Sunday, November 02, 2008

~ A Day in the Wood ~

Ahhh, wasn't Saturday gorgeous! We took advantage of the awesome day and went 4 wheeling again. We packed a lunch of PB&J, cheetos, bottled water and off we went. I learned some new trail hand language. When you meet a dirt bike driver on the trail that you almost have a head on collision with because the trail isn't that wide and it's also very curvy, and he holds 4 fingers up, it's not just a different way to wave... it means STAY where you are, there's four of us! The next rider holds up 3 fingers, the next 2, and so on ... Yes, I had to learn that the hard way. Dirt bikers ride fast and crazy on the trails; I don't.



Isn't it pretty in the woods ...



Me & my sweetie ...



Showing off my new riding boots which I duly christened with mud on the trail.




It was a good day.

We ended it with dinner and my mom and dads. My absolute favorite place to eat! It was my birthday dinner. She made roast beef with gravy, fried okra, mashed potatoes, cole slaw, creamed corn, homemade biscuits; for dessert, my dad made me a coconut cake, and mom made apple pie and chocolate pie. Wow, what a feast! It was great!





Yes,it was definitely a good day.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

~ Presto Chango ~

At the request of Mrs. Goofy, below are photos of my ottoman, before & after my slipcover creation ...


BEFORE



AFTER

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

~Madison County Lake~

So, I went back to the lake. It took me two trips to find the light similar to what it was on Sunday - It wasn't quite the same, but it was close. I loved the ways the trees were reflected in the water, like they were looking in a mirror.





















Til later, V

Family Photo


Pyzam Family Sticker Toy

Get your own Family Sticker Maker & MySpace Layouts.






It left out Sadie, and Peyton ...

Sunday, October 26, 2008

A sunday bum ...

So, I have been a bum today. I woke up and just felt exhausted - I couldn't get moving, so I gave myself a day. I haven't done that in a while and my husband let me have a day. He left me alone most of the day, he went to visit a friend and shared some of our excess firewood. I watched a little TV, I played with the dogs, just a little, I took a little nap. G came in around 4:30 PM and wanted to go for a drive, so we drove around Sharps Cove - beautiful! and then around Madison County Lake - awesomely beautiful! I wish I had brought my camera, I would have taken a few photos at the lake. The leaves are dressing up for autumn and the light at 5:15 was absolutely perfect, the trees around lake were all shining in their autumn shades and they were reflected in the lake in just that perfect way - a photo op missed!

I did re-cover my ottoman, a job I have been putting off since Spring (that's when I bought the material). It turned out okay for a first timer at that kind of thing... Now I am wondering if I have enough material to recover the chair also (it has a slip cover on it now - one that ties and tucks ... and tucks ... and tucks ... ) ... Oohhhh Mrs. Gooofffyyy where are you ... this is your forte' any tips to offer about recovering/upholstery ...

Til later, V

Friday, October 24, 2008

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Blogging funnies ...


Urine-olgy ... yuck!



My husband has had ear aches/infections since the beginning of summer off and on. His most recent ear problems have taken him to 3 different doctors - now with a specialist - and 3 different rounds of antibiotics and ear drops ... I was talking with my mom this morning about it and she said he should try the ear ache cure that they used to use as a child ... urine in the ear - yuck!! I accused her of pulling my leg, because she was laughing as she told me, but she assured me that it was true and that she and her siblings (all ten of them) had all had to use this cure and it worked wonderfully, it kind of made me wonder about when she told me she was putting warm oil in my ear for my own childhood earaches, if she had been totally honest with me about what the warm substance was ... - I refuse to ask her because I don't want to be grossed out! Anyway, I had to do a little internet research to see if there was actually any information "out there" about this little bit of home remedy information, or was it just an old wives tale that hopefully, my mom never put to practice on us (me and my siblings ...) :)

It's actually out there. Using your own urine apparently has more than just the one use for earaches ..., below is just a small tidbit of what I found "out there" about URINE THERAPY... ewwweeewwww!!!! Yuck!!!!


As a side note ... I passed this information on to my husband in an email. He has not responded.


The following is adapted from the pamphlet "Urine-Therapy: It May Save Your Life." by Dr. Beatrice Bartnett, in which she suggests the following hints:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Drinking. The mid stream of the first morning urine is taken. Begin with two-three ounces and increase it to your personal, comfortable level.

2. Fasts. Fasts with urine and water are practiced for one or more days. J.W.Armstrong, a renowned urine therapist from England, lets his patients fast for up to 45 days. Fasts are only recommend under trained, medical supervision.


3. Enemas. The easiest way to take an enema is with a syringe containing two-three ounces of urine. The urine is kept in the colon for as long as possible.


4. Gargle. Urine is kept in the mouth 20-30 minutes, or as long as possible, for gum problems and other lesions of the mouth and tongue.


5. Douche. For any vaginal discomfort or cleansing, a solution of Golden Seal and urine will give comfort and healing.


6. Eye and ear drops. Any pain, burning and tiredness in the eyes may get relief with a few drops of urine placed into the eyes. The ears also benefit greatly if receiving a few urine drops for ear pain and discomfort.


7. Urine sniffing. This is the most effective way of treatment for any sinus congestion and upper respiratory problems.



Til later, V

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Grandson turned One





Here he is all grown up at the old age of ONE!Isn't he adorable! Ian, my grandson celebrated his 1st birthday last week and we celebrated with him this week. That's his sister, Molly, with the head full of red curls. My daughter-in-law and grandkids are in town for a while, I am looking forward to being able to see them all while they are here.

Til later, V

Monday, October 13, 2008

Dogs & Camping

Sometimes dogs are so intuitive. My husband and I went camping this past weekend. We had decided to take our smallest dog, Peyton, with us this time, since Maggie (our boxer) and she got into a fight last time we left them - leaving us with a very healthy ER vet bill - so we were going to be smart this time and just take her along. Ha! They figured it out they all started fighting among each other before we even finished packing the camper, leaving us too worried to leave either of the two small ones with Maggie, so guess who went camping ... Maggie and here she sits happy as pie to be with us and without her two smaller step sisters (the two minis stayed home and were probably just as happy to be home without her as she was to be with us without them) ...





I think I am starting to humanize my dogs too much!

Til later, V

Thursday, October 09, 2008

My favorite Psalms ...

My favorite Psalms:

... Just wanted to share ....


Psalm 139
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
5 You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall[a] on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

13 For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.

17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.

19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.
20 For they speak against You wickedly;
Your enemies take Your name in vain.
21 Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.



Til later, V

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Billy, The Early Years of Billy Graham - Movie



This looks like it will be a really good movie, supposed to be out in theaters this Friday.

Saturday, October 04, 2008

Yard work ...



I think it's time to trim the wisteria ... there's a swing in there somewhere ...

Til later, V

PS: Wasn't it an absolutely fabulous day today!

Friday, October 03, 2008

Dreams ...

I had a night of dreams ... bad dreams. Woke up at 4 AM and couldn't go back to sleep, prayed for a while, read for a while and finally went back to sleep; only to be awakened about an hour later from another bad dream ... what a yucky night! I don't mind dreaming, and I can handle bad dreams, but I hate those dreams that wake you up and then KEEP you awake.

They were mostly about me being unprepared for situations ... one instance was a home invasion and I couldn't find my gun to protect myself (on my check list is now to know where my gun is ... I kind of know, I just have to find that hiding spot and make sure it is still there - it is certainly not in a convenient spot in case we do experience a home invasion!) - I have had this dream (or dreams similar) too many times; the next instance was that a video deposition had been scheduled at my office, and I had failed to schedule a videographer and a court reporter and there were about 20+ people in my office setting up for this deposition and I had dropped the ball ... which by the way, I do have 3 pending depositions which I have not called the court reporter on - but I have not forgotten about them ... yet!

These kind of dreams, when they keep coming and won't let me rest, always make/force me to take the time to evaluate my life - ME. I know they are not about know where my gun is or scheduling a court reporter, but sometimes I feel like I am being nudged that make sure that I am not taking life too lightly. I need to have a "come to Jesus meeting" with my own self in other words and clean out my dirty closets and drawers - just a saying. I have a tendency to just shove things around rather than dealing with them, which can make for a dirty spiritual house. So, here it is Fall, and I am just now doing Spring cleaning ... maybe I needed to be disturbed in my sleep, I guess that was God's elbow in my rib, so to speak!

Oh well, I don't know if any of this made a lick of sense to anyone but me, but I guess that is part of what blogging is about, saying things that might only make sense to the writer.

Til later, V

Thursday, October 02, 2008

A finished painting ... I think



I've been tweaking on this one for several months, but I think I am done. We'll see! Steph, if you are reading this, your's is next.

Til later, V

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Art Class Results



Our art teacher gave us all a parting gift from our first class. Pretty neat!

Below are my only two art journal pages, they are both unfinished, so works in process, yada yada yada ... they are supposed to be somewhat self definitive .. I just can't decide who I am!






Til later, V

Weekend moments




I used to be such a good photographer. I loved it. But, alas I seem to have lost all previous skills and now I just plan ol'stink! Oh well, maybe those skills were like youth and were only a fleeting moment in time for me! The above photos are from this past weekend - ladies conference in Atlanta. We were at Olympic Centennial Park and they have the Olympic Circles in the ground that has water shooting up out of the circles. It was so riveting to watch, reminded me of watching a fireworks show. The water was constantly changing the pattern of it's spouting system.

The past weekend I went with several other ladies from my church to the Women of Faith conference which took place in Atlanta, GA. It was so good. I loved hearing Patsy Clairmont - she was so great; and I could sit and listen to Sandy Patty for forever. She has always been so inspiring to me. There were many good speakers. And I left feeling refreshed in my spirit. I think I talked the ears off of poor MKG!!! Sorry about that!

While we were there, we all got to talking about how we (the women of our church) should plan our own ladies retreat. Perhaps a long weekend toward the end of February, renting a chalet in the Gatlinburg area, so, any of you Church Ladies reading this, keep this in mind ... MKG put the bug in Karen's ear and she said, hmmm, how did she put it ... "I'm on it!" So I have absolute faith that she will get the ball rolling on this idea.

Til later, V

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Monkey Quiz ... good to know!

Are you smarter than a monkey?
YES!

You scored 100%, which means that you're 62% smarter than a monkey!
'Are" you smarter than a monkey?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Church photos ...

I have never made a good church photo, but this one was in the "acceptable" range! We even bought a few of them!

This will probably never happen again.

Til later, V

Monday, September 22, 2008

Prissy girl ???

I used to be such a prissy girl and my husband is doing his best to turn me into an outdoorsey person. Camping and 4 wheeling ... I really do enjoy it though! I didn't think I would actually enjoy 4 wheeling, but we went yesterday and I liked it. We rode 26 miles on an ATV trail somewhere on the edge of Bankhead Forrest. I am sore all over today though. My feet, calves, buttocks, arms, chest and worst of all my hands and thumbs! You power the gas with your right thumb and it is so sore! I slept with a heating pad wrapped around my hands! I have had to use both hands to use my hairspray, put on perfume, etc. But it was totally worth it, we had fun. We had another couple and their two sons with us and we packed a picnic and it was just a beautiful day.






My boss's wife had a birthday and I made her a birthday card. It's a watercolor. I saw one like it someone and tried to put my own mark on it ... Oh well, it's the thought that counts! Happy Birthday Kelli!

Til later, V

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

Thursday, September 11, 2008

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

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

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

Friday, September 05, 2008

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

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

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

Friday, August 29, 2008

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.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

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.

Monday, August 25, 2008

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

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

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

Sunday, August 17, 2008

$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

Thursday, August 14, 2008

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

Sunday, August 10, 2008

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




Wednesday, August 06, 2008

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

Monday, August 04, 2008

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

Sunday, August 03, 2008

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!