We all suck, at times

None of us are perfect, by any means. I know there are those out there that think they have it all together, never make mistakes, miss appointments, or forget important dates. They just haven't caught up with the 'true me'.

I just finished reading a great article called 'Things that Happen Because I Suck' over at Prisca's Voice. Go read it; it will certainly make you think and perhaps align your life with hers. I know I read 'myself' in many of the things in which she thought she sucked.

I used to be a perfect housekeeper, moreso when my children were small. But, over the years, I have learned there is more to life than a perfectly clean house. I keep a fairly neat house, but by no means is it perfect.I make my bed when I want to, and that's not every day. Some of my closets are like hers, jammed to the max! We have taken time out to clean out our closets, given box after box away, and they seem to just keep getting trashed over and over. I'm guilty of keeping things that I think we will need: doesn't every one? Surely I'll 'be able to get in that suit one day again' - mentality of those unable to get rid of 'things'.

I'm guilty of procrastination big time! My motto should be 'don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today'. But that's too hard; I do what I feel like doing and leave the rest until tomorrow, whenever that comes. If everyone was honest, I am sure they would admit to sometimes procrastinating! Truth?

I cannot say you will find dust bunnies or anything else under my furniture. It's not because I run the vacuum cleaner all the time. But my husband does and he does it often. Now, if you run your finger across my furniture periodically, you may find dust. Gosh, dust seems to settle here all the time.

A week before Christmas, my husband and I took on the job of 'cleaning house'. Almost did us in, but we were determined to have a clean house for Christmas when everyone gathered here. And, on top of that, we knew my Mother would be coming here to recuperate from surgery for a broken hip. Didn't want to have to do much cleaning while she was here. It has really been a life saver for me. It has been so easy to keep a clean house.

But, guess what!! That Christmas tree that was coming down the day after Christmas - it is still up in my living room. The table that goes in front of my picture window is still sitting in my foyer. Well, nobody comes to my front door; if they did, they'd be strangers. So, until I have time (should be doing it now!) to get down all the boxes and get busy for hours, the tree will sit where it is for awhile.

Now, if all this makes me suck, sure I do. I just like to think we all have periods of being lazy. That doesn't make us bad, just humans. And human I am!! After all, Life is not a bowl of cherries. :)

Technorati Tags: Humans, Procrastination

Pet Peeves - How about you?

There are some things I wish could be changed or people would change. There are so many things that bother me at times. I don't sit and grieve over them, but they are aggravating at the time they come about.

1. THIN tissue paper in public bathrooms.
2. The lack off seat covers in public bathrooms where they have the holders for them.
3. People hurrying to get in front of you on the highway only to turn right. Why not wait?
4. When having a conversation with someone, someone else comes up, starts a conversation and the person you are talking to tunes you out!
   
5. The new faucets in some public bathrooms that sense hands - and sometimes the water doesn't work!
6. Jeans where the waist hangs almost to the knees! Don't like seeing the behind!
7. And to cover up those LOW jeans, a shirt that would fit 4 people - sick!
8. Trash thrown out on the highways.
9. Potholes in streets that never get fixed.
10. A rude salesperson or waiter/waitress.
11. Someone calling my phone and never says a word. If you get the wrong number, apologize and hang up.
12. Someone arguing over the Bible.
13. A know-it-all attitude
14. Wrinkle-free clothes that aren't really wrinkle-free.
15. A technician that knows nothing about his job.
16. A slow Internet connection when you are paying for a fast one!
17. People who don't keep their word
18. Hearsay being repeated as the truth
19. Someone lying to you when they know you know the truth
20. Advertisements to draw you in to buy and the product doesn't work like they say
21. Too high gas prices!
22. The government taking over in our personal lives
23. Freedoms being taken away that are rightfully ours!

I could list from now to night fall and never finish! There are so many things in this world that need to be changed. Our government is out of control. They aren't responsible with the finances. They are spend-thrifts, spending on things that aren't worth a 'hill of beans' to the average American, when they could be putting those millions of dollars toward the national debt.

If most of the government workers in Washington, DC had to live the way most average Americans do, I believe we would see a drastic change in their attitudes and their working habits. The average Joe/Mary can't make it on a few weeks of work and then a 4 week holiday! It's work until you drop 5 or 6 days a week all year and some never getting a day off or a vacation.

Another thing that really bothers me is the government's ability to give themselves pay raises whenever they want. They spend our money like it's theirs while they give themselves pay raises to cover cost of living and the rest of the country does without cost of living raises! Even Social Security was not given a cost of living this past year and from what we've heard, we still will not get one for a couple more years. But the Government and the President and family go on their merry way doing whatever please them while most of the rest of America suffers! The President tells us what to buy and eat while he continues to spend money like it grew on trees and not coming out of the tax payer's pocket!

Technorati Tags: Pet Peeves, Government

The Love of God

Most of us do no stop to think that God is in our every day lives. We don't seem to 'see' him at work or even that, in the least things, God can be found. I've come to realize we've missed special moments with God in not keeping our minds tuned on him.

Last night, we attended a music get-together. A Christian band was the one to close out the show for the night. They sang some great songs and were very good! But what caught my heart was the fact that one of the singers went down to get three little children, two boys and a girl. One of the boys was a child with down's syndrome. I assumed the head of the band was the boy's father since he told the story about getting him ready for bed and his son talking about 'his love'. It pertained to a song they had been learning and this little boy picked up on the love of God.

The thing that struck me and brought tears to my eyes was the love that was shown to this little boy by the girl (lead singer) who had brought him on stage. She would kneel beside him, prompting him to sing what he could. She would touch him sweetly to get him to sing. She never seemed to tire of giving him and the other two children her attention, constantly on her knees are singing at their ears. You could just see the love of God in her!

Matthew 22:39 tells us to 'Thy shalt love thy neighbor as thyself'. And I have never seen a sweeter demonstration of love than this girl showed that little boy.

Technorati Tags: Love, God

How Did We Manage?

The question at hand is 'how did we manage?' back in the days of no power, no phones, etc. I remember back in my younger days of having none of the things we now consider necessities.

Sitting in my Mother's Den today, the power suddenly went out. She has a problem with all the light coming through the big windows, so the drapes stayed drawn together. It was very dark in the room. And it got very hot when the air conditioner wasn't working. I decided to call the power company to see what was going on. My cell phone was in my car on the charger, so I picked up her wall phone, knowing her other phone would not work. Low and behold, the phone was dead. There we sat with no air and no phone! Seemed like old times.

I thought back to when I was a child. I remember the only power we had came from a light hanging from the ceiling, but I also remember lights going out for long periods and we still had to use kerosene lamps to read at night. We had no such thing as air conditioners. We didn't have a fan until I was much older. My parents just could not afford these things at that time. But I didn't feel like I was doing with out; nobody else around us had them either. We didn't have electric heat or gas heat. We heated with a coal stove in the kitchen and a fireplace in the living room. We didn't have a refrigerator with an ice maker or freezer. We depended on the ice house coming around with ice. Our neighbor had an icebox and they kept what they called 'hot' ice in it from the ice house that we used. Our water came from a well. Although we had great water (the best in the town), it didn't provide for water to wash, so my Dad had to haul it from his sister's house.

All of those memories make it seem as though we were poor. But we were not, and, even if we had been, we wouldn't have known it. I did have friends back then that were lots worse off than we had ever been. But none of us dwelt on the fact that we did without things that we might have wanted. Back then, there were no cell phones, no electronics. And, in fact, I was in the ninth grade before we even got a television.

So, sitting in Mother's Den, and getting hotter by the minute, I wondered how our parents and theirs felt when they were growing up, doing without even part of what we think now of as necessities. I know they didn't have power. They grew all their own vegetables and had chickens and cows (of which we did, too when I was young). I remember when Foremost Milk Company started coming door to door bringing milk. Was I happy! I always hated cow's milk. I learned to milk, but never liked the taste. What a joy to get the store-bought kind!

We learned that it was a joy to get out and PLAY - something most kids now do not do. Well, lots of children are into sports, but, when they get home, they sit in front of the television with their electronic games or they are on the cell phone, texting or talking to friends. We loved to be outside at night under the street lights, playing marbles until our parent called us in. I love to play basketball better than I loved to eat.

We all survived and came to know all the good things that have been invented since back then. But I would not want to do away with those days. It taught us that we can survive without having all the amenities that we take for granted today. When the power goes out, we gladly take down our kerosene lamp and our candles and light them up. We go back to talking, something lots have forgotten they can still do. Conversation is almost lost when the television is on or the games are playing. We can still read under the lamp or candles.

I braved the time (about 3 hours) without power today with my lighted Kindle, reading a book. That was the only light in the house. Mother had no light to work on her Word book, so she talked or took a nap. And when the power came back on, I heard her freezer in the next room kick on. So I quickly fixed her television and told her to turn her table lamp on. I was getting ready to leave since it was late, but the lights went out once more. They stayed off for another 15 minutes before coming back on. She was trying to get me to leave because it might get dark before I got home (not likely). I finally got to leave, hoping and praying the power stays on tonight. I had learned earlier today from my brother that the same thing happened last night, letting me know why her television wasn't on this morning when I got there. Hopefully, the power company has the problem fixed and it won't happen again!!

Technorati Tags: Power, Phone. Kindle

Thank you, Sean Hannity

Today, I was listening to Sean Hannity's radio talk show. He had a caller that was trying to tell him he needed to change his 'tone' if he wanted to be effective. I had missed the first part of the guy's call, but knew immediately he was a liberal when I heard that. Learned later too, that he had a PhD.

Hannity spent a long time trying to get the man to give him specifics where he had been wrong. He never gave a reason, just made wide generalities. Hannity told him he could not believe that a man with a PhD couldn't give him at least 3 specific cases since he was making the charge.

The caller went on to say that we needed to be tolerant of the President and let him make his mistakes. I thought, man, you are out of touch! To me, there is nothing wrong with the truth, something lots of people don't want to hear. If we continue to tolerate all the government hands out without making a sound, then we deserve what we get! But I'm one for opening our mouths, and letting them know that we don't appreciate the way things are being handled, the out-of-touch Congress that thinks we private citizens are stupid and should keep our mouths shut - that they know what is best for us.

I am so glad we have people like Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck, Dennis Miller, Laura Ingraham, and others who take time to listen, seek out the truth, and then let the public know the real truth. The majority of the media has been lax in saying anything contrary to what the President says. But these men (and women) have the courage to go against the grain and report the truth. It's just that some cannot 'tolerate' the truth.

Technorati Tags: Sean Hannity, Conservative, Liberal

Michigan's Congressman Mike Roger on Health Care Plan

Technorati Tags: Health Care

Happy New Year 2009

We are ringing in a New Year in just an hour or so. Hopefully, this year will be one in which our expectations are met, lives are changed for the better, and life is all-around great! We have gone through some hard times during 2008, with the economy being very low, many people losing their jobs because of companies either closing or having to cut back. There are so many people just barely hanging on and waiting for better times to come their way. Perhaps this year will bring them a better outlook on life.

Remember that God is ready to listen to you when you call upon Him for your need. In His Word, it says "Philippians 4:19, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." So, don't give up; there is an answer for you.

We wish each of you a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year 2009.

Technorati Tags: Happy New Year

Ending the year 2008

There are only three days left in 2008. I know many of us feel like the days, weeks, and months have just flown by. I remember, when I was younger, it seemed Christmas would never get here. Time just hung in space. Now, since I'm older, it seems time passes by entirely too quickly. It seems the summer has just ended and yet, the New Year is about to begin.

Our only granddaughter finished High School in May. She started to work in June and will start college next month. Our son and his wife had their second child, another son, who was born in July. He had to have surgery in November and did great. His brother turned 10 in November, too. Both of our daughter's younger sons play soccer. The youngest played for the Premier traveling team in the fall, then he started playing basketball. The older one is playing inside soccer this Winter. He is also on the Varsity Soccer team at school. They will be playing in the Spring. They have both been here since Christmas, but the younger one had to go home today to be at basketball practice the next two days.

And, today, I had a first! We have had a 3 Wheeler since our daughter was 12. She turned 38 today. Well, the little boys Daddy bought them a 4 Wheeler last summer and it is here in our basement. The chain keeps coming off. The older son was up on the hills riding this afternoon and the chain came off. Now, I've never ridden on the 4 Wheeler and didn't want to, although I love the 3 Wheeler. It is bigger and easier to handle for me. But, there was nobody here to help him get it back to the basement. So, he asked me to come help him. He got the 3 Wheeler and chained it to the front of the 4 Wheeler and off we went. It was scary, not having control of the vehicle you are on! It wouldn't stop quick enough and I was either running beside him, trying to not hit him, or hitting him. And I broke the cover over the back light on the 3 Wheeler by hitting him when I couldn't stop. But, thank goodness we made it down across all those hills, bumps, and between the trees without having a wreck. I know he thinks his Nanny is a poor driver. He kept saying, 'don't get scared', but he's not my age, and he doesn't have a 'bionic' hip! I broke my hip 7 years ago and have a complete hip replacement and I had thought I didn't really want to try that. But I'm glad it's back in the basement and they won't have to go after it when my husband gets home tonight.

I hope everyone has had a wonderful and prosperous year in 2008. And may the Lord bless you with a wonderful life during 2009. Keep Him in your plans and He will surely do that.

Technorati Tags: 2008, New Year, 2009, God

Two Days after Christmas

It is now Saturday and we are still eating left overs. I have to admit I am upset because the potato salad didn't last long enough. But the story of that is the fact my son always has to have some to take home. He took more home this year than usual, although his wife doesn't eat it. Then, he came by and ate lunch with us today!

Two of my daughter's sons stayed over with us Christmas night. They are still here but may be going home in the morning. They have been busy playing basketball and riding the three wheeler and four wheeler. There are mountains of red mud that the contractors for the bingo hall had built behind our house and these boys have had a ball riding up and down those mountains and through the red mud! I have been busy washing blue jeans and jackets, trying to get them clean for them to ride again! Thank goodness it's in the 70's here today or they'd be ruining another hoodie! I had a time getting red mud out of one of their grey jackets. The youngest son got a new Alabama hoodie and he had worn it out there and it was splattered with mud. I just knew it wouldn't come out, but, thank goodness it did!

I have been lazy the past two days, only doing what I had to do. I've cooked a little (waffles, scrambled eggs, sausage for supper last night and waffles this morning for the boys), but the rest of the time, it's been leftovers or hot dogs. Tonight, it will be left overs again. I even have some left over chili that I could serve up.

I really need to wash my hair since my beautician didn't work yesterday, but I've been too lazy to do it today. I hate to have to fix it myself anymore. If my beautician ever quits, I don't know what I will do. My grandson also love for her to cut his hair, but she's not in the shop this weekend, so he's missed the chance to get it cut. He has to be home before 3PM Monday for basketball practice, and she doesn't work again until Tuesday. So that's out for him.

Technorati Tags: Christmas, Leftovers

Web Hosting Review Site

There are many things to consider when trying to decide upon your final Website Hosting company. First of all, you need to decide what function your site will serve. Are you a business needing a place for just for your products? Or, do you need the ability to connect with your employees through the Web?

Other things to consider are the price of hosting and do they have problems with their servers staying up. A business online is only as good as their hosting company. A company chances losing business if a perspective customer cannot get the site on their computer when they first try.

If you are looking for the best web hosting company, check out different web hosting companies at WebHostingReport.com. This will help you decide on the one that best fits your needs. When choosing a good web-hosting company, make sure their privacy policies match the privacy you need so security will not be breached for your customers

Technorati Tags: Web Hosting

Hyprocisy in the media

There are so many of the people out here in the public that are fed up with the way that Governor Sarah Palin has been treated since being chosen by McCain for his vice-president running mate. They have jumped on her hot and heavy first with the statement (NOT the truth) that her 17 year old daughter was the real mother of the new baby that was born with Down Syndrome. They have also made statements that she should have made a different choice when she found out through tests that this baby boy had Down Syndrome. In other words, she is pro-life and that offended some that she didn't get an abortion. It is sad how easily some can throw away the life of another human being. I questioned one other day and asked him how he would have felt had his own Mom wanted to abort him. He thought it would have been no big deal. Things happen. :(

Then, to combat that accusation, she opened up her family's life more by telling the world (which had no business knowing) that her 17 year old daughter, Bristol, was 5 months pregnant. She went on to say that her daughter had made the choice to keep the baby and marry the young man she has been dating. But this young girl has been raked over the coals,too, and she doesn't deserve what she is getting. I applaud this young woman for making the correct decision. She will never be sorry that she decided to carry this child to term and enjoy the baby for years to come. The other alternative that most would love to have seen her take was abortion. But they don't understand that this is a very close-knit family. They value every child that comes their way. They are pro-life and would never think of aborting a baby.

The Democratic party (Obama, to be exact) believes in late-term abortion. He has made the statement that he doesn't want his girls to have to be burdened with a baby until they are ready for one. In other words, I'll make sure my daughters have a chance to have an abortion if they happen to get pregnant and don't want the baby. That upsets me and many others that think children are a gift from God. Not one of them is here without a reason.

It appalls me that they will ask questions of a woman that they would never ask of a man. Would they ever ask Obama how he's going to run the country with 2 girls at home while his wife is working at her high-salaried job? She's not a stay-at-home Mom! And, did they question Joe Biden when he chose to go back to work and leave his two sons every day after his wife and child were killed? I don't think so. So why be hypocritical now in asking these questions of her? Also, it angers me that they are attacking her and her daughter when they found out that her 17 year old girl was pregnant. Just because this young girl made a mistake does in no way reflect on the parent's upbringing of their children. Many families have these problems in their family, but it doesn't mean they aren't good parents. I believe this is happening to Sarah and her family simply because she is pro-life and didn't entertain abortion.

I used to have a little hope for some of the reporters, but I'm losing respect for the majority of them this week! I applaud those reporters that have taken a stand for Sarah Palin and her family, though, especially Laura Ingraham! I saw her and Greta VanSustern last night. And she recognized how Greta felt because of what was reflected in her eyes. But you know what? John Coale, Greta's lawyer husband, who is a democrat, has gone over to the republican ticket and is now working for the McCain campaign. He thinks that McCain is the best bet for our country at this time. You can view the interview by Tammy Haddad on video.

Technorati Tags: Media, Hypocrisy, Sarah Palin, Family

Flower Slideshow

Technorati Tags: Flowers, Slideshow

A Must Read

• The Detergent Church by Doug Giles
• The Appeasement Chronicles
• Memorial Day: Time to Remember, Never to Forget
• Appeasement By Any Other Name
  

Technorati Tags: Church, Appeasement, Memorial Day

As we grow older

Each of us, if we live long enough, will get old. Some of us may live a long and vivacious life. Others may live a long life but not be so lively, perhaps with a diseased body. But, each of us want friends and family to still be there for us no matter what our age.

A friend sent me the following link this morning.

• Parent's Wish

As I viewed it, I couldn't help but think of my ninety-one year "young" Mother. She still lives alone (her wish) in the home in which I was born. She only drives in her small town to church. I do her grocery shopping and getting her mail. I do most of her house cleaning, although she does some,does her washing, and gets out in the yard occasionally. I know the years have been good to her since she has outlived her entire family and she was the second child of ten. But, she is no longer youthful, no longer able to do the things she would like and her legs don't carry her as well as they once did. But, she still loves life and wants company and to be able to be with others. One of the things she loved most in her later years was to be able to take bus tours, but that is no longer available. The couple who once got those together is no longer able to do so, and we sit at home.

The desire for elderly people is not to be overlooked, looked down upon, or forgotten. So, as you watch this link, remember your parents and visualize the life that awaits you in the not so distant future. It will bring tears to your eyes, so grab a kleenex!

Linked at Conservative Cat

Photo from All Posters

Technorati Tags: Aging, Elderly, Life, Parents

Pet peeves

There are so many pet peeves - but there is one that just irritates me more than any other. That happens to be the anonymity that some use in order to attack others through email or comments on a blog.

If a person has a problem with something I write, it would give them more credibility if they emailed me with the name and a way to get in touch with them. Then we could discuss what they see as a problem. I have had numerous people email me to discuss certain things on my web site, but also more felt it was necessary to downgrade me through anonymity. I just received one email calling me a 'complete faggot' because they disagreed with my page on the Potter controversey.

I am wondering if this is a teenager or perhaps a disgruntled adult. I've had many adults tell me how good these books are and how they do not have anything wrong with them that they wouldn't let their children read. We all have our opinions on everything. What I wrote reflects how I would feel, but I also give lots of links to other sites that are more indepth with explanations. There are also those links to the pros and cons of the Potter books. Either way, if you want credibility in my sight, please give me your name and the ability to make a response. Otherwise, I just view this as juvenile and that doesn't mean I am passing this off as a child writing. Adults are sometimes juvenile in their approach with such things, as well.

Linked at Conservative Cat

Technorati Tags: Anonymity, Pet Peeves, Email, Comments

Frustrated but not giving up

This has been a trying week. If you've been around my blog very much, you know I never leave off posting for this long a time without a reason. Sometimes it is just that I have absolutely nothing to post about. But, it was not like that this time.

We have had bad internet connections problems these past few weeks. Started off with what we thought was a small problem. The serviceman came out, checked it out and said we had a bad underground cable (it has been laid when we built our house over 30 years ago) and a bad modem (the modem is fine! - but he gave us a new one). Well, he laid a temporary line across our driveway and we got the fast access DSL we should have been getting for a long time! But he kept insisting that we should not be getting DSL given the distance we are from the hub.

Well, that lasted for awhile - last Thursday, and all of a sudden, out of the blue, we lost our entire service except the ability to send out email. That is - until Friday morning and it was gone completely! The serviceman came out again, and again, out of his mouth came 'you shouldn't even have this service'. By that time, we were really getting mad. He checked out at the box and left us Friday morning with no service! He told my husband he would be back Monday morning and he would send out a crew to cut line out of a line that had excess. Well, he never called on Monday morning and my husband finally called him. He said, "I have no work order to come out.' We were under the impression he was coming out on the same one he came out on Friday since he did absolutely nothing to get us back online. Well, my husband called service again - he came out this morning with a new modem - and left AGAIN with us having absolutely no service! He said, as he came in our house, 'Well, you shouldn't be on DSL anyway'. DUH! And, as he left, he told my husband that he was cutting us off from DSL and my husband said let me work on it for awhile. So he left saying, well, it's in your hands now. We had already decided he was too lazy to follow up on the hub and see what our problem really was.

Well,we played around with it and couldn't get the modem to synch. So, he redid the wire outside and got us on about lunch, but it lasted until I got my email half downloaded and went down again. So he got the idea to get the wire out the crew left when they put in the new cable (the wire the serviceman laid) - and he re-attached it to the pole and to the phone box. Well, that's the only reason we are on right now! I think my husband needs a job with the telephone company! If it wasn't for him - NOT their 'experienced' serviceman, we would still be offline.

Right now, he's trying to find out what supervisor he needs to go see. He's going to complain and try to get them back out here, redo the wire underground (he thinks they damaged the cable when they put it underground) and get us back on the FAST DSL, not the lite. It aggravates me to no end that one guy can determine whether we have fast or slow DSL, simply because they give a certain number of feet to be able to get DSL. Well, time should tell that we've had it 4 years this month, and we've had fast DSL. It doesn't take a smart man to realize it doesn't turn off overnight, unless something is wrong! And, besides, if it wasn't for the phone company telling us we were eligible, we would never have had it in the first place!

Techorati Tags: DSL, Fast Access, Phone

Judge for yourself

Valentine's Day has just passed for the year and we won't have to deal with it for another year. But, some don't like dealing with it period. In fact, when googling for a specific topic, I came across the blog Life in the Fast Lane. The first post that came up was 'Anti-Valentine's Day - Love Really Stinks'.

Now, being a happily married woman, I have to disagree with this post. Oh, I understand that some single people, and even perhaps those that don't want to buy their spouse something for the occasion, have problems with Valentine's Day. But, you can dislike VDay, but please don't try to tell me love stinks. Love is definitely not about Valentine's Day, no matter what anyone says or what your heart tells you. If love depended on VDay, then most of us would definitely be in trouble! It is nice to get something special, but it is not a prerequisite for whether I love my husband or not. My husband-to-be (then) sent me a box of candy from Texas where he was stationed in the Air Force back in 1964, the year we were married. And, I can probably count on my fingers how many times since I have gotten even a card from him on VDay. And, the love has not stopped. He is not one for cards, holidays, etc. And, over the years, I have come to accept that being his nature. I'm not ready to declare that 'love stinks' just because he is not at his best romantically on VDay.

Whatever the day of the year, I choose to be happy. It does not take Valentine's Day, a secular holiday, to accomplish the task. Whether it is someone you date, about to be married, or married to now, they should be the determining factor in the love relationship - not some holiday man has set aside. Heaven forbid that someone would want a divorce based on their spouse not recognizing Valentine's Day and bringing them a gift. Be happy that your spouse returned home to you! Be happy they are well and not sick. Be happy that they chose you over all the others they could have chosen. And, if you are single, thank the Lord that He has given you another year in which to show love. In showing love for others shows that you are considerate of the feeling of others and in return, the love will come back to you.

Linked at Conservative Cat
Third World County

Technorati Tags: Valentine's Day, Love, Holiday

The wonders of nature

I have been sitting here gazing out my den window at the woodpecker in this picture. Actually, this is a picture I took through the window with my digital camera a week or so ago. I took another one today and he look much fatter. He apparently comes to the same identical spot on this tree. He sat there for about 15 minutes, left for a few minutes, came back, and is still gracing that same spot!

My back yard has been full of doves, house wrens, cardinals (both male and female), black capped chickadees, bob whites, and a chipmunk. The bob whites have been scarce around our parts until this year. We have also been inundated with squirrels. They are pretty, but vicious when it comes to feeding the birds! Doesn't matter that you put feed out for both; they eat it all. And, they also destroy our feeders. We have successfully kept them out of two feeders by putting a wire underneath them on the pole that the squirrels can't get around. But the other feeders are close enough for them to jump from our small building to the feeders, or even shinny up the pole!

We also have the pleasure of seeing wild turkeys on our farm. We have seen as many as 16 together. But, the last time we saw them wondering across the pasture, it was only one single turkey or perhaps two. We think that they have either been shot or eaten by the coyotes. We really enjoy seeing them eating their way across the fields until they once again make it to the edge of the woods. Their stay is short lived, if you make any sudden moves. I have turned into our driveway, seen the turkeys and decided to stay put until they get out of our yard.

Deer is also very common around this part of the country. I have photographed them from the window in my bedroom. A deer has such keen hearing that one little movement can make them take off. My husband used to put out corn to draw them to our yard. We once had a large buck in our back yard. He had many antlers, but we couldn't get close enough to see how many or gauge his age. When he left, he was like a streak of lightning leaving our yard. Often, we see deer tracks in our pasture and even up around our house. Only a few months ago, we came in one Sunday afternoon to a scene we hate to see. A young deer had jumped in front of a young man in a curve. He had jumped our neighbor's fence coming across the road to our pasture and never made it. He finally died. And, a day or so later, another larger deer was hit by a car and knocked into our pasture. This is very common on the roads in this vicinity since we are in the country and the highways are heavily traveled with people going to the Interstate or to one of the surrounding towns.

Speaking of our 'resident' woodpecker, I just now looked and he is still pecking away at the same spot. Most woodpeckers I have seen on our trees work their way either up or around the tree in a short while. But something must be very good for this one to stay in that one spot! This has been the only woodpecker to come around this year. But, I look forward to seeing the others that usually come around. Check out all the woodpeckers at Woodpeckers of the World.

UPDATE: 2/17/08 My friend and I have come to the conclusion this is perhaps a yellow-bellied sapsucker rather than the woodpecker I originally thought it was. It did have a red section under the neck. After comparing it with a picture in the National Audubon Society book of birds, it is almost certainly the sapsucker. It was here again this morning with another woodpecker during our rain.

Linked at Conservative Cat

Technorati Tags: Nature, Woodpeckers, Deer, Birds, Wild Turkey

Give me a little time

In this hectic world, time is what we definitely need. I realize that we often feel lazy because we are merely blogging. But, during the times we are not blogging, perhaps we are racing to get things done. I know that is what went on in my life during this past week.

It all started a week ago this past Friday. That is the day I go to my beautician, buy my elderly Mother's groceries and go see her and do whatever I need to do that day. Well, seems her septic tank (or so we thought) took that time to act up. Flushed the commode and the water all backed up into her tub and sinks. You could hear the strainers in the kitchen even popping! It was Friday afternoon and too late to get someone out. So my husband and I spent Saturday at my Mother's getting the septic tank cleaned out only to find the line from the house to the septic tank was full of roots and soap build up and would not let the water through. So, we spend Sunday there again with the Roto-Rooter man.

Have you ever had Roto-Rooter come out to your house? Ever seen their commercials where they work so fast and so efficient? Don't hold your breath! We were told the man would be there at 11AM only to have the company person call and say he was out on a job and it would be late afternoon before he could get to us. My husband reminded them that this was for an elderly woman and they had promised us a time of 11AM. Well, in 10 mins the woman called back, saying they were sending someone out right then. Well, we should have known it would be the less-qualified person! My brother came up to watch the process and we all stood around shaking our heads, wondering what maneuver would come next. The poor fellow removed the end of the auger in order not to have to remove the section of pipe under the house that would give him access to the larger entry. Well, that got him into trouble; he could not get it out - hung up in roots! He was caught in a lie when he finally had to dig up the septic tank lid and go through there back to the house with another auger. My husband said this guy probably thought we were all 'born yesterday'. He was young and nice, but not qualified to do the job that needed to be done, so we spent hours on something that should have taken a few minutes. But, it is finished now, everything works, and my Mother is happy,that is, expect it costing her a chunk of money! She was afraid she was going to have to pay for the hours he spent trying to fix his mistake.

Next comes the flu and stomach virus episodes. Just as my husband and my daughter were getting over the flu, my daughter's middle son came down with a stomach virus. He missed 2 day out of school, tried to go the third day, but got sick. I ended up going an hour away to get him at school and take him to the doctor. Ended up he definitely had a stomach virus and had to spend the next two days out of school. Hopefully, by Monday, he will be able to get back in the swing of things at school. Seems every school around has been affected this past month or so with epidemics!

So, I am ready for some time - time to be lazy, time to do what I love to do - be lazy. Hey, I've done my time - raised my kids, made it to retirement age, and now I've decided it is time I do what I want when I want. I have nobody to answer to but myself. My husband don't count because he does what he wants. We just let each other do whatever we feel like doing, eat when we want to, work when we want to and play when we get ready. He still works with his big truck, when he gets called out on a job which has been very scarce the past 6 months and he is ready to get back to work. And, I'm ready for him to get out and get busy - he has taken over my big television when he is not on his computer or outside working. (grin).

Technorati Tags: Time

A Chance to help the needy

I found this neat way to help feed the needy when I was over at Neil's Notes reading. Click on the icon at the side and go to Free Rice. Then click on the correct definition of a word. And, with each correct answer, they will donate 20 grains of rice through the United Nations to help feed the hunger in the world.

Technorati Tags: Free Rice, Hunger