Mood:  silly

So with the combination of so many holidays, will someone ever come up with a new greeting or name for this mess new thing?  Seems like retailers are co-mingling (boy does that sound bad!) Halloween ghosts, witches and assorted hobgoblins with mangers, angels, stars and Christmas trees - not to mention that somewhere in that are turkeys, pumpkins, and Thanksgiving themed decor.  It didn't help too much this year since Thanksgiving seemed to fall "early" in November.  Add all that with Texas weather - which changes each hour of every day - and you don't have a clue what season it is let alone what holiday you are celebrating!  So how does your family celebrate Hallow-Thanks-Christ-giving-een-mas (herein referred to as HTCGEM)?  Does your Christmas tree have pumpkins and turkeys as ornaments?  Do you give out Santa shaped cookies in Trick or Treat Bags?  Does a Hobgoblin sit atop your Christmas Tree?  Does your family wear costumes as you Carol to the home-bound and nursing home residents?  Do you sing "The Harvest Song" hymn during Christmas Eve services?  Will November 1st start becoming known as Black Friday as more and more people start their Christmas shopping a month earlier?

Well - all of that is enough to give a person a splitting headache, nagging backache, flaming stomachache, etc.!  One thought - let's keep each holiday separate!  No trees or Christmas decorations in October!  No turkeys or thoughts of green-bean casseroles until after Halloween!  No putting up outside twinkly lights until after Thanksgiving!  And please - for goodness sakes - no Christmas in July!

And that, Dear Readers, is my opinion!

Posted by wendylittrell at 9:13 AM CST

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Mood:  mischievious

with my apologies to the Carpenters!  As a young teen, I remember listening to this song all the time!  It seemed that on every rainy monday every DJ of every pop radio station would play this.  After awhile it sort of grated on the nerves.  Yet, this morning when I realized it was raining I mentioned to my husband - "like the Carpenter's song" and he replied "Rainy Days and Mondays"?  Yep - that one!  And we do need the rain - I just wish it would hold off or lighten up as I'm standing outside waiting on 1st grader's bus to arrive or when I'm driving senior daughter to school.  Then it can rain buckets & torrents.  Guess I can't be choosey & just appreciate what we get!

Posted by wendylittrell at 7:54 AM CDT

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Mood:  blue

Time: 1:51 p.m. (CDT), Oct. 17, 2007

Place: University Hospital, Salem, USA

Who: John "That's a fact" Black

What: Took his last breath

Why: Someone ran him down close to Salem Clinic

Okay - this is Days of Our Lives I'm talking about & John Black is a fictional character who has been played by one actor, Drake Hogestyn, for the last 21 years.  I wasn't actually at home able to watch when Drake came on board, but kept up at that time through the weekly TV guide recaps.  Drake played John as the romantic hero, knight in shining armor, law enforcer extraordinaire, and the former Pawn of everyone's enemy on DOOL - Stefano DiMera.  When John stood on that pier and saw his beloved Marlena return to him, I cried as the characters cried.  When John realized he wasn't in fact Roman Brady, I was devastated that they'd get rid of his character.  When John went on to marry and then lose his precious Isabella, I cried as she died in his arms he held her while they danced.  When John and Marlena reignited their passion for one another, I cheered.  And over the years I've been cheering for John in his story lines.  This last year and a half, I've hoped that he got a good, meaty storyline to equal those of years' past - but he didn't.  When he announced his fan club gathering this year & called it "John Black's Last Mission" the online message boards lit up with rumors that John Black was on his way out.  And sure enough today, the character flatlined and took his last breath as his one & only love, Marlena, told him to close his eyes and sleep & someday he would welcome her with open arms.  Yes, I had tears in my eyes.  More so in the next scene when Sami (who hated John for most of the time Allison Sweeney has played the part) bolted out of John's rooms in tears and shoved the annullment papers in front of Lucas & told him to sign them & he did.  I understand that all of the tears the characters shed were real - they were all in shock that Drake was leaving. 

Yet . . . no one ever stays dead on Days - so maybe . . . possibly . . . he'll be back.  Maybe - we don't know now . . . and "that's a fact".

Posted by wendylittrell at 5:39 PM CDT

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Mood:  lazy

So the answer to the question of: What Happens When You Wake Up at 3:30 a.m. and can't go back to sleep?

is

You are SOOOOO SLEEPY at 1:30 in the afternoon!  For some reason, I woke up at 3:30 a.m. like I'd slept for 12 hours and was refreshed.  I almost startled myself thinking it was past time for my DH to get up & get ready for work.  Then I looked at the clock.  I wanted to yell NO!  So I turned over & tried to go back to sleep.  That didn't work.  I briefly thought that I'd just go ahead & get up - but that was a very brief thought.  Finally at 4:40 something I did fall back asleep.  Needless to say at 5:30 when the alarm went off, I thought NO!!!  So here I am at 1:34 thinking that a nap & the new sofa sounds really good!  Nighty night!

Posted by wendylittrell at 1:31 PM CDT

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Mood:  lazy

So guess I have to figure out how to size pictures to put on the blog!  Whoa - would you look at the SIZE of that sofa?  And no, it's not red - it's a deep burgundy color.  Too much lighting made it look redder.  And as my First Daughter commented on the orbs - yes, I'm aware of the orbs - you should see one of the other pictures. The orb was HUGE!  We all seem to believe it's our Mopsey taking up residence on the new sofa.  I would find an orb on pictures of the couch she used to lay on - the end cushion.  So when we moved "her" sofa against the long wall, the orb stayed at that spot.  And since the new sofa is against that wall, I think she's checking out the new sofa.  For all of you who don't believe - that's ok - just don't try to change my mind.

Anyway I have a photo album on this here now.  You'll have to go to:

https://wendylittrell.tripod.com/october2007

There's more pictures there of the new furniture.  Keep checking & maybe I'll have time to post some more.  This week I have a project with a deadline fast approaching so I won't get to spend much time on the blog.

Stay tuned, Dear Reader, for more!

Posted by wendylittrell at 1:22 PM CDT

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Mood:  celebratory

We got NEW FURNITURE!!!  Anybody want a 24 year old sectional sofa w/sleeper?  Absolutely free?  It's in the driveway - PLEASE come and load it up in your pick up truck & take it away!  Now, back to the NEW FURNITURE - it's beautiful & oh, so comfortable!  Got the set at Rooms To Go during their sofa sale this past weekend.  Reclining sofa & Reclining Loveseat!  Both came with 2 decorative pillows.  And did I mention they are comfortable?  And - we have a white dog - who sheds!  So I have a sheet over part of the sofa for the dog to sit on.  She's not real on board with this whole idea of sitting on a sheet.  I'm not real sure she even likes the new furniture.  Here's a picture!

Posted by wendylittrell at 4:48 PM CDT

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Mood:  celebratory

So I'm on the Alice Cooper's Maidens Yahoo Group last Wednesday & someone posted that Alice has a concert coming up in Oct. in Houston.  My reply - "Too bad he's not coming a little north to the Dallas area".  Not ten minutes later another poster responded "Ask & you shall receive." Complete with a link to Ticketmaster.  Yep - the Coop will be at the Majestic Theatre on Oct. 23rd. So of course I hurried & emailed my dh the info - thinking the entire time - yeah, we're not going.  The price for tickets is a luxury we don't really need right now.  So he tells me to tell him about it later at home.  Of course I do - the presale starts the next morning - OMG - the VERY next morning & he didn't say one way or another.  So I ask before he heads off to work that Thursday if I should try to get tickets - he responds in the affirmative!  Of course trying to figure out how & where to call to get the presale password was a long process.  I'm on a list for a call back for the pw.  No call.  Then I checked Ticketmaster later in the day - presale now will start on Friday.  So the next day I do the whole thing again. I'm told I'm still on the list.  About 3 that afternoon Ticketmaster shows that the presale has started so I call the radio station back & once it is confirmed I'm on the list, they give me the password.  Hurriedly (& I mean very quickly as the website only gives you a minute here or 2 minutes there to enter info before you lose those seats!) I complete the stuff & before I knew it, I've reserved 2 box seat tickets!

The last time I saw Coop in concert was Dec. 4, 1987!  So it's almost 20 years!  I'm so excited!  Stay tuned, Dear Readers, for more on the saga as the story unfolds!

Posted by wendylittrell at 8:39 AM CDT

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Mood:  blue

Since our family lost a great person - my brother.

 What makes it different this year then the other years since he passed away, is the day.  When Jim died on Aug. 31, 2001 - it was a Friday.  Well - today is Friday.  So this afternoon around 1, I will take more than just a moment to say a prayer, converse to my "guardian angel" brother, and remember what a truly unique and special brother he was.  Not just to me, but to my sister.  She got to grow up with him, to see him change from kid to teenager to young man.  By the time I was born, he was 21 and married - already through with the school stuff and poised on the brink of a (should have been) long, happy and vibrant life.  Sixty-one years old is still quite young for him to have left us.  There were many things left unsaid at his death.  I wished I would have been able to tell him how important he was to me, how I wished I had not taken his being my brother for granted. 

I miss hearing my brother's voice.  I miss seeing new pictures of him.  I miss getting emails from him.  I miss the way he called me "Sis".  I miss the fact that my kids didn't get to have their "Uncle Jim" in their lives longer.  I'm sad that he hasn't been here to tell him stories about his nieces and nephew or about his great-nephew.  I'm sad that he wasn't here for me to tell him about my youngest grandson.  I'm sad that he left so many people who loved him when he died.

Now knowing that the pancreatic cancer would take him, I wished I had really (I mean truly) listened to his list of symptoms and complaints.  Anyone who has lost someone vital to them will always do the "what if" or "I should have" or "if only". 

Jim, I miss you. 

Posted by wendylittrell at 8:32 AM CDT

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Mood:  accident prone

It wasn't enough that with the first day of school came the possibility that I could get back into the "work out" mode every day or the fact that I started getting either a cold or was hit by some strange hay fever like allergies - OH NO! 

I am typically a "clutzy" person.  As a kid my mom would often refer to me as  a "bull in a china shop" - I was all the time running into things, running things into walls, doors, furniture, knocking stuff down, breaking stuff, skinning/scraping my legs/knees/arms/elbows.  Unfortunately one of my daughter's takes after me in that respect.  She'd always run into stuff.  When we had new carpeting put in and had absolutely NOTHING in the hallway, we figured it was her big chance to not run into anything - NOPE!  We would still hear a big thud as she ran into walls or doorways.  I was witnessing my own youth!  Anyhow in all my "accident prone" life, I've never broken a bone (at least none that I actually had diagnosed as such!).  I've hit my head so many times (no - that is NOT what is wrong with me!) that I'm sure I've had small, teeny weeny skull fractures at one time or another.  I hit my hand on a ceramic towel rack years ago & when the weather changes I can feel it!  I've stubbed both my pinky toes so many times I'm sure I've broken them over & over again.

Well let me just tell you about Monday - 4:30 p.m.  Walking from the Kitchen to the LR, my hands full of newspapers for the recycling bin and a bag of trash to take out, I was walking & talking to Senior daughter (not the clutzy one!), couldn't see my feet (now you know why I always watch my feet when I walk!), & ran smack dab into the corner of the couch.  I thought - oh, great stubbed my toe again.  Then I looked at it.  It was sticking out at a 90 degree angle.  Immediately I fell to the sofa, dropping everything in my hands & my daughter began laughing hysterically - causing me to start laughing.  I said "I don't think it's supposed to look like that!"  Long story short - I drove myself to the ER.  Dr. repositioned it.  Yeah, watching it on ER is a little different than actually being on the receiving end of the bone crunching - PAINFUL - procedure.  Now, my toe didn't hurt until that point - then the pain radiated for a couple minutes.  Three x-rays later, the dr. said that yes, it was broke.  They could tape it, give me an anti-inflammatory shot, give me a script for pain if I needed it, and give me a very attractive orthopedic shoe!  Wow - the shoe was black & actually almost matched the sandal I had on the other foot!  Sent home with orders to keep it up & ice for 20 minutes every 2 hours. 

Then yesterday I went to work & after a couple hours, I started freezing.  Ok, I generally am cold at work but I was shivering & feeling icky!  When I got in the van to leave, I did NOT turn the a/c on.  Even the Texas heat felt good to me - I was that cold.  After I got home & got everything I needed to lay down (the phone, my orange juice, the remotes, the tissues, etc.) I put ice on my foot for the required 20 minutes. Then after that I proceeded to sleep for over an hour.  Later, I checked - I had a fever.  This had nothing to do with my toe - this was my cold or whatever it was.  I spent most of the day on the couch.  Poor kids - they get home & try talking to me & I just can't follow what they are saying - I am so miserable.  Made the mistake of eating a Wendy's Frosty & then I started shivering again.  Took tylenol & went to bed about 9.  Sometime in the middle of the night I think the fever broke - I slept so good.

Today I just have residual sinus draining & a sore throat.  My toe feels better (looks terrible - all black, blue & purple).  But no "working out" for another few weeks until my toe is all healed.  Will life ever be normal? Whatever that is?

stay tuned, Dear Readers, for more fun tales from the house of "clutzy-ville"!

Posted by wendylittrell at 8:30 AM CDT

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Mood:  energetic

Not RICK SPRINGFIELD!!

Wow!  Was that just amazing or what?  In case you missed it - Rick Springfield sang "Who Killed Rock & Roll?" on General Hospital today as part of a storyline that's been going on for awhile.  Summary: Neurosurgeon - Dr. Noah Drake (Rick Springfield) is a look-alike for rock star Eli Love (also Rick Springfield).  Which is still not all well & good for Noah has quite a disdain for rock & roll musicians.  Except . . . Eli needs brain surgery and . . . he's scheduled to perform at a benefit concert for Lifebeat (www.lifebeat.org) a REAL organization dedicated to helping find a cure for HIV/AIDS.  So Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) - who has this super, gigantic crush on Eli Love, persuades Noah to take Eli's place.  She gets him "rock star" ready.  Yesterday a case of nerves almost screwed the whole concert but a gentle talk from Anna (who he started to become romantically involved with until their adult children stepped in - but that's a whole other story!) - Noah shook off the nerves and was prepared to go.  Then there was a huge crash - gear & a mike stand fell on Noah - most importantly - on his throat resulting in a bad case of bruised vocal cords (only in soap land!).  What to do, what to do?  Of course - temporarily release Eli Love from the hospital and have him sing the vocals backstage while Noah lip-synced on stage.  Sounds like a plan!  Actually it was plan B or something!  Noah starts to play guitar - the band starts and whoops!  There's a glitch with the sound!  So of course Anna provides some good delay tactics - first giving Noah a great big kiss!  Then talking about all the wonderful things Lifebeat does.  Tears were shed.  Finally the sound is working & it's a go.  The band begins, Noah hits the guitar & Eli (backstage) begins singing. 

Kudos to General Hospital for always being on top of the game by promoting these real life charities and organizations.  Kudos to the writers for creatively (sometimes silly-ly!) writing it so we can hear Rick Springfield actually perform on the show without a major character change.  Kudos to GH for close-ups of Rick's real band!  Kudos to Rick who excellently portrayed both Noah Drake pretending to be Eli Love and the Australian Rock Star Eli Love.  Kudos for having Eli be from Australia so Rick could speak in that wonderful Australian accent we never get to hear!  Kudos to GH for NOT breaking up the song in commercial breaks! 

 So Rick Springfield performed as Noah Drake performing as Eli Love!  What a wonderful (sometimes funny) roller-coaster of a storyline but today was all worth it!

Check out the blog at http://rickspringfieldandus.blogspot.com - there is a clip on there!  And for more Rick Springfield information: www.rickspringfield.us

More later, Dear Readers!

Posted by wendylittrell at 9:55 PM CDT

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