Year's End...

Wow, tomorrow is New Year's Eve!
I spent many years with exciting anticipation of working New Year's Eve when I was bartending. We would plan the night with cocktails and then dancing with many more cocktails then at 1:00am we would have a brunch and get out of there around 3:00am! Sometimes, well MOST times I was drunker than the party goers! I mean really, ya put a kid working in a candy store, what do you expect? I remember dressing up and putting on the make-up, getting my hair done just right just to get blinding drunk and coming home with half my clothes on and makeup smeared all over my face! Oooh la la!! Was I sexy!!
These days are much different now. I anticipate a quiet evening alone with my two cats, sitting watching television and listening to my police scanner while crocheting, and going to bed around twoam SOBER!!
Well I actually changed a bit this year. I asked some friends from Church if they'd like to come over and play games and pray in the new year. They loved the idea so I will have 10 people over here. Hmmm, I hope I don't fall asleep!
This was a weird year.
We had record breaking heat spells in the Summer, drought, and two months later record breaking rainfall for a one month period with floods, severe windstorms, and snow.
At work we have 100 people working there, and within 6 months one guy woke up to find his wife dead next to him (heart), another gal woke up with her husband dead next to her (pneumonia/heart), both in their 50's, a guy's mother died, a guy at work lost his 26 year old son in a car wreck, and tonight a friend at work lost his wife to cancer. She found out in October she had cancer and a possiblility she might live another 9 months, but she died in two months.
We never know when we are going to leave this earth, so say what you need to say when you think it. Clean your house (from clutter and needless junk). I'd sure hate to have someone clean out my house with all this crap I have stored for who knows what!
I'm in my 50's (for another two years anyway) so I think it's time I put a few things in order.
I'm not afraid of dying, I'm afraid of people finding out what a slob I am at home! hahahaha
So I guess that is my New Years Resolution. Clean up my mess and get things in order so I can enjoy my later years. I also plan to eat healthier. I seem to feel much better when I eat more veggies. (Funny how that is, huh?)
I hope everyone has a safe a sane New Years Eve and a healthy 2007!!

"If life were fair, Elvis would be alive and
all the impersonators would be dead."
~ Johnny Carson

Birthday lists!

Hi
I lost my list of birthdays so if you'd like to get a surprise birthday ecard from me,
Click on the link below and please enter your birthday for me. It will take less than 1 minute. I am creating a birthday list of all my friends and family.
http://www.birthdayalarm.com/dob/75562644a238426495b363
Many thanks Phyllis

P.S. Joe's birthday is coming up on January 3rd!! ;-)

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I "elfed" myself!! Go check it out!!
http://www.elfyourself.com/?userid=a88509b3dbad8ffab2731dbG06122514
Too funny!!

Merry Christmas!

Boy, if you just cannot get into the spirit, and need to fill your heart with joy, get a few friends and go Christmas Caroling at the local nursing home!
I announced at Church that I am going Caroling, and if anyone wants to join me to meet at 6:30 at the nursing home. Well 10 people showed up and I made them wear my funky hats. We spent two hours singing to the folks there, going from room to room. Some asked for more songs, and most were crying (as we were too). Only one guy told us to leave his room, and he was in his 40's. Something tells me he has a story so I will go visit him next week and try to lighten his heart.
The Pastor and his wife and grandson joind us and they had a ball! The grandson didn't know if he'd like this or not, but he ended up having a ball! My friend Debbie found the man of her dreams, but he doesn't seem to go anywhere. He just stays in one spot and has this silly grin on his face!


We all came to my house after and had hot cocoa.
I have a feeling that we are going to do this again next year!

Go read Keewee's post. It is hilarious!!

Merry Christmas Everyone,
Remember, Jesus is the reason for the season!

Snow Geese

Ah, 'tis that time of year when the Snow Geese come to the Skagit Valley. They are so pretty when they flock together like this. They were close to the road so I stopped to take pictures. I noticed a sign for hunters. That made me mad, but that is what people do around here. I couldn't shoot anything, but I sure love my meat!

I got home and was going through my mail and heard Elliott talking to me. I looked down and saw this. He is such a character! He was talking when I snapped this photo. He was saying, "Hi Leslie, how is Bilbo doing?". Kids and cats have more fun with the packaging than they do the toys! Until they turn 13 that is.
Well I must get to printing out the Christmas Carols. I am taking a group to the local nursing home for Christmas Caroling tomorrow night! Wanna come?

"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

Whoaaa! That was fun!!

Well Mary Lou and I survived the big storm! It blew in around 7:00pm Thursday night and it shook the house alot. The wind was coming in from the South. I went to bed around midnight, and it started to shift directions. My bedroom is on the west side of the house and faces the prairie. When the wind shifted, it came down Admiralty Inlet right at me!! The entire house was shaking, and my bed was even shaking. I heard there were gusts clocked up to 80 mph or higher. It felt like an earthquake tremble. I managed to get to sleep around 1:30am then the power went out. How did I know the power went out? I sleep with a CPAP machine for sleep apnea. I woke up gasping for air. I plugged it into the backup power booster and went back to sleep. I went to work at 8:00 and of course there was no power anywhere. I decided to go to Oak Harbor (via west beach to see the waves). I needed to ensure there will be a fuel truck to come to the Transit to fuel the buses at 8:00pm. I came across one reason the power was off, this tree hanging and bouncing on the power lines.

I drove through that, then went to West Beach. I drove into the little cul-de-sac and took these pictures.
You can see the surf boiling in on us.
As I was taking these pictures a gal walked up to me asking questions. She was from Chennel 4 news. Yep...I made the news! Go figure, no makeup, wearing a flannel shirt, hair sticking out and looking my worst! You know you're a redneck if you see your sister on the evening news talking about the "big storm"! HAHAHAHAHAHA Well we couldn't see the news 'cause we have no power! good.
I drove down to sunset beach where there are expensive houses on the beach. Well I'm sure they had quite a night last night!!
They closed the road because of waves and debris on the road, but of course I'm one of those idiots that just had to see why they closed the road!! I knew the water was gone so I drove atound the logs.
I stopped and aske this guy if he was in the house during the storm, and he said yes. I asked if he was scared, and he said yes. DUH! Look at his driveway! Those logs came from the other side of his house, so you know the water was sorrounding his house! That would be very scarey!!
Here is a view from the side of his house.
This is looking down the road to wards the houses.

Ok, I guess I don't envy the rich folks living on the beach any more!! Nope!!

Well I have things to do!! Later, folks.

Hold on to your hats folks, we're getting another big blow!!
The lights are flickering, so I will let y'all know tomorrow (if we have power) how we fared the storm.

Here's a funny for you!
Two medical students were walking along the street when they saw an old man walking with his legs spread apart. One of the students said to his friend: "I'm sure he has Petry Syndrome. Those people walk just likethat."
The other student says: "No, I don't think so. The old man surely has Zovitzki Syndrome. He walks just as we learned in class."
Since they couldn't agree, they decided to ask the old man. They approached him and one of the students said to him: "We're medical students and couldn't help but notice the way you walk, but we couldn't agree on the syndrome you might have. Could you tell us what it is?"
The old man said: "I'll tell you, but first you must tell me what you think."
One of the students said: "I think it's Petry Syndrome."
The old man said: "You thought.......... but you are wrong."
Then the other student said: "I think you have Zovitzki Syndrome."
The old man said: "You thought.......... but you are wrong.
So they asked him: "Well, what do you have?"
The old man said: "I thought it was GAS........... but I was wrong."

And yet another stormy day!

Well Praise God, I woke up today feeling great, and went to work!!
I spent all morning going through the pile in my inbox then had to go to Oak Harbor.
It was really windy and I had fun trying to keep the van on the road. I got back around 2:00 just in time for the power to go off. I hung around the office until 4:00 and went home and set up my battery lamps, coleman stove and got my book and crocheting and hunkered in my comfy down throw and read and crocheted for three hours, then took a hot bath and decided to go to bed and the power came back on about 9:30!!
Of course I had to come to my computer to see if anyone was here knocking, and blogger is down. bummer.
I read my weather forecast and it says we are in for yet another big storm on Thursday!

Dear Phyllis,
Tweet! Break is over.
After a nice 10-day hiatus from the zany weather of this season, the jet stream has found its way back to the Pacific Northwest, bringing a return to our stormy pattern that we know and love from November.
The one today brought a lot of rain and mountain snow, but the wind was this storm's calling card. Gusts reached as high as 70-90 mph along the coast, and 45-60 mph in the interior.
Here's the peak gusts with this storm:
Tatoosh Island: 91 mph
Westport: 83 mph
Sekiu: 75 mph
Ozette (Clallam County): 70 mph
Hood Canal Bridge area: 70 mph (DOT Estimate)
Clallam Bay: 70-80 mph (estimate)
Ocean Shores: 65 mph
Bellingham: 63 mph
Alki Beach (W. Seattle): 62 mph
Oak Harbor: 61 mph

Incidentally, some of the strongest gusts around the Puget Sound area weren't from the windstorm, per se, but a microburst that rolled over the area.
Anyway, the peak of the storm passed in the early evening, and winds were expected to gradually die down through the night, although still remain gusty to 20-35 mph. Lows will stay in the mid 40s.
Tuesday will be a break, with just scattered leftover showers mixing with some sunbreaks. Highs will be around 50.
But the break will be brief. Another storm rolls in Tuesday night into Wednesday. This one will also bring some wind, but probably just a small notch below the storm of today -- perhaps gusts to 50-60 mph along the coast and 40 mph in the interior. But rain and more mountain snow is a given.
Rain and wind taper off later Wednesday, leaving us with a brief break Wednesday night through Thursday morning.
However, yet another storm comes in Thursday afternoon and this one has the potential to be the strongest of the three. So definitely keep an eye on the forecasts. Looks like the initial "pre-storm" winds along the coast and Northwest Interior will begin around midday to early afternoon, with the front bringing the winds everywhere else either Thursday night or early Friday morning.
This front ushers in some colder air behind it, lowering snow levels to around 500 feet by the weekend. This is not a pattern for widespread snow like a few weeks ago, just a few "lumpy rain" showers with perhaps some slushy accumulations on the hilltops and in the Convergence Zone. Highs will be around 40 both Saturday and Sunday, with lows in the low 30s.
Looks like we moderate back to the usual occasional rain and wind again for next week. Long range forecasts at this point advertise a rather boring weather pattern for Christmas of occasional light showers, but I think another break might be atop many meteorologists' Christmas lists by then anyway :)
Updated Monday 5:20 p.m. more... Sincerely, KOMO 4 Weather Producer Scott Sistek


So what we get here, goes over the mountains and picks up steam and becomes your December Blizzard for you folks east of us! hehehehe fill up your supplies, folks! Batteries, water, coleman stove, battery lamps, cans of soup, etc.
We're in for a L-O-N-G winter!!

Sick again!

Ok, I am getting a bit tired of this!! I went to bed Wednesday night and 1/2 hour later I flew out of bed just in time to get to the bathroom! I was violently ill for 1/2 hour!! I went back to bed and 2 hours later the same thing and then another two hours later! I thought I might have had food poisoning for awhile there, but I have a fever now and the other end today. HoHoHo 'tis the season!! I am going back to bed folks. Hope you escape this one!!

Yikes, it's Monday already????

Well I am totally out of things to write about. Really. I am training 7 new drivers at work so I come home tired and crochet. Period. That is it. Well I went to Worship Team practice on Saturday night then to Church Sunday, but that is all. For once my life has a boring spot. Not for long though, I'll think of something to get into!

Here's something I got in an email. I've read it before but laugh every time! That could've been me until I sobered up!! HAHAHAHA

I've changed some of the words to lighten it up a bit. hehehehe

Calgary Blizzard
Up there in Calgary it was snowing heavily and blowing to the point that visibility was almost zero when Leslie got off work. She made her way to her car and wondered how she was going to make it home. She sat in her car while it warmed up and thought about her situation. She remembered Carl's advice that if she got caught in a blizzard, she should wait for a snow plow to come by and follow it. That way she would not get stuck in a snow drift. This made Leslie feel much better and sure enough in a little while, a snow plow went by, and she started to follow it. As she followed the snow plow, she was feeling very smug as they continued, and she was not having any problem with the blizzard conditions.
After quite sometime had passed, she was somewhat surprised when the snowplow stopped and the driver got out and came back to her car and signaled her to roll down her window.
The snow plow driver wanted to know if she was all right, as she had been following him for a long time. She said that she was fine and told him of Carl's advice to follow a snow plow when caught in a blizzard.
The driver replied that it was OK with him, and she could continue if she wanted...but he was done with the Wal-Mart parking lot and was going over to Kmart next.

Sorry, Leslie!! HAHAHAHAHAHA

November Snow!

We got snow yesterday!! It snowed Sunday a bit, but Monday morning it started again!! I was out at 5:00am checking the roads before the busses got out in it. About 7:00am it was a whiteout in places! It snowed alot during the day, so we cancelled some routes and I shuttled a few people to places where the busses couldn't go. We finally got all the busses in, and finished out the night with vans that had studded snow tires on them. I was sitting in my office at work and I heard a big crackle sound, then a big bang. It was a huge branch falling off the tree in the yard. There were alot of trees down on the south end of the island and people were without power. As you can see in the photo below there are alot of trees heavy with snow and ice that are leaning on wires, so I am ready for the power to go out at any time.
My office building with old growth trees hanging over the roof. One big branch fell on the roof and scared us all.
here are more photos of the area around where I live. All taken within two miles from my house.
Mount Baker in all her glory in the background of Ebey's Prairie.
Snow on Ebey's Beach. A rare sight indeed!
Ebey's Landing. Well I must prepare for the day ahead tomorrow. We might end up with yet another day of snow tomorrow night or Thursday!!
YIPPEEEEEE!!
Oh, and it is 18 degrees at my house right now at 5pm!! BRRRRRRRRR

"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

SNOW!!

LOOKIE WHAT WE HAVE!!
It started snowing about 10:00am and started sticking about 3:00om. We have about 3" now, but it slowed down, so that is about all we'll get. We'll see.

Elliott went out then turned around and came right back in!! He doesn't quite know what to think about this stuff. It is COLD on the kitty paws!!

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

I was on my way to the movies (Happy Feet) today and had the feeling I needed to go see Hannah instead. I saw her Wednesday afternoon and she was not in a good way at all. She was sleeping and would not wake up. Her son was here so I called him, and he said he knew she was not doing well at all. He said he was leaving to go back home (Australia) on Thursday. I have no respect for the man so I stayed away until he was gone. I found out he missed his flight so he came back here, then left this morning. Any way, I went into Hannah's room and she was comatose. I held her hand and it was cool to the touch. I saw a nurse and she told me Hannah was dying. His mother is on her deathbed, and he leaves!!
I brought her a single red rose and placed it in her hand with a note telling her what a great friend she has been to me.
I wrote her that Jesus is with her holding her hand.
I told her it was okay to go.
I told her I loved her.
I sat there and held her hand for three hours. I left to get some coffee and came back and sat down and grabbed her hand and she took her last breath. Hannah Flack Spaeth left this world at 6:35pm on this day November 24, 2006. She was born on October 13, 1915.
She was 91 years old.
I adored that woman.
She had class.
She would have been sober 34 years March 3, 2007.
She had alot of wild stories she would tell me, and told them with such dignity!
I feel honored that she asked me to be her AA sponsor about 5 years ago.
Really honored.

I love this photo! It was taken July 2005. We were at the raisin ranch July picnic, and all the raisins were wearing cheap straw hats to keep the sun off them so I brought this classy red hat for her to wear.
I had my camera with me so I snapped this photo of me holding her hand with the rose in it. It just says I love you Hannah, and I am here with you.
I had no idea she was going to die in an hour. Sometimes people hang on for days. What an honor to be there with her when she took her last breath of life after 91 years of breathing.
She survived the 1918 flu epidemic that took her sister's life. She always felt guilty for surviving.
She survived her first husband.
She survived her second husband that kept telling her to exercise and diet, or she was going to die young. hehehe
I was hoping she'd survive her evil son that kept telling her she was fat and needed to lose weight or she would die! the prick.

I'm going to miss you, Hannah!

We've had alot of good times in the 19 years I've known you!
Alot of good times.
I'll miss your scream of delight whenever I'd walk into your room at the nursing home carrying a mocha milkshake!
Every time I'll see a lemon meringue pie, I'll think of you. Gads, how she loved that pie!

Good bye, Hannah

I'll see you on the other side!

Muwah

Another day in the life....

Ah such a boring life I live! I was out training new drivers today and it was quite stormy!! This picture does not do it justice. In fact the water was much choppier than this picture taken last year. We were driving in 55 mph winds, and then it started pouring sideways. I love training on days like this because it gives them a good feel of the 35' bus!
On the other side of the road was this Eagle. I made the trainee stop so I could lean out the bus and take this photo.
Bus drivers in New York City have no idea what they are missing, do they? Yes, I am feeling MUCH much better today.
Have a wonderful Wednesday everybody!!

If a bra is an upper topper titty flopper stopper,
and a jock strap is a lower decker pecker checker,
and a roll of toilet tissue is a super duper pooper scooper,
what do you call a Japanese drummer boy whose father has diarrhea?
A slap happy Jappy with a crap happy pappy!!

I sure hope I didn't offend anyone with this. I got it in an email and thought it was cute.

PlayStation 3

PlayStation 3 Launches In North America
by Jordan LeDoux


Sony's PlayStation 3 video game console and entertainment center has launched today in North America. Amid reports of shortages and disturbances among some of the retail locations, virtually all of the retail locations where the PS3 was available have reported requests exceeding stock.

Many locations had patrons outside their store for 24 hours or more, waiting in line for the chance to be first with their system and games. Gamers who took home a PlayStation 3 today have reported that there have been no issues with Sony's online service, many rushing to reserve the screen name which they wanted before someone else was able to take it.

What has this country come to?? This is an all time low! I am so embarrassed and ashamed of us. Fully grown men and women camping out in the cold for days to get the opportunity to buy a new play station! What are they going for? $600.00? Then they turn around and sell it on EBAY for thousands!! WHAT?? GREED..GREED..GREED!!!
Some have been followed and robbed after buying one. Some have had fist fights. I just don't get it! I have never played any of those games. I only play spider or free cell on my computer! I guess I am glad I don't have kids. But then these are the grown ups that are acting like this!!! SHAME ON THEM!!
I am so disgusted, can you tell?

WHEW!!

Whew!! We made it!!
I woke up at 2:45 this morning with gale force winds then the power went out! I got up and my head was spinning, so I lay back down then realized that the head/chest cold I have been avoiding caught up with me!! I Decided to call work and tell them I was sick, then I went to the living room and sat in my recliner all bundled up in my goosedown throw and a beautiful new afghan that my sister made for me, one cat on my lap and one cat on my chest, a cup of theraflu and my crocheting. That is what I did all day in between naps. I am prepared for days like this. I have a one burner propane stove that I heated up water, then perked a pot of coffee in my stainless steel coffee pot, then heated up some homemade chicken soup and made a grilled cheese. Ahhhh. A few friends and my sis actually called me to see if I was ok and asked if they could get me anything. hehehehe When I tried to use the little burner, it wouldn't give out much heat, but then I remembered a guy at my campground telling me they get clogged up with the propane after sitting for awhile, so I took it apart and washed it in hot soapy water, and it works like new now!!
A neighbor came over and I went to the bathroom and she yelled DON'T FLUSH!! Save the water for when you need it!! I said WHAT??? She said the power is out and so is the well pump. I then told her we were on city water here. The look on her face was priceless. I'm sure as soon as she got home she flushed, then took a hot shower!!
Well time to get some more rest. I do have to work tomorrow sick or not!!
I hear we are getting another big storm this weekend. Thanksgiving is usually when we get the big storms.....hmmmm, I wonder...!

Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?
I bet you just hummed the two songs above! (I did)

Cold, Windy & Wet

So what else is new? I have absolutely nothing new to blog about. I wake up tired, crawl to work, work 8 hours, crawl home, crawl into bed at 9, and wake up tired, crawl to work, work 8 hours, crawl home, crawl into bed at 9, etc, etc. Except today I woke up with a sore throught and my ears ringing. I have been exhausted for two weeks, and now the cold is breaking out. I'm glad to finally get something. I was wondering why I was so danged tired. My sister would say it is because I NEVER STAY HOME!!!! PHFFFFFTTT!
We are getting prepared for another big storm coming in. With all the new snow in the mountains and this new WET storm, I sure hope it stays cold up in the mountains, if it rains, there will be more flooding, and that would be disasterous!! We are safe here, but I feel bad for the folks that are being flooded out.
Hope everyone has a great week!! Hop over to Leslie and wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars
to look at things on the ground?

Flood '06

I went to Mount Vernon today for a meeting with the transportation folks, and was one of the last vehicles allowed to cross the bridge before they closed it. There is flooding all over the State from the record rains that fell and is still falling.
I took a few photos as I was driving over, as they would not let us stop on the bridge of course.
You can't see much, but the water you see is on the West side of the bridge where a park is under water. The water was about a foot from the concrete that is the parking area for downtown Mount Vernon. There were plenty of sandbags piled everywhere, in the business doorways, and by the concrete.

I don't know if it will flood or not, but it sure is close to hurting some businesses! I was at a meeting tonight and saw some lightning and heard some thunder. My sis says it hailed. (she knows, 'cause she slipped in it. Fell down, went boom)!

Why is "bra" singular and "panties" plural?

Warm Beach

Well POOP! I just posted with three pictures, then went to add a picture and somehow I deleted ALL of it!
I said I had a great time at the retreat and was filled with the Holy Spirit, and we made some crosses made out of three welded together nails with 33" of wire with 12 barbs to wrap around the nails. They are great, and we got to keep them. I have mine hanging on my door.
This is Sherry, my sister-in-law holding up her cross.
We got home at 2:30 Sunday exhausted, and I took a long nap, woke up and went back to bed.
I went to work today and came home at 1:00 and took another long nap. I am pooped!!
I am going to take my bath and go back to bed!!
We are having some flooding here due to heavy rains, and high tides. Now I am thankful I do not have a house on the beach or by a river.
Snoqualmie Falls up by the mountains is roaring away right now!
I'd love to go there to hear the roar of the Falls, but I'm sure I couldn't get near them with the mass of people heading that way!
My sister is probably posting about the Falls too.
I am Sooooo glad tomorrow is finally getting here! I am SICK AND TIRED OF THE CRAPPY ELECTION ADS!! It keeps me from turning on the television!! Gee, what will 2008 bring with the Presidential elections!!???
Where is Wanda?


Good night folks!!

Why do they call it an asteroid when it's outside the hemisphere but call it
a hemorrhoid when it's in your behind?

Yippee, I'm going away!!

Yep, I'm going away for the weekend.
I have a women's retreat at Warm Beach Friday night, all day Saturday and leave at 1:00 Sunday. Fun will be had by all!!
I am ready for some spiritual time with my Christian sisters after Halloween and that "ghostly" picture! I still have no idea what was in that picture! It wasn't my breath, or all the other pictures would have it, and you'd see the breath in all the kids. Nope, no breath or smoke or fog or double exposure.
Oh well, something for the kids to talk about and thrill about in the years ahead. Hehehe a legend in the making here. I made some copies for the kids. I also gave one to Lorena, the woman in the picture. She looked at it and thought YIKES!!
Have a great weekend everyone!!

If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?

Halloween photos

I finally got to post the pictures!!
Ok, this is weird!! I took pictures of all the Halloween costumes this year with all my favorite little goblins.

They were all dressed so cute and they were all very polite!
Then Chris and Brian and the other little devils showed up
Then this photo of the cute little one with his mom. But what the heck is all that foggy stuff??? It wasn't foggy tonight, and there was no smoke at all, and I am using a digital camera! All the other photos are fine except this one!! WEIRD!!!
I took this one right after the other one and everything is clear. Did I really get a ghost????

Halloween '06

Well I have been trying to post with a picture for two days now and blogger will not let me for some strange reason! Hmmppf!
I'm alive and kicking, just busy busy busy.
Hope everyone had a safe Halloween.
I'm visiting alot of you, but just don't have alot to post about, and I can't seem to post pictures now.

What disease did cured ham actually have?

October

I love October. The hot weather is behind us and Fall is here. The smell of woodsmoke in the air and decorations all over town made from cornstalks. I'm sure my sister will post some pictures of the scarecrows in the town too. This is from my friends that grow all the beautiful dahlias. He has a big vegetable garden and makes a huge sculpture in his front yard every year. Last year it was a horse and this year it is a scarey black cat. They love to do stuff like this, and I love them to do it!

As you all know my computer was off line for a week. I am switching to Comcast cable for high speed internet, and a phone that I can call any where in the U.S. and Canada for FREEE!!! So to all you Canadian friends of mine, email me your phone number when I get my new email address.
I was supposed to have it done on October 12th, but I had to go to work so I cancelled the appointment. I rescheduled the appointment for November 8th, but they forgot to tell the people that turned off Verizon! So, I was without the net for a week. I survived.
Elliott says hello too!

I will be catching up slowly, as I am still busier than I want to be at the moment, but life is good!! God is good!

Why does a round Pizza come in a square box????

BIT'S AND PIECES

Today started out like a typical Friday the thirteenth! I woke up to the alarms and the next thing I know it was 8:19! I usually get to work at 8:30. I pushed the snooze too much that I ran out of it. I jumped out of bed as fast as my crippled old arthritic body will let me (about 5 minutes to get to the bathroom). I got my makeup on and did my hair, got dressed, fed the cats, took my daily pound of pills and got to work in 1/2 an hour (my commute is about 5 minutes). I sat at my computer and realized I left my new glasses on the bathroom counter. Oh well not to worry, I have a spare in my desk (of course). I picked up the spare and POP goes the left lens!! Well I only felt like working at half pace any way. I did the work I meant to do then went to Oak Harbor to sign up some new Paratransit riders.
I visited Hannah while I was there. Hannah is 91 years old today.
I dropped in to see her Wednesday and she recognized me but could not talk. I asked her what was wrong and she tried to say something but babble came out. This is not like her. She has her wits about her and can talk, but can't hear. I asked the gals out in the hall what was wrong with Hannah and they looked at each other and told me I needed to talk with the Nurse. The Nurse said they are doing some tests and that her lungs were clear. WHAT? LUNGS?? She can't TALK!! Then she said they did some blood work and will do some urine tests because her urine smelled strong. NO SHIT! SHE'S BEEN SITTING IN IT ALL DAY!! SHE NEEDS CHANGING!!!
I was really upset, and she knew it. Her son showed up yesterday so she will be clean at least while he is here! I think her system is ready to shut down. She does not look well at all. We are supposed to go to lunch tomorrow so I will see what they say when I show up to get her. I gave her a dozen pale apricot roses and a card.
I went to band practice then got to AA 15 minutes late. There was a young black guy there that needed a ride to the hospital. He said he needs to get mental health tested and the ER said he could come in tonight. I asked him when the last time he drank or took drugs, and he said about a week. He looked like a nice kid but lost. I told him I lived in Coupeville and would give him a ride. OK folks, we live in a rather small town and I am used to picking up strangers and giving them rides so don't start telling me I'm stupid, 'cause I know I am. As we were going to Coupeville he told me his mom kicked him out tonight and he is 23 years old and very mixed up. I asked if he had a Church and he said yes. We then talked and I could sense a very scared lost person here. I asked him if I could pray over him, and he smiled and said he'd like that. HAVE I GONE CRAZY??? Friday the 13th, picking up a strange man in an Alcoholics Anonymous hall, taking him to the emergency room 10 miles away, playing gospel songs on my CD and praying over him!! HAHAHAHAHA Wow, things have changed in my life that is for sure.
It just felt like the thing to do at the time. While I was praying for him and asking God to open the right doors for him and to send his Angels down to watch over him, the guy was crying relief tears. I think right now he feels like this is the rock bottom of his life. 23 years old and kicked out in the cold foggy night with nothing. I pray he finds the help he needs.
Well on that crazy note, I will head to bed and read some of my murder mystery.
Sheesh, reading murder mysteries then picking up strangers in the middle of the night on a cold foggy October night! MWAHAHAHAHAHA
G'night, folks

How important does a person have to be before they are considered
assassinated instead of just murdered?

TSUNAMI!!

Well not really. I woke up in the middle of the night and went to the bathroom and a couple hours later I woke up to a strange noise but thought it was a helicopter landing at the hospital.
I woke up at 7:00 to go to Church and heard a loud roaring noise! It was weird. I went to the bathroom and it was really loud in there. I got dressed and looked outside and water was spraying out from underneath my trailer!!
SWELL!
I called the park manager and he came and turned off the water and told me anything under my house is my responsibility.
No shit, Sherlock. Thanks for reminding me!
Now this will be a few hundred dollars as it is Sunday and plumbers do not come cheap!
I decided to go to Church and deal with it later.
During the sermon the Pastor was talking about when Jesus went to a woman at the well and asked for a drink of water. The Pastor then asked if anyone of us has remembered the last time they were thirsty. I giggled and said yea, this morning! He went on to talk about water the entire sermon. (how ironic)! He mentioned a man that fell off the Navy ship in the Indian Ocean and was treading water for 3 days, and was thirsty. He mentioned also that the man had Faith and some fishermen found him and rescued him.
After Church I was telling a friend about my water problem and lo and behold he and another guy said they will come right out and look at it! They made two trips into town and a couple hours later the problem was fixed and they would not take a cent for it! Not even for the parts. They also said they will be back in a few days and repair the rest of the pipes as they look pretty old and they should be fixed. Wow, I was rescued from my water problem too!! I cried after they left. With tears of joy and thanks to God for putting the right people in my life.
My heart is full of happiness and love!
God is good!

When you get to your wit's end, you'll find God lives there.

My goodness, where did the week go??!!
It is almost Wednesday already, and I am just getting going on the week!
Saturday I left at 7:00am and was gone all day to a Church conference then a few of us went shopping and then to dinner, and I got home at 7:00pm. I was really tired!!
Sunday I was sick with a head/chest cold so stayed home from Church and slept until noon, then stayed home from work yesterday with the same, and went to work today and did catch-up, and tomorrow I go to Mount Vernon for a meeting with the other transit company and then before I know it, Thursday will be here!!
Well now that was fun! I don't think I have anything to do this weekend, so maybe I will take Hannah out for lunch. We haven't spent any good time together for awhile.
I think it is bath time and cuddle in with a book for awhile!
G'nite folks!

P.S. If you go to my Mary Kay website, you can enter to win $1,000.00 no purchase necessary!!

If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your
pocket and then give him only two of them.
-Phil Pastoret

Friday!!

Whew, this was a long busy week! My first after vacation, so I was busy catching up.
I had to go to Mount Vernon then Camano Island today (125 miles round trip).
As I left Coupeville I noticed a huge thick fog bank hanging around the water by Ebey's Landing.
I love the way the sun was shining on the cut fields then the tree tops sticking out of the fog.
As I was going over Deception Pass Bridge I had to snap a photo of the trees growing out of the rocks! It just amazes me that big strong trees can grow out of solid rock, and the plants I try to grow all die! What's with that?
I had to stop after I drove over the bridge and take a picture. It isn't as good as some I've seen, but it shows the bridge and then the fog. Half the bridge was gone, and 200 feet below is the deadly water. It looks spooky like this. Stephen King would have a hey day writing about this Island! I called Dick & my sis to tell them to grab their cameras and head for the Bridge. Dick was busy at home in Mt. Vernon doing his homework, and My sis wasn't home. I found out later she was out taking pictures of the fog!!
This last picture is me driving into the fog on the bridge.
Well when you are at a loss of words for a blog, pictures work well. I never tire of taking pictures!
I have another busy weekend ahead of me so I must try to get a little sleep!
Enjoy the weekend!

Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea.
-Robert A. Heinlein

Sunset of my vacation

I picked up Florence, my 90 year old next door neighbor and took her to the beach to watch the sunset yesterday. She wanted to sit in the car, but I told her I want to sit on the beach and get her picture, so she got out and sat on a log on the beach.
We sat there for about 1/2 hour talking and watching the sun slowly settle into the water.
Like I said in a previous post, you can almost hear the sizzle as it hits the water.
If you look to the right of the sun on the horizon you can see a ship leaving Puget Sound.
We then drove up the bluff to get a better view.
Ahhhhhh,
Isn't this a beautiful area? As we were driving home I saw this last photo to take. You can't see the water, but it is in the middle of the picture.
My 10 day vacation is over. Time to get back to the grind of work. I have alot to catch up on, so I am anxious to get back and get to work on it all! It will probably take the first day just going through my inbox, and the 10,000 emails! Hope everyone had a marvelous 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