Last night I was piddling around, unable to sleep, TCM had no good movies on and Gumbo was snoring too much for me to read, so I went surfing. I am not sure how I found the first blog that led me to the blog that I am going to reccommend, but, that is neither here nor there. I spent all night reading this blog, read all the archived posts and everything. If I knew how to add a 'blogs I read' section to my sidebar, I would list this one there. So, here it is http://randomreality.blogware.com/.
I know you will like it as much as I have.
Reading his blog made me remember working at the hospital. I am a Respiratory Therapist, but stopped working in 1999 because of my OCD (nasty thing). I tried one time to go to England to work. I have been a Britophile (I think I made that up) for so long now. I decided to call a contract company who hired nurses and other medical types. Their biggest potential employers were in Saudi Arabia, but I knew that there was no way I could live there without offending someone. Not intentionally, but, well, it is a known fact that if I had to think before I spoke, I would never say anything. Ok, so, I get up at like 3am one morning and call this company in London. The man I talked to was very nice but told me that at that time they were not hiring foreigners to work in the UK. I was totally shocked and told him that I was NOT a foreigner. He was nice when he told me that to the UK I was. We kept talking and the end result was that if I could get a work permit there, then he would give me a chance. But, he also told me that the UK does not have Respiratory Therapists, that Physical Therapists do most of what we do. I am not sure the RNs do what we, as RTs did. I was trained to intubate, manage ventilators, insert arterial lines as well as the routine breathing treatments. At the hospital where I worked, a Veterans Hospital, we had a lot of responsibility. For instance, one night in the Cardiac Care Unit, I intubated a patient. Placed him on the ventilator. Managed the ventilator (settings, etc)and inserted an arterial line.
But, I digress. I never made it to England, dangit. And, it looks like I may never make it there just to visit. I have major issues with flying. Actually, it is the crashing that I have issues with. I am not afraid of dying. It is the time of terror prior to hitting the ground that I want nothing to do with. I have a friend who tells me that if I will go to Thailand with her, she will go to the UK with me. Right. She says we will go to my doctor and get anti-anxiety meds for the flights. I don't think there are enought drugs available to get me on the plane. I would have to have IV meds and be wheeled on in a wheelchair, then given an aisle seat with no one sitting next to me so when I slide over, comatose, with slobber sliding down my chin, I won't get any on anyone else. Then, I would have to do it all over again when I get ready to come home.
And, a more realistic note, I finally got the insurance money for the damage my house got during Katrina. So, now I can get the roof, chimney and ceilings fixed. I have decided that I am going to plant bamboo along the fence line. That way I won't have to get a privacy fence. And, bamboo has the added benefit of helping fix (resolve?) some of the pollution.
This brings up another issue. Not the pollution. Fixing my house. See, my oldest son does roofs. But, he and I have never had good business dealings. I am not sure he will do his best on my house. So, I am having other roofers give me bids. Now I have to figure out how to tell him this without hurting his feelings.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Monday, November 07, 2005
Some more Katrina stuff...
I have been looking for this since Katrina hit. It is before and after pictures of some of the historic sites damaged. http://www.mississippiheritage.com/HurricaneKatrina.html
I know that many people lost their lives and homes and jobs. Everyone living in the path of Katrina were affected. Somehow, though, seeing the damage to buildings that have survived for over a hundered years, makes me more depressed and I have a hard time thinking about working to bring things back to the way they were before. Beauvoir came through Camille with hardly a scratch. Sad.
Update, I just found out that the photos I had posted as being from Katrina were fake, well, not fake, but not from Katrina and also not from the actual photographer.
I know that many people lost their lives and homes and jobs. Everyone living in the path of Katrina were affected. Somehow, though, seeing the damage to buildings that have survived for over a hundered years, makes me more depressed and I have a hard time thinking about working to bring things back to the way they were before. Beauvoir came through Camille with hardly a scratch. Sad.
Update, I just found out that the photos I had posted as being from Katrina were fake, well, not fake, but not from Katrina and also not from the actual photographer.
Yeah, well we all get this way sometimes.........
http://bored.com/
There it is folks. Anytime you can't sleep or the world is being to demanding or just plain mean, go to that link and have some fun. It helps to clear your mind so you can think straight and deal with the things you need to think about. It works, trust me.
I am finally figuring out how to use all the neat little things blogspot has for us to use. Like the link maker. It is just too neat. Gonna play around with things and see what I come up with.
I did a salt water cleanse this morning and I must say, cleanse it did. I thought I would be cleanseing for the rest of the day. I feel better, but I don't know if it from the cleanse or just that I am out of the bathroom. Leslie told me to start writing down all the weird things I do so she will know what to tell the EMTs when she has to call them. I found this cleanse in the Master Cleanser book so I knew it was safe.
Ok. enough for now. Will try to get back here later.
There it is folks. Anytime you can't sleep or the world is being to demanding or just plain mean, go to that link and have some fun. It helps to clear your mind so you can think straight and deal with the things you need to think about. It works, trust me.
I am finally figuring out how to use all the neat little things blogspot has for us to use. Like the link maker. It is just too neat. Gonna play around with things and see what I come up with.
I did a salt water cleanse this morning and I must say, cleanse it did. I thought I would be cleanseing for the rest of the day. I feel better, but I don't know if it from the cleanse or just that I am out of the bathroom. Leslie told me to start writing down all the weird things I do so she will know what to tell the EMTs when she has to call them. I found this cleanse in the Master Cleanser book so I knew it was safe.
Ok. enough for now. Will try to get back here later.
Life goes on...
When I started this blog last....February, I think.....it was meant to write about my experiences as a member of the JWs. I did too. I told everything I could remember about my childhood in that group as well as my chaotic homelife. Then, for some reason I stopped for several weeks. When I finally got back to the blog and read over what I had written, I decided that I didn't want this to be just about me and the JWs. So, I deleted all those entries and started over. I have not had as much time as I would like lately to post, but hopefully that will change soon. I have finally met with the insurance adjuster and should be able to move back into my house soon. It has to be soon. I am not sure how much longer I can stand living with my friend Leslie without one of us taking a knife or gun to the other.
Just joking of course. Leslie knows when I need alone time and does exactly that...she leaves me alone. Sometimes she will stick her head in my room to ask me if I am still living, but mostly she leaves me to waller in it until I am sick of myself and haul myself out of bed and start living again. Last week was one of those weeks. I did however, manage to finish several Christmas ornaments that I am crocheting. And, I read two books. Life goes on.
And, since life goes on I will be going out tomorrow and doing something. Anything.
Just joking of course. Leslie knows when I need alone time and does exactly that...she leaves me alone. Sometimes she will stick her head in my room to ask me if I am still living, but mostly she leaves me to waller in it until I am sick of myself and haul myself out of bed and start living again. Last week was one of those weeks. I did however, manage to finish several Christmas ornaments that I am crocheting. And, I read two books. Life goes on.
And, since life goes on I will be going out tomorrow and doing something. Anything.
Friday, November 04, 2005
Su DoKu anyone??
Leave it to the Brits. There is a new puzzle that is driving people crazy. It is a number puzzle and believe me it is addictive. And, irritating. Go here and try it http://www.timesonline.co.uk/section/0,,23509,00.html. It is fun.
Things are mosing along at about the same pace. Am waiting for the insurance check so I can have a new roof put on. And, I am still waiting to move back into my house. Maybe by Thanksgiving?
I took Phil out to supper and an show Tuesday. He is TWENTY now. Anyway, we went to see Saw........I know, I know, but I had to do that. I only sat through that because it is what he wanted to see. But, it brings up a pet peeve of mine. What is wrong with moviemakers nowadays? It seems if someone isn't being hacked to death then they are in bed with someone going on and on. I have never seen where watching someone have sex helps the plot. I mean, do you watch people in real life? Well, I don't. You know people are doing it but not too many people feel the necessity to watch. So, why do people who make movies think we need to see that? Ah well.
And, now we have Michael Moore, Hilliary and Kennedy getting busted. About time. I have no respect for what I call 'gliberals'. They are quick to tell us how we should think and if we don't accept what they say then we are 'sheep' being led to the slaughter. Meanwhile they are getting richer and richer doing exactly what they are condemning others for. They make me sick. Like. all the moviestars who think they know more than anyone else, who blast Bush for because he is not doing enough (in their opinion) for the environment, yet they own several SUVs and not only that, most own stock in all the major companies that pollute. So, I suppose as long as no one knows about it, they can continue being snakes and talking out of both sides of their mouths. I recommend this book Peter Schweizer's new book, "Do As I Say (Not As I Do): Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy." I am fixing to order it.
Things are mosing along at about the same pace. Am waiting for the insurance check so I can have a new roof put on. And, I am still waiting to move back into my house. Maybe by Thanksgiving?
I took Phil out to supper and an show Tuesday. He is TWENTY now. Anyway, we went to see Saw........I know, I know, but I had to do that. I only sat through that because it is what he wanted to see. But, it brings up a pet peeve of mine. What is wrong with moviemakers nowadays? It seems if someone isn't being hacked to death then they are in bed with someone going on and on. I have never seen where watching someone have sex helps the plot. I mean, do you watch people in real life? Well, I don't. You know people are doing it but not too many people feel the necessity to watch. So, why do people who make movies think we need to see that? Ah well.
And, now we have Michael Moore, Hilliary and Kennedy getting busted. About time. I have no respect for what I call 'gliberals'. They are quick to tell us how we should think and if we don't accept what they say then we are 'sheep' being led to the slaughter. Meanwhile they are getting richer and richer doing exactly what they are condemning others for. They make me sick. Like. all the moviestars who think they know more than anyone else, who blast Bush for because he is not doing enough (in their opinion) for the environment, yet they own several SUVs and not only that, most own stock in all the major companies that pollute. So, I suppose as long as no one knows about it, they can continue being snakes and talking out of both sides of their mouths. I recommend this book Peter Schweizer's new book, "Do As I Say (Not As I Do): Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy." I am fixing to order it.
Monday, October 31, 2005
The Who Would You Be in 1400AD Test
| The Lord You scored 21% Cardinal, 51% Monk, 47% Lady, and 62% Knight! |
You are of the intellectual breed and yet you are also very interested in war. You are of the aristocracy and head the cavalry a safe distance from the carnage of the front lines. You believe in defeating your enemy with not only might, but also wit.
|
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My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:
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| Link: The Who Would You Be in 1400 AD Test written by KnightlyKnave on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test |
Laughter and.........
Well, it has been a while since I posted anything. It isn't easy sometimes to do that, since I am borrowing my friend's computer and have to wait till she is done. I can't wait to get settled in my house. Funny, though. Two years ago I could not wait to be out of that house. I hated that house. I might still hate it, but at least it is mine and I can do what I want when I want.
I was looking over www.bored.com. Some of the games are fun, at least there is a variety so it is hard to get bored with it. I found the music video links and watched Johnny Cash's 'Hurt'. I can hardly watch that without crying. Bless his heart.
There is also a link there that let's people tell their most embarrassing moments. Some don't seem to be that embarrassing, but, I suppose if I was the one it was happening to, then that would be another story. One of the stories reminded me of something my son-in-law did. Back before he decided to go to law school, he worked for a chemical company that was based in New Orleans. Jamie (my s-in-l) has some weird habits. Like, he goes to the bathroom at 5pm everyday. He says that he has a 'window of poo' opportunity and if that passed then he waits till the next day. Well, this one day he did not feel good and went to the restroom. He went to the one on the first floor because not many people took the time to go to that one. Ok, so he goes into a stall and gets comfortable. A very short time later someone else comes into the restroom and goes into a stall next to Jamie's. Everything was quiet for a few minutes, when suddently the other guy says,'Hey,' Jamie was a bit startled but ignored him. The guy says hey again, then says,'How's things going?' Jamie, being the nice guy that he is does not want to hurt the other man's feelings, so he says, 'oh, I am ok. How about you?' The other man says,'How about getting together later?' Jamies by then is ready to just leave, but still, he is considerate and does not want the man thinking that he is being rude, say,'Well, I have plans with Mike (my daughter) later, but..........' Finally the other guy says, 'Hold on a sec.' Then tells Jamie that he is on his cell phone.
A friend of mine is really a typical male. He knows all and is the best at doing ANYTHING. Just ask him. Once he and I took my son Phil and some of Phil's friends over to see the USS Alabama. I had just gotten a new videorecorder and everyone wanted to be the one doing the video. Finally, my friend said that HE would do it, because HE had a lot of experience and knew what he was doing and that was that. He hung the camera to a belt loop and started off toward the gift shop. All the kids moped into the gift shop and muttered about it while I got the tickets. Meanwhile, my friend decided to use the restroom before crawling all over the humongeous ship. The day turned out to be a good one, except for the fact that it was hot and I was out of breath most of the time from going to the very bottom of the ship and then back to the top......the tip top, too. That night, we got comfortable in my living room with popcorn and cokes and put the tape in to relive the 'awesome' event. We were treated to shots of the parking lot, the gift shop floor (all this while listening again to my friend telling us how he KNEW what he was doing)the walk into the restroom and then my friend hanging the camera on the hook on the stall door.....and..well, let's just say that it the kids have yet to let my friend live this down.
Now, I suppose you all think that I am going to tell you something that I did that was embarrassing. Actually, I can't think of any. I mean, I did things that embarrassed me, but they don't seem so awful now. Like the time my mother, God love her, bought me a new outfit. I hated dresses. This one had an underskirt that was attached to the blouse. It was all satiny and shiney and see-through. I had the bright idea to wear JUST that to school one day. I can still see the look on my mother's face when I walked in from school that day. Not a pretty sight. Another time, and this really did embarrass me, I was at the Pix Theater with my brother Wayne. There was hardly anyone there. I went to the restroom and came back and flopped down next to Wayne. He sat up straight real quick and I was asking him what in heck was wrong with him when I saw him looking back over his seat at me. He laughed about that for years.
Well, this is not where I meant to go today, but heck, we all do dumb things at times and besides, I needed the laugh.
Oh, check this out.....
Well, I will have to post it in a separate post........here it comes.
I was looking over www.bored.com. Some of the games are fun, at least there is a variety so it is hard to get bored with it. I found the music video links and watched Johnny Cash's 'Hurt'. I can hardly watch that without crying. Bless his heart.
There is also a link there that let's people tell their most embarrassing moments. Some don't seem to be that embarrassing, but, I suppose if I was the one it was happening to, then that would be another story. One of the stories reminded me of something my son-in-law did. Back before he decided to go to law school, he worked for a chemical company that was based in New Orleans. Jamie (my s-in-l) has some weird habits. Like, he goes to the bathroom at 5pm everyday. He says that he has a 'window of poo' opportunity and if that passed then he waits till the next day. Well, this one day he did not feel good and went to the restroom. He went to the one on the first floor because not many people took the time to go to that one. Ok, so he goes into a stall and gets comfortable. A very short time later someone else comes into the restroom and goes into a stall next to Jamie's. Everything was quiet for a few minutes, when suddently the other guy says,'Hey,' Jamie was a bit startled but ignored him. The guy says hey again, then says,'How's things going?' Jamie, being the nice guy that he is does not want to hurt the other man's feelings, so he says, 'oh, I am ok. How about you?' The other man says,'How about getting together later?' Jamies by then is ready to just leave, but still, he is considerate and does not want the man thinking that he is being rude, say,'Well, I have plans with Mike (my daughter) later, but..........' Finally the other guy says, 'Hold on a sec.' Then tells Jamie that he is on his cell phone.
A friend of mine is really a typical male. He knows all and is the best at doing ANYTHING. Just ask him. Once he and I took my son Phil and some of Phil's friends over to see the USS Alabama. I had just gotten a new videorecorder and everyone wanted to be the one doing the video. Finally, my friend said that HE would do it, because HE had a lot of experience and knew what he was doing and that was that. He hung the camera to a belt loop and started off toward the gift shop. All the kids moped into the gift shop and muttered about it while I got the tickets. Meanwhile, my friend decided to use the restroom before crawling all over the humongeous ship. The day turned out to be a good one, except for the fact that it was hot and I was out of breath most of the time from going to the very bottom of the ship and then back to the top......the tip top, too. That night, we got comfortable in my living room with popcorn and cokes and put the tape in to relive the 'awesome' event. We were treated to shots of the parking lot, the gift shop floor (all this while listening again to my friend telling us how he KNEW what he was doing)the walk into the restroom and then my friend hanging the camera on the hook on the stall door.....and..well, let's just say that it the kids have yet to let my friend live this down.
Now, I suppose you all think that I am going to tell you something that I did that was embarrassing. Actually, I can't think of any. I mean, I did things that embarrassed me, but they don't seem so awful now. Like the time my mother, God love her, bought me a new outfit. I hated dresses. This one had an underskirt that was attached to the blouse. It was all satiny and shiney and see-through. I had the bright idea to wear JUST that to school one day. I can still see the look on my mother's face when I walked in from school that day. Not a pretty sight. Another time, and this really did embarrass me, I was at the Pix Theater with my brother Wayne. There was hardly anyone there. I went to the restroom and came back and flopped down next to Wayne. He sat up straight real quick and I was asking him what in heck was wrong with him when I saw him looking back over his seat at me. He laughed about that for years.
Well, this is not where I meant to go today, but heck, we all do dumb things at times and besides, I needed the laugh.
Oh, check this out.....
Well, I will have to post it in a separate post........here it comes.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Well, golly gee.....
| You Are 30% Weird |
 Not enough to scare other people... But sometimes you scare yourself. |
Tuesday with the adjuster
Well, I have been lazing around here watching old movies on TCM. Sunday it was Abbott and Costello (slowly I turn, step by step). And, Saturday my daughter, Michael, and I watched Arsenic and Old Lace. Last night was Alfred Hitchcock night......well, it is Hitchcock all week. His movies are just not scary to me. Never have been. But, I like to watch them. Michael and I want to try to find a 'haunted' house or maybe a graveyard to walk through at night. We will have to sedate her husband, he is such a wimp about things like that. He has yet to watch the Exorcist....which I think is not scary at all. We are thinking of planning something for when my older daughter, Connie, and the boys come down for Christmas. It should be fun. But, Jamie (Mike's husband) and Nick (my oldest grandson) will have to be tricked into going with us where ever we go.
I finally met with my insurance adjuster today. I will finally be able to fix my roof. David (my oldest son) had taken pictures of my house and yard the day after the hurricane. I had not seen them before. When I was finally able to get from Baton Rouge to Gulfport to see about my house, David had already cleaned things up a lot. It was a bit of a shock to see the pictures. And, I am glad that I did not see the actual damage. Anyway, now I wait for the insurance check.
Speaking of insurance, I have heard some horror tales. My youngest son ( Philip) told me that his best friend's father is having to sue one of his insurance companies. They lived a block from the beach and had an attic left. Literally. All that was left on the property was the attic. They had flood insurance and had no trouble with that company. But, they also had wind and hail insurance with a different company. That company told them that their house did not receive wind damage, just water damage. This seems to be happening to a lot of people. One lady (she lives next door to my friend Leslie) was told by her insurance company that her roof was old, and that is why there was a six foot wide hole in the middle of it after Katrina. This is sad. If you have a mortgage, you have to have insurance. And, it is not cheap. But, when you need to file a claim, you are treated as if you caused the problem. My husband's brother was a CPA and had no insurance. He said it is a racket and that people come out better by putting the premiums in the bank for themselves. But, of course, the only way to not have insurance is to buy your house for cash or pay it off as soon as you can and then, stop the insurance.
I have been working on some Christmas things. I will be in Gulfport for Christmas and all my Christmas things are in Michigan. So, I have been making angels and snowflakes, etc. Just call me granny.
I finally met with my insurance adjuster today. I will finally be able to fix my roof. David (my oldest son) had taken pictures of my house and yard the day after the hurricane. I had not seen them before. When I was finally able to get from Baton Rouge to Gulfport to see about my house, David had already cleaned things up a lot. It was a bit of a shock to see the pictures. And, I am glad that I did not see the actual damage. Anyway, now I wait for the insurance check.
Speaking of insurance, I have heard some horror tales. My youngest son ( Philip) told me that his best friend's father is having to sue one of his insurance companies. They lived a block from the beach and had an attic left. Literally. All that was left on the property was the attic. They had flood insurance and had no trouble with that company. But, they also had wind and hail insurance with a different company. That company told them that their house did not receive wind damage, just water damage. This seems to be happening to a lot of people. One lady (she lives next door to my friend Leslie) was told by her insurance company that her roof was old, and that is why there was a six foot wide hole in the middle of it after Katrina. This is sad. If you have a mortgage, you have to have insurance. And, it is not cheap. But, when you need to file a claim, you are treated as if you caused the problem. My husband's brother was a CPA and had no insurance. He said it is a racket and that people come out better by putting the premiums in the bank for themselves. But, of course, the only way to not have insurance is to buy your house for cash or pay it off as soon as you can and then, stop the insurance.
I have been working on some Christmas things. I will be in Gulfport for Christmas and all my Christmas things are in Michigan. So, I have been making angels and snowflakes, etc. Just call me granny.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Googleing
Hummmm, Carla at http://carla_rolfe.blogspot.com gave this assignment on her blog. I would link to it, but me and links are not communicating. Anyway, the idea is to google your first name and needs and then write down the top ten results that pertain to you. Below are mine.
1.Ann needs to find her inner-child (I KNEW something was missing)
2.Ann is in desperate need of surgery(ahhh, well?)
3.The ANN needs the current grade, ie how well you remember an item now.(and I didn't even know that I was outmoded)
4.Ann needs something shoulder-length with layers
5. ann needs to get into modeling she is a gorgeous indian female(yeah, right)
6.Ann needs to call her accountant because someone's been skimming her checks(I knew it wasn't MY fault)
7.Ann needs to start behaving like a proper young lady, learning to knit, cook, and manage a household(ok, who's been peeking???)
8. Ann needs to check for an important e–mail,(like the one from Nigeria or the British Lottery?)
9.Ann became much better prepared to attempt to(be the first)
10.Ann needs to be indoors only. (no comment)
This was silly and fun. I may leave a link at Carla's site.
1.Ann needs to find her inner-child (I KNEW something was missing)
2.Ann is in desperate need of surgery(ahhh, well?)
3.The ANN needs the current grade, ie how well you remember an item now.(and I didn't even know that I was outmoded)
4.Ann needs something shoulder-length with layers
5. ann needs to get into modeling she is a gorgeous indian female(yeah, right)
6.Ann needs to call her accountant because someone's been skimming her checks(I knew it wasn't MY fault)
7.Ann needs to start behaving like a proper young lady, learning to knit, cook, and manage a household(ok, who's been peeking???)
8. Ann needs to check for an important e–mail,(like the one from Nigeria or the British Lottery?)
9.Ann became much better prepared to attempt to(be the first)
10.Ann needs to be indoors only. (no comment)
This was silly and fun. I may leave a link at Carla's site.
Rocks, fossils and ghosts......
I have been feeling depressed lately. I have not done any of the things I had planned for the summer and then Katrina happened and my daughter had to hurry and move......well, things have been hectic. I was at a point where I could not see that I would be doing anything other than fighting with the insurance adjuster (who, FINALLY called today to set up an appointment), filling out forms and such. Then today I met the man who lives next to my friend Leslie's house.
Leslie was out working in her yard and I was inside with a severe case of the po-pitifuls. I heard her shut the lawnmower off and then several minutes later she came in to tell me that her neighbor has been collecting rocks and fossils for twenty some-odd years. Leslie told him that I was a rock hound too and he invited me over to look at his collection. It was totally amazing! He has one room devoted to his rock/fossils. He had bookshelves built so he can display them easily. I have never seen such a large a diverse selection in a private person's collection. I could have stayed there talking with him and looking at his collection for hours. But, he had to go get his new glasses so I left with an invitation to come look at them anytime and, to bring whoever I wanted to. I will take my older grandsons when they come here.
He has his collection catalogued and each specimen was sitting on top of a 3x5 index card with the latin name, age, and location where he found it. He told me that Wolf River is a great place to go rock/fossil hunting. Wolf River is about 10 miles from my house. I am going to rent a boat, or borrow one, and go down the river and see what I find. And, he told me that there are a lot of fossilized clam shells up around Tupelo. Tupelo is where my family is from and I go there often. Well, mostly I go through it on the Natchez Trace (which is another thing I like to do....drive the Trace) I am so excited. Only thing is, all my geology books are up in Michigan at my older daughter's house. I am ordering a new one tomorrow though. Then, I am go on a hunting expedition. I will take my camera and will post pictures of anything I find.
Speaking of the Natchez Trace. If anyone is close enough to drive it, and you haven't yet, well, why haven't you??? It is such a serene drive. And, if you are there near sundown, stop and walk a ways down the old Trace. People walked and rode that for hundreds of years. If you are quiet and listen carefully, you can almost hear those people walking by you. And, if you close your eyes, you might even feel them brush against you as they pass. There is an old church and graveyard between Vicksburg and Natchez that will spook you. Well, it did me and my kids. Have I mentioned that I like graveyards? The older ones. Anyway, one weekend when my older kids were young, we packed a picnic lunch and headed for the Trace. This was when we lived in Jackson. We pulled over at a picnic area that is next to the church. After we ate, we decided to check it out. There are signs telling you about the town that used to be there and then you walk through some trees and there is the church. Spooky. My older daughter and I went into the church. Inside was dark and we stood there letting our eyes get used to the change from bright sunlight to dark whenwe heard a scratching sound. Connie looked at me and we walked closer to each other. Neither of us could see what had made the noise and it stopped, so we started walking toward the front of the church. Then, before we could react further we heard a huffing sound. That was did it, we were leaving. As we turned around, Connie felt something on her leg and let out a squeak. I think she was too scared to do anything else. Just then, Michael, my youngest daughter opened to door. Standing between us and the door was an old female hound, wagging her tail. So, no ghosts for us. Course, we still left the church and went out to look at the graveyard.
Isn't this an awesome picture? I love walking down the Old Trace. Imagine the people who walked it. All the native Americans. And, Daniel Boone...just to name one well-known person. Merriwether Lewis was either killed, commited suicide or had a fatal accident at a way-station on the Trace. There is a monument to him there. There are several Indian Mounds along the Trace. I do wish you were allowed to look for arrowheads and fossils and other old things there. But, like most National Parks, you can't. There is a settlement called Frenchman's Creek that has been restored there. It is so neat. I am serious people, if you get a chance, drive the Trace. You will love it too.
Leslie was out working in her yard and I was inside with a severe case of the po-pitifuls. I heard her shut the lawnmower off and then several minutes later she came in to tell me that her neighbor has been collecting rocks and fossils for twenty some-odd years. Leslie told him that I was a rock hound too and he invited me over to look at his collection. It was totally amazing! He has one room devoted to his rock/fossils. He had bookshelves built so he can display them easily. I have never seen such a large a diverse selection in a private person's collection. I could have stayed there talking with him and looking at his collection for hours. But, he had to go get his new glasses so I left with an invitation to come look at them anytime and, to bring whoever I wanted to. I will take my older grandsons when they come here.
He has his collection catalogued and each specimen was sitting on top of a 3x5 index card with the latin name, age, and location where he found it. He told me that Wolf River is a great place to go rock/fossil hunting. Wolf River is about 10 miles from my house. I am going to rent a boat, or borrow one, and go down the river and see what I find. And, he told me that there are a lot of fossilized clam shells up around Tupelo. Tupelo is where my family is from and I go there often. Well, mostly I go through it on the Natchez Trace (which is another thing I like to do....drive the Trace) I am so excited. Only thing is, all my geology books are up in Michigan at my older daughter's house. I am ordering a new one tomorrow though. Then, I am go on a hunting expedition. I will take my camera and will post pictures of anything I find.
Speaking of the Natchez Trace. If anyone is close enough to drive it, and you haven't yet, well, why haven't you??? It is such a serene drive. And, if you are there near sundown, stop and walk a ways down the old Trace. People walked and rode that for hundreds of years. If you are quiet and listen carefully, you can almost hear those people walking by you. And, if you close your eyes, you might even feel them brush against you as they pass. There is an old church and graveyard between Vicksburg and Natchez that will spook you. Well, it did me and my kids. Have I mentioned that I like graveyards? The older ones. Anyway, one weekend when my older kids were young, we packed a picnic lunch and headed for the Trace. This was when we lived in Jackson. We pulled over at a picnic area that is next to the church. After we ate, we decided to check it out. There are signs telling you about the town that used to be there and then you walk through some trees and there is the church. Spooky. My older daughter and I went into the church. Inside was dark and we stood there letting our eyes get used to the change from bright sunlight to dark whenwe heard a scratching sound. Connie looked at me and we walked closer to each other. Neither of us could see what had made the noise and it stopped, so we started walking toward the front of the church. Then, before we could react further we heard a huffing sound. That was did it, we were leaving. As we turned around, Connie felt something on her leg and let out a squeak. I think she was too scared to do anything else. Just then, Michael, my youngest daughter opened to door. Standing between us and the door was an old female hound, wagging her tail. So, no ghosts for us. Course, we still left the church and went out to look at the graveyard.
Isn't this an awesome picture? I love walking down the Old Trace. Imagine the people who walked it. All the native Americans. And, Daniel Boone...just to name one well-known person. Merriwether Lewis was either killed, commited suicide or had a fatal accident at a way-station on the Trace. There is a monument to him there. There are several Indian Mounds along the Trace. I do wish you were allowed to look for arrowheads and fossils and other old things there. But, like most National Parks, you can't. There is a settlement called Frenchman's Creek that has been restored there. It is so neat. I am serious people, if you get a chance, drive the Trace. You will love it too.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Wayne
I don't know if it is the changing seasons or the time of year, but I have been thinking of my brother, Wayne, a lot lately. I have been reliving the call when he told me that he had cancer. And, worse than that one, the call that he had died.
I was on my way to him and had stopped at a rest area just south of the Ohio stateline. For some reason ( and I still don't know why) I went to a payphone there and called his house. No one answered, but his wife had left a message telling me to call her son's house. I started shaking. I called and she told me that Wayne had died during the night.
The last time I talked to Wayne, the day before, I told him that I was leaving Mississippi right then to come to Columbus, Ohio to be with him. He told me to be careful, then said, 'hurry, cause I really want to see you girl.' His daughter told me a few days later that he had talked about me a lot during the days before he died. When someone would ask him if he wanted to do this or that, call another doctor, etc, he would say, 'my sister is coming, she will take care of it' or 'my sister will do that'.
See, he and I were the two youngest in the family and were extremely close. I was a tomboy and fought at the drop of an insult. Just let someone say something to me that I didn't like and I jumped on them, swinging. And, lord help the person who dared say or do anything to Wayne. I did not just fight kids, I attacked my older brothers. Mostly because they said or did something to Wayne. Over the years our roles changed. Wayne joined the army and went to Germany. I went crazy and became known as 'weird'.
But, when my brother called to tell me about his cancer, time flipped. I heard the fear in his voice and was immediately in attack mode. I would have fought the cancer grabbo to the death, but he sneaked past me and got Wayne.
After I talked with Wayne's wife. I called my older brother at his bakery. His wife answered and gave him the phone and he was talking about all sorts of trivial stuff. I was furious. I interrupted him and said, 'James, Wayne is DEAD.' I could not belive he was being so trivial when the world was spinning sideways. Then, I hung up on him. I was so mad. That anger got me to my car, then I lost it. I don't cry in front of anyone if I can avoid it, but that morning I did not care. I tried to continue driving because my OCD does not allow me to ride with very many people driving. My friend was with me and took over.
About two months later I was thinking about that day and realized that my older brother had known Wayne was dead, and knew that I was trying to get there. When I called him he did not know that I knew and he did not want to be the one to tell me.
Wayne was a beautiful person, with a beautiful soul. I miss him. I will always miss him.
I was on my way to him and had stopped at a rest area just south of the Ohio stateline. For some reason ( and I still don't know why) I went to a payphone there and called his house. No one answered, but his wife had left a message telling me to call her son's house. I started shaking. I called and she told me that Wayne had died during the night.
The last time I talked to Wayne, the day before, I told him that I was leaving Mississippi right then to come to Columbus, Ohio to be with him. He told me to be careful, then said, 'hurry, cause I really want to see you girl.' His daughter told me a few days later that he had talked about me a lot during the days before he died. When someone would ask him if he wanted to do this or that, call another doctor, etc, he would say, 'my sister is coming, she will take care of it' or 'my sister will do that'.
See, he and I were the two youngest in the family and were extremely close. I was a tomboy and fought at the drop of an insult. Just let someone say something to me that I didn't like and I jumped on them, swinging. And, lord help the person who dared say or do anything to Wayne. I did not just fight kids, I attacked my older brothers. Mostly because they said or did something to Wayne. Over the years our roles changed. Wayne joined the army and went to Germany. I went crazy and became known as 'weird'.
But, when my brother called to tell me about his cancer, time flipped. I heard the fear in his voice and was immediately in attack mode. I would have fought the cancer grabbo to the death, but he sneaked past me and got Wayne.
After I talked with Wayne's wife. I called my older brother at his bakery. His wife answered and gave him the phone and he was talking about all sorts of trivial stuff. I was furious. I interrupted him and said, 'James, Wayne is DEAD.' I could not belive he was being so trivial when the world was spinning sideways. Then, I hung up on him. I was so mad. That anger got me to my car, then I lost it. I don't cry in front of anyone if I can avoid it, but that morning I did not care. I tried to continue driving because my OCD does not allow me to ride with very many people driving. My friend was with me and took over.
About two months later I was thinking about that day and realized that my older brother had known Wayne was dead, and knew that I was trying to get there. When I called him he did not know that I knew and he did not want to be the one to tell me.
Wayne was a beautiful person, with a beautiful soul. I miss him. I will always miss him.
Friday, October 14, 2005
Crystal Ball Anyone???
| In a Past Life... |
 You Were: A Banished Fortune Teller. Where You Lived: Mexico. How You Died: Dysentery. |
Stuff
I have not been able to sign onto Paltalk for several weeks now. I was staying with my youngest daughter, but she was forced to move into a small one bedroom apartment. There is just not room enough for her, her husband, their baby boy and me to live comfortably there, so I am staying with my friend Leslie until I am able to move back into my house in Gulfport. Leslie does not want PT on her computer because she says that the last time I downloaded it to her computer it fried her hard drive. I have been able to visit the forums that I own and the ones that I subscribe to and it that way have kept up a bit with my friends from PT.
Something is happening. People are being hurt. Why? What is causing people who have been friends for years stop speaking? People who do not agree on each point of doctrine, but who liked and cared about each other until the last few months. Why? I don't know the arguments and don't want to know all the details. I see the result, and it ain't pretty. Can someone take a step backwards and look at the situation and try to see where it started to go wrong? I pray someone does. I will also be praying for all involved in this. God bless them.
To change the subject, I have told you about how my daughter's landlord called them the Thursday after Katrina hit and told them he was selling the townhouse they have rented for the past three years. He told them he was selling it to a friend's daughter who had lost her home in New Orleans. This put my daughter and son-in-law in an extremely difficult spot, because with all the refuges from New Orleans, available house and apartments are scarce in Baton Rouge. They were finally able to move into a small apartment that one of the associates at Jamie's law firm owns, but this is temporary. Yesterday, my daughter's friend, Laura, who lived next door the them at the townhouse called to tell them that her boyfriend had called the number on a for sale sign posted out by the road. No house number was given on the sign. Anyway, it turned out to be the number of the man who owned my daughter's apartment. Seems he was less than honest. And, he is asking way too much for the townhouse. Some people are just too greedy for words.
I am still waiting on the insurance adjuster to call me to set up an appointment. He left a message on September 26th saying he would be calling within the next few days to make an appointment to come over to look at the roof, etc. I have not heard another word from him. So, today I called the main office and they are trying to contact him. I wish he would hurry up and do something. I am going to keep calling till I get some results.
Life will never be back to pre-Katrina for us here, I don't believe. Highway 90 is out for probably months. That leaves one main road for everyone to drive east/west. Add the trash trucks to the mix and a quick trip to the store is out of the question. There is really no good time to drive it. I used to go shopping late at night because I hate crowds, but now everything is closed by 10pm.
Oh well
Something is happening. People are being hurt. Why? What is causing people who have been friends for years stop speaking? People who do not agree on each point of doctrine, but who liked and cared about each other until the last few months. Why? I don't know the arguments and don't want to know all the details. I see the result, and it ain't pretty. Can someone take a step backwards and look at the situation and try to see where it started to go wrong? I pray someone does. I will also be praying for all involved in this. God bless them.
To change the subject, I have told you about how my daughter's landlord called them the Thursday after Katrina hit and told them he was selling the townhouse they have rented for the past three years. He told them he was selling it to a friend's daughter who had lost her home in New Orleans. This put my daughter and son-in-law in an extremely difficult spot, because with all the refuges from New Orleans, available house and apartments are scarce in Baton Rouge. They were finally able to move into a small apartment that one of the associates at Jamie's law firm owns, but this is temporary. Yesterday, my daughter's friend, Laura, who lived next door the them at the townhouse called to tell them that her boyfriend had called the number on a for sale sign posted out by the road. No house number was given on the sign. Anyway, it turned out to be the number of the man who owned my daughter's apartment. Seems he was less than honest. And, he is asking way too much for the townhouse. Some people are just too greedy for words.
I am still waiting on the insurance adjuster to call me to set up an appointment. He left a message on September 26th saying he would be calling within the next few days to make an appointment to come over to look at the roof, etc. I have not heard another word from him. So, today I called the main office and they are trying to contact him. I wish he would hurry up and do something. I am going to keep calling till I get some results.
Life will never be back to pre-Katrina for us here, I don't believe. Highway 90 is out for probably months. That leaves one main road for everyone to drive east/west. Add the trash trucks to the mix and a quick trip to the store is out of the question. There is really no good time to drive it. I used to go shopping late at night because I hate crowds, but now everything is closed by 10pm.
Oh well
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Space, life and.......
I am reading a great book......well, I am listening to it. I have it on cd an listen to it each time that I drive for any distance. The title of it is 'A Short History of Nearly Everything'. I cannot remember the author just now and am too lazy to get up and go look. I will get it for you later.
Anyway, the author is a travel writer who was coming back from a trip somewhere in the Pacific. On his flight home, he was looking out the window and realized that he knew next to nothing about this planet and the universe. He set out to change that and the result was this book. I won't give a book report here, I just wanted to talk about one thing that he said that has kept me thinking for the past few weeks. It is about the beginning of the universe. The Big Bang.......which by the way, a scientist coined as a derisive name for what Christians believe happened.
See, before anything was created, a space had to be created for it. The nothingness we think about is wrong. There was no THERE there, for something to begin in. I have always thought of a huge black void that was suddenly filled with light and everything else. But, there was not even a void, much less a huge black one. Kinda hard to get my mind around that. And, everything has to be just right for the universe and all life in it to continue. A millimeter off either way and what we know would not be. How can this be an accidentally random meeting of some elements? Remember, there was nothing there to bump into each other.
How can anyone not see the hand of God in creation?
Monday, October 10, 2005
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Katrina, and more
It seems that bad things are just going to keep happening to us....my family. Tonight my youngest son-in-law took a friend of his from work out for supper. He called my daughter and told her that his friend was upset and needed to talk. When he came in, he told us that his friend is being laid-off........or as the British say, he is being made redundant. Then, my son-in-law told us that he also might be losing his position. The New Orleans branch of the law firm he works for is of course closed. All the partners and senior associates from that office are now at the Baton Rouge office. This means that quite a few of the Baton Rouge associates will be losing their positions. This comes just after the owner of the townhouse they rent told them they have to be out by the 2nd of October. They were upset at first, but then a partner at my son-in-law's firm told them about a house for sale that they can afford. Now of course, everything is all up in the air. They do not want to buy here if Jamie has no job. Mike has been wanting to move home (Mississippi) and maybe now they will do that. I believe that Jamie can get a position there and work as a legal assistant until he takes the Mississippi Bar in February. Still, this is stressful.
I talked to one of my brothers this morning. He went to my niece's son's funeral yesterday. I was not able to get there, but I did talk with my niece. I am going to try to call tomorrow. My brother, Joe, told me that my oldest brother's (James) house got four feet of water and roof damage. His bakery also was damaged and he may not re-open it. Of course, stubborn James stayed at home instead of leaving for Katrina. His wife (Shirley) said that they sat on the stairs and watched the water rising. She and my brother took turns going downstairs to rescue things. I have no idea what they were able to salvage. They have been staying with my niece, but I do not think they were there when he son killed himself. I am waiting on State Farm to come look at my house. I have been told that it might be as long as three weeks before they get to me. I will be leaving the weekend after next to go to Michigan for the winter and I wanted this all to be resolved before I left. But, Phil is there and can talk to them for me. I have not applied to FEMA, but I am being told that I should. I may.
All this reaffirms my belief that God is in control. I am not sure if I could get through all this if I did not believe this with all my being.
May you all be blessed with God's peace and mercy.
I talked to one of my brothers this morning. He went to my niece's son's funeral yesterday. I was not able to get there, but I did talk with my niece. I am going to try to call tomorrow. My brother, Joe, told me that my oldest brother's (James) house got four feet of water and roof damage. His bakery also was damaged and he may not re-open it. Of course, stubborn James stayed at home instead of leaving for Katrina. His wife (Shirley) said that they sat on the stairs and watched the water rising. She and my brother took turns going downstairs to rescue things. I have no idea what they were able to salvage. They have been staying with my niece, but I do not think they were there when he son killed himself. I am waiting on State Farm to come look at my house. I have been told that it might be as long as three weeks before they get to me. I will be leaving the weekend after next to go to Michigan for the winter and I wanted this all to be resolved before I left. But, Phil is there and can talk to them for me. I have not applied to FEMA, but I am being told that I should. I may.
All this reaffirms my belief that God is in control. I am not sure if I could get through all this if I did not believe this with all my being.
May you all be blessed with God's peace and mercy.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Genetics and......
For some, genetics are a blessing. Inheriting your great-grandmother's beauty or your grandfather's intelligence, for instance. For others, genetics is a bitch.
In my family genetics has not always been kind. We have our mother's mental illness and predilection for suicide married to our father's addictions, plus his own mental illness. For most of us, we fought the addictions and created successful families of our own. Some have not been as blessed. My oldest nephew is an addict. My second oldest nephew is in Parchman, Mississippi's state prison, for assault and rape. His brother just finished a sentence there for assault. My youngest brother's son is an alcoholic. Others have fought mental illness. Thanks be to God, none of my children are addicts.
Last Saturday, both sides of the family tree met up in my oldest niece's youngest son. He called her and told her he loved her, told her that he could no longer live with the drugs and felt that he could not stop. He hung up the phone and shot himself in the head with a shotgun. His funeral is tomorrow.
In my family genetics has not always been kind. We have our mother's mental illness and predilection for suicide married to our father's addictions, plus his own mental illness. For most of us, we fought the addictions and created successful families of our own. Some have not been as blessed. My oldest nephew is an addict. My second oldest nephew is in Parchman, Mississippi's state prison, for assault and rape. His brother just finished a sentence there for assault. My youngest brother's son is an alcoholic. Others have fought mental illness. Thanks be to God, none of my children are addicts.
Last Saturday, both sides of the family tree met up in my oldest niece's youngest son. He called her and told her he loved her, told her that he could no longer live with the drugs and felt that he could not stop. He hung up the phone and shot himself in the head with a shotgun. His funeral is tomorrow.
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Names and things etc
Jo wrote that she did not get the tickalock thing. I suppose I did not explain it well enough. See, 'tickalock', is the sound a key makes when it is locking a door. Well, it is when you use your voice to make sound effects. So, tickalock-all-way-round, is the sound the key is making while you lock all your doors.
I used tickalock for awhile when I first came into chats. I started getting unwanted odd emails and pms from screen names like MasterDude, etc. I changed to tica2 then until my son got an AOL admin mad at him one night and cancelled my account. I worked that one out but had to make a new name. So, since I am a cocacola freak, I came up with cocatica. Then, when I came to voice chats, I created ticatoo.
I hope that clears some things up.
My youngest grandson will soon be 18 months old and is so smart! He is learning colors now. He knows wed,buh and lello. He knows so many words that other kids his age don't know or say. He is learning and doing more and more everyday. And, no, I am not exaggerating because he is my grandson.
I used tickalock for awhile when I first came into chats. I started getting unwanted odd emails and pms from screen names like MasterDude, etc. I changed to tica2 then until my son got an AOL admin mad at him one night and cancelled my account. I worked that one out but had to make a new name. So, since I am a cocacola freak, I came up with cocatica. Then, when I came to voice chats, I created ticatoo.
I hope that clears some things up.
My youngest grandson will soon be 18 months old and is so smart! He is learning colors now. He knows wed,buh and lello. He knows so many words that other kids his age don't know or say. He is learning and doing more and more everyday. And, no, I am not exaggerating because he is my grandson.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Names and things.......
Every so often someone will ask about the two screen names that I use.....cocatica and ticatoo. I use ticatoo for Paltalk. People are curious about why I chose these nicks, especially ticatoo. It is a long boring story, but since I am stuck in the room taking care of my sick son, I think I will tell it.
Years ago, when my brother and I were little, we played a form of tag where, if we were away from homebase, we could stop, say 'tickalock' and we would be safe, because our door would be locked. But, if we wanted to be truly safe we had to say 'tickalock-all-way-round', then our front and back doors would be locked.
Years passed and my brother had a falling out with the family and just disappeared. He got a job working at nuclear power plants around the country and traveled a lot, but he made no attempt to get in touch. I was devastated and tried to find him, but had no idea where to start. About twenty years ago, give or take, he called our oldest brother and came to visit. Things began to be sorted out and I was in heaven. Then, our mother did something that was so cruel, I am still stunned by it. My brother was trying to get custody of his youngest son from his ex-wife. And, he needed to. My sister-in-law was so enmeshed in her own mental illness, that she could not take care of the child. The conditions that child lived in was horrendous. My sister-in-law knew that as soon as the child left, she would no longer get the child support. She fought for full custody. Court time came, and my mother was a witness for her, instead of helping my brother help his son. My brother was so hurt and furious that our mother would do that, especially since she had never liked his ex-wife anyway. Plus, my mother knew the sort of living conditions my nephew was living in. My brother was so angry and hurt that our mother would do that, he disappeared again. He did not speak to my mother ever again.
During the second time my brother disappeared, I got my first computer. I signed up for AOL and tried to think of a good screen name. I thought too, that if anyone in our family would have a computer, Wayne (my brother) would. I wanted a screen name that he would recognize and check out. Yes, I know how silly that thinking was. Anyway, I decided to use tickalock, thinking that my brother would surely want to check it out if he ever came across it. Turned out that my brother had a computer, but did not like using it. His son did, but we never met up on AOL or any of the chat programs.
Time passed and tickalock was getting some unwanted attention, so I changed it up a little. But, I wanted to keep it similar so that people I had met would know it was me. So, we come to ticatoo. Aren't you glad I told you all this?
Years ago, when my brother and I were little, we played a form of tag where, if we were away from homebase, we could stop, say 'tickalock' and we would be safe, because our door would be locked. But, if we wanted to be truly safe we had to say 'tickalock-all-way-round', then our front and back doors would be locked.
Years passed and my brother had a falling out with the family and just disappeared. He got a job working at nuclear power plants around the country and traveled a lot, but he made no attempt to get in touch. I was devastated and tried to find him, but had no idea where to start. About twenty years ago, give or take, he called our oldest brother and came to visit. Things began to be sorted out and I was in heaven. Then, our mother did something that was so cruel, I am still stunned by it. My brother was trying to get custody of his youngest son from his ex-wife. And, he needed to. My sister-in-law was so enmeshed in her own mental illness, that she could not take care of the child. The conditions that child lived in was horrendous. My sister-in-law knew that as soon as the child left, she would no longer get the child support. She fought for full custody. Court time came, and my mother was a witness for her, instead of helping my brother help his son. My brother was so hurt and furious that our mother would do that, especially since she had never liked his ex-wife anyway. Plus, my mother knew the sort of living conditions my nephew was living in. My brother was so angry and hurt that our mother would do that, he disappeared again. He did not speak to my mother ever again.
During the second time my brother disappeared, I got my first computer. I signed up for AOL and tried to think of a good screen name. I thought too, that if anyone in our family would have a computer, Wayne (my brother) would. I wanted a screen name that he would recognize and check out. Yes, I know how silly that thinking was. Anyway, I decided to use tickalock, thinking that my brother would surely want to check it out if he ever came across it. Turned out that my brother had a computer, but did not like using it. His son did, but we never met up on AOL or any of the chat programs.
Time passed and tickalock was getting some unwanted attention, so I changed it up a little. But, I wanted to keep it similar so that people I had met would know it was me. So, we come to ticatoo. Aren't you glad I told you all this?
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