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KEEPING BUSY WITH KIDS AND POLE-DANCING WITH CATE

3/28/2015

TOO MANY PEOPLE SPEND MONEY THEY HAVEN'T EARNED, TO BUY THINGS THEY DON'T WANT, TO IMPRESS PEOPLE THEY DON'T LIKE.

                                                                                           Will Rogers

No actual meaning behind posting this quote. I just thought it was interesting.   Janene

Well, besides being sick with that rotten cough and cold that everyone has had, I got to spend some time with the grand kiddos. A week ago, I had Alec 'cause his school was on Spring Break. This past week, Abby and Cate were off, so I spent four days with them.

I found out some interesting things that have been going on Cate's life. For starters, she is determined to go the USNA (United States Naval Academy) when she graduates in a few years. She attended the STEM program there last summer, where she studied Biology. That program picked one or two kids from each state to go, and she was one of them from Iowa. Without her knowing, there were representatives from several colleges at the academy, eye-balling these kids for future recruiting to their school. How surprised she was when her school Guidance Counselor stopped her and told her she didn't appreciate getting Cate's personal mail coming to her office. Cate didn't know what she was talking about. Apparently, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, George Washington and a few other schools were sending notices to the school, trying to get info on her to get her to apply with each one of them. A person from Harvard came and did a preliminary interview with her. However, her heart is set on the Naval Academy. She plans on going to boot camp the summer before her Senior year. To do so, she will have to cut her long, LOOOOOONG hair to shoulder length, which is quite a thought. For a regular Mid-western girl, she has done a lot so far in her life. A few years ago, she spent three weeks in Europe with a group of kids, spreading goodwill and learning about other cultures. She fell in love with Paris and the French, (which is odd, because most people say the French are kinda snooty). Oh, well, she likes to smooze with anybody and doesn't go looking for the negative side of people.

Little Miss Abby surprised me when she started reading Shakespeare to me. She gets these comic book-like books from her school, which have the original works of Shakespeare and then at the bottom on the pages, it explains in our plain English what the meaning is behind the work. She says she loves reading it in the Old English form and loves Shakespeare. Okay. Interesting.   I have never understood or been interesting in Will, personally.

One day this week, we went to the movies and saw Insurgent, the sequel to a another movie. Abby couldn't wait to see it, since she had just read the novel. She is obsessed with reading and it is funny to see this little gal hunched over a big, fat book, lost in another world. Good for you, Sweetie.

Remember me mentioning that several of the girls from my old high school are taking photos of them "pole-dancing" (or just standing by a pole), in preparation of our 45th class reunion this year. Why, I still haven't figured out why, but I'm game if they are. Well, this past week, the girls and I went to the old general store in our hometown which is now a museum, and when we came out Cate and I posed by the old metal poles that hold up the awing in front of the store. Abby had dashed to the care since it was kinds chilly. Whimp. Anyhoo, please note my granny-like seductive pose where I hook my ankle fetchingly around the pole. That's about all I have left anymore.   sigh

After we left there, we proceeded up the school where Lon, me, both my kids, several uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews, and even a great-niece have all gone to school. The girls had never seen where their dad had attended school, and they got a kick out of it.

Latest word on niece Heather is that she is doing super!!!   What a champ!

That's about it for now.

                                                                      GOD BLESS YOU ALL

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I PUT ANOTHER WOMAN ON MY "STEEL MAGNOLIA" LIST

3/19/2015

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IN YOU, LORD MY GOD, I PUT MY TRUST.
                                                                               Psalm 25 Verse 1

I had an interesting morning today. I went to my doctor for my yearly exam, and as usual, Dr. Beck came into the exam room with a beaming smile. After my exam, we were talking about some of the things that had got me through the last year; great support team, excellent doctors and surgeons, and this blog that Jenna had started.  She told me that she, too, was doing a blog about her husband on Carepages.com regarding his cancerous brain tumors. What a shock! Here is a lovely young woman, with a great husband, great life, and three healthy young sons.  And she is carrying such a load! I asked for her blog info and when I got home, I read it. And I sat there sobbing while I did so. Not only are they dealing with his ten-year fight with cancer, but he became disoriented in January and left the house, thinking he would run to their Pastor's house. She doesn't know how long he was outside in minus 22 degree weather, but he woke her at 3 AM wearing wet socks, but no shoes/boots, shirt, gloves, or coat.  After quite a long time stabilizing him with the frostbite, he had to have his toes and a portion of his feet amputated. This man is only 37 years old! Then he had to wait  for his feet to heal to begin chemo. This family declares that they are BECKSTRONG , and by golly, I believe them. This woman and her entire family are leaning heavily on their faith, and she told me her husband said that his faith is the main thing that is getting him through all his trials.

Anyway, Dr. Beck, I officially put you on my STEEL MAGNOLIA list of honorable, brave, strong, and simply amazing women.

                                                                         GOD BLESS YOU ALL

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IT'S AN "ELBOW GREASE" DAY

3/12/2015

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COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS . . .  NAME THEM ONE BY ONE . . . COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS. . . SEE WHAT GOD HAS DONE
                                                                                 church hymn

I have been singing or humming that church hymn all morning. I remember when Mother used to do the same thing while she worked.

I got up a while ago and started cleaning (therefore the reference to "elbow grease") Even though I still feel like crap.   I have been in the kitchen, and as I worked, I realized that I needed to jump on the blog and give a few references to the products I am using. Yup, it's time for a commercial break. No, really, I bought some of that Amish Wood Milk at Wal-Mart in their AS SEEN ON TV aisle. I cleaned the outside of my wood cupboards, and by golly, it really does a pretty good job. I also got a carton of My Cleaning Secret and used it on my stainless steel sink. Bingo! Again, an A+. And if you are having trouble keeping the grunge off your smooth-top stove, try Barkeeper's Friend cleanser. I haven't tried Ajax or Comet, so don't know about those.

And now back to our regularly scheduled program.

Sunday, sis Judy and I went to a really neat show at this little theater in a small town near us. The play Arsenic and Old Lace was performed, and we had a wonderful time. It was put on in an old movie theater (where I remember going to the movies every Friday night with my boyfriend many, many years ago), and there is all kinds of seating. I'm talking old comfy couches, and overstuffed chairs with pillows. It was really funky and very comfortable. It had a wonderful small-town flavor (kinda like Stars Hollow from TV's Gilmore Girls or the place where Ghost Whisperer was presented).

Hey, the dentist appointment went quite well yesterday. I had a cracked filling fixed and then got a cleaning. I was relieved that I wasn't going to lose an important tooth. I know some of my family history hails from the hills of Missouri, but I sure don't want to go around a huge gap that shows every time I smile. Why is it that so many people that used to live up in the hills always seemed to be missing so many teeth? Really snaggle-toothed.

Well, I am going back to work. I've paused for "this commercial message" long enough.

                                                             GOD BLESS YOU ALL

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HUBBY IS HAPPY

3/11/2015

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YAKKETY YAK (don't talk back!)

                                       old rock and roll song

My husband is quite happy right now. I have a bad cold. That's not why he's happy. It's because I have lost my voice! What husband wouldn't like that from his wife once in a while? Actually, it is quite annoying. When I try to say something it . . . well . . . doesn't come out. The louder I try to talk, it just makes that weird sound like the Emergency Broadcast System runs on the TV every Wednesday    eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee only my comes in smaller spurts when I am saying words. It's approximately the same level of the eeeeeeeeeeeeeee sound, just shorter. I understand that sis's Judy and Sandy, bro Ken and wife Jill, and nephew Rob are all experiencing this strange cold thingy. I swear I have not had a cold or much of any illness for 30 years. When I told this to Hubby, he kinda raised an eyebrow like "Have you forgotten the whole year of 2014?" Well, that was a different kind of being sick. I have to go to the dentist in a little bit, 'cause my teeth are having some difficulties. Remember my eyesight, hearing, and balance have all gone kaput too over the last year. I am not even sure if the doctor will work on me with me since I'm sneezing out snot like a distempered cat!        eww or should I say "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeww"?

The latest I have learned about niece Heather, is that she is handling chemo very well, but is concerned about the fact that she will be losing her hair. Where have you guys heard that before? Heather has a ton of curly black hair (she has the icy blue eyes too, from our Irish side of the family, I guess) and is experiencing a perfectly normal reaction. I think I wrote quite a while ago, that women were polled about what they dreaded the most about having cancer . . . chemo, surgery, or losing their hair. The number one dreaded thing was the hair.  But Heather will be fine. I know it. And, I guess she will be learning to use my motto. IT IS WHAT IT IS.

I was taking Alec to speech therapy yesterday and he rolled down his window. I commented on how nice and Spring-like it was. I asked what we do in the Spring. He said "Hunt Easter eggs."   Very good response.  Then I asked him what we did in the Summer. His answer . . . "Go garage-saleing!" Yup, kids, that's what we do.   And he really loves it. The girls join us once in a while when they can, and they love looking for some small gem or wonderful little "score" for very little money. It's the search that we like.

Last week, I went shopping. I hate to go shopping. But I have nothing to wear that fits. So I went. For seven hours. I came home hobbling, 'cause it hurt to walk. I got a huge bunch of stuff (not all clothes) and since I had also stopped and bought groceries, I was dragging in bag after bag. THAT'S when I started to feel not-so-good. I must have been around someone who had a cold or flu and sneezed in my direction.

Anyhoo, that is the latest of my boring life. Hope yours is going well.

Ah Choo!   There goes my distempered cat again.    :)

                                                                         GOD BLESS YOU ALL

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LOOK WHO'S BACK . . . just me

3/1/2015

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I've always been crazy but it's kept me from going insane.

Waylon Jennings (quote from Penny Marshall's autobiography)

Okay, where was I? Sorry I had to take a short pause . . . well, not exactly short. Two weeks. Went down to Florida to take care of some business. I am so happy that Jenna let you know that I was slightly incommunicato for a while. Just got back this morning about 1 AM. We had to drive through that awful snowstorm in Missouri and when we hit the Iowa border, it was a solid wall of fog. We were driving about 36 miles per hour at times. When we finally got home, we dragged our sorry butts into the house, dropped our bags and went to bed. I always make sure to have fresh sheets on the bed to come home to, and this year I had lovely warm flannel sheets that Dan and Tami had given us. That felt so good!!!! Fortunately (or unfortunately) the house was toasty warm, 'cause we had forgotten to lower the thermostat when we left. Oooops.

I had to laugh at the irony of something as we made our way home. When we stopped at a gas station by the Iowa/Missouri line, a truck pulled up next to us and I heard a familiar screeching from a lady sitting in the front seat. Now this is about eleven-ish in the evening, and someone is calling out my husband's name. It turned out to be friend Sue B. just returning from a Tampa vacation! She had been staying about 30 miles away from us! Anyhoo, they were trying to get home through the messy weather, too.

It was nice to be in warm weather. I even mowed the yard last Tuesday, and then worked in the flower beds. We enjoyed watching the dolphins swimming right up next to the seawall in the backyard. I tried getting some pictures of them, but was usually too late. I had Hubby take of picture of my two sis-in-laws and me standing by the water, but it appears that he is about as good a photographer as me, 'cause he got Zonna and part of Nina, and I think my arm. Whatever. That's the story of my life. I have two baby pictures (both with my face turned away from the camera), and about twenty more pictures sprinkled throughout my life. That's about it. Except for the selfies I have taken of my different stages of hair growth. What a legacy!!! LOL (Hey, just posted the pictures and I guess Hubby did an okay job after all - my bad).

Talked to sis Sandy today, and she said niece Heather had her first chemo treatment and came through it like a champ! Her second session is this coming Tuesday. Thanks for all the good thoughts and especially the prayers. I know first hand that those REALLY help.

I have survived being in the "White Conspiracy" club. We sold "Snowball", the white car we had in Florida. For the short time I was a member, I am proud to say that I never divulged any club secrets. Perhaps that is because I don't know what the heck the secrets were 'cause nobody (that drives white vehicles) is talking. Sigh

This post's quote is from the front of Penny Marshall's (Laverne & Shirley) autobiography. If you get a chance to read it, it's worth it. There are two different sections of the book that were exceptionally funny, I was absolutely laughing so hard, I was crying! I was reading it on the way home from FLA and sis-in-law Nina must have thought I was nuts, when I tried to tell her why I was laughing but couldn't get the words out.

I wanted to post a few photos of the kids (with Jenna and me) making snowmen and a snow fort and sledding earlier this month, and a few shots of the dolphins. Use your imagination, and maybe you can actually see them.