Someone squished my days

In the end, it's all about love...

I cannot believe it is Thursday of this week already. My feet hurt. I'm not sure why.

#1 son and I went on a holiday this past weekend. We visited my niece and nephew in Eustis for a baseball weekend. You may have never heard of Eustis, but there was hardly a hotel to be found because the weekend there was packed full of activity. A festival, a bike race for some kind of bikes, something else I think, and baseball!

(My mother calls the place "Huestis". I'm not sure why exactly. Maybe because Huestis sounds more like a place than Eustis? I don't know. It's a long list of things grandma calls things, that aren't really the things they are called, for the reasons we just don't know about.

When I finally did, gently, correct my mother regarding the correct pronunciation, after my niece had lived there about 4 years,
She said, "Really? It's not Huestis?"
"No. It's pronounced like You tis."
"Really? You tis? Are you sure?"
Okay, never mind.
Hey, who am I to correct grandma. I won't do it again. Hearing Grandma say Huestis is more fun anyway.)

Two of my great nephews (who knew I would be old enough one day for Great Nephews?) are playing their first year of baseball. Oh my gosh, it was just so much fun, I can hardly tell you to really explain it.

Kenny is seven, and Dakoda is nine. I almost said they were 5 and 7, because, geesh, they keep growing up! They looked so serious in their baseball uniforms (I almost said 'outfits' yikes!)

Kenny, as far as I'm concerned, was responsible for his team winning the game. He not only got a hit, he got two men out! (Men? Did I say "Men"?) He tagged them using his special "Eye On You" method. He catches the ball, runs after the runner, all the while eyeing them directly in the eyes, which probably paralyzes them with fear and then he tags them out! It was fantastic to watch. Brilliant. Just really top of the line pro-league stuff. Move over famous baseball people.

Dakoda looks like a shy player. But underneath that dimpled smiling exterior lies the heart of a bobcat..... Just waiting for the ball to come his way. He was always ready, glove up and into the game. He played third base his first game, and right at the beginning of the game, he showed what he was worth on the field! He caught a pop fly!

It looked like it was not going to stay in his glove. He had to stretch to get it. It was right there at the tip, but he held on! And Then! He threw the ball to second for a double play!!
Okay, well, they said the ball should have gone to first, and somehow it did end up on first, I can't remember now, how it did, but Kody saved the game with a double play.

He really did save the game because they won by one run!!

It was fantastical!!

But more fantastic than any baseball game I have ever watched, was watching my niece and her husband - The Mom and The Dad - just jumping up and down all excited at their boys out there on the field. It felt so good to see family love in action. It really did bring tears to my eyes.

I mean, I have seen my beautiful niece grow up into this really terrific person. I have such a great time with she and my nephew and her boys. She is seven weeks older than my #1 son, and who would have ever thought she would one day be one of my best friends? I get overwhelmed with emotion sometimes thinking about it.

What it is about life is, ya' gotta wait it out. People give up to quickly. The good stuff comes after the hard work and labor. People get tired of hard work and labor, oh that is gruelling, so many people don't stay for the good stuff at the end.

When Jesus stayed late at the wedding of Cana and they ran out of wine. His mother, one of the first to have faith in what he could do, advised him of the situation, and told the servants to do whatever he told them.
They did.
Next thing, people are praising the host for serving the best wine last. Of course, we all know that Jesus turned the water into wine (and apparently it was some mighty fine wine) The people who had stayed around were impressed! The good stuff was there to be savored at the end. They had been blessed.

That's what I'm doing at this time in my life. I'm living now in the good stuff now. And don't I just love it`I reveille in thinking about it! The wine is mighty fine and takes many forms, sometimes resembling shots of tequila in little glasses. But, fine, mighty fine, good chuckling way to pass the time at the end of the banquet when you think all the good stuff is gone. :)

Tell me who admires and loves you, And I will tell you who you are.
~~Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuvee


Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.
~~Denis Waitley

The Beatles did say it -- All You Need is Love, Love, Love is all ya' need--

Spread the word --
All ya need is love, dot dot-dot da-dah --
All ya' need is love, love,
Love is all ya' need

She loves you yeah, yeah, yeah ....

Note from postmaster -- look for photos to come soon.

Do you have a shopping bag to call your own?

I have to admit, I don't -- have a particular shopping bag for my groceries from the store (or anywhere). And I say, shame on me. What am I waiting for? A personal invitation from a tree or some polluted lake?

Publix (the grocery store where I shop) is selling a bag for $25.00. There was a time that there was some confusion with Publix people who were bringing their own bags. (I know. It's so hard to believe something like that, but it's true.)

I don't need to buy one, I have plenty of bags around here I could use, but I'm thinking --"Why aren't I doing this? Why aren't I taking a bag with me when I go out?"

Possible Answer: It's not what I'm used, too, is about the only thing I can come up with aside from forgetting, which gets me back to not what I am used to.

And, I usually buy so many things at one time -- but, I'm seriously thinking about changing my lifestyle about this situation.

The store is close to me, so why can't I shop more often and take in my own bag? Or, I could just reuse all the freakin' Publix bags that I currently use for trash bags. One always ends up with too many of these brown plastic crinkle things.

Anyway, I might be late getting on the train, but I’m buying a World Pass and I'm going to make this lifestyle change. I'll put my own shopping bags in the car, and then they will be there when I need them. (Then, after I bring them in, I'll forget them again -- no, scratch that -- that's negative thinking -- erase, erase, erase!)

I want to make some lifestyle changes anyway. I don't see anything wrong with helping the environment as much as I can because I am after all, using it for my workstation.

The Battle of the Ants

...is not a new movie. It's a battle that's been raging in my home. I live in Florida. I know there are bugs, but these dear, dear little ants -- too many to make friends with -- are just everywhere to be found. I realize they need a place to go, and I realize that I have plants around my house and they like that, but ...

We were losing.
So.
We called in a Professional.

Yes, we bit the bullet and got prices and choose the best price, and the new bug man came to put down some stuff that will take care of our problem.

And is that all that happened?
No. Not quite.

I have mentioned from time to time, shelves -- shelves are very important in a small and tiny home. I love my shelves.

In the closet that has the attic opening, there are shelves on both sides, and across the back. Holding lots and lots of books and other memorabilia.
So.
The new bugman has to go up in the attic to fog the attic. It's to be done one time, and that is supposed to take care of that -- for at least a year, I guess.
So.
On the way down from the ladder (a three step ladder), the bugman tries to 'steady' himself, on the shelves in the closet.
When they came down, it was the loudest noise I've ever heard in a house. And, no, he was not hurt. One strip of the shelving was ripped out of the wall, three shelves come away from the wall.

He quickly told me that the shelves were not installed properly (didn't know that shelves in a closet were required to meet a code that held 200 + pound human beans), that they should not have been 'held up by just a nail' (good grief, like that was even a little bit true!), and, oh yeah, he said he was 'sorry about that."

(I have to admit, I stood there shocked at his reaction. The expression on my face was, expressionless. I have no expression for such an extreme lack of intelligence and common sense. After all, he did just cause a huge margin of damage in my house...I mean, somewhere, termites are laughing.)

Lots of books on my futon right now.

Looks like, the ants are (still) winning.

So.
I'm leaving this note on my door --

Dear Ants,

Please accept our sincerest and most heartfelt apologies. We regret calling in the likes of Human Beans to act as a mediator betwixt us and thee. Can you forgive us?

We wish only to live in peace. Perhaps we could make a peace offering to you. Perhaps we could deposit bread crumbs and/or dried cakes on the boundaries of our property for you to feast on. We could leave raisins, also. Rumor has it that ants love raisins, yes?

Please let us know if you accept our terms before the humans of the world do more damage to our home than you ever could.

And, just so you know, we are firing the humans. (They are rude and careless things that we sometimes find so annoying...)

Respectfully yours,

Your humble neighbors of the planet.

Can you indentify the source?

There are so many phrases that we use daily – have you given a thought to where they might have come from:

Do you know who would be credit for any of these:

1. X marks the spot
2. Shiver me timbers
3. Three sheets to the wind
4. As cold as any stone
5. Rhyme nor reason
6. In the twinkling of an eye
7. Hoist your own petard
8. It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.
9. Noise proves nothing.
10. No great artist ever sees things as they really are, if he did he would cease to be an artist
11. As you sow so shall you reap.
12. Let not the sun go down on your wrath.

Give yourself a little quiz. Share it around the blog boards, if you wish. Add a few as it goes round, if you wish. This is a unique little way to refresh your memory and redirect our focus should we find our mind needs a wee bit of a refresh.
Good day --
have a sunny one!

~~Miss Roxie

Timing the Lightening

Tonight my sister in law made me come outside and look up in the clouds. There were huge clouds and when the lightening would show itself it would be gone in a flash (no pun intended ) --

So my niece and I both said, 'wish we had a camera!' ~ well, duh! I live here, so I went inside to get my camera. Madam B had it set on a fluorescent setting - which I wasn't aware of, but good thing really, as the only photo that turned out was pretty interesting.

It's really hard to 'catch lightening' in the act of being itself -

This scene is looking over the top of my son's house.

Next time, I'll try to be more prepared. Everything that could go wrong about owning a camera went wrong - I didn't know what the settings were because I didn't use the camera last, I couldn't see in the dark to take the picture, couldn't find the flash button, lightening doesn't pose exactly - you have to catch it in the act! - so I began 'timing' it, trying to anyway, counting the seconds in between and this is the only decent photo I got, along with about 12 blank spots, and the battery went dead, as well.

But ~ I'm happy. It's a memory we made. We were there together, and we will remember it with love - the love you have for your crazy relatives.

End of the week or beginning of the Weekend?

How do you look at it? I always think the Week has Ended! I love Fridays!

Tonight I didn't cook. I ordered pizza and a sub for the family - I had my Pasta Fagioli, which I make from scratch, and I love it - but no cooking, as there are dishes sitting in my kitchen from last night (okay, they are put away now, but they weren't at dinner time.). I've just been doing other things.

I have been painting my new and first bookshelf! The one Mr. B made for me this past week. As I was painting it, and for all the painting I have done, I was sorely disappointed in the job I as doing (two coats of primer and two coats of paint already!) - but, oh well - it's done with love and all that -- and

I was thinking about how important Carpentry is. Such a necessity to be a good carpenter if one should choose that profession. How many professions could you choose that your lack of skill could make something fall down?

Anyway, I decided to paint the shelf in a Ultra High Gloss White. Maybe that is the problem. It's not so easy for me working with this High Gloss paint. Maybe I didn't stir it enough. Maybe I shouldn't paint outside on a windy day. Maybe I have to heavy a hand. But I've seen the results of High Gloss White before, and this is turning out exactly like that, only this is not how I wanted it to look. Oh well. It'll be lovely when it's up.

And, I've been working on my sons books - business books that is- yes, aside from being a good cook (my husband told me that!), I have some minor bookkeeping skills. Really, it's just posting to a Quicken program, but somebody's got to do it, and since it's boring to a lot of people and accountants charge a ton of money, I volunteered.

I found a surprise for me in my garden. I'll try to post a photo of that tomorrow.

Becoming Jane - The Viewing

I have to say, I enjoyed it. It took about 45 minutes, I think, to get into the feel of the movie -I found myself putting into the movie, pieces of her stories, then after another 30 minutes of doing that , as you recognized the parts and felt certain you recognized the scenes, you begain to give thought about how much of herself goes into her books...and now you can follow the movie.

The truthfulness of the story? I question.

Jane, daughter of a Chaplain, and Thomas Lefroy, a lawyer, from some kind of money, were not matched and could never be together.
The story alludes to the fact that Jane was going to run away to Scotland and elope with Thomas Lefroy. And she was all set to do so. They had declared it, journeyed together to the next town, when Lefroy happened to find himself in a honorable spot of being helpful to someone, and Jane holding his wallet - which, of course, like any woman (????), she would go through...and find a letter from his sister thanking Tom for sharing his income from their uncle with them and how they couldn't make it without.

Jane, of course, understanding about woman and their not being able to get on with depending on someone, realizes, that if Tom marries her, he will no longer have access to giving money to people who depend upon him. So, Jane, clearly seeing the dilemma, calls off the marriage. Tom argues. Jane is adamant. She goes home leaving him standing in the street.

There is a lot of underlying story in all of the story. Her stories, the stories of the times, her own personal story, Tom's story and situation in life, a cast system existing at that time that women were trapped in, and I wonder, did Jane's books help change any or all of that?

Jane, herself, never married. And bless her heart, she died at a little over 40 years of age. But she certainly made some great points with her stories. And I happen to love her happy endings.

I'll be looking for the reviews of those who loved Jane Austen.

I have more questions now. One is - Why did her sister (and it all appears to be her brother as well) encourage her to remain anonymous after she was famous?

But, I give it a thumbs up.

I was secretly hoping for something that gave us some insight into the woman of Jane and what caused her to think differently than the dictates of the times? Maybe that will come next ...

5 Things that I don't do that I should

1. Exercise my eyeballs. Yes, really. It is supposed to help you improve memory, reduce eyestrain and keep your eyeballs healthy. I'm not really sure what a healthy eye ball is (Is eye ball one word or two?), but I know I could use the memory thing.

Just so you know, the memory technique is not mentioned on that link. But here is what you are supposed to do - close your eyes, relax and focus on nothing -- then make your eyeballs trace out the alphabet. Really. I read this in a yoga book a while back. The thing is, I can't do it. I can do some of the letters, but I find *A* really difficult.

2. Keep on task for keeping organized. See that planner featured there? First, I would never pay $99.00 for a planner. I have already lost/misplaced/buried two of the cheap ones. I even had a great big one (so I wouldn't loose it), and it got so heavy I couldn't carry it. I keep stuffing it with stuff so I wouldn't loose the stuff - but I knew where it was!

Something inside me is not conquered yet by the system of doing things correctly. I am rebellious and live on the edge of laundry reaching the hallway. I always have a task going (like painting the bathroom) while I am replanting plants in my garden, and washing the car. That's why I dropped my pedometer in the wash machine and locked myself out of the house with no shoes on. That only happens to pirates and rebels and people with a to do list as long as the Yucatan Peninsula.

3. Clean out my car. That plan doesn't work well for me. Sometimes my husband goes out to the car and puts everything in there in a bag and leaves it on the dryer in the laundry room. He figures I will find it there because I am always in the laundry room. (Matter of fact, I was thinking of putting my computer in the laundry room).

When he does this, I freak - once I found a pair of shoes that I bought and just could not, for the life of me, find them! Welllllll ~ nice to have a pair of new shoes!

Really, though, I must address this area, and I know it's easier than I think. I need a "thing" that catches all the stuff I fling in the back seat (like a laundry basket!). I need a trash bag in the car, and I need to put the trash in it. (Wonder if that counts as exercise?). And, for smell, I've heard a dryer sheet under the seat works well. But I am very suspious of dryer sheets -- what is in them? I think maybe I'll just spill some lavender oil or something. But maybe that would make my eyes water, and I would run into something. Forget the smell thing. I'll work on that.

4. Set my clock to the right time. Right now, my bedroom clock is over an hour fast. You see, when there is a power outtage, my clock flashes. And when I'm in the bedroom, I don't really know what time it is, so I just hit the clock to stop the flashing and usually I'm ahead.

I don't concern myself with this. But my husband almost had a heart attack the other night when he went to bed - I heard him yell from the bedroom - "IT"S THAT LATE!?" -

I know I shouldn't have laughed.

My clock is a cheap special that I gave to my father in law for Christmas and my mother in law gave it back to me. I wasn't quite sure why. It has great big, huge red numbers - but the alarm! Oh my gosh, it could wake up the fire department. My husband and my kids _always_ offer to get me up, regardless of what time I need to get up, if I say I'm going to be setting my alarm, it's that awful.

My mother in law giving gifts back to me? That is something that used to bother me. I finally learned to just buy stuff I liked a lot.

5. Go to bed on time. This is suppose to be the answer to everything. Every problem is solved by more sleep. Have you been reading this lately? Weight Loss. Stress. Memory. Prevents heart attacks. Boosting your immune system - I'll bet the list goes on - Less Housework! (think of it, if you are asleep, you are not making a mess) ...but, alas, I never manage to do it. I try. I do. But it just doesn't work for me.

6. Exercise on a regular basis. I'm not sure which word I don't understand. Regular or basis. Or maybe just the words "on" and "a". I just fail at this in the most miserable way. Sometimes I think it's all overrated. Well, I wish it was anyway, but it's not. It's very important, and, trust me, I do know this. As soon as someone is complaining to me about something, I say, "Well, are you exercising?" They usually say, "No." I say, "Oh well, you really should." That usually ends the complaining. See? It's a good therapy tool to say the least.

In summation:
I am not perfect, yet, somehow, I have survived. I don't like to get all wound up in these things I don't do. Actually, it's always given me a goal whilst I remain imperfect.. If I reach perfection, well, why would I need to be here?

When you think of it, it's a contradiction, really, to think that you should be perfect and live in this world where there is no perfection. I mean, the world is not even perfectly round!

What we want is inner peace, peace in our souls - to always want to be perfect is to always struggle and feel frustration ...

My mother's advice to me, at the points of my biggest frustrations was always, "Work with what you've got." I did. I have. I am. And so far, I've always made it work.

My mother the yogi - who knew?

Notes on today - Part 37 A

1. I got insulted by someone who doesn't know me very well. It's really a very difficult thing to have happen, but I walked through the chaos without karate kicking down a wall. So. I thank God for my maturity and view of life. I thank God that I have learned about forgiveness; that to give and receive forgiveness is a constant flow and you never know when and where; you only know - just always.

We can and will rise above this day and feeling. I've learned to let this stuff pass. People are really strange with their judgmental comments and remarks. If they don't know us, ....well, what can you do? You have to deal with it. And I choose to let it go. And learn what I can. That's all I can figure out to do.

2. Jacob was sick today. And he is such a good boy when he is sick. He played so nicely all day, we read, played with trains (I love Thomas the Train. The track is so much fun; it's such a great toy for kids), and it was just a lovely day. Yesterday I cut his hair. He looks so cute!

3. I locked myself out of my house this afternoon. I had given my mother in law an extra key, but she had put it back on my key hanger place because she said she would never need it. Yep, she was probably right. (It would be me that needed it, not her.) But, my resourceful husband, who also didn't have a key, came home, and found a way to save the day!

4. I am so glad I wasn't cooking something when I got locked out of the house! I had things all set to go but never got it in the pan. How lucky for me.

5. All my kids are away. Sean and Madam Blueberry are together in Orlando along with their cousion Shannon. I hope they have fun. My oldest is in Miami on business (He was in a business meeting when he got the message that his mama was locked out of the house! Yikes!)

6. I ordered Chinese food because I don't feel like cooking now.

7. I have decided I need to take vitamins. Especially the B vitamins. I function much better when I take them on a regular basis. I have experimented for years now with this so I know. What I don't know, is why I can't just stick to it regularly. I guess I just get tired of swallowing pills (and that deep inside,---Pirate!.)

8. May tomorrow be a sunny day for you.

~~Miss Roxie

Overhelmed time again-The Need for Balance

I know it looks like it should say 'overwhelmed', but I feel like I've been thrown overboard -- again! These feelings I am so used to because somewhere I work my way into another mess while I'm backing out of one. Very frustrating, indeed! I'm doing a major imbalancing act!

I have so much I want to do. And, of course, that list of 'things to do' --long, long, long ---

I want more flowers/plants/shrubs for my garden, but the places I frequent and know about buying plants from don't have anything new. A friend suggested I buy them on line. Okay, that might save a little gas, I suppose. I do love my garden project.

I have much cleaning. I know. I know. It's all waiting for you - but messy stuff - like we moved _everything_ out of the laundry room and now _we_ (hahahahaha) have to put _everything_ back. But before I do that, you know I'm going to wash and swept the floors in all the spots you can't get while stuff lives there, and you know, if you know me at all, you know I am going to paint the walls. But that's done. I'm just working on getting all the stuff back in. And restoring stuff in new places - I've found a few new restoring places that look pretty good.

You know, I remember reading whiles back about 4 tips for balanced living.

One was Sleep. More sleep makes you less stressed, yes, but this suggested that you get up at 6 AM. Yes, it did. The suggestion was that to sleep any later was out of sync with the sun rising and you would always to rushing and behind the entire day.

Now, my mom gets up at 5 AM every morning. She's 78. She does it so she doesn't feel rushed all day. So, there may be something to it. Or maybe my mom is a wise old yogi!?

Two was Foods. Your body needs Good Food in a timely manner. The entire body does well with meals not only of substance, but meals on a schedule and eating your fullest meal at noonday, and your lighter dinner in the evening and never, ever, do anything else when you are eating, but eat! No TV - No reading - (If you are eating a cookie, Put It Down!)

Three was Exercise. You know that was in there somewhere, didn't you? The old standard of 30 minutes 5 days a week, and if you can't do that, then the broken up 10 minutes 3 x's a day at least 5 days.

But I will say. I agree. I didn't say I get my correct amount of exercise, but I totally agree with the philosophy of it.

Four was systematic relaxation. I have found that this will work. I've learned to do this. I just step out of the chaos and relax. Sometimes I take 5, sometimes 10 and, oh, heaven, if I can steal 20! I have a cold compress I apply to my eyes (I love it), I've learned to let my jaw drop and allow my body to relax. It works for me!!

I would really put this one in the exercise place if I could and
oh, well, probably,
more like actually,
I might already do that!

But with my gardening, I'm hoping that will count as exercise? It sure is relaxation.

Oh my gosh! I just looked at the time! I've gone and blown rule number one! Sleep!

Goodnight my friends in cyberworlds,

I hope tomorrow your day is bright and
sunny,

~Miss Roxie

Alas, Guilt, thou doth try me....

I had a long day. I stayed longer with Jacob than usual. It was unusally hot. My house is in total disorder because of a new switch we had to put in. I can't find my clothes. The rent is due, and I can't find the 941's I need to finish my 2006 taxes!

But none of that bothers me much right now.

What bothers me? The sound of the lawnmower. I have closed all my blinds so I don't have to look outside.

Why?

Because here I sit with a turkey sandwhich, that I was craving, and a glass of merlot, that I felt I really needed - and it's my mother in law -- who is 80 -- that is outside _mowing my lawn_!~!

That is such a dreadful feeling.

It's not that my lawn needs mowing. It's that she lives next door, and she and my father in law like the lawns to looks just so - Just So Lawns by Rita and Steve would be their business name.

I mean, there are practical entries to the scenario like:
Items --
1. you don't want the grass to high because it jams the mower --

2. and it'll just grow more if you leave it --

3. and, of course, what they tell us -- 'well, we like to do it.' (I say 'they' but it's always 'she')

So, I sit here, typing at my computer and feeling guilty, guilty, guilty.

But you know what? People are going to do what they do, and sometimes there is not a durned peeking thing you can do about it.

So let her mow!
And I'll pour another glass of merlot.

Going to bed early, squirrley --

Hope you had a sunny day!

always,

Miss Roxie

~~ooops, the lawn mower stopped; I better go check ....

Turn of the phrase

I found this site featuring Phrases and their Meanings and Origins. It's quite fun. There are some quizzes there to take.

There are no way to post results that I can see, but I will clue you this - follow your first thoughts! The only ones I missed are the ones that I said to myself, 'ummmm, maybe I'm wrong there.'

Did you know there are 600 phrases that relate to the human body? Those are only ones beginning with A, B, and C.

I'm not really sure how they can actually trace back the origin of all phrases. I know some of mine come from misquotes from my kids as they were growing up. We've just adapted them into our language (and what family hasn't done the same?)

Here are some French phrases should you so delight.

This is my favorite to think about today -- It begins with the world famous All the World's a Stage ...but it makes the most sense, and I've always loved it. I think I'm going to memorize it.

Have a sunny day ....