Take me away... Please!

Here we are on a Thursday - of the most boring week of the Summer. (So far.)

It's been a lazy and depressing week.
Hubby has been gone a lot, and he's grumpy when he's here. We weren't able to go camping because of budgetary issues, so a happy "camper" he is not.

I myself have wandered around in a funk, because it's just too darn hot to leave the house, and I'm tired of trying to entertain myself all alone indoors.
Plus, it's been such a lazy week, that I'm as ugly as I can possibly be without getting arrested.

So, when I woke up this morning, and made the usual trek to the bathroom, only to find that something is amok with the toilet because everything has been cleared off the tank, I roll my eyes and think "Great, what's wrong with the plumbing now?"

These are the days, my friend, when one shouts to no one in particular, because, of course, there's never anyone there - "Calgon, take me away!!!"

From lack of anywhere else to go, I'm allowing my imagination to take me to what it naturally turns to at times like this - the Mysteries of the Universe.
(Not really, but wasn't that a great segue?)
...Sure beats pondering plumbing problems.

I wonder, for instance, (since it's space travel week,) is there really life out there somewhere? All those urban legends of alien life forms - is there anything to them, or is that all a product of a mind as unused and in need of entertainment as mine?

...And speaking of Space - what goes on in an astronaut's head, that allows him to submit to being hurdled thousands of miles into a void where, granted, the stars are pretty, but all other conditions are completely hostile to supporting human life?

Other questions come to mind, such as - how far can my car really go on empty, before it grinds to a halt?

...And what was in the diet of the Pharaoh's of Egypt, that made them so narcissistic that they spent (wasted) the entire extent of their reign, erecting monuments to themselves?

...And how about the slaves who had to build those monuments? - When the Pharaoh died, and a new one took his place - did they throw down their respective tools, and say "Crap, now we have to start all over."

Then deeper, more poignant questions emerge - what goes on in Cyber space on Thursdays? Where does everyone disappear to, that no one has bothered to tell me about?

I look around me and wonder; has the world's largest dust bunny ever been recorded? And I realize it's time to get up from this computer and muck my way through yet another day.

Hang in there, it's almost the weekend...
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Bumpy Ride...

Senior class portraits this week. Ouch.

I can tell already that it's going to be a bumpy year.
My baby is a Mighty Senior, and the whole world is opening up for her ...but she is also my baby, and every first for her is a last for me.

To quote a stanza from a poem that I requested my sister to write for me when she was a year old:

"There are great days ahead,
of that I am sure, but there won't be a baby at home anymore.
I hope you'll forgive
if I cling to the past, I've loved all my babies,
but you are the last."

The song I wake up with in my head these days is this one:

Schoolbag in hand, she leaves home in the early morning
Waving goodbye with an absent-minded smile
I watch her go with a surge of that well-known sadness
And I have to sit down for a while
The feeling that I'm losing her forever
And without really entering her world
Im glad whenever I can share her laughter
That funny little girl

Slipping through my fingers all the time
(Slipping Through my Fingers, by ABBA)

She's well on her way to the driver's licence - passing all the tests with flying colors. She has the job, and the savings account - her plans for college, and very good friends. (And thankfully, has been resisting the boyfriend so far.)

Giving her wings, and hope she can fly...
Fasten your seat belts - it's going to be a bumpy ride.

Sunday Sojurn

Yesterday was a fairly quiet day. Jen stayed over with a friend, which is a good thing, because she attends the Sunday School classes with her age group, instead of hanging out with her old mum here. (There is hardly anyone her age in our ward.)
Hubby had to go to work very early, so it was just me at church, which makes me sad, because the choir did a fine job (if I do say so myself) and no one was there to hear it. *Sigh* I really don't like going to church by myself.

When hubby got home, we drove up the canyon to have dinner with my son & his family, who had borrowed our trailer for the weekend. He made some yummy dutch oven dishes, and we had fun playing with the girlies in the dirt. LOL

We're hoping to go back up for the holiday weekend, if we can figure out how to work it into the budget - if not, it's all good - we'll just go see the new Harry Potter flick instead.
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Somebody up there loves me...

This weekend was the Scottish festival up at the park.
Good times, with bagpipers, Scottish dancers, singers, and all kinds of manly games. (Caber toss, etc.)
They also have booths selling all kinds of Scot-sy wares (mostly made in China!) ha ha.

So, the family went up to have a look-see. We walked around until we got tired - and hungry. We found a place selling hot dogs, so we got a couple and went looking for a place to eat. The park was so crowded, that the only place we could find, was standing behind the bleachers in front of the band competition.
Great! ...Dinner - and a show!
I set my shopping bag and my purse on the ground in front of me, and commenced to enjoy my lunch.

Hubby and I had had enough after that, so we went to the car to go home.
When we pulled up in front of the house, I went to get out, and bent over to pick up my bag and my purse - - except my purse wasn't there!!!
I can't believe I picked up my shopping bag, but left my purse just sitting there under the bleachers!
I totally freaked out - there were 20 million people in town today, and I just left my purse sitting on the ground in the middle of all of them!
(I've had so many nightmares like that, I can't even tell you...)

My daughter had stayed at the park, so I called her on my cell, and told her to go see if she could find it. I was really panicky by now...
Bless her heart - she ran, and searched the area. The miracle is that she actually found it! Intact, and nothing missing.
Is that a miracle, or what?

Archie Bunker used to say that the angels watch over babies and ding-bats.
I guess that's really true!

Happy Sabbath!
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Sssshhhhhhhh!

I need a quiet day.
Celebrating all those birthdays and holidays this past week, has worn me out!
I may have to go out to the trailer to get it, but I'm in need of some quiet time.

Strange night
Yesterday morning, I woke up to find this:

My tree lost a limb in its sleep. It's really strange, because this tree is right outside my bedroom window, which was open all night (and I sleep right under it.)
I didn't hear any wind or anything during the night - and nothing else is out of place in the yard to suggest a storm.
Weird.




It's a good thing the little birdies had already left the nest, or they would have been dumped on their heads!


By the way - I do NOT have sleep apnea. I'm a little mystified why the Dr. ordered that test in the first place, because I told him I don't have those kinds of problems.
I went in for my follow up the other day, and I was told that news, and that the medication they usually start people on for the insomnia thing, is the one I've already been on for the past month!
What the heck? ...Was all that really necessary then?

Mystified, I tell you...

No more news today, so I'll just tippy-toe away...
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Book Report - Recovering Charles

Recovering Charles, a novel by Jason Wright.…

Description from the book jacket:

Luke Millward is a man who does not know he is lost. His career is going well; he has the love of close friends; and a future he looks forward to every day.

Only when the past reveals its twisted smile in a phone call and the disconnected voice asks him to come find his estranged father in post-Katrina New Orleans is Luke compelled to find out what kind of man he truly is; and who the man is that his father has become.

I really enjoyed this book. It's a sad reminder of the devastation that took place after Hurricane Katrina, but more importantly, it's a story of forgiveness between a father and son.

There is a song at the end of the book - you can go to the official website (www.recoveringcharles.com) and hear it played. It's lovely.
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Yenny Day

It's my baby's birthday today - she's progressed from the childhood stage to that of a potential responsible adult. She's got her first job, is learning to drive, and next year will be a Senior in High School.

My little bird will soon be ready to fly.


Just a little tribute to her today...

Jen is funny

She's quirky

...Sometimes, she's downright weird.

She's always plugged in to some form of media...

If you really want to freak her out - just tell her she's pretty...

Now, pardon me if I wax nostalgic and get really sappy here for a minute...

Jenny was a "caboose" child - born 8 years after her closest sibling. I prayed very hard to get her here, and she has been the answer to all those prayers. It's fun sharing a birth month with her. She is a dear, dear girl, and has been a joy in my life.


...I'll go turn myself in to the schmaltz police now...

Love you baby!
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Monday

Hubby had the whole week off last week - from both jobs!
We talked about going camping or something, but when it came right down to it, he decided he would rather just stay home and relax and piddle around the yard some.
Nice and peaceful for him - but just more of the same for me. (Yawn)

Our Fourth was spent quietly in the yard with the kids...

The girls



Oooh - Aaahh

Sorry, that's about as good as it gets here...

Non - items

Just a couple of quick little signs of the times -
I went looking for one of my favorite magazines this week, and couldn't find it anywhere, so I went online and found that it has become a victim of the economy. Mary Englebreit's Home Companion is no more. Sad.

I found this comic on Facebook and it made me laugh - thought you might like it too.


...And this little photo - my family laughs at me and thinks I'm silly, but this giant tea cup was one of my favorite birthday presents this year. I got it planted, and I plan to paint some Alice in Wonderland plant stakes to put in it.
It makes me happy.

Going in today to get the results of that sleep study, other than that, just errands.

That's all -

Happy Monday.
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Fourth of July

Favorite 4th of July memories.
My mom loved parades, and dad loved rodeos - happily, those loves usually combined on the fourth. There was always a picnic involved somewhere, and in the evening, each little community around us had their own little fireworks display, so it was just a matter of choosing which one to attend.
One year, we discovered that the roof of one of our sheds was the perfect vantage point to view them all from one spot.
Happy carefree days.

I love this song by James Taylor, and it's not available for my playlist anymore, so I will treat you with a live performance.

Enjoy!



...And for an encore, David Archuleta's "They Come To America"



God Bless America (please)


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Oldenhood

At my age, Birthdays are an unnecessary evil.
The best one can hope for, is that they will pass away unnoticed. But that was not the case this year. I had a delightful day.

I actually woke up to breakfast in bed. (I can count the times that has happened on one hand.)
Then, hubby brought me in a new outfit to wear, and said I had a big day ahead. I looked at him a little suspiciously, because it was a dark blue shirt and light pants. (Very much like the Walmart uniform.) I thought maybe he was putting me to work!

But instead, we went to Toucano's for lunch.
Wow, that is a very festive place! They beat the drums and sang to Jennifer and I in Portuguese. I sampled all the meats they brought.
One of the down sides to being deaf? It's quite possible that I ate chicken hearts.
I heard the word chicken, and gave the nod 'yes' because I wanted to sample everything, but it didn't look or taste like any part of the chicken I've ever seen...(ahem.)
My favorite was the grilled pineapple - and whatever that was with the bacon wrapped around it.
Jennifer's friend was the only one brave enough to order desert - the chocolate cake weighed in like a side of beef. Three of us shared it, and it was divine!

Next, we went to the mall and saw "The Proposal." Between us, we had enough gift certificates and coupons, that we all got in free! It was cute, we all enjoyed it (aside from those nude scenes...)

When we got home, they let me take a nap.
I needed it!
Then we had a barbecue with the family. Most of us were still to stuffed to eat much, but it was a nice way to end the day.

I told my grand daughter that I was older than dirt, but I guess she's too young for grandma's humor. She just looked confused.

I can always count on this one to help with the hard tasks.

Like I said, a pretty good day.
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