My Petite Realm

2011-12-27T20:22:00.002-06:00

It has been a cold and rainy day here in the realm, one of those days that might just send you back to bed for a nap or at least a blankie and a book or movie. Not me I have been busy harvesting crops.
I forgot I did go back to bed this morning, Pa went to Lowe's (his home away from home) and I piddled around the inter-net instead of sleeping. Then I got to work, no then I called Pa, who was about to have lunch with TD, and said I wanted to go to the Loveless Cafe. It was after our drive and lunch that I worked hard, no then I was cold so I wrapped up and watched a movie in between my zombie farming. Was it then that I worked? Well, yes I guess I did, I looked up something for Pa, planted some more crops and started to check out FarmWife's blog but ended up here. That's hard work isn't it? After all it is a cold and rainy night. I'm putting in my last crop of the day, heading over to FW's blog and calling it a night. I'm exhausted..............

2011-12-26T22:52:00.002-06:00

Christmas has gone, not one of my best. There has been little music, very little cooking, no baking and no sewing, what have I done with all my free time? I wish I could tell you but I don't even remember and maybe I really don't want to. Christmas has not been bad for the most part it is just that it has not been like the past ones. We didn't make the trip home this year, that brought moments of sadness during the events of the day but we enjoyed the day just the same.
Bubba and Beck have been over more this week them in a long time because of their vacation time.
Today we cleaned out the old shed and if all goes well that ugly thing will soon be gone. Thank you Pa, Bubba and Beck and thank the Lord no one has been hurt in the cleaning out and hauling off of all the junk.
Princess left Christmas night and has not been home since then. She is back and forth on were she stands on staying married, it hurts to think of her back in his control but....that's what choice is about. She called Pa and said HT wasn't feeling good so she was going to stay with him, my thought is bring him home but....
The days ahead will bring a new busy to my life and perhaps come next Christmas there will be cooking, baking and sewing back in this most wonderful time.

2011-10-29T19:59:00.001-05:00

October is almost over, lets just hear a loud che...October is almost over, lets just hear a loud cheer, if it is like this one next year I'm taking up beer. That is right, I would just as soon be drunk then ride the roller coaster I have been on this past month. For some reason, in the past 5 years, October and January have become months that I have been so very glad to see come to an end. January has become the month of sickness for me. I tell myself that it is because I get so run down during the holidays that I just catch whatever is going around. I also hold to the thought that, since I am a stay at home Grammy, Pa brings in bugs from work and they like me better them him because I end up in bed and he goes on to work.October is a different story, it is a month of sadness for me. The days can be warm and clear with all the beauty of fall or gray and rainy it makes no difference, always behind the view is a cloud of lonely sadness. Perhaps it is just that cycle of life, that time of getting ready for the deep sleep of snow covered days, or the coming of long days filled with to much dark. This year October has seen a time of rest turned into a time a uneasiness, waiting for G-pa M&M pacemaker replacement and recovery. Princess coming to the end of her marriage, her an HT moving back home, Bubba going through a bad time with work, Bucka's mind returning to a time when life wasn't so good and Mom having to live through that again. Yesterday G-pa M&M being moved from assisted living to shelter care and having trouble eating. Yet there are moments of joy that take the sting out. HT is awesome and has the t-shirt to prove it, we have 3 goldfish living at our house, a friend is able to do her college work because we have wi-fi she can use, one of the best is that My Aunt B gave me quilt tops that were put together by my great grandmother and aunt. The best is that no matter how mad, sad or bad things get I am loved. Loved by the God of all creation, by a man who does not understand me most of the time, by children who let me fuss at them still, because in their hearts they know that I only want them to be their very best, by parents who still want me to be my best, and by grandchildren who, at this time in their lives, thinks I am one of the greats and by friends. How cool is that? So as another October comes to an end, I can look back and be thankful, looking forward to November and the celebration of thankfulness.

2011-09-28T19:02:00.002-05:00

Magnificent adj.
grand, splendid, impressive, imposing, glorious. superb, noble, stately.

Machiavellian adj.
unscrupulous, unprincipled, opportunistic, conniving, calculating.

Mix and Match
impressively conniving
superbly calculating

"You were easier to take care of when you were small" My mom said that about us children, when we were teenagers. I thought she was crazy, but now I see the small truth in the statement. I have no desire to stunt my children's growth, the truth is that we are either growing or we are stunted. I have in the past few weeks watched one of my start to grow out of a stunted period. I have watched life return in tiny bits and long for a continuous growth. I have also watched that growth stunned by the person who longs to own and control my child, yes own and control. This is a very hard thing to watch and to try to navigate through as we do not know what tomorrow holds.

2011-09-12T09:25:00.001-05:00

Today's blessing...yesterday is gone. Today there is a tiny, tiny, tiny speck of better-ness

2011-09-11T21:29:00.002-05:00

Get out, and stay out, I am there tonight, I have tried to and will continue to try and keep me and my, out of the conflict they do not belong. Tonight I am sick, my stomach turns upside down and wants to empty with each thought. How am I going to look at you again without hearing the hate in your voice? Will my child be safe or will every word be hunted for a double meaning? Is there to be real freedom? Tonight I say no, tonight I say you won't change, you don't want to, you have a thin layer that will fall off in a second. Tonight I see a life time of egg shells cracked and broken, not by just one but by all who cause you to supect my child.

2011-09-09T13:07:00.002-05:00

I have been very busy learning about lots of things.
1. Job was a great man and he isn't to well known.
2.Feedsacks have an interesting history and you can still buy them on eBay.
3. The last lynching in our town took place in 1943 and white people don't understand why blacks have trouble believing us. That was 10 years before I was born, not so far back in history.
4. Old people and kids get really crazy during the full moon.
5. Do NOT walk through a parking lot like you own it. You will get run down by a middle age/old lady, who has many things on her mind and isn't looking around, when she is backing out of her parking spot.
6. If you think your kids drive you crazy now just wait. They get better at it as they get older and older. Then you get old and get to return the favor.
7. Making Christmas stocking for your grandchildren may take you half their lifetimes to get done.
8. The felt stocking kits don't look as nice in real life as they do on the package.
9. God does provide all the things you will need to get through this life. You may think your going to a counselor for one reason and bam the real reason comes along.
10. Reflexology is a wonderful thing.

2011-08-24T21:31:00.002-05:00

The New York Times tells us, that the U.S. warns China about their military bill up. Now don't you just know that China is shaking in their boots. What are we going to do? I know, put in orders for all kinds of equipment and clothing, China will be happy to send us all the things we will need to fight against them and I'm sure it will all be quality products they send us.
Every time I hear or read something about the US warning another country about their wrong doings I am reminded of Rett Butler "Why all we have is cotton and slaves and arrogance."
In 40 years I have watched steel mills grow smaller, refineries close, cloth mills shut down and factory after factory move to China or South America. Just how are we going to, in the words of Teddy Roosevelt "Walk softly and carry a big stick"?
I was told there are cloth mills just sitting in Alabama and the men and women who know how to run those mills are dying off. If push comes to shove how long will it take for us to get the mills up and running to meet our needs. Cotton crops are down this year, were will the cotton come from.
We hear day in and day out about the poor and the need to increase welfare, here is a idea put these people to work. The government is paying them anyway so pay them to learn how to run the equipment that has been left setting. Our money is going overseas for that very reason, to teach poor people how to improve their lot in life. If it is good enough overseas why not here?
Enough of that, here is the deal, first it is not a political party, it is greed and self-centeredness, second it is time to shut our months unless we have a big stick to back it up.

2011-08-18T14:28:00.002-05:00

A year ago I thought I was headed down Crazy Street. I had a good talking to myself about it, told myself that Christians don't go down this street, that's what "they" say. It worked I was back on the "right" road, that is until May came along and I found out that I had detoured some were and was back on Crazy Street.
July came and I was in the counselors office laying the groundwork for understanding my crazy. Little did I know, God was putting me in the right place for the new Inter-State Crazy that was coming through my life.

Funny, isn't it, how God works in those mysterious ways.

I had been thinking about dropping Facebook but wouldn't do it because I had reconnected with my cousin's and a few people from back home. One day, a person, I am not well acquainted with, posted something, I thought was STUPID, and I started to clean out my friends list and ended up closing the account.
Again, little did I know, it was God's mysterious ways. I didn't need to be on FB while I'm trying to navigate I-Crazy. I'm sure I would have posted something that did not need to be seen. Once said you can not take it back.
So here I am a Christian on Inter-State Crazy and you know what I am sure God has not had as much trouble dealing with it as I have. I'm just going to head on down the road and with the help of a few of my friends get off on the exit God has picked out for me.

2011-07-05T20:12:00.002-05:00

Little boys come to an age when, they eat, drink and sleep super hero's.
There are days when I am in so much danger that it almost takes my breath away.
HT has done his best to keep me and Pa safe, but it has been to much for one little boy. This evening HT became a Super Hero "Big Red Good Guy"
You know hero's have to have a name, HT rejected several descriptive names, I went to fix his bath and found his SH name "BRiGG".
So should you ever need a Super Hero just call BRiGG and he might answer or he may just tell you "don't call me dhat I'm HT to lork at smalltown TN".

2011-07-03T21:49:00.004-05:00

I hate TransFormers!!
Not the movies, I haven't seen them. It is the toys, at least the new ones. The first time around Bubba had the toys, somewhere around here, there is still one that was much loved. He was about the same age the grandsons are now, when he got his and I do not recall needing a full page 20 picture instruction sheet. That only turns the car into the robot, there are 20 more pictures on the back side to return the robot to the car. Then 2 large pictures showing you how to hook the gun up to the robot and the car.
Now, you might think I'm just to old to get the transforming thing and that is why I hate them, your wrong. I transformed Bumblebee just today.
It all started two Christmas's ago, FarmWife and family were coming home. Being the good Grammy I shopped. The tree was fat with goodies under it and I was ready to receive "Grammy of the Year". There were Transformers.
I had just forgot one little thing, Art and the Rapscallions would be by for a visit and would open their gifts, lots of Bakugan. Back to the store to get a couple for our boys so they could spend the evening playing instead of wishing. Turned out that Art's could only stay for a short time. Gifts opened the boys were happy, Art's boys knew how to transform the Bakugans for the Farmhands. Later FarmBoy decided to put his boys up, it took a while, the boys couldn't remember how to transform them.
Next morning the Transformers were opened and once again FarmBoy is put to work and once again it took a while, a long while, Pa worked on them, FarmBoy tried again and the boys played with HT's toys.
Even though everyone was happy I didn't feel like "Grammy of the Year" and said I would never buy another TransFormer or Bakugan again.
HT discovers TransFormers and wants to go to Aunt FW's almost everyday to play in the boys room. He is making me crazy so I buy him a Bumblebee and after messing with it for what seems like hours, I remember why I hate TransFormers

2011-07-01T22:25:00.002-05:00

My new obsession, Hankies.

I have always loved hankies, it comes from the important women in my life. I can not recall a time when they did not have a hankie either in their hand or on their belt or in their pocketbook and most of the time in all three places.
Auntie M always tatted the edges of hers and I found it fascinating to watch her tatting the new ones.
Lace was the hankie of choice for Sunday, along with a plane one just in case a kid needed his nose wiped. Flowered hankies were carried on market days and visits to family or friends.
I don't recall giving mom a hankie but I am guessing that, sometime during our early school years, she was given one of the best hankies that R&L had on their shelves.
Years ago Pa's Granny gave me some of hers. Then his mom got out her collection of family hankies for us to divide up. Pa's sister took them home to freshen up and in the future we are to divide up among the 3 of us. I think it will be nice to pass hankies down 4 generation's.
I have been picking up a few hankies now and then, they are not as easy to come by anymore. Like many things, new products have replaced them. Who wants to wash and iron hankies anyway? Funny thing is I have always enjoyed ironing hankies, it was one of my first jobs.
Just a month ago Auntie Di and I were going to check out a quilt shop only to find out it was closed for the day, so we drove to another one and it had gone out of business. There were antique shops in that town so we spent some time digging through a basket of hankies, not many worth the asking price but we had a good time looking, talking and laughing.
I love hankies.

2011-04-10T02:45:00.004-05:00

In a few days it will be my grandma's birthday. She lived a long life and finished it not knowing there was a real world around her. She had returned to her childhood and beyond. As the years pass Speedy Perkins becomes more amazing to me. I'm not sure if anyone else called her Speedy beside my dad but it fit her very well. I can't seem to remember a time when she wasn't doing something. She crochet, embroidered and made patchwork quilts during her quite time. The rest of the time she was busy with housework. That meant cleaning an out house and doing laundry out of doors, just outside the kitchen door of their 3 room house. Grandma had a shed near the back door were she kept things, I do remember the rinse tubs being in there, along with other household things but I don't know were her wash machine was kept. In 1964/65 they added on a new living room and kitchen and brought the bathroom and laundry into the house at the very back by the new door. How grandma lived and worked in that tiny house fascinated me and still does. Grandma was the baby of Great Grandpa's first family. Grandma W. died some time early in Speedy's life and she was taken in by her Uncle Jim and Aunt Lizzy. Speedy was the sunshine in Uncle Jim's life and he in hers. Aunt Lizzy set about raising Speedy to be a proper young woman in a proper house. I can just see Aunt Lizzy reading her how to book for 1900's and following it to the letter. Her nerves being worn to that place were unstable ladies nerves get worn to. Uncle Jim giving Speedy that look that says"it's OK we will get though this". They made it until Speedy was in her teens and then life changed. It may have been the death of Uncle Jim, whatever it was, it sent Speedy back to Grandpa W's and his second family. Uncle Jim and Aunt Lizzy could not have lived to far away from Grandpa because I know that Speedy was close to her siblings. I can't help but think that she must have been a pet to them. Their last connection to their Mama. Grandpa W married Grandma Rosie in his first year of widowhood and lots of children followed, so Speedy's return to the house came in handy but maybe not so happy. I have heard that she was more a maid then a family member. I think her siblings were gone from the house by then and if not her sister were soon to be. Time passed and a young man started showing up at the door in a courting mood. Byron was a tall good looking man, just one problem Byron's past. He too had been sent to live away from home. His dad had died and Byron was farmed out. Now you may have heard that term before, I have and I have used it but I didn't really understand it until I heard about grandpa's life. He and his brothers were busy doing little boy things, sister was mom's helper, life was as it should be. Then one day brings it all to an end, dad dies. A couple, took in two of the boys and raise them as if they were their own. Making sure they were well schooled and able to work at a job they chose. Bryon went to a farmer, he didn't finish school and he wasn't part of the family. He was the farmhand a little boy working like a man. Speedy and Bryon fall in love and those silly kids married. OH, the joy, baby 1-2 still glowing in joy, 3-4 joy is fading 5-6 it's gone,7 and 8 not again. Now, I have to tell you that mom has said that she thinks they were pretty dumb when it came to how to stop having babies and I agree but if they hadn't been I wouldn't be here mom is #7. Loving someone does not make life wonderful everyday of the year. Bryon, did what men do, when, they don't know what to do and are to" manly" to ask for help. He good timed it, on the stool at the corner bar. Times were so good that his wife and kids went hungry for days even weeks, just so everyone in the tavern would know that Bryon was a great guy. Speedy did just what a well brought up young woman does. She put on her apron and takes care of life as best as she can. Cooking, cleaning, sewing, gardening, canning, raising livestock and paying bills when she can get the money. Raising children using the Aunt Lizzy method, all the time deep in her heart hoping the day will come when Bryon will really become a man instead of the scared little boy he is. I'm not sure that day ever came. Bryon did give up his stool at the bar after something inside started bleeding and he was afraid he would die. By then Speedy had been broken so many times that she moved into the world of "No More I Won't Let You" but would, from time to time step out into Bryon's world. If you watched close you could see the unused love in her face, followed by questions of what happened and why did you leave me. Then she would turn and go back into that No More World and pick up a piece of hand work. Some people say they fell out of love,I don't believe that. I witnessed both of them looking at the other, with a loving, that passed like a gentle summer breeze, so soft you would not have notice unless you were still. The sad thing was, that, I was the one who saw the love and not the one being looked at. Now I find myself wondering what would her life have been like if only...

Todays list

2011-03-18T17:43:00.002-05:00

1. Never eat chocolate candy then put a piece of bubble gum in your mouth. You will end up looking like your puppy after it has had a bite of your PB&J.

2. Never post a vacation spot on FaceBook unless you are really going there. Friends will see you and want to know when you are leaving or if you enjoyed the trip.....Please were am I going to get $7000.00 + for that kind of trip.

3. Dirt grows, if you don't think so just fall and hurt your ribs, then watch the dirt on the kitchen floor multiply hourly.

4. Spring is coming so you might want to think about washing your windows. Maybe not if the dirt is what is holding the window together.

5. Never talk about the need to lose weight, you will in fact have a great need for sweets followed by a great need for chips, more sweets, more chips on and on. Just write it on a piece of paper so your ears won't know and won't tell your brain.

6. Don't spend your afternoon looking at motorhomes on E-bay. You will find just what you need and that need will cost more then the house you are living in, with a lot less room.

2011-02-24T00:13:00.002-06:00

I like my "new look" a big thanks to my administrative aide.

You could get lost spelling administrativeitaraisinimddd see what I mean

2011-02-07T23:31:00.000-06:00

crochet
anyone?

2011-02-07T21:24:00.000-06:00

Today Pa, HT and I had to go down to Fayetteville, I do mean down as it is really south of here.
Anyway, when we left the house it was gray and a little cold, no big deal, 650 AM ( The mother of country music station) tells us that rain is coming followed by a mixture and then snow. All of this is coming thru Nashville and heading towards Kentucky. Thank you we don't have to mess with it. Time and miles go by the sky gets grayer and there is a little rain here and there, I decide to find a Huntsville station to hear a weather report. Do you know, that when you are in the middle of Nowhere, it is not likley that you will pick up a raido station that will tell you were it is located. I gave up. What diffrence is it going make we were still going to Fayetteville.
Our visit is over and we head back north same gray, a spot of rain then another and another until we are home in rain rain rain.
HT decides that a quater mile from the house is a good spot to fall asleep. The plan becomes Pa gets the boy and I get the door and hope we all don't get to wet. Car stops, door opens and ice water hits us right in the face. What happened to going North? We get the boy down in bed, Pa is getting ready for work opens the door and fat snowflakes everywere.
When did we become part of Kentucky?

2011-01-26T23:11:00.000-06:00

I seem to have lost my background.

Oh my, I just don't know how to feel about this, after all without a known background it is hard telling what people say.
It may be said, that, I am a woman who is renowned. In what way?
"She is grandiloquent," please no! Acclaimed, demented, genteel, cantankerous, immodest, reticent, magnificent,obtuse, eccentric...NO NO NO this will never do. I simply must have my background.

The Realm may be in great peril.

FarmWife you must restore order here at the palace before some knave institutes his villainous plan and purple vegetation covers the walls

The wonder of it all

2011-01-14T19:41:00.000-06:00

There was a stirring in the air, was rain coming or just a wind? The day had been a long one, loading the car, saying goodbyes, driving country roads and Inter-states, wishing it was over.

The moon was weaving in and out of the clouds, brings melancholy to the evening sky and thoughts.

Her eyes showed the fear, the hopelessness, she was alone, there was nothing left, one step. one step and it would be over.
Had she only been still, she would be alive and he would have found her.

Now, it is his heart that feels pain, as he too steps out, the way she had.

Thus bringing this tale of woe to an end.

Her step damaged the front of my HHR and his the front of a Chevy truck.
You have to watch out for deer in the fall.

2011-01-02T10:05:00.001-06:00

I would stay and visit but just now I need to get ready and go to church.

2010-10-11T22:56:00.000-05:00

I'm calling it a night. Is that a good thing. You ask ? .......... YES
..........
.......BEcause right now I would just like to randomly punch people in the face...............I don't have anyone in mind just people. I would just like to walk around somewere and punch people.

I have been like this for a little while now first I couldn't stop crying over nothing, I don't cry... really, I don't....... well I do over old movies... that don't count. I cried just because it was getting dark .
Then I woke up with pain in my neck and spent the weekend getting that worked out or some such thing.
Today started out OK but about noon it started to twist and here I am.
I tried to watch comedy TV, my dead dog is funnier then what TV has to offer. I tried a new movie and the same thing could be said about the movie. WHAT DO PEOPLE DO TO LAUGH IF THEY DON'T LIKE STUPID MOVIES FILLED WITH HALF NECKED WOMEN AND MEN GETTING HIT IN THE CROTCH? Does Hollywood know how to make anything else? Those people need to get a life outside of the dog pound for Pete sake. Talk about inbreeding. There is a big old world out here and all they can do is make the same stupid movie sixteen hundred ways and then make it a TV sitcom and run it for 5 years.

I don't like being like this , no, not at all. I don't know what is causing it and that adds to my desire to punch someone. I don't like the feeling of wanting to punch someone I'm not the punching type.

And now that I have put this down I'm going to bed and just maybe the sun will come out tomorrow.

2010-08-16T21:39:00.000-05:00

Being home is a good thing. It is 9:30 PM and I have spent most of the day asleep and am going back there very soon.
I'm not sure just how I am feeling emotionally right now, it always takes me a long time to process these things.
I do know that I am thankful that my father and mother-in-law are in a place were they can get help fast, if need be.
I'm sad that they are not were they want to be. They loved their house.
I will miss is walking out the back door and seeing them sitting on the swing or the glider visting with family and watching their children and grandchildren playing with the great-grandchildren in the big old yard.

I didn't say that

2010-07-14T18:30:00.000-05:00

Today has been a fabulous day.
BabyGirl, Art's daughter and I went to BerryHill to do a little shopping.
1st. stop was The Fabric House to look around for new upholstery material for a chair that was Grandma M&M's. I have 2 samples that I like very much, one a modern dot and the other soft green with flowers and butterflys. Then I found a fabric that is black with gold and silver threads, in what I would call Victorian design, it may end up on a old chair that I bought at an auction. Our best find was a white fabric with a tree and yellow bird, very in style. FarmWife will be making 2 throw pillows out of it, one for her house and one for Art's.
We lunched at the PFunky Pancake, were we cooked our French Toast and eggs on the griddle in the center of our table. Then it was off to the Be Dazzled Beads to gather the makings of new bracelets. Once BabyGirl picked out her beads she spent the rest of the time loving on the store dogs. She may be missing the livestock back on the farm.
Our last stop was to pick up pizza for Pa and Uncle Gick.
After they got in the house Pa ask BG for a hug to which he got The Look along with NOooo he ask " don't you love me anymore"? He got another look and a "I didn't say that" while she was ducking out of the kitchen.
Now if you don't have a couple of granddaughters who are around 3rd grade you really need to borrow a couple. Ask them lots of questions and watch their faces...clueless can be funny at times.

Forget Facebook

2010-06-10T23:32:00.000-05:00

You don't really have to forget it just set a limit on your time there.
Come back here and write. I miss the going ons of blogdom.
Come back and tell the stories of the kids and husbands doing what they do best.

2010-06-09T23:17:00.000-05:00

It's 12:15 and I should be in bed. HT will be here in the morning and I will be wishing I could stay in bed just a little longer.
Oh well.........
Last night it was midnight before I got to bed because of flies. That is right flies.
I made a couple of quick trips out doors without the boy finding out. It was when I went to the mailbox that he decided that he had to come with me and that was only after I was clear out at the mailbox. HT was on his way down the steps and the door was open wide.
Not long after we were back inside I heard that lovely buzz, not the soft warm day buzzing but the dive bomber buzzing. You know the one that gets on your nerves real fast and makes you want to kill something. Each time I thought I had that fly cornered and ready to kill it, it got away and got quite.
Come bed time that fly must have decided that I was to dumb to catch it, I was beginning to think the same thing, so it got real cocky and I got ticked.
My game plan came to me and I went to work. I turned on the light in the front bathroom, then went to put on my pj's, turning off the rest of the lights on my way to the bedroom.
I headed back up to the bathroom, picking up the fly swatter along the way.
Praying as I go, "Lord I'm sorry I know you created that fly but could you just send it into the bathroom so I can kill it. I don't like killing your creatures and I did tried to get it out of the house but it wouldn't go and you know my rule about bugs, I don't go to their house and they don't come into mine."
That big old fat fly was sitting on the middle of the wall just waiting and I missed it. I missed it 2 more times before it went to the watery depths.
Proud of myself I went to turn on the night lamp, low and behold a fly came up out of it. Since the plan had worked once I gave it another try, after missing this one 3 or 4 times I got it flushed. My hard work done I needed to put the swatter in the laundry closet and get a drink, so off to the kitchen I went, turning on the light I was greeted by fly #3 I took a swing and the fly disappeared. Now I don't know if I killed that fly or if it went into the fly hospital because of post stress disorder, but I do know that it never made a sound last night and couldn't be found this morning.

Summer Time and the Living is Easy

2010-06-02T22:45:00.000-05:00

OK, so it is also crazy.
My little realm is in a mess and there is no end in sight...at least it's that way to me.
I can be calm and going with the flow one day and the next I'm ready to stomp and scream.
I am trying to set up projects that I want done come Christmas, each one has just that one little thing missing, packed in a box somewhere.
I'm trying to put our bedroom in order but I have things I need packed in a box somewhere.
It is this packed in a box somewhere that is making me nuts.
My unfinished "Dargehouse" is filling up with boxes I have looked through and not found what I needed.
My sewing room is filling up fast and even though I am getting it in order, little by little, it is a mess.
My plan of room for fun has turned into a "let me move this, so we have some room"
I even found some of my sewing things in Bubba's old room, two weeks after I needed them for a coat I was sewing Beck. At least I have them and they are now lost in my sewing room, to be found later.
I know Pa will get my attic and Dragehouse done in a few weeks but I'm not sure he's going to be able to find it .........it's in a box some were............

2010-03-16T23:06:00.000-05:00

Does life make you CRAZY at times or can you just go with the flow?

I'm getting more them just a little frustrated I'm heading for crazy. Pa got my room done but now I can't seem to get it put together. I need things and I need my attic space done to store these things. The problem is that Pa is working, working and working. Now that is not a bad thing except he is tired and short of time, which means my stuff is not getting done.
It seems to me that if we pay to have the work finished all of Pa's hard work is for nothing. He is just tired and we haven't made any headway in either paying off bills or saving money.
So I guess I will just go a little crazy, make a big pile in the middle of my "darage house" and come fall move it, so Pa can work in there some more. Pay bills, save some money and show something for all his hard work.

2010-02-16T18:29:00.000-06:00

Last week Pa and I were returning from big city. One of our stops that day was the gun shop. Pa is looking at a hand gun that holds shot gun shells.
When we first looked at this type gun last year I was fine with it, because I thought we would be moving to the deep country and it would come in handy should a snake decide to come to close. Now that we are not moving I see no need for this gun but we stopped and looked around.

Side story... there was a really cool round gun there. It was made in the late 1800's in Chicago and was probably used by dishonest people as it could be hidden in your hand....

I told Pa "I can deal with the rifles but don't want a hand gun around because of the children" Then I said "I don't really like rifles either guess that comes from almost killing my brother" to which Pa wanted to know what I was talking about.

The story:
We were down home in southern Illinois visiting family. My great grandparents and a couple of aunts & uncles lived up and down the road from grandma's. We were visiting the greats that day and I was wondering. They had a farm and the south side yard ran down to the barn yard drive, lots of wondering room. Grandma loved flowers and I was more then likely smelling each and every one, working my way down to the barn yard fence along the fence and back up to the house. There was a pump just outside the kitchen door and I most likely had to get a drink and that is when I noticed the boys. ..... Note Dad came from big family, he has sibling and cousins same age as his children....
My uncle and cousin had been down in the woods hunting and worked their way up to Grandma and Grandpa's. The boys were over on the north side of the house shooting at cans on the fence. I walked over and ask oldest brother what he thought he was doing. I'm sure he said something like "shooting cans stupid" I remember asking if I could shoot the gun and oldest brother handed me the one he had. I ask "are the bullets real"? "NO" the boys said.
I took that rifle, set the barrel on the side of brother's head and said " You mean if I shoot this gun nothing will happen to you"? I can still feel and see that moment. I can feel the pressure of my muscles tighten to pull the trigger, see the end of the gun at his head and feel the hand of God stopping my finger from pulling the trigger. I see the gun barrel moving down pointing towards the ground, see my brothers hands taking the rifle back and see my feet as I walk away to go do something else. Never giving it another thought.
I couldn't even tell you what event brought back that memory in later years. I just know that when it came I could still see it, feel it and feel God Almighty gently and firmly keeping my finger from moving. I can see myself walking way without the least bit of concern, yet knowing something I didn't understand had just happened. To this day it is one of the most intense memories I have and I know that I know that God's hand saved me that day.

2010-01-16T23:51:00.000-06:00

Today was a good day for me. I spent it in Berry Hill an area just south of Nashville. Nothing big not a tourist place, just little houses built back in the 50-60's that now have specialty shops.
BabyGirl will have a few new beads, Bitsy will have a frilly skirt someday and Inkling's little guy will have a wooden snowman to build next year or maybe sooner.

Pa is on the finishing up side of my new sewing/craft room, then the job of filling it begins and that is going to be a BIG job. It is so nice and I really don't want to junk it up but I'm afraid that is what is going to happen once I get all my stuff in it. I just keep telling myself that it takes time to get organized then it will be fine. That is for a sewing/craft room.

Slow Recovery

2009-11-22T11:01:00.000-06:00

It has been one week since I started down this road of recovery. The doctors say it will be a 6 week process if nothing else interferes. My days seem to mimic a small roller coaster, a time of even going then a fast drop bring on a deep weariness and need for nap. My chest feels like it has a tight wrap around it with a weight sitting in the middle of it that can get heavier and lighter depending on the hour.
I hope I never have pneumonia again.
Princess and Axle brought HT over last night for a visit. He has missed his toys and Grammy and I believe this past week he has lost the last little bit of his baby-ness and is now all little boy now. Time for Peter Pan to take him to Neverland for a time.

2009-11-05T23:00:00.000-06:00

I have the flu.

My grand kids are disappointed that it is not the swine flu.

Since Pa and I try to make the grands happy as much as possible. I have given thought to going to hospital in hopes of picking up the bug just to bring celebrity to their lives. How many pre-k, first and third graders in cornfield America could brag on that?

"Hey my mom has a cold"

" My brother is throwing up"

"So my dad is throwing up and has diarrhea"

"Well my Grammy has swine flu"

You just can't get bigger points on the play ground, that's headline news stuff. They would be surrounded by bug eyed buddies wanting in on all the juicy details. By the end of the day everyone would know and there would be a hush as they walked down the hall, even the eighth graders would stand in awe.

I can just picture their moment in the sun, Hollywood style.

Soorrrrrry you'll just have to live through the shame of Grammy having the plan old fashion flu.

2009-10-27T16:47:00.000-05:00

It's cool and rainy down here today. The cool part is the new part as we have had lots and lots of rain over the past 2 months.

Big News in the Realm
HT (heir to the thrown) is now sleeping in a cool new bed. Lighting McQueen is on the headboard or should that be the headplastic and also at the foot of the bed.
It is a red and blue bed. The red parts are plastic and the blue are metal.
I wasn't that big on this bed as it didn't look sturdy enough or classy enough to suit me. I' thinking about little girls too.

I looked around until I found a nice looking wood bed, at Toy's R Us, and a little wood table and chairs. Pa started to put the table together and the wood screw striped out just that fast, thus ending the whole wood being better concept.

FW told me that last night she laid down with Bitsy on her bed and Bitsy is the last of 4 to use that bed so there goes the sturdy issue. Lets get this straight between Bisty and FW the weight would total 125.

My next concern was,will he stay in the bed or will I have to tie him down. Let me tell you this child is good, so far no effort has been made to see what happens if he gets out of bed even after he wakes up. I'm very happy.

The next news event is potty training.
I wish it was as easy as changing to the new bed. After a week of trying and watching I'm not sure that HT is making the connection between him and the wet yet. He will try to go potty when you set him down but he isn't making the dash when the urge hits. We'll just keep trying and when he conquers we are going to the beach.

Maybe Bitsy would like go too as she is farther along in the dry pantie race.

Home and broken Hearth

2009-08-11T00:15:00.000-05:00

HT and I have returned after a week of fun and frolicking in the land of FarmWife. Well, maybe not so much frolicking, at least not in the way I picture it, you know "Milo and Otis" style.
I could hardly run from tree to tree in Great Grandma's yard let alone a whole field. HT could almost run an acre or two. Then what almost 3 year old can't?

HT had a great time. He mowed grass with Pa at Grandma and Grandpa M&M's, spent time in the same room with cousin's P, L and B, they were playing together but only they knew it, went swimming and hot tubing with Pa at the hotel, babysit BabyGirl, raided #1 Son and BB's room claiming all toys with wheels, farmed and swam with Uncle Gick, helped Great Grandma Busha walk Pete and Pepper all over their BIG yard, killed Auntie Di then kissed her big toe to bring her back to life, hunted Jake cat in Grandpa Bucka shed, and finished his week by entertaining most of the people at church after getting away from Grammy then visiting with the piano player and crawling behind the minister and ending his journey laying down in front of the organ. You know it is funny when it is someone else.

99.9% of this past week was good but something else has been going on since before I left and with my return home that small percentage took a large leap and in the process broke most of my heart. Being very unsure how to proceed I am now in a state. I would like to hold one person responsible but there are 2 people in this web and I don't know how willing the second person was to be a part of the foolish.
I have been and will continue to pray about this but it is painful for Pa and me. I am not good with both keeping my mouth shut or voicing my feeling. I tend to say to much or say the wrong thing. So join me in praying that only what God wishes to be said is said or silence kept golden.

Jobs not handouts

2009-07-30T18:06:00.000-05:00

I'm with Joe on this one. (post after my thoughts)

I watched the completion between Boeing and Lockheed for the contract to build. The plane has many interesting gadgets and goodies about it. What got my attention was the information that was given about the age and status of our existing Large military equipment. According to the program our fleet is made up mostly of ships built for WWII and shortly there after. Although they have held up well they must be replaced.
I didn't know that the USS Enterprise is now over 30 years old did you?
Our aircraft is not in much better shape. There planes in use that were used in Viet Nam, that ended 37 years ago.
I feel, that if we wish to be as free as we are, here in the USA, we must insure that freedom.

Like most people I hate the thought of war, let alone the being at war.
It would truly be a wonderful world if we didn't have to have the ability to defend ourselves.
But in this real world we must have that capability and it must be maintained.

In doing so people make a living.

Senate vote blocks plan to add F-22s

Obama administration wins effort to cease production of fighter
By Kristina Sherry Tribune Newspapers
July 22, 2009
WASHINGTON - -- In a political victory for the Obama administration and a surprising defeat for some lawmakers in both parties, the Senate voted Tuesday to halt further production of the Air Force's F-22 Raptor fighter jets.The 58-40 vote was on an amendment to the $680 billion defense authorization bill to strip the $1.75 billion set aside for the construction of seven more of the fighter jets.If the Senate's move is sustained in the House-Senate conference version of the bill, F-22 production would cease at 187 planes.President Barack Obama lobbied intensely against funding the F-22s, threatening what would have been his first presidential veto. Proponents of the F-22 argue that the twin-engine, missile-eluding Raptor fighter jet is important for homeland defense. The aircraft was originally designed to counter a potential Soviet threat, and some now suggest China and Russia are developing aircraft that could compete with the F-22. The fighter jets are manufactured by Lockheed Martin Corp. at a plant in Marietta , Ga. According to the company, 25,000 people are directly employed in building the F-22, and an additional 70,000 have indirect links.

A Joe question?
Someone needs to please enlighten me…… Instead of Americans loosing another 100,000 jobs, why couldn’t “Stimulus” money be focused toward building the aircraft that protects America ?
As the President says about his pet agendas: “it’s cost neutral.”
Joe says: “Building these aircraft keeps Americans productive and working in good jobs, instead of signing up for unemployment. With the savings in unemployment payouts, we gain the world’s # 1 combat aircraft at no charge!”
Still an American,
Joe

2009-07-27T20:55:00.000-05:00

Today has not been such a good day. I had big plans, that is for me, but the weather changed and my head decided pain was called for. I took the medicine and a short nap knowing I would be fine when I woke.

Nope the headache was gone but my whole body hurt and still does. My big plans have only gotten started in a very small way BUT tomorrow is another day and I will once again have big plans and a little person to fill the day.

Princess called this evening and I heard HT in the back ground telling her lots of things. That's how I know tomorrow is going to be full. HT is becoming very talkative and his imagination is expanding with each passing week.
Last week he visited his other grandma and I didn't see him until Saturday night. He had changed so much in just a week that it was a bit unnerving.
All my grand babies are changing to fast and while I'm very thankful for their good growth I already miss their babyhood. BabyGirl is 8 now, back in April I was holding her on my lap, like a baby, and asking her what I was going to do with a 8 year old. Neither of us knew but both of us were happy that she was turning 8. And yet it wasn't long ago that we were playing hide and seek with her plastic Kermit the Frog and I was trying to teach her to say "yahoo froggy".
Now it's HT saying "baby -hide- closet yahoo Pa.

Yeah for Today

2009-07-25T00:01:00.000-05:00

Art and I just finished watching some of1900's House. I'm THANKFUL to be living in 2009, here in America we have so many wonderful contraptions.
After seeing Colonial House, Frontier House and now 1900"s I know that those women welcomed anything that made their work easier.
My Auntie M had what seemed to be a house full of odd utensils used in housekeeping. I would check each new find out with great interest and try to use the tool properly. In the end most seemed to make the job harder or spread the dirt farther then when we started.
I have gone back to using baking soda and vinegar when cleaning but I'm sure I'm sticking with my sweeper and wash machine. No pumping or twisting for me.

Lost on the Net

2009-07-22T18:10:00.000-05:00

Yet another day gone by and I haven't gotten anything I am suppose to do done.
I was set to get started and my nose decided to take over and occupy my afternoon and empty my tissue box. Now the drug is starting to work and I don't want to. But I will give it a try and may just end up getting something little done. In my book even getting something little done is counted as a big thing. It makes me feel thankful.

I did clean out all my e-mails and then ended up on Facebook.
Facebook makes me more then a little crazy as I don't seem to find most of the comments that the e-mail has told me someone sent.
While looking for the comments I end up side tracked and lose sight of the time, which ends up being hours instead of minutes.
People are kind to me and send gifts and request that I can't get because I don't know how to get into that stuff. I'm just waiting for FarmWife to come home and show me but now that I'm thinking about it I might just ask Beck to come over and help me. Beck isn't doing much right now, just getting ready to marry Bubba.

2009-07-22T00:46:00.000-05:00

Today I enjoyed yet another favorite place.
I made the long trip to Fayetteville to purchase some lace panels and lining for the curtains I will be making. Now if your thinking" Why go so far?" let me tell you, you can not buy that stuff anyplace else in TN for $2.00 a panel. Should I make a mistake during the process I won't be out boo coo bucks. Thus making the trip well worth it and it is a pretty ride down 65 and across 64.
That and the fact that when your done shopping you can go to Honey's and have a Slawburger.
Pa wanted me to wait until tomorrow so he could go with me. I know it was the Slawburger and not my company that would make him lose sleep. No way Jack! I got other things to do tomorrow so you lose.
I went, saved my money, enjoyed my burger and got Pa a pint of slaw. Now all he needs is hamburger, the good kind that will complement the slaw.

Enjoy Pa enjoy

Long Short Weekend

2009-07-20T15:43:00.000-05:00

Saturday morning early early Pa and I left for Central IL. again. This time it was to surprise Pa's mom and dad. His aunt was celebrating her 90Th with a family party.

One day last week Grandma M&M called to see if we remembered to send a card. I told her no we had forgotten, she gave us instructions to e-mail a note and they would take it with them. We didn't do that either and about half way up to IL I told Pa that she was probably really frustrated with us.
We walked into the party and Aunt L smiled with a Oh you came all that way, I'm so pleased kind of smile. Then I think she said "Pa and the Queen Mom are here" and Grandma M&M turned her head. You know how the unexpected doesn't register for a second and is then followed with excited reaction. That was Grandma. I wish it had been filmed. While Grandma was hugging and crying with Pa. Grandpa was taking it all in but couldn't see who Grandma was hugging and I'm sure he was thinking it was a niece or nephew. I leaned down to hug Auntie and Grandpa and I made eye contact, his surprise wasn't as wet as Grandma's but it was funny too.

On Sunday morning we drove down to my Great Grandparent's family Reunion and enjoyed the day with cousins. The evening was spent with FarmWife's family, then the drive half way home. We stopped in Franklin for lunch at Dobson's. They have the best fried chicken and today it was better then usual or so it seemed. I was wishing they had a all you could eat deal. We may have still been there this evening if Pa hadn't of had to go to work.

Wedding Bell Blues

2009-07-18T01:51:00.000-05:00

Miss Beck (our soon to be DIL) is at the hospital tonight after a fun evening of panic attacks.

She moved into town a few months back and is living alone for the first time in her life. Throw in planning a wedding and the thought of being the center of attention when you are not the type that enjoys center stage its no wonder the poor kid is panicked.
I know how she feels. I remember enjoying all my wedding planning. But when it was time for the showers and I realized people were going to be looking at me the fun was over.
So do me a favor and say a prayer for Beck.

Bye Car

2009-04-24T18:22:00.000-05:00

It has been a hard day here. Pa and I had to go to town and get some pictures. We stopped and ate some semi- junk food for lunch and came home.
None of that was all that hard.
The hard part was calling a tow truck to come pick up our old Chevy station wagon. That wagon has been more of a home to us then the house we live in.

It all started with a Christmas trip to Florida to see my folks. We had gone to Pa's folk's for Thanksgiving and after getting back home, Pa said "we couldn't take that car to Florida". I so "gently" informed him that "I didn't know how he was getting there but come Christmas the kids and I were getting in that car".
I had been praying about a new car for about a year and was planning on another year before we would have to buy one. I had it all picked out and was very specific with my prayers. A nice dark red with gray interior along with certain bells and whistles. A well cared for used car.

Then Pa interferes with my plans. One day, at the gas station, I see a station wagon on the cover of Wheels and Deals, I bought the booklet and showed it to Pa. A week goes by and Pa is trying to rent a Van to drive down home but by that time all Vans have been rented. For the cost of rental we could fix the old car but Pa didn't want to put any more money into it. The next week, at the gas station, I looked at another Wheels and Deals, the car was still there. When Pa got home from work I so "gently" informed him that the car was still listed and that if he was going to look at it he had better get to it. He called, we drove a hour south of here, looked at it and Pa said we should try to buy it. Something that I knew just wasn't going to happen but just in case I prayed that if this was the car God wanted us to have "please let the old one die" so I would know that it was God and not Pa
The process started, the loan people wanted to see the car and the car lot people just let us bring it up here, that was unreal to me. The loan people needed one more paper before they could tell us if the loan would go through. I took the paper up to Spring Hill. On my way home I wasn't happy, this wasn't the car I had been praying for. It was white with blue interior and I wasn't ready for a car payment.

"Please Lord, let me know that we are doing the right thing. Please just let this car die if the new one is what you want for us" was prayed again half heartily.

I'm going down the road worrying about this mess and the car dies, right in front of one of the old construction gates at Saturn. Pa was at work and I didn't know what else to do so I just went through the gate, walked down to the plant, went in and called Pa. He couldn't believe that I just walked into the plant. I told him that 2 or 3 security cars went by and saw me walking across the field but didn't stop. We had the car towed home and the next day picked up the new wagon. The old car never started again for us. The kid down the street bought it and had no trouble getting it to start. He drove it to Florida that next spring.

We made many trips in that car, took Farm Wife to college, took a hospital bed up home for grandma, weddings, anniversary's, funerals, camping trips, girlfriends to visit a very homesick FW two weeks before she was to come home for Thanksgiving brake. Lots of singing, lectures, talking, fighting, playing and praying.

That car now belongs to people who will use it for other good things. That made its leaving easy to watch and me happy in my heart.

Poor Baby

2009-04-17T19:52:00.000-05:00

HT has a virus that is causing lots of diaper changes. Mom says he is not a happy camper right now, so it is off to a warm bath and lots of butt paste. Along with the hope of a early bedtime for all of them.
Pa isn't a happy camper either right now. He is very tired. Next week is the audit and that is always a really big job to get ready for. This year he gets to check the gages, on top of his usual jobs. I can't tell you much about his job I just know it takes a lot of math and looking.

For a long time I thought that the people were sloppy. Pa would come home and tell me they had a spill in some area, sometimes he would call and tell me he didn't know when he would be home because of a spill. After hearing this for so long I said to him "why in the world were those guys so sloppy and what were they always spilling, there has to be a way to stop it , they can't be getting anything done because they are spending all their time mopping up the mess." Pa had a good laugh. It seems that their definition and mine were not the same.
The other thing about Pa's job is measuring parts and equipment. He would come home and talk in math terms I didn't fully understand. So one day I ask him " is this measurement thing bigger or smaller then a strand of my hair", smaller he said and from that day on I have pretty much been in a state of confusion when it comes to Pa's job.

Great days

2009-04-16T12:55:00.000-05:00

Easter Sunday is my favorite day.

When the children were little there were special clothes for church, gifts, dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's followed by a egg hunt with cousins, along with help from parents.
Time marched on and Easter changed. It was still my favorite day but the gifts and the hunt drifted away and there were few dinners at G&G's.
Then we started having friends over for dinner and hunts for their little ones.
Ours woke up to Easter baskets already done.
Over the years a sadness fell over me and although Easter Sunday was still my favorite day and I was so thankful for Jesus Resurrection. The joy of the blessing just wasn't there like before.

I came to understand why this past Christmas. "Christian holidays were originally pagan events". Over and Over for the past 20 years or longer I have heard that statement. It has wearied my soul to the point of guilt and frustration.
"I know, I know and I don't care, I don't even want to talk about it. So just LET IT GO" has been my stance on the whole thing for years now. That is until after this past Christmas. There would be days when out of the blue "it was originally a pagan holiday" popped into my thinking and I gave it just a little thought. Then a little more and more. Finally this is where my thoughts came to.

My whole life I had been doing something that was right in the knowledge that I had. Then someone brought Jesus to me and I came to understand that what knowledge I had wasn't complete. Giving that up and excepting Jesus into my life, changes my life and thought process.
Now, I look at my day to day life in a new way. Along comes a "holiday" and I choose not to take part in the pagan, instead I give thought to the hand of God in Spring, Summer, Harvest and Winter, giving thanks for His faithfulness in all things. As time goes by I am joined with others in this celebration and the pagan loses its importance, to the thankfulness and gifts of the Lord God almighty.

Then as power and money are lost the greedy move to the more profited side and set up shop and the pagan followers just keep doing what they have always done, while telling anyone who will listen "we did it first". Which isn't true either. The Creator of all things in heaven and earth, taught man to worship Him. Man in his own self WANT changed that worship to things of earth.

This year there were new clothes for the grandchildren for church.
On Saturday Grandpa and Grandma M&M and Inklings parents came 2 hours south, Uncle Gick and Aunt Di along with her parents Grandpa and Grandma Bee joined us at Bucka and Busha's big front yard, full of tall grass, for an Easter egg hunt.
Sunday morning Bucka and Busha glowed as they introduced their grandchildren and great grandchildren to friends.
Dinner was simple, little people played and played and the day ended as it had began. My favorite day because of Jesus. The sadness gone and the joy of the blessings returned.

Next year should be even better.

2009-03-08T04:18:00.000-05:00

I just wanted you to know that I'm still around and that the reason I haven't posted is that I feel like I have been run over by a Mack truck.
I just keep thinking that it won't much longer and I will be fine.
Keeping HT makes me happy and tired, so there are many days when we both nap.

It's Christmas

2008-12-23T23:42:00.000-06:00

Today was the official start for Pa and I. Bubba and RP come over so Bubba could give us his gifts. I just now realized that not only did we give Bubba his but RP hers.

Now what will I do come the 27Th?

Bubba is going to try once again to get to grandparents for Christmas. That is suppose to be a surprise to grandparents, so no telling, what you know. He has tried for several years now and the car brakes down along the way making him late. This year he will make it.

Now that Christmas has started for us. I should tell you how lovely my house is, all decked out for the season. I would be lying but I could make it sound grand. Truth is I have 1 Christmas decoration up, a candle wreath that is hanging on the door. Our place looks kinda sad when you look up and down the street.

But really how many Santa's do you need on a street? We have at least 7, sitting, standing even riding in a airplane. As it turns out all these Santa's seem to be stealing my joy instead of adding to it. They seem to loom over everything.

I love the lights and the trees picking through the windows, each seem to be sending cheer to anyone who wishes to take a look.
We just haven't put any out this year or put up a tree. I have been back and forth about all this, I want it, I don't, I do and in the end I don't think I will bother.
Christmas is here, we will give gifts, play games, laugh and enjoy each other.

I do have a strand of star lights that I think I will put up to remind us that once there was a great star that lead wise men to the greatest gift of all time.

I Forgot to Tell You Something

2008-12-20T10:45:00.000-06:00

I left out the highlight of our party.
Pa and I have had one or two encounters with famous people, when we have been up around Nashville. Until Thursday night we have never had one in our home.

I was busy getting supper ready and during that time Indiana Jones came for a visit. You heard me right, the man himself, that famous teacher of archaeology, Mr. Jones.

Guess what? He is shorter in real life. His famous Feodor looks more like a black Derby. That coat is just a wee bit big but his pants are "JUST" like the movies.

Here is a little insider secret, his initials aren't not really H.F. they are C.A. and now you know.

Party

2008-12-18T22:01:00.000-06:00

Tonight AO's rapscallions came over and we partied.

There was all the box fruit drinks they could hold, sausage links, scrambled eggs, cheese, bananas and little oranges.
Two hours of none stop munching, unless they were providing music to relax by, on their recorders.

Did you know that Hot Cross Buns has become a Christmas favorite? Well tonight it was the number 1 hit on the top 10, along with slots 3 thru 10. Number 2 was thumpdy thump thump- thumpdy thump thump.

I got the low down on which girls put a twinkle in a certain boys eyes. The "I use to but don't anymore" of the another little boy. I don't remember sister saying anything about a boy, she had to be busy talking about her brothers loves.

Now I need my rest because HT is coming over tomorrow for another day of adventures.

2008-12-11T13:13:00.000-06:00

How about a guest blogger for a change. This is The Queen Mother's faithful companion Pa.
I have something on my heart and mind that I need to share. I work for one of the big three automakers and have for 36 years. I have been through some very difficult times in my years with GM. The current economic environment is the toughest we have ever seen.
Our government has seen fit to aid the financial sector but is balking severely at assisting the automotive industry. We are not asking for a handout, we are asking for a LOAN. We are not asking for a loan without restriction. We are being asked to allow the government to oversee how we spend the money and if we do not meet their expectations, they have the right to recall the loan. We have agreed to this.

Has the industry made some bad decisions? Absolutely!

Have we been too generous to our employees? Sure!

Do they make as much as the talk show hosts and media are reporting? No. Those figures are misrepresented. Most of you would be amazed at what the "total cost" of your employment is reported at.

Have we been working hard to correct these issues? More than I think most of you know.

It pains me to hear about how the American auto industry has poor quality. That simply is not true. Our quality is on a par with or exceeds that of the foreign car companies. Check out the JD Power surveys.
We have been through a major restructuring over the past few years. We have renegotiated a difficult contract with the UAW who made concessions because they knew it was for the survival of the corporation. They have also agreed to reopen the current contract. We have reduced employment levels through attrition, retirement packages, and even the dreaded "involuntary separation" (spelled fired). We are requiring our suppliers to reduce costs and improve quality. We are closing manufacturing facilities to reduce excess capacity. We have changed our model mix to reflect what the current demand is requiring. By the way, we were not the only car company building full size trucks or SUV's. The Armada SUV and the Titan pick up for example.
We have been an industry leader in technology and alternative fuels. Flex fuels, hybrids, even the EV-1 (yes that's right an electric vehicle). I guess we were at fault for being ahead of our time.
For some reason we have become the whipping boy of Congress and the media. There are (in my opinion) no longer any true news reporters, only news comentators. We cannot receive the news in an unbiased manor. This true of both liberal and conservative news stations. Polls are fashioned to show what the media wants them to show. For example: Ther are two different options to show support for the loan but ony one to support not giving it. Split the numbers and make it look even more biased.
This could go on, but I need to get ready to go to work (which is a privelege I do not take lightly).
What I am asking is for your consideration about the necessity of this loan.
Thank You for your time and patience. I will try to answer any questions this might generate.

On the Road

2008-12-04T21:32:00.000-06:00

Got my wheels back. It looked so nice, all clean and shining on the outside, then I opened the door and they had even cleaned the inside. It was like new again. I was so happy. Pa and I were going to get some food and then a little shopping done but I turned on the radio and nothing happened. Pa and the repairman tried a few things and still nothing. It will have to go back up to the dealer and they will fix it but until then no music. I don't know how I'm going to survive with no music. I will miss it very much.

Pick up and return

2008-12-03T21:31:00.000-06:00

I haven't even finished shopping and I'm all ready taking things back. I'm not sure what to think about this, most years I do well in the "just what I wanted dept." This year is not one of those.
Pa and I have very seldom bought lots and lots of gifts for the children, so when you get one thing wrong it can cause me trouble.

On the bright side, today we picked up the lap-top and tomorrow we will pick up the HHR. That will be so very nice, I have missed my car. HHR's are great. I love mine.

Wonder and What

2008-12-02T19:22:00.000-06:00

This past few weeks have been full. Pa and I are now home again. I am forgetting what all has been going on, that is nothing new for me. I can forget what I was doing in the morning by the time night comes around.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends. We got to babysit FarmWifes little ones for the first time. Now I have stayed with them and babysat some of them but Saturday night we had all of them and it was wonderful.
I thought it was so neat that FarmBoy was taking her out on a date. As it turned out I wasn't the only one, the children got a gleam in their eyes and a giggle when they spoke about it.

Just Stopped by to give some Information

2008-11-23T15:36:00.000-06:00

Be Very careful about store gift cards this year. Stores are closing and they may not honor the gift cards. Pa has been getting e-mails from a friend about this. We don't buy gift cards, but I sure would hate to lose my money if I did. Then find out that there is a legal loop hole that prevents me from any kind of recourse. So do your homework before you spend your money

2008-10-21T11:13:00.000-05:00

Below is an e-mail I recived today. It states what has been on my mind for a long time so I put it here.

2008-10-21T11:11:00.000-05:00

ONE MINUTE EACH NIGHT....
This is the scariest election we as Christianshave ever faced. From the looks of the polls, theChristians aren't voting Christian values. We allneed to be on our knees. Do you believe we can takeGod at His word? Call upon His name, then standback and watch His wonders to behold. His scripturegives us, as Christians, ownership of this land andthe ability to call upon God to heal it.
I challenge you to do so. We have never been moredesperate than now for God to heal our land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 :
If my people, which are called by my name shallhumble themselves, and pray, and seek my face andturn from their wicked ways, then will I hear fromheaven, and will forgive their sin, and will healtheir land.
During WWII, there was an advisor to Churchillwho organized a group of people who dropped whatthey were doing every night at a prescribed hour forone minute to collectively pray for the safety ofEngland , its people and peace. This had an amazingeffect as bombing stopped.
There is now a group of people organizing thesame thing here in America , The United States of America and our citizensneed prayer more than ever!!
If you would like to participate: each eveningat 9:00 PM Eastern Time, 8:00 PM Central, 7:00 PMMountain, 6:00 PM Pacific, stop whatever you aredoing and spend one minute praying for the safety ofthe United States , our troops, our citizens, forpeace in the world, for wisdom and courage for ourleaders, the up-coming election, and that the Biblewill remain the basis for the laws governing ourland and that Christianity will grow in the U.S.
If you know anyone who would like toparticipate, please pass this along. Someone saidif people really understood the full extent of thepower we have available through prayer, we might bespeechless. Our prayers are the most powerful assetwe have. Thank You.

Want a laugh

2008-10-08T10:38:00.000-05:00

As you recall Bubba is getting married. The wedding is a year from now but since time is already moving fast I have decided to start looking into just what the Mother of the Groom is suppose to wear.

After a evening of surfing the net I have decided that Stacy and Clinton need to do a whole show on What not to Wear. I mean really, should I look like a great-granny a prom date or a hooker working the boulevard?

I found 3 gowns that would be acceptable if I need a gown. I don't know, do you the moms wear gowns to a afternoon wedding? FarmWife you might look that up for us.

I never went to prom so I guess that's the way I will go if a gown is needed.

Now should it be Jean Harlow or Scarlett O'Hara? Mr. DeMille I'm ready for my close up.

Movie

2008-09-26T14:17:00.000-05:00

"The Women"

Just wait until you can rent it. Then don't hope for much.

Pa even said it wasn't good until the end.

2008-09-17T12:56:00.000-05:00

Anita, SilverBell. is back in the hospital.
I'm not sure about all this but her neck kept swelling and they went to local hospital. There she got breathing tube and was sent to big hospital were she had had the sugery. There they opened her neck up again and drained the fluid and looked to see what the cause was. She is in ICU now and that is all I know.

Please lift her up in prayer.

Thank you

2008-09-16T13:34:00.000-05:00

just thought i would stop by and say HI

i got to get my act together and get some more work done.

right now i'm just going from one merry-go-round to another.

cheers to all

Big News

2008-09-01T22:06:00.000-05:00

This evening Bubba and B. were at our house when we got back from town. They are engaged.
Bubba ask B's daddy for their blessing this afternoon and Daddy had lots of questions and much to say before he said yes.

If you know Bubba he has spent most of the day up on his toes. After talking to Daddy they are both walking in the clouds

For Ang

2008-08-26T20:39:00.000-05:00

Ang,

if you come by, I read your blog and it sounds to me like some jealous people.
They do that kind of thing you know. I'm happy for your success and sad for your troubles.

Monday

2008-08-11T08:18:00.000-05:00

Starting a new week, oh what a joy.
New plans, new choices, well maybe same old choices since its the same chores. But I get to choose when do them and what gets done first.
My first choice is the kitchen, my only choice is the kitchen, as it looks like the wreck of the Hespers.
HT is busy watching the kids. He has his 2 dvd's that he watches every morning. He comes in greets me, takes off his shoes, starts to say bye to mom, that can take 20 min. mom has a hard time leaving, he comes and takes my hand, leads me to the couch were the remotes sit and get excited when the show starts.

So to day HT will be busy emptying the toy box and I will spend my time going from the living room to the kitchen, that is until time for the big nap then it's kitchen time.

20 miles

2008-08-06T01:10:00.000-05:00

We have friends who live out in the middle of no where. They have to pipe sunlight in.
Last night I got to spend the night out in the Big Woods. It was wonderful I slept and then slept some more.

What a great feeling.

Even if it was just 20 hours away, it felt like many more.

Well, well

2008-08-02T15:15:00.000-05:00

I don't have words for this past week, nor for the past year.
The world goes by and on its way life changes.

This is the first day my head has been almost clear. I have had a cold and once again ended up on amoxicillin. All this because Pa and I spent the day sitting in a cold room learning about diabetes and how to change our life style. That room was so cold that Pa was even cold and Pa is one of those people who is warm in winter.

Colds are nasty things. I have had my share of them but this past year or so they seem to have changed. They want to stay longer and behave worse then ever before in my life. I guess this all goes along with the getting old business. You know getting old is not for sissy's and here lately I have felt like a big sissy.

Well this sissy is going to try to get at least one chore done before my head gets all fuzzy again.

How's your mouth?

2008-07-23T08:18:00.000-05:00

Have you ever seen someone cuss at their child? Did you notice the child's face or body after the assault? It is very much like the reaction of a person who has been slapped hard or stabbed.

We do lots of stupid things in our day to day living. Without a doubt one of the worst thing we do is use language that inflects pain.

It has been said " the pen is mightier then the sword"

Why is that?

Is it because a knife wound is to the flesh and a word wound is to the soul?
Perhaps it is because a flesh wound leaves us with a visible scar and we must come to terms with it and live with the sight of it. The soul wound is a hidden wound that we think we can push aside and it will just go away.

Cussing or curse?

As long as I can remember, the action of foul words have carried the title of cussing. When I heard someone say that another person used curse words my thought was " it's cuss not curse". I now know that they are curse's.

Curse
1.The calling down of evil or harm upon one.
2. Affliction
a. cause pain and distress to
3. Swear at
a. make or cause to make a solemn statement or promise under oath
b. use profane language

Profane:
1.Treat with irreverence
2. serving to debase what is holy

Holy:
1. sacred
2. spiritually pure
Pure:
Free of foreign matter,contamination, or corruption
Corrupt
change from good to bad

No matter how you defend yourself it all comes down to Words, they bring life or death.
Which do you want to speak into your child's life?
Which do you want to speak into any one's life?
Which one do you want spoken into your life?
More then not, what you send out, you get back.
How's your mouth?

English OR how I got out of high school

2008-07-21T06:31:00.000-05:00

I can spell better then I thought. The truth is I can sight read better then I can spell. If I see a word once or twice it gets tucked away in my little brain somewhere and I can pronounce it the next time I see it. Spelling a word or grouping words is a whole other thing.

Back in my high school days all you had to do was get 1 English class in for graduation.

40 years ago, this September, I started the 10th grade and my first year in high school.
Back then, at Griffith schools freshmen were top dogs in Jr. High, it could have been that way in other towns to I only remember Griffith.

I hated English, I do not understand it. That makes life rough when you want to go to college or even write a letter. I wanted to go to college and would take the whole day to write a letter to my cousin.
For me English class added to that wonderful feeling you have about yourself at 14. You know the one with all the ugly thoughts about yourself.

First day of school and the question "who did you get"? Mr. Harken "Oh he is nice you will like him" No I won't he teaches English and I hate English. I'm never going to get through high school.
Turned out Mr Harken was a wonderful and wise teacher. He broke up the literature and grammar so that you could pass the class if you only tried. I tried, oh how I tried when it came to grammar. The lit. part came easy and was fun for me. One grading period I would get a D because that was mostly grammar, the next I would get an A or B because it was mostly reading.
Come the end of the year it worked out to a passing grade, a trip to Chicago and a gratefulness that has lasted 40 years.
My grade school dictionary still sits on my desk. I have a Franklin dictionary book marker and spell check rates right up there with sliced bread.

I remember the names of only 2 of my teachers, Mr Harken and Miss Beanblossom.
Mr Harken got me through English and Miss Beanblossom gave me a love of sewing.

2008-07-21T06:30:00.001-05:00

Your Spelling is Okay

You got 7/10 correct.

Your spelling is a bit of a problem. Your instincts on how to spell things aren't horrible, but you often make an embarrassing mistake or two.

How's" Your Spelling?

To Late

2008-07-19T10:57:00.000-05:00

I missed out on the dates for the little alone vacation. Little house has been booked for the weekend that I wanted it. Oh well, that tends to be the story of my life. I will just start looking for someplace else.
I have a cousin that lives in Kentucky and since I haven't seen her for a while I might just go visit her and the quilt museum. I'll think about it for now.

Today I must get to all the mail that is setting on the end of the table. Oh how I HATE not having someplace other then the kitchen table to put mail. Before we left in May I had all the paper work and junk done but now Mount Mail is back and today before I close my eyes again the plan is to have it gone. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahha Just take me to my cell padding and all.

Found a Spot

2008-07-16T08:37:00.000-05:00

I have found a little hide-away and its not so far away, just far enough.
Now all I need is the money, reservations and a sitter for HT and I'm good to go.
If this works out I will do 2 things
1. go through a stack of magazines and cut out the thing I want to put in a notebooks.
2. go to the big quilt show at the end of the week.
There is a big part of me that wants this real bad and the part that says if it doesn't happen that's OK (that part is lying)

Today HT is here for the first time since our trip. He is very busy watching the kids and sucking down milk, his morning routine.
He has on the cutest one piece Jammie's, made all the cuter when he walks and his derriere twist. I would let him wear them all day but we are going shopping so he will just have to put on a cute pair of bib shorts that so the same thing. Babies waddle cute don't they?

Now back to work

2008-07-13T21:40:00.000-05:00

The fun has come to an end. I hope.

We are now back home and it is time to get all things back in order and place.
Time to start thinking about Christmas and what needs to be put on the BIG LIST.
Time to get caught up on the news around here.
Visit with some friends.
And time to start looking for a place to go for a few days.

Its time for QM to be quite and alone.

Maybe a tent, a book and some music.

2008-06-24T20:29:00.000-05:00

HT and I are on the mend and Pa has now started the coughing. Maybe by the end of the month all will be well.

My little brother called to tell me that dad got 2 stints put in during the heart cath. and is doing well. He gets to stay the night and if all goes well he goes home sometime tomorrow.

Today is little brothers birthday. Uncle Gick is 54.

He has had a very busy life. He's been a cowboy, packing his six guns like Wild Bill. He's built roads, racetracks and had more crash and burns then you could count. Baseball made him a star and football broke his jaw. His body has been bruised, cut, beaten and squished all in the name of fun. He was most definitely made of sip and snail and puppy dog tails.

news for tonight

2008-06-17T21:56:00.000-05:00

Pa is doing much better. He is working out his food and med. system, keeping a notebook of everything.

I'm slowly getting my chores done. The key word here is slow.

HT and I have decided to react to something in the air. If I'm not running for a hankie for him I'm after one for me.

HT is also working on cutting his eye teeth and it seems like these are going to be the most painful ones. He is not always the happy boy he usually is.

Last night bed time was 8PM and tonight I've made it to 10PM and that's as far as I'm going.

Goodnight

2008-06-08T23:11:00.000-05:00

Grandpa M&M is getting better with each passing day. There is a good chance he will be home this week and we will be glad.

We have had a lot of rain this past week. Here in Ill were G'pa and G'ma live 7 and 5/8 inches in just a few days. The rain I could live with it but I have had it with Stormwatch17. I don't ever want to see that mans face again. If I do I think I might just have to slap someone and I would hope it could be him. If only you could reach through the TV.

I have heard that this week we will start a heat wave. Now that gives you something to look forward to. Yes sir you will sweat until there isn't a dry spot on you then you will have to take a shower because you stink then you will start sweating again and around and around you go. HOTDOG

I need help

2008-06-05T19:35:00.001-05:00

I know nothing about painting, so I'm painting a mailbox. Here is were I need help. My red paint is to bright and I want to add the black to it, to make it darker is that possible? If so just how do I go about doing it?

Today and 61 years

2008-05-31T08:20:00.000-05:00

Grandpa is settled in or at least as settled as he is going to get. He can't seem to mind the nurse when it comes to this whole "don't get up without me being here" thing. He is working hard.

Today Grandma is staying home for a much needed rest so she says. She does need to rest its been a long week. But I think she might have other plans to, like baking a pie or maybe some oatmeal cookies. Tomorrow is G&G's 61 st. wedding anniversary, so special is in the air.

Pa and I will be going over to visit for a while and perhaps shop on Grandpa's behalf.

Then Pa will be headed home and back to work.

Grit

2008-05-28T22:43:00.000-05:00

Grandpa M&M called and needed Grandma up at the hospital. She and Pa were heading for the door and talking about something that needed to be done. Grandma then said something about money and having to go to the bank. She stopped, started crying and said "I can't do it, Dad always takes care of that now".
The words had no more then crossed her lips when she stopped crying and announced that she would just have to learn how to do it again, now, because he did it for her when she got sick and she would do it for him.

It was just a moment in time. One of those moments that writers and movie makers spend a lifetime trying to tell about. The moment were you see the vows, that were taken on a day that seems like a blur to most of us, encompass the whole of your world and bloom fresh yet again.
I don't think I will ever forget it, I hope I don't because it is among the truest and best of this world.

Tomorrow Grandpa will go to the rehab center and we are hoping he will only be there a short time. Grandma will be busy helping, as much as she can get away with.
Aunt SilverBell maybe home soon and she may just have to help with her recovery. There is no doubt that what ever needs to be done Grandma will want to have a hand in it.
She's got grit.

2008-05-19T23:47:00.001-05:00

I forgot I must plan a party for the Queen

Get Going

2008-05-19T23:06:00.000-05:00

It won't be long now. Pa and I are busy trying to make a list for the BIG trip.

I have been busy buying birthday goodies for some little people that I know.

I also picked up a new toy for HT and me. We will be testing it out tomorrow in between all the house work that must get done.

I spent last week visiting all the doctors once again. I found out that my brain is in very good shape for my age.
The migraines may have added to their repertoire, the vertigo and vision blurring are forms of migraines. No pain with the eyes just the aggravation of the blurring and no pain with the vertigo, just the dizziness and nausea. They are all vascular in nature. HOT DOG

I have lost the highest 2 decibels in my left ear, but my hearing is good. I think that the lose comes from FarmWife's scream. My brothers always said she was louder then the warning sirens.

My blood sugar is normal in the morning but starts to creep up as the day goes. I must now do the blood testing and diabetes meal planning along with losing weight and walking. All of this is to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes since it is a genetic factor in my dad's family line.

So High Ho, High Ho, its off to walk Pa and I will go.

2008-05-16T23:45:00.000-05:00

It is 11;46 PM May 16th. Thirty two years ago at about this time I was letting the Pa and anyone else around that I had had ENOUGH!!

In just a few short hours it will be HAPPY BIRTHDAY time for FarmWife.

In honor of those hours I shall do the same thing I did back then. Sleep all day long.

FarmWife having not changed much since that day should spend her day trying to find out what is going on all around her.

Busha said she came out of delivery, laying on her tummy,with her head held high looking at the world. nosey nosey

Happy Birthday Ladybug
I love you

oz, truck and new friends

2008-05-16T09:39:00.000-05:00

I'm having one of those weeks. You know were you go and go but get nothing done. This week I feel like I'm in OZ. I even have to set alarms and timers to remember to get ready to go to town. I was in town yesterday to return a blouse and exchange a belt and get the oil changed. In the middle of the store experience Bubba calls and his old car is dead. Were are you Mom? Were are you Bubba? He never ask if I could come get him. Just wanted me to know that the car was dead and that he would find a ride home, his buddy was coming into town and he would take him home to get the Saturn. He just hoped that buddy would get there soon because Bubba had to go to work. I picked him up, feed him and got him home and on the way back through town wondered what it was that I was going to do in town before Bubba's call.

Ugh.. why did I come to town?

Oh yes the oil change. But first a stop at the quilt shop to ask a question and with answer bought the book. Told Jean I was off to get the oil changed and she gave me a coupon for $$ off made me happy.
At the oil change place when they are done with the oil change, they check your lights and stuff. I am not fond of this part because for some reason I can't remember how to turn on the lights or the wipers and usually leave them wondering how in the world I got my licences. It was so bad yesterday that the boys got to laughing and one of them ask if I would like for him to reach through the window and help. I said sure and told them that I don't know why I couldn't remember which side was lights and which was wipers. They wanted to know if I could find the horn.
When my humiliation was over and they were guiding me out one of the boys ask if he could look at the inside of the HHR. I said sure got out and opened the back up showed off my car. He said he would love to have one and we talked about cars for a while. By the time we finished talking I had given him Pa's old truck.
Last night he, his wife and 3yr old son came over to check out the old truck. He was really happy that Pa was would just give him the truck.
Their son was a very busy boy with lots of questions and he took to Pa big time. Pa had to go all around the the yard looking at lots of things and then do it again 2 or 3 more times. Then it was time for them to look inside the HHR and sit in the back of it, get out close it up. open it and sit in the back again. Pa said it was time for the HHR to go to bed so they said good-night to it and the lights flashed back. His folks said it was time for them to leave and after several more good-nights to the HHR the Mom ask the little boy if he wanted to give Pa a good bye hug. The little guy reached right up for Pa and gave him a big hug. Mom and Dad said the little guy was not one to make friends with strangers and they were surprised at how he reacted to Pa and how comfortable he was around us.
So at least yesterday my oz-ie kind of day ended in a very pleasant way.

Old truck gone and new friends made.

party and books

2008-05-09T13:02:00.000-05:00

I've been cruz'n the blogs.

I love books!! I love the smell of the bookstore. I love the feel of good paper. I love to read.
Guess what?

I am a very slow reader. Pa and the children can read a book in a day or 2 if it is a medium size a large one will take maybe 2 weeks of evening reading. All books take me twice as long as them. But that doesn't stop me. I have friends who teach over at the college who helped me some but I still read slow.

Know what?
I love to read out loud when no one is around.

Back when I read to the children I was good at reading out loud. As the years have passed I lost the ebb and flow of reading a loud. I realized that is probably the reason most people don't like to read something to other people. They haven't done it in so long that they think they sound dumb. I don't think Pa likes me to read to him but he lets me anyhow.

Books are always better then the movie. Most of the time the movie only shares, the title and characters names or just a small part of the story.

If a book starts out slow keep at it, it may get better as you go but if you get half way and its still bad you did your best. Use it to start a lovely fire and cozy up with your sweetheart or cook hot dogs with the kids.

Now I ask FarmWife "if she had a party for the Queen of England what would she do"? She had a good answer and so did Kork.
Now I'm asking you the same question.

Plan a party for the Queen of England or the queen of another real country and tell us about it. You can post it on your blog and just leave a note here directing us to your post or you can just post here.

Detox

2008-05-08T14:04:00.000-05:00

My detox is not going so very well. Last night I was up late, late looking at things on you tube.
It all began with visiting Grace and the little girl singing so sweet.

Just now I can't remember how, but I ended up on a breastfeeding video group. I didn't know that breastfeeding could be such a disturbing event. Some lady was feeding her baby and people around her got upset and my my what a fuss. I wonder just how modest the woman was. After watching other videos on this subject it made me wonder if any of these women understood the meaning of the word modest.
30 odd years ago I nursed my baby in the main hall of the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and had a nice conversation with a older gentleman sitting next to me. At first I was nervous about him knowing what was going on but when the whole event was over I realised that the man probably didn't even know I was breastfeeding. I was so proud of myself.
When I was a kid there was a woman down the street who had a new baby and mom took me with her to see the baby. That woman had no modesty and I well remember being disgusted by her behavior.
I also had a unpleasant experience as young woman and said I would never breastfeed.

However my best friend in college became a new sister during our freshman year and 2 more times after that. On one of my visits to her families home I witnessed Mrs. B. nursing she was so gentle and modest and that is when I knew that I could do that.
After the breastfeeding I went looking about quilting and found such cool things. Pa got up at 1:30 am and put a stop to my you-tube. THANK YOU PA

I need to detox

2008-05-02T10:02:00.000-05:00

You know we have DSL and that I hate it, that is I hate almost all of it. I have in the last few weeks become a junkie of web-site jumping.

It all starts out so simple and innocent. Who is that guy? Were can you get that? And the worst What has FarmWife posted today? Could Princess have posted? What about Art? I need to know. So simple and 4 hours later I have to force myself off the information highway.

Today, after looking up Diabetes, I found out that Wu-Yi tea, the new diet drink, is nothing more then oolong tea and the weight loss is due to the food intake or lack of it and exercise.

However if you need to drop that $75. to $200. on the tea so you can lose weight, its your mind and your money.

Finding out about the tea lead me to colon cleansing products. All of which cost lots and the main ingredient is the same as Metamucil.
What hideous stories they tell and when you check them out, most are lies, Elvis and John Wayne to get your notice.

I even found a Dr. Bill in Jackson,Tn. who has a "Holy Thistle" tea that does wonders. He has a wellness center, except you can't find it or him listed in Jackson, Tn. In some of the other sites that sell his tea, they just say Dr. Bill in Tennessee.

Then I was off to another site.

I'm telling you this is almost as bad as my addiction to Pepsi. I have to stop this before I become one of those seedy characters who hasn't bathed or left their house in years.

Just one more hit of useless information I need a fix.

NO, I need detox.

I'm going to clean my house

some of it

a little of it

OK I'm cleaning off the table

Oh what a Wonderful morning

2008-04-30T19:02:00.000-05:00

Do you ever have times when you want to be alone? If the answer is yes, then try one of the state parks. One that is not on the list of must see parks.
Pa, Den, Nise and I spent the weekend at Pickett State Park. It's a small park with trails, water, a few cabins and NO TV or cellphone capabilities. You can call the ranger if there is an emergency, very old fashion.
If you are really hearty you can camp primitive, I'm not, so can't tell you about it.

We had a cabin that had a large living/dining area, 3 bedrooms, a small kitchen and 1 bathroom. Another bath would have been nice, however back when this park was built 1 bathroom was a luxury, especially in the backwoods of Tn. It is all stone, wood and concrete, with a delightful smell of wood burning sunk into the wood. These cabins are pushing 70 some years. They were built by the CCC during the depression and as the saying goes "built to last". I hope our great grands will have the chance to enjoy them.
During our weekend of nothing we checked out a coal mining camp just up the road in Kentucky. We were headed for Stearn's, got lost and ended up at Barthell Coal Mining Camp just down the road from Stearn's. It turned out to be the better of the two. Barthell is being rebuilt just as it was and Stearn's is a interpretive site.
You can go down into the mine if your brave enough or just see the town. We toured the town and looked into the opening of a shaft, that was enough for me.
It is off season right now and we had one of the owners as our guide. He had lots of stories and answered lots of questions. Did you know that snakes don't live in coal mines it's to cold for them. With that knowledge I may just work up enough nerve to go down one someday.
Our second day out we went to Pall Mall, Tn. one of the most beautiful places in the state. That's saying a lot as Tn. is overrun with beautiful places.
We didn't go for the view. We didn't know about it until later. We went to see the home of Alvin C. York. You might have read about him in your history book Sargent York, one of the most decorated soldiers of WWI.
If you don't know anything about him you could rent the movie "Sargent York". It's a old black and white movie. Gary Cooper plays Alvin and the movie stays very close to his real life. This man lead a remarkable life beyond the battlefield, a hero in more then one way.
We walked trails, I am no Daniel Boone I was lost most of the time, played Clue, lounged around and talked. Saturday night came with sadness and anticipation.

After all our next adventure is "Dinosaur World". Now, who wouldn't want to hurry home to get ready for that one.

Hang on loopy

2008-04-22T23:05:00.000-05:00

It's not official yet, I have vertigo. Not yet because the doctor that started the whole process has not told me that.
Yesterday I went to the family doctor, because on top of the crazy dizzy, I have a runny nose and ear pain. Since we are going to the mountains I thought I should be sure it wasn't a infection or virus of some sort. You know just so I don't get half way around the world and have to go see a doctor.
We all know how easy that is.

He looked at the letter, he had gotten from the EN&T doctor, ask if I had been back to see EN&T doc. No, not yet,

Why did you go to the EN&T doc ?

Because the neurologist sent me.

Did he order the MRI?

No the neurologist did.

Have you been back to neurologist?
Not yet, next month.

Well I can't do anymore then what they have already done.
What about the pain and.......

Stand up and follow my finger. Follow it some more over here. shake your head this way now move it this way.
NO, I don't do circles of any kind. They make me dizzy and I'm already dizzy enough.

It's all part of it. Did they tell you that you have vertigo? No, Did they do blood work? Well I can do some blood work to see if your anemic or if your thyroid isn't working right.

What about the runny nose?
Does this hurt?
No
I'll run blood work just to make sure your not anemic.
So I don't have a sinus infection or something?
No sinus infection, I put in orders for the blood work, give my regards to Mr. Pa, enjoy the mountains.........said over his shoulder as he walks out.

I may have the something, but at least I don't have to worry about a sinus infection.
I love doctors, I love spending quality time with them. I love being able to call and get a appointment, next month, for the cold, pain or whatever I have right now. I love paying them hard earned money. I love calling in for cough medicine only to be told that the doctor would have to see me, so come in at 1 pm and they would work me in. All that means is your going to sit in the waiting room with all the other people with colds for the next 4 hours and share germs, only to have the doctor tell you that you have a cold and here is the prescription for cough medicine you call in about.

For the record I do love my neurologist. She knows me even outside of her office.

What a Weekend

2008-04-20T12:29:00.000-05:00

It all started Friday afternoon. HT and I headed to Berry Hill just south of Nashville, its really part of the big city now. I needed some split rings from the Bead Bungalow. HT saved me a lot of time and money by falling asleep, so there was no time to browse around as I left him in the car.

Don't get excited.

The Bead Bungalow is in little house. The parking is what use to be the front lawn and I parked at the front door. I stood at the door told them what I needed, got it and left. It was that short time while the sales lady was getting my rings that I looked around the room and wished I could look closer and thanked HT for saving me money.
We stopped at the herbal shop, again a little house with front door parking, then Children's Conner. HT had to wake up for that stop, as I wasn't going to just run in and out. We had a wonderful time there and a nice lady was a big help to Grammy. New pattern making material along with advise, HT enjoying the toys and ladies, then we were off.
Next stop Mom's store. Mom had just finishing redressing the mannequin, had to return items to their rightful departments and clock out for the day. I went to pay a bill and HT went with Mom to meet and greet while taking things back. They still weren't done when I got back. A leaky diaper put a end to the meet and greet.
HT and I headed to the shoe shop while mom finished. We were going to wait on her at the shoe shop but we found these cool red sneakers, bought them and had to go try them out. While heading back toward Mom's store HT became the Mall Greeter, He looked and sounded like a politician going from storefront to storefront talking to anyone who would look at him. Then he came across a handyman fixing a BIG glass door and had to help him. Handyman actually gave HT his screwdriver to work with. He was young and probably didn't have any idea what a toddler could do with screwdriver. Grammy took it way and Mom was spotted coming down the hall just in time to keep a hissy fit from happening.

Mom look at this cool shoes, lets show these people in here, no wait there is music lets dance.

Pa was going to meet us, so we headed to the food court to eat and wait. Pa arrived just in time to save us from yet another hissy fit, HT was tired being in the stroller.

Pa look at my new shoes lets give them a walk. Hey, Dad is at work now lets go see him.

That is were we said our goodbye's.

Pa and I went up to Nashville meet some friends at one of those country joints. By 10 PM my ears worn out from the loud live music and it was time to go home. We took the long way out of Nashville and it ended up taking 2 hours to get home instead of 1. By the time I got home tired was really beginning to set in.
Yesterday I woke up bone tired. Pa washed the cars, took a nap while I tried to pay bills and got a shopping list done. We went to town picked up a few things and called it a day because we were both tired.
Today hasn't gone much better. Pa has gone from the couch to the bed and all I have done is look for recipes for next weekend and type this. I'm going to have to start getting ready for church, this being tired is going to cause me to move slower and we need to leave here in about a hour. I'll take a nap on the way.

love those pictures

2008-04-16T21:31:00.000-05:00

I got this off someone else. It's southern and I wanted to know what it was about. Oh my! I have spent almost an hour just looking at the pretty pictures.

http://rebekah-southerncharmportraits.blogspot.com/

2008-04-16T11:56:00.000-05:00

HT has just gone down for his nap, Not one minute to soon. So far today he has tried to make calls and rearrange the list in my cell phone.
He tore a page out of his book and I almost had a heart attach. Tearing up books is a absolute no no at my house. They can fall apart because you have read them over and over again and you can carry them around and love them apart but you can not just grab a page and tear. We had a bad few minutes then he was on his way again. He had dancing to do and distracting to do just so he could get back to the phone. He is one fast kid.

Now that he is safe a sleep in his playpen I'm going to get to my house work. No forget that I'm going to go sew on something fun. My house work is not going anywhere I know this because I have lived with it for 35 years now and everyday its waiting around for me and not the maid. After this long it can just keep waiting.

I wish I could show you a picture of my apple trees, they look like 2 big bouquets. They make me happy

Grammy lets take a walk

2008-04-10T00:08:00.000-05:00

This morning HT was busy playing with his basket of toys. That means dumping them all out. I was paying a bill.
Anyway HT was very busy, then he wasn't. You know the silence that makes you go looking for trouble because you just know that there is something going on that should not be going on. I looked by the toys and beyond then opened the gate and started to forcefully call his name when I looked and he was asleep on the couch. It was only 9:30 way to early for a nap most days but not today. At12:30 I decided it was time to get up. He decided that 1pm and a bottle were more to his liking.
Back to the toys. Hey Grammy here is this thing that I wear and you follow me around. Lets walk around in circles again and again. Hey HT lets go outside Grammy can't walk in circles she gets dizzy.
Outside is nice the grass is so tall it comes half way up my leg and I look like I'm walking in deep snow. Pa will have to cut the grass soon. Lets go this way down the road and back past Grammys then on down to the curve. Grammy I just can't walk anymore so I will let you carry me. Lets go to the back yard and see the wonders.
HT get away from there, come this way, no No NO, OK we are done. NO GRAMMY NOT BACK INTO THE HOUSE.

So you chipped

2008-04-07T22:36:00.000-05:00

You know the feeling you get when you come out of the store and go to get in your car only to see a chip in the door. Makes you kind of sick and mad because the person who chipped the paint didn't bother to tell you or leave a note.

Well guess what don't feel bad anymore.

I was a passenger in someones car, opened the door and scratched the paint on the car next to me. I did just what the insurance company tell us to do. The person call Pa, he gives them our information and gets theirs. Next day the insurance company calls me I tell them what happened and as soon as I said I was a passenger in someone else car I was told that my insurance would not do anything until the person who owned the car turned it in on their insurance. Now that person had nothing to do with me hitting the car next to me. So why should they be involved at all? I don't care if I was in their car. I opened the door and made the scratch. I also pay a nice premium every year for insurance just in case something like this happens. What a waste of money.
If this should ever happen again AND I am in my car I will leave my information just like I'm suppose to.
If I am ever in someone elses car I will leave a note, just like the one Pa found on his car after telling the people at work what happened.

"Sorry, I hit your car. I left a note"

Beach Facts

2008-04-06T21:35:00.000-05:00

13 people a year die from falling vending machines

20,000 pollution related closings and advisories are posted each year

1 out of 3 beach goers can not swim

It only takes 20 seconds for a child to drown

1 minute for an adult to drown

THANK YOU LORD

For keeping the rapscallions safe while we were at the beach and pool

Going to the beach

2008-04-06T17:35:00.000-05:00

I have been to Destin and now to Golf Shores and guess what.

There are 3 things to do in these places, go to the beach, shop or eat.

Now I can honestly say that I like to eat and that there were at least a dozen restaurants that I would have loved to have tried out but that takes money and we were on a tight budget.
Maybe some day Pa and I will go back there for a vacation and we will try two or three of them. Uncle Bubba's will not be one of them, as Art, the rapscallions and I tried Bubba's. We had to crab claws along with the usual good eats. Crab claws in our opinion were just not something that we could get all excited about. They were OK and a must try if you are ever in an area were most every restaurant serves them. I mean why go to a region and not try one of the local favorites. Isn't that one of the reasons you travel?

This time of year is good for going to the beach as there are not a lot of people there. There were spring breakers, Indiana, Louisiana, Illinois and Tennessee had the most license plates seen. Then there the families with young children and of course the snowbirds down from the cold. We enjoyed a lot of beach space, no beach blankets side by side here .
Unfortunately there was sand.
I am not a fan of sand.
I grew up in the sand bowl of northern Indiana. Its like the Dust Bowl out west, you can't keep it out of your house.
What would a beach be without sand? I don't think mud would be as much fun in the sculpting department. Sand doesn't stain like mud does either.
The children had a great time in it and it is a cheap way of exfoliating your hands, feet and face should one of your siblings toss a hand full there.

I can't tell you about shopping as we did little to none. I do know that there were enough shopping centers around to keep you busy all day or week for that matter.

I think the best part of the beach is the color. Varying shades of blue,pink, green and yellow. The houses looked like a candy store full of different sizes, shapes and colors.
We had a brand new 12-15 storeyed condo nest to ours and by the end of the week I wanted to buy one of them just because I liked the architecture of the building.
Wouldn't it be fun to be able to just open your front door and run out to the beach or sit out on the balcony and watch the weaves come in or just open the door and listen to the sounds of the surf. It's all possible if you have 600 thousand to a million dollars just laying around.

Do you think the bank would loan us the money if Pa promised not to retire before he turned 80 so we could make the payments?

things i have learned

2008-04-03T11:28:00.000-05:00

Let me tell you some things I know about Alabama.
1. the yellowhammer is the state bird. I'm guessing its a woodpecker as they have lots of pine trees in that state.
2. the camellia is the state flower. I always think of Greta Garbo when people talk about camellia's
3. the fighting tarpon is the state saltwater fish. You have to be just a little nuts to go out in that BIG, really DEEP water to fish.
4. it is a really long state. I like to call interstate 65 the never ending road. It does come to an end in Mobile. We didn't get to see the end of it as we took a short cut at Bay Minette.
5. the best toast in the state is in Wetumpka. It must be the air that makes the toast so very good, as it is just store bought bread and butter. Or its the excitement of getting to eat toast in the hotel lobby. But if you should ever find yourself spending the night in Wetumpka or even Prattvilles be sure to get toast.

poor Dolly

2008-04-02T11:26:00.000-05:00

It seems that Dolly Pardon has started down the slippery slope of Nip and Tucks.

I came across a interview for the Broadway show 5 to 9 and there was a picture that wasn't flattering. I just figured it the angle but no when I hit the interview button Mrs. (she is married and down here you write Mrs and say miss) Dolly's face lit up the screen. I immediately had a flash back to the puppet character Madam of Waylon and Madam.

Dolly please don't go near the nip and tuck guys again. you don't want to cross the line and really become a trailer park Barbie.

Then again you could afford a really big trailer and you already have a park and the plastic Barbie body. Guess its to late

I'm in a fog

2008-03-21T22:49:00.000-05:00

My mind has left the building. I'm not sure it is going to return anytime soon either. I don't blame it, it's tired and run down, all the events of the past 10 months have caught up with me.
I really didn't know how tired I was until today.
I had to go to the neurologist today for my check up and to set up a MRI and ear check. When I left the office, the tired began to surface and has stayed with me the remainder of the day.
Next week should help a whole lot.

Just me the beach, a book and naps.

NO, wait, I shell be entertained by Art and The Rapscallions. That should have me well rested by the end of the week. Or maybe arrested?

Here comes the moonwalk

DSL

2008-03-15T11:46:00.000-05:00

Pa has wanted faster Internet for a long time.
Yesterday it came in the box. He set it up and it worked then quit. AT&T came out today, fixed something down the road and we're up and running.

EXCEPT
All of my important things were lost and I can't find my way around this new set up.

MAMA ISN'T HAPPY

I'm lost and I feel like its my first day of school.

2008-03-14T08:32:00.000-05:00

Cut, turn or flip, sounds like cooking doesn't it?

Which do you do?

When you turn the lights on in your house.

Heir to the Throne loves to turn the lights on and off and if Aunt Meme has him its on,off,on off,on,off and 5 or 6 more times. I know this because yesterday I went to town, then had to pick HT up, back at his house. This was not good since Axel was dropping him at my house and had to go back home. Thus making Axel late for work. Sorry boy.
Back at Aunt Meme's I got to visit with her and Great Granny and watch the little man in action. He was busy emptying his toy box . Granny said " he's a mess, spoiled rotten" Aunt Meme told us she is the one who teaches him how to be ornery. Picked him up and headed for the light switch. G-Granny said "don't be letting him cut that light on and off you'll pop the bulb out".
Down here there is a lot of cutt'en things on and off.
I'm not sure but it seems to me that my mom flips on the lights and dad turns on the light but after 58 years they enter change the terms.
Pa's parents turn on lights.

Thinking on this, this morning I was just wondering "What do people say when they want the lights on?" Do we all say cut, flip, turn or are there other words used to get the lights on and off?

I was the Bride

2008-03-12T23:50:00.001-05:00

I took the test and you read the answer.

Here's the facts.

Feminine;
Yes, if baseball, skateboarding, putting up hay, driving tractors and trucks count I'm there.

Traditional;
I would have to say yes only because I never gave getting married much thought before 1972. I just kind of took what I liked from other weddings and put them all together in ours.

Wedding Dreams;
I know that when I was with girlfriends and the talk was about getting married, I would say if I get married I'm going to have this or that. Wedding dreams just wasn't part of my real world, since I wasn't getting married.

One time, way back in high school, my aunt, uncle, parents and some siblings were sitting around the table. The adults were talking about someones marriage and I said "I'm never getting married". As time went on they started talking about the way some little kid was behaving, I said "I would never let my kid act like that". My dad said "Your not getting married remember" I said "You don't have to get married to have kids". After dad put his teeth back in his mouth, they talked about something else. I have no idea what mom or the aunt and uncle thought as I was so proud of myself for shocking dad as I left the table to get something out of the kitchen.

Big White Gown
Yes, I didn't really have any idea as to what kind of gown I wanted. Mom said something about liking big skirts. I went to one dress shop, it was down in the harbor, near the steel mill were my dad had been working for 20 some years. I found a empire waisted gown with a hoop skirt and some ruffles just down the sides. I tried it on, liked it and told the lady I would take it. She wanted me to try on more I looked at some, tried on one then told her I would take the first one I had picked. I put it back on and she brought out the little crowns with veils. The head piece took longer to find then the dress, little crowns are stupid looking and I was not going to have one. My head piece was wide with beading.
All done, the dress would be ready in a few weeks.

Dad took me to get the gown and got lost, could not find the dress shop that he had told me how to get to and had driven by many times over the past 20 years. He told me I couldn't tell anyone he had gotten lost. I thought it was funny, turns out dad wasn't handling all this wedding stuff well.

Husband's name
Yes; Pa's last name could be a first name and I tried to talk him into adding an s.

I even said he could take my name. I was ahead of my time with that.

Come the 24th I walked out of the church with his last name.
The only trouble I have had with it is that some people add the s and some change the name because they don't listen to what I'm saying.

Bridesilla;
I was not.
Pa's mom made the bridesmaid's dresses. The pattern was sweet and simple. They could have been cut off and made street length. They were sky blue double knit.

Our napkins were blue so was the punch.

The only person I got upset with was my mom, the morning of the wedding. I just went down a couple of houses to Carol's and waited for mom to leave for the hairdresser. Then I went home got cleaned up and headed to the church. Put on my make-up and had a friend do my hair to fit the headpiece. Got the dress on, then upstairs for pictures before the wedding.
I was over being upset with mom by the time I got upstairs.

Pa got upset after the wedding during all the picture taking. Oh and the night before. We were all at mom and dad's and needed something so Pa and brother head to the store only to get back after midnight. Mom wouldn't let him see me it was our wedding day. He left very unhappy.

Good Eats

2008-03-09T08:43:00.000-05:00

I was reading Silver Belle blog. She made a cheesecake and I am sure it was very good as everything she makes is. It reminded me of a cook out she and Greenteeth had a long time ago. Silver Belle had made homemade dinner rolls that were wonderful. Pa had 1,2,3 "Pa you have had enough" 4,5 "Pa you had better stop or you are going to be sorry"6.
After a nice long visit we headed home and Pa's belly was hurting but not as bad as it hurt after we got home. He looked a little like Santa. You know the round little belly. Only it didn't shake like a bowl of jelly.

Surprize Surprize

2008-03-09T08:02:00.000-05:00

The end of the month is our wedding anniversary #35. I will be gone on the day but Pa and I are planing on doing something in the next month or so.
This past Wed. Pa called to say he had some extra work to get done and would be later getting home. HT was very busy that day so the time passed fast and next thing we knew Pa was calling to say he was on his way home. In he came and we both were busy playing and chasing HT that is until Pa left the room and came back in with a sack. In the sack was a little box with a Large aquamarine stone surrounded on three sides by tiny diamonds.
Pa says its the first time in 35 years that he has "got me speechless" and although I don't think that's true, I do know that it is the first time he has really, really caught me by surprise.

2008-03-04T21:42:00.000-06:00

Well, I have started to read The Shack. I have red flags jumping up all around me. I'm begining to think that I have just spent money that I really wish I had not spent. It starts out with depression and anger then goes to the cause of the pain. All this to put you in an emotional whirlpool, and at my stopping place, to bring you into a new world that seems to be heading for the warm and fuzzy's with a new nicer way of looking at God.

Now I know that many people have been burned by the church.

I've been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

I have even been one who has caused burns.

I don't believe vilifying it or walking away from it is the answer to the pain.

I still believe in the church. The faith that walked and worked in the first century church, is the same faith that walks and works in the church today.
That can also be said of the hypocrisy and self centered-ness that shows up at church.

I grew up in the Christian church, when the doors were open our family was there. My parents were involved with the leadership and ministry of our congregation. I know the sins of the people, from the cleaning lady to the elders, the pastors and even people in other congregations. Little people have big ears and adults forget that. I over heard far more then I should have.

I spent my early 20's and 30's looking at the church with eyes that had knowledge and little love. God knew that I wanted to see the true church and He has been faithfull to show it to me. Men and women who with out great fan fair spend their time helping, giving and praying for our world and the church. People who clean up after messy teens and adults. People who care for screaming babies, teachers of busy 8,9,and 10 year old boys. People who lovingly give up their free time to help carrie folks back and forth to town. People who work extra hours because they want to give more to kingdom work at home and around the world. People who will pray and pray and then pray some more until there is an answer.
They will laugh, cry and hurt with you and just love you the best they can. But their hearts hurt for the church, because, they to, see the hypocrisy and self centered-ness and long for its end.

Until that time and even after that time I don't believe there will be warm fuzzy's or a new way of looking at the Almighty God. I haven't misunderstood when I have read "I am the Father of Abraham,Isaac and Jacob or when Jesus said I am in the Father and the Father is in me.
What I do see is an Oprahness and All you need is Love. Making red flags pop up.
I will keep reading but I will be cautious.