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!!!!

Food and festivities.......

I must say that I am now eating really healthy; at least, as long as the vegies are ripening in the garden, then it will all be over. In the past 2 days I have eaten potatoes, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, and zucchini all that I picked myself out of the garden that my dad and I planted. It is wonderful to eat vegetables that we grew ourselves. I love it!!

Last night I went to a deck party and met some more people and socialized with some of the ones I had already met. I am surprising myself accepting these invitations because I tend to shy away from new social events with people I don't know. Since I don't know anyone here, that is the only way to get to know new people, so I have had to bite the bullet and just do it. So far, it has been fun and I have met some really good people.

Behold the caladiums...

All 93 of them came up. I had to take a picture before they get full because I am afraid that every night the deer are going to come feast on them. Observe the stripes in the yard. I need to learn how to operate the spreader so it gets everywhere! I can tell exactly where the fertilizer went!! Ok...I'm trying. Cut me some slack! This is the first yard I ever had!!

A sincere salute ....

I am a seeker.....

You Are a Seeker Soul

You are on a quest for knowledge and life challenges.You love to be curious and ask a ton of questions.Since you know so much, you make for an interesting conversationalist.Mentally alert, you can outwit almost anyone (and have fun doing it!). Very introspective, you can be silently critical of others.And your quiet nature makes it difficult for people to get to know you.You see yourself as a philosopher, and you take everything philosophically.Your main talent is expressing and communicating ideas. Souls you are most compatible with: Hunter Soul and Visionary Soul

What kind of soul are you?

Grass anxiety!

Yesterday I passed by the place where I have been trying to buy a few squares of grass. Much to my surprise, I saw a partial pallet of centipede out in the hot sun, with no chance of water, turning brown and biting the proverbial dust! The place was closed, but it would have been so easy for me to pull my car right up there and rescue that grass. They will not re-open until Tuesday and by then it will all be dead. I guess I should have asked the owner to call me if there was a chance he might have some left over to sell piecemeal, but I didn't. I could just see myself on surveillance cameras on the news stealing grass. I would have gone back to pay for it, but who would believe that???? Now....it will just die a natural death!

Cute, cute movie!

Why do I love the kids' movies best? I always go to them before any of the others.

Too much to ask?

This is the small area that needs grass! It looks smaller here than it really is, but I shall not rest until this area is covered in thick, green grass with no weeds.

Next New Orleans

I love this! Now if only Mayor Nagin and Governor Blanco will slide down the drain!

Foiled yet again!

I went to get the grass this morning arriving at 9:15 after a detour for an egg McMuffin. Turns out the grass was there, but all sold. Seems there are people with BIG jobs who need whole pallets waiting for the grass just like me. As long as he can sell whole pallets, I will not get my few squares that I need. He said there is lots of new construction and he cannot keep up with all the grass needed. Last year he had plenty to sell piecemeal, but that doesn't seem to be the case this year. I'll keep trying....or NOT!

No GRASS yet!

Perhaps it is the Cheech and Chong variety that I need. After two unproductive trips to Bossier today, the grass still had not arrived from the farm in Arkansas. It is due to arrive tonight, so I guess I will try again tomorrow. I am trying to not drive so much and burn so much gas, but this week that all went "up in smoke" ha, ha....anyone catch the pun here???