I Resisted

But I finally gave in to turning on my air conditioner around 630pm last night. I couldn't take sweating for another minute. AND I turned on my air conditioner when I went to bed and slept the sleep of the cool and dry.

I got a little done on my yard. I'm happy with what I did even though it was no great accomplishment. It's pretty early in the year for me say that I got too hot and had to stop, but I did. Shouldn't be a problem today, if I make it out there.

It's only suppose to get up to 65 today... after 90 yesterday.

Bathroom Break

What a night for sleeping! I went to bed quite early for me last night... around 10pm. I woke up this morning without my usual sitting up in bed on alert, which is the usual way I wake up. I opened my eyes and laid there and listened to the early morning birds thinking it was a lot later than it was, feeling like I just got the best sleep of my life.

I'm determined to get SOMETHING done today.

So far, the bathroom pictures I have taken are not what I originally wanted to take a picture of. What I wanted to show you was how it's a stampede when I go to pee. All four cats seem to find it necessary to accompany me to the bathroom and it just makes me laugh to see them all in such a small room together sniffing butts and vying for my attention while I'm trying to do my business which takes less than 30 seconds. What I did get was a few blurry pictures of one or two in there, and a picture of Cricket's new thing she likes to do... which is to jump into my pants as they are around my knees whilst I'm sitting and doing my business and again, since this is usually less than 30 seconds, she does it quickly and with much determination. The last thing I wanted to put up a picture of is me sitting on the toilet. But here it is... with the least amount of me possible.It's supposed to get close to 90 degrees today.

Paperwhites

The watch time on Kitty-Cam has dropped significantly within the last couple of weeks. Not sure why. Well... aside from most of the time it's the most boring thing on the planet to watch. There's those in between times where the cats are all playing and running around being crazy, but rarely does one tune in at just the right moment. I tried to compensate by putting up videos that I had captured while the kitties were going insane, but for some reason you can no longer access my show page from the pop up viewer that people voted on that they preferred. The only way to get to the videos is from the show page. I'll probably put up a separate link to the show page to see if that helps up my stats. I can't call my Kitty Cam a failure because it's there, it's doing what I wanted it to do, and for the most part it runs quite smoothly... even if no one but me watches. And in the end, if nothing else, I quite like spying on the little monsters when they are up to no good while I am away from home.

Spring has definitely sprung here in the DFW area. It was over 80 degrees today and the rest of the week is supposed to be just as beautiful. It snowed last March, so we are never really out of Winter completely until April, but for a Winter that was hard on so many over the states this year, we've had quite the mild one in our area.

I've made small attempts at getting out and starting the long process of yard work. I am determined to get out tomorrow and do a little bit more. I have found it is a lot less daunting when I can concentrate on small spaces each time I go out. My Dad came and serviced the riding lawn mower so it's ready to go as well.

These flowers sit on the south side of the house and when the warm breeze blows through my open windows, it brings with it the scent of these flowers and they are extremely fragrant. They are called Paperwhites and are small members of the Narcissus family, which is the same family as the bigger Daffodils which are also fragrant, but not near as much.

Bathroom Tissue And Lady Parts

I used to joke about the toilet paper at work. I've said that the toilet paper at work is the cheapest they can buy so no one would want to steal it. I will never say another unkind word about work toilet paper. I went and bought an emergency roll... you know, the roll that you have hidden close by the toilet... "just in case"? Figured it was just an emergency roll so it didn't have to be the good stuff. I had the misfortune of having to break out that roll recently and I can promise you now... I will never make fun of work toilet paper ever again. This stuff was so cheap that when I went to dig the wrapping out of the garbage so I could tell you what not to buy, it doesn't even have a brand name. No store brand signature or anything what-so-ever on the wrapping except how cheap it is. Next time, I'll at least buy Scott brand, and I hate that stuff!

I'm happy to report that I am finally over my PMS. Without going into too much detail, I am unhappy to report that a doctor's visit will be scheduled as soon as things calm down. To be more specific, a lady parts doctor. And to freak all you women out, it's been over 10 years since I've had a 'well woman exam'. Probably closer to 14. I had a tubal ligation, went back for my check up... and that's the last time I went. I'm one of THOSE people who figure if everything is working like it should then why subject myself to something I come out of feeling like I've been molested. I've only had one OB/GYN my entire life. He delivered me, he delivered my babies. I don't even know if the man is still alive. But yeah... things are not working like they should... things are BAD and getting worse each month... and I'm absolutely terrified to go.

You see... I have this weird thing going on the last several years or so. I'm afraid that if I go to a doctor, they are going to find something really bad wrong with me and when they tell me as much, my mind is going to work against me and I'm going to die... where as... if I DON'T go to the doctor, they can't tell me anything is wrong and my mind keeps going in automatic survival mode and I'll live longer if I don't know about it then I would if I did. Aaahhh... I see I've finally convinced you of my crazy! If, by chance, that didn't push you over the edge, then maybe this will... I haven't done a self breast exam since my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer... over 5 years ago. (I think I just heard my mom's head explode with that one.)

But alas... the time has come to face my fear. Pain will do that to you. It'll make you do things you don't wanna do just... to... make... it... STOP!

You may proceed with the admonishments now.

For Shame

Shame on me for being so pitiful as of late. I went back and read some of my last few posts... humph.

Let me follow up on the last post. My son brought this to my attention and I'm grateful to him for that. It gave me something to blog about today.

It's not that I don't have stuff. I do have some pretty cool stuff. I think sometimes I give the impression that I live in a shack with an outhouse and no indoor plumbing. Close... but I do have the privilege of getting to shat indoors. I have a really cool computer that I can play games on, watch movies on, type on a blog...on, and lots of other cool stuff. I have a very nice printer. I have a nice sofa and two recliners... desks... web cams... digital video recorder and a spiffy new microwave. I have a cell phone and NetFlix. I have gargoyles and wizards and cats setting about, a huge cat tower and a TV. I have a stereo, tons of CD's, art supplies and home repair supplies. I have a large shelf that contains tons of Bath and Body Works lotions, body sprays, body creams and bubble bath. I have a pillow top queen size mattress, lots of pillows and my bedding matches the colors of my bedroom. I have candles galore and Glade Scented Plug Ins in every available outlet. My cats have two cat boxes and tons of toys that are spread out over my entire home and under everything. I have a picture on my wall that I paid one hundred dollars for and a mirror that I paid 80 dollars for. Most everything else I just listed were gifts from friends and family. I have some really cool friends and family.

But there's lots of stuff I don't have that most people do. I don't have a dishwasher or a washer and dryer or hook ups for any of them. I have a garbage disposal but it's never been installed. (another fabulous gift from my son who buys me whatever I want!) I don't have central heat or air. I have window units in the living area and one in each of the two bedrooms. My heat comes from gas stoves, also located in the living area and one in each of the bedrooms... and lots of blankets. I don't have cable or satellite. I have just the local channels which will stop working as of June something or other because I still don't have a box or an HDTV. Out of all of that, the only thing I really, really, really miss is the washer and dryer. Something I totally took for granted when I had it. I don't mind doing dishes by hand but I hate not having a garbage disposal. Makes cooking no fun because the clean up is just a hassle and messy and gross. I miss cooking and its sad that I avoid it because I don't have my garbage disposal installed. I don't watch TV very often. Only when something comes on Fox like House and right now, American Idol. (It's going to be a fabulous season, by the way!) Everything else I watch is on ABC and I do a lot of ABC.com.

Anyway... my point is, I do have nice things and the things I appreciate the most were gifts and the things I don't have I really don't miss. I just don't have a permanent place to put all my nice things and its the one thing in my life that seems so far away and iffy. That's all.

Man... I just threw up randomness all over up there. Here's a towel... and a tiny foil person photo exclusive!

When I Grow Up

If someone gave me a bunch of their money to spend on cool stuff for their home wouldn't that be the ultimate job?

I've always wanted to be an interior designer. Sadly, one must have a college education for this. I don't have one. I will probably never get one. Hence... my dream of spending other people's money died the day I got divorced almost 20 years ago.

If I had made different choices in life, do I think I would have gone in this direction? Who's to know, really. I don't think I have enough drive, even way back when I was 20, to have a job like an interior designer. Plus, with the procrastination thing I've always had going for me, I'd have lost that job years ago.

And then I look around my house and see the mix of gargoyles, wizards and cats and wonder what theme this could be called, aside from ugly and crazy, and then I long for a permanent residence again, which I try not to do because it makes me sad. I think about what living in an apartment would be like and how un-permanent that would seem... I think about if there is even the slightest chance of me ever owning my own home, even one as old and run down as this one, and I can't help but think back to the day when I once had a retirement fund and how that was wasted away on a man and how nice it would be to have that back so I might be able to achieve some sort of permanency.

But when my thoughts turn this direction, I also think of people like my ex-husband who lives in a house with a $5000 a month house payment, multiple car payments, in debt to his ears... and other people like him. I then realize that having "stuff" is nice and all, but I'd rather not have the stress of debt. I've had lots of "stuff" before. I have found that the less I have the happier I have become... except when I start thinking about a permanent residence. That's the one "stuff" I really want to have most and the one "stuff" I feel so very far away from getting.

Bathroom Stash

The camera has been stashed in the powder room awaiting the perfect moment...

Note To Self...

Next time I take a bathroom break, remember to take the camera.

Java Script

I had gotten pretty good at deciphering java script code to the point I could take away those annoying and tacky advertisements off of the little add-ons I occasionally will put up. Like the music player, and the weather pixie and the backgrounds I have been using. Because I'm somewhat of an honest joe, but just a tiny bit, I had added a link and a thank-you to the website I had stolen the background from to the bottom of my page... where it belongs... kind of like the credits at the end of a movie. I have a funny video down there as well... and some other stuff. After I removed the valentines motif I had up, I went back to this website to acquire what you see today. They've gone and changed all of their java script to something with tons of % signs and 3Es and As and it's mass confusion in there. So, alas... the annoying tacky advertisement for the site where I got the background stuff you are seeing today is there and I can't figure out how to get rid of it without screwing up everything so I have left it alone... and I removed the gracious thank you from the bottom of the page because I'm no longer thankful and as soon as I find a site with good old cheaters java script, I won't be using them any more... because, really... why pay for something when you can get it for free, right? ... Right? Although I quite like their backgrounds... and their tiny advertisements are really not all that annoying OR tacky.

My Absence

I apologize for my lack of attention to my blog. I've had company the last couple of days, intense rain pain in my hands, PMS, my grandmother is in the hospital, overtime at work and just a general lack of things to talk about.

Company is leaving, rain pain is gone, still have PMS and I'm beginning to worry, my grandmother is doing great and will hopefully be able to leave the hospital soon, not sure if there will be overtime tonight or not and I still don't have anything to talk about. But I feel the words bubbling up inside of me and I'm sure in the next day or so I'll be able to bore you to tears with something or another.

So until then...

I Don't Have Much

I'm finding it hard to find anything to blog about the last couple of days. As I'm sure you can tell. The Daffodils are in full bloom, yet I've not even bothered to go out and take any pictures. They are beautiful, but I never went out and did my Winter gardening so they don't stand out like they should. Too much dead foliage and grass. The last few days would have been perfect days to go out and work in the gardens, yet with the oncoming storms the last week, my hands have been useless. Anyone who spends any amount of time with me also knows that my "monthlies" have become a bit of a problem the last year or so, as well. Debilitating, without going into too much detail.

Getting older can be hard some days. The aches and pains are different than when we are younger. I don't blog about them because on most days, I don't let them get the best of me and the last thing I want this blog to be is a place where I whine and cry about what hurts today. I would not want to read a blog like that... I don't want you to have to either.

Several years ago when my kids and I were still living with my parents, part of my love of gardening came from spending some quality alone time with myself. In a house with 5 people this is a good thing. Now that I've lived alone for almost 3 years, I find myself craving a gardening buddy. Someone who shares my love for making things grow and be beautiful, yet someone who can also understand my need for being alone. It's a compromise that I'm not likely to find.

Most of my friends have never understood my anti-social behavior. How many times have I heard the words, "You just need to get out and have fun"? Too many times for me to count. I've always been this way, you know. I'm not sad, I'm not depressed and I love each and every one of the people whom I call friend. But I love my quiet time, too. It's what keeps me sane.

Aaaaand....

...it's over. :-)

8:20 PM

It's eerie outside. I can hear someone's wind chimes sounding out in one of my neighbor's back yards. The wind has picked up significantly within the last 15 minutes or so. I'll be shutting down the computer soon.

The lightning and thunder have started.

I wish I had a Xanax.

Spring Is In The Air

We have major thunderstorms with the high possibility of tornadoes and damaging winds in the air this evening. Not looking forward to it. I have the feeling my house is always ready to blow away if given the right chance.

One Reason I Hate Watching The News

They are proposing a posted speed increase on some toll road in Dallas, from 60mph to 70mph. They talked about the number of tickets that had been written on this particular stretch of road. They interviewed someone who had gotten a ticket on this particular stretch of road. That person said, as close as I can remember, "I think the municipalities need to work on what they are going to do to rectify all the tickets they wrote."

I bet I can guess who that guy voted for.

People are idiots.

Sorry. PMS.

Tiny Foil Person, Year 2012

Tiny Foil Person Not Amused

Happy Birthday Mom

Today is my mother's birthday... and also, the 19 year anniversary of the day I signed my divorce papers. Is it wrong that I remember my divorce date, yet can't remember the day I got married? Maybe it's just sad. I think I just remember the divorce date because it's on my mom's birthday... or maybe I remember my mom's birthday because of the divorce. Either way, two significant things happened on this day and my divorce would have never happened had my mom never been born on this day... although that kind of makes it sound like the divorce was my mom's fault and unless you want to blame my mom for letting me get married in the first place, then you can't blame the divorce on her either. Personally, I don't blame her for being born... or for my divorce... or for letting me forget what day I got married on. I don't blame my mom for anything. I love my mom, who's sporting a brand new hip these days. I wonder if my dad is taking her dancing tonight? HA! Just kidding mom.

Happy birthday, mother. I wish for you a day free of pain and steady walks... because we both know you are wishing for the same. If I could wrap that up for you and bring it over you know I SO would!

Tiny Foil Person Fail

Babies Are Cool

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vNxjwt2AqY

Tiny Foil Person

I was taking out my trash this morning and I found this in my yard:
When I picked it up, I got a vision of a kid tying this thing to a balloon and setting it free. When I was a kid, me and the boy next door would put notes in balloons and set them free on windy days and we always would talk about how far it would fly and who would find it for hours afterward.

Libby wants to kill it. So for now, this is where it will hang out:
Libby really wants to kill it.

Mornin'

Sometimes I wake up, like yesterday, and I sing this song to my cats. I don't know why except that I must be in an exceptional mood. I've never seen this movie and I can only assume I heard it growing up and my mom might have sung it. I didn't even know it came from this movie until I YouTubed it.

You have a good morning... and you and you and YOU!

Dinky Linky: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA3OnIYW5u4