Friday Weigh-In

Okay. We all know that all good things must come to an end, right? So how many Fridays could I weigh in at the same weight? 3? 4? This week I had gained 2 lbs. So Monday I'm back on my diet. I was beginning to feel bad about the amound of junk I was eating anyway. Why not now? Well, it's the weekend and I have big plans. Better to start on Monday, anyway. I also, need to try and exercise more. This morning I took the kids to a local park that has a walking loop and they were bored before I did the loop twice. I had wanted to do 6 laps (I think that is 3 miles) but had to give up after 4. Next time I told them they would have to bring a book to read. We have a busy week next, so I'm not sure how much exercise I'll get in.

Tonite? Dinner and a movie. With. Out. The Children. Yeah, be excited for me!

Barbecue

And just to get this off my chest because I've been perturbed by some commercials I've heard lately. In the South the term Barbecue refers to a way of slow-cooking meat (most often pork) which is consumed either by itself with fixins' or on buns as a sandwich. The act of inviting friends over and grilling food (of any sort) on a grill in the summer time is called a "cook-out", not a barbecue. If you said you were having a barbecue people might assume you were preparing the slow-cooked delight yourself with your smoker. And just to confuse any northerners out there we also have fish-frys. It's like a cook-out only we deep-fry fish in a cooker outdoors and serve it with hushpuppies and coleslaw (which are actually good with barbecue, too.) Please see this for a better example of how these terms are used elsewhere.

Presidential Visit

The President is visiting our lovely state today. He is flying in to Huntsville to visit the Browns Ferry Nuclear Facility. I'm not sure why. A reactor has been 'restarted' after a 22 year hiatus. Something about Bush promoting his stand on alternative fuels. The visit was only announced early in the week. He will not make a public appearance while in Huntsville. He is then scheduled to fly to Mobile for a political ($1000/plate) fundraiser for U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions. The President visits our fair state very seldom. In the past 30 years most presidential visits have been either hurricane related (touring the disaster area) or political (campaigning for himself and others). Our governor, Bob Riley, is out of the country and will miss the visit. Our mayor, Loretta Spencer, had to cancel a trip to be present. Some friends of mine last night mentioned trying to get near the airport for a view of Air Force One or the motorcade. I am sure the interstate and many secondary roads will be closed during the commute to the Nuclear Facility. (Which incidentally is in a remote, rural area of Limestone County.) I wouldn't hold much hope of getting a glimpse of the Chief but I wouldn't mind seeing the plane. I've always been fascinated by Air Force One. At any rate, I will be at work during the 2-3 hours of his visit and will not be inconvenienced by the traffic hold-ups. There will be protests held (with permits, of course) both in Huntsville and Mobile. Approval ratings here in Huntsville with our strong military presence is not high. We support our troops, but we are ready for them to come home.

Rain and Frito Pie

Yesterday morning I decided to head to a nearby park to walk their loop. The kids went along to play on the playground. It had rained a little bit during the night and looked like it might rain again. I figured risking the rain was doing my part for the drought. Afterall, my getting wet is a small price to pay. Sure enough into my 4th trip around the park it started to rain. I finished the loop and we headed to the car. It rained several times throughout the day. It rained while my lawn man was mowing the yard (this was no deterrent to him, however.) I am very thankful to the rain. Today it is blue skies again but the temperature is not quite as harsh as the previous days.

Last night I fixed 'Frito Pie' for supper. I only recently discovered that my children enjoyed this dish which I had previously called Taco Salad and had not fixed for many months. After finishing his first helping my son went back for seconds. I know, I was pretty shocked myself. It is so nice to stumble on something the boy will eat and not complain about.

Monday

We had a good weekend. Friday night I took the kids to Jump Zone. (Basically, it's a warehouse filled with giant inflatable slides and moonbounce type structures.) It isn't terribly exciting for parents. But the kids had a blast. Saturday we spent the afternoon on the Tennessee River with my cousin and her family. We boated and rafted and swam and generally enjoyed ourselves. Sunday morning we went out to bruch and Sunday night we had our VBS program. I found time to dig up and replant my New Guinea Impatiens trying to give them a better chance of staying moist. We are experiencing a serious drought. Sunday afternoon I watched my new hero, Lewis Hamilton, win his second Grand Prix. We looked hard for hubby who attended the race but didn't catch sight of him. Despite all the activity I felt well rested and relaxed. It was just over too soon.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

4 Things About Me

I got this one as an email but it seemed like good blog fodder when I had nothing else. I'm not going to tag anyone. We've all done these memes a lot lately. Just participate if you have nothing much else to write.

Four Jobs I've had in My life:
1. Pharmacist
2. Nurse's Aid
3. Cashier/Clerk
4. Living Model

Four Places I have lived
1. Pleasant Grove, Alabama
2. Boaz, Alabama
3. Auburn, Alabama
4. Huntsville, Alabama

Four Places I have been on Vacation
1. Disney World
2. Aspen, Colorodo
3. Snowshoe, West Virginia
4. Maryland

Four Foods I love
1. Chocolate
2. Pasta
3. Barbecue
4. Banana Bread

Four Places I would Rather Be Right Now
1. Ft Walton Beach
2. At home in my spa
3. Gatlinburg
4. Memphis (where my mother is)

Restaurant Meme

I thought I might do something like this Restaurant Meme that J did a while back and recently Gina did. They didn't tag me and to be honest my little town is not that interesting food-wise. I mean it is not L.A. or San Francisco. But we have a few good places here and I have a few favorites that I'm gonna share.

1. Ol Heidleberg. This is a locally owned German restaurant. It is small and cozy with a good atmosphere. We first went there when we were dating and I had never before eaten German food. Now it is my favorite place to go without kids. We always ask for the same waitress which ensures wonderful service. The food is very good although I usually stick to a few favorite dishes. They are always presenting new wines to try. The desserts are also great and we often get ours to go.

2. Victoria's Cafe. This is very much a "ladies lunch" place. In fact, they are not open for dinner. It is always busy at lunch with different groups of ladies and only the occasional man dining with them. It is not a good place to take children. My favorite dish is the Poulet de Normandy and I have that everytime. It is an elegant place, great for going out with the girlfriends.

3. Greenbriar Restaurant. Don't confuse this with Greenbriar Barbecue located just a few miles away. GR is primarily a barbecue restaurant but they also serve fried catfish. It is a "downhome" place where they always refill your hush puppy basket. The service is usually quick and always friendly. It is a large building and you can usually get a seat quickly even on Saturday night. They give you huge glasses of tea. It's a family atmosphere (alcohol & smoke free), very casual. I especially like the barbecue pork. This is where we go often on the weekend because it is so hassle-free.

4. Rosie's Cantina. I know there enough of these around now that it might qualify as a chain. But the restaurant was started in Huntsville. It is THE mexican restaurant in Huntsville. Nothing else compares no matter how hard they try. It is always busy and there is a wait for a table even on weeknights. We often get take-out on Saturday nights when the wait time gets up to an hour. They have outside dining in warm weather. It is especially nice now that all area restaurants are smoke free. I love the chicken quesadillas and also the Mexican Ribeye. The queso is excellent. They have a full bar with frozen and mixed drinks. It is a little loud because it is always busy but the service is usally quick. Currently, they are building a larger restaurant across the street, hopefully with more parking.


I'm only going to list 4. I know there are alot of fancier restaurants here and I've even eaten at several of them. But to me a good restaurant has to have more than just really good food. It has to have good service and a good atmosphere. You have to feel like you got your money's worth. I don't mind paying more for a better place to eat but not if it's just the same stuff dressed up and served with better presentation. We have some decent chain restaurants too, but I didn't want to mention them. My husband's list would probably be different because he eats out at lunch frequently and likes Asian food more than I do. I'm not going to call a place a favorite until I've been there 3 or 4 times and it's been consistent.

Employee Appreciaton Week

On Tuesday, I was feeling a little dejected by the gray t-shirt I received as part of our company's employee appreciation week. Of course, any free thing is appreciated right? Well, today I was surprised to receive a gift basket with food, candy, mug, key chain, etc and also an insulated cooler/lunch box. Now I am feeling really appreciated.

Weekend Plans

I am currently trying to plan a little getaway for Hubby and me next month. The kids have been invited to Grandma's for all day Friday and Saturday. I think that if I throw in a car show I can convince Hubby to spend the night in a B&B. There is a car show in Chattanooga that Saturday and I have been reading about two different B&B located there: Mayor's Mansion Inn and Stonefort Inn. Both have received good reviews at Tripadvisor. Chattanooga is only a two hour drive from here. They both have hi-speed internet which Hubby cannot seem to live long without. Both are located near a lot of restaraunts and other Chattanooga attractions. It actually sounds quite wonderful.

Temporary Insanity

There was a short bout of insanity where I may have said yes when actually I didn't even hear the question. Last week my husband got a new vehicle that is older than either of our parents. I think I said something like, "only if you can get it in the garage without inconvienencing me too much. It is amazing how industrious a man can be with some encouragement. Now we have more vehicles to our name then we have people in our household (and two of them are not old enough to drive.) And yes they are all parked in a garage.

Edited to add: Actually, we have two garages - the one on the house and a detached garage. Since the GMC truck is diassembled it is actually divided between the two garages.

Book Update

I just finished reading the new Elizabeth Berg novel, Dream When You're Feeling Blue. I was very dissapointed. I've read all of Berg's novels and have found them often thought-provoking and insightful. They are intriguing in their own way and I eagerly waited the release of her new novel. I should have waited and read this one in paperback. It is far from Berg's usual style, the majority of the novel is written with dialogue. It is set in the early 1940's during WWII and the central characters are young women writing to men fighting the war. It is a short novel as most of her's are but not very filling. If you are a big fan of hers you probably still want to read this one but otherwise you can plan on skipping it. Sometimes, I think the pressure on an author to churn out a new novel each year causes their work to suffer. I know that all of John Grisham's novels are not of the same caliber. But is it so much to ask an author to give us at least one good book a year? (What else are these people doing with their time besides book tours once they start making the big bucks!) I know many of those romance writers churn out several and I don't expect that. But especially, if a writer is publishing a series and we are waiting to find out what happens to our characters, a book a year is expected. I know lots of good books have been written by an author with only one or two others to his/her credit. That is too bad, too. But once you have become accustomed to their work you come to expect the greatness to continue.

I also, recently read two of Michael Chricton's earlier works, The Andromeda Strain and The Terminal Man as part of a collection. The books were written in the late 1960's - early 1970's. If you've read any of Chricton's other novels then you might be dissapointed with these. You can really tell how his writing has improved over 3 decades. They were both written about technology that has long since become obsolete (or commonplace). But I enjoyed both of them and would recommend them if you are a fan of Chricton's other novels. (If you haven't read his novels I would recommend Prey or Sphere to get started.

Saturday

I went out and walked this morning for the first time in over a week. I tried to think of all kinds of exuses not to even after I got out of bed and got dressed. For example, I haven't fertilized my plants this week. But in the end I could not convince myself otherwise and set out. It was very humid but not too hot because of the short rain storm yesterday.

I finished reading Ethan Frome again. I read it in high school and had forgotten how short it was. I read on someone's blog that it was their favorite book, I can't remember who now. But anway, I thought I would give it another read. You can read through it in one sitting. I think I enjoyed even more this time then last. I might be encouraged to give another Edith Wharton book, Age of Innoncence, for which she won the Pulitzer a try.

My daughter and I went out shopping on Thursday mostly just for fun and she wanted to go to Barnes & Noble. I warned her that I would probably buy books if we went in. When I had picked up 3 I told her we had to leave but then she still had to drag me to the register to keep from picking up more. (Sometime soon I'm going to check out the used book website that Chichimama told me about.) So I'm excited to have the new Elizabeth Berg book as well as another Martha Grimes. I'll let you know how they turn out.

Friday

I got on the scale this morning for the first time in 2 weeks and despite the out of control eating I've been experiencing I was weighing in within 0.2lbs of 2 weeks ago. I should use this as incenitive to diet for a week and try to lose another two pounds. But I have that potato soup leftover that has to be eaten (it was really good, folks!) and next week is our VBS. I do have to get back into exercising again soon! I think I would be happy, though if I could maintain this weight. My clothes are fitting nice and I can still eat the things I like if I just exercise some and use some restraint. The important thing is to keep weighing because that is where I have gone off track (and gained 15lbs) before.

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Things To Do With My Kids This Summer

1. Pottery By U - done

2. Bowling - Mom took them

3. Vacation Bible School - done

4. Point Mallard Water Park - done

5. Jump Zone - done

6. Picnic in the Park - too hot

7. See Aunt Terry run her first 5mile race - done

8. Go out with cousins on the river - done

9. Free Movie

10. Go out to lunch with my Grandmother Esther - done

11. Go to Atlanta and visit Aunt Terry and do #12 & #13 - done

12. Visit Whitewater - rained out

13. Visit The Georgia Aquarium - done

Food Questions Meme

I saw this first on Crazy Dust in My Coffee.



1. Can you cook? If yes, do you like to cook? I suppose I can cook as well as the next person and this is to say I know the basics and can follow most recipes. I wouldn't mind taking a cooking class because I do enjoy cooking and would like to learn more techniques so I could tackle more difficult recipes.



2. When does the whole family come together to eat? I work a lot of evenings and usually my husband feeds the kids before I get home. When I am off work, I usually cook the evening meal and we all eat together.



3. What do you have for breakfast? If I'm going to work I'll have a WW muffin in the car. At home, with more time, I prefer cereal. Our favorite cereals include: Frosted Flakes, Cheerios, Captain Crunch, Rainsin Bran Crunch & Corn Pops.



4. When, How & Where do you eat throughout the week? Usually for lunch even if I am not working I'll have a frozen entree.



5. How often do you eat out? We usually eat supper out once a week, and I tend to eat out for lunch once every other week.



6. How often do you order in or get take-out? Usually, at least twice a week.



7. Re: #5 & #6 - If money were no object, would you eat out more often? No, it seems we eat out enough as it is.



8. Are there any standards that make a regular appearance at your table? Spaghetti and Breakfast (as the evening meal) are pretty regulars.



9. Have you ever tried a recipe from a blog? Yes, I tried the Fish With Pistaccios from Thinking About.



10. Are there any quarrells because of food? Yes, lots. I read recently that you needed to introduce a new food 8-10 times to children before they would eat it. I see the problem is that I give up long before we reach 8 times. I am definitely paying for being a picky eater as a child.



11. Are you a vegetarian or could you imagine becoming one? No. I am definitely a meat-eater though not as much red meat as my husband prefers. I am really a big chicken eater. I could not imagine giving it up. Especially, because frankly, I don't like a lot of vegetables.



12. What would you like to try that you haven't dared? I would like to go to a Chinese Buffet and try a lot of different things. My husband has only in the last year introduced me to Thai food and I am afraid to order something if I'm not sure what it is.



13. Would you rather cook or bake? Well, baking has the advantage of getting it ready and then going off somewhere else while it bakes. But I can't say I prefer either. I like easy things, though. I do not like to spend hours in the kitchen.



14. What was the most terrible mess you've ever made in the kitchen? Hmm? That one is hard. I've certainly burned a lot of things over the years. I guess mostly when I bake cakes or use the electric mixer I tend to make the biggest messes.



15. What do your kids like to eat best? J - chicken fingers (but not homemade). B - just about any pasta dish (especially if creamy). What would they never touch? Oh, the list is endless.



16. What do you dislike the most? I absolutely hate celery. And chicken livers.

Tuesday

Yesterday I worked at my other job at Wal-Mart. It was a long, hard, tiring day. I had vicious leg cramps last night and dreamed all night long about filling prescriptions. It's hard to understand then why I am seriously considering going back there full-time. The pharmacy manager at the store I have been working at for the last 3 years is moving and her position has become available. It would mean a raise of 25% over what I am making at my current job plus a bonus in the spring. Of course, there are lots of drawbacks. The work is definitely more demanding and stressful. I wouldn't have long hours to read blogs and play Mahjong. Although, I have enjoyed getting paid to do very little the long boring hours are starting to take their toll. (I also have to wonder how long my current employer will continue this operation at a loss.) Plus, my dad, tells me that you can tolerate just about anything (job-wise) for two years. In two years, if our plans work-out, Hubby will be finished with his teaching degree. Maybe, then I could go back to working part-time. Also, sometime in the next two years a new supercenter is scheduled to open up even closer to my home. I really enjoyed starting a new store once before and would welcome that opportunity again. I am starting to think about what demands I should make in order to come back. I already have 3 weeks vacation at the company. I would also like to work no more than every 4th Sunday. So, if you know me, you may be thinking I am crazy to even consider this. However, if you don't know me you may have a hard time understanding why I wouldn't take the job. At any rate, chime in with your opinion.

Nine Dangerous Words Women Use

I borrowed this from Old Horsetail Snake with his permission. I thought it really rang true.


1. Fine. This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.


2. Five Minutes. If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.


3. Nothing. This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin in Nothing usually end in Fine.


4. Go Ahead. This is a dare, not permission. Don't do it!!


5. Loud Sigh. This is not quite a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about Nothing. (Refer back to #3 for the meaning of Nothing.)


6. That's Okay. This is one of the most dangerous statements a woman can make to a man. That's Okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.


7. Thanks. Don't read anything into this. Do not question it. Do not faint. Just say, "You're welcome." Sometimes that works.


8. Whatever. V., meaning screw you!Don't Worry About It;


9. I Got It. This is something a woman has told a man to do several times but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking "What's wrong?" For the woman's response, refer to #3

8 Random Facts

My mother at Bears in Exile tagged me to do this meme. Here are the rules:



Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.People who are tagged write a blog post about their own 8 random things and post these rules.At the end of your blog you need to tag 8 people and post their names.Don’t forget to leave them a comment and tell them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.



The first thing I thought was, 'Are there 8 people reading my blog'? Then I realized if there are 8 people reading it then she tagged at least 4 of them. And I can't tag her, either. So who does that leave. I'm sorry to do this to you, because I know you've done them before and may not like it but I have to listen to my mother. I tag: Gina, Autumn's Mom, Rachel, Mel, Chichimama, Allybean, Terri & Megs. Okay, I'm not certain that last one has read my blog. But it was hard coming up with 8. Let's see how many respond.



8 Random Facts

1. I bite my fingernails. I always have. I don't really have a desire to stop, either. It only annoys other people, not me.

2. I really like to take naps. My son tries to understand this but it will take another 20 years or so for him to get it.

3. I rarely add salt to my food. Sometimes, I even forget to put it in if I'm cooking.

4. I don't like to talk on the phone. I would rather email. I think this comes from having a job for so many years that required a great deal of phone use.

5. I often let my cell phone go completely dead before remembering to recharge it. Sometimes I turn it on silent (for the dentist or church) and it's a week before I remember to change it.

6. I hate tomatoes. I don't mind them cooked in dishes or as a sauce, etc. But fresh tomatoes in a salad or on a sandwich or in my quesadillas - NO!

7. I don't spend a lot of money on clothes or shoes but I have a really nice pair of sunglasses.

8. I drive 70 miles (one way) to get my haircut. This lady has been cutting it for over 10 years and I am too chicken to try someone here in my city (plus it would be a lot more expensive). Luckily, with long hair I don't have to get it cut or permed very often.

Friday

My daughter's Kindergarten graduation was Tuesday night. I had planned to post a picture but none of them turned out real well. The graduation was fun and I didn't even cry. J's last day of school was yesterday. My kids are enrolled in a Summercare program and will attend that at least 3 days a week. They go on field trips and swim and do a little academic work. It's not school but it's not exactly summer vacation, either. They seem to have excepted the necessity of it, though. I am hoping on the two days a week I'm off work, we can do some fun stuff together. I envy SAHMs for getting to sleep late all summer, but how do you fill the time? We've got Vacation Bible School week after next. They start back to school on Aug 2, so it really is a short summer. I'm longing for a vacation.

Long Weekend

I had a nice 4 day weekend because of the holiday. Friday I went with B to Chuck E Cheese for her end of the year party. Have you been to CEC? It is really more fun than most adults can stand. We then met hubby at Beauregard's for lunch (no greasy pizza for me, thank you). Saturday, I baby-sat our friend's little boy, David, for a few hours. I drained, cleaned, and refilled the hot-tub (with the kids help). The kids and I went swimming next door (the next best thing to your own pool is a neighbor with a pool). I got the rest of my plants in the ground and watered everything. Sunday night we went to O'Charley's to celebrate J's birthday. We got him a basketball goal. We have a really large, flat driveway. We got a few balls so everyone could join in. I can't help thinking how good I might have been at basketball if the goal had only been lower. Yesterday, we all went to see Shrek III. I'm sorry, Mike, that I didn't listen to you. We should have waited for the video. We really wanted to see the new Pirates movie but since it's PG-13 didn't want to take the kids without seeing it first. We ate lunch at Casa Blanca. So overall, we had a great weekend. We got some work done, and had a lot of family time. I'm excited that I have finished planting flowers. Thanks, hubby, for fixing the sprinkler.

We have an exciting week. B's Kindergarten graduation is tonite. Tomorrow is J's end of the year party. Thursday is only 1/2 day of school. Friday they both start summer care, though.

Today is Your Birthday

Today is my son's birthday. He is 9. I'm not sure where the last 9 years have gone. At the end of nine more years he'll be 18 and ready for college. Hopefully, those years won't go by quite so fast.

I don't have any baby pictures on the computer. The above is from his 2nd birthday party. The other picture is from our trip to Disney this year.

Book Review

If you've read any of my posts about the books I'm reading then you know I don't post a traditional review. Besides the fact that I don't really know how to properly review a book there are a couple of reasons for this. I think that the folks at Amazon do a fine job of reviewing and posting reviews and I always include the link to this. Also, I don't want to tell you all about the book, just what I thought, and whether or not you should read it. I try not to include any spoilers.



I finished The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. I read about this book on somenone's blog and then my mother gave me a copy after she finished reading. I found this book very enjoyable but also somewhat depressing. The underlying theme of the book is how a moment's rash decision can not only affect the rest of your life profoundly but everyone around you. It asks a lot of tough questions. I would love to discuss this book with others because I kept wondering what would have happened if the character had did this, or this, instead. It's a good book and I recommend it. Also, if you've read this book and are interested in another book about a child with Down's Syndrome you should read Jewel by Brett Lott.



I looked at my list and realized I've read 40 books so far this year. I'm averaging 8 books a month. It may seem like I don't do anything else but I really do. I just have this somewhat boring job with very little to do. I've got to get into this used book thing, though, because I'm spending a lot on books and I've become my mother's source for books rather than she being mine.

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Plants that Grow Well in The South (Zone 7) 1. Begonias 2. Impatiens 3. New Guinea Impatiens 4. Celosia 5. Coleus 6. Hostas (perennial) 7. Marigolds 8. Mums 9. Vinca 10. Purple Secretia 11. Lilly 12. Pansies (fall planting) 13. salvia I have planted all these in my garden with great success. The secret (I believe) to beautiful flowers is water, fertilizer, and pest control.

Wednesday

Yesterday, after hearing the news of my granddaddy's death (see Tuesday's post) I went on with my plans for the day. I went for my morning walk and then headed to the plant nursery. I finally got the landscaping done that I talked about here and I needed to get some annuals planted. As usual I bought far more than I should have when you consider the work involved. The landscapers had put in a lot of mulch and I removed some of that to mulch around the trees in the front yard. I set out a lot of flowers. The hardest part (because the soil is quite easy to dig in) is watering them afterwards. I found out that in the process of removing the old bushes some damage occurred to the sprinkler system. The sprinklers are no longer watering my flower beds. So for the time being I'm going to have to water them by hand. Ughh!! My daughter, B, was a big help with the planting and watering. There is still a lot to do! But, oh, I am so sore today.

Our new furniture was delivered and hopefully somebody is coming today to haul away the old sofa. Last night, I went to Lowe's to buy a new chest freezer (one of the smaller models). My son's birthday is coming up and he wants an ice cream cake. My freezer is always so full that this would not be possible without the new purchase. I buy a lot of entrees, etc from Schwann's. I've wanted to try their frozen pizzas but didn't have the room. Also, we never have the room for ice cream. That's just wrong, folks! We put the freezer in the garage and it was cold in only a few hours. I am looking forward to filling it up.

Today, I am at work. But I'll be off for the next few days with the funeral and my scheduled off time. I have some posts worked up and I'm going to try and post them this weekend.

Tuesday

I had a post already to go for today. But just after 6am this morning my father called to let me know that my granddaddy had passed away during the night. He was 91. His health has been poor for the last few months and he has been on Hospice so this wasn't unexpected. My parents drove in this afternoon and my brother flew in tonite. We just went through all this with my other grandfather just a few months ago. Pray for my family as there is a lot of unrest between my dad's brother's and my graddaddy's wife of only 9 years.

Interview

Gina sent me these interview questions. I would love to interview you. Just leave me a note in the comments and I will send you the questions.

1. Would you still exercise, even if you didn't have to? Well, if by not having to, you mean I could maintain my weight and eat all I want without exercising, then the answer is no. I do not enjoy exercise. I like feeling good about myself for doing it. And certainly I like the health and weight benefits. But it is a chore like doing laundry to me.

2. Tea or Coffee? Well, living here in the Deep South I am a big Ice Tea Drinker (although, I prefer it unsweetened). I will occasionally drink coffee or hot tea but I really don't like either one. I do like the International Coffees to drink in the winter but really they are closer to hot chocolate than actually coffee.

3. What is your favorite board game? We aren't big game players at our house. When I was younger I really enjoyed Trivial Pursuit. The kids like Monopoly and we played it a lot growing up, too. When I was a teenager Pictionary was really big and I liked it, too.

4. What is the meal you cook most often and why? This one is tough because there are several meals that we have at our house on a regular basis. We have spaghetti pretty much every 2 weeks because it is easy and my husband's favorite. I also cook breakfast for supper frequently because the kids will eat it (and again, it's easy).

5. What are the best and worst things about where you live? The best things are how convenient it is to everything. We live within 5 hours of Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Atlanta, Birmingham and Montgomery. We live only 6 hours from the beach. The worst thing is the area is growing so rapidly and very little "city planning" has taken place. The schools and roads can't keep up with the population growth. The commercial building restrictions are very lenient and buildings are put up without a lot of regard for aesthetics. Builder's put in large housing developments and then developers come along and put in a shopping mall behind them.

7 Things That Happened To Me as a Teenager

I read this meme at Thinking About. This is a blog I read and enjoy regularly. Even though, she didn't tag me, I decided to do this one and pass it on to some of the people who read my blog.



1. When I was 14 my foster sister, Jackie, was removed from our home and sent back to her natural mother. She had been with us for almost 4 years and she was almost 4 years old. It is certainly one of the defining events in my life. The full story can be found on my mom's blog here and here and also on my dad's website here.



2. That same year my brother ran away from home for the first time. He was 17 and he continued to come and go sporadically for the next year. His behavior and the grief he caused my parents caused a very stressful time in my life.



3. I took high school chemistry in the 11th grade. I had not yet decided what career path I was interested in. I was fairly good in math and science and made excellent grades. The chemistry teacher gave me a pamplet about careers in pharmacy and introduced me to an idea I began to pursue. All these years later here I sit typing this blog as a pharmacist.



4. I encountered the world of mean girls in a big way. If you've read Haley Dimarco's book (not related to the movie of the same name) then you know some of what I lived through. I was not popular in school and I did not know what was necessary to fit in and not stand out. Looking back I know this was a blessing but at the time it was pure hell. I struggled a lot with depression but did not know how to cope with it. I was at a conference a year ago where Dimarco spoke about the subject and my mother was surprised to realize I still carried a lot of that around. I do not want my daughter to have to go through that.



5. I fell in love for the first time. We dated for 3 years and I later married someone else. But that first relationship gave me a lot of confidence. There is a country song by Blaine Larson called "Teaching Me How to Love You". The words explain how those previous relationships prepare us for the "love of our life". I don't regret the relationship but I don't regret breaking up either.



6. Because of #4 & #5 I gradually became a stronger person. I quit worrying so much about what was popular or who. I became my own person. By the time I started college I had learned to not let others get to me so much. I made friends who like me for who I was and I trying either to fit in or to stand out.



7. When I was 19 and a freshman in college my roomate tried to commit suicide. She came to the room after I was in bed that night bleeding from her wrist and intoxicated. She and I were very close at this point. This relationship was the most intimate female friendship (non-relative) I've ever had. I was ill prepared to deal with her alcoholism or depression. She survived and required surgery to repair the nerve damage. But again this tramatic event is one of the defining events in my life.



I liked this meme and would like to see some others participate: Terry, Mike, Mother.

Book Review

This week I finished reading Time and Again by Jack Finney. This book is a classic time traveler tale. It was first published in the early 1970's. The story follows Si Morley, an artist, chosen by the government for their secret project. He travels back in time to 1882. His instructions to only observe and not interact are naturally not followed. The story starts out slow giving us the background to this particular author's theory of time travel. The book begins to build suspense in the second half and leaves the reader asking for more. I enjoyed this book very much. I thought how much easier it would have been for Si to travel back in time from 1970 then from 2007. It seems to me that so much more technology has been developed in the last 30 years to seperate us from our past. This book is considered by many to be a classic time travel book. I definitely found it superior to some others I've read on that top 100 list circulating. If you enjoy time travel stories than this is a must-read.

Incidentally, Finney published a sequel to this book in 1996. I haven't read this yet but his critics do not seem to like it as well.

Favorite Time Travel Books
1. Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon
2. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine Le'Engle
3. The Mirror by Maryls Millhiser
4. Time and Again by Jack Finney
5. The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffeneger

Bloggy Break

I took a little bloggy break. I'm going to be back Friday, I think.

Superstar

You heard it here first. I am predicting the 2007 Formula One World Championship will go to Lewis Hamilton, F1's new superstar.

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Ways To Honor Your Mother (or Wife) on Mother's Day
1. A lovingly selected, addressed and mailed greeting card (hint for my brother)
2. A Phone Call (another hint for my brother)
3. A beautifully made craft (you know, if you are 5)
4. Breakfast in Bed (Cereal will do just fine)
5. Brunch at Cracker Barrel
6. Lunch at The Outback
7. Flowers
8. A Corsage to wear to church
9. Dinner at a Ol' Heidelberg (wife)
10. A few hours of quiet solitude provided by entertaining the children (wife)
11. Her very own TiVo remote (wife)
12. A hug (whether you're 5 or 50 this still works)
13. Just say "I love You"

Wikipedia

I try to learn something new once in a while if not everyday. Today I learned that Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia, is an Auburn alumnus. He graduated in 1989. To learn about other interesting facts about my Alma Mater please see the article here.

Book Update

I just finished reading The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult. This is the third book I've read by Picoult (My Sister's Keeper, Mercy)and by far the best. It is the story of Trixie Stone a 14 year-0ld girl struggling with growing up and her parents Laura and Danny and the single moment that changes their lives forever. It is a story of parental love and how far a parent will go to protect or save their child. It is the story of a child dealing with the same issues adults encounter like insecurity and self-hatred. This book made me think hard about what lies I might say to protect my offspring. The author does an excellent job of describing realistic characters with real emotions. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

Another book I finished recently is Rick Mofina's If Angels Fall. This is the third book I've read by this author (No Way Back, Be Mine) but actually the first book Mofina published. I have to say that I enjoyed this much better than the previous two I read. Mofina's central character is crime journalist Tom Reed at the San Francisco Star. The story follows the kidnapping of a young child as the story grips the city. Reed's personal life starts to crumble as he tries to solve the story of the year. The book gets very intense and the action continues with very little lull. The reader is well aware of who the kidnapper is and feels the frustration as the authorities keep chasing the wrong suspect. Can Tom solve the crime and convince the police in time to save his own family? If you like crime drama I recommend this book.

Cemetery Stroll

Sunday the kids and went for a walk through Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville. They were having their annual "Cemetery Stroll". Even though I've lived in Huntsville for 13 years I knew very little about this cemetery. It is located near the downtown area and covers 100 acres. It is huge!! Several Alabama Governor's are buried there as well as other prominent figures. The cemetary was established 1818. For this special event 60 costume figures represented the lives of historic and colorful figures buried in the historic section. We parked on the far side of the cemetary, not really knowing where to go, and therefore enjoyed quite a walk. The cemetery is well shaded with gorgeous trees. We got there toward the end and did not get to see all the historic figures but it was fun and interesting, nonetheless.

Cinco De Mayo

Did you know that Cinco De Mayo is not actually Mexican Independence Day? No, that is celebrated on September 16. Cinco De Mayo is actually the date of the Battle of Puebla. Furthermore, it is a far more significant holiday in the United States than in Mexico. In the United States we use it as an exuse to eat Mexican food and drink Margaritas. As if, we needed an exuse.

Happy Cinco De Mayo!!!

If You Had The Money...

I saw a post on blog I ran across called Everydayreading and thought this would make an interesting post.

You need to take some time and think about this: If you had unlimited funds, what are 5 things that you would spend gobs of money on? Then, what 5 things could you not see spending money on no matter how much you have. Sometimes hubby and I talk about this as a distant but still possible dream. Although, he wants enough money to live comfortably off the interest without working and I just want enough to do some things I dream about. Trust me when I say our lists would be very different.

So after much thought:
1) I would love to travel and travel in style. I've actually travelled very little in my life. I would love to go to Europe, especially Italy. I would like to have the time off work to do this for several weeks at a time with no rush. I would like to travel by air and rail in first class. I would love to stay in really, really nice hotels and be treated like royalty. Oh, and I want to go to one of those island resorts where everything is included and they provide your every need.

2) I would like to have the money to do some extensive remodeling in our house because I have about decided we will probably stay there barring any unforseen circumstances. But if I had unlimited funds I think I would have another house built from the ground up. It would be surrounded by a lot of land. It would not be extravagant but it would contain a lot of different things I long for: a theater room, a pool, a reading nook, built in shelves and lots of closets.

3) Food. Oh, Yeah! And someone to cook it for me perhaps. They just opened one of those Fresh Markets in our town and I think about whay the cook could prepare for me every night. Except of course the one or two nights we were eating out. We eat out a lot now, actually. But in my dream we would have a babysitter and we would eat out alone! And we would eat lots of good food while traveling. After all this I might need a personal trainer to lose all that extra weight.

4) Charity. I think I would give more money to my favorite causes. And then I would support every good cause that came my way. My favorite cause is Children's Miracle Network which supports our Children's Hospital here in Alabama. I also give money to my alma mater. MDA has recently become an important cause to me. I want be taken in by charities that are not doing what they claim. Check out www.give.org before you give.

5) Books. You might think I spend a lot of money on books now. But I hold back some. I would need lots of bookshelves. I wouldn't have to give away the books anymore. I could have all the classics in one of those sets like this one.

What I wouldn't spend money on.
1) Even if I had gobs of money I would not spend it on clothes for myself. I just can't see spending money on something just because it has a designer label. Is it really worth the extra $100? I don't think so. I don't think I would want more clothes either. But I might pay someone else to do the laundry. And I especially wouldn't spend hundreds on designer purses and shoes.

2) I can't see spending extravagantly on my children. I read somewhere about how birthday parties had got out of hand, costing $5,ooo and up. I do not think it is a good idea to buy a 16 year-0ld a brand new sports car. Do they need the latest computer console? I think that if gets have extravagant taste they probably need a job.

3) Along with not spending money on clothes I cannot see spending it on appearances either. Where was I reading about someone getting a $400 haircut? Huh? I mean was it really that good a haircut? I'm not opposed to splurging on a spa trip once in a while but not endless treatments to make oneself feel beautiful. And plastic surgery? To make you look younger? I'll get back to you on that one. But to enhance the bosoms? NO WAY!

4) I don't think having more money would change my jewelry tastes either. I might own more than one watch at a time. But I am happy with my wedding set and a few nice necklaces and one pair of good earrings. I don't think if I had more I would necessarily wear more.

5) Politics. I think the political system in this country has gotten out of hand. Currently seated Congressman and Senators have to spend too much time fundraising and spend too little time actually governing. Why would I spend my money to get someone elected so they could spend their time in office raising more money? The amount of money candidates spend campaigning is obscene. I don't want any part of this madness.

Well, that was actually harder than I thought and may reveal more about myself than I intended. Anyway, give it a shot if you are interested.

Happy Birthday

Today is my mother's birthday. She is 36 (just kidding!) Go to Bears in Exile and wish her a Happy Birthday!

Diet Update

This morning I weighed in with a net loss of 15.8lbs (we'll just go ahead and round that to 16). This despite the chocolate cake I had this week and the strawberry shortcake yesterday. And all the other junk I've been consuming. Maybe it is two days of exercising. Maybe it is all the water I've been drinking. At any rate, I'm feeling good about this and am going to try and stick to the diet better next week.

Nothing But Noodles

Wednesday I took the kids out to lunch (1/2 day of school) before their dentist appt. B had wanted to try Nothing But Noodles for a few months. She really wanted fettucine and they did not have any on the kids menu. They did have spiral pasta with Alfredo sauce but we all know it is not the same. I had heard the adult entrees were pretty big (and they should be for $6.19) and so I ordered the Fettucine Alfredo and added chicken (another $2) and B and I split it. It came with a bread stick. J got the kids mac n cheese which was actually spiral pasta and cheese. You order at a counter, pick up your drinks and tablewear and someone brings the food to your table. The three of us ate for about $17 but we didn't have to leave a tip. Much more expensive than fast food but still less than table service. We had enough food but it was by no means, too much. The kids enjoyed eating with chopsticks because they give kids chopstick helpers. I might have eaten with chopsticks, too, if I had some helpers. You eat on real dishes but you can't really compare it to a table service restaurant. No one comes by and refills your tea glass. It was kinda noisy in there, too. It is a popular place for the working lunch crowd. I'm not saying we won't go back but really for a little more we could have been at Maccaroni Grill and there would have been leftovers.

Book Review

In my continuing quest to read more of that top 100 list that was circulated a few months back I just finished reading S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders. This is a very short book. It is the story of Ponyboy, a "greaser" in the 1960's. It is the story of teenagers in a rough part of time who have little choice about their destiny. It was written by Hinton when she was in high school. I enjoyed it much more than Catcher in the Rye especially because the language is better. I know they made a movie about it in the '80's but I haven't seen it. If you, too, are trying to whiddle away at the Well Read list, I suggest this book.

I also read another of Martha Grimes books, Help the Poor Struggler. This is another murder mystery featuring Scotland Yard's Richard Jury and his sidekick Melrose Plant. These books keep getting better.

Tuesday

Well, I feel better now thanks to a square of Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate with White Mint Filling. What better than chocolate to cure a work induced, sleep-deprived headache?

We had a pretty good weekend. Friday, I went to the Birmingham Zoo with B's Kindergarten class. B's teacher and another Mom road down with me. The girls sat in the back and watched a movie and I enjoyed conversing with these two adults. The kids enjoyed the zoo but I thought it was a little dissapointing after seeing Animal Kingdom in January.

Saturday, Hubby went to work and I figured out how to get the kids and my bikes in the back of the Tahoe (along with the kids). We went to the local Greenway and road a couple of miles. All three of us need to work up some stamina for longer rides. It was a pleasant ride, though, and we stopped in the middle for a snack.

Saturday night Hubby came home and we met Beth and lil' David at Casa Blanca for supper. This is our fallback Mexican Restaurant because going to Rosie's on Saturday night with kids would be crazy.

Sunday Hubby worked all day again. I was feeling unsettled all day and by the time he came home I had decided against cooking supper. We tossed around some take out ideas and finally decided to go to Cheeburger Cheeburger. The food and atmosphere did nothing to improve my mood and I ate too much. I finally decided the reason for my mood was skipping exercise for several days. I've got to get back to that soon.

We watched the movie, Pirates of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest this weekend. J has been wanting to watch Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith for the last couple of months and I have been reluctant. The movie is PG13 but it is mostly the evil nature of the film that holds me back. I haven't seen it since I saw it at the theater so maybe I am remembering it too vividly. My main concern with PG13 movies is language and references to sex. The violence in Pirates did not seem that bad and the kids seemed to enjoy it. I think it all seems like make believe to them anyway. So maybe we will watch the Star Wars movie soon.

Tomorrow, the kids get out of school at 11:30 and they have a dentist appt . But first, we are going to eat at Nothing But Noodles. B has been wanting to try it for months. I'll let you know how it goes.

Monday

I know it is not Monday morning. I worked at that other job yesterday. And I mean I WORKED. I feel slightly hung over this morning. I worked all night long in my sleep, also. I need to catch up on my blog reading and hopefully post a regular post today. And I need a nap. Naps should be allowed at work, shouldn't they?

My Personality

My Personality

Neuroticism	20
Extraversion	29
Openness To Experience	16
Agreeableness	68
Conscientiousness	79

You are introverted, reserved, and quiet with a preference for solitude and solitary activities. Your socializing tends to be restricted to a few close friends. You are generally calm and composed, reacting moderately well to situations that most people would describe as stressful. As a practical person you like to think in plain and simple terms. Others describe you as down-to-earth, practical, and conservative. You have a strong interest in others' needs and well-being. You are pleasant, sympathetic, and cooperative. You set clear goals and pursue them with determination. People regard you as reliable and hard-working.

Test Yourself Compare Yourself View Full Report Click here to take the most insightful personality test.

Snack

Do you like granola bars? I've got to tell you about this granola bar someone told me about. I don't want you to think I'm endorsing a product or anything. But I tried it and I really liked it, and I thought you would to.

FiberOne Chewy Bars (oats & chocolate) are only 2 points on Weight Watchers. They are much more filling than the Quaker granola Bars I usually eat. They're wonderful and contain 9g of dietary fiber. I'm not saying they will replace a meal. (Who would replace a meal with a bar anyway?) But as a snack to tie you over from lunch to supper they fit the bill. There are only 5 in a box, though, so you pay a bit more. But I think they are worth it.

Thursday Thirteen

As a twist on the Thursday Thirteen I decided to participate in Thankful Thursday. My Mother over at Bears in Exile has been doing this for some weeks.

I am thankful for:

1) The wonderful treatment I received at the doctor's office yesterday

2) Feeling Better today

3) B sitting in the bed with me last night reading One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

4) Hubby taking the time away from work to take me to the doctor

5) J actually answering with "Yes, Ma'am" yesterday

6) Schwann's man delivering unexpectedly Tuesday night

7) White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies from 6)

8) 301 Useless Facts that my husband is using to entertain us

9) My job where I actually had the option of calling in sick

10) Much needed Rain

11) Hot showers when you feel bad

12) The Hallmark Channel

13) Having another 3 day weekend.

Books

I finished reading The Grapes of Wrath this weekend. I know that a lot of people read this one in high school but I missed it somehow. I read East of Eden back in January and really enjoyed it, so I thought I would give this one a try. I'm still trying to strike off more books from that ridiculous top 100 list someone put out.

Grapes of Wrath is the story of the Joad family. The Joad's are forced off the land they had been sharecropping when the big land owners realize they can farm the land cheaper without them. The story is set during the depression in the great dust bowl of Oklahoma. The Joads are enticed to pack up all they own and venture out to California for the promise of work. When they reach California they realize that thousands of people have come west with the same idea. There is very little work and the people are unwelcome. The Joads had always been poor but now they face possible starvation. They are hard-working people who only want a chance to earn a decent wage. They are harrassed by law-enforcers and cheated by everyone. Their story is of survival and hardship and the kindness of strangers.

The book drags a bit in the beginning but then begins to roll along. Steinbeck's writing style sometimes goes off on tangents of narratives not part of the story. The book will remind you of how tough things have gotten in the past making today's troubles seem trivial. The book does seem to end without any resolution. The reader is left wondering if the Joad's will survive. Overall, it was a very good book. I recommend it to anyone who has not yet read it.

Strange Minds?

I got this interesting tidbit from Old Horsetail Snake. I am not sure where he got it but I found it very itnernetsig.

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too:

I cdnulo't blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. Pniotnig to the phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to rsceearh at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are; the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteers be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig, huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

(Did you know that olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can raed taht?)

Diet

Well, I gained a little weight this week. This was to be expected after I got a little carried away this week. Nothing like a good loss to inspire you to eat. And also, I skipped a couple of days exercising. Anyway, I got myself back under control yesterday. I ended up with only a 0.4lb gain. Yesterday, after I decided to get back on track I went to the new Fresh Market in South Huntsville. There were lots of wonderful things in there to eat. I was regretting that I decided to behave. I got out with just some fresh fruit and bread. Also, they had roses for $7.99/dozen so I treated myself. At any rate this weekend I am back on schedule and back to points tracking.

15.8lbs

Princess Confessions

Mom101 wrote a post on April 16 about Barbie Confessions (I can't seem to link to the actual post). I thought about how I didn't want my daughter playing with Barbie's either. ( I wrongly assumed with my infant daughter that I would have some say in the matter.) I think I was really disillusioned as a child by the whole Cinderella myth. I mean I really did keep waiting for my Prince in college. He finally did come around but not til I was 23. But I digress.

I grew up a tomboy. I have an older brother but I don't think that he is entirely to blame. I grew up in the country in a rural area. I proudly wore my brother's hand-me-downs until I was old enough to know better. I climbed trees and played a lot in the woods. I was a Girl Scout. I wore jeans everywhere but to church. I was a tomboy. When other girls started carrying purses and wearing lipstick in 5th grade I was like, "Why?" I still wear jeans most of the places I go. I carry a small pocketbook. I wear sneaker's everywhere too. See this post for more details.

So imagine my surprise when instead of another tomboy I beget a "girlie girl". Sometimes I don't know what to do with her. I think though that it must skip a generation. My mother paints B's nails because I don't own any nail polish. B loves dresses. She loves to shop. I remember when we were looking for a Halloween costume a few years ago she asked if she could have new shoes to go along with it.

I had some pretty naive ideas about the differences in the sexes and how much of their environment influences a child's personality. I wanted my children to be intellectuals. To grow up believing women could do anything and men could, too. My son started to play with cars at age 2 and I believe it is still (at age 8) one of his favorites. My daughter loves dolls, and dress-up, and barbies, and Lord Please Forgive me - Princesses. All this despite any environmental influences I tried to make.

But I hope that instead of finding out that the dream of Cinderella is just a dream and being somehow negatively influenced by the body image of Barbie, my daughter will take away other lessons. I hope she will see that her mother is a strong independent woman who balances career and family. I hope my son will see how much his father respects and loves his wife and how much he contributes to raising a family.

And so if my daughter wants to grow up and be a stay-at-home mother like her grandmother I think I can accept that. (Of course she will still be required to complete her degree first.) Just as long as she doesn't want to grow up and be a princess.

Books

I finished reading Memoirs of a Geisha last week. I know, I know most of you read this book last year. I am late to the party again. I don't usually go for books listed on the best seller list. I usually want someone I trust to recommend the book first. Anyway, this was a really good book. It was well researched and written. It was very descriptive. I really felt transported to Japan and to the life these girls led. I saw the movie on Friday night. I was dissapointed as usual. The movie mostly followed the book but a lot was left out or condensed. If I had seen the movie first I probably would not have read the book. So if you haven't yet seen this movie, read the book instead.

I also read Catcher in the Rye. I am trying to go back and read some classics that I've missed. I was dissapointed when someone published a list of 100 greatest books that I had not even read half. Well I've read two of Salinger's books now (Frannie and Zooey). I am at a loss as to why this author is considered such a genius or why Cacher in the Rye is considered such a classic. The book is a first person chronicle of a couple of days in the life of a rich, discontented prep school student in 1950's New York. The language alone is a big turn off. It seems every other phrase out of this kid's mind is riddled with cursing. I've read it is a story of teen angst but I've read better. It was only 200 pages but I had to read another book along with it to keep from giving it up. (I was somewhat determined to cross it off the list, once I had purchased the darn thing.) I wonder if Salinger had not become such a recluse and had continued to write if this book would still be held as a classic. Does anyone else out there have an opinion on this?

I am back to a good murder mystery now.

Five Things Meme

I got this one from my SIL at Road Rage.

1. What are five things that give you physical pleasure?
a. hubby
b. my hot tub
c. chocolate
d. holding my children
e naps

2. What are five things that immediately make you angry?
a. people driving while on the phone
b. people who write out checks in the check-out line
c. cashiers who do not greet you
d. when my children lie
e. being woken up unnecessarily from a nap

3. What are five things that make you automatically happy?
a. holding my hubby's hand
b. relaxing in my hot tub
c. reading a good book
d. seeing my children smile
e. a beautiful fall day

4. What are five things that make you instantly sad?
a. hearing about suicide bombers
b. my children's dissapointment
c. hearing of the death of a child
d. seeing my house a mess
e. a sad book or movie

Just for fun I added number 5. Cause shouldn't it have 5?
5. What are five things that make you gag?
a. celery
b. liver
c. smell of skunk
d. snails
e. road kill

I'm not tagging anyone. If you are interested than put it on your blog! If not, just don't.

Diet Update

16.2 lbs and probably the lowest I've weighed in at least 7 years. Add to that, I tried on those Levi's or "skinny jeans" this morning. They fit!! I'm feeling pretty good about all that.

No-Bake Banana Pudding

This is the recipe as it appears at allrecipes.com.

INGREDIENTS
8 ounces sour cream
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups whole milk
1 (16 ounce) package vanilla wafer cookies
4 bananas, peeled and sliced
DIRECTIONS
In large bowl combine sour cream, whipped topping, pudding mix and milk. Stir well. In the bottom of a trifle bowl or other glass serving dish, put a layer of cookies, then a layer of pudding mixture, then a layer of bananas. Repeat until all ingredients are used. Refrigerate until serving.

I actually make this using the Pepperidge Farm Chessman cookies as a user suggested. I will also tell you that you should mix the milk and pudding first and then add cool whip and sour cream. I always use Skim Milk, light sour cream and lite cool whip because this is what I have and it works fine.

If you like bananas and creamy goodness, you will love this dessert. It is so easy! I usually make it the night before so the cookies will soften some. I bet it is good with pineapple but I haven't yet tried it.

Thursday Thirteen

I wanted to do a Thursday Thirteen but couldn't think of an idea. I read all my favorite blogs and no one has posted one yet. So I'm gonna wing it. My hubby is going camping this weekend and perhaps because of poor planning my kids are spending Friday night at Grandma's. So I have all day Friday and Saturday to myself. I have had some time coming up with what to do, so here are some ideas.

13 Things To Do on My 3 Day Weekend

1. Watch a movie - Memoirs of a Geisha - done. It wasn't as good as the book.
2. Prepare my SS lesson - done.
3. Go visit Joy who just had a baby girl -done.
4. Get a haircut - done.
5. Go to my cousin Shane's wedding reception - done.
6. Eat - done.
7. Play StarWars II while kids are gone to Grandmas - done, done.
8. Exercise - done.
9. Nap - done.
10. Take kids out to brunch on Sunday - done, Cracker Barrell, very good.
11. Enjoy my clean house while kids are gone - done. House stayed clean until Sunday.
12. Do laundry (you just can't escape it!) done. Finished it all on Friday.
13. Eat some more - done.

Concentrate

Getting bored there at work reading blogs? Try this. Be careful, it is somewhat addictive.

Landscaper - Rant

I am still upset this morning over a conversation I had last night. I thought I would share it with you to get it off my chest. Maybe you can console me.

In the past we have hired a certain man to do some landscaping work for us. This man is somewhat of a rural fellow with a small operation. He layed some sod in our backyard and this winter planted some trees. He did some work for our neighbor and we recommended him to a friend. This spring I asked him to come by and give me an estimate on some landscaping I wanted to have done. He said he would call back that evening. Instead he called at 6:30am and left a message with my husband (rather than talking to me directly) with some numbers. I looked the numbers over and decided on some but not all the work and gave him a call. I tried to get him twice before I left a message. I then called and left another message a week later. Meanwhile, the trees are leafing out and I am getting anxious to get planting. I had pretty much given up on him calling back.

He calls last night and I told him what I wanted done and could he review the numbers he gave me because I no longer had the paper with the quotes. My husband then got on the phone to talk to him about the trees he had planted. One of the trees was apparently partly buried in dirt and was suffering accordingly. He had not staked the trees when they were planted. Hed didn't seem to think it was his responsibility if they died. He agreed to stake them for us for an additional $20 per tree.

When I got back on the phone I told him I could not find the message with the estimate. He apparently did not record his estimates in anyway and could not give me them again. He then said that he normally liked to get on a job right away following an estimate and not wait a month like I did. I reminded him that it took two messages and 3 weeks for him to call me back. He said he had been busy on other jobs and didn't see the point in calling me until he had time to do the job. He became very agitated with me. I told him we had not had problems with him in the past but I had know way of knowing what to pay him. I gave him a number that I thought was what he quoted and he said that was too low. I asked him if when he got out here would he give me another estimate and he said, no. He was not coming out to my house unless it was to do the work. I said I wanted him to do the work but wanted to know what to write the check for. He said to call him if I found the estimate and hung up.

Now, I didn't like the way this man had talked to me on the phone. Up until now, I had found him friendly and accomodating. I am not accustomed to dealing with business in this manner, however. If he had returned my call, maybe I would have hung on to the paper. Or perhaps, if he had called and talked to me with the estimate I could have given him the go ahead then. I could hardly sleep last time I was so upset. I don't think I will do business with him again but would like to hear your input. I need to go calm down now. Too bad, I can't have a glass of wine at work.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

I just finished reading Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. This book met a very important criteria for a good book. I became totally immersed. I was there with the characters and they became my friends.

The book is told from the perspective of an 80 year old woman looking back on her life. She grew up in rural China during the 1800's. The book is the story of two women's friendship that began when they were children and continued throughout their lives. The book gives very good descriptions of Chinese life including the practice of foot-binding, marrying-in, and the position of women in society. It is a short book but it is filled with intense emotion. I highly recommend it.

Easter Sunday

We had a pleasant Easter Sunday. My Daddy was not feeling well on Friday and decided not to make the trip to Alabama. His presence was missed.

We had a good service Sunday at our home church, Whitesburg Baptist. After church, we had the usual ham/potato salad/baked bean dinner. I had created a treasure/Easter egg hunt for the kids. The Easter Bunny (or his nemesis Santa Claus) does not visit our house. Instead I prepared a bucket of goodies for the kids and hid it in the house. I made up some clues and hid them in plastic eggs. The kids had to find each egg until it led to their surprise. They were more excited by the hunt then the treasure at the end.

We woke up to a cold morning. The temperature had dipped below freezing Saturday night. Very unusual for April. Just last Sunday, the daytime temp had been in the 80's. We had to wear coats over our new Easter attire. The kids were not interested in going outside to hunt eggs. I think they got this out of their system a few weeks ago.

Sunday afternoon was restful. Nobody wanted to eat leftovers that evening. We ordered from China Dragon. We are starting to be regular customers. Everyone wanted some of the banan pudding I made, though.

This morning I am feeling unusually tired. Too much sugar? Maybe just having to go to work when the kids get another day off. I hope I have a good week.

He is Alive!

He is Risen, He is risen indeed.

1On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' " 8Then they remembered his words.

Luke 24:1-8

Spring Projects

1. Clean Out Garage - done
2. Clean Curtains - done
3. Clean Refrigerator -done
4. Clean off Porch/Furniture - done
5. Organize SS supplies/crafts - done

Books

I just finished reading Queen of the Broken Hearts by Cassandra King. I had already read several of her books and had enjoyed them immensley. This new novel was good but not the thought-provoking, fully immersing novel that The Sunday Wife and The Same Sweet Girls were. Do you know how most novels (especially mysteries) have a story with a definite beginning and an ending where hopefully there is resolution of a problem (or solving of a crime)? Occasionally, I read a novel where the entire book is the chronicles of someone's life and maybe the character comes to a conclusion and a story is worked out or maybe not. East of Eden, although a really good book, is a good example of that. The story is the story, in otherwords. This book falls under that category.

I also recently read another Minette Walters novel, The Scold's Bridle. It was a murder mystery like most of her other novels. This one drug a bit and didn't really keep my attention well. It had a good mystery and I did not figure out 'Whodunnit' but it was not as compelling as what I have previously read including: The Dark Room, Acid Row, & The Scuptress.

I also read another Kinsey Milhone novel by Sue Grafton, D is for Deadbeat. I am really starting to enjoy these alphabet mysteries and look forward to reading through the entire alphabet. I believe she is already up to S.

I've got quite a few books to read on my shelf courtesy of Amazon.com. I am going to try and read some classics that I have previously overlooked. I just started Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and so far it is really good. I'll tell you more later.

Friday

I had a good couple of days off, though we were very busy. Wednesday. Mother and I took a long walk then went to WM to buy groceries. After returning the groceries to my house we went to eat lunch at Terranova's. In order to stay true to our dieting we each had a side salad and split the cannelloni. It was very good. After lunch we shopped for a while at Kohl's and then drove around looking at real estate.

Thursday I had a meeting with the insurance man at 8:45 followed by a VBS meeting at 9:30. Following those meetings we drove to Arab to take my foster sister, Jackie, out to lunch. We ate lunch at a little restaraunt in Arab. I had potato soup and a half sandwich. We were both tired after we drove back to my house and we had a little nap.

SIL showed up around 4pm and spent several hours playing with the kids. We ordered pizza and mom, SIL, and I spent an hour at the table talking. We then watched a movie.

I pulled something in my back yesterday and I was feeling quite sore. I did not do my exercise and was feeling a little guilty about that. I weighed in this morning 0.4lbs lighter, though. Isn't it funny how if you work really hard you might not lose and other weeks you over indulge and losse 0.4lbs?

At 7am this morning I remembered I didn't have to leave the house as early to be at work because a) kids are out of school and b) it is a federal holiday so I slept an extra 20 minutes. I left work and went by Publix to pick up some bananas for the pudding I'm making for Sunday. Traffic was very light.

Everyone who is off work or school today have a great holiday! Everyone enjoy your Easter!

Good Friday

Today is good friday or Good Friday depending on your perspective. Today is the day we recognize in history as the day Our Lord, Jesus Christ was crucified. Today I am thankful that Jesus died for my sins so that I might have eternal life.

Please see this link for an obituary.

Bloggers in the House!

My mother (Bears in Exile) and SIL (Road Rage - Little Trucker) are visiting. My Daddy is coming on Friday. Can you count to five? That's right. Five adults = five laptops.

Tuesday

We had a really good restful weekend. Friday I cleaned off the porch and washed the outside furniture. I washed sheets and curtains. I am feeling really good about all that. Friday night we had Chinese because we recently learned there is a decent place that delivers to our door.

Saturday, B had a birthday party at Jump Zone. While she was at the party I went to pick up trash. My homemaker's club has adopted a mile of residential road on Eastview in Madison. I decided with the large hill I had to climb and the repeated bending over this would count as my exercise for the day. I walked the mile picking up trash in both directions. It was a good day for this, warm with a nice breeze. Near the end of my second mile a resident of the street came out and brought me a bottle of water and said, "Thanks". After my shower and nap I went out and bought 2 new sofas and got J's haircut.

Saturday night we went to dinner at Greenbriar Restaraunt (the original location next to the old gin) not to be confused with Greenbriar Barbecue. As a family we really like Greenbriar. The wait for a table is short, the service is quick, the food is good. It is a family, slightly rustic place and priced right. They have good barbecue and catfish. The hushpuppies are never-ending.

Sunday after church I did my workout and then took a nap. It was a good nap. Sunday evening I even cooked supper.

Monday I had to work at that other job of mine. It was a long day. I dreamed about it all night long. I am thankful to have a nice restful day at my regular job today to make up for it.

Of course, I got off my diet on the weekend. Friday morning, though I was weighing in at my alltime low of 14.8lbs net loss. I was feeling really good about that. This morning I snuck a peak at the scale and I had lost another 0.5lb. Feeling really great about that!

Mom is on her way to vist for a week or so and SIL will be spending Thurs & Fri at our house. Easter is coming up this weekend. Let the eating begin.

Birthday Meme

I got this from AllyBean at Crazy Dust in My Coffee.

1. Go to Wikipedia and type in your birthday, month and day only.
• December 3
2. List 3 events that occurred on that day.•
• 1818 - Illinois becomes the 21st US state
• 1925 - George Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F is premiered at Carnegie Hall,
• 1947 - Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire opens on Broadway.
3. List 3 important birthdays.
• 1937 - Bobby Allison - famous race car driver
• 1947 - Ozzie Osbourne - singer
• 1965 - Katarina Wit - figure skater
4. List 1 death.
• 1894 - Robert Louis Stevenson
5. List a holiday or observance. (if any)
• International Day of Disabled Persons
6. Tag 5 other bloggers.
• I am tagging my SIL, my MOM, and AtHomeDaddy

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen random thoughts:
1. I am not having the best day.
2. Yesterday, I blew off my diet and went a little crazy. I drank a strawberry cream slushie, I ate a Reese's peanut butter egg, I ate french fries. It was all worth it.
3. Despite blowing off my diet yesterday, I am back on it today.
4. On Tuesday my daughter learned to ride her bike just like that. I took pictures. She smiled alot!
5. J's teacher called me from school a little while ago to tell me J had fallen and warped his glasses. Again. The spare pare he broke last Monday. Now I am going to have to go to WM after work and see if they can be fixed because he is taking SAT's this week.
6. It is amazing how quickly everything is blooming and turning green. Last week there were no leaves on our Japanese maple and this week you can no longer see the plastic eggs hanging there.
7. My neice's birthday is Sunday and my mother just reminded me this morning and I was lucky enough to have some greeting cards at work and my checkbook. I quickly dashed off a card and check to her.
8. Yesterday I drove to Albertville to visit my grandfather who is not doing well. He is bedridden and on Hospice. He called me by name.
9. I payed the bills this morning. We are still in the black.
10. Next week, my mother is coming for a visit.
11. Pilates is going well. I am almost ready to try the advanced workout. Almost.
12. Tomorrow I am going to clean off my porch, wash my car, and buy a sofa.
13. I am off the next three days!

Tuesday

Yesterday, at about 3pm I was reading my book and enjoying my lunch. I was thinking ahead to Tuesday, my day off. I was planning to exercise and then drive to Albertville to visit my ailing grandfather. I thought I would cook some chicken for supper. I was feeling pretty good about all that. Then I remembered! I had switched days off this week and I am scheduled to work on Tuesday. Had to shift gears. (Thank goodness I rememembered, though). Okay so now I am going to visit grandparents on Wednesday. Here I am at work again for which feels like the 5th day in a row.

Fw: Terminations

There is nothing like getting an email from your boss with the word terminations in the subject line to make your heart go all a flutter.