I'm still around....

I've been missed. 

I've received several emails and comments recently hoping my family is well, and wondering where I've been.  I've just been busy, that's all.  Now that the kids are out of school for Winter break, I think I'll be spending more time on the computer.  But lately I just haven't felt like being online much.  I guess I just needed a little break from journaling.

There have been a lot of things going on at school with finals and such; I have been preparing for some out-of-town family, coming to visit; and we've all still been fighting colds and allergies.  We're still all getting used to Thomas' different work schedule, too.

Anyway, I'm here, and I'll be back soon, I think.  I haven't been keeping up with everyone's journals, and I want to check in with everyone, so I'll be stopping by.  I hope everyone is well out there and enjoying time with family.

Is it finally Thursday??

Our high temperature today has come and gone -- 33* at 6 a.m.  We're dropping now, and can expect "dangerously low temperatures", according to the weatherman on the local morning news.

I haven't been on the computer for two whole days.  I just haven't felt like it.  Eler Beth did not ever actually get sick with the head cold she had, but I seem to have had something else.  I spent Tuesday with no voice, a very sore throat, cough and fatigue.  I spent yesterday with a squeaky voice, sneezing, coughing, sore throat and more fatigue.  This morning I seem to have a nice, husky, sexy voice, still coughing, but not quite as tired.  (Well, it would be a sexy voice if I could get a whole sentence out without going into a coughing fit -- nothing sexy about that!) I'm sure I'll crawl back into bed here soon.

Actually I had trouble sleeping last night; probably because of all the sleeping I've been doing for the past two days.  I finally gave up trying and got up with Thomas at 3 a.m. and made breakfast for him.  I played a little on the computer and watched the early morning news.  Then I made oatmeal and bacon for the kids' breakfasts, and even baked a pan of sugar cookies to put in lunches; frozen, not homemade this time.

It is snowing outside a little.  I think we're actually going to get some accumulation today, the first for this year. 

I was very saddened to hear that James Kim didn't make it.  I'm glad they found his body, and I'm not surprised about his death, but I was hoping for a miracle.  The man did, in all liklihood, save his family's lives, because the helicopter pilot saw his tracks and the trail he left, following it back to the car where his wife and daughters were.  I found out yesterday that he had lived for a while in Louisville, KY and had gone to school at Ballard High, making the story a little more personal for people around here. 

I'm off to check the weather again, and help Eler Beth finish getting ready for school.  I'll probably be back a little later to do some more catching up.

Sunday

Eler Beth is feeling a lot better today.  Her throat is less sore, and she isn't as stuffy-headed.  I, on the other hand, have had a sore throat and a dry cough all day.  So I doctored myself up to at least relieve the symptoms, including a little whiskey, honey and lemon concoction.  I'm sure I'll be better by tomorrow. 

Did nothing special today.  I'll get back to writing tomorrow.  Everyone have a nice night and a good week!

Saturday

Well, yesterday was a decent enough day, I guess.  I didn't do anything I didn't have to do.  I actually managed to write over 2100 words of my work-in-progress.  (Remembered to turn on the word counter.) 

I may have actually done more, but Eler Beth is coming down with something, and about midday she suddenly decided that she really, really just needed some comfort from Mom.  She had a horribly sore throat, but her glands didn't seem to be swollen.  She had a stuffy head and was sneezing, but no fever.  One of her best friends had strep throat last week, but she doesn't seem to have her usual strep throat symptoms yet.  We'll see.  I doctored her up and made sure she was drinking enough; then we watched a movie and started reading Little Women together.  She's been wanting to read it, so we decided I'd read to her while she felt so bad. 

The weather here is still chilly, but not freezing.  I managed to get caught up on several more journals.  Pretty good Saturday, all in all.

Do You Have Inner Peace?

My sister Maxine had this read during a staff meeting recently, by the principal at the school where she teaches.  I really liked it and would like to spend some time on each one of them in depth throughout the month.

       Symptoms of Inner Peace

                     By Carolyn Kell 

1.       A tendency to think and act deliberately from a centeredness within, rather than from fears based on past experiences. 

2.      An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment. 

3.      A loss of interest in judging others. 

4.       A loss of interest in judging self.

5.      A loss of interest in conflict. 

6.      A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.

7.      A loss of ability to worry. 

8.       Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation. 

9.     Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature. 

10.     Frequent attacks of smiling through the heart! 

11.     Increasing susceptibility to kindness offered, and the uncontrollable urge to reciprocate. 

12.     An increasing tendency to allow things to unfold, rather than resisting and manipulating.

So, how about it?  Do you have any of these symptoms of inner peace?  I have to admit, there are a few that I would like to have more of!  I would like to write about each one of these, one at a time, as the month goes on, starting tomorrow.  I look forward to getting some input from you guys.

I'd like another day just like this one, please.

This has been a very nice day.  I think I'll try to have another one just like it tomorrow.  I don't think I have too much that has to be done, just a few errands to run.  Other than those, I'm not planning on going anywhere.  I hope that this first day of December will be a model for how the rest of the month will be, not necessarily the weather, mind you, but just the peaceful, contentedness of the day. 

I  made homemade biscuits from scratch tonight with dinner, and each of us had to have one buttered hot right out of the oven before we even sat down to eat.  They were scrumptious!

My goals for this month are fairly simple.  I want to get caught up on journals for one thing, and I want to spend some of every morning writing.  I really neglected that during the past two months.  We have had so many little dragging illnesses.  But during the week as soon as the kids are off to school, I plan to spend a good hour or two writing.  On the weekends I may have to get creative to make the time, but I'll try.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Mmmm...creamy milk chocolate.....

1:00 p.m.: 29 degrees outside with a windchill of 18.  Yesterday it was 74!

Paula quoted Sandra Boynten today, giving us the statistic that 14 out of every 10 women surveyed love chocolate.  In honor of that I just ate a 60-calorie Hershey's Milk Chocolate Stick.  Mmmmmmmmm.

I am now all caught up with Paula's entries, and am working my way through Guido's journal.  Guido, my man, you are one prolific journaler!

For your amusement, let me list some new drugs for women.  Coming soon to a pharmacy near you:

NEW DRUGS FOR WOMEN

DAMNITOL
Take 2 and the rest of the world can go to hell for up to 8 full hours.      

EMPTYNESTROGEN
Suppository that eliminates melancholy and loneliness by reminding you of how awful they were as teenagers and how you couldn't wait till they moved out!

ST. MOMMA'S WORT      
Plant extract that treats mom's depression by rendering preschoolers unconscious for up to two days.

PEPTOBIMBO
Liquid silicone drink for single women. Two full cups swallowed before an evening out increases breast size, decreases intelligence, and prevents conception.

DUMBEROL
When taken with Peptobimbo, can cause dangerously low IQ, resulting in enjoyment of country music and pickup trucks.

FLIPITOR
Increases life expectancy of commuters by controlling road rage and the urge to flip off other drivers.

MENICILLIN
Potent anti-boy-otic for older women. Increases resistance to such lethal lines as, "You make me want to be a better person. "

BUYAGRA
Injectable stimulant taken prior to shopping. Increases potency, duration, and credit limit of spending spree.      

JACKASSPIRIN
Relieves headache caused by a man who can't remember your birthday, anniversary, phone number, or to lift the toilet seat.

ANTI-TALKSIDENT
A spray carried in a purse or wallet to be used on anyone too eager to share their life stories with total strangers in elevators.

NAGAMENT
When administered to a boyfriend or husband, provides the same irritation level as nagging him, without opening your mouth.

Have a great day!

I Just Saw Mary Poppins Floating By....

At 6 a.m. it was 65F; right now, at 11:12 a.m., it is 32F, with winds gusting up to 30 m.p.h. and more.  We did not get all the rain we had been told to expect; just some scattered showers and a period of heavy rain late yesterday.  Right now our sprinkles of rain are turning to snow flurries.  I don't think we'll get anything like what the Midwest areas near us have gotten.  Right now I think this Ohio Valley is protecting us from all of that, but you never know -- everything could change tomorrow.

I'm in a happy place right now.  Literally.  I'm sitting in front of my computer in a fluffy robe, drinking a nice, hot cup of colombian coffee with French vanilla cream.  And I am hoping that I can get to all of the journals I love to read by the end of the day.  Possible?  I don't know.  If I haven't left a comment in your journal lately, please, please forgive me.  I just can't seem to get caught up.

  Today is the first day of a new month.  I'd like to take the first of every month, beginning this month, to send out a reminder to all you ladies, and you gentlemen with ladies in your lives -- if you haven't scheduled your yearly mammogram yet, do it today.  Set aside the first day of each month to give yourself a breast self-exam.  If this isn't a good time of the month for you, then take the first day of the month to mark a date on your calendar to do the exam.

Julie had her first dose of chemotherapy yesterday.  I need to call her this afternoon to see how she's feeling.  I hopefully will return later today.  I want to talk some more about this upcoming month.

Week One -- Up Close And Personal (belated)

Recently I did a series of introductions to all of my siblings, so I guess it's only right that I now introduce myself; although, actually, if you've been reading my journal for any length of time, you probably already know everything about me that I want you to know.  But, just in case, I'll introduce myself properly.

I'm Lori, and I live in Southern Indiana, right across the Ohio River from Louisville, KY.  I am actually a Kentucky girl by birth, by heart, by soul, and by everything else that matters, including college basketball!  (Oh my, those Wildcats are not making a very good start this season, are they??)  Anyway, I was born and raised in Breckinridge County, Kentucky, 40 years ago.  (In my mind and heart, though, I'm only 20!)

My father was a very hard-working, family man, who officially retired from his job of 30 years at the age of 65, but who continued to work as much as he could until he was near 80.  He died at the age of 80, 4-1/2 years ago, and I still miss him very much.  He loved good harmony singing, family gatherings, and a good joke.  There were times when I was growing up when we didn't have much, but we always had what we needed.  He never missed a day of work for illness or for bad weather; the only time he ever had to miss work was when he was in the hospital for appendicitis.  The link above is to an entry I did on my father that, to me, tells exactly what kind of man he was.

My mother is a very hard-working, nurturing lady, who, at almost 83 years old, is still going strong and can out-work me and all of my sisters combined.  I spoke to her on the phone on Tuesday, and she had just come in from "clearing grass out of the buckberry bushes".  She never worked outside of the home after her marriage to my dad, except, I believe, for a very short time when they were first married.  But she certainly worked inside the home.  She raised seven of us, with 18 years between the oldest and me, the youngest.  Every one of her sons-in-law and her daughter-in-law, as well, have praised her as the perfect mother-in-law, which says a lot right there.  And she is adored by her 11 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.  My parents were children of the depression, and that certainly shaped their work ethics, family values and habits.  As I said, there were times when we may not have had much, but my mother is a wonderful cook and seamstress (as well as a good money manager), and my father was a good provider, so we always had tasty and well-prepared meals, and decent, clean clothes to wear.  We always sat down at the table for our meals and there was always a homemade dessert at dinnertime.

I was born and raised in a very rural area.  We did not farm, but we always had a garden and lots of pets.  We always had dogs and cats, and at various times there were horses or ponies, goats, chickens, geese and ducks, as well as the occasional wild animal that P.J. or Barb would bring home.  I lived in the same house all but the first year and a half of my life, and it's the house that my mother still lives in.  I went through the eighth grade in the elementary school four miles away in the county seat, and graduated from Breckinridge County High School in a class of about 180 students; also attending the vocational school right next door.  I was the editor of our high school newspaper, and right after I graduated I went to work for a local weekly paper.  I was hired as the layout artist, but when you work for a small paper, you wear many hats, and so I reported, wrote feature articles, took and developed pictures, typeset and proofread.

I married at age 21, to my husband of almost 20 years, Thomas.  A year after Thomas and I had been introduced by a mutual friend, we ran into each other again and started dating.  We were engaged for 10 months before marrying in a fairly large wedding ceremony.  Thomas is black, and I am white.  I had never dated or been interested in anyone of another race before, and bi-racial relationships certainly weren't smiled upon where I was from at that time.  But Thomas is very special.  He won me with his big smile and big heart, and this essential "goodness" that just seems to flow out of him.  Since we married I have worked in basically accounting and management positions for different companies, mostrecently a large insurance company.

Our son, Andrew, was born 2 years into our marriage.  When the doctor said, "It's a boy!" Thomas said, "Well, I've got myself a fishing partner."  My doctor said, "Well, not for a while, yet."  Little did she know!  He was holding a fishing pole at 6 months.  At 17 now Andrew is a fairly typical teenager, into video games, music and playing keyboard.  He's a good kid, with a good heart, and when the parents of his friends tell me how much they enjoy having him around, it makes me very proud.  He's studying computer programming right now and hopefully will go into that field.

Our daughter, Eler Beth, was born six years after Andrew.  When I told Andrew I was going to have a baby, he said, "Does Dad know?  Can I tell him?"  Of course, I'd already told Thomas, but I let Andrew tell him again.  Then the day I got the ultrasound results and found out it would be a girl, I told Andrew first and gave him one of the ultrasound pictures to show his dad.  He said, "Hey, Dad, do you know who this is?"  Thomas said, "No, who is that?"  Andrew said, "It's my baby sister, Eler Beth."  And Thomas looked up quickly at me and said, "Really?"  He so much wanted a little girl!  Boy, did he get it!  She is a joy to us!  At ten years old, she is a smart little whirlwind of a girl.  She loves doing everything!  She can go from gardening, rock and fossil hunting, fishing and hunting, to getting her nails and hair done and taking me to the mall for a girls-only day!  I don't know what she'll settle on as a career when she's an adult, but I do know that she'll put her all into it and succeed.

I am a stay-at-home Mom right now, and hopefully can stay that way for a while.  Thomas recently changed jobs to make it possible for me to stay home.  I love to read, and usually have more than one book going at a time, because I like to have a light novel going as well as something a little heavier; or I may be researching something, requiring a lot of heavier reading.  I do a bit of writing as well.  I have a pretty eclectic taste in music and used to play and sing with my sisters and brother on a regular basis.  Both my kids are musically inclined as well.   I have a lot of quirks and compulsions that sometimes get in the way of enjoying things in a simpler way; yes, I can be fanatical at times about organization and doing things a certain way, but I've been better lately about just letting things slide when they need to.

I started journaling in March of '05, and it is one of the joys in my life.  I'm not really sure why, but I love being a part of the J-land community, and really appreciate the "friendships" I've found here online.  This has been a long entry, and if you've stuck with it to the end, I thank you very much.  I guess this has been more of a "history" than an introduction, Martha, but, as my mother would say, "here it is, such as it is." 

I look forward to doing the second week's Up Close and Personal.  'Bye for now!

Tags: Up Close and personal, Breckinridge County, KY

Up Close And Personal

Martha, of Just Visiting, has begun a series called Up Close And Personal.  I am, of course, behind on participating.  But I'm going to try to catch up with her this week.  For the first week she has asked that we each write an entry about ourselves or to dig through our archives to find an entry or entries that we think tell the most about ourselves.  I'm just now catching up on her journal, so I don't know what she has in store for week #2 yet.  I'm enjoying the anticipation.

Go to her entry here to read her instructions for Week #1 and to learn more about her, then, if you're participating and haven't done so already, leave a link to your Up Close and Personal entry in her comments section.  (You can leave one here as well, if you like.)

I'll be back a little later today to do my own entry.  I have to do a little diggin in my own archives!  And if you've participated and left a link in Martha's journal today,  I'll be by to visit you and to learn more about you soon!

Thank you!

Blue Skies, Happy Feet and an 8-Pointer!

We have had some extraordinarily beautiful days lately.  Yesterday it got up into the 70s.  It has been impossible for me to resist working in my yard.  The kids and I managed to get all the leaves raked and bagged, and I prepped the soil in some of my flower beds and even planted some bulbs for the Spring.

Tomorrow is going to be gorgeous again, but then rain is coming into the area tomorrow night; and although Wednesday is still going to be warm, it is supposed to rain all day.  The rain will continue into Thursday, with a brief respite, then return Thursday night, along with a cold front, and Friday the high is going to be only 35!  That will be quite a shock to the system.  We may get snow then as well.

Well, it was beautiful while it lasted, anyway.

Eler Beth and Thomas went deer hunting Thursday, Friday and Sunday.  She took a break on Saturday, and he went out alone and got an 8-point, 180 lb (after field dressing) buck.  She wasn't jealous, though.  They didn't even see anything on the days she went out.  She had a great time, though, and I will have to post a picture of her in her hunting gear and with her gun.  She's a trooper; Thomas said she's one of the best hunting partners he's ever had, because she'll stay out all day and not complain.  She even used a climbing tree stand!

Friday afternoon, though, she and I had some time together.  We did some shopping, had dinner at this great pizza place and then went to see Happy Feet.  It was good.  There are a lot of little things under the surface of that movie that, happily, the kids don't get.  I did enjoy it, though.  The music was great, Savion Glover's dance moves, even when being performed by a penguin, were exceptional, and the backdrops were gorgeous. 

Andrew joined about 19 friends and some of their parents for a bowling party Friday afternoon, then they all went to the friends' house who was hosting the party for food and games.  Then he left from there with one of the guys to spend the night at his house.  This friend is starting a band and wants Andrew to play keyboard for them.  His mom said they were up until about 6 a.m. Saturday morning! 

But today everything was back to normal, off to school and work (housework for me!).  This evening after Thomas got in from work he made a start on packaging up the deer.  We keep the meat in ice water for a couple days to cool it down and keep it safe until we can get it into the freezer.  Tomorrow I think it'll be some nice juicy steaks on the grill for dinner.  We may as well use the grill one last time this Fall before the cold, rain and snow.

And now I've come full circle, I believe.  I hope to catch up on a few more journals and get my weekly routine back.  Hope everyone is having a good week.

The Next Journals Tournament Is Coming Up

A while back I participated in the Third Journals Tournament and had a great time.  Kellen is getting ready to start the next one, and invites everyone to visit his journal to check it out.  He's changing a few things this time around, and I'm really looking forward to it.

What is the Journals Tournament? Well, Kellen has provided this little blurb to explain: 

JOURNAL TOURNAMENT-A three task tournament between journalers, building community and friendly competition in J-Land.  The tournament is in an experimental phase...a one task 20 question Tournament Revolutionized.  If you sign up, you will be asked to complete those 20 questions by the appropriate deadline, and whoever has the most points, will be declared the winner!  It's a great way to get involved and see if you like the Journal Tournament without signing up for the full three tasks.  Everyone who has joined the past three tournaments has had a blast!  See what it's all about...http://journals.aol.com/love2sing2007/JournalTournament.  Now registering through November 30!

I registered yesterday.  I look forward to doing the 20-question pre-tournament competition, and can't wait for the three-task competition.  Kellen comes up with some very hard questions, and it's a lot of fun doing the research, trying to get the answers.  So go over and register to give it a try.  I think you'll enjoy it!

Tags: AOL Journal Tournament

When Dinosaurs Roamed The Earth

I am making this entry using a Compaq Presario with Windows 95 and AOL 7.0!  I had to put my Dell in the shop this week.  I started getting STOP Errors, then other mysterious things began happening, so I guess I have a corrupt file somewhere.  I'm so careful about running virus scans daily, updating my Microsoft software and drivers and checking for malware or spyware, but apparently something slipped through the cracks.

And my laptop, you ask?  Well, it has a minor problem, and I've been forgetting to ship it off for the past two weeks now, so I can't use it.  I'm taking it to the post office today to send it off to have it fixed.  Thankfully, my PC is being repaired here in town, and I should have it back soon.  In the meantime, I remembered that we still had this thing, and I hooked it up last night, and it actually still works!

Eler Beth says she wants it in her room to play games on when I'm done with it, but, poor thing, I don't think any of her games will play on it!

I've also been super busy this week, so not having easy access to AOL has probably been a blessing in disguise.  (But by last night I couldn't stand it anymore!)  I am feeling much better.  I still have a couple days of antibiotics to take and I still have a little bit of a cough, but it's going.  Slowly.  Thomas is working 12 hour days right now, so I'm trying to make sure that when he gets home in the evening, homework has been done, I've done whatever running I need to do, and dinner is ready.  It makes it nicer for him and for us, because then he can relax and spend a little time with us before he collapses, and we aren't all trying to do other things after he gets home. 

Well, I just wanted to drop in and say "I'm still alive!"  In a few minutes I need to go ship off the laptop and then I'm eating lunch with Eler Beth at school.  I may be back later.  I don't have any of my favorite journals saved on this PC, so it may take awhile to get around to everyone, but I'll be dropping by eventually.  Hope everyone is having a good week!

Updates

I can finally get into my journal and make an entry!  Yay!

I am feeling much better now; still coughing, but it's much better.

Our Indian Summer finally ended and now we are truly into Fall and cold weather.  There was a chance of snow flurries yesterday, but I never saw any here.

When Thomas said they were doing massive overtime, he wasn't kidding.  He worked eight hours yesterday and is doing so today, too.  That won't be a regular thing on Sundays, which is good, but once in a while we can handle it.  He had to go in at 5 this morning, so he got up at 3.  I actually got up with him and made him breakfast.  I have never had to get up with him when he gets up earlier than the rest of us; he usually makes his own breakfast, but sometimes I like to do it.  It's also a good time for the two of us to talk in a relaxed state, without interruptions.  When Andrew was a baby I can remember making cookie dough the night before, and then getting up early with Thomas and baking a pan of fresh, homemade cookies for him to take to work.  That was fun.

I saw my friend Julie when we were at my Mom's a couple weeks ago, and she is doing very well.  I gave her a very gentle hug, which was nicer than sending her hugs in the mail or over the phone.  Tuesday, the 7th, she had the port put in for the chemo, and I think she starts her treatments tomorrow.  I need to call her this afternoon to make sure.  She is in good spirits, and her husband is treating her exceptionally well, which she says is scaring her a bit! lol

I don't really have anything else to say right now.  Like I said in my last entry, there are several things I want to write about, but not until I can give them my full concentration.   So, until later....

                                 Lori

Sluggishly Slow

My, my, has it been so long?

I went to the doctor on Tuesday because this chest cold had gotten worse -- to the point where it hurt to breathe in at all and I was actually wheezing! 

So I've been taking medication and breathing from an inhaler four times a day, and I guess I'm feeling some better.  Sluggish, though.  I sit down at the computer at least once a day with the desultory intention of reading and commenting in journals, but I don't last very long.  I've been sleeping a lot.

Yesterday, though, was Eler Beth's field trip to Exchange City (for which, as a volunteer I had already had three hours of training!), so I couldn't miss that.  As a result I slept all day today and got up with my chest hurting again.  It was fun, though.  The fifth graders ran a whole town for the day.  I got a lot of good pictures of Eler Beth doing her job that I hope to post later.

Today was Thomas' first day at New Job.  Yesterday on his last day at Old Job, they surprised him with a card and a $100.00 Gift Certificate to Bass Pro Shop.  He was also told that if New Job doesn't work out, to come back to them.  They are a good bunch there.

But New Job went well today, and he is working tomorrow, also.  He was right about there being plenty of overtime.  So I may not have to seek employment any time soon, which pleases the kids.

Well, there are several things that I want to write about, but just don't know if I'll get to any of them any time soon.  But I wanted to put in an appearance and say hello to everyone.  Hopefully I'll be back later this evening.  Hope everyone has a good weekend!

Help!

Can't.... Get.... My.... Butt.... Up.... Out.... Of.... This.... Chair!

Can't... Drag... Fingers... From... Keys!

Can't... Blink... Eyes!

Send... Help!

Journals Tournament III

         Edited: My apologies to Kellen.  Kellen is a very talented and intelligent 17-year old young MAN, and I incorrectly referred to him as a "she".  I am so sorry!!  I have corrected the pronouns in the entry below.  Please hop over to his site and check out the last tournament; plan to participate in the next one if you can.

Last month I really enjoyed participating in the Journals Tournament (and ended up winning! Yay, me!), and am looking forward to #4.  Kellen has asked for any suggestions for the next one, which his mind is busily weaving away at as I write.  He is also asking for more participants!  Go on over to his site and check it out.  Leave him a comment if you have an idea you think he'd like.  Let him know you'd like to be invited to participate in the next one.  It really was a lot of fun, and harder than I'd expected. 

Tags: Journals Tournaments

Keeping Up With Alerts

    I, like everyone else it seems lately, have been having trouble keeping up with alerts.  So I've changed how I keep up with everyone's journals. 

Of course, right now I'm behind because I was away all weekend, but here is my new system which seems to work, when used correctly.

First of all, I made a list of all the journals I read.  Long list!  I actually made this list by saving all the links into my favorites.  Then I went into my "Manage My Alerts" and deleted all of them.  Whew!  Took a lot of pressure off.

Then I listed the journals that I have in my sidebar (and that will be growing soon), along with the journals whose authors have been regularly commenting in my journal.  I turned the alerts on for all of these, and to be on the safe side, I also put them in a favorites folder under the title "Commenters".  Because these journalers regularly comment in my journal, I do not want to be rude and not read and comment in their journals on a regular basis; and besides, these are my favorite journals!  These are the journals that I will try to keep up with on a regular basis; daily or every other day.

Then I picked out the specialty journals (like the Vivi Awards, Journals Tournaments, etc) and some journals that I read, but that aren't updated on a regular basis, and I turned on their alerts.  That way when they are updated, I won't miss them.  I also, to be on the safe side, put them in a favorites folder entitled "Intermittant".  I will check them weekly, just to make sure I haven't missed an alert.

Then I looked at all the journals I had left.  These are journals that I like to read, and sometimes comment in, but who don't comment in my journal, or who don't do so regularly.  I don't want to miss out on these journals, but I just have to give myself some freedom from an overwhelmingly, incredibly daunting number of journals alerts.  So I divided these into journals that I really, really like and have been reading for a long time, and newer journalsthat I'm basically just checking out.  I put none of these on alerts, but have them in my favorites section in folders entitled "Good Journals" and "New Journals".  I will set aside an hour once or twice a week to visit these journals and catch up for the week.  Since for most of them I have never commented on every entry, anyway, I don't think it will hurt their feelings if I don't visit them every day.

So anyway, that is what I did last week, and it was working until I got busy with stuff here at home and then went out of town over the weekend.  It has drastically cut down on the number of alerts I am getting, so I don't feel so overwhelmed.  If you read and comment in my journal regularly, then you'll probably see your name in my sidebar; and if it isn't there yet, it will be.  And know that I do have your journals on alerts, because how could I get through a week without keeping up with your lives on a regular basis??

Tags: Journals alerts, comments

Updates and Reminders...

The 55-year-old co-worker of the missing Northern Indiana girl is behind bars being questioned in her death.  He was able to tell the police where to find her body, which tells a story right there.  He went to prison in 1979 for the murder of a young boy, and was only recently released from prison.  I'm sure more details will be forthcoming.

I am getting ready to go to the Vivi Award Site to cast my votes.  This won't be easy, because some of the categories have more than one of my favorite journals competing.  I have enjoyed checking out some new journals and hope to have more time to read some of them soon.

I have done laundry today, and hung some sheets out on the clothesline, since it's such a sunny, dry day, with a little breeze blowing.  Of course, it's only 44 degrees, but even if I have to finish them up in the dryer, they'll still have that freshly, line-dried smell.

If you haven't yet voted, go do it now!

Tags: Vivi Awards

A Dangerous World

A little North of us here in Indiana, an Amber Alert was put out yesterday for a 16-year old.  Last night they found her body.  She had been leaving work when apparently she was abducted.  I don't have all the details, but will probably learn more on the noon newscast.  The suspect is a man who worked with her; a man who recently got out of prison where he was serving time for murder.  I'll post more details when I get them. 

The story reminded me of an entry Mara posted this week about her daughter, who was robbed on her own doorstep.  She posts reminders at the end of this entry that would be good for all of us to read. 

I consciously try to make sure that I keep my head up and look all around when I am walking by myself;  I look people in the eyes when I encounter them; and I have always varied my routine when coming and going at home or at work.  Sometimes I leave the house, drive around the neighborhood for a few minutes, then come back to my house before leaving again.  It may seem silly, but I want anyone watching my house to know that they just never know when I may show up.

Please read Mara's entry; if you have other useful safety reminders, especially for children or for women who may be coming and going a lot on their own, please come back and leave a comment here, or write about it in your own journal.  Things are just too, too crazy out there!

Sunny Day!

Finally the rain has stopped, and it is a gorgeous, but cold, sunny day!

My front yard is covered in leaves, and I love it that way!  I love the way they crunch under my feet.  Eler Beth can't wait to rake them up, but I'd like them to stay there for a day or two.

Back In Town

We had a wonderful weekend.  Eler Beth and I got to my Mom's house late Friday afternoon.  All of my sisters were there, and also a first cousin of ours who is like one of our sisters.  She and her brothers are double cousins of ours, because her mother was my mother's only sister, and her father was one of my father's brothers.   Her name is Sharon, and she actually calls my Mom "Mom" now, since both her parents are deceased.  My niece-in-law wasn't able to make it.

We. Ate. So. Much.

There was good stuff, like veggies, dip, and fruit.   And there was bad stuff, like chips, dips, cookies, pies, ice cream, cake, and rum balls.  The rum balls were soooo good! 

We stayed up until about 2:00 Saturday morning, watching movies and playing games.  We had sleeping bags and pillows all over my Mom's living room floor, just like a bunch of kids!  I think Mom actually stayed up until midnight, and that is very late for her.

Eler Beth learned how to play "jacks", the right way, and with the right kind of jacks and ball.  You should have seen all of us, 40-and 50-somethings, sitting cross legged on the floor, teaching a 10-year-old how to play jacks.

For those who have asked for pictures, I'm afraid I'm going to have to say "no".  A few pics were taken, but I have been ordered not to show or publish any of them!  After all, we were all in our pajamas and with no makeup on!

We told a lot of stories, and shared a lot of memories.  We finally turned in, as I said, around 2, but then we still talked until at least 3 a.m.  We were all up at about 8 on Saturday morning, too.  Dennice and Maxine took Mom shopping Saturday afternoon for a new coat and some other things.  The rest of us straightened the house, and Eler Beth and I were supposed to leave, so she could go to a tea party.  But she asked if she could, instead, stay and spend the night with "Mamaw".  So I called in her regrets to the tea party "hostess", and after Mom got back from shopping, I came on home, leaving Eler Beth to spend the night with my Mom, for the first time without me there.

Of course, she had a great time.  Then Sunday morning Thomas and I drove down, had lunch at Mom's, and visited all afternoon.  I was able to start the taped interview with Mom that I've wanted to do for so long.  Of course, it's just the beginning, but as I started interviewing her, all kinds of memories came to her, along with stories and family facts that I had never heard before.

For example, I knew that her father had been in the Cavalry in World War I, but I had never known that he had contracted the Spanish Flu and TB while he was in the service, and was, for a while, at the original Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville.  I will be writing more about him and some other things that my mother told us.  The interviews will continue, of course, because we've only just begun!

Gotta go for now, but more later....

Tags: Waverly Hills Sanatorium

We're off to Party Hearty!

I tried, but I just couldn't get to everyone's alerts and entries today.  So sorry, but I will get through them all tomorrow.  I've re-done how I read my favorite journals; it's much easier for me now, but not when I get behind.  And I'm behind!

Eler Beth and I are getting ready to leave to go to "Mamaw's House" for our sleepover.  Since you can't come along, we'll have enough fun for all of you, okay? 

I'll be back tomorrow and will get caught up with everyone.  Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Bye now!

Lori ~~

Pictures....

As you can see from this picture, Barbara was the only one of us born with black hair.  But her hair turned blonde and has stayed blonde. 1960

Barbara with "Bub", 1962

This is Barbara holding me, 1966.

This is Barb's fifth grade picture, 1971.

 

Meet My Sister, Barbara

 

Number six in the family is Barbara. Barbara is six years older than I am. All of the olders ones were two years or less apart, but there are four years between Lois and Barbara. Mom had a miscarriage two years after Lois was born; so Barbara was another planned baby, who really came right on time.

I love all of my siblings, each for different reasons, but I probably feel really the closest to Barbara.

In some ways, Barb is different from the rest of us. For one thing, she has an IQ of 165. Others of us have some artistic talents in the family, but Barbara is an artist. She paints in watercolor, oil, and acrylic; she does ink and pen sketches and charcoal drawings, portraits, landscapes, and caricatures; she loves working with textiles and makes beautiful wall hangings; she also makes unique pieces of jewelry; and she writes. Someday perphaps I'll get permission to share some of her writing here.

Barbara supports herself with her art. She, too, bought a mobile home when I was 14 and moved it onto the Northwest section of my parents' land; so she and Lois have stayed close to home all these years. About 12 years ago she built a house on that section of property. She also helps care for Mom and Alton; she and Lois divvy up the work, Barbara usually caring for the lawns and orchard.

Barbara is the other one of my sisters who almost always had a horse when I was younger; she's the one who taught me to ride. She and Lois taught me to swim in a swimming hole in a creek near our home, and Barbara is the one who taught me to read and write before I started school, to write in cursive by the time I was in the second grade, and to do multiplication and long division by the time I was in the third grade.

She is a very private person. She has never married and only rarely dated. Barbara is just usually slow to warm up to new people; she likes her privacy and does not like going out into crowds. As a matter of fact, Dennice and I have served as her representatives when she has had work in art galleries. She has actually gotten better in that area, though, and will often surprise us by interacting with strangers in ways she never used to. There is nothing timid about her or backward; she just prefers to be with family or alone. She is smart, well-read, well-spoken, funny, generous, and very deep.

There have been times when she and I have been in sync in our thoughts and opinions, so much so that we can catch one another's eyes and have a perfect, immediate understanding. That has happened between all of us, but for me it happens moreso with her than with the others.  We often finish one anothers' sentences or voice one anothers' thoughts.  Barbara is the one who can play guitar, bass viol, banjo, mandolin, dulcimer, bodran, panpipe, flute and autoharp. She writes beautiful pieces of music, as well.

So now, you have "met" all of my siblings. Now when I tell family stories or mention them, perhaps you'll be better able to put a personality and some characteristics behind the names.

And I have lots of stories!

Because she is such a private person, I hesitate to post pictures of her. If I do, they will be from when she was very young.

It's Party Time!

              Well, Eler Beth and I are off this afternoon to my Mom's house, where we will join Mom, all of my sisters, and a niece-in-law for a pajama party!  Mom has made Bourbon Balls and Mulled Cider, P.J. is bringing a snack tray with summer sausages, cheeses and crackers, and I don't know what everyone else is bringing.  I don't know what I'm taking yet, either!  What goodie should I make/buy?  Any ideas?

It will be fun.  Maxine got in yesterday from Florida.  She flew in and then rented a car, and will not leave until around noon on Monday.  It's raining, and is supposed to be raining probably the whole time she's in.  At least she's been able to see some of the Fall colors.  P.J. says she's bringing make-up and nail stuff if anyone wants to play!  Of course Eler Beth said, "I do!"  The food and the company and seeing my daughter having so much fun will be great.  And we always have fun when we get together.  I'm really looking forward to it.

                                                        

Then, we'll have to get home before too late tomorrow, because Eler Beth has been invited to a tea party at the home of one of her friends.  Great fun for a rainy, cold weekend!

                              

Still More Pictures....

At Lois' third birthday party, 1959.  Around her, left to right, Maxine, Alton, Dennice and P.J.  According to the caption with this photo, "P.J. blew out her candles"!

The caption Mom has on this one is, "P.J. and Lois, dragging their dolls down the front walk."

   4th Grade, 1965

  Above, 11th grade, 1973; at left, as Maid of Honor in my wedding, 1987.

Meet My Sister, Lois....

Graphic by Donna

Number five in the family is Lois, almost exactly 10 years older than I. Lois was a surprise baby, coming 16 months after P.J. Consequently she and P.J. grew up almost as twins. There is a story that my father made a remark to one of his sisters, after Lois was born, about her being a surprise (not planned). This aunt told my dad, "She'll be the one to care for you in your old age." And, in a lot of ways, this has proved true.

Lois has never married, and has no desire to do so. (She used to date regularly, though, and I can remember spying on her and her boyfriend when I was about 7 years old!) Lois likes her freedom. She works for a local lake resort, and spends a lot of her time, along with Barbara, caring for my Mom, my brother, and Mom's home. Lois moved out when I was 14 and she was 24 (so at 24 she lived at home the longest of all of us). But she didn't move far! She bought a mobile home and Daddy gave her a piece of land on the Southwest corner of the property. She lived there until Dad died, at which time she moved into the house with Mom and Alton. We did not want mom, at that time 78 years old, alone in the house except for Alton, who still needs to have someone nearby.  But it was Lois' decision to move in. 

She did play a big role in caring for Dad before he died as well, taking him to appointments, seeing that he took his medication, and so on. She is the main chauffeur for Mom and Alton as well, taking them to doctor's appointments and on other errands. She does the heavy housecleaning at Mom's and some of the cooking. Lois never cooked when she lived at home, or at least, very rarely. But when she first moved out, she asked Mom if she could make Saturday night dinner every week. Doing that she became a very good cook, and we got to sample all her early attempts!! It was fun experiencing firsthand her evolution into a good cook.

When she was home she couldn't grow anything! If she tried taking care of a houseplant it inevitably died. The only plant she was ever able to keep alive was an air fern; and a friend of mine killed that one day, when, helping me along with my Saturday chores while visiting, this friend decided she'd water all the plants -- including the air fern! But after she moved out, Lois started keeping houseplants alive, started planting flowers, shrubs and trees in her yard and eventually took over the garden from Mom.  (Oh, I forgot!  She did grow a horseweed when she was a little girl, tending it and keeping it alive for weeks!  But that's another story....)

Lois has a mischievous streak. She likes to tease, and she likes to pout. We call her the "real" baby of the family, but she doesn't seem to mind. In my young years I thought she was the prettiest of my sisters, and I liked to raid her makeup box while she was away from home. In my teenage years she became one of my best friends, and she was my Maid-Of-Honor in our wedding. All of us are blondes, except Lois. She was blonde when she was little, but her hair darkened into brunette, like our mother's. Also, like our mother, she started getting gray in her early thirties, which changed to a salt and pepper in her forties. Now, like our mother, I expect she'll get that beautiful silver hair in a few years. She does not color her hair. I can remember Mom ironing her hair when she was in high school because it was the style in the early seventies to have long, straight hair, and Lois' tended to curl. Then in the late seventies she gave up and cut it into a shag style, and the curls, finally unleashed to run riot, took over. She had the prettiest, naturally curly hair! And of course, like the perverse things we women are, she was never satisfied with the curls that most of us would kill or pay a fortune for! She's gotten used to them now, though, and lets her hair do what it wants.  (Actually, I used to cut and style her hair when I was still at home, and I can attest to the fact that it will pretty much do what it wants anyway!)

Of all of us, Lois is the only one who does not play a musical instrument, but she has a very good singing voice.  I love singing with all of my sisters, but she and I seem to have voices that blend especially well together.

I guess I'll stop here and post some pics of her. I could go on and on about this sister that I knew so well while I was growing up. At least now when I mention her, you'll know who I'm talking about.

To be continued....

Adorable Betty!

* This may be a rather long entry, but I hope you read it anyway.

Well, it's time I weighed in on Ugly Betty.

I like the show.  I've taped and watched all four episodes; actually, I've watched each one twice, and I've watched them objectively.  I like it. 

Here's why:

Betty is an intelligent, witty, educated young lady from Queens, who is of hispanic descent.  She is determined to someday own a magazine.  In order to get her foot in the door of the industry, she accepts a position with a magazine owned by a publishing company that she considers the cream of the crop.  It, unfortunately, is a fashion magazine, and the owner of the publishing company who owns that magazine has an ulterior motive in hiring her.

Now Betty truly does have no sense of fashion.  She is NOT ugly.  She has braces, wears glasses, is not stick-thin and does not know how to dress or wear her hair.  But she knows her job, and she takes iniative to get things done.  She makes friends at her new job, but, unfortunately, she inadvertantly makes some very powerful enemies as well.  Her boss, the editor-in-chief of the magazine (and also the son of the owner), who starts out appalled that he is being "forced" to hire her, tries what he can do to make her quit.  Forty minutes into the show, her prime enemy, a photographer who has a score to settle with her because of a perceived insult to him, talks her boss into getting her into a very embarrassing situation, sure that it will make her quit. 

This is a very painful scene to watch.

I have been the victim of bullying as a child, and also as an adult.  I know that that scene was very painful in a very personal way to many viewers.  But look past that, if you can.  What happens?  She puts on the skimpy costume, allows herself to be placed between two tall, thin models, and strikes outlandish poses (as a stand-in for a missing model).  Laughter erupts.  Her boss?  We see conscience coming to the fore.  We see sympathy and shame.  He tries to stop the photographer.  He commands him to stop!  Betty, red-faced, runs from the building.  He follows.  She quits.  She knows that's what he wanted, anyway. 

Her boss finds out that this photographer has conspired with his own arch enemy to bring about his downfall; that he has been duped and embarrassed, just like Betty, only not in such a personal way.  An important account is about to be lost.  He finds a proposal that Betty wrote that is very good.  If he can get her to come back and if they can convince their client to give them another chance he is sure that Betty's idea will sell. 

In the meantime, Betty is still feeling her anger.  Using that ,she tears into the "hoochie mama" neighbor that her boyfriend dumped her for at the beginning of the show.  Good for her!

Boss man comes to her house to beg her to come back; to tell her how brilliant her idea is.  Here is the conversation:

Daniel: Betty, I am so sorry........You didn't deserve what I put you through......I.....I listened to all the wrong people about a lot of things.  I have no one to blame but myself.

Betty:  Well, I appreciate that, Daniel.  (pause)  But you're going to leave here, and you're going to take your town car back to your Soho loft, and I'm still going to be here, out of work and dealing with problems that you'll never understand.

Daniel:  Try me!  Betty, come on, we've all got problems.

Betty:  And what are yours, Daniel?  What restaurant you're going to eat at?  Which model you're going to sleep with?  Try spending the day on the phone with some crappy HMO, getting  them to cover your dad's prescriptions, or try lining up a job, any job, 'cause you've got to help pay the rent next month.

Daniel:  (pause) I lost a brother a while back......He was the good one in our family......and I've never quite measured up.  But I'm trying.  (pause)  Betty, my problems could never compare to yours, but they're mine. (pause and smile)  I saw the layout you made for Fabia. 

Betty:  (pause) You did?

Daniel:  I thought it was very smart.  And beautiful.

Of course, she ends up helping him.  The presentation is a hit.  The client approves it.  Daniel tries to give her the credit with his father, the owner, but she diverts it back to him, telling him that next time she'll take the credit.

That was just the first episode.  It gets better with each one.  We also discover that there is some mystery about Betty's father, and there is another mystery about Daniel's father. 

The actors have been cast very well in all the main roles.  Really, everything is exaggerated and over-the-top.  I mean, Betty is made up to be more unattractive than I can imagine someone of her intelligence being.  The snotty people who work at the company are Uber-snotty.  The characters of the receptionist and the assistant to the Creative Editor are over-the-top shallow, mean, conscienceless creatures, (and funny as all get-out) and Betty comes out on top when they tangle.  Her nephew is a fashion-whiz!!  Even the fictional television "Fashion" network is exaggeratedly, hilariously, over-the-top.  And throughout the episodes we get little snippets of a Spanish Telenovella (featuring Salma Hayak!), that, of course, is soap-opera at it's most over-the-top.

I was not offended by the show, because in my opinion it is not glorifying or putting a good face on bullying or on handling bullying.  I didn't think the show made fun of Betty's character or asked us to do so.  I believe the show actually asks us to embrace Betty, the Bettys we all know, the Betty that is inside of each of us.  I believe the show asks us to cheer for Betty and stand beside her as she faces some of the same things we face or have faced.  And I actually get a nice, satisfied, good feeling when I watch the show.

The second episode is my favorite so far, where we meet a down-to-earth, "beautiful-people" client of the magazine, who really is more comfortable with Betty than with anyone else at the magazine.  And in the third episode we meet an artist that the magazine is wooing, who just happens to be from Betty's Queens neighborhood, and who can handle the snooty magazine people without compromising his own integrity or trying to be what he is not. 

Betty does not try to fit in.  Actually she started to try at one point, discovered that it was not the smartest thing to do, and then informed her nay-sayers that she was there to stay, and they'd better just get used to her as she is.  I hope that if you've never given the show a try, that you will approach it with an open mind and then decide.  If you have watched it and find it offensive or painful, then I want you to know that I understand and respect that, and hope that I have not offended anyone.

I do want to quote my 10 year-old daughter after she watched the first episode:  "You know, I don't think Betty is ugly at all.  And if people treated me like that, I'd just go ahead and be myself anyway, just like Betty.  She's smart!"

Natalie asked what her readers' opinions were of the show, and this is part of the comment I left her:  "She's got 'cahones'! Lots of spunk and drive to be able to do what she wants to do, and when the going gets really rough, and she is taking a lot off of the "bullies" she has to deal with, she shows that she can kick butt intelligently and capably without having to come down to their level."

Tags: Ugly Betty

Change is in the air....

           And I'm not just talking about the leaves!

Thomas is getting ready to change jobs.  It's been coming for a long time, but it took a while for him to make a definite decision.  Four years ago he quit a company where he'd worked for 11 years.  There were good reasons for doing so at the time, and, as it turned out, it's a very good thing that he did.  About two years ago the company was bought and taken over by new management, and ever since then he's had lures thrown out to him to come back.

He resisted for some time, but things have slowed down at the job he has now, and there has been some trouble in certain quarters that has had him stressed out.  By early summer we knew it was time for him to make a move.

So he contacted his former supervisor who has been luring him "to the dark side", lol, all this time, and told him that by October or November he'd be ready to come back.  This particular supervisor has a lot of pull and wants Thomas working in his own department where he would be able to work day shift and have all the overtime he wants. 

Here's where my story takes a sappy turn; my precious husband does not want me to have to go back to work after the first of the year, and that's the main reason he's going back to this company!  (Can you say, "Awww......"?)  If I wanted to go back to work, that would be fine, but he and I both have seen what a difference it has made to both the kids to have me home again, and we'd really like to have that continue if at all possible.  The overtime and the regular pay that this company offers could make it happen.  The benefits are a little better than what he has now, as well.

We may have to re-budget a few things and be careful to keep our savings in place, but we've found before that quite often, when you aren't making as much money, you don't spend as much money.  And I could maybe look for something part time if the need arose.  But actually, if he works as much as he expects to, my salary won't be missed by too much, anyway. 

He's done his application, background check, drug testing, strength testing, interviews, and orientation.  They've made him an offer, he's just waiting to make sure that they're putting him in the department and on the shift that he wants.  This morning I typed up his letter of resignation for him, that he'll turn in on Friday, if he gets the good word that  he's set to go.  

Things have been busy and a little stressful around here, as all of this has been going on.  He really likes the company where he is right now and so many of the people he works with.  But, as I said, things are changing there, so once everything started rolling for him to change jobs, he started relaxing and coming to terms with his decision.

I've been busy with things at the kids' schools, and just haven't felt much like journaling lately.  I think you get that way, once in a while.  My sister, Maxine, is coming up to visit for a few days at my Mom's, and Friday night, all of us girls are going to spend the night at our Mom's, sort of a "sleepover".  Eler Beth is coming with me, too, and she is really looking forward to it.  She's so much like my sisters, anyway, and she thinks it will be fun to have a grownup pajama party.  I was on the phone with my sister, Barbara, for over an hour this morning, so I think I must be needing a little dose of my sisters' company.  It should be a hoot! 

Well, hope everyone is enjoying this Wednesday (cloudy, chilly, and looking like rain, here!), and I'll probably be back later today!

Friday Catch Up

I'm trying to catch up on alerts today.  I've just been too busy to spend much time at the computer for the past couple of days; but for the life of me, I don't know what I've been busy doing!  The kids were out of school yesterday and today, and I thought they would want to go somewhere and do something, but they've actually been happy just to sleep in, play video games and watch movies.  Fine with me!  They've gotten along and Andrew actually condescended to play some games with Eler Beth, so she's in heaven!

I did make a "sibling" entry last night, but I just didn't feel up to doing more than that.  It is finally really feeling like Fall here.  The temp right now is 48, but according to The Weather Channel it feels like 44.  Leaves are falling; it quit raining Wednesday morning, only to start up again Wednesday night.  It rained all day yesterday and into last night.  I'm finally seeing a few more maples and oaks turning color, but our maples out front are still green, or dropping green leaves.  Eler Beth wants all the leaves to fall so she can rake them up.  It's so nice having an industrious kid!

Well, I'm off to check in with more journals.  I just saw the Vivi nominations list, so I have some work ahead of me, deciding on who I'll vote for.  Congratulations to everyone who received a nomination!

Some More Pictures...

P.J. in 1955.  Our uncle told her to make a "piggy" face.  He's the same uncle who started calling her by her initials.

 Dressed as an indian, 1955.  I'm not sure what the stick is supposed to be.  Notice the band-aid on her chin.

 Midge and P.J. 1960.

  Freshman picture 1968.

With her firstborn in 1971.

Meet My Sister, P.J.

           Graphic by Donna

Number 4 of the family is P.J. She is just under 12 years older than I, and I can actually remember her living at home; which I really can't for the older three. As a matter of fact, the earliest memory I have is of getting up one snowy, winter morning, going into the living room and sitting in my little red rocking chair in front of the big picture window and watching the three sisters closest to me in age getting on the bus.

P.J. married at 16, and she and her husband stayed married for over 20 years. They divorced then, and I won't go into any details there. She is now married to a wonderful man who fits into the family like a glove. P.J. is a tax preparer.

I was always just a little bit in awe of P.J. when I was little. I always thought she was so pretty, and I learned a lot about how to put on makeup from watching her and Lois.

P.J. is smart and funny. She has always had a way with animals, and that's how I think of her when I remember her younger years. She always had at least one horse; she took in every stray or wounded animal she found, and she helped the wounded ones get back on their feet. She and her first husband quite often "broke" horses for other people. I can remember her coming in with little green snakes or black snakes, and letting me pet them. Once I told my father a long, involved tale about how P.J. had taken me for a walk in the woods and let me pet a fox. I was about 2 years old. "They can lick!" I told my dad. I must have been convincing, and that, combined with his knowledge of P.J., made him believe me! P.J. was about to get into some trouble until Mom convinced him that it was just a story I had made up.

Once P.J. took a little green snake to high school with her, and during one of their breaks while she was walking down the main hall at the school, the snake raised its head up out of her pocket; the crowd of students in the hall parted like the Red Sea.

Animals weren't the only things that followed P.J. home. I actually remember an afternoon when the girls got off the bus, followed by one of P.J.'s fellow 8th graders who had, uninvited, followed her home. He was a very shy, quiet kid, who simply decided he was going to go home with her.  P.J.was mortified and totally avoided him. She had never had anything to do with him. But he was so smitten with her! Mom and Dad were very nice to him, let him stay for supper, and then Dad took him home. I don't think P.J. said even one word to him! I was about 4 at the time, and I was VERY impressed!

When Alton had his stroke, P.J. is the one who came to our door to tell me in person; and when our father died about 2 hours after we had left his side to go back home, she is the one who called me to let me know. She's the one who sat up with me the night before he died; when, after I had taken my turn sitting with Dad, I found I couldn't sleep. She and I talked about everything in the world, and I think we comforted one another. She told me stories about my maternal grandmother whom I had never known; stories I'd never heard. She and I are the ones who suffer from anxiety attacks and depression. She is the one who realized I was having a migraine at age 8, and told my mother what to do for it. (Mom just knew them as sick headaches, but P.J. used to have to go to the emergency room for shots whenever she got one.)

I could go on and on, I suppose, but I guess I'll save some things for later.

To be continued....

Finally, No Rain

P> 

The Oaks and Maples are still slow to change, but at least we have a little bit of color.

The rain finally stopped this morning, and the temps rose, but I'm not fooled.  I know it's going to be cooler in a few days. 

"She's A Lady...Whoa, whoa, whoa, She's A Lady...."

At least 76% one, anyway!

 

You Are 76% Lady

Overall, you are a refined lady with excellent manners. But you also know when to relax and not get too serious about etiquette

Are You A Lady?

Wednesday Morning 3 a.m. (Which is the name of a Simon and Garfunkel song, btw)

                                         

I haven't taken the time to write much since Saturday night.  Sunday was a busy day; we went to some friends' for dinner, which was very nice.  Monday and Tuesday I was busy doing some work at Eler Beth's school and here at home.  It has been raining steadily since Monday morning, but at least the temperatures have been mild.  I think that's about to change.  I've been up early and going hard all day long, so last night I conked out early.  As a result, I woke up early this morning.  (Read: middle of the night!)

That's okay, though.  I don't have much planned for today, and can nap if I want to.  I just had a craving for a cup of coffee, so I'm brewing some.  I'll probably be sitting here sipping my coffee and clicking away on the computer when Thomas gets up at 4:00.

I received a comment in my other journal from someone who reads this journal, and that has put me in the mood to write in that journal, which I've sadly neglected lately.  I hope to do some posting there today.  I also need to finish writing about my sisters.  I have three left, you know.  That has been really fun, introducing them to my readers and flipping through my memory files.  So sometime today I will introduce everyone to P.J., number four in the family.

Today is the last day of school for this week.  Thursday and Friday the kids are out on Fall Break.  I don't have anything planned for them, but I think they're looking forward to just sleeping in and playing video games; something they are not allowed to do on school nights.  We'll do something together, I just haven't decided what yet.

My sister Dee let me know that the teacher who requested postcards has been receiving quite a few.  I'm not sure how many she has yet, but I think close to 40.  I'd like to think that a lot of them are from you guys, and thank you again for sending one if you did.  She's supposed to find out for me if she's getting a wide variety of states.

Well, I'll be back later.                   

A Challenging Puzzle

Kathy, at Onestrangecat, posted a puzzle that she got in an email on Monday.  It was very challenging, and took me around two hours total to do it, but I actually found all 30.  I couldn't find the "bonus" answer, though, and am still searching.  Go take a look and see what you can do!  I told Kathy I'd send her what I found in an email if she wanted, but I don't think the answers should be posted.  It was hard, and it took some diligent combing. Let me know what you find.