The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men

often go awry.  Yes, indeed.  As I sat here this morning preparing to enjoy my tea with a bit of scripture reading as I outlined in my daily plan -- the phone rang.  I knew it wasn't my daughter as I had just spoken to her so...

It was an RA from my mother in law's assisted living place.  "Has something happened?" I asked.  "Yes", the lady replied, "Mrs. B fell this morning, hit her head, we called 911 and she has been transported to the hospital".  We were there almost as quickly as she was. 

That was at 8 a.m

She was quickly assessed and it was determined she sustained no injury and didn't need to be in a hospital but she needed to be someplace so the caseworker was called in and plans were made to sign her into an aggressive rehabilitation hospital.  We left to gather her things and within two hours she had been moved.

Hubs went to deliver her belongings, I went to pick up Bean.  We met up for dinner and then went back to the Rehab to take more things and check on the MIL.

She will be there for 14 days and then reassessed. 

I am tired and no, my  today didn't exactly go as planned.  I did get my scripture reading done in the car waiting for Bean but I haven't gotten my exercise done and there was no thought to laundry.  Guess I will begin again tomorrow.

*Sigh*

Simple Living Challenge

Today is the first day of my Simple Living Challenge hosted by Jenn at ADailyRhythm.com.  My plan is different that hers slightly but reading over hers I think she has some good ideas, mostly in the form of housekeeping.

So, my goals are:

1.  Putting spiritual things first -- the first little while of my day will be spent with tea and The Word.  I have done this this morning already and I feel good about it.  Since I have never read the Bible all the way through I decided to start at the logical start place -- Genesis.  I am reading a few chapters at a time in an easy to read format -- Women's Devotional Bible by Zondervan.  I am not striving for a goal of a certain amount per day -- just reading until it feels right.

2.  Exercise.  I am aiming for 30 minutes of dedicated exercise a day.  I have already ridden my exercise bike for 30 minutes this morning and hopefully I will feel more energized over the course of the day.

3.  Less noise pollution.  The tv has yet to come on.

4.  Food -- eating intuitively.  I am going to purchase the books suggested by Jenn (for some reason I think I have one of them but can't find it -- maybe I need to KonMarie my books!)  Anyway, I am going to start studying them.  However, yesterday I said I was going to eat three meals a day with no snacks.  I am going to change that and allow a mid morning something to go with tea.  I can do fine from lunch to supper but I get up so early that I almost always need a little break -- hopefully something healthy.  I started thinking about kindergarten and we always got a snack in kindergarten -- even just half day kinder so I am thinking something small with my mid-morning cuppa will be ok if I am mindful.

5.  Domestic issues -- I have been looking at Jenn's organization of her chores and I am thinking about mine.  I will continue to do laundry on a daily basis -- I absolutely have to do that in order to keep up with it.  My husband seems to change his clothes A LOT! And the kitchen is an ever ongoing project but that is ok -- I would rather be on top of it.   The rest of it -- well, I think I am over thinking the whole thing.  I am going to pick a day to do each chore -- bathrooms, dust, and vacuum.  Vacuuming is my least favorite thing to do so I think I will do it on Friday to be ready for anybody who might drop by on the weekend. Bathrooms on Friday as well.  I live in Texas and we could dust every hour on the hour but I think I will choose to do it another day -- maybe Wednesday.

6.  Grocery shopping -- I believe I will grocery shop for the week on Monday.  I remember my mother liking to go on Monday because they were stocking fresh for the week or on Friday but I think I will try Monday on to see if it works ok for me.

Ok, so that is my new plan.  Now I have to figure out a way to be accountable without boring everybody with a post about whether I clean the bathroom or not.  Maybe a side bar.  I have purchased a new planner that will be here soon and I will probably just keep track of things there and report in here each Saturday.

Anyway, I have begun and actually, the two most important things to me have been accomplished already today so I would say I have done ok and off to a good start.  Hopefully I can keep it up!

By the way -- I had a lovely simple dinner last night and my husband actually liked it.  I grilled two little New York strip steaks on my new cast iron grill plan, made a salad and roasted some new potatoes.  It was good and didn't take long at all to do so that was a win as well.  Tonight I am off to the Girl Scout sleep over and he is on his own.  Hahah! He will be eating out I am sure.

Simple Living Challenge

For some time I have been reading a blog by Jenn (adailyrhythm.com).  She hostesses several reading memes such as Musing Mondays, Teaser Tuesday and Friday Finds.  I have participated in all of the memes at one time or another and found them to be fun, informative and intellectual.  A few months back Jenn decided she wanted to take her blog in another direction but didn't want to abandon her dedicated followers so she split the blog into two separate blogs -- A Daily Rhythm and Books and a Beat.  I still follow both.

In the last few days Jenn has been moving toward a new concentration in her blog A Daily Rhythm and has introduced a challenge called Simple Living Challenge.  When I read her post about this challenge the concept rang such a bell for me that I was immediately taken in wanted to participate.

For the last couple of years I have been looking for something different in my life.  A different way to "be".  I didn't know how to express it but Jenn has done a wonderful job of putting my thoughts into her words.  I have explored "minimalism" and while I think it is great, in a way, I can't only have 33 pieces of clothing and two plates.  I have explored all the ecological pathways to a cleaner/healthier home while saving the planet.  I do try but I am getting older and there are just some things I have to do to save my sanity and my energy -- like run the clothes dryer.  All of these ideas that I have been trying on have their good points -- great points -- actually but it isn't a one size fits all sort of thing.

Jenn's idea does work for everybody because you examine your needs and desires (not using any other parameter than your own) and you make your plan.  She lists her needs and desires and outlines her approach and has created the blog challenge to keep herself accountable.  Her approach involves faith and spirituality which I personally believe has to be the basis for everything we do.  She also embraces the teachings of Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, authors of "Intuitive Eating" and Judy and Arthur Halliday authors of "Thin Within".  She is looking at ways to attack the chores she doesn't enjoy doing and being able to have time for the things she does enjoy doing.

So, while I have learned to fold my underwear correctly and find joy in the things around me thanks to Marie Kondo, I am looking for something else and I think Jenn may have hit on it.  In a way, I feel like it is returning to life in another time -- more like my youth.  Jenn is eons younger than I am so she probably doesn't see it but her proposal is more like life was when I was growing up -- women had a simpler life back then and what Jenn is proposing is very reminiscent of that.  The difference is back then it was just life, now it is intentional.

So, I am setting my goals now for what are my immediate life needs and desires and my long term goals.

The Word  I have always been a church going believer but I have never been strong in Bible reading.  My goal is to begin my day in the Word and prayer.  I know it will set the tone for my day.

Peace  I yearn for a more peaceful existence.  I remember growing up when there was no technology and television was a novelty not a necessity.  I remember waking up to the breeze blowing through the organdy criss-cross curtains and hearing the birds chirp.  It was peaceful.  I want to feel that feeling again therefore, the television will remain off except for the couple of shows that we watch and the computer time will be limited.  I don't have a smart phone that has become like another appendage so that isn't a problem.

Food I have a weight problem.  I have had one for a very long time.  I have accepted that I come from a long line of family members who were not particularly small.  However, I believe that Americans have developed such an unhealthy attitude toward food that almost everybody could be classified as having an eating disorder.  I remember my pediatrician telling my mother that my diet should consist of all things in moderation.  He never said only eat plants or never eat eggs or anything sweet is taboo.  He said all things in moderation.  Of course, fast food wasn't readily available back then, either. The question has come up recently whether the food was better in that era than now, safer so to speak, and while my daughter thinks it was I am not so sure.  Remember, we were the generation that had DDT sprayed liberally in the streets to combat polio.  So, in all honesty, I can't say that farming practices back in the 50's were any safer.  But, my goal is to have a healthy diet that includes all things in moderation (except milk -- can't do milk anymore) with an eye to the healthiest, whole organic foods I can afford. I will eat three meals a day and try to not eat in between meals.  I will no longer try to keep a food diary.  It is boring and only makes me grumpy and I think it leads to bad eating habits.  My mother never kept a food diary but she did eat intuitively -- if she ate potatoes at a meal she never ate bread -- that sort of thing.

Exercise  I will be working toward at least 30 minutes of dedicated exercise a day and I will wear my pedometer to get an idea of how active I am in general.  I have a Jawbone fitness tracker but it gets in my way so I don't wear it anymore.  It is hard to wash dishes with it on and if I take it off I forget to put it back.  So, it is more of a liability than an asset.

Chores  I have been working on this for a while now.  I don't like housework but apparently nobody but me is going to do it so......I have developed a plan that works for me.  It is a little helter skelter so I am going to try to make a more designated plan but this is what I am doing now.  I tire easily so doing "big" things just isn't easy for me anymore. I do laundry every day.  They are small loads which I am sure is really lousy for the planet but it is better for me -- selfish thing that I am.  I have an HE machine and I make my own laundry soap so that should account for something.  I start out the day putting in a load of laundry, drying it and putting it away.  An empty laundry hamper is very gratifying to me! I try to keep the kitchen clean as I go.  I like to start out the day with a clean sink, empty dishwasher and empty dish drainer.  As the day progresses I will either wash the dishes by hand or put them in the dishwasher.  My husband hasn't gotten the hang of this yet and I am still finding bowls sitting on the counter but he is a good man so I will forgive him and put them in the dishwasher myself but it is a never ending battle since he retired.  Just sayin'.  I have found that running the swiffer over the furniture or swiffering the floors on a daily basis goes a long way to keeping the housework to a minimum and it really only takes a few minutes.  It takes longer to complain about it and avoid it than it does to actually do it.  Can you eat off my floors? I wouldn't recommend it but I am getting to the point that I don't have to go into a panic if somebody drops by for a chat that my house should be on an episode of "The Hoarders".

Meal Planning I took home economics in junior high school.  I had this dreadful little teacher named Mrs. Chappell.  I thought she had to be at least ten years older than God.  My MOTHER had her at the same school for goodness sakes! She had to be ancient.  Truth is, I have done a genealogical search for her and when I had her she wasn't old at all, in her 40's.  Whatever.  I remember that class very well and I remember her teaching us to meal plan.  She must not have ever changed her ways because what she taught was exactly how my mother did it and how I find myself thinking when I try to plan.  The idea was a meat, a starch, two veg or a veg and a salad, fruit, bread and a beverage.  This is how I still plan my meals although we don't eat nearly that much food.  Maybe we should.  If we did maybe my husband wouldn't be back in the kitchen a half hour after dinner looking for something to eat! In any event, I can't menu plan.  It doesn't work for me because whatever I plan for, say, Monday I can guarantee you that when Monday comes I won't want that.  So, I try to buy enough meat for a week, have enough starches on hand and enough vegetables to make meals for a week.  I went to the store yesterday to buy food for a week and see what I could do.  We went out to dinner, which we do on a regular basis, but I have enough food for several meals and we are going to see how it goes.  We will be eating at home tonight.  The problem I have with food is that my husband doesn't like my cooking.  I am not kidding.  He really doesn't.  I like plain food.  I don't like it messed around with.  I am not a "sauce" person and he absolutely hates casseroles.  So, I am all about boiled potatoes and steamed veg.  I love it.  He doesn't.  It is difficult.  So, I am trying this new idea that since he is the restaurant lover -- we will do his way a couple of days a week and my way the rest of the week.  Sounds fair, right?

clothing I am devising a 'uniform' -- I will get back to you on this but it reminds me of Flylady -- getting dressed to the shoes.  

So, all of this culminates in Saturday being the day of accountability. Jenn intends to blog about her Simple Life Challenge on Saturdays and I intend to join her.  I doubt mine will be as wordy as this post has been -- just a brief overview of the week -- honestly abounding -- to see if I have met my goals.

If you would like to join just visit Jenn at adailyrhythm.com to see what she has going on.  She is a lovely young woman with a strong faith and a good attitude.  I enjoy her blogs and I would recommend them to anybody.

So, until tomorrow --

This 'n' That and a Book Review

Yesterday I completed M.C. Beaton's "Agatha Raisin and the Love from Hell".

 I have read several of these little cozies and really like them.  I sort of identify with grumpy Agatha -- except for her love of high heels.  I have only read one of these books that I just didn't like but not this one.  I loved the way this one ended up -- I won't tell you - but let's just say that James Lacey's turn of events was totally unexpected.  I can't wait to start the next one but in the interim I am reading "A Vintage Affair".  I have started it several times and then got distracted but am determined to finish it this time.  It isn't that it doesn't hold my interest -- it does -- but something keeps stopping me.  I am reading it on my Nook.

I have finally given up trying to decide whether physical books are better than electronic books.  At the end of the day it just doesn't matter.  I really like reading in the car and the e-reader works better for that than traditional books so I guess I have to just adjust to the environment. 

Dealing with medicare and supplemental insurance and drug insurance is a pain.  A big one.  I have just been through the process for drug insurance yet again.  They told me I was covered. Apparently I wasn't.  I don't deal with this stuff.  My husband does.  He needs something to keep him busy, doesn't he?  So, we made a phone call but the guy at the insurance company wanted to hear my voice -- he needed to talk to me.  Blah, blah, blah.  After an hour it was determined that I was, indeed, not covered and we started the whole process over again.  Such fun.

I read lots of blogs.  One that I read from time to time stated that the lady who writes it is considering stopping.  She outlined how much time it took to write it, to answer all the comments, the deal with the people sponsoring her. She talked about how much planning goes into the writing, planning the blog sugjects, outlining, doing research.  One thing is clear -- I am doing it all wrong.  Maybe that is why nobody reads my blog.  I thought it was just a place for me to chat -- mostly to myself.  I didn't realize.  I am sorry.

And then.....I follow a group on FB about hand quilting.  They have "themes" once in a while.  This past week the theme was "pets and quilts".  People posted photos of their pets with their quilts, on their quilts, next to their quilts -- you get the picture.  Some of these quilts are gorgeous and so are some of the pets....I think....I didn't really pay too much attention to the animals.  So, after this went on for a bit one lady decided to become grumpy and made some sort of statement about stopping with the pets already and get back to quilting.  She offended a lot of people.  Then there was a fight.  Is it just me or has the world gone mad?  Who cares if somebody lets their cat get on the quilt?  Who cares if somebody posts a picture of a quilt with a dog laying tummy up on the quilt.  I mean -- ANGRY?  Really?  Isn't life a bit too short for that or do I just not have the energy or interest in things anymore.  I don't get it.  It seems like being offended has become the Great American Pastime!  If people would look at their time like it was money they could equate complaining on a social media site to throwing their money out the window of a fast moving car.  Personally, my time is really important to me and I am not going to waste it arguing with people I don't even know on an insignificant place like the internet.  Ok, the internet isn't really insignificant but you know what I mean -- if you are going to fight, at least do it face to face with somebody you know.


I feel very  O
                   L
                     D.

I made a new chicken recipe last night.  I got it from my daughter only I used a crock pot while she baked it in the oven.  I am sure hers turned out better than mine but it wasn't bad.  You take boneless chicken breasts, put them in a dish and pour balsamic salad dressing over it and top with shaved parmesan cheese.  It had a great flavor.  I served it with rice and sauteed green beans.  I enjoyed it but I was starving so who knows.  There was a lot left over so that is lunch.

We have been thinking about taking a vacation.  We don't really vacation but we were at least thinking about it.  Places that have been mentioned are Charleston, SC, Asheville, NC, Eureka Springs, AR, Oklahoma City, OK, Austin, TX, and just a staycation here -- doing things we keep saying we are going to do and never do -- you know, things that are right under our nose.  We will see.

I have also been exploring the world of planners.  I used to do Daytimers when my kids were young and my husband travelled and I cared for my parents but since my life has changed from all of that I haven't really felt the need.  Now, however, I am thinking I need to go back to a planner to keep up with all these ridiculous, annoying phone calls with health care professionals and insurance companies and such.  We seem to think we are going to remember or we scribble things down on scraps of paper and then lose it so I think I am going to have to re-think this aspect of my "homekeeping".  I am looking at the Erin Condren planners -- pricey but seem workable. Maybe something like one of these -

 If I buy I will share photos. 

Ok, well, time to close this incredibly boring post.  It is putting me to sleep.  Will be back soon

I Can't Believe --

it has been so long since my last post! I can't even tell you what I have been doing really -- nothing particularly blog worthy for sure -- but the time has just escaped me.

Let's see -- my last post was raving about technology and I am still raving about technology.  I think my computer is going to give up the ghost soon and I am not sure about a replacement.  I have a little 10" netbook and those seem to be going the way of the dinosaurs.  We don't run Windows as my husband prefers Linux so we have Ubuntu installed on everything so I will need to find a replacement that he can make the change to.  Or I can by one already loaded with Ubuntu but it is a larger laptop and I am not sure I like that.  I am very used to sitting with my little computer on my lap in front of the television -- talk about the extreme of laziness!  So, I might would have to go to my desk which is ok -- I can still see the television! Ha! I am such a sloth.  So, anyway, I am sure that computer hunting is in my future.

What else -- oh yes, Easter.  We had a very lovely Easter.  The weather was a little cool but that is the norm here in TX.  We hosted dinner on Easter evening -- ham, potato salad, beans, cole slaw and cupcakes.  We had a houseful -- mother in law, daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law and my four grandblessings.  My son was under the weather so he stayed home for some much needed sleep and I don't begrudge him of that at all.  Nathan busied himself on the computer with Gramps teaching him to play Sudoku.  Kathryn was busy doing some art and Emily was content to dump out the box of crayons and carefully put them all back in the box, just to do it again.  It was fun to watch her because it was such SERIOUS BUSINESS!   Bean had a wonderful time hunting eggs at church and was also involved in doing some art work before dinner.  It was a wonderful evening -- I can never get enough of the the babies even though they are ceasing to be babies at an alarming rate.

We also had to get the car repaired from the lady down the road running into us when she ran the stop sign at the entry of our neighborhood.  We live in a gated community (mixed feelings about this) and when the gate opens there is a stop sign which absolutely nobody pays any attention to.  So, she just ran it and didn't stop until she made contact with us.  She is VERY elderly and drives this BIG red cadillac that I don't think she can see over the steering wheel and she wasn't driving slowly -- she moved our whole car.  So, we had to get that fixed and we had a loaner -- a very large, very uncomfortable Tahoe.  Now my husband is on a big truck kick.  He has a small truck, one that doesn't require a step stool to get into, but he is looking and we have been roaming around car lots looking -- my favorite thing to do -- NOT.

We also had to have the insurance adjuster out to assess the damage to the roof in the big hailstorm we had a few days ago.  The hail was golf ball sized, came in two waves and pummelled us for an incredibly long time.  The verdict -- new roof, new gutters, window repair (didn't realize anything was broken but it is) all to the tune of $25,000 damage.  That is a drop in the bucket compared to the homes just a few blocks away.  At least the insurance pays for most of it but I really don't like getting a new roof -- those roofing nails all over are a pain.

So, now, here we are -- back on our usual, non-holiday routine, and I am having a bit of a problem getting back to normal.  I had been doing very well with my new routine and now, not so much.  Ihave gone all droopy (as Bean puts it) and unmotivated.  I need to work on that.

I am exercising on my new exercise bike though.  Killing, absolutely killing my knee but maybe if I do it enough it will get better.  Doubtful but...

I am reading the next Agatha Raisin in my queue -- "Agatha Raisin and the Love from Hell".  I am almost done  and am really enjoying it.  I find I read faster on a device than a book so I am zipping right along.  I have really enjoyed this series and hate to get to the end even though I have a way to go.  When I am done I will start the Hamish MacBeth series.  I have listened to one audio book but think I would enjoy reading them.  I have also purchased a collection of the George Gently books so I am looking forward to those as well.

I have been working on some sewing projects but while cleaning the house for Easter I put my thimble away and can't find it.  This just reinforces my idea that to declutter your house you have to use logic.  I have looked in all the logical places and I can't find it so clearly I didn't follow my own advice when clearing up.  Bother.  I might have to go buy another.  Bother, bother.

So, yes, that is all I have been up to.  Like I said, nothing blog-worthy. And, I have no photos to share.  I think I better get my act together this week -- how boring is this.

I Knew This Day Would Come

When technology first became part of our lives I was skeptical.  I remember my husband and son buying our first computer.  There was no internet.  I had no interest.

Then, we moved and home computers were common -- or more so at least.  I wanted one in the worst way.  We bought one, obtained internet access and I never looked back.  It was like a whole new existence.

Then came things like video games and then tablets, smart phones and e-readers.  I loved it.  I stayed away from smart phones because of the radiation -- however, I now have one but don't have a data plan.  I just wanted a bigger screen.  I have had every generation of Nook that has been manufactured.

The Nook is a source of aggravation to my daughter and I understand completely.  Bean loves it but my daughter is concerned about radiation emission.  So, we have had to cut Bean off and really limit her time with the device.  I was allowing her to play yesterday and she wanted to buy a new game.  She is really "into" these animal simulation games and I find them to be disturbing.  However, we were trying to install one and it wouldn't install.  It kept saying that there was no resource.  She cried.  I was frustrated.  I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong -- this wasn't rocket science.

I came home last night and did a bit of research as to why I couldn't get anything to work.  There is was -- without one bit of fanfare or advanced warning -- Barnes and Noble has ended their app and video store.  It ended a couple of weeks ago. They also ended the ability to connect to Google Play. I received no emails or advanced notice.  It just isn't there anymore.  One article said that they would only have books and that could cease to be as well. I wonder if, after putting everybody else out of business, B&N is going to cease to be as well.

So, slowly but surely my devices are becoming obsolete.  I found a way to download the games -- through the internet and google play.  I downloaded a couple of games -- PacMan and something where the chicken has to cross the road without getting run over.   However, I believe we are going to start backing out as well.  I have an ipad which the kiddo can't play with.  I have been giving thought as to whether I want to buy a kindle in case the powers that be decide they just want to do away with the Nook altogether which I guess will be the case or if I just want to go old school -- you know, real books, crossword puzzle books -- that sort of thing.

Bean is going to have to face the music.  Her days are numbered on devices.  Her mother will be happy.  She will not.  However, it will be better for her as there are so many health concerns surrounding the use of such devices.

I just wish they would have told us.  Nothing quite as unsettling as a Nona that can't come through.

Sheesh -- what are these people thinking.

Politics -- Yuck

I am not a political person even if I was born into a political family.  My father was a newscaster so he was always watching/listening to/reading about current events.  He was an outspoken guy with lots of opinions and wasn't above spitting and sputtering and raving and ranting and using a bit of salty language when the world of politics wasn't going his way.

I wasn't interested.

I am still not.

I am religious.  I feel like all the answers are in The Word.  However, I do live in this world so I can't avoid the all-encompassing politics.

This political season has been especially nasty even though it has been entertaining.  Now, as things are winding down, I am finding it to be very troubling and a bit sinister.

We have it down to five candidates -- Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, John Kasich, Ted Cruz, and Donald Trump.  I am not sure about any of them.

Bernie Sanders is just an old hippie hanging on to his socialist agenda from the 60's.  He does seem to be finding a following with the young people but since I was a teenager in the 60's he is just making me feel old.  For the record -- I was never a "hippie"-- my hair wouldn't grow long enough and my parents weren't impressed with the movement so that took care of that.

Hillary Clinton is -- well -- Hillary Clinton.  I feel that her presidency would just be in extension of her husband's presidency or her BFF PresBo's presidency.  We need to ask ourselves if we want more of the same or something different.

John Kasich -- He seems to be the adult on the stage.  He seems low key and he seems to make sense.  However, he doesn't seem to be gaining much ground and I have to wonder why he is still in the game.  Would he be the best man for the job?  Possibly but he doesn't have much of a following.

Donald Trump -- well, I don't need to say much here, do I?  Flamboyant? Crass? Crude? Politically incorrect or just correct?  Knowledgeable or not?  I am not sure but he certainly is stirring the pot.

Ted Cruz -- ok, this is where the sinister part comes into it.  I heard some tv-speak this morning about how the whistle is going to be blown on his wife -- her antics exposed.  I couldn't even tell you what the woman looks like so I decided to do a little Google search.  Well, well, well.  Seems as though Mrs. Cruz and her hubby are in favor of a one world government and have worked toward it.

Whoaaaaa! Putting on the brakes! One World Government?  I remember doing a lot of reading about that as well as the New Age Movement back when my children were in elementary school back in the late 70's and early 80's.  New Age agendas were alive and well and plaited into public school curriculum all over the place.  The more I read back then, the more frightened I became.  My children were removed from public school and life went on.  I sort of forgot about the One World Government and the New Age Movement.  It sort of disappeared into the woodwork as my life moved forward.

However, like lots of things, even though it is undercover doesn't mean it is gone.  So, here it is, resurrected and rearing it's ugly head.

People need to read and do their research and draw their own conclusions.  This has gone from entertaining and mildly comical to really serious business. 
We need to thoroughly vet out candidates and their families so we can know what they really stand for.  I have seen Cruz stand there, Bible raised in the air sounding more like a southern preacher than a presidential candidate but is that just a ruse?  Is he telling the truth?  I won't even bring up the birther issue here -- his association with this new age, one world order community is a lot more important to me than his mother's birthplace. 

Read people, read.  Research.  Some of it will be inaccurate but read it anyway.  The truth will suss out.  This election is probably more important than any in my lifetime.  We should approach it with knowledge and make our choices appropriately.

Just sayin'.  Off the soap box now.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I really like St. Patrick's Day -- I never decorate or bake green cookies or drink green beer but it is an opportunity for me to remember my Irish roots and look at cute little pictures like the one above.

I am a member of the Conn family. Here is a young photo of my 2nd great grandfather -- Henry Patrick Conn with one of his young sons -- Elisha, I believe.




Here is an older version of 2nd great grandfather, Henry Patrick -- the young boy on the right is my grandfather, Aaron Patrick Boyett, Sr.  The little girl is Aaron Patrick's sister -- pretty little thing, isn't she?

I never knew much about this family, never heard much about them until I started doing family history and discovered these lovely photos.  I have met cousins through the Ancestry.com DNA project and it is all very interesting.

Our St. Patrick's Day started early -- about 4 a.m. -- with a raging hail storm.  It hailed for quite sometime  and when it was over I went back to bed, settled in, got back to sleep and wouldn't you know, it started all over again.  Our cars sit out because -- well, I can't talk about it -- so I am sure they are pretty messed up.  I would be surprised if they weren't because some of this hail was golf ball sized. It was big enough to set the car alarm off -- and lots of wind as well.  We will be inspecting the roof later as well. 

Yesterday was fun though, even though my allergies were escalating and my throat was killing me.  We went to the Cowgirl Hall of Fame Museum and it was great fun.  I had never been there and I enjoyed it immensely.

I did discover that my daughter, even though she enjoys country music is not one bit cowgirl.  This was no surprise.  But I did enjoy seeing all the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans displays and there was a special exhibit of the movie "Lonesome Dove" -- I am going to pull the DVD out and watch it again.  Nothing like a little Robert Duvall.  I really wish they would have let us take photos because there was a lot to share -- I especially liked the Annie Oakley exhibit.  As is common with these sorts of exhibits, I was aware of how small she was.

I might add that the gift shop was great but very pricey.  So, I came home with nothing. 

I  guess I will be having more Benadryl for my morning snack even though I feel like I am a bit better than I was yesterday.  As I said on FB -- if the rain didn't wash the pollen away I am sure the hail beat it into submission.

In honor of the day I thought I would show you a couple of things that are a daily part of my life that sort of represent my attachment to all things Celtic --

My first quilt attempt twenty years ago.  Machine pieced, hand quilted -- green Irish Chain.

On my 40th wedding anniversary we were in Austin at a store called Things Celtic.  I wanted a new claddagh ring -- I have a James Avery one but I wanted a band so my husband bought me this one for our anniversary.  Mine is silver. I wish I had the gold one.  Or maybe one with diamonds! I love Claddagh rings.

Have a wonderful St. Paddy's Day! For me, I am going to go out and look for that pot of gold -- surely there is a rainbow out there somewhere after all this rain.

Help!

Today was the day -- ok, today is still the day -- be positive, Melissa! Today the closet was the target of my merciless decluttering attempt.  I have failed miserably.  I might have to blame it on the time change -- I have been a little "off" today.  But, I can't even get started!

I guess I should Marie Kondo it but I don't want to drag everything out and dump it on the floor so I will have to have an abbreviated event.  I have a nice size closet in my laundry room that I used to hang the ironing until I could get around to it! Ha! I can tell you how well that worked for me -- the ironing never got done and I recently moved the clothes that I hadn't worn in about 5 years into my closet.  Now I can't get anything else in the closet and I need to be brutally honest with myself -- am I ever going to wear those clothes that have been hanging out in the ironing closet for years?  Probably not.  But I can't make myself put them in a bag for give away.  Somebody come and help me -- please.

I have managed to get laundry done -- completely -- this morning and the kitchen has been scrubbed down.  I just need to get to the closet.  Blah.  Maybe after lunch.

For the last several days I have been having skin issues.  I have had rosacea in the past and am having a little flare up now.  I think I mixed too many products and just got my skin irritates.  So, I was in Beauty Brands looking for rosewater as Central Market didn't have any and a lady came up and asked me what I was looking for, I explained and she directed me to this product.

The lady told me that I can use it as a regular moisturizer every day and that it will help the inflammation as well.  She was right.  I have used it for a couple of days and it has calmed down the flare up and it is truly moisturizing.  I used it before bed last night and I woke up with it still working.  So, I think this might be my new moisturizer. 

While I was there talking to a young salesgirl I noticed she had really lovely skin.  Of course, she was not much more than twelve -- I told her that and she laughed. So, she was a jobber for a line of products called True Isaac Mizrahi.  She led me over to the display and we chatted about how us fair skinned gals have problems getting makeup matched.  She told me she could match me and by golly, she did!

It matches my skin perfectly, is mineral based and contains no parabens.  I used it for the first time yesterday and it was wonderful.  It didn't sink into fine lines which I have many and it lasted all day.  I will be going back for more of their products.   Both of these products are things I would never have taken a second look at if I hadn't had direction.  I usually stay with what I know but, unfortunately, I think my new Bare Escentuals BB primer with sunscreen is what has gotten my skin all flared up.  I am allergic to some types of sunscreen and I think that is what happened.  So much for my $35 purchase.  I will probably return.  Bother.

So, I guess I will go back to the closet.  Oh, wait, it is almost lunchtime! Yay! Maybe I will have more strength for the closet after sustenance.  Hee hee!

Your Childhood Fear

Sometimes I need a nudge to write as not every day is blog worthy.  I ran across a site -- The Daily Post (dailypost.wordpress.com) -- which gives some suggestions for blog posts.  All of the suggestions are nostalgia based.  I think I will give it a go.

The topic I chose out of the five suggested is "Your Childhood Fear". 


I had a good childhood.  I was born in that time right after World War II when American was coming back from those dark days.  I grew up in post war tract housing just like almost everybody from my generation.  My house was a small (tiny by today's standards) white, asbestos shingle house with a blue roof and blue window shutters.  It was a plain little house but it was my little house. 

I remember that house so well and our lives that transpired within.  One of our rituals was bath time.  Our bathroom was typical of the time.  The walls were tiled with four by four inch ceramic tile -- ours was light blue with dark blue trim and the floors were light blue hexagon tile.  There was a tub, a sink, a potty, a medicine cabinet, a linen closet, dirty clothes hamper and a gas wall heater.  Those bathrooms were fairly large and very utilitarian.  I was glad mine matched the outside of the house -- I liked the blue theme going on.

My mother saw to my bath and in the winter she would light the heater to get the room toasty warm -- all that tile could be chilly -- and before I emerged from the tub she would hold my pajamas up in front of the heater to warm them.  I just loved the feel of those warm pajamas.

I must have been very small because I was still in diapers and plastic pants when the great fear began.  I brought it on myself trying to emulate my mother's routine.  One day, in the winter, the heater was on and I decided the thing to do was to "warm" my plastic diaper cover in front of the heater.  The cover had snaps down both sides so it opened up flat and I very deftly placed the cover on the heater draped from top to bottom and went about my business.

My mother smelled something burning.  Could it have been melting plastic?  Why, yes it could.  She rushed into the bathroom and pulled the diaper cover from the heat and yelled at me (and rightfully so) that I could have burned the house down! She was frightened and I guess I was too except I don't really remember the incident, I just remember being told about it. 

What I do remember, however, is having a recurring nightmare for years about my house burning down.  In the dream my mom, dad and I -- and the cat -- would be standing at the curb looking back at the house which was going up in flames.  I was terrified.  One day in school we had to draw a family picture and this is the scene I drew.

The dream finally stopped when I was 19.  Why, you ask?  Because our house caught fire one January night.  We aren't sure why -- my father suspected foul play but the fire department stated the cause was a gas leak at the hot water heater.  The next day I found myself standing at the curb looking back at the house that had burned down.  And I was no longer afraid.

Oh What A Week! -- Or Two!

In my previous post I explained that I would be away for a while because I was going to help my daughter out.  That was a bit cryptic and I didn't mean it to be, I just don't like to post online personal things that could be identifying factors.

The fact of the matter is my son-in-law was in Boston for a business trip.  My daughter doesn't mind staying alone but the mornings are a bit - uh - hectic to say the least.  She teaches school.  Bean goes to school.  They have to get ready and leave all at the same time.  It is pretty much a logistical nightmare without son-in-law so I spent the night to help with the mornings.  It worked well, they have a comfy bed for me and, since Bean retires reasonably early, I had ample reading time.  The only downside was the drive back and forth.  Lots of driving.  Tired.

So, Thursday night of that week, son-in-law Chip returned home on a later flight.  I had already returned home and climbed in my bed with my book. The phone rang about 11 -- it was my daughter in a panic.  Chip had returned home SICK! REALLY SICK! I thought maybe there was an exaggeration going on but 104 temp in an adult is not an exaggeration.  He was medicated and put to bed with the plan to tote him to the doctor the next day.  The next day came and I picked Bean up from school and brought her home with me.  She hadn't really seen her father yet or been around him so I just removed her from the situation. Chip had a raging case of the flu.


This was an impromptu decision so I really wasn't prepared.  There was grocery shopping to be done, art supplies to be replenished, beds to be made -- so much for "resting up".

So, Bean spent the weekend through Monday with us.  Yes, she missed school on Monday but we just live too far away for us to get her up and to school on time.  She wasn't happy about that but nothing could be done.

The weekend was chock full of activities.  Saturday involved a Girl Scout outing -- a movie with her troop.  We were able to go to the new movie theater in Keller -- we saw "Zootopia" -- and it was lovely.  The food was great, the theater was new and nice and the movie was -- meh -- a little too much adult humor for me but I guess they have to have something for all the adults in the audience.

Sunday found us attending a birthday party at the Grapevine Aquarium --

The aquarium was nice but honestly, it made me dizzy.  There were many acrylic floors over water with moving fish and it just sent me reeling.  It was lovely and I am sure it would be quite interesting if I weren't in charge of a youngster and it wasn't so crowded.  However, the kids loved it and there were all sorts of activities so a good time was had by all.

Monday was the finale of our little impromptu "break" and it was spent doing laundry and gathering things strewn all over -- and did I mention there were scones?

I did take some photos around the garden -- this season of anti-winter we have been having has resulted in an early spring and here are some photos to prove it.  Now if the rain would just quit I would be happy -- oh, and if we could abolish daylight savings time -- that would help.

I also took some time to set up my little home gym.  And I do mean little! I don't have room for anything large so I have accommodated myself in a little corner of my bedroom

Tony Little Gazelle -- sorry the pic is sideways -- use your imagination

a pedaler 

a chair that provides upper body exercise

coupled with the pedaler it makes a nice little recumbant bike

Ab rocket -- yes, I have had this for a while -- it is good but getting on the floor is a challenge

Now the goal for the coming week is to clean out my closet.  I would say 90% of what I have in there I haven't worn in at least 5 years and it is going -- away.  Soon.  I bought two new blouses and a new polo shirt which is good and I am going to order some new slacks.  Trying to streamline things -- however, it won't happen until I get started.

I am reading a book titled "Embers" by Antoinette Stockenberg.  It is pretty good so far -- about 1/3 of the way through -- but I hope it doesn't turn stupid.   I have read supernatural books that started out really good and then just turned silly as the story progressed.  I hope this isn't that way. I will let you know.

So, that is my two week hiatus.  Not very relaxing but definitely full of activities that were new to me.  My weekends are usually very quiet but last weekend was a nice change.  Maybe I will eventually recover.  But, oops, here comes DST weekend -- so much for that!