My Thankful List

This Thankful Thursday, I decided to do this post a bit differently. It just came to me so I am going with it... I decided to make a thankful list of the things I am thankful for this week.

I am thankful for...
The photos I take and share.
The artwork I created this week.
The RAVen drawing I came up with on Sunday.
The bird scrapbook page I made.
I am thankful for the 4 Richard Paul Evans books I have read.
I am thankful for my stories of our life;
I am thankful for my gift of words and hope they help others.
I am thankful for my sense of humor.
I am thankful for my ability to make others laugh.
I am thankful for my blog.
I am thankful for my blog readers and commentors.
I am thankful for my friends.
I am thankful for my gifted child.
I am thankful for my family.
I am thankful for my many, many blessings.

What are you thankful for? Can you count your blessings and list them one by one? If you would like to do that or participate in Thankful Thursday, please go the following...
http://www.eph2810.com/

Please keep us in your prayers for a safe journey this holiday weekend. Thank you. Happy Labor Day!

An Artistic Detour

copyright by Becky Bristow Voyles 2008

There I was in my Art 303 class, totally absorbed in my current acrylic painting of birds and a raven, when unexpectedly the lights went out. It was pitch black darkness so thick I couldn't see a thing in front of me. I did not dare reach out to see if I could see my hand for fear of knocking over my still wet creation on my easel and ruining it. I kept my paintbrush to my side like a weapon. Death by paintbrush? Just as suddenly as the lights went off, there was a bright white flash of light that nearly blinded me. I put my free left hand up to cover my eyes until they could re-adjust to the brightness.

Once I could open my eyes, I realized I was no longer in my art class, but I was standing on an unknown cobbledstoned street. I am looking upward at a very ancient cathedral type of church. Somehow I know the name of this place. It is the Sistine Chapel, but how did I get here? The robed people that are passing by me are staring at me like I have grown an extra body part. I glance down at myself. I am still wearing the same clothing I put on this morning. I have on my favorite worn out jeans with a purple patch above the knee and a rip below it with a white t-shirt splattered with different colored paints, but mostly a dark crimson which must look like blood to these starers. So I am a messy artist. The paint is literally in my blood as well as on me.

I felt a strong compulsion to enter this religious building I'd always wanted to visit. My friend Darryl and I were just e-mailing each other about our "Bucket Lists". This one was on my list. As I entered, I was in total awe with my mouth hanging open, but no words coming out of it which was a first for me. I was surprised I was not drooling. I look into a huge open room, up on the scaffolding, I see a major artistic miracle... Leonardo Da Vinci is on the left side of the room painting, Michelangelo is in the middle and Picasso is on the right. Michelangelo is drawing and outline while Picasso is working on an abstract. They are laughing and telling jokes. Michelangelo is trying to figure out one of Da Vinci's codes as Leonardo almost falls off the scaffolding with hearty laughter. I smile and shake my head. I turn out of habit to ask my best friend Penny,"Are you believing this?" That is what I always said to her when we did something that felt like a dream. But she is not there. I must have hit my head and I am dreaming, I think to myself. My movement must have caught their attention because they stop, look at me, smile in fond recognition and greet me at all at once.

"Bella! At last you have finally arrived. We have been waiting forever for you. We were beginning to think you would never get here." Leoonardo says in his native language of Italian yet I can understand every word. Now I do not speak Italian. Well, except for pasta, spaghetti, lasagne, etc.

"Who me?" I squeak like a church mouse. I look behind me to see if they are talking to someone else standing there, but there is no one inside the Chapel, but the three of them and myself.

Michelangelo carefully climbs down from the scaffolding to greet me warmly as if he has known me forever. He hugs me tightly. How could he know me? Yet I feel as if I know him and not just because of his masterpieces. I just got hugged by Leonardo Da Vinci!

"We have your robes waiting for you... You remember where to change in the vestibule?" Leonardo asks me.

A normal person would be asking, "Robes? What robes?" Instead I automatically shook my head up and down that I do know. On a side table, I see a pink piece of cloth. The texture feels familiar to my touch, as if I had held it, felt it, and worn it before. As if I am in a trance, I pick it up and carry it down the long hallway to another room that is equally familiar to me. Once inside this smaller room, I close the door. I am quite comfortable disrobing and wrapping the material around me as if I have done it for centuries. It falls into place naturally. I know how to wrap it around myself so nothing is exposed. Once robed, I am walking barefoot and calmly as if this was an every day experience. The floor is cool beneath my feet, but it is uneven. Just as I walk back into the huge room where the three masters are waiting, I trip, fall, and hit my head.

I heard them chorus, "Not again!"


When I finally came back to consciousness, I am back in my art class. All my fellow students including my professor are standing over me. "Are you okay?" My professor asks with concern in his voice.

"Where are they?" I ask.

"Who are they?" My professor asks me with brows drawn together in deep concern. It reminded me of the look the robed people on the street gave me earlier.

"Michelangelo, Leonardo and Picasso, of course." I say as if he should know what I meant. The look in everyone's eyes makes me regret saying those words.

"Well, I guess I am not in Kansas anymore." They all laugh with relief because they know if I can crack a joke, I must be okay. They help me up to stand and we all went back to our canvases. Only my painting was not of the birds and the raven I began earlier. It was a single mauve colored cloth exactly like the robe I'd just donned mere moments ago. At the bottom were three sets of initials and none of them were mine!

F is... for Friends

 

 

This was a no-brainer. I did not have to search through old fotos. I did not have to look everywhere for F words. I did not look through the dictionary or the fonebook for F words this go round. I knew last week this was what I wanted to do for my F is for... post for ABC Wednesday. FRIENDS. Not just any friends, but mine. My BFF's. These are not in order of favorites. Far from it. It is in order of their appearance in my life for this year. Penny came here first in July followed the next week by her cousin Genie, who is my other best friend in the world. Now Penny is the one who always makes me laugh. Genie is the one I talk to about everything. Well, Penny too, but Genie is the one I always go to for sound advice. She is my sounding board; my Chicken Soup for my Soul and I have told her this before. I don't know what I would do without either of them. Don't even want to think about it. Penny gave us a scare two years ago that shook the very core of our existance. She had breast cancer, but is doing well now - thank the good Lord. I am very thankful for these fotos of my two best friends in the world that marked another yearly visit. A captured moment in time of our lives.

The Leaf

 

copyright ~theRAV~

Okay I know what you are thinking... This is just a ordinary yellowed leaf. Nothing odd about it even if it is August 25th, right? It is not the leaf itself that is odd, but the way I captured it... you might just say it fell at me.

As we were pulling out of the driveway to go to church yesterday after a very rainy Saturday thanks to Hurricane Fay, this yellow fellow fell onto our dirty monster truck windshield. You might can see a few raindrops. I heistated for a moment. Then thought what the heck? I mean how many leaves fall on your windshield and stay like that? I know it was still wet which was why it stuck. By the time I got my camera out, which was in my purse beside me, we were at the stop sign at the end of our street. I asked Don to "wait a sec..." as I heard a male grunt and a little boy's long sigh as if to say, "Not again!" Don waited longer than the normal count of three for the stop sign and no cars coming plus one or two secs for me to snap the shot. As we made a left, just a few seconds later the leaf flew off! So if I had not taken it, I would have missed it and regretted it. Now I have no regrets except I forgot to add the new Odd Shots logo.

If you would like to participate in Odd Shots, please go to the following.... http://katneyskaboodle.com/

For the Birds

 

 

 

copyright ~theRAV~

Yesterday and today I was on another very creative roll. I had been toying with the idea of putting a raven on my blog for theRAV and this is what I have come up with so far... I would like to add words to it that either has something to do with the Edgar Allan Poe poem "Quoth The Raven", but put my own spin on it to make it mine. I have several ideas running a marathon in my head. I am going for the gold. I am going to attempt to put it as a header on my blog as soon as I figure it out. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Hint. Hint.

I know scrapbookers are into the materials used for pages. I used a blue skylike paper from the Snowflake Collection Winder wisp from Studio 8 Paper Co. It was one of those double sided pages. It had a lavendar background with white snowflakes. I used a 3x5 card as a template. I know I can take it to Walmart and make copies of it cheaper than going to Office Max or wherever you get color copies made. I attempted to draw an eye directly on my black Creative Memories card stock. I started out with a silver pen I purchased at Wolf Camera which I totally love. I had a white fabric marker to fill in the whites of the eye but did not like my final result. I found some white card stock, asked Don to let me see his eyes so I could get an idea of how much pupil to show. I used one of my fave micro black pens either a #3 or #5 to draw the outline of the lids. I used Prisma colored pencils to color the eye, a light blue and an indigo; also two of my favorites. Then I cut it out then adhered it with my Creative Memories photo splits.

Don asked if that was his eye. I told him no. His eyes are brown where this one was blue. The 3x5 card I used as a template almost served as the background but it was hot pink. Rhett like that one but I thought because of the blue eye, it looked better on the blue. I cut out some clouds with the white card stock to put what I wanted to say. I took photos of if without adhering the clouds. I remembered I bought birds to go on this page so I began playing around with those as you can see... I felt the maroon bird needs a certain color yellow beak.

I liked the simpleness of the raven. It was again where less is more.

I printed all of these out at Walmart tonight. I forgot to take the original so I didn't get the one I really wanted. The color would have been truer had I remembered to take it. That is another Walmart trip.

I had a message on the phone from an artist guild member asking the title of the artwork I will be submitting for the show. I told her " I love Ewe". It really made it seem more real to me. I am going to be in an art show! She asked the price I was asking for the piece. I don't know what price to put on it especially since it was something I initially made for my granddaughter Wesley Rose. How do you put a price on that? Priceless. I still have some work to do on it; finishing touches.

I am just so excited about all my creativity!!! The ideas are still running laps in my head. I need to go buy more of this paper at the scrapbook store.
~theRAV~

Our Spiderwick Chronicles

 

 

Copyright by Becky Bristow Voyles aka ~theRAV~


Last year about this time, I took the first photo of this spider with my new digital camera and I was so proud of myself. It was across from our driveway in the middle of an unkept lot of the yellow house which is still for sale this year. The spider just happened to be located on it's web. We'd seen it as we were pulling in the drive. I had to kneel down slightly in order to see it against the yellow wall paneling of the house, making it appear even bigger as if it were actually on the wall when it was not. Otherwise, it would have blended in with the overgrowth. Almost a year later, either the same spider or it's offspring has spun another golden web. The web actually looked golden today in the sunlight after the rain from the tail end of Hurricane Fay. I know I took another photo of the latest spider, but I couldn't find it when I uploaded. Oh, well it was not as good as this first one, but it looked to be the same type of spider.

When we got back from lunch at a new nearby country cooking place called Ed's, I was changing clothes when Don asked me if I wanted a close-up of another spider. How far would I go for a once in a lifetime photo? Well, let's just say I had on one of Don's shirts, my undearwear and I slipped on my favorite clogs to go out on our still wet deck, camera in hand. It's not like there is Grand Central Station traffic around our semi sort of cul-de-sac. Even if a car drove by, they would have thought they'd seen a ghost with my white legs which got bitten by skeeters!

It was not easy getting this last shot. Spiders tend to blend too well with the woods as their backgrounds. You have to look for a lighter color background in order for them to show up. After several attempts, I got two and this was THE best one. Don even tried to take it since he was taller than me, but his did not turn out so they were deleted. Don didn't like it at first seeing it on the camera screen because he noticed the rafters badly needed a paint job. I told him we could say it was some old shack. LOL Our love shack.

After the evening service at church, we went to Walmart where I could hardly wait to print out the pics I took over the weekend. This one turned out so awesome with all the colors on the spider. Don really liked it then and he is not one to say much so I know it is a great photo. I can't wait to email this colorful guy to our friends and family. If any of you know what kind of spider this is, please tell me.

Longhorns in Alabama

 

Last Saturday as we were on our way to Prattville, Alabama, Don wanted to stop at a small, rinky-dink, family owned tractor place along the side of the road. The tractors and such stood in front of a field. When we stopped, I looked through Don's window and much to our surprise we saw Longhorns in Alabama! So Don held his head back while I zoomed in and took this shot. They were starting to moo-ve, but luckily I got the shot and it turned out well. The sky was perfect too.

Keep your fingers crossed that Hurrican Fay does not come our way.

Quote of the day:
Your true friends answer your thoughts, fears and worries in kind with good, sage advice similiar to your's which is probably why they are your friends to begin with. If you have an issue and ask for opinions, you find out who your real friends are in your life.
~Becky Bristow Voyles~


If you would like to participate in Sky Watch Friday, please go to the following...
http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Thankful Thursday 8/21/08

First of all, I am thankful I got my blogging awards Nancie gave me up with Paulie's help. Thanks again Nancie and Paulie!

Well, we had another wonderful family weekend to be ever so thankful for. We drove to Prattville, Alabama to go to the Bass Pro Shop yet again. We are learning our way around Montgomery and Prattville. It was another photo opp for me and I am very thankful for that and all the shots I got.

We had a delicious meal in the restaurant at Bass Pro although I had to send the catfish back because it was breaded with spices too hot for Rhett's palette. What they bought out was as good if not better than the 1st time we ate there. I hate that I complaign about food not being right, but when you go to a fancy restaurant or any eatery for that matter, you should get exactly what you order. That has to be one of my biggest pet peeves if my order is not right. I know I should just be thankful I am eating. I did better this week because Sonic screwed up my burgers, but I did not call & complain. So maybe I am getting better about this.

By going to Prattville, I missed watching THE NOTEBOOK movie based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks. But that may have been a blessing in disguise because I would have cried like a baby as I did when I read it. I'll probably rent the movie when Don is hunting and watch it after Rhett has gone to bed.

I am so thankful I did not break my camera when I dropped it in the hunting supply store we stopped at so Don could check out a new Matthew's bow.

I am so thankful for the bird card I created this week. Please see my previous post entitled "Let's Do Lunch" I received lots of good feedback from friends via email.

I am thankful for the "Muffins for Mom" meeting I attended at my son's school this morning. It was just what I needed. I was thankful for the apple juice I had. I know that doesn't seem like a lot but I have not drank any in a long time and I think my body is craving fruit. I need to listen to those cravings.

Today I realized my son loves me unconditionally. Even when I get onto him about stuff or "rare on him" as my mom puts it. He still looks at me later with love. I am thankful I got to take an extra muffin to him before I left his school for work.

I am thankful I could stop at the Royal Cafe to pick up lunch for myself and two of my co-workers. It was so good as always. I am thankful the owner did not act like a food Nazi today although one of her waitress had a snippey attitude. I was thankful I did not have to wait very long for the food. I am thankful Illy Nilly did not say anything about my stopping there.

I am thankful for the author Richard Paul Evans. I am almost finished with a fourth of his many novels. I now realize "someone" or perhaps one of my guardian angels had a hand in my reading first his third novel in a series entitled THE TIMEPIECE. Then I read THE LETTER. Then THE CHRISTMAS BOX. As I said, I am almost finished with FINDING NOEL. I was reading it before I went to Rhett's school this morning which was probably not a great idea because I used two kleenexes! I had to put on make up to cover up my Rudolph red nose! LOL I will finish it tonight and get another at the library tomorrow. I am going through them like water. These books would do well in a Christian women's reading group. I suggested them to my oldest step-daughter Elisa for her group.

My son wants to make cookies with me tonight because he likes cooking with me, his mom and I am SO very thankful. I am thankful he made all A's even if he got in trouble for talking. I will try no to be so hard on him. I treat him more like a friend most of the time although I am pretty bossy. Always have been. Always will be. LOL

Today I am turning over a new leaf, trying to be an even better person; a better mom.

I am thankful for my ability to make other laugh. What are you thankful for today?
If you would like to participate in Thankful Thursday, please go to the following...
http://www.eph2810.com/

E is for...

 

 

 

Eeeks! It is time for E is for... for ABC Wednesday. I was sort of having a hard time with an E. Of course my first thought for an E was using Edgar, my Daddy and Everett (Rhett) again, but I used them last time. I remembered I had taken a lot of photos of street names that began with an E for my first go round of ABC Wednesday. I think I deleted those photos. I recall using a landmark sign called "Elon" which marked that subdivision I pass almost everyday. On that post, I mentioned the sign could use an extreme make-over. Well, it got one! LOL The brown background was recently repainted. I realized I could have done a before and after shot of Elon, but don't like repeating although I am fining a lot repeats in my life lately. That is another post...

Last Friday night we ate at the Speakeasy Pub per Rhett's request. It is his favorite place to eat now. Probably because of the video games. There I got some neat odd shots inside. I took this one of the Speakeasy sign on the way out. I'd thought of using it as another night Sky Watch, but thought it looked too dark. Last night I discovered a feature on Picasa called "I'm feeling lucky" which enlightened a few of my photos. I did not try it on this one yet.

When we drove over to Prattville, Alabama last Saturday, I attempted to take photos of things that began with the letter E while in Montgomery. Some were different than the E's back at home. There was an Easy $ place right next to a gas station called Entec. So that would have been a two-fer had I been able to capture the perfect angle but, I could not get it right.

Before we went to the Bass Pro Shop in Prattville yet again for the 3rd time this year, we stopped at a hunting/archery store where Don tested out his new Matthews replacement bow. On the inside of their door was this rug with an E word on it. It was a hunting brand they carried. As I reached for my camera, it fell out of my camera bag, hitting the cement floor! I know I stopped breathing. The tiny door that holds the memory card and battery flew open. I closed that and turned the camera on immediately to see if it would come on. It still worked. Thank goodness. I was extremely thankful. I have since uploaded photos and it seems to be okay.

I did have a neat Exit sign at Bass Pro which I forgot to add because it was a bit dark. I will have to retry the above mentioned feature in Picasa on it. I thought the exit sign was neat because it was different. It had a fish behind an opening. I guess I can save it for the next E is for... go round.

Monday night Rhett wanted burgers from Speakeasy yet again. I'd already eaten some of my mom's homemade dressing so I just got the guys kids burgers. When I place a to-go order there, I have to enter the bar part where Rhett is now allowed past the door. He plays video arcade games while I wait in that section. I hate it because the patrons are allowed to smoke in there. I realize it is a pub after all. But Georgia has a law now where you cannot smoke in restaurants. Unfortunetly Alabama does not have the same law. I guess because there is an actual door separating the areas, they can allow smoking.

While at the bar, I spied these matts where the bartenders set the drinks. It has an E word so naturally I snapped it. Please note: I am not promoting or condoning alcohol. I was just getting another E word. I think I successfully captured some different one this time.

If you would like to participate in E is for... for ABC Wednesday, please go to the following...
http://mrsnesbittsplace.blogspot.com/
or http://wednesdayabc.blogspot.com/

"Let's Do Lunch" card

 

Copyright ~theRAV~

And here I was wondering what to post about today... This morning I saw some birds on a wire. One was facing in one direction and the other beside it was facing in the opposite direction. The image stuck in my mind most of the day. I did a rough draft on a note pad using the blue line to trace as the power line. I cut that out, cutting around the blue line so there were no more. I knew it would not look good just glued to blue paper. Then I thought this would look better on blue paper as if the birds were actually up in the sky. So I began...Next I knew I could get a cotton ball, pull it apart to make a cloud having actually done this before with my "I Love Ewe" drawing I drew for Wesley Rose's birthday last year. Of course I drew the power line with a ruler and freehanded the birds with a worm in each of their mouths. I know it is empty at the bottom. Then the title hit me... "Let Do Lunch" and knew it would make a great card. I did it all in a matter of minutes. Love it when that happens. I got so excited I had to take a picture of it immediately. I sent it out as gmail to some of my friends. Could this count as a Sky Watch photo/post? LOL
~theRAV~

Mr. Potato Head

 

 

Last week I was at the new Walmart when I noticed this little guy hiding in the potatoes. I placed him front and center so I could take this shot. There were two men putting out produce. One of them saw me taking the photo. He probably thought I was either plum crazy or some sort of health inspector! Pun intended. LOL I did not ask permission as David says he always does when taking a photo. Does that make me a picture theif? Then I am guilty as charged.

We had another great weekend with more photo opps for me Friday night and Saturday. I got Longhorns in Alabama which to us was an Odd Shot in itself, but Rhett & I decided to use this one here instead for today's Odd Shot. I have a Redneck underwear dryer which might win me an award by Jeff Foxworthy himself. I am so proud of myself because I learned how to load my awards on my blog thanks to Paulie's help. Thanks again, Paulie. I created a gmail account so I can now send my pics from Picasa much easier to my all friends and family. This way I do not have to get out of Picasa, load my pics onto the program that came with the camera, then go into my AOL account even though I like the way the photos come out on AOL mail better I think. The photo pops up in the email on AOl. With gmail, you have to click on the photo at the bottom. I am preferring the Easy Button. Notice I finally have the Odd Shot logo too.

I posted early too which is a first for me. My clock is wrong on my computer so it was almost pumpkin hour.

If you would like to participate in Odd Shots Monday, please go to the following...
http://katneyskaboodle.blogspot.com/

Cloudy Sky Watch Friday 8/15/08

 

Sorry this is a day late. I seem to have more Odd Shots than I do Sky Watches. LOL It has been cloudy here most of the week with some much needed rains. I took this one on Wednesday afternoon. It has been a good week for me. We were off a day and a half at work due to carpet installation. Yeah! It won't count against our vaction time which is a good thing. It looked like my desk had been hit by a hurricane when I returned on Friday! But I think I have it all back together now.

On Wednesday, I met mom and my Aunt Pearl for lunch because the next day, the 14th was Aunt Pearl's birthday. It was also my best friend Penny's birthday. I took this one photo among many on the way to pick up Rhett from school as well as on our way out and about afterwards. I know this isn't one of my best, but I had fun cropping all of them on Picasa. I had too much work to catch up on yesterday to post it. Again I apologize.

Upon carefully looking at this photo as I uploaded it, I thought the blue sky reminded me of a horse. What do you think?

On Thursday, mom and I went to lunch again at a county buffett called the Country Buffet that serves veggies, the best fried squash and fried green tomatoes. Then we went to see my Uncle Frank who had the brain cancer surgery back in early part of June. His chemo pills are making him so sick he cannot keep anything down. He did not look well. He has lost his hair, but not any weight. Still I am glad for the visit even if he did not look like he felt like sitting up in the chair. He gives such good hugs.

Elise is doing well after her hysterectomy. She got to go home mid day the day after her surgery. Thanks for asking about her, Abby, Anne, Penny and all the rest. We will go see her Sunday evening.

We went to the Speakeasy, a pub, last night per Rhett's request. I did have a night shot I could have used here, but I will save it for next Friday's Sky Watch unless I find something better... It turned out to be another photo opp for me so I was excited. I got another Odd Shot too. But I am not giving away any of the details.

Hope you have a great weekend. If you would like to participate in Sky Watch Friday, please go to the following....
http://skyley.blogspot.com/

We Went to Alcapulco...

 

 

 

 

...'s! LOL

Friday night we went to a new place called Alcapulco's which proved to be yet another family photo opp for me. Love it when that happens. I agreed with Elisa that the food was not as good as El Vaquero's. I was lucky enough and thankful to get this really good photo of Don smiling. I told Rhett to say something funny to make him laugh and it worked. The 2nd photo of Rhett which did not show up here was where he was underneath the dolphin, Rhett was directing me how to take it! After we ate, I took the ones of Rhett outside in his new Guitar Hero shirt I bought him on sale at Kohl's. Loved the black and white. I had a close up of him that also did not show up here. Had problems with the blogger.

Sorry Elisa, her family, Steph and Amanda could not go with us. When later asked how was it, I thought about it and replied, "The food was ok. Nothing to jump up and down about. The fun we had... priceless. And I am thankful for it.

Yesterday they were ripping out old carpet at work & putting down new carpet so we got off early. Really there was no need to be there. I was sitting on top of a desk watching them rip up the carpet. The phone was hardly ringing. I could not get to my computer. We were told to leave a little after 11 am. I did two errands then met my mom and my Aunt Pearl who's birthday is today at Red Lobster. My food was just ok but not enough on the plate to worth the money. Still I was thankful for it and to be with the company. Afterwards we went back to mom's where they rehashed the old days of when they were dating. How my aunt tricked my Uncle into marrying her by making my mom tell him she was with another guy and he asked her to marry him the next day! It worked. I almost cried as my mom talked about the man she loved that her parents would not let her marry. I guess we all have one love in our lives we could not have that haunts us the remainder of our days, but the good Lord provides us with another love to spend the rest of our lives with. Then I had to go pick up Rhett from school.

As we were getting a new blinker light for the car & , my best friend Genie pulled up with her Daddy and daughter Jena in his van. Rhett had a new headband and was talking to Genie will the gas was pumping. I snapped a quick pic of them, but forgot to upload it here. Sorry. Oh, well, another post... I mean what are the odds of my best friend from Virginia and I being at the same gas station these days? Unless she is in town, of course as she is now. Still it was neat seeing her. An unexpected surprise. The best kind. It reminded me of our old days of running into each other. I was thankful for seeing all of them again.

I probably spent too much money yesterday, but I am thankful I have it to spend. I am very lucky or my guardian angel was watching out for me because I almost 'd lost my gas credit card. Thankfully some honest soul turned it in and did not use it! Later that night I thought I'd lost my anklet, but I found it at the foot of the bed lodged in the sheets. I am so thankful I found it. Don asked me why I wear jewerly that I know I will be lost. I told him my two favoriet pieces, my infamous ear clip that is nearly 30 years old and this anklet always turn up when I have lost them. It is like they always come back to me. They are meant to be mine. The anklet has knots in it, but I put it on anyway, knots and all. Actually the knots made it fit better. LOL

Because the carpet is still not completed, I am off today. YEAH! Life is good. And I am so very thankful. As soon as I take a shower, I plan to take my mom to a great buffett that serves fried green tomatoes, fried squash and the best mac-n-cheese. Yum. Can't wait. Then we will go see my Uncle Frank who had the brain cancer surgery back in June. He is not doing well these days. Due to the chemo pills, he cannot keep food down. Please keep him in your prayers. Thank you.

Thanks again, Nancie for the award. Happy Thankful Thursday. If you would like to participate in Thankful Thursday, please go to the following...
http://www.eph2810.com/

Happy Birthday Penny & Aunt Pearl

 

Happiest of birthday wishes goes out to my best friend Penny and my Aunt Pearl today! Hope you have the best of birthdays ever!

love,
Becky

D is for... Don

 

This was a no brainer. When I was capturing my c words for C is for... ABC Wednesday last week, I knew I wanted to post a picture of Don, but had not taken any really good ones of him in awhile. Friday night I thought he looked really handsome to me in his green shirt and matching cap. I tried one shot at home, but it was not up to my high standards. I took this one when we were at a new restuarant. I told Rhett to say something funny so he would smile since Don wasn't co-operating with the camera. This was the result and I was more than pleased with it. This is Don, my husband, the love of my life. Funny that the only D words I have here begin with his name. He will probably tell me again I have to pay him royalties for posting his photo on my blog. LOL

If you would like to participate in D is for... which is apart of the new ABC Wednesday, please go to the following...
http://wednesdayabc.blogspot.com/

Walking Tree

 

I took this one the 4th of July when we were walking along the Alabama side of the Chattahochee River. We had never been along the promanade before that day so I got lots of awesome pictures. This was one of them. As soon as I saw it, I said, "Ooh, look at that tree. It looks like it is walking!" Yes, DiXymiss, I had to revert back to old tree photots again although I had two more shots I could have used that no one probably could have guessed what they were. But I will save those for another Odd Shot Monday. Now that the computer has been sort of fixed and I can get on my blog, I can post earlier than normal for me. Can't wait to see your Odd Shots...

I had a bit of excitement yesterday. I was awarded not one but two blog awards! Yeah! Thanks again, Nancie for making my day. I am surprised I could sleep last night as I was walking on air.

I have a prayer request... our oldest daughter is have female surgery today. Please keep Elisa in your prayers. I know hysterectomies are as common now as tonsillectomies but still we would appreciate the prayers. Thank you.

If you would like to participate in Odd Shot please to the following....http://katneyskaboodle.blogspot.com/

Two Blogging awards

Today I received not one, but TWO blogging awards from my friend blogger Nancie of Thankful Thursday. I am not savvy enough as how to post these awards on my blog so I posted the link to Nancie's post below for the time being until I learn how to do it. Needless to say I am so excited! I ran to Rhett's room and told him about it. He said, "Shut - up!" as the young people say now. I had to laugh. He nearly ran me over trying to get to the computer. He tried to help me get it on here, but he knows as much about it as I do. If any of you out there in blog land know how to do this, please let me know.

Nancie bestowed upon me the Sharing the Love award. Ah. And the friendship award. Thank you. Thank you, Nancie. You have made my day.

http://lifewithbipolardisorder.blogspot.com/2008/08/thank-god-and-thank-you-for-your-love.html

Wicked Sky Watch Friday

 

 

 

Think beyond and you will go beyond. -Marion Licchiello-

Just when I thought I wasn't going to have a good Sky Watch photo for today and I would have to resort to an old, plain, boring cloud, the skies literally opened up for me...

I had to pay my Kohl's bill and get Rhett a Guitar Hero t-shirt on sale. Of course I went through ALL the sales racks first. I am a woman after all. As I was paying the bill and buying his shirt, I saw really threatening dark blue-gray clouds. I was hoping against hope I'd make it to the car before the downpore since my umbrella was in my vehicle. Luckily I made dry entry.

Next I had to across the road to Sears. I had never seen clouds like these in my entire life. I sat in my car just observing them moving swifly before me. Of course I grabbed my camera, taking several shots, but it was the last dark one that I liked best. Some how I deleted my first shot on Picasa as I was cropping and uploading these. At least I had the best one. Not sure where the other one went. The wind nearly blew me into Sears' door. I felt like "The Flying Nun". I just knew the wind was going to pick me up. It blew my hair every which way but out. Now I know what it feels like to have your wig on backwards.

I quickly paid my bill and called Don on my cell as I stood near the entranceway door, but not too close. He told me I needed "to get somewhere". Well, technically I was somewhere, but I knew he meant some place safe. Once again I made it to the car before the rains began. Even as I was driving, there was only one time the wind blew hard against the passenger side of the car,making me look in that direction. The storm was not as bad at the clouds threatened to be. By the time I got to mom's, it had slacked.

We picked up to go food from Wendy's on Wynnton Road which is not as good as it once was when it first opened. I do not care to go there again. On the way home, almost an hour later, there was this sunset. Go figure. Like night and day. Stormy one moment. A sunset the next.

I have still been contemplating David's blank page post. I found a very inspiring post from the Thankful Thursday blog I participate in when I am feeling worthy. Nancie from Singapore who has as blog entitled "More than Conquerors" wrote about filling the ocean with ink. Please go to the following...
http://lifewithbipolardisorder.blogspot.com/2008/08/thankful-thursday-love-of-god.html
and read what she wrote about it. I think an artist could even substitute the ink for paint here.

I do not think I am intimidated by a blank page now. I know that something will eventually come. It may not be a masterpiece, but it will be something.

I was sent a link to a artistic high school classmate's website. Please go to www.cleggo.com

As you know today is 8/8/08. The first order I placed ended in # 8. Maybe I should go play the lottery. LOL I wonder how many folks used that one on this date? Or how many got married?

Rhett's joke:

My inquisitive 10 year old asked me the other day what a debute was. The first thing that popped into my head was debutantes so I explained that which he seemed to already know about although I don't know how. I am the one who always reads the society page in the Sunday paper, not him. Then he asked, "If a debutante has to pay for something at the debutante ball, does she use her debit card?"

More Quotes of the day:

When you believe, it is only a dream;
when you take action, it is reality.
-Koik Boon Tatt-

There will be a rain dance Friday night, weather permitting.
-George Carlin-

If you would like to participate in the new Sky Watch Friday, please go to the following... http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Thankful Thursday 8/7/08

It is thankful Thursday once again. Today I am still thankful for all my best friends' visits last week. Genie's son Tony blew me away last Thursday and I probably forgot to mention this... In the middle of eating and a silent pause as we were enjoying our food, out of nowhere Tony declared, "I want to thank ya'll for coming out to eat with us." WOW! This coming for a 20 something year old. I was dumbfounded to the point of not being able to speak for a moment which is rare. Of course I thought nothing of it as being a trial for us to be there. I'd walk miles and move mountains to spend time with my two best far away friends. Well, maybe not walk miles in this heat when I can drive! LOL Yes, I am thankful for my sense of humor, too.

I was thankful for my muse, my inspiration from heaven and what I created on Monday in the form of an unsigned card to be shared and hopefully passed on. Please refer back to my post entitled "What Can I Sow Today?" And Please feel free to pass it on...

Of course there were things I was NOT thankful for like all the Illy Nilly episodes as of late. Two this week and on elast Thursday. I guess she is my trial in life. I am not sure I am passing this test. At least not with flying colors. I try to keep my mouth shut unlike her. Yet I now feel I must record these incidents to keep a running record of how she picks on my verbally. I have many witnesses to her totally unprofessional behavior today. None can believe she says what she says to me. I get mad at myself for all the anger and other negative feelings she causes me. I don't know how to control it; how not to feel as she makes me feel. I told two friends that changing jobs becasuse of her was not an option. My mom raised me to not let folks run me off. To stand my ground especially when I know I am in the right. No one expects to be persecuted at work.
Please keep me in your prayers over this matter; that it will be resolved soon...

I am sure all of us could make a long list of disappointments in our daily lives, but no ones wants to list dissappointments, do they? Which is why I believe we count our blessings instead. If you compared your long lists of disappointments to your greatest blessings, the optomist in me trully believes the blessings still outweigh all the disappointments. I always see the glass half full and I am thankful for this optomistic attitude of mine.

I am thankful I could solve a problem with a fax machine today. It wasn't the machine. It was the person using it incorrectly. LOL Still it felt good to help; to be helpful and nice. To treat others the way I want to be treated. The golden rule.

I am thankful for the book I am reading Timepiece by Richard Paul Evans. I highly recommend it.

If you would like to participate in Thankful Thursday, please go to the following...
http://www.eph2810.com/

Illy Nilly Incident # 2 this Week

I had orders to be put in the system. I have a new laudry office to deal with who does not have current correct prices and vendors. I couldn't get a fax to go through to a vendor. I had papers scattered all across my two 2 desks or an open cubby which I wish had walls to shut others out! A Sgt came up joking, "You've got papers scatterd everywhere." I replied, "That's because I'm doing three things at once." I was making copies for the new laundry officer who was supposed to be on his way up to my desk. I thought nothing of what the Sgt said.

Then the voice of Illy Nilly had to put her unwanted and uncalled for two cents in again. "Well, that is what we all do around here. Welcome to Admin." No one could believe she said this. No one was talking to her. The conversation was between me and him. NOT her. I had several witness this time. At least three. So now I am keeping a running record. I feel I must do this.

I was told later that her comment made me look mad as hell. I hate that she can make me feel and look with such hatred. Is it soon going to get to the point where I need to take a Valium just so I can come to work? No! I will not let her do that to me!

Maybe I should chant "Stick and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me." My mom always say, "Well, you can't eat me!" If only I could laugh in her face...

Another Illy Nilly Incident # Re: the Copier

Yesterday was my son's first day of fifth grade. I had to help him with his bags of school supplies. I had informed Illy Nilly I would be late to work. Another lady had to be in court. Now Illy had been out sick the day before. I thought she had a bit of an attitude when I came in to work. When I arrived, there were messages in my chair. One stated a copier was not functioning. So I do what I always do, place a service call on line.

I did not go out to lunch but was going to fix myself a sandwhich with what I had on hand in our breakroom. Illy had gone to lunch. I went to get some chips out of the snack machine. When I came back, I am joking and laughing with one of the nice officers. The copier man who used to dance with my best friend Penny was on the phone for me. He wanted to know what the problem was. I told him all I knew was it was not working. I asked him if he'd like me to connect him to the control room where it was located so he could ask them himself. I thought it was pretty professional myself.

All of a sudden this hateful voice comes out of Nilly's office, "Well, why didn't you walk down there and see what was wrong with it?" Excuse me. I do not work for Ikon. I do not know how to repair copiers. They do not pay my salary. I am standing in shock although I should not be shocked by now. I know my mom would have quickly asked her, "Why don't you go do there and see?" But I can't think that fast. Carefully watching my words, I said, "The copier man is on his way."

I did not appreciate this at all. I do not talk to others like this.

C is for... Change

 

 

 

The first C word that came to my mind was the word Creative. I could just see the word so clearly in my mind's eye as a fancy font in the Coca-Cola style of writing. Can't you just picture it? I had been creative earlier this week. Please refer back to my previous post entitled "What Can I Sow Today?" Let me know what you think.

Then I remembered I had taken some C pictures last week all in one location across from the library, but not all turned out the way I saw them through the camera's lense. A new CVS store had been recently constructed . This CVS had several signs out front as well as one of those changing billboards that was advertising Chick-Fil-A to the left hand side, but it didn't show up in my photo so I deleted it. Sorry. In the center was Country's barbecue, THE best barbecue in Columbus which was behind CVS. There was a new huge billboard for the new CVS above it all that referred to it as "The New Kid on the Block" which I thought was cute>. I liked the idea of the ABC blocks used, thinking it was perfect for ABC Wednesday. It also had something about CBS Broadcasting in a smaller font towards the bottom left hand side of the billboard. This would have made a great Sky Watch photo but alas, I used it here instead. Then the CVS store had a digital sign that simply said, "CVS" on it. Since the store is not open yet, it was not scrolling words. So I would have had 5 C's in one place if it had worked our right. Oh, well...

I think I am getting Alzheimer's because I completely forgot about these C word photos. This is my second senior moment this week which is a bit scarey.

Yesterday I picked up lunch from China First Buffet. As I was leaving, I snapped a quick shot of their sign, but chose not to post it. I know David and Josie used Chinatown as their C word.

Today was Rhett's first day back at school; his first day of fifth grade. You would have thought it was mine because I changed clothes twice before we left the house! I had on cropped pants which showed off my ghostly white ankles. I figured I would freeze my feet off at work in my matching sandals so I changed into a new pair of black slacks I bought on sale at Dillard's for $9.75! They are constructed like jeans only they are made of thin cotton material. They have cool zippers on the ankles. I am going to go back to buy another pair! I kept on the hot pink top I first donned.

The first day of school is always chaos and seems to get more chaotic each year. By the time I got back to my car after helping Rhett carry in his supplies, my air pits were as wet as when I was in the shower earlier. I went back to the house to change yet again. I'd also bought a new soft cotton pink t-shirt for $5, but it was too big and made me look fat. I was beginning to feel like Goldilocks. Too cold. Too hot. Too big. Nothing just right. I reapplied more deodorant and settled on another pink blouse.

Hope Rhett had a great first day today. I was contemplating giving him a treat this evening to celebrate. Walgreens sells smaller Webkins for $6.99. He wants a cow this time around. He says he can get some sort of special Webkins cash with it. I'd told him he'd have to wait til pay day, but I changed my mind much like I changed my clothes! So I guess my C is really about change. Normally I do not like change. I like things to remain the way they are.

Had another Illy Nilly episode over a copier problem, but that is another post.

Today I am thankful gas came down in Columbus. I got it for $3.64. I'd left my gas cap hanging, but did not know about it until a Sgt called to tell me at 4 pm!

If you would like to participate in ABC Wednesday, please go to the following...
http://mrsnesbittsplace.blogspot.com/ or http://wednesdayabc.blogspot.com/

What Can I Sow Today?

 

This post was inspired by a very creative soul known as McCabe who has a blog called:
http://dancingmermaid.blogspot.com/ I "met" her last year through the first postcard swap I participated in with Susannah of Ink on My Fingers at:
http://inkonmyfingers.typepad.com/
Or maybe it was the second one in the fall. Anyway I was catching up on her blog. She paints rocks from the sea and was selling them. She has been teaching art classes lately which has been very inspiring. She has been asking how we have been creative and asked us to share. So today I was able to do that.

I borrowed "Don't find the magic. Let it find you." Mainly because I was unsure if she said it or if the one of the girls she teaches came up with the idea. I did not know their names so I couldn't give credit where it was due. Sorry McCabe.

Well, I did not have any rocks handy or any paint. So when I am not creating something artistic, I tend to write which is my second love. My motivational calendar asked the question "What Can You Sow Today?" So I thought about it... I printed out my first thoughts on a thin, cheap pink ruled index card. Then I tried to print a blank postcard with my thoughts, but it didn't work. Some of my words were chopped off. Luckily I did print it out first. It wouldn't save what I typed it as a postcard so I had to save it as a Word Perfect document which changed the shape into your typical report type form. I made copies of what I printed, found a magenta colored sheet of card stock which I cut into a 4x6 card. It looks hot pinkish here. I adhered my words to the card stock. I left it unsigned. I was pretty happy with it. I was going to send it to a co-worker when I send some paper work but thought I'd like to get it colored copied first and I shall because I'd like to leave one in random places.

At home I was going to add some fancy rubber stamp but after playing with it, decided not to use it. Just let it be simple. Let the words speak for themselves.

I thought it would be neat if I did this random act of kindness, passed it on and others passed it on around the entire center where I work and who knows where else it may end up? A variation on a message in a bottle.

I'd also seen on another blog where others have made small cards like this or signs with one good sentence and left them at various places for other to find.

David, I guess this IS the way I keep my dark clouds at bay. It is the way I fill a blank postcard or page. I wasn't the least bit intimidated by it as the words began flowing. It was another one of those things that just happens with me and I love it!

Believe it or not, I am NOT reading a vampire book. I checked out Timepeace by Richard Paul Evans at the library. Of course the cover caught my eye at at first because of the antique pocket watch. I know you can't always judge a book by it's cover, but I am captivated with this one, devouring every word and I am only on page 59! It is a thin book so it shouldn't take me long to finish it. I'll give you my critique later....

What did you sow today?
How did you keep your dark clouds at bay?

I left it unsigned above, but I will sign it here...
~theRAV~

Odd Reflection

 

Well, Odd Shots did not just pop up at me this week like they did the past couple of weeks so I had to back and search for an older Odd Shot. This is not one of my best Odd Shot, but it will have to do for now. I took this one inside a popular eatery called the Speakeasy. They are famous for their camel rider sandwiches on warm pita bread and you pour Italian dressing on the cold cut meat, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. Did I make you hungry? The photo was actually taken in the bar part where you place and pick up to-go orders. As I was sitting on the stool waiting for our order while Rhett played video games because he had to be 21 to enter that section, I noticed the mirror and had to snap it. I took it without flash then with flash. The flash totally ruined the effect I saw. It was really dark and I'd sent it out as an email to my friend Mike E last week. He never replied back to that email so I was thinking he couldn't see it or did not care for it. I lightened it up on Picassa and liked it even better. I like the booths in the reflection. They remind me of old timey saloons. Too bad there wasn't a ghost it.

My friend Mike E did send me a smiley face when I re-sent the lighter version of this.

If you would like to participate in Odd Shot Monday, please go to the following....
http://katneyskaboodle.blogspot.com/2008/08/odd-shots-monday-poor-kermie.html