When your forgetter runs faster than your rememberer

Each month we say "Boy this month went by fast" Well of course it has, after a certain age it is all down hill and of course time must run faster, right?

Tue we were having our weekly pizza and salad bar and commented on how good the beets were. Then I said they were better that the ones the other day that we had. We both sat there for at least 20 minutes trying to remember where that was and it was just on Saturday!! Finally it clicked and "I" remembered. One point for me!

Getting ready for a big birthday party for my "big" sister tomorrow. Going all out and rented a building and her daughters are decorating and proving the cake and the rest of us are bringing crock pots of soups and such. Making my elk chili. I was asked to host it at my home as I have the most room but I decided I didn't want 30 people in my home. Just funny that way.

Book store is up and running but running very slow. Economy? Seems the ones buying books look like the ones that can least likely afford to be spending money on books.

I am the only used book store in the county now as the one in the town where I live, the co. seat, has closed down. Another business on the square closed. Eventually it will just be all senior apartments. The court house brings in the traffic but the small businesses are struggling. Maybe it is time to do some advertizing again soon.

Thought for the day: Some days the only good things on T.V.are the lamp and clock

Hello! Anyone there!

Always wonder if any one reads these blogs or are we just talking in the wind, (better than spitting) IF you are there leave me a comment. :-)

The Running of the Chipmunk

We sounded like it was the running of the bulls yesterday. Hubby hollered to me that a chipmunk had just run thru the living room and up the 4 steps to the bedroom area. We armed ourselves with brooms and headed out. Where was the rawhide music here??

Got him cornered in the master bedroom so closed off the hall door. After loosing him we checked the bathroom and he was behind the dryer. Oh Ha! Shut the bathroom door. That narrows things down. After shaking the dryer and scarring the poor thing out (twice) hubby accidental swept him back under the dryer in his zeal to get him. End results we got him and he won't be sneaking back in.

Now the mystery of how he got in. Hubby had seen him last week in the flowerpot on the front porch, so we think that one morning while I was carrying stuff out to the car and left the front door open he was in the pot and hopped out and headed inside. Silly chipmunk!

Thought for the day: Sometimes I make up my mind, other times my mind wanders, and every so often I lose track of it entirely.

Natalie MacMaster fiddles in reel time | Video on TED.com

Natalie MacMaster fiddles in reel time Video on TED.com


Words to the song: Blue is a River
Blue remembers
Blue like a planet to a spaceman
Blue river of my tears

Like the heather on the hillside
As they drove us from the highlands
Like the iceflow from the Artic
Where we landed in Newfoundland
There's a colour to my sorrow
There's a name for all this sadness
Like the ocean in between us,
I am blue.

Blue is a river
Blue remembers
Blue water running clear
Blue like a planet to a spaceman
Blue river of my tears

So I came here to the city
Where the dream burns like a furness
And I dazzled in these dark streets
Like a diamond in a coalface
Till the cold wind from the islands
Blew a storm cloud across the new moon
Like the gunsmoke above the houses
In my home.

Blue is a river
Blue remembers
Blue water running clear
Blue like a planet to a spaceman
Blue river of my tears
Blue river of my tears.

The history about this song of the Scottish Highland is that during the potato famines of the late 18th and 19th centuries, out of the goodness of their hearts, many English landowners offered their Scottish peasant tenants free passage to the New World on hired cargo ships. No mention of course was made of the fact that this "offer" was commonly delivered by pressgangs, and that the real purpose behind the clearances was to convert the lands into fine sporting estates where the land owners and their London friends might shoot grouse and fish for trout.

Copied from the post by Chris Anderson

Rest in Peace

This is the view from the final resting place of hubby's mother's ashes. We made a trip to her birth place in Saratoga Wyoming then went up the mountain (Medicine Bow Mt.) the top of it seen here. This was her wish and so we finally made the trip while my SIL is in good enough health to make the drive. She said that is where she wants to be also. Her husbands ashes were scattered here at the same time. Hubby says it would be fine for him also. Good thing we know where this is located as there are good landmarks.

Visited with hubby's cousin and learned some of the family history of his grandparents coming to Saratoga from Iowa in a covered wagon and settling in Saratoga, building a hotel and butcher shop. Hubby's mother grew up in the hotel and had to work as a maid till she ran off with her husband when she was 19 and never looked back. It was a very hard life back then.

Thought for the day: Humor is a reminder that no matter how high the throne one sits on, one sits on one's bottom.

Back on line

A view from a corner of my book store. Love my little store!! Had 2 nice write ups in the local papers and got a call to do a stint on a talk radio station the end of the mo. Whoopy I am a star!

Broke down and got Internet service at the store. So 3 days a week I can play as long as I want on line again. I have my old e-mail address back from when I was on line here before. Seems funny. Got to do some work on the computer so I can find stuff again. Feel a little rusty. Happy Labor Day to all. Has cooled down some now, got alot of rain last week, well almost a flood. Over 6 inches in one day then another 1/2 inch the next day. Everything was getting crispy. Well short and sweet here. Be back soon.

HOT in the midwest!

Opened the book store alot sooner that I thought I would. Only open 3 days a week. Hey I am retired! Doing some advertising, been sooooo hot that folks aren't getting out much. But have had several old customers come by or call. Love my little store. Even getting some weaving done again now that I have room.

Good news, SIL sold her house, closed last week, and same day we got an offer on ours and we accepted (not much choice) and will close the end of Sept. Yea, glad to have that all behind us and to move on. I love love love my home. I feel very fortunate to be where I am.

Now if it would just cool off some please. Planning a few days in Sept to take SIL to Wyoming for a few days. Should be nice and cool fall weather by then, especially where we will be going.

Thought for the day: Guess no thoughts, too hot for that today

Wow there is life after the Internet!

We are getting settled into the new house, a very busy time. Movers unloaded us one week ago. Most of our boxes are at least empty, still finding where things should go.

But it is true there is a life without the computer. I decided that for me I will just take my laptop to the library once a week for an hour or so and catch up, look up, and what ever.

It is good to be back in the Midwest. We really are small town people and hubby missed all his chat friends, (his chat room is the doughnut shop, the bank, or anywhere he meets up with folks he had known for years) I am glad for him. Living in a bigger city and not knowing anyone it really takes a long time to feel at home. We should have just stayed put 18 months ago!

Well gotta go and check out some blog sites I have missed out on.

Thought for the day: Its always darkest before I open my eyes.

On the move again. I think I just like to pack!

Can't believe its been so long since I posted anything. Guess when so much is going on you sort of don't know where to start. I have quit my job. I drug it out as long as I could. Gave them 4 wk notice with an understanding that if they hired my replacement I would be glad to work a few days to help train. Well they have dilly dallied around and have not hired anyone. I think what is happening is that they are merging 2 parts of the company into one and trying to reorganize the current employees to make things work without hiring new staff. So that's OK. No more calls in the middle of the night. But I will miss the residents.

I think I have mentioned that we are moving back to the Midwest, actually just a few blocks from where we lived last. Have bought a house as a joint ownership with hubby's sister. She is 85 and time that she didn't live alone anymore and it is too much for hubby to manage 2 houses so we came up with the brilliant idea of getting a house together and splitting everything. So we went house hunting in April and found a nice home with a full finished basement that has a front door that opens onto a porch and sidewalk to its own driveway. There is a nice kitchen, Dining Room, large living room, bedroom, 2 baths and utility room, plus a huge family room! Great for her and all her stuff to spread out. The upper level is 3 bedroom with family room and a huge deck. The family room and kitchen area are all as one Great room with gas fireplace. That will be where we spend all our time. It is on 1 acre so we are back to using a riding mower. Going back next week and I will stay 2 or 3 weeks to do some more cleaning and a little painting. Will be fun to spend some quiet time before we move, probably in late June.

We have our homes here in the west for sale, some lookers but no offer yet. But I just feel sure that something will happen soon. Mainly because we lowered our price a little and they will be a good deal for any new homeowner. What we lose on our home here we will more than make up for on the new home, more space and privacy. Not to wild about this close living in a subdivision like we are. Guess we like a little elbow room. I will post a picture looking of our front porch of the home we bought in the Midwest and you will see why we love the place.

So there, I have done an update. Will share new address with friends and family later.

Thought for the day: "The past is really almost as much a work of the imagination as the future."

Gee, I miss my bunny slippers!

I think I mentioned that I sort of gave my notice at work, actually the resignation was left with date to be determined. But I have an understanding that the 16th is "sorta" the last day. I will need to be gone a couple weeks and I have offered to help train the new person, but they really haven't started doing any interviews yet, Not sure what the hold up is. The LPN that runs the day to day stuff is frustrated as she needs help to get the new DON started. (even though she wasn't much help orienting me) Oh well they had a month's notice.

What is the shame, is that now that I am on 3 days a week and no more evenings (started that last week) I actually am really liking my job. I wish I had gotten into the Assisted Living management years ago. It is so rewarding to be a part of these folks lives. I have always found older folks very interesting. We have one lady who has climbed mountains all over the world, another who worked in Washington DC under J Edgar Hoover, and another who married a sheep rancher in Utah, her sister married his brother and they all lived together and raised their kids together, and they even lived together in the Assisted Living Home till the other sister died a couple years ago. Some of the families are so wonderful and some are bickering idiots, always trying to one up the other with who has the most power of attorney.

Can't figure out why sometimes this won't let me seperate my post into paragraphs. I have tried 3 times to edit it to create spacing, and all I get is one huge paragraph. Probably no one will read it anyway!

Thought for the day: We all have our stories to tell, will anyone listen? (this is my thought, not borrowed)

My fork in the road

Been away tooooo long. Alot going on. Seems like the busier I get and the more thinks to write about, the less time I have to sit down and write.

I have been notifying friends and family about us selling out again and moving back to the midwest. I joked that it was getting spring and time to clean house. Guess there is more fact than fiction there. Lots of reasons and will get into that another time. Just wanted to get a note in here.

Work is busy, trying to figure out when to actually quit. Might as well work as long as I can. Don't know if they are going to replace my boss. Makes me wonder if she really quit or was told to quit. Am finding out she was not well liked by the residents families. She was quick to find fault and slow to praise any good that was done.

Maybe spring is coming, just got back from the midwest last Wed. and looked at houses in snow on the first day of spring then drove over the mountains in the snow.

Thought for the day: On every journey you take, you are met with options. At every fork in the road, you make a choice. These are the decisions that shape your life.

Here Come Da'Judge!

GUILTY!

That was the verdict! Had jury duty Fri and got picked to sit on the jury for a fast trial. This gal had been charged with resisting arrest when the officers came to pick up up on an arrest warrant. Of course we were not allowed to know what she was being arrested for. Quite interesting. We felt the witnesses were poor and the prosecution was poor but the fact was.
1. she slammed the door in the officers face
2. she ran the length of her trailer while the officer told her to stop
3. she refused to let him put cuffs

Duh! Why did it come to trial, and over 2 years from the date.

Thought for the day: God must love stupid people: He made so many.

Boss??

Went into work today for their quarterly managers meeting. My boss, the director of the facility has turned in her resignation! What a shock, I foresee a lot of reorganisation coming about. They have had trouble keeping a director, I think its been 3 in the last 6 years. Tough job. Just like my job. They last about 6 months and they quit.

I was getting pretty depressed about my job, wondering what the heck I got myself into. I have posted before about what my hours are and the expectations and POOR orientation. I called up out at the prison where I worked for awhile thru the staffing agency last summer and they about peed their pants!! She tried to get me to come out immediately for another interview and start next week! I said Whoa! I was just checking things out in case I wanted to make the change.

But for now I will hang in there and hopefully do some better scheduling of my time so I can feel some job satisfaction. Its not always about the money.


Thought for the day: Birds of a feather flock together and crap on your car.

Still Reading

What is the Book Lady reading this winter? I still think of myself as the book lady, just can't help it.

I have kept a little notebook and listed all the books as I read them. Last year I read 43 books. So far this year 10. I find that I tend to find an author that I like and I read several by that author. I read the complete series of 7 of Diane Gabaldon's Outlander books. I read 3 of Ken Follett's books, Pillars of the Earth, World Without End, and A Dangerous Fortune. All 3 had historical setting in England, and big thick books that last awhile. For fun I read the Twilight series by Stephanie Myers. I am on my 4th Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum detective books. What a hoot. My sister kept trying to get me to read her but I kept saying I don't really like detective books. I finally read the first one and got hooked. This young gal is a bounty hunter by default cause she needs to pay her rent and her uncle Vinnie runs a bond agency. I won't doubt my sister again! Then I like to read my old standby Dean Koontz when I want to just kick back and read something weird.

So there you have it. I still prefer to read to watch TV. I like to read for about an hour before I go to sleep. Helps relax me and sort of takes me away. Maybe thats why I have such vivid dreams.

Thought for the day:: Everyone seems normal till you get to know them!

Stay or Go?

After being awakened a little after midnight, (On Call) I lay awake and think I solved all my problems. Somewhere around 2 AM I decided I am going to have to make my boss spend just a few minutes with me,(a rarity) so that I can lay out a plan to better utilize my time at work. I am supposed to be the Director of Nursing but only work one Day a week and 3 evenings, each 6 hrs long. I think my orientation has been poor at best. I have had to seek out the info myself, there was no training plan, just what ever I could learn on my own was to be enough. On the evenings the idea was to save money and have me manage the first floor to do med pass Yes, this looked good on paper, no caregiver to staff on those 3 evenings for first floor. But there is so much more to it than passing a few pills. I end up being house supervisor and taking care of all sorts of problems and never actually working in my office doing "management" stuff.

So my plan is to offer to actually cut back to 2 eight hour Days, no pm's. I think I can manage more in those 2 days than what I am doing now and they can save money on me and staff the floor with regular caregivers as before. I hate being on call, but can't avoid that, but will offer to take it every other week instead of 4 to 5 days every week. At least I would get a break.

So that's my plan, and if she isn't open to changes, I am seriously thinking of giving her my resignation effective the first of April. That would give her lots of time to replace me. I think I see why the last 2 DON left after only a few months each. Should have seen that red flag.

If I do quit, I will just go back to work with the staffing agency and pick up a few days at the prison like I was doing before. Actually the gal at Curves is after me to manage the place for her but it would be way toooooooo many hours for me. Gee I miss my little book store. But thats just between you and me. Shhhhhhhhh.

Thought for the day: Blessed are the flexible, for they can tie themselves in knots.

Just dreaming

Every once in awhile I think I will write my dreams down as soon as I wake up. I have very vivid dreams, always have. Some times they are so real I have trouble going back to sleep, sometimes I wake up crying and sometimes they are really funny. I was going thru a notebook to find something to write on today and found a page dated 3/14/08 Dream. I thought for fun I would write it down word for word as I remembered it that morning.

Boarded a big plane. I knew the guy in charge but can't remember who he was. Lots of kids. It was a special flight for kids going to somewhere in Spain. Crowded, lots of bags in the seats. To entertain the kids this guy has a special heavy plastic ceiling that could be lowered down so the kids could write and use crayons on the ceiling. Landed once in Egypt and runway was like a regular road. Then landed in Spain and runway was worse and we taxed for miles right thru poor community streets and wings didn't touch anyone. But then no one could speak the kind of Spanish and there was anger and then we were flying and being shot at and everyone was on the floor, then my mother was there complaining about wanting some aspirin and coffee and not worried about being shot at at all. I had to get in her face to make her see we were in danger.

Not sure what all that means but this is a typical dream for me. Sometimes when I am dreaming it feels like the real world. Do you think maybe we slip into a different time/space and do live lives in another world when we dream?

Thought for the day: Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.

We really can't turn back the clock

I know I shouldn't talk about the folks where I work but have to tell you about one lady. She is 89 years old. She has had breast implants (don't know how many years ago) And she has had a face lift some time in the past. He cheeks are smooth and eyes sort of pulled back and the lips too. Makes her look really strange. Does make you think about what folks look like in old age when they mess with mother nature.

Defrosted the freezer and made a big batch of spaghetti sauce. Now have to go work on the inservice I was told I had to do for tomorrows staff meeting. Appropriate topic. Grouchy People.

Thought for the day: Did you ever notice that the Roman Numerals for forty (40) are "XL"

Just thinking

I was thinking the other day about the first time I watched a TV and trying to remember the first one we had in our home. I think my first memory of a TV was when I was about 8 and we lived briefly in a little town in SE Ia. and was at someone's house, we were running around like wild indians, outside and then inside and getting hot and sweaty. The TV was on and they were watching Gorgeous George, a wrestler that had long hair and would pull the pins out of his hair to get the crowd to yelling.

The first TV we had in our house must have been a couple years later but actually I don't remember much about watching it. My best entertainment was paper dolls and then Mom would get rolls of paper from the newspaper office and we used it to draw on. I liked to write numbers as high as I could go. But I did love those paper dolls. Betsy McCall was the best because there were new ones in the back of the McCall magazine each month to cut out new outfits. Then for a few cents you could buy a book of paper dolls that were stiff so they lasted longer to put the paper cloths on with the little tabs. I am sure most kids now would have no idea what the heck I am talking about.

So it is almost a new year. Always have to think a little about how I need to organize my life better. Like clean up my computer, desk, start sorting stuff for taxes. Then I always think I am going to get all my photos organized better. Still think I will get a few of those little photo boxes that hold alot of loose pictures and just put them in and label them by the year. Will have to will them to someone else one day to deal with. All of the ones on the computer get put on a disc from time to time, Who the heck will ever care to look at all that stuff??

Thought for the day: Marriage is when a man and a woman become one. The trouble starts when they try to decide which one.

When I get OLD

Quote: Always be good to your children for they are the ones who will choose your rest home someday>> Phyllis Diller


When I saw this I was reminded of something my son said about 15 years ago. He said "Don't worry Mom I will take care of you when you get old, I will put you in a nursing home with Dad" or maybe it was "I'll take care of you, and Dad, you can both live with me."
I about choked because I have been divorced from him for over 30 years now. Wouldn't that be hysterical to spend my last days in his company after all this time. On the plus side, maybe we would have something to talk about. Or better yet I could really clobber him good. LOL

Quote from Abraham Lincoln (remember him?)

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.

You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.

You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.

You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence.
'
You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.

Its Winter Time

Don'tcha just love this little guy? Sometimes I feel like that. His fur would be nice right now too. Makes me think of when the kids were little and on occasion fell asleep in the high chair.

Got down to 4 below last nite. SIL had one water line in bathroom freeze up. These houses are built on concrete slabs with lines run in the concrete. How does that work if the line freezes?? It is a little unusual for us to be quite that cold here.

No plans for Christmas, sending only a few cards, I have about quit sending cards, May do a Christmas letter to everyone and send out thru the good old internet. Hey I would rather have a newsy letter than a card with just a name on it. But that's just me. Bah Hum Bug.

We decided to sell our little "farm" truck. Decided it was silly to have 3 vehicles.
Someone was supposed to come look at it yesterday but didn't show up.

Going to do a time study on myself the next 3 working days. Want to be able to show the boss just what I do and see if we need to do some adjustments. The hours she has me working just don't seem to let me do the administrative stuff I need to do. Maybe we can compromise.

Thought for the day: Familiarity breeds contempt----and children----Mark Twain

Finishing a good book is like saying good bye to an old friend

Yes, thats how I feel today. Just finished the latest 8th, in the Outlander series by Diane Gabaldon. I love her writing and her characters. The main character, accidental goes thru these big stones in Scotland and ends up 200 years in the past. It is so interesting to follow the people and how they may have lived and fought for their lives and families. Of course the book ends with open questions about "what next", as it is into the 3rd generation now and the suspense is there for another book. Problem is it takes her 3 years to write each book! Maybe I will have to start over again to read them in 3 years. Yea, I figure I will have forgotten alot by then!

Winter weather here where I live, think we missed the worse, only got about 2 to 3 inches and they got 8 or more about 60 miles north and lots up in the mountains, with roads closed. Hubby built a roof over the pan that he feeds the doves so they can get under it and eat. I will try to attach a picture of them coming up under the back porch yesterday when it was snowing. They are pretty little things.

Bought hubby a lazyboy recliner for Xmas. Should get it delivered this week. Old one is getting lumpy so figured he desirved a comfy one.

Work is good. Had to go in Sun AM real early to fill in till someone could get in to work. Someone came into work and got sick and had to go home. Of course no one but ME would answer the phone at 6:15 AM. (Had to, I was on call) Part of the job. Got out of there by 9:15, and took hubby to Denny's for some breakfast.

Thought for the day: Consciousness: That annoying time between naps.

Thanksgiving 2009

If the only prayer you ever say is thank you, that will be enough. (From the German theologian and humanist Meister Eckhart.)

More jobs than I can handle!

I think if you click on the picture and make it bigger you can read the rest of the caption.

Now about the jobs. I got a job offer from the prison this past week. How about that? After running after them for 7 months. Funny how things work out. I would have been only working 2 days a week, but they were 10 hrs plus driving 30 miles each way. My job I have is only 6 hrs a day and 4 days, and 3 miles away. Great people and wonderful residents. So over all I think I got the best deal. It was their loss, is how I look at it.

Just finished cooking up the "last" of my tomatoes from that monster plant, I had picked all that were starting to ripen and put them in a box. So finally had to do something with them.

Nothing special happening, going out for Thanksgiving dinner. Anyone who really knows me at all knows I do not look forward to the holidays and am glad to get them behind me. But this year I think I will try to make a special effort to look to others and find happiness in them to celebrate the holidays and not think about myself.

Thought for the day: God has a sense of humor. Don't believe me? Go to Wal-Mart and just look at people.

Turkey Humor

A little turkey humor here.

Talked to my big brother today and he says he keeps checking here for me to write something, so here it is.

Job is going great. Alot to learn in a short time. But the folks are great. I think I mentioned I am Director of Health Care Services at a really nice Assisted Living Facility. Actually got my name tag this week. Have done admissions on a couple residents this week and entered them into the computer system. (that was the hard part) Getting new computers in Jan and everyone is excited. Can then do resident info and medication info from the same computer, (in my office)

All is well with us. Sister in Law is getting a sun room built on, started today. She has finally settled down (for now) and I think will be happy with her home. Was making noises about wanting to move to a different home, as she doesn't like living in a sub division. We are happy here and would hate to have her move across town. She will be 85 next week!

We have been enjoying the elk meat from the elk that hubby shot. Looking for receipts to use. So far have made some awesome chili and speg. sauce.

Well I feel like there isn't much else to say. Reading another great book by Ken Follett: World Without End. I read the other one, The Pillars of the Earth last year and loved it. They are both set in old England, one back in the11th century and this one the 13th century but same location. If his history research is accurate it is quite insightful to think about how people lived back then. Great reads, big books!

Thought for the day: We'll be friends till we are old and senile..... then we will be NEW friends.

Where have I been?

Wow seems alot has happened since I last posted. Guess the best is that I got a good part time job finally. I have complained about the prison not giving me more than 2 or 3 days a month and after they fired the part time person they still didn't seem to need me, and they don't know if and when they will fill that position. So when I saw an ad in the paper for a part time RN nursing supervisor at an assisted living facility I thought it sounded good. I picked up an application last Mon and got a tour, then on Tue I dropped it off and stayed to volunteer for a few hrs to help move 10 residents and all their belongings into new rooms. Got acquainted with some of the staff and a few residents. On Wed I got a job offer, went in on Thurs to do the paper work and drug screen. (my 3rd one this year!!) I will start as soon as that and the screening to make sure I am legal and licensed. My work schedule will be Thurs. 9:30 to 3pm, Fri, Sat, & Sun 3:30 to 10PM.

I think it will be a good fit. I will actually have an office! The only one over me will be the administrator who seems really nice, I love her British accent!

I called the DON at the prison to let her know and she was glad for me and said it was their loss but she understood. I will stay on with the staffing agency for a couple months and if I don't get called I will just cancel it out. It was a good experience and made a few bucks but I am glad I will only be driving 3 miles one way instead of 30. When the snow blows hubby can be a go getter. You know he will take me to work then "go get her".

Thought for the day: Be careful Bees with honey in their mouths, have stings in their tails. (from my fortune cookie today)

See my new book case?

Trying a new program here. Found it on someone else's blog site. I will try to add more books that I really like or what I am reading at the present. Just got a call to work tomorrow. Got to open up the medical dept at 6:30 AM. that means leave home at 5:30. Guess I will be getting up really early.

Thought for the day: from my fortune cookie: If you speak honestly, everyone will listen.

Just finished reading a really good book by Stephanie Meyer ( the gal who wrote the Twilight Series) This was her first book for adults. I really liked it. Was almost a scifi book. But great story line. Would love to read her other books if they are ever in the library. Oh, the name of the book is The Host. Get it, Read it! Back to another Dean Koontz book, and checked out another Diane Gabaldon book. Have read all of her series of the Outlanders and have pre ordered her new one of that series. This one I have now is the third of her series of Lord John, not sure how many there are but I love her style of writing, subject matter, and the era. If anyone wants to read her, you must start with the first book, Outlander. Then you will get hooked. Nice big books that last a while which is good for me.

Not much other news. Got a call to work at the prison on the 16th. wish they could use me a little more often. I can hardly remember the computer stuff with 3 weeks between working. Still waiting to see if they will fill that part time position.

Thought for the day: He who laughs at himself never runs out of things to laugh about!

I can rise and shine, but not at the same time!

Trying to get back in a routine, last week was weird. I did the colon prep on Mon. So you sit all afternoon for IT to hit you. Then Tue. had the colonoscopy. One more day shot, as it was about 3 by the time we got home. Then I worked on Wed, and Thurs. Yea for me.

I think I posted about all of this. Well I got my biopsy results on Mon. The funny flat polyps that they removed were whats called tubular adenomas. They are pre cancer. Thank God for the word PRE. Makes you sort of sit up and take notice, right. Well it got my attention. I am scheduled for Jan to have a repeat scope done. I was told to eat high fiber. Well I thought I already did, but now I am really looking at everything I eat and ask my self if it is high fiber or not. Of course it helps to eliminate alot of the stuff we shouldn't be eating in the first place. All the processed, and refined foods. So that's my new focus.

I got weighed and measured at Curves today after 5 weeks on the program,(I pretty much missed last week) I actually gained 2 lbs, and 2 in. just below my waist. I think I must still be puffy from the scope and scraping they did. I hope thats what it is. I lost 1/2 in. in a few other places. So will see what happens in another month. Should be interesting.

Not much else going on. Having hard frost this week. Covering the huge tomato plant again. It is still loaded with tomatoes. Waiting to hear if they want to hire me into that part time position. Hope it happens soon, as I will have to go over the mountain for my 3 weeks of training and don't want to do that in the middle of winter.

About forgot, we went to the butcher shop and picked up the elk meat. Was a 10 hr. round trip drive, but beautiful weather, Sat. Filled 2 50 gal coolers and one regular lg. cooler. So lots of meat, all vacume sealed. Having serloin steaks for supper tonite. Don't you feel sorry for me??

Thought for the day: If a turtle doesn't have a shell, is he homeless or naked?

A little of this, and a little of that

Here is my rainbow from back door a few days ago.

Been a busy week, had the colonoscopy on Tue, then worked Wed, and also Thurs, and now it is Fri. already.

First the colonoscopy was quite interesting. I got to the hosp at 8 AM. On the table with IV by 8:30, Dr. was to be there at 9, but he had an emergency and got there at 11:30. I wasn't about to go home and do the prep another day. I was asleep the whole time for the last one I had, so I was surprised to wake up and find myself looking at the monitor and watched the last half of the procedure and even that I remembered. I watched them snip off some polyps, (didn't have those 5 years ago) I even got colored pictures of them to take home. (Icky). The bad part was that they blew so much air into the colon to puff it out to see and do the work, and it was quite painful. The pain lasted a couple hours till I was able to pass some of the gas. So now I wait for the biopsy reports. My concern now is that he wants to repeat it in 4 mo. to make sure they didn't "grow" back. So just keeping positive thoughts that all is well.

Now about the work. Wed. went OK. Worked with the 2 who are the gossips, so just tried to ignore and do all I could to learn more of their routines. Then I was asked if I could work the next day, as the part time nurse was working alone and the DON was coming in for only part of the day. I knew something was up after a few hrs. Judy (the part time nurse) said she had a meeting at 3pm with the Big Wheels. The DON told me later on the side that it was a sort of hearing and the outcome may not be good. So I sort of pushed all day to keep all the charts done up and tried to learn everything I could about the paper flow and finally got computer access code. (Oh, and I got to assist the PA in removing a big shot pellet from this guys forehead) So Judy left at 3pm and about 45 min. later was brought back by an officer and picked up her bag and left, escorted out. So that was it, and there is now a part time opening. I felt really bad for her. She seemed like a nice person and I really don't want to know all the details, its not my business. So I was left to do the 4pm pill call alone, and had only done it once, with help. You have to use the computer to look up each one and then document that rx. was given. Well the computer wouldn't show up the new orders, and the DON helped me some, but basically I got thru it and all ended well. So I don't know how long it will take them to decide what to do about hiring me into that slot. It may be awhile. So will wait and see.

Headed out to pick up our elk meat tomorrow. It will be an all day trip. About 5 hrs. one way

Thought for the day: A word to the wise is not necessary, its the stupid who need them.

People Watching

People watching the other day as we sat in the car waiting on SIL to do her grocery shopping. What a strange assortment there are. Does any one realize that what we see on TV has to just be the cream of the crop. Very few folks really look like that. In 30 min. I didn't see one that would get casted on a sitcom. Not even a Rosanne Barr! But isn't it sort of cool to realize that we are all so different and yet inside each one beats a heart that would look the same circulating the same colored blood around inside these different bodies. Now bodies are one thing, then you look at what everyone is wearing. Such diversity! From crack showing low hung pants, to fuzzy boots with shorts, to long sarong type dresses and everything in between.

Enjoying a nice little rain everyday for the last 4 or 5 days now. Then it blows thru and the sky is blue and air so fresh. Doing more tomato sauce today. Diced up more hot red peppers and onions to add to this batch. That's it, any more and I will just share with neighbors. I picked 3 one gal. buckets from that one plant the other day. And there are still alot left that are still ripening.

Starting my colonoscopy prep tomorrow, will be glad to get that out of the way on Tue. Then I work on Wed. Sat. we go after our elk meat. Well that's my update for this week. May have new news next time. You just never know what we are up to.





Thought for the day: He who throws dirt, looses ground.

Big Elk

Here is the proof. Hubby got a nice bull elk yesterday. Says he saw some alot bigger than this guy.

Just glad he had a same hunt and the guide seemed to take good care of him. It is sort of a once in a life time thing for him. He says he lived his dream of getting a big elk. This is the 3rd one he has taken. The first bull. Hopefully he was a young one and should be good eating. Having alot ground up into hamburger. We love chili and speg. sauce made with elk meat. I will go with him in a couple weeks to pick up the meat. Ya'al come over for a pot of chili when it gets cold.

Long lost friend

It is so wonderful to reconnect with an old friend. There is a gal that I went to nursing school with back in 86. We shared rides for one class that we had to take in Reno so we got to know each other pretty well and then graduated from nursing school together. I moved away, in 89 but we kept in touch some, and the last time I heard from her was a calender she sent me from HI. while she was there as a traveling nurse. By the time I got around to thanking her she had moved back to the mainland. So the years went by.

Last nite I was going thru some old albums and saw our pictures. I got the bright idea of seeing if she was on FaceBook like I am and I could send her an invite. No luck, so I googled her name and thought it might pop up that she had a blog or something. Well what the heck, she popped up alot of times. Seems she is an actress/nurse and has a website and I could see all her acting credits and PICTURES!! I looked close and sure enough it was her. There was a phone no. on that web page. So I called it this morning and had a great little chat with her. How cool is that?

I gave her my blog site so I know she is reading this and Hi again.

Thought for the day: Can't have too many friends and old ones are the best.

Hitting the sauce

Making tomato sauce today. I added diced up red peppers that are hot. They were supposed to just be sweet red pepper plants. But think they will give the sauce nice flavor. I will attach a picture of the monster tomato plant!

Hubby called from the lodge where his hunt is located. They went out this morning, saw quite a few bull elk but no cows. So after a rest up thru early afternoon they will go back out after 4pm.

Had a nice visit with my sister yesterday. Not much news except that she sounds like she is getting her health back now and doing alot better. They are having a family gathering this Sun. Wish I was there. I had originally planned to go back this fall to see everyone but ended up going in May to close my store down so I hope to save up a few bucks and take off in the spring and make a nice long trip out of it.

Thought for the day: Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

Yeah, got to work one day

Tue. I got a call to come in and work on Wed. Soooo I did. It was clinic day with the PA so I got to run the clinic line and take off orders. All helpful stuff to learn. I need to be there one day when they do labs so I can learn their routine for that. I have one day scheduled later on, but boss lady is hoping there will be a part time opening soon. Which could mean by Xmas!


All alone for a few days, as hubby is about 5 hrs away on an elk hunt. Going to get some "spring" cleaning done. Got a counter full of tomatoes that I guess I will cook up into sauce. My red pepper plant has ended up having these cute small cone shaped red peppers that are just a bit hot, so figure I will chop them up in the tomatoes.


Think I will take a day for myself and go do a nice drive up in the mountains and pack a lunch and a book and lawn chair. Think I will? I will report.




Thought for the day, was in an e-mail from a friend: Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.

If you speak honestly, everyone will listen.(my fortune cookie)

This is the view from the front door of our tent trailer this past week when we went camping. Woke up to 34 degrees and a skim of ice on the windshield of the truck. Good fishing, Got some nice larger trout. Our promise to ourselves is to eat trout once a week. Got several 18 in. long ones. They put up a good fight and are fun to catch. It is so peaceful to sit and look at the pine trees and mountains, and breath the clean air.

My arm is about healed up from a malignant spot that I had removed. It was basal cell ca. which is what I sort of thought it was. The path. showed all edges of it were clean so that's good news. Family frowned at me for letting my family Dr. remove it. but I had confidence that he knew what he was doing and it is all good.

Hubby heads out Thurs to Utah to hunt elk. He thinks this will be his last hunt and I silently agree. He is slowing way down, but sort of like the hound dog that still gets the scent to chase a rabbit.

Should hear from the home health agency this week about working part time for them. The staffing agency that I signed up with keeps calling me to fill shifts 200 miles away. Sorry I am not that desperate. But might consider getting a little orientation with the one 100 miles away if they schedule me 2 or 3 days in a row. Plan to talk to the DON about that tomorrow. She says that "next" week she will start getting me scheduled. We will see.

SIL is still (whats new) not happy about where she lives. I plan on driving her around the area and letting her look at other neighborhoods. I don't think she will be happy anywhere, she watches out her window and finds fault with everything, kids, weeds in neighbors hard, and heaven forbid a trash can sitting in front of someones garage. She is just not used to living in a housing community with neighbors. We don't let things bother us, and personally I think it is pretty quiet.

Well enough,

Thought for the day: Why is the third hand on the watch called the second hand?

Dogs

We did a small garage sale today. One guy had a red heeler in his truck that looked so much like our Molly, at least when she was young. He was telling us stories about his dog and we shared some of ours. When he left he had her jump out of the cab and run in a circle and then back in. I was ok till they turned around in the street and I saw her with his hat in her mouth. I just had to go in the house for a tissue, cause that was one of Molly's favorite tricks. She loved to have something in her mouth, either a hat or glove when she came back to the house.

I did get to pet a big lab on my walk this evening. I feel better now.

This is a cloud formation we had today. Have never seen this brushed look before.

check out this blogger

kimberlysnyder.net This is a blogger that I like to read. Wish I had her brain and information when I was in my 20's But its never to late to learn new things.

Why do we say something is out of Wack? What is a Wack?

Read an article in the paper this week about the state budget cuts, and it looks like corrections is taking a big hit. Looking at cutting the parole time from 5 years to 2 or 3. So don't know what that might mean for these two small facilities in this side of the state. Since they house less than 500 inmates, and many of them getting ready for parole, it is feasible that they could close them and absorb the population into the bigger facilities.

In the mean time, I have a list and plan to go out tomorrow and check out the home health companies in town. Also do a little smoozing with a couple shop owners on main street. Talked to one the other day that runs a consignment shop and she is trying to find a buyer. Maybe she could use someone part time till then so she can free up her time. Who knows.

The town is left with only one used book store now and it is such a cluttered place with books up on shelves that you can't reach without a ladder. I itch to get in there and organize it. Have heard from others about not liking it for that reason. Hmmmm, maybe I will go talk to her again. Who knows.

Did I mention I joined Curves this week. I think I did. Believe it or not you do get a pretty good workout with those machines and the quick circuit you do. By moving from one machine to the next quickly you stay aerobic and don't get too tired to fast. Then the stretches at the end are great.

Oh, one last thing, I got a virus in my computer last week, had to take it to a computer guy to get it removed. I do FaceBook and when a family member asked me to allow them to add me to their "family" list, it hit me. Came from FB. The computer guy has seen several just recently. It is called Personal Antivirus. You can google it and see that it is a scam, where they show you all the infected files you have and for a fee to download their program it will all go away. I ran my antivirus and it didn't show any infected files. But this program was blocking my access to do anything on line. So now all is good. Just be careful what you do when accepting any applications from FB or any of these places. And we only think that Big Brother is watching!

If you don't drop in, smile as you go by.

Pic of hubby enjoying campsite. Guess I need to update whats going on in the work place, or should I say lack of work. LOL Haven't been called back since the 2 days of orientation almost 3 weeks ago.

I made up a calender for the next 2 mo. of available days and faxed to Mary the DON and to my real boss, Lisa at the staffing agency. She has called Mary to see if she will have a schedule for me, but the story is that she is still working on getting me computer clearance and some custody thing so that I can pick up keys so that I can actually work.

You know I am not letting it worry me a bit. I am enjoying myself and actually have come to think that this retired thing isn't so bad, except there is no money in it :( I have a list of some home health agencies in town to go check out and see if they need some part time help. Something will work out. In the mean time I am enjoying myself with the volunteer work at the library, and just this week I joined Curves. I was really feeling like my walking just wasn't enough and its not. I need some resistance training to go along with it. I always feel better when I work out so its time to get my butt in gear. Literally!

I got invited to an appreciation breakfast at the library yesterday. It was fun, they had a gal cater it that does all vegetarian food. It was interesting. I enjoyed meeting some other gals, one who is a retired biologist, and one a graphics designer. I was feeling a little inferior when I realized hey, I am an RN and have something of interest to contribute too. Made me sit a little taller.

Thought of the day: Life is 10% of what you make it, and 90% of how you take it.

About 20 years ago

This is a picture taken about 20 years ago. Myself and 2 little lambs, The one on the right is my grand daughter. She has a little girl about this size now. Boy time sure flys. Yea, I was a blond then too.

It's good to know that if I behave strangely enough, society will take full responsibility for me.

I took this picture along side a lake yesterday, up in the mountains.

I finally did get to work for 2 days of orientation, (even got paid for this) But that was a week and a half ago and I have faxed in my availability so guess I will have to wait. A sort of funny chain of events, remember I have sort of complained about it taking so long to get on board with working at the corrections, even though I was told that they wanted me. I was given quite a run around and 3 trips over the mountains for different paper work, (about 500 miles round trip) Anyway I think I might have figured out something. When I first got to visit the prison and talk to Mary, the DON of another facility (she was filling in as DON at the one I want to work at too) she told me that she thought I had qualifications for the DON position that would be posted soon and I should apply for it. See the DON had died last Nov. and the position had never been posted for applicants. Well this was the end of March. So as I have said, I got this long run around all summer, and when I finally went out for my orientation recently,(working thru this staffing agency) I find that Mary has just been appointed the DON job there and will be my boss. Now do you think maybe she didn't want me there till she had the job nailed down. I really didn't want it, but had I been offered I might have thought about it for a while. Sooooooo glad that it never happened. In fact I am glad I didn't get hired on by the state yet. Working thru the agency will be just fine for me right now. Oh, and I got a letter from the state dept of corrections, that I had passed all my tests and was now eligible for hire.

Just got back yesterday from a 2 nite camp out up in the mountains with our new tent trailer. Had to work some bugs out but I think we will really like it. The campground is about 95 miles away. Caught some nice trout, and relaxed with no TV (or computers) Hope to do it again in 2 weeks. Will post some pictures on my other blog site: dorothykarmictruths.spaces.live.com

Just for a Moment

This was copied from Depok Chopra's site.

I will practice Acceptance. Today I will accept people, situations, circumstances, and events as they occur. I will know that this moment is as it should be, because the whole universe is as it should be. I will not struggle against the whole universe by struggling against this moment. My acceptance is total and complete. I accept things as they are this moment, not as I wish they were.

Just wanted to share that. Wouldn't it be awesome if we all could practice this everyday? We would live with no regrets or wants because we would know that things are just as they should be. I have always felt that at any particular time I am where I am supposed to be at that period of time. I believe that today I am exactly where I am meant to be and I accept that. Perhaps tomorrow it will change but for today I am OK. I have a picture to share of the railroad tracks that I stood on the other day when I was on a trip thru the mountains.

Also I want to share the feelings I have every time I go over the mountains. As I start to drive thru the canyons, following the rivers, I feel an incredible peace come over me. If I have some real mellow music on it is even better. I love to wind thru the canyons and see the beauty of the land. It is awesome!

Insane people are always sure that they are fine. It is only the sane people who are willing to admit that they are crazy

Headed out in the AM to drove over the pass and spend the afternoon and nite with my niece. Looking forward to that as we will do some picture sharing. Then Mon AM will do the orientation with the staffing agency. Oh, BTW I got 100% on the second test.

Anyway plan to drive on back home after all that.

We are anxious to get our new camper out for a test run. Hopefully will do that this week for at least one nite. Here is a pic of it. Will get another one when hooked up to the truck, It is really big.

Whats that you say???

Looking at old pictures from the farm in 2006. Here is Jenny giving me the what for!

This suspense is terrible. I hope it will last.

I think I mentioned that I had to sign up with a different staffing agency, since the state's right hand didn't know that the left hand wasn't using the one that they had me sign up with a couple mo. ago. So here it is now almost Aug. The suspense is that when I did the lengthy paper work for this new agency (which is 250 miles away BTW) I had to do a 15 question nursing test. Can you believe I missed one too many questions to pass. They had about half of the questions about IV drip rates and calculating drug doses in mg. per kg. Haven't done any of that stuff for so many years! And any books I have left were of minimal help. Well they e-mailed me a second test and I was very careful to double check every question and only had 2 that I wasn't positive about. So today I will get the results, then I am headed to my niece's house on Sun to have a short visit as she is about 50 miles from the agency. And on Mon. will do my 2 hrs orientation with them, and do another drug screen test. Boy you would think I was applying for some high security job. Oh, I guess it sort of is. LOL

I'm not a complete idiot; some parts are missing.

We still sleep light at night because we are listening for Molly. Like when you have a baby in the house you hear their sounds. She frequently had to go out in the middle of the night. So now we still listen for her. Had pizza out yesterday and "almost" brought home a piece of crust for her. She always expected some little tidbit when we ate out.

We have all her "bunnies" and dog beds washed and gathered up any left over dog food, biscuits, leashes, collars, and brushes. Found a animal shelter down by where we go fish so plan to take the stuff down there the first of the week.

So we are on the mend and can talk and laugh about her now and not get to teary eyed. She won't be forgotten, that's for sure. We also just realized that we have no guard dog now.

Thought for the day: Life truly is short and we need to enjoy and appreciate what we have.

Who will remind me to go fetch the mail?

We had to put our faithful dog Molly to sleep yesterday. She lived with some health issues and in the last year had been loosing so much muscle in her hips and hind legs. She had developed "fatty" tumors in numerous sites, the worse being on her chest, and flank. On Sunday she tried to chase a cat that was sitting on the back fence and she pulled or tore something in one hind leg. As a result she was trying to walk on 3 legs, and with one of them weak she just couldn't manage. We had to use a towel to help her walk and she would just lay and look at us with those intelligent eyes, like she was asking use to help her.

It is so sad when the mind is still so sharp and smart but the rear end fails. So at nearly 13 we just had to do what was right and let her go. We soothed her while the vet did the injection and it was over so quick and she is at peace now and no more pain. I know she has suffered for some time and we had agreed along time ago we would not let her suffer when the time came.

She was the best dog ever, even if others may not have seen it, as she was not very friendly to others, but that was our fault and not hers. She was so smart that we had taken to spelling things and sometimes she figured that out too. She would mind us so well, we could let her out anywhere with no leash and she would obey us with verbal and hand signs to stay where we would tell her.

What I will miss most was her total devotion to us. Her vocal Woooo Woooo greeting when we would come in the door. She trusted us and loved us unconditionally, and you can't ask any more than that from your dog. I have only seen my husband cry twice, once when he was in acute pain with a kidney stone and yesterday after we came home to an empty house.

We have agreed that there will be no more dogs, at our age, we don't want to be tied down with that responsibility again. We have had 2 good dogs, I was counting up and we have had a dog in our lives for a total of 24 of the 27 years we have been together. Thats alot.

Glory Be

Can't believe I am finally getting the 1 day training I needed at the prison before I could start nursing orientation. It is a sort of crash course in how be behave in a prison ect. Since I won't be an actual state employee I have to have this. I will be working thru a staffing agency.

Which is another long story. I talked to the D.O.N. earlier in the week and sort of reminded her that I put my application in the end of March, I signed on with a staffing agency that she suggested, which made me purchace liability ins. and get a drug screening at my expense. And she keeps stringing me along with this training thing that had to be scheduled. Anyway she told me this week that the state wasn't using that agency now and I would have to apply thru an agency across the state in the big city. So now I got my packet, have to get a physical (Mon) and get this all sent back, then go to a city in NE part of state on Aug, 3 to do orientation with them. Then >>>>>>> I will be ready to actually work and earn some money!!

Makes your head swim but at least I am swimming upstream.

I intend to live forever. So far, so good.

OK the rest of the story on our housing development. Rick who is the sales person has told us that they won't be able to start up our home owners association till a certain % of the homes are built. Guess we aren't there yet, In the mean time folks are supposed to pay their dues to the head office. This company has housing developments in several cities around here, 3 in our city. So the money goes in their pot. We can't govern ourselves. Also since they aren't building more homes there are alot of lots growing up in weeds. Alot of home owners are angry as it makes the complex look bad. The only thing they maintain is a strip of lawn as you come into our area on one end and the weeds in a rock area that has some shrubs there. After alot of phone calls from folks, last mo. they came in and sort of mowed the weeds in the vacant lots but not very short due to all the large rocks.

Many of us think we will hold out when dues are to be paid this coming year. Wonder how that will fly?

When you get Mad should you get Even?

Our builder/Realtor took us for a little ride recently, and I am still steaming.
We closed on our home on Dec 30. Last week we got a delinquent notice for 2008 property taxes. Seems the first notice went to the builder. Somewhere along the line, they paid the 07 taxes of less than 60$(was on our closing) as the property was bare dirt then. No where did it mention who owed the 08 taxes. Seems that WE owe that. We went to the court house and to the title co. and that is just the way it is. When we went to our developer thru the supervisor at our home development they said that "he" should have taken better care of his contract.
Now this company has this Christian mission statement in their literature.

Well I composed this letter quoting some of their mission statements and laying out what had happened, and that it was a shabby way to do business and treat their home owners. We owned the home for 2 days! I am sending a copy to the Better Business Bureau, and the State Realtor Commission.

I know it won't do any good but just want to raise a little stink. Maybe get even just a little.
I think they are going out of business anyway, not building any more houses and laying most of their people off. Not sure where that will leave us here in this development with only half the lots built on. But thats another story.

Many are saved from sin by being so inept at it.

I love the title here. Was one of my little thingys at the sidebar here.
I have started with the volunteers at the library here in our fair city. I think I will love it. Did my first orientation yesterday. It was a big deal to learn how the carts are set up with books that need returned to the shelves. They are grouped on carts by category, then the shelver (that's me) has to put them in order and there is more to it than you would think, so that when you take the cart out you can go down the line and put them where they belong.

Hope in my next lifetime I am a reader. I just know I can't get around to reading all the books I want to in this life.

Stuff

What does "home is where the heart is" mean? What does "home" mean to you?
It seems that we have moved so many times that each time I sort of get a diluted feeling about my home. I find it harder to get very attached to it. Maybe because I feel it won't be the last one. Maybe part is the moving so often, maybe part is getting older and realizing that material stuff is just stuff.

I loved the old routine that George Carlin did years ago about "our stuff" Wish I could remember more of it, but the gist was that we all work hard to have our stuff, then need a place to put our stuff, but you can't take your stuff with you. I guess I feel like our home is just more stuff. And sometimes all the stuff just gets to feeling like a burden. Maybe that's why we need garage sales every so often so we can sell our stuff to someone else who is still looking for their stuff.

When we watch the news, and who doesn't feel alarmed now days, we say things like we need to just find a cabin in the mountains and go there, with no TV, Phones, or Computers. Well maybe we should. But we won't, cause we still think we need all our "stuff"

Food for thought

I Know

it's hard to be reconciled

not everything is exactlly

the way it ought to be

but please turn around and step into the future

leave memories behind

enter the land of hope

--Zbigneiw Herbert, from A Life

Wikopedia's defination

Synchronicity is the experience of two or more events which are causally unrelated occurring together in a meaningful manner. In order to count as synchronicity, the events should be unlikely to occur together by chance.

When I looked up the word I found a site that uses this subject as a basis for a religion. Found that interesting.

I think my strangest synchronicity event was hearing a word that I had never heard before and the next day I saw that word on a license plate. Can't remember what it was, but I see small things frequently that to me a little whisper in my ear to help me be more aware.

Please let me grow old with joy

It is so hard to have a family member who is so negative, suspicious, righteous, pushy, opinionated, and well I guess thats enough.
I am talking about my nearly 85 year old SIL. Now I have known her for nearly 30 years and I don't see this as a new thing with her, just a worsening of her attitudes. On one hand she is the most generous person I know, then on the other hand so miserly that I have to just laugh so I don't get upset. She will gladly give something of value to someone if she thinks they will "take care" of it. But will hang onto silly things like say a bundle of old paint brushes, just in case she needs one, or a whole box of plastic cloths hangers, in case one breaks. This little stuff I can deal with, but its the other things that are hard to live with. She has taken a dislike to a neighbor that is katty corner across from her. They actually have a beautiful lawn, but keep kids bikes in the driveway and a mower, and trash cans along side of the house that is not noticeable unless you drive down the street. But every time we drive her home she cranes her neck to look and complain about what a trashy place it is and how she may have to call and report them. Oh, she loves to have a cause to be calling about. The house next door to her was repossessed, so is sitting empty, being a new home, the folks had not put a lawn in yet, so the weeds were growing. It became her mission to track down who (which bank) owned the house so she could get someone to take care of the weeds. She harassed the subdivision manager long enough that he went over and mowed them himself. But its just everything, someones dog, kid, weeds, wasps, wind, you name it. Its like she can't see any joy in anything.
So I have vented my frustration and maybe its just time I went to work so I don't have so much time on my hands and I won't end up being a negative person too.

I want to find joy everyday, even if I am the only one who sees it and no one else does. I would like to do Oprah's little thing of writing a little thankful note everyday, just for myself.

For today I am thankful for the little humming bird that is faithful to our feeder and the pleasure I get watching him sit on a tree limb near the feeder like he is the owner of it. Also for the smiles from the old Veterans I saw today riding the float in the July 4 parade and for the beautiful clouds with the sun shining thru as the sun was going down tonite.

Why do we hate Garage Sales?

Just finished a 2 day garage sale with my SIL. She did good to sell a couple easy chairs, and a big cedar chest, plus alot of small stuff. We sold alot of old 8 tracks, coffee cans full of matches from the 70's, and one large mirror, and some small stuff. The rest is boxed up to go to the Salvation Army. Just glad to be done with it.

Headed out tomorrow to the "city" to Sam's and a health food store. Then on Tue. we are going fishing!! I got worms in the refrig. to prove that we really are. Man, 4$ for a little tub of worms, I assume there are a doz. in the tub. They better do their stuff and catch us a few trout.

God whispered in my ear, again

I picked up a book yesterday and started the first few lines, and as I read the words "big deal" at the same moment those words were said on TV, "big deal". Not a coincidence, just more synchronicity. Would love to hear if you are finding these in your life.

Me and ABBA

With ABBA in my ears I did a 2 mile "quick" walk last pm. Getting better. I have a road that runs a couple blocks behind our house that is a straight 1 mile stretch. Not to much traffic and lots to see. Most of the homes are build on 1/4 to 1 acre lots. So they have horses and just such a diverse setting. Makes the walk easier. ABBA helps as most of the music is very fast beat. A couple days ago I went to the river trail. Which is nice, but just a little scary alone. It is a great bike trail but meanders thru trees and secluded. Think I will try the other end of it that is out in the open and maybe more used.

Talked to the Director of Nursing that is managing the facility where I am trying to get on. Looks like I will be doing some orientation soon, and will fill in some shifts thru the nursing agency that I have applied with. This will be good till the state finally has an "official" position posted for me.

We are trying to get everything ready to do a combined garage sale with SIL. Have all our stuff priced and ready but now weather looks like rain Fri. and Sat. So guess we will wait a week. Just want to get it over with. We LOVE doing garage sales, about like having your fingernails pulled out.

Do as I say, not as I do

I was cleaning out my desk and found this joke I had cut out. It is a picture of a Dr. sitting behind a desk, He is very obese and he is asking his patient: "Are you eating properly and getting plenty of exercise?"

Made me think that alot of times we are ready to hand out advice that maybe we don't really follow ourselves. Food :) for thought.

All quiet on the western front. (I just made that up)

Heading out bright and early in the AM to take that test I mentioned before. Hubby going with me. He overdid yesterday, (only 1 wk. since he broke the 2 ribs) He is having alot of shoulder pain. But each day I can tell it is better. I told him he is getting grouchy and sassy so that is a good sign. But he is so stubborn!!

Still having a bit of cool weather for it being almost the first of summer. We will be wishing for these breezes and fluffy clouds next month.

Not much else new so bye for now.

Here's to the importance of fiber in your diet!

Hubby still not doing so well with the rib pain. But did a lung check today and he is moving air down in the bottom and it sounds clear. Just have to be patient. Yesterdays bathroom drama about wiped him out. Definitely no joking matter. Have been adding extra calcium, IBU's, and FIBER. I know it will get better every day. Dang we are all ready to go fishing.

Having a cool spring (or is it summer?) May save alot on air conditioning if we can just quit running the heat in the mornings. Still down in the 50's at nite. Can't really complain.

Will be heading to Canon City next week to take a competency test, (just to be sure I haven't lost my nursing smarts) A 4 hr drive one way to take a 1 hr test. Hopefully hubby can go with me and we can check out the lakes on the way home.

Little brother headed to NC to see his oldest grand daughter graduate Sat. Have a safe trip.

That's it for now.

Hubby's Boo Boo

Yesterday hubby was sealing a little crack in the bed of the pickup, (we are getting a camper shell put on it this week) and he was getting down by "hopping" off the tailgait. Guess his hand slipped and he banged his back on the corner of the lowered tailgait. He came into the house, looking real pastey and groaning, trying to breath. He has a good abrasian up the left side of his back. He refused to go to ER at the time. But by nite time I told him we were definately going this morning just to make sure there were no internal injuries. The X-ray shows one complete break and another one almost all the way thru. So he is sleeping in the recliner as he can't lay down, taking IBU, and ice. Got to go pester him soon to do some deep breathing. I will try to scan the printout of the X-ray and add it here. Its all digital now and they sent us home a copy.

I am soooo tired.

Wow, that trip to Mo. and all really kicked my butt. Haven't had much energy to do much since I got home last Tue. Recap: I was gone 18 days. 2 day drive both ways, I kept the store open for 12 days straight to sell out as much stock as possible, Sold the book cases, pictures, card rack, advertising sign, and a couple small tables. Then I took my main desk and a couple of bookcases to my daughter. The remaining books, turned out to be about 1900, I donated to a local little library, and what a job to get them boxed up and loaded in her truck.

The store is all clean, and winterized all ready thanks to help from brother and his girl friend. I really couldn't have been more pleased with how it went. Of course when it was all empty and just me looking at the empty shelves I wanted to cry. I really didn't want to give up my store, but I know something else is waiting for me to do. It was a wonderful experience and maybe someday I will do something like that again. Not sure what I will do with the building, I left a sign on the front that anyone wishing to inquire about the building to call my brother.

The 2 days to drive home were peaceful. But as I said I have had a bad case of dragging butt.

Oh, we did get our fishing license this week and found an old camper shell to put on the little pickup so we can throw our gear in and go fishing. Yea. Very soon.

My synchronicity

While driving home Tue I hit a rain storm, well ended up driving in and out of the rain all day. But just as I was going into the rain for the first time, a song came up on my CD I was listening to by the Mavericks called " can you guess? "Here comes the Rain"

I always feel like this is God's way of saying "I am here" "Did you notice that?"

Update

Well lets see, I was premature on the Sold Out post. When I got to the store the next morning to meet the folks and take the money, I had a voice mail message telling me they had changed their minds. They didn't have the guts to call my cell phone and tell me themselves. Anyway it was for the best.
I actually wanted to see it to the finish anyway. I did a brisk business all day Friday, had cut my prices in half. Selling out at garage sale prices, then on Sat I put up signs and did 2$ bag sales and sold about 60 bags of books. On Sun I donated the remainder stock to the local library. I thought there was about 1,000. But turned out there was 1900. I will get a slip for my donation for my taxes. I gave away about $1000 worth of books (my price's) for the folks that had credit for trading in books. I figured I sold over 2,000 books. Not bad. Would like to have sold them at my regular price, but its all done and the building all cleaned out and winterized too, just in case it is still empty.

I am staying at the same motel, same room as I did on my way to Mo. So I am half way back home. Had a great visit with all my family. Just felt like going back home.

Was able to help my sister out as she got home from her stay in KC after her surg. over 3 weeks ago. She is doing well, still weak, and having trouble tolerating more than a very small amount of food at a time, but she has about got the hang of managing the colostomy now. Just needs to gain about 30 lbs back. Dr. says she is doing just fine.

So its on home tomorrow and get back to my Co. life. More later