Rants and Raves

A couple of things have been bugging me lately and I'm gonna take this opportunity to get them off my chest.  Plus it's the last day of the month (NaBloPoMo) and I need something to post about!  But I'm also trying to do better at looking for the silver lining in situations, so I'll do the Thumper thing and say something nice as well.

First, health insurance/discount plan/whatever it's called.  We are self-employed and health insurance rates are horrendous!  Luckily, we are healthy (knock on wood) and only go for physicals.  Since I am now past the mid-century mark, I decided to be a good little girl and get all those wonderful tests that are recommended for folks my age.   Over the course of about 6 months, I had a physical, Pap, bone density test, mammogram, and colonoscopy.  Have the bills stopped coming in yet?  NO!  Has the insurance company paid a dime?  NO!  Do the bills come from one source?  NO!  Can we determine if we're being overcharged or paying for something we shouldn't?  NO!  Could I have recarpeted the whole house for what we've paid so far?  YES!

On the bright side:  tests that should have come back negative did and those that should be positive are.

Second, Mother Nature.  For at least five years, I've had symptoms of menopause.  Hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, the works.  Did you know you have to go a full year without a period before you're considered post menopausal?  Mother Nature does!  I went 9 1/2 months--then, voila!  My friend Fred appears (that's what I call my monthly visitor).  I hear laughter--and it's not mine.  No, it's Fred and Mother Nature having a grand time at my expense! Personally, I think they've got a little sumpin sumpin going on on the side.

 

On the bright side:  maybe I'm still young after all.

Last, movie prices.  This past weekend, my two daughters, four of the grandchildren, and I went to the movies to see Tangled in 3D.  A matinee.  The cost?  $74!  I about dropped my teeth!  We didn't get snacks or drinks--thank goodness!  I might have needed to hock my engagement ring to pay for them.

On the bright side:  Tangled is a cute movie and was enjoyed by all--even the two boys (ages 7 and 4).  I highly recommend it--once it's out on DVD and you only need to spend about $20!

That's it.  I'm done.  Thanks for listening.  Whew!  I feel better!

Meet Me On Monday

Welcome to the 24th edition of "Meet Me On Monday!" Blogging is a funny thing...we tell our most intimate thoughts for all to read and yet most of the time I find myself sitting and wondering, "who is this person!?"  I know them...but yet I don't know them!  I want to know who the person is behind all those words so I thought of a great way for all of us to "meet" each other!  
"Its a great way to to meet new friends and for others to get to know me better....one Monday at a time!!!"....as quoted by the Chacogirl!! I will make this SIMPLE and FUN!!! 1.  What is your favorite way to eat chicken?Please--have you met me?  I'm from the South!  Fried, of course!  Preferably, as what we call Tenders with a side of honey mustard to dip them in!

  2.  Have you decorated for Christmas yet?No.  One of our children has an early December birthday and we never decorated till after that so as to not compete.  It just got to be a habit.  Plus I think Thanksgiving should have its day!

  3.  What is your favorite article of clothing?Right now, it's a red tunic sweater.(kinda like this, but not as long)

 
4.  Do you pay your bills online or write checks the old way?Both.

 
5.  Do you make Christmas cookies?If the slice and bake kind count, then yes.

 

Sabbath Soothing

Saturday Shout Outs

Christmas Gift Ideas for Preschool Girls

Under $10 Stocking Stuffers

Prepping For Guests

De-stressing the Holidays

John 8:32

You and I Have Memories....

Ran across this CUTE questionnaire posted about couples.  Just had to post about me and my sweetheart.
If you want to read our story, go HERE.

1. What are your middle names?
 mine is Louise after my grandmother--his is Bruce
2. How long have you been together?
as of last month, 35 years--married for 34 1/2
3. How long did you know each other before you started dating?
officially only 2 months
4. Who asked who out?
he asked me, of course!
5. How old are each of you?
I'm 52--he just had his 56th birthday
6. Did you go to the same school?
not really--he was a senior when I was in 8th grade--but we graduated from the same high school
7. Are you from the same home town?
yes--only lived a couple of miles from each other
8. Who is the smartest?
he does the math and science--I'm more English

9. Who majored in what?
I'm still working on that--he did accounting and computers
10. Who is the most sensitive?
 me without a doubt

11. Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Italy, Switzerland, Germany

12. Who has the worst temper?
ME!!! Oh yes, it's true!

13. How many children do you want?
we have 4--and that's enough!

14. Who does the cooking?
he's a much better cook than I am, and so does more than his fair share

15. Who is more social?
 definitely him--he's never met a stranger
16. Who is the neat freak?
 me--we go round and round about this--he's a pack rat

17. Who is the most stubborn?
 me again

18. Who wakes up earlier?
he does, but once he's up, I rarely go back to sleep

19. Where was your first date?
 Christmas Eve--we went back to where we'd met

20. Who has the biggest family?
since we're both from blended families, that's a hard one--I'll pass rather than do the math
21. Do you get flowers often?
not as often as I used to--I'd rather get flowers I can plant in the yard and enjoy for a long time
22. How do you spend the holidays?
 Thanksgiving at home, then at his mom's the Saturday after.  His family comes to our house on Christmas Eve. Then our kids are here on Christmas Day.
23. Who is more jealous?
 I would like to say him, but it's probably a toss up
24. How long did it take to get serious?
 hmmmm......5 minutes???
25. Who eats more?
depends on what's being served

26. What do you do for a living?
we are self-employed.  he sells car cleanup products to dealerships, detail shops, and car washes.  i do the books from home.
27. Who does the laundry?
 me!  I'm very particular

28. Who's better with the computer?
me, but don't tell him ;-)
29. Who drives when you are together?
he does

30. What is your song?
 Fooled Around and Fell in Love by Elvin Bishop

Hope you enjoyed!  Please, take these questions and share! :) 

Would love to get to know more about you and your special someone!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Twas the Nite of Thanksgiving

Twas the Nite of Thanksgiving

But I just couldn't sleep

I tried counting backwards,

I tried counting sheep.

The leftovers beckoned -

The dark meat and white

But I fought the temptation

With all of my might

Tossing and turning

With anticipation

The thought of a snack

Became infatuation.

So, I raced to the kitchen,

Flung open the door

And gazed at the fridge,

Full of goodies galore.

Gobbled up turkey

And buttered potatoes,

Pickles and carrots,

Beans and tomatoes.

I felt myself swelling

So plump and so round,

'Til all of a sudden,

I rose off the ground.

I crashed through the ceiling,

Floating into the sky

With a mouthful of pudding

And a handful of pie.

But, I managed to yell

As i soared past the trees....

Happy eating to all -

Pass the cranberries, please.

May your stuffing be tasty,

May your turkey be plump.

May your potatoes 'n gravy

Have nary a lump,

May your yams be delicious

May your pies take the prize,

May your thanksgiving dinner

Stay off of your thighs.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Thanksgiving HodgePodge

AARRGGHH!!!  Why won't it let me change the color of my answers????

1. If you had known what they knew then, would you have boarded the Mayflower?  I like to think I would have, but being the aquaphobe I am, probably not.

2. How far have you traveled on a boat and how do you feel about boats in general?   Don't like boats.  Don't like to be in boats.  Have gone out on our local lakes and rivers, but didn't really enjoy it.  It's hard to have fun when you're terrified.

3. What traditions have you kept, acquired thru marriage, and/or tossed? If you're single what are some of your family's favorite Thanksgiving traditions?  Basically just kept the same routine and menu.

4. What time is dinner and how many will be round your table? And what is the one side dish you cannot do without on Thanksgiving day?  We'll be eating around noon.  There'll be 6 of us--hubby, me, one of our daughters and her 3 children.  Have to have sweet potato casserole--the one with coconut and pecans on top!

Yes, I know it goes against all I believe in to ask for 'just one', but I made up for it by asking three questions here.

5. Have you ever used a fire extinguisher? Do tell....  Luckily, have not.

6. Tell about a situation that caused you dreadful trepidation and feet dragging, only to realize later it was a true blessing. Have to say applying for college a couple of months ago.  I've never set foot on a campus as a student, so this is really scary for me. 

7. Baked, sweet, mashed, hash browned or french fried...which one's your favorite?   Can I just say 'yes'?

8. Insert your own random thought here.  What is up with people putting Christmas trees and/or decorations up already?  Poor Thanksgiving just keeps getting pushed farther and farther out of the picture.  Let Thanksgiving have its day!

And just because I think it's hilarious, I'm stealing this from Joyce! 

T -24 Hours and Counting

Tomorrow!  Tomorrow!  Can you hear Annie singing?  Tomorrow my sweet grandchildren will be here!  And their parents, of course.  I love the grownups, but there's just something about those grandbabies...

Meet Me On Monday

Welcome to the 23rd edition of "Meet Me On Monday!" Blogging is a funny thing...we tell our most intimate thoughts for all to read and yet most of the time I find myself sitting and wondering, "who is this person!?"  I know them...but yet I don't know them!  I want to know who the person is behind all those words so I thought of a great way for all of us to "meet" each other!  
"Its a great way to to meet new friends and for others to get to know me better....one Monday at a time!!!"....as quoted by the Chacogirl!!  

1.  How many pillows do you sleep with?Just one

 
2.  Where will you eat on Thanksgiving?at home--my daughters and their families are coming and I cannot wait!!!

 
3.  Would you rather go to a party or host a party?definitely attend--that way I can leave when I get ready.  when you're the hostess, you get stuck with the cleaning (both before and after), the cooking, and guests who won't go home! 

 
4.  How many purses (for the guys..wallets) do you own?probably about 10--which is unusual

 
5.  What is your favorite kind of seafood?  what is it with this seafood question?  it keeps coming up!no seafood--ever!

 

Sabbath Soothing

Saturday Shout Outs

Chaos Is My Calling

Enough

The One, Two Punch

Throw a Less Stressful Holiday Party

Taking Time For Those We Love

No Guilt Zone

I love George Carlin!  Back in high school, I briefly dated a guy who had the 8 track (yes, I'm THAT old!) Wonderful WINO.  Oh, my gosh!  One of the funniest things ever.  To this day, I can recite parts of it and still laugh hysterically!  But I digress.  Thinking of today's subject matter made me think of George Carlin.  You'll get the connection in a minute.

be aware--for some reason, the last 10 seconds aren't censored

17 Things to Throw or Give Away Now

from the book 1000 Ways to Be a Slightly Better Woman

1.  Any white shirt that's yellowed under the arms.

2.  Any underwear you wouldn't want to be in an accident in.

3.  Any book that makes you feel guilty when you look at it.

4.  Any package of flour, sugar, pasta, or anything that's been open for longer than 3 months.

5.  Last year's spices.

6.  Magazines you've read twice.

7.  Clothes that make you feel bad about your body or your life.

8.  Shoes that hurt.

9.  Linens that you wouldn't want to have your nose buried in for 8 hours.

10.  Old mismatched towels you're keeping "in case".  In case of what?  Invasion by a horde of unclean relatives?  You don't want to be prepared for that.

11.  Those 28 tiny bottles of body lotion you swiped from hotels and have never gotten around to using.

12.  The gifts you hated as soon as you opened them but have felt too guilty to get rid of.

13.  The wrapping paper from said gifts.

14.  Dried wreaths or bouquets that have become more dust than flower.

15.  Any broken lamp or appliance that would cost more to fix than to replace.

16.  Anything you use only occasionally--pliers, staple remover, apple corer--that you have more than one of.

17.  Any photograph you don't want your grandchildren to remember you by.

There.  You have permission!

What Is Wrong With People?

This is a recent story from our local newspaper. What in the world was this guy thinking? Was he even thinking? Certainly not about his child. I can only hope the mother has more sense!

A 22 year old was arrested and booked into the _________ County Jail after leaving his three year old son home alone while he went drinking.

On November 13, around 12:31 am, officers responded to a 911 call in which a neighbor found a three year old outside near the road and crying for his mother.

When officers arrived they found the child inside his residence sleeping on a couch; the door was wide open and loud music was playing.

When Office D. Honholt spoke to the child, the three year old had difficulty staying awake. Officer Honholt asked the three year old where his parents were, the child merely pointed toward the front door. By that time, other officers arrived on the scene and set about the task of trying to locate the three year old's parents.

After approximately one hour, the child’s father, J. Moore, was seen approaching in his pickup. He did not immediately stop at the residence.

Moore did show up about ten minutes later at the residence on foot. When he arrived, officers could detect a strong odor of alcohol.

Initially, officers were told that Moore had just left to drop a friend off, but later determined that Moore had actually left the child alone while he went drinking.

J. Moore was taken into custody at that time.

Since the child’s mother was out of town, the three year old was put in the care of a neighbor until the mother could arrive home; the neighbor normally babysits the child.

Around 6:30 am, officers were given additional information by the child’s mother who said she was told that the child had been given a large amount of Benadryl to keep him asleep.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What is the most amazing weather you've ever seen?  I had to stop and really think about this one.  We lived in NC when a tornado went through and then just a few months later experienced my first hurricane (Hugo).  Sitting in the hot tub watching what we call "heat lightning" in the summer is always interesting.  But probably driving from Idaho to Utah during a snow storm was the most amazing.  I've never seen snow come down that quietly or more beautifully.  And pile up that quickly!

2. What is a sound or noise you love?  Little people calling out "Beeba" (that's what I'm known as to my grandchildren)

3. Do you like seafood? What's your favorite seafood dish?   No!

4. What part of your day requires the most patience?  Probably waiting for my husband to leave in the mornings so I can get on the computer without guilt

5. What's your favorite shade of blue?  Royal Blue

6. Do people underestimate you?  I think so. I'm pretty introverted until I get to know you, so people are always surprised when I finally open up.

7. When was the last time you had butterflies in your stomach?   Last month at a church meeting

8. Insert your own random thought here, and remember...I have a wooden spoon and I'm not afraid to use it.    Why are people so inconsiderate nowadays?  I ran some errands earlier today and was at three different stores.  Can't tell you how many times I was cut off--in traffic, the parking lots, and in the stores--without anyone saying "excuse me, pardon me, or kiss my foot".   Common courtesy seems to have become very uncommon!

Holiday Tips You Can Really Use

Thanksgiving is a little more than a week away.  Family and friends are coming to--gulp--YOUR house!  Is there time to repaint every room?  Install new carpet?  Regrout the bathroom?  Probably not.  But here are a couple of things you can do that will make a big difference:

7 Ways to Make Your House Look Clean

(without actually cleaning it)

1.  Clear off all surfaces into laundry baskets.

2.  Stash laundry baskets in closets.

3.  If it can't be cleared and stashed, stack it.

4.  Windex the mirrors.

5.  Shine the sinks and faucets.

6.  Spray cleaning product in kitchen and bathroom (doesn't have to actually be used to clean anything) and light a scented candle--the most expensive one you can afford--in the living room.

7.  Dim the lights.

My New Treasures!

It's getting colder and that means the end of yard sales for a while.  

Can we bow our heads for a moment of silence?

Thank you.  While I am trying to declutter--no, really, I am--and have been unable to do much thrifting lately, I have managed a couple of trips to flea markets.  Would you like to see my new-to-me goodies?

Gorgeous rusty old scale - $8

I love this bad boy!!

Crackled glass hurricane - $3.50

Planter - $5

Not sure if I want to use this outside with flowers 

or in the bathroom with towels rolled up in it....opinions, anyone?

Wooden trash can - $2

I've been wanting a trash can for the deck.

This will be getting a face lift soonest.

 Wicker chair - $8

Despite this being my favorite red, I will be spray painting it.  

It's going to be my new office chair

And this is a sneak peek at my very favorite, bestest find!!  

I'm waiting to get her where I want her before revealing her loveliness!