Mr C's Birthday

Today is Mr C's birthday.
The Individuals and I have been at a loss for what to get him. So, we made a last gasp desperate effort at shopping today.  I got him a new long sleeved T shirt, and added that to the lounge pants we had already found. Sam helped me choose two six packs- an IPA and a mixed six of Sam Adams that has two different IPAs and some other variety in it. Dan found him some device that holds a firearm steady so that it can be accurately sighted in. Sam had previously got him a pound of coffee, and my Mom got him two huge bags of coffee beans. I put an almond pound cake in to bake. We are doing a veggie tray and chicken wings.
Oh, and I re-organised the bedroom... thats a good present, right?
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He is our last birthday for the year.  Next week we have Granny, and later in January there is Connor, and Tom's brother Bob. (And I should mention My Mom and Ralph's anniversary... it is Jan 2nd, if anyone wants to send them a card!)
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Not much new going on.
Tomorrow Bryan comes for a last day with us. He is such a cutie. His Dad literally had to drag him to the car and force him into his car seat... he wants to stay HERE!
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Not one WORD on the house. The owner has been spending a lot of time out of town.
That's it from all us in Arkansas.

So tired....

What a year. Must have been the two (or was it more) world is endings that took it out of me.
Bryan's Dad asked me to keep him a couple more days- Monday and Friday. Today and yesterday, Alana has been his Velcro partner. He LOVES her.
I haven't felt very well the past couple of days. I felt pukish yesterday, but went to get the boys at work- rather than forcing Mr C to go. They quoted a Monk saying to me on the way home. "You are going to get much sicker... much sicker. First vomiting, then death ." "Can't we skip the vomiting and go straight to death?"
That is pretty much me. I sometimes think I would feel so much better, If I only vomited. However, "I" and "vomit" should never occupy the same state, much less the same sentence. Hearing my kids throw up, heck- hearing ANYONE throw up, is enough to set my stomach heaving, even if I were not sick before. The sound... the SMELL... augh... the writing of this that makes me think of that...
 Be right back.

Anyway, Friday is my late night, going to get the boys. I'm usually in bed by 11:30 or midnight. Then Saturday has been my earliest awakening day. Bryan here by 7:15 at the latest. So My Saturday energy runs low. Thursday I was up too late, then up early Friday. The grandkids here... I am worn out.

Nights haven't been well. For the last several nights, I have had dreams that I needed to clean the house. But my house looked like I should be on Hoarders. Even sleeping, I have not rested... just cleaned. Cleaning must have a psychological significance.

I did lose it once today, and told the grands they were on my  very last nerve, and not to make another noise. So, I hope I sleep well tonite. I've been an ogre to everyone!

Some updates...

I went and had my head eyes examined today. I will pick up my new glasses by the end of next week- if not sooner. They found no signs of eye disease, no cataracts, glaucoma, nor macular degeneration. I got single vision lenses again, as I read perfectly well without my glasses on. But I am REALLY near sighted! I am corrected to 20/15 vision. (Not bad for someone my age!)

After I dropped Daniel off at work, I stopped by O'Reillys. I have been babysitting the little boy of one of my former co-workers there. The little guys Gramma ends her temporary job this week, so as of  Saturday, I would once again be unemployed. The former co-worker mentioned to my former boss that I was going to be looking for a job. So, I can now drop all the 'former' stuff. I walked in, and two co-workers stood either side of the boss, their hands held as if in prayer. I start again in January, after Mr C's vacation. Not sure whether we are 'planning' to go to Ohio, or to Texas.

Did I mention we put an offer in on a mobile over in Colcord- some 20 miles west of here... in Oklahoma? We are waiting for word on some of our stipulations before making the offer formal... it is still in the verbal phase. I don't know whether it will happen, or not. Guess we will know in the next few weeks.

I teased Sam today about going for a multi-cultural experience, as he stood in the kitchen wearing a kilt. He was drinking Columbian coffee made in a French press, out of a Chinese teacup.

Connor and Alana are here for the next few days. They are playing video games on the TV at the moment, but if they don't stop arguing over it and getting violent with one another, they may not be playing it much longer.

Hope you have a blessed day. Thanks for reading. Hug someone you love today!

Misty moisty morning

Some things are going on here.... looks like we are in the midst of another time of changes. Maybe big, maybe just small.

One thing: Tom and I put in an offer on a mobile home. Same one we made an offer on back in '09. The ensuing years have NOT been kind to this place, so it needs some work. And while we have made an offer, it is not a done deal. There are questions that need to be answered by the current owner, and she hasn't been altogether forthcoming. It is back across the state line in Oklahoma. The tax rates are far, far less than Benton County.

I have been keeping a young child named Bryan. He isn't quite two yet... but he is a sweetheart. It was begun as a temporary gig- my last day is supposed to be this coming Saturday.

I go for my long postponed eye exam Wednesday. From there, I go pick up Connor and Alana. They will be visiting until the 25th. I have a small craft project for them while they are here. I still need to find ways of entertaining them. Four days with boring old CowGranny probably seems like an eternity to them.

Here is my latest art project. It is a canvas collage of photos of Tom, myself, our kids and grandkids. The spouses and parents and grandparents and such will have to wait for my next canvas!

Whoot! I'm at home! (Not the library)

And Blogger seems to be functional!
I have been sticking fairly close to home lately, being about halfway through my three week stint as babysitter to an almost two year old. While he is a very sweet, quiet  boy- he is NOT "little". He weighs 40 lbs., and won't be 2 until the 25th. Being sweet and quiet does not diminish his energy factor.
Daniel and Sam have missed a couple of weeks of volunteering... since I had no desire to take the little guy to the library with me for an hour+ ... and the two days I do not have him, the boys are working.

I am working on an art project... a photo collage on canvas, for myself. So far, I am still in the supply gathering/ prep stage. Some people are over-represented in my photos, others, I have to really scrounge to find good, sharp pictures where they are not making faces.



Me and Mr C

Case in point!

 Mostly I have been digging through old envelopes of pictures, and through some online albums. I've done a lot of crying when I come across some pictures.

 

Well, that is all for now. I can start blogging more often if I can do it from home!



Howdy...

I'm still around. I still have to blog from the library, because of our outdated browser not being supported by Blogspot. Yes, I could probably update the browser to Google Chrome. But I was told NOT to... and since I no longer have any tech-support children to guide me through the process, I haven't even tried to update the browser.

This week I started keeping one of my former co-worker's little boy. It is supposed to be a temporary job. He is a quiet, cute little guy. Very non-verbal. He growls for "no", and squeals for "yes". (Or unhappy/ happy?) He did manage to say "cracker" for me. My new "days off" are Wednesday and Thursdays.

Dan and Sam have asked if we can switch library to Mondays, so they can concentrate more on schoolwork the rest of the week. Dan may give up working Thursdays as dishwasher, to Sam. This would have them both working two days a week, rather than Dan three and Sam one. When the boys talked to me about it, they said it is as much for Dan's schoolwork as it is for Sam's finances.

I had a nice surprise for Thanksgiving! Tommy came up to see us, from Texas. This is only the second time he has been back to Arkansas since he moved away more than five (?) years ago. Our Thanksgiving dinner was later in the day, as Mr. C had had to work his regular shift. We had a nice meal... and I had to supplement the leftovers Friday to make my turkey pot pie. (The Individuals and I agreed we need to cook another turkey soon, so there is one thawing in the fridge right now!)

I am trying to work my way through some issues deeply imbedded in my brain. Mr. C says I am overly sensitive, and perceive things as snubs, when no malice is intended. I am extemely bothered by such things as being asked along on an outing... and then excluded when the outing occurs. I know much of that is left over from childhood. My step-sister's Aunt had said I could go shopping with my step-sister and her cousins... then never showed up to get me. I was later told they didn't really want me along in the first place. On a couple of occasions, my grandparents were going on a trip and had said I could come along... then 'forgot' to stop by and pick me up.

I was the child with no social skills. I was ALWAYS the last person deeded to whichever team got to 'choose' last. Not once was I ever chosen. So I grew up with some serious self-doubt issues. I think I have overcome this for the most part, but then I run face first into it. I take it 'too personally' when people appear (to me) to go out of their way to avoid me.  If a person has told me I am to be included in something, I do still get upset when I find out that my inclusion was forced upon them- I am again not 'chosen'. Or just plain 'forgotten' when the even took place.

Hey, I'm working on it!
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Be sure and hug someone you love today! Thanks for reading.

Almost Thanksgiving!

Let me start today's post with a big Happy Birthday to grandbaby Dakota Rose, who turned one year old on Sunday! Today is daughter-in-law Glynna's birthday- a happy birthday to her as well!

This year, I have seen so many people posting daily things that they are thankful for, on facebook and in other places. I still managed to let Thanksgiving sneak up on me... It is slightly more than a week away. I still haven't gotten a turkey, which is on my agenda for today. I really don't need too big of one, as it is only Tom and I and the twins Individuals. It isn't that we haven't been asked anywhere- we have been. But Tom works Thursday, so our meal will be late... or else on his lunch break. The elder kids all have plans of their own. With Mr C working, we cannot go anywhere... and no, he cannot get off, as others already have that day off.
With just the few of us, it is going to be pretty low key... just our traditional foods- most of which we keep onhand anyway. Other than the turkey, I need whipped topping and some turkey broth. (If anyone would care to join us, let me know! I assure you we will have plenty, even if you are last minute.)

Becky called me last night, asking if I had seen any of the petitions going around the Internet regarding various States desiring to leave the union of the United States of America.  Until she brought it to my attention, I had not. Now, I am hearing rumblings everywhere. The petitions actually have enough signatures to be credible- and Texas reserved the right to peacefully secede back when it joined the United States. However, I cannot see that the powers that be in the United States, would allow such a large portion of taxpayers to escape. Civil war would ensue...
I wish there were an easier way to depose a tyrannical government, but history proves there is not.

Have a blessed day!

November 2012

Here we are at the tail end of 2012.  Hard to believe, isn't it?
Yesterday, my BIL Bob's first grandbaby was born. Since the baby is from his son, that makes little Leigha Mae Coder the very first Coder grandbaby as well. (Tom's sisters children/ grandchildren don't bear the Coder name. So far, Tom and I have Jones and Johnson grandchildren... no Coder grandbabies!)  Leigha Mae was born 11/5/12, at 4:59 pm, weighing 6 lbs. 3 oz. She is 19 inches tall.
Welcome to the family, Leigha Mae.
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Connor and Alana spent the weekend with us. They were great! Connor picked up Daniel and Sam's juggling blocks, and was given a few pointers on juggling. By the time they left, he was getting so he could do it. To save Jennifer's house and Connor's feet from him trying to juggle canned goods as he learns, I made him a small set of juggling circles. I can't quite do "balls"... but made small round cloth sacks, filled with rice.
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My beautiful niece Laura Rose got married Saturday to her fiance, Chris Boles. Laura was joking with me that she is now Laura Rose Boles... like the New Year's football game! I didn't get to attend the wedding, but from the pictures I have seen, and descriptions, she was a beautiful bride! She is a beautiful girl by any account, any day. The glow of happiness was apparent on Saturday.
Congratulations, Laura and Chris! May you have many wonderful years together.
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Today is election day. We didn't drive by the polling place where I will be going to vote, but the places we did drive past had lines clear out the doors and around the buildings.
I'm glad I am wearing a sweater... I went back inside to get mine as we were leaving the house. Though it is warm enough indoors and in the car, I dislike leaving the house without proper weather gear. Probably a lesson learned from the times growing up when we broke down along the road.
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That's about all for today. Have a blessed week!
~Tammy~

End of the Month

I have slogged through the year. Now it is like the toilet paper at the center of the roll... winding off so fast I won't believe it is gone.
Tom and the twins individuals and I went out to Hobbs State Park yesterday to go hiking. We were on the trail that makes a 4.1 mile loop. My knees were screaming at me before we even hit the trail proper. I didn't mention it to the guys, because I don't want to hold them back. We walked as far as Beaver Lake... where the guys decided we would turn back. I had picked up a 'hiking stick' along the trail, and relied heavily on it as I gimped back to the car. I guess it is a start at getting back into shape. (Even though I keep telling Tom, Round IS a shape!)
Little Dakota Rose has a birthday coming up really fast. She will be a year old on November 11th. I haven't found her a gift yet. I best get with the program with that, as it takes time for gifts to ship.
Connor and Alana are supposed to come visit us this upcoming weekend. I need to find some fun things for them to do while they are here. Fun and inexpensive. (I am supposed to be job hunting but haven't applied at many places.)
We had our first hard freeze this past week. The boys went out and picked all the peppers left in the garden. I did seven pints of peppers with carrots and onions. I also did fourteen more jars of jalapeno jelly. (They are the little half-pint jars.)
I am starting to think about Thanksgiving. Mr C has to work that day, so we can't go anywhere. It looks like it will be just the four of us... :-( (Sad Face).
With the weather turning cooler, I have started doing some baking. Sam wanted some fresh cranberries to make one of his brewed sodas. It didn't take the entire bag. Yesterday I used some of the cranberries, and one of my apples that was getting a bit too soft for anyone to enjoy, and made some cranberry apple bread. It was really good. I have to admit... I have never cut open a cranberry before. I had NO IDEA they are white inside! Any time in the past I have used them, I left them whole. The bread turned out really well. We had it instead of supper last night!
Well, that's about all I can think of for today. I hope you have a blessed week. Thanks for reading!

Happy Birthday!

Birthday! Mine was Saturday. I pretty much wallowed in doing nothing all day. When supper time rolled around and people started wondering what was for supper... I said I don't know!, it's my birthday and I'M NOT COOKING.
So Mr C and one of the boys went out and got fried chicken. He asked what I wanted, and my only input was that it be something I didn't have to cook.
Of course, if he had started into the kitchen to make some of his endless goulash, I might of been forced to decide on something. His goulash is good... though usually entirely too spicy for me. And he is even worse than I am on judging the amount of elbow macaroni to put in. He usually puts the entire pound... for four of us. By the start of the third day, I am getting the stink eye from everyone as I drag out the goulash yet again in my efforts to get it eaten up. I think it regenerates itself in the refigerator... some reaction between the plastic wrap and the macaroni and jalepenos.
Mr. C and Sam also brought me home two presents.... a new slow cooker (because he saw me eying them last week) and a new set of Corelle dishes (but not my pattern.)
I was eying the crock pots because I use mine several times a week, and was thinking of getting a smaller one to supplement the big one. My household is diminishing in size... so unless I get a smaller crockpot, I will have to stop using one. Mr C got me a really nice one... the same size I already have.
We took my gifts back yesterday. I eyed the smaller slow cookers again... and wondered just where I would store one more appliance. I opted to wait on getting a smaller slow cooker for now. I really didn't need dishes.  Mr C had reasoned we needed more bowls. I had purchased a stack at the thrift store a few weeks back... he thought I would like my dishes to match. It really doesn't matter to me whether they match or not. I am the person who bought nine luncheon plates in different patterns just so they would NOT match.
If I am doing a nice occasion and want my dishes to match... I have a beautiful real china set with service for TWELVE.
His thinking was sweet. He didn't seem to mind that I changed my presents for cash.
I know me... I will nickle and dime my cash out and not have any grand thing to show for "what I got for my birthday". But I will enjoy every LITTLE thing I do use the cash for.
In fact, when I leave the library today, I am headed to Hobby Lobby to get a couple of picture frames to embellish, and maybe a canvas to try out a Pinterest idea.
Have a blessed day, and Thank you for reading.
Please remember the Knight family in your prayers in the loss of their child, and the Wilhelm family in the loss of their wife/mother.

Still here... despite the Zombies

The family reunion was nice. I had a good time. Tyrel and Kimber had fun with random cousins that I couldn't even begin to figure out just HOW they are cousins...
Afterwards we went to my Dad's house in East Texas.
I was given a beautiful wall hanging for my birthday. I'm sure most of you have seen it on Facebook. (My birthday will be this coming Saturday.)
This week, I finally went two days in a row without crying over Bill.
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I have been trying to stay away from the grocery stores, and cooking as much as possible from stock on hand. I believe I did pretty well. The cupboards were getting bare (for me), so yesterday Mr C and I went out and stocked up. We went to Sleepy Hollow, a local Seventh Day Adventist run gas station/ health food store. (Quite a combination, right?) We stocked up on things like oatmeal, barley, honey, apples, sweet potatoes, and several spices. From there, it was Aldi's- where we got quite a bit of canned goods. We finished out the trip with a stop at WalMart to get the rest of the items on our list. Except for fresh vegetables, milk, eggs, and meat, we are set for awhile. (The items we use up most quickly.)

I don't know exactly what it is in my makeup... but I "need" to have food in my cupboards and freezer. My in-laws looked at me strangely when I was living in Ohio last year... wondering why I bought more than just a few days worth of food at a time. If I happened to get snowed or iced in... I was ready! It bothered me that both my BIL and my MIL couldn't just go to their pantries and choose something to cook for a meal. Maybe my years of worry over what I was going to feed my children warped my brain! (When my eldest two were toddlers, I had to feed us on about $7 a week. Even in the early 80's, that was hard to stretch.)
At any rate... my pantry is well stocked at the moment.
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I am thinking that my change of routine yesterday affected my dreams last night. In recent weeks, I have been having a cup of herbal tea before bed. Last night, it was "Sleepytime". I also ate a small slice of jalapeno cheese and a few cornbread crackers. A short while after getting into bed, a fit of coughing hit, and I just didn't feel great, so I got up and took a dose of Nyquil (generic, in Original Green Death flavor). I fell into a sound sleep.
I started out dreaming I met Ree Drummond (Pioneer Woman) and was with her as an episode of her TV show was being filmed. We went to the grocery store.... camera crew in our wake. I don't know whatever happened to Ree and the camera crew once the Zombies attacked. I have to tell my boys that planned to hole up in WalMart during the Zombie Apocalypse.... It didn't work. I did discover Zombies can't work round door knobs well, and are really slowed down by locks. At once point... I realized I was dreaming and that really helped a lot.... though I did wake up in a cold sweat. I remember thinking in my dream, that the boys were really going to laugh at me... dreaming I was being pursued by Zombies.
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That's all for this week. Be blessed and tell somone you love them!

October!

Here it is, the tenth month already.
In a couple of days, my Mom will have her birthday. A few days after that is Benjamin's birthday. Happy birthday, Mom and Ben!
Before the month is over, my birthday.
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This has been a difficult year for me. This time last year, I was living in Ohio, waiting for Tom and the boys to move up. I had started a new job. By the first of this year, I was back in Arkansas. There were no big plans on my horizon.
I made a whirlwind trip through Texas and Oklahoma and saw all of my kids. I began job hunting. Then came my Dad's 75th birthday, and we planned a party for him. It was like a family reunion. I got to see six of my kids and four of the grandkids. It was to be the last time I saw Bill.
We just never know how long we have with our family members and those we love.
Job hunting was not happening.
Just over two weeks ago, I was online instant messaging with my friend Laurie. This past Friday, she was laid to rest.
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Good things have happened this year as well.
 Benjamin got married, so I gained the first Mrs. Coder daughter-in-law.
I  made the rounds again and saw all of my kids in August.
(I suppose for the rest of my life, there will be that "someone is missing" weight in my heart.)
I saw my sister Lalani for the first time in seven years.
I got a picture of my grandson Gavin a few weeks ago.
This weekend, I am getting to go to my mom's family reunion.
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Tom and I went out to eat with Becky and Stephen and the kids on Friday night. We ate at the Wooden Spoon, where the twins are working.
The children's menu offered a choice of chicken, catfish, or macaroni and cheese. Tyrel decided he wanted the mac and cheese. At first, Kimber had decided on the chicken. But just before the waitress came for our order, Kimber said she had changed her mind. She says, "Actually... I think I will have the cat food." We were cracking up. (She did get the catfish, and she ate it all!)

The boys came home from work recently with the news that The Wooden Spoon is on a short list of restaurants in our area being considered to be featured on The Travel Channel.

Have a blessed day. Tell your family how much you love them!

Etiquette

Today, I believe I have something important to say, so feel free to direct others here... repost... whatever.
I'd like to remind people about an old fashioned idea called etiquette.
Etiquette, according to an online dictionary, is:  a code of behavior that delineates expectations for social behavior according to contemporary conventional norms within a society, social class, or group.
In today's society, we have almost instant access to information. When we have news that we feel others ought to know, we can tell dozens, hundreds, multitudes of people at a time. Technology that allows us near instant access to information, and equally fast disbursement of information seems almost exempt from any form or rules of etiquette.
Many people don't fact check before passing along information. If the source we got our information from is reliable, we assume that their news is reliable. Sometimes it is, other times the news just seemed so important to share, facts were not verified.
Take a moment to verify your news before you pass it on.
I'd like to address more than just fact verification.
Yes, you have the facts. Straight from the source.
"Oh, I just heard Susie Que is having a baby! Isn't that exciting? Congratulations, Susie!"
That seems harmless enough, doesn't it?
Susie Que told you, her best friend, before she told her mother. And you told the world on your favorite social network. Your own mom sees your post, and calls Susie's Mom to congratulate her.
This leaves Susie in a bad spot with her family. The news wasn't yours to share.

There are some things that need to be shared with many people in a short amount of time. Social media is a great way to accomplish this. Yet there are still few rules you should observe.
Immediate family should be notified of deaths, and funeral arrangements before it is posted in a public forum. I know first hand the pain of learning funeral arrangements of a close family member from a public media forum rather than from the family.
Yes, it is easier to let everyone know at one time. However, it is poor etiquette not to prepare close family members for the onslaught of phone calls they will receive once the news is announced.

Instant social media can start a wildfire of misinformation and pain when seemingly 'verified facts'  are posted. A friend of mine has been in a coma in the hospital. I got a telephone call that she had passed away. I checked her social media site, and saw that one of her family members had posted of her loss. There were dozens of condolences posted. Her daughter's site also was swamped in condolences. Tears flowed for hours as my family grieved.
Then we get news... our friend is alive!
We rejoiced in the miracle... only to learn that our grief was founded on an unsubstantiated rumor.

Please, before you post congratulations, condolences, the missing child report... check your facts. Don't post news that isn't yours to share. Don't assume all you read on your social media source is true. Be kind, be thoughtful, be caring as well as careful.
Be blessed. And please be prayerful, always.