Month: February 2008

  • Saying Good-bye

    I took my dear Jesse-boy cat to the vet today for another steroid shot.  When I picked him up this morning to put him in the carrier, he felt very limp.

    He got a steroid & antibiotic injection and the vet commented Jesse-boy had done better than he had expected after the shot he received last month.  I guess he thought he wouldn't live this long.

    It wasn't a very great ride home.  He got sick in the carrier and was really miserable.  We arrived home and he had a lengthy seizure shortly after Jesse left to do the grocery shopping.  I called the vet and made arrangements to bring him back in to be put to sleep.  He said a tech could give him a general anesthesia shot to sedate him until he came back and could give him the final shot.

    Jesse-boy was very content in the car and quiet (at one point, I thought he had died in my arms), so Jesse asked the tech to come to the car to give him the sedative.  We carried him in and he had another seizure while asleep.  I think moving his hind quarters pinched a nerve that triggered the seizures.  The tech was wonderful.  She got a cardboard box and said she wouldn't leave him alone in a kennel if he was having seizures and said she would keep him by her at the front desk.  Even though he wasn't going to wake up, I couldn't stand leaving him unattended knowing he might have another seizure.

    So, he's gone now.  I knew this day was coming and have been giving him extra love and attention for the past couple of months.  I have never believed in NOT telling people how much they mean to me or leaving kind words unsaid.  I had done the same with Jesse-boy: giving him lots of kisses and whispering "sweet nothings" in his ear.  I found I had nothing left to say when I said good-bye today.  No tears.  No regrets.

    I'm so glad he is no longer uncomfortable.  I also feel so grateful for having a cat for 18 years who was a comfort to me during so many of the bad times I experienced.  He was one of those really special pets and I have lots and lots of good memories.

    Somehow (Lori K?????) a few of you found out what happened a few hours ago and have left sweet messages for me.  Thank you so much.  Your kindness and prayers have moved me to tears more than the actual decision I had to make today.

  • Thursday Thirteen #15

    Thirteen Things I Think
    Say "I love You"

    1.   Catching eyes from across a room and smiling without talking.

    2.   Inexpensive little gifts when they are least expected.

    3.   Remembering to do something because it's important to the other person.

    4.   Getting up to grab a ringing phone when the other person is expecting a call, and you are both too tired to get up.

    5.   Planting a gentle kiss on someone's forehead while you walk through the room.

    6.   Reaffirming, "What would I do without you?"

    7.   Calling to say you are running late but will be there soon.

    8.   Finishing a sentence in unison and then laughing about the fact.

    9.   Finding someone's hand and gently squeezing it.

    10.  Taking an interest to (at least) learn about something the other person finds interesting.

    11.  An old fashioned hug without saying a word.

    12.  Running a good track record of being dependable.

    13.  Saying, "I love you!"

    Get the Thursday Thirteen
    code here!

    The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a
    little bit better every Thursday.  Visiting fellow Thirteeners is
    encouraged!  If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in
    others' comments.  It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links
    accepted!

  • We've Been Accepted!

    We got notice, last night, that IRS accepted our tax return.  We received another email letter, this morning, saying our state has accepted our state return.  I say that to say: I guess it's good to be accepted SOMEwhere and by SOMEone!

    Today's been a VERY busy one for me.

    I baked with my Amish bread starter (finally!).  A big pan of brownies, 2 loaves of cherry cream cheese cake, 2 loaves of white chocolate & cranberry cake (surprisingly good), and I'll make biscuits tonight with the rest of the starter.  All of that baking still left me with one cup of starter to start the 10 day process all over, again!

    Rissy sat at my arm while I baked.  "Reading" and "fractions" were the homeschool fare for her.  She does well when numbers are applied to cooking.  Luci is learning very beginning tunes on the piano.  She is a natural, musically, if I can just channel her energy!  She also played around with a ruler - measuring things.

    I've done 4 loads of laundry this morning.  For some reason, it was all mine!  I threw in a couple of towels, but still . . . (!!!) it seems like a lot.

    James has been wanting me to make tuna casserole for him.  Since the oven was warm already, I made it for lunch.  I can't get anyone else in our family (except Stephanie) to eat it.  I enjoy it every now and then, and I was happy to make it for him. The girls think I make the best peanut butter & jelly sandwiches in the world (because I load the peanut butter on really thick) and that was their preference over the tuna casserole.

    Jesse was gone to run errands and take my friend, Tangi, some chili for her family.  She's very sick, as are two of her children.  I made a huge batch last night so I could send some her way today.  Jesse's friend happened to call, while Jesse was on his side of town, and invited him for a spaghetti lunch.  And, I'M the one who's been craving spaghetti!

    We'll have baked chicken breasts, mashed potatoes, chicken gravy, carrots, green beans, and fresh biscuits for our dinner tonight.  I sure hope these biscuits turn out.  It's my first time to make them and I'm a little weary of kitchen duty at this hour.  I think the recipe makes 2 dozen and it would be horrible if I ended up with 2 dozen bad tasting biscuits!

    What a nice day.  I have a few of the windows opened a bit to get some fresh air in the house before tomorrow's drop in temperatures (AGAIN!!!) and another round of winter weather hits.  But, I'm definitely enjoying the moment of reprieve today!

    And why not? . . .

    We've been accepted!

  • Fun Tuesday Questionnaire

    Getting to know you, getting to know all about you...

    I
    got these questions from a Xanga friend.  I would like to invite all who are interested to copy the
    questions and repost them with your answers on your own xanga as a fun
    way to get to know a little more about you. 

    1.  What is the best compliment you have ever received?  "The day I met you was the day that changed the rest of my life and turned me around." (my husband's quote)

    2.  What would you dream about it if you could control your dreams?  Peaceful things that made me wake up feeling refreshed.  I normally have weird dreams that contain people in my life from eons ago.
     
    3.  What makes you homesick?  San Francisco sour dough bread and Tony Bennett singing, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." 
     
    4.  What is the best prank you have ever played on someone?  This is SO CHILDISH, but then again - I WAS a child.  A couple of friends and I TP'ed a favorite high school teacher's car and his apartment's front porch.  We were so proud of ourselves and almost split our sides laughing when we lost control of the TP roll (while rolling it under his car) and it rolled downhill, stopping at the bottom of the street.  It still makes me smile when I remember how hard we laughed that night.
     
    5.  What would your custom license plate be?  L8 BLU MER   
     
    6.  Which would you rather have:  beauty, brains, or wit?  Wit.  With all the brains in the world, people still make mistakes.  Wit has always helped me to laugh at my dumbness!  Beauty?  Nope, people tend to not look deeper. 
     
    7.  What is a question you would ask God?   If in a state of unconsciousness before dying, can someone be met by you and accept Jesus?
     
    8.  What one possession would you save in a fire?  My laundry basket.  Then I would quickly go room to room and grab family pictures and my Bible that contains years and years of my notes. 
     
    9.  When was the last time you cried?  January 2, 2008 when Jesse and I renewed our wedding vows and I said my vows to him. 
     
    10.  What was the best advice you ever received?  "Trust in God with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path."  Since it came from my heavenly Father, how could it NOT be the best?  
     
    11.  What qualities do you look for in a friend?  All of my new friends are Christians, many of my very old friends are not.  Nonetheless, I look for sincerity, a sense of humor, and integrity. 
     
    12.  What makes you blush?  My brother, who insists on talking about the stupid stuff I did when we were teens.  I wish he'd just let it all drop. 
     
    13.  I would be nothing if it were not for...  God who took every bad thing I ever lived through and made me a whole person again with a will to live.
      
    14.  I wouldn't mind being stuck in a closet with...  a telephone, a pot of coffee, and a porta potty.
     
    15.  I'm looking forward to...  my next minute of life.  I truly savor each moment of my life and am never disappointed.
     
    16.  I believe in...  sowing and reaping.  I think it is something God created as a law of His universe whether a person is a Christian or not.
     
    17.  I miss...  my dad's mother.  I was VERY close to my grandmother and with her at the end of her 99 years, when she died.
     
    18.  I should have been born in...   the late 1800's.  Although, not with my respiratory system.  I would have surely died at a young age.  God chose 1953 for me, but I "feel" a kindred spirit with my grandmother's time period (born 1896) or HER mother's.
     
    19.  I wish I could change my... tiny flat head and see-through-to-the-scalp thin hair.  After my mother went through chemotherapy and almost lost her hair, I vowed I'd never complain again about mine being so thin.  BUT, it is a secret discontent I harbor.
     
    20.  You have the right to remain...  free to choose whatever you decide to do.  But, if caught breaking the law by the police or IRS, please don't squawk to me about the injustice that's just been dealt to you or talk about how the devil is attacking you.

     

  • Taxes and Printers

    Yikes!  What a different afternoon this turned out to be!

    Our taxes ended up being the hardest thing EVER.  I've NEVER had this much grief while doing our taxes.  Each year (with Jesse's business) they get more and more difficult.  I think we will HAVE to hire someone this year to keep books.

    To top things off, after the taxes were finished, I needed to print our return and couldn't!!!!!  When the friend fixed the computer this weekend, he erased everything except my documents (which he reloaded).  The software that makes our printer "go" was erased.  We've long ago lost the disc that came with the printer and have to download info from the Internet so my computer can "identify" the printer.  That's something I've never been able to do without the telephone help of an HP employee.

    I called for help tonight (India) and got someone very nice man who was in the middle of helping me with the free download (and got me to the exact place where I had become stuck on my own) and "click!" . . . (dial tone) . . . we were disconnected!

    I called back (India) and this time got someone with a really thick accent.  I could only understand about 5% of what he said, but I DID understand there was a "charge" for the download ($35 - $65) because I wasn't eligible for free help.  AND, he thought I really needed to buy a NEW printer.  He was persistent, and so was I about the "free" download, and we made no progress.  I had to finally say, "I am hanging up on you now" and then did so.  The whole time I was embarrassed because I couldn't understand him and, now, I wonder WHY I should be embarrassed when I chose "English speaking" on the menu at onset of the call.  It's not my fault he had an accent too thick to understand.  Don't get me started!

    In disgust, I began to play around with the download choices and found one that nearly matched the title of the one I downloaded last year (after my computer had crashed).  I tried it and, Voila! - I had a working printer, again.  I tried so hard to let God deal with the "liar" in India who told me it wasn't possible, but I must admit it ate me up for the next hour.  Liars and manipulators are two characteristics I don't tolerate well AT ALL.

    Since I spent hours on the computer (literally 5 hours) doing taxes and trying to get my printer to "go" . . . I didn't make Amish bread, nor did I make chili.  Jesse saw my anguish and asked if he could do anything to help me and I moaned something about him taking over dinner and feeding us and putting the hamburger meat back in the frig for me!

    Hooray for Burger King! . . . and, Turbo Tax!

  • Computer, Taxes, Luau, & Cold

    My computer is back!  Things look different: I think my monitor setting needs to be adjusted.  Something I don't know how to do!  On top of things looking different, Xanga has changed THEIR look and, this morning, I'm sitting here quite befuddled!  I'm not sure I like Xanga's new look, but, then again, I usually don't like ANY kind of change.

    What was wrong with my computer?  It was packed with dust and cat hair!  Jesse-boy sleeps at my feet when I am on the computer and the unit sits on the carpet under my desk.  Apparently, it was so clogged that the motor or fan for the CD drive burned up.  Gross, huh?!!!  Jesse said he knew he was supposed to periodically clean the CPU (I had no clue!) and forgot to do so.  Of course, he is the same man who forgets to change, or clean, our filters in our heat/air system!  With all of those gory details behind us, it cost $20 to clean things up, download and load back again my files, put in a new CD, and add a floppy disc drive.  Jesse's friend is a good friend, no???  I guess so!!!

    Today I'm making my batches of Amish bread.  I didn't get to the starter when I should have (Feb. 5th, I think!!!) and I've been feeding it every so many days with sugar, flour, and milk to keep from killing the starter.  I now have LOTS more starter than usual, and I'm thinking of making things other than the normal recipes:  like biscuits, cornbread, and pancake or waffle batter.

    Speaking of waffles, I pulled out my old waffle iron this weekend.  I bought it on eBay - a HEAVY 1960's model.  This was the second time I used it and it took a couple of tries to alter the batter and the waffle iron's temperature to make yummy waffles.  They were so much better than the frozen store-bought ones we've become accustomed to eating!

    Yesterday, Rissy and I went shopping for her birthday party stuff.  She had that Mexican fiesta last year and after buying her pinata and other party things, she decided (before last year's party arrived) that THIS YEAR she wanted a Hawaiian luau.  I was VERY glad to find a party store that stocked luau things in February!  I think it will be lots of fun and, after the amount of money I spent on favors and decorations, it will be the ONLY thing she does for her birthday.  No special lunch or trip to the pizza place for games, etc. 

    Now that the computer is back up and running, I will file for our tax refund.  I have all of the paperwork together.  It felt like it was a huge chore this year, because I always make sure I can back up everything I state on the form with customer's names and addresses (our ledger sheets) and receipts for gasoline and repair of equipment.  That was the biggest headache, since I had been sick during the busiest part of last year's lawn season!  The year started with organized little envelopes entitled "April", "May", "June" and so forth.  Sometime, after that point, my drawer became a sea of receipts with no rhyme or reason!  THAT has been my chore for the past two weeks!  Organizing!  I don't mind organizing and rather enjoy it after it's been done, but "forced organizing" with a "time limit" always makes me quake in my boots.

    We have a fire going in the fireplace today, I'll start my baking soon, and I have planned chili for dinner tonight to take the chill out of the house.  We have some cold weather hitting today (like much of the nation) and all of the above sounds like a way to battle the nippiness and make comforting smells - so we, at least, "think" we're warm!!

  • Buying a Little Time

    Well, I have a  little more time with my computer.  Today, NOTHING has remained the same - not even my clothes!

    The changes:

    1)   Jesse decided to NOT go to Amarillo.  Too much going on with the family members there and this would be a bad weekend for a visit.

    2)   Jesse will take the computer to his friend tomorrow instead of this afternoon.

    3)   Jesse was going to ask Emily's husband if he could pay him to take a look at the computer first, and we found out Emily's aunt died last night from cancer.  Emily & family are traveling to KC this weekend.  Please keep them in your prayers.

    4)   Jesse's mother called and needed to be dropped off and picked up from the grocery store today.

    5)   Jesse told me HE'D take Luci to her therapy session.  He's going to pick up Luci from daycare, pick up his mom, drop her at the grocery store behind the doctor's office, and then pick her up and return her home after Luci is finished.

    6)   Today is Luci's last day at daycare.  I had wanted to go and tell everyone good-bye and thank you; but, oh well . . .

    7)   Since Jesse took Luci, I changed from my "being seen in public dress" to a house dress since I don't have many nice clothes to wear this winter.

    8)   Jesse just called after I began typing this entry and said he was at his mother's house who had a caregiver there checking her for something or other (rolling eyes).  So, HE is running late for Luci's appointment while he waits for his mother . . .

    The only thing that remains the same is that I still intend to make chili cheeseburgers for dinner tonight.  We'll see if that changes, too!

    Meanwhile, I'M REALLY SUCKING EVERY BIT OF ENJOYMENT OUT OF HAVING A COMPUTER!!!!

  • Computer Problems

    For those of you who have known me for years, this announcement should come as no surprise!

    My friend, Emily, gave us a copy of our wedding vows on a CD.  When I put the disc in the computer my monitor said the disc was blank.  I really didn't think much about it.

    Today, I put in our Turbo Tax disc.  Normally, you have to do nothing and it loads by itself.  It didn't.  I hit the Start, Run, etc. buttons and still nothing.

    So because of (not only today's problem, but) other recent problems I've been experiencing, we have been made aware of the fact that it's time for the computer doctor.  Jesse plans to take the computer to our friend today and that means I probably won't have a computer all weekend.

    Any of you who really know me know that I'm completely computer illiterate.  I don't even know how to plug stuff in the back!  Anyway, this is just one more time I need to call a professional to fix my mess.

    We only paid $125 for this computer (still in its box) from a pawn shop.  Until I file our taxes and get our refund, buying a new computer is out of the question.  I understand that sometimes the CD drive just goes south and it's not worth the expense of repairing it.  I COULD file my taxes online with another service, but I hate to do that since I purchased the Turbo Tax disc AND I opened it this morning.

    I think James and Jesse (and probably all 3 girls) are going to Amarillo this weekend.  I'll stay home alone.  I don't even want to contemplate being home alone with no computer.  That also means no squandering my time playing Spider Solitaire!

    I was all ready to file our taxes, too!  A total change of plans always throws me!  I have to have an idea (in advance) of what I'm going to be doing.   It's not the worst thing in the world, and I can certainly find other things to do with my "new found" time; but, I feel discombobulated! 

    So, MicroSoft Word no longer works (I messed that up a long time ago), making it impossible for me to type a letter or document.  And NOW, I have found my CD drive is no longer reading discs.  Sigh!

    It will be a long lonely weekend!

    I admit it - I'm "empty time slot" challenged!

  • Thursday Thirteen #14

    Thirteen Things
    I LIKE ABOUT BLOGGING

    1.    Typing, almost daily, keeps up my keyboard skills.  I used to be a fantastic typist and proofreader - despite all of the typos you see in my blogs today!

    2.   Blogging is a good way of keeping a record of my life.  I print my entries and put them in a 3-ring binder to save for future reading.  My own reading or that of my children and grandchildren when they are older.  Maybe someday my life will be like an open book to family members who never knew me.  Then again, maybe they'll put the "book" down in favor of better reading!

    3.    I look forward each morning to receiving my friend's blogs and their updates.  It's fun to receive mail!

    4.    I like the different styles, or themes, others use when blogging.  I find all of our creativity interesting and entertaining.

    5.    I've gotten so many ideas from blog friends who post what book they are currently reading or what music they are listening to.  In fact, I just ordered the CD from Shanda's site called, "Quiet Beauty" by James Todd.

    6.    Blogging helps me to put my thoughts in order.  Having five children and two grandchildren right behind my youngest children sometimes makes my mind spin!  Writing puts things in perspective!

    7.    Speaking of spinning:  Even though there are days I feel I do nothing but spin my wheels, looking back at my posts makes me realize that most days aren't for naught and I truly HAVE accomplished something each day.

    8.    I really love seeing pictures of my blogging friends and their families.  I only wish I was able to figure out how to do the same!  Every attempt to transfer pictures from my digital camera to the computer has been unsuccessful.

    9.    Blogging is a way to stay in touch with real people.  Being a stay at home mom can be very isolating and lonely, but I feel like I have a sea of friends in the blogging world.

    10.   I've found so many silly tests, questionnaires, and other fun things to do in the world of Blog.

    11.   I think it is really cool to see how many people have visited my site.  France?  Sweden?  Who are you????  Please leave me a note.  I'd really like to get to know you.

    12.   I think blogging is an awesome opportunity to learn about, and pray for, the needs of others.  My prayer list is made up of many of you out there in Blog-land.

    13.   I have NOT had one, even remotely, bad experience while blogging.  I feel so blessed to have made many new friends.  Some of the neatest people in my "real life" are people I first met on the Internet. Blogging is a little more condensed and shorter than regular e-mailing, so I have more time to spend with more friends .  And . . . a fine collection of friends you are!

    Get the Thursday Thirteen
    code here!

    The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a
    little bit better every Thursday.  Visiting fellow Thirteeners is
    encouraged!  If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in
    others' comments.  It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links
    accepted!

  • Drizzly Tuesday

    Yesterday was 80 degrees.  We broke a record.  I opened the windows and charcoaled chicken outside.  I served tossed green salad and buttered sweet corn with the meat.  It really hit the spot and was a real treat.

    Today, it is 38 degrees and I woke up in the middle of the night (and again this morning) to the sound of crashing thunder and puddles hitting the ground outside our bedroom windows.  I just lit the fireplace to warm things up.  What a contrast from yesterday!

    Emily came this morning to clean.  I didn't know she was coming and the girls and I did some minor cleaning yesterday.  So, Emily just had the tile floors (I have lots of those!), bathrooms, and vacuuming to do.  It was so good to see her and visit a bit.

    I waited until after she left to light a fire.  Because of the drizzly rain, it feels damp in here; but, I didn't want to have the fire going while Emily was cleaning.  No sense roasting my friend!

    My friend, Tina, is ready to sew for me and, today, I'm in the processing of sorting through my fabrics and patterns to send her.  I hope to get the box in the mail tomorrow.  I'm excited at the prospect of new clothes (for me and the girls), to say the least!

    We are still eating leftover Super Bowl party food!  I'm fixing Swiss steak for dinner tonight because something hearty with this cold drizzle sounds better than snack-type foods.

    I started our tax return info yesterday.  Last year, Jesse's business was the busiest when I was the sickest and the bookkeeping (his) has lots of info missing.  I'm trying to fill in the missing pieces before beginning the return.  What a headache!  Lots of receipts, but nothing in any type of order. 

    Right now, I'm burning a candle a friend of mine in Florida gave me when we visited her 3 years ago.  She didn't care for the smell but I loved it.  Every time I burn it (yes, I have made it last that long) it reminds me of our vacation with her & her husband and what a nice time we had in Florida.  Amazingly, the day we arrived in Florida they had record cold and rainy weather - much like we have here today!

    I guess I need to take a look at my fabric and quit writing.  I think I'll take it to the den and sort things in front of the fire while watching Jeopardy.

    By the way:  I got my Brain Age score down to 33 years old, but yesterday I was back up to 43 years old.  Better than the original 90 year old score!!!!!