RIDING THE LINE

Garibaldi Monument, Rome

I remember when we were younger riding our Harleys on the white line between cars so we didn't have to be stuck and then struck in traffic and how everyone hated us for it. Of course you see them do the same things like bypassing traffic by riding on the shoulder of the road so I never got why people would be so perturbed over such things. I always said you never know what is going on with them...maybe the last moments to visit a loved one in the hospital, a baby coming, or like us bikers...it just takes one car slamming in the back of another to shove the rest of parked cars into one another. Hell...I had 2 friends in their truck on the twin span in New Orleans when an 18 wheeler slammed in the back of them...hooking their truck and dragging it through the rest of the traffic. They survived but won't normal. Of course we've even said that about them before the accident so maybe I should say "They won't be the same" :l

Taormina

And so it goes with my mouth :/ Always saying and writing what's in my head and it's always getting me into trouble. I do try to hold my tongue as not to offend one side or the other but forget I'm not on either side of the tracks...just somewhere in the middle. I've had to defriend myself from a really nice lady in the Afghan Hound circle on FB when I blurted out the cost of a small garden sculpture publically :( With the neck injury, knocks upside the head, accidents, and other stuff...I will forget things in a New York second. Some worry they are becoming forgetful when they go to another room and forget why...I just say "Wait till ya take 2-3 steps and forget what room you were going too!" lol :D What can ya do? I cried all that day but move on because I know my place. And when she asked if I was stupid...of course I had to respond 'yes' after sending an apology before defriending myself :l Sucks. Then an old friend found me on there and he was the nicest, most decent, solid person I knew in high school (outside of boarding school) and it hit me why we broke up. He said if I made anymore strange noises on the phone...he was breaking up with me :o I think God did him a favor lol :D Jim just laughed and we talked about how a boss said that if I told this certain joke one more time...I was fired. Omg. I couldn't help myself lol :D I was tired of working there anyhow and my following really didn't like that bar either :P

Sicily

I so see how I am not the same girl I once was and used to wonder how I went from bars that required a suit and tie to ones we rode our Harleys up into...or as in mine...I had my girls give belly shots off of bikes. As long as we observed the law, I was comfortable with my place and to be honest...I did have more fun on this side of the tracks where we show our asses in the air as opposed to thumb our noses in it. I never had a good time with a bunch of anal stiffs or in heals or when you laughed too loud...all eyes were upon you :/ Oh...don't get me wrong...it's really lovely there and you have a nice time, learn so much, dine with other prominent families etc. but I'd just be pretentious by trying to conform to an elite class I have no business socializing with. Hell...I expire after 2 hours in heels and after 4...I'm just done :P But if I were on the Titanic, I wouldn't be the the grand formal ball rooms or dining rooms, nor would I be in the bottom of the boat dancing the jig with the immigrants. I'd be somewhere mid ship doing my own strange thing with my own following. I also think how LSU in Baton Rouge blurted out "Here she comes just Rockin' out" lol when I'd bop in with pre vet students leading the way. I try to adhere to the saying "to thine own self be true".

Venice

And I would have been a mediocre vet but I never went to be a clinical practitioner...so I guess I should say I would have never made any serious contributions in research but my mouth...well...all the shouting about internet, contaminated jerky treats from China...I feel I am a part of this country's voice....even if I don't think it focuses on issues we should have addressed long ago. We are corporate America and it states so in any of the shows you see so the government have backed them since the 80's at least. As to my stupid self shouting out about the stupidity here...it is on things like how they 'just pass' students anyway (and kudos to the man on the school board opposing this...even though he was the only one :/) and to the Cleveland school still undergoing segregation from the 60's. And people thought just the segregated proms in Charleston that Morgan Freeman hit on in his documentary was shocking lol :D I think it's allowing the dive juke joints across from churches where they hang outside selling drugs just breeds undesirable factions which ultimately demeans the rest of the country :((( I mean...they sometimes 'just allow' things from what I see. I had to postpone opening my newly gutted bar by a week just because there where no lids on the trash cans in the front lounge bathrooms :l

Murano, Italy

Well...it's snowed again a week after the first snow which is not normal for the region, then we've had a week straight of rain so it appears spring is finally here. I've had to turn the air on as we reached 80 so I think it will be another one of those 'go straight from winter into spring' things :P I was beginning to get down from being cooped up so much so I started dragging some plants out and can't wait to garden! I also booked us on a cruise to Europe but think the guy messed my plan requirements up a bit so have to check on that...and try to make arrangements for a Caribbean cruise with my oldest daughter...and hopefully her husband. I've been taking them 2 by 2 and starting to feel like Noah around here lol :D It would've been better to had the whole family on board...no cooking, no cleaning but getting my family on board the same thing at the same time would be a miraculous feat :l

I guess I am just still riding in the middle of the lane in life with my bullhorn. And I've been giggling about how it all made me think of my nephew when we would pull upside a limo in traffic. He'd always roll down his window and say "Pardon me but do you have any Gray Poupon?" I don't think I could compose myself long enough to say he shouldn't do that :l RIP with God, Chad. We miss you.

 

St. Peter basilica, Vatican City

Old pics of Europe for now, prayers to a cousin for healing and strength along with another couple of personal things close to home. Praises for our diversity, uniqueness, opinions, and may we all come together on middle ground one day to form a solid plan or idea where we all can benefit on all levels.

 

Happy St. Patrick's day :)

INLINE VIPS

It has been a blessing to have my craft room back and after 5 years of fighting AT&T and healing the shattered arm mess...then the awesome 3 month visit from the grandchildren...I've been setting it up and seeing what all has expired, dried up, or still useable. And although I have to find another medium to incorporate my media due to the arm injury (like no skiving or beveling leather...tried to use the dremel until it got caught up in my hair)...I did find sculpting with a lighter weight leather to be doable. I will try some soft sculpture, and then move on to the box of gesso's and canvas I was going to ship to my favorite painter in France until the Post Office told me the cost for shipping it :o He has been experimenting with sculpting and has an innate natural talent in any medium and is very familiar with the lines and form of afghans as well as other animals! I just wish he had an artist's retreat and although working air bubbles out of clay and working with slip is too much for my lame arm...maybe he knows of another method of working the clay to prep it for sculpting. Till then I have been in sculpey and play doh because Paros doesn't want anything to do with wet leather being molded around his face lol :D I don't mind so all my mask's fit my face or wig head :l Think I will work with the joint compound and plasters to see if they are any good. We have started back into our reno projects as well.

The weather has been really nice and in the 60's for the most of January, which is warm for this region but the average is in the 60's for this time of year yet we got snow so I've been bellowing about how mother nature just needs to be on Prozac or Xanax around here. It was beautiful and Paro's just LOVE'S it but I haven't seen an Afghan Hound who doesn't ADORE the snow! It's been awesome to see the pictures of everyone's afghan's on Face Book while hibernating upstairs during this past 2 weeks of cold and 3 days of snow but find I HATE the laptop! Don't know if it is the AMD processor, window's 8, HP's junk programs they won't let me uninstall or the laptop who seems to have a stubborn mind of it's own. I miss my desktop's and of course being 6 core processor...any and everything will be slower than this so I'm not sure if it is normal for the laptop to be so insufferable :P It is nice to take it across the hall into the craft room though :D Convenience. Nice :)

With Jim in Atlanta since Christmas until the past 2 weeks...I've had lots of time to think on finishing this house up which should make it easier to move on and if not...nicer to stay. Doing the kitchen with a reverse Osmosis water system will help with the water and gastro issues. Pulled up most of the tile in the kitchen, then learn I could've had engineered hardwood put on top of it but now it looks like I need a leveler or at least put solid hard wood down which won't require any floor prep and will last longer. I've also thought how we won't have VIP status cruising Europe if we get to go since Carnival doesn't go there anymore but with the kitchen remodel fees adding up, not to mention I still have to suffer these specialists for my neck and liver...and what....they wouldn't check my back during the fall because my insurance wants to do one thing at a time?!? Omg...there goes my vacation but we will get there. Eventually.

I have never written a fan letter either. So a new thing to do. Who would it be? My favorite people in the past century have died like Dr. King, Mother Teresa, but then there is the Pope (LOVE the new Pope!!!), the Deli Lama (the BEST!!), my favorite stars were Brigitte Bardot and Sophia Loren then it hit me! I wake up every morning and have been to over 20 countries sampling coffee's from even more and I still love my Taster's Choice after 40 years almost! I have had ex's to walk away but taking that brand as their favorite. Including Jim. If I run low...I just grumble...go back to your Maxwell house lol :D And there is Italian and French coffee's I brought back along with Dunkin, Starbucks, etc. in the freezer. Did I mention the several varieties of Keurig? Yep. That Letter will be to either the Pope, Deli Lama, Brigitte, or Taster's Choice!

Weee, bling for house :/

For my Reno and Décor shopping...I have been checking with cabinets to go, Shop RTA Cabinets, The RTA store, and RTA cabinet store. Not sure if the 2 RTA stores are the same but so far the websites look different. Then there is Home Depot an hour away or Lowe's which is only a 30 minute ride but takes a back seat to the other. My mail is full with mags from shopping with Grandin Road, Horchow, Restoration Hardware (*favorite*), Frontgate, Etan Allen (my grandmothers favorite), and thank you sis for spoiling us all on where you were employed, Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma, for almost 3 decades :/ QVC is awesome in some things like kitchen, jewelry, handbags, but it's been a miss on most. You just can't beat the explanation and demo of some things though nor the convenience of TV Shopping when you live 2 hours from major stores in any cardinal direction lol :D Not to mention Easy Pay when you need something and are broke lol. We have our mother to thank for that one but my Dad has me stubborn and spoiled rotten on Sear's Kenmore and craftsman tools! If I can't find something in one of these stores (or Dillard's)....I'm doomed to the dreaded over glorified Dollar Store called "Walmart" :o I just wish there were services for flooring installation, electricians, landscapers, or general contractors. Thinking of asking farm bureau if they are aware of any (who are LICENSED and BONDED. Not ones who got a new chainsaw for Christmas and wanting to go into the business omg lol!!! :D).

Nuff for now. Still have slushy puppies from melting snow to groom, paints to check, bills to uncover from everyone else's mail that lived here before (including daughter's family) while segregating 20 different magazines (and hope to remember to tell gamestop not to send me more 'gamer' mags!! I just ask the boys what's hot. They already know my taste and new FF 15 coming out along with elder scrolls online ;)

Oh my gosh....then there is taxes coming up, gardening around the corner (my honeysuckle was about to bloom here till the snow hit :( ), kitchen floor only a quarter of the way pulled up, remake all doctor appointments (gastro canceled on me in Oct and I am saying HELL NO to the nerve block that was due by January :P). Seems I have internet now having to do it the way the tech told me behind the second router and the FCC is now making ISP's fork over speed but ATT still can't get it going here lol so wth??!? I did tell them I'd testify and bring all my documentation if they needed but lol...doubt that so I'm good. I also had to get out of jury duty again...at least until I get this medical mess straightened up. No more nurses saying they are doctor's here in town for me at least. But damn the commute is tough.

I'm in line but so no VIP status for me :(((

 

February Birthday wishes to a little brother, nephew, niece, online friend and prayers to those who have lost their loved ones to the radical extremists who form the cult ISIS. Tough is enduring and surviving the government and laws that alienate from the word of God yet remaining respectful of the life of others, especially who are innocent. Their God; Allah, from the Quran where Jesus is considered a prophet is the same one from the old testament, laws and words found in Christian bible or Jewish Torah ...all of which I own and respect) and he will favor the slaughtered innocent journalists and victims who at the end of the day, are the true heroes by keeping us informed and in the light to their atrocious acts of violence against our father who created them. There is no language barrier of God's word in these 3 books  and we are all his children...especially Christ; his most beloved son of us all. Allah, God, Father...same thing. Fighting for your peace and to worship is fine. Fighting for God's honor...are you kidding? Have you not read your own book? You are guided by only your own wishful thinking.

 

Vengeance is God's alone and you are sinning far worse than the infidels (we are not all infidels here btw). You have no wisdom, no love, and the only power you have is over the handful of innocent victims our father will embrace while you thirst and burn :P

 

They have VIP status in heaven.

 

Sorry for not mentioning black history month like I wanted but I just keep seeing Gihad John in my head like the side of Satan when I experienced the near death thing I had undergone during surgery. Kudos still to Obama for having Rosa Parks in the house and using Dr. Kings bible :)

ROLLING IN

Still playing catch up and clearing paths to move on toward the future but Christmas closed one door concerning some of the children in the family. We were in Europe and Caribbean last Christmas but home fixing and replacing lots of stuff so had a Christmas eve party here. The great nieces wanted to stay and forfeit on gifts because they now know who santa is. After helping and playing secret santa last year on Cmas eve right from coming home from vacation, it's great to see everyone back on track in a niece of mine's family! They had a blast and this holiday brushed off the fall from last years difficulties they had undergone.

Harley toy life den tree

And I was still decorating and doing masks up until Cmas eve. I was ready to go put lights on the dog house if I hadn't gotten stuck in the kitchen making more party trays lol! :D I even changed the centerpiece in the ding room but never gotten around to helping the kids decorate the outside tree for the critters. They must have given up early in the game because there was still deer corn, bird suet and feed, untouched ribbon so I never got to go outside and see what they did :( I hid the masks in the 12 ft. tree in the den but loved the dining room tree the best. Didn't get to do a new barn for the nativity set our grandmother made back in the early 60's but I remember her firing it in the kiln and gluing each little crystal and pearl into the wise men's gifts. And although a friend mentioned how tired the nativity set in front of Elvis's house looked, I knew it was just as old as mine but the joy and nostalgia of seeing them one more time excites me just the same :) I guess sentiment was the word of the year.

Forest Friends dining tree

But with New Year's rolling in, I find myself alone yet very peaceful. Just what I needed after so much family so I played games on one TV and shopped on another lol :D They even dressed up and had a lengthy show on gold jewelery. The woman hosting the show just salivates like me over the huge pieces so I bought another fat wide bracelet called the "I survived them piece!" lol :D "One to Bequeath" as they said! Of course I had to call my older daughter to let her know I'm safe keeping her another trinket ;) I also got a laptop for upstairs. With the internet being stable for 4 months now, I learned the browsers on the game consoles and smart TV's are slow and won't download prices for stores in my zip code. Going downstairs to turn on central heat, firing up computers, etc. is a pain so this should be convenient and keep my bill down (which I got my first one with the kids now in Fla. which was under $300 ~praises and thank yous~).

As for resolutions...it is improvement in any area I see the opportunity to seize at the time. Whether financial, health, spirit, others, environment...whatever is there I can. As for links I have found in my research on renovations, computer arts (which I detest Adobe's subscription service now on Photoshop so there is an end to updating my programs :( ), Annabelle's fat/satin balls for weight gain (most have creams or garlic which is a no-no for canines), landscapers and tree services for the area, and of course Greece or holy land cruise is on the itinerary but when checking prices to plan it...I find some $399 deals for last moment notices! Wow! Of course the flight over there isn't bad when you have them schedule it. Usually around $500-700 pp). And with stepfather and grandson gone...I am
glad my oldest daughter is considering going with me! A vacation is soooo needed after not going in 2014 due to illnesses with doctors giving death notices without expiration dates, other family disrepects (and with younger daughter not calling or FB for Cmas...everyone was right in calling that :( ). Looking back I almost want to say it was a horrible year but sleeping with my jewelery box on New Years Eve and looking at all the pieces I got for every time something sour slapped me...all of a sudden it became an AWESOME year lol!!! :D My very BIG, BRIGHT, SHINEY year! :P Kudos to QVC for being there so I don't have to dfrive 2 hours away to shop around...unless I go half an hour to a Walmart or Lowes...an hour to Home depot or very small and limited JC Penny or Sears which I have to order online anyway :/



Reason for Season

It's in the 60's today but I can't wait for spring already. We have only 6 weeks left of PlayStation Home before they shut it down and I am sad to see it go. It was like a virtual Facebook of mini games or virtual places you can take your character to and socialize with other friends online with a Playstation 3. I am surprised that it didn't catch on and soooo many people that owned a PS3 was unaware of it :( I had mine for 3 or 4 years before I found it just last January. I won't be adding the PS Plus again or restarting it by repurchasing items if they reopen as Neotopia on PS 4 (well...unless we can bring our items over we paid for lol). So goodbye to PS Home and come on March for Square Enix's Final Fantasy XV! The English trailers for the game have been out and they have been progressing nicely! Since I finished Diablo on PS 4...and don't care for Destiny because it is a shooter type game...I've been hooked on Minecraft...a silly but cool little game my granddaughter turned me onto :}

Till then...prayers have still been for peace in my heart, a friends family members, another friend with financial dilemma, a family members recovery. Stepdad and others are happy and ok :)

 

And goodbye PS Home ~sniff~ I looked better blonde there than in real life lol! :D

 

Group dancing at David Guetta's in Home :)

And oh man, what will the laptop sound like without my bose?!?