Where Have I Been?
Mood:  chillin'
Topic: home

No, I haven't been somewhere exotic for Spring Break.  Actually, I don't think I've ever been anywhere for Spring Break! Generally because the People Who Pay the Bills Adults in this house don't get a spring break!  Sad, I know!  In fact Spring Break week was actually the first "normal" week I've had in almost a month (thanks to cars breaking down & other issues that I won't write about for the entire world to read).  Other than having kids at home & not at school.  Senior Daughter has a raging case of Senioritis.  She only has this week & next left before she's all done with high school.  We've gone through this twice before - two of the other kids finished high school early.  So this is nothing new in this house. 

I have managed to clean house & do laundry & make dinners that have been edible.  For Easter we did the coloring easter eggs & then the Bunny paid us a visit.  Went to early Church service & then the Easter Breakfast & regular church service.  I had put a chicken in the crock pot early that morning (read - I was still half asleep!).  My sister & brother-in-law dropped by.  Very short visit but it was good.  I really need to take a Saturday to go visit her. 

Have many birthdays coming up in April.  My dad turns 29 for the umpteenth time!  My father-in-law and our son-in-law share their birthday with Tax Day!  Our grandson will be a teenager soon!  And First Grader grandson will be 7.  You know six was sure different.  Saying that he's going to be seven just about floors me!

Hubby has been carpooling last couple weeks.  The first week was out of necessity as his vehicle was having the transmission rebuilt.  But this is a good thing.  Using less gas & speaking of which - I've discovered what we are all going to be using our tax "incentive" checks on - GASOLINE! 

Last night was the last "Jericho".  At least they wrapped it up pretty neatly.  There is an opening there in case it gets picked up by a cable station or something.  Still not happy it was cancelled (again!)  At least we are getting new shows of most of everything else.  I think "CSI" starts new shows next week along with several others on CBS.  Have to wait until the end of April for more new "Lost" episodes.  Maybe by the time that starts "CSI" will be done (so it doesn't conflict!)

So what did you do for Spring Break?

When Not to Call . . .
Mood:  caffeinated
Topic: home

Just a note on when I probably won't pick up the phone & if I do, I may not be very thrilled:

• 5-5:30 p.m. : I'm on the phone (generally) with my mother, so I won't be switching over to take your call.  Leave a message. If you don't ask me to call back, I probably won't.
• Thursday evening from 8-9 p.m.  I'm watching "Lost".
• Tuesdays when American Idol is on & also Wed. during the results show.

There - I think that about covers it!  Just saying  . .  .

Close to You
Mood:  happy
Topic: family

Y'all remember the Carpenter's song - Close to You?  Yeah, I'm dating myself.  Yesterday was my baby girl's 18th birthday!  When she was a baby and toddler, my husband would sing that song to her - especially on her birthday.

On the day that you were born
The angels got together
And decided to create a dream come true.
So they sprinkled moondust in your hair
Of gold and starlight in your eyes of blue

No, she didn't have blonde hair - in fact when she was born she had very dark, black curly hair (which is now a lot lighter brown color). But she did have blue eyes - great big dark, sapphire color eyes (now they are green - like her father's). 

I mention the Carpenter's song because my baby girl heard that verse of the song again yesterday - on the 18th anniversary of her birth.  A birth that was stressful, difficult and took basically 4 days!  The first time I'd had an epidural or a sedative during labor.  And she was the 4th child!  I often joke that if she'd been first - with all the trouble I had - she might have been the last! 

She's no "baby" any longer. She has grown into a remarkable, self-assured, very poised young woman with a future of exciting possibilities waiting for her to grab and take hold.  I marvel at her raw honesty and common sense. Oh, to have had a 1/10 of her common sense at that age!  I know quite a bit is because she is the youngest of the kids watching her siblings grow and learning from them.

In the last few years, she's grown from a teen who would never be caught in a dress (I tended to believe this was due to the fact that being my last child and a little girl who I dressed in a frilly dresses as a baby and toddler) to a young woman who now has a few dresses in her closet!  She's gone from being moody 24/7 to filling a room with her laughter more times than not. 

Whatever she dreams for herself, I hope she gains.  Happy (day late) birthday, my Senior Daughter! 

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!