Shelby

I miss my Shelby.


A lot.


I think Sissy does too.

Computers

Computers are beginning to haunt my dreams.

There is something about 155 computers staring you in the face wanting attention.

Please put programs on me, please get me ready to use...that is what they say, while laughing hysterically at our human attempts to control them.

I did not go into work this weekend. I needed the break. But yesterday sucked. Big. I may as well have gone to work.

We only have a few more (under 40) to finish configuring. The schools are not completely set up yet, but we're on the way.

You would think the staff would be ecstatic to get new computers. You'd think they would be thankful.

NOPE.
Gripey and whiney.

Well, except for the two really nice thank yous that I got in emails. Those people will be on the top of my list forever!

More on Old Cures...

Earlier this week, I posted about "Denver Mud". I also remember some kind of yukky black ointment..wonder if it was something like this?

This is called "Grandmas Black Salve" and, coincidentally, this Grandma on this jar is "Grandma Helen.". Wow! (That was one of my grandmas, as you know.)

Book Review

I finished reading Mercy by Jodi Piccoult. It was not my favorite book .. of all of hers I have read, this has been my least favorite. I still think her books are really good, and will continue to read them. A couple remain all time favorites.
Synopsis

What would you do for someone you love? Would you lie? Would you leave? Would you kill? These are just some of the questions confronting the characters in Mercy, which follows the path of two cousins driven to extremes by the power of love.

Cameron MacDonald has spent his life guided by duty. As the police chief of a small Massachusetts town that has been home to generations of his Scottish clan, he is bound to the town's residents by blood and honor. Yet when his cousin Jamie arrives at the police station with the body of his wife and the bald confession that he's killed her, Cam immediately places him under arrest.

The situation isn't as clear to Cam's wife, Allie. While she is devoted to her husband, she finds herself siding against Cam, seduced by the picture James paints of a man so in love with a woman that he'd grant all her wishes… even the one that meant taking her life.

Into this charged atmosphere drifts Mia, a new assistant at Allie's floral shop, for whom Cam feels an instant and inexplicable attraction. While he aids the prosecution in preparing the case against Jamie, who killed his terminally ill wife out of mercy, Cam finds himself betraying his own wife.

Woven tight with passion and a fast-paced plot, Mercy explores some of today's most highly charged emotional and ethical issues as it draws toward its stunning conclusion. When you love someone, where do you cross the line of moral obligation? And how can you commonly define love and devotion to begin with? Long after you have turned the last page, you'll still be thinking about this rich novel, as well as questioning your own beliefs about love and loyalty.

The Forgetful Dwarf

I tell you, I am the forgetful dwarf (remember the 7 Dwarfs of Menopause?)

I seem to be losing everything. I can leave a room and two minutes later, I can NOT for the life of me find what was in my hand or remember where I was going. It's kinda scary, don't you think????

Road Trip

I get to go to a conference (training) in Kearney on Thursday, which means an overnight trip with my friend (and coworker) S. I just love her, and it is so fun to travel with her. Even though there will be others along on this trip, we should have a blast, while learning a lot too. Hey, there are RESTAURANTS to choose, and malls to visit on the off time. I'm looking forward to the trip! I'll let you know later how it goes.

Quirky Question

Do any of you remember Denver Mud?

This was some kind of ointment. I think my mom put it on me when I got a bee sting maybe? I was even trying to remember what this smelled like. It seems like I remember more of a "paste" than an ointment...

I am not sure, but I was thinking of it so did a search and found this catalog that has the old fashioned cures...I ordered my free copy.

A Day or Two in the Life

Wow, what happens to weekends? Well, let me tell you...

Saturday

5:00 AM

• woke up (had to pee)
• realized Crystal was up, talked to her about signing up for health insurance at her job (she had to be at work by 6)
  
• laid back down

5:50 AM

• alarm rang for husband to go to work (he worked o/t saturday)
• laid back down

6:15 AM

• got up because couldn't go back to sleep
• cleaned house...dusted, vacuumed, cleaned windows in doors, sliding door, etc. moved some things around, including a kinda heavy antique trunk
  
• did a couple loads of laundry
• took out trash, etc.
• went to grocery store
• went to kmart
• started bread dough rising for cabbage burgers
• got meat mixture made and in crock pot for cabbage burgers

9:30 AM

• went to work (we got 155 new computers for staff, and we have to load software, configure and get them ready to set up)

11:22 AM

• went to take hubby lunch. my daughter went with me, and then she and i shared lunch. stopped at house and checked on meat mixture and bread dough

12:00 PM

• back to work on computers
• this included setting them up and also taking 16 more out of boxes and stacking, etc. (tired back...)
  

4:15 PM

• went home
• had to go to grocery store to get groceries as I had only gotten what I needed to start cabbage burgers earlier
• went with daughter to use the trimmer and trim around her yard for her
• helped her load several boxes and totes and take them to storage, unload and put up on the loft at storage
• after groceries, put them away and started making cabbage burgers. my daughter came and made a wonderful green salad out of her garden veggies...yum.
  
• had a couple glasses of wine
• ate supper with wine
  
• did dishes
• made a peach pie
• made cinnamon rolls
• 

• made banana nut bread and muffins
  
• cleaned six kitchen drawers
• cleaned two kitchen cupboards
• wrapped and put most of the baked items in the freezer
• did dishes
• folded last load of laundry
• took shower

• did odds and ends

11:30 PM

• went to bed

Sunday

7:00 AM

• woke up, laid in bed until 8
• got up, stripped bedding to launder
• put away dishes from dishwasher
  
• went to breakfast with friends

10:00 AM

• prepared and cooked a couple buckets of tomatoes
• canned the tomatoes
• did dishes
• did odds and ends
• did 2 loads of laundry, including bedding
  

12:00 PM or so

• went to work...worked on computers

4:00 PM

• came home
• ate chili and cinnamon rolls
• did dishes
• went to friends house and got some fresh potatoes they had picked up after the picker went thru the field, visited there a bit
• put out some fall decorations
• sat down and read for a bit
• worked on a kitchen photo project
• visited with friend that came over
• decided to write posts for my blog

Right now I am typing while watching the new episode of "Army Wives".

Where did the weekend go? And believe me, this is the condensed version of a day-or two-in the life....

Speaking of TV

Do any of you watch "House"? I got hooked on it and have been watching even some of the old episodes now. I don't think I would like him if I were sick, he sure doesn't show much compassion or caring, but I do like the show!

He's abrasive, and uncouth, but I like the show regardless.

Then, there is "Monk". Sometimes I catch him. He's got a lot of issues. So, being the seven menopausal dwarfs all melted into one, I can relate to these issues. That, and maybe I'm a bit compulsive/obsessive myself at times. Anyway, he's a hoot.

TV

The new season on TV should be starting soon. I guess if you missed out last fall, you may have been enjoying tv this summer, but I am eager to start viewing my favs all new soon.

I have been enjoying watching Army Wives on Lifetime on Sunday nights this summer...do any of you watch it? I don't know how realistic it is, not being an Army Wife myself, but I do like the show.

I am sad to hear this is the last season for ER, one of my longtime favorite shows, but all good things must come to an end. Thursday night was my main tv night, with CSI, ER and Without a Trace. Good things we have DSS, so I could watch them all in one night by watching some of them on east coast time and others on west coast time and sometimes our own time...ha! Well, anyway, I am not sure what the lineup will be this year. One new show I think I'll like is The Mentalist, with Simon Baker. I liked him in his last series, too.

Oh, and did any of you watch "Damages" last year on FX (with Glenn Close)? I really liked it, and in fact, thanks to DVR, recorded the whole series for my parents. I don't know if it will be on again this year, but I hope so.

Movie Review

Well, loved the movie...it's a winner! I want to find the original and watch it too!!

Go see it! My friends that have seen it all agree.

Another Book Review

Talking of reading, my 19 year old talked me into reading the Twilight Series. I never thought in a million years I would like reading novels about vampires, but this series was gripping. I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed reading about Edward and Bella. If you think it would be not your cup of tea, give it a try anyhow! There are four in the series:

• Twilight
• New Moon
• Eclipse
• Breaking Dawn
  

and, coming soon:

• Midnight Sun

The first book is going to be a movie soon, and my 19 year old is already in love with Edward. It will be released on November 21. She's already planned to go. I may have to go with her, since I became so enthralled with the series as well.

Book Review

The other night, I read Nights in Rodenthe by Nicholas Sparks. It was really good. I read it all in one night. I usually do like any books by Nicholas Sparks, and this was no different. I am now reading yet another Jodi Piccoult book, Mercy. It's starting out a little slow for me, but I do usually really love her books, so I'll keep at it. I know I'll get into it once I just relax and read.

So far, my favorite Piccoult book remains My Sister's Keeper. I have read

• Nineteen Minutes
• Change of Heart
• Harvesting the Heart
• Tenth Circle (also saw the movie on Lifetime)

Have you read any?

The Movie

I mentioned us watching "No Country for Old Men" on Saturday night. THUMBS DOWN from me. I didn't get it. Of course, I don't always make it through the movie without falling asleep, but really, I am pretty sure I was awake for this whole movie. My husband even said "that's the END?" when it ended. So, maybe he agrees with me. I didn't want to say more, because he thinks I'm really lame for sleeping through so many movies. But, I really think I was awake. It was just STRANGE. Did any of you like it?

Also, the one actor, Javier Bardem, who won an Oscar for his performance in this movie, kept reminding me of (who played Robert on "Everybody Loves Raymond" ....one of my most favorite sitcoms ever...) Don't ask me why. When you look at the photos now, there doesn't seem to be any resemblance, but in the movie, I kept thinking it was Robert and he would tell a joke any moment. Which of course didn't happen.

Ok, I probably have issues. But, did any of you like this movie?

Clumsy-the 8th Dwarf

Well, let me tell you. I am clumsy. Always have been.

I could hardly pass generic p.e. classes. I sucked at playing softball. I looked super dorky playing basketball. I can't run. I'm a true disaster at physical sports. I just was never much coordinated or graceful.

Well, this weekend I thought I would try to catch up on things around here. First of all, I slept until 10 AM on Saturday. WHAT??? Did I really sleep that long?????..yes. I haven't done that in like thirty years or even longer. Geez, I told my husband maybe I had mono or something?

Then, I did loads and loads of deep cleaning, moving stuff around, steam cleaning etc. after I got going. I mowed for four hours in the afternoon. Trimmed with the gas trimmer and mowed, I should say. And picked up apples that were all over the ground where I was mowing. And, etc. Then, I fixed supper. No one else seemed to be doing that. Or anything, so it seemed to me. But...anyway.

Then, I was tired. We watched a movie on TV..."No Country for Old Men". I will write a post about that later.

Sunday we both slept in until 8. Once again, do I have mono or what? After breakfast, which included our 19 year old daughter...what? Is the earth turning the wrong way? ...UH, anyway..I did more steam cleaning, more moving stuff around, vacuuming, dusting and washed a couple windows (my mother is probably fainting if she is reading this). Then, I had to go mow another lawn..(here I am 51 years old with lawn jobs???) Then, came home and did some stuff outside, which included putting out some fall decorations, putting other things away, hanging new flags, etc. I was walking around the side of the house, with a sign, hammer, and two skateboards (eek, these have been standing out front since Brooklyn left), and something else in my hands. All of a sudden, I was on the ground and OUCH did that hurt. I scraped my knee and my knuckles, and my hand was squished and facing the wrong way, and just ouch...oh, yea, I also hit my mouth with the hammer, but not too bad. I know it made a great deal of noise when all that fell with me. I even kinda moaned and made dying sounds, but apparently my husband didn't even hear my through the open window. I could hear him yelling at the Bronco game on tv, but he didn't hear my in dire need of a stretcher. Oh, well, got up and hobbled around. Later when I mentioned my fall, he just said "how'd you do that?" Well, the "dwarf" mood (see earlier post) mood I was in (bitchy) wanted to say something really snide, but I didn't. Then, I had to help him move the swamp cooler, carry it to the truck and take it to storage, then unload and carry it in, then, come home, wash that window, put it together, etc. I took a hot shower, hot as I could with the heat on my ouchies. I lathered myself with Thermagesic and took an 800 MG ibuprofen. I did more laundry, up and down the basement stairs, hobbling around, put a frozen pizza in the oven (which was all the effort I was going to put into dinner) and other stuff.

So, guess I'll live. My ego may be more bruised than my knee and knuckle.

Just call me Clumsy. (and all those other 7 dwarf names.)

Movie Date

I have a date with my daughter and a friend to go to the movies this week. Going out to the movies is a big deal to me...a treat...as we usually just wait until it comes out on DVD or watch on PayPerView or HBO or something. We are going to see "The Women". I can't wait!

I was just looking online and found that this is a remake of a 1939 version. So, I'll have to try to find that to watch. It should be good, with Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell, and others. I didn't know that it was a remake, but I bet both versions will be good, because I love Meg Ryan, and same for Joan Crawford. Hmm.

Also, maybe I should read the book????

Seven Dwarfs of Menopause

This is a little blurry, but the seven dwarfs of Menopause are: Itchy, Bitchy, Sweaty, Sleepy, Bloated, Forgetful and Psycho.

I am pretty sure I have most of that covered.

Itchy...Yep
Bitchy..Oh, Boy...YEP
Sweaty...Sometimes
Sleepy...(When I'm not supposed to be, but when I want to sleep, I can't ... which leads to Bitchy again)
Bloated...Yepper
Forgetful...What, oh ya, Yep
Psycho...um, um...yea!

And I could add an 8th dwarf...CLUMSY

So, that pretty much sums up how I feel today.

Silly Sissy 's Story

I have never blogged before, just Sammy gets to blog, but I have a story to tell. Since I make mom feel SOOOOO guilty every day when she goes to work, I talked her into taking me to work today for a while. She said ok, because there was hardly anybody in her building this afternoon.

This is me on her desk. Look, it's kinda messy Here I thought my mom was a neat freak. Guess I was wrong.

I found it to be rather boring.

In fact, I found it to be really really boring. So I started kinda whimpering and crying. Or was that mom whimpering because she couldn't get her "upload" to work". I don't know what an "upload" is, but she seems to take it rather seriously. Like who cares, just push some buttons, Mom.

So, I whimpered a bit, then tried to take a little nap. I didn't want to sleep on the floor, or in a blanket on the other chair. I wanted to sit on her lap. With my blanket. So I whined, and she let me. Then, I tried to snooze. But Mom kept me awake by typing and answering phone calls and not sitting still while I was trying to get my nap in.

I mean look, this was really, really boring. I guess maybe I won't ask to come along again. But, I bet Sammy is jealous because I got to go to work. I wonder if he's hiding in the closet. Or maybe he's playing outside. Maybe he's having fun.

Hey, Mom, I want to go home.

I want to go home now.

Mom, please call Crystal to come and get me NOW! Whew, Mom called her. I think Mom can do this boring work stuff alone from now on. BORING.

Family

I wrote the other day that we four sisters had surprised my mom and dad by showing up unexpectedly and having a bbq in honor of their anniversary.

Here are a couple photos.

It is getting harder and harder to gather all 4 of us girls at the same time, so it was special that we were all there.

I love my sisters!

I love my mom and dad!



They feed my soul.

Another Day in the Life

This has been definitely one of those days.

I want my mommy.

Really.

Bike Ride 2008

Hmm...is this good biking (bicycle riding) weather???

Sad Silly Sissy

Sissy sent me this text message while we were gone for 3 days on our annual bike ride trip to South Dakota:

"I am so lonely. Luv, Sissy"

Poor Sad Silly Sissy.

Anniversary Surprise

On Saturday of Labor Day weekend, my sisters and I surprised mom and dad by all showing up on the same day, which doesn't happen too often, to help them celebrate their wedding anniversary. We did surprise them, and it was so great to be all together, especially since it doesn't happen very often. And, it was my sister #3's birthday the same day, so that was special too. What a great day!

See photos: Anniversary Surprise

Love you mom and dad!!!

Brooklyn's Birthday Celebration

Brooklyn turned 8 on August 21. We had a family celebration, with a couple friends over, too, over Labor day weekend.

For photos, go to: Brooklyn's 8th Birthday Celebration



We can't believe he's already 8 years old! And a third grader!

Another Birthday Card

This card plays the song from Wizard of Oz when the flying monkeys are doing their thing. I tried to play it on the phone for my sister who hates that movie, and especially hates the flying monkeys. She couldn't hear it very well. I wanted to buy one for her, but didn't want to traumatize her any further! She just had a birthday, too, happy birthday to her all year...

Roughlock Falls

How peaceful...enjoy...

Spearfish Canyon

This is what I enjoyed this morning:
Beautiful.