Sunday, December 31, 2006

WORK!


Off to work I go on this Sunday, the last day of 2006. The store is only opened for four hours today, usually opened on Sunday for five hours.......woo hoo! Big deal. I have loads of paperwork to do and while customers are busy out in the host store (the bigger store that our little optical store is in) buying black-eyed peas and turnip greens, (good luck and lots of greenbacks for the coming year, it's the LAW down here) I will chug along closing out the year, and a successful year I might add with a modest gain over budget and last year's sales.
Think I'll just stop and get me a salad for lunch and take it with me. Or I should say a Zalad.
Oh, and I wanted to share the pic of my Grand Dog here that I borrowed from my DIL's My Space. Too cute not too share. Good Sunday to everyone!

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Memory Lane

Ever since I posted about the teapot I keep remembering something I'd do a a child that I guess I'd forgotten until now. My mother had quite a collection of knick knacks. One thing was a teapot about the size of the one I'm using now. It was brown and had Chinese markings on it I believe. There was also cups. Well....I'd sneak it off the shelf sometimes and fill it with water and have a tea party with my dolls. If she knew I did that, she never said anything. I just remembered I'd also take from the kitchen some dessert dishes, they were wide mouthed and on a pedestal and looked like the glasses those people on soap operas used for their martinis.......so...I'd have apple juice and a grape "olive" and play like I was having a martini. I was a sneaky little child. But then I also remember putting on my Patton leather Sunday shoes and tap dancing away on our tile floor. I thought I was surely a dancing genius and didn't see what was so hard about tap dancing. But then I thought I could sing like those women in an opera as well, totally had no respect for their talent and thought I sounded just as good. Things seem so simple when you're a child. It's a shame we grow up and complicate things.

Friday, December 29, 2006

A new Set


Selling this to a friend for a gift.

Tea Time


Ok, for a long, long, time I've been searching for a tea set for just me, a small teapot and matching cups. Sounds easy enough to find unless you happen to live where I live. I did look on line but they were mostly too expensive or more decorative instead of useable but finally! It was a gift set for the Holidays at Walgreens and I love it and it's green too! (My favorite color,just ask anyone!) And.... because it was part of their Chistmas stuff it was half off which made it only $4.98! And it has four matching cups.......so let's have a cuppa tea, shall we??

Well!!!!! HUMPH! I wanted to show you a pic but Blogger won't let me load a picture right now...So, I will later, I promise, you've got to see it, it's sooo cute!

Oh look! I tried once more and Blogger did it! SO you can see it too! WE're having Apple Cinniman Spice Tea at the moment.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Oranges

Ok, not a very interesting subject but one I feel compelled to write about at this late, late time of night, or I guess I should say this early, early time of morning. You got it, I can't sleep. But I slept a lot today with the bad shoulder and all. SO......here's the deal. My stepfather has family in Florida and he was there this week and his uncle sent oranges back with him. Good, fresh, Florida oranges. They aren't pretty, mostly not even orange but they huge and juicy and good oranges. I've not had good oranges at all this season because I refuse to pay fifty cents each for the most pitiful oranges in the world at Wal-Mart. They come from Mexico or California or Peru......or some place and maybe when they are picked they are good but by the time they get here they are an awful excuse for oranges.
So....I'm excited about the oranges. They will share with me, but I've not gotten them yet but I can't wait!
Ok, I'm done ranting about oranges. Oh, and I've not shared my blog with anyone I actually know until tonight and I shared it with my DIL, "Hey Amy!" I thought it would be a good way for her to keep up with what is going on with me since we both live so fast we don't talk as often as we'd like to.
Plus Amy understands how my mind works most of the time and she won't judge me for being a little weird at times. So, there you go. I suppose I'd better try and get some sleep since I have work tommorrow.
Night!

OH! My Shoulder

From time to time, and it can't be because I'm gettin OLD, I get what I suspect is bursitis in my shoulder. Today is one of those days. It started yesterday really so I tanked up on Alieve and slept with the heating pad and stuck Salonpas pads on various areas and so it is SOME better but still hurts. Usually I can get ahold of it before it puts me down. Some years ago when I first got it I didn't know what it was and so I just kept thinking I'd slept wrong and had a stiff shoulder. It about killed me and it stayed with me for weeks and weeks. (I have to be dead to go to the Doctor, but that's a whole other story). So, since then I've learned some tricks that keep it under control. But I'm glad I'm off today anyway, I'll take it easy. (Not that I wasn't going to do that anyway.)
Gerald Ford has died and that is all they are talking about. James Brown died right here over the weekend in my state, which was his state as well. Usually they die in three's. We'll see.
My son J is not communicating with me at all. A real kick in the ass since it is I who is paying for his cell phone and the who has bought the car he is riding in. It is his family, his grandparents, his brother and I who have supported him completely for the last five months, but WE are the enemy. I understand it is part of his illness but non the less hard to take, hard to swallow. It is his wife, the one who left him with nothing, not even the knowledge that she wasn't coming back to him that he has run to I suppose. They are still separated but she agrees with him as to not cause a "scene" and that doesn't help him. But I am helpless in this situation. And I don't know where it will end or what is going to happen to the child that I love with all my heart and soul.
So........we shall see. As we've seen for almost the whole 29 years of his life.

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Wish I were with these people!


My youngest son, with is wife and daughter. Doesn't he look handsome in his uniform? I wish they didn't live on the other side of my world but hopefully I'll get another trip in this spring. Wish I were going TODAY!

Back to work today

I have to close tonight so I go in at noon and get off at nine.
I'm reading a book I got for Christmas, thirteen moons. It's a good book to get into. You can check it out here. It is written by the guy that wrote Cold Mountain. Barely into it but I like it so far. Not a book that goes fast which is what I wanted.
J is in bad shape. He came to my mothers yesterday before I got there and she pissed him off and he took off. He was looking for a fight I think but it upset her and she is too old to get so upset, especially on Christmas but he is all messed up and I'm not sure he is taking his meds which causes him to have rages if he isn't taken it. Bipolar is an awful disease and when the people who love him have a hard time understanding it, it is hard for everyone. It is hard for everyone anyway.
I just don't want my child, who is now almost a thirty year old man to end up on the street and I will fight to the end for that not to happen. But one thing I've come to realize is that probably a big number of homeless people that are mentally ill are not there because they don't have a family that cares. Sometimes you can do all you can do and still they end up in jail or the streets. I don't want that for J but time is marching on and if things don't get better I will be wiped out emotionally as well as financially and we'll be right where we started. I don't know the answer and my heart breaks for him.
Ok, enough of that! I hope the weather gets better, it is an ugly day and not all that cold but chilly and damp! Ok, coffee is ready and oatmeal too...off for breakfast.

Monday, December 25, 2006

So This Is Christmas

Happy Xmas (War is over)
John Lennon



so this is Christmas
and what have you done
another year over
a new one just begun
and so this is Christmas
i hope you have fun
the near and the dear ones
the old and the young

a very merry Christmas
and a happy new year
let's hope it's a good one
without any fear

and so this is Christmas (war is over...)
for weak and for strong (...if you want it)
the rich and the poor ones
the road is so long

and so happy Christmas
for black and for white
for the yellow and red ones
let's all stop the fight (2x)

a very merry Christmas
and a happy new year
lets hope it's a good one
without any fear

so this is Christmas
and what have you done

war is over - if you want it
war is over - if you want it
war is over - if you want it
war is over - if you want it

Merry Christmas!

Well, here it is, the big day. I hope every little child gets lots of toys and has lots of food to eat and gets plenty of attention from their parents today. Of course not every little child will have those things today, but I still wish for it.
We celebrated last night as we have forever. My mother can't wait until Christmas morning to open presents so we do it on Christmas Eve. Even when I was little she couldn't wait so.....she'd make an excuse for us to go somewhere and when we got home........tada.....Santa would have arrived! I never ever had Christmas on Christmas morning.......lol. That was ok by me! I made my kids wait until Christmas morning though.
We had a pleasant evening. J, my son came over and though he wanted to be smart mouthed and argumentive at first, he calmed down. My mother was in a good mood, and my step father, well he and I just go with the flow. Our times together usually are determined by My mother's mood and my son's temperament. But....it was pretty calm. And I like calm. At this point in my life I can't handle drama!
Anyhow......we'll have lunch together today and then it will be all over. We don't usually do much for New's Year, except of course.......WE have to have Blackeyed peas and turnip greens. It's the law down here!!!!
MERRY Christmas to anyone reading and I hope Santa was good to you!

Friday, December 22, 2006

My Best Friend's Gift


Rose Quartz and some glass and silver....hope she'll like the set.

I've been awake since 4 A.M.!

Not sure what's up with me. But here I am wide awake, making coffee at four thirty in the morning! Oh well.
I work for a good company, my bonus payout wasn't suppose to be until our next pay period which is next Friday but lo and behold! Bonus deposited today! YAY! I wasn't broke but close to it!
And I elfed myself, you can too.......take a look at this, funny to me! You can do it too! I sent it to my granddaughter, she should get a kick out of that!
My mom and I are going to the movies tonight to see The Nativity Story. I'm excited about that. I hope she'll like the movie. I've heard good things about it.
Oh well, coffee is almost ready and I'm hungry. I am off today thank goodness, so a nap will probably be in line around seven.......but then I've got loads of stuff to do!

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

I got it all done

Ok, after working all day (and not on my job) I got it all done and have everything packed up and ready to take to work with me. I have four employees and for each of them I have a Christmas bag filled with two little loaf breads, chocolate nut and poppy seed. My mom saved Crystalite containers all year and so they each have a container of REally Good Butter cookies. And they each have a cute little gift box with two bracelets inside. I think those are pretty good presents and I hope they like them.
We drew names and I got my gal a candle set, sea breeze, and it's wrapped and put in the trunk of my car. And cooking along side of my mother.......well, that was the challenge. But I made it through and I'm glad. Oh, and we'll give our Doctor a gift card from Home Depot, he LOVES Home Depot, so there you have it!
A day's work done and I'm exhausted!
Goodnite!

The people in my life!

Nearly everyone in my life seemed to be grounches yesterday. My son depressed because he can't find a job. My mother, because, well I'm not sure. I don't have an oven so I baked at her house last night, and I couldn't do anything right,didn't use the right bowl or pan or spoon!.......Instead of leaving me alone to bake she was right there beside me. It was not a nice relaxing evening. WHo knows! The good news is I get to have to today off! We're having our little Christmas thing in the office tommorrow so I've go to get things ready for that. And yep, got to use my mom's oven again. Hope she's in a better mood.
I also HAVE to remember that I have a conference call at one thirty today. We ususally have it on Tuesday morning but not this week.
Ok, I smell coffee! See ya!

Monday, December 18, 2006

Another productive day, I'm impressed!


Ok, another bracelet, and......even though I have to work today, I am not going in until late afternoon to close, and so this morning I got a batch of Divinity made and some of the butter cookies, (just a trial really to see if they are going to be as good as I want them to be)the cookies are good, I got to make them a little thicker when I actually get going so they won't be hard. I made the dough and refridgerated it so it is ready! I maybe can get off early tommorrow, if not I still have tommorrow night.
Sweetie, my little dog, got to frolic all morning outside in the 70 degree weather.....geez, Merry Christmas!

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Productive Day




I got my shopping done for the baking I'm going to do, bought a few more gifts, and..........TADA!!!!!!!!!!! Got jewelry made.

Good Morning

I slept good last night, once I got to sleep. Trying to decide if I want to do some baking today or not. Not sure when I'll have the time again since Steph is sick and I'm not sure when she'll get back to work. I was planning to be off Mon. Tues and Wed. to get the rest of my vacation days before the end of the year but not sure if I will now. Oh well, I'll get it figured out I guess.
I really need to work on Jewelry, OH yeah! That's what I will do today. Be prepared for pictures!
I'll be back!

Saturday, December 16, 2006

A full day ahead

Work today and then I'm going to see about my best friend who has the flu. She has a five year old and a husband who has to work tonight and he gives her little help or sympathy at all when she is sick so I can at least take care of little Robbin tonight and make her honey and tea and maybe some chicken soup.
My son went to visit his wife this weekened (they are separated but I suppose not for too much longer) and my mother is driving me nuts wanting to know when I'm going to help her do Christmas baking. I guess I am kinda of running out of time as Christmas will be here soon!
Anyway.........that's about all I've got going today, pretty boring stuff. I've also got more jewelry to make but maybe I can get some of that done tommorrow.
Happy Saturday!

Thursday, December 14, 2006

A Good Day

Work was good today. Maybe not as busy as we'd like but busy enough. My son, J has a job interview with UPS tommorrow. That would be nice even if it is for a Driver's helper and is temp. and part-time. Any money in would be good for him at this point.
This is cool! Click here: MERRY CHRISTMAS

Goodnight all!

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Turquoise for Someone on my list


Ok, not sure who'll get this one. People tend to either hate turquoise of love it. But it did turn out really pretty. I've had these big stones of turquoise for quite some time so glad to finally show them off a little. Bali silver spacers also mostly.

Tangerines Smell Like Christmas to me





No matter what time of the year I peel a tangerine it smells like Christmas to me. I guess people have different smells that remind them of Christmas, gingerbread baking, Christmas tree smells, whatever but it's always, ALWAYS tangerines for me. I suppose it must have a lot to do with the big box of fruit that Santa always brought me for Christmas. It was only for CHRISTMAS that I got tangerines so they were very special to me. The box was a big box covered in tin foil filled to the brim with tangerines, oranges, a few grapefruit, apples, bananas, grapes and always an exoitic fruit, like a coconut maybe or a pineapple, or mangoes, or kiwi fruit. And sprinkled throughout the box was nuts in the shell, walnuts, brazil nuts, never pecans cause we had them out in the yard. Nope, these were special things straight from Santa.
I started with the tangerines because they were my favorites! My mother enjoyed doing this so much that when I had my own kids she did this for them too, to be delivered by Santa of course, but somehow it never excited them like it did me. I guess maybe because they could have that stuff whenever they wanted throughout the year but to me.........man it was magic! In my mind's eye I can see that box in that shiny foil paper and though I didn't pay attention to it until I'd opened all the wrapped presents, I always expected it to be there and it was I think until Santa stopped coming to see me. What a shame.

Monday, December 11, 2006

Kind of different


This is a Bracelet I made tonight and happened to snap the pic on a magazine. I was gonna crop it and get rid of the eye but I sort of liked it.

Monday, Monday

Today was a pretty good day. Customers pretty nice, employees pretty much ok, son in good mood and went to his threapy session. All is well in my world tonight.
A little T.V. and I'm off to sleep.

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Some Creations for Christmas presents




This is just all glass beads in black with a little round Swarvoski pendant I made. It's really pretty on, not sure who'll get this one yet.

And then the Rose Quartz, a carved pendant. It's quite elegant as well.

Saturday, December 09, 2006

An Evening Well Spent






This is the little almost six year old munchkin I spent the evening with tonight. She is my namesake and the daughter of my best friend. I don't think her tongue quit for more than ten seconds the whole time we were together but that's ok, she is quite entertaining! Her father took her mom out tonight for her birthday and so she and I spent the evening together.
She and my own granddaughter are three weeks apart in age. That year I saw two little girls come into the world, upclose and personal too, thank you very much! And both of them have brought into my life lots of love and smiles and for that I treasure any time I get to spend with either of them.
I'm tired, she wears me out......lol. Goodnight!

Friday, December 08, 2006

In Search of the Best Butter Cookies

Ok, I'm in search of the World's best butter cookies. I've decided to make some for gifts this year. When I was a teenager I remember someone I worked with bringing in some Butter cookies for Christmas, they were yummy but she refused to give us her recipe. To this day I've not tasted any as good as these. So this year I'm looking for recipes to try out and hopefully by before Christmas, and before I gain twenty five extra pounds I will find some. Here's a start
Today I made my best friend a chocolate cake for her birthday and I made two bracelets, dang it! I forgot to take pics and I've got them wrapped already! Oh well, they are pretty, you'll have to take my word for it. So I'm all set with her.
Other than still being cold today, there was not much news. Tommorrow I go back to work, and I'm ready actually!
Alrighty then! Goodnite!

Thursday, December 07, 2006

One more Day of my little Vacation

I've pretty much accomplished nothing during my time off but it's been nice. Tommorrow I'm baking my best friend a Birthday cake and I've made her a couple of bracelets. Maybe I'll post pics of the jewelry tommorrow, my camera batteries are dead right now.
Because of the ordeal with my son, I'm a little strapped for cash so I'm glad she likes my jewelry, she is in fact one of my biggest fans.
It is gonna be chilly tonight, actually darned COLD, burrrrr! South Georgia is not known for cold winters but we may just have one this year.
Nothing exciting in my boring little life today, just enjoyed doing my own thing.
My son has an interview tommorrow, let's hope he gets the job!
Nighty night!

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Got two Christmas gifts bought

Before I went to Atlanta for my work meeting, I'd done just a little bit of Christmas shopping online, and until today I'd actually forgotten it. But the two I bought came today so there! I've officially started.
One of the items that I bought for my hard to buy for Step-father. Years ago somebody came him this little glass house that you put incense cones in and the smoke comes out of the chiminey. The thing about this is he is such a bear about any kind of scent we were all blown away when he began to burn the Lavender incense that came with it. He fusses if my mother burns candles or uses air freshner so this thrilled her only to discover Lavender incense "cones" aren't that easy to find, at least not in our area(Not an unusal thing about most anything)......SO anyway, I ordered him some from somebody on E-bay.....so yay!!!
And then the other thing was the purfume that they've almost quit making for my mother. It is Forever Krystle. She wore it for years and then couldn't get it anymore and I've actually tried forever to find it on the internet only to find it was out of stock but I lucked out at last and found that.
So here I sit, with Forever Krystle on my wrist, smelling my mother.......lol.
SO..........now, let's see who's next on the list.
Only 19 days left!!!!!!!!!!!

A Bit Depressed

Ok, I went to Atlanta for a meeting over the weekend, came home Monday night and have holed up in my little house ever since and I've got to get out today if for nothing else to go shopping. I'm off until Saturday, trying to get in vacation days before I loose them.
I think my body is experiencing, (and my mind) menopausal things and although I branded myself as a warrior and decided to look upon menopause as a rite of passage, who am I kidding? This sucks! I don't feel like myself. I never seem to feel good physically anymore(that could be helped if I'd get off my ass and do my walking I was so good at doing for three years) and I just feel like my world is in a mess.
I feel like nobody loves me or wants to be around me (I don't want to be around them, so we're even!)
It's just not a good place to be but here I am.
Here I am. Not too much good for anything.
My mind is boggled, my body hurts and betrays me, my spirit is shot and I don't know where to go from here.
So there you have it, welcome to my pity party. Feel free to go at anytime and PLEASE take me with you!

Saturday, December 02, 2006

My Life turned inside out!

Well, it's been months since I've posted but I intend to get back to blogging now and hopefully I can.
Back in August my oldest son's life took a turn and he needed help badly and so that's what I've been busy at. His wife left him, he was left with nothing, no place to live and badly in need of treatment for depression. Things are looking up a bit for him now and of course his wife had re-appeared but that's something I can't help and even though they are not back together yet, I've no doubt they will be soon. But they are grown people and all I can do is hope he can get his life together.
A few years back he was dianosed with Bipolar but never got good treatment but for the last few months he is seeing a threapist and getting the medication he needs. His family which consist of me, his brother, and his grandparents came together and helped him get an appartment, (he's not working yet) and just this week I helped him get a car (he has nothing) and so we'll see what happens next.
Mental illness is nothing new to my life. I grew up with a mentally ill father during a time when it was not as well understood or treated as well as it is now. My son is much like he was. When depression sets in it is painful to watch, and when mania sets in, it is impossible to get along with him. The meds thank goodness help that for now.
So, anyway, that's my life for now but things are calming now a bit now. One of the dreams I've put in this cedar chest is for my son to know some happiness in this lifetime. I hope he is on his way to that now.
I'll be back, I promise, even though I have no readers, I'll be back for me!

Friday, July 28, 2006

What do I want?

Umm, that is the question here. A few years back, seven to be exact, when I moved back here, I thought this is what I wanted but now I'm restless, needing a change.
And I've noticed before that every seven years it seems change comes into my life, not always initiated, most of the time because I'm forced. So is that the reason I feel like I need a change? If indeed my life is in cycles of seven years what does that mean? At this point I feel like I'd like to pick up my life and throw it up in the air and see where the pieces fall and go from there. That's risky though because the things I'm happy with now would be scattered too and what if I couldn't recover them?
I guess I'm restless, anticipating change and maybe wanting to make a change before it comes on its own. Who knows! But the question is , Am I brave enough to make changes. And if so, what part do I want to change?
Thoughts to be pondered for today.
Off to work.

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Breaking my Silence

Rough few weeks at work. This week has been extremely rough as one of my associates is on Vacation, another is dealing with a husband who at the age of 44 has had several mini strokes and they are still trying to determine the reason for that. Plus I am feeling poorly myself, afraid I'm working on kidney stones. I had a bout with those awful things when I was in my early twenties and the pain, though not as severe as I know it can get, is the same. I am having to work though since two girls are out and being the manager of the store, it falls to me. I drinking, drinking, and drinking some more. Mostly water and cranberry juice. Hopefully I can flush my kidneys out! Ok, enough said about that!!
If you want to take a look at my jewelry(and you know who you are) go here I've not been able to work on that much lately but I feel the urge. Making jewelry relaxes me greatly and I'm in need of that.
So, that is all I know for now. Really soon I hope to have time to blog more and with a little deeper thoughts. Right now I'm just trying to survive day by day.
So check back, I'm still here.

Saturday, July 15, 2006

Very Quite and Very Hot

It's been very quite this week within the blog world, or at least the ones I frequent. And I can't complain as I've been very quite on mine as well but it is so darned hot!! When it gets to the point where the days are around 100 degrees and the nights hardly cool off below 90, it drains your mind. I had two completely unproductive days off, I slept a lot and made a little jewelry and watched three movies and that was about it, but I need to rest so I'm ready to face a day at work.
The rest of the summer looks bleak as I have no plans and no vacation time until the fall and so.......to work and home.
One interesting thing is that my mother on her vacation bought a book at a flea market called The Ladies From Covingon send their Love. It was written by an author called Joan Medlicott. It tickled my mom because it was about three older ladies, about her age, that left Pennsylvania and moved to North Carolina. That happened to be the same journey they were taking on their vacation (my mother and stepfather) so it grabbed her attention on a few different levels. When she got home she told me about it and told me there was a sequel which we'd have to find. I got on Amazon and ordered her not one, but six more of the Ladies' adventures. My mother has fallen in love with these books and so I found Mrs. Medlicott's e-mail and emailed her. She wrote me right back, a nice email too and I forwared the e-mails, I actually got three of them, to my Mom so that made her happy. It was nice, I've written authors before and gotten no response.
And so.......for now that's all I know.
Off to work now.

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Needing a day Off


In order to take my vacation as unplanned as it was, I had to go right back to work without a break from my vacation. And so today was my sixth day straight and I'm in bad need of a day off. It will come on Thursday. In fact I have two days off in a row and I'm needing that!
I had a pretty pleasant day today. Funny how our customer's attitudes and actions go in cycles. During the course of one month we seem to have a week in which everyone is happy and pleasant and they freely spend money. And then we have a week, somewhere around the full moon, in which people are nuts! Not bad nuts, just sort of goofy, a little strange, but not mean. And then we have a week in which people are MEAN. We can't do anything right, nobody can see out of their glasses, our prices are too high, they are mad before they get to us and take it out on us. It is a hard week. And then the other week we sort of get a break and we just don't have that much bussiness but they call on the phone instead of coming in. "My glasses are broken, can you fix them?"
or....."I need glasses, do I need to come in for an exam?" DAHHHHHHH! Oh well. Just part of it. Today all my customers told me how nice and sweet I was and I even got a hug from a grateful lady just traveling thru and I was able to fix her broken frames. TOMMORROW it could be a whole different story. Tommorrow they may HATE me. But I can take it, whatever. I'm tough!

Thursday, July 06, 2006

My Whale Dream


I'm back from my vacation and have to go to work today, regrettably. I had such a perfect vacation and magical as well. My Dream to see Orcas came true but in a much unexpected way than what I thought. First of all it was wonderful to surprise my son and to have spent the week with him and his family was wonderful. My granddaughter and I had a ball and I miss them all so much already.
Now, about the whales. We took an all day boat trip and saw the Orcas and although they were beautiful to me, it wasn't at all like I expected. I wanted forever to see them in their own enviroment out in the ocean and that I did but because it WAS a whale tour that guarunteed you saw them, that's what happened, us and about twenty other tour boats and numerous private boats that circled them and got way too close. What happened was that it felt like a three ring circus and I don't know how the orcas felt but I felt like they were trapped! I felt guilty being a part of it. My feelings surprised me more than anything, I mean I don't know what I expected. The scenery was beautiful and the trip was excellent but I just wasn't as excited as I thought I'd be seeing those beautiful animals.
I hated to say these thoughts because the people who had arranged for me to see them would have been upset I thought but after a day or so of trying to figure out my exact thoughts on the experience I finally vocalized my feelings. And because these people love me and understand me they got it. Now, all that said, here's what happened. The next day my DIL and Granddaughter went to a favorite place of her's called Point No Point. It was a small picnic area and a beach and it was a perfect day. Seeing whales was not expected or even thought about but that's just what happened......Passing through, closer than the boat tour came to them, there they come, naturally and unexpected and let me tell you it was MAGICAL. I will never forget it and it was the best experience I've ever had! So......my dream came true better than I ever thought.
It was amazing!

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Taking Out A Dream

Though I've not revealed in my writings all the dreams that I've quitely tucked away in My Cedar Chest, next week I may get to take one of them out and use it up. It is a dream I've had since I was about eleven or so and it's a dream that many people have but one I have doubted sometimes that I'd ever get to experience.
The Dream is to see a real life Orca in his enviroment. I can't begin to tell you how emotional this is going to make me and how scared I am that if I do see one, I'll burst out in tears! Last summer I saw wild dolphins and that's what they made me do. I wasn't prepared for that because although I love the dolphins it is indeed the Orca that I am nuts about.
And so, keep your fingers crossed for me on Friday, because that will be the big day. I am so excited, I can' t stand it. I have two days this week at work to get overwith before I go on Vacation~
Feel like a kid waiting for Christmas~

SURPRISE!


My youngest son, now 26 has always been the calmest human being I've ever know. His blood pressure is always below normal, (that's normal for him) and I've never seen him really excited or surprised about anything. That's not to say I've never seen him happy, he is in fact happy most of the time. His gift to adapt I guess is what I admire about him and always have. If plans fail some people (including myself) can become agitated but not Matthew. He starts planning another way. Any stress, disapointment, unhappiness, is very short lived with him as he moves forward.
That said, My daughter in law has tried several times to surprise him on birthdays, anniversities, and other things without success. He is always so aware of what is going on in his world that it's hard to pull anything over on him and his brain is quick to store things that seem out of the ordinary. After serving in the Navy for eight years he is out now and has taken a job with the police department. In a few weeks he has to go to the Academy and will do that for four or five months. Since I live three thousand miles away, I try to get up there at least once a year but circumstances concerning my other son and my job prevented me from doing that this spring. So.......my DIL calls me and asks me how possible it would be for me to come up with hardly any notice, during July the 4th and surprise him. At first I told her I just didn't see how I could do it but I'd check my work schedule and let her know. (I'm usually not one to do things on last minute notice, so I was doubtful I would do this, although I did so want to see him and his family.) Well, after that, it took on a life of it's own, and TADA! I'm leaving EARLY Wednesday morning on my journey. SURPRISE!! I hope we can pull it off because my DIL and me sure want to know how Matthew looks suprised! I'm very excited and am furiously doing laundry and packing today as I have to work up until the day I leave.

Friday, June 23, 2006

A Dream of my Son's come true


Living in Seattle for the last five years hasn't changed the fact that my son is die hard Georgia Bulldog Fan. He and his family are about to adopt a little English Bulldog, a dream of his for a long time. He's not quite ready for them to bring home but they visit often. A few more weeks with his Mama and then he gets to join them. Couldn't resist showing this pic they shared with me. So cute. His name is Ozzy.

A New Day

Ok, I should have known, before the night ended I got an appolgy. Maybe I am a big part of his life if not the most important thing. I can live with that, can't I?
Yep. I can. I'm a woman and that's the way most of us are. I admire the women who aren't.
Ok, off of that for now. This morning I had to stop off at the mailbox on the road in front of my place on my way to work, to mail something. And behind the box are woods, fenced off and part of the people across the street's property. Down the fence row came walking side by side two donkeys. Not what I expected to see first thing in the morning, but there they were and since my window was down and they stopped to stare at me I felt obliged to say, "Morning". And that fact alone convinces me I'm way past needing a vacation. And how was your day?

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Hurt Hurts

You know when you have a certain person in your life and you know he'd never intentionally do anything to hurt your feelings or to make you feel bad? And you know when that happens, I mean when he Does hurt your feelings? And somewhere in your heart, even though you hid the fact well that he hurt you, you think he'll realize it and mention it and apologize because he's done that before, even when you hid it well that time too. Well, that's where I am tonight. And maybe I'm expecting too much,and maybe he's not as sensitive to my feelings anymore and if he's not, exactly what does that mean?
Sometimes maybe you just need a good cry and sometimes you have to face the fact that maybe, just maybe, you'll never be number one in his life, even though he is number one in yours. And if you're really honest with yourself, you'll admit that you've always known but you chose to ignore it. And isn't that just the way life goes?

Wednesday, June 21, 2006


A Bracelet I made this morning. It's Swarvoski Pearls and Crystals. Not sure I like it.

Dreaming again

Goodness! I've not blogged in a long time. Busy at work. Maybe it's the heat but people have been so hard to deal with. Seems they are mad when they come into our office and we are the perfect beating blocks I guess. It's like they all come in the same days too. I mean can't we have the nutty people spread out or something? Somebody opens the gate and says, "OK, all the mean and difficult people are allowed out this week" But in this case seems like they've been out all month. Maybe it's just me as I get older, or maybe it's this almost menopause stage I'm at in my life that I have not the patience I used to have. Whatever it's harder and harder at my job. But at least we are busy and they are spending money though with grudge, at least our sales are up for now and I hope they stay that way.
Anyway, I shall survive as I always manage to. But today I'm putting this dream in my Cedar Chest. I put the dream of not having to work anymore. I've worked since I was fifteen pretty much constantly. My dream is to have enough money not to have to work, to be able to make jewelry, read, travel, help others in whatever way I could , to be independent and not ever have to kiss someone's butt because I can't lose their business. Ah..........that would be nice.

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Slip of words!

I just re-read my last post and I said there was won game, when it should have been one. LOL, wishful thinking I suppose and I decided to leave it that way.

Another dream to tuck away in the Cedar Chest

There's a lottery in this state and won of the games is called "Win for Life".
It's $1000 for life.
I never play the lottery. Once I worked with a group of people and we'd go in together and buy tickets but we only ever won a buck.
That 1000 bucks for life would sure come in handy. It wouldn't be enough so that I'd quit working but it sure would be nice "extra" income. Life having a husband's income without having to have a husband. Ummmm, that could work.
Let's see by the time tax comes out, maybe I'd collect around seven hundred. That would allow me to do a few things now that I'm not able to do now. It would allow me to help some people in my life from time to time. It would allow me to travel a more than once year to see my Granddaughter out west. It would be nice,even if I did have to keep working until I retire. Maybe I should buy a ticket soon, you never know!

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Rain at Last

At last we have rain today. I think if I'd not had to work today I'd have gone out and walked in it. At least the heat broke and it actually was cool today but that won't last long, by Thursday we'll be hot again.
Not much going on now, just trying to make it day by day. Change is on the horizon though, I feel it in my bones. And I welcome it.

Monday, June 12, 2006

My five year old Granddaughter

My Granddaughter in Curlers

Her mom says she asked her to put her hair in curlers and then she posed with the phone. She says, "This may be a prelude to what to expect from her. Worried about her hair and talking on the phone." LOL, she could be right.

To Make the Pain Vanish

I had so many dreams for my firstborn. Almost twenty nine years ago when they first put him in my arms I thought I couldn't contain all the love I felt for him. Being barely nineteen at the time of his birth I knew absolutely nothing about being a mother. That of course didn't matter because those maternal instincts kicked in and all I knew was that I'd do whatever it took to protect him from any pain that came his way. How very naive I was.
Such a perfect baby he was. He was so perfect in fact that three years later when I gave birth to his brother I couldn't believe that this wrinkled red thing that seemed to be all limbs was mine! I laugh now but my first child came out with beautiful olive colored skin, perfectly proportioned body, a head full of hair and was the sweetest baby one could ever imagine. I guess I thought all babies were like that. And although his younger brother grew into those limbs and was just as beautiful around three months, he didn't come into this world like his older brother did.
During his early years he was the easiest child to raise one could imagine. But around the age of seven or eight something happened to his spirit, to his soul maybe. I'm not sure, but I do know he's fought demons ever since. There is no peace for him ever. His life is always in chaos. He nevers feels good enough, he creates so much drama for himself. He drains all of us dry, the ones of us who love him. But he doesn't think anyone loves him.
To see one's child in pain is so much worse than being in pain yourself. If I could take away his pain, cast it into my own heart, I would in a minute just so he could be happy and realize how special he really is.
I think back so often of what I could have done differently and though I don't know for sure if anything we did could have caused this, I'd still love to go back and do things maybe differently. His brother is a completely different person, and I raised him the same way. So who knows~
So, I'm putting another dream in the Cedar Chest tonight. I'm hoping and praying that my son will find happiness soon and know that he is of value. I'm hoping his pain will disolve and he can at last stand proud and stand on his own. Life isn't easy for anyone, but most of us learn to cope. I'm hoping he'll learn this soon.
My sweet, sweet, perfect baby.

Sunday, June 11, 2006

From the garden

Dazed and Confused.

For the past few days I've been in a daze really. Not sure why. I've had the weekend off, three days in fact, this being my last day. It could be the heat, around 100 degrees every day. It could be other things on my mind, not sure what it is. I've been plagued by allergies, especially a headache. Just in a daze is all I know. Ah ha! I've been hitting the allergy meds pretty hard, they make me like this too. So, there! I've figured it out.
Today will be too hot to do much of anything outside so I'm just gonna vegetate here in my little house and take it easy. My parents are coming home from their trip today so I'll have to go visit them this afternoon and look at the thousand pictures they have. I can handle that, really I can.
Bye for now.

Friday, June 09, 2006

No Explanations

In this little town where I live the population is probably around 12 thousand or so. It's a tight knit little place with most everybody having grown up here or in the area. My own roots are here although I didn't actually grow up here, both my parents did.
It's a town where some people still don't lock their doors at night or leave their keys in their cars. There is of course crime and even murders from time to time but this week a murder took place that has saddened the whole town. Usually the murders that occur are domestic disputes but this one was totally unpredictable and so very violent that it has shook our little town up and filled us with sadness.
Imagine this. A small town hardware store. The manager had been working there for over twenty five years. This is a farming town and even though Home Depot came in a few years back, there is still loyalty to the local store because this guy who runs the place is a fraternity brother, a childhood friend, your teacher's husband, your child's best friend's father. He is a member of your church, he is someone everyone knows and his big smile that greets you when you enter the store just makes you feel good. He is fifty three years old, has a pretty wife and three children who adore him. HE would, and probably has, given you the shirt off his back if you needed it.
Now, imagine this. In a town about 100 miles away, a prisoner who has been sentenced to fifteen years for armed robbery and drugs is released after nine years. The prison gives him bus fare to go to his hometown and he's to do that and go straight to his parole officer. The bus makes a stop in our little town which is about an hour from his final destination. He gets off here. He doesn't get back on the bus, instead he goes into several busiesses in town, acting suspicious, even to the point one store owner picks up the phone to call the police but when he leaves, the store owner hangs up and doesn't pursue it. A few doors down the prisoner enters the back door of a hardware store. When the manager sees him he asks what he needs and he tells him that he is robbing him, there is a struggle and just like that, the manager is stabbed in the neck with a knife and the prisoner runs out.
Even though paramedics are called and he is rushed to the hospital, he dies. The prisoner is caught late that same night in that same neighborhood and back off to jail he goes.
In just that short ammount of time, life is suddenly changed for a family and a town. No matter how hard you try to make sense of it, there is nothing about it that makes sence. And sometimes in life you just have to accept that.

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

A Busy Week

I've not posted much this week, or even last really. The problem is that my parents who are on vacation in their RV, left me in charge of getting the eggs from their chickens, and watering my mother's plants. I've prayed for rain with no luck and it's been so dry and hot that I've had to water almost every day. The problem with this is my mother went overboard planting this spring and not only does she have hanging baskets everywhere outside but Day Lillies galore among other things and it's taken every moment I've not been working to take care of things.
THey are due back in two days and I'm ready to be relieved of my duties. Chickens are not my favorite things and there's a hen that insist on sitting on a nest of eggs. They told me to just reach under her and get them. That's not going to happen so perhaps we'll have baby chicks when they get home.
I'm going to bed now, one more day of work and I'm off for three days! For that I'm glad.
Good night.

Saturday, June 03, 2006

The customer is always RIGHT! Even when they're Wrong!

If you work in the retail world then you know what I mean when I say that there are days I go home and literally feel like I've been run over by a truck or beat up by ten people. Some days it takes all I've got to smile and be nice to people that are obviously out to make my day a living hell! Believe me, not everyone is like this, most people in fact are not. But those few that are seem to all come into the store on the same day or at least the same week.
Highlights of my day yesterday were dealing with a customer who swore her glasses had an odor. (She couldn't possibly wear them because they smelled so bad they made her sick to her stomach. Ummm, alrighty then) and a woman that insisted her glasses were not straight on her face no matter what I did to correct a problem that I didn't see. In both cases I finally just gave the customers a new frame and off they went. I've been doing this a long time so I know once somebody gets something in their heads, it's there, no matter what I say.
Sometimes people come in right after they've had a fight with their spouses or kids or somebody and take it out on us. Usually there is no pleasing these people and you just have to take their abuse and try not to take it personally. I know this is the case sometimes because we've actually had people call us back and appologize, saying they were upset about something else when they came to our store.
After a few angry or trying customers there usually comes in a really nice person that makes you forget the others and that is what happened yesterday. A satisfied customer who came in and wanted to let me know how pleased he was and how much he loved his glasses. That made it all worth while. Much is said about rude sales people but nobody realizes what most of us have to go through. My mother used to say that everyone should have to work retail at least once in their lives and then things might be different.
If you feel like you are getting bad service, of course let it be known but please let it be known if you got great customer service. It really helps us get through the day!
Happy shopping!

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Watch or Not Watch

What is it about this dumb show, Deal or No Deal, that makes me watch it. I always say to myself, "I'm not watching that show!" It irritates me! Yet I watch it anyway. I'm not sure why it bothers me so much. I just think that some of these people that are offered something like 200,000 bucks and turn it town and then leave with five hundred bucks are nuts!!! But then again, they came with nothing, so I guess if they are brave enough and are gamblers, shoot, go for it!
So, here I am watching it again. Ok, I admit, I've played with my cell phone and tried for the ten thousand they give away each show. So far, no luck! But I figure someone has to win it, right? What would I do with ten thousand dollars? Home Improvements I suppose. My house needs work! That would be the rational thing to do. What I'd really do is take a trip. Maybe to Italy! Maybe Greece! Or China!
Ok, a girl can dream, can't she?
Nighty night~<

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Back to Work Today

Going back to work today after having yesterday off. Summer is usually not the best time for selling glasses to people. They have other things on their minds like vacations, swimming, picnics. Can't say that I blame them but our company trying to help that situation throws what we call our BIG CONTACT LENS EVENT this time every year. We are busy with that now, calling people, posting signs and brochures all over town. So......off to do that. This however is one of those days when I wish I were rich and didn't have to work. Guess I have other things on my mind this time of year as well.
Good day to all!

Monday, May 29, 2006

Why Cedar Chest of Dreams?

There's a story that has followed me through my life. It concerns a grandfather I never knew and a grandmother who did what she could to make one of his dreams come true.
My grandparents fell in love and married somewhere in the 1930's. Somehow they scraped up enough money to buy a small farm. On the property they planted, first of all, cedar trees. My grandfather told my grandmother that with one of those trees he'd make for his first granddaughter a cedar chest.
As they built their lives and had children, my mother being the firstborn, hard times fell upon them. Drought distroyed most of the crops year after year and nothing much did live on that farm except those cedar trees. Depression took over my grandfather's life and feeling very defeated, he began to drink quite heavily. Before long they lost the farm. My grandmother took a low paying job in town to help the family survive and my grandfather, after being struck by lightening and surviving, became a bitter man who drank even more heavily and finally bought some moonshine from somebody and died of alcohol poisoning.
My grandmother finished raising her children and when I was born, the first grandchild, she still had memories of the day she and my grandfather planted those cedar trees. My grandmother struggled her whole life with low paying jobs and hard times. When I graduated from highschool she presented me with a brand new cedar chest. It wasn't from my grandfather's trees but she'd scrimped and saved for years to be able to buy it for me. She told me it was his dream for me and that it was from him and her. Tears flowed for sure, and now, thirty years later that cedar chest is my most prized possession.
And that is why this is the Cedar Chest of Dreams.
Later!

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Summer is in the air!

There comes a certain moment in every new season that I notice something that tells me it is indeed that season.It really has nothing to do with the calendar. In Fall the world begins to look golden, not just the trees but the color of the whole world. Winter brings a stillness and fresher air. As spring begins I feel a lightness in my soul and the desire to be outside all the time. Summer, to mne is coming when the days are hazy and long and memories of childhood flood my brain. It's really funny though because these feelings lasts only a moment, like getting a quick whiff of a smell and then it's gone. I got the summer feeling yesterday.
Summer for me as a child was wonderful. My best friend's mother ran the town pool and day after day we spent at that pool, eating frozen Reeses cups from the concession stand and drinking Dr. Peppers. The kids and I in our neighborhood played until the sun went down and then we caught lightening bugs until one by one, mothers stuck their heads out their doors and called us in. Sometimes having to threaten us as we hated to end the day of fun.
There are kids I know today that have no idea what a lightening bug is. They have bikes in their yard but seldom do they ride them. My bike was my horse, my car, my motorcycle, my spaceship! What a shame today's kids are missing that. (Now I sound just like someone of an older generation is suppose to sound.) Oh well, times change and each generation forget that I guess.
I'm having coffee and have a few hours before work. Hope work goes fast. On Sunday the store is only open for five hours so that is a good thing! Ta Ta for now!

Saturday, May 27, 2006

I'm now a blogger or maybe a bloggerette?

I've read many blogs lately. Really I didn't think I'd be interested in having one myself but then all of a sudden I decided I'd try it. Although maybe nobody else will even read it, it could be fun to me. So.......we'll see. I've probably not too many interesting things to say but hey, there are times when I need to unclutter this brain of mine and so maybe this will do the trick. We shall see.
I worked today and I also have to work tommorrow, but Monday will be all mine to do with as I see fit. I'm glad about that. Ok, well this is the start of my blog. Maybe tommorrow I'll tell the story of why I chose the name "Cedar Chest of Dreams."
Goodnight!