More annoying things

1. When people don't RSVP to an event.
2. People who will write something borderline mean, but then follow it up with a smiley face :)
3. People who refer to themselves in the third person.
4. People who leave their children in their cars while they run into the store.
5. People who snap their gum.
6. Caps Lock in text or in email, when PEOPLE SHOUT.
7. Girls who wear way too much make up.

8. People who spell "you're" as "your."
9. People who don't cash checks you give them in a timely manner.

10. When you first meet someone and can't remember the person's name by the end of the conversation.

11. Guys who wear wifebeaters (and nothing else for a shirt) in public.

12. When the toilet paper roll is backwards.

13. When the cashier gives you the change with the coins on top of the bills and for a moment you look twist your arm around trying to get a large wad of cash into your car window with out dropping it. (McDonald’s are you listening?)

14. How commercials are so much louder than the TV shows.
15. People who don't want to learn anything new because they know it all.

LEG CRAMPS

The worst way to be awakened is by the excruciating pain of a leg cramp. Actually, I suppose that the absolute worst way to be awakened is by someone yelling “Fire!” Yep, that would be worse than a cramp!!!Last night as I was laying in bed sound asleep I was suddenly awake at 2:00 by the worst leg cramp ever!!! To stop the cramp, I tried to flex my foot toward my knee, stretching the calf muscle, thereby stopping the cramp with very little soreness afterward at least for a moment. Then it was back again so I flexed my foot toward my knee again, nothing happened, the painful cramp continued. I increased the pressure to stretch the muscle. The excruciating pain in my calf moved to the front of my leg. I actually felt it move. The pain extended from just below my knee to the tips of my toes. My toes were bent backwards at an unnatural angle. When I tried to ease the pressure, I found my leg, ankle and toes were locked! Oh, the pain! As I lay in bed groaning and massaging my poor leg, a thought crossed my mind. “My gosh! What if my leg and foot remains locked in this position!!! I will have to buy elf shoes!!” Finally, after about 15 minutes of groaning and in pain, my leg relaxed, and I am now able to hobble around.

Pictures on Monday

It seems my Christmas Cactus is mixed up. It is early by about a month. It is loaded with blooms and is a very pretty salmon pink color. And a picture of our girl Morgan, it was taken with my phone and is sorta fuzzy but she is still cute.

Gift Cards

• Walmart gift cards: when you want to show you care, but not enough to buy a real present.
• Walmart gift cards: just as good as cash, but not.
• Walmart gift cards: what better way to show someone you love like think about know they exist.
• Walmart gift cards: when you don't know someone enough to get them a gift card for a store you know that they like, get them one for a store you know they'll end up in.
• Walmart gift cards: it's like getting cash that can only be used in one place until it expires.
• Walmart gift cards: because unlike real money, you'll keep forgetting this in a drawer when you go to the store.
• Walmart gift cards: when only the best is too expensive.

My 3 favorite girls

Morgan, Becca and Kate Thanksgiving Day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATIE

To my grown up Sweet baby girl Katie, it has been fun watching you grow into such a beautiful woman. I am so proud of you. ( You are my favorite shhhh don’t tell the others it is our secret. ) Happy 22nd birthday Katherine Elizabeth!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Kids say the darnest things

I got this in an email today and I thought it was cute enough to share.

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY?
(written by kids)
You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.
-- Alan , age 10
No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with.
-- Kristen , age 10

WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?
Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then.
-- Camille , age 10

HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?
You might have to guess, b ased on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
-- Derrick , age 8

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?
Both don't want any more kids.
-- Lori , age 8

WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?
Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
-- Lynnette , age 8 (isn't she a treasure)
On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that Usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.
-- Martin , age 10

WHAT WOULD YOU DO ON A FIRST DATE THATWAS TURNING SOUR?
I'd run home and play dead. The next day I would call all the newspapers and make sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns.
-- Craig , age 9

WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?
When they're rich.
-- Pam , age 7

The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that.
- - Curt , age 7

The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do.
-- Howard , age 8

IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?
It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.
-- Anita , age 9 (bless you child)

HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET MARRIED?
There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there?
-- Kelvin, age 8 ( just LOVE this one)

And the #1 Favorite is........
HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?
Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a truck.
-- Ricky , age 10

Things I thought about while my internet was down

• I don’t know what a ponzi scheme really is.
• And along those lines, am I the only one who sees the sick irony in the name Madoff?
• Every time I see a Smart Car, I smile.
• It's never too late to get in the swing of things.
• I don't sift flour. Ever. And I'm not sorry.
• While we're at it, what is "figgie pudding" and do I really want someone to bring it to me?
• I love the Christmas music on the radio.
• What exactly is the swing of things?
  
• I just noticed that my vitamins are for people over 50. But I'm going to keep taking them because my mother always told me I was advanced.

If everything has a purpose, then what purpose does dust have?
I don't like the word stimulus.
I wish the AARP would leave me alone.
I am going to try to spend less time on Facebook.

Guilty Pleasures

My new favorite show is A & E’s Storage Wars. The concept of the show is that the person renting the storage locker fails to pay their fees and then the storage facility sells the locker to the highest bidder. Very dramatically they cut the padlock and open the door. The bidders then have 5 minutes, with out entering the locker, to look inside, and with out touching or opening anything they make the decision to bid or not bid.

This show follows four basic bidders, Dave Hester (Yuuuup), Darrel Sheets (wearing his usual wife beater), Jerrod Schultz ( and his cute wife Brandi ) and lastly my favorite Barry Weiss. Along with the auctioneer Dan Dotson and his wife Laura.

As crazy as it sounds, a San Jose man looked through the contents of a storage locker he bought from Dan and Laura Dotson, he was shocked to discover a chest filled with 1,700 gold doubloons valued at $500,000.

The unit's previous lessee was an elderly woman who passed away earlier this year. Payments lapsed after her death and the storage facility turned to the Dotson's company, American Auctioneers, to handle the sale of the items left inside.

The lucky treasure hunter has declined to identify himself publicly. "I called the buyer, and the buyer wanted nothing to do with [publicity]," Dan Dotson said. "I talked with the manager of the storage unit and asked, 'Can I mention you,' and he said no. So I would like to share, but it would absolutely cost me an account."

According to some reports the buyer got the unit for $1100. He also bought another unit owned by the same person for $600. So since he got both units I am thinking it was Dave. (I hope it was Barry.) Unfortunately, this one wasn't caught on tape. This show is on A & E on Tuesday nights. If you like Antiques Roadshow you just might get hooked on this show too.

Sunday Sugar with Morgan

Cranky

As a rule, I am not a cranky person, I don’t even like cranky people, but some rules are made to be broken and today I am cranky. I’m having one of those days where nothing is going right, and I’m sure you have them too.

My ‘cranks’ started when I got up Monday morning to no internet!

My internet has decided that it no longer wants to connect. It’s one of those dsl connections. Well it hasn’t worked since late Sunday night. It is something to do with what they call “an issue.” You would think that Frontier could fix the problem in a reasonable time. HA! Now I get a message that my computer and modem are not communicating! No kidding.

The service tech tells me I could try in order to resolve the problem; unplug USB from PC, unplug power cord from modem, unplug from power to the router, turn modem on, reboot PC, stand on one foot and whistle Dixie! And of course, it didn’t work! Today is Friday day 5 of no dsl connection. They promised to have it fixed on Wednesday, and then they said Thursday for sure. Now they said I am scheduled for Friday. I am here to tell you tomorrow it best be repaired or heads may roll.

Contributing to my irritable frame of mind is when I reached for something in the kitchen cupboard and noticed that the skin on my hand looks like crepe paper…what’s up with that?

Spending the past hour on the phone punching one for English, and two for non-existent customer service representatives, holding for eternity all while garbled music blasted my eardrums, certainly has not helped my mood.

I’m up to my ears in paperwork, computer woes and skin crinkling before my eyes!

Today I am cranky

Randomness

You’d think Donald Trump could afford a better barber

Doddering and fool are in my thoughts a lot lately.

Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Kisses still do it for me.

I love being alone.

I don’t want to make any one jealous but I can still fit into the earrings I wore in high school.

Don’t hate me.

I have several friends and family members facing real health issues.

I also know quite a few people who have no real regard for their own health.

Lastly, my dsl internet connection has been down since late Sunday night. It is now Wednesday evening and I am on here using a dial up connection. It is frustrating but so far I have not really came unglued….. yet…after all, tomorrow is another day and I make no promises after 3 full days with no dsl.

Old Habits

Old habits do die hard. By choice I am lazy. I hate cleaning. I enjoy sitting here in front of my computer.

I am going to add another habit to do. I am going to have my sink cleaned out every night before bed. I just don't understand HOW it can get so messy when I do not cook every day! I swear there are ghosts in this house.

My problem is, that I don’t see the mess until it becomes overwhelming. When that happens I do not want to touch it because it IS overwhelming. I wasn’t always this way. My room was clean when I was younger because I kept it that way. When I was married to my first husband I used to keep the house clean. That might be why I am the way I am now, or at least part of it. I HAD to iron the sheets on the bed, even t shirts and underwear had to be ironed! He would do a dust test. We lived in the country. There was dust! Glad I am not in that relationship anymore, in more ways than one.

I have to break old habits and create new ones for my sake. I clean but I just move it around. I have to clean it up for good not just move it to another room or another pile. I keep hauling stuff out and yet it does not get smaller. Paper is a biggie for me. I need to go straight to the paper shredder with the mail. I also need to keep vigilant on shredding all the piles of paper I have created. Ok so I will add 2 new habits.

New habits: write blog, clean sink out every night, shred mail daily.

It's getting closer

The nights are definitely getting colder........more frost........a little lower temps for day time highs......and some snow falling from the sky........all signs that winter is getting a little closer.

11-11-11

It’s Veteran’s Day and I wish to add my tribute to all who have fought for our country. These soldiers and sailors and marines and air force men and women have earned our respect and gratitude.

As I said before, I never repeat myself.

People grow and change, over time they become different people. Some habits stay the same, some change. In older people this is most visible just after retirement. They don't know what to do with themselves, they lose their drive. Some lose their self-worth. If everything is wrapped up in a job for 40+ years and then it is gone, change is inevitable. Sudden change is even acceptable.

Accepting where I am right now.
Accepting to me used to mean - giving up, giving in, or saying, "What's the use?"
Accepting means to me today, I am happy and satisfied with what I am, what I have and living now in the present. What a change. A word that had such a negative connotation to being a word that is positive and fulfilling.
If I can accept - and not crave or desire for what ought to be, I am a much happier person. I don't compare, judge, evaluate, or wish for something different.

Mirror Mirror

Mirror Mirror on the Wall
I guess I am my mother, after all!!!
I came to that realization last evening as I found my self storing things under the guest room bed!! In my defense, it was not yarn (yet), clothes, or shoes. Just some miscellaneous items

Things that make me happy:

1. Sleeping in.
2. Making home made bread.
3. A great cup of coffee.
4. Reading a really good book.
5. Being smoke free.
6. Friends calling.
7. A clean house.
8. Fresh sheets.
9. New socks
10. That I am still alive, nothing is broken, and I am not in jail. :)

Trust

Trust me.
Yeah, right. Whenever anyone says that to me I want run the other way. And I bet most of you do too. It is a fact of life that trust is something precious to all of us and affects us in almost all aspects of our lives.

Trust is a big topic because it is so universal. Whom do you trust? I trusted my husband implicitly and was betrayed.

We trust the dentist to make sure we are numb before he fixes our cavities, we trust the doctor to make a diagnosis to make us well. We trust that our food is safe, we trust the mechanic who works on our car.

We have to trust whether we want to or not. I can’t go thru my life worrying about getting screwed over all the time. It is also important that we are trust worthy. and that we teach our children the value and meaning of trust.

Sunday Sugar

Christmas 2011 -- Birth of a New Tradition

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods -- merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Oh.... Yes there is!
It is time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?
Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?
Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.
Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.
Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plunking down the Benjamins on a Chinese-made flat-screen TV? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.
There are a gazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.
How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?
Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day.
My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.
OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.
Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre.
Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.
Give the kids gift certificates to the movies, the local laser tag facility, the roller rink, fast food joints, THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX!
Honestly people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of light, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.
You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US (We the People), encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we could not imagine.
Think like an AMERICAN,,,,or a CANADIAN,,,,or an AUSSIE this year! We're all in the same boat!

I think this makes so much sense. (from an email)

Kim

The latest antics of the Kardashian clan is being passed off as “news” Well, once again, they are in the '”news.”

They are making headlines over Kim’s failed “marriage.” I say, anyone who thought this farce of a marriage between Kim and her latest boy toy would last forever, all I can say, either you are either a hopeless romantic or really stupid.

Exactly why is this “news?” I think the only remotely surprising thing about this is that it lasted a full 72 days.

Kim is being paid big bucks to make a spectacle of her self in public. According to some reports that this wedding costs around $20 million USD. Not one cent came from either them or their families. And indeed they may have even made a few bucks out of it for themselves. I guess it beats working at a real job since she has no real talent. She gets to travel, party, remove her clothes and money magically appears in her checking account.

My problem is the supposedly smart people who are making these decisions to pay for this insanity. Can any one explain to me how anyone can flush down $20 million USD for a fake wedding? How much money is wasted each year by our trash TV CEO’s on this garbage?

I know, I know, there are CEO’s out there drawing huge salaries while 9% of population is looking for work. But they are at least doing productive work for the money and that work benefits many many people. We are getting value for their salaries. From this trash TV family we are getting nothing.

Anyone agree with me?

My 1-Day Employment

So after landing my new job as a Wal*Mart greeter, a good find for many retirees, I lasted less than one day.

About two hours into my first day on the job, A very loud, unattractive, mean acting woman walked into the store with here two kids, yelling obscenities at them all the way through the entrance.

I said pleasantly. “Good Morning and welcome to Wal*Mart. Nice children you have are they twins?”

The ugly woman stopped yelling at the children long enough to say “ Hell no, they ain’t twins. The oldest is 9, and the other one is 7. Why the hell would you think they are twins? Are you blind or stupid?”

So I replied, “ I’m neither blind nor stupid. Ma’am I just couldn’t believe someone slept with you twice. Have a good day and thank you for shopping at Wal*Mart.”

My Supervisor said I probably wasn’t cut out for the is line of work.

(from an email) I love Maxine!

I wonder

There are those great issues of global warming and poverty but then again I have questions on things that are simple...that are possibly easier to answer. Here are some of the things I wonder about....
1. When someone falls down, why do people ask, "Did you hurt yourself?" Of course, they hurt themselves. They FELL down!
2. In the phrase "To be or not to be, that is the question"....to be what? A frog? A cookie? A human being?
3. Why is a salt shaker called a shaker and not a sprinkler?
4. Who thought of the name, "hot dog"? It bears no resemblance to a dog.
5. Why do waiters and waitresses come to your table every 5 minutes to ask if everything is okay? I think it's a bit overkill if you ask me. If they are that curious, they may as well pull up a chair and join me. I'll give them the play by play detail.
6. Why do dogs lick themselves?
7. Why DO they call those hot wings, buffalo wings?
8. Why do the NFL players get paid so much money to throw a ball around?
9. When I was a kid, my mom used to warn me to stop being hardheaded. What exactly is the difference between a hard head and a soft head?
10. Why do people complain that sloppy joes are so messy?
11. Why does Walmart hire non-English speaking employees? If I get asked one more time if I speak English and where the sugar is, I'm going to ask to be put on their payroll.
12. Why do older people wear such loud smelling perfume?