~ Keeping my Sanity ~

Working at home
Just to keep my sanity at work ...

~ Ode to Bubbles the Fish ~

Had a sad dead fish waiting for me when I came into the office this morning ...


Ode to Bubbles the Fish

Bred in captivity
Housed in a small plastic bowl
Taken from your slave-like quarters
Given a home with rocks and plants
Offered your companionship to an otherwise dull and stressed office
Nursed when sick and recovered
Produced bubble nests like a most magnificent Betta Male
Any female Betta would have been proud to leave her eggs in your care
Disaster in the form of an earthquake of rocks falling on your head by a careless owner
Life ended too soon
Forgive me for my haste in movement causing your fatal injury
Farewell sweet bubbles

~ Playing with Photoshop ... Again ~

I think I need to find a book called Photoshop for Idiots ... it's probably out there. Anyway, below are some photos from our trip to the Smokies ... I collaged them just for fun ...



My camera is awesome. It lets me get really really close up photos from so far away!





This coyote just sat there and posed for us, and we just snapped and snapped, digital has freed us all from being stingy with our snapping finger ... we were only gone Friday - Sunday and we took 270 photos - ridiculous! but is was fun!





It had snowed and a little was still on the ground, not on the road thank goodness, it was nice to see the snow, but not have to worry about any treacherous roadway conditions.




We had a really nice and romantic get-a-way. The weather was cold, but beautiful. Walking through the Gatlinburg shops was fun and a little exhausting, more so than the mini hike we went on! And we did a total touristy thing and went to see Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede. It was fun, wouldn't do it again, but glad I did it once. I even talked G into doing a little thrifting on the way home and we stopped at the Sweetwater TN flea market. I bought some soup spoons but now I can't find them! Oh well, I am sure they will turn up eventually ... I hope!

~ An Awesome Award ~

Wow! I am so incredibly proud of my husband! He received a Space Flight Awareness award - it is an award where NASA is honoring outstanding employees from industry and Government who have performed exemplary work in support of the Nation's space program. The award includes an expense paid trip to Kennedy Space Center (Cape Canaveral) for a VIP viewing of the next launch on 2/12/09 and a tour of the Kennedy Space Center. AND ... he gets to take his spouse!!!! I am excited and very proud of him.

~ Togetherness is Wonderful ~

11 years ago on our honeymoon ... then ... and now ....












Happy Anniversary to us! We have been blessed with 11 years of togetherness. It's actually on 1/17 ...

My husband is taking me on a weekend getaway to here:






Smoky Mountains ...

~ Playing with PhotoShop ~

This is me and my Sister, Mary. It was taken back in the summer.



G got me PhotoShop Elements 7 for Christmas and I am just now starting to play with it. This is my first effort ... I have a feeling I've got a lot of learning to do. This one little project took way too long! Once I start using my new camera more I am certain I will enjoy this program. When I told my son I had this program, he said get used to using the help option alot ... not a good sign huh!

~ Romance, silliness and feeling giddy ~

I hope we are never too old for romance,silliness and feeling giddy.

I am going out with my husband tonight and I am as excited as if I were single and had an exciting date to get ready for! Can you tell we don't go out much?? We do actually, but just not for a planned evening of dinner and a movie with another couple. A dress up (kinda) night. We go out ... this just feels different. I know I am probably being silly, I don't care.

I need to sign off now, I need to go do my nails and pick out my clothes ...

~ Holiday Memories ~

After reading Mrs. Goofy's blog about her favorite Christmas memories, I reflected on my own Christmas memories and while I didn't any one certain "favorite" memory, I did have some definite UP moments.

My son and his family were in town over the holidays, we all went to the Christmas Village and we had a good time ...









They came over to celebrate and exchange presents and G had fun getting my grandson Ian set up on his John Deere tractor ...



There were fond memories, family conflict, some let downs, some hurts, some healings, some happiness, some tender moments, some forgiving moments, some unexpected pleasures, and a few surprises.

All in all, it wasn't my worst holiday ever ... that one is a story for another day ...

` A family moment ~

My daughter and her sons ...





Her sister took these photos, she did a great job!

~ Trying to be a PollyAnna ~

I love the Disney movie PollyAnna. I own it and I have watched it over and over. It is my ultimate (or at least one of them ...) feel good movie. It is about a young orphan who goes to live with her spinster aunt and without going into too many details, she spends most of the movie changing people's lives by helping them to see the good in life, even when things might not be so good. I think she called it her "glad game." I haven't had a cold like this one for several years, in fact, I haven't had one since before I found out about my "severe airway stenosis" which has caused me to undergo 4 surgeries to correct things for me. I remember worrying about getting a cold when I could hardly breath at times, and thinking I would probably be hospitalized if I ever did get a cold just so they could do whatever they needed to do to help me be able to breath - that was probably a little extreme, but that was my worry.

So, I said all of that to say this ... if I were to be playing Pollyanna's glad game, I would say I am glad God has healed my body so that I can handle having this cold - yucky though it is, it has been a reminder to me of my thankfulness for God's mercies, blessings and gifts He has bestowed upon me.

Maybe I should play Pollyanna's glad game more often.