Coke Blak

I have not always been a coffee drinker and when I do it is really doctored up with all kinds of flavorings. This coke just drew me to it...a fusion of coke and coffee. At first, I wasn't sure if I liked it, but now it is sort of addictive. They are very expensive, so I won't be buying them often, but I keep going back to the fridge and taking a swig of an opened one I keep in there. They have some high fructose syrup and some aspartame, but the small ones are only 45 calories and 12 carbs, so it doesn't do a number on my blood sugar. What's up with this!!!!....a graphic finally showed up!

WooHoo.....progress!

I spent most of yesterday in Shreveport looking at scrapbook stuff. Today and last night I got 13 pages done and I am quite happy about that! What I am not happy about is that I still cannot get images to upload!!! GRRRR! Fortunately, I can use graphics from smileycentral.com. I went to blogger help and found lots of complaints just like mine, so they are working on the problem. Doesn't happen to everyone...just us special people!!

JonBenet

I have a strange, uneasy feeling that this guy is not the killer...but, a wacked out wannabe! I hope I am wrong, but my woman's intuition rarely fails me. (Once again, I can't get an image to upload!!)

My brother is awesome...

My brother had to attend a breakfast in my town this morning and after the breakfast he came by and fixed my lawn mower in 5 minutes. There are a couple of notches that the blade has to fit down into and Dad did not have the blade in those notches. I saw how it was done, but I still don't have a socket set that I would need to fix it. Hopefully, it won't happen again.

Please excuse me while I vent....

My 84 year old father tries to be so helpful, but I swear, he messes up more stuff than he fixes. Yesterday, he took the blade off my NEW lawnmower to sharpen it. It did not need sharpening; after all, I am not mowing fields of weeds! I humored him and let him do his thing. Today, he put it back on. I went out at 8 tonight to mow my yard even though it is still 99 degrees. The mower was vibrating so bad that I couldn't use it. I knew he had screwed up putting the blade back on. I called my brother and asked him if it was possible to put it on backwards or upside down. He said yes it was and Dad probably didn't get it put back in exactly the slot it should be in and he probably doesn't have it tight enough either. NO JOKE!! Stewart told me not to use it because it is dangerous. He will see about it when he can. Anyone want to come for an Easter egg hunt in my lush, tall, green grass??

Frustration....

Since Sunday I have not been able to get any graphics or pictures to show up. It always says it's uploading and then says "done", but then nothing is there. I am frustrated right now because I can't figure out why. Others have put up blogs today including pictures and graphics. Why won't mine work? And just when I tried one last time, it worked!!!

A Non-stop day!

I was at my mom's by 9 A.M. to help her get rid of stuff that she wants gone before the cleaning lady comes Wednesday. When I got there, she told me she tried to catch me before I left to tell me she had an appointment with her orthopedist at 1:45. In the meantime, Dad decided he needed to go to my house and get the lawn mower blade off and sharpen it. Of course, I had to drive him there and back. Nevermind that I was there to help Mom and Nevermind that I need to mow my yard tonight and now I have no blade on the mower. Anyway, after taking him home, I came back to my house to change clothes and went back to get Mom and take her to the doctor. Turns out she didn't break anything, but bruised her knee inside very badly. That was good news because the doc was afraid she could have broken her kneecap and she is in no condition to have to deal with that. I just got home a few minutes ago and got all the sprinklers going because this is my day to water (water restrictions). My brother and Dad went fishing while I took Mom to the doctor and my brother gave me the fish they caught already cleaned and ready to cook. I'll be all over that in a few minutes. Hot fried white perch.....nothing better. Wednesday my dad has an appointment with his pulmonary doc. My brother said he will take him to that appointment. I'm grateful for that!!

I confess....

I am addicted! For this, I AM NOT PROUD!!!

Motivation Re-visited!

Since it is ONLY 91 degrees today, I got some motivation back and did some yard work. The petunias had about had it even though they were still blooming, so I pulled all them up. The caladiums have about had it ,too, so I cut off a bunch of them. The research has begun to see what I shall have in the flower beds in the fall. Pansies are just not showy enough for me. I also did a yard treatment with Miracle Gro...those liquid ones that fit on the hose...and also spread some lawn food with the spreader. If it doesn't kill it, it will be green and thick!!! I'm obsessed with my grass!

We took the plunge....

My brother and I made an executive decision to get someone to clean the house for Mom. She had someone for over 50 years.....the same person...., but, that person is now in a nursing home and Mom is just not able to keep up with a moderately big house (not by today's standards, but in its time). I tried doing it for her, but she gets in the kitchen and starts cooking when I am there and that just doesn't work well with cleaning. My dad is very generous with his money with his children, but not so much with anything else, so we anticipate some resistance from him. He doesn't think the house is dirty because he can't see well and he certainly makes no attempt to keep anything clean. He will take out the garbage and change the garbage bags, but that's about the extent of his cleaning. Mom wasn't even real receptive to the idea, but I think that's just because she doesn't want to deal with Dad. Now she thinks she has to clean things up better before the lady comes on Wednesday. I told her I would come help her do that. No one ever uses the dining room and the living room, so it gets dirty from lack of use. The hardwood floors need a good cleaning so I'm hoping this lady will do that. The only place the hardwood isn't covered up is the living room and dining room and they have become very dingy. We'll see how far our executive decision gets!!!We could get vetoed and not be as powerful as we think!

One thing after another!!!

My dad called me at 7:30 this morning and woke me up. He said Mom was not doing well since her fall last week. My brother and sister-in-law had been there for breakfast and they decided she needed to see her orthopedist. It is her knee that is causing her lots of pain. She has two knee replacements and when she falls, those stainless steel knees really bruise the inside of her knees. She called the doc, but he was not going to be in today. He is her cousin and and no one else will do. I called her later today and she said she thought it was better.

I had yet another lazy do nothing sort of day. It is just too hot to get motivated to do anything, so I just stayed home in the cool and cooked (quiche and a strawberry cake). Then, of course, I had to eat them. I offered to take some to my mom. but she declined. She just doesn't want me to use my gas.

Later today I did some scrapbooking and got several pages done. I don't like to leave the scrapbook stuff out, so I do as many as I can at a time so I can put everything back up. It's all put back in its place now until I get motivated again!!!

Nix Plan B

Nothing got done after my little episode with heat exhaustion. After my cold shower, I thought I felt fine, but,actually, all I did the rest of the day was sleep. That must have been somehow related to the getting too hot drama because that is highly unusual for me. I couldn't watch a TV program without going to sleep..... so, the edger and the cords are all still lying on the ground where I left them yesterday. Perhaps.......tonight!!!

On to Plan B....

I had planned to go back and work in Mom and Dad's yard, but before I did that I
needed to do the edging on my yard. I sweated a lot and drank a lot of water....plus, I sat down every few minutes in front of a fan in the garage. STILL.......I threw up! I think that is a sign of heat exhaustion, so I took a cold shower. I feel fine now, but I didn't finish the yard. I guess
I'll finish it tonight.

I'm Baaack!

Got home at about 3:30 Sunday afternoon. Spent Saturday night in Tuscaloosa, AL, so the drive home was easy. Had a great time in South Carolina with my little adopted family. The kids are just so much fun and had changed so much in the year since I last saw them.

The grass was so high when I got home that I got out just before dark and mowed the back and side yards. My neighbor kept it well watered, so it was thick and green. Today I have to go see about my Mom, who managed to do a face plant in the yard last Monday when both my brother and myself were out of town. She spent 20 minutes on the ground before Dad came looking for her. It was 8 P.M. and I am so grateful that he was not already in bed in his room in the far other end of the house. He had to call a friend to come get Mom up because he is just too frail to pick her up.

On the road again...

but this time it is a fun pleasure trip. Be back next Sunday.

Friends revisited!

My friend from Orange got here yesterday about 3 P.M. and just left a few minutes ago to go to Bossier for a couple of days with her aunt. We had a great visit. She hadn't been here long before we were rearranging furniture. She's good like that! Now I have optimal use of all my furniture. Before we changed things around, my love seat was not being used because it was not together with the other furniture. This will be better.
We took the tour of my new town, which is really a beautiful, quaint little town. I had dinner ready to cook before she arrived, baked a blueberry pound cake using fresh blueberries, and had the wine chilled. We had a nice dinner, then sat on the patio with our dessert and wine until after 11:00 just catching up.
Today we went down to visit my parents, who she had not seen in a long time. We picked tomatoes and came back to my home. What a lovely visit! She is a friend that I will always have.

I didn't win....AGAIN!

My favorite charity is St Jude. Each of the past 5 years I have bought a $100 ticket as a chance to win the St. Jude Dream Home in Bossier City, LA. Of course, the home is the big prize, but there are lots of lesser prizes that I could have won and I didn't. Oh well, it costs a million dollars a day to run St. Jude and the families of those children never have to pay one penny. They are furnished a place to stay, transportation to Memphis, food.....anything they might need, so I am always proud to be a small part of furnishing that service for troubled families. I can think of nothing worse than having a child sick enough to need St. Jude.

Another scary episode....

My brother and my dad were fishing today and doing well catching fish. After 1 1/2 hours my dad told my brother that he couldn't fish any more and needed to go to shore. My brother immediately started the boat and headed across the lake to the boathouse. He looked back at Dad and he was lying on the floor of the boat. My brother thought he was dead. Stewart called to him twice, "Daddy, daddy", but Daddy didn't answer. He came to when they got to shore, but he didn't remember anything except telling Stewart he was exhausted and couldn't fish anymore. He would not let Stewart call an ambulance because it's Friday. Stewart took him home and watched him for a little while, got him to drink some water and lie down. We think his blood pressure went too low, plus they were on the lake in the sun, and he hadn't drunk any of his water. He doesn't like to drink water because of his prostate problems, but I think he was dehydrated and just didn't know it. We are monitoring his blood pressure. I talked to him a few minutes ago and he feels OK. I told Mom that if he has to die, I hope it's on the lake, but Mom said that would not be good for Stewart......ooops...she's right! It scared him bad today when he thought our dad was dead in their boat!!!!

Mom time...

Today I took Mom to Shreveport for a periodontist appointment. Afterwards, we went to Chick-fil-A for a sandwich. On the way back to Minden, I remembered that her walking stick needed new tips on the feet, so I took care of that. While I was in that store, she noticed that her inspection sticker was about to expire, so I took care of that. Then we went to pick up her meds at Wal-Mart. This is the reason I moved to Minden. In all this time she never had to get out of the car except for her dental appointment!

Hot as HELL!

The temp on my computer says 104. I believe it is located at Barksdale AFB which is about 20 miles from me. The thermometer in my gargage (with the door open) says 100. The temp on my AC says 73. I'm staying inside!!!!!!! Well, at least until around 8 when I will get out and mow the front yard. Last night I got out after 8 and mowed the backyard. Then it will have to be watered. MWF are my watering days during the water restrictions, but it helps more to do it at night so it doesn't just evaporate.

I am such a SUCKER!!!

I got suckered into letting some young kids come in and show me a Kirby vacuum cleaner. Now I only have 2 rooms with carpet; all the other is ceramic tile, but they managed to worm their way in and show me how dirty my brand new carpet in my brand new house was. I must admit that he kept changing the little white filter and showing me what was in my carpet and it really was dirty. How can that be??? Unfortunately, the vacuum was $2000......do you hear me.....$2000. If I owned a hotel chain, I would sooooooo buy this vacuum, but not for my two little rooms of carpet. I could buy new carpet a couple of times for that amount!!!

From the depths of slothdom...

The last two days have been brutal. Right now at 8:30 P.M. it is 95 degrees. It just makes me not want to do anything, but vegetate in the recliner. Finally, late today I emerged into the heat and went to donate blood. I was turned down immediately after giving them my SSN. I'm sure the info is still there from 15 years ago when I last attempted to give blood and was denied because some hepatitis antibodies showed up. I had my doctor re-check and it came back negative, but that never got into the Blood Center's computers. They said I could call the blood center and find out why, but I declined. I just won't even attempt any more unless someone I know needs blood donated.

As I was nearly comatose in my recliner this morning, I saw a mouse come up on my patio. I sprang from that chair and armed myself with the broom and went to take on the mouse. He fled rapidly when I opened the door. I am afraid that mice could be a problem in the winter because there is a field behind my back fence. I keep it mowed behind my fence, but my neighbor doesn't, so I am sure they live in the tall weeds. I just don't like varmits of any kind that can move faster than me....and, duh,....that's all of them at this point in my life!!!

A great big ZERO>>>

If yesterday was filled with energy and activity, today was just the opposite. I went to Mom and Dad's for some tomatoes and ate lunch with them. Came home and piddled away another day. I did fry up some fresh white perch and cut up a watermelon from Dad's garden and take supper to my aunt at the assisted living facility. I felt bad for her yesterday when I took her some peaches because she didn't want whatever they had for supper there. It was going to be a long time until breakfast if one doesn't eat what's offered for dinner. I guess she ate peaches for dinner last night.

Very productive day!!!!

Every once in a while, I surprise myself with my abundant energy. Today was one of those days. I was up early and accomplished a lot and never ever took a little nap.
My accomplishments:

• washed 4 loads of clothes
• changed sheets
• mowed yard
• edged
• used the blower
• watered the yard
• trimmed the impatiens in the hanging baskets
• cooked lunch (fresh corn,chicken,tomato,cucumbers)
• went to a peach orchard to get peaches for my 90 year old aunt
• took them to her
• vacuumed
• cleaned the tile floors
• went to the bank

Full recovery?

I took all my dad's prescriptions that he came from the hospital with to him today. He was in the garden planting cucumbers for me because I love them so much. I already ate all the first ones we planted. I assumed he was much better since he was doing that. He is getting breathing treatments at home. This afternoon he and my brother went fishing and caught 44 white perch in 2 hours, so now he is healed!!! I knew fish were good for us, but I didn't know catching them was good for us!!!

On another subject, my brother and I are set up with signature cards so we can sign our parents' checks. I got one of their checkbooks so I can get stuff for them at Wal-Mart, which is near my home. Here is what troubles me.....I didn't even have to sign the check. They sent it through a machine and it is automatically electronically deducted. They ask for no ID. What if someone else gets one of their checks? They keep a lot of money in this checking account. Now I am scared to have their checks with me!!! How can this be safe? I don't get it. Technology has passed me way up and left me eating dust!!!

Dad is home...

I went over early this morning to the hospital. Two doctors had already said he could go home, but the other one had to sign off on it, too. We waited and waited and waited and waited....get the picture? As patient as I am, I was losing it this day. We did not get released until 1:30. That was a little more "dad time" than I needed. I felt myself turning into him.....highly impatient! That is the one trait I dislike most about his personality and I do not want to be that way.

Blurred days..

This week has been filled with my dad and his health. Monday my dad went to his GP here in town, who wanted to put him in the hospital. Due to the fact that he thinks the hospital here was instrumental and the death of his brother last year, he didn't go. He did begin some breathing treatments. Yesterday his breathing was very labored and he had some chest pain. My brother took him to the ER in Shreveport where his cardiologist is. I met them there and they sort of ruled out lungs due to clear chest x-ray. Today they did a lung function test that does indeed show a very diminished lung capacity. 1 liter when it should be 2.5 liters. The cardiologist is fairly certain it is not his heart, but lung disease, which, of course, is not nearly as treatable as the heart would have been. I will be going over early tomorrow to try to be there when the pulmonologist comes around and has seen the results of the lung function test. The hospital is about 40 minutes from me. Dad got really depressed when he found out it is most likely his lungs.

When my brother called yesterday to find out where I was and to let me know he was taking Dad to the ER, I was in Lowe's and had already purchased a trunk full of centipede sod. When I got home last night from the hospital, I took the sod out of the trunk. I was up at 4 A.M. unable to sleep so as soon as there was enough light I was in the yard preparing the ground and putting down 20 squares of sod. I had it all done and had been to the carwash to vacuum the dirt out of my trunk by 7A.M. No wonder I am so tired!!!!

Happy Birthday, America!

I am so proud to be an American!

It's in the genes, I guess!

My mom called at 8 this morning and told me she was taking my dad to his doctor because he cannot breathe. He tried to set out a couple of tomato plants and he could not do it. I met them at the doctor's office and the doctor wanted to put Dad in the hospital to determine the cause of his extreme shortness of breath. Dad would not go! He gave some lame excuse about wanting to eat fish at my brother's tonight. This doesn't make sense because he is never excited about eating any kind of food. He and my brother have been catching lots of fish lately and Stewart is cooking some of them at the lake house tonight. Tomorrow is Dad's family reunion, which he always looks forward to, unlike the rest of us!!!!:) Doc did an EKG, but he needs more tests to determine if it is his heart or his lungs. We have an appointment with the lung doctor on July 19th, but the doctor took me in his office and told me he was not OK with Dad not going to the hospital right now. I told him, "Now you know what we deal with on a daily basis!" I also told him we would NOT hold him responsible for whatever happened to Dad!! We have orders to get him to the ER if he does not feel better after using a breathing machine that he sent home with Dad. I sure hope I didn't inherit his hard headedness!!!

God and Country

Tonight I attended the God and Country Celebration that is held every year in Minden. Small town America is just the epitomy of God and Country. These are the people who hold this country together. It is not Washington or NYC or LA, but those awesome small towns in middle America. This was just a beautiful patriotic and religious program presented by the community choir and orchestra. Our military was honored, our firefighters and law enforcers were honored, our veterans were honored and our God was honored. It was beautiful! Pray for our country!

Back from Texas

I had a very successful trip back to Orange and Beaumont. As things worked out, I ended up getting a hotel room in Beaumont. I forgot that my friend where I was supposed to stay had a cat and I am highly allergic to cats. The dander specifically affects my eyes the most and since the purpose of my trip was to have a procedure done on my eye, I could not take that chance. There are lots of other places I could have stayed, but I would have had to call them and ask to stay with short notice. I refuse to do that. I also managed to see a lot of my old friends who happened to be at the Country Club where we went for lunch. They were really surprised to see me because no one knew I was coming. It happened too fast for me to contact people I wanted to see.

I also managed to squeeze in a trip to my hairdresser and my tire man. Got a new set of tires which should last several years since I am not driving nearly as much as I used to. It was a good trip, but I am glad to be home taking care of my yard and plants. I had a CK procedure on one eye, so I can't get out in the heat and get busy mowing for a few days, but at least I can keep things watered so they don't die!!

Wonderful, glorious day in JUNE!

I emphasize JUNE because this morning at 5A.M. it was 60 degrees. I went out on the patio and just sat and observed nature as it awakened. To those in other parts of the world, this might be standard temps, but not in Louisiana in June. The whole day was one of absolute majesty. I haven't really done anything, but I wish I would have taken advantage of the day and played golf.

I just came in from sitting outside looking at the sky and watching the birds. The same pair of bluebirds raised 2 families in my bluebird box. Two of the fledglings have come out of the box, but the other two are not so brave, so their mom and dad are still feeding them bugs. They don't like for me to go too close to the babies, so they dive at me if I get too close. I yell at them, but it doesn't help. They are very protective of their young. I have done my part to help the bluebird population this year. That's 8 babies right here in my box.

New profession

I guess I need to be a car mechanic as well as a lawn mower mechanic. Yesterday after church my AC (air-conditioner for all you Yankees) wouldn't run. My mechanic showed me how to bump the housing for the fan motor to get it going again several weeks ago. Well, this time the bumping didn't work and I can't take any more chances of not having an AC since I have a road trip back to Orange this week. I got it fixed to the tune of $245. Ouch! Now my car and my lawn mower are working....no thanks to ME!

More incompetence....

One would think that ExxonMobil could afford to hire competent people. I moved in February. I sent in the change of address form before then to ExxonMobil.....you know where it says on the bill...change of address? Don't even believe that. No one, apparently, reads that. Since then I have called 5 times because they keep sending my bill to Orange, TX. I am fed up with the morons. I went online and looked at my account, but the address is correct there. I have told them that if the next bill goes to Texas, I will immediately cut the card up and never use it again. The only reason I use that gas is because of their participation in the Upromise program where they put one penny of every gallon into an account for the grandchildren. My patience is running out!

Lesson learned...

When one owns machinary, one must be a mechanic. I'm learning. I mucked up the spark plug on my lawn mower turning it on its side. The plug was very black, therefore, not getting a good connection. Dad cleaned it up and the air filter....who knew lawn mowers had air filters!!!!! Runs right once again until I do something else stupid!!

One of life's little annoyances...

A brand new lawn mower that won't start!!!!!.........Ok...it started and I finished the front yard, but then it ran out of gas. I filled it up again and it hasn't started since. That was hours ago. I just tried again a few minutes ago...no luck. I messed the thing up, I'm sure, when I tried to clean the grass from underneath it. I now know that the spark plug must stay on top when looking under the deck. I had turned it on its side before, but now I don't do that anymore now that I know not to. Fact is that I have used it many times since then, but it hasn't run right since then. I guess I'm going to have to ask my brother for help......I hate when that happens!!!!! He probably does too!!

Praying for sleep...

Since last Saturday when I heard that Mary Nell died, my sleep has been less than restful. In an attempt to overcome that now that the funeral is over, I have made the best preparations I can to sleep:

• Put my favorite clean sheets on my bed
• Taken a warm bath
• Swallowed 2 Tylenol PM's
• Turned the AC down to cold
• Brushed my teeth with my favorite Lemon Ice Crest
• Rubbed down with my favorite Tutti Dolci Lemon Merinque moisturizing souffle
• Put on my favorite soft, old, Texas A&M sleeping t-shirt
• Turned on the ceiling fan and the oscillating fan

Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep............

Yet another highly emotional day...

My brother was a pall bearer so I had charge of taking care of Mom and Dad during the funeral. The funeral was here in my town because they needed a bigger church than Mary Nell's own church, so my brother brought my parents to the church and I met them there. This was so hard for my dad because Mary Nell called him her other daddy after her own father died. I had to hold on to Mom every step, even though she had her cane, because she is just so unstable. I also had to go to the church an hour early so I could get a parking place close to the church since I had to take Mom and Dad to the cemetery. Mom cannot walk very far. Needless to say this entire day has been focused on the funeral and the gathering with the family after the funeral where refreshments were provided. It has left me physically and emotionally drained.

Back to Texas!

A year ago I had Conductive Keratotomy on one eye so I could discard my reading glasses. It is supposed to last several years, but after 5 months I was back using my reading glasses. Last week I sent a note to the doctor because they had sent me a card for my one year check-up. I told him I had re-located, but I thought he might like to know that my procedure did not last. Today I got a call from his office. They will do it over for me for free! I was so happy to hear that because once again I had reached a point where I could not see the caller ID on the phone. That was one of the main reasons I wanted it done in the first place. His office told me that several of his patients had the same experience and he wanted to make it right for each of us. So...I made the appointment and I am going back to Beaumont next week and have it re-done! That was a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy day.

A highly emotional day....

The morning started in the kitchen cooking some food to take to my friend's house who lost his sister. Of course, all the food has been going to his brother-in-law's home and rightfully so, but all my friend's children and grandchildren are in and they need food. His wife is just fresh out of the hospital from a hip replacement and she cannot cook for all her kids even though she would like to. I whipped up the always good crawfish cornbread and took it to their house.

Tonight I was at the funeral home for an hour and a half. I have never seen so many people. Every one loved Mary Nell. There were so many people that I have not seen in many, many years that we grew up with.

The autopsy showed a 90% blockage in an artery. This is a death that didn't have to happen if only the doctors would have listened. She told 3 doctors that her chest and arm hurt and none of them sent her to a cardiologist! This is a lady who never ever complained even though she had lots of health issues and could have complained mightily. This is reason enough that the doctors should have paid attention to the symptoms!!!

Totally bummed out...

I just got a phone call informing me that a friend of mine that grew up next door to me died today while shopping at the Dollar Store. She had been to breakfast with her husband, a son and grandson. An autopsy is being done tomorrow in Little Rock, AR. One of her sons is on a mission trip to Rwanda, Africa, and can not get here before tomorrow night. Her brother, Richard, graduated with me. This poor man has endured so much death. First his dad in a tractor-drunk driver accident (many years ago), then his wife died at 36 (many years ago), then his mother, then one of his twin daughters in a car accident which was driven by her sister, then a few months ago his brother....and now his sister. She is 7 years younger than me. Thank goodness he is a strong Christian man!!

What!!!!!!

As I was sitting in my recliner, reading my paper, minding my own business this morning, I heard a lawn mower that sounded way closer than my neighbor's yard. I looked out the door to see one of those huge honkin' lawn mowers had cut a large strip across my yard. Apparently, the new employee got the wrong yard and he should indeed have been in my neighbor's yard. The owner apologized and said he would finish mowing the yard. I told him the cut was much too low and I didn't want my yard scalped like that. Supposedly, he raised the deck, but I can't tell it. My beautiful thick lush, green, grass is scalped and looks horrible. I am very anal about my yard and this just makes me sick. I didn't let him touch the side yard or the back yard so they are still beautiful. Right now I have the water going on it to try to help it grow out some overnight.

I have grass....

Well, sort of! I got 20 squares of nearly dead centipede for $10.00. I need more, but I will wait for some that is in better shape. The business owner said that it will come back with lots of water over the next couple of weeks. We'll see!

Cars..the movie

This one did not meet my expectations. Adults will like it more than children because, as with all Pixar films, there are lots of innuendos that children just won't get. It's cute, but too long. Wait for the video! I nodded off a few times.

Lunch at 10:30!!!

I started cooking lunch at 9:30 this morning and it's only me eating!!! I have lost my mind having so many fresh vegetables that I helped grow and pick. Yesterday I picked green beans, cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, and corn and I ate some of every bit of that for lunch plus some new potatoes that I had already dug and brought home. Corn on the cob, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers with Italian dressing, cooked squash, steamed green beans and potatoes and green tea!!! Is that healthy or what? Then why have I gained 5 pounds since I moved????? Can one eat too many fresh vegies?

Now I realize that having stairs in my old town house really contributed to keeping my leg muscles fit. I work a lot outside here, but it's not the same as climbing those stairs a lot every day. Mostly my working outside here just involves a lot of sweat and not much muscles anymore. The hills are huge on my street and I could get out and walk them, but there is no sidewalk so it could be a bit hazardous. I miss my fitness center in Beaumont!! Didn't realize how much it was helping me until I don't have it anymore. Oh well....there are always positives and negatives and the positives outweigh the negatives many times over.

I am a Lily!

You Are A Lily

You are a nurturer and all around natural therapist.People see you as their rock. And they are able to depend on you.You are a soothing influence. You can make people feel better with a few words.Your caring has more of an impact than even you realize.

What kind of flower are you?

Incompetence.....gggrrrrrr!!!!

Six weeks ago I went to a Chase Bank branch in the nearest city to me to close my accounts in Texas. At the time there was some activity....automatic transfer from checking to savings...that happened every month. I was told to call the next day and the closures would be made. I forgot to call, but I called a day later and sent an email as well to the customer service rep who was handling the process. Naturally, I assumed it was taken care of......WRONG! It was not. I found this out when I got mail from Chase saying they had charged my credit card to put money into my savings because there was no money in the checking account! WTF! Of course, they also charge a fee to do this. I was livid and was back at that branch this morning before it even opened. Once again because there is action taking place in the account, I have to call them tomorrow to make sure they got it closed! Incompetence just makes me CRAZY!!!

Texas, Sweet Texas!

Just returned from a long weekend trip to Austin for a wedding reception. I love Austin. It's is such a neat city. The reception was held at Zilker Clubhouse which is up in the hills and looks down on the city and Town Lake. Very cool looking at night, but it was 99 degrees when I arrived there and I had a complete meltdown. NO AIR-CONDITIONER on the property!! It was a very beautiful reception in spite of the heat. The couple got married in Phuket, Thailand in March.

As I am prone to do on these little trips, I got sidetracked in Hillsboro at an outlet mall on my way back home yesterday and ended up spending last night in Dallas and taking a little spin around Grapevine Mills. Now I have to get out and mow the yard so that tomorrow I can go get Mom and Dad's yard mowed! The temp right now is 91 so it won't be nearly as bad as 99 in dress clothes and heels!!!!