This has been a ‘not good’ day. I made two mistakes at work today…they were both minor…but none-the-less…they were there. There isn’t room for much error in this business.
I sometimes wonder if I am really cut out for the ‘human race’. I don’t seem to be able to settle down into a normal routine of contentment, instead…I am filled with resignation. My family life is the only good thing that I can see, and it is awesome! I have the most wonderful husband and kids that anyone could ever hope to have. But I cannot seem to find a work niche that I am happy with.
Time rushes by with terrifying speed. I see those around me enjoying their jobs…even committed to them. Meanwhile, all I can think of is being somewhere else. I feel restless. I know this isn’t normal…but then…what is ‘normal’? Who knows…certainly not me.
I am sorely tempted to do something bizarre lately. Although…it’s really not in my character. The last time I felt this way, I was at Wal-Mart. The kids had both moved out, and I felt at loose ends. On a whim, I decided to have the tops of my ears pierced…thank heavens the woman at the jewelry counter wouldn’t do it. She said she wasn’t able to pierce the cartilage…so instead…I had another set of holes in my lobes (I now have three in each ear). I don’t regret the holes in my lobes…but I think I would have regretted piercing the tops of both ears…it would have looked perfectly ridiculous (at least on me).
It would be so great to be one of those ‘spur of the moment’ people. Wouldn’t it be grand to get up off the couch in the middle of the Friday night news, pack a change of clothes, a razor and a toothbrush, jump in the car and drive somewhere fun…somewhere that you’ve never been before! Then spend the weekend just ‘being’ there…no schedule, no agenda, no itinerary.
I know that most of these feelings (except the work stuff) are very much related to my step-mom preparing to die. I see her mortality looming like a monster in the dark…and it is causing me to feel the reality of my own. Hence…the sense of restlessness, and the desire to make more out of every moment.
This too shall pass.
Be Well!
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Monday, August 28, 2006
Recap...
Weekend recap:
Saturday – This was the week for my Writer’s group meeting, so sleeping in wasn’t an option. I got up at 7:45, showered, and headed off at 9:30. The meeting was good! When we began our meetings, I wondered how long we would actually continue…it has been more than a year now and we have only missed a couple of meetings! I think that forming this group has been good for everyone involved…it keeps us writing! That may sound odd…but in these busy times, it is often very difficult to find/make time to write (even for those of us who love to do it). Knowing that there is an appointed time and place during which we will share our efforts…gives us an extra ‘push’!
After the meeting, I went grocery shopping. That part of the day was horrendous! A simple trip to the grocery store provides one with a disgusting picture of what our society has become! Somewhere along the way, manners, common courtesy, and parental responsibility have all gone by the wayside. As I pushed my cart through the aisles, I encountered several groups of children, running (some with a cart), yelling, and causing all sorts of chaos, and adults who were riding those motorized carts, with absolutely no regard for other shoppers. One in particular really ‘fried my rice’! She had driven the cart to the absolute center of the aisle…then she got off of it…leaving it parked in a position where no one else could proceed up or down the aisle…while she strolled along both sides of the aisle shopping. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAArgh! By the time I got home…my mood was thunderous.
We put groceries away, then headed to TGI Friday’s for lunch! The food was great (I had the Tilapia), and the atmosphere was just what we both needed! After relaxing and chatting for over an hour, we drove to Newton in search of a rack for utensils for the kitchen. We didn’t find what we were looking for, but we did find a new blender, and some knick-knacks! Then we headed back home for a bit of house cleaning and preparation for Sunday.
Sunday – Sunday was a very good day! I actually found myself ready for church 1 minute early (instead of 5 minutes late)! The sermon was long, it seemed to go on forever…but that could have been just me. I have the attention span of a gnat, and my mind very often runs amuck. After church, the kids came over to the house for lunch! We had Rotel dip, taco’s, refried beans, and for dessert…smoothies and cheesecake! Yum!! We talked, and laughed all afternoon! It was wonderful!! Around 4:30, the kids left and Marvin and I spent the rest of the evening watching TV, then went to bed around 9:30!!
That brings us to the here and now…Monday, Monday, Monday. It seems like Monday arrives quicker than any other day of the week!! It is the most dreaded day of the week, the most depressing day of the week, and the most hated day of the week…but without it…we would never get to Friday!
Be Well!!
Saturday – This was the week for my Writer’s group meeting, so sleeping in wasn’t an option. I got up at 7:45, showered, and headed off at 9:30. The meeting was good! When we began our meetings, I wondered how long we would actually continue…it has been more than a year now and we have only missed a couple of meetings! I think that forming this group has been good for everyone involved…it keeps us writing! That may sound odd…but in these busy times, it is often very difficult to find/make time to write (even for those of us who love to do it). Knowing that there is an appointed time and place during which we will share our efforts…gives us an extra ‘push’!
After the meeting, I went grocery shopping. That part of the day was horrendous! A simple trip to the grocery store provides one with a disgusting picture of what our society has become! Somewhere along the way, manners, common courtesy, and parental responsibility have all gone by the wayside. As I pushed my cart through the aisles, I encountered several groups of children, running (some with a cart), yelling, and causing all sorts of chaos, and adults who were riding those motorized carts, with absolutely no regard for other shoppers. One in particular really ‘fried my rice’! She had driven the cart to the absolute center of the aisle…then she got off of it…leaving it parked in a position where no one else could proceed up or down the aisle…while she strolled along both sides of the aisle shopping. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAArgh! By the time I got home…my mood was thunderous.
We put groceries away, then headed to TGI Friday’s for lunch! The food was great (I had the Tilapia), and the atmosphere was just what we both needed! After relaxing and chatting for over an hour, we drove to Newton in search of a rack for utensils for the kitchen. We didn’t find what we were looking for, but we did find a new blender, and some knick-knacks! Then we headed back home for a bit of house cleaning and preparation for Sunday.
Sunday – Sunday was a very good day! I actually found myself ready for church 1 minute early (instead of 5 minutes late)! The sermon was long, it seemed to go on forever…but that could have been just me. I have the attention span of a gnat, and my mind very often runs amuck. After church, the kids came over to the house for lunch! We had Rotel dip, taco’s, refried beans, and for dessert…smoothies and cheesecake! Yum!! We talked, and laughed all afternoon! It was wonderful!! Around 4:30, the kids left and Marvin and I spent the rest of the evening watching TV, then went to bed around 9:30!!
That brings us to the here and now…Monday, Monday, Monday. It seems like Monday arrives quicker than any other day of the week!! It is the most dreaded day of the week, the most depressing day of the week, and the most hated day of the week…but without it…we would never get to Friday!
Be Well!!
Friday, August 25, 2006
From hell...
Friday at last. Cloudy, heavy, thick with humidity and innuendo…both climatically and socially.
Lunchtime was a veritable disaster. I left work with no idea what I wanted to do…my first mistake. As I drove down Rock Road, I remembered Jason’s Deli, and a baked potato sounded good…so I turned in. I parked right in front of the door, went inside and got in line. I found myself behind ‘Paris and her sidekick’. There they stood…huge Louie bags over their shoulders…mandatory flip-flops, manicured, pedicured, Revloned, streaked, and fake baked. In no hurry at all….because they had all day to linger over lunch and spend ‘daddy’s money’ on expensive crap…they couldn’t decide what to eat. FINALLY, my turn came. I hurriedly ordered ½ a baked potato and a medium drink. Food in hand, I turned to the dining area to find that the only table available was straddling a pole…I took it. On one side sat two foreign men, discussing ‘hot women’ in loud tones…on the other side…ma and pa kettle, in town fur the day!
I shoveled in a spoonful of cheese covered baked potato…which turned out to be totally tasteless. I accepted it as part of this lunch hour from hell, and reached for my iced tea. One big gulp of tea almost caused a very ugly scene. The moment it hit my throat…it tasted like stale cigar smoke. My mind went into overdrive… those horrible stories about what the cooks in restaurant kitchens do to food before serving it (spitting in it…or the famous ‘fecal chili’) spun through my brain…out of control! I gagged as I imagined a cigar butt bobbing around inside the metal tea urn.
Unable to get the despicable image out of my mind…I trashed my lunch and left. Once in the car…I headed for the parking lot at Home Depot, where the Heavenly Snow trailer is parked. Glancing at my watch, I saw that I still had 30 minutes left. To my despair…Heavenly Snow is no longer open all day…they are now open from 2:30 – 9:00 p.m.! Good grief Charlie Brown! As I lamented the events of this day…I heard a ‘ding’…my gaslight had come on! “Fine,” I thought, “to heck with lunch…I’ll head to QT and get gas.” The precious minutes were ticking away rapidly by this point. Wheeling into QT, I realized that every stinking pump was backed up…all the way to the street! Gas was down to $2.59 a gallon! I frantically searched for a short line…there were none! There was no time left for lunch, and certainly no time for sitting in a long line at a gas pump! I drove out…past all of the anxious drivers…their eyes glazed over at the thought of saving all that money! At the last moment, I threw caution to the wind, pulled into the drive through at Braum’s and got a yogurt twist, which I slurped down as I drove. I got back to my desk with about 30 seconds to spare.
What a day!
Be Well!
Lunchtime was a veritable disaster. I left work with no idea what I wanted to do…my first mistake. As I drove down Rock Road, I remembered Jason’s Deli, and a baked potato sounded good…so I turned in. I parked right in front of the door, went inside and got in line. I found myself behind ‘Paris and her sidekick’. There they stood…huge Louie bags over their shoulders…mandatory flip-flops, manicured, pedicured, Revloned, streaked, and fake baked. In no hurry at all….because they had all day to linger over lunch and spend ‘daddy’s money’ on expensive crap…they couldn’t decide what to eat. FINALLY, my turn came. I hurriedly ordered ½ a baked potato and a medium drink. Food in hand, I turned to the dining area to find that the only table available was straddling a pole…I took it. On one side sat two foreign men, discussing ‘hot women’ in loud tones…on the other side…ma and pa kettle, in town fur the day!
I shoveled in a spoonful of cheese covered baked potato…which turned out to be totally tasteless. I accepted it as part of this lunch hour from hell, and reached for my iced tea. One big gulp of tea almost caused a very ugly scene. The moment it hit my throat…it tasted like stale cigar smoke. My mind went into overdrive… those horrible stories about what the cooks in restaurant kitchens do to food before serving it (spitting in it…or the famous ‘fecal chili’) spun through my brain…out of control! I gagged as I imagined a cigar butt bobbing around inside the metal tea urn.
Unable to get the despicable image out of my mind…I trashed my lunch and left. Once in the car…I headed for the parking lot at Home Depot, where the Heavenly Snow trailer is parked. Glancing at my watch, I saw that I still had 30 minutes left. To my despair…Heavenly Snow is no longer open all day…they are now open from 2:30 – 9:00 p.m.! Good grief Charlie Brown! As I lamented the events of this day…I heard a ‘ding’…my gaslight had come on! “Fine,” I thought, “to heck with lunch…I’ll head to QT and get gas.” The precious minutes were ticking away rapidly by this point. Wheeling into QT, I realized that every stinking pump was backed up…all the way to the street! Gas was down to $2.59 a gallon! I frantically searched for a short line…there were none! There was no time left for lunch, and certainly no time for sitting in a long line at a gas pump! I drove out…past all of the anxious drivers…their eyes glazed over at the thought of saving all that money! At the last moment, I threw caution to the wind, pulled into the drive through at Braum’s and got a yogurt twist, which I slurped down as I drove. I got back to my desk with about 30 seconds to spare.
What a day!
Be Well!
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Stolen from Rich...just for fun!
Here are some things you may or may not know about me:
Four jobs I have had in my life:
1- Assistant Cashier/Compliance (admin assist)
2- Delivering phonebooks
3- Barmaid/bartender
4- Production line in mobile home window plant
Four movies I would watch over and over:
1- Monty Python and the Holy Grail
2- Miracle on 34th Street
3- Elf
4- It’s a Wonderful Life
Four places I have lived:
1- Wichita, Kansas
2- Arkansas City, Kansas
3- Winfield, Kansas
4- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Four TV shows I watch:
1- America’s Got Talent
2- The Closer
3- 24
4- Everybody Loves Raymond
Four places I have been on vacation:
1- Las Vegas, Nevada
2- Los Angeles, California
3- Jacksonville, Florida
4- Orlando, Florida
Four of my favorite foods:
1- Chocolate
2- Potatoes (fixed any way)
3- Ice Cream (lactose free)
4- Cheesecake
Four places I would like to be right now:
1- At Barnes and Noble signing my best seller
2- At home doing anything (except vomiting)
3- In my attorneys office, figuring out how to best proceed with my 30 billion dollar lottery winnings (which I won…of course…with a ticket given to me as a gift).
4- Leaving on a jet plane for a month long vacation to a sunny beach. Somewhere with clear, blue water… fine, clean, white sand…tall palm trees…a private cabana…and an endless supply of yogurt smoothies and crushed ice drinks (nabs of course).
Be Well!
Four jobs I have had in my life:
1- Assistant Cashier/Compliance (admin assist)
2- Delivering phonebooks
3- Barmaid/bartender
4- Production line in mobile home window plant
Four movies I would watch over and over:
1- Monty Python and the Holy Grail
2- Miracle on 34th Street
3- Elf
4- It’s a Wonderful Life
Four places I have lived:
1- Wichita, Kansas
2- Arkansas City, Kansas
3- Winfield, Kansas
4- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Four TV shows I watch:
1- America’s Got Talent
2- The Closer
3- 24
4- Everybody Loves Raymond
Four places I have been on vacation:
1- Las Vegas, Nevada
2- Los Angeles, California
3- Jacksonville, Florida
4- Orlando, Florida
Four of my favorite foods:
1- Chocolate
2- Potatoes (fixed any way)
3- Ice Cream (lactose free)
4- Cheesecake
Four places I would like to be right now:
1- At Barnes and Noble signing my best seller
2- At home doing anything (except vomiting)
3- In my attorneys office, figuring out how to best proceed with my 30 billion dollar lottery winnings (which I won…of course…with a ticket given to me as a gift).
4- Leaving on a jet plane for a month long vacation to a sunny beach. Somewhere with clear, blue water… fine, clean, white sand…tall palm trees…a private cabana…and an endless supply of yogurt smoothies and crushed ice drinks (nabs of course).
Be Well!
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Hump Day...
I know this is called hump day…but if feels more like ‘insurmountable mountain’ day. This entire week seems to be dragging in the most horrific way!
Here’s a recap of the week thus far –
Monday – Long, very busy day at work. Short handed and chasing our tails. Mimi’s after work to have my nails soaked off and a new set put on. Dinner at Red Rock…THAT was yummy! By the time we got home, it was late, and we were both pooped! Talked to mom and step-dad – and dad and step-mom. The news was not good for my step-mom…she is increasingly exhausted, and the decrease in her speech skills and memory is marked, even on the phone.
I couldn’t sleep, so I took an Excedrin PM about 11:00…woke up on Tuesday groggy.
Tuesday – Another long day at work…though they all are lately. We went straight home after work and I fixed dinner there for a change. Penne pasta w/sausage, buttered peas, and cornbread. Marvin had lunch with the pastor today, and the result was interesting. He was asked to preach the early service on Sept 10, at our new church…in view of a possible call (at a later date) as associate. He will also preach the ‘reunion’ service on Oct 1, at our old church. I think that God has given him a time of rest…and may now be calling him back to service. We will continue to pray about it and see what develops. The highlight of my day was a call from Shane about a mini Yorkie! Apparently, a friends, friends, sister…has one that she needs to get rid of in order to relocate! The price is right, and if it is housebroken…we will definitely make an offer! I am very excited! I love dogs and have missed having one!
I had a bad backache when I got home from work, and it hung on all evening. I don’t normally have backaches…so that is very unusual. I spent the evening leaning against a heating/vibrating pad. No Excedrin PM tonight, but…not much sleep either.
That brings us to today…Wednesday – Another long day…it is 11:45 a.m., and it feels like it should be 5:00! Lots of scuttlebutt around. Not sure where lunch will be yet…or if it will be. I don’t feel particularly hungry right now…my stomach hasn’t been very happy for a week or so. I may try the new deli down the street…or I may go to the mall and walk.
2:06 – In an effort to calm my stomach…I opted for a baked potato at the deli. My co-worker has gone home sick, and one of the broker’s is ill. Not a good sign!!
3:51 – Back from the bank. Everything has slowed down again…HURRY 5:00!!
Be Well!
Here’s a recap of the week thus far –
Monday – Long, very busy day at work. Short handed and chasing our tails. Mimi’s after work to have my nails soaked off and a new set put on. Dinner at Red Rock…THAT was yummy! By the time we got home, it was late, and we were both pooped! Talked to mom and step-dad – and dad and step-mom. The news was not good for my step-mom…she is increasingly exhausted, and the decrease in her speech skills and memory is marked, even on the phone.
I couldn’t sleep, so I took an Excedrin PM about 11:00…woke up on Tuesday groggy.
Tuesday – Another long day at work…though they all are lately. We went straight home after work and I fixed dinner there for a change. Penne pasta w/sausage, buttered peas, and cornbread. Marvin had lunch with the pastor today, and the result was interesting. He was asked to preach the early service on Sept 10, at our new church…in view of a possible call (at a later date) as associate. He will also preach the ‘reunion’ service on Oct 1, at our old church. I think that God has given him a time of rest…and may now be calling him back to service. We will continue to pray about it and see what develops. The highlight of my day was a call from Shane about a mini Yorkie! Apparently, a friends, friends, sister…has one that she needs to get rid of in order to relocate! The price is right, and if it is housebroken…we will definitely make an offer! I am very excited! I love dogs and have missed having one!
I had a bad backache when I got home from work, and it hung on all evening. I don’t normally have backaches…so that is very unusual. I spent the evening leaning against a heating/vibrating pad. No Excedrin PM tonight, but…not much sleep either.
That brings us to today…Wednesday – Another long day…it is 11:45 a.m., and it feels like it should be 5:00! Lots of scuttlebutt around. Not sure where lunch will be yet…or if it will be. I don’t feel particularly hungry right now…my stomach hasn’t been very happy for a week or so. I may try the new deli down the street…or I may go to the mall and walk.
2:06 – In an effort to calm my stomach…I opted for a baked potato at the deli. My co-worker has gone home sick, and one of the broker’s is ill. Not a good sign!!
3:51 – Back from the bank. Everything has slowed down again…HURRY 5:00!!
Be Well!
Saturday, August 19, 2006
A lovely way...
A lovely way to start the weekend! I slept until 10:30! I have been exhausted for a week, with frequent headaches and migraine meds. I needed some extra rest!
We had a wonderful evening Friday! The kids came over for dinner (lasagna and garlic/cheese toast), then we watched "RV" with Robin Williams! It was hilariously stupid, and we all laughed until we cried! After the kids left, Marvin and I went for a late night swim! The water temperature was perfect, and lightening in the distance (moving in the opposite direction) added to the ambiance! It was delicious and refreshing! Although I slept well, I woke up around 3:00 with another headache. I thought about more meds, then opted for more sleep...it seems to have worked!
I don't know what the day will hold, I have no 'plan'! I am just happy to not be at work, or in the middle of a crisis of any sort.
I will sign off for now, and take a long shower, give myself a pedicure, and go from there!
Have a great day!
Be Well!
We had a wonderful evening Friday! The kids came over for dinner (lasagna and garlic/cheese toast), then we watched "RV" with Robin Williams! It was hilariously stupid, and we all laughed until we cried! After the kids left, Marvin and I went for a late night swim! The water temperature was perfect, and lightening in the distance (moving in the opposite direction) added to the ambiance! It was delicious and refreshing! Although I slept well, I woke up around 3:00 with another headache. I thought about more meds, then opted for more sleep...it seems to have worked!
I don't know what the day will hold, I have no 'plan'! I am just happy to not be at work, or in the middle of a crisis of any sort.
I will sign off for now, and take a long shower, give myself a pedicure, and go from there!
Have a great day!
Be Well!
Thursday, August 17, 2006
America's Got Talent...but no judgment...
My faith in humanity has taken another hit. Bianca won...holy cow. I may not watch next season. Hang in there Miller!! You are destined for greatness!
On the flip side...our Rolling Stones tickets are in!!! Yea!!!!!!!! Oddly enough...so are our Michael W Smith tickets! These two concerts couldn't be more different...but they will both be a blast!! The dichotomy is astounding!
The search for gainful, rewarding, enjoyable employment continues. I have a job, so I don't feel the urgency of hunger forcing me to 'settle'. I do, however, feel an urgency of a different kind. Time passes so quickly...days become weeks, weeks become months, months turn into years. Even the minutes slip by with dizzying swiftness. I don't want to spend the remainder of my 'allotted time' on this earth, stuck in a daily routine that I don't enjoy. I had a dream of sorts a week or so ago. I dreamt that I had found the 'perfect' job. My title was 'Story Lady', and I went to 4 daycare centers each day. At each one, I would walk in, roll out a big piece of carpet, and then all of the 4 and 5 year olds would sit around me. First, I would read them stories, from big, colorful books...about Fred, and Bertha, and magic gnomes. Then, using a big dry/erase board, pictures, and props...we worked on the alphabet...and phonics. The centers each paid me $25.00 a day to come in and help prepare the kids for kindergarten. (The dream was very detailed.) It was awesome!
Then I woke up. At first I was really excited...then as I REALLY woke up...I realized that no day care would hire me to do those things...that's what they have staff for. It was good while it lasted!
Tomorrow is Friday...thank heavens!!
Be Well!
On the flip side...our Rolling Stones tickets are in!!! Yea!!!!!!!! Oddly enough...so are our Michael W Smith tickets! These two concerts couldn't be more different...but they will both be a blast!! The dichotomy is astounding!
The search for gainful, rewarding, enjoyable employment continues. I have a job, so I don't feel the urgency of hunger forcing me to 'settle'. I do, however, feel an urgency of a different kind. Time passes so quickly...days become weeks, weeks become months, months turn into years. Even the minutes slip by with dizzying swiftness. I don't want to spend the remainder of my 'allotted time' on this earth, stuck in a daily routine that I don't enjoy. I had a dream of sorts a week or so ago. I dreamt that I had found the 'perfect' job. My title was 'Story Lady', and I went to 4 daycare centers each day. At each one, I would walk in, roll out a big piece of carpet, and then all of the 4 and 5 year olds would sit around me. First, I would read them stories, from big, colorful books...about Fred, and Bertha, and magic gnomes. Then, using a big dry/erase board, pictures, and props...we worked on the alphabet...and phonics. The centers each paid me $25.00 a day to come in and help prepare the kids for kindergarten. (The dream was very detailed.) It was awesome!
Then I woke up. At first I was really excited...then as I REALLY woke up...I realized that no day care would hire me to do those things...that's what they have staff for. It was good while it lasted!
Tomorrow is Friday...thank heavens!!
Be Well!
Monday, August 14, 2006
Monday blues...
What a day. Work was terribly busy, and I am finding out just how much I don't know about the securities business. It seems that, at every turn...there is more to learn.
I am constantly learning more about the human condition as well. There is more drama going on in this office than on any soap opera that I have ever heard of. I DO NOT want in the middle of it, but I have been approached repeatedly by both sides...hoping for my allegiance. I just want to do my job and go home...and not be miserable in the interim.
My neice will go home from rehab tomorrow. 17 years old, and already all of this baggage. She is bright, sweet, talented, and full of potential...unfortunately...it may never be realized. When I look at her, I see that little, shy, blond headed girl...who even then looked at the ground most of the time. I wonder where she went...I know she's still in there...I just hope she can find the boldness to come out and take her life back.
Please pray for her...God changes lives every day...it's what He does.
I'm tired...all over.
Be Well!
I am constantly learning more about the human condition as well. There is more drama going on in this office than on any soap opera that I have ever heard of. I DO NOT want in the middle of it, but I have been approached repeatedly by both sides...hoping for my allegiance. I just want to do my job and go home...and not be miserable in the interim.
My neice will go home from rehab tomorrow. 17 years old, and already all of this baggage. She is bright, sweet, talented, and full of potential...unfortunately...it may never be realized. When I look at her, I see that little, shy, blond headed girl...who even then looked at the ground most of the time. I wonder where she went...I know she's still in there...I just hope she can find the boldness to come out and take her life back.
Please pray for her...God changes lives every day...it's what He does.
I'm tired...all over.
Be Well!
Saturday, August 12, 2006
A great turnout...
The party for my stepdad's 75th birthday was a big success! The ad in the paper was small, and the picture was bad...evidenced by the fact that 2 people came to the party, thinking that they were going to celebrate the birthday of a different Bill Rowe. After finding out that they were in the wrong place...we offered them cake and punch and were more than happy to have them join in the festivities...but both declined.
We had 60-70 people in attendance throughout the 2 hour time slot, and almost all of the cake and 2 bowls of punch were devoured. The luau theme was great and even the children seemed to be having fun! We had the opportunity to visit with several family members that we had not seen in well over a year!
I don't know how many more birthdays we will have the privilege of celebrating with him...but I am glad that we made this one special! He is definitely one of a kind, and I am grateful that he came into our lives all those years ago!
Be Well!
We had 60-70 people in attendance throughout the 2 hour time slot, and almost all of the cake and 2 bowls of punch were devoured. The luau theme was great and even the children seemed to be having fun! We had the opportunity to visit with several family members that we had not seen in well over a year!
I don't know how many more birthdays we will have the privilege of celebrating with him...but I am glad that we made this one special! He is definitely one of a kind, and I am grateful that he came into our lives all those years ago!
Be Well!
Monday, August 07, 2006
Poor Fred...
Poor Fred...rejected again...by a great publisher though!
Fred
The lights were all off
The day over and done,
My mind was all filled
With laughter
and
fun!
The darkness and shadows
Intruding and scary,
I started to think...
Of monsters...
all spiny and hairy.
The clock said "tick tock"
The shutters they creaked,
I pulled the blanket up tight
The wind started to shriek.
I waited in terror
For demons unknown,
From hunchbacks to boogie men
My
Worried
Mind
roamed.
From somewhere quite near
I heard a new sound,
Gripping the bed clothes...
My heart started to pound.
I strained...
And I listened...
I wanted to hear,
The source of the sound...
Became suddenly clear.
It was not in the closet...
But under the bed,
Not at the foot...
But up by my head!
I sat bolt upright!
Trembling and cold,
Frightened and scared,
And not very bold...
A bit louder it came then...
A sob and a whimper,
"I'm frightened, and chilly,
and I've got a big blister!"
My mind all confused
I hadn't a clue,
As I thought and I pondered
What now to do...
Up on my knees
I crawled to the edge,
Resigned to do battle
U
N
D
E
R
the bed.
I slid to the floor
And took a deep breath,
Consumed by the fear
Of a horrible death!
I yanked up the bedspread,
Then, fell back on my hiney...
There, rolled in a ball
Was a monster...
All shivery and whiney.
My eyes took him in
From the tips of his paws,
To his small,
purple
chin.
His eyes were as big
As two saucers could be,
His arms were quite l o n g…
Well past his knees!
I looked on in wonder
And, frankly...in envy...
As his big, floppy, striped ears
Perked up...
to hear me.
He shook and he shivered
His long arms hugged himself,
"Are you cold?" I inquired...
Afraid for his health.
"Oh yes," he replied,
"Really quite so! And I'm frightened,
and lonely...from my head to my toes!"
"Is it possible..." I asked,
“do you think it could be...
that we could be friends?
best friends...you and me?"
He cocked his bright orange,
Fur covered head,
At a
comical
angle
u
n
d
e
r
the bed.
He closed one green eye
In a humorous wink...
Then he smiled,
and I saw that his teeth
Were bright pink!
I reached
out
my
hand,
And losing my dread,
I asked him his name
And he answered me...
"Fred!"
I took his green paw
And gave it a tug,
He scurried on out
And we stood on the rug.
"It's time for bed, Fred"
I told him quite sternly,
"We must get to sleep now
for morning comes early!"
We climbed in...
underneath the big quilt,
And we talked and told stories...
And we laughed and we squealed.
I'm not afraid now,
For the truth is...you see...
My monster, my best friend,
My protector
is
he!
Copyright©2006 by VSchoonover. All rights reserved.
Fred
The lights were all off
The day over and done,
My mind was all filled
With laughter
and
fun!
The darkness and shadows
Intruding and scary,
I started to think...
Of monsters...
all spiny and hairy.
The clock said "tick tock"
The shutters they creaked,
I pulled the blanket up tight
The wind started to shriek.
I waited in terror
For demons unknown,
From hunchbacks to boogie men
My
Worried
Mind
roamed.
From somewhere quite near
I heard a new sound,
Gripping the bed clothes...
My heart started to pound.
I strained...
And I listened...
I wanted to hear,
The source of the sound...
Became suddenly clear.
It was not in the closet...
But under the bed,
Not at the foot...
But up by my head!
I sat bolt upright!
Trembling and cold,
Frightened and scared,
And not very bold...
A bit louder it came then...
A sob and a whimper,
"I'm frightened, and chilly,
and I've got a big blister!"
My mind all confused
I hadn't a clue,
As I thought and I pondered
What now to do...
Up on my knees
I crawled to the edge,
Resigned to do battle
U
N
D
E
R
the bed.
I slid to the floor
And took a deep breath,
Consumed by the fear
Of a horrible death!
I yanked up the bedspread,
Then, fell back on my hiney...
There, rolled in a ball
Was a monster...
All shivery and whiney.
My eyes took him in
From the tips of his paws,
To his small,
purple
chin.
His eyes were as big
As two saucers could be,
His arms were quite l o n g…
Well past his knees!
I looked on in wonder
And, frankly...in envy...
As his big, floppy, striped ears
Perked up...
to hear me.
He shook and he shivered
His long arms hugged himself,
"Are you cold?" I inquired...
Afraid for his health.
"Oh yes," he replied,
"Really quite so! And I'm frightened,
and lonely...from my head to my toes!"
"Is it possible..." I asked,
“do you think it could be...
that we could be friends?
best friends...you and me?"
He cocked his bright orange,
Fur covered head,
At a
comical
angle
u
n
d
e
r
the bed.
He closed one green eye
In a humorous wink...
Then he smiled,
and I saw that his teeth
Were bright pink!
I reached
out
my
hand,
And losing my dread,
I asked him his name
And he answered me...
"Fred!"
I took his green paw
And gave it a tug,
He scurried on out
And we stood on the rug.
"It's time for bed, Fred"
I told him quite sternly,
"We must get to sleep now
for morning comes early!"
We climbed in...
underneath the big quilt,
And we talked and told stories...
And we laughed and we squealed.
I'm not afraid now,
For the truth is...you see...
My monster, my best friend,
My protector
is
he!
Copyright©2006 by VSchoonover. All rights reserved.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Another one bites the dust...
Another weekend...all but gone. They pass so quickly! Church was good this morning...although...I almost fell asleep during the sermon...my fault...not the pastors. Lunch was at Freddies, and the chili cheese fries were great! Then on the the movies... where we saw Taledaga Nights, The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. It was really funny! Unfortunately, I fell asleep there too. I don't think I slept long though...the kids realized that my eyes were closed, and woke me up!
The coming week promises to be a long, hard one. The girl who is training me will be gone Friday, Monday, and Tuesday...very scary! I hope I don't screw up too much stuff while she is out.
We stopped at Party City and bought decorations for my step dad's 75th birthday party, which will be next Saturday. We decided on a Luau theme! I think it will be fun! I don't know how many of his friends are still living, but I hope that we have a good turnout! He is a great guy...doesn't know what a 'stranger' is...and would help anyone, anywhere, anytime!
Hopefully, we will head to bed around 9:30...I would hate to continue my 'sleeping spree' at work tomorrow!
Be Well!
The coming week promises to be a long, hard one. The girl who is training me will be gone Friday, Monday, and Tuesday...very scary! I hope I don't screw up too much stuff while she is out.
We stopped at Party City and bought decorations for my step dad's 75th birthday party, which will be next Saturday. We decided on a Luau theme! I think it will be fun! I don't know how many of his friends are still living, but I hope that we have a good turnout! He is a great guy...doesn't know what a 'stranger' is...and would help anyone, anywhere, anytime!
Hopefully, we will head to bed around 9:30...I would hate to continue my 'sleeping spree' at work tomorrow!
Be Well!
Saturday, August 05, 2006
A full day!
Saturday was a full day! Marvin got up early (6:45), and I slept until 8:30! After cooking breakfast (crazy mixed up eggs...not googy...and biscuits), we cleaned house like crazy! Our spotless spree extended to the pool, and by 1:00, we had cleaned it and spent about an hour in it to boot!
We thought that the kids might come and swim, but by 2:30, we decided they must have other stuff going on today, so we got out of the pool and headed to town. First stop was Hobby Lobby, where I bought some new frames for pictures of both kids and Marvin, so that I can take them to work with me! Then, on to Verizon for new phones (our plan had expired). We ended up with really cool phones! We both got Razor phones, with photo capability, and we also took advantage of the 30 day trial period for the GPS feature. For those of you who know me...I can get lost in a circle drive...it's pathetic! Hopefully, this will help...we'll see. We bought the extra package, with a blue tooth...which was so darn large that it fell off of my ear (and would not adjust down), but it fits Marvin very well. The photo feature is very cool, however...the voice recognition feature sucks! I could not get it to recognize anything I said (including a few...unseemly...things that I asked it for after major frustration set in).
The whole Verizon experience took over 2 hours...and by the time we got home...I had a dang migraine. I spent the rest of the night on the couch with an ice bag on my head! It is just now feeling a bit better!
Chas did come to swim while we were gone, and left a movie for us to watch that we have been wanting to see. Thanks Susie Q!
Gonna call it a day...hopefully this stupid headache will be gone when I wake up!
Be Well!
We thought that the kids might come and swim, but by 2:30, we decided they must have other stuff going on today, so we got out of the pool and headed to town. First stop was Hobby Lobby, where I bought some new frames for pictures of both kids and Marvin, so that I can take them to work with me! Then, on to Verizon for new phones (our plan had expired). We ended up with really cool phones! We both got Razor phones, with photo capability, and we also took advantage of the 30 day trial period for the GPS feature. For those of you who know me...I can get lost in a circle drive...it's pathetic! Hopefully, this will help...we'll see. We bought the extra package, with a blue tooth...which was so darn large that it fell off of my ear (and would not adjust down), but it fits Marvin very well. The photo feature is very cool, however...the voice recognition feature sucks! I could not get it to recognize anything I said (including a few...unseemly...things that I asked it for after major frustration set in).
The whole Verizon experience took over 2 hours...and by the time we got home...I had a dang migraine. I spent the rest of the night on the couch with an ice bag on my head! It is just now feeling a bit better!
Chas did come to swim while we were gone, and left a movie for us to watch that we have been wanting to see. Thanks Susie Q!
Gonna call it a day...hopefully this stupid headache will be gone when I wake up!
Be Well!
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Almost over...
It's almost Friday! Yea!!! My step dad is doing well, and hopefully will get to go home tomorrow! My step mom is home from the hospital...and despite another fall, this one in the shower...she is doing well also. It has been a very long week!
The new job is going okay. I have experienced a lot of new things this week...it remains to be seen how many of them I actually 'learned'. Hopefully enough to form a solid base for my position. We'll see.
There seem to be lots of questions from co-workers about my previous employer...all of which I have answered in general, un-informative ways. I will not carry information...or tales...from office to office. It has been interesting though...on top of the questions about my previous boss...one woman came up to 'warn' me about someone else in the new office. I listened...thanked her...and went on about my business. Today, the woman she warned me about, came to me to 'warn' me about her and another co-worker...holy cow! Doesn't anybody just simply do their jobs...collect their wages...and go home anymore?? Is every office a mini Peyton Place?
We got about two inches of rain last night...the thunder rumbling in the distance was nice, and the cooler temperatures have been great today! I am looking forward to a nice weekend...sunny, temps in the mid 90's...maybe a little pool time...definitely some writing time!
Here's to resolution of last weeks concerns...and hope of brighter days ahead!
Be Well!
The new job is going okay. I have experienced a lot of new things this week...it remains to be seen how many of them I actually 'learned'. Hopefully enough to form a solid base for my position. We'll see.
There seem to be lots of questions from co-workers about my previous employer...all of which I have answered in general, un-informative ways. I will not carry information...or tales...from office to office. It has been interesting though...on top of the questions about my previous boss...one woman came up to 'warn' me about someone else in the new office. I listened...thanked her...and went on about my business. Today, the woman she warned me about, came to me to 'warn' me about her and another co-worker...holy cow! Doesn't anybody just simply do their jobs...collect their wages...and go home anymore?? Is every office a mini Peyton Place?
We got about two inches of rain last night...the thunder rumbling in the distance was nice, and the cooler temperatures have been great today! I am looking forward to a nice weekend...sunny, temps in the mid 90's...maybe a little pool time...definitely some writing time!
Here's to resolution of last weeks concerns...and hope of brighter days ahead!
Be Well!
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