Southern Yankee

Shoo Fly...Don't Bother Me!

2006-06-07T10:16:00.000-04:00

My dog is afraid of flies. As the weather warms up, the houseflies breed and begin their oh-so-annoying journey into the heart of our homes. I was sitting at one end of the couch the other day, while our shih-tzu sat at the other. I had already spotted the speedy demon of a bug zooming around the room. My dog, on the other hand, was caught off his guard when the bug soared an inch in front of his nose while he was starting to nap. He sprung to his feet and quickly jumped into my lap as if to say, "Protect me, Mommy!" and was on high alert, eyes darting for the next 45 minutes.

He finally felt secure enough to settle back into his napping position, but refused to let me move him off of my ever-disappearing lap. Andy, the little dog that has no fear of other canines who are many times his size and of aggressive nature, is afraid of a tiny little bug. Then again, I have to admit that I become highly alert anytime an insect of any sort buzzes in my ear while I'm dozing off. So I guess I have no right to make fun.

Garage Saling

2006-06-03T11:26:00.000-04:00

My husband and I woke up to the birds chirping at 5:30 this morning and neither one of us could go back to sleep. I rolled over and made the suggestion of going to a couple of garage sales since we were wide awake anyway. Of course, most don't open until 7 or 8am, so we just took our time getting ready and fueled up with breakfast.

I had forgotten that the city-wide garage sale was going on today. It wasn't officially starting until 9:00 according to all of the advertisements, but most of the people were already set up and we figured they wouldn't mind our early browsing. Just adjacent to the set-up sits a little apartment complex. They had posted a sign to the entrance that there was to be absolutely no parking for non-residents. As I'm 8 1/2 months pregnant and really in no mood to walk a long distance and for the fact that we knew we would be super quick browsers, we decided to park in one of the 20 empty spots.

We walked around looking at everyone's junk/treasures and, as predicted, headed back toward the car within 15 minutes. As we were walking up, an old man was just about to tape a sign to the window of our car reading, "This car does not belong to a resident. Please tow!" My husband walked up right behind him and calmly said, "Sir, there's no need for that we are leaving." So the man (I swear, he had to have been around 90) starts yelling at both of us about the posted sign and how every year people try to get away with parking there. I was very polite and apologized stating that I'm (quite obviously) 8 1/2 months pregnant and we knew that we were watching the car the whole time and would have moved it had anyone else pulled in. He spun around like a wild animal, got about 12 inches from my face and screamed, "Get the hell outta here!!!" I was quite taken aback to say the very least.

He's fortunate that I wasn't having an emotional day! I would have ripped him a new one! Fortunately, my husband also remained quite calm, opened my car door and we proceeded to leave as he set up his lawn chair and prepared for battle with the next wrong-doer.

Here's the kicker! I see this guy all the time at the library and have often assisted him in finding material. So, the next time he approaches me for help, should I just say, "Get the hell outta here, you old geezer!"? Oh, so tempting. And if it just happens to be one of those days...watch out, buddy!!

2006-06-01T20:14:00.000-04:00

What do you get when you combine a house with a broken air-conditioner in 95 degree/90% humidity weather and an eight-month-pregnant woman?

Ahhhh....That's Nice!

2006-05-23T12:55:00.000-04:00

Sitting in childbirth class the other day, the instructor went over some of the different techniques the partner could use to sooth and calm. For example, something as simple as a hand massage. It has been ages since I've been the recipient of a hand massage; it was more than likely the last time I had a manicure and I can't honestly recall how many years have passed since that has taken place. I don't pamper myself very often, but I digress.

Memories of my teenage years came flooding back to me as my husband gently kneaded the palm of my hand. My friends and I used to give each other hand massages during church. Yeah, we heathens used to write notes to each other during the sermons, too. That is, until the Sunday the pastor stood up on the pulpit in front of the whole congregation and read a note aloud that two of us had left behind in the pew the previous week. Pure humiliation! The notes stopped at that point, but the hand massages continued. And those were pure bliss.

It's amazing how something so simple can put the entire mind and body at ease. I don't know how relaxing it will be during labor and delivery, but it sure worked its magic back in those days of innocence. And for now, my husband has yet another chore to keep me comfortable during my last weeks of pregnancy.

What the !?

2006-05-16T18:05:00.000-04:00

A few weird things have happened in the past few weeks:

During Easter brunch the Easter bunny was walking around from table to table giving little eggs to all of the kids, so I (the big kid that I am) stood with the bunny while my husband took a picture. Then the Easter bunny proceeded to lean over and start rubbing my belly with its big, furry paw. NO JOKE!! TWICE!! I knew that the time would come when a stranger would touch my stomach, but I never thought that it would be the EASTER BUNNY and that I wouldn't be able to see the face of the person doing it. Very strange!! I'm guessing that it had to be a woman in there...would a man touch a pregnant woman's stomach? I really don't know. Anyway, I thought that was kind of amusing while unsettling.
One hilarious comment I got from one of our regulars at the library. Let me just preface this by saying she's so sweet but a bit flighty. She asked me when the baby was due and I said in July. Her reply was, "...THIS July?!" Seriously! I about lost it and murmered "Gosh, I HOPE so!!" It didn't even register as odd to her! The coworker next to me busted out laughing as soon as she walked out the door and said that I should have made a sarcastic comment about being an elephant, but I really don't know if she would have comprehended that either.
Last week, the temperature got up to 80 degrees and I had my first experience with swelling. My feet were so swollen at work that one of my sandals popped off of my foot while I was walking! Calling my ever-so-understanding husband to bring me a new pair of shoes to wear paid off as I didn't have to resort walking around barefoot and pregnant. Oh, NOW I get it! I think it might be wise to invest in some cute flip-flops.

30 Weeks and Counting....

2006-05-11T12:28:00.000-04:00

I haven't written anything in a LONG time! Not that anyone is reading my blog anymore...but for my own entertainment here we go. This has sort of been my online pregnancy journal for the world to see. I am very hesitant to write anything too descriptive or weird about my pregnancy, but strange things have happened (they are bound to!). I am about 9 weeks from my due date and am in my third trimester. It is mind boggling how quickly this pregnancy has gone by so far. And now that I am going to my checkups on a two week schedule, I'm certain that the remainder is going to be a mad dash.

My husband and I went to our first 5-hour childbirth class last weekend. Nothing was all that surprising to me...well maybe a couple of things. When we saw the video of the placenta being delivered, I was shocked by the size of the thing. I had no idea that the placenta is half the size of the baby itself. That's insane. Then, when my husband whispered something about freezing it for possible medical use in the future, I was caught offguard a bit. What really surprised me is how very little the RN went into breathing methods. I assumed that the bulk of the class would be practicing these techniques and she barely even touched on them. Preparation is key, isn't it? Most women, I would assume, would like to learn the basics of breathing to get through at least part of the labor process without wimping out and being pumped full of drugs. And if one does opt for drugs, what if they don't work as well as you would expect?

I had my latest appointment today and everything looks good. The doctor guided my hands to feel how the baby was positioned at this point. Being able to feel that tiny butt and shoulder and head in there was quite a thrill. The baby's already flipped to the head down position and, according to the doctor, will more than likely remain in that position until birth. The heartrate was around 150, which according to the wives-tales, means that we are having a girl...or a boy...let's just say it's a healthy little beat and leave it at that. We'll find out for certain in July.

A couple of girls are throwing a baby shower for me in a few weeks, which is so exciting! My mom, sister and mother-in-law are all flying up for it, which is even more exciting! My mother-in-law has been planning to come out for a while...she says that she wants to see me big and pregnant in person and to see our new house. Then, when they found out about the shower, my mom and sister called to tell me that they really wanted to fly up for the weekend to be here for it. I was so giddy and giggled like a school girl all night long...couldn't sleep...kept the hubby awake. It was great! Then I started cleaning like a fiend. Question is, is it anticipation of all the company coming or the nesting instinct. Who cares! My house is looking really nice today.

I love being pregnant. There are definitely some negatives (i.e., morning sickness, water retention, hot flashes, round ligament pain and backaches), but overall I have had a very healthy and wonderful pregnancy. We are so very blessed to be on the road to becoming parents. I teared up in church last week thinking about next Sunday being Mother's Day. I'm going to be a mother!!!!

Cooking Out in the Rain

2006-04-22T10:10:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous outside and (bonus!) it was my day off (for once). I went to the local garden center and to Home Depot to check out all of the new annuals and perennials that have arrived for the spring. When I got home, I planted some peppers and herbs in the garden, pulled some weeds and trimmed the shrubs. Then my husband and I took our dog for a long walk around the neighborhood.

It was so beautiful and sunny that we decided it would be the perfect day for a cookout and headed for the store in search of all the fixin's. We prepped the hamburger patties to suit our desires...giant burger for hubby and little burger for me; preheated the oven and popped my famous homemade steak fries in to cook for a good half hour; cut up all of the vegetables and green chile (an absolute must for hamburgers) to top our finished products.

Then, at the moment we stepped outside to fire up the gas grill, the sun disappeared behind ominous clouds and the sky opened up. And the rain came down in buckets. Just like that. For three hours. We discovered after the first hour of waiting patiently for it to clear up that you can indeed operate a grill in the pouring rain. It takes much, much longer for the food to cook, but it can be done. What is really interesting is watching the top of the grill sizzle and steam as the giant raindrops land on it. One can really open their pores standing over it...curious way to get a facial. Those burgers were mighty tasty, but I think that we'll watch the weather forecast next time. At least my new plants got a healthy drink. They'll be ready for the grill in no time!

Spring Has Sprung

2006-04-13T12:41:00.000-04:00

Today is another perfect spring day. The forsythia, cherry trees and daffodils are in full, glorious bloom, the sun is shining, there a teensy bit of a breeze. Tuesday was the same way. And wouldn't you know that I have to spend the entire time indoors staring out the window, dreaming of sitting in that emerald green grass under the weeping willows! I could be irresponsible and take a sick day at work. I could. But I won't because I'm little miss dependable. Frustrating as it is, I know that if I were to call in sick that someone else would have to take my place. Animosity among coworkers is not what I need right now. So I guess I can try to have a picnic on my dinner break. To grab my camera and flash a few photos of the beauty that surrounds me. To take a long walk around the neighborhood with my husband and the dog when I get home after dark. I just hope that the weekend is just as nice.

I love sliding all of the doors and windows open and having the spring breeze blow through the house. Spring is such a rebirth of life as the tiny green leaves open up, the leaves of the bulbs burst through the soft earth, the flower buds explode on the trees, the robins and cardinals hop around the lawn in search of that perfect worm for breakfast, and the baby animals...don't even get me started on that subject. I'm a sucker for baby anything and, no, it's not just because I'm pregnant. Those new, fragile lives are so precious.

Spring has to be my favorite season. Then again, I really love autumn with the changing leaves and crisp air. Heck with it, I suppose you can find something beautiful every day if you're willing to look for it.

2006-04-08T13:26:00.000-04:00

Have you ever had the feeling that you could form a friendship with someone only to discover that they are planning to move 3 or 4 hours away? That has happened to me twice this month. Two girls that I have felt a connection with and have wanted to call to go to lunch or to shop or to see a chick-flick. Both of them are moving in the next month.

I've always been one to form relationships quickly with others, but as I've grown older I have found that establishing true friendships is really difficult. Especially when you move around a lot. I've never had problems with acquaintances. I have plenty of them.

But friendships are really hard to establish when you are on the run all the time. Even more difficult to find...couple friends. There is such a delicate balance for couples befriending couples. The women have to get along with each other and have similar interests as do the spouses. And, of course, the entire group has to mesh without the threat of physical attraction. We've only found that twice in all the years we've been married and both couples are about 1000 miles away. It's so frustrating.

I'm so fortunate that I am married to my best friend. We do everything together. I absolutely love spending time with my husband and am really nervous that when the baby comes along that our time together will be altered drastically. I know we'll adjust, but while we will be celebrating the arrival of our new addition, I'm really going to mourn the loss of our alone time.

At the same time, I realize that forging girlfriend relationships is so very important. Women only understand women in many of the challenges that we face in life and having a circle that can be there for you when you need them is so very necessary. I'm sure that it will all happen here in due time, but one has to wonder how many true friendships you can have in a lifetime. I'm beginning to think that it's is a very rare and beautiful thing and am here to say that no matter how far away my true friends are that those heart-to-heart connections are always with me no matter where I go in life. I just wish that I could reach out and hug them and see their smiles any time I wanted.

An Alien Being Has Landed

2006-03-30T16:52:00.000-05:00

Sitting in bed last week I felt an immense amount of squirming going on in my belly. I glanced down and saw my shirt jump and out of curiosity raised my shirt to expose my bare midsection. My skin literally started to crawl. Little waves of joy, I like to call them. Strange things are happening...not that I wasn't already odd, but this pregnancy thing is a trip. And from what I understand, it will only grow stranger as I progress.

My husband often walks into the room to find me staring at my bare stomach and comments, "You're staring at your stomach again?!" Of course I am! This is a new and very exciting development. Not only can I feel those bumps and rolls, I can see them, too!! The very fact that an entirely separate human being is in there blows me away. I can't imagine how anyone who has been through a pregnancy could not believe that God exists. It truly is a miracle how the complex human body forms and grows out of such a simple act. I'm awestruck. It cannot be put into words eloquent enough to explain the beauty and the miracle of life itself.

There are very few things that take my breath away. One was last spring when my husband and I went to Europe. We went to Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, France. I had no idea what to expect after standing in line for an hour for tickets. Walking up the little spiral staircase and stepping into a huge room where every inch of wallspace was covered in the most detailed stained glass...whoa. That was the first time in my life that I literally felt the breath leave my body. It was THAT beautiful. Somehow, though, I know that the instant I see that beautiful face of the life inside of me will be one of those moments. A moment that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Oh, How I Love Spring

2006-03-30T16:44:00.000-05:00

It's a couple of weeks before Easter and I'm wearing white sandals. I know. I've broken a cardinal rule. Now ask me if I care. Not one little bit. Today is the first day we've had warm weather in months and I'm celebrating the arrival of spring while it lasts. Capri pants, sleeveless shirt, sandals. I even painted my toenails and fixed my hair today instead of wearing it in my typical, bun-like, librarian do.

I feel pretty. Oh, so pretty. I feel pretty and witty and bright. And I pity any girl who isn't me tonight. Lalalalala.

Any day that the sun shines is a good one, but to have the warmth in the air as well is a particularly great day indeed. If only it would stay like this. So, I'll enjoy every moment of it that I can. Too bad I had to work indoors all day today. Such a shame. I'm having a picnic with my husband on the back porch for dinner, though.

My Sweet Little Spring Garden

2006-03-23T12:20:00.000-05:00

The mural in the baby's nursery is really close to being finished. What's so great about that? It is turning out exactly the way I pictured it in my head. I have spent about 20 hours or so on it thusfar and, having the day off tomorrow, will probably knock the remaining 3-4 hours out easily. Just in the nick of time, too. Our glider rocking chair showed up on the front porch yesterday and the store from which we ordered the rest of the furniture called to let us know that it had arrived from the warehouse and that we could come pick it up any time.

I am really thankful that I started working on this mural early in my pregnancy. A lot of the detail work is along the baseboards of the room which results in a lot of laying down on my stomach, side, crouching over, squatting. There is no way that someone seven to nine months pregnant could do this! Every time my husband comes in to check on the progress I am in a different, contorted position. It's no wonder my back and neck have been killing me every night. I'm no yoga queen.

Michelangelo's neck, back and arms must have been killing him for the four years it took him to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel!! Not that I'm comparing my artistic abilities to a master in the slightest. I'm painting cartoonish looking bugs and greenery for crying out loud. Just the same, I've had a taste of the pain that accompanies the results.

Who knows if baby will eventually appreciate all of the effort that has gone into his/her room, but I sure am having fun working on it...regardless of the pain. I'll post pictures just as soon as I can track down the box that has the card reader for my digital camera.

2006-03-21T12:29:00.000-05:00

I haven't written anything in a long time. Not because I don't have tons on my mind, but for the fact that I don't feel like anyone should be subjected to my melancholy moods. I've really been battling lows lately. My husband and I have hit some bumps in the road in the past couple of weeks and I can't help but feel that with all of the good things that have happened lately that the bad was bound to come. We all go through the highs and the lows, don't we?

This past week has been flat out horrible. We found out that my husband's uncle was killed instantly in a horrific car accident at the age of 56. I received very disheartening news from one of my clients. We had a serious falling out with our former landlord (he's gone off his rocker and decided that money and control are more important than an established relationship and reference).

The fact that I'm pregnant is definitely wreaking havoc on my emotional state. Anything and everything make me turn bright red in anger or crumple up into a sobbing heap. I'm at a point where it's all becoming reality. My pregnancy is starting to show, the baby's been moving, we've purchased furniture for the nursery, and I'm starting to have very real fears about being a mother. This is something that I have wanted and dreamed about my entire life and I'm certain that when it comes down to it that I'll be the best mother I can. But the truth is I am terrified.

However, no matter how many tears I shed or how down I feel, the moment that I feel that little person kick me it all disappears and the world stands still. I haven't even seen that tiny little face, but just the mere fact that baby has kicked me brings light into my world and a smile to my lips.

Logic tells me that everything is going to work out and that I should just relax and enjoy the ride. Fear tells me that this slump will continue and my life is going to be disorganized chaos. Come on logic...I need you to win...

Dog-Sniff-Dog World

2006-03-13T11:46:00.000-05:00

Being new to our neighborhood, we are just learning how very many dogs are all around us. The weather was nice this weekend so we decided to take our little pup for a stroll around the block. We've lived in four different neighborhoods in our pup's five years and never have we seen the number of dogs as in our new one. Maybe it was the fact that everyone has been cooped up all winter and at the first sign of warmth decided to take part in the stroll fest. In what would have taken about 20-30 minutes to walk around ended up taking over an hour for all of the times we stopped to talk to fellow dog owners/new neighbors.

I have never seen my dog so excited to sniff one new friend after another. He probably met close to ten new friends on Saturday, then another five on Sunday. What scares me is that every single one of them is a large breed. We have not run across even one other small dog in two weeks. Andy isn't intimidated by large dogs, but I just keep thinking as they socialize that any one of those dogs could have our shihtzu's head for a mid-day snack. You just never know if one of them might turn aggressive.

I love that our little pooch is having so much fun socializing, though. One thing that cracks me up about other dog owners....they always ask the dog's name first (that is, if they ask your names at all) and conversations are almost always centered around the dogs. Socialization, breed type, grooming, etc. So funny! It makes me wonder if walking around with a baby stroller is going to be similar. Baby's name, age, sleeping schedule, etc. Probably. I guess we all have to start somewhere.

Boxes, Boxes and More Boxes

2006-03-06T10:11:00.000-05:00

This weekend was an enormous undertaking. After several days of moving load after load of boxes over to the new house, we spent 8 hours on Friday cleaning our rental. Not that it wasn't already clean, but we scoured that place from top to bottom. It was absolutely exhausting. That place was sparkling. I'll just give you a little recap of the weekend.

Saturday (early morning) - My husband goes over to meet with our landlord to do a final walkthrough in order to determine how much of our deposit will be returned. After walking through the house, you know what the guy says? "Well, the place isn't as clean as I would have expected." Say what?!! My husband replied that he'd better be glad that I was there to hear that remark and, boy, was he right. When this was brought to my attention, I was seeing red. I can't even tell you the last time I've been that angry. I'm not really a physically aggressive person, but as livid as I was it probably would have been an ugly scene had I been present. Fortunately, I had family members arriving around that same time that forced me to calm down.

Saturday (late morning) - Uncles, aunts and cousins arrive to help carry the boxes from the garage to the appropriate rooms of the house. Nine sets of arms and legs are so much better than two! It only took about an hour to disperse everything appropriately, so we ordered pizza and plopped down on the couches/chairs/floor to catch up with each other. It's so nice to have family nearby to call on when you need them!

Saturday (afternoon) - marveled at the mass of boxes and the chore of unpacking looming. We got the beds assembled, the phone plugged in and tackled most of the kitchen.

Saturday (early evening) - Passed out on the bed around 8:00. Man, were we tired!

Sunday (morning) - We slept through church figuring God wouldn't hold it against us this week based on our circumstances.

Sunday (afternoon) - Drove to several baby stores to try to find nursery furniture that we could both agree on. After looking around for a while we decided that convertible is the way to go as we plan to hang on to this furniture for a minimum of eighteen years. Made our first of many Home Depot runs to come.

Yay!! We're in our house! Our very own house.

The Most Beautiful Picture

2006-03-02T19:05:00.000-05:00

Today we had our ultrasound and were able to see so many miraculous things. Our precious little one was very active in there stretching and kicking, opening and closing its mouth, doing toe touches. We were able to see all of the heart chambers, the brain, the bladder, the kidneys, the spine. It is truly amazing what those machines will uncover. The sonographer did a marvelous job of avoiding areas that we did not want to see, though my husband tried to be sneaky and count the ribs. Who even thinks like that?!

As exhausted as we were from moving mountains of boxes over the past two days, this morning was a nice little sigh of a moment. The baby is growing beautifully and we count ourselves blessed with our little miracle. What a beautiful moment!

I can't wait to see that little face looking back at me from my arms. I'm a little over halfway now and will be so excited to see what's in store for us and this little bundle come July!!

Fuzzy Flip-Flops and Hawaiian Dreams

2006-02-25T11:07:00.000-05:00

I was up late last night finishing off the stitches on my fuzzy pink flip-flops. Why? Because today is "Mid-winter Madness - Hawaiian Style" at the library. We've been wearing flower leis all week to promote it. So today, while it is a balmy 38 degrees outside, I am wearing a short sleeve, hot pink shirt, jean capris and matching pink flip-flops. I must have looked crazy walking from my car into the building.

We are having a limbo contest, hula instruction, beach blanket bingo, ice cream cone cupcakes, punch, prizes, crafts. We decorated the library with beach towels, Hawaiian posters, flowers, "Aloha" balloons, palm trees. We rented a helium tank to fill about a hundred balloons and my immediate desire (yes, even as an adult it can happen!) was to suck the helium from that first balloon. I decided for the sake of my unborn child that it might not be such a wise thing to do, but the longing was still there.

The sun is indeed shining today and if you lay in the window sills you might be able to soak it in a little. It's a nice fantasy and a good break from the winter blahs. I just wish that I could walk barefoot in the sand and watch as the sun set this evening. Well, I could...but it might not be very enjoyable as my feet turned a shade of blue. Maybe in another three months.

Exciting Things To Come

2006-02-16T13:40:00.000-05:00

We went by our house yesterday to take measurements so we can plan out furniture placement ahead of time. I can't believe that in less than two weeks we will be closing on our own house! I'm already planning out window treatments and a vegetable/herb garden in my head. Who knows whether or not they will come to fruition prior to the birth of our baby, but I'll do my best. I have very big plans for painting murals in the nursery...that will happen first. I'm ready to test my artistic abilities, but my self expectations might be a tad high since I'm a perfectionist. If I fail I'll simply paint over it, but I won't be happy about it.

I'm hoping that amongst all of the chaos my husband will be able to feel the wiggling going on in my tummy. The little munchkin has been wiggling noticably for me for about two weeks now, but it's still too early for him to feel it externally. I'm also starting to feel a bit snug in the waistline. Some pants have already gone into retirement, but I'm going to make my regular pants last as long as possible. Rubber bands are key in giving me the extra couple of inches I need. I'm none too anxious to wear maternity pants since I'll be wearing the same precious few pairs of pants for several months. I cannot believe I'm almost halfway through my pregnancy! Time is just flying.

I had my monthly checkup this morning. Everything is progressing marvelously. We scheduled our ultrasound for two weeks from tomorrow. We cannot wait to see that little face in there! That is going to be one exciting week. Our closing for the house is scheduled for just two days prior and immediately following our ultrasound we are moving. Don't worry, we have recruited lots of help with lifting the boxes and furniture. There are multiple family members who will work for food. I'll make a conscious effort not to overdo it. I can hardly contain myself!!

Would You Believe It?

2006-02-13T18:11:00.000-05:00

We have a contract on a house. Yeah, just like that! We found one that we love, we made an offer, and it was accepted. What's even better is that it's vacant meaning that we can move in immediately. We close in two weeks...yeah, two very short weeks. So guess what I'm going to be doing for the next two weeks? Packing like a mad woman! And picking out paint colors for the bedrooms. My husband will be doing all of the painting since I'm not supposed to be around the fumes.

This is all coming together so quickly. The strangest thing is that I'm very calm about it. I don't feel panicked in the least. Although it could simply be that I'm in a state of shock. My moods are so unpredictable these days. It could be that I've done long distance moves so many times in the past several years that a local move doesn't concern me. Or maybe it's the fact that I am so ready to have a home of my own again. Yippee!!

I can paint the rooms whatever color I want. I can put as many nails in the wall as I want. If I don't like the ugly bush in the front yard I can rip it out and plant something else in its place. I will once more have the glory of a gadget called a garbage disposal. And, finally, I can plan out how I want to decorate the nursery. Life is beautiful.

Softly Falling Snow

2006-02-08T10:15:00.000-05:00

I have had the most fantastic morning! I woke up this morning to my husband piling all of my cards and presents on the bed. I've had a couple of them since Christmas begging me to open them early, but I hid them from myself and resisted the temptation to rip off the paper to see what was inside. I went back to sleep for 20 minutes or so and awoke to his voice calling me to eat breakfast. He was sure not to make any eggs as he's very aware that they make me gag of late. Pancakes and bacon are a marvelous way to start my morning.

Then as I was walking out the door, the most beautiful snow began to fall. There's no wind today, so the flakes just gently floated to the ground. Somehow, in snow such as this, I always feel like this must be what heaven is like. Beautiful and silent and peaceful. That's just one of my imaginings of heaven, but we'll get into that some other time. It's still gently falling now as I stare out my window. I could just sit and watch it all day.

Arriving at work, I was greeted by all of my coworkers with jubilant birthday greetings and was later summoned downstairs so they could sing to me. You are never too old for the birthday song, though our variation is a bit unique. It's tradition for the person that has the birthday prior to yours to bring a cake or dessert of some kind. I don't know how she knew, but the coworker that made mine hit the nail right on the head! She made a chocolate cake roll with fresh whipped cream and strawberries. AND garnished the plate with chocolate covered strawberries. She could not have picked a more perfect dessert for me. Chocolate and strawberries on one plate...that is my kind of party!

Tonight my husband and I are going to a movie of my choice (chick flick or romantic comedy all the way!) followed by dinner out on the town. I love today. Not only do I get phone calls from all of my favorite people. I also get all of my favorite foods, my pick of entertainment and an evening out with the most handsome man in all the world. Oh, and the baby gave me a few celebratory kicks this morning, too. Can't beat that!

The fact that it's snowing peacefully and covering our earth and tree branches with a soft blanket just puts a perfect little bow on top of my day. Cheers, everyone!

A'Hunting We Will Go...

2006-02-07T12:07:00.000-05:00

Now that we have a baby on the way, we are in the midst of a house hunting frenzy. The house that we are in now is too small to add a nursery, plus we are in a rental and at a point where we are ready to buy. Here's what I've figured out:

House hunting + pregnancy hormones = much stress and many emotional breakdowns.

I am so blessed that my husband is understanding. I wouldn't want to put up with myself right now. We have seen so many houses that they have started to run together in our heads. So we've started going through a lot of them a second time and are taking notes on likes and dislikes. Why in the world didn't we think of that earlier?

My dream is that we'll have everything moved, unpacked and decorated by the time the baby arrives in July. No pressure...it can be done...I know it!! Hey, it doesn't hurt to dream.

Restless Nights

2006-02-02T13:21:00.000-05:00

I have been having a very difficult time sleeping lately. I'm trying to force myself into the habit of sleeping on my sides. Going from a back or tummy position, as I've laid in my entire life, to making a conscious effort to lay on my side has been really challenging! I know that I soon will not have the ability to lay on my stomach and that laying on your back is supposed to decrease circulation to your baby as well put pressure on some organs as the baby grows heavier.

I figured if I got into the habit of side-sleeping now, that I might be able to get some restful sleep later on in my pregnancy. I've been trying this for two weeks now and have had zero restful nights. I keep waking up on my back or my tummy and cursing myself as I roll back onto my side. Also, upon making the horrible mistake of advising my husband to poke me if he catches me in the incorrect position, I'm constantly being reprimanded by him as well. Ugh! I'm so frustrated. I've got to keep trying and hope that I will eventually get used to it.

Then last night I woke myself up screaming from a nightmare. Actually, I had 3 different nightmares in sequence...all of which I was either being chased or protecting my elementary-aged child from an attacker. Oh, and I talked to Denzel Washington in a bookstore like I'd known him for years, but upon leaving I had this awkward feeling that he was crazy and out to get me.

My pregnancy woes must be really exciting reading for everyone....right? Ignore the pregnant lady, she's just flat out gone off the deep end!!

Bitter Memory Comes Flooding Back

2006-01-31T18:38:00.000-05:00

I don't know why bitter memories enter the brain when they do, but today one came to mind out of the deep blue.

Throughout my school years I had always been a member of the choir, both in church and at school. Going into high school, all girls were required to audition for the director in order to be placed in the appropriate section (1st or 2nd soprano, 1st or 2nd alto). It was a well known fact that all sophomore girls would be placed in the all-girl choir, Treble Tones, prior to having the golden opportunity of "making the cut" into the superior mixed choir, A Cappella. However, due to a scheduling conflict, Treble Tones was only offered during the same period as honors Algebra. The director was forced to make an exception for the three girls who were signed up for the Algebra class, placing them directly into A Cappella. I was one of those girls.

The first day of class was terrifying for me. I knew that the junior and senior girls would be eyeing me the moment I walked in the door. As an individual known for being painfully shy and quiet (until you get to know me, of course), I knew that I was a prime target. Little did I know how malicious a couple of those seniors would become. The fact that the other two sophomore girls were in different sections made it even worse for me. I had no allies around me when we split off into sections.

Two of the seniors...let's call them Melody and Grace...honed in on their target from day one. Everything from criticizing my clothes/hair to telling me that with my voice I didn't deserve to be among them. Things that would never bother me today, but as a naive 15-year-old, the things that they said were very hurtful and obviously made an impression. Melody and Grace told me that the goal for their senior year was to break my spirit and to make me cry in front of the class. (I take much pride in the fact that I didn't!!) In time, I came to realize that the girl and her friend were jealous and that they were simply feeding off of each other when they made their comments. When Grace was absent, Melody would become almost friendly toward me.

At the end of the school year our yearbooks were published. We started passing them around for signing and, wouldn't you know, mine ended up in Grace's hands. Most people sign yearbooks on the inside covers and intro pages. Not her....she flipped to a picture of her holding a boxcutter and wrote, "Do you see what's in my hand? It's a blade. Watch your step because I might just slip and slit your throat!" Nice, huh? What a great memory to have on permanant record in my yearbook.

Looking back now, I realize that her aggression was more than likely a cover for her own insecurities. We later sang together again in college and were actually civil to one another. But those memories are forever etched in my mind....and in my sophomore yearbook.

A Hairy Tale

2006-01-30T10:46:00.000-05:00

My hair has always grown extremely fast. I have cut it to the length of my chin a half dozen times, then let it grow back out for a year or two until it nearly reaches my waist. Once it gets to the point that it's long enough to pull into a ponytail, that's how I wear it on a daily basis. On the occasion that I do wear it down and fix it in the slightest, I get noticed by everyone. "Wow your hair's gotten long!" or "Your hair looks nice today." or "You should wear it down more often!"

What's funny is that most of the time I twist it on top of my head. The irony of it is that I work in a library. I would wear it like that anyway, but the fact that I'm emanating the look of the stereotypical librarian in the hair department strikes my funny bone.

Another fact is that I shed like a cat. As much hair as I lose when I wash and brush my hair, you'd think that my hair would look very thin or I'd appear to be balding...not the case! Much to my husband's delight, now that I'm pregnant I am no longer clogging the drain of the shower. I am losing very little hair and it is growing faster than ever. I've been warned that I'll lose it by the handfuls once the baby is born, but I'm really enjoying the change in the meantime.

Could I have written about something more interesting than this today? Probably, but you're stuck with this!

Self Confessed TV Junkie

2006-01-24T19:01:00.000-05:00

There you have it! I am coming out of my cave to admit that I have become a television junkie. That's right, I'm a full-on addict. Last summer, we decided to cancel our satellite service for a period of about three months. The goal was to save $40 a month and to get outdoors to enjoy the good weather during every possible free moment. I must say that the first couple of weeks were excrutiating. But after adjusting to the strange, new quiet, we both became surprisingly more productive and certainly more in touch with the nature around us. It was a lovely summer.

Then came autumn. All of the season premieres were starting and I could not resist the temptation to switch it back on. It started innocently enough, watch one show a day then promptly switch it off in order to maintain productivity. Then, like a blister, it festered and grew. I now have a schedule of 3-4 shows I watch every single night of the week. Except Saturday and that is movie night. Tivo does not help matters. It just enables me to record entire seasons of the shows I like. Often two at a time in the evenings. Come warm weather and reruns, I'll be ready to give it the boot again. Plus, by then, I probably won't be watching any more TV as I will be running for the bed to sleep any chance I get. Ahhh, sweet winter. I'm going to bask in the splendor of my laziness while it is still mine to enjoy!

Little Bitty Heartbeat

2006-01-19T19:44:00.000-05:00

I had my doctor's appointment this morning. Lo and behold, I had gained back one whole pound of the seven I lost. Hey, progress. No one seemed too concerned about it. Strange thing is, after 3 months of zero appetite, my body seems to be making up for lost time. I am constantly starving. Literally an hour after eating a huge meal I am searching high and low for a new snack. This is madness.

The magical part of the day, we got to hear the heartbeat. It was strong and fast. What an absolutely beautiful sound!! To know that this little being is in there squirming around like mad and I can't even see it or feel it...so weird. I am so amazed at how quickly my little one is developing and can't get my hands on enough literature to read more about the progress he or she is making every week. Happy day!

The Memory of a Man

2006-01-18T10:09:00.000-05:00

My friend Heather wrote a post the other day about a family that stood out to her in her nursing profession. Upon reading it, her story conjured memories of the last days in the hospital with my father-in-law. I had to stop reading it because I couldn't see anything through my tears.

He had been sick for a long time with lung cancer and had already had a lung removed when he had a breathing episode the day after Christmas and was rushed to the hospital and put on a ventilator. I'm not in the medical profession, so I don't know any of the terminology or the specifics here, but I do know the emotion of it all. His entire family was in the room surrounding him with love when the nurse took him off of the ventilator and as finally took that last breath.

I remember having to leave the room at one point overcome with emotion. I was angry at myself for not being strong enough to stay for the duration, but in that ICU waiting room over the course of the week relationships were formed with complete strangers in similar situations. I recognized several familiar faces and knew the stories of their loved ones. At one point, I felt really selfish stating through tears the dismay that my children would never get to know this kind and wonderful man. In hindsight, I don't feel like that was at all selfish. I still feel the same way today and have been thinking of him so much lately now that another grandchild is about to enter the world.

I remember the first time I met him like it was yesterday. My husband and I had only been dating a couple of months, but were already to a point that we both knew that this wasn't just any relationship. We travelled several hundred miles to visit his parents for the weekend. He was just so warm as he gave me a hug upon our introduction. He (and my mother-in-law) welcomed me into their home and into their lives as if I were his own daughter.

My husband and I dated for about 5 1/2 months when we got engaged. Soon after our engagement, I was flying home from California to visit my family and had to change planes in their city. They met me at the gate and both gave me big hugs, then walked with me to my next gate about a mile away. As I was leaving to board the plane, he gave me a hug and kissed my cheek and told me how excited he was to be getting another daughter. This man had only met me once before!!! I felt so loved by him...and so accepted.

I miss him. I count myself blessed that I was able to know him for the four and a half years that I did. He made a huge impact on my life and touched my heart. My child will know his or her grandpa...because we keep his memory alive in us.

Black Thursday

2006-01-12T12:21:00.000-05:00

I don't know why, but I'm always so drawn to black clothing. The majority of the clothes in my closet are either black or have black in them. I think that the trend started in college, possibly because I realized how slimming dark colors could be. What's worse than dressing in black all the time is the fact that I am so pale. Some would call me fair, but I will admit I am simply ghost white. I don't tan, I burn, then within a couple of weeks fade right back into white.

So what I hate about wearing black clothing: 1) having people make references to Johnny Cash 2) being asked if I'm going to a funeral or for an interview 3) and this is the biggie...lint!!! Drives me mad!

The simple solution would be to add color to my wardrobe when shopping. I do. And I don't wear it. It just sits in the closet all pretty gathering dust. I have an addiction. Here's the good news. I have made a decision that all of my maternity clothing is going to be colorful. Of course, I have to have the black pants...they are a staple. Everything else is going to be pretty pastels or bold brights. I've already started my collection and have lime green, mauve and white shirts. Yay! Such a silly thing to be proud of, but maybe this is a step toward changing my wardrobe trends forever.

Today, however, I still fit into my regular clothes. And I'm wearing black and am covered in lint. I'm ready to move on to the maternity outfits. "Come on, Peanut, grow big and strong so Mommy can look pretty in pink!"

2006-01-09T10:44:00.000-05:00

It's been quite a while since I've posted. Quite honestly, I haven't had much to say other than pregnancy-related comments. Strange how thoughts and worries about pregnancy, delivery and parenthood seem to overtake the mind....if I can complete a coherent thought at all. My brain has become mush. I'm going into my 2nd trimester and have actually lost weight rather than gain. Morning sickness is torture and I really hope that it's going to end very soon. First pregnancy is just plain weird. Since I'm not yet showing in the least and haven't seen any physical changes, I'm still sort of in a state of denial. Yes, I know I'm expecting....but it still really hasn't "sunk in". Anyway, hopefully my mind will come back soon to a point where I can actually formulate something other than blather. Until then....

Psst.....I've Got a Secret!

2005-12-29T13:18:00.000-05:00

The time has come to explain something I wrote in a previous post. On Thanksgiving I listed the things that I am thankful for...of which I included rice. Truth is, a grain of rice was what the book I was reading referred to as the size of my little fetus at the time. That's right. Motherhood is in my near future and posting a little secret message was my way of screaming out my happiness to the world without outright saying it. I hadn't yet told my family, so I couldn't spoil the fantastic surprise. Anyway, it has been the most blessed Christmas yet and I can't wait for what's to come!!!

Last Minute Recipe

2005-12-21T12:15:00.000-05:00

I can't think of anything to write about today, so I thought I'd share a quick and easy recipe that is always a big hit on my annual candy tray. Takes about 10 minutes to make.

All you need are Rolo candies and square grid pretzels...I like Snyder's brand. Place pretzels on a cookie sheet and put a Rolo on each one. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and squish another pretzel on top, making a little sandwich.

I'm telling you, whoever came up with this deserves an award. They look fancy, are SO simple to make, and taste divine. Oh, and one variation is to squish a half a walnut on top instead of the pretzel. Enjoy!!

A Day of Christmas Joy

2005-12-17T10:38:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a full day spent partaking in fun Christmas activities. It started out with a 7:30 Christmas breakfast get-together with all of my co-workers. I must say that getting up at 6:30am knocked me for a loop as I'm no morning person, but this was well worth it. When my piping hot pancakes and crispy bacon arrived I was suddenly cured of my morning grogginess. Bonus that I didn't have to make it myself...what a treat! Conversation was fun and light as we each discussed our holiday plans and shared stories. Sometimes it's nice to avoid talking about work all together and just spend time getting to know one another.

We then started the annual gift exchange. Each of us drew names months ago and were given ideas for what to buy one another. It was so much fun to watch the recipients and givers reactions. Many of the gifts were handmade making them even more special. I realized that I am surrounded by some very talented artisans. What an exciting way to start the day.

We then trekked back to the library where seven of us participated in a cookie swap. I have to preface this by saying I was up until midnight the night before preparing my 6 dozen Mexican wedding cookies/Russian teacakes/sandtarts...a cookie by so many names still takes as sweet. This was the first swap I'd ever done and, for those of you who haven't done one, I highly recommend it. Everyone takes a dozen of each type of cookie and heads off to sample them. Yum! We had chocolate chocolate chip, frosted sugar, oatmeal raisin, no-bakes, M&M cookies, peanut blossoms. All fantastic. Here's the cool part. You get home, take half of them out to give to neighbors and you're only tempted by the remaining 3 dozen.

I spent all day Wednesday making candy to include on the treat plates for family and neighbors. I made divinity, toffee, PB Ritz covered in white chocolate, millionaires/turtles, carmel/pretzel thingies, and puppy chow. The kitchen was trashed, but it was so much fun. So I finished assembling the festive plates yesterday and set out to deliver. The joy of delivering the goodies is that I get to sit and chat with family I rarely get to see. It's just a great excuse to pop in an visit and to spread a little of my Christmas joy.

Hope y'all are enjoying the holiday season as much as I am!!

Disturbing Interview

2005-12-15T12:30:00.000-05:00

I watched an interview on a talkshow this morning with Howie Mandel as the guest and found it most disturbing. Howie was giving examples about his severe case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder such as: Never shaking a person's hand, in a hotel room removing the comforter with two pairs of tongs, placing 2 dozen towels in paths where he would walk so he wouldn't have to touch the floor, having such an enormous fear of germs from other people that if he were to shake someone's hand he would soak his hands in antibacterial gel until all of the antibodies in his hands were stripped away. Serious stuff!

That wasn't really the disturbing part to me. The talkshow host was making jokes about his disorder as if it was simply something to laugh about. I, however, didn't find it amusing at all. I don't think that Howie did either as he, as a comedian, just tried to laugh it off. He did make a comment, "Why are you laughing? It's really a sickness."

I will say that I'm not really a fan of the host to begin with, but this interview caught my attention when I was flipping channels. I think that he did an injustice to those who truly suffer with this disorder. I'm not one of them, but I have family members who have OCD and it's not a laughing matter. I just don't thing that this disorder should have been used as comedic material for the host. I promise I'll post about something more lighthearted next time, but this really disturbed me and I needed to vent.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2005-12-08T12:55:00.000-05:00

December is a hectic month!!! It always seems to fly by since it's a constant whirr of activity. We are having a Holidays Around the World Open House at the library tonight, which is going to be somewhat similar to the Halloween Open House that we had in October. We'll have activities, crafts, food from around the world. We decorated last week by setting up countless Christmas trees, wreaths, poinsettias, and anything else that looks festive. We'll have face painting again, but somehow I seemed to escape that assignment. Thank the Lord! I am paranoid about getting sick right before Christmas and as I got really sick about a week after painting little faces last time I don't think that I'm being overly cautious. Nothing against children, but many of them have runny little noses this time of year and some are too young to have learned about cough etiquette yet. Love ya, but please don't cough on me. Is that selfish?

Anyway, I'm thankful to have the next three days off to get my house back in order, to get some gift wrapping done, candies made, Christmas projects finished, etc. You get the point. What's really sad is that I have actually written out a schedule to get all of it done. I am the queen of making lists...for everything. What's terrible is when I look at those lists a week later and haven't completed what I planned to that week I completely stress out and can't sleep. Good intentions, but no follow-through. It's a vicious circle! But at least I'm still capable of running in it.

Peaceful Snowfall

2005-12-01T12:56:00.000-05:00

I just looked out the window and saw snowflakes gently falling. It always seems so peaceful. As long as I don't have to drive in it. I guess we're supposed to have snow throughout the weekend, so I'll be putting the new little suede boots and jacket on my dog when we go for our daily walks. How fun! My husband refuses to walk him alone while he's dressed up. I just want the dog to be nice and toasty warm.

I tried the boots on the dog right after I bought them. At first, he was very trepidatious and didn't want to put his feet on the ground. He soon got used to them when I got him to walk around, though. And he looks just adorable! I need to take a picture. Now I have truly lost my mind.

I love to just stare out the window and watch the snow fall to the ground. The larger the flakes are, the better. I must say, though, that the beauty of it wears off after a couple of months. But for now it's a great way to get into the Christmas spirit.

My Old College Town

2005-11-29T19:07:00.000-05:00

I have not yet written about anything political on my blog, but today I'm reflecting on two recent news events about my old stomping grounds of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Both of these stories made national news and both, in my opinion, are completely ridiculous.

In August, NMSU officially announced the removal of the gun from our mascot, Pistol Pete, stating that they do not want to promote violence and have replaced it with a lasso. I'm sure that some kid's going to look at the old west style mascot and think that it's okay to tote a gun. Please. He's been the mascot for decades and I'm positive that there is no direct correlation between crime statistics and the little cartoonish character.
There is a lawsuit pending in which individuals are seeking to have the three crosses removed from the city of Las Cruces' logo. They are stating that the symbols are religious and, therefore, unconstitutional. If you're interested, here's one of the many articles written about this madness. I just don't understand how people can be so petty. There are so many more important things for these fanatics to worry about and better things to do with their time. And hello!!! The literal translation of Las Cruces is "The Crosses." Hence, there are crosses in the city's logo. I'm so tired of hearing about lawsuits based on such ridiculous notions. Do people just sit around and think to themselves, "Hmmm, what can I do to waste the taxpayers' dollars today?" It just fires me up!

Thanksgiving....Again?!

2005-11-28T10:33:00.000-05:00

We spent Thanksgiving over at a relative's house last week and had a marvelous feast and wonderful conversation and fun. So why is it on this Monday after am I preparing a turkey and all of the fixin's? Because I love my husband....it's as simple as that. He loves the leftovers. The turkey sandwiches and soups and whatever else you can make. So I promised him I'd make a mini-Thanksgiving spread to satisfy those cravings.

What was I thinking?! Really, though, I'd do just about anything for that man. He deserves it for putting up with me and my emotional chaos on a daily basis. Literally, I'll be angry one minute, sobbing the next, then rolling on the floor laughing. It's a rollercoaster ride for me, but for the innocent bystander...look out!! So today, it's all about him and showing him how thankful I am that he's in my life and that he's patient enough to deal with the madness.

Christmas Shopping - Check!!

2005-11-27T13:37:00.000-05:00

I am officially finished with my Christmas shopping!! I usually try to finish before Thanksgiving as to avoid the hoards of people. I get really antsy when surrounded by large numbers of people in very close proximity. Silly, I know, but it's a fact. Black Friday sales...no, thankyou!! I really pushed it to the very last minute this year. I only had half of my list completed by last Wednesday, so I hit it hard and made my deadline. Yay!! I can breathe a big sigh of relief until it comes to wrapping them in a couple of weeks.

Now, I have to plan on how to shuffle the many holiday festivities ahead...library open house, Christmas parties, baking and delivering goodies to family and neighbors, movie night, cookie swap...is December this insane for everyone or is just me?!

Things I'm Thankful For

2005-11-23T09:41:00.000-05:00

In light of Thanksgiving, I thought I'd make a list of things that I am thankful for this year:

My husband
A loving, Christian family
Our health
Shelter over our heads
My mind
Enough money to pay the bills
Rice
Two jobs that I love

Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

Deck the Halls

2005-11-21T10:40:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was full of Christmas cheer as we dusted off decorations and set to making our holiday mark inside our humble abode. We usually wait until the day after Thanksgiving, but I guess we were both in the holiday spirit. It started with our trip to the local mall to do a little Christmas shopping. Typically, we rarely frequent the mall, so when we saw all of the stores and hallway decorated and heard the familiar carols playing over the intercoms the urge suddenly hit us.

My hubby set up our train and the Christmas tree as I set about unwrapping the ornaments. As I unwrapped them, I couldn't help remembering our first tree as a married couple. We were so excited as we set it up until we realized that we only had a handful of ornaments to hang on it. As newlyweds, expense was certainly a factor so we had to get creative on a budget. I ended up buying several yards of festive ribbon and fashioning about a dozen large bows. We also bought a couple of boxes of candy canes to fill in the gaps. Oh, did our tree look bare even as we had only decorated one side of it. But we were so proud of our first little tree!

When we got engaged nine years ago, we started to collect ornaments from each place that we visited together as a couple. We didn't realize it at the time and it didn't seem like much at first as our first tree only held about a half dozen actual ornaments, but we had started a family tradition that would eventually have us searching for a branch that didn't have anything hanging from it. Not only has it been fun for us to hang them up and reminisce each year, but has also been a challenge to track down ornaments at the places we visit. Sometimes it is very simple and we'll come across dozens of beautiful ornaments from which we can take our pick. Others, however, we have had to become hunters and had to improvise. We've found that you can fashion an ornament out of almost anything....keychains, bells, suncatchers, spoons, a little bottle of sand. Just tie a little ribbon to it and voila...instant Christmas ornament.

As we sat and sipped cocoa and admired our beautiful tree, we couldn't help but think back on all of the wonderful memories that are held on that tree. To an outsider, it's probably just a random collection of knick-knacks, but to us it is representative of our lives together. Every one of those pieces has a story behind it....maybe if you listen hard enough you can hear them.

Brrrrr....It's Cold

2005-11-17T12:21:00.000-05:00

Last night, after I got home from working a split shift, my husband and I decided to go for a walk. I must say it was pretty frigid out there, so I dug in the coat closet for my hat and gloves, dusted them off and headed out the door. We realized as we were walking down the driveway that, along with the gusts of wind, little snowflakes were pelting us both in the face. Yep, our first snow of the year. Just flurries, but still...it's snow. I can't complain. We had a long and beautiful fall this year. I mean, Thanksgiving is really only a week away. What did I expect?

I guess I'm never really "ready" for winter. We made our walk a brief one....somewhere between a walk and a jog as we rushed back home. All the while talking about cuddling up on the sofa with mugs of hot chocolate and wishing that we had a fireplace to set ablaze. We arrived back in our warm and cozy house and I set about rustling through the cabinets in search of those little packets. Lo and behold, I found exactly two left over from last winter. Our lucky day!!

We settled down on the sofa to watch "Lost", our new favorite show. Then I headed upstairs and broke out the flannel sheets. Looks very much like winter is here, just in time for the holidays. Now if only it would snow through New Year's and abruptly stop thereafter. I wish!!!

Migraine Madness

2005-11-16T10:11:00.000-05:00

I have been suffering from migraine headaches since I was in my early twenties. I mean, the throbbing, avoid all noise and sunlight, make you throw up and wish your head would just separate itself from your body migraines. I hate them. And what I hate more is that those fortunate souls who have never had a headache in their life will never understand why it is this evil thing causes one to cease functioning.

Yesterday, I woke up with one and the depressing thing was that I had to drive an hour and a half to attend an all day workshop. I had to sit there and act interested in the speaker and his presentation. I had to try to absorb some of what he was saying as it really is vital to my job. And, the kicker, I had to participate in group discussions as well as make little mini-presentations myself. It was horrible.

To top it all off, the weather was terrible. It rained steadily the entire way there and back. Then last night, the wind picked up as a cold front blew into our area of the country. The temperature dropped over 40 degrees overnight. There were tornado warnings all over the midwest. Rain is such a peaceful sound to fall asleep to, but when 60mph winds are ripping branches off of the trees it tends to make it a bit difficult to slumber. Anyway, my migraine was gone by the time I went to bed last night. Then I woke up at about 3AM with it throbbing again. Arrrggghhhh!

Why is it that some of us are so cursed? I know many people have so much more to complain about than I do, but really. It makes me so angry to think that I'm probably going to have to deal with these things until I go through "the change of life". That's many years of suffering away. So, my plea to those of you who can not comprehend, be tolerent of those of us who get these horrible monsters.

Thursday Night Theater

2005-11-10T19:51:00.000-05:00

We have this program at the library where we show newly released movies once a month for families. It is solely my responsibility. Most of the time it's a pretty entertaining part of my job description. From picking out the movie that we will show (considering that it's on our approved studio list), to creating the marketing flyers and postcards, to bagging the popcorn.

Here's the down side. Setting up can get to be quite tedious as I arrange 60 chairs in a room and set up the laptop and projector, taping down the extension cord so no one will trip over it. Then I work with the teens who volunteer to sell snacks before the show, greet everyone as they come in the door, announce next month's movie and go through a few groundrules that should be common sense:

1. If you need to leave the room, please walk behind the projector as not to block the screen.
2. Please do not sit or lie in the center aisle as we can see the shadow of your head magnified on the wall.
3. Please watch the cord as you walk behind the projector.

Every single time, I have an adult or a teenager walk directly in front of and into the light as if some cosmic force is summoning them. I always hold my breath as the little ones practically sprint over the extension cord, praying that they don't rip it from the socket. What's frightening is my first thought would not be to check to see if they were hurt if they tripped...it would be to plug it back in and get that movie going again ASAP. Sickening, I know...but they have been warned!

Then there are the 3 year olds who slowly roll their way into the center aisle as they treat the public floor as they would a nap mat about halfway through the movie. Oh, and the 2-year old who stands right in front of the projector and stares into the blinding light transfixed and the mother who says, "Oh, isn't he cute!" Yeah, why don't you encourage him to damage his little eyeballs. Always, without fail there are a few who have to try their hand at shadow puppets in the middle of the movie. And when the DVD skips a few beats about 20 minutes before it ends, my heart leaps into my throat until it gets back on track.

Okay, so the movie ends and I flip on the light and thank everyone for coming as they blink rapidly and shoot me evil looks for not having the capability to fade up the lights. Within 2 minutes, everyone is gone and I am left to pick up all of the empty water bottles, candy wrappers, popcorn bags. Whew! Next month's movie will come much too soon!!

Can Dogs Get Colds?

2005-11-07T10:30:00.000-05:00

In all of my years, I had never heard a dog sneeze continuously. Until this weekend, that is. I've had my dog for almost 5 years. He sleeps in his little doggy bed in the corner of our bedroom. Saturday night his snoring resonated to the likes of a grown man, not a 25-pound canine. It was just not right. Then at about 3:00am the sneezing began. Frankly, it freaked me out. I think it freaked him out, too. Heartless as I am, I just had to move him across the house so I could reclaim my bedroom and catch some zzzzz's.

Nope, no such luck. I couldn't hear him snoring anymore due to the fact that he wasn't sleeping. I soon began to hear whining and whimpering equivalent to the human cry of, "Please let me back in....I promise I won't snore anymore." I chose to ignore it thinking he'd soon tire of our ignoring his pleas and settle back into slumber. I soon dozed off again and shortly thereafter was awakened by the freight-train snoring again and knew that somehow he'd gotten back into our room. Hmm, curiously his bed had magically transported into the corner of our bedroom as well. I cannot believe my husband caved to his whining!!! I swear, sometimes I think this is good practice for our future children. It's so ridiculous how much we treat this dog like a child.

Last night, he again started sneezing so violently that his entire body seemed to leap several inches off the couch. Then when I poked him and told him it was time to go "night-night" (No joke, people. I told you that I'm sick), he had the nerve to growl at me!! You don't understand, this dog has never growled at me in 5 years. My husband went to his defense and tried to explain that he wasn't feeling good and that he's not himself....that I shouldn't take it personally. I did not like that one bit. My dog is the sweetest thing in the world. Why would he growl at me? I'm so confused.

Better Late Than Never...

2005-11-05T10:05:00.000-05:00

Yoga Isn't Easy

2005-11-03T18:18:00.000-05:00

My title says it all. I have never really been one who enjoys working out. I don't really get that rush when the so-called endorphins kick in. I've been fortunate enough in my life to never really have to exercise to maintain my weight. Sure, I'd be happy if I weighed what I did in high school or even college for that matter, but I don't mind my weight. That's really not was working out is all about for me personally. I do however, want to feel healthy. I'm a pretty active person as far as outdoor activities go, but as for an exercise routine...I don't really like 'em. But deep down, I know I need to have a healthy heart and lungs.

I'm getting to my point, I swear. In order to clear my mind and achieve a peaceful and healthy serenity I decided this morning to give yoga a try. Enter that state of relaxation, feel my muscles lengthen, regain my mind, body, spirit, blah blah blah. It's crap, I tell you. Maybe it's just because I have absolutely zero flexibility. Maybe it's because I'm so out of shape it's sickening. Maybe it was the fact that my dog was staring at me perplexed my awkward attempts at the "half moon" and the "downward dog." I just felt totally unfulfilled.

I guess I'll try it another few times before coming to an ultimate conclusion that yoga is for the birds, but for now I'm sticking with my initial response to it. Yoga is not as easy and as serene as you might think. Not during the first try anyhow!!

Beautiful Fall Weather

2005-10-31T11:03:00.000-05:00

This weekend was absolutely gorgeous!! The fall foliage is at its peak here. Friday, Saturday and Sunday were sunny and still, cool temperatures. Perfect fall weather. And our household was a bustle of fall festivities. We started off by enjoying one last hurrah at the amusement park on Friday night. I swear I could spend every day there and not grow tired of it, but the hubby's stomach can only take so much. We headed to Applebees afterwards to indulge in half-price appetizers...boneless buffalo wings are the best. All the flavor, no bone trouble or messy fingers, though that is fun every once in a while.

Saturday, we spent the day snapping pictures of the beautiful leaves. We wanted to take professional looking portraits at the park, but are too cheap to pay a professional. So we spent the afternoon setting up the tripod and hitting the timer, running back and forth wildly while trying to look relaxed and happy in the photos. None of them turned out the way I wanted them. I'm too much of a perfectionist. We had fun doing it just the same and I found a new form of exercise.

After our impromptu photo shoot, we drove out to one of the local corn mazes. Neither of us had ever been through one before so we had to give it a try. We have had a lot of rain in the last week so the path was a bit muddy, but other than that it was great fun. I think it would have been even more fun if we'd split up, though. We stayed together taking turns who would choose the direction in which we'd veer. Believe it or not, we only came to a dead end 3 times and ended up finishing in about 20 minutes. After patting ourselves on the back for being record maze runners, we headed home where we savored a couple of margaritas and called it a night curled up on the couch watching a not-so-scary scary movie.

Sunday, we partook (is that even a word?) in our annual tradition of pumpkin carving. As always, I had to pick the most difficult pattern in the book that ended up taking me 2 hours to complete. Every year we complain throughout the entire process and swear we'll never do it again just knowing that this year one of us will make that catastrophic incision that will destroy the whole look. But toothpicks work wonders, people!! And here we are ten years later proudly grinning at our finished works of art. I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

And today? Today I am dressed up for Halloween for the first time in ten years. A black cat complete with tail and whiskers. I had forgotten how much fun it could be!! Happy Halloween everyone!

Sweets Fun Facts

2005-10-27T15:15:00.000-04:00

With Halloween coming up, I've got sweets on the brain. Here are some fun facts:

Candy corns are made from marshmallows.
Hershey kisses got their name because it looks like the machine that dispenses the chocolate is kissing the conveyor belt.
Chocolate chip cookies were a mistake. A baker ran out of cocoa when making chocolate cookies and chopped up a chocolate bar into little bits thinking that they would melt into the batter. The chips held their shape and thus created a miracle.
In 1953, it took 27 hours to create one Marshmallow Peep. Today, it takes six minutes. Can you imagine what they must have charged for them back then? No sugar coated marshmallow is worth that amount of time...even with the cute hand-painted eyes!
If you eat dry-roasted peanuts and candy corns together, it tastes like a Baby Ruth or a PayDay candy bar.

Curious About Computers

2005-10-26T11:41:00.000-04:00

Working around computers continues to be a wonder to me. For the duration of my college attendance I worked in an on-campus computer lab. Now, as an adult librarian, I am again faced with the "challenge" of assisting those who know little about computer systems. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Pulling a plastic baggie from her backpack, she says, "I have a virus on my disk. Do you think that you can fix it?" "We can certainly try...may I ask why you are storing it in a baggie?" "I didn't want it to contaminate my other disks." I had to quickly retreat to our back room to laugh hysterically.
"I'm really frustrated. There is a line in the middle of my sentence and I can't get rid of it no matter what I do. I don't want it there...can you help me?" "Um, that's your cursor, ma'am."
Somehow, people seemed to think it was acceptable to print pictures of naked people in precarious positions on a public computer despite all notices stating that it was not allowed. Frustrated with the ongoing problem, I grabbed the latest printout, held it high above my head and yelled out, "Who does this belong to?" Curiously, no one claimed it. More curiously, a few minutes later, a red-faced man discreetly left the room. Not so discreet to me, you perv! Hmmm...

Crazy Reporters

2005-10-25T13:41:00.000-04:00

I know it's not just me that thinks that weather reporters have no common sense. I think it's so ridiculous that they stand out in the nasty elements while stating that absolutely no one should be out in the hurricane or tornado or whatever the natural disaster is for the day. Millions of people are trying to take cover to get away from the danger, while these guys are packing their bags and diving into the center of it.

Sure, I think it's important to report the latest developments of the storms that they are covering, but there has to be some sort of happy medium. Can't they relay vital information from a fairly safe distance? It's ridiculous the amount of news time is spent showing reporters holding onto poles while their legs flail about in the wind causing them to look like a little wind sock. Okay, guys. We get the gist, the winds are strong.

Many might have seen Al Roker (of "The Today Show") fall over yesterday while reporting in Florida. I started singing "Yo...ho...blow the man down..." in my head and can't seem to shake it. Honestly, I'm just sure that I'll be watching one day as a piece of a sign or building screams by and slices one of the reporters' limbs or head clean off...followed by mass chaos by the rest of the news room...the one calm reporter steps in..."This just in, Hurricane Crazy has just taken the head of our fellow weatherman, Nick Nutcase. Bob the Boob is currently on the scene. Bob, can you tell us what happened out there?" Thank you very much, but I do NOT want to witness such a thing. I'm pretty sure most of the world wouldn't, but it's probably going to take something that extreme to wake people up.

Now, here's another reason that it really drives me batty. Sitting there watching these nutcases, my husband pipes up and says that it looks like so much fun. That were he not married, he'd consider that as a profession. I truly believe he would. When we lived in Oklahoma City a few years ago, an F3 tornado tore through the city. While I was trembling in the closest, my dear hubby is out in the car trying to track the tornado. Oh, brother. I've come to the conclusion that men are just crazy when it comes to weather.

Here Comes the Food

2005-10-24T11:53:00.000-04:00

As Halloween approaches, we've seen a surge of easily accessible candy dishes scattered around the library. Far too tempting, especially when one skips breakfast. Those little Snickers bars look all the more tasty. I think, "What can one, little bite-sized candy hurt?" The problem is, that one, little bite isn't nearly enough for an empty stomach.

When I mentioned the increase in the candy load to a co-worker, she quickly replied, "You a'int seen nuthin' yet. Just wait until we get closer to the big holidays." She explained that not only do all of us bring in what we bake, but that patrons bombard us with goodies as well. So much so that by mid-December, you'll cringe at the 4 new cakes and 3 new platters of cookies on the break-room table. Oh...no....

Her solution..."Let's have a contest to see who can gain the most between now in Christmas. That way none of us will feel guilty about have that 2nd piece of cake or that 3rd piece of candy." What?!! She needs to be committed! The reward would have to be something huge (pun intended). For example, a new wardrobe since our clothes will no longer fit. No, thank you.

I've decided on a much wiser solution. As of today, I am going to be disciplined. I won't completely deny myself chocolate...that's just an impossible expectation. I will, however, limit myself to a treat only 3 times a week. Better to start now than on New Year's Day. Okay, I feel much better having put it in writing for all the world to see. Hold me accountable, y'all. I can feel the temptation already....

Activity in the Marsh

2005-10-22T10:53:00.000-04:00

Here in the midwest, we slide open all of the doors and windows when the weather is nice to get the fresh air circulating through the house. This is a practice that took some getting used to as, growing up in the desert southwest, our windows were nailed shut to keep out the heat and the dust. I grew up in an air-conditioned environment, so the fresh breeze ideal was completely foreign to me. Our backyard is a nature treasure trove. A river runs along the property line and across from that is a marsh. Wildlife is abundant, even in the dead of winter when it's all frozen solid. We've had hours of entertainment just sitting in the living room and looking out the windows. Blue herons, snowy egrets, gulls, geese, bald eagles, buzzards...just to name a few.

One night, about six weeks ago, we started hearing what sounded like hundreds of geese honking in the marsh around dusk. We were just sitting there talking when it all started as a little background noise and finally built to a full-on roar...so much so that we could no longer carry on a normal conversation. We peeked out the back and, sure enough, hundreds of Canadian geese were congregating in the marsh carrying on conversations of their own. At the crack of dawn the next day, we heard them start up again as they flew off for the day.

And so it began. Every night around dusk for the past six weeks or so, we'd start hearing a few echoed honks signifying their arrival. What a joy to sit out on the deck and watch the gaggles fly in 50-100 at a time from every direction. It was as if they had come to the decision at the beginning of the day that this would be their meeting place in the evening. Their safe place to sleep together as a group. No sooner did one group land that we'd hear another gaggle coming. No joke, there were probably close to a thousand geese out there. As they would land, their honking would build. We imagined the conversations that they were having with one another.

"So, where did you go today?" "Oh, you know, here and there." "Well, we found the best grass buffet about 17 miles west. You should try it sometime." "How was your day at school, dear?" "Those pesky seagulls...I can't stand it when they follow us." "Who's going to stand guard tonight? How 'bout you, George? You a good night's rest last night."

This has happened every night and every morning. As the weather has cooled off, we are no longer leaving the doors and windows open. Our geese friends seem much quieter now. Then this morning we heard our geese take off as the sun began to rise, followed soon thereafter by a series of bangs. Yep, hunting season has started. So, I'm sad to say that we'll probably not be seeing our friends for a while as our marsh is probably no longer a safe haven. Goodbye, our feathered friends. See you next spring upon your return with your new, baby goslings.

Madame Librarian

2005-10-19T19:14:00.000-04:00

Let me just say that I love my job. It is so amazing that the simplest effort can completely make someone's day. Individuals come up to my little desk with frustration and confusion riddled on their faces because they have looked "everywhere" for certain information or entertainment and have been unsuccessful in finding it. As is with all things, sometimes you just need to know where to look. I've always loved the thrill of the hunt. For information, that is.

What I absolutely adore about my job is that every day inspires a different quest. Customers, or as we librarians refer to as patrons, are our business. Providing tools for learning, for teaching, for entertainment. To have the ability to provide answers for questions that you don't even know the answers to yourself. All by pulling a book off of a shelf or demonstrating how to use information databases or simply pointing them in the right direction. The determination that takes over until you finally find what you're looking for and the sheer joy that envelops the person when you tell them that you've found it.

And when a person comes through our doors and has such a passion about a book or a subject that it spreads like wildfire when the people around them hear mention of it. I can't even tell you how many books I have on my "To Read" list for the mere fact that a patron or fellow staff member was excited about it. Just to be able to share my ideas with people face to face on a daily basis. There is nothing like it!!

Of course, not every day is completely rewarding. There are certainly challenges. But today, I wouldn't trade what I do for anything.

My Crappy Baking Escapade

2005-10-17T17:03:00.000-04:00

This is one of those stories that registers as funny later, but is ultimate horror while happening. As you all are aware from my previous post, I had about 3 dozen apples sitting in my kitchen from our orchard adventure a couple of weeks ago. Something had to be done!! I was told that if I wrapped them individually in tissue paper that they would last until Christmas. Who has time for that? So, I came up with a genius plan. I would bake 5 apple pies in a day and make surprise deliveries to my three uncles who live in the neighboring town, bring one to work on Monday and keep the fifth for us.

I set about peeling, coring and slicing until my hand was about to fall off. I love to bake, but come on! Five pies in ONE day! That is for the pros. Anyhow, I lined up my pie pans and went into mass production mode. Preheated my double-ovens...the second time I've used both simultaneously in the past 2 years. Popped them all in the oven for 45 minutes and pulled out the most beautiful pies you've ever seen.

Then I set off to make my surprise deliveries. It was about 8PM by the time I'd loaded them up, so it was pitch black outside. As I approached my usual route, I was greeted a sign the read "Bridge Out" and those dreaded orange detour signs. I ever-so-slowly made a left, then a right at the stop sign. Then, out of nowhere, the orange sign leaped out of the corn field right as I was about to pass the street taking me back to my route. And instincts being what they are, what did I do? You guessed it...I jabbed on the brakes just a bit to hard.

I heard a sickening thud in the back and cringed. Well, I may have said a few expletives, too. I pulled off into the corn field. Keep in mind, I'm in the middle of the country surrounded by farmland. Not another car in sight. I turned the dome light on and peeked into the back seat. No pies...what was I thinking? My eyes shifted down to the floorboard where my beautiful pies now rested. One of them was completely unsalvagable as it somersaulted and landed on its head. The other two, remarkably, escaped the garbage and were only cracked (although they had lost most of their fluted crusts).

My assumption was that the pies could still be enjoyed for their flavor if not their appearance. I was now faced with the new dilemma...which uncle to omit from the delivery list. Hmmmm....tough decision. I finally set out for the order in which I had intended and decided that whoever was home would receive a treat of a warm apple pie.

First uncle...tap, tap...not home. Yay, problem solved. I had exactly two left for the two that I was sure would be there. Second uncle (got lost finding his house, but that's almost irrelevant at this point)...knock, knock...no answer. Well, I guess I can leave both with the third uncle with the direction to give the other to his brother. Huh-uh. POUND, POUND....dammmitttt!! Why isn't anyone home on Saturday night? You people have lives?!

Completely dejected, I drove home. Rang my own doorbell with my elbow, my hands a sticky mess from grabbing fistfuls of pie and slamming them into the tin. My husband answered the door to me holding all of the broken pies, took one look at my face as I burst into tears. "AAwww, sweetie. What happened?" You don't even want to know.

Tired Bones

2005-10-12T10:09:00.000-04:00

I am flat out tired today. Let me just warn you all, I am NOT a morning person. Never have been. I can usually put on a happy face at work in the morning until I push through my grumpy slump, but today, I can not take it. I don't get it...I got the required eight hours last night, yet when the alarm clock went off this morning I could hardly muster the energy to reach over and turn it off. I waited until the absolute last minute to roll out from under the covers, not even caring that I only put half my make-up on and threw my hair up in a ponytail without even combing it first. For those who know me, that just is not acceptable.

Working in the public eye certainly doesn't help as everyone who walks up to me comments on how tired I look. Nice. Yeah, good to know that I look exactly the way I feel. So, the reason I'm so tired....don't know. Maybe I'm getting sick, I did get really close to quite a few snotty-nosed little ones on Saturday for hours on end. I have been working 10 days in a row. Could be that I worked out my upper body too hard yesterday. Certainly am not pregnant (don't even let your minds go there). Who the heck knows?! I just know that I'm groggy and grumpy and just want a straight shot of caffiene. Too bad I'm not a coffee drinker. I guess I'll just have to settle for chocolate...yawn....
Update: One of my regulars just walked up to me and told me how pretty I look today. Looky, looky, he just gave me the boost I needed to make it through the next hour or so. I felt a little pull on the corners of my mouth....hmm, could be that a smile is creeping out.

Soothing Strains

2005-10-10T11:29:00.000-04:00

Living in the midwest, I'm faced with the challenge of gray days. I'll admit, they get me down. Maybe it all stems from the fact that I grew up in the southwest, where there are 360 sunny days a year. That's probably not much of an exaggeration as the sun will peek out during some course of the day, even when it's raining. I've lived in the midwest for almost 2 years and have definitely felt the depression seep in during the long stretches of gray.
Last winter, my mom was worried about me feeling so down and sent me a magazine article that listed ways to lift your spirit on those down days. I tried every one of them and sometimes they worked. The only thing that can consistently save me from the depths of the dread is music. No matter what the problem, I can always find some song or genre of music that can rescue me.
Here are a couple of examples:
1) Driving home from college always took me through the mountains of New Mexico. Going home for Christmas break, there was always the possibility of running into snowy weather in the higher elevations. You have to understand, the town I grew up in did not have weather conditions conducive to learning how to drive in inclement situations (unless you count wind and sand storms). So you can imagine my horror as I drove into a blizzard on an already snow-packed road. I was petrified. As my body tensed up and my heart pounded, I immediately had the idea that music could aide me. I popped in the closest tape, Harry Connick, Jr.'s "When My Heart Finds Christmas" and I was instantly calm...even when the car in front of me went into a spin and I had to veer off into a ditch to avoid a collision. Harry's voice just soared through my soul and dissipated those horrible feelings of dread.
2) Every high school kid suffers from a broken heart. They all go through crazy, mind-numbing battles with mood swings (I still do from time to time). My medicine for any bad day was driving through the country with the windows rolled down, blaring my favorite heavy metal music (usually Metallica or Def Leppard). Of course, the cows would duck and run for cover. Poor things...I disturbed their peace. The ear-splitting screams (from the music, not the cows) would pulse through my veins and magically cure my dark mood.
You see, music can get me through any low day. It always lifts my spirits or gives me the calm I so desperately need. Music is truly a powerful medium. And I'm always left thinking, "Why, oh why did I change my major from music to business computer systems?"

The Great Pumpkin Spectacular

2005-10-08T14:40:00.000-04:00

Fall festivities are always fun. For the kids, the parents. For those that are providing the fun....exhausting. We hosted an autumn fun day at our library today and my assignment was "face painting." We had four tables set up and ready to go from 10am-1pm and go we did. From the moment the doors opened to the moment we cleared the tables. We had an age limit of three since some toddlers and infants are a bit wary of strangers honing in on them with a pointy object.

So, for three hours straight I painted ghosts, pumpkins, jack-0-lanterns, bats, spiders, candy corns, cats, even a paw print and a football. Pretty much whatever they requested. It was so much fun and the kids were fantastic. I was shocked at how seriously they took it and how perfectly still they all sat. Well, I did have couple of wobbly-eyed bats, but all in all, I was quite impressed with my impromptu cheek-painting skills. Who knew?

I work in the adult/reference area of the library, so I don't often have the opportunity to work with the little ones. I LOVE children. I just love to hear what they have to say. Sometimes the things that come from those little lips are so profound and unexpected. And totally uncensored. I don't think anyone could ever impede on a child's "freedom of speech".

So, if anyone ever has the opportunity to paint children's faces, I highly recommend it. It's good for the spirit, even if you're left tired and arthritic.

Mushrooms in the Basement

2005-10-05T10:36:00.000-04:00

I have already admitted that I'm not the greatest housekeeper, but it's just clutter, not filth. We live in a house right on the river so we naturally have a humidity issue, especially in the summer when it's hot and rainy. Fortunately, this summer has been a dry one so we haven't had many issues. You see, last summer we had a ton of rain and fairly high temps in our 50-year-old house...translation: musty basement. About mid-July we noticed that it was especially musty when we sat on our sofa by the window. Upon moving the sofa away from the wall, we discovered the entire wall was covered with black mold spores. Disgusting!! So we mixed up a bleach/water solution and purchased carpet and furniture deoderizing spray and squirted away. That seemingly solved the problem...only on the surface, I know.

No problems for almost a year. Since we didn't have a rain problem, we didn't really think about it much. Then, a couple of weeks ago after a particularly heavy rainstorm, the musty smell returned. Our first inclination was to pull the couch away from the wall to investigate. Yep, the mold was back (if only along the baseboard). Our true horror was the discovery of three large mushrooms growing out of the carpet. Eeeeewwwwww!!! I mean, how often do you pull the sofa away from the wall to see what's behind it? We had been very diligent about keeping an eye on it over the course of the summer, which meant that in just a couple of weeks this atrocity had occurred. Who even knew that mushrooms could grow inside your house...in the carpet?! Blech!

Sweet as Pie

2005-10-03T10:00:00.000-04:00

I haven't written a post in a long while. Tried on Thursday night, but the site was down for "scheduled maintenance" when I logged on. Oh, well. I've been busy running around with my folks all weekend anyway, so it was hard to get away.

We just had to partake in some fall activities, so yesterday we sought out a local orchard to do a little apple pickin'. It's just one of those things you don't see much of in the south. The place that we found was absolutely packed with people picking pumpkins and gourds, decorating scarecrows, roaming through the haybales and cornstalks, going on hayrides, and, of course, pickin' apples.

Since this was the first time we had participated in this little venture, we bugged one of the store keepers with a million questions: "What variety is good for pies?" "How much does it cost?" "How few can we pick?" "Where can we find this type?" "Are those tart or sweet?" "How can you tell a good apple from a bad apple?" "Can you mix 'em up or do you have to pick all of the same variety?" "Can we pick one off of the tree to sample before we fill a whole sackful?" We finally figured it all out and went a-pickin'....and a-pickin'....and a-pickin'. Seems that you can't pick just one. You have to pick 'em by the half bushel. And that makes for a LOT of apples. I'm guessing we probably ended up with close to a hundred apples. Hmmmm....how many apple pies can one eat before getting sick of them?

I will say that I can make one mean apple pie, though....thanks to my hubby's mother's recipe. It's one of those old fashioned recipes....no measuring. A little something like this: 1) Taste the apples. If they are sweet, add a little sugar and a bit of lemon juice. If they are tart, add a bit more. 2) Add a sprinkle of cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg, etc., etc. And, by some miracle, out comes a golden brown pie that is right as rain. My dad said that it was the best piece of pie he'd had in many years....and that is the ultimate compliment!!

Now I just need to learn how to make applesauce and apple brown betty and baked apples and apple icecream and apple tarts and apple fritters and chicken a la apple and apple dog food and apple crumble and......oh, forget it.....I'm gonna give them all away!!!

100 Things

2005-09-28T12:15:00.000-04:00

1. I was born in Sacramento, California
2. I've lived in 13 different cities in 7 different states.
3. I have 1 brother and 1 sister.
4. I have been married for 7 years.
5. My dog is a shih-tzu named Andy
6. He was a 27th birthday present from my husband
7. ...along with a pair of diamond earrings
8. one of which went down the shower drain since I was afraid to ever take them off.
9. Andy ate my first pair when I took them off.
10. No luck searching for them later....Ugh!
11. I'm as loyal as they come
12. I probably trust people too much
13. My hair used to be a light brown, and is now very dark
14. My eyes are blue, as are everyone of my immediate family members
15. I am blessed to still have all four of my grandparents
16. They all live in the same town as my parents in NM
17. I think family is the most important thing in this world
18. My sister and I used to fight like cats and dogs
19. Mainly because I wanted to be just like her
20. She wanted me to be my own person
21. I am.
22. We are now best friends
23. I love to laugh
24. "Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion"
25. I can't take credit for that...it's from "Steel Magnolias"
26. I often cover up fear or anger or sadness
27. I guess that's the southern girl in me.
28. I got my bachelor's degree in Business Computer Systems
29. Computers piss me off
30. I can't stand awkward silences
31. I'm a terrible swimmer, but I could get by.
32. Night-time is my most productive time of day
33. I hate mornings
34. I won't gripe to you unless I know you very well
35. I love hugs from my family and friends
36. I get my hair cut very rarely...sometimes only once a year / 2 years
37. It grows extremely fast
38. My husband is my best friend
39. I twiddle my thumbs when I'm thinking or nervous
40. Just like my mom
41. Nothing angers me more than lies or condescension
42. I love anything chocolate
43. I hate anything with tomato in it...with the exception of salsa or ketchup
44. I wipe the sauce off of pizza
45. I squirt a little line of ketchup onto each individual french fry
46. I can roll my tongue
47. My pinky fingers are crooked.
48. I don't go to church as much as I should
49. Black crows freak me out
50. I'm petrified of bees and wasps
51. My heart races and I hyperventilate if one gets into the house.
52. I always have a book right by my bedside.
53. I used to hide in the closet with a flashlight 'til the wee hours of the morning
54. I procrastinate way too much
55. I wore braces for a year and a half
56. I never wore my retainers
57. My vision is terrible!
58. Lasik surgery is a dream of mine
59. I am designing a website for a local eye center
60. I once crocheted 6 afghans in 2 months
61. I gave all but one of them away
62. People say I should wear my hair down more often
63. I think constructive criticism is still criticism (it sometimes bothers me)
64. I have morbid thoughts
65. I don't know where they come from.
66. People have told me that I will be a good mother
67. I hope so.
68. My husband and I love to travel spontaneously
69. We planned a 10-day trip to Europe in 2 weeks time
70. My driver's license photo is atrocious
71. I lived in New Orleans for 4 years of elementary school
72. My dad never let me go to a Mardi Gras parade on my birthday in February
73. Now I understand why!!
74. I can be hypnotized...I don't like that
75. Time slips away from me
76. I love to sing
77. I'm pretty good at it.
78. Nobody in my current town knows that.
79. I've always made friends pretty easily
80. Secrets are sacred to me....I'm very tight-lipped
81. I have a very short temper
82. I get over things very quickly
83. I find crying very cathartic
84. I'm still in contact with many friends from high school and college
85. I'm not afraid of heights....but am still sometimes afraid of the dark
86. Sometimes I talk in my sleep
87. One of my college roommates and I used to have conversations in our sleep
88. Unbenownst to us...until it was aptly pointed out
89. My sister and I used to flip the papasan chair over on our brother like a cage and took turns sitting on it.
90. I'm allergic to cats
91. My first pet was a hamster we named Squeaky
92. I still blush a bright red when I'm embarrassed
93. I don't tan...I burn
94. My mom used to tell me I had skin like a porcelain doll
95. I don't know how to take a compliment....they embarrass me.
96. I love any kind of music and love to dance around the house with it blaring
97. Baking is my passion
98. I have a photographic memory
99. I shed a lot of hair and clog the drain in the shower
100. I dream in color

Scrub-a-Dub-Dub

2005-09-26T10:50:00.000-04:00

I spent most of yesterday cleaning my house from top to bottom. I have to admit, I'm not the best housekeeper in the world. In fact, I'm one of those individuals that scrambles when the doorbell rings to shove things under the bed/in the closet/in the dishwasher on the off chance that it's not just the UPS delivery guy and I (gasp!) have to invite someone inside my humble abode. But, there is nothing that gets your butt in gear like having company come.

My parents called a couple of weeks ago to see if we were up to a visit...yeah, like they even need to ask. I adore my parents. Living so far away from them KILLS me!! So any chance I have to visit with them is an opportunity I jump at whole-heartedly. Now, the true reason they are coming cracks me up!! I called them a couple of weeks ago to whine about the fact that I only have 2 lonely little bags of green chile remaining in my freezer. Let me just say that if you don't know what green chile is, you do not know what you are missing!! Growing up in New Mexico, I had no idea that this culinary delight would develop into an addiction!! What's interesting about it is that while I lived there, I just kind of took it for granted and could live with or without it. After college graduation and upon moving to Atlanta, GA, the withdrawels kicked in and I was longing for a green chile fix.

And so started the tradition of Labor Day weekend get-togethers at my parents house. Of course, the guys in the family say that it's because of the start of dove hunting season, but to my sister and I, it's all about the green chile season. It's an annual event. Picking up a bushel of green chile and smelling it as it roasts. The first couple of years we bagged them 5 at a time in Ziploc freezer bags and stuck little straws in the bag to physically suck out the spicy air. Not a good idea after bag number 16. We probably fill about 75 bags every year and freeze them to last until the following season. We finally wisened up and bought a food saver machine to do all of the work for us! Such a wise investment!!

I'm getting to the point, I swear! We weren't able to make it out there this year. My dad called a few days after Labor Day to state, "What you won't do for the people that you love!" Lo and behold, he and my mom bought me my chile, bagged it and filled their freezer with it not knowing if they'd have to wait until Christmas for me to pick it up. When the city of New Orleans shut down because of the hurricane, they had to cancel their flight and received vouchers for a future flight. And, praise the Lord, they are coming to deliver my delicacy. Yay! Green chile and a visit with my folks!! What more can a girl ask for?!

Jumpstart My Heart

2005-09-24T10:24:00.000-04:00

My husband and I went to our local amusement park last night to check out this season's Halloween haunts. They spend a fortune every year decorating the entire park from front to back with fall/Halloween related items, including pumpkins, cornstalks, fog machines, strobe lights, hearses, skeletons...you name it. They have fortune teller gypsies, magicians, monster-themed musical acts, story tellers (of course reciting Edgar Allen Poe faves). They shut down several rides to accommodate many a haunted house that people with wait hours to see. They even have a section for the tots to trick-or-treat. Ancient horror flicks play nonstop on the the enormous outdoor screen, while monster music airs on the speakers throughout the park. SO MUCH FUN!!

Since it was opening night, there really wasn't a crowd at all and since we have season passes for the big kids that we are, we just strolled right in. Approaching one of the walkways toward the back of the park, you're greeted by a half-man/half-skeleton warning you upon entry. This portion of the park is pitch black with the exception of the bright swirls of lights aimed to blind you and disorient along with the banks of fog. As you walk along, ghouls sneak up on you and take advantage of the fact that you are blinded by the lights and fog. Many nearly stopped my heart as they snuck up on me from behind. My husband nearly doubled over laughing at my shrill screams of terror and the fact that I forbid him to release the death grip I had on his hand. And that was just on the walkway. We also went to 2 of the haunted houses...one with a werewolf theme, the other vampires.

The main reason that we love to go to the park during this time of the year is the fact that most people are going to see just the things I've talked about (and many more! believe me, I just touched on a few of my favorites), meaning short lines for the roller coasters. The lines that during summer peak have a waiting time of 2 hours are cut down to 15-30 minutes. And let me tell you, I am a thrill junky!!! Nothing scares me, not height, not speed, not loops, not tunnels....just the creeps that sneak up on me in the dark fog! But I will say that I feel for the poor souls who sit directly in front of me as, even at thirty, I have an extremely loud and high-pitched scream that is out of my control once we get started. Trust me, I've tried to control it. The G-force just pushes it out of me. And by Monday, my voice will be a nice husky Demi-esque as my little vocal chords have taken a beating. Fine by me. I work in a library, I'm supposed to whisper anyway! Bye-bye fellow adrenaline junkies.

Fall is in the Air

2005-09-20T14:07:00.000-04:00

Autumn is definitely my favorite time of year. I love the crisp, cool breezes. Here in Ohio, the temperatures are beginning to drop slightly. The tops of the trees are slowly changing, giving us a hint of the beautiful color that is to come. All of the surrounding towns are preparing for their fall festivities with hay rides, scarecrow decorating, pumpkin picking and cider pressing. We've never lived near orchards, so the idea of going to pick our own apples is appealing as well as getting lost in one of the many area corn mazes. What is better than baking a homemade apple pie on a cool autumn day?

I know, I must sound like a Martha Stewart crony. Oh, well. Gracious me, I just realized that I truly am as I just this weekend crocheted a replica of her get-out-of-prison poncho!! How sad is that? I am a little old lady wrapped up in the package of a 30-year-old body. My husband constantly teases me about this...but I digress. I am so excited that fall is here and that my parents are coming 1500 miles to share a taste of it with us. Enjoying now is key since the moment the last leaves fall and leave the trees bare, the reality of a long, cold winter will set in. Woe is me!

What's in a Name?

2005-09-15T19:43:00.000-04:00

I'm totally new to this. I thought the name "Southern Yankee" would be perfectly appropriate as I have lived 28 of my thirty years in the south...all over the south, but primarily south-eastern New Mexico. My husband and I moved to midwest region a little under two years ago, thus I am now in Yankee country but will always remain a true southern girl at heart.
A dear friend of mine from high school recently introduced me to the world of blogs and I am finally caving and starting my own. My expectations are low and I do not expect much, if any, feedback. Regardless, this might be a good outlet if I do updates on a consistent basis. We'll see how it goes.