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 |  My Blog....Pearls of wisdom and/or foolish mutterings.....You be the judge.... |
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A little of this, a dash of that......epic mood swings.......A LOT of foolish mutterings and occasionally a few words of wisdom. It's a crapshoot. You never know what you'll find in here... |
I've been reading blogs this morning and it seems that today is quite the introspective day in Blogville. Not a bad thing - a little introspection is good for the soul. I also came across a couple of entries that I absoluely must pass along. The first one is rather ironic, given the fact that in my previous blog, I "threw down the gauntlett", as Deelyte- Chillin'  quite succinctly put it to Eric Wharton  . My dare to him was to give me an entry to "argue" with him about. Of course, this was all done"tongue in cheek", because he and I had such a rousing good time last week throwing barbs back and forth over the Yankee vs Texan thing.I'll be darned if he didn't go and get all philosophical on me instead. His blog was the first one I read this morning and I found it to be so inspiring that I can't help but pass it on. As you'll read in my comment to him, his entry couldn't have been more timely for me personally. So without further ado, here is the link to his blog. It's today's entry entitled "Here's to the Crazy Ones" - check it out, you'll be glad you did.
Then I wandered on over to Deelyte- Chillin' 's blog because she always entertains me and never ceases to amaze me, which she did - again - this morning. Plus, she's a fellow Texan - need I say more? In her entry for today, I found this nifty little survey, which I took and I hope you will all take as well. I think the results could be quite enlightening. Here's the link to the survey:"Invalid Item"  by A Guest Visitor My next port of call was ShellySunshine - again, someone who inspires me every day - and what did I find? More introspection. Now, Michelle tends to be very introspective anyway, but today's entry was special. Like her. In case you haven't caught on by now, I think I've managed quite well to avoid my own little trip to introspection by focusing on others who have done it so well today. I think I'll leave it at that for now.  |
| I have one question to ask. Where is Eric Wharton when I need someone to take issue with? Here I am, all fired up to match wits with a worthy opponent and that sneaky Yankee is hiding out somewhere. Eric, just because I had to leave town for a day or two for a family function doesn't mean I was finished trading witty barbs with you. I've been checking your blog faithfully every day and... nothing. Come on, man, give me some material to work with here. Post something, anything. I'll find an opposing point of view to present. Just throw something out there. You know how it goes--iron sharpens iron. Come out, come out, wherever you are... ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
| I have two "Olivia-isms" to tell you about before I forget them. While we were in Llano for the 50th anniversary party, Olivia was in her element. That kid is never at a loss for words. She's not even four-years-old yet (she will be 4 on Saturday) and she has the poise and the nerve of ...... well, someone much older. She asked me (again) how old I am. I think she just likes to make me say it. I told her I am 50. She said, "Well, I'm glad you're not 100, 'cause you'd be dead for sure." Totally dead-pan delivery. I said to her, "You think so, huh?" She said, "Oh, I'm sure of it." Later that day, she told the same thing to my sister-in-law after asking how old she was. She was sure that time too. The day of the party, Olivia was in the room with me as I was getting dressed. At first, I had on a broomstick skirt and a lacy tank-style blouse.Olivia really liked that outfit because she loves dresses and skirts - total girly-girl, that one. But I didn't like it much, so I changed. It was a casual affair, so I changed to white cuffed linen shorts with a hot pink polka-dot blouse. Olivia was quick to tell me she thought the skirt was prettier. I asked her how I looked in the new outfit. She studied me for a few beats and then said, "We-ell, a bit over-done, I think." Where does she come up with this stuff? |
| I've been writing all this gut-wrenching stuff lately and I feel a need to laugh. Of course, it's more fun when others laugh with you, so I want to tell you all a little story... or two... maybe more. Just depends on where my fingers take me on this keyboard. I have a very good friend who is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. She's the kind of person that you want to be friends with from the moment you meet her. She can make you feel good about yourself just by being in the same room with her. For the sake of anonymity, let's call her Anna Austin. The story I'm about to tell you happened many years ago, but it hasn't lost a bit of its hilarity over the years. Whenever the group of friends we are both a part of gets together, we always make her tell this story and we all laugh like we're hearing it for the first time. It's that funny. Anna and her husband--let's call him Jim--had been needing a freezer for a while. They decided to take advantage of an offer that was quite popular for a time where you purchase certain grocery items (beef, chicken, vegetables) in bulk from a certain company and the company gives you a freezer for buying from them. Anna and Jim sat down with the salesman to fill out their grocery order. The order completed, delivery of the freezer and food was scheduled for a few days later and all was well. The company made good on their delivery promise, however as Anna was going through the freezer checking her order, she discovered that she had received much more chicken than she had ordered. Since Anna and Jim were not big chicken-eaters and much preferred beef, Anna called the salesman to inform him of the mistake. He apologized for the mix-up and said it was easily rectified. He advised her to count the number of chicken packages--categorizing them by type--and give him a call back. So, Anna dutifully counted the number of packages of chicken breasts, chicken thighs, etc. She called the salesman back to report to him. When the receptionist answered the phone, she spoke so quickly that Anna wasn't sure she had dialed the right number. But when she asked to speak with the salesman by name, she was quickly transferred so assumed she did indeed dial correctly. The phone rang several times at the other end of the connection. Finally a man answered with "This is Bob, how may I help you?" To which Anna said, "This is Anna Austin. I have 8 breasts and 13 thighs." There was a very long pause on the other end of the line. And then a little longer pause. Finally, "Bob" came back with, "Well, Ms. Austin, I'm not quite sure how you'd like me to help you with that." Anna, speedy-quick on the uptake, replied, "Is this Bob's Meat Market?" To which Bob responded, "No, this is Holy Redeemer Methodist Church. I'm Pastor Bob Smith." Now, as I've told you, Anna is one of the sweetest people I have ever known. Since this was in the days long before caller ID, I would have hung up as quickly as possible. Anna is too sweet to do that. She spent the next ten minutes on the phone with Pastor Bob trying to explain her mistake. I'm not sure Pastor Bob ever believed she was anything more than a crack-pot. Pastor Bob, if you're out there somewhere reading this, I promise you, she really was talking about chicken. |
I've been busy today transcribing my hand-written musings from a spiral notebook onto my laptop so I could post them on here. Having accomplished that (at least partly), I have a few new items in a new folder that I'd love for you to take a look at. Once again, I must warn you these aren't feel-good items, but that seems to be where my head is at the moment. If you'd like to read, here are the links:
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| Hubby and I (along with our very energetic grandkids and their exhausted parents) just returned tonight from the trip to the Hill Country to attend the 50th anniversary party I wrote about a couple of days ago. It was a wonderful trip, complete with a mini family reunion, lots of family memories relived and a much needed break from the hustle and bustle of big-city-life. I really am a city girl, but even I can appreciate the laid-back pace and friendliness of small towns. Seems the older I get, the more I appreciate that kind of life. The anniversary party was lovely. I came home with lots and lots of pictures. Here's one of the lovely couple: ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Their names are Rudy and Nita. They really are lovely people and I don't just say that because they are family. You'd all like them - they're just good people, as we say here in Texas. I realized that night, that the anniversary party was special for so many reasons. I started thinking about how many couples were there who had been married for many, many years and I was astonished. Here's a quick list off the top of my head: Nita and Rudy - 50 years Me and Hubby - 31 years Rudy and Nita's son and daughter-in-law (Ron & Carol)- 23 years Carol's mom and dad - 67 years! Hubby's sister, Maxine and her husband, Roy - 41 years Hubby's cousin, Johnny and his wife, Janice - 35 years Hubby's cousin, Lynn and his wife, Janice - 40 years That's just the couples I know about. I may be off by a year of two on some of the ones I listed, but I'm in the general area with my numbers. I'm sure there were others there who have been married a long time, but since I didn't know many of the people there, I'm certain to have missed quite a few of them. Sitting in that room, surrounded by such joy and celebration, considering the longevity of so many relationships, I suddenly didn't mind the fact that I'm getting older. I felt proud to be a part of that group of couples who had weathered the storms of marriage and just life in general and somehow stayed married. And I'm not bragging. I realize that my husband and I, like all the other long-married couples, are blessed beyond measure to have made it as far as we have. Marriage is certainly no picnic, it's hard, hard work. But I love having so much history with one person. And I love having that long history with his family, too. I liked being able to sit with all those people I love and share memories and say, "Hey, remember when......." There was so much joy this weekend. It was good for me to remember that life isn't always about trials and tribulations. Sometimes it's about celebrating and reminiscing and just being plain happy for however long that moment lasts. I hope I will remember to grab on to those happy moments and hang on for the ride. And that I'll know when that moment is over, sooner or later, there will be another one and they are worth waiting for. |
| Just a quick note to let everyone know that I may be a little scarce on here for the next several days. Hubby and I loaded up my Durango today with two daughters, three grandchildren and as much luggage as we could shove in on top of everyone and headed to the Hill Country. My wonderful sister-in-law and her hubby are celebrating fifty years of marriage this weekend with a big party (now that's cause for a party, don't you think?) I got a chance to check emails tonight and got the wonderful news that ShellySunshine has sponsored me as a WDC Rising Star - I am so excited abot that! I barely made it through my emails before Hubby stumbled into bed and now I'm keeping him awake, so can't get a lot more done on here tonight. I'll catch up on blogs and emails once I'm back in Houston on Sunday night. I'll miss you guys! Everyone be sure to give Eric Wharton a hard time for me while I'm gone.  Keep him on his toes.Later!  |
| I got so busy reading blogs and then defending the honor of fellow Texans last night against that wicked Northerner Eric Wharton that my poor little ole blog has gone neglected for a few days. I don't really have much to say this morning--nothing of much import, at any rate, but that rarely stops me. I can always scare up a hundred words or so. Speaking of words, I think Hubby O'Mine is catching on to this obsession of mine. He told me last night before he went to sleep that he loves me more than words. I didn't know if he realized what he said or he just didn't finish his sentence, but when I snapped my head around to see the smile on his face, I knew. He said exactly what he meant, because he knows how much I love words. I told him that was the sweetest thing he's ever said to me. He said, "I have my moments." Awwwwww. I think he may be trying to make up for the other day when I told him that I wanted to move the window A/C unit from the upstairs bedroom down to our bedroom so that I could sleep better. You see, it's these stupid hot flashes. aarrrgghhhh! For the first time in our married life, Hubby sleeps huddled under the covers, while I sleep with only a corner of a sheet covering maybe a half-inch section of one leg. I bought a super-sonic high-speed fan that will blow the hair off your head. I sleep with that fan on blow-you-outta-the-bed speed with it aimed directly at me. And, of course, this is Texas, and Houston on top of that, so we do have central air that is always on. You would think all of that would be enough. But no, not with these hot flashes straight from the pit of hell. So, I mentioned to Hubby that I wanted to put the window unit in our bedroom so I could at least be cool at night. To which he replied, "Oh you'll never be cool enough." I just looked at him with not quite a death stare but something approaching that. He tried again. "Well, you'll have to switch sides of the bed with me so you'll be by the window. You already freeze me out in there." Okay, now it was time for the death stare. I was about to wish a curse of never-ending hot flashes on him, when he relented. "Of course I'll move the A/C if you want me to--that's no problem." Ah, a life saved at the very last moment. And he wonders why I do things like burn his naked butt with a hair dryer. The man just doesn't know when to let things go unsaid. |
| I got this email from an old friend the other day (and by old, I mean we've been friends for a very long time - since 8th grade, not old as in she is decrepit or anything like that - although we both are what you might call QUASI-OLD). Anyway, it had some of the most bizarre questions in it that I just couldn't resist sharing it with you, my lovely friends throughout the world. I've included my answers. IF YOU DARE..... do the email thing, copy and paste into your own blog and answer the questions. I have to warn you though, it became a contest my friend and I to see who could come up with the cleverest answers. You have been warned. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ODD Things about you! If you opened this, FILL IT OUT! Learn things about your friends and let them learn things about you! 1. Do you like blue cheese? No, I like yellow cheese. That is the color cheese is supposed to be—not blue (or bleu), not white—yellow. Just yellow. 2. Have you ever smoked heroin? What kind of question is this? Are you smoking crack?? 3. Do you own a gun? YES with a red dot scope. And I’m a good shot. As long as what I’m shooting at is standing still and has red circles on it (as in – bullseye). 4. Your favorite song? My current favorite is anything by Sarah Bariellas – thanks to my niece, Lyssa. 5. Do you get nervous before Dr appointment? No, but I will next year when I have to do that colon thing. 6. What do you think of hot dogs? I think hot dogs are fine, as long as they remember their place and don’t get out of line. I hate when they start acting all uppity and trying to be something they’re not, like when they try to be a real meal, instead of a meal-in-a-pinch or a baseball game or movie food. And I don’t like it when they get all dressed up and wear little furry hats with pom-poms on top – that’s just wrong. I also don’t like it when they act like they’re better than their cousins, cocktail wieners. 7. Favorite Christmas song? Anything I can sing in front of a crowd with a microphone in my hand. 8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Very cold water—lots of it. I get very thirsty during the night. Apparently I work hard at sleeping. 9. Can you do push ups? Ha! I can’t even do push UP.. 10. What is your favorite piece of jewelry? Okay, a more serious vein for this question – my new wedding ring that Charles bought for me in Santa Fe – it is BEE-U-TI-FUL!!!. 11. What is your favorite hobby? Actually my favorite hobby is to do nothing and then to rest afterward, but if you’re looking for a hobby with some activity in it, then it would be scrapbooking. I would say writing, but that is an obsession, not a hobby. 13. Do you have A.D.D? No, why do you ask? 14. What one trait do you hate about yourself? The fact that I am not a millionaire. Oh yeah, and I’m under-tall for my weight. 15. Middle Name? Wouldn’t you like to know? I’ll give you a hint – it starts with Kay. 16. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment. I’m hungry. There are strawberries in the fridge. And whipped cream. 17. Name 3 things you bought yesterday: Just three? 18. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Water, tea and diet coke 19. Current worry right now? Oh puh-leaze, I thought this was going to be a FUN email! 20. Current hate right now? I hate when some stranger walks by me on the street and just reaches over and clobbers me for no reason at all. Don’t you? And I don’t hate her, but I’m not fond of Oprah. I like Dr. Phil though. 21. Favorite place to be? Resting… see # 11 22. How did you bring in the New Year? It’s a new year already? When did that happen? 23. Where would you like to go? All the way to Tide Country 24. Name three people who will complete this: My sister Kathy, Nancy Staudt and ….. my niece(s), Shannon, Karey and Lyssa. Yeah, I know that’s more than 3, but I counted my nieces as one because nieces is one word.. Maybe others, I can’t be sure. If I didn’t call your name, don’t get all offended or anything. Just be a little quicker answering next time I send you something like this and maybe next time I will put your name down as one of the three who will complete this. And Congratulations to the three (five) winners today. 25. Do you own slippers? Slippers? No. I own house-shoes, but I don’t wear them. Well I wear them when we have our two weeks of winter in Houston, but that doesn’t really count, does it? 26. What shirt are you wearing? A shirt I bought yesterday – polka dots – really cute. You’d like it, I’m sure. And polka-dots are really “in” this season.. 27. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? No and if you have ever slept on satin sheets, you probably didn’t like it either. . 28. Can you whistle? No, of course not. But my husband can – he can whistle a whole repertoire of songs completely off-key, never once lighting upon the correct note. 29. Favorite color? Pink. And my sister’s favorite color is……. Are you ready for this?........ BROWN 30. Would you be a pirate? Oh sure, why not? I’m not doing anything else right now. 31. What songs do you sing in the shower? I don’t sing in the shower. I cry in the shower. Isn’t that what showers are for? 32. Favorite girl's name? Kimberly – duh! 33. Favorite boy's name? okay, seriously, Aiden 34. What's in your pocket right now? air 35. Last thing that made you laugh? #29 36. Best bed sheets as a child? Oh come on, how many of you people have heard about my childhood? This question is just so wrong. 37. Worst injury you've ever had? I was at Schlitterbahn. In the Crystal River. I was hanging on to a tube and kind of walk/floating along. I came around the corner where the water gushes in from the Boogie Bahn and makes you go faster. Just as my speed picked up to a pretty good clip, there was a very large behemoth of a woman just standing there right in front of me. Her feet were planted there – she was not moving AT ALL. As I swept past her, the little baby toe on my left foot caught like the tines of a fork on her Achilles Tendon. She was the immovable force and my baby toe was the tine of the fork that got bent ALL the way back in the opposite direction. I actually heard it C-R-A-C-K under the water, at the same time that I felt it C-R-A-C-K and shoot pain up to my knee. I looked back and she was still just standing there. I went to the first aid station, they taped my toe to the next one and I drug my foot around Schlitterbahn for the rest of the day. It was horrible. Yeah, that’s right. Top that one. 38. Do you love where you live? Yes I do, except for the 11.5 months of unbearable summer 39. How many TVs do you have in your house? Ummmmm…6 40. Who is your loudest friend? I’m the loudest friend 41. How many dogs do you have? One – on loan – don’t ask 42. Does someone have a crush on you? Everyone does. 43. What is your favorite candy? Any candy that doesn’t eat me first 44. What is your favorite Sports Team? Astros 45. What were you doing 12 AM last night? Sleeping 46. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? OMG it’s hot in here! |
I'm feeling a bit... hmmm, what is the word?... a bit... I guess, transparent would be a good word. Yes, I'm feeling a bit transparent today. So, inspired by fellow-writer and better yet, fellow-TEXAN, Deelyte- Chillin' , I have written a short bio. Okay, it's not so short, but it's not overly long either. So if you'd like to give it a gander, please, by all means, take your time. It can be found by following the link below.
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I'm so far right the Tea Party looks like a bunch of hippies!
