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?