Happy Birthday to my Mom

Carolyn 

1939 - 1991

Today, my mom would have been 71 years old.  But, sadly, she passed away in 1991 when she was 52.  She was a great mother!  She went through a nasty divorce, but came through it a strong amazing woman. There was nothing she wouldn't try to do.  She used to have this big ole refridgerator with the freezer in the bottom (at the time it was very unique) the fan would go out of it from time to time and she had it replaced several times.  One time it went out and I came home one day to find the drawer out of the freezer and find my mother completely up inside it replacing the fan herself. In 1979 she married a college professor (one MY professors) and he treated her like a queen.  She wanted for nothing the rest of her life.  She was always fascinated with California.  Low and behold, her new mother-in-law lived in California, so she got to visit there many times.    Unfortunately. she died (kind of) unexpectedly of heart failure.  She had issues with rheumatoid arthritis for years, then suffered kidney failure and under went a couple years of kidney dialysis, followed by a kidney transplant, that was followed by a broken hip and subsequent hip replacement.   We all thought that the worst of everything was over and she was on the mend.  But her heart just couldn't handle the stress anymore and it quit.  I just wish I had more time with her.  I would like for her to see how I turned out (she put some hard work into me) - I hope she would be thrilled how life turned out for me and be proud of me. 

Did I say she was a great mom? LOL  She was a great role model and a good friend. I think about her everyday and I miss her everyday.

Fun and Games Are Over

This will be me in a couple hours.  I don't wanna go back to work today!  Ugh!  I have been off work since December 24th.  I've been free to do whatever I want.  Though, granted, that hasn't been all  that much.  It has been quite relaxing.  Unfortunately I'm not independantly wealthy and I have lots of bills to pay, so I guess I have to go back to work.  It's going to be tough getting back into the groove.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I hope you made it into 2010  safe and sound. 

I have been off work since December 23rd.  While I had big thoughts, I really didn't accomplish anything other than get through the holidays.  It was nice to have the time off and to do what I wanted, when I wanted.  I really hate to think that I will have to return to work on Monday.  But I am not able to retire yet and we do have bills to pay.

As we were nearing the new year I thought about the previous year.  It was a very good year.  In the wake of folks losing jobs, I still have a job. So far the worst that has happened has been our mandatory 10 days off without pay.  While I don't like it, it's a cutback I can learn to live with for a while.  C & I celebrated our first full year in our new house.  I hate moving and it seemed like it took an entire year before we finally quit looking in boxes for our belongings.  But we are finally there!  I was reunited with a very, dear old friend this summer. I had lost track of her for a very long time,  much to my surprise she had been right under my nose. I am glad we never stopped wondering about each other and I am so happy we found each other again. I turned 50 this past year. OMG! I never thought I would make it this far.   Yes, it was a fabulous year.

Now as I face 2010... I want it to be as good of a year, if not better. I hate making resolutions because I usually break them before I get them all made. But I have to set some sort of boundary - so I guess resolutions are the best format.  

I need to improve myself this year.  After many years of living in hell, I am finally at a very good place in life.  But, if I don't make some other changes I may not be able to enjoy it for as long as I'd like. So I need to lose some weight.  I'm not greedy - 50 lbs (though that's just the tip of the iceberg) would get me back into most of the clothes in my closet.  So I'd take that if I can get it (then I'll think about chipping more off the iceberg).

I want to complete at least one  project each month, whether it be a craft project or housey project.  I have so many things to get done (remember the mountain of jewelry making stuff?).   So one thing doesn't seem too unreasonable.

I want to be a better blogger.  I started this back in September.  Writing is harder than I thought.  But I want to post at least 3 times a week and make my presence known on other blogs that I read and enjoy.  I have made some awesome friends and want to keep them.

I need to be a better aunt.  I know at least onbe person is thinking - but you're an only child.  I am, but when my mom got remarried her hubby had 2 sons.  We were all adults when our parents married, so we never got the opportunity to be a true family and we weren't that close when we were younger.  But after my mother,  their father and then my grandparents passed away these guys knew I didn't have any other family and they unofficially adopted me.  I don't get down to see my nephews and neice as much as I'd like and I felt some distance at Christmas. They are growing up so fast it is amazing.   I love them all and am greatful for them.  They were there for me during the darkest part of my life - I want to be there during the best parts of theirs.  So, I need to make sure I am visiting as often as possible and I'm not above taking lavishing gifts. 

And finally, I want show C, every single day, how glad I am to have him in my life. He has been a true blessing  to me.  I never knew what a truly good relationship was before him.  I love him and cherish every minute we have together.

Some of those will be easy, others not so much.  But all I can do is try.  What did you resolve to do this year?

Merry Christmas!

Ok, I know that Christmas comes the exact time every year. It should not be any surprise to me.  So why am I always running around at the last moment getting stuff done?  I had big plans not to procrastinate this year - but I put that off until next year!  We barely got the tree up, I put out a few other decorations and called the house done.  Sunday I was Betty Friggin' Crocker.  I made caramel corn, chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter fudge and Bailey's fudge.  I have absolutely nothing wrapped.  Late Monday night I was wrapping a few things that I had to take into the office.  One of my spare bedrooms looks like Santa's workshop - that's where all the gifts are.  Tonight I will start sorting and wrapping.  C's family celebration will be Christmas Eve, so I will need to get all of their presents wrapped.  I am still relatively new to that family - so I better not try and get by with just putting each item in a WalMart bag.  Somewhere there is another unwritten female rule about that. 

So, wanna see our tree?  We got it up last weekend.  One of the cats has eaten all the garland off the bottom.

Most of the ornaments on it are either handmade, Hallmark Keepsakes, or antique.  So we are careful not to put too much around the bottom because shiny things hanging down are just too much for little cat paws or they don't faire too well when a dog decides to plow through between the tree and the table.  So we make it easy on everyone.

Remember This?

Gee, they don't make commercials like this anymore.


I remember this. It's not loud enough or flashy enough for commercials nowadays.  It's simple, yet effective.

Tiger

Even though I am tired of the whole TigerWoods thing already - I can't stand it -I have to offer an opinion.  Our local paper sends emails out occasionally when something big happens.  Yesterday they felt compelled to send out a "breaking news" e-mail to announce Tiger's one sentance comment about his situation.  One stinking sentance!!  It  said something to the effect that he was sorry his transgressions hurt his family.  Did I really need a breaking  news bulletin on that??  I'm thinkin' not!  I'm not really interested in all the fine details of his trysts.  I say it's bullshit anyway.  If he truly sorry was he wouldn't have done it in the first place.  What he's sorry about is that he got caught.  Did he really think that it could go on forever  You can't be fucking around with.... not one... not two...but possibly THREE other women and it not be discovered. For Christ sake, Tiger, you've only been married for 5 years!!  I hate it that we tend to put famous people up on such high pedestals and then are so upset when they fall off.  And they usually do!  We are all human and no one is perfect (I'm certainly not). They have all the money and fame anyone could ever want, yet they do the dumbest things.  If you are going to be in the public eye - don't be a MORON!!!!!

The Holiday Season

Like it or not - the holiday season is upon us!!  For all the hustle and bustle that is involved, it really doesn't last all that long.  I know I have had all year to prepare, but still here I am with nothing done and wondering how I am going to get everything completed that I need to.  Even so, I love the holidays! I think I got that from my mother - she loved Christmas.  I miss her everyday, but I think I miss her more during the holidays. Everyone just seems to be nicer to each other during the holidays.  I hope this week I can begin to get my decorations and tree up.