TO OTHERS, WITH LOVE

Our 11 days of Christmas blessed us with soooo much but hearing the news while out of the country about the mall shooting, how McAfee was allowed back over here, then the shooting of young innocent children in Connecticut, another shooting at a hospital wounding 4....I was ashamed and embarrassed somewhat to be from this country.

So with such a tragedy as this, in lieu of a posting about our trip, I will only leave these photos until Christmas is over. I pray for comfort at this time to the parents of these children, other children to feel safe again, and the troubled youth afflicted by whatever traumatic experiences that cause them to do such things to be able to obtain help. Being an NRA member, I am for modification of gun laws. Raised to respect firearms and lock them up (and needing them for country, rural, and hunting purposes), I don't see a need for assault type fire arms.

Till then, I hope this Christmas brings us peace and love above all things and hope to become a mentor for troubled youths at the very least.

CHRISTMAS LISTS

I don't know why it always seems soooo slow to reach Christmas through the year and then when we hit the month of December....it's magically accelerated at an alarming pace. And no wonder everyone starts decorating before Thanksgiving. It gives them more time to do that along with the shopping, cmas cards, mailing gifts, dry cleaning, hitting parties, and heaven knows it takes us 3 days to do a tree around here since I have to unwrap each ornament but not this year! With opting to do a vacation in the Caribbean, I decided to forego the tree, candles, garlands, etc. and just throw some wreaths on the outside of the house and tie a red ribbon around the afghan hound standing on my mailbox :}

Did get a lot done like the dry cleaning, some packing, rental car, house sitter, kennel reservations, and even hit my first Christmas party etc. but I feel like Stan in Southpark :l  Eeeeeewwwwweeetttt :P  Lol....I'm not sure how I feel about spending a warm Christmas in the Caribbean. It's been 15 yrs since we were alone on one without dogs, kids, grandkids, friends, working, or something :l  Who am I going to sing silly songs to and skip with?!?

I don't even know what my reviews on it all will be yet but just hope all will be good on the home front. Hoping they don't raise our taxes in congress because it's been nice to have the extra money to update things and take the extra trips :} I do know I will miss the grandkids beaming with happiness, worry about the dogs, and I was impressed with how my son-in-law and daughter made them attend each dinner seating so we could all be together on our cruise with them this past April :)  It was hard chasing them down on the ship though with the shattered arm on pain meds to watch them play and get photos of them :/

So we will dance, have our private flight with tropic air over the great blue hole, and heaven knows what else. I think we will just 'wing it' most days and really enjoy not having a list of things to do! :D  For now, I already started my 'January's List' on things to resume or pick up :}

ALL CLEAR

All was quiet and clear from any family dramas this holiday. We're not that big on Thanksgiving anyway nor do we like turkey. We did roast one for the dogs and enjoyed creole foods mostly this long weekend along with short trips out of town like Clarksdale and around the blues trail areas. We visited my favorite boat spot and did some light shopping (after that Black Friday mess). I love the new Lynyrd Skynyrd CD "Last of a Dying Breed" I stumbled upon accidentally looking to replace a couple of older ones I loaned to a high school friend (they were damaged in a wreck he had when we first moved here). He was one of the few who would drive the distance out here because he loved the road too :}

It was hard going through both my girls birthdays this month and not having their phone numbers to wish them happy birthday. My youngest granddaughter in Okinawa did write me this week so I can't wait to write her back and send her something (hope she don't grow up like her mom or aunt and hold grudges or decide to permanently not like me :{). I also have to send the magazines we bought for our adopted soldier off too and they, along with last week's letter, will probably get to him before the Swiss Colony sausages do :/  It takes a good while for packages to reach those military addresses but I'll keep them rolling out of here every time I get a chance to hang in my office.

And nothing like a little fan mail with stamps, stickers for their families, packages, CD's, blank cards, snacks and stuff to keep their spirits up. Or at least their minds occupied and pass the time by quicker. We discussed how lucky we are to live in this country and only in america can 2 throw away teens pull themselves up from nothing and nowhere. I remember signing my own report cards in HS and sad no one cared about my good grades. But I put myself through college and I've done way more living than others I've known that I've left behind (or had rolled away from lol :D  Whatever :l). Jim and I joked, walked, laughed at the dogs, enjoyed the weather and nature, and had a lot of in-depth discussions this past week.

The nights have been below freezing so I guess all is clear to start packing early and move them out of my way, then put the rest in my other closet. We want to just take the dogs with us next fall to the Smokies on one of our vacation weeks and hit some flea markets, enjoy the vivid colors of fall there, and hike with the dogs (if we can stay out of surgery :/). I miss the trips to my grandparents home in Virginia as well as their smoked hams they would send during the holidays. And there isn't much family left anymore so there is no need to really hang here for the holidays. So all is clear on that front and it is the perfect time to start a new tradition.

And all was clear for Jim to bust out singing 'Family Tradition' by Hank Williams on that discussion ;).

JAUNTING AHEAD

Wow! Was it ever a beautiful clear day when we hit the city last weekend! I was only able to get this photo of the seasons color changes (Jim had to reboot the phone later) but our trip was good. My salesperson who has sold us stuff for something like 5 yrs now had taken photos (below), emailed me, and even called me because she knows what we own and what I like. This made the trip successful and easy on us since it's almost a 2 hour trip into Memphis. So heading for our goal out of here...I got the media chest below, 2 foyer tables (Jim picked out the one for the upstairs landing so he could put the coffee tray on in order to open the door :l), silk trees, dressing mirror, etc. We will just finish up the reno's we've already started, repair what we need to, and the house will be ready to show. Then we can jaunt on outta here.

Master bedroom under TV1

Dinner with Paula was awesome too while we where in the city. Nothing like 2 old school Memphis ladies gabbing and giggling over dinner and drinks discussing the city's 'yesteryear' through the 60's and 70's (and cool to learn she worked for a congressman in Washington before returning home). Better to have one's personal company as opposed to emails, cards, letters, phone calls, and dear lord...Facebook :/  I hardly go on there anymore. Jim helped me decide to change our life insurance policies because attorneys aren't going to go into FB to notify my daughter if something every happened. Not to mention her living in Okinawa without a phone and 5 kids would really make her inaccessible to deal with all of our stuff if something should happen to us both at the same time. The church, his grandson, and Paros (yes, things are going to the dogs here lol!). My policies anyway.

So reviewing this year with the shattered arm, lost first adult tooth, Jim's thrombosis, and my dizzy spells which one had me come home from Grenada Thanksgiving shopping last night, (not to mention the dogs sick), I really do think moving is the best thing and our health issues have arisen from the crop dusters (which have been driving me crazy this week). I may can blame ATT for the fall off the table from having to pull unused phone cords up trying to troubleshoot the internet this past spring but the dizziness and shattered bone came from something else. And should've just 'broke', not shattered.

Special order (comes with house lol)

And mentioning ATT, I finally heard from them. I mentioned in an early blog I haven't received a bill from them (which has been about 3 months ago) and thought they were throwing me a bone over here from all that I've gone through to troubleshoot the no speed issue (and dubbed "The Death Crawl") at .2 and .6 mbps :/  It wasn't even a bill. It was a shut off notice with the amount totaling 3 months :o  They should see I pay my bills on time every month for years (except the month someone I knew passed and the surgery/cruise with grandkids month). They said they would give me a $3.50 credit for each bill :l  I told them to stick that credit in their file cabinet because they are the ones who messed up on that (as usual...something they screw up and she laughed worriedly thinking I was going to say ass :). So I paid it in full and told them to send me a label for the modem so I could return it. They said I could write the office because they see where I've been calling them with issues EVERY month for the past 2 years :l  Omg! How inept this was never resolved long before now! Verizon home phones are less than $25 a month btw (you your number and only one base uses phone jack...rest is satelite) and it has everything ATT has. And I got 2 neighbors who dropped ATT already so now :P

Although it's a month early, we got our first freeze temps so I'm going to go ahead and pack my summer stuff for the trip. Jim also brought in the plants and I'm finishing up some crochet products (some say "What's on my hook..." in their blog. Mine is more like "What's on each hook or needle" since I have all sizes lol...but 2 snoods done, another lap afghan, and other stuff in the progress...freeforms etc.). I am looking for some of these 'Ancient Earth Echoes' fiber embellishments for an afghan hound head in browns and golds (with burlap and cheesecloth) I want to start but think they've gone out of business :(((((  I can't remember (thanks to crop fields and ATT :P) where I got them 4 yrs ago. Dollmaker's Ink, Joggles, Ribbon Smyth, or somewhere in the US I know. Not my places abroad like Stef Francis, The Silk Route, etc. But already started doing some ribbon roses for more elegant masks and one with mink tails. Out of ermine and low on tails but they're not in the budget with Jim being out, the furniture, the trip, holidays, etc :(

Speaking of missing my budget was the beautiful, must own Rose Taft gown a couple of posts or so below. A grand more than I expected (I have to admit...I've never owned anything more than 2k...not even a fur...but there's a first time for everything and with some patience, extra budgeting, and unloading some stuff maybe on ebay lol...  I won't sleep until it's in one of my closets. Not even the crop dusting will erase that thought ;). But with knowing it's made of horse hair (not the kind for hat bands and stuff....but woven into fabrics that hold shape really well and used a lot for upholstry...more expensive than silk and is probably the lining or underneath petticoat) and she probably is a designer for the stars or something :l  Whoa! I'm hopping my dumb southern bunny tail outta here on that lol...

Out of brown, golds, blacks

But not without mentioning Jim and the 'Blow Up Doll' at Hancock Fabrics :l  Oh yeah, lol! When he asked me why I don't make a dress...I mentioned that embroidery, buckram masks, and wall art with raw edge applique is very different than garment makers perfect seaming, tools, jargon (like 'yoke' and whatever else I can't remember from home ec...forgive me Mother Teresa and Ms. Cooper from boarding school :/)...and yes...that mannequin dressmakers use. He goes "Ohhhh. The Blow Up doll at your fabric store!"  :l   :l  Omg!! Is that where he goes the few times he will get out of the car when we are in there?!? Blow up doll?!? In hancock?!?  He goes "Yeah...you change her boobs and stuff."  Omg, omg!!  That's when I had to go find the correct term....'form' lol!!! Can't have him go around life calling it a damn 'blow up doll'!!!! :D  Still ~rolling~ :D

Now back to focus. Just breathe :} Especially when I am in Grand Cayman's Bacarat store. Just think of my goals. And just use my Joy Montano and Ann croft ribbon books for buckram prom and mardi gras ball masks for now and grab the new book by Candace Kling "The Artful Ribbon" later (I am having to postpone my vow renewal and wearing the blue gown for Jim. At least there's a new blog site to follow, ribbonpetals). Check expiration dates on my dyes and how much leather and silk velvet I have (may not be able to have enough masks for this mardi gras because of all these factors, it comes early this Feb, and other stuff going on :( ). See how to open an ebay store, book a room night before cruise, set up house sitter, recall dog sitter at Swan Kennels (how I wish I had a house sitter not afraid of dogs :( ), parking, Terminix pest control coming monday, just got box for Direct Thurs so mail it off on Tues when I go back out of town for thanksgiving dinner and refill prescriptions, look for my taffeta shipment (omg...for only $12/yd out of Denver Fabrics! Same price I get my dupioni or chiffon :) I guess I could just go where I got my dyes from (Jacquard is one) and see about how long the expiration dates come about but I have a lot of different types of dyes :\). Oh! And read up on the last year's camera I got  functions a bit more. Omg. Just breathe :} Oh hell, maybe not the air here :/

That's enough things to do for immediate future and reasons enough to 'jaunt' outta here to a smaller place near a city so I can incorporate help be it dog groomers, less house to clean, no crop dusters, good doctors, no hurricanes, flooding, etc. Ohhh God Bless those in NY and NJ! The guys were all up there helping and I never knew about behind the scene set ups of banks and pharmacies before until now. Just Fema and how other states help with power repairs. Also saw that Nat Geo show on Sandy. It was way bigger than Katrina. It may take us a while to get out of here but a year is my plan. At least the floor, floodlights, and sheetrock is finished in the masterbath but is there anywhere that's safe?!?

We almost have perfect credit that will enable us to obtain a 0% financed vehicle by next fall. We should have everyone paid off by then and although the Miata only has 65k miles on it...it's getting old along with the other van my father bought us (and the Toyota that was sold). It will be the first car/suv Jim has bought since I've met him :l (lol...it's his turn woooooo hooooo!! :D).

Video for now of Sky Lake trip pictures last Jan. Finally learned to work Corel VideoStudio Pro software I bought a year or two ago. Like it better than windows and maybe HP Media Smart so far but a bit more complex :}

May this week's holiday jaunts be safe and delightful for everyone...especially in NY, NJ, and between Isreal and Gaza Strip. There are worse places to be than here right now.

PAST FORWARD

Not much today other than a bit relieved no republican in the house to squeeze us financially dry but I hope Obama doesn't fight the house and schmoozes them. More flies with honey ;)

Just did a video set to photos I took last year and this year highlighted main events (Annabelle, Aurora, Mana, little brother, friends, trips, around house). No water, shattered arm, mom's death, tornadoes were the worst of it but there was a lot of great things too. The paintings, trips, grandkids, niece and nephew, little brother, friends, etc. Still another trip and a gown whose style just seems like it was made for me! And it will be lol. As soon as we head out of town this weekend to remeasure :/

So looking back in the past 2 years with photographs set to my Coldplays Xylo Myloto CD (cuts Paradise and Charlie Brown set to my graphics)....we move forward with Obama in charge (still have issues with a couple of things :/).

CROP DUSTING

Behind me up lane.

Today I picked up where I left off. With Jim back to work and ATT fixed (and thanks to them...so far no bill...and it should be that way for much longer), I came online to see about boosting the router to get games, TV's, and computers online to update them, review policies between Obama and Romney, and check the water report because Jim was complaining of headaches right along with me while he was home. He thought since we didn't take in our 8 jugs of cooler water and relied on tap water that it was the source of his additional illness. I kept saying it's the crop dusters because it's all I heard and noticed this year while I continued to be tired, have headaches, Paros with the lethargy and labored breathing at times yet we drank the spring water and restricted our diets (he is still MUCH better off the chicken jerky treats all these months :).

Our water report wasn't online this year and they said to call so talking with our water guy here in town...he said to stop by and pick up the water quality report. I mentioned that I was sure it was the crop dusting because they were flying soooo close over the house this year to where others mentioned they noticed it too as they drove up. So I go check out the lab and home test links, then head over to pesticide poisoning symptoms at PAN (Pesticide Action Network) to see if I can just figure this out and be done with it once and for all. I mean crap...I'm still freaking out my jaw bone and first adult tooth has just gone 'poof', bones and joints all of a sudden ache and are shattering (and I've had worse falls right before moving here), everyday a headache and haven't had one since Dr. Sharp with the biofeedback and diet therapy in 1995, vertigo, dizzy, P's liver....I could go on (but blamed the lethargy on BP pills and country life which was weird why I should have to take BP pills after a year of living in this peaceful place :l). And hell if running the symptoms down didn't bring up the results of chemicals used in cotton! I am depressed but more so elated that I may finally got to the bottom of this and can rectify...or at least stop it from progressing!!! (meaning we are selling/renting and moving :l).

Now I know that crop dusting and these chemicals are legal...but if it contaminates the water supply or even my air space and me...that is THEIR fault just the same. It invaded MY space. And I know when I took an ex old neighbor to court over a black oak tree whose branches hung over into my airspace and property at the beach house, I won because it invaded MY space. Then there was EPA who told me I couldn't cut down a bush/tree that wanted to grow on the beach. My lawyers said I had repairian rights 200 ft. into the gulf and nothing or no one could block my view...it was my space :P (I just couldn't put up a fence hehe :}). And when I was burning leaves at the lake house one year and the smoke wafted over to my neighbor son's graduation party, well that was his space and such a no-no. I put it out quick, fast, and in a hurry as not to spoil his soiree :}

And all these people that died, or dying of cancer here in this town is soooo sad. Ms. Diane's husband and father who both worked in cotton gins, the neighbor man behind me died last year of cancer, several people from church in town and so on. It's just wrong and negligent for them to fly right over my roof and start spraying so close. Hell, you aren't suppose to even burn leaves when there is a slight breeze. I'm mad and want out. Or at least want my medical bills paid and further testing to keep from losing anymore teeth, dogs, bones, etc.

So this is the hookworm, bible, cotton belt. I spotted where civil rights and another action right organization on this stuff where hand in hand with basic core values. I don't think God had us in the wind to waft over here for no reason either (and ohhhh how I was started this blog for PS links :/ ). And in reviewing policies between Obama and Romney...this mess just made up my mind to vote Obama (right when I was beginning to think Michelle got more done with the obesity program in schools lol because I'm not gay, I bailed my own butt out of problems and debt, and I need my gun for critters :l). His foreign policy and workers rights beliefs just won me over though after reading all I have this morning (thanks to budgeting on Direct TV and dropping game lounge last week :/).

It's wrong others suffer and die from haphazard chemical driving; crop dusting.

*And God...please comfort those who lost loved ones due to Sandy and guide me in voting on Tuesday. I'm soooo flippant on this and feel like a ping pong ball in politics :/ (or open Obama's eyes to moral laws and Romney to us little people's rights :l)*

GOOD TRACTION

After a month off of work...Jim scrambled out of here so fast today it could have spun our heads around like the exorcist :l Our anniversary day was the day the doc pulled his stitches and gave him the green light to go about his business. We did enjoy the day, had lunch, and put my new ring on my finger :} Of course he had been cleaning out his van and charging it last week, didn't say "I get to go back to work" but sang it coming out of the doctors office :/ And mentioned with all the reno's, laundry, dog grooming, mail, dishes, etc...that it would be a break to go to work :l So my pal and help has good traction and flew the coop :(

But we have the trip coming about. I can't believe it's only a couple months to Christmas and our vacation. The year has gone by so fast. My hand has been in pain from crocheting Paros's snoods while in doctor offices and hospitals, but after not doing any needle work what so ever last winter because of the water issue, it was good to have my hands on it again (and I had some left over pain pills :). No pattern so I will have to plug away with it when I can till I get it right and move on to see what I can do with this hand :/

And like a pastor once said to me, any relationship is like building a house. You start with a sound foundation. One of truth, consideration, etc. and your house won't come down on you. And in moving forward I guess it's like your ride and how sound your tires are...you have good traction. And when Jim realized I had no more rabbits to pull out my hats and my inheritance was really gone, and he told me 2 weeks of his month off there would be no income...I thought I'd have to cancel our trip. It was like yanking Christmas from a 5 year old :l  He was going to go if he had to pull those stitches out himself lol but 2 hours within receiving a blessing card in the mail...we got some help so good blessings or traction there but we will have to hold out on his harley (this is us 15 yrs. ago when we were 6 months into dating and he sold his 9th harley to be able to go on this trip with me I had planned long in advance because I was single at the time and didn't want to fly out of the country alone :)))) We married a year later on the same date.

Now it's been 15 yrs. later, our third trip with carnival and probably our last. Seems each time we go with them something adverse arises. The first trip was 3 weeks (1 week in Miami, flew to Puerto Rico for a 2 week sail to South America) and my bank decides to cut everyone's cards off so they could tie Louisiana and Mississippi branches together :/  Then the 2cd trip was in April...shattered hand and daughter. Now here comes the third. Holland, Cunard, or any other line will just have to do if this one is even a bit bleak. And we are postponing the vow renewal. I won't be able to size my gown down (I got a $1000 Ivonne D from Macktak Mart for half price so kudos to them even with the gown having to be resized ;). Of course I wouldn't have ordered it if I knew he had spent all his personal and sick days :(

Well...joke lately has been about him being on hiatus and how desperate he has been to get back to work. He made those in New York look ok and with as much as he cleaned, reorganized, and charged that van...I wanted to slap him back on the road myself. Too bad he was outta here before I could help him along :D

God bless New York and the east coast with what they are going through. Especially those lost. Lord knows I've had to deal with hurricanes and tropical storms for so long...I know the sick feeling they are having to endure. New York is just too large of a city to have to deal with water, wind damage, and power outages.

With the new year coming...we are leaving behind any and everything that we haven't had a good relationship or track record with (doctors, shops, people, and now even our bank who didn't look out for Jim's best interest and charged him an extra $190 for well...more than a few checks :l  He isn't very savvy at banking either lol :D). He has a taste of what I do around here and hit the ground running this morning! We will just renew vows next year or so but until then...he will just have to remain a "Mr. Tobin" lol :D 

Yep. Good Traction. Makes for a safe journey when moving forward :)))))

Missing Mana

HOME, JAMES

Phew. Jim's surgery on Monday went from a 2 hour quickie to a 10-12 hour ordeal with his whole leg wrapped up like a mummy :(  I can't even begin to count the prayers, tears, or even explain the fear of losing my best friend, companion, and love but both my navigators (Rushnell's term for God in his newest God Winks book "Devine Alignment" and well...my James...my road navigator here :}) came through for me and for once...I drove James home :} But lord, please knock some sense in me before I go out of town alone to fill his scripts at Walmart (7 hours and $400 later....alone the next day....ouch).

And I don't mind running up and down the stairs for him while he recuperates. I figure I'll be a size 2 and won't have to go to physical therapy lol. Of course I had to postpone finishing my hand therapy too but did drop in to see them yesterday. I also stopped at a bridal shop to look for gowns since the ones I found online wouldn't be made till mid January (and the first 2 I chose like the Jovani I thought could be done in 2 months advance notice). I just decided to find a custom seamstress/dressmaker and later order a Rina di Montella gown since we also had to postpone our vow renewal. I'll wear the necklace he bought me later too and since his favorite color is blue...it will give me plenty of time to find a gown in blue to wear.

As for the shop in the next town up...it looked dirty, tape sealed the cracks in the glass, it was closed at 2 pm on a Wed., and the area made me nervous but it was the only bridal shop there. I tried a shop in the town south of here but their selection was like the national chain, David's Bridal; full of synthetic fabrics forming a generic brides maids gown. I think I will try and call at a later date to see if they can order one for me since the designers at Rose Taft haven't responded (and heaven knows they are too busy too deal with one individual order although I don't see any of these bridal shops within 200 miles putting in many orders either :/). Long way from New Orleans sitting in Fleur de Paris or Lillie Rubin to be fitted for a custom dress or gown and drinking champagne :(((((

Ahhhh but the jokes inspired living here....like how aliens don't leave crop circles here....they leave crop "X's" lol. Jim's vascular surgeon even laughed at that one. We both do like Oxford which is an hour up and over. No real big stores like Best Buy, Sam's club, Outback, oh how we miss Texas de Brazil too! No dog shows, not much but quaint and intelligent with a university just the same.

Still...the bible belt here is strong with the power of prayer. Jim will be able to dance with me as planned and although my cousin's daughter who was involved in a serious accident will be in a wheel chair for her senior prom and won't dance....she is doing ok and her back isn't broken (praise God the navigator!!). I have been inspired by the Rose Taft gown that reminds me of Stevie Nicks garb to do a new mask for her so she will still be the 'Belle of the Ball' ;)

So despite all the adversities....I still like lemonade and have a grateful heart (and Jim's doc says it's ok for him to have his harley lol!). Nothing much matters to me but that he's home :}

I'm ready to dance regardless of what I'm wearing!

COLLISIONS

Our anniversary month and we are busy with fittings and ER visits. I just quit looking for my daughter's dog, Mana, with no reply back from anyone and depressed about it all. I figure whoever bathed her in green apple dish soap is housing her so Jim cheers me up and takes me last Saturday to Clarksdale while he has maintenance work on his company's van. I then asked him to take the rest of the day off so we enjoyed hitting the road in the Miata from Grenada to Southaven being fitted for formal wear. We plan to celebrate it all on the Christmas Cruise; birthdays, anniversary, Christmas. He did get me some jewelery to wear so I plan to wear it with a dress from  New York Dress (not sure which one though although the Bowls and Jovani match the fur...the 4th would be in Charcoal...Jim likes Jovani #3...so any votes would help ;)). Really great prices and for the second formal night...I will just wear a formal pant suit I bought from Dillards that oddly enough...cost more. Go figure :l

So we are looking forward to the trip but I had to make him come home again the other night to check out his leg that was bothering him. Ended up in the ER. Seems he has been traveling a bit too much and developed thrombosis with an infection so I have him off his feet a bit till we get it cleared up and visit a vascular surgeon. I'm hoping it won't hinder him getting his Harley in Feb. His bud is on standby and will build/do him a nice hard tail (shovel) unless we can splurge for an Evo. It will be his 10th harley but 40 something bikes including the triumps, 3 wheelers, nortons, etc. All this at one time I just giggle and say it is his turn to come out of surgery the next day and go on a cruise we already booked and paid for :}  He is just   glad this is going on now so he will be able to dance with me under the stars on the sky deck while in the caribbean! What a love and best friend :))))))

And even though we are so opposite...we are the same in many ways. It was odd ordering the Sonny Barger  and God Winks books from Barnes and Noble at the same time. The sales lady even commented on it lol and we will even exchange books and read each others. I am saving "Devine Alignment" for the cruise and he is saving his "6 Chambers and One Bullet" so for now I am reading "Inside the Other Side". (I still keep thinking 'boooooookkkkkks' with one of my hand therapy girls and found out she listed it in her bio as well. I will have to reschedule soon here).

Well...the new neighbors dog bite my beloved neighbor lady, pastor from Jim's favorite church came over, the tree was removed to the side of the property which was the wrong place, I've continued on with compatible software for windows like Stardock and dreamweaver (seems Autofx isn't on their list), cousins children/grandchildren were in an accident but out of the hospital, framework is still messed up in this computer from when I first got it and microsoft crashed it when trying to correct their corrupt files (HP got me back on but still all messed up in there and they are a bit out of it), not to mention we were told the water treatment plant is in the middle of a cotton field where they crop dust so I have to confirm this :/  Soooo not right. I'm butting heads with enough stuff around here still.

And talking about colliding with things...funny the stuff you watch while your spouse is down. We caught some episodes of  "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" :l  I was disgusted at first until I caught it fromt he producers perspective through scenes of them swatting bugs, dog licking it's cooter, train going by the house (and I mean RIGHT UP ON IT!), and well...the foods they eat. I think the woman is smart enough though to  enable her daughter to do these pagents, hope they make enough money to come out of poverty and learn some social skills or what Ms. Georgia says "Refinement". The child does have a load of personality so when she talks about Glitzy her pet pig and doing things 'Redneck Style'....we just say we need to talk to the new neighbors about their dogs before we walk our Glitzy dog 'Southern Style' (we may need to carry a gun or stick but will offer them some fencing :}). And I did get to play in PS over at Texttuts (although I don't know why adobe manager came up and threw me a trial of CS6. Soooo wasn't ready for that :/).

Some collisions are bad, but others are good. So whether it's harleys and/or jewelry, God and/or bikers....attractions seem to pull towards one another and opposites do too. They don't always repel so hopefully there we be collisions of an awesome kind in the upcoming future. There is a reason for all things I believe so may God give us the strength and wisdom to find them and comfort us in our time of need  ;)

*Note: We met the local doctor and he is now Jim's doc. Although everyone had bad reviews on him...he was intelligent, attentive, cordial, sober, and we like him! :)

And he soooo wants to go back to work after the specialist tomorrow. Already read his book and tired of viewing formal suits, dresses, and excursions :/

CHANGE IN FLIGHT PLANS

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I played hooky from class (hand therapy :/) last week to just take a break from it all and review the year. Seems I did get a lot accomplished by having the transformer replaced to keep us from having power surges, learn of Paros' potential problems via chicken jerky treats, and even though I now have fast internet...my hand isn't going to cooperate so no site up now. I can drop a couple of dot com names and maybe just keep a personal one until I have a new direction or see just what will this hand let me do :/ (some of me has a sick feeling but I try and nourish the optimistic side and view this as a new direction, door, or opportunity).

Ok. So I still have some other demons to chew up and spit out but I am keeping my eyes open for a move. The house may not be officially for sale right now but it's for sale lol. I will make sure I move next to good doctors and vets (nothing wrong with my silent bone doc at all but still haven't found a primary care physician nor had a complete physical :l). And the bathroom renno is slow but man what a difference!! Hit a lot of snags on the details like european cabinet hinges right now. All I know at this point is that I have to custom order them for a Face Frame Overly, 3/8 inset door :l  Whew. Who saw that one coming? They all know me and ask how I am now at the Home Depot or Lowe's store now lol. And well...I never knew they had 1 cent sales and was also greeted with a "Want to by this weber grill for $10?" Lol....I have a propane weber grill that was $500 I don't use because I prefer charcoal so use the turkey smoker when BBQing but a $250 electric grill for $10?!? Heck yeah! Clarence is my best friend! (oh...is that "Clearance"?!? We just call him 'Clarence' ;) (eyeing blowers and tillers now)

Nasa and Remembering Neil

Again...my hobby with photoshop has pulled me through. I've been playing around with space scene tutorials and found some new links (solarvoyager.com). Well...that was until I took a break and went to see what a real star field was like in NASA and it's Hubble Spacecraft and Space Telescope sites. Whoa! Soooo beautiful I spent a good while reading on the various forms of nebula and formation of new stars in different regions of space like the Carina Nebula (Mystic Mountain and Eagle's Nest...rendered in painter pictured here...are my favorites. Even over the butterfly nebula below :}). And watching the 'Universe' and 'Planets' shows explaining the energy field that start these cosmic events and formations ('creations') only makes me think of my NDE and how suspended in the energy of God...waiting to be evaluated, recycled, or sent back was like this. All that love, light, wisdom, energy, connections....how everything just changes form with time and space....how congruent.

But it was sad to here of Neil Armstrong passing. Watching him walk on the moon back in the 60's was when I felt the whole world still and unified for a moment in time....amazed at this event. Kind of like the twin towers but this was on a bigger and more positive scale. I was also glad to see a show on the Russians view of it all this week too. At the time we were both in space but our beating them to the moon...you could feel their disappointment. How I wish we could have all worked together. It was a giant leap for mankind...but being unified...well...that the ultimate goal but how many people know that the silent spell before he walked out that he was having communion? They weren't allowed to air that (thanks to the atheist movement parties back then :P). I guess I will always think of him reborn as a new star in the Eagle's Nest Nebula now.

All of my strange but congruent 'space oddities' converging this week also found us in Jim's favorite church (the baptist one). How I love the protestent churches because of the 'messages'  but no one will discuss or talk of them; including the pastors. I may as well go to mass where there is no message and more praying. At least the priests and nun will converse this matters and in discussing this with a muslim Sunday...he seems to agree that prayer and peace take presidence over singing and fiery sermons. Like the volatile birth of a new star...a new discovery lol?!?  I do like things shook up a bit every once in a while and although I can't sing....when there is a song in my heart...it means I am happy and like to roll with it ;). I guess I will always be in the wind when it comes to religion too.

So I have my itinerary for master bath renno duty as well as my Photoshop play (want to check out tuts plus, some in depth masking techniques at psdvault, and Psdeluxe. I think we will wait on planting the rye grass or removing the tree for now since we have new neighbors riding their dune buggies, 4 wheels, and go carts all over our front lawn. Jim says they must think it's a neighborhood park lol. I am more out to focus in on the surveillance camera to see which retriever is digging holes (they also have 2 goldens). I guess Wayne won't be the only one filling in holes around here lol :D (and ohhhh dear....I saw all 4 digging in Dianes gardens! She will probably going to give explosive births to a few new stars herself soon :l). They will get it. I think they will be rennovating their house along with us and I hope to help with some extra supplies. I first wanted their house but it did need more work and the property was larger here although I love the stone work, den, and basement aspects of that house. I am glad we have new neighbors and children's laughter here ;). (and as soon as I finished this....he comes in with photos of the front yard :l Mentions also about the cop cutting it too short :/ Oh dear).  We'll just let them know it's not a park and we actually pay to have it look nice ;)

As for missing out on summer with all this hand jive...we decided to change it to Christmas by going to the Caribbean again. It's warm there so we'll have our summer for a moment then. I will miss seeing the grandkids and son in law smiling...and I still laugh when people would ask me what happened to my hand. He'd reply for me "She was rebuilding a plane engine while in mid-flight". Lol. He knows me well. Play big while you can. We pass this way just once ;)



And we all change with time. Locations, vocations, ideas and views, relgions, interests, space etc. but Jim and I feel we are always in the wind, changes are inevitable, the bible is our moral compass, and home is where the heart is :}



HAND JIVE RISING

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Soooo busy it reminds me of when I was younger running from one job to another, while picking daughter, dogs, or something else along the way. And I know we've all been so busy at times while having a burnt out headlight or turn signal yet forget to or schedule time for replacing it. Heck...I know I've been sooo busy to where I wouldn't even realize one was out. I think I've had to use hand signals when turning at least twice in my lifetime so I know the jive lol ;)

I enjoyed my birthday alone except for a hand therapy class. They were sooo sweet and gave me some cupcakes which I brought home to enjoy while playing games and having my best buddy by my side (Paros). I was afraid to offer others some and they get chocolate on their hands while in class lol. I'm sure the girls would have given me mental signals at least on that one! They have really helped me through this and I have learned so much from classes there. I will be starting a personal training program on the physical therapy side next week prior to hand therapy so I am excited about that :}

So I've been discharged by my silent bone doctor who I like a lot and lucky to have. I had the office mail me xrays to show the kids (who think I have super powers because I have a titanium plate inserted in me lol). I finally get to see the thing dead on and it's not as big as it looked from across the room or over a techs shoulder without glasses! The children asked if I would be like wolverine but told them after classes I would be a hybrid of wolverine and spiderman....shooting blades from my wrist lol :D  Ohhhhh the things we say to kids.

And even if this is as good as it gets....I'm happy to have a hand and we are all ok. We aren't at the lake house in slidell floating down our street in a boat nor are we evacuated from the beach house on the gulf coast. I did have to clip everyone down, including Jim, because I just can't keep up trimming his beard, grooming the dogs, and it takes me forever to get anything done because I am that clumsy and slow because of the injury but I get by well enough and can drive :} Skiving, cutting, or tooling leather is still difficult but with all the sanding I've done on the bathroom cabinets, I used the dremel last night to smooth out the rough edges on my sea life mask. Still not up to par but better. The dremeling around the cabinet raised surfaces was a bit like sculpting and Jim asked why I just didn't get a cabinet from Lowe's or somewhere. I told him because they weren't solid wood and had veneer not to mention the new style with legs or floating ones would not only have me sweeping up under them....but leave me lacking storage space. We are dog lovers and well...dog proofing the house like one would child proof thier home for their children ;) Plus, I have enough to do getting down when my bebe's whine, wimper, growl and carry on trying to reach their bone or favorite toy they knock up under the bed or sofa :/

Speaking of the dogs, the little guy that wanted the job in helping me groom them didn't show up on Saturday. I went into the vets and we were talking about China and the contaminated pet treats they ship us when it dawned on me that they were the country that had to destroy all those chickens because they were diseased with the avian bird flu (H5N1). I think they are freeze dried and turned into dog treats (chicken jerky) so I looked it up online this week and hell if they still aren't having this problem! Another 150,000 chickens 2 months ago! So they have had this problem since 2009 at least and Mexico now has the bird flu outbreak ( but why they are calling it H7N3 I dunno yet). We just all need to boycot treats and feed them noodles and cheese, our own chicken (which is cheaper than dog food and more healthy). And btw....Canyon Creek Ranch is also a Waggin Train product). Would you feed this to your pet even though they claim to be safe? Be Dog Aware. My pet was slowly being poisoned. (I am still having to study this and any long term effects it may have and soooo behind on research since the shattered wrist/arm incident. It's even been on NBC :( ).

Now that I started picking up where I left off since the shattering of my wrist/arm or whatever...I finally get the other computer tied in and online. Still have to boost signal to go online with games upstairs and smart TV. Not to mention 2 ATT phone cords I never disconnected after falling from the one in the craft room. And since I can't bridge a second router for signal strength to their new modem/router (you could on the older westell)...that means another $175 went pffft on an unused router. Just sick but what really makes me what to signal them with my hand is the fact all this mess put off my reading, news, research on the pet poisoning and correspondence with FDA. And they can just remain there to remind me of how big companies don't give a sh*t. :P I will try and at minimum obtain the extra grand or so I paid for fast internet (which I'm sure won't happen unless I get a tort attorney and then I may as well try and shoot for time, trouble, extra unneeded or wanted equipment, loss of money, updates to software that cost $1000's that I couldn't use and now need to upgrade....etc.).

Well...I'm no super hero. Just a PO'ed female wanting to rise up and flip the bird or a Chinese chicken at some idiot a**holes :P

Come on Blue Hole and vacation lol. Guess I need to hit the other computer now and use office to send in my payment info to Tropic Air in Belize to fly us around and rise above this mess! Some good take off signals or 'hand jive' ;)  ~sigh~

**** SPECIAL NOTE ****

Photoshop planet tutorial from Spoono (a fav since 1999), star sorta from Six Revisions. Textures from My PS Textures, Mayang, texture mate (used water, plaster, and moss in that order for main planet surface).

 

BLUE HOLE SPIN OUTS

Hadn't slept well watching typhoon Bolaven spin across the little 7 mile wide island of Okinawa yesterday where my daughter, son in law, and grandchildren are stationed. And while riding naturally through the whole gamut of dramatic emotions while menopausing...I couldn't help but be angry with her for not leaving me an address or phone number. But she had just moved there 7 days ago and yes...there was a message from her. In Facebook :l  Which is glitchy for me and hadn't been able to check anything in there for a long time. I just threw the ocassional speed posts or link I wanted to remember in there.

And what's really odd is the year that hurricane Katrina hit on my birthday...not only did the eye go right over my beach house...but it hit 2 days before she was to close on a house in Slidell, La. Of course the house was destroyed and I believe she just stayed in California...or Hawaii...wherever she was at the time. And now this year, her move to Japan brought Bolaven. And Hurricane Isaac is expected to hit the Ms gulf coast. It will be dead overhead me for my birthday :l  I told her she leaves a wake of hurricanes in her path so she is grounded from moving to any more countries that have hurricanes/typhoons (differences are very subtle). So in all I spent the weekend with both going on and Jim down on the coast boarding up for one, Shell on Okinawa sheltered from another. Whew.

Yeah...Jim did drop down for a night before hitting the coast. Came in late Saturday night for dinner, his Baskin Robbins ice cream cake, and the dogs got him gifts before getting up and heading back off. I got a 2000 yr. old greek coin from Paros, an 1840's Indian head penny from Bayou, and Annabelle...the new comer...got him new money lol :D  The coins didn't cost a lot but were congruent to our little antique thing. Our main presents are going to be spent on lavish excursions I am booking outside of the cruise ship. The cruise itself will be our little 2cd honeymoon so I reserved a balcony room, reservations at the steak house restaurant, and looking into the Chef's table 4 hour private dinner thing :} Still lots of planning and booking and he mainly wanted this one particular excursion that covers all; repeling, zip line, and tubing at Caves Branch. Awesome excursion but done it and don't think my hand will handle the repel part of it so we will just zipline in Honduras with some caving elsewhere.  I should be able to break with my good hand and if I get stuck and can't pull myself...they will come get me (or I could just enjoy the view from the tree tops and get great shots lol!! :D). I can't wait to see the look on my doctor's face when I ask/tell him today :l

So I get to call the adventure for my birthday in Belize. Of course it will be the Great Blue Hole! I just don't know why I am fascinated by it but ever since the early 90's...I just had to go. And when National Geographic went...I am more enthused than ever now. They are my favorite channel, I buy clothes from them, magazines, magazines for the grand kids, books, etc. (I normally only put my own photos, daughters, breeders photos here but this is an exception :} It is from Nat Geo and offered as a wallpaper from one of their sites linked here...3 times so I can find all my spots :). We also subscribe to their travel magazine but la ti da...I am getting just as excited about chartering a 3 seat cessna plane from Tropic Air to view it! I thought since Astrum Helicopters weren't open doored, might as well small plane it :D They have been very curteous and helpful in the planning and it will be just about $600 for the private tour, tip, and trip to the airport and I am waiting now to see if they can just pick us up at the municipal airport instead of the international one or having to take a water taxi (Belize City, San Pedro, Caye Caulker) into Ambergris Caye (assuming they will be filled with tourists). This will be closer than running down Northern Hiway toward Ladyville too (on St. Mathew St. off of St. Thomas). Ooooo I use to run all these roads in a rental back then and well...visiting via a cruise ship is really no way to visit Belize. One country you really should hang a week or so ;) One country that always makes the vacation list :)))

PD Wikipedia/BAS

Maps. Can't forget to print my maps but got time for that. We will even have another week vacation but think we will throw most of it over into next year but will spend a couple days of it roaming around Miami or Tampa if we can. I just hate I won't be able to stop at Half Moon Caye and see the Red footed Boobies (Belize Audubon Society's sanctuary for them). It was a place I wanted to do some zoological field courses if I couldn't get time in at Cockscomb Jaguar Preserve (roads get washed out) and I think they used to have a camp on Laughing Bird Caye for marine biology field study too a long time ago (or maybe it was Blackbird on Turneffe or one of the Pelican Cayes). It seems it has become more geared to tourists now and once when Maya Center (that shut down before night came) was only a building at the foot of a partial road up towards the rangers station and victoria peak and has now become a small village with guided tours for the remote area.  I know I haven't had them on my charity list for awhile and want to wear my Belize Audubon or World Wildlife T when I go that day. They are sooo old the tourists may throw change at me :/

I am wanting to save for that Mediterranean cruise with is only $600 to cover Venice, Greece, and Egypt but the flights have gone up to about a grand pp. Then more for the cruise if you stay 2 weeks but adding all excursions, extra cruise fees, and stuff...ow. But I won't be disappointed at all on a revisit to St. Lucia or Belize. I'm still wanting to whip Jim on down into San Pedro Sula from Belize to see Copan and maybe we if we are budgeting and have to do another caribbean cruise...Progresso off New Orleans is good for Chichen Itza :)

For now I'm jumping with excitement to spin off around the Great Blue Hole! Must be a bucket list thing :}

Special Note: To someone I hold dear...who has endured me through this mess:  If I should ever say I was moving to the mountains by her again...she would SEEK OUT a hurricane or typhoon, run head on to greet it, make it to the other side and dive down into that blue hole screaming :l

AMERICAN PICKIN' BIKERS

So this is what you get when you cross a biker with the show 'American Pickers'. In answer to those with old chevy pick ups in their yard...antique biker yard art :D  Great shot, honey. Happy birthday!

Your evilness wishes you then same ;)

Oh...and uh...chartering us a flight on a cessna 3 passenger plane with Tropic air to fly over the atolls and the Great Blue hole in Belize for part of my birthday/Christmas present :} They say I will get good shots!

ZOOM ZOOM!

Will show them on masks later ;)

ATT scheduled to come out on Saturday so we couldn't leave to buy a wet saw to finish the master bath floor but what was worse...they didn't show. Jim and I were soooo mad we started looking at houses to move from here. Found a couple we really liked and looked at the excursions for our upcoming vacation. Half hour into them being late with no call....we are talking attorneys so I called them MAD AS HELL but apologizing to the tech KNOWING it wasn't his fault personally...just the company and higher ups he worked for that has screwed us over for almost 3 yrs now (and I have NEVER sued anyone in my life but definitely ready for a battle in court!). And this is all after installing yet another modem (although this one will work ;)) and yet no speed.

Xunantunich Ruins, Belize

They said they would come out today (Monday) so I called my hand therapist and had to cancel...again...and waited. Finally came out and man am I flying fast now! He clocked a 6.2 or something and I am clocking 5.55 but that is with a video streaming simultaneously :D Plus I know HP still has to deal with the framework in here (new puter). Seems to have been an open line (one of the lines on the road side was cut/frayed or not connecting 100%) but that I am over 3 miles to the call office in town and something about 'loops' so I may not always get this speed but shouldn't expect anymore death crawls at .2 to .7 ...not even a 1.0! Zoom Zoom! :D (Worth not mentioning how appalled I was that he was spitting in my driveway and not to throw anymore candy bar wrappers on the ground :l).

'Tika' Carolyn Carr's Jaguar

Nuff tech talk! Looks like I can move forward with dream weaver, web site, leather, etc!!! And I've been working on sea life themes in my arts, making molds, my own fabric of angelina fibers, silk roving, other scrap fibers for embellishments, molds for metal embellishments, bleaching shells and looking forward to purchasing more when we are in Florida before we cruise to the western caribbean this time :) It's going to be hard for awhile trying to pay off the doc bills, play catch up on regular bills so I probably won't have my site or dreamweaver up till after christmas.

And lord knows with Annabelle finally going into heat that will be an extra expense for her spay. At first I didn't know why the heck she just jumped up onto the grooming table and laid beside Paros! She hates the table and baths! They stayed their side by side for 15 minutes till I decided to go get the camera...then P decided to hop his butt on down lol! Then the humping and howling started the next day :l Never again will I question when a female goes into heat! And I rescheduled her spay 3 times afraid she may have been in heat and didn't want to jeapordize her life with the heavy blood flow. Well Miss "My Cooter is the size of a Watermellon" will definitely be liked by Mr. P now lol :D

And now I maybe can make more than $4200 lol once I get a site up and busy again :))))) I've been making molds from dried sea life (sea horses, puffer fish, shells) to pour metals, metal clays, mortar etc. in. They main thing is that we don't have to move but I was getting excited about it and finding cheaper houses than what we are in now was getting exciting. That would have left us more money to travel on and have Paros shown so who knows...maybe that is still an option.

PS CS5 2 rust texture clip

So it's zoom zoom again with me too! No more 'grounded' time and lots to catch up on (and I don't mean TV...which I did enough of this past week but do like the show 'American Pickers' and 'Pawn Stars' :)). And it may be road closed on my ongoing 3 yrs of troubles. I'm sure I will take this off eventually if speeds keep up and put it on a back page but this blog will be dedicated to tutorials, real and photoshop, my websites, and perhaps another blog or another site on travel stuff :)

At Carolyn Carr's, Belize 94

After 3 years of a death crawl, several tech visits and tests from afar, hundreds of calls, supervisors, engineers, electric company with new transformer pool, electricians testing wires, new computers and modems....all it took was a Johnny :}  He stayed on the phone with me and ran 4 15 minute tests to detect a tap in the line...told the spitting litter bug tech where to look and damn! No more monkey business. I'm done so I'm outta here for now! How I wish to send Johnny an awesome leather mask embellished with metal ;)  Biker on bayouroads :} He just made this upcoming vacation incredible already and I know the supplies, experiences, inspiration I gather from it will be successful :}

Zoom zoom ;)