A Good Day

Today has been a pretty good day so far.  It was Kasey's groom day so we were out the door at 6:30 a.m.  She got a haircut and looks like a very posh Westie girl this afternoon.  I also took her to the Vet on the way home.  She needed her rabies booster and a booster for her rattlesnake vaccine.  We live in an area where we see a few rattlesnakes in the summer.  My husband has killed a several in our yard since we have lived in this house.  Because our dog is a Westie and she cannot help herself when it comes to chasing, charging, investigating, and patrolling anything that enters HER backyard we have had her vaccinated to prevent the wasting problem that effects the tissue surrounding a rattlesnake bite.  The tissue dies and it causes septic shock which kills the animal.  The chance that she will be bit are fairly remote but we want her protected anyway.  It gives us peace of mind to know she is somewhat protected.

I took my parents and my sister to meet my best friend, Dianne for lunch today.  Dianne and I have been friends since we were 16 so my parents and sister have known her since then, too.  It was so much fun to talk about old times and to catch up on current news too.

When I got home, I had a call from the mortuary that is handling Den's Dad's services.  They have set the funeral for next Tuesday at 10:45 a.m.  It will be at Riverside National Cemetery which is a cemetery exclusively for military veterans and their wives.  He was a U.S. Marine in WWII and served in the Pacific for 3 years.  A group of Marines will be there to do a flag folding ceremony at the end of the service and the flag will be presented to Bernice.  I think Dad would be so proud to have received this honor.

We are all coping well with Dad's death.  Yesterday, Dennis and I spent most of the day with Bernice.  We made the final arrangements for his funeral and helped make some of the telephone calls to inform family and friends.  We talked about how we grieved for Dad during his lengthy illness and we feel so much peace knowing that he isn't suffering any longer.  There is still a lot of emotion and some tears but not the deep grief that someone might feel if they lose someone close suddenly.  It truly was a blessing.

My parents are going to extend their stay until next Wednesday so they can attend the funeral.  That means a lot to us.  Dennis is very close to my parents and they love him like a son so it is really good that they were here when this happened.  They have been so supportive and helpful.

We are making sure that we are having some fun during their visit, too.  Our lunch with Dianne today was a mood lifter for sure.  Tomorrow we are going to one of their favorite restaurants for dinner.  Friday we are going to a museum and to explore some sites here in Riverside that they have wanted to see.  This weekend, they will go to my brother's to visit with him and his wife.  That will be a nice break.  I can get my house prepared for Tuesday.  After the service for Dad, everyone is coming back to our house for a luncheon so I need to make sure things are tidy.

Thanks to all my j-Land friends who have left such sweet messages!  I so appreciate your love and concern.  You all have become very special in my heart in a very short time!

More soon.

 

Quiet Passing

Den's Dad died tonight.  We got a call from Bernice around 10:30.  She said he died peacefully in his sleep.  Poor Dad had been through so much that his passing is a blessing from God.  Dennis and I feel sad but at the same time we are relieved that his suffering is over.  We believe that when you take your last breath here on earth, you take your first breath in Heaven.  As I write this, I can imagine him in the presence of Jesus and with all of his loved ones that went before him. It gives me such peace.  If I am sad at all, I am sad for those of us left behind to miss him. 

I don't know if I will have time to write in my journal this next week.  I did want to write down my thoughts tonight before things get so busy and I get distracted.  I am feeling numb.  I can't seem to bring forth any emotion right now.  I am so relieved for him to be out of the misery he was in.  I can't imagine how awful it must have been for him to be unable to do anything for himself.  He couldn't even scratch his own nose.  He couldn't drink from a straw.  He couldn't make a decision about anything.  He had lost his ability to judge time and to recall if someone had been to visit him.  He slept most of the time and any kind of movement from someone taking his blood pressure to me trying to hold his hand would cause him to feel pain.  He is free from all of that now.  His soul has left his body and he is in a much better place where there is only perfect peace.  Thank you, God, for answering our prayers, for your love and mercy.  Amen

Sunday Funday

My husband took my mom to the Angel Baseball game today.  She loves baseball and was as excited as a little girl as she got ready to go.  It's a day game so they will be home around 5:30 p.m. and we will all have dinner together tonight.  Tomorrow is Memorial Day and the Angels are having a special tribute to Military Veterans at the stadium.  Dennis is taking my dad to that game.  My father is a veteran of WWII and Dennis is a Viet Nam Veteran.  I'm sure they will enjoy the special ceramony before the game.  There usually are F-15 jets that fly over and shake the entire stadium right as the National Anthem ends.  It is awesome to experience it!

My Dad, sister and I spent several hours shopping and going out to lunch.  We were at the Mall when it opened at 11:00.  My sister and I picked up the few things we needed and then Dad treated us to lunch.  As we headed back into the Mall to go back to our car, Dad disappeared.  Carol and I looked around for a minute and found him at the Relaxation Station getting a massage from a Japanese masseuse.  There are 4 massage therapists who have opened an outdoor massage station and for $12 you can have a 15 minute neck, upper back, and shoulder massage.  He had been complaining of a stiff neck and a very sore spot on one of his shoulders so he stopped and had it worked on.  It really amused me, to tell you the truth.  I thought it was very progressive and open minded of him to try a place like that.  He was very pleased with the results and plans to go back before he goes home.  I'm still learning things from my Dad.  Next time he goes, I'm going to go with him and give it a try myself.  I've had a sore neck for weeks and if these guys can help, it will save me lots of $$$$ at the chiropractor's office.

Yesterday was Family Day at our house.  My son, his wife and three kids were here along with Cari and her fiance, Sam.  My sister is here from Central California to visit so my parents don't have to drive the 6 hours up there to see her.   Dennis and I enjoyed hosting the family dinner and having everyone in our home.  The best part, of course, was having the three grandchildren here.  My mother gave Megan, who willbe 7 the end of June, a book of poems about Fairies with the prettiest paintings of the adorable creatures.  When she handed her the book, Mom told her that she hoped Megan would enjoy having her mother read the book to her.  Megan opened the book and then looked at her great-grandmother,  "Gramma Mim, I can read this myself."  My mother was astonished as Megan read the first poem to her, hesitating only once.  Before the afternoon was over, Megan had read the entire book and told her great-grandmother that she couldn't wait to read it to her 3 year old cousin, Rylee Marie.  While Megan was reading, Nathan (4 1/2) built buildings and space ships out of Legos and Andrew (18 months) charmed everyone with his smile and good nature.  When the kids left to go home, my mom and dad said their trip was complete now that they had spent time with their great grandchildren.  I thought that was so sweet.

Controversy Rises Again

 

So the Dixie Chicks have gone and done it!  They slammed the president AND The View.  Oh, My Gosh!  This has caused a major uproar - much to their delight, I am sure.  You see, they have a new CD and I'm sure all of this was orchastrated to get their names back in the news.  They needed some big attention to push their product and boy, did they know how to get it.  Their PR folks knew what they were doing.  Their statement most likely does reflect their political views but why tell us now how they feel?  Why not 6 months ago?  This is so transparent it's ridiculous.

Don't get me wrong here.  I'm not saying they should or should not have said what they did.  I believe they can say whatever they want to say about the president.  They have every right to do that.  Whether I agree with them or not, I would fight for their right to voice their views. What I'm saying is that the timing is manipulative and transparent.

 

Prep Day

Today is Prep Day.  My parents will be here tomorrow around noon.  They called from their first stop, Heber, Utah last night.  They were tired but felt good about getting so far on the first day of travel.  Today, they will drive to St. George, Utah and tomorrow to our home in Riverside, CA.  I'm really excited about their visit.  As, I've said in past entries, they were both quite ill earlier in the year and now they are well enough to travel 1100 miles by car.  It's a true blessing!

Kasey went to the groomer this morning for a bath and hair cut.  She looks quite pretty.  After I brought her home, I went to have my nails done.  Little Taz, the puppy whose picture I posted a few weeks ago, has grown so much.  He weighs a strapping 6 pounds now at 4 months old.  Felicia doesn't think he's going to get much bigger than this.

Pssst....what did I say about my butterfly in the garden?  Dennis mentioned moving it to the back by the garden wall.  I rather firmly told him that I thought it should stay right where it was.  He's pretty uncomfortable but he's agreed.  I guess I should tell you that my husband is a perfectionist and into the details of every project he does.  Of course, in his work he has to be like that or the buildings he designs would fall down.  LOL  When he was in the army, he was a Supply Sgt.  He was assigned a unit that was a complete mess.  Within four months of him being in charge, everything was in its proper place and the entire Supply Unit was running like a fine tuned machine.  He was awarded the Bronze Star which is the 3rd highest military honor for his service.  I tell people the got the star for being neat.  When we first got married, he had his shirts hanging in the closet long sleeves together, short sleeves together and light to dark.  His socks were rolled and placed in the drawer so neatly it was scary.  His shoes were lined up perfectly.  If you opened my side of the closet things jumped out at you.  In our 35 years together, he has mellowed out a lot and I have become a lot more organized.  He's still very neat and orderly but not to the point of obsessive/compulsive.  I still have places that are messy but overall my home is neat and tidy so he is comfortable and so am I.

I hope my butterfly makes it through the summer.  We will see.  I know it is pushing the 'comfort zone' a bit but I have hope that with some encouragement from me, Dennis will adjust. 

Happy Wednesday!

Just for Fun

Just for fun, I'm thinking about going to the garden department at Home Depot today and buying a large ceramic frog, a big plastic rabbit, a huge pink flamingo standing on one leg, and a fountain with a statue of a little boy peeing into it.   Then we'll see just how DORKY I am!  LOL

I live in a very conservative neighborhood and I have always wanted to play a trick on my neighbors on April Fool's Day. We have a strict Home Owner's Association that must approve any changes to the landscaping, color of your home,  if you add a planter, etc., etc.  And we have a few on this street that are very "BY THE BOOK" people.  I have always thought it would be so much fun to put out 8 ceramic pigs wearing straw hats and ponchos painted wild colors along with a huge cast iron replica of the Statue of Liberty holding a revolving light that would flash red, then white, then blue.  Along with that, I've seen other assorted lawn ornaments such as turtles, deer, rabbits, fox, and trolls that I could add to the display.  Oh, it would be so much fun to hide in the side yard and watch the faces of my neighbors as they drove or walked by mumbling to themselves about my yard display.  Those that know me well would laugh and know it was just my sense of humor but those who don't know me would dash home and thumb thru their phone books looking for the Association's phone number to report me A.S.A.P.!  It would be worth the money for the laughs but then what would I do what all of that stuff once the day was over?  I know Dennis wouldn't allow it in the back yard and I don't think any of the charities would send their truck to pick it up.  Hmmm, maybe it's better left a funny fantasy.

Keeping My Fingers Crossed

I'm hopeful that this entry gets posted.

I typed a nice entry but it was lost in the posting process.  That's never happened to me before.  I've read in other journals that it happens and I have felt fortunate that I have avoided that mishap but today, I joined the ranks of the frustrated and ticked-off!

Today has been a pretty good day.  We did get some rain but not the storm that was predicted.  Our TV weather people over state their weather forecasts so much that it is a joke.  They call it STORM WATCH and we end up getting 1/2 inch or the storm goes around us all together.  LOL 

I went shopping today and bought something that I thought was cute.  When I got home, Dennis, Cari and her boyfriend, Sam teased me and told me it was something an old lady would buy and that it was 'dorky'.    Dorky?  Should I be offended?  LOL  I'm not.  I don't care what they think, I like it and I think it looks cute out in the garden.  I think the thing that shocked them was that I actually bought something for the garden.  I never buy anything for the garden.  It's Dennis' pride and joy.  He's totally in charge of it and I just admire it.   Do you want to see what it is?   OK, I'll post a picture....  see below:

The picture that was supposed to be here is now at the top of the page.  For some reason it would not load from this place.

It's the yellow butterfly in with the snapdragons.  I think the yellow adds some ZIP to the pot of flowers.  It is a point of interest or a focal point as the designers would say.  LOL  Anyway, it's out there and I'm enjoying it.  We will just see how long that butterfly has a home in my back yard.  Something tells me that it will not be long.

Laughing Because If I Don't...............

"Here comes the rain again falling.....on my head like a new emotion......"  Annie Lenox and Dave Stewart

The color of this font is the color of the sky this morning.  Do you know what that means?  It means there is a 30% chance it may rain today and a 70% chance it WILL rain tomorrow.  Dennis and I just looked at each other this morning, shook our heads and laughed.  Wouldn't you just know it!  We waited until mid-MAY to wash all the windows in this house because we just knew the threat of rain was over for the summer and now..................  oh, well, I guess the rain is better than a 7.0 earthquake.  LOL (Gosh, I should NOT say that, it's been a long time since one of those woke us up....)

I'm not going to let the threat of rain spoil anything for me.  I've worked my way thru that blue mood that had me sitting on my pity pot the other day and my spirits are up again.  I'm preparing the house for my parents arrival on Thursday and our family is getting excited for their visit.

I'm so glad my Dad and Mom are easy house guests.  They are so independent that they don't hesitate to make a pot of coffee if they want a cup and the pot is empty.  Mom does a lot of the cooking when she is here because she doesn't like to just sit around.  It is a treat for me, to say the least, to have my meals prepared by my mommy.  LOL  She cooks and I clean up.  It works for me! 

My sister is coming down from Central California to spend a week with us while they are here.  It will save my parents a long drive up and back and it gives us the opportunity to have more family time which all of us enjoy.  I will pick her up at the train station on Friday (the day after my parents arrive) then her husband will drive down the following Wednesday, visit for the day and they will drive home together the following day.  It's going to be so nice!

We were all together a year ago when my parents visited California.  We took a four day trip to Catalina Island which was a lot of fun.  It seems like that was SO long ago.  So much happened this past year regarding their health.  My Mom had two major surgeries and my Dad was seriously ill the end of February and early March.  To have them well enough to make this trip now is such a joy to our family and we are going to enjoy every minute of it.

P.S.  I love Annie Lenox and Dave Stewart!

Getting out the red again to cry about my Angels.  They blew another 4-1 lead and lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers yesterday. I think they need some serious intervention. I'm praying and praying - hoping and hoping.  Maybe a motivational speaker or a sports psychologist or a yoga guru with some guided sports meditations......hummm...  or some batting practice and a few new pitchers.  (pssst...they have the worst record in all of baseball right now.  But I still love 'em.)

A Brighter Day

It is such a nice, quiet Saturday morning.  Dennis is on an early appointment in Newport Beach and Cari is at work.  I got up at 6:30 this morning, made coffee, caught up on a few chores, and read the paper without having to share it.  I had a long hot shower, got dressed and I'm sitting here writing in my journal and no one is here to bother me.  It's quite nice.  (happy face inserted here)

My mood is brighter this morning after my sniffling pity party yesterday.  I needed to vent and get those negative feelings off my chest.  Now I can focus on how grateful I am to be where I am today and I can give myself a little credit for coming this far.

I appreciate the kind things my J-Land friends wrote.  Made me realize we all have those voices that want to set us back on our heels sometimes.  We just need to push them to the side and not give them power over us.

I have to get the red out for a minute to talk about my baseball team, The Angels.  The poor guys are having a miserable time right now.  They can't seem to get it right.  They are in last place in their division. Last night they played the other LA team, The Dodgers.  The Angels allowed 25 hits..  Jeez... 25!  The Dodgers scored 16 runs to our 3.  There is a lot of stress among the players because things are going so badly.  Part of me wants to throw up my hands and just give up on them but I'm an Angel fan so I'm going to stand by and cheer them on.  I may even email their web site a positive message.  I read so many mean spirited remarks the other night when I was on there looking around.  I can't be like that.  So, here's to the Angels!  Go, Angels, Go!  You can do it, boys!  I believe in you!

 

 

Self Image on a Bad Day

This is what a bad day is like for me.

While I have done a lot of healing, growing and changing over the past six months, the last thing to heal seems to be my self-image.  The inner voice that tells me who I am and where I fit into the world around me.  That harsh voice that rises up inside my head especially when I see pictures of myself or my reflection in a store window as I walk by when I'm out shopping.  I'm so hard on myself sometimes.  So critical that I can dismiss every compliment I receive with the wave of my hand. 

I have an idea of how I look which is usually better than I actually do look.  Then I see a picture or my reflection and I'm made to see the reality and I'm disappointed and harsh with myself.  To be honest, I don't like that I look my age.  I wanted to lose the weight and look 40 NOT 57.  I'm not happy with the wrinkles, the saggy chin, the flabby arms, the saggy boobies --- hell, I'm paying the consequences of years of neglect and I'm whining about it.  I want a big pay off for all of this work and, truthfully, I'm not going to get the pay off I want.  Oh, I'll get a lot of pay off in the good health department and for that I am grateful BUT (and isn't there always a but) I want to look better than I'm going to.  I'm being a selfish brat and I know it.  I'm embarrassed to express this and let other see this side of me.  But if I am going to get through this I have to be honest and lay it out there.  I am going to have to accept the reality and deal with it.  I am going to have to LOVE me just the way I am or I'm not going to keep this weight off because the disappointment will drive me back into the food.  I can just hear the, "What the hell difference does it make" line I told myself over the years.  I don't want to go back there and have any excuses to gain the weight back so I have to be gut honest and own all of my feelings, good, bad, indifferent.

This ride is a roller coaster for me.  Long periods of ups where I'm breezing along feeling on top of the world.  Then I have a dip where I have to deal with the down side of myself.  Where I face my internal  enemies, those old voices that have kept me from succeeding.  The fears, the insecurity, the feelings of being unworthy and feeding my addiction to sugar and carbs all of those years kept me in a little box that I am now breaking out of.  I don't want go crawl back into that darkness so I'm going to fight back this time and deal with those voices until they shut the heck up!

Analyze This!

Ok, I think I have an idea about what the following dream may mean.  I've been going through a major physical change since last November.  I think my subconscious is trying to catch up and the dream tells of the conflict.  When I'm trying to shower in the closet it may mean that part of me wants to go back to the old me (into the closet).  When I go into the bathroom with all the windows, I'm not comfortable being seen by the world with this new body yet.  When I decide what to do with the towel, it's me wanting to cover up and still thinking that part of me is disgusting and shouldn't be seen.  Ahh-hah!  I think that's it!  Lori posted a comment that got me thinking about this and I think she's right.  Thanks Lori!   Thanks to all who posted sweet things.

 

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It's okay to laugh when you read the following.  I laughed when I wrote it and when I told my daughter about it later.                                        
       

   

 

I had the strangest dream the other night. I have been trying to figure it out and thought if I wrote about it I might be able to get closer to doing that. Well, in the dream, I am with my daughter and her friend at a house I don't recognize. There is a party going on that I think is a graduation party for my daughter's friend. The three of us are getting ready for the party. I apply a tanning lotion to my legs and arms then look in the mirror as I put it on my face. As I watch, my skin becomes darker and darker. (If anyone saw the "Friends" episode where Ross goes to the spray on tanning salon and gets over sprayed and comes out nearly black -- this is how I was looking in the dream.) I am very unhappy with the results because it looks so fake so I decide I should take a shower and wash the lotion off. The first shower is in a closet. I turn on the water and it is spraying all over the floor of the closet and the clothes hanging inside. Since that is making a mess, I turn off the water and go into a bathroom. That room has large windows that look out into the back yard where everyone is gathering for the party. Since there are no window coverings and no privacy I can't shower there. The next thing I know, I'm in a room like a nail salon and an unknown person is using a small nail brush to wash the tanning lotion off my hands and arms. It is coming off easily. We are chatting and everything is going fine. Next, I take the brush and start working on my legs. The tanning solution comes off but it I cansee that I have very hairy legs --hairy like a shag rug hairy. I cannot believe that my legs are that disgusting! When I'm finally cleaned up, I have to leave that room and go across the living room to the bedroom to dressed. If I wrap the towel around me under my arms, my hairy legs will show. If I wrap it around my waist my bra will show. There is no choice for me. I wrap it around my waist because I would rather have everyone see my bra than those hideous legs. My feelings during the dream were calm, determined to take care of the problem and feeling surprised but thinking it was pretty funny at the same time. Hmmmmmm.... very odd. It's got to be about my changing body image and maybe I won't be happy with the end results.

Hummingbird Mom

A friend of mine sent the following link.  It's an amazing set of pictures that shows a female hummingbird nesting on 2 eggs, the eggs hatching, the babies maturing and then leaving the nest all within a 24-day period.  If you're a nature lover, you will probably really enjoy taking a look.  My neighbor had a hummingbird nest in one of her bushes a few years ago.  It was the size of a walnut shell, just so tiny and perfect. 

http://community-2.webtv.net/Velpics/HUM/

 

Southern California Spring

When I wrote about Spring yesterday, I had a comment from Lori saying she would like to see a picture of what Spring looked like here in Southern California so this morning I took the camera outside and took two pictures of my yard.  The first one is looking at the front of the house from the street.  The tree in the round planter is a Brazilian Pepperwood tree.  The tall narrow tree behind it to the right is a Liquid Amber.  It turns a beautiful gold to rust color in the Fall and loses all of it's leaves.  The tree to the right of that is a Birch which is actually in our neighbor's yard.  We have a Birch and another Liquid Amber in our backyard.

The second picture is a stained glass stepping stone that was made for me as a gift by my friend Joyce.  She is an artist who paints as well as does beautiful stained glass work.  She cuts the glass and sets it in a pattern then pours concrete in a mold over it about 2 1/2" thick.  When the concrete sets, she pops it out of the mold, turns it over and cleans it off so the glass is right side up.  Tah-Dah!  You have a beautiful stepping stone.  She has done many but this one was one of her favorites.  I really like it, too.  If you can't make it out, it's grapes, grape leaves, a wine glass and a bottle of wine.

The last picture is looking from my front door toward the street.  It will give you a little idea about what I see when I head out to get the mail, take Kasey for a walk, or greet guests.  It's a very quiet neighborhood.  We have 16 houses on our street and there are about 12 houses on the street that goes up the hill off of ours.  Dennis and I are about the only ones around during the day and we enjoy the peace and quiet very much. 

Since I am talking about the neighborhood, perhaps I  will share the tale of The Phantom Neighbors.  We bought this house when it was brand new and moved into it in July, 1988.  Cari was only 4 years old at the time and Bryan was in his second year of high school.  The family on the right of us had moved in a week or so before we did.  They were very nice and had a little girl who was almost 2 years old.  We also got to know a few other newcomers.

The house on the left of ours (the one with the birch tree in the picture) sat empty until the end of November.  I will never forget the day that the new Mrs. Owner and one of her son's pulled up in front a few days before they moved in.  I was outside with Cari and one of her friends.  As Mrs. New Owner got out of her car, I looked over, smiled and waved.  Whoa!  Did I get the cold shoulder.  She saw me but totally avoided returning a smile or any acknowledgement.  "Oh, well,"  I thought, "not too friendly, I guess."

Ha!  Little did I know.  In the 18 years that we have lived here, she has NEVER acknowledged anyone in this neighborhood.  That does make me feel better because I know it's not personal.  Her husband is only a teeny bit friendlier.  He will say hello if you come face to face and he absolutely cannot avoid the contact.

There are weeks and once, months at a time when we don't see them at all.  During one 3-month long stretch, we and some other neighbors thought about calling the police to do a well check thinking they may be dead inside that house.  A day or so later, one of the neighbors did make visual contact so the mission to call in law enforcement was called off. LOL  It's really kind of sad; if I saw her in the grocery store I literally would not recognize her and she's been my next door neighbor for 18 years!  I don't know her name.  I do know her husband's name is Ron. 

I will say this, they keep their yard perfect, they never make any noise, they never have company, they don't have dogs that bark (like I do), and they have no annoying habits that I can complain about so when I think about it, I guess The Phantoms are really the perfect neighbors.  LOL

Lovin' Life

I'm using green this morning because Spring has sprung around here.  The Mockingbirds are nesting and they are chattering night and day.  The males have an unending array of calls that are very complex and interesting - during the day!  At 1:00 in the morning, that's another thing.  Luckily, we had new dual pane windows installed and when we close them at night, we are no longer forced to bury our heads under the pillows and leave a radio playing soft music all night to drown out their churping.  

They are beautiful birds with long tails that shoot up at an angle.  They are very territorial and will chase other birds out of the yard just for searching the planters for seeds and bugs.  If they have a nest nearby, they will dive at us and at Kasey then perch in a tree and scream at us in an attempt to show us who is boss of the area.  I've seen them chase larger birds, like crows, in the air diving, pecking, and nipping at them to protect their nests.  I guess tenacious is the perfect adjective to describe them.  We used to have a mating pair nest in a Liquid Amber tree in our back yard but since Kasey has lived with us, they haven't bothered to build here anymore.  She isn't one to be swayed to stay away so they moved to another tree where their babies are sure to be safe.  I'm not sure if Mockingbirds are native to all of the U.S. and England.  They are plentiful here in Southern California.

I took Miss Kasey for a walk after the groomer today.  I don't know what I was thinking.  She was so pretty and sparkling white when I brought her home.  After her romp, she had brown feet and twigs in her coat.  LOL  She loves one particular place on the walk the very most.  It's a strip of grass where wild life like rabbits, coyotes, squirrels, gophers, and other neighborhood dogs and cats cross all the time.  It is SNIFF HEAVEN for my little hunter.  Her nose is on the ground the entire time.  Sniff, sniff, sniff....  She is going as fast as she can, her nose dragging as close to the ground as she can get it smelling all of those delightful animal scents.  She will find a gopher hole and then track the underground tunnel on top of the ground to the next hole.  It amazes me that she can follow it.  I think she could smell a cat turd 30 feet out and 6 feet deep.  LOL 

I'm going to post this now, write some bills, and pick up around here.  I want to do a few loads of laundry (want to isn't really the word I was looking for but it's nicer than the one I was thinking of...LOL)...  Y'all have a glorious Wednesday.

Oh, P.S.  Dennis was very sweet about my purchases yesterday. I really thought he would be.  He teased me saying I'm becoming 'high maintenance' but he likes the new me.

Oh, gosh, one more thing.  Sir Paul and Heather Mills are divorcing after 4 years of marriage.  Sigh....he needs a woman closer to his own age.  If I were single and not with the love of my life I'd fly over and interview for the opportunity.  <wink, wink>.

Girly Girl Stuff

I met my friend Sylvia for lunch and shopping today.  We always have so much fun together.  We had salads and iced tea and then went out into the mall to shop.  She found some nice blouses and 2 night gowns at Nordstroms.  I got some makeup and some shampoo and conditioner for my fine, thinning hair at a new place called Planet Beauty.  After that we headed to the make-up shop.  I found my foundation and a new blush and she picked up some things she needed.  I am amazed at how much money I spent on those few items.  The cost of beauty keeps going up.  I can just hear Dennis now!  When he sees the debits in the checkbook he'll want to know what the h.....ll I bought today.  He won't be seriously upset.  I'm not an over spender by any means.  I will, as Ricky Ricardo used to say, "have some 'splainin' to do."

 

 

Expectations

Thought for the Day:  "Expectations are our fantasy of how things should be and not the reality of how things ARE." 

Happy Monday.  A short post this morning.  I had a very nice weekend.  Busy, productive and fun.  This week will be pretty easy going.  I want to go see Den's dad tomorrow but other than that, I will be at home sorting out the closet in the guest room and preparing it for my parents visit the following week.

Today, Cari and I will head to the mall after she gets home from work.  She needs new work pants and I am out of make up.  I want to try some new stuff, well it's new to me, called Bare Escentuals.  Nordstrom's carries their line so I'll go and have them put it on me, I'll walk around for 30 minutes to see if I can tolerate it and if my face doesn't blow up like a blow-fish, I'll buy it.  I have to be so careful with skin products.

Just looked outside.  There are two doves on the fence cooing at each other.  They are so pretty but their cooing drives me crazy after 5 or 6 hours of it!  LOL  I'll send Kasey out to encourage them to find another fence to perch on.  She won't hurt them, don't worry.  They're too high up for her to get them.  LOL

Happy Monday!

 

My Mother's Day Blessings

Mother's Day was great.  I had a nice time with my kids, grandkids, and husband.  Our dinner turned out very nice.  My husband, son, and future son-in-law did all the clean-up (bless their hearts!).  It was just a kick-back day, lots of laughing - especially at Andrew who has become quite a character lately.  He was in a very happy mood which was delightful for all of us.  Megan and Nathan made  cards for me.  I love their drawings with rainbows, hearts, birds, suns and flowers.  I take all of those things to mean happiness and love. 

I'm going to have a cup of de-caf coffee and relax now.  It's early to bed for me tonight.  I'm happily exhausted!

Mommy's Day

Happy Mommy's Day!  I got up early and hit the grocery store to pick up all the goodies for dinner today.  My son and his family are arriving around 2 p.m.  It is going to be so nice to have both my kids, the 3 grandkids, my lovely daughter-in-law, sweet hubby, and my adorable doggie all together for a meal and some family time.  We are grilling salmon and chicken.  I'll toss a big salad, make some rice and steam some asparagus.  I picked up 2  baskets of strawberries which I've sliced and sweetened with Splenda.  I'll have Cari and my DIL, Shannon fix Strawberry Shortcake for dessert.  I don't touch it, to make it or to eat it, since I've been on program.  I have strict rules about those things.  LOL  My son and husband will do the clean up.  

We will all call my Mom so she can talk to her oldest child (ME) her only two grandchildren,  her 3 great grandchildren, and her son-in-law.  I know she will love that. 

I feel so blessed to be a Mom.  I love my kids so much.  It was a joy and a privilege to raise them and it is awesome to watch them go out into the world and blaze their own trails.  I am proud of their characters, their choices, their morals, and the way they present themselves in the world.  I am eager to see where they go from here.  They can count on me to be cheering them on, that's for sure!

 

 

Chore Day

It's cloudy and overcast this morning and I'm happy about that for a change.  It's Window Washing Saturday.  The lack of sun makes it a much easier job.  Dennis has the outside which is a much bigger job because the outside of the windows are much dirtier and he has to take down and clean all of the screens, too!  We have 34 windows in this house.  34!  It's a big job.  It takes a lot of patience, a big bottle of Windex, an extension ladder, and team work.  All I have to say is, "The rainy season better be over!"  We've waited until May to do this thinking that the likely hood of more rain is pretty slim, but you know how that goes...............  LOL...  OH, please God!!

My parents are coming for a 2 week visit starting May 25th.  That is what motivated this 'need to clean' day.  I'm really excited that they are well enough to make the trip from Laramie, Wyoming to Riverside, California.  My mother had two major surgeries: one in early Dec., '05 and one in Feb. of this year.  At 78, she has had a good recovery and has regained 90% of her strength.  My dad had a serious illness in February that landed him in the hospital for 8 days.  It created some heart problems which have been resolved.  He's 81 and more frail than my Mom so it takes him longer to get back on his feet.  To have them both feeling well enough to make the trip is such a gift.  I'm thrilled!  My kids are eager to see their grandparents and my parents can't wait to see them and their 3 great-grandchildren.  It's going to be a fun 2 weeks!

Beauty Day

I'm going to get a hair cut and my color touched up today.  It feels so good to go and get pampered for a few hours.  I may even get my eyebrows waxed if I can work up the nerve.  I'm feeling pretty good about myself today.  I had my weigh in this morning, had my blood pressure taken and then had a phone appointment with my doctor.  I have lost a total of 68.5 pounds since Nov. 1, 2005.  My blood pressure this morning was 107/67 which is excellent.  My cholesterol is still down even though I've been off the medication for a month and all of my other blood work came back great!  My three month blood sugar average is good for being off all medications so I am treating myself to a new hair style, some blond highlights and maybe a little eyebrow shaping if, like I said, I can work up the nerve. 

I'm taking much better care of myself these days.  I put my make-up on and make sure my hair is styled before I get on with my day.  I rarely wore make up before.  Figured what the hell...wouldn't make me look any better so why bother.  I enjoy shopping for clothes now because I can find things that fit and look half way decent on me.  I still have some weight to take off but I am buying my clothes in the regular women's department now and not in the large size section.  Not long ago I was able to buy a pair of pants in a size "M" instead of an "L".  Holy cow!  That was a major moment.  Next thing I know I'll be buying most of my clothes in size "M".  Won't that be a hoot! 

The thing I am looking forward to so much is to go shopping for special clothes for our Alaska Cruise which is the end of August.  I want to find a drop-dead gorgeous dress for the formal night and some hot-to-trot outfits for the dressy dinners we will have aboard ship.  I have earned my way into clothes like that and I am going to enjoy trying them on, buying them, and wearing them to each special night on that week long adventure.  My husband is so proud and supportive but I will admit he does look a bit worried when I start telling him to open a special savings account for my wardrobe needs.  LOL  

Happy Friday

10:00 p.m.: 

I got a haircut and went shorter. Got my color (weave) touched up and went lighter (too light, I think). AND (drum roll please........................)  I went for the eyebrow wax!  Jeez!  Holy crap, that hurt!  I will say that it isn't as bad as tweezing because it's all over in one wicked ZIP/TEAR.  Brought tears to my eyes. Oh, the cost of beauty is so painful.  Anyway, I really do like how my brows look and I will have it done again.  I will make sure, though, to have it done days before an important occasion because my upper lids were pretty puffy and red after the evil deed.  They are better tonight. 

So here I am looking lovely tonight (LOL), my husband is at the baseball game with my daughter and the dog really doesn't seem impressed at all with my new look.  I guess that I'm happy with it is the important thing.  Right?

Best Friends

Today, I am meeting my friend Dianne for lunch.  She and I have been friends since we were 16 years old.  We knew each other in jr. high school but didn't really bond as good friends until we were in the same Home Economics class when we were in 11th grade.  We sat at a large, rectangle table with 4 other girls while Miss Jennsis, a 70-something spinster taught us the fundamentals of cooking, sewing, and balancing a check book.  There was a lot of 'lab' work where we were up mixing recipes or at sewing machines working on some stylish creation. While we were waiting our turn, Dianne and I used that time to talk.  We found out that we shared a love for writing.  She started bringing in short stories she had written for me to read and I gave her a few of mine to look at.  Our styles were so similar that we decided to co-author one.  She started writing in a spiral notebook.  I think she wrote a 6 or 7 page first chapter and then handed it off to me.  I read her work and then added my 6 or 7 page addition.  This went on for the remainder of the school year and until we had over 500 pages of handwritten and typed pages that filled a box that would hold a dress coat if you were wrapping it for a Christmas gift. 

She would come to my house after school and we would go in my room, close the door and sit on the floor going over ideas for new characters who were modeled after people we either loved or hated from school.  Sometimes we would add a celebrity in disguise and create some major drama that they would have to work their way in and out of with the help our our main characters, Christy and Kelly.  We would laugh until we cried at some of our scenarios.  The more outrageous the better chance these ideas had of being included in the story line.  We laugh, today, saying our characters foretold of punk rockers and the Gothic movements. We were SO ahead of our time.  LOL

That year of writing was the most fun and the best therapy I could have had in high school.  It gave me a safe place to vent all of my fears, insecurity, hostilities, and anger about being a teenager that just didn't fit in with the crowd.  It gave me a voice I didn't have in any other place.  I was terribly introverted and, now I see, depressed.  I didn't trust many people but I knew I could trust Dianne and she knew she could trust me.

We didn't know until years later that we were both the children of alcoholic fathers and that there was a lot of anger and tension in our homes growing up.  We talked about how strict our dads were and that they were 'mean' but we never addressed the alcohol issues until we were adults.  Now we look at the close friends we had and all of us were suffering thru some kind of disfunction at home.  One of our friends had a step-father that was molesting her sisters.  Another had her abusive father die of a heart attack when she was 13 and was being raised by an extremely strict, much older mother who used Hell and damnation to rule the home.  Another had a dad who was a womanizer.  I could go on and on.  The thing was, we were all close, caring of each other, supportive BUT never spoke of the things that were going on at home until we grew up and had families of our own.

Dianne and I have gone through a lot together in the nearly 40 years of friendship.  There have been times we haven't seen each other for long periods of time but each time we have come back together it's like no time has passed.  We just pick up where we left off.  I can tell her ANYTHING and she can tell me ANYTHING.  We accept each other's positive and negitive traits.  I am so lucky to have a friend like her.  I don't have a lot of what I call close friends.  Maybe 8 women that I really hold close to me and of those 8, only 3 (including Dianne) who I would trust with everything.  I have a lot of other women in my life that are fun to be around and who I enjoy seeing but who I wouldn't share the intimate details of my life with.  I've been burned a lot by people, especially other women, and it's not easy for me to trust.  This is why Dianne is like a jewel to me.  If you are lucky enough to have a friend like her, you are truly blessed!

What a Face!

I went to see my friend, Felicia this morning.  She has been doing my nails every other week for about 11 or 12 years.  We met when our daughters played softball together when they were in 4th or 5th grade.  She has a lovely black Lab, Indy, who is about 3 years old and recently got a 9 week old, male Yorkie/Maltese mix she named Taz.  This little dog is so cute!  He is so full of himself and he just never seems to stop moving.  He climbs all over Indy.  He chews on her legs, tail and ears.  He takes her toys and generally torments her continually.  Indy, bless her heart, is so patient and sweet with the puppy.  She pretty much lets him get away with everything.  When she has finally had enough, she goes into their family room and climbs up on the couch.  Taz is still to little to jump up there.  Indy can escape Taz's pestering while she takes a little nap.  When I see the puppy I want another pup so much!  I love those frisky little babies so much.  They are a lot of work but it is truly such a joy to raise a puppy into a nice family dog. 

We have our Kasey now.  She's our 7 year old Westie who we have spoiled rotten.  She is queen of the house and would not take kindly to a newcomer.  We will have to wait until after Kasey has lived out her years before considering another dog.  I am fine with that.  As soon as I got home today, she greeted me at the door and gave me a good all over sniffing because she knew I'd been with other dogs.  She's laying on my feet as I write this and she will follow me around the house as I go about my business.  She is my companion, my little love bug, and the one being on this earth that loves me absolutely, 100% unconditionally.  It just doesn't get any sweeter than that.

Grateful

After thinking about it last night and reading some comments this morning, I am so grateful that my children have a dad who talks to them, listens to them, validates them, and tells them he loves them all the time.  He's blessed.  They are blessed.  I'm blessed. Their children will be blessed and so on, and so on, and so on................  More later today....

 

Back to Reality

                                                 

Cari and I went to see Den's Dad today. It had been nearly 2 years since Cari had seen her grandfather.  It seems odd that it had been that long until you understand that she and Dad had never been close.  To be honest, Dad just never showed any interest in Cari, rarely spoke to her and after so many years of that she just disengaged completely and stopped going to his home when we would go visit.  When he and Bernice came to our home, she would be polite but wouldn't spend much time at all around them.

It wasn't that he was rude or mean to her, he was just so introverted and awkward in certain situations that he honestly didn't know what to say or how to interact with her.  It was the oddest thing.  It amazes me to this day that he met, fell in love and married Bernice.  I couldn't explain the dynamics of that if I had to.  She is such a sweet person and she loves him so much.  He must have been able to talk to her when no one else was around.

Anyway, we went to the nursing home today.  Dad was laying in bed staring at the ceiling.  He doesn't make eye contact very often anymore.  Cari and I went to the side of the bed and I said, "Dad!  I brought Cari to see you today."

He didn't look at us but he did say, "Hi, babe."

His eyes never met ours.  He just stared at the ceiling and I wondered if he was really seeing it.  I just can't tell anymore.  We stood by his bed for a while hoping, I guess, that his eyes would lower and we would see a glimmer of recognition or some kind of expression that would confirm to us that he knew we were there.  That wasn't to happen today.  His eyes closed and he went to sleep.  He sleeps about 20 hours a day.

We gathered our things and took Bernice to lunch.  It was a good time for Cari to tell her about her trip and to show her some post cards from the places she had gone.  She told some funny stories and answered a lot of questions that Bernice asked. I could tell the time with us was really good for Bernice.  She seemed happier when we said good bye.

On the way home, Cari told me how glad she was that she went to see her grandfather.  She feels like she did the right thing and she has a lot more compassion for him now.  She sees that it wasn't anything personal toward her.  It was his inability to express himself that kept him from reaching out.  She has been able to forgive him and move past the negative feelings. 

I'm so glad she's at that point now before he dies.  It will make it a lot easier when she faces his death.

She's Home, She's Home!!!

Cari and Sam got back yesterday afternoon.  Their flight was on time and they got thru customs pretty fast.  I think we waited 40 minutes to see their happy faces round the corner and come up the ramp.  I grabbed my daughter and held her tight and, of course, we both cried which made her dad cry and made Sam say, "Oh, you guys always cry!"

On the way home in the car, they both talked non-stop about their adventures.  It was delightful to hear a lot of the stories, most of them hilarious.  One of my favorites was Cari telling about one of her roommates wearing 7 bras, 3 t-shirts, 2 pairs of pants, a sweatshirt and a jacket to the airport so her baggage wouldn't be over the weight limit.  Oh, teenagers!!!  I guess there were a lot of charges for over weight luggage at the airport.  One girl had to pay nearly $200 extra. She was a real shopper.  Cari was 1 pound under.  She left shampoo, hair spray, body wash, and an old pair of shoes in the trash to make weight.

Last night while she was upstairs sorting thru her things, Dennis and I were talking about how good it was to have her home.  He admitted it was the first time in 2 1/2 months, "I'm able to really relax."  I thought for a second and realized I had the same sense of relief.  I didn't know I had a little bit of tension and worry tucked in the back of my mind the whole time, too. 

Needless to say, this mom slept like a rock last night.  I'm up early to get to the market so I can buy some of her favorite things so when she gets up, probably around noon, she can have a bagel with cream cheese or a cinnamon waffle.  I had none of these things in the house while she was gone!  Her requests from the store:  Cool Ranch Doritos, Cheddar Cheese, Refried Beans, Flour Tortillas (I'm dying for a bean and cheese burrito!), and Pepsi.  So I'm off to do my motherly duty.  LOL  I'll post some pictures soon.

Happy Monday.

Sunny Sunday

 

 

www.cutecolors.com  What a guy!  My husband is vacuuming the upstairs for me this morning.  He's such a sweetheart.  I hurt my  shoulder months ago and that is the one chore that is still difficult for me to do.  We had a housekeeper for about 10 months but she quit about a month ago to take a full time job. Since then we decided that we'd save the money and do the job ourselves.  I do the bulk of it and he's kept his word about doing the vacuuming, bless his heart!  We are a good team.  I'm going to finish this and then give the downstairs a good dusting and the bathroom a quick polish so things look nice when Cari comes home tonight.

The dryer just shut off so I'm going to log off, fold those clothes and get my chores done.  I'll be back later to finish this entry. 

Broken Record

9:20 p.m.  Just a note:  The party was fun.  There was SO much food: tacos, enchiladas, rice, beans, chips, dips, and cheesecake for dessert.  I had my salad with chicken and was very satisfied especially when I heard everyone else moaning that they were so full and needed something for their upset stomachs.  LOL  I'm feeling just fine!  Good night!

I know I sound like a broken record BUT my baby is coming home tomorrow!   I can't wait!  I got a very upbeat, happy email this morning saying her trip to England and Ireland was wonderful. She is back in Italy PACKING to come home.  YEAH!!!  I'm waiting for her to call this morning with her flight information. 

While I'm waiting, I am going to start preparing the greens for the salad I will take to the party tonight.  I made the dressing last night.  Mmmmm, it came out lovely.  I roasted two green chilis over the flame of my gas stove.  Once they are black and blubbly, I put them in a plastic bag for about 30 mintues to cool and sweat.  After they cool, the skin peels off easily so I skin them, take the seeds out and then cut them up to add to the blender.  They smell so good roasted!  This morning,  I'll roast a big red pepper the same way.  Believe me, I don't usually go to this much trouble but this is a special recipe for a special night.

Exciting News

I had great news from my eye doctor this morning.  All the eye damage from the diabetes has been reversed.  There is no sign of any diabetes damage in my eyes!!   I nearly jumped out of the exam chair and hugged the Doctor.  If he weren't such a stuffy old stick in the mud I would have.  LOL  He looked back at my last exam record and said he had been very concerned because my last exam showed things had worsened from the year before significantly but THIS time all of that had healed!!!  Wow!  What a reward, huh?  Staying on program is having far reaching rewards.  I'm losing the weight but I'm healing all parts of my body.  My feet don't hurt and throb, my hands don't tingle, I'm not out of breath when I go up and down the stairs, I can keep up with Dennis when we walk anywhere, and my baby blue eyes have healed!  Thank you, God!!   

There isn't anything in this world that tastes as good as all of this healing feels.  Praise God for the willingness to do the work!  Amen.

To celebrate I'm going to Curves for my workout this afternoon. 

(Day 5) TGIF

It's FRIDAY... We have a nice weekend ahead so I guess that's why I'm pretty upbeat today.  Tomorrow we are going to a birthday bash for our friend Kelly.  He enjoys celebrating very much!  It's a potluck Mexican Feast so I'm taking my ever-favorite Mexican Caeser Salad with Celantro Dressing made from scratch with roasted Anaheim Chilis and Roasted Red Peppers that I actually roast myself.  Wooooo, I'm such the Martha Stewart (NOT).

Sunday our daughter, Cari, comes home after being in Italy since March 3rd.  YIPPEE, SKIPPY..  I don't even mind the idea of driving to Los Angeles International Airport to pick her up.  I am very thankful that she's coming in on Sunday afternoon and not on Friday night.  The traffic shouldn't be as awful on Sunday. 

I have an appointment to have my eyes examined this morning.  Psst... don't tell anyone but I lost my glasses about 10 days ago and I have to have an exam to get them replaced.  My exam is over due anyway.  It's been over 2 years since the last time.  My glasses were pretty thrashed so I look forward to getting a new pair. 

I'll post my exercise for the day later.  I haven't decided if I'll walk or do the gym today.  Depends on my schedule and timing.

Somewhat Sadder

I feel like I'm on an emotional roller coaster today.  Den's step-mom called a few mintues ago.  Her husband, John, died last night of cancer.  We have only met John a few times so we're not as upset about his death as we are about Marj's loss.  Marj is a very sweet woman who married Den's dad when Den was a little boy.  She was always kind to him and his brother.  Den has maintained a close relationship with her even after his father died in 1972.  Marj is 84 years old now and this is going to be a difficult transition for her.  She lives near Boise, Idaho which makes it difficult for us to be of much help.  Fortunately, she has grandchildren close by who will be looking in on her.  I don't know what else to write now.  I'll have to take some time and think about this.

8:12 p.m.:  Psst...I went for my walk....  I'm on target.

Somewhat Happier

The Angels won today!  They beat Detroit 7-2.  I'm happy with that news.  Now keep it up, guys.

(Day 4)

 

(My Angels have lost 6 (SIX) games in a row! Thus part of my worry this morning.... that's all I have to say on this topic.)

Good morning!  I'm going to walk this afternoon with my husband.  I was a slug and slept in this morning.  I had some work to do for Dennis so it was into the office instead of out the door for the walk.  Oh, well, I will get done!! 

The economy in So. California is dipping.  It's a concern because it is effecting my son's business.  He's worried and I'm worried for him.  We are praying, asking for prayer and he is seeking financial advise from the right people to see if he can keep things on track until this slump ends.  Oh, how I hate to see my kids in a bind.  I can only be there to listen and pray for him.  I told him this morning that no matter what happens he will land on his feet and be OK, even if it's the worst case scenario.  Last December, he went to Biloxi, Mississippi with a group of guys from his church to do some construction work on homes that were damaged by Hurricane Katrina.  He met people who had lost EVERYTHING.  Their homes, property, pets, and even some whose family members had been swept away.  Most had no insurance to cover their losses so they were left with nothing and mortgages still to pay.  When we talked about that again this morning, he sighed and agreed that his circumstances weren't so bad after all.  I think God had a purpose for sending him on that trip.  It was to prepare him for this rough time and for him to be able to earnestly count his blessings.  Thank you, Lord!

I had to laugh at an email my mom sent this morning.  Bless her heart.  She sent a message entitled:  REMEMBER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Gosh, I couldn't wait to open it thinking it was something really important.  Well, it was a note reminding me that my brother and his wife were going to be celebrating their 25th anniversary on May 9th.   Huh????  What????  And what am I supposed to do what that information?  That may sound a bit harsh until you understand that in the 25 years those two have been married and living 25 miles from us, they have invited us to their home twice.  They have never made an attempt to have a relationship with us or our children.  They have shown up at a few family events, (including my son's wedding) where "L" (my brother's wife) has had too much to drink and has been rude and insulting to my family members.  Hmmmm, now do you think I'm gonna run out and buy a silver tea service for them?  Ahhhh,  noooo....    Am I gonna pray for them...  Yes.  I ask God to soften "L's" heart and to build my brother a back bone.  I pray for God to lessen my negative feelings and teach me forgiveness in this particular case.  Amen.....

(Day 3) Busy, Busy Day

 

12:05 p.m./Now, I'm blue....  My DIL called and cancelled tonight.  I guess Andrew is teething and is not feeling well at all.  They are going to go out one night next week so I have to wait to see the kids.  I was really looking forward to it.  Sniff, sniff........  oh, well..... 

                                              * * * * * *

I'm writing early this morning because I have a busy day planned.  I was up at the crack of dawn (5:30 a.m.) to take Kasey for her grooming appt.  She looks lovely.  After I write this, I'm off to Curves to do my workout. 

Today I am catching up on laundry and I'm going to tidy up Cari's room.  She'll be home from her Italian Adventure on Sunday evening.  Her room hasn't been touched for two months.  It needs a good dusting and the bedding sprayed with Febreze then tossed in the dryer for 10 minutes to freshen it.  (This is a good tip to freshen pillows, stuffed toys, clothing that has hung for a while, blankets, or anything that needs to be freshened but not washed and dried.) 

Today is my son and daughter-in-law's 9th anniversary so I'm going to go to their house around 3:00 this afternoon and stay with the kids while they go to an early dinner and movie.  I will stay the night.  The kids have wanted gramma to spend the night for some time now which works for me.  I don't like driving home late at night anyway.  I'm excited!  I love spending time with the three little monsters.  They are the light in  my life.  I'll take the digital camera so I can snap a few. My mom is bugging me for some new shots of them, especially of Andrew.  He's changing so fast!

I'm feeling excited by this 30 day challenge.  I'm hoping it will rev up my energy level and motivate me in other areas.  I find myself procrastinating in some areas and I want to be a lot more organized.

Hey, I know!  I'll procrastinate and my my NEXT 30 day challenge to stop procrastinating!!!  LOL

 

(Day 2)

Met my challenge today by walking this morning, I will let you know how  I feel tomorrow.  LOL  Right now I feel good but sometimes my shins kill me the first few days when I start a walking routine.

The Angels are playing a rare day game today.  It started at 12:30 this afternoon.  Dennis had appointments in Orange County this morning so he plotted things so he could finish his work early and then catch the game.  His friend, Skip is meeting him and I know those two guys will have a great time.  I don't mind missing some of the games.  It's good for Den to take his buddies from time to time.  We talked about him taking our grandson, Nathan to a game soon.  Nathan is 4 and already a big baseball fan.  When he was three years old he could sit through an entire game and not get restless.  At the end of every inning he would look at us and ask, "Is it over?"  When we would tell him, "No."  He would say, "Oh, good!"  LOL  

Wowie,  there was just a big old fight on the mound!  Our pitcher threw a high, insider and the Oakland batter didn't like that very much.  The batter said something to our pitcher and our pitcher said something back and the fight was on...  Of course all the players clear the benches and everyone on the field joins the fight.  Both the pitcher and the batter got ejected so it takes a long time to get things settled down.  A new pitcher came in and a new batter took the plate.  Everyone on both teams is on alert and waiting for any excuse to start the fight again.  Oh, man!  I wish I was there now.  LOL

Oh, I almost forgot the most important thing.  Den went to the doctor yesterday to get the results of all the tests he has had in the past month.  Everything came back great.  He has to have another colon exam in 2 years and he is on medicine to lower his cholesterol but other than that he is in great shape.  He has the heart rate and blood pressure of a teenage athlete (I'm green with envy).  We didn't expect bad news but it is still very nice to hear all positive results!!