Some of My Friends Peek Out

These are orange portulacas that I was hoping I could station next too some blue dwarf.


The same portulacas in yellow, next to their orange friends with some blue plumbago in the backdrop.


This photo above is one of my hanging baskets leaning just a little bit to far right. That happens sometimes.


This is a snapshot of the kids coming out to play. I just love the orange and blue theme going there with a toss of yellow thrown in there. I'm glad I got a shot of those little sunflowers because they got bit by something and I am trying to nurse them back to health at the present time.

My Pink Mandevilla

The are photographs of my front porch. The pink flowers on the edge of the porch are Mandevillas.

I noticed last week a real change in the plant, and so today I took a few leaves into the place where I bought them. Actually, they were a gift, but anyway -- I took the leaves in to ask what might be wrong with my Mandevillas, that I have grown to love so much.

I went over to the section of the store where the Mandevillas were and noticed that many of the ones there had leaves that looked the same as mine. A lady come around, and I showed her my leaves and she told me, "This looks like a mite has got them."

"But, they look the same as these right here." I said, and pointed to the ones for sale.

She started talking about mites and overwatering and pink mandevillas being more sensitive to things of nature as she lead me away from the flowers I was pointing to, and we ended in a section that sold fertilizer and treatment type things.

I listened to what she was saying and did buy a product that, she said, might save the Mandevilla, but I couldn't get out of my head that these people were selling flowers that might be diseased!

And she also told me that the leaves of the flowers needed to be discarded in an area away from other flowers as the other flowers, if sensitive to the same problem, could develop the disease, and I'm thinking, "Gee, you are not only selling flowers with disease, as your leaves look like my leaves, and you are leaving them right there together."

This was at Home Depot. This could be one of the reasons they are going out of business.

I am so sad about my Mandevillas. But doesn't that just represent life? It's here. And then, it's gone.

The Human Condition

I give over to the thought that no one can really explain the human condition. Mind and Body - oh gee, and oh well --

I am reporting today on mine, in the physical sense .

You see, I've decided that I will print out my blog for my family - my children really. No one, really, is concerned about what I write here, but in years past, I was bemoaning my late start in life. that is towards the business of having children, that is, my oldest wasn't born until I was 28 and my youngest was born when I was 41, so doubtful it is that I will know my grandchildren with my *right mind* in tact, as my oldest is not yet married, and neither my second or third...

So, in a conversation one day with my oldest several years ago, I was telling him I would dearly miss my grandchildren, as it would be doubtful I could play with them much or tell them things, as I most likely will be needing them to push me in my wheelchair or help me remember where I put my glasses and my teeth ...

So he said, back then, "Mom, why don't you just write down your thoughts everyday, and we will always have that. We will read it to them." That was before "blogs" ...That was before Leslie and Tim told me, "You should have a blog."

As I have dabbled in the blogging world, it has come to dawn on me, this perhaps could be something that I leave behind --.

So that leaves me to mention my human condition in the physical sense. My spiritual and emotional sense is fine. I am quite happy.

I am, though, terribly frustrated with my spine. I have these muscular-skeletal problems or situations, if you should prefer, that I am trying to figure out how to deal with. I obviously don't want surgery.

I most recently went to the doctor again with a reoccurring problem that is reoccurring more often. Every morning when I awake, no matter which side I am lying on, my left or my right, that whole arm including my hand is asleep. And my lower back has been spasming more, and the point of my back where the scoliosis is, is constantly bothering me. So my doctor is going to look again at the MRI I had done last year, to see, if perhaps, there might be something she can pinpoint without having me have another MRI (they are so bloody expensive even with my insurance!).

In the meantime, I am having to live with muscle relaxers, when I need them, and anti-inflammatories, when I need them. However, my orthopedic surgeon wants me on a regimen of anti-inflammatories 24/7, and I just can't do that.

So that's where I am right now. Unable to dig in my garden. That is so frustrating! I can pull weeds and water the plants!

But, no matter what it is, things could always be worse.

Ad absurdum

...the latin for 'to the point of absurdity' ...And that's what I feel happens when Mr. B gets time off! For more than three years in a row, when he has gotten a block of time off -- he gets sick.

He's off for 5 days, and he laying in there sick on the couch. And now I have a sore throat! Is ridiculous close to absurd? If he doesn't want to put the shelves up, just say so! (haha)

He did joke about how I was going to be asking him to do all these things around the house, and yes, I was so excited about getting my book shelves -- finally. And I have three days off next week (he's getting paid at least; I won't be), and I was so looking forward to putting books up on those shelves! Oh, the things we look forward to when we get old...

But alas, it shall not be. It shall be doing the mundane chores of every day - and more catching up --and moving these books around to more places until they are finally shelved. (Wah.)

The Dilemma of Who and Whom

I learned the rule long ago, but still go by the sound of the ear -- I found this link and loved the last part --

...If you apply those two rules, and you are still not sure, apply the all important Rule #3.

Rule #3: Give it a sincere and honest effort to determine if it's "who" or "whom." If it takes more than 30 seconds to figure it out, pick the one that sounds best to the ear (read it aloud) and move on. Why? Because even grammarians are likely to squabble over which to use. But always - always - apply rules #1 and #2 before using Rule # 3.


And of course, the dilemma of spelling 'dilemma' ...
(I'm sure I was taught to spell that word incorrectly back in the day)

The Hallmarks of August 2007

This August 11th our band got together again. Seldom Seen and the Remainders. The girls accompanying them, well, we call ourselves The Unknown Legends.

We had a great party this year. There were 38 family members and 16 guests. We must have had 40 songs on the set list, but we played and sang until about 1 AM, so I am sure we topped out at over 100.

The band mates:

Don (Sir Seldom Seen)- lead guitar, lead singer/songwriter, my baby brother, and originator of the whole shebang, and important to the discipline and scheduled practicing of the band. ( Life hasn't been the same since we formed the band. We love it. It's been a working progress for 10 years now.)

The Remainders -
Gene - lead guitar, singer, important to Don and new material and Neil Young expertise, and my brother in law
Sean - lead guitar, singer/songwriter, important to bringing in new material and exceptional good looks (haha - that's my son)
Des (my Mr. B)- the newest bass player in the stratosphere, who is also the sound man, tech man, purchase advisor, overall equipment advisor, set up man, lighting man, singer, husband of this blog poster (also, father of Sean)

The Unknown Legends - Sheila, Shannon, Nan, and me, and whomever is brave enough to jump up to the microphone and join in! My mother has been known to sing a chorus or two of Take It Easy.

One of the highlights of that night was Kim's brother in law Terry who sat down in front of a mic around 11 PM , picked up a guitar and played like a fury! He was fantastic and like Who Knew!?! So now we do, next time - he'll be up and playing a lot earlier in the evening.

Other things of August -

My sister Nanette - August 10th birthday

My nephew Corey - August 11th birthday

My first born Bill Joseph Scott - August 8th. This child was born the 8th day of the 8th month of the 8th year his father and I were married. Ha! I couldn't have done that on a bet!! He's such a great son, a wonderful man, good sport, great uncle, just an all round really good person. I feel blessed to be his mother. Well, I am blessed to be his mother!!

My Wedding Anniversary - 25 years married I am this past 28th of August to Desmond who lived across the street from me. We were friends for a year before we dated. We are still friends! To bad we don't take time for to many dates any more!

That same day this year, a friend of ours passed away. My niece Shannon's Aunt Janice. May The Lord reach out his arms and hold her close for eternity.

August 30th marks the anniversary of the passing of our most special and good, good friend Jimmy Ryan. Jimmy taught Des so many things - and he taught Des that Des knew many things he didn't realize he knew. Jimmy and Des enjoyed music! Loud music! They could just get lost in the music, and there is nothing wrong with that. We loved Jimmy from the day we met him, and we will always love Jimmy and his family.

On August 9th we reached a time line in our moving adventure, as we have been officially in our new little blue house for one year on that date. We had spent most of the year moving down here by way of a storage shed and my sister in law's house in Lakeland. She moved here, too, last year.

August 15th marks one year for Des at his new job. New career. He retired from having his own business for 20 years and picked up something new. He was concerned about relocating and finding a new job in a field he enjoys - electronics - but didn't know that much about, just had a huge interest in --

So my son Bill has a list made up of all the Electronics places in the nearby areas that might be possibilities - This particular place, he took Des to one of the first weeks we visited in July of this year, and then on the 14th of August, Des went in and applied for a job and they said, "Can you start tomorrow?" So cool beans!

On August 20th my three and a half year old nephew Jacob started preschool this year after my taking care of him 5 days a week for one year ...He goes three days a week now to his little Dinosaur School. Which he calls his New Big Boy School. Now, I just have him two days, and I miss him! Kids at that age are so priceless and funny. It's a fast time passing. You gotta run and listen quick or you will miss it!!

What else? Oh, I can't recall at this moment. But those are some of the highlights, and I wanted to get them posted before August of 2007 was officially over! So there ya' go!

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 ...

A 24 Hour Garden

Going to Home Depot used to be, to me, worse than having oral surgery. Now, I don't mind at all (Home Depot, not oral surgery). I spend all my time in the garden section whilst Mr. B doth fitter away looking at electrical fittings, tools used for wiring things that involve electronics, and such like that -- whatever --

The other day I was reading though the books there and found a suggestion for your garden - plant plants that bloom at different times of the day and night! There are catus, that have flowers that are just beautiful, there is a photo of one here, that bloom at night only, and different flowers are suggested for a night garden effect, like Moonflowers, and then there was a mention of different flowers that bloom in the brightest sun, and those that bloom only in early morning ...I really need to post photos of my own blooms.

I mean, it's all stuff that I probably knew, but you know what? I didn't realize it. And now it's dawned on me - and yes, this will be fun.

I've already noticed that gardens have a Monet kind of effect to them because depending on what time you go out to view, it will show you different colors, as some are sleeping late and some are rising early. I don't have any that bloom at night yet.

I'll probably make a trip to the library for a book on night plants before I head back to Home Depot for some more plants.

Right now, I need more dirt. Today I put down 160 pounds of dirt. My back is reminding me of that. I had to move two Rose Bushes that were stabbing me when I needed to go in and trim the Mandevillas. And I have been encouraging the Mandevillas to grow over this space I want them to cover by using fishing line to show them their direction. The roses didn't care for my intrusion on their space to work on the Mandevilla plan. So, today, I put them front and center -- Maybe they will be happier now.

Becoming Jane

I haven't read any of the reviews of this movie yet, but I'm going to see it anyway. I really want to see it before I read anything.

Becoming Jane is a movie about Jane Austen and her affections for Tom Lefroy. Leave it to Hollywood to only focus on love like they did with Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy of Pride and Prejudice in the Keira Knightly version, but love is great, you know, and some people find stories of it so appealing.

I would have loved the Hollywood Pride and Prejudice if I had not been totally spoiled by the A & E version with it's 6 lengthy parts of pure pleasure of a story.

Hopefully, tomorrow, I'll be sitting through the 2 hours of Becoming Jane.

I hope when I'm 90...

My father in law is out mowing the grass, and my mother in law is yelling at him for not doing it right. He's 90. I hope when I'm 90, someone is yelling at me for cutting the grass wrong.

My father in law washes the dishes every night. My mother in law is yelling at him for putting certain dishes back in the wrong place. I hope when I'm 90 someone is yelling at me for putting the dishes back in the wrong place.

My father in law works on his car. He left the keys in them the other day. My mother in law yelled at him. I hope when I'm 90 I get yelled at for leaving the keys in the car.

My father in law always laughs when he answers the phone and finds out it's you! I hope I'm that happy to talk to people when I am 90.

My father in law loves to sing. I hope when I'm 90 I love to sing, and am able to sing as well as he can.

My father in law goes to church every Sunday. He doesn't want to go to the breakfast at the church afterwards. My mother in law gets mad at him. I hope I am going to church every Sunday when I am 90 and someone is yelling at me for not wanting to go to the breakfast afterwards.

When my father in law wants things done, he wants things done _right now_. Anyone he asks to do the thing right now, gets a little impatient with him at times, and asks, "You want this done right now, don't you?" He says, "Yes." When I am 90 I hope I understand that all time is right now.

My father in law has worked hard all his life. He still works hard. He says hard work is good for you. Well, I would say he might be right, looks like it's worked for him. After all, he is 90, out mowing the lawn, washing the dishes, working on his car, answering the phone, singing and spouting off his own philosophy on things....

I can only hope when I am 90 I still have some sense of a philosophy about life. Oh well, seriously, I hope I just have some sense, when I am 90!

From Annie Sullivan

" I am beginning to suspect all elaborate and special systems of education. They seem to me to be built upon the supposition that every child is a kind of idiot who must taught to think. Whereas if the child is left to himself, he will think more and better, if less slowly. Let him come and go freely, let him touch real things and combine his impressions for himself, instead of sitting indoors at a little round table while a sweet-voiced teacher suggest that he build a stone wall with his wooden blocks, or make a rainbow out of strips of colored paper, or plant straw trees in flower pots. Such teaching fills the mind with artificial associations that must be got rid of before the child can develop independent ideas out of actual experiences. "

-- Anne Sullivan

The School Schedule 2007/2008

I won't pretend last year wasn't difficult. We moved last year and whew! -- We are still finishing up a couple of things.

I thought about just going on the entire year, but that was just too much, so we took about three and half full weeks off -

My usual plan is that when school in my area officially starts, that's when I sit down and finalize everything, and we usually have school through the end of July. This year I had Madam Blueberry sit down with me to make up the schedule. I thought she was old enough now to do that --she is 17. (Wow!)

Basically I am just missing our math book -- Oh Madam B is all broke up about that (hahaha) --I'm going to order Geometry through Singapore Math --

We decided which books we would do together and what days. She helped me count the pages and divide them up - and we decided which books we would finish this first term...One is an economics book, "What Ever Happened to Penny Candy?" by Richard Maybury.

I'll write that all out later - I have to transfer my handwritten notes onto the computer and print out the schedule.

I'm using this journal. It has a list for notes on the right side of the page, and a calendar in each page. So, I'll have her write in the notes section what she read for each day, and make whatever notes I need regarding doctor appointments, etc., in the calendar. Now, to make sure I don't lose the thing every 45 minutes - there's a secret formula somewhere!!

From last year we are finishing the Book of Job, and our History (This Country of Ours) --My mother has suggested that Madam B read an autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt. I didn't realize my mom really liked her.

Oh well, it will be about two weeks before things are running smoothly (if ever, maybe), but we'll give it our very best!

" Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. "
-- William Butler Yeats

" What we want to see is the child in pursuit of knowledge, not knowledge in pursuit of the child. "
-- George Bernard Shaw

First day of Middle School

...for my oldest great nephew. And doesn't he end up sounding the alarms on all battle stations when he doesn't get off the school bus upon it's arrival to his destinated stop?

Yes.

Oh, Nathan, our hearts did sink today when we got the call that you weren't on the bus this afternoon.

Nate is 11, I think, oh my gosh is he 12? My, how the time has flown ...I remember when he was 4 months old and I began helping to take care of him. I did that, having him in my home almost every day and several nights for a few years, until he started school. (Then we missed him not being there.)

Now he is in Middle School! How did that happen?

My friend Leslie gave him his first copy of Beowulf, which he had his mom read to him over and over from the time he was in kindergarten, he loved that story as he thought it was so exciting. Leslie met him on line, as Nathan would sit on my lap while Leslie and I chatted on the AOL IM. He loved it that she would write words that he asked her to write, like *Lightsaber*! That was so cute. I can remember that so clearly, like it was yesterday. (Wasn't it yesterday?)

But all turned out well. My sister and the Mother of the little boy that Nathan was supposed to be with, went down to the school - the school called the bus drivers and told them that 2 boys were missing - one driver reported he had two boys that weren't getting off the bus (LOL) , and so that driver found out where they lived and brought them home.

It turned out an okay cute story - but, not while no one knew where they were!

But Alls Well that Ends Well!!

(Thank you, God)

How does my garden grow?

My garden attacked me today. I made a huge mistake. I neglected to have a presence of mind that would reveal the fact that one must be able to get into a garden to weed and nurture it, and not plant bushes _with thorns_ that will prick you, and not real gently, should you get in their way!

Then I dropped the loppers on my knee. Nice big chunk of knee out.

Then my hat got caught in the Saw Palmetto.

The my back went into a spasm because I decided I could move a 40 lb bag of dirt.

So there I was sitting on the ground, and thinking to myself, "Who are you kidding? You are like a third grader in this project!" Actually, maybe a third grader would have planted some nice little seeds in a row and some bulbs in order of height and fared better!

But that's okay. It's all good, and it's all a learning experience.

I shall continue to learn and as the years roll by, there will be something out there for the neighbors, walkers, and whomever to enjoy. That is why I began the project anyway. Well, not really -- I began the project for privacy.

I live in a tiny house on a small lot on the corner of a dirt road and a regular road. The lot across from me will never be developed (60 feet of it anyway - but we'll see who comes up against the zoning board as one never knows about these things.) Across the street from me are houses that seem very close, and so I decided I'd make for myself a really nice area to build a privacy barrier.

Then it got into a feeling of, well, if people are going to walk by here or drive around this corner, they really should have something nice to look at ...

And, another influence was the image that Helen Keller gave me in her autobiography when she describes the foliage around the cottage where she played. I loved that. I want that. So in order to get that, you have to plant things and get them going!

One friend said, "Wow in 5 years, this will be great!" Okay, I'll take that. I'm in for 5 years for sure. If I had my way, I could get into gardening as a career, but right now, it's just a hobby, as I don't have the time for it (nor the money) I would love to put into it. It's so much more fun to be outside! (I have learned that from my three year old nephew who brought that feeling back to me.)

God made rainy days so gardeners could get the housework done. ~Author Unknown

(I could address that as truth! I tried to get things done in the house today, but I ended up outside with the dirt, and my hands are rough, and my back is sore, but it feels good.)

One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it provides. ~W.E. Johns

(My garden is small, but I can see the bigness of it. I can see it spread wide and tall with color. I've never seen anything that far ahead before.)

"The Mind is Refrigerated by Interruption"

~~Samuel Johnson.

I found the quote on this site. Read down just a bit, and you'll see where the heading for the topic is. It's about translating Shakespeare - or not. Interesting article, I thought. Translating Shakespeare is good, I think, but as the article says, not all needs to be translated, however, you get into that whole 'what they meant at the time thing', and it's helpful in the understanding of the whole deal.

Actually, what happened was being interrupted by someone in particular was becoming increasingly annoying to me. So I decided to look around on line to see if I could find some deep rooted, psychological fault in this person's emotional psyche, and ended up looking around for what Shakespeare might have to say about it --just for fun.

And I found that link. And I thought the phrase was great - so I posted it. So back to my original thought --

I am beginning to think that one of the reasons people like me is that I am a good listener. But, I think then, to a fault, which makes me a person who would like to be listened, too. But as I see the world occasionally, there is balance and each positive thing is, well, balanced by a negative. Especially if one should think good of oneself about something - Zap! -because if you are any kind of seeker, your fault will be like a huge beam in your eye. Razor sharp.

My point is, the ego will get you every time. Watch out for that. As long as I think I'm a great listener, people will continue to interrupt me. I'll be working on that.

The Daze of School Days

And so, for our county school begins next week. As per always, that is when I begin, with the help of Madam B, to get my school schedule together. That doesn't mean I haven't ordered some books or thought about the cirriculum, that just means --
Now it's time --
to place the books together in a row,
as my friend Luke in Tennessee has alluded to me in a different conversation -
now is the time "to tie the strings together"
I have many of my parts and bits - here and there -
Come Monday, we will put things in their special place, and have a closer look at them to attempt to make out our schedule.

I have learned that the holiday months are difficult for us to concentrate on school - so basically, I just take those out from the beginning and plan on enjoying them. Life is, after all, short. Family is important, and these days of youth and enjoyment of family are fine, fine learning experiences and fill the treasure memory box with laughs and sentiments that are wonderful to glance at in later life. I wouldn't neglect these times for the worlds.

I fill those days with baking and gifting wrapping and organizing, and of course, visiting and singing. Madam Blueberry has talents in certain areas that surpass mine. She's one of these people that when you tell her to do something, or give her a list, a while later you come in and see her sitting and reading a book, and you say, "What about your blah-blah-blah" (read:things from list), and she looks at you and says, "It's done." My oldest son is that way also. A list to them, it's like power and direction. Give it to them and they see freedom!!

My middle son, whom I dearly love with all my heart, would be the one to say, "Oh yeah, what happen to that list? I saw it here somewhere...Mom, do you have any milk?"

Special is as special does. These children of mine give me such great joy, and here I am sidetracked off my orginal post!

Oh well, I'm sure things will circle back in my head soon. Right now, I better get rolling or I'll be late to pick up Jacob!

(I'm going to be posting some photos soon...)

Take care -
1. Forgive someone today
2. Smile randomly at people and plants
3. Thank God for every thing great and small
4. Email a friend -- actually, that comes from a little thing I read that said, 'today reach out and tell someone that you love them."

(Note to Mel - your emails are bouncing back!)

Help was on the way

Yesterday was one of those days for me. We have all had them -- Out of sync and annoyed with yourself. Even so, I would think I would have learned by now not to get all tied up in that thought because the universe is so neatly tied up together. Getting agitated makes it really hard to see where the strings are all connected, but they are - and many times in a good way.

I went to my brother's house to cut my nephew's hair, and didn't I forget my scissors? Normally, I would have said, "well, I'll just do it tomorrow," because I go over there 5 days a week. But this time, after I was there for about an hour, I decided to run back home and get them.

I pulled up in my driveway, hurriedly got out of my car, and then heard someone yell, "Hey!" I looked around for someone and saw one of my neighbors, that I hadn't met, sitting down in the grass in his front yard.

Long story short, Bill is 84 years old, uses a walker and had decided to spray the front yard where the red ants were. He fell and couldn't get up. He said he had yelled at a couple of cars that came by, but there wouldn't be many where we live during the day, and also, as hot as it is, everyone would have their windows up. I know they couldn't have heard him.

I called 911. The fire department came out, and this was the kicker - don't laugh - but out of the fire truck came three of the most handsome firemen I had ever seen! I thought of my daughter and my two nieces - I said, don't laugh - I mean, here are three great looking guys, just as nice as can be, cool, calm, collected....
anyway,
They locked arms and hoisted Bill up -- did I mention Bill is the size of a football line backer? He's a huge man! -- but they hoisted Bill up like he was a marshmallow floating to the top of a hot chocolate drink...

Did I mention it was hot! And Bill had fallen in an area that was not shaded, and he was sitting in red ants. He didn't want to go to the hospital, as the firemen asked him that first thing -- but they did ask him the standard questions:

1. "Do you know where you are?" Bill said, "Yes, I'm sitting on my butt in my front yard."

2. "Do you know what day it is?" Bill said, "Yeah, it's Tuesday."

3. "Do you know who the President is?" Bill hung his head and said, "Don't ask me that."

The firemen were silent and each stared at him with concern. And then Bill said, "I can't stand that guy."

One of the firemen said, "Well, I think he answered our question. I think he knows who the President is."

The ice was broken, we all laughed, and the handsome firemen gave me permission to go home. ( At that point I had begun to give them motherly advice, and I think they didn't need me 'helping them' with their job!)

But they thanked me for doing such a kind thing. I had told Bill that God was, indeed, watching out for him that day, as I don't usually make that trip back home.

Isn't life just so interesting? I love the little connections, and I am still working on understanding the big ones. I'll probably never get there, but somehow, I don't think that really matters.

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?

Talking isn't for Everyone

I can’t be inside someone else’s mind.

I have graduated from trying to figure people out
Why they say things that they don’t know anything about
The why
They pass their opinion along.

As if,
As if they knew you
As if they knew something about you
Or yours

When they don’t.

They’ve looked on
And formulated, at best,
An opinion.

An opinion that they should,
By rights inalienable
Keep quietly to themselves

But no…
Alas, no…

The world being partially possessed by shallow minds
Staggers along with people’s biased
Opinions.

Spoken out loud
And spoken, if I may boldly add,
Wrongly.

But alas, again,
Alas,
They don’t mind that.

Their only need is to fuel their own side of the argument
To bad
So sad
Their opinion spreads
Along with hurt

The words were spoken
The hearts were broken
And all for,
All for,
The notice of their
So, they think,
Their
Most important
Opinion.

~~Miss Roxie

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 ....

It's in the Kiln

I find I have been neglectful of my blog postings again. I do that. I get in some kind of mood, and my 'save to draft' file becomes filled with ideas of thoughts and the days just move on ...

This morning I sit with my coffee and feel pretty good. Even though one could say all is not perfect in my life or in the world, but you know, show me perfect, and I'll show you a state of mind.

Yesterday afternoon we popped over to the Ceramics shop to work on some of our dishware - it's been an interesting experience with the ceramics people, as the first time we went, they fired our pieces before they were ready.

There was this 'huge' misunderstanding....I don't know what went wrong, but anyway, when we came back - all but one of the 6 pieces had been fired, and we were hugely disappointed because we knew that we weren't finished and had spent the week talking about what we were going to add and touch up on - and then we walk in and we are greeted with ,'here they are' and we said, 'but we weren't done' and they say, 'well what did you have left, they look done...'

Again, once again, man proves that man cannot read another man's mind. And, when one is distressed about the outcome of something, if one should make a trip to an ice cream shop afterwards, all can be made well again. (But I've got to watch that or I'll be proving that old theory that Ceramics is actually fattening!)

The Ceramic People worked it out financially. I got a free bowl and Harley got a cat dish that I considered not finished but looks okay.

And the day goes on ....

Have a sunny one ~
Love,
Miss Roxie

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 ....

My Therapy Garden

You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt. ~Author Unknown

I think that if ever a mortal heard the voice of God it would be in a garden at the cool of the day. ~F. Frankfort Moore, A Garden of Peace


My garden is growing. Last night a walker came by while I was working out there and said, "oh that's beautiful, just so beautiful!"

In my mind, the garden is not beautiful ~ yet. My vision of what it can be has not manifested itself. And I thought, wow, what a reflection on life is that.

Here is this Walker, who probably walks by my garden often and has seen the little things I have added and comments on the beauty of what goes into taking care of things and nurturing things and just constantly checking and working to make things better - so she calls out "Beautiful.."

And because I am still working on my vision, my unnamed goal for my little quiet spot, that I don't see the beauty she sees.

But that's okay ~ We stil each see Beauty, as we all know from the old adage, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

Yesterday, I had added a Bird Bath that I have to set up on a paving stone. I love the look of it and can't wait for the birds to come round. There is a nest in a small scrub oak in my front yard, so maybe the babies will eventually bathe in my bath!

Some of the roots that were existing in the area are just to strong and rooty and can't be dug into, so I've had to use some 'out of the box' thinking in placing some plants in pots. I love it.

It's a little area that was existing when we got here. The main plants were a Saw Palmetto (ouch) and a couple of little lackey scrub oaks. Des wanted to nix them all, but I said no, please, give me a chance there.

I've added flowers and such, but what I really want in my garden and in my yard are the plants that are from my region. I grew up with them and would like one of each of them in my yard. They are the plants of my childhood.

Of course, I wish I had pictures from the beginning and I want to do that now as I progress out there. So Maybe, within the next few days, I'll have some photos of my Therapy Garden. I want to name my garden something. I have to think about this. I can't tell you how peaceful it is to think about my garden and what it needs.

My thoughts going there in my mind where my garden has taken hold in picture makes traveling there such a holy respite; I find such joy in thinking of the new things I will invite into my garden.

The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses. ~Hanna Rion

Take thy plastic spade, It is thy pencil; take thy seeds, thy plants, They are thy colours. ~William Mason, The English Garden, 1782

Compliant Complaint of Acceptance

If you don't like a thing, and you say you don't like it, but you accept it because you have too, does that make you a complainer? There was a discussion tonight about this topic, and I have to say, I'm not sure.

Complaining, according to most dictionaries, is explained as " To express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment." One site even gave the example as "a complaining wife" ...really! that was so bold!

So, the definition implies that to even say you are not happy about something is complaining. What about the situation in which you have come to an acceptance about a thing? Does that still mean you have complained or are a complainer because you are in fact, accepting, and not liking? I see nothing wrong with acknowledging accepting something you don't like and going on with your life. If indeed, you have done the deed of the actual accepting and it's not a ruse of attract attention, in my opinion, you have done well.

Acceptance in itself does not require the act of approval. Nor does acceptance imply that something need to change, or can change, because perhaps it is so that it cannot change. So in the act of acceptance, does that not negate the complaint? Acceptance cannot be confused with resistance.

There are people, for example, that I do not like the boldness of their manner, or the rudeness in which they speak, but I've come to accept them for what they are, and truly find an understanding of their way, but if I should mention to someone, that I don't agree with this person's 'way of being' does that make me a complainer?

Scripture says we shouldn't complain. And I'm not saying I go around complaining, but I do have a few things in my life that I have accepted and just go on conducting myself in a manner that works to bring peace in our circle.

But I suppose the whole accusation of being called a complainer comes into play because if one actually express a thought that runs in a negative vane, than I guess, perhaps, that one has complained.

Oh, well, that's enough perplexing thought for me this early in the morning.

"The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is incomprehensible."
~~Albert Einstein

Thinking Blogger Award

Some days you are in for a shock. I read Leslie's blog on a regular basis, as she and I are, well, simpatico.Does it make sense to say that sometimes you can meet people who are so different from you, yet so very much the same as you? Those people can become your very best friends. Don't ever overlook them. I found a gem in my life by finding Leslie.

I've been out of the blogging sphere for awhile now. Life, however, continues to be winding around me like a plant that needs a trellis with all it's tendils falling loosely out of place, and I have hardly been able to catch my breath for over two weeks, and then I come to find that I've been nominated, by Leslie, for a Thinking Blogger Award. I am nonplused even more than my natural state of constant bewilderment! Thank you, Leslie!!

One thing Leslie and I have in the common zone is that we like to think. And think again, and then think some more.

So here's the link to the post that gave me the nomination ....

And here is the information for the Thinking Bloggers Award...

The participation rules are simple:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Thinking Blogger Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote (here is an alternative silver version if gold doesn’t fit your blog).

Now here's the rest of the story ...
I don't really understand all the things of the blogger sphere. I usually don't understand all the thing connected to all the things that lead to the rabbit hole that Alice fell in ...and I truly have no idea if anyone reads my blog. But I can share with anyone some blogs that I do enjoy -- they may have been mentioned, they may have been nominated -- you see, I really don't know these things!

1. Circle of Quiet. I love the name of this blog, and I love the cup of coffee pictured.

2. Consent of the Governed. Very interesting and way over my head.

3. Athena in a Minivan. I love her. I love reading about her little tykes. Such memories she always stirs in me.

4. Principled Discovery. Okay, yeah, I wish I was this smart. The woman is always asking the questions I am thinking about.

5. Created For His Glory. This is one of the first blogs I ever read, when I entered the blogging world.

There you have it. I'm back into blogging now. You have a very nice day!!

Keep your seat; it's the best one

1. Why are there words like chance and accident if there are no such things?

2. Be the traffic you wish to see in the world.

3. Wanting more stuff than you have makes you poor. Not wanting stuff at all makes you rich. You will always have enough if you think so.

4. Can you carry the burden of freedom?

5. Sometimes things can look different when absolutely nothing has changed.

6. You are the world. If there is no you, there is no world.

7. There are many errors to be made in child rearing. Too many perhaps to mention or list end to end across the world. If one must choose to error in child rearing, I choose to error with kindness.

8. Don't look to follow others. Look closer at why they were going there. And make sure to always take the highroad.

9. Is your task to seek or to find? Can you be one without the other and be happy?

10. Love is not a final state of being. Love is a constant state of vulnerability. Love is the reason we are all here. Love is the last thing to go.

Counting the Steps is fun

I love this pedometer. Yesterday I registered in at 1798 steps -- and today --at 10:24 PM --

Four Thousand, Four hundred and Thirty Six!!

The average person, depending on where you get your information, walks between 3,000 to 5,000 steps a day. So I went from lazy sluggish lady to average in one day! That is radical!

I'm keeping this thing!

I will probably have 5,000 before I go to bed tonight.

I did find that I had to do one minute sets of marching in place to get my numbers up. Even though I watch a three year old for 5 hours, I don't walk enough.

I wish I could find other little gadgets to wear to encourage me to do other things right in my life. Wonder if I could invent something?

And I have walked 10,000 miles

(not)

I got another Pedometer. I keep losing the ones I have -- before I can figure out really just how lazy I am. This one I have now, actually came with my husband's newest shoe inserts, so I don't know if it's a good one, but that already sounds like an excuse. Which, I guess, I'm probably trying to give myself because I didn't get very many steps measured on it today.

1798.

That's not a year. That's how many (almost) steps I took today.

That's not so great. That means, I am a sedentary person. The goal is 10,000 steps, which is about equivalent to 5 miles, if you can believe this site.

I don't know who decides these things, but I don't think 10,000 steps could hurt anyone, and of course, within reason, one must have a goal to gauge by to accomplish anything.

The Challenge is On! I'm going to try to increase my steps. Of course, it would probably help if I did wear it all the time. The pedometer, that is. I forgot in the morning that I had intended to wear it today, and took it off before the evening was done, but I doubt seriously if I've done anything record breaking in the amount of time that is unaccounted for.

Anyway, I'm going to challenge myself. Do the marching in place, or who knows, maybe join a marching band because I really don't want to be known as Sedentary.

You know, it's not like I never walked as an exercise before, but it seems that once something throws me off, I have a tough time getting back on track. So I kind of like this plan -- the first suggestion is just to ~walk out the door~. How clever.

So the challenge is on. I'm upping my steps.

I'm also trying to do the Bar Method DVD every other day. That is hard for me. I've not gotten through the whole thing yet!! And I've already misplaced Tape No One. Hope that wasn't a mental ploy on my part.

Anyway, I'm trying. My back injury seems okay. The other side hurts now, so that's a good sign.


Pedometer challenge, anyone?

Things in a week

1. Is an empty refrigerator better than a refrigerator that's full of stuff you need to throw away? Yes. If that wasn't too obvious...
This new assignment I've given myself of using everything in my refrigerator just isn't working. So I started a compost pile.

2. This week seemed super long. It's very hot and humid here, maybe that's why, I don't know. Also, I'm experiencing not feeling so great. I'm suspecting my air conditioning filters needed to be changed more often. I live on a dirt road...so maybe that? I don't know, but I'm going to be more attentive to that.

3. Some things I've noticed --

a. No one has ever asked me what my work out routine is or what beauty products I use. Should I feel offended?

b. Of all the Gallup Polls mentioned? No one has ever polled me. They keep talking about polls on the news, and nope, no calls or sign up sheets have I experienced. How do they poll you? On the street? Only in big cities? I live in a very small town. Maybe they don't know we are here.

4. If I make a new recipe, everyone loves it and eats it all gone. If I double it the next time, no one eats it. They say, 'it tastes different.' So I don't double anything any more. Something about doubles does not work in my cooking.

5. I've added plants in my garden that I have found on the side of the road. They seem happy here, and I like having them. (Actually, I'm broke right now, and plants for free seemed a 'yippy-yay!' kind of a thing.)

6. Thought on food/mind/body connection. There are those who believe that even if you put the most healthy foods into a body with a crummy mind, your result will be a crummy body; but if you put crummy foods into a body with a good mind of expanded awareness, you get a fine body.

I just don't know about that. That would have to be one very, healthy mind expanded in the most holy of awareness.

7. I'm beginning to think that searching for happiness is not a useful journey. To search for something implies you can't see it, or don't have it. If happiness is not within, then it's without, how would you be able to keep it when you finally find it if it's not in you in the first place?

So then, it makes sense that happiness is within and you don't have to search for it, because you walk around with it everyday, you only need to let it out.
Smiles let it out. Laughter lets it out. Kindness lets it out.
Just BEING you, this moment, right now - smile and that is happiness.

8. I like to walk in the rain. It's just so refreshing. I like all kinds of rains. I bought my daughter some really, really cute rain boots and she put flowers in them! Silly girl.

9. Isn't it funny? We go forward in our lives as that is the proper way to live it. But it is the going backwards in our lives that helps us in the learning of how we are actually living it.

10. What will you focus on today. What kindness will you pass along? Will you smile today? Will you hug someone today? I'll try it today. I'll start out good, I always start out good. The morning holds the invitation delivered in warm and wonderful light. The afternoon carries the things unknown into the cavaran that takes you to the evening time. The choices are made in there. On the ride. Choose wisely.

One Life to Live

Regarding our weather conditions here in Sunny Florida, Lake Okeechobee still 4 ft below what she needs to be at this time of year. We have been getting rain in our area, so our plants and our grass look great, even though we are still having a water shortage. And people continue to waste water.

It's amazing about the human species to me. They do not seem to participate to the greatest good of mankind unless the threat is standing at the door with a loaded weapon. What is up with that?

It seems to be a running theme. Does no one realize the train is going to come?

I guess it's their right – our right - to play the game of chance. You only have one life. No matter what you believe, whether it's what the Bible says, "it is appointed unto man once to die" - one life -

and if you believe in reincarnation (and in that, are their ways to come back as a bug? yuk), unless you are a high, high incarnate, you won't have an awareness of the passing - so one life,

and if you believe in 'once you're dead, you're dead' - still, one life.

So good luck with that. We have One Life to Live. How are you going to live it? To the fullest? I don't think I've lived life to the fullest yet!! Maybe today that will be what I will try to do.

Sometimes even to live is an act of courage - Seneca

It's raining thanks to TS Barry

It's raining, it's pouring....on the first day of Hurricane Season, too. What timing, huh?

This is wonderful (in a way). There is a tropical storm (Barry) about 320 miles from Tampa - which probably isn't true about the distance now because it's moving.

They say this rainfall will only help a little bit. We need about 35 inches of rain/or more. I believe that is a lot of rain.

I really hope people can be sensible about going out in bad weather.

It's really weird how good things and bad things collide.

Unexpected Day Off

Jacob was not feeling well today so his mommy (my sister in law) decided to stay home with him. I'll bet anything that he recovers quickly as there is nothing as great as mommy deciding to stay home!

I thought I'd get a million extra things done! (no)
I'd do extra loads of laundry! (one)
I'd put away allll the clothes in the bedroom! (no. they are strewn all over the bed. I couldn't even find room to take a nap so I snoozed in a chair)
I'd show love and affection to all my plants! (I ran by quickly and said hello while I brought up the trash cans!)
I'd make cookies! (no, I ate banana bread that my mother in law made and drank extra coffee)
I'd mop! (no. I spilled)
I'd dust! (no. I forgot about it while I watched Oprah)
I'd pay bills! (I called my mother)
I would not get on the computer! (I checked my email three times and am posting on my blog nothing worth while)

Anyway,
I did make a list of things I need at the grocery store.

Whatever.

Some days you just need some down time.

Memorial Day Weekend 2007

Time's a flyin ' ....better go catch some ideas and fresh thinking if you need to before this year is done because it'll be 2008 before we know it.

My sister came to visit this weekend. Saturday, 5 of us went to the prison to visit my niece. She expected to just find my mom and found 4 extra people there, so she was just so thrilled - tears in her eyes and all. We had a great visit.

We played this game - I'm sure it's not a new game - but it was fun, here's how it goes: The first person says, "I'm going on a picnic and I'm bringing an Apple (or any word that starts with "A"), the next person says, I'm going to a picnic and I'm bringing an Apple and a Banana (or any word that starts with "B"). The next person repeats the entire sentence each time and adds a word beginning with the next letter of the alphabet.

Would you believe we can all still - not only remember what the things were that were brought to the picnic - but who said them!

Ours was,

"I'm going to a picnic and I'm bringing
An Apple
A Banana
A Carrot
A Donut
An Egg
A Frog
A Giraffe
A Hankie
An Indian
A Juice Box
A Keg
A Lion
Some Money
Some Nails
Oprah
A Pacifier
A Quale
Ryan Schekler
Skittles
Toothpicks
Uncle Don
Vino
A Wild Thing
An X-box 360
and
A Zipper

There has got to be a learning tool in there somewhere! Anyway, it was a fun game and can be played with a combination of people of all ages. And if someone needs a little nudge, give it to them (LOL). But what can really, really jog your memory is to look at the alphabet. You'll remember every thing at record speed. It's amazing.

Sunday was our big family get together for a band rehearsal. And it didn't go, like, really great. My brother has a ruptured disk, so he could only play after his pain meds kicked in. (Then he felt so good he rocked the house down and we're lucky no police came.)

My sister has a serious knee problem that needs surgery, so she was on pain meds as well. But the girls in the bands didn't have their words, so we couldn't make it through any song, well, we did get through Amazing Grace forgetting only one verse.

But Sean did amazingly well. Being about the only one (aside from my brother) who was prepared, he entertained us with a couple of fun selections. I love the little Starfish* song by Sister Hazel. It's just a little ditty, but it's cute and fun to sing because it has the Na-Na-Na-Nananana in it.

The food for the weekend was perfect. I made my special chicken drumettes; they have to be marinated for a day, and cooked in a high oven for about 30 minutes, then a low oven for about 2 hours. I don't know why, but everyone loves them. For some reason the outside browns nicely and the inside is very moist.

I did turn my house to smoke though because I had something in the oven earlier that didn't belong in the oven and Des didn't know and he turned the oven on and then we smelled something odd - and ummm, one thing leads to another and soon the house is filled with smoke. That's always fun. But what are you gonna do, you open all the doors and window and continue on from there. There's always a story to tell.

All is all it was a nice weekend, everyone played nicely, no one ran with scissors and all books were returned to the proper places.

Here is the little Starfish song that I like - it's by Sister Hazel, maybe sometime you'll run across some way to hear it and you can think of Sean.

Starfish
- Sister Hazel

I saw a starfish on the ground
He was half buried in the sand
Just so out of place and ahh
He was a long, long way from home

I was a long, long way from home
And so we talked a little while
Then I shook his hands....and i
I was a long, long way from home

And everything is wonderful
When every things alright, so alright
There we were
One less star tonight

Na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na
(repeat)

We thought a better place to go
Might be the top of purple mountains
So close to outer space....and ahh
We were a long, long way from home

Wed bring some records and a game
Might take a walk or read a book
But its not the same....no ahh
Were still a long long way from home
(chorus)

I saw a starfish on the ground
Oh, he was still buried in the sand
Now he's not so all alone
And he's finally going home
So I smiled and I shook his hands....and we were singin'

Na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na
(repeat)

There we were one less star tonight
There we were one more star tonight

Don't keep this secret

Don’t keep this secret

~~Miss Roxie

Walk undaunted
Walk through with no distraction
Of those things that
Would rob you of your joy
Keep focused
On love
On kindness
On your children
Your family
Your friends
Keep focused
On the simple things
The simple gestures
The smiles
The hugs
The pats on the back
People cry out for human touch
without speaking
Hear yourself say
“I love you”
Give away your happiness
If you have too much it might choke you
And you will die a lonely death
Give it away
And it roots strongly
And then returns
A never-ending vine
That produces the fruit of survival

Transendental Medication

Ommmm. Ommmm.
I am sitting in the stillness. Enjoying the calm of my being. Being one with the -
(Get off my lap you ridiculous cat!)
Ommmm. Ommmm.
I am expanding my spine and allowing the universe to flow through my being - I'm one with the
(rinnnnng. rinnnng. Hi Mom. No. I didn't forget my phone. I have it. No. That must be someone else's phone. That's okay, Mom. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye.)
Ommmm. Ommmm.
I am breathing deeply. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Ex - sput
(Psst 'chew. Sputter. Eh'eh' cough, cough..gosh I really need to vacuum up this cat hair. Let me just do that now....
MMMMMMMMMMM. sound of vacuum. Resume to stillness)
Ommmmm. Ommmm.
I am challenging my being to call it's calmness from within. My head expands in lightness and touches the ceiling lifting itself to...
(Wow. Is that a cob web? That ceiling fan is sure dusty. I didn't realize that one light bulb was out. Where is my duster? I think I put it in the pantry. That reminds me...I need to buy some more cereal and I should go ahead and put the enchiladas in the oven. I wonder what time Ugly Betty reruns are on? No, that was last night. Is this garbage night? No, Saturday is garbage night. Is this Saturday? Oh, it's Friday! I should have rented a movie yesterday. I needed to go to the bank! drat, I forgot. It's raining! Yay! I need to treat myself to a pedicure. Where did I leave my keys? I really need to transplant those impatients. Wasn't that nice of Cindy to give me that Aloe plant? And in a pot already)
Ommmmmm. Ommmmmm. O forget this. My neck is cramped already.

Have a nice day.

~~Miss Roxie

What if these were 'really' hard times?

The drought remains constant. We pray for rain everyday. We think, 'no really, it can't go on...and on.' And then more fires, more smoke, and no constant rain. There are places that have rain, that is bursts of rain that are loud and thunderous and then...gone. The grass is parched looking, the flowers are drooping and each of us finds a unique way to catch free water. From the overflow of the air conditioner, even though we've set the temperature up to save money, we placed a bucket under the overflow pipe to catch the water for the flowers. It's amazing how much water you can get for 'free.'

I think, does this unusual dry spell mean that the hurricanes will bare down hard on us this year? Does one nature catastrophe follow another? I know one thing for sure, and that is, I will be buying my hurricane supplies early. I will not be caught up in the midst of the chaos _that will_ happen when we are told the hurricane is making landfall by midnight. People here just floor me about that issue of not preparing. I know there are some things you might not be able to do until the last minute, but heavens, know where you live and take the time to prepare. (I'm not sure why I live in a hurricane zone, anyway. It just worked out that way. I was born here.)

Our gas prices are over $3.00 a gallon.

Bread is so expensive you feel guilty renting a movie.

Milk (which I don't drink) is $3.39 in my area.

Lettuce is $1.49 for a head of Green Lettuce. Spinach is $2.00 a bag for the store brand. Organic spinach is $2.00 a bag for half the amount (5 ounces).

I am enjoying my homegrown tomatoes, though! And I will have to pick them tonight as there is big wind coming right now.

I think I'll go outside and walk in the grass. I've read it's good for your health. I've been having this real problem with fatigue and nothing seems to be wrong medically so I'm changing my schedule all around to see if I can jump start my inner child.

Here comes the train. Think I'll run out and watch it go by.

I saw this over at Bona Vita Rusticanda and it looked like fun.

The task plays out like this:

1. Grab the book closest to you
2. Open it to page 161
3. Find the fifth full sentence
4. Post the text of the sentence to your blog
5. Don't search around for the coolest book you have, use the one that is really next to you.

The book on the computer desk is The Poems of Tennyson.

Page 161 just happens to have a book mark in it. The sentence reads,

"What hope is there for modern rhyme..."

Okay. Well. There it is ...

My blog print

My blog print test.

Okay. I don't know....

I read this, below, this morning about insects. I mean, I had just recently told someone that even though hurricanes are bad - we can't hate them exactly because they belong to the earth and it's way of doing things, and we just happen to live on the earth and so we are in the way of the earth cleansing itself. (well, it made sense to me at the time),
anyway,
so this morning in my mailbox, I received this about insects:

Insects "bug" us for shelter, water, or food, but they can also come into our lives to bring us a message. Though many cultures have decided what insects represent to them, you may be able to decipher their message just by thinking about their attributes.

For example, bees may be telling you to communicate psychically with your family or to spread your talents like pollen. Their buzzing could be warning you about someone who could sting you or reminding you to stop and smell the flowers. Once you get their message, they may leave on their own. But if they don't, you may want to spend a few days patiently inviting them to leave. In meditation or aloud, explain that this is your home and that the insect world is outdoors.

While you understand their hunger and thirst, you will provide them with a designated place outside. Be sure to offer them appropriate food and make a commitment to replenish the supply regularly. You can even make a ceremony of it: Choose a time such as suns! et every Sunday, or every full moon, then create a line of demarcation around your home with sage or by sprinkling some herbs before giving your offering. This serves the dual purpose of keeping your bargain with your insect neighbors and keeping you in sync with nature's cycles.

I mean ...well, yes, they do live on the earth. And I do believe that all things are connected - but when I thought all things, I wasn't thinking I could tell the ants to leave and I would feed them on the border of my property ...

I did have an intervention with a spider once. He was huge! He was in my tub and I didn't want to kill him; I wanted to put him in a glass jar and take him outside and let him go. It was a chasing game. Then I said - to the spider - "Look. I just want to take you outside. If you get in this jar, I'll take you outside and let you go."

Now, I'm not kidding on this part -- the spider got in the jar. Just walked right in. I took him outside and let him go.

I might try talking to the ants.

That Smile of Yours goes deep

Today I had a procedure done that I didn't think one had unless one has sorely neglected their teeth. Which I had not.

I visited a dentist here, because we have moved here, and he informed me I needed a deep cleaning done on my bottom row of teeth. Call me an idiot, but I really thought the guy was just trying to make money!

I had, after all, been having my teeth cleaned twice a year for 30 years, okay, missed one last year because of the move, but still! I brush regularly, floss many times, use mouthwash now and then and am very concerned about not having bad breath! And now I find out that I need a deeper cleaning than the normal cleaning?

And, or course, the deeper cleaning is more expensive than the normal cleaning.

so, I asked a few questions and he told me an earful that all sounded like they answered themselves with 'you better do this' ....it's the whole prevention philosophy. And I am down with that. I don't want to deal with my teeth falling out and smelling badly.

So - the cost to me was $150.00 with my insurance. And should you need some antibiotic placed in any of the pockets that's a smooth $60.00 each pocket. I passed on the antibiotics but I'll be having a crown put in soon, so if I need it, they will catch it then.

The crown with my insurance will be $600 and something. I think $40.00, but can't remember right off. All paid up front.

They have a new medical credit card that they offer you now -- 11% interest. But when you think about it, it might be better to pay on time than to set yourself up for future health problems with your teeth if you don't have the bucks of dollars up front.

By 4:30 , I had it done. I had to have one more shot than the normal 2 on each side that they give you because, they said, apparently, the nerve on my left side is off somewhere it shouldn't be. But whether that statement makes sense to anyone, it does make sense to me.

So 5 shots - and a lot of sound being made - rinsing and you are done. You can't spit for 24 hours (so how do I brush my teeth? I don't know?)

Hopefully, I am on my way to better health. Because the gig is that if your body has to constantly deal with all that bacteria under your gums, I guess your lymph system could get taxed and tired and not fight other illness as well?

Funny thing is, a lot of people I have spoken to have not heard of this cleaning unless it's done to someone who has peridontal disease. That's why I think this is a preventive step and I like that.

The Artic Seal comes to Florida

An Artic Seal got off the beaten path and was finally captured in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He was first discovered just a mile from my house. This link shows him in the person's yard. He didn't survive his capture. He died May 9th after being taken to SeaWorld. They did everything they could.

It was reported that he appeared sickly when he was first spotted. One paper reported that after an autopsy is done, they may find some clues about how he got here, but most papers are reporting that's is doubtful anyone will know for sure.

He probably got lost or disoriented or ate some bad food, didn't feel good and just got lost. Bless his little heart. He was a long, long way from home.

“This is the first time we have had a bearded seal show up in Florida,” said Kim Amendola, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration spokeswoman. She said their typical habitat is north of Newfoundland." ....

Trotting fast

Ben Franklin said something about a person not getting up early causes them to trot fast - I guess I'm trotting fast. At least when I'm not tripping over myself.

What's new?

1. We have a water shortage in our area of South Florida. There are fires in the area. Our skies are filled with smoke today. We all have watering schedules .

"Even if Florida receives average rainfall this summer, that won’t be enough to break the drought if the wet months are followed by unseasonably dry weather. In the last 18 months, South Florida has received just 49.31 inches of rain, almost 17 inches less than the 30-year average of expected rainfall."

We need rain. Hopefully, we won't get it in the form of a hurricane. But, this is South Florida, so you never know.

My brother in law works for the company that acquired the contract to fix Lake Okeechobee, the "liquid heart" of South Florida.

All I know is, the weather seems to be crazy everywhere.

2. Jacob ( three year old nephew) is officially PT. (Potty Trained.) He was 3 last October. And for three straight weeks, he's shown us he has it under control.

It took a unified effort on all fronts. A command decision came from the top that there were no more Pull-Ups. He was told this - and oh my, it seemed to be the thing that worked. He is the one who delivered this information to me, regarding the pull ups being 'no more', and his face was just very concerned about the situation.

In the meantime, I had been not making a big deal out of anything. Kind of a don't ask, don't tell, kind of a situation. I'd put him in a pull up at the beginning of the day, and then just turn him back in, at the end of day -- with the same pull up. Sometimes it was wet, but a lot of the times it was dry. And he was with me for 5 hours.

But here's the thing that gave him away. Gave him away that he was, indeed very much in control all on his own. Last March 30th I went to a concert with my brother and sister in law. As we were sharing a bite to eat before the concert, I told them a story of what their son had done earlier that day.

I'll make it short here, but he had been scolded by me for his actions regarding wasting some food in a careless way. I told him I was not happy with what he had done. He immediately said, "I have to go pee pee." H ran to the potty, sat and pee-peed, (I was right behind him by now), threw out his arms opened wide and declared with a very big smile -- "Are you happy now???"

His mother and I were convinced at that point that, yes, this child had it very much under (his own) control.

And it looks like at this point he has made the decision. It's all old hat to him now. Like he discovered the concept, like it was his own idea. Quite funny, the human being.

3. More later. I'm late, as always. Oh - I am going to try something as an effort to get things done and work on the positive side of being positive. I'm making a list of thirty things I want to do - and doing one each day. (It'll probably take me 30 days to make the list). The challenge of this list is - that if you put something on the list like - oh say, 'don't lie' - that you will find yourself faced with many opportunities to lie. And if you say, 'don't yell', or anything like that - there will come before you, these situations to challenge your conquest!

Kind of like my theory about buying a Honda. Once you buy a Honda, you notice all the Hondas on the road.

So then peace to you all today ---if you wish to experience peace, you must extend peace to others. Make your surroundings peaceful.

A peace above all earthly dignities, A still and quiet conscience.
~ William Shakespeare

Be yourself

...there is not another person more qualified for the job.

Wisdom of the Elders

Some parts of my family are in a real turmoil right now. I can't do anything about it except listen. It's not a problem that money could solve.

Today my mom, who is 78 told me she has learned that even the very worst things work themselves out. Someone was upset with her because she wasn't acting more upset about the situation. They were getting weary of her saying, "Things will work out. It all will be fine." But she says she has learned that it will.

She has spent many years upsetting herself over the problems of others. And she just doesn't do that anymore. To some, it appears that she doesn't care. I have felt that way myself. But what she is doing is not getting herself 'all worked up' like she used to.

She says she has looked back and seen many, many times that she has had to increase her blood pressure medication, or not slept, or lost weight, or some other dreadful thing over things going on around her, and then they have worked themselves out. Maybe not like she wanted them to, but they worked out.

So, 'no more' she says. No more getting all worked up over things. She just encourages people to look on the bright side, be thankful for what you have, and stop complaining.

She has made much progress.