Way To Go Penny!!

Penny the Queen has retired from her career as an elementary teacher. She spent 30 years in the classroom as a special ed teacher & then as a 2nd grade teacher. Wow---way to go!

Now, Penny isn't "old" by any means!! She just took advantage of the earliest she could retire. I am envious! To have the leisure of picking & choosing what you do with each & every day. I don't know if I'll EVER retire--but I may quit-ha ha ha!!!

It's a shame that more people can't depend on retirement anymore. Many, many companies have done away with retirement funds, opting instead to let individuals manage their retirement through 401Ks & such. I truly don't understand alot (or even a little) about all of this, but I do know that persons of my dad's age could depend on retirement--without managing their own. And they could depend on continued health insurance along with the retirement. Today, we all just feel lucky if we don't receive pink slips on Fridays. Or if the companies haven't sold, declared bankruptcy, etc., etc.

Which brings me to this question--why the heck didn't I just marry a rock star???? By the age I now am, the rock star would have either been stashed in a rehab home or slowed down and quit the vices! They could have ended up talking/thinking like Ozzie---but I think Sharon has him pretty much under control. Now consider that--she put up with several years of bad behavior, but now she enjoys the bank accounts and she can tell him what to do. Ah, she must be feeling sweet revenge. Ok, so my mind is going off on it's own "trip"!!!

Today is Friday & the weekend is a bit full, but not near like last weekend. I may actually have a chance to sit on the back porch & enjoy the heat. Or pull some weeds from the garden. Do you supposed Ozzie & Sharon ever set on the porch--ok, ok enough with the Ozzie & Sharon questions--they just got stuck in my brain & won't leave!!! I wasn't even an Ozzie fan. Until the reality show & commercials. OK I PROMISE no more talk of O & S!!!

The weatherman just said it would be a boring weekend weather wise---that means none of the shows will be interrupted---and all the season finales are done. We can watch reruns in their entirety!!!

Well, must sign off for now. I'm rambling & am aware of it!!!

Maybe something major will come through my head that makes alot of sense, and is worth sharing tomorrow!! One can only hope!!!

Spiderman Came To Play

Spiderman came to my house this weekend! He spent Saturday & Sunday night. His mom came down with strep & she needed to rest---hey! I don't care what the reason is---I love to play with Spiderman!! ha ha ha

He actually had his face painted at a "Tabouleh Fest" a couple of weeks ago--I just thought it was so cute I wanted to share it with you.

And, as we weren't booked on Monday, I got to stay home with him. We played, went on a walk, planted flowers, took a nap--when Hubby got home from the kitchen I told him this was a BAD idea for me to stay home & keep Spiderman. Now that's all I want to do.

I truly think this is what I was created for--to stay home & care for my children, grandchildren, home & yard. This is where I excel--this is where I am the most content--this is where I find the most reward. I stayed home with my children til they were in middle school; at that time our family business went south, and I had to find employment to supplement income. I think that was the saddest day! I used to have dinners on the table, volunteer, make gifts for all, bake for others, and on and on. I was a regular Aunt Bee! And I loved it completely--without reservation! I keep thinking one of these days I'll get to do that again. Except there won't be little ones under my hem. Maybe I'll get to have the grandkids more often. Anyway, Spiderman needs an Aunt Bee type Ya Ya!

Yesterday I cleaned out a much ignored flowerbed. It took lots of sweat and muscle, but today it looks soooo pretty! And I have moved some fern, and now I have some canna from my mother's garden waiting to be planted. Ah, spring--how we love rebirth-- the promise of a flourish of life. Spring & fall --those are my most favorite times of the year. It has been raining alot here the past few weeks, and now the outside has really greened up---and the plants are raising their heads from deep winter slumber. It gives a soul such hope.

Well, must go for now. Tomorrow through Saturday are going to be busy work days--have a wedding for 350 to prepare a full meal for, along with 2 lunches on Thursday and one on Friday. But it sure was nice to have a reprieve from work.

Happy spring!

The Graduate

This is my sister; she graduated from OSU-Tulsa on Monday night. I am sooo very proud of her. After high school she, as did I, married & began a family. She had some unfortunate set-backs which delayed her goal of a degree in finance.

But perserverence, which is one of her strongest traits, served her well. She attained her goal and now has her degree in finance. All the while working 40+ hours a week, raising two wonderful children (one a Jr in HS, one a Jr in college), volunteering, and succeeding in marriage.

She is awesome--I can't say enough about how proud I am of her. Of course, I would be proud of my lil sis even if she didn't finish this chapter of her life, but knowing the effort she devoted to this, I can't beam enough!!!

I never finished my degree; perhaps that adds to my pride in her. I got my associate's and, not knowing what I wanted to do, and being so caught up in being wife &mother (no, I don't regret that one iota!), I just didn't finish. And anyway--I'm a caterer! I have certifications in areas that relate to that & I'm happy with that.

Way to go sis!!!

Has Anyone Seen An Extra Mind Floating Around???

Sometimes I wonder how in this big ole world I get through another day!! Sometimes I wonder where in the world my mind went!!

This evening we had a big catering event--in addition to two lunches, a cookie order & a cake order.



Well, things were rockin along so well. The lunches went out without any problems, the cookies were done WAY ahead of time, the cake is on schedule, and it appears that the evening is going to be all ahead.


As we are loading, the contact person calls and asks if things are going well. Well yes, I said, in fact we're loading now. This is at 4:45. I had us down to arrive at 6:00. Since she called I began to wonder--hmmmm, so I called her back to confirm eating time and she said 6:00!!! WHOOPS--I had the time on the schedule board ONE HOUR late!!! Luckily we were all loaded and I YELLED "let's roll!". We took off like Flash Gordon on his way to save the universe and we made the 30 minute trip in a mere 20---don't tell---we did break some speed limits!!!


So, we pull up and they have some help unloading and she asks "Do you have tablecloths" and I reply, of course, for the serving table. She replied "You are supposed to have them for the other tables".


It all comes back in harsh reality---she wanted to use my tablecloths. I had it on the order sheet and forgot to transpose it to the schedule board. I was soooo embarrassed!!!


The good part was, this was a high school sports banquet, they were in the cafeteria, and she wasn't upset at all. Bless her heart!



And we sat up in 15 minutes and had the serving line going on time.



So to make up for my faux pas, I bussed all the tables and served all the dessert to the tables instead of the buffet line.



Ever feel like you just missed the mark? They loved the food, and we had nothing but compliments, but I felt like such a dork! Forgetting the time AND the tablecloths.



I suppose accidents will happen, and things like this will occur. I think they happen to keep us on top of the game, but I will mentally beat myself up all next week for this!!!



Where oh where can my little mind be? Or where oh where did it go???

Did You Miss It????

This is a wall at the local Barnes & Noble store. Just a stone wall; the kind they use at lots & lots of shopping centers. Just a wall you walk/drive by weekly or more. Now, look, really look at the wall. Do you see it? Some one had the creative vision to look at the wall & SEE more than stone & mortar.

There you go! Now you see it! Someone looked at the pattern of this plain old, ordinary stone & saw the soul within!! This kitty cat came to reside at Barnes & Noble when the place was built, and has hidden for all these years. Well, I don't actually know when the kitty was released, but I've been going to the store since it opened & didn't see it til hubby pointed it out. And I thought he wasn't into the arts!! ha ha

This makes me wonder how many millions of opportunities we miss in the ordinary. How many insights we walk right by on our way to "getting there"!



Remember as a child lying on the ground and seeing the visions in clouds? Well, hallelujah! They aren't just in the clouds. They are in the each & every day that we glide through. They are in the trees, the stones, the clouds, and possibly, the faces of those around us. You know, the ones we hurry past--don't want to take any more time than necessary to get where we are going; so we can turn around and not take any more time than necessary to get back---just so we can turn around and get there again!



Well, I challenge you to seek out the opportunities for blessings today. And every day. Look further than surface value--or look at the surface more intently. Peer into what the wall, nature or the eyes looking back at you are really like. And, in the process, reveal yourself. Don't be afraid to take a picture, give a hug, truly care "how it's going".



Open your mind to the possibilities.

All Quiet?????

A friend mentioned on my facebook page that all had been quiet around my place. NOT!!!!!!

This is what it looks like inside my head--ha ha! Over the past 4 weeks my mother in law has had 4 ambulance rides to the hospital & one lifeflight ride. She has had a mild heart attack, and a week later, a serious heart attack. She went to the ER all times with excessive nosebleeds and didn't even know that she was having the heart attacks. In fact, the last "serious" one was pointed out by the EMTs on the ambulance ride!!!

Well, (fingers crossed) we think all is well. The serious heart attack involved 99% blockage of a major artery that was the result of taking her off her Plavix for 6 days to stop the nosebleed! No damage but she did have a stint put in.

As for the bleeds? Well the ENT Dr has a plan. She must take the Plavix, and they can't give her anethseatic (sp) to cauterize the nose, so they have adjusted her blood pressure meds, and at keeping the pressure to 120 or under, her nose won't bleed.

Now aren't you glad I shared that with you????? The really stressful happening is that hubby is the "go to" child & is the one who goes to the house in the middle of the night, rides to the hospital, and stays to hear Dr reports. Bless his heart, he hasn't had much rest the past 4 weeks.

And this has been another BUSY catering time. For which we are extremely grateful! But it does take away from times that could be used for catching up on "zzzzz's".

And ---the GOOD NEWS---- Hank is going to be a Big Brother!!!!! Yea!!!!! I am sooooo excited. And so are Hank's parents! I've been so blessed by having Hank in my life that I am ready for more! The arrival will happen around the 6th of December--which happens to be my son's birthday!! Can't wait to find out what it will be so I can start the "packrat" syndrome for babies! So many sales right now & so much I want to begin making. I can feel the projects keeping me up into the wee hours. Yippee!!!

I just read an article in an area newspaper that was entitled "Making Memories". I always want to plan these "big events" to make memories for family & friends. And then I'm so tired that I don't even remember them!! But it is important to make memories--that's all we can really hold on to. Today Hank & I took a walk and talked about all the things we saw. I know at 3 he won't remember that, but I will---it's one for my books! And then we sat and put stickers in proper places in his Hot Wheels sticker book. Talk about fun. Just listening to the words of a child can be so uplifting (and doggone funny!).

He put a sticker on his wooden table and when I told him not to, that it would ruin the table he looked me straight in the eye and said "It will not wuin it! What;s a wuin anyway?" Good question!! What is a "wuin"!!! I'm certain my kids said the same cute phrases, but I've learned to pay closer attention to Hank. I want to hang on his each & every word. They go by so quickly.

Well, I feel I've captured your ear long enough with my boring recounts of life as I experience it. So I'll close for now and wish all of you a memory filled weekend!

What Movie Are YOU Watching????

Tonight Hank has come to spend the night---and we went to watch this movie. It's cute, but not up to the Pixar standard. However, Hank liked it and that's what matters.

I hope everyone is going to have a blessed Easter. After the past week, I have plenty of blessings to count! My mother in law suffered a serious heart attack on Monday; she was released on Thursday and is doing quite well. Makes you stop and take stock of priorities and important issues. And it makes me stop and appreciate the lives that are so entertwined with mine. Family, friends and acquaintances. I am so blessed to have family that is close by, that we love, that are active parts of our lives. I have friends that are ready to stop & listen or kick up their heels in fun at a moment's notice. And I have acquaintances who bring such interest into my life. I can't imagine being secluded from family, not having close friends, and not having all the characters who round out this life. The old adage "others come in to your life for a time, a reason, or a season" is true beyond belief. And we can learn so very much from all those who cross our paths. And I give thanks for each & every life I've had the privilege to cross paths with!

And I am so thankful for this Easter season to stop and be reminded of the resurrection. And what it means to me. And what it has given to me.

Tomorrow morning we're having chocolate chip pancakes and hot tea---Hank's request! And while he's eating breakfast, I'm going to hide plastic eggs and then we'll have a private Easter egg hunt! Without all the hoopla that will happen on Sunday with all the family around. Not that I don't want that too, but this year I have Hank captive for a time and I'm going to take full advantage!! Making memories!

Well, it's time to call it quits for the night & convince Hank that it's bedtime. That should be fun!! And then--off to bed for me.

Have a happy Easter!