O my gosh..I am dying!

I did a LOT of work today. I tilled the weeds in the garden at dad's and made several new rows for sunflowers, peas, and more corn. We didn't plant them yet, but will next week. After coming home for about an hour, I went back to their town to help with the landscaping of their new family life building to get it ready for the dedication on Sunday. We planted lots of plants. More people came to help after 5, so I gave up and came home. I was so exhausted that I had a shower and was IN my bed by 6:45. Obviously, I didn't stay there. I was too hungry! I had to get up and make some toast. I just took some aspirins and now I am going back to bed!

Yadda, yadda, yadda...

I went for a follow up doctor appointment today to get some blood drawn yet again. The last time it was fine after one scare of some abnormal liver numbers. Today my blood pressure was too high. I have to monitor it every day for 10 days and see how it runs. CRAP! I don't like doing that. I like to believe everything is just hunky dorry. Ignorance is bliss to me!

After that, I went to lunch with the ladies for the first time in two weeks...then picked up a few things for Mom which I will take to her tomorrow. As hard as I tried not to do it, I went ahead and mowed the lawn. Unfortunately, I am so bad out of shape that I had to stop several times and rest...not because I was tired, but because my back was hurting. I know it was hurting only because I have sat around doing nothing too much of the winter. The muscles in my back need some use and they will be OK!

Made you laugh!!!!

No..I'm not smarter than a 5th grader...

I picked up the adding machine that Mom ordered yesterday. It doesn't appear to be that difficult, but we couldn't even figure out how to set the time and date or put the paper roll in it. The instructions were written in a light gray and very tiny. WTH! I called my brother and told him to go see if he could set it up for her. He is so busy with getting their new building at church ready for the dedication, which is Sunday....so he will probably forget. Just as he was leaving Mom's yesterday morning, she fell on the porch. She just absolutely loses balance and just falls. Thank goodness, she fell on the porch and not down the concrete steps. She is sore, but otherwise OK. Stewart didn't see her fall, but she was able to get up by scooting over to an iron rail that we had built and installed for her.

Holy Crap, Batman!

All the years I lived in Texas, I never saw a hail storm. Today we had TWO! with a rainbow in between!

Lazy...sort of!

Edited to add: My hummer came back for his evening meal, so today is the offical first day of my hummers. He's all by himself right now, but I'm sure he'll invite his friends.

I saw my first hummer today at my feeder,but I told him "Hi, welcome back"! and he left. Haven't seen him since. Mom saw one last week. Maybe these are scouts looking for feeders.

I'm just too LAZY! I actually did do my new project with the pavers this morning, but that is pretty much all. Oh, yeah and I did use the spreader to put out this high priced three in one stuff. It's supposed to kill the weeds, feed the grass, and prevent fire ants. I'll be the judge of that. It had to be watered in immediately, so I did that even though it is supposed to rain tomorrow. I sure hope so. OK...I guess I'm not as lazy as I thought. I just didn't get any of the stuff on my list done...not even the baseball game, which is going on right now.

Hi Ho Hi Ho...it's off to work I go!

There is a lot on my plate for the upcoming week:

• Mow my yard
• Take Mom to Bossier to buy her plants
• Clean her car (this will be an all day job)
• Volunteer my services to help with the landscaping of the new building at my family's church
• Plant more tomatoes
• Baseball game tomorrow
• Doctor appointment for me Thursday

On top of all this, my aunt is back in the hospital. She broke her ankle last Sunday and was in the hospital until Thursday. She was moved to a re-hab facility until today when she had a stroke. I went by the trauma unit today to see about her. She is in bad shape, but she is in a room and didn't have to go to ICU

TEST

The only constructive thing I have done today is cook a cake, which is cooling right now. This is a test post because I can't figure out why the graphic won't stay where it is in the preview.

Thank God....

that I have the option of doing absolutely nothing if that's what I feel like doing! Today was one of those days that I had plans to do stuff, but ended up piled up on my bed sleeping a good part of the day. I have pavers bought and ready for my next project, but today I just didn't want to work....so I didn't! The tree pollen here is terrible and my whole world is green. Yesterday, I cleaned it off everything and a few minutes later it was all covered again, so screw it. I have the power washer out ready to wash down everything, but it would be pointless to do now. Soon construction will begin behind me and there will be big time dust everywhere. We are again desperately dry and dust is rampant anyway. It's a losing battle!

Why O Why!

Excellent Day

I had some scheduled maintenance on my car today. The rear differential was leaking, so a new gasket was the solution. Damn gasket was $10, but labor was just ridiculous....$108 later, I have a freakin' gasket. On the bright side, I got some much needed cleaning done around the house today. I just can't stand to stay inside while it is so nice outside, so I cleaned out the garage and tried to get the oil from the leak off the garage floor. After many attempts, I gave up. I guess it will forever remind me of the $108 I paid for a gasket!!!

ON a lighter note, I pulled those two roses up and took them and their receipt back to Wal Mart and got a refund. This time I bought roses that are already leafed out. I wasn't able to replace them with the exact duplicates, but at least they will have leaves and look like the other roses. I survey all the plants every morning while I drink my coffee. I am happy to announce that

almost every plant that I set out last year is coming back out. The only lone dissenter is a gardenia that my brother and sister-in-law gave me when I moved here. I didn't think the angel trumpets were going to re-appear, but I can see little wisps of green along the base of every plant, so I think they survived the winter.

Lazy Sunday

I spent all yesterday shopping for my mom. At Christmas I got a gift card to a store that I have been unable to find anything that I wanted or needed. They have lots of things that Mom would like in clothing, but nothing that I like so I used it and bought her some clothes. Unfortunately, I had to return some of them and get a different size, so I went to Bossier City twice yesterday and the store here and to Mom and Dad's. On my last trip, I stopped and got my crawfish for the week. Well, maybe not! I'm thinking of going back and getting some
more right now! YUM!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Meet Me At Luigi's.

The youth at my church did a dinner theater production tonight as a fund raiser that was awesome. I knew three of the kids and it just reminded me of all the events I went to showcasing student talents when I was teaching. I knew so many very talented kids that could have been professionals. Unfortunately, most of them never got a chance. Two that I knew did become professional opera singers and three became major league baseball players, but there were many others who had the talent. It makes me proud to see so many young people with so much talent.

Are you smarter than a 5th grader?

My mom told me about this game show on Fox and the last two Thursdays I watched it. Last week I was NOT smarter than a fifth grader. I did not know Venus was the brightest planet (Duh, I thought it was Jupiter) and I did not know what a rhombus was. All the others I knew. I am happy to report that this week I was at least as smart as a fifth grader. I knew them all...even the math ones, which I usually don't even pretend to know. WooHOO!!!

Digging in the dirt...

After lunch with the ladies today, I went to Mom and Dad's to see what I could do to help them. They weren't home, but I can always find plenty to do at their house. I stayed in the yard checking on the garden and the roses. I decided I would clean up Mom's work table where she fixes all her pots full of annuals each year. I emptied all the old pots and got them all clean and ready to re-plant this season.

Dad had a bluebird box that someone had given him. I wanted it, but the builder didn't leave any way to open the box. When Dad got home, we took the top off and put hinges on it so I can open the box and see when the nest is built, when the eggs are layed, and when the babies are hatched. I will put it up tomorrow and hope they find it in time. I may be too late!

Why do I watch this crap?

Each day I either watch or tape this dumb show. WHY???? I do not understand why I can't extricate myself from the clutches of this nonsense. These beotches all (except Elisabeth Hasselback) make my blood boil and blood shoot out of my eyeballs, but I can't switch the channel. There is never a day that they don't get in some digs on the President or other cabinet members. I am a Republican and there are lots of things that I am not happy with, but these women are relentless and just so sure they are RIGHT! It's obvious that they get all their info from the left wing looney blogs. It's time to drag out my favorite graphic and maybe I need to go to rehab to learn to turn the channel and get away from all the nonsense. Rosie O'Donnell is the worst and since she arrived, Joy Behar has gotten much braver about spouting DUMB stuff. She knows Rosie will back her up. I admire Elisabeth. I would have already stabbed somebody in the neck!!!

Points earned!

While my brother was earning his points taking my parents to Shreveport today for an appointment with Dad's hearing aid man, I went to the store and got some things Mom needed, then took them to her house. I set up her new music system that I bought for her and I cleaned her kitchen. I can get a lot done at their house when they are not there.

It's nesting time

My bluebirds never went anywhere for the winter. Bluebirds and robins just hung around here all winter and we did have some pretty cold weather. Lately I have been checking my bluebird house to see if they have started building a nest. Much to my surprise today the nest was all built. How do they do this without my ever seeing them? I cleaned out the old nest from last season and had it all ready for them to rebuild and they did. My cousin, who is an expert on bluebirds, told me they would be back. I have not seen any hummers yet, but I have a new feeder ready to put out for them. I'm anxiously awaiting the days I can sit on my patio and watch the hummers fight each other!!

The fruits of my labor...

Last fall before I planted my pansies in the big pots, I planted daffodil bulbs. The bulbs have come up right through the pansies as I hoped they would. Right now the pots are really looking pretty and there are daffodils in places I didn't even remember planting them. Every day is a new surprise. Each day I survey all my plants to see what is coming back out. I'm happy to say that all of my hydrangeas have come back out. I think I even see a smidgen of green at the bottom of my angel trumpets. I thought they were gone for sure, but there may be hope. I still have two roses that have not put on any new growth. Mom says they will, but I'm not so sure.

I got nuthin'!

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Well, Duh!!

I called the appliance repair place today about re-calibrating my too cold oven!! Turns out that all I had to do was READ the manual that came with it and re-set it myself. Of course, it never occurred to me that I could do it myself. Seems it has something like a motherboard! I have now read the book, but once again I made myself look like a doofus!!!

Just toucning base...

I have been busy over the weekend, but mostly with mundane work sort of stuff. Nothing worth writing about here. Yesterday after I finished working in the yard at Mom and Dad's, I had my first crawfish of the season. This is a delicacy that is only available a few months out of the year, so we have to eat while we can and I am off to a good start.


Last week Mom tore out a picture of an old timey looking music player from a sale paper. She wanted something that would play her old vinyl records, cassettes, radio (AM & FM) and CD's. I was unable to get the one she wanted last week because Target was sold out of them, but today I found a similar one at K Mart and bought it for her. I have unboxed it and tried the CD, radio and cassette, but I would have to go up in the attic to find a vinyl record and I am not doing that! Everything works that I tested, so I will take it to her tomorrow and try one of her records to make sure the turn table works. These days I am surprised when I buy something that actually works right!

Itching for golf

It's this time of the year that I get enthusiastic about playing golf again. It doesn't last long because I don't play when it is unbearably hot, but the Krewe that I joined here is having their Cochan du Lait in June at the local golf course along with a fun tournament. I'm thinking I might want to play in that tournament so I need to get out and start practicing so as to maybe not embarrass myself quite so much. The only problem is that every time I play golf here, it costs me about $40 since I am not a member anywhere. That adds up rather quickly!

Daddy time...

This morning I made my famous pralines for my sister-in-law. I must say I believe that are the best I have ever made. Scrumptious comes to mind. Tomorrow is her birthday, so I took them to her. She wasn't home, so I just left them there and went to Dad's. I knew Mom was at the beauty shop, so I went and sat outside with Dad for a little while. He gets bored and lonely without her there. He is soooooo dependent on her that he would not survive without her.

I also went to lunch with the ladies today and did an Aerify treatment on my yard. It is supposed to loosen up clay, but I can't tell that it does anything. I used it several times last year. After I use this up, I won't be buying anymore.

I learned today from one of the girls who is going to build a house right behind me that real soon they will build the street and begin construction. Good! That will put a street between me and the mice field.

EEEEEWWWWWW!!!!

My neighbor had some workers at her house today installing outside lights. When they went up in the attic, they found a dead mouse! Now I am worried that I may find the same thing. So far all mine have been outside. How in the hell do they get in the attic!!!!!

No work today!

I spent the entire day taking Mom to her cardiologist in Shreveport. She got a fairly good report and doesn't have to go back for 6 months. As an insulin dependent diabetic, she MUST eat at regular intervals or she will have a low blood sugar. Her appointment was at 12:30 and she FORGOT to eat anything before we left. I grabbed a couple of candies out of my candy dish as we left just knowing she would probably need them before she got any food. She DID! Her low blood sugars really scare me. She didn't have one, but she would have if I hadn't brought that candy for her. After we got back from Shreveport, we had to get her groceries at Wal Mart. She almost didn't make it. I had to make her go sit down while I checked out her groceries. She tries to do too much in one day and she absolutely will not give up. I love that about her, but sometimes it can be a detriment!

Jack Pot

No, I didn't win the Mega Millions or at the casino, but I sure did at Hobby Lobby today! I haven't done any scrapbooking since November, so I decided it was time to get started again including buying the next scrapbook. Turns out it was my lucky day. All the scrapbooking stuff was 50% off. I got myself a deal this day!

Totally Tapped Out...

Physically, I am tapped out! I spent most of the day with my dad, taking him to the garden center at Wal Mart to get a truck load of stuff. Since I prepared his rose bed on Saturday, all we had to do was add fertilizer, roses and then mulch. He bought 12 roses and I got them all planted and mulched. That doesn't sound like much, but it wore me out.

Non-stop Sunday

I thought Sunday was supposed to be a day of rest. Not for me on this Sunday. This morning I was supposed to bring some breakfast food for Sunday School. I thought I had plenty of time to cook some frozen cinnamon rolls. I cooked those suckers for 45 minutes and they still were not nearly done, so I had to take something else. I've decided that my oven is not right. It always takes longer than it is supposed to. I'll call soon and see if it can be re-calibrated. After church I rushed to my brother's for lunch. Came back to my home briefly before I had to go to a baby shower. Before I went there, I had to go to Wally World to get Dad a new universal remote control for his TV. I took it to him after the shower and programmed it for him while he was sleeping in his bed. He never even woke up. I just left it beside his bed. He'll be happy when he sees it. A man without a remote is a beast!

Second attempt for blogger help

This time I chose left again and chose small for the graphic. If you scroll down to my previous post, I explanined that one as well. As you can see, the graphic published above the post without the word wrap that is shown in the illustration when I picked "left". Their little graphic there shows the words wrapped around the graphic, but with me that does not happen.

Sample post for blogger help group

On this one I chose the graphic and uploaded it before writing the post. Right now as I compose, the graphic sits to the left of my post. I have been able to do this in the past with old blogger and it published correctly, but with new blogger when I publish the graphic will move up above the post on the left. I am now going to publish this and see if the same thing happens again.

Semi-finished project

I lightened this photo to show detail. It is all in the shade right now, so it was a little too dark. All the work is done. Now I just have to watch for all the bulbs to emerge and the roses to put out and bloom. Most of them are already putting on growth, so I hope this project is a success and the results of all my hard work reach my expectations!