I'm a human, I'm your mother.

I'm a mom
but I'm just human.
Don't put me
on a pedastal.

I'm just a person
who's lived longer than you
but who has struggled with life's
temptations.


I'm a baby in her mother's arms,
I'm a curly haired blonde, five years old,
who makes mud pies. plays in the rain,
loves paper dolls and my mommy's hugs.
I'm a daughter. I'm a sister. I'm a sister. I'm a sister.


I'm a teenager with horrible acne and tears of
pain when they call me names. I'm growing up.
I have to shave my legs, and I hate my hair!
I'm a struggling teenager. I'm a daughter.

I'm a young woman who has fallen in love,
who got pregnant with the wrong man.
I'm a human, I messed up.

I'm a young mother with a child, on my own.
Oh I love her, Yes I love her,
I would easily give my life for her,
but I'm ashamed of myself and broken hearted
I feel my future's over. I'm a mother. I'm a human.
 
I'm a young woman who has fallen in love!
This man is so good, he loves me so much!
I'm a young woman in love!  I'm a wife! I'm his wife!!
I'm a step-mother.

Oh my. His ex-wife.  Oh dear, his daughter's so hurt.
Oh my, I'm a human. I don't know what to do.

But, I'm a wife, I'm a wife! I'm a human. I'm loved!
I'm a young mother with another on the way,
then another, then another!
I'm a young mother of four. Oh my, a mother of four.
Life is complete with my fourth in our home. Ah. Life's complete.

But, I'm a mother, I'm a mother!
Oh, God, I'm a mother!  How do I do it, Lord?
Oh, Lord, this is so hard!
I'm a wife, I'm a mother,
I'm a full time mother.

Diapers, noses, breakfast, lunch, dinner,
bills, spats, feuds, diarhhea, puking, fussing,
bedtime, breakfast again. and again. and again.
Good times, good times, good times, bad.
Bad times, good times, bad times, sad.

It's life, it's ups, it's downs, it's life!
I'm glad, I'm mad, I'm sad, I'm tired.
I'm tired!
I love, I live, I long, I lose it,
I'm human.  Just human.  That's all I am. Just human.

I'm a mother! I'm a mother! They're grown.
They're gone.  I'm sad. I'm lonely.  I miss them.
I'm sad. I'm just human.

I'm a grandma!!!!! I'm a grandmaa!! OH, Lord! I'm a grandma!
Again, and again, and again and again!  Oh thank God, I'm
a grandma, I'm in love! I'm in love! Oh the joy, I'm in love!
Look at them, sweet as candy! Cute as buttons!  Such a handful!
My kids are grown! They work, they live, they have lives of their own.
I'm their mother.

I'm old, I'm old...oh Lord, I'm old.
I'm a human, I grow older, I can't stop it, I grow older.
I'm a wife, I'm a wife, with a husband who's grown older.
I'm his wife, his loving wife.  Lord don't take him. I can't bear it.
Give me years, many more years, to love him more and more.
I have time now, I can show him, that I love him, even more.

I'm a human, growing older, growing wiser, growing slower.
I'm a human, it's the cycle, please remember, it's the cycle.
When I leave you, please remember, I tried my hardest to be the best.
I'm just human, I may have failed you, but I tried to do much better.
Please remember, I'm so proud of ,the way you grew up, the life you're living.
Don't forget me, I'm your mother, and I love you, now and forever.

Four Blood Moons

These coming four blood moons in 2014 and 2015 are very interesting in their timing.
Copy and paste the following url addresses and you can read about them yourself.  Let me know what you think.  I think Jesus is coming soon!

There's a very interesting and compelling article at this link:

http://www.pray4zion.org/TheComingBloodMoons.html

Also John Hagee has a book coming out in October:

http://www.jhm.org/Catalog/Product/1244/The%20Coming%20Four%20Blood%20Moons%20Part%201#.Uh6-ggktKRs.blogger

Pot pie

 This was last night's supper...and will be tonight's supper, too.  It has a rustic crust as you can see.  The filling started out with a pork loin roast that I brined and slow cooked in my crock pot a few days ago.  The brine with molasses, salt and water...as well, as the seasoning rub I used after the brine is from a recipe by Alton Brown, Food Network Star.  (I always want to say Alton John...lol)  I will add the recipe for you.  I didn't use a smoker, just the crockpot.  However I did use Smoky Paprika which added a little of that smoked flavor.

Here's where you can find Alton's Recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pulled-pork-recipe/index.html

It's easy to follow.  I didn't have Boston Butt so I used this huge pork loin.  It turned out so tender, just falling apart.  And the sauce in the crockpot was delicious! 
So for the pot pie, I chopped an onion and two potatoes and cooked them in a pan with about a tablespoon or two of olive oil.  I added some of the pork loin that was left over...probably about 3 cups.. and shredded carrot and English peas.  When the potatoes were tender, I put the whole mixture into a homemade unbaked pie shell and covered it with another.  Baked it at 350 until the crust was golden brown.  Oh, and I brushed beaten egg on top before I put it in the oven.  It made a huge pie, so we've had it again tonight..there's still some left! May have to freeze it.  This big pork loin has mad six meals for me and Mark! Yummy ones, too.

I'll definitely use Alton's recipe again.  The fennel seeds add such a special flavor to the meat.

Bon Apetit!

Fly

{I must say here that I know I'm not a poet, as you can easily see!  Not sure why my words are coming out this way.  Maybe our friend, Ricky L, inspired it!  He wrote a beautiful poem recently. Hmm..if that's the reason, then this phase will pass soon enough!!}}

Fly

Spread your wings and fly
Freely soaring through the sky
See how small the city is
Feel the lightness in your being

Troubles are so far away
Things that weighed you down today
Far behind you've left them now
You feel you're more alive somehow

Why should you sit in that old tree
Fretting o'er what used to be?
Leave it all behind, my friend
Get up, get out, old things must end!

You're not a hen destined to brood
in that old coop your whole life through
You're light and free, destined to be
above the fray where you can see

That life is more than pretty baubles
It's more than strife and petty squabbles
Life is meant to be fulfilling
God, in Spirit, you indwelling.

Freedom from the dark and dreary
Freedom from evil and fearing
You're FREE, you're FREE, you're FREE at last!
Soak up the sun, throw down that mask!

You are made so gloriously!
Your beauty truly Heaven sent
You're made in His own image, child
In your mother's womb alive

He knit you there and all will see
Not an accident, you were meant to be!
Free and happy, fulfilled, at peace,
His hands are holding you and me.

Fly high, fly far, fly free and see
All that God wants you to be.
Let go, feel the breeze, see the clouds
catch the wind
and fly.

There are times....

There are times when my flaws and mistakes haunt me.  There are times when someone's words cut so deep that they temporarily cripple me.  When I feel like a failure and that God can't love me, I remember His words.  His mercies are new every morning, He's slow to anger, full of love and He cannot lie.  He's not mad at me.  He wants me to talk to Him about everything.  He knows it anyway, but it is I who needs to talk to Him!  Prayer is for my good.  I wonder why it is so hard sometimes to go to Him.....when the answer and the peace is always in His presence.  Foolish human, I am.

Sometimes we think we don't need Him because everything seems to be going fine.  But, the truth is that we may need Him most at that time.  It's easy to think we are self-sufficient when the bills are paid and everyone is healthy and happy.  But, truly, those are the times we need to be seeking Him and thanking Him for all that we have. Pride goes before the fall!  Without Him we could do nothing, not even breathe.  We need to stay strong in faith and close to God so that when the hard times come, as they tend to do, we will be ready for them.  Peace is knowing that in good times or 'bad', we will be okay because none of it surprises God and none of it is too big for Him to handle.

The joy of the Lord is our strength!  No matter our circumstances, we can have a glad heart!

Is IS a good day to be happy!  Just do it. :)

Sweet memories

I'm just sitting here before bed thinking about our kids and remembering some of their cuteness.  We have the cutest kids on Earth, I promise! ;)  I know you disagree and your kids are the cutest!  But, I'm the one writing this so I'm gonna go ahead and say MINE are! LOL
Anyway, I thought I'd jot down some of our sweet memories while I can still remember them..I'm sure more will pop in my mind at a later date.

One I remember was when I took our four kids to the Cleveland Zoo one day.  It was one of our favorite places to go.  Mr. Man worked three jobs to keep us fed back in the 70's during the depression/recession, whatever it was.  So, I had to try to entertain the kids by myself.  The Cleveland Zoo was free at that time, and may still be,  and was huge and wonderful. Such a blessing!  Well, on one of our trips to the monkey area, Katie looked up at a monkey...I can't remember if it was a chimpanzee or another kind, she looked up at a money sitting on a log and said, "Mommy, look at that one-eyed monkey!!!"    I looked up, but the monkey was facing away from us.............then it dawned on me that our little girl must need glasses because what she saw was the monkey's bottom. :))    Nope, that round thing she saw wasn't his eye! HAHA!   During the same visit she said, "Look at the monkey with the bubble gum on his butt!"   That was one of those red-behind monkeys, can't remember it's name.  :)      

Our son, Mark, accidentally told on himself one time when he was a teenager.  I can't remember the reason, but one of the four had done something and I needed to question them so I called them all inside.  I must have looked angry because the first thing he said to me was, "I know what you're thinking!"  Surprised, I said, "What??"  He said, "You're thinking those are my cigarettes in the shed!"  : )  I had no idea there WERE cigarettes in the shed.  I'm not sure I ever found out who they belonged to, but I had a pretty good idea. LOL

Matt was an artist at a very young age.  In fact, he often painted his crib...with whatever he found in his diaper. :(   Finally, after several deep cleanings of his crib, the wall near his crib, and him, I decided I couldn't clean that up one more time!  We threw the crib out.  Amazingly, his crib art was not carried over to toddler bed art!  He never painted with that particular medium again, which made this mommy very happy.

When Andy was about 4 years old and Matthew was about 5 1/2, they decided to prank call 911.  We had taught them how to dial 911 for an emergency.  Andy, however, couldn't say his 'f's'.  Instead of saying 'f', he said 't'...as in 'tace' for 'face,  'tine' for 'fine'.  So, Matthew, dialed 911 and Andy yelled into the phone, "TIRE, TIRE, TIRE!"  : )   Then they told us about it because they were so proud of themselves. LOL  Thankfully, or maybe not, 911 wasn't as sophisticated as it is now....they couldn't see our phone number or address automatically so noone showed up to put out the tire! LOL

Austin, once said his belly hurt so bad that he got in the beetle position.  'Beetle position', we asked?  "Yeah, you now where you curl up like a beetle".  :))

Just a few memories to close this night out with.  They probably won't interest you, but they made me smile! :)

40th Anniversary decision

http://sitwithmeundermymagnoliatree.blogspot.com/

Mr. Man and I will be celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary next month.  For months we've been thinking about how we should celebrate.  After all, forty years is a long time not to kill somebody! :)
And, you know it's true! Don't give me that shocked look.  Every wife and every husband has thought at least once, I am going to kill that man/woman! ;)   Knowing you never would, but MAN they can drive you NUTS!
SO, having not killed each other in 40 years, we figure we should celebrate!! We are hoping and praying for 50....and it's doubtful we'll kill each other from here on out, we're just too old to care and too old to run.   If another woman wanted him, she could have him, he's all used up, I've had the best years of his life....she can have the ailments and alzheimers years! LOL  I'm just kidding, of course!  I can't imagine my life without that man.  I really can't.

  And, nowadays, old age is making our lives a little easier.  We're both a little forgetful, which amazingly stops a lot of arguments!  If we disagree about whether one of us told the other something, there's no argument.  Because I may NOT have told him what I THOUGHT I told him or he may not REMEMBER what I told him. and vice versa.  We both know we're forgetful, so...  Nothing to fight about.  I'm not saying we don't aggravate each other every now and then, but we get along well, know each other, love each other, are best friends.  Aw, aren't we sweet? Haha.

BACK to the anniversary celebration.  We thought of so many places,(Niagara Falls, California, Hawaii, Utah, the Grand Canyon) but like most people these days, we have limited funds.  Actually, we could use these funds for working on the house or paying off a bill.  But, we are throwing caution to the wind and using it for....a.....CRUISE!  We've never been on one before and are SO excited and nervous!!  We're going on a seven day cruise to the Caribbean.  How exciting!!  We did spring for a cabin with a balcony so I wouldn't feel too claustrophic.  We've been looking online at the cabins and realize it's still going to be quite tight in the room, but at least we can get out in the fress air on the balcony!  The travel guide at vacationstogo.com was so kind to help us out and put us on the port side with the ocean view balcony so that we can see the ports as we pull in to them. :)  Have I mentioned that we're excited??

So, this is a cruise on a shoestring budget!  There are two formal dinner nights on this cruise...and I had no formal wear.  A friend told me about a thrift store in town that has formals from time to time.  I went yesterday and found a beautiful royal blue formal dress that fit ME and it was $14.99!!  Can you believe it??  And I bought a cute orange leather Preston and York purse for $8.99.  No, the purse isn't for the dress. :)

Now, I'm looking for earrings and shoes to go with the dress and for things like binoculars, backpack, etc..  A few light weight blouses for me and shirts for Mr. Man.  I'm being frugal because there are plenty of extra expenses on a cruise, I see!  The excursions alone can be in the thousands!!  I chose one excursion at each port with a total of around $400.  And, those are the cheap excursions.  But, the entertainment onboard the ship is free and I've got all of those booked, the food is free unless we eat in one of the restaurants that isn't part of the plan.  We won't.

All we want is to make it about US and our love for each other.  I want Mark to have a wonderful time.  He works so hard and is so ready to retire, but can't for a few years.  So, if he gets rested on this trip, feels loved and encouraged, then it will be worth every penny.

Because when it comes down to it, the kids grow up and get on with their lives...as they should!...and our parents have all gone to be with Jesus....friends have their own lives to live..so it's really all about the two of us now.  And we need to make it the best it can be!  We thank God for our marriage(and for not killing each other years ago!!)
Blessings!

Heart cry

Can my heart break more than it already has?
Could my tears fill a bucket as they fall from my eyes?
Do the scars show clearly where the words have stung?
Can I go back now and undo what was done?

You crush my soul and stomp on my love.
You turn that knife through my heart.
You laugh with others while I writhe in pain.
You act as if I'm the one you should blame.

Did I live your life?
Have I made your mistakes?
Am I to blame for the mess that you made?

For my own sins, I have paid my dues
I've suffered the shame of life lived without rule.
For my many sins, I've wept and repented,
thankful that Jesus has cleansed and forgiven.

But, you, my child are a harsh critic.
You look at me with eyes vindictive.
Would you could see my love for you.
Would you could love me as I love you.

Wish you could know the prayers that I've prayed
The nights that I've cried in my bed that you'd be spared.
Wish you'd believe the words of mine that often tell others
how beautiful and intelligent you are, my dear daughter.

But, the visions you have of being neglected,
of being rejected, and treated unfairly
are real in your mind, you accept them as true,
but truth isn't in them, we've always loved you!

I can't bear the pain of the words that you throw,
I'm well up in years and can't bear any more.
As you wish, I will leave you alone, stay out of your life
though my heart breaks again night after night.

May God hold you safely in the palm of His hands
May He grant you the peace and His mercy so grand.
May He calm you and hold you and tell you it's true
That you're loved beyond measure for just being you.

You're perfect in His eyes, He made you that way
He'll never leave you, He knows what to say
I wish you could know that we love you, too
Maybe you'll hear Him whisper, "It's true."

Be blessed, be safe on this mission of yours,
wish you'd know that we're here praying for you.
God bless, God keep, and God bring you home
with a new understanding that you're not alone.

I love you more than you'll ever know.
The pigtailed girl who bounced with joy,
who hugged everyone and jumped up and down with so much to say,
That little girl is mine, you can't take HER away.
My memory keeps her right in my heart, she'll never leave me,
she gives me joy.
Come back, my girl, come back to me, my
pigtailed baby with bows in her hair,
come back and love your mommy again.
Come back to me, my daughter so fair.

Insomniac ramblings and true confessions

Sometimes it's difficult to know whether other people are underestimating you or whether you are overestimating yourself.  Or, is that just me??

Not once, not twice, but many times over these past 61 years, I been hurt to the core because people failed to realize my mental, physical, or spiritual capacity while involved in various activities.  My normal way of 'handling' these hurt feelings I've harbored was pouting.  Yes, pouting.  Of course, pouting doesn't really prove a mental, physical, or spiritual strength....rather it disproves it, thus proving that I am NOT as capable as I thought.  Or is that true?   Can I confuse you as well as I confuse myself?  Perhaps!

It's easy to detect a pouting child...arms folded, lower lip out, sad eyes, maybe stomping a foot.  How does an adult pout? mmmm....much the same...being quiet, staying out of the conversation, being sullen.  Oh yes, I'm ashamed to say that this has been my M.O. for many a year.  However, the pouting can and has too many times, turned into anger.   An anger that compels me to tell the offender just exactly what crime he or she committed against me!  After all, I deserve better!  I am intelligent, capable, mature(really?), eager, willing.  Shame on you for not understanding my great worth!

Oivay.  If I could turn back time, if I could find a way.  Yes, I sang that in my mind.   So, reflecting upon my foolishness and childish ways of dealing with 'slights' to my intelligence and capabilities, I would prefer to run far far away to a distant land and hide...never to have to face those who've experienced my stupidity.  Sadly, I do not have the finances or aircraft to go to a distant shore to hide forevermore. 

My only option is to look myself in the mirror and declare what a fool I see there.  Woe is me.  A fool and her pride are soon parted.   The next step is always to go to the person or people whom I've acted the fool to and apologize.  LORD, I hate that!!  Do I!  But, I've done it many a time.  Very humbling experience, that.  Very humbing, indeed.

Hey _______, I just want to say I'm very sorry for being an ass.  Please forgive me. 

Oh, yes, I've had to say that more than once. URRGGHHHH!!!   Not my favorite thing to do...but I prefer apologizing to continued concern over my behavior.  Sometimes, I have to admit, it would be nice if the other person replied, "Oh, I was just going to say the same thing to YOU! You deserved better!"   Rarely happens.

But, live and learn..not sure if this old dog has a new trick still in her, but maybe.  Still and all, I wish there were something about me that people could see.  I wish they could look beyond my frumpy appearance..the age, the skin, the not fancy clothes, the shyness and see me.  I wish they could see my abilities as well as God sees them.  Oh well, if I'm there and I'm willing to work, but I'm not used for that purpose, then the burden is off of me, isn't it?  Is the burden not then shifted to the folks who couldn't see my potential? Or did they see clearly that I have no potential or skill?  I don't know.  But, I do wonder what I should do with myself at this stage of my life.

If people write me off for being too old, too matronly, too shy, too stupid, too whatever...does that mean that I am no longer useful to the Lord?  to society?  Am I to spend my days pulling up weeks and going to Golden Corral with the other golden oldies?  And, haven't those same old people been sitting at those same tables for the past 30 years?  They look the same!  How did I graduate to this old folks club when it looks like nobody else has graduated out of it???   Yuck!  I didn't have classes for this.  I don't know how to be old!    {I can hear my kids say, "Oh yes you do!"} 

I don't like it, not one little bit.
I suppose that all I can do is say, "Lord, if there's anything useful in me, I hope you'll see fit to use it for good.  If not, please help me find pleasure in being a useless blob of humanity." 
This is why I'm awake tonight.  So, I'm sharing my rambling thoughts with other insomniacs.  I wonder what you're thinking about?

A baby is a gift.

Woman 20 Weeks Pregnant With Twins Has Abortion Last Week

I'm fired up!! So tired of people thinking we shouldn't criticize women who have abortions..it might hurt their feelings. God forbid we should offend them!! I'm sick and tired of worrying about offending offensive people! When are we, as HUMANS, going to stand up for the unborn!?  When will we realize the hell taking place everyday in this country?  Do we have to see piles of dismembered babies bodies before we are outraged enough to stop the barbarian practice in this country?  I don't care who you are, my family, my friends, my neighbors, you can get furious with me...you can criticize me...you can call me whatever you want!! But, I will NOT shut up about babies being killed for your convenience!!! Stand up and be a woman, be a man, be somebody with a backbone!! OFFEND SOMEONE AND SPEAK UP FOR THE MOST FRAGILE AND INNOCENT MEMBERS OF OUR SOCIETY, THE BABIES!!!!!

Woman 20 Weeks Pregnant With Twins Has Abortion Last Week

Magnolia seed pods

It's difficult these days to find these pods with seeds still in them.  The squirrels usually strip them before they can fall to the ground.  One of them must have lost his lunch. LOL

Anyway, I've always liked the bright red seeds in them and thought I'd share the picture.
By the way, my husband hates these pods.  They're tough on a lawnmower if you miss one when you're raking.

Tossitallin Salad

Tossitallin Salad  :)   Toss It All In Salad!   This was my dinner tonight and pretty yummy, too!

I started with baby spinach and kale, chopped it up in the bowl.  I learned recently, in a wonderful class on healthy cooking,  that chopping kale and letting it sit at least five minutes(and you can sprinkle with lemon juice) will help enhance its beneficial phytonutrient concentration.   Also, if you put a little dressing on it...simple one with olive oil and lemon or an infused vinegar...then massage it for a little bit before letting it sit will take some of the bitterness out of it.

So, anyway, I didn't follow a recipe..although I've looked at quite a few and had some good ones lately.  I just dumped in what I had on hand.  I threw in some chopped English cucumbers, a small handful of chopped black olives, a handful of  rinsed garbanzo beans, a handful of fresh, rinsed blueberries, and some chopped cooked chicken.

*** I'm pausing here for a minute to talk about the chicken.  You have probably already seen this recipe on Pinterest, that's where I found it.  So simple and my husband loves it!  But, I don't tell him how I make it because he's not a big fan of mayonnaise..which is one of the three ingredients!
You take a boneless piece of chicken, I used breasts.   Smear light mayonnaise or regular mayonnaise on it, dip it in Italian breadcrumbs, and bake it! Voila.  So moist and flavorful!***

 Back to the salad:  I sprinkled on some parmesan, Tuscan seasoning, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt and fresh ground pepper.  It was delicious!  But big!  I would have added in onions if I had thought of it! Some tomatoes or red peppers and nuts would have been good in it, too, I just didn't have them on hand.

I love salads because you can literally make ANYTHING into a salad!  No telling what I mix in tomorrow night!

By the way, Mr. Man had two big chicken breasts and mixed vegetables.  The only salad he likes is lettuce and tomato with French dressing.  An adventurer?  Not so much. :)  But, I LOVE him!
Oh, and he gets chocolate cream pie for dessert! 

Mancave

Mr. Man in his new 'mancave'

This room we lovingly call the 'downstairs' room is two and a half steps down from the dining room.  This old house has 'unique' features...like 2 1/2 steps, not 2 or 3.  But, that's what makes it special, I suppose!  The room has been many things in times past...a living room, bedroom, playroom, junkroom.  After our youngest moved out, we decided to paint over the Florida Gator orange and blue(but we're still Gator fans!)  and give Mr. Man his own space to watch Nascar, football, and {ugh} bowling..whatever.  We've been married for almost 40 years and he's never had his own room.
He was so excited!

He chose this color.  It's called Emerald Coast Blue..really a deep teal.  I helped him paint the walls, I painted the concrete floor a dark brown. (Before this room was a room, it was a breezeway..long before we moved in) And, I painted all of the molding and doorways a soft white.  The brown sectional goes well with the blue, I think.  I found a throw pillow with the teal/agua color which helps bring that color in...and a lamp at Hobby Lobby with a bit of the same blue in the shade.  I found the curtains at Bed, Bath and Beyond.  They were normally $50/panel, but were on sale for $10/panel.  Score!  The computer armoire has doors that will shut out that mess.  Wish I had closed them before taking the picture!  It was tough for me, but I 'let' him pick out his own wall decorations and we framed some of the things that the kids had given him through the years.  It's not really a 'decorator's dream', but it works for him.

He's a happy man and even lets me sit in his room. LOL  The only catch is that the dog's kennel and the litter box are both in that room. :)  Freedom comes at a price!!

Fluffy children

 

Meet Tink aka Violet aka Oleander.  She is new to our home, we've only had her for three weeks.  For some reason my car led me to the Animal Shelter a few weeks ago.  I don't know why because we already had two dogs and two cats.  I looked at the puppies at the shelter, so many wanting to have a home.  I used some wisdom, though, and realized another dog would not be a good idea.  But, then I meandered into the cat area and there she was, reaching through her cage to me.  Her violet blue eyes captured me and wouldn't let go. She's a beauty and so sweet natured.  Nothing scares her, not even the vacuum cleaner or the blender! The other two babies run for cover, but not Tink.  The pound had named her Oleander because she's as pretty as a flower.  But, I thought Violet suited her better because of her eye color.  Then I bought a pink collar for her with a little bell.  My husband started calling her Tinkerbell but soon shortened it to Tink.  I believe that is the name that will stick with her. :)
Our other two kitties, Cupcake and Scooter, both males, were not really thrilled to see her.  They didn't give her a very warm welcome.  They'd inch up to her and sniff.  She wasn't fond of the sniffing. It took a few days, but now they are good buddies.  They were all three sleeping together the other day, made my heart smile.  We have the sweetest animals, all so loving and good to each other.

I'm pretty sure we are not getting any more animals for a while.  We have a Pomshi(that we called a Schitzeranian for a long time. LOL)named Zachary, that is pushing 14 years old. He's Pomeranian/Shitzhu mix.  His hearing is mostly gone, several teeth are missing, but you can't convince him he's not a bouncing baby boy!  He loves to run and jump, but does tire faster now.  I don't know how much longer we'll have him around.  Zachary was given to Austin when he was a tiny puppy.  He looked like a hamster, so cute!  Austin is the reason we kept that little hard headed, strong willed puppy monster!  Now, he's part of the family and Austin wouldn't take him from us.

We also have a miniature dachshund named Rosalee.  She's 4 years old and a mama's girl.  If you push her lips up, you'll see the largest overbite I've ever seen in human or animal..makes her look kind of 'der de der'. LOL She has what is called 'parrot jaw'.  But, she's beautiful, dappled, and loving...and greedy!  I hear that's normal for her breed.  Quite the food thief, that one.  We got her through an ad in the newspaper.  Her price was lower because of her jaw, but I bought her because of her sweetness.

Cupcake is our old cat, about 11 years old.  He's a huge tuxedo kitty.  The sweetest natured cat I've ever seen.  EVERYbody who meets Cuppy, loves him!  He's never been much of a playful kitty.  The most activity he has now is running from the vacuum cleaner. He and Scooter get to wrestling sometimes, but Scooter is always the instigator.  Cuppy is so laid back that if he ever saw a mouse, he'd just lie there and think, "Cool man, look at that."  I've never seen him chase anything except his tail.  Love him. The way we got Cuppy is a bit unique.  I worked at Blue Angel Elementary School at the time.  After the kids had all left one day the office announced that a kitten had been found and asked if anyone wanted it.  I hurried to the office to see this teeny little kitty about six inches long with his little three inch tail standing straight up.  One of the students had found him while walking to school, scooped him up and put him in her backpack.  She didn't tell the teacher about him, but about lunch time the teacher heard meowing from the hallway.  She rescued him from the backpack and he became my baby.  I named him Cupcake because of my sister, Phyllis.  Phyllis had pancreatic cancer and was on morphine for pain.  One day she was kind of in morphine dream and mumbled something about 'cupcake'.  I asked what she was talking about and she said, "You know, that black and white dog that ran under my chair!"  Well, there was no dog, let alone a black and white one.  She and I laughed about that and many other silly things she said while 'under the influence'. :)  She passed away in 2002 and shortly afterward Cuppy was found.  He wasn't a dog, but he was black and white and Cupcake had to be his name.  It suits him. : )

Scooter was brought to me by Austin as a Mother's Day gift.  Actually his girlfriend tried to keep him and her parents said, 'no.'   That's how he became my 'gift'.  The first thing he did was scratch my face.  I wasn't impressed!!  But, he grew on me.  He's solid black and has a stub for a tail.  Nobody knows if he was born with it or if it was an accident because he was a found kitty.  I think he was born with it and I just love it.  He's my baby boy.  He LOVES to play with everything.  He hides behind he sheers and attacks us as we go by.  He races Mr. Man to the kitchen almost every morning.  He wrestles with Cuppy without Cuppy's permission. : )  He chases bugs and doesn't give up until he catches them.  HE would never let a mouse go by should he ever see one!

He's taken to Tink, but he tries to wrestle with her, too.  She tries, but he's much bigger than her and she soon is tired of his playfulness.  Tink is a 'talker', especially if you're in the kitchen.  Her meowing doesn't stop!!  Once when she had been here just two days, Scooter couldn't take her noise anymore.  He eased up to her and gently swatted her mouth to shut her up!  It didn't work, but I thought it was so cute!

They're all fine and sassy and give us lots of pleasure..and lots of work.  The vacuuming seems never ending.  But, with our human kids grown and gone, we love our four legged kids and their company.

This old house's guestroom

When our youngest got his own apartment, we gave him the 'antique' bed he'd had for most of his life.  After about six months I decided we really needed a spare bed for the occassional sleep-over guest.  Our house was built in the 1940's and therefore a bit...odd.  It has been transformed many times through the years..a room added on here..a breezeway transformed into a room..various and sundry additions.  The thing is that the builders didn't much care if the new floor to the new room was even with the floor in the old room it adjoined.  So, when you go from the living room to the kitchen, there's an inch step up..when you go from the kitchen to the dining room, there's a six inch step down...and when you go from the dining room to Mr. Man's mancave, there are two and 1/2 steps down.  Thus, we've labeled that room our downstairs room. : )

ANYway, the living room is very long and narrow..it's about 14 by 30.  The dining room is 16 by 20 and the mancave is 18 by 24.  Fairly large rooms.  But, the bedrooms are tiny, the one pictured above is the smallest of the three.  So, I couldn't fit a large bed in this room.  We found this bed at Rooms To Go.   I'm thinking that not many of you will like the color of the bed because when I bought it, at least three salespeople said, "Is that the color you want? It comes in different colors."  YES, green is my favorite color and I just love this bed.  I'm not sure the colors in the picture do it justice because the wall isn't really as yellow as it shows there and the curtains are a little bit lighter blue with swirls of light green throughout.  The coverlet/quilt and sham are from Overstock.com, my first purchase from them.  It's good quality and the stripes you see are patterned fabric that has been sewn in gathers to make the ruffled lines across it, giving it a kind of shabby chic or country look I guess.  So, I can change colors of curtains, walls and not have a problem with matching it.  I just love it.  We can also get a trundle for the bed if we choose to at some point.

Anyway, just sharing that bit of unimportant information with y'all tonight. Don't know why. LOL. This old house is a little crazy, thus it matches us well!  But, we love it most of the time...even when we had to buy the new central heat and air unit...and the new windows all the way around...and put insulation where there was none..and when we had to paint it..and even when the roof leaked.   I guess we know what it's like to get old.  Old houses like old people need TLC from time to time.

Judy

The gulf view from the 7th floor of the condos.

Mark took this pic of me the day he stayed at the condo.

Judy.  My sister, Judy, died Jan 2, 2013.  I was with her, holding her, talking to her, comforting her as she passed from this life to the next.  As much as I know
, really know that I will see her again in Heaven, it still really hurt so badly. Judy was a Christian.  She depended as I do on Christ's sacrifice on the cross as payment for our sin and his resurrection as a promise that we will rise as well.  Jesus said it was so and we totally believe and accept that.  Even with that faith, hope, and knowledge, it's still difficult to let go of the people we love.  Judy died of pancreatic cancer.

After Judy's funeral, a friend offered me her condo on the beach for the week because she knew I'd had a rough time.  See, I had two sisters and both died of pancreatic cancer. Phyllis had died 10 years, 10 months and 10 days before Judy died.  Mama died four years before Judy.  So all of the women I had grown up with were gone.  All of the female companionship, the telephone calls checking on each other, the sharing of hurts and love, joy and sadness, the prayers for each other were gone.  Just gone. I could never talk on the phone with them again.  Never share another cup of coffee, never get a hug, an 'I love you' from these women who shared my DNA, my history, my youth, my life's journey.  I can't express how much I miss them.  And, I can't expect anyone to understand or sympathize or help in any way unless they've experienced the same.  I saw all three take their last breath,  I held them in my arms and sang to them....these my flesh and blood.

Mama, me, Judy, Phyllis

I cherished my time that week, crying and praying, seeking, resting, trying to heal.  It helped and I'll be forever grateful for a friend who would do so much for me.  As I sat on the 7th floor balcony (pictures above) in the January cold, looking out at the beautiful Gulf of Mexico, I understood how very tiny we are...how vast the ocean, the world, the galaxy, the many galaxies beyond us.  We are specks in a huge, vast expanse of God's creation and yet the God who can hold all of this in the palm of His hand is close enough to know how many hairs are on our heads...close enough to whisper His love into our souls.  Why do we run from someone so powerful and loving?  Why do we think we can escape His view?  Why would we want to hide from this most loving Father?  I don't know.  We're human and foolish.  I realized that He is my hope, my only hope.  I have nothing without Him.  No one on this earth could have helped me through the months of grief I endured.  Only God understood, only God had lost so much, had experienced my pain.  Only God cared enough to give me all the time I needed, all the love I craved, all of the comfort that no one else could give.

Look out at that view of the Gulf, see how tiny those homes look?  They're huge if you're standing right next to them.  But from the 7th floor they look like toy houses.  Same as our grief, our pain, looks huge when it's fresh,new and up close. As we step away from it and see the big picture, we realize that it's not monstrously huge to God.  He sees the whole timeline, birth to death to life with Him.  It's a breath, a moment, this life.  Soon and very soon, I will see my loved ones again.  We will shout for joy, we'll whisper 'I love you and missed you!'  again. We'll sing praise to the King of kings, and Lord of lords for the goodness and mercy He has shown to us.

Judy

Thank you, Lord, for seeing me through these times of grief and loss.  Thank you for loving me even when I don't feel lovable..even when I don't want to be bothered with you.  How is it even possible that I ever feel that way.  But, the truth is sometimes I do.  Sometimes I run away.  Forgive me, and draw me close.  You are my Rock. You gave me joy again.

Mr. Man

Mr. Man

Mr. Man and I have been married for 39 years 10 months 6 days 1 hr.   That's almost twice as long as I was single.  Life without him is unimaginable, although there have been a few days that I thought about taking him out myself!! ;)  Marriage is definitely not the easiest thing I've ever done, second only to raising children.   We raised six.  One daughter Mr. Man brought into the marriage, one daughter I brought into the marriage, three sons together, and our oldest grandson.  So, we raised kids for the first 36 years of our marriage. Now they're all grown, on their own, and doing well.

The first year we were alone (our children all relocated to different states, our grandson was in the Air Force, and my mother had passed away) was a little hard at first.  So I declared it the year of Mark and Mary..that's Mr. Man's name: Mark.  We decided to do things we hadn't done in our first 36 years of marriage...like go on a vacation alone!  We went to Amelia Island, Florida first.  It's a little town on the Atlantic Ocean where we rode our bikes, went on a dolphin cruise, window shopped, and ate.  We saw an island of wild horses, watched them feed near the shoreline.  They are beautiful creatures and are left totally alone.  No one cares for them and they seem happy...I mean I didn't see them smile, but from what I saw they looked good!

We went to Disney World, just the two of us.  Epcot was our first stop and our first time at that particular park. We thoroughly enjoyed it.  It was so beautifully decorated with flowers of every kind.  We strolled through the different countries.  Mr. Man is also known as Mr. Picky Pants.  He is absolutely the pickiest eater I've ever seen.  While I would have stopped to eat at every country that was represented at Epcot, he would only eat in Italy(spaghetti), Ireland(fish and chips), and France(pastry).  He was kind enough to stop with me in China while I enjoyed a bowl of noodles. Yum.  I like to experience different foods, different cultures..but there are some even I won't try.  For example, while in Indonesia(the real country, not Epcot) there were chunks of snake on the buffet lineup.  I did NOT try the snake. ewwwwwwwwwwww! ewww! 

On our second day at Disney World, we went to Magic Kingdom.  Oh dear.  I was on summer vacation from my work in the school system and though I love kids, I did NOT want to spend the whole day amongst thousands of little princesses and Buzz Lightyears.  Eeeeeek!  We maneuvered through them and around to a few things that interested us, then found a place to park ourselves until the night time parade and fireworks.  That was well worth the wait.  It's amazing to see the castle change designs and colors!!  How DO they do that?

The third day of our three day park pass, we went back to Epcot. :)  We rode Soaring.  It's kind of like you're flying on a kite.  I couldn't look the first time we did it because I'm afraid of heights and it felt like we were wayyy up there!  The second time, I was fine and enjoyed it a lot!

That year we also went to Sevierville, Tennessee.  We rented a log cabin for a few days, drove through the mountains, spotted a black bear(he was more scared of the people than the people were of him), climbed through still snowy mountain trails, went to a dinner show, a breakfast show, through caves, sat on the front porch and just rocked.  It was lovely!!!

One other place we visited that year was Callaway Gardens in Georgia.  How gorgeous.  We've been back a couple of times since then.  The gardens are amazing!!!  On one trip, our daughter-in-law brought the grandkids to see us and we all enjoyed the man-made beach and the lake with the water battle boats.  We soaked each other and laughed til we cried.  Mr. Man and I also rode bikes on the trail.  I learned that I do downhill best. : )

I think that pretty much describes the year of Mark and Mary.  We can't afford to do that every year, but we sure enjoyed that year.  We still do 99% of everything together. For example, building an addition to our front porch, painting, planting, fixing.  We've spent many holidays working on this old house.  It's our home..not perfect, but ours and we're very thankful to have it.

Mr. Man is enjoying an afternoon snack...he's still hurting from his water skiing incident last weekend, poor thing.  He managed to attend church with me this morning, but his torn hamstring made the pew very uncomfortable for him. I'm hoping he feels better soon because I love him(and because he's such a big baby when he's hurt!)  I'm just glad we're still together and fairly healthy after so many years.  I hope we have at least twenty more good, healthy years!

Maybe you can offer suggestions for our 40th anniversary?  Where should we go? Hmm?

Squirrel!

I was sitting under my Magnolia tree this morning, spray painting some iron posts my neighbor made to hold my new birdhouses.  I've never seen any like them and believe me, I've searched!  He's quite a guy, this neighbor.  He had cancer four or five years ago, had surgery, everything seemed fine.  But, now..according to the doctor..he is suffering from the effects of it and is having a hard time walking.  His wife just had surgery for lung cancer and she's never, ever smoked.  But, they think they got it early and got it all.  Thank God!

I had admired his wife's birdhouses for a long time and the posts that connect them to the privacy fence and yet angle them away from it...which is good to keep the cats away.  So, Mr. Man went over to ask him where he got them.  Turns out he made them, he's a welder.  He said he'd make some for us if we'd get the metal.. We did and he did, God love him.  SO, as I said, I was sitting under the Magnolia tree this morning, spray painting those post thingies, so they won't rust.

I heard little 'plip' sounds in the tree.  Sounded like big rain drops, but it wasn't raining(for once!)
As I gazed into the tree, I saw a little squirrel holding a Magnolia 'pod' and picking seeds out of it and dropping pieces down through the leaves.  He was so cute!  I ran inside to get my camera, but by the time I got back he had moved.  I could still hear him, but couldn't see him.  However, I did take some pics looking up into my tree.

This tree has been a bone of contention between my husband and I.  He's wanted to chop it down many times.  The leaves are big and make a mess when they fall...which is often.  They collect rain water, so have to be raked up.  The big seed pods are big as pine cones and are hard on the lawn mower if not raked up.  So, Mr. Man would LOVE it if this tree met its' demise.  However, I would be so sad.  That tree provides wonderful shade for my kitchen and dining room windows..Magnolia flowers have the lovliest lemony scent and are so beautifully white, the leaves such a shiny dark green on one side and fuzzy brown on the other.  The seed pods have bright red seeds that are so pretty and festive looking!  And, the birds and squirrels absolutely love that tree.

I've been able to argue successfully, thus far, to save my tree.  I'm pretty sure I can win this battle..if he ever wants to have a home cooked meal again, that is. :)

I enjoyed my trees shade this morning in the blistering morning sun and the humidity that felt like pea soup.  So, I'll share a picture of this lovely tree with you.  Enjoy....and when possible, come spend some time under it with me and I'll make you some sweet lemonade to sip while we chat.

Ever get bored and lonely?

I'm having one of those days...just feeling so lonely and bored...kind of depressed.  I've been wondering why all morning.  I'm not sick.  Nothing is really wrong. Well, one of our daughters is upset with me, but that's pretty normal.  In fact, when she's not upset with me, I'm tense waiting for the moment when she blasts me for some other infraction she thinks I've committed.  So, it's not that.

Then I realized that I miss my babies! Last weekend was so nice with all of the boys and their families.  Mostly, I just watched them having fun and picking on each other, laughing, boating, playing, just talking.  What joy that gave me!!   Now, they're all in their own states, their own homes, their own lives and Mr. Man and I are in ours.  It makes me miss them all over again.

But, instead of getting so lonesome and depressed, I need to count my blessings.  I'm blessed to be healthy and alive, my husband is still here with me, thank God!  He's being treated for high blood pressure and Crohn's disease, but he's still here!  I love him.  We'll be married 40 years at the end of next month.  That's a long time.  It wasn't always easy, but it was worth all of the downs and ups.   Our kids are healthy, they're all successful.  Thank God, again!  They're all good, I mean really good people.  All of them accepted Christ at a young age, and each are on their own journey with Him.  He will guide them and work with them, I don't have to worry about that.  Thank God.  He is so good to us.

Something to smile about! Some of my grandbabies enjoying watermelon.

So, when I look at it that way, I have absolutely nothing to be depressed about.  I'm just bored and that's my own fault.  There's much I could be doing, I just have to do it.  Exercise is needed, so I'm gonna get off my hind end and get busy.

This little message was a bit of therapy for me.  The lesson being, count your blessings, name them one by one.  And, get up, get out of your seat!

I hope that you'll do the same if you have a day like mine.  Don't wallow in the depression, get up and make yourself happy.
Love and blessings to each of you.

Worth seeing again: Church Ladies With Typewriters..Hilarious Church bulletin bloopers!

Church Ladies with Typewriters. Even though I've seen it before, I still laughed til I cried! Here's to a good bellylaugh!!!

March 8, 2011 at 3:59pm

Church Ladies with Typewriters . . .

They're Back! Those wonderful Church Bulletins! Thank God for church ladies with typewriters. These sentences (with all the BLOOPERS) actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:

The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
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The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water.' The sermon tonight: 'Searching for Jesus.'
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Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
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Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn't care much about you.
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Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
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Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
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For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
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Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
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Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
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A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow..
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At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice.
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Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
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Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
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Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered..
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The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
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Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.
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The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
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This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
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Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM . All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. Is done.
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The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
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Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM . Please use the back door.
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The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM . The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
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Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.
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The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: 'I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours.