new picture taken today!!!

Only thing missing is the flower box. Yea, got another set of double shelves done today and some counter top up in the kitchen/office.

Before picture

Guess I should give you a before picture so you can see what the building looked like. This was taken about a month after I bought the building and had already had the new roof put on.
We litterly gutted the inside down to the studs and put in new wiring and plumbing. Thats why it has taken so long. dc

MY Store

Well here is the {almost} finished store. Still need the store sign to be put up and will do that today. About 3 more days building shelves. Then a few days putting books on them. Will be glad to have all the sawdust over with. But have loved every minute of this. Oh, also have a flower box to go out front tomorrow and have the flag mounted on the right corner. Will do another picture later plus some of the renovation in progress, and the finished product. That alley way beside the store, carries all the traffic from the bank drive thru that is on main street. I couldn't believe all the traffic that comes thru there. There is a parking lot just to the right of my little red truck and a small amount of parking in the front. Well got to go and get some paint slapped on some more shelving before my helper comes at noon and we can get some more shelves up. Lots of other personal news but will save that for later too. dc

Welcome to MO....

Well only 4 months off line!! Things do move slow here in Mo. LOL!
Got lots to share and pictures galore. But just a quick note to say I am back
Better than ever. Retirement is wonderful. Have never worked so hard in my life. lol.
But it has been a work of love, The store is about ready to be opened. Shooting for the 5th of July. Got to get back to the paint before my brush dries out. Oh, Meg the front door will be RED>>> Think you will like all my colors. Just got on line. So will sit down in the evening and send a big post with some pictures. Love to ya all. dc

MOVIN ON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We will be closing out our internet/cable service on Mon the 27th so time is short to leave my last blog for awhile. The town we are moving to has one of the few private phone companies and you have to use their internet service, so will be changing everything over in a couple weeks.

The time is flying by like a whirlwind. So much detail to attend to. Didn't seem this hard last time we moved. hmm, could it be we are 10 years older?

Did the garage sale thing Fri, got rained out today so will try again on Sun as it is to clear out. One minute is raining, then snow flurries, then the wind blowing real hard. So got alot of packing done today. It is coming together, but hard work. Picked up taxes today, Very good news, I was hoping for a nice refund since I had to pay last year.

So this is it from this end for awhile. I will look forward to checking in as soon as I get back on line. I will miss all my blogger buddies. After Tue, no more "working for the man". Oh, I will be the "man".... whoa, what a thought.

Retirement Party, who Me??

Well I guess I have to go thru with it and retire now, since they threw me a party tonite!!
Am adding a picture of the cake, A little play on my first name, like in the Wizard of Oz. If you click on the pic. you can read the card. On the inside it said "All you need is a pair of red slippers and a fiesty little dog" So they found the slippers and a little plastic dog to add to the cake, Cute.

My favorite card came from the Dr. that I have worked with for all this time, She is a real gem, she gave me a gift sack of wine, a book, bath salts, a bag of gold coins{candy} and a package of Henna Tattoo kit. Looks interesting. The front of her card is a beautiful red rose with lots of dew drops, on the front it says "QUALITY,
Countless, unseen details are often the only difference between mediocre and magnificent."
On the inside she wrote, " I will miss the fact that I'm losing one of my most pleasant, sane, and competent nurse. Then she quoted Eleonor Roosevelt:"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." Pretty awsome huh? At the bottom she wrote"All my best wishes for your health, happiness, highpoints, humor, habitat, handicrafts, harvests, heathenism and all the other hot H's".

I still have to pinch myself to believe that I am really doing this. Where did this streak of adventure and no fear of the unknown come from. Where ever, I love it and embrace it and I am READY.

Just as it should be

I just love it when things fall into place, just as they should. Sister in law, accepted an offer on her house yesterday with closing the end of April. Which willl give us just enough time to get moved and hubby fly back and help her with her moving details. She will use a moving co. to do the major moving and hubby will drive her and her 2 pups back. She will take posession of her house in Mo. just before she gets moved in so I can see to getting the carpets cleaned and ready for her.

All is sailing along here, I am orienting my replacement, which is usually unheard of with a state job. So I am sort of laying back my last couple weeks and letting her do most of the work. Heck how else is she supposed to learn!! They are throwing a retirement party for me Sun afternoon. So that should be nice.

Still very cold here, and treats of more snow flurries, so we are waiting till the last week to do the moving sale. Wish us luck to have decent weather.

So that is my update. Getting all my addresses changed, Anyone who wants my new address and phone no. in Mo. can e-mail me and will pass it along.

Will of course have to change internet servers after Mar. 31 so I will notify folks of that. So its off to work, well sort of work, ha ha.

OH, don't think I mentioned I bought 6,000 books while in Mo. for 5 cents a book. A leap of faith as I only looked in a few boxes, but think it going to be OK> I got alot of painting done while there and the house cleaned, wood floors waxed and all the donated stuff cleared out. So it is ready to move into. Can't wait.

Don't Whine

This is a poem by unknown author that was at the end of a chapter of the book I am reading.


Today I saw a lovely girl with golden hair,
envied her and wished I were so fair.
When she rose to go, she hobbled down the aisle,
She had one leg, wore a crutch and a smile.
Oh God forgive me when I whine
I have two legs, the world is mine.

Then I stopped to buy some sweets.
The lad who sold them had such charm.
I talked with him---my being late was no harm,
As I left he said to me, "You've been so kind.
You see," he said, "I am blind."
Oh God forgive me when I whine
I have two eyes, the world is mine.

Later, I saw a child with eys of blue.
Watching others play, not knowing what to do.
"Why don't you join the others, dear."
He stared ahead, he could not hear.
Oh God forgive me when I whine......

Baby its cold outside

Well dang, home one day and look what we got up to this morning. Those are quail swarming under the bird feeder. Taken from my kitchen window. more snow tonite too. And bro just told me it is 70 degrees back there in Mo. 3 more weeks and I am out of here for good. Yea for me.

Only in a small town

I am back in Mo. for a couple weeks, and only in a small town could you do some of the things I have done this week. Like go to the telephone co. and and they still had a card on me from when I lived there 9 years ago that so they did not need a letter of credit from my current phone co. I am talking about a little 3X5 card!! And when I went to post office all they needed was our name and the address on a little slip of paper to start mail delivery. I was thrilled the next day when I got junk mail in the mail box. I opened up our bank accounts and the bank president came out and gave me a big hug and wanted to know how soon we would be moved there permanently. So small town is good. Of course the internet service sucks. This little town has one of the few local phone companies, family owned and they have the only phone service so the internet service is thru them or you don't have one. So much for getting a good deal. But won't complain. At least they have it, right? So I am on my daughters computer in Ar. Having a great get together with her and her best friend. What a pair. So had to check up on everyone and say hi. Got to head back to the farm tomorrow and get busy with the paint brush, and go shopping for doors and windows for the store. Oh, also found someone who wants to sell me 6,000 books. How about that, when I talked to him he said alot of them are brand new and can buy them for 5 cents a book. Well thats it for now. Won't be home till the 8th of Mar. Then serious packing and will be moving back here on the 1st of April. dc

1973-74

As I look at retiring from 33 years of nursing I wanted to reflect back on how I got into nursing and what that 1st year of training was like. Back in 1971-72 I was working in a little boarding home. I worked some nites and some pm's. Mostly I was an attendant as this was not a nursing home and I cooked meals and was sort of the caretaker during my shift. There was about 15 female patients there and had to be able to care for themselves. The gal, Lois, who ran the home was going to school to get her LPN license. So when I would come to work at 11pm she would be sitting there with her books out and we'd talk. She encouraged me to look into a scholorship and going to school too. I guess I was put in that one place at the right time because I'm sure I would never have thought to go ahead with nursing without her encouragement. I certainly had never had any great desire for this or any career. My first husband and I with 2 small children had bought 5 acres and put our mobile home on it. we had no running water for about 6 mo. till we could get a well drilled. So everyday I'd take all these gal. jugs into town to my mothers and use a hose and fill them all. When we took baths{one after the other} the water was used to flush the toilet. We had a long driveway thru the woods and till we could get it graveled there were many days it was to muddy to drive thru so we used the kids wagon and pulled it thru the trees with the water jugs. I got a job at a nursing home as an aide and worked nites on Fri and Sat so I could have gas money for the next week to go to school. At this time my daughter was starting kindergaren {BTW the year she graduated from highschool I also graduated again with RN degree} But I'm getting ahead of myself.

This year 73-74 I spent 12 mo. going to school for my LPN license. I did get the grant to pay for tuition and books. For clinical we wore white pinafores and blue blouses. I had this short stout New England instructor, Mrs. Johnson who was a real gem. I remember her riding in an elevator at the hosp. with me and she was eye level with my ears and she said "what's that in your ear?" Rhinestone ear rings. They had to go! Pinafore length and graduation uniform had to be exactly midknee.

A couple weeks before graduation {I was 3rd in the class} I was told that I should not have been allowed to attend class because I was a high school drop out and only had a certificate from a correspondance school. So I had to go to the Deans office the very next day and take the GED test, whick I passed OK.

These 12 mo. were very hard to get thru, with family, work, and study. My son was quite taken with learning medical terminology, he was about 8. I remember him getting stung by a wasp and telling people he got stung on his clavicle.
So I graduated in May and started to work right away as a new grad at something like 3.75$ per hr. I worked in a small very rural hospital which was very good to get some early experience. A year later I transfered to a "real" hospital in a bigger town about 15 miles away. It was here that I learned my OB skills.

So looking back, I wish I could thank my mother for her help with taking care of my daughter in the AM's and getting her to her afternoon kindergarten class. {And to thank Lois for her encouragement.} Then both kids would ride the bus home and one of us would be home. I think the scarriest time was that 1st year of working nites, Husb #1 had to leave for work about 45 min before I would get home so the kids were left alone during that time trying to get ready for school till I got there to see them off to the bus!. Now I'd be arrested for child neglect. They were about 7&9. But they never burned down the huse. I wonder if they remember anything about that year.

So now all these years later I will hang up my nursing "hat" and be a storekeep for FUN. Wish me luck

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Don't know if you can read this if you click on the picture to make it larger. Was in today's paper. I will quote some of the lady's comments about this baby. Apparently the foal was born and the stallion of the small band of about 6 mares herded them away leaving the new born in very cold temp. Some people spotted him and when they didn't return reported the cold baby. This lady takes in abandoned animals for a refuge, called Lucky Horse Rescue Corral. she said "I have been in on a lot of rescues, but this one was the greatest". "I love mustangs, I think they're a gift from God to us here in Nevada, and we're kind of pushing them out". She has raised about 10 foals in her bedroom. This baby was named Heidi-ho because her unusual horse sounds were kind of like a little yodel. She will be adopted out when she gets a little older. "she is my very first baby that actually uses a bottle, most go from the turkey baster to the bucket" "When God puts something in front of you. it's your responsibility to take care of that baby" What a lady. Makes you want to go out and do something nice doesn't it???

5 K walk

Beautiful day today!! I joined hundred more to walk on the new Freeway, well we have a part of a freeway, ha ha. It links in on the north end of the city and there is about 6 miles completed and will open to traffic next week. It will take about 4 more years to complete the rest that circles to the east of the city and comes out at the south end to link back to the highway.

It was fun to see all the different people who came out today. Everything from babies in strollers and wagons to bikes, joggers, a unicycle, and one old gentleman with his little elec. scooter. And lots of dogs of all kinds. What I was surprised by was the calm and peacefulness even with this many people. It was 10K in all {over 6 miles} But they had a turn around at the 5 K mark and I opted to take it and head back. Took a few pictures and will post a couple of them here. Oh, I overheard the cutiest conversation between several senior citizen women. One was saying she had just had her bone density done, and it showed she had osteopenea. Then she laughed and said they should name a coctail for older women with that name. You know belly up to the bar and ask for an osteopenea, with extra shot of vit D and Calcium.

Hey Toots wish you could have been here! Missed a walking buddy.

I'm So Mad

I was accused of taking a winter break along with alot of other people, but reallly have been busy. Now what I am mad about, last week this creep of an inmate, asked me for my last name and when I asked him why, he said" because I am turning you into the state board of nursing". I asked him why and he said something about my lack of concern for his health and wellbeing, About that time Pat picked up on what was going on and she lit into him and told me not to say a word to him. I was upset and left a message on my bosses voice mail. The next day I guess Pat asked him did he really file a complaint and he said he had mailed it. She told him that he had made a big mistake because I was one of the few nursed there who did care and followed up on concerns and questions, ect. I was off that next day, but when I went in on Thurs I talked to my boss and he said yes the inmate had talked to him the day before and that I shouldn't worry that "they never win a case" About wanted to go bolistic on him. I said What case? there should NOT be a case. He should have shut him down right then. I was so mad at the boss not the idiot inmate, they are always trying to stir up trouble. But I feel my boss really let me down. Of course anyone can file a complaint. But with a spotless 35 year record, I am furious that this is happening. 6 more weeks and I am out and done. Now I am hoping that this inmate is just blowing smoke and didn't really file anything and he has no proof that I have done anything wrong. I only give him his meds, delivered to the unit in the evening. He is in the long term unit and there are about 15 {lame and lazy} ones that we deliver to. He is just a dirty old coot, who won't show up in the AM pill call line for his morning meds most of the time, and frequently doesn't come out of his room in the evening even though we come to the unit. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRr! Give me strength to not kill the bugger!!

So now I have vented and still don't feel much better about it. Just stinks, right?

Have been so busy on final details on the sale of the house, inspections, papers signed ect. Then I have been packing alot too. Trying to help the sister in law, she bought a house in the nearby town where we are moving in Mo. But still no nibbles on her house here. One day she is gung ho to move and the next day she thinks she should stay here. Poor thing at her age, maybe we are asking to much to expect her to move too, but she can't stay here alone with no family. She is very dependant on AC for more than she realizes I think. But I know it will all work out in the end. They are getting her house on the multiple listing tomorrow and taking more pictures, my thinking is that should have been done a mo. ago. hmm.

OK so there is a nice long post. I know a few others who owe us a "long" post. dc

By Maya Angelou :

"Spirit
is an
Invisible
Force
made visible
in all Life"

Hello!!!

Is everyone taking a winter blog break? Seems like everyone is hybernating. Come on, what gives. I know there are fun and exciting things going on somewhere. Here it is cold. But then it is January. Been busy packing stuff. Ever notice how much *stuff* you have? Didn't George Carlin do a whole skit about our *stuff*. Geez some of the stuff I have packed I haven't used since last time I moved. Why do we hang on to all this stuff. I have numerous craft projects that were started and never finished. Mind you I do finish some things but I think the oldest saved unfinished project are some quilt blocks made by hand in what is called the cathedral pattern. I made them in 1974 and never put them together. Have enough to probably make a twin spread. Now tell me if I haven't finished it by now, what are the odds of it ever being done? I have a sister who quilts, maybe I should pass it on to her.

Well don't know how I got off on that little tangent. But hope I see some happy blogging soon or I will threaten to go on a winter strike too.

My Keepsake

This is a painting done by one of the inmates at the prison. He is a lifer and confined to his room and has taught himself to paint He turns out a painting about every 2 weeks and they are always bought up by staff and he donates several a year to the cancer walk. This guy is on a 30 by 36 canvas. Don't know if it does justice here but the shadows are great and you can see his breath, coming up over his nose and across his back. Pretty cool huh? Oh I forgot to mention that I bought it.

May I brag just a wee bit?

The name is smudged to protect the innocent. I received this little award yesterday from work. Was a nice honor. The boss who presented it must have been watching to many infomercials, because he said I was one employee that could be "set it and forget it" Not sure but think he ment it as a compliment. Actually the joke is on him as he hardly knows what I do. But as you can see from my last post I am not sure I should have gotten this, maybe is is my going away present.
Oh, and to top it off, I took today off as a sick day, ohhh, bad girl.

My horoscope for Tue. Yes, this is ME

Quickie:Don't wait 'til the last minute to double-check the details. Go over everything now.

Overview:It's impossible for you to remain silent in the face of other people's glaring mistakes and bad judgment. When you look closely at this situation, you know exactly what needs to happen to fix it.

SOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We listed our home a week ago and have our buyer!! Will tell more later. Mo. here we come, well in March.