Lazy Days of Summer

It was in the upper 80's yesterday and not a breeze! My silly cat Elliott was being lazy in the camping chair here, and a few minutes later he got up and went to the bench and stretched out
Debbie couldn't stop laughing at him. I am getting used to his silly antics, but it is still worth taking pictures.
The Men in our Church decided to give the gals a "night out", so put on a dinner for us. They grilled hot dogs and burgers and had potato salad, tossed green salad, lemonade, and for dessert an assortment of pies.
They had us gals sit down and they served us our dinner!!

After the dinner we went to watch a slide show of a trip our Pastor made last Fall to India.

A man sent an email to the pastor in Burlington saying he found a t-shirt in a used clothing store and it had our CTK logo on it. Under the logo it had ctkonline.com He decided to look us up on the computer in a coffee shop, and found that he liked our message. He is a Christian in a very different world where Christianity is frowned upon. He wrote a great email describing how he has started having Church services following our website. Two pastors from CTK went to visit them and had quite an eye opening heart wrenching experience. They shared it with us last night, and it brought me to my knees seeing how they live and how much they love the Lord!
So much we take for granted!! Whew, we are some very very lucky people!!

You may be only one person in the world,
but you may also be the world to one person.

A Sunny Day

Today was lunch day. I went to get the two gals and take them by bus to the restaurant. It is so much easier that way. There is room for two wheelchairs on the bus, so they don't even have to get out of their chairs. The lift takes them up and the driver ties the chairs down and away we go!
Hannah was excited to get out of that dreary rest home!! I would be too. She was so hungry she ordered a bucket of seafood, a huge appetizer tray, rice and soup. The waitress thought she was sharing, but NO WAY JOSE'!! But she did end up getting a box to put it all in to take home with her for dinner tonight!
On the way home I was drinking in the beauty of the Island here. On top of the hill heading to my house you can see two Volcanos. The first one is Mount Rainier about 100 miles south of us, and the picture below is Mount Baker about 50 miles east.
I sure hope the secret does not get out about how beautiful this place is! Shhhhhhhhh!
Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Drive carefully.
It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.

Old Fashioned 4th of July at City Beach Park

A bunch of us from Church got together for an old Fashioned 4th of July picnic. There was a carnival and booths selling crafts. We got there at 1:00 just as the parade was over so I got a great parking spot!! My sister hates me because there is ALWAYS a spot to park right in front!! Whenever we go anywhere, I find a spot and she calls me a witch! or was that bitch? Hmmmmm.

The pretty gal on the right is Debbie. She has been a friend of mine for 22 years. She is the one that kept asking me to go to Church with her. She finally found a Church that suited me!! We have a ball in it! The gal on the left is her daughter. She is out of college and pursuing her career.

The park we had our picnic in is at City Beach in Oak Harbor, and has a big windmill that doesn't turn. it looks good though. It was fun today. The sun was shining but the wind started up and was cool. That is why we left at 4. Now it is raining and thunder is heard in the distance, not fireworks!!

I am home for the night and will sit with my police scanner and watch television and listen to the local booms of fireworks.
I pray everyone stays safe and has a great 4th!! My sister had a family barbecue but I had already committed to the picnic in Oak Harbor. Dang!!

Happy Day in Port Townsend!

This is Debbie looking HAPPY! It is a long weird story, but to shorten it, she moved out from her boyfriends house and moved in with me for a few months until she can get on her own two feet. She is a Certified Nurses Assistant, and is looking to be a visiting healthcare worker. Also she can do chores. Well a couple at Church has a house cleaning business and needs help with some of their clients, and has taken Debbie under their wings and given her a head start on her own business. She got a call Friday night to clean a beach cabin the next day. She went there Saturday morning early and cleaned the cabin for three hours. The people really liked her and hired her to clean the cabins and house for them year round. AND....the cabin she just cleaned is available after Labor Day to rent. She asked how much and they said a high amount. She said she couldn't pay that much, so they negotiated, and she gets it for a much much lower rent! She moves in Sptember 5th! She is ecstatic!! God is working in her life!!

So any way, Debbie, Cheryl and I went to Port Townsend on the noon ferry Saturday after her great news! The ferry is two miles from my house. The big building you see is the Manresa Castle. It has a ghost in it and has been featured on television and in books.

This is the spit as we approach Port Townsend. It is about a 40 minute ferry ride from Whidbey island. I would guess about 5 miles. We are fortunate to live in this area. We have water, mountains, cities, and country all within an hour or two to get there..

My friends just HAD to get my picture, so I will make them happy and post it! I just don't know how to crop it to make me look skinnier! As you can see, I am now at the age where I need to wear hats in the sun! Oh Lordy, I am looking so much like my Aunt Peggy!!

So this is Debbie and Cheryl on the deck of the Ferry on the way home. We had a great day laughing and buying things!! I love to spend money on frivolous things!
Tomorrow I go to Burlington to Costco!!
Have a great Monday!! I sure will. I have all this week off!!

Just think.....
In just two days, tomorrow will be yesterday.

Good Morning!!

This is the view from my Living Room window. My rose bushes have thrived well this Spring with all the cool wet weather we have had, then with the hot sun the past few days, they are HAPPY!

So am I!! I love roses, and have replaced a few bushes because they do not do well. I think the remaining bushes heard that they will be replaced if they don't make me happy!!

That's what I did with my husband.....I replaced him because he didn't make me happy!! I think the word got around because the guys sure aren't banging my door down!! HAHAHAHAHA
Ah well, with my work, my Church, my family and AA I am busy and happy!
I wish everyone could be happy. The world would be a much better place!!

I smile because I am your friend!
I laugh because there is nothing you can do about it.

Before marriage the men seem so macho and in charge.......

But after marriage we know who wears the pants in the family!!!!

I got this in an email today and thought it was hilarious!!

It was HOT today!! Upper 80's. For here it is unbearable because nobody owns air conditioners in their houses. I Think I will invest in one before long as the Summers are getting hotter and my tolerance is getting shorter! Tommorrow will be hot again and Monday in the 90's!! YIKES!!! This is before the 4th of July??? Unheard of in thse parts. I'm afraid of what August and september will bring!!
Hope everyone stays cool!!

Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician.

Well I came home tonight and dinner was made for me and for dessert I get a weight watchers 1 point lemon cake for my AA birthday!
How good can this get?

"I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance."
Maya Angelou

Well I have been B-U-S-Y the past few days.
I won't get into details, but a friend of mine from Church found herself needing a place to live. A friend of hers has an old camper tht fits on a truck out in the woods, and she had been staying there for three nights. No electricty, water or toilet. I told her if she helped me clean out my spare room, that she could stay there until she could get on her feet. We looked at the room and I think we both were thinking that it might not happen soon. A bunch of us helped her move her things from her apartment and put it in a storage unit on Saturday. After Church on Sunday I went home and looked at my room and started moving things around, tossing out boxes, rearranging things, and called the manager of the storage units and asked how much a small unit would cost. She said $17.50 for a 5x5. I have a big work table I got from a store close out, and it is 4 1/2 feet wide, and I have boxes of stained glass materials. So I paid for two months and decided to store it away until I can find someone that can use it or sell it.
In two hours the room was cleaned out except for my two walls of shelves. There is room for her queen size bed and a dresser. I opened about a third of the closet for her. Now she has a safe warm place to stay that has electricity and running water and a flushing toilet.
I told her she can stay here until she finds enough work to support herself and save some money to move in a new apartment. She said it might be a few months, but I said that is ok. We both talked about setting boundaries and to talk things out if things were bothering us. And my number one rule.....let me know where you are and about when you will return. I like to know if I should just go to bed or wait up for her. It is just courtesy for each person in a household to let each other know what the other is doing.
Tonight Brian and Chris came over and brought a cousin Tabitha and Brians sister Paula. They are getting so tall! Chris will be about 6'5" when he is through growing. I think he is about 5'10" now and he is only 12! Brian is about 5'5" and 11 years old. The girls are 14 & 15. We were sitting here and talking and Brian was cutting up and we all laughed until we cried (or peed our pants).
We were asking how many kids are in his family and he said they have a younger sister and maybe a brother on the way. We all looked at him with questioning eyes and he said "Well I can hear mom at night..." then he shut up and we all burst into laughter!
Well I am getting tired and ready for bed.
GOD is good!

"I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life."

Oh yeah, it is nineteen years ago today that I took my last drink!
The longest day of the year....Happy Summer Solstice!!

Happy Fathers Day!

I miss my Daddy!
We had a simple life growing up, we weren't rich by any means, but we were a happy family.
My father was a jokester and always had us laughing.
He never abused us kids (but I sure got my spankings when needed).
He was my hero.
I love you dad, and miss you terribly!
If any of you have a father or mother alive, hug them and tell them you love them.
You might not have the opportunity again.

Last night was Birthday night at my 'Bluebox' AA meeting.
We meet in the recreation room of the Southern Baptist Church and we keep all our supplies in a big blue cupboard so that is why we call ourselves the Blue box group.
I got my nineteen year chip last night. I took a friend from Church with me who has as many years sober. I was roasted by alot of the people there that have been there about as long as me. Two were people from work. One had called me last year asking for help and he has been goin for 8 months now. It was rather humbling to hear everyone talk about me like they did. I have alot of friends and support in AA. I also have alot of friends and support in Church. I am so very very blessed to have found sobriety when I did. I cannot imagine what my life would be like if I did not take that turn in the road 19 years ago! I'd be dead by now I'm sure!
God had other plans for me that is for sure, and I feel Him working in my life!!

This morning a friend from Church called me in desperation. She is moving from her boyfriend. They have been together three years but not married. She did not like living like that so decided it was marriage or bye bye. Sometimes we get the answer we don't want. She has been living in the woods in an old camper for two nights and I didn't like the situation so I cleaned out my spare room somewhat and told her she could stay here until she could get on her feet and save enough money to get her own place. I have been planning on cleaning out that room for years, and got the push today! She can put her queen size bed in there after I get rid of my stained glass supplies. I haven't touched them in years so it is time to let someone use it that wants it. Well maybe I'll put it all in a storage unit until I decide what I want to do with it. I think the storage unit is about $19.00 a month, so it is reasonable before I make a rash decision and give it all away. I haven't touched the stuff in about 10 years, but I can guarantee you if I give it away I will all of a sudden want to make all this 'stuff'!
I hope everyone has a great Fathers Day!

"I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one."

Thursday yuckies

This is a closeup of the big volunteer poppy in my back yard. It is so pretty.
I am home from work today with some kind of bug. I have a slight fever and sore throat and cannot get enough sleep. So back to bed I am going!

Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.

Hump day tomorrow!

I was out in my backyard yesterday pulling some weeds that have found a way to grow on top of my gravel!! Behind one of my Lavender plants is this beautiful double oriental poppy! I have never planted poppies, so some bird flew by and deposited the seeds!! I just hope the druggies down the street don't find them and pick the pods for opium!!

Well speaking of drugs, this is my catnip plant that I planted a few weeks ago. I have to put a cage around it to keep the cats out!
<Well speaking of druggies, here they are acting like nothing is going on. just walking around the yard sniffing rocks! Yeah, right!!

Well lookie here, what do we have in the catnip?? Looks like some cat decided to make a nest in the plant!! Yep!! That rascal Elliott!! I'm sure Punkin talked him into it! I could not sleep last night so I got up around 4:00 and went to sit at my computer, and I sat right on that cat! Now I am not small, so you'd think he'd howl!! Nope, I didn't even wake him up!! I jumped up and turned to pick him up and he was all limp!! I thought oh no, I killed him!! I shook him and his head was lolling around, then all of a sudden he blinked his eyes and looked at me and said "Yowl" then he started purring! The danged cat was high on Catnip!!
Sheesh, and here I couldn't sleep!! Maybe tonight I'll make me some catnip tea before bed!! I'll let you know how it works.

Police in Oakland CA spent two hours attempting to subdue a gunman who had barricaded himself inside his home. After firing ten tear gas canisters, officers discovered that the man was standing beside them in the police line shouting, "Please come out and give yourself up!" WHAAA????

Disaster planning

My job can be very exciting at times. One of the fun parts of my job is to visit Paratransit applicants.
When someone signs up for Paratransit here in Island County I read the application, assess the disability then visit them to interview them personally. During the interview process I am still assessing them and question them about their disability.
Sometimes I just need to travel train them. Teaching people to ride the regular fixed route gives them the freedom to ride the bus at any time. On Paratransit you need to call in at least the day ahead to reserve a seat. Some people live too far from our 3/4 mile corridor to ride the bus, and some live right across the street from the bus stop. Those are the ones I travel train. I love meeting the different people and seeing where they live.
The other day I was driving to one house and noticed this sign in front of their driveway. I see these signs all the time and think nothing of them, but I saw it the other day and thought of so many people that live inland from a coast and have no idea what the sign means. It means literally: Get the heck outa here if you feel a strong earthquake or if the radio warns of a Tsunami approaching!!
Some people live right on a beach here and even though we live in Puget Sound away from the open Ocean, we can get Tsunami's after a strong earthquake.

We all have our disasters to plan for. There are tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, or whatever weather zooms in on us. I say zoom because no matter how hard we plan, we are always taken by surprise!
Everyone needs to plan for disasters. Now they are talking about the upcoming avian flu epidemic. If or when it hits, it can be very devastating to the world. I am hearing that 40% of the work force could be out at one time. The flu will kill alot of people and our supplies will be taxed as there won't be many people to deliver them. Here I go again, preaching to people to have a plan!
Plan on being able to take care of yourself for at least a week. I plan on a month. Actually I could probably survive three months or more with the supplies I have in my house.
If you don't know what to plan for, or what supplies to keep visit the FEMA site the Center for Disease Control site or the RED CROSS site.
I keep water, food and clothing close to grab and take with me in case of an evacuation. Actually I just reminded myself to check my van at work. I replenish the food and water supply every year. I have granola bars or the like, and individual water bottles, a blanket, a candle and lighter, flashlights, spare undies (instead of throwing away the old ones, put them in the emergency pack) (clean, of course). And some packets of waterless wipe ups. Of course I have a first aid kit in each vehicle. Now with the threat of an Avian flu epidemic, I also have some disposable face masks, rubber gloves and Vionex wipes. Ya just never know! I just pray I will never need them!!
And don't forget your pets!! They depend on you to take care of them!!

Now please go check your supplies and see if any needs to be replaced!
Hurricane season is sneaking in on us!

God didn’t put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list.
He’s more interested in what I am than what I do.
That’s why we’re called human beings, not human doings.

Good grief, Punkin! My what a long tongue you have! It's amazing how a cat's tongue can stretch while they are cleaning themselves. Punkin's fur is as soft as a rabbitt's, and she is constantly cleaning herself....all but her butt! She can't reach it! HAHAHAHA She doesn't eat much, but she is a roly poly cat.
My friend Chris came over tonight to see me and all he did was play with the laser light with Elliott, and pet Punkin! It is raining today and the kids are bored. One more week of school and Summer begins. I'd better stock up on popsicles!!

I find the news of al-Zarqawi rather disturbing. It saddens me. I don't mourn his death, no way! He was an evil vile monster, but I just feel like the worst is yet to come. This feeling of impending doom seems to grab my heart. I hope it is just the rainy gloomy day.

Tomorrow is Friday and I am looking forward to it!! The training I have been doing is coming to a close and I need to concentrate and fine tune the new route before July 10th. Maybe in September I can take some time off and go somewhere!!

I am overdue, that is for sure! Heck, maybe I'll jump on the Alaska Ferry again and go see the inside passage! Let's see now, I can catch the ferry Malaspina on Tuesday Sept 19 6:oopm, and ride up through Ketchican, Wrangell, Petersburg, Sitka, Juneau, Haines & finally Skagway. I'd then leave Skagway and go back to Haines on Sat 23, at 9:45am, and deboard and stay there until Mon the 25th and board the Columbia at 10:30pm and go to Juneau arriving Tue the 26th at 6:45am. Id then stay in Juneau until Thu the 28th at 1:15pm then catch the Matanuska and ride down through Sitka then to Petersburg arriving Friday the 29th at 1:30pm. I'd stay there until sun the 1st at 3:30am and catch the Malaspina and ride through Wrangell, Ketchican, and finally back to Bellingham on Tue 3rd at 8:00am! All that would cost $734.00 just to ride the ferry, not counting the food. I'd sleep up on the deck under the solarium on the deck chairs in my sleeping bag. Well this was only dreaming, but it sure gave me something fun to do for an hour!
What are you doing this Summer?

"I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow."

CTK Women's Retreat 2006!

I left Friday afternoon around 3:00 to picked up my friends Deb, Alisa, Linda & Diane. Now mind you, I have a Mazda MPV that seats 7 people and a little storage in the back. I told everyone to pack lightly. I guess I should have listened to myself! After I packed my stuff in the back of the car I took up half the storage space. I had to call one gal to tell her she better drive herself as we won't have room for her. I then picked up Deb, and she took up the rest of the back. Hmmm, this is going to be interesting! I then picked up Alisa and she didn't have too much, so we crammed her stuff in then picked up Linda. By the time we got all her stuff in we were on our way. We only had about 20 miles to go to Quaker Cove.

We checked in and were assigned our cabins. Ummmmm, the first cabin was two rooms and was a log framed shack. There were four bunkbeds in the first room and 6 bunk beds in the second room with a pot bellied woodstove in the center. This looks like a place that belongs in Skagway Alaska at the turn of the century with the gold rush going on. Deb, Alisa and another friend Carol stayed in this cabin.
We climbed up the hill to our cabin. It was alot better! There was a kitchenette and a flushing toilet in there!! Two small bedrooms downstairs (I had one by myself because I have an APNEA machine and need to be separated, which made me VERY grateful that I have sleep apnea) and 4 other gals were in the other room, then upstairs there were bunkbeds that slept 10. My sister-in-law Sherri met us there and she slept upstairs along with Linda and Diane.

The retreat was a success!
It was a bit too rustic however, This is the first Chapel I have seen with a port-a-potty outside! Well I guess it is better outside than inside, huh?


The speaker was dynamic and very enthusiastic which kept our attention! She spoke Friday night then we sang some praise songs then went to our cabins for junk food. Lights out was to be at 10:00 but we stayed up laughing out loud until at least midnight. We got up at 8:00 and went to breakfast and then to the Chapel. The Chapel was across the street and we had to go under the road in a tunnel to get there. We sang more songs and had a service then went to lunch then had a three hour free time. I did not get much sleep that night as I had a queen mattress on top of a double box springs, so I was sleeping in a slant and had to hold on most of the night. I woke up at 4:00 with the worst charlie horse ever, and almost screamed out loud in agony but realized I would frighten the entire camp, as it was like the setting of one of those horror movie murder scenes with a maniac wearing a hocky mask running around swinging an axe! HAHAHAHA dang, maybe I should have!!! HAHAHAHA
I guess I should tell you the entire camp is built on a hill, so we go up about 40 steps from the parking lot to the dining hall, then out and up to the first cabin, then up another hill to our cabin hence, the charlie horse.
Any way, about half of the gals went canoeing, and I took a nap like old women do.
We had dinner at 5:00 (they fed us quite well)!! After dinner we went back over to the Chapel for about two hours and again the speaker was dynamic!!
We then broke for the night and half the gals sat around a campfire, and the rest came to my cabin for facials and pedicures!! Nice!!


Sunday morning we had breakfast at 8:00 then cleaned the cabins and packed the cars and went to the Chapel again. It was raining today so everything started to get muddy with pine needles. My car is a mess! We sang some more, prayed and again the speaker was great. We ended the session at noon and went to lunch, then at 2:00 we came home. By the time I dropped everybody off and got home it was 3:30.
Would I do this again? You BETCHA!! It was very inspiring and we all bonded.

God loves everyone, but probably prefers
"fruits of the spirit" over "religious nuts!"

FRIDAY!!

Ah, Tomorrow is Friday, and that means I will get off work a little early and pack my car and head out for two days and two nights!!
I am going to a Women's Church retreat !!
I have never ever been to anything like this in my life! If someone told me 19 years ago that I would be divorced, sober, attending AA meetings and working for a transit company training people to drive a 35 foot bus for 19 years and playing the Conga drum in my Church, taking Disciple lessons, involved in three Bible studies and looking forward to going to a Women's Church Retreat for two days and two nights, I would've slit my throat! But you know what?
I am LOVING it!!
I asked my little friend Chris to come feed my cats and empty the catbox Saturday and Sunday. There is NO WAY I'd ask Mary Lou to come do it after I couldn't help her paint her house or mow her yard. Nope, no way. Although she would do it without a word. She is good for that. She is always here when we need some help, and I feel bad that I was working 12 hour days and couldn't help her when she needed me!
So as usual, you will not hear from me for a few days. I will be away from phones, television, cell phones and computers!
NANNER NANNER, NANNER!!

God Himself does not propose
to judge a man until he is dead. So why should you?

I had a great relaxing weekend with my kitties. Well Monday anyway. I was busy Saturday and Sunday but today I decided to do NOTHING! I have another two busy weeks ahead of me so I needed to just sleep in and relax today. I did.
My sister wanted me to come over and BBQ hamburgers, but I really didn't feel like doing anything at all. Well she tried to make me feel guilty (this is what she does best, just ask her daughter) hehehe but it didn't work. I felt bad for a while but not long. Sorry Mary Lou!
I woke up at 7:30 and went back to sleep and got up at 10:00. I fed the cats and made my bed and sat down and did some crocheting. I needed something at the store so I had to put my bra on, dangit! I came home and lay down on my bed to read and woke up two hours later. I sat down to do more crocheting and the phone rang, and it was over on the table. Thinking it was mary Lou, I grunted and dropped the stuff that was on my lap and picked up the phone noticing it was 'out of area', so I yelled HELLO! a guy on the other end said Mr. Brett? Now that really pissed me off! I am WOMAN! I have a low voice and people call me sir on the phone all the time! I yelled WHO IS THIS?? I heard a stammer a stutter and a wimper and a click. HEHEHEHEHE I think I intimidated a telemarketer!! So what, my space was invaded and I didn't feel like being nice at that moment. Hmmm, maybe I better take another nap after that, it drained my energy!
Happy Monday!!

"Sometimes I think war is God's way of teaching us geography."
--Paul Rodriguez

Memorial Day is this Monday.

People get excited about a three day weekend, and hot dogs and potato salad, camping and all sorts of fun with family and friends. But let's not forget the real reason for this day:

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

I have a tear in my heart for all those who have given their lives for our Country.

Most of them very young men (& women) who have gone to war for our freedom!
I am very very thankful for them and appreciate my freedom.
Let's not forget there is still a war going on and still have people dying.

God protect our troops and bring them home safely!

My heart goes out to the families that have lost a loved one in any war!
I can only imagine the horror of recieving the horrible news!

Another Saturday on Whidbey!

I called my sister at 9:30 this morning and asked if she wanted to go shopping. I just wanted to go to Costco and another shop then home. She had a migraine and really didn't want to go, but I talked her into it. I told her it was probably withdrawal from caffeine as she hasn't had coffee for a few days because her kitchen is torn apart. We stopped at a coffee shop on the way to Mount Vernon and a few miles down the road she said her headache was lessening. It must've been the coffee.
We shopped for an hour and a half...well let me re-phrase that, I shopped for an hour and a half. She was outside waiting for me for a half an hour.

We were driving and she was talking about her dog Sadie. She was telling me that Sadie was barking at the squirrells, "YIP YIP YIP YIP" but the coyote bark is more "Grrrrryap grrrrryap grrrryap" but she can tell if there is a cat around too, it is "yipyap yipyap yipyap" I turned and looked at her in a weird way and she stopped her yipping, and I said "Oh, Mary Lou, you must get out more often and mix with humans more"!! We laughed 'til we cried on that one.

OH!!! Then there was lunch! I missed the turn off to the place we wanted to go, so we stopped at the Casino to have lunch. I ordered prime rib dip, and she ordered a seafood Louie (salad for all you Easterners). She took her first bite then yelped and had tears in her eyes. I asked what happened, and she cried
"I bit the G--Dam--d sore in my G--Dam--d mouth"!! Ohhhhh, kay!
A few bites later I heard her cussing again and looked over. She dribbled ranch dressing on her boob. I went on eating and heard her cuss again. I looked over and she was wiping dressing off her blouse again! We giggled after that and continued eating. I looked over and saw she had dribbled ranch on her blouse again, but there was now way in hell that I was going to tell her!! NOPE not ME!! Well she went to wipe her mouth and rubbed her blouse while doing that, and felt the wetness of the ranch. My eyes about popped out of my head waiting for the eruption. She started to cuss again and I was so nervous I started giggling then we both broke into hysterical laughter. The waitress came over to see what was so fun at our table, and we just said "Oh nothing"!! Mary Lou's salad wasn't good at all but my prime rib dip was great! And I didn't get a spot on me! Which is a miracle in it's own.

We got home and she drove away and I was unloading my car when the phone rang. All I could hear was her saying get your camera and get over to Wanamaker road now! I grabbed my camera and took off. I got there and she was gone already but I saw about 6 Eagles sitting in the field where they had just mowed. The Eagles were just sitting there looking for baby rabbitts or field mice. I took a few photos and drove off, and a mile away I saw about 6 more Eagles sitting in another just mowed field. One flew off and landed in a tree by the intersection and I drove over to follow it. I turned down the road and a few minutes later a gal walked towards my car. I recognized her as the caretaker that took care of my friend Stu Corey that just died. I told her I was heading for Church in Oak Harbor if she wanted to go. She looked at me and said 'yes". Later in Church she looked over at me and said "you know, I was walking and talking with God and asked Him to hit me in the head, and then I saw you drive up, then you asked me to go to Church". She has come to our Church a few times with Stu, but that was it. I think I was used as a piece of the puzzle from God! What a great feeling that is!
Well I must get ready for bed as it is 11:00 pm already! Yes, I sure make use of every minute in the day!! And enjoy every minute!!

"Why does Sea World have a seafood restaurant??
I'm halfway through my fish burger and I realize, Oh my God . . . I could be eating a slow learner." --Lynda Montgomery

Elliott has no class at all!
I haven't posted since Monday night, so I thought I'd better do SOMETHING!
Well I have nothing to say. I have been super busy at work and I come home pooped and brain dead. So I think I'll share this cute joke email I got today:

The new Supermarket near our house has an automatic mister to keep the produce fresh.
Just before it goes on, you hear the sound of a thunderstorm.

When you approach the milk cases, you hear cows mooing.

When you approach the egg case, you hear hens cackle.

So far I have been too afraid to go down the toilet paper aisle.

Have a great weekend!!

When I die, I want to die like my grandfather - - who died
peacefully in his sleep.
Not screaming like all the passengers in his car."
--Author Unknown

Monday Night

Whew, I had a close call tonight. I had to go to a meeting in a lady's house about the beautification of a small town around here and they wanted our input from transit about our bus stops.
The lady was a sweet little thing from England. My boss and I sat down at her dining room table then PLOP, right in front of my face, not 6 inches from my nose she was pouring a big glass of white wine!! I started to push it away and say no, but she pushed it right back and poured. The whiff hit my nostrils and my mouth started salivating! The little devil on my shoulder yelled "TAKE IT!!" the little angel jumped off my other shoulder and punched out the devil and pushed the wine glass away, then lay against it wiping his eyebrows! I said nicely, NO, I can't drink wine, I'm driving. She then asked if I wanted anything else, but I said no. there were two other ladies besides my boss and I, and they all sipped on their wine goblets for an hour! And they weren't even full!! GEEZE, at least fill the danged glass FULL!!
They would take a sip and then chatter and talk, then eat a cookie, then pick up the glass and put it to their mouth then stop and talk some more then put the wine up to their mouths again and talk. Then maybe, just maybe take a little sip to wet their lips and then put the glass down.
All during this time I wasn't hearing a danged thing they were talking about. There was a dialogue going on in my head. I just wanted to yell at the top of my lungs, "WILL YA DRINK THE DAMNED WINE AND QUIT TEASING YOURSELVES!!?? Then I wanted to grab a goblet and gulp it down and say "Here, like this"! Then grab the other goblets and drink them, then sit down and belch. Then continue on the conversation like nothing happened. But instead I just sat there and agreed with them and offered my side and listened to my boss and nibbled on a cookie then smile and nod again.
Whew! There are times like this that are really close calls. In 36 days I will have 19 continuous years of sobriety. Yikes, that seems a lifetime ago, but it is a daily struggle. Many many days go by that I don't think about it, but then there are days that I would just love to drink a really strong glass of schnapps or something to take away the tight knots in my shoulders and back.
I just got out of a hot bath and it relaxed me a bit. I need a two week vacation, that is for sure!
Maybe in a month or so.
G'nite all!

"The problem with the designated driver program, it's not a desirable job, but if you ever get sucked into doing it, have fun with it. At the end of the night, drop them off at the wrong house." --Jeff Foxworthy

Mothers day

Well this is a rotten picture, but it shows that I gave Hannah a corsage and took her to lunch in Mount Vernon. We went to the Skgit Brewery. Six of us old recovering drunks going to a brewery for lunch! It was good though, and Hannah had a ball! It is hard being stuck in a nursing home day after day and not getting outside to see the sights. The bus picked us up and took us into Mount Vernon and back about 35 miles miles each way, so she had a ball! Going over the bridge and seeing the water, seeing Mount Baker in her glory. (It was a sunny day)!
Her son left a few days ago, and she was starving for good food! He starves her and nags at her to lose weight. Good grief, she is 90 years old. LET HER EAT fer Chrissakes!

When the lunch arrived I asked her to pose for a picture to show her son what she is eating now that he is gone! See that big sandwich arthur? See all that coleslaw with mayonnaise? HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE And she ate ALL of it, and then ordered a triple layered carrot cake and licked the plate, SO THERE!!! Boy am I busted if he reads my blog!! hehehe

I miss my mom.
She was my friend and drinking buddy when I was drinking.
She was talented, and artistic.
I miss calling her.
I miss asking her how to make a certain stitch in crocheting.
I hate that she died way too young!
I wish I could've convinced her to go to AA with me. She would've loved it.
But....she died and I accept that. She believed in Jesus, and I think she couldn't wait to leave this depressing world and go to heaven!
I hate that she was depressed!
I miss calling her and asking for a certain recipe!
I love her.
I miss my mom.
To all of you that still have your moms, CALL her! Tell her you love her. Tell her what she means to you. Let her know that she mattered to you!
My mom wasn't perfect, and God knows that she made a few mistakes, but she loved us kids. Thank you mom for being who you were, for being there for me whenever I needed you, for raising me to be who I am!
I love you!

Friday night

Ahhh, I love Fridays. I had a long busy week at work and today was a welcome sight!
I got off work at 4:00 and came home and took a nap, got up and had a tamale then went to my AA meeting.
The topic tonight was "Acceptance". Ah, acceptance! The Serenity Prayer is:
God, Grant me the Serenity
to Accept the things I cannot change
the courage to change the things I can
and the wisdom to know the difference.
It got me thinking, I have had a struggle accepting my health conditions and aging. I am not afraid of getting old, but I am afraid of not being able to do the things I enjoy as I get old. I drank my entire life up until I was 38 years old. When I sobered up I saw the world with new eyes, and was all excited about the things I saw!
First of all I left my husband. We were not the happy couple I wanted to be so I got selfish and left. I joined the fire department, became an EMT and worked on the ambulance and bartended. I applied for a bus driver job and got it, then I quit bartending (pretty stupid to bartend and go to AA meetings).
I bought a camper and discovered the enjoyment of camping. I loved gardening, and fishing.
Well my health started going downhill and I had to quit doing alot of the things I loved. Gardening was one of them. I have alot of allergies, and everytime I went outside I got sick, so now I have a landscaped gravel/lava rock yard. MUCH BETTER!
I can now enjoy sitting in my back yard. ( I accepted my allergies, and changed that). I don't camp as much because I hurt alot. Big time hurt. I am not accepting that as I should, but I am learning what I can do and not do to avoid the pain. Now I am accepting the fact that I have Diabetes, and am trying hard to eat right and NOT go back on insulin! I was on insulin for about 4 years and gained an enormous amount of weight. I quit insulin a year ago March and am keeping it under control. So I am accepting the fact that I have to eat different to live.
Actually I find it a challenge but it is ok. I am making lemonade with the lemons being tossed at me!
Generally I am a happy person. I love to laugh, therefore I laugh at about everything. I even liked that stupid song "Don't Worry...Be Happy"!
I am not stomping my feet and crying about not being able to do this or not eat that, I am changing the things I do and finding different ways to cook!

I am accepting God's plan! I find it easier to live my life when I hand my life over to God every night and tell him 'His will be done'. When I lived my life under MY will, I screwed it up royally, so now it is His will. Whew! Thank you God, I can just pray that my friends and family can find half the happiness I feel inside!!
Have a great weekend!!

"My Mom said she learned how to swim when someone took
her out in the lake and threw her off the boat. I said,
'Mom, they weren't trying to teach you how to swim.'"
--Paula Poundstone

My sister was asking me if I knew of a good hairdresser that could give her a great look. She wants her hair highlighted and permed and cut. I just don't think highlights and perms go together. Last time I did that I got the fright wig from hell!!
But then she'd have to get it cut really short to have a style. Like a brillo pad maybe. Or this cute little Alpaca! Maybe it's his teeth that gives him the funny look? Any way, I love this picture!!
I am so glad it is Wednesday, actually by the time I get this done and go to bed it will be Thursday and then tomorrow will be Friday! Gee, see how fast time flies by?!

Advice for the day:
If you have a lot of tension and you get a headache, do what it says on the aspirin bottle:
"Take two aspirin" and "Keep away from children."
--Author Unknown

Monday coming...

Ah well the weekend is over and Monday is a wakeup away!!
Dang, but that went fast!
This picture of the rabbitt is so darned cute, I just had to post it! It came as an email with different photos.
Well yesterday was quite the day. I took Elliott to the Vet and the Vet told me it might be an allergy to his food and to change his food. I asked if it could be worms and he said not this time. He put Elliott on antibiotics, shaved the fur around his poopy butt, I paid the $58.00 and took the not so poopy cat home.
I get home in time for my small group meeting with my Church. Two gals showed up and when they were leaving one was petting Elliott and said, oooooh he has tape worms! Sure enough, a worm was crawling out his now shaved bare butt area!! Well the Vet was closed so I took a quick trip (2 gallons of $3.29 fuel)to Oak Harbor and got three ($15.00) worm pills!! So besides the Vet bill, add another $25.00 and that darling little character of a cat cost me $83.00 for his WORMS!! Gads, what a Saturday!
I washed my linens and blankets THREE times with HOT water just to make sure I got all that crap out! Washed me and my hair too!! We are clean today!!

Well I borrowed a smaller drum to carry with me so I can practice with that instead of lugging my big drum around. I am catching on, and I love it! The people in Church say they like it, so I am encouraged. We have been playing some old time gospel music with the other praise music, and that gets us all going! I love that stuff!! Very Inspirational!!
Well gotta get ready for another busy week ahead!
Hope everyone has a safe and great week!

NUMBER 1 THOUGHT FOR 2006 -
We know exactly where one cow with mad-cow disease is located among the millions and millions of cows in America...
but we haven't got a clue as to where thousands of illegal immigrants and terrorists are located.
Maybe we should put the Department of Agriculture in charge of immigration!

What a wake up!!

What a way to wake up in the morning. I usually wake up to Elliott draping across my face and purring me awake. Or if that doesn't work he leaps off the windowsill onto my stomach making me wake up to OOOOMMMPPPPFFF!
Today I woke up to a scratching noise on my bed. I looked down and Elliott was scratching the covers, then he was scooting. UH-OH!! I leaped out of bed and took a closer look and he had poop all over himself and it got on the bed!! Uurrp! Then the stench hit me! YIKES!!! I started gagging and trying to clean him up at the same time tearing the sheets off the bed trying not to get any on me or anywhere else. I couldn't stop my retching sensation, and whenever I gagged, I dribbled. So priority one: Go to the bathroom!! Then I went back and got a closer look and it was on the pillow next to me, and a strip on the sheets. He was scooting across the sheets!!! CRIPESAROONEY What the......?? I came into the living room and there was scoot marks all over the floor! THANK GOD I have laminate floors and not a rug! Although I'm sure the rug would work better for him to wipe his butt, the floors are so much easier to pour bleach on and clean it up!! Anyway, after about 15 minutes of pulling sheets off the bed, running to the washer, gagging, wiping up the floor, gagging, back to the bedroom and finding more, gagging. I finally got it all cleaned up and called the vet. I take him in to get a check up and more than likely a worm shot in half an hour!! GAG!!
I have the weakest stomach in the world!! It was rather interesting when I worked on the ambulance, but that is another chapter altogether!!
So, how is your morning??
Oh....I cancelled my trip to the mountains. No way will I leave him alone with poop butt!!

Blessed are the flexible.......
for they shall not be bent out of shape.

Yesterday during my lunch hour I went to the National Day of Prayer celebration at our Courthouse steps. Pastors from different Churches (mostly evangelical)said prayers. The Mayor (one of my classmates) said a speech, Judge Hancock (one of my classmates) played the bagpipes, and the Pastor from Community Bible Church in Coupeville here played the drums (like mine only he has two). Our Pastor Terry said the Benediction. It was a well put together celebration. The Methodist Church played the bells for a few minutes then followed by silence for personal praying time followed by the public prayer then singing.

I then went back to work.
Tomorrow I have a day of nothing, then I go to Leavenworth in the mountains for a two day conference and home late Tuesday.
Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone, and please, if you drink.....DON'T DRIVE!!
Thank you.

Good judgment comes from experience,
and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.