Four Things About Me

My sister sent me this via email so I decided to respond via blog and not pass it on. Answer if you want to .

Things you may not have known about me.....(These are my sister's answers)
A) Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Housekeeper
2. grill cook
3. Forklift driver
4. Pump Island attendant
B.) Four movies l would watch over and over:
1. Sleepless in Seattle
2. You've got mail
3. Lawrence of Arabia
4. Out of Africa
C) Four places I have lived:
1. National City, Ca
2. Alameda, Ca
3. Adak, Ak
4. Aguana, Guam
D) Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. Amazing Race
2. CSI (ALL 3 of them.)
3. NCIS
4. Treasure Hunters
E) Four places I have been on vacation:
1. I have never been on a vacation.
2.
3.
4.
F) Websites I visit daily:
1. Critter Lover
2 Amazon.com
3. 50 different blogs
4. Blogger.com
G) Four of my favorite foods:
1. Spaghetti
2. Chicken Fried Steak
3. Lasagna
4. Pasta
H) Four places I would like to be right now:
1. On a cruise to Anywhere
2. Alaska
3. South Africa
4. Canada
I) Four friends I think will respond:
1. Phyllis
2. Leslie
3. Blogeois
4. Brenda

HERE ARE MY ANSWERS
A) Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Waitress
2. Bartender
3. Ambulance EMT
4. Transit Driver/trainer/manager
B.) Four movies l would watch over and over:
1. Notebook
2. Ghost
3. Snowdogs
4. Richard Simmons "Sweatin' to the oldies"
C) Four places I have lived:
1. Hawaii
2. Washington State
3. Guam
4. Connecticut
D) Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. ER
2. Third Watch (no longer on)
3. North of 60 (no longer on)
4. Trauma: Life in the ER
E) Four places I have been on vacation:
1. Southeast Alaska Ferry Cruise 1992
2. Edmonton, Alberta 1993
3. Southeast Alaska Ferry Cruise 1997
4. Vancouver Island
F) Websites I visit daily:
1. Earthquakes
2. My Blog of course
3. My sister's blog
4. Numerous other's blog's.
G) Four of my favorite foods:
1. Any kind of salad
2. Mexican food
3. Steak
4. Soups/Stews
H) Four places I would like to be right now:
1. Southeast Alaska
2. Banff Alberta
3. Anchorage
4. Anywhere Alaska
I) Four friends I think will respond:
1. Dunno
2.
3.
4.

WOW!!! For a really neat experience, visit this site.
It is a Hummingbird nest with eggs, and the progress as they hatch! Click on the (next) on the bottom of each page.

Meet my "Auntie Mame"!

Meet Hildred Cyr. This lady is great! I went to pick her up on my Paratransit bus to take her to a public meeting for the bus, and first off she hands me a letter she got in the mail.
I read the letter out loud (no, I wasn't driving, I had another gal with me). Hildred used to be a second grade teacher. Her son was reading someone's blog and saw his mother's name. He saw that the gal was praising her second grade teacher "Hildred Cyr"! So he commented that Hildred was his mother! Well this gal wrote Hildred a 6 page letter telling her about how her life unfolded after second grade. Through all the schooling, college, law school etc, Hildred and her mother are the two most influential people in her life! I was crying while reading it, and so was Hildred and the driver. That was so special of that lady to write to Hildred. It made her day. No, it made her LIFE!!
I like to tell the drivers during training that it is important on how you treat the kids. You can make a difference in a kid's life if you treat them nice. Some of the kids are snotty and sarcastic, but deep down they are all good. They just need someone to show them that they have potential. When I was driving, the kids loved me.
All the way down the Island Hildred was talking about her life. (From prodding by me). She was wearing a button that said "War is not the answer". I mentioned the button, and that started a rant about G.W. Bush which I will not repeat! HAHAHAHA
This lady is why I work for the public! I love to meet people, and talk with them about their lives. I was smiling and told her she reminded me of "Auntie Mame"! She got a laugh on that one! She is a very independant, active person. I bet she burned her bra in the 70's!
Have you hugged your mom lately? Is there someone in your life that you remember that influenced you? Write them a letter! Don't just talk about it. Write the letter and mail it today! I did that for my dad when he was sick and I am forever grateful I did!
I sure miss him.
I sure miss my mom too!
Write that letter!

Have an awsome day,
and know that someone has thought about you today...

You Are Elmo

Sweet and innocent, you expect everyone to adore you. And they usually do! You are usually feeling: Talkative. You've got tons of stories to tell. And when you aren't talking, you're laughing. You are famous for: Being popular, though no one knows why. Middle aged women especially like you. How you live your life: With an open heart. "Elmo loves you!"

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

I found this over at Holly's place and thought it was fun.

I love to take pictures of the local character.
I was signing up a gal for Paratransit and driving out of her driveway, and saw this truck. I could not resist taking this picture.
It is too hot to blog (98 degrees in Seattle), so I will say have a wonderful weekend, and stay cool!!

If you lend someone $20, and never see that person again,
it was probably worth it.

Annual Raisin picnic

Saturday was the annual picnic for the Manor where Hannah lives. I am invited every year and I drag my feet getting there, but end up having a blast. They had a band that played music from the 40's & 50's. Everyone was clapping their hands to the music. Hannah is deaf so she watched me, and clapped along with me. HAHAHAHAHA She is a kick in the pants!
Hannah had her hair done up something special, then they came by and put straw hats on everyone!!
Cute, huh? Oh well it keeps them from getting sunstroke and burned. As you can see, Hannah was thrilled to death to wear hers.
Some gals started dancing to the music. (not me).
See the guy in the back playing a guitar wearing a baseball cap? He used to wash buses with us. 10 years or so ago he had a heart attack and died, and the police did CPR and revived him. And look at him now!! Learn CPR folks, it works!!

A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

5 Things....

Brenda tagged me. So here goes.
5 things in my fridge:

I'm going with pictures because I have so many things! Now remember, I have a houseguest, so all this stuff isn't mine!! I like salads and condiments so my fridge is full of them!
Five of the things are:
1. Olives (for my salad)
2. bag of fresh salad
3. Jar of perroncini (for my salad)
4. Soy milk (yuck! my house guest's)
5. Chai tea mix (to blend with sugar free ice cream)




Five things in my purse: I have a purse organizer, so I pulled it out and took a photo of it.
1. Money wallet
2. Portable fan (the blue thing on the right)
3. Air horn (for self defense)
4. Leatherman's tool
5. Egg rattle (the little purple egg for music)






Five things in my closet: I took two photo's because I have a big closet.
1. clothes (lots of clothes)
2. Iron & Ironing board (for what, I have no idea)!
3. plastic bins for storage of seasonal clothes
4. Extra blankiets
5. Extra hangers























Five things in my car:
1. Two drums for band practice
2. EMT fist aid kit
3. Sleeping bag
4. Water bottles
5. plastic basket with emergency supplies: water, granola bars, flashlight, makeup, spare undies, handi wipes, blanket, etc.

So there ya have it folks!!
Hmmm, now who should I tag?
How about Brent & Sally!!



The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
they just make the best of everything they have.

Frisky Friday!

This is the cutest picture. I just wanted to share this with you.
I have nothing else to post about. Just wanted to post something.
Happy Friday everyone!!

Peace is seeing a sunset and knowing who to thank.

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.