New Years Happen Every Day...

Do you think bears come out of their long winter nap to celebrate a day that falls in the middle of some of the most miserable weather one could possibly have in the state of Indiana? I personally have never been a fan of this holiday. It seems most people soul intent on New Years is to see how wasted they can get and whom they might even go home with. Now I have an occasional drink and in my younger days I did the party scene and the bars, so I remember it well. What I remember was feeling like crap and wasting a bunch of money I didn't need to on mindless guzzling of a product that basically poisons your system. I remember being at a party on New Years where I was totally uncomfortable because drinks were not the only item there and as much as I have done things in my life, coke on a mirror ain't one of them. I remember another New Years where some friends and I were driving home from a party and someone shot at the car we were in. Yeah that was fun. Yet another where the guy I was out with was so drunk he threw up in his car and on the side of his car. Hum... more fun. Oh and then lets not forget the New Years I went out with what I thought was a friend because she didn't want to be alone. Now some years back I vowed to be either at work, at home or with friends playing cards on New Years. The rest of it I had decided I wanted nothing to do with. So I agreed against my desire to go out to go to a movie with this girl. I picked her up and we headed to a movie. Everything I said, she corrected me or told me it was some other way. Then she started complaining about this guy she's been after for more than a couple of decades and how he is choosing to spend the evening with his friend Jeff instead of her. (I have told her on multiple occasions this guy is gay.) I had saved some money for popcorn and food and stuff because I knew this girl would be broke as usual, but on the ten minute drive to the theatre she complained so much that when we got to the movies I bought myself a kiddie popcorn and pop and stood and waited for her. Somehow the desire to feed her had left my thoughts. So she chose the movie. Dollar theatre. It was an OK movie. We didn't talk much during it. Then after the movie I told her we could go back to her place and talk if she wanted and I could buy us a pizza or if she wanted to go out to eat we could do that. I proceeded to tell her what was open. She complained the whole way there too. We went to IHOP and our waitress's due date was January 2ND and she was ready to pop and looked exhausted. I felt very sorry for her. After we ordered this woman showed me a diamond ring that this guy had given her for Christmas. I said oh, is that an engagement ring? She said he didn't say and he didn't answer when I asked him. I dropped that conversation right there. No guy is going to give you a diamond ring and not say something, but I wasn't going there. I figure this guy is just keeping her around for his family to think he's straight. The ring was just a little bling bling to keep her hooked. The whole time we sat there she complained about everything and made the poor waitress's life more miserable than it all ready was. I wanted to sink my head in the sand and I couldn't wait for the night to be done. So finally our bills came and she said the oddest thing: "Ha, my bill is cheaper than yours." I ignored it and got out the gift card my dad had given me for Christmas. She had picked the movie, and she had picked the place we ate and now she was pissed at me for having a gift card. She said quote: "I would have picked somewhere else if I had known you had a gift card." She was mad because my meal was being put on a gift card I got at Christmas. She wanted it to cost me money. I was dumbfounded and I tipped the waitress well. I drove this woman back to her house and haven't spoken to her since. As a matter of fact if I see her in stores I avoid her. So my run with this night is not a very good one. There is also the fact that I don't' get why we celebrate it. Who cares if the year on the calendar is changing? Every day you live is another year that has gone by in your life from the last time you were on that calendar date. Another calendar year for you personally would be called your birthday. The calendar year we are celebrating is a man made calendar to keep track of time. So I don't understand the holiday. I'm sure it has some significant meaning that I have no idea about, but to me it's just another day. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate and thank God for each and every day so being just another day is an important thing to me. Whatever your take, may God smile on your life with each new year or new day that you live. Happy New Years!

Sweet Sixteen & Sixty-Six

December 29, 1992

Happy Birthday Natasha & Mom! You are both very special to me. Natasha: I remember holding you shortly after you were born. You were a beautiful baby and you're turning into a beautiful young lady. I may not see you often and I may not be the best at remembering anymore to send cards and things, but you and your mother are thought of often. I love you very much. I hope your birthday is wonderful and brings you the things you desire most. You were born on my mothers fiftieth birthday. You are the twinkle in your mom's eye and I can tell you that you are the first and most important thing in her heart. May God Bless you. Happy Birthday again.

Love, Aunt Sheila
December 29, 1942

New Look For Diet Pepsi Falls Flat!

Tonight on my lunch break I made a run to Kroger's because they have their bottled pop on sale. I usually take a couple of bottles to work because it's cheaper than buying it out of the machine. I actually thought the coke was on sale and would have preferred the Diet Coke because it's easier on my stomach, but when I got there I found Diet Pepsi is actually what they have on sale four six pack of 24 oz bottles for eleven dollars through Wednesday. In looking for my Diet Pepsi to buy I almost didn't recognize it. The new bottle as you see above is nothing like the old one. It seems that Pepsi has a new look. One that almost makes me want to toss my cookies. I understand their thought process was to go back to basics and to make the moon like circle seem as if it is a face with a smile. They figure simple is better. I think they figured wrong. I hate this new look and found myself wondering if I really wanted to spend money on what I thought was a hideous looking bottle. Then I thought don't be silly it's the taste that matters not the look. I wonder how many people will turn it down for looks though. I also wonder if it is just me or if others think this is absolutely ugly. I also found myself wondering what went through the minds of the people who came up with it and with the people who looked at it and thought it was a good idea. Either way, I hate it! What do you think? Good or bad?

PS... These pictures of the bottles look a lot better than the actual bottles do.. just so you can brace yourself when you see them in the stores.

Christmas is for Kids...

It seems to me that Christmas is always more fun when children are around. I remember lots of fun filled Christmas times growing up. There was nothing like mom's cooking and opening long awaited presents on Christmas Evening. This year I had Christmas Evening just my mom, dad and I. We opened gifts. It was similar to old times. We listened to Christmas music together too. It was missing my brother to be exactly like old times though. When you're a kid things just seem so much simpler. When I was young it was all about what I got for Christmas. As I grow older, just the thought that someone thought about me is so much more important than the actual gift itself. Today before going to work my niece and nephew came over for Christmas Day dinner and gifts. Watching them tear into gifts and ooh and awe at the stuff they were getting was fun. Undoing all the straps and trying to get things out of the boxes, uh, not so much. I was with them until around two. They were having a ball from where I sat it seemed. I miss those care free days. Let me tell you though, I am still one of the worlds biggest kids at heart and old Santa can drop by and leave me stuff anytime he wants. I hope your Christmas was merry and I hope your new year rings true. Until next year, here's hoping Santa brought you all lots of toys.

A Quarter of a Century

Flipping through some photo's today I found a picture of me taken in 1992. What a flashback. Perhaps I can get some of this back? Just thought I'd share a blast from the past. Merry Christmas.

My Uncle Roger & Me...

Reverend William Roger West died on December 23, 2005. He had suffered a long and hard battle, but to be around him you would barely know it. It seems impossible to me that he has been gone for three years now. As a matter of fact although the picture above is old, it doesn't seem like that long ago to me that it was taken. At the time my aunt married Roger I was a young girl. I was very thin at that time and very energetic. My uncle use to tease me and call me a little "Jib". Jib is what my aunt goes by. Her name is Arlene, but she has been nicknamed Jib every since I can recall. My mom said it had something to do with her jibbering when she was young. Now for those of you that don't know my family is from the south. A town called Pippa Passes, Kentucky to be exact. Jibbering (Northerners would probably pronounce it jabbering.) means constant chatter that is sometimes meaningful and sometimes without much meaning at all. I take it when she was a child she must have been quite chatty. I recall a time when my aunt was in the hospital and I was helping out and my uncle came by to eat at our house. I was on a low salt kick and I made him a hamburger and didn't salt it. He didn't let me hear the end of that one for a long time. In his younger days he played and sang in a band in bars. He was quiet a romeo too from what I have heard, but my aunt stole his heart and in the last decade of his life he devoted himself to God and his family. I can't say there was a total change. I mean the uncle I loved was still in there. Maybe more so than ever. The biggest changes I saw in him were his changes towards people and life. He loved his life more. He was more tolerant of people. More loving and kind. Whatever he was to me it was always obvious from very early on that he loved me and that he accepted me for who I am. He didn't ask me to change or even to try to be someone I wasn't. He was someone I felt comfortable around. Someone I felt understood that side of me that no one else could see. The side that simply wanted to be accepted without restrictions. There are so many memories over the years. I remember going to visit him the in VA hospital a few years back. No one was in there with him at the time I went to see him. He told me he had been in a lot of pain but he didn't want his "Jib" to know that. He was tired, but he would stay around for her, for his family. They weren't ready for him to go. A couple of years later I went to see him in Lutheran. He was asleep when I went in his room. Again, just him and I. I sat with him for a few minutes. I didn't want to wake him. I knew his battle had been long and hard. I also knew at the time his journey was coming to a end. This time when he was released to go home from the hospital he didn't go back to the old normal. A hospital bed, oxygen tanks, a power chair all went with him. A local charity group built a ramp to his front door. Hospice started making visits. He tried to be jovial that fall. Money was tight and we gathered stuff and had a garage sale at their house to try to help them. I remember watching him make the most of it and riding outside on the sidewalk talking to people. The light of his light Katie with him at times getting a ride from Grandpa. He was making the most of every moment he had left. He was swollen in the face and you could tell he was weak, but there he was talking to neighbors and customers and doing his best to have a good time. Katie really was the light of his life. He loved his grand daughter and she loved him. She thought there was no one like her grandpa. It broke my heart when he was too weak to go to her first birthday party. The day of her party they had started him on Morphine. I took lots of pictures and made sure I printed the album in a hurry and took it to him and my aunt so he could see how her party went. I was afraid to wait too long. I was afraid he wouldn't make it. At that time his oldest son Matt was still hanging on so tightly. People started coming in to see him from far off. On my uncles birthday my ex sister-in-law and I took him a cake. I thought it miraculous that he had lived to see Thanksgiving. He grew weaker and weaker and I grew sadder and sadder at the prospect of what could happen any day. I remember the day he died very clearly. I had gone through Wendy's on my way to work to get myself some lunch. My mom called my cellphone to inform me of his death. She told me of how my cousin Matt had held his hand and told him it was OK to go. After hanging up the phone I sat and cried. I threw out the food. Didn't have the stomach for it anymore. The feeling was a mixed emotion of missing him and glad he would no longer be in pain. Since it was the holidays the funeral wouldn't take place until Wednesday of the next week. This was a Friday. I remember thinking how long that is to keep someone up. By the time the funeral came around I had the flu. I was coughing my head off and was hoarse. I also had cried so much up to that day that I couldn't cry at the funeral. I remember thinking I hope no one thinks I'm cold. I love him. I'm just numb. I've cried since that day. We all grieve in our own way. You never really get over that missing someone when they have had such an impact on your life like he did mine. He impressed other people too. He never complained to people about his illness or misfortune. He talked about what he had, not what he didn't. He died too young. He was fifty-two years old. I know his wife and his kids still miss him so very much. At Katie's fourth birthday party this year my aunt commented on how much she missed him and wished he was there. She was also worried about his grave since she had hurt her leg and couldn't get out there. I went by after the party and took pictures and checked on it for her. It's just a grave though. I know we get comfort sometimes in going to the resting place of the body, but I don't think the person's soul is there anymore. Either way I wanted to take a moment and remember my Uncle on this third anniversary of his death. I suppose we should celebrate his life more than his death. Both impacted me in a large way. I also have taken so long putting this together that it is now Christmas Eve so we can also now celebrate the Eve of Jesus birth. However you celebrate may you find joy and love this season.

Old Men & Lace

And the question would be: What are two things Sheila has never been into. Seems like there is a pull from "older men" to me though. I'm not talking just a few years either. What is my dating range? No one more than six years younger than me and no one older than 15 preferably. I would bend them under the right circumstance though. I mean if you looked like Chuck Norris who is twenty seven years older than me and have any of the characteristics of the characters he plays then I might have to make an exception. You see it's not all about age. There are things I would like to find to have the perfect partner. Although I'm doubting I'll ever find them. You see I'm looking for someone who could love me for me. Not looks. I don't think I'm bad looking though. I do need to finish getting the weight off, working on it, but that shouldn't be a determinant. Then this person would have to be someone who was looking for a partner in life. Someone to share their life with. Not someone who wants to control or boss or even be bossed. It would have to be someone who enjoys life just for life. Not someone who has to have something to do all the time to be happy. Someone who knew life isn't perfect and looked at the imperfections as a challenge and a blessing for making life a little more interesting. I know I know. I want a lot don't I. No they don't have to have money. Not that I hate money, but I can't stand it when people think I could give a damn about how much they have or how much they paid for something or how much something cost. I dated a guy once that told me constantly how much he paid for things. Money seemed to be his golden idol. Wasn't for me. I also went out with a guy once who told me that I had to sleep with him. He said I was lucky to be out with a catch like him. So I picked up the pitcher of beer he had just ordered and pored it in his lap in a crowded restaurant and called a friend to come pick me up. What nerve! Oh and lets not forget the one guy I went out with that couldn't not look at his own butt in the mirror every time we would pass one, or even a window if it was shiny enough. Then the one guy I thought I had a start with, couldn't leave the pills and booze alone. I guess such is life. What I can't figure out though is why every "OLD" man in this city gravitates towards me. Today at Walmarts I was sitting up front (I was very tired, hadn't been out much since surgery) and this old man came and sat down on the bench beside me just as close as he could get. He kept looking at me. I kept looking away. Seems to be a thing at Walmarts because a couple of years ago there was a cashier that worked there that I wouldn't go out his isle when I was there. He flirted like you wouldn't believe and kept asking me out. And don't get me started on the old guy at McDonald's that asked me if I was looking for a good time. I'm at a point in my life where I have pretty much given up on relationships, which is too bad. But I know I would never settle just to have someone. I would rather be alone. Now just in fairness to the younger guys too... Let me tell you that I wouldn't be tossing Chris Young out if he were coming my way. I don't ever see that happening but just because he's eighteen years my younger - he does make my heart skip a beat. There are lots of reasons age can be a problem. No, none of them that came to mind were sexual. Mostly interest are usually different for one thing. I know the music I like now is not what people in their fifties and sixties like and definitely not what people in their twenties like. I also know the younger generation like to party. I like to attend a nice party every once in a while, but not a boozer and definitely not one where you will find drugs. I hate bars anymore. Unless it's a quite time in there and you're just with friends I'd rather not be there. Who knows where life will take me, but either way my life is fine the way it is. Too many people are too selfish these days to really be in a relationship or they get into the relationship for the wrong reasons. I watch it over and over with my friends. A couple of them have really good relationships, but most of them have a rough road. They say there is someone out there for everyone, but sometimes I think they have it wrong. Sometimes I think there are a few of us meant to walk alone for whatever reason that is only known to God. Either way I'm happy so it doesn't matter. I'm grateful for all I have and all that I am. But if someone can explain to me why I have a gravitational pull in this universe that brings the sixty-five plus my way. Please let me know. Again not that the right one may not be that age, but I doubt they will be stalking me in Walmarts. Just my opinion.

What a Beautiful Portrait God Made!

Whether you believe or not. I do and even if you love or hate the weather we have today there is one thing that you can't deny... that is how beautiful it truly is. Thought I'd share a few photo's I took around my house around 12:30PM today. Hope you like them.

Update On Me

So today I went to see Dr. Schreck for my after surgery follow up. Painful would be a kind way of describing it. Quick though another. The doctor had to remove the stitches and the splints in my nose. Ouch! The stitches came out quickly but I felt a twinge of pain as they were pulled out. The plastic splints made me sit there in awe after they were pulled out. How did they get something that big in my nose holes? One on each side. Great. The doctor said it was looking pretty good, but there was more swelling than he wanted to see. Leave it to me. He also said that there was a slight perforation (hole) that wasn't closing up. That gave him some concern. I needed a good antibiotic to help it heal and fight off infection. Problem is last two antibiotics I had taken I had been allergic to. So we are trying CIPRO. Cross your fingers for me that it works. Sounds like a fun antibiotic. I mean one of the possible side effects is hearing voices and hallucinations. What? Oh, well. We will hope for the best. Everyone pray when I go back to the doctor on January 8Th that the hole has closed please. I do get to go back to work on Monday. I'm glad it's not today. My mouth is sore. Very sore and swollen. I think it hurts worse today than it did the day after surgery. I can breath through my nose though. There is a plus. Well, that is the update. I appreciate all the emails, calls, text messages, thoughts and prayers. Thank you all so very much.

Santa's Reindeer?

OK, so perhaps they are not really Santa's reindeer, but they could be. I had just let my dog out today and I was watching her frolic around the yard when I noticed the four deer in my neighbors yard. They were feeding on twigs and such. I couldn't believe it as the deer crossed the road and came into my yard. My dog barked at them and then stood still. The deer looked at her and then as if to say so what came right over behind my car and started eating the corn that I leave out to feed the squirrels. I have a lot of wild life in my yard. A couple of weeks ago I actually had a skunk in my yard. Not a creature I really want sticking around but yeah I wasn't about to go outside and try to run it off. My poor dog today though stood out there looking at the deer like what the heck are you? She wasn't sure if she should move or bark again. The deer ignored her as if they knew she was on a lease and couldn't get to them. Not like they didn't have her out sized. They kept watching me to see what I was going to do. I didn't want to run them off. They are so beautiful just to watch, but I was getting tired and needed to lay back down and it was extremely cold and my dog needed back in, so I opened the door. The deer turned and ran off, which my dog then took as a signal she should bark and run after them. I couldn't help but laugh as I thought it had just been a couple of minutes earlier she was almost frozen in her tracks and afraid to move. Deer are such a beautiful and graceful animal to watch. The kind around here are white tail deer. I don't really know what kind Santa would use, but I am very doubtful if it would be the same type. I also find it hard to understand how anyone could want to go out and hunt and kill this spectacular animal. I know my cousins seem to enjoy it, but it breaks my heart every time I see one dead beside the road from a car killing it. I really couldn't see myself pulling the trigger on a gun. Oh, well. I guess to each their own. So anyone know what kind of deer actually would have pulled Santa's sleigh?

Keeping Watch

During my time of recovery I have barely gotten out of bed for anything. I want to heal to the best of my ability and I don't want to risk anything going wrong. So I have gone from bedroom to sofa in the living room pretty much. I have on a couple of occasions went next door and used the recliner in my parents living room, but other than that it's been pretty much laying around, maybe watching TV, reading a little or surfing the web. That is when I'm awake. I have sufficiently since Friday mastered the art of the thirty minute nap. During all this time my dog has barely left my side. This picture is of her laying at my feet on the sofa; however, the first day and second day I was home she would lay right beside me just as close as she could get. My dad said she was worried about me. He came over to check on me several times, often I was asleep and he said she wouldn't budge. She was right by my side. As I said before I have had a marvelous support system of family and friends. This also goes for my beloved pets who have stayed right there with me the whole time as well. I believe a good support system is the key to getting through anything in life. If you have supportive friends and family there isn't anything you can't get through. So I'm thankful for this. I'm also thankful that all I had to have done was a little surgery on my sinus's. My friend Anna is in New York right now at a hospital that specializes in Cancer treatment. She underwent on the day before my surgery, the 11Th, a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery and she is currently in the process of recovering from that. If all goes well she will be released from the hospital tomorrow but still won't get to come home to Fort Wayne. She has to go back for more test and such next week. At least her family will all be with her no matter where she is on the holidays. They are there with her. They say one in eight women will have breast cancer. This means that all of us will probably have it affect our life at some point. I pray for her and her family and I pray that she will get through this to see her three beautiful children grow into loving adults. She has a website set up with updates. I know some of you know her so if you want the address let me know. Those who don't if you have a little extra prayer left in you her family could use it. Again, Thanks for everything and Happy Holidays.

How Blessed I Am!

Day two. The doctor is right on track with what he told me to expect. I feel like I have the worlds worst cold. No black eyes. Sleep is still my best friend at this juncture. I actually had a salesman come to my door today though. I told him I didn't feel well. He was trying to sell me FIOS. I went to the door with my big bandage on my nose. I told him I had just had surgery. I was trying to get him to go away. He didn't even act like he heard me so I had to tell him I all ready have FIOS and I'm not interested in your speech, but thanks. I did realize how lucky I am though. I have such a wonderful support system of family and friends and co-workers. I have one friend that has more than once offered to come over and perform Raki on me. It's a form of energy placement to help in the healing process. It might make me feel better, but I am just a person that when I don't feel well I'd rather be by myself and just sleep. Not to mention my house is a wreck and I'm not up to cleaning it. He also offered to get me items I might need if I needed them to. Along with several of my other friends checking in with me to see how I am and if I need anything else. My friend Chris offered to take me to my surgery or appointments or anything else. I truly am blessed with the text messages and emails and calls that have pored in along with a card wishing me a quick recovery. I have had a wonderful support group around me during this whole process. They have listened to me and my nervous chatter before and they have all checked on me after. I thank God for each and every one of you. I'm healing. I feel pretty crappy today, but as I said it's all on schedule with what I was told to expect. Thank you for the thoughts and prayers. You'll never know how much it means. OK. Time for more sleep. Catch you all later.

Made it!

OK, I'm really groggy and heavily medicated so if this doesn't make sense, please try to forgive me. I figured I'd try to post this before going into never never land. Surgery went well per Dr. Schreck, at least that is what he told my family. He's a really cool doctor. We had to be at Lutheran this morning at 5:30am. Lots of questions, getting prepped and nose spray that I had to use before surgery. The people at Lutheran are so professional and very nice. I highly recommend using them if you are unfortunate enough to need surgery. The needle going into my left hand for the IV hurt like crazy. The IV fluids going in also made me very very cold. The nurses brought me warmed blankets. I thought that was really cool. They felt like they had just came out of a big dryer. My surgeon and anesthesiologist both came by to see me before surgery. My doc helped but my nerves to ease a little and again assured me he's not leaving any facial bruising. So far so good. Then when I went off to the surgery room my doctor was all ready in there waiting. No putting it off. Drugs in the IV, mask over the nose and I was down for the count. That was at 7AM. I woke up in recovery at 8:38AM and the first thing the nurse said to me was "No rolling over on your side." I was shivering so badly I could hardly stand it so they brought me more warmed blankets and gave me some Demerol and fentinal for the pain and to help with the shivering. Then the nurse brought me ice chips and fed them to me. Nice sentiment, bad mistake. The cold sent pain to my face. So we switched to room temp water with a straw. Much better. I was in recovery until almost 10, then out in the regular room area where my family was brought in to be with me. My throat is sore, my face is starting to feel swollen and sore and my head is hurting some. All normal I am told. I was released around 11:40am and got home around noon. I really want to sleep but so far my phones have been ringing. Guess it's good to be loved. All except that last call. Metlife was calling me today to confirm information about my short term disability. Can you believe that? Not even time to start healing and the vultures are circling. They could at least let my carcass get stiff. Oh well, got that out of the way I guess. Anyway my head is really starting to hurt. I just wanted to let you all know I'm home and I survived and the healing process is beginning. Thanks.

Ok, so this is IT!

Night before surgery. My nerves are killing me. I am looking forward to having it done so I can quit worrying about it though. I spent the day surrounded by people that love me though. Went to lunch with my friend Diane. She always helps calm my nerves. Then to dinner with my family. A few errands and then I am now home. A few things to do around the house and then I really need to be in bed by ten. I have to be at the hospital at five-thirty in the morning. Nothing to eat after midnight. I'm thinking I'm pretty much done with that anyway. I have read everything I could find. Watched a television program that showed the surgery. (Yeah really wish I hadn't done that one.) I'm looking forward to the time after healing. Not so much the time right after with pain. Then perhaps I'll be able to concentrate and get things done. I haven't been able to blog the way I like to. Too much on my mind. I know it's common surgery. I know I'll more than likely be fine. As I've told you often though I am a big baby when it comes to pain. I promise to post as soon as I can how I am doing though. So hang in the with me. If you feel like it send up a little prayer. Happy Holidays.

Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut?

I've never been a big nut or peanut fan. I rarely eat nuts, but lately I have taken up the cause of eating them. Why? For many reasons, but mostly because they are very filling and help keep hunger at bay. They are also full of vitamins that we need. They contain Protein, folic acid, Vitamin E, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Zinc, Copper and Potassium just to name a few. Believe it or not that isn't all of them. For me though there is no sport in buying the pre-shelled nuts. I have bought a bag for work and a bag for home of the in shell nuts. The ones at home have no salt and are all natural. I'll admit though the ones at work are roasted and salted. Exactly how do they do that while they are still in the shell? Either way it's been fun joking at work about how we could shell them and just throw the shells on the floor like they do in some restaurants. However, we have resisted the temptation to do that. Either way, I've found them quite enjoyable, and perhaps you could give them a try? Nuts have been linked to lower blood pressure and more energy in case studies. Don't know if any of it is correct. But I have been eating on them for a couple of days now on and off and I checked my blood pressure today and it was a little lower, even though work has had me stressed beyond belief. I also had more energy. Could just all be in the mind too. Guess I'll never know. But either way... sometimes you feel like a nut, or at least sometimes now I do. Just a thought.

Family Tradition and Snow

Well, if you don't like what you saw today you can easily blame my mother and me. We have a family tradition of every year doing a mother and daughter day out of Christmas Shopping. Now it's true I had mine done, but I still love going with her. Every year when we go, with only the exception of last year, it's always snowing and blowing. So today when I got up and saw the weather I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. It was pretty and phobia's have no place when it's a day for me to be with my mom, so I pushed fear aside and forged out to meet my mom and dad for a little Chinese food before shopping. Who could ask better than Chinese food and spending time with family? We sat and talked and ate and laughed. Mom and I chuckled at the weather as we watched it appear to get worse and worse. That would not stop our festivities though. After lunch dad set out on his own and mom and I headed to Kmart. Yeah along with the shopping there is always a stop at Kmart. After we found our items from mom to dad that he had put on his list we then headed out to Big Lots. Seems to me we should have gone there first. They have lots and lots of stuff and their prices are good. We hit up the dollar store and a few other choice locations. Then home to wrap her treasures she had found. The weather actually seemed to get a little better and a little warmer. Didn't matter to me. It was mother and daughter time. I wonder how many other families have these traditions. I also wonder if any of them enjoy it and spend it happy like my mom and I do. And just in case you could care little about my shopping trip today, I wondered if you might be interested in buying a Pink or Purple tree? Are they for real? I know my friend Joe put the pink Pig on his site, but I'm thinking Pink Christmas trees might trump pink pigs. You let me know. Merry Christmas!