Quick Trip...

I will be headed to FW bright and very early in the morning. Prayers for my son are requested. Not sure if I will stay at Mom's with Roger, or call and stay at Aunt Jean's yet. (Mom is going to East Oklahoma for the annual family reunion.) Please do uplift us in prayer tomorrow.
~T~

don't count your chickens...

I had to work this afternoon, setting up the latest of the 3 week long Oreilly sales. It usually takes me right at 2 hours to get a sale set up... once it took 2 1/2 hours. Today it took me a full 4 and a half hours, and that was rushing it. I had intended to be home to finish up the last minute supper items, like gravy. Ha ha. The best laid plans of mice and Moms. I called the boys and got them started on it.

Tomorrow's plans have already changed on me, but I have put off Daniel and Sam on the library for 2 days now, so I suppose we will still be going there.

Tomorrow is my younger brother Roger's birthday. Happy birthday to Roger! (Kids, give him a call in the afternoon after 3:30!)

I had not planned on going out today, having forgotten I had to work... but started out running when Mr C insisted I go to the insurance agent with Ben for his truck. The agent then recommended Ben wait until after his birthday next week to get a policy, it will save him a ton, and he is already covered in the new truck for 30 days. So it was a wasted trip, in that we didn't accomplish our goal. And without insurance, he can't register the truck... so there is yet another errand postponed.

Hope everyone had a great day.
~T~

Ben's new truck

Here is the proud new owner of a 2005 Ford F150. Just a week before his 21st birthday... Congratulations, Benjamin

Yeah, again...

We went to see two houses this evening after I got off work. The first one was a 'real' house. It had a new roof and carport, and new carpet and paneling. Someone took some money and effort into making the place look nice.

The effects were lost on stepping out the back door, stumbling over the rotted wooden step and coming close to pitching into the open septic pit.
It was overgrown with weeds, full of water and mosquitoes.
Inside, had the owner bothered to MOP the vinyl flooring, it would have gone a long way to making me like the place. As it was, not so much.
The laundry hookups were in the bathroom, where I found a beautifully paneled box in the corner. This could only be the hot water heater. But... where is the access? how does one turn the hot water heater up, or down, or off? There was NO ACCESS. (We looked). In this beautifully paneled bathroom stood an old plywood vanity, with a very cracked, stained countertop, and a chipped, stained, blemished sink. Come on folks, you spend all that $$ on panelling and carpet, and you won't spend the $100 (or less) for new formica and a cheap sink?
This house had neighbors hard pressed on both sides. On the carport side was a yippy yappy dog that barked the entire time we were there. Pretty much crossed it off the list.

Our second house was a doublewide on 1.2 acres. In the woods. The neighbors are fairly close, but not "right there" as they are in the first house. (More like what we have here in this rental). It was less than half the asking price of the first house, and the place was HUGE. The SMALLEST of the 4 bedrooms was larger than the biggest bedroom here. The master bedroom was easily as large as the entire living room where we now live.
Carpet was burgundy, but at least it would match my curtains, LOL. This house was nestled into the woods. It has potential, due to the size and price. Also, no one has made an offer on it, and it has been vacant at LEAST since May. So, we might consider offering them less on it. We will see. I'm sure not getting my hopes up at this point!
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At work, I finished resetting the 24 ft. section of the truck and towing plan-o-grams. It really did take me all weekend.
I think summer is shouting its last hurrah here today- it was close to 90*! The high tomorrow is only 70, and stays thereabout for the next week. The coming week brings my brother Roger's birthday! and my Mom's birthday. The 7th, Ben Jamin will be 21! TWENTY ONE! My middle child is going to be officially grown up. (Send him lots of cards, folks- email me if you need the address!)

Hope you have a blessed, wonderful day!
~T~

Workend...

"weekend" for most people is work for me. I went to bed last night with the beginnings of a stiff neck/ sore muscle in my shoulder. It was full blown this morning, I had to have help out of bed and could barely turn my head, much less look up or down. Tom was going to "crackle" me and I needed to lay down on the floor.

EEWWWW! The floor was covered in dog hair.. enough to knit another half a dog. So I went to the area rug. It wasn't much better. Once Tom had done what he could- which wasn't much help... he dragged out the Dyson and went to work. I went and stood in the hot shower, which DID help. Then he rubbed some muscle ointment into my back and neck, which helped more.

All the boys were drafted into house cleaning, and in half an hour, everything was swept, vacuumed, dusted, wiped down. Bathrooms cleaned and trash emptied. Whoo hoo! The entire house (except bedrooms) are clean. I started some laundry, and in a move I chide the boys for endlessly... I forgot to start the dryer after putting the washed clothes into it.

The TSD (two stupid dogs) ran off chasing the postman. The boys ran after them. No one saw what happened, but Jaffa came back injured. He has a skinned spot on his chin, and a pronounced limp on his right front leg. It doesn't appear to be broken, but his dew claw is ripped half off. I would just bet that could account for his limping. When will these dogs learn NOT to chase cars? They get in trouble for it on a DAILY basis. We put some antibiotic ointment on Jaffa's injuries.

I took some ibuprofen a little while ago. I hope it kicks in before I have to go to work. I have a major project that has to be done this weekend.

Have a blessed day!

Nice Surprise

When Wanda picked up Matthew yesterday, she told me it was the last day I was going to have him until after Becky's baby is born. Since we didn't know the exact day Baby is arriving, Wanda's Mom is coming to Arkansas to look after him. They went ahead and set it up now, as Matthew is going to Oklahoma City tomorrow (Friday) to see Thomas the Tank Engine. His Gramma is meeting him there, then riding home with him.

So, I am unexpectedly at loose ends. Wanda also mentioned to me that she figured Tom and I might want to be doing something during the 2 weeks he has off in October.

????!!!!!??????!!!!!?????!!!!!!!!!!

I had no clue Tom was taking 2 weeks of vacation in October. He SAYS he told me.

I knew he was going to Ohio for a long weekend, to see a game at the stadium with his brother. The game is on the 10th... so Becky and I are pretty sure that is the day she will go into labor. The one day all month that Dad won't be able to come down! Just as well, since he is pretty freaky about his little girl having a home birth. Never mind that *I* had babies at home- this is his Little Girl!
He knows I will be heading down as soon as I hear she is in labor. (Guess I ought to start taking my cell phone in to work with me, LOL)

Meanwhile, Benjamin has a "big" birthday coming up. He is going to be 21! I am thinking he needs a set of tools to work on his truck. Even though he has yet to buy said truck.

Guess that is all for now. Have a great day!

my newest cows

I am back from my trip to East Texas, where I had a good visit with my Aunt and Uncle from California, plus both of my parents and their spouses. (Now that is a funny sounding statement!) While there, My Mom got me a new camera- for my birthday! (Even though it is nearly a month until then). Thank you Mommy! I also acquired two new cookie jars for my collection.

The boys and I had an interesting drive back- through heavy fog over winding, wet, mountain roads. We stopped and had lunch at Papa Poblano's in Broken Bow. While their bathrooms are beautifully tiled... they do lack size. Seriously. The women's bathroom has two stalls and a sink. The door opens inward to the room, blocking access to the stalls while it is open. The entering person has to stand in the sink cubby area to shut the door. I was in the sink cubby area when two younger women came in. There is barely room for two in the cubby- I had to suck it in and squeeze out past those two, who had trapped another woman in the stall area. A pregnant or really large woman would just not be able to potty at Papa's. There is definitly not room for four in there, LOL.

Have a blessed day!

joy

The boys arrived home last night safe and sound and absolutely bubbling. The neighbor that had taken them to Silver Dollar City had gone in the gates with them, set up a meeting point for closing time, and then went off to do his own thing.

I had insisted that one of my older boys go along... and he stuck with Daniel and Sam all day. They rode roller coasters... multiple times. If there is a perfect time to go to a theme park, it is during the middle of the week after school has started. There were virtually no lines. Chris chose lunch, something the twins hadn't tried before: Indian Tacos.

They visited a cave, and rode a train that was "held up".

I wish I had had a camera to send along, or thought to get a disposable one. Chris has described the boys faces as they experienced their first roller coasters. With no lines... they were taken off guard (even Chris) by a roller coaster that reaches 60 MPH in 2.5 seconds. They rode an indoor coaster that is in the dark.

The neighbor and Chris told us that the twins fell asleep on the ride home. I am so glad they got to go. It did Chris a world of good to get out and do something other than mull his problems. It encouraged him, gave him a new "center" to get him through the coming times. We had prayed together before he left, for God to give him HIS peace. I believe it sank into him like a slow rain into parched ground.

I let them go...

Daniel and Sam went with one of our neighbors to Silver Dollar City in Branson today. I felt somewhat better after talking to the neighbor this morning. Ben and the twins have worked for this fellow for months, doing yard work and such. He and his family buy season passes every year to SDC, and are given a number of free guest passes. The season ends this weekend, and it was use or lose the passes. It was sweet of him to think of the boys. And they are thrilled to get to go.

He said that once they are inside the gates, he is turning them loose, and will meet up with them at appointed times and places, otherwise they are on their own. The park is less crowded at this time of year, especially during the week. So they will have a great time, I'm sure.

(Am I convincing enough to myself yet?)

Matthew is getting free TV time. He is totally vegged out. I ought to be cleaning, but here I sit instead. We did get the place tidied up considerably yesterday. It is just sooo quiet here.

I just realized, since Tom and Ben are working, once Matt goes home- I will be all alone this afternoon. It has been awhile since that has happened!

Family

Family.
I am thankful to have such a wonderful one. When you need them, they come. Not everyone has such a close knit bunch.

My eldest son recently separated from his wife. This has been hard, she and I are friends. I had taken the mention of her two daughters, who were not "really" related to me, off my profile.
You can see, they are back.

Sometimes family is a matter of the heart and not the blood relations.
I still have my "sister" Lalani. We haven't been truly related to one another for well over 30 years, yet we both consider one another a sister. Her Mom and my Dad were married for almost five years.

My Mom and Dad divorced when I was almost 11... yet Granny has always referred to Mom as her Daughter in Law.

So we are going through a rough patch right now, sorting out our feelings, with my DIL. I have spoken to her on the phone, and we are still pretty unsure of the new ground we are walking. Her daughters may not be my grandchildren by birth, but they are by way of the heart. Pulling their threads from the tapestry of our family would leave such holes. They will just have to stay woven into the fabric.

(Brat)

I have been miserable the last few days without the Claritin D. To breathe, my lower jaw is jutted out and my mouth hangs open.

Several have commented that I look mad.

Not mad. Just miserable. Top that with a catch in my lower back. It hurts getting up and down, or even just walking. It seized up on me earlier... and I was trying to get off the couch.

Sam commented that my "Back is in pain" look is an awful lot like my "I can't breathe look". Thanks, son.

Not Much Going On...

Thankfully!

I was quite busy at work all weekend- I worked full shift all three days and still didn't get finished re-setting the displays from Summer to Fall.
There was plenty to do locally for entertainment. The "Tired Iron of the Ozarks" had their semi annual tractor show. Noel, MO, had a chili cookoff. Highfill had their annual "Hay Daze" with a car show and a beauty pageant, as well as the regular carnival type stuff. Too bad I didn't get off early!

Mr C had to take Dan and Sam for new shoes. Sam was walking around with the sole of one boot flapping off. Dan's were just starting to come off his sneakers.

After six or seven people have asked me "Are you on Facebook?"... I finally signed up. Going with Mr C's long standing warning, I didn't put in my last name, but used my maiden name. Funny that I am now "friends" with my niece who has the same name. One person I went to High School with had also been looking for me. She was a neighbor- and we have the same first name. As it turns out- thirty years later- we also have daughters with the same first name. I have been "talking" to several of my cousins through Facebook, and even my Mom's cousin Ruth is on there.

I haven't pushed the plan to go to Dad's next week, but will be bringing it up again later this week. (After payday ought to be a good time to do that, LOL). If I get sent home early enough on Sunday, I will head down that day. That way I will have a full day to visit, instead of just a few hours Monday evening and an hour or so Tuesday morning. (It is a six hour drive).

May you have a blessed day. Thanks for reading!

Identification made!

Several days ago, one of my boys and I were on our way back from town, when a big cat ran across the road ahead of us. We slowed down and looked into the woods in the direction it ran. Kitty was still standing there looking at us. It was about knee high, heavily built, tufted ears... and a tail of about 15 inches. On this cat, that was about a third to a half as long as I would have expected it to be. Had it had "no" tail, We would have instantly said "bobcat". But this cat had a tail.

After days of fruitless searching on the internet, and several trips back past where we saw the creature, Mr C asked if I had actually looked up "bobcat" on the internet. I had tried " big spotted cat", "big wild cat", "native Arkansas wild cat", and about a dozen variations of other searches, in both picture and definitions. I had tried lynx, ocelot, ring tailed cat. But not "bobcat".

So I tried Bobcat... knowing this couldn't actually be one, because it had a tail... a pretty good length of tail.
I discovered there are over fourteen species of bobcats! and some DO have more than the short tufty stub that instantly identifies it as a bobcat. We found a couple of pictures that were identical to the cat we saw.... and we got a great look at it. It stood there in the trees and looked back at us, less than 10 yards away, for several moments. It swished its tail, looked bored, and walked off into the woods.

It was a bobcat.... with a tail.
I wish I had a camera!

Scrambled brains, anyone?

I think my brain is fried. I can't seem to stay on task for the simplest things... maybe not 'fried', but certainly full of ragweed induced soup.
Couple that with just flat out busyness... We have school in the mornings... and have to be pretty much 'done' by the time Mr C gets home for his lunch. He turns on talk radio, and the boys cannot concentrate on lessons with the radio on. They get too involved in what is going on. We try to finish up in the early afternoons, and then Matthew heads home by 2:45.
This week, I am working 3:00 to 7:00 today and tomorrow, at Oreilly's. I am supposed to be in Friday morning, ASAP after the appointment at 9:00., I work until 7:00 pm that day too. Saturday and Sunday, I am scheduled 8:00 to 5 and 9:00 to 4. I usually get sent home on Sundays, just because it is slow. Boss is still talking about just taking me off Sundays all together.

Tonight, the guys are having stuffed bell peppers. I may have Sonic, myself. Or see what the grocery store deli offers. In all liklihood, I will have "stuffed", minus the bell pepper. (That's plain old meatloaf!) But I am just that nice of a Mom to fix the guys their bell peppers... (YUCK!). The peppers are on sale, and if I have been asked once in the last week, I have been asked a dozen times, can we have stuffed bell peppers for supper?

Tomorrow night will be pork roast with sauerkraut. I know that, not because of my menu's being planned in advance (which they seldom to never are!), but because I put the pork roast out to thaw before I promised the stuffed peppers and put out the hamburger to thaw. (Both are slow defrosting in the fridge). The pork roast will take longer to thaw, so I can hold it an extra day. So the pork and kraut are a byproduct of my allergy addled brain.

Those little yellow chlortabs have helped me get through the nights, even though I am up every four hours for another one. But they make me soooo sleeeeeeepy.... snzzzz

I can't take them during the day.

Just a couple more days until my Uncle Doug and Aunt Lenny head for Texas from California. I am hoping to get down to see them while they are there, but not holding my breath on that. Maybe the extra hours I am putting in this week will make up for part of the income I missed while August was happening.

have a blessed day! I have to get off here and unplug the phone lines, a storm is moving in!

Here it is, after Labor Day...

I was sure hoping we would have our own place by now, where we could have everyone up for Thanksgiving. Unless the Lord moves quickly, we will be right here.
I told Tom last night I ought to be preparing a place to bring the tree inside, or taking it over to Laurie... if her new home is ready for it. He pouted and asked if I was giving our tree away?

(Who is this man, and what has he done with my husband? Tome NEVER pouts. He also never spends time in hospitals, visiting. But he was there ALL day Thursday, from 7:00 am until after I was dismissed after 7:30pm.)

Matt came in asleep this morning- the first morning he has gone back to sleep after being dropped off, since well before he went to his grandparents house for the summer. He is still snoozing. I have to get to town today and get Gavin's birthday present and get it in the mail. I ordered something for Amber... and had a couple of things here for her I need to mail. The gift I ordered went on "backorder" and may not arrive until the end of October... GRRR! I want Gavin's stuff to be on time... and didn't get it done earlier... I let September sneak right up on me. (Send me pics of the party, S!)

Well, time for me to get off of here and let the boys do their schoolwork!
Have a blessed day!

Just work work and more work... is that why it is called LABOR day?

I was sent home early both Saturday and Sunday, and was scheduled for 7:30 to noon today. I was sent home at 10:30 today. I am asked to work Wednesday and Thursday afternoons from 3 to 7, and come in early on Friday. So I ought to be making back up the hours that I was sent home.

While my BP has remained in the good to great range, I have still been having anxiety attacks. On the upside, so far the ragweed hasn't gotten to me as much as in years past.

Sam and I have had a couple of head buttings over school work. Like Chris used to do... Sam rushes through his worksheets without benefit of reading the directions. I re-printed the worksheets and had to physically restrain him from writing on them as I went over the directions with him. He already had it in his mind what he was supposed to do. After he marked the first answer incorrectly on the second reprint, Tom backed me up and we made Sam re-read and interpret the instructions. He was making an easy task much harder than it was.

I stopped by the local grocery store before heading home from work today... they are still the best place to buy meat around here. I happened in shortly after they marked down the unsold fresh meat from the weekend... and got five packages of ground beef at half price. I also got one of their 5/$25 deals. Tonite we are having fajitas... I had several huge bell peppers wasting in the fridge. Ben got them last week at .79 each. I am thinking I will have spanish rice with the fajitas... or maybe ranchies. (Ranch Style (brand) Beans).

For now: the house is caught up, the school work is nearly finished, I'm back from the work weekend... no Matthew. I am thinking of having myself a nap!

168/104

That's what my blood pressure was Wednesday morning. It stayed right up there all morning, lowest being 150/95. So I called the doc, and went to an appointment at 1:30. By 3:00 I was ensconced in a hospital bed and monitored up for a 24 hour observation. During my stay, I had nitroglycerin patches pasted to my thigh, blood taken at four hour intervals, and an IV port installed..." just in case". Yesterday afternoon, they did a stress test.

All of my tests came back negative- except the stress test indicated I "may" have a weak heart, it's output is 48% of capacity, and they expect it to be at least 60% in a woman of my age. They want to run another test, a sonogram. What they can do about a 'weak' heart, I don't know and didn't think to ask. The nitro gives one a horrid headache, which sort of precludes thinking.

The Docs believe the High BP is due to the Claritin D. So I have to find some other way to deal with the ragweed issues. They want me back on BP meds... though if I am off of Claritin D and my high BP is caused by that... then it ought to go back to normal without the medication, I would think. I am keeping an eye on it, and do have the prescription.

It was good to be home in my own beddy-bye last night. I slept quite soundly. Now, it is another work weekend... and a long one at that! I have to work all day Monday- the regulars get a paid day off, so it will be the boss and I. He doesn't expect it to be busy. No one will waste labor day weekend working on their cars unless they must, and it is supposed to rain all weekend.

Have a blessed day!

Sleep Deprivation

I got up at 3:45 this morning, after a bout of night terrors and just plain weird dreams.
In my dreams, people kept trying to kill themselves. One person in the dream was sitting in a lawn chair in the yard, with an axe , ready to end it all. Fortunately, he was Obsessive/ Compulsive... and noticed that the rakes and brooms were not standing completely upright and evenly spaced. So he delayed his death until he was finished straightening up the lawn tools. By then, I was there to stop him.
Other dream people were narrowly missing dying all over the place by various means. I "woke up" and told myself I needed to get some sleep, and have GOOD dreams, enough with the nightmares.
My two companions began talking to me... I was obviously NOT awake! They were Brother Rat, and Brahma Bear. Brother Rat was a full six feet tall and sporting a pot belly... he looked quite like a real rat, and not the Chucky Cheese version... except for the blue hoody. Brahma Bear (fertile imagination to come up with those names in my dreams, and even could just TELL it was spelled Brahma) was wearing a red sweater that looked remarkably like the one Alvin the Chipmunk wears. These two companions consulted each other and told me I had Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, which was causing the nightmares.

Okaaaaaay!
I can definitely see where the sleep aid company advertisement came up with some of their commercials! I woke up for real then, and just tossed and turned.

I got up for a few minutes when Mr C got up- around 5 am. I was so tired, and I know I won't have a chance for a nap today, I went back to bed and tried again to sleep. I did get a little snooze in before he had to leave for work at 6:45.
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I sure miss having a camera. Yesterday, we re-arranged stuff in the house. With the corner hutch, the buffet, and the table set up in the 'odd' end of the living room, it looks like a "real" dining room. It is pretty. Aside from being kitty-corner from the kitchen. Mr C commented on that. I asked him if he were willing to re-string all the wires and reprogram the TV and satellite receiver to be able to swap ends of the room around just so the dining room would be next to the kitchen? He said Nope!
Me either.
With the sun filtering through the blinds, Dan sitting at the table reading... it just begs for a picture. The place is actually starting to feel "homey".

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Matt just arrived. Guess I better be feeding him and getting the day rolling. I hope you have a blessed day!