tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-297372052024-03-23T12:49:02.080-05:00MiMaw's GardenLife is a garden, Good friends are the flowers ~
And times spent together, Life's happiest hours ~
And friendship, like flowers, blooms ever more fair, ~
When carefully tended By dear friends who care; ~
And life's lovely garden Would be sweeter by far ~
If all who passed through it Were as nice as you are ~
...Helen Steiner Rice...MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-81028893481451833682007-05-10T18:26:00.000-05:002007-05-10T19:49:04.503-05:00Neuteralize My WorldSeriously, I have neutralized my home in a last ditch effort to appeal to buyers. I have de-cluttered so the rooms look bigger. Went from a King-size bed to a Queen-size. Left only one chest of drawers and a bedside table. Removed the Polish Princes's comfy recliner, leaving him to sit on the couch. No reclining and relaxing for him! Removed the stereo, the Playstation and end table. Took out corner cabinets and coffee cart out of the kitchen/dining area. Downsized my office, the spare room and the basement. <br /><br />Painted the rooms neutral colors: such as Cream in my Coffee, Summer Moon and Gray Palisade. Replaced my drapes with with tab-top twill curtains in a linen/khaki shade which can be opened to view the acreage surrounding the house. Covered my lovely floral sofa with a khaki slipcover. A wooden rocker with khaki cushions sits where the recliner used to sit. We replaced the floral rug (which matched my sofa and valances) with a taupe rug. The wood floors were polished to a sheen. <br /><br />Wallpaper was stripped. Lacy curtains replaced with voile ones and a plain, cream-colored tablecloth rounded out the kitchen/dining area. Speaking of wallpaper, our bedroom was stripped of its wallpaper, painted and plain curtains hung up. <br /><br />Jaek said the living room looked like it 'lost its soul' and he's right. It is plain and has no character; in other words, it is BLAH!<br /><br />The housing market in Michigan is devastating. There are too many houses on the market and a depressing number of foreclosures. It is definitely a buyer's market. We have to sell this house. Two mortgages and two sets of utilities is straining our budget beyond belief. We took it off the market for six weeks to revamp and then find a realtor who was willing to work at selling it rather than just list it for the sake of listing it.<br /><br />We decided to revamp after much discussion. Okay, it was more of a lecture from me telling the Polish Prince that we have to do something to make it more appealing. People who came for showings said the house wasn't modern enough and not decorated to their taste. Of course, his response was, "So buy it, paint it, update it and redecorate it!" To get my point across to him, I made him sit through 3 hours of Sell Your Home. He could not believe people had no imagination to see what could be. And to bring the point all the way home, there was a news blurb about how to sell your home. It stated (paraphrasing) that people nowadays cannot visualize beyond what is there in front of them. The best thing to do is to de-clutter and neutralize everything in sight. <br /><br />So that is what we have been doing for the past six weeks. And I am tired of it! I have one room to finish - my office - my space. I am procrastinating as much as possible. If I neutralize it, take out all the stuff which makes it mine, I fear I will lose myself.<br /><br />We contacted a realtor who has been advertising that she has sold 17 houses in 18 weeks and many are sold in 21 to 30 days. Unfortunately, she wanted to drop the price some more. The look of pain on my husband's face scared her for a moment. He believes in buy low and sell high. We have always made a fair amount on the houses we sold (3 to date) so it goes against his nature to getting less than what he feels is his fair share. It took some time to calm him down and show him his way of thinking wouldn't get the house sold. <br /><br />So, today we signed the papers for this realtor to list it. Jaek's wife will be out tomorrow to take some pictures and by next week we should be busy showing the house to lots of people! Wish us luck!MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1175660630524066822007-04-03T22:11:00.000-05:002007-04-03T23:23:50.540-05:00Fighting Demons in the Bottle<span style="font-family:Arial;">Haven't talked in awhile. Lots of reasons but if I listed them, they would just sound like excuses. So, why now, you ask? I need to release [vent] the emotions, thoughts, and feelings building to an explosive climax [not the good kind].</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><strong><em>Alcoholism. </em></strong>Disease? Disorder? Nasty habit? Yes, to all three BUT it depends on the person. Does genetics play a part? An addictive personality? Tolerance level? Upbringing? Or the cliche of the day: Nature vs Nurture? Once again, yes to all but depending on the person. Is there a cure? Can one just rely on willpower to kick the habit? No, to both. Do we love 'em or leave 'em? Love or Tough Love? Force them or coerce them? I honestly don't know the answer to any of those questions.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Where is MiMaw going with this line of questioning? Probably nowhere, but maybe somebody out there has some insight on the subject. My Baby Son is an <strong><em>alcoholic</em></strong>. I have known this for a long time. He has known it but only recently admitted it. Oh, he has said it in the past but he didn't really mean it. He insisted he could get it under control. Which meant to him that he could still drink... in moderation. There is no such thing with an alcoholic. He was doing pretty good for awhile, but life threw him some curve balls and he sought out the Demons in the Bottle. The Demon took hold of him and refused to let go. He hid it and lied through his teeth about it. The Demon dragged him to Hell and was determined to keep him there. For whatever reason, Baby Son decided it was not a place he wanted to be. He called a friend [not on the top of my list, but that is a whole 'nother story]. She is helping him to get into a Rehab Center, helping him through the D.T.'s and keeping me informed. The past is past... she is helping him now and <strong><em>IF</em></strong> she follows through with it... I will be forever grateful.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Why did he not come to his mother for help? He was too ashamed. For lying to me, backsliding and "letting me down". It bothered me at first, but in retrospect it is probably a good thing he didn't come to me in the condition he was in. I grew up with an alcoholic ... a disgusting drunk. Don't get me wrong! I don't have anything against drinking... in moderation. Even tying one on once in awhile is okay as long as there is no driving involved. But when I am around someone who is completely shit-faced, something inside me snaps and I turn cold. If Baby Son would have come to me... I would have no sympathy for him and would have kicked his ass rather than help him. I would not, could not, give him the help he needed. I have been on the phone with him a lot these past few days giving him words of encouragement and telling him how much I love him. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">To go back to the opening remarks. Baby Son has a disease. It is genetic. He has an addictive personality and cannot quit on his own. His body cannot tolerate alcohol. My father and grandfather were alcoholics. Baby Son's biological sperm donor was an alcoholic along with other members in that family. Only Daughter gets upset with me when I question what I might have done wrong or could have done differently to prevent it. <em>I </em>know it isn't my fault, but I am his mother so I should have been able to do something to stop it before it got out of hand. Okay! I know that isn't true. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">My heart aches. He is hurting so I want to be able to kiss it and make it all better. I cannot. I have tried in the past. He made this decision of his own accord [which is the way it has to happen] and he needs to see it through on his own... for his own sake. All I can do is show my support, love and lots of prayers. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Tomorrow is the day he starts the process of going into Rehab... as long as he doesn't chicken out. Tomorrow he fights the Demon to get out of the bottle.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1170287674127125272007-01-31T18:40:00.000-05:002007-01-31T18:54:34.166-05:00Hibernation<span style="font-family:verdana;">Gonna be a bear....</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">In this life, I'm a woman. In my next life I want to come back as a bear. When you're a bear, you get to hibernate. You do nothing but sleep for six months. I could deal with that.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Before you hibernate, you're suppose to eat yourself stupid. I could deal with that, too.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">If you're a girl bear, you birth your children (who are the size of walnuts) while you're sleeping and wake up to partially grown, cute, cuddly cubs. I could definitely deal with that.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">If you're a mama bear, everyone knows you mean business! You swat anyone who bothers your cubs. If your cubs get out of line, you swat them, too. I could deal with that.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">If you're a bear, your mate EXPECTS you to wake up growling</span>. <span style="font-family:verdana;">He EXPECTS you to have hairy legs and excess body fat.</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Yup, gonna be a bear!</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Excuse while I go back to sleep!</span></p>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1167606750128457592006-12-31T16:31:00.000-05:002006-12-31T18:18:13.873-05:00Twelve Thirty One Two Thousand Six<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3838/3176/1600/824325/pool%20shot3.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3838/3176/320/750885/pool%20shot3.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:verdana;">The Family Get-Together was a success! The pool was a big hit with the kids. Jake (the Mineral King) supervised (seen above with his daughter). We had a total of 44 show up! We had lots of food, fun and laughter!</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">I spent hours and hours each day (for over 2 weeks) scanning, editing and adding photos to my computer (over 1200). Some of the photos dated back to the 1920's and 1930's. Some were in good shape and some were in sad shape. A lot of the photos were in black and white, some were in color but had a gawd awful yellow hue to them. The majority of them had thumbprints on them that showed only <em>after</em> scanning. Waaay back when, the person taking the picture must have thought they had to stand back about 50 feet from their subject, so I enlarged the photo to bring the subject up close and personal and then cropped it to get the excess background out of the photos. I removed unwanted items from the photos. One photo of my brother and his wife... they were standing near a canyon in Colorado with a gorgeous backdrop of a snow-capped mountain but there was a man standing behind my brother's elbow so... I took him out of the picture! I was able to make a CD for each family member to take home. I attempted (and failed) to make a DVD slideshow with accompanying music. I worked on it for over 15 hours but the program I had wasn't the one I used before and it wouldn't work. I was so disappointed! I had one section of just baby pictures... about 20 of them... and the Bobby Darin hit, "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" to accompany it. So instead, I set it up on my laptop to run a slideshow through the screen saver. It was on top of my stereo in the corner of the living room. People wandered over and watched it and tried to guess who was who. Even though I had organized all the photos by family and dates, I set it to random shuffle. At one point, there must of been 20 people standing there trying to guess who was on the screen and what year it was taken. I still plan on making the DVD slideshow... found the program I like (Only Daughter had it and brought it to me)...but not until next year {ha ha}.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">I am so glad I followed my heart and had the family here. The loved ones who have gone on before us were smiling down with happiness to see us all together.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">One final note on this last day of 2006... Only Daughter is <span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><em>ENGAGED!!</em></strong> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Her finace (I can finally call him that!) surpised her with a trip to California and proposed to her while they were in San Francisco. He is a wonderful guy but most important... he loves my daughter and treats her like a princess! Congrats to the happy couple!!!!! Looks like a fall wedding!</span></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">Happy New Year to one and all!</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></p>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1163099074904390562006-11-09T13:57:00.000-05:002006-11-09T14:04:35.033-05:00<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Last Friday night we were suppose to have a family get-together at a local restaurant. My brothers, sister, their families and mine. Instead, the family gathered at a funeral. My nephew died from <em>a self-inflicted gunshot wound.</em> He was 39 years old. There is much speculation about his frame of mind and his actions leading up to that point. I don't know if we'll ever know the whole truth. Only God and my nephew know.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I was angry when I first heard the news. Suicide is the coward's way out. It is a selfish act with no thought for those who loved him. That is my opinion. I do not want to argue the point or get into a debate with anyone who has other opinions. <em>Opinions are like assholes. Everybody has one and nobody wants another one.</em> I am not angry anymore. It isn't my place to condemn him for his actions. I don't need to know why. It is over and done with. Life is what is important. The lives of those he left behind...family and friends...his beautiful daughters (ages 16 & 17)... will go on.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Family. It is important to me. I am the baby of the family. There are a lot of years between my oldest brother (the father of the nephew) and me... <em>eighteen years!</em> I grew up with my nieces and nephews. By the time I had a family, the family gatherings became few and far between. Whenever we had a party, I invited the whole family. Some showed up, some didn't. One year I had a birthday party for myself and invited the whole family and a bunch of friends. I'll be damned if they all didn't show up! Sure surprised the hell out of me! And it was a good time. We had my mother's photo albums and loose photos of hers and mine. We have a wonderful time looking through the photos... "<em>Omigosh! I remember this!", "Who is this?", "No! It can't be". </em>Memories flooded the room and we all felt the shared love... what family is all about.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">So... after the funeral, I kept thinking about how I could get the family all together at my house. We live in a smaller house but it has an indoor-inground heated pool (sounds much more grandiose than it is!). I threw the idea out at the Polish Prince. His response was, "That's an awful lot of people." He's right, as always. The number of people who would be invited ranges around "55". I know not all of them would show up, but there is the distinct possibility a lot of them might. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">My brother who died (a car accident) in 1968, left two small boys (ages 4 & 2). The oldest, his namesake, died at the age of 19 (a car accident). His youngest son had a lot of pain and tragedy to deal with (not long after his brother's death, his mother passed away from cancer). He went through a period of recklessness and drugs. He came to my my mother's funeral and looked so lost and sad. Unfortunately, we lost touch with him for awhile. The next time we met up with him, he was a changed man. He was a missionary/minister in Mexico. He married a local woman, had triplet boys and then another boy. Every few years he comes up to Michigan for a visit and we try to get-together with him. A few of us have, not the whole family. This visit, he requested a family get-together with as many of the family as possible. Some of the family he hadn't seen since he was a little boy, so he was really looking forward to it. Instead, he was re-introduced to the family at the funeral of the one he specifically wanted to see. He was the officiating minister.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">So, you see, my heart yearned for a family get-together... an informal gathering... a Pool Party. My mind said it was impossible to pull off but my heart kept nagging me. My Sister and her daughter must have received my psychic output. I received an email requesting that I host a party and they would do all they could to help. How could I resist? So, if all works out, a month from today there will be a houseful of people ...living, loving, laughing, sharing memories and making some new ones. Those who have gone on before us... my mother, my father, my brother T, T's wife and son, my nephew, his mother, and his youngest daughter... will be looking on with happiness and love. </span>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1161734853899149122006-11-05T14:25:00.000-05:002006-11-05T14:32:57.466-05:00Best Friends for Life<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><em>I started this post October 24th, so I thought before I make any more blog entries or work on NaNoWriMo, I better finish this....</em></strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Hi! How are you? Gee, it's been a long time since we've had a chance to sit down and have a chat. Anything new and exciting in your life?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">It has been 40 days since my last post. Doesn't really seem like that long. My best friend from North Carolina came up here for a visit. She was born and raised here in Michigan, but moved away about 22 years ago. She had only been back once or twice for a short visit. She stayed just a couple days shy of a month. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">She got to see the trees change colors. We took a trip to northern Michigan where the colors were in full force. The brilliant oranges, yellows and reds contrasted by the dark green of the pines. She took pictures for her son-in-law who had never seen the autumn transformation. I found it strange, but then she explained... North Carolina doesn't have that. One day the leaves are on the trees and the next day they aren't... they just die and fall off. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">She came up here with her car packed full... her clothes, personal items, a variety of projects (quilt [with sewing machine], socks [knitting], towel topper [crocheting], afghan [knitting], pajamas [sewing... pattern, material and machine], Squinkey's stuff (her Chihuahua baby) and lots more. Of course, knowing she was coming to Michigan, she brought gloves but NO COAT! We ended up shopping for a coat at Goodwill where she found a beautiful (like new) heavy coat plus lots more stuff. It was good times at the Goodwill!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We took a day and drove to our old neighborhood. We drove by our elementary school, by some friends house near there, past the house I lived in, the path we walked to school, the streets between my house and hers (where we played softball, football and $5), and finally stopping at the house next to hers (see previous posts). Kathy wasn't home so we left a note and stopped at the coffee shop across the street. We could see the house from our chairs, along with the stores we frequented. She says, "I am surprised we haven't seen anyone we knew back then." Then she says, "Hmpf, maybe they have, but we probably wouldn't have recognized them!" Kathy called while we were just finishing our Lattes so we back to her house. We took a tour of her gardens (took pictures). We stood outside looking at both backyards (side by side) and did a lot of "remember when" while pointing to this or that.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">It was kind of weird being in that house again. It hasn't changed much. So many afternoons I sat in Kathy's living room talking to her about school, friends, boyfriends, life in general.... Here I was, once again, sitting in her living room talking to her... but this time, she was filling me in on her family (there were a lot of them then and LOTS more now). Before we knew it, 4 hours had passed! We had one more stop to complete our day. Fat Man's Fish Fry! We ordered lots of our favorites and brought them home to share with the Polish Prince. Some memories are better left undisturbed. Sure didn't taste as good as we remembered!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">It even snowed just for her! Well, that's what I keep telling everybody. How do you explain so much snow so early in the season? I guess they get snow down there in NC, but not much and not for long. So she was out early with her camera capturing the moment (which lasted all damn day!). The trees were heavy with the snow. It definitely looked like a Winter Wonderland. I took a lot of pictures, too. We selected the best and sent them via email to her husband and kids.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">It was an absolutely wonderful time with her here. We were so comfortable with each other. She helped out when I needed it and even when I didn't! At times we talked non-stop, others we were comfortable with the silences. We worked on our various projects, shared thoughts and ideas, watched television or took turns on the computer. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The time came when she decided she should go back. She said she should go before the snow hit again or she would have to stay until spring... I said, "Yeah, so?" I would have been happy and content to have her stay until then. She might have been happy but she wouldn't have been comfortable... too cold for her. Hell, it's too cold for me but I got no choice!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Deb left for home on Wednesday, October 18th... with a heavy heart, I waved her goodbye. She arrived safe and sound at home on the 20th. Life goes back to the way it was (sort of). We haven't had much chance to catch up online. I think she has lots of projects to finish (some she started while here) and I have projects to finish, NaNoWriMo and a family tragedy to deal with. Which makes me miss her even more. </span>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1162190523365609062006-10-29T23:53:00.000-05:002006-10-30T01:42:03.453-05:00Trick or Trick Twins<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">What could be scarier than having a baby on Halloween? Having TWO! My Polish Prince's brothers were born <strong><em>FIFTY</em></strong> years ago on Halloween. R1 and R2 are not identical twins. No way, no how! They share a mother, brothers and a birthday and that's about it.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">They live in a farming community where everybody knows everybody. A lot of the younger generation have moved out but many of their age group and older are still there. A few are still farming but it isn't like it used to be. Many in that area are of Polish descent. Say what you will about the Polish, but they are a hard-working, fun-loving, caring people. Neighbors aren't just neighbors, they are extended family (in some cases, literally). </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Farming used to be a way of life for many but now it has to be supplemented by outside jobs. Planting and harvesting season consists of 20 hour workdays. Unfortunately, this season is extremely wet so the harvesting will be postponed until it dries out some or it freezes. Neither happened last week so a party was planned in less than a week and the call to <em>par-tay</em> was answered by one and all in the community (or so it seemed).</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">First, I have to mention a very special lady... Rose. She is an absolutely wonderful person! I have never met anyone so selfless and giving as Rose. When her mother passed away, she gave her life to helping her father raise her brothers and sisters. She was engaged to be married... the longest engagement I've ever known of...over 10 years! She waited until the last of her siblings was through school and on their own. When she finally married, she did it in old-fashioned Polish tradition. I can't remember what it is called (shame on me), but the wedding celebration lasts 3 days... 3 days of partying! Can you imagine? What fun it was! A few years after they married, she learned she had MS (Multiple Sclerosis). She doesn't let it get her down, oh no, she is always on the go, doing for everybody... it just takes her a little longer. She planned a party for the Twins. She pulled it together in less than week and did a fantastic job of it. The day after the party, she was there to clean up. Her movements gave away the fact of just how much the MS was affected by her work, but her attitude was awesome! So upbeat, happy-go-lucky, cheerful...you get the picture. She is one of a kind!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">The party was fantastic! So many friends, neighbors and relatives together- talking and laughing and drinking. Since it was for their 50th birthday, that was probably the average age of most of the people but there were a few younger and a few more older than that. I have been a part of the family for over 25 years so I have attended many, many functions where all these people have also been in attendance. All have aged, some more gracefully than others. I had to laugh my ass off when one of the women related an incident involving age. It made me think of the saying, "<em>You know you're old when..."</em> She said she went into Yonkers on Senior Citizen Discount Day and got carded! She was absolutely ecstatic. The salesperson said she couldn't be a day over 40 and she proudly showed her driver's license to prove she was 56 years old! Gawd, I remember when getting carded meant something else entirely different! I must admit, she did look good. Better than she has looked in years, but it wasn't just her looks. Her exuberance and joy of life lit up the room.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Many of the couples were bragging on how many years they had been married (bragging, not complaining). Twenty-five, twenty-one and twenty-two (ours) years and still going strong. R2 has never been married and R1 is going through his second divorce. I noted that 3 of R1's former girlfriends were in the crowd. They are all married with kids, but still in their circle of friends. Each twin has his own circle of friends but another one that overlaps both of them. These friends have been around most of their lives and will probably be in the circle for the rest of their lives. Not that it matters, but some I love, some I like, some I have no opinion one way or the other and some I can't stand...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">One person comes to mind...Red. I first met him 25 years ago and thought he was a MCP (male chauvinist pig) and an asshole. He thought he was God's gift to women. He attempted to get into every woman's pants. He actually thought he was doing them a favor and they should feel honored to get laid by him! There wasn't anything likable about him... he was a liar, cheat, and an all around creep! Twenty-five years later... he still is! I couldn't believe the audacity of that man... He came to the party with his long-time, live-in girlfriend (he lives with and off her), but said or did something to piss her off and she left. One of R1's ex-girlfriends (over 20 years ago) was there with her husband. She looked good, but then she always has. She's one of those perky, pretty, sweet woman... the kind I would like to hate, but I can't because she is so damned nice! We got totally wasted at her bachelorette </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">party -together we killed a bottle of Blueberry Schnapps and Peach Schnapps and by the time we got to the Butterscotch Schnapps, neither one of us could see straight. She passed out and they threw her in the back of her fiance's truck. I got taken home (how? I don't remember) and had to be undressed and dragged to bed. Ah, yes, those were the days when I could handle my liquor! Sorry, got sidetracked. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">What was I saying? Oh, yes. She was there with her husband. She must have looked across the room at Red and smiled. You know, one of those smiles that says, "Hi" but nothing more. Well, he took that as a sign that she w-a-n-t-e-d him and wanted him bad! He hound dogged her for hours. Told everyone that she was giving him the eye and he was gonna get him some of that! I knew times had changed when the guys thought he was an asshole rather than a macho stud. Years ago they might have hoo-yahed him on, but now they thought he was pathetic and an idiot. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">The party was exceptional... lots of good food... beef, pork and turkey cooked on the roaster, scalloped potates, beans, salads, and a wonderful array of yummy desserts! Beer, wine and booze flowed generously. Even some homemade brew called Apple Pie which did taste like apple pie but kicked ass! The twins enjoyed their party to the nth degree... they were both wasted beyond belief by 1:00am. R1 couldn't see straight so he spent the night on the couch. My Polish Prince stumbled in about 1:30am and R2 and a nephew closed up shop about 2:00am after the last of the crowd left.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">The guys were feeling more like 70 in the morning. They were quieter and moving a lot slower than the night before. I don't know how my guy has managed it, but years ago he was able to transfer his hangovers to me! Doesn't matter how much he drinks or how little I drink... he has no hangover but I feel like shit! Somehow, I got not only his hangover but his brothers' hangovers along with a little of my own! It was worth it! It was a good party with good friends to celebrate a couple of good guys' birthday! </span>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1158286220614714572006-09-14T19:32:00.000-05:002006-09-14T21:10:20.723-05:00Who Be You?<span style="font-family:verdana;"><strong><em>Participate! Be clever! </em></strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">1. FIRST & 2. SECOND NAMES</span> -<span style="font-family:arial;">Mi Maw</span><br />3. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? - <span style="font-family:arial;">After my brothers and sisters. I'm the youngest so obviously I was named after they were.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">4. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY?</span> - <span style="font-family:arial;">While reading Jurgen Nation last week.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">5. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?</span> - <span style="font-family:arial;">I much prefer my typing. It's quicker and easier to read.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">6. WHAT IS YOU FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?</span> - <span style="font-family:arial;">Roast Beef</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">7. KIDS</span>- <span style="font-family:arial;">Yes, 3 ... one of each.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">8. WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?</span> - <span style="font-family:arial;">Yes, I am my own best friend.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">9. DO YOU HAVE AN ONLINE JOURNAL?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-Well, ya-ah!</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">10. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?-</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Define "A LOT"...</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">11. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-The doctor asked me if I wanted to take them home but I said, "Ewww, no thanks! Maybe next time."</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">12. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?-</span><span style="font-family:arial;">I have used a bungee and I have jumped, but never, ever would I do them together!</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">13. FAVORITE CEREAL?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Honey Nut Cheerios</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">14. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Not if I can help it.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">15. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-Does smell count?</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">16. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-Anything chocolate with chunks of chocolate in it.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">17. SHOE SIZE?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">- Depends on the shoe, the day and how much water I am retaining.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">18. RED OR PINK?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-Red or pink what? That could make a big difference on how I choose.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">19. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-My overabundance of calories that have transformed themselves into pounds of FAT!</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">20. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-My Mother, she passed away in 1988.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">21. WHAT'S YOUR BIGGEST PET PEEVE</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-Leaving the toilet seat UP!</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">22. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES YOU ARE WEARING?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-White shorts and barefoot.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">23. LAST THING YOU ATE?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-Grape cherry tomatoes from my garden.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">24. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-The sounds of silence broken by the clicking of keys as I type.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">25. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-Vermillion</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">26. FAVORITE SMELL?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-A freshly powdered newborn baby.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">27. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?</span> -<span style="font-family:arial;">The stupid office manager where we buy our propane.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">28. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO?</span><span style="font-family:arial;">-Mouth to see if they are smiling.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">29. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DAY OF THE WEEK?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-Fridays. Need I say more?</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">30. FAVORITE DRINK?-</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Coffee with cream, coffee frappuchino, Margarita, Banana Colada Fuze (half frozen to a slushy consistency).</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">31.. FAVORITE SPORT?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-Crochet. What? It isn't a sport? Okay, bowling.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">32. HAIR COLOR?-</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Reddish blonde with LOTS of white highlights.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">33. EYE COLOR?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-Brown</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">34. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-No, I like my glasses 'cause I can take them off easier.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">35. FAVORITE FOOD?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-Rare steak, smashed redskins and fresh asparagus.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">36. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-Scary movies with happy endings or a happy movie with a scary ending.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">37. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-Dark green</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">38. FAVORITE DESSERT?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-Anything sinfully chocolate. Oreo cheesecake!</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">40. WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST FEAR?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-Death of someone I love.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">41. IF YOU WERE AN ANIMAL, WHAT WOULD YOU BE?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-A Sloth...wait...I am a sloth!</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">42. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-Nora Roberts - Northern Lights</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">43. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-duh? My mouse or mini rat as I call it.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">43. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-Reruns</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">44. FAVORITE SOUNDS?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-Slot machines at the casino ca-chinging.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">45. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-The Beatles, of course.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">46. THE FURTHEST YOU BEEN FROM HOME?</span> -<span style="font-family:arial;">Not sure which is the furthest Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Mexico? One of those or should say, all of those?<br /></span><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">49. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT ?</span> - <span style="font-family:arial;">The ones I can talk about are: crafts, crochet, knitting, cooking and gardening.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">50. WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">-On my birthday (how convenient!) and in a hospital, although my mother was always asking me, "Were you born in a barn?" I personally, think she should have known the answer to that... she was there I assume.</span>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1158207909435262262006-09-13T20:46:00.000-05:002006-09-13T23:25:09.566-05:00Just Call Me Yenta*<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">*<em>Fiddler on the</em> <em>Roof's Matchmaker</em></span></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><em>Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match.</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><em>Find me a find, catch me a catch.</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><em>Matchmaker, matchmaker, look through your book</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><em>And make me a perfect match.</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">*************</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"><em>Yenta's response:</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><em>Did you think you'd get a prince?</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><em>Well I do the best I can.</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><em>With no dowry, no money, no family background,</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><em>Be glad you got a man!</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">I would make a great Matchmaker! Well, maybe not. My recent attempt at matchmaking didn't go so well. <a href="http://mikinoel.blogspot.com/">See Jaek's Post-Mind Meld.</a> But it isn't my fault. How was I to know she liked older men? Hmmm... she never did say HOW OLD? I went that route a couple times. Interesting stories could be told about <em>them.</em> </span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">I know what makes a good marriage and what makes a bad marriage. I've had both. Not in that order, switch them around! Although it wasn't a <em>bad</em> marriage, it just wasn't a very good one. The best thing about the first marriage is my two kids! The worst, well---- can't say, enough said.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">This marriage is good. Twenty-two years good. I know what makes a marriage good. Trust, communication and teamwork. Of course, being friends helps a lot, too. My Polish Prince can be a real <em>asshole </em>at times, but then I can be a real <em>Bitch</em>, too. We have had our ups and downs, a rollercoaster ride at times, but oh, what a thrilling ride it's been!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">The TCT is the most important. You can't base a relationship on looks. Looks change. Oh, gawd how do looks change<em>! Asshole moment</em>: while looking at a picture of me when I was younger and a whole lot thinner, he says, "Oh, this was when you were young and pretty." Ouch! I know he doesn't say it to be mean, he just said it <em>without thinking</em>! You can't base a relationship on <strong><em>sex</em></strong>. That changes, too. My ex Father-in-law said it best, "What we use to do all night, now takes us all night to do". And that ain't a bad thing! </span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">The most important thing is LOVE. But that's one thing which just happens or it doesn't happen. You can't make it happen. Why people love who they do, is a mystery to me. My Mother always said, "Love goes where it will, even if it's up a hog's ass!" She spoke from experience. Love doesn't always mean you like the person. My Mother knew that from experience. She also knew there is a fine line between love and hate and after 42 years of marriage, that line was crossed. I don't know if she actually hated my Father, but she certainly didn't love him or like him! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Trust is the <strong><em>most </em></strong>important. Not just trust as in fidelity, but trust that the other person always has your best interests at heart. Trust that no matter what you do, the other person will always love you.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Communication is so important. "I'm not a damn mind-reader! Talk to me!", was heard frequently in the early days. Now he'd rather I keep my opinions to myself (just kidding).</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Teamwork doesn't mean always do everything together. Or even agreeing with each other 100 per cent of the time. It means working together to make the best of your relationship. It also covers... I won't ask him to do the laundry if he doesn't ask me to mow the lawn, but I'll hold the board while he nails it.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><em>Matchmaker, matchmaker, plan me no plans.</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><em>I'm in no rush. maybe I've learned</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><em>Playing with matches a girl can get burned.</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><em>So bring me no ring, groom me no groom,</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><em>Find me no find, catch me no catch.</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><em>Unless he's a matchless match!</em></span>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1158035723644263382006-09-11T10:59:00.000-05:002006-09-11T23:37:29.066-05:00Remembering...I have read many posts regarding September 11, 2001. They touched my heart. I have nothing to offer that has not already been said and so much more eloquently than I ever could. I will offer my tribute with a moment of silence.MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1157949374974249762006-09-10T21:36:00.000-05:002006-09-10T23:36:15.086-05:00This, That and the Other Thing<span style="font-family:arial;">I have come to the conclusion that I must be writing the way I did for my English classes. I need to throw linguistics out the window and start writing the way I talk. <a href="http://thenaughtymonkey.blogspot.com/">The Naughty Monkey</a> referred to me as 'refined'. Whether it was a compliment, insult or an ambiguous comment, I'm not sure. <a href="http://thecupcaketent.blogspot.com/">Red</a> and <a href="http://jurgennation.com/">Stacy (Jurgen Nation)</a> found out I am <a href="http://mikinoel.blogspot.com/">Jaek's (Mineral King)</a> mother and were afraid they might have said something to offend me. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Hah! Jaek said on the comments of <a href="http://thenaughtymonkey.blogspot.com/">The Naughty Monkey post</a> <em><strong>Title Free... </strong>"Refined tastes" indeed! MiMaw is me mother, and I can tell you that her tastes are raw, rather than refined, though I believe you intended that to be complimentary. Just like sugar can be raw or refined, both of which are sweet and good with coffee, so is my mother, the now-referencable MiMaw. She can be sweet, and she is good with coffee. </em>He does know his Momma!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I would offend quicker with my warped sense of humor than be offended by someone else's. I must admit the liberal use of the<strong> *F* </strong>word is something I am trying to get use to. I think to myself, "Do they actually use this word <strong><em>that </em></strong>often when they talk?" I hope not, but that is my personal opinion. I don't say it and I don't write it. I don't allow my kids to say it around me. My Sister, her daughters (they are in their 30's) and their kids use it... frequently, but not around me. </span><span style="font-family:arial;">Most of my family know I don't like the word and I am happy to say they respect me enough not to use it (although they slip once in awhile). Boy, that sounds so sanctimonious! Don't think I mean all the blogs I read are disrespectful. I mean, because I asked them not to use it around me, they have enough respect for me heed my request. If they didn't respect me or care about me... they would say "*F* no!" It is easier to <em>skip</em> over it while reading than to shut my ears when I hear it. It was funny when Baby Son suggested to Only Daughter that I might not have such a problem with the *F* word if I heard it more often. Only Daughter said, "Uh, okay. You do it and I'll wait to see how she reacts." Let's just say... I have yet to hear them say it even once! </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I usually replace <em>that </em>word with another word... like "fudge" (there's nothing like homemade fudge!) Or stealing from the Sci-Fi shows... "frell" or "frak". I'll even use friggin' and freakin'. Then I get told, "What's the difference if you mean the same thing?" This is where my weird sense of perception comes in... I just don't like the <strong><em>sound</em></strong> of the word. It is so harsh sounding, cruel and cold. It hurts my ears...even if I read it to myself. I do like the initials WTF. I would like to use them but if I write them I would be saying, "<em>What The Fudge</em>" or "<em>What The Frell</em>" but you would be reading, "<em>What The *F*". </em>So in essence, it would be as if I was saying it and it would be going against my own principles. Well, not really principles...but let's say this, two of my children (and my future daughter in law {<em>heh heh}</em> she knows who she is<em>)</em> read my blog and I wouldn't want them to read it as if I was saying it. I would never live that one down! I guess I'll just have work it out as I go along.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><strong><em>Changing subjects:</em></strong> <a href="http://stories-2-tell.blogspot.com/">Stinkypaw</a> had a post talking about Cyber-Friends. One of the most amazing things I have noticed among the Neighborhood and surrounding areas is the friendships which are being formed. Sure, some were already in existence. Those are awesome in themselves, but the ones that are forming <em>through</em> the blogs... is... is beyond awesome! Sorry, I it is the only word that came to mind. She mentioned thinking about a blogger while she was shopping. How many think of the other bloggers during the day? I must admit I do. If one is having a bad time... I wonder how she's doing. If one has something coming up... I wonder how it went. Just like I do with my 'real world' friends.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">One interesting thing I have noted, there isn't much of a generation gap. There is one, but it is bridged through the blogs. Music, television, movies, lifestyles.... so different, but it is overlooked or by-passed or applauded in the blogs and comments. I guess you can't attribute it to the generation gap exclusively. Just plain ol' differences in people. So, you choose your cyber-friends or fellow bloggers (whichever you choose to call them) but would you be friends with them in the 'real world'? As I said, watching friendships (and even romance... <a href="http://www.darrenmclikeshimself.com/"> Darren</a> and <a href="http://www.nabbalicious.com/">Nabbalicious</a>) develop is awesome (there I go again). It is mind-boggling that people from all over the world, from all walks of life converge in Blogsville and are 'friends'. Is it because we can't see them face to face so we're not prejudiced and more willing to accept them? Hmmm... something to think about.</span>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1157680233276174482006-09-07T20:50:00.000-05:002006-09-07T20:56:09.656-05:00....Jungle Out There... Part Deux<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3838/3176/1600/Pygmy%20goat.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3838/3176/200/Pygmy%20goat.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3838/3176/1600/hot%20monkey.9.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3838/3176/320/hot%20monkey.9.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">To continue what I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted!!</span> </em><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">The couple we went with are DINKs (Double Income No Kids) so they were not so enamoured by the Little People as I was. Or the Children's Petting Zoo with this cute little Pygmy goat...isn't he sweet?</span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;">Which to me explains why the woman hated the Monkies! Aww c'mon! How can anyone NOT like the Monkies. They are so fun to watch! And oh, so revealing as this picture <em>shows</em>:</span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;">There were a lot of peacocks in the park. Even an all white one. </span><span style="font-family:arial;">This is the only Peacock who posed so pretty for me.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">It would have been nice if he would have fanned his feathers, but he said "No thanks, this will have to do".<br /></span><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3838/3176/1600/Peacock.0.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3838/3176/200/Peacock.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3838/3176/1600/Piggy.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3838/3176/200/Piggy.jpg" border="0" /></a> </p><span style="font-family:arial;">Of course I had to take a picture of this Pot-Belly Piggy. He wasn't as cute as the little pink one but hey! looks ain't everything. He had a great personality. Besides the fact he kept nudging the other one out of the way.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So all in all, it was a good day.<br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1157591080445082562006-09-07T20:48:00.000-05:002006-09-07T20:53:58.390-05:00It's a Jungle Out There<span style="font-family:Arial;">Labor Day weekend was pretty darn good. The Polish Prince took me shopping and to the Outback for dinner with <strong><em>no</em></strong> comment on how much money I spent shopping or he spent on dinner! </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Monday we went to Binder Zoo with some friends. It isn't a very big or animal populated zoo and not top on my list of favorite zoos, but it was nice. It was Labor Day, a holiday AND the day before all the Little People go back to school so parents from miles around decided to treat their Little People to a day at the zoo! Honestly, I didn't mind them. Animals in the cage and animals running around outside the cage... what's the dif? It was crowded but I got a kick out of watching the Little People and their reactions to some of the animals. Especially the giraffes. There is a 'feeding' spot where the girafee come up and people can feed them (you can purchase the food behind you for a nominal fee). I didn't feed them because I was having too much fun photographing them and watching the kids. Like this one:</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3838/3176/1600/giraffe%20tongue.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3838/3176/320/giraffe%20tongue.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;">It was awesome to get so close to the giraffes. Did you know they have the same number of vertabrae in their neck as we do? The Ranger asked the question and guess who got it right? Moi!</span></p><p></p><p><br /></p><br /><br /><p><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3838/3176/1600/giraffes.1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3838/3176/320/giraffes.1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><em>Blogger and I are having a discussion right now. I want to add more pictures to this post and it doesn't want me to. Guess who won? Soooo this post will be continued.... in Part Deux.</em></span></p>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1157593612223672952006-09-06T20:07:00.000-05:002006-09-06T20:46:52.246-05:00First Day of School<span style="font-family:arial;">Yesterday was my grandson's first day of school</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><em>AND</em></strong> his 6th birthday. I called to wish him a <strong>HAPPY BIRTHDAY </strong>and to see how his day in First Grade turned out. He didn't have a whole lot to say. He isn't much of a phone person, I guess. He is <em>SO</em> not like his father in that respect!! </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Today, I stepped back in time when the phone rang shortly after 8:00 pm and the Mineral King (aka Jaek... my Firstborn) called to tell me how</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><em> HIS </em></strong>first day of school was</span>. <span style="font-family:arial;">Yes, it brought back memories as I listened to his excited chatter about school. It thrilled me that he wanted to share his day with me. Makes a Momma proud!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">I am so happy for him. He has the opportunity to do something he has wanted to do for a long time. Going back to college with a wife and two small children isn't going to be easy, but he will handle it and do great! He is a very intelligent, hard-working individual who has goals and has been given the chance to meet those goals. He will do it with Flying Aces! </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><em><strong>I wanted to make this tomorrow's post but decided put it in tonight because my post about the holiday weekend is sitting in 'Drafts' ...why? BECAUSE I CAN'T UPLOAD MY PHOTOS</strong></em>!!!! Even so, this was a good one to post 'cause I am a <strong>PROUD MAMA!</strong> </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1157137007578194322006-09-01T13:08:00.000-05:002006-09-01T13:56:47.640-05:00<span style="font-family:arial;">Took a walk around the Neighborhood and surrounding blog areas. I realize it is September 1st. And a gray cool day. And Labor Day is Monday. And school starts soon. But can you really say it is FALL? According to the calendar the Autumnal Equinox doesn't begin until Saturday, September 23 at 4:03 U.T. (<em>whatever u.t. stands for... universal time?). </em>It's the <em>end of summer, almost Fall but not quite yet </em>time which has me feeling so... so... discombobulated (<em>or discombooberated)</em>.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Have you ever had the feeling that <strong><em>something</em></strong> is going to happen? Don't know what. Don't know if it is good or bad. But <strong><em>something</em></strong> is there, waiting to happen ... to me, for me, around me. It's looming there, hovering over me. I have a million things I could be doing, should be doing, but the motivation just ain't there. The foreboding is hovering over me, playing with my mind and emotions. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Feeling oppressed, suppressed and depressed. And at the same time, feeling flighty, mighty and tighty-whitey (<span style="font-size:85%;"><em>sorry... I needed a third rhyme and that's the best I could come up with</em></span>). It's like being wrapped up in Saran Wrap and fighting to get yourself out. Not that I would know what that's like. I have a vivid imagination, so you use yours. Anyway, the feeling of frustration and helplessness while struggling to get out is replaced by the exhiliration of the fight and the venting of emotions. That's what I'm talking about. Or is it?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Could it be a form of intuition (<em>I'll refrain from calling it 'women's intuition' because my boys have it, too)? </em>Is it a an omen, a portent or a harbinger of something good? Something bad? Or is it just a sign of idontfeellikedoingadamnthing and thisisasgoodanexcuseasicancomeupwith? </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">It is probably because there are things that <strong>should</strong> be happening (<em>selling the house and moving</em>) and they aren't happening and I can't do a damn thing about it! Some things are just out of our hands, but I don't like it. I hate the feeling of <strong>not being in control. </strong>If something isn't going right one way, I find another way to make it right but at this moment in time... I am at a loss as how to make it right. So I guess I'll just take another walk through the Neighborhood and experience life vicariously through the eyes of others.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1157080634838308622006-08-31T22:10:00.000-05:002006-08-31T22:17:14.853-05:00Just One of Those Days<strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The Woman I Am</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></strong><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The woman I am</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"> Hides deep in me</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Beneath the woman </span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"> I seem to be.</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">She hides away</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"> From the stranger's eye--</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">She is not known</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"> To the passers-by.</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">She goes her way,</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"> The woman I seem,</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">But the woman I am</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"> Withdraws to dream!</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">The woman I seem</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"> Goes carelessly--</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">When love goes by</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"> Does not seem to see.</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">The woman I am</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"> Knows sudden fear...</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">And hides more deeply</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"> When love draws near!</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">For love might look closely</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"> Perhaps...and see</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Her beneath the woman</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"> I seem to be!</span></em><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><em> </em><span style="font-size:85%;">---Glen Allen---</span></span>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1156990292621905882006-08-30T20:59:00.000-05:002006-08-30T21:11:32.636-05:00Give It Your Best Shot!<span style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>Finish the following:</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:Courier New;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Why did the chicken cross the road? _______________________</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">A priest, a rabbi and a minister walk into a bar _________________</span><br /><span style="font-family:Courier New;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Courier New;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Courier New;"><strong>Or how about answering these?</strong></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Courier New;"></span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">What is your most <em>blonde</em> moment?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">What is your most<em> triumphant</em> moment?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">What is your most <em>embarrassing</em> moment?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Courier New;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">What is your <em>happiest</em>? <em>saddest</em>? most <em>disgusting</em>? <em>hot damn</em>! moment?</span>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1156904011925727902006-08-29T20:38:00.000-05:002006-08-29T21:13:31.946-05:00Twitchin' Fingers<span style="font-family:arial;">I have been blogging, lurking and commenting for a couple months now. It's a lot of fun and feel like I have made some new friends. But it is such a l-o-n-g, tedious process for me. I don't have high-speed internet or DSL. I have freaking slow dial-up! 26.4 kbps or lower. Those who have such wonderful photos... takes <em>for-evah</em> to load. I don't want to miss anything so I wait. I try to have 3 windows up at a time so I can be reading others while waiting. Various bloggers have been talking about knitting and crocheting. The weather is cooler, the work on the houses has slowed down and now my fingers are twitching. Itching to get back to the yarns.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I learned to knit when I was a teenager. I taught myself to crochet when Only Daughter was a baby. I like the look and feel of knitted projects but crocheting is soooo much easier and quicker. I have crocheted hundreds of afghans, baby blankets, potholders, kitchen towel/toppers, and a lot of other items too numerous to mention. I love to crochet! I love to create different patterns. What I love the most... is when I give them as gifts to people I care about. Actually, I get asked to make blankets and other items for people I don't even know! My friends and family ask me to make stuff for them to give as gifts. Of course, I say 'Yes'. Gives me an excuse to do what I enjoy most.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">For awhile there were babies on the way by the dozens so my fingers were flying for 10 to 12 hours a day! The baby boom has slowed down. Another favorite is the kitchen towels with crocheted tops to hook to cabinets or stoves or fridges are fast and easy to do. I have a stock pile of 75 towels (which makes 150) but they are all packed up and at the new house. Hmmm... I do have a tub of some yarn in one closet. Maybe I could make something to appease my itchy fingers?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Last Christmas, I made scarves and hats out of that new type yarn... Fun Fur, Boa Yarn and a couple others I can't think of what they are called but I bought to try out. Some work better knitted and some work better crocheted. I didn't know if Only Daughter would like something like that, but I made her a set and her friend a set and they loved them. Other Daughter asked for a set so I made her and her baby a set. I really liked the ones I did for Other Daughter. Red and fluffy. I bought yarn to make myself a scarf but I was too busy making stuff for other</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">people. Maybe this year.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Now if you'll excuse me, I think I will go see what yarn is in that tub and figure out what I can do with it.... </span><strong><em><span style="font-family:arial;">Anybody need a baby blanket????</span></em></strong>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1156818276492113932006-08-28T20:37:00.000-05:002006-08-28T21:24:36.536-05:00The Getaway<span style="font-family:arial;">The Polish Prince has been working hard at his job, around the house (both houses), so he wants to take a couple days off to do something, go somewhere. Away from the house so he won't be tempted to work. Hah! I am able to resist the temptation to work better than him!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><em>So where do you want to go? I ask.</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Don't know. Just get in the van and drive.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><em>Like where?</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">I don't know. You're suppose to come up with an idea.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><em>Really? Why is it up to me.</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Because you're the planner.</span><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">But I am sick and can't think.</span></em><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">So are you saying you don't want to go now? We can stay home. I can find something to do. It doesn't matter that I haven't had any time off and I need to get away.</span><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">No, we'll go. I can sneeze, blow my nose, and feel all around miserable in the van just as easy as I do here in my recliner... my comfortable recliner, in front of the television.</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">So we head out Friday with no destination in mind... just NORTH. Michigan has some beautiful scenery heading up north and along Lake Michigan. We've been 'north' many times so he took some back roads and we zig zagged through the countryside. It was a really pretty drive. I was enjoying myself in between sneezes. We went through one area where asparagus plants were tall and going to seed. There were a lot. I mean a LOT of asparagus fields. I am talking thousands and thousands of acres of asparagus. I got out the handy dandy map for that county and sure enough in the info section it said we were going through the 'asparagus capital of the world'. Seriously, it was amazing. We agreed we should come back in the spring just to see how all of the asparagus is harvested. (side note: The Polish Prince was born and raised a farmer... it is in his blood!) Of course, did I get any pictures of these fields of green? No! Mental Slap!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We made our way to the lakeshore and headed north into Manistee. My Sister lived up there at one time. Come to think of it, so did my Brother and his family. But wow! The town has sure changed. I got all turned around. I recognized a bar I had stopped in many years ago, but that was about it. We were heading to the outskirts of town and I started to point out the lifelike statues of some deer. WHOA! Thems real! A doe and 3 spotted fawns were grazing by the side of the road. Close enough that I could have counted the spots. I got a couple pictures of them.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">If the Polish Prince would have been sick, he would have been in his chair whining about how miserable he was. It would have been, "Can you get me a drink? Can you get me some kleenex? Some soup would be nice." And so on and so forth. When I am sick.... I get no sympathy. I get, "You can handle it, you're tough! Where's my dinner?" He knows it pisses me off... this double standard, so I guess he was making it up to me because I agreed to go travelling with him... cause he pulled into Little River Casino and asked me if I wanted to walk around a bit and throw some coins away! Hey! this is a big concession on his part! He hates taking me to the casino. He says it is just a waste of time and money. I LOVE going. He says I am addicted and I'll send them to the brink of bankruptcy. Yeah. Right. Huh-huh. I am definitely not a true blood, dyed in the wool gambler. Playing the quarter slots is big money for me. Playing more than one quarter at a time is really pushing my luck. Seldom do I hit Max Credits. I personally like the nickel machine and if the gray hairs are hogging them... I love the penny and two cent machines! Besides, I spent my money at Little River. No, of course, I did not win anything. I never expect to. I just had fun!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We left there after a an hour or two and continued heading north along the lakeshore. We were trying to get to Petoskey before 10:00pm. There is another casino, Victories, up there but it is for the buffet that we go... the Mukwa Cafe. Oh, the food is sumptious! We got there just in the nick of time and feasted on the best fried fish, mashed potatoes, roast beef and veggies. And the desserts....mmmmmmmm good! Of course, afterwards, we wandered around and dropped some coin in. Actually, I put a $20 bill in a 2 cent machine and played that for two hours. When it was gone, I was ready to go.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We stopped for the night at Boyne Falls. The motel was nice enough but being sick and in a strange place.... equals NO SLEEP! NO REST! We were up and out early. Travelling south now. Baby Son was camping around the Baldwin area with some friends so we set out to find him. Omigosh! I should have gotten better info. He said Pickeral Lake near Baldwin. <em>There are many Pickeral Lakes in that area!</em> But not the one Baby Son was at! Tried calling on the cell phone. Northern Michigan is not an area condusive to cellular traffic. Finally reached a spot where the phones were coming in just barely but enough to ask where he was and to stay put until we got there. They were in the town of Baldwin at the ice cream shop. So we met them there and found out <em>exactly</em> where the campground was and made plans to stop when we were done with lunch.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We ate in a quaint, little restaurant. Good food and homey atmosphere. We sat there longer than intended because it started raining.... a deluge... torrential downpour! I felt sorry for Baby Son and the camper buddies. We made a run for the van and headed down the road about 10 miles to the campground. It stopped raining after 3 miles. By 7 miles, there was no indication that it had even rained. Got to the campsite and they were dry!! I was glad for them except it was a rustic campsite and they could have used the 'shower', if you get my meaning! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The fishing wasn't so good. They were glad they brought back up food.</span><em> </em><span style="font-family:arial;">They were deep frying a turkey. I found out later that it turned out really good. As a matter of fact, their camping trip was so good they stayed another night. Haven't heard yet whether or not they made it back safe and sound. I'm the MOM... I worry!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We made it back early Saturday evening. I was glad we went but happy to be home. The pupkids were VERY happy to see us back! They missed us. So did the 10 outside cats but not for the same reason... they were just hungry!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Today I am feeling much better. Still blowing my nose some, but no need for nasal spray, cold medicine, antihistamine, aspirin or anything else. I am on the road to recovery. So much so... I did 6 loads of laundry... and posted this long winded entry!</span>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1156481890125032062006-08-24T23:35:00.000-05:002006-08-24T23:58:10.160-05:00The Nose Knows<span style="font-family:verdana;">Last Sunday I taught I had sinus congestion. Monday I taught it was allergies. Tuesday I realized I hab a code. My nose is pugged up. I can't breed. My troat is on fire. My head is full of codden. My eyes are watery. My nose is itchy as hell. I sneeze fifee times a day and half the time I ain't quick enuf to grab a tissue so schnot goes all ober. And to top it off, when I sneeze, I swear my troat is being ripped out. Arggggggghhhhhhhh.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">We were going to go on a mini-vacation today. Just take off for anywhere but here. Eat out someplace. Stay overnight. Just enjoy being together and away from it all. Too sick to enjoy it so we are holding off until tomorrow. Gawd, I hope I feel better tomorrow! Today, the Mineral King brought his Little People over for a visit. He lets me in on a secret. My cold was a gift from his Little People when they were here last Thursday. Thank you, my little darlings! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Seriously, I have managed to avoid a cold for quite awhile so I knew it was time. Trying to maintain two homes has worn me down so I was a perfect target for the germ beasts. It amazes me that there has been milestones made in the medical world but they can't come up with a cure for the common cold. Although, I don't think there is anything common about this cold. Probably 'cause it is mine.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">So I will go spray my nose, down some antihistamine, lather on some Vick's Vaporub and try to sleep. And hope tomorrow is a 'clear' day!</span>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1156308978798777462006-08-22T23:09:00.000-05:002006-08-22T23:56:18.813-05:00What's The Buzz All About?<span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Winnie the Pooh is one of my favorite characters. Pooh loves hunny and hunny is made by bees. I love the song he sings when he is trying to sneek honey by pretending to be a rain cloud: <em>I'm just a little black rain cloud. Hovering over your honey tree. Pay no attention to little ol' me. 'Cause everyone knows that a rain cloud doesn't like honey, no not at all...</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><em></em></span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">I have no problem with bees. (Hate. Hate. I say... HATE... wasps and hornets.) Pooh's bees are honeybees. There are a lot of other bees, too, although I don't know all the different varieties. (I don't like yellow jackets either.) For the most part, bees are usually busy (heh heh busy as a bee) going from flower to flower, gathering nectar and taking it back to their hive. At the hive there is a Queen Bee. I like that. Not a King Bee, but a Queen Bee. The workers are male and they live to serve the Queen Bee. I like that. Oh, I already said that.</span><br /><br />I have lots of flowers in my yard so I have lots of bees buzzing around. Along with lots of butterflies and hummingbirds. The butterflies are doing a job. The hummingbirds are doing a job. Just like the bees doing their job, collecting nectar. So I let them go about their business. I don't bother them and they don't bother me. Except the other day, a bee stung me on my pinkie finger. Ow! It hurt. Owww and stung. Owowowow... but then it stopped stinging so all was well with the world again.<br /><br />Only Daughter has a phobia about bees. It is a well-founded phobia since she is allergic to bee stings. She doesn't like the sight of a bee or the sound of a bee. She doesn't even like photos of bees or cartoon pictures of bees. I assume she really hates the Nasonex bee, too. Of course, knowing this, I like to tease her (with love... lots of love) and send her pictures of bees. I sent her a recent photo of bees and was quite surprised when she suggested I post it to my blog. Of course, there is a story to go with it.<br /><br />My Polish Prince (formerly known as My Man... which sounded so possesive and non-descript I just had to change it) asked me to come out to the back yard to look at something. I always dread it when he asks me that because usually it involves something I would rather not see. Our house is surrounded by Black Locust trees. Old ones that are probably over 80+ feet tall. He points to the big one behind the pool room. As I walk towards it, I hear a sound. It grows louder and louder. I could feel it. It roared like a locomotive. Looking up, I gasped! I had never in my life seen so many bees swarming around! Hundreds of thousands (no exaggeration!) of bees swarming that one tree and more coming in from all around. I have seen a few movies about bees. The swarm of bees coming in and the sound of them sounded so hokey and fake... or so I thought. That is exactly what they looked like and sounded like!<br /><br />I felt no fear. Of course, I looked down at my body to make sure all my skin was still intact. I walked around under the tree in awe. Got my camera and took a couple pictures. Yeah, right. Try taking pictures of bees in a flurry. Only one turned out half way decent. And one wouldn't know they were bees just by looking at it... but that's what they are. An hour later, they were gone except for a few stragglers. There they go into the wild blue yonder.....<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3838/3176/1600/Bees.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3838/3176/320/Bees.jpg" border="0" /></a>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1156209847074997162006-08-21T20:18:00.000-05:002006-08-21T20:24:07.086-05:00Feeling Blue<span style="font-family:verdana;">When I am feeling blue. And neglected by family and friends. Like now. A little ditty my Mother used to say pops into my head. I only know part of it....</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><strong><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Nobody loves me. Everybody hates me. Sittin' in the garden eating worms.</span></em></strong><br /><strong><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Big fat juicy ones. Little skinny scrawny ones.</span></em></strong><br /><strong><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">See how they wiggle and they squirm!</span></em></strong><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">I'm having another Pity Party and that's what is on the menu du jour.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;">Does anyone know the rest of this ditty? Okay, has anyone ever heard this before?</span></em>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1155960397425144562006-08-18T21:49:00.000-05:002006-08-18T23:06:37.453-05:00I Do Believe In Spooks*<span style="font-family:arial;">Movies, books and television dealing with ghosts, paranormal, supernatural, and psychic phenomenom intrigue me. Some make me laugh, some make me wonder, some scare me and some make me wish I believed in ghosts.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><em>The Ghost & Mrs. Muir</em></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">The Ghost & Mr. Chicken</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">Ghostbusters</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">Ghost Dad</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">Ghost (<span style="font-size:85%;">especially the pottery wheel scene</span><span style="font-size:100%;">)</span></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">Sixth Sense</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">Dragonfly</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">Always</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">What Lies Beneath</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">The Frightners</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">House (the movie not the television series)</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">Drop Dead Fred</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">Twilight Zone</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">Friday the 13th the Series</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">Nightstalker</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">X-Files</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">Twin Peaks</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">The Dead Zone</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">Ghost Whisperer</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">Medium</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">Supernatural</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">Psi Factor</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">Lost</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;">Kay Hooper's book series on the special unit of the FBI consisting solely of people with some type of psychic abilities.</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">I want to believe but my little voice inside me won't let me. Part of it has to do with Bible scripture. In I Samuel 28, King Saul cleansed the land of Israel from all occult practices, but when he consulted God on the threat of a Philistine invasion, he got no answer and turned to the Witch of Endor. A spirit or vision of Samuel appeared before Saul but not because the witch conjured it up (she was more surprised than Saul!). It was God's doing and he admonished Saul for his actions.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">So it stuck in my head that there are no such things as the Spirit of the Dead or Ghosts. But I want to believe in ghosts and visions of spirits. I want to be able to communicate with those who have passed on. That's it in a nutshell... why I can't believe. There have been loved ones in my life who have passed on and if it were possible to see them or for them to communicate with us, I know in my heart of hearts that they would have done so by now.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Now on the other hand, I believe in evil spirits possessing a person. Oh, not to the extent of <em>The Exorcist </em>with spewing green shit and the head doing a complete 360, but mental conditions <em>like </em>schizophrenia and such that cannot be controlled by medicines could fall into that category. Definitely the serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmers, Ted Bundy, The Boston Strangler, the Son of Sam (David Berkowitz), Dennis Rader - BTK, John Wayne Gacy, Gary Leon Ridgway (the Green River Murders), and of course Charles Manson (although the list goes <em>on and on). </em>They have no conscience, no soul and I believe are possessed by evil spirits. No childhood trauma or genetic faux pas could explain what they and others like them have done. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">So why can't I believe in the good spirits? Of those who have gone before us? I hang onto something I learned when quite young... when you die, you're dead. Your body turns to dust and ashes. Your spirit or breath of life leaves you. You don't go to heaven or hell. Nothing happens until Christ's Second Coming. I don't visit my Mother's grave because she is not there. Like I said, I have hung onto that belief for many years, but I am not so sure about it anymore. First of all, the spirit or breath of life leaves a person... so where does it go? Too many accounts of near death experiences indicate there is <em>something</em> after death. I have not had any actual <em>ghost</em> sightings but I have <em>felt</em> things which could only have come from my Mother. My Baby Son has had visions. He was about 8 years old when he dreamt that my aunt (whom he had met only once) died in a car accident. Several days later, my aunt was killed in a car accident and the details were the same as what Baby Son dreamt. When he was about 12 or 13, he had a dream about another aunt dying (one he knew well and loved). He was really upset about it because he knew it would happen and soon... and it did. Yet, my Mother has not <em>contacted</em> him (at least as far as I know) and if possible, she would have. He was very close to my Mother and all the stupid, crazy stunts he has pulled over the years... I would have expected her to show herself, slap him up side the head (or kick him in the ass) and knock some sense into him!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">I spoke with a cousin last week and he said him and his family had moved into his parents' house after his father had passed away. He is a scoffer at the supernatural hocus pocus, as he calls it. He would be the first one to laugh at anyone who said they had seen a ghost BUT not anymore. He saw his mother's ghost in what was her bedroom. He said it scared the beejeebies out of him, but he had no doubt in his mind that it was her. I want to believe him.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Guilt creates a barrier for me. I think that God would be upset (pissed) with me for believing in ghosts, paranormal, psychic abilities and the like. So I hold myself back. If I feel that I have experienced something of a supernatural phenomenom, I shun it and explain it away. I guess I need more proof or evidence of personal experiences from people I know. So if anyone has had a ghostly encounter, please share with me... <strong><em>make me a believer!</em></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><em>*This is a line from a classic movie... what movie and who said it? This is WAY TOO EASY!</em></span>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1155789354421359172006-08-16T22:53:00.000-05:002006-08-16T23:35:54.436-05:00Something You Don't See Every Day<span style="font-family:verdana;">An unusual sight on one of our afternoon drives. Let's make it fun! Add a caption. Or a short storyline. Or cartoon comment. Something.... please?</span><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3838/3176/1600/Biker%20Bitch.9.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3838/3176/320/Biker%20Bitch.7.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">It took two days to get this photo uploaded to this post. I should have just let it go, but it became a matter of principle. So it is here... for what it is worth!</span></em>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29737205.post-1155351323780907852006-08-11T21:29:00.000-05:002006-08-11T21:55:23.796-05:00Four by Four<span style="font-family:arial;">My niece sent this to me in an email, so I thought it would be fun to share. Feel free to answer in the comments.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Four things about me - Things may or may not known about me in no particular order.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br />A) <span style="font-family:arial;">Four full time jobs I have had in my life:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 1. <em>Mother</em><br /> 2. <em>Factory worker</em><br /> 3. <em>Waitress</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 4. <em>Claims processor</em></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">B) Four movies I would watch over and over:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 1. <em>Young Frankenstein</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 2. <em>Fifth Element</em><br /> 3. <em>Enemy of the State</em><br /> 4. <em>Fiddler on the Roof</em></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">C) Four places I have lived:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 1. <em>Kentwood, MI</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 2. <em>Brown City, MI</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 3.<em> Austin, TX (outskirts)</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 4. <em>Goodells, MI</em></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">D) Four TV shows I watch:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 1. <em>House</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 2. <em>NCIS</em><br /> 3. <em>Related</em><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"> 4. <em>Desperate Housewives</em></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">E) Places I have been on vacation:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 1. <em>Las Vegas</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 2. <em>Tennessee</em><br /> 3. <em>North Carolina</em><br /> 4. <em>U. P. MI</em></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> F) Websites I visit daily:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 1. <em>Bloggers</em> </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 2. <em>Yahoo Homepage</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 3. <em>More bloggers</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 4. <em>Umm...more bloggers</em></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> G) Four of my favorite foods</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 1.<em> Steak</em><br /> 2. <em>Cabbage & kielbasa</em><br /> 3. <em>Chinese</em><br /> 4. <em>Seafood</em></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">H) Four places I would rather be right now:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 1. (My) <em>New house</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 2. <em>Ireland</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 3. <em>Casino</em><br /> 4. <em>Whirlpool/Jacuzzi</em><br /></span>MiMawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02431957155957176531noreply@blogger.com5