100!!! ONE HUNDRED!!!!! 100!!!

Ok, I just realized I have missed my 100th blog---This one, right here and now, is 101--oh horrors!! I must, MUST do something to redeem myself with all those who are reading my blog---who are keeping up with my fast paced life---who are looking to me for entertainment, inspiration, whatever!!! But I just must do something!!!


SOOOOOOOOO (drumroll***********), for the next 7 days--that's right SEVEN GLORIOUS DAYS!!!---I will take comments from you and drop them in a fashionable chapeau and then on Saturday morning---somewhere before 9:00 a.m., I will select, actually I will have dear hubby select, a WINNER!!!!!


I'm not certain what I will be sending you--aside from hugs and love!!! ha ha ha BUT! I will have the entire next week of Spring Break to fashion you something of heirloom quality--provided your idea of heirloom is, well, is, hmmm, anything I send!! Of course!! That would be it!!!! Send me a comment and let me know you want to be included---oh dear, I will be so very disappointed and humiliated if not one person sends in their name. I will cry and cry and feel so blue!!! Now, you don't want that upon your shoulders-DO YOU??????? So, send em on down!!


In the meantime: 100 things about me---(I hope I can find 100 things!!)

1. I have never lived anywhere but in this small town!
2. I have been to California, South Dakota, Illinois, New Mexico, Kansas
Missouri, Colorado, Nevada, Nebraska, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia
North Carolina, Florida, Louisana, and Texas in these great United States!
3. I love cats--have had a cat or more ever since I was born.
4. I like dogs.
5. I have two children.
6. I have been married once (isn't that enough????)
7. I lost my brother when he was 19 in a car accident.
8. My brother & husband's brother were great friends and in the same classes
in school.
9. Lost husband's brother when he was 39.
10. I love to sing!!!! la la la
11. I love to read.
12. I love to do crafts--all kinds.
13. I can't play the piano--took lessons when I was 20, but didn't follow through.
14. I have 2 years of college under my belt but no degree.
15. I have owned my own business ( a ceramic shop)
16. I have blue eyes.
17. I don't know what my natural hair color is--it's been soooo long!!!
18. I love my husband--but he wasn't my high school sweetheart.
19. I was physically abused by my high school "sweetheart".
20. I really, really treasure my friends. Even my blog friends.
21. I love all the seasons--that's why I love living here; always changing!
22. Red, pink and purple are my favorite colors, but I usually buy black.
23. Misspelling is one of my pet peeves!
24. My husband had his own business with his family for over 30 years, and
we did phenominally well for the first 25!!!
25. I am short! I always have to hem my slacks!
26. I have an amazing memory for numbers.
27. I don't like working outside of the home. But I have to!
28. I am a good cook--really!
29. I will work my fingers to the grissel for others and let my things go.
30. I love to be serving people--whether food, or needs.
31. I have the bestest grandson--can you tell I'm in love with him???
32. I love my children---
33. I like Reba McIntyre--we're the same age you know!
34. I like country music!
35. I like jazz!
36. I love to go out to eat!!
37. I have visited Paris France, Montalbon(sp) Italy, Monaco.
38. I went on a cruise 33 years ago and got sea sick!!!
39. I miss my house that we built and sold.
40. I believe in God.
41. I am very spiritual.
42. I have worked as a dental assistant, legal secretary, sales clerk, insurance

researcher, and secretary.

43. I don't like to brag, and don't enjoy hearing others brag!!!!
44. I like old things--homes, furniture, jewelry!
45. I have the bestest sister in the whole wide world.
46. I would rather be with my family that with anyone else.
47. I love my in-laws!!! All of them!!!
48. I could live with my parents, siblings, in laws, without question.
49. I have met Jerry Lewis, Tom Jones, and Telly Savalas.
50. I can snow ski, but not water ski. That's interesting cause we built
pleasure boats for years!
51. I took swimming lessons but can't swim!!!
52. I can drive a big truck pulling one boat with another on top!
53. I love to race boats! But I haven't in many, many years.
54. I don't like beer or wine!
55. I don't like mushrooms.
56. I don't like fish or seafood.
57. I don't like to sleep in!!! I'm afraid I'll miss something!
58. I like to garden, but am not very good.
59. This is hard!
60. I love to shop!!!!!
61. I don't like the way my house is decorated!
62. I can play the guitar. Self taught myself when I was in high school.
63. I do like to take afternoon naps!
64. I love snowy Sundays when I can sleep on the sofa for hours!
65. I like Dr Pepper floats with chocolate ice cream--really, they are delicious.
66. I like chocolate Pinwheel cookies, and will eat the entire package if I can!
67. I like Italian food. Pizza!
68. I am frustrated with fashion!!!
69. I love for my cat to sleep next to me.
70. I love to go places with my husband!
71. I love Barnes Noble, and can spend hours in the store.
72. I am honest-painfully so.
73. I don't cheat--even on taxes!
74. I work for my high school drivers ed teacher!!!
75. I love magazines--can't seem to part with them
76. Christmas is my favorite holiday, but I really like all of them!!
77. I love to dress up for Halloween.
78. I plan to play with my grandson during his lifetime--
79. I love to walk in puddles.
80. I love rain.
81. I love the innocence of children.
82. I like Jeopardy.
83. I like to work the Sunday crossword puzzle.
84. I like to work all crossword puzzles, and to do trivia challenges.
85. I don't get accounting. Nor do I want to.
86. I want to be remembered as kind (oops, better work on that)
87. I am a decent driver, but my daughter says I am too aggressive!
88. I don't want to live in a large town.
89. I always wanted to grow up and live in Mayberry, and be Aunt Bea!
90. I forgive easily.
91. I like eclectic decorating, along with French and shabby influences.
92. I love taking pictures--and looking at other people's.
93. I love to cook--go figure.
94. I wish I could loose some weight.
95. I like to walk outdoors.
96. I love to sit on the back porch in the spring and just think!
97. I really enjoy blogging.
98. I don't like romance movies, unless they include comedy.
99. Tom Hanks is my favorite actor--quit with the hair dye Tom!
100. I made it! I made it! I posted 100 things!


Ok, have a good Friday, and drop me your comment.

I'm Accepting the Challenge!!!

Kari didn't tag me. She's too tired to flippin tag anyone!!! I know how she feels, but this just appeals to me, so I tagged myself. Yep, I invited myself to my Sr Prom, I ask myself out to lunch, I ask me to go shopping. So, I tagged myself. What a dork!!

Anyway--the tag goes like this: grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 123, read the first 5 lines, and post the next 3. Well, durnit, wouldn't you know, the first and closest book didn't have page numbers!!! Who doesn't number the pages!!! And, of course, I would choose this one. So I grabbed the one next to it. That whole page made absolutely NO SENSE. I don't even remember why I bought that book. Must have been on sale somewhere.

So, I grabbed the NEXT book and two--only me of course--two books fell into my lap. So now you have to endure me posting two different writings.

Ok, so the first book is "All Over But The Shoutin" by Rick Bragg. I really do intend to read this book someday--in the retirement center. In the meantime, here are the next 3 lines after the first 5 on page 123:
The newsroom and subway always seemed a lot alike to me.
Both of them seemed barely under control, both rumbling,
clattering, powerful things that people depended on to take
them someplace. I sat at my desk in that crowded, busy
place and willed the words to come.


The other book that fell off the shelf into my lap, landing simultaneously with the above book ( I swear, that's what happened! That always happens to me. Nothing ordinary happens in my house!!) is "When Character Was King" A Story of Ronald Reagan. And the 3 lines after the first 5 on page 123 read as such:
The federal government used money. They gave it to the states
and localities and with the money came "strings that reached all
the way back to the Potomac." The government in Washington
didn't so much give money as create a bureaucracy that wound
up telling states and localities how to spend and what to do. And
the states and localities took the money--who wouldn't--and
became dependent on it, and now they needed it, which only
encouraged the federal government to up the ante--more
bureaucrats, more control, more strings.

Ok, that last one had 4 lines, but I thought they were worth including!!! Again, I really, really want to read this book one day!!! I love books. I keep buying them and buying them. They become like little friends all lined up on my shelf, just waiting to play with me, and take me to lands unknown. I remember one of the first books I read in 2nd grade--The Water Babies. Have any of you read this? As I read it, I could actually "see" in my mind's eye, the child going down, down, and learning to live among the depths of the sea. How exciting! I could always "see" what the words were telling me in script. Oh the places I have visited in this written world. I used to average 2 books a week---then I went back to work! But I still can't get enough of the written word. Magazines, newspapers, books, doesn't matter. I love em all!!!

And some books I can read a couple of chapters, lay down, pick up in a few weeks, and go right back to that ethereal place without skipping a beat!!!


And one of these days, I'm going to sit in the back yard and read all afternoon. Wow, nothing could be better. And when I go to Colorado this summer, I'm going to take the two books aforementioned and read them!!!

Know what else I love? People's handwriting---special in my heart people. I have a slip of paper that my grandmother signed her name on, and to me, it's a treasure. She's been gone for 28 years now, but I look at that signature and hear her all over again! I keep a card my dad sent me only because he wrote a cute message and his handwriting is so cute too! Have some letters my daughter wrote from Camp Fire Girls camp---the elementary handwriting is so unique! One of these days I'll share one of her letters from that time. She HATED the camp, and her five letters (she was only 1 hour from home for 5 days, but she managed to write a letter bemoaning her plight each day), scream of the torture she is enduring!!! Have a letter written to me by my son when he was just out of high school--it's soo sweet, maybe he was "medicated" when he wrote it!!! ha ha ha Anyway, handwriting is really special to me. Isn't that dorky?????


Well, my frozen chicken pot pie gourment dinner is just about ready. You know the old antage "the cobbler's children never have shoes"???? Well, the caterer's husband---well, you see where this has gone. But doggonit I'm T.I.R.E.D.!!!!!
So, Swanson's here we come. That's another one of my secret loves---junk food. Now don't get me wrong, I love good cooking, but every now and again, I really like a frozen chicken pot pie, or canned tamales!!! Dorky!!!


Well, blogbuds, I must go. Talk to you soon!!!!

Sunday & Time Just Went Ahead!!!!!

Oh heck!!! I can't get my pictures that I was going to share with all of you to upload!!! Maybe by the time I get this writing done I can share them. If not, just trust they were really, really cute!


Ok, it's Sunday. Thanks goodness--usually I don't like Sunday evenings cause it means the end of the weekend and back to work. Heigh Ho!! But after last Thursday & Friday, I'm ready to try another week.


On Thursday I received a call from the Health Dept---someone had "informed" them I was operating a catering service without a license. I kinda of knew I needed one, but put it off. Anyhoo, I may have to show my church kitchen to them to apply for a license, and I may have to quit selling. Boo Hoo. I can still cook & GIVE it away!!! I just won't have as much "rathole" money, and I can't afford to do it and give it away all the time.


Then on Friday, my Drs office called---need additional views of a mammogram. Yippee!!! I WAN T to do that again. They said there was density and they didn't have a recent film to compare against. Keep all your fingers crossed for me--I refuse to worry about this. I'll just put it in God's hands and trust that He has a reason for whatever the turnout. BUT, keep your fingers crossed. I don't want to endure a big change.


AND, then I came home from work, husband had done our taxes and we owe--drumroll please---ONE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS. $1700.00. Anyway you say it, I don't want to part with it. I don't have that kind of money just to toss to the IRS!!!!! There goes my savings. There goes my summer wardrobe. Shoot! I guess the payroll person hasn't been taking enought out of my check. So, I guess I'll begin having extra taken out. Did you know that if your owe more than $1000 you are penalized!!??? I think the employer should be penalized. They are the "specialists" in this area! They should know what should be taken out. Not Me!!!


So, on Saturday, as I'm having a "pity party" & feeling so down, and so sorry for myself, and melancholy has set in, I got a call from my niece. A young lady, who was a senior in high school, whose family I have known all my life, whose aunt does my hair, lost her long, torturous battle with leukemia. She has had this disease for about 10 years, and has fought valiantly. She was at the point that they were trying to schedule her for bone marrow transplant when she got ill. She had been in the hospital for 3 weeks this time, had developed meningitis, had once been suffocated by her own blood (her lungs developed a leak) and was revived, and now it was over. I talked to another of her aunts this morning at church, and she said the young lady , her mom & dad had talked long about the turnout this week, that they had prayed with her time and again, and that they told her if it was too hard for her to fight, she didn't have to any more.


HOW IN THE HECK DO YOU SAY THAT TO YOUR CHILD????? How do you let go? How do you leave and return to your safe haven, having had the rug pulled out from under you? Well, I guess her aunt said it best when she told me that God had prepared them, and that God was leading and strengthening them. Another church mate reminded several of us this morning that God isn't bent on making this life as comfortable or reasonable as we want. That He is preparing us for eternal life, and that, in all reality, being in heaven and God's presence is the ultimate healing.


I know that. In my mind. But in my heart, I ache for them. And if you don't believe in God, I ache for you. I don't know how I could face tonight or tomorrow without his reassurance, his peace, his faithfulness. This earth is shared by a very evil force--Satan, who is doing his best to take mans eye off God. And, at times, he is doing a very good job. After all, he shifts all the blame for bad happenings to God.


Ok, enough--I'll get off the Sunday Soapbox. I said all of the above to get to this point---my Thurs & Fri pale in comparison with what others have suffered. I can put my flimsy little aches and problems in a box and file it. And I will resolve to be thankful and appreciative.


After all, I got to see Hank yesterday; that hug around the neck, and his little voice saying "Hi ya ya" trumps any doldrums I have had rattling around in my head. And being able to see my son on Friday, and my daughter on Saturday, and hug them, puts stars in my sky. And, my parents and in-laws were both in touch today, and both are well. More stars. And husband & I both have jobs, and can afford our house payment, car payment, etc. More stars. And I have a church family that embraces & truly loves me and my family. More stars. And, I have a BFF, Penny, who knows just what to say & when!! She keeps me grounded!!! And she loves me!!! For no apparent reason!!! Stars! Starry Starry Night!!!


Now, I'm going to try to download those pics, so if you see the pics, yippee. If not, maybe next time!! (Whoops, didn't work again.)


Have a good, blessed week!