Yesterday I was not SAD!!

My daughter sent me a text yesterday and reminded me that it was going to be cloudy.  She was right. And to also make sure that I had lights on in the house.

Now when I grew up, back in the days when the dinosaurs roamed the earth, we didn't---did not--that's DID NOT turn on lights in the daytime. I don't care how cloudy it was outside or how foggy or how smoggy--no lights until the sun went down. Whenever that was -- if you knew when it happened.

So, I was just doing what I had learned.

But then we lived in England for 6 years and it's dark there. It doesn't even get daylight until 9 or even 10 in the morning in December and January.

I should have known, BUT

We are all what we learned as a child I guess.

I am not opposed to learning new concepts--so they lights were on yesterday and will be again today.

It's raining!!

We really need it. If we don't have enough rain to fill up the pond I don't know if the fish will live much longer.

Now the turtles are a different story.

More later, Linda

I often wondered about that SAD stuff

You know that SAD -- Something Something Disorder where you get depressed when it's winter.

Well, today it has been very cloudy---as Our Lynn says. It's been a very British day today. We got up to fog and it was foggy until just a few minutes ago. And my whole thought process changed today. I got really put out about the littlest things. Like Jerry coming in the door and it scaring me. Mind you I did have my mind on a lot more than him coming into the house. But, that should not have put me into a funk.

But it did.!!

I think there really is this disorder and I will keep more lights on from this day forward.

More later, Linda

Have you ever just....??

Have you ever just wanted to scream?  For no reason just go outside and scream? So my question is -- why didn't you??

Have you ever made a huge mess of a dessert and served it anyway?  The best cake I ever made broke apart right down the middle as I was taking it out of the pan. Moist and lots of flavor--I'm glad I served it.

Have you ever made a long list of things to tell your doctor and when you got to the office you didn't have the list?  That's OK.

Have you ever punished one child and found out that the other one did it---but it was 20 years later?
That happens all the time. Just apologize and give hugs and kisses.

Have you ever found a library book AFTER you had to pay for it because you couldn't find it? Yes, I did!!

Have you ever gotten strange phone calls?? One time -- in the sixties -- we got a call from a lady who said, " This is Opal and I called to tell you that Roy is in the hospital." Jerry's granddad was named Roy and his Grandma was Opal. Turned out it was a different Roy and Opal.

Strange things happen and then again they may not be that strange!!

It's the times like these that make out lives worthwhile.

More later, Linda

Just in on TV

I just saw a young man who plays basketball on TV. He's fantastic!!

He only has one hand. And he was born that way.

Did that tell me something == or what!!

Yes it did. I don't have anything like that I could possibly use as an excuse to NOT do something with my life. So why do I hesitate??

This man does NOT let ANYTHING keep him from being who HE wants to be.

I am learning -- at 72 -- that I don't have to let THINGS get in my way either.

I got a card from my friend Donna a month ago and this is what I learned.

I AM SAFE!!

Obviously this young man learned that at an early age. I didn't.

But I'm making up for it. I have gone out on so many limbs that I should be on the ground by now.

NOT.

NADA!

NO WAY!!!

I'M SAFE!!!!

More later, Linda

She's either shy or MAD!!

Sometimes I don't know about Sarah. She can be so loving. She likes to lick on our legs which makes Jerry squirm.!

And she likes to sleep on his lap during the morning Western movie. It doesn't matter to her who is in it as long as its a Western.

And then there are other times like this---

She hides right up next to the TV..

She's really hidden isn't she?? Kinda like a little kid that puts their head behind the curtain and leaves their body out. And then hollers "Come find me!!!!"

And then there is the full hide. Head turned to the floor. body turned to the other side.

So, is she mad at us or just being shy??

Who knows.

I just know that's it cute!!

More later, Linda

Sarah!!!

We have decided that Sarah is a bed HOG!! She not only gets right in the middle she SCOOTS!!

You know what I mean. She scoots from one side to the other. But the best thing is -- she SLEEPS on her BACK!!



Which mean she takes up HALF of the bed. And that's okay except when she decides to move over just a tichy bit.

Right here is THE example of what Jerry has to put up with EVERY night!!

Do you see what's going on. He has about 10 inches of bed space left. I told him to just pick up the covers and roll her over and his response was-----I can't do that she's too comfortable.!!

Is she spoiled???

YES!!!!

But she does have this cute little thing she does. EVERY morning. She lays on her back and rubs her eyes. You know what I mean coz you do it yourself. To get the sleep out of your eyes.  Don't say you don't. BECAUSE you do it too.

Hand on her eye---rubbing the sleep out.

She got up right after I took this picture. 

She's so cute!!

More later, Linda

So today it's raining!!

Yesterday we were supposed to have lots of rain. And last night Jerry and Keith fixed the deer feeder so that NO one can mutilate it.  We have had to replace all parts but the solar panel now 2 times. And its was getting expensive. Now Keith has fixed it so that it is not gonna be a simple job to take all those expensive parts and mutilate it again.

It is so heart warming knowing that those beautiful deer are getting fed every day. I know that it's only corn, but as cold as it has been in the winter months they need all the fat they can get. So we feed them -- more in the winter than at any other time.

Last count there were about 20 of all ages.

Yesterday Jerry took all the corn out of the feeder and put it into buckets so that they coyld work on it last night. This morning he had planned to take those same buckets back to the deer feeder so he could put the corn back in. But with the rain it would have gotten wet and then soured. And then it would have spoiled.

But with the rain that has not been something he could do. It is now a waiting game.  While he watches Kermit and Miss Piggy.



More later,

I am Wondering---what number is this ?

I've been wondering about all the murders that are going on. Sometimes I think that they are just in real time and we can see the actual crime as it happens.  GROSS!!!

At other times I think that the rate on crimes and murders is not bigger per capita then at any other time in the years Oklahoma has been a state. I mean -- there are more of us now.

It's just very confusing and just a lot sad!

Why does anyone take another life into their and play God with it.

Sometimes I think its caused from the sixties and seventies and all the turmoil then. I mean really, I was looked down on because I didn't have a job. OUT of the home. I chose to stay with my kids. And then when our Dave had his problems I KNEW I had done the right thing.He needed to know from an early age that mom and dad were there for him.

Do the teenagers of today have that sense of belonging to a family?  Not from what I hear.

It's sad. So what do we do about it??

More later, Linda

Yesterdays Blog

I sent out that request because I need only one more person who is fired up!!

Like Alicia Keyes sings---THIS girl in on fire!!

I need one person who wants to work---who wants to find out more about being a Mary Kay consultant.

Is that one person--YOU???

comment to me

More later, Linda

Help!!! Help ME!!!

LADIES, I NEED YOUR HELP! I am building a professional women's portfolio this month and need your help! I am looking for women in the
following categories who represent their industry well and would be willing to do before/after photos during a complimentary pampering session with me. If you refer them and they agree ...then you both earn a freebie from me! Refer yourself and get double the special treatment!

1. Waitress
2. Nurse
3. Elementary Teacher...
4. Bank Teller
5. Pharmacy Tech
6. Massage Therapist
7. Publication Editor
8. Daycare Teacher
9. High School Teacher
10. Florist
11. Dance Instructor
12. Pastry Chef
13. Veterinary Technician
14. Legal Assistant
15. Movie Theatre Associate
16. Nail Tech
17. Restaurant Manager
18. Optometrist
19. Barista
20. Hair Stylist
21. Esthetician
22. Secretary
23. Car Sales Associate
24. Interior Decorator
25. Life Insurance Representative
26. Professional Gift Wrapper
27. Various Direct Sales Consultants
28. Photographer
29. Wedding and/or Events Planner
30. Personal Trainer
31. Red Cross Volunteer
32. Vacation Planner
33. Social Worker
34. Nanny
35. Computer Tech
36. Cosmetologist
37. Handmade Gifts & Monogramming
38. Seamstress
39. Volunteer Nursery Worker
40. Stay at home mom

Again, I need to find someone to represent all categories and then some. My goal is to complete the portfolio this month and just in time to do all the promoting and referring before the holidays!! Message or call me.

Wash Day part 2

When I was a kid I helped with the chores. My mom was only 4 foot 11 inches tall and that would limit her reach. One of my choirs was to help with the washing. We had a wringer washer. And for those of you who do not know what a wringer washer is here's a picture. Now picture a person with short arms trying to pull the clothes from the water and put into the wringer. It was a choir and sometimes we both had to work on putting the clothes in and pulling them out. In a way it was fun because we were doing things together.

Then we had to put the clothes onto the clothesline.

Not easy when we did the sheets. Mom had to have a line that was close to the ground and so we had poles to put under the line to keep the clean clothes off the dirt.

Did I feel wanted. I don't know, but I do remember one time when I had to dust the books. My dad was a voracious reader and we had three bookcases FULL of books. When the books were dusted we had to take out EVERY book--open it -- dust the inside and the outside and put it aside until all the books were clean and then we had to put them back onto the shelf. I remember that I didn't put them back like they should have been.  I never had to do that chore again.

My life was not like kids today, but I felt needed.

Do the kids today feel needed?

I wonder,

More later, Linda

It's raining today!!!

We have been needing a good long rain and today looks like it is gonna do it. We have a pond - or tank depending in what part of the world you live - and it is almost dry. There are catfish in that pond that are about 35 to 40 pounds. We used to feed them. Now it's too far into the mud to even get to the water.

Come on rain and fill in that pond!!!

It's supposed to rain tomorrow also. I know you are probably wondering what I am doing going on and on about the rain.

Well, here it is. My husband is a TEXAN!! And is he proud of it. By the way the boys from Texas won that football game Saturday -- big time. Good on you!!! I digress.

Back to my Jerry. He was born and raised in a little town south of Dallas about 60 miles. It was small until Bonnie and Clyde showed up. And the first oil field was discovered in Texas, and Wolf Brand Chili started making chili by the case. And then there is the world famous fruitcake!!

So now he comes from a famous place on the road from Dallas to Houston. But he still has this thing about weather. Well, actually everyone I ever met who was born and raised in Texas does this.

Dial the phone to call ANYONE and this is the conversation from their house----Hey there! How's it going?? What's the weather like??? ---no joke- that's the way it goes. Well, I've lived with a Texan for 53 years and NOW I do the same.

Hello---how are you---how's the weather?

It's almost like a virus!!

But it's cute coming from him.

More later, Linda

Wash Day! Not so yucky!

When I was a kid in Los Angeles, I used to have to help with wash day. I mean our mom was 4 foot 11 inches tall. She stood on a special made stool so she could put the clothes in and take them out.The only problem---the wringer. And making sure that the clothes didn't fall to the dirty floor. Washing clothes was a chore---that's why we called them "chores".

No one said we were abused as a child. All the kids helped around the house. It madce us feel like part of the family.

WANTED!!

NEEDED!!

Part of something that was good.

Then along came the war and women went to work. When the guys came back to work they quit and wsere happy doing for their families. As long as you got a husband who appreciated all that you did for them.

Then along came the Women's Movement!

Down with motherhood! The pill made sure that you didn't have kids. And if you did you sent them to all sorts of things to keep them busy and did the house work yourself.

SuperMOM became the normal and stay at home moms were shunned. REALLY and TRULY shunned. It was awful.

Now all those second generation moms are beginning to see that doing without a new house every 10 years is a good thing. New carpet every 5 years--not necessary.

Having kids that KNOW they are needed by the family????

Priceless!!

More later, Linda

The front door WORKS!!!

Our Lynn's husband, Keith, found the perfect latch for the front door. It is so wonderful to be able to go to the door and open it when my ladies come to pick up their products.

Thank you Keith.!!!

Yesterday was a really busy day. We went to church and stopped for tacos and took them home to eat. It was a nice change.

And then we waited for Dave and Tyler to show up. And they finally did about 3.30.

Then Lynn -- from Sulphur -- came over to pick up Dave. They stayed for a while and then l left.

Between the lunch and the arrival of Dave, Tyler and Rose. Lynn tried on her dress for Andrew and Holly's wedding and we decided on which necklace she was going to wear.

Then we went to the new clothing shop in Duncan. Very casual, but very nice clothing. I even found things I thought a white haired almost great grandma would wear. And feel good in.

It was a good day. And even better when Laverne texted and we set up a time to talk every week.

Life is good.

More later, Linda

The front door doesn't work

In Oklahoma we have storms. Sometimes they are bad. Most often though we just have rain.

But we have storm doors that are mostly glass which means we can leave them open to see the rain, let in the light, or just generally leave the front door closed. No screen doors that slam shut and make that funny sound when the wind blows through them.

Or get icky looking when the screen wire rusts and looks all black and -- icky!!

So we have storm doors. And most of the time they work really good.

I like to leave the front door open most of the time so we can get the light from the outside without the heat in the summer or the cold in the winter.

But sometimes -- things happen to the latch.

Sometimes they get sticky -- like they stick open or shut. Or they will just stick so you can't open the door at all. Which is okay except when you have friends coming over and you have to use a knife to push the thingie in so the door will open.

But it has a mind of its own and will -- or will not -- open when it wants to.

Hence the knife.

Works like a charm.

So if your door won't open try using a butter knife, place it between the latch and the door frame and give it a gentle swish from you to the door.

More later, Linda

This is what HAPPENED!!

Yesterday, Jerry stopped in a left turn lane. All the lights were red so -=- of course he stopped.

Then he said, "I think it's really not necessary to put on the left turn blinker when I am already in a left turn only lane".

I had to really think about that.

The law says that when you get ready to turn you have to put on your blinker--right or left turn.

BUT

If you're already in a LEFT turn ONLY--do you have to?

I kinda go with whoever is in front of me. If they have on their blinker, I just do it.

On goes to blinker.

Does that make me a follower and not a leader?

I want to be the leader. Everyone wants to be a leader if they want their business to grow. And I am expecting Director by January.

So, I have to be a leader and if that means that I have to decide to blink or not blink than I have to make up my own mind.

My question is this---are you a blinker because you want to be or because EVERY one else does it.

Are you a leader for a follower?

Would you follow someone off the cliff---or would you turn and go the other way???

More later, Linda