tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62443104050749016662024-03-05T00:02:27.046-06:00Reddirt WomanIt's a skunk thing...Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.comBlogger381125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-40541158112102640262014-03-18T09:33:00.000-05:002014-03-18T09:33:41.018-05:00Oooops...It's not tomorrow. My week was sooo busy and so sad. My big brother went to see Jesus on the 9th of this month. He was 82 and struggling with dementia. Bill had been a highly thought of family practice doctor for all his working life. He graduated from Baylor in Houston, where he met his wife of 55 years, Mary Ann. They decided that where they needed to start their life was in Ft. Worth, TX, because it was halfway between parents... hers being in Houston and his being in Okla. City, OK. That made it easier when the babies came for the grandparents, aunts and uncles to be involved in their lives. All us 6 kids were spread out over 17 years so my big brother was 14 years older than me and therefore was almost more of a father figure, especially for me and my baby brother. I went down to Ft. Worth and stayed with Ben (baby brother) and his wife Diane and we kept ourselves busy enough to not be crying all week. We had lots of stories to swap and laugh about over the years so there was a lot of joy and celebration of Bill's life to share. As soon as I figure out again how to transfer photos I will photo bomb you all with photos that I love of my big brother and my family... but meanwhile, back to the story.<br />
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Senility runs in our family, on our mother's side and we are all aware that it can hit any of us. It was so frustrating to Bill because he was uber aware of what was happening but was unable to stop the progression and for a doctor that was such a hard pill to swallow (pun intended). When he had his good days he loved to pop his funny jokes and tease like he always had done but his bad days were filled with depression, sadness and tears, wanting to go home. Anyone who has dealt with senility, dementia or Alzheimer's or whatever name you give it understands the frustration and pain associated with the disease, not only for the patient but also for the caretakers. It is a roller coaster ride like no other. You learn to cherish the good times and try to bury the bad times. I am so thankful that I went down and stayed with Bill for 9 days in October while his wife (who is also 82) went for a reunion with about a dozen friends from high school days. Had I not had that time with him the loss of my brother would have been much harder on me. Each of us sibs know from our mom that none of us wants to go that way. While physical pain is not a part of the equation, the mental anguish of being aware of what is happening to them in the beginning is so scary. Not in the traditional sense of scary but scary in the sense of is "it" starting to happen to me? The only way we have all learned to deal with the possibility of 'being next' is to joke about it. Like Carol used to joke that she was going to rent me out to the neighbors because I was so good at pulling weeds but we would have to tie me to a tree so I wouldn't wander off. Things like that. Kind of like the movie and t.v. show Mash. You make jokes to deal with the pain and destruction that is going on in our head.<br />
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Hate to stop on this note, but I've gone about as far as I can go without a brain rest. I will be back!Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-74064975053686273922014-03-13T23:29:00.001-05:002014-03-13T23:31:27.069-05:00I Think It's A Sign...I think it's a sign that I need to start blogging again... Face Book has determined that I am a non-entity. I have been locked out and blanked out of the games, off of friends lists and the Good Lord only knows what I might have done to screw up my account. So since even I, the game player, need to talk sometimes and I have been silent too long so we need to play catch up.<br />
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So much has happened in the last year that I will have to figure where to start. My depression pretty much got out of hand for a variety of reasons and then I started having palsy in my hands and when I would try to type I would uncontrollably hit the key several times and it would just frustrate the dickens out of me and certainly didn't help the depression, feeling like all I was doing was forever correcting myself and I had enough people in my life criticizing what ever I was doing. I hit bottom. Period. <br />
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I didn't want to do anything more than was absolutely necessary. I quit caring for myself physically and mentally. I just didn't give a shit. All I wanted to do was sleep. My poor dogs were so patient with me.<br />
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I finally sought professional help and started taking anti-depressants. It's taken a while but I am finally starting to feel like myself again, albeit off and on.<br />
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Some of the other things that have happened in the last year...I had to put my sweet Chloe down last May I believe. I'm real sketchy when it comes to dates. I was packing to move to low income apartments since Carol and her sister were moving to Broken Arrow and blew a compression fracture, T-7 or T-8 I don't remember now which one but I had to move by July 1st so I was so drugged up that I am still finding things that were put up in my apartment by friends, but thank God for friends that were kind enough to help. I was already in a world of hurt with my back and Carol moving away and would have even been more so if I hadn't had friends to help me. <br />
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SueSue and I got moved in and I spent most of my time playing on Face Book and basically watching the world go by. The only time I got out was to walk SueSue because we have no fenced yard, go to the grocery and to doctor appointments. My family doc sent me to a back specialist, he had the MRI done and found the fracture and in September I went in the hospital and had surgery or I should say got my back superglued back together. I had to stay overnight so they could make sure I could go to the bathroom on my own and what better time to try that out than night time? Also had to be able to shower by myself and eat before they would let me go back home. The most awesome part of the whole deal was that I could walk Suess without pain. I was no longer doing the Tim Conway "old man shuffle".<br />
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More to come tomorrow...<br />
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<br />Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-23217451714251524012012-11-15T16:34:00.000-06:002012-11-15T16:55:15.415-06:00Still Kickin' - TwoI could continue to relate all the symptomology but it would be repeating basically what I've told you. I sort of learned through all this that if I removed myself from me and looked at what was going on in different parts of my body that it helped keep the pain controlled longer and I could be up more... not particularly helpful around the house but I could do my own laundry and do the dishes some evenings. Bless Carol for being sooo very patient through all this. She just continued doing around the house and in the yard and if I was up she would talk about what was going on with me and check to see how I was feeling and didn't push me about not being up or sleeping too much. I had talked with her about not wanting to add any more medications to my body until the liver doctor got back all those results from the blood tests so that he would have as clean a slate as possible for me when he decided what my treatment would be so that if there were side effects with any of the meds he would be able to make whatever necessary changes without the waters being too muddied, as it were, and she understood where I was coming from about not pressing for more pain meds or trying to rush the doctor about getting to see me. Believe me, when you are waiting to make an appointment with a liver specialist for the first time and you get a phone call and the voice says, "This is the Liver Transplant Center calling for Helen Gardner" it tends to get your attention and I wanted to fully cooperate with the doctor to avoid the possibility of a transplant.<br />
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So time passed and I fogged in and out of the pain and time came for my appointment to find out what all the blood work indicated was going on in my body. A dear friend drove me to Oklahoma City to the Transplant Center, seriously that is the name of the clinic. I didn't trust myself to drive because of the pain and the drugs I had been taking. I told the doctor that it felt like my body was trying to rip itself to shreds. I had a war going on inside and he agreed that my good guys were attacking what they perceived as my bad guys in my body and trying to eat them and destroy the invaders. What it basically all boils down to is my autoimmune system is AWOL. Every test it seems that is checking autoimmune markers is out of range. The doctor said that he really wasn't in the mood to transplant me so how about if we try to get you back to some semblence of a normal life by the use of medications. He also told me that if I hadn't been so pig-headed about getting off the steroids I wouldn't have had to go through all I'd been going through for the last month or two, something that I'd already figured out for my own stubborn self. I told him that he was right, that I had been so frustrated with nothing seeming to improve that I was just fed up with all of it. The doctor said his goal is to get the liver enzymes back in a somewhat normal range and controlled for three years. After three years my antibodies might forget about the ones they thought were bad and he could then try getting me off all medications. Sounds good to me... I'll only be 70 and I'll be ready to go dancing!<br />
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He started me again on the prednisone and I'll be on it until I see him in January. Within two days the pain was nowhere even remotely near what I had been dealing with for almost two months. I still have had to take pain pills occasionally but not 4 - 6 times a day. I'll have to get blood drawn in another week, but will not have to go back to the lab during the holidays. That sound like a great Christmas present to me. I walked the dogs for the first time in over two months and they were happy babies to go poop somewhere other than their own little yard. Carol and her sister went to Habit For Humanity and found carpet squares and I actually was able to help lay down new carpet in the living room, hall and front bedroom. Nancy, Carol's sister, took up the old carpet and padding and we decided that when the mobile home was built they must've paid the workers by the staple because there was a butt-load of staples used to put the padding down. My brother had given me a multi-use tool on one of my trips to Ft. Worth and I figured out that one of the attachments would cut the staples off even with the floor and Carol's eyes lit up and she became a staple and old nail cutting mother! She is in a wheelchair most of the time now but she could bend where she could make the tool flat to the floor and cut those nasty staples off. She got after it, which is good because I still wasn't up to being able to help much but when all the cutting, cleaning and prep was done and the glue was rolled on the floor I was able to help lay the squares down. I was so excited to be able to help do SOMETHING around the house that I was almost in tears. The best part about it was I was able to do something to help two days in a row. Not like I used to be able to do but able to help and do some of the repair/fixit around the house stuff that I so have enjoyed doing over the years. I'll have a good day or two in a row then I will still have a fall out and sleep a good portion of the day spell. I really feel like maybe, just maybe I am on the road to being able to do around the house and next spring maybe I can get back out into the garden.<br />
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What it all boils down to is I have missed visiting you all and wanted to let you know that I may be back on the road to getting back to my ornery self. Or at least 2/3rds of my ornery self. Thank you all for caring what's going on with me and checking up on me. My doctor said that I'm not done with things in my life and he wants to get me back to taking care of business. I totally agree with him...<br />
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I'm not done yet!<br />
<br />Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-46808156564438832332012-11-14T21:26:00.000-06:002012-11-14T21:26:45.315-06:00Still Kickin'I knew it had been a while since I've posted on my blog and when I looked I was embarrassed to see how long it had been... A lot has happened since my last post and nothing really has happened since my last post. Let me explain that statement.<br />
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In August I was pretty much tired of feeling like the hamster in the wheel, running and running to nowhere on the medical side of my life after getting my blood drawn every month and going to the G.I. and having virtually the same conversation about getting the liver function down to somewhere near normal. I was having some side effects that I attributed to the Imuran, the liver medicine that I had been taking, along with prednisone (steroids) for months. My doctor was getting frustrated, also I think, because my liver readings were not getting down to where he thought they should be and I was thinking if the dang liver med hadn't kicked in to deal with the problem and get me off the steroids then why am I taking it? We talked and I told him that I felt some of the problems that were putting me in the dirt were side effects of the Imuran and I wanted to know if there were other options. He was honest with my that he really didn't know as it was pretty much all he knew to do and he would prefer that I go to a liver specialist that would be more knowledgeable about it all. Fine with me but I'm getting off the Imuran and he said that was fine but would you not go off the prednisone. Well, I thought what is 7.5 mg every other day going to do for me but for now I stayed on it.<br />
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I went to Ft. Worth for the weekend of August 24th. My sister-in-law was going to sing for her first time with a gospel group and 6 or 8 songs solo in the program. The concert program was at a large church in Benbrook, a bedroom community in the south part of Ft. Worth. My sister that lives in Weatherford, TX, west of Ft. Worth drove in and we got to visit and sit together during the concert and that was fun to get to catch up with her. It seems we don't get to do that often enough.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhku6jnpuDIdeT6VBV_AnSK-N0HEeQLxkf0JHMYno6fOsTujjNnLfpfoOMJLIwTeMoupxshMqYWmOElbuiZgHaUVi0MREGUMK5Pk3hlFfLoanHl0yeHBbug7SsKXE0crJsaP1VGMIRntjX/s1600/Praise+Inc.+flyer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhku6jnpuDIdeT6VBV_AnSK-N0HEeQLxkf0JHMYno6fOsTujjNnLfpfoOMJLIwTeMoupxshMqYWmOElbuiZgHaUVi0MREGUMK5Pk3hlFfLoanHl0yeHBbug7SsKXE0crJsaP1VGMIRntjX/s400/Praise+Inc.+flyer.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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This was the flyer for Diane's first professional appearance. Gloria Diane Gardner or as we call her GG or Diane. She also went with Praise, Inc. to Vermont for 4 days of concerts. My baby brother went with her and Praise, Inc. on their Vermont trip and they got to visit with my cousin and her husband that live close to where the concerts were being held. I was jealous that they got to visit my cousin as it has probably been 15 or 20 years since I've gotten to see my cousin... but I wasn't cognizant enough to fuss too much about it. I, once again, have digressed from my post...<br />
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Meanwhile back at the ranch... The Evening Of Praise was wonderful, but also very long. Anyone that has ever gone to a gospel singing evening knows it will go at least 2 hours and more likely 3-4 hours. Since I went with Bennett (baby brother) and Diane we were at the church so they could get set up and do sound checks and all that pre stuff and then we were at the church for the tear down and all total we were there from about 3:30 in the afternoon until 11 p.m. that night. I was wiped out. I slept for the better part of Saturday. Praise, Inc. was going to sing at a car show and I was looking forward to getting to see all the older cars and enjoy some more music but I was so exhausted that I told Ben he was going to have to go without me. Diane was also pretty wiped and was staying home until little brother called and smooth talked her into going to the show and doing some more singing both solo and with the guys. I slept, watched a little t.v. and slept some more and some more.<br />
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I had planned to get up and go to church with B. and D, on Sunday but I didn't wake up until almost noon on Sunday and when they got home from church we all basically crashed, napping and watching t.v. until Sunday night when we met two of my nephews at the movie, the first one I'd been to at a movie theater since I went with Ben and Diane to see "Elf" when it came out several years ago. I got up on Monday and drove home. Exhausted.<br />
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Somewhere during that stretch of a few days I decided in one of more disastrous decisions that the prednisone wasn't doing any good no more than I was taking... 7.5 mg every other day. The doctor hadn't told me that you have to step down, way down before you quit taking it and I figured there wouldn't be any problem. I was so very wrong as any of you who have been on an extended steroid regimen know.<br />
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NEWS FLASH... Sometimes I just amaze my own stupid self... I just now in talking with Carol realized I lost almost two months. I was thinking that I just lost about one month, but I'd been thinking that the concert was in September when they were in August. I got home on Monday even more tired than usual from my trip. And from there things pretty much started heading south. I slept, got up to eat, maybe get on the computer a bit, maybe not, back to sleep and the next day repeat. Then the pain started. I would take pain pills when I got up to feed the dogs in the morning, go back to bed and when I'd get up again I'd take more pain pills just to try to keep the pain at a manageable level... it wasn't working very well. I went to my regular doctor about getting stronger pain medication until I could see the liver doctor. I had my first appointment with him on Sept. 20th I think. Before he did anything medication wise he wanted to get lab work and then we would get down to the business of figuring out what he was needing to treat. He order 15 different blood tests. I got the bill for them the other day... over six thousand dollars of tests. Thank God for Medicare otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation because I'm one of those that has no other medical insurance.<br />
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In the time after the blood tests until my appointment to see him again, the pain really kicked in. I would wake up one day with hot, searing joint pain in maybe my elbows one day and then in my wrists and hands the next. You could see the swelling and almost feel the heat coming off whatever area was hurting that day. My hands looked like I had been in a fight. My knuckles would swell up to almost double normal size and the swelling would go halfway up my arm. When the pain traveled again it went to my knees. I was in such pain just trying to walk from my bed to the bathroom (about 12 steps) that I had to use Carol's cane for several days and thought about getting her walker but I didn't get quite that bad. As the days passed I got to being almost analytical watching the pain traveling from one area to the next in my body. Almost as if I was on the outside of my body looking in and observing what was going on. For example I figured out when the low grade fever started coming on the pain would start intensifying. The pain meds my family practice doctor gave me that were stronger than what I normally take for the fibro pain and they would afford me some time where I wasn't curled up in a whimpering blob on the sofa or asleep in the bed on an average of 12 hours out of the 24. <br />
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I'm going to make this a two-parter because I'm getting worn out trying to remember what all went on since the end of August. I can remember 40 years ago great, just don't ask what I had for dinner last night and here I'm trying to recall what went on in my drug induced state for almost two months. I promise not to make you wait for two days, much less two months but I have to take a break for now...<br />
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<br />Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-16014936730751630152012-08-30T18:42:00.000-05:002012-08-30T18:42:20.147-05:00Back To Blonde...I have been on a tighter than usual budget because of car repair expenses so when I got my hair cut last week most of the blonde was cut off. I didn't think much of anything about it until today. I took Carol to the doctor (in the wheelchair van that has been giving us some problems) and after she was finished with her appointment we decided to splurge and went to McAllister's and split a baked potato with everything but sour cream (I don't do sour cream) and a wonderful chef salad. Had a nice leisurely lunch/supper then headed back out to the van to come home. It decided that it didn't want to start. It has done this several times in the last 3 months but has been running good for the last couple of weeks after our bad gas episode. Anyway, after giving the old van a half hour to contemplate how bad I was going to cuss it out if she didn't start, I had Carol call her sister to come get her and I called AAA. I don't know if I've told you all how thankful I am to have AAA but I've been a member since 1969 if that give you a clue. I've had to have either my little pickup or the van towed four times just in the last two months and there has never been any extra charge.<br />
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But I digress, as I often do, even more often as I get older... ahhhumm... back on track now. I sat outside on the patio, in the shade, at McAllister's and waited for the tow truck to show up. About 5:30 the truck pulled up and the driver gets out and asked what was wrong. Me, "It won't start." He, "What does it do?". Me, "It turns over and tries to start but then doesn't." Okay says he, let's give it a try. I said it will probably start for you... and sure enough it started right up! He kind of gave me that raised eyebrow look that we all hate to get and I apologized just short of profusely and he patted my arm and said it's okay like you would say to a little old blue-hair that had run over your toe with her wheelchair...<br />
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I'm going next week to get my hair bleached back to blonde. I would rather be thought of as a ditsy blonde than a little old lady that doesn't know how to get her flippin' car started. The worst thing about getting old is, well, getting old.Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-40922967196860408922012-08-16T19:58:00.000-05:002012-08-16T19:58:47.961-05:00Silliness...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Schnauzers in attack mode thinking they have a cat trapped under the stove... they don't. And, yes, that is a hole in the floor but it's not near big enough for a cat... to come in or go out.<br />
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SueSue still not convinced that damn cat isn't under the stove... right here, mom... even after I moved the stove so she could see that it was not back there.<br />
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I was reading some of the blogs I visit and had just commented when SueSue wants to play she usually starts with bringing me a ball. If I don't stop and play she will bring something else and drop on my foot... usually the mean kitty that she likes to play tug with and about that time I felt mean kitty being dropped on my foot. Had to take a picture and share. I didn't move my feet because I was afraid the ball would roll off the pillow.<br />
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If that is all that it takes to inspire me to post something I need to be posting more often. (Laughing at my own self because it takes so little to entertain me sometimes.)Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-26657607620987012582012-08-11T13:32:00.000-05:002012-08-11T13:32:45.183-05:00Bras...I'm going to get on my horse about bras. They flat make me crazy. My insanity began many, many years ago when I was just a flat chested kid. Not just an ordinary flat chested young girl but one that was so flat chested it looked like I'd been steam rolled. I used to fret about it some especially in senior high and girl's locker room and showers but when I looked at my older sister and my mom, I pretty much figured my lot in life, padded bras. Then someone told me if I could find a bra that wasn't padded that fit my little ones would have room to grow. I was naive, I was gullible and I grabbed at that little ray of hope.<br />
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I was 21 years old. I walked into the lingerie department of one of the nicest department stores in Okla. City and knew I was in trouble when the matronly and proper looking saleslady approached me and said, "May I help you sir?". True story. I sucked it up and explained my mission, all the while watching the doubt grow in her eyes. She gamely took me to a fitting room, took a few (very few) measurements and excused herself to go find brassieres for me to try on. When she returned she brought several styles for me to try on and we began. They all fit well around my chest but when it came to cups... sigh... all of them you could have rolled up and pinned the extra fabric. After trying the different styles she graciously suggested I might want to try the juniors department, that they might have something for young teens, i.e. training bras. Which by the way is such a dumb term, I mean, you have to train those puppies? Don't they just grow into their own? You have to smack those babies around and tell them you go to the left and you go to the right... seems kind of silly to have to "train" them. I walked out of the store and bought tank tops for my underwear.<br />
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But, once again, I digress from my original gripe. I went through the first 60 years of my life not needing to worry about a bra but 40 pounds and 2 inches shorter, I was told, "Aunt Helen, you really need to buy a bra." Ask not for whom the bell tolls... it tolls for me. My simple life was about to get very complicated and frustrating.<br />
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Okay, I'll compromise. I'll wear a bra when I go to Ft. Worth to church and out to eat and to weddings and such so I don't embarrass anyone with heading south boom-booms that you can almost tell are boom-booms. So I go bra shopping, this time at WalMart. Forget that high dollar stuff at the nicer stores. I found a couple to try that I could fasten in front of me and then swing them around and put my arms in the straps and pull them up into place. I found jog bras that looked like they might be comfortable but it was like trying to put on a girdle if you stepped into it and pulled it up into place. I had flashes of someone trying to hang me from the nearest tree when I tried putting it on over my head. My shoulders and my elbows prevent me from reaching behind and fastening a bra the normal way without pain, one of those aging things. Why can't you find bras that fasten in the front? I understand that when some fellow invented the brassiere that ladies had dressers and undressers. I had a few of the undressers in my life and have been an undresser in my life, but no way have I ever had a dresser. I found two bras that closed in the front... minimum cup size C. Forget that! I'm not rolling up the cups and pinning them either.<br />
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Since I have a couple of visits and a wedding looming in the future the search shall continue. I may even have to go to a higher end store that has a legitimate lingerie department... hell, I may even go to a Victoria's SecretReddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com345tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-46351232470159468462012-07-30T18:19:00.000-05:002016-04-01T14:04:44.119-05:00I Have A Confession...I am an Olympics junkie. There. I no longer have to hide my shame about being an addict. For as long as there have been Olympics televised I have been in front of a t.v. screen as often as possible. When I had my own businesses, custom picture framing shops, I always had a television in my work room and it was on so anytime I was working on cutting mats or making frames I could keep an eye on what was going on with "The Games".<br />
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While my overall favorites are the winter sports and games I'm just as bad about being glued to the tube for the summer games. Realistically I know more about the summer sports than the winter sports as I have played or been exposed to those sports all my life. The closest I've ever gotten to the winter sports are watching them on t.v. except for ice skating one time in my life. We have maybe one or two 'good' snows a winter in Oklahoma so I've never skied and snowboarding wasn't even a figment of anyone's imagination when I first fell in love with winter sports. I have dreamed of ski jumping which is kind of crazy since I've never even been on a pair of skis. I love the idea of the flight after the take off. Ski jumping would have to be my favorite winter sport to watch.<br />
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In the summer games I have played tennis, table tennis, basketball, volley ball (not beach volleyball... no beaches in Oklahoma), swimming, springboard diving, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, but I am totally fascinated with a summer sport I've never done...rowing, specifically sculling. There is, to me, such a beauty in that sport, whether it be singles, doubles, or the big boats of eight. The overhead shots of the rowers pulling the boats through the water makes me think of the lightness of waterbugs skittering delicately across the surface of the water.<br />
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I always thought sculling would just be a dream, like ski jumping, that I would only realize while playing in my mind but there is now, in Oklahoma City, a world class rowing center that was built as part of the downtown revitalization program. There are Olympic class rowers in London now that have trained in Okla. City and there have been competitive races on the Oklahoma River, a mile long waterway developed for rowing. I haven't yet been to the aquatic center but hopefully this fall I can go and, perhaps, realize this one dream.<br />
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GO USA!Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-60568021977357741392012-04-04T15:03:00.008-05:002012-04-04T15:42:16.802-05:00Spring...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7JKQVNiGzj34YXCNyhBkFM_IdoZyJ8oiZYkknGKSfEaIJUGfsJPrHohvv5CilS-SycehD4VCwUtWU7rbD7EiBWlkEzjyaBaKerFDzkhoy1FWI57SwzBEJjySLdMKoeOds1lMmgKgWKKZ9/s1600/000_0064.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 350px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7JKQVNiGzj34YXCNyhBkFM_IdoZyJ8oiZYkknGKSfEaIJUGfsJPrHohvv5CilS-SycehD4VCwUtWU7rbD7EiBWlkEzjyaBaKerFDzkhoy1FWI57SwzBEJjySLdMKoeOds1lMmgKgWKKZ9/s400/000_0064.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727640169906987602" border="0" /></a><br />Spring is here and things are starting to bloom. This is the first year in a while that I haven't had a camera to share springtime blooms and colors with you all. I'm too shaky and my android phone doesn't have all that good a camera on it so that method of photography is out. I'll get another camera down the road but for now I'll just share pictures I've taken in times past... just because I'm in a spring mood.<br /><br />One of my favorite blooming shrubs, this weigelia (sp?) is one that we had when we lived in Bartlesville. We planted one last spring but the summer was so hot it didn't make it's first year. I hope to plant another one this year.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-V70obpJBODKlp_IuTRA2FTEAUtSXn_1RNEBFEFgOM2Ka881BWnucEOIsjLobsLRbatsXa_TvlB1lAnRjSqB8mgs81159rkDqEqu7uNXmrfI4LqTasKxsEZnCFEQjOa46gceZdO5nK5J/s1600/100_0556.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-V70obpJBODKlp_IuTRA2FTEAUtSXn_1RNEBFEFgOM2Ka881BWnucEOIsjLobsLRbatsXa_TvlB1lAnRjSqB8mgs81159rkDqEqu7uNXmrfI4LqTasKxsEZnCFEQjOa46gceZdO5nK5J/s400/100_0556.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727640500795275874" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />This was our Joseph's Coat rose. I hate plants with thorns and stickers but this Joseph's Coat helped me learn to ignore the thorns and love the flowers... Kind of a life lesson, I guess.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGMASZho7R_FVpooXlK5hW5ZWohDEyaXTQE5wpUnbygH_lOzInjf-yKXURfselOL5ER2BGbTxCkemp4BHJHqfnXi4TvebjiFFdF4-RJG7K1LW8enQVM25V8qV5mjQhd4ppHktOEpEsCsfO/s1600/100_0512.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGMASZho7R_FVpooXlK5hW5ZWohDEyaXTQE5wpUnbygH_lOzInjf-yKXURfselOL5ER2BGbTxCkemp4BHJHqfnXi4TvebjiFFdF4-RJG7K1LW8enQVM25V8qV5mjQhd4ppHktOEpEsCsfO/s400/100_0512.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727640845751005730" border="0" /></a>Wisteria... I love the smell of these gnarly beauties. I've seen a lot of them in bloom here in Norman over the last couple of weeks. When we lived in Bartlesville there was a 4 inch pipe sticking up in our back yard where some previous owner had installed one of the big, mamu satellite dishes when they first came out. Rather than try to bust out the concrete pad and pull out the pipe we planted this wisteria and grew it up along and around the pipe. The plant had the support and covered the pipe, a win-win for all.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAapbKb_R28fVm2bDJWMG8hkb6Wn_h0-Q3zyFvdiYvl1ClGrCLIcXcLNKHYGUQtQGh6dioI-E4vVCs9-s8OS3FxwsgpvfnHaRCCkVpNORFZE5O94Ave4DiBHsEJAsEGjRZtC171wiAZzk/s1600/100_0517.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAapbKb_R28fVm2bDJWMG8hkb6Wn_h0-Q3zyFvdiYvl1ClGrCLIcXcLNKHYGUQtQGh6dioI-E4vVCs9-s8OS3FxwsgpvfnHaRCCkVpNORFZE5O94Ave4DiBHsEJAsEGjRZtC171wiAZzk/s400/100_0517.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727641185162975570" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Lilacs... I love them. We got these starts from the place we first rented in Bartlesville before we bought and took them with us. Took about six years for them to start blooming but they were beautiful and smelled heavenly when they did get growing.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7nq_Wef_PTpLo5pFnoauaelxH7AGZ5qCPsREd87F4MjnH_CX2b4s0SKIgBPQ-L-KZR1Cme3KH2NnfGbKjH6QSeLUMF8s4ZlUvZsQsyw4vsxFEYZP3FtSFhZSjVNPTunWrbYf1J5CBCSX9/s1600/100_0583.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7nq_Wef_PTpLo5pFnoauaelxH7AGZ5qCPsREd87F4MjnH_CX2b4s0SKIgBPQ-L-KZR1Cme3KH2NnfGbKjH6QSeLUMF8s4ZlUvZsQsyw4vsxFEYZP3FtSFhZSjVNPTunWrbYf1J5CBCSX9/s400/100_0583.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727641596067748674" border="0" /></a><br />Clematis. I miss this plant so much. I planted it when we lived out in the country before we moved to Norman and it was a beautiful clematis. I'm going to start with some more of them this year. I'm hoping it is giving others as much joy as it gave me when I grew it.<br /><br /><br />So that's the spring stroll for now. Carol showed me how to make a folder and sort my pictures and that's what I'm in the process of doing now. That means more to come...<br /><br />On the health front... the liver stuff seems to be settling down. The doc is s-l-o-w-l-y letting me get off the steroids. I have been having a lot of problems with my knee and the orthopede had me get an MRI last week and sure enough, I have a torn meniscus. He will repair it in an out patient surgery May 17th and then I will have to do therapy for a while but he told me he can get me walking without pain again. The girls will love getting to have their longer walks. <br /><br />I donated blood today... my thoughts are with Hallie and her family in their blood drive for CJ and fund raising for organ donors. I figure I can't do too much as far as volunteering or donating money but I sure can donate blood and say prayers.<br /><br />More to come as I sort out more flower pictures to share.Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-29608223627096352402012-03-25T20:11:00.006-05:002012-03-25T21:28:31.048-05:00I Rebelled...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhEivK93vdyQwwkoEMZtINn7zPfHfDuSgilD8xsKd2Rn5MgCYQf6e97caMQOlTMlIs7IFNkotkKkUn-ql2CGi9R0ID5M7CVS_gD7czt6azUKkEtur0cVPzorlteZyV_HlyWabu9Durhu8z/s1600/1076.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 302px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhEivK93vdyQwwkoEMZtINn7zPfHfDuSgilD8xsKd2Rn5MgCYQf6e97caMQOlTMlIs7IFNkotkKkUn-ql2CGi9R0ID5M7CVS_gD7czt6azUKkEtur0cVPzorlteZyV_HlyWabu9Durhu8z/s400/1076.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724009722237844098" border="0" /></a><br />In the first grade. I started young.<br /><br /><br />How could this sweet little girl who was soooo excited to get to go to kindergarten could, in only a year, become a recalcitrant first grader?<br /><br />I can truthfully say that I was raised to honor, not only my parents, but also any adults and especially teachers. My grandmother on my momma's side was a teacher, my mom went to college and was qualified to teach. My mother and father both truly felt it was very important for all of us kids to get an education so we could better ourselves... to be successful, fulfilled human beings.<br /><br />What can I say... my parents also taught us to be truthful. Where I missed the boat was the lesson on WHEN I was supposed to be truthful.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8cSK38o5s3jRD8b7M7kvd3YoqAg-NBwhqsc0Vf-r8Fu2DrmmTETkbXgeOvGN8e8TolVrzpZp0WQr0xzXghUSKCeJ93IKO2JkQpwiTRNseYIWJi4CMZ4XkMazzTnAwa25EJ-UBHU5pgmzM/s1600/1283.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8cSK38o5s3jRD8b7M7kvd3YoqAg-NBwhqsc0Vf-r8Fu2DrmmTETkbXgeOvGN8e8TolVrzpZp0WQr0xzXghUSKCeJ93IKO2JkQpwiTRNseYIWJi4CMZ4XkMazzTnAwa25EJ-UBHU5pgmzM/s400/1283.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724013288462118562" border="0" /></a>The set-up:<br /><br />First grade... Miss Bartlett, the teacher.<br /><br />The criminal:<br /><br />I'll rat myself out on the line-up... back row, fifth from the right. That smiling, happy girl with the center part and hair up in braids.<br /><br />The crime:<br /><br />School lunch. To tell the truth or not to tell the truth.<br /><br />I'll now plead my case... Sixty years (approximately) after the rebellion.<br /><br />Some of the time all us kids ate in the school cafeteria. For those of you, dear readers that are younger, you may wonder what's the big deal. For those my age you know that cafeteria food was way different back in the olden days. To say that the food was only a step above hospital food back then may be construed as exaggerated but I digress. I got my tray of cafeteria food for my lunch. I honestly do not remember anything that was on my tray other than.... drum roll...<br /><br />Mixed carrots and peas. The cause of my standing up to authority. Saying no to my teacher. As the kids say nowdays... MY BAD!!!<br /><br />I had eaten everything on my tray except the carrots and peas. Miss Bartlett, doing her teacherly duty and patrolling the cafeteria, saw this criminal headed to the trash bin to empty the tray before going out to lunch recess and stopped me in my tracks. "You need to eat your carrots and peas, not put them in the trash." I, in all my innocence, looked up at my teacher and said, "My momma doesn't make me eat peas and carrots." Miss Bartlett drew herself up and said 'we' will not be going out to recess until you eat your peas and carrots...<br /><br />This child loved recess almost as much as going to school and learning new things. This child and her teacher sat in the cafeteria looking at that tray with those miserable peas and carrots on it until it was time to go to afternoon classes. <br /><br />I don't remember getting in trouble for being defiant to my teacher but I'm sure that I got a stern talking to about the whole situation. My parents never forced us kids to eat anything. They urged us to try any food that mom put on the table but if we didn't like it we didn't have to eat it or try to eat it the next time mom cooked it. I imagine that I probably related the story to my parents honestly and was probably told that I should have tried to eat my peas and carrots but since I told the truth to the teacher it was okay but don't let it happen again. I am pretty sure I would have remembered if I had gotten a spanking for being rebellious child. I remember most of the spankings I got in my life and I don't think I got whopped for this instance but it has been, OMG, over sixty years ago and I have slept since then.<br /><br />And to this day I don't like peas and/or carrots alone, much less mixed together. I can eat carrots in carrot cake and a few cooked in with a roast but don't expect me to eat peas... except in fake guacamole. And that's the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Amen.Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-10749768240474176932012-03-20T16:26:00.003-05:002012-03-20T17:27:31.982-05:00Let'sPower UpThe Media...I dropped by <a href="http://ros-the-quilter.blogspot.com">Ros-the-Quilter</a>'s blog and she had posted about a quilt teacher that had some of her display quilts and teaching materials stolen in a smash and grab at the motel she was staying in on a teaching trip. I put her blog post on FaceBook but decided to go ahead and write a post for those of you not on FB. We form such a network out there on the blogsphere and can reach so many people that I thought "Why Not?" when wondering if a post on my blog might help alert people, not only to watch for her quilts, but to send out another reminder for anytime any of us travel.<br /><br />Do not leave anything in a car when you stay away from home. Actually we shouldn't even leave anything in our cars at home, but crooks seem to target motel parking lots for quick smash and grab crimes, not having a clue what might be in a bag that they steal. All they are thinking about is turning a quick buck for whatever reason... drugs, booze, jewelry for the girlfriend or girlfriends. <br /><br />I don't know many people who haven't had their homes or their cars broken into and I can tell you that no matter what is stolen it leaves you with such a sick feeling, such a feeling of vulnerability and loss. Back in the olden days someone broke into the big house (my nickname for our family home). The police figured it was a kid, or some kids, because most of what was stolen was change that I had saved... this was back before copper was added to quarters and half dollars were not uncommon. I had been saving the coins for a coin collection and even now when I run across quarters without the copper layer or older nickels and dimes I still feel a stab of loss from over 50 years ago.<br /><br />Worse than that was when Carol and I were still living in east Tulsa and she was still teaching. I was in school, taking some art classes, and Carol was still teaching at Catoosa. Two kids broke in the laundry room door, stole Jeff's Nintendo and a bunch of games, stole cassette tapes, this was in the early 90's, and jewelry. Fortunately the neighbors across the street were retired and saw the boys coming from the side of the house with a duffel bag and recognized the boys. When the police came out he was able to tell the officers who the boys were and most of the loot was recovered but a lot of the jewelry was already gone. The item that hurts my heart, to this day, was a ring that my big brother brought back to me from Africa. I had gone to Texas and stayed with my sister-in-law and the kids while he went to Africa to help my sister come home from Mali. Sue was 7 months pregnant and had a 3 year old on the ground and he figured she could use his help getting home. Her husband's tour of duty was to be up in another month but that would have made traveling at her stage of pregnancy not a good thing so Bill flew over for a few days and then flew back with Sue and her oldest boy. While in Africa he did some shopping and my ring was one of the things he brought back to thank me for helping out while he was gone. I hadn't expected anything so that made the ring much more special. I checked pawn shops all around our area, even taking a picture I had drawn of the ring, but it was never recovered...<br /><br />Sooooo... please help out if you know anyone in the south Texas area that might help watch out for the quilts at garage sales or flea markets, even on Craig's list. Let's see if we can put social media out there for a good cause. Here is the book marked page from the blog of the quilter/teacher that has the info about the theft:<br /><br /><a href="http://karencombs.wordpress.com/2012/03/18/quilts-stolen/#comment-60">QUILTS STOLEN «</a><br /><br />Thanks for your time.Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-56527049797882653072012-03-05T16:17:00.003-06:002012-03-05T17:04:35.912-06:00Stupid Questions...Do you, like me, ever wonder if there is no originality left in the world of news reporters? I know that right now I'm under the influence of drugs (for a toothache people...) but I just wonder how many stupid questions reporters can ask. What started all this pondering? The t.v. trailer for the news was showing a man charged with child porn being walked to the court for arraignment and this idiot news man hollers, "Is there anything you'd like to say to the families of these children?"... What in hell do you think he is going to say? 'They sure are cute kids, bubba, do you think I can meet some of them?'. Sheesh. Sometimes I wonder.<br /><br />I know that years ago I heard that commercials were created at the level of 12 year olds because the powers that be figured that would reach the most viewers but I think that the schools of journalism are teaching questioning skills at even lower mentality levels than that... just saying. If the aforementioned criminal makes any kind of answer to the reporter other than something like 'how stupid are you for asking that?' he is liable in Oklahoma and most other states to get his own self shot the first opportunity one of the family members has to shoot his sick ass. I know that the t.v. news people have to try to sell their station to you in these teaser clips but I, and I'm no intellectual, would be looking for a newscast with a little more meat to it. If I can't find something better I'll just stick to watching 'Cops". Watch those boys in blue bust those bad boys, not just ask them stupid questions.<br /><br />That's my gripe for today. All comments are mine... under drugs or not.Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-56617916713483558362012-02-10T17:46:00.002-06:002012-02-10T17:50:09.045-06:00Miscellaneous B.S.<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-QG47foz_dVQ/TzWsRO_QSVI/AAAAAAAAHlo/6kH55cgvGcY/s1600-h/dinosaurs%252520and%252520the%252520ark%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="dinosaurs and the ark" alt="dinosaurs and the ark" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-K2v4AxGwxXc/TzWsRcnPrlI/AAAAAAAAHlw/W_mCHN6hiEM/dinosaurs%252520and%252520the%252520ark_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="244" border="0" width="224" /></a>I was looking for some inspiration for a post this afternoon and got to thinking that I (and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one) have collected some weird images over time. For whatever reason, each and every one struck a chord in my twisted brain and I saved the images. I thought I’d share some of the oddities with you today. The above has made me laugh and shake my head more than once… felt like that more than once.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9pbVIhTFn3o/TzWsR7Rj__I/AAAAAAAAHl4/CLh6_cFaKyo/s1600-h/Blow%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Blow" alt="Blow" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-P-PFw_BPc8Y/TzWsSDVjUuI/AAAAAAAAHmA/x3HEkTqifkk/Blow_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="244" border="0" width="164" /></a>On those days when I feel like I’m the only one with a decent attitude and everyone I’m around is a sour puss… I need this printed on a card to hand out.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-h6gcGmiOIbI/TzWsSbnw7tI/AAAAAAAAHmI/SQazYzubgC0/s1600-h/Maxinw%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Maxinw" alt="Maxinw" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iJ6DQJKkRPs/TzWsSvURI9I/AAAAAAAAHmQ/UuYfYfHN8jI/Maxinw_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="244" border="0" width="197" /></a>This is kind of how I feel when I’m hunting where in the heck I put photos… One of these days I’m going to learn how to sort my pictures into folders… right after I learn how to make a folder.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-i-fJgqqqHb0/TzWsS_1xTTI/AAAAAAAAHmY/UC2Qt0l2kjo/s1600-h/dementia%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="dementia" alt="dementia" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-o_VDLaFINwY/TzWsTQec5FI/AAAAAAAAHmg/jn2qhRXZhNQ/dementia_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="244" border="0" width="244" /></a>Yep, been there, done that. I think I’ll make a t-shirt and along the same lines…</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jYZm1xxOVLw/TzWsTud5rKI/AAAAAAAAHmo/_tpu4R94-Ew/s1600-h/my%252520sex%252520life%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="my sex life" alt="my sex life" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-pki2VxvG854/TzWsT7oQlSI/AAAAAAAAHmw/jYnOn0-FxbU/my%252520sex%252520life_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="244" border="0" width="244" /></a>Not to dwell here very long because that might indicate that I remember ever having a sex life, we’ll move right along.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ss6udJWgSw8/TzWsUPwXEAI/AAAAAAAAHm4/sBq_0U7M1U0/s1600-h/Australian%252520Kiss%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Australian Kiss" alt="Australian Kiss" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-enywEDZrc7I/TzWsUTT-dPI/AAAAAAAAHnA/3yXjBjDi1Mw/Australian%252520Kiss_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="196" border="0" width="244" /></a>I mean it… we will move right along… I got stuck for a minute.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-k96kHEqQ0cQ/TzWsUv1uCeI/AAAAAAAAHnI/WrDAPF5hn7k/s1600-h/I%252520changed%252520the%252520channel%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="I changed the channel" alt="I changed the channel" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BiOaLNBM-F0/TzWsU3DKAsI/AAAAAAAAHnQ/yyiLXa_NsgM/I%252520changed%252520the%252520channel_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="244" border="0" width="204" /></a>Sometimes I have to get downright rough with my own mind to get the channel changed but I’m like Rosie the Riveter… I can do it!</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ZVwtyNCA8ss/TzWsVFi1p5I/AAAAAAAAHnY/-xVswSj9M_w/s1600-h/never%252520too%252520old%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="never too old" alt="never too old" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrA-MyG3oGLFl1ifFSpGC_83ShV9m5j1QxlKi-C5dS3GtqwuxpAiweBkM3Fe2SBSop5bHAblfuIjizwF65Vg7MmIlrBIgl3w3dH9yIn8pNAbKNKZcARyPmM7msgnzZjGtP1e8H6h3as2xN/?imgmax=800" height="224" border="0" width="244" /></a>I seem to be able to live by this axiom daily…</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HizHwbEyCOw/TzWsV6bsaTI/AAAAAAAAHno/R_A2TiWLWjE/s1600-h/rough%252520day%252520rooster%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="rough day rooster" alt="rough day rooster" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xWlvAm1hphE/TzWsWPgpwBI/AAAAAAAAHnw/-A7nQdhin_w/rough%252520day%252520rooster_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="244" border="0" width="237" /></a>And this is how I often end up looking after learning something stupid and then someone with great timing sends me something like this to drive the point home:</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1WIP2fUCaW0/TzWsWcu2IWI/AAAAAAAAHn4/ufJycZX3qug/s1600-h/The%252520Duke...%252520Life%252520is%252520hard.%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="The Duke... Life is hard." alt="The Duke... Life is hard." src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-auMeqLz5pN4/TzWsWt_cULI/AAAAAAAAHoA/r5gaclgXwds/The%252520Duke...%252520Life%252520is%252520hard._thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="139" border="0" width="244" /></a>That’s when I take my own self out behind the woodshed for a good therapy session…</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Rp5FwcSLiPQ/TzWsW0_OqWI/AAAAAAAAHoI/IRbgwPs5LHA/s1600-h/screaming%252520obscenities%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="screaming obscenities" alt="screaming obscenities" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lDltnnnmlUs/TzWsXMyNmEI/AAAAAAAAHoQ/VPh6wSf268g/screaming%252520obscenities_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="184" border="0" width="184" /></a>Y’all feel free to steal any of the images on this post. Some of you may even recognize the ones you have e-mailed me over time… just want you to know that I appreciate each and every funny you pass on to me. I’ll look forward to sharing some more of these in the future.</p> <p> </p> <p>Enjoy!</p>Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-28849782127940416012012-02-01T21:45:00.002-06:002012-02-01T22:21:15.331-06:00Somebody's Peeing In My Post Toasties...Just found out that there are changes afoot in my blog world, by Google... Now it's bad enough that FaceBook is shoving changes down our throat which is making me thinking twice about even bothering to keep a profile on FB, but Google now from what I understand is wanting to change things around with our blogger accounts. No sidekicks on the sidebar and who else knows what.<br /><br />I haven't started investigating all the things they are going to change but there is one thing you all know... I hate changes in areas that I am already uncomfortable in to start with... like internet shit. It's so much a foreign language to me, computer stuff, that it has taken me 15 years to get comfortable enough to (a) Turn the son of a bitch on without fear of blowing the sucker up... (B) learn how to do email... (C) Start slowly venturing further on to the web by doing searches for various interests... (D) Start a blog and last but not least (E)signed up for Facebook. All this process has taken me 15+ years which should give you an idea of how tentative I am with trying to learn anything technologically involved. Once I learn it and get comfortable with it I'm good.<br />I can do the things I like to do and try to learn a little more each time I get on, try to figure out something new or make a new friend that can explain stuff to me so I don't have to stretch my brain so hard... especially since I'm getting to the age where what viable braincells I do have left are dropping off left and right.<br /><br />I don't know if I'll have enough brains to take me forward into more new technology especially since my ass is dragging way back yonder trying to catch up to the rest of me already. <br /><br />I just want to be happy in my playhouse with the things I'm familiar with and only learn new things because I want to, not because I have no choice.<br /><br />This is my story and I'm sticking to it.Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-74189566912060210192012-01-28T17:55:00.003-06:002012-01-28T18:44:01.957-06:00Snippets And Odds And Ends...I get things running around in my head sometimes... I call them many things like wonderings, idiot attacks and/or brilliant revelations so I decided to jot down one or two... or seven. Who knows?<br /><br />Do you know how to fold a fitted sheet? I do know how to do that because my momma taught me how many, many years ago when fitted sheets were first introduced to the market. The second part of this mind wandering is if you know how to fold them do you care whether or not you do?<br /><br />Am I the only person who wonders why the advertising people pay people to trash a place and put leftover food out on the counters and blindfold people to see if their air freshener covers up the smell... when all they would have to do is go to most any college kids apartments without giving them notice and film it for probably a 6-pack and a twenty dollar bill and then lower the prices on the air freshener?<br /><br />And, following along this line, has anyone besides me ever thought about giving someone a snow shovel to make it easier to clean their house? I didn't, but I sure thought about it...<br /><br />Is there a gene that makes some people inventive and others (like myself) the ones without the gene that are saying, "Why didn't I think of that?"<br /><br />What about that person this past week that won 14.3 million playing the wrong lottery game?... I keep telling our good Lord that winning the lottery wouldn't spoil me or change me and I keep getting the reminders that you have to buy the tickets before you can win... no matter which lottery you play.<br /><br />No matter how much closer I move to where my sibs live, the older I get the harder it is to make myself drive to visit them... or even go to the grocery. Or maybe that is my state of mind right now. Just sayin'.<br /><br />Do you ever feel like your doc is just experimenting on you?<br /><br />Does anyone else have brilliant thoughts while out and about and then when you get home and go to write them down don't remember what they were? And how hard would it be for me to get it through my thick skull to carry a little tape recorder around so I could save these thoughts for posterity with just a click of a button...<br /><br />There were a bunch more things running around in my brain but evidently they fell between the lobes while I was trying to document the wonderment of my thought processes... Next time maybe I will have more that I've written down or recorded to share with you but for now...<br /><br />That's all, folks!Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-67167762413494557612012-01-11T13:58:00.003-06:002012-01-11T14:26:58.931-06:00Grits Aren't Just For Deep Southerners...Any more, anyway... I told you all about the Chili Cheese Grits that Carol whipped up for Christmas. Neither she nor I have ever been a fan of grits but she ran across this recipe in a magazine and thought it sounded good... I thought she was nuts trying it out on a Christmas lunch but we were having company and she figured it would be more likely to be eaten, I guess. Not wanting to rain on her parade and since it had green chiles in it which gave the dish a southwest or Mexican nod I thought, "what the heck... give it a try". Dang, it was good. Almost like a spoon bread in texture. So I had to eat 'crow' along with everything else for lunch on Christmas. Here you go... enjoy.<br /><br />CHILI CHEESE GRITS<br /><br />3 Cups water<br />1 teaspoon salt<br />1 clove garlic, minced<br />1 Cup quick-cooking grits<br />1/4 Cup butter, at room temperature<br />1-1/2 Cups Longhorn cheese, grated (about 6 ounces)<br />4-1/2 ounce can chopped green chiles<br />2 eggs<br />1/2 Cup milk<br />freshly ground black pepper, to taste<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 F.<br /><br />Bring water to a boil and add the salt and garlic. Slowly stir in the grits and continue stirring for 4 or 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat.<br /><br />Add the butter, 1 Cup of the cheese and the green chiles, stirring until butter is completely melted. Beat the eggs with the milk, add to the mixture and mix well.<br /><br />Pour into a greased 2 quart baking dish and bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve.<br /><br />Whomever wrote the original recipe should have added that the recipe might make a non-grits person into one who would request this dish. Obviously if I talked about it and took the time to copy the recipe for you all it is something that I would eat again.<br /><br />Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks... or new foods to eat and like. I think Carol just wants to see if she can make something that neither of us has cared to eat into something good and yes, ma'am, she can!Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-91765144317656924442012-01-07T14:30:00.002-06:002012-01-07T15:12:36.341-06:00Texas Trash And Other Tidbits...First off let me say that Chloe (and mom) made it through her health crisis. She's eating and cleaning the floor for any little tidbit that may have been dropped, she's barking at anyone who dares to darken her door or the little kids that she can see playing when she's in the yard. I'm so glad to have her back to her old self that I don't even threaten to beat her for her barking... I just pet her and tell her to hush her mouth.<br /><br />Now on to the inquiry about Texas Trash. Originally I believe it was more commonly known as Chex Mix and the recipe you can find on all the Chex cereal boxes. Where we got to calling it Texas Trash was from additions and augmentations to the original recipe by friends in Texas and it just seems easier to remember for me than Chex Mix and more fun to say. The original recipe calls for (this is just guesstimation from me... we don't have any cereal here now for me to be exact) 2 cups of each of the Chex cereals, Cheerios, pretzels and nuts. Carol has also used Bugels (the snack) and usually uses mixed nuts. She also uses a full stick of margarine or butter instead of half a stick. You melt that down and add to it a couple of tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce and some seasoning salt, a couple of teaspoons I think. I can't remember if there are other ingredients and Carol is in the shower as I write this but if you don't find it on the Chex cereal boxes, give me a shout and I'll find out for sure the recipe. Anyway after you melt your butter or margarine and add the other ingredients, you pour it all over the cereal, pretzels and other treat stuff like Bugles or Goldfish or whatever and stir it up good. I would suggest you put in one of those throw away turkey cooking pans because then it goes in the oven on a low heat, probably like 250F. and every 15 minutes you pull it out and stir it up to get all the seasoning to all of the cereals and stuff. You do that two or three times and then you dare people to not eat it until they are full of it, too. <br /><br />Really it is one of those snack things that folks will sit and pick at while watching football games or visiting with folks that stop in for a visit. It's fun finger foods for the little ones and everyone figures out what their favorite part is (mine are the rice Chex, for now) and you will catch them picking out their favorites. It is a snack that is easy to add to or change around like our friends that like to add Tabasco for a little kick (mmmm good!) or different types of snack foods like the Bugles or Goldfish crackers. <br /><br />In a day or two I'll get Carol to print out the recipe for the green chili grits and pass that on to you all. I've never been a grits fan, nor has Carol, but she ran across the recipe and decided to try it. We are both glad she did and will have it again soon.<br /><br />So that kind of explains about the Texas Trash/Chex Mix. It's fun to eat and easy to make, I could probably make it but don't tell Carol. You can have it going in the oven while you do other things and folks sure don't pass it by...<br /><br />Enjoy.Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-22762334753389070952011-12-23T22:59:00.004-06:002011-12-23T23:38:25.590-06:00Chloe's Home...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikU3TTj3dquUcH1G46wa6sVf_AU3GwFFI4EAZl0YBZ7ULoA_pT8f8RNG7BSbmjgd0q3H79OBlVFsM3EJftLJmiT0GPzcw3RIHCgtC8TsZpVEZH4Nfe56SjRuupDBy7ZTHBoXqMh8ynCcH5/s1600/from+the+old+compac+049.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikU3TTj3dquUcH1G46wa6sVf_AU3GwFFI4EAZl0YBZ7ULoA_pT8f8RNG7BSbmjgd0q3H79OBlVFsM3EJftLJmiT0GPzcw3RIHCgtC8TsZpVEZH4Nfe56SjRuupDBy7ZTHBoXqMh8ynCcH5/s400/from+the+old+compac+049.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689559425336787602" border="0" /></a>She's not feeling real pert but at least she is home and not in a cage. She's in pretty rough shape but is on 2 types of antibiotics, a steroid, an anti- diarrhea med, an anti-nausea med and one for pain if needed. In other words they don't know what went wrong with my girl. They figure if you throw enough meds at it whatever it is, it will go away. I don't know how it will end with this round and expecting it could go either way but it gives mom a chance to get her mind ready for what ever is to come. <br /><br />Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Our little family gets together for snacks... Rotel cheese dip, little smokies, and sandwich stuff for snacking and visiting. Then presents are opened. Until my Carol and I started living together Christmas Day was always the gift day but she had traditions she had already started with Jeff and so we do gifts on Christmas Eve. There would be Santa gifts on Christmas Day but since he is 38 now we don't do that anymore. <br /><br />This year Carol is going to cook beef for Christmas Day instead of just repeating the Thanksgiving menu. I'll let you all know what will be cooking for Christmas Day as soon as I know what is on the menu. <br /><br />In the meantime you all get your preparations for Christmas done so you can be sure to have time for hugs and to tell your families that you love each and every one, including the 4 legged babies because we never know for sure how long we are going to be of this world...Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-27551336104493831132011-12-22T08:39:00.003-06:002011-12-22T08:57:35.489-06:00Update...First off, the liver enzymes are playing wreak havoc again. Not as bad as they were, but they have gone back up somewhat from last month. The good news is, that while the doc didn't take me off the steroids, he did increase the Imuran, the med that I'll be taking from now on I guess. I wasn't surprised that the blood test wasn't as good as last month because of how I'd been feeling. I guess I am learning to listen to my body at least a little bit.<br /><br />My Chloe, my oldest girl, is at the vet's and has been since Tuesday. I'm very worried about her. She ran fever and refused to eat Monday evening and when she refused her breakfast Tuesday I decided that it was time to take her to the doctor. Her white blood count was up which could be an infection of some sort or it could be cancer. They took x-rays and didn't see any obvious mass anywhere but it could be hiding behind her organs. I talked with them yesterday about ultra sound and when the doc brought it up I asked what it would cost... about $300. Told them no, I couldn't afford that and if they did find anything I couldn't afford to have them do surgery or chemo. She will be 12 on the 1st of January and she has had a good life and what I needed them to do was try and get her re hydrated and feeling better if possible but if not then God needed a good pup in heaven. So needless to say I've been in bad shape about her. I'll let you know the outcome with Chloe.<br /><br />Thanks for checking up on me. I'm going to close now for this post. Say a little prayer for my girl, if you would.<br /><br />Thanks.Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-26005004277688117662011-12-17T08:57:00.002-06:002011-12-17T09:57:43.579-06:00I'm Not Dead...I'm just aggravated. A couple of days after my last post (back in the dark ages) I sat down to write about whatever had crossed my mind at the time and set my hands over the keyboard to start typing and my hands, especially my left hand, were shaking like I was palsied. It was so bad that I had to grab it with my right hand and slap it around and fuss at it. I went ahead and tried to type with it and the words were coming out like sasalleee[op (sleep) or ggoeoffyy (goofy). Needless to say, I got p.o.'d and said to heck with it and hadn't written anything longer than replies to e-mails and only when necessary at that. I know that the tremblies are medicine related and I also know now that they are worse when I've done stuff with my arms and hands like painting the walls of the kitchen, which I did, and the muscles are tired. To me, at the time however, it was one more sign of "aging" and you all know that I refuse to even think about aging or my body betraying me by getting more "feeble". I'm too young for feeble to even enter the equation.<br /><br />Other than the above I can't fuss about too much. I did get the kitchen repainted, including the woodwork, in time for Thanksgiving, and after Thanksgiving lunch at our house I drove to Ft. Worth to my brother and s.i.l.'s and visited with them and had Thanksgiving again on Sunday evening and came home on Monday. Last Sunday I drove to my nephew's home, about two hours from where I live, to stay with him for a few days after his knee replacement surgery. His wife just started her new job at a college about 3 months ago and with the jobs and economy the way it has been she didn't want to take a chance with her job because she really loves it so I went on Sunday and helped him out with keeping him supplied with liquids and lunch and whatever else he needed and then came home on Thursday evening. Tuesday and Wednesday we had thunderstorms, yes Virginia, thunderstorms in December, and when you live in the country and have to depend on satellite for your t.v. and internet you know if it rains you are going to be without t.v. and internet. I found I need to load some games to play that don't require me being on the internet. Usually I pack a book or two and a couple of magazines when I go anywhere for overnight but for some reason I failed to do that this trip so I was looking for things to do when I got bored with the games that come on the computer.<br /><br />Next up is Christmas. Carol has been cooking already. She loves Christmas and loves baking for Christmas. I love Christmas, too, and I love eating most all of what she bakes. So far she has made pumpkin bread, banana nut bread, eggnog bread and apple cake with cinnamon icing. Fudge and baked fudge, butterscotch haystacks, Hidden Valley oyster crackers and Texas Trash or ChexMix to some folks. For her sister's birthday tomorrow she is making cowboy caviar, Christmas layered jello, green chili cheese grits, grilled chicken and talapia, asparagus and mushroom casserole, green chili spoon bread and bread pudding. Later she will be making peanut brittle, peanut butter fudge and chocolate covered pretzels. Dang, I'm gaining weight just typing all this. <br /><br />So that's what's on the near horizon around here. I imagine there will be some cookies made and anything else that catches Carol's eye as she is going through her recipes. So if I go anywhere between now and Christmas they will probably have to roll me out of the house on a dolly. Just call me Porky.<br /><br />I go Monday for blood work and then see my GI on Tuesday to find out where we are on my journey with my liver. I'm not even going to speculate on it, just think positive that I can finally get off the damn steroids. I will let you know. I won't leave you all hanging on this... if I can waddle to the computer after eating everything this weekend.<br /><br />Have a great weekend and get all your Christmas shopping done so you can start on your Christmas cooking. I'll catch you all later.Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-46749279177463392042011-10-15T14:30:00.005-05:002011-10-15T14:52:48.153-05:00Whoa! What's Going On???Two posts in three days? Dang... something has awakened an interest in life at least for the moment. I think I will share it with you all. Some background...Carol and I bought 4 okra plants last spring rather than planting from seed. Three died and one survived. Needless to say I knew I wouldn't get to pick enough for even a mess of okra for Carol and I so I just let it grow and watched it throughout the summer. I kept watching for the blooms because they are really beautiful, creamy white and look like a hibiscus. Okra likes to bloom early... I like to sleep late. I knew there were flowers that had to be making because they close up and that's where the babies start but my timing has just been off this summer because I haven't spent much time outside. Today I got a wild hair and went out to run the weed eater around the dog fence. I got about 2/3rds done before I had to take a break and I got to looking around at what I need to do for fall put away and clean up and happened to check out my okra to decide if I could make myself pull it up yet. I DO like watching things grow... I DON'T like pulling stuff up at the end of the season because things look so barren.<br /><br />But I digress... not only was there an open flower on the okra plant, there were also buds, a couple of ready to pick okra and okra pods that were starting to break open and showing the b-b sized okra seeds. I got a couple of pictures to share with you all... Enjoy!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPy0wFlo5vHMgRQkxsQspagkyb2yMa0bAAvtEf7HPTNSXB_UPI785W_Wvep6qiEmp7JFdqyuZoH2GingOmP21el8S7wgBIjOdx8nU8Oz3Q5yvJryKysyorU_Qc1ebACLb45pDM-HFT8EvE/s1600/DSC09133.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 308px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPy0wFlo5vHMgRQkxsQspagkyb2yMa0bAAvtEf7HPTNSXB_UPI785W_Wvep6qiEmp7JFdqyuZoH2GingOmP21el8S7wgBIjOdx8nU8Oz3Q5yvJryKysyorU_Qc1ebACLb45pDM-HFT8EvE/s400/DSC09133.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663807617198172258" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4HF5dGQiX84igDjD9Fg7mNsFYrmkN14oby87W2cD0RITVg7KWmvfOkr-Ed3zyksvwW82cl9lXKqg7OwpCry0yHAP9dking759GkQVZ-3ZA91IUaicyZ0zvHnUZLJNPky-yAnS_ucMfgm/s1600/DSC09134.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 333px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4HF5dGQiX84igDjD9Fg7mNsFYrmkN14oby87W2cD0RITVg7KWmvfOkr-Ed3zyksvwW82cl9lXKqg7OwpCry0yHAP9dking759GkQVZ-3ZA91IUaicyZ0zvHnUZLJNPky-yAnS_ucMfgm/s400/DSC09134.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663807895449625986" border="0" /></a>Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-89301847268783090412011-10-13T17:26:00.013-05:002011-10-13T19:39:15.579-05:00Family And Flowers...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYIzd6mXQ_Imt-QrOr_B9s7mDqN35ftKZzK7VssXV08MSP9VSNwuWJNtDGOeGfGNysfYk7pNhiFY2m3XENZR9TiJXjnJgdYseskA0jXzAKwgmecwQGBrgActnooCWKYTfnwK43Yfid8oXn/s1600/Nancy+Lu++Mary+Catherine++Helen+9.3.11+001.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYIzd6mXQ_Imt-QrOr_B9s7mDqN35ftKZzK7VssXV08MSP9VSNwuWJNtDGOeGfGNysfYk7pNhiFY2m3XENZR9TiJXjnJgdYseskA0jXzAKwgmecwQGBrgActnooCWKYTfnwK43Yfid8oXn/s400/Nancy+Lu++Mary+Catherine++Helen+9.3.11+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663109604990471826" border="0" /></a><br />You all know how I feel about family. We always have such fun and special times when we get together. We laugh, cry, tease and have been known to tell off on each other but always with love.<br /><br />Left to right... Mary Catherine, the oldest daughter of my oldest brother... my sweet niece that I spent lots of summers with when she was little even before her sibs started coming along. Sometime I'll post up some photos of those times. Nancy Lu is the youngest and only daughter of my sis who passed away when she was 23. Nancy Lu was just shy of 2 years old. She was the first granddaughter after her mom and dad had had two ornery boys. She is also a Leap Year birthday girl. Then there's yours truly, leaning on my sweet Nancy Lu as I have often done in my life. My sis sent me this photo in a note and I just had to share it with you all. It was taken at Nancy Lu's home in Bethany, OK, Labor Day weekend. Mary Catherine and her youngest son (bless her heart she has four boys) drove my big brother up from Ft. Worth for a visit. My sister and one of her boys (she also, bless her heart, has four boys) also drove up from Weatherford, TX, for a visit. My middle brother, Walter, and my cousin Carol drove in from Meeker to join with us and have a mini family reunion for the day. Anyway I love the picture and wanted to share a bit of the fun with you all.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8xnKpC7Gxet4_8xorkyPo5D6NoEHsRQPkgpv9DpAzousEwNLDIM3bMfvYOWG56bC-nDAUiRzlxxTqnpS-nSx8d0-p-6qWMHRY6BTkXmGtYar9NF_Af2oyKycUryarqH7N23A3VK9behWv/s1600/DSC09130.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8xnKpC7Gxet4_8xorkyPo5D6NoEHsRQPkgpv9DpAzousEwNLDIM3bMfvYOWG56bC-nDAUiRzlxxTqnpS-nSx8d0-p-6qWMHRY6BTkXmGtYar9NF_Af2oyKycUryarqH7N23A3VK9behWv/s400/DSC09130.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663116763321464434" border="0" /></a><br />In my life, here in Oklahoma, fall and mums go together. My Carol's birthday is in September and I would imagine there hasn't been a birthday for the last 20 + years that she has not gotten at least one mum and usually several. For her 70th birthday last year she requested no gifts from friends that came to share that milestone. When they persisted her sister and I said just bring her a mum. They did just that. This one is one I brought home for her this year. There is a grasshopper hanging around on the right hand post of the flower pot.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmP2fbILOereGQBs4ySoh9Qy_GIe7KchIJck_PkSKpQhwxroLhEAOezxhMKrYSflH98VCQ-VRHgcv4iY9jXDbECIBErnK9xYXEetpqTJfwqr7iWyklNtEHMeQInHVbm8qzUkU6ioKeXks_/s1600/DSC09129.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmP2fbILOereGQBs4ySoh9Qy_GIe7KchIJck_PkSKpQhwxroLhEAOezxhMKrYSflH98VCQ-VRHgcv4iY9jXDbECIBErnK9xYXEetpqTJfwqr7iWyklNtEHMeQInHVbm8qzUkU6ioKeXks_/s400/DSC09129.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663120747919719010" border="0" /></a><br />This is one of the 70th birthday mums that we managed to keep alive through the heat of the summer.<br /><br />What a payback for our efforts to keep it alive. It is a beautiful, clear yellow and has been full of blooms. Carol always has me trim off buds until the 4th of July and then one time after that she has me just pick off the buds, not cut them. Then we let 'em rip. I don't know where she got her info on doing the mums that way but it has sure worked all these years.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixtegRtDUQ6SYHamrszuzGEDSAs4eETQqXuZ78aRb15axR2sV-fDSiW93kFU_uvD6R0wjyEH_qE3F7qSI-PsdmNG4vSJiajabSF51K65rltlbco_3xQlqE2Ew2mAIuHIoCoH1REA7ogOBX/s1600/DSC09123.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixtegRtDUQ6SYHamrszuzGEDSAs4eETQqXuZ78aRb15axR2sV-fDSiW93kFU_uvD6R0wjyEH_qE3F7qSI-PsdmNG4vSJiajabSF51K65rltlbco_3xQlqE2Ew2mAIuHIoCoH1REA7ogOBX/s400/DSC09123.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663121796606633186" border="0" /></a>This is another of the birthday mums we managed to keep alive. This red isn't as densely packed as the yellow but it has really been strutting it's stuff and putting on a show for us.<br /><br />We lost a couple of the other mums and several shrubs as well as our tomato and pepper plants but we are thankful for the ones we managed to keep with us until the heat wave finally broke and we started getting more normal temperatures.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWf8_BXqxMTpbabmiXYX0gZg6HSqPqWDTKZdfJ-W4Bv1BRLhWs6ABzAC9DqOzA_ItU9fC5W-AkkAeeZIIl-eLEoNaxVAYO9UY1TktDzIXklg9NPDQuSahIE9nnWGn6_SkRGkrvgwCY8gIB/s1600/DSC09118.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWf8_BXqxMTpbabmiXYX0gZg6HSqPqWDTKZdfJ-W4Bv1BRLhWs6ABzAC9DqOzA_ItU9fC5W-AkkAeeZIIl-eLEoNaxVAYO9UY1TktDzIXklg9NPDQuSahIE9nnWGn6_SkRGkrvgwCY8gIB/s400/DSC09118.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663127827164926994" border="0" /></a><br />I want to show you something new that is new to us...<br /><br />The seeds were gifted to me by the young man that does my hair. Besides giving the best haircut I've ever had, Dude loves to grow flowers as much as I do.<br /><br />I think I've told you about the quote that I've carried with me for probably 40 years...<br /><br />"Not By Bread Alone: After Hippocrates", by James Terry White (1907) that reads:<br /><br />"If thou of fortune be bereft<br /><br />And in thy store there be but left<br /><br />Two loaves, sell one and with the dole<br /><br />Buy hyacinths to feed thy soul."<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrH_ePTeN3p9nejKWHLLmYE4yoRO9fuhtK5rCfN63VYmM_jwjpJ4pcaHDNd0DpkG7e-NojD10Msq5-09KQgUKcMn67aU_o_Sgg1YNJ9ctSGV8EFPbI_sl29QkkpmGKeps2Jv2Y47vLcNLl/s1600/DSC09117.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrH_ePTeN3p9nejKWHLLmYE4yoRO9fuhtK5rCfN63VYmM_jwjpJ4pcaHDNd0DpkG7e-NojD10Msq5-09KQgUKcMn67aU_o_Sgg1YNJ9ctSGV8EFPbI_sl29QkkpmGKeps2Jv2Y47vLcNLl/s400/DSC09117.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663130409481114418" border="0" /></a><br />Dude said these are called hyacinth vines or some people call them Hawaiian bean vines.<br /><br />The blooms look a bit like sweet peas or even kinda similar to little orchids.<br /><br />After the blooms the vine puts on a purple seed pod and since this vine won't winter over in our Oklahoma zone 5-6 so I'll be collecting the pods to be able to grow some more next year. I'll have a lot of them so if any of you want to try these out e-mail me with your address and I'll send you some seed.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pVcNh2S6H-zx40JY1NFmQtElHwA9Wa_nXdeVfgkeEumkKJpYya-TCRTNvShMt_JjIDgHwGQri_kJ78E0ELOMar6OcDau-fR7_TFKmjTFBnZ4uTswsP7XzLohTUh0FQXkh_H51Z3dpdMn/s1600/DSC09122.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pVcNh2S6H-zx40JY1NFmQtElHwA9Wa_nXdeVfgkeEumkKJpYya-TCRTNvShMt_JjIDgHwGQri_kJ78E0ELOMar6OcDau-fR7_TFKmjTFBnZ4uTswsP7XzLohTUh0FQXkh_H51Z3dpdMn/s400/DSC09122.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663131808254525138" border="0" /></a><br />I had 8 or 10 seeds that I basically just put at the northeast corner of the trailer thinking it's already June and I don't know if these will make or not... If I had known then what I know now I would have also put a trellis with them. They are climbers and have gone all over. It's been great. Even in the heat the vines flourished. They were in the same bed as the mums so they did get watered but I was totally astounded at how well and how fast they grew. They new leaves are light green with purple veining.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYRRhi49VRISlVf6-hQKwHY2ztUNhritadzGKXCBDPT63jfxrHacKCvO3s7iIqSIswHqHzvQ4uyBLBuaWh7kv-stP1GScSjsqeUjQdkz-kc3LeATLvT7Xn1fSiA0ycY_aMDEJ31dHaJI1/s1600/DSC09116.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYRRhi49VRISlVf6-hQKwHY2ztUNhritadzGKXCBDPT63jfxrHacKCvO3s7iIqSIswHqHzvQ4uyBLBuaWh7kv-stP1GScSjsqeUjQdkz-kc3LeATLvT7Xn1fSiA0ycY_aMDEJ31dHaJI1/s400/DSC09116.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663134851688280834" border="0" /></a>These are the purple seed pods and there are a bunch of them. I would be interested if some of you that live further north would be able to grow this vine as it seemed to sprout from the seeds quickly and grew fast as a weed and all over the place. I didn't mind that because I like the looks of a wilder garden but next year I'll put a trellis for them to climb. I have an idea for one I'd like to make myself that I think would show off this little beauty. I'll keep you posted on that little project.<br /><br /><br />Well I've sure been way longer winded with this post than I have been in a long time and you know what? It feels pretty good! Maybe the meds are getting me back to somewhat my old self.<br /><br />Let's hope so... and let me know if you want to try out some of these hyacinth vine seeds.Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-89860202509583521552011-10-10T14:31:00.009-05:002011-10-10T15:03:23.038-05:00More Spreckles, Anyone?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnluNMCu6xfRe8r2kxwE-5ijzRfkOYYbhSMM8mz02YU0WqYASnNz5dRE-aYBTFi55coIRa_GiPMBJtNC5QdCXILbuAZ4qQT_MPf5Glje1xl-whNQWeHUNfiqGs6tSgsVtUdtmRFgAe8bP/s1600/DSC09115.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnluNMCu6xfRe8r2kxwE-5ijzRfkOYYbhSMM8mz02YU0WqYASnNz5dRE-aYBTFi55coIRa_GiPMBJtNC5QdCXILbuAZ4qQT_MPf5Glje1xl-whNQWeHUNfiqGs6tSgsVtUdtmRFgAe8bP/s400/DSC09115.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661950143009640194" border="0" /></a><br />I had such fun with my last post that I decided to post up my second choice photos...<br /><br />Spreckles is such a cutie that I figure you all won't mind some photos that aren't quite as good as the first batch I posted. Not that they were great, just maybe a little sharper and such.<br /><br />My silly girls were barking and Jenny was checking to see who was making all that racket. Spreckles was still eye-balling that tall thing with the black box in front of her face.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuj6uklzLVSXMJRr3xmKODiY3B3g2LJUi0bdobCIKHjk0-nfr1o5BsoIvSV1RPI71fjkBtuf_xM9XFnVj_TgvK6w_EGTk_7r4Xkez_egPPuGM9zxMfrIW7vLyNl3O0nwN07dhCP5MZAkBs/s1600/DSC09101.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 393px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuj6uklzLVSXMJRr3xmKODiY3B3g2LJUi0bdobCIKHjk0-nfr1o5BsoIvSV1RPI71fjkBtuf_xM9XFnVj_TgvK6w_EGTk_7r4Xkez_egPPuGM9zxMfrIW7vLyNl3O0nwN07dhCP5MZAkBs/s400/DSC09101.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661949423174202370" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here's one I snapped as Jenny was walking up to check for treats and the baby was paying close attention.<br /><br />Are you sure it's okay, Mom? I want to meet this new person...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmLz8hAj2rWnxTXoCxJwizUQCBzubgDXsYqgGX4ExbkwmzG_igbECgjTDginWYadtV7qMWnDkqh47ZgudDExKNyze2Z2AMMxfpMNCyhqMfCxAAXysWRAXYrnaYDpxj5YK6Lzz5x1XLCRfJ/s1600/DSC09106.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmLz8hAj2rWnxTXoCxJwizUQCBzubgDXsYqgGX4ExbkwmzG_igbECgjTDginWYadtV7qMWnDkqh47ZgudDExKNyze2Z2AMMxfpMNCyhqMfCxAAXysWRAXYrnaYDpxj5YK6Lzz5x1XLCRfJ/s400/DSC09106.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661949646581150978" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBncqwoSBF0J9-VPyiaONCc5I-JgwKXOWosLRFmEcdS-GhS9_VCb5fAtdwvGmmEAtOBIHHHvMsoNjDDzEOdnz-2Rs6YagtZaO_PsJFu-kg8C8wJPSdOe8l2bAM6jrGGTo-w7WmXU8TmB0Y/s1600/DSC09099.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 361px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBncqwoSBF0J9-VPyiaONCc5I-JgwKXOWosLRFmEcdS-GhS9_VCb5fAtdwvGmmEAtOBIHHHvMsoNjDDzEOdnz-2Rs6YagtZaO_PsJFu-kg8C8wJPSdOe8l2bAM6jrGGTo-w7WmXU8TmB0Y/s400/DSC09099.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661949249855865842" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Mom says, dang, no treats I'm back to the grass but Spreckles had more studying she wanted to do.<br /><br />She was really concentrating and taking me in so I was really careful to not make any sudden moves and just talked to her quiet-like telling her she was as sweet as her little momma.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />We've had several inches of rain the last two days so I expect when I go out next week there will be some green grass in the photos. I was going to take pictures of the ponds out behind the house but they were down so low it was depressing so I chose to do the happy baby post instead.<br /><br />Friday while I was there they had a semi load of hay delivered and that's the first time in a long time they've had to buy hay but the heat and drought of the summer is one of those things that the farmers and ranchers have all had to deal with this summer. So if you see beef prices increasing you all know their expenses went up---- a lot this year.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVnoSeWsRg_ddK2k5wU6hM8Zp4gIbci74SYq1Ik0vvZahZ3M0WckHof9ZZGrPK1YTQgs3HwedSWIRmpsX-bpzD-h9UoZlGbDShV5pN0Z9meUcJc1xCCn7oNe19Bgta0cT2TR9sGbxUsn_x/s1600/DSC09113.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVnoSeWsRg_ddK2k5wU6hM8Zp4gIbci74SYq1Ik0vvZahZ3M0WckHof9ZZGrPK1YTQgs3HwedSWIRmpsX-bpzD-h9UoZlGbDShV5pN0Z9meUcJc1xCCn7oNe19Bgta0cT2TR9sGbxUsn_x/s400/DSC09113.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661954968071390338" border="0" /></a><br />So you all enjoy the 'seconds' of Spreckles and Jenny out on a beautiful fall day and I'll get more pictures when I go out in a week or ten days again.<br /><br />Happy Monday, y'all!Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-81606286614421162442011-10-06T21:32:00.010-05:002011-10-06T22:48:10.128-05:00Spreckles...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJc1Gc-bCcazRSK8uadBQy_lTujP7bnUVzmwks7lllliNgHQURa28yf8_btm2f1O6uhFAtlonRTCgt4TZuftHnFNU52RBoDbo86JVjgr5T9SR3MNTu-9SLOJxkiMgN70MxalwV60H79tn/s1600/baby+burrito.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJc1Gc-bCcazRSK8uadBQy_lTujP7bnUVzmwks7lllliNgHQURa28yf8_btm2f1O6uhFAtlonRTCgt4TZuftHnFNU52RBoDbo86JVjgr5T9SR3MNTu-9SLOJxkiMgN70MxalwV60H79tn/s400/baby+burrito.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660573693060645138" border="0" /></a><br />Remember when I wrote about the new surprise baby? Way back in July... the 9th and how I had to get out to the country to take some photos to share of the little cutie patootie?<br /><br />October 6th and I finally got out here for a visit. Took my camera out this afternoon and, just for you all because you are all so special to me, I took a bunch of pictures and she is even cuter in person. Or donkeydom or real life or whatever.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2BcEGPwgywKhtv4Qa3NZ7_CUh4tUyO2Bx8ej9uKJYbiIsmUIIGZeNOK2Ja9Gjc_3Nbsd7SZxTk48s8mJ9cyiLBPlfXi09GEEhrlIXpgd6oMNoIJkxl1_-A7K0ijjh_yiNcs5U7uJvBc1/s1600/DSC09102.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 366px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2BcEGPwgywKhtv4Qa3NZ7_CUh4tUyO2Bx8ej9uKJYbiIsmUIIGZeNOK2Ja9Gjc_3Nbsd7SZxTk48s8mJ9cyiLBPlfXi09GEEhrlIXpgd6oMNoIJkxl1_-A7K0ijjh_yiNcs5U7uJvBc1/s400/DSC09102.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660576590440160178" border="0" /></a><br />Here's the cutest 3 month old I think I've ever seen. Donkey or human. But then I tend to be prejudice towards four-legged critters because I don't have to worry about changing poopie diapers if I'm stuck alone with them for any stretch of time. Babies know, like cats, when people aren't comfortable with them or their poopie diapers, babies not cats. I wouldn't change diapers on a cat either but I digress...<br /><br />We are talking about this little cutie.<br /><br />Spreckles.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Pi642DrqHo2sBFwANWiyU5df3sLVBwFfY_MCSud7a-n5mDjDGOrUDSCYUOcQ7-yvuREl_dKNydpiVWiU5bw62sjwoiQw-yN1sI2Ze0u35ZEJJAT_0JOttukaReRUHIvLqst7iMtRxHGN/s1600/DSC09108.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 260px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Pi642DrqHo2sBFwANWiyU5df3sLVBwFfY_MCSud7a-n5mDjDGOrUDSCYUOcQ7-yvuREl_dKNydpiVWiU5bw62sjwoiQw-yN1sI2Ze0u35ZEJJAT_0JOttukaReRUHIvLqst7iMtRxHGN/s400/DSC09108.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660579645566138322" border="0" /></a><br />Check out these wonderful ears, the fuzzy forehead and the cute little nose... a baby's curiosity.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyS6irNrM_j6f0Ly7VKhthODwV9XPTdT89I49cdzIPcL9D2SxWlAlbZNstkOgXpDyassarVEi-hTmGoV-4jEEKg7hv4qZvHbe6JL0bQRtt7YfVu3aTWc9cfYA6iSJUUa2nAuoFhlcWa7cO/s1600/DSC09098.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 396px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyS6irNrM_j6f0Ly7VKhthODwV9XPTdT89I49cdzIPcL9D2SxWlAlbZNstkOgXpDyassarVEi-hTmGoV-4jEEKg7hv4qZvHbe6JL0bQRtt7YfVu3aTWc9cfYA6iSJUUa2nAuoFhlcWa7cO/s400/DSC09098.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660582686526124802" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I love how she and her momma would act like they were grazing, all the while checking out that 2-legged critter with a funny black thing in front of her face...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYus90aTpUoiupnESYx-JhhQNe0UsIR9EBZ-ed8WiozUvJCoz35lZsRLjhGKx8ZuChJXZWx4i2xEceeTpzWDnPqypHf5VzLLAN_MdvaGLX4GJY8m3Q3aRVBoPV0Wnlv_ICB2YX1O8488GM/s1600/DSC09114.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYus90aTpUoiupnESYx-JhhQNe0UsIR9EBZ-ed8WiozUvJCoz35lZsRLjhGKx8ZuChJXZWx4i2xEceeTpzWDnPqypHf5VzLLAN_MdvaGLX4GJY8m3Q3aRVBoPV0Wnlv_ICB2YX1O8488GM/s400/DSC09114.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660583631495046290" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I love how the little fuzzy butt stayed real close to mom while checking me out. I squatted down to be less imposing to the little girl and I talked to sweet Jenny who remembered my voice and ambled over to see if I had brought her treats like I did when I was living out here. I didn't have any but by mom coming to me Spreckles was way more comfortable for her photo shoot.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsej4kfc6qNj9AfNJHudJgQ7JhCeLKVZUnBfEesL-g9VoZ5tQ6irSzTdzwdPZQ2dHTKY3kkFgb5nW5AIUQFWLtBgWeqTyXQDnQdfMSVIefSbpweVsiGz2T8okqC46_PvMkbPLbJNJDK4vi/s1600/DSC09112.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 295px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsej4kfc6qNj9AfNJHudJgQ7JhCeLKVZUnBfEesL-g9VoZ5tQ6irSzTdzwdPZQ2dHTKY3kkFgb5nW5AIUQFWLtBgWeqTyXQDnQdfMSVIefSbpweVsiGz2T8okqC46_PvMkbPLbJNJDK4vi/s400/DSC09112.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660585927423417506" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Okay, Ms. Gardner... I'm ready for my picture to be taken...<br /><br />While this is not the best photo of her I had to put this shot in because I was telling Cuz and Walter how the way her fur was growing on her face made her look like she has 'mutton chops' growing down her little cheeklets.<br /><br />Anyway, my girls and I are enjoying a couple of days of unfettered (unleashed) walks, the girls are smelling every leaf and blade of grass and are enjoying their strolls with Spud and sometimes Lucky, my cousin Carol's Jack Russell indoor dog and the found Lucky with the gimpy paw who watches over things on the outside.<br /><br />It's been too long since we've been out to visit in the country but with the extraordinary heat of the summer and me feeling so lousy for so long... well, it has been too long away. After watching the girls run and buck with Spud I won't be staying away this long again. I will need to get treats for Jenny and Spreckles and start the spoiling again. It's too much fun to scratch their long ears.Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244310405074901666.post-24585615737526319802011-09-27T19:35:00.004-05:002011-09-27T20:06:49.687-05:00Finally!!! Some Good News!Maybe the GI does have a clue... I got my blood drawn yesterday and made my appointment this morning with my doctor and he came in with a small smile on his face! The highest out of range function is dropping and the two that were lesser out of range have dropped into high normal range. Yahoo!!!<br /><br />The best part is I can go from 40 mgs. a day of the steroids to 30 mgs. a day for the next two weeks then drop back to 20 mgs. for 2 weeks until my next blood work and appointment. Thank you Lord... Those steroids wreak havoc with me, especially my rest and if I don't get my rest I'm a grumpy, growly lump that just wants to be left alone by all except my girls and sometimes even SueSue gets on my last nerve. Chloe is always sweet and wonderful and as content to lay around as long as mom wants to...<br /><br />Reporting on the melatonin the shrink wanted me to try... I think it is helping me to rest better. I seem to be going to sleep easier and feeling more rested. I do seem to have more drowsiness to deal with when I do get up but once that passes I am feeling pretty good. I even started painting the kitchen. Will wonders never cease...<br /><br />Anyway, let me say that I appreciate you all putting up with all this medical boring stuff simply to support my struggle with dealing with scary health things. More than I can say I am thankful for each and every one of you holding me up and being there when I needed to yell and vent and cry and know it's okay to let my guard down. More than words can say.Reddirt Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485995791439570214noreply@blogger.com11