I have survived....

Yes Thanksgiving is over and I have survived the holiday without popping form eating too much food. Thank goodness that holiday food has no calories. I just wish my pants beileved that as much as I do...they are acting like my waistline has expanded. How could that be? Maybe the no calorie rule doesn't apply to stuffing made with a ton of butter and sausage, hmmmm. Anyway, I'm getting my hair cut in a half an hour so this has to be quick. I'm still in Connecticut and having a nice time. I'll blog more when I get home. Oh by the way, I saw "Walk the Line" at the movies yesterday, about Johnny and June Carter-Cash. It was a good mocie. chek it out.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my wonderful family, friends and you turkeys too!!

'Twas the night of Thanksgiving, but I couldn't sleep.
I tried counting backwards, I tried counting sheep.
The leftovers beckoned - the dark meat and white;
but I fought the temptation with all of my might.
Tossing and turning with anticipation
the thought of the snack became infatuation.
So, I raced to the kitchen, flung open the door
and I gazed at the fridge, full of goodies galore.
I gobbled up turkey and sweet potatoes,
pickles and carrots, beans and tomatoes.
I felt myself swelling so plump and so round,
'til all of a sudden, I rose off the ground.
I crashed through the ceiling, floating into the sky
with a mouthful of pudding and a handful of pie.
But, I managed to yell as I soared past the trees...
'Happy Eating To All, Pass The Cranberries Please'.

May your stuffing be tasty, may your turkey be plump.
May your potatoes 'n gravy have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious, may your pies takes the prize,
May your Thanksgiving dinner stay off of your thighs!
~ May your Thanksgiving be Blessed ~

Oh and don't forget, holiday food has no calories...so for goodness sake have seconds and thirds., but save me a slice of pie.

Oh and a special thank you to those of you that mailed me cards, emailed me cards, and those of you that expressed their good wishes in other ways....thank you, having you in my life is one of the things I am most thankful of this year.

Yet another reason I would not live in Kansas....lol

Man Cindy, what is in the water over there? Whew!

--------------------
Man Charged With Allowing Child to Drive
--------------------

By Associated Press

November 22, 2005, 7:57 AM EST

ALDEN, Kan. -- An elderly man accused of allowing a 7-year-old girl to drive his pickup has been charged in a two-count complaint.

Alan Sleeper, 88, was charged Nov. 16 with endangering a child and allowing an unauthorized minor to operate a motor vehicle.

Police say Sleeper was in the passenger seat when a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper pulled the girl over in late August driving the man's truck in a rural area at 74 mph in a 55 mph zone.

Sleeper reportedly told the trooper he "didn't want her to drive that fast."

Copyright (c) 2005, The Associated Press

Visit Newsday online at http://www.newsday.com

All I want to know is....

Where am I when these types of things take place? Yeah...it seems I am never at the right place at the right time. Dang it!

It's Redneck Wednesday! Week 2

Redneck Hot tubbin'! When you can't afford the real thing, make your own with what you have on hand. Hey, its portable, isn't it! When your friends won't come to you, you go to your friends. Depending on the time of the year, you can move it closer to the trailer or father away. In the summer you won't mind the walk, in the winter you can park it right outside the door.

Phi Tau formal...

...and Katie had her beer goggles on. She'll flirt with any old tom turkey when she has knocked back a few. Is it just me, or is she about to lose half her stuff out of her purse? Oh Katie, dear sweet Katie! WWJD? Mwahaha!

Nett: lol, are you there
BUZZ!!!
redbudgirl0: yes u r evil
Nett: lol, you make that sound like a bad thing
Nett: lol
redbudgirl0: lol
Nett: so do you like the site
Nett: do I need to make any changes
redbudgirl0: yes it is neat
redbudgirl0: no I do not think so
Nett: good, becasue I was up so late ....I'm tired now
Nett: lol
redbudgirl0: except for the moon boot question (****You've been invited to a fancy ball but the only thing you have to wear is an orange wooly jumper. What shoes do you wear?
My red, white, and blue moon boots of course! I look hot in them and they show off my shapely knees. ****)
redbudgirl0: hehehehehe
Nett: LOL
Nett: I was wondering when you would see that
Nett: I was laughing my ass of at 1AM
redbudgirl0: I know you better than not to check everything
redbudgirl0: well I better get ready for my ride
Nett: Did you really check everything
Nett: lol
Nett: everything
redbudgirl0: great
Nett: lol
Nett: just kidding
redbudgirl0: I will have to look better when I get home
Nett: hehehehehe
redbudgirl0: later
redbudgirl0: have a good day
Nett: later tater
Nett: you too

Ok, so after this convo, I really want to go into Cindy's site and write a fake blog and put it in her archives.....something that could be highly embarassing if read by anyone, anyone at all. LOL! Don't worry, I won't. She'll kill me sooner or later, even a big mushy softy like Cindy have a breaking point.

You never know where your IM's will lead..

redbudgirl0: Shit
Nett: what
redbudgirl0: the damn dog just put her cold nose on my lower undies line
Nett: lol
redbudgirl0: I about pissed my pants
Nett: nice
Nett: lol
Nett: I love that dog

Oh Man, oh man, when these puppies come out...I WILL OWN SOME. It is a known fact that I have always loved blowing bubbles. You could keep me busy for a good hour with a bottle of bubbles and one of those little bubble wands. Yeah, but those were see-through bubbles...not colored bubbles. I WANT THEM! Zubbles...They will be mine!

Evil or Nice...you tell me!

Oh yes, you must go to Cousin Cindy's site and see what I was doing tonight. I totally changed her site...TOTALLY. MWAHAHAHAHA! Just think...she actually trusted me with her username and password. Highest bid gets them....JOKING...they are not for sale. REally, do you seriously think I would do that!? I think not!

Harry Potter 4

I saw Harry Potter 4 with Jim and Jean last night. I enjoyed the movie but ofcourse I knew I was going to be annoyed by most of it. After all, how can you take such a long book and cram it into a 2 hour and 40 minute movie and expect the book lovers to be completely happy. There is no way you can do it justice but they did the best they could do. We take what we can get....right!

Ok, I like the look of pin-up art. I know I have always been drawn to the styles and fashions of that time era, so maybe that is it. Perhaps it is just the warm way they are painted...they tend to glow. They are often posed in these cute little "oopsie" poses that on the whole are not very sexy, more innocent than anything but that is what makes them sexy. I just think they are very eye catching and for some crazy reason I adore them. It's too bad you don't see a lot of men drawn in this style. I think the ladies would go gaga over them..I'm sure I would. Anyway, I'm thinking it would be wonderful to great to have a pin-up styled site....it may be on my list of possible template changes for the future.

Sam's preformance in Seussical the Musical...

Sam is starring as Jojo in his schools fall musical. I saw the show on Thursday and it was a lot of fun. i really enjoyed it and it seems like everyone else did to. They have 3 sold out shows schedualed so if you didn't get tickets, you are out of luck. The kids are doing a great job. That is Sam below walking across the stage in the white and yellow. I had to take pictures without a flash so most of them are fuzzy...but this one I played with so you can actually see Sam pretty well.

A new weekly thing...

I have decided in honor of Cousin Cindy, I will have a REDNECK WEDNESDAY post. Yeah, every Wednesday a new redneck joke or picture....in her honor. She's not really a redneck but I love to tease her. Poor Cindy! What did she ever do to deserve a pesty cousin like me? I guess just being born was enough.

Katie Leach's latest poem...

"The Fluorescent Light"

I lie enfolded in a restricted rainbow
under the incessant burning of the fluorescent light
that crawls behind my blue eyelids,
weaving its way through the shadows in my curls.

Under the incessant burning of the fluorescent light
my body is found beside a man’s; his hands
weaving their way through the shadows in my curls;
his legs, like ivy, rise up, strangling my thighs.

My body is found beside a man’s; his hands
growing as frigid as the broken radiator.
His legs, like ivy, rise up, strangling my thighs
as I suffocate in the cocoon of my mistake.

Growing frigid as the broken radiator,
my feet slyly slide onto the tiled floor.
As I suffocate in the cocoon of my mistake,
I throw my clothes on and quietly open the door.

My feet slyly slid onto the tiled floor
but he knew I’d go, and silently watched
as I threw my clothes on and quietly opened the door,
pouring the fluorescent light into the rifts of his
shattered eyes.

I had a dream early this morning. The problem I have with this dream is that it is one of those dreams. People that know me, know what I mean by that. For those of you that don't ...sometimes I have dreams that are special, special because they are like snapshots of the future. I can't really explain it. As a child I had a recurring dream that use to scare the hell out of me. Not because it was filled with dark and evil things, but because I knew something was wrong. This is what I could tell you about it then: Something was going around, around, around, and then suddenly something happened and it scared the hell out of me. Everything was kind of blurred from the beginning so that wasn't like I could tell what it was. I had this dream over and over again for years...YEARS. It was always the same, never varied. The older I got, the less I freaked but my heart still pounded a mile a minute and I still felt that instant panic, though it was less intense with age. I was maybe 4 the first time I remember having it. I would have that dream once a month, several times a week, twice on the same night, while sleeping in my bed or even while asleep in the car. When and where varied but the content of the dream never did. Never ever. Then one day it stopped. I never had it ever again. But what is interesting is what happened just before it stopped and that made that dream click in my head while I was awake. By "click" I mean it literally clicked into place, the dream and my awake state met. I know its strange but here is what happened. I was maybe 10 years old. I was at the county fair with my family and I wanted to go on another ride. My parents were talking to some people they knew and I was allowed to go on this ride. I was the only person on the entire ride. Everything was fine for the first few rounds, I'm enjoying the rush of the wind, the blur of everything flying by me but then very suddenly when I was nearing the top, the gate flew open. *click* Its not like they had safety seatbelts back then either. I felt a sudden burst of fear and panic but there was also something farmiliar about it. I wrapped one arm around the back of the seat and used my foot to pull the gate up to my hand. I tried to get the gate to latch to the seat but it wouldn't. I was slamming it into the latch but it wouldn't go, my heart is racing. Meanwhile, I am still going around in circles and the guy that runs the machine is talking to some guy, my parents are talking to their friends and I'm yelling everytime I get near them, hoping they hear. The machine is too loud, they can't hear me. I'm afraid, like in the dream but this time Im already awake. I realize that I will be fine. I use my foot to hold the door closed by crossing my foot over my knee and I am holding on to the back and side of the ride with both hands. Finally the guy slows my ride and when he stops me at the bottom the gate flew open. He asks me if it just came open now and I said, no, it flew open earlier but I pulled it back and that I tried to yell at him but he didn't hear me and that it was OK, because I just held it shut until my ride was done. It was like what had just happened was really just like all of my dreams. As I had woke, the fear was gone..and as soon as the ride ended, the fear was gone. It wasn't until years later, that I realized that after that ride that the dreams had ended too.
Even though I don't have those same type of re-occurring dreams, I do have dreams that have the same feel to them. They are not your everyday, run of the mill dreams. They are diffenent in a way that I can't really explain to you. They just are...some are stronger than others and some are more detailed. I once had a dream where I was sitting at a picnic table talking to a female. I could tell it was a female only in the sense that I just knew. She was a blur, but I knew we were laughing, I could see a garage in the background, a sloping hill of high grass. I could feel the breeze, smell freshly mowed grass, could hear in addition to our laughter, a bird singing. Years later, I was sitting at a picnic table with a friend, we were laughing and suddenly....click...it was that moment I had dreamt about. Everything, exactly the same in that one brief second. Until that second when everything lined up, it was just another day, just another moment in time...but I had been there before in mind not in body.
Then there was the time I dreamed about being in a restaurant. There was a old fashioned bubble jukebox to my right. I was sitting at a both with a low tiffany style lamp over head. A man and a woman were sitting across from me, though their faces were blurred, I could hear our conversation. A boy was to my left and a girl to my right, sitting on the end of the table on a chair. I could hear the conversation and the music and I could smell french fries. Then I woke up. Years later I was bringing the Hartman kids back to their Mom after the Llama sale in Omaha. We had made plans to meet half way at a restaurant I had never been to. We settled down in a booth to eat dinner and it wasn't until during our conversation that ....click....Rhonda's new husband said something...and there it was, the dream, only now they had faces and every single thing in that dream was reality again.
Still sound strange? How about a dream that I actually told someone about months before it ever happened. I dreamt that I was sitting on steps, to my right was a little girl with light curly hair. I had a children's book on my lap. I glanced ahead of me, down a sidewalk to the street. There were two large trees in front of me and bushes across the street. Standing in the grass, just off the sidewalk was a blurry person but I knew it was a young Steve from Family Matters, but yet it wasn't. I knew it, I could feel it. Years later, I have been working as a nanny for the Leaches for a couple of weeks. I am sitting on the front steps of the house and Katie is to my right. Chris is standing in front of us, goofing around. Suddenly he hikes up his pants and starts doing an impersonation. He's Steve Urkle he announces and ...click...the trees in the front yard, the bushes across the street, Steve from Family matters in front of me, standing in the grass just off the sidewalk. I glance down at my lap, a children's book. My heart flutters and think to myself, "holy crap!"
I can't explain the dreams, why they feel so different from other dreams at the time I am dreaming them, how it really feels when they click into place. What I can tell you is that I had one last night. In the dream, it was dark, I couldn't see where I was walking but there were trees, branches, I could hear the sound of feet stepping on leaves or dried grass, branches...there were saps and pops, voices around me, an ice cold wind and I can hear the wind in the trees around me. Then a sudden rush, a loud sound, a scream that makes me turn in a moment of excitement, fear. That is when I woke up...but it was one of those special dreams, I could feel it. Now I just have to wait, forget about it and when its time, well, i'll just have to see what life brings me.

What does your name mean?

You entered: Annette SuLyn Kaster
There are 18 letters in your name.Those 18 letters total to 64There are 6 vowels and 12 consonants in your name.
Your number is: 1
The characteristics of #1 are: Initiating action, pioneering, leading, independent, attaining, individual.
The expression or destiny for #1:A number 1 Expression denotes the skilled executive with keen administrative capabilities. You must develop the capacity to be a fine leader, sales executive, or promoter. You have the tools to become an original person with a creative approach to problem solving, and a penchant for initiating action. Someone may have to follow behind you to handle the details, but you know how to get things going and make things happen. You have a good mind and the ability to use it for your advancement. Because of these factors, you have much potential for achievement and financial rewards. Frequently, this expression belongs to one running a business or striving to achieve a level of accomplishment on ones talents and efforts. You have little need for much supervision, preferring to act on your own with little restraint. You are both ambitious and determined. Self-confident and self-reliant must be yours, as you develop a strong unyielding will and the courage of your convictions.
Although you fear loneliness, you want to be left alone. You fear routine and being in a rut. You often jump the gun because you are afraid of being left behind.
The negative attributes of the 1 Expression are egotism and a self-centered approach to life. This is an aggressive number and if it is over-emphasized it is very hard to live with. You do not have to be overly aggressive to fulfill your destiny. The 1 has a natural instinct to dominate and to be the boss; adhering to the concept of being number One. Again, you do not have to dominate and destroy in order to lead and manage.
Your Soul Urge number is: 2
A Soul Urge number of 2 means: With the Soul Urge number 2, your motivation is centered on friendships, partnerships, and companionship. You want to work with others as a part of a cooperative team. Leadership is not important to you, but making a contribution to the team effort is. You are willing to work hard to achieve a harmonious environment with sensitive, genial people.
In a positive sense, the 2 Soul Urge is sympathetic, extremely concerned and devoted. The nature tends to be very sensitive to others, always tactful and diplomatic. This element in your nature indicates that you are rather emotional. You are persuasive, but in a very quiet way, never forceful. You are the type that makes really close friendships because you are so affectionate and loving.
If this number is over-emphasized in your makeup, you may be over-sensitive, with a delicate ego that is too easily hurt. You may be timid or fearful, too easygoing for your own good.
Your Inner Dream number is: 8
An Inner Dream number of 8 means: You dream of success in the business or political world, of power and control of large material endeavors. You crave authority and recognition of executive skills. Your secret self may have very strong desire to become an entrepreneur.

Redneck Horseshoes, the game of Kings...

Kings of the throne, the porcelain throne that is. LOL, I thought of certain relatives when I saw this picture. You know who you are, don't make me say your names. Can you imagine the size of the post? Holy crap! Oh man, I didn't think of that connection when I wrote that...lol. I wonder if they bought new lids of if the raided a few gas stations until they got enough for a full set. Oh who knows, maybe they were plumbers and the seats were obtained by legal means. I'd really like the story behind this bright idea. Here is what I'm going with: It was created for Old Uncle Bubba, cause his eye sight was failing the old fart and people got tired of all the extra time it took for him to walk to the other side of the pit to see for himself that he missed the pole by 3 feet. Yeah, that works for me. the only other possibility has something to do with a couple of cases of beer or something slightly stronger. Guess what Cindy is getting for Christmas!

Cody and his Kitten who we will call No Name because Amy never told me what they named that kitty. I don't care what anyone says, Cody looks so much like his Uncle Casey that it is scary. I see some Bill and some Amy in there too. He's grown up too fast, dang it! They are forcing me to be one of those annoying old ladies that says things like, "I remember when you were this big." ...gag, shoot me now. Man!

lol, Oh Michelle.....Michelle!

Ok, it didn't actually happen, but it was so close. I thought Michelle would get a big kick out of this. I'm not saying why. Ok, I will! No, I better not. You better ask her yourself. That was one of the funniest things ever. Especially when Brandon said he was "going to tell Dad." Hehehehehe!

If I ever own or run a store, this sign will be posted on every door, window, shelf, you name it. If that won't keep parents aware of their children's 'where abouts', then nothing will. LOL, its true! Don't look at me like that! It's not mean at all...it drives me nuts when people bring kids into stores and let them run around like wild animals. There should be consequences for lack of parental guidance. Frankly, that would be enough to teach me a lesson. How about you?

Guilty pleasure or blog stocker?

By the end of this blog, I should see at least 10 new comments ...hint, hint! So this is what is on my mind right now. Ok, well, its not the only thing but it happens to be the thing that I will be focusing on at the moment. I have a lot of repeat blog readers. I know this because of my site meters. I have people that check my site almost every day, yet those same people never leave comments. Actually, that could be a good thing...who knows what people would say if given the chance. Oh no, it wouldn't be so bad. Anyway, here are my theories....1) You have to be a pretty brave person to leave comments on my site and I intimidate you. You never know how I may respond, you think I am a loose cannon. BOOM! 2) My site is a guilty pleasure that you don't want your name connected too. For goodness sake, you may want to be in the political spotlight one day and the scandal could damage your chances for holding a high office. 3) You are just a blog stocker. You like to hide behind your screen and keep an eye on me without making contact. You gave up window peeking after you got caught the last time so you resort to the cyber stocking of blogs for kicks. Perv! Either way, don't be scared. I don't bite...often. I like it when people comment and I love to know when I am putting a smile on peoples faces. If I piss you off...well, you can tell me that in a personal email. We don't need to air our dirty laundry for the world to see, do we? Nah! Comment dang it, comment!

My friend Michelle sent me a postcard! I just love it when I get snail mail postcards. I think you can read it if you click on thet lower pic...it should enlarge for you. I didn't feel the same way about "Home on the Range", actually I still sing it once and a while...but then again I sing a lot of songs that I really hate, only because I actually know the words. Jeesh!

Happy Birthday Cindy!!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday dear Cousin Cynthia .... Happy Birthday to you! Are you one... are you two... Oh hell, are you 38... Oh yeah, you are! Have a great 38th year!

..and my Mom thinks I'm nutty...

So, I got an email from Mom telling me that they were getting a crap load of snow, the wind chill was 18 degrees and that she wasn't happy that it was in the 60's here. So, being the wonderful pain in the neck that I am...I call her up and ask her if she got what I sent her. She said, "What did you send? I don't think I got anything." To which I said, "I sent you a bunch of snow"... and Mom said, "Yeah, funny." LOL. Then she has Pops yelling stuff to tell me while we are trying to carry on a conversation. She said, "We had a deer in the yard since this morning." I said, "Oh yeah, what is it? One of those tacky concrete statues or something?" She said, "no, its hanging in the tree." To which I said, "Oh lord, it's a redneck neighborhood now, huh!" So, it seems Pop got his deer. Anyway, I asked if they were going to take it to the locker to be processed, to which Mom replies that Dad and Lonnie are going to take care of it, but she wishes they would take it to the locker. slight pause...."He knows I'm touchy on the meat." As I start laughing she quickly says, don't even take it that way. I knew I shouldn't have said that, you have a dirty mind! Jesus Annette!" Tears are running down my face. (I almost typed cheeks but thought that would be misinterpreted...lol)

Later in our convo, Mom asked if I got an email from my sister. I said, "Not on my aol, did she mail it to yahoo instead?" Mom said she didn't know. I said, that I rarely check my yahoo but I'd see if it was there and delete some of the spam out of it. So I find the email. As I am reading the recipe that Tisha sent to me...I say" there is a lot of sugar in these." To which my Mother responds with, "Well, that is what happens when you don't clean it out more often." ????? I said, "What the hell are you talking about." She said, "You should empty out your email more often." So I said, "What does that have to do with all the sugar in the recipe?" Mom said, "HUH?" lol, we were not on the same wave length on that one. Just another day...put this still wasn't as bad as the incident with the door. That is my favorite story about my Mom...and she hates it when I tell people about it. It's good though!

The mighty Elk hunters

Tami, I swear my father really exists. As proof, I am posting the latest picture of him and his fellow elk hunting gang. My Pops is the guy in between the two guys in blaze...aka bright orange. He's the one wearing the blue and green plaid shirt. See, see, its true, I do have a father. I still can't believe we have been friends since, what...1985, and you have never met my father. How crazy is that!?

What the!

I was sitting in the Lazyboy recliner, reading my book at the Leaches after we returned from our trip to visit Katie at college. I heard sirens and I glanced out the porch door toward the street and back to my book. After a couple of minutes I smelled something strange. I glanced back out the porch door and that is when I said, "Holy crap, Jean, look at all the smoke." It looked completely foggy. I realized the smell I had noticed was the smell of burning wood. We went out on the porch and we could tell that the smoke was coming from the south and slightly east of the house. We knew it had to be a big fire with the amount of smoke that was drifting through the neighborhood. Last night on the news I found out that the old Foodtown Grocery store that was no longer open was engulfed in flames and that there were over 200 firefighters fighting that blaze. They had been trying to contain the flames for over 7 hours. Holy crap. I'm just glad it wasn't a home or a running business and that nobody got hurt.

I won , I WON...

LOL, I already knew I won, but it is fun to gloat and to try to get some kind of grand prize out of it. Cindy's little sister Michelle asked a question and I finally figured it out so I demanded a prize like only I could do. I received this postcard in the mail. We know how I love to get snail mail, especially postcards! "The back reads, Here is part of your prize for the trivia question. My most favorite postcard! I hope you enjoy it! -Michelle" Well, I did enjoy it...it made me laugh. Then I opened the envelope that contained the stickers that she sent me.They straddle the disgusting line in just the way I enjoy. Gross, indeed, but it gets peoples attention. Who doesn't enjoy a dirty monkey that looks like a zombie and who had poor social skills. It kind of reminds me of a few relatives...lol. Anyway, thanks again Michelle!

Seriously, don't take my picture...

Actually Katie was smiling just a second before this picture was snapped. She usually sticks her tongue out so it was lucky that I only got the bitchy look. She is soooooo funny. You really never know what is going to come out of her mouth or when it is going to come out. We were at the diner and she was telling us that everyday her poetry professor has a sexual poem or a poem about food. So she said, "its either sex or food, but never both" as a family walked by and got the funniest look. A few minutes later we found out that it was the family of a guy she knows from F&M....lol, he stopped to talk to her and then waved at his family. Ah, good times! I also have to report about her calendar issue. I was standing by the door and noticed that the calendar had the month of November already ripped off. I thought this was strange but with college kids, you never rule any explanation out. I didn't mention the calendar because...Well, it didn't seem like something worth asking about. Later, we were standing in the hall talking to the girl from across the hall. Katie had just walked up to the door and flung the door open. We were like "Katie!", she said she did it all the time. Sarah said that they lock their doors if they don't want anyone doing that. Anyway, somewhere along the way, Sarah makes a comment about Katies calendar. LOL, to which Katie responds,"Bitch!", which of course gets my attention. I probe that a little deeper and find out that Sarah wrote Katies weekly schedule on that calendar...lol, and Katie wisely removed the page before her parents saw it. Once I found it was balled up on the top of the trash...I had to see what it said. Katie tried to block me but we all know, I am unstoppable when it comes to things like this. We all laughed when we saw what Sarah penciled in for Katie...lol. Sex day, break day, sex day, sex day, double sex day. It was a wise move to remove it though. Katie even cleaned her room up! I'm so proud of her for that. She learned a lesson from the famous hang-over visit to Chris' room at Dartmouth. Jean freaked at the sight of his room and made him clean it up. Oh, that was a FUN day...good times! Anyway, I had a good time seeing Katie again.

My wise idea....lol

Ok, so I always have issues with my earrings. I have to dig to find the match. When you are on the run, its annoying. Well, since I have tons and tons of buttons, tons and tons and tons...I decided to pair the earrings on a button. That way I have both in one grab. The french hooks work too. That was Netter's nifty tip of the month. 

Ok, Lexie...this one is for you...but just so you know..there are pictures of me on this site. You just have to search through my archive. I know, that is a pain in the butt, however I do have some funny stuff on there, Ok, most of it is really stupid, but that is part of my charm. (I think...lol) Make sure you check out my list of 200 random things about me. (April 17,2005 entry) I was surprised how easy it was to add an extra 100 to that list. Any schlump can do 100 but it takes a real nut to do 200...lol. What can I say, I'm a lovable nut.

Amy and Cody...all dressed up for a night on the town...lol. I love it when grown-ups dress up too. I thought I was the only one out of our group that did silly things like that. Guess not! We need to spend a Halloween together...it would be way too much fun.

In remembrance...

Veterans' Day (formerly Armistice Day) November 11, is the anniversary of the Armistice which was signed in the Forest of Compiegne by the Allies and the Germans in 1918, ending World War I, after four years of conflict
In November of 1919, President Woodrow Wilson issued his Armistice Day proclamation. The last paragraph set the tone for future observances: To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nation. In 1927 Congress issued a resolution requesting President Calvin Coolidge to issue a proclamation calling upon officials to display the Flag of the United States on all government buildings on November 11, and inviting the people to observe the day in schools and churches...But it was not until 1938 that Congress passed a bill that each November 11 "shall be dedicated to the cause of world peace and ...hereafter celebrated and known as Armistice Day." That same year President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill making the day a legal holiday in the District of Columbia. For sixteen years the United States formally observed Armistice Day, with impressive ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where the Chief Executive or his representative placed a wreath. In many other communities, the American Legion was in charge of the observance, which included parades and religious services. At 11 A.M. all traffic stopped, in tribute to the dead, then volleys were fired and taps sounded. After World War II, there were many new veterans who had little or no association with World War I. The word, "armistice," means simply a truce; therefore as years passed, the significance of the name of this holiday changed. Leaders of Veterans' groups decided to try to correct this and make November 11 the time to honor all who had fought in various American wars, not just in World War I. In Emporia, Kansas, on November 11, 1953, instead of an Armistice Day program, there was a Veterans' Day observance. Ed Rees, of Emporia, was so impressed that he introduced a bill into the House to change the name to Veterans' Day. After this passed, Mr. Rees wrote to all state governors and asked for their approval and cooperation in observing the changed holiday. The name was changed to Veterans' Day by Act of Congress on May 24, 1954. In October of that year, President Eisenhower called on all citizens to observe the day by remembering the sacrifices of all those who fought so gallantly, and through rededication to the task of promoting an enduring peace. The President referred to the change of name to Veterans' Day in honor of the servicemen of all America's wars. Excerpts from All About American Holidays by Mayme R. Krythe.

Hmmmm...can you guess what I am going to buy myself as an "Happy Post-Christmas To ME" gift? Can anyone say ipod? All cash donations are welcomed. lol.

Snoopy is as excited as I am. Why? Why, you ask. Because my friend Tami has left her zoomshare site behind and joined the blogspot team. Yes, my site made her envious and now she created her own. Happy! Oh so Happy!

Feeling better....

I still have a headache but its not as bad as yesterday's. Thank Goodness! I know its all allergies too, which doesn't make me happy. I took some medicine and I do feel a little better but I also feel a little sluggish, which I can't stand. I know, its annoying. I hate medicine, I hate pills and syrups, I just can't stand the idea of taking any medication at all. I do, however, take it when it is needed, so don't give me any lectures. Jeesh! lol, I hope everyone has had a lovely day. I'm packing away all of my Halloween stuff. I just took a little break to blog and now I am headed back to the anti clutter campaign. Fun fun!

The Beatrice Gang

Ah, one of my favorite families in the whole wide world! Its the Bartels...(l to r)Kelley and Scott in the back row and Brandon, Michelle and Alek in the front row. I've spoken to Michelle twice in two days. What a wonderful treat! I can't wait to see them this Christmas!

As the day has progressed...

I have developed a thumping headache. It sucks. I think it is related to my allergies. My eyes are dry and burn one minute and the next are tearing up. I've been sneezing on and off also. I'm going to run to Barnes and Noble to see if I can get my hands on the next James Frey book, "My Friend Leonard." Maybe the fresh air will do me a world of good.

I must be hormonal right now.

I watched a movie a little bit ago. It was called "Mind the Gap." I missed the beginning but by the end I was crying like a big baby. It was a story about 5 people and the different emotional hardships they were going though. I would not say it was the best movie I have ever seen as far as acting skill was concerned but it really got to me anyway. I must be hormonal. I don't think that movie would get to me so much on a normal day.

Forget Santa's list...

The big question on everyones mind this season is if they made my Christmas card list. I cut that sucker down...big time. Everyone that sent me a card last year will be on my list...not to fear. I have thought about doing one of those letters that I make fun of....but as a joke. You know, make it really pathetic and crazy. Depends on how much time I have between now and Thanksgiving. My big plan for this year is to have my cards done and in the mail by the first week of December. So, if you really, really want to be on my Chrismtas card list...you better make sure I have your correct address. Don't worry, Sally, Harry and Kim are on my list for sure. I already wrote out the envelopes for their cards. LOL, yeah I bought my cards on Monday and I bought my holiday stamps last week. I'm on the ball people, I have half of my shopping done and I've got great ideas for a quarter of the poeple I have left. I tell yah....at this rate I might just have time to decorate the house and re-pack everything before I leave for home.

Exciting day...

Wow, today was exciting. Totally and completely exciting. So exciting I can hardly hold in my enthusiasms. I had a so-so hair day. I had 23 telemarketing calls before noon...I kept track. I avoided an accident. The mail came on time and I actually got a package that I was waiting for from Cabela's. I put my black sweater in the dryer without thinking and it didn't shrink. I drove Sam to school for his birthday in a pair of flannel pj bottoms with Santa and the words "HO HO HO!" all over them. I topped it with a black t-shirt with Tom Osborne on it and my pink and silver cashmere/angora blend sweater. I was truly sporting a look...it was tre tacky. I bought another Christmas present and I accidentally found a pair of heels to match my light brown skirt and they were only $50.00 marked down from $95.00...that may have been my high point. I also picked up food for Sam's birthday at the Cheese Cake Factory....his favorite, the 4-cheese pasta and Tex Mex egg rolls. He also requested a slice of Adam's Fudge Ripple Cheese Cake so I bought two pieces...one for him and one for Nancy. There was an accident on the Southern State Parkway by exit 18 and another one near the Wantagh Parkway, which in return caused the traffic on the Meadowbrook to basically crawl. After 15 minutes of creeping I managed to get off and took back roads all the way home. It took me 45 minutes to reach my driveway....blah! I hurt my knee when I tripped and twisted it on the landing. I'm thinking the Olympic judges would have given me a 3 for the landing. I didn't hear from Katie once today on instant messenger and that is just a sad way to spend the day...no girls gone wild stories to shock me. I did some laundry and emptied the dishwasher like I do every day. I hid while the Jehovah's Witnesses rang the doorbell because I always end up with booklets and I really don't have the heart to tell the sweet, little polish lady that I have a religious faith that I try to stick to when I am not busy sinning my ass off. I spent an hour trying to figure out what book to read next. Ho-hum....and I never did decide. Any ideas for me? At least tomorrow the plumber is coming and I hope it is the cute little guy I always run into. He's a flirt...and everyone knows how I love a flirt. I'll probably get Mr Grouchy pants but I just talk to him until he starts joking around with me. I still have not convinced Cindys little sister to give me a prize for correctly answering her question on her blog. JEZ, even a postcard would be nice. I found out that one of my friends North of the border was very sick today and I am hoping he is feeling better before he travels next week. Oh, I found out that my flight back to NY for Christmas was changed so it is getting in an hour later. That really doesn't make me very happy but at least it wasn't cancelled completely. Other than that....I had a very exciting day. After all, how often do I have a so-so good hair day?!

Happy

14th

Birthday

SAM!

...and

many,

many,

many,

more.

Enjoy

the

Oh Man!

See, see! I tell them that they can have the pumpkins and what do they do? The go for the beer instead. I think they are evil little buggers! I mean, really, not the beer, of all things!

If it wasn't for one Madwoman....

Yes, if it wasn't for Kim...aka Madwoman I would have had a nervous breakdown. I couldn't figure out how to #1 change my background, #2 get it to appear on my site after I save the template changes. Kim, you are the best blogger friend a beginner blogger, like myself, could ever wish to find on the web. Thank you a million times for the help and for the fun changes that you created for me....I can't wait to install the changes. Thanks again Kim!

The many faces of Jean....

So, Jean called me today and she needed me to take a picture of her and run off a copy so she could have a head shot for the musical she is trying out for. She's been taking singing lessons again instead of teaching them and has really been working on her skills. She's probably going to kill me for putting her pics on my site...but hey, I like to live on the edge. lol. Katie! That's your MOM! 

I think I got out of bed on the wrong side today.

Ok, that pic freaked me out... it makes me nervous and I want to run over there screaming "Stopppppppp!" and grab that butter knife away from that child. Let's hope that child lived to grow up to be an electrician....lets just pretend that, Ok, because I don't want to imagine what else could have happened.

Anyway, I woke up a little cranky today. I'm feeling much better now but the first 15 minutes after I got up I was a grouch. It's just good for everyone that I took out the garbage and didn't see anyone....came in the house, jumped in the shower and after ten minutes of singing to the Eagles at full volume....while avoiding the need to shave my legs....I popped out of the shower in a much brighter mood. It's all good! Now at least, its good. I didn't even feel like yelling when I found fruit juice spilled all over the fridge that someone had left for someone else to clean up. Thank heaven I didn't find that mess before I took my shower. It would not have been a pretty scene, people...not pretty at all. I'm headed to the dentist in a couple of hours...just my 6 month cleaning...no root canals this time. WHAT! What do you mean by, "You hope!" Jez, have some faith, will you....and no, I'm not kidding myself....everything feels good. Man, you guys are a tough crowd.

Yet another reason....

...that I will never learn to knit. Ewww, who sat around and thought..."HEY, why don' t I knit internal organs! That could be fun!" I guess it could be used as a learning tool, I can't deny that but in all reality I think it is kinda sick. Can't you just picture Christmas...a child opens his present from crazy Aunt Matilda, "Uh, wow, thanks Auntie Matilda, for the lovely...uh....uh..." Aunt Matilda shouts, "Oh yes, dear, its the digestive system. I was sure you would love it!" If you want to be that mean...and make it for someone you hate...follow the title link for directions. Just don't make one for me. I want an ipod....so cash would be great...gee thanks!

Yummy, Oyster Crackers....

I know what you are thinking...Oyster Crackers, Oyster Crackers, how boring! Indeed, perhaps that is so, but they are darn good, even without the soup. I made homemade chili soup the other day, so I had to buy Oyster Crackers and mozzarella to put on top. Hey, I like it...don't knock it. Anyway, I froze the remainer of my soup and I was left with some of these little nuggets of the Gods. Yeah, you read that correctly! I just love them. I like them plain. You put one in your mouth and you use your teeth to split them in half like you would an Oreo cookie....without the twisting and the filling ofcourse. As a kid, I put peanut butter and jelly between two of the crackers to make little sandwiches. They were wonderful to feed to your stuffed animals and dollies during tea time. Whoa is me...I have eaten the last of the Oyster crackers while blogging and you didn't get to try one. You snooze, you lose, sucker!

Why am I always the one to have the issues!

Ok, so this is what my site is supposed to look like...see the butterflies on the sides? Yeah, when I preview my template changes, that is what it looks like. When I publish it...it looks blank, with lovely snowy white sides. BLAH! Not to fear, My pal... the Madwoman, aka Kim will come to my rescue soon, I just know it! Until then, I am doomed to be the only one to view my site in its full beauty!