Tammi's World

I'm just too old for this.

So I went out the other night. Yes, on a date. Of sorts.

See, I go to Borders every week. I'm addicted to the John Sanford Prey series (Damn you T1G) and end up buying 2 every week.

Anyway - this guy is in there just about everytime I am. Being the shy wallflower I am, I start making jokes. Nothing major, no flirting. Just smart ass remarks during lunch. So the other day he asks if I want to go for drinks after work.

Ummmm....how do you say "not really" and not seem rude? Plus, I had no real reason NOT to go. A plus was a group from work was getting together that evening too - so if it was a real bomb I had a reason to leave. (I'm not a good liar and I really try to be nice. Honest - So it's easier when I have a real excuse and not something I just made up.)

He's nice. But....nothing. Not a damn thing. Brace yourselves....I struggled to make conversation. Me. Tammi. Couldn't think of anything to ask, discuss, joke. Nada.

So we had a drink....pleasant. And I left. I met my friends. I drank. Heavily. I forgot I hadn't eaten.

I hate dating. I don't think I'll be doing that again in the near future.

It's just I like comfortable. I like easy. Every guy I've dated seriously has STARTED out that way. No awkardness. Just us. I felt comfortable instantly. THAT is what I want.

Let's face it. I've been alone a long time. I talk too much (usually) but I also go spells where I won't talk at all. I come across as bossy - but it's never meant that way. In my heart I would never tell someone what to do. I just say it without thinking how it comes across. I can be vain. I can be proud. While not a dumb girl, some of the things I say make me shake my head in wonder. Yes, they can be that bad.

But I don't want to worry about that. I want to be accepted for who I am. I don't want to change people. Never have. If I like you I like you for a reason - for the person you are. What some people see as flaws I see as gems. I want that same kind of acceptance. But I guess I just don't have the energy anymore to go through that learning curve. That time when someone gets to know me, and vis versa.

I hate dating. I'm thinking after this week Cody and I are just fine the way we are.

Well....

SOMEBODY'S gonna be happy!!

Sox Clinch AL Central Crown

I Won't Say It

You Are A: Pony!

Who doesn't love a pony? You are one of these miniature horses, renown for your beauty and desired by many. Full of grace, you are a beautiful and very special animal, full of strength and majesty.

You were almost a: Puppy or a Duck
You are least like a: Mouse or a GroundhogThe Cute Animals Quiz

No Comment. Nope, none at all......

Found at SarahKs Place

Best Halloween Costume EVER

I got this email from one of my buyers today.

He doesn't know about the whole "spew warning" thing.

Yes, I had to clean off my monitor. That was when I KNEW I had to share it with y'all!!

Sweet

This year is making up for last year, football wise that is.

My Irish are doin' alright. I had my doubts, new coach and all. But we've only lost 1 game and I'm really looking forward to the USC match up. THAT should tell a tale or two. I might, maybe have tickets to the ND vs UT game. I figure it's only right, after my bet with Eric last year, that I go to this particular game. (I'd link to the picture but it didn't make the move to the new site - but to refresh your memory it was me with a giant UT written on my belly. Not my best moment.)

By Buc's. Oh yeah. I'm pretty pleased with them so far this year. Yeah, it's been some luck - but mostly it's the newbies that are savin' our pride. I don't care at this point. All I know is I didn't lose $200 last week and that is just dandy with me.

In the Fantasy Leagues I'm holding my own. Not kickin' totally, but slow and steady - hangin' in there. I'm not anywhere near the gloating stage, just not sucking. I'm really alright with that.

It's a crisp, cool fall day. My teams are doing well and I haven't embarrassed myself. Life rocks for this football fan!!!

Dead. Finally

On the radio this morning was a short blurp about a man that was put to death in Indiana this morning. His name was Alan Matheney. I about drove the car off the road. I thought he was already dead by now - figured it happened while I was living in Florida.

He was a monster. Pure Evil.

Lisa Bianco was a pretty girl. She was good friends with a girl that Mama had in her Sunday School class and she would often come to the house. I remember when she was talking about how she met a man. They were going to get married. That man was Alan Matheney.

Mishawaka is not a big town. And knowing some of the same people we knew that he was "not a nice man". Finally in 1985 she filed for divorce. They had 2 girls. He wouldn't leave her alone. Eventually in 1987 he was arrested and sentenced to 7 years for Battery and Confinement.

While in prison he made no secret of the fact that he wanted Lisa dead. He even tried to hire it done. Despite that - he was allowed an 8 hour pass to go to Indianapolis on a weekend day.

No one warned Lisa.

Instead of heading to Indy - he went back to Mishawaka. He "took" a shotgun from a friend and drove to Lisa's house. He broke in the back door - she ran out the front. He continued to chase her through the neighborhood until he caught her, outside a neighbor's house and beat her to death with that shotgun. He beat her so violently that the shotgun broke into pieces.

Their children were home at the time.

This was in March of 1989. Today is September 28, 2005. 16 and a half years.

The monster is finally dead.

Good riddance.

Rest In Peace Lisa.

**Ironically enough today also marks 11 years ago I walked away from my "monster".

Deep Shit

I am the worst friend ever. I am a horrible person. I suck.

My best friend Sharon has been my confident, partner in crime and all around sister for over 25 years now. We've only ever had one fight and it involved waaaayyyyy to much liquor and my smart ass mouth. We worked through it quickly and since that time it's been the perfect friendship. Until Saturday.

I screwed up. Big Time.

I've always had a very biting sense of humor. Years ago, it cost me friendships. So I tempered it. I don't just say what pops into my head (believe it or not). Oh, I still think the zingers I just know better than to say them.

The guys I work with are the Kings of Zingers. If you're gonna survive you have to dish it right back. I'm holding my own pretty well. So this humor has come back to almost full strength.

Saturday Sharon stopped by Mama's house and we were all talking. Talking about redecorating. I'm getting Mama a new couch and we were debating colors. Sharon had on a beautiful wine colored sweater and we were thinking about something in that color. To help us visualize she stood up in front of the curtain, facing the window. I grinned and said I liked the color but wasn't thinking about getting something overstuffed.

Over stuffed.

HOLY SHIT. Did that just come out of my mouth?!?!?!?!?!?!

I have never in my life said anything that cruel to someone I care about. SHE'S NOT FAT. Not even close. She's my Best Friend. Why oh Why would I even say that?!?!

So - for the last couple of days I've been leaving messages for her. Singing any song I can think of with the words "I'm sorry" in them. Yesterday I ordered a dozen variety roses to be delivered to her office. All the card says is "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry".

And I am. I just can't belive I did that.

I am the worst friend ever.

Business - it's about Respect

Being a manager of people takes a special kind of person. You have to understand that business is business. Not everyone is going to like you, and that's OK. Oh they should respect you - but you have to earn that. You must be able to follow through but be able to delegate. Some folks are micro managers, I just know NOT to work for them. That doesn't work so well for me.

I've managed. I've trained. I do both pretty well. I have no problem walking that "business is business & friendship is friendship" line. And I've been told while not the most beloved of managers I do inspire respect. I work my ass off.

So, my poor boss is in deep shit. He's making good decisions and then just letting everyone walk all over him. In his frustration - he vents on the wrong party. The man is falling fast on the Respect-O-Meter. (And he didn't have far to fall in the first place.)

Let me see if I can explain. I was hired because I can work either side of a desk. I am a very good account manager. I hit details and build relationships. For some reason, I can make things happen. Oh, there are issues, but I can usually work through them and folks walk away feeling pretty good about what happened. I'm learning this business and this company. Not doing too bad, if I must say so myself.

So they assign me accounts to call on. That makes me inside/outside. That's ok. It's a good opportunity.

But the other outside guys hate the idea. In fact I am getting no cooperation at all. To the point that THEY are visiting my accounts and introducing themselves as the new sales rep.

My boss is mad at me about it. He is doing nothing.

I'm the new kid on the block. It is NOT my place to tell these guys to back off. To tell them to listen to the boss. When I made placement assignments you can bet your bottom dollar not everyone was happy, but NO ONE ever pulled a stunt like this on me. Well, they did. Once.

So I now have to find a way to help these gentlemen understand that they need to STAY THE HELL AWAY from my accounts.

Damn, office politics can be a pain in the ass sometimes. And I'm just not feeling so diplomatic right now.

She Figured it Out

Pam is looking to buy a car. Bless her heart, she's been dealin' with Car Salesmen.

But being the very bright lady she is, she's figured them all out.

She's thinkin' she lost her sense of humor about the whole ordeal - judging by the post, I have to disagree.

**Double Take**

"I know the difference between inhaling and swallowing."

It's a post you have to read to believe.

Bou has done it again.

But it just figures - a long funny post and that line is what popped out for me.

heheheheheh

The Jury is Still Out

I am now a brunette.

With short hair.

That's all I can really say about that right now.

This may take some time.

Hmmm

I don't know why, but I thought of Cody when I saw this cartoon.

Between his behavior at his first blogmeet and well, the fact that Da Mama is an active member of the Bad Example Family - I think it fits.

And it scares the hell out of me.....

You Asked

In the comments to my post about the Mennonite Relief Sale I had a few questions.

Pam asked what Mush is. Well......here's the recipe.

FRIED CORN MEAL MUSH

1 c. cold water
1 c. corn meal
3 c. boiling water
1 tsp. salt

Mix cold water and corn meal. Stir into boiling water and salt. Cook, stirring, until it boils; cover and cook over boiling water in double boiler 30 minutes or cook on slow fire, uncovered. Pack into greased metal can or mold. Cover with plastic and chill overnight or until firm. Slice 1/2 inch thick and brown in skillet. Serve with syrup.

I usually slice it a bit thinner and then fry it crispy. Crispy is yummy. Then serve with butter and heated syrup. Oh and sausage. Gotta have sausage.

Oh, My. It really is very good. You just can't have it very often. Not exactly low fat/low calorie.

I had to do it

As you know, fall is here. That means the temperatures are dropping. In fact - I'm actually wearing my flannel nightie tonite....WTF am I going to do when it REALLY gets cold?!?!

Anyway - many folks have taken great delight in reminding me....it get's cold up here. Oh, I'm not talking "brisk". I don't mean chilly. I'm talking TOO DAMN COLD TO SNOW cold.

Yeah, yipee.

So in order to help you understand why I'm complaining, once I start. And you can bet I'll start at some point - I added the weather pixie to my sidebar. I want y'all to KNOW that the temperature can drop below 30. Yes, Bou...I'm talkin' to YOU! ;-)

Damn......where'd I put those slippers. Who cares if they have Santa on them....my feet are cold NOW!!

3 - 0

Bucs Win! Bucs Win!!

By the skin of their teeth. Despite themselves. But they won!!

I will be forwarding a lovely outfit up to Harvey so that he can get that picture posted. :-)

Oh, and Harvey? I have several stunning graphics for your sidebar....just let me know!

Next game - the Lions! Any takers? Machelle? Jon? Anyone?!!?!?

Disappointed

Since I actually got a few inquiries about the Mennonite Relief Sale I thought I'd go ahead and tell you about my day. Well, that and I blog - so I guess it was kind of a given, wasn't it.

Anyway - after my refreshing 2 1/2 hours sleep we - Mama, Dee and I - headed off for our Day of Family Fun. Anticipation was high. We went early as there has always been a huge crowd and I wanted to get there before it was a real zoo.

It was held at the Elkhart County Fairgrounds and as we pulled into the parking lot I saw cars from Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, Florida. It's a big deal. We were right on schedule.

We each had our list of what we wanted to look for. OK, they had a list. (My family is very organized.)

First was breakfast. Fried mush with hot syrup. That and a cup of coffee. One of my favorite treats and quick to eat. I didn't want to miss anything. My sister went ahead and ordered the head cheese. I hate this stuff. Won't eat it. Won't. Will not. Ever. So as I sat at the table waiting for my family to finish the debate on best and worst batches of headcheese, I grew some what impatient. OK - I was that 4 year old on Christmas morning, sitting at the top of the stairs, looking at all those presents, knowing there is something there they want but having to wait for the rest of the family. Impatient doesn't really do it justice.

FINALLY - Finally it's time. We head over to the big barn and.......it was half empty. Just a few crafts and some trinkets. I just wondered around in disbelief. Not even a good cookbook to be found.

At one point I was talking with one of the workers when I felt someone tap my shoulder.

Tammi? Is that you?

Now, given that we were in Goshen Indiana I figured it had to be either family or someone I went to college with. As I turned to look at her, I had no clue. Nothing. I did not know this person.

She re-introduced herself and then I realized she and I lived across the hall from each other in the dorm for three years. And she STILL stopped to speak!! (I wasn't the best neighbor.)

I asked her how the heck (language filter firmly in place) she recognized me after all those years.

She said it was my voice. She recognized my voice.

That just tells me I've been talking way too much for way too long.

Anyway - the rest of the draw was some simple baked goods and a few auctions. No other booths. Nothing.

I was on the phone with one of my friends telling her how bad it was (and having a cigarette) when the Goshen College soccer team walked by. Holy Cow. I'm tellin' you - if the soccer team had looked like that back when I was in college I would have had a much better time in school. As I stood there gawking I feel a hot breath on my neck. Ohhhh. So I turned......

And looked into the eyes of a very large draft horse. Yes, I had walked into the street and was almost run down by a wagon of tourists driven by an Amish man. That - folks - is my luck.

So - I bought my applebutter and bread and a bunch of homemade cheese. That was it. No pottery, nothing.

We have decided that will be our last trip over there. It's all geared toward the auctions now and that wasn't what we went for. I know that things have to change, but damn......somethings are just better off the way they were.

The Bet

I want to thank everyone for their suggestions on what Harvey and I should bet on today's game (I think,anyway).

We're keeping things clean and simple this year. The stakes are:

Loser must put winners logo on the sidebar and post a "happy" picture of themselves in the winning teams gear.

See - I told you clean and simple. Now I've got to go dig out my favorite Bucs shirt. I think Harvey will look GREAT in it!

GO BUCS!!!

Mennonite Relief Sale

This is a Mama Vi weekend. But it's even more than that.

Every year, the 3rd weekend in September is the Mennonite Relief Sale. (I just can't get used to the idea they have a web page!)

There are auctions, and booths and food. Oh, yeah - there is food.

And I'm going. I'm looking to buy some pottery coffee mugs, eat fried mush, buy me some homemade applebutter, and - well, ya never know what might strike my fancy.

Now - it's not the Fall Festival, that's for sure. No rides, no parade. And you can bet the house there won't be any beer (damn it). But it's tradition.

So.....there will be no blogging in Tammi's world this weekend. Y'all enjoy yourselves. And remember to keep those dealing with Rita and their families in your thoughts and prayers.

Gotta Make Up My Mind

I've got a tough decision to make. Oh, I've been chewin' on it for years now...but the time is coming when I'll have to either shit or get off the pot.

I've mentioned that I'm adopted. But I don't know that I've talked about the fact that I'm thinking about finding my birth mother. Let me see if I can explain.

I've always been fine with the fact that I was adopted. I have great parents and am very happy with my life. But that did not prevent me from opening my file when I was 18.

My caseworker was always close with our family. I guess Mama called her as my 18th B day approached and asked for her advice about me looking into things.

MaryJo (my caseworker) remembered my B-mom very well and said that she had been reviewing the file and thought it might be a good idea.

It doesn't work well for everyone. I had a friend kill herself after finding out the details surrounding her birth. Others just don't want to know.

But I was curious. And I'm glad I read it. While I felt loved before - I KNOW how loved I am now. By both the wonderful parents that raised me and the woman that gave birth to me.

She left me a note. Hand written, explaining everything. She called MaryJo every year on my Bday - for no other reason than to tell SOMEONE that she remembered. That she wished me a happy day.

So.....everyone has been encouraging me to find her. Not as a mother - as a person who knows where I come from. Someone who can answer some questions. A friend (if luck would have it). Mama Vi is one of the biggest supporters of this.

MaryJo always said I am very like Charlotte. (My b-mom) Physically and other. She was a bit more laid-back than I am but overall-we have much in common.

I've delayed things long enough that MaryJo has since passed away. I'd have to do an all out search. Oh, I have more information than most concerning Charlotte. It wouldn't be hard to find her. Just cost money.

I do have so many questions. Questions about my heritage. And to see someone who looks like me (or rather that I look like). To let her know it's ok. That I have a wondeful life. That I understand. I think that's important for both of us.

And Mama Vi wants to meet her. She wants to thank her.

So.....with Mama Vi's health what it is, me getting older and Charlotte would be 62 now. None of us spring chickens. I need to make up my mind and then ACT.

But for some reason.....I just haven't done it. And I honestly don't know why.

Note To Self:

A 5 minute lecture to a 9 month old puppy does nothing. Not a damn thing except blow off some of your own steam.

Given the chance - he'll do it again.

11 months to go. They told me they only act like puppies for 18 months.

DO NOT ruin my fantasy here, folks. If I belive it'll only last a while longer than I can handle it better.

Now excuse me while I go clean up what's left of the potpourri he dug out of the linen closet.

You Decide

I may regret this post. BIG TIME.

But BlogDaddy Harvey and I were talking about the game this Sunday.

You know - the Infamous Battle of the Bays. Tampa Bay vs Green Bay.

(BTW - you've GOT to watch the intro this week!)

It's a given we've got a bet. No doubt there.

But the big question is what are the stakes?

Hmm. Neither of us could come up with anything.

Then I have the brilliant idea to post it and see what Y'all suggest.

Just one main rule. NO Tammi's Titties on Tampa. Nope. No. Hell No.

So - what do you think we should bet on this? Let's make it interesting folks!

I'm Such a Girl

You know what I miss most right now? Someone to shop with. It's just no fun by myself.

But I make myself do it anyway. I kinda have to.

Right now I'm trying to prepare for cold weather. One thing I need are "real" shoes and boots.

Oh, I have my cowboy boots - but they have seen better days and need to be replaced. I also have a really gorgeous pair of black dress boots - except they have a 4" spindle heel. Yeah - not so practical in snow and ice. (not too mention I'm 6'6" in them!)

And I'm picky. I love strappy, open shoes. I have a ton. I like the classic designs. I do some trendy but those I don't spend a lot of money on cause they go out of style so fast.

So I'm looking for basic black pumps. Nothin'. Until yesterday. Oh my goodness. I found them. On sale. Classic black pumps in the style of the 40's with the round toe and lovely 3" spindle heel. They had my name all over them.

But I had no one to tell. I finally could contain myself no longer and just blurted out at work "I bought the most beautiful pair of black maryjane pumps today".

Silence. Yeah - the guys didn't get it.

But I did. The teasing started as soon as I walked in the door today. Even the VP gave me a rough time about my beautiful new shoes. (Don't know HOW he heard about it.) Everyone was made to tell me how lovely they were. Good thing it's tough to embarrass me. Sorta.

Damn.........I gotta find a shopping partner. This could get awkward. Imagine if I had bought new underware!!!!

Rita - Warnings and Prayers

Rita is not looking good. Want to hear the straight truth on worse case scenerio? Go, read Bou. She's blunt. It's important.

My good friend BloodSpite is looking for word on his daughter. She lives in Pearland, Texas.

While prayers and good thoughts go out to everyone in the path of this monster - please keep BS and his daughter close to your heart.

Well, She's Gone - Update

I talked with Teresa briefly this afternoon.

The house was packed. In fact - the truck was almost packed at 5:00.

They are heading east tonite. Gonna get a jump start on tomorrow's drive.

I miss her already.

I'll keep y'all posted as I hear from her.

UPDATE: 9:00pm - They're in Indiana. In fact - just gave her directions to the South Bend exit (Notre Dame Yeah!!) so they can eat and sleep. Poor thing - she sounded tired. There have been a few adventures - like the packers packing all their towels and washclothes, and the shower curtain too! And then forgetting to pack the cabinet under the sink! Geez. But she handled it. She's fine. Just tired and hungry.

I'm Gonna Need Some Help

Well, isn't life a trip? Nothing stays the same but everything goes back to where it started.

Looks like I'm gonna be a road warrior - again. Sorta. Part time.

They've decided to expand my role. Allow me to do some outside sales. They are just small local accounts and that's fine. Just kinda funny. Didn't really expect that.

Not sure how I feel about it either. I'll do it, and I'll do my best but, well anyway.

I do need some help. I'll be calling on some of the small arms manufacturers. We supply several parts and I'm too build the business. There's only one problem. I know what the parts are called but I don't know what the hell they are.

For instance - I finally worked up my nerve and asked T1G what a charging handle is and why they are considered disposable. He knew it right off the top of his head. Damn impressive. Hell - I was just proud to know what the hell it looks like and what it's made out of.

So....over the next few days I may have some "small arms" questions. I just wish I had a scanner hooked up and I'd down load some pictures - that might help.

The good part is I've got the resources. With the folks that read this blog - I may look like a genius.

HA!

How evil are you?

H/T Contagion and Cool Change

What's YOUR Sign?!?

Mostly Cajun has a horoscope posted - but this is for Rednecks!

I'm a Catfish - what's your sign??

Accountable

Phin has a great post up about accountability. It'll make or break a business....hell I think it makes or breaks a person.

You must be allowed to be accountable for your actions. Period. It's just that simple. And I really think that most people WANT to be.

Growing up, like most parents, Mama wanted me to have a better life than she and Daddy did. It was a mission of hers. And she did everything she could to make that happen. To the point that if I screwed up - she fixed it. Every time. No matter what. Oh, I'd get my hide tanned, that's for sure. But to the outside world - I was golden. Pure Gold.

And I hated it. That more than anything caused the problems between my mother and myself. I remember one particularly harsh argument that I ended by screaming - Just Let Me F*CK UP!! (the F bomb was NOT allowed in the house). Silence followed. For a few weeks actually. But it got the point across.

I've never been one to coddle the children in my life. Oh, I love and spoil. I wanna help. BUT...if I have a mantra it is a simple one: For every action there is a reaction.

That simple concept seems to have been forgotten. In business and in society. It's sad. It's hurting our economy and it's corrupting our spirit.

In Passing

My coffee cup at work says:

If you’ll just state your business and go away quietly, nobody’ll get hurt!!

Attitude problem? Me? Naaaaaa

Rita.....

Son. Of. A. Gun.

Unbelievable. We are in the "Rs" for named storms/hurricanes. "Rs" Folks.

And I'm just gonna warn you right now......if we get 2 more we are at Tammy. You see that and everyone anywhere near the water better just head right on up here to Northern Illinois.

I got a ton of pent up frustration and am carryin' a bit of anger around. A storm named Tammy is all bad....seriously - All. Bad.

Oh - and you really want to pack if you are anywhere near Venice, Florida. I got an old boss there that I'd like to settle a few scores with.

I'm just sayin'...................

Issues. I got Issues

It was recommended the other day that I may need to join a 12 step program. Actually, come to think of it, I hear that a lot.

That's a great idea, but could anyone help me choose which program to join?!?

Hello, my name is Tammi and I have a food fetish.

or

Hello, my name is Tammi and I'm addicted to caffine.

No...I think the biggest issue I have, and yes, it is an issue...is my love of candles.

Let me see if I can explain.

First - I love food. I love to shop for it. I love to cook it. I really like to eat it. But for some reason - one of my favorite things is to talk about it. You could mention any subject and I can work food into it. Honestly.

Regarding caffine. You may remember here where I finally confessed how deep my addiction really is. I've cut back, and now it's more about the quality than it is the quantity. I usually have less than a 1/2 pot before I leave for work, and during the day drink mostly decaf. And 1 maybe 2 diet cokes a day. BIG change. But my coffee? Oh yeah, it's gotta be good beans. Ground fresh when it brews. I have a grind and brew pot and plan on never having anything else again. The quality is unbeatable. If I gotta cut down - I want what I want. End of story.

But, like I said, the candles. Ohh...those give me problems. I can't help myself. I could feed you the same line of crap I feed myself - I use them instead of lights to cut costs. They help with the smoke smell. They add color to an otherwise dull room. And all of those are true. But seriously.....it's the concept. It's the fire. I LOVE CANDLES. I can't stop buying them. When everything is unpacked and put in it's place I have over 200 candle holders. Different kinds, different sizes. All beautiful. All loved by me. And I still look. I still shop.

There is a Pier 1 by my office. I drive by it every day. I had done very well in not "cracking the seal". I had not stepped foot in a Pier 1 since I moved here. I went in Friday. To look for a gift. I found the gift.....and bought 5 more for myself. (Did I mention I have 2 shelves of my linen closet that is just candles? Waiting to be enjoyed? Yeah, well I do.)

So you see....I have issues. Deep, conflicting issues. I know I need help, I don't have the strength to fight them.

Can you make me feel a bit better....please. Tell me - what are YOUR issues?

No Theme. None. Dada.

I used to travel a lot for work. Not just around Central Florida but nationally. I got pretty good at making travel arrangements and stuff like that.

One place we used to go on a regular basis was Bentonville AR. There was a team of 3 of us that worked very closely on the account of a Major Retailer so we had to be out there often.

Well, as time passes things change. They were breaking up our team. We had won all the awards we could and it was time to bring in fresh meat. Heheh.

But we wanted one big blowout before it was all over.

So....I was put in charge of the planning. It was going to be about 6 of us all told. We'd stay over and meet up with the brokers one night for a "thank you dinner" and a celebration.

My boss wanted to push the limits. Money was no object.

I can do that.

So I got us rooms at one of the best hotels in the Bentonville area. I tried to find a link, but can't remember the name. It had theme rooms so I booked all they had. There were rooms like the Frank Lloyd Wright room, all done in that style and gorgeous. There several more, but the one that sticks in my memory was the Disney Theme room. We all got a huge kick out of traveling all the way to Bentonville to stay in a Disney room.

So I assigned the muckity mucks the best of the suites and we "little folks" just drew straws. You guessed - I got the damned Disney room.

Now...let me just tell you - I am NOT really a Disney person. Yes, I lived right there (eventually) and yes I was on the books as their wedding singer. But I'm not a huge fan. In fact other than the wedding memorabilia there is NOTHING in my possession that is Disney.

Anyway - everyone checked in and we decided to just all go to each room to see what was what. Each room we went to was beautiful. So peaceful and well, just wonderful. We saved Disney for last. I unlocked the door and walked in. No need to turn on the lights. The headboard was lit. Yes, I said lit. It was in the shape of giant mouse ears and was lite with really bright bulbs. There were Characters everywhere. They were mocking me.....over the bed was a net, with more characters, looking down at me. CREEPY

I slept in the chair that night. Good thing I had enough to drink I just passed out.

No more theme rooms, theme hotels, theme ANYTHING for this girl.

That would be why I laughed my ass off when I read about Bou and her family staying at the new Nickelodeon Hotel at Disney World this weekend. Hehehe.

Sweetie - what WHERE you thinkin'?!?!?

:-)

I Won!!

:-)

Looks pretty good on his sidebar, don't cha think?!?!

Mine are Nicer

GEBIV has been kind enough to send me a link to the Bills logo he thinks I should use....on the off chance that the Bucs lose.

Yeah, right....yada yada yada.

Gotta tell ya Dude....our logos are MUCH cooler than yours!!

or this one....

I got a ton of 'em...but THIS one is my favorite!!

Feel free to pick any of these.....they'll all look great on your site!!!

Body Count

Cody (the killer puppy) - 3
Wild critters in my yard - 0

Yep, he did it again.

Tuesday it was 2 bunnies. Today - a very large frog.

I'm going to save a fortune on dog food.

You're ON!

When I realized that my beloved Bucs were playing Buffalo today I giggled. Yes, I giggled with glee. :-)

First person I thought of was BlogBro GEBIV of There's One, Only! He's a big Bills' fan and I love a good inner family rivalry. So I waited. I knew eventually he'd mention them.....and he finally did this morning, at the end of this post.

So I pounced. In the comments I had to leave this note:

"I just want to apologize now.....for my Bucs winning. ;-)

*couldn't resist!*"

That got just the reaction I wanted. A bet. I LOVE BETS!!!

This one is pretty straight forward. Loser has to put the winning teams logo on the top of their sidebar. For a week.

Hee. I think that Bucs flag will look awesome against the blue of his site! ;-)

Seriously - I do think it'll be a good game. If the Buc's can just find an O-line we will be pretty much unstopable. Sound cocky? Well, I am when it comes to "my boys".

So.........let the trash talk begin. This is gonna be fuuuuuuunnnnnnnnn.

It's Not Really Goodbye

....but it still hurts just a bit.

Teresa is moving. Across the flippin' country. It's more than past time. Her darling husband got a good job in Boston and it's past time for them to be in the same house, let alone the same town.

But that doesn't mean I won't miss her. Because I will.

Teresa and I have been chatting on the phone for well over a year now. We first met face to face a year ago June when I was in Chicago visiting family. We had the BEST time. And meeting her made me realize that while talking on the phone is nice - it's even better getting to *see* her. See her passion when she speaks, see her eyes light up when she laughs.

Every time there has been some issue in my life for the last 18 months, she's been there. And since I've moved up here I can say that literally. A better friend no one could ask for.

T1G and I drove over last night for a wonderful dinner and I finally got to meet her 'Darling Husband'. I like him. I like him a lot. I'm afraid he must think I'm some kinda nut job....but he ROCKS!! And they are the perfect pair. It was wonderful.

Good food and wonderful company. All in all a fantastic evening. I will admit to a bit of sadness....because even though this is the best thing for her, and we will still talk daily (heck we've only been "local" for about 5 months) I'm going to miss knowing she's "there". Just down the road and around the corner (about 2 hours). Knowing when we have local blogmeets she won't be there.....yeah - I'll miss her.

Teresa - good luck sweetie. I have this feeling you're going to love Boston. And I can already see the smile back in your eyes.

I'll miss you. And thank you - for everything.

*I'll call ya tomorrow* ;-)

I'd tell ya...

....but then they'd have to kill me. So instead I'll just tease you a bit.

I made an apple pie yesterday. I got the recipe from Bou - it's her dad's (who is doing a great job guest posting BTW).

To say it was good.....won't do it justice. I cannot wait to make it for my Aunt. I think I finally have an apple pie recipe that is better than hers. We have a bit of a competition in my family. We all love to cook. And, to be honest we're not half bad. But pies and bread - those we take very seriously. And this one may just put me up there on the list of "PLEASE make that...." I've been trying to get there with my pies for years!!

Holy cow.

And it was easy. I can make this a lot.

Uh Oh. I better step up the workout schedule.

But it was good. :-) Thanks Bou and TGOO. You made me look good!!

Good News!! Good News

Yesterday I picked up the phone and there was the sweet voice of my friend, LeeAnn. What a treat!

We started out the call just gabbin' like we usually do then she got kinda serious.

"Umm...I don't know how to say this so I guess I'll just say it. Dogger is in remission."

Silence on my end. Tears are in my eyes.

"Dogger is in remission".

Folks - I don't care what anyone says - I DO believe in miracles. Oh yes I do. I believe in the depth of my soul and this is a miracle.

Not only that but they are in the process of getting a child. And I personally cannot think of 2 people that will make better parents.

So stop on over, see what's going on and let them know how happy you are for them.

Oh, and I just want to say how much *I*, as a friend, appreciate all the support you've shown them over the past year. Thank You!

Well Shoot

ND lost to Mich. State in OT. Oh, they came back after being down 17 pts to force OT but still....the end result....we lost.

I must confess.....I didn't make it to see the game, but I've been watching recaps all morning and checked the score when I got home last night. Damn, sounds like one of those screamer games. Probably a good thing I didn't see it.

Mich. State is always a tough game for us. I liked the quote I heard this morning on one of the sports shows. Something about everyone talks up the ND vs Mich game and ND usually wins. Then little 'ole Mich. State comes in and says to Mich. "Any thing you can do we can do better" and beats us. Damn.

Oh well - it's only 3 games into the season. And, to be honest, I didn't expect us to look as good as we do.....so I'll stay optimistic.

But then again it's what I do.....I'm an ND fan!

Time Warp

I'm going to Teresa's for dinner tonite. I'm very excited. I finally get to meet Beloved Husband. WooHoo.

I'm making an apple pie. Yummy. Should be a fairly easy task.

Except -

I broke my rolling pin, again.
I don't have my "magic apple" thingy - cores and peels.
I can't find my pie plates.

Sometimes I feel like I stepped back in time. How DID my ancestors do it?!?!?

Perfect

Oh. My. Goodness.

It is SUCH a beautiful day!!!

Sun is shinning. Cool (to me) crisp air. Perfect. Absolutely perfect.

I was sitting outside this morning while Cody ran his laps and thought "I need to blog this" but I can't. I can't do it justice.

SO let me say - I think today is just a perfect day. I can't wait to see what good things it brings.

Clutz

They don't call me Grace for nothing. I am covered in bruises.

Oh, for a change I even know where some of them came from, sorta.

A couple of weeks ago I was attempting to cook a meal. I needed to get something from the top shelf of the cabinet so I stood on my kithen chair. Now - these are not traditional kitchen chairs. They are tall (like me) about the height of bar stools. Anyway - when I stepped down I hit the back of the chair with the top of my leg. OW! That's gonna leave a mark! And let me tell you - it did. It surely did.

Then last week I don't remember how, where or when but I have a memory of hitting my hip. Yep. Big huge painful bruise. Right there on my hip. Lovely.

This morning my shin was killing me. I looked down. Wonderful. Huge, black bruise with a nice lump. That's attractive.

I won't even go into the details of the dozens, and I do mean dozens, of smaller bruises I'm finding.

So - no shorts or skirts for me for a while. Hell - maybe I need to just wrap myself in bubble wrap....oh wait - that's a whole 'nother matter! ;-)

But damn.....I don't mind being clumsy, but when it effects my fashion...well - somethings gotta change!!

Damn Double Post

I don't know why - but the post below shows up twice. The first one (at the bottom) was my rough draft! The one just below this is the one I wanted to post....so sorry folks. I deleted the mistake - but it won't go away!

Damn - reminds me of my divorce!

UPDATE - never mind it's gone now....

Again -....just like my divorce! ;-)

Family Image

FINALLY! I'm back! Damn - this has been a long week in more ways than one!

And I missed so much.......but I'll make it up...it'll just take a couple of days.

Meanwhile - I was scrolling through my emails and found one from my niece. It was of a bunch of really cute pictures. Funny thing is, as I was rolling through them I could picture many of them as my blog brothers......check it out. What do you think.

I saw this one and immediately thought of Johnny_OH. :-)

After the BlogCrawl I SWEAR this is Contagion.

These next three won't seperate but check it out - doesn't that top one remind you of T1G?! Huh? Don't you see the resemblence???? The next one has GOT to be Jon of We Swear. Honestly - trust me on that one. The last one makes me think of Madfish Willie and Harvey - always fussin' and fightin'.

And while Eric, that Straight White Guy, may not TECHINICALLY be a BE Family member he is a blogbro in my heart. This picture just seemed RIGHT...ya know?!

And last but certainly not least - if this isn't Harvey.......

Oh - and in case you missed it - this is a shot from the last Bad Example Family Reunion.

Damned Dog - addition

Whew. Tuesday was not the best of days. Started out oversleeping….damn this not falling asleep until the sun comes up is kickin’ my ass!!

Anyway – late – wanna check emails….WTF?!?! No DSL. Oh yippee skipee! Take the Tech Service number down (cause I didn’t have 1 hour to wait for someone to answer the phone) and head off to work.

Get to work….every hour felt like four. Oh. My. Goodness…….suffice to say – not a fun day at the office.

Then, driving home – one hell of a storm. Black black sky. Lightening that was surreal. Wind? Oh yeah, we had wind.

Get home and it looks like a tornado hit. Trees down, everything everywhere.

But the icing on the cake? Yeah, it was the note on the kitchen table from the neighbors kind enough to let Cody in this afternoon.

“Tammi,

We let Cody in at 3:30pm. We delayed it because he ate 2 rabbits and we wanted to make sure he didn’t get sick.

We can explain later….I think!

Love
E”

HE ATE 2 RABBITS?!?!?!?!

Well, I guess that explains why he hasn’t been eating his dry food so much.

Yick. The least he could have done was let me roast them for him.

Damn Dog.

ADDITION: Sissy reminded me that I forgot to mention that this whole thing is really all my fault. The first two toys I bought Cody were a stuffed squirrel and a stuffed rabbit. They are his favorite toys. Yeah - I'm training a killer.......

Changes

While I was checking a few blogs yesterday morning I pop over to "visit" one of my favorite people and he annouces he's GONE!!!!! HOLY SHIT!! He didn't mention he was quitin'.

But he leaves a link....so I click and I end up HERE. His new site is up and running.

Holy Shit. IT ROCKS. And if you only knew how perfectly it fits who he is. Everything about it is exactly what I would expect.

Damn - Phin and Sadie (Apothegm Designs) did a fantastic job!!

Congrats Dude! The new digs rock!

A Great Kickoff

Yesterday was one of the best days I've had in a long while. Utter happiness. Ya know why?

Well, let me see if I can explain. It started out rough enough. I've been exhausted lately. So.....I slept a lot this weekend. A Lot. And yestderday morning I actually slept until 8:00am. Normally that wouldn't be a bad thing - but I had people coming over and no food in the house. PLUS....I hadn't cleaned. Oh, and I hadn't blogged. They were due at 11:00am.

So I bustled around. Finished posting. Played with Cody. And went to the store.

That's when it starts getting really good. Harvey and TNT were waiting for me when I got home. LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!

The Sunday Ticket kicked off at noon so I had a bit of time. I started pulling a couple snacks together to get us through until dinner. I put out a variety of crackers and some cheese and threw together the crab dip.

T1G arrived just in time for a "mission". You see - Harvey's birthday is this Wednesday and we wanted to make this a combo day. So I sent Harvey along with T1G to the store for water chestnuts. Chopped or sliced - don't bring me any whole ones (I know, I know - I have some issues). As they left - TNT and I couldn't help but giggle picturing them wandering around the store looking for water chestnuts.

We threw up a banner and a few decorations and just that fast they were back. With the sliced water chestnuts. SURPRISE!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARVEY!!! He even got a birthday button. Ok - back to work.

Games are getting ready to start. I finished up the chili cheese dip and got that out for everyone. The turkey/provolone and roast beef/provolone sandwhiches were finishing in the oven so I got to watch the first part of the Bucs/Vikings game.

The best part was there was food everywhere - trash talking (but we were all being pretty nice - that better change) and laughter.

I baked the birthday cake and after a while made the manicotti. Believe it or not I was worried that I didn't have enough food or if I had stuff people liked. I'll have to tweak the menu for next time.

I kept watching for Teresa, but figured she might not have been able to get away. The phone rang around the 3rd quarter of the Buc's game. BLOODSPITE!! I just love talkin' to that guy. He cracks me up!!

Then later in the afternoon Bou called to talk with everyone. Damn, I just love talkin' to her.

All in All a WONDERFUL DAY.

The icing on the cake? BUC'S WIN!!!!!!!!!

Football, Food and Friends! Damn.

Never Forget

Flight 93

The Pentagon

New York City

Never Forget

Never

Says It All

Go to Blackfive's. If there is ONE POST you read today make it THIS ONE.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Smash!

Saturday Question

Every Saturday I'll try to come up with some "out there" question that just makes you stop and think about something not so important. Think of it as a mini vacation. If you have any ideas drop me a line and we'll throw it in here. Who knows, it might be fun.

OK - Here goes: What is your favorite sign of affection? Here's a list -

Kissing
Hugging
Holding Hands
Sweet Talk
Sex
Kiss on the neck
Kiss on the hand
Other

This get's kinda complicated for me. I am a very affectionate person. I hug. That's a given. Most especially I hug my friends. But if I'm in a relationship........I'm a toucher. But I think my favorite thing is holding hands. Simple and goes well in public or private. Oh - I appreciate any and all forms of affection, but like I keep tellin' folks - I'm a simple girl.

So tell me - what is yoiur favorite sign of affection?

Small Victory

I promised that I wouldn't make this blog a diet blog or anything close to that but I do need to tell you.........

I'm wearing jeans 1 size smaller than I was 3 weeks ago.

I'm very happy.

ND vs. Michigan

One of the advantages to being back in this area (the midwest that is) has got to be that I am not the lone Notre Dame fan anymore. For the last 10 years - well, let's just say it's been pretty lonely on Saturday afternoons.

Since I still can't get local TV I'm headin' up to the infamous Fritz's. I have it on good authority I may just be able to convince them to put the game on. Oh Yeah!!!

Today is ND vs Mich. One of the guys I work with gave myself and the other ND fan 10 pts and the tie. Ha. I scoff at him. Sure hope his investments start paying off cause it looks like I make some money off of him this year.

This is traditionally a big game. One of my favorites. So.......I've got to head to the gym and then get up to Fritz's.

Yummy

The Carnival of the Recipes is up over at Crumudgeonry

Yummy. You really don't want to miss this!!

Just a Post about the Weather

So I've survived my first summer back up north.....I got here a bit before Memorial Day and we just celebrated Labor Day - so I guess that means I survived.

It was hot this summer. I mean HOT - even *I* thought so and I like the heat. And dry as in no rain. It was humid humid humid for the entire time. Taunting us with the hope of rain. Of course, when I moved up here Florida was in a drought. Not so much anymore. Now - it's a real problem up here. And I hear we are in for a wicked winter. Oh Joy, Yipee. Cold, crazy cold (so I'm told) and this year supposed to have a ton of snow! That doesn't sound so good to me.

But right now I'm preparing for my favorite time of the year. Fall. Autumn. The changing leaves, crisp days, clear nights. Football. I am hoping to get to really enjoy it all.

This weekend we are looking at 90 degree heat again. Hot. Hot. Hot. I'm used to that in September. That is the ONLY TIME you ever heard me complain about the heat in Florida. September. Hot. Humid. Even the Gulf of Mexico is around 90 degrees - no where to go for relief. It's just miserable.

But I figure this is the last hot spell we'll see this year. Oh, we may be some warm days. Indian Summer as it were. But Hot? Probably not.

So it's shorts and tee shirts. Barefoot in the grass. The tailend of summer.

Fall. Color. Cool. I'm so glad I've got the camera. Just wait til you see how beautiful it is up here.

Happy Birthday Bou!!!

Today is a VERY good day. No doubt about it.

Today is Bou's birthday.

If you've visited over here much at all you know that she is not just a fellow blogger, a BlogSister, but one of my very good friends. Actually - she's more like a real life sister.

I hope you make it a daily habit to stop over and read of her latest adventures. If you aren't - you are missing out on a treat. She faces everything with focus, dedication and humor. But - and I have to rub it in here folks - as good as her blog is, it doesn't come close to how GREAT the woman is.

I can honestly say I don't know what I would do without her friendship. She has talked me through panic attacks before/during/after hurricanes. She shares her wisdom when I'm trying to make decisions. Her comfort when times get tough. And through it all the most important thing - it's all unconditional. I don't have to BE a certain way, I just have to be.

This post doesn't begin to do justice to my friend. Neither have the 7 other ones that I've deleted before this morning. But then again - I don't think anything I could come up with could.

So I say Happy Birthday Bou. You are a gift of joy and love to all of us lucky enough to have you in our lives. Thank you for all you are and all you do.

May this year bring you joy, laughter, warmth and love. My you see your dreams come to life. And may you know at least as much happiness and you bring to others.

Think Good Thoughts

I had two pretty good phone calls today. The most immediate one is on a place to move to. A new home. Bigger. It has central air. Washer and Dryer hook-up. It's not very expensive.

Now.....if I can get them to call me back about having a dog I'm goin' to see the inside as soon as I can.

The other call? It's a secret but ohhhhh would it liven things up around here.

Both good. Both needed.

Keep your fingers crossed.

So, do you LIKE my tinfoil hat?!

You might remember me mentioning a guy I met during the Blogcrawl. Honestly, it was more like a minute conversation and I ignored him. No big deal.

Until I find out he's been asking one of the girls I work with about me. He told her we "met for drinks". (WTF?!?) When he was describing me he blew the whole story. She knew as soon as he said I was blond and that he couldn't tell if I was tall or not that something wasn't right with his version of events.

I explained what happened and told her to just tell him she asked me about it and I said I had no idea who she could mean.

But damn - that is sooooo my luck. It's that damned tin foil hat. I would have sworn I left that sucker in Florida!!

Easy Fudge

I got the easiest fudge recipe from my Aunt. Holy Cow. And it's really not bad. Not the best - but you're supposed to save that for Christmas! ;-) However, if you just have a hankerin' for fudge - this'll fix it.

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can (14oz) condensed milk.
Nuts (optional)
1 1/2 tbs vanilla.

On low heat - mix chocolate chips and condensed milk. Stirring until chips are melted.

Remove from heat and stir in nuts and vanilla.

Spread in 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 pan lined in foil. Chill for 2 hours. Remove foil and cut.

Dark Chocolate Fudge.

It'll cure that chocolate craving. That's for sure!!!! And honest to goodness - it doesn't get any easier than this one folks!

Busy, Busy

Yesterday was wonderful! Even given my late start. However, that prompted a very late ending. I rolled in here around 3:00am. Then slept like a baby. Could be all the laughing I did. (mostly at my own expense)

Almost hit a doe as I was gettin' close to home. Talk about a wake-up call! Damn scared me shitless. Way to close for comfort.

Today? I'm busy. Cookin' and such. Oh, and in honor of next week kickin' off the PRO FOOTBALL SEASON (finally) I'm on the hunt for football movies. Right now - The Program. I love this movie.

So - here's my wish for a happy, lazy Labor Day!! Enjoy yourself. You've earned it.

How Do They DO That?!?

As I was taking a final look at email and blogs I saw I got slammed again with SPAM. 15 in the blink of an eye.

So I quickly went to work deleting it all.

Then I come across one that was posted to one of my DRAFTS?!?!

WTF???

How do they get into there when it's not even published!!

Stop It!! Stop it RIGHT NOW!!!

Damn - these guys are kickin' my ass.

And this latest batch is for some damned on-line dating service. Huh. THEY won't be getting my business - that's for sure.

But - how did they DO that?!?!

Today

Have you ever had to do something, something you know you'll enjoy, something that will make you smile and STILL procrastinated?

That's me today.

I've got to get on the road. I need to go to Mama's house. Most of my Aunts and Uncles are in town for a wedding. They are all coming to Mama's house for a late lunch. I live nearby (so to speak) and should be there.

I love my family. I have the best Aunts and Uncles anyone could ask for. There will be laughing, singing, talking, hugging (I can never get enough of that) and just general good time kinda stuff.

But here I sit. At my kitchen table. Reading blogs, smoking cigarettes and sipping coffee. Cody is outside running laps in the yard (go baby go - burn off some of that energy). I'm still in my jammies, and have nothing ready to transport him in.

I know I'll have a great time. I know I'll be so glad I went. But damn.......

And did I mention it's just for today?! Comin' back home tonite - just a jaunt as it were. Really - no big deal.

So tell me - why can't I get my ass in gear?!?!?!

Notre Dame 42 Pitt 21

We Win! We Win!!

Of course I didn't get to see the damned game - but We Win! We Win!!

Sweet Sweet Music of Life

I'm so far behind right now. I saw I got tagged by the ever charming Eric on the latest music meme A WEEK AGO!! I've started this a couple of times, but always got a bit distracted. Today just seems like the perfect day to post it.

So - here's my spin on in:

1. Person who most influenced your musical tastes:

My Mama. She can't carry a tune in a bucket, and she can't play a single note but she LOVES music. There was always music in our home. Gospel music was the mainstay. The first places I ever performed were the churches and revivals in our area. Mama also loves musicals. I know the score of the majority of the "Big" ones. (and the dances too - I'm such a geek) She put me into classes at an early age where I learned to love classical music. It's something I crave - it speaks to my soul. She hated rock & roll so I was very late in my teens before I first really got to listen to it, or appreciate it. I still like the old stuff. I *adore* the ballads.

2. Top 5 songs to drive to:

* Independence Day - Martina McBride - personal reasons I love this song and it just makes me go a little faster!! ;-)
* Back in Black - AC/DC
* 1812 Overture - Tchaikovsky
* She's Got Legs - ZZ Top
* Flirtin' With Disaster - Molly Hatchet

(very hard to narrow that list down in any way - I could go on and on and on.....)

3. # of CD's you own:

I had almost 500 but they were stolen. Now I'm probably only at around 30 or so. I've really got to work on that.

4. Song/CD you were listening to when you lost your virginity:

This one doesn't really apply, so I'll change it a bit. I like mood music. Very much. In the pefect setting - Luther, certain Clapton songs. The blues. Slow, sexy and....well shit. I better just move on to the next question.

5. Song(s) played at your wedding:

Ha. There was no music played at my wedding - just the sound of beer cans being opened (yes - during the ceremony). However - if I could I'd have Marc Cohn's True Companion. One of the most moving love songs I've ever heard.

6. Favorite sad song:

In The Arms of the Agnel, Sarah McLachlan... I've felt that very despair she sings of and, even though it's supposed to offer hope - well, this song just kicks my ass.

7. Song you'd like played at your funeral:

There are several - but the one that most says who I am is The Dance by Garth Brooks. Yeah, life has been tough... But I wouldn't change a thing. Simply because the bad makes the good better. And I can't imagine not having the good.

Who am I gonna tag? Hmmm....someone that loves music. Someone who "feels" it.........Blogdaughter LeeAnn, Bloodspite - he's got great taste in music! Oh - and T1G! The Man LOVES his music!!!!!

Decadent

This is what I'm gonna need for you to do........

Get a pear. A fresh, ripe pear. So ripe you can slice it with a butter knife.

Slice off a strip, letting the juice drizzle down your fingers and hand.

Take a bite off the strip - smashing the fruit in your mouth with your tounge. Feel the texture. Taste that sweetness. Lick the juice off your fingers.

That is decadence. Pure, simple and honest.

Now - do it again.

It's good for the soul.

Today

Today there is no Katrina coverage in this house. Today is movies and music. Books and the smell of cleaning supplies.

It may sound callous and cold - but I can't watch one more person being resuced. I can't see one more child sleeping on the street. Me watching or not will not make a bit off difference.

It doesn't mean I don't care. It's part of what I *CAN* do to help. Sitting in my chair, weeping and praying is not fixing a damned thing. It's actually hurting. I can't help if I don't DO something.

So today I take care of ME. That gives me the strength to help THEM.

Saturday Question

Every Saturday I'll try to come up with some "out there" question that just makes you stop and think about something not so important. Think of it as a mini vacation. If you have any ideas drop me a line and we'll throw it in here. Who knows, it might be fun.

OK - Here goes: I always tell people I'm very easy. OK - maybe that didn't sound the way I meant it. Let me explain.

It's the simple things in life that give me some of the greatest joys. A moment of your time, a smile, a laugh. A flower, a cup of coffee, a note. Something that says - I was thinking of you.

And you have to do that for yourself. It's important. This week I treated myself to one of my "little pleasures". A small jar of fresh farmed honey. Pure and golden. Sweet - oh so sweet. It makes my toast just that much better, my tea goes from good to WOW. I can't taste it and not smile.

So tell me - what is that little thing you do for yourself, that treat that just makes your whatever that much better?

There Will Come A Day

Tonite I happened to catch some of the concert on MSNBC raising money for the RedCross.

Faith Hill performed.

This is the song that got to me.

There Will Come A Day
It's not easy trying to understand
How the world can be so cold, stealing the souls of man
Cloudy skies rain down on all your dreams
You wrestle with the fear and doubt
Sometimes it's hard but you gotta believe

Chorus:
There's a better place, where our Father waits
And every tear He'll wipe away
The darkness will be gone,the weak shall be strong
Hold on to your faith

There will come a day, there will come a day
Wars are raging, lives are scattered
Innocence is lost, and hopes are shattered
The old are forgotten, the children are forsaken
In this world we're living in
Is there anything sacred?

There will come a day, there will come a day
The song will ring out, down those golden streets
The voices of earth with the angels will sing
Every knee will bow, sin will have no trace
In the glory of His amazing grace
Every knee will bow, sin will have no trace
In the glory of His amazing grace
There will come a day, there will come a day
Oooh there will come a day
I know there's coming a day, coming a day

It's weird, but that is the song I've had stuck in my head all week. It's my prayer.

Slow Down!!!

Did you know you can get in trouble working out? I don't mean trapping yourself under a machine or picking a fight. I mean - like being put in time-out. Time Out.

Well, you can. I can personally attest to it.

I've been very good about going and working out everyday. I'm serious about this. I really want to get back into shape and even though it's only been a week - I'm feeling better already.

But I'm a bit "overly focused". I tend to be that way when I have a goal or I really enjoy something. So the other day I went in and really put everything I had into my work out. So much so that my face got red. That's normal for me. I know I have to push myself to get to the next level and a red face tells me I'm doing what I need to do. However, they do not know that. So I had to sit out 3 parts of the cycle to "rest". Yeah. I was wigglin' in that chair like a kid put in the corner. Anyway - I finally get to get back at it and I do. Focus focus focus.

Now - you do two circuits and that's your work out. Done. I'm feeling pretty good after two and start a third. More is better - right?!?

Wrong. They caught me. I was told if I continue to "push too hard" I'll hurt myself and before they let that happen I'll have my membership revoked.

YIKES!!! So - I'm still focusing really hard. Pushing as hard as I can - and staying within the rules. But geez.......I'm lookin' for results here folks!

Oh - and did I mention T1G is my emergency contact? Heheheh Poor Guy. Can you imagine THAT call?!?!