The "supervisor" is up to her old tricks again.... with a few new twists and turns .... and I thought my so called friend Bonnie was a hypochondriac! Besides having "food poisoning", she has developed a knot in her lower stomach area above her groin. She has been very explicit in showing all the male officers where her pain flows from that site down her leg. They have said it is TMI (too much information). She is out almost every other day so its hard to keep track of her sick days, but she has been out since Friday. Once again the things she has NOT been doing at work are occuring daily. She has not been taking the released inmates out of two different systems. This messes with our counts which are reported to the state GDC (Ga Dept of Corrections). We get paid subsidies for the inmates. If the GDC starts complaining or complains to the mayor (who she used to work for), he will learn that she is not doing her job correctly. I wonder if anything will be done then?
Now she is supposed to be out "sick" yet she sent me an email at 10:45 a.m. yesterday morning. When I first opened it up, it had some quotes that my friend Anne had sent me not long ago so I almost started to delete it. I read futher down. There was a supposedly funny joke about cannibals eating Democrats. It cost more to eat Democrats. When asked why, it was because they are so dirty, they take all day to clean because they are full of ----! Now I am a Democrat and I took offense to that! Yet I remember when I sent her a funny email about Bush that every other person I sent it to either laughed, passed it on or did nothing but delete it and go about their daily lives. No biggie. Not her. She blasted me in a very long email with big type to let me know she was yelling at me. Like I really cared. I remembered showing her response to some of my friends. No one could believe it. Most had never had anyone respond to them in that manner. I think it said a lot about the person. Arguementative, opinionated, always thinking they are right and everyone else is wrong, a trouble maker, etc.
I almost felt like replying NICELY to tell her I did NOT appreciate that and found it highly offensive, but I would have felt like I was stooping to her and my crazy cuz's level. It was not worth the time and my effort. Like my "friend" Bonnie, she wouldn't be worth the stamp. Besides there is not tellling how she would retaliate. When she returns to work, it would be nit pick on Becky for every little thing.
I told the other ladies in the office about the email, paraphrased the joke. One of them found it just as offensive because she too is a Democrat. Then she told me the Deputy Warden had seen the supervisor out somewhere yesterday. Too bad he didn't have a digital camera with him!
Now she won't be back until the 2nd. We wondered if she "doctored" up her excuse like she has been known to do in the past. I am sure my friend Anne is tired of hearing about her as are all my friends.
I printed the email out later in the afternoon to let the other ladies have a look at it. They could see who all she sent it to; some other co-workers who were probably wondering if she was so sick how could she send them emails; an ex-co-worker who was a point of interest. Others have said she started reverting back into her old patterns when she was called as a witness for his upcoming review board after his firing. She was getting a dr's excuse so she would not have to testify. I saw it as just her being mad at her spouse for something because she was ordering more clothes on the phone at work, having them rush delivered which costs more and not being nice to the person taking her order. Once she receives them, she will probably return them because she is just not a happy person. Then she cussed concerning her son-in-law's response about her disciplining the step-grandchildren by marriage. (Don had said, "Don't you always get grandchildren by marriage?"LOL) Some said she was just all talk. But she hasn't been known to hold her tongue in the past.
We have one more free day until she returns. We will enjoy it while we can. I will be dreading Thursday but praying it will go well.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Can't Cook an Egg
Last night while I was going to make tuna sandwiches, I thought I'd fix myself a boiled egg sandwich. It was not my night to cook. One of the eggs cracked in the boiler so I had to trash it. I fixed another one and it wasn't done when I cracked it. Only one turned out for the tuna. I guess I was not meant to eat a boiled egg sandwich. So I ate tuna.
Epiphany
Friday I had to register Rhett for 4th grade. It was a lot different this time. Less crowded & quiet so we did not see any of his previous teachers which was disappointing. We will attend a tea or a get acquainted thing the day prior to when his classes begin. I will have to get off work early in order to be there at 5 pm which shouldn't be a problem. I just have to take all his new supplies with we go. At least I won't have to buy him clothes since his friend Alex gave him two sackfuls of clothes. (When I think of sackfuls, I think of Krystals which makes me want some right now!) A lot of the clothes are way too big for him. What was Alex's mom thinking when she gave him a pair of size 10 Husky jeans? Rhett will never be husky- thank goodness. We plan to pass those on to Austin if we go up to Indy at the end of August. So I am grateful for the clothes and the $ I will save.
We ate supper at Country's on Broad. The tea they kept bringing us was not sweat. They usually have some of the best tea in town. After the 3rd glass which was still not sweat enough, I finally added a lot of sugar to mine. Rhett even told me to "Stop!" That should have triggered a good Red Lobster memory with my cousins Mike & Ken, but it didn't until I posted this now. I don't mean to complain all the time and get irritated by people who do. I didn't mean to complain about the entire meal, but even the 1,000 island dressing tasted as if they put too much of something in it... like maybe too much ginger? Don complained about the cornbread being small, flat pieces. Rhett got some free cornbread and his was bigger than his Daddy's! Don said the next time we will go to the one on Macon Rd! I should be a food critic. Wonder if it pays anything? Maybe it would involve a free meal. I would love to take cook classes too. If I were a chef, I would not serve measured, measly meals.
Don went to bed early because he had to work the next day. After he went to bed, I attempted my new nail idea... I painted my nails white with the 99 cent nail polish I purchased. After it dried, I put another drop of white on my nail and a drop of what I thought was black, but it was some weird shade of a deep red, purplish color. I took a toothpick and swirled them to get a marbelized effect. Only my right pinkie finger had the effect I had in mind. Maybe I should get a job as a nail tech.... NAH! I did my nails for a little over $2 while others pay $10 or more. Maybe $5 for just polishing.
Sat morning I was playing Book Worm on Rhett's game boy. I got to Super Book Worm level which is the highest you can go on it. I had over 1, 780,000 points and got past level 32! I was so proud of myself. Rhett couldn't believe I got that far. He helped me a little when he saw how far along I was on it. My friend Kevin said that was quite an accomplishment & showed how intelligent I am. WOW!
Then we went to see "Meet the Robinsons" at the cheap movie. It was good. It brought tears to my eyes twice. I wanted to see it because I thought it would be funnier than "Spiderman 3". I simply must stop buying the movie combos and eating ALL the buttered popcorn. I say that every time we go & what do I do... buy the combo.
We came home with another bag of popcorn for Don's supper (Not!). I began re-reading the manual for the digital camera. This time I stayed awake. Rhett nearly drove me up the walls while the battery was charging, making me yell at him. Then we watched the "Princess Diaries 2". We got the camera operating in between commercials. I took some of Rhett, he took one of Don. I wouldn't let him take one of me because I was having a bad hair day. I took several of the collage for the church family that is leaving next month. Rhett took a picture of Blackie, his favorite black bear his Cissy gave him and his lamb clan. I took pictures of my new polish I did and my toe nails Tatum painted. I love the fact that I can delete the bad phots. Just happy I got it working.
Sun afternoon I worked more on the collage. Since I'd broken my toe, I didn't feel like working on it. I don't want to feel rushed to finish it, but some of the people are not leaving until 8/18. As I was stategically placing pieces, I had an epiphany... instead of filling in ALL the white spaces, why not let the other members sign their names when we give it to them? I asked my friend Nancy who helped me with it what she thought of the idea and she liked it. Don also liked it as does the preacher's wife.
I'd shown the picture of the collage to t Larry, our preacher after the evening service. He really liked the black and white section in the middle of the collage. With this new camera, I can make him a copy of it - after I figure out how to print them!
Tiffany liked my nails and asked me how I did them like that.
Maybe it was a good thing I didn't work on the collage any more because I had 2 sharp bladder pains that had me sitting up straight on the couch. After the 2nd one, I took a Vesicare. So my epiphany sounds even better now!
We ate supper at Country's on Broad. The tea they kept bringing us was not sweat. They usually have some of the best tea in town. After the 3rd glass which was still not sweat enough, I finally added a lot of sugar to mine. Rhett even told me to "Stop!" That should have triggered a good Red Lobster memory with my cousins Mike & Ken, but it didn't until I posted this now. I don't mean to complain all the time and get irritated by people who do. I didn't mean to complain about the entire meal, but even the 1,000 island dressing tasted as if they put too much of something in it... like maybe too much ginger? Don complained about the cornbread being small, flat pieces. Rhett got some free cornbread and his was bigger than his Daddy's! Don said the next time we will go to the one on Macon Rd! I should be a food critic. Wonder if it pays anything? Maybe it would involve a free meal. I would love to take cook classes too. If I were a chef, I would not serve measured, measly meals.
Don went to bed early because he had to work the next day. After he went to bed, I attempted my new nail idea... I painted my nails white with the 99 cent nail polish I purchased. After it dried, I put another drop of white on my nail and a drop of what I thought was black, but it was some weird shade of a deep red, purplish color. I took a toothpick and swirled them to get a marbelized effect. Only my right pinkie finger had the effect I had in mind. Maybe I should get a job as a nail tech.... NAH! I did my nails for a little over $2 while others pay $10 or more. Maybe $5 for just polishing.
Sat morning I was playing Book Worm on Rhett's game boy. I got to Super Book Worm level which is the highest you can go on it. I had over 1, 780,000 points and got past level 32! I was so proud of myself. Rhett couldn't believe I got that far. He helped me a little when he saw how far along I was on it. My friend Kevin said that was quite an accomplishment & showed how intelligent I am. WOW!
Then we went to see "Meet the Robinsons" at the cheap movie. It was good. It brought tears to my eyes twice. I wanted to see it because I thought it would be funnier than "Spiderman 3". I simply must stop buying the movie combos and eating ALL the buttered popcorn. I say that every time we go & what do I do... buy the combo.
We came home with another bag of popcorn for Don's supper (Not!). I began re-reading the manual for the digital camera. This time I stayed awake. Rhett nearly drove me up the walls while the battery was charging, making me yell at him. Then we watched the "Princess Diaries 2". We got the camera operating in between commercials. I took some of Rhett, he took one of Don. I wouldn't let him take one of me because I was having a bad hair day. I took several of the collage for the church family that is leaving next month. Rhett took a picture of Blackie, his favorite black bear his Cissy gave him and his lamb clan. I took pictures of my new polish I did and my toe nails Tatum painted. I love the fact that I can delete the bad phots. Just happy I got it working.
Sun afternoon I worked more on the collage. Since I'd broken my toe, I didn't feel like working on it. I don't want to feel rushed to finish it, but some of the people are not leaving until 8/18. As I was stategically placing pieces, I had an epiphany... instead of filling in ALL the white spaces, why not let the other members sign their names when we give it to them? I asked my friend Nancy who helped me with it what she thought of the idea and she liked it. Don also liked it as does the preacher's wife.
I'd shown the picture of the collage to t Larry, our preacher after the evening service. He really liked the black and white section in the middle of the collage. With this new camera, I can make him a copy of it - after I figure out how to print them!
Tiffany liked my nails and asked me how I did them like that.
Maybe it was a good thing I didn't work on the collage any more because I had 2 sharp bladder pains that had me sitting up straight on the couch. After the 2nd one, I took a Vesicare. So my epiphany sounds even better now!
Thursday, July 26, 2007
A Quoteful Day
My toe is much better today. My mom got a new digitial camera and gave it to me to figure out how to work it. When we got home after church, I was sitting on Don's side of the couch because his still reclines. I fell asleep reading the manual!
I removed the nail polish on my fingernails but still have Tatum's polishing on my toes. Bought some pink & blue nail polish at the $1 store yesterday. I have an idea I am going to try... marbelized looking nail polish. Hope it works...
Quotes of the day:
Happiness... comes in our lives through doors we didn't even remember leaving open.
~Rose Lane~
When someone wants to do something nice for you, let them.
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-
(As I did today when an officer gave me a $1 to buy me a drink with for bringing him his lunch.)
Bureaucrats write memoranda both because they appear to be busy when they are writing and because the memos, once written, immediately become proof that they were busy.
-Charles Peters-
Do not bite at the bait of pleasure till you know there is no hook beneath it.
-Thomas Jefferson-
Don't do what you want. Do what you don't want. Do what you're trained not to want. Do the things that scare you the most.
-Chuck Palahniuk-
Speak when you are angry -- and you will make the best speech you'll ever regret.
-Laurence J. Peter-
Don't flatter yourself that friendship authorizes you to say disagreeable things to your intimates. The nearer you come into relation with a person, the more necessary do tact and courtesy become. Except in cases of necessity, which are rare, leave your friend to learn unpleasant things from his enemies; they are ready enough to tell them.
-Oliver Wendell Holmes-
...laughter can be said to rememdy anything. -Kurt Vonnegut-
You have no control over what the other guy does. You only have control over what you do.
-A. J. Kitt-
Never trouble another for what you can do for yourself.
-Thomas Jefferson-
Remember that sitting in a comfortable chair with a good book is still one of life's least expensive and most enjoyable experiences.
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-
Think something good... now share it. -Peter R. Stone-
It is never to late to become what you might have been. -George Eliot-
The game of life is a game of boomerangs. Our thoughts, deeds and words return to us sooner or later, with astounding accuracy.
~Florence Sovel Shin~
Resign fromt the impossible job of trying to keep everyone happy.
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-
I removed the nail polish on my fingernails but still have Tatum's polishing on my toes. Bought some pink & blue nail polish at the $1 store yesterday. I have an idea I am going to try... marbelized looking nail polish. Hope it works...
Quotes of the day:
Happiness... comes in our lives through doors we didn't even remember leaving open.
~Rose Lane~
When someone wants to do something nice for you, let them.
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-
(As I did today when an officer gave me a $1 to buy me a drink with for bringing him his lunch.)
Bureaucrats write memoranda both because they appear to be busy when they are writing and because the memos, once written, immediately become proof that they were busy.
-Charles Peters-
Do not bite at the bait of pleasure till you know there is no hook beneath it.
-Thomas Jefferson-
Don't do what you want. Do what you don't want. Do what you're trained not to want. Do the things that scare you the most.
-Chuck Palahniuk-
Speak when you are angry -- and you will make the best speech you'll ever regret.
-Laurence J. Peter-
Don't flatter yourself that friendship authorizes you to say disagreeable things to your intimates. The nearer you come into relation with a person, the more necessary do tact and courtesy become. Except in cases of necessity, which are rare, leave your friend to learn unpleasant things from his enemies; they are ready enough to tell them.
-Oliver Wendell Holmes-
...laughter can be said to rememdy anything. -Kurt Vonnegut-
You have no control over what the other guy does. You only have control over what you do.
-A. J. Kitt-
Never trouble another for what you can do for yourself.
-Thomas Jefferson-
Remember that sitting in a comfortable chair with a good book is still one of life's least expensive and most enjoyable experiences.
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-
Think something good... now share it. -Peter R. Stone-
It is never to late to become what you might have been. -George Eliot-
The game of life is a game of boomerangs. Our thoughts, deeds and words return to us sooner or later, with astounding accuracy.
~Florence Sovel Shin~
Resign fromt the impossible job of trying to keep everyone happy.
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Broken Toe
Yesterday I realized if Penny and I lived near each other, it might be hazzardous to our healths because I might bust a gut laughing or we'd laugh ourselves sick - if that were possible.
This morning I KNOW I really broke my little toe this time. As I was walking back into our bedroom from my morning shower, my left pinkie struck the clothes rack! I heard it pop like a pop gun. I didn't scream bloody murder which would have scared Rhett awake. I fell on the bed in pain, but didn't really cry. It was more like dry-heaved tears without the waterworks. Even in my pain, I arose and hobbled around to finish dressing. I called work & told them I would be a little late because I'd broken my toe. Once at work, I waited for the prison nurse to take a gander at my throbbing nub. He was not sure if was broken and the only way to find out is an x-ray which would require going to my regular dr. He gave me several packets of Alleve, tape to wrap it up with and a muscle cream for later tonight. Just one of the good perks of working in a prison. It really, really, really hurts! I KNOW I really broke it this time because of the way it felt when I did it, the sound of it popping, the constant pain, the way the toe itself felt when I touched it, felt it, etc. But I will survive as always.... It is just a broken toe. It could be a lot worse. I am just thankful it is not a deadly disease.
The supervisor is up to her old sicknesses games again. Here I sit at work with my broken toe propped up on my desk. I don't think the tape is tight enough. I took 3 Alleve and it is not throbbing and hurting like it was earlier - thank goodness. I am thankful the pain has subsided. Still I called my dr. I am waiting to hear back from them if they can at least x-ray it and give me something for pain.
Rhett even called to check on me because he was worried about me. Awe. He's such a sweet son. I think I'll keep him. Of course he had to tell me he received a Lego magazine at his grandma's too.
Quote of the Day:
Eat a live toad the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day. -Unknown-
This morning I KNOW I really broke my little toe this time. As I was walking back into our bedroom from my morning shower, my left pinkie struck the clothes rack! I heard it pop like a pop gun. I didn't scream bloody murder which would have scared Rhett awake. I fell on the bed in pain, but didn't really cry. It was more like dry-heaved tears without the waterworks. Even in my pain, I arose and hobbled around to finish dressing. I called work & told them I would be a little late because I'd broken my toe. Once at work, I waited for the prison nurse to take a gander at my throbbing nub. He was not sure if was broken and the only way to find out is an x-ray which would require going to my regular dr. He gave me several packets of Alleve, tape to wrap it up with and a muscle cream for later tonight. Just one of the good perks of working in a prison. It really, really, really hurts! I KNOW I really broke it this time because of the way it felt when I did it, the sound of it popping, the constant pain, the way the toe itself felt when I touched it, felt it, etc. But I will survive as always.... It is just a broken toe. It could be a lot worse. I am just thankful it is not a deadly disease.
The supervisor is up to her old sicknesses games again. Here I sit at work with my broken toe propped up on my desk. I don't think the tape is tight enough. I took 3 Alleve and it is not throbbing and hurting like it was earlier - thank goodness. I am thankful the pain has subsided. Still I called my dr. I am waiting to hear back from them if they can at least x-ray it and give me something for pain.
Rhett even called to check on me because he was worried about me. Awe. He's such a sweet son. I think I'll keep him. Of course he had to tell me he received a Lego magazine at his grandma's too.
Quote of the Day:
Eat a live toad the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day. -Unknown-
Monday, July 23, 2007
Nail Polishing Great Weekend
As always I did not get up early enough on Saturdays to do all the things I need to do esp this Saturday. I took a shower, got our granddaughter Tatum's birthday gifts ready for her 10th birthday party @ 11 am. Instead of her making her a cheesecake which is her favorite, I just wrapped the box it came in. That way she got a gag gift from us. Its sort of an on going joke with us.
Tatum's birthday was different this year which marks that she is growing up before our very eyes. She had a tea/slumber party the night prior to her birthday. I think Rhett was a little disappointed because there were no boys allowed. Elisa said she herself couldn't hang past 2:30 am but she she could still hear the girls throughout the rest of the wee hours of the morning. We played different kinds of games also. One was where we had to put on a young girl's fancy gown, a red boa and a hat then walk as we were on a runway modeling our garb. Even the guys played such as her father, but they couldn't get Paw Paw up there. Most of the men only got the gown over their head and let it stay on clumped up their shoulders, then they threw the boa haphazzardly around their neck and tossed the hat on their heads. If it remained on, they were doing good. I was the last in line on Tatum's team. By being last, I learned, if the other team wins, I don't have to put on all the garb! Lucky me. Same thing happened with the egg toss. Rhett had his own team. He chose his daddy 1st then Sissy had to tell him to pick Tatum. Finally he realized someone was missing and almost near tears said, "I want my momma on my team!" Awe. This is the only time being last has ever paid off for me!
There was a bee problem and several smaller children got stung including Tatum! They were putting Clorox on the stings.
After the party was over with, the family members went inside the house. We watched "Haunted Mansion". Earlier I'd asked Elisa where she got her toe nails painted. She told me Tatum did them the night before. They were turquoise and hot pink. I asked Tatum if she would do mine sometime and she did them right then. The movie was over. Don was ready to go and my toes were wet! I told him he'd have to carry me to the truck. He told me he wouldn't with the shake of his head. I told him I didn't weigh THAT much! Then Tatum started painting my fingernails. I thanked her profusely. I told her I'd make an appointment in a week or so for another polishing. Also I told her I couldn't wait to show them to everyone especially at work.
I carefully carried my pink Keds slip ons to walk barefooted to the truck. Don had pulled it up closer so I wouldn't have to walk across too much hot asphalt and he had the air on inside the cab. Awe. Then we went home to clean up the house for Penny's arrival that night.
In the process of going through old clutter, having a clearing house of clearing out unimportant things such as junk mail, weeding out unneeded words and tossing more stuff, I re-found some of my Becky magnets I'd been thinking of lately. I planned to give one of them to Penny as a birthday gift and one to her mom while they were here. I think this is called serendipity.
By then I had an old new shoe box almost full of paper scraps and other things for the collage I'd worked on all last week late into the night. Of course I had to stand the collage upright muchlike my grandmother would stand her quilts in their wooden frames when we needed the kitchen table free to eat upon. This brought back the memory of the daughters and some granddaughters (not me) sewing a square so they could finish it and stand it upright out of the way. The backing for this particular quilt was navy blue. These quilts were my grandmother's extra source of income. When they stood the frame up against the wall, my mom's white stitches in the corner stood out like a sore thumb. My grandmother did not like it one bit. Under her breath, she said in a not too nice tone, "I'll have to do that one over again." My mom just shrugged as if she didn't really care one way or another. Quilting and playing cards were not my mom's forte. Because my collage was not on the sturdiest of stock, I thought we might have to hang it from a string across the room but luckily it stood up for itself.
Don moved our newest couch so that it enclosed the living room area, making it seem smaller to me. I didn't like it. It made me feel almost clostrophobic after getting accustomed to all that free flowing space. I did work some and rest. Work and rest. Rhett would keep asking me when they were going to get here to the point of getting on my last nerve and I threatened to send him to his room if he didn't stop it. Then I remembered they didn't get back from Hatchachubee until after 10 the last time the attended their family reunion. Despite how much work I accomplished, it didn't hardly put a dent in all that needed to be done. I was getting tired as time passed. Don was about to get up and go to bed when Penny finally called sometime after 10:20 pm.
Penny must have read my mind... or our minds still think alike to this day because we agreed to meet them at their hotel the next evening so the kids could enjoy the pool much to my relief.
I almost beat my highest score on Bookworm before going to sleep that night. I had over 940,000 points. I had no one to share it with because all were asleep except me.
Sunday I showed off my nails at church. I let Larry, our preacher know we'd be seeing Penny later that evening. He was almost as excited as I was. He also reminded me of my friend Claudia, who also had breast cancer. I need to call her or email her to see how she is getting along these days.
Our lunch was just ok. I don't want to go to Golden Coral for a long while. We each paid our respective Sear's bills. I got some new hose. Luckily I remembered in the nick of time that I had another bill due so I paid it by phone when we got back home. Guess my Guardian Angel was looking out for me.
I got all of Penny's gifts together. One was a picture of a house in Savannah, GA that had been in Madge's apartment when she left to live in California. I had some pink socks that looked like high top tennis shoes. One of Penny's nicknames was "Tennis Shoe" because an elderly deaf aunt thought they said that instead of Penny Sue! I had her 2 different kinds of bracelets that Genie and I each have one of also. That sort of makes us the Three Muskateers. I added a special card from Rhett and one from the three of us. Then I packed our bag for Rhett & I to go swimming later.
Another lesson learned: STOP using the Sally Hansen air brush spray on tan for my legs! It is not only on my rug even thought I had a towel down on top of it. I also got it on mine and Rhett's clothes so it made me look dirty, but by then I had not time to change clothes again.
Penny called me on my cell right. I tried to call my folks after the evening service. They must have headed on over to the motel. Now ALL Saturday night I said they were at the DAYS INN on Macon Rd. As we were coming up on it, I just said "There's the Days Inn sign." Don turned into the Comfort Inn instead with no connection or outlet. He gave me a dirty look as if to say it was my fault and that I'd said "Comfort Inn" when I did NOT! So I yelled at him. "Nobody listens to me!" It was not an I feel sorry for myself statement. Just stating a fact. Then Rhett told me he listens to me.
We saw Tom & 2 of the girls walking to the pool. As we came around the back of the motel, I spotted my parent's red Trail Blazer. They were in Margie's room, 313! We hugged and chatted a bit before Rhett & I changed into our swim suits. I couldnt' find the bottoms to my newest one so I had to wear my black & white polka dot 2 piece which Don thought was a 1 piece.
I took several pictures when the camera began rewinding. It said "28" but I don't remember taking that many! Don said he took some at Tatum's birthday party. Luckily I had a disposeable one with me. We simply must get a digital camera soon. Tom demonstrated their Cannon sure shot digital to us. I liked the fact that it will crop your pictures being the scrapbooker that I am.
My folks visited with Margie while we were at the pool. The water was too cold for me so I sat the on the sidelines as always in my Georgia Bulldog beach towel talking to Penny while she was in the pool with the kids splashing. After she got out, we discussed her breast cancer ordeal while Tom & Don bonded in the corner underneath an "I'm available" sign which I photographed.
I think the girls used Rhett's new round, blue float ring with the Walmart smiley faces more than he did. I couldn't get him to sit ontop of it like Grace did and she is younger than him! When he strongly refused, that's when I got out of the pool.
We discussed going to Cici's pizza or ordering in from Domino's. By the time we got inside, changed clothes, found the phone #s we needed, CiCi's was closing @ 9 pm & we would have had only 15 mins to get there. We had a whole herd to organize which I discovered is not an easy feat. The Speakeasy closed at 9 also. Then I remembered Mazzio's. Luckily they were closing at 10 which gave us an hour. Penny's mom had insisted on treating us while she opted to remain in the room to rest. As we were ordering, Sarah was doing a split on the floor. I immediately became my mother. I channeled her voice as I said, "Get up!" Then apologized to Penny for acting like Sarah was one of my own. She just laughed at me. My mom would have called it "mopping up the floor." The pizza was very, very good. I'd forgotten how good it or maybe it was the company. They had Don laughing harder than he's laughed in awhile with the Florida story about the "militia man". I won't even attempt to do it the justice they did with their animations. Or forget about Penny's lead boobs story.
It has been a long while since Penny & I have closed down a joint, but we managed to do it once again just like old times. We took some of them back to the motel in our truck. I had to pee really bad after drinking 2 glasses of Coke! Afterwards I gave Penny her gifts. She loved the framed photo of Savannah, but then she loves anything about Savannah having lived there. She loved the socks and said she has loved ALL the socks I have given her over the years. Luckily I had not given her the silver bracelet or the magnets before so I did good. She had forgotten her own jewelry and was so appreciative of the silver and the brown bracelets to wear.
We took more pictures inside their room. Penny videotaped Rhett talking because she loves to hear his southern accent. It was after 11 when we left. Past Don's bedtime. On the way home, Rhett said he wished he could live with them. I reminded him he would not get to see us. Then he thought about how much he would miss us. He had a hard time going to sleep after all the excitement he had that night. It was a very good day spent with friends we love. One of the best kind.One I will cherish and not forget.
Today I wore a short skirt to work which no one could believe. I showed off my nails proudly. I refused to let people with attitudes rain on my parade in the afterglow of yesterday's memories. Over our busy weekend, I managed to finish reading The Wedding. This book should be mandatory for ALL men to read. I sent out 2 sympathy emails. It has taken me 2 days to write all this!
Tatum's birthday was different this year which marks that she is growing up before our very eyes. She had a tea/slumber party the night prior to her birthday. I think Rhett was a little disappointed because there were no boys allowed. Elisa said she herself couldn't hang past 2:30 am but she she could still hear the girls throughout the rest of the wee hours of the morning. We played different kinds of games also. One was where we had to put on a young girl's fancy gown, a red boa and a hat then walk as we were on a runway modeling our garb. Even the guys played such as her father, but they couldn't get Paw Paw up there. Most of the men only got the gown over their head and let it stay on clumped up their shoulders, then they threw the boa haphazzardly around their neck and tossed the hat on their heads. If it remained on, they were doing good. I was the last in line on Tatum's team. By being last, I learned, if the other team wins, I don't have to put on all the garb! Lucky me. Same thing happened with the egg toss. Rhett had his own team. He chose his daddy 1st then Sissy had to tell him to pick Tatum. Finally he realized someone was missing and almost near tears said, "I want my momma on my team!" Awe. This is the only time being last has ever paid off for me!
There was a bee problem and several smaller children got stung including Tatum! They were putting Clorox on the stings.
After the party was over with, the family members went inside the house. We watched "Haunted Mansion". Earlier I'd asked Elisa where she got her toe nails painted. She told me Tatum did them the night before. They were turquoise and hot pink. I asked Tatum if she would do mine sometime and she did them right then. The movie was over. Don was ready to go and my toes were wet! I told him he'd have to carry me to the truck. He told me he wouldn't with the shake of his head. I told him I didn't weigh THAT much! Then Tatum started painting my fingernails. I thanked her profusely. I told her I'd make an appointment in a week or so for another polishing. Also I told her I couldn't wait to show them to everyone especially at work.
I carefully carried my pink Keds slip ons to walk barefooted to the truck. Don had pulled it up closer so I wouldn't have to walk across too much hot asphalt and he had the air on inside the cab. Awe. Then we went home to clean up the house for Penny's arrival that night.
In the process of going through old clutter, having a clearing house of clearing out unimportant things such as junk mail, weeding out unneeded words and tossing more stuff, I re-found some of my Becky magnets I'd been thinking of lately. I planned to give one of them to Penny as a birthday gift and one to her mom while they were here. I think this is called serendipity.
By then I had an old new shoe box almost full of paper scraps and other things for the collage I'd worked on all last week late into the night. Of course I had to stand the collage upright muchlike my grandmother would stand her quilts in their wooden frames when we needed the kitchen table free to eat upon. This brought back the memory of the daughters and some granddaughters (not me) sewing a square so they could finish it and stand it upright out of the way. The backing for this particular quilt was navy blue. These quilts were my grandmother's extra source of income. When they stood the frame up against the wall, my mom's white stitches in the corner stood out like a sore thumb. My grandmother did not like it one bit. Under her breath, she said in a not too nice tone, "I'll have to do that one over again." My mom just shrugged as if she didn't really care one way or another. Quilting and playing cards were not my mom's forte. Because my collage was not on the sturdiest of stock, I thought we might have to hang it from a string across the room but luckily it stood up for itself.
Don moved our newest couch so that it enclosed the living room area, making it seem smaller to me. I didn't like it. It made me feel almost clostrophobic after getting accustomed to all that free flowing space. I did work some and rest. Work and rest. Rhett would keep asking me when they were going to get here to the point of getting on my last nerve and I threatened to send him to his room if he didn't stop it. Then I remembered they didn't get back from Hatchachubee until after 10 the last time the attended their family reunion. Despite how much work I accomplished, it didn't hardly put a dent in all that needed to be done. I was getting tired as time passed. Don was about to get up and go to bed when Penny finally called sometime after 10:20 pm.
Penny must have read my mind... or our minds still think alike to this day because we agreed to meet them at their hotel the next evening so the kids could enjoy the pool much to my relief.
I almost beat my highest score on Bookworm before going to sleep that night. I had over 940,000 points. I had no one to share it with because all were asleep except me.
Sunday I showed off my nails at church. I let Larry, our preacher know we'd be seeing Penny later that evening. He was almost as excited as I was. He also reminded me of my friend Claudia, who also had breast cancer. I need to call her or email her to see how she is getting along these days.
Our lunch was just ok. I don't want to go to Golden Coral for a long while. We each paid our respective Sear's bills. I got some new hose. Luckily I remembered in the nick of time that I had another bill due so I paid it by phone when we got back home. Guess my Guardian Angel was looking out for me.
I got all of Penny's gifts together. One was a picture of a house in Savannah, GA that had been in Madge's apartment when she left to live in California. I had some pink socks that looked like high top tennis shoes. One of Penny's nicknames was "Tennis Shoe" because an elderly deaf aunt thought they said that instead of Penny Sue! I had her 2 different kinds of bracelets that Genie and I each have one of also. That sort of makes us the Three Muskateers. I added a special card from Rhett and one from the three of us. Then I packed our bag for Rhett & I to go swimming later.
Another lesson learned: STOP using the Sally Hansen air brush spray on tan for my legs! It is not only on my rug even thought I had a towel down on top of it. I also got it on mine and Rhett's clothes so it made me look dirty, but by then I had not time to change clothes again.
Penny called me on my cell right. I tried to call my folks after the evening service. They must have headed on over to the motel. Now ALL Saturday night I said they were at the DAYS INN on Macon Rd. As we were coming up on it, I just said "There's the Days Inn sign." Don turned into the Comfort Inn instead with no connection or outlet. He gave me a dirty look as if to say it was my fault and that I'd said "Comfort Inn" when I did NOT! So I yelled at him. "Nobody listens to me!" It was not an I feel sorry for myself statement. Just stating a fact. Then Rhett told me he listens to me.
We saw Tom & 2 of the girls walking to the pool. As we came around the back of the motel, I spotted my parent's red Trail Blazer. They were in Margie's room, 313! We hugged and chatted a bit before Rhett & I changed into our swim suits. I couldnt' find the bottoms to my newest one so I had to wear my black & white polka dot 2 piece which Don thought was a 1 piece.
I took several pictures when the camera began rewinding. It said "28" but I don't remember taking that many! Don said he took some at Tatum's birthday party. Luckily I had a disposeable one with me. We simply must get a digital camera soon. Tom demonstrated their Cannon sure shot digital to us. I liked the fact that it will crop your pictures being the scrapbooker that I am.
My folks visited with Margie while we were at the pool. The water was too cold for me so I sat the on the sidelines as always in my Georgia Bulldog beach towel talking to Penny while she was in the pool with the kids splashing. After she got out, we discussed her breast cancer ordeal while Tom & Don bonded in the corner underneath an "I'm available" sign which I photographed.
I think the girls used Rhett's new round, blue float ring with the Walmart smiley faces more than he did. I couldn't get him to sit ontop of it like Grace did and she is younger than him! When he strongly refused, that's when I got out of the pool.
We discussed going to Cici's pizza or ordering in from Domino's. By the time we got inside, changed clothes, found the phone #s we needed, CiCi's was closing @ 9 pm & we would have had only 15 mins to get there. We had a whole herd to organize which I discovered is not an easy feat. The Speakeasy closed at 9 also. Then I remembered Mazzio's. Luckily they were closing at 10 which gave us an hour. Penny's mom had insisted on treating us while she opted to remain in the room to rest. As we were ordering, Sarah was doing a split on the floor. I immediately became my mother. I channeled her voice as I said, "Get up!" Then apologized to Penny for acting like Sarah was one of my own. She just laughed at me. My mom would have called it "mopping up the floor." The pizza was very, very good. I'd forgotten how good it or maybe it was the company. They had Don laughing harder than he's laughed in awhile with the Florida story about the "militia man". I won't even attempt to do it the justice they did with their animations. Or forget about Penny's lead boobs story.
It has been a long while since Penny & I have closed down a joint, but we managed to do it once again just like old times. We took some of them back to the motel in our truck. I had to pee really bad after drinking 2 glasses of Coke! Afterwards I gave Penny her gifts. She loved the framed photo of Savannah, but then she loves anything about Savannah having lived there. She loved the socks and said she has loved ALL the socks I have given her over the years. Luckily I had not given her the silver bracelet or the magnets before so I did good. She had forgotten her own jewelry and was so appreciative of the silver and the brown bracelets to wear.
We took more pictures inside their room. Penny videotaped Rhett talking because she loves to hear his southern accent. It was after 11 when we left. Past Don's bedtime. On the way home, Rhett said he wished he could live with them. I reminded him he would not get to see us. Then he thought about how much he would miss us. He had a hard time going to sleep after all the excitement he had that night. It was a very good day spent with friends we love. One of the best kind.One I will cherish and not forget.
Today I wore a short skirt to work which no one could believe. I showed off my nails proudly. I refused to let people with attitudes rain on my parade in the afterglow of yesterday's memories. Over our busy weekend, I managed to finish reading The Wedding. This book should be mandatory for ALL men to read. I sent out 2 sympathy emails. It has taken me 2 days to write all this!
Friday, July 20, 2007
Another Dear God Letter
It is another ironic coincidence that my friend Anne sent me this email today which goes along with my "Dear God" letters I posted the other day...
Dear God,
I want to thank You for what You have already done. I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards; I am thanking You right now. I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better; I am thanking You right now. I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop talking about me; I am thanking You right now. I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears; I am thanking You right now. I am not going to wait until my financial situations improve; I am going to thank You right now. I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is quiet; I am going to thank You right now. I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job; I am going to thank You right now. I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief; I am going to thank You right now. I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed; I am going to thank You right now.
I am thanking you because I am alive. I am thanking you because I made it through the day's difficulties. I am thanking you because I have the ability and the opportunity to do more and do better. I amthank you because You haven't given up on me.
Thanks again, Anne for these wonderful words today. Thanks for sharing.
Dear God,
I want to thank You for what You have already done. I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards; I am thanking You right now. I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better; I am thanking You right now. I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop talking about me; I am thanking You right now. I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears; I am thanking You right now. I am not going to wait until my financial situations improve; I am going to thank You right now. I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is quiet; I am going to thank You right now. I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job; I am going to thank You right now. I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief; I am going to thank You right now. I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed; I am going to thank You right now.
I am thanking you because I am alive. I am thanking you because I made it through the day's difficulties. I am thanking you because I have the ability and the opportunity to do more and do better. I amthank you because You haven't given up on me.
Thanks again, Anne for these wonderful words today. Thanks for sharing.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Afterthoughts
While at the Library yesterday retreiving my blog, I discovered two more interesting blogs. 4thaveblues.blogspot.com & frumpyprofessor.blogspot.com. Both are talented writers.
As I was walking out the S-L-O-W electronic doors of the library, my words came rushing back to me ....
As I was riding down the road of life, I feel as if those in the passing lane are passing me by and I am going over the speed limit. What is their hurry? What is their rush? Has my life slowed down to an old lady's snail pace? I think not. Do I feel as if life is passing me by? Sometimes. And now that I am venting... I detest it when those in the passing lane that have passed me cut in front of me as if I am not even there! I have screamed in vain many a time, "Hello! What am I... invisible? Is there a sign on my car that says, 'Cut in front of me... PLEASE?' " Now I think I have gotten that off my chest - for now.
We should not apologize for the need to vent.
~Becky Bristow Voyles~
As I was walking out the S-L-O-W electronic doors of the library, my words came rushing back to me ....
As I was riding down the road of life, I feel as if those in the passing lane are passing me by and I am going over the speed limit. What is their hurry? What is their rush? Has my life slowed down to an old lady's snail pace? I think not. Do I feel as if life is passing me by? Sometimes. And now that I am venting... I detest it when those in the passing lane that have passed me cut in front of me as if I am not even there! I have screamed in vain many a time, "Hello! What am I... invisible? Is there a sign on my car that says, 'Cut in front of me... PLEASE?' " Now I think I have gotten that off my chest - for now.
We should not apologize for the need to vent.
~Becky Bristow Voyles~
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Water Bombs
Last night I was wondering why Don & Rhett needed one of my mixing bowls.... they were making water bombs in the bathroom. I made the mistake of walking in on them right as Don was attempting to tie one of the bombs. It burst and went ALL OVER ME!!! Don just killed himself laughing at me. I changed my shirt which was hanging on a knob in the bathroom. I kept wondering why it was wet too. DUH! I just left that one on because it wasn't as wet as the other one. I couldn't escape it - not that I really wanted to. Then they took them out on the deck to drop them down below.
Stayed up way too late working on the collage again. Got another idea for it... and ran with it. Don got up, came in the living room to ask me if I knew what time it was. I really wasn't aware of time, but knew it was late.
This morning I had another idea... making a scrapbook of all the quotes that I personally came up with. I can just see it now....
Quotes of the Day:
Refrain from envy. No one has it as good as it seems.
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-
(This quote reminded me of how I wanted a long, slender single mixer like my mother-in-law had so Don got me one for Christmas. I usually don't like getting appliances for Christmas or my birthday, but was willing to break my rule. I used it for the 1st time the other Sunday morning to make the Jello cookies & cream desert I take to church once a month. It did not work as well as my blender. I had to get the blender out to finish mixing the ingredients. So be careful what you wish for... you just might get it and not like it. It brings a whole new meaning to Thou shall not covet.)
Laughter is the brush that sweeps away the cobwebs of the heart. -unknown-
Take along a small camera when attending a party. Then tuck in a few snapshots when you send your host a thank-you note.
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-
We choose your state of mind,
just as we choose our behaviors and our paths in life.
So choose to do something great today for yourself and others- be positive!
~Kimberly Adamson~
Don't hold to anger, hurt or pain.
They steal your energy and keep you from love.
-Leo Buscaglia-
I am trying as hard as I can,
and sometimes things don't go your way, and that's the way things go.
-Tiger Woods-
Ladies, leave your clothes here and spend the afternoon having a good time.
-sign on a Rome laundry-
There are two ways of spreading light:
to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
~Edith Wharton~
Life is like a mirror, if you frown at it, it frowns back; if you smile, it returns the greeting
-kitchen table wisdom-
When I went to save this post, I thought I'd lost it & did NOT want to retype it all again! Drove to the library to pull it up and there it was... thank goodness. I was never so happy to see the title "Water Bombs" as today. I had another idea... on the way to the library. Needed batteries for Rhett's voice recorder. It was a good one but I can't recall it now. Maybe it will come back to me... I was noticing the clouds in the sky... thinking even on a cloudy day, there is beauty in the clouds. Wish I could remember it now.
Stayed up way too late working on the collage again. Got another idea for it... and ran with it. Don got up, came in the living room to ask me if I knew what time it was. I really wasn't aware of time, but knew it was late.
This morning I had another idea... making a scrapbook of all the quotes that I personally came up with. I can just see it now....
Quotes of the Day:
Refrain from envy. No one has it as good as it seems.
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-
(This quote reminded me of how I wanted a long, slender single mixer like my mother-in-law had so Don got me one for Christmas. I usually don't like getting appliances for Christmas or my birthday, but was willing to break my rule. I used it for the 1st time the other Sunday morning to make the Jello cookies & cream desert I take to church once a month. It did not work as well as my blender. I had to get the blender out to finish mixing the ingredients. So be careful what you wish for... you just might get it and not like it. It brings a whole new meaning to Thou shall not covet.)
Laughter is the brush that sweeps away the cobwebs of the heart. -unknown-
Take along a small camera when attending a party. Then tuck in a few snapshots when you send your host a thank-you note.
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-
We choose your state of mind,
just as we choose our behaviors and our paths in life.
So choose to do something great today for yourself and others- be positive!
~Kimberly Adamson~
Don't hold to anger, hurt or pain.
They steal your energy and keep you from love.
-Leo Buscaglia-
I am trying as hard as I can,
and sometimes things don't go your way, and that's the way things go.
-Tiger Woods-
Ladies, leave your clothes here and spend the afternoon having a good time.
-sign on a Rome laundry-
There are two ways of spreading light:
to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
~Edith Wharton~
Life is like a mirror, if you frown at it, it frowns back; if you smile, it returns the greeting
-kitchen table wisdom-
When I went to save this post, I thought I'd lost it & did NOT want to retype it all again! Drove to the library to pull it up and there it was... thank goodness. I was never so happy to see the title "Water Bombs" as today. I had another idea... on the way to the library. Needed batteries for Rhett's voice recorder. It was a good one but I can't recall it now. Maybe it will come back to me... I was noticing the clouds in the sky... thinking even on a cloudy day, there is beauty in the clouds. Wish I could remember it now.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Found Niche
Yesterday I wrote in my Gratitude journal again for the first time in awhile. It had been almost a month since my last entry in it; almost a month since my last confession, Father. All my words have been on this blog.
Last Friday I saw a small greeting card of a bird of paradise flower which reminded me of my friend Jimmy because he gave me a real bird of paradise flower when worked at JCPenney's so had to send him the card. I called him to ask for the street number of his new house. It was good talking to him as always if only for a little while. That's all life is... is little whiles; small moments that add up to a full life. (You may quote me on that one!) That was my good deed for the day or perhaps the week.
Friday nite I (Shock!) was in the mood for CiCi's pizza especially the cinnamon roll desert pizza! Which is why I am getting so much bigger. I got CiCi's confused with Stevie B's fund raiser for Chloe Shiver. Oh, well...
Saturday Rhett had a neat birthday party he and I attended. Later we all had watermelon at mom's when Don got home from the woods. While waiting on Don to come home, I worked more on the collage for the Mays/Endfinger/Fountain family. Once again every piece was falling into place. Of course I had to take some Alleve just to get the muscles in my back to stop hurting and relax them.
Sunday I caught up on emails. Still enjoying receiving and emailing Darryl about our school days from Jr high through high school.
Friday's Quote of the Day:
If you should put even a little on a little
and you should do this often, soon this would become BIG.
-Hesiod-
Yesterday, Monday, July 16th, I had a reply email from my friend Kevin because I told him I liked the above quote. It had reminded me of the collage I began at the artistic day I conducted at church. Kevin asked how it went & the kid's ages. He said he doesn't know how I do it all. Well, I let my house go. We ate out and I probably went to bed early that night! LOL
I told him it was my artistic son, a very talented 8 year old girl from Rhett's Sunday school class who blows me away with her ideas outside the box, a 14 year old equally artisitic girl and her mom who helped on the project. I told him how I learned NOT to make a project SO BIG next time!And I learned to let go of some of my beautiful pieces of paper to share, not hoard.
Everything is connected now. We just have to fill in the blank spaces. I hope to do more of these in the future...; make one for the church, etc., only on a smaller scale. I can get a canvas from Big Lots for the next one.... I think I have finally found my niche in life. When you find something you really enjoy in life, you make time for it. You don't clean house.
This coming Saturday is our granddaughter Tatum's 10th birthday. Penny and her family will be here later that evening. Maybe the next Saturday, I can have another artistic session... one called "The Fill-in" so we can fill in all the blank spaces before the family leaves for South Carolina. Closer to the fall, I want to make napkin holders with fall colored buttons. That should be fun, easy and quick for the kids. They can use them at either Halloween or Thanksgiving. Black and orange buttons should look really good. At this rate, we will have on napkin holders for all seasons!
On the way home from work, I got another great idea.... Take a index card holder like you'd use to hold recipe cards. Use colored index cards to write "Dear God" letter on them like this:
Dear God,
Today I am thankful for my friends.
Thank You for giving them to me.
love, Becky
or...
Dear God,
Thank You for my mind.
May I always have it.
Thank You for the many great ideas I had today.
May I use them to Your service. Amen.
~Becky~
or...
Dear God,
Thank You for ALL my abilities like my ability to read words.
Thank You for all my gifts especially my gift of writing words
as well as all my artistic abilities; my ability to draw;
to create things and share with others.
~Becky~
It will be interesting to let Rhett try this also. Then go back in a month or a year later, re-read them and perhaps add more. This way we are thanking God for everything good that happened to us on that day, week, etc. I'll pass the box on to him when he becomes an adult, gets married or becomes a father. Maybe it will become a new family tradition he'll pass on to this children someday...
Last Friday I saw a small greeting card of a bird of paradise flower which reminded me of my friend Jimmy because he gave me a real bird of paradise flower when worked at JCPenney's so had to send him the card. I called him to ask for the street number of his new house. It was good talking to him as always if only for a little while. That's all life is... is little whiles; small moments that add up to a full life. (You may quote me on that one!) That was my good deed for the day or perhaps the week.
Friday nite I (Shock!) was in the mood for CiCi's pizza especially the cinnamon roll desert pizza! Which is why I am getting so much bigger. I got CiCi's confused with Stevie B's fund raiser for Chloe Shiver. Oh, well...
Saturday Rhett had a neat birthday party he and I attended. Later we all had watermelon at mom's when Don got home from the woods. While waiting on Don to come home, I worked more on the collage for the Mays/Endfinger/Fountain family. Once again every piece was falling into place. Of course I had to take some Alleve just to get the muscles in my back to stop hurting and relax them.
Sunday I caught up on emails. Still enjoying receiving and emailing Darryl about our school days from Jr high through high school.
Friday's Quote of the Day:
If you should put even a little on a little
and you should do this often, soon this would become BIG.
-Hesiod-
Yesterday, Monday, July 16th, I had a reply email from my friend Kevin because I told him I liked the above quote. It had reminded me of the collage I began at the artistic day I conducted at church. Kevin asked how it went & the kid's ages. He said he doesn't know how I do it all. Well, I let my house go. We ate out and I probably went to bed early that night! LOL
I told him it was my artistic son, a very talented 8 year old girl from Rhett's Sunday school class who blows me away with her ideas outside the box, a 14 year old equally artisitic girl and her mom who helped on the project. I told him how I learned NOT to make a project SO BIG next time!And I learned to let go of some of my beautiful pieces of paper to share, not hoard.
Everything is connected now. We just have to fill in the blank spaces. I hope to do more of these in the future...; make one for the church, etc., only on a smaller scale. I can get a canvas from Big Lots for the next one.... I think I have finally found my niche in life. When you find something you really enjoy in life, you make time for it. You don't clean house.
This coming Saturday is our granddaughter Tatum's 10th birthday. Penny and her family will be here later that evening. Maybe the next Saturday, I can have another artistic session... one called "The Fill-in" so we can fill in all the blank spaces before the family leaves for South Carolina. Closer to the fall, I want to make napkin holders with fall colored buttons. That should be fun, easy and quick for the kids. They can use them at either Halloween or Thanksgiving. Black and orange buttons should look really good. At this rate, we will have on napkin holders for all seasons!
On the way home from work, I got another great idea.... Take a index card holder like you'd use to hold recipe cards. Use colored index cards to write "Dear God" letter on them like this:
Dear God,
Today I am thankful for my friends.
Thank You for giving them to me.
love, Becky
or...
Dear God,
Thank You for my mind.
May I always have it.
Thank You for the many great ideas I had today.
May I use them to Your service. Amen.
~Becky~
or...
Dear God,
Thank You for ALL my abilities like my ability to read words.
Thank You for all my gifts especially my gift of writing words
as well as all my artistic abilities; my ability to draw;
to create things and share with others.
~Becky~
It will be interesting to let Rhett try this also. Then go back in a month or a year later, re-read them and perhaps add more. This way we are thanking God for everything good that happened to us on that day, week, etc. I'll pass the box on to him when he becomes an adult, gets married or becomes a father. Maybe it will become a new family tradition he'll pass on to this children someday...
Friday, July 13, 2007
Quote From "The Notebook"
"In times of grief and sorrow I will hold you and rock you, and take your grief and make it my own. When you cry, I cry, and when you hurt, I hurt. And together we will try to hold back the flood of tears and despair and make it through the potholed streets of life."
-Nicholas Sparks-
Today I am grateful for all my words. The words I read. The words I wrote myself then and now. The words my friends share with me and the ones I share with them. I am thankful for all my journals, poems, etc. I knew back when I was writing them, I was doing so for posterity and I am glad now just in case... (god forbid!) that I become one of the many countless victims to fall under Alzheimer's cruel grip. Perhaps I can go back through them all and be able to remember myself and the ones I love.... Or my granddaughters can read of my angst of trying to fit in as a teenager and a lonely adult just wanting and waiting for love to come... Even though I was a late bloomer and everything came late to me in life, I am still thankful for all that I have and know that I am trully blessed. I am blessed with wonderful frienships that have lasted decades, long past quarters of centuries now. I still am blessed with wonderful parents that are l living and still support me in any way they can. I am blessed with a husband whom I love and who loves me. I am blessed with the best son I could have ever had. He is my joy and my life. If he is not making me laugh, he is amazing me with the things he says. He just blows me away some days. We had the most intelligent conversation on Wednesday's drive to church. I know that one day he will be so much smarter than me. That day may be a lot sooner than I think. He already serves as my memory when I can't remember certain things now. I pray it is not the beginning of Alzheimer's. It is a thought as scarey as cancer. But like Scarlett O'Hara, I won't think of that today. "I'll think of it tomorrow." Today I will just be grateful for all that I have.
Quotes of the day:
This moment, these circumstances will never come again.
-Peter R. Stone-
Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.
-George Bernard Shaw-
-Nicholas Sparks-
Today I am grateful for all my words. The words I read. The words I wrote myself then and now. The words my friends share with me and the ones I share with them. I am thankful for all my journals, poems, etc. I knew back when I was writing them, I was doing so for posterity and I am glad now just in case... (god forbid!) that I become one of the many countless victims to fall under Alzheimer's cruel grip. Perhaps I can go back through them all and be able to remember myself and the ones I love.... Or my granddaughters can read of my angst of trying to fit in as a teenager and a lonely adult just wanting and waiting for love to come... Even though I was a late bloomer and everything came late to me in life, I am still thankful for all that I have and know that I am trully blessed. I am blessed with wonderful frienships that have lasted decades, long past quarters of centuries now. I still am blessed with wonderful parents that are l living and still support me in any way they can. I am blessed with a husband whom I love and who loves me. I am blessed with the best son I could have ever had. He is my joy and my life. If he is not making me laugh, he is amazing me with the things he says. He just blows me away some days. We had the most intelligent conversation on Wednesday's drive to church. I know that one day he will be so much smarter than me. That day may be a lot sooner than I think. He already serves as my memory when I can't remember certain things now. I pray it is not the beginning of Alzheimer's. It is a thought as scarey as cancer. But like Scarlett O'Hara, I won't think of that today. "I'll think of it tomorrow." Today I will just be grateful for all that I have.
Quotes of the day:
This moment, these circumstances will never come again.
-Peter R. Stone-
Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.
-George Bernard Shaw-
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
My Words Made Me Cry Today
Today I went through an old motivational calendar looking for designs for the collage.The calendar was from 2002. Its funny now that I used put on there when I started and stopped my periods. I don't have to worry about that now. It had the day Joanne died. I kept the quotes I really liked and trashed the ones I didn't care for.
My best friend Genie sent me an email about horses today. I'd read it before. It was about a compassionate man who kept his blind horse and rather than putting him down, he placed a bell on the younger horse so the blind one could be lead by him through every day life. Now as I said before, I am reading The Notebook which reminded me of my old love so I guess I am a bit emotional today. Prior to reading Genie's email, the book had just mentioned after a 14 year absence, the two old loves met again. Of course I had to count it up to see how long it has been since I last saw Bob and it has been 20 years this month!
It really is a good book. Just something about the words... I like the writing style. I can almost picture it... There is something about it that I said I couldn't describe before. Maybe its just comforting like the words wrap themselves around you like a lover or a your favorite blanket/comforter, etc. Even though it reminds me of Bob, I will still read it to the end even if it makes me cry. I haven't read a book that has made me have a good cry in awhile since reading Place of Sage or Higher Ground last year. My friend Penny, also Genie's cousin, thinks it is cathartic like watching an old Bonanza episode or a Little House on the Praire show.
Its kind of funny in a weird way... I'd meant to send both of them an email about this... Saturday evening as we were leaving to go eat, as I was getting in the big monster truck, the door struck my West Virgina thermometer Bob gave me. I'd brought it with me when I moved into Don's house after we were married. The door broke the plastic cover and it shattered all over the cement floor of the carport - sort of like my heart did back then when Bob no longer had time for me once he moved away. Of course I was not concerned about the truck at all! My first thought was something might have happened to Bob at that exact moment. I was mad I had shattered it, but there was not much I could do about it now. I was too hungry to feel much else. Then I just simply let it go. (Or did I?) Don was probably mad about the truck door, but didn't say anything which was for the best. Of course he didn't know the history behind the the thermometer which hung there neglected all these 13 years. Some days without so much as a glance but always there; always in the background. Sort of like a ghost.
Well enough being morose and verbose!
I thanked Genie for being my friend and wearing the bell that has guided me all these years. Then my words made myself cry. I blamed it on the book bringing back old feelings to the surface again. I also sent the horse email and the email I'd just sent Genie to Penny. I also thanked Penny for being the horse that wore the bell that guided me all these years since she and Genie are my two best friends in the whole world. No one else comes close to them. The tears have gone now as I have typed the words. I guess I got it all out of my system. Purged my soul.
Quote of the day:
Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.
-Unknown-
My best friend Genie sent me an email about horses today. I'd read it before. It was about a compassionate man who kept his blind horse and rather than putting him down, he placed a bell on the younger horse so the blind one could be lead by him through every day life. Now as I said before, I am reading The Notebook which reminded me of my old love so I guess I am a bit emotional today. Prior to reading Genie's email, the book had just mentioned after a 14 year absence, the two old loves met again. Of course I had to count it up to see how long it has been since I last saw Bob and it has been 20 years this month!
It really is a good book. Just something about the words... I like the writing style. I can almost picture it... There is something about it that I said I couldn't describe before. Maybe its just comforting like the words wrap themselves around you like a lover or a your favorite blanket/comforter, etc. Even though it reminds me of Bob, I will still read it to the end even if it makes me cry. I haven't read a book that has made me have a good cry in awhile since reading Place of Sage or Higher Ground last year. My friend Penny, also Genie's cousin, thinks it is cathartic like watching an old Bonanza episode or a Little House on the Praire show.
Its kind of funny in a weird way... I'd meant to send both of them an email about this... Saturday evening as we were leaving to go eat, as I was getting in the big monster truck, the door struck my West Virgina thermometer Bob gave me. I'd brought it with me when I moved into Don's house after we were married. The door broke the plastic cover and it shattered all over the cement floor of the carport - sort of like my heart did back then when Bob no longer had time for me once he moved away. Of course I was not concerned about the truck at all! My first thought was something might have happened to Bob at that exact moment. I was mad I had shattered it, but there was not much I could do about it now. I was too hungry to feel much else. Then I just simply let it go. (Or did I?) Don was probably mad about the truck door, but didn't say anything which was for the best. Of course he didn't know the history behind the the thermometer which hung there neglected all these 13 years. Some days without so much as a glance but always there; always in the background. Sort of like a ghost.
Well enough being morose and verbose!
I thanked Genie for being my friend and wearing the bell that has guided me all these years. Then my words made myself cry. I blamed it on the book bringing back old feelings to the surface again. I also sent the horse email and the email I'd just sent Genie to Penny. I also thanked Penny for being the horse that wore the bell that guided me all these years since she and Genie are my two best friends in the whole world. No one else comes close to them. The tears have gone now as I have typed the words. I guess I got it all out of my system. Purged my soul.
Quote of the day:
Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.
-Unknown-
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Phobias I Don't Have
I am now reading The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. I like the way he writes. I can't describe it.
I have been emailing back and forth a fellow classmate Darryl and enjoying it. He felt pretty much the same inadequacies as I felt in Junior high and high school. It was nice to hear it from a male point of view and to know I wasn't the only one. I forwarded his email to my best friend Genie who responded to him. She wrote him back far more eloquently than me. It was nice hearing her point of view and words too.
I got the wrong kind of Marie Callandar lasagne at Walmart yesterday. I got the kind that you cook in the stove which I had the oven on pre-heat! I burnt the garlic bread. We didn't eat til after 9:30! Not my night for cooking. I worked some more on the poster while it was cooking and while watching "Kyle XY". I picked out some more pieces I liked from my "magic box" to put on it. I almost fell asleep looking through the pieces. I'd said I wasn't going to stay up as late as I did the night before so I went to bed at 12:30. This obssessive compulsive behavior is going to make me sick by lowering my resistance due to lack of sleep.
Rhett & I have been discussing phobias lately. There was something about them on Sunny 100 this morning. So I printed out a list of phobias. Here are a few phobias I DON'T have ...:
I have no chorophobia - fear of dancing
I have no chromophobia - fear of color
Since I work in a prison, thankfully I have no cliethrophobia - fear of being in locked in an enclosed space!
I have no logophobi or verbophobia - fear of words
I have no metrophobia - fear of memories
I have no mycophobia - fear of mushrooms
But I do have tropophobia - fear of moving and making changes.
I have been emailing back and forth a fellow classmate Darryl and enjoying it. He felt pretty much the same inadequacies as I felt in Junior high and high school. It was nice to hear it from a male point of view and to know I wasn't the only one. I forwarded his email to my best friend Genie who responded to him. She wrote him back far more eloquently than me. It was nice hearing her point of view and words too.
I got the wrong kind of Marie Callandar lasagne at Walmart yesterday. I got the kind that you cook in the stove which I had the oven on pre-heat! I burnt the garlic bread. We didn't eat til after 9:30! Not my night for cooking. I worked some more on the poster while it was cooking and while watching "Kyle XY". I picked out some more pieces I liked from my "magic box" to put on it. I almost fell asleep looking through the pieces. I'd said I wasn't going to stay up as late as I did the night before so I went to bed at 12:30. This obssessive compulsive behavior is going to make me sick by lowering my resistance due to lack of sleep.
Rhett & I have been discussing phobias lately. There was something about them on Sunny 100 this morning. So I printed out a list of phobias. Here are a few phobias I DON'T have ...:
I have no chorophobia - fear of dancing
I have no chromophobia - fear of color
Since I work in a prison, thankfully I have no cliethrophobia - fear of being in locked in an enclosed space!
I have no logophobi or verbophobia - fear of words
I have no metrophobia - fear of memories
I have no mycophobia - fear of mushrooms
But I do have tropophobia - fear of moving and making changes.
Artistic Day, The Collage, All the Pieces
Well, my Artistic Day went well on Saturday, 7/7/07. Savannah was there waiting on Rhett and I to arrive. I'd brought these glow in the dark objects they could trace such as a frog, hearts, stars, peace symbols and half moons. Then Nancy and Tiffany showed up. I cut a too LARGE piece of poster board from the huge roll we now have at church. Nancy and I started going through my "magic box" of scraps while the kids were creating their own little masterpieces for the collage poster we were going to make for the Mays/Endfinger/Fountain family who will be moving to South Carolina soon. It took us awhile to get through ALL in my box. Its funny how our tastes vary; her's and mine. I told Nancy I was very picky about the placement of pieces; that I wanted the colors to match.
The kids finished up before we did and were a bit bored. Rhett & Savannah went off to play hide and seek. I'd place a few pieces at a time on the board. I'd started two corners; one at the top right and bottom right and in the middle. We glued two things from Rhett & Savannah. The preacher & his wife came to show us pictures of their new grandson, Joseph. Larry said he appreciated and admired me for what I was doing. I told him I was in my element. He knew that. I think I intimidated Nancy somewhat because all the pieces where coming together for me. Larry also said I would be good at mosaics which I have never attempted yet. It made me feel good.
Nancy began a blue section in the top left hand corner and add some pinks below it. Mine was bigger than her's. When we got home, I asked Don if he could tell which ones Nancy did and which ones I did. He could tell.
We stayed til almost five pm. We'd had nothing to eat all day. Won't do that part again, but we will do the artwork and stop to eat next time! I had a bill to pay. I called Don who was watching a Steven Segal movie. Should have just got Rhett & I something to eat instead of wait on him to finish his movie & take a quick shower! Then he didn't want to go where I wanted to eat. We went to Chili's which is not my favorite place. We were told it would be a 20 minute wait which turned into 30 with a table sitting empty the entire time. The booths over by the bar were 1st available. By then even Don was upset. We'd been looking at menus so we knew what we wanted to order & save time. I think I'd waited too long to eat. At least Don had leftovers to take to work next week.
I was tired so I didn't work on the collage that night. I played Book worm on Rhett's bed.
Sunday, the next morning was dinner at church. I had 3 spoons of Mrs. June's best-ever green beans, some fresh tomatoes and good cornbread. Kate made me feel good when she, Theopal and Doris sat with us. Kate said he daughter or daughter-in-law were really impressed with me and all of us who went to 6 Flags. She said how the others made her feel welcome and it was as if she had known me all her life. Then I told the ladies about what we did on Saturday. Kate said she admired me for doing that. Theopal had seen another one of my collages firsthand when I made one for another family that moved to Germany. I think she wanted me to make her one too.
Larry had given us a sack of tomatoes to take home. After church, I worked on the collage until time to go back to church. We'd placed the pieces we were going to use in a sack. I now call it the "magic sack" because every time I pulled a piece of paper out of it, it fit PERFECTLY; it was a perfect match. Then it became the 3rd one I pulled out that was the perfect fit. I love it when that happens. It always makes me feel good... like it was meant to be; that this is what I am supposed to be doing at this moment in time and place. It was sort of weird too.
I stayed on the floor far too long. Almost got my back & bladder out of whack. Rhett laughed at me because I acted like an old lady who couldn't straighten up when I got up. I told Nancy about how all the pieces fit after the evening service. Daniel told me how much he appreciated what I did Saturday.
When we got back home, Rhett had to have a tomato sandwich so I fixed me one too. Two of the tomatoes had busted so I knew I had to fix those first. Don is weird. He will not eat a tomato sandwich. I had tasted them first to see if they were ok to eat. I told him how good they were and he looked at them in the bowl. He ate two slices which Rhett was going to eat afterwards. I had to cut another tomato for Rhett. He wanted another one later that night, but I wouldn't fix it.
I worked on the collage again. I couldn't believe it was already 10 pm when the "Dead Zone" came on tv. I stayed up til 1 am working on it! Man, was I tired the next day!
The kids finished up before we did and were a bit bored. Rhett & Savannah went off to play hide and seek. I'd place a few pieces at a time on the board. I'd started two corners; one at the top right and bottom right and in the middle. We glued two things from Rhett & Savannah. The preacher & his wife came to show us pictures of their new grandson, Joseph. Larry said he appreciated and admired me for what I was doing. I told him I was in my element. He knew that. I think I intimidated Nancy somewhat because all the pieces where coming together for me. Larry also said I would be good at mosaics which I have never attempted yet. It made me feel good.
Nancy began a blue section in the top left hand corner and add some pinks below it. Mine was bigger than her's. When we got home, I asked Don if he could tell which ones Nancy did and which ones I did. He could tell.
We stayed til almost five pm. We'd had nothing to eat all day. Won't do that part again, but we will do the artwork and stop to eat next time! I had a bill to pay. I called Don who was watching a Steven Segal movie. Should have just got Rhett & I something to eat instead of wait on him to finish his movie & take a quick shower! Then he didn't want to go where I wanted to eat. We went to Chili's which is not my favorite place. We were told it would be a 20 minute wait which turned into 30 with a table sitting empty the entire time. The booths over by the bar were 1st available. By then even Don was upset. We'd been looking at menus so we knew what we wanted to order & save time. I think I'd waited too long to eat. At least Don had leftovers to take to work next week.
I was tired so I didn't work on the collage that night. I played Book worm on Rhett's bed.
Sunday, the next morning was dinner at church. I had 3 spoons of Mrs. June's best-ever green beans, some fresh tomatoes and good cornbread. Kate made me feel good when she, Theopal and Doris sat with us. Kate said he daughter or daughter-in-law were really impressed with me and all of us who went to 6 Flags. She said how the others made her feel welcome and it was as if she had known me all her life. Then I told the ladies about what we did on Saturday. Kate said she admired me for doing that. Theopal had seen another one of my collages firsthand when I made one for another family that moved to Germany. I think she wanted me to make her one too.
Larry had given us a sack of tomatoes to take home. After church, I worked on the collage until time to go back to church. We'd placed the pieces we were going to use in a sack. I now call it the "magic sack" because every time I pulled a piece of paper out of it, it fit PERFECTLY; it was a perfect match. Then it became the 3rd one I pulled out that was the perfect fit. I love it when that happens. It always makes me feel good... like it was meant to be; that this is what I am supposed to be doing at this moment in time and place. It was sort of weird too.
I stayed on the floor far too long. Almost got my back & bladder out of whack. Rhett laughed at me because I acted like an old lady who couldn't straighten up when I got up. I told Nancy about how all the pieces fit after the evening service. Daniel told me how much he appreciated what I did Saturday.
When we got back home, Rhett had to have a tomato sandwich so I fixed me one too. Two of the tomatoes had busted so I knew I had to fix those first. Don is weird. He will not eat a tomato sandwich. I had tasted them first to see if they were ok to eat. I told him how good they were and he looked at them in the bowl. He ate two slices which Rhett was going to eat afterwards. I had to cut another tomato for Rhett. He wanted another one later that night, but I wouldn't fix it.
I worked on the collage again. I couldn't believe it was already 10 pm when the "Dead Zone" came on tv. I stayed up til 1 am working on it! Man, was I tired the next day!
Friday, July 6, 2007
July 4th Quote
Fly Old Glory and say a prayer for all Americans who have served our nation proudly. If possible, thank one personally. More than 25 million American veterans are among us.
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Quotes of the Day for July 3, 2007
Because this is my mom's 77th birthday, I decided to have special quotes of the day since I used yesterday's words and quotes for today:
Compliment three people every day.
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-
Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got. ~Janis Joplin~
We are going to Ryan's later this evening to eat to celebrate her special day. I will be getting off early also which is always a good thing. That way I will have time to do what I need to do; to finish her birthday present although a part of me wants to go home and take a nice, long nap.
Compliment three people every day.
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-
Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got. ~Janis Joplin~
We are going to Ryan's later this evening to eat to celebrate her special day. I will be getting off early also which is always a good thing. That way I will have time to do what I need to do; to finish her birthday present although a part of me wants to go home and take a nice, long nap.
Out of My Adversity
We have been really busy lately with anniversaries, a 6 Flags trip, children coming home, friends visiting, a baby shower, birthdays, etc. Saturday after having dinner @ Smokey Bones with my best friend Genie and her son Tony, I knew I'd still have enough time to work on the Sunday school lesson I was supposed to do the next morning. I had been so focused on 6 Flags that I just about forgot about everything else including my parent's 54th anniversary. Well, when we got home, I got comfortable in one of the recliners because my feet were swollen. I fell asleep. I couldn't find the folder containing the lesson. It wasn't in the house. It was not in my car. Then I remembered I'd left it at work on Thursday before leaving for 6 Flags! It was way too late to drive to work to get it. I could hardly sleep that night. I'd keep waking up thinking, "What am I going to do?" Katherine is going to be so mad at me not to mention the Lord.
I have this box beside my side of our Lazy Boy reclining sofa. Its where I cut out pictures, designs, & sayings out of magazines and catalogs I receive that I collage on paper, posters, make cards or magnets, etc. (as you probably already know if you have received them). This is what I do to relax. So I took my magic box with me to church. I figured we could make get well cards for W. C., a member who recently had a heart attack. Of course we talked a little about our 6 Flags trip first to let them get that out of their little systems. Then I told these 8 & 9 year olds that they are never too old to learn anything and how I learned how we watch out for each other as we did on our 6 Flags trip. I also told them to thank the people that watched out for them while we were there at the park. Then I begin demonstrating how to make a collage on a card. Savannah was my star pupil with this activity. She came up with some neat ideas that totally amazed me and blew me away. Rhett's was really good too. He gets that from me of course. But... they taught me! They taught me that a card is not just composed of a front and the message inside of it. Savannah placed a copy of a portrait of a little girl with blonde hair similiar to herself, picking something up from the sand on a beach which was in a beautiful gold, ornate frame on the back of the card and found the words "made with love". These words were glued directly beneath the portrait. Now I had to learn to part with some of my beautiful pieces of paper artwork so I learned the true meaning of sharing and that sacrifice can be a good thing. Besides I shouldn't hoard all the beauty, keeping it to myself anyway. I was just so impressed with Savannah's card that I showed it to her mother after class. She loved it and we ended up giving it to her mom instead of W. C. with the heart attack. In a way I wished I would have kept it so I could make a color copy of it. Then I told he mom I would love to have an artistic day with all the kids at church. She got excited about the idea and thought it would be neat also. So I asked two of our deacons if I could do this on 7/7/07 when the men are having their work day at church that same day. They agreed. Now I am SO excited! Out of my adversity came this...! I have been wanting to do something like this creative day for awhile now, but had not gotten up my nerve.
I was afraid Katherine, the preacher's wife, who normally teaches Rhett's Sunday morning class, would be mad at me for not using the lesson she gave me to use, but I learned so much more from all this and I wouldn't trade it for all the crab legs in the sea! I hope she understands.
Wish me luck this Saturday. My hair may be turned completely gray by the end of the day, but what the hay?
We have two families from church moving to South Carolina soon. I thought about doing a big collage poster or diptychs - one for each family to take with them as reminder of us and our church. I did this once before for a retiree at JCPenney's. It was first a graded art project that turned out really well and later became a gift. We might even do one to be framed for our church.
What did you do out of your adversity today?
Quotes of the Day:
Life is made of millions of moments,
but we live only one of those moments at a time.
As we begin to change this moment,
we begin to change our lives.
-Trinidad Hunt-
Remember, your relatives had no choice in the matter either.
-kitchen table wisdom-
It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it.
~Lena Horne~
Choose something to distinguish this from other Mondays.
-Peter R. Stone-
I have this box beside my side of our Lazy Boy reclining sofa. Its where I cut out pictures, designs, & sayings out of magazines and catalogs I receive that I collage on paper, posters, make cards or magnets, etc. (as you probably already know if you have received them). This is what I do to relax. So I took my magic box with me to church. I figured we could make get well cards for W. C., a member who recently had a heart attack. Of course we talked a little about our 6 Flags trip first to let them get that out of their little systems. Then I told these 8 & 9 year olds that they are never too old to learn anything and how I learned how we watch out for each other as we did on our 6 Flags trip. I also told them to thank the people that watched out for them while we were there at the park. Then I begin demonstrating how to make a collage on a card. Savannah was my star pupil with this activity. She came up with some neat ideas that totally amazed me and blew me away. Rhett's was really good too. He gets that from me of course. But... they taught me! They taught me that a card is not just composed of a front and the message inside of it. Savannah placed a copy of a portrait of a little girl with blonde hair similiar to herself, picking something up from the sand on a beach which was in a beautiful gold, ornate frame on the back of the card and found the words "made with love". These words were glued directly beneath the portrait. Now I had to learn to part with some of my beautiful pieces of paper artwork so I learned the true meaning of sharing and that sacrifice can be a good thing. Besides I shouldn't hoard all the beauty, keeping it to myself anyway. I was just so impressed with Savannah's card that I showed it to her mother after class. She loved it and we ended up giving it to her mom instead of W. C. with the heart attack. In a way I wished I would have kept it so I could make a color copy of it. Then I told he mom I would love to have an artistic day with all the kids at church. She got excited about the idea and thought it would be neat also. So I asked two of our deacons if I could do this on 7/7/07 when the men are having their work day at church that same day. They agreed. Now I am SO excited! Out of my adversity came this...! I have been wanting to do something like this creative day for awhile now, but had not gotten up my nerve.
I was afraid Katherine, the preacher's wife, who normally teaches Rhett's Sunday morning class, would be mad at me for not using the lesson she gave me to use, but I learned so much more from all this and I wouldn't trade it for all the crab legs in the sea! I hope she understands.
Wish me luck this Saturday. My hair may be turned completely gray by the end of the day, but what the hay?
We have two families from church moving to South Carolina soon. I thought about doing a big collage poster or diptychs - one for each family to take with them as reminder of us and our church. I did this once before for a retiree at JCPenney's. It was first a graded art project that turned out really well and later became a gift. We might even do one to be framed for our church.
What did you do out of your adversity today?
Quotes of the Day:
Life is made of millions of moments,
but we live only one of those moments at a time.
As we begin to change this moment,
we begin to change our lives.
-Trinidad Hunt-
Remember, your relatives had no choice in the matter either.
-kitchen table wisdom-
It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it.
~Lena Horne~
Choose something to distinguish this from other Mondays.
-Peter R. Stone-
Monday, July 2, 2007
6 Flags Trip
I don't know who was more excited about our 6 Flags trip, Rhett or myself. I let him ride in a van with the boys while I rode with my friend Nancy and our preacher's wife Katherine although I was a bit leery about it. What if something happened to him in the van? But I got over it. Nancy about froze me out in my shorts I'd bought in the men's dept of JCPenney's the day before. They were softer and had more pockets than the women's shorts! I wore my matching beige G. R. I. T. S. (Girls Raised In the South) cap. I'd taken my buttons from my black New Mexico hat and put them on it. We all wore our new yellow Church of Christ t-shirts proudly. They probably "stuck out like sore thumbs", but they were our sore thumbs and a welcome site to my eyes. Some wore their turquoise ones from last year. Maybe we'll get neon green next year...
We stopped & had breakfast at a McDonald's on the way in a town that started with an H. We had family members with that name, but I can't remember it now. Rhett didn't eat much because he was so excited. I gave his sausage biscuit to someone.
I took Rhett's Rugrats back pack for all our stuff such as sunscreen, gum, camera his swimsuit, and towel while I held Don's small insulated camo bag to hold 2 small bottles of frozen water & a Pepsi in my hand. These were "felt" as we entered the park. I guess they didn't feel like a gun so I was allowed to enter.
I tried to be the "fearless" mom so Rhett wouldn't be scared to ride the rides. I couldn't believe Rhett wanted to ride the water logs first off the bat. He did good, but I don't think he liked getting wet. My glasses were dripping with water. I didn't bring my glass case with the good cleaning rag. Then we rode the runnaway mine train roller coaster. My head hit his little cheek and I know it hurt. He told me I couldn't ride with him on anything else, but of course I did. He kept telling everyone "My momma rode the Scream Machine 13 times!"
What I really loved about this trip was the way we all looked out for each other. Some of the other people would ride stuff with Rhett and I so we would not be by ourselves. We all stuck togther. The I-fear-nothing-boys and preacher went their own way to ride the rides I wouldn't dare put my big toe upon. To each his own.
The food we were served wasn't the best. The potato salad had been sitting in the sun for hours but I didn't get any of it. It was too hot to eat anyway. After that, we headed to the Scream Machine area. I just couldn't get my nerve up to ride it muchless let Rhett. I couldn't believe I'd ridden it before 13 times and still lived to tell the tale. Of course I couldn't hardly walk the next day. I certainly did not want to ride anything after eating so we headed to Skull Island where Rhett changed into his bathing suit. Luckily Nancy had told me to bring his suit & a towel for this. He went downt he smallest slide, but got water up his nose and just mostly played in the water. By the time we got back towards the Scream Machine, Drew and his girlfriend were bungee jumping while his mom took digital pictures of it. Then we saw Tiffany who was pale and looking as if she was going to barf at any moment. She had just gotten off the Scream Machine. That settled it for Rhett and myself. Even she said Rhett didn't need to ride it. We did bumper cars next. Rhett drove, but I had to help with the steering some.
He wanted to change out of his swim clothes back into his regular clothes after the bumper cars. I stopped at one drink booth to see if I could get a free cup of ice. He was next to the thing where you hit the spot with the sledge hammer & if you ring the bell you get a price. It cost $5 but it was his money. Luckily he got over 100 points so he won something. He got a superman's cape! I was able to get a free small cup of ice. While waiting in line, a man behind me asked if I had any sunscreen (probably because I looked like I badly needed it). He said he'd pay me for it but I wouldn't let him. I poured some in his hand. He had on flip flops and the top of his feet were really red. So I did my good deed for the day. If I had not, he may not have been able to walk the next day. If I had been anywhere else, I would have been leery of him.
We road the monster plantation boats. Rhett & Tiffany sat up front. Once we entered the darkness, I noticed how close he got to Tiffany. Nancy & I laughed about it. Nancy said, "You couldn't get a piece of paper between them." It was really a rather corny ride to me. I remembered it being scarier when I was in jr high. He rode one swing ride by himself. We rode another swing ride shaped like balloons together. He was on one side and I was on the other. I knew he was scared. I didn't particularly like it now myself. I told him to close his eyes and he did. I closed mine too. After it was over, he seemed to like it. Next he drove the antique cars SLOWLY.
We all headed to hear what we thought was a devotional were we got free ice cream with not so cold drinks. We sat on the curb in the shade. The ice cream melted & got all over us. Tiffany bought one of the tapes of the group singing 50's music, but their cd was religious oriented. We began to make our way back to the where we entered the park. At the bathroom I decided to wet a paper towel with cold water to wipe my face, neck, etc to cool off. Should have thought of that sooner; should have worn Kool Ties, but didn't know where mine were. I know I gave one to Don. If those were sold there, they would have made a small fortune! It started clouding up. I thought I saw lightning, but thought it was the flash of camera. It wasn't a camera flash. They shut down the rides. They shut down Goliath just as the preacher and the wild boys were about to get on it. Dillion was really mad. It happened to them last year. So we started heading to the vans. We made it before it started raining.
At first, the air in the car felt really good but, Nancy nearly froze me out and her blanket was in the trunk of the car! We stopped in Newnan at a Golden Corral to eat dinner. While I was at the food bar, my cell phone went off playing "Mandy". It was mom calling to check on us. I couldn't remember what eating place we were at & Carol had to tell me which was funny. The food was good. I sat with Rhett & some of the other kids. Savannah was mocking Casey but Casey was laughing with her about it. It was rather funny.
I talked with Katherine and Nancy about moving up to Indiana on the ride back. Katherine was very understanding. We got back to the church before 11 pm. When we got home, we discovered Jason and his family were on their way down from Indy and were spending the night with us! Rhett and I were too tired to wait up for them.
We stopped & had breakfast at a McDonald's on the way in a town that started with an H. We had family members with that name, but I can't remember it now. Rhett didn't eat much because he was so excited. I gave his sausage biscuit to someone.
I took Rhett's Rugrats back pack for all our stuff such as sunscreen, gum, camera his swimsuit, and towel while I held Don's small insulated camo bag to hold 2 small bottles of frozen water & a Pepsi in my hand. These were "felt" as we entered the park. I guess they didn't feel like a gun so I was allowed to enter.
I tried to be the "fearless" mom so Rhett wouldn't be scared to ride the rides. I couldn't believe Rhett wanted to ride the water logs first off the bat. He did good, but I don't think he liked getting wet. My glasses were dripping with water. I didn't bring my glass case with the good cleaning rag. Then we rode the runnaway mine train roller coaster. My head hit his little cheek and I know it hurt. He told me I couldn't ride with him on anything else, but of course I did. He kept telling everyone "My momma rode the Scream Machine 13 times!"
What I really loved about this trip was the way we all looked out for each other. Some of the other people would ride stuff with Rhett and I so we would not be by ourselves. We all stuck togther. The I-fear-nothing-boys and preacher went their own way to ride the rides I wouldn't dare put my big toe upon. To each his own.
The food we were served wasn't the best. The potato salad had been sitting in the sun for hours but I didn't get any of it. It was too hot to eat anyway. After that, we headed to the Scream Machine area. I just couldn't get my nerve up to ride it muchless let Rhett. I couldn't believe I'd ridden it before 13 times and still lived to tell the tale. Of course I couldn't hardly walk the next day. I certainly did not want to ride anything after eating so we headed to Skull Island where Rhett changed into his bathing suit. Luckily Nancy had told me to bring his suit & a towel for this. He went downt he smallest slide, but got water up his nose and just mostly played in the water. By the time we got back towards the Scream Machine, Drew and his girlfriend were bungee jumping while his mom took digital pictures of it. Then we saw Tiffany who was pale and looking as if she was going to barf at any moment. She had just gotten off the Scream Machine. That settled it for Rhett and myself. Even she said Rhett didn't need to ride it. We did bumper cars next. Rhett drove, but I had to help with the steering some.
He wanted to change out of his swim clothes back into his regular clothes after the bumper cars. I stopped at one drink booth to see if I could get a free cup of ice. He was next to the thing where you hit the spot with the sledge hammer & if you ring the bell you get a price. It cost $5 but it was his money. Luckily he got over 100 points so he won something. He got a superman's cape! I was able to get a free small cup of ice. While waiting in line, a man behind me asked if I had any sunscreen (probably because I looked like I badly needed it). He said he'd pay me for it but I wouldn't let him. I poured some in his hand. He had on flip flops and the top of his feet were really red. So I did my good deed for the day. If I had not, he may not have been able to walk the next day. If I had been anywhere else, I would have been leery of him.
We road the monster plantation boats. Rhett & Tiffany sat up front. Once we entered the darkness, I noticed how close he got to Tiffany. Nancy & I laughed about it. Nancy said, "You couldn't get a piece of paper between them." It was really a rather corny ride to me. I remembered it being scarier when I was in jr high. He rode one swing ride by himself. We rode another swing ride shaped like balloons together. He was on one side and I was on the other. I knew he was scared. I didn't particularly like it now myself. I told him to close his eyes and he did. I closed mine too. After it was over, he seemed to like it. Next he drove the antique cars SLOWLY.
We all headed to hear what we thought was a devotional were we got free ice cream with not so cold drinks. We sat on the curb in the shade. The ice cream melted & got all over us. Tiffany bought one of the tapes of the group singing 50's music, but their cd was religious oriented. We began to make our way back to the where we entered the park. At the bathroom I decided to wet a paper towel with cold water to wipe my face, neck, etc to cool off. Should have thought of that sooner; should have worn Kool Ties, but didn't know where mine were. I know I gave one to Don. If those were sold there, they would have made a small fortune! It started clouding up. I thought I saw lightning, but thought it was the flash of camera. It wasn't a camera flash. They shut down the rides. They shut down Goliath just as the preacher and the wild boys were about to get on it. Dillion was really mad. It happened to them last year. So we started heading to the vans. We made it before it started raining.
At first, the air in the car felt really good but, Nancy nearly froze me out and her blanket was in the trunk of the car! We stopped in Newnan at a Golden Corral to eat dinner. While I was at the food bar, my cell phone went off playing "Mandy". It was mom calling to check on us. I couldn't remember what eating place we were at & Carol had to tell me which was funny. The food was good. I sat with Rhett & some of the other kids. Savannah was mocking Casey but Casey was laughing with her about it. It was rather funny.
I talked with Katherine and Nancy about moving up to Indiana on the ride back. Katherine was very understanding. We got back to the church before 11 pm. When we got home, we discovered Jason and his family were on their way down from Indy and were spending the night with us! Rhett and I were too tired to wait up for them.
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