June Madness

• I’m excited to report summer is shaping up splendidly; children coming with grans in tow, camping trips planned, anniversaries to celebrate.
• Of course with that splendidness comes much much planning and over-doing.  Which is what we do best; but it can be no other way, when we don’t see each other as often as we like we have to make every minute second count.
• With excitement in the air I’m always trying to do just one more thing.  I promised myself on the way home tonight that at 9:30 I had to be done…….it is now almost 10:00 and I have dishes in the sink calling my name; but they will just have to wait.  They never mind anyway.
• Big So here. I work with a non-sew-er.  The other day I was trying to explain to her what bias tape was (I don’t know how I get myself in these conversations); basically a narrow strip of fabric that has been cut on the bias, seems pretty simple to me.  I knew my explanation had fallen flat when she said.  Why is bias tape not sticky on one side if it is called tape.  Good question Renee; now go back to your office.
• So last Saturday the temperature reached that of the surface of the sun, I’m not kidding it was like 112!  Then on Monday it rained.  Poor Mother Nature apologizing for the agonizing heat I’m sure.  Seriously women what is your problem?  You are hot one minute and cold the next. Sound familiar??  Well it sounds menopausal to me.  She really needs to see her meteorologist for that.
• It is obviously after 10:00 p.m. now.
• Good night!!!

June Swoon

• A friend signed us up to go to a Robert Irvine LIVE show.  It is not until 2014.  2014 seems like forever away……..then she said; just six months away!
• For the record, Christmas is coming….see above!!
• I love to find scriptures by the date.  Follow me on Instagram @ ldsscripturesbydate
• Happy Anniversary to this great couple! (I know the picture is a bit outdated (10 years ago), but trust me they look as young now as they did then!)
• I love Sunday naps! They should be mandatory!
• The heat is on, it came without warning! 

More May

• We Mr. Man The BigValy (let’s get real, I’ve been calling him that since the beginning of the marriage) has finally trapped a two gophers.  But the hunt is NOT over! 
• Happily See’s truffles are only 180 calories per serving and a serving is 2 pieces.  Although I’m not sure "serving" is a word to use when consuming enjoying truffles.
• A three-day weekend is great; but getting a four-day weekend is even greater.  Best Thursday surprise ever!!
• This weekend will find us decorating and cleaning the earthly resting spots of those we love and miss.  It is a great tradition that I look forward to each year.
• From missteps come great new ideas.
• Don't ever be afraid to ask.  The answer will sometimes be more than you ever expected.
• Some days just don't warrant getting dressed up for.
• Frozen yogurt with friends is the best way to enjoy it.
• Watching Dottie watch TV is almost as enjoyable as watching what is on the television itself.  She loves the nature shows.

It’s May

And may I say, May like the rest of the year is flying by. Why is that? That's a question I can't answer but a good question nevertheless! But this is what I know on this day in May!

• The gophers are winning. Apparently a flare is a kin to a campfire. Because of this Mr. Man is less than pleased and pretty much exhausted our flare supply out of all of our cars; not to mention that he has purchased several additional ones.
• We have had days in the 90's recently but it rained today yesterday. Mother Nature is showing that even she can't make up her mind. Love her.
• When the phone rings at 2:00 in the morning you can pretty much plan on not getting any more sleep even if it was a wrong number. Note to self when you are going to call someone at 2:00 in the morning and say "they've taken dad" please make sure you are dialing the right number!
• Have seen some great baseball so far in the month of May. For the record I Love Love Little League.
• I prefer to know the results of “reality TV” shows before I watch them. It is just more enjoyable to me!!!
• Sometimes I call Mr. Man on the phone when he is upstairs and I am downstairs because I don’t want to yell.  Don’t judge!
• Singing can change ones mood in a nano second even when you don't have a great voice!!
• I have a morning playlist. Recently added favorites are: It’s a Beautiful Day (Michael Bublé), Gone, Gone, Gone (Phillip Phillips)
• Current favorite, favorite know all the words to favorite is: 50 Ways to Say Goodbye (Train)
• I like to know all the words to the songs I sing....it’s a requirement!
• Change will come. Sometimes it just takes forever!
• I love exclamation marks!!!!!!! Some sentences deserve more than others!!
• When we drive in the commuter lane (which is daily) sometimes it makes me nervous because we are going 65+ and the lane next to us is stopped. They can't be happy.
• Thanks is good to say but Thank You is so much better!! I’m working very hard to only say “Thank you!” Sometimes I mess up.
• I recently commented twice on a blog which I enjoy reading and the author found the time to write me back twice!! Me!!! She has 9 outstanding children, one of which is a missionary, an amazing husband, one very, very, very cute dog and I’m sure lots of laundry. Did I mention she wrote me twice? My heart enlarged and to her I say Thank You!!
• No day should be taken for granted!!!

That’s my May so far……….more to come!

Marching through the Madness

Each year our family puts together a bracket for March Madness; the NCAA Basketball Tournament.  This is serious stuff.  Every year Mr. Man and I have combined our efforts and make just one bracket for ourselves.  And every year I say, “I need to do my own!” Finally this year I did it.  I studied out the teams, I did my homework.  In the beginning I felt sure I had put together a winning bracket.  The games began but my picks were falling like flies and since I hadn’t picked upsets, although when they lost it was upsetting to me, I was receiving no bonus points either.  So I was continually a bottom dweller; I was so sad and disheartened! But as time went on my number one pick, my overall winning pick, continued to battle to the top!  I was keeping my fingers crossed.  And alas they pulled it off!! 

Way to go Louisville you made me

a winner first time out!!

Weighty Matters

Years ago a young friend suggested I toss out my scale. She said, “just judge your weight by how your pants feel!  If they're too tight cut back a bit. You don't need to keep looking at the numbers on a scale to help you.”

Fast forward. I failed to think about the young 20 something person I was dealing with who could just drop a few pounds simply by running around the block and skipping lunch for one day. My 50 plus body likes to keep all things good. Like fat and stuff. A walk around the block does nothing more than annoying my body. And the thought of missing a meal sends my stomach into loud protests.

So now I contemplate whether to buy new pants that won't protest my hip addition or a new scale.  I think I’ll go with the scale; I prefer numbers over clothes shopping any day!  Or maybe I’ll just go buy a pair of shoes or a purse; neither of those items will betray me.  Now that I can count on!

The Madness of March

Something happened to me in March.  I’m not sure what.  I can’t put my finger on it.  It could be a million things.  I know I’ve had a thousand posts in my head.  They have never made it close to paper.  But there have been a few things that I want to say:

• Two grans had birthday’s this month; love them!
• My happy Dottie girl turns four!!
• Although the world is not perfect; my world is for me!
• I’m blessed by work and despite what those who are retired say I’m happy to go there each day!
• We bought bicycles this month….although out of shape is a shape, I’d like to change my shape from out to in!!
• I’m not happy when I can’t open a jar or have a hard time getting a lid off a can; I have a thumb that is protesting….it needs to buck up!!!
• I found a post in February I’d started and never shared………the Madness of March strikes again!!!
• In February my mother would have been 80 earthly years; I still have questions for her.  I wish she had been able to stick around for them.
• I disappoint myself when I eat so fast sometimes that I don’t even know that I’m done; did ya taste it?  It makes me wonder where the fire is.
• Morning shakes of almond milk, spinach, bananas and kiwi have become the norm!
• Lastly I don’t regret growing old. It is a privilege denied to many………….

Daylight Savings Time

Let's see how does this work. We lose an hour in the Spring. I'm willing to do that so it is lighter in the evenings, that works for me. But why is it that at 9:00 at night when it use to be 8:00 at night it feels like 10:00 at night? I don't get it!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPat

Friday to Lasday

Bear with me.  I love D2’s “Monday’s Musings” posts.  Love. Love. Love them. And I believe imitation is the purest form of flattery.  But I wanted a day of the week that started with the letter “L” so I could have a “list day” because I love lists.  Then I wondered how did the days get their names.  That’s just how my brain works.  So I turned to my trusty how and why book; the internet where all things written are true and correct. Right?  Well here is what I learned:
Sunday is named for the Sun
Monday is named for the Moon
Tuesday is named for Tiu, Tyr, or Tiwa, who was a Germanic god
Wednesday is named for Woden, Odin, or Wotan which are the names of a Nordic/Germanic god
Thursday is named for Thor, Donar, or Thunor, also a Nordic/Germanic god
Friday is named for Frigg or Freia who was a Nordic goddess
Saturday is named for Saturn, who was a Roman god
All very interesting but this is my blog.  So I’m changing things up.  I’m done with Friday it’s overrated; I’m calling that day Lastday Lasday.  After all Friday is the “last day” of the work week so why not.  Stay tuned……

Modern or Medieval

Dentistry that is

You be the judge!!

The Test

Why is it that when you have to take a class before you can take a test that none of the things you studied or learned in the class is on the test. Why is that? Why?  Please if anyone has the answer feel free to shout it out!

Bumper Stickers

On the way home from work we passed a relatively new car whose backside was covered with bumper stickers. A couple of thoughts wandered freely into my mind. One thought was, who would want to cover the backside of their car with stickers. I figured it must be the multi-colored peacock haired driver who was behind the stickers. Had to be.  My next thought was of my dad.  Bumper stickers were a big no no with him. He couldn't stand them. 

Funny how things come to me like that!

Tests

I'm not a real lover of test taking.  But the test for which I freely admit I'm not looking forward to with any degree of love is a test I have to take on Saturday.  Every four years (that could be a question on the test) I have to take this test.  Every four years I stress over this test, in fact I should be studying for it right now but I'm not.  Every four years there are new laws I have to learn, which really don't apply to me but are part of the test.  Then after all the testing, finger printing and paperwork is complete I get my new notary stamp with an expiration date four years from now, and I think "wow, I'm glad that is over, four years seems like forever away!"  Well it's NOT!

Lost

It was just like that, in that very moment I knew she was there. She being my mother. She was me and I was her. We were one. This is not necessarily a bad thing. But in this particular moment I wasn’t too pleased. You see my mother was a very organized and on top of things type of person. Good quality, I’ll take it. But sometimes being organized and on top of things isn’t necessarily good and I will tell you why. Say she saw something lovely at the store and thought perfect gift for someone; buy it and put it away until the time came to give the gift. Then promptly forgetting she made the purchase and where she safely put it!  That's not the part of her I want to be.

Well, back in February I made a purchase.  In fact I made five purchases.  When you find a great gift you just know everyone is going to want one.  Fast forward and yesterday she and I collided or maybe she came to me before all was lost. I was going through old emails and it was at that moment I realized I had no clear recollection of the item, of the purchase………..nothing. The ship had sailed without me; that is until I found the email.  And I knew in that moment I was my mother!

Being organized and ahead of the game was all for not. I’ve missed one opportunity to give one of these gifts and almost missed a second opportunity. Thanks Mom for saving me before all was lost…………

A Bunny

My pet love goes way, way, way back. My first pet memory is when I was about four.  I was promised a bunny for Easter.  I was so excited to become an owner of a bunny.  Almost every day I would ask my mother to call the pet store to see if my bunny was ready.  It seemed like the day would never come.  I'm sure my mother thought the day would never come either due to my endless question of "is it time to go pick up my bunny yet?"  (Yes, I was a persistent four-year old, shocking I know.)  Well, the day finally arrived.  I was so excited I couldn't stand myself.  When we arrived at the pet store and while waiting for my bunny to be brought to me my attention was diverted.  It was this diversion that changed everything.  I had a decision to make. It was one or the other I couldn't have both. So that day I didn't go home with a bunny. That day I went home with a bird.  A parakeet.  I loved that funny bird.  I would let it out in my room to fly around.  I'm sure that was special for my parents.  Sadly I didn't have my bird very long.  I use to take my bird outside; yes in the cage.  But one day we had company, cousins. They let my bird out. Punks.

  

Just Wondering.......

Some spell it “ketchup” and some spell it “catsup.”

Some say “catch-up” and some say “cats-up”

What say you?

Apparently people have quite an opinion about their “catch-up”

I don't want to see this

So last night when I went upstairs and started up the laptop.  That's the routine, that's what I do each and most every night. Last night was no different.  Except for this message:

"Your computer was unable to start. 

Start-up repair is checking your system for problems."

Excuse me what did you say and why did you say that?  Well it goes through "its process" and for better or worse it started up without any more messages.

Computers they have a mind of their own.

Out of Nowhere

Just prior to the "trip" I spotted this license plate as we drove down Tubbs Lane in Calistoga.

How crazy is that?

Where in the world are you.........

 D2 has a map on her blog and I love to see where people live who visit her blog.  It is like traveling without leaving home!  I decided I wanted that.  So last week I added a map to my blog.  It has been fun in just one short week to see where my lurker's live.  Now that I've discovered where in the world you are......maybe I'll get to hear from you too, but if no, thanks for stopping by.......the door's always open!

Losing It

So what's up with the word lost.  Generally speaking when we lose something, we are hoping to get it back.

• I lost your phone number.........could you give it to me again;
• I lost my keys..........I need those, I'll be looking hard to find them;
• I lost my mind........well maybe I want to find it and maybe I don't;
• My luggage, my luggage I lost my luggage......well I didn't actually lose it......but it was lost nonetheless.

All of the above worthy of finding; it is stuff I want back.  Now there is one more lost "item" I will never understand.

• I lost 10 pounds........now why do you want that back?

How does the word "lost" work in this instance? If you've lost 10 pounds why, oh why do you want it back.  If you are going to the trouble of losing it, surely you don't want it back.  Maybe that is why it is so hard for me to lose 10 pounds.  So I'm trying a new approach.  I'm dumping "lost" and replacing it with "rid!"  I need to get "rid" of 10 pounds.  Much better.........I think now maybe I'm on the right track.