My Life in Short Takes

Baby Hart

2012-01-29T13:36:00.001-08:00

About a week ago my son Joshua and daughter-in-law Sydni came to see me. Joshua said I have a present for you and as he was talking he kept fiddling with something in his hand. He then handed the object in his hand to me and I looked at it. It took a good 10 seconds or longer to me to process what I was looking at. It was the positive pregnancy test that they had taken. I was stunned then I bent over and cried. I was beyond thrilled. What a wonderful day. I was so honored that I was the first that they told. What was most amazing was that I was able to keep their secret until they wanted others to know. I will never forget when they came into the ER and had a pregnancy test done. I was not at the station when the results came in and no one else knew why they were there. When I came back in Heather had a lab result paper in her hand and her expression was like a deer in headlights. She had the paper clutched to her chest and she was just staring at me. I nodded to her to let he know that I knew and she started to laugh and hugged me. The big deal was to keep it quiet in the ER so that "Taunt" Jill wouldn't find out till the kids could tell her. A few days later Josh came by to see Jill and asked her if Grande Taunte Jill was the proper term. Apparently that meant 'big' aunt Jill and not great aunt. Took her a minute too, to figure out what he was trying to say. She thought that he was telling her that Ellie the dog was having puppies(Jill owns Ellie's mom) Now everyone knows and all are thrilled so when, years from now, Baby Hart reads his or her grandma's blog he/she will know that from the first there was an abundance of love.

Nutrasystem Day 1

2012-01-18T04:51:00.000-08:00

No I am not going to blog each day about my diet. That would bore the crap out of me and anyone who reads this. I have another blog that I will put entries on that hopefully will keep me motivated. I hate being fat. I am just cumbersome and it irks me that I cannot move like I used to. I have short and long term goals that are measurable. I am going to have breakfast now and I will be happy!!!

Resolutions

2012-01-15T03:58:00.000-08:00

I didn't want to rush the process of trying to figure out what my New Year's resolutions would be this year. I actually sat down with pen in hand to try to figure out a list that would be attainable and practical. I wondered how long it would be before I managed to break any resolutions that I would make. I decided not to write anything until I had a handle on what was going to stick. My first resolution was of course to go on a low carb diet. That lasted less than ten seconds because as I was typing my list I was eating a cookie. I can multitask. I had the cookie firmly held between my lips while I was typing with both hands. In fact I had 4 more cookies waiting on the table next to my computer. The next resolution was to go to the gym on the days that I get off work. That resolution lasted less than 36 hours. The gym is on my way home and I have been paying them every month for two years. I haven't darkened their doorstep in over a year. I went to work on Wednesday night and on the way home in the morning I passed the gym and remembered that I was supposed to stop and walk for 30 minutes. I didn't want to turn around because the street was busy so I decided that I would walk the dog through my neighborhood a distance of exactly one mile. I got home, had to run to the potty(no bladder control) and while there stripped off my clothes and put on my jammies. THEN I remembered that I was supposed to walk. Well poop. Okay I felt I could still salvage this because I have an exercise ball that I bought over a year ago and have not inflated. I got it out to blow up and realized that I needed to look up something on the computer... like how much weight does this thing hold? I got sidetracked on the computer because I had crops to harvest on Farmville. It's a damn shame that you can't lose weight playing computer games. By the time I got around to looking up the weight limit on my exercise ball it was time to go to bed. I did lay on my back in bed and raise each leg 10 times. My next resolution was to clean house and keep it in order. Its been two weeks and I still have Christmas decorations lying around in partially sealed boxes PLUS I emptied the floor in my walk in closet to make room for the half-packed decorations so that I won't have to go to the Attic each year and drag them down. Now my bedroom looks like a bomb went off. I was so excited because in my closet I found another 2 HUGE containers of pictures that were tucked away. This is a good thing because I had promised to find all my pictures and get them in one place for one of LAST year's unwritten resolutions. I spent about an hour or two looking through the pictures and the mementos that I have saved. I went back to the computer to look up scrapbooks. I need a mess of scrapbooks to put cards and pictures that the kids made me. Oops I had to head on over to Cityville first to collect my rent and request gifts to complete game goals. With that finished I found the scrapbooks I wanted and made note of them so that I could order on my next payday. I got up to get a drink of water and noted that the sink was full. I did dishes and mopped the floor. Then I went to the laundry to get clothes out of the dryer and realized that I need clothes hangers. I went back to my bedroom and had to move some of the boxes out of the way to get into my closet and discovered a box full of my mom's recipes that she had saved. What a treasure trove. About 10 years ago I stored this box and made a fricking resolution to organize the contents and make a family cookbook. I got my coat hangers after looking through the recipe box and hung up clothes. I needed to take a nap for work so I went to bed and set my phone alarm for 2 hours. I raised each leg 10 times and went to sleep. In the middle of my nap I had to pee and got up and promptly fell over a box and peed on myself. I had to clean up and by that time I was awake. I got my shower, did my hair and reflected on the last 15 days of failed resolutions. I realized that I may have a problem with distractions. I am probably ADD. So I have made my only resolution this year. It is to list what I need to accomplish each day... the night before. I only list one or two items that are reachable and will cause me great guilt if I can't manage to accomplish them. I am talking easy stuff here. Like yesterday my to do list included stripping my bed and gathering all the bath towels. I did that AND I put them on to wash. That wasn't on my list so I get bonus points for going over and above. The other to do thing was to pull the rest of the stuff from my closet and put JUST the fragile boxes of Christmas decorations in place. DONE!!!!!! Yay!! Today as I type the things that are looming for me to do are to get dressed(with good hair) and visit a friend in the hospital and to put away another 4 boxes. I did make progress on a non-resolution. I ordered nutrasystem and I am going to give it a try...one day at a time.

Pictures from Christmas 2011

2011-12-31T12:09:00.001-08:00

Late Christmas at the Higginbotham's

2011-12-31T11:31:00.000-08:00

I guess if you do something 2 years in a row it becomes tradition. I like the new tradition that we started last year of doing everything in one evening. I still cook the same meal that I have for the past 30 years: Prime Rib with a side of heavy whipped cream and horseradish sauce, broccoli, potato, and yellow squash casseroles, Grandma Thelma's jello salad, and Brussels sprouts almond. I switched the pretzel salad with a desert called Fat Man's Delight(chocolate). The FMD was delicious but BOTH of my children wanted to know where the pretzel salad was and when I admitted that I traded it for the other desert I was informed that you can't mess with tradition. I won't do it again. I have been set straight. You can add but you can't take away. I wondered the past few days what drives me to go all out, to the point of personal exhaustion, on Christmas. I don't have an answer but that I just simply love this celebration. I love knowing what I have to buy at the store without a shopping list because I have made the menu for so many years I have it memorized. I love the sounds,the smells, the tastes and the spirit of the season. I love my family and I love the giving of gifts. I love getting them as well but the giving is so much better. I love the pagan tradition of the fir tree, the secular tradition of Santa Clause, and most of all the true reason for the celebration the acknowledgement of the birth of our Savior, Jesus, son of Mary and Joseph. Someday I will be too old and tired to spend days getting ready for Christmas and will want someone else to take over the responsibility. Someday. Not this year or next but someday. So again from my home to yours Merry Christmas and may the Child, born in the manger, live in your heart and bring blessings to you and yours through out the year.

A Look Back Over 60 Years

2011-12-07T15:00:00.000-08:00

I gave myself a day to think about this because yesterday I was overwhelmed with the feeling of being old like my mom was. I am the baby of the family. I don't get old. I laid in bed last night and thought about the last 60 years or rather the ones that I remember. I was going to post 60 years in about 20 pictures but I couldn't find the ones that I wanted. I like the idea so I will do it but it won't be till the first of the year.

The first 10: I have vague memories of early childhood. I remember I used to bite the toes and fingers off my dolls and I cut my Barbie doll's hair. I would sit by our bookcases that were near a furnace vent, and it was so warm in the winter. Had my tonsils and adenoids removed. I was horse crazy. I played hide and seek with my collie dog Queenie. I wasn't a bad child, I was just active and into a lot of things. I was attached to my mom and had a hard time even spending the night at friends homes. I loved to read and by the time I was 10 I had read all the horse books I could find and had progressed to the Bond Series by Ian Fleming(I had to sneak them out of the library and back in when I was finished)I probably had ADD because I just wasn't that into school. I was a "dreamer, with a great imagination". In other words I lied and didn't pay attention in class. I remember telling my 1st grade teacher Mrs. Oliver that I was late for school because a bear chased me to Lee Leman's house and I had to hide. I had to repeat the first grade. I was chubby and it should have caused me problems but I lived in a make believe world inhabited by horses and I was pretty happy.

The second 10:( Age 10 through 20). Wow I went from fat to thin. Got picked for our high school dance team the Wesketts, discovered boys, still had trouble studying. I performed in the 1969 Rose Bowl Parade. I got by and sometimes made the honor roll but it just wasn't important enough to give up my evenings and I was passing. I went to all three "senior" proms. I was a prom 'Ho". I just loved to get dressed up. I remember taking Latin for years and really enjoyed it(who the hell enjoys Latin??? I really think I was a closet nerd)I was active in our Presbyterian Church where my mom was the secretary. I didn't get my drivers licence till I was 19 because someone was always available to drive me around. I had my heart broken a few times and broke my share. I was still horse crazy. I lost my mother's parents during the second ten years. I got my first job at Taco Bell and worked at a Kingswood Kennel with Elva Alexander and rode her husband Bob's Saddle bred gaited horses. I did stable work at Thunderbird Acres in exchange for riding lessons. I had three serious boyfriends.

The third 10: (between 20 and 30) These went by more quickly. I graduated from nursing school, got engaged twice, (the first I refused a ring and got a ten speed engagement bike instead). I realized I made a mistake and traded all the china I had collected in for horse equipment and bought the first of my two Arabian horses. I realized that I needed Jesus in my life, got saved, and then proceeded to let the devil run my life for a time. I married a doctor and had my son Joshua and got a divorce. By this time I had my second horse. I had to sell both horses to survive. I lived in Gulf Breeze, Florida near the beach in English Cove Apartments. I married Stan and had Becky. During this third 10 years I moved to three different states, I flew on Life Flight in Pensacola, Florida, met Bob Hope( sorry but he was an ass)worked in 3 different Emergency departments and ran an ER at Humana Hospital in College Station, Texas. I lectured about child abuse and molestation...... and I gained weight.

The fourth 10: (Ages 30 through 40). Moved to Louisiana, discovered what a horror public school was in this state. Worked in Psych, Rehab, ER, was the manager of a Medical?Surgical Floor. Placed my daughter at Academy of Sacred Heart and fought to keep my son in school by enrolling him in a Christian School that turned out not so Christian. Discovered my son was an awesome dancer. Showed Gordon Setters or rather I tried to do so with the help of friends! Continued to gain weight. Worked more and more kept one job and had several part time jobs.

The fifth 10: (ages 40 through 50) Continued to work. Let my son move to New Orleans and dance professionally. Did not sleep well for years. Learned that a broken heart and worry will not kill you. Had my gallbladder removed. Had my knee operated for a torn meniscus. Lost 115 pounds and looked great! Watched my daughter bloom personally and in school. Got fired for the only time in my nursing career. ( have since learned that the heifer who fired me has been terminated from several jobs.... just proves what goes around comes around)Watch my son hit the bottom and rise like a phoenix from the ashes. Got our first computer. Continued to keep my weight down. Watch Becky get her high school diploma and start college. Watched my daughter grow in education and decide on nursing. My dad died. The Towers were destroyed 9/11/01 and I became a news junkie. I kept my weight off.

The sixth 10: (ages 50 through 60) My mother died and a piece of my heart. My fear of flying grew. I developed breast cancer and elected for a bilateral mastectomy with implant placement. Worked and continue to do so in a small ED. My daughter and my son both got married and brought Shane and Sydni into our family. Becky started on her masters and Joshua has a dancing school and moved it to 4 different locations. My brother in law Bob died and Joshua's half sister Chelsea was killed with in 24 hours of each other. I continue to work as much as I can. I am still broke. I gained and gained and gained weight. I am still the baby in the family but I am an old baby. My sister's and I "found" our oldest half sister(my dad's first child) JoAnne and reunited with her. I started to blog, became a computer junkie. I am a mixed political person. I have a few liberal ideas but believe only in a very small government. I can't stand the current president. I don't want to live in a socialist country.

What I have discovered is that we have become too politically correct. We don't allow our children to lose at anything because losing will make their little witty feelings hurt. We squash individualism. We don't discipline our kids and have a generation of children believe that they are OWED a check for doing nothing. God is being forced into a box where he cannot offend anyone. We have taken prayer out of school and allowed illegal immigrants to remain in our country untouched and in fact rewarded. Our president wants us all to be equal. He wants the rich to share with the poor. Those who have worked to take care of those who don't want to. I am afraid of what is going to happen in the next 10 years of my life. I will remain a news junkie and won't limit myself to one channel because I might get brainwashed. I will demand the people that feed me information be correct... and I will check. I will vote for anyone except Obama, he has nearly ruined this country. I want to live in a capitalistic country where work is rewarded. I am grateful to be part of the generation that invented the computer, put a man on the moon and invented cool whip. The next ten years will find me in prayer for my family, our nation and the world.

The Safety of Our Young

2011-12-03T17:20:00.000-08:00

Mostly I blog for just me. I write about what I am feeling sort of like an open diary. This is not my usual post and it was difficult to compose. I just know that our children are in trouble and more so now than ever before. Please leave a comment at the end.

During the time I worked for Humana Hospital in College Station, Texas I was the manager of the Emergency Department. If you can specialize in something other than the running of a department mine would have been in the area of child abuse/molestation. The hospital allowed me to lecture multiple times on the prevention and identification of molestation. I don't think that much has changed in the 25 years since I have been there except that there continues to be a group of people who believe that it is okay to have sex with a child. In all the years that I studied and read up the pathology of the pedophile it still unnerved me and could send me into a rage like nothing else. I haven't stayed current in my reading but back then, 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 7 boys would be molested by the time they reached 18 years of age. I would imagine that given our current society and loosening of our morals that the number is probably now 1 in 4 of all children. I am not speaking of what then was called the undifferentiated pedophile who selects children by their availability and usually the outcome is death. What I am talking about are the monsters who live next door, who pastor our Churches, who coach our sports teams, who teach in schools, who are scout leaders, and who you would swear they would never hurt a child. These monsters destroy the innocence of our young they prey on for their own sexual satisfaction. I had an opportunity to listen to a pedophile on the witness stand say that he "loved his young 'friends' and never wanted to hurt them". What I discovered in the time that I worked with these victims is that not only are they hurt by the attacker but because the pedophile is frequently an outstanding member of the community or worse yet a relative of the victim, they are victimized by the doubt that is expressed by many that the child must be lying or even worse, asked for it to happen. That much hasn't changed as evidenced by the recent arrest of Jerry Sandusky from Penn State and Bernie Fine from Syracuse. There is immediate doubt of the story and the undercurrent is that the alleged victims want money. When I worked with a molested child I told the parents the truth... that they were about to become socially outcasted, at least for a time. It was difficult to watch. In the case of Bernie Fine his wife allegedly took part in and was fully knowledgeable about what her husband was doing.
What I want to say in this post is that it is virtually impossible to prevent your child from becoming a victim unless he/she is locked in his room till he is grown. But you can prevent it from happening again and again. Let me be clear that in my experience that if your child is targeted once he will be targeted again. I don't know why but it is the truth. What you must do as parents and grandparents is to educate your young and you must do it on a regular basis. I recently commented on Face Book about a book that is only available in Amazon as a used copy. It apparently is out of print. The book is called the Private Zone. It is a read along book that lets kids know that the area covered by their bathing suits is off limits. It's a wonderful book that lets kids know what 'bad feelings' and 'good feelings' are and what to do. I recommend that anyone who reads this get a copy asap before they are all gone. I have learned that the adult that the child sees most recently can control the child. In other words you can tell your child what to watch out for and a month later a molester (who has been cultivating your child by the way)can use threats and coercion to sexually abuse your young. What you have told your child is not forgotten but is pushed back against the threats of someone that he knows and trusts. It may happen once but if you frequently talk to your child it may prevent it from happening again. If your child starts to act out sexually, becomes withdrawn, starts to wet the bed, has slipping grades or suddenly does not want to partake in an activity that previously he/she liked then you may have a problem. The only thing I can tell you is to watch and listen to your kids. If they are young they have no way to process what is happening to them and they will start to behave in a manner that is not normal. I remember being called to a home of a friend who had an in house licenced baby sitting service. She had observed this child acting out for the last 3 days and she called me. It was nap time and we observed the 4 year old using her stuffed Mr. Bunny to masturbate over and over till she was sweaty and had fallen asleep. We called child welfare. They investigated and it was her stepfather who was abusing her. Her mother came over afterwards and confronted us. She was a school teacher and was pregnant. She was furious that we had reported her husband and 'ruined' her life. I often wonder what happened to that little girl.

There are groups that want to abolish the age of consent laws. The most formidable group is NAMBLA: the North American Man/Boy Love Association. They also want all men released from jail who were convicted for sex contact with a minor. This group is still active today. President Obama's Assistant Deputy Secretary of the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools till July of this year was a supporter of Harry Hay an activist with NAMBLA and years ago praised him even knowing that he was a member of NAMBLA.

This year a group of mental health professionals , psychiatrists and pedophiles in Maryland formed B4U-ACT, designed to normalize the act of pedophilia. They want these 'misunderstood' persons to be titled with a more "sensitive and socially-accepting term: the minor attracted person. I don't know, I am still partial to predator, degenerate, deviant, and monster. What I do know is that if we bow down to any pressure to be "socially correct" with these men and women who steal the joys of childhood from our children we will never recover. Our children are our greatest gifts and deserve all the joys and wonders that childhood brings. We are all responsible for their protection. If you know or suspect that something is happening to a child and you ignore it you are as guilty as the predator.

Just One Step Closer to Socialism

2011-11-07T16:25:00.000-08:00

This Wednesday November 9th at 2pm our airwaves will be taken over by the government for a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System. Now this sounds okay because we are all used to this occasionally happening during the day...you know, the alert sounds and then a tape message goes across the top of the screen. Sometimes you get one that tells you if "this had been an actual emergency you would be directed to tune into...blah, blah, blah. I always listen to the alerts, usually they are about the weather but sometimes it is simply a test. This time it will be shut down for about 30 to 40 seconds. (some reports put that up to 3 minutes) That isn't a problem either because it's testing the system. Right? The problem is that the broadcasters have absolutely no control. So the question begs, who is in control. In the old system, broadcasters still had control of the the system. The new system will not allow that. According to FEMA (and this makes sense) that we need a system that we can use "at a time of a real national emergency, at a moments notice". In other words some government agency can flip a switch and cut off all of our broadcasting abilities to send messages of import to the citizens. The President would of course be able to issue that order. This is kind of what they did in Egypt. But that is Egypt and this is America and they(government) would never do something like that. We are marching towards socialistic government and few are paying attention. The excuse for control of the airwaves is a 'national emergency', how long would it take that disagreement with the current government would constitute an "emergency".

As the unions get more control, socialism is held as the ideal. Power to the worker. Eugene Dabs, thought to be the father of socialism in America stated " the capitalist was originally a socially useful individual, but the evolution of our industrial system has rendered him a parasite, an entirely useless functionary that must be eliminated if civilization is to endure". Another of his quotes that represents what is happening today is "Not many of those schooled in old-party politics have any adequate conception of the true import of the labor movement.....They utterly fail or refuse to see the connection between labor and politics, and are, therefore, woefully ignorant of the political significance of the labor movement of the present day". Our president was elected on the back of the unions. Many of his current and former czars are union activists/sympathizers, or political activists. We have been moving towards this for 100 years but never more so than the last three years since we elected Obama. It all sounds so wonderful, letting the government take care of us whether it's health care, housing, or education. But my mom used to say 'nothing is for free and if it sounds to good to be true then it is". We must resist the slow, insidious ooze that is socialism and use the voting booth to fight for our Republic.

Same Old Stuff, Different Day...GET A JOB

2011-11-01T08:29:00.000-07:00

I have avoided much about politics the past few months. I keep thinking that we are going to wake up but I am losing hope. I had posted a quote from President Thomas Jefferson on my facebook page and no truer words were spoken "The Democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who will not". Honestly what part of that statement doesn't anyone understand? I have watched with disgust the Wall Street protesters and the left's reaction to the melee. The mainstream media is literally glorifying them while not long ago the same media vilified the Tea Party gatherings that presented with no violence, accusing them of racially slanted views..which there by the way was no proof. The 99% are making horrible comments about the Jews...where are the media comments condemning them?? I still, despite watching all channels can't figure out just what the 99% are really protesting about as when interviewed they have no consistent agenda. Organizers are filtering in to help them decide what they are protesting... isn't that special. Van Jones, Obama's previous Green Czar is on the job. Surely it can't be that they want the 1% to support their lazy asses. In my own little world I have run across people who tell me that they can't find jobs. REALLY?? I have responded that McDonald's seems to hiring and I am met with shocked looks. The most recent response was "I am not working at McDonald's, I want a job that pays more money". You know what stupid, they pay real money, money that can buy food and gas. I realize that working shifts that might cut into your social life is inconvenient but really, get a freeking job..they are out there..some even provide training. You might have to lose the sparkly nails, baggy pants and you might have to pass a drug screen but work is available. If I couldn't nurse for what ever reason I would be first in line at McDonald's and I promise you I would get hired and after a time I would be running the joint. Our fearless leader is now proposing forgiveness for student loans. Well actually he will be using MY money to pay for your stupid choices. The parents of those students who chose a degree that they had no hope in using should be made to pay the loans, not ME. I had a patient the other day who was telling me about their kids. I asked if I could recite their accomplishments in my blog and was given the go ahead. This married couple had 4 children who are now adults. The couple worked low pay, common laboring jobs and needed food stamps and medicaid at times. Their kids worked hard, studied harder, got scholarships and continued to study. When they graduated the older kids helped the younger ones. This proud couple now have 2 teachers, a nurse and another fixing to graduate with a teaching degree. They have so much to be proud about. The mom told me she didn't want her kids to be on the welfare rolls so she made them study and was constantly on guard about their friends and social activities. Wow, a concerned and participating parent. Our President is shamelessly attempting to buy votes with my money by trying to increase social programs. He needs to get off the campaign trail and start running the country. The POTUS CONTINUES to push us towards socialism and vilifies those Representatives for listening to their constituents (like they were voted in to do). I don't want any more social programs, increased taxes, bailouts, and handouts. I want the tax system remade so that you don't need a degree in accounting to fill out a tax form. I want capitalism praised and not condemned. I want lazy people to find a job. I want those who are getting benefits to sit home to be made to work....if we have all this money sitting around we shouldn't be giving it away. People should be out cleaning the highways, scrubbing sidewalks, helping the elderly, and cleaning my house(I had to slip that in). Remember the CCC(Civilian Conservation Corps)? This was started during the Great Depression by FDR to provide jobs for young men across the country. The jobs were unskilled laboring jobs and provided relief to families who couldn't make ends meet. A large portion went home to the families these young men left behind. This would be great today...instead of these single men sitting home drinking, doing drugs, fathering children they can't support...they could be out working for the check they are receiving for doing nothing. I don't want to leave women out of this either.. we can make those unemployed young women work in the community if they have children. The bottom line is, if you don't work, you don't eat. Please tell me in response just what is wrong with this idea. You should not own a home unless you have enough money coming in to pay the mortgage. It is not my fault you stupidly bought a home you couldn't afford. Even if you were given a loan(that you didn't qualify for) you should have had the restraint to realize that you didn't have the money. You got caught and now want to be bailed out. Get something that you can afford. Stan and I never purchased a home that we couldn't afford if one of us lost a job. Wow, what a concept. We have become a nation of lazy, dependent people who want everything for nothing. I am tired of supporting you. I take care of my own and I didn't take you to raise. Welfare if continued should be used for the (really)sick, and elderly. God, I am exhausted... end of rant.

Rebekah's 30th Birthday

2011-10-19T22:50:00.000-07:00

When Becky graduated from high school I had taken out a full page ad with pictures from all ages and I also put this: "From baby shoes to high heels, each step that you took was noted in the hearts of those who love you". Your dad, your brother and I are so proud of you in everything that you do. As you are finishing up your Masters in Nursing know this, that every step that you take is still on our hearts and that you are loved more than stars in the sky.

The Great Mississippi Balloon Race 2011

2011-10-16T17:59:00.000-07:00

This was my second time attending the Great Mississippi Balloon Race in Natchez, Mississippi. Last year was a bust. We sat by the river for 4 hours waiting to catch a glimpse of one of the colorful hot air balloons to no avail. These things are big and Natchez is pretty small... where could they have gone?? Someone said that they had blown the opposite direction. The day wasn't a total wash we ate at the Pig Out Inn and had some fabulous ribs. This year we decided to change our schedule and go to the 7am race event. The wind was blowing and it looked good for a chance to get some pictures. We went by and got coffee and arrived by the river at 645am. People were gathered by the rail and in the parking lot in their cars. I got out and spoke to a few locals who assured me that the balloons would be coming. They didn't have a clue what they were talking about. I noticed a few 'bikers' on some really great looking Harley's and went up and asked them if they knew anything. They had just heard on the radio that the balloons were going to going to the Mall and "drop the ring" over a target in the back. Off we went...along with those that I told what was up. It really was wonderful. We got there in plenty of time and before you could see them you could hear the short burst from the propane burners as the pilots adjusted their height. They appeared over the trees in vivid colors that stood out against the pale blue sky. They had to attempt to drop two flags in a area that apparently had points associated with how close they were to the center pole. They could coast along the ground but not touch or they would be disqualified. The final test was dropping a ring over the center pole. Only one man did it. I had a great time. Stan and I were cheering and clapping with everyone else. I got some wonderful pictures given that I still am learning how to work my camera. Will I do this again. Absolutely. BUT this time I will read the program to figure out where they are going to be. Oh... we ate at the Pig Out again. YUM. Not as good as wedding and birthday cake but close.

The Non-Wedding Weekend Entertainment Part 2: Painting with a Twist

2011-10-12T09:17:00.000-07:00

After the swamp tour we went back to the hotel to rest and prepare for our evening entertainment. Becky turned me on to the idea of Painting with a Twist. PWAT is a local business that caters to wanna be Picassos. Who like to drink. I know you shouldn't drink and drive but now I am seeing the wisdom of not painting while you drink. Oh my goodness we had fun. We had a preset picture that PWAT prepares ahead of time by just outlining the basic part of the pic. They then attempt to teach you to paint. Kudos to the teacher that night who was responsible for a group of 12 drinking adults. We managed to do credible pictures and kept most of the paint off of ourselves. Rick decided he didn't like the presented picture and talked the instructor into letting Bryan and him do their own thing. My sister Barb started out painting the preset picture and then when her black border got too large she just went with the flow and did an abstact that I wish I had kept

AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!!!!

The Non-Wedding Weekend Entertainment Part 1: Swamp Tour

2011-10-12T08:28:00.000-07:00

I have learned to love the state of Louisiana. My first few years here will filled with loathing of all crawling things that seem to be of abundance every where you go. Time has lessened my phobias and I have grown to appreciate our wonderful natural environment. Unfortunately our wetlands are disappearing along with the wildlife that depend on these areas for survival. I wanted to share with my family the beauty of the swamps. I asked around to long time locals about the best tour and was referred to Champagne's( pronounced shom-pine..not like the drink). Brian Champagne conducted our tour in a flat bottomed boat. The bayou simply said is wondrous. We saw birds, centuries old trees, alligators, and a few spiders. The local fauna is beyond description. Brian was a wonderful tour guide and I cannot recommend him highly enough. My sister Barbara told me later that she initially did not want to go but was so very happy she did. I think that sentiment was held by all. I will close this blog by saying that much needs to be done to preserve our wetlands and that beauty like this should never be lost. Thank you Champagne's Swamp Tour for a wonderful morning.

Family and Friends Like Family: The Non-Wedding Weekend

2011-10-09T07:33:00.000-07:00

My family and two of my dear friends from Oklahoma had reservations to come to Joshua and Syd's wedding in Lafayette and as you know it was moved to August in Iowa. Since everyone still had plane tickets to come to Lafayette they decided to come on ahead and we would just have a mini reunion and celebrate my early birthday. It seems that in December I will be 60 years old. I really didn't think that was right and rechecked my birth certificate to be sure. I still feel like I'm 40 with just a lot more cellulite. Anyway I had a "birthday" celebration and a mini-reception for Joshua and Syd. Barbara, Patti, Mindy, Carrie, Jill, Rick, and Bryan all stayed at the hotel along with Becky and of course myself. The first night I hosted a buffet and Janet and Reno Leblanc came along with Westley Quebedeaux.

I was thrilled that everyone took the time to come and planned several events for entertainment. In the next blog I will have pictures from the swamp tour and the painting party. I simply loved having everyone here and enjoyed my "vacation" in the Presidential Suite at the Hilton. I do owe a huge thanks to Bryan's partner Rick Green. I pride myself of being able to get the most for my dollar but Rick is the uncontested king of getting the best for less. I had booked the suite for only two days that ended on Saturday. My guests were staying through Sunday and I just didn't have an additional 400$ for that last night. Rick slicked up his hair, took me in hand, and off we went to the reception desk. I LOVE watching a master at work. He complimented the manager on his style and gave him the details about how I was just HATING to leave the hotel and that the cost was just WAY to much...so what could he do to help me. The man didn't hesitate and dropped the cost to one that I could afford. Now what you need to know is that I had already been down earlier and they turned me down flat. Love you Rick. You are the bomb!

September 11, 2011. Ten Years Later

2011-09-10T18:38:00.000-07:00

It's been 10 years since that day. It was yesterday in my mind. I have watched TV most of the day on remembrances and miracles that came from that day. Lost husbands, wives, mothers, dads, sons and daughters.. their survivors talked and their pain is still etched on their faces. Time has gone on but today they remember that what started out as an ordinary day became extraordinary in its horror. I was transfixed by the stories and even though I have heard them nearly every year since that day, I sat here with tears rolling down my face at the loss, the fear, and the bravery. I have listened to Stanley and Brian's story of how Brian rescued Stanley in the South Tower. I am in awe of Brian staying to help a stranger and how that single day has made them friends for life. Midway down they passed a lobby area and came across a guard and an injured man. The man had broken his back and the guard would not leave him and asked that Stanley and Brian would call for help. The injured man asked that they tell his wife and child that he loved them. That guard stayed behind because he would not leave that injured man. Stanley and Brian called EMS but the tower fell before anyone could get there. The guard, and I wish I knew his name, died a hero for his compassion for his fellow man. The men and women on Flight 93 that crashed in Shanksville, Pa on that day will always be remembered as courageous. Todd Beamer"s "Let's Roll" will go down as a call to battle, for ordinary people to do extraordinary things. The firefighters, police officers, medics, the search and rescue dogs gave their all. Many gave their lives in an effort to save others. Yes they were doing their jobs but they were extraordinary in their selflessness, in their willingness to run into fire to help others...to give their lives. There is a generation of children who weren't born then. To these young 10 year old children it is an abstract happening. Pearl Harbor happened 10 years before I was born and I remember studying about it and watching history shows but it didn't touch me emotionally like 9/11 has. I want my grandchildren and their children to read my blog books and realize that something devastating happened that day and to never, ever forget. Never to let their guard down and become complacent in their freedom. I want them to know that on that day we stood together as a country, we cried and we mourned our collective loss and we moved on. But we haven't forgotten.

Funny Email #2 Patti and her Vac

2011-08-24T09:48:00.000-07:00

I love my family. We have a full range of really smart, funny and loving people who comprise InaLee's children and grand children. What you are going to read is a series of emails starting with an email from my sister about her new vacuum cleaner and follow up emails from a few of the rest of us. These are from June 2006. To those of you who aren't related or know us these will be boring but I want them included in my yearly book to my family.

From Patti: June 2006
My 30-year-old Hoover died three days ago. After careful analysis (i. e. I whipped through the best buys in Consumer Reports) I bought a new Hoover self propelled vacuum online at my favorite Texas vacuum dealer.
I had to share this significant moment with my sisters because only you will understand how relieved Mom would be that this new one will trap 100% of the dust mites (and I'll bet our bedroom has plenty of them!) She would also be very proud that 1) it will actually TELL me when the rug is clean instead of just spewing the dust back at me from the top of the machine AND 2) I got it tax free with no shipping costs!
Big bonus - it is purple. Alright, mulberry metallic. Just imagine what I can do with this sporty model.
My new baby arrives in five business days with the usual attachments, an extra 20 ft. long hose, and stuff that Vacuum Depot sells such as an Ultimate Dusting Brush!
Will keep you posted

My response:

I am just quivering with excitement for you..... and a big, Loooong hose too. Mine is 6 years old and barely sucks, I have to frequently grab hold of it and blow its tubes out to make it work and its only about 2 ft. long.. It doesn't stand upright by itself anymore, I have to hold it in place and then turn it on and worse yet I get no conversation. I live for the day when I can trade this old horse in for a new, long-hosed,powerful, sucking machine that talks dirt to me.
Love, your unfulfilled sister
deb

Response from Niece Carrie:
All the cool kids are doin' it.With all of Patti's excitement about a new vac, I had to go and get one myself. (And, my 16-year anniversary is in two weeks!) I was going to buy one at the same place Patti bought one, but the one I have been eyeing just went on sale for 1/2 PRICE at Kohl's (sorry, Patti) -- so off I trotted to Kohl's with my three kids. Let me just tell you, THREE KIDS takes a lot of the joy out of vacuum purchasing. No wonder people say having kids changes everything -- even the thrill of a new vacuum purchase.But once I got home, I too experienced the elation of vacuuming my carpet with all the power of a new vac. I feel like I have new carpet! I have also been using my long hose a lot too. I even made the kids "feel the power." :-)Dearest Auntie Patti -- thank you for inspiring me toward my goal of being a better mom with cleaner carpet. Now Drew can crawl w/o getting cat hair stuck to his little hands. :-) Yuck!

Response from Patti:
Amen, Carrie. Can't you just FEEL the energy! You sound so fulfilled by achieving this goal. Just envision what you can accomplish with three children tomorrow.

Response from Niece Robbon:
Nope...the vacuum is the big deal for the anniversary. Sorry-that is allyou have to look forward to. Ha ha! I was telling Patti yesterday that I love our new vacuum. Mark bought me one before Mia was born because I was freaking out about all of the hair inthe house and couldn't stand the thought of a baby covered in dog & cat hair. It is a Hoover vacuum but with a canister for the refuse. At first Iloved the exhilaration of seeing everything that it was picking up and thought that my house felt so clean. Enjoy it while you can Carrie!! Of course it has a looong hose and the handle stays up. Need you ask? : )) Butnow that I am still picking up the same junk every time, I realize that ahouse is never clean. Ugh! The canister just freaks me out every time! Girls' gathering? What is that? I don't know that I will be able to carry on an adult conversation without mopping up slobber or cutting up someone'sfood.Robbon

Response from Patti again:
I got my new vac yesterday and it is everything I desired! Because it was our anniversary, I paid more attention to Jack than the Hoover. I even waited until we got home from seeing "Prairie Home Companion" to get it out of the box. Jack screwed the handle on and I swept away! Wow, that long hose is going to come in handy sucking up spiders. And I don't have to worry about them creeping out later.
I say, "If you need a new vac, don't wait 25 years." Shoot, in another 25 years, I won't even care if I have a vac -- or maybe even know what one is for!
I'm on a roll now. Maybe my next acquisition will be a new mop bucket and squeegee!
-
Response from my Nephew Kryss:
Im glad you all have your vaccuums....hehe...we have a good vac....but IMUCH prefer our upright (vacuum style) Hoover Steam Cleaner.....itrocks.....and the price was fantastic too! FREE!! Hehe....a friend wasmoving to California and didn't wana move it too.....it was pretty muchbrand new....she gave it to us...heheIm copying this to jen....she has FAR more interest in being a clean freaklike all of you.....hehe....Kryss

Love you all!!!!! I laughed again and hope this brings back memories.

Old E-Mails #1: Beer Bottles, Kegals and My Advice

2011-08-19T08:28:00.000-07:00

As I was cleaning out some old emails that I have saved I ran across some oldies but goodies. I will be posting some of these. These are pre-blogging gems! The original email is posted then the comments that I got. I did 'X' out some names but it is mostly the same
For those of you who don't really know me... this is a warning. Nothing is off limits as you will soon read.

The Grand Geezer = my mom
The geezers = my older sisters
Geezerette = me because I am the youngest

03/09/2000 09:40:35 AM

Subject: some sound advice

Dear nieces,
Although only Carrie has seen fit to write to her dear
old aunt and keep her in the know, I decided to write
one more time with some sound advice. IF YOU DON'T
USE IT YOU WILL LOSE IT. I know most of you, if you
got that advice from the geezers thought it meant your
typing skills. On second thought if they gave it they
probably did mean your typing skills but I am here to
let you know it applies to other aspects of your
person. Lucky Carrie, because she keeps in contact
with me already knows what I did last night. I went
to a friends house to have my cooter measured( At this
point Robbon is in melt down.. wanting to know just
how to divorce Mark on the basis of crazy
relatives.)My friend is a RN who specializes in
incontinence. In passing conversation she mentioned
that the same muscles that control incontinence also
are the same ones that umm... well increase the
tightness of the vaginal vault. Those pesky old kegals
that are about as elusive as the G-spot as far as I am
concerned have been a mystery to me for years. I was
told to exercise them prior to the birth of my
children but the doctor never explained to me how to
do so.... so I thought I was doing them right..... but
its kinda like breast exams.... you tend to forget to
do it on a regular basis. I apparently stretched them
out like bow strings when i delivered my 9 and 10
pounder and haven't had them in shape since. The
obvious outcome of unexercised kegals is that you end
up at 84 visiting your kids and grand kids and sitting
on plastic because you cant make it to the toilet in
time... in fact you don't even realize you have to make
it to the toilet.( I am speaking here of the grand
geezer... god bless her) Well my friend( the RN) was sharing
with me that women in South America can pick up beer
bottles by the necks using only those muscles... I
personally would ask for a different waitress no
matter how entertaining that would be to see. I also
told the nurse that to share that information with kegal
impaired women like myself is not a kind professional
clinical move. She just wanted me to know so that I
could have a goal to strive for. At any rate my resting
kegal measurement is 2.5 ( which by her raised
eyebrows and no comment meant she was suprised my
stomach wasn't falling through my cooter every time I
coughed) My fully clamped cooter muscle measurement
was 52.3... that was fully strained with eyeballs
bulging out. Those south American woman I mentioned
fall in the 400 range.... of course they are sluts. I
got hooked up to a computer via a probe that was
inserted into my vaginal vault( I did it myself) and
information was fed into the computer... ie; name(I
used an alias) weight(I lied alittle) and height. Then
you get to choose the color of the graph line and
other little decorative things(like do you want your
results in a wide or narrow graph line or do you want
it in a pie shape) that cannot possibly be important
to any woman but an interior decorator. It provides
up the the second information as to your muscle
tonicity and gives you biofeedback when you reach your
goal. As I am squeezing I told the nurse she was going to
have to shut up.. because yelling squeeze, squeeze
squeeze in my ear was distracting me... you can't laugh
and squeeze at the same time.... to give you an idea
and this is really gross(even for your auntie) try
really laughing the next time you have a BM... it
doesn't work. I finally told her I didn't know if I was
using the right muscles...ergo enter the next
probe.... this one is attached to a "Prometheus
exerciser" it's a pulsating stimulator that sells for
400.00. This one delivers a mild electrical current
that you can increase in intensity... the current
causes the muscles on the pelvic floor to
contract..... and guess what... I am using the right
muscles just not hard enough........ hooray. The
treatment lasts for 30 min. It contracts for five
seconds and rests for 10. This little gizmo actually
increases the strength of your vaginal muscles. I was
gonna get a new vacuum cleaner but have since
changed my mind.( I just looked up Prometheus he
was the god who gave mortals fire...what a hoot) At
any rate all is not lost for your aunt as I know
you are all worried. I will be able to increase
muscle tone and strength without a problem I may
never get to the beer bottle stage but that's not
something you could talk about anyway. The kids
wanted to know where i was going I answered to
my nurse friend. Of course they asked why and I answered in
truth, so that I could learn to strengthen my pelvic
floor muscles so that I wouldn't end up like gramma.
Joshua answered with his hand over his ears "Jeez
couldn't you lie" and started singing(reminds me of
Carrie) I asked Becky if she wanted to go as it would
be valuable to her as she gets older (not the most
common mother/daughter bonding experience.. but well
who can say). She held up her hands in a weighing
motion... hummm she says (holds up one hand) go out to
dinner with my friend then raises her other hand..or she says go watch mother and her
friend be total idiots. Toss up mom.. but I will
pass.. I am hungry. Well I am glad I went. I am
telling you girls... keep it in shape. When we get
old I will be the only aunt allowed to visit. Of
course I probably won't have my mind left but at least
I wont wee-wee all over everything. Write back
brats... I love you all and miss you more. By the way
I don't have a current e-mail for Rachel(lucky her) so
Jennie...if you feel its warranted forward on to
her. This has to top the vinegar story. Talk to you
soon
love, Aunt TC (tight....ummmm well you get
the drift. lololol

Then the comments:

I recommend reading Debbie's email only if you have to pee really bad.
Then, while reading it, you will laugh really hard and, while running to
the bathroom with your hand between your legs, you will realize, maybe she
IS smart!

I'm sitting here....doing...kegals....as....I....type.... (please excuse
the pauses -- it is very difficult to type and kegal at the same time).

Thanks for the laugh!

Carrie

Hello everyone!!

Ok, so I immediately started contracting my kegal muscles (I think) while
sitting in my chair at work. I must admit that I have tears in my eyes because
I have to laugh quietly around here or else people will want to know what is so
funny and I just don't think that I could explain this one!!!! Thank you
Debbie!!! I believe I will stay married to Mark and his family because who else
would ever tell me about the facts of life? Don't think that Barb would tell me
that...what do you think Mindy, Carrie? tee hee Your stories are always
enthralling and I always enjoy them most of the day so thank you for adding my
work address to the list.

So how is everyone? Anyone have a story to top that? I don't think that I do.

Can't wait to hear from the rest of you about this "stimulating" experience.

Robbon

Part 7: Wedding Awards

2011-08-14T06:58:00.000-07:00

We had such a good time. I had an awards list that I did for my daughter's wedding and felt that I had to make another for my son's!

Best Hosts for a Rehearsal Dinner: Steve and Peggy

Best In laws: Steve and Peggy, Stan and Debbie, Kurt and Stephanie

Best Aunts and Uncles in Attendance: Patti and Jack, Aunt Bee, Debby and Pete, "Auntie" Ruth

Best Mode of Transportation: Canoes

Worst Mode of Transportation: My sister's car which managed to lose brakes and a tail light while I was driving.

Best Singers: Jeff and Pam Hart et al..you guys are just awesome!

Best site for a Destination Wedding: Hartland Woods

Best Wedding Dinner: Stephanie, Kurt, Carolyn and Allen

Best Wedding Cake: Peggy Hart... my personal feeling is that there is no such thing as 'bad' wedding cake but this one was outstanding!!

Worst Guests: The flies and Mosquitoes

Best Exterminator: Stan and his 6 cans of OFF battled the flies and mosquitos the whole weekend

Best Bottle of Wine: Dancing Bull...brought by JR, the Best Man... I hope someone else notes the humor in this besides me. (Hint: they are both dancers)

Best Temporary Addition to Hartland Woods: Port-a-potties and a tent

Best Decision Made by Pastor Ken: Moving to the Emerald Inn after spending a night in a tent. You get huge points for staying the first night communing with nature!

Most Beautiful Pregnant Guests: Deanna, Stephanie, and Ashley.

Best Description of the Canoe Trip: Deanna Setsura-Kirchner.... I'm still laughing... you had to be there to hear it.... especially with her Russian accent.

Best Hors d'oeuvres: Fried deer tidbits.... YUM

Best Acronyms: MOG(mother of the groom) SMOG(Stepmother of the Groom)DOG(dad of the groom) and FOG(father of the groom)

Best Siblings( and "steps") Present: Rebekah, Seth and Brian

Best Hugger: Jeff Hart. You are a love!!

Best Photographer in the Worst Light: Patti Franklin.... the pictures are such a blessing

Worst Photographer: Me. I managed to cut off my daughter's head each time I tried for a pic of Seth and her. It was dark. She is very tall.

Best Dressed: Syd and Josh

Best Memory(for me): The look in my son's eyes when he saw Sydni.

Most Patient: Steve( Even though he was bound by a contract... ask Peggy LOL)

Thank you to all the friends and relatives who made this day so very special for Josh and Syd. You made his extended family feel so very welcome.

Part 6: Wedding Pics

2011-08-14T06:11:00.000-07:00

Part 5: August 5, 2011, The Wedding

2011-08-14T04:58:00.000-07:00

I set out on a narrow way many year ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road
I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you
Every long lost dream led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart they were like Northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms

This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you

I think about the years I spent just passing through
I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You've been there you understand
It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true
Now I'm just rolling home
Into my lover's arms

This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you

(Rascal Flatts)

It was late, about 9pm or so and the photographer was concerned because the light was gone and the pictures would be iffy. The bride had just arrived to get dressed to the relief of my son who twice requested me to text my daughter to find out what the hold up was. When I expressed my concern to Sydni, she looked at me and said that the pictures that needed to turn out would and that this was all about memories. She was serene and she was correct. I still was in panic mode as was my sister. Then Pam Hart started singing "The Broken Road" and Syd and her dad made their way thru the aisle of lumanaria walking towards her future with my son. She was simply radiant and my son's eyes were locked on her in such a way that my heart filled with joy.

After Kurt handed her to Josh they walked to Chelsea's stone and both gently touched the top, bringing the past to the present. I found tears rolling down my face and I am sure that I was not alone. The ceremony was lovely and it was uniquely their own. They read vows to each other. Pastor Ken, who earlier in the day had baptised them both in the Westfork, united them as man and wife.

I thought about my mom wishing that she could have lived long enough to see her youngest grandson get married. My thoughts turned to the others: Kenny, Tina, Chelsea, who along with my mother, his grandma "Lucky", would be well pleased.

Part 4: The Hart Reunion and Pre-wedding Festivities

2011-08-13T06:41:00.000-07:00

My son is a Hart. I remember a few years ago after he started attending the yearly reunion when he came home and told me that he no longer felt "different" he said that he found a whole slew of people who were like him. For him it was an 'a-ha' moment, one that brought him a sense of who he was and where he came from. He loves Hartland Woods and the yearly reunion is a pilgrimage that he will not miss short of being in the hospital with both legs in casts. He proposed to Sydni there last year and they both wanted this site to be the venue for their wedding . I am so very blessed that his Hart family represents a group of people who recognize the importance of family and that they have opened their arms AND campfire not only to my son but to his extended family. Coming from all over the United States, they get together the first weekend in August to visit, eat, drink, sing, camp in tents, float down the Westfork River in canoes, and skeet shoot. When my two sisters and I arrived bumping down the entrance to the camp, our brakes gave out. Coming towards us was a pickup truck when it stopped I had a deja vue moment. I said to this man I know who your daddy is!!! He told me to get out of my car and he wrapped me in his arms and gave me a hug. Jeff Hart, you so eased my way and gave me a welcome that I will long remember. And you look just like your daddy Denny!!!!

The float is a tradition and I was invited by my son who had already asked his stepfather to be his partner. I don't know who he thought he would partner me with because I don't canoe. It would make me sweat and I just purely hate to sweat. If they had a barge with rowers I might have reconsidered. They said that the float would start at 1030am and they were almost on time. It started at 100pm. Becky and I watched as they put the canoes in the Westfork and it was organized chaos. Brian Hart stood in the water for assistance, dogs were cavorting in the water jumping in and out of boats. My thought as I was shooting pictures was how happy everyone was!!
The day after the float(and the wedding) they had a skeet shooting contest. This is also tradition that they take seriously. I wasn't there long to watch but these Harts can shoot!!
Family can be a group of people who share the same DNA. A family can be a community to form unions to raise the young. It has a purpose, a past and a future. A family can be extended beyond the DNA bond to include those who support the goals of the community. A family is bonded by shared joys and sorrows. History is shared as stories are told. The once young now old are the elders passing to the next generation a sense of belonging. This family Hart opened their arms to us for the weekend with the only commonality my precious oldest child Joshua. This family took us in, shared their campfire and shared the joyous occasion of a wedding. Looking at the faces I saw the past, looking at the children I saw the future.

Trip to Iowa Part 3: Allison,Iowa, The Emerald Door Inn, and the Wonderful Ladies from the AMVET Hall

2011-08-12T00:42:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Allison, Iowa a little bit of heaven on earth! A normal person, when faced with the prospect of finding multiple rooms for family members, would broaden the search to larger towns than one boasting only one small motel. I, being mostly normal, did just that especially when my son informed me that the Inn in Allison left a lot to be desired. I started in Waverly and branched out towards Waterloo but something kept drawing me back closer to the Hart reunion site. I finally called the only place in town, the Emerald Door Inn(formally the Crest Motel that my son was familiar with). I was assured by the owner, Randy Moad, that they had redecorated and that the place was clean. This is always a plus. I was charmed by this down to earth Innkeeper who had taken over the old Crest Inn and booked several rooms. Added plus was the price was excellent and it was really close to wedding central. I have stayed in Westins, Hiltons, Sheratons, down to LaQuintas and Red Roofs and I swear none has had the atmosphere and calmness that the Emerald has. Plus you can sit outside your room and look at cornfields and watch an occasional car go by while you are in your PJ's. With your hair in rollers. Without makeup. Just picture me sitting outside one of the W's in New York in my jammies with my big ole' rollers in my hair, smoking a cigarette and reading my kindle.... they would cart my crazy country butt to Bellview and lock me up. When we arrived the office was open, there was a note with our room keys on top and a card to fill out with our check in information. There was also a sign letting us know that we could call if we had a problem. Again I was charmed. Our rooms were as stated, very clean. The beds were great and we had a full kitchen. There is a caretaker who comes to change towels and sheets if needed. He also takes the time to sit down and discuss politics. I did see a spider but it was minuscule compared to what crawls around here in Louisiana.I took this picture of Randy just as we were leaving. See the smile. Probably because we were leaving and his life could return to normal. We changed rooms, moved people in and out, changed reservations at will and he never lost his cool. We booked the whole place and needed to shuffle people around a bit till we were satisfied. I just took the cue from him and left him notes: Pam is not coming but the preacher and his wife want her room.... Patti is staying with Barbara tonight but will be in her own room tomorrow...Ruth has a reservation but she will be rooming with Barb because JR and Deanna need her room.... oh and bill us for that room.... you get my drift. He was gracious and accommodating to all of our craziness.Stan woke up Thursday morning before me and went out sightseeing. He was hungry and followed a tip that the AMVETs were serving breakfast. He went in and talked to a few people, ate his breakfast THEN came back to the Inn and woke me up at the ungodly hour of 7am offering to buy me breakfast. He took me to the hall and I ordered and ate one of the BEST breakfasts I have had in a long time. I was so pleased that I went back and woke my sisters up and we carted them back to get their breakfast. Apparently the local cafe closed down and the breakfast slack was taken up by the AMVET ladies!! They served breakfast 6 days a week. We went back Friday and Saturday, each time bringing more people with us. The AMVET Ladies knew Kenny Hart and one of them told me that Vernon's wife was her teacher in school(I hope I have that right!!)
Meet the lovely ladies of the AMVET hall: Ms Gail, Ms. Alice, and Ms. Annabelle. If anyone gets an opportunity to be up in the Allison area for breakfast tell them we said HI and that Shoneys, Cracker Barrel, and Bob Evans restaurants can't even compare to the wonderful breakfasts that we were served by them!! Oh and leave a tip. A. Big. Tip. They deserve it.

Stan deserted us and sat with the local men. He really had a good time.

After eating each day we drove around town. To the Allisonites... you have a beautiful town. It's peaceful and it smells good. People smile and ask about you. We ate at Lil' Ricky's on Saturday night( which was fun plus had great food) and two people came up and said "aren't you the people stayin' at the Emerald?" At least they didn't say are you the crazy lady with the big hair rollers sitting outside your room at the Emerald smoking and reading... in your PJ's? They were honestly curious about how we liked the place. Randy we gave you an A+ and they seemed pleased letting us know that you had "changed it all around".

I will miss Allison, Iowa and can't imagine I will ever find myself your way again unless my son and new daughter-in-law, Joshua and Sydni Hart have a child and have him(or her) baptized in the Westfork. I just may push for that.

Trip to Iowa Part 2: Rotarian of the Year, Moline Club

2011-08-10T06:15:00.000-07:00

For the benefit of my readers, I have a sister named Patti who has really dedicated her professional life to helping others. She worked for the Girl Scouts in Iowa and Illinois as the Director of Fund development and Communication for those areas then transferred her laudable skills to the Red Cross where she worked till her retirement. Retirement is sort of a joke as I think she is busier now than before. She is still working with the Red Cross for disasters as a National Red Cross Disaster Reserve fundraiser and has continued her membership with the Rotary as the Youth Exchange Officer. Her job entails chairing the committee that selects and trains teens to go overseas either for the summer or for an entire year. She recruits and supports local families who welcome foreign Rotary teens into their homes. Her committee works with the teens and families to ensure that both are well placed and happy. I can't imagine the stress associated with this endeavor but she loves the job that she does and I have been the recipient of wonderful stories about all of "her" families and kids. Somehow Barb and I managed to really surprise her and Jack, my brother-in-law. I can still see their faces when we walked thru the door. They were rather slack-jawed and it took a minute for them to realize that we were actually there. What FUN!!!!! I just love surprises. I was so very very proud of her. When it came time for the award announcement I listened to the wonderful things being said about my sister and the only thing that would have made it more perfect would have been for Mom to have been there. To the Moline Rotary Club I can only thank you for allowing us to come and for keeping our secret from her. Patti deserves all the nice things that come her way. She gives so much of herself and I am grateful that she has been honored.

My Trip to Iowa, Flight, Awards and Wedding: Part 1

2011-08-10T05:21:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in a while. I think I have been in shock with so much happening politically and personally. It's like I have been given so much material that I can't do anything with it. The next few blogs will be a series about my trip to Iowa for my sister's award covering the week in Alison, Iowa culminating in the wedding of the year.

Joshua and Syd have been engaged for a year and were planning on getting married in Crowley Louisiana at the Opera House. About 6 weeks ago Joshua came to the hospital and with waving arms tells me that "nothing has changed" which is my indication that EVERYTHING was changing. He tells me that he and Syd are still getting married but that it was going to happen in Iowa at the Hart Family reunion the first weekend of August. I said what I always do in this type of situation "OK" and then I waited for the plans to change again. They didn't and I am actually very glad....but that is for another blog. I waited for a few weeks and then let my family know. Unfortunately all of my kin have non refundable tickets to Lafayette in September so going to Iowa was out of the question and they are still coming in September to meet my new daughter-in-law and to celebrate my 60th birthday a few months early.... again something for a future blog. About 4 weeks ago I hear from my sister Barbara who informs me that my sister Patti is getting a huge award with her Rotary and that we need to be there to support her. I totally agreed until I realized that I would have to fly. In an airplane(not on my broom). Those of you who know me realize that despite years flying on a helicopter on Life Flight I am terrified of strapping myself into a seat and trusting the pilots, mechanics, and airport security to get me to my destination. The flight was uneventful but I will admit to changing my status from Dallas to Chicago to first class. I figured if the plane was going to go down I wanted to be in a bigger seat with a glass of champagne in my hand. It cost me about a dollar a minute to upgrade. The seats were somewhat bigger than coach but still uncomfortable however the lunch was great. I had lost about 35 pounds and expected to have lots of room. Not so, but at least my ass didn't stick thru the sides of the seat. I met my sister Barb at the airport and we were ferried to Davenport, Iowa by a friend of my niece's. Originally Jenny was going to pick us up and we were going to spend the night in Aurora visiting with my great nephews. Jenny called a few days before departure to let us know that her husband's grandmother died and they would all be in Davenport. It took some serious planning on her part but we got to Davenport without problems. I am so grateful to my niece and to her husband Brandon because without them our surprise to Patti would not have been possible.

July 4, 2011... Remembering the Past

2011-07-04T19:24:00.000-07:00

Flags, cookouts, family, red, white, and blue, potato salad, parades, games, celebration, happy, remembering, West High school, Jack Sherrick Dancers, the mule that could count, walking with mom to the stadium, bleachers, cotton candy, fireworks, OHHHHH.....AHHHHHHH, BOOM, covered ears, sparklers, Joshua in Iowa with Aunt Patti...dressed like a cowboy, Becky in her romper with the red panties her hair in ponytails and ribbons, homemade ice cream and brain-freeze, short-shorts, suntans, iced-tea, innocence, patriotic, loving life, knowing freedom, Lafayette, fireworks sold on every corner, hotdogs, hamburgers, The Declaration of Independence, hands over hearts, salutes, the Star Spangled Banner, live, love, hope, America proud.

Weiner Wagger, Congressional morals, Anti-Semitism and Israel

2011-06-06T14:52:00.000-07:00

A few days ago A. Weiner (D-NY) claimed his phone/ twitter account got hacked and someone sent a picture of a man in underwear to an 18 year old woman. Weiner obviously thought that we are idiots and would believe that. Well we are not idiots. Let me amend that and say the maybe the people in New York who voted for him are idiots BUT the general population in the rest of the country knew that he was lying. First clue... he didn't get the FBI involved. His wife is supporting him at present BUT keep in mind she was an aide to Hillary Clinton and we all know what she put up with. Anthony you are an idiot. You opened yourself up to blackmail, humiliation, and worse you shamed your new wife. I am aware that many past and current politicians are guilty of moral turpitude. What amazes me is that we as voting public are willing to condone that behavior by continuing to vote for those asses. In my lifetime I knew that JFK was a womanizer, Nixon was a liar, Carter had "impure thoughts", and Clinton used the Oval office to get blow jobs. John Edwards, Mr. Squeaky Clean, may well do jail time ultimately because he couldn't keep his pants zipped... well and he was a power hungry liar too. It has to be that the power reduces politicians to their own personal gutter level. What is worse is that there doesn't seem to be any remorse except that they got caught. Republicans and Democrats alike are out of control. The problem, again, is that we put up with it. Boys will be boys . These out of control, gutter rolling, muck loving congressmen and representatives need to go home and never return to Washington. We need men and women who follow the law, are morally upright, and who represent those in their home states and not themselves. Both Houses should not tolerate this type of behavior and should demand resignations not only for all illegal activities but for acts of moral lassitude.

The sad thing about the whole Weiner affair is that he is a firm supporter of Israel. I think we are going thru the beginnings of a wave of anti-semitism throughout the country. Next November in San Francisco a law will be on the ballot opposing circumcision. The argument for the ban states that a decision cannot be made by parents because it's a man's choice and cannot be made for religious, cultural or social reasons. Circumcision is not just a Jewish decision but has deeps roots in the bible. Genesis 17: 6,8,10 states "I will make you exceedingly fertile, and make nations of you, and kings shall come forth from you.... I assign the land you sojourn in to you and your offspring to come, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting holding. I will be their God... Such shall the covenant between Me and you and your offspring, every man child among you shall be circumcised. In the Jewish community there is currently those who don't agree. But the fact is that Gentiles and Jews alike circumcise their sons. As a nurse with 35 years experience let me tell you. I am hugely FOR circumcision. I won't go into the slimy details but what I have cleaned from under foreskins would make you gag. Yuck... be that as it may, what is happening in San Francisco is not just about foreskins it's anti-Semitic and it's so obvious that it is frightening that people ARE NOT screaming about this. The proponents of the ban have produced a comic book featuring a blond, blue eyed(Aryan type) hero named (get ready for this......) FORESKIN MAN who rescues a Jewish baby boy from the evil mohel set out to remove the foreskin. At the end of the "comic" book is a picture of a menorah on fire(ala KKK and the burning crosses) and the menorah appears to be made out of bodies. Have too many years passed since the Holocaust? Where is the huge public outcry about this?

God told Abraham in Genesis 12:3 And I will bless them who bless you and curse him who curses you and in you all families of the Earth be blessed.

I support Israel.

Mom's Day 2011

2011-05-08T11:49:00.000-07:00

I think about you Mom but it hurts less than it did. That doesn't mean that I don't think about you often, because I do. What I mean is that the pain of your passing is less acute. I still catch myself thinking that I need to call you and tell you something and it catches me up short when I realize that I will not hear your voice at least in this life. I have friends that I talk to and I keep up with my sisters but it's not the same. I think that there is nothing that takes the place of the MOM connection. Joshua is getting married and since he doesn't have a grandmother from my side he has elected to bump Barbara into the Grandma role. She says that she is thrilled but you know what... I wish you were still here to see your "toad frog" get married. I remember at one of Barbara's kids wedding.... Joshua was withdrawn and really sad. He finally told me that he was upset because he knew that you would never see him get married. You will have missed both my children's weddings. When Becky got married I carried a baby picture of her and one of the both of you in my purse, it just didn't seem fair that you weren't there. I miss not being able to share my children's important milestones with you. I hope that as I age I do so with the grace and acceptance that you did. I miss you mom. You gave me so much love and I miss that more than anything else.

Potty Etiquette or Being 59 in a Public Bathroom

2011-04-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

I remember the days when my mom would make me stand up on the toilet lids of a public bathroom and squat over the john. I was 3. I am now nearly 60 and I haven't squatted over anything in more years than I can count. Arthritis, weight and bad knees have made me adjust to the lessons my mama taught me. For years I carried a small spritz bottle of Clorox and water and I would just spritz the seat to clean it and sit down to meditate. I had to stop that habit when a year or so back after I had cleaned the seat, sat down, took care of business and two hours later had the worse butt rash. I, being slow on the uptake, didn't immediately equate the rash with the Clorox solution. It took a second round and me waking up in the middle of the night with the worse burning butt you can imagine. I still didn't realize what was wrong with me till I used a mirror to view my backside and low and behold there was a red rashy imprint of a toilet seat on my butt and the back of my legs. I am only so tall and my backside is of a size that when I squat over the toilet, I still come in contact with the seat so I figure I might as well be comfortable and I sit. Now I wipe the seat down use the paper thingy over the back of the toilet and hope for the best. Now to the women who think nothing of peeing all over the seat and leaving the mess: you are classless, tasteless, and taught manners by zoo keepers. When you flush(that's assuming you do... and often you don't) take a glance at the seat and WIPE YOUR MESS. I happened to use a public bathroom the other day and they were out of paper thingies and I swiped without checking closely as I was already at the cross-the-legs point and I sat down and hit the only spot I missed. Man I just hate that. I was already feeling pee cooties scurry up my nether regions. The woman who just left that john was still out side washing her hands(go figure... she will pee on the seat but washes her hands) when I loudly said "I wish to hell people would LEARN not to pee on the seats or else clean up their mess" followed up by " I sure hope the woman who was here last doesn't have any DISEASES." She left in a huff and when I got out another witness laughed and said "Well you told her". My solution is to never use a public bathroom but with age and lack of control(I am just sure I have had a Kegal stroke... but that is for another blog) I have to go when I have to go.+

The Growing and Saving of Food by a Dummy and Ho-Ho's

2011-04-13T11:01:00.000-07:00

I hope that in years to come my grandchildren will be reading my blogs and I hope that they enjoy what is written and don't ask their parents why I wasn't committed. I am not paranoid, I just watch the news and realize that we are facing some hard times and that food may be scarce or so expensive that choice may be limited. I filled up at the gas station the other day and paid over 3.60 a gallon. Today the price is up to 3.87 at the same station. I have seen grocery prices rise as well and it scares me. I want to be able to buy all the Ho-Ho's I want so something has to give financially. Thus I decided that I will grow some of my own food and since Ho-Ho's don't grow on bushes I figured I would have to grow fruits and vegetables to save money for a Ho-Ho emergency. There is a lot of things you need to do and know to grow vegetables and fruits. I don't know any of it so I enlisted my friend Faye who has great experience in such things. My son put in two 5ft by 15ft raised beds for me. Faye came over and we went shopping for seeds, plants, trees, fertilizer, and garden tools. I had no clue how to hoe. I know now and have the sore muscles to prove it. I learned that you have to have multiple pepper plants because some are male and some are female.. and you can't tell by looking so you plant a few and hope for the best. I learned that you have to have two of most fruit trees for the same reason. You have to water, feed and weed said beds to nurture your plants. In preparation for my (I'm sure)bountiful harvest I needed a plan to save everything. I plan to to dehydrate, can and freeze and of course I don't know how to do any of those things. I ordered a dehydrator and then realized I needed a Seal-a-Meal. I have time to order the pressure caner, water caner, the jars and the lids. I now have about 6 books on canning, freezing, and dehydrating. I have planting guides and print outs on the making of compost. The plants are in the ground and Demi the Wonder Dog and I visit at least once a day. So far all are still alive but the smallest pepper plant doesn't look good. I know that you aren't supposed to name the things you eat but the petite pitiful pepper plant is named Pedro. We have wildlife around here and I was worried that my plants would get eaten so Stan put a small fence around the beds. I am digging a hole for my compost both brown and green, in layers according to my papers. I am using store bought food stuff now but next year I will have my own, homegrown fertilizer. When I started this I just figured dig a hole, bury a plant, watch it grow and eat it or save it for later. This living off the land is just a tad more complicated. Everyone that has had experience in dehydrating is just so very, very enthusiastic so I figured if I can read a knitting pattern and make a sweater just how hard could this be. You cut up food, stick it on the pans, put it in the dehydrator and 12 hours later you have dried food. I was up the whole fricking night. I started at noon yesterday with 2 fresh pineapples and 6 bananas. I soaked the little banana circles that I cut in fresh lemon juice so they wouldn't get brown and put them on the trays. I cut up the pineapple and put those on the trays. I had 4 trays of food and visions of just bags and bags of dried fruit. At midnight I was still watching over the dehydrator. I was afraid to go to sleep for fear of a electrical fire or over drying. Finally after 12 hours and still sticky bananas I went to bed and set my alarm for a hour. Then another hour and another hour. At 4 am I finally was able to remove the product and seal it up in my new seal-a-meal bags. First I had to figure out how to use the Seal-a- Meal so I practiced on chicken legs. Easy peasy. I took my fruit(which was very tasty if I do say so myself) bagged and sealed it and went back to bed. All in all it has been a learning experience and I have learned a)not to anticipate how much I will have,( to avoid crushing disappointment) b) I need practice, and c) the return on my investment may take a while. The following pictures will take you thru my journey thus far:

Compost prior to going into the ground. Food for the veggies until next year.

Two of my fruit trees. I have lemon, peach, lime and satsumas

My little plants. Note the fence that Stan gave me.

I started with six bananas and two pineapples (okay... i know the yellow things are lemons. I used my pineapples)

put them in this lovely dehydrator Sealed the produce in my new Seal-a-Meal

and ended up with 2 bags of fruit that I could eat at one sitting.

COST:

Equipment and supplies for Josh putting the beds in 250.00

Plants, Trees, gardening supplies, and tools 150.00

Fence and hose 125.00

Dehydrator 140.00 Seal-a-Meal(and extra bags) 100.0o

My expression at 4 am in the morning when I realized all I had was two little bags PRICELESS

Stan did casually mention to me that we could have bought a hell of a lot of food for what I spent so far. Start up in any new endeavor is always expensive. I am not daunted in the least. I am asking for the caners for my anniversary present so I didn't list them. All joking aside I really believe that in the near future we will need to be able to grow and preserve our own food. I just hope I have a few years to work out the kinks!!

April 8, 1977 Happy Birthday Josh

2011-04-08T14:37:00.000-07:00

I am amazed at you this year. You have learned life skills that I never thought you would even be interested in learning. Shows what a mom knows. When I saw you yesterday with your (as Becky calls it) "man belt" on with all the tools around, it it struck me as how much you have learned. I have always said you could do or be anything you want and you are proving me right with your multi-talented livelihoods. You are such a study of opposites. During the day you are wielding a hammer, nails, screwdriver and all sorts of "man" tools and during the evening you are gracefully demonstrating dance to children. You are impacting the life of your students at night and you are learning construction during the day. You remain driven by your faith and hold to the fact that Jesus is your King. I am proud of you. I love you unconditionally. Happy Birthday Joshua this year and many more.

Going to Hell in a Handbasket and Playing Golf, Unions and the Dayton Police

2011-03-16T10:27:00.000-07:00

Lots of things have been happening in our world in the last few weeks. My prayers and donations have gone to Japan for the devastation that has happened in their world. It just wasn't enough that an earthquake hit because what it didn't ruin the resultant tsunami took care of. The Japanese are tough, resilient and will overcome this but to add insult to injury the quake and tsunami did a number on their nuclear power plants and they are damaged, on fire and spewing radioactive material. The Japanese government states that all is okay but as we know here, governments lie. It just depends on who has the most money to lose. The Middle East is in a state of chaos the likes that I have never seen in my lifetime. Israel is hunkering down and waiting. The biggest terrorist this side of bin Laden, Libya's own Muamar Gadaffi is murdering people in his own country to control a rebellion set to dethrone this monstrous dictator. What are we doing? WE(that would be the royal we) are playing golf. I really don't begrudge Obama a game of golf but come on, the world is falling apart and he is on the green. Someone, maybe his wife, since his advisers don't have the sense that God gave a goose, needs to tell him that there is a time and a place to play. NOW IS NOT THE TIME. I did not vote for this idiot. It's your fault.

On the home front Scott Walker, Republican Governor from Wisconsin, took on the unions and won. They will now have to pay slightly more for their health care and pensions and they also have their collective bargaining rights restrained. This affects ALL public employees except the police and fire departments. The teachers have been up in arms and have involved their students in the demonstrations as evidenced on the news today when on a class trip the little kids were chanting and holding signs. What a crock of shit. If I lived up there and my child were involved in this I would be scalping their teacher. Talk about indoctrination. I have union issues. I understand about workers rights. But unions by and large protect substandard employees. I applauded the firing of 13 of the 15 Chysler auto workers who were caught on tape during their lunch break using drugs and drinking. Two were suspended without pay but then reinstated. Don't know why.. maybe they tested negative for the alcohol and drugs but THEY WERE THERE. They knew what was going on and by their passive participation, they felt that it was okay. Fire them too. We have teachers who lie, cheat(fake MD excuses.. and the doctors that wrote those notes should lose their licence's) and demonstrate on days that they should be in the classrooms. I wouldn't want that kind of influence on my children. In Dayton, Ohio the police entrance exam now has to have a passing rate of a 60 to allow minority races who have been "educationally deprived"(where were the teachers?) to pass so that they can carry guns, protect the public and write tickets and fill out reports... good luck with that.. you can't even pass the entrance test. The excuse is that they didn't receive the same education that their classmates had and that the exam is geared more towards Caucasians. Could it be that those same individuals didn't a)attend class b) were socially promoted, c)played football, baseball etc. and were given grades(which is the administrations fault and not the teachers)d)had parents that didn't participate in their education, or e) God forbid, just plain stupid? If all the above things don't apply then they had a rotten teacher.. and just to show you I am not prejudiced.. there are rotten nurses out there practicing as well. If the teacher is rotten then thanks to the unions she can keep on under-educating students till she retires. So follow me here, if those individuals in Dayton, Ohio who can't pass the police entrance exam... attended class, didn't play sports, studied 4 hours a day, had parents who attended each teacher conference and made sure their homework was done, then they had a rotten teacher and thus a union problem.

I have many friends who are teachers and love what they do. They express the ongoing concern that the kids are disconnected from school and, that friends is traced back to the parents. If the home is single parent and said parent is gone working or playing instead of keeping track of what junior is doing then the fault is partially theirs( if they haven't instilled the fear of God in their little angels to study), the rest lies with the individual person. My mom was a single parent and worked 2 jobs. I did my homework, I studied(not as much as I should have) and I was able to go to college. You want to get ahead apply your lazy ass to the seat of a chair and study. Self motivation can even beat the worst teacher. It is ridiculous to dumb down a test to accommodate a person who lacked the self motivation to help themselves.

Wow... end of my rant.

Kansas, Missouri, Flying, Constipation, and Cerner

2011-03-04T21:46:00.000-08:00

I went on a trip from February 27th through March 4th. My director asked me to take her place and go to Kansas to spend the week at Cerner Corp. I hate to fly. This is a vast understatement. It took me hours to give her an answer but I had decided to take her place. My hospital is part of Lafayette General Medical Center and the whole computer system is being overhauled to accommodate the changes in the health care system. We are still pushing paper at my little hospital and I really have been looking forward to computerized charting not only because it will streamline the work that we do but, because of the design, patient care will be positively affected. I still stand firmly against our government having ANYTHING to do with my medical records but recognize the local need for rapid transfer of information. That being said I went to Kansas for classes.

The Flight Coming and Going
I flew with several co-workers from each hospital. Denise and I were roommates and managed to sit beside each other on the flight going. We had two 1 and 1/2 hour legs, the first to Dallas then on to Kansas. Dear God in heaven. The SEATS. Okay I am not stupid and I realize that my butt has increased over the years but I don't need a seat belt. I just have to cram my ass into the chair and the overflow that squeezes though the armrest more that amply secures me to the seat. I sat on my seat belt when I first got on board and like to NEVER found it. As soon as we got in the air I raised the arm rest between Denise and me and sort of flowed over onto her side. She was very gracious about the whole thing. Coming back on the last leg of the trip I sat in the single seats on the left side of the plane( I prefer to call them "seatlettes" sort of junior seats for junior size butts)Prior to getting on they announced that our bathroom didn't work and apparently they didn't have another plane in the whole fleet of American Airlines that they could substitute. That's okay. What they did though was announce repeatedly that the bathroom did not work and that we would have to go to the john prior to leaving. What happens when you know that you can't go to the bathroom for a period of time... like in a traffic jam, on a stuck elevator, first in line at the Wallmart Black Friday Sale OR in an airplane without a toilet. YOU HAVE TO PEE. It doesn't matter that 5 minutes before the flight you have urinated, the minute the doors slam shut you just got to GO. To make matters worse my seat beltlette cut into my bladder the the ride was a little rough.

The Hotel and Being Roommates
As stated before I roomed with Denise. Similar to me she doesn't like anyone to come in the room while we were gone so we opted out each day for housekeeping. We were just a little messy(paaaahaaaaa). I didn't realize just how messy we were till we saw Kathleen's room. It was spotless, nothing out of place.. looked like she had just come in. She was by herself for 2 days... if that had been me I would have been all over that room like a bad rash..... I would have pillows, clothes, computer, books etc all over the place. I have known Denise for 10 years but I have never pooped in her vicinity. And since my poop doesn't smell like roses I had a problem. I would bet that anyone reading this who had to room with someone other than a relative had the same issues. To make it worse when I travel I tend towards constipation so I take ducolax with me to handle the issue. To poo or not to poo. A way to deal with this is the "garlic" method. You know when you go out to eat with a boyfriend and you want to eat garlic?? You make him eat garlic too so that he won't gag when he kisses you goodnight. What you have to do is convince the person you are rooming with that they are constipated as well!!!! Then you can bond over ducolax pill. It really worked... by the end of the trip we were farting in front of each other!!!!(Denise is just going to kill me for telling that)

Eating and the Per Diem
30 bucks a day really is plenty to eat on. You cannot go to beer gardens, Jack Stax BBQ for ribs, Houston's Steak House and the Cheese Cake Factory, order room service every day for breakfast and stay within the budget. I went over my per diem by about 130 bucks. I just had an AHA moment. There is a definite correlation between the way I eat and the size of the plane seatlettes. Anyway, we ate well and often. To those of you that have a Cheese Cake Factory in your town let me HIGHLY recommend the Shepard's Pie. OMG!OMG!OMG!. I have never been in a Cheesecake Factory restaurant so I don't know if they are are constructed the same but in Kansas City the bathroom is on the second floor. You can walk up the stairs in the middle of the restaurant or you can take the elevator. Just a suggestion: Get rid of the mirrors in the elevator or cut them off at waist level. I got on and was assaulted by different views of my butt. Even closing one eye didn't make it smaller. I still ate the cheese cake.

Cerner
All I can say is WOW. Cerner rocks. I am a technotard and was lost the first 2 days but claim victory because on the third day I started to understand. This is an amazing facility that included several buildings over some of the prettiest acreage I have seen. The people are dedicated to helping you understand and working on a solution that best meets your company's needs. Just a little suggestion. Chair lift to the cafeteria. From our building you have to walk up a hill to the cafeteria or you can take the outdoor stairs. I made it the first day... my heart rate was 148(not kidding) when I got to the top. I should have done it every day. I really did enjoy myself and I am looking forward to seeing this huge project take shape.

I so enjoyed meeting people that I had only talked with on the phone. There are some funny people at the main hospital and I laughed more this week than I had in a long time. My big concern was my clothes but I held up my end of the business casual dress code. Thanks to everyone for answering questions when I asked, and thanks to whoever put this together.. the logistics must have been a nightmare. Big thanks to Denise. You are an awesome roommate!!!!!!

My Day In Court as Described by My Bad Angel

2011-02-26T08:26:00.000-08:00

I had to go to court the other day and no I was not in trouble. One of the other nurses and I had come prepared to testify in a case that we were involved in. I had just gotten off work and was in scrubs and my hair was a mess. I have a habit of running my fingers thru my hair when I am charting. I honestly don't care what my hair looks like at work. I am there to work, not to cause jealousy among other staff at my beautiful locks. Besides, in a previous blog "Bad Hair Day" I noted that every time I do my hair and it looks good it seems to attract nasty body fluids. I have digressed...sorry. Anyway Jamie and I were waiting for the doors to open up and we were entertained by the mode of dress that the general population deems appropriate for court day. I had my phone but my good angel let me know that it might be in poor taste and possibly illegal to take pictures of people and post it without their permission and besides you can't bring a phone into court. My bad angel however is writing this blog. There is a dress code in court. No sleeveless shirts, no underwear showing, no body parts(belly buttons, breasts, butts) are allowed to be displayed. You are not allowed to bring phones or purses or for that matter weapons past the front gate. The following suggestions are for those individuals that will be appearing in court in the future:
1) If you like blond hair, make it natural and cover the 4 inch black roots. Washing it would be appropriate as well. Combing, I guess can be optional as that tousled look is somewhat in fashion.
2) Bathing might be something you might want to do at least within a week of your court day. Deodorant is important as well because of the close quarters. Let me add that brushing teeth should be mandatory or don't smile.
3)If you weigh more than a tractor DO NOT wear stretch pants. I had nightmares after seeing my share of visible butt cracks thru skin tight pants. Shirts should fit and not like a glove. If you have to keep tugging it down over your butt it's too tight. You should also avoid wearing patterns that undulate over the bulges.. its almost hypnotic and not in a good way. If you have tattoos on your arms bless your little heart, cover them up. The rule is NO SLEEVELESS SHIRTS. Covering up your fashion mistake with a cammo jacket so that you could keep your court date defies words. The contrasting patterns nearly gave me a seizure.
4)Men, unless you are Brad Pitt, shave. That 5 o'clock shadow you are sporting is not exactly presenting your best face forward. Stop the spitting on the sidewalk. If you chew, go across the street and spit behind a tree. Oh and wipe your chin.
5) It probably isn't a good idea to come to court smelling like a bar and sporting bloodshot eyes...just saying.
6) Fingernails: if you have to money to get those 1 inch iridescent blue sparkly nails on your hands you can afford to get your roots done.

I have gained a new respect for the court system. Justice is indeed blind, she can't smell either. A shout out to all the judges, ADAs. clerks and court reporters, you guys have seen it all and still come back every day to see that everyone has their chance in court. To the defending attorneys... you should be held liable for not mandating that your clients and family members dress appropriately to go before 'his or her Honor". Every law enforcement representative was "spit polished" and looked so professional.

I truly am in awe of what people think is appropriate. My hair, straight as it was, ceased to concern me after what I saw.

Catch Up Time

2011-02-16T08:27:00.000-08:00

For those who follow both blogs I have posted on my fat blog. Don't get excited I haven't had any success because I can't say no to anything. I mentioned that I went to the Mississippi lease with Stan over last weekend and was horrified to discover while using the bathroom that I was wall to wall butt. If I don't lose weight I will be forced to go in the woods. If nothing can keep me on my diet that should. We arrived at the lease with both dogs and Stan went in first to turn on the lights and heat. No power. A week ago he had been notified that the lease had been robbed of all the copper wiring that connects all the camps to power. Apparently copper is going for about 4 bucks a pound. His power lines were untouched because they are high up in the trees but the bastards unhooked him from the main box and he was having trouble hooking it back up. It was 26 degrees and I had been cramped in the back seat with Demi the wonder dog for 4 hours. I needed to pee and I was cold. There was no way I was going into the dark camper to pee just in case there was a spider hiding out from the cold. A couple of other men came over and helped Stan hook up. We actually had a good time with some lovely people. The next night we had a dinner with the others... deer meat chili and rib eye steaks. YUM. We sat around an outside fire and visited for hours.
The news has been the same old same old. We are losing ground with the national debt. Our brilliant president wants to spent more money to save money. HUH??? Sounds like he took lessons from me. Listen up stupid. It. Doesn't. Work. You have to cut back and to all Americans it is going to be painful if we take steps to save our country. We are being willingly lead to a socialist type system and we need to stop it now. Obama care is a national health care system. As of 2014 if all hospitals, doctors offices and clinics don't comply with the rules they will be punished financially. I am leaving in a week to go to Kansas City, Kansas to take part in developing a computerized system for our hospital. This is all part of the move to electronic medical records that is mandated by our government. I personally LOVE the idea of computerized charting and totally buy into the fact that it will streamline our charting, increase our ability to provide a continuity of care and decrease the errors and financial loss. I cannot buy into that it is a mandate by MY GOVERNMENT so that they have access to all my health information. Remember as I had stated in an earlier blog that by 2014 all health care providers MUST record and send your BMI( body mass index..the measurement of how fat you are) to the great cesspool in Washington or they will have their reimbursements cut. BAH.. get out of my LIFE.

Egypt exploded. The Muslim Brotherhood is standing in the wings. They may not take over this election but it is coming. I can't imagine what it must be like in Israel at the moment. The only thing I can say is remember the Arab-Israeli War in 1967... the Arabs got their collective butts kicked. My bet and all my prayers will be with Israel.

Joshua and Syd are getting married September 23, 2011. I am going to get to host another party. YAY!! I do so love a great party. This time it's the rehearsal dinner. It's still up in the air but as of now Joshua wants to have a bouchiere (hog roast) at Becky and Shane's house on the bayou. He wants all his aunts, uncles, cousins etc. to be part of the celebration. So I am looking at about 70 plus people. I can do this. Think Martha Stewart does the swamp wedding. I just hope Joshua realizes that fresh pig can cause increased intestinal activity(diarrhea). I may try to get him to chose another type protein. Still and all it will be a great time regardless of the venue. I will need tents, caterers, a zydeco band, porta-potties, bug lights and a lot of fans. I think the hostess gift to all participants will be a can of OFF. The mosquito's are a bitch that time of year. Well, love to all!!

Resolutions for 2011

2011-01-01T06:51:00.000-08:00

Every year I start out the same with a list howbeit short that I never stick to. This year I am going all out on my New Year's Resolution list:
1) be a high fashion model.
2)grow my hair long.
3) cook and decorate like Martha Stewart.
4) Save 100,000.00 dollars.
5) get a 100,000.00 raise at work.
6) Appear in a movie(I'm thinking opposite Sean Connery with a kissing scene.... and possibly with tongue).
7) Sing a duet with Sandy Patty
8)Be on Sean Hannity's Great American Panel and throw the football..once.
9) Go to the casino and win on every slot machine I put money in.
10)Meet the President, blow a raspberry at him and tell him he doesn't know a rat's ass about what we need as Americans. (and not get arrested or on a list somewhere)
11)Have Josh Groban over for dinner and have him sing while I cook.
12)Wear high heels again and not fall on my face.
13)Have wild monkey sex, at the beach, in the moonlight, with a string quartet playing softly in the background(behind a bush so they can't see).
14)Win the lottery and share( everybody says that)
15)Go to the Gym everyday and twice on my day's off.
16)Be a vegetarian(cows everywhere are breathing a sigh of relief... this will probably not happen as I can't go a week without beef before I start dreaming about rib roasts and hamburgers)
17) write a book
18) learn to operate my camera other than auto mode.
19) wear a thong(size 6)and stroll casually thru my house (with said thong and the aforementioned high heels) to get a cup of coffee..... in front of Stan...while he is watching the Weather Channel
20. Put 911 on my speed dial.

Notice that I didn't put anything on here about dieting... for that resolution you need to visit www.weightnomorethediaryofafatwoman.blogspot.com

Have a Happy New Year and my prayer for all my 6 readers is that you will be blessed with health, joy, financial increase, and a peace that only Jesus can bring.

Pictures from Christmas 2010

2010-12-28T04:54:00.001-08:00

From my house to yours Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas 2010

2010-12-25T14:19:00.000-08:00

This is my 59th Christmas and after probably 30 years I turned my traditions upside down and it worked out so very well that I was left with the understanding why nothing should be written in stone... well except the menu for dinner. THAT can't change. I always spread things over 2 days. In the past we had Christmas Eve dinner and opened up a single gift on that night. Then I stayed up till all hours wrapping stocking presents and making breakfast casseroles... and as a reward to myself I also consume a significant amount of cheap champagne. I would go to bed for about 2 hours then get up, light the tree, and pop the breakfast in the oven. I made the kids come back at about 7 am to open stockings and presents. It was always a little tense.. fun but tense(can anyone say tired). I know the "reason for the season" and I love the celebration of Jesus birth, BUT I still think I was hanging on to the illusion that I had to have Santa Clause pass for my adult children. I think that was more for me than them. I also changed my guest list. I had only family and a long time friend, my kid's 'Taunte" Jill. We had 7 at the table and while I missed the wonderful guests I had had in the past I have to admit that this was lovely. We ate a wonderful meal and then opened presents and we had the best time. I am now faced with the daunting process of taking all the decorations down. Keep in mind that I only utilized about 10 of the 20 some boxes of decorations that I have in the attic. My only 2 New Years resolutions(along with the usual following my diet resolution.. but this doesn't count because it's one of those "givens") is to clean out the attic and organize my "lovelies" and to finally get my kid's 1995 present organized and wrapped. I started picture albums for my kids that covers from their great grandparents to present. I have not gotten far and Becky gifted me with a Family Tree Maker download that I am very excited about. If it takes me the rest of 2011 I WILL get this done. So to all my friends and family I hope your Christmas was blessed and that in the midst of all the eating and gifting that time was taken to reflect on the birth of our Lord Jesus.

I have posted pictures in the next blog.

Well Quite Frankly Scarlet, Aging Sucks

2010-12-08T10:07:00.000-08:00

I just can't stop myself. I just finished jogging down memory lane in my last blog and I am still thinking about aging. I don't have a choice. I. Am. Getting. Older. It. Sucks. You can give me all the rah rah crap about the serenity of our elder years and how age brings wisdom and best of all how 60 is the new 50. Horse shit. Younger is better. My skin, hair, eye sight, and boobs all were better younger. Well the boobs aren't. After the cancer I have permanently perky boobs sans nipples... they are so very perky you will be able to sit a glass of champagne on them while I am laid out in my casket.... I miss being able to see day light between my thighs. I miss my size 10 string bikini and my tight narrow leg jeans. I miss my memory. I miss dating. Between husbands I loved to date. It was up to the yahoo I went out with to impress me. I juggled several yahoos. I had a good time. Oh man do I miss tanning. The big C stopped that in short order and quite frankly as said before tan fat looks a hell of a lot better than white fat. I miss thin ankles and high heels. I miss thin fingers that aren't bent with arthritis. It loses the impact when I am pointing at something and my finger is off by 30 degrees. I even miss jogging..sort of. Well what I really miss is getting whistled at when I jogged by in my shorts. Now, if I jog on the treadmill the staff at the gym will give me a standing ovation, but it's not the same thing. I miss being able to hold my urine. But my lack of bladder control may not be the fault of those pesky kegles muscles it may be a mind thing. I can pee just before I leave work and by the time I get home 20 minutes later I am hobbling in the house cross legged trying to make the pot before I wee wee down my leg. Nah... it's still the kegles. I think I must have had a kegal centered stroke. I miss being able to stay up till all hours and then get up after 3 hours sleep and go to work and feel great.

Things that I don't miss and I do like about aging.

I don't miss shaving my legs every day. I shave one a month if I think about it and maybe not even then. I am not quite as hairy as I was. I don't miss being polite all the time. While I am not rude exactly, I just pretty much say what I want to say. Younger times I would have worried about what the person thought about me.... now I just don't care and I go by the theory that Honesty is really the BEST Policy. My memory being what it is half the time telling a lie to be polite is risky because I will forget what I said. I really do like the fact that I have been around long enough that a)nothing much surprises me b) if by chance I am surprised I can be rude about it and make a pithy comment. I like knowing things. I know a lot of things.... don't ask me what right now but as it comes up I realize I know things. I like that I have read thousands of books and I am very pleased that few are self help crap. I like that crossword puzzles in the NYT or the USA Today don't stump me for long. I like the fact that age has taught me the importance in paying attention to politics and letting my voice be heard(people at work don't like that but then of course they are younger) I like the fact that I have had close friends for 30+ years that have stood the test of time. There is something about knowing a person that long that is special.
I like that fact that generally when I speak, people listen... and usually do what I want.

They have a new pill out that has been successful with mice. Apparently the physical side of aging has been reduced by like 20 mouse years..... I want to test that pill.

Memory Lane

2010-12-07T09:51:00.000-08:00

Well I just hit the big 59. I am staring directly at 60 and it leaves me breathless. I recently made a whirl wind pass through trip to Columbus, Ohio and passed by my old homestead( see 2 blogs down with pics). This blog is going to ramble some so bear with me as I jot down memories that I thought were gone. I drove by my old elementary school and through my old neighborhood. Nothing much has changed and I remembered a simpler time. I told my friend how when I was growing up it was not unusual to walk three streets over to visit my friends Susie and Sandy. I never felt scared after dark, no one tried to pick me up, I never knew anyone who had been kidnapped by a predator or even what a child molester was. It was funny but visiting brought back happy memories and those that had hurt. Each year during elementary school I went to Nancy Northrup's house for her birthday. Her father took us to the Jet's baseball game and we spent the night at her house. She had a doll called Pitiful Pearl and I can still see it in my mind's eye. When I passed by my elementary school I remembered Marta who lived across the street... I thought she was the most cool in my 6th grade class and I could see her as she was then. I remembered Debbie Curry who had a real swimming pool in her back yard. Debbie was covered in freckles and I was jealous because I didn't have any. I remember in 5th or 6th grade that Barb, Melanie and I had desks together and they got mad at me because I was horse crazy and that's all I talked about. I was extremely irritating and unknown to me for a time they took turns and wrote down everything I said( thank you Jesus they didn't have a tape recorder)and finally they "talked" to me and told me why they hated me. I cried that day and Marta asked me to her house after school and that made being snubbed by my desk mates tolerable and she told me the whole class thought that Barb and Mel were 'weird' and not to feel bad. I passed by the front of the school where we used to play 4-square. I was playing there the day President Kennedy was killed. I played with Patty Weigand as a child and was in awe of her fake silver Christmas tree that changed colors via a rotating color wheel. Patty got a Chatty Cathie talking doll one year and it flat killed me, I wanted one like that so badly. I remembered that after Astronaut John Glen went up Patty got a live chicken for Easter and called the damn thing John Glen. Scott Fortenbacher lived one street over and I wonder if he still has that Lionel Train set. The set up took up most of his basement, it was a guy thing but still pretty neat. I thought of Melanie(a different Mel) who got the first Beatles haircut and Betsy Hicks who had Friday slumber parties and couldn't eat peperoni pizza until after midnight because she was Catholic. We were poor and we couldn't afford many up to date clothes. In junior high school Sandy Kennard got "Villager" clothes and I was pea green with envy. Susie Loik had the coolest bedroom and played tennis in her bare feet. Susie and Sandy both had that "something" that made others want to be around them and I was glad that we were friends. We called our parents Mr. and Mrs. and we moved freely around each others homes. I was called Girt... I don't remember why... and in high school we wrote notes to each other daily(today we would have texted). I thought of my first real crush( NOT returned) in elementary school, his name was Bernie. I don't think I was particularly popular but I did manage to go to all three senior proms (Tom, Ray, and Randy in that order). I spent winters skating at Westgate Pond and summers swimming at Bender's pool (also called Hilltop). Our world was different then and better. There were rules and we obeyed them. If we didn't we got in trouble. Our parents did not expect the schools feed us and teach us manners. That was the job of our parents AND if we acted the ass we got it BAD at home. A note from the teacher was a guaranteed grounding. School was for education. We prayed in school and daily said the pledge. We didn't have the worry that indiscretions, real or imagined, would be put on YouTube or texted to the whole class. We sniped and gossiped about each other as girls will but it pretty much stayed in the neighborhood. I don't remember being really bullied nor was I mean. I think I just pretty much went with the flow. I was a Blue Bird, Campfire Girl and Girl Scouts and hated all of them. I took piano lessons from a neighbor, Miss Ruth Thatcher. Miss Ruth was blind and utilized light knuckle slapping when a wrong note was played. I hated to practice and the knuckle slapping got old thus the only thing I can play now is chopsticks. The library is still there at the end of the block. I wish I could remember the librarian's name. I owe her so much. She encouraged my reading and fed my imagination. I am what I am now because of where I was raised. I took what I was given and made it better. End of my ramble.

PS. Before I forget.... to my tablemates Barb and Melanie..... bite me.

Demi the Wonder Dog update and Christmas

2010-11-30T09:51:00.000-08:00

Demi the Wonder dog is recuperating from having her uterus yanked out. I wanted to have this done in Houston at Kay's clinic but the timing sucked and she was going into heat again so I went up the road to Dr. Guidry's clinic and he did a great job. Demi loves to "go" anywhere. She loves to go to the kennel(the last time she was there for a week and I think it worried her that we weren't coming back) she doesn't mind the vet, she will hop in the car just to ride around the block. I have been loading her and going about my errands recently because it makes her so dadgum happy to watch the scenery go by. This last Tuesday she hopped into the car and I took her to the vet and she was just so pleased to visit. She wagged her whole butt upon entering the clinic. I left her with a bunch of kisses and picked her up at 5 pm. She was hunched up, guarding her belly, tried to wag but yelped, the movement apparently caused some pain. Man she looked...ummm sort of sad and bewildered. I walked her to the car and lifted her in she laid down and didn't move. I got her home and had to lift her out of the car. She stood by the couch and I lifted her up to the couch and covered her with a blanket. She dozed for about 3 hours. She refused all water and food but did pee later in the evening after I carried her outside. I think she liked the "being carried" part. I finally got her to lap out of the toilet and lifted her up into the bed and she slept the entire night after I medicated her for pain. She is better today. She refused water this morning but lapped up dilute chicken broth with rice. She got her pain medication and is now resting in her crate.

Christmas is going to change again this year as far as my traditions go. Last year it was minimal because we went on the cruise. This year I am decorating to my hearts content but I am not dragging out the dinner and breakfast like I usually do. We will have dinner and then open presents and because of Becky and my schedule it will happen before Christmas Eve. This is still my favorite holiday but I have lost some of the 'thrill'. This year has been difficult for me for many reasons and I think it has dimmed some of the joy that I experience. I will not have the huge amount of presents to gift. I am having to cut back in many ways and it has really made me sad. I laid in bed last night and thought about what is happening within my world. I realized that nothing or no one can take my joy unless I give it up. So today in this blog, I am claiming my joy. I will not allow anyone or anything to impact my happiness. My Louisiana BFF Jill Mary is coming over to help me clean and decorate next week. She is strapped for money and it just kills her not to be able to buy presents. I can understand her feelings, I would be just like that. I told her that I needed help with the house and she is gifting me her time and energy to help me get ready for the holidays. What a wonderful gift, I couldn't be more thrilled and thru her generosity of her time I am learning that presents don't always have to be wrapped up with a bow and stored under the tree.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-25T15:43:00.000-08:00

I just got back from vacation yesterday and had no plans for today. Becky called me this morning to wish me a happy Thanksgiving and to find out my plans. She said that Francis and Benny would love to have me over and figured that I worked. Francis and Benny always send me a plate to work because I usually do work on the holiday. I vetoed Becky's plan to call Shane to let him know that I was off. It made me feel funny and I don't know why. Believe me anyone who has eaten fare from the Garrard family knows what a treat it is but I just felt that I was imposing. How do you tactfully call someone and say... ummm hey there I am off, can I eat with you?? Stan is hunting and I don't know what Josh and Syd were doing so I decided it was up to me to make or break my own day. I started the day watching the Macy's parade. It brought memories of Thanksgivings at Aunt Edna's when we would all get together, watch the parade on a COLOR TV and have a family meal. I found tears rolling down my cheeks. Man I miss my mom. We didn't have a lot of money but holidays were family days and are so dear to my heart. Demi the wonder dog has not left my side. She was at the kennel for a week and I think she missed me. While I sat in my chair she climbed up beside me and scooched beside me and kept her head on my lap. I finally rousted myself and went to the store because our cupboard is really bare. I thought about turkey but I am not a fan unless it is fried so I settled on a prepared chicken. I bought salad fixings and corn on the cob. I prepared my meal and watched Miracle of 34th Street while I ate. All in all it was a peaceful time. I remembered Texas Thanksgivings with my friend Ruth. I hated to think of anyone alone at Thanksgiving. I worked at the clinic on Texas A&M's campus and came in contact with several students who for financial reasons couldn't go home so I invited them to my house. This started a tradition between Ruthie and me and we alternated homes each year. We were filled to the rafters with friends and strangers... mostly students... and we had the most blessed of times. It wasn't unusual to have at least 50 people come and go. I miss that. I am blessed in so many ways, I have a wonderful family, wonderful friends, a job that I enjoy, a warm secure home, and a great dog. Thank you God for all my blessings and for this day that was spent in reflection. I am content.

Our Adventure in the North, Toll Roads, Tests, Tears and Laughter. A Trip Home

2010-11-24T19:51:00.000-08:00

Note that the next blog down has pictures from our trip.

Jill and I set out for Racine, Wisconsin on November 17th so that she could do her clinicals to complete her testing to become a registered nurse. We drove straight thru(about 15 hours). I have never in my life seen so many toll roads. What is that about?? I am guessing that from beginning to end we spent about 40 bucks on tolls. We left Racine and I aged years driving thru Chicago..OMG it was Sunday and the traffic was horrible. We traveled 5 hours to Perrysburg, Ohio to see my sister Barb and my nieces. My other sister Patti couldn't come over from Iowa and was greatly missed. I have several favorite foods(as evidenced by the size of my Grannie panties) but my very favorite thing is shortbread Christmas cookies with butter cream icing that my sister Barb makes. They are a pain in the butt to make and my sister made me a box full. I am not sure what points to assign them in my Weight Watcher's plan but it doesn't matter. I ate the whole box over 4 days. My bad. Carrie and Barb put us up in a great hotel for two days and kept us entertained. We went out to eat, went to a great church, and just spent time with family and friends. It ended too soon. We left Perrysburg and traveled to Wooster, Ohio to see my oldest sister, Joann Page. Wooster is a small town in Amish country and somehow even using GPS we got lost after we left Jo's to get to the interstate. We arrived in Columbus a good hour late to visit with my Aunt Edna who is in a rehab unit recovering from a TIA and pneumonia. When I saw her I cried. Don't get me wrong, she looks good and is alert but she made me realize how much I miss my mom. She is my mom's only sibling and we spent so much time with her family while I was growing up. I told her that we would be back thru Columbus in April and that we would stop again. I love you Aunt Edna, and when it's your time, remember to tell mom how much I miss her. My plan was to be in Tennessee by that night but only made it another 15 miles down the road to Grove City. I was lured by the promise of White Castles, a soft bed, and good company. Angela and Paige Jacob and her dad Lee Amos welcomed us into their home for the night. We drank beer, ate sliders and had the best time. Lee gave up his bed to Jill and I with the warning to try to stay away from his underwear drawer. In the morning Jill said that we should have both come downstairs with a pair of his drawers on our heads. We should have done it... Lee would have been hysterical. I went by the old neighborhood showed Jill my elementary school(I don't know what made me think that she would be interested... I really don't), drove to my old house to take a picture. The house is a mess. The only thing missing is a car jacked up on cinder blocks. The poor neighbors. Any way I went next door to the Gormans, walked in to sing Happy Birthday to Fran for her 70th. I cried at her house too. Traveling down memory lane has been tough on my tear ducts. Blessings to you, Fran and Roger and I am so glad I was able to visit. This trip has been a bag of mixed feelings. Jill will have to return to test again and that is a heartbreak but we had such a good time visiting with my family and friends. Jill saw her first Amish ( she thought he was a statue), ate her first White Castle, learned to love Blue Collar Comedy and willingly sang happy birthday to a stranger. I drug her all over the state of Ohio and she laughed a lot. As for me, I have learned that I will never, ever harbor a desire to live in Chicago. I have visited my past and the memories nearly bowled me over and I spent time with my friends and relatives and laughed with joy. I ate "sliders" and drank beer, and smoked too much. I talked so much my throat hurt. I actually entertained the idea of wearing a pair of men's underwear on my head( and wish I had). And last but not least.... I got Christmas cookies with icing. All in all it was such a great trip and is one that I will make again. This next time I will take more time.

Pictures From Debbie and Jill's Excellent Adventure

2010-11-24T18:52:00.000-08:00

Jill getting into the car at midnight. We traveled all night to reach Racine, Wisconsin.
Carrie White and her son Drew. She is my sister Barb's middle child and Drew is Carrie's youngest.
Jill, Paige, Mindy and Angela
Mindy Bowling. Mindy is my sister Barb's oldest child
Paige and Angela Jacob. Ang is my "adopted niece", the daughter and granddaughter of Connie and Lee Amos
Joel White my oldest great nephew, son of Carrie and Ben
Evan White, Carrie and Ben's middle son
Andrew White, Carrie and Ben's youngest son
Barb and me!!!
The dinner group at a Japanese steak house... yum!
Mindy, Carrie, and moi.
My sister Joann Page. We visited her in Wooster, Ohio
Edna Bagley is my mom's only sister. She is recovering from pneumonia. Edna is 92.
Angie and her dad, Lee Amos. They kept us overnight and fed us White Castles. I was in heaven
Roger and Fran Gorman were our neighbors in Columbus. She just had her 70th Birthday and Jill and I stopped by to sing to her. What a treat for her..LOLOL we did really surprise her!!
My elementary school.
This was my home. I lived here till I was 26. It looks nothing like it used to. On the off chance that it's current owner reads this blog. Clean your yard, be nice to your neighbors.... you don't know just how lucky you are to have the wonderful neighbors that you have.

Jill and I made one last trip to the Castle for sliders. Krystal burgers have nothing on a White Castle!!!

Vote

2010-11-02T02:29:00.000-07:00

Today we may get a chance to reverse the direction this country is headed. The rah, rah Democrats and Republicans(and independents), who stood behind Obama on TARP, health care, HUGE government and his love of illegal immigrants, have been abandoning his side like rats leaving a sinking ship. But we remember who you are, and I have no love for anyone who flip-flops their opinions based on public opinion. Obama "misspoke"( I am coming to hate that term) when he told the Latinos to come against the 'enemy'.... I guess that would be conservatives ie: Republicans, and Tea Party proponents. In history the pinnacle of success for a LEGAL immigrant in America was the ability to provide a living for his family and to obtain citizenship. Obama and his ilk want to cheapen and denigrate that object of success.. first by the programs designed to keep the populace dependent on the government for their basic needs and second by providing sanctuary for illegal immigrants, in fact encouraging them to stay. Today we will see unprecedented cheating at the voting precincts involving illegal immigrants voting. What a shame that citizenship to my beloved country is for sale for a vote. We are living in the days of "Chicago" politics where cheating(on both sides) is considered normal. The men and women who are our first line of defense don't get their vote counted. This has been going on for years. Come on people, we put a man on the moon years ago and we can't COUNT THE VOTES OF OUR SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN.
If you read my blog then you have a homework assignment... VOTE then come home and look up on the Internet 'the progressive movement' teach your children and yourself what the progressive movement is and how it threatens our way of life.
Finally as a tea-party leaning Republican, Mr. President, I am NOT your enemy, I am your worst nightmare... an educated voting American with a big mouth and the facts to back up my statements.

Stuffed Animals and What is Love

2010-10-27T07:26:00.000-07:00

Thelma is the "blond" on the left and Ina is the "blond" on the right.

One of my favorite books for children is the Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams Bianco. I read this to my kids when they were babies and I have even used it in group sessions when I worked in Psych. I am in the process of going thru many many stuffed animals that I have purchased for both my kids and many that have been given as gifts. My son tells me that I am a pack rat. He may be right but I figure as long as you can walk thru my house unimpeded then I cannot be the star of the reality show about the hoarders. I was initially devastated when I realized that they had cleaned out the closet in my middle bedroom. That closet had most of my saved stuffed animals that I had earmarked for future grand kids. My "treasures" and their associated memories did not mean to him what it meant to me. All the animals were stuffed in garbage bags and relegated to my dining room to be given or thrown away. On the top of one bag was "Thelma" and next to her was "Ina". Both were home made and named after Becky's grandmas who had gifted them to her when she was about 3. She wouldn't go to sleep without both of the dolls next to her. They are stained and missing clothes but they were greatly loved. Seeing them in the bag, discarded, broke me up. I cried all the way to work. I knew that I was being ridiculous and that I had to go through the bag to choose what would be kept and what would be thrown. As the days have gone by I have been able to at least separate the sentimental favorites from the ones that I would not miss. Becky will have to come over and go thru it all and make choices as well. Looking at Ina and Thelma reminded me of the segment in the Velveteen Rabbit about what is "Real". Please take the time and read the excerpt.

**************************************************

"Real isn't how you are made,' said the Skin Horse. 'It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.'

Does it hurt?' asked the Rabbit.

Sometimes,' said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. 'When you are Real you don't mind being hurt.'

Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,' he asked, 'or bit by bit?'

It doesn't happen all at once,' said the Skin Horse. 'You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."
— Margery Williams Bianco (The Velveteen Rabbit)

Yes I have saved momentoes from my kid's(and my)childhood and I am going though them all to downsize. But I remain a very sentimental woman who looks at items from the past as touchstones to fond and loving memories. I will not apologize to anyone for that.

Juan Williams. NPR Sucks

2010-10-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Juan Williams, the senior news commentator with NPR, was fired because of a conversation he had on Fox's show the O'Reilly Factor. I saw the show and was in agreement with Mr. Williams. He commented that when flying it gives him pause to see fellow passengers in Muslim garb. I have enjoyed his often counterpoint conversations with Bill OReilly and Sean Hannity. He is an intelligent, decent, NON-BIGOTED, individual who presents his opinion in a no nonsense type manner. I am appalled at the actions of NPR. His reasoning was tied back to 9/11 and the World Trade Center attack carried out by RADICAL Muslims(I don't want anyone to say I'm a bigot)He didn't say he would get off the plane just that it would stir something inside him(not his exact words). I would probably get off the plane. Contrary to Joy Behar and Whoopie Goldberg's ambulatory exit off the set of The View when Bill O'Reilly expressed his opinion I agreed with what he said. I am sure that there are very peace loving Muslims but they have to stand up and be loudly vocal or their silence screams support for their more radical brethren. I am for religious freedom for all but if your freedom is expressed in killing innocents just because they don't follow your tenets then your freedom should be limited or denied. We have radical Christians who deserve the same treatment. We have no right to violently force anyone to follow what we believe is the correct path to God. I am sickened by NPR and Congress needs to investigate what is happening with the National PUBLIC Radio and stop funds to an organization that suppresses freedom of speech.

My Daughters Birthday 10/19

2010-10-18T19:56:00.000-07:00

Every year I write something to my children on their birthday. It's Rebekah's birthday today and in looking back on my 29 years with her I realize just how blessed I have been that God chose to allow me to raise this remarkable woman. She is goal directed in her desire to advance her nursing degree and I have seen her struggle with assignments that I would have just tossed in the towel. Becky the words I love you are easily said but they come so deeply from my heart. You are loved unconditionally every day in every way. I love your sense of honor, your outlook on life, your dedication to your profession, your faith in God, your understanding in all things. We have grown to the point where I seek your council in many things because your perspective is fresh, honest and on target. I benefit from your patience. Stay as you are my baby girl and know that I love you more than all the stars in the sky and the grass in the ground.
love mama

Joshua and the B.O.B.

2010-10-14T07:11:00.000-07:00

I shared a link on my face book page about a baby who happened to have a BOB(battery operated boyfriend) mixed in with his toys. It was pretty funny till you think about who put it there and why on earth they let the baby play with it.. but i digress. Anyway it reminded me of when Josh was a toddler. Joshua was just 3 when Stan and I got married. I worked on Life Flight in Pensacola, Florida with a bunch of really great, irreverent nurses and pilots. They had a wedding shower for me and I got all kinds of useful things.... the best being a case of Tanqueray Gin and some girly stuff. The last thing I unwrapped was a vibrator. I still remember them all sitting there waiting for my reaction. I was pretty embarrassed because I had never seen one before( I didn't get out much) Well when I got home I was going to throw it out.. then got concerned because someone might know that the trash was mine and "what would they think"? I buried it in my underwear draw and forgot about it. It was a different time my faithful two readers and "Sex in the City" would have been outlawed let alone given Emmys. I refused to tell Stan about it. We could be sexually liberated but still prudish. When Stan and I got ready for our move to Tulsa I was going thru my clothes and saw the B.O.B. Again what to do with the thing. I kept it in the drawer and planned on throwing it out when we got to Tulsa(I really planned on driving behind some store and throwing it in a dumpster..after wiping off my prints). We moved to a condo development and settled in. About 2 weeks after we moved I had been downstairs unpacking and realized I hadn't heard from Joshua and went upstairs to look. I couldn't find him and went outside and he was gone. I was frantic and went door to door looking for him. He was around the block in our backyard neighbor's home. This was someone I hadn't met yet and when she opened the door I told her who I was and that my son was missing. She looked at me for the longest time and then said, over her shoulder, "Joshua your mommas here for you" Up popped Joshua and I enveloped him in a hug and told him he had to go home because he left without permission. As we walked out the door she stopped us and said "Joshua, don't forget your toy". In he ran and came back with that damn vibrator dragging on the floor behind him. It actually was long enough it bounced on the floor while he walked. I was horrified.

"Who does that belong to" I asked my son...

Joshua responded "it's yurs mommy"

"Oh no it isn't" I replied with bravado.

"Yes it is mommy it was in yur nunderwear drawer...and looky it goes vrrrroomm" (as he turned it on.

We are so "enlightened" today so you cannot know just how bad this was. I loaded up the car with Joshua and the Vibrator and drove about 20 miles from my condo and threw the B.O.B. away in a dumpster. I know that of all the wonderful neighbors we had in the condo community, the backyard neighbor was not one of them. She pretty much snubbed us.... and I was glad.

Fat, the Government and a GREAT Email from my NP A. Guidry, RN

2010-10-08T05:33:00.000-07:00

Hi there blog I haven't written in a while. I have been watching the news avidly as our country is going down the tubes. We have elections coming up and as a nation we need to not vote for a party(whether TEA, Democratic, or Republican)as much as vote for the appropriate persons who will bring our country back on track. Obama is a failure as a president. He continues to blame Bush for the mess that he has put this country in. It is time to stop the handouts, the giveaways and the attempt of our current administration to make us all dependent on the government for our health, home and food. We CANNOT just sit by and watch Washington move into our homes and tell us how much of our own money we get to keep, and legislate our food intake and access to our own physician. Chubby people out there who happen to be reading this blog take note: as of 2014 your hospital and doctor will have to submit your BMI(body mass index)to an UNNAMED collector in Washington(maybe CDC) If they don't comply and have all your information on electronic medical records they will be punished by the amount of reimbursements they will receive. What the hell do they want my abundant BMI for?? Well it's not a stretch to believe that we will be taxed, pay higher insurance fees, or have our fast food selections limited to what they feel is more appropriate for our size. My mind goes to other punishments as well but most would view me as being paranoid. Anyone who doesn't feel this is an invasion of our privacy, our doctor patient relationship and a risk to our personal freedoms is either living in the woods without access to the news or is just plain stupid. We are a nation of fat people and fat causes increased health care costs... I understand that but I do not want anyone from Washington to have access to just how big my Grannie panties are. EMRs(electronic medical records) will be totally secret and protected...ummmhummm... well my totally smart nephew Kryss could probably hack into the system without breaking a sweat.

My awesome health care provider A. Guidry,NP(anyone needing a referral to she or her partner K. Sonnier just let me know.. they are the best) sent me an email and I have copied for this blog.. it is so true:

These are possibly the 5 best sentences you'll ever read:
1)You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.

2)What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.

3)The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

4)When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation.

5)You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.
Political Science 101

End of Lesson.....Test to follow in November

Nine Years Ago Today

2010-09-11T05:24:00.000-07:00

Every year on this date since 2001 I watch TV and I am transfixed by the images of the attack on the World Trade Center. Radical Muslims on suicide missions changed us. I find myself waiting for the next attack, the next horror to be visited on this country that I so love. It changed the way I live my life. I do not like to fly and I avoid huge gatherings. If given tickets to the Superbowl, I would not attend. I find myself thinking that an attack there would be the perfect venue to demoralize us even further. These men believed that by killing innocent Americans their way would be paved to their heaven. Good luck with that. I work on not allowing myself to live in fear and I work on my anger against a religion that mandates wholesale slaughter as a religious right against those who don't believe as they do. We are a nation of differences and as Christians we have our loonies as well. I don't do fanatics of any culture or religion. I do not want the Mosque built near ground Zero. Go Away. If you really really really wanted unity you would go elsewhere and not build your mosque, this shrine that honors those crazy zealots, because that is what it is all about. You would want to take into consideration the pain, suffering, and memories of the 9/11 survivors. That is what a Christian would do.

Pain the New Vital Sign

2010-09-08T02:52:00.000-07:00

As nurses we assess patients as they come into the ER. Vital signs, physical evaluation and history of illness are initially done to assess the urgency of the problem. We also assess the pain level the severity in which is measured on a scale from one to ten. Ten is of course the most severe. This is done so that when we administer something for pain after a 30 min. wait we can reassess your response to what we have given you. I have addressed the issue of behavior in the ER but really, if you are coming in complaining of 10/10 pain and you have had it for over a week and have taken NOTHING for it, then don't expect us to really believe you. Especially when you are giggling with your pals while you wait.
When you hit the triage door with a splinter in your finger and you wail around like you got hit by a car we have trouble understanding. Pain is relative to the person who is experiencing it and to his/her personal weenie level. I gave a shot to a 3 year old who never moved and said a mild "ouch" and in the next hour gave a shot to a 30 year old man who screamed like I was yanking his lips over his forehead. It kinda sounded just like this... if you can imagine the voice raising and lowering:ohmygodjesushelpMEEEEEEEEohshitwhatinHELLyougotinthatohJESUSsave MEohohohohohSHIT.
Having experienced pain at different times of my life I want to yell at some of these drama queens(and kings) "you want to talk about pain... I tell you what pain is: Pain is a 9lb+ and a 10lb+ baby coming out of a narrow canal(not so narrow anymore.ha)with heads that feel the size of a cantaloupe WITHOUT ANESTHESIA. So bite me. I am a nurse therefore I am naturally compassionate. NOT. I have to work on it everyday. Each day someone comes and sits in my triage chair with a story and it is usually about pain. Honestly I have to stop myself from comparing their pain with some of the stuff I have been thru or comparing with other patients who live in pain daily without a complaint. Each person deserves to be evaluated by himself without the collective history of previous patients and my own experience. Do not think this gives you a pass however when you tell me that you have lived in severe pain for 2 weeks without A) calling your own MD B) without trying to relieve it yourself with ANYTHING over the counter C)while laughing and yuking it up with your friends D)complaining about your severe pain while putting on your mascara in the triage chair telling me that you been crying for days with the agony and lastly don't think I will let you pass without question when you complain of 10/10 pain while telling me you have to be seen right away because you have a date.

Dinner 100.00 Entertainment Free

2010-07-21T18:18:00.000-07:00

I wasn't sure whether this should be on my diet blog or on this one. Obviously this won. I took 4 people out to dinner tonight at my favorite restaurant to thank them for helping Joshua paint his old studio. More at a later date on the new studio. Anyway we had 2 pitchers of margaritas between us and I cut myself off as soon as the tip of nose got numb. We had a great dinner and better conversation. I sat for a while sipping water so I swear to you that I was sober leaving. The place was packed and I was working my way between tables and was going between two large tables that each had a toddler sitting in the isle between the tables. They were sitting in one of those low wooden high chairs. You guessed it. I took them both out. My foot caught on one of the legs and I went sailing. I caught both chairs before they tipped over but managed to knock the crap out of both kids. Both of the toddlers were sufficiently terrorized enough that they hadn't had the time to start screaming. They both just looked at me.. the little girl had glasses on that were knocked askew and she was just staring at me with her horrified wide blue eyes. I apologized repeatedly and took off and about 10 feet later the screaming commenced. Oh. My. Goodness. I can't go anywhere. I trip all the time. I can only hope that no one knew me and I sure will not be going back there for a while. Maybe 10 years or so.

Racial Discrimination, Terrorists

2010-07-15T04:08:00.000-07:00

During the 2008 election at a Philadelphia polling place two members of the Black Panthers stood outside by the door in their uniform, one had a night stick. They were intimidating to the voters. They were caught on film. Nothing has ever been done to either offender except that the leader, one Minister King Shabazz is not allowed near a polling place. The Justice Department lead by our own Eric Holder has put a stop to the career lawyers who recommended the case be tried and put a gag order on them as well. Now if I wore a white robe(sheet) with a red cross and a hood and plunked my butt ACROSS(not even in front of) from a polling place, I promise you I would be currently getting three hots and a cot in a jail somewhere. Please understand me I am against ALL forms of racial discrimination.

Years ago when we had a governor's race here in Louisiana between David Duke, an avowed member of the KKK and Edwin Edwards, who on national TV admitted to graft and corruption(rather proudly I might add)ran against each other. Well Edwards won and I happily voted for him. We are used to our crooks down here but we don't like racists at all. Well after Minister Shabazz was in the news they had him on TV news at a Philadelphia festival stating the following(this is the EXACT words) "I hate white people. All of them! Every last iota of a cracker, I hate him! You want freedom? You're going to have to kill some crackers! You're going to have kill some of their babies." Boy that makes me just warm and fuzzy. He is a member in good standing with the Black Panthers. If a white member of the KKK got on TV and said that Eric Holder would be wetting his drawers trying to find something to jail him on.
Michelle Obama gave the keynote address to the NAACP this last week. She was credited as talking against the Tea Party and that is untrue. That was entirely the NAACP leaders who spoke against the group. Michelle spoke about her Let's Move project on childhood obesity. She did speak about the inequalities by saying: "stubborn inequalities still persist -- in education and health, in income and wealth -- I think those founders would urge us to increase our intensity, and to increase our discipline and our focus and keep fighting for a better future for our children and our grandchildren"

I don't think she realizes that the very people she is speaking of have been taken care of by the government for so long that their desire to improve their lifestyle has been dampened. Down here it's not unusual to see 14,15, and 16 year old mothers(on their second child). They can't work because "I have to take care of my babies".
And going back to previous blogs by saying giving a group of people MY MONEY to equalize the inequality in income and wealth is not going to make said people jump up and get a job. What needs to be done is that the money given by the government needs to be attached to a work program. We need to develop a work ethic that is so very absent. Here in Louisiana a bill was introduced to attach welfare checks to a drug test. This would dump an untold amount of people off the welfare rolls. This is not prescribed medication but presence of illegal drugs that would be in question. Moot point anyway because it got voted down.

Mr. Obama came out on the news about the terrorist attacks in Uganda that killed multiple innocents watching the World Cup Soccer finals. He is quoted saying "What you’ve seen in some of the statements that have been made by these terrorist organizations is that they do not regard African life as valuable in and of itself. They see it as a potential place where you can carry out ideological battles that kill innocents without regard to long-term consequences for their short-term tactical gains." He also stated that ...Al-Qaeda is a racist organization that has no value for African life". Hello Al-Qaeda has no use for any race that does not value their way of life and worship. What does he think is happening over here to all races. We are fighting a war on terrorism here and abroad. Obama has consistantly avoided the use of the term 'war on terror'.
I pray for the safty and health of our President daily despite that fact that I don't agree with practically everything he stands for. My displeasure at his policies and where he is leading our country will be shown at the voting booth where as an American my voice will be heard.

Bad Hair Day #2 and ER Humor

2010-07-11T16:12:00.000-07:00

I think it's karma or maybe my hair is in the wrong place at the very wrong time. Night before last I came to work sporting not so nice hair and nothing happened. What I mean was someone could have thrown up on my head and my hair wouldn't have looked worse. Tonight I came to work and was fairly comfortable with my hair color, style and cut. Jamie said she thought it looked nice and I had several other compliments from the in patient side of the hospital. I should have taken that as an omen and put on a shower cap. Jamie was catheterizing an elderly woman and due to the patient's size and anatomy she attempted once by herself and missed, placing the catheter in the vaginal vault. I came to help her by holding the patient's leg to make visualization easier. I bend down to make sure that I had appropriately positioned the part of her anatomy that was causing a problem and got slapped in the head with the catheter. The very same catheter that had previously been in her nether region. I just looked up at Jamie, who was a deep shade of red(in an effort not to laugh) The catheter was replaced with a new one and the procedure was performed without a problem. Jamie used a Clorox wipe to clean my hair. It really is pretty funny when you think about it. Maybe you have to be a nurse though, to find the humor. Things happen at work that would make a non medical person blush and we find great humor. One of my very best buddies came to work one night and commented that she had gas. She watched as a patient was taken from the first room to xray and knew that she would be gone for a while. The other nurse and I sat there as she backed her butt into the 'vacated' room, not realizing what she was about to do( I promise I would have stopped her if I had known.... well maybe I would have...ha). She bend over and "tooted" then walked out. The other nurse and I just stared at her in such a way that she realized that something was wrong. What she didn't know was that the patient had been accompanied by a relative who was still in the darkened room. I just put my head on the desk and nearly cried I was laughing so hard. Another time I was attempting to force activated charcoal into a small tube that had been inserted into a patient's stomach via his nose. The patient had overdosed on drugs and the charcoal is used to (simplified) soak up all the loose pills so that the pill fragments can be carried out of the body. Faye warned me that I was squeezing the tube too hard and that it might burst. The next thing I know Faye is covered in liquid charcoal from her head to her waist and I didn't have a thing on me. Honest to God I didn't know what to do. "Oops" just doesn't seem enough. I frequently will warn a patient prior to giving a shot by saying "BIG STICK" while I am injecting. Linda one time walked into the room of a very heavy patient and after wiping the injection site on her butt, said to the patient "BIG BUTT". Talk about a Freudian slip. She refused to return to the ER till the patient had been discharged. Stay tuned, in the next few days I am going to post a list of our most mispronounced words that we hear in the ER.

Health Care and Donald Berwick... It's Coming and You Were Warned

2010-07-09T05:56:00.000-07:00

I will make an earnest effort to stop blogging about politics for the next few weeks but so much has happened that I have just had to comment. This is going to be short because I have gone over this ad nauseum in past blogs. We are facing health care rationing. I'm not talking about when your insurance company gives you a list of the Doctors that are on your specific plan or when you have to call and pre-cert a major test or procedure(by the way I have NEVER been denied any procedure that my doctor wanted me to have.) I am talking about real honest to God rationing like they have in England. King Barack has appointed Donald Berwick as the Head of Medicaid and Medicare services. Well, you may think, this has nothing to do with me because I have Aetna, Blue Cross or whatever insurance coverage. Get real. This man will affect the way that ALL insurance companies will function because where medicaid and medicare go the others have to follow. I have mega complaints about the corruption within the medicaid system. For instance just last week we had a patient come in with Blue Max(good coverage) and a medicaid card. This is not a rarity, it happens all the time. I have also questioned why a 98 year old nursing home resident that is ravaged by disease, bed sores, contractions,and Alzheimer's is being rigorously treated for his or her heart attack. I feel that we need a huge over haul but this man will impact us in our choices and the length of time that we get care for treatable diseases. I want to be able to choose what I want done when I am 98 even though my insurance wants to just let me go or worse yet euthanize me(you think this is far fetched...it's coming. I promise you that is on the horizon). I do not want the government involved in my choices or my health. I want them to deal with the corruption only. Medicaid and Medicare are the governments babies they need to police their own agencies before they try to save money by delaying or denying care.

NASA and the Presidential Directive

2010-07-09T04:55:00.000-07:00

NASA's new directive is to make Muslims feel better about themselves. Talk about doing what no man has done before. Wait, killing Americans make radical Muslims feel better soooo are we going to be giving them information to assist them to do that or will we be screening the Muslims that we teach and make sure we only get gentle pro-American Muslims?

NASA administrator Charles Bolden stated that he had three directives from President Obama: 1) to re-inspire children to encourage science and math interest(this is noble and very pro-American)2)to expand our international relationships(okay we do well with Russia on this one) 3)the most important one is to reach out to the Muslim world and help them feel better about their historic contribution to science, math and engineering.

The Islamic peoples have contributed vast amounts of knowledge to the world from Calid in the 7th century to Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor an astronaut and orthopedic surgeon who has already spent time on the International Space Station. Their scientific and artistic endeavors have indeed made the world a richer place. HOWEVER there is a significant group of radicals within their community that would consider their greatest accomplishment the total annihilation of America. So the question should be asked is why waste NASA's time doing a PR mission when we need to be back in space and headed to the great unknown. Is this just a feel good mission of Admin. Bolden or is he going to be sharing NASA secret "stuff"? It makes me very uncomfortable giving information to a group of people who hold us in such disdain.

Yet More Political Insites

2010-07-08T07:07:00.001-07:00

YOU HANG TOUGH GOVERNOR BREWER!!! The Mexican governors did not want to meet for the governors conference in Arizona because of the new law. She canceled the meeting. At least she canceled the meeting in her state. California, New Mexico and Texas(by abstaining from comment) have completely ignored that it was the Mexican governors that refused to participate in Arizona. Since when do we not stand behind our own. United we stand. Does that sound familiar? For all you idiots out there who think that Arizona's law is too tough on illegal immigration and you side with poor pitiful Mexico... you need to take a trip into Mexico, illegally, and see what happens to you. The Mexican Government treatment of illegal aliens makes Arizona's law look like a trip to a spa.

And for the naive and pure of heart get your head out of the sand and pay attention. This sudden love for all of our illegal alien brothers and sisters by team Obama has nothing to do with kindness on their part and EVERYTHING to do with the Hispanic vote in November. So in order for Team Obama to gain a block of votes he wants the WORKING tax payers to assume the care and feeding of another 15 million people.

I sound like I have a problem with the Hispanic race. I don't. I have worked side by side with Hispanics for the past 25 years. I enjoy friendships with those who have their roots strongly south of our border. I have a huge problem with ANYONE coming over our border illegally and being welcomed with open arms by our government. If I have hurt any of my Hispanic friends and acquaintances I am sorry but I feel strongly that we have laws for a reason. I do not want amnesty for those who are here illegally. You go home and apply to enter our country... the right way.

Happy Fourth of July

2010-07-04T14:41:00.000-07:00

They fought for freedom to escape the control of a king. They wanted oppressors out of their lives. They crafted a document that spelled out exactly what kind of government they wanted understanding that there had to be a set of rules to guide the colonies. The common people fought and died for freedom to be able to control their lives. We have gotten used to those freedoms and haven't paid attention as they have slipped slowly away. There are those who are in a constant state of denial and don't see that our beloved country is being eroded by the government that is supposed to serve us. God Bless our country and bless those who have awakened and are fighting to preserve our freedom from government control.
We the people....

Jobs in America

2010-07-02T12:27:00.000-07:00

Just a short blog on something I heard on the news today. Nancy Pelosi(D-California,Speaker of the House)made the comment that to continue unemployment is good for the country because it is proven to be the best thing to stimulate the economy. This is sort of like when I would hire my kids to do work around the house. They got spending money but it still came out of my pocket. Later in the afternoon they were interviewing an apple farmer in the northwest who was having to go out of the country to hire workers and paying them 11.00 an hour to pick apples. A well dressed man(can't remember who he was representing but it had something to do with unions and workers) said the reason the farmer can't get local people is that he is not paying an appropriate salary commensurate with the job. IT'S PICKING FREEKING APPLES NOT BRAIN SURGERY!! What the problem seems to be is that we have a country of lazy people who expect to be taken care of and who are happier living on unemployment then actually getting out and working. 11$ is not much but working at 40 hours a week amounts to 440$ per week and 1760$ per month or 22880.00 a year. Not including overtime. I had someone ask me if I would work for that. The answer is yes I would if it meant help feeding my family and maintaining my self respect. It's not a career choice but along with food stamps, medicaid and other government handouts that this would qualify me to get, then I could do this until something better came along or the economy improved. But then I can't judge others by what I would do. I tend do be a go-getter when it comes to working. I would be an apple picking fool and making overtime. Something to think about. Our government has created generations of people who expect something for nothing.

Obamas Speech on Immigration 7/1/10

2010-07-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

Get ready, Obama is preparing the way for grandfathering in the 11 million illegal aliens that are living here. He is giving an impassioned speech by a listing of all the immigrants in the past that have contributed to the United States like Einstein and Carnegie. The only problem with this is that they were LEGAL IMMIGRANTS. They came here the LEGAL way not over the border with their drugs and guns. I am watching this live news cast and I am amazed at Obama's supercilious attitude. He is an arrogant ass. Just watching this is raising my blood pressure. He NEEDS the Latino vote and that is what this is all about. He is talking about the shadow people who work, save, and are not breaking the law. THEY ARE BREAKING THE LAW YOU JACKASS. THEY ARE HERE ILLEGALLY. All they have to do is go the legal route and come in like they are supposed to. Hey Barack, talk about the welfare, the medical care, the free education that these wonderful shadow people and all their friends that they are harboring are getting. Come sit in an Emergency Room in any of the border states and see all the FREE care that is being given. You Mr. Obama are making a mockery of our laws by not insisting the law be followed that is on the books. He is talking about how we cannot find the ability to deport 11 million illegal aliens. We don't have the money, the staff..blah,blah,blah. Well hire people, use the tarp. Get rid of the TEMPORARY government workers doing the census that is inflating your work reports. He is saying that the illegal aliens must register and start on the legal path towards citizenship. Oh yes, and while in that line sign up for your food stamps, medicaid, and all the wonderful benefits that are for OUR CITIZENS.

He says that the majority of Americans want to move this forward.. where is he getting his statistics? Is he dragging this out of his butt? He is trying to paint the Republicans into a corner on this. Well listen up.. anyone who votes for this crap is not listening to the American voting public.

Anyone who doesn't recognize this ridiculous speech as what it plainly is(a payback to the Latinos who voted him in office) is living in la-la land and apparently has a lot more money to give away then I do.
As an aside, has anyone ever noticed how when giving a speech he looks down his nose a lot, I find it very, very irritating.

CLOSE OUR BORDERS AND SEND THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS BACK FROM WHERE THEY CAME.
Posted by Debbie Higginbotham at 8:19 AM

Transparency

2010-06-29T20:24:00.000-07:00

Our President promised us transparency. When I think of the term transparency in relation to actions it means that the action and outcome of said action are obvious. The past few weeks I think he has kept his promise in a manner of speaking. Let's review two things that have been happening in the news.

The Oil gush off the coast of Louisiana is a major disaster in more ways than one. The effects are not only environmentally horrific but economically as well. Our President has been pushing a very green agenda since his campaign. In March he did an about face and angered the left by proposing to open huge areas of American coastlines to oil and natural gas exploration. Now I'm am not into conspiracy theory stuff but it was a huge coincidence and damn convenient for the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon. Obama was probably doing a happy dance in the oval office. That and his golf game would explain why he has taken so long to do what little he has done. He made the 'right' happy by his proposal of off shore drilling then the explosion happened and he then said there would be no further deep water drilling for six months. Now the 'left' is happy. Louisiana did what was expected and went to court and the decision was against the White House. Now the White House is seeking an injunction against the Louisiana ruling but the WH will more than likely lose. Obama is still happy and has kept his butt firmly on the fence. He can go on TV and look appropriately sober and say we have tried to protect the environment but got overruled.

Illegal Aliens and Arizona
Obama owes a tremendous debt to the Latinos for his election and Arizona just purely put his back up. He can't bring Gov. Brewer under control by criticizing her to the press and since we do have an immigration LAW that is not being enforced by Washington, he has a problem. It also hurts that 70% of the American people support what Arizona is proposing to do. Now, the fact that a majority of Americans are against what BO(Barack Obama) is doing is not going to stop him(please remember Obama care) but he does have an image problem. If this goes to court his administration is going to look really really stupid because they are not enforcing the laws that are in place already. What is his solution? He hedged his bets again and is very transparent (at least to me)by naming Harold Hurtt, a former police chief in Houston and Phoenix,as the new director for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office. Director Hurtt is a firm supporter of 'sanctuary city' policies which goes against the law of the land. Can this man actually support a law that he has no respect for?? This is a gift to the Latinos from BO. I swear that Obama will go down as one of the worst presidents this country has ever seen.. he is even worse than Jimmy Carter, and that is saying something.
.

She is Still HOT

2010-06-20T15:17:00.000-07:00

First of all Happy Father's Day to all those fathers out there. I kinda struck out when it came to fathers but I have been blessed to know some awesome dads, so A BIG SHOUT OUT TO DADS.
Now along the same vein, I sort of forgot that this was Father's Day till this morning at 6am when Troy asked me to call his wife to remind her that it was Father's Day and to give her time to get up and get a card(in case she forgot)and to prepare something special. Somehow I refrained from that suggestion(you owe me Jeana). I took off early to go to Walmart to get a card and some gifts. Before I tell you the rest of the story I want all my male readers to just be pea-green with jealousy at all the great gifts I got Stanley. He got Pepperidge Farm cookies(two different kinds!!)shortbread cookies, AA batteries, the movie Avatar,a card and(this is the best)... a SHAMWOW. It was in the checkout aisle and I just couldn't resist(this should end all wonder as to why I don't have any money).
During my shopping foray I was contemplating cards and a gentleman approached me and asked if he could have my advice. Below is the conversation.

Man: Ma'am can I ask you to give me some advice about socks.
Me: Sure(I was pretty much ignoring him and was looking at cards) The young gentleman wandered off and was gone for about 10 minutes and then came back.
Man:(holding a 6 pack of ankle socks with pastel rings around the ankle part) ummm are these socks that a woman would wear
Me: sure.
Man: do you wear these kind?
Me: yup, all the time.

At this point I should have realized that I was temping this poor man beyond all reason. I think he was breathing just alittle more deeply... not quite panting but really really close.

Man: umm do you have bunions?
Me: (looking up at him finally and noting that he was looking at my feet) Nope, no bunions.
Man: Do your feet hurt?
Me: Nope my feet feel great!(actually they hurt so freeking bad it felt like I was walking on my ankles)
Man: Umm I'm doing a study for ummm school and can I take a picture of your feet, with ummmmm no shoes and socks on.
Me: ummmmm let me think.....ahhhh no.
Man: ahh okay you sure?? It's a project?? I be quick.
Me: I'm really sure but thanks anyway.
All in all I feel pretty guilty about this. He probably caught sight of my cankles(remember that's where your calf flows into your ankle) hanging over my ankle socks and was driven by cankle lust. I need to be more careful in the future... he did follow me thru the store at a discreet distance. It's a burden at times to be an object of lust.

Becky Story

2010-06-17T05:55:00.000-07:00

My friend Christy called me yesterday with concerns about her son. She gave me the symptoms and I suggested that she go to the hospital because it sounded like he might be having appendicitis. He was admitted but thus far no surgery yet. It reminded me of a Becky story. She was about 3 or 4 and had just finished her Christmas program at Kinder Care in College Station, Texas. As we were walking out to the car she complained that her "leg hurt her stomach". What she was telling me was that when she walked and her right heel hit the ground it made her right side hurt. I was in charge of the emergency department at a Humana hospital and was(and still am) a capable nurse but I was a mother first. What that means is I immediately went into denial. Nothing could be wrong with my baby. I called Rosa the nurse on duty that night and told her the symptoms.. which included lower right side rebound tenderness and nausea. She tsk-tsked me and said "bring her in". We went to the ER, her white count was 21 thousand and she was examined by Dr. Bohne, a wonderful general surgeon. He admitted her and decided to wait till the morning before he made the decision to operate. I was frantic because Stan was out of town and despite my competence, I did not do sickness well when it involved my babies. Starting the IV (or IB as Becky called it) was an event that took 5 of us. Becky did NOT want that IV. The hospital was not geared for pediatrics so we put her in an adult gown and put her in a bed. She was started on antibiotics and we waited out the night. In the morning her pain went away and her white count was normal. You have to remember this was before CT and MRI scans. Stan was on his way in but hadn't made it yet. Becky was having the time of her life ringing the nurse call button, getting ice cream, and raising and lowering the head of the bed. As much as she didn't want the "IB" to begin with, she refused with big tears to let us take it out till her daddy got there. He walked into the room as she was bare butt in the air, with her hand down by the bed controls, making the head of the bed go up and down. He announced his presence and she flopped over on her back and looked at him with her big eyes(that she had managed to squeeze tears from) and said weakly "hey daddy, I been sooooo sick. I hab a IB". It was pitiful but the acting job was great. Stan made all the appropriate comments all the while trying not to laugh. She then looks at him with her wet eyes and said "you brung a present to me?" We were allowed to take her IV out, she thanked all the nurses.."tank you so berry much for the ice cream" and we went home with her appendix intact. She was such a drama queen when she was young and I wouldn't take anything for the wonderful memories that she has given me. I love you sweetheart.

Another Wasted Day, Demi and the Ben and Jerry's

2010-06-10T12:13:00.000-07:00

I have been laid low by the 'funk' for over a month. Don't know what it is but I have been wheezing, coughing, sneezing, running a fever, and having a morning stuffy nose. Okay even the most non-medical person recognizes that this looks like allergies but I have never had allergies except to cats. I have felt like crap with the energy of a limp noodle. I mopped the floor yesterday and I was worn out afterwards. The most awesome nurse practitioner Aimee Guidry (in practice with the equally awesome Kayla Sonnier RN,FNP) felt I had pneumonia and has dosed me with antibiotics. I am faithfully taking them and still have a wheezing cough but no fever AND thanks to the antibiotic I now have diarrhea. I know, I know, to much information but it's my blog. For the last month on my days off I have pretty much sat on my ample butt and felt sorry for myself. I have logged on tremendous time on the computer and have become hugely addicted to face book. My farm is doing well as is my tropical island(Farmville and Tropical Isle) and I am haphazardly playing at Sorority(thank you so very much Becky!!) I am transfixed with others lives as I read through each comment. I have got to stop, this is a crazy waste of time!!

I managed to go get my tires changed today and stop at the store. I had the 'wants' of some sushi and Albertson's has the best California rolls, but not today. I have been so good on my diet and with the CRUSHING disappointment of no sushi I immediately went to the ice cream section and got some Ben and Jerry's "everything but the..." flavored ice cream. Can we say eating disorder. Anyway I took my ice cream, Swifter stuff and my lettuce and came home. I got a phone call after unpacking the groceries and of course promptly forgot about putting everything away. I was worn out from talking and plopped my butt into my chair to rest up so that I could take a nap later before work. Demi, the wonder dog, was on the kitchen couch looking out the window at the birds(I thought). She came walking into the living room about 15 minutes later with the pint sized ice cream container completely on her muzzle. I wish I had a camera. She stretched out on the floor and used her paws to move the container around and off her face. Her white muzzle was chocolate covered and she looked very, very pleased with herself. I called the vet to find out if a pint of mostly chocolate ice cream would hurt her and was instructed to 'watch her'. Well she saved me about 1000 calories and made me smile. She is currently on the floor, on her back with her front legs straight in the air. I would be concerned but that is her favorite position after the curled-in-a-ball-on-the-bed one that she assumes when sleeping with me. I will be posting pictures and a synopsis of the dance performance that Joshua's school did on June 5th at a later date. Becky and Shane have been having the best time hosting "Hollywood" at their house these last few weeks. Their property is being used as a site in a movie and that's all I can say. I think it's supposed to be a secret. Big hug to my 10 readers and keep the prayers coming for the oil crisis. We are being hurt in such a big way.

Home, Health, National News and Israel. It Just Keeps Getting Worse

2010-06-02T05:56:00.000-07:00

HOME FRONT NEWS: I was up at 3 am this morning because I have had a lingering cough related to an unending allergy. My nose is stuffy and then I sniff and cough. Stan is NOT happy with my early morning noises. To make matters worse my sense of smell is gone. I can breathe thru my nose but realized yesterday that I can't smell anything. Nothing smells bad..which is advantageous at work considering the great number of nasty smells we come in contact with on a regular basis. But on the other side nothing smells good either.

HEALTH CARE NEWS: Canada is now reevaluating their national health care because it is burying their country in debt. Well DUH. We are headed in exactly the same place. Current polls are indicating that 60% of people are in favor of a repeal of the Obamacare debacle. We are on a steep slippery slope to socialism and we are currently reaching unsustainable financial deficits. Like Margaret Thatcher said "socialism is wonderful until you run out of other people's money". BO our POTUS is ruining our country and we STILL have people who think he is the best thing since mashed potatoes. WAKE UP AMERICA.

NATIONAL NEWS: We are on day 44 of the worst disaster this country has faced. The oil leak(leak?? what a joke)is apparently confounding the experts. All the greatest minds allegedly are dealing with this disaster and Obama is fully in charge and states he takes full responsibility for the problem. Now before the spill is stanched and cleaned, Eric Holder is talking about law suits. If I were BP I think that faced with that I would keep secret the 'fix' until I got immunity from prosecution. But Barack is LARGE AND IN CHARGE and he knows best. They have apparently run through all of our "experts" and have consulted with James Cameron the movie director. You see, he thinks out of the box and did do the Titanic which makes him an expert for all things underwater. I am in awe of the thought process going on here. Where is Flipper and Lloyd Bridges when we need them(referring to the shows Flipper and Sea Hunt to those to young to know the reference). Now, I will eat my words in this blog if good old James can actually fix this mess. Well, whatever, he at least will get a movie deal out of the contact.

Louisiana has such a delicate ecosystem and we will suffer terrible losses no matter what happens. My prayers continue for a rapid solution.

Final thought on the news for the day. We MUST support Israel.

Geography

2010-05-25T08:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Janet Napolitano,

It's the GULF OF MEXICO, not "that ocean" you absolute dumb ass. I am amazed with constant examples of Napolitano's ineptitude that people actually think that Sarah Palin is dumb.

Sincerely,
Debbie

P.S. I did NOT vote for Obama

Say What????

2010-05-19T05:17:00.000-07:00

I swear that nothing in Washington should surprise me but it often catches me off guard when I laugh out loud at the news. If you read my blogs then you know how I stand with the Arizona illegal immigration issue. In case you don't want to read my blogs then let me sum up my feelings. YOU GO ARIZONA!!!!! Ya'all up north don't have a clue about what it is like down in Texas and Arizona. Here in Louisiana we have FREQUENT visitors to the ER who can't speak English and who are not papered BUT they have a baby who was born here thus they get to stay and get state benefits...but I digress. Sorry. Okay, well Obama and his ilk all have their collective panties in a twist because of this Arizona law. They have come strongly against it and are threatening all kinds of legal issue with the state. I was watching the news when Eric Holder(the Attorney General for those of you who are still watching "Friends" reruns instead of the news) admitted that he hadn't read the TEN PAGE law. He is threatening intervention on a law that he hasn't read. What a moron. I was giggling at how stupid he is(but he gets points for being honest) but was positively ROLLING around laughing at Janet Napolitano( she is the head of Homeland Security)when she got on TV SEVERAL times talking against the law when McCain asked her if she had read the 10 page bill and she stammered around and said ahhh... no not yet but she clarified that it was something that she wouldn't support anyway. How do you know stupid, you haven't read it. Will someone PLEASE fire her. She is beyond inept. Then Michael Posner the Assistant Secretary of the State apologized to CHINA (of all countries) during a discussion on human rights that was held in Washington last week. He was citing the Arizona law as a problem with racial profiling and our own problematic issues with human rights. Well Phillip J. Crowley, secretary of the Bureau of Public Affairs, came out in defense of Mr. Posner stating he was in fact standing up for our country explaining how debate is handled in a civil society. With friends like that we don't need enemies. But it is important to note that they have not read the law either! Come on guys it's ten pages not 2000. Read the law before you comment. Better yet, don't read it, it just makes you look even more stupid and provides me with something to laugh at.

Not Me or It's George's Fault

2010-05-13T02:42:00.000-07:00

Remember as a child when you did something wrong? Remember when your mom asked you "who did that?" the answer was almost always 'not me.' As a parent I thought I had a third child named Not Me. Once I came upon a hole in the curtain that was still smoldering(from a lighter... he was 6)and when questioned Josh looked at me and said "it wasn't me". When I found the lighter on his person he gave me a look of such perplexity that I wondered if 'Not Me' had put the lighter in his pocket. When we grow, providing we have had appropriate parenting,(and we are not sociopaths) the need to blame others for our mistakes was left in childhood. Don't get me wrong when you really screw up you revert back to 6 years old and try to figure a way out but well adjusted adults usually 'man up' and shoulder the blame. I used to tell my kids that if you want to do something make sure you understand that "if you do the crime you're going to do the time."

I am about sick and tired of the current administration blaming Bush for everything that is going wrong with the country. I was less than pleased(understatement) when the first TARP was initiated by Bush. Obama has raised the deficit to unimaginable heights and IS STILL BLAMING GEORGE BUSH. Obamacare was forced through and jammed down our throats because it was going to 'pay for itself' Well as of yesterday the 'savings' have been eaten up by amounts not figured in( more or less administrative costs among other things)Every time I hear Obama go off on a 'NOT ME' tangent I want to call him up and tell him that we all are tired of that excuse. You are a big boy now Barack, it's time to understand that this is all about you and your big government agenda. At any time you could have put the brakes on the out of control government spending but you just kept it up and whenever possible you blamed George. Well I miss George. Right or wrong, George was a MAN and he took responsibility for his actions.

Writing this made me realize that Obama gives me gas. It's his fault that I get so upset at the news that my blood pressure raises. I'm missing hair because when he starts in lecturing I start yanking my locks in frustration. He gives me a headache, heartache, and causes me unbelievable worry about the direction he is taking my beloved country. Given enough thought I can blame him for my virus I had last week, my broken fingernail, the rude people that come into the ER, my hemorrhoid, bad vision, saggy butt, fat knees and my dog's worms. I can blame him for my messy house, dirty car, dead plants, dust bunnies and rust in my water. The sad thing is if you really LISTEN to what he says it reminds me of a child (he can't take criticism and all but name calls people who oppose him) This 'child' controls our country.

May 12, 2010

2010-05-12T08:42:00.000-07:00

It's been eight years since my mom died. She died on Mother's Day in 2002. I will never forget that morning. I left work and got in my car and was overcome with such a conviction that my mom would not last the day. She was in the hospital but due for release. I called the nursing unit and talked to the nurse and she assured me that she was doing well. She was in the heart unit because they didn't have a step down bed for her yet but allowed her visitors like a regular room. I was so sure that she was leaving me that I was in tears and nothing that the nurse could say would convince me otherwise. I asked her to tell mom that I loved her so much and that she was the very best mom anyone could have. I said other things that the nurse had to ask me to repeat because of my tears. I told the nurse. Mom is going to die today I just know it. I am not psychic but I KNEW. At work that night my sister called me and I was sitting between Linda and Faye and when I heard her voice I knew that she was gone. I didn't get to say good bye. I put my head on the desk and cried. I can only hope that the nurse passed on my message. There were so many things that I didn't get a chance to say. So much love that I wasn't able to show and so many items that I needed to ask her about. I was so selfish in my desire to keep her. She woke up from a nap at about 7pm and told the nurse that Jesus was going to take her home that night. My sister Barb came to be with her and pray with her till the end. Jesus called her home but there isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish for one more hug, one more kiss, one more piece of advice. At times I have dreamed about her and they are so real. She has 'visited' me in my dreams and provided comfort when I have needed it most. Logically I know that my dreams are a product of my over active imagination but who am I to deny what God can do. Mom, watch over your children and their offspring. I know that you are in a better place but I miss you each and every day.

You Can't Fix Stupid

2010-05-12T06:05:00.001-07:00

That saying is something I have heard for years. It's pretty insulting but fairly apt today. Every time I turn on the news I am reminded that maybe it isn't the 'stupid' that is the problem but the out and out ignorance. I listened to our President give a commencement speech where he talked about the problems with all the electronic 'goodies' that we have at our fingertips. He pleaded ignorance about such things but apparently doesn't recall that he was attached to his Blackberry during the election and had to be forced to give it up. What he expounded on was the fact that with the ease of our minute to minute communication that unfounded facts can be disseminated. It's pretty hard for the White House to be able to keep up with the flood of information that somehow gets out there to the peons. It is true that there is ridiculous information being put out as fact. What is IGNORANT is that people take everything they read as fact and not bother to check out the truth of the matter. The government is seriously talking about getting involved in regulating the Internet. Isn't that just wonderful. That folks is NOT a rumor or unfounded. I am in awe of people that don't READ, listen to more than one news channel, and believe everything that Obama says without really listening. Last night I was watching Glen Beck and he was talking about the new Supreme Court nominee Kagan. He showed a film clip of an interview question about citizens who are suspected of terrorist ties. She believes that people can be picked up and held basically till proven Innocent... however long that takes. Don't get me wrong I believe in the harshest punishment for home grown terrorists but with that mandate they could pick up ANYONE for any reason and there wouldn't be a damn thing you can do. Reminds me of Hitler's Germany and the SS. Who would determine who was an enemy of the State? Quite frankly at this current time anyone who doesn't believe in what the current administration is putting out could be considered an enemy. Far fetched..maybe, maybe not. Watch the news. It is scary. Also on Beck he was talking about the First Amendment. I can't wait to see the opposing news networks and pundits after last nights show because he recommended reading Mein Kampf. What was put out is that you need to KNOW everything that is out there to be able to understand what is happening today. He did say the Mein Kampf was written by idiots but he is right. We limit ourselves severely when we are ignorant of opposing ideas. I believe in the Tea Party. Why, because I believe that our government is getting so big it will come to a point when YOU ALL finally understand it will be to late to change. The events that I have attended have been orderly, informative and AMERICAN. What is happening is that there are outsiders that are attending that have an agenda to create a situation that puts the party in a bad light. Those who are IGNORANT will buy that crap and talk about how the TEA party members are moving towards violent demonstration. The Tea Party scares the crap out of the Republican and Democratic parties because those in office are going to be held to a higher standard than ever before.

Mothers Day 2010

2010-05-09T06:15:00.000-07:00

Oh my, I have been a mom for 33 years. I heard somewhere that we won't know if we have been a success at raising our young until they are at least 40 and out of therapy. Motherhood is a minefield that's covered in roses! I grew up in the age of birth control and abortion and I can only say that even knowing all that I know now, having stepped on a few landmines, I would not do anything different. Everyday, every trial, every failure, and every success have brought me to this age with my two children whom I love more than life itself. I can't imagine what my life would be like without my 'babies'. I would not take anything for that memory of both of my children when they first said 'mama' and really meant me(not the dog, the dad, the cow, or the tree) I have so many memories that my niece Carrie once said, are like snapshots on my heart. In the time period just before sleep claims me I often visit the past and remember events that have shaped my children. So many times with the advantage of hindsight I think of how things would have been different 'if only'. But 'if only' happens in dreams and the reality is that the joy, trials, pain, the good and bad choices I have made created two remarkable individuals. We were not given a test for parenthood and there wasn't a 'Parenthood for Dummies' book to guide our way so it was pretty much hit and miss. I read the Bible and prayed a lot. I think I called my mom at least 4 times a week from the time my children were born. I felt that I turned out okay so she must have known what she was doing, right? She would just laugh, sometimes she would cry and often she was the one that prayed. Motherhood is not for everyone but for me it is the job that I most enjoy. It taught me that my heart is capable of a love so immense that nothing can destroy it. Ever. Becky and Josh.... I love you more than all the stars in the sky.

Arizona, Illegal Aliens, Terrorists and Our President(The wimp)

2010-05-06T04:59:00.000-07:00

It's all over the news and unless you only watch cartoons you have to have an opinion of what is happening in Arizona. YOU GO ARIZONA!!!!!!!!! My hats off to the brave Governor of the state who passed the law that will enable the police to do the job the government should be doing. The police may ask for papers during the investigation of a legal stop or investigation. If you don't have ID then off you go back from whence you came. Adios. Everyone is up in arms. This says the detractors will let the police stop anyone of Latino persuasion and harass them. Get real, if that happens the lawyers will be standing in line to represent the aggrieved individual. I'm not that naive because it will happen and probably a few times but the majority of stops will be 'good' and send the offenders back south of the border. I am sick and tired of illegal aliens coming into the country, getting WELFARE after they drop a child or two and abusing the health care, educational, and government systems set aside for our own citizens. We have to tighten the border and demand that our federal government follow the letter of the law. The President really came down on Gov. Jan Brewer when she signed the law calling the act irresponsible. He sited the fact that a Latino could be taking their child out for ice cream and be stopped for ID. Well according to the law unless the person is robbing the icecream parlor there is no reason to stop him. He is so damn condescending about everything that doesn't agree with his own agenda. He should be finding ways to uphold the LAW and not allow people to flow over the border unchecked. His problem is that if he supports the ban on illegal aliens his Latino support will dry up.. too bad... MAN UP AND OBEY THE LAW. Protect the RIGHTS of the citizens of this great country who elected you.
We had another close call in New York. A car was left in Times Square loaded with explosives. The Administration has repeated that it was a thwarted attempt indicating that we stopped it... what a joke. The only thing that prevented deaths was the fact that it malfunctioned and the terrorist didn't know what he was doing, thank God. Then the TERRORIST was allowed to get on an airplane bound for Dubai before he was stopped. Janet Napolitano, bless her little heart, is clueless and we need someone who is on top of things in her position. Please, please retire before someone else gets killed in this country (refer to the Fort Hood incident). We are now so disgustingly politically correct in this country that we don't investigate obvious leads for fear of being labeled racist. Obama is so very careful not to use the word terrorist attack and I can't figure out why. There have been more than three attempts on your watch Mr. Obama. You do NOT make me feel safe. Your humility, and apologetic attitude to the rest of the world has not had the desired affect. You have made us weak and they know it. The terrorists only respect one thing... strength and action. You lack both. We are so worse off now than four years ago. Bush had many faults but keeping us safe wasn't one of them. You should take a lesson from his play book and MAN UP.

REALLY Bad Hair Day

2010-05-04T08:56:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday night when I got ready for work I noted that my hair was particularly fetching. Those of you who know me realize that is an accomplishment because I got gifted with the world's worst hair. I have a lot of hair but it is baby fine and straight as a pin. It takes gel, rollers, a hairdryer, teasing and a lot of hair spray to poof it up to resemble the big Texas hairdo that I just purely favor. My hair was so cute I actually put on makeup. I walked in to work and started in helping the off going shift. The man in room one had just peed in a specimen container and I was taking it to the hopper room(dirty utility room) to take the collection funnel off and put the lid on. A portable bedside commode was in the doorway of the hopper room and my foot caught on the leg of the commode and I went sailing into the room. I managed to keep standing but the urine cup flew from my hand, hit the wall in front of me and splashed back all over me. I had nasty, bloody pus filled urine all over my hair and face. Thank God I had glasses on. I just stood there with my head leaning over to drain the mess from my hair while I wiped my face and glasses with Clorox wipes. I then did the best I could with the wipes and a running faucet to get the urine out of my hair. I got the 'willies' several times during the night thinking about the urine cooties that I knew were still somewhere on my person. I sprayed myself multiple times during the night from head to foot, including all over my face, with Lysol spray. I just couldn't get over the feeling that I missed a spot somewhere. When I got home I washed my hair 3 times, took a hot shower and still felt 'yucky'. I can handle all kinds of gross stuff in the ER. I don't mind poo, blood, vomit and even urine but I sure as heck don't want to wear it for the night!

Camping

2010-04-27T07:54:00.000-07:00

A few of my work friends got a wild hair and decided that it would be fun to go camping in a month or so. Faye asked me to be part of that group. While I was THRILLED to be included I just ASSUMED that we would be going to a lodge. She looked at me like I had a second head and said no we are using tents. Let me mention a few things about Louisiana that may make me shudder when I think of the great outdoors. Think large spiders, snakes, mosquitoes, humidity, and out houses. First off I have to pee 3 times a night. I have trouble getting out of bed, I'm so stiff. Can you picture me trying to get up off the ground, getting a flashlight and running to the Porta-potty? I have a 58 year old bladder. I would wee-wee all over myself. My idea of camping out is a 3 star hotel. Roughing it means I have to go clear down the hall for the ice maker. Survival camping is no room service. I admit I am spoiled but to willingly subject myself to the Louisiana humidity is just plain crazy plus I am very fond of the sound of a flushing toilet. I found out that Denise, the inpatient nurse was just as against the tent idea as I was thank God. It takes hair gel, curling iron and hairspray to make myself presentable. I would have to have a generator attached to my tent to make a go of roughing it. NO THANKS. Faye succumbed to the pressure and found a cabin in the woods that sleeps eight. I think it only has one bathroom and that is pretty primitive but doable. It may be fun, just the girls communing with nature and greeting the dawn with a Bloody Mary!

Heavy Heart

2010-04-18T05:52:00.000-07:00

Dear God,
You know what is on my heart. This situation seems more than I can bear. Please hear this prayer and deliver a miracle. I don't know the solution. I know what I want but that may not be the best solution so I am asking that you will intervene and deal with this problem in such a way that there will be no doubt that the answer came from Your hand. I bind in Jesus name the spirit of confusion, anger, fear and depression. I bind in Jesus name the voice of Satan that can sound so much like Yours in the mind of Your child who needs your protection. I pray for peace and calm, I pray for Your voice to be the only one heard and the one listened to. I pray that Your love and angels will surround Your child and restore all that has been taken, given away or lost. It is at the point that You only can deal with this. All other avenues seem blocked so I am praying that You will open the door and let Your light shine in and burn away that which should not be there. I am praying for protection and deliverance. In writing this I am praying that You ease my heart as well. In Jesus name.

Tax Day and Thelma's Birthday

2010-04-15T04:30:00.000-07:00

I was just on facebook and read an entry from Angela Jacob It said "happy income distribution day" to which I added a comment that it gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling to give my income to those who MOST expect it. I get livid when I am at work and come across those who EXPECT to be cared for and have no incentive or drive to take care of themselves..as evidenced by my last blog entry. I really have trouble at times being compassionate to idiots who are inappropriately using the ER with my tax dollars. The old adage the only sure thing in life is death and taxes needs updated with the recent government additions to the budget. It should now read the only sure thing in life is death by taxes. I am still support an overall tax on consumer goods and do away with the income tax. That way we all(including the entitled ones) pay the same amount of taxes based on our expenditures plus we could pretty much say buh-bye to the IRS.

The other thing April 15 celebrates is my Mother-in-law Thelma's birthday. Thelma, Happy, Happy 85th birthday. I wonder what you dreamed of when you thought of a wife for your only son. It probably wasn't me in my outspoken often overweight glory. I can't even keep house. But we have learned about each other and I believe to appreciate our different ways of looking at life. I am putting together a family photo book for my kids. I have been working on this project for about 10 years but not diligently. Every year I swear it will be done for Christmas. Thelma and I spent several hours together while she told me stories about her family so that Becky would have a greater knowledge about her own history. Listening to her gave me a greater understanding of the 'stuff' she was made of. Thelma is mother to Elaine and Stanley, grandmother to Rebekah, Joshua, Lance, Kyle, Gavin, and Trevor, great-grandmother to Morgan, Cameron, Chase, Claire and Graham. She is a formidable woman who values family above all. I can still see the look on her face when she saw her granddaughter Rebekah for the first time. She had tears in her eyes as she pronounced her beautiful. You are a friend and I value and love you. Happy Birthday

UGGGGGHHHH..

2010-04-11T06:04:00.000-07:00

Okay this is going to be a short blog and unfortunately will not be read by the people that need to read it. The reason for this is that I believe that most of the people that read my blog(that I know of) are reasonably intelligent. DO NOT COME TO THE ER FOR SOMETHING MINOR WITHOUT TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF FIRST. I got accused of having an ATTITUDE( me can you believe that!!!???!!!) because I questioned a woman who complained of a sore throat for 7 days with 10 out of 10 pain(1 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain you have ever had) I asked her what she had taken for the pain. She told me nothing. I looked at her and said "for the past 7 days you have had the worst pain in your life and you have not taken even a Tylenol?"
Her: It don't work.
Me: It's important to try to relieve your discomfort at home first"
Her: Well you know what, I don't like your at-ti-tude. I come here to get something for my pain not get a lecture from you.
Me: I am sorry for what you have perceived as my poor attitude but I would not be doing my job if I didn't try to help you understand that you need to help yourself when you are hurting"
Her: I want another nurse. I don't need you to tell me what to do".

As it turned out she had a cavity. Her throat was fine. Also to the other 'gem' of the night you can try to fake the shakes but remember that the door has a window and we can see you when we walk by. When the only time you shake and quake is when your family or our staff come in then you are a very poor actress.... just like the last 4 times you have come in to see us. It works on your family each time but we had your number the second time you came in.

Reap What Ye Sow Or Gather the Crops They's Withern'

2010-04-09T06:19:00.000-07:00

Last fall I regaled you all on the glories of the game Mobsters. Well I got news for you Mobsters is so out and FARMVILLE is so in. I love my farm and it is stupidly addicting. You plant, you adopt animals, you build pens, you take care of your neighbors, you harvest your plants and you earn money. You can plant all kinds of things with growing times of 4 hours to 4 days. The more days the bigger the payoff in pretend money. I was up to 1.2 million dollars(I'm a great farmer) and got an offer to buy a sheepdog for 300 thousand dollars. What a BARGAIN. Now the deal is that the 300 thousand dollar dog has to be fed every 24 hours with kibble that is either gifted to you or you buy with farm bucks OR the sucker runs away. You only have to feed him till he grows up...for one to two weeks... I can't remember how long and it's not important to the story anyhow. If he runs away you have to buy him back with farm bucks. Well I was up at 3 am the other morning and bought the dog. I didn't even think to really plan this out because I was coming up on my 4 nights on. It hit me at work at 1am that my 300 thousand dollar dog was going to take off because I can't get FB at work and couldn't feed him his kibble. I drove home at 7am, and ran in the house, hooked up the laptop and my dog is still there! He was however hungry. I fed him and he rolled over and little hearts appeared over his head. Is that precious or what? I am fortunate that I am not alone in my mania over Farmville. I have 40 plus neighbors from all walks of life.. several of them are related to me... and all seem to spend a lot of time 'farming'. Well if you all are on facebook come visit me at the old homestead.. you can join and be my neighbor...yeehaw!!!!!!

Happy 33rd Birthday Joshua

2010-04-08T01:09:00.000-07:00

I love you unconditionally. I pray that God will give you wisdom, clairity, and peace. I want all the good things for you in life but know that in order for those things to have value that you must get them for yourself. I will always be your biggest fan.

Love, Mom

Fashion and the ER

2010-04-05T07:22:00.000-07:00

I saw a woman last night who was one of the following: a) the most secure person I ever met b) blind c) in danger of being put away for a life sentence by the fashion police. This lovely(and I use that term loosely) young lady had black hair topped off with an added Mohawk hairpiece in hot pink, purple and a lighter shade that honest to God I can't remember I was in such shock. She was large(again the term used very very loosely) dressed in a puffy dress that had elastic around the very short hem that made the dress puff out in the middle and it made it sort of egg shaped. The dress was very low cut and she had bounteous ta-tas that were encased in something that pushed them up and out. She had to be a DDDDD cup. Words cannot describe her cleavage. The ta-tas jiggled. A lot. She had an abundance of gold jewelry everywhere and a cute little gold thing in her nose. The gold thing matched the gold in her front teeth. The gold in her front teeth had some sort of design that I really wanted to look at more closely but didn't have a good excuse to do so. I was speechless....ME speechless... go figure. Damn the privacy laws!!! I so wanted to take her picture with my phone. I stopped dead with my mouth open when I first saw her and then had to do a song and dance to prevent her being 'insulted'. It was like seeing an accident.. so awful that you just have to stare. I had to avert my gaze because she could have thrown me down and stomped on me if she perceived me as looking at her in less than an admiring way. OH oh oh oh... the nails...long and multi-colored AND matched her toenails that were on a pair of wide feet that were crammed into 3 inch wedged heels. I didn't get to see the underwear(God be praised) but my bet is on a size 28 thong. I am still in shock.

HE IS RISEN

2010-04-04T06:22:00.000-07:00

Since I mentioned it in my last blog I looked up the lyrics and thought I would share. Have a blessed Easter. Alleluia he has risen!!!!

Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Lo! the Sun’s eclipse is over, Alleluia!
Lo! He sets in blood no more, Alleluia!

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Alleluia!
Christ hath burst the gates of hell, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Hail, the Lord of earth and Heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail, the resurrection, thou, Alleluia!

King of glory, Soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, Thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing and thus to love, Alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

But the pains that He endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured, Alleluia!
Now above the sky He’s King, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

Words: Charles Wesley, 1739. Stanzas 8-10, author unknown, 14th Century; translated from Latin to English in Lyra Davidica. This exuberant song is one of the most popular Easter hymns in the English language.

Music: Easter Hymn, composer unknown, in Lyra Davidica (London: 1708) (MIDI, score

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Easter Candy

2010-04-02T06:20:00.000-07:00

I have been in a strange mood the last few weeks due to events that have taken place in my life. Last night as I was thinking about the Easter weekend and why we celebrate I realized that I love this time of the year because of the gift that Jesus gave us in sacrificing himself for our sins. My earliest childhood memories involved getting a new dress, patent leather shoes, white gloves, and a new hat. I just loved getting dressed for church in my new clothes and I especially felt special if my shoes had a little heel on them. I remember going to church and singing "Jesus Christ is Risen Today" it remains one of my favorite songs and I still remember all the words. We got together with my aunt and her family and had dinner either at her house on Orchard Lane or at our house on Crescent Drive. It was a family time and I still feel close to my cousins even though we live in separate states because of those frequent dinners together. I remember prior to Easter my mother getting eggs for us to color. Remember the wire thingy that you used to pluck the egg from the dye? I just loved to color eggs. We couldn't afford the fancy egg coloring kits that had sparkles but we did just fine with the old Paas egg dye thank you very much. We always had Easter baskets with yellow Peeps and chocolate bunnies. I would eat the ears first. I still do. I let my peeps get stale because for some reason I liked them better hard. My children were raised with most of the same customs and I found myself buying the same candy that my mother did. I did however buy multiple kinds of dye kits. I remember using every cup I had in the house because my kids didn't share well. One year while we lived in Texas my mother in law came to visit over the Easter Holiday. I can still see the horror on her face when she came into the kitchen to see about 20 cups on the table with different dyes, oils, crayons and color transfers. She looked at my son and daughter, covered in dye and sparkles with spilled dye all over the table and floor and said "I need a drink". It was priceless. I really miss those times. I miss coloring eggs with my kids and making a horrible mess. I miss the innocence.

While I was working last night I thought to myself that when I got off I was going to go to the store and by myself a chocolate bunny and a package of yellow peeps. Within 30 minutes 3 people came into the ER and while gathering my patient information I asked their weight. They all weighed within 5 pounds of my current weight and I was horrified. It completely ruined my desire for my bunny. The jury is still out on the peeps.... they have less calories.

So this weekend color eggs for me, buy a bunny and some peeps and celebrate the true reason for the holiday.

Overall Nasty People and Easter

2010-04-01T07:02:00.001-07:00

What is going on in our country? The news is filled with just purely nasty people doing really nasty things. Obamacare passed and there was bipartisan backlash with verbal threats and actual gunshots fired. Quite frankly this is the first real bipartisan thing that has happened since Obama got elected..too bad it's related to violence. What is obvious is the lack of news coverage when the nastiness is committed against members of the conservative right. The mainstream media seems to ignore any of the hateful things that happen to the conservatives and yet spend good air time unfairly blaming the right for inciting the people to violent behavior. I have really really had it with almost all news stations except for Fox. I do listen to the other stations but remain disgusted at the unfair coverage. I can depend on Fox to clearly show both sides. We are a country that is led by a man who is slowly leading us into a socialized society and those that object to the loss of our freedoms are vilified by the press. We are approaching Easter with news of a teenage suicide brought on by peer harassment with responsible adults standing by and doing nothing. Where were the teachers and the administrators when this poor girl was being harassed. They were aware it was happening and looked the other way. They have her blood on their hands and I hope she haunts their dreams. We have a man who lost his son in the war who was harassed at his funeral by so called Christians. He sued and won and then the ruling was overturned by a higher court. Not only that but the court awarded the so called church 16 thousand dollars to pay for their legal fees. The only bright side to this debacle is that the country has been mobilized and REAL Christians are sending money to this man to help him cover the fine while he appeals to the Supreme Court. We have children who are beating up old people for fun. Who raised these monsters, these children without consciences. There was a horrendous murder yesterday in Washington committed by a 14 year old. Where are his parents and why wasn't he taught the sanctity of life. We have sexual predators being released back into the public and they commit even worse atrocities. We have priests who use their position to molest children and the Church protects them. Surely on this Eve of Easter Jesus is weeping for us.

Words

2010-03-24T08:56:00.000-07:00

The past few days I have been thinking about the power of the word. I am not speaking in the biblical sense although the bible does say what you speak with you tongue is taken into your heart( very literal translation) What I am talking about is what we share with others. Words that are texted, written, blogged and spoken. I am known for my bluntness and have taken some amount of pride in that. I often say don't ask me if you don't want to know something because I have long ago stopped trying to preserve someones feelings if they have asked me a question. My feeling is that if you care enough to ask then you deserve my honest answer. If you want to really know if those pants make your ass look like the Goodyear blimp ask me. But if that question is rhetorical then don't make it in front of me. I am blunt in the ER about odors, teeth, poor hygiene and poor parenting. I am fairly blunt in dealing with most of my everyday contacts but now I am wondering if I need to watch how I say certain things. I am wondering if I have inadvertently injured a friend or co-worker. I am a fierce protector of the freedom of speech but because of recent personal events wonder if we should spend more time thinking of the wounds that our words cause. My heart has ached recently because of words spoken to me and I know that it will take time for those wounds to heal. Are words spoken in anger to be taken to heart? I don't know but I feel that if they are uttered then they were festering in the person who said them. It is difficult not to lash out at those who hurt us. I recommend the old adage of counting to 10 and waiting for the shock to pass. Once spoken they can't be taken back and the damage caused can be deep and long lasting. Texting and IMing is a very incomplete way of communicating even though I personally use it frequently. When you text you can't experience the subtle nuances that a personal conversation can convey so that misunderstandings can develop. Then there is the fact that the text can be reread over and over and foster the hurt and make it deeper and long lasting. I vow to be more circumspect in how I address issues with people. As an example I might educate my patient who is filthy about the need to bathe in relation to disease prevention... umm no maybe that isn't a good example it's just easier to say "look Ms. Smith you have seeping boils because you don't bathe" Maybe if I say it with a smile it will go over better. I will take care with those that I love but I will not couch the truth with meaningless platitudes.

Oh by the way as heartfelt as I feel about what I have written, I stand behind every written word I have put down about those shortsighted, power hungry, morons in Washington. Every word I have spoken about Pelosi, Reid and Obama stands without apology.

Deminished

2010-03-22T18:15:00.000-07:00

Not every blog is going to be political, funny, or even worthy of reading. Today I am writing for me and if you get something out of it, then great. Today I feel less. I feel less worthy, less important, less smart... lots of lesses. What I feel is diminished from what I was yesterday. I know that we are responsible for our own happiness, worthiness and positive outlook. A lot of times though all those things are tied into something or someone else and it becomes hard to be separate. I loathe the current psychobabble about finding and maintaining your own personhood to the expense of all those around you. I can't function like that. I just have to be able to close off the part of me that invests my all into whatever project I am involved in doing. I must learn not to allow words and others actions to make me feel less. I AM a really good person and I really am smart and intuitive. I am not negative but I am a realist. I am for better or worse the person that God made with all my blessings and flaws.

Glen Beck

2010-03-18T14:13:00.000-07:00

Just a short blog to let you know that I couldn't stand this man over a year ago. I finally started to watch and take notes and research what he said on TV. Guess what. He was "spot on" everything he talked about. I no longer spend hours researching what he speaks about unless I want more information. I do however spot check some of his facts. I have never been disappointed. We all as Americans who really love our country need to tune in every night and pay attention to what he is saying. He is against big government and the progressive movement. I encourage you all to watch and research just like I did. I don't care what religion he is or that he is a recovering alcoholic I just care that what he says you can take to the bank. I believe that he is a patriot.

Health Care and Deem and Pass

2010-03-18T12:55:00.000-07:00

Can things get more confusing? Why yes they can. Deem and pass is just another way for the Democrats to shove the overloaded health care bill down our throats. The House voted last week by a narrow margin to set aside a resolution that would have required an up and down vote for health care. This resolution would have prevented the deem and pass(demon pass) way to approve the senate bill. To explain what this is I will quote the Washington Post: "under this scenario the House would "deem" the Senate bill passed when the chamber approves the rule governing debate for health care and then would vote on a package of "fixes" to the Senate bill negotiated between the two chambers". With this process there would not be a direct vote but there would be an indirect vote for the 'rule'. The rule outlines the rules for an upcoming vote. This vote would be on the package of reconciliation fixes. By passing this rule the House would deem the Senate bill passes with a ' hereby' statement..."we hereby deem etc.." The Senate health-care bill could be considered passed even if they never vote on the reconciliation fixes.

By passing "the rule," the House also would "deem" the Senate bill passed (with a "hereby" statement. "We hereby deem..."). The House would then vote on the package of reconciliation fixes. But the Senate health-care bill would be considered passed even if they never vote on the reconciliation fixes. Now according to MSNBC's First Read the following will happen:

The "rule" can be written several different ways to include passage of the Senate bill. Though no decisions have been made -- including whether or not the rule will be used -- there are two scenarios most often discussed, according to a Democratic aide knee-deep in the process.

Scenario No. 1: The Senate bill is deemed passed with the passage of the House Rule for debate. So once the House passed the rules for debating the reconciliation package, the Senate bill could immediately be sent to president for his signature.

Scenario No. 2: The Senate bill is deemed passed with the House's passage of the reconciliation bill. Since the vote on "the rule" happens before the vote on reconciliation, this would delay the bill being sent to Obama.

Now I ask you do you really understand this crap. I am intelligent, well read and watch the news and keep up with world and political events. I have looked up on the Internet as much as I can about this rule and still am having trouble understanding why they are using it except that a straight up and down vote will likely lose. If the Dems are having to resort to this then something is horribly wrong. The President is telling his party members that they have to support this bill or his presidency will fail. I am aware that the Repubs have used the deem and pass on multiple occasions but never concerning this huge amount of national debt.

Hell froze over the other night and the President appeared on Fox. I was disgusted with our President. He delivered talking points and stated that to vote no was a vote against health care reform. You ASS. We all want health care reform but not this overdone piece of crap loaded with special 'presents' to your cronies that you have had to bribe for a vote. I want tort reform but that would upset your lawyer friends, I want portability for insurance, I want the corruption and graft stopped with medicare and medicaid. When Bret Baier attempted to ask questions you got pissy. It's apparent that you don't like being questioned.. you wanted to deliver a speech to the vast Fox audience. Bret has come under some fire for attempting to redirect you back to the question asked. Apparently it is not appropriate to redirect the President. Tough. You work for us. Answer the damn questions and quite prevaricating. I am so sick and tired of what is happening in Washington. We need to scrap the whole bunch and start over. Few Democrats are listening to their public and poll after poll indicates that an overwhelming number of people are upset. Do you all not understand that YOU WORK FOR US. You weren't sent there to do what you think is best you were sent there to represent your constituents and you are not listening to them. The House wants to do WHATEVER it is they are going to do be it deem and pass or a vote this weekend, probably on Sunday. They can't risk any Democrat going home and coming in contact with the peeps they represent. They might be swayed from the yes vote they have been pressured to make.

Personal update and Health Care Reform

2010-03-14T06:14:00.000-07:00

I have a new computer. I am so excited! You don't realize how important a computer is until you don't have one. I have had a blast the last week playing, getting my mail, farming, face booking and doing the fun social stuff. This week is studio tax week. I have to buy a quick books program for my new computer so that I can use the saved files on the flash driver thingy. I only know this because my son-in-law told me I had to do that. I still remain, as I said in one of my first ever blogs, a technotard.
Earlier in the week I was laid up with a stomach virus. Man, I thought I was dying. I was alone because Stan was out of town, Becky was in Boston and I couldn't call Josh to help me because he had a dance competition this weekend. I wanted to go to the hospital for IV fluids and to have someone feel sorry for me. My option was to be one of those loonies I talk about who inappropriately use the ambulance and call for a ride. It lets you know how sick I was that I even considered that option. I have many friends I could have called but you don't take a chance of giving this shit to someone you like. I stayed home and obviously survived. Demi the dog stayed with me and I could see real sympathy in her eyes.

Becky just got back from Boston. She was there for a Burn Conference and while there got her teaching certificate for Advanced life support for burn patients. She said that she had a great time and that was really interested in the research seminars. She came home yesterday afternoon and immediately started studying. I am in awe of her self motivation and dedication. I don't think I was ever like that.

Josh took 5 girls to Baton Rouge for a dance convention. We don't really do the dance convention thing because it costs a lot of money for our parents and times are tough. He competed 2 numbers a trio and duo. He won with both. One was a Platinum first and the other was a third high gold. There were 7 ro 10 numbers entered in our division and three prizes awarded and we got the first and the third!! Our dancers did a wonderful job.

I am really going to try to blog about 3-4 times a week. I have just gotten bogged down with the amount of material the news affords me. What to choose?? The Honorable(and that term is used VERY loosely)Massa who "innocently" tickled one of his staffers. The more he talked the worse it got. Nope I will make one more statement about health care reform. Our ELECTED officials are not listening to us. I only hope that if this monstrous bill goes thru that come November the damage can be undone. I don't know why I feel like I have to keep saying this but listen up you jack asses in Washington: YOU. WORK. FOR. US. I really loathe Nancy Pelosi. She has her own agenda and has stated that we as John and Jane Q. Public don't really understand what we need and want. We are stupid and need guidance. Considering that we elected that last batch of Democrates and Republicans and Barrack, she may have a point. But you know what? WE WOKE UP. She is an arrogant leader who presumes too much. Nancy you need to listen to the pubic you serve. They don't want this bill. They want health care reform but not this over weighted piece of crap that you keep shoveling down our throat telling us its cake. I am amazed that there are people still breathing who actually do not pay attention to what is happening in our country. I feel sorry for you and wish you well. If we fail in taking back our rights you all better learn to speak Chinese

At The Library and Robert B. Parker. RIP

2010-02-24T09:10:00.000-08:00

I had breakfast with two friends this morning. We have decided to start a book club where we will meet for breakfast and discuss the chosen book. I personally think this is just the best excuse to eat but anyone who knows me well understands that I have a voracious appetite for books as well. I have read fair books, good books, excellent books and books that I buy in hardcover so that I can reread over and over. I am not so much interested in self help books and "get to know your inner self" type books because quite frankly most of that stuff is crap. You want to know your inner self, get a councilor. My friend Janet tells me "Oh heavens do you know who died"? I asked her if it was going to make me cry because since I have been without sugar since lent started, everything either pisses me off or makes me cry. She said you will probably cry. Robert B. Parker died. For me as a reader, this was an honest to God moment when I had to concentrate not to have tears run down my face for a man I don't even know. If you are readers and like detective stories you need to start at the beginning of the series and go straight through. He has written over 50 books and I love each and every one. Once I read the first one, I sat and finished about 10 in a week. I shared with those I know that like books, how wonderful the series was and my friend got me about 15 signed hardbacks as a gift. These are easy reads and so much fun. These books won't solve world peace or get rid of hunger. Reading these books will not solve what is happening with all the bozos in Washington. They will not give you answers of why you have to have the toilet paper wrapped a certain way or why your kids are morons. But for a moment in time you will escape to some other place and in your imagination walk with the characters in the book and learn about their lives.
So please do yourself a favor and look on line to fantasticfiction.com and type in Robert Parker's name. It will give you a list of all his books. Start at the beginning and you can follow through and watch how he makes his characters grow from book to book. It just slays me that I will not find out what happens... does Jessie end up with Sunny??? How about Pearl the Wonder dog and will Sunny get a new dog since Rosie died. What will happen to Hawk and Vinnie? I guess that I will have to use my own imagination and put my ending for each of these characters that have entertained me for years.
So for Sunny, Jessie, Henry, Hawk, Vinny, Susan, Spencer, Pearl the Wonder dog, Rosie the Miniature Bull Terrier and a host of other characters you will live on for me on my bookcase shelve and you will be reread often. I will really miss you Robert Parker and my sympathy to your family and to your wife Joan to whom you dedicated each of your books.

Where Did She Go? Update on Stuff

2010-02-18T11:44:00.001-08:00

For my 8 faithful readers I am so sorry that I have not been able to blog. I am still short a computer and I am considering having a benefit for myself to be able to pay for it. There are so many more things that need my financial attention than a computer for myself. But my time will come. I am sitting at the library typing and it's not private. They have little desks but the users to the right and left can read what I am doing. It puts a damper on my creativity because I don't have the attention span I used to thus when the girl on the right of me looks at what I am typing it takes my attention off what I am thinking about.

I could write a book about what has been going on in Washington the last 44 days(since my last blog). Let me sum it up:
1)hell froze over: they elected a REPUBLICAN in Ted Kennedy's seat.
2)We still have a problem with the progressives in both parties. If you don't know what progressives are then you have a reality problem. Look. It. Up. If you can understand the written word it should scare the poop out of you for our country and our way of life.
3)Iran is now a nuclear country. Gee when did that happen?? The president had that situation so under control! Lay off health care President B.O. and pay attention to that maniac... never mind, I have a feeling that Israel... remember them.... will take care of that for us. Just a note to make sure that you all know that the UN is on top of things... they are concerned that Iran may be using all the nuclear stuff for arms.... YA THINK.
4) They had a huge snowstorm in Washington(and along the east coast) Where is that snake oil salesman Al Gore when you want to throw a snowball. Along the same lines my understanding is that Nancy Pelosi needed to have special sunglasses made, padded in wool, so that her eyeballs didn't freeze and fall out her head.(that was just a rumor)
5) Look out people they are going to send another stimulus our way. They are calling it by another name...allegedly to save jobs.... hey a rose is a rose is a rose.
6) The president had a press conference yesterday and I didn't hear a word he was saying... I was transfixed with Joe Biden. I had forgotten what yesterday was(living in the land of Mardi Gras I should be ashamed... hey I have been sick) All I could think was that he had one of the following: a previously covered up hole, a spider, a huge melanoma, or a huge bruise on his forehead. I mean it, I could not take my eyes off his forehead.. I was thinking surely someone sees that...I was waiting for it to move. Knowing how quick our President is(remember the fly that he killed on national TV?)I kept waiting for him to reach over and slap the crap out of ol' Joe's head and not miss a beat with his speech. I am serious, I didn't hear a lick of the speech. It wasn't till later in the afternoon when I saw a friend with ashes on her forehead that it hit me.
7) I think we have seen the last (at least politically) of John Edwards. I am very glad to note that my bullshit meter is still operating at about 99.9% efficiency. What a sleaze ball.

Shoot I am out of time. We only get an hour in the library for computer use. Will be back later.

Our Most Excellent Cruise Adventure

2009-12-31T15:58:00.000-08:00

It was decided that instead of me spending a fortune that I don't have on gifts for Christmas that Stan and I would spend a fortune and pay for cruise tickets for our kids. We ended up with a family affair and besides Stan and me we had Josh and Syd, Becky and Shane, my sisters Patti and Barbara, my niece Mindy and my friend Jill. We had a blast. We took NCL out of New Orleans on a 7 day trip thru the western Caribbean leaving on my birthday. All I can say is the food is great, the staff was wonderful, the entertainment the best and BRING MONEY. We are not big drinkers(not evidenced by the pictures in the blog below this one) You have to pay for all alcohol, and colas but the coffee and tea and water are free. You had an option of dining in the 'free' dining room and other free areas or eating in one of the speciality restaurants for a very reasonable cost. The first night we ate at Cagney's Steak House and had a surf and turf for my birthday. Everyday the staff all over the boat went out of their way to make us feel special. The cruise was not without mishaps however: on day two while I was walking by the pool I rammed my right pinkie toe(the one where the piggy goes wee wee wee all the way home) into a chaise lounger and broke/dislocated the damn thing. I had to pull it back in place. I am a weenie when it comes to pain and this hurt bad enough I had to cancel my day 3 trip to the Mayan ruins. The ship doctor looked at it and said to just avoid putting any stress on it so I chose to stay behind and concentrate walking from meal to meal and to the pool. Interesting enough the night that I hurt my toe they had a martini tasting party. I lost all feeling to my face by the second martini and didn't know I even had a toe by number 5. Needless to say I missed dinner that night because I was face down in bed with a limited memory of how I got there. The best excursion for me was playing with the dolphins and getting to get up close with a manatee. I was just in awe of the whole experience. We capped off that day with cocktails at Carlos and Charlies in Cozumel. Oh my goodness. All I can say is look at the pictures in the blog below. We got balloon hats, sombreros and danced in a conga line. It all seemed very normal to me. I think I was out in the sun too long. I can't begin to tell you how much fun it was to be with all my family. I loved the fact that my children were enjoying themselves and that Stan and I got to have a great vacation. I loved being able to get up at 3 am and go to the ship library and sit in the quiet and read. I loved being able to order won-ton soup and BBQ wings at 4am when I got the urge to snack. I loved being outside in the warm breezes with a cup of coffee in my hand watching the sun come up. I gained a little weight on the trip and discovered that I wasn't nearly the biggest woman at the pool. I am in awe that they make two piece bathing suits for 400lb+ women. I am in equal awe of the guts it takes to wear said bathing suit with an attitude that fairly screams "I am so hot". I kept to my one piece and I made an effort to sunbathe with larger women. It made me look good.... how shallow is that?!? It was just simply a wonderful trip with wonderful people. We are now planning next years trip.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

2009-12-31T15:16:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas 2009

2009-12-24T13:32:00.000-08:00

My Christmas traditions were changed in a big way this year and it has taken me out of my comfort zone. The biggest change was the no presents under the tree in favor of a cruise. In the following days I will post a blog concerning the cruise and all the pictures I can cram on the page. Until last night I had no decorations up. This is huge considering I am the person who puts up two trees and has 28 large boxes of decorations for the inside and outside of my home. I have not wrapped the first present... for there are none to wrap. The Cruise was the gift I gave to my family. I didn't realize how depressed I was until Joshua(who has been cleaning my house as his gift to me!!) made me get a few things down. Thank God. We put up a few items and my mood lifted. I really didn't realize how important all my little traditions were to me. Maybe only to me at this time. When we are blessed with grand kids I imagine that my traditions will resurface and make memories for a new generation. I know that for me the birth of our Lord Jesus is foremost on my mind during this time of the year and the decorations are the icing on the cake of the single most important event in the history of the world. I remained focused the past few weeks on celebrating the birth that changed the world and realized that no decoration, no present, no party could ever match the gift that God gave the world. I sat alone last night with my tree lights on and watched the movie "The Nativity" twice, back to back, on TV. The first time was wonderful. The second brought my tears. I was so moved by the awesomeness of the birth, the acceptance of Mary and Joseph to allow God to use them with total trust. I cannot explain how wonderful I felt and how CLEAN I felt within my spirit. Praise God for his wondrous gift to us. This Christmas as you are enjoying time with your family take time out to reflect on the reason that we celebrate, the gift of the Child from a merciful God. I will miss my traditions and miss my multiple decorations but I am so very blessed by the journey of a simple man and woman into the town of Bethlehem. In the stable surrounded by animals Mary gave birth to the King of Kings. This event, this one thing, changed my life and that of millions. May God bless you this season and give you peace. Hallelujah Jesus is born.

Tiger

2009-12-02T12:31:00.000-08:00

I have had it with ALL the news channels including my very very favorite Fox. I don't want to hear another thing about Tiger Woods or his problems. Let the man alone and deal with his family privately. We have no business with our noses in his affairs... maybe that was a poor choice of words. My feeling is that Tiger is an athlete, he doesn't make foreign policy. You understand what I am trying to say? I have a vested interest in who is getting boinked in the White House or what transgressions are committed by those idiots who represent us. I pay them. I vote for them. I expect them to behave a certain way and if they don't then they need to tell me why. Tiger is a golfer. He makes a lot of money. Good for him. His lack of self control doesn't raise my taxes or cause me any hardship. I don't know why he chose to wander around like a tom cat and further more I just don't care. If I played golf... which thank God I have the good sense not to do....I don't think the fact that he was indiscreet, got into a fight with his wife, and had an accident, would affect my game one way or the other.

Some advice Tiger if I so may offer:
You don't like what you have at home??? Learn to like her. You liked her well enough at least twice that I can see. Something else, you are incredibly stupid for such a successful young man. You really think some bimbo who is willing to sleep with you, knowing that you are married, doesn't really have dollar signs in her eyes? It's not that you aren't just the cutest thing because you are and you know it....But really, she and whoever else you wandered with had two things in mind. 1) maybe he will marry me and then I can get all the attention and money and 2) if he doesn't marry me then I can sell my dozens of text messages to the highest bidder. You walked into that with your eyes open and that is just plain stupid. And Lord Almighty.... the phone message asking the bimbo to change her message because your wife was checking out your phone. You should have just 'fessed up and told your wife what was going on and then took your punishment like a man.

To the women in his life(except his wife)
You are money grubbing, pond scum sucking bottom feeders. You knew he was married and you took the ride anyway. Down in the south here we have a cute little name for opportunistic women like you... sluts... bless your little hearts.

To his wife.
Elin, I don't want to know what your problems are but if you love him then get into counseling. People do stupid things all the time and deserve to be forgiven. It will take time but if the love is there then you both can make it work. If he does it again let me offer some advice: Years ago a woman presented into the ER accompanying her husband who was on an ambulance stretcher. She was whacking him about the arms and head, much to the amusement of the paramedics. The whole way in she was yelling at him to "tell the people, go on you !#$%&*!+, tell the people just what you did to me." He was a rutting dog and she had had her fill. She got him loaded one night and while he snored in his alcohol induced sleep she glued his man parts together. Specifically she took superglue and stretched his penis up as far as it would go and glued it to his stomach. She glued each of his testicles to each other and to the sides of his legs. When she did this his legs were drawn up in the fetal position so that it would be painful if he tried to straighten his legs out. Then she slapped the living shit out of him to wake him up. I don't know who called the ambulance but isn't that the most precious little story!!!

In My Daughters Opinion.....

2009-11-23T00:02:00.000-08:00

After I published my entry my daughter called me at work. I read her a paragraph and she commented that my blog has gotten political. She is right. My Blog was initially created to talk about the wedding and then progressed to family happenings and then I somehow got political. I want this blog to be something that my grandchildren will read so that when I am gone they will understand who I was and what I was about. I want my memories to be kept here. I want my heart to be on each page whether I am funny or not. I will continue to comment on what is happening within my world but I will be writing more about me and mine. I will write about the past that is still real in my heart. I will introduce my future family to the ones that have long gone before my memory gets dim. Thank you Beck for the wake up call.
Love mom