Auto Repair Update
Mood:  not sure
Topic: home
So I just know all of you have been on the edge of your seats waiting to hear about the vehicle that's in the shop - right?  What do you mean, you have a life? Anyhow - damages are slightly more than two grand (as I choke on my coffee!) and should be ready Wednesday or Thursday.  One thing is for sure - we have great friends!  My husband is carpooling this week - at least yesterday and today - so I can have the van to get to work.  When the vehicle gets all fixed and back in the driveway, I'm hoping they'll have washed, waxed and detailed it as well!

Snow . . . Transmissions . . . No Cells!
Mood:  caffeinated
Topic: family
We had 6-7 inches of snow dumped on us Thursday afternoon!  Not only that but my husband left work at 1:30 - was re-routed from his normal route thru a neighboring town due to the high hills & people sliding up & down them.  He ended up in the college town to the north of us when what should happen?  He couldn't get the vehicle to shift gears. So a very nice man in a pick up behind him helped him get the vehicle off the road & then drove him about a mile & a half to the nearest convenience store.  Since we have no cell phone, he called me collect from probably the last remaining working pay phone in a 100 mile radius & said the tow company next door to where he was said it would be about midnight due to the high volume of cars stuck in the muck, snow, ice.  I called several tow companies in the area where he was & they either wouldn't pick him up & go back to the vehicle & then tow it 15 miles south to where we live or they said it would be midnight.  (For the record it was 4:50 when he called - took him a little over 3 hours to get to where he was - normally a 20 minute drive.)  One company - very reputable - said they could do it in 3 hours so I said ok.  Then hubby called back & said he'd walked - WALKED!!!!!! - in all that ucky stuff back to the vehicle, got it in gear & babied it to the store.  The guy was nice enough to allow him to leave it there overnight so I trekked out in that mess to go pick him up. Tow company was actually going to get to him first & I told them THANK YOU (since they were actually going to help us) but suggested others were probably in worse straits than we were.  Now on a normal rush hour day - traffic going north is horrible & it was 10 times as bad Thursday evening. But at least no one could drive fast - too much traffic - so we were all slow going but safe.  Took me an hour to get there & about 35 minutes home as by that time a lot of the ice had melted & I could drive almost 35 mph & no traffic. Saw some idiots - yeah, you in the FedEx truck - going the speed limit (60 mph+) - what were you going to do if someone had to slam on their brakes in front of you?  So the Transmission shop had the vehicle towed on Friday a.m. to the shop.  Not even going to think about how much this is going to cost.  This is after we had the same vehicle in the shop a week ago for U-joints & my vehicle in the shop earlier this week to fix the compressor.  I'm taking donations!
On a good note - the ice & snow are gone now.  Sun is shining & I'm really hoping that is the last of the bad weather we're going to see for awhile.

Wacky Weather in Texas
Mood:  not sure
Topic: home

IT'S SNOWING IN THE DALLAS AREA!  Big ol' flakes, coming down like cats & dogs!  After 15 minutes the roofs are white but the ground isn't covered yet. This is going to create all kinds of chaos come time for folks to come home from work or school.  For crying out loud - it's March 7th!  Easter is 3 weeks away - shouldn't the new flowers be about ready to pop out?  I'm sure a lot of plants are going to freeze.

Haven't gotten to watch AI the last couple days. Tuesday I did the whole caucus thing - the Texas Two step we like to call it - and you thought it was just some strange dance that people in Texas did!  So got home close to 10 on Tuesday. I even missed Jericho (which I watched online this a.m.) and the new series "New Amsterdam" which I haven't been able to locate online as a full watchable episode. I know they are supposed to have another "NA" episode on tonight but it's Lost night so I will probably miss "NA".  Last night was my Bible study & got home in time to see the last 3 gals singing. 

Glad I did my banking/grocery shopping already this morning. I got home two minutes before it started snowing!

More later on our wacky weather!

 

Now I'm excited . . .
Mood:  energetic
Topic: Politics

So in a vast ocean of red I turned blue yesterday!  So even tho' Texas has had a GREAT democratic woman governor (Ann Richards - may she rest in peace!) - seems most of the state favors the red candidate.  Especially when it comes to the Presidential elections.  And since "w" was one of the very few who was re-elected twice in a row as governor of this state, most (that I've heard) are (not quite) as enamored of someone who favors the same views.  Me - I am so ready for something to change.  And I'm really tired of the "good ol' boy" network.  Most of my really close friends are nowhere near as moderately liberal as I am - and for me - it just depends on the issue at hand. 

So yesterday I went and voted and as I voted, I became REALLY excited about the election!  From being really undecided a couple weeks ago & then spending time reading (facts - not rhetoric) about where each candidate stands on the issues, I began to feel more optimistic about the whole political process.

Oh, and the whole "hope" topic on the debate & such that's been bandied about by the 2 democratic candidates - didn't Hillary ever listen to her husband's campaigning back when or his State of the Union addresses?  I bet he said "hope" over 20 times at each place/for each address - I mean he did come from Hope, Ark. and he used to say "little bit of hope" all the time.  Geez!

One more thing - please do NOT bash me for my views - I have an opinion - just like you do.  If you can get behind a candidate and know why you are in favor of that person - GREAT! 

Kady - not Alaina!
Mood:  incredulous
Topic: Television

So when Ryan Seacrest said "Kady . . ." and made that long dramatic pause last night on "Idol" - Kady just nodded her head as if she knew she was the one to get voted off but NO!  She was safe (what the ?).  Alaina had to go.  Now, I'll be the first to say that in time, Alaina would have had to go too - but not just yet.  Ugh

And if you are wondering - or even care - my favs are: Mike Johns and Danny A and Carly Smithson (the tattooed Irish lass) and Brooke - her take on "You'r so Vain" was pretty good!  I do like the rocker-nurse but she really needs to take risks and pull them off in order to survive a long time!

Errands
Mood:  not sure
Topic: Things to Do

So I've decided who I'm voting for so will go do the early voting thing this a.m.  Need to run a bunch of stuff to the dry cleaners.  (So that's where those pants are!)  Will be picking up a new friend to go to a get-together on Saturday & can't have her attempting to move all the crap in the van to find a seat so guess I'd better go get that cleaned/vacuumed out.  Then I need to find where this person lives so we won't be totally lost Saturday evening and when I told her I was going to do that, she asked me to stop by so will stop & see her - briefly. I have towels that need to be laundered, a floor that needs vacuuming, stuff that needs dusting and the tile floors need at least a good sweep (I won't get to mopping today). 

Talked to a good friend yesterday evening - her father has some very serious medical issues. Well it's now in the "waiting" period. So if you are a praying person - please send up prayers for this man and his family - that they have comfort during this time and that he is in no pain or is suffering.

Tonight is once again a NO CALL EVENING!  Between the "Idol" results show and "Lost" - will be glued to the TV.  If you need to call - make it after 9 p.m. CST!

Politics
Mood:  mischievious
Topic: Things to Do

See I'll do anything for some blog comments!  Figure if I insert the names of those running for President, I may get some hits from the search engines & maybe I'll irritate/spark a debate/anger/humor someone!

Have been doing some research on the candidates as I frankly had no idea who wanted what, what the real facts were, etc.  But some things I've decided:

Listening to our former President while on a campaign stop for the Former First Lady here in North Texas yesterday (no, I didn't go - I watch the local news!) - and he mentioned something about the rival saying to the effect of (to the crowd): "Would you sign a contract with someone you don't know?"  My question back to him and his wife: So is she going to READ the contracts (or anything else) this time?  Has everyone forgot Whitewater - and the "I didn't read the contract" thingy that came from it?  I do admire the fact that I haven't heard any of the rivals bring that up - but I remember!  I also remember that it was at her urging 3 Terrorists were pardoned (or let out, or whatever) before her husband's term in office was over.  Yeah - that's the ticket - let's let them ALL out so we can start right back at the beginning!

And PLEASE do NOT forward me one more erroneous email about one of the other candidates - the myth is that this person is a muslim (or has been or something to that affect) - WRONG!  In fact he's the same denomination that I am & let me tell you - I'm not a muslim.  And I'm not bashing people for being of any religion. But quit disseminating false information to play on the fear of the American public.  Get the facts straight before you hit that forward button!

At least one of the other candidates had the gumption to apologize to folks who listened to him at a rally in Ohio yesterday - that the comments made about one of the candidates were inappropriate. 

And please do NOT vote for someone because your primary reason is: she's a woman, he's of a certain race, he's a war hero, he's white, she's white, her husband was president, he goes to my church, etc.  Your reasons for voting for someone should be because their opinions, values, where they want to lead the country is similar to your opinions, values, and where you want to see the country be led.  If there was a candidate who was green, a woman, my Bestest friend in the whole wide world but their policies/ideals/opinions/values were NO WHERE in line with mine, I would not vote for them.  However if they were all that & more - and their thoughts were similar to mine - then heck yes, I would vote for them but not because of anything else.

All I'm asking is for a little bit of the thought process behind this whole political thing we go through every 4 years.  Let's stop bashing - but start speaking  & having conversations to what is important to us.  Vote for the person you think will do the best job for America - not because you don't want to vote for the other person out of fear, sexism, racism, or any prejudice (especially due to false information).  It's our priviledge to vote - please exercise it (or shut up about whoever gets the nomination!)

I'm stepping down from the soap box now!

Searching for Rachel
Mood:  celebratory
Topic: Genealogy
So I spent part of the weekend looking for Rachel - she is (or was) technically my great-great aunt.  My maternal grandfather's, mom's sister.  All I knew about Rachel is the year she was born and that at the time of my great-grandmother's death in 1930 she was listed on the obituary as Mrs. Rachel Givens from Missouri.  No one knew what her husband's name was and typically at that period of time if a woman is listed as Mrs. (her name) Surname - that generally means they were widowed or divorced.  Awhile back I finally found her in the 1900 census living in Kansas City, Missouri with her husband, Morris and 2 step-sons, William and Wheeler, and a 1 yr old daughter - (looked like) Shawn.  So yesterday after realizing that I was going to have to spread the net out a little trying to find her in the 1910 or 1920 censuses, I started using variations of the Givens.  Finally after I spelled it without the "s" on the end, I found Rachel and Maurice (spelled differently) in 1910 about the same place they were in 1900.  This time there were additional children.  Wheeler was now listed as Charles W., "Shawn" was no where to be found but Mary (about the same age as "Shawn" would have been) was there along with a son, Nathaniel and a son Arthur A., and twin daughters, Pearl and Mearl.  Rachel had listed that she was the mother of 6 children but only 5 were living - so somewhere in there was a child who was stillborn or died sometime between 1900 and 1910.  In fact I ran across the Missouri death certificate (thank you Missouri for digitizing the old death records!) so I now have a more complete look for this elusive branch of the family.  I found William in the 1920 census already married with children.  Now in 1920 Morris and Rachel were living in Wyandotte County, Kansas - so they hopped the state line somewhere in the 10 years previous.  I'm not sure my great-grandmother ever saw her sister after Rachel moved to Missouri from Indiana (where she was born and grew up).  So now I'm trying to locate Morris or Maurice in the 1890 census to see who he was married to before Rachel when the 2 oldest boys were toddlers.  Since Rachel grew up in Indiana, need to figure out if she was in Missouri visiting other relatives when she met Morris or if he was living in Indiana when they met.  I did find a Givens family living down the street from some of her relatives - but no Morris in the family - maybe he was visiting them (his relatives) when they met and he whisked her off to marry & mother his 2 children.  Oh, those elusive family members!

Miss Me?
Mood:  chillin'
Topic: family

Naw - you had way too many other things to do than wonder where I was!  So for my list of where I've been (right here) and what I've been up to this week:

1. Busy - hubby fixed the dryer last weekend so I spent all day Saturday washing sheets, clothes, etc. Then of course drying & folding or hanging up and putting away.

2. Trying to research the candidates.  I'm oh so not sure about any of them this year.  And I get so tired of the rhetoric & stuff other people say - please stop forwarding me emails about certain candidates that you don't like that puts a really bad spin on them.  This just perpetuates the dissemination of WRONG information.

3. Doing more genealogy work.  When I'm on a role - I tend to forget time.

4. Praying for various family members who have been ill, plus a preemie was born recently who really needs lots of prayers.

5. Took one of the vehicles to the shop on Wed.  Hubby took my ride so I could get his into be fixed. Glad I did!  It was dangerously close to falling apart on the road.  That meant I walked home (not so bad) & then walked back up several hours later to pick it up.  The weather that day was 70-ish & was a very pleasant walk.  But that meant that things I wanted to get done on Wed. had to wait a day.  Oh, well, more time for genealogy - right?

6. Ran errands on Thursday - some groceries, birthday presents for hubby, that sort of thing.

7. Still on Thursday - in the afternoon after getting the kids from school, hurried & fixed dinner & ran Senior Daughter to work. Home for awhile & then 1st grader had his program after the PTA meeting. Ran up there to get a parking spot & a decent seat.  He did great!  Unfortunately not very good pictures as he was behind some taller kids.  Home to drop him with hubby & then across town to pet-sit for a friend. Home in time to see the last 2 people voted off Idol & then Lost!  Then after Lost ran to pick daughter up at work!  Whoo!

8. Lost - how cool was that show!  Did anyone realize the kid might be Aaron?  I had a fleeting thought half way through the show but kept thinking it might have been Sawyer's.  Though I had to wonder as the show progressed why we had not seen the unveiling of another of the Oceanic 6!

9. American Idol - ok, gals - you need to start singing better than the guys. Although some of the guys weren't that great - all in all there was a greater percentage of them who did better than the gals.  Not sure about Amy leaving but I thought the 2 guys who left were spot on.

10. More TV - PopShawn's death on "Days of Our Lives" - did you have the hankies ready? Or when Caroline told him good bye after the rescue?  The unveiling of the TMK on General Hospital.  Diego? Are you kidding me?  Or is this one of those "bad twin" stories?  I mean Diego's father had a twin so what's to say that Diego's mother never told anyone that she had twins? Or could this be Luis' son?  MMM!

11. Pet-sitting all this weekend.

12. Taking 1st grader TODAY to a birthday party. I am not a "birthday party" parent.  Too many kids, too much noise.  In a home, I'm fine. But at one of those party places - you've got to be kidding me!

13. Hubby's birthday yesterday - made an angel food cake on Thursday & it promptly fell out of the pan when I tipped it over on the bottle to cool.  So it ended up deflating. I'm going to use it to make a butterfinger cake for our church lunch tomorrow.  So I bought him a beautiful angel food cake.  Plus he got off early from his new job (Friday's are early days!).  We discovered a great place to go to hear live music - thanks to a friend of his. Gotta wait to go when Senior Daughter is home & can babysit.

That's it - I know what you've done this week as I've been lurking on your blogs - sorry haven't had time to shout out a Hey!

 

Too Much to Do!
Mood:  party time!
Topic: Things to Do

So today is Valentines!  Happy Valentines to all out there who celebrate - either by taking your lady out to dinner or treating her to something nice, or for you ladies who make the day extra special for their men. 

Today is also the First Grader's class Valentine's party.  And did I mention I'm the room parent?  Luckily the kids in his class have wonderful parents & everyone pitches in somehow.  I have plenty of food that will be donated by the parents, several will show up to help & the kids are all wonderful.  It's just the getting ready for it part that typically stresses me out!  What craft to make?  And I'm not one for messy - no glitter, as little glue as possible - something simple.  But not too simple that first graders will think it's a "baby" craft.  Then once I've decided on what to have them do, need to go find the supplies!  Which I did yesterday - yes, procrastination should be my middle name. 

Also on tap for today - dr. appt for Senior Daughter.  I think I might have at least an hour (maybe longer) in between getting her back to school & the party.  But basically my day is shot! 

And I have tons of laundry to do - but that has to wait.  A piece of the grate in the back of the dryer drum pulled away so there's a big hole & we sure don't need an article of clothing to fall into the motor.  So hopefully hubby will get that taken care of REAL SOON!

Have a baby shower I'm going to on Sunday afternoon.  Should be fun!  It'll be the gal's 2nd baby but first boy - so the lot of us are very excited for her.  Her daughter is coming up on 3 & is the cutest thing!

Had the house torn apart yesterday looking for something the hubby is looking for.  I didn't see anything (it's a notebook of stuff) that even resembled what he wants to find.  This is more of a "wouldn't it be great if I could have it" - then needing it for real!  So I'm sure he'll go through stuff this weekend - that I've already pulled out - and do his own search.  Which will mean comments like this: "What is this & why do we still have it?"  "There is just too much stuff in this . . . " (pick a room, any room!)  "If this isn't going to be put away, it's going to be thrown away."  Well, I did my own throwing away yesterday.  I know there is more to do - just tell me where the time will come from for me to do that?

And on & on & on . . .