Good-bye 2005!

I'm a TEXAN!

Even though I was born in Louisiana, I am a Texan. I have lived here most of my life and when I start thinking about leaving it many things cross my mind......not the least of which is Central Market. This is my favorite store in the world. I drive the two hours to Houston just to go to this store. I did it today! When I move to Louisiana, the closest Central Market is in Dallas! That is a good 4 hours away. What Oh What will I do!

No thinking required!

Any movie that I can just enjoy and not have to figure out what is happening is my kind of movie....that would be Rumor Has It. I never had to think even once! I just love Jennifer Aniston and she was perfect in this movie. Yep, it's a chick flick, but, hey, I'm a chick!!! Well, more like a HEN!

Home Again!

Once again I have made the trip to North Louisiana and back again. I am so, so, so tired of driving that stretch of highway. I have started taking baby steps to move there. I have begun the search for a home there in the Shreveport/Bossier area. I just need to be closer to my aging parents so I can care for them without having to drive so far and stay at their home when I go there. The decision has been made. I will move as soon as I find a suitable place. I will start getting rid of things here this week in preparation for a life- changing move. I haven't moved in 30 years and really dread doing this. I don't want to have a negative attitude about this and I won't because it will be fine after the move is made and I am settled in a new place. The main thing that I was concerned about (Texas Network doctors) has been solved. My insurance sent me a directory of doctors in North Louisiana that are in the network. It's just overwhelming to think about all the things that moving to a different state involves....not to mention leaving friends of many, many years!!

C-Ya on the Flip Side!

Gone for the Christmas Holidays!

A golfing kind of day....NOT!

Today I played golf for the first time since August. Only morons play when the temp is not predicted to rise out of the 40's today.....yep, I'm a moron, but it was fun. We only played 9 holes, but there was not another MORON on the course. We could do whatever we wanted. The Pro even gave us our cart for free because he said even he doesn't play in weather this cold!!! It really wasn't too bad and we plan to do it again after Christmas. We didn't lose feeling in our hands until the last two holes!!

My new favorite movie...

I cannot believe I had never read this book or seen the movie. That all changed last night when I turned on the movie and got ready to go to sleep ( I always go to sleep during the movies). This was at 1 A.M. I watched every minute of this movie. It was such a beautiful story.

I'm easily amused!

Very cool illusion

Popcorn and Chocolate peanuts...

That's my usual choices when I go to the cinema, which I do rather frequently since retirement 3 years ago. Today was a movie type of day even though I usually don't watch movies at home. It was rainy, dark and cold....a perfect day for movies. I started off watching Cold Creek Manor on Encore Mystery channel, but half way through the movie snakes started appearing everywhere tormenting the family who bought Cold Creek Manor. I just can't watch snakes, so I had to stop watching that one. Later, I started watching Something To Talk About and it was a great movie. It had a line in it that I just loved: Him: "You Southern women sure are easy to please." Her: "It's from keeping our expectations so low." You go, Julia Roberts!

My mom....

I have blogged so much about my mom lately. Most of my friends have never met her so here she is. She is a beautiful lady inside and out.

Mission Accomplished!

The stockings are hung by the chimney with ca.......wait, I don't have a chimney! The gifts are all bought and wrapped or shipped....whichever the case may be! I don't have many people to buy for, but I love buying for others. I should be a personal shopper although I only like to do it when I want to do it.....and for as long as I want to do it....so, I guess I wouldn't be a very good personal shopper. ALL DONE! I'm not one who buys just to get it done. I really want to buy something for the other person that she/he will really like. I try really hard to do that, but sometimes it is very difficult to get the right thing.
I love Christmas!

A fun Christmas Greeting

The Snowdog - animated Flash ecard by Jacquie Lawson

I Love You MO!

As a teacher I had several students who I really became attached to and just sort of adopted. I still call them "my kids". Last Thursday as soon as I got home from my mom and dad's, I got a frantic email from one of "my kids" telling me that her Godmother died and would I please call her. She told me she really needed me to go to the funeral. I did not know the lady who died, but I know Jessica loved her dearly. Her name was Sandy as is mine. Jessica told me that we two were the only ones who kept ALL her secrets. Of course, I went to the funeral to support Jessica. Some things I just gotta do!!!! She just needed a long, hard hug!

Best Buy or Circuit City?

I got that answered once and for all today. I had not used my Ipod in several weeks because I haven't been to the gym. Today I plugged it in the computer to charge it up to get ready for exercise. It did something crazy and went into diagnostic mode and I couldn't get it to do anything. I couldn't even turn it OFF!!!! I went to Best Buy and asked their Geek Squad. They had no clue. Here's their answer: "Send it back to Apple. It may need to be replaced." Well, no help there and I did buy the Ipod there. I know they are not authorized to work on them, but, Geez, they ought to know something! On a whim, I went by Circuit City and asked if they had an Ipod guru. Yes! He punched a few buttons, all of which I had already punched.....but he got the thing working immediately. He told me honestly he didn't really know what he did. I was very grateful. I'm addicted to my Ipod and cannot work out without it!!!

Home, Sweet, Home....yet again!

Tada! Getting to spend time in my own home has become a commodity in the past 5 months due to my mother's failing health. I just spent another week with Mom and Dad so my brother could go on vacation to Branson. He was on his way back home yesterday due to snow in Branson, so I came back to my home. He sees Mom and Dad everyday and is close enough physically to them that he can be there in a minute. Recently, Dad had to call him in the middle of the night because Mom had fallen and broken a rib and Dad could not get her up. She had been on the floor for 5 hours when dad found her. Due to situations such as this my brother and I believe that one of us should be nearby at all times now. I am even beginning the search for a place to live in the Shreveport-Bossier City area. I really do not want to move, but I have to do what is right!

Let it snow!

If I had a yard, it would be sporting one of those plastic blow-up snow globes. They are just awesome. Inside the globe there are snowmen and it is constantly snowing on them. There is a bright light inside so it really shows up beautifully. I just love these things. Of course, I also just love snow globes, snow and snowmen!! I need a yard!

HO, HO, HO!

Today I did something that I have never done before. I bought a bunch of toys and candy and took them to the Salvation Army. I am troubled that so many kids don't even have a home after the hurricanes, so how can they have a wonderful Christmas? The things that I took to the Salvation Army will go to children right here in Orange, Texas. It will make you feel good to do this, so go do it!

Yet another.........

BIRTHDAY! My friend, Joy, always takes me to lunch on or near my birthday. This has been a tradition for many, many years. Today was the day even though my birthday was last week. For the last couple of years, we have made it a point to stay in our own town and support the local economy. This year it was very important that we do that because of Hurricane Rita. Local businesses just need our business. We went to the Bread Box, which is owned by someone we both know. It is a little boutique type of establishment that has very good food. We had a nice lunch and a nice visit. Friends are just awesome! I am very lucky.

Soooo Soooo Tired......

I am just too tired to do anything. Today was a sleep all day kind of day.....dark and rainy...and I was in dire need of that kind of rest. The past few months have drained me emotionally and physically because of my mom's poor health and the amazing amount of miles I have traveled between Orange and Shreveport helping to care for her. She is an amazing woman, but she is tired of not feeling good. At a time like this I cannot help but think of my life without her in it. The inevitability of it always brings tears to my eyes. I have started the first steps in searching for a place to live that is closer to my parents. It is scary to think about having to move to a different city after being in the same place for so long. There are so many things to think about even after finding a new place to live, which I haven't done yet. The main concern is my health insurance through the Texas Retired Teachers. All the doctors listed in the network are Texas doctors, so I have to make baby steps to find out if there are Louisiana doctors in the network since Shreveport is so near Texas. I know those Northeast Texas retired teachers must see doctors in Shreveport since it is the nearest city to many of them. So much to do that I just don't want to do!!

Made ya smile!!!!

The saga continues...

My brother called early Wednesday morning and told me he had an ambulance coming for our mom. I threw stuff in the car and headed for the hospital, which is 4 hours from me. With her history of heart problems, we just knew it was her heart once again. Thank goodness, it was not! Turns out her nausea and dizziness was caused from vertigo and after one night in the hospital, I brought her home. Due to committments I had at my home, I rushed back to Texas yesterday. This morning I got a call from my mom. Seems like she fell in the night and was unable to get up for several hours until my dad came to check on her (he sleeps in the other end of the house). He had to call my brother to come pick her up. She is pretty sure she has a cracked rib now. She is such a wonderful woman and Mom that I just hate to see her have to endure so much. There is really nothing that can be done for a cracked rib and it is really quite painful. A pain pill will just make her even less stable. Every moment she is in bed just continues to rob her of her strength so she stays up most of the time in a chair. She is so tired of being weak and tired!!! If it continues much longer, I'm afraid she may give up. I need my MOM!!

Uuummm...NO...not so much!

Not the same caliber as a Finding Nemo or Madagascar...not even close!

AArrrrgggghhhhh!

Let's just say Time Warner sent a MORON to get me back on line. That man spent an hour toying with my computer and told me some spyware on my computer caused the problem. Well, I doubted that because the computer was working fine before the hurricane. He fumbled and fumbled trying to justify his diagnosis. He put anti spyware on my computer....ok, not a problem. I'm ok with that, but he didn't ask me. He also changed my homepage to the Time Warner Road Runner website. I immediately changed it back to where I had it. The kicker is that he messed with so much stuff that after he left and I started working on my computer, I found things were really messed up. My printer wouldn't print. He had done something with the driver. My Picasa, which I use a lot for pictures, wouldn't work at all. I had to do a complete system restore dating back to before he came and screwed things up. In the end he told me the network adapter inside my tower was bad. He changed it out and got me immediately back on line. Why didn't he try that first instead of trying to blame it on my computer and some obscure spyware? I'm so happy to have my Road Runner back and so happy that I had the common sense it took to get my computer back operating correctly that I couldn't even really get mad at the man!!! I am too blessed to be stressed!!!

In my part of Texas on Election Day, we only had ammendments to vote on. Normally, I wouldn't have a clue what they were about. I must say that held true on 8 of the 9 ammendments, but the one that got my butt out of the recliner was defining marriage as between one woman and one man. Well, Duh! Why do we have to define this? It just isn't right to hear one woman call another woman her wife!! I am not opposed to civil unions, but, please, call it what it is-not marriage-and leave the rest of us alone!!!

I love Road Runner!

Today I got my Road Runner restored which had been down since the hurricane blew in on September 24th. I missed it way more than the cable TV. During that time I was using a Walmart Connect dial-up program and it sucked big time!! I am so happy to be back on line. This was the last thing I needed to get my life back to normal. WOOO HOOOO!

I'm back!

Wow! What a ride these last two months have been! While I was in Louisiana trying to help Mom recover from triple by-pass, Hurricane Rita hit my hometown with a dead- on direct hit. I live across the street from the golf course and it lost 450 trees. The mess is still being removed on a daily basis. Fortunately, nothing was touched at my home. The windchimes are still on the patio and not a shingle is missing. Since I didn't have a chance to remove any valuables, I fully expected to come home to nothing. I had seen the pictures posted on the internet of my street and I just knew there was no chance for my home. I just could not worry about the THINGS that I might lose to Hurricane Rita because I was too worried that I might lose my mom. I think God knew that I didn't care about THINGS at the moment and nothing mattered to me but my mom getting well. Fortunately, my mom is much better and I have a home. I learned that THINGS don't matter.....people do! God Bless Texas!

Brief Update!!!! :)

AS soon as I get my road runner back from Hurricane Rita, I will be up and running again and really catching up here. I am just not in to Wal Mart Connect......a dial up program. I pity anyone who is still on dial-up! Later!!!

Just my freakin' luck........

I waited a year to buy my Ipod; as soon as I bought it....... a new, smaller, improved model is released!!!!

I live in one nation UNDER GOD!

Unfortunately, my nation has some MORONS in it that are judges!!!!

Yo..I ain't goin' back to the BET awards!

Everyone needs their mommy!

I am profoundly aware that at 62 years old I am very lucky to still have my mother and father. Their days on this Earth are growing shorter quickly. Unfortunately, my mom had her third heart attack 2 weeks ago and a subsequent triple bypass. She is in rehab now, but still in the hospital in Shreveport, Louisiana. Because visitation is very limited while in rehab, I took this opportunity to return to my home in Texas and re-group and get some "downtime" if that's possible. While I was staying with Mom one of those nights soon after surgery, she told me she saw the angels. I told her that I wasn't ready for her to see the angels. She can describe those angels to this very day.

Life Religions.....

Taoism -shit happens
Confucianism -confucius says, shit happens
Buddhism -if shit happens, it isn't really shit
Zen-what is the sound of shit happening?
Hinduism -this shit happened before
Islam-if shit happens, it is the will of allah
Protestantism-let shit happen to someone else
Catholicism-if shit happens, you deserve it
Judaism-why does this shit always happen to us?
Atheism-i don't believe this shit
Agnosticism-what is this shit

More Gentle Thoughts....

This makes me laugh!

Ipod Update

The Band (The Weight)
Red Hot Chili Peppers (Give It Away)
The Doobie Brothers (Listen to the Music)
Starland Vocal (Afternoon Delight)
Atlantic Starr (Always)

Big Boo HOO!!

Mark Consuelos.....Not a familiar name to most people, but he is the hunky, handsome husband of Kelly Ripa. I used to watch him on All My Children and I just think he is one beautiful, male speciman. Well, he is in the new movie, The Great Raid. It's a war picture based on a true story....not really my kind of flick, but I went to see it just to see him! It's a fairly good movie, but he is barely in it. He has very little dialogue, so imagine my disappointment! I will get over it. I can find many more things than that to occupy my feeble little mind.

Gentle Thought!!!

Here's my message to the following: Cindy Sheehan, The U.N., Barbra Streisand, Rosie O'Donnel, Michael Moore, Bill Mahr , Alan Colmes, Howard Dean, etc.

WoooooHooooo! Finally.....

My bathroon has been finished! It's been over two months since someone drove through my wall. There were weeks when nothing at all was done toward completing this re-construction project. My incessant whining finally worked!

Two Thumbs Up!!

OK, I am not Ebert OR Roeper, but March of the Penguins is an awesome documentary. I know some sperm donors (fathers) who could take some pointers from these male penguins. Take your children to see this movie. They will love it and so will you.

GRRRR!!!

Since gas prices hit $2.49 here, my running the roads is going to slow dramatically. Unfortunately, it is I who will suffer the most from not going as often to work out. My gym membership is a 50 mile round trip away. I will not be going every day and I will have to plan my trips more carefully to coincide with other plans. Tomorrow I have an eye doctor appointment in the same city, so I can combine the workout with the doctor. I just live in my car and it is going to be quite a change for me. I used to think nothing of slipping over to Houston for the day, but that won't be happening very often.
Today I finally finished my 100 things post!!

Slug in a coma........

That's the only way to describe me all day yesterday. The only thing I can attribute it to is being too hot on the golf course on Thursday. I was either in the recliner or the bed sleeping all day long. I almost never sleep in the recliner, but yesterday was a BIG exception. I never even walked the few steps outside to the mailbox.....that's just how sluggish I was!!!

HOT and STUPID!

Once again I thought I could handle the heat on the golf course. Due to several incidents of "things going fuzzy" for me, I had to quit after 7 holes. I thought perhaps it was low blood sugar because I had not eaten before going out. It was not that. I checked my blood glucose level when I got home and it was 130. That is not a low reading or a high reading. I guess it is just Texas heat and humidity. I should know better by now!!! Duh! I am sure I'll be back out there next Thursday! I'm a slow learner.

I could not resist!!!!

http://www.dr-joe.net/quiz.html

Dukes of Hazzard

This is not a movie that I would normally choose to see, but I like Jessica Simpson so much that I wanted to see her. I hope the movie is a hit because of her, but it was nothing more than a long, loud car chase. Jessica didn't have many scenes, but she was just as cute as could be in them. I wouldn't give this movie any more than 2 stars and that is stretching it. If it hadn't been so loud, I would have gone to sleep. Next, I am going to see March of the Penguins.

Home sweet home....yet again!!

Once again I have returned to MY home after a short (4 days) trip to check on my elderly parents. They are fine......I am tired!!! Today I drove down to the beach to visit my friend Joy, who is down there with her family. I mostly went to see her dad, whom I am quite fond of and rarely get to see. The bottom line is that I have missed my exercise for the past two weeks and I am anxious to get back on a schedule for working out. I haven't hit a lick since my yoga class ended 2 weeks ago. No excuses.....I could have done yoga at any of the places that I have been, BUT I DIDN'T!

Wedding pic!

Two of the bridesmaids, who I love a lot, at Janis' wedding last weekend!

Home, SWEET, Home!

It's always good to get away a few days, but it is good to be back home! I left on Thursday and spent the night in San Antonio to revisit the River Walk. On Friday, after dropping a few bucks at the Outlets in San Marcus, I went on to Austin. Met up with friends and went out to dinner at Posada's. The hotel was filled with hometown folks in for Janis' wedding, so we had a good time visiting. Janis and Keith got married at 2 P.M. in a sweet ceremony at a catholic church in Georgetown. Then the fun began.....which is the whole point of weddings anyway, I think! It was a very long reception that included dinner. Janis was a beautiful bride and is a very special person to me. She is one of MY girls. We stayed until the bride and groom left at 9:30. We were gone from the hotel a total of 9 hours!!!! Wow!

Profound TRUTH!

I learned yesterday that........Prayer is not a part of your relationship with God.....It IS your relationship with God!

New Ipod stuff...

I worked out a long time today and the reason is MY IPOD! It's a magical thing! Recently added artists are:
The Band
The McCoys (Hang on Sloopy)
Rascal Flatts
Alan Jackson

Texas heat stroke!

I don't know why I continue to go out and try to play golf in dangerously high temperatures and high humidity. Yesterday we played 9 holes and ever since then I have been totally drained. Today was just a hang out at home in the recliner kind of day. I can't even blame my slothfulness on rain today because there was none. I see other people playing 18 holes with no problems. I want to do that as well, but it just isn't happening.

Friendship revisited...

Tonight was a night for re-connecting. My friend, Joy, called and asked me to come over for a gin and tonic. She said she could really make a good one. Her husband was off on some golfing outing with the men, so we sat for 3 hours and just talked and talked. It seems we just haven't taken the time to do that in recent years although we used to do it a lot. I must say that it was very enjoyable and the gin and tonic was GOOD! We never need to lose contact with our dear friends. They are a treasure!!