I’m Finally Updating…

I know it has been awhile but I have had the best of intentions. Something always gets in the way when I am ready to update. I’ve had some of the best things to write about and then I forget before I get them in print. But here we go…

My brother, Pete, makes me laugh. He makes himself laugh, ,too. He was here  right after Christmas and was talking about the Christmas party he and his wife had attended and what they had served. He usually thinks his wife can cook (though no one else thinks so)a nd he said she had made peanut butter “sludge” and peanut  brutal.”  I thought that was rather  funny but Ruth didn’t.

 Now for my lastest rant. I attended a funeral on sunday for one of my favorite customers. He and  his wife had been married for 62 years. In the middle of the service a cell phone rang.  The owner acted as if he didn’t realize it was wrong for it to be ringing and just looked at the number for a few seconds before turning it off and ret urning it to his pocket. Shortly after that another one rang on the other side of the room. Are we really so important that we can’t do without a phone for those few minutes? Are we  really so unknowing that we need a sign to remind us to turn them off when we  enter the sanctuary?

As you know I recently had a birthday. Art and I we re coming from Bloomfield after going to the tax preparer’s office and he asked me when my license had to be renewed. I  said 2010. Just to be sure I took my license out and looked. Surprise! They had expired the day before on my birthday. I panicked and told him to take me to the  license off so I could renew them now. Bad decision. First of all I have a cataract on my left eye and couldn’t read the part for that eye. Thankfully my right eye is strong enough to “carry” the left one and I could read the letters with both. She said she had no reading on the left eye. Now the picture..I had on my winter attire. Coat, gloves and fuzzy hat. She made me take off the hat and I had a baaad case of hat hair. Then she made me take off my glasses..new Indiana rule. then I had to push my bangs  away from my eyes and eyebrows. Result?? One sad bad picture. I look like Mary Tyler Moore in the diabetes commercials she is doing now. To add insult to injury Art said it wasn’t too bad. It is bad!

Homecoming is tomorrow night and Amber is a nervous wreck. Even is she isn’t the WRV queen she is still our queen.

You are never to old to learn…

 Yes, I know smoking is hazardous to your healthbut not in the says I thought. Since Art’s heart attack I don’t smoke anywhere in the house except for my room. I have had Jesse bunking in all week so I have been smoking in the bathroom since he has been using my room for his gaming room.  So I go in, close the door and decide to sit on the side of the tub and read whilst I smoke. Fine, excepte one cheek is on the shower curtain which is on one of those springloaded rods which promptly came down on top on my head…shower curtain and rod. Next morning I am getting ready for work and  don’t want to stink the room up before  Jesse goes in to get in my bed. He sleeps on the couch and if I don’t wake  him up to get in my bed he and Art would fight over the couch. Anyway, it’s about 4:00 a.m. and I am trying to be quiet so I make my coffee and head off  for some relaxaation in the bathroom. Forgot the door is closed and walk into it with coffee up in front of me. Coffee all over the door and me and the floor. Almost enough to make me think about quitting. Almost, I said!

My Newest Pet Peeve

 I’ve noticed a new trend in ordering food.  No one says, “I will have….” or even “I would like…” anymore. Suddenly everyone is “doing.”  For instance, “I think I’ll do a  cheeseburger.” Or “I’ll do a water.” A water? How about a glass of water? or just some water? A WATER??? There are many things you can do but I don’t believe food or water are among them them. Whatta’ you think?

It’s Jackson Again!

Jackson came over this afternoon to help me made peanut butter/chocolate fudge. I think he could have done better by himself. I didn’t cook it quite long enough and it is “spoon candy.”

Anyway, while he was waiting patiently  he counted my cookbooks and, in general, kept up a running chatter. Those who know Jackson know this kid does love the sound of his own voice.  Anyway, he was asking questions about where did I get them, etc. He wanted to know what was the newest one I had and I showed him one I had gotten in Orlando in July that had been Ann’s. He said,” Guess you won’t be getting any more from Aunt Ann, will you? I said I, ” Guess not.” He said, “She might send you one down from Heaven.”  Before I could answer he said, “Then you could make some heavenly food.”

  Our of the mouths of babes…..

Just a little Jackson “funny”

Last night I watched the boys for a few hours when Vicky and Jason went away for the night.  Jackson was mad as could be because they had the nerve to leave him home and was “howling like a coyote” (to quote Jason) when I got over there. He soon got over that and began telling me about the night his parents were going to have..have some drinks, eat, gamble and win some money, hopefully a lot. He told me if they won a lot he would share with Poppy and me. His plan for Poppy’s share was to buy a GALLON of candy and said,” You can use your part to buy stuff you like, maybe candles.” I said that sounded good. He said. “Would you spend ALL of it on candles?”  Since I  didn’t know the amount he had in mind I said maybe I would spend it all on candles. To let me know what he thought of spending very much on candles he said, ” Then I’m not giving you as much as Poppy.” I took that to mean in the battle of spending candy wins over candles every time. And that is  Jackson’s thinking on the subject!

You asked for it..you got it!

After work today I went to Vicky’s house bearing goodies-strawberries and chocolate dip- and even though she has a riproaring case of laryngitis she

let it be known that I WOULD  update my blog tonight. So, alrighty then!

 Amber had just returned from her first drill with the Guard and wasn’t moving very fast. She was so sore..said she had done about 300 pushups and had been fed poorly, had a miserable cot to sleep on ( in the classroom), etc. Anyway, in the course of the moaning and groaning she said she had a new name the whole time she was there and it was “F%^#$%G Hunt.” Of course I had known that was going to happen..not the exact language but that verbally abusing them and in your face stuff was part of the toughening  up process. Then she said something that had Vicky and I rolling on the floor. She said that the drill instructor ran behind them on the  runs yelling. “Faster, you turds.” For some reason that just cracked us up and the fact that she took these things and went on just proved again how much she is growing  up.

On a different note I had the strangest thing happen at work a few days ago. As most of you know I work the back room at the cafe. So here I come around the corner with two dinners in my hands and  what do I see? A large lady is sitting  sideways in the booth with her stretch pants pulled down under her rather large stomach giving herself an insulin shot. There it was for all to see. I didn’t know what to do..go forward or turn around and pretend I didn’t see.  I chose to stand there until she was finished. I was the only one embarrassed (or stunned). She pulled her pants back up and acted as if that was not unusual and her husband did the same. Okay, then, so did I. What would you have done? Am I the only one who thinks that is not right?

I only slept about 3 or 4 hours last night and I am going to “medicate” myself and, hopefully, do better tonight. Promise to update more often.

It Can’t Be True!

As you know from Vicky’s blog Amber is now 17 years old. Unbelievable, but I finally processed that. Are you ready for today’s news?  She is also, as of today, a member of the military. She signed papers today and is a member of the National Guard. She is in ROTC and can’t be deployed for 6 years until she has finished college (which they pay for) and she will be a Second Lietenant by then. I am soooo proud that she has thought things through and made some life plans but I pray things have settled down by the end of the 6 years and she won’t be deployed to a war zone. From my lips to God’s ear?

On a lighter note..I think Vicky is officially the newest town hottie. We have a guy that rides a moped and goes past the houses of those he deems hot and beeps his horn and wave and hollers. I was just pulling into my driveway and heard some beeping going on. Looked around and, sure enough, there is Arthur cruising by with muttonchop sideburns blowing in the breeze. Vicky denies this but I swear I heard him screaming “Vickeeeeee” as he disappeared from view. She should be proud. Only a select few get “chosen” by Arthur. Way to go, Vickeeeee! Dawn, Mandy and now our own Vickeeee.

And, by the way, Arthur passed me (in my car) on his moped coming home from work a day or two ago. I didn’t take off fast enough from a stop sign and he whizzed right around me. That’s sorta embarrassing!

Another random thought..the cafe was broken into Friday night/Saturday morning. I was standing outside looking for my key to get in and then it occurred to me that the door was open about 6 inches. I’m not real sharp at 5:00 in the a.m. and so without thinking about it I went on in. Never thought that someone might still be in there until after I checked for damage and theft. No more damage other than kicking the door in and, ignoring the $400 meat delivery and frozen fish and shrimp, all this really dumb thief took was all of our loose pennies in the drawer and a roll of quarters. Left a bankbag full of change and the nickels, dimes and quarters in the cash drawer. Brilliant, huh? The deputy wasn’t too concerned. Said the grocery store, liquor store and the apartment next door to us were all tampered with but we were the only one they actually got into. Just think. If they had gotten into the other places the night’s take could have been all the way up to $40.00. Boggles the mind, doesn’t it?

Hadn’t had a battery in the scales for some time so finally got it up and running again. Not good news. Think I must knock off the Mountain Dew for awhile. Sidenote: Vicky and I were at the Dollar General a couple of weeks ago and I took my MD and went on outside while Vicky paid. Vicky said the cashier said something along the lines of “Didn’t think people that age drank MD.” Maybe they should put a warning on the bottle. “Drinking of this product by people of a certain age is forbidden or at least discouraged.”

The View From Here

  In an effort to lighten up, also, here are a few things about me…some you might know..some you might not.. and some you might be better off not knowing. I don’t have 125 like Vicky so I will quit when I run out.

1. I have 2  household chores I don’t like to do..change the toilet paper roll and clean the oven.

2. Two things I enjoy doing..laundry (except for the folding and putting away) and cooking/baking. Big surprise there, huh?

3. I know what I want chiseled on my headstone..” See?  I told you I  didn’t feel well.”

4. I once got my hair caught in a vacuum cleaner and dang near scalped myself.

5. I once was in an airboat that capsized in alligator filled Lake George. Even though I can’t swim I have a strong  surival instinct. My sister, Margurerite, who was also a passenger, said I stepped on her head as I climbed the cage to get up out of the water.

6. I love scrapbooking, candles, good smelling bath products, stationery and massages.

7. Vicky and I went to get massages this week and instead of our regulars we were blessed with Frick and Frack. Vicky’s didn’t know the difference between her spine and the scoliosis rod and mine was doing heavy breathing and foot shuffling. Really weird.

8. After wearing Magie Noire perfume for years I finally found out that means black magic.

9. I traveled about 2 days in a car in a refrigerated trailer. That was another of Ann and my adventures. Also,probably the cause of claustrophobia.

10. I am writing in a journal that I have had for about 10 years without a word being in it. Am trying to cope with a broken heart and I hear this could help.

11. Something I have always known but sometimes forgotten.  Always let those you love know it. You can’t say I love you too often. Don’t take anything for granted and have no regrets.

12. I won’t be able to go to the Covered Bridge Festival this year. Ann, Harold and I went last year and the memory is still too fresh.

13. I know there will be a day when I can speak her name, see a picture of her and hear “I Hope You Dance” without losing my composure, but when?

I must reeeally be boring  because that is all I can think of. Until next time…

Some Thoughts From A Tangled Mind…

As I attempt to get my thoughts together I find myself wondering if I will ever be normal again. Everyone tells me there will come a day that I will no longer cry at the thought of Ann, but I’m not convinced. Jackson told me not to be sad..that Ann and God were together having a party. I like that idea but I can’t  be happy she is gone. I am glad she is out of pain and no longer suffering but glad? No way! Having a problem with that. She had too much more to do. We were going to the Covered Bridge Festival in October. She  was going west one more time. Too soon, God. Too soon. I know that is selfish on my part, but I wasn’t ready for her to leave us. I don’t suppose I would have ever been ready but certainly not now. I don’t know how tomorrow  will be but the hurt is as bad tonight as the moment I got the call that she was gone. Can’t tell you how badly I miss her and  how incredibly sad I am, but if you are reading this I am sure you feel the same pain.

You are well loved, Ann

Well, every time I think I may have all the tears out of my system I find out  I am wrong. I called Ann this evening and she said the dreaded word..hospice. Now I know they are caring and loving and do good works but I hadn’t planned for them to be involved yet. Denial? Probably,  since I am not there and I have my own ideas on how she is doing. Evidently I am wrong since Harold wouldn’t have them in yet if he didn’t think it was necessary. Anyway, after I hung up I ran some bath water and cried as loud and long as I needed to while the tub was filling. I really need to get a handle on my sadness since I seldom make it through a day without losing it and wake up at night crying. I am crying as I write this.  But how do I  get control of this thing? This is my sister. This is my Ann. I tell myself this just can’t be but I know it is and there is nothing I can do about it. Absolutely nothing. A friend told me to let her know how much I love her. Well, I always have told her how much I love her. We have lots of memories of our good times ( and some not so good) and, thankfully, while I was there we had time to reminisce about some of the trips we took together and some of the dumb things we did together when we were much younger. I may be a slow learner but I can’t think of anything I would change. I guess what I am saying is that we will miss her and the world will be losing a really special person. I love you, Ann.