan mixture in the Bundt pan first added the batter and baked for an hour at 325 degrees. The house smelled wonderful! I let the cake cool for 15 minutes, turned it out and drizzled a little glaze that I made with confectioners sugar, apple cider, cinnamon and cayenne pepper (tasted a lot like Red Hots). It was so good that I ate two pieces! Then while it was still hot I ran a large slice down to Leah Jane. Her back still is giving her fits even after the surgery.

Wednesday right before time to leave work the Big Boss called me and told me to move my stuff to the empty office next to him. I did, but it'll take me a few days to settle in. I have a WINDOW!!!

Tonight is Dinner with the Ladies. We're back to the same ol' place, but we're going to eat outside. That should be nice. We'll all take cushions to sit on. I'm thinking I'll take slices of cake for everyone. That'll save me from eating it all! Monday, if there's any left, I'll take it to work...those guys'll eat anything!

Yesterday I rolled $74.oo worth of coins and still have a bunch of pennies to roll! I'll deposit it today. It's a long stretch from one Social Security check to the next!...and the next one isn't due 'till next week. I manage to keep the bills paid and of course eat, but I need both gas and dog food, hence the coins! Thank goodness I save them!

The source I had for straw bales fell through. The fellow finally called me on Monday and said the bales he picked up over the weekend are heavely sprayed and he knew (and he's right) that I didn't want sprayed bales. His first cutting won't be until June, but he'll call me when he bales and if I haven't found any I'll be among the first on his list. I hope he'll come through for me, even though June is very late to plant here in N. FL.

Well, I left Jazzy in the house today. Not because I wanted to, but because she's gotten rather savvy about my go to work routine. Yesterday I had to shove her out and this morning I couldn't get my hands on her. I hope to go by on my 10am run this morning and get her out then as this is my long day. Before I left this morning she'd already torn up a pee pad all over the living room! I've gotten quite spoiled not having all that mess when I get home.

Yesterday I just told the Big Boss that I couldn't move upstairs. He asked why and I cited my back, which is the main gist of the matter. He said he'd just have to figure something else out. Whew!

Leah Jane walked down to my house yesterday and we sat on the front porch and had wine and visited. It was nice.

If you don't read my daughter's blog (moonmeadowfarm.blogspot.com) you should. She's remarkable and her oldest daughter (the young one, too!) is just unreal! You should read about what ED has done!

Enough for now. Am at work.

I'm not sure what to do...

Yesterday the big boss called me into his office. One his sons and another salesman were in there with him. He said that he wanted me to move upstairs to the son's desk before my week ended on Wednesday. Upstairs is the sales dept. domain and is an area carved out under the eaves of the building (attic). The single flight of stairs is very narrow and very steep. I avoid those stairs whenever possible. I don't know what to do. I can't do this. Everything I do is downstairs and this would mean climbing those stairs several times a day. I don't want to quit this little job...need the insurance...but I can't do those stairs.

Sunday I gave Jazzy her first real bath. I took a bucket of warm water out to the patio and wet her down from it. She was real good and really enjoyed the soaping and scrubbing...then I took the hose to rinse her off. She really freaked out! Pulled out of her collar and dashed into the house through the open back door! Oh, what a mess. Next time I sure hope I remember to close that door!

Well, I've gotta go to work.

Updates

Right before Norma picked me up to go to the farm for garden club I got a call from my sister. Bert had called her in a tizzy to say that Mother was in the hospital having surgery to remove her feeding tube and what did she know about it. Well, this was the first that she had heard about any surgery, so she called the nursing home to find out just what was happening. It seems that Mother was in the hospital having surgery to REPLACE her feeding tube as the old one wasn't functioning well. The nurse that she talked to also implied that she has told Bert all about it. Oh, this whole mess is so difficult! Anyway, I called my sister when I got home and Mother was already back in the nursing home and resting and doing quite well. NEP (sister) did ask the nursing home nurse about the virus that's going around and she said it's still running through the nursing home, so we will not be going there this weekend!

The farm was wonderful. Golden Acres Farm. It was interesting to see first hand the straw bale gardening, but I learned nothing new that I hadn't already read about on the computer. They did give us info on a source for the bales and I'll call either today or tomorrow. It'll come out of Tallahassee and is pesticide and other chemicals free. They also deliver, but I don't have any idea how much it'll cost. There were a gazillion chickens and cats and dogs running around the place, but we didn't see the goats or sheep. I bought some bone in goat stew meat ($6.00 a pound) as that was all I could afford. I really wanted some of the lamb, but it started at $9.00 a pound and went up! Didn't buy any of the eggs, though they were quite nice, but $4.00 a doz. is way out of my price range! We each took a bag lunch and ate at tables out under some very old oak trees with begging chickens under foot. It was so nice and the weather just perfect!

For lunch I made some egg salad that I got a little carried away with. I added chopped green onions, chopped gherkin pickles, minced pickled jalapenos and olives with pimentos and capers...a little salt and black pepper, a dab of mayo and a squirt of yellow mustard. Made a sandwich on 100% whole wheat bread and it was absolutely delicious! Took a bottle of water and some chips. I'll fix that again!

Now it's time for a nap so I can stay up and watch Survivor tonight!

Golly Gee It's Nice Here!

Wow! Spring has sprung fully and it's beautiful! Spirea, azaleas, snow drops, red buds, dogwoods, Japanese magnolias and even the camellias are all blooming and the entire town (and my yard especially) looks like wonder land! Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!!!!!

I haven't had a heater on (except for the one in the bathroom once) for almost 2 weeks and have been having both the front and back doors opened! Just lovely. Ain't spring grand?

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I left Jazzy out in the back yard when I went to work. I don't know how it's working out for her, but it's wonderful for me! When I get home the house is just as I left it and I don't have to spent an hour or so cleaning up before I can sit down. I'd like to build her a dog house before next winter. I think that gives me enough time to figure something out.

Today my garden club is going out to a farm that does hay bale gardening. I'm really excited about learning first hand more about this technique. Hope they'll have hay bales for sale...and that they'll deliver! I'm riding with Norma today and neither of us know exactly where we're going...just very vague directions. Cross your fingers that we find it!

The moving force behind out Friday night Diner with the Ladies called a little while ago. She's not going to be there nor are any of the rest except for Norma and me. So I just talked to Norma and we're going somewhere else! Yeah!

No news on Mother. As of Tuesday Bert was still sick.

Woke up this morning and the two lasered places actually aren't killing me. Got the direction on care out again the other day and it says it will take 6-8 weeks to completely heal. Today is 2 weeks. Can you imagine that folks have their whole faces lasered? I don't know if I could go through that just for beauty!

Oops, I took a spill

I finally got all of the clocks changed in the house...each room has one and some have two...but haven't changed watches yet, I figure I'll change them as I use them. Sounds good to me.

Yesterday I spent four and a half hours sewing up the holes in the sofa. I can't get another one yet (am saving my change) and it was really, really bad! I covered it with a sheet, but Jazzy shredded that, so not only was it a holey sofa, but covered with a shredded sheet it REALLY looked bad. Doesn't look so great now, but much better. My hands hurt from the stitching, but the hard part was threading the darn needle! I really can't see squat, even with my dime store glasses!

After I finished the sewing I went outside to rescue some azaleas that a big oak limb had fallen on. The main part of the limb is about 8 feet long and bigger around than my leg. There were some pieces that had broken off that were pretty big, too. Well, as I was dragging them out to the street somehow my left foot got tangled up and I took a pretty hard fall. I'm okay, but my left hip hurts and my right knee took the brunt of the fall and is bruised and swollen and hurts, as does the heel of my right hand. It all happened so quickly, one minute I was dragging and the next I was on the ground!

My sister talked to Bert yesterday (I did on Saturday) and it seems he has Mother's bug. We both had suggested to him that he not go to the nursing home while this bug was going around, but he's more stubborn than most! He actually went 3 times on Friday!

I'm thinking of leaving Jazzy outside today. It's going to be another beautiful day and I'm just not up to cleaning up another one of her decorating projects! It's amazing to me that a relatively small amount of poly fiber fill can fill up several rooms! It reminds me of the time I was watching a friend's puppy...a Rhodesian Ridgeback...she ate their sofa on my watch...maybe it's the breed.

Gotta run, am running late...slept until the alarm went off!

Why can't "they" just leave the time alone?

Why in the world can't we just run on the same ol' time all of the time? This jumping back and forward stuff is for the birds! People are going to do what ever they need to do no matter what the clock says and I'm just fed up with changing clocks! At least tomorrow the clock in my car will be correct for the first time in what 6 months? I've still managed to make appointments on time and work on time, etc. So why screw around with the clock? I know there are a couple of states that don't do the time change stuff and they seem to function okay, they haven't fallen off the face of the earth or anything like that. This is just plain ol' dumb!

Anyway, reminder, set your clock forward an hour tonight.

My sister called yesterday and said that Bert called her to let her know that Mother is sick. I haven't heard from him, will probably call him today. It seems that there's a virus going around the nursing home and Mother's caught it. Nancy and I had planned on going to see Mother and do her clothes today, but neither of us can afford to catch anything else...we've both been sick several times this winter. So I guess we'll go when we hear that the bug is gone. Seems that it should be gone by next weekend...

Last night was Dinner with the Ladies. There were only 5 of us. We have 2 out with back problems now. The company was nice, the food was the same. Brought home some fried catfish, hush puppies (for the dogs) and 4 fried oysters...am thinking a fried oyster hogie sounds good!

Made an interesting little pasta salad yesterday. Shell macaroni, pinto beans, minced onion and bell pepper, fresh basil, a little lemon zest, a package of dried ranch dressing and a little mayo. I ate some right after mixing it and it was good, but this morning it was even better! I've just boiled 3 eggs and will be making egg and olive salad shortly. Yum!

Once a week I go to my old job and catch them up on filing and sending out statements, etc. I do strange little odd jobs and such. Well, it's sometimes less than an hour that I'm there and sometimes as long as 3 hours, so I only turn in my time card every 6 weeks or so. Turned it in last Wednesday (a week ago this past Wed.) and attached a note asking to have the check this past Monday. Well, HWB lost my card...so no check. I'm angry. This is not the first time he's messed around with my money, and it's such a piddling little bit. Like an idiot, I did not keep a copy of the time. Don't know exactly what to do, but I'm so angry about this that I'm thinking of not working there anymore! I'm worried that this may cause problems where I'm working Mon-Wed, as it's his dad I work for now. Perhaps I should talk to the dad about it...

Next Thursday our garden club is going out to a farm to learn first hand about straw bale gardening. I'm hoping that I can get a lead on buying straw bales there. I hear they will also have goat meat (which I like a lot) and eggs for sale!

Just how long should it take to get a tax return back? I sent mine in a few weeks back...maybe it'll be soon. I sure hope so!

Yesterday was a year...

It was a year ago yesterday that Mother had her stroke. In some ways it feels like much longer and in some, just a moment ago!

I ordered some clothes online for Mother and they arrived on Monday. Got her several sweaters and tops and pants. The staff told us the last time we were there that she needed some, but after going through her closet we found there wasn't much that could just be thrown in the washer...so, Heband got a pretty large order from us...Mother's account paid for them. I made sure to get colorful things, but she really doesn't care. It's sad to see her go from such a clothes horse to a rag-a-muffin!

"They" are saying that today should be out last day starting out below freezing. I certainly hope so!

The laser places are so slow to heal. Tomorrow will be a week since the surgery and I'm just so uncomfortable...can't lay on my back and the one on my thigh is on the side I sleep on, so that's very hard to do. Not getting much sleep. Hope that changes soon.

Work is terribly slow. Scary slow. Walked in yesterday and there was not one piece of paper to file. That's the first time in over a year that's happened. The main thing I file are orders, so that means orders have SLOWED down terribly!

I stayed up on purpose to watch the 2 hour Biggest Loser last night and fell asleep in my chair during the last 10 minutes. So, I have no idea how it ended! That's the pits! If it's so slow again at work today maybe I'll try to find it online and see what happened...or I could call my sister...

I tend to over react!

Yesterday went quite well. It seems that I tend to over react about some things. I got to the dermatologist's office a little early and once more they took me in right away. Dr. Jackson had decided to do laser surgery on both my thigh and back. He did the surgery with me in a seated position which was much better for me, though he had to kneel to do it. I read my book (a biography of Elizabeth Taylor) the entire time and got a whole chapter read before it all was completed. The place on my thigh went from the size of a dime to the size of a quarter. I haven't seen the place on my waist/back yet. I was quite capable of driving myself home, in fact I stopped at Publix and did my shopping!

Before shopping I went by to see Mother as I was only a few blocks away. I didn't stay long as they were starting an activity. She was just sitting in her wheelchair in the hall watching what was going on when I got there. When they came to take her in to her activity I left.

I don't know what to do with Jazzy. She's still chewing furniture. I mean she's really tearing it up. When I see her doing it I spank her and tell her no...that seems to have no real effect. She knows she's doing wrong and if she sees me see her she hides or runs from me. When I get home from work or being out if she's crying at the back door it means she's done something wrong. So I KNOW she knows!

I need to get some straw bales. Not sure where. I'm going to try straw bale gardening this year. I can't have worse results than I did last year and it's supposed to be a real back saver!

The husband of one of my Friday night Dinner with the Ladies died this week. He's been in a nursing home attended by Hospice for the past few months. I went to visitation Wednesday night, but didn't make the funeral yesterday afternoon.

I'm not going to Dinner with the Ladies tonight. I'm having trouble with everything with a waist band rubbing the place on my back. I'm probably just using this as an excuse. I'm afraid I really need to stop going all together. I'm spending almost $14.00 every week on food I'm getting bored with. The menu is very limited, just seafood and steak. I tried the steak 3 times and never got it cook the way I wanted it, in fact I sent it back once. So, that's $56.oo a month I'm spending on food I'm really not enjoying. I could get enough food for several meals at the grocery store for that! I guess that's what it really boils down to, money. There's never enough.

The results

Got a phone call at 6:45 last night from the nurse that works with my dermatologist. The pathology report came back and both of the biopsied places are cancerous and they didn't get everything with the biopsies. The one on my thigh has gone deeper than the top layer and they'll do laser surgery Thursday morning. The one on my back is more superficial and they'll do cryogenic surgery on Thursday. Drat.

I really don't have anyone to take me to Tallahassee for the procedures. I guess I'll be okay to drive home. We'll see. I certainly can't stay there.

Got an email from work this morning (it was sent yesterday). Rather than lay anyone off that's working in the office they will be cutting hours. They didn't say when or how drastically. Damn, I really can't afford to have my hours cut more. I can get by on 12 hours, I'm working 15 now. I hope it won't be less. We'll see. They cited the economy and how poorly business is doing and that they don't expect it to improve anytime soon.

I'm so tired of being cold. Once this house takes on cold it's awfully hard to dispel it. Even with the space heaters it's cold. Sometimes it's colder inside than outside! They did say on the weather this morning that we should be warming up soon. It's 30 degrees now. I look forward to it being 50 in the mornings! Of course I'll be bitching about the heat all summer long! There's just no pleasing me I guess.

Odds and Ends

Wednesday was my trip to the dermatologist. The appointment was for 1:30, but in true Virgo fashion I got there at 1 o'clock. That was a stroke of luck, because they took me right in. It seems I don't have much of a grasp of what I should be looking for on my skin as every thing I was a bit concerned about turned out to be nothing, but there were 2 places that he did biopsy, one at my waist line on my back and one on my upper right thigh. I should hear Monday what the pathology shows. I did get a little ticked off at the young doctor (same one I saw this time last year), because every time I'd ask about a place I was concerned about he'd say in a rather dismissive manner "that's age related". After hearing this several times I finally said "Okay, wait a minute. I've never been old before and I don't know just what to expect. Do you have a manual?"...He sorta jumped back and stood very straight (he's quite tall) and looked at me. Then he laughed and said "No, I don't, but we'll get through this together."...Maybe he'll take a better approach with other older patients. I hope so.

Wednesday night we had quite a storm. Several miles north of us, in South Georgia, they had some very damaging tornadoes. A huge limb from one of my pecan trees in the front yard came down across my neighbor's driveway. They moved in back onto my property. It'll just have to stay there for a while as I can't do any moving, pulling or lifting until my biopsy sites heal.

Thursday it was back to Tallahassee to meet my sister, Bert and Mother's friend from NC at the nursing home. We all visited with Mother for an hour and then Bert took us all to Crisper's for lunch. Mother's hair hadn't been done, but other than that the visit went well.

After lunch everyone went their own way and I went to Ross! I've been needing a non-stick skillet for a while and found one there. And it's PURPLE! Awesome!

Leah Jane's home from the Mayo Clinic. I'm amazed that she's home so soon. She had surgery on Thursday. She says the pain relief is unreal. There's pain from the 4" incision on her back, but she says that's quite bearable. I'm meeting her and her cousin for lunch today.

It's cold this morning...26 degrees right now. I don't know what this is going to do to everything that's blooming. I have a bank of azaleas across the back of the yard in full bloom and the Japanese magnolias, red buds and camellias are all blooming, too. We'll see.

Old address

I googled the old address in central FL and up popped my ex-husband's business...by name. I was sorta surprised. I googled because I'm getting all sorts of e-mail regarding refinancing, etc. Sure wish all that would stop!

Have an appointment with my dermatologist in Tallahassee this afternoon. Have a few places that don't look too good. I'm hoping it's all in my head!

Gotta get ready for work!

We've had RAIN!

It's been so dry as to be quite dusty for the last few weeks and finally yesterday and today we've had rain! I took advantage of the moist ground and planted my pitiful Myers lemon tree this morning. Poor blessed thing has been in a pot on the patio for 2 years now and has valiantly tried to live and produce fruit. Actually had two stunted lemons this year. They were so small, but still quite juicy and had that lovely Myers lemon taste. Poor, poor tree has lost most of its leaves and I'm not even sure it's still alive, but this is it's only chance. Cross your fingers for it!

Friday night was Dinner with the Ladies. The service was so poor as to be painful. When the food finally arrived (an hour after ordering) we all requested to go boxes and left! I took some little appetizers because of last week and we needed them! I got a little creative and cut out a gazillion red hearts of all sizes and sprinkled them on the white table cloth...pretty and took 4 red glass votive candle holders with candles. It was quite festive. I'm not sure I want to continue this Friday night routine...at least not at the same place. I've decided that I'll go this coming Friday night and if the service is as bad as it's been the past 2 times I'll just have to beg off. I mean really, I can shop and cook something wonderful for what I spend on Friday nights! And have it when I want it!

My friend Leah Jane had a MRI done on her back last week. She has a ruptured disc (she fell down a mountain in NC backwards!) and will be going to Mayo Clinic for a consultation for surgery this coming week. Her birthday is Tuesday and she'll be 74. That worries me as I know age and surgery are not friends. Of course, 74 gets younger and younger!

Today Jazzy is a year old! I sang Happy Birthday to her this morning and she danced around on her hind legs! She's so funny! Shirley danced too and then they both had treats. This morning they were called Birthday Treats and they both acted like they were really special! All 4 cats went outside and acted like we were nuts. They just don't appreciate a good party!

Bert called Friday night. A friend of Mother's from NC will be here on Thursday and he wants both my sister and me to meet them at 11am at the nursing home. So we will. Then the 4 of us will go out to lunch. That should be nice.

I've got an interesting thing cooking now. A chicken leg quarter with rosemary, garlic, lime juice, 9 grape tomatoes and chicken broth with shell pasta. Smells fantastic! Boy, I'm very hungry!

No particular news...at least nothing note worthy.

TGIW!!

It's amazing that a 3 day work week can be soooo long! Thank goodness Wednesday afternoon does finally get here!

Our weather is wonderful! Chilly in the morning, high 40s, and comfortable afternoons, mid- 70s. I haven't used the space heaters for 3 days and nights now and I've had both the front and back doors open each afternoon. I get a wind tunnel effect with both of the doors opened, now everything smells so much better!

This weather trend is supposed to last for a while, I'm praying for rain...it's so dry!

Last Friday, after many days and nights of living in knit hats of one sort or another, I de-capped and much to my chagrin found that my hair not only was longer, but very, very ugly. So, I spent a few hours (not all at once) and cut about 4" off. The last 2 hair cuts that I've paid someone to do were just awful and I really hated and regretted them! At least, this way, there's no one to blame but myself! Actually, I'm really enjoying the hair cut, but need to do a little more refining. Maybe tomorrow.

Spent several hours this afternoon figuring my Federal Income Tax. Went online to irs.gov and got some good information and some help in figuring how to do the Social Security stuff. Will get a small refund.

Tomorrow is Garden Club. Sure seems to come around right often! We're going to paint flower pots for Valentine's Day. Just what I need! You know, I'm not much of a joiner...hope I'll stick this out for a while at least.

I was so proud of Allen Boyd for voting against the stimulus package. Bless his heart, he sure has caught some flack because of it. Since the House is a Democratic majority he sure did go against the grain!

Yesterday I cut a huge bouquet of red camellias and made a really nice arrangement on my coffee table (rustic old garden bench). When I got home today it looked like an ancient pagan ritual had taken place in the house. The entire house was filled with red petals...from the back door to the front! Some Jazzy dog, that will go unnamed, must have had a ball!

I've had such trouble getting up for the last 3 mornings. It's rare indeed for the alarm clock to wake me and it has each morning! I'm hoping to sleep until whenever tomorrow!

Sunday Jazzy will be a year old! Hard to believe! She's such a hoot!

We have a warming trend

I went out to the street at 6 this morning to bring the newspaper in (I only get it on Sat. & Sun) and it felt almost balmy! Well, not really, it was (and is) cold, but there is a significant difference in 16 degrees and 26 degrees! This morning it's 26 and no one is shivering in the house. I'm bundled up of course, but no knit cap...and I turned the space heaters down by half! We may get up to 70 today. I certainly hope so as I have asparagus and day lilies to plant.

Last night was Dinner with the Ladies. We were in a little room decked out with oriental rugs on the floor and a round table with linen cloths on it. An orchid arrangement was in the center of the table with lovely old china and crystal and sterling silver. It was all most pleasant! The food (fried shrimp and oysters) was absolutely wonderful! This was my first dinner in several weeks as I've been quite sick. I didn't realize how much I'd missed it until I went!

Today there's a reception and art show at our local gallery. I hope to get my plantings done so I can go. The artist is a renown authority on daffodils and jonquils, but they say her paintings are mainly abstracts. Should be interesting.

I'm very fond of abstracts, in fact that's mainly what I do, or did. I must get back to my painting. I miss the process. Several months ago Michael's had a sale on stretched canvasses and I bought several. The puppies chewed one corner off of each one. I can't throw them away, but I haven't decided just how to utilize them.

Gotta run, Shirley just threw up on my bed!

It's Cold in sunny Florida!

At 6:30 this morning the tv said it was 16 degrees here and expected to drop several more degrees in the next couple of hours! Tonight's supposed to be even colder!

Well, all of the plants I'd tried to protect by putting them on the front porch weeks back died when the wind tore all of the plastic down for the third time, so I don't have them to worry about. And all of the animals are inside, so I don't have to worry about them either. So for now my focus is just keeping as warm as possible with two small space heaters. Of course, if I sit in my chair or get in bed I'm immediately covered with animals and actually find that a little too warm sometimes!

Okay, the tv just said it's 14 degrees now!

I just got all of the ingredients out to make a pot of chili. That should help.

I've been off of the computer for a while because I've been quite sick. Acute bronchitis. Have finished my antibiotic and have 2 more days of the steroid to take. I hate taking that. I bloat up so terribly and have Mother's round face. It does help with the breathing however. Today I feel much more like myself. (Didn't miss any work! Couldn't!)

My sister objected to my mentioning her (and her medical conditions) on this blog. So from now on please know she's very much in my life and very important to me, but shall go unmentioned!

The cats are going crazy! They are running from door to door and yelling. They want to go outside and I'm not going to let them until it warms up a bit. They have 2 litter boxes and they are both clean. So they can just settle down! Jazzy went out at 6 this morning and I'd no more closed the door than she barked to come back in. She just went out again and stayed long enough to do her business and came back in. Shirley has decided that she'll just sleep through this!

Oh good. The tv just said it'll get up to almost 50 degrees today. It can't happen soon enough!

I'm dressed in layers...wool slippers w/2 pairs of socks, sweat pants, a short sleeved silk tee shirt with a heavy turtle neck sweater, a long caftan and a wool jacket. All topped with a knit cap. Last night while watching tv I wore 2 caps! I may be setting a new winter style! It's amazing to me, but I'm even finding my glasses warm!

I went to the grocery store after work yesterday. They've rearranged several sections to fool us into thinking they are well stocked, but it's quite obvious that the stock isn't as plentiful as it used to be. Of course, think about it...I've never understood the need for umpteen dozen types of canned soup, or a gazillion different types of bread, etc. Maybe this will help us get back to basic cooking...or not. The meat section is the one that bothers me the most. It looks like there's been a run on meats and they just haven't had the time to restock. That, however, is not the case. There is just less meat available. Perhaps folks are not buying as much and the threat of spoilage is greater. Who knows? Well, as is all things, I feel sure this too shall pass. Just when I'm not sure, but we are a very resilient country with some good basic values and I feel that if the dudes and dudettes in Washington can screw their heads on straight everything will work out! I sure hope so!

Stay warm!

Brrr!

Something odd

Okay, I've stewed about this for a day or so and wasn't certain that I even wanted to mention it, but I find it a bit unsettling and figure that if I put it in writing I may be able to let it go.

Yesterday, or maybe it was Thursday, an old friend from high school that I've made a friend on FaceBook wrote on my wall (FaceBook term) wanting to know why I'd told her husband what was on her profile and did I want him!!!!! Well, this feels like grade school! and, putting it in writing just magnifies that feeling! Anyway, I responded that I'd not had any contact with him at all and that no, I did not want him. She responded to just forget it. Well, I don't find that enough of an answer. Something like that is not easy to forget! I mean for heaven's sake, we are both in our 60's!!!! So, I took her off of my FaceBook contacts, but now I'm worried about just how unstable she must be. So let it be said here and now that if anything unforeseen happens to me I'd suspect a girl that I was a majorette with in high school who is separated from her husband and lives in Tallahassee!

There, I got that off my chest.

Finally our weather is quite bearable! It's 69 degrees right now and I've been able to have the back door open for the animals to go in and out as they please. Nice. I had to close the door a while ago as it started raining and Jazzy loves to frolic in it. She gets so muddy and stinky when she does that!

I've been fighting a really awful cold for the past few days. Yesterday it settled in my chest. It's what I call an office cold as everyone there has one too and seem to be passing it around. Sick folks should stay home!!!!!

Global Warming?

Here I am in sunny Florida and it is 19 degrees this morning! Where's that global warming I keep hearing about? I think it's bosh and hog wash! Weather, along with everything else, is cyclical and this too shall pass.

The 2 little space heaters are valiantly trying to keep the house from freezing. They certainly are not keeping the house warm, but it's not freezing inside. I'm so bundled up that I'm unrecognizable...I surprise myself when I catch sight of me in a mirror! Knit cap, scarf, 2 pairs of socks with wool slippers and double layers of everything in between! Not a pretty sight, but warmish. The animals stay together in heaps and are doing okay. This too shall pass!

My sister had surgery yesterday. They found lesions in her bladder that they removed and sent off to pathology. I guess it'll be next week before the report comes in.

This is the start of my weekend...I look so forward to it! Nothing planned, but much I should do. The garden still needs to be turned, my work room looks like a hurricane hit it (as does the rest of the house). The only rooms that stay pretty good are the kitchen and both bathrooms. When the clutter/mess gets too oppressive I go to one of those rooms!

I wonder about Maggie, but I really no longer miss her!

Store closings around town

Went out this morning to pay some bills and do a little shopping. The Radio Shack here in town was one place you could go to pay bills. Well, imagine my surprise when I got there and found that it has closed! I knew they were seldom busy when I'd go there, but I never thought they'd close!

The owner of one of the two drug stores in town is talking about maybe having to close, too. The other drug store is CVS and they have taken so much business from this mom and pop store that's been around as long as I can remember. Plus taxes and government regulations are making it much harder for the small businesses. In this day and age you'd think it would be beneficial to have the small business...maybe not. Who am I to say? Anyway, that's where I ended up to pay my bills. If they close, where will I go?

It's cold. Cold in the house. With both space heaters going full blast it's 62 in the house. Bearable, but just barely. Of course, I'm wearing a gazillion layers and lap robes, etc. and I pile on the animals whether I'm sitting in my chair or in bed. But walking around or working in the kitchen is really shiver time! The bathroom's a challenge. I can't justify leaving the heater on in there. I turned it on about 1/2 an hour before my shower this morning and it got up to 60...it was 61 when I got out. It's amazing how fast one can dry off and dress!

Tonight's Dinner with the Ladies. There will only be 4 of us. Often we have 8 or more. We've got a broken foot, a bad back and some general babies who think it's too cold! Should still be fun.

Things are slow

As the economy spirals downward it's effecting everyone. The price of gas is once more rising, food costs have gone through the roof (though I fear this is only the beginning) and thousands and thousands of folks have lost their homes and their very livelihoods. I don't know about you, but here the grocery shelves are sparser with fewer choices and in some cases no choices at all. It's frightening to walk through a grocery store and see bare spots in areas that once were overflowing with supplies. Where is this all heading? How much worse will it get and will it get better anytime soon? Stock up people. Buy canned goods and dried beans and rice and any shelf stable items that you know you will use. Forgo the sweets (though have a bag or two of sugar in your pantry and honey) and think protein when you shop. We are really in for a rough ride and the home that's even partially ready will have an easier go of it.

Pet food is soaring in cost, too. It's hard to stock up on that. I don't know how long it'll keep. Toilet paper and other paper goods don't seem to be rising in price so rapidly yet, but from what I'm reading it may just not be available at some point. I've off set the cost of paper towels with 100% cotton flour sack dish towels. Of course they have to be washed and detergent is getting costlier. What are the answers?

Those of us on city water need to be aware that at some point it may not be available or may not be treated. I wish for a well. Of course, ground water may not be the purest thing around what with all of the agriculture run off and general pollution. Stock up on bleach.

At work we have a freeze on hiring. No layoffs, but who knows what will come? I'm barely eking by with my 15 hours of work a week (it just pays for health insurance) and under $700 a month in Social Security. I really pray I keep these hours, though I usually only actually have work for an hour or two a day. I make busy the rest of the time.

I still haven't turned the furnace on. Can't afford the propane. The space heaters make it bearable, but this week will be the true test. We'll be in the teens for several days starting tomorrow or Friday.

My friend Norma (one of my Friday night Dinner with the Ladies ladies) who is 84 or 85 years old had a freak accident on Monday and broke a bone in her foot. I think she'll be okay, but at that age a broken bone is mighty slow to heal. At least it's her foot and not her ankle. She's getting around, slowly of course, with one of those heavy boots. I'm afraid she has a long road ahead of her!

Things are sure different around here with Maggie gone. It's much calmer (she is part Jack Russel) and no more random pooping and peeing! We all miss her, Shirley and Jazzy are still looking for her, but I'm finding the sense of relief is much greater than the missing! Actually, I'm just sorry it didn't happen sooner. The bedroom carpet is ruined. I'm thinking of tearing it out and painting the plywood. But I don't have to decide today!

I got off work at noon on Monday and went to Tallahassee to see Mother. When I got there she was in the dining room! asleep in her wheel chair at the table. I woke her and wheeled her to the common area where we had a rather good visit for about an hour. She was rather snappy and bossy at first. She would make demands of me (to cover her legs or turn her chair around, etc.) in a really awful tone. Finally I started adding "please" or whatever was appropriate to her demands. She suddenly got this funny look on her face and said "I've really gotten bad haven't I?", when I said yes she thought for a minute and even though she didn't respond to my answer she totally changed her tune! Maybe it'll last. That would be nice.

Gotta get ready for work, thank God I can still say that!

Maggie's gone

Around 5:30 yesterday afternoon the young fellow who adopted Maggie came to get her. I knew it was going to be hard, but didn't realize just how hard! I put Maggie in the back yard a little after 5 so I wouldn't have to drag Jazzy into the house and paced and waited until he got here. Maggie seemed to remember him and was delighted to see him. That pleased me! He said that all the children could talk about on the cruise was getting home and getting Maggie. That also pleased me! She went with him without a fuss, though he did have to carry her as she isn't leash trained, and sat in the front seat of the car just like she knew what she was doing.

When I got back in the house both Shirley and Jazzy were inconsolable! They howled and cried and ran inside and outside and hunted Maggie. She'd been with us for close to 9 months and of course was an important factor in our little family.

I left early for Dinner with the Ladies just because I couldn't stay here. I actually had to touch up my make up before I left, crying had made a mess of it! Before I left I gave Shirley and Jazzy the toys that Santa had brought for them. I sent Maggie's with her along with some dog treats, dog wipes, pee-pee pads, a leash, a new dog chew and her favorite old dog chew. I also sent some pictures of her when she was younger and 4 pages of words and phrases she knows and important dates, etc.

When I got home the first thing Shirley and Jazzy wanted to do was go outside to look for Maggie. It was rather sad. We did have quite a bit more room in bed last night! First thing this morning they were outside once more looking for Maggie. I know this will all ease up, but right now it sure is hard on Jazzy...they were best friends, joined at the hip!

I only have one more antibiotic to take for my bladder infection and I don't think it's much better. I'll go by the doctor's office on Wednesday and let them see if it's cleared up. It's really funny, one of the women I met last Saturday at the dog trial practice also was diagnosed with a bladder infection this week and one of the Ladies also has one...what's going on? My first thought was the water supply, but each of us has a different source for water. I can't think of anything else we may have in common. The air we breath? Dinner was awful. The Ladies, as always, delightful!

I'm thinking I may not even get dressed today. Maybe there will be some good movies on tv.

I'm Back!!!!

It seems like months since my computer died, but in actuality it's a day short of a week. Funny how very important the computer is and how very out of sorts I became without it! I felt totally isolated even with a phone and tv and a car, etc. It sure is good to have it back!

I started feeling puny last week and by Monday I felt down right sick. Called my doctor's office and begged an appointment. I was fortunate that an 11:15 appointment had cancelled and they saw me then. Turns out I have a bladder infection (or as my Dr. said "Miss Jane, you sure have a bunch of nasty bugs!"). Have been on an antibiotic and an anti-spasm medication since Monday and think I'm better now, however, am still running a fever off and on.

Tomorrow is the day Maggie's new family is supposed to pick her up. I've packed a little box with her Christmas gifts, dog treats, raw hide chew, ball and a fly swatter. I've included a couple of pages with her vets name, when she was spayed and when she's due her next shots along with a list of phrases she knows. This is really going to be a good move for her. She needs to have children and be an only dog. It's not going to be so easy for me.

I went to garden circle today. We made dish gardens. Someone gave us all asparagus starts and someone else gave us succulents. It was only an hour, but it wore me out.

Tomorrow night is Dinner with the Ladies. I'm looking forward to it.

Unplugged

Thursday my computer monitor died. So Friday I went to Office Depot in Thomasville and got a new one. Took me a while to install it, but once I did everything worked perfectly. Then Saturday my computer died. I can't run get a new one, so today I brought it in to work and the fellow who works on ours here will pick it up this afternoon and see what he can do with it. Keep your fingers crossed that he can fix it! I'm so lost at home without it!

Friday night was Dinner with the Ladies.

Saturday I took Shirley to a practice for Jack Russells for a field trial they have coming up in two weeks. This was the first time Shirley or I had seen anything like this and it was great fun. Well, at least I had fun, Shirley was crated most of the time and she wasn't too crazy about that, but all of the dogs were crated and she was side by side with others. She learned to throw her head back and howl!!!!! They let Shirley race three times, but she wouldn't run unless I ran with her. Whew! Three was all I could do! Then she got to hunt the rat (yes, rat, a live one in a cage under the brush). She saw no point in that. Then we went home and collapsed!

I spent Sunday catching up on things I didn't get done on Saturday or Friday. It's nice to have clean clothes!

Friday is the day Maggie/Maxie is to go to her new family. I'm soooo looking forward to that!

Yet another party!

Last night I went to an intimate cocktail party at Edgewood Plantation. This was the first time I've been there and it was truly awe inspiring! The main drive up to the mansion has 100+ year old live oaks on either side that intertwine their canopies over the drive. This creates such a tunnel of transition that by the time you enter the huge, ornate metal gates you feel as if you're in another world. The 20' ceilings and gigantic rooms that are beautifully decorated just further the feeling of another era. Scarlett could have swept into the main room and I wouldn't have been surprised! It was a really good way to start the New Year!

Happy New Year!

Well, I made it through! Fell asleep in my chair watching the Food Network around 9 o'clock last night, woke up about 2 mins. to 12! Told the animals Happy New Year and ate some collards!

I dozed off and on in my chair until around 3 this morning and finally went to bed. The animals let me sleep until about 7!!!!

I found a recipe for cooking dried black-eyed peas in a crock pot, so I put about 1/2 a pound of dried peas, a smoked ham hock, chopped onions, Cajun seasoning and dried, chopped jalapeno peppers in the crock pot covered with water and let it sit on low until this morning. Really good! So for the New Year I have a nice pot of collards that I cooked last night, the black-eyed peas, consume rice and a pretty little steak. I bet I eat all day!

Yesterday I took a vat of potato salad to work and found out after I got there that I had been elected to cook the country ham and the baked beans also! So I spent most of the morning in the kitchen there at work. It's a much larger kitchen than this one I have at home, but my layout here is much better and so it the color! Everything was ready about 12:30 and gone by about 1:00! I really don't remember anyone saying thank you. I was told the potato salad was good. It was! Just your basic potato salad with 10 pounds of potatoes, a dozen eggs, onion, celery, sweet pickles, mayo and mustard and a little salt...it actually needed more salt, but with the salty country ham it was just right.

Cousin Patricia's visitation is scheduled for 9am Saturday and the service for 10am Saturday. I can't go. That would mean boarding the dogs Friday through Monday. If it were during the week I could have boarded them for one night only. Oh well. I sent flowers yesterday.

The day before New Years Eve

Can you believe that in less than 48 hours we'll all be saying good-bye to 2008? Is it just me, or are the years passing faster and faster? I'm sure I'll say good-bye around 9 o'clock as I'm finding it much harder to stay up much later than that. Of course, I do get up at 5ish (sometimes 4ish) every morning, but maybe once Maggie/Maxie goes to her new home I'll sleep a little later as she is usually the first one up and then they all stomp me until I get up!

I went to see Mother today. I decided not to tell her about Patricia. It would serve no purpose. Mother and Patricia were quite close and stayed in contact with each other over the years. I still haven't heard anything about the cause of death or the services.

Mother was a little more confused today than she has been lately, but then like everyone else she has good days and bad ones. When I got there she was in a group thing going on in the dining room. She was sound asleep in her wheelchair. Maybe that's why she was addled.

I just finished making potato salad for 20+ people for work tomorrow. The boss is baking a country ham and one of the other girls (ha!) is doing baked beans. That's a nice little feast to say good-bye to the old year with!

When I got home from Tallahassee the puppies had once more breached the gate between the hall and my room. They polished off two unread paperbacks, a couple of magazines, a pillow and a bag of cherry flavored cough drops. I haven't heard either of them cough since I've been home.

Patricia

Around 11 am Tuesday morning my cousin Patricia was found dead in her recliner in front of her TV. Age 55. Cause of death undetermined at this point. The family is in shock and grieving greatly. The autopsy should be complete early next week. Her two dogs and her cat were with her. Service arrangements haven't been made at this point. I am going to try to go down for the service.

I didn't find out about Patricia until last night.

Christmas at the Waukula Spring Lodge was very nice. Nancy, Bert and Nancy & Mark B. and I sat at a table set for 6. The empty place a reminder of people not there. For both Nancy B. and Bert I'm sure the spot was empty of his first wife and her mother. I don't know Mark well enough to know of his loses, but I'm sure there are some. For Nancy, I'm fairly sure the spot was empty of Daddy first, her friend Poppy and Mother and she's had other loses, too. For me, I felt the loss of families first, but most immediately the spot was empty of Mother. And, I know that was the foremost thought of each of us there.

The food was fantastic. A gazillion salads and a gazillion desserts! The buffet was awe inspiring! Turkey, fried shrimp, oyster dressing, primerib, stuffed pork chops, lamb, collards, green beans, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, gravies and sauces...unreal! I tried, of course, to try some of 'most everything. I failed. But, I tried! I think I'm still stuffed this morning!

Before I left Monticello yesterday, I drove through the car wash. Six dollars to drive through! But it did do a pretty good job, didn't get all of the love bugs, but cleaned her up pretty well. I didn't realize that the wall looking things on either side of the car would move back and forth, so the entire wash I sat with my foot on the break and most of the time with my eyes closed! That was the funniest feeling, it really felt like the car was moving!

Then I picked Nancy up for the trip to Waukula Springs. Usually she drives, but a week ago she fell in her shower and fractured 3 ribs and she has a horrible cold with deep chest coughing and sneezing. Both of which tear her ribs up! So, needless to say, she's in no shape to drive. However, she is a fantastic back seat driver!

The weather was quite overcast, but very warm, 77/78 degrees. I just wore a nice white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and some jeans. I mean, it is a lodge! There were people dressed in every thing from jogging suits to their Sunday best!

Christmas 2008 will go down as a most memorable Christmas in my book of history! I think history is what each of us actually experiences. Everything else is hearsay.

Happy Christmas Eve Day!

A while back RM said she's addicted to FaceBook. Well, I think I may be too! Two mornings in a row my first thought on awaking has been about harvesting my crops on MyFarm! Wow! Who woulda thunk it?

Today is a party day at work. I baked 5 dozen Heath cookies last night. If nothing else it'll be a sugar rush day!

Gotta run.

Well, the fence is enlarged...

The fence guy came yesterday and extended the fence back 25'. It sure does make a big difference, but I can see that I'd like to enlarge it even more!

He didn't take Maggie with him, but his wife and 7 yr. old son and 5 yr. old daughter did come and meet her. Maggie fell in love with them (especially the children) and they all fell in love with her. They didn't take her because one of their Christmas gifts is a Disney cruise. So, Maggie'll be here another 3 weeks and they'll pick her up on the 9th. They are very excited about this and so am I. I'm much easier about the adoption now that I've met her new family. It was love at first sight. Her name is probably going to be Maxie because that's what the daughter called her. I've been trying to use it too.

Friday night was Dinner with the Ladies and as always most enjoyable.

We have a wonderful little rain right now. It's supposed to be quite cold tonight. We've really had it cushy lately with the temps. in the high 70's daily and high 50's nightly. Sigh, I guess it had to end, but I sure am spoiled!

Just call me a party animal!

Can you believe it? Three parties in less than a week! Well, I'm not quite sure if the last 2 count. They were both in nursing homes.

Wednesday was a Christmas party in one of our local nursing homes. Our garden circle got the names of several of the patients who don't have family and we gifted them. Norma (one of my ladies night dinner friends) and I got the name of James C., we weren't given a last name. When we got to the home he was sitting away from the main party with his back to it. He seemed not to be aware of anything going on around him, but when Norma and I gave him his gifts and talked to him for a little while he began making eye contact and when we were ready to go he got tears in his eyes and said "Thank you". Sorta makes your heart burst!

Then yesterday was the Christmas party at Mother's nursing home. I got there an hour and a half early and since the weather is so warm Mother and I sat out on the porch most of the time. We had a nice visit as long as no one else was around. Mother would holler at folks that she thought were trying to interfere with our visit. When it got a little too cool for Mother we went in and sat in the common area and watched for Nancy. At one point Mother said to me "get up, get up, don't you see who that is?", I asked who and she said "Obama"! Of course he wasn't really there! The party started at 5:45 and was really festive. A group of the patients sang carols (quite nicely) and there was a ton of food...mainly sweets. Nancy got there right on time and Bert got there a little later. We were a nice little family group. Nancy and I left around 6:20 and I got home about a quarter to seven.

When I got in the puppies had filled the living room with poly fiber fill type stuff. I still haven't figured out where it came from! Then I made a pot of mushroom, chicken and noodle soup. Sure is good. Just finished a bowl for breakfast!

Tomorrow the fence guy is coming at 8 o'clock. He said he doesn't think the job will take very long. I'm so excited about this! Then, if all goes as planned, he'll take Maggie with him when he leaves!!!!! I've got a little box of her things and her gifts from Santa for him to take with him too.

Tonight is dinner with the ladies.

I went to a party!

I can't remember the last time I went to a "real" party. I did last night! It was a progressive neighborhood party and within walking distance! Generally I'm not a party person, but this was fun. I met a gazillion neighbors that I'd never set eyes on and really hit it off with a few of them...there wasn't anyone I didn't like. We started with wine and appetizers at one house and went to another for dinner and then on to dessert. It began at 5:30 and I didn't get home until 9! Imagine that!

Both yesterday and today Maggie escaped from the fenced yard. I think she's getting out by going under the house, but I've blocked up every escape hole I can find. Evidently not very well! She's a little hard to get back in and yesterday she was across the street. That's a very busy road and that's scary! I sure do hope the fence guy takes her!

No real news.

I may have found Maggie a home!

Yesterday the young fellow that put my original fence in came by to give me an estimate on enlarging the fenced area. He's going to extend it 25 feet toward the back of the yard. Now, 25' doesn't sound like much to me, but when he wheeled it off and marked it I was pleased at how much more area that will be. The dogs will have a much larger area that's grass to romp in and perhaps that'll give the area around the patio a chance to heal.

Anyway, while we were out there the dogs were watching and voicing encouragement. The fence guy said, "you only had the little dog (Shirley) when I put this fence in". So I told him the story of how Maggie came to live here and that I'd tried for months to find her a home and had given up and had her spayed and shots, etc. He asked if I was still looking for a home for her that he and his wife were talking about getting a dog!!! Well, next Saturday he's going to do the fence and when he's finished he'll take Maggie home!!!! I hope this works out. Three dogs is more than I want or need. Vet bills are awful and dry dog food has really soared in cost. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I'll miss her and worry about her, but she'll have a family with a little boy and a big fenced yard and people that want her. This is definitely for the best!

Last night was dinner with the ladies. We were all dressed in our Christmas finery and looked so spiffy. Wine and conversation flowed freely. We solved all of the world's woes. If only it could extend past our private dining room! I did find out that the Senior Center has gotten a grant to complete the building and a private citizen has completed the ball field. No help for the Humane Society yet. We all pray that is coming soon! It's important.

Wow! Was that a storm!

We had some really strong weather blow through here last night and this morning. It's still blustery and raining, but the storm's gone. The winds torn the plastic on the front porch down once more and it's to be in the 30's tonight. I'm probably not going to get it back up today. We'll see what happens.

Monday I started the arduous task of turning the garden bed. I'm using a garden fork, the shovel just didn't do a very good job. The ground is so wet after earlier rains that turning it is both easier and awfully hard. Easier because I'm not having to chisel away at adobe like soil, but harder because of the weight of it. In two days I got an area apx. 4' x 10'x 18" turned. That's a bed and that's a start. I have 5 or 6 more of the same size I want to turn in that plot. Won't be trying today, that's for certain!

Didn't go to garden club today. Just wasn't going to get out in this messy weather. Tomorrow night is dinner with the ladies. Tonight is Survivor!!!!

Last night I watched PBS-TV. I had two and a half hours of Elvis and then an hour of Roy Orbison! Talk about wonderful. I drove the dogs crazy with my singing and dancing. But, I sure did enjoy it! The Roy Orbison show was from a 1964 concert. I was amazed at the folks he had doing back up...Bruce Springsteen (very young and pretty), Elvis Costello and Rita Coolidge! There were a few more that I recognized last night, just don't remember who today.

Can you believe that Christmas is two weeks from today? I'm really not doing much this year. It's one of those belt tightening years! I'm afraid they will be like that from now on.

The City of Monticello got some kind of a beautification grant a while back and we had reached the point of use it or lose it. So they dug up parts of the road that circles the courthouse (US 19 & US 90) and are planting trees and such in the four corners. That feels so frivolous in these days of financial woes. I guess the grant was specific and couldn't be used for other things, but there are so many things that money could have been used for that are really needed. We have a ball field that needs funds for completion. Our senior center's outside walls have been covered with Tyvec for the last year or so. Our humane society is always just a gnats breath from closing, yet we plant trees. Just seems wrong, you know?

Twelve cents

Sunday morning the puppies got me up around 5 o'clock to go outside. I usually flip on the dining room light not only to see my way, but to avoid any early puppy mishaps. Well, when I turned the light on Sunday morning a little glint caught my eye on the floor of the funny room. On investigation it was a 1960 copper penny. Picked it up. Let the dogs out and the cats in and went in the kitchen to feed the cats and start the coffee pot. As I was crossing the gate from the kitchen to the funny room to let the dogs in another glint caught my eye. You guessed it, another penny (19981)! and then, a dime (1992)! Twelve cents! Not a bad haul for 5 o'clock on a Sunday morning! I have no idea how they got there as my purse never goes in there and all of my change goes into jars. It's a mystery...maybe my ghost?

Today Nancy, Bert and I had a meeting with the staff at Mother's nursing home at 1:00. Nancy and I were both a tad wary as the last staff meeting we'd had about her was at the other nursing home she was in for 2 weeks and they said they couldn't keep her there and we need to move her as soon as possible. But, today was quite different. It was very positive and they told us they actually enjoy her, that she pretty much runs the place! Her second roommate died a few weeks ago and the staff told us that when her new roommate moved in last week that Mother told her she was quite safe in that room, because she is a nurse!!!!! What a hoot! She's not a nurse, though she was quite knowledgeable about medical things before the stroke. Anyway, her medications were discussed and the feeding tube also. The head nurse said she has a request in to Mother's doctor to stop the day time feedings and only do a slow drip at night that this way Mother may start eating better with an appetite. Well duh! This has been our idea all along! Who's going to want to eat if they are never allowed to be hungry! Then the subject changed to Mother's dementia and my heart flipped a bit, because this is the first time I've heard that word used by the staff. Of course, I know she has dementia, but I guess that in my heart of hearts there was that faint hope that she could improve. She won't.

Yesterday I borrowed the boss' truck and brought home a gigantic cardboard box that has a metal framework inside. Furniture came in it. You should have seen me unloading it. I got as close to the fence as I could with the truck and finagled the box over the side of the truck and rested part of it on the fence. Then I couldn't budge it! Ended up squeezed between the truck and the fence under the box and flipped it with my head and arms on over. It's in the fenced area now covered with a tarp and weighted on top. I had the idea that it could be a dog house. Well, after I got it covered and situated I crawled in and just sat there trying to entice dogs in. Shirley finally came in and sat in my lap for a while, but the puppies were sure it was a trick and would have nothing to do with it! The cats have been in and out of it and Goodness perches and suns on the roof. So, maybe it's a cat house. It'll be interesting to see how it stands up to rain.

Galaxies and Stars

I went to see Mother yesterday. When I got there she was in the common room with several other people waiting to be taken to their rooms for their naps. She was pleased to see me and said "Oh, I'm so glad you're here, there's something I need to talk with you about". When I asked her what she said "Galaxies and Stars"! I asked what she wanted to know, but she didn't remember. I told her that they were basically the same as galaxies were mainly made up of stars and planets. That pleased her.

We're to have a hard freeze tonight and "they" say that with just a few little tweeks snow is possible Friday!!!!! Wouldn't that be great!!!!

I'm not sure just what's gotten into the puppies, but they are exceptionally bad right now. Yesterday they breached the gate between the back hall and my room and once more tore up pillows and papers. Then this morning before I left for work they shredded magazines (that were put up) all over the living room. Gotta get my fence enlarged and a dog house!

Goodness didn't come in last night, nor did he come in for breakfast this morning. When I went out to go to work he was on the back steps with a bloody ear and a bloody side. I carried him into the kitchen and left him there. I was running late because of the puppies and didn't take the time to check him out too well, but nothing looked life threatening and the bleeding had stopped.

I'll go by on my run to town this morning and check on him.

The weather outside is frightful!

Wow have we had a few days of WEATHER! Since Friday I've gotten over 7 & 1/2 inches of rain measured in my rain gauge! The wind had really been strong, too. Both the front porch and the carport are flooded and the puppy yard in one large mud puddle! I took the garbage can out to the street earlier and debris had piled up in the gutter just at my driveway and I had a most astonishing puddle quite a ways up my driveway! Used a large stick that had blown down to make a path through the pile and watched the water just gush down the road! Then I picked up the rest of the stuff in the year that the wind brought down.

The wind also tore about a third of the plastic I put up around the front porch a few weeks back down. So for an hour or so I fought the wind on a ladder on my soaked front porch and stapled the plastic back up. I'd saved a handful of the thick, slick campaign fliers that came around a while back, so I cut them into strips and used them between the staple and the plastic. That should help, the heavy paper ones that I put up at first just got wet and let go. I also cut some wind flaps on that side. I have the few potted plants that survived the puppies and the drought out there. They seem to enjoy it as they've gone through a couple of weeks of weather in the 20's at night and seem no worse for wear.

I spent Thanksgiving at home alone this year. So did Nancy. It was quite pleasant and I got a lot done...not sure just what, but a lot. I baked a little ham and made potato salad and ate all day! Then on Friday I used turkey from the freezer and the ham bone and some ham and made a fantastic pot of Spanish bean soup. Yum!!!

I've put off making my share of the ornaments for the Opera House Christmas tree until today. We're decorating tomorrow. I've gathered LOTS of berries and leaves and acorns and pine cones and lichen and stuff and just didn't know what to do. So I ended up hot glueing Yaupon Holly berries in pine cones and put wooden stars on top that I drilled a hole in and I call them Christmas trees. Don't look too bad, sorta like a third grader made them. Oh well.

Shopping and othr pleasures

Saturday morning I met Nancy a little later than usual (9:30) because we decided to "do" lunch instead of breakfast for a change. It's so much easier to do 9:30 than 7am! We went to Talbots and shopped their sale. There wasn't much and they had rearranged the store to hide the emptiness. It really didn't work too well and wasn't so pleasant to shop in. Nancy had received two cards in the mail from Talbots for 30% off, one for her and one for a "friend". I was the friend. They had a wonderful sale on socks and we both stocked up!

I've been hearing that Talbots was in trouble and that they have already closed their men's and kid's stores and that they are planning to close many of their ladies stores. This experience on Saturday really seemed to back that up. It's a shame.

Then we went to Bert's house, but he wasn't there. We left cards (his 91st birthday is Wednesday) and Nancy sorted through Mother's mail and the junk mail and then we left.

We just couldn't decide where to have lunch, but as we were driving down Capital Circle we saw Famous Dave's Bar-b-que and whipped in. Talk about a feast!! We both had the Devil's spit bar-b-qued hamburger. A half pound of meat with jalapeno bacon and all the trimmings slathered with Devil's Spit Bar-b-que sauce. Talk about to die for!!! I got four meals out of that burger!!! The manager bought us dessert, bread pudding, and it was absolutely wonderful! So good that I got the recipe!

It's been quite cold. One day this weekend I wore a hat, scarf and jacket in the house all day!

Brrr!

We have been right cold for the past week. Several nights we've hit 27 degrees or lower over night and low 50's in the day time! (The wind has been fierce, too!) For North Florida that's quite cold this time of the year. Rumor has it that this will be a colder than normal year for us!

I still haven't turned the furnace on. Nor have I had it checked out or had the propane tank filled. I'm just not going to do it! I have the fireplace and a couple of space heaters and that's just going to have to do!

When I was little, 5ish, we lived in an old farm house that was built waaay up off the ground and wasn't insulated. I remember running through several unheated rooms to get to the kitchen and the wood stove (that Daddy would have going pretty hot) to dress and have breakfast. We didn't have heated bedrooms or bathrooms...I think there was a little space heater that we used in the bathroom, but we had to go through a screened sun porch to get to it! I remember several times going to Daddy's office to take a bath in a galvanized tub because it was warmer there than in the house!

Well, I think I can do this. I do go to bed a little earlier (if the fireplace has burned down enough) and I've been turning one of the space heaters off. I don't know if it's safe to leave a space heater on all of the time or not. The other night I turned them both off and didn't have the fireplace going and the house was very cold in just a few minutes. I turned just the one in the living room on and in an hour or so I was comfortable enough. Shirley stays burrowed most of the time but, for some reason (probably puppies), she can't keep her sweater on. Since she's lost so much weight she shivers more.

Yesterday was our Fall Festival at work. I was outside from around 11am until 3ish. In the sun it was quite comfortable, but in the shade it was cold. We had a really good party with soccer and basketball and darts and toss games and an auction and wonderful food. We had the event catered by out local Mexican restaurant. We had 5 different types of soft tacos and red beans and rice. There were grilled chili peppers and onions and halves of limes and really good sauces. I brought over half of mine home and had it for supper! Yum!

That was one of my longer days in a while, ended up with 7 1/2 hours on the clock! When I got home I was tired to the bone! and my back was killing me! I took an Advil liquid gel and that eased my back and sat down in my recliner with numerous animals and just vegetated the evening away.

Watched Survivor, thank goodness they got rid of that Randy guy...they should have done that weeks ago, now he's on the jury and he's such a loose cannon!

Nancy and I are meeting tomorrow to do some shopping and have lunch. Tonight is my dinner with the ladies. Food is really the mainstay of entertainment, isn't it?

First Garden Club Meeting

Yesterday was my first Founders Circle Garden Club meeting. I knew about 1/2 of the women there. The meeting was held at Palmer Place, one of the most historic and haunted homes in Monticello. During the Civil War Palmer Place was turned into a hospital and it is said that the spirits of many of the men who died there and who are buried there frequently appear. This isn't the only home, area or building in Jefferson County that has spirits, but is possibly one of the most beautiful! There is also a full size antique car museum on the grounds of Palmer Place that also has a full size merry-go-round and several other carnival rides that have all been fully restored. The calliope played Christmas carols the entire time we toured the museum. It was all breathtaking!

This Garden Circle will be decorating areas of the Opera House for Christmas, so most of the meeting was spent talking about making organic ornaments for the tree and centerpieces. We also had a cookie swap (everyone took 2 dozen cookies). I came home with more cookies than I know what to do with! I've already eaten more cookies than I usually eat in 5 years and I think I'll take the rest out to work and let the boys dispose of them! Oh, and we had chili and soup for lunch.

Poor Nancy still has a kidney infection. This is 8 or 9 weeks now and she's really feeling poorly! She's going to a urologist and every time she finishes a round of antibiotics they do another urinalysis. This last time they told her that she has 2 different bacterias and they put her back on one of the antibiotics she's already been on, but double the dosage at twice the frequency. Lets hope this works! She can't afford to lose her kidneys! Can anyone?

The weather is quite odd! Last night I was watching tv and the air conditioner came on! When I looked at the thermostat it said it was 82 degrees! Now the tv is saying we could have a hard freeze Sunday night. Talk about yoyoing! Right now I'm in short sleeves with the back door open. Bet this will not be the case Sunday! Today we are to have severe thunder storms! We do need the rain, just not the storm!

No real news. Puppies are still here and a little better (some days). Shirley and the cats are all fine. Shirley had to wear her sweater two days last week. No change with Mother.

The beginning of the weekend!

Thank goodness it's Thursday! For the past few months my weekend has begun on Thursday and it's Wonderful!!! No big plans for my 4 days, just house stuff and yard stuff and dog stuff...and all that stuff is actually never ending!

The main thing I'd like to do this weekend is work on a painting. We'll see.

Monday I went to see Mother. She's still banished from the main dining room and I found her finishing up her dessert in the "bad girl" room. She was happy to see me and liked the pictures I took her. Also took her a couple of lemon drops, they weren't particularly welcomed, not chocolate.

Left there, found gas for $2.25!, ran to Publix and then got my hair cut next door. It was my regular fellow and this was my first cut since he disappeared for 6 weeks this summer (I had a stranger cut it then) and I'm not so thrilled with the cut. It actually seems to have no shape and all of the frosting is gone and it's just a dark blob sitting on the top of my head. Not sure what I'll do with it, but I'm sure I'll take the scissors to it...maybe try to color it, too!

Got a flu shot at CVS on Tuesday. I called my doctor's office and they are charging $40, CVS charged $30. Found out later that the health department is charging $20! Should've gone there. I'm not sure why insurance doesn't cover the shots. Doesn't make sense to me.

Yesterday I changed out all of the files for TLS's year-end. This morning my shot arm is aching, not sure if it's the repeated lifting and moving of the files or if it's the shot. Maybe it's a combo.

We've gone 2 days of no poop in the house!!!! I'm afraid to mention it, don't want to jinx anything! However, I'm afraid the sofa is history. I was watching tv the other night and my nose cleared just enough that I wished it hadn't. The smell in the room was awful and I finally tracked it down to the sofa. I have Febrezed and vacuumed to no avail. Not sure what to do other than get it out of the house! Damn!

The election on Tuesday night was record setting in so many ways. The number of young people registering and voting for the first time was astonishing! Good for them! I do hope they maintain an active interest in issues and continue to play an active part in shaping the country they will be inheriting in a very short time. The numbers of voters turning out all over the country was awesome! It will be the best thing for the future of our country if all of our citizens stay informed and active in the power of the vote!

We had a very gracious winner and a very gracious loser. Both men were facing a mountainous task and I wouldn't be surprised if one of them had a small sense of relief and one a twinge of what now?!

Oh no! Quiet puppies!

A Halloween leopard

This was my inspiration...how'd I do?