PB4UGO

Another day!

2012-02-10T10:05:00.000-06:00

I got my cheesy box of little kids valentines this week, and spent the morning sending them to my grandkids. Some years I send candy or Little Debbie treats... but this year, just the little cards.
Just a reminder to them that they are thought about even when they don't realize it. Some years I send them to all my kids, and my parents... but I didn't have enough stamps this year.

Really, we never make a big deal over any holiday other than Thanksgiving.

So Winter has finally decided to make a pit-stop here. It is supposed to be 18 degrees tonight... this is after rain today. The high for tomorrow is 32* BRRR. But it is the first bit of winter to come by since I got back from Ohio.
I haven't decided what to make for supper yet. Maybe this is a good day to do the roast that is in the freezer. Or thaw the chili we made a couple of weeks ago. I can't seem to make a SMALL batch of chili... and with just the four of us left here, we had so much leftover that part of it had to be frozen. But it seems no matter how large of a roast I cook, there is seldom enough left to even make soup on another day.

I missed unpacking a box yesterday. I have been trying to unpack at least one box a day until I have all the stuff unpacked from the last "packing to move to Ohio" drill. Things have been boxed up since July. Yeah. Tired of having to dig to find stuff. Still, I am eliminating more as I unpack. Maybe today will be the time to unpack the china and return it to the hutch. (No china will be eliminated!)

OK, I finally told Ben and Paula about the Shutterfly site I set up for them. Still waiting on more pictures of Paula... but please go visit the site, leave blessings for them in the comments area. There are tabs across the top of their page to get around on the site. http://www.BenandPaula.shutterfly.com . There is a link to their wish list... links to local accomodations... and pictures!

Have a blessed day, and thanks for reading!
PS... reminder of my Dad's SURPRISE PARTY. Get me the cards and pictures ASAP!

HOWDY

2012-02-08T07:21:00.000-06:00

Good Morning! Here I am. Seems like I am on the blog so seldom these days.... Anyways .... Hi!

Last week I got a text from my daughter, Becky. She asked if I had been rehired by O'reilly's. (Remember my 99.9% chance of being rehired? Boy am I lucky! I hit that .1%, at least for now. The store I was working at is in a slump and cannot hire anyone until at least March. I remain unemployed.) The point is, since I am not working at the moment, as I fully expected to be, would I attend a Mother's Retreat with Becky? Becky even paid my way, since I had used all my available income on the trip to Texas in January.
I was very blessed. I got to meet so many sweet women. I got to encourage several younger women, both in home schooling and in home birth. (Both areas I already have experience, and these women were just starting out. It seems strange to say I have over 25 years experience in anything!)
Dakota Rose went along with us, as she is still a nursing baby. I got to hold her... a lot. For someone not even three months old, she really has her own opinions. She wants to be held... facing outward... with the person holding her standing up. She smiles a lot. And even began to laugh outright at times. I think I'm attached.
*********
My email account has my signature "built in", and invites people to read my blog. Right now, you may be reading this from the email I sent regarding my Dad's 75th birthday party.
So far, no one has jumped right in and sent pictures, except Bill Joe's MIL- who sent me some of my grand-daughter Nickole for this project. Thank you, Lynn!
I would like to encourage the rest of you to be choosing cards and pictures, even if you cannot come to the party. Get them sent to me as soon as possible, so they can arrive before I have to head to Dad's. As quickly as this month has gone, the USPS mail cut-off date will probably be the 28th, to allow time for delivery. That is less than 3 weeks!
If you were thinking of a gift for my Dad.... he loves to read. A gift card in any denomination to someplace like Barnes and Noble would be great. Just saying.
If you don't want to send photo prints, remember it is fairly simple to go to any photography kiosk and scan your photos to disk, then email them to me.... or mail me the disk! (Leave me a comment if you need my address. If you put your email address in the comments, I will be able to see them and respond to you and won't publish the comment, so no one else reading the blog will access your information.)
Hmmmm. At this moment, I can't think of anything else. Please have a blessed day. Thanks for reading!

The Year is Gathering Speed...

2012-01-31T13:12:00.000-06:00

When 2012 first dawned... I had absolutely no plans of any kind for the entire year. There were no babies due on my watch, no weddings, no vacations, parties, or plans of any kind.

I decided that before I began work again at O'Reilly's, I would make a quick trip to Texas to see the family. I saw Dad, Mom, Granny, Ben and Tommy, Becky, and Chris. On the way back to Arkansas, I went through Oklahoma and saw Bill Joe. I did 1,900 miles in one week.

And while I was in Texas, Benjamin got engaged! So I added a wedding to my plans for the year. Then, just a few days ago, I realized that this year marks a big birthday for my Dad... his 75th. Party plans for him commenced. (It is a SURPRISE, so don't go calling him and saying anything!) You can send me cards and video greetings, as well as pictures of yourself and your family, and I will give him all these things at the party.
If you choose to send him a gift, may I suggest a gift card to Barnes and Noble? He loves to read! Or perhaps a little hand held game that one might use to entertain ones self on a car trip (Or while "taking care of business" in the throne room!) You may email me at cowmomba@hotmail.com for further details.
I plan to have a photo album of friends and family compiled, so please send pictures in plenty of time. If you email pictures, I will have them printed out.

Next thing that has cropped up on my year schedule: The Heart of Motherhood Women's Retreat this weekend. Becky has paid my way, since I am not working. (The O'Reilly job didn't happen. The store was unable to hire ANYONE until later this spring.)
Mr. C suggested we tighten our financial belts and try to make ends meet without me finding an immediate job. This will allow me some time to help with planning the party for Dad, the rehearsal dinner for Ben's wedding, focus more on school lessons for Daniel and Sam.
So I appreciate the opportunity to get to attend this retreat. I know I will be blessed.
I fly to 'Snanjelo' on Thursday morning, where Becky or someone will pick me 'ump'.

I am thinking that maybe I can sew some dresses for the granddaughters... perhaps co-ordinating outfits for the wedding? Start with the littlest girls and work my way up... improve my sewing "skills" (or lack thereof) before tackling the more discriminating girls' dresses.
I need to lose at least ten lbs. to fit into my existing dress of choice for the wedding. Tom says I can get a new dress. I just happen to love this particular dress. (The dress I wore to my Granny's 90th birthday party.) I will keep looking for a dress I like in my current size, while trying to lose the weight!

I mustn't lose track of Tommy and Bill both having birthdays the week of the wedding.

Sure looks like 2012 is getting busier by the week!

Updates....

2012-01-24T15:36:00.000-06:00

My kitty Fiona got hit by a car, sometime early this morning. Sam found her when he went out to check the mail. So we are down to just Jaffa, (and Jimmy Raynar the goldfish) for a pet.
Benjamin's wedding plans seem to be moving right along. As soon as I hear a bit more about the OFFICIAL details of the wedding, I can shop for my Mother-of-the-Groom dress. From what I have heard about the wedding so far, it bears little to no resemblence to the affair Ben and Paula were discussing while I was there.
The dress I liked would be entirely inappropriate.

I will find out for sure if I am rehired by O'Reilly Auto by the end of this week.

Congratulations to my niece and namesake Tammy, and her husband Chris, on the birth of baby Luke this past Friday.
Friday was also the birthdate of the kid who made me a Grandmoo... Connor turned 11 years old!
Yesterday was my brother-in-law Bob's birthday. (He is now officially as old as I am.)
Tyrel has made several cute remarks... Yesterday while being assisted by a store associate, Becky says Tyrel asked the woman, "Have you seen your hair? It's all tangly!" (She had very curly hair.)
Reminded me of Christopher (aged 4) informing the retired newcomer to our church.... "Mr., Did you know you have a GREAT BIG NOSE?"
Four year olds... great at observation, still not so keen in the tact department.
That's about it for now.
Have a blessed day!

A Photo Book for 2011

2012-01-18T15:48:00.001-06:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

Create your own personalized photo books at Shutterfly.com.

High Hopes

2012-01-18T14:00:00.000-06:00

I had such high hopes for today. I called yesterday my "trip recovery day", and basically accomplished very little. I DID go speak to my former boss at O'Reilly's... and he spoke to HIS boss. They agree that I have a 99.9% chance of being rehired.... but not until after the annual budget meeting. The budget meeting is next Thursday.
So I have at least another week off work!
Now it is almost 2:00 pm. So far I have had a cup of hot tea, and a hamburger patty (naked and unadorned) .(The hamburger patty, not me. I was fully clothed at the time.... sheesh!)
I got one load of clothes on to ~~wash.~~ Oops... I just realized I left them soaking. OK.
NOW I have gotten a load of clothes on to wash.
But that is about it. I was distracted by a coupon from Shutterfly. I got $20 off of any one order. So I made myself a photo book. I considered giving the book to someone else... but then selfishly decided to keep it for ME. (Sorry Mom/ Dad/ Becky/ Kathie/ Chris/ Ben and Paula).
Dad has a birthday coming up. If I had had more time, as well as pictures of Paula growing up, I would of put together a book for them. But since today was the last day my coupon was good... I made the book for myself. So there!
I intended to unpack some boxes today. I even brought one in and dug out a birthday card for my BIL Bob, whose birthday is Monday. I filled out the card... then missed the postman. So I can't even list mailing cards out as an accomplishment for today.
Tomorrow, the guy is supposed to FINALLY come and fix our oven. Hooray for being able to bake things!
I suppose if I just got up from in front of the computer and got started, I could get something accomplished today.
May your day be blessed with both large and small accomplishments, as well as a full measure of joy!

I got back from my whirlwind Tour of Texas last night....

2012-01-17T18:58:00.000-06:00

I did just over 1900 miles in just under a week.. I saw all seven of my kids during this time, and just over half of my grandkids.
One of my boys got engaged while I was in Texas. (Gosh, "engaged" sure looks weird when I spell it out....)
So, for those of you who have not yet heard....

We are pleased to announce the engagement of Benjamin Paul Coder to Paula Jo Schroeder. They plan to wed on April 28th, 2012.

Yes, YIKES... that is just over 12 weeks from now.

Oh, you say Shrader... not ShrOHder... so she won't be Paula Shroder Coder. Just saying.
Anyways... they will have a busy few weeks deciding things and Getting Stuff Done. Save the date, if you want to come. Also... send me your address if you would like an invitation.

They are considering outfits for the bridesmaids and groomsmen. If they go with a theme wedding as we briefly discussed... I LOVE this dress.

I would certainly consider it, as mom O' the groom.

I wore a westerny tiered skirt to Becky's wedding. but the same shade of royal blue to both Chris' (first) wedding, as well as Bill and Glynna's.

I have a whole slew of trip pictures up at http://moocrew3.shutterfly.com/pictures .

The Best of Plans....

2012-01-10T08:48:00.001-06:00

Sometimes have to be changed.
My whirlwind tour of Texas was supposed to be starting this morning. Instead, I am at home staying VERY close to the porcelain throne.
The stomach bug that hit over a week ago has been come and go, come and go. Last night before bed, the "other" GO was added.
So, my trip plans are delayed. I am hoping by tomorrow to pick them up again, with the only change being one night instead of two at my Mom's house in Ft.Worth.
Meanwhile, pass the Kaopectate.

Late dec 2011 Jan 12

2012-01-05T16:12:00.001-06:00

Click here to view these pictures larger

The new year is on its way...

2011-12-28T13:27:00.000-06:00

I have been informed that we have preparations to make. The kids need a bag of marshmallows for their annual see in the new year campfire. They stay up/ out all night, drinking Cowboy Coffee, making S'mores, and roasting hotdogs. Sometimes they even charcoal potatoes. (The intent is actually to bake the potatoes in the coals, but they usually end up with smoldering lumps of charcoal wrapped in foil.)
I also ~~need~~ want to get some more of the cheese curls I discovered at Save-A-Lot last week. They are Herr's brand Honey Cheese Curls. Sweet, and savory. I was addicted instantly... and none of the guys like them at all. So a bag will be ALL MINE.

I must confess I have gained a day somewhere. I was sure today was Thursday... yet the computer says it is only Wednesday. I have sure enjoyed spending time with the grandkids. Connor and Alana came out and spent the night Friday, then Becky and Stephen arrived with their three on Sunday afternoon. We had a great time visiting with Laurie and Andrew Wilhelm and their children yesterday. They narrowly missed meeting Mr. C (on his birthday!), due to missing a turnoff on their way over, and chores at home drawing them away before he arrived home after work.

I made the gumbo yesterday. It turned out quite well. Not exactly Seneca's gumbo, but still quite tasty. The lasagna was accomplished a couple of days ago in the crock pot. It was OK. Talk about a DEEP dish lasagna... this certainly was!

Not having an oven means I didn't get to bake Tom his carrot cake for his birthday. We went with a WalMart deli cheesecake instead. I got him some flannel Blue Jacket's Hockey sleep pants, as well as a Blue Jackets long sleeved T shirt. I also called a new coffee maker a birthday present... but we put that to use just before Becky and Stephen arrived.

I know not all of my kids read my blog... shame on them! So some may be pretty surprised when they get "birthday" presents this year... Since we show no signs of moving ANYWHERE, much less to Ohio... I have decided that I am gong to disburse my cookie jar collection among my kids/ grandkids. Then, for gift giving occasions, I will send them cookies!

So, for those of my kids who DO read the blog... better send in your "dibs" on which jar you want. PS, you cannot have Ferdinand

Waiting....

2011-12-25T11:54:00.000-06:00

Becky and Stephen and the kids are on their way to visit. I will get to see Dakota for the first time, and see how much Tyrel and Kimber have grown.
I had lots of good eats planned for the visit... and I am having to revise drastically... NO OVEN!
The oven on the "new" stove does work, but puts out so much soot you would think the house is burning down. And it smells awful. The parts to fix it are on order... but seriously, hopes of getting it fixed during the week between Christmas and New Years are not great.
I have stew in the slow cooker right now. I will attempt lasagne in it later this week. I have a few ingredients to get this week, and one of the revised meals will be Gumbo.
I haven't yet spoken to my old boss at O'Reilly's about getting on as a rehire. Maybe I ought to pursue a better paying job... I don't know.
Fiona, as it turned out, was already broken. ("fixed"). (If something is "fixed", doesn't that imply that it works?... and when you spay/ neuter an animal, it prevents them from procreating. Since bringing forth young is the normal function... then if that is prevented... the animal is BROKEN... not "FIXED")
Anyways, she has become friendlier by the day. She and Jaffa have had no major confrontations. While she has awakened us crying a few times during the night, I warned the guys about responding. Respond once to a cat, and they will continue to do whatever got your attention, forever. So do NOT respond to her during the night!
That's all for now. Have a blessed day. Hug someone you love and call someone who doesn't expect it!

Digging out

2011-12-23T10:42:00.000-06:00

I've been back in NW Arkansas since the wee hours of Wednesday morning. After three and a half hours of sleep Wednesday morning, the boys and I started cleaning at the house. Cleaning "at", because it is so bad and we didn't get too far. Lack of sleep on all our parts, not knowing where to start, general malaise. We didn't get very far.
I did get Fiona taken to the vet. We discovered that she has already been spayed, has no microchips to enable a return to her former owner, and has at some point been shot... she has a BB embedded beneath the skin of her side, healed over. (So far, she and Jaffa are getting along, but at a distance. They WILL eat near one another, but it has to be at least 2 1/2 feet of separation.) She was pronounced in good health.
Yesterday, we began cleaning in earnest. We started with re-arranging several elements of the front rooms.
We were soon up to our armpits in ~~alligators~~ chaos. Jimmy Raynar, the goldfish was relocated. His tank was coated in so much slime I was about to gag. Like the fish in the Finding Nemo dentists office. EEEEWWW!
By the time Mr C got home, we had most things re-arranged and situated. This morning, we made it all look nice... in the front room. Kitchen, passable, but not great.
On tap for the afternoon... the bedrooms. Dan's room is where Becky and family will sleep. Sam's room is where the packed boxes have been stored for several months now. My room... it is the breeding ground for a species of giant mutant, killer dust bunnies. I'm afraid to get started in there. And my bathroom... you would think that fear of germs that keeps a man from eating in a restaurant would also drive him to clean his home bathroom at least ONCE in the three and a half months since I have been gone.
I have slept well the last two nights, so my fogged brain is beginning to work again.

Introducing: Fiona

2011-12-21T13:30:00.000-06:00

This past week, as I prepared to depart from Ohio, my MIL had another kitty come to her house. She tried to ignore the kitty. No petting, no feeding. But plenty of fretting. She called neighbors, asked around, checked the lost and found boards in town. All she found were several "FOUND" kitty ads... apparently some samaritan was blessing random homes with cats.
She has three cats, which she takes VERY good care of. She didn't need another cat. She suggested I bring the kitty back to Arkansas with me. I suggested taking the kitty to town and seeing if it could find a loving home there. Then Mr C said I could keep the kitty. Sam and Daniel decided that Fiona was a nice name for a cat.
Sam and I started out with Fiona in a carrier. She was not pleased with this arrangement. Eventually, we let her out in the confines of the car. She checked out the surroundings, then slept most of the way home.

Fiona looks exactly like our old cat Al E Cat... which we had for almost 19 years.

Fiona and Jaffa are still deciding if they want to be friends.

Sigh

2011-12-21T09:41:00.000-06:00

Here I am back in Arkansas.
Mr C's transfer request didn't come through in a timely manner, and I had overstayed the comforts of my MIL's guest apartment. None of her other children felt comfortable coming with me there. So after my 90 days... in lieu of the promotion that was in the works, I offered resignation.
Sam had stayed in Ohio last week after Tom came up to get most of my belongings I had transported up since July. He and I drove back yesterday.
We took a very scenic route. Nothing like missing a turn onto an expressway and taking literal backroads... in rain, fog, night and mountains. Not that the expressways were all that fast once we reached them. traffic on I-40 was at a standstill. Not slow... but NOT MOVING. we finally began creeping forward, merged, and then made between 5 and 20 miles an hour for the next 45 minutes.
Did I mention I had been trying to make good time, and also had consumed several highly caffeinated drinks to stay awake... planning to make a pit stop soon. The stopped traffic led to my decision to exit the quagmire of stalled traffic, despairing of ever re-entering the pack, at a rest area... because I reallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreally REALLY had to go.
The rest area was closed. At less than 5 MPH, the next six miles to the nearest exit took an abominably long amount of time.
I was sorely afraid I wasn't going to make it.
I made it... but barely. My apologies to anyone who may of been lurking near the convenience store rest room waiting for it to be free. You weren't in line at the door when it opened. Had you been there... it would of been too late for me. (When I came out there WAS a line!)
Oh, we also gained a kitty our last day in Ohio. She/it (can't tell by the plumbing, I assume it is a girl.) showed up at my MIL's house about a week ago. MIL has three cats and was fretting over what to do about this one. It was well fed, and looks exactly like our old Al E cat. Al passed away about 2 years ago. We had had her for nearly 19 years.
Our scenic drive back was accompanied by Fiona. She traveled well, despite a couple of indiscretions. After my close call, I can totally understand. There was no litter box. We were in the car for 21 hours. She is now making friends with Jaffa. (I hope.)
The house looks like a bachelor pad. With Becky and crew coming Sunday... and all the stuff we packed back in July, (in order to move to Ohio) still in boxes, I have a lot to do this week. I just don't know where to begin.
Yeah. I'm back.

Updates from the Ohioan

2011-12-04T12:46:00.000-06:00

Today is one of my rare trips to the library... Work has slowed just enough that Sundays are now voluntary... and I am not volunteering! I am still working 6 days a week, 10 hour days M-F, and 8 on Saturdays.
It has left little (read NO) time for house hunting. Mr C is supposed to be looking online for me, finding places I can say either "yes, we want to see this place", or "cross it off the list". I can't stay in my MIL's basement much longer, she has other family members who want to visit, but feel as if I am displacing them in my residential use of her guest room.
Time for something to happen!
So, I ask prayers of all my family and friends... Tom's transfer to happen, or time for me to give notice... throw in the towel, and head back to Arkansas.

It is December already, a fact that pretty much everyone is already aware. It has really crept up on me. I have almost a dozen birthdays to think of this month... and have in fact only dealt with four of them as of today. Becky's birthday is the next one I really have to THINK about. I was limited in options for Chris', so he was relatively easy to shop for.
I really like my job... and would hate to give it up. I am at the threshold of it becoming a career step. I am the unofficial trainer for my department. And word was given at a meeting last week that the company is looking among the rank and file for new lead people and managers, as our growth has already far outstripped even their most generous initial estimates of manpower. (Over 200 people have been hired in the last couple of weeks.)
That said, if things don't fall into place in the next week... I will be giving up this job and back in the job market of NW AR. That's just how things happen sometimes. I gave it a shot, and can say "I live in OHIO!"... or, "I lived in Ohio!" . Cross one thing off the old "Bucket List".
So, May each of you be blessed today. Hug someone you love, and pass some encouragement on to a person who needs it.
Thanks for reading!

Yes, I am Alive...

2011-11-20T13:22:00.000-06:00

I have been working 7 days a week since the day before Halloween, and was working 6 days a week before that. Putting in 10 hour days most days, and not near a computer to be able to even check email or Facebook in so long I can't recall when I last did!
The job is not HARD but it is tedious, and grueling with pressure. Since it is a "start up" company, we are figuring out the best way to do things as we go along. Some things have been disastrous failures, while other things we are trying to do to speed up receiving may work out eventually.
I really like my co-workers. There is such a huge blend of cultures and people working here. I am making friends... or at least work acquaintances.
So far, Mr C's transfer has not come through. He is not pushing me to quit, yet.
Big news since I was least here... Becky gave birth to Dakota Rose on 11/11/11 at 1:20 in the afternoon. Dakota weighed 8lbs. 5.5 oz. and looks just like her siblings. If you look on the sidebar to my blog, there are pictures of her up at "Mom's Adventure".
As I am on borrowed library time and still have so much I need to do, I am closing for now.
May you be richly blessed. (Truth /JoAnne, if you read this PLEASE send my love to the wonderful folks at TOK!)
~Tammy~

Work!

2011-10-08T11:25:00.001-05:00

The actual work part of my new job took off this week. I have learned the new systems, and can get the product received into stock. The goal is to keep the product always moving, going out as fast as it comes in. So anyway, I am getting the hang of it. looks like "just in time" too... they expect the receivers to be working Saturdays for the next five or six weeks.
I have made plenty of suggestions at work, as well as spoken up to the "big boss" when he questioned WHy we were unable to do what we were hired to do earlier this week. I gave him a real rundown of the problems we were having... mostly being lack of equipment. It is hard for four receivers and five managers to share two computers, and get done all the computer based work... especially when of the nine people, only two had access to even get IN the necessary programs. That was remedied quickly, after the little meeting. Big boss has a nickname for me already... "Troublemaker".
I also brought myself to the attention of pretty much the whole department yesterday. I tripped over a pallet and fell sprawling-splat at the feet of the supervisor and a couple of co-workers. I wasn't hurt. (And thankfully, no one clapped!) I got up, dusted off, retrieved my glasses, which had glided on across the floor another 10 feet. Later, I was told to report to the safety administrator. They HAD to file an accident report! And I had to have a mandatory drug test. (My second in three weeks, thank you!) But then, the big boss came around to personally check on me and find out what had happened and if I was really OK. What a change from American Eagle... where I shredded open my hand on a tape gun, and my supervisor told me to put a band-aid on it and get back to work, that it didn't warrant an accident report andwhen it kept bleeding, she suggested direct pressure... but hold something on it tightly with tape, because I had work to do... (I have a SCAR from that!)

The trees here are so beautiful... all the fall colors are just popping up all around. A week ago, on top of the Ridge road, I could look across the valleys and I saw ONE red dressed tree atop a faraway hill. Yesterday, I slowed to look for that tree. It was hard to find amid all the other red, orange and yellows that are dressing the hills and valleys.
Sitting out on the deck and looking into the woods, there seems to be at least one leaf falling at any given moment, often many at a time. It seems as if there is some signal given that I can't hear, and dozens of leaves come cascading down. In the quiet, you really can hear ONE leaf falling, gently clicking and ticking against other leaves and branches as it drifts slowly down. When there is a breeze in the treetops, the leaves just rain down.

That's about all have time for today. Hope you have a blessed and wonderful day.

Here I are!

2011-09-23T13:20:00.000-05:00

I have been living in Ohio for the last 10 or 12 days. I began my new job, up near Columbus. They warned me it was a "start-up" business. I was in early at American Eagle's start up when they moved from Lawton to NW Arkansas. I was there when Eagle moved 1/2 mile up the road to bigger digs.
We dealt with aircraft parts... we moved to a new location without stopping the maintenance.
But this is chaos on a whole new level.
The warehouse is eight hundred thousand square feet. Just writing 800,000 SF doesn't do justice to the size.
The first day: I did paperwork, paperwork, paperwork, paperwork, watched safety films, paperwork, paperwork, safety films, and more paperwork.
Day 2: The "receivers" are removed from the group of shippers. I am told I am a shipper, first shift, 6:00 am -2:30 pm. (For the duration of training, plan to work 8:00-4:30). The receivers are given a training overview. The shippers are left in the conference room, and told someone will be with us shortly. No one ever was with us.... til nearly 2 hours later someone finds us and sends us for a long lunch. This screwed up the automated time system that rejects long lunches and assesses as "late" back from lunch, which causes us to accrue a "half a point"... more than 2 points in the first 90 days = termination. (They fixed our times as we were told to take the long lunch).
Day 3, I learn I am NOT a shipper... I am a receiver. They have no first shift shippers. Most of the 40 people hired thus far are set to janitorial work. I have pushed a broom now for 4 solid days. Only one day was I required to stay until 4:30.
(There is no product coming in nor going out, and none of the systems are set up. These are technical systems, so we cannot "help" build conveyor belts or set up computer systems.
Monday, we are supposed to have enough warehouse systems in place and have the necessary hardware on hand, that I will actually start to learn about my new job. They are supposed to "go live" Oct. 3rd. Meanwhile, I have logged some 25+ miles behind a broom. Thank you Lord, it is Friday.

Mr C informs me that American Eagle is closing the Boston Maintenance facility. So all transfers by people not working from Boston, may be put on hold for awhile. We are still waiting to see about this.

My Mom's cousin Ruth is in ICU. A very sudden bout of pancreasitis has hospitalised her, leading quickly to the shutdown of kidneys and liver. Please say a prayer for her healing! Mom has gone to Arkansas to help out in Ruth's cake shop for awhile.

I am staying at my MIL's house. We have experienced an invasion of "trade mice"... the rather cute brown rodents with big eyes and rounded ears. However... they have been relentlessly trapped. We hope we have now discovered and blocked their entrance. The basement bathroom has developed a leak. This is where I live... so I am trying not to use much water before we can get it looked at. And I sure miss internet! With looking for houses online, I have little time to update my blog. Hoping we can find a place soon and that Tom CAN get his transfer in a timely manner.

Be blessed, Thanks for reading!

nine eleven

2011-09-11T14:31:00.000-05:00

I have been reading the 9/11 tributes and memories that fellow bloggers and Facebook posters have posted.

I was teaching Spanish to my kids, along with my DH. We were barely into the first school year after our 4 year hiatus. I got a call from my step-mother, Kathie, to turn on the TV.
"What channel?" I asked.
"It doesn't matter! " she says.
So we turned in just after the first aircraft had hit, but before the second.
I feared... for my sons who were IN the Military, for our nation.
We watched all that day. By the next, we had to turn it off. The emotional toll was too much for us. We drove to our place of solace, the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.
**********************
This came to me today....
So much of a person's greatness stems from great trials and tribulations. I thought of John Walsh... what would he be today, had his son not been kidnapped and murdered? It turned him into an advocate and spokesperson for justice.
None of us knows the path of destiny, the great calling that stands before us, until we go through the trials of fire. Until an event acts as a catalyst, many of us will not realize our call to greatness.
It isn't necessarily a national catastrophe that acts as the catalyst that brings us into our calling, into our maturity.
One of my internet friends is facing the death of her five year old son. His death is inevitable. She is with hime every day, as his condition slowly ekes his life from him, and she is helpless to stop it. She gains new strength to face his loss with every passing day. Meanwhile, she has adopted two menatlly handicapped girls from the Ukraine, where they would would have been shunted from the orphanage to an adult psychaitric hospital to live out their days, when they reached 4 years old. May God bless the Parker family for bravely stepping in and DOING what they can do to help another soul in this earth. I know that I could no walk her walk at this moment, it would destroy me. Yet this was not a walk of her own choosing... events around her shaped this walk.

I am starting tomorrow on a new path. I hope it is free from tragedy and peril. But if it is not, may God's grace give me the strength to endure the path set before me.

The Next Big Adventure

2011-09-11T06:17:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow I leave for Ohio. I start a new job next Monday. For awhile, I will be leaving behind Tom and the boys. I won't be without family and frinds there, though. And I will still have (limited use of) the internet to try and keep up with all my family and friends.

So email me, leave a comment, text, write something on my facebook wall... I will try to respond when I can.
Be blessed!

What a day.

2011-09-06T12:51:00.000-05:00

Our Dog Drover was just hit and killed as he tried to chase off the mail carrier. Tom and the boys were trying to call him back, but the truck clipped him. It was pretty well instantaneous, he didn't suffer. But the guys are are understandably upset. Even the carrier cried. He kept apologising... but it was NOT his fault. we have tried and tried to break Drover of chasing the mail carrier. Jaffa keeps trying to get out and find Drover... who is laying peacefully in the sun as the twins deepen a hole for him to rest in.

I gave word to my boss this morning that Saturday will be my last day with O'Reilly. He didn't scream at me... which I am truly thankful for. He didn't send me home, either. As it was, I only got in two hours, since the warehouse and truck drivers had last night off. I had no incoming freight.

The morning started out with my battery in the car being dead. Tom jumped me off, and I tested the battery at work, and had to replace it. After work, it was on to the Revenue office... where I was in and out with tags for both vehicles in under 15 minutes. I was Wow'ed.

The boys and I made it to the library and home again by a few minutes past noon. The mail carrier was running late... we thought we had missed him and were just discussing it, when he pulled up and the dogs kicked up a ruckus and took off after him. Ending badly.

Tom and I have had our waffles over this job offer and moving. I will be the "advance scout", heading up to Ohio this coming Monday. I have pre-employment paperwork to accomplish, as well as a background screening and such to go through before starting on the 19th. I gave "irrevocable" notice to my boss at O'Reilly's this morning. So this has really been a day of multiple endings.

My computer time in Ohio will be very limited... I will have access only at the library (unless and/or until I can get a laptop and aircard). I am sure many days the library may be closed by the time I can even get near it. Bear with me if my blogging becomes totally sporadic!

Thanks for reading.
~Tammy~

Another week in wonder-land

2011-09-04T14:05:00.001-05:00

Early this morning, a band of rain headed north from tropical storm Lee collided with a band of rain headed SE... so far, we haven't seen any fruit of theis collision. It is poised just above and below us. The temperatures though.... (can I say "aaaahhhhh!"?) is supposed to be a high of 83! (Yesterday was 100*).

OK, since I wrote the above paragraph, I have had to go to the store, and also had a nap. (Writing a paragraph is sooo exhausting... just ask my kids when assigned an essay!) The temperature is about 67*, windy, and we have had a few sprinkles.

A decision was made regarding the Ohio job/ move. (Subject, as always, to change!) However, I can't speak of it online until after Tuesday. Feel free to call me in the meanwhile, if you like. Tuesday may be a busy day... I am supposed to work 8 hours (9 counting lunch) and then have to go to the tag agency. Seems the car tag expirations for both the cars sneaked up on us. I anticipate the usual beaurocratic lines, red tape, and slowdowns. It usually takes no longer than two hours to get tags... but being the first day open after a holiday and at the 'first' of the month, lines will long. Especially in the afternoon.

I finally went in to see the doc on Friday. The pesky UTI that has been annoying me since our last trip to Ohio was finally to the point I was not ready to suffer through another weekend. I called from work, figuring to take the first availble appointment, get the antibiotics, and be back on the job in about an hour.

The clinic was able to get me an immediate appointment- I had 30 minutes to get the 15 miles from work to Siloam. I dropped what I was doing and scooted out the door, telling the boss to call it my lunch break (at 8:15 in the morning). Sheesh... nothing is ever that easy is it? At 11:00 am I was still at the clinic. They found no UTI.
The very young internist (who looked so much like my son Benjamin, I couldn't help but stare!) was concerned it was appendixitis, or kidney stones. Or another flare of the 15% chance of problems with the right ovary. (When I had the hysterectomy 5 years ago, the doc left in the right ovary, stating I had an 85% chance of never having a problem with it. Every few months, it flares up with cysts and puts me to bed several days. This pain was NOT like that.) So a sonogram was scheduled. I was sent back to work, and told to return at 2:45... but to eat nothing, and drink 8 eight ounce glasses of water starting an hour before the sonogram.
I had had nothing to eat all day. I drank a cup of hot tea with less than a teaspoon of sugar, at 5:00am. By the time I got back to the clinic... I was starving, and beyond the peepee dance. They were running late. My 2:45 test didn't start until 3:15.
They found NOTHING. No kidney stones, no inflamed appendix, no flared up cyst on the ovary. I was prescribed an anti-inflammatory, and ibuprofen. It was nearly five by the time I got to pick up the presciptions, and 5:30 before I got home.
Today, I am feeling quite a bit better. And I know that my cholesterol is good, as are my liver enzymes (which were high last time they were tested) and my blood sugar was slightly elevated. (107).

The owner of the house we rent was here when I arrived, replacing the stove. He found us a good used stove. He said we may need to call the property manager to come out and adjust it after he finished installing it. Seems the burners have settings ranging from extra high to flame thrower. Its lowest flame is twice as high as the highest flame we could get from the old stove. I am thoroughly afraid of trying the oven.... it may only go as low as "incinerate".

I want to say a big "get well soon" to my step Mom, Kathie. She had to have emergency gall bladder surgery Friday.
Have a blessed day, and thanks for reading.

Sunday Shopping

2011-08-28T12:46:00.000-05:00

Mr C and I were up early this morning... actually, HE was up early and I slept in until 7:0), when he woke me to see if I was going to go buy groceries with him. We usually buy groceries early on MONDAY morning, because there is virtually no-one shopping at the SuperCenter at 7:00 am on a Monday.
Since we were so out of everything, we pretty much had to go today.

I made a cup of tea for the road, and off we went, list in hand.
Then we got home... and started a brand new list.
It always seems to happen that we forget an item or two. Today, before we had been home an hour, we had a list as long as the one we had left with. So we may be repeating the shopping trip in the morning. *sigh*

I really have avoided mentioning how things went on our house hunting trip. Basically, nothing was really practical and in our price range. The internet is a wonderful tool for wasting ones time... a picture or five on the internet can make a place look like it is worth looking into... until you get to it and see in person that the best hope that house has of selling at all is as a cleared lot after a kerosene bath and a match. Really, some of the places were THAT bad.

My secondary position interview went well, but they won't be starting to work until later in September. Whether with or without me is still to be determined at our end.

I found a nice roast beast at the grocery store- one of the prettiest I have seen in awhile. It is in the slow cooker, smelling up the house with wondrously savory scents of beef, onions and garlic.
The weather here is warm... mid 90's. Can't complain when I see my family in Texas is still whacking 100+ every day.

I was sent a telephone photo of Grandson Gavin on his first day of school. Grands Connor and Alana had their first day pictures noted as well. Everyone is just getting so grown up. Even Tyrel is starting the very basics of schooling at home. I remember Chris and Bill starting at Gavin and Ty's ages... more than 25 years ago! Gabs has a birthday coming up in a couple of weeks; Sept. 11th, same as my brother Robert.

Mr C continues to look at houses online. Nothing new has leaped out at us.
Guess that's about all my rambles for now! Thanks for reading.

Pictures from the hike to Rockbridge

2011-08-24T15:31:00.000-05:00

Orange flowers

The Rock bridge, side view

standing below the rock bridge

looking up at the rock bridge

signpost: (ignore the sideways!) We forgot the required rocket packs and cane for the hike

Hiking to the Rockbridge... or, "Gee, mom can sure run!"

2011-08-23T19:23:00.001-05:00

Our last day in Ohio, we went to a sight we hadn't hiked to before, the rock bridge... located aptly enough, in Rockbridge. It was supposed to be 3/4 of a mile from the parking area to the bridge, taking the shorter of two loops.
The intrepid hiker twins forged ahead, leaving Mr C and I huffing along behind. I am amazed at how quickly one loses tone and endurance when walking is cut back from almost daily, to once a week or so. A few of the points in the trail were... steep. (huff hufff huff). Mr C soon got ahead of me as I stopped to ~~catch my breath~~ take pictures of interesting flora along the path. The path wended its way along the side of a pasture through fifteen foot high ragweed, which was just bursting into full bloom, and then into deep, shady woods. It was uphill every step of the way, in both directions.
Really.
So Mr C calls back to me, "Watch out, there is a hornets nest here by the trail! YEOW I just got stung by a hornet!"
So I stopped. I was fifteen or twenty yards from the nest. The hornets in Ohio build big paper nests, like deformed basketballs. This one was cantaloup sized, and not two feet off the trail.
Tom moved on ahead.
I stood very still several minutes, then detoured around the trail, giving the hornets nest a very wide berth. Hornets don't much seem to care whether you are trying to avoid them. They don't even care that you have stayed far from their nest... at least as far as one can get on a steep rocky hillside in the woods. They came after me for even daring to be within sight of their nest!
I will never be able to tease Chris about his fear of wasps again.... I screamed like a little girl and RAN, feeling them tangling in my hair as I swatted wildly around my head, running full tilt, pell mell down the steep trail towards the already stung Mr C. (Shhhh, I didn't say down the trail... It was up the trail... uphill all the way, both directions!)
I mentioned heavy woods and steep hillsides already didn't I? You know, these trees are supported by these pesky things referred to as roots. The path is choked with roots. The roots are all that keep the dirt from washing down the steep paths into the creek at the bottom.
The roots also make it really difficult to stay upright when running shrieking through the forest swatting at ones head, pursued by hornets. Especially when you hit the mud on the trail next to the footbridge.
I did a lovely trip slip flip slide right into the mud at the end of the bridge. I was flat on my back in the muck. Tom stomped the hornet that I slapped from my hair. The rest of the (flock? crew? pursuers?) gave up and went back to guarding the trail.

Took me a minute to get up.
I was covered in mucky mud from shoulders to toes... looking every bit like I may of slid into second base on a close call in a rainstorm.

We hiked on to the rock bridge, where Dan and Sam waited. They hadn't seen the hornets nest at all. I got several pictures of the bridge... a natural expanse of rock spanning a creek, forming a rock bridge that people are actually allowed to USE.

We took the longer loop back from the bridge, and warned other hikers we encountered that they might prefer the longer route to the bridge... even if it was even more uphill all the way than the shorter route.

I am fine, no broken bones or other injuries, other than sore muscles from my muddy impact. Too bad the twins missed seeing the sprint... I bet they have never seen Mom run!

I was going to post pictures of the rock bridge, but it blends so perfectly with the sides of the gully it spans, you cannot tell by the pictures that there is even a bridge there.

Howdy Y'all

2011-08-20T08:41:00.000-05:00

I am at the library near my MIL's house, just for computer access.

I have tracked down all the houses in our price range for now, and have another five on the list to do drive by's on, as well as two set up for this afternoon and tomorrow that are "for sale by owner"s. (There is currently only ONE place left in the running on the list of all the places we had to see... a very small trailer house with a couple of magnificent garages.... one set up to be a "game room" or overflow sleeping for extra guests. If we have to take this place, the boys will get that as their bedroom. The property, now that is great.)
Why yes, we were planning to be on the road home Sunday... my bad. I got a response to an email I sent to my potential new employer, asking if I were interested in interviewing for a DIFFERENT position. It will be with an entirely different person than the previous interview... so I will be doing that on Monday morning... THEN we head for home. (Still gotta let my boss know that. Tom has cleared it with his.)

In the "yes, I am Bill's Mother" department... I have developed a UTI while here... and hoping to have that knocked out with some OTC medication., as well as fallen (TWICE) and jammed my wrist. It is much better... but sheesh!

I hope everyone is well. Keep us in your prayers for God to show us just where he wants us!
Thanks for reading!
~Tammy~

Nothing new....

2011-08-09T11:41:00.000-05:00

So far, as of the time I am typing this... we are taking a load of stuff next week to Ohio. This is of course, subject to change... and has changed at least three times in the past week. Good thing I have had a lot of practice at waiting to see what comes out in the wash.
Why yes, it does drive me crazy. Can't you tell?

Today, my step mom is having her eyes operated on... simple cataract removal. My Mom and step dad have gone to East Texas to help out my Dad and step mom for the week. I am glad that both of my sets of parents get along so well.

(Public) School will be starting around here soon. Not that "we" took a summer break this year. I have tried to keep the boys going all summer... but we have probably averaged two to three days a week so far. Better than quitting completely.

Daniel is learning all he can about hiking the Appalachian Trail. Sam says he will hike it with Daniel. "Their" (read: Dan's) goal is to do this in the next three to five years. I'd love to do something like that. But I would start with my own dream first- hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back out.

I think I am about as packed as I can get inside the house, and still live here. I need to pack the outside stuff... empty the potting soils and box up my planters, gnomes and bird bath.
As you can tell by my happily boring post... nothing much is going on with us as we wait to hear from this job. I hope to report soon that we have actually looked at houses and chosen one to make an offer on... rather than just scoped them out online.
That's all for now, thanks for reading!
~Tammy~

Here I am

2011-08-08T07:58:00.000-05:00

I noticed yesterday that it has been at least a week since I posted. We have been through at least two "waffles" on the move, it is now back to the same thing I posted last week.
Tom is changing the brakes on my car. They were not as bad as I had thought. Still, better to get the parts while I can do so at a discount!

I went through my closet yesterday and put a bunch of clothes into my give away pile. Some I put on eBay. (There is no way Tom is going to get down to a size 34 waist for some of the dress pants he has had forever.) Guess I ought to list my old Eagle uniforms... or see if anyone still at Eagle can wear them.
I hadn't seen the floor or back of the tiny closet in my room since we moved in!

We had chicken fried steaks for supper last night. SO good. I don't make them very often, as it is a very high calorie meal.

Nothing else new going on!
Have a blessed day!

So...

2011-08-01T15:45:00.000-05:00

Mr C is going to see about taking a few vacation days either next week, or the following week. We will see about looking at a few houses in Ohio... I have a list of a good dozen to consider at the moment.
We are optimistically hoping the delay in the job offer is waiting for the US Government to decide what the heck THEY are doing. (If the govt isn't paying SS checks and military... no one will be buying computers. Their current employees can handle the current workload until then. At least that is our idea!)
So, still... no real news.
Have a blessed afternoon!
~Tammy~

Arrrgh.

2011-07-29T15:22:00.000-05:00

Sent an email to the folks who I'm waiting to hear from about the job. This is their reply :"I think you would definitely make a good fit for the IC department, but at this time we are on hold for hiring anyone else for IC until we see over the next few weeks if we need more people. I will try to keep you informed. "

So am I hired or not?

Apparently NOT at this point. But I'm not NOT hired....

Updatings for mid-week

2011-07-28T05:01:00.001-05:00

My mom and SF Ralph are here. They brought us more boxes and brought Connor and Alana some scooters that had been given to them. We had an awesome roast beast for supper.

Tuesday I did NOT make it to the library. I was lucky to be home from work by noon. So I put off library for my typically easy Wednesday.
On arriving at work Wednesday, I was gratified at how little freight there was. This gratefulness turned to frustration when ALL the computers were down. Tech support couldn't tell me where to find some master controllers I needed to get at. So I called the boss... who didn't answer. After searching... aha! I found the controllers and called tech support back. For all the good it did... I needed a third bit of equipment found. So I tried Boss again. He called back shortly... and assured me he was on his way and would be "right there". In his Boss-speak, this meant he was planning to be there at his regular time, stop calling. He arrived (at his regular time) and the solution to my computer woes was an easy fix. Shut off and re-start each computer.

And he could not of told me this over the phone? Sparing me an hour and a half of trying to think like a geek? GRRR. So then I got started on freight. The store was open when I was putting away the out front merchandise. Within half an hour of one another, I was sought out by two women to figure out what they needed for their cars. Both said they were just more comfortable talking to women about cars. (Guess they think the guys will laugh when the reply to "What kind of car do you drive?" is "Blue".) So I had some counter time.

It was nearly eleven when I finally got finished. Then, my annual job evaluation was overdue. So Tim and I spent another half hour on the Tammy "atta-girls". He put me in for a raise... but said that may not happen. He asked what I have heard on the potential new job. Nothing. (I had learned the day before he was totally kidding about them having called him... not just about telling them I was a bad employee. They hadn't even called.) The woman said a week or two before they decided... it has been just over a week now.

So anyway... having a nice visit! Hoping my "oil day" today will go smoothly!

Just another Monday...

2011-07-25T18:18:00.001-05:00

I woke up at 6:00 am... having "slept in", for me. Sunday I was so wiped out tired and never did get a nap... I was in bed by 8:00 pm. I don't think I even ate supper.

I went for a walk before it got hot. (Got 2 miles added to my running total!) Came home and started cleaning house. With all the accrued boxes, and the visit of the grandkids, our cleaning schedule was a bit off. We moved furniture, vacuumed, swept and mopped. Laundry was started... and before 10:00 am... there wasn't much left to do. Bathrooms got cleaned, more laundry finished. A regular boring day. For supper, we had our favorite roast beef dip sandwiches. (I could of sworn they were on the recipe blog, but I see they are not! Guess I will have to add them!) I LOVE these super easy sandwiches.

While cleaning out desk drawers, I came across "points" issued by my bank... the one I use for my online activities. I had been tossing these "points" into a drawer. I figured that with me probably closing this account soon, I ought to look into redeeming these points. It was both harder, and easier, than I had imagined. I had thought I would take the accued points coupons to the bank, be led to their room of prizes, and make my selections. Not so. I had to set up an online account, list codes from the coupons, and then shop. My selections were mailed to me. I got an electric knife, and a battery powered radio. "For free!" I had an electric knife for years, that I utterly wore out. I really missed it. I can hardly wait to try out this new one. The radio is OK... especially for a free radio.

Still no word from my (potential) new employers. Mr C and I have compiled a list of nine or ten houses to check out when/ if I am called up for the tests. I will have to have a couple days to prepare for the trip, and during those days, we hope to rent a moving van and pile in a load of stuff, to be stored in Ohio until we actually move. I will call a real estate agent and have them line up the houses for us to look at. (Really, I had always hoped to buy rather than rent. But if we have to rent just to get there... that is OK too.)
Tomorrow is our usual library day. Whether or not we make it will depend on the amount of freight I get in the morning... and how well I sleep tonight. Some days, I can only muster enough energy for a nap!

I ordered some pictures from Shutterfly this evening. I had a coupon for 50 free prints. Their expected delivery date is August 3rd.
WHAT?!... how can it take them clear until AUGUST to get the pictures here? (And August 3rd being our 27th anniversary... which is later this summer.) LATER this summer right... right? My gosh... it is the end of July! Already!
It has sure snuck up on me.

Guess I don't have any anniversary plans for this year! As if I ever do. Still, 27 years seems like a long time to me. God has been working patience in my heart.

Thanks for reading! Have a blessed day!

Weekend again...

2011-07-24T16:04:00.000-05:00

I just got back from taking Connor and Alana home. I tried a nap... but for all the drowzies that have had hold of me all morning, I couldn't get to sleep. So the guys are all napping. Dan and Sam took Connor "Wood Sparrow" hunting last night. This is another word for "Snipe hunting". For those of you not raised in the south, A Snipe (or Wood Sparrow) is a non-existent bird that comes out at night searching beneath rocks and brush for insects. To hunt them, you sit quietly in the dark beneath a tree or bush, and have a sack or bucket ready. When you hear the Snipe (or wood sparrow) coming, turning over rocks... you prepare to catch him in the sack or bucket. The persons leading the hunt either sneak off and see how long their victim will wait alone in the dark, or hide and jump out and scare the person giving up on the hunt.

Dan and Sam thought it the most horrible thing ever done to them (several years ago), and cried for hours. Connor came rushing in last night, heart pounding and sweat dripping, declaring he had been pranked and would have nightmares forever over this. He calmed down quickly, and sat next to me, contemplating the meanness of Uncles in general and these two in particular. I'm sure that he will be as delighted to lead a snipe hunt when his chance comes, as the twins were last night.

I was probably too old to be taken Snipe hunting when teen friends of mine and my sister Lalani learned we had never been. First of all, my step Mom was keen and excited for us to be going out after dark with these boys. TOTALLY out of character for her. Second, it just seemed these boys were up to something, and I was suspicious. I really don't know if I am more suspicious, or more gullible, by nature. But by nurture... I am suspicious!
So these boys took Lalani into a field about a quarter mile from our house. We were set under bushes and instructed to await the snipes. The guys said they would hunt over in the next field, and left us. The minute they were gone, Lalani and I got together. She was also suspicious. So we found a different spot to hide and watch. After a good while, we heard the boys coming back. They called to us, but we refused to answer. They began yelling, and still, we didn't answer. So they went and got my parents and their parents.. and a search party was taken to the field. As my friend's Dad walked past, calling out for Lalani and I, I stood up out of the dark and said "Yes? we are right here." The poor man about fell over. Of course, we really got screamed at by my step mother... worrying everyone like that. It was fine and dandy if WE were the ones to be scared, but not so fine to scare them.
*****************
I didn't hear anything about my prospective job this week, except that they did call my boss at O'Reilly and speak to him.
We got the contract to rent the house mentioned in my last post... and decided we are NOT going to sign it. It had all the liabilities of owning our own home, and none of the benefits. We can find a place to buy for less than the rent they decided to ask for that house... and maybe they can find someone less suspicious and more gullible to sign their contract. So house-hunting is back on the to-do list when I do get a call to come back to Ohio.Since they had said it could be two weeks before they called me, I am not yet concerned that I didn't get the job.

Tomorrow is Tyrel's birthday. He will be a whopping FOUR years old. He is so cute, opinionated, and accented. To meet him is to know he is a West Texas cowboy. He wears his hay-at, bay-elt, and boots. He says "aigs" and "laigs"... the cutest drawl you ever heard. (Right?) (Right? is Ty's catchword... everything he says is followed by "right?")

Supper tonight is leftovers. We have the choice of spaghetti, or tuna surprise. If I can stave off sleep until it cools down somewhat, I have to get out and walk. My "miles" for this month are pitiful... I may have 10 miles instead of 50 racked for the month.

Be blessed, and Thanks for reading!

Updates and rambles...

2011-07-21T10:57:00.000-05:00

I have been back from my ever-so-quick trip to Ohio for a couple of days now. I am currently seated at the uncluttered and cool library, as dan and sam do their volunteering. Connor and Alana are checking out all the fun stuff there is to do here.

I had a good interview, I think. it was their psychological screening interview. So I was told they will make a decision in a week or two as to whether or not I am hired. IF I am hired... I get to make another trip up to Ohio for their drug screening and physical, and they will do a background check. Pass all of those hurdles, and I am hired!

While there, I did look at the house that is between Tom's brother Bob's house, and their Mom's house. It IS for rent, and we could "do" with it. Not sure just how much rent they are asking, but it ought to be less than we are currrently paying. It will be available in a few weeks, as they are painting and putting in new windows, as well as some minor repairs and clean-up.

It looks as if things are falling right into place. I still hesitate to get my hopes up... things have "fallen into place" any number of times in the past. Meanwhile, we have got a lot of packing accomplished.

Connor and Alana are visiting us for a few days. Perhaps I can take them on a quick trip up next time I go, although I don't want to mention it to them now, as I don't know what will be happening myself. I always hated to be looking forward to things like that as a child and then have them fall through. Then again... these two were "are we theeeere yet"-ting me just on the trip to the library... it is about 20 minutes to here from my house... not the 14 hours it takes to drive to Ohio. Am I that brave of a Granny?

My own mom may be coming up to visit this next week... I am sure looking forward to that! And Ty'ger Jones will be FOUR in just a few more days. He is such a big guy.

Hope you have a blessed and happy day. My time at the library is finishing up. Thanks for reading.

Decisions...

2011-07-15T11:06:00.000-05:00

I have to work tomorrow, then I am driving to Ohio. Daniel is riding along to keep me company. I got a pay-as-you-go cell phone. (Which I haven't activated yet, I will do that in a few minutes. I forgot all about it until now!) If we get to choose a phone number, I will see about using Sam's favorite number!

I will rest up on Sunday and Monday (Except for the couple of hours set aside for interviewing/travel), then we will drive back on Tuesday. That is a quick trip, LOL!

Dan and I have several audio books to listen to on our drive. In fact, I could probably make the trip three or four times and not listen to all of the books. (It seems we both had the same idea at the library and got audio books independently of one another.) We got our snacks laid in, and drinks cooling. and I plan to stop for lunch and supper when we get hungry... not just push on and starve. There are some nice rest areas along the way if I need to take a break and rest... and I am not shy about doing so!

I have driven "by myself" to Ohio several times before now. The first time was with five kids, the second was when Ben was a new driver. Becky and I made the drive when Ty was a wee baby. So I was never really "by myself" and I won't be this time either. If it makes you feel better, you can call or text my cell all day long! (I will be calling family with the cell so I can get them programmed into it!)

I fully intended to gas the car up today, as well as get some cash to take with me... but the ATM was down. All plans just shifted into procrastination mode. I came home and grabbed a snack, checked my stuff on the 'net... and procrastinated more.

But I best get out of that mode and get busy.
Have a blessed day!

Another step closer...

2011-07-13T14:11:00.000-05:00

I had my second telephone interview this morning. It led to scheduling a face to face interview on Monday!

I don't know how many people have said , "Well, if this is what you waaaant, I'm happy for you." OK, so I stretched out the waaaant- but I "hear" it said like that even when the person is typing instead of speaking.

Ohio is not in a foreign country. I really won't be any farther away by telephone or instant message or email or blogging than I am now. Seriously, even my co-workers and cousins I have barely seen in years act as if they cannot imagine anyone wanting to move from Arkansas.
And it isn't as if we hate Arkansas. We live in a very pretty place... we just don't have any friends close by, and very little family in the area. (Two grandchildren, who will in all likelihood be more than thrilled to visit us in Ohio.) And you know what... while moving again isn't really all that thrilling of a thought, we can always move "back".

So... looks like I will "probably" be driving up this weekend and back either Monday evening or just drive all day on Tuesday. Or perhaps I will fly up, if the flights look good. (They seldom do, so I'm not holding my breath there.) If I drive, I will take my car full of as much as I can get in it, and store it with our family up there.

Have a blessed afternoon. Love to you all!

Wonderful Weekend

2011-07-12T11:28:00.001-05:00

I had a great weekend. My daughter Becky, son Benjamin, grandkids Tyrel and Kimber, and friend of the family Paula came to visit. Cooked lots of good food, played games, took walks. On Saturday, after I got off work, we all drove out past Berryville to visit Laurie and Andrew and their children. We took Tree to his new home. (I gave baby Trees to Becky, Ben, and Tommy, and have a few left myself. I think the Trees are in the schefflera family, to answer Laurie's son's question. I just couldn't think of the name Saturday)

We were sad to see the kids headed back to Texas yesterday. I am hoping Becky will have some pictures to share soon!

I have a second job interview today, with a company in Ohio. If I get the job, we will be moving to Ohio soon. Hey, stop laughing... that's not nice! Just because we have planned to move to Ohio a dozen or more times in the last 25 years doesn't mean we won't eventually get there! We are even packing.
Oh wait, I've done that before too, haven't I? Carry on with the mirth.

Benjamin brought some "Powerisers" with him. They are like a combination stilt and pogo stick. I walked on them for a couple of minutes... and even let go of Daniel and Sam, who were holding me up and offering advise. Becky has proof of my feat on her camera. (Like my few steps were such an accomplishment... the boys have all walked (literal) miles in them!)

My regular walking has sure fallen off. The treadmill was covered in boxes and packing materials until yesterday, when Tom moved it to a different location. The area where the treadmill had been is our "staging area", where the packed boxes are stacked. I'm currently out of boxes, so packing is at a temporary standstill.

I began ebaying some of our stuff... first thing that sold... was mislaid! I think it got sent home with Becky in the bag of fabric and old jeans I had sent for her to make into quilts. Not an auspicious beginning.

Well, that's all for this morning. Be praying for us regarding actually moving. It is a big step!
Have a blessed day and thanks for reading!

Technological A.D.D.

2011-07-05T13:43:00.001-05:00

Without consulting anything but your own brain... what is your Mom's phone number? How about your brother's?
When I was growing up... until even as short awhile as five years ago... I could spout off at least fifty phone numbers of family and friends. Most people could. Kids and adults could read maps and get from point A to point B.
Now, we have to consult our technological friends...
Phone numbers and addresses are stored in the artificial memory of cell phones. GPS systems guide us turn by turn to any place on the planet. How few people still pay attention to their surroundings while driving?

We are becoming a people with technologically induced A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Disorder). We can't pay attention to the conversation with the person speaking to us because a text has just come across the cell phone. We are surfing the internet while talking on the phone... often while simultaneously drving! News is fed to us in "sound bites", school lessons are designed to engage all of ones senses.

Where would we be if we were not constantly in touch with everyone we know, instantly? What would happen if an EMP wave hit the planet... and all technology was rendered useless? No computers, cell phones, ATMs, televisions... perhaps no electricity or land line phones. How would we cope?

All of the technology in our lives has us multitasking to the max. Constant demands for attention come from every direction, like a house full of toddlers stoked on Mountain Dew.

Perhaps this is what leads to "overload".
The need for a nap that suddenly hits... and you shut down.
Or maybe naps just need to happen.

Yes... a strange collection indeed...

2011-07-05T06:55:00.003-05:00

I thought it would be an interesting shot to get so many of my cookie jar lids in a shot. There are three or four not pictured. (The taller one at the back was elevated on the hat (top) of another jar, just to get so many in this shot.

Yes, it is a terrible and space consuming addiction... collecting cow cookie jars. (I do have a few pigs... and a Twin Winton Old Woman in the Shoe).

Here is one I have wanted for a long time but don't have. Not that I'm hinting.. I sure don't need ANOTHER cookie jar! Cow Cookie jar.

I have been washing knick knacks all weekend. Leaving messages for my nieces and cousins to email me if they wanted a keepsake knick knack from my our Granny (great granny, Great great granny). I have set aside the ones I have been promising forever to mail my brother. (I will do it SOON, Robbie!)

This weekend I have also been sorting through drawers and cupboards. I have boxes for several of my kids... mostly things that belong to them, yet I have had custody of for years... Some is stuff I am "donating" to said children... they may deal with as they see fit.

I flunked my walking goal for June... and should be caught up to July by the 5th. That leaves me more than 2 miles day through the rest of July just to stay on goal. Yikes! (If I don't make it.. it is just a goal... no penalties imposed! I had to set a distant goal, both challenging yet do-able... and I set it for 600 miles by the end of the year. I broke it down to 50 miles per month.)

Independence Day!

2011-07-04T10:11:00.000-05:00

July 4th.
I have granola in the oven. This is the first time I can recall ever trying any home made. Mr C has been buying a pricey variety from the Deli at WalMart, and I thought I'd see what I could do with our own blend of ingredients. I looked up a recipe online... basically to make sure I didn't leave anything out. (Who knew it had so much oil in it? Incapable of following a recipe anyway, I used less.) Mine also has amaranth seeds in it, as well as ground flax, which were not in any recipe I found.

Smells awesome!

It is raining here. We sure needed it. I pray that the drought stricken SW gets rain soon, but I am Thankful for the rain we are getting.
We plan to grill brats today, have corn on the cob and green beans. I thought of making potato salad, but we didn't have enough miracle whip. We will make a fresh fruit salad featuring watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, blueberries, and peaches.

My daughter Becky and son Ben are going to try to come up this week- sometime Wednesday. Wednesday stands to be a hugely busy day at work for me... with items coming in to replenish stock sold from Saturday through Tuesday. I may be busy all day long.

Have a blessed and safe July 4th.

Well, here we go...

2011-07-01T19:23:00.000-05:00

OK. I had a good visit in Ft. Worth with my family this past weekend. And here is the new one!

Saw my Granny (Picture: Sam (center), Dan, Granny) and Mom, my son, my aunt Jean. Met two internet friends on my drive home. once again, not axe murderers with blue barrels to hide bodies in the woods... (Picture: Christine, Tammy, Jenn)

Then this week. home... sooooo tired.

Then I was called by a company I had applied for a job with online... in Ohio. Yesterday, They called me for an interview. I should know "soon" whether I am hired or not... and moving to Ohio.

Feel strange at HOPING to move. I will miss my kids and grandkids...but Ohio is a great place for them to come visit! IF I am hired and IF we do move.

Soooo... that has been this week. Be praying for us. Thanks!

Be blessed and thank you for reading.

Think Geek

2011-06-23T19:08:00.001-05:00

The twins have placed a couple of orders with Think Geek. They are, as the " highly caffeinated monkeys" who run Think Geek call it: 100% Awesomeified.
The Geekers have some fun in every bit of the job... their emails are funny, their packing slips are funny... even their packaging is funny!

This is the bag of air pillow cushioning
"Free Monkey Breath Enclosed"

The shipping carton

A duodecahedron "Rubics Cube" type puzzle

These are the instructions on the box of the Duodecahedron puzzle

The puzzle instructions are... puzzling.

The boys also ordered a "World's Hottest Pepper" growing kit... and hope to be the proud owners of burned off mouths in a few months.
If you are shopping for something fun for someone hard to buy for... check out Think Geek. They have paper catalogs available as well as their online store.

Summer is here already?

2011-06-21T16:07:00.000-05:00

The boys had a good birthday, I believe.

Around the house, we have had a breakdown chain. The switch we replaced in our fridge has already went out again... and I lost the receipt! It was an online purchase, so I'd have trouble finding where I ordered it. Then the microwave started zapping out on me as I was melting butter. tom tried it, with the same results. But later, it acted fine with a cup of water. So it is probably on its last legs. Then, the dishwasher. It is refusing to drain. After bailing it out, I used a plastic aquarium tube to siphon the remaining water from it. I should call the landlord on that one, it IS his machine.

I will be trying to fly down to DFW this coming weekend, to see my son and the rest of the family I have there. It may be my last opportunity to see him for awhile... perhaps even years.

I would say I have been battling depression the last few days, but honestly, I don't think I've put up much of a fight. Dissolving into tears at the drop of a hat... sometimes even dropping the hat myself. The twins, my "babies" turning 15 hit me even harder than my eldest turning 30 a few years ago. I am accustomed to being happy- just by personality. "Pollyanna" or Suzy Sunshine, most of the time. Feeling like this just sucks.

So I guess I should just "suck it up" and get on with things.

Mr C is going through one of our periodic moving manias. Looking at Moving To Ohio from every angle. Getting stuff sorted through, minimized, packed up.
Yeah, decluttering is good. Minimizing is good.
The packing up stinks... since it will all eventually have to be unpacked.
I have even gone so far as to start a couple of job applications in Ohio.
But it still feels like a rut to me. High centered. Wheels spinning, spinning, spinning... and getting nowhere.

2011 is half over. I was looking at a work periodical this morning from February. It took me a moment to realize that February is MONTHS behind us. Not just a couple of weeks, as it seems. Yikes.

Well, since I am rambling on and on about nothing, I may as well shut up. Hope you have a very blessed day!

Tomorrow is the big day...

2011-06-16T15:59:00.000-05:00

My "babies" will be 15! They are starting their party early... tonight at 7:00... watching bad "B" movies (mostly old monster/horror flicks). Movies with special effects so bad, the boys wake me up shrieking.... with laughter.

Their first birthday gifts are scheduled to arrive tomorrow from ThinkGeek.com, followed by a delivery from Amazon on Saturday. Grandma Rose got them gift certificates to ThinkGeek, so they are having a wonderful time browsing the site today, and will probably continue to ~~drool~~ look over the site between movies tonight.

Tomorrow I have to stop by the grocery store to get the ingredients for their birthday dinner. Their final decision was Chicken Fajita Alfredo for the dinner, and Lemon Meringue Pie for dessert.

My idea for a 'big' gift was shot down... I wanted to take them to LegoLand in Grapevine, and stop by to see Chris while I was down there. Mr. C had a different gift in mind, but said I can go see Chris before August... just not this weekend. (Being the twins birthday as well as Father's Day.) Dad suggests that perhaps Ben and Tommy would like to take their brothers to LegoLand, seeing as how you can't get in if you are over 18, unless accompanied by a kid!

Tomorrow stands to be a major work day for me, as the store broke an all time record in sales this week. Most of the stock to replenish will hit Friday. (Tomorrow). Then I get to cook supper AND clean the kitchen as it is our tradition that you get your birthday off from chores.. Better eat my Wheaties!

Have a blessed day, and Thank you for reading.

Gee, THANKS, Arkansas....

2011-06-10T16:23:00.000-05:00

Said in the sarcasm font...
I will be removing the Amazon links in my blog in a few weeks. I got a notice from Amazon that bloggers (and others) from Arkansas will no longer be eligible to receive fees from sales generated through their blogs, due to new State regulations.

Any income generated is already subject to being taxed, as is almost any form of income. But the new regulations taxing interstate commerce via the internet has caused Amazon to opt out of advertising their wares through bloggers in this state. So my bloggy links will be disabled soon... and I will then remove them.
*************
The boys chose their birthday gifts from their Dad and I today. I added a little to what each boy asked for- items I knew they wanted. And both were concerned they were asking for "too much". Both chose items totalling less than $20. Always concerned about what things cost! And seriously, boys... you are probably the only soon to be 15 year olds on the planet who want ice trays for your birthday.
*********
I have a pot of beans on cooking for supper, and just made some amazingly delicious cornbread.
I think the recipe is already on the cooking blog... if not, I will add it as soon as I can. The guys will have about a sliver each with their beans- leaving most of the pan for me. I'm pretty sure I will do some fried taters to go with the beans as well.

********
May you have a blessed day.

The Hocking Hills

2011-06-09T15:42:00.000-05:00

Here is a link to the Ohio pictures taken while I was on vacation. I went in this afternoon and added titles to most of them.
I will be adding a video or two to the site also, you may have to click on the site header when you get there and look for the videos on the right hand side.

Didja Miss Me?

2011-06-08T13:07:00.001-05:00

We are back from our Ohio trip. I didn't announce it on the blog or Facebook, since there was no one here to guard the casa. Even had a couple of blogs set to "auto-post" while I was gone. So, first up... Becky informs me that this was Her and Stephen's SIXTH wedding anniversary, not 5th. I stand corrected!

We had a great visit with family, and I even got to drive down to the southern part of the state and meet a long-time internet friend, Heather. She is the mother of seven girls. So far, none of our kids are matched up like Becky and Stephen were. Heather was really sweet, and a real person... not a troll nor axe murderer looking to stuff my body into a barrel in her woods. (My BIL suggested THAT charming scenario!)

As usual, we did a lot of hiking. Tom spent several day-trips at his brother's house, doing the small chores that his brother was neglecting in order to spend time with us after work. The boys went over with Tom a few times to fish, and to swim in the beautiful little lake across the road from his front yard.

On one of their excursions over to BIL's, my MIL and I went to town ourselves. We visited a craft mall and a huge antique mall, as well as a Glass Factory Outlet. I got several "sandwich" plates, as this is the size plate almost everyone here reaches for rather than a "dinner" plate. Instead of picking a pattern... I chose all different plates. I have a nice variety to use for dishes on the food blog! It was a lot of fun for both of us.

Monday was the 13+ hour drive home. THAT wasn't all that fun. We made good time though, arriving just 13 hours and 5 minutes after leaving my MIL's house. It normally takes us 13 and a half hours, minimum. But we didn't take time out to "stop and eat"... instead having drive-thru McDonald's for breakfast, and a quick put together sandwich at a rest area while walking the dogs and having a potty break.

Tuesday I was right back to work, and actually ended up having a full day on the job, instead of three or 4 hours. Then there was grocery shopping, cooking supper, and starting endless loads of laundry. I didn't want to get out of bed this morning. I interrupted my walk after work today to have a nap!

For supper tonight, I plan on having the boys grill some chicken breast, and siding it with some Spinach and Mushroom Salad. (Maybe we will even grill the bacon for the salad... hmmm?)

I was just too tired to make it to the library today, so that is on tomorrow's agenda.

Have a blessed day, Thanks for reading!

Coming Soon...

2011-05-30T01:29:00.001-05:00

On June 17th, my "babies" will be 15 years old! They have been telling me of birthday gift ideas for several weeks now. For the siblings and grandparents who might want ideas of what to get these two diverse younge men... they both agree that gift certificates to Think Geek would be awesome. I'm not 100% sure Think Geek has gift certificates... but they sure do have a lot of stuff the boys like! (I usually let them find what they like on Think Geek, then go and find it for less at Amazon! (And Amazon DOES have gift certificates!)

They have yet to describe for me what sort of birthday cakes (or pi!) they want this year.

In a few more days, grandkids Connor and Alana will be out of school for the summer. They are spending at least part of the summer with their Uncles. Uncle Becky will pick them up in Ft. Worth, and after they are bored with her, she takes them to Uncle Bill. At some point, they will come see CowGranny and Grumpaw. The fun of having Mom and Dad both come from large families is that they can visit various family members all summer.

Well, that's all for today. Hope you have a blessed Memorial Day.

Becky and Stephen

2011-05-28T01:59:00.036-05:00

Today is my daughter's and son-in-law's fifth anniversary. Congratulations, Becky and Stephen! They are still as happy and as in love as newlyweds.
Becky met Stephen online. It was all my fault, Mr C likes to say.
I was brand new to the internet, and had googled "twins". Researching the many thousands of interesting websites led me to iVillage, and their community boards. iVillage had more than boards on twins... they had "40-ish Parents", "Raising Kids in A Rural Area", and "Tons of Kids" boards. I made friends online... a remarkable thing for me. I have never been very good at making friends.

I got to know Nola from the Raising Kids in a Rural Area board. We would "talk" almost every day via instant messenger. More often than not, Nola and I had "parrots" on our shoulders. Becky standing behind me, and Stephen standing behind Nola. If Nola and I had to leave the computer, we encouraged Becky and Stephen to talk to one another... home schooled kids getting an opportunity to socialize.

One of Nola's lifelong friends moved to the area where I lived. Nola came to visit on a vacation, and we got to meet in person! Becky was gone the first time Nola came by, but the second time, Stephen and Becky finally got to meet in person. Soon, Stephen was making the five hour drive to visit us without his Mom!

They didn't rush things... they were friends for four or five years before they were old enough to even consider getting married.
Now, they have 2.3 children and are living a life blessed by God.
Happy Anniversary, Becky and Stephen!

Missed!

2011-05-25T14:42:00.000-05:00

The storms hit last night, but the most violent parts missed us. I stayed up until 10:30 when it finally became apparent that the worst of it was going north and south of us. So I was sure not wanting to get up when the alarm went off at 5.

My Mom is in Russellville- actually on a mountain top north of there at night- but her husband is home in a suburb of Ft Worth. He had hail larger than golf balls last night, as tornadoes ripped through Tarrant County. My eldest son is in residence in an exclusive high rise in downtown Ft. Worth. I saw three storms tracking one right after the other showing "hook echoes" pass right through downtown Ft Worth, and I was really in a bit of a panic. Another son is a few miles south of Chickasha, Oklahoma, where a tornado touched down. Thankfully, all my family is safe.

I did get tickled at the Weather Channel fellow trying to pronounce some of the affected towns in Oklahoma. He has obviously never heard the song "Okie from Muskogee"... as he pronounced it Musk-oh-jee. (Mus-koe-gee, with a hard G sound). And Chickasha is Chick-uh-shay. Sam still has fits over Ouachita... "HOW do you get wash-it-awe from THAT?"

***************
Well, time to get hopping here. I had an allergy-pill-induced nap earlier. Slept right through Mr C being home for lunch. Now trying to shake off the sleepies and get with the program... I have a lot to do!

Weather or Not

2011-05-24T13:36:00.000-05:00

We are 50 miles from Joplin, as the road meanders... somewhat less as the crow flies.
Our weather this afternoon is calling for a "perfect storm" condition. Hot moist gulf air will meet a cold front, just to our west, sometime after 6 this evening. The weather guessers are saying to batten down the hatches.

The boys are doing their library volunteering at the moment. I am just cruising the net and catching up.

I'm trying to decide what to fix for supper this evening... whatever I fix will have to go with the roasted veggies! Since I have to stop by the store for milk on the way home, I may pick up some brats or something.

I know I had something to blog about when I sat down here, but it all fled my mind the minute I pulled the blog page up!
Hope you have a blessed afternoon. Hug someone you love!

Lavender Rose

2011-05-21T12:27:00.000-05:00

I changed the blog header to a picture of my lavender rose. They are a bit beat up due to all the storms we have had. Still, for being marked down clearance plants... I am thrilled at their appearance just one year later.
The second picture here is of my miniature rose bush I have had for years. It has now been planted in the ground for a year. (Before, I kept it as a potted house plant.)
I just realized I don't have a picture of my big crimson red roses... the other discounted bush from last year. It is full of huge blooms.

Friday!

2011-05-20T15:17:00.000-05:00

Work went by pretty quickly this morning. I was home before 10, and started right in on my treadmilling. I was dragging before the first mile was up... so at 1.1 miles, I turned off the machine and headed to my bedroom, where the bed attacked and forced me to lay down. About an hour later, I was awakened by a thunderclap that sounded like it was right outside my window.

I got up and brought my shoes out to the front room, and was putting them on when Mr C got home for his lunch. I had a bite of lunch, then got back on the treadmill. I just can't seem to get with the program today... I am still yawning.

I had Sam cart my weeds outside to the front steps and yard, where they are getting nicely watered by the rain. The boys both remarked at how naked the house looks with all my plants outside. I figure I will leave them out until tomorrow sometime. We will clean once I am home from work tomorrow. Barring unforeseen amounts of freight, I have to really stretch out my work to get in two hours on a Saturday.

This morning, wouldn't you know... there were THREE police cars in the parking lot out front. Where were they yesterday when I ~~thought I~~ needed them? Before the new McDonald's opened up cat-a-corner from us, there were usually two cops chatting in the parking lot in front of the store several times a week. Since Mickey D's has opened, I seldom see them any more. Not that they spend all their time at McDonald's... just stating what I have observed.

I hope Mom gets a chance to come back up this weekend. If not, oh well. We sure had a nice visit last time she was here.
Have a blessed day, Thanks for reading.

The response time to the "Panic Button" at work is about three to five minutes...

2011-05-19T13:36:00.000-05:00

You might wonder how I know this.
I tried it out this morning!
That's how I know.

As you may be aware, I get to work pretty early. I had been there for about an hour this morning, and was already to the point of stocking the shelves out front with new freight, when I thought I heard someone walking across the roof of the store.

A few seconds later, I was SURE I heard another someone walking across the roof of the store. They were doing something to the air conditioning vents! Since it was a quarter to seven in the morning, I really wondered if these men on the roof had a legitimate purpose in being up there messing with our AC units. (I had heard on the radio just yesterday about the increased amount of thefts of commercial sized units going on in Tulsa and surrounding areas.)

I thought I ought to call the police and have them look into just why these guys were on the rooftop. If they were legitimate- hey, my bad! But if they were up there swiping our AC units, and I just assumed they had a legitimate purpose up there... now that would be pretty unexcusable.

I didn't rush right over and push the "panic button". First off, I thought I would try the local police station. Since it wasn't an emergency, I just looked up and dialed their regular phone number. I got a busy signal. So I tried again after a few seconds. Still busy! After a third time of reaching a busy signal, I walked to the front of the store and pushed our silent alarm panic button. Then, I tried the police again. Still busy!
Next I dialed my boss's cell phone. He didn't answer either... but he happened to be just arriving in the parking lot about then.

I told him about calling the police and pushing the alarm... and about that moment the alarm company called us back. Boss talked to them and explained why I had called, and that it was OK... it was just the roofers there to fix the leaky roof!

I'm going to be teased about this forever.

Time's fun when you're having flies...

2011-05-16T13:55:00.000-05:00

Or something like that. I can't say that the annual fly invasion is all that much fun. Just try getting into or out of the house without a few of these pests inviting themselves in. Mr C spends 15 minutes or so every morning and evening killing them. When the outdoor temperature drops, the flies land on the ceiling inside, and that's when he gets them.

The allergies haven't flared up so bad today. (Thank you Lord!) Mr C is out getting some garden plants. Here it is past the middle of May, and we are still dipping into the 30's at night. BRRR! This morning was our weekly grocery run. Charcoal and Boy Scout Juice have become staples on the list. We cook out pretty much all year around, but more so in the summer. Tonight, I plan to make Tacos. (I had planned to plan on cooking out burgers on the grill, but forgot wht I planned until I thawed the burger for Tacos. No, I can't just use it for burgers, we have pre-formed frozen burgers to use up for that, and the big clump of hamburger meat isn't enough for burgers.) (Maybe I ought to write my menu plans down so I don't forget them, huh?)

Tacos are NOT one of Mr C's favorites... but he is the minority. He objects to the "greasy corn tortillas"... so I usually warm him up a flour tortilla for his. Tomorrow night I will use up the extra grilled chicken from last night and the extra corn tortillas from tonight to make a chicken casserole.

Thanks for reading. Hope you are having a very blessed day! Hug someone you love!

Ahhhhh-choooo!

2011-05-15T18:29:00.000-05:00

The sun was shining bright this morning, reflecting into my bedroom as if the lights were on in the boys rooms. I eventually decided I wasn't getting back to sleep, so I got up. It was 6:35.
This really was sleeping in, by more than an hour and a half. The boys trailed out of their rooms before my tea was even made.

I got my tread milling done. The boys played some video games, as they knew I planned for today to be a house cleaning day. We got started. Cleaning up "hot spots" where clutter collects. Putting things back where they belong. Vacuuming, dusting, sweeping.... stirring up dust. Tom moved the stove and the fridge, and cleaned beneath and behind both. Then he took the stove apart and really cleaned it well.

I started sneezing in there somewhere. By the time we were working on the stove, my nose was dripping like a faucet. Kleenex wasn't helping- I was using a paper towel every 10 minutes. Eventually, I took one allergy pill. In an hour, I decided to use the heavy duty dope- Advil sinus. By the time it began having any effect at all, I had a sinus headache and my eyes are packed for vacation... heavy bags! The sinus dope knocked me out for an hour or so.

I could sure tell when it wore off... the nose faucet began again. I switched from paper towels to wash cloths. I took more dope. I can tell when its four hours has expired for sure. I am thinking this may be pollen as well as dust. Miserable!
Well, that's all my complaining for now. I hope you have a great and wonderful day!

Oh boy!

2011-05-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

My last child to call me on mother's day was my #5 child, Tommy. It was after 10 at night, so we didn't talk long. Tommy mentioned he had been up for well over 24 hours, but it was his night off. He also mentioned his boss had tried to call him.
The next morning, I got another call from Tommy. His boss had asked Tommy to come in to work. So, instead of telling the boss no... Tommy headed the 40 miles in to work.
He made it 39.5 miles. Fell asleep at the wheel. Did a barrel roll in his truck. Tommy says barrel rolls are not all they are cracked up to be in the video games.
He is OK. His truck is not.
Blogger is not allowing me to upload pictures right now, but you can see the truck on Becky's blog.
*****************
It has been a fairly quiet week on the home front. More rain, grass growing.
The roses I got last year on clearance at WalMart are going to beat the band. The red ones are just gorgeous. The second bush, which we thought last year might be white or light pink, has actually turned out to be a very pale lavender.
The Tree has been out on the porch a couple of weeks now... I set it out too soon! Who knew May 1st was too early? We had a hard frost on the 3rd, so Tree is rather sad looking. I know it will recover... this is Tree! Tree survived the twins as toddlers. (They once plucked every last leaf off it.) I need to get Tree transported to my friend Laurie, who has a house with double height ceilings. Or else cut Tree waaaay back. It is getting too tall even for the porch, which has a good foot over our ceilings.
***********
Have a blessed day. Thanks for reading.

Mother's Day, 2011

2011-05-11T15:46:00.000-05:00

The card envelope from Dan and Sam

Flowers from Bill

Flowers from Dan and Sam

Drawings of my kids as anthropomorphics, by Sam. his caption says, "Well its mothers day and this is your mothers day gift... here you go" He is currently coloring it for me.

My Mom also came up and spent Mother's day with me. She is working with her cousin Ruth at The Sugar Shack in Russellville. All of my kids who were able to gave me a call on Mother's Day. (A couple were kind of late, but hey, at least I did hear from them!)

Laundry soap and rambling

2011-05-06T15:58:00.001-05:00

I got lazy for awhile, and bought laundry detergent. With the boys cleaning their rooms this week, and me slacking on laundry, I saw the end of my latest purchased bottle looming soon. I had the ingredients on hand to make my detergent, and it really doesn't take much time at all. So I sloughed off some lazy and made the soap.
I used:
1 cup grated Fell's Naptha Soap , which I purchased online at Amazon.
1 cup Borax (Which can be purchased at Amazon, or most grocery stores)
1 cup washing soda (a.k.a soda ash) also available at Amazon, or pool supply houses) (NOT baking soda)
1/2 cup DAWN liquid dish washing soap
5 gallon bucket or several empty laundry detergent bottles

Put the grated soap into a deep pot. Add 6 to 8 cups of hot water. Heat, stirring frequently, until the grated soap is all melted. Stir in the borax, and the soda ash. Stir until the powders are dissolved. Remove from heat. ***If this stuff starts to boil, turn down/off the heat. It will boil over in a heartbeat and clean your stovetop within and inch of its enamel!*** Set your 5 gallon bucket into the sink
Stir in the DAWN dishwashing liquid. Pour the soap mixture into the five gallon bucket, and begin adding warm water, stirring as you add, until the bucket is nearly full.
Put the lid on and let set overnight.
This will "gel" slightly, to something between egg drop soup consistency, to a much firmer gelled mass. (If the mass floats on a liquidy base, shake or stir before using. Use about 1 cup per load. Cost about 1.5 cents per load.
*******
I got several Mother's Day gifts a bit early. One son sent a pencil drawing of all the grandkids. Another sent me roses! I have received several cards... and it is still two more days til the "big day". The twins are cooking something up.... I have been informed I have to wait til Sunday to find out just what!

Tonight for supper, I am trying a recipe for Rosemary Chicken. I have never cooked with rosemary before, so we will see how it goes over. If it is good, I will post the recipe over at the cooking blog.

Meanwhile... Mt. Washmore beckons me back to its slopes. With no good excuse to NOT do the laundry, I best heed its call.
Have a blessed day!

May the Fourth Be With You

2011-05-04T05:10:00.053-05:00

I love that one!
*************
An issue at work Saturday left me shaking my head. I HOPE the kid was kidding, but I fear he is not.
At 18 years old, and graduated from high school... he was supposed to mop the bathroom at work. He set up the wet floor cones. He got the mop and bucket... whether he used clean water or not is debatable.
And he ~~mopped~~ slopped water all over the bathroom floor. Despite used tissue and paper towels and other debris on the floor.

When the Assistant manager asked him, "Why didn't you SWEEP before you mopped?"
"You didn't TELL me to sweep first."
"DUDE! You always sweep before you mop... it's PART of mopping!"

The kid passed it off as a joke. But as we all kidded him about it later... he still lives at home and his MOM cleans his room.
I have left notes in the break room suggesting that when the younger employees spill food and soda, they should clean it up right away... Momma does NOT work here.

My kids, by 18, may of had me clean their room a couple of times... but they were NOT happy about it. Because if *I* cleaned their room, they were in trouble and stood to "lose" much of their "treasure". (Mom cleaned with trash bags.)

The other young people I work with had "tougher" lives. They had to clean their own rooms. It shows in they do know how to clean things now. They can sweep and mop without step by step instructions. They can one and all cook a meal. And operate simple household appliances, such as washing machines and vaccuums. (Sadly, Sam hasn't mastered the "dryer" and "dishwasher" yet. He can get the clothes INTO the dryer... but fails to remember to turn it on. Sam also forgets to turn on the dishwasher.) But, there is hope, he is just 14... so before he is old enough to be on his own, he ought to have mastered these appliances.

These life skills DO have to be taught. A friend has gained two step children, when their custodial parent passed away. At 16 and 18, these two kids have no clue how to do the most basic of chores. Their custodial parent didn't learn the skills to pass on to these kids. So it is an uphill battle in remedial life skills just for them to learn that you tuck a shower curtain inside the bathtub before showering. You do not pile wet, dirty clothes onto the floor of your carpeted closet. Girls do not leave menstrual messes all over the bathroom.

It is sad that kids are growing up so coddled they cannot look after themselves.
That many lack common courtesy and respect for their fellow citizens.
OK, ranting is over.

Once more Happy May 4th.
May the fourth be with you!

Tuesday...

2011-05-03T15:57:00.000-05:00

Today is Tom's sister Angie's birthday.
It is also Volunteer Appreciation day at the library. The boys arrived a bit later than normal for their volunteering today, as the "appreciation" is from 4-6pm. No sense in making two trips to town. We arrived around 3, and they will get their gifts and such, and we will head for the house some time around 5 or so. (We decided on Sonic's half-price hamburgers for supper, and they start that at 5:00pm.)

The new fish seem to be adapting OK to life in a fish tank. I laughed yesterday when I noticed one of the newbies is already following me around when I go near the tank. he has figured out that a person near the tank usually means FOOD!

I don't recall what I was dreaming about last night, but I do remember I dreamed I was hiding in a very small space. I woke up curled into a tight ball and aching all over. I stretched out and slept a few more minutes before the alarm went off, but I can sure tell I slept tensed up.

Well, I don't have too much going on today... same stuff, different day. (My cleaner version of SSDD). Work has been VERY busy. With so many new stores opening across the nation, they have asked for a lot of items back that we normally stock several of... resulting in me having pages and pages of shipping each day, rather than just a few items per category. After the endless days of rain, the sun coming out has spiked sales, so I had a bountiful amount of incoming freight today. I didn't get off until NOON!

And here it is... time to relinquish the computer, my hour on it is up. Have a blessed day!

May... already

2011-05-02T14:28:00.000-05:00

Today is the second of May. Wow. You'd never know by the weather... it is in the low 50's today... if it actually gets THAT warm. It continues to rain.

I have kept on goal of walking 50 miles per month this year, to eventually total 600 for the year. I barely made the 200 mile mark for April. So far, I haven't learned to love walking on the treadmill, but I persevere.

I got Mother's Day cards for mine and Tom's Mom's... but it doesn't look like I will be able to send them any type of gift this year.

So far, we haven't made any type of plans to vacation this year. Mr C still has four weeks he has to use up... probably in the fall. I told him we need to save some of that for the new grandbaby's arrival towards the first of November. He said that "going to see a new baby is driving in the wrong direction... Becky KNOWS Ohio State Football is every weekend in the fall! If she wanted us there for the baby's birth, she should of planned it for a different time of year!"

Yep. That's Mr C!

Though if it came to a choice between the two, I'm sure the grandbaby would win. (Well, unless it was the weekend of the Ohio State Vs. Michigan game). Then, He'd go see the baby as soon as the game was over.

I'm going to try a new recipe on the guys tonight: Swiss Chicken Casserole. It sounded good to me when I read about it on the Tons of Kids board. I'm already thinking of my own "tweaks" to the recipe.

It should make it over to the recipe blog!

Have a blessed day. Thanks for reading!

Happy Birthday to Bill!

2011-04-29T17:27:00.000-05:00

Today, my second born turned 30 years old. He and his family are on their way to Texas, where Bill will see his sister and a couple of brothers.
Here is a link to Bill's birth story, if you missed it before.
************
Tonight, I am making some Chineasy Chicken. It has been a few weeks since I made this. Last night was Beef Stew , the natural follow up to Roast Beast. See, I don't do a lot of "new" foods. For the roast beef, I DID try a new recipe. I omitted the dry onion soup mix, and instead dumped a jar of picante sauce over the roast in the slow cooker. I thought it was EXCELLENT. Mr. C and the minor food critics all declared it "too tomato-ey".
************
At work, not a lot new going on. We have been very busy, but that is normal for this time of year. Boss told me today that I have a mandatory class coming up May 10th in Fayetteville. That should be interesting. I will learn about "loss prevention".
***********

Well, the cooking of the supper demands my attention. Be blessed, thanks for reading!

Sunshine in my yard ....

2011-04-28T13:03:00.001-05:00

drys up puddles!
Leaving fish stranded in depressions full of rainwater! The boys brought a couple more in to the fish tank, and are now out tossing the rest they are finding into the neighbor's pond. Sam says they have found several dead fish... it is so strange to pick up fish from an area you are about to MOW!
The boys rescued over 40 fish! Many more were already gone... they will be fertilizing the garden.

Sam quipped, "This was my best day of catching fish, ever!"
**************

Yesterday, the boys and I met my mom in Alma, AR. We met at the A-Z distributing place. Only found a few things I couldn't live without. Really, I probably could of lived without them.... but hoping for good values, I made a few purchases.

One thing was a package of cardamom spice. I tried this spice while in Texas... the cardamom is over $74 per lb. in bulk from Sprouts Market. This packet was several ounces... and was discounted to .80. So for 80 cents, I thought we might try a few more cardamom recipes. Daniel picked out a big jar of whole allspice, also .80. I got a couple of new kitchen towels... the kind that is half a towel with an end that buttons or hooks onto a handle. I like one near the sink... it save on paper towels! I got them for $1.20 each. My most expensive item was a picture for the boys room... a framed sailing ship. (The younger four boys all love old maps, sailing ships, and globes.) I think the framed print was under $7.00.

We had a really quick visit. Mom had brought up the stuff I got garage saling last time I was down there. She had another two hours still to travel, and I had left supper in the slow cooker at home. It was good to see Mom, though!

Hope you have a very blessed day!

2011-04-25T16:38:00.001-05:00

This is looking from the front porch towards the road. There is no creek there, much less the river that appears here, headed to the pond.This is the pond. The islands and trees are on the lower dam of the pond.

The water spills out of the pond and into our pasture/ back yard. This forms another river that isn't normally there.

This is Sam, wading in the lake that the pasture has become.

The boys got out their Lego Pirate ship and let it sail along the rivers that have formed in the back pasture. They also caught a small bluegill in the pasture. It is now sharing the fishtank with Jimmy Raynor the Goldfish.

I have read on facebook that several local roads, as well as Highway 59 between Gentry and Gravette have been closed due to flooding. Both ways into XNA Airport are closed due to flooding. The county is under a flash flood WARNING (you think?).

It is still raining.

Another beautiful Day...

2011-04-22T13:34:00.000-05:00

We did get some storms through here yesterday, leading me to turn off the computer all afternoon.. Supposed to lather, rinse, repeat today. And tomorrow... and the next day... and so on until next Wednesday.

I took a nice nap. I don't know that I could of helped myself... the nap snuck up on me and the next thing I knew, a tremendous "KABOOM!" of thunder awakened me.

Today is Tommy's TWENTY-FIRST BIRTHDAY! Here is a link to his birth story, if you haven't read it before or want to read it again.
Happy Birthday, Tommy. I am so proud of you. I love how much you love the Lord, and your desire to serve Him first. May you be blessed all the days of your life!

Tommy's "real" name is Stephen Thomas. Stephen means "crown". The day after his birth certificate was signed, Tom decided he didn't care for the name Stephen as much as he did "Elijah". So we went back to the birth registrar and asked to change his name. Since it had already been filed in OKC, we were told it would take a lawyer, a court order, and $300+ dollars. Money was reallllly tight then... so we settled for calling him by his middle name. The last few years, it hasn't seemed to matter WHAT we named him... he has gained a collection of names from various sources. I can't keep track of them all!
For his birthday, I sent him a spotlight, and a small tool kit.
*************
Whoa! I can't believe what just happened.

Samuel just gathered and started a load of laundry. Without me telling him to! There must be something going on around here.
Sam is the worst one for failing to do his daily chores without being told .... and told.... and told. And then he forgets essentials like STARTING the dryer after putting clothes into it. Or starting the dishwasher after loading it.

And he just put on a load of clothes to wash. With detergent in them. and the lid down so they will actually wash.

Who is this young man and what has he done with my son?
***************

Work has hired a new guy. He was a regular customer, so I already knew him by name... and has apparently worked several days before I figured out he isn't just hanging around. So my "every other Saturday" being an all day shift is over. Hooray!

That's all I can think of for now.

Stay tuned to learn what Bill Joe gets for his 30th birthday, next Friday. He has a very mean Mom you know, and brothers who have her same sense of humor.

Be blessed, and hug someone you love!

Past Week

2011-04-19T13:38:00.001-05:00

The past week was filled with fun and sun. The boys and I went to the Prairie Grove Civil War Battlefield & Memorial last Tuesday (or was it Wednesday?) (pretty sure it was Wednesday!)
I forgot to wear a hat.
We stopped at the Union soldiers cemetery in Cincinnati, Arkansas, on the way down. Wandered around there for awhile. I was pretty upset at the vandalism this place suffers... as I am sure may cemeteries across the nation do. Praying hands etched in headstones were 'modified'... leaving a memorial vulgar salute. Why do people do these things?
I saw several headstones with the family name of one of my co-workers. I had heard his family was from that area, and asked him about it the next day. Yes, it was his parents and grandparents buried there. He told me about a section which had been mostly marked with large rocks, no names carved in them. This was the slave section in the cemetery. I had incorrectly assumed it was unknown soldiers buried there.

After our tour of the battlefield, we stopped at a small lake nearby- Bob Kidd Lake. The boys caught a few fish there! (We have had lousy luck fishing in Arkansas up until now.) After Bob Kidd, we stopped at Lake Wedington... where the fishing wasn't as good and a controlled burn nearby had us choking on smoke. We headed home just in time to get supper started before Mr C arrived.

Lacking a hat or sunscreen, I turned a fairly good red on my face. Thanks to sleeves and jeans, my face was the only burn. It didn't peel, so maybe I will get some tan from the week!
Friday, the weather was cool and blustery. The boys wanted to go out and see what was going on at the semi-annual Tired Iron Of The Ozarks Tractor Show. They had such a grand time, we went back both Saturday and Sunday!

Saturday, Connor and Alana came out to stay the night. We went to the tractor show with them. Since both refused to wear jackets, we weren't there any too long. Most of the time we were there was spent in the blacksmith shop. (Thanks to the forges and big Franklin stove, it was warm in there!) Sam and Daniel discovered the Blacksmithing Organization of Arkansas... and we are letting them join.

Sunday, I got up and did my walking outside... but remembered the hat! Then we went back to the tractor show. Connor and Alana got to actually drive a tractor... WOW! I have never even sat on a tractor before, much less driven one! They rode on the little tractor pulled kiddy train in the parade. I'm pretty sure they had a good time.

I ended up with at least five days of being out in the sun during the week. Wreaked havoc with my sinuses... but I had a great time.

There are PICTURES to go with all this weeks adventures. they are located at http://www.moocrew3.shutterfly.com/. Feel free to leave comments1

Thanks for reading!

Back to Work...

2011-04-12T13:59:00.001-05:00

At least I am feeling much better. Work was WORK today. I didn't get out of there until nearly noon. And once I got home, the boys asked if we could go to the library. So here I am, while they do their volunteer stuff.
Afterwards, I need to go by WalMart and get the groceries that were not bought this weekend. I also want to go by Hobby Lobby and SEE how much aframe and mat would be for my birthday sketch Chris commissioned. If you'd like to see it, it is at http://www.moocrew3.shutterfly.com/pictures It is the one of all the grandkids together. The one of Connor and Alana was commissioned for Jennifer. While at Hobby Lobby, I want to check in to how much some good drawing colored pencils would be for Sam. I am armed with a 40% off (single item) coupon!
Still to be decided is: tonight's supper!
I haven't done my walking today... and this may be one of my days it just does NOT get done.

At least having a goal is keeping going on the treadmill... I made the goal for the last 3 months... and good thing I had a few surplus miles worked in... because I have only done about 6 miles this month.

Oh another errand... the post office. Got some stuff I need to get mailed to Becky and the boys in Texas. I lumped it all into one box... figuring they can sort it out easily once it arrives, and they see each other frequently.

That's about all I can think of for today. Have a blessed afternoon!

A week already?

2011-04-11T10:13:00.000-05:00

I can't believe I haven't blogged in a week! I guess it could be because I spent quite a few days of the past week sick... a tummy bug. The week passed uneventfully... I worked Wednesday and Thursday, went home sick Friday and didn't go in at all Saturday. Mostly I slept off the bug.

Spring appears to be trying to spring around here. My rosebushes are all leafed out. The beans and corn Tom and the boys planted last week has started to come up. Grass has been mowed twice now. Since the weedeater bit the dust last year and hasn't been replaced, we sprayed RoundUp* along the sides of the house and around the mailbox. I planted flower seeds in my aging green planting boxes. I have had them since Marlow! (And used them a couple of years there!) I told Dan I would probably get live annual flowers for the hanging baskets.... eventually.

We need to replace our grill... it finally fell completely to pieces. We grill a LOT... pretty much daily in the summer, and several times weekly the rest of the year. The old grill was coming up on four years old... we got it the year of our last annual float trip. (Float trip/ Birthday party for Dan and Sam/ father's day celebration. It was the year Becky was expecting Tyrel- and he will be 4 in July.) So much has happened in the family since then.

Well, I am certainly just rambling. Thanks for reading. Have a blessed day. Hug someone you love!

Great Trip...

2011-04-05T18:58:00.000-05:00

I had a really good trip to Ft Worth over the weekend. My (standby) flight home Monday filled up, so I stayed an extra day. Instead of flying home, Mom and Ralph and I drove out to Ballinger to visit Ben and Tommy and Becky. It was a lot of fun.

On the way home, we stopped in Eastland at the little Pulido's Mexican Restaurant along I-20. That had to be the very best Mexican food I have ever had. Service was excellent. And I saw a waiter working another part of the restaurant go "above and beyond" in service. A small child was Not Happy. The waiter brought a chair from another table, and sat and entertained the baby so the parents were able to enjoy their food while it was hot.

I flew in to DFW early Friday morning. Mom and I went visiting, then garage-saling and thrift store shopping. Repeated on Saturday. Sort-of repeated on Sunday... no thrift stores, but garage sales and a run thru WalMart. We learned at WalMart that this particular location was selling anything on clearance at HALF their clearanced price. This required a second razzoo through the store, as we learned of the sale as we were in the checkout process. I got a package of 12 pairs of socks for $2.50. SCORE! (My best garage sale find was a new food processor. It is an older model, but pretty obviously never used. A very high end model. Best thrift store buy: a lamp with a brand new shade, for $3.00. The lamp and FP will have to stay at Mom's until her next visit up here.

My trip home was REALLY fun. I had collected so many more clothes than when I flew down, I got a bag to put them in, and checked the bag. There was NO line at the baggage check in counter. The screening was fast, painless. Only 2 people in line ahead of me. I left from D terminal, and at DFW Airport, that is a fun place. I wandered around awhile then sat and read until boarding time. The flight was so "open" that not only was I assigned a seat right away, I even had the ROW to myself.

The head flight attendant was an older guy named "Lucky"... a former military guy who survived some bad stuff, from what I understood. If you have ever read any of the "funny things flight attendants said" emails... they must of had this guy.

As they pushed the aircraft back from the gate, the standard "Turn off all cell phones and put away all electronic devices" announcement was made. A few moments later the flight attendant says, "For all of you who are still on your cell phones, Repeat after me, 'Goodbye, I love you, I will call you when I get to Arkansas'."
Other things he said, "For those of you flying for the first time, or if you have not ridden in a car at any time during the last 40 years, the flight attendant at the front of the cabin will demonstrate how to use a seat belt".
"American Airlines prides itself on hiring the best looking, most competent, and knowledgeable flight attendants and pilots in the industry. however, today you are stuck with us. We'll do our best"
"I will be turning down the overhead lighting in a few moments. This is to enhance the appearances of our flight attendants. It will also cut down on the glare off the top of my head."
"Please pay attention to the fasten seat belt signs located over your heads. You will also note there are a yellow and an orange button located there. The yellow button controls your personal reading light. The orange button... whatever you do, do not push the orange button. This is our individual ejection seat button!" (It was the flight attendant call button.)
"...If you can think of anything else you'd like to have... a neck massage, your feet rubbed... don't hesitate to ask...... the person seated beside you."
"All American Airlines flights are non-smoking. If you MUST smoke... please step outside."
"Once we reach cruising altitude, the flight attendants will be through the cabin with the beverage cart. Three minutes after you are served, they will be back through to take it away from you. This is a VERY short flight"
"Thank you for getting high with us today. No one appreciates you or your money more than we do!"

After the plane landed, and the "Fasten Seat Belt" light was turned off... he solemnly says "All Rise."... like a minister in some churches does.
***************

I hadn't even gotten out of the car at home when Sam asked me if we were going to the library today. He hadn't yet heard the winners of the Art Competition he had entered. So we went to the library shortly after I got home. Sam didn't win, but had some tough competition.

So here I am home. Probably going back to work tomorrow. But I had such a great weekend... I don't even mind.

Fun In Texas

2011-04-03T09:39:00.001-05:00

I have been at my Mom's house the last couple of days. We have hit a lot of thrift shops and garage sales, hung out, had Haltom City Chinese!
My voice is Ok while I am indoors, but disappears shortly after heading outside. I looked back over my blogs to previous mentions of being speechless, and seen a pattern. The time of the tear is usually mid to late March or early April! Just when the trees are all blooming and there is a lot of pollen in the air. It isn't like the miserable sneezy ragweed in the late summer, so I really hadn't associated it with allergies.
The weather here has been WOW! Leaving Arkansas in a cold 40* rain, landing in 75* sunshine... and having it get into the mid 80*s. Like a different planet.
My standby flights for tomorrow's return home have all filled up... so I postponed my departure to Tuesday. Tomorrow, we are going to make a day trip to west Texas to see three of my kids and a couple of grandbabies!
In all the garage saling and thrift shopping, we found several little baby outfits and a maternity top... I just didn't think to bring the kids boots down with me, as the West Texas trip wasn't in the plans when I came down.
Have a great day, Thanks for reading!

Speechless, day.... 3?

2011-03-30T16:20:00.000-05:00

Another day with little or no voice. Harsh coughing (til my eyes bulge and I'm sure they are gonna pop right out of my head) eventually brings up some nasty green that is apparently welded to my vocal chords. I went to work today. When the boss arrived and I couldn't get out "good morning" loud enough to be heard... he sent me home with instructions not to breathe on any of my fellow employees, nor the merchandise.... on my way out.
Today marks two years since I have seen my second eldest grandson. Sometimes, things really stink. Maybe I will at least get some fresh pictures of him soon.
In other news, my dad is undergoing surgery Thursday Morning (tomorrow!) to re-attach his retina. This will be followed by a week long stint of laying about on his tummy. Dad and I are just not tummy people. I feel for him! Please add your prayers for his full recovery.
Lemon pepper chicken in the slow cooker for supper. I need to think of a veggie as a side dish. (Already having rice with it.) Aha! The salad no-one touched with last night's pizza should do nicely... plus, it is already ready!
Hoping to feel better SOON!
Thanks for reading!

Library

2011-03-29T11:32:00.000-05:00

I really hadn't planned to come inside the library today. I brought a book from home and was going to sit in the car. But, being 43* outside, and me with the coughing crud and larynxgitis... I figured I would be better off in the warm library.
Sam got his art turned in, and the two boys are doing their volunteering. I am keeping a computer chair warmed.
When we get home, I am strongly thinking of taking yet another nap. I mostly slept all through my days off. Sunday, Mr C just let me sleep. I didn't awaken until 10:45. I don't recall having ever slept that late! This was after going to bed by 8pm the night before. Then I took a 2 hour nap Sunday afternoon.
Hope you have a wonderful, blessed day today! Thanks for reading!

Unexpected....

2011-03-28T14:38:00.000-05:00

This afternoon, Tom asked if I wanted to go to Lowes with him. We went to get some garden fertilizer, bean seed, and bug killer for the ~~lawn~~ weedy area that surrounds our house instead of grass.

I am not feeling well... perhaps bronchitis? So while he trudged around out on the patio in the 43* weather, I went in and "tested" the lawn furniture. As he came back in, wondering what else he was forgetting, he was admiring the riding lawn mowers. I pointed out that one was on clearance for about half of what we gave for our old riding mower, some dozen years ago. New tires, belt, and a filter for our new mower... all desperatly needed, would be about 2/3 of the cost of this bright, shiny new Troy Bilt. After thinking it over, Mr C decided we needed the mower! The helpful sales lady set us up with a 6 month interest free card... even though we should have this paid off in well under the 6 months.
Shiney!

We got the very last one, at this Lowes. Mr C and Dan are on their way to get it with the van.

I decided to just stay home and feel blech. Sam needs to get his art project to the library, but I am hoping to feel better and do it tomorrow.

I bet the boys will be having a great time having mower races this summer!

Oil Day... In a major way.

2011-03-24T13:04:00.000-05:00

This was today's freight... FIVE pallets worth. I would probably STILL be there, except Jeff saw my plight and helped me get things scanned in. We would take turns, scanning and unloading, scanning and unloading.

When I walked in the door, I was so astonished at the amount of freight- I didn't even realize I failed to turn off the alarm. I clocked in, walked to the back room and turned on the lights. I came out, printed reports, and got set up to start checking the freight in... some 10+ minutes of work... when suddenly an alarm starts sounding. I am thinking, "What the heck?!!" and realized I had set off the motion detector. DUH!
(I guess I had stayed pretty much in the "safe zone" up until then.)
The five gallon buckets were covered in spilled oils. By the time I was done, I was filthy nasty oily. It may even be in my hair, as I neglected to pony tail it this morning.
*********************

Sometimes my mind works in odd directions. I had trouble falling asleep last night, because I was trying to get my mind around how one would diagram a complicated part of my cousin's family tree. I finally decided (so that I could get to sleep) that the best diagram for this family member's part of the tree would be a simple TRUNK without branches. The cousin married a young lady, divorced her, and married her mother. He has children by both women. So my cousin's son has two half sisters... who are mother and daughter to one another. The son's mother is one sister's mother and the other sister's grandmother. His daughter has one brother, who is half-brother to her mother. (Maybe a Venn Diagram would be better than a family tree in his case.) If I were the son and someone came to a party with all the relatives there (Which, by the way, would never happen) and inquired how I were related to these people... I think I would just say, "It's complicated. You don't want to know."
*************
Hair became a topic at work today. I said mine was now "platinum". The Boss says, "Not here it isn't. this is an automobile industry. Here, your hair color is "Chrome"!

Well, I hope you have a very blessed day. Thanks for reading!

Beautiful Day

2011-03-20T12:23:00.000-05:00

It is a beautiful day in the neighborhood. On the way back from buying groceries, I had Tom drop me off so that I could walk the rest of the way home. I got my 2 miles in, in the breezy sunshine. It is supposed to get up to 80* today, but so far, it is perfectly wonderful in me mid 70's. The chinaberry tree is full of blooms and bees. I have seen quite a few amazing trees in bloom around here... they look like they are full of purple tulips! The forsythia are in bloom. Two things I want to plant "when I get my house" are forsythia and peonies.

I pulled up grass and weeds around my rose bushes... and mistakenly also pulled up a clump of the mint we planted last year. I replanted THAT. I am keeping my eyes open for some flower seeds to plant in my containers. Mr C is out tilling the garden plot, and the boys are futiley removing rocks as he tills. I think the ground here is nothing BUT rocks.

I have taters and eggs on to boil for home made Potato Salad. Mr C is going to cook some wings up for supper tonight. He has made sure all the things he needs are on hand as well. It is just a wonderful day... the first official day of Spring. I am betting that we haven't quite seen the last of winter here though.

Have a blessed day, thanks for reading!

It is almost the first day of Spring...

2011-03-18T14:15:00.000-05:00

and a cold front is headed through!

Mr C was very pleased with yesterday's cleaning spree. I didn't quite finish last night... I left the clothes on my shelf-cum-dresser unfolded, and the basket of collected stuff unsorted until today. Now, I have a nice pile of winter clothes to put away, and a pile of give-away stuff.

I hung ~~threadbare~~ different curtains in there... more spring-like. Today I hung up my Ohio State throw blanket, in place of having a headboard. Kind of clashes with the decor... or lack there-of.... but it is out of the way now and the dogs can't wallow on it.

While cleaning today, I did find something that made me sad. My eldest son had given me his wedding ring to safe-keep for him while he is away... and I found it in the bottom of the basket of "stuff" I was sorting. I'm really not sure what to do about the ring, other than put it in a safer place than the basket. It sort of made me feel like finding the "One Ring"... the ring of doom!

Meanwhile, Back At The Ranch...

I have a roast in the slow cooker. It is smelling good! (My cooking blog languishes, as I tend to repeat my same-old same-old recipes.) I had intended to "spring clean" my bathroom today, but decided I am just not that energetic.

The boys are slogging along with their new curriculum. They aren't any too keen on it. In some ways, I don't blame them. The teachers talk down to the students as if they are three year olds rather than Junior High students. I am assuming this is typical of teachers dealing with children, as Tom's step cousin, who is an elementary school principal, tends to talk to kids like this. Really, one of their assignments yesterday was "Make a booklet with pictures cut from magazines, illustrating scenery from North America". They are in EIGHTH GRADE!, not third.
I am hoping that it gets "better", as they are just in the first week of assignments.

Hope you have a blessed day. Thank you for reading!

Trying to be productive!

2011-03-17T15:09:00.000-05:00

Today was oil day at my O'Reilly store. I got home, talked to my dear darling daughter... (who has yet to make public her announcement!), Walked 2 miles on the treadmill, and have been since cleaning my bedroom.

My bedroom doesn't get cleaned near often enough. The sheets get washed and the floor picked up- but the dusting and mopping can be ignored for ~~years~~ months. Today, I have the whole room disassembled. The mattress and box springs are in the hallway, as is my clothes shelving unit. The rest of the stuff has been getting shifted from side to side of the room as I dust, sweep, and mop. The quilt and comforter are getting washed, and the curtains will come down once the floor near the window dries. The ceiling fan still has to be dusted. My baskets of "stuff" that sit on the floor near my bed have to be gone through. Most of my winter clothes can be packed away. (Leave out a few of my favorite things for the inevitable cold snap that hits as soon as the winter clothes are stored!)

I took the racks of baseball caps down, moved one to a different wall, and tossed all the caps into the dryer (on fluff!) to knock the dust off of them. Sighed over my lack of a headboard for my bed. tossed the bedskirt into the washer with the sheets.

Don't you love Spring cleaning? I love the results... but my sinuses are sure cussing me at the moment!

Daniel and Sam are hard at work on their school curriculum. We NEED another computer compatible with the A&O Curriculum. Yesterday, Sam didn't have time to finish his school work, as they have to take turns. Today, I had them alternate after each subject, instead of one doing all his work, then the other starting his.

Here it is after 3:00 pm, and neither is done.

And since it IS after 3:00 pm, I best get back in there and finish my room. The section of florr I just cleaned ought to be dry by now!

Have a blessed day, Thanks for reading!

Since I was last here...

2011-03-15T17:20:00.001-05:00

I had a lovely drive down to ~~Prairie Grove~~ Farmington yesterday. For weeks, I have thought that the inventory scheduled for March 14th was in Prairie Grove. To be sure I had good directions on getting there, I Googled "O'Reilly Auto Parts Prairie Grove". This was when I discovered that there is not an O'Reilly's in Prairie Grove. The nearest one to there is in Farmington. So I got out my little schedule book and checked... sure enough... I was supposed to go to Farmington. They aren't too far apart, but from where I live, it would have been driving an extra twenty minutes west to turn back east fifteen minutes.

I chose a route that was very scenic to get there. Right through the National Forest for a part of it. It was either that, or take 540. The freeway isn't always faster! As it turned out, the scenic route was every bit as quick as the freeway getting me there. (The boss and I compared routes when I found myself behind him the last 1/2 mile. We left Gentry at virtually the same time- and he took the freeway.) On the way home... the scenic route proved MUCH faster, when I turned on the radio and heard the freeway... where I WASN'T!... was at a standstill!

Since I was here last, Daniel and Sam proved their worth as firefighters. Friday and Saturday, I had to work ALL day. I was dealing with a customer Friday, when a co-worker said, "Tammy, you have a call on line 3." I finished with the customer, and promptly went back to the planogram I had been working on before I was asked to help at the counter. My call was completely forgotten. Next time the phone rang, I was called to the phone again. It was Sam, and he sounded freaked out and out of breath.

I asked him, "Is everyone OK?" as he was catching his wind. He gasped out, "Yes... Fire.... the field was on fire...." I told him I would be right home. The winds were blowing a good 25 mph Friday.

I told my co-workers I needed to count down my drawer and leave. they all said, "Just GO!"... so I did. By the time I got here, the field was out. I am estimating about 1/3 to 1/2 acre was burned.

Dan said they were doing their schoolwork shortly after Tom had headed back to work from his lunch break. It was a beautiful day, despite the wind, and they had the doors open. Dan smelled smoke and noticed it blowing by the front door. He looked out, thinking how stupid it was for the neighbors to be trying to burn trash on such a windy day.
It wasn't the neighbors trash burning... it was our back field!
Sam grabbed the phone to call me as Dan connected the water hoses. When I didn't answer immediately, Sam hung up and went on to help Dan.
Our hoses were not long enough to reach the fire, though as it got closer to the house, they had less distance to run carrying their five gallon buckets of water. The neighbor lady came over and brought the boys their hose... and went back and got another as they were all still too short. Then the neighbors called the fire department. (Or maybe they called the FD before bringing the hoses... we don't know.)

By the time the front truck arrived for the fire department, the boys had the blaze almost put out. It was extinguished before the guy even got out of his truck. He was able to call and cancel the pumper truck, which was another 15 minutes away.

How did the fire start?
We are leaning away from the "spontaneous combustion" theory and towards the four and five year old neighbor children playing with a lighter or matches. The fire started in the tall grass a mere 5 feet from their property line. We haven't made an accusations, as we lack concrete evidence. These kids are perpetually unsupervised and have been witnessed in several acts of vandalism, and suspected in more. Even though the parents are BOTH home... the kids are left to their own devices for hours on end.

Dan and Sam kept their heads. They did everything right. My presence was unnecessary, but I am sure they were reassured to give over command when I showed up. I am very proud of how well they handled the emergency.

Their firefighting led to soot covered clothes and shoes. Since Dan's shoes are sneakers, I had him toss them into the washing machine. Later, as they dried, the whump whump whump of drying sneakers became extremely loud, so I had him remove the shoes from the dryer. The re-started dryer continued to whump. I checked... and found one of the baffles inside the dryer had snapped off. This left exposed screw points mangling the clothes. Yippee.

Sunday, I asked the guys for help in removing the baffle screws. Mr C took over the job. He removed the screws while I looked for parts online. I got a new baffle, "special" screws, and shipping for under $20 total. In a few days, the dryer will be as good as ~~new~~ it was before the baffle broke off.

Someday I will remember to check YouTube before I go on an online search for instructions on how to do something. After jumping through several "join this site free" hoops to find out how to get the top of the dryer open, I happened to wonder if perhaps I could find a video of it on YouTube.
Sure enough! Instructional videos... and the one I watched even had a guy doing it one-handed, as his right arm was in a sling!

I love the internet.

You know... I am thinking that for the last three or four years... just about this time of year... I have either had to fix the washer or the dryer. What is it about this time of year?

Have a blessed day. Thanks for reading.

My new purse

2011-03-11T05:11:00.002-06:00

**** I thought this was published last week!!****

If you are into designer handbags, You may not want to read any further. Because, I am most certainly NOT a designer bag person.

More of a cheap utilitarian type.

As I lamented a couple of weeks ago, my purse (seconhand thrift store edition) was held together with safety pins and "D" rings. I kept my eye out in all the usual places I shop. I wanted something cheap... but not plastic. And not endowed with half a dozen huge, gaudy buckles.

Yesterday, I noticed the bits of material that the safety pins and "D" rings were attached to, were at their breaking point. Since I was in town for library day, the boys and I went to WalMart. Being boys, the moment I headed to any department that didn't hold relevence for them, Sam and Dan disappeared.

The Bentonville WalMart had just set up a new display of handbags. I had chosen a black bag in the heavy denim twill... when I saw the same design in camo. After nearly twenty seconds of debate... I went with the camo. (Becky will be so jealous!)

Then I had a choice of sizes... one was $10., the other $12. I went with the larger of the two. (Actually, there were a couple of still larger sizes, but I figured this one was sufficeint!)

So, here it is... my latest necessity tote.

On my way to the car after buying the new purse... the old one gave up. The straps broke completely off, the fabric it had been pinned to finally unable to withstand any more abuse. After several jokes about being careful where I put it down, as I may not be able to find it... I had to laugh when I really could not find it this morning. I couldn't find it because I was looking for the old one!

Whoo Hoot! * Edited to include Dan's riddle)

2011-03-10T13:53:00.001-06:00

The boys new curriculum (Alpha Omega) just arrived.

Trying to get it installed and the assignments figured out was challenging, but I think we are good to go now.
Except we have to come up with a good deal of Science equipment. Microscope,

slides,
specialized papers, astrolabe.. At least we don't need to order disecting stuff this year.

Sam had been working on the math from his old curriculum as I was walking on the treadmill. He approached and says (in essence, since he is a stickler for exact quotes!) "I really dislike when math is referred to as "magic"! There isn't anything magical about it! With math, you always know what you are getting. It is like an element! Unchanging.
Now the Language Arts, on the other hand... you can say THAT is magic."

I love the way the boys reason. Especially Sam.

Daniel came up with an excellent and complicated riddle for one of his older brothers. I am impressed with it.
I will try to post it once he is done tweaking it.
Here is Dan's riddle:
He who sows of me, reaps of me.

and though I will be used to knight, I can be used in the day.

If you do not have me, sell your garment to get me.

They shall flee as if fleeing from me.

Both long and great I can be,

but make me small and my name will change.

What am I?

Have a blessed day, Thanks for reading.

Rambling

2011-03-08T13:23:00.001-06:00

Lots of little things to catch up on...

Alana had her birthday Saturday... Eight years old! So much has happened in those eight years- and yet it doesn't seem like eight years was all that long ago. Maybe I'm feeling like the toilet paper at the center of the roll... time is spinning by more quickly as I get closer to the end!

The 5th of March marks 7 years since we had to move away from our home in Marlow. Whatever reason God has for moving us here hasn't made itself manifest yet. Every time I look at the ugly color walls in my bedrooms and bathrooms here, I miss having MY house that I could decorate as I liked. Watching a TV show a couple of nights ago... I think it was an episode of "Cops"... a homeowner had curtains of the same fabric as my curtains in Central High... I nearly started crying. I had made my curtains from the same fabric I had used to cover the kitchen soffets there. I miss my big old kitchen!

Friday, I also got to have lunch with an old friend.. the lady whose son we babysat from the time we was a newborn up until just under a year ago. We haven't talked in awhile, so we spent a solid three hours catching up. I really enjoyed getting to have "girl time".

I got Daniel and Sam's curriculum ordered. I had to stress several times to Tom, as well as the boys, that it was a PLACEMENT test for this particular publisher's curriculum. It doesn't mean they are "behind" or haven't been learning the "right" stuff. It is designed to place them appropriatly in THIS curriculum. I expect to receive it by the end of this week.

Yesterday, Sam had been climbing a tree. He climbs trees all the time... often stopping his Mom's heart as he leaps from tree to tree. As he dropped to the ground yesterday after his climb, his foot landed on a stick, which rolled beneath him. This caused him to stumble, and fall forward. ~~(And we were always taught it was Spring -Forward and Fall -Back)~~
He landed on his palms. One came up cut- deeply. I was dreading the emergency room... hours and hours of waiting, and me needing to be at inventory by 1:00pm. Tom suggested maybe I call the doctor's office and see if they could sew him up. So I did, and they could! We were there in fifteen minutes and back home in an hour... with six stitches, a tetnus shot, and an antibiotic. I made it to inventory with time to spare.

The boss has "upped" my work hours "from now until business slows down". I will be staying over on Fridays and Saturdays past when I finish my shipping and receiving, until it gets slow, or my eight (nine) hours are up. I will be back to working the counter, as well as doing planograms and restocking shelves.

That's about all the news I can think of for now.
Have a blessed day, and thanks for reading!

Shoe Shoppin'

2011-03-03T13:15:00.000-06:00

I would just as soon have a root canal as to shop for shoes. I dislike shopping for shoes for myself, not too keen on finding shoes for boys... and AAAAAARRRRRGGGHHH! on shoe shopping with girls. I used to make Tom take Becky shoe shopping when she needed shoes.

So I must really love my dear sweet grand daughter Alana. Alana will be 8 years old on Saturday. She wanted shoes for her birthday. While a parent can say my kid wears THIS size pants and THIS size shirt, shoes are more difficult to fit. Yesterday afternoon I picked Alana up after school, and we went shoe shopping, just the two of us.

Since I had a list of what kinds of shoes she was interested in, and got to take a peek at a pair of shoes that were already purchased and put away awaiting her party, I thought it might be an easy trip.

The first pair she gravitated to was nearly identical to the ones that had already been purchased... but I couldn't TELL her that. I am not too great at coming up with plausible reasons for an action when put on the spot... so I told her that she couldn't get this pair of white sandals because white shoes get dirty too easily. Pretty lame, huh? So she next chose these...

Sparkley silver sandals with one inch lucite heels

Grandma said NO!

We eventually came to terms with practicality, and sales. She got knee boots and clogs for half price, and then these charming Sketchers platform sandals with rhinestones.

Alana is a happy shoe diva now!

How about these?

So, the birthday shopping is done, until July. Make that June, with Dan and Sam's birthday. I hope they don't want shoes.

"Carnation"

2011-02-27T14:32:00.000-06:00

Many years ago, ~~way back in history, when all there was to drink was nothing but cups 'o tea~~ when I was in grade school and Jr. High, I attended a couple of small country schools. Every year, the art teacher shared by these two schools would organize a huge pageant. Both schools referred to these pageants as "Carnations". Like the flower. In the school year books, and on one of the programs I held on to for years, the event was always "The Carnation".

One year, the theme was "Japan". My brothers wore karate uniforms, and my step-mother made my sister and I colorful kimonoes. She used flour powdered over cold cream to give Lalani and I white faces, after having used a bit of tape to give our eyes an upward slant. She finished our faces with fire engine red lipstick and heavy eyeliner. Not one of our fellow students recognised us! We learned several songs in Japanese... (I can still sing one of them!) and small skits. We learned "chinese jump rope", done with bamboo poles.

Another year, at the second school, we had a 1920's theme "Carnation". Lalani and I dressed as flappers, and learned the Charleston! This was the year that two of my younger brothers were class "Favorites". Brother Ricky in his shiney hot pink nylon shirt was paired with Tammie Frazier... he was the shortest boy in the class and she was the tallest girl. (School kids have the meanest sense of humor.)

It wasn't until after I was grown and thought back on the amazing job that the teacher did with the "Carnation"'s that it dawned on me that this was the annual even where the "King and Queen" of the school was crowned.

I don't know when, in the long ago histories of either school, that "Coronation" was mangled into "Carnation" and STAYED mangled for all of the generations to follow. Why did no one ever correct the spelling, and pronunciation?
While I haven't been back to either school in more than 30 years, I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that the annual "Carnation" event continues.

Organization

2011-02-24T11:14:00.002-06:00

I always have the best intentions of getting organized and STAYING that way. For example, the contents of my purse... organized into ziplock bags. Organized!
Staying organized is my downfall. For example, the contents of my purse. Things that I already had organized in bags are randomly tossed into the purse.

My bookcases... I have schoolwork sections, library sections, kids sections, cookbook sections. Organized!
But then I have library books in a bag on the table. On a chair next to my bed. On the arm of the couch.
Cookbooks on the counter, on the table, on the computer desk. School books are all over the house!

I have the canned goods organized... and then more stuff randomly tossed in every which way.
I have my sewing stuff organized... in a willy nilly stack in the corner by my desk.

At least at work, I am consistent. I know exactly where my pen, highlighter, and markerboard pen are. I keep them "hidden" so that they stay where I can find them! I know where the monthly paperwork is located, separated into date order. The bi-daily paperwork has its place... highlighted for tomorrow or filed from yesterday. My stamp pad has its spot. My repair tabs have their place, as do the colored special order labels. I leave it all just so, every day. And when I return the next day.. it is as I left it. Most of the time. When my co-workers fill in for me, I may find my pen missing, never to be seen again. The repair tabs moved, the special order labels across the room. But I don't crab at them too much... they did the best they could.
My parts get put away in numeric order, according to type and brand. I DO crab when I find these things out of place! How hard IS numeric order? 50004 comes WAAAAAAAYY after 5023, not before it. And having worked shipping and receiving for nearly an entire year now, I have learned to anticipate some seasonal events and prepare my stock room for them.
Today, the lawn and garden batteries came in. Having anticipated this... I had a spot all prepared for them! Using my CDO (that is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, but the letters are in order), I even have the U1R batteries on the right hand side, and the U1L batteries on the left hand side of the shelves.

I need to be this organized at home. And be able to maintain the organization. I have decided that as long as my family is helping with the chores, I won't be overly picky about them not putting the sugar back in the exact spot I had prepared for it. Or putting little cups on the mugs shelf. I just set the things back where they belong.
And maybe twitch a little.

OK. So I twitch a lot. Looks like a nervous tic.
But they are ~~doing as little as they can get away with to avoid being asked to do chores~~ trying to help.
I have wondered if a label maker would help them get things into the right spots. But then I think a label maker is just a waste. (Time, label supplies, money.) They would actually have to read the labels and remember not to just leave things laying around when they are done with them. I admit, I am bad about that very thing here at home! We do get a bit frustrated with Mr C though. His favorite thing is to tell everyone to "Clean as you go!... Don't leave things out! put them away as soon as you are done with them!" and then leave a trail behind him for others to deal with. He has no clue he does this. Since I know I am an offender, at least I don't harp on others being guilty of not picking up after themselves.

Well, Time for me to get stuff done around here. I am up to 96 miles of walking for the year, well on target to hit 50 miles a month to make my 600 miles by Dec 31st goal.
Tomorrow is Nickole's birthday! Happy "Twoth" birthday Nicky-Poo!

Have a blessed and happy day!

What do you have IN that thing?

2011-02-23T14:41:00.000-06:00

A fellow blogger I read was comparing the size of women's purses to the size of their behinds. Then he remarked/ asked about what all a woman carries in her purse.

My purse has:
My billfold
hairbrush
dental floss
mints
lip ointment

drugs (ibuprofen, blood pressure medication I haven't needed in 2 years, allergy pills, lactaid)(In a ziplock bag)

paperwork (in a ziplock)
change (in a ziplock)
two "lucky Buckeyes"
receipts and other paperwork... not in a ziplock
a boxknife
a pen
another pen
another pen
ponytail holders and hair clips (in a ziplock)
makeup (in a zipock)

another pen

six ponytail holders (NOT in a ziplock)
change (NOT in a ziplock)
an eyeglass case
hand lotion
eye drops (not in a ziplock)
three extra key rings... without keys on them

an emery board

a rock with a hole through it strung on a ball chain
A datebook calendar
a clear travel size box of Q-Tips
A purse size pack of kleenex

my birthday card from my Mom (My birthday was in October!)

A christmas card from a co-worker

a clothespin

an eyeglass repair kit

another ziplock of change

an interesting rock

eleven old paycheck stubs
a printout of a Google map to an inventory back in December.

My purse is lighter now. I put the change in my Cowwy bank.

MMMM! Purse change fills my tummy!

I tossed the old papers and check stubs. I even have best intentions of looking for a "new" purse, as this one is held together with keychains and safety pins! My problem with purses is they are so... ugly these days. And I hate to spend any more than $10 on one. In fact, I haven't even been able to bring myself to pay $10 for one. So between ugly and expensive, I just have made do with the one I have.

I have to say though, if it is a reflection of the size of my rear end... I'm not doing too bad!

Tuesday...

2011-02-22T15:51:00.000-06:00

Another week past. Wow... the time is sure escaping!
Yesterday I had an inventory in Lincoln, AR. It wasn't until 1:00pm, so I spent the morning cleaning house and supervising the boys as they continue testing. I was gathering laundry from my room, and picked up Mr C's jeans. They had the billfold and belt still in them, so I carried them carefully to the laundry room and unloaded the pockets.
Then I went back to my bathroom to gather and dirty clothes that might be there.
Before I got too far into the dim room- I happened to go skidding and flailing across the floor- crashing shoulder and left arm into the towel cupboard by the bathroom door. I had slipped on Tom's car keys, which had fallen from his jeans when I picked them up a few minutes before. I got a scrape and bruise on my left arm to match the one on my right from Thursday. I am also feeling like I may of dented my left collarbone... I basically only notice this when I am lifting or carrying something. However, my job involves a LOT of lifting and carrying.... so I noticed it a lot today!

There was a lot of freight today... looks like things are really picking back up after the very slow last month and a half. Since we are getting large shipments of springtime items, I know that one day soon I am going to walk in and find an entire pallet of lawn and garden batteries. I have been making room for them in our "back room" area. I have put more hours in during the past week than I put in for the entire previous month!

My past week was not only rough on my physically (3 falls and sundry other injuries), but also emotionally. As I mentioned in my last post, a high school friend lost her husband. Then the friend I mentioned who was on life support, did pass away on Thursday. And yesterday, my son Christopher's old dog Sampson had to be put down after a weekend of seizures. Sampson was pretty old for a boxer, but that doesn't make it any easier on my grandchildren or their parents. I even cried over him, and everyone knows I am NOT a "dog person". I am so thankful to Jennifer and James for taking Sampson in when Seneca had to move away.

I heard that Ben has made his move down to Texas. Now, all of my kids are in Texas except Bill, and the twins. I told Tom that perhaps he should be looking to transfer to Abilene! (Though I REALLY do NOT want to live in Texas!)

Well, may I wish each of you a blessed and "trip free" day! Thanks for reading!

Having a "Bill" day....

2011-02-17T17:34:00.001-06:00

My second son, Bill, is known for being accident prone. If he ever calls anyone and says "Guess where I am?"... the person guessing can usually count on being correct if they say "At the hospital?"

Once, he called me up and told me that his boss had brought a watermelon to work for the crew members to have at their lunch. As soon as he said this, I asked him "How many stitches?"

"What? Mom, all I said is that the boss brought a watermelon to work for us to have at lunch!"
"And I know you!" How many stitches?"
"*Nine." he mumbled. (I truly don't remember how *many stitches this incident involved.)

Today was "oil day" at my job. With only three pallets, it wasn't too bad. I was taking down five gallon buckets of tractor fluid and stacking them on a dolly to move. The buckets were about my shoulder height... and I was wrestling them down and turning and putting them on the dolly. My finger got caught between a brace of the dolly and a five gallon bucket of tractor fluid.
When I got my finger free, it was bent.. I was sure it was broken. I tried moving it.. and had free range of motion... the misshapen portion was due to the pressure of the bucket lid pressing in on my finger. In fifteen minutes, it was almost as good as new. I do still have a blue line bruise on my finger.

After completing the oil check in, I went to work on the shipping. With the auditor due for our annual inspection any day now, I have to be sure anything that CAN be shipped out, gets shipped. Today, it included some bins that were recently removed from the front counters. they are awkwardly shaped to ship, and I had six of them going out. So I was wrapping the shrink wrap around my pallet good and tight.
The "oil day" shipment includes cases and cases of antifreeze and window washer fluids in addition to the oil.
My strong husky co-worker guys take care of the lifting, toting and putting away of these cases of fluids. But the cases may sit on one of the pallets until the guys can get to them, as happened this morning.

I am wrapping my pallet nice and snug with my shrink wrap, carefully stepping over the area where my pallet of freight is inches from the pallet of antifreeze. Round and round and round I go! It makes me dizzy on a GOOD day. Today I was even dizzier, since the awkward shapes required me to go around and around even more times.

Just as I reached the corner where I needed to step between the two pallets... my roll of shrink wrap ended. It is bound to itself at the end of each roll. I already had one foot in the air to step as I hit the end of the roll... and it jerked me up short! I stumbled over the pallet corner I was trying to step over and went flailing into the stack of trash and empty boxes nearby. Pretty much flat on my face, but breaking my fall with my right arm.

I gained my "seat"... not even trying to stand up right away. No one had seen my fall! I assessed... wondering briefly if my arm was broken. It wasn't. I did get a nasty scrape on my arm, as well as a bruised knee. My hip/pelvis area is a bit out of whack... but I am not seriously hurt.

The twins laughed as I told them about my scraped arm when I got home... Sam saying I must be having a "Bill day". Dan suggested I might need to put on a helmet.

Bill called me a short while later, and we laughed about one of his worst moments. He had a broken ankle, which he got from a "runaway pickle wagon" while at a restaurant. He had tried to save a waitress who was so petite that her cart carrying "pickle bar" refills escaped her on the incline from the kitchen. Bill tried to stop the pickle wagon, but was instead run over by it, and suffered a broken ankle.

He had had to drive Christopher's car to the local college for some reason. Chris' car had a bad door- you had to raise the door up as you closed it. So Bill punched down the lock on the car door, balancing on one foot (the other being in a cast), put the car keys into his pocket... raised the door, and shut it. On his fingers.
This happened to have been some sort of holiday at the college... no one was around.
Bill is trapped... car keys in his pocket, balanced on one foot, fingers slammed firmly into the car door... and he cannot reach the keys in his pocket with his other hand.
He yelled for help for over half an hour before someone finally came by.
And to reach the keys, the fellow had to spoon right up to Bill's body and reach around him, and fish in his pocket. The sight that comes to mind is obscenely comical.

Poor Bill.
But we did laugh at it today. And now you can too.

Have a blessed day, and thanks for reading!

As Kermit always said, "Time is fun when you're having flies!"

2011-02-16T15:08:00.001-06:00

I got in an entire four hours at work this morning! Between today and yesterday, I now have more time in than I had the entire previous week.
When I got home, Dan and Sam had finished today's school assignments. I let them goof off for awhile, and then decided that, no matter what our final curriculum choice for this year will be, they ought to take a placement test. So, for the last several hours, they have been hard at work on an online placement test. I told them to take a break... it doesn't all have to be done in one day.

They put on their capes and ran out the back door. Lack of peer pressure means they aren't the least self conscious about racing around outside wearing home made capes.
We usually ask the boys two or three times a year if they would like to go to public school. They have always told me "NO!".

I asked them before we began the placement test, do they like doing all their school work on the computer, or would they rather have real workbooks and textbooks. Dan asked, "Which one is cheaper?" I told him the cost was near enough to be irrelevant. He said he like being able to stretch out on his bunk to do his reading and workbook type subjects. I pointed out that if he had a laptop, he could still do it on his bed, online.
************
It was pointed out to me that I have stated my grand daughter Nickole's birthdate incorrectly. Her birthday is the 25th, not the 20th, of February. She has just over a week until she turns two.

************************
A few days ago, the husband of one of the girls I went to high school with, passed away. They had known one another since they were 12 and 15, and had been dating since she was 15, married 28 years. He had a heart attack.
And then yesterday I learned that one of the guys I had trained when I worked for Eagle, is in the hospital on life support. His two children have to decide on whether or not to "pull the plug". His older child is only 20 or so, but they are all S. has left. He has killed himself drinking.

It just makes me so sad.
*******
Well, Thanks for checking in today. Have a blessed day, and tell someone you love them!

Annual Time of Decision Making

2011-02-15T17:07:00.000-06:00

I am not so sure I want to invest $800+ (each) on the online curriculum for Dan and Sam. It would sure be the easiest way to be certain they are getting a full course load of learning done. But if they hate it and it becomes an ordeal to get it all finished in the set time frame... then what? It isn't like books I can resell on eBay or something.

I can order all the wonderful sounding books... and then have to do everything... or the workbooks that we gave up on with the older kids.... which was more of a middle ground approach.

Decisions, decisions.

I did discover that the American History series I have wanted to buy for years! is available to check out for free from our local public library! SO I checked out Volumes 1 & 2... and we will start reading those tomorrow!

Work today was WORK! There was a middling amount of freight coming in (all since Saturday), but loads and loads going out. I used every available tote, and the guys had to scrounge me a few more, just to do the MINIMUM of outgoing freight. It was 11:00 am before I got home. We left nearly at once for the library, and the boys did their volunteering. On the way home, we got a Papa Murphy's pizza for supper tonight. I like to brush the crust with garlic butter before baking. With their double thick crusts, it is like getting an order of garlic bread!

The snow is melting away... and the ground is a waterlogged mess. We are carefully parking as close to the front of the driveway as we can. Even walking between the house and car is slogging through puddles and mud.

It is hard to believe we are more than halfway through the second month of the year! Nickole's second birthday is just five days from now.
Have a happy and blessed evening!

Valentines day...

2011-02-14T20:06:00.000-06:00

I got Mr C (or myself!) a Paula Deen kitchen tool. It is the "Kitchenmajig" by Ecko, reborn. (Boy, was he ever impressed!)

I got a box with cookies, and a couple of pretty sweaters from my mom. (Thanks, Mom!)
I sent out the school type Valentine cards to the grandkids and grandparents! Toy Story!

I also sent candies to the grandkids.... I'm sure their parents appreciate the sugar induced hyperactivity.

For supper, I made Chineasy Chicken. It was tasty.
******************************************
Aside from doing time on the treadmill, I don't think I have had my real shoes on all day... just my house shoes. I am a person who has to have my feet covered. Socks are a minimum requirement. I put my shoes on first thing in the morning, and they stay on until late in the evening... or sometimes all the way until bedtime. I just don't go barefoot.

I don't remember if I have ever posted about the accident I had in third grade, where I boiled the skin off both feet. I was cleaning the bathroom as a surprise for Mom. I thought that the best way to clean the tub was to fill it with hot water, and then use the toilet scrubber to wash the sides. the tub had sliding glass doors. Dressed in my patent leather Mary Janes, I was standing straddled the sides of the tub... one foot against the top of the tub along the wall, the other along the narrow edge of the tub inside the glass doors.

My Mary Janes slipped, and I fell into the water, which was about four inches deep and still filling. The water heater was set to deliver water pretty well at the boiling point. I grabbed the door rail, which slid me back and forth as the door rolled along its tracks.

I was screaming... and my brother Rick grabbed me and pulled me out of the tub. He ran to get my Mom. I climbed up onto the sink vanity and turned on the cold water... I stuck my feet, shoes and all, under the cold water. Mom was on the phone, but hung up to come see what the commotion was about. As I took off my shoes and socks... my skin stayed in the socks.

Mom called a neighbor, who drove us to the ER. His wife looked after my brothers. I remember my feet were bandaged for weeks, and I had to go several times a week to have the dead skin removed and my feet re bandaged. My Camp Fire Girl group brought me games and books. I returned to school on crutches, as one foot was worse than the other. Everyone though I was so brave... I just felt stupid!

I don't know if I went barefoot much before then, I really don't remember. But the burns made my feet very sensitive, so I know I seldom went barefoot afterwards. Most of the pigmentation tissue was burned off, so my feet don't tan. Since I seldom get outside enough to develop much of a tan, that really isn't a problem! If I DO happen to get a tan, I have "white sock" tan lines, even if I TRY to tan my feet.

I don't know that I can remember a time that I painted my toenails. I have whatever is opposite of a foot fetish... a foot revulsion? I don't want people messing with my feet... the thoughts of a pedicure sends waves of revulsion through me.

Well, so much for Valentines Day... Hope you aren't too grossed out by my foot post!
Have a blessed day, thanks for reading!

Spontaneous!

2011-02-11T15:57:00.001-06:00

Today was another day I didn't ~~work~~ get a truck at O'Reilly's. The roads here have pretty much cleared off, and the boss said YES, I will be working tomorrow.
I scrubbed my bathroom and forced Sam to scrub the boys' bathroom. Dan cleaned the kitchen and neatened the front room. We had intended to go over to Bentonville/ Rogers and buy Dan a new pair of shoes at the New Balance store, and pick up my reserved library book. I got Valentines ready to send out to those who weren't getting boxes... and missed the postman. So we had to add a stop by the post office to our errands.

But I saw (on Facebook) that my grandkids had been out of school for two full weeks at home, with the weekend looming large. I asked if they would like to come for the weekend. They were agreeable, so I went to Siloam Springs instead of Bentonville. Dan got his New Balance sneakers, but at The Shoe Dept instead of at the NB store. My library book was put off... maybe it will still be there Monday? Since there is a Post Office in just about every little byway in America, we mailed the Valentines while we were out.

Sam thought Chicken Fajita Alfredo sounded good for supper, and I needed a few other things... so Dan and I stopped by WalMart with Connor and Alana. We got our supplies, plus a few extra goodies. Alana is now decorating some sugar cookies... Connor didn't want to help. At the store, Alana chose the breakfast cereal, Connor chose the soda pop. Connor also chose the "everything" loaf of deli bread we will warm up with garlic butter to go with our Alfredo and salad for supper tonight.

They are fixing to go out and play in the snow. It has warmed up to 38*, but we still have PLENTY of snow on the ground. (Finally to snowman/ snowball consistency!) They have played with the Magnetix, and raced cars on Ben's Wii (under supervision from their uncles). Whew... almost out of entertainment ideas and it is just three hours since I picked them up! (I'm sure it is taking them longer to dress than they will actually play out in the snow!)

Shortly after I arrived home, I got a phone call from my godfather, Paul! I haven't heard from him in ages. We had a nice chat. I linked him to the pictures over at Moocrew2.

That's been my day... other than the usual laundry, walking the treadmill, and cruising the Internets!
Have a blessed day!

Not the only one with Senior Moments...

2011-02-10T15:01:00.000-06:00

Mean Mom Alert!
I told the boys earlier today that there were TWO things they had to get done before today is over: Their math... and the building of a snowman.
Dan said they don't have the scaffolding that was around when Ben and Tommy built their big snowman. I said they don't have to make an epically tall one... they can be creative. look at some Calvin and Hobbes cartoons and have fun with it.

I had one of the neighbor boys come over here with a note... could I take his mom to the store, they were stuck in their driveway? Since Tom had kept our cars cleared yesterday, and shoveled the driveway... I could get out. The kid said their neighbor on the other side had a "clear driveway" and I could use it so his Mom would not have to walk so far in the snow.
So I pulled down to the neighbors drive.... It had seen some traffic- like a truck or tractor had made ruts through the snow. But my wee little car would no way, no how have been able to make it! His Mom trudged out to the road. We went to town. As long as I was there, I got some milk, and chocolate chips. I could see nice warm cookies fresh from the oven.... *drool*

The boys were so glad to see ~~the bags of chocolate and butterscotch morsels~~ me home! They asked right away if they could open the morsels. I said only if cookies were made TODAY. So, they opened the morsels. I reminded them of the snowman... Dan reluctantly dressed to go out and play in the snow. I asked Sam, wasn't he going? "Someone has to make the cookies" he tells me.

A few minutes later, I got up from in front of the computer to check on the roast in the slow cooker... which I had forgotten to plug in this morning... a fact I discovered some two hours into the "cooking" time. (Senior Moment #1 for the day?) I saw that the boys had followed earlier instructions... sort of. Scrubbed potatoes were cooking... but no carrots or onions. I got out the carrots... and needed to peel them. I looked and looked for the can opener... only to discover when I did find it... I was wanting the carrot peeler... NOT the can opener! (Senior Moment #2?)

Meanwhile, Sam is unloading the dishwasher. (He and Daniel take turns cleaning the kitchen.) It was strange that he wasn't whining and complaining about having to unload Dan's dishes. I mentioned the cookies he was supposed to be making. He stops... looks at the dishes in his hands and says , "COOKIES! WHY am I unloading the dishwasher!" (Sam's Senior Moment)
Apparently, he had forgotten why he was in the kitchen.
I sent him out to help with the snowman. The cookies are postponed.

Soon both boys came back inside.. the 20" of snow is still too dry to hold together in either snowballs or snowmen.

Supper is smelling wonderful.

Dan baked a very good "bread" this morning. "Loamhedge Legacy Nutbread" from their Redwall Cookbook. It was chock full of pecans... and I LOVE pecans in anything! I was munching a piece of it... and noticed my whole esophagus was warm, my tummy burning a bit. This bread actually uses red pepper in it! It wasn't too hot in my mouth, I would probably not have noticed the heat, had it not warmed my innards so much.
The author of the Redwall books, Brian Jacques, passed away earlier this week. The boys are sad to learn of this.

My wish for you...

2011-02-10T08:16:00.000-06:00

I wish for you: a very happy day. May you realize all the blessings you have. May happiness surround you and dwell within you this day.
********************

Today the sun is shining, blindingly, off our 20 inches of fresh snow. We have giant snow drifts. The snow is dry as powder and as light as down feathers. Pictures are up over at Shutterfly. (The word Pictures is a link to the site). Those are from yesterday and from the blizzard at the first of the month. Sure looks like the local weather and old timers had it right... so very few people around here can remember it EVER being this snowy. Maybe I SHOULD of bought one of those sleds at WM the other day!

Mr C was able to get to work this morning, as he and the boys (mostly Dan) dug out the cars and driveway yesterday. The snow plow came through and cleared the roads of all but the least bit of snow. (Sam was bathing while tom and Dan shoveled... then used the opportunity of the ONE time I actually went out into the snow... to hack my facebook page I had left open. (I left it open because I was bundled up to go outside when Becky popped up to chat. I told her I would be right back. I THOUGHT both boys were outside.)

Have a blessed day. Give someone you love a big hug and let them know you care!

"Lucid Dreams" and disasters

2011-02-08T14:43:00.000-06:00

My son Ben has been practicing learning to know when he is dreaming...inside the dream... so that he can control the events of the dream.

The last few nights I have had some wild and crazy dreams myself.
In the first one, I was at a house in a valley, between some hills. There was a stream and a field behind the house. What looked like storm clouds began to gather in the northeast... and then the most AMAZING sight... a HUGE white horse appeared behind the trees on the hill. Huge doesn't really do justice to describing the size of the horse... it was taller than the 130' tall trees growing on the hillside.

I called out for my family (It was mostly Tom's family... his Mom, brother Bob, sister Joyce, as well as the twins were there.) to come see what was happening... this could simply NOT BE. The horse spread massive white wings and beat the air... sending tree smashing gusts of wind.

Wait a minute! For one thing, it is impossible for a horse to get that large. And for another thing... horses do NOT have wings. Therefore, I MUST be dreaming!

I said as much to the family. Bob said, "No... you aren't dreaming... we can all see the same thing!" He pointed out the rolling clouds of dust the wind from the horse's wings was stirring up... as it boiled back into the sky, the dust looked like a man's hands reaching down.

This was some serious stuff! I was praying that my kids were all OK, and wondering what was happening wherever they were at. MomArlene said we needed to get prepared to hold our home as long as we could. Bob rigged up a way to operated the well pump without electricity. MomArlene and I began to assess the stock of foods... enough to last us all about seven days...

Then Mr C woke me up.
***********
Since then, I have found myself repeatedly wondering just how prepared we really are in the face of some catastrophic disaster. It doesn't have to be a giant winged horse to be a nightmarish disaster. We are pretty complacent as a people. We expect to be able to get to the grocery store... if not today, because of weather, or illness, or earthquake... then certainly by next week. We don't give a lot of thought to the supply lines... the things that have to happen for us to get water, electricity, gasoline, and food.

So few of us today put food by... canning, freezing, hunting and fishing... we would not be prepared for a major disaster. What will we do when the stores aren't refilled with food, the gas stations are out of gas, and water doesn't flow from our faucets? Are we ready for the "lean" seasons... such as the ones that came after the years of "fat" in Joseph's time? (Joseph of the Bible)

I think my current household could last at least 10 days... maybe two weeks. I would find myself having to do some emergency canning if the electricity failed... after we ran out of gas for the generator. But we could eat. Water could prove a problem, without power.

Since the disasters seems to be a recurring theme of my dreams the last couple of months, I am thinking I will do more to become prepared for survival! Perhaps preparing will alleviate whatever is in my mind that disturbs my dreams so much.

The second recurring theme of my dreams is moving to my own house. It never seems to be the SAME house I move to... but several times a week I can count on dreaming of having my own place. Sometimes it is in a town, with people close by. Sometimes it is out in the country. It is always a big place... though not usually in great shape! Many times my grown kids are living there, as well as my grandkids. (Becky was in my dream last night, with Tyrel, Kimber, and a baby girl who was the size Kimber is now!)

Happy trails... be blessed!

Remember that our "meeting place" in case of a disaster is supposed to be Grandpa Bill's house. Maybe we should have Becky's place as a back-up... though that would sure impose on Nola!

Playing around

2011-02-06T13:01:00.001-06:00

I have been playing around on the blog this morning, giving it a bit of a face lift. (I could use one myself, but this is as close as I am likely to get!)
After being off for four days, I went in and worked an eight hour shift on Saturday. (I had an hour lunch, so I was there for nine hours.) It was busy, not only in shipping and receiving, but on the register as well. I sold MANY wiper blades, and enough washer fluid to fill a bathtub. I discovered how completely rusty I am on the register... and at standing on concrete for such a long time.
So far, the snow predicted for today has all gone south of us. It is supposed to be (relatively) nice tomorrow, breaking out of freezing temperatures into the upper 30's. The roads are now mostly clear... but the rumor mill at work has folks battening down for mid-week. Since I don't usually watch local news and weather, I just hear what the locals are saying: "The worst storm EVER seen in this part of the country". "This next storm is going to put the last one to shame!"
As we now have more snow on the ground now than I have ever seen (since I was a toddler in the Sierra-Nevada Mountains), this would have to be some storm!
(The day after the blizzard, we got another 5" to 7".)
I am planning to make it to the library tomorrow. I placed several books on hold, after having run out of reading materials this week. Who knew I would be off an extra four days and get them all read?
I didn't go to WalMart with Mr C this morning. I got up and Twin was playing a video game. I spoke to Twin several times, he responded several times. I did my daily treadmilling. I showered. I came out and asked Twin if Sam was still sleeping. He gives me "the look" and stated "DANIEL went to the store with Dad."
All the time I had thought I was talking to Daniel... some hour and a half! I never once thought it was Sam. Oops. These two seem to look MORE alike all the time.

I spent a good hour working on the taxes online... only to discover that they don't do direct deposit and wanted to refund to us on a debit card. No Thank You! And it was going to cost almost as much as having the pro guys do it... so maybe tomorrow Tom and I will get down there and let our regular tax guys take care of it.
For supper tonight: Pork and Sauerkraut. Hope I have enough potatoes to mash, since I forgot to put potatoes on The List.
That's it... another cold snowy, boring day here.
Hope your day is blessed!

Still Here

2011-02-03T12:29:00.001-06:00

The boys have been having a great time in the most snow we have ever had here. Dan has been tunneling through a snowbank across the road. His tunnel is about 15' long, so far. Yesterday's temperature didn't make it TO the teens, and today it should hit the low 20's. So looks like we will have the snow a few more days.
Since Missouri got it worse than we did, I haven't had a freight truck at work since Saturday. This translates to me NOT working since the inventory on Monday. A co-worker says "the store is down to three wiper blades and some pocket lint"... so when a truck does get through, I will be working all day long.

I spent the morning working on some paperwork I need to get mailed. The roads are still rather "iffy", so I am not going to even TRY to get to the post office today. Sam asked me what I was planning for supper tonight... and at first I suggested chicken fried steaks. But then I changed my mind to spaghetti, and some of my breadsticks. That way I can get the bread stick/ pizza crust recipe put up on the cooking blog. (And the spaghetti sauce recipe, if I haven't done that already.)
Mr C called me a few minutes ago to say he was staying at work for lunch today. He says he will buy his lunch from "The Wheel of Death", as he and his co-workers call the lunch vending machine. It has sandwiches, pizzas, fruit, pastries and such in it.

So far, we haven't seen the neighbor ~~hoodlums~~ kids out in the snow. When I looked outside a bit ago, I see sets of footprints going to and from the iced over pond... and prints right out onto the ice. I wish their stupid parental units would just take a look. Follow the kids prints and they will see where their darling little ~~brats~~ angels are going when they turn them out to play. that pond and the parents lack of supervising really scares me.

I have been out to check on Dan and Sam several time... and they are 14. With Dan tunneling through a snowdrift, I want to be sure they are OK. Yesterday, he heard a vehicle stop as he was tunneling. Thinking it was the postman, he squirmed back out of the tunnel. It wasn't the postman, but a curious guy who had seen the snow being flung out of the opening in the drift. When Dan appeared, the guy gave him a thumbs-up and drove on.

I am hoping to be able to get out tomorrow... I have this packet of paperwork to mail, and really ought to get Becky's stuff sent to her. I would like to get the valentines goodies purchased and sent to the away grandkids. The nearby grandkids stuff may be bought at the same time, but can wait til closer to the day to get it to them. With me missing an entire week of work, it will sure be cheap valentines goodies!

That's all for now. Have a blessed day!

BLIZZARD!

2011-02-01T09:46:00.000-06:00

Really, the snow is just beginning, but we already have a good inch and a half of sleet on the ground. So far, very little freezing rain... there was just enough to make the sleet stick really well to the roads. Need I say that I did NOT go in to work?

My job is receiving the morning freight, shipping out the overstock, warranty returns, and cores. It usually takes me between two and four hours to do this. There is little or nothing to DO at work when it is nasty outside. Those who can make it in and MUST be there can easily do my job... saving the cost of paying me, and saving me forty minutes or more of driving on bad roads. (Normally it takes me less than 10 minutes to get to work, and the same returning home. I'm allowing it would take me twice as long... if I could get UP the hills at all.)

The revised forecast has us snowing and /or sleeting ALL day... and up to 15" of accumulation ~~guessed~~ predicted. The wind is roaring, and quite a wind chill going on. It is just 9:30 here now, and supposed to keep this up all day. The direction the storm is moving keeps us right in the heart of it as it moves its length along. (We are right where the warm front of moist air from the Gulf hits the Arctic air front. The "collision" is then moving cat a corner to the ENE from here.)

We have the generator, gasoline, groceries, lots of water stored.... and I am NOT going out. Mr C went to work. I can just sit back and watch the weather happen!

Friday!

2011-01-28T15:11:00.000-06:00

Friday for most people anyway!
I still have to work tomorrow... for what that's worth. I am usually finished in less than two hours on Saturdays. So most of the day is free.

The boys and I went on a shopping run this afternoon. We had two coupons good for $5 off a $25 purchase at the Dollar General Store. We have two of these stores near us. The boys were also looking for some specialized small pliers to work on chain maille. So we went by the ATM and got out some cash, checked O'Reilly's for the pliers. We were referred to a local import store, where the boys did find their pliers. I found some "cheater" glasses for Tom. I buy them cheap and he has them all over the place. They get broken, misplaced, left at work, in the car... so I am always on the lookout for these. (1.27 per pair!) I also found a "monthly planner" for 2011... for .49 cents.

Then we went to the two Dollar stores, spending roughly $30 at each store. I got items I would usually get at WalMart. Many items are less expensive than they are at WalMart for name brand items. Ocean Spray Craisins $1.85 a bag, Liptons Onion Soup mix, $1.00) Check out your local Dollar General store for groceries and see how well they compare!

Next we filled up with gas ($30 for my little car!) and headed home. I have been letting the boys take turns driving the last mile or two home. Dan drove on the way out, Sam on the way home. (In Arkansas, you can get a learner's permit at 14 1/2 years of age. Scary, huh?) They aren't doing too bad at all.

Now I have laundry going. The sweat soaked sheets are in the washer right now... Mr C is on the mend. The boys potted up some treelets I have had rooting in water, into some small pots from the Dollar Store. Tommy has already requested one for his new place. He moves Tuesday into his and Ben's new place in Ballinger, Texas. I wish I could throw a housewarming party for them!

I am hoping Mr C is feeling well enough that we can go DO something tomorrow. The weather here hit the low 60's today, sunny and beautiful. If it is just as nice tomorrow, a hike would sure be nice. The boys have the windows open, and the house airing out after so many weeks of being closed up tight. Guess we will see what the morrow brings!

Have a blessed weekend!

Puzzled

2011-01-26T15:32:00.001-06:00

The boys and I have been working on this Snoopy puzzle all week. Just finished it today!
We are using ModPodge to glue it to a foam core board. The puzzle is a photo mosaic. Each piece is composed of small portions of cartoon frames. (see enlarged picture below.)
Meanwhile, I woke with a migraine yesterday. I seldom get them... this is only three times in the last 6 years... but they are sure an awful thing. I was barely over that when Mr C came home with the flu. He has run a fever of well over 100* (102-104*) even with fever reducers. So he is miserable. I have had a small nagging headache all day today- which I attribute to lack of sleep. Mr C was so sick last night he kept me awake.

Anyway, I have missed walking for the last few days- so I am getting behind on my goal. I have 8.7 miles to go before the end of the month. It is still do-able, so long as I can avoid the flu myself.
Have a blessed afternoon!
***PS*** on my cooking blog today, my grandson Connor guest hosts with his recipe for BBQ Chicken sandwiches. If you try his recipe, leave a comment for him to read. Thanks!