the 'Laurel and Hardy' of ranch hands

A couple of mornings ago, both DH and Dsil (son in law) were out and the feeding of the horse was left for me and dd.  My fil took care of the cows.   The night before, dh showed us what to do.  IN the past, I simply had to walk across the pasture, and throw a flake into her pen.  BUT the fields were irrigated the day before, so the pasture is now a swamp.  It now requires driving the golf cart to the front gate, down the road a bit and going up the 2nd gate.  (fil gave us that golf cart a while back, and that thing has become a lifesaver).  Okay.  DD and I can do that.   Oooooo boy.

6:30, I get up a li'l late.  DD meets me in the kitchen and we decide to go feed the horse...while she is getting dressed I go to the garage to prep the bucket and get the golf cart.  Go to the garage door...and its locked.  FINE, just go get the key...minor irritation.   DD joins me and we are looking for the bucket.  where is it?  OH!  dh left it in the pen last night, and was supposed to go back and get it, guess he forgot, FINE, we find a shoe box to use.  Fill it up and get into the golf cart.  Tell dd she is driving...good thing, cuz dsil had parked his truck in the driveway behind it...okay...a few 'Austin Power's moves" and a lot of laughs and dd gets us going.

We get down to the front gate, and it's locked...'do you have the key?"  No key, so we back up to the house so I can grab the right key.

We finally get to the pen.  Now due to the flooding, cannot go around the corral but thru.  Now our horse is a bit of a snit...and she does not esp seem friendly to us girls.  (I call her the Diva)...so we are both not comfortable with her...but we give her a carrot and go in.  I head for the back fence, which I need to climb to get to the hay...and I hear dd quietly calling 'uh, mom'...the horse had zeroed in on the rest of the goodies in the box in dd's hand...I hollar, give her a carrot!  DD holds a carrot away from her, and then scoots to the bucket, where she dumps it into the feed bucket and skidaddles out of there.

The rest of this goes fairly smoothly, till we get in the house and I go to get into my room and Winston (the world's naughtiest cat) runs out and whoosh, there are dd's dogs.  Luckily she managed the dogs, while I chased Winston back into the room.  A few 'f-words' slipped during the process.

So, from now on, before I go out to feed the horse, I need 2 sets of keys.  Put Winston into the master bathroom so he cannot dart out...oh, and the original bucket left in the pen...in 4 pieces.

29 years!

Yesterday MJM and I celebrated 29 years of marriage, as MJM would say...209 looooooooong years.

This morning I was thinking, How DID WE make it to 29 years.  Those who know us, know that we got married, well, cuz we were pregnant...and had only known each other a few months when we did.  So, how did this work?

God - within a couple of years of our marriage, I experienced being 'born again'.  I had heard about God all my life, growing up next door to Southern Baptists who truly lived their faith, but never truly understood that it was about that personal relationship with Christ.   MJM's born again ah-hah moment came years later, but I've always said that it was Christ who built this family.    We were a couple of immature kids, who made what some would call a 'mistake', but God took that 'seed' and created a family.

Gossip - huh?  No, it was a deciding moment in my life that I would not gossip about my husband.  I used to be one of those clucking hen women who would sit around comparing and outdoing stories about whose husbands are the bigger a*hole.  When I made the decision to stop hanging out with these women, I may have lost a 'friendship" or 2...but it was a huge relief off my shoulders, like a freedom from a 'negativity' cloud.

D-word - MJM and I decided a long time ago, that the D-word (divorce) did not exist in our marriage.  Our feeling is that if we felt like that was an option, we would never truly try to work things out.

Never let the sun go down - When we had issues, we would stay up all night and into the wee morning hours to discuss it.  We truly believed the verse about "never let the sun go down on your anger, lest you give the devil a foothold'.   The couple of times we did go to bed angry and let it simmer was awful.  Things do not 'work out in the morning'...it just hangs over you...I attribute it to the 3 year period in which I was completely shut down to MJM.   (he says he had to buy me a Volkswagon New Beetle to bring me out of it) .  I say I finally had an ah-hah moment that that is what I did...Instead of working things out with him, I just thought, '3 more years, C graduates and I'm out of here" and went to bed with that thought.  Gave the ol' devil that foothold and lost 3 years.

Happiness comes from within - as long as we had the concept that MJM was supposed to MAKE me happy or that I was supposed to MAKE him happy, nobody was happy.   A few years ago, we came to the conclusion that that happiness comes from within ourselves...and that it is not the other person's job to MAKE the other happy.   I like how Pastor Dusty put it a li'l while ago, that "it is not his wife's job to make him happy, but to make him holy".   Maybe that is why God has a tendency to put us with our opposite, so we can complete each other and test each other.

Acceptance - another freeing moment was when I realized I couldn't change him...and I didn't really want to.  I'd say this was in the last 5 years or so... while still in San Jose, in the early years,  I had learned the concept of 'the holy gag'...instead of nagging and reacting to give it to God.  But within the past 5 years, I've also learned to see him as my bff.  Does he drive me crazy at times, sure!!  Do we fight about it?  sure!!   But I know deep down I can accept who he is.

So, is it perfect between us?  Heck no...is it worth it?   Heck yes!!

I am one lucky girl.

having trouble with my google acct.

It's funny, got a g-mail acct for a special blog with a couple of friends, and since then signing in has been difficult.

I don't really want to use the g-mail for everyday and kinda want to keep the old one.  aye yi yi

so I'm home today.  Hopefully, I can get my 'list' of things to do done and go INTO that scraproom!!

I've been buying like crazy, esp on Ebay, but, hmmmmm gotta use it.  I got 3 new slice cards...I still like my slice, though I gotta admit I don't fully trust it.   Also got a couple of new Cricut carts.  

Just getting ready for the Expo in a couple of weeks, right?

Dh has been under the weather...its been odd and we can't figure out what is going on.  It started with bloating, and lots of #2...then some vomiting...but it never seemed stomach flu like.   Then slight fever and lots of sweating it out.  Even yesterday, he felt better all day, but he soaked thru 3 sets of clothes.  (I'm washing clothes and sheets  as I type)...So, we have no idea what this is.  He is planning to see the dr. (hopefully this afternoon).

So, I've been sleeping in the guest room.   I'm okay with it, but I do love our temprapedic mattress in the master bedroom.  BUT the good thing, for me, is I can read!!  I get to stay up and read...without the grumbling from dh.  I finished "The Book Thief"..(one of the better books I've read in a long time,btw) and will start "The Blind Side" (a coworker loaned it to me).   So, that is the 'bright spot' in the sleeping arrangements.  Oh, and not listening to his snoring...though he'd say the same thing about me. ha!!


okay, hopefully, next time I'm able to log on, I'll have pics of projects!! 

Nesting...is it a sign of being preggo?

ha!


I have been doing some serious organizing/nesting around here.   On Friday it was my closet

Here are the before pics, as you can see, it needed some serious clean up....I did it shelf by shelf but finally got to this:

I need to spend some time now, going thru and organizing my jewelry.  All costume, cuz after being burglarized, I no longer buy 'the good stuff'.    

Oh, see the books in the first pic?  yeah, that is my 'to read' pile...bought after I counted my books last year...I had over 1500 books already.  Yeah.  I have no explanation, it is such an addiction...maybe I'm preparing for the apocolypse.  You know, when there won't be tv or computers anymore...

found this pajama top during the clean up, and Ain't it the truth?  All gals need more closet space.

Then Saturday morning I cleaned out my desk area.  I told the kids that "I'm nesting, I may be pregnant"
ha!!

So, today, I was supposed to go to work...but, as I was leaving I discovered that my car keys were already there.  I won't tell who the absent minded person was...but yeah, and it is the only known set of keys.  The car was dd's during college...and in Texas, so, it's a good 7 or 8 years in the family and where the 2nd set of keys went is ANYone's guess.

So, spent the morning, sweeping pet hair.  and hopefully, can make my way into my scraproom.  Wouldn't that be something?  I haven't had a chance since before Christmas.   of course, gonna need to do some organizing first...as I've been putting things in there.

AND, hoorah, signed up for the Pleasanton Expo Crop next month!  So gotta pull together my stuff...cannot W A I T !

dizzy...what does THAT mean...

Saturday evening was great, we went to Henry's in Turlock and I had Moussaka...the entire Clan was there...after, the kids decided to go out for drinks, and asked me to 'hang out' with Missy for an hour or so...pffffffft, they don't need to ask.  But while hanging out with her, I kneeled down on the floor and got a sudden dizzy spell.  You know, where you just feel like, 'well, I did that too fast'...esp when you are older and overweight.

BUT I never fully recovered from it, and while the kids were driving me home...still felt 'groggy'.  By the time I closed my eyes for bed...like full twirling in my head.   I KNEW I wasn't moving but on the inside I felt like I was swirling around in circles.  BUT figured I would sleep it off.

Woke up Sunday morning and it was actually worse.  huh?   I used our bed post as a focal point, as I looked at it , it was as though the wall behind it would lift and twirl to the right.   Gotta say, I was getting scared.

So, I thought, maybe its like on the plane when you almost passed out.  So, I got up and ate some cereal and  half an orange...no better.  As I was walking I had to hang on to the walls to keep from falling.  It felt really strange.  So, I went on the computer...it could be ANYthing, from the start of a stroke or heart attack...to fluids in the ear.  

So, I talked to dh and ended up going back to bed...I was supposed to help at church, but asked him to cover for me.   BY the time dd left for church, the wall behind the bed post was no longer spinning, but I could not keep the bed post in focus.   So, went back to sleep, when I woke up at 11 am, again, this time no spinning and bed post was focused and I was hungry...hoooray.

Ate, and watched some of the North and South Marathon....but, after an hour or so, had a light headache, so took some tylenol (after eating, a lot!) and back came the lightheadedness.

So, spent the day on the couch.   Feeling like such a slug.   Did take a bath, early evening, used the stuff I bought on the cruise, you know, the miracle Algae/Seaweed bath soak that cost $69??/   Yeah, that one, (I can be such a sucker for upselling)...BUT gotta tell ya, I did feel better and even READ a couple of chapters of  The Book Thief.

DD made a wonderful Southwest Chicken Quinoa salad (such fresh tastes) and I am happy to say this morn is much better.  More 'normal' feeling.  

I know, I know, this is getting weird and as soon as I get my new insurance card I'll make an appt.  It is time for blood tests anyways for my high cholesterol.   BUT the insurance switch situation ....  so, I have not even had a prescription for my statins since November.  (the switch was officially in Dec).  

Today, I'm off work,  We have a new housekeeper starting this morn.  (that sounds better than it is, a friend's niece is going to do our heavy cleaning once a week for an hourly rate) (helps us with our schedules and 4 cats and 2 dogs in the house and helps her start up a business)  Funny thing, MJM spent the whole weekend cleaning (mostly putting things away) to prep for her...hmmmmmmm, if he is gonna do that, why hire someone?   ha!

Hey, I'm guilty too, I spent Friday afternoon organizing my closet.

So, while the gal is cleaning, I'll work on taxes.   Now talk about something that will make you dizzy.  ha!

crazy month

Got the chance to travel, which I LOVE!

We went to Florida, for a couple of days to meet with our friends John and Lucy...they live on Merritt Island, and all I can say...I'm ready to retire there...

Then we went on a 4 day cruise on the Carnival Ecstacy to the Bahamas.  Now, I like cruising (MJM says he does not)...but this cruise was a li'l...hmmmmm.   The non dining room food was not that good.  Like cheap, low grade ingredients...and while being herded through for the first day's excursion, I heard coughing from a lady in an orange terry beach coverup...and yes, by the next day MJM was sick and then by the last cruise day, I was.   Its been 2 weeks today, and I'm still not 100%.     BUT I still love cruising.  I'll probably not cruise on Carnival again.  The Princess experience was sooooooooo different.  I'll stick to Princess.

The Bahamas were nice.   We stopped at Nassau...interesting story about the day.  Our Excursion was cancelled, but when we stepped out of the port...a gentleman named JoJo was there and offered to take us on a tour of the island, for $30 per person, in his stretch limo.   Okay, sounds good....He was fine, the info he gave us was fine...but the limo was falling apart.  And we breathed exhaust the whole time ... and the traffic in Nassau...and it is just so 'ghetto'.  Not a comfortable experience.  We called the tour off short, and then went to the main drag to shop (which we were gonna do) and that was much better.   I found shopping difficult...you are supposed to barter.  Luckily, my bil's gf was there and she was much better at the bartering thing.     Then was the stop at Freeport (the pic is from Freeport)...much nicer environment.   We went on an excursion bus driven by Leon.   BUT took MJM shopping with me...he tends to spend more money, but got souvineers for the family.   I don't think the Freeport shops barter as much as the Nassau.   

Then, I got to spend 5 days in Texas with my mom.  My sis was working on a deadline, so she was working till midnight my first 3 days there...so, I did not get to see that much of her.   BUT her pup, Rylee, became my bff.  Rylee really likes to be near a person...like touching someone at all times, so she truly became my companion.   Mom is doing well, but let me tell you 80 year olds are not good housekeepers...I spent most of the morning cleaning...then sleeping the rest of the days (still recovering from the cold).  It was funny, the last time I visited, mom told me, "I'm not going anywhere, so don't make plans"...this time, around noon, she was always dressed and ready for me 'to take her out to lunch".   Because of the cold, I also got banished to the guest room (with Rylee).   Overall, a great vacation getaway.

Then of course, gotta go home.  Flew home on Monday.  Also interesting, as I passed out on the airplane.   Guess I did not eat enough...just a bowl of cereal in the morning and the cookies they give during the flight.   I went to the back to go to the restroom, was told I could not wait in the aisle, sat in an open seat on the back row...and the next thing I know, people are asking 'are you okay?"   An orange juice was placed in my hand...and as i drank it, I could feel the feeling come back in my body.  It was the oddest sensation, like a cold sensation crawling through my body from head to toe.  Well, as soon as I got off the plane, I bought a sandwich (did not want a repeat in luggage claim)....MJM picked me up, and when I got home, went straight to bed.    AND I've been working ever since, even on Saturday. 

  Today, Sunday, is a first day off.  But it isn't cuz gotta do the weekend chores.  siiiiiiiigh

So, vacations are great....but coming home to work that needs to be done, not so great.

just wondering when is the next one!! ha!!!

a couple of tough days

had the worst sinus headache that I've had in a long while.

so instead of going to my monthly crop, I spent the day yesterday in bed with the top of my nose pinched between my 2 fingers.  Took a while, but started to feel human again @4pm.  One good thing about the day in bed, got to watch Star Trek (the new movie)...I really like that movie.  and the Black Ops semi marathon on the Military channel.

so, no time scrappin'...boohoo


Then today woke up with the same headache, but concentrated on the other side of my nose.  wow, thanks.
hopefully, tv is pretty good today also.  ha!!

We are supposed to go out for dinner with some friends, so hopefully, I will be better again.

then work tomorrow.

The weight loss has been rough also.  Of course, for the new year...focused on the resolution and did very well.  But already starting to lose that focus.  siiiiigh.  

okay, positivity, ...how can I see this as positive...I've been pushing too hard and my body is saying 'time out, give me a rest'!  

Did get the last of the Christmas decorations taken down on Weds.  siiiigh, Weds.
I had a dmv appt...not bad...but, also decided to get Winston declawed.  So, I left the house at 7:30 am to take him to the vet, dropped him off....he weighs a li'l over 16 lbs so, we are looking at @$300 ...oookay.  Left for my 9:10 appt at the dmv...huge line out the door...but luckily with my appt able to walk in.

 Get a call from the vet, Winston was soooooo 'feisty', he would not allow them to even get him on the table for an exam...well, we are looking at a cost of $600 and up.  Cuz they would have to anesthize (know spelling is wrong)  him, twice.  before surgery and the next morning to remove stitches.  Well, decided not to do it.

When he is at the vet, he acts so feral.  But at home, he really is not that way.  With me, he is very cuddly (well, at naptime).  But he is rough...and with dd's cats here...we wanted to declaw him so he would interact with them.  He shows a lot of interest in playing, well, chasing them.  But dd does not want him to hurt them.
While playing one of her cats had once given the other one a lacerated eye.

All our cats are 100% indoor cats.  We live in the country, and between our 'ranch' dogs and the coyotes...there is no way any of them would survive being outdoors.  

Oh well, so Winston cannot interact with dd's pets ...and will have to stay sequestered.  The arrangement we have is her pets have the run of the house during the day, my cats at night.

So, anyways, had to go back to vet after the dmv to get Winston...spent a total of 3 hours in that car.  (as noted we live in the country...the dmv is @40 minutes from home to the east of us...and the vet is 40 minutes south of us)

he's a li'l sh*t, but I sure do love him.


So, hopefully, I can get all my monthly/quarterly/yearly stuff done at work...and take a couple of days off this week.  Michele and I have plans to get together this Thursday.  Originally, I was going to babysit dgd for a couple of days...but the kids changed their plans.   So, depending on the weather, I will go see Michele (she lives about an hour away to the northeast of us)...or she will come down here.  SOOOO looking forward to it!!