Company!

Tuesday night Prentice and Cynthia came to visit on their way back to NC.
It was good to finally meet Cynthia and as always WONDERFUL to see Prentice!

Wednesday morning before they left out they came by my work and got a glimpse of the nursery where I work. It's never easy seeing someone you love leave, but it was easier for me for them to leave from where I work than from home...it's always so empty at home...at work I had work.

Our weather has taken another wierd turn. Yesterday it was hot! I tried to sit on the patio to read the newspaper and had to keep chasing the shade!

It's winter here!

We had really become quite complacent here about the weather! Just because it has been so spring-like that everything is in bloom and we've been wearing light weight clothing we forgot that it's only February! NOW we remember! It's cold!

Every night I carry in 3 armloads of fire wood and use it all! I'm so glad I got the long cord of wood back when folks thought I was nuts to worry about it, because it's at a premium now and hard to find. I'm keeping the thermostat set on 60 and with a roaring fire we are staying quite cozy.

Last night I did add another comforter to the bed, but with Shirley, Goodness and Mercy on the bed with me I probably could have done without it. However, they are saying that tonight and tomorrow night will be much worse.

Had to make a mad run to Tallahassee for HWB yesterday. He's selling things on e-bay and had promised a fellow that he'd overnight a dumb golf club...our Post Office closes at noon on Thursdays as well as the bank. So I missed my afternoon off, but at least it was out of the office! Got back to the office at 3:15 and home before 3:30.

No plans for the weekend, I'd thought I'd take Nancy her birthday present which finally came in, but I used my Tally trip yesterday to drop it by her house. What a relief! I'm looking forward to staying in and vegging all weekend! Maybe I'll finish that new Stephen King book I've been reading for weeks. It's very good, I just don't have much spare time!

The animals are in heaven with their new fenced area...Mercy goes out a lot, but is always ready to come in when I whistle.

Two New MOTHER stories

Last Saturday Mother, Bert, Nancy and I had lunch together at the Seine Yard in Woodville. Lunch was wonderful as always and we had a very nice visit.

As Nancy, Bert and I were having dessert Mother suddenly piped up with "I haven't had chocolate this year"...I thought just a moment and told her that that wasn't true...about a month ago Mother, Nancy and I had lunch together and afterwards went back to Mother's house where she took a large box of chocolate out of the freezer and we sat out on the porch and pigged out! Then two weeks ago after shopping the three of us went to Ruby Tuesday's and Mother was the only one who had dessert...a giant chocolate cake thing with ice cream and stuff and she finished it all! After I reminded her about those two times that I knew of she said "Oh, does that count?"!

The restaurant was quite crowded when we were ready to leave. Nancy and I dodged the crowd and got to the front quickly, but were stopped by a large crowd coming in. As we stood there waiting to get around I felt a little tug on my sleeve. I looked down and it was Mother. She said "I'm Jane Fl*****r", I smiled and said "I'm Jane C*******d. She got a strange look on her face and said "Oh, I looked across the crowd and saw you and thought 'I think I know that lady, she sure looks familiar.'"!

They are going to Italy in May. I hope Bert keeps a close eye on her...she may get lost!

Yesterday was my 3hr. off day. I cleaned out the carport, moved my old wood pile to the new one, did some weeding and planted a couple of crape myrtles. My arms and shoulders ache this morning!

Yeah! It's FRIDAY!!!

Early Spring!

Well, Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow this morning, predicting an early Spring. Do you suppose Global Warming has anything to do with that? This has been an extremely odd winter with bitter cold and summer-like heat...with the heat predominating. Has been good for the utility bills, but everything begins to bloom and then we have a freeze! Had 3 1/2 inches of rain last night with lightning and thunder that made one think of summer! Odd, odd, odd!

Yesterday was my sister's 58th birthday. I'll be going to her house tomorrow and then we'll meet Mother and Bert at the Seine Yard at 4:00 for a SEAFOOD celebration! I always get the same thing there and have a ton to take home afterwards...plan-overs!

It's very quiet here at work this morning, HWB has been out of the country on a fishing trip for a week and Paul left yesterday for a trade show in Mobile. I had 3 deliveries scheduled for this morning and 2 of them have called to postpone their loads until Monday because of the rain last night. So our driver will have one short jaunt to Tallahassee and then he'll be off for the rest of the day...wish I were too! Didn't even have my afternoon off yesterday so today bodes long!

Leah Jane invited me to a Super Bowl party on Sunday...I begged off!!!

Had a man out Tuesday to give me an estimate on doing a fence for me.......3 legs 50' each and a couple of gates...$1,500.00! At the rate my sock drawer is filling it'll take me another 5 years to save that! I'm thinking about trying to do it myself...don't know if I can or not, but it's worth a try!

Winter has finally arrived...sorta...

By watching and listening to the news I know the rest of the country has had rather odd weather this winter, but I'm sure it feels more personal where you are.

So far we've had more warm weather than cool this winter season. My wood pile has hardly been touched! Of course we have 2-2 1/2 more months to go, so no telling what'll happen!

There was a nice little article in the local paper on Friday about me earning certification.

Helen's calling less than daily lately...that's a good thing!

I spent Saturday in Tallahassee. Mother met Nancy and me at Talbots and we did some major shopping and then went to lunch. Had a rather decent time...at lunch Mother got rather nasty a couple of times and the second time instead of ignoring it I called her down...she went mad! I told her she got her panties in a wad just too easily. She looked at me and said "my what?" ... I said "your panties" ... she looked at Nancy and said "what about my panties?" ... Nancy said (loudly) "They're in a wad!". Mother took in a large gasp of breath and started laughing. She laughed until she had tears rolling down her face. It ended up being quite funny.

Mother went home after lunch and Nancy and I went to an art gallery and had a very nice afternoon. Got home around 7pm,

Sunday was Prentice's 37th birthday.

Mysteries of life?

Wow! This past week I've been sick as a dog! Everyone else in town has been too. All the guys at work started a couple of weeks ago with flu, even Paul and HWB. I kept things wiped down with antibiotic wipes and was compulsive about hand washing...really thought I'd escaped and then last Wednesday started running a fever and feeling just awful. I actually slept for 48 hours, getting up long enough to take care of basic needs like litter boxes, Shirley in and out and my personal needs. By Saturday afternoon I felt well enough to sit up in my chair in the living room for about 4 hours and then on Sunday felt almost human.

Went to work yesterday (Monday) and had the longest 8 hours I ever remember. I'm still very tired with chest congestion and achy muscles, but think I'm on the up hill side of this. Funny thing, I had the flu shot!

In two weeks my baby boy will be 37 years old. Wow! Wish I had an address for him. He's sorta out of pocket now that he's in North Carolina.

I Passed!!!!

I took the 3 hour certification exam yesterday and passed all four sections. HWB also took the exam and passed the first 3 sections, but didn't pass the 4th which was the 90 minute open book part. In his defense, he didn't read the book (I read it 2-3 times and studied several sections again and again). He'll have 2 more times to take it. I hope he will.

Now, I have no idea what this certification will do for me, but I'm quite proud to be able to say that I'm now a Certified Horticulture Professional! Certified by FNGLA (Florida Nursery Growers Landscape Association)! This certification is good for 3 years and then I'll either have to take it all over again or have 15 hours of study in selected fields. Of course by then I'll be 65 and may not care to continue...we'll see.

We've had lots of rain since Christmas. It's raining right now and is expected to continue until Tues. or Wed. I do like it, but it's getting a bit soggy!

I have a new favorite movie, "The Devil wears Prada"! What a hoot!

The new year

Happy 007 everyone!

I stayed home New Years Eve, nothing very new about that! Was in bed by 9 o'clock, but woke up about 20 till 12...just in time to see the ball drop and go back to sleep.

I did spend the day Sunday (New Years Eve Day) in Tallahassee with Nancy. We did some shopping and some eating and visited a while. Was home before dark. Nice day.

Monday Leah Jane had folks over for bloody marys and Ann and I stayed for New Years Day food. I took a mess of greens (a mixture of turnips and mustards) and we had venison sausage, black eyed peas and cornbread. What a feast! Home by 3.

It was so hard to go back to work on Tuesday. This short week has felt 4 weeks long!

My certification exam is tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Christmas 2006

I woke this morning at 5am with the sense of anticipation that I've had every Christmas morning for the past 61 years! 61 Christmas mornings! I find that just amazing! Wonder how many more are written in my book of life?

It's pouring rain and warm this morning. A few tornado watches in the surrounding area and high wind alerts everywhere. Boy! We really need this rain, what a Christmas gift!

At 9 this morning I'll go get Ann (I think she'll follow me...she needs to get back for 2 parties) and we'll go to my sister's house in Tallahassee...she's planning a light breakfast for us. From there we'll go to Wakulla Springs Lodge for a fabulous Christmas dinner buffet. I was there two years ago and the food was unreal! An entire room was just desserts!!!!! (I have a couple of baggies in my purse!)

Mother and Bert are going to Quincy to Bert's family. They were planning to go to the mountains as they did last year, but Mother said she just couldn't make the trip...truth be known, there were a couple of parties she didn't want to miss!

We closed the nursery at noon on Friday and will reopen Wednesday AM.

Around 2 on Friday afternoon HWB called and asked me to go up to the parent company's office and meet a fellow with cases of candy he ordered and lead him to our office to unload in the kitchen. I got there at 2:15, the fellow didn't arrive until almost 3! Got that all done and was back home (in the rain) by 3:30. Built a little fire and just vegged the rest of the day! Lovely!

Spent Saturday and Sunday doing little chores around the house and enjoying the rain. Had a fire last night and Shirley, Goodness, Mercy and I enjoyed it while watching Christmas movies on TV. Very nice Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas everyone! My love to you!

Sick people

Ann has been sick for the past week...Fever, bad chest congestion, cough, etc...Yet she has insisted on going out and going to work. I decided after sitting across the table from her on Sunday that I wasn't going to be exposed to her or any other sick person if I could avoid it. You know me, I even told Ann that it wasn't fair of her to go around folks while she's sick. She did go to the doctor yesterday and got a prescription...Said at 5:00 yesterday afternoon that she took it at 2:00 and was much better! Yeah, right!

Well, I begged off on the Historical Society dinner last night because Ann was going...Plus Leah Jane's showing signs of getting sick, too. We had reserved a table together and I just couldn't see sitting with the two of them for a couple of hours. I lied and said Prentice was to call at 8:00 and I didn't want to miss his call!

Shirley had her stitches removed yesterday afternoon...All two of them! She's doing great!

Nancy and Maria have settled into a routine and Nancy's enjoying having her, but she's still angry with Mother!

My final exam is scheduled for January 6th. Fancy that.

Maria

Mother called yesterday to let me know that they were back from Boca Raton.

I said that I was sure that Maria was glad to see them...she said "Oh we didn't pick her up, I gave her to Nancy."

Called Nancy...she's mad as a hornet!

Finished my course on Saturday with a B average. Now I have to get ready for the 3 hr. certification exam...I'm scared to death!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

The weather this past week was unusually cold. We set a record low on Friday morning for the date...20 degrees! The previously low was in 1927 and it was 27 degrees! Thank goodness I had the chimney cleaned... have had a fire in the fireplace every night and on the weekends.

I hung bed spreads over the doorway to the side porch and over the doorway to the old part of the house. Made a big difference in temperature control.

Shirley's doing well. She will have her stitches removed on Thursday.

Nancy and I went to the opera house Saturday night for a dinner theatre. The food was wonderful and the play, Nun Cracker, was a hoot!

Dinner at Leah Jane's last Sunday, Thursday and yesterday. As always, good food and good company. We are going to the Historical Society dinner this coming Thursday night. Haven't gone out so much in years.

Mother and Bert went to Boca Raton for a party this weekend so Nancy kept Maria.

Helen heard from Mike. She said he sounds good and it was good to talk with him.

Shirley update

Shirley had her surgery at 11 this morning. Dr. Spencer called me a little after noon and said she was doing wonderfully, came through the surgery quite well and was already awake but groggy.

Thank goodness!

It's going to be so odd at home tonight without her. They tell me that I can pick her up after 9 tomorrow morning...Guess I'll pick her up on my morning run and either take her home or bring her in to the office. I think she'll be happier at home, but I'd like to keep an eye on her. Guess I'll just wait and see how she's doing.

Catching up once again

Where does the time go? Wasn't it just Thanksgiving yesterday?

Last weekend I went to my sister's house in Tallahassee and helped her decorate for Christmas. Everything looked sooooo good!

Then, this Saturday she came here and we went to Bethlehem in Monticello. It's always wonderful, sheep, donkeys and an ornery camel. There were lots of children and lots of adults. I do believe the adults were the most awe struck. This is a live reproduction of the city of Bethlehem with tax collectors and shepherds and angels...its a regular village you walk through and watch the daily activities...ending at the manger.

Had supper at Ann's house on Monday and Friday nights last week and Leah Jane's last night.

Yesterday my sister came over and helped me decorate. Looks pretty good. I spent $20 on a 6' pre-lit tree. It looked rather sparse, but once I added a couple of strings of lights and a bunch of ornaments it looks quite nice.

Shirley is going into the vets today to be spayed. I think she might be pregnant (Chester) and Dr. Spencer thinks it would be disastrous for her to have an advanced pregancy much less try to give birth as she's a rat terrier and he's a chow. This is something I really didn't want to do, but at least she'll not have to worry about it any more. I'm so worried about the surgery. (She's really wanting breakfast.)

The course I'm taking is almost over. I took the next to the last test yesterday (on-line), got an A. That makes 3 A's, 3 B's and a C. These test are 50 questions and we have 30 minutes to complete it. After I take the last test (hope to do it later this week) there is a 3 hour certification exam. I never developed good study habits and this has really been quite a challenge. Sure hope I can pass the final exam! HWB told me that if I finish the course I'll get $500 as a bonus. Sure could use that!

Thanksgiving or another micro soap opera

My sister has rented a house on St. George Island for a week at Thanksgiving and again at Christmas for the past several years. This year she only rented for Thanksgiving. She and 3 bridge playing friends went down on Friday and ate hardy and played bridge for 3 days. The friends all left Sunday afternoon.

Tuesday Nancy called me at work and asked me to spend Thursday and Friday nights. Thanked her, but said no, that I might have to work on Friday. She said to come early and bring Shirley.

Got there around 9:30 Shirley in tow.

Mother and Bert showed up at 11:00 with Maria in tow.

Have I mentioned that a week and a half ago Nancy gave Mother and Bert a Chahuahua? 6lb chocolate year old female. This dog was a rescue from a puppy factory and had lived her entire life in a cage. Pretty and sweet.

Shirley was so happy to see Maria, but Maria refused to make friends...showed fangs and growled. So I told Shirley to just ignore her and she did.

Well, Mother has complained to me every time we've talked about how much trouble and work Maria is and how dare Nancy give her something alive.

So yesterday after we ate (a major feast I must say) Mother said we had to have a family meeting. I knew as soon as she said that that it was about Maria. Nancy and I were on the porch smoking and Mother and Bert were in the living room, so we said "go ahead". She opened by saying how tired she is and that Maria is so much work (HA!). Then said which of you girls will take her? It's either that or she goes to the pound. Well, I dropped my head to my hands and just held it there. Nancy finally said she'd take her. Then Bert spoke up and said that he'd really like to keep her, but whatever Mother wanted was so, "you know she has a little heart condition"!

Later Nancy helped Bert carry some things down to the car and she told him that mother doesn't have a heart condition and that she'd wondered how Mother was going to ruin this holiday as she had ruined every other one for her entire life!

Would like to know how the conversation went on the way back to Tallahassee!

Mother did give each of us a hundred dollars and she wrote a check to the Jefferson County Humane Society...I figure it as atonement money!

Left St. George at 4:30 and got home at 7:45. Came back via Tallahassee as I wasn't sure I'd see the turn to Wacissa in the dark.

Wonderful surprise!

Night before last I had a wonderful surprise! Prentice came to see me on his way to North Carolina. He looks great and as always is still a great cook! He brought and fixed dinner...what a treat! Spent the night and headed out when I left for work. Said that maybe on his way back he'll be able to stay longer.

We had a MAJOR storm last night. Needed the rain, the lightening and wind was another matter.

Beginning to feel a little human

Finally! I woke up this morning and felt a little more like myself.

I worked 1 hr. on Monday, 3 hrs. on Wednesday and 8 hrs. yesterday. That's going to make a sparse paycheck!

Last night I went to bed at 7:15 and made myself get up at 8:30 this morning. I did wake up enough to change the tv channel a few times. Still tired, but better.

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is in less than 2 weeks! Where does time go? Sure can tell it's on the downhill slope...it's faster and faster!

Jack Palance died yesterday. Liked him. Funny, Mother doesn't know who he was.

Shirley's in heat. She always becomes so maternal when she's in heat. This time her object of attention is a Milk Bone dog biscuit for large dogs. She carries it around everywhere she goes. She takes it outside and brings it in...she forgot once and had a fit to go back out and get it. On occasion she puts it in my lap as if I'm to tend it while she is busy or rests. She also has to protect it from Mercy (who has no interest in it) who may walk too close to it. Her interest has been waning, her heat must be almost finished.

More things...

Lots has happened since I posted last, but the thing most on my mind right now is my health.

Had a sore throat Thurs. & Fri. Woke up Sat. and couldn't swallow and had a walnut sized lump in the roof of my mouth. Of course no Dr.'s office open on the weekend here so I went to Tallahassee to a walk-in clinic. Have a viral upper respitory infection. Treating the symptoms. Dr. said I'd be well in a week to 10 days. Didn't work yesterday. Am dressed and must go in today. Don't know how long I'll be able to stay...just have some things that I have to get done. It's pouring rain.

Yet again

Monday I had to make another mad dash to Tallahassee to run a couple of errands for HWB...of course they were across town from each other...got it done, but I'm sure not crazy about going there!

Rather late in my work day yesterday HWB told me that he needed to talk to me outside. Now, that's unusual, in fact I don't ever remember being called outside. The first thing he said to me as he walked me toward the back of the building with his arm around my shoulder was "Something bad has happened. There's been an accident." The first thing that popped into my head was Chuck, his dog. I'm very attached to that dog, everyone calls him my "granddog". HWB went on to say that it could be fixed. Then we approached my car. He had backed out and creamed the passenger side...poor pitiful Gillie! Her door doesn't open now and she's quite a sight! I'm taking her in this morning...don't know what I'll be driving in the mean time or how long it'll take. He apologized again and again and finally asked if I had anything to say, thought about it for a minute and said "Bless her heart, she's not a virgin anymore." What can you say?

I'm studying 3-5 hours a day for the certification exam. Boy I hope I do it!

Whew!

After such a roller coaster day on Thursday I was really looking forward to Friday...silly me!

When I got to work Friday am HWB called in and said he'd be out until early afternoon and would I go to Tallahassee and get our employee from the hospital and take him home. Said sure.

Ran my morning errands and got back to a message that he'd be ready to leave the hospital in an hour. So that gave me about half an hour to clean up some things on my desk and dash to Tallahassee.

When I got to his room he was dressed and ready except he still had an IV going. He'd already signed discharge paper and was just waiting for a nurse to pull the IV out and give a thumbs up to go...so we waited and waited and waited. An hour later she came in removed the IV and said an orderly would be right in with a wheel chair...yeah, right! It was another 40 minutes before he showed up. Then I had to find my car. Did. And we headed back to Monticello.

Well, this fellow lives pretty far out of town on a farm. It was 1:30 when I got him there. Unloaded the car and headed back to town to the office. HWB was in and I told him that JR said that HWB would bring him his cashed check and stop and pick up his prescriptions. Well, I ended up going to the bank, cashing his check and picking up his drugs and going back out to drop them off. No answer at the door, so I tried the knob and it opened...no sign of JR...heard snoring and followed the sound. Just left everything on his bed and headed back to the office. (notice no lunch yet).

I had an appointment at 3:45 for a flu shot and it was pushing 3 at this time. So I got both my pay check and my bonus check (yeah!), dashed to the bank and then to the Dr.'s office got my shot and headed to the grocery store.

While I was waiting in the checkout line a girl friend from high school, Ann, came in and said she'd just left me a message on my phone at home to come to her house for dinner at 5:15. Well, to tell you the truth, had I not seen her I probably would have called and begged off, I was quite tired, but it's much harder to do in person! So I left the store came home put Shirley out, cleaned the litter boxes, jumped in the shower and got there at 5:15!

It was a nice little dinner party and it was over around 8. Well, Leah Jane was there and she had a snoot full! I offered to drive her home, but she wouldn't hear of it, so I followed her home to make sure she was ok, talked to her in her driveway for a few minutes and came home. Called Ann to let her know everything was ok and invited her to come watch the FSU game and have dinner on Saturday.

I woke up yesterday morning to a not cleaned in a week house and company coming! Dashed around and got most everything done. Ann came at 3 and we couldn't find the game on tv (read in the paper this morning that there was some sort of technical problem and the game didn't get on the air until sometime in the 2nd quarter). Anyway, we looked at my stuff and talked and ate, etc. and looked at the clock and it was 9 o'clock! She went home and I went to bed! Slept until 7:30 this morning! Feel much better!

Right now I have a chicken and rice dish in the oven that I'm going to take to JR with a salad and then I really plan to be a blob this afternoon! We'll see, the way the week has gone something else may come up!