Goodbye September

I cannot believe September is almost over. When I was a little girl and I'd hear my grandmother say that time passed so fast, I really didn't understand. What was she talking about? During the school year time passed at a snail's pace until summer vacation arrived. After summer, time so slowly passed until at last Christmas came. And now, well now dear grandmother, I know exactly what you mean. Time passes by so fast now that I hardly remember one month from the next. It's like a blur. Which all the more reason I need to savor each day, each moment really. Maybe I can will time to slow down enough for me to appreciate it all because I can't get these moments back.

And so as I welcome October, I'll try and live in the moment. Day by day I'll seek out wondrous things and look for the miracles in each day. That's what I'm going to do! I'm living way too fast and wishing to be where I'm not. So I've either got to find where I want to be or be happy with where I am.

Just another Saturday Night

We were promised cooler weather today. It wasn't all that hot but it was a far cry from being cool. NO nip in the air here yet. Even though the nights are cooler now, they are still a far cry from being nippy. So, I'm still waiting.

To quote my best friend today, " I'm ready for cooler weather, I'm ready to do Fall things and to wear Fall clothes!" I second that, Steph!


I'm home from work and settled in for the night. I plan to eat more pasta salad and read more of my book. VERY exciting Saturday night, but I'm not complaining. It's what I'd rather be doing more than anything else I can think of. Well almost anything.

So all is calm here, quiet. Maybe a little too quiet.

Bad Mood Improving.......

...homemade Pasta Salad, good French Bread and a very good book. Life is looking better.

Riding Out the Tide

What a blue mood I'm in today. I am off today and have so much I need to work on. I have a party to plan, a presentation for a business meeting to work on, household chores to do. And I have not the energy or the frame of mind or the desire even to work on any of this.

I know better than to fight it and try to get over it. So I must ride it out and hope it is short lived. There is never a warning that this mood will hit, it usually takes me by surprise but I am wise enough to know that it can lift as fast as it lands. But it's not fun,
this feeling of drowning.

A Tribute to Dory

My best friend Steph's beagle, Dory, got hit by a car this morning. This is something I found for her to let her know how sorry I am and that I understand how hard it is when we lose a pet.


Sunlight streams through window pane unto a spot on the floor....then I remember,it's where you used to lie,but now you are no more.

Our feet walk down a hall of carpet,and muted echoes sound....then I remember,It's where your paws would joyously abound.

A voice is heard along the road, and up beyond the hill,then I remember it can't be yours....your golden voice is still.

But I'll take that vacant spot of floor and empty muted hall and lay them with the absent voice and unused dish along the wall.

I'll wrap these treasured memorials in a blanket of my love and keep them for my best friend until we meet above.

Author Unknown

The Signs of Aging

Check this out. I've been seeing this ad lately in magazines.

Food, food, food and the Carpet Cleaning Guy!

It dawned on me all I've blogged all day long is FOOD! But Sunday is the only day I have to really have time to cook and that's my excuse.

The only other thing going on is the adventure of "Robbin and the Carpet Cleaning Man".

Our company hires someone who cleans all the stores in an area's carpets. My man has to come from Atlanta. You guys thought the "cable guy" is bad, listen to this. For a month now he's been scheduled to clean the carpet. First he coming on a Tuesday after we closed. That worked out good for me because I usually close anyway on Tuesday. He canceled for the following Friday night. Right before he was suppose to come, he canceled for the next Friday night. Ok, I'm easy to get along with. You guessed it! He canceled on that one too. (Bad weather, you see.) So, ok, he's coming today after the store closes at five. Works for me. I don't have to work, but I'll go in and stay with him for a couple of hours to get this done. Well, I've had three conversations with him today. First he was coming, and then he wasn't and then he was and now he's not! This guy is something.

As badly as I hate to, I'm going to have to let my district manager know about this. I don't want him to lose the contract but this is getting a little out of hand. He did mention he would have to do it for free, which would be good for me. Save me that much out of my store budget!

And so....that's been my adventure for the day.

Remember..........

....this strange looking vegetable???











Well, here's what it looks like all cooked up!


This thing produces enough "spaghetti" to feed a small army. I'll be eating it for days, but it is really good. For this first batch I mixed it with olive oil and mushrooms and green onions, basil and garlic, topped it off with Parmesan. It was yummy.

I'm not a real pasta lover and so the fact that the texture only is like pasta, not the taste, was not a disappointment to me. Of course with tomato sauce, it could taste more like pasta. It has a fresh light taste. I liked it. But what I really liked was the preparation.

After it cooks, you take out the pulp and seeds and then with a fork you scrape and get these wonderful strands. It was good for the soul. But remember, be patient and let it cool first. It is hot and I burned my fingers! (Patience not a virtue of mine.)

So I give Spaghetti Squash a thumbs up, plus it's a lot better for the waistline than real spaghetti.

Breakfast Pears

I love pears. I think pears are my favorite fruit. I seldom buy them anymore though because I can't usually get good ones. A lady that works with me bought me some from her tree. The last of the crop she says. I've no idea what kind they are, here in Georgia there must be a thousand different kinds of pears. She apologized that they weren't Bartlett. Doesn't matter to me, I love pears of any variety.
These are huge! Not the prettiest of fruits but my are they good. For a change from my oatmeal this morning I had a lovely breakfast of pears and cottage cheese, sprinkled with Cinnamon. Very nice and filling. Thankful for the pears this morning.

Ode to the Rainbow

Every time in my life that I've seen a rainbow it's made me happy but today along with that happiness a little sadness came my way.

A rainbow is a rare thing to me, not something you see everyday and although I know the scientific reason for it, sort of, to me it has always been magical. Now I'll be the first to admit, it doesn't take much for me to see "magic" in things, especially those things of nature. I can understand why some people might not find the same entertainment I find in watching ants in an ant bed or see the beauty in a spider web. Maybe the stream of the sunlight coming into a certain window doesn't amaze you or watching pine trees dance in unison when the wind blows doesn't get your attention. I can understand all that. But a RAINBOW! Come on!

Here's what happened to me today. I came out of work and there it was a beautiful rainbow and not just any rainbow, the kind that goes from one end of the world to the other, as if you could just walk under it! And then if that wasn't a gift enough, it turned into a double rainbow. A DOUBLE RAINBOW!

In the parking lot were lots of people going and coming. Some of them had kids, little kids. Not one person was standing there dumbfounded like me by the beauty of this thing. Not one parent stopped to point it out to their small children. NOT ONE!

I had only my cell phone camera and I took a few pics that didn't turn out and as I did this a few people acted as if they sort of saw it but kept going not even paying any attention to it.
I am so sad for these people. I am really sad for their children. Couldn't they take just a little time to stand and admire a rainbow, a double rainbow, with their kids?

Maybe it's just me. Maybe these people see rainbows all the time. Maybe the kids don't know the story of a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Maybe they don't teach in Sunday school, right here in the middle of the Bible Belt that it's a promise from God anymore. Maybe nobody knows that the Native Americans believed it was a gift from the Sun God. Somewhere Over the Rainbow? The Rainbow Connection? Or maybe nobody has time anymore to stop and appreciate the beauty, the perfection of this most rare occurrence!

What I'm hoping is that I was just in the middle of people who just didn't care. Somewhere I just know people stood ,as I did, in awe.

I remember this poem by William Wordsworth and he says it way better than I can! The poem begins with these words:

My heart leaps up when I behold

A rainbow in the sky:

So was it when my life began;

So is it now I am a man;

So be it when I shall grow old,

Or let me die!…

I concur Mr. Wordsworth, I concur!

It's Fall, Squash anyone?

Now that fall is here I have the urge to buy those little pumpkins and squash and things from the grocery store that you use for decoration. They call me and temp me but I am ignoring them.

Instead I bought a spaghetti squash that I can eat. I almost bought an acorn squash too but I am taking it one at a time here as I step outside the realm of the plain yellow squash I usually eat or the infamous Zucchini which I like as well. Anyway the Spaghetti Squash is an odd looking thing to me. It's quite a large vegetable and heavy too! The little tag on it says to micro the whole squash for a minute. And then you cut squash lengthwise and remove the seeds and membranes. Then you place it cut side down in water for 12 minutes or until tender. When tender you remove the pasta-like strands out with a fork and eat them with sauce or butter or whatever!

I suppose it means you microwave it during those 12 minutes in the water. I got a little lost there but anyway, tomorrow I'm having spaghetti squash!

Friday Morning Muse

It's raining this morning! I love rainy days. Not to mention we need the rain and it seems to be the nice slow drizzly kind that maybe will soak into the ground.

I am going back to work today after having five days off in a row. And to prove what I said below about being "greedy", I could use some more! But its not to be so off to work I go.

There's that family on the Today Show that has 17 kids! 17 kids! What the heck? She said (the mom) that she experienced a miscarriage early on and believed it was caused by birth control so she never took it again. Alrighty then. 17 kids! My goodness.

I have to close tonight and so it will be late when I get home. My trusty assistant manager tells me via email that it has been a relatively calm week and so that's always nice not to have to go back to problems. Thanks Steph, love ya!

And so with that, I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday. See ya!

Does Greedy Matter?

Velvet over at Velvet Sacks so sweetly has awarded me the "Nice Matters Award" and then she noticed I'd already received this before. But you see, I'm not only "nice" but I'm greedy too and I'm accepting it again, thank you very much Velvet (who by the way likes Barry Manilow too, haha!)

Please, please go over and read her post about her acceptance of the award, it just proves why I love reading her blog so much and it will tickle your funny bone!

Another reason I am accepting it again is that it gives me a chance to pass it along to someone else. She's only been blogging for a little while but I always enjoy her thoughts. She's a lot like me in that she is curious about lots of things and she notices things in the world that a lot of people might miss.

She is also the woman my son married and the mother of my beautiful granddaughter so I'm a little prejudice but pop over and visit her blog, you won't be sorry. Her blog is called
Embracing Change. Love you Amy, here's your first award!

I Took A Trip this afternoon....

....down memory lane that is, with my good friend Barry Manilow and I've got a few things to say. (I apologize in advance for this but I couldn't resist.)

I've remembered The Way We Were while My Eyes Adored You. I've built A Bridge Over Troubled Water for someone because with me, You Got A Friend. He needed my help but it's ok because He Ain't Heavy , He's My Brother.

I went out west because It Never Rains in California and I went Sailing. I got Close To You (where they long to be). I found out Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word to say.

Finally after this Long and Winding Road Barry sang to me his own songs from the 70's. I met Mandy at the Copacabana where Even now he claims "I write the songs." We remembered our Weekend in New England and were both glad we lived through the 70's.
Looks Like We Made It!

And now I have the strangest urge to find my granny dress and put flowers in my hair. Ah.......the seventies.

My Way

When you get used to living alone, you get into the habit of doing things your way. Recently I've noticed a few things I do that I wonder if I'd do if someone else lived here.

For example every morning I eat my oatmeal out of a big plastic measuring cup. I measure, microwave and eat all in the same container. Works for me.

I never fill the ice trays up full, only half way because I like little ice cubes. I don't know why, I just do.

I drink tomato juice or whatever kind of juice I drink out of a wine glass. I like the way it looks in the wine glass. Go figure.

And..........I can put in my brand new Barry Manilow C.D. (which just arrived), and sing to high heaven and nobody complains! (If you don't count my little dog)

I love Banana Bread

This came from Dr. Weil today is my email. I really wish I had 3 very ripe bananas!

Ingredients:
3 very ripe bananas
1/2 cup honey
3 tbsp canola oil, plus a little more for oiling the loaf pan
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Instructions:
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a loaf pan.

2. Mash the bananas and mix with the honey, canola oil and vanilla extract.

3. Stir together the whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda and salt. Add the nuts.

4. Blend the two mixtures and spoon into a lightly oiled loaf pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until center is set.

Tuesday Morning Ramblings

If all goes well I should be off today but I still have to get on conference call this morning. Joy, joy.
So, I am up really early with a pot of coffee brewing and watching the news full of O.J. and Sally Field and Brittany. All of which is about as interesting to me as my conference call.

It is a lovely 60 degrees here this morning. No air conditioner on last night at all. It was wonderful. It was nice yesterday although I didn't get out much as this cold of mine which I thought was better drug me down a bit and I mostly did nothing. This morning I seem to feel much better thank goodness.

And so it's almost time to get on the phone with 15 other managers and listen to the voice of our boss once again, asking us what we can do to improve business and get people to come in and buy glasses. Who knows? But of course we can't say that. So we listen. It's our job.

My Promise to Each New Day

Life brings to us many things
but what high expectations we set!
What is it within our souls
making us think our needs are never met ?

Why is the blue sky in the morning not
enough, or the view from a mountain top?
How is it that the rain showered upon us
comes at a time when we would rather it stop?

Why is it when the sun beams down
we complain of the heat we can't seem to bear?
Is it just our nature to miss the beauty
and to seek out that which causes us despair?

It is my wish to accept whatever a new day brings
with gladness and awe and respect.
For though we do it to her often enough,
one thing nature never returns to us is neglect.

Today I pledge to appreciate it all,
every bug, every bird, every flower.
I will remember all I really need is right here,
provided quite freely by an awesome power.

Confession

I ordered this today. I like Barry Manilow and I'm a child of the 70's. What can I say?

Best Laid Plans

If all goes as planned I should be off for the next 4 days. Of course I say that very tentatively because for the last few weeks for one reason or the other people have not been able to work the schedule. But, I'm hoping.
The question is what will I do with my time off if I get it?
Nothing spectacular. Household chores mostly I suppose. Maybe if the weather stays as nice I can get a few walks in. Do some planning for the party.

Actually I just need a little time to relax and not have to deal with customers or problems for a few days.
I would LOVE it if I were going on a real vacation.
But that's not in my near future.
Life doesn't always go as you'd like but you can choose to like what you get. So that's what I'm going to do.

My Tender Heart

Growing up, I was always told that I was "tender hearted". Or let me say they usually said "you are too tender hearted." And so I grew up thinking it wasn't a good thing and that I should try to hide this terrible character flaw. But when you're tender hearted it is not too easy to hide. It starts as a lump in your throat and then you feel your face getting hot and try as you might, those tears start to flow. I cried for reasons people didn't understand. My feelings could be hurt by just a word or a look or a gesture.

My mother would tell me I needed to toughen up or I'd never make it in this world. There were times when they (my parents) tried just laughing at me when my tears would come. Instead of making me tougher that just made me feel worse and I'd go hide in shame until all the tears came out.

I don't cry as much as I once did. Life happened and I went through some hard times like most of us do. I still get my feelings hurt, though not as easily as when I was a little girl. But I never did toughen up too much and I've made it in the world pretty well so far.

I've learned to let myself "feel". I've learned it is not a bad thing to have a tender heart. It is who I am. Do people hurt my feelings without even knowing it every single day of my life? Yep! Do I hold it against them? No, I never have done that for you see my feelings get hurt usually because I feel like I've let them down somehow in some way.

With experience in life comes wisdom and you learn to understand yourself much better. I don't think we really change but we learn to accept things and we learn how to handle situations better than maybe we once would have.

I've learned this tender heart of mine is always usually misunderstood except by a few very special people in my life who accept me as I am. And you know what? I never had to even explain it to them. For you see, when someone really and truly knows you and understands you it's not because you were able to explain yourself to them. They just know. And they never ever laugh at your tears.

Where did this day go?

You ever have one of those days that just flies by and you can't believe that the day is over? Why does that mostly happen on your day off and not while you're working?
That's the day I had today. It's nearly five o'clock in the afternoon and it seems to me, really, it was just a few minutes ago I was making coffee after just waking up.
It's like the universe is playing a joke on me or maybe I was abducted by aliens and they erased my memory. I have no idea how nearly nine hours have passed by so quickly.
I hate when that happens!

A New Day & a Few Reflections

Ok, it is a new day! Yesterday is but a blur, sort of. Still it stings a little but I'm thinking forward here.
I go in at the odd hour of two thirty in the afternoon but we have inventory and will probably work until ten tonight.
My work hours aren't usually so dreadful but sometimes they are and this week they are.
The good news is it's under 90 degrees. Still no sign of changing leaves that I can spot but under 90 is a good thing.

I am so NOT in a good mood today. I am trying, really I am but I'm in a bad place right now. And that is so dumb! I have a job, a roof over my head, food to eat. I have good healthy grown children and a beautiful grandchild. I have people who love me. I have a sweet little dog who adores me and thinks I'm the most wonderful creature in the world. I have a car that gets me where I want to go. I even have a supply of wonderfully scented bath products for goodness sakes! What more in the world could I want?

Oh, I think I am just tired, more mentally than anything else and when I get like this I overthink and get down on myself. I read an interesting article the other day in a magazine about being nice to yourself. Forgiving yourself for being human and doing human things. I think most of us are tougher on ourselves than we are on the people we deal with. I know I am.
So......I'm going to try and have a peaceful day today, try to calm my insides a little. I'm off to soak in some of that wonderful bubble bath I have and clear my head. We shall see how it goes!

This is the kind of day I had today

This is how my day went step by step.

1. Closing tonight and even have to stay later because the carpet cleaning man is coming

2. Schedule myself to go in a few hours later to make up for having to stay.

3. Employee calls after going home sick and leaving only one employee at the store.

4. Call in someone who is suppose to be off to come in but it is going to take her probably longer to get there than I can get there.

5. Rush the clothes to dry since I have nothing clean and wasn't expecting to have to go in until later.

6. As I'm trying to get ready, I have 4 or 5 calls from employee at store alone.

7. Last call is telling me that my district manager is there to do an audit. (I hate audits.)

8. District manager calls me to say she is sorry since she is there at a bad time since we are short handed and have the carpet cleaner coming in, and we have inventory tomorrow.

9. Pass audit by only one point even though we thought we would do much better.

10. Carpet man calls to cancel.

11. I tell my boss she is so good to me only to have an employee tell her that's not what I'll say after she leaves. (I guess she was trying to joke but my boss probably now thinks I talk bad about her behind her back.)

12. Come home and collapse on the bed and hope tomorrow is better.

Little Miss Sunshine

Today I was invited to go to a presentation put on by a large group of first graders at the elementary school celebrating Grandparent's Day.

Now the thing is my granddaughter lives across the country. The little first grader that I went to see was my little namesake and my best friend's daughter.

Her own grandparents live in Illinois. Little Robbin was a little bit upset because she wouldn't have a grandparent able to come. Her Mom had a nice idea. As she explained it to her daughter, since my granddaughter lived so far away, and since her grandparents were so far away, she and I could share the moment. And so that's what we did. Since her mom works with me, she was able to relieve me at work even though she is on vacation this week so that I could go.

Confession: When I hear little kid's singing it makes me cry. I knew this but thought maybe since I am of greater age now since my own kids were first graders I wouldn't do this. And I did pretty well, that is until the very last song they sung was "You are my Sunshine." That got to me a little bit.




There were lots of Grandparents and like me Grand "friends" too. And the kids were so sweet. I was honored to be invited and enjoyed it very much.



And I think she was happy I was there too. "My Little Sunshine." Not only does she share my name but my heart as well.

Party Planning

Part of my day today I spent doing some planning of the big 70th birthday party for my mama in November.

I got the invitations made and ordered. I decided the theme will be red, it is a vibrant color like she is and easy to work with. On the invitations I stated that we were celebrating with her favorite color and to please wear something bright red if they wanted. I also asked them to bring with them a handwritten memory or birthday wish for her and I'll have a "memory jar" set up to drop those in.

Now, I've got to work on the food. My stepfather told me he would take care of having the cake made, so that helps a lot. I'm thinking of having punch, red of course and then some finger foods using red as much as I can. I mean for this thing to be RED!

This weekend my parents are going out of town so I'm going to their house and steal some pictures to use. I'm either going to scan them so that maybe I can do a PowerPoint presentation or just use the pictures on a board or something. Also maybe I'll have one blown up. We shall see.

Other than party planning, I've done little else. For some reason our power was out for a couple of hours this afternoon. I took a nap, lol.

Back to work tomorrow and we have inventory Saturday night so probably a good thing I rested up.

Pecan Pie in the Future

Exposed

There are pine trees in front of my house that my parents planted I guess more than 20 ago. I like them because they hide me away out of view from people going down the road. This morning my stepfather has someone out there thinning them out. They are cutting down every third row and then cleaning out between the other rows of broken limbs and such.

The machinery doing this woke me this morning. I have sort of a kinship with trees and every time I hear the grind of what must be the saw it kind of hurts me. I know this must be done for the health of the other trees but I hate to see them have to get cut.

Right after those little seedlings were planted years ago, my stepfather had goats and they got out one day and proceeded to eat some of those little trees. My mother and stepfather along with me and my two little boys went row by row and replanted those that were eaten so I feel like I'm personally connected to these trees.

So when I look out there as they are doing the work, it looks like a massacre of sorts. Plus when they are done, I'll be exposed after all these years of being hidden away.

There's one thing I really dislike about the world of blogging. Just like in real life people come and go. I don't really read too many other blogs but I do have my favorites and a few times some of those people have come to the decision to quit blogging. When that happens I always feel sad.

It's not that most of us get to know each other all that well. I think that's what I like about reading other blogs. Without hearing all the details of a person's life you only get just what that person chooses for you to know. And that's usually enough for me.

One of my favorite bloggers has decided to stop blogging, and I'm going to miss her greatly. But just like when people come and go in your "real" life, she leaves me just a little bit different had I not met her through her blog and through her comments she left here. I am left with a little bit of her view on certain things, a little bit of her wisdom, and more than a few smiles. In my mind I will remember her beautiful photography and her connection to these things that she shared in her little workshop. And even if for me it was just a short period of time, I am glad she shared her thoughts and dreams with us and I was always happy to see that she had visited my humble little blog and had the desire to even read anything I had to say.

I'm going to miss you.

Dreamin' Again

One of the dreams I tuck away in this cedar chest of mine is to own a little cabin in the woods. I've not pulled the dream out for awhile but tonight I'm dreaming of it.

Of the things I want the most is a big porch. A porch where I can have meals or read or just take in all the nature around me.

Me & My Big Mouth

At work our company wants us to do what is called 5 day call backs. The idea is you call the customers who buy glasses 5 days after the glasses are dispensed. You thank them for doing business with you, you ask how they are liking their new eye ware and you remind them that adjustments and repairs are always free.

It's a great policy actually but it is such a challenge to do. It only takes 15 tops if we'd do it and used as a tool, one can find out in what areas you can improve your store. But it is so hard to do.

I was determined to do it as I always seem to miss it on my store visits from my district manager. So I worked on it and was so excited about my success I wanted to share with my boss how I was getting it done.

So impressed was she that she's asked me to do a presentation on it at our Manager's meeting in October. Swell.

I Love........

.......a man who wears shiny wingtips.

Confession

I believe in aromatherapy.

Just Me Rambling On & On

Trying to pretend as if I don't feel totally horribly bad today, I decided to do something I had once done before for awhile. I decided to do my cooking for the week. This way I can take my lunch, saving lots of money and have something cooked for when I get home. It's a win win situation.

Cooking for one seems to be a big problem for me. Although it's been years since I've really cooked on a continuous basis for anyone but myself, it's something I've never gotten good at. Plus it doesn't help that I'm not much on leftovers. There are a few things of course that are better the next day like spaghetti sauce and chili, maybe pasta salad, but other than these few foods I can't seem to eat things more than twice in a row.

Today I cooked a pork tenderloin. I decided it would be good for sandwiches for a few days. And........I've discovered Glad Ziplock Microwave Steaming Bags. I can't tell you how much I love these for fresh or frozen veggies and even fish and chicken. They are great. You don't have to dirty up pots or pans or dishes . Today I cooked baby carrots in one bag and fresh asparagus in another. They come in different sizes too so they are great for a family to use too. They cook the veggies perfectly in a little bit of time.

So with the roast and the veggies, I have a few lunches and suppers ready and that's really nice.

My cold is a little better. This morning I felt pretty rough but I think I'll live. On top of that my tooth is still not quite right and I'm going to have to find the time tomorrow to go and see the dentist to make sure he doesn't need to do something else. I dread that because I'm afraid he'll just decide to pull it. I'd rather keep it if possible.

Ok, this is really and truly a boring post I know, but at the moment my life is pretty boring. Plus I'm all drugged up on cold medicine. I'm just a little out of sinc at the moment. But hopefully I'll be back to normal before too long.

AH Choo!

I do believe I've gone and caught myself an end of the summer cold. Not too much fun at all.

A man and his wife enter the store this afternoon and start looking at glasses.

Me: Hi, can I help you?
Man: No thanks, we're just kickin' tires.

Alrighty then.

Back to Work

I go back to work today. I've had a rough time with this tooth so can't say I enjoyed all my time off but thank goodness I didn't have to work with it all in a frenzy like it was.
I read somewhere a person's opinion that maybe we should have three sets of teeth, start cutting new ones about midlife!

I'm in a blue funk today. Not sure why, but I am.

But maybe I'll feel better as the day goes on. If not, I'll ride the tide until the mood lifts.

Hope you have a Happy Friday!

"Thursday's Child has far to go."

I know what I was doing 28 years ago today and it was on a Thursday that year too. My Thursday's Child does have far to go. He has already accomplished much and has many plans and goals set for himself. I'm so proud of him.
Happy Birthday to my youngest son, I love you Matthew!

Back in May he started a blog. It started out as a mission to help me decide I needed to move to Washington. And after reading that first entry of his I wrote a post that you can read here. I couldn't think of anything to say about him better than those words, so I'm sharing them again.

Matthew used to love his birthday when he was little. He'd get up and dress in his very best clothes and walk around proudly all day. But he loved other people's birthdays too and always tried to make them special. He's a pretty good kid and I think I'll keep him.

I HOPE THAT....

...I don't have to go anywhere near my dentist's office again until December which will be my regular 6 months exam. I got my crown today, it's a beauty! I also had a pretty big filling done on a back tooth that he said may last and may not. We'll just wait and see. I sort of have a filling and a little bit of tooth there.

...things are ok with one of my associates. I've been on and off the phone with work because she had to be taken to the hospital. She has been ill really since having surgery back in July and has attempted to come back to work twice now. I am worried about her.

...I can settle down a bit now, I'm antsy over the pain that is coming from this new filling now that I'm getting feeling back and over the situation at work.

...Fall will quit teasing us and yes, Mr. Autumn, we know you're not officially here yet but couldn't you please calm Summer down just a bit, he's showing off now. It's hot today! Of course I did just make the statement that sometimes things don't cool down here even by December. It's rare but I do remember Christmas a few times with a the a/c on.

I know, I know, I'm hoping for a lot today. But without hope what have we got??

Wasn't it just yesterday....

.....when these little girls were just babies?



And now they are officially First Graders! Haleigh started today in Washington.



Here in Georgia, Robbin started earlier in August. I hope their school years will be wonderful for both of them.



My Goodness! I still can't believe how fast they are both growing up!

Not tough enough for this roughage!

Recently I've added Kiwi to my diet mostly because I've been able to buy really good ones lately and because they are something different from apples, bananas and strawberries.

I read somewhere a few days ago that you should be sure and eat the peeling of the Kiwi too because it offers lots of fiber. When I first read this I thought "eww", I can't eat that fuzzy ugly brown peel.

Later I thought about eating peaches when I was a kid. I always ate the "fuzzy" peel of the peach, granted it was a much prettier color. So what the heck! I thought I'd give it a try.

I'm here to report I'll be getting my extra fiber from somewhere else and as hard as it is to peel a Kiwi, I think I shall continue to do so. Enough said!

Oh, and speaking of eating fruit as a kid, this morning on a walk down my drive to the mailbox I noticed wild Muscadines growing. I used to pick these things as a child and got belly aches from eating them. I couldn't get enough! My grandmother used to make wine for medicinal purposes of course. Unfortunately this was about all there was of the crop this year which I promptly ate before the birds got them. Sorry birds, I couldn't resist!

Water for Elephants

I have spent the most part of the day reading this novel. I've read reviews on it and have had it on my list to read for some time now and when it showed up at Walmart yesterday I bought it. All I can say is WOW. I loved it. It grabs you from the first sentence and doesn't let go. Now that's my kind of book!

Fallish Thoughts

One good thing about working Sunday and a holiday is that if all goes well, nobody gets sick or nothing out of the ordinary happens, I get three days off this week starting today! So, I'm off for three days in a row. And I'm a little in need of that for sure.

Tomorrow morning I do have our weekly conference call and then I have to go to the dentist, but after that I'm good.

Nothing much new going on around here. But at last I can see a few hints of fall, not that it's that much cooler during the days but the nights are cooler. What I notice mostly is the light. The sunlight is softer, the rays of light are more golden. IT's coming that is for sure.

I think my love of fall began when I was a child. Fall meant that the fair was coming to town and like most kids I loved the fair. I loved the sounds and the smells and the rides. I loved the candied apples and the cotton candy and at that time the fair was the one and only place you could get those things. I was curious about the exhibits on one side of the midway that boasted freakish things never before seen. I was a little intimidated by those "fair" people that chanted and said things to get you to buy a ticket for whatever the booth was they were taking care of. That was all part of the excitement.

These days I have no desire to ever go to another fair. I'm glad I had the experience as a child and then again through my own kid's eyes. Nowadays the rides would make me sick and I couldn't handle all the sugary and greasy foods. And that's ok because I still love fall for different reasons.

These days I just love the golden light it brings and the crispness in the air. These days I am able to appreciate the season for those memories I have but also for the beautiful perfect days it brings. I appreciate all the glorious colors that burst forth and envelopes us all. Somehow the world looks a lot less intimidating in golden hues and miracles are easier to see. I don't miss that "Tilt-a-Whirl" one bit! (Ok, maybe just a little.)

All work and no play today

Today I have to set aside the beading and the poetry writing and reading and go to work and do.......paperwork! Have I mentioned how much I hate paperwork? Fortunately for me, our company doesn't require the managers to do very much paperwork but there is some and most of it comes at the end of the month.
I really shouldn't complain as the figures I will be dealing with are black numbers. It's really depressing if you're working in the red and I've been there too believe me.
So not much playing going on today, although when I get home this afternoon there are some beautiful Carnelian stones begging to be made into something lovely. But in the meantime, it's all business, because after all I need a paycheck to survive so that in my spare time I can enjoy beading and writing poetry, blogging and reading. One has to give to receive. It's part of life.

Anticipation....

I woke up this morning really, really needing coffee. So, I padded out to the kitchen and made a pot. So ready for that first cup of java, I went back to the bedroom and got a little busy with something, all with the thought of that first cup of coffee I was about to have. After I finished what I was doing, I went back to the kitchen, grabbed my favorite mug and reached for the pot only to discover I'd forgotten to turn the coffee maker on! I finally got my first cup of coffee about three minutes later but that was a long 3 minutes! My grandmother used to say, "A watched pot never boils." A watched coffee pot makes coffee really slow!