Monday, March 31, 2008

How fun is this...

Resting in Peace....

Army Staff Sgt. Keith Matthew Maupin's remains have been identified.

May his family have God's grace.....

We had not forgotten....

You may leave the Maupin family a note of support in the guestbook...

Thrilled to pieces.....

LOOK WHAT IS OPENING IN MY NEW HOME TOWN!!!

I am not a quilter, but would like to be, and am trying to figure out how to find the time for it this year...

I have 2 quilt tops that my Grandmother in the photo below made, that I would like to complete. I would also like to be able to enter one in the state fair next fall.

Look at the Collection!!

And they have classes!

I recall being in Washington DC. with Princess Cat and Mr. Blackfive, and dragging them to the textile museum, only to be disappointed that the quilt expo, which was supposed to be "quilts of the Oregon and Mormon Trails", was not there. I never did find it. And frankly the two of them thought I was insane walking around for hours looking for old blankets.

Looks I will be able to get my FIX soon.

Maybe I will even decide to have a Quilting Bee, and blogmeet combo like a true nerd. (However I will make it up to you by taking you to Cliffs lounge, home of 200 different kinds of kamikazi's....)

I thought it might be fun to get bloggers to make patriotic pieces to be quilted together to be auctioned off for Soldier's Angel's.

But first I need to learn how to quilt.

open arms...

For the record, my Father, and his girlfriend will be welcomed with open arms....

I have done the math, and know with my Fathers help, this will cut my time working by at least 1/2. My Father is a quick, and decent painter.....

I have accepted his help, and did not argue.....

However, it has opened a can of worms in my skull.

In other news, it has been raining for 3 days, and appears not to have any end in sight.....darn it.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Rainy Days....

O painting since Friday due to a rain out.

I decided to take the kids to The Jump Zone Saturday, essentially a place filled with inflatable trampolines, slides, climbing stuff. I seriously made them go for it for 3 hours. I then took them to The Purple Cow by request, which meant I got my blu chz burger! It was yummy. The Collective shared a burger and fires, and enjoyed my onion rings, and then each ordered a sundae. Yum. they were hungry and well behaved. I enjoy eating out with them now, they are very funny.

PN, has recently been toying with accents. She is 4, I do not recall being aware of accents at 4... she is doing southern, and Italian, it is hilarious. If she is not a Paratrooper, she should be able to get work doing voice overs for animation.

They passed out on the way home. WOW! These are the no nap bunch, and I was thrilled, even though it was the worst time of the day for a nap.

Spring Break ends tomorrow.

Sir Rowland is calling Monday, Funday. That is an idea.

He is currently trying to think of a great April fools day prank for Tuesday.

100 boxes down, 1/2 a house painted, 25 bags of leaves.....

What are you doing?

This is going to sound bitchy. So sorry. But my blog is certainly irreverent. It may also be one of those posts that gets removed...

I am tired of people asking me why things are taking so long...

They just are, and I really have been moving as fast as one can. Single parenting, takes time. I still have the normal things to account for. Meals, packing lunches, entertaining children, homework, laundry and the like...oh and the 2 months of walking pneumonia did not help much, as it affected my energy levels immensely.

It would be busy here without moving honestly. I run a tight and busy ship.



My Father seems to have taken pity on my soul this week, and has decided I am in need of rescuing.

Can I tell you, I am not thrilled at the idea.

I do not like being rescued.

I am capable.

So now I need to decide to look into the depths of my soul and decide if I am a martyr, or just independent. Frankly, I like to believe I am capable. I do not like people coming to help. I can do it. I am the Queen of "OK".

Stubborn, maybe.

But I do not like asking for help. I am unsure why, but I do not. Pride? Perhaps. Stupid? Maybe. But frankly, in the last 17 years, I have not asked anyone for help. Prayers, sure....and I have been blessed. But "help"...not often.

The last thing I want is my Father coming down to rescue me...

Help, I can stand. Rescuing is not my bag.

And now for the next week I get to think about why I am taking issue is with this.

Frankly a lot of it has to do with folks telling people "Oh, she really needs my help, so I am going to help her." That bothers me, and it may be idiotic, but it does.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Grandparents....


Look what I found.....my Fathers parents....

One of the best voices

crown you with my heart...

Alien

Interesting article on Asperger's.

Cutting in, and cut it out...

I finished cutting in on the back of the house yesterday. I even decided to paint the top of the house trim, right below the roof the same color as the rest of the house. It actually looks better. Now I have to put a second coat on, and touch up and it is done. The good news is, that is the back of the house, has the most square footage to paint.

It is raining this morning, so no painting, and The Collective had been invited to a birthday party at the park....

So I thought perhaps a movie would be in order. The ONLY children's movie is Horton Hears a Who, and we saw it. (BTW, it sorta sucked, I give it 2 * out of 5)


DH is welcoming his cousin home from Iraq today! Wish I was there to welcome him home, and meet his new son.

This is the last weekend before our regular scheduling begins. Monday Spring Break ends. (Standing and screaming hooray). It is really difficult trying to prepare the house with The Collective here)

Allergy season is kicking my ass. The oak pollen is currently so prevalent that the rain has washed it into puddles of green....

ick...

Friday, March 28, 2008

More on Fitna

They want to destroy us....

*Disturbing images, not safe for children...


train of thought...

And when I think of "watching the detectives", it leads me to think of Elvis Costello singing "I want you"....

which is a great song, and even though Fiona Apple is crazy...

she does a good job covering the song...


Watching The Collective...

I had to have 2 different babysitters yesterday, because the class was so long.

The Collective were PERFECT, no complaints, no fighting, no problems.

they were great.

Ha.

I called 3 times during the day to check on them, and make sure they did not tie the babysitter up, or burn the house down...

They were angels.

Every single time I use the phrase Watching The Collective, I think of Elvis Costello "Watching the Detectives"

Irony

The phlebotomy class went well. We used rubber, plastic arms....which seemed silly.

I must tell you, I have a problem poking people.

I really do.

For as long as I have been in the medical field, which has been since the age of 15. An LPN since I was 23. I do not like poking people. I hate it. I do not mind needles I do not mind getting shots, or blood being taken...

I have a hard time willingly sticking a needle in others....

I guess I would not be a good tattooist.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Thank You Mary Ann!!

I love Mary Ann...I do, she is relentless, with a heart of gold. That is a great combination of qualities.

Read about her here.

out of here....

Today I have class, all day.

Also note Sir Rowland did not go to sleep until 10 and was up at 6am...

I think it may be the new allergy medicine.

I hope it is...

swimsuit season is around the corner...

I found this...

raking for 3 hours burns 810 calories!!

weeding for 3 hours burns 845 calories!!

painting for 5 hours burns 910 calories!!

I think i am going to treat myself Saturday with a blu cheese burger!

Seriously!!

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

1st coat

done...

truck cleaned out and washed including disgusting floormats....

and then I broke down even with the cloudy skies, and finished rolling the first coat on the back of the house.

All done.

Except for where the roller cannot go, which is unfortunately a lot brush work. I will have a bit of work left.

But rolling it on did not take long!

And it looks soooooo much better.

While I was out painting The Collective opened a can of sprite that had been shaken...

yeah.

In the kitchen.

So I got into the house, to rest....

and ended up mopping the entire kitchen.

Turkeys indeed.

I am glamerous!!

Does anyone know how to get paint off of human skin?


done...

therapuetic

The yard, and house work have been theraputic for me. Raking and painting can be very zen like....for it puts you in a different space of your mind.

There is also just the plain old fashioned hard physical work of it, which most of us do not do enough of any more.

I have had a couple of people suggest that I hire it out...

Frankly I probably would have, if there was any money to do so. But I can honestly say I have not minded at the end of the day.

There is something very satisfying about accomplishing tasks, that are not really hard, simply time consuming.

I tend to think of the tasks, as money saved, in which I can buy a new couch, or a trip for the family.

So honestly I am not complaining about the tasks. I wish i would have started sooner, and had not been sick.

voice....




The live video audio and video quality is poor, but Annie Lennox can sing her ass off....

Cold is the color of crystal the snowlight
that falls from the heavenly skies.
Catch me and and let me dive under
for I want to swim in the pools of your eyes.

Crappola

Looks like rain.

Darn it, I was on a roll too.

Darn it.

It is very overcast, and I am afraid if I paint, it will rain. If I do not paint, it will not rain.

Just because.

There is plenty to do around here.

So I am going to give in to the wash machine today.

I also have a truck that is filled with Sunday school projects, and random grossness. The truck windows are smeared from little fingers, which is one of my biggest peeves on the planet.

Tomorrow I am taking a phlebotomy class. LPNs were not required to draw blood when I graduated nursing school in days of yor. However we need to know how now. So I am taking a phlebotomy all day class tomorrow. Fun!

Let me mention, I hate giving shots, starting IVs. Hate it. I do not like poking people.

I get to poke people all day.

Ick.

So no painting today, darn.

Going to try and get the interior caught up.

My goal is to have the house ready to show in 2 weeks.

Is that reasonable?

I hope so.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Classless

It seems as though some folks think they can buy class.

Even at the expense of others, and their own family.

I am watching a family dissolve currently.

and it is painful.

To watch a family dissolve, because someone thought they could purchase happiness, and treated money as a drug happens to be one of the sickest things I think I have seen to date.

But what seals it, is when that person refuses to make amends, refuses to apologize, and refuses to negotiate like an adult.

To stick another person with the damage you have caused has to be one of the most disgusting things I have seen.

And to walk away, like it was nothing, with no explanation, and no promise of making it right....

It is classless.

It is doubtful that this person will learn her lesson.

Because this person fails to admit to ANY responsibility.

Stay Classy...

You have broken a lot of hearts.

oye...

All of the new trim got 2 coats of primer...

I also managed to get one coat on 30% of the back of the house....

I am covered in paint...

I even managed to get on the roof, and primer the new trim around the chimney.

I did not like standing on the edge of the roof and painting. I was also terrified The Collective would be turkeys and move my ladder. I took my phone, just in case. Although I probably could jump off...

but really I am not 18 any longer.

I was prepared to call a neighbor, or 911 if I had to.

Amazing how much nicer the house looks with a fresh coat of paint!!

The Collective were good refereeing was minimal.

In bad news, it occurred to me, I do not even have half of the house painted yet...

Maybe tomorrow I will see some real progress.

I will say, painting is much more satisfactory for me than laundry. Laundry, well it is NEVER complete. NEVER. When you paint, there is an end. My anal retentive nature, is working against me, in the house painting. I think I need to keep in mind that I am leaving...

Spring Break

The Collective are on Spring Break

which means I have a full time job.

I really need to slap some primer on the fresh boards, as rain is in our immediate future....

darn

I have decided to take them to the park this morning.

Maybe I can run them until they are exhausted!

Monday, March 24, 2008

The great equalizer

Today I caulked. 2 entire tubes of caulking. I also removed a lot of old caulking. Someone did a worse job than I had...

ick, what a mess.

I also broke Sir Rowlands stem on his back tire, while trying to fill it. Crap. So I tried to replace it myself.

It was the task of the day. I could not get one of the nuts off. It drove me mad, I had to take it down to the bicycle repair shop.

I felt like a complete failure. I have seen 8 year olds replace inner tubes. Crap.

After sitting for an hour and cussing, I took it in.

Just when I think I am fantabulous and can do anything, I am equalized by a bike.

Easter photos right after DH returned home from Iraq...





I found these today, look at how teeny The Collective are. And cheeky...

Sunday, March 23, 2008

end scene...

Easter was good.

PN ate too much candy, and was very emotional tonight...poor thing.

SR is still screwed up from springing forward. I cannot seem, no matter how hard I try to get him to sleep at a decent time.

I managed to spot paint the porch, it looks great.

I also raked 3 bags of leaves from the South of the house, and the flower bed there...

not nearly as much as I would have liked, but it was a busy day.

It is cool tonight....never good.

I need to check the weather to see what I can do this week.

Must clean the North flower bed

Must bundle sticks before Tuesday morning.

Must get all caulking done on exterior

Must get house pressure washed ASAP.

Easter Sunday




Church Easter Egg Hunt....




Saturday, March 22, 2008

Being a Mother on Easter...

I just got off the phone with my Sister. We spoke about my Mother, and possibly exhuming my Mother from her current cemetary and moving her to a nicer one. The one she is currently buried at is an ugly cemetary, barely a tree in sight, and no green lush grass. The headstones sink, and they do not keep it up very well. Every time anyone goes they have to pull weeds, or plant grass, or dig the headstone out of the ground.

She will have been gone for 6 years this May 21.

6 years, where does time go.

6 years, and I can still hear her giggle, and I can hear her advice and wisdom in my head. It reverberates with almost every decision I make.

But tonight as I sit here and wait for The Collective to fall asleep so I can hide the Easter eggs I have just filled with nickles, pennies, and dimes....and I ponder tommorows menu for lunch. It is what my Mother would have made. An Easter ham, scalloped potatoes, peas, deviled eggs, and a salad. We are going to picnic on the back patio.

And oh how I wish she could sit out back with me and watch them look for eggs in all of the wrong places.

I always feel like a Mother now, it really took some time for me to get used to the title. To wear it. It felt like a new scratchy starched shirt for a while, and now it feels like well worn flannel pajamas.

I like that.

And the other night when I had to have a heart to heart with Sir Rowland about his compulsions he likes to act on, and about self control, I used a different angle.

Conversation after tucking Sir Rowland in.....

AWTM: "Buddy, you really need to think before you act, you are 6 now, it is called self control"

Sir Rowland: "But it is hard to be good all of the time, sometimes I can't help but make the wrong choice. I can't"

AWTM: "You can, it is what separates us from animals, we have freedom to choose, and free will."

Sir Rowland: "I try and try, and I can't, my brain gets crazy, it is broken."

AWTM: "Do you want people to think I am a bad Mommy, because people will think that if you continue to act out, they will think I am not doing the best Mommy job I can do."

Sir Rowland: "You are a good Mommy"

AWTM: "Do you know that God gave us to each other because he knew I would be the best Mommy on the planet for you, he trusted me enough to give me YOU."

Sir Rowland: "And he trusted me enough to give me YOU."

AWTM: (teary)

Sir Rowland: "Mom you just made me cry tears of joy too, my heart just grew."

AWTM: "me too"


And Easter will be in the morning, and I am blessed....

The Easter Egg Hunt

Was very fun!!

The adults really went all out to make the day very special for all of the kids. A Deaon and his wife hosted the event at their lovely property.

I have never seen soooooo many eggs. Seriously. A lot of eggs. There had to have been over 1000. Some folks spent a lot of time stuffing eggs, and putting them out.

When each child was born I bought them the gargantuan Pottery Barn Easter Baskets. They are really huge. they filled them.

I am not sure how many children were there, too many to count. But they organized it well, and even had a megaphone to direct the kids, they divided the kids up into age groups. It was nice.

It must have taken the folks hours to lay the eggs out. We literally could see the lawn looking very polka dotted with them when we were a block or so away. 1 1/2 acres of eggs.

The children managed to sweep the lawn within 20 minutes.

When the kids were done picking additional prizes, they had a picnic lunch for all of us. It was really fun, and a wonderful way to spend the morning.

The Collective were well behaved, and it was sooo much fun. I am sorry DH was not here, he would have loved it.

The church we attend, really does really go all out for the children, and I love that.

Porch painted.

I managed to get the porch painted. YEAH!!!

The paint looks nice.

I did not get the North saide of the house pressure washed.

Maybe tomorrow........

Friday, March 21, 2008

16 bags and what do you get?

I hope delicious arms! As I have not been to yoga for a week and a half. Frankly with all of the old fashioned chores I am doing the gym seems silly. Raking for 4 hours a day for three days, along with the pressure washing, well seems like my home gym.

The third flower bed was cleaned out today

drum roll please.....

that is 16 bags of leaves out of 3 flower beds.

I still have one bad bed on the north side. However, it is so mussy there right now, I am hoping it dries out in the next couple of days.

I managed to fertilize my azalea bushes.

I also primed the handrail up front.

Actually The Collective wanted to help.

I thought, well sure, it is a handrail, what damage can they do?

Never again...

seriously.

I also had to run to Walmart hell for a few supplies. Ick...the new store next to my home is the biggest Walmart I have been in EVER...way to big.

Tomorrow we have an Easter egg hunt early in the morning, I am going to come home and finish presser washing the front of the house, and possibly the North side. After that I am going to try and paint my front porch to see if I like the paint. I cannot decide how it goes with the brick yet. I think I need more of the color up to decide.

My contractor is done......

Which means, if things do not get done, it is my fault.

Damn...

Result of the CT Scan...show my Achilles heel is an area in my lung..

all is well.

The CT scan shows my lungs still show evidence of pneumonia, and the area on my lung that showed murkiness, is apparently a weak spot. Lots of folks have them.

A sort of physical Achilles heel, but in my lung.

That is actually good news to me.

I need to go to Walmart Hell and pick up supplies, including more mucinex...

On The Prarie....

One of my favorite blogs is Confessions of a Pioneer woman...

Not only is she a fantastic photgrapher, but she is an excellent writer...

There are times I read her blog and long for a rural life, instead of the very suburban life I lead, and there are other times I go over and read and note I am am exhausted....

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Wiped...

I managed to get the other front flower bed cleaned out, it was worse than the other one....

I have about 4000 square feet of flower beds.

Right now they look gorgeous, they are in need of mulch, but look beautiful. Even with very few things blooming right now. I have spent a lot of time in them since arriving here. I also managed to trim up eight azalea bushes, which I am sure could use some fertilizer. (put fertilizer on list) Last year, they looked a little ill. I am sure they could use a boost.

So now I need to finish weeding them, plant some very bright annuals, fill my pots and baskets, clean out the other 2 flower beds up front. Yes, that is right, there are 2 more in the front yard. aahhhghhh.

Frankly as much as I love them....oye. Too many square feet. Especially when you are surrounded by a forest. It was a lovely hobby before children, but it has gotten to be too much. I pulled 10 bags of leaves out of the one bed today. I am seriously wiped. the leaves were especially heavy after all of the rain we have had.

My fix it man was here today, repaired my roof, pulled down trim that needs to be replaced, replaced one of the eaves, and replaced the long board above the garage. He will be back in the morning to finish. YEAH!!!

I am unsure what to do tomorrow, the list seems to be getting longer instead of shorter. And in case anyone wonders, yes, I am still essentailly running a home, and The Collective are both on Spring Break. I also have to manage a trip to get The Collectives Easter basket items. Crap...maybe the neighbor girl can watch them for a bit, while i run out.

So it appears I am going to start putting my lists on my blog again...

Frankly it is just easier for me to be accountable for things this way, also there isn't a whole lot going on...

Saphire?

This is not safe for work...

Red State Update

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Who says stains are not funny...?



Oh and I guess the folks at Tide are having a contest...

this was funny...



I wish I had the talent to make one...

think of all of the stains a new Mother finds on her clothes! A talking poo stain, would be hilarious!

living in the eighties...

My neighbor kid looked decidedly preppy the other day. I noted his collar was up on his polo shirt. Something, I keep seeing more of, event hough I live under a rock and am not a witness to trend. I spend most of my free time at the public library, church, and home depot these days....not a lot of trend spotting there.

The skinny jean, leggings, vertical stripped off of the shoulder shirts.

Trends frankly I am too old too pull off.

Big hair. I liked big hair. Not huge hair. I would like to see the flat to your head hair trend end...it makes me look like a drowned rat.

rye toast

There are some things I LOVE so much, that I am unsure why I do not eat them every chance I get. I ate 4 slices of rye toast, and 2 hard boiled eggs. I must be feeling better.

Last night when I went to bed it was 80 degrees, a very balmy 80. I actually turned on the dehumidifier. I woke this morning to a very brisk 40 degrees.

No wonder my lungs are nuts..

I went and had my CT scan this morning. They were very timely about the procedure. I had taken 4 hours and put it aside just in case, and I was actually in and out in about an hour. Go Arkansas!! Every time someone is efficient here, I feel as though I should send a card that says "thanks for staying ahead of the curve". However, that hospital is the same hospital that did not have a pillow for me, when I labored with PN. They wadded up a blanket and stuffed it behind my head, like I was in a third world country. Seriously. I begged someone to find a pillow, my girlfriend finally showed up and found one for me after labor was over...

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Tempting fate...

I was just outside, pulling wild onions, and some creeping vine with thorns...ouch...

The Collective helped and got a dollar each. they picked up branches, and pulled weeds. And ate wild onions, and thought they were yummy...

I was seriously just waiting for the neighbor to come over with any sort of advice. He did not.

Which was a good thing, I had the handle of the rake ready for insertion..

Let me adjust my tinfoil beret...

I woke yesterday, with my normal vigor!! How fantastic, it has certainly been a while. I think the second round of antibiotic must be doing the trick. The incessant coughing continues, but my energy level is back!

I managed to get the powerwasher together, the ladder and a broom to attack the front of the house. I managed to get about 75% of the exterior washed up front , before it clouded up. I did not want to mess with the power washer in the rain, so I put it up.

I grabbed my rake, and garden funnel and weeded and cleaned out one of the LARGE flower beds up front. 6 bags of leaves. I then had to weed the corner part of the lot.

So I am busy as a bee, PN in tow, she is picking all of my hyacyinth, phlox, and daffodils...

And then, the "trusty neighbor" comes over to tell me. It appears, he had nothing better to do with his day than watch me.....

"it is sure taking you a long time to get done."

"you'd better hurry, it is supposed to rain."

"when you pull weeds, do not forget the roots"

"you ought to get some weed and feed and spray."

seriously...

He stood there lecturing me. First off folks, I promise I can pull weeds, spent my life pulling weeds, I am out almost weekly pulling weeds.

I seriously stood there with my mouth hanging open.

First off, half the reason I have any weeds, is because none of my neighbors have a lawn. Seriously. We have worked our asses off to have a lawn.

So this helpful neighbor seriously stood there, with his yard full of weeds, dirty house, giving me helpful tips.

I seriously could not believe it....

I just looked at him, and said "dude, you have got to have the biggest balls ever"

seriously.

*note to neighbor* do not come into my yard again.

Please....

(BTW, I managed to get a little bit of paint done in the exterior entry way, I think I like the color)

Monday, March 17, 2008

shhhhh......

Do not tell the germ fairies I am feeling a teeny bit better.

Seriously, every single time they find out, I am back in the crapper.

In moving news. A truck load of crap has been moved out of our home.

Ahhhh...I can almost see the floor of the garage.

I also managed to clean out some of my paperwork. I keep all manuals, to every thing I buy. There were manuals to things that we no longer own. I am trying to gather all manuals for the new homeowners.

My closet is almost cleaned out.

OK, if the weather holds up, which it appears it will not, I am going to try and pressure wash the house, and windows up front.

Last couple of weeks that prject has been foiled by rain, snow, and illness.

Our only REAL Easter stuff is done and behind us. We have two Easter Egg hunts to attend to this weekend. The Collective have new Easter clothes, for the day, and of course Spring photos, which I do every year.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

eggs anyone?




Now we have to eat them.....

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Easter is coming!


Fun Easter ideas, egg decorating tips, and crafts!

We are going to try marbelizing, rubber band, and leaf print eggs this year!!

Here are the directions for marbelized eggs.

Marbleized Easter Eggs How-To
1. Prepare a dye bath in a small heatproof mixing bowl: Mix 1 teaspoon of vinegar and 20 drops of food coloring (use more to intensify color) with 1 cup of hot water. Add an egg, and submerge it until it turns the desired hue. Remove egg; let dry, about 15 minutes.

2. In a shallow, wide bowl, prepare another batch of dye in a darker or different shade; this will provide the swirls. The liquid should be 1/2 inch deep. Add about 1 tablespoon olive oil (you may need more depending on the size of the container). Run a fork through this mixture, creating swirls of oil on the surface. Place the dyed egg in the marbleizing mixture, and roll it once around the bowl to pick up the oil streaks; remove, and blot gently with a paper towel. Let dry, 30 minutes.

3. Try various color combinations. Vary the base tints and the swirls to achieve contrasts both striking and subtle.

Happy Belated blogversary to me....

According to my archives...it has been a few days over 3 years since I started this thing...

Huh, who would have thought?

Friday, March 14, 2008

Must watch of the week...

Tonight I returned home to find a message in my e-mail box. It was from my friend AFW.


Sgt. Stube is on Glen Beck.....

You can watch it here.

Grab the kleenex, as the story is amazing.

Sgt. Stube says, "it is worth it".

Thank you Stube family.

I am going to try and find the entire clip...you must see

Trip to the Dr.....

I had an appointment this morning, as soon as I could get there. A follow up chest x-ray shows I still have fluid in bilateral lobes.....

nice...pneumonia remains. Which explains why I feel like shit.

also the weird spot remains. the Dr's guess it is probably an old lung injury, from possible aspiration, or even a car accident. They are scheduling a CT scan. It is a spot that has not changed in size and has been noted since last year.

Ok... first off I am healthy, I eat very well, I exercise, I take good care of my body. I take vitamins, I consume little in the way of processed foods. We RARELY eat out. I monitor what we put in our bodies.

I also have allergies, and live in a state/city in which allergies do effect me longer, due to rain, and mold, pollen etc....My children both have allergies, despite being nursed for 15 months almost exclusively.

I probably got some virus, either the Collective brought home, or I managed to catch myself after watching all ages of children in the nursery...

and then I got another virus.

the virus's causing inflammation, fluid, mix that with allergies...

yada yada....

No one is unhappier about it than I. I am fairly strong willed, and can usually frighten a cold off with "my attitude" about sickness.

After all I am a nurse, and frankly we are some of the most horrid patients I know....

Obama's church....



I blogged about it before, and I will do it again...

you can visit Trinity United's website here


Looks like Obama is all about "unity".

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Family Date night, we can't wait to see

I am a dork

I have tried to unplug this week...

Seriously. I have spent more time in bed, watching ridiculous television. Looks like I have not been missing anything, and this Spitzer thing....$4,300 for a chick off of myspace? Oh and involving yourself with prostitution rings, even though you have made a career out of busting them. Also funding your dirty little habit in ways that you know would alert the authorities. Cucku indeed. Oh and Spitzer does not officially resign until Monday? So he has the entire weekend to hook up with more girls from myspace, on taxpayer dollars....pure freaking genius.

Today we managed to take boxes after boxes, and furniture we have tired of, an old Zenith television, vases, old toys, art, movies, books, you name it...a truck load of things donated to The Arc. They were supposed to pick the stuff up and never made it. So we cleared it out of the garage. Ahhhhhh.....it was actually freeing getting rid of things that we do not enjoy, or are tired of owning.....

Several people owe me a call currently.

drives me nuts to have to call people more than 2 times


ahhhh....

Tomorrow, we are trying to go through some more things.

Today it was 77 degrees, almost hot...

I need to get this house painting done, however the fix it guy, keeps putting me off......we are going to have a serious chat tomorrow.

A serious CHAT.



The weather has indeed been a factor, rain, snow, and now 77 degrees.

The cough, and hack....still persists. Despite rest. I see the Dr. in the morning.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

What about the milblogging conference?

A sneak peak from milblogging.com...

Andi of SpouseBUZZ has released some information to me about this year’s Milblog Conference. While this isn’t a formal announcement, I’m sure it’ll answer some of the questions many of you have until all the details have been finalized.

When and Where?

This year’s Milblog Conference will be joining with Blog World Expo and will take place in Las Vegas in September.

Official Conference Website?

There won’t be an official Milblog Conference blog for 2008. Milblogging.com will serve as the website for all related news and information.

Conference Panels?

There will be four panels.

Panel 1 - Are MilBlogs Still Relevant?

In the wake of a successful military surge in Iraq, waning media attention and an election year, are Milblogs as relevant to the national conversation on war as they once were?

Panel 2 - The Hidden Heroes.

Fighting and winning battles on the home front. How Milblogging gives a voice to those left behind, and how that voice is effectively used to support an entire military community.

Panel 3 - The New Cadre of War Reporters.

Reporting from inside the Green Zone is not an option for this gritty band of milbloggers who are armed with technology that allows them to report directly from the battlefield.

Panel 4 - TBA

I promised Andi I wouldn’t make the fourth panel public until I get the ok. It could be about anything. Personally, I’m hoping for ninjas. I heard they can fight skillfully with any object. I’d really like to see what a Ninja could do with a Milbloggie. Balance it on their head. Split 10 Milbloggies stacked together like bricks with one single chop. Shoot one across the room like a throwing star if someone in the audience starts nodding off.

The possibilities are endless.

The most important thing you can watch today...

I have been lucky enough to meet Robert Stokley, and his grace is amazing...

a reminder to all of us, that our Soldiers and their families need continued support.

A thank you to the Robert Stokley family, and the Gold Star Families, and those who have gone in courage....

Watch here..

We will not forget...

The Young Ones...SICK

I need to locate my box set...

rest is good...

I spent most of the yesterday doing NOTHING. I also slept more than normal. This morning I already feel better. Amazing what rest can do. Seriously.


I did manage to go to the bank, and fill out some paperwork, I also managed to go through some bills. I took The Collective to school, and Mothers Day Out. I watched absolute garbage on tv. And spent most of the day in jammies.

I already feel better.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Coughing up my ovaries and other such nonsense....

Between my "illness" and packing I know you are tired of my same old song and dance...

I know, but whatever, one cannot be entertaining all of the time..

For starters, this "crud" that has had me down, the diagnosis of pneumonia and bronchitis, in which I was on antibiotics...

yeah...whatever it is is still clinging on to my body. Crap. No time, No time...

No time to feel like piss, or look like it.

Whatever.

DH arrived here Sunday late night, he is currently here for work, taking classes. I seriously thought I was feeling better, and I got the smack down again. For the 3rd time.

Great.

It is like climbing one of those rock walls at this point. I almost pull myself out of it, and then wham....find myself at the bottom. AGAIN.

I called my Dr. today. I will go in this week Friday (to be precise) to get a follow up chest x-ray, and a CBC.

The last time I was in to see dear Dr. , he informed me of an area on my right mid lobe of my lung. Probably nothing, it was there last year when I had pneumonia. It has not changed. And it could be anything. Scar tissue, anomaly, just about anything. So frankly I left with my antenna lifted, but I was not freaking out.

However, today after feeling like shite, yeah that made me a little nervous. Probably for nothing, but I am going to say here, I am all for being overly cautious. I have seen to much illness and death, and I do not want to be part of it.

Like I said probably nothing, but I will ask for prayers, which seem selfish. But prayers never hurt. I also hate to cause concern and worry where none is needed. But once again...

Mr. Dr. currently thinks I have some insane virus that is an ass kicker and has hospitalized all kinds of people down here. He thinks, stress has probably made it worse.

I hope he is right....

I really just want to be my old energetic self.

The power of the panties

SWG, and his clever commentary on the force that is Tom Jones....

Uhhhh...you think your family is crazy?

I found this comforting this morning.


AFW, proves again that being sandwiched is entertaining!

Monday, March 10, 2008

Literally

Sir Rowland has been skipping AWANA on Sunday nights.

He has all of his verses memorized, books of The New and Old Testament. He is now bored. And hence they are having a little difficulty keeping him occupied...So instead of sending him, and he and I being overwhelmeed with "what are we gonna do with him?" he has been spending Sunday nights with me. He has been lovely.

He does not go to socialize, like his Sister. He is task orientated. He told me, points, and candy are not "his thing"..."learning is".

Last night, I decided we would go to the grocery store and get some of our shopping done.

Upon checking out, SRR noticed the name tag of our bagger. Below his name it was written..."hello, I am new, I am learning"

SR cracked up and said to the scruffy 17 year old....

"You cannot be that new, you are growing a beard."

He seriously makes me laugh....

Blog Birthday

....my Momma tuns 4

Go over and wish her well...

Who else would tolerate a trip to Arkansas only to wind up at a dilapidated wax museum?

Sunday, March 09, 2008

Position of the Week

Bakasana...

I love this pose, not only because it forces you to move inside yourself, to locate your center of gravity, I love this pose, because it makes me feel confident.

-caution: Do not try and hop into pose, a common problem, tip yourself into it.




Crow pose or Bakasana

Benefits

* Strengthens arms and wrists
* Stretches the upper back
* Strengthens the abdominal muscles
* Opens the groins
* Tones the abdominal organs

Anatomical Focus

* Wrists

► ▼

Courage

Woman earns Silver Star in Afghan war

By FISNIK ABRASHI, Associated Press Writer 2 hours, 29 minutes ago

CAMP SALERNO, Afghanistan - A 19-year-old medic from Texas will become the first woman in Afghanistan and only the second female soldier since World War II to receive the Silver Star, the nation's third-highest medal for valor.
ADVERTISEMENT

Army Spc. Monica Lin Brown saved the lives of fellow soldiers after a roadside bomb tore through a convoy of Humvees in the eastern Paktia province in April 2007, the military said.

After the explosion, which wounded five soldiers in her unit, Brown ran through insurgent gunfire and used her body to shield wounded comrades as mortars fell less than 100 yards away, the military said.

"I did not really think about anything except for getting the guys to a safer location and getting them taken care of and getting them out of there," Brown told The Associated Press on Saturday at a U.S. base in the eastern province of Khost.

Brown, of Lake Jackson, Texas, is scheduled to receive the Silver Star later this month. She was part of a four-vehicle convoy patrolling near Jani Kheil in the eastern province of Paktia on April 25, 2007, when a bomb struck one of the Humvees.

"We stopped the convoy. I opened up my door and grabbed my aid bag," Brown said.

She started running toward the burning vehicle as insurgents opened fire. All five wounded soldiers had scrambled out.

"I assessed the patients to see how bad they were. We tried to move them to a safer location because we were still receiving incoming fire," Brown said.

Pentagon policy prohibits women from serving in front-line combat roles — in the infantry, armor or artillery, for example. But the nature of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, with no real front lines, has seen women soldiers take part in close-quarters combat more than previous conflicts.

Four Army nurses in World War II were the first women to receive the Silver Star, though three nurses serving in World War I were awarded the medal posthumously last year, according to the Army's Web site.

Brown, of the 4th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, said ammunition going off inside the burning Humvee was sending shrapnel in all directions. She said they were sitting in a dangerous spot.

"So we dragged them for 100 or 200 meters, got them away from the Humvee a little bit," she said. "I was in a kind of a robot-mode, did not think about much but getting the guys taken care of."

For Brown, who knew all five wounded soldiers, it became a race to get them all to a safer location. Eventually, they moved the wounded some 500 yards away and treated them on site before putting them on a helicopter for evacuation.

"I did not really have time to be scared," Brown said. "Running back to the vehicle, I was nervous (since) I did not know how badly the guys were injured. That was scary."

The military said Brown's "bravery, unselfish actions and medical aid rendered under fire saved the lives of her comrades and represents the finest traditions of heroism in combat."

Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester, of Nashville, Tenn., received the Silver Star in 2005 for gallantry during an insurgent ambush on a convoy in Iraq. Two men from her unit, the 617th Military Police Company of Richmond, Ky., also received the Silver Star for their roles in the same action.

Why?

A wonderful acoustic cover of Annie Lennox's why......

Grey Gardens...

Once again I am going to discuss some sort of memory/media item. My Husband likes to call it "media baby". We are from one of the first latch key generations, some of us are from a generation of single working parents, and television provided some of our generation with a lot of company. Seems as though at times I find myself having strange attachments to songs I hear, or movies I have seen.

In todays brain file, I have been needing levity...

And I was lying in bed last night listening to Rufus Wainwright sing



And although I love the sound of Rufus Wainwright's voice, he is really an obvious talent.


I saw the documentary Grey Gardens, in about 1978-1979, on public television. At the age of 8 or 9 I doubt if I immediately knew that Grey Gardens was a documentary. I am doubting at that age I knew what a documentary was...until Grey Gardens.

I am unsure where in the film I figured out that these WERE REAL PEOPLE, but I did. Truth is indeed stranger than fiction, and at the age of 8 or 9, one can discern the difference.

For those of you unfamiliar with Grey Gardens....

here is the Wikipedia breakdown.

Grey Gardens is a 1975 documentary film by the direction/cinematography/editing team of Albert and David Maysles, Susan Froemke, Ellen Hovde, and Muffie Meyer. The film depicts the everyday lives of two women who lived at Grey Gardens, a decrepit 28-room mansion at 3 West End Avenue in the wealthy Georgica Pond neighborhood of East Hampton, New York.

Edith "Big Edie" Ewing Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edith "Little Edie" Bouvier Beale were the aunt and first cousin of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. The two women lived together at Grey Gardens in squalor and almost total isolation.

In the Fall of 1971 and throughout 1972, their living conditions were exposed as the result of an article in the National Enquirer and a cover story in New York magazine after a series of inspections (which the Beales classified as "raids") by the Suffolk County Health Department.

Grey Gardens was purchased in 1923 by Phelan and Edith Bouvier Beale, aunt and uncle of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The Beales occupied the house for over 50 years.

The house itself, a traditional shingled cottage of 14 rooms and 3 bathrooms, was designed by Joseph Greenleaf Thorpe in 1897 and completed several years later. The grey color of the dunes, the hue of the cement garden walls, and the sea mist gave the garden its color and the house its name. With the Beale women facing eviction and the razing of their home, Jacqueline Onassis and her sister, Lee Radziwill, provided the necessary funds to stabilize and repair the dilapidated house so that it would meet Village codes in the Summer of 1972.





I think I will see if I can get this in my Netflix.

Saturday, March 08, 2008

The creepiness that is Obamamania...

I saw this at Trying to Grok....

and it is creepy...

indeed.

The Collective....


The Police are coming to Omaha...

I was really excited to see this.

And then I saw the ticket prices. $2,000.

Holy Crap.



That is just silly.

Seriously.

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Huh?

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

The 2 inches, that lasted for 2 hours...


Spent

PN and I have just returned from Lowes and Walmart. We were trying to find some storage containers, which we could not locate. I also had to pick some exterior paint, a pesky towel bar, and TP holder.

I have decided on a shade called gaucho for the outside.

Today is library day. The snow is already gone.

In fact it was gone by the time PN returned from MDO yesterday. We managed to have a loverly snowball fight. The snow was perfect for that. Icy enough to creat hard balls of ice to wing at folks. Do not worry, I spared the children. I, on the other hand did not receive the same consideration.

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

confessions of a person moving....

Dear readers, the tops of my kitchen cupboards were GROSS yesterday. They really were, if ANYONE would have seen them I would have crawled in a hole. Gross.

Also, please no one show up while my house is in this torn up. Very unrelaxing to be around boxes, cleaning supplies, ick.

I would be embarassed for anyone to see my house in its current state.

I am purging now.

I am collecting EVERYTHING we have not used in a year, and am donating it. What a relief that is. I have been haning on to some truly worthless items. How many glass candle holders does one house need? How many depression era vases do I need? Seriously? Unless it is a family heirloom, or is usefull it is OUT OF HERE. I currently have about 7 boxes of things to donate to ARC. (My first choice was DAV, but there is not one here in town.) I will gladly take the deduction.

Do I really need VHS of Planet of the Apes? I think not.

Do I really need a bowl with a hairline crack in it?

Do I really need a vinyl tablecloth which has never been used?

Odd stuff I am finding around.

closing....

7:14: phone call

school starts at 10:00am for SR
----


7:30 phone call

school on for PN
--------


7:45 phonecall

school closed for SR


OYE,

that leaves one here, and one out!

At least there is no refereeing.

until 2'ish

Arkansas National Guard Soldiers.....

CAMP SHELBY, Miss. — Fourteen Arkansas members of the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team were injured late Monday night when their barracks collapsed during high winds at their training facility in Mississippi. All were taken to a hospital, treated and released, according to a release from the public affairs office for the brigade.
Camp Shelby barracks damage
Fourteen Arkansas National Guard soldiers were injured when high winds damaged a barracks at Camp Shelby where they were training.


The soldiers, primarily from the 39th's 1st Battalion, 153rd Infantry units based in Mena, DeQueen and Sheridan, suffered mostly minor cuts and bruises. One soldier had more serious injuries, which were not life-threatening, according to the statement.

About 11 p.m. Monday night, an unconfirmed tornado passed through Camp Shelby, according to the release. The building's roof was partially removed allowing the rest to collapse.

Soldiers, including the battalion's physician assistant, medics and combat lifesavers, responded from other barracks to assist, the release said.

The injured where taken to local hospitals, and families of the injured have been notified, according to the release.

Soldiers from the 39th Brigade are stationed at the camp Shelby training facility near Hattisburg, Miss. They are expected to have a farewell ceremony on Thursday and leave for Iraq later in the month.

Hilarious!

I woke this morning, and opened the back door blinds.

HA.

We have snow. And not a dusting. There is actual accumulation.

HA.

No school, no Mothers Day out, is my guess.

And it keeps coming down.

There are no snow trucks, plows, or chemical trucks. The ground is slushy, so far no ice I can see.

This morning the local news interviewed a tow truck operator, because he had pulled one car out of the ditch. One car.Please remember we had 73 degree temps 2 days ago, and it will be 60 tomorrow.

Monday, March 03, 2008

Foiled...

It is raining...

No powerwashing today.

Sunday, March 02, 2008

Sunday

Richard Owen Roberts was a guest speaker at church today...

A very educational and moving Sunday.

The 1904 Welsh Revival was discussed at length.


Spring IS here

Forsythia is blooming, robins are out, birds are singing, and it was a balmy 58 degrees this am.

I am on the back forty raking. 4 bags down 180 to go.....Sticks picked up 300. The neighbors large tree is dying and I am picking up branches that are bigger than the Collective. Darn tree.

And there are still leaves (dead) on the trees.

Roof repair guy coming today! I have a small spot that needs fixing.

Plan for the week...

Power washing the house, picking paint, and painting the front exterior!!

Chapter 5...

Last night as I lie in bed, sniffling and blowing, and dabbing my watery eyes (Spring is here, as is allergy season), I stared to think about our new beginnings.

I could see the last 17 years divided into very distinct chapters.

Wow, 17 years.

It has been a lot of work, hard work.

We have been patient and hard working.

But frankly I will tell you, I never thought it would take 17 years to get from point A to our current place.

Saturday, March 01, 2008

One of the best movie scenes evah

help wanted just not yet...

My Father called last. He got some crazy idea in his head about coming down next week to paint the interior of my house...

Mind you I am still packing.

And I have a plan in place.

DH told me he is just growing anxious about our arrival.

That plan does not include anyone helping until I get things parred down here. I do not want to pack things I no longer need or want only to sort them later. I also do not want others going through our stuff. Not that there is anything unusual about it. It just really is mine, and I do not like people in my mess, my stuff. When I declined his offer he seemed hurt.

My Dad is also freaking out about our potential home...the inflation since 1967 scares my practical Father who was a blue collar worker for most of his life. He worked at the same factory for I think 43 years. He cannot believe the insane pricing, because he bought his first home for $8,500, and he is shocked at the current home prices. I get my VERY frugal nature from both parents, so I understand his worry, but I also reminded him how practical I am. I am the daughter that refused to have large wedding and went to a local church and got married, because my DH and I think weddings are one of the largest misappropriations of funds for a newly married couple. I am practical.



However, I am doing fine, I am no longer panicked. I have a plan.

Oye...

I also want the exterior things on the house repaired, so when I show the home I do not have to caveat every sentence with "oh that? Yeah I am going to fix it". I want the house to be turn key for the buyer...

I had a great opportunity the other day proposed by a family friend. They wanted the home "as is"...no fixing, no repairs just me cleaning and moving out. So I told the absolute lowest price I would take....which was quite a deal for both of us...I wasted an entire day on the the phone with attorneys, title companies, and then prepared the house to show, moved packed boxes into the garage and declutterred the kitchen, only to have them not show up. UGHHHH...

The deal sunk, because it was out of the price range they wanted. I think they wanted the offer a substantial amount less. They are newly married.

It was financially impossible for me to do so.

So after putting the fix it things on hold, I had to resume projects. My fix it guy is probably adjusting his prices to my apperent change of plans on a whim now. oye...

In good news, the only thing left on the inside is replacing toilet paper holders, and a towel bar in each of the bathrooms. the one in mine is just cheap, and SR hung from the other one and broke it.

That is it, other than painting.

YEAH!!!!

attn 25 year olds

enjoy looking young in the morning when you do not get enough sleep, or when you are stressed....