Chocolates

I know one of the most famous phrases in movie history is from Forrest Gump.... "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get." There is so much truth in that... Buy a box, and see for yourself.. You never know if it will be coconut, carmel, strawberry, or creme until you bite into it... UNLESS... You cheat and poke your finger into it first.... By the way, YES I am a cheater when it comes to chocolates. I WANT to know what I'll be biting into.
I'm the same way with life... I LIKE to be prepared for things. HOWEVER life doesn't always let you... For example...
I had planned to work Mon, Wed, and Fridays for three weeks, and then work Tues and Thurs of the fourth week. PLUS all Sats. for the next 3 weeks. Just so I could have extra money for vacation.... HOWEVER LIFE is getting in the way of that......

Last Sat. I told my dad that my Jeep was acting up... It would jerk when you took off and let your foot off the brake. He told me it was probably the spark plugs and needed tuned... He did it for about $100. Pretty cheap if you ask me.
Then, for the last few weeks.. OKAY MONTHS Lois had been after me to get a new muffler. Well, I have noticed it's A LOT louder than normal. So, my dad called around.... It would be around $80 for a new muffler and tailpipe. Great... Still not bad... Then I found out it WASN'T the muffler/tailpipe after all... It's the pipe that goes from the engine block (Can't think of the name of it.) Has a HUGE crack in it.. Price? $500 and some odd dollars....
Mom and dad are using their vacation money on this, and I HAVE to pay them back by the time we go.
This is my ONLY mode of transportation, and I HAVE no other option but to get it fixed. I worked over Monday, Tues nights and I'll be working over Thurs, and possibly Friday night and HOPING to work Sat. Just the thought of using my overtime money on my Jeep instead of "stashing it" makes me sick...
Lois knows I'm working overtime for extra spending money, and she even offered to loan me the money for it. I told her I appriciated her generous offer, but I'm going to do my best to find my own way out of this. Besides I don't want to take advantage. However, if I can't come up with the money beforehand, I'll be calling her up. She's the first friend I ever had that EVER offered to help me out like this. She really is a TRUE friend.

I am SOOOOO ready...

I was planning on working 4 hours early OR over Mon. Wed, and Friday, and 4 early on Sat for 3 weeks, and then Over/early Tues and Thurs of the 4th week.. The overtime pay and the Sats. will be my extra money on vacation. I was worried I wouldn't have enough... HOWEVER, got my tax papers back, and that money will be PLENTY to go.. I'm still planning on overtime (just maybe not as many days.)

Then I found out today that Aaron MIGHT be going with us. He has postponed his vacation so many times, that he thinks it won't be a problem to get the week off. He's planning on taking his tent too. We're going to try to fit all three tents and the camper in 2 lots. It's going to be so much fun with the Aaron with us. I am SOOOOOOO excited.

25 days and COUNTING!!!!!!

A True Story.....

Once upon a time there were two fearless pirate lasses that went by the names Captain Lois and Poppet. One rainy, gloomy afternoon Captain texted Poppet during work. "What are ye doin' around 12 tanight Poppet?" "Don't know why?" "What say ye we sail to Ihop and plunder some grub?" Poppet thought about it. She knew she would just be watching a movie if she didn't go. Truth was she loved Captain(Okay NOT like that. It's a sisterly love) and was worried about her working 12 hour days 5 sometimes 6 days a week. The work had to be wearing Captain down, and she had tried several times to tell her to slow down. Poppet knew that it wasn't healthy. Besides she was sometimes sad when weeks would go by without hanging out with her friend. "Aye, sail away Captain," She texted back...

Later on at Ihop Captain ordered the Cinnamon pancakes. She took one bite and said "They're so good I could pee my pants." Which drove them both into a HUGE laughing fit seeing they weren't the only people in the restaurant. A while later Poppet's brother, Aaron, arrived on the scene. He said the waitress told him that the cinnamon rolls are so good she screamed. He said that if they don't make him scream, he's going to sue for false advertisement. I told him that if he doesn't scream, maybe he'll pee his pants. Which threw Captain and Poppet into another HUGE laughing fit.
After spending two hours in Ihop, Captain and Poppet said goodnight and sailed to their separate home ports with the promise of talking the next day.. And they both lived happily ever after.
The End.

Ready to Roll.......

With Feb ALMOST over and March almost here I have that "hankerin'" again.. The hankerin' to pack up and take off for a week of work free bliss.. Yes, I've got Spring fever/Cabin fever whatever you want to call it. Knowing that in about a month I will be on my way to beautiful, fun, and wonderful TN.

Even though our yearly trip is a month away, I'm already planning what I'm taking/wearing. If I could I'd be packing my clothes already. However, I need SOMETHING to wear this month....

There's just something about taking my luggage over to be packed up that Friday afternoon before work, hitting the shower after coming straight home from work, MAYBE catch a couple hours of sleep,(sometimes we leave as soon as I've taken my shower) and hit the road that puts a thrill of excitement into you. Okay, so the excitement is usually AFTER my dad checks the brakes/turn signals, and lights on the pop up camper. (Think of Zippy here, that's dad. LOL)

We drive clear through, except to stop someplace for breakfast anywhere between 4:30 and 6 AM, or to stop to let my dad have a short nap..
Then we get to TN and watch my parents set up the camper while my brother and I are setting up our tents... YES, I sleep in a TENT. My tent is usually up BEFORE the camper. Oh, at some point in there, my dad usually yells and tells Austin or I to call Ashley and let her know we're there.

The best part of the trip is Ashley.... Spending time with my sister is the best part of vacation... We normally go pick her up every night.... ALMOST every night (If she doesn't have a big test or other plans), and do things with her... Whether it's seeing one of the MANY shows, going through the mountains, (That in itself is an adventure. Will talk about that later)or spend the night with her and go to classes with her the next day.. Yes, Ashley is the highlight of the trip... I LOVE spending time with that girl. She's a really fun girl to hang out with... Then again, I'm sure I don't have to tell you that. LOL.

Now, back to the mountains......
Going through the mountains with my dad driving is well..... Worse than a roller coaster. At least in a roller coaster you pretty much know you'll be ALIVE when it's over....
I think my dad thinks it's illegal to use brakes coming down the mountain. He puts it in second gear and coasts all the way down. He only brakes if the car in front brakes, and then he gets mad that they're using their brakes. He then pulls off, waits until he thinks the car(s) are WAY ahead, and starts out again WITHOUT brakes. He told me last time that he made the trip in X amount of time, and wants to beat that time. I tell him, I would rather LIVE. Scares me to death at times. Oh, and I HAVE to sit up front when we're in the mountains..I get carsick in the back, and carsickness isn't very fun..I know it's weird. I get carsick in the back, but not the front. So, my mom gives up her seat so I can sit up front.. Got to love moms.. :)

Fear or guilt?

Last night my mom told me that she was completely freaked out. I laughed and asked her why... This is the story she told me.......

After grandma died, she and Aunt Carol cleaned out grandma's cabinets. Okay, two days ago, she went in to make a peanut butter sandwich.. The peanut butter was the jar grandma had, and it only had MAYBE a tablespoon left. She looked on the lid.... 211...
All the what ifs keep running through her head... WHAT IF.....What if it wasn't the flu? What if we'd known sooner? What if it really was the peanut butter? Then I mentioned...WHAT IF this had NOTHING to do with it?
It's like I told mom, we can't go back in time. Besides... Do you have ANY idea how angry grandma would be if we could bring her back? She'd be saying "Why did you do that?" I could just see her saying "Let me be. I'm having fun."

BOOK review!

I just finished "Waiting For Summer's Return" by Kim Vogel Sawyer.

If you like Janette Oke's "Love Comes Softly", and Beverly Lewis's Amish books.... You'll LOVE this book...
It's about a woman, Summer, who's husband and 4 children die on the wagon train. An Mennonite man, Peter, needs someone to tutor his young son while he's healing from an accident.... (Sound familiar?) ;)
The first part of this book reminds me so much of "Love Comes Softly", but of course it's completely different.
I started it Monday, and had it finished this morning. I couldn't put it down. It's a fun read!!!!!

Lent starts TODAY!!!!!

This year I had a hard time deciding what to give up this year. I thought about dvds and books, but I've done the dvds the past 2 years, and books?

Well... I had a HORRIBLE time with that last year. I had forgotten before hand that we'd be going to TN during Spring Break.... There's an AMAZING Christian book store there, (Christian Book Warehouse) and I really had to fight the temptation to buy books. I mean when you see good Christian books CHEAPER than around here, it's hard to NOT buy them. Also, it's hard when your sister gets a 10% discount there since she's a student. Not only that, but Ashley informed us recently that there's ANOTHER Christian bookstore around there where NOTHING is over $5.00...
So, I knew that books would be too difficult......
Then Captain Lois suggested I give up Carmel Apple Ciders and Steak N Shake Barfaits (Parfaits)..... Those are my comfort foods..It's like I told her. You might as well tell me to give up breathing..Giving up BREATHING would be a lot easier than giving up Starbucks and Steak N Shake.

So, I decided... I'm giving up Caffeninated sodas... NO Mt. Dews or Cokes ULESS they are Caffeine Free... (I normally drink 4-6 20 ounze bottles A DAY) So, I'm giving that up, but I can still have my coffee (Which I don't drink often.. Only when I'm pulling a 12 hour shift. Like I will tonight and Friday night.)

That does make me wonder.... Is it right to compromise sacrifices? Oh, well..

One of those days.....

It seems to me that so far this year, I've had far more bad days than good ones. Yesterday was no different.
It wasn't anything I can put my finger on, but I was just really depressed. So, after work I went to Starbucks.... Now the people there KNOW me, and they have my drink made before ringing me up.
I went in there last night, and one of the guys said "You're going to hate me, but we no longer serve Carmel Apple Ciders (CACs for short... Captain came up with that.)
With my day the way it went, this was the straw that broke the camel's back. I literally started crying. YES, me, ANGELA, was crying in Starbucks. The girl working there said "He's lying. Joe, apologize to her." I told her that the way my day went, it would've been the pefect ending to a horrible day. Anyway, she made my CAC and gave it to me "on the house".
CACs are the perfect "comfort" drink. However, the thought of the calories can cause you to fall deeper into depression..... ~sigh~

I know, this is late.... I'm sorry

I meant to put this up yesterday, but time just slipped away from me. So........ HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY AUNT CAROL!!!!
Hope it was great!!!!

ATTENTION ALL PARENTS!!!!!!!!

I don't know how many people are planning on taking their kids to see the new Disney movie "Bridge to Terabithia." If you are planning to let your little ones see it, I have a STRONG suggestion.....
PLEASE read the book first, or if you don't have time.... Feel free to ask me. I read the book when I was 12, and even though it's a "children's book" some kids probably would have a difficult time with it. I didn't have a hard time, but I was older, and had already faced the "questionable subject" firsthand.
Which brings me to another warning... The book does have a couple bad words in it.
The commericals/previews look harmless and innocent, but at the end it could leave parents with upset children, and a NEED to "have a talk".
When I first saw the previews I thought.... It looks nothing like the book. However, later I read the reviews and it's more like the book than I originally thought.
So, parents... PLEASE educate yourself on this movie/book before deciding.
My community service project is now complete. LOL....

I'm walking on sunshine!!!!!

If you've been reading my posts this week, you'll know what a horrible week it's been..... Today things got better....
Last night at work I was telling some guys I work with about my wipers (here's a hint.... If you have vehicle problems ASK guys at work. You can pretty much be told what's wrong with your vehicle just by describing the problem. Most of them "know someone" that can do things a lot cheaper than big named businesses.) So, back to the wipers.... The wipers were dead. Turn it on, and NOTHING would happen... Some guys said it sounded like I blew a fuse, and a couple others said that I might have blown the motor...
Lois told me to try the fuse first. As she said.... "A fuse is a LOT cheaper than a motor."
This morning I got up and went to get my mail... I noticed I had a package, but I was on my way to K to get a fuse, so I didn't have time to find out what the package was...
I go to Sears (If they didn't have it, NO ONE would.) Bought 5 fuses for a dollar and some change, put it in, and sure enough..... Waaa laaa instant wipers.... Good thing too since it was snowing pretty good as I was driving home.
I get home and decide to open my package.. The dvd set I was waiting on had arrived... So, I go over to my parent's house, so excited I started jumping up and down and twirling in circles (literally) while singing that song.... "Walking on Sunshine".
So, even though it was gloomy and snowy, I never noticed it... Still..."I'm walking on sunshine, whoa, I'm walking on sunshine, whoa, I'm walking on sunshine, whoa. And don't it feel good? "

When it rains it pours!!!

I went and got a new tire for my jeep today. I had a 10 AM appointment and was told it would take 40 to 45 mins to do. Well... That 40 -45 mins turned into an HOUR and 16 mins. So, I now have a brand new tire, and the fear of a flat is now gone... However, now I have a new fear.....

On my way to get my tire, I realized that my windshield wipers do not work AT ALL!!! By the time I got to the shop, my windshield was so filthy I could BARELY see out... So, I went through the car wash....

So, I'm now in the process of finding someone who can fix that FAST. Oh, and they're predicting an inch or so of snow for TONIGHT!!! I could be driving home in snow without wipers.

BUT HEY, at least I have a shiny clean Jeep....

SHE'S HOW OLD???????

It's hard to believe that 21 years ago she was born. I remember it so vividly. Aaron and I were staying with grandma and grandpa T. I was asleep in Aunt Marlina's room, while Aaron was asleep on the pull out sofa.
Aaron came running in and jumped up on the bed yelling "Wake up, we have a new brother". I jumped out of bed, and that's when the disappointment of having another brother hit me. I wanted a sister so bad that I had been, for the whole time after mom told us that we she was expecting, actually PRAYING for one.
I went into the kitchen where Grandma was eating something. She looked up and said "Did Aaron tell you about your new sister?" I looked over at Aaron, and he had that smirky smile that only he can do, on his face. (Yes, you can picture it, can't you?)
It's amazing how fast disappointment can disappear. To say I was thrilled was an understatement....
Yes, we've had our differences, but I feel closer to my sister now than I ever did before. Maybe it's due to the both of us growing up... Anyway...
Ashley, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! I LOVE YOU! And if I haven't said it before or lately..... I am VERY proud of you. You have grown into a wonderful woman that I'm PROUD to call a sister!!!!! Have a wonderful 21th birthday, just don't do anything too wild...LOL.

Have to gripe...

This has to be one of the worst weeks I've had in a while.....

First I waited in vain Monday night at Walmart for a dvd set that NEVER arrived. Tues I was snowed in and work was canceled. Wens.. My Jeep was STUCK and couldn't get it out,which means I won't get PAID for those two days... Oh and today?
I was going to T to get some shipping tape so I can send a package to my sister.... I only got 4 miles from home when it happened... My tire blew.... It's shredded. Looks like a roadside bomb got to it.... So, had to call a service station because I needed an adapter for my lug nut, which I didn't have. Anyway.... Service guy changed my tire and only charged $20... If it was just someone passing by, I would've offered AT LEAST $50..After all it was COLD and there's snow on the ground. But helping "damsels in distress" is the service guy's job, and it's a business, so if he's charging only $20 who am I to offer more?

They put my spare on, which isn't in the greatest shape, so PLEASE pray that it will get me back and forth to work today, and to work tomorrow.

I'm going to ask and see if my dad will get my jeep and take it in the shop tomorrow. (I park only a block away from where he parks, and the tire place is across the street. He gets off work at 3 and I'm already at work by 3, so it's not out of his way any to do me this favor.) Anyway, I have to buy a new tire, and have it aligned..All that AFTER I just paid for a new snowblower AND paid SHOVELMAN so I can go to work today.... Makes me sick to think I'll only get a three day check next week...
AUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! (Imagine me tearing my hair out)

Thanks for taking the time to read this..... Oh, and Ashley, No, I still haven't mailed your package to you.. I am SOOOOOO Sorry, this week has been HORRIBLE!!! I know you're waiting so patiently for your Valentine/care/Birthday package. I really feel horrible that you won't get it by your Birthday.... But you WILL get it and SOON!!! I promise!!!

Here he comes to save the day.... SHOVELMAN!!!

I got up this morning and was going to get my mail. The snow was so high my Jeep got STUCK. Wouldn't go forward, wouldn't go backward. The night before I made a HORRIBLE mistake. I parked behind my house.... Now those that know my house, I have a long driveway that wraps around my house. My driveway was COMPLETELY blocked... There was NO WAY I could get through it.....
So, I half hopped and wadded through waist high snow drifts to my parents house to borrow a shovel.... Yeah.... I worked for an hour and only got MAYBE 4 feet cleared... My driveway is a good 50+ feet long. Well, I noticed that my neighbor (other side of my parents) had a snowblower. I went over there and asked "How much would you charge to clear my driveway?" I had to go to work in about 3 hours, and it wasn't cancelled. His silence told me "I'm not going to do it." I was offering him $100 to free my jeep.
So, I was thinking "I HAVE to get my Jeep out." So, my dad called a lot of stores to find a snowblower. Sears was the only place in town that still had a couple. So, we told them to hold one. We went up there, and I bought one. Yes, I am now the proud owner of a snowblower. :)
We get it home, and my dad spent AT LEAST 3 hours trying to figure the thing out... As he was doing that, SHOVELMAN arrived....Snow don't stand a chance with Shovelman.....He can melt snow with his laser eyes...Snow drifts fear him, and sidewalks cheer for him...
Okay, Okay, OKAY... so MAYBE it was only a mild mannered teenager offering to SHOVEL my driveway himself for a fee. I asked him how much he wanted... $70.... Seemed fair to me, so I agreed. He would come in every once in a while to warm up, but he was mostly worried about not finishing by nightfall... Once he realized that school was cancelled AGAIN for tomorrow, he breathed a little easier saying "If I don't finish tonight, I'll have it done before you go to work tomorrow."
He worked VERY HARD clearing my driveway.... Oh, and the $100 I offered the neighbor? Well, my neighbor did get it..... After all, Heros do deserve to be paid a little extra for their hard, cold work once in a while....Thank you Austin, oops, I mean SHOVELMAN!!!

This just seems really odd!!!

I went to a local radio station's website to check on cancellations/closings.... I ran across something that just seemed wrong somehow.
Two funeral homes have postponed viewings/funerals. I can understand the situation, but those poor family members. It's bad enough that they lost someone, but to have to delay the viewing/funeral just seems wrong somehow.

SNOW DAY!!!!!!

I knew we were supposed to get some snow, so I asked for a paid day for today.(mainly because I was HOPING to spend it watching a dvd set I was planning on buying after work. Which Walmart DIDN'T have. GRRR)
I guess others had the same idea, because my boss,Stacy, told me that the book was full.. (They can only let 3 people off at a time). Then she said... "Here's my cell number, if you can't make it in call me." Yeah, she THOUGHT I wanted off for the weather... If she only knew.... LOL... Anyway......

When I left Walmart (about 12:10) it was just starting to snow.
I KNEW it HAD to be bad when my coworker, (Captain), texted me, at 10 this morning and said "NO WORK today, they cancelled 2nd and 3rd shift"...... I work in a factory, and they NEVER close. I've worked there for 12 1/2 years and they've NEVER closed due to snow.


Right now, the snow is drifting BAD and the roads are CLOSED. The snow is now up to my bumper. There is a snow emergency, which means driving is prohibited. The town I live in is a little town surrounded by corn and soybean fields, so the roads drift even worse since it's open land.
The roads out of town are completely blocked.(By the way, I live about 10 miles from the nearest grocery store.. Hope I don't have to stoop to fighting the cat for her food. LOL.).. I went a few blocks to the little gas station, and I BARELY got there, and I have a 4 wheel drive Jeep Wrangler. I went next door (to my parent's house) to let my parents know that work was cancelled, and the snow came up almost to my knees.. I'm only 5 foot 2? 3?. (It's WORSE than that now. I would guess it's up to my upper thighs if not my waist now.)
The wind is blowing at 30 miles per hour with 6 to 8 more inches of snow expected tonight. It hasn't stopped snowing since midnight (Monday night? Tues. morning?)...

The government snowplows haven't been out all day. They won't plow when it's drifting. As I am typing this, I'm looking out my window and I see a FARM tractor and a Big 4 wheel drive pickup truck with snow plows trying their hardest to keep the town streets clear. Farmers with their big tractors and people who own HUGE 4 wheel drive trucks, who live in town, are working in shifts trying to plow the streets themselves.
The local radio stations are asking that if anyone has 4 wheel drives or snowmobiles and wants to help get people to shelter or take people to hospitals to call the police dept. Ambulances can't get through this....
Okay all you SUV bashers, what do you think of SUVs now??? Not so bad are they? Whaa haa haa...
So, I get a snow day, and I don't even have the dvd set to keep me occupied. BOOOO....But at least we haven't lost electricity.. So, I guess that's a good thing...

The way it looks, might have another snow day tomorrow.(keeping my fingers crossed). Whoo hooo... I feel like I'm in school again, hoping for snow days. LOL...

Bad with remembering dates...

I know for a fact that two of my cousins have birthdays the day after each other. Here's the embarrassing part.... I can't remember who's is on what day..I know one's on the 10th and the other on the 11th.... So I'll just do it this way................ HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARRIE AND HEATH!!!!!! I hope your day was/is great!!!

Walk A Mile and lessons learned....

This morning my alarm went off at 7:45, which to me was WAAY too early. After putting on layerS of clothes, and bundling up (hat, gloves, and scarves) my mom and I went on a mile walk for the Rescue Mission. Before I left I wanted to know what the temp. was.... So, I called time and temp, and it was ZERO degrees. Thankfully there wasn't a wind. We get to the Rescue Mission, and it was CHAOS. We decided to wait until after the walk to pick up our long sleeved t-shirts... The choice this year was a shirt (Black with hot pink Walk A Mile In Our Shoes on the back. COOL!!) or gloves. I REALLY wanted a shirt. Anyway, my mom and I shivered our way to Open Arms, where they had hot chocolate, coffee, and McDonald's cinnamon rolls waiting for us. After warming up, and showing my mom Aunt Rebecca's preschool class, we headed back to the Mission. Now when we got back the first thing I noticed was the shirts were GONE!!! To say I was bummed is an understatement. So after halfheartedly accepting the gloves and managing (forcing is more like it) a thank you, we left. When I got home, my "Big girl" had a very stern talk with my "little girl". The "talk" went something like this.......(Imagine a parent talking to a child).... "This ISN'T about YOU. You did this for the HOMELESS, not YOU!! How could you be so ungrateful for a pair of gloves? There are homeless people that search dumpsters hoping to find a glove for each hand, and they don't care if they even match or smell. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? They didn't have to give you ANYTHING. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, and be grateful they gave you anything. Sheesh.... After my talk, I actually felt better about the gloves..... Oh, and Ashley, this summer when you're home and you go to Goodwill, could you look for the shirt? LOL

Girls day out part 3

Ok, I need to clarify something.... Since my mom doesn't get online, I told her to be thinking about ideas where she'd like to go for our 2nd annual GDO. Her idea??? HAWAII!!!!!
Regardless how tempting that sounds (espcially with this cold snap) we do need to limit this trip to somewhere we can go and get back within a day. HENCE the words DAY out. (Just mentioned that in case someone came up with the same idea. LOL)
Ashley comes home sometime around May 10th, and my parents are talking about taking a vacation in June or July to Canada. (I've never been anywhere where I needed a passport... COOL!!!!!) So late May? Early June? Sometime in July? Early EARLYAugust?

COLTS WIN THE SUPERBOWL!!!!!

I will be the first to admit that I HATE sports.... Football, basketball, soccer.... Makes no difference. I think it's stupid that grown men are paid more money than teachers, law enforcement, and EMTs(People with REAL jobs) just to run up and down a field. STUPID STUPID STUPID.
However..... Since everyone at work is so "excited" about this game (one of our bosses is an ex-Colts player) I KNOW the game will be the topic of most conversations today. I also know that there's going to be a lot of people in good moods, especially a certain boss. (It's always good when the boss is in a good mood). Anyway, since I know that 99.99% of the conversations today will be about last night's game, I caught the last 5 mins. I HAD to know who won, so I can throw in a few words at least.
This hasn't changed my outlook on sports, and I still think players are WAY overpaid. Football is pretty stupid.... After all, grown men fighting over a quarter. Sheesh..... Just give the team their quarter back so they can go home for crying out loud. (After all, isn't what the team is supposed to do? Get the quarterback?)

Girl's day out part 2.....

Since there is an interest in having another day out, I took the liberty of looking to see when we went last year, and found out that we went May 8th.
That week would be IMPOSSIBLE this year. It's the first full week of May, and that's when they pay our vacation checks for the next year, and our unused Paid days. I still have all 5 of my paid days from last May. (note to self.... USE THEM UP!!!!!!!!)
Anyway, since that's when they pay our unused paid days, the company puts a hold on all paid days that week.
So..... WHEN Do we want to go? a week or so later, a week earlier, or later? Also, would a weekday or Sat be better? Places like Nashville are not as crowded during the week. Also, WHERE do we want to go? Back to Nashville, or would you rather explore somewhere we've never been? Do you have the "hankerin" to go northward, southward, eastward, or westward? Have there ever been a place you've always wanted to go, but always thought, I'll go there someday? (For example..a spontanious trip to a Holocaust musuem.) Here's your chance. Speak up, we're listening.

Reader's challenge

I was just thinking the other day.... How many people read this blog? I know of at least 3.
Here's a challenge for all of my faithful readers. Now's your chance to boost my self esteem some and step out of your little corner and introduce yourselves or if you're "shy" just say HI.
To "break the ice" I'll go first...... I would introduce myself, but if you've been reading my blog for a while, you already know me, so all I'm going to say is.....HI and thank you for reading my blog!!!!!!

2nd Annual girls day out?

Okay Carrie, Carol, Beth, Ashley, and any other FEMALE family member that might be reading this... I think it's time to think about a second annual girl's (women's) day out.
I had so much fun last year, that we HAVE to plan something this year. Okay, so throw out ideas and dates, and let's get this planned.... Whoo hoo!!!!!!!!

Walk A Mile In My Shoes and a "selfish" prayer request

On Feb.10 I will be walking in the WAMIMS again this year. Last year my sister had an unplanned trip home, and with the promise of a Starbucks afterwards walked with me. Well, this year she won't be home, but I managed to talk my mom into walking with me. I went to the Rescue Mission and picked up some forms. They want each walker to raise AT LEAST $50. Well, I knew it would be a lot harder for my (stay at home) mom to raise the money, so I donated it to her. I only did it, because I just wanted to make sure she wouldn't back out of it. Yeah, sneaky aren't I? LOL.

Here's my "selfish" prayer request. I've been hearing that next week we're going to be in the single digits weatherwise. Please pray that it warms up some for the walk. This walk goes on rain or shine (or snow and negative degree weather.) They don't cancel this walk for ANYTHING. It's not me I'm concerned about, it's my mom. With her blood thinners, she gets colder faster than the rest of us. It's for her sake I want the weather to warm up.

See? I told you it's a selfish prayer request.

God at work

I was supposed to have worked over tonight (Tues), but I had one of those weird feelings. At 9:30 something was telling me to go home. As it got closer to time to leave, the worse it got. By the time 11 rolled around, it was like a drum repeating over and over "go home, go home, go home." I was starting to feel physically sick.

So, I told my boss I couldn't stay. He wasn't too happy with me, but oh well. I had to obey my gut feeling.
So I left...
As I approached my house, there was a SUV sitting two houses away. (On the other side of my parent's house). A young girl (okay, anyone in their early 20s looks young to me.) was shivering by this vehicle. The first person I thought of was Ashley. This girl is about the same age and height. She was crying uncontrollably.
I pulled into my driveway, and instead of the "go home" drumming in my head, it was now a "go back, go back" feeling.
So, I backed out of my driveway, and stopped next to her. I rolled down my window, and asked her if she was ok. She said "I ran out of gas,my cell phone's dead, and I have no clue where I am." She started crying even harder when she said "I've tried flagging down cars and no one would stop."
Two major factories just let out, so there were A LOT of vehicles driving through town, yet NO ONE thought to help. By the time I got home, the streets were empty. After praying for God's protection, I said "It's freezing out here, why don't you get in and warm up." As she climbed in, I noticed that her tears were frozen to her face and she was shivering and crying uncontrollably. I turned the heater up full blast and just sat there for a while. That's when she told me her story....
This girl lives 2 hours away in Southern Indiana. A guy she worked with asked her on a date to the bar here in town. She said she was wanting to get gas on the way, but he was afraid of being late. So, after a couple hours at this bar, this girl's "friend" was still playing cards, she told him that she'd be right back she was going to get gas. By this time, the gas station was closed. Since she didn't know her way around she stayed on the same road. Of course there aren't any gas stations except here in this town. So, she turned around, came back, and ran out of gas. She called her "friend" and he had left with some friends.. . He said I'm almost to my mom's house, and I'm not coming back, so you're on your own.
As we are talking, a guy I work with (and trust. Nice guy, married with two kids, and 3 grandkids.) pulled up behind me. I went home, grabbed the gas can out of the garage, and the three of us took his truck to a gas station. She was pretty hysterical until we assured her that we were "safe", she could trust us, and everything will be okay.
She was so cold she didn't realize she'd broken her finger until we got to the station.
We get back, put the gas in the tank. Now by this time the neighbor of the house we were "blocking" came out and was trying to help. He eventually had to get some jumper cables and jump her vehicle.
Now here's where it gets really interesting.
She was trying to figure out how to get to an interstate. "ANY interstate would be okay." Since I was the ONLY one that knew how to get to 465 from there, it was up to me to give her directions. So, we get back into this coworker's truck (It's only 8 degrees outside) and I start telling her. Well, a police officer decided at that moment to pull up, turn on his lights, and ask for IDs and this coworker's and girl's reason for being in this town.

Here's my question.. What business was it of his to ask that? We had already explained about her running out of gas, and just trying to help her.
Since when are good samaritians "punished" for good deeds by cops? All any of us wanted was to be on our way home. And lastly... Why couldn't he have helped give her a hand? He never bothered asking if she was ok, needed directions, or more gas. Isn't that what police USUALLY do?

This poor girl finally got out after thanking us 100 times or more, and left with a quarter tank of gas.

Here's another thing...... This coworker is from New Castle. He said "I just had a feeling I had to take this road home." So, What if I had worked over until 3 am? What if this coworker had taken his normal way home? This girl could've frozen to death before anyone noticed she was there. My neighbors don't get up until AT LEAST 4. She would've sat there for 4 hours or more in 8 degree weather with no heat.
That was 2 hours ago, and my thoughts are still on this poor girl. I pray that she made it home safe and sound.
Talk about God's perfect timing.

I FOUND IT!!!

As you know, I am a 4th, 5th, and 6th grade Sunday School teacher.. Before that I was the High School Sunday school teacher. So, when I switched classes I noticed that the posters in my class were over the heads of my 10,11, and 12 year olds.

I have been searching for 2 years now for the "PERFECT" picture for my class.

A couple weeks ago, my aunt Carol and I went to a Christian bookstore, and I fell in LOVE with a picture. I told Aunt Carol that this picture was THE picture. Well there were two small problems.... 1 It was framed... We are not allowed to put nails in the walls. and 2. It was about $100. (That's with the 30% discount... It was $139)

With a downcast heart, I ran across a postcard similar to that picture, not exactly what I was looking for, but on the same style.. I looked on the back.. Sure enough there was a website. Went to the website and FOUND several pictures PERFECT for my class. The great part is...... They are only 99 cents each. Okay so they're 5x7 postcards, but I do have a bulletin board in my room. Perfect size to tack up.


This picture I fell in love with is called "Storytime". It's a picture of a bunch of kids sitting on the floor as their teacher is reading a story to them. Jesus is sitting on the floor with these children listening along.

The other pictures I bought from this site are:
Johnny Made Whole
My Friends
The Family of God
and
The Lion and the Lamb (Which is really neat.)

The picture I bought at the bookstore is called:
Family Worship

You can see all these pictures at: (By the way, this web page has all of the pictures on one page. Don't have to search, just scroll down. Click on the picture to see a bigger picture of it.)

http://www.hartclassics.com/products.php?show=by_size

I found not one picture, but 5, ordered, them and now to wait for them to arrive. I am one HAPPY camper. :)

Books, Books, Books, and more Books!!!!!!

Everyone that knows me knows that I LOVE to read. I have a goal for this year..... 52 books in 52 weeks..... So far, I'm right where I should be...

I read a book last week that really grabbed me.... It's called "Between Heaven and Ground Zero." It's a true story about a woman that worked on the 36th floor of tower one. She described what she saw and how she felt so well it was almost like being there. She said she was reborn after leaving the towers. Before she was arrogent and "proud", afterwards she suffered from post tramic stress syndrome, but she learned to hand everything over to the Lord.
I learned things about the towers that I didn't know before.... I didn't know that tower one was leaning after the attack and never uprighted itself, and the ceilings were caving in. TV showed a much different picture. I started this book one morning, couldn't stop until it was done. Very dramatic, WILL make you cry, but it's a worthwhile read.....

MY 100th post!!!!!!!!

For my 100th post, I'm going to sing a song for the occasion.... Okay, maybe I won't, after all who wants to hear me sing? Besides, you CAN'T hear me sing,because this is a BLOG... You can only READ..... So, singing would be pointless and a very big waste of my time, not to mention yours, since you won't be able to hear me sing.


But, I do however have plans....... I discovered the other day that I am the only grandkid of the T side of the family that does NOT know how to play or is learning an instrument...I've already been told that the radio doesn't count, since ANY ONE can do that. So, to find an instrument I can play..... Instruments that use alot of air is OUT... I have no desire to pass out from lack of oxygen....
So, I'm thinking of either taking up the banjo or the Dulcimer..... I've heard that Dulcimers are very easy to learn. We'll see....

You sure you don't want to hear me sing? You do? Well..... TOO BAD, because you CAN'T.... Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Yes, I am laughing at you, and the best part is..... YOU CAN'T HEAR ME!!!!!!!

Morbid or preparing?

Okay, I'm going to leave it up to you, my dear readers, to tell me if I'm going insane or is this "appropriate behavior." Ok, here goes.........

Several months ago (as in November) I bought this book thing called "Making Things Easy For My Family." It a "journal" type thing that I write down what my family would need to know at the time of my death.. The first page is a step by step thing to do.(call family,friends, employer, etc).then the next pages are important phone numbers, Location of personal papers, Benfits you can expect (life insurance etc)insurance polcies, real estate and auto papers/information, record of what I owe, banking info, Record of what is owed to me, Burial and Memorial preparations (Where I want to be buried, who I want to speak, who I want as pall bearers, and desires for the funeral), personal notes, and personal property.

Okay, I know what you're thinking........ NO!!!! Don't even think about it..... Yeah, I agree, but you know.... I went one step further...
Okay what I did next is even more morbid than the first part of this post... Ready?

I am in the process of putting my favorite songs on cd to be played at my funeral... Yes, All my favorite songs (that would be appropriate at a funeral) on one cd. That way all the songs are there, there will be no hunting or searching for songs.

But that's not all. If you order now, we'll send you not 1 BUT 2 cds. Wait.... There's more..... If you call within the next 10 mins, You not only get the funeral cd and the free cd, but we'll throw in a set of steak knifes all for $19.99. WOW!!! That's a $289 offer for only $19.99... Order now supplies are limited.

As you can see, I've watched WAY too many informercials. Then again, they are usually the only thing on TV at 2AM.

Lost money found again........

Don't you hate it when you go to the bank to get money and you lose it? I went to the bank to get money out for a bill, I went straight to Walmart to get a money order (the place I pay my bill doesn't accept checks or cash.) I get there and realize that I'm $100 short. I searched my pockets and emptied my purse. NOTHING. We counted the money 8 times. So, I thought, ok the bank shorted me. I go ahead and get the money order, drive downtown to pay the bill, and then drove ALL the way back across town to the bank. Pull into the parking lot, open my purse, and there's the $100 bill laying right on top.
There's NO WAY I could've missed it.

Backwards spelled backwards is sdrawkcab

I pulled a 12 hour shift yesterday.... 11-11, so by the time I got off work, I was pretty slap happy. And it didn't help that I stopped by Starbucks on the way home. My best friend, Lois, worked over 3-3. By 2/ 2:30AM, we were texting each other crazy/silly things.... She started it by saying... "Did you know that Captain spelled backwards is niatpac? I didn't." We'll it just snowballed from there.

eW detrats gnitxet ekil siht. I dlot reh taht ew era hcus sresol. We texted whole conversations BACKWARDS. I told her one good thing about it, is if anyone found our cell phones, they'd think we were speaking a different language. I have made up my mind that I am going to be able to type/text backwards just as fast as I do normally. That is my goal in life. Pretty pathetic isn't it? Then again, it would drive everyone I know insane.
Things you think to do when you're bored and sleep deprived.

Chasing Rainbows

One rainy summer day when I was 12, my friend, Sandy, and I waited out the storm in her garage. After it rained there was a HUGE bright rainbow. Well, being kids we decided to follow the rainbow hoping to find the pot of gold. As we walked we discussed how we were going to spend our new found money. They were childish dreams full of candy, ice cream, and buying out toy stores.
Of course, the rainbow disappeared before we got anywhere near it, but we did find ourselves a few miles from home in a beautiful meadow in a woods. This meadow had 20 different flowers (we counted), rasberries, and wild strawberries. We spent a couple hours exploring this meadow. This meadow became our "secret" place. We promised NEVER to tell of it's existance. Mainly to keep my brother and her brother and sister away from it.
Sandy moved to St. Louis two months later. On the first day of school while I was meeting my teachers, she was heading out of town. I didn't get a chance to see her off. We did send a couple letters back and forth, but before long, we lost track of each other.
That summer was the first and only time I went to that meadow. After she left, it just seemed wrong to go by myself. However, my mind goes back to those lazy summer days.
I discovered recently that life is like chasing rainbows. It's always fun to dream, plan, and wish for things to happen. But when they don't, and if you take the time to look around, you might make wonderful discoveries about things you never new existed.

Finally got it!!!!

Well, I finally got IT. No it's nothing you can buy on eBay. It's more personal. I finally caught the flu. Came down with it Wens. night, and missed two days of work. THANKFULLY I worked 4 hours over one night and worked Sat. So, I came out even with 42 hours.
All I can say is......... Is this week over YET????

Gloom, despair, and Agony on Me.. Whooa

I apologize for the lack of posts lately, but my phone lines are still down, so I'm using my parent's computer. This has been a ROTTEN few weeks........
As you know, my grandma T. passed away before Christmas, which was hard enough.

Two weeks to the day she passed away, our previous neighbor died of cancer. He found out in September that he had it.

Then I go to work yesterday and found out that one of my coworkers, and a good friend, Tim, committed Suicide. If someone told me last week he'd shoot himself, I would've laughed in your face. He was a strong Christian man who was taking care of his seriously ill wife, and his ill mother-in-law. He was told he had cancer about a month ago, and that's when his drinking started. I guess he got some bad news at his last doctor's appointment, and decided to end it all.

Then when I told my sister about it this morning, and she said "I hate to add more rain,but....." I don't feel free to go into all the details here, but please keep Aaron and Chris in your prayers, they are having a HORRIBLE time right now. In which it very well can and possibly will affect the whole family.

I told my friend Lois that I've cried so much in the last few weeks that I could sink a ship. I keep thinking of that old Hee Haw song.........
Gloom, despair and Agony on me... Whooa
Deep, dark depression excessive misery... Whooa
If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.... Whooa
Gloom, despair, and Agony on me.

Christmas Past

The other day my mom and I went on a trip down memory lane. It was a nice little trip with plenty of good memories... So sit back and come with me down the road to Christmas past.....
My fondest Christmas memories are of Christmas Eve.......
One of my most memorable Christmas's was when I was around 6 or 7. I was just learning to read and I remember Grandpa T. placing his HUGE Bible into my lap (Hey, I was only 6 or 7 EVERYTHING was huge back then). I remember I couldn't read the big words, so grandma would quietly tell me what they were, and I'd say them out loud as though I really did know them all along.

Then of course the time that Aaron, Carrie, Jeremy, and I all took turns reading the Christmas story. One would read a verse or two and pass it on down the line. I don't know about other family members, but I found being picked to read the Christmas story to be a great honor. To see grandpa looking quickly around to see who he'd pick, and I'd always be hoping it would be me. Then again, it would be selfish if I read it every year. The honor should've and was passed equally around.

Then the presents..... Oh the presents. I could always count on Aunt Ida giving me a new dress. She always gave me such pretty dresses... Then there was the year of the "mixed up Christmas gift." Grandma T gave Carrie and I "My Little Pony's". HOWEVER she accidentally switched them, and I remember when we switched back Carrie said "But that's the one I really wanted." I felt HORRIBLE about that. Carrie, I would have traded you, but I was so afraid of hurting Grandma's feelings. Now that I'm grown, I realize she wouldn't have minded if we had switched back. At the time, I just didn't want to see her hurt. But I always had felt bad about that. Still do in a way.

Then there's the "missing baby Jesus" memory. Ashley was 20 months old. She had been sick with a fever her first Christmas, and so her first Christmas Eve was actually her second Christmas. She was an adorable girl who had a dreadful pacifier addiction. Anyway, Grandma and Grandpa T. had a good size, plastic, lit up nativity scene inside their house. It was just Mary, Joseph, and a "detachable" baby Jesus. Once Ashley realized that Baby Jesus could be taken out of the manager, she held onto it for dear life. When we would try to take it away, she'd cry and scream. If I'm not mistaken there's a picture in Grandma's hallway of Ashley sitting on someone's lap (Mine? mom's?) sucking on her pacifier, and holding baby Jesus. It was like pulling teeth to get it away from her.

Then there's a few memories that aren't Christmas Eve related.....
We moved when I was 10. We had just gotten our new house, and wasn't even moved in yet. The only thing in the house was our Christmas tree. On Christmas Eve. Mom, Dad, Aaron, and I all slept in sleeping bags on the dining room floor.

That was the same year that the cabbage patch dolls came out, and I wanted one. I remember seeing on TV people fighting over them. I remember clearly a man on TV holding two dolls saying "I got two of them, I got two of them." I turned to mom and said "That's kind of selfish don't you think? He should only take one, and give the other to another dad that wants one for his little girl."
I wanted one so badly, but I knew there was NO WAY I'd get one. My dad JUST got back to work after being laid off for four years, and money was still tight. We went over to Grandma and Grandpa M's for Christmas day. When it came time to open presents, there was a big gift for me from my Aunt Rebecca and Uncle Rick. It was a Cabbage Patch doll. I don't think I've EVER hugged anyone so much in my life. I was truly a very happy girl.

There are so many memories, but these are just the one's that stick out..... If you need something to warm your heart, or to put you in the Christmas mood, here you go..........

A couple years ago, my Aunt Rebecca took her granddaughter Chelsea (Who was about 7 or 8 at the time) to see Santa. Santa asked her what she wanted for Christmas.
Chelsea said "I want everyone in the world that doesn't have a good job to get a good job. And I want everybody in the world that doesn't have enough food, to get enough food."
Santa said: "That's nice but what do YOU want?"
She said: "I want everyone that has to live on the cold streets to have a nice warm bed and a warm house to live in."
Santa: That's wonderful, but what do YOU want?
Chelsea thought for a min, and said: There's a little girl in my class that's poor. Her clothes are old, and she doesn't have a coat. She shivers when she walks into our classroom. I want you to bring her a new coat and some warm clothes, so she won't be cold anymore.
She then climbed off his lap, and Santa called her back. He gave her a HUGE hug and said "God bless you Chelsea." She was so happy that she went running to Rebecca and said "Santa hugged me and said "God Bless you, isn't that the neatest?"

Putt putt, Chuck E Cheese, and one EXHAUSTED teacher OH MY!!!

I wanted to do something special for my Sunday school class for Christmas. Since I only have two kids ages 10 and 11, I thought they were old enough to enjoy a "field trip."
I had planned this trip a month ago, and kept my fingers crossed that I would not be forced to work the planned Sat. Since I knew the ladies of L.I.F.T. (Ladies In Fellowship Together) group from my church was planning a Christmas Party at a local resteraunt this evening, I thought it would just be easier to throw in a Sunday School party the morning of the party. I figured it would be easier to get one Sat off than to try to get two.....
So..... Rewind to yesterday (Friday). I worked a 12 hour shift, and halfway through my shift I was really craving homemade chili. (Chris gave me a great SPICY chili recipe. Can't wait to try it).. SO... After work (mind you I'd been up since 9 AM, which is extremely early for me and pulled a 12 hour shift to boot.) I headed to Walmart and bought the "fixins" to make chili. Amongst other things..... Didn't leave Walmart until a quarter after 1 AM, and FINALLY went to bed at 5 AM. (Forgot I had laundry to dry, and I don't sleep with a dryer on. I also had to wrap some gifts for my SS kids.)
I had told the kids we would leave the church at 10 AM. So, I dragged myself out of bed at 9 AM, left at 9:30 and both kids were waiting for me at the church.
We got to this indoor, glow in the dark putt putt at 10:30, was supposed to open at 10, but the employee didn't show up until 11. Not only that but this other family was already there, and had reservations for a birthday party at 10. To say they weren't very happy was a gross understatement.

She finally opened the doors to let us in, and I found out that this putt putt place is AMAZING!!!! If you have kids, do yourself a favor and take them. It's very reasonable.... $6 for kids 12 and under, and $8 for adults, and you can get glow in the dark necklaces for the whole group for only a buck. It's in the old Lazurus store in the Markland mall. When you walk in it looks VERY small, and I honestly thought that there were MAYBE 9 holes. However after about the fifth hole, you turn the corner, and go behind the wall, and you'll discover it seems to go on forever. There's 40 holes of endless golfing (we counted). Okay so there's no windmills, nor fountains, and there's not even any water, but hey, EVERYTHING glows in the dark. The only lights in this place are the black lights, so if you go wear white. It's awesome. It's really amazing....
We started playing at 11, and we didn't finish until noon. After "golfing" we headed over to Chuck E Cheese, which one of my kids had never been there before. We spent about 2 hours eating and playing games.. Well.... so they played games, I just carried on an interesting one sided conversation with Chuck the mouse.... Yeah, I was a little bored. LOL.

I got the kids home around 2:30, went home, grabbed a 40 min nap and went out to eat with the LIFT group and their spouses.
To say I'm about to drop is putting it lightly. I do know I AM going to bed early tonight. Might throw the ingrediants for chili in my crockpot before church in the morning....MIGHT be done by the time I get home...

My Christmas parties are finished for the year, and I can concentrate on family.

Christmas trees more the merrier?????

Growing up our tradition was that Christmas decorations didn't go up until the first weekend of December. Well, with the weather being so warm last weekend, I put up my outside lights. It's not much just 3 strands outlining my front porch. My tree will be put up this weekend sometime.

I USED to have a 6 and a half foot tree, but I found stringing the lights such a hassle that I downgraded to a 4 foot PRELIT tree last year. It only takes about 2 mins. to put it up. Just snap the two parts together and put it in the stand. I can have the whole tree up and decorated in less than 10 mins.


I went into work four hours early yesterday, and started talking to a lady about Christmas and Christmas trees. She goes all out for Christmas. When I asked her how many Christmas trees she had in her house, her answer about knocked me over..... She has 13.

She has a tree for each of her 13 grandkids. They come over one or two at a time and help put up and decorate their own tree. She told me that each tree matches the personality of that grandkid. For example one grandson is into race cars, so his tree is NASCAR covered, one granddaughter is into princesses, so her tree has a princess theme. Her youngest is into Sesame Street, so there's a SS tree for her. Her oldest grandkid is 21 and her youngest are 2 year old twins. She's done this every year since the oldest was born. When they are born they get a small 2 foot tree, as they get older and add more and more to their tree, they get to "Upgrade" to a bigger tree every 5 years.

Also in Dec. she has all the females in her family come over for a baking fest. They bake TONS of cookies, pies, and goodies. She said they ALL help.... From the youngest to the oldest.. She told me that she started that when her daughters were little, and now it's grown to include all the granddaughters..... Including her 2 year old granddaughter.

All I can think is, she must have a lot of patience to have the 2 year old to help, and to have that many people in her kitchen.

Helping the less fortunate.......

Please don't think I'm bragging, because that's not my intentions at all... I just had the opportunity to help a poor, extremely under employed young man that normally wouldn't have been able to afford Christmas for his family. I just HAD to help him out, since I always try to help the less fortunate. So .....I took Austin Christmas shopping this weekend....

It brought back so many happy memories of our Friday night shopping sprees... When he was little he would call my cell phone while I was at work, or mom would give me a letter he'd written BEGGING me to take him to Walmart or Meijer Friday night. Being the adorable kid he is, I'd always take him. He would wait up for me to get home from work, and we'd go shopping at midnight. We had a routine. He'd run to the milk section, grab a small container of eggnog (around Christmas) or banana milk,(Which by the way is just as gross as it sounds. This is the same kid that would go through a whole gallon of milk a day if mom would let him.) and he'd drink it while we were shopping. If he was hungry, he'd find something open it up and start eating. It was okay since he always asked, and of course I ALWAYS paid for them. It's funny the clerk would ring up empty things and ask "Do you want to keep these?" That always struck me funny. We normally just went grocery shopping, but more times than not, he'd walk out with a new toy.

He would always fall asleep on the way home, and we'd finally arrive home around 3 am.

I love that kid.... Yes Ashley, I love you too.

Flu Shots and other yucky things....

I had been trying to find cheap flu shots. They were giving them away at work for free, but when I went to get one, they had already packed up and left. So, I found out that some community center was giving them away for $25 each, which is cheaper than the $30-35 I have been seeing. My mom had already gotten hers the day before, and she asked if I wanted her to go with me. Since I didn't know where it was, I agreed.

So, I filled out the paper work, rolled up my sleeve, and turned my head away. If I look, I pass out. I was feeling dizzy and lightheaded, but passed it off as "just in my head". Since this was my first flu shot EVER, the nurse wanted me to stick around for 15 mins, to make sure there wasn't any allergic reactions.

I realized something about myself today...... When it comes to shots/needles, I discovered that I hold my breath. Which would explain the lightheaded, dizziness I was feeling. My mom was a lifesaver though, she pulled out a notebook and we played SEVERAL games of tic tac toe. (By the way she's a wiz at it.) Which got my mind off my feeling "faint", and in no time I was feeling like my old self.

We did stop at McDonalds afterwards. I laughed and said I felt like a little kid being rewarded for being a "big girl".

Then another thought hit me.... I just paid $25 dollars to let them poke me with a needle.... I'm sure I have siblings that would be willing to do that for FREE! Then again, if one of my sibs gave me a shot it would hurt more than just that little poke. It would feel more like a stab. Maybe paying isn't so bad after all.

Copyright police....... They are watching...

Last Feb. I one of my blog posts was about my favorite picture.... "The Touch". In my blog I mentioned that due to copyright laws I couldn't post a copy of the picture on my blog....
So, imagine my surprise when I received the following email recently.............

Subject: Your Feb 2006 blog post
Angela,

Recently I stumbled on a post on your blog: http://angelaslifeorthelackofone.blogspot.com/2006/02/old-answer-to-prayer.html .

In it you mentioned your inability to find a website that would let you display Ron DiCianni's The Touch. First, we appreciation your restraint and your respect of the artist's copyright for this image. The good news is that we here at Tapestry are Ron's agents and would be pleased to give you permission to include the image in your post if you are still interested.

Please let me know and I will get you the appropriate links and permissions. -gjd


Grant DiCianniVice President


This person had also included a phone number and email address, which due to personal information, I didn't post on here.

So, word to the wise... Watch your copyrighted material, you never know who's reading... Infringing copyright laws can be very costly..... So, be careful what pictures you are using.

Christmas Season Has Officially Started..

Even though I have ALMOST all my shopping finished (only 4 people to go), the Christmas season didn't officially start until Today (Thursday).
Every year the local radio station has a "trim a tree" auction... Different businesses, churches, and schools decorate Christmas trees.. There are close to 50 trees with 50 different themes. The trees and wreathes are displayed in the local mall for 2 weeks. On November 11? 12? All the trees and wreathes will be auctioned off. the winners not only win the trees, but also whatever is under the tree. For example "Texas Roadhouse" has a tree this year, you not only win the tree, but also all the gift certificates that are under the tree...

The money goes to several nonprofit charities... I know the Salvation Army and the Rescue Mission are only 2 of the charities that the money goes to..

Every year my mom and I go look at the trees. We always go during the week before I go to work. We always admire each tree and pick something that's really neat or really unusual. (The chains of glued peanuts on the Texas Roadhouse tree did make an unsual, but very fitting garland.) There were a few trees that brought tears to my eyes. One was a red, white, and blue tree with pictures of every Indiana soldier that has lost their lives in Iraq.

After looking at the trees, we went to the radio station store in the mall (which is only open until the tree auction) we bought some Doo Dahs (Which are chocolate covered carmel corn) and a couple Christmas cds. The artists are all local people and churches. Really neat.

After leaving the mall, we popped in the cd and listened to it all the way home. I am now in the Christmas mood. :)

A Flattering but Overwhelming Offer.......

Last night as I was leaving work my friend Dave stopped me. Dave is our fill-in Union steward. When our normal one isn't there Dave steps in, and he's really good. I told him that he needs to run sometime for a full time stewardship. Anyway, he was telling me that a lot of people on second shift has been complaining that we don't have a second shift chaplin. There's one on the two other shifts but ours. Dave, being the person he is, brought up my name. He then asked me if I'd be interested. I know IF I do this, I would be an "intern" until they think I can handle it on my own, and I'd be on the chaplin commitee. I told him that I have to pray about it, and he said "See? You just proved that you'd be perfect for it." I am still overwhelmed by this idea. I'm not a preacher, nor am I Bible College graduate.I'm just a quite, partly shy, backward, 32 year old 4,5, and 6th grade Sunday school teacher. I'm praying for guidence and wisdom in this situation...

Scared little girls turn into Brave Women...

My friend Lois and I realized the other day that we had some of the same fears as kids. The only difference is she was the youngest and her older brother and sisters were always scaring her.
She said that every night she'd go to her room and her brother would say "Watch out for the green eye." Even though she had NO idea what that was, it always scared her.

Even though I didn't have that fear,I did discover that we both were the champs at long jumps. I found out that she (like myself) would turn off the light and jump as far as she could to the bed. Why you ask? Because we KNEW there was something under our beds that would grab our ankles and drag us under the bed if we were caught. Once I did miss the bed and fell straight to the floor beside my bed. I thought for sure I was a goner, but I guess the under-the-bed-monster was off duty that night.

She was also scared of skeletons. She was so scared, that her parents bought her a little, tiny, plastic movable one that she slept with every night. She even named it, I THINK she said it's name was Scaley. But something sad happened to poor "scaley?" She thought he was cold one night, so she put him on top of her lamp. In the morning it was just a melted plastic pile.

It's so hard to believe that this person that was terrified of skeletons, green eyes, and things under the bed..... Grew up, joined the Air Force, and served in Desert Storm. Her job was to identify body parts after battles. She would go to the field, and when she found a body part, she'd put a flag by it, then someone else coming behind would know where the pieces were and put each piece in individual body bags. She told me that you NEVER stand there and try to figure out what body part it was. "You don't stand there and think 'that's an arm, or that's a leg' You just stick your flag in the ground, and move on to the next part. You don't waste time thinking about what you're really doing. If you did, you'd need counseling."

Her 7 (now 8) year old son, Philip, asked "Mommy why are you retarded?" She said "What do you mean?" "Why are you retarded from the Air Force?" Last April, Lois retired from the Air Force. So, now we refer to her as being retarded. Lois, you're my hero, and I salute you!!!!!!!!!


With Veterans day coming up, do me a favor and thank a veteran.

Great friends....

I have a friend, Lois ('Ello Captain!)who I work with and is my best friend.

We text each other ALL the time at work. One day I had over 80 text mess. from her and vice versa... Thankfully we both have the same service provider so all texts are FREE!!!!! Lately we've been on this pirate kick. We be textin' tryin' ta sound like pirates all day.. AARR matey. (By the way I can type/write piratey better than I can speak it.) I gave her the nickname Captain, and she gave me the nickname Poppet. (Okay family keep that in mind when we play Curses.... I am getting pretty good at piratey talk. ;)

Talking about pirates...One day I was trying to text Lois, and my mind was on pirate talk... My boss walks up and asks if skilled trades was working on my machine. Keep in mind that my brain was in pirate mode... I look up and said "Aye Captain.... AAAARRR." He looked at me VERY strangely and walked away. I was laughing so hard that of course I had to text Lois and tell her what I did, which she found funny as well.

A couple weeks ago we went plunderin' Starbucks after work, and didn't leave until close to 3AM. Gotta love 24 hour Starbucks. We were the only ones in there and the guy working there gave us free drinks.. That's how I got hooked on the Spiced Pumpkin Lattes.

She's always been there for me. After Grandpa T died, she called me to make sure I was ok.... I was at work when Grandpa M died, and she was right there letting me cry on her shoulder... Wonderful friend to have around.....By the way her birthday is.......... July 7.... So every year we do something to CELEBRATE...

Now skip to my other friend, Dave. He's Lois's boyfriend.... When my ex boyfriend, whom I don't speak of....(Aunt Carol knows who I'm talking about.)backed out of taking me to my 10 year class reunion, Dave is the one that spoke up and said "I'll go." Lois said "There you go. Go with Dave." I was shocked. I kept asking her if she was sure, and she said "Of course." Later when Dave wasn't around, I asked "Are you positive that you're okay with me going with Dave? If you're the least bit upset about it I won't go." She said "If you were anyone else, I'd be mad, but I know what kind of person you are and I know you're not out to "steal" Dave." So, I went to my reunion with Dave.

Okay so fast forward to last week...... The Monday after my birthday, Lois took me out for lunch before work (She gave me a book about pirates I thought I was very funny.) On the way to work I got to a stop sign and heard a loud Thud and then grinding noise. It sounded like the whole back end of my jeep fell off.

I made it to work, and told Lois about it. She told Dave, who in turn told me about this guy that fixes brakes at a really cheap price. Here's the problem, I wasn't going to have the money until the next (this) week. So, Lois took me to this guy's house, dropped off my jeep, drove me ALL the way home, and was willing to pick me up for work the next day. (I borrowed my mom's car. No reason for her to pick me up for work then take me home. That was too much.)

She drove me home (By the way does anyone know the words to the Silly songs with Larry about the caribou? We've tried our best to think of the tune. If I had the words I would know the tune.)

The next day I called the brake guy up (Dave gave me the number) and asked how much it was going to cost....... ALL 4 of my brakes were down to the metal and the brake cable in the back broke off... Was told that was the thud I heard, and it's a wonder I had any type of braking at all. So, I'm thinking ok this is going to cost a lot of money..... The guy said "Dave took care of it."

So, I picked my jeep up with a heartfelt gratitude for having such great friends..... So, I told Dave that I needed to know how much it was so I could pay him back.... He said it was $175. So, I was thinking $175 a brake, but no that's for the whole thing.... (I called the guy and asked. I don't want to cheat my friends.)

So now I have great brakes and WONDERFUL friends.....

A Day of nice surprises......

Friday night as I was driving home from work my cell rang, which in itself is quite surprising since hardly anyone calls my cell. So, I answered and it was no other than my wonderful, charming, and delightful little sister. No, I'm not sucking up either... I really mean that.

We talked for a few mins when I asked "Where are you?" (She's usually on her way somewhere when she calls me...Baskin Robbins, the mall, Walmart... You get the picture) Imagine my surprise when she said "Home". So I thought ok, she's at her dorm. "No, at home...in my room. I came home for the weekend".... So we talked for what an hour? She told me that Aaron and Chris invited the family over for dinner Sat. night....

Okay, here's the thing about that...... I VOLUNTEERED to work Sat.... Ashley, my dear sweet sister (being sarcastic now) decided to tell NO ONE but Aaron and Chris that she was coming home this weekend....

Now, skip to Sat. around noon.... Ashley and I decided to go out for lunch, and we were on our way when my cell phone rings.... It was Aaron, who by the way NEVER calls me, it's always Chris that calls.... He invited me over for dinner HIMSELF.... I told him that I had to work, and he told me to "get out of it" and that I "NEED to be there." Then he hung up and called Ashley asking if she thought he convinced me...

So, I was caught in a dilemma...... Go to work like a "loyal" employee or forget work and spend time with Ashley and the rest of the family...... I normally leave for work at 2:12, and there it was 2:10 and I was still trying to decide.... Finally I said "Ashley would you like to take a small walk with me?" We sat out in my jeep, and I called in and told them I couldn't make it in..... Yes, I, Angela Dawn M., played hooky from work.....

After I hung up, my wonderful (not being sarcastic here) sister and I went to the mall.. Which was fun.... Okay, waiting for Ashley to try on a million things at Old Navy, (well maybe it was more like 10)wasn't too fun, but spending time with her was.... Afterwards we went over to Aaron and Chris's.....

We got there the same time mom and dad showed up.... We went in and Chris said "We have surprises for you..... Her dining room looked like it was ready for a kid's Birthday party.... Each seat had a balloon tied to it, and each setting had birthday plates, cups, and party favors.... Also at each place was a gift.... Aaron and Chris bought gifts for the whole family. They said that since they can never remember anyone's birthday they decided to have a big party for everyone.... There was a birthday cake and ice cream..... I've never seen so many names on a cake in my life..... Everyone's name was on it.... It was great...

After mom and dad left, Chris cut mine and Ashley's hair and waxed our eyebrows.... The waxing wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it'd be, and I LOVE my haircut....

Let's just say I don't regret not going to work.

Katrina Rescue Story for Animal lovers...

I stumbled across this website and had to share it.. It's really something...

http://www.classicalliance.net/katrinastory/katrinastory.html

My Christmas "wishlist"......

Okay, so I was asked for my list. I was thinking why send this list to several people when I can put it one place and let EVERYONE see it..... So here it is.............
My Christmas List.....(just in case you care)

Books I want......................
Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado (Has a really neat cover I think)

slow cooker/crockpot cookbook(s)

By Wanda E Brunstetter
( I have the first book in the Brides of Lancaster County series.)
Looking for a Miracle, Brides of Lancaster County Series #2
Plain & Fancy, Brides of Lancaster County Series #3
The Hope Chest, Brides of Lancaster County Series #4.
Allison's Journey
Holiday Hope written with DiAnn Mills
Patchwork Holiday written with Renee DeMarco and DiAnn Mills
Kelly's Chance

DVDs I want

Love's Abiding Joy (will be released on 12/19)
ANY of the Victor Borge dvds.

Also, feel free to browse my Amazon wishlist.
Now, if you're thinking on gift cards.........
I also am a frequent Starbucks drinker, Walmart, Simon Mall AND now Meijer shopper, and a Steak N Shake milkshake sundae eater. LOL.


Word to the wise...... Since I'm giving this same list to EVERYONE (M. side of the family don't exchange gifts anymore) you might want to keep the lines of communication open and "discuss" it with each other.... Don't want the "embarrassment" of two people giving the same thing... Right?

Something to make you smile or even laugh....

I read this and found it very funny. Enjoy........

Things to do in an elevator
1. Make race car noises when anyone gets on or off.
2. Blow your nose and offer to show the contents of your kleenex to other passengers.
3. Grimace painfully while smacking your forehead and muttering, "Shut up, all of you just shut UP!"
4. Whistle the first seven notes of It's a Small World incessantly.
5. Sell Girl Scout cookies.
6. On a long ride, sway side to side at the natural frequency of the elevator.
7. Shave.
8. Crack open your briefcase or purse and, while peering inside, ask, "Got enough air in there?"
9. Offer name tags to everyone getting on the elevator. Wear yours upside-down.
10. Stand silent and motionless in the corner, facing the wall, without getting off.
11. When arriving at your floor, grunt and strain to yank the doors open, then act embarrassed when they open by themselves.
12. Lean over to another passenger and whisper, "Noogie patrol coming!"
13. Greet everyone getting on the elevator with a warm handshake and ask them to call you 'Admiral'.
14. One word: Flatulence!
15. On the highest floor, hold the door open and demand that it stay open until you hear the penny you dropped down the shaft go 'plink' at the bottom.
16. Do Tai Chi exercises.
17. Stare, grinning, at another passenger for a while and then announce, "I've got new socks on!"
18. When at least eight people have boarded, moan from the back, "Oh, not now - motion sickness!"
19. Give religious tracts to each passenger.
20. Meow occasionally.
21. Bet the other passengers you can fit a quarter in your nose.
22. Frown and mutter, "gotta go, gotta go." Then, sigh and say, "oops!"
23. Show other passengers a wound and ask if it looks infected.
24. Sing Mary Had a Little Lamb while continually pushing buttons.
25. Holler "Chutes away!" whenever the elevator descends.
26. Walk on with a cooler that says 'human head' on the side.
27. Stare at another passenger for a while, then announce "You're one of THEM!" and move to the far corner of the elevator.
28. Burp and then say, "mmmm... tasty!"
29. Leave a box between the doors.
30. Ask each passenger getting on if you can push the button for them.
31. Wear a puppet on your hand and talk to other passengers 'through' it.
32. Start a sing-along.
33. When the elevator is silent, look around and ask, "Is that your beeper?"
34. Play the harmonica.
35. Shadow box.
36. Say "Ding!" at each floor.
37. Lean against the button panel.
38. Say "I wonder what all these do" and push the red buttons.
39. Listen to the elevator walls with a stethoscope.
40. Draw a little square on the floor with chalk and announce to the other passengers that this is your 'personal space'.
41. Bring a chair along.
42. Take a bite of a sandwich and ask another passenger, "Wanna see wha in muh mouf?"
43. Blow spit bubbles.
44. Pull your gum out of your mouth in long strings.
45. Carry a blanket and clutch it protectively.
46. Make explosion noises when anyone presses a button.
47. Stare at your thumb and say, "I think it's getting larger."
48. If anyone brushes against you, recoil and holler, "Bad Touch!"

I feel like the America's Funniest Video Host!!!!!!!

Do you have a picture of a family member picking their nose? How about taking a bite out of a sandwich? If you do,or have similar strange photos I want them........

I'm asking my family to search their family photos and find those funny, unique, and hilarious family photos of the T. side of the family.

I need mostly the adults. I have Marlina's kids, and Carrie's boys. However, if you have funny photos of the kids that you want to send my way that's fine too. It will give me more variety. Oh, yes, and this also includes me....... I know Ashley you must have some funny photos of me. Right?

This also includes pictures of Grandpa T, and Aunt Ida.... These two don't have to be funny, but I'm trying to stay away from the traditional, smile-as-nicely-as-you-can-because-this-is-costing-me-money type photos.
It don't have to be pictures of your immediate family.... Cousins, aunts, and uncle photos count too. Just make sure it's the T. side of the family...

There's a couple ways to send them to me...........

1. My computer printer prints HORRIBLE photos. So, if you have a printer that prints good quality photos you can print them out. (I'll reimburse you for the ink.)

2. You can scan/email pictures you do have, let me pick,and then you make a copy....(I will pay you back for the printing.)

OR

3. Give me the original copy. I promise you will get the picture(s) back.

You can either mail the picture(s) to me,(I will pay for postage... Add a piece of cardboard in the envelope. It will keep the pictures from being bent.),

or if you're going to be in the area, give them to Aunt Carol (sorry to be drafting you) and she'll give them to my mom.......If you choose this "method", and you want the pictures back, put your name on the envelope, and I'll MAKE sure you get them back.


I can't go into detail WHY I need these, let's just say it's very important that I do get pictures.... You have two choices.....Hand over the pictures now or I get your picture MY way.... The choice is yours. Ha ha ha ha.....

What are you waiting for? Find those funny, and embarrassing (ok, maybe not TOO embarrassing) photos.

Christmas!!!!!!!

For some the thought of Christmas puts them in a panic. They don't know what to buy people, or what kids like, ext.... My mom falls into that category..... Then there are others that the mere thought brings the warm, fuzzy feeling, and aren't too concerned about gifts..... I fall in the last category........ I have over half of my gifts bought so far...... However, I need help.......... So, what I'm asking is................

Ashley could you email me a list?

AND

Carrie what are your boys into? What do they like? What do they want?
Feel free to email me privately.
Thank you!!!!!!!!!

Imaginary Friends

I don't know what got my mom and I on the subject of imaginary friends, but she was telling me that she always had imaginary brothers and sisters. I thought it strange that she'd imagine having sisters, since as we know, she had 3 She said her "sisters" were usually a twin, and would agree with her on EVERYTHING....

I know all four of us kids had/have very active imaginations, and I got to thinking.

I NEVER had imaginary friends... I had imaginary PETS...... I had a pet grizzly bear, polar bear, lion, elephant, killer whale, horses, LARGE dogs (Great Danes, Mastiffs, St. Benards-which are still my dog of choice. Please forgive my spelling.) and dolphins.

I remember all of those EXCEPT the elephant. My mom told me I came home from school (1st grade?) and told her that I rode an elephant to school and at recess gave all the kids rides on it. I told her that everyone liked me. So, I was SUPPOSEDLY "popular" for the day.....

If you haven't noticed, most of my "pets" are wild and dangerous animals. The bears would "sleep" at the foot of my bed, and if anyone came into my room during the night, it would stand with me between it's front and back legs. In a "protective" stance. I am thinking that perhaps I felt I "needed" protection from something or someone. Then again, it could be that these are animals that wouldn't make good pets and I really wanted them as pets.

Then again, I could've been just a weird kid... After all, I was a kid that actually believed my dolls came to life when I wasn't in the room.

They paid me how much to play with Legos??????

I have tried to update this SEVERAL times, but for some reason the site won't let me. I will be amazed if this goes through, but I thought I'd try it again....

This week I had to go to WOM training....

I was PAID my regular 40 hour shift (3PM - 11) to..........

1 Go to a class everyday and make paper boats, help my "team" to get across an alligator "Invested" river, use our bodies to make rope shapes with my team members with our eyes CLOSED, assemble and reassemble ink pens (over 500 all together), and make 298 Lego robots.

2. Listen to lectures off and on during the week, between "fun" activities.

3. Had 2, 15 min breaks and 1 hour lunch on Mon, Tues, & Fri. Left at 11 on Mon & Tues. Had 2 half hour breaks with 1 hour, 20 min lunch breaks and left at 9:40 on Wens & Thursday, and on Friday we left at 8:30.

4. spent my hour/ hour 20 min. dinner breaks roaming the mall,Browsing in Books-A-Million, Target, and Best Buy, reading in my Jeep, and drinking Starbucks (The Spiced Pumpkin Lattes are EXCELLENT by the way.)

All of that just to learn to work together as a team.... I walked into that classroom not knowing ANYONE walked out with friends. Everyone else was from Aaron's plant, and they all knew each other. I was the "outsider", but that changed VERY quickly.

Now,to keep in mind that next week, I go back to the factory and get back to the rut of only 18 min. dinner breaks. (Boo boo, hiss hiss)

Joke.......

My best friend, Lois, told me this joke tonight. I found it so funny tears were ROLLING down my cheeks.... Whether it was from the Starbucks at 2 AM,lack of sleep, or the joke is really that funny, I'll leave it up to you to decide..........

A young man joined the army. Well, they ran out of weapons, so they gave this young man a stick and told him to hold it like a gun and shout "Bang, Bang" whenever he fired it......

The young man asked, "okay so what if the enemy is close enough for hand to hand combat?" He was told to tie leaves at the end, and yell "Stab, Stab."

So this young man goes to war.. He picks up his stick, points, and yells "Bang, Bang." A guy falls down. The man thought "Wow, this really works."
So he was shouting "Bang, Bang, stab, stab." And the enemy was falling left and right. Well, he saw a guy, yelled Bang, Bang, stab stab, but the guy kept coming closer. He yelled a little louder "Bang Bang, Stab Stab." The guy walked a little closer. So, he yelled again "Bang, Bang, Stab, Stab." The enemy was now right in front of him..... The enemy then yelled "TANK, TANK"

Scary situation.........

I had a scary thing happen last Sat, and I just wanted to know if anyone's ever experienced this........

I wasn't feeling well, so I went to bed and took a 2 hour nap. Which is quite normal for me.... However when I woke up. I put my glasses on, and my vision was just as blurry with my glasses on than it was off. In other words there was no difference. I managed to get up, make it to the living room, and crashed on the couch. I just figured that I wasn't awake yet. So, I sat down and my nose started bleeding. Not "gushing" but a light nose bleed. When I got up to get some tissues, I was dizzy and almost fell. I was also burning up hot. The vision, nosebleed, and "hot" spell wore off within 2 hours, and the dizziness was gone the next morning. However, on Sunday I felt wore out and weak. It was weird.

And I did it my way!!!!!

As I have mentioned in my last post, my phone line wasn't working. So, last night after work, I went to Walmart (I'm still timid when it comes to Meijer) and I bought a new phone line and jack. My dad offered to help me (AKA do it for me) but I wanted to prove to myself that I can do it without help. I helped my dad install this line to begin with, so I knew HOW to do it. This is the first time I've been able to do a home repair/improvement without my dad doing it for me. Ok, so it would've been faster letting my dad do it, but that would've defeated the purpose. Oh, and it took me 4 hours and 3 additional feet of wire to complete. I kept cutting the little inside wires off when I was trying to strip the coating off them. I can now say that I have the hang of stripping the wires. Let's just say it's a good thing I bought the 100 feet roll. Ha ha Well, with all that said I now have a WORKING phone line which I installed MYSELF.

Psycho boy was arrested!!!!!!!!!!!

My parents left to get a part for Austin's car, I have time to post this bit of news.

Almost 2 years ago, this guy that worked at Meijer took my phone number off my check and was calling me every morning around 3AM, and again at around 7. I haven't stepped foot into that store since then.

Last night my coworker, Lois, text'd me "You won't believe who was arrested and why."

She told me that my Meijer "stalker" was arrested in another county close to the Ohio border. I remember seeing it in the paper, but I didn't put 2 and 2 together. He tried to meet a 13 year old girl he met online, but instead met some Federal people posing as 13 year old girls. 24 men were arrested in 3 counties that day. Oh, and his name and picture is going to be posted at the watchdog site since he's now a predator. Let's just say, it's now safe to shop at Meijer again..

My phone lines are still down

My phone lines have been messed up for about 3 weeks now, which isn't too bad except the fact that I'm having "computer withdraws." I use my parents computer every 4 or 5 days for only a couple mins. Just long enough to check emails, so I haven't had time to sit down and read people's blogs.

The problem is the inside phone line, but since I'm working 12 hour days every other day(I'm getting my Christmas shopping finished!!!) I just haven't had the time to replace my lines. I'm off work tomorrow, so I plan to rewire my phone lines, YES, I can do that myself. I know how!!!!! I'm hoping to have my phone up and running tomorrow morning.

Amazing bosses!!!!!!!!!

My sister, mom, and I took Fysh (the family dog) on a walk today. I was told that this weekend is Ashley's last weekend before going back to Johnson. Mom asked me to find out if I could get a PA day for Sat.

I thought, sure why not? So I went to work, and normally you have to put up a pretty good fight to get a PA day. In case you don't know what PA days are.... You can get 40 hours off work with pay. Most people take them a day at a time, but you can use 4 hours at a time. So, let's say you have a kids ballgame you want to go to, you can go to work for 4 hours and get paid for the last 4 or vice versa.

Okay, back to my story, which isn't too hard to find.... I went up to my "new" boss and here is our conversation:
Me: Is it 100% (A.K.A. HAVE to be there or it counts against you.) for Sat.?
Scott (my boss):I'm not sure, I haven't heard anything yet.
Me: If it is, could I please have a PA day for Sat.?
Scott: You'll have to look in the book. We can only let 2 people have PA days at a time.
Me (so sweetly I'm sure he needed an insulin shot.): This is my situation... My sister is going back to college next week, and this is her last weekend at home. My parents, brothers, sister, and my sister in law are all going out to eat Sat. evening, and I want to go with them.
Scott: I'll tell you what... I'll take care of it. If you don't want to waste a PA day on a Sat, I'll cover you, and you can keep your PA day. However, if you want to waste your PA days that's up to you.

I've discovered that it's bosses like that in which everyone wants to bend over backwards for. He has earned my respect.

I owe, I owe, so off to work I go......

A week ago this Past Friday, I was informed that the lady that does my job on day shift was bumping me off my job. To me that made no sense because she HATES second shift and she doesn't get along with that supervisor. She has a year more senority, so she bumped. That gave me two options...... Do that same job on day shift (getting up at 4 AM isn't my cup of tea), OR bump the lowest senority person on second shift, and do that job. Well.... I bumped the lowest senority, and before I went on vacation, I bidded on a welder... So, I go on vacation not know what my job is going to be or who I'll be working for. My vacation was a bummer since I was so stressed out about this. I went to work yesterday and one of the supervisors walked up to me and said "Do you want that welder?" I was very happy to get that job. It's 0ne of the easier jobs.... Put two different parts on the machine, push a button, gage the part, make sure it was welded right, and send it down the line. Not much to it.... Oh, and I have time to read on this job. The lady that was showing me the job told me that once I get used to it, I can hold a book with one hand, and work with the other. We'll see. The supervisor is easy to get along with also. He came up to me said "9 hours tonight.... Oh, and welcome. If you're half the worker your dad is, then I'm lucky to have you on the job." He was my dad's supervisor YEARS ago and they got along great.

THANKS CARRIE!!!!!!!

After reading the book "House" which is cowritten by Frank Peretti, Carrie loaned me book "The Oath". After reading it, I found it very scary, but AWESOME. Oh, and Carrie, I gave your mom that book and I gave her "House" to loan to you. Sorry it took me so long to get it to you.

I am now hooked on this author. I went to yard sales with my Aunt Carol and my sister, wish you'd been there Carrie. While there I found "The Prophet", by Frank Peretti. I did notice that he has a whole series that I'm just going to have to read. LOL.

Thanks Carrie for giving me another favorite author.

Wonderful mood

As my sister could tell you, the climate knob on my Jeep broke. So, it was stuck on Air, which isn't bad for the summer, but I cringed to think about this winter driving around with AC blowing.

Anyway the dealership is a rip off. Yes, I remember when they wanted to charge me $3000 just to LOOK at my Jeep. Parts and labor would be more of course. Oh, and did I mention that there wasn't anything seriously wrong with it? I just wanted my 4 wheel drive checked out and make sure it was working properly. So, I wouldn't send my worst enemy there. Okay, so I don't have a worst enemy, but if I did, I wouldn't send them to that dealership.

Sorry for babbling, on to the story....... So I needed a new knob. I found out that these knobs run about $20. I was desperate enough to consider going to this dealership, and then I thought..... Hum...... I wonder if I could buy one on eBay.

I searched on ebay, found a knob for a 1999 Jeep Wrangler and there it was. So, I bid, won, paid, and it arrived today. Put it on my Jeep, and now it works PERFECTLY. Not bad for only $8.

Then my cell phone's been acting up lately. I can only talk for about 3 min, if that even before the battery dies, and that's with a complete charge. Then when I turn it back on, it says I have a full charge. Strange..... So, I went to the cell phone store and asked for a new battery. They looked me up, and my phone was still under warranty. They replaced my battery free of charge.
I'm a very happy camper.

vacations and losing weight

In a way I'm disappointed that I'm not staying at camp this week...... However on the other hand the thought of staying in a tent in this heat isn't my cup of tea. I'm still planning on coming up for a couple services anyhow.

So, I went to the doctor a couple weeks ago, and found out that I have gained 8 pounds this past year. I'm trying to lose around 20. Notice the word TRYING.

I've decided that I need to walk more, so I walk to the store. You may think that is funny, but here a walk to the store is about a 6 to 8 min walk if you walk the "straight" line. I on the other hand take the Loooooong way around, which takes exactly 14 mins one way. (I know, I timed it) So it takes 28 mins round trip to walk to the store and back. While I'm at the store I buy something to drink either water or diet Mt. Dew.
Math problem: If I can walk 3 miles in an hour, how far can I walk in 28 mins? LOL

Maybe I should just be a mall walker until this weather cools down a little. Grandma M lives next to a park that has an AMAZING walking trail. That would be a wonderful place to walk, since my grandma's patio faces this park, and I could always stop in there to cool off, water, or maybe even a shower afterwards.

It's too bad I can't get a group of friends/family to walk with. Everything seems more fun when you have someone to share it with.