Aaron

Aaron, my stepson has moved to South Alabama and we are going to miss having him around so closely!

He spent his last few weeks before his move with us and we really enjoyed the extra time with him. Our visits with him now will be further apart ... we will miss you!!

V

Released from Chains ... well, sorta!

I have been freed! I went for my surgical follow-up today and my surgeon has officially released me from my medical alert bracelet! YAY!!! It said I had to be intubated with a pediatric airway tube, because my airway was not large enough to take a normal adult size .. And an emergency medic - if the necessity arose, would permanently damage my airway and possibley (he said most likely) kill me attempting to intubate me otherwise... Of course, he warned me, my scar tissue could begin to grow again, but for now I am good! Thank you Jesus! He said my airway looks great. I still have to go back in 4 months for another check up, but for now I am just so thankful for the good check up!

Til later, V

Sick Betta ... Well Betta!

My poor little Betta Fish who I have named Bubbles because he makes huge bubble nest all around his tank was sick with "popeye". His eye was all bulged out and his mouth was swollen! When he first started getting sick my husband told me I should just flush him and go buy another one! Obviously not a vested pet lover! I took off for the fish store and got the recommended medicine and yesterday, after 10 days of being finicky and hanging around under the fake bushes of his tank and not eating, he is better! His little tank was lined with bubbles when I got to work and he jumped up out of the water when I dangled my finger above the water when feeding him. His eye is back to normal, color looked good, and everything! Our office cleaner has given me such a hard time about the sick betta (I had ask him to give him his medication over the weekend when he comes in to clean ...) but I have a healthy fish again who seems even spunkier than before.

Am I being too silly to worry over a little betta fish? Oh well ...

Til later, V

A new Art Class

I started a new art class last night. It is called The Art of Visual Journaling and Altered Books with instructor Suzan Buckner. She is great. When we got to class she had us all a goodie bags with tons of neat stuff in them to use in our art projects. Above are some photos of what were in some of our bags.

Her blog is http://thriftycollageartist.blogspot.com/ in case any of you are interested ... (above photos are from her blog - I forgot to take photos ...)

I am looking forward to the next four weeks of classes!

Til later, V

Camping memories ...

I discovered a new language this weekend.
We took my 13 year old step son and a friend of his camping this weekend. I am not truly sure they even realized they were out in the woods the entire time they were there, except for the fact that they had to walk to the bathhouse to bathe, etc.

A new language ...
The campground is about a 2 hour drive away from our home and they rode in the back seat and talked "gaming language" the entire time. They are both avid gamestation/computer boys. While I knew the words they were saying, I didn't understand the content of their conversations, not even a little bit. It was so strange to hear a conversation being carried on nonstop that I had no understanding of. It reminded me of an old Twilight Zone show, and I had entered a new dimension... They played their games and watched movies almost the entire time we were camping, except when we took them to the pool and when we made them come outside to play a yard game that we had brought, silly us!!! We actually thought they would enjoy that - it was pure chore for them!!

I grew up camping with my family for the majority of our summer vacations and Mom and Dad had to come looking for us when it was time to eat - they pulled into the campground and we all took off to find some fun, adventure and make new friends. Those were the days when it was safer to let your kids run wild, I know, and they really were the days of fun in the summertime - at least for me and my bros & sis.



On the way home, a huge hawk swooped down out of the sky and was flying really close beside our car for several seconds, I said, "Wow, boys look at that hawk, you could almost touch him, he's so close." ... no response, I looked away from the hawk expecting to see them gazing in amazement at the closeness of this wild creature ... they had not even looked up from their games! I gave up.

I actually felt sorry for them. I know that sounds as though I feel superior to them, I don't mean for it to, but they were missing out of all of that fun that my generation used to have, enjoying the outdoors! Even if they are making their own fun with their gaming systems. They are missing so much!

Til later, V

Introverted, Sensing, Thinking and Perceiving ...

Your Personality is Somewhat Rare (ISTP)

Your personality type is reserved, methodical, spirited, and intense. Only about 6% of all people have your personality, including 3% of all women and 8% of all men You are Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, and Perceiving.

How Rare Is Your Personality?

Art Art and more Art ...

Last Thursday I went to the "Art Stroll" in downtown Huntsville around the Courthouse Square. It was great; and the art was wonderful to look at. I bought some very unique jewelry for Christmas gifts ... (yes, I am one of those!) and some awsome pottery mugs and even talked the potter into throwing in the matching saucer .. isn't bargaining great fun! They have these Art Strolls the 3rd Thursday evening of every month throughout the summer ... Sadly, that was the last Art Stroll in Hsv until next summer. However, I was looking on the "Huntsville Art Blog" which is listed on "Blogs I Read" on this page, and found that Athens is having something similar on September 6. Thought I would pass the info along, in case any of you might want to go art strolling. I wish I could go, but I have promised myself two whole weekends of nothingness after too many weekends gone. So if any of you go, enjoy! Below is an excerpt about the "stroll" or read the Huntsville Art Blog ...



ATHENS - Stroll along the Limestone County Courthouse grounds and step into a world of fine art at the third annual Art on the Square on Sept. 6. The free event is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will feature more than 40 regional artists displaying and selling their original artwork. The artists work in paint, clay, photography, jewelry, metal and other mediums.

Busy summer ...

I have had a very busy summer this year. It seems like we have something going on almost every weekend, commitments we made that, at the time we made them, sounded so much fun - and they are, but we just didn't realize how much we would be gone ...

Ms. Goofy wrote about being off by two degrees and how easy it is to stay off by the two degrees rather than correcting yourself on the right track. Sometimes when I miss being in God's house too much, I find myself going off course, and sometimes it almost too easy to veer off that 2 degrees without even realizing it. I need to be fed and I miss the comfort of worshipping with my church. It's not that I forget God when I leave Church, I don't, I still have my devotions and prayer time, but it's just something about being in the Lord's house that keeps me revived. I need it.

That said, I will miss again this next weekend, but they have church services at the campground, for which I am grateful.


Til later, V

STAIRS!

Stairs! They are not my enemy anymore! Prior to my airway surgery - I could not walk up a flight of stair without gasping for breath, or sometimes even stopping halfway up for a breather. So, I avoided them and opted for an elevator, if available. Since my surgery I have embraced my stairs at work and have been using them diligently and this morning I had multiple trips up stairs, down stairs, up again ... I had to go to the courthouse. I did not even get winded! So I am feeling the blessings again this morning and just wanted to share it here.

If any of you get a chance, check out http://maymemos.blogspot.com/ and watch the trailer for FireProof, a movie which starts on September 26, 2008. Looks like a great movie, one that would probably be great to take your husband to. A mini-marriage seminar of sorts, or so it seemed to me!

Til later, V

$268,000 cooler!

It was casino weekend at the campground! So, of course we had to play; and, at the end, each couple pools their money and they have a blind auction with your winnings. Gary and I started out with $30,000 each and by the end of the evening, we had won $268,000 - we bid all of our money on the blind auction and won a cooler! And it was the nicest prize for the night! Okay, it's just play money, you pay $3.00 for $30,000 in "their" money and no one goes away empty handed! It was a lot of fun! All of the prizes were camping related.

The only down side for the weekend was that we had decided to leave our camper on an extended stay lot for the next month and when we moved the camper, the only lot they had left was very uneven and we could not get the camper level, when we were cranking the jack up to try to level it, it slid and bent the jack post, so we had to pull it home because now we are probably going to need a new jack ... yuck! Money money money ... if only those casino winnings had been real!

Til later, V

Kudos to my Husband

My husband and I are going away for the weekend and I am looking forward to being alone with him. It's just camping again, but this time, it's just me and him. No friends and no kids. Not that those times aren't totally enjoyable too. You would think we would get enough of being alone with each other; our kids don't live with us, it's just me and him, except for every other weekend when his sons come to stay with us. My kids are married and live in Louisiana and Texas. But it seems like we are busy during the week and we just kind of co-exist sometimes. When we go away together, away from home, away from dogs, away from house chores, yard chores. etc., we talk more and we enjoy each other more. It is refreshing to our relationship and I am looking forward to it.

My husband is a pleaser and a doer and is a true Boy Scout in that he is always prepared for any type of emergency or "bump in the road". He makes me feel totally safe, protected and loved, and when we go away together for a weekend or travel of any kind, he "shines", if you know what I mean. I hope he sees something equally positive in me ... although, I have been on edge alot here lately, irritable and moody, I am on the last week of my post-surgery medication and I can't wait to throw that pill bottle in the trash. 6 weeks of steroids (prednisone)! I think I've gained 4 lbs!!! And I truly can't afford to gain any weight - I am trying to go in the opposite direction! My husband told me last night my attitude was horrible, and he is right, I have "horrible" seeping out of my pores it seems like. I am totally blaming it on the drugs! Poor G, and as they say in the south, Bless His Heart!

I truly hope I am not horrible this weekend. I'm gonna try to be good!!

Til later, V

Sips n' Strokes

Me and several of my friends went to a place called "Sips 'n Strokes" in B'ham on Saturday to take an art class. IT WAS working with golf leaf, wax and arcylics and it looked like a fun painting to do. The top image is THEIR painting ... my painting is ...

HERE ,

It is supposed to be an abstract called "lady in red" - It kind of looks like I got mad at the painting and just blobbed paint all over it ... I am not real crazy about it, but the techniques used in the class were interesting to learn about. I would not, however, ever recommend the Hwy 280 Sips N Strokes. The instructers (the two main ones anyway) seemed to be at odds with each other which made the class kinds of stressful. One instructor poured wax all over one of my friend's painting too early - she had two other processes to go through first ... then another instructor squirted out a big blob of black puff paint on another of my friend's FINISHED PAINTING and then would not even let her see it, immediately took it to the back room and said she would just paint her another one herself ... not really the reason you go to a painting class ... anyway, she wound up getting her painting back - we had to demand it ... and they gave her the one the instructor did too, but wound up having to stay about an hour longer than was scheduled ... so NO I would not recommend the Hwy 280 store, but I would like to go to another one (they have 5 stores) and maybe try one of their other classes. They have fun looking paintings and I always enjoy taking art classes. It was a fun girl's outing - we went to The Summit and ate lunch at California Pizza - yum!

Here are photos of my friends at different points in the painting process = I didn't get photos of their finished paintings - I can't believe I did that!

Bridget - who is actually an art major and a great artist already (I learned this about her that day).

Ann, one of my oldest friends - from high school. She got the hot wax poured on her painting too early.

Stephanie, she got the big black blob of paint ...

Laurie, Ann's daughter-in-law.

The web site for this place is www.sipsnstrokes.com

It was a fun day.

Til later, V

Dentist - Yuck!

I despise going to the dentist. I am thankful for them and glad there are people out there blessed with the skills and knowledge in the medicine of dentistry. BUT I still dread going to the dentist. I chock that up to a horribly bad childhood experience in my first memory of dental visits ... to make a long story short ... first filling, wasn't numbed properly, dentist did not believe me, called me a baby and to grow up ... and continued his painful work ... he left me crying in his dental chair with his hateful words. I was to learn later that he was SADLY going through his own personal problems with depression and other stuff and ended his own life just a few short weeks after my memorable visit in his chair. My fear and dread was already grounded in me though by then.

I had my 2nd post surgery dental visit for my crown replacement today - only one more to go! My husband gave me a Microsoft Zune for Christmas last year, which I have loaded with tons of wonderful music. I took it with me today and CeCe Winans crooned to me I Surrender All, His Strength is Perfect,Blessed Assurance and more, while my dentist - who I actually really really like - did his grinding and drilling thing in my mouth - it actually made my visit soo much easier and it seemed to go by a whole lot faster too. So, thanks G for making my dental visit better, oh and thanks CeCe for the great music too!

Til later, V

New Yard Art on my way home ...

Things I see when I am driving home ... this is the newest yard art that has been added to a house not too far from my own - kind of creepy, but unique too - huh! The house is empty and desolate looking - maybe they put it there to ward off people/would be pranksters - who knows .. At any rate, you can only get by with this kind of yard decoration when you live in the unrestricted good old southern back roads ... I do hope it is gone though by Halloween!

Til later, V

Thankful Thoughts ...

I am so thankful for my Christian friends. Going to the lake, especially Smith Lake, always brings memories of my younger days, days that I chose to leave God in the closet and walk with the world. So sometimes going to the "lake" brings memories of hanging out with friends, and without going into detail which would serve no purpose here, just being, in general, stupidly careless with my life - I am so thankful I lived through and have been forgiven for my sinful life - not that I am perfect now, but I do try a whole lot harder, and I like to keep God out of my closet and walking with me - so he can elbow when I get out of hand!
Anyway, as I said I am so thankful for my Christian friends - going camping with them and spending time out on the lake is almost therapeutic in replacing my naughty girl memories with wonderful memories - wholesome fun and good and Christian fellowship. It is refreshing to be around people who are not ashamed to talk about the Lord, pray before their meals wherever they are - and who don't immediately put you into a "weird" category because you do!

So, the weekend camping trip was fun. The dogs survived the wilds of our backyard without us. We are tired, but good tired and it's time to go to bed. Good night!

Camping again ...

We are off to the lake again for camping and spending time with friends. YAY! I am looking forward to it. We both wore ourselves out last night again getting ready - the packing; the trips in and out, etc. but it's worth it. We both enjoy camping - one of the few outdoorsy things we both like! I hate leaving the dogs, but they are just too much work to try to take them, and they love being outside, so they will be fine (this is being said to reassure myself and to absolve the guilt I am feeling!). We tried taking one of them with us once. The smallest mini schnauzer (Peyton) - mistakenly thinking that because she is the smallest and is totally a queen lap dog that she would be breeze - WRONG - she went spastic at being left in the camper and demolished one set of blinds. I guess we should have left them open so she could see out ... anyway until we get a bigger camper (one day maybe ...) we won't be taking the dogs with us.

I didn't do as much pre-cooking this time for our trip. We are going to use our crock pots on this trip. We are making barbeque stuffed baked potatoes. My friend is doing the pork (they have recently butchered a pig) and I am doing baked potatoes - I didn't know you could do baked potatoes in a crock pot, but found the directions on the web, so we will see .. it is below:


Crock-Pot Baked Potatoes Recipe By Rival Crock-Pot Cookbook
Preparation Method -- use 6-12 of them Prick pots with fork. Wrap them in foil. Fill Crock-Pot with 6 to 12 potatoes. Cover. Go away. Cook on Low 8 to 10 hours (High: 2 1/2 to 4 hours]. Come back. Don't you dare add water!

Hopefully this will work good.

I did make a couple of quiches to take for breakfast - quiche warms up so good and we have a really easy and good recipe, it is just basically sausage, egg, cheese and milk, well, here is the recipe in case any of you want to try it:

2 pie crusts (i use deep dish)
1 lb sausage
8 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
2 cups mozzarella cheese
salt/pepper to taste

Brown and crumble sausage, spread in bottom of pie crust, top with cheese, mix milk and eggs together with salt and pepper and pour over top of sausage and cheese; bake at 350 for 30 mins, (sometimes, I have to cook mine an extra 10 - 15 minutes if it is not browned enough for me).

Anyway, we really like it and and G's sons really like it too and the youngest one is a VERY picky eater.

So, I am packed and ready, and of course, it is supposed to rain tonight, rain heavy and my poor little babies will be outside - they do have dog houses and a shed to get under (which they do all the time when they are out) guilt again. I just have to keep reminding myself, they are dogs, not humans, dogs!!!! They were meant to be outside. Right?

They will be fine and will probably have a great time chasing chipmunks, squirrels and birds all weekend. Plus, my oldest stepson will be checking on them through the weekend too! There, now I do feel better! :)


Til later, V

A visit with Mom & Dad

I love my parents! They are just the most awsome people in my life. I traveled south this morning to go to church with my parents and spend the day with them - my sister came over too. We shared a wonderful meal - I brought meat loaf, my mom made squash casserole (squash fresh from their garden) green beans (fresh from their garden) sliced tomatoes (fresh from the garden), chicken & dumplins and more stuff ... (too much for us to eat!) and she makes the most wonderful melt in your mouth homemade bisquits YUMMM! Dad strolled me through his garden and showed off his peach trees (heavy with peaches almost ready to be picked) and a watermelon field like you wouldn't believe! We had a great visit - we played Skipbo and Rook and then they sent me home with bags full of veggies. I love my parents! They are just the most awsome people in my life!

My dad is not feeling good most days and I am really worried about him. Would really appreciate any offered prayers. Thanks!

Til later, V

Getting together with the ladies

How did this cute little 3x3 handmade "brag book" turn into ....

THIS!

Girls night out can be sooo much fun and last night was no let down. Thank you Mrs. Goofy for having us all over and teaching us how to make the adorable little photo book! I loved it and would also love the recipe for the chicken spaghetti - is it on your recipe blog? If not, please add it - it was great! The blueberry dessert was awsome too!!!

Okay, last night the mini scrapbooking exercise inspired me to make a little visit to Hobby Lobby and I wound up making a few purchases - hopefully I won't let this stuff gather dust and I will put it all to good use - we'll see!

Til later, V

Long Day

One long day. I am so backed up at work, my co-worker calls in sick ... I am having a super bad hair day - has decided to completely turn into brillo head day. Make it through longest day ever - having bad reactions with my medicine - I am sweating or freezing MOSTLY SWEATING unfortunately (probably why my hair is acting up) I think I have a blood clot where my IV was - my vein is swollen and painful. Our ministers came to visit us tonight, so of course I had to clean the house first (at least that's done for the week now ... :) BUT, I really enjoyed their visit - that was probably best part of day - I really love my church. Had chicken marinating for 3 days so it had to be grilled today or trashed ... grill was out of gas ... thank goodness for resourceful husbands - he took a gas tank off of our camper - problem solved.

I agree with Going Gooofy, I am going to bed!

Movie Recommendation

I went to see this movie last night and it was really great. I would definitely recommend it for a fun happy movie! And yes, Pierce Brosnan really does sing :) - half the theater burst out into laughter when he burst out into song ... he wasn't bad, it was just unexpected to see tough guy 007 break out in song ...

It's a movie that will make you smile and laugh ...

Til later, V

Blessings

God just continues to take care of me.

If you read my post-surgery entry I told how my teeth were messed up in my recent surgery and UAB Risk Mgt. contacted me yesterday and advised that they have agreed to pay for my dental repairs ($1097). YAY! PTL!!!

Getting Off The Couch!

Okay, I have had my one whole week off and I have lived the majority of that week on this couch and it is finally time to get back to normal life! So farewell good couch, you have served me well! Of course, I am writing this as I have parked myself right back on it. Seriously though, I have spent some serious time here this past week, I slept here, ate here, watched alot of mindless TV here, read an equally mindless novel here, had my devotions here, surfed the web here, laid sick and hurting here and healed here.

I am ready to get back to normal life again. Ready for my job .... hmmm I hope so!

Yesterday I had grown so stir crazy that I talked my husband into taking me out on an adventure. He took me to Scottsboro - to Unclaimed Baggage (found a cute purse and pair of Danskin workout pants - Hubs got himself a new tennis racket) and for lunch at the Blue Willow Restaurant - I felt like I was having a girls outing only without the girls - G was a great substitute though. I wanted to prowl through the other antique and thrift stores while there, but one time around UB was enough to wear me out. Our meal was very disappointing, but the house the restaurant was in was very quaint and the eclectic looking yard and outdoor eating area was fun to walk through. G swears he will make me a hanging bed for our back yard too - I told him to make sure he surrounded it with a screened in back porch!

Til Later, V

Let me introduce you ...

I know I should have taken it out of the frame and scanned it, but I was being lazy! My grandchildren, Ian, Brennan, Caden and Mollie -

My daughter, with her two, Brennan and Caden

Brennan - out to shoot some bear ...

and Mollie, trying to decide if she really wants to play in the water or not!

I didn't have another one of Ian on my computer to share ... I need to get some more or him. Mollie and Ian belong to my son and daughter-in-law.

Just wanted to have a brag moment.

Til later, V

Surgery over!

Thanks for the flowers (mixed bouquet) from my Sunday School class - brightened my day so much; the hydrangeas are from my mom's yard. Wilted plant - that's all mine!

Home again. And I can breath sooo much better. Surgery seems to be a success - thank you for all of your prayers. I am on voice rest for a few days but feel pretty good.

They did bust a crown right off one of my molars and scratched and slightly chipped one of my front teeth that were both broken in my first airway surgery. Details though - I can breath - Yeah. I have already had an emergency visit with my dentist and a temp crown in is place and they polished up my scratched tooth - hopefully risk management at UAB will pay for it, but we will see!

My doctor tells me that I have a very small mouth - My husband would probably like to tell him when I get mad, you would never know it!

The morning of my surgery, I got up at 5:15 AM and let my sweet little babies out (two mini schnauzers and one boxer) at about 6:50 I went to the back door to call them back in (we have a fenced in back yard) and nothing. I stepped out further and saw to my horror that the back gate was open and they had more than an hour headstart on us! We looked and looked, hollered and hollered, drove up and down the roads and finally, I had to leave, my husband stayed behind to continue the hunt and I called my mom and go with to the hospital. I cried like a wild child and prayed for their protection and cried some more, all the way to Cullman just as I was pulling into my parents driveway, he called me and told me a neighbor about 4 miles away had spotted them - PTL! I was so relieved. (he came on to the hospital after that) I am an empty nester and those 3 little rotten scoundrels are my babies! What can I say! My husband swears the boxer has learned how to open the gate, hmmmmmm ......

This past Friday night, Gary and I went to see "Harvey" and the Playhouse in Huntsville. It is a play about and man with an invisible friend, who is a rabbit - it was a really cute Play and I would recommend it to anyone who likes to go to plays. Just thought I would pass this on!

Til later, and thanks again for all my praying friends.

V

Surgery tomorrow

I am off to be operated on. Hopefully, I will be breathing easy in a couple of days. For all of my praying friends reading this, I appreciate your prayers!



Thanks and God Bless,

Til later, V

Family Reunion

Two remaining children of my paternal grandparents (My Dad and his sis)

4th generation

3rd generation

2nd generation



And all that Food!

Aren't family reunions great! We don't see our extended family very much throughout the year. My paternal grandparents had already passed away before I was born, even before my parents were married, but their family stayed close. There were 12 or 14 children, two died young, (forgive me for not knowing exactly ... - my mom also had a large family 10 children in her family - I had lots of Aunts, Uncles and cousins). They were each others friends and family. We got together with all of them off and on throughout the years. Plus the summer family reunion and a big Christmas gathering too.

However, as my Aunts and Uncles began to pass away, our family got together less and less, to where it now seems like we see each other more at funerals than anywhere else. So our family reunions are important. Of all of my Dads brothers and sisters (and their spouses) only my dad (& my mom) and one of his sisters remain alive.

Funny thing is though, we all gather together, bring all of this great southern comfort food, pile our plates high, and go find a seat and always wind up sitting with our own immediate families anyway! We leave not knowing much more about our extended family than just how they have changed in looks, which we do manage to memorialize with all the photographs taken! Some of us discussed this while today's reunion was winding down and next year, we are going to suggest that we all share our meal times with family NOT in our immediate families. I wonder if we will remember this 12 months from now.

Til later, V

Family stuff

We had a birthday dinner for these two silly kids, my niece turning 20 and my nephew turning 21. Or did she turn 19 ... time is just a flying!

My nephew just got out of the Marines and he was sent to Iraq twice during his time in, we are sooooo glad he is home! Semper Fi ! Ooh Rah !! That is right isn't it!

Can you tell we are sisters?

Til later, V

More 4th of July photos

We really had a great time, camping, boating, swimming, a few fireworks, a little grilling and some apple pie and ice cream, what more could you want for a 4th of July camping weeking?

Why is it some people can take photos of themselves so well, and others, well, see for yourself!

I know, I'm just so cool!

Camping buddies Kim & Jason

More friends ... Cindy and K & J

And, Willie!

4th of July

Photos from the 4th of July, not that many ...

Me & Hubs on Smith Lake with friends ...

He knows how to ski !

Wild night at the camp ground ... Bingo!

All those cards and none of us won a thing!

A lift in my day

I don't know where I came across the below, I keep it on my computer and I have other copies of it scattered in my calendar and in my desk drawer and I even put in my outlook to pop up on certain days ... sounds silly I know, but when I first read the below prayer, it came to me at a really bad time in my life and I knew I would always want to keep a copy of it, so I did what now sounds silly in print, made several copies of it and placed it in places where I knew I would come across it off and on during my days. Sometimes working in the job I have can be very oppresive and negative, not always thank goodness, but today was one of those days and when I came across this today, it helped me stop, I took the time to read this prayer, to say this prayer and really mean it and then to have a little time with the Lord outside of my normal time - it was a wonderful break in my day - I should take them more often than I do. I wanted to share it here ...


Dear Lord, I thank You for this day. I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you.
I ask now for Your forgiveness. Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You. Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things that you ordain, and the wisdom to pray for those things you would change. Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over, and help me to grow as you walk with me during the trials of this life.
And It's the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits.
I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do Your will. Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak... Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others. I pray for those that are lost and can't find their way. I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately.
But I thank you that I believe. I believe that God changes people and God changes things. I pray for all my sisters and brothers. For each and every family member in their households. I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes that they are out of debt and all their needs are met. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight.

(copied)

Gas for ...

Saw this on another blog today ...

Off to the Lake ...

We are headed off to go camping tomorrow. We are camping with three other couples at Smith Lake in Arly, Alabama. I am already wore out. I worked all day. Went to the grocery store on the way home, (getting more and more depressing to do that with the way food prices are going up) came home, started the makings for a pasta salad and broccoli salad to take with us, sorted all the clothes I was going to take with me, fed the dogs, played with the dogs, packed the camper with all of our clothes, dry goods, etc. lots of trips in and out in and out ..., came back in sat down to gobble down a dinner of leftovers, finished the salads to take, cleaned up the kitchen, went outside to be the flash light holder so my husband could figure out why the fridge isn't working in the camper (thank goodness for coolers - we may be dependent on them this weekend!). I was supposed to make a dessert too, but I do believe Publix will be making dessert for us. I am pooped!

Violin Lessons

I started taking violin lessons about 4 or 5 months ago. My progress is so slow. I chose the violin because I don't have a very large home and I do not have room for a piano, which would have been my preferred musical instrument. I used to have a piano and was taking lessons and was soo enjoying it, but life changes and adjustments had to be made (got divorced, moved into an apartment had no room for a piano and gave it away ...). So, now 13 years later, I have the musical urge again. And the violin is so small it fits into my home perfectly.

I can now play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star about 5 different ways, Go Tell Aunt Rhody and a couple of other songs that I have never heard of. Last week, I finally begged my teacher to teach me something I liked and would make me feel like I was making more progress. I wanted a hymn and so I chose Amazing Grace. I have butchered that blessed hymn in so many ways in the last week it should be considered a sin, but have so enjoyed my practice time much much better.

As an example of how bad I butchered it, I had to play it about 10 times for my husband before he even recognized it as an actual known tune and he still could not tell it was Amazing Grace!

Last night was so beautiful and breezy with no humidity, so I took my violin out back and practiced for a whole hour. My neighbors retaliated by shooting firecrackers and bottle rockets and I am sure they were aimed my way! Obviously not music lovers .... oh wait, maybe they are!

Yummy Pasta Salad

My husband would love it if I would cook more often, but working full time, it just don't happen very often anymore. I love to cook, but I have to be in the mood, plus have the time to do it properly ... see, there is the quandary - mood plus time .. doesn't happen at the same time very often anymore for me. This past weekend however, I did have the opportunity to try a new recipe and it was relatively easy - my kind of recipe! It was a layered pasta salad and it was sooo good, we had some left over and it was good on Sunday and tonight - even better to me! Here is the recipe my alterations in italics ... :

Layered Pasta Salad

2 c med shell pasta, cooked and drained (I used about 3/4 of a whole bag)

1 large red onion (I used a small one - not a big fan of uncooked onion)

1 10 oz pkg frozen peas thawed and drained (I threw mine in frozen ...)

1 pkg (6 oz) smoked sandwich ham ( I used about 3/4 lb deli smoked ham)

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 cup ranch dressing (for this part (mayo and ranch) I just eyeballed it and used more than this)

1 cup 3 cheese crumbles (I guess you can buy it like this, I just mixed sharp cheddar, colby jack and med cheddar and mixed in a little of feta cheese)

1 cup halved grape tomatoes

Layer pasta, onion, peas and ham in a clear bowl, set aside

MIX mayo and ranch dressing, spread over salad, top with cheese and tomatoes, cover, refrigerate several hours before serving. (It says to toss before serving, but you should make sure everyone gets to see it first, because it is really pretty and it impresses people :) ...)

Later, Velda

CPAP or NO CPAP

This is the way I was geared up last night ..... I forgot my camera so this shot is off the web.

Last night I went for my sleep study. I was so resentful of even having to do this sleep study, but my surgeon wanted me to rule out my need for a CPAP before my surgery, so off I went. My resentment stemmed from the fact that I have not exhibited any of the typical signs of sleep apnea. I sleep all night, I don't stop breathing, I don't wake up gasping for breath, I wake up rested - most of the time (I do have 3 house dogs, so sometimes ... dogs happen..), I don't nap, except on Sundays, (that is mandatory isn't it), and okay I do snore but not all the time, plus my family doctor and I had discussed it about 2 years ago and he said he really hated to send me over for a sleep study because everyone he has sent has been placed on a CPAP and he was getting less hasty about sending patients because he was leary of the need (I paraphrased his words ...).

Well, sure enough this morning when I was awakened (with at least a hundred wires hanging off my head and 6 or 8 attached to my body), awakened - not for the first time since going to sleep at 10:30 PM the night before, and was told I would be going home with a CPAP. So, I asked - did I stop breathing any --Answer: No; was I snoring heavily, Answer: No, actually did not snore at all, so what was the problem? The only explanation I was given was that I had exhibited a couple of episodes of breathing difficulties. Well, HELLO - surgery in two weeks to hopefully correct this problem. I left the hospital with a CPAP, stewed and stressed until 2:30 PM about it, called my BCBS found out I was going to be responsible for about $700 of this device, got in my car and turned it back in.

Okay, I might have to go back and get it, but not until I hear the actual test results from my doctor; and, given medical reasons from the sleep doctor which will need to be backed up by my surgeon, before that happens. I did email my surgeon, who told me to take it back immediately and not to even think about purchasing a device until he sees the test results himself. I was so impressed, my surgeon actually emailed me. I had actually emailed his nurse to let her know about my sleep study and my surgeon actually responded, I am still in awe of this. I am a paralegal and we pay doctors thousands of dollars to talk to us and still have a hard time getting them to just respond to a letter. So this very quick and unexpected email was a new thing to me.

So CPAP or no CPAP, that is the question. We'll see.

Starting Again

Okay, I started this blog two years ago because my daughter had one of her and own and it inspired me to start my own ... I thought! One post and I was through. So here I am again, wondering if I have anything to say, will people think I am silly. Silly or not, I am going to give it a go again.







I've got health issues. I have severe airway stenosis. I can hardly breath anymore, and I am scheduled for surgery next month, which I hope will give me significant relief. Right now I sound like Darth Vador from Star Wars when I breath - not a pretty sound. Okay, that was an exaggeration, but not by much. Well, I was just getting into the groove of the "woe is me" "poor pitiful Me" routine of feeling sorry for myself with regard to my health issues, when my husband decides to show me up with his own newly discovered illness! He has been diagnosed with diabetes! I was shocked and surprised and then brought down to earth in regard to my own problems! He has been placed on oral meds and we had to go to a training class today. He is not severe - for which we are grateful - but changes will have to be made to his diet and exercise routines. I hope this will be a good thing for both of us = because I need to make changes too and lose weight, so we will be doing the changing together.







So anyway, as much as I would like for the universe to revolve around me at times, it just doesn't work that way --- and that is most definitely a good thing! God really does know better than that!





Velda