Britney Spears et al...

All I can say is I'm glad no one with a camera was following me around in my 20's. Of course, I didn't have 2 babies at home either!!

Full day....

I got the rest of my roses planted today, then my brother came for a few minutes between going to funerals (he had two today). He told me my aunt was in the hospital getting a shunt put in to

release fluid pressure on the brain. Mom had not even told me! I went to Shreveport to the hospital to see about her. My mom didn't even know she hadn't told me about my aunt (her sister).

The "bill pay" portion of my online banking was supposed to be up and running today. Mine is NOT. I guess I'll be back on the phone with them tomorrow before the authorities come get me for unpaid bills!!!

I feel lighter!

That $600 I had in my pocket before I had to give it up to the dentist was just weighing me down. The wind is blowing so hard today that I could just blow away so I am staying inside. I actually did manage to get one rose planted, but I'm not kidding about the wind. It is brutal. Thank goodness it is not cold. It's a spring like day, but not one for working in the yard. My seeds that I planted in the planter Dad bought are coming up. I only planted them Thursday! The ones that are getting the most benefit from the heating pad are the ones that came up, so now I have moved the planter so some others get the benefit now. I'm anxious to get the garden started and work in the yard.

It's official...

I'm a glutton. Strawberries seem to be sweeter and of higher quality this season, so, of course, I just ate one whole container of strawberries dipped in white chocolate and chocolate! I don't even feel full and I ate every last one of them!! Yep, I'm gluttonous! I would have shared, but there was not a soul here with whom to share them!:)

Back to Texas

I got to go back to my beloved Texas today to Jefferson, Texas, where I attended another Mardi Gras parade. My cousin's wife called and asked me to go with her to meet her daughter over there. She has asked me to go to several places since I have lived here and I have never been able to go, so this time I just went. I didn't really want to, but I did. It was OK, but it's not something I will put on my to do list next year. I am chilled to the bone, but after that big gas bill, I'm afraid to turn on the fireplace!! I guess I'll suck it up and turn it on to warm up my feet!!

Grrrrrr!

I Have spent a good part of this day on the phone with the internet banking people. My bank changed to a completely new system, which I could not log on to and when I finally got that taken care of, I tried to pay bills. All my payees are GONE! The whole thing has to be re-entered and the program won't let me do it!!! I don't think I know how to pay bills without just pushing a few buttons on the computer. This has to be ironed out soon!!

I got a Centerpoint (gas for the house) bill of $287......WTF! That's unreal! I immediately turned off the gas fireplace!! In the long run, I will benefit from high natural gas prices because my mom and dad have part ownership in 15 wells, but right now that is a steep price. I have NO ownership in those wells although my parents are very generous. I just needed a WARNING that the bill would increase so much. Last month it was $90, so I have just been really enjoying the gas flowing through the remote contolled fireplace. Several nights I left it on all night.....NO MORE!

Starting the garden!

Tonight is supposed to be 19 degrees, the coldest night of the year so far. Earlier this week, Dad bought one of those seed starter domes and gave it to me along with some watermelon seeds for me to plant in it and get us some plants started. I did that today and planted some cucumber seeds as well just because I love cucumbers and want to have them as early as possible. I put the dome on and put it in the garage, but realizing how cold it is going to be tonight (even in an enclosed garage) I put a heating pad under a towel and set the planter on it. The seeds won't germinate unless they are warm. I hope I don't fry them!!!

Mission Semi-Accomplished

Queen Elizabeth
Mister Lincoln
Angel Face
Sunsprite
Well, I at least got them bought. It's too freakin' cold to plant them. I froze just looking at them in the Garden Center.

WooHoo!

Finding a dentist was the last thing on my list to do, but today I went to a new dentist and I think I'll keep him. I had my dentist in Texas for 30 years, so it's hard to change. The new doc did all the preliminary inspections and x-rays and said I have none of the age related maladies that are usually occurring by now...no gum disease and the bones of a teenager!! I have had a broken tooth for over a year, but it will get crowned on Monday to the tune of $600. A distant cousin is his hygienist and she did a good job of cleaning my teeth. I guess there just never comes a time that there isn't something or someone demanding my money!!! It's always something!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

The Earth moved!

Under my house, that is! I have a hairline break in the tile across my dining area. No one can see it but me. My brother came last night to look at it and we found the crack in the concrete in the garage that just comes right through the dining room. I thought that since the ground is hard red clay, the house would be stable. My brother said that is the worst kind for foundations because the clay shrinks and swells with moisture. We have had enough rain to get us out of a drought, so the clay has filled with water and cracked my foundation. It may not get any worse. I will just watch it and see what happens. I am so proud of my house that I notice every little imperfection. This one, however, could turn into a major imperfection!!!

No Roses Yet!

I had to go help Mom and Dad get their groceries at Wal Mart today, so my day didn't go as I had planned. I did look at some rose plants at Wal Mart, but didn't buy any yet. When I finally did get a chance to work in the yard, it started raining. My priorities lie with my parents, so whatever their needs are comes first. There's plenty of time to plant roses.

Mission completed....

Well, except the part about buying and planting the roses. The perfect bed awaits them complete with sand for drainage, cow manure mixed with the sand for fertilizer, and very expensive Miracle Gro potting soil. Those flowers better GROW and BLOOM! I have a gift certificate to a nursery that I have kept since my birthday, so I will go there and spend it on roses Monday.

One year ago....

TODAY, I made the huge move from Texas to Louisiana. The transition has been very smooth and I am very happy here. There are days that I just walk around this house saying outloud to myself, "I can't believe this house is mine!" I did nothing today to mark the occasion, but hang around home and enjoy it in my warm flannels. It's been 37 degrees all day. I went to Mom and Dad's yesterday so I could stay home today.

Thank Goodness!!!

The Pentagon finally grew a pair and denied Nancy Pelosi's extravagant request for a huge plane to carry her and her family around. That is a gross misuse of my measly little tax dollars. She knew when she ran for office that travel back and forth between SanFran and D.C. would be necessary. Just because she is now the Speaker, in my opinion, doesn't require a plane with 16 crew members as she was requesting!! PUUUULLLEEEZZE!!!! I DON'T LIKE HER!!!

Finally!

OK..I'm not going to jail and losing my home. My taxes finally got paid on the correct property parcel. Even though they didn't actually get paid on time in 2006, they did get claimed on my income taxes! While I was dealing with my insurance issues yesterday, I asked to be sure my house insurance had been paid. It had....now I can relax for a while, I hope!!! At least until some other mortal screws up!

Mission NOT Accomplished!

All those things I was going to do to my rose bed today didn't happen! However, my income tax got done....not by me...but it got done to my satisfaction. I always do my own, but for some reason, I just couldn't do it this year. It cost me $130 at H&R Block, but I am getting a $300 refund. She asked me if I wanted to do my state taxes as well. Uh! NO! I came here from Texas where there was NO income tax. My broker told me that he didn't think I had to pay state taxes because none of my income is from Louisiana. I asked the lady today about it and she thought that was right, but she was about to ask someone else to know for sure. I asked her to not ask! I like the "don't ask, don't tell" rule!

Mini-rants...

The word is jewel-ry! It is not jew-le-ry! Please get it right. Jew-ry has to do with Jews, so don't say that either!! It's Valentine's and the ad agencies seem to always hire goof balls who don't know how to say the word. If you can't say it right, just call it "BLING"!!!



While I'm at it, DO NOT DRIVE IN THE PASSING LANE (That would be the left lane for you pinheads) on the Interstate or any other four lane road!! That causes ROAD RAGE even in demure, shy, calm little me! SHUT UP!



And it is NOT Wal-Marts.....It is WAL MART! No "s"!!!
I feel better now! Thanks!

INCOMPETENCE IS RAMPANT!

I have ranted about this before, but nothing ruffles my feathers more. I have spent two days trying to straighten out a mistake made by an employee of Farmer's Insurance. I pay my bills using epay from my bank. My last payment in January got credited to some else's account at Farmer's. All the info from my end was correct. When I got my bill yesterday, it showed that I didn't pay last month. I immediately got on line because, yes, that indeed could happen, but it didn't!!! I had to print out the proof that I paid and take it to my local office so they could fax it to the moron's who goofed up!!! It's always something!!!!

Daddy Day

My brother has been gone on vacation for about a week. He goes to Mom and Dad's EVERY morning and has breakfast, so they really miss him when he is gone. Today I went and got Dad and his truck and took him to the bank, then to the car wash, then to Lowe's to get the stuff for me to build my rose bed. I knew he was so tired of sitting at home doing nothing and not getting to see my brother as well. I also knew Mom could use some time alone. I bought brick edgers and have begun my rose bed. I have the landscaping in my head, but I cannot believe how little I can do without having to sit down and rest. Just a couple or 3 months of doing practically nothing and I am dreadfully out of shape. It's OK....I'll just do as much as I can each day, but I am impatient about getting it done. I will have room for about 5 roses and I want them to be the good roses. The stores have them out now ready to buy. I got the edges done today. Tomorrow I will go get sand and put sand in the bottom of the bed, then I will top that with Miracle Gro potting soil, plant the roses, and then put mulch all around them. It will be beautiful!!! I HOPE!