SMRT

'Nuff said.

Pig rotten potatoes

I've had Kelsie's hearing checked several times in the last few years. She passes every test with flying colors and I'm told there is absolutely nothing wrong with her hearing.

She's proven that several times when she has repeated what Martin and I were whispering about here in the living room even though she was sequestered away in her bedroom with the door closed.

So, since her hearing is fine, I have to assume that it's her LISTENING that sucks bricks.

Case in point:

Yesterday evening she called me from Firstenburg to come pick her up from swimming. She then asked what was for dinner.

I replied, "Au Gratin potatoes."

She squealed, "PIG ROTTEN POTATOES?!?!?!"

(sigh...)

Yup, hearing is fine, listening sucks.

Back when...

For some reason, I've been in a reflective mood lately. Maybe it's the weather, maybe it's the season. I don't know.
This is a picture of my Daddy, holding me at Granny's house. I know it's at her house because of the cupboards in the back. One whole wall in her dining room was nothing but cupboards.

Another pic of me, only Mom's holding me. I'll have to find the original and scan it to get her head back in the picture. Not sure why she was cropped out in the first place.

This is the only picture ever taken of me with Papa and Granny. It was my 1 year birthday and they gave me that toy guitar. Grand plans were made to teach me how to play guitar, banjo, violin/fiddle and piano.
(sigh...) Papa died of liver cancer 3 months after this picture was taken.
I cherish this picture.

Lots of things on my mind today...

"Life imposes things on you that you can't control, but you still have the choice of how you're going to live through this," Celine Dion

I read this quote the other day and it made me stop and think....

Yes, I have choices on how I react to situations or decisions made by other people.

Yesterday in Dollar Tree I saw a man that I think I recognized from a picture. The man in the picture is a known sex offender. The man at Dollar Tree came up to me and asked me if I was in line. At this point the ball was in my court. Should I scream at him (assuming he was the man in the photo)? Ignore him? I could have. Instead I spoke to him nicely, "Yes, but you have less than I do. Get in line ahead of me." He looked at me like I had snot hanging out of my nose or something just as startling. (shrug) Be nice to all of God's creatures, right?

Driving home, I saw a man and a woman pushing their stalled car along the busy street. I turned around to help them, but by the time the traffic allowed me back, they were already pulled off into a parking lot. Glad they made it safely. I've been in that situation before and thank goodness for the kind guys who stopped and helped me push.

Today, as I was leaving the bank, I held the door for a woman coming in. Unfortunately, the two guys behind me almost tromped the poor woman. They did say sorry, but they were not paying attention to what they were doing. They almost backed over me as I was leaving the parking lot. My decision? GET OUT OF THEIR WAY.

A lot of people were out today, returning Christmas gifts and taking advantage of sales. And most everyone was in a hurry. Several times I let people have the right away, even though it was my turn. Better to lose my turn than be run over.

At the show Arsenic and Old Lace, I almost bumped into a woman with hot coffee. Instead of saying, "Excuse me" or something like that to let me know she was there, she snapped, "Watch what you're DOING!"

Wow.

I apologized, said excuse me, then stood there letting those words sink in.

Another Magenta person saw the whole thing, leaned over to me and asked, "Why couldn't she watch what SHE was doing, too?"

Because it's easier to lay the responsibility and blame at someone else's feet. That was her decision. (shrug)

For some reason...

... this just makes me incredibly happy.

(If you don't get it, see my Dec 21, 08 blog.)

PRESENTS!

Corkie says, "Hey!! Where's MY gift??"

It's got to be here SOMEWHERE!!

Kelsie wanted a vanity for her room.
We couldn't find one we liked so we settled for a jewelry armoire, a mirror and a stool.
She LOVED it! Yay!

Life without Limbs

Let it... FROSTING?

To chase away the Boredom Blues,

I enticed Kelsie to do a gingerbread house.

What fun!
What a MESS! :)

Snow... and lots of it!

Those of you that know me well, know my weird sense of humor.

Martin and I were hoping to build a snow sculpture today,
using this as our inspiration:

Yes, we're odd.
We didn't get to build anything because under all the ice was powder.
Not conducive to building and packing.
Ah, well. I DID get some neat-o pictures, though.

Frozen roses.

This is out the front window.

This is the backyard.

I was playing with the stitch assist feature on my camera.
Pretty fun!

dis⋅ap⋅point⋅ment

dis·ap·point·ment (-mənt)

noun

1. a disappointing or being disappointed
2. a person or thing that disappoints

dis·ap·point (dis′ə po̵int′)

transitive verb

1. to fail to satisfy the hopes or expectations of; leave unsatisfied
2. to undo or frustrate (a plan, intention, etc.); balk; thwart

How do you handle disappointment?

You found the most beautiful piece of jewelry to go with your favorite outfit. You plan on buying it just as soon as you get paid, only to find out that you can't afford it due to an emergency repair to your car. Do you:
A. Plan on buying it next paycheck instead?
B. Whine and complain to your friends until they decide that they don't want to be around you?
C. Buy it anyway, even though you know you'll go into overdraft?

You're up for a promotion and you really, REALLY want it. Two days after the final interview you find out that the gal two cubicles down got it. What do you do?
A. Take a deep breath, march down there and congratulate her then start looking at other possible promotions/jobs?
B. Storm into your boss's office DEMANDING to know why SHE got the promotion over you?
C. Whine and complain to your friends until they decide that they don't want to be around you?
D. Plan to Saran Wrap her car right after you turn in your resignation?

Is disappointment healthy? Well, it certainly teaches you that you don't always get what you want... and how to cope with that situation.

There's something to be said about "people who are served lemons in life learn to make lemonade". These people seem to be happy even if their house burns down, their car gets stolen and they lose their job. You can either wallow in your disappointment or DO something about it.

These days in Little League, everybody plays no matter how badly they play. 25 years ago, you tried out for a team and if you stank, you weren't picked. Talk about disappointment!

I remember almost always being picked last for any sort of team sport... except for one. For some odd reason, I wanted to excel at that one game. I kept getting picked last until the captains noticed that I was scoring points! After a few weeks of giving it my all, I was one of the first ones picked. What a great feeling! But I never would have achieved that if I hadn't felt disappointment at first.

So, how do YOU deal with disappointment?

"I miss you!"

Okay... grab a couple tissues and watch this. I guarantee you'll tear up.

I'm not READY!!!

We put up the tree today.

Honestly, I'm not ready for Christmas.

Wasn't it just yesterday???

About the previous blog...

First of, I need to apologize to someone. I'm sorry you thought part of my blog was about you specifically. It's not.

Secondly, I realize now it was in bad form to have even posted that section. I apologize to everyone who read it and thought that I must be an awful gossip. I will try to be better about the content of my blogs from now on.

I'm sorry.

“It’s not my fault!”

This has been percolating in my brain for a couple weeks now, and I think I’m ready to write.

“It’s not my fault!”

I’ve heard these words repeatedly in my 30+ years of working with children.

Whether it’s due to someone getting hurt, something getting broken, or something being lost, these words are usually spoken vehemently, even while the conscience is telling us otherwise.

Why is it so hard for us to take ownership of our actions?

True, there are some things that happen that are out of our control. In those instances, it is NOT our fault.

But what about when my daughter said that it wasn’t her fault her phone was broken due to it constantly falling out of her pocket? Wasn’t she the one who PUT it in her pocket, knowing there’s a good chance it would eventually fall out and smash onto the ground? Yet, it’s not her fault. A classic example of not wanting to own the action that caused the trouble.

I’m not immune to this phenomenon. Every once in awhile I will think to myself, “It’s not MY fault that….”

Mmm… wait… yes, it is. I have at least part ownership to this. I need to figure out a different plan on how to deal with this.

I’m not perfect. But at least I’m aware of this problem. And I’m taking steps to change it, at least on my end.

Have you ever...

Stole this from Annaliese. :) I highlighted what I've done.

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink

02. Swam with dolphins

03. Climbed a mountain

04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive

05. Been inside the Great Pyramid

06. Held a tarantula

07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone

08. Said "I love you" and meant it

09. Hugged a tree

10. Bungee jumped

11. Visited Paris

12. Watched a lightning storm at sea

13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise

14. Seen the Northern Lights

15. Gone to a huge sports game

16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa

17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables

18. Touched an iceberg

19. Slept under the stars

20. Changed a baby's diaper

21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon

22. Watched a meteor shower

23. Gotten drunk on champagne

24. Given more than you can afford to charity

25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope

26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment

27. Had a food fight

28. Bet on a winning horse

29. Asked out a stranger

30. Had a snowball fight

31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can

32. Held a lamb

33. Seen a total eclipse

34. Ridden a roller coaster

35. Hit a home run

36. Danced like a fool and didn't care who was looking

37. Adopted an accent for an entire day

38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment

39. Had two hard drives for your computer

40. Visited all 50 states

41. Taken care of someone who was drunk

42. Had amazing friends

43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country

44 . Watched whales

45. Stolen a sign

46. Backpacked in Europe

47. Taken a road-trip

48. Gone rock climbing

49. Taken a midnight walk on the beach

50. Gone sky diving

51. Visited Ireland

52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love

53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them

54. Visited Japan

55. Milked a cow

56. Alphabetized your CDS

57. Pretended to be a superhero

58. Sung karaoke

59. Lounged around in bed all day

60. Played touch football

61. Gone scuba diving

62. Kissed in the rain

63. Played in the mud

64. Played in the rain

65. Gone to a drive-in theatre

66. Visited the Great Wall of China

67. Started a business

68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken

69. Toured ancient sites

70. Taken a martial arts class

71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours

72. Gotten married

73. Been in a movie

74. Crashed a party

75. Gotten divorced

76. Gone without food for 5 days

77. Made cookies from scratch

78. Won first prize in a costume contest

79. Ridden a gondola in Venice

80. Gotten a tattoo

81. Rafted the Snake River

82. Been on a television news program as an "expert"

83. Gotten flowers for no reason

84. Performed on stage

85. Been to Las Vegas

86. Recorded music

87. Eaten shark

88. Kissed on the first date

89. Gone to Thailand

90. Bought a house

91. Been in a combat zone

92. Buried one/both of your parents

93. Been on a cruise ship

94. Spoken more than one language fluently

95. Performed in Rocky Horror

96. Raised children

97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour

98. Passed out cold

99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country

100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over

101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge

102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking

103. Had plastic surgery

104. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived

105. Wrote articles for a large publication

106. Lost over 100 pounds

107. Held someone while they were having a flashback

108. Piloted an airplane

109. Touched a stingray

110. Broken someone's heart

111. Helped an animal give birth

112. Won money on a TV game show

113. Broken a bone

114. Gone on an African photo safari

115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears

116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol

117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild

118. Ridden a horse

119. Had major surgery

120. Had a snake as a pet

121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon

122. Slept for 30 hours in a 48 hour period

123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. States

124. Visited all 7 continents

125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days

126. Eaten kangaroo meat

127. Eaten sushi

128. Had your picture in the newspaper

129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about

130. Gone back to school

131. Parasailed

132.Touched a cockroach

133. Eaten fried green tomatoes

134. Read The Iliad and The Odyssey

135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read

136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

137. Skipped all your school reunions

138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language

139. Been elected to public office

140. Written your own computer language

141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream

142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care

143. Built your own PC from parts

144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you

145. Had a booth at a street fair

146. Dyed your hair

147. Been a DJ

148. Shaved your head

149. Caused a car accident

150. Saved someone's life

61 out of 150... so I'm not a complete bore. :)

"Somebody Else Will Do It"

“Somebody Else Will Do It”

I’ve noticed this trend a lot lately. Not only do I deal with it here at home:

“Somebody Else will wipe up the peanut butter and jelly I spread on the counter.”

“Somebody Else will put away the dirty dishes I stacked on the counter, I’m in a hurry!”

I also deal with this at work:

“Somebody Else will wipe off the table if they need it for school work.”
“Somebody Else will pick up this mess.”

And at Play Park:

“Somebody Else will set up Snack Area.”

“Somebody Else will clean up the play-doh that dropped on the floor.”

And, believe it or not, even at Magenta I’ve noticed it… Sadly.

“Somebody Else will show up at 606 to help paint, construct, etc.”

I try very hard not to force Somebody Else to do what I am capable of doing myself… especially if it’s a mess *I* made. At the risk of sounding whiny, it’s just not a fair thing to do.

And as for those who force me to be Somebody Else… I’m TIRED of it. Get off your butt, stop whining about how busy you are, and grow up a bit. The world doesn’t revolve around you.

Alright, I posted about Corkie. Now it's Nigel's turn.

He's really difficult to photograph because he's so BLACK.
He loves to climb and perch, especially on Kelsie's chair or computer desk.

He also loves boxes...

and books...

And his scratching post.


He's terribly shy, so if you come for a visit, it will take him awhile to come out of hiding. He's SUCH a lovable guy and will bonk me on the head and lick my nose.

"I am Kringus. Hear me ROAR!"

10 Ways to Be Happier

So imagine my surprise at logging on and finding an artcle on ways to be happier after putting up a post about the "Poor Me" Syndrome. Too funny. as FlyLady would say, it's a God Breeze.

Okay, here's the article.

Corkie

My cat (well, actually KELSIE'S cat) Corkie makes me laugh on a daily basis. Not only does he ask me for a toy by sitting in front of the drawer and looking up expectantly, he will alsoplay fetch with it after he chooses which one he wants.

If I happen to be sitting here at the computer and I'm not paying attention when he brings the toy, he will put a paw up on the seat and tap my hip with the other paw.

He also loves to shove all his toys under the couch. When the toy drawer is empty, we have to tip the couch up to get the toys and boy, does he LOVE to watch that!

He also absolutely LOVES tissue paper.

And burrowing under the covers or snuggling with his adopted brother.

He's also quite the ham for the camera.

"Poor Me"

Something has been gnawing on my brain lately. And it’s something I’ve been guilty of doing just as much as the next guy.

The “Poor Me” syndrome.

Notion number 1: We are victims and we are helpless, hopeless and powerless.

No, we’re not. We just find it easier to moan and groan about what we don’t have or what has happened to us rather than to feel blessed by what we DO have or make a choice to deal with our situation and make it better.

Notion number 2: It’s someone else’s fault that I’m in this situation.

No, you have choices, too. We can blame others and continually use excuses for not taking charge of our own destiny. But you still have CHOICES.

Notion number 3: If I had (fill in the blank) I would be so much happier.

REALLY?? Honestly. Sit down and think about this. If you had a new car vs. your old paid off one, what would happen? You’d have a monthly car payment when you didn’t have any before, your insurance would probably go up and you’d be constantly on pins and needles just WAITING for someone to put the first ding in it.

The same goes with any situation. Before you bemoan the fact that there’s something you want but don’t have, stop and reflect how having that item would change your life, your way of thinking, and your attitude.

Okay, so what can we do to stop this behavior?

Well, first off, stop blaming everyone else for how you’re feeling. It’s YOUR choice as to how you deal with situations in your life.

Secondly, for every negative thought you have, stop and consciously replace it with TWO positive thoughts. Instead of taking one step toward the dark, stop and take two steps to the light.

Next, practice an ‘attitude of gratitude.’ Say thank you for all the blessings you receive throughout the day. You could even start a Gratitude journal. Before you go to sleep each night, write down in your journal or notepad 5 things that you are grateful for each day. To go one step further, start a Joy journal. List things that make you feel happy. When you are having a ‘bad’ day, go back to your joy journal to re-focus on the wonderful moments in your life.

When you find yourself in a situation, remind yourself that you DO have choices and you CAN change not only how you behave, but you could change the entire outcome of the situation.

And lastly, believe in yourself. You ARE someone special. You ARE worth it.

Here’s the start to my Gratitude Journal:

1. I am thankful for my husband and daughter who motivate me to be the best that I can be.
2. I am thankful for having a job that allows me to have a home, cars, food, clothing and money to pay the bills.
3. I am thankful for my friends who don’t mind when I’m silly and love to laugh both at me and with me.
4. I am thankful for the fact that October was so sunny that it kept the S.A.D. away for just a bit longer.
5. I am thankful for the winter, for without it, there would be no spring.

My kitty-boys really are a great comfort to me.
Corkie must have sensed that I was sad and not feeling well tonight
for he kept giving me hugs.

These are probably the last flowers of the year.

The bushes are still growing, and I will be surprised to see any bloom.

I do so love the roses.
I was happy to see the small twig resurrected from the dead.
I was planning on getting another bush to put there and what a surprise!

Forgive

for·give

verb, -gave, -giv·en, -giv·ing. –verb (used with object)

1. to grant pardon for or remission of (an offense, debt, etc.); absolve.

2. to give up all claim on account of; remit (a debt, obligation, etc.).

3. to grant pardon to (a person).

4. to cease to feel resentment against: to forgive one's enemies

5. to cancel an indebtedness or liability of: to forgive the interest owed on a loan.

–verb (used without object)

6. to pardon an offense or an offender.

All through childhood I was taught to say “sorry” for the offenses I made. The other child would say “okay” and off we’d go to play, our friendship instantly renewed.

Now that I’m an adult, I find it difficult to trust someone who has said sorry. Forgiving is easy, but it’s constantly on my mind: are they going to do it again? Can I trust them? Are they going to go back to the behavior that split our friendship in two?

She has apologized. And I do miss her friendship.

She says the circumstances have changed, but she said that before, too, and then let things go back to how they had been.

(sigh…)

I don’t know what to do.

Roller Coaster!

What a roller coaster life.

Up- being House Manager for Arsenic

Down- Bob went off chemo.

Up- Kelsie doing well in school and getting parts in the school play

Down- Becky losing her hair to chemo. She's still beautiful, though!
My half sis having a couple strokes.

Up- School and finding out what life credits I could earn.
Looking forward to more classes. Seeing Kelsie on stage.

Down-Bob died.

Up- Having 970 people come see the show. Magenta getting it's own space. Having a wonderful group of friends through Magenta.

Alright, this is the trial blog. I'm not used to this website yet and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it.
I'm frustrated at Yahoo's 360 even though I love the simplicity of it. Ah, well.