In My Opinion

In my opinion, there are certain news stories that do not deserve front page attention.  There is one on AOL today that flashes each time I log on with a picture of one of the most disgusting people on the face of this earth who is about to do something that is so sick and evil that I cannot believe it is getting the attention it is.  I have to click off the welcome screen so I'm not subjected to his face.  The evil animal I am writing about is OJ Simpson.  I am not going to dignify his twisted plans by even writing about it here.  If you haven't heard, you can read about it. 

 I guess I should not be surprised that AOL would cover such a story.  Their news has slipped into the same bracket as the National Inquirer lately.  They are covering more celebrity trash than ever before and the site, TMZ.com, that AOL takes you to when you click on a news story about a well known person is usually just gossip and garbage.

I used to think that AOL was pretty good at covering news and current events but the longer I'm a member the more I realize they replay the same articles over and over, their news coverage is word-for-word what I read in the newspaper, and there is nothing fresh or innovative about it at all.

It's time for me to use this as a means to get to my journal and correspond with my friends and family, to do some shopping from time to time and that's about it.  I'll get my news, information, and other important stuff from other sources.

A Quiz - Getting to Know Me

I don't have anything to write about.  When I was reading journals tonight, I found the following quiz and decided to fill it out and post it. 

I got this from:  http://journals.aol.com/mastersblynn/ConfessionsOfAnAngelWaitress/

I Live:  In the hills overlooking Riverside, California

I Work:  At being a more adventurous person

I Talk:   To my friends less than I would like to

I Wish:   I could travel more often.

I Enjoy:  Sewing, reading, posting in my journal, being with my

               family - especially my grandchildren.

I Look:   For good deals on things I buy all the time.
 

I Find:   Loose change in the wash machine all the time.

I Smell: Baby shampoo whenever I kiss my grandson's head.
 

I Listen: To my intuition.
 

I Hide:   My insecurities and fears.

I Pray:    Twice a day for everyone on my prayer list.

I Walk:   A lot more than I used to.

I Write:  Short stories and journal entries.

I See:     The positive side of people

I Sing:    Along with songs on the radio when I'm in the car.

I Laugh:  Often.

I Can:      Do anything I decide to do.

I Watch:  People.  In airports, restaurants, public places...

I Yearn:   To travel to Europe

I Daydream:  Winning the lottery and sharing the money with

                       people I love.

I Fall:            When I slip on a wet floor

I Want:     To live to see my grandchildren grow up and get   

                  married.

I Cry:       At sad movies and when I see someone else cry.

I Burn:     I burn if I stay out in the sun for more than half hour.

I Read:     A book a month or more.

I Love:      My family, friends, and my dog.

I Rode:     A train from Colorado to California when I was 5.

I Sometimes:  Procrastinate

I Hurt:      My left shoulder working out at the gym.

I Fear:      Heights

I Hope:     I reach my weight loss goal this year

I Break:    drinking glasses all the time.

I Eat:        A healthy diet

I Bathe:    At least once a day

I Drink:    too much diet soda
 

I Stop:     Myself from being critical of others  

I Save:     Pictures for my scrap books

I Hug:      My family and friends

I Meditate:  When I'm tense and before I go to sleep

I Play:      Scrabble in a scrabble club

I Miss:     Family members who have passed away.

I Hold:    A big secret.

I Forgive:  Because if I don't it hurts me more than it hurts

                  the person I don't forgive.

I Drive:  More conservatively than I used to

I Learned:  That I need to take care of myself and get

                    healthy

I Dream:   But I don't remember very much of what I dream.

I Have:     A lot of responsibility.

I Don't:    Have to worry about what anyone else thinks about

                 me.

I Made:    A quilt for my friend, Sylvia.

I Believe:  That Jesus is my Lord and Savior

I Wait:     for the light to turn green before I go.

I Need:    More fun.

I Owe:     A debt of gratitude to my doctor.

I Hate:    Mean spirited people and those who are mean to

                children.

I Feel:    Happy most of the time.

I Know:  God loves me.

I Wonder:  If my parents will remain healthy this year.

I Applaud:   All our service men and women and the good

                    teachers who educate our kids.

I Love:      God, my family, my friends, my life, and of course, 

                  my dog. 

                      

 

Monday Morning Question

monday morning question...

           

Cats:  Rule or drool?

Lobster:  Eat or no treat?

Ties:  Wear or nowhere?

Escargot:  Slime or sublime?

Cats are cool but doggies rule

Lobsters are good too look at but not to eat

Ties make a man look dignified and handsome

Escargot is for adventurous diners and not for me..... ewwwww

Birthday Bike for Andrew

I just got back from Toys R Us.  I picked up Andrew's new tricycle.  We are giving this to him for his 2nd birthday.  It's so cool!  He can learn to peddle and Dad and Mom don't have to break their backs leaning over him while he learns.  They just push it with the push bar.  When they are out, if he gets tired of peddling, they can push him.  The canope comes off.  The little yellow thing in back holds a few toys or whatever he wants to put in there.  It has a little bell on the handle bars.  And for mom, a drink holder in the tray under the push handle.  They think of everything these days!  I hope he enjoys it!

Pictures Are Here

I got the Proof Book with all of the pictures taken at Andrew's 2 year picture shoot.  I've posted a few that I scanned last night.   I'm taking the book down to Bryan and Shannon's tomorrow so they can pick out a pose for the 11 x 14 that we are giving them for Christmas.  It will be a black and white and then hand tinted like the ones I had done of Megan and Nathan when they were two.  It's going to be a tough decision because there are several really good pictures of Andrew that would be great as his portrait.  I'll post the one the choose later this week.

I'm going to get 3  4 x 6's (1 of each child) for a frame I bought for my parents for Christmas.  I'll get a 5 x 7 of each of them for my collection and I'll let my sister pick out what she wants, too.  I'm getting a free 8 x 10 and I think I'll let Bryan and Shannon pick out one of the pictures with all three kids together and give that to them as well.

This afternoon, we are going to the 80th Birthday Celebration for Dennis' mentor and first boss, Milt Lockett.  Dennis started working for Milt when he was in college and stayed working in his office for 9 years before going out on his own.  We have to give this man credit for helping us achieve the life we have today.  Milt inspired Dennis to open his own office when he decided to partially retire.  At that time, he turned over about 30% of his regular business to Dennis which gave him a HUGE start.  It enabled me to quit my job and stay home with Bryan and then with Cari when she was born a few years later. 

When we were first married and really struggling financially, every once in a while, Milt would give Dennis an envelope with $50 in it and tell him, "Take Kathy out to dinner."  He was always so thoughtful and kind to both of us.  More like a Dad than a boss.

We are really looking forward to seeing him today and paying tribute to such a great guy!  Happy Birthday, Milt!

 

CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEA

For you folks who live in parts of the world where it gets FREEZING cold, here is a great idea for a Christmas gift for your kids: Portable Ice Rink

Posted Nov 1st 2006 6:06PM by Nicole Weston
Filed under: Sports

What child wouldn't love to have an ice skating rink in the back yard? Hammacher Schlemmer has a 37-foot portable ice rink that can be set up anywhere and is perfect for practicing for winter sports or just skating for fun. The frame keeps the water in the rink even if the temperatures get too high to sustain the ice, ensuring it will be ready to go whenever the weather gets cold, and the rigid PVC at the bottom protects the rink from skate damage if the ice gets too thin.

If only I had had one of these to put in the yard growing up! Actually, it wouldn't have helped me to become a more accomplished figure skater because, portable though it is, it still needs to be below freezing to properly form the 2.5-inch thick ice layer and that is something you can't necessarily count on in most of California. Price: $700.

I would have loved this but I grew up on Southern California and it just wouldn't have worked here.

Unfinished Project

I attached a few pictures of the tile in my bathroom.  The installer is coming back tomorrow to remove the blue tape and to apply the sealer.  Once the sealer goes on, the white spots will blend in with the background and won't stand out.  I'm really happy with it.  It's a natural stone so we will have to seal it once a year which isn't a big deal.

Dennis is going to repaint the bathroom a few shades darker than it is right now and then he will paint the cabinets an even darker shade of tan.  It's too bland now with everything being so close in color.  Isn't that the way it goes?  You do one thing and then you have to do a few others because it changes everything.

The 3 framed pictures are water color paintings by Bernice.  I guess I would call her my mother-in-law.  She's Dennis's step-dad's widow.  Anyway, I love her to pieces and I'm so proud of the art work she does.  She painted these three pieces especially for us.  We saw the Magnolia at an art show and loved it so she did two others on the black background to go with it.  How lucky are we? 

The painting of the 3 trees is the new piece we bought for the entry.  I'm not so crazy about the content but I do like the colors and the composition.  It ties all of the colors in the living room and dining room together.  LOL  I think the trees look like they have legs instead of trunks.  I guess I should not be so critical.  It's far better than anything I could paint.

This is a preview of what we are doing.  I have no idea when the whole project will be completed.  Maybe January - maybe never.  Who knows? I'm just having fun in the meantime.