Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Another 3 weeks to dry...

I went in today to pick out the flooring and the carpet, and they came out to check on the prep work that needs to be done on the underlayment. It seems the floor is still not dry! Another three weeks at the least, and they will have to tear up the underlayment on the bedrooms too. (ugh!)

Meanwhile, I am painting every day until I cant take the pain any more, then I stop. Tonight it was only a 1/2 a wall. I am trying to repaint the FIreplace Wall, I added some Yellow to the Terracotta paint that is on it already, (only 1/2 way of course) ANd it took 3 coats to cover up the old color, but it is much nicer! SO TOmorrow I will have to try and wedge my fat ass between the qwoodstove and the wall to paint the alcove, and then on to the bookcase wall.

Then The Ceiling will need to be done, and the Living room will be ready for flooring. THis will probably take me at least a week just to get the walls done and another week to get the ceiling done. I am so surprised that the shoulder is not sore, but my back is terribly sore. ANd today walking through the Navy Exchange, my left leg gave out on me and I almost fell. If you can have a root canal on a tooth and it is fine, why cant you have a root canal on a sciatic nerve? Or a discectomy? (is there such a thing?)

Microsoft offered a special deal for military personnel, and offered a special package of Microsoft office 2003 for only 49.99! SO I went in to get one for my laptop as I have no word processor on it other than notes, and I need it. I get home, get it opened and find out that I have Windows ME NOT windows 2000! ARRGGHHH!!
So Now I have this software that I cant use, and no money to buy windows 2000 or XP!! if ME stands for Millenium Edition, and 2000 is the new millenium, why dont they work?

I looked for an upgrade on line, and could not find one!

Hey Herman, I will TRY to write a nice spring like post this coming weekend! Spring in the Pacific North West is gorgeous! And I will post MY tulip pictures too.

Anyone close enough to get here, I will cook if you paint...Anji! If you come over and paint, I PROMISE I wont make you spill the paint!! ;) Thanks for the offers guys!!! I'll get there, but first you have to listen to me grumble!! I do that very well!!!

Monday, May 29, 2006

Im Tired!

Well I have finished painting the kitchen. Two trips into the paint store to get the right color and I end up mixing the color myself. I wanted a granny smith apple green, and the first color was too dark, and the 2nd color was too light and the mixing the two was too blue, so I added some yellow left over from the living room, and Voila!! granny smith green!! I left the cabinets oak for right now, but soon they will go under cover too I think. I would like White enamel, Which I think would look really great with the green. We shall see. I still need to get the ceilings painted in the kitchen and the great room before the floors get put in. Unfortunately I cant raise my arm over my shoulder for very long and I have a huge ceiling to paint. I am going to try and get the kitchen ceiling done tonight, and then stop until tomorrow. I have the paint for the utility room and the hall bathroom, but those can be done after the ceilings are all painted.

DOnna brought Bill's big honking Dodge over on Saturday and we took two loads to the dump and one load to the thrift shop. She took home the old gas BBQ, only needs new gas tank and hook ups. Her husband will be thrilled. Next thing is hoping that the sun shimes tomorrow so I can get the yard mowed. It has rained every day since Mothers Day!! THe rain has been great for the roses though! Everyone of them is just busting with buds, and the first sunny day is gonna be something. My WIsteria is putting out thousands of huge blooms, and in the middle of the night they waft the most delicious sweet scent into the bedroom.

Let me now go try to paint the ceiling in the kitchen, if I cant get very far tonight, I will go take a hot shower and wash my hair and get on it again tomorrow. If I goop mineral ice on my shoulder tonight maybe I can get about a rooms worth done tomorrow...ANybody wanna come help? THe house is a wreck, but I know good jokes!! I can watch you paint while I make you laugh!!

Aw well...

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Honoring our war dead...



In 1865 a town reserved this day as a way to remember their soldiers who died during the Civil War. Later, The Congress approved the honoring of ALL war dead, and thus it became a day to stop and remember the freedoms we have and the cost of keeping those freedoms. It is not a day to honor all the troops, It is not a day to support the Presdient, It is not a day that signifies the beginning of summer. It is a day, set aside to honor our War dead!

When the Congress decided in the early 70's (the actual year escapes me) to make Memorial Day the last Monday in May, it cheapened the day. Retailers threw a party and said WHOOPEE!! Everyone is off today, let's have a big sale!! The American public said YES!!!! a three day weekend, where should we go camping? And a very few said Today I need to go to the Cemetery and visit my SOn/Husband/Father/wife/mother/daughter who died in battle.

I think we need to move this day back to it's original day MAy 30, and keep it there. No 3 day weekend, no major sales, no big BBQ's, just a day to stop and remember that today we have the freedom to speak our minds, worship the way we choose, and live our lives the way we want to. We need to stop and remember all those who have died in keeping our Nation Free.


When I was young, I lived right on the edge of an extinct volcano, in Hawaii, named PunchBowl. It had been designated as a National Cemetery, and only Veterens were buried there. On Memorial Day when we would ride our bikes up the road to the entrance, the whole crater was full of crosses and flags, all lined up in rows, Thousands and thousands of them. I remember walking among the dead and thinking that they had died a long time ago, when in reality it had not even been 20 years since the World War began and they were killed.

Maybe it is because I am getting older, maybe it is because I have time to sit and think now, and maybe it is because my entire life has been in and around a military base, and all of it's troops. But I dont think that we do enough to honor our fallen heroes!

Today, on your way to your family BBQ, or the local 3 day sale, stop by a cemetery and look at all the flags that have been placed on the graves of Our war dead. It is really sobering to see. Stop and say a quiet thank you to the first veteren you see. Stop and remember them. We may not have our freedom forever if we forget at what cost it came to us.

update...EDT I corrected the .... ahem... goof. I also fixed others that I found. I have a wonky little finger that does not release the shift button when it is supposed to, and I end up capitalizing TWO letters in a word. I also have a screwy virus checker that pops up and stops all typing while it checks. Since I look at the keys and not the monitor I dont always catch it. So when you see something that doesnt make sense, that is what happened.

Friday, May 26, 2006

A different perspective...




Things always look better after a storm!! I debated about whining on line, but I just had to. Unfortunately my entire family reads me, so they got the brunt of the whine. I did not mean for that to happen. I was just venting,

Donna called and is coming tomorrow with Bills truck to take the crap to the dump and the other crap to the thrift store. Which meant I had to cancel my date tonight and get the two piles of crapola ready to go. I was filthy when done, but I did get the garage cleaned out, and the yard junk all in a pile.

I got all of the rugs washed, and it looks like I only lost one of the runners, but I can mend it and still use it on the new floors. I had forgotten they were wet and laying in the back yard, and they stunk to high heaven!! They are now neatly folded on a chair with a cat on top of them!

I still need to scrub the garage floor, but that can wait. The Drive way is full of junk.

Now I can concentrate on painting the ceilings and the walls before the floors go down.

Floors-plus called and I have an appointment with them either Tuesday or Wednesday next week to pick out colors and styles. AHHHHHH I am starting to breathe again.

The Kitchen was a fluorescent green (kiwi green) and I only painted one wall, but I had to change the color, because I was afraid I would grow tired of it. I LOVE color, I just have NO sense of style AT ALL!! :)

the yard will just have to wait until the rest of this is done. I am not too worried about that anyway. Grass grows. It will die back in October!

I thank all of you for your kind words during my melt down. I don't often do this, but when I do.....Whew! And which one of you is signing in as "anonymous?" Just curious.

I even did not go visit the Errant son today!! Shame on me. I needed to get this done first, He isn't going anywhere...At least not for a while...

I thank GOD for my daughter. She is a sweetie!! I guess she was just the impetus I needed to get motivated. Thank You Donna. (Wiggles!!!)

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Caution! Whine ahead!!! Serious WHINE!!!

Every body has a breaking point, And I think I have reached mine. I am terribly overwhelmed right now. Tim, Flood, Playhouse, Mess, Yard, PAinting, and extra animals.

I have so much to do and no one to help me get it done! I am always around when others need help, but there is no one here for ME! Donna and Bill did come up on Mothers Day to mow the yard, and it looked really nice. It is now time to get it done again, and it is POURING! You can actually sit and WATCH it grow.

Bob is mowing like crazy up at the cememtery, trying to get it all ready for Memorial Day so he cant help.

TIm is in jail and will probably be there for the next 2 years, so HE cant help. Not that he would anyway.

Phyllis is really busy with her job and her life, so SHE cant help.

Mike works, and is as sore as I am so HE cant help.

That leaves little old ME!

some news yesterday that absolutely melted me down! I cried all the way in to visit Tim. Just boo-hooed out of the blue.

All of these things when taken individually would usually be enough to melt down the average woman, but I am usually really strong. I just want to crawl into a hole and pull the lid shut over my head...

"quit your whining Mary Lou...get your fat ass out of that office and get busy!! You have a garage to clean up so you can start hauling things into it!"

Ok, Whine over...at least you know why I have been so quiet!! Im here, really. And I will be fine...I hope.

Monday, May 22, 2006

Terror in the trees...





We have Ravens, BIG Ravens, some call them crows, and even though they are from the Corvid family, they are RAVENS. Northwest Indian Lore is full of Ravens. Some think they are reincarnations of dead ancestors. Some think they bring bad luck. Whatever the history, Ravens are a very interesting bird.

They caw at everything and can be very irritating. They flock to a roost tree at night, and I have one about 1/10 of a mile through the woods. I can see them flying to it at dusk.

The language they use is unique to the area that they are raised in. Just like Humans, they have their own dialect. I did not know that until I was stationed on Adak Island in the Aleutions. The Ravens there spoke a much different language than the ravens down here. I was amazed at how different they sounded. Even their Caws were a different pitch.

Yesterday Afternoon, I was sitting here in the office and I heard a ruckus right over the fence. It sounded like a mama robin screaming at her baby to get up off the ground and fly!! It kept on and on and I assumed there was a cat next door stalking a bird. Soon a Raven flew by cawing and perched in the alders and cawed and cawed and cawed. This was a "get out of here" type of Caw, so I decided I would go see what I could find.

Lola was chipping loudly too, and I just KNEW Jupiter next door was loose. I stood on the high ground on my tiptoes to see what I could find over the fence. Nothing, but Mr. Raven was sure raising hell over my head. I looked up, to find him, and looked right smack into the black eyes of a barred owl. I could just about reach up and touch him, but knew better.

Ravens will pick on any bird that they think will hurt them or their broods. It is not at all unusual to hear a racket, look up and see a flock of ravens and crows all chasing a Bald Eagle. They obviously pick on owls too, but since owls are nocturnal and Ravens are diurnal, you just don't see them that often. This particular Owl was out and about in the early afternoon, and clearly head his sights on a good warm lunch of Lola. Lola of course was not having any of this, and she was clinging tightly to the wisteria trunk, raising a ruckus which brought the Ravens and the Robins over to help shoo away the intruder.

this morning about 615, I head Raven racket again, and sat up and peaked over the window sill, just in time to see them chase the barred owl off the deck railing where he perches at night to decide which rat he wants for dinner.

Lola was just waking up as I could hear her in the woods, but she had not quite made it to the feeder yet. Mr. Raven succeeded in getting the owl to fly back over the house and off into where ever he is supposed to be during the day. It CLEARLY was not my backyard or the alders behind my house. Those belong to the Ravens and the Squirrels. Just Ask them. They will tell you.

Sunday, May 21, 2006

Spring green




At first glance this looks like a really green batch of freshly mown hay, but if you look VERY close, you will see tiny black dots sitting on the ground and on all of the fence posts.

These, are Adult Bald Eagles. There were 10 of them in this field, but my camera doesn't show them good enough. The farmer had just mown the field, and the eagles follow the farmer and gather their dinners while it is still warm. You see there are baby bunnies and baby coyotes, and baby cats and all sorts of mice and voles and rats that live in these fields. When Mr. Farmer takes his magic mowing machine down the rows of hay, Momma critter runs, but the babies get chopped up like hamburger. Eagles being the dirty scavengers that they are, take advantage of this action and eat the freshly killed offal while still warm. THe baby Eagles have not fledged yet, or there would be many more dark dots in this field. SOon the Eaglets will fly and they will take advange of the 2nd mowing, and the 2nd litter. But right now Mom and Dad Eagle bring them their dinner. Nature cleans up after itself right handily.

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Last Saturday...

Actually it was Friday come to think about it. I had just come from seeing The SHithead. and took the long way home, along the Keystone spit, and along the beach front and the ponds in Admirals Cove. I was on a mission, looking for baby ducks or geese, as n several bunches from the highway, and could not stop to take pictures. I knew the ponds would have some.

At the South end of the pond I finally found a pair of Mallards, but the geese were way up the pond yet. and no babies! :(



I drove up where I could pull out and honked at the geese and they came swimming up for a bite of anything. I waakwaakwaaked at them and they talked back. SO I walked down to the water to get their pictures and they came right up.

I heard off in the distance a faint peep peep peep getting louder and louder, and off in the middle of the lake was a dark spot coming towards the shore really fast, leaving a wake! I waaked again, and the Peep got louder and then I could make out the baby! only one baby in the big big pond, and no parents anywhere close.

I am assuming that since he is sooo little, that he just hatched and found his way to the water, and the rest of the brood was still in the process, and it had to bed Dad down at the South end.

This little baby swam right up to me and wanted me to take him home, I knew that I should not touch him, but Oh I so wanted to. He let me get his picture, and I let him get as close as he could with out getting out of the water. THe geese were not paying him any attention at all, but soon Mom and Dad Mallard swan up closer to see what all the fuss was about. He swam over to them, but they turned and swam away. Poor baby. I left him there peeping and swimming after the Mallards, assuming that soon he would be adopted or found one or the other.




It was so relaxing out there, the sun was warm, and the breeze was cool, just like I like it. Little did I know that 2 days later things would get really wet around my place. Little baby duck would have been able to swim in the living room!!!

Isn't he CUTE?

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Flood part deaux...or maybe its tres...

yesterday all of the insurnce people, and service master people came and went. THey tore out all the flooring, all the vinyl, and all the carpets, and the underlayment in the kitchen and the utility room. THen they crawled under the house and shooed away all the critters, and ripped out all of the insulation in the crawl space. Tomorrow they will put fans UNDER the house to dry up the puddles under there. It appears that the subfloor will survive, even though it is wet, The particle board under the carpets and the laminate did not howevert. Swelled up like a pregnant cat!

Today they came and ripped out the hall bathroom, toilet and all, which is now sitting right smack in the middle of my drive way. Classy place eh?

The carpet lady was out and measured everything, and said that they should have the tests of my old flooring and carpet back by Monday, and they would then know which products I should choose. I had them go ahead and measure my bedroom too, as that is the only room in the house left! And you all have heard the horror stories of my renters while I was stationed in Fallon, Nv. So if it does not cost too awful much, I will have it replaced too, otherwise I will just paint the Underlayment and seal it really good. It will really be nice once the work is all complete around the middle of June. (you gotta realize folks, we are not a dry part of the country, and the dehumidifiers are working overtime right here.) Once everything is thoroughly dry, they will replace the insulation, and the flooring and carpet.

I have the MOTHER of all Head aches right now, all caused from lack of sleep and stress. I went in to see TIm this afternoon, and he said I looked like HELL> He did not know what the Heck had happened. He was rightfully shocked!

I asked the service corp to hook the washer and dryer back up so I can get the wet towels and carprt washed and dried, but they forgot, so now I have to squeeze my FAT ASS between the wall and the dryer and lay on my side with my arms over my head to try and tape down the dryer vent. The retard that built this house must never have had to hook up one of those suckers. He was probably like my husband was, and everytime there was a move to be made, he had to pull duty, so I had to hook up and disconnect everything. He was usless with household chores.

If I get a good nights sleep tonight, and the service guys dont come back and start banging again, I will tell you about the cute duck tale!!

HAve a great day you all!! and send good vibes my way please!!

Monday, May 15, 2006

FLOOD!!!! OH SHIT!!!!

So yesterday, DOnna came over and mowed my yard, and her husband helped, and Bob and I watched. I cooked a turkey for dinner, and I got to clean up the kitchen!!

I was so tired, I went to bed right after WEST WING FINALE (PHHFFTTT) and was laying there reading when I heard a cat scream out in the back. I jumped out of bed to see which one had escaped, and was 1/2 way down the hall when I went SPLASH!!! WHA....?


water

I ran into 2 " of water in my livingroom. I have a pergo laminate floor and it should not have been wet!! My washer had popped the drain hose off the washer, and water was running everywhere in the front of my house. THe Kitchen, DIning room, Living room and bedroom was flooded!! I went into the utility room and saw that water was running out the back door too. I turned off the washer, and grabbed all the towels I could find. I spread them over the floor in clumps to form a dam, so it would not fgo to the back of the house and flood the office and Master bedroom. THANK GOD it did not go down the garage steps, that would have been an AWFUL MESS!


water

I called Bob and woke him up, and he came over to help me sploosh out the water. I borrowed a wet-vac from Lea next door, and that really helped. I guess I will have to save up for one of those wonder toys!! Been meaning to, just never thought Id need one!

SO from 1130 until 300 I was sweeping and throwing wet towels and water out the back door! My floor is buckling! I called State Farm right away last night, and they said to keep track of everything, which I am going to do as soon as I get this done.


water

I will have to replace all the laminate flooring, as water is under the floor and squishing up through the seams. THe rugs in the bedroom are going to have to come out, the pads will have to go, the linoleum in the kitchen and utility room is ruined, and I fell! HARD on my knees, and Bob had the audacity to laugh!

I called Phyllis this morning to tell her and she, being the Pollyana that she is says WOW< YOU GET A NEW FLOOR> THe people in my life love to laugh at me.

Seriously, I really did not get upset, for some strange reason. Usually I would be POSTAL! I am so sore from falling, bruised, and my back and knees are so sore, but I have to work through this, and get as much of the wetness out of the house before it starts to mildew. State Farm should be giving me a call shortly.

So If I am not on the net for awhile, you know where to find me, sweeping water, drying towels and replacing floors and oriental rugs. Thank GOD it isnt raining!


water

Saturday, May 13, 2006

Bigamist...

I was always a very shy, self conscious person. I spent my formative years overseas, in Hawaii and Guam, in the late 40’s and early 50’s. I was a very tall, blonde child, in a land of little brown skinned, black headed midgets. I would come home crying at times because I was so different. Being raised as a Navy Brat did not help matters any either, as Every 6 months to 2 years, we would change duty stations, which meant that I would have to change schools and make new friends AGAIN! It was a very hard life, always playing catch up from one school district to another. I never dated in school, and eventually gained weight, and hid behind my size, not knowing how to talk to members of the opposite sex. I graduated from High School, and stayed home for about a year, trying to lose weight and looking for a job that I could do, in a town with no business other than family owned ones.

A friend of mine from high school came over to the house and said we were going out to the dunes and meet sailors. I was aghast! I couldn’t put on a bathing suit, and go meet guys!! I was terrified! I went, and did not look all that bad after all. Linda was a bubbly never met a stranger type, and all she did was stand over our blanket in the sand and yell YOO HOO GUYS OVER HERE!! And the blanket was full of single sailors. I met a guy, and dated him for awhile, and he was the one who got me my first job at the Navy Exchange. Because of that job, I had to learn to talk to guys, as I was a line grill cook in the cafeteria. There was a club right through the folding curtain, and after 900 PM the club opened the curtains, and the two places became one. Dance and bar on one side and grill/cafeteria on the other. Guys would come over for a hamburger or a steak, and I had to learn to flirt and talk with them while I was fixing their order.

Linda would meet me after I closed the Grill, and we would change clothes and go over and dance and talk to the guys over on the bar side.

After a few months I met Chuck. He was 6’3” dark ruddy complexion, wide shoulders and narrow hips and just absolutely gorgeous. He was from Alabama and a year older than me. I fell head over heels in love with him, and fell for his Southern drawl and line hook line and sinker.



We dated for about 6 months, getting more and more serious as time went on, and then he got his orders to the USS Ranger stationed in Bremerton. I was so afraid he would go away and I would never see him again. During Thanksgiving that year, he asked me down to the ship for holiday dinner, and I was ecstatic! I was finally going to see and meet his friends. He had been on the ship since August and drove up every weekend to see me.

Needless to say I had fallen into the trap, and became pregnant. I told him that weekend that I was about 6 weeks along, and we set the date for our wedding.

We were married on December 30th 1966, and I was the happiest bride in the whole world. In March I quit my job on Whidbey and moved down to Bremerton, to start our life together.




I was sooo sick with the pregnancy, and unable to keep anything down. I slept all day, and worried that I was going to hurt the baby by not eating. The only thing I was able to keep down was cinnamon toast and tea. PERIOD! Chuck was not too happy about my illness, and kept telling me that I needed to get over it. I knew he was not happy, and felt trapped, but I blindly thought that all that would change once the baby was born. He seemed excited about the baby, and we went out and bought the crib and a few baby things.

In May, of 1967, the Ship was transferred back to it’s homeport of Alameda, Ca, and I was sent home to have the baby which was due on July 4th! I sent all the baby stuff in our household effects, and I only kept the few maternity outfits that I had.

Chuck drove me up to the Island, and left me with Mom and Dad, and drove his red thunderbird convertible away in a cloud of dust. I waited and waited for letters, and got nothing. The due date for the baby came and went, and the Dr was certain I should have delivered by then. I had pains off and one but they had stopped every time I thought it was time to go to the hospital.

Finally on August 12, I got a letter from Chuck. I was so relieved!! I had written him every single day, but only got the one letter. I walked across the field from the post office to the house, and read as I walked. My heart fell to my toes, as I read that he wanted a divorce. That he was never in love with me, and felt trapped. I cried for two days, and went into labor. I was in Labor for 3 days, and the Dr wanted to get hold of Chuck’s Commanding Officer and get his ass up her to be with me, but the ship was out on maneuvers.

They induced labor, and broke my water with bamboo skewers to get the baby to start down. With in 5 hours Donna Gayle was born.




She was the prettiest baby I had ever seen, and I could not wait to get her home and then call Chuck.

Chuck and I talked and we decided that we would give it a try, and once I was cleared for travel, he sent me an airline ticket and Donna and I left Whidbey for San Francisco. She was a darling little thing, all cute and doll like. And I was trying to present the best face too, I wore the suit I was married in, and had my hair all done up in a French twist. (when you flew in those days, you dressed UP!!)

I got to San Francisco, and walked off the plane into San Francisco International Airport, and there was NO ONE to meet me. I had the grand total of 20 dollars in my pocket, and a 6 week old baby and no husband! I was terrified!! I called my Mom, and she told me to call Red Cross, so I sat in the phone booth and bawled and bawled and bawled. A wonderful Big Security guard, found me and told me to find a hotel, and helped me find one close. And then he made sure I was ok, and then helped my call the red Cross.

They were absolutely no help at all, and told me to stay there in the hotel until they could find Chuck. Finally I called Mom again, and she called a friend of hers who came and picked me and Donna up, and took me home with them. We called the red cross again, to tell them where I was going to be. After a week, they called and told me that Chuck was out at sea and could not be reached. It turns out they were wrong, so When the Ranger pulled back into port, I was there to meet it, and We went aboard to talk to the CO. I finally found Chuck who had been in port the whole time, and he came back to Ruth’s house with us, and we talked. He got us an apartment and moved me in. He then left and never came back. SO I called the Household effects office to get our stuff delivered to my apartment, and was told that it had already been delivered several months ago to such and so address.

Ruth and I went to the address they gave me and the apartment was occupied by a woman who said she was Chuck’s wife too. WHAT? She and I both started crying, and she brought out her marriage license and showed me that she was legally married to him, but I had to tell her that No, Chuck and I had never gotten a divorce so I was married to him and she was not. I showed her my ID card, and she immediately called Chuck on the ship.

I tried to get him arrested, but the Alameda County Bunko squad said there was nothing they could do as the crime was committed in Nevada, and out of their jurisdiction. I went to the Chaplain on base who basically prayed us out of his office. SO I then went to the CO again who told me that the ship was getting ready to go take the Uss Forrestal’s place after her devastating fire, and all men were needed, so there was nothing he would do either.

Chuck called his mother who flew out from Alabama to see him and the baby, and she helped me get my stuff delivered to Whidbey and paid for my ticket back home. After a few weeks, I got my job back at the Navy Exchange, and filed for divorce. I was so hurt and angry at him that I swore I would never put myself in that position again. I worked three jobs in order to pay the bills, and Donna and I made it just fine for a few years until I met and married Jim. But that is another story for another time.

Chuck came up several times to see Donna, and then he disappeared again, no child support, no forwarding address, nothing. He stayed married, to the woman for a few years, and then last we heard he was on his 5th wife, and still had no children of his own other than Donna. She keeps in touch although not regularly, and he now lives in Guin, Alabama and is retired from the US Coast Guard. Nothing was done to punish him, and I learned a very valuable lesson. Depend on NO ONE but yourself! I worked long and hard, and made few friends, but I provided for my family, and raised two wonderful children.

Well, I did! What they did after I raised them, is not my fault!!

Friday, May 12, 2006

Friday Funnies

Should kids witness a birth? A true story:

It was late at night and Heidi, who was expecting her second child was home alone with her 3-year old daughter Katelyn. When Heidi started going into labor, she called "911." Due to a power outage at the time, only one paramedic responded to the call.
The house was very, very dark, so the paramedic asked Katelyn to hold a flashlight high over her mommy so he could see while he helped deliver the baby. Very diligently, Katelyn did as she was asked. Heidi pushed and pushed, and after a little while Connor was born.
The paramedic lifted him by his little feet and spanked him on his bottom. Connor began to cry. The paramedic then thanked Katelyn for her help and asked the wide-eyed 3-year old what she thought about what she had just witnessed.
Katelyn quickly responded, "He shouldn't have crawled in there in the first place. Smack him again!"


That is soooo cute!!! amazing what kids will come up with on their own!!
Still working on Bigamist story...but I was the REAL wife!! :)

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

It's your turn...



In doing my Blogwalk the past few days, I have noticed that either EVERYBODY is getting really tired of blogging, or they have not much to say. I on the otherhand, Have a LOT to say, and I am not tired of blogging. I have cut back a bit, because I can not get it all out on paper. I feel like it is blocked, right up there. I can think it, I can formulate it, I just can not get it typed!

My hands have been hurting really bad lately, so maybe my fingers are constipated. All the words that I want to type are all stuck in the joints of my hands, and can not make it out to the keyboard.

I was thinking that it maight be fun if you all told ME what you wanted to read about me or my life. Then I might be able to break the blockage and get it all out. I have plenty of white out, and I know how to use the delete key and the backspace key, so if I have an accident, I can clean it up.

So, if you would tell me what part of my life you want to know about, I will try to pick one and go with it, then the next one and so on until everyone has their requests answered.

I have:
Been overseas 3 times, all by Naval transport.
Been a minority in school
Been married to a bigamist. (yes, really)
Lived in the aleution islands
Lived on Islands most of my life

Been born into a Military family and have only been a civilian for about 7 years.
Worked for the US Government for 37 years
Always wanted to homestead in the wilderness.
Loved to sing…
Always been a big woman.
Been married twice.
Always loved animals.
Always been fiecrely independent
Always wanted to happily married and taken care of. (LOLOLOLOLOL)
Always loved science and nature

So you all now have plenty of subjects to pick. You can even pick my ancestors, politics,(although you may not agree) views on immigration, views on the war, views on drugs, (yeah RIGHT!!!)
Just about anything you want to know about. I do have censorship rights though. And I will not do anything illegal.

Whatcha wanna hear? Who’s gonna be FIRST??

I CANT HEAR YOU…….

Never bite the hand that feeds ya!



I have absolutely nothing to say about the picture, or the title, I just thought it was cute.

Tim talked with the COurt appointed lawyer today, and since he is pleading guilty to selling a controlled substance to an undercover agent, He is probably looking at 36 months in prison. His lawyer said that there are ways to get that sentence reduced, especially since Tim is well known and liked in the community. He is a hard worker, and he is a NICE man. Not really smart, but nice. ANd his lawyer said that he was the niceset drugie he had ever seen. Tim admited to me tonight that he has taken Meth, but not often. (I thought you could not take it recreationally, as it is so addicting) But what do I know, I am just a mom. I did raise him right though, and it was way after he left home that he got into drugs.

It still sits like a stone in my gut! My little baby boy that I worried over because he was so big and developmentally slow. and now he is 6'5" a grown man, and going to prison! SHIT!! It still hurts. It will really be bad when He leaves here and goes to where ever they are going to send him. Ah well, I will cross that bridge when We get to it.

OHMIGAWD!! There is a 100 year old man on Jay Leno that looks better than most 80 year olds do!! And he just read a poem he wrote, about false teeth and oral sex!!! LOLOLOLOLOLOL Men are all alike no matter what their age I guess. (and he just got married 5 years ago.) He is the world champion Table tennis player. 7 times!!!

I am cat sitting for tippy and Tyler again. DOttie will be gone for 5 weeks and I take care of her cats while she is gone. Talk about someone who looks good! She is 73, lives alone, still works at the Hallmark shop in the mall, drives, directed the Caine Mutiny COurt Martial, and smokes like a chimney! she is a wonder! I wish I was as limber and healthy as she is right now! ANyway, The cats are hiding in the garage, THey will be in there for about 3 days until Sadie quits barking at them when they head into the house. Then they will tkae over the place. Tippy likes to sit on the top of my tower and watch me blog. SHe is siamese and chirps like a bird! Normally siamese yowl really loud, but not tippy. Tyler is a black cat that Tippy adopted while they were in the shelter. He was just a kitten, and When DOttie went to adopt Tippy, she took Tyler too, and he is a hoot. RIght now he is too busy growling to be petted, but I will wake up with him in bed with me, purrring and drooling and making mudpies in my boob!

Sorry I have not got the frame of mind to write a good post, maybe tomorrow. maybe not. Too much on my mind to be creative. (worry worry worry worry)

THink I will go get lost in a book.

Monday, May 08, 2006

FUN!!

You Are Rain

You can be warm and sexy. Or cold and unwelcoming.
Either way, you slowly bring out the beauty around you.

You are best known for: your touch

Your dominant state: changing


I just LOVE these fun little tests...

I am in the middle of my blogwalk and found this over at RAINY DAY THOUGHTS. I'll be back!

Saturday, May 06, 2006

Yikes where did it go?

I cant believe it is very Early on Sunday morning and I have not posted since Wednesday! This week has just flown by. Visiting Errant son, trying to call lawyer for him (no Im not paying!) trying to get the yard all mowed before it rains again...(too late, it is poring as I type and I still have about 100 SF left to do.) Getting everything wrapped up for the show, and keeping my kitchen clean and my laundry done, and there ya go...Sunday already!

My desktop PC is ready to crash I think. Or my modem is. anyway it is getting really really cranky and telling me I have no more disk space on c...well I have almost 1GB left. I have over 60 left on D. And on my last computer I didnt even HAVE 1 GB total and it worked. THis one is partitioned, and I have 15 GB on C and 65 GB on D drive. so I moved all my documents and work to D and took all my pictures off and put them on CD's and I STILL dont have any space. When I go to defrag it tells me there isnt enough room to do it right. So now I have to save up enough to have my guru John, come fix it. There are applications on there that I never use, and I thought I uninstalled and deleted them but they are still there. He can fix that. I hope. And I do need a new modem, so it wont keep kicking me off everytime I am downloading a file. (bastard Dial up) I had my fairy godmother put my spring summer banner up but I gave her the wrong one, so now I have to find what I did with the RIGHT one and then sweet talk her into switiching it again for me. I can be such a pain I know!

I was going to post a picture of the grey squirrel hanging upside down on the suet feeder, but I am on my tummy in bed, using my laptop, and dont have that capability here.

I am so mad at the network Television people. This year is the first year in a decade or so that I actually sat down to watch tv, and I have certain showsw that I look forward to, and now the networks have moved them all over the place, so if I do find them, they are on opposite something else I watch. Or in the case of COMMANDER IN CHIEF, they cancelled it!! left us hanging and cancelled it! I wish I still got CBC! at least they were pretty consistent.

It has been really nice weather here this week, cool but nice and sunny. and cold at night. done to freezing a few nights. TOnight it is raining, and tomorrow it is sposed to still be, but then 9 days of sunshine. I shouold be able to get my yard in some semblance of order in that amount of time. It has really been rough on my back and knees. I have a power drive mower, but when you use it it goes so fast that It jerks my back and hurts, so i just use it in push mode, At least it is short enough that I can see Sadie again...FOR AWHILE THERE SHE WAS LOST IN THE WEEDS! (pardon the typos, but I cant get used to this tiny keyboard. My fingers are usweed to reaching for the letters and here on this one I have to watch it, cause I will hit control or home and mean to hit caps or enter, makes for weird reading.

Tonight I was sposed to go in and strike the show, but last night we ate chineses, and it has me sticking very close to the bathroom today. So I did not go in. I am now through. I have no other shows on my docket...(SNIFF) maybe something will show up soon, but I think not. The directors that were picked have their own staff, so unless someone backs out, I am going to be staying home and saving gas. I am going to miss it like crazy, but maybe I can get my scrapbooks done. I have plans to make one for Donna and one for Tim, and then of course mine, but Who knows when that will get done. Michelle, You need to send me your list of stuff, or your website, so I can see what you are selling. ( as if I could afford anything anyway.)

Tim still has no idea what is going to happen to him, he still has not seen his lawyer. He goes to court May 22, but does not know if that is sentenciing or what. He thinks he will get at least a year maybe 3 in prison. But he plans to see if he can plead it down. (?) If it is too far away, like Walla Walla or Monroe, I will only go see him once a month or so. It costs too much to drive that far for a 1 hour visit. He'll just have to deal with it. I know I will probably have to store his stuff in the garage, but that isnt much any more. He actually said yesterday that Mom I am 34, it is time I got on with the rest of my life, and did something with it." YA THINK? He is slow...I just hope I dont get his cat...Sandy will have to deal with that. Hey, do they have computer access in prison? Maybe we can get him to start a blog... THERE AIN'T NO CURE FOR STUPID...by Tim Yeah. That sounds pretty good. :)

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

On to other things...

Today is Wednesday isn't it? OOPS!!!!! Guess who I forgot to go visit!! shucks!!!
I really meant to, just plain forgot!! Well now I guess he knows how it feels. I am surprised he hasnt called collect to find out where I am...

I have been really busy...finished SHerry's afghan. this is a variation on a ripple afghan, which makes it really lacy and feminine. It was fun to make. So now I am on to Bill's. I was making a Mile A Minute Afghan pattern, but It was gonna be way too small, so I am on to a GREAT GRANNY square. Which is sorta like a granny square, but different. It'll go quick too.


Sherry's

I was sitting there crocheting this afternoon and a big black streak right behind a little brown streak went by the door and THUNKED right into the side of the house. I went out to see what it was, and the big black dog was heading North very fast, I looked to see what he had been chasing and in behind the rose bush was a small brown tabby looking all scardey cat like. He would have been a great model for a halloween cat. BIG hump on his back and his tail looked just like a bottle brush. He was growling and hissing and would not let me touch him. He jumped again, and tried to get in my livingroom window which does not open. He saw Chitters in the window and figured that had to be safe. poor little kitty!! His name is Jupiter and he lives next door and is not allowed out. I went out just a few minutes ago and he was still there all hidey like in the weeds. I went next door when his mommie came home and she came and he right to her. I'll bet he does not go out again for awhile. I am surprised he was not hurt running into the side of the house, and falling into the old stickery rose bush.

He was out one other time, and was trying to eat off the Hors d'ourve tray in the back yard. Tonight on the local news they were showing the humane shelter in Tacoma that was going to have to Euthanize 350 cats and kittens because there were too many of them and they cant find homes for them. OH GOD! I am soooo glad I dont live close to Tacoma. I am afraid I would have to go down and get the mama and 6 8 day- old kittens they had. I am a SUCKER for kittens. You all know that. They are my favorite thing in the whole wide world. I love them when they are still wet from afterbirth. THe kittens I raise are SPOILED kitties too.

THis weekend is the last showing of THE CAINE MUTINY COURT MARTIAL, and then I have nothing on my plate at the Playhouse. I dont know what I am gonna do with my time. I have done at LEAST 2 shows a year for 6 years! WAHHHHH!!!!

Maybe I'll just finish the stuff around my house. I could always learn how to make Pysanky eggs, as I just found out that my friend Barbara has the whole shee-bang and does them too. Nancy over at Kaymusings made mine and they are gorgeous!!!

TOnight is Amazing Race!! Whoot! gotta keep routing for the hippies!! they are so funny!!!