Long Days, Short Nights

I wonder why it is that long days are followed by short nights? I never have enough time from 5 p.m. to 6 a.m. to accomplish all my needs and desires. We had David, Becca, and Sarah over tonight and they left around 9 p.m. Sarah was in rare form. We got to sing, dance, read Clifford, and just chatter all over the place. She is such a sweet baby but will not let her mother out of her sight for five minutes when she is nearby. She kisses her and pats her cheek and says, "You so sweet, Mommy. I love you. It's all right." She is just an angel.

Potty training is apparently complete and Sarah has graduated to panties completely. Oh, and three's are too large but they don't sell 2's! So, we have to boil them to make them shrink enough to stay up. LOL! She doesn't wet the bed at all.. I'm talking completely potty trained - #1 & #2 as we used to say. In less than two months. I'm astounded. I should have been so lucky. Hah!

My pain has disappeared except for my shoulder and neck. I have no idea what is going on with that but I have virtually NO pain since Sunday night. Several people had similar experiences at church Sunday night and told about it but I didn't have any special prayer or even ask for prayer. Didn't realize it even until today. I'm thankful and will just say Praise the Lord for even small blessings. No pain is no small blessing.

I'm going to bed soon and try to get some extra rest.

I am really aggravated with myself because there's been no writing in over a week. First I was miserable with pain. Then, I had to move stuff and clean stuff and now, I'm just tired. I have been sticking to a plan though and it has been helping keep things prioritized so I will soon be back on track. Still have lots to clean out and toss away. I can't believe some of the things I've kept and don't remember why! I have realized I am an information junkie.

Yes, folks, I am addicted to information and knowledge. I can't help it. If I find an interesting article somewhere and can tear it out, copy it, print it out, or bookmark it I do. I may read it right away but more often than not, I never get around to it because something more important pushes it back. Eventually, I have this huge file (pile) of information. I do read it but I never get finished with all of it because I keep adding to it. I have several notebooks of articles I printed out to read. I'll be going through those this week.

You know, I've always said I have a mind like a sink. . . . . hole! I used to be able to win every round of Trivial Pursuit. My husband had a friend who loved the game. He came over one night and brought his game with him. We played for hours. LOL, you know, he never asked to do that again! That was about 22 years ago!

I am having a colonoscopy on Monday. As of tomorrow I have to watch my diet and can't take my anti-inflammatory medicine. This is where it could get bad. As of Friday, I can't take the RA medicine either so after that, it may get really ugly. Those are the two meds that keep my disease in check. I stand to be in a very bad place by Monday. So you can see why I really hope that this last two days is a touch from God and it continues. On Sunday I can't eat at all until after the procedure on Monday morning and as I am considered diabetic, this can give me other problems. I'm less worried about that because I produce insulin but my body doesn't utilize it well - insulin resistant.

As of tomorrow I can't have any nuts, seeds, skin, purple foods or red foods. I don't actually eat much red and purple but I love nuts. This kind of diet will be a pain because it is actually looking at my food ! LOL.

That's it for me, folks. I'm ready to call it a night. I hope you all have a great week and you get over the hump without incident.

Gloom, Doom, and A Working Day

I'm depressed today. Not sure why. Lately, I've felt o.k. except for the pain but today, I am just down in the dumps. I didn't want to come to work today. When I went out to my car I had a memory of when I was a child going to school. I hated school and never wanted to go and I had this sensation this morning of being in that place and time again.

We didn't get Sarah yesterday either. When we went to pick her up she wouldn't leave her mother. Jerry is very upset. He never gets to see her anymore and he had his whole weekend off planned around having her. I guess I'm upset too. I hated to see him so upset about it but I can't fix it. He said he's not even going to try and get her anymore. He just can't take the disappointment.

They asked me to sing at church last night. I never sing much anymore and so I have this one song that a lady there likes and I sing it every time they ask me to sing. Well, why learn a new one when you don't ever sing? But I'm bored with it now. I used to love to sing and I sang in church a lot, in the choir and special songs but since I've been here I stopped singing. Mainly, they don't ask and I finally stopped being prepared. So, when they do call on me I am a bit frustrated. I almost said no but my training under a previous pastor held true. I probably don't sing more than four times a year now. Not enough to go to the bother of learning a new song.

Well, I know a lot of songs but I hate singing without practicing. I'm not that good a singer to start with! LOL. I can carry a tune most of the time but there are only certain styles that I do well with and I don't have a large range. I tend to be between an alto and a soprano ... is that a contra-alto? Don't know. I say I sing open letter style. Open your mouth and let her fly.

I stopped and did some work and then went to lunch with Mike.

I'm really depressed and don't even want to write about it. Crazy, huh? How many times do you remember that happening? LOL.

Actually, when I feel like this it means something is wrong or about to go wrong. I hate it. It's like a fire bell but you don't see any smoke so you don't know where it is. I don't know what I can do about it so, back to work with me. I may catch up later at home.

Sundown

The day is winding down. Today is our wedding anniversary. Thirty-five years today. It has been a quiet day around here. Jerry and I went to church this morning and then, had lunch at Captain D's . That's fish for those not familiar with the seafood franchise. I had the fried clams and he had fish. We came home and sat around watching a movie we started last night but didn't finish. Footsteps with Candice Bergen. Really a good movie! It was on Hulu. I really like Hulu. When we were done with that one, we watch an old movie with Joseph Cotton called A Blue Print for Murder. Also a very good movie.

I went and had a short nap and just got ready for church. We are picking up Sarah tonight to take her with us. Not sure why but we are.It's very difficult to take her because I have to wrestle with her during the whole service and I'm not doing very well with the pain. THat means I'll be in more pain and won't get to enjoy service. This is all Jerry's idea and so, instead of sleeping during the service he can keep her occupied.

Do I sound annoyed? I guess I am. I spent all afternoon trying to get Jerry to take a nap and he sat and kept nodding off in the chair while this movie was on. Now I get to sit next to him while he gets his real sleep in church. I hate that. If you aren't going to listen to the minister why bother to go!

The other problem is that Sarah no longer understands what I expect of her at church. She hasn't been with me in nearly a year. I understand at her church her mother lets other people play with her and keep her during the service. I never let my children go from person to person in church and call me old fashioned if you want. Children should sit with their parents and behave. I always carried small toys and books for them to play with and we sat far enough apart so that they could play between Jerry and I. I never had a minute's trouble out of them and they grew up loving church and knowing that they had to be quiet. I've always belonged to shouting and singing church so noise wouldn't be noticed but I meant disruptive noise.

So, deep breath and get rid of the frustration. I'm not going to be a pain about it. I've gotten it out of my system and now I will just do what I have to do.

Sorry I have not written much this week but junk. I'm been missing writing the good stuff a lot. My pain was bad all week and I just sort of lay around. My vacation after vacation, I call it. The weather is just causing a lot of problems. A man in our church sits in front of us and he is so very nice. He has the same problem I have and he always ask how I've been doing and we laugh about our shared aches. Oh God! I'm an old lady. I talk about my aches and pains.

Well, I'm not old. I'm a young woman trapped in an aging shell and I can't get out. I keep telling people to let me out and they just shake their head and say I'm crazy to boot.

Much Ado... No, That's TO DO

I had plans to have Sarah today but apparently they stayed up all night so that isn't happening. Again.

I also planned to do some things round the house that begins shortly. I am rearranging my study and spare room. I'm spreading things out and organizing them. I want to get more functional space in the study and I want a sewing area. I've had no place to sew for several years and I miss it. I need a nice comfy chair, too, sit and read or watch a movie. I can do it in the living room but Jerry and I don't share the same tastes in television or movies. So, I can watch Lord of the Rings and Star Wars to my heart's content if I can get a nice place to sit.

I'm going through books too. I never toss books or even give them away if I l like them but I've decided that it is time to scale back some areas. I keep too much and my children will never share my interests. So, handing books down is silly. Maybe Sarah will one day want some of those that are special to me, but those days are far down the road.

It is so cold out and Jerry and I went out this morning to shop at some second hand stores. I was looking for something. Don't ask me what. It was "I'll know it when I see it" shopping. I picked up Mike a dish drainer and two glasses. I bought him some plastic ones when he moved so he would have something to drink out of but these were two pretty cobalt blue "glass" glasses. I hate drinking out of plastic and everyone needs the real thing. He doesn't have guest as far as I know so I don't know if it matters.

Well, I have to run and get busy. Mike is here doing his laundry and the television is blaring. I hope he gets done soon so the house will be silent! He's not doing anything but Mike is deaf in one ear so things have to be loud for him. A hearing aid won't help him because it is nerve deafness and can't be repaired or aided.

Have a good weekend and maybe I'll be back later with more profound words.

The Importance of Correct Punctuation

I got this joke this morning but it is far more serious that usual. I truly can't reinforce enough how important it is to write correctly. This bears it out. And please, if you have a lack of education or ability, this is NOT targeted to you. It is a joke but one with a point.

I am aware that some people were not trained well and some not at all in communication skills. But you're never too old to learn. Writing is a good way to learn how to write and if you read and use good resources it is much easier than you think! You can actually learn to write by reading!

O.k. lecture over. Now the joke.

The Importance of Correct Punctuation

Dear John:
I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are
generous, kind, thoughtful. People who are not like you
admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me for
other men. I yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever
when we're apart. I can be forever happy--will you let me be
yours?
Gloria

Dear John:
I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are
generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are not like you.
Admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me. For
other men, I yearn. For you, I have no feelings whatsoever.
When we're apart, I can be forever happy. Will you let me
be?
Yours,
Gloria
--
Rate this funny at
http://www.gcfl.net/archive.php?funny=20090109

Improving

Tomorrow is Friday and I can't wait. What a week! I'm better but I've been treading lightly with this neck and shoulder. Just lay on the couch propped strategically on a pillow.

I'm a bit depressed tonight and not going to post much. I just wanted to let you all know I'm a bit better. Thanks so much for the concern expressed by all of you.

No writing this week, I'm afraid, Alice. It was more than I could deal with after a day at work and the pain levels. I'm still having joint and tissue pain all over but the neck is much improved and shoulder is not so bad. If I can keep the migraine at bay I'll manage. I'm on my way to bed now.

Have a good week, what's left of it. Say a prayer for my friend, Lisa. She's going through a difficult time with her children right now. They're being juveniles and she's hurt by their actions.

Major Paine. . . Oh, That's Pain!

I left work early with a serious migraine. Did not get the med until too late, after lunch. I left at two and came home. Slept all afternoon, off and on. Woke between five and six. Showered and lay on the couch watching videos of Dark Shadows I checked out of the library. Took a second Imitrex around seven or eight.

I've been hurting for two or three days and today it sky rocketed with this headache. On my way to bed now but wanted to stop in to say good night. I HOPE it will be a good night. I took my muscle relaxant. Lots of shoulder joint pain, leg pain and hands.

Just pray for me. The weather is a bitch. Pardon my language but that is about the most truth you'll find on the planet tonight. I say it in sincere honest. And she's killing me.

Night and not good.

For a Soldier Boy

Please keep my nephew, James Joshua, in your prayers. He is leaving for Afghanistan soon. He has been in Iraq for a while now. He just spent the holidays with his family - my sister, Roselynn - and they are having a very difficult time with this. Pray for a covering of protection over him while he serves there.

Remember to pray for all the sons and daughters who have volunteered to serve in the military services. These people go in with open eyes. They know what they may be called to do and still they go. Some never dreamed this would happen. They just saw those military sign-up bonuses and thought they'd do their three years and be done. Others truly believe that someone must stand on the wall and watch. They knew they may have to lay down their lives in defense. These do not question or argue. They go. So pray for our service men and women.

There are so many of our people serving in this war, in harms way, for an ideal that so many have criticized. We can blame the president, we can blame the congress, we can blame anyone we want. But as a Christian, I am very aware of the forces at work in this present day that would seek to destroy this nation and any nation that refuses to be prisoner to terrorists. Say what you will, if we sit down and do nothing, this monster will destroy us. They know it ,too. They never believed we would do anything to fight. Until 9/11. So, do we wait for another 9/11?

I was wondering exactly what are we willing to give up to stop this war? Shall we sit back while millions in other countries die or become enslaved by these sub-humans? Have you really studied what they do to those who oppose them? There is so much more than what you have see in the news. Do your research and learn what they have done in those countries where they rule. They are intolerant, misogynistic, against any religion but their own, megalomaniac, and believe that the ends justify the means. Whatever they have to do, whoever they have to kill, maim or destroy is just fine as long as the world becomes Islamic. That is what we are fighting. An enemy seeking world domination. They even kill their own people. Look at the factions fighting in Iraq! Saddam was their worst enemy and once he was gone, they turned on one another and began killing each other.

Why do we fight? Because ALL people are created equal. All have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, regardless of their cultural or religious background and no one has the right to infringe on those rights for others. I don't have to agree with you. You don't have to agree with me. But neither of us has the right to enslave the other and enforce compliance.

So, hate the war, hate your leaders, hate the death and destruction. Just remember if we lose, what will you be willing to do when your loved ones head is taken? That's is what they have vowed to do to any who resist their control.

Don't think for one minute I am for this war. I don't want anyone in my family to enlist. I don't want anyone to have to fight. But I look at Sarah and I ask myself if I am willing for her to be forced to live like they make their women live? What would I do to protect her? Would I want my son to become one of them? For Sarah, I would kill whoever got between us. I don't want to die until it is my time. But I don't want to live that way.

So, pray for those who do fight, that God will protect them. Pray for those who don't, that God will protect them. For it the fight is lost, those who failed to fight will suffer even more.



I just know someone is going to rip me a new one.....

Coming Up With Ideas

Sometimes when I sit down here there are just no words and no ideas to put on the screen. My mind is as blank as the page before me. I'm annoyed today. I was going to go to church this morning but we were so late getting to bed that both of us were wiped out. Jerry worked until 9:30 and we took Sarah to see the Festival of Lights. We had to rush because they stop at 10 p.m. Today is the last day of it and we wanted her to see them. Garvin Park is filled with light displays every Christmas for about a month and the proceeds go to the United Way. It $7-$10 per car load depending on the size of the vehicle I guess. You can get a carriage ride too from downtown through the park and back for about $35 but I'm telling you, it is cooooold. I'd like it but not on a rainy or cold night. Anyway, she loved them. Kept saying "Oooooo, it's so pretty."

When we got home we fixed something to eat and played with her but it was midnight before they came and got her. I told him no more. If he wants to visit, he has to get up and go see her before work. I can't keep hours like that and get up early the next day. So, another day of church missed. I'm getting tired of it.

I'm having some pain this morningm too. Oh, who am I kidding! I'm having lots of pain! My hands feel swollen and tight and the joints hurt. My knees hurt and my lower back. My shoulder joints are really painful. Oddly, my neck is only mildly painful from sleeping on my left side. I've tried everything to alleviate that. I wake up when I roll over and get my pillow to support my head but it doesn't really help. It is sleeping on that shoulder that aggravates the pain.

So, I'm a ball of pain. None of it will stop me, of course. I still have to do things. I had a massage yesterday afternoon and felt better for it but it never last. Jerry bought that for me for Christmas. It was at a place I had not been before and I won't go back. The gift was $35 for half hour but I usually schedule an hour and pay the difference where I normally go and an hour is $60 so I just end up paying and extra $25. Well, these people charged me another $35 for a second half hour session! They made an extra $10 off me. When I scheduled it they didn't tell me that or I'd have just gone with the half hour and next time back to my old place.

I stopped here long enough to eat a biscuit and gravy and get a fresh cup of joe. I found some really wonderful gravy mix at Wal-Mart. It makes the breakfast gravy you get at restaurants! Pioneer Brand Country Gravy Mix. It is a very large box and will last a long time for just us but it is a nice change for breakfast. And this stuff is delicious! Scramble up some eggs, fix a bowl of grits and a biscuit and gravy. Heart attack here I come? Well, I won't be eating that every morning, I can assure you. I'd have to get up and fix it! I made some last night and put it in the refrigerator so I know it keeps wel. But unlike my friend Jilly, whose husband fixes and serves her breakfast in bed, I fear my spouse is of the more garden variety. Actually, more of a weed in this respect. He does bring me coffee every morning while I'm getting dressed for work or church. I like that because it saves me time but it also is a nice gesture.

I seem to have solved my idea problem so I'll be going now. I'm going to call up Samantha and Alex (Mist and Winter) and see which of those girls will talk to me. You know, sometimes, they're just down right rude.

Have a wonderful day!

Surrender

I've got my browser open where I can hear the music on my home page and write my post for today.This play list contains songs from my youth. I love John Denver and particularly that first song. I first heard Sweet Surrender in probably 1975 and I have never forgotten it. I had it on a 45 rpm record and played it over and over. For some reason this is a song that simply speaks to my heart. Denver was like that, wasn't he? I like a lot of his songs but this one song has stuck with me.

Surrender is something we just can't get our heads around. We spend our lives fighting to survive, clutching and clinging to everything we come in contact with. I remember someone pointing out that a baby comes into the world with his tiny fists clenched but a man dies with his hands opened. The infant begins life clinging and clutching at life but at death, man realizes there is nothing left to cling to or grasp and all that he held must now be relinquished. It is as if he has learned too late that surrender is the goal.

I once told of the time I had surgery and they gave me the anesthesia to put me to sleep. I fought that stuff so hard. I hate to be knocked out. I remember the anesthesiologist telling me that I had to stop fighting and go to sleep. I couldn't talk but mentally, I prayed and told God that I was surrendering to him and when I let go it was like falling backward into nothing. Frightening and amazing at the same time.

Remember when you were a kid and you played the game where you and a friend took turns falling backward into the others arms? What, you didn't play that? I did. You had to stand straight and fall straight back. And there were only certain friends that you could do that with and you knew who they were!

Surrender.

What a strange concept. To give oneself up into the power of another. To stop struggling against the tide and allow yourself to be carried away. To float on top of your troubles and let them pass beneath you.

Surrender .... Sweet Surrender, live without care

Wow.

Happy New Year... for real this time!

Well, then... I reckon y'all got depressed by my last post. That or y'all are still in bed after a night of partying! But you know, I gotta call it as I see it. And that's how I saw it yesterday. Oh, and today, too.

The new day has dawned and we have entered a new year. I hope and pray it is a blessed year for you. I've lets birthday wishes for some of you with birthday's coming up because as you know, I go back to work next week and it is going to be a . . . well, lets just say not pretty. I have no idea what my time will be like in the evenings.

At the moment, I've run out of steam on the house cleaning. Yesterday was the day for it, I guess. Now, I just want to sit down and do nothing. Jerry is in there sorting medications. He has about 20 bottles of stuff and some is so old it should have been tossed over a year ago. I told him to get rid of it or I would. His meds are sent from the VA and the seem to send too much at one time or they change a prescription before he is done with the first one.

I'm going to get back to work on the novels today. I would like to get about 10,000 words each on them before Monday. LOL! I'll let you know.

Everyone have a great day with your families! Happy New Year!

The Last Day

We finally reach it - our last day. Mankind had reached a nadir while above the sun is shining. On the horizon is darkness and one can only wonder what lies ahead for us all. Will we go on? Was there a better place waiting? Or would the crouching darkness devour our very souls? What will we do?

The last year has been one of radical change, chaos, and confusion. We'd weathered it but there were many wounded and many battle-scarred. Some had died on the field. Even the earth had been assaulted. The villages and towns that still stood were reeling under fiscal problems, energy crises, and joblessness. In many places children cried for food while famine raged in the land. Wars among factions had only increased, their participants splintering skirmishes around the globe.

Terror had become a raging monster fed by a demonic mindset. Children had lain bleeding or dismembered in the streets, a sacrifice to a violent god filled with hatred and minds so twisted by their fables that they believe a lie and are damned themselves.

I scanned the horizon, looking for some sign, some rising star, some glimmer of hope. I saw none. We had obliterated hope along with faith. No one prayed anymore for peace and safety because there was no longer a God to pray to. Or if there was, He must remain hidden in case someone actually grasped His garments in desperation and began to believe in Him. Goodness was servant to selfishness. Mercy lay dying on the alter of intolerance, bigotry, and self-righteousness. No longer was there freedom to speak without fear. No longer could one assert a righteous indignation without fear of reprisal or accusations of religiousness. Death lurked around every corner waiting for a willing participant to utilize his tools.

I sat down on the rotting stump of an ancient oak. It had stood many centuries, growing tall, strong, and full. It's branches had sheltered many from storms, given shade to the weary travelers, and lifted up a multitude of downcast eyes. But long ago they'd begun to hew it down. It had taken a couple of generations to succeed but finally they had chopped it down and burned the carcase. Only the stump remained, a slowly rotting reminder of a time when people actually believed in something good. When ideals, dreams, and hopes were allowed to flourish without dissension.

The sun was lower in the west now, near the time when the darkness would be complete. From the East, it had begun to crawl along the ground, reaching long probing fingers toward us. We stood and watched, making no effort to greet it and none to stop it. I knew that it would overtake us but some part of me continued to search along that dividing line between light and dark, as a thirsty animal searches for a watering hole. Still I saw nothing but approaching darkness. The light behind me dimmed further as the power of that darkness began to overwhelm it.

Then, it came. One moment a fleeting glow suddenly shut out by overwhelming blackness the consistence of tar. My heart pounded so hard I knew others must hear but I couldn't see beyond my outstretched fingertips. I felt tears begin to course down my cheeks and my stomach twisted in knots as I stood in a a night deeper than any well I'd ever seen. I had no measure of how long it lasted because without the sun, time didn't exist.

Just as the last flame of hope in my heart began to gutter like a candle in the wind, I raised my head and hands and strained my eyes to the void. Suddenly, from the farthest reaches of the heavens came a tiny flicker, so faint it would have been undetectable to the casual observer. But I was searching for that flicker and as I watched through blinding tears, it grew and expanded and blazed forth with gathering strength, until it broke through the darkness and glowed brightly -a single star in a vast expanse of nothingness. All around me I heard gasps as first one, and another and then, another star broke through until all the heavens were filled with brilliant starlight, their beams stretching to touch one another.

I looked at the horizon again and saw where the earth and sky formed a line and stars blinked along it the way diamonds do on a necklace. I turned back to my ancient stool for a seat to observe the wonder of it all. At the base of the stump, where gnarled roots snaked away and into the ground, a single green stalk now stood. Tender green leaves had unfurled during the long dark night and now began to reach to the lightening sky.

Then, it came, blazing from the east and banishing the darkness to the depths. A fresh breeze began to blow and dawn came with a chorus of songbirds. We were here.

Now, what will we do?

Impending Cosmic Event

A new year is on the horizon! Well, what did you think I meant?

Morning to all my visitors, friends, and wannabe friends. I hope as the end approaches you are taking the opportunity to spend time with your families, feast, and frolic. The end is near . . . when you have to go back to work.

For those already working, you have my sympathy. I've been off since Christmas Eve and will return to work next Monday. I'm not looking forward to it. It isn't that I am not thankful for my job, I am. I just hate working in an office 9-5 five days a week. I work with some fun people. I have a variety of duties that demand my time and provide a level of interest that allows me to survive until 5 p.m. But I'd rather be writing, reading, sewing, playing with Sarah, fixing up the house, writing, reading . . . oh, already said that.

This week my plan is to get this house in order but it has already hit several snags. Mike came over and helped me move the table back into the den (the one with no heat and junk headed for other areas, such as the dump if I have my way). But after that other people had places to go guess who was in charge of transporting? Jerry had to be at work at three so after three nothing got done. I had to get ready for church by six. He got off at 8:30 while I was still at church. I got in around 10:30. Uh, well, we have real church... singing, shouting, preaching, shouting, singing and praying. Not that other kinds of church aren't real . . . but I wouldn't know how to act. We are in the middle of Winter Warm-up at church. Great service last night and I expect another tonight.

I've been up since 7:30 and Jerry's still sleeping. I'm going to get dressed and get started but now I don't know where to start! LOL! There's plenty of places but what first?

I want to do some writing this afternoon. I'm working on Mist and have done two and a half chapters this week. Alice will be in clover! I need to get as many done on Winter. I have six months for that to be completely done and I reeeeeally want to do it.

So, I'm off for a bit. When I am home like this I find time to pop in more but the content is abysmally boring. So bear with me.

I have a couple of invitations pending out there. Please do not think I am ignoring you. I'm not. I just declined a couple that have been pending for a couple of months. I have a couple of posts . . . well, actually about four I think, on the process I use to add folks. If you're lazy and don't want to look them up, here they are in a nutshell. Being too lazy to read my posts will probably not get you added, by the way. They are listed as favorites on the home page and so should be easy to find.

1. I want to see an actual site, with "stuff" on it that will tell me "who" and "what" you are
2. I want to read several posts, usually several week's of posts
3. I try and pray over each one I think of adding before I add them
4. I look for things in common, of interest, or unique to your site that will keep me interested 'cause I will read it and don't want to waste either of our time (if you never post, I will eventually delete you . . . cause you're not home when I stop by! Well.... unless you're related to me. {sigh} Exceptions are not good and so rare.)
5. I will add NO ONE with inappropriate content and will delete anyone who adds it later.
6. I am religious, very much so but I do not expect you to share my feelings. But I do expect you to respect them and I welcome respectful disagreement
7. I am, at times, funny, interesting, boring, sad, angry, frustrated, annoyed, irritated, and just spitting mad. I'll be saying so. This blog is all about ME. If that's going to be hard to live with, you may want to reconsider your invitations.
8. I AM NOT LOOKING FOR BOYFRIENDS - I've had a husband 35 years. I'm over it. Although, here on multiply, I've had fewer marriage proposals . . . gee, I'm wounded.

So, there you have the gist of it. There is probably more.

I suggest you visit my current contacts to see what I like. I have some people I added for interest, some for entertainment, some for comfort, and all because I like them. Can you believe, I've actually added people at THEIR request and they later deleted me without explanation! How rude is that? They were "friends of friends" and I no longer accept these based on that relationship until I check them out for a bit.So, before you add me or invite me, be sure you want to be seen here. I certainly don't want to embarrass you or be embarrassed by you!

Now, daylight's burning and I have tons of work to do yet! Have a great day everyone!

Monday Morning Mission

I'm still adjusting the theme. I'm on a mission this morning. In about 30 minutes I will begin CLEANING MY HOUSE! I'm telling you, I 'bout had enough of this mess. Mike is coming over to help me move some things and I want to clean out closets and shelves and take down my tree. I never leave it up anymore until New Year. I want to start the new year fresh and clean and uncluttered. I have two days to do it. LOL!

Y'all better be praying for me, too, because I see major pain looming on the horizon after this. But it has to be done. I'm serious. The place is becoming a hazardous waste site. I told Jerry this morning he either cleans his side of the room up or I'm moving into Mike's old room. I can't stand it anymore.

I don't know what is wrong with him but he won't throw anything away and leaves his dirty laundry in the corner so he can do it himself. Now, why he can't take it out of the hamper, is beyond me but apparently that's too difficult. We have a small room and he can't put a hamper in the room. Besides, who wants dirty laundry in their bedroom? He can't remember to do his laundry if it isn't lying in front of him? I don't know. This is a person who was obsessively clean for decades and suddenly he hordes ever scrap of paper, every plastic bottle, every useless item he can and it is driving me nuts.

O.k. that's way more than I intended to share. Suffice it to say, I'm cleaning out some of the garbage. It has to go or I do. I'll see y'all when I get a spare minute.

I say Mike is helping. I suspect he'll help some but I'll have a time keeping him off the computer. He's a cyber-junkie.

Ta Ta for now!

Messing Around

As you can see, I'm messing around again with my page. Those blinking stars are a Google skin I added as a background. Bit busy but for now, I'll leave it as it is festive.

I've been working on the books again. Lordy, BOOKS! Two at once. I've never been this crazy! Only managed to write several pages in Mist thus far tonight. I was going to work on Winter too but I lay down at 7 p.m. and slept until 8:30 when I had to go get Jerry fom work. Since we are down to one car, I can't go to church on Sunday night if he works. He gets off at 8:30 and would have to stand in the cold for over an hour. I think I was really tired. I'm still tired and probably going to go to bed shortly. I am hoping to get a lot accomplished tomorrow and the rest of the week. I have several things I want to do before Monday.

I hope you are all enjoying your week. Some of you will already be into Monday and anticipating the New Year celebrations. My church has Winter Warm-Up every year the week of the month. Usually two to three nights. This year it is Monday and Tuesday night. Since Wednesday is a holiday, we are not having church that night. A lot of people do family things on Christmas and New Year so we usually cancel services that fall on those days and have it earlier in the week. Since Warm Up is earlier in the week. . . well you get it by now. LOL

I'm off ladies and laddies. Have a great evening if you're just starting and a great day if that is about to begin.

Whew! Glad That's Done

You know, I love holidays but I'm so glad when they are over. I really wanted a lovely Christmas day and for the most part it was. My sons argued and I sent one home before lunch! My sister got snotty about where she had to park Christmas Eve! I have a large drive area but you can only get so many cars in it and she said my husband was "double parked"! In his own driveway! So, she threatened to leave. How stupid is that? And then she didn't come to Christmas dinner because she had a headache. Whatever! I didn't point out to her that when I go to her house I have to park in the street. I don't know why she makes this issue about the parking here but she does it all the time and it is so foolish. It's my drive, for heaven's sake!

LOL, maybe I shouldn't tell all that. Makes us sound like savages. Or dysfunctional. Well, we are dysfunctional. I don't have a normal family and I've reached the stage in my life that I just am too annoyed to pretend otherwise. My sons are jerks for the most part. I love 'em dearly but those two are only about themselves. And they do not take after MY family! Daddy would have beat the crap out of us if we'd acted as they do. Believe me when I say they know better too but they're too old to beat. So, I send them home. I just won't tolerate ill manners any longer, nor pigs in the parlor!

But my son's in-laws, Sue and John, were quite nice and I enjoyed them. WE had a good dinner and visit. I really like Sue and she came over at 9 a.m. and helped me get everything ready. I'd done most of my cooking on Christmas Eve. We had ham, chicken dressing, sweet pea salad, green bean casserole (Sue's contribution), REAL banana pudding, cherry cheese cake, lemon pie, chocolate pie, apple pie and pumpkin spice pie (the last two both Sue's contribution.

Sue is a little woman but let me tell you, she can eat! I laughed because I don't see how a woman that tiny can eat like that and stay tiny! I have to get a photo sometime of Sue and post it. I feel like an Amazon next to her.

They left after dinner and I sent them some food that evening. There was plenty go around. When I make dressing I make tons! My family loves it and I freeze some for New Years Day.

My husband gave me a visit to the spa for a massage. My sister gave me an digital photo album for my desk and I think I will like it. My Dad and my step-mom, Mary, sent us money which was very much needed. I can't tell them how much I appreciated that gift. I am using it to get a new microwave. Mine went out about three months ago. We've been using Mike's because it was just sitting in storage. But he moved out and this week I gave it back not thinking I'd need one for the holiday! Dad's & Mary's gift only arrived on Tuesday and I didn't have time to shop for one. Becca brought her's over and we used it but tonight I needed one again. So, tomorrow I'm shopping for my own. Out of Dad's gift, I paid a bill for each of the boys. So, that gave them some help, too. Again, thanks so very much, Dad and Mary. And I will probably find a better deal now than I would have earlier in the week.

So, my the holiday is over and I can have a whole week to do what I want to do. I plan on doing some rearranging in the house and tossing. Things, not people. I have too much junk and am too crowded. I want my space back and no room to allow anyone to move back home. I've decided to redecorate my bedroom the way I did the study a couple of years ago. I think a hunter green with white trim. Not sure yet but my bed is blond wood and I have to find something to go with it. I don't favor browns much on the walls.

I am working on both Mist and Winter! It is hard but I think it is working for me. I've posted new photos of my little angel. Take a look.

Well, got to get going. I will be in and out. Hope you all have a great weekend.

A Tradition is Born

Amid all the hustle and bustle and seriousness of the season, laughter is another huge part of the Christmas holiday. If you haven't laughed today, maybe you will after this. I suspect you have all seen this in your email several times, as I have, but a good joke is hard to keep down.

It was supposed to be a happy time, but it wasn't. Santa was really angry. It was Christmas Eve, and NOTHING was going right. Mrs. Claus had burned all the Christmas cookies. The elves were complaining about not getting paid for the overtime they had put in while making toys, and the reindeer had been drinking all afternoon and were dead drunk. They had taken the sleigh out for a spin earlier in the day and crashed it into a tree, breaking off one of the runners.

Santa was beside himself with anger. "I CAN'T believe it! I've got to deliver millions of presents all over the world just a few hours from now, and all my reindeer are drunk, my elves are on strike and I don't even have a Christmas tree! I sent that stupid little angel out HOURS ago to find a tree and he isn't even back yet! What am I going to do?"

Just then the little angel opened the front door and stepped in from the snowy night, dragging a Christmas tree behind him. "Yo, Santa," he said, "where do you want me to stick the Christmas tree this year?"

And thus the tradition of angels perched atop the Christmas trees came to pass...

The Reason for The Season!

I read a post recently that said they wished people would stop saying Jesus is the reason for the season. I’ve seen a few others with the same theme and heard statements about it. I decided I wanted to shed a little historical light on this matter of Christmas and holidays in general. There are other sites that will give you even more detailed view but here’s my condensed version with a few personal interpretations.

The truth is that the Christmas holiday was instituted by the Catholic Church for Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and for no other reason, regardless of when his birth happened, ergo, the name "Christmas" - a mass to celebrate Christ's birth. There is NO other reason to have Christmas. Whether it is December 25 or June 22 has no bearing on the issue. Without the birth of Christ there would be NO Christmas since the reason for instituting Christ's Mass would not exist. I get so annoyed by the evident lack of knowledge of historical fact and the lack of logic in thinking! These two events are inextricably linked. Unbelievers need to get over it, put your packages back on the shelves, take down your tree, put away all the decorations and move on. It isn’t YOUR holiday.

Americans celebrate the birth of several early presidents... but not on their birthday. We celebrate them on a Monday, regardless of the date in February. So the argument that Christmas is not "on" Christ birthday is irrelevant. The day is not important. The REASON for the celebration is the issue. We take off from work to celebrate these presidents' births and their contribution to the development of this nation. They are the "reason" for that one holiday. You could honestly say, “Happy Washington’s Birthday!” But it is a bit unwieldy. Again, it is unnecessary to celebrate the birth of presidents who no longer server as president. They are not presidents then, they are citizens and no more important than I. But someone thought it important so they made a day for it. I benefit with a paid holiday.

We also celebrate Martin Luther King's birth on a Monday so we can be off work, whether we view him as a great citizen or not. I personally find celebrating his birth offensive. He was not a president. His major contribution to the development of the nation was to join an already large movement of civil rights activist who received no recognition. He was a good organizer, an eloquent speaker and he was a Baptist preacher, pretty good one, too. That, in my view, doesn't make him special. He sought change through peaceful means which is commendable. He was tragically murdered and that sets him apart. Amazing how dying for someone can make you very important!!!!! He is considered a savior to the African-American community because he motivated them to make a change in their status through political dialogue and peaceful protest actions. AND he DIED FOR THE CAUSE. Someone thought he deserved recognition. He gets it and I get another paid day off. It isn’t MY holiday.

Jesus Christ did the same thing, whether you believe he is God or not. He motivated billions of people for centuries to change their lives for the better. AND HE WAS MURDERED FOR THE CAUSE! Yes, some of those were dishonest and cruel people who twisted the message and used it for evil. So do some African-Americans but no one is suggesting they toss MLK Day because some of those who followed him were criminals or because others find it offensive! The message is not the problem, people are.

The pagan seasonal holidays have nothing to do with the Christmas celebration other than the fact that it falls around the time of the Winter Solstice. Although, Christmas is December 25th and the winter solstice is December 22nd. The Catholic Church probably deliberately elected to have their religious celebrations around times when the pagan holidays fell for a very good reason. People were already used to celebrating a holiday at those times of year – an established ritual already existed. They liked to celebrate something because their lives were miserable and celebrating relieved their misery for a short time and those so called Pagan priest were no better than some Christian priest. They used pagan gods to manipulate and control a miserable population!

People celebrated lots of things for good reasons. A good harvest was cause for celebration to whatever god they believed in because it meant hunger was staved off for at least another year. A wet spring could be prayed for and celebrated because it meant a good crop. The long dark night of the winter solstice would be reason to pray for the sun to rise again. It might not in such times. The Summer Solstice would be eagerly celebrated because the sun remained in the sky longer that day than any other and to see a sunrise and have one long day of life was probably something they knew the real value of.

It is important to remember that in less complex times, life was more complex. People had no knowledge of medicine, grocery stores, or department stores. The average family did not know where their next meal was coming from or if their children would even survive being born! They grasped at ritual celebrations as a way of comfort and control. They prayed to whatever they could in the hope that someone was listening and would come to give value to their existence. They wanted control of their lives.

Ritual is about controlling your environment! You can't control life and death but you can control the ritual and then the ritual becomes magical. It is why the Catholic Church easily converted so people on so many continents. They replaced pagan rituals and symbols with "Christian" rituals and symbols so the transition would be easy for those not fully convinced. The church used holidays to reinforce their teachings of the gospel. The populace was still given their celebrations, but they were centered around the gospel rather than the weather and crops.

The mass for Christ was set near the time of the Winter solstice. In many countries, native peoples still celebrate their pagan ritual along side their Christian rituals because they want to be sure they have their bases covered. It isn’t a matter of right or wrong to them. Their lives are usually still miserable. People still have no control. So they cling to ancient rituals. Thankfully, the Catholic Church doesn’t use torture anymore to “convert” them. And thankfully, other churches have moved into those areas and they that do not rely on rituals to draw converts. Some have wrought wonderful changes in the lives and treatment of these people. Others, both Christian and non-Christian have exploited them.

When the split with the Catholic Church occurred, one of the most prominent things that changed was the rituals and symbols. The protestant church eliminated icons and statues and worship of saints. It eliminated rote prayer and allowed its members to actually own a Bible so they could read it for themselves. The members now could pray for themselves rather than pay the priest to pray for them. But remember, these changes took place over centuries, not in a day.

Pagans then and now celebrate their winter holiday as do those who celebrate Kwanzaa celebrate their African heritage. I don't particularly care for an African Kwanzaa doll on my Christmas tree since it has nothing to do with Christmas but I have no problem with those who elect to celebrate "their" holiday in that manner.

I propose that those who do not believe in Christmas should not celebrate in any way. Go to work, don't buy presents, and don’t put up a tree. For heaven's sake do not smile that sappy smile and say "Happy Holidays!" There is only one holiday (meaning holy day by the way) in December and you don't believe in holy days!

However, in America, no one has the right, at least not yet, to insist those who do elect to celebrate stop doing so because you don't share their beliefs. We still have a right to say, ‘Merry Christmas” because we are celebrating! We still have a right to post a banner that says, “Jesus is the reason.” I don't get all bent when people say, "GO TIGERS!" or whatever team they squeal for or when they paint those messages on their bodies and cars. Personally, that’s the stupidest thing I ever saw but everyone has a right to be stupid. I’m fine with it.

Here’s what I suggest. All non-Christians should just ignore the greetings by saying "Up yours." if you like. I promise we'll get the message. Or perhaps, "May the Force be with you." I’m a Star Wars fan and this is a multi-religious response. All religions believe in some kind of “Force” so you won't offend anyone! They’ll just think you are a nut. And popular opinion would seem to support that.

If you are non-religious, you may just smile and say, "I'm a friend of Madeline Murray O'Hare." In America, we all know her and will understand completely. She’s the atheist who ended up murdered and buried in a trash can. She was the person responsible for having prayer and Bibles removed from all public schools. Oddly enough, only one of her son’s defected from her teaching and accepted Jesus Christ as savior. The other son, an atheist to the end . . . died with her. She changed the social and political environment of a whole nation and she was murdered! Do you know that as far as I know no one has suggested a day to celebrate her life or death! Actually, virtually no one under the age of 40 knows who she is! But she left a cancer in this nation that is slowly destroying it.

Of courses, non-Christians could still find something to celebrate, even though they aren't recognized by any agency as "legal" holidays and in fact, they aren’t holy days at all. You can celebrate the Winter Solstice but it falls on December 22 at midnight. Not many people will be celebrating then, unless you have a bunch of Druids hanging about. I believe there are some around... in England?

The ancient ones celebrated all the seasonal starts based on the sun's path throughout the year. I believe there are only four major holidays for them. Winter Solstice, Vernal Equinox, Summer Solstice, and the Autumnal Equinox. I think, but could be wrong, that the traditional way to celebrate is by dancing in a clearing in long white robes and having a feast. I do believe they pray in some manner, however, so it is still a religions thing. Oh, wait, do they celebrate Samhain? That's the holiday that became Halloween or All Hallows Eve. Or is it only witches who do that. Of course, you got that religion thing going on again. Amazing how humans keep creating religion, isn’t it?

If you want to really get into the concept of pagan control of December 25 and other holidays you might read this fellow’s site. Christmas - The Real StoryHe is a real fanatic who dwells on all the hideous history and goes to great detail to outline the horrors and satanic connections to December 25. You may actually decide it is just too horrible a day to celebrate the birth of Christ. He asks a very good question at the end of his page. My response to that is that on December 25 I will be celebrating the birth of the person who came to deliver us from all such atrocities as described on this page.

I don’t care about pagan roots and connections to certain days of the year. I AM taking that day back from the pagan. I’m not a pagan. I wasn’t a participant in those events. Those days have no power over me and are merely interesting, often sad historical side notes. I believe that if you are all “het” up about pagan connections to your Christian holidays, then you need to get back to the altar. You are acknowledging that those connections have power over you. You are so concerned that 10,000 years ago someone worshiped a false god on December 25, or that someone had ritual sex 5,000 years ago on December 25, or that someone was murdered on December 25 that you want to ban the day altogether! Why, thank you very much! You know what you just did? You just gave that day back to the pagan. You abandoned territory that has already been battled over. You have just given power back to those spirits and by giving them the day, you are authorizing their right to rule over you and control your days of worship and celebration! Never surrender territory to the enemy or he will overrun your position.

Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: I choose to worship any day I please and I intend to celebrate the birth of MY Savior on any day I wish. And if I want to bake a cake and put a candle on I will. If I want a tree with a star on top to honor the triumph of Jesus over a pagan holiday, I will. I will not be led by powerless Christians who can’t lay claim to one single day to celebrate and who are so terrified and unbelieving in the power of their own faith that they tremble at the sight of a decorated evergreen! Get over it!

I also won’t be controlled by people who can’t handle good wishes directed to them because they are so insecure in their own beliefs that they feel threatened by a blessing directed to them! How silly is that? I sincerely respect your right to not like it, not agree, and not participate in my worship and celebration. I promise not to participate in your New Year celebration which is a totally pagan ritual to pagan gods and has absolutely NO Christian connotation at all!

The tradition of using a baby to signify the New Year began in Greece in 600 BC. It was their tradition to celebrate their god of wine, Dionysus, by parading a baby in a basket, representing the annual rebirth of that god as the spirit of fertility. Early Egyptians also used a baby as a symbol of rebirth. Although Christians denounced the practice as paganistic, the popularity of the baby as a symbol of rebirth forced them to reevaluate their positions. The church then allowed the members to celebrate the New Year with a baby, which was to symbolize the birth of Jesus Christ. The image of a baby with a New Year's banner was brought to early America by Germans, who had been using the symbol since the 14th century. From: New Year’s Cheer- Traditions

There is that religion thing again and even the Greeks were doing it! Again, the church in question was the Catholic Church. Modern churches in no way believe this, at least, mine doesn’t! We do not use the “new year baby” to symbolize Jesus Christ. We are educated enough to know that it signifies the “birth” of a new year, a chance to start over and do better the next year. This is an inherent desire in the human psyche! We all wish we could have a second chance to do things “right this time”. However, we won’t be worshiping Dionysus. I will assure you that all over the world Christians will kneel in prayer at midnight and pray for the coming year to be blessed, prospered, and peaceful. All while the pagans are dancing and getting drunk. And we won’t be hugging toilet bowls or have pounding heads the next morning.

Folks, on this blog, you will hear me shouting loud and clear! Jesus Christ IS the reason for this season. Always has been and always will be. Christmas was created as a direct result of the birth of Jesus Christ. Just get over and move on with your life. The rest of us have celebrating to do!

Merry Christmas!

Mama's Boy

Mike is here tonight for supper. His oven doesn't work and it will be tomorrow before they get it fixed. He stopped by my chair for just a minute. He is so sweet and Mike loves his Mom a bunch. I have never had one moment of doubt about that.

Pray for him. He has a lot of problems I can't fix and I worry about his future once I am not here.

Staking Territory

I've driven a stake in the ground. I came home tonight and I am so tired. The whole week I've been working hard to get a bit ahead at work in preparation for my vacation. When I get off, I have had to go get Mike because his tub was being resurfaced and he couldn't bathe in his new apartment. Takes an extra 15 minutes, then I have to take him home in a few hours and then pick Jerry up at 9 p.m. We only have one car, remember.

Last night the weather was so bad they closed the "expressway" (an oxymoron here) and it took me nearly an hour to get home on the side streets. I learned something though that will help me next time but I digress.

Tonight, I had to go get Mike for him to sell blood to pay his rent but he had to go back home without doing it because he lost his cell phone and went into a small panic. We found it in the road where he got out to check his mail! So I had an hour or running after work. But he also found there is a plasma bank about three block from his house on the same street! Another bonus.

When I got home, I put a message on my voice mail. It says the standard "leave a message" stuff but I added at the end "If you are calling between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. those hours are now scheduled for my personal time and I will not accept calls or answer the phone during those hours. Please leave your name and number and I will call you back after 8 or you can call me back after 8 o'clock. Thank you."

So, we'll see how that works. I made my other son and his wife angry with me . . . again. Every time they don't get their way the get mad but suddenly, I'm ok with it. Means I don't get pestered every 15 minutes! I'm done with their Christmas. I gave them $25 each because they were hitting me up for money again and I was financially strapped this week.She called me at work to ask for it then she hung up on me when I said I didn't have it. Do you know that the only people I've ever hung up on were cursing at me? I have never been so rude in my life as to hang up on someone. I might not like what is being said but I am so thankful for a parent who taught me good manners. I started not to but I called her back and she didn't answer the phone so I left a message saying she was the rudest person I'd ever known, particularly in light of how well she was treated by this family. My son calls and starts chewing me out but with the first word I hung up on him. Well, I figured at this point they should know how that felt. He didn't like it and called back but I let it go to voice mail this time. He left a nasty message I think but I simply deleted it when I heard his voice. When I got home I took the money I'd saved for their presents and sent it to them via my husband. Merry Christmas! I've had it. I'm tired of being treated like this. I don't need anyone to pay my way!

So, the evening is mine!!! Humph, and here I sit. Actually, I've been using this time in the evenings to study and pray for an hour while Jerry is working. And the rest of the time, I think I'll be working on two novels.

I'll be back again soon. Hope you are all having a great evening. I think I am!

Working

I'm working on a section of Mist and Winter! I'm crazy. I'm tired. My whole day was blown by my kids.

Mike moved out and he wasn't the problem. I had about 40 phone calls all day long. Mostly from the other kids! It was insane. Then, I'd agreed to keep Sarah but since my whole day was shot, I kind of resented it. Oh, I'm not going into it all here. No sense in it now. I am on my way to bed. I just wanted to let you who are reading the two above works to know what to expect.

Thanks, Jilly for your comments. They are incentives to keep going. I really want the story arc completed so I can start editing it.

Eyes closing on their own. Nite!

Thinking and Thinking

I just been thinking. Hard. I'm thinking I want me a laptop. I'm wondering, too. I'm wondering if I should try and find me a good used one for now. I don't really have any money to spend on me but I really want to get one that I can carry with me and write. I spend my lunch hour reading mostly but I've decided if I could get a laptop I could spend it writing. I also want to be able to leave the house and go somewhere that no one would bother me. The library is one block from where I work. I could spend a couple of hours there in the study rooms they have writing.

I borrowed the office laptop when I went to the conference. It is a Gateway that is about five years old but it was really nice. Some keyboards are not very comfortable but this one was ok. But the end of the conference I'd decided I wouldn't mind a laptop.

I've been looking around the ads but at the moment, $500 looks like a small fortune. I have this nice new computer at home and I use it all the time. Jerry is at work often when I get home but one of the kids is apt to pop in unexpectedly. I've wished several times that I could just stay away from the house for a few hours. Since I love my being at home that's strange.

Anyway, I don't know where to start looking for used ones and not sure what I'd have to spend. I couldn't t be sure that it would be any good either, I guess. So maybe it isn't a good idea.

Your input is welcome.

I am going to bed I think. I'm tired. Got to go get Jerry from work first. Have a warm evening. It is cold here.

Rain and Other Calamities

My sister in Florida went to the hospital last night with chest pains. Her BP was 249 over something. I can never remember the bottom number! I was so stunned at the top one I forgot. She didn't have a heart attack but they kept her. Some of you may be on her contact list. She's Roselynn. They said she had too much stress in her life. Those of you who have read her blog know about the foster kids? Well, she also handles problems with our mother. I'd rather have five foster children. 'Nuff said.

My mother, as you know, is also in the hospital. The same one, in fact. She had surgery today on her shoulder and they removed the metal they had put in months ago. Roselyn said they had to because her body was rejecting it.

My uncle in Georgia fell last night an had to go to the ER. He got very ill at a dinner they attended and when he throws up he faints. He fainted in the parking lot and smacked his head. He just had cataract surgery last week so she was worried but he didn't injure that. Just his face and pride, I'm thinking. They had to call an ambulance for him and he was sent home around 3 a.m.

It isn't raining but it is colder than a well diggers ankles. I'm tired and just want some chocolate. Think I'll go get hot cocoa.

Another Prayer Request

Keep my mother in your prayers today. She is in the hospital after a fall and has contracted a staph infection. I'm 12 hours away and my younger sister is taking care of things down there.

You might pray for her, too. Our family is crazy and she doesn't really have any help there since our other sister lives here where I live. I should qualify that. The boys are crazy in my family.

You know, the infection is serious but I'm more concerned for her soul than anything else. I was praying last night for her but all I could pray about was her spiritual state. There is a long personal story here but because of the involvement of six other people, I can't go into it. Let's just say that when you live your life your way, at the end of the day, your way may not have been the right way. So pray for her.

In other news, my shoulder is really hurting today and so are my legs. Could be the weather. The shoulder hurts from the curve of my neck straight down my back to the left of my spine to just where my bra stars. I'm sure that's a muscle but the name escapes me for the moment. I'm getting a headache as a result of that. Oh well, nothing last forever, I guess. I have too many doctor appointments coming up to take off for another cervical block.l I'm really nervous about them anyway but I did feel wonderful for nearly a whole month.

So, pray for me, too.

I gotta run. Work is calling. Wonder if I could just hang up?

What a Crazy World!

I have discovered Pod-cast! Really. I've decided I want an iPod, something I have not, until now, found a logical use for. But I've been listening to a audio pod-cast on my computer at home and work. It is a fiction program much like an old radio show. Well, I downloaded iTunes so I could just download it and listen while doing other things.

What I discovered is that there are a lot of free pod-cast that are really good! I can learn any language I want! I can brush up on my two year college Spanish! For Free! There are several of actual old radio shows. I like listening to these at work. Relieves the monotony of some jobs.I could listen in my car if I had a way.... {smile}. So, thus is born my reevaluation of the iPod.

I don't listen to the radio at all in the car. We.. maybe once in awhile the Christian station or the oldies station but usually not. I do frequently listen to gospel CD's. And imagine when I discovered you can get pod-cast of Christian programs.

I was just browsing, minding my own business. There were some that looked interesting. Most are not of my faith but there were some I thought might be good, like a Bible reading every day. Or maybe the XXX Church? WHAT! XXX CHURCH! I went to the information page. Yep. XXX CHURCH! A Christian Porn pod-cast!

My initial reaction: AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

My second reaction: OH MY GOD! I can't believe that!

My third reaction: I gotta blog this!

Come on! CHRISTIAN PORN! Lord have mercy the world is filled with people absolutely devoid of any brain at all. They are walking around with their heads filled with pus and absolutely no idea of how stupid they really are! I do not usually blast anyone here but there are some forms of idiocy that simply can't be ignored. They boggle the normal mind, astound the intelligent, and shock the sane.

Fourth reaction: DID I READ THAT CORRECTLY??? I don't know what sicko even imagined that there was such a thing. What cesspool did they come out of?

For those who do not know... pornography can't, by its very nature be Christian! It is anathema to Biblical principals as stated in the ONLY authorized Christian text - THE BIBLE. Obviously, the moron who started this pod-cast didn't read the directions. Someone give them a bottle of Ipecac and tell them it's koo-laid! Clean that sewer out!

I am SO offended by this and there is not a darn thing I can do. Welcome to America! No wonder God plans to blow the whole place up!

Oh yes He does. Revelations is pretty clear on that.

Whew! I think I got it all out but I'm still not sure! I may be back. Sorry, folks. . . . . . . . no, I'm not. People need to say something... LOUDLY!

Rain, Rain, Rain

And snow on the way. I suspect. It has rained for the last two days and my guess is that we will have ice next. We may even get a white Christmas if this continues!

Hope all of you are doing well. I'm still caught up in other things and my posts are BORING! Nothing really riveting to post about unless it is the weather. I saw on Jilly's blog that it was raining in England, too. Doesn't it always? Seems like it rains a lot there. I wonder if it is like Seattle here? I'll have to look at the Latitude and Longitude to see how it compares.

They say it always rains in Seattle too. One of my favorite songs growing up was a sung by Sammi Smith and called "Seattle". "The bluest skies you've ever seen are in Seattle and the hills the greenest green, in Seattle." It made me want to go to Seattle!

Boy am I reaching!

I gotta get back to work. I just returned from lunch and had appointment all morning. Maybe catch up later.

Finding the Center

Alice sent me this this morning and I really enjoyed it. I hope you will, too.

It is a powerpoint presentation and you will need a viewer on your computer. For those of you who don't have a Powerpoint viewer, you can get a free PowerPoint viewer from Microsoft here: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/downloads/CD010798701033.aspx Just select PowerPoint Viewer 2003 and follow the prompts to download. Then, select the attachment and it will open in the viewer.

The End of Winter

A List of Updates

My word count is still rising as I am trying to get as much of this novel down by midnight as possible. I am really going to finish one!! Really. I know the whole story and it is just a wild ride. I really want to sit down and do the edit in December.

I seem to be coming down with the sniffles.

I'm dreaming like crazy. I was almost tired this morning when I got up from the crazy dream I was having. Every since they did that cervical block I've been having vivid dreams that I can remember when I get up. As I mentioned before, I haven't done that in years.

I posted another chapter to the blog. Remember, after tonight, the blog closes to those of you with links. Let me know if you are still interested in reading to the end. I should be done with the basic story in a week or so. After that, it is closed until the final edit takes place. I can say there will be some changes in the final draft. I already am considering what these are.

My son will be laid off after Christmas. Please say a prayer for him to find another job soon. He has a wife and baby. They have housing assistance with utilities paid so they won't have to move back in but they still have to eat and buy baby things.

It is raining here and snow is expected tomorrow. We'll see. Unless we dip sharply below the freezing point tonight, I don't think it will stick as the ground has not frozen but it could get messy. I wouldn't mind a white Christmas since I'll be home that week and the kids will be here most of the time.

Hope you have all had a wonderful weekend. I'm really so ecstatic about my book I can't shut up. I will thought.

Still Rising

As most of you know, I've reached the goal of NaNoWriMo. However, the word count is still going up. I have until the 30th to log in additional word count. Currently it stands at 51,321.

I'm getting the most recent chapters on the blog too. I have chapter 16 almost sorted out and someone is reading because the hit counter is moving up. There is still a large gap between 16 and the end chapter. The end chapters present a problem because they aren't numbered yet and they are only partially complete. I know the final scene but haven't written that part.

However, I will post them, in some form so the truly curious can see where it is intended to go. I can't stress enough that this is a FIRST draft and the final draft may look nothing like this. But I think the overall story is a good one. So, I feel good about it. I wasn't sure when I started it if I would.

I can finish with a smile and enjoy my weekend.

At the Inn

An 18th-century vagabond in England, exhausted and famished, came to a roadside inn with a sign reading, "George and the Dragon." He knocked.

The innkeeper's wife stuck her head out a window. "Could ye spare some victuals?" he asked.

The woman glanced at his shabby, dirty clothes. "No!" she shouted.

"Could I have a pint of ale?"

"No!" she shouted.

"Could I at least sleep in your stable?"

"No!" she shouted again.

The vagabond said, "Might I please..."

"What now?" the woman screeched, not allowing him to finish.

"D'ye suppose," he asked, "that I might have a word with George?"

Celebration Time

Finally, the 50,000 mark had been surpassed and I have my purple bar and my award certificate. I am so glad to be done with that stress! I finished around midnight last night. Finally, the bones of the novel is assembled and waiting to be fleshed out.

By finished, I only mean I met the minimum requirements. I am still working on it and adding to the word count. I have posted another chapter to the blog for those reading it. Jilly has left encouraging comments. And ask a good question. Can you take a shower here in the States if the power it off. Yes you can and a hot one if you have a gas hot water heater. But if you have an electric heater, once the hot water in the tank is used up, you won't get a hot shower until the power comes back on. It is the only reason I've kept a gas water heater this long. I had a gas stove for years but finally got an electric one. We've had power outages where we could cook and bathe, two of the most critical life requirements. Since we've had the electric stove we have had an outage once and could bathe but couldn't cook.

Anyway, I'll be posting all the scaffolding on the blog but remember as of the thirtieth I will be closing it to those I put on the email list. This is to protect the work. If you aren't done reading by then, just PM me and be sure I have a good address for you. That will give you an additional 30 days. It isn't really that long.

A Dixie Girl's Place - A House of Worship

Link
I posted this last year about this time, in honor of the holiday. It is a tongue in cheek bit of truth. So, I'm posting it again. Think about it carefully.

Tired Hands

I am so tired! My hands are just worn out. Folk, I only need 11,189 words to finish the word count. That is clearly manageable by Wednesday. Please God! {praying hands here}

I'm still working on the end chapters. They're good, I think. I'm on the edge of my seat!

I am also starving. I've had nothing since lunch and I want a cheeseburger in the worst way! Jerry will be home shortly and if I can convince him to go to Sonic, I'll have one.

You have all been scarce lately. I'm missed reading posts but I suppose unlike me, you all have lives outside of Multiply.

Of course, the only reason I'm on her so much lately is because I am chained to the desk for NaNo. I have to take a mental break here and there. I am actually considering a television show but I know if I do, I'm done for the night.

So, back to the mines for me. Keep cheering. It gives me momentum!

Dixie, In the Study, With the Keyboard

What a Saturday. I've gotten nothing done except banking stuff. I'm going to sit down soon and try writing but I've really at a point today where I just feel kind of like doing nothing. I won't of course. I have to much to do.

Anyone know a sure fire way to get rid of mice? I keep getting them and I just hate it. I don't know what I can do. I've done traps and they work fine but it seems the stream is unending.

I am going to bomb the house for bugs this weekend and then try and attack the next vermin. I have never had problems until last year and it is just so frustrating. I don't know what caused it or what to do to really stop it. I can't really afford extermination services but it may come to that. I have got to send Jerry under the house to see if he can find where they are coming in. There has to be a hole somewhere.

Off now to work on 50K!

What's The Good Word?

Over 35,000 of them. I'm actually typing the ending so I don't flub it. Once I get that done, I am going back and fill in the space between chapter 14 and the ending I'm writing. Makes sense to write what I've been give in case I lose it.You wouldn't believe how fast this stuff is coming at me. It is unreal. I love it when it is like this but I have to tell you it is also frustrating. Every interruption known to man happens when the muse is demanding my whole attention. The voices in your head are all clamoring to be heard and you are typing or writing as fast as you can and someone walks in. The voices scream "GET OUT!" but no one hears them but me. They keep telling their story and I'm trying to write it and listen to the real world. I've been here for four hours writing with no interruptions. My husband comes in and sits down and I actually had to tell him last night to leave! He does try and understand but I don't know if you can really, if you don't write like this. This is only once a year for 30 days. You'd think that as of the third year they'd get it.It's the problem I have writing at all. Everyone walks in and demands something. Well, tonight, I'm finished and going to bed. I feel very good about the word count. Tonight in four hours I wrote 3482 words. Since the 16ht I have written 14,486 words. THat is just amazing! The first 10 days of NaNo I did right at 15,000 words. I done nearly the same number of words in half the time. Whoa!I'll be back at it tomorrow. I'd love to have this done by Saturday night. I probably won't but I'd like it. Then, I could use the rest of the time to fill in some gaps. Ah well, I'll be happy to finish by the 30 with the required count!

A Little Gun History Lesson

My friend Alice will absolutely adore this post. It came in my email today and I quite agree with it. The facts can be checked if you are a dissenter. My experience is that those who want elimination of guns in the hands of citizens truly believe the criminals won't have them either and the world will be a safe place. That's hogwash.

Guns will never disappear. Maybe citizen owned guns will but not all the rest. The gun industry doesn't care who has guns. They prefer legal guns. They will keep making them and selling them to anyone who will buy them, whether the buyer is honest or dishonest. They don't card for integrity. And money is the number one cause of blindness in illegal trades such as gun running. Criminals don't usually buy their arsenals at Wal-mart or the local gun store. They have illegal sources to buy them in bulk form or they steal them.

So, this little lesson shows that kind of pacifist thinking for the foolhardiness it is.

In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control.From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

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

In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

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

Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated

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

China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

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

Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

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

Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

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

Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million 'educated' people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

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

Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century because of gun control: 56 million.

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

It has now been 12 months since gun owners in Australia were forced by new law to surrender 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by their own government, a program costing Australian taxpayers more than $500 million dollars. The first year results are now in:

Australia-wide, homicides are up 3.2 percent

Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6 percent

Australia-wide, armed robberies are up 44 percent (yes, 44 percent)!

In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms are now up 300 percent. Note that while the law-abiding citizens turned them in, the criminals did not, and criminals still possess their guns!

It will never happen here? I bet the Aussies said that too! While figures over the previous 25 years showed a steady decrease in armed robbery with firearms, this has changed drastically upward in the past 12 months, since criminals now are guaranteed that their prey is unarmed.

There has also been a dramatic increase in break-ins and assaults of the ELDERLY. Australian politicians are at a loss to explain how public safety has decreased, after such monumental effort and expense was expended in successfully ridding Australian society of guns. The Australian experience and the other historical facts above prove it.

You won't see this data on the US evening news, or hear politicians disseminating this information. Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws adversely affect only the law-abiding citizens.

Take note my fellow Americans, before it's too late! The next time someone talks in favor of gun control, please remind him of this history lesson.

With Guns...........We Are "Citizens". Without Them........We Are "Subjects".

During W.W.II the Japanese decided not to invade America because they knew most Americans were ARMED!

Note: Admiral Yamamoto who crafted the attack on Pearl Harbor had attended Harvard U 1919-1921 & was Naval Attaché to the U. S. 1925-28. Most of our Navy was destroyed at Pearl Harbor & our Army had been deprived of funding & was ill prepared to defend the country.

It was reported that when asked why Japan did not follow up the Pearl Harbor attack with an invasion of the U. S. Mainland, his reply was that he had lived in the U. S. & knew that almost all households had guns.

If you value your freedom, Please spread this anti-gun control message to all your friends!

It is not the guns in the hands of honest, law abiding citizens that cause the problems.

An End in Sight

I got a comment from Alice on one of my last post, The Roar of Wind when I asked her if she had read The End of Winter. She responded:

No! I'm afraid to get into it and then have no ending....I hate this "cliff hanger" stuff...

NOOOOOOOOOOO DON'T KILL EVERYBODY IN MIST! That's a good tale, one you should attempt to have published! But gee whiz ma...when can I get more of the story? lolololol"

Well, as a comfort, I want to let her know I'm not killing everyone in Mist. Far from it. And I am finishing it. I've learned something from this NaNo as with previous ones. HOW TO END A STORY! I just have to sit down and write it through in 30 days! LOL.

The End of Winter has an ending. I am working on it now. I have about 9 days to finish it. I am going to do it. For once, I have an ending that is so clear and I am having more trouble keeping up with my thought than I am in getting them. It is uncanny but actually, when I think about it, it is exactly what used to happen to me when I wrote before I started having all this pain stuff. Anyway, THE END is in sight for this year's NaNo novel. Has it been 30 days already? And for you Alice, THE END will be coming for Mist. I hope by December 30! When NaNo is done, I will try and shoot for that date.

I'm nuts of course but I'll try it. {sigh} Really, seriously deranged.

The Roar of Wind

The sound you are hearing is the sound of the wind as it roars past me in my wake. It is deafening. I am really clocking some words, folks. I am almost to 30,000 since the woes of a few days ago.On the 15th I was just over 20,000 and today, I am only 1353 short of the goal for today of 30,006. For the 16th, 17th, and 18th I have a total word count of 7892. Remember the daily quota is 1667.

That tells you the story is happening now. And I know the ending. Came to me last night when my head hit my pillow. I tell you, it is so strange how it works sometimes. I was really cranking it out and knew I was heading in the right direction but had NO idea at midnight how this story would end. When the bedroom light went out moments later and I closed my eyes, the characters simply played it out for me as I lay there and watched. I was almost crying at one point because it was perfect! I can't wait to get it all down. And tonight I've been writing like a fiend.

The first several chapters may stink but these last ones, well, they are so much better that I feel terrific! Don't get me wrong. This is like building a house. What I have here is a the framing for the whole story.

God, I love this stuff! Purple bar, here I come! God willing and the computer don't die.

Home Again

You can see I'm back no and getting things decorated for the holidays... at least here on Multiply. The house not so much.

Still have a bit of a stomach problem but it seems to be getting better. I posted a video blog post today so you'll have to watch that boring piece of stuff to find out detail of the my trip. Maybe I'll do it again but not sure what I'd talk about.

Update on My Weekend

Out of Town

The day has arrived. I will be out of town until Saturday so I won't be reading or writing on the blog. I am, however, the proud borrower of a laptop. I am going to be working on NaNo in my spare time and I have an informational flyer for landlords that I want to do to mail to my landlords. This has to do with my job. I felt it only right if I was using the laptop.

So, everyone have a great weekend. See later!

Wednesday Showers

Last day to work this week. I leave tomorrow around noon for my conference. I am quite looking forward to that! I need the break physically and spiritually.I updated my word count here this morning. For those on the edge of their seat to find out, here is the latest:

I am about ready to shoot the computer, so it is an appropriate graphic! I feel as if I am rambling and writing garbage. This is normal, by the way. No matter what you write it always feels like it is junk. Then, later, when you go back and read it later, you think, "Gee, this IS junk. . . mostly. . . except for . . . well, that part right there. And maybe, um, this part here. That's actually pretty good. Did I write that?"

So help me, it's true.

ARGGGGGGGGGGGGG!

I reposted the entire nano novel thus far on the blog yesterday. I was really doing well. But then, as often happens with creative works, something changed. Last night, I suddenly had to change the point of view! Yes!!! I was writing happily in the first person when suddenly, the character pushed me to a corner, smacked me around, and shouted, "THIRD PERSON YOU NINNY!"

So, now I've had to go back and change the view point for all four chapters. Actually, I think it was the right decision. Aside from being assaulted by your main character, the story feels better, like it is going to move in a different direction now and I don't feel it is so sluggish. Doesn't mean it is very good but at least I am getting the words down.

The change has put me behind a bit in the word count. I missed writing last night completely. I kept Sarah and was up until 1:30 when I had to take her home. She won't stay all night with me anymore so, from now on they will have to be prepared to get in before bedtime. I can't do those late nights anymore. This morning I had quite a bit of pain, not in the neck so much, and I've been tired all day. Nothing but laundry done and working on the POV in the novel. Now, I'm down to writing again and at present, I have a bowl of soup in the microwave. I suddenly want cold weather food. Maybe chili tomorrow?

I've put on some music. Cinema Classics. Themes from movies like Dr. Zhivago, Godfather, Romeo and Juliet, Gone with the Wind to name the most famous ones. There are several others but I'm bored with that now so on to the next topic. LOL!

I went to a write-in meeting tonight with four other NaNo'ers. All younger than me. Two were rather interesting. The other two, I don't really have anything in common with them. One of them is just a rather nice young girl. But I got rather annoyed at the other because she kept making these negative comments that were so rude. One about my being from the South and how education here was inferior (she's from Chicago), about how much she hated kids. She's a teacher!!? Perhaps teachers like that are the problem? Anyway, she was rather nice initially until she became so negative. I just don't like negative people. It was rather uncomfortable.

The two people I actually liked were a young man with four kids and an older woman, not as old as me who was doing all her writing in long hand. She had children too. It is hard to do this with children. Doug, the guy, was feeling a bit dejected because he didn't have a very big word count but he has four children under age 12 and is in the process of buying a house and moving in the next couple of weeks. There's a holiday here too! I really wanted to stress to him that the important thing is just to write. It is nice to get the word count but it is really just about writing. I've lost one year and won one year. It was great to win. But just pushing myself to the limit is so great. And I've learned important things from both events.

Well, enough of that for now. Just wanted to share what was going on at the moment.Hope you all have a great weekend. I'm going for the soup now and then back to the novel!