Saturday, September 11, 2010

     Yes, I do know what today is but I do not want to dwell on the sadness.  My heart goes out to all the people who have suffered because of it and blessings for the future.
        Don't you just love those Saturdays you are able to get everything done you were hoping for done.  Well, I have almost that is.  I do still have a deck that is covered in cobwebs and needs sweeping and another little hideaway in my yard that could use some sweeping but Come ON, everything else is done, well not dinner.  I mean I haven't really thought about dinner so I don't have anything going yet for that.  Oh Well, here I thought I was doing so good.  I know I am tired and my back hurts as well as my feet so I must have done something.  Let me think.....what was it?  Oh, I can't remember, but believe me it was really something and I'm pretty sure very hard so I'm glad I did it.   Tootles
    

The Fall of Giants !

     Have you heard ?  Oh my Word !  Ken Follett has come out with a new book.  No, not just a new book but there will be three.  Yes, that is right. A Trilogy.  The first one which will be available on September 28, 2010 is " The Fall of Giants."  I am so excited about it.  I just wrote about liking his style of writing and the two books  (The Pillars of the Earth, and The World Without End) I read and am now rereading on my kindle.  I went to his site on the web and was able to read the first chapter.  Go there now, just type in his name and you'll get there.  The details in his books are very impressive.  You actually feel you are there with the people and enduring life, especially the hardships.  I tell you the first chapter is something.  I want to tell you about it but I really don't like to do that as I think it is best to start reading blind and draw your own opinion.  I never read the end leafs or the back cover as I want it all to be a surprise.       I was watching an interview of Toni Morrison and she stated, " Start reading a book like  your going to a party and the first page is the front door and each room is a new chapter, you don't know what's inside until you cross that thresh hold.  At the time she was talking about her book "Paradise".  What a book that is, the first line will startle you.  That's all I'm going to say about that.  Anyway getting back to "The Fall of the Giants", I really feel this is going to be big, I mean REEAALLYY big.  The only problem I am having is the price.  It's 19. something, let's just say 20 dollars.  That's a lot of money and it's a little less then that if you get the hard cover.  WHAT!  Hey, what happened to 9.99?  Of course, it says the price is set by the publisher.  What?  I don't know about you but I don't think I like that.  I know it's somewhere around 1,000 pages and believe me I do know this is going to be a great book so I will have to think about this for awhile.  I will let you know what I decide.  I know I will get it, I just have to think about it for awhile to justify it.  Tootles

Updates and All That

     I told you about the Kitty that was visiting in the outer front yard.  Jim has been able to hold it now.  After feeding him for several weeks he finally allowed Jim to pick him up.  He is a male which is fine with me as all our cats have been fixed.  We have 2 female, Eleanor and Elviria and 1 male, Edgar (we call him sparky).  The new Kitty's name is Elvis.  Our Granddaughter wanted to call it Edward (because of the Twilight books and movie) but Jim is the one who feeds it and he calls it Elvis.  He was so confident that it was getting tame he brought it up to introduce Elvis to our dog Tasha.  The minute Elvis saw Tasha she turned, bit Jim on the neck and flew out of his arms.  Jim did not see him until the next day, at feeding time. Ha!  So we are just fine at letting well enough alone.
     I still think about Nathan and Lighty and it brings on a smile.
     Our swim class is doing great.  How I love going to the gym, just wish I could lose some pounds.  I just do not get it.  Next week on Thursday the gym is having an Ice Cream Social.  You will be able to make your own sundae's.  Sounds yummy to me.  Don't even say anything, I'm only going to have a small one, so there.
      Have you read the book "The Pillars of the Earth," by Ken Follett and the next book to follow it "World Without End".  I have read both of them in book form and ordered "The Pillars of the Earth" for my Kindle.  They are both fabulous.  It takes place in the 11th century, that is the first one and the second one is one hundred or so years later, which is Great Grandsons of the main characters.  It makes you see a little of how they survived and what was the trade and life styles then.  Let me tell you it was not easy.  Just everyday happenings were a struggle.  Along with many characters one of them loves to build cathedrals, very interesting.  Why I am telling you this ? We just joined netflix and "The Pillars of the Earth" movie is on it.  You can view it right off your computer or through your TV how ever you have yours set up.  We are not set up for streaming as of yet (don't I sound like I know what I am talking about) so I will be patiently waiting for it to come out on DVD.  They do not offer that right now.  What I understand STARZ had the movie on their channel.  If anyone is interested enjoy.  I really loved the books.  Tootles

A Great Book !

      I'm reading a good book now which I want to tell you about.  It's called, "The Last Time I was me," by Cathy Lamb.  This is the second time I'm reading it and I just love it.  It has everything to keep you turning pages and the main  character is someone you want to be.  She's strong, intelligent and knows what she wants, plus her shoes are out of this world.  I also have one of her other books which is, "Julia's Chocolates".  It's just as good and the characters she has in her stories are people I would love to meet.   Pick it up and start reading.  I myself want to get more of her books as I really like her style of writing.
     We are still going to the gym and let me say right off the bat, I still love it and will continue to go but right now I am so down about it all I just want to go to my bedroom crawl under my bed (I can't really do that as it's full under there) and cry.  Yes, that's right cry.  I have been going to the gym since the middle of April and I have lost 2, count them 2 pounds.  Let me explain.  When I first started my weight was 155.  Then after about a month and a half my weight was 159.  THAT'S RIGHT!  I gained 4 pounds.  O.K.  they explained to me you are getting stronger (which I am) and you are turning fat into muscle (which I am).  So I kept plugging away, not missing a day and really trying harder every time I was there.
 After another month I lost the 4 pounds and was at my starting weight.  In July I lost 5 pounds (I'm not kidding, 5 pounds).  The next week my weight was 154.  Now come ON!.  What is up with this.  This is the last week in August and my  weight is again down to 152.  I swear it is so depressing.  Well, I really haven't got to the depressing part yet but first let me say when I was 150, I really felt smaller.  You know what I mean.  My tummy really felt smaller, I was so excited then bam, over night it seemed to sneak right back on.  I know what you are thinking it must be what she is eating.  Let me clear this up.  My diet or I should say my eating habits consist of vegetables, basmati rice with a little olive oil.  I eat one egg, 1 piece of toast for breakfast with coffee.  Yes, I do have the occasional burger out (which I only eat half) and one slice of vegie pizza.  Believe me when I say I do not over indulge.  According to WW I am at or just under my points for a day.  Now you want to hear the really depressing part.   Jim has lost 20, count them, 20 pounds !!  Enough said.   Tootles

Nathan and Lighty

     This is a true story told to me by my Dear Cousin Alice Kay.
     Nathan is Alice Kay's Grandson who lives in Denver and my Cousin lives in NE Kansas.
     This is in Alice Kay's words as I could not have said it better...........

"Nathan is excited to come so he can catch "lightning bugs". I decided to surprise him so a week ago on a Sunday night I went out caught about 20 of them, put them in a gladware container with grass and some dead leaves and mailed them to him. They were all alive when he got them and Allison said he was sooo excited!  Unfortunately, the afternoon he received them, Allison's sister-in-law invited them over to swim.  Allison asked if they could keep the bugs in on her kitchen table so they would be in the cool. Well, evidently she didn't want them in her house and so she sat them out on a patio table in the hot sun.  When Nathan saw them a little later, they had all died.  Allison said he was so upset and cried and cried and wanted to know if they went to heaven.  Allison told me that you can buy lightning bugs over the internet, so that is how I got the idea to send him some.  A year ago June when they were here, he took one home with him and he named it "Lighty" and it lasted two weeks. It actually flew away."
   
      That is the most adorable story I have heard in a long time that is aside from them ending up on the patio.  I'm sure the sister-in-law felt very bad as we have all done stupid things which we regret later.  After all who wants to be known as the "Lightning Bug Killer".
       A big shout out to Nathan and all the Lightning Bug Catcher's out there.  You have awakened in me the moments in childhood that are so precious and sweet.  May we remember and savior.  Tootles

Saturday, August 21,2010

Good Afternoon.  Our weather here this week-end is cool, breezy and hard to believe.  I mean this is August and usually here in N.CA. we are suffering in the triple digits.  This week-end we are having, today 85' and tomorrow 87'.  What is up with that ?  We are enjoying every minute of it let me tell you as Monday we are suppose to be back to 100'.  I swear it is just crazy.  When I first moved here with my parents in the early 60's everyone kept telling Mom the weather was so unusual. I'm not kidding, no matter what the weather was that was their comment.
     I've been organizing and reorganizing my books on the Kindle.  I get it one way and realize I want it another way.  Do you have that problem especially with the free books we get ? I'm getting so many and really I feel a little greedy.  I mean I can't believe all the books they are offering for free.  Some of them I really have enjoyed very much and they are free.  I don't even have to pay for the gas to go get them.  It's a little astounding.  Sometimes I feel it has taken something away, like the anticipation of waiting for that book.  It's the same way with movies now.  I mean with netflix you can get the movie instantly.  Where is the excitement of waiting for that day.  I know we do have official opening dates but how long is that going to last.  Will it be a movie is released and everyone has access to it from their computer or TV ?  Will we alway have theaters or are they going away also.  I don't know what to say maybe it's my age and we were taught that you had to earn the right.  Like, I had to clean my room, the living room and vacuum then I got my allowance.  Then I could walk downtown meet my friends and go to the show.  Do the kids of today have chores to do ?  Most of them are texting on their phones all the time or at their computer.  It's sad to me because they will never experience anticipation.  It's a wonderful experience as you feel excitement, a warm feeling, you have a smile on your face and you are in a good mood because something special is going to happen and you can hardly wait.
I guess I am showing my age but I do realize this younger generation has no patience they want everything now, instantly.  I just feel we have lost so much but it's probably just me.   Tootles

More for "It's the Law"

       Not that this is the official order after we get a number of them down then everyone may pick out their own order. Let's face it we all have different wants and different priorities.
     #3.  Treasure your friends.  I have actually run into people who have a friend they have know since preschool, even younger then that but preschool is when they can remember them.  Do not take that friend for granted.  It does take work and sometimes you have to go out of your way but do it.  Believe me it will all come back to you.  At one point in my life I actually turned away a friend.  Here is what happened..... My friend called me after not seeing each other for twenty some years.  She was so excited to come and see me.  I told  her I did not think that was a good idea as I was very busy and didn't have time to see her.  I actually heard the hurt in her voice when she said, "You don't want me to come and see you?."   Why, oh why would I do such a horrible thing ?  Well, at the time I thought it was the right thing, (not really, I was just trying to convince myself ).  You see at the time one of my children had made some horrible choices and was into drugs and running with bad characters.  I was so embarrassed for my friend to see that, that I wanted her to hate me and never consider coming around.  I succeeded.  I have never heard from her since, along with some other friends that were, at one time, in our circle.  What a fool I was, if anything I know she would have been a good friend and someone I could have talked to but I have to admit it was my ego that got in the way.  Of course in less than a year my child had straighten up and was doing fine but I had hurt my friend and did not have a chance in hell of ever seeing her again.  I mean lets face it, how could I explain, "I hurt you so I wouldn't be embarrassed".  A little self centered on my part.  I will regret that for the rest of my life and can still hear the hurt in her voice.  So you see I lost a good friend because I didn't take care of the friendship. 
      You do find out just what true friends you have when sickness or financial problems occur.  After the last time I had GBS I found out I had no friends, no kidding.  I really believed some of them would come around but none did.  I probably understand that better as I know it scares a lot of people.  I was not in good shape and was learning how to walk etc. all over again.  It's just hard to know how to act and just what you are suppose to do.  I do get that, I mean lets face it the friendship has taken a different turn and sometimes it just doesn't fit anymore.  It's just too uncomfortable for some people.  Then you go on and meet new friends, usually close to your own behavior and that's alright as you are more comfortable also.  Then you have the financial loss.  Well, this is dramatic to say the least.  We ended up losing our business, our jobs and our home.  Now we are living on a relatives property.  That's pretty unbelievable.  But we have managed to keep out heads above water and are doing good.  Of course our lifestyle has changed.  No more eating out a lot, or shopping for fun, buying all those extra's in groceries, going to the show (except on tightwad tuesdays) but you want to know something, I don't miss any of that.  Especially since we have joined the gym.  Yes, it is our social time meeting new friends everyday but it's also a place where Jim and I have restored our self esteem.  Let me tell you when you lose everything it takes a toll on your soul but you also realize just what is important.  I don't take anything for granted.  I treasure every friend I meet now and applaud their different personalities as each one is unique.  I treasure everyday, every minute of my life and try to live in the now.  There can not be worrying about the past, that's over, nor do I worry about the future.  I'm concerned and do what I can today to keep my future coming but I try to have an open mind and except and handle what is handed to me.  I do love my life now, it's simple, loving, and caring about other people which I realize in the circle of life that takes care of me.   Tootles