Slow Day

Gotz some problems with muh back and sciatic nerve today. Hopefully better tomorrow, and hope you enjoy this LOL Cat for the day.


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Oh dear...I just read that the H1N1 virus has come back and is
widespread and severe in Georgia. Here is the link for that
http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20100329/severe-h1n1-swine-flu-up-in-south?ecd=wnl_day_033010

I'd hoped it had gone away or fizzled out. Wash your hands well when you are out in public and when you get home again.

Oh My Aching Parts

The Food Bank expedition went well. There were 6 of us...the high school bunch, and 4other kids. Two girls and two boys helped...actually they did their part and were friendly enough. They looked like TCU students, but somehow or other I would have bet money they were doing community service, which is ok with me. Extra hands came in very handy.

There were lots of cans that had to be washed off and checked for anything that might split at the welds. That would result in some very bad food...and very bad for anyone who ate it. It didn't seem to be hard work, but the repetition of lifting one can after another and ultimately putting it into a box until the box weighed 42 pounds was cumulative and agonizing. Last night my parts ALL hurt. I'm a biggo whiner, but I was up very late last night trying to sleep without much success until about time for my husband to get up. It is Sunday and there is going to be a big dose of rest prescribed for me today. We have done our good deeds for a while and I can tell you for sure I'm extraordinarily happy I don't have to work like that everyday.

Another thing that added to the general inability to sleep was that I got the email from Bossy about her trip and that she will be in our area before long. I now remember what it was like to be a kid. I couldn't sleep or stop thinking about it or do much of anything but have my mind run wild about meeting her and the other bloggers in my area for real. I've been reading her blog for several years and she is very funny. I just called my daughter about a place that would be fun to meet with her. On the east coast they went to a bowling alley and had a really good time.

My cousin had emailed about the Bossy thing and she is as excited as I am, and she is trying to quit smoking. I gave her a lot of tips that helped me when I quit. I hope they help. Smoking is an ugly taskmistress. On April 1st, I will be smoke free for three years. She is a strong woman and I'm pretty sure she will beat down that old thing.

My sister is going to be able to go with us, too. She doesn't have a blog, but I keep nagging her about it. She is funny as all get out and one of the few people in the world who can get me so tickled I pee my pants. I'm ready for her now though. PK do your best to get me laffin' that hard again. She uses the screen name PK, and I think it should be Possum. Possum is a pretty funny word in itself.

If you live near the Fort Worth/Dallas area go quick to I Am Bossy's blog and join us! I think it will be so cool to meet some women from my area who like blogging. It is like going to Blog Her without all the hassle.

It is time for my nap....oh man!

Super Saturday

Today we are meeting the High School class to help at the Food Bank and I'm looking forward to it. It will be fun...and is close to Angelo's Barbeque so we will have to stop after work for a quick sandwich for dinner so I don't have to cook tonight.

Since I won't be here to amuse you I want to leave this to tickle your inner kid.



Oh yes...I just signed up to meet Bossy while she is on her "(No) New Book Tour". I hope my sister and cousin can come, too. Super Saturday rocks so far and I'm still on my first cup of coffee.

Dry Shampoos

While shopping at our local Ulta the other day I saw something that was like a timewarp whiplash. It was dry shampoo. For real it was right there in front of me and I still couldn't believe anyone would be so gross as to use it.

Dry shampoo was around when I was a girl and it didn't really work well. It was gross because it didn't really get your hair clean...it just put powdery stuff in your hair and then you brush it out. That is just so not cool. If people think it is a time saver think again. It took forever to brush the mess out and it still looked icky. However, there is a generation born all the time that just doesn't know and they think this is some new wonderful invention that nobody has ever thought of. Blech is all I have to say on this subject. Here is a place to read about the junk...just in case you have forgotten or were in the generation, "gen no powdery hair" and never heard of it.

http://www.doublex.com/section/health-science/do-you-really-have-wash-your-hair-0

I guess they probably have some powdery crap to put on your body so you don't really have to bathe. What is the world coming to? I'm heading for the shower to wash my hair and my other parts so I'll be clean and get this out of my mind.

Hershy's Better: Blog Hop

This Easter season, Hershey is celebrating it’s new Easter products sold exclusively at Walmart and their legacy of making a difference and Hershey’s will donate up to a total of $5,000 to the Children’s Miracle Network together with bloggers.

How can we do this together? It’s simple:

Participate to Hershey’s Better Basket Blog Hop of giving away virtual Easter Baskets by creating a blog post with specific rules described here.

Hershey Company will donate $10 per each blog post to CMN, up to total of $5,000.
One blog post per URL counts towards the donation, but you can give as many virtual Easter baskets as you want.

The Hershey’s Better Basket Blog Hop will officially begin at 12 AM EST on March 18th and end at 12 PM EST on April 4th, 2010. Blog posts submitted to us before or after that time period will not be counted for.

The blog post link has to be submitted to us for the donation to be counted.
In addition copy and paste the following text in your blog post:

Melli gifted ME with an Easter Basket by tagging me!





~ the Hershey’s Better Basket Blog Hop is Here ~
HERSHEY’S BETTER BASKET BLOG HOP RULES

◦Copy and paste these rules to your blog post.
◦Create a blog post giving a virtual Easter Basket to another blogger – you can give as many Virtual Baskets as you want.
◦Link back to person who gave you an Easter Basket.
◦Let each person you are giving a Virtual Easter Basket know you have given them a Basket.
◦Leave your link at BetterBasket.info/BlogHop comment section. You can also find the official rules of this #betterbasket blog hop, and more information about Better Basket with Hershey’s there.
◦Hershey’s is donating $10 per each blog participating to the Better Basket Blog Hop to Children’s Miracle Network (up to total of $5,000 by blog posts written by April 4th, 2010).
◦Please note that only one blog post by each blog url will count towards the donation.



I am tagging

Judy of Living On The Other Side of The Hill
Nit Wit 1 of Coward's Corner with Luckie
Arkansas Patti of The New Sixty

Or anyone who would like to play, all the info to post your link is here and on the Hershey website. It is a good thing!

PS-Mr. Bunny Rabbit is sure grumpy looking, but I guess if you had just laid a plastic egg the size of a hand grenade filled with chocolate candy you might be a little unsettled, too.

Today Was Much Much Busier Than I'd Planned

Early this morning when I posted below that it was going to be a busy day...I had no idea how busy. I spent a great deal of time yesterday gathering up my mil's clothes because I knew there were more...they were just in that hidey hole somewhere. I found them with their assorted stains and such. Their washing machine and dryer left a great deal to be desired, and I think she forgot the clothing had been worn. She would hang it up or fold it and put it away dirty. Also, her stain removal tip must have been straight bleach. There were holes in some of the cotton clothes. However, I did get a nice assortment of more summery things clean and ready for her. I was helping hubby get them into his truck to take over to the nursing home when he didn't come back. I started wondering where he was and came back into the house to find him. He was on the phone with the nursing center about his dad. They were having him taken to the hospital. After lunch he had been taken to the common room where his head fell over onto his chest and they couldn't wake him. So off we went to get her clothes out of his truck so he could meet them at the hospital and I could grab a shower and get dressed. I'd been ironing her clothes all morning. As it turns out he has a very severe kidney infection and they have put him on IV antibiotics and have admitted him to the hospital. He was stable enough for me to leave for a dental appt., I've been biting the side of my tongue from time to time and wanted to make sure all was ok. It was.

I called hubby on the way home to tell him I was going on home, if all was well. He said it was and that they are going to get hospice to come out to help care for him at the home. After I hung up I started crying about it all. I know my husband would like to have a good cry from time to time. This is hard work caring for them and she is so far gone that she never is grateful for anything that is done for her. I hope I die before I get like that. So anyway, it was a busier day than I'd thought it would be and a sadder day than I had any idea that it would be. Right now I have a sinus headache and my tooth hurts, but I only have a callous on my tongue. I guess I really do yap too much. Also, I've been clenching my teeth today and lately all the time and owie...that isn't a good thing to do. It is time for a quick nap and some recovery.

Melli, I'll get that chocolate thing up tonight later. I just gotz to sleep for a few minutes while the a/c is going. Today is hot...bet you already knew that one. *shaking my head*

ps-lemon mixed with salt and rubbed into a rust stain then hang the white cotton garment in the sun over a shrub, is a good tip for the big giant rust stain on one of her a white dresses.

I am not in the mood for John wassis..looks like it should be pronounced Boner and his junk or the silly tea party that I call the teabag party. I'm in a mood for NO more stress. And what is the big deal...the world is going to come to an end December 12th, 2012 anyway. That is before most of this insurance stuff will go into effect. Just let me alone for a little while. My sister and cousin are all freaked out they are going to lose their jobs, because they work in small business and the owners can't afford insurance for all of the workers....some of whom are from other countries south of us....you know. I'm putting myself out of my misery right now and going to sleep....'tis naptime for AmberStar.

Weather gadgets

Busy days...hope you likes de LOL kittehs. This one is a sure fire way to tell when it is going to be a fair day...maybe not so much for kitteh, though.



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It was a close call

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It is snowing here in Texas!

'Tis the first day of Spring here in Texas and it is snowing. How weird is that! The weather guy said we would probably get an inch or so of the white stuff. Maybe...oh maybe after this it will finally be spring for real.

The Princess Project

Yesterday I was reading Pioneer Woman's blog, well because it is just so good. In her Home and Garden area there was a post about "Punjammies" from the International Princess Project. Their mission is to help women and girls who have been forced into the sex trade in India. due to poverty, and the lack of knowledge of how to work, and some have been kidnapped. and sold into the sex trade. The foundation provides a warm home, food, and teaches the women to sew and learn to care for themselves, through the sales of Punjammies. The monies from the sales of the punjammies goes into the program and into savings accounts for the women giving them the ability to live free. After they have broken free they can go back to their friends to tell them there is a way out of slavery and degradation in which they are trapped.

Right now, unless you are an XS they are out of punjammies, but will be restocked on April 1st with all new clothing.

The punjammies are made of very beautiful fabric and they have cotton t-shirts to go with them. The cost is reasonable and the pay off is enormous if one woman is brought out of the hell of prostitution.

The character, Sara Crewe in the book A Little Princess said, "I am a princess. All girls are. Even if they live in tiny old attics. Even if they dress in rags, even if they aren't pretty, or smart, or young. They're still princesses. All of us. Didn't your father ever tell you that? Didn't he?"

My Aunt gave me that book when my dad wasn't around for about a year while I was growing up. I have no idea if she knew the story in the book or not, but I think she probably did.

Browsing Old Cemeteries

A truly Happy Person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour, and, one who can enjoy browsing old cemeteries. Here are some some fascinating epitaphs on old tombstones!


Harry Edsel Smith of Albany , New York :

Born 1903--Died 1942.

Looked up the elevator shaft to see if the

car was on the way down. It was.

=============================

In a Thurmont, Maryland , cemetery:

Here lies an Atheist, all dressed up and no

place to go.

=============================

On the grave of Ezekial Aikle in

East Dalhousie Cemetery , Nova Scotia :

Here lies Ezekial Aikle, Age 102. Only The Good Die Young.

=============================

In a London , England cemetery:

Here lies Ann Mann, Who lived an old maid

but died an old Mann. Dec. 8, 1767

=============================

In a Ribbesford, England , cemetery:

Anna Wallace

The children of Israel wanted bread, And

the Lord sent them manna. Clark Wallace

wanted a wife, And the Devil sent him Anna.

===============================

In a Ruidoso, New Mexico , cemetery:

Here lies Johnny Yeast.... Pardon him

for not rising.

===============================

In a Uniontown, Pennsylvania , cemetery:

Here lies the body of Jonathan Blake.

Stepped on the gas instead of the brake.

==============================

In a Silver City, Nevada , cemetery:

Here lays The Kid.

We planted him raw.

He was quick on the trigger

But slow on the draw.

================================

A lawyer's epitaph in England :

Sir John Strange.

Here lies an honest lawyer,

and that is Strange..

=================================

John Penny's epitaph in the Wimborne,

England , cemetery:

Reader, if cash thou art in want of any,

Dig 6 feet deep and thou wilt find a Penny.

==================================

In a cemetery in Hartscombe , England :

On the 22nd of June, Jonathan Fiddle went

out of tune.

==================================

Anna Hopewell's grave in Enosburg Falls ,

Vermont :

Here lies the body of our Anna,

Done to death by a banana.

It wasn't the fruit that laid her low,

But the skin of the thing that made her go.

==================================

On a grave from the 1880s in Nantucket ,

Massachusetts :

Under the sod and under the trees,

Lies the body of Jonathan Pease.

He is not here, there's only the pod.

Pease shelled out and went to God.

==================================

In a cemetery in England :

Remember man, as you walk by,

As you are now, so once was I

As I am now, so shall you be.

Remember this and follow me.

To which someone replied by writing on the tombstone:

To follow you I'll not consent.

Until I know which way you went.

Spring Break

Wow! It is spring break and there are kids everywhere doing all sorts of things. When I went to work out this morning they were having life guard certifications. Made our aerobics class a little more exciting and their life guard training sort of odd for them with a bunch of old ladies and men on the other side of the rope and they are trying to be so cool and life guardy and all. I called out to one I know and she, after a double take, acknowledged me. I'm sure that was the high point of her day.

Totally understanding that children and teenagers would be in all of the theaters and virtually anywhere my husband and I might have wanted to go, we chose to stay home and watch a high brow movie. I selected "The Year One" for its characters, Michael Cera and Jack Black. They are so next up on the Academy Awards...doncha think? It was an inspiring movie, in that I could give hubby a hard time about who all the characters are...like McLovin and 13 from House, Olivia Wilde, and on and on. I loved this afternoon movie session. There is even a McLovin name generator on the internet , but I was leery of that thing. There is a You Tube of that scene from the movie, Superbad. It was an interesting afternoon.

We meet with hubby's high school class tonight for dinner...well, a burger from Pappa's Burgers . We just saw on tv how crowded it is to get from here to where they are meeting...we will stay home. Except I just remembered we are supposed to get information about when we are supposed to go to help out at the Food Bank. There is never any rest...I think we should go back to work so we could get some relief.

Back in the saddle again

Today was a beautiful day here in Texas. The sun shone the skies were blue and the temperature was balmy. It was a sure sign spring is nearly here. We will still have some cold weather because Easter isn't until April 4th...we get one last cold spell before Easter. I repotted tomatoes into larger containers the end of last week. They are getting pretty big now. I'm going to try to find some other varieties this week. It is good to start them early and keep them in the greenhouse until time to plant. Starting from seeds in there didn't work out too well last year. I guess old habits are hard to break...I just didn't think about the seeds until it was a little late.

Our friend's life has been well and truly celebrated. I know he would have loved it and he was there in spirit. I know I kept expecting to see him come around a corner.
He had so many friends and so many who are very talented. I saw musicians there that I hadn't thought of in years. Trent loved jazz, dressed like a cowboy, and had the gentle heart of a poet. He will be so missed.

This week is going to be uber busy with stuff I don't want to do, but have to. Meetings and appointments everyday nearly...and I'd rather be elsewhere.

Have a wonderful week if I can't get back to you right away.

Out for 4-5 days

At this time I am having computer problems. Hope to be back soon! Computer in the shop. Changing some changing some parts of comments part. Hope it works better.
This sucks big time!

The Wake is On

I talked to my youngest daughter tonight and at this point the arrangements are firming up. Trent will be cremated as he wanted and his ashes scattered over Ruidoso, New Mexico. He and his brothers would take their vacations and meet there to go hunting and fishing. He would get so excited about a month before he would leave. There were lists of the most important things to take with him. Who was in charge of what gear and it really was a big deal. He was happiest there, so that is where he should be forever. It is good to have brothers and/or sisters to take care of details like this. People you can trust with your special needs. My sister and I have a pact to watch over the other if a coma happens to one of us. We will make sure the other is good and dead before we let anyone pull the plug on us. For some reason our husbands aren't really up on medical junk and might just pull the plug if we go to sleep or something. It is just a backup plan.

The wake will be on a weekend this month. Trent will not be there, as in a traditional wake. It will be a memorial and a wake to celebrate his life. I'm so lucky to have you all to tell how special he was. That makes life better to know someone else cares about what you are going through. When you need me, I hope I can be there for you.

Things are working out for this day,at this time, for now

Our friend left this earth yesterday evening. It was peaceful and that is a blessing. However, my daughter called last night to tell us there would not be a
viewing or funeral. His explicit request was that he be cremated and he wanted a real Irish wake. I don't think Trent was Irish, but what the heck. I guess I'll have a "virgin" drink...maybe a "Virgin Mary", he hated making those for me because it was a waste of time. Just get a bloody mary and get on with it was his way of thinking. Before I had to quit drinking, because of the arthritis meds, I asked for a Patron margarita. I thought he was going to have a stroke and swallow his tongue at such a terrible waste of good tequila.

So, we will get together and we will talk about what a character he was and how we were so lucky to have known him and to have been loved back by him. When one of our other friends died from a heart attack last fall he was broken hearted and took it very hard. I gave him a hug we both just began to weep. Sometimes we have to weep and to weep together to share the grief. I know he would love being at the party they are probably planning right now. He didn't drink but bartending was his work and he wore western shirts and a cowboy hat everyday he tended bar and he was very good at it and added some panache to a neighborhood bar where most everyone knew your name. He put people in cabs when they had too much to drink and for those he knew well, he would take them home at closing time. He was a gentleman and an all round good guy. I hope someone will be able to say that about me...well, not the guy part, but you know.

On the other hand I went to my meeting and after getting there and getting set up it seemed as if I was the only one in the building. I was. I walked over to the main part of the church and they told me the meeting is on Wednesday. We all had a good laugh. So, I left feeling like an idiot, but gathered my stuff up and went to a craft shop. I'm having a problem with some yarn I just love, but it is imported and everything on the label is in some language I don't speak...probably wouldn't make any difference. I tried the yarn on size 15 needles and didn't like that. The knitting was too loose. Then I tried some size 11s and the knit was a bit tighter than seemed right. I bought some size 13s but I'm too tired to cast on and start tonight. It will have to wait until another day. It is sort of like the Three Bears around here. While I was at the craft store they had marked down some spring flower arrangements to half off, so I picked one up for my mil. Hubby told me after I got home she had had a really good day and had been very pleased with the clothes I'd washed and ironed for her. Hopefully she will like the silk flowers. They are very bright and springy.

The rest of the day was a lot of walking and shopping. My legs and feet are wanting to go to sleep soon. They are very tired. We stopped by Ulta to get her some hair products and hair spray and some things to make her prettier. The hairdresser at the place came over to the memory care side and cut and curled her hair. That makes you feel so much better. It was a gift from our oldest daughter. There are going to be some changes at that place. I don't know if it is because we raise the roof when stuff doesn't make any sense or not. However, now the hairdresser who has only been allowed to do the full hair treatment...as is wash, curl, style on the side were the people have a little more sense left to them, will now be allowed to come over to the memory care side and do the same for them. Maybe this will all work out ok. My husband said his dad was in a good mood and was playing a game with some of the guys. There aren't nearly as many guys as there are women on either side of the home. I used to get so tickled at my dad about the women where he was. He'd tell me how he had such a hard time keeping those "old wimmen" out of his bed. Remember he was paralyzed on one side, so it really might have been sort of hard to get them out of his bed. That just cracked me up when he told me. He would sort of laugh too. I have no idea if that is a problem for my father in law or not. Hmm..I'm not asking!

I'm off again tomorrow for my meeting and I'm sure this time it is the right day and time. Thursday is lunch with the girls...and Friday is the day the home cleaners come. I'm thinking maybe we don't need them as often. If there is a really bad problem I have to fix it for them. There was mold on the shower floor in the corners. They tried some stuff and finally threw their hands in the air and declared it uncleanable. I got some powder cleaner with bleach and put it on it with an old toothbrush and after doing that twice...it is fine. I'm working myself to death doing the work for everyone. *grin*

A busy time

The next few weeks are going to be pretty busy. MWF-workout, Tuesday-meeting at which I have to preside...the president broke his hip..and the VP has to fill in, I'm the idiot VP. Then I have to keep up with all the visitors and people who join our group.

Later in the month we are going with the high school group, you remember them right? The high school group who have stayed together for 50 years and meet once a month to have a good time. Anyway we are going to the Food Bank to help them do something. I hope they know we are all pretty dang old, even if I am much younger than they are. They just love that when I say it. HA!

My daughter called this evening and one of our friends is on life support and they will take him off tomorrow. So, a funeral toward the end of the week or sooner. His brothers are here and have made arrangements, I guess. We all loved him in our own way. He was a wonderful man who had the misfortune to have colon cancer, another hateful disease that takes our loved ones too soon.

The Olympics are finally over...I think...the closing ceremonies are still going and it is 12:30pm here...and on it goes. It may be 4 years before the Canadians get done and the Russians start. Oh my....they just said on tv that Vladamir Putin is unhappy about the medal count Russia garnered, and feels there will be changes. I figured as much after wassisname didn't win the gold.

Canadians at least honor their indigenous people. They call them So and So of the First Tribe. We rarely recognize our native Indians at all in the States...even when they had a code that helped save our rears during WWII. The Navajo Code Talkers is a whole other story. Not mine, but a good one. When the Olympics were in Norway they honored their native people, too. I don't remember anything about the Native Americans from when the Olympics was in Georgia, USA.