I swung my arm to shut off the alarm clock! I have swung my arm every day for the past several years, to shut the alarm off at 5:ooa.m. Today, something was different. Instead of connecting with said alarm clock, my arm hit the night stand, HARD! [I have the blood on my pillow to prove that little fact, should anyone care to see it.] I tell you, that WILL wake you up!!! What could have been different??? I don't know, but you can just bet that tomorrow I will be, oh so careful with the arm swinging stuff!

I had a fab. weekend. Thank you so very much to ALL my children. The birthday party was so much fun as was the 'going home' lunch at my house. You people are the greatest. I have so many happy memories from the past week I wouldn't know where to start to name them all. I'll NEVER forget how cute Brynna and Kaylah were with the ball. I wish I had a picture of that. Diane's and Mom's gifts were so thought out, and so much fun. I already have a payback planned for Diane's b-day!

I bought a gift for April's b-day [tomorrow] but liked it so well that I kept it. [I AM giving her something I hope she likes, MONEY!] The gift I kept is a wall hanging that says, 'The YEARS tell us much, that the DAYS never knew' Love to all!

Birthdays, Family, and other misc.

I made a 'chance' comment as to how my 'kids' were going to throw a 'birthday' bash for my 50th birthday, to a co-worker. His response? 'You're lucky to have kids that CAN do that for you!' Can, not 'will', there is a reason. Although John is my age, he doesn't have any children, and would 'VERY' much like some. It made me think how lucky I was to have my 7 children. It is a bit unfair that I have 7 and he doesn't have any. However, I am not willing to part with any of mine, so what do you do? I suppose you 'thank' the Good Lord for the things you do enjoy. And I do! [thank him] I enjoyed last night with Rachel and the girls so much. Brynna was so adorable. She got the remote for the sitting room light. It was so cute. Light on, light off, light on--- She also had the ceiling fan whipping around at a speed even I didn't know it would go! That girl had 'power' and she knew it. I now understand the statement, 'you only have kids so you can get GRANDKIDS!' Oh yeah! This is so much fun. Not to say my kids haven't been fun. They've been a total 'ball.' I can't think of 'ANY' time when I didn't think, 'this is so good!' 'I'm so lucky to have my family!' [unless it's when Brandon was in grade school, that was a challenge!!!] I am glad I didn't keep my promise to Brandon the night I was walking the street with him saying, 'you are going to be an ONLY child!' Love to all!!

MEN--I DO NOT understand them!!!

Why is it, that men think women are just men with more attractive packaging??? I ask this because I followed the advice of a man [Dennis] to the tee and just about cut my arm off! WHAT was he thinking?? [a doctors visit might very well be in my NEAR future.] He tells me, when you finish mowing, tip the mower up and spray the 'underbelly' with the hose. Ok, easy enough. What he did NOT tell me was that the mower blade would be VERY sharp and it I got ANYWHERE near it with my arm, I'd be sorry. Well, I'm SORRY! Yes, I'd waited for the mower to cool, yes, I'd disconnected the spark plug, but I just HAD to wipe what the hose didn't get. I'm a WOMAN, he should have KNOWN I'd do that! As the blade cut sharply into my arm I realized that a man would have instinctively known not to do that. Well, excuse me for NOT being a man!! It gets better!!! Yes, it does! As I'm doctoring my wound I spill the iodine on-- yep, the laundry room door. No, it will NOT clean off. The door will have to be painted! Damn, and double damn! This day should have ended SEVERAL hours ago!
Today, I'm not into, 'Let it be!' [as Breezy found out, Sorry sis!]
All that said, I'm STILL riding 'high' on the granddaughters visit of yesterday. THAT was fun!

The DARK Knight

No Bridget, I am NOT an ugly, stupid, jerky, obsessive, movie fanatic, but---I LOVED 'The Dark Knight.' Yes I DID! I'm not a 'Batman' fan but that is a GOOD movie. Breezy talked me into watching it last night. She thought I needed a 'down' night. She was so right. The movie fascinated me on so many levels. To have ALL the main characters show that they have mental issues, that was unexpected. The police commissioner that would allow his wife to believe him dead, the 'batman' that allows his 'need' to help overshadow what should be his 'life', those men who prove they'll do ANYTHING for money, only to watch it burn, the D.A. that CAN be pushed 'over the edge' and of course the 'joker'. I thought they'd said that role was Heath Ledger's 'finest hour' because of the tragedy, not so, the man was captivating! Such a dark mind! Oh my! Yes, for now, I have a new favorite movie!

'I'm like a dog chasing cars, I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it!' -The Joker

I love Spring Break!

Do you believe me? If so--you are VERY gullible!!! I've worked FAR to many Spring Breaks. It's terrible at work. Way to much Laundry, to get it all done, rude guests, housekeeping totally upset with us, and toddlers telling me to, 'get out of my WAY!!!' Yeah, I LOVE Spring Break! [like I LOVE-- shots, getting in car accidents, having my wisdom teeth pulled, LABOR,--you get the picture!] I can't decide if it was worse when it was just 1 weekend or now that they've extended the fun over about 4 weekends. I suppose I like it less now. [that near riot we had that one year ,wasn't too cool, though.] I'm looking forward to Monday when all I have to do is MY stuff. You know, making sure mom get's her car back, cleaning the entire house, mowing both yards, painting trim board, laundry, cooking, helping Breezy get on top of her homework, entertaining Dennis, hopefully, seeing the Grand girls, [they are pretty GRAND] and what ever else pops up. Sounds like a 'walk in the park' compared to SPRING BREAK!

Lawnmower Woes---

Yeah, it's STILL all about ME! I failed to mention that the reason I wasn't mowing the yards was because I do not own a working lawnmower. I would have one [but I don't] except Bryon does not know his own strength. This occurred LAST season. Bryon offered to mow my yards. [Bless him] He, however, failed to note that I was still using Thad's mower. It would have been about 13 years-old at that point. It was a bit 'testy' so it took awhile to start. Bryon was sure if he pulled the string a 'bit' harder it would start. Not so, but the string WILL break. [consider that a warning] So I couldn't use THAT mower. The one Heidi and Gabe gave me has been 'flakey' from day one. When Dennis tried to get it going this year, it said, 'No Way.' So here I was with a yard of 2 feet high weeds and no mower. You already know how the yard got cleared. What you don't know is that I have a box in the sitting room containing a 'brand new' lawnmower courtesy of Dennis Priest. He decided that in order to at least 'maintain' the yard,[no chance of improving it, this year] I needed better equipment. How sweet is that. [Almost, makes me wish I gotten him a birthday present] I don't give Dennis gifts, but that's a whole 'nuther story.
Much love to all

Neighbors---continued !

Ya'll are not going to believe this!! [I promise!] After lunch I decided I needed to do a little [very little] more weed wacking. So I'm outback wacking away. [praying the battery will die] and my neighbor Jim comes over on his 'white [or is it gray?] steed. [a RIDE-ON lawnmower. ]He absolutely did.!!!!!!! Bless that man, and his children, AND his childrens children. Breezy and I were just sitting outback, at the table [we came in cuz it got cool] enjoying how much nicer the backyard looked. It is completely mowed down. [he even ran over the FRONT yard] I feel like a new woman! His darling wife helped me move the stuff we'd pulled out of the old bedroom [doors and such] over to the fence by their yard and Jim hauled them off this afternoon. I ABSOLUTELY have got to do something for these two neighbors. They are so AWESOME!

Neighbors--I have awesome ones!!!!

Dennis lent me his 'weed wacker' to try to tame the jungle my backyard has become. Problem #1- it's battery powered. You guessed it- the battery last about one mili-second. I hurry--but you can't 'wack' to many weeds in a mili-second. Problem # 2- My 'jungle' has weed roots that are as big around as your fist. Ok, there is 'no way' the 'battery powered 'wacker' is going to cut through that. Problem # 3- Dennis said he'd lend me his gas powered weed wacker, but--gas powered things and I get along about as well as screwdrivers and I do. What to do?? So, I'm outback after work trying to get the smaller weeds with the 'wacker', my neighbor [Bill, that lives behind me and has a awesome yard] comes up to the back fence to give me some eggs. We get to talking and before I know it, he's over the fence and burning my 'tumble' weeds. He also, offered me the use of his 'gas' powered 'wacker' but when I told him of my problem with gas powered stuff, said he'd bring it over this weekend and help me out. Just how cool is that??? By the by, the eggs were from his hens so they are totally fresh. What a cool guy. The tumble weeds were a worry, as they were BIG and from LAST year. I didn't know HOW I was going to get rid of them. It takes a guy! Problem solved! You know what is totally cool about all this? Bill lost his job awhile back [Trent told me] and here he is, worring about helping ME out. I tell you, this world is FULL of some pretty AMASING people.
Love to all of you sweeties!!!!

Age is reletive

Dennis will be celebrating his 62nd birthday on Sunday. He's 62-, going on 40. How does he do that? I have pondered this for some time. I believe mindset plays a role, but there are other factors. Health would play into how you appeared to others, as well. I've known people who were 'old' at 25, or 'young' well into their 60's. I have decided the 'number' will NEVER be a reason NOT to do something. If I WANT to do it--age doesn't matter. However, if I DON'T want to do it, 'I can't do THAT--I'm 50. Have some compassion!' What do ya'll think? It works for me!

I went shoe shopping this week. Oh my! The shoes are ok, but not all THAT comfortable. Maybe, it my feet! Let's see, ingrown toenails, bunions, corns---Yeah, it COULD be my feet. I always buy 2 pair of work shoes. I leave one pair at home, resting, and wear the other. They seem to last longer that way. They also stay comfortable longer. One pair is pretty good but I might have made a mistake with the other pair. My feet want to turn one direction and the shoes want to turn the opposite direction. I believe I've developed a permanant limp. Oh well, I guess I could always answer to 'limp along' or something like that. Brandon, watch your daughters ,as I seem to have my mothers feet problems.

Loving life and hoping that the same can be said by all of you!

Gluten-Free

This post will be about our new Gluten-free diet. What? You've already 'got' that! How? Oh right, the title. As some of you know, I haven't been real 'big' on this gluten-free stuff. I've bought some cuz Breezy INSISTED she was in-tolerant. Yeah right, whatever! Well FINALLY, I studied up on it. Oh my goodness, it was scary how many symptoms she has. Anyway, this week we got SERIOUS about it. It is a major diet change. [to say the very least!] I have just tons and tons to learn. Last nights 'gluten-free' banana bread is 'worm food' [yeah, had to throw it out, even the dog wouldn't eat it!] However, I did much better with tonight's Pizza. You read it right, we had Pizza. Who'd of thought you could make 'passable' Pizza dough out of brown rice flour? I figure, all told, [I had to go to the health food store for some of the ingredients] that Pizza cost me a measly 50 dollars. You can just bet we'll be eating Pizza again. I have to get my money's worth out of the special 'expensive' ingredients. I'm feeling pretty good about the diet change so far. One thing I've noticed is that my desire for carbs. is greatly diminished . I wonder why?

Dennis is so very supportive of our diet. He showed his support today by giving me money to go to Costco. Nice huh??? NOT! He wanted me to buy tomato plants [which I did] so I could plant, weed and water them. So HE could have fresh tomatoes this summer. I may just BUY his tomatoes, and keep ALL the fresh, garden grown ones, for MYSELF. It would serve him right. YES, he does know about my addiction to 'garden grown' tomatoes.

My little 'Irish' granddaughters [or at least, their pictures] are sporting an 'Irish' colored Boa. It looks so cute hanging over their pictures. St. Partick's day got to be ALOT more fun after I learned of the kids Irish hertitage. Breezy thinks her 'Irish Catholic' hertitage is WAY cool!

To whom it may concern---

Kids,

Losing track of ya'll. Brandon-can't access Rachel's blog. I get the picture of you and Rachel, and Serenity, but that's it' No info. Bridget--Sorry my schedule has been so topsy-turvy lately. I don't have ANY idea what to expect day to day. Dennis will be by for dinner AGAIN tonight but that should be it for awhile. [I wish that man would learn to cook!!] I'm off thursday and friday, hope we get a chance for a LONG chat. Jess is very knowledgable about herbs and the like. I'm going to ask her about what you've been going through. [you know how I feel about scripts.!] Rachel--are you having surgery this month? Please, let me know!! Shell--Love the new car!!!!!!! Madza-that's one to keep in mind for my next car shopping trip. Yes, I shop and Shop---just don't BUY! Bryon--never mind, Bryon doesn't read my blog! But if he did--congrats on the new 'family' member. Have you picked a name yet??

I'm well and kicking. Love ya'll tons and tons!!!!