airing on

I'm Greek!

2010-04-29T17:03:00.004-06:00

I realize that it has been a really long time since I have been to visit you but today I'm working around my kitchen and feeling a little bit like I have a chuckle bursting to get out. So I will once again try my hand at writing my thoughts and see if you may get a smile. (It is hard at this time in life for me to know if it is my funny bone laughing or just hormones. So you'll have to let me know.)

As I have been making supper I have not been able to get the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" off my mind. You see, tonite we are having Vegetable Moussaka. We have just discovered this dish and it is so yummy that it makes me think that in some vague way I resemble a Greek chef. Yes, it is a dish that is so out of the ordinary that you kinda feel like you may have some special talent in the area of cooking. (If any of you know me, you know that I do not enjoy cooking. I love eating but the prep of food is a task I do not enjoy. That is one more reason I feel Greek, the love of eating.) Anyway, back on track, in the movie Tula says at the start how she just wanted to be like all the other girls with their wonder bread sandwiches but she had to eat Greek foods like moussaka. Ever since then I have wanted to know what moussaka was and what it tasted like. Although this recipe doesn't have the meat in it that Tula's aunt so shockingly couldn't understand when Ian informs them that he's a vegetarian, it is still extremely good.

Anyway, with the smell of it cooking I feel as if I should break out dancing around my kitchen saying "om pah". And then I find myself wondering if the next time you see me you will notice that I'm looking a little more Greek. (Just as Ian did to Tula's aunt.)

So, for now I will do a little jump and twirl in the air and raise my hand with my imaginary glass and say "Om pah".

" I think I'm losing my marbles" #2

2009-03-12T19:46:00.006-06:00

The other day I had one of those LOL moments. (You have to laugh or you'd just have to cry of embarrassment.)

It was Mon Mar 2 and when I woke up that morning I was in pain. So I figured that a massage was my only chance to get on my feet. I crawled out of bed and phoned the massage therapist asking for an appointment. I knew that I would take anything that she had to offer even if it meant clearing my schedule. As it happened she was able to take me at 1:00pm. I got in the shower and was shaving my legs when it dawned on me that today was the day that I also had me electrolysis appointment at 2:00pm.

I have been seeing my electrolysis lady for years and we have finally got to the place where we are on my swimsuit line. (That means that you don't shave your legs for at least 2 days before your appointment.) As I was finishing my first leg and starting my second leg I realized that today was my appointment and I had just shaved half of my appointment away. I had made this appointment a month before and didn't want to miss it so I decided that I would just leave the rest unshaven. That way I would at least benefit from some of my time and money.

While on my way to massage I thought I'd be a good customer and phone ahead and let my electrolysis lady know that I would be about 10 min. late. I figured it would take an hour for massage and 10 mins to drive across town to the salon. My electrolysis lady's answering machine came on so I left a message knowing that she would probably check it between appointments. As it turned out I was in my car at 2:20, and knowing that I had missed half of my appointment I sped across town while phoning to tell her I was still coming. Once again I got her answering machine. That put me in an even bigger panic. In my mind I could imagine the frustration she would be sharing with the other people there about the tardy customers not realizing how valuable her time is. Well I finally arrive at 2:30. When I got in to the salon my embarrassment hit while I tried to think of how to explain my half shaven state. I could imagine the shock and effort it would take for her not to laugh at what she saw. That is when I burst out laughing at what happens when your mind starts to go.

Chuckling to myself I approached the appointment desk. The lady who sat there looked at me a little strange when I said that I was here for my appointment. She very hesitantly said that she would check the electrolysis appointment book. When she came back she informed me that I was booked in for 2:00 on Mar. 3. "Yes" I said "that's right". She smiled at me and said "Mar. 3 is tomorrow". I burst out laughing and let her know that I was having one of those days. What I omitted was that lately these have been the majority of my days, not really the exception but kind of the norm.

Once again I thought of Tootles off of Hook who walks around frantically saying "I've lost my marbles, I've lost my marbles".

How scary is it to think that Tootles has become one of my kindred spirits?LOL

Anyway, if you are losing your marbles let me know, I'm getting quite good at looking for marbles. Who knows, maybe they're where mine are? LOL

Old Age

2009-03-02T18:04:00.000-07:00

Why oh Why does getting older have to be so painful?

I remember when older people would say to me that when you hit 40 it all starts to fall apart. I also remember thinking to myself that I will never be like that. I will keep myself in shape and I won't have to be like that. (As if I had total control of what older age would look like for me.)

In my mind I was the older women who is running down the beach looking like the 20 year old and being the envy of the world. Perfct hair, perfect body, no wrinkles, totally stylish, straight out of the magizine and off the movies. That was going to be me, in my mind.

Now the reality has hit. None of that has happened. I am 50 and falling apart.

Help!

2009-02-06T10:00:00.005-07:00

Wow! Here it is 2 months later than my last post and I find that I'm struggling finding time to write.

So, that today is my big frustration. All my friends and family find all kinds of time to be on their computers blogging, e-mailing, ect. and I can never seem to take enough time to blog which is one of my favorite things to do.

I have e-mails that I want to send and yet it seems that when I get the computer booted up and ready to write that something always comes up.

Please help me figure out where I missing the mark on organizing my time to get these things done. Any suggestions? I'm all ears. (If your still out there and checking this sight out.)

To do about nothing

2008-12-01T10:16:00.001-07:00

Today I feel like posting but I can't think of anything to write so I thought that if I just start maybe something would come to mind.

I just realized that we are starting Dec. and that means only 3 weeks til Christmas. I found that my mind got rather racy at the realization. At my age that is the only thing that's racy about me, other than my heart sometimes. The docs like to call it panic but I don't think that's possible at 50.

Anyway, the panic of Christmas is in the air and for all those who are ahead and almost ready my congratulations go out to you. For me, I haven't even started yet. I have no idea as to what I'm doing in the gift department but I have thought about the food side. That's all I've done, just thought. Oh, I did dig out the snowman welcome for the front door and set it in place.

Here is another strange thought. Have you noticed that we buy outdoor decorations and then hesitate to put them outside because they probably will get stolen. I have now bought 2 different snowmen to be set by the front door but have made places for them inside the house because I don't know how to attach them to the house so that they can't be took. The welcome snow girl sits inside my front door and now my new one will probably go down stairs by the entry to the family room. I have now decided to decorate a little tree with colored lights and put it out front. Not near as nice but if it gets took it isn't much money lost. Who knows maybe I'll still come up with a good idea to attach the new snowman to the railing.

With having renovating the house this year I now have no idea how to decorate for Christmas. I now am missing walls and shelves that used to hold all my Christmas ornaments. (Now there is a reason to feel a little racy. Isn't it amazing what makes our hearts race at this age.)It takes a lot of work to figure out a new pattern for all the things I love to have out.

Well, this turned out to be all about Christmas but there it is, my ramblings for today. Nothing profound just dribble. (Is that even a word or did I manage to make something up based on a sound of some other word?)

Think I'm losing my mind? Could be true. I'm still looking for my marbles along with Tootles off the movie Hook.

Cha! Cha! Cha!

2008-11-27T22:02:00.000-07:00

Today I just confirmed my order for the core rhythm workout videos. I'm quite excited about it because in no time flat I will have the body of a dancer. Yes, you heard me, the body of a dancer. I can hear you chuckling out there but the TV has promised me that this will work in no time flat. So when it happens I should be the envy of all of you.LOL

This workout is done with Latin dance and is supposed to tone the core of a person like doing palates or yoga. And all that with no stress to the body. Sounds to good to be true hey! Well I guess that time will tell.

I think the hard part of exercise for me is finding something that I love doing. I am not a big athlete the way that so many are and so I get tired of doing what ever after a while. The one thing that Hubby and I have done is to take old time dance and we just love it. You would be shocked at how hard on the muscles it is. Every time we go we say that we'll have to do this more often in order to keep up. So now with the Latin dance to tone all those core (isn't that a nice way to say flabby stomach) muscles I should be on my way to a lean mean fighting machine body.

I haven't broke the news to my hubby yet and I'm just not sure yet how to do it, but I had better get at it before the charge shows up on the credit card. He's always okay with what I do but he'll probably want to know if I think I'll use this one. We have a shelf of exercise videos that haven't worked. I have watched them with a big bowl of popcorn and never seen any change so I know that he has every right to wonder how this will work. The only thing that I can come up with is to actually do them. Now that is a scary commitment for me. I think that I may need to have accountability in order to make it through, or at least give it a fair try. When I told one of my close friends she said that she may try them with me. If there is anymore of you who would like to join the club maybe this thing might work. You know what they say about accountability and all that.

Anyway, that is my new adventure and I'm quite excited.

Cha! Cha! Cha!

"I had a dream........"

2008-10-23T08:45:00.005-06:00

I had a dream last night that I actually would classify as a nightmare. My dream was not a vision of things that could be, although I guess that would be possible, but a dream in which I woke up wondering if there was a message in it for me. I really hate it when you have disturbing dreams and wake up feeling shaken and inadequate.

In my dream I was on this singing team that went to churches to lead worship. Everyone on this team was around my daughters age. We were just going up on stage when all these girls, four of them, told me that I was to old and couldn't keep up with them. All the way through that night they kept taunting me about how inadequate and slow I was to be singing with them. Needless to say I was devastated and couldn't understand why they hadn't said anything before. And why were they humiliating me publicly. They felt that I should have known that they were way out of my league. I was just to old to sing with them. Thankfully, I woke up. But that nightmare left me wondering my question of today, "Is there an age in which you should quit doing the things that you love just because you are a certain age?"

I'm 50 and to this point I have been on a worship team most of my life. I am wondering if there is an age where it is inappropriate to be on the team when everyone is younger than you? Throughout my life there have been times that I have thought that there are people who should realize that their time has come and it's time to be your age. I find that I wonder that for things like dress, hair, behaviour etc. Now I find myself wondering if that extends to ministry?

I have heard it said often that it is time for the younger generation to step in and lead. Up til now I've been okay with that because I was that generation. Now here I am stepping over that thresh hold of the older generation and I find myself wondering if that means it's time to give up being part of a music team because right now I'm gray haired and over 50.

So again my question comes up "Am I to old to continue singing for worship in a church that has young music? Is there only certain music that you publicly do that is age appropriate?" or "Should I should just dye my hair and try and fool the world into thinking that I'm younger than I am?" (By the way I'm not judgemental on coloring hair.)

P.S.
Do you think I'm going through a midlife crisis?

Vanity, Vanity, All Is Vanity

2008-10-09T18:34:00.003-06:00

The other day my funny bone got a tickle when I realized how well we women fake things in life.

Last week we started our bible study group that we call Lifegroup. It was at our house and I thought how nice it would be if I started the year off right by providing something homemade for the snack at coffee time. I decided that chocolate cake would be the best choice cause.....who doesn't love chocolate? (Other years everyone who came knew to expect bought snack from me.) As I was cleaning house I was thinking about getting this cake on the go and where to find the right recipe to gain the desired result of surprising everyone. I could smell the cake baking in my mind and I could see it sitting on the cupboard on my pedestal plate making mouths water.

Well, as I thought of all the processing this would take I found myself in the pantry looking at my shelves wondering where I had put that Devils Food Cake mix. Ah Ha! .... there it was, and guess what? Right beside it was that frosting in a plastic container. Just the right amount for one 9x13 cake. And here is the best part, the cake mix only needed 2eggs, 1/3c oil, and 11/3c of water. Mix for 1min, yes 1 whole min. and pour in a rectangle pan. This was only going to take me about 5 mins. from start to finish. Frosting takes another 3 mins. and whala! done. A total of 10 mins at the most with all the ripping of bags, buttering of pan and cleaning up afterward. (For any of you that really know me, know that I don't really like cooking and baking so this was the ticket to making me look really good.)

Later that evening as we came to snack time my hubby announces that I have baked a cake for coffee time and that is when it hit me in my funny bone. It was all I could do not to burst out laughing because I had not really created anything but I still was going to look good.

Now isn't that just like us women? Anything to make us look good and feel better. Fake hair color, fake nails, fake faces (botox), fake boobs, fake cakes ...etc.

This is the price we pay for our vanity! And guess what? We Love It!!

My Electronic World

2008-09-25T21:06:00.003-06:00

I am so excited because I have gotten my very first computer. Yes, we have had two computers at our house for a few years but my hubby bought me my very own computer.

It is a mini computer. It is small and is a little tricky to type on because the keyboard is so small. This is not the smallest computer out there but it is about an inch bigger than the littlest one that I have seen. Not counting the I-phone and I-pod-touch.

It strikes me funny that I'm so excited about this because as you all know I'm "electronically challenged". I'm determined to learn this, but as I am with learning Spanish so will I be challenged with learning my computer. However, I am still excited.

Well, that is it for today. Not much but something that I could type on my new computer.

See you later!

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

2008-09-20T14:20:00.001-06:00

In the past few months I have been busy helping my parents move and as that has come to a close we have had family visiting and it hit me with a tickle that in many ways we resemble the Big Fat Greek Wedding family. Here's the story.

My brother and sister-in-law from Germany came to Canada to help settle their daughter into school. While they were in Canada they took the time to visit Mom and Dad. (Their daughter is going to school in a city that is about 6 hours away.) They only had a few days that they could be here so I decided that it would be a great idea to have those of the family that are around here over for a potluck of sorts supper. That way everyone could see them while they were in town without it being to much running for them. When the evening came it turned out that there were 19 of us for supper. It was great and I actually think that everyone had good time. Of course you can't visit on the same level as if it was one on one but with the time crunch I think it worked out well. That was on a Sat. night.

Tues. morning my sister called and said that she and her daughter and her daughter's husband were coming up to see Mom and Dad. They too, only had two days before they would have to fly out. My niece and her husband are from San Diego and those of us in the family that live here have never met her husband as he is from Costa Rica originally. Once again, I decided that it would be a good idea if everyone came for another potluck supper. (Sat. had worked out so great.) As I was adding up how many would be here if everyone came the number added up to 27, and that is when I realized that we closely resemble My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

The scene that played out in my mind was when Tula takes Ian's parents to meet "The Family". They were expecting to meet 4 people and when they arrived the front yard was full of all the relatives. Ian's mother has fear written on her face as she makes her way to meet Tula's father.

That is how I imagined my niece's husband feeling when he came to meet "The Family". (I couldn't help but laugh.)

The evening turned out great and I actually think that my niece and her husband had a good time.

So, what do you think, we're not Greek but don't you think that it may be somewhere in our blood?

"Why Me Lord?"

2008-09-12T09:55:00.004-06:00

You ever see the movie The Last Holiday with Queen Latifah?

Today I feel like Georgia Byrd when she asks over and over "why me Lord?".

I haven't felt well for about a week and I'm finally tired of trying to be positive about it. Today I feel like ranting and raving at God for the decisions he makes. So this post is not going to be the most positive posts that I've written but at least I'll get it off my chest and feel like maybe someone has heard me.

Here are the questions I'd like God to answer:

1. How do you decided who to bless and who not to?

2. How do you decided who to allow to be afflicted with illness and who not to?

3. How do you decided when someones life should be over and why then?

4. Why do you allow some to have optimal health? and how do you see that as fair and loving?

5. Why do you allow some to experience miracles and not others?

6. Why when we're desperate do you seem so far away?

7. Why can't you talk in an audible voice so I can hear and get it first time around?

8. If heaven is so great why make us long to hang on to the here?

9. Why don't you make it easier for us to see your plan?

10. As Georgia Byrd would say "Why me Lord? Why now?".

Although I am asking all these questions please know that there is nothing seriously wrong that I'm aware of, it's just that I'm tired of feeling lousy and I don't make the perfect christian with the up beat attitude in all things. When I don't feel well and I'm tired of it, these thoughts go through my mind. As I look at others and realize that there are so many that have it worse than me, I think to myself "why me and not them?". What makes me think that I should be exempt? I do for a moment feel grateful for where I'm at but then I get overwhelmed and forget. I start to complain and ask all these questions.

So there it is for today. I'll be on a much more positive note next time around.

P.S. Lord, why do you make gray hair on the top of our heads and yet our arms and legs get hairier with dark hair that stands out? Shouldn't it be the other way around?

Speaking in Tongues?

2008-08-28T23:01:00.006-06:00

As I'm sitting here catching up on the blogging world I'm struck again by the funny things my husband gets me into.

To night I asked him to listen to my comment that I had written on another blog and when I had finished reading it he said "good". Not an unusual answer but when I asked him my next question I got this strange sound in response. (I'd repeat it for you but it was so unusual I can't even remember it. (the pitfall of age).) As a matter of fact right now in the background there are all these mumblings going on. He is, yes, taking an on line Spanish lesson.

For months now he has been telling me that we need to take Spanish lessons and I've been waiting patiently for him to let me know when that is to take place. Well, I guess tonight is it for him. He hasn't told me yet that I need to start but I'm sure that it will be coming soon. It has hit my funny bone with how he is letting me know that the time is now.

This brings up memories of scuba diving, and down hill ski racing. Anyway, that is another topic and I must not get to far off track or I'll lose my thought that I'm working on.

Here it is, I think I going to learn Spanish.

Now, many of you may be thinking "what's so big a deal about that?"

MEMORY! That's the big deal.

I'm the person who has to make a mental note of where I park the car in relation to the store so that I can find the right aisle to find it again. I repeat in my mind as I look in that aisle "it is a green Jetta TDI" I am also the person that tells her friends and family to make sure that if they see me wandering the street to pick me up and take me home. (I can really relate to the old guy Arthur Abbott in The Holiday when Iris picks him up and takes him home.) This is why the thought of learning Spanish scares me.

So, here is my question for today "do you think it's cheating to ask God to give you the gift of tongues in Spanish?" Not trying to be disrespectful of God and the gift he gives but it would sure be helpful for me if he would just let me wake up one morning able to speak and understand Spanish. It would be so much easier.

Oh well,....just wondering?

Go! Go! Gadget #2

2008-08-24T22:31:00.006-06:00

A while back I did a blog on gadgets and how I love them. Well this weekend while in the city I needed a new blender to go with my bosch kitchen centre. We found the store and boy was it a find! Here are the great finds that I got:

1) Paring knives that are no stick and dishwasher safe. To top it off they are even sharp. (I guess I'll see if they really keep their sharp edge after the dishwasher.) It also isn't supposed to stick to the food that it's cutting. Oh, by the way the grip is no slip.

2) A sconce pan. It is so cool. It is heavy and has the partitions for the sconce, cornbread, or biscuit. No cutting required, just put it in the pan and it comes out in the perfect wedge.

3) An onion keeper that looks like an onion. When you cut an onion and only need to use a portion of it, the rest goes in this keeper and is sealed so that you don't get a stinky fridge. When you next want to use that left over onion you look in the fridge and know exactly where it is. (They had tomatoes keepers and garlic keepers but I didn't get them. Thought it would be good to try this one out first to see if it really works.)

Well, that was my finds this weekend and I'm excited to try them. For me this is like Christmas. I know that for many of you it seems a little boring but I was so excited that I just had to share it with someone.

P.S.
By the way, I will be visiting that store again when I'm in the city. There was so much to look at that I definitely need more time to unearth more great finds.

Anyone out there had any great finds lately?

Love is in the air

2008-08-22T11:26:00.001-06:00

Are you a romantic?

I am. I know that is kind of a silly thing to ask but I was wondering if any of you out there find romance in the strangest places? It's easy to find romance in a movie or a book, but every so often it pops up just out of the blue when your least expecting it.

Well I don't normally but the other week at church while our pastor was giving his sermon, I all of a sudden found a "read it in a book kind of romance". You know the kind of romance that gives you tingley feelings and makes you wonder if there is another man in this world that could possibly be the hero that you just read about.

There I was sitting listening to the pastor; who, by the way, was not talking on romance at all but teaching in the book of Ruth on some other topic; when all of a sudden I got this visual image of Boaz arranging the events for insuring that Ruth would become his wife. Here he was just walking in his field when he spots this girl who is gleaning grain. She doesn't notice him but he is taken enough with her that he tells his hired men to make sure that she isn't sent away and in fact make sure that a little grain is left behind so that she would have enough. Then one day he invites her to have dinner with him and his hired crew. She was a little shocked and couldn't figure out why he was showing her such favor. I think that maybe he had a bit of a fascination with her and wanted a chance to get to know her. As time went on, and I think that maybe he had her take lunch at his table frequently, he realized that she was something really special and love bloomed in his heart. He then went through their cultural rituals and made sure that there could be no mistake in her having to be given to someone else. He thought of it all and made sure he covered all his bases so that she could be his.

I don't see how Ruth couldn't help but fall "head over heels" in love with him. Wouldn't you? Having someone persue you and make sure that no one else could prevent you from being together. That is a "knight in shining armor" moment.

In the end they did get married and I think lived happily ever after.

Know what else I think is interesting about this love story is that they didn't have this hate then love relationship. They would be a happily ever after couple because they complemented each other right from the start.

Anyway, there it is, romance in church. I know that the Bible has always had romance in there, after all, God is the creator of romance, but it has never hit me before where it moves my emotions and I can picture the scene playing out in front of me. It's not the mushy gushy stuff either but the way that Boaz looked out for Ruth and took care of her needs. Just gotta love him.

I am sure that if my pastor was to read this he would be shocked to realize where my mind went in his sermon but like I always say "There it is".

Well, I hope that you find a little romance in your day. It makes the heart feel good.

That tickles my funny bone!

2008-07-28T21:54:00.001-06:00

I have noticed that Dick and I have totally different humors. He will laugh at jokes and funny sayings and I laugh at situational humor.

Have you ever seen the show Canada's Worst Handyman?

I find myself rolling on the floor, tears running down my face and hardly able to breath. Dick sits there and watches me wondering what I find so funny. He just doesn't get it. He finds little humor in how bad someone does a project, in fact he thinks that it has to be fake because no one can be that bad. I simply think that yes there really could be people out there that are that bad. I think that I see myself in them. I love the concentration on their faces and how hard they work at things and how they can get it wrong so many times; to the point where they settle for what they can make.

If your watching it this year, Tex is my favorite. I haven't seen all the shows but the few I've managed to watch he was hilarious on. I am still laughing at the things he and the others have done.

Since I started this blog, the show has ended for this season and guess what? Tex wasn't Canada's worst handyman.

What tickles your funny bone?

Him & Her

2008-06-15T16:00:00.002-06:00

My hubby is going away for a week without me and as I assured him that I would be fine on my own I got to thinking about how it works with men and women when one goes away and the other stays home.

This is what I have observed. It would seem to me that when a women goes away and leaves her hubby at home alone that he will get many invites out for supper, or out to do lots of fun things. When her hubby goes away and leaves the his wife at home there is seldom invitations to dinner or out for fun. She is usually the one who initiates the effort to fill her time with other people.

I think that it is interesting that we seem to think that women are better on their own at home than a man would be. Makes you wonder how bachelors do it. Maybe something happens after men get married, they become incapacitated with life at home. What is even funnier is that when their wives are home they can cook and clean almost as good as she can.

Anyway, just thought that this was an interesting observation. It's not a complaint, just interesting.

Since I started this blog, Hubby has come and gone. Guess what? I was invited out 2 times. It was great. I'm starting to wondering if maybe my observation may not be totally accurate. What do you think?

Random Rambling!

2008-06-05T22:46:00.001-06:00

Hello! I'm back!

Thought that it was time to do a little rambling. It has been so long since I have been here to visit that it is hard to get my mind to work but setting that aside here it goes.

I have just turned the big 50! and I am back to the embracing my age thing. Yes, my hair is on the grow out again. I tried this once before as some of you may remember and lasted about to 3 inches of growth before I had to color it. Well, I'm at it again and this time I'm going to try a new tactic. My original thought was to just cut all my hair off to the gray, which is about an inch to inch and a half long. When I asked one of my friends what she thought, she suggested that I should get my hair highlighted with a silver blond and then let things just continue to grow. It sounds like it may be the way to go so I'm thinking about trying that.

What do you think? Think it will work? Hope that I don't look like I'm about to put one foot in the grave. Yikes!! Guess time will tell.

(Since starting this post I have seen the hairdresser and she suggested that I just cut it short and keep it that way til it grows out. So that is what I am doing and so far so good. However, I'm almost at the 3 in. again and it is getting tougher to hold out.)

Do you think that getting klutzy is something that happens when you get to my age? And do you think that it will last forever?

Today as I was making supper I could easily been on the Three Stooges with the calamity that was happening at the stove. I was making pancakes while talking to my sister on the phone. In order to keep them warm it required the oven to be turned on. I am not using my own stove and for some reason I couldn't get the oven on. After finally getting it, I went to open the door and boy was it springy. All of a sudden, bang! The door had slammed shut sending the pasta jar that sits on the back of the stove right into my frying pan with pancake batter it in. My sister stopped mid sentence to ask if everything was okay. I answered yes as I'm holding the phone on my shoulder, the spatula with two pancakes in one hand, trying to clean the mess and open the oven door all at once. (You never know with these glass pasta jars if direct heat will cause them to shatter.) When I finally got things under control my mind started to play one of those old movies with the Three Stooges or I Love Lucy. It seemed like I was living some of the things Lucy would get into. Yikes! I hope I'm not turning into Lucy.

Maybe I should drop the embracing my age with gray hair and just go straight to red?

I am still alive!

2008-03-24T20:14:00.003-06:00

Just thought I'd drop a note to say that I am still alive and doing well.

We are still in the middle of home reno's and due to some delays will be out of our home for a few more weeks. I'd like to think that it will only be 3 weeks but at this time I have no idea how long.

Please know that when I get back home I hope to continue blogging but for now it is on hold just like the rest of my life.

I look forward to hearing from you again. See you in a while.

Why, oh why?

2008-02-27T14:54:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the whys around going away for a holiday:

1)Why is it that your clothes don't fit when you wore them only 7 months ago?

2)Why are your clothes never the right ones for the occasion causing you to feel that you need to buy new ones?

3) Why do you always get a sore throat and cold just a couple of days before you leave?

4) Why is packing such a dreaded job? (Where are those little elves.)

5) Why do you feel as if your house has to be clean and in perfect order before you leave?

6) Why is it so hard to decided on how many shoes you should take and which ones are the right ones? (This is a biggy for me with my shoe fetish.)

7) Why is it that your suitcase always weighs a lb or 2 less than the maximum weight causing you to stress over how accurate your scale will be to the airport scale?

Even with all the "Whys" it is still worth all the effort for those 10 glorious days of laying on the beach, swimming in the pool and ocean, eating all day long and sleeping til your not tired.

"I think I'm allergic to mornings"

2008-02-25T14:51:00.001-07:00

I have come to the conclusion that no matter how hard you try you can't make someone a morning person. If it is possible to be allergic to morning then I think I am. I notice that when I have to get up early that I show the signs of an allergy: puff eyes, watery eyes, dark circle under my eyes, headachy, sometimes stuffy nose, a bit of a sore throat, and a foggy mind.

I have had to get up most every morning the last couple of weeks by 8:00 a.m. Not only have I had to be up but I have had to look as if I am ready to do the day. Up until this time I have had very few times where on an ongoing bases I have had to start my day in this fashion. When the kids were in school we we're up by 7:00 - 7:30 each day but at least I didn't have to be out of my pj's and housecoat, hair looking half way presentable. And after they left I could either climb back into bed for another hour or slump down on the couch and let the early morning run off me. (Yes, I did feel a little guilty that my kids had to have it together so early and I expected them to do it no complaining.) All the years I worked I started work and between 9:00 - 10:00. I used to tell people at work that I didn't wake up til 10:00 and that is why I was so quiet in the morning. I simply can't think before 10. My presence was in body not mind.

Now with contractors arriving by 8:00 a.m. this has been my schedule. I don't want them to think that I'm pathetic or something so I watch the clock and try to time myself to get everything done before they arrive. I find myself longing for the weekend to arrive when its only Tues. By the time Fri. gets here I am giving myself pep talks on how I can do this, "its only one more morning before sleep-in day". "Tomorrow I won't have to watch the clock", trying to sneak in just that last minute of dozing. I rejoice in Sat. morning and the feeling of my bed as I lay there thinking about how great it feels to not have to get up. (Isn't that pathetic?) As a matter of fact, by the time Fri evening comes I am looking forward to going to bed due to exhaustion.

I have wondered if there is something wrong with me. Why I couldn't get it changed around. Yet, in all my acquaintances over the years I have found that when you're a morning person, you're a morning person and when you're a night person, you're a night person. The way I see it is I've been created by God so why try to change what he had planned. It helps me feel better when I think this way. I'm sure that my hubby may disagree with me seeings that he's a morning person. To him morning is the best time of the day. Ugg! But, he loves me anyway and doesn't resent my sleeping in because he is just as happy getting up.

On the topic of mornings all I can say is:
"I think I'm allergic to mornings!"

Decisions, Decisions

2008-02-23T14:36:00.007-07:00

Why is it that making decor decisions is so hard?

As you know we're in the middle of our renos and with us going away for 10 days there are many decisions that have to be made. I am now at the flooring crisis. I say crisis because it is so hard to get it just right and it sometimes feels that we may never get the pick made before the contractors will be here to install. Here are the things that I am learning about this process and about myself.

1) This week I have spent all my spare time looking for flooring and as I come to the end of the week and look back I realize that although I found a pick I like there is now the whole budget thing to factor in. (I must have expensive taste.)
That created another rush around day today looking for the right price to make the budget work. I may even have to take Mon. and Tues. to rechoose my flooring. Crazy isn't it?

2) The other thing that I came to realize about myself was that it is so much easier to pick for someone else than it is to pick for me. I am usually sure of how things will look when I'm helping a friend pick their choices but when it comes to myself I am having a hard time knowing what I will like and be happy living in for the rest of my life. (I'm under the impression that this is a one time deal.) My hubby keeps saying that "you have to be happy with it". I'm not sure if that is his line because it doesn't really matter to him or if he just doesn't want to hear me complain if it doesn't turn out. I must admit that I will be for a time, after everything is all said and done, be looking to see where I should have changed things. I can't help myself that's just the way I am.

3) It matters alot to me what other people think. I want people to come in and love our house. Ooh and ahh over how great it looks. (Vain aren't I?) There's a great deal of pressure that when my friends and family come to look they will not like it and they will realize how lousy my taste really is. How sad is that?

4) I have come to appreciate the stress that others tell about when they're in a building project. There are times when you just want a normal day, one in which you won't have to make another decision.

With all that I have just said things are moving along right on schedule which I am thankful for. I'm still having fun doing this project. It's going to look just great when it's done.

The Shaggy Dog

2008-02-21T22:41:00.003-07:00

Have you ever seen the movie "The Shaggy Dog" with Tim Allen in it? The dog is 700 or 800 years old. Well if you have then you will understand why I call my dog "The Shaggy Dog".

When our kids were in school, I think the oldest was 12 and the youngest was 8, I allowed the household (including Hubby) to talk me into getting a puppy. After all we all know that every kid should have a pet. The gerbil had finally died, he lasted 2 years and I think that is long for gerbils to live, and the kids just had to have something that they could love. I wasn't fond of rodents and so when the dog came up for discussion, and after much calculation of how long it would live, I consented.

Here was my thought process: the youngest child was 8 and we all know that dogs live for about 10-12 years so that meant that we would have an empty nest at just the right time for hubby and I to start enjoying life. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

Since I gave my consent, our youngest child is married with two small children and guess what? That's right, the dog is still alive. We are still getting a babysitter when we want to go away and we're aging fast. If we don't start to travel soon we'll be in our rocking chairs reminiscing about what?

We have talked about getting rid of the dog many times but it has never seemed like the right time. However, this year we decided to do major renovations on our house and while all this kerfuffle is happening we thought it would be nice to go on a holiday. The dilemma is "What to do with the dog?". We finally decided that maybe it was time to let him go to dog heaven but when the time came to take him to the vet, neither hubby nor I could do it. After all he is part of the family.

A couple of days ago my hubby came home from work and informed me that he had made an appointment with the vet to have the dog checked to see how his health was fairing. I thought this is a good idea and seeing that the dog was as best as we could figure 14-15 this would confirm that he was on his last legs and that the loving thing for us to do was put him to sleep and save him some pain. That was going to make this decision so much easier.

Well, we have the shaggy dog. Our vet visit was unbelievable. It turns out that we have a 17 year old dog and he is in amazingly good health. He has some plaque on his teeth and a little arthritis in his back hip area. He is going blind and he is quite deaf but other than that he is in amazing health. He does not have the body of a 17 year old dog, he has a much younger one. Our vet said that he could in no good conscience recommend that we put this dog to sleep. As we drove home there were mixed feelings in the truck. Disappointment at the loss of our freedom and relief that the dog was in such good health.

So, there you have it. I live with the shaggy dog. I think he just may live to be 700 years old. All we really accomplished in all of this was to make our decision even harder than before.

Sometimes ignorance is bliss and this is one time where I think that would have been. Sigh!

PS
We really do love our dog.

"To Flush or Not To Flush?"

2008-02-12T22:10:00.005-07:00

I have just got back from a week of holidaying and I found that I had one pet peeve while traveling. "Automatic Flush Toilets"

Have you ever noticed how those crazy things flush at all the wrong times?

It seemed to me that every time I'd get in the cubicle and close the door all of a sudden there would be flushing happening. Then just as I'd get comfortable and about ready to take care of business it would flush again.(It kind of gives the experience of a bedday (can't spell that word) LOL) When I'd finish what I came to do and I'm all back together again, there is no way that the toilet will flush. I stand there flapping my arms hoping to trigger the motion sensor and frantically trying to figure out how to get the flush to happen so that I can get out of there.

It would shock you to know how many times this happened to me.

Not only were the automatic toilets a pain but so were the automatic sink faucets. It seemed as if I always picked the one that didn't work. It would work for the person after me but not for me. (I can't figure out what I do wrong.) Others in the restroom would look at me and wonder what was wrong with this woman who moved down the row of sinks waving her hands. Oh well, I always seemed to find one that would work. It was always a great relief to get that job over with.

This got me to wondering if this is how it works for men. Do they have automatic urinals and do they flush at random times just like womens washroom toilets?

Well, there you have it. That is what has been on my mind lately. It's Sad but True!

As the world turns

2008-01-30T22:00:00.000-07:00

My time is short and as always the world is spinning out of control.

We are starting major house reno's. I've been dreaming about this for years. Now that it is beginning and I'm getting a glimpse of what this may entail I'm wondering if this time I may have bit off more than I can chew.

For anyone who knows me, I love renovating things. This time however, there are so many decisions that I sometimes feel like the world is spinning out of control.

Here are some of the decisions I'm in the process of making:

1. Kitchen appliances
2. Cabinets
3. Flooring
4. Front doors
5. Mantles
and the lists goes on.

On the other side of the coin, with this being a reno that we live in, I am trying to pack away furniture and all kinds of junk that we've been accumulating over the years.

Now, this is the topper. We're going on holidays while all of this is happening. Sounds like a good idea to be out of the mess but having not realized all the decisions that need to be made in order for progress to happen while we're gone it is making my world spin at an incredibly fast rate. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited and thrilled that this is taking place. What is kind of funny though, is the difference between preception and reality in this kind of project. I'm sure that many of you are out there saying "I told you so," and I want you to know that you are right.

My one consolation is that I'm enjoying my spiney world.

I'm now going to label my life "As The World Turns"

New thought: I now can litterly be called "one spiny old lady" and you know what? You'd be absolutely right!

How about taking a few turns with me? We may as well get dizzy together!

What is normal?

2008-01-18T12:01:00.000-07:00

This blog is about what is normal? I know that there are many areas for normal but this one is just about time and what a normal day would look like for you. This is how most of my days play out. How about yours?

I had hoped to get time to post more often but it seems that life has a way of throwing us a few curves that change the best laid plans. This is not just typical of blogging but of most things in my life. I am forever planning to get all these things accomplished and I find that at the end of the day I'm lucky to get anything on my list done. There are some things that I purposely don't get done because of procrastination, so those I guess don't count. I know that I'm not a high energy person as so many people are but all that aside I still don't seem to find enough time to do all the things that I'd like to do.

Blogging is one of my favorite things to do but it seems that it gets set aside for the urgency of the moment. I find myself saying "when things get back to normal then I'll have more time."

That is when I realized that this is normal and that is why it is taking so long for me to get the time.

Please don't get tired of checking out my blog sight. I love to know that someone is out there reading them even though they aren't as entertaining as most blogs.

Anyway, this has got me thinking lately about what is my normal and what isn't?

Have you ever wondered what normal is?

"go! go! gadget"

2008-01-10T16:15:00.000-07:00

I am a gadget person.

My kids are always saying "oh mom, you and your kitchen gadgets".

I really like picking up those things that look neat and are interesting and make life look alot easier.

I do have to admit that there are some gadgets in my kitchen that have had little to no use but in the big scheme of things they may come in handy.

Here are a few really cool things:

1) cookie dough scoop; like an ice cream scoop and you get the same size cookie every time

2) egg separator; nice little cup that you pour to separate the egg

3) meat hammer; not just any hammer but one that does it all even outside the kitchen

4) perogy maker; flat red square that dough lays over and makes 4 at a time

5) apple peeler; a hands off crank model

6) fancy pastry cutter, and roller

7) potato peelers; numerous styles

8) fancy veggie cutter; makes those nice squiggly lines

9) remote light controls; works well for turning on all the Xmas decorations with a flick

10) numerous floor cleaning devices; styles of brooms, washers, vacuums, dusters etc.

These are some of my gadgets that I can think of off the top of my head. You can also tell that most of the things I acquire are for the kitchen, hence the phrase "kitchen gadgets". As you can see they all seem practical and therefore make sense to own. They may have a little twist to them that make them a little different from the ordinary but that's what makes them interesting and fun to use.

If you have any gadgets that you think I may be interested in let me know. I'm always looking for the next "greatest idea" that's out there.

Soo.....to all those who are gadget people, "Go! Go! Gadget".

Clean up and shape out

2008-01-08T12:35:00.000-07:00

Here I am on Jan. 8 2008 and I am just getting things cleaned up from Xmas and New Years. How can that be you ask?

In my case that is not hard because to me cleaning up from this important time means cleaning up not just the decorations but all the junk food and chocolate as well. I have been well under control with the tree and decorations but this year the goodies and junk food are taking a little longer than usual. I'm not sure if it is because we have had more junk food this year or less company. Anyway, it is one of those chores that if I admit truthfully I kind of enjoy.

What seems to get in the way is the ever popular New Years resolution of losing weight from the Christmas season. Okay, I admit from the past year or maybe the last oh... 2 or 3 years. No matter how you look at it, it is the guilt of this chore because of the urgency of this resolution that gets me in a fluster.

How am I to look good for spring and summer clothing when I need months of weight loss to get to that much desired goal. (By the way, I never reach the goal, it is just to high and there just isn't enough time.)

And so my dilemma goes on. I eat chocolate, chips and dips, cookies and cake while watching exercise videos and reading weight lose books. I even try to figure out if I can afford to join the various weight lose clubs while I'm trying to finish this chore of cleaning up the Christmas food. After all, we all know that you cant' start any new program until your house is cleaned out of all the bad foods. (I can't seem to bring myself to throw that kind of food in the garbage.) So here I am well into Jan. and working my way at getting things done. (Oh, what we women must do to get things back to normal.)

I hope your house is all righted around from the festive season. If you find that you have the same problem with this chore of food clean up then let me know. After all, there is comfort in knowing that you aren't alone in these difficult times.

P.S.
For those of you who know me, you know that one of my first loves is chocolate. So there is a certain amount of bliss in all of this, it is just those darn mirrors.

The gift of giving

2008-01-02T14:56:00.000-07:00

This blog was written back in the Christmas season and for several reasons it didn't get posted. I have decided to post it anyway because the gift of giving is really a year round gift. Hope you enjoy it.

Have you ever wondered about the gift of giving?

Well, that is what is going through my head at this moment. I have just spent some precious time reading devotions with some of my family and the reading today came from I Peter 3:8-17 in the Bible. The particular part that stood out to me was verse 17: "Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong."

If you take the time to really think about the situations you see around you of people suffering for things that they have done, it is usually those who do things that are wrong choices that suffer the most. I have been in both situations and let me tell you, it is much easier to hurt for making the right choice than to hurt for making the wrong choice. I believe that the primary difference is guilt over selfishness. It is much easier to hurt when you know that you have made the right choice. I think it is a miracle that it is actually a peaceful suffering. I know, you're saying to yourself "peaceful suffering?". Yes, peaceful suffering. I believe that peaceful often gets mixed up with feels good. You can have peace in the hardest and most uncomfortable situations when it comes from right choices. The reason that happens is because you don't have to deal with guilt. It still is painful but you have peace that you made the right choice. I believe that God blesses the hearts and emotions of those who do right, thus giving you the unexplainable peace at the root of all that is happening.

So, as Christmas is the time for giving take the time to make some right choices, even if it hurts, and bless someone who really has a need. And if it is nothing else than making a right choice of action or attitude toward someone and giving up something that is totally selfish for the health and happiness of those you love, then blessings to you in your suffering. God is so good and loves to comfort and bless you who make the right choice.

Merry Christmas and Blessings to those who experience the "gift of giving".

A hunting we will go

2007-12-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I have had the opportunity to blog and as I was waking up today my mind was on all the Christmas shopping that is left to do.

I know that for most people in this world they finish their shopping well in advance and each year I have good intentions of being just like the norm, however in my world there always seems to be interruptions that stop the process. I thought that I would take the time to share some of my shopping experiences with you.

I usually like to have a shopping list but some years there seems to be no good ideas, so when I go to do the Christmas shopping it becomes a hunt. That is a very dangerous things for me because in the hunt I seem to find things that I need and often they seem like buys that I can't pass up.

A number of years ago, when my children were just getting to the age where they had their own money with which to shop it never cross my mind that they may shop for me. That was my first year of making the shopping blooper of buying something that was to good to pass by. My kids faces dropped when I got home and revealed the find of lifetime. A little while later they approached me and asked me if I would mind not buying anything more before Christmas. I felt terrible and have never made that blunder again until this year. I just bought myself pj's that are just the greatest. That was one of my list items so I am sure hoping that no one thought of, or saw the great buy that these were. If any of you have done so that's okay, I'd love to have pj's and could still use one more pair.

Lists are the most important part of Christmas shopping. Well this year has been hopeless. I have already given two kids their gifts because they were going to make the Christmas blooper and buy the item just before Christmas. So what's a person to do but give it early. It now makes me feel like I have not completed the shopping thing. I can't imagine what it will be like to open gifts without everyone having at least one big gift. So, my hunt goes on.

P.S.
Since I started this blog on Dec. 20th, we have opened gifts and guess what? You guessed it, I almost made two bloopers this year. My pj's were #1 and the almost #2 was my Tim Horton's coffee maker. I had this item on my list thinking that no one would give it to me and guess what, my kids did.

We didn't celebrate our Christmas til today, Dec. 29, because all the kids were away for the 25th. In that time while they were away we had company staying and everyday that they were here, which was every day til today, I planned to go out and buy my coffee maker. The only thing that stopped me was the fact that the line in Timmy's is so long that the wait goes on forever. With so much happening each day I couldn't take the time to wait in line. (My company had to have coffee from my substandard coffee maker.) I had a good chuckle when I opened my gift and there was my coffee maker. All I could think of was that I almost made the Christmas blooper two times this year.

By the way, my Christmas turned out to be one of the best. Next year I am hoping to have my list so that my hunting will be just for those who I love and not for me. Hope your Christmas hunting was successful and that your Christmas was great.

I hope to catch up with you again in the next few days, if not "Happy New Year!"

Reader's Digest or a Novel?

2007-12-11T10:30:00.000-07:00

I have come to realize as I have been posting these last few times that I am becoming a novel in my posts.

Around our house we have this saying that when you go on and on about the details of something, you are giving the novel version of the topic. This came about when my Hubby one day was listening to me tell what ever was utmost important to me that particular day and stopped me in the middle to ask, "could you give me the Reader's Digest version and not a novel? I have things that I have to get done." Since that time it has been a part of how we assess a persons personality.

I am a novel and like to have all the details plus feelings and anything that may have led up to that important moment. I like to know all and when I tell things tend to think that others would like my novel version as well. My Hubby, on the other hand is a Reader's Digest version. He likes to get all the facts in the condensed version of what ever is happening. He likes to solve problems and the facts will give him all the info he needs to get the job done.

So I find myself wondering if those of you who take the time to read these blogs are Reader Digists or Novels? I'd love to know.

"Deck The Halls"

2007-12-10T10:52:00.000-07:00

I thought that it would be appropriate to follow "Oh Christmas Tree" with this topic of decorating the halls of our homes for the most exciting time of year.

I don't know about you but for me Christmas is my favorite time. It is the time when I get the warm fuzzies and my emotional side tends to show up. I work hard to get the atmosphere just right. I have my little villages that I set up and different ornaments that help to give that feeling of kicking back and sinking into a stress free time of the year.

Here is the funny part of that last statement. "Stress free". The actual days of Christmas break are mostly stress free for me but the decking of the halls are not. I must say that this year it has gone well so far but it hasn't always been that way.

Most families have their traditions around decorating the Christmas Tree. Well, so do we. Ours has always been a family thing. We decorate the tree on the Sunday as close to the beginning of Dec. that will fit our schedule. When the kids were home we would go out and pick out our tree from the tree lot. (No traipsing through the forest for us. We did try that one year and found that we didn't like the cold that much, besides we also don't have an eye for sizing.) It would then unthaw for a couple of days and when that next available day hit we would decorate in the late afternoon, early evening. We then topped the evening off by watching the old Alastair Sim movie "A Christmas Carol". That was a family tradition. The decking of the tree was always interesting. Hubby would put the star and lights on first, then the kids and I would join in with the decorations. The finishing touch to the tree was the tinsel. Hubby would insist that it be put on one strand at a time. (What he doesn't know is that I would do the back of the tree and speed up the process up by increasing the numbers, moving around the tree as he moved so that we were always opposite.) Anyway, when it was done we would stand back turn off all the lights and admire our handy work. The joke for the rest of the season was that Mom was always poking in the tree and fixing things.

For a number of years now we have been without kids. They all grew up and left us so now the tradition is left to, you guessed it, Hubby and I. As a matter of fact it is mostly I. Somehow as the years have progressed I've become a little pickier about how the tree looks.

Last year it took me about 6 hrs. to get the 400 or so lights just right. It started out with Hubby and I doing it together and when he got frustrated with me fixing his efforts, he gave up. I was working away, grumbling about how I don't like putting on lights when I realized that I was alone and there on the couch was Hubby sound asleep. That does absolutely nothing for the warm fuzzies. Well, we did get the job done and that tree was absolutely beautiful. What we came to realize was that although we think that doing the tree is a special tradition we have changed with our tastes on what is acceptable for a tree to look like. I a little pickier and Hubby a little more relaxed. That adds a little more tension to the process, thus making the heart warming feelings a little less visible.

This is the reason that I was out looking for the perfect tree this year. One that was artificial, full enough to not see through, and had lights already in it. It worked, and you will be pleased to know that the decking of the tree this year was much more fun and alot less stressful because the lights were not an issue.

I am almost done creating the "Christmas Cheer" inside the house. All that is left is the downstairs tree in the family room. One job that I tackle by myself because Hubby thinks that one tree is enough of the warm fuzzies. It's all he can take each year. I, on the other hand, feel like I need a decorated tree in the family room because we spend so much of our time there. I love the feel that colored lights on a tree give the room.

So, I will go about my merry way and continue to "Deck the halls......." and attempt to get just the right atmosphere so that for a few days it will feel like Christmas, and when it is all over will be glad that I took the time.

I sure hope that you are having fun decking your halls and creating "Christmas Cheer" in your homes.

"Oh Christmas Tree"

2007-12-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you but I have a thing about the perfect Christmas tree. I realize that it is impossible to get that right but in my head there exists the perfect tree.

When our children were at home we always had real trees and they always looked like Charlie Browns Christmas Trees. One year I had to lengthen the string on the ornaments so that they could hang far enough down to hid the missing branches. Once we even had to turn the tree so that the back wouldn't show because there really wasn't much tree there. We did manage to put a few ornaments on that back side so that it gave the illusion from the front that there was a full tree. Anyway, there I'm off topic, this is about buying the right tree. The decorating will probably be a later blog cause that in and of itself is quite a feat.

We have been having an artificial tree for quite a few years. It happened the year we left our Christmas tree buying til the last possible moment and all the choice we had was from about 4 trees in our price range. They were really sticks with a few branches and the weather had been so warm that year that most of the pine needles had fallen off. In fact, they we ready to start taking on the brownish hue that happens after they've been in your house for a couple of weeks and managed to dry out a few times. WELL, that is when my dear hubby broke down and bought us this beautiful expensive artificial tree. The artificial trees had been bought out as well, no options of anything cheaper. What we don't do for Christmas. But Christmas isn't Christmas without a tree.

We have enjoyed our fake tree for many years now and this year I felt that it was time to move on to something new. There were two reasons for this decision; the light issue and the fact that when I fluff the branches they are falling off. You guessed it, we were moving into the Charlie Brown nightmare again.

I decided to replace both the upstairs and the downstairs trees. In my hunt I came across one in a store and I ordered one off the catalogue site. Well, here's the skinny on what I found. You should only buy the ones that you can see so that you know what you are getting.

Tree #1: Looked pretty good but I could still see the center pole. Has 450 colored lights threaded in and costs under $100.00. This is very good news for my basement.
Tree #2: Looks more real with the needles but I can see the centre pole. It has 550 color lights threaded through but there are holes everywhere. This tree may be brighter than tree #1 but it is 3 times the cost.

As you can imagine, tree #2 is back in its box and will shortly be on it way back home to the warehouse, where ever that may be.

On a side note, I can imagine that our neighbours must really wonder about us. I didn't pull the blinds closed because the trees were set up and back against the window. There we were with our two trees, lights a blazing, in our living room and our neighbours probably thinking "over kill".

Anyway, I'm on my way to see if there is another tree that is a little fuller, artificial, lighted with color lights, and at least 1/2 the price of tree #2.

Wish me luck! If you have not found your perfect tree yet, here's to your hunt. Cheers!

By the way if you are successful in finding the perfect tree please let me know how you did it. And if you find yourself in the same dilemma that I'm in, it would be comforting to know that you are out there, experiencing the pressure of getting Christmas just right.

"Oh Christmas Tree...Oh Christmas Tree...la la la la la la la la."

Hey, Cinderella

2007-12-02T18:53:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there was a beautiful maiden who had an ugly schedule that made her do all the chores and never let her out of the house. Then one day she got the chance to go to the ball but because of all the work she had to do she didn't find time to get ready until the very last minute. In the rush of the moment Cinderella grabbed her dress and shoes and ran to the ball so she could help put on the finishing touches to the evening. As she bustled around the room adding just the perfect touch to the already beautiful room, she looked down and noticed that she had two different shoes. One black, one blue. Horrified at the situation and what others would think when they realized how unaccustomed she was to such occasions she started to panic, and then rather than cry she saw the humor in this situation. Giggling to herself she realized that she needed a prince to come and present the matching shoe that would make her a real princess.

So, getting on her trusty cell phone (thank goodness for technology) she roamed the city for a prince with a little red car that could come and rescue her. Realizing that it may be hard for the prince to find this elusive shoe Cinderella engaged the help of the prince's trusted aid, who being female understood what a shoe of that color and style would look like.

Cinderella hoped the prince would come quickly bringing the shoe that would fit her foot, thus, showing the world that underneath the plain ordinary look of this "chore maid" there really did exist a princess.

When the prince came along and let her slip that blue shoe on her foot there was no doubt that she could then face all those at the ball with confidence. No more stooping so her dress would cover her unmatched feet. No more walking past guests quickly hoping that they wouldn't look down and see just how inexperienced she really was at preparing her attire for such a ball. It was a moment in which Cinderella could hold her head high and walk with confidence, knowing that the night would turn out just right. And so it did.

Cinderella thanked the prince for coming to her rescue and for rescuing her again when later she found herself the victim in another situation. She had nowhere to turn and the gallant prince flew on swift feet to rescue the moment.

To this prince of the ball, Cinderella will forever be grateful and she will love him forever, as only a mother could. The gratitude will be in her heart for as long as she lives. It will please you to know that Cinderella lived happily ever after because of the prince's selfless heart.

And that is "THE END" of the story.

Isn't it nice to know that in our lives there are princes that come and rescue us. They may not be the prince you marry and they may not always be a man, but there are times in all our lives where we all need to have a prince to get us out of those awkward moments that we find ourselves in.

How about you, have you had a Cinderella experience?

What not to wear

2007-11-21T09:51:00.000-07:00

Today I have a banquet to go to and as happens to all of us women the question is "What do I wear?"

I have fanned through the closet and although it is full I can't find anything to wear. I did manage to find a black pair of dress pants and I think a jacket that might work but no top. So now I have to go out and buy something that will complete this outfit. Have you ever noticed that for most of us women we always end up having to buy something for a special event?

If you have ever watched the show "What Not To Wear" you will understand the dilemma that I'm in. There are times that I have watched and thought how do they come up with the outfits that are supposed to be so much better than what they were wearing. In all fairness to the show, most of the time they improve the persons wardrobe. I appreciate that they will tell people to cover up that which shouldn't be seen by the public, but there are times I think that the outfits don't make an improvement.

Anyway, all that to say that it has made me realize that I don't have much style sense. I tend to stay in the same old groove of "blend in" with the same classic cut lines and things that cover me up to the point where there is no shape. I stay with the neutral colors of black and white, brown and cream and once in a while I splash it up with a little color that I tame down with a jacket or sweater.

If you read my blog on "color my world" you can see that with this style of mine it is pretty hard to get the "WOW" factor into my life. So here I am this morning all stressed out with what to wear tonight and hoping desperately that when it is all said and done people in the room will not be thinking about signing me up for the show "What Not To Wear". I will probably blend into the room, but I will be comfortable and happy not to stand out.

So wish me luck on my hunt to find "what you should wear".

Color my world

2007-11-13T22:15:00.000-07:00

I'm amazed at how some people can pick color combinations that I would never think to pick, and the combinations look great.

I've always wanted to be one of those people that could just look at things and put them together and have the world go "WOW". In my world that is not how it is, but in my imagination that is how I would like it to be. The reason I would like it that way is then all the worry would be off when painting or decorating or getting dressed for what ever event we are going to that is way out of my comfort zone. I know this may seem vain but there it is.

It really shouldn't matter what other people think and for the most part I can live with it, but then there are those times that I would like to hear that three letter word "WOW".

Wouldn't you like to be like that?

Come on, of course you would. It really isn't about vanity but about self assurance and acceptance and anxiety relief.

Anyway, I am helping my daughter-in-law paint in their house and she is one of those people that can put color together that makes you go "Wow". (It really is a gift.) Even if they aren't your colors you still can appreciate the combinations.

Well, my one consolation is that my daughter-in-law is close enough to help me get it right when it comes to "coloring my world".

Just loving it

2007-11-09T15:05:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love it when someone tells you that you are the greatest.
Well, that is happening to me and it feels wonderful. I'm still looking after the boys, my grandsons, and although they keep me busy they are great for the self-esteem. There is nothing better then when they put their little arms around me and say "Grandma you are the greatest grandma ever." What's funny is that I don't have to even do much of anything, just make them feel good. Like make their sandwich, which they think at that moment is their favorite, or tuck them in at night and sing that little lullaby that their Mom sings to them. I get the words wrong but they tell me how great I did even though it wasn't quite the same as Mom's. I think one of my biggest smiles came when I got the movie to work in the van. (For me quite a feat seeings that I am electronically challenged.) Or the playstation turned on with the multiple remotes. (It's acually is a little embarrassing to have to ask my 5 year old grandson to show me how and he can do it.) Anyway, it is doing my heart good to feel so loved.

I know that this is one of those short lived things. They will grow and natually they will then marvel at how I will continue to manage in this world with the little I am able to do. They may even worry if I'll be able to get the TV turned on or figure the stereo out. ( Now I know that if my sons are reading this they are thinking "she can't do that now". And I know your right, but although I'm slow I still eventually get it. So enough out of you two. LOL) They will wonder how I manage without a blackberry or what ever they're called. And wonder why I don't get an updated cell phone, if they even exist by then. This is the cirle of life and although I'm not looking forward it, it will happen and all to soon.

But, for now, I just wanted to let you know that for the last couple of days and maybe still another few I am "the greatest grandma" for this little world and I'm loving it.

"She's a Hotty"

2007-11-08T11:36:00.000-07:00

I can hear you saying "who is a hotty"?
The answer to that is "I am a hotty".

How did I come to this conclusion? The story goes like this:

My hubby is the most adoring husband that there is and that is great. It keeps us happy. He decided one day a long time ago that the grandchildren should learn the phrase "Grandma is a hotty". This is very flaturing coming from my hubby because he thinks I'm a real catch. Yes, I can hear you thinking poor guy but the truth is that is how he feels. I don't know why and I don't get it but there it is and it makes our marriage a happy and secure one. Anyway, when hubby asks the kids "what is grandma" and they reply "Grandma is a hotty" it makes us laugh. (There are exceptions to that, like when they are running through church saying "Grandma is hotty", that is embarrassing.) The reality is that although my hubby thinks that I'm a hotty I do realize that in the real world that is simply not true.

Well today, I am a hotty. Yes, as young as I am, I am experiencing the dreaded heat that comes with age. HOT FLASHES! If this heat wave does not end soon, I may go crazy. And I mean wave because they just hit me full force like a wave in the ocean. I end up just as wet, it's just missing the refreshing part. Anyway, today and actually for the last 2 days I have become a hotty and let me tell you "it's no great shakes". If this is the only hotty I'm going to experience, and I'm positive that it is, then I think that I'll just pass. Some things are just over rated.

What about you. Are you a hotty or are you a "Hotty"?

Who's been sleeping in my bed?

2007-11-07T08:16:00.001-07:00

One of the things that I love is when I climb into bed and my body can't absorb the goodness of the sheets and my pillow smells so good it makes me sigh!. I lay there and rub my legs across the sheets and almost giggle with how good they feel. This is the perfect state in which to experience a bed. Of course, all of this can only take place when there is enough room.

Like most couples my hubby and I sleep together, he is usually in bed before me, so in order for me to experience the euphoria of my bed I have to enjoy it after he heads off to work at the wee hours of the morning. When he heads off I often hug his pillow and enjoy the feel of the bed and the opportunity to sprawl out.

Well, as you know we are looking after the boys and with them missing their Mom they are often finding their way into our bed. (This is something that as a grandma I love.)

This morning I got to experience more love than I could handle when at 6:30a.m., just after my hubby closed the door on his way to work I hear the baby cry. I thought if I just take him to bed with me then maybe he won't wake the other two. The joke turned out to be on me and within 5 mins. I found myself with a bed full of bodies and there was not much sleep going on. In fact there was alot of laughter and jostling from the little bodies that thought it was funny to try and be in one bed together. At least I'm assuming that was what was going through their minds seeings that not much dialogue was going on. The youngest was giggling away and that got the other two going. Well it didn't take long for me to find myself up getting breakfast. As a matter of fact, being the great grandma that I am I decided to get them watching TV and being quiet so that I could enjoy my bed. ( Their Mom has told me on occasion that she does this.) I'm not sure where I went wrong but they had their tummies full and their glass of chocolate milk (I am a grandma), I just nicely got back to my bed, got almost to the sigh and I hear "Grandma, Kolton is in my chair and won't get out." I'm thinking "what part of quietly watch TV did I miss". After sorting that out I climb back in bed, rub my leg across the sheets and think ahhh! this is the life. Then I hear "Grandma I want to lay in here with you."

So, here I am blogging, at just after 8:00 a.m., about my need for the comfort of my bed. It's the next best thing.

By the way, every morning as the door closes from my hubby on his way to work I find my bed filling with little bodies that steel my heart. So, I guess that for the next 7 sleeps or so it will be an adventure to see who will be sleeping in my bed?

Out of the mouth of babes

2007-11-06T21:10:00.000-07:00

This week I am babysitting my 3 grandsons. It has been a very interesting time and I can now appreciate the funny things that Shauna tells me about the boys, especially when they are talking amongst themselves. This is the conversation that happened a couple of days ago.

The boys parents are away for 12 days and we are in day #3, on our way to church, running a little ahead of schedule and so have to kill some time in the van. Benen is feeling sad that his Mom is not around and is shedding tears, so Connor the older brother decides that he will console Benen.
The conversation went like this:

Benen: "I want my Mom."
Connor: "It's okay Benen, Mommy is on a trip"
Benen (sobbing): "I need my Mom"
Connor: "It's okay, Mommy is in Costa Rica on a holiday"
Benen continues to sob and Connor is starting to feel a little sad.
Connor: "It's okay Benen. I'll share my treasures with you, okay?"
Benen: "Your treasures? Okay."
Connor: "Yeah my treasures. They are Mom and Dad and Kolten and you. Those are my treasures."

Isn't life like that, it's "out of the mouth of babes" that we are often reminded what is most important in life. Our best treasures.

Make sure you take some time today to appreciate you greatest treasures.

Let the Sun Shine Through

2007-10-30T16:23:00.000-06:00

Why is it that you always put off doing the important things until you are forced to deal with them.

Today I'm washing windows on the outside of my house because winter is just around the corner, and I can't see out. I've had this panic feeling that if I don't get it done now it will be spring before I'll be able to see out or any light will be able to get in. As I'm out in the cold wind on a day that is maybe +2C I'm thinking why did I wait so long. It takes all the elbow grease I can muster to wipe off the window cleaner that I've spray on. I spray on blue water and as I rub it turns white and thick, struggling to decide if it should become ice. (How can that be? AHHH!) Anyway, it takes alot of elbow grease to get it all off and when I'm done I tell myself "next time I'll get it done at the right time and save myself a lot of grief". I've lived here for 5 summers and I haven't succeeded yet, think it will happen next time?

By the way, when I came inside and cleaned the inside windows I found myself looking at streaks as I gazed out; the up side is the sun can now get in between the lines. (If anyone knows the secret to no streaks please let me know.) Oh well, can't have everything so we will be content with little streaks until next spring when the wind will blow and once again the dirt will close in the windows and I will again find myself climbing the ladder to clean those darn windows.

Hope the sun is shining through for you. Have a great day!

Security Blanket for You?

2007-10-23T20:49:00.000-06:00

Went on my holiday and for the first time in my life I was the minority. That may not seem that bad to you but for me it was uncomfortable. When there was talking going on around me and I had no idea what was being said it made me a little nervous.

It all began as we arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica. We were going through immigration at the airport and the man is asking us where we're staying while there and how long will be our stay. Not bad questions but when all you know is that you're staying at a house in San Jose and he wants to know where it is, it kind of rocks your world. He was not letting us through with out an address. Thankfully my sister, who was with us, was close by and could answer these questions.

Then as we drove there was nothing that looked familiar, no houses like ours and bars on everyone's windows and doors. You go out to eat and have no idea what is on the menu. That is a very strange feeling. (Thank goodness that we were with my sister and brother-in-law who could speak Spanish, were patient with us, and never made us feel bad for asking.)

Now this is not a blog about Costa Rica but about feeling uncomfortable when you are totally out of your element. Some people love and thrive on the adventure of the unknown but I discovered that I like a little security in my adventures. (Thank goodness we had gone with someone who knew the place and people like the back of their hands.)

I never would have thought that it would bother me to go into a situation where I couldn't communicate. I am sure that most of the people must have found me strange as I stood there with troubled brow, nodding with my head telling them with these strange sounds that I had no idea what they were trying to say. I say strange sound because that is what I heard from them. It did sound just like a bunch of gibberish to me. (I wonder if they hear their language the way we hear English?)

Isn't it presumptuous of me to think that somehow I would be able to communicate without even taking the time to learn a little of the language?

I know you all are thinking how elementary of me to think this way but you know that is how I thought, and this blog is the reality of how I felt. You somehow think you can get by.

By the way, our trip was the best, we got to see Costa Rica at the level which the nationals live and not the tourist places, which is exactly what we wanted to do. It was a marvelous trip. We loved it, but I learnt things about myself that I would never have known. I am certainly going back, but the next time I hope to know a little bit of the language so that I can get the drift of what is being asked of me, or be able to give them an idea of where I am drifting too.

That about wraps up my thoughts on this topic of security. How about yours?

Undie, Where?

2007-10-11T22:47:00.000-06:00

I'm going away for a holiday and of course the first thing that has to get done is the laundry. Doesn't sound very interesting and it's not, so my mind gets off on it's crazy road of who decided what.

Well because I'm folding clothes I get to thinking about all the underwear that people have and what is it's purpose. Who decided what undies should look like and what purpose should they have? I know the whole thing should seem rather obvious but when you really think about under things it seems a little strange what some people wear and what the purpose is.

Why do people wear things like thongs? It can't be hygeine cause they don't cover enough to fulfill that purpose. Some of the bras are really rather useless when it comes to holding them puppies in. And the really funny thing is that if you wear the things that do the obvious job then you don't want anyone to know cause they are considered granny clothes.

Men's jocks come in all kinds of styles. Boxers, what do they accomplish? Especially the really lose ones. My young grandsons have their first boxer briefs and their Mom said to me "I showed them how to pull the legs down in their jeans and they really love them". I chuckle at that because it's like layering clothes. Why wear any? Wouldn't that be just as comfortable? (I guess that if you rip your jeans then at least you won't see skin.)

Well that about raps my crazy thoughts on undies. I'm not sure where these thoughts came from but hopefully my holiday will help get my mind back on track.

Catch you later!

blind as a horse?

2007-10-10T09:55:00.000-06:00

I was thinking about my need for glasses and how much I hate it.

I have always had great eyesight and still do when it comes to looking at distance but my short sight is getting worse at lighting speed. As I write this I am sitting at my computer without my glasses and thinking that if only my arms were longer I'd be able to see this screen much better. Yes, I know you are thinking just get up and put those glasses on, but (don't you just love buts) I'm in a hurry to get to work and while these thoughts are in my head I need to get them down because at my age thoughts come and go at an incredibly fast rate and once gone, often gone for good LOL.

Oh dear, I got off topic and now I've got to get back on and with my lost thoughts who knows where we'll end up.

Oh yeah, how I don't like my glasses. Well, because I don't need glasses for the majority of my days activities I put them off and on several times a day. My Optometrist thought that graduated lenses would solve my dilemma, sounded good to me. I went ahead and purchased them only to find that they have many varying sight lines and you have to get it just right. Oh, and to top it off the smaller the glass lens the smaller your perfect sight line is. You can imagine what has happened to me. I can hardly find the perfect place to hold my head so I can see when I look away and then a new position for when I read or do those really important things like, sign checks, credit card slips, or blog. (I'm sure that people wonder if I have a condition as they watch me trying to do those important tasks.) Anyway, that is why I am sitting here to day thinking how I wish I would not find my self becoming "blind as a horse", and becoming more and more dependant on these stylish, (yes stylish because we women are always concerned about our fashion statement) glasses and becoming more and more frustrated with this thing called aging. By the way, my optometrist informs me that it happens to everyone and there is nothing we can do about it. I don't think there is any laser surgery for this. (sigh!)

Anyone know why we use the saying "blind as a horse"?

Oh no, just glanced at the time and realize that I'm just a little late for work. Think the boss will fire me?

Catch you later!

hi-speed internet

2007-09-27T09:41:00.001-06:00

Today when I was talking to my son about the glitch he had to fix on my computer so that I could use my hi-speed internet I realized that somewhere my brain was missing a charge.

My daughter said she would help me on my laptop to learn how to use my blog site. So Fri. night I headed to her place to have my lesson. I couldn't get on her wireless so she took my computer, clicked on all kinds of things, I have no idea where she found them, and "voila" we were on the internet. When the lesson ended I packed my laptop and headed home.

On Tues. night my Hubby could not connect. A little frustrated he inquires as to what we had done to the computer and I being the genius that I am replied with "I don't know". After attempting to correct the problem my Hubby went to bed frustrated.

Feeling bad I called my daughter first thing the next morning. "Can you get me back to where I turn on our internet?" She tried to get me around to solve the problem and undo whatever it was the she had done, but the truth be known she didn't know what she had done. I think her confession was something like "I don't know, I just clicked on different things and all of a sudden it worked. It was a fluke."

My mind could only think of how to let my Hubby know that we would have to get our computer tech. to fix this little problem that probably was some stupid click that anyone with any computer knowledge would know. It was going to be embarrassing, and cost us money.

Then my daughter with her wisdom says "Mom call son #2 and have him fix it. That's what he does. It's his job. He can fix it where I'm not sure what I'm doing."

I call Son#2 and sure enough he would come at the end of his work day and fix it, and it would only take him 5-10 min. I think he said something like "It's okay Mom, I do this all the time. You'd be surprised how often I get called out for this." He did come and fix it, we had simply changed some connection thingy.

When I called to see if it was done, cause I wasn't home at the time that he was here, he told me no problem and as we talked I realized that the reason I hadn't thought to call him was because he works in the oilfield and in my mind that is what he fixed, "oilfield hi-speed internet". It never occurred to me that he could fix my house hi-speed internet.

That is when I realized that internet is internet. There is no special internet for the oilfield that's different than mine.

Now, pleeease.... don't write me off just yet. I am not that dumb about these things, inside I knew how it worked but since I've lost my marbles these kinds of moments are happening.

So, if you come across my marbles would you please send them home.

Thanks!

Help! I've lost my marbles

2007-09-26T10:00:00.000-06:00

I realized today that when I started blogging I had so many things that I wanted to air about and now that I finally have the time to blog I can't remember them. It makes me think of the movie Hook. The character of Tootles is wandering around the house saying "I've lost my marbles, Ive lost my marbles". Well that is me!

So, I'm wondering if any of you could help me find my marbles?

Hook managed to find Tootles' marbles and brought them back to him and I'm hoping that maybe one of you have found my marbles. If you have please send them to me at this address.

to gray or not to gray, that is the question

2007-09-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

Now that I've got the hair cut under control, another decision comes into play. That is whether or not to color my hair. When is the right age to let the gray start to show?

As I looked around I realized that there are not very many gray haired women. And of those that are gray almost all of them are the age of my parents. I'm a grandma (a young one. lol), so what does that say about my parents age? By the way my parents are not totally gray yet. They somehow managed to get the genes that don't give gray hair. They do have some gray or white but not enough for what their age is. Anyway, my question today is should I color or should I let my natural color come out?

Why is it okay for a man to be gray but a women is over the hill if she is gray? You see gray haired men with women who have beautiful color and that's okay, but when you see a gray haired women with a color haired man you take a second look and wonder what he sees in her.

Well, when I started my mission to get short hair I also decided that I should try letting my hair go to it's natural color and see if I could pull off the look. So far so good, only I am constantly telling people that I'm still hanging in there without color but I'm not sure if I'll make it. Why is it that now that my grays are starting to show I feel like I stand out like a sore thumb and feel I need to justify why I'm not coloring it?

I would like to know when is the right time for gray hair to be acceptable for women? When should we embrace our age without feeling that we are totally finished with being attractive?

I realize that there are many people out there that have found it easy to let go of what we think of as our youthful look. So how do you do it?

For now I'm continuing on with the "embrace your age theory" and I'll just have to see where it will end up. Here's to the mature look!

hair day dilemma

2007-09-24T08:00:00.000-06:00

Today is the day to discuss my hair. I have often wondered why it is that we women always put the cutting of our hair at the last of the haircutting priority list. Have you ever wondered why we do that?

I'm always amazed at how I, and maybe I'm the only one, put every one's hair cuts above mine. Not only do I do that with my family, but I even do it with the dog. Yes, can you imagine that? I actually let the dog get beautiful before me. I still can hardly believe it. Some of you may be saying "now there is something I'd never admit," but since this is my blog for airing on about those things that I contemplate, this one is my biggie today. (It's amazing what comes to mind in the shower. lol) Here is how mine unfolded.

I am not a morning person. That makes starting the day very difficult and that includes getting to work. So, I do all I can to make the "getting ready to start the day" seem as painless and the least time consuming as possible. A few months back I came up with the great idea that really short hair was the way to go. I would often hear men talk about how their shaved heads were the best because they could shower and towel dry their hair, then walk out the door. I figured that if men could shave their heads then why couldn't women have really short hair. Now, I'm married to a man who likes my hair a little on the longer side so when I mentioned that I was thinking of this kind of shaved look he was a little unimpressed. Anyway, I was on a mission to make the grooming time a lot less of a hassle.

You got it. I took the plunge and cut it off short. The new look took many of us a week or so to get used to, but now it is the perfect hair for me. It takes about 3 to 5 mins. a day, shaving off the grooming time by 5 or more min. Perfect, I thought. The down side is the growth of short hair and the length of time you have where it is looking acceptable. I happen to be one of those people who grows hair fast, so now I find myself in another dilemma; the dilemma of scheduling, and cost. It seems that I traded one problem for another and so that is how I found myself in the shower wondering who should have the first right to the hair budget. My Hubby, the dog, or myself? The dog turned out to be the first one to dip into the hair account and, because of my contemplation this day, I am going to be second. My hubby unfortunately will be third. (I feel a little bit of guilt but I'm sure it won't take long to get over it. lol)

Well, there it is. My crazy thoughts for this day.

Hope you have a great start to your day with interesting thoughts from your shower. I'd love to hear about your hair dilemmas. Catch you later on another day when my mind gets carried away on another of those strange topics.

Ready...Set...GO!

2007-09-18T17:01:00.000-06:00

Today is the first day of my new life. My life as a blogger.

I'm not computer savvy and so this is a huge step for someone who gets almost paralyzed by fear of doing something that could get me in trouble.

My DH has always been close by to get me out of my computer messes that I often find myself in but this time I am doing something that will be all mine, as he has never blogged before.

Sooo.....here goes my first attempt at what I hope will be a fun way for me to air on about the crazy things that go on in my head. I understand that pretty much anything can go and that I don't have to be some great writer to be a blogger so I'm excited about the opportunity for me to say some of the things that I find myself contemplating that seem a little crazy to say out loud to anyone that I must see face to face on a daily basis.

I'm a women who is in the middle years of life; not the "over the hill" phase. I think at times that I can see the other side, and I'm sure that some may say I'm looking down the hill, but I like to think of myself as just getting to the crest, where I plan to spend a lot of time. I'm not quite ready to start the journey down. (Think that is possible? lol)

So, I'm setting up camp on my crest where I plan to stay for awhile. I hope you'll stop over and join my "campfire" discussions as I wait out the rest of the journey. BYOS (bring your own s'mores) and let's have some fun!