New Job....maybe

I have a sorta new job.....I am working contract labor ( no bennies) for a company in Louisiana...that is a ways from Alabama. Here is the rest of the story.....

Went to check on my Mother who is not doing well....the lady that works with my sister quit while I was there...that left her in an office by her self. The guy that owns the company did not know what do so sister suggested I could do it. Here is the kicker.....this company does billing for anesthesia...my field of expertise is manufacturing...not seeing a connection here.......

Anyway....I have worked for a month there...my contract ended April 10, 2009 but he has not terminated or extended it officially. Told me if Sister did not work there he would hire me as a manager.....not sure about that but that leaves Jay and I in a void.

Here is our problem.....should we move for a job if offered to me ...should I just leaved things like they are right now..I am staying with my sister in La. and Jay is here in Alabama with the dog. Right now am coming home every other weekend for a visit to see Jay and daughter.

Well the guy did not hire me so I have solved my own problem. I have come bck home to look for a job here with little success. Mother is holding her own ( that is all we can ask for) so we will stay here until something comes up............so it continue.............

Stephie

This is my daughter,Stephanie, we use to call her Grandma...different blog and my 2 georgeous grandson.

Stephie will soon be graduating from college as a secondary education History teacher. WOW!!!!!!! She started back to school 3 years ago to persue a degree in education (poverty) because she thought she could make a differnce.

She is awesome...smart, funny, beautiful and bring so much joy to my life. She is a full time wife and Mother..active with her 2 boys, a honors student in college, active in her church and Cub Scouts. Her boys take violin and guitar lessons and Stephie manages to juggle all this stuff and still graduate with a 3.79.

AMAZING!!!

She is petite(about 5 ft)and cute as a bug, bubbly (never meets a stranger or judges people based on where they live or work). She is kind to a fault and has difficulty saying "NO"....

I want everyone to know how proud I am of my "baby" and how lucky I am that God gave me such a wonderful gift.....

I have become a statistic

Yep, I have become a statistic...LOST MY JOB !!!!! I have become part of the thousands of people that are unemployed. Lost my job on January 22, 2009 and the pickings are really slim. After you have worked all your life, you would hope at 61 to be in postion that it would not have that much impact on your life...that being said....my job choice for the last 20 yrs has been manufacturing...need I say more.

I did try to cross train a couple of years ago when I was laid off from yet another manufacturing job but hubby lost his job also..so it just could not happen. So we picked up and moved so we could find something else and start yet again.

I am not complaining because it has allowed to me make good friends in various parts of the country.

Not old enough to do the SSI thing and to hyper to stay at home.

Looking, looking, looking

Saw History Made

I, along with million of other people, watched as our first Black president took the oath of office as the President of the United States. I do not like the description African American, I agree with Whoopi Goldberg..were just Americans and our color or ethic background does not make us any more or any less American.

I saw the millions of people brave the cold with joy in thier faces and a sense of "We have finally made it" in thier hearts. I was a little disturbed because the press was really focused on the whole racial thing and that was not Obama's focus during the campaign. I know people find this hard to believe...but not all Southern people are prejudice or racist. I was raised by Southern parents(both from Louisiana)and was never brought up to believe that blacks were inferior in any way.I never raised my children to be racist and have no use for people that are. I personally think anybody that judges someone by the color of thier skin is an idiot. Being Black does not automatically make you bad just like being white does not automatically make you good.

There is no disputing the fact that the Black Man was abused and mistreated for far to many years. The changes initiated by John Kennedy were long past due...but that being said --this is a different time and a different era. Maybe this young, articulate, educated man can take us into a new era and heal the wounds that have been open far to long.........

Good Blog/Bad Blog

Have you ever wondered why you read some people's blog religiously and others only occasionally or not at all after a while? What makes you go back to a blog day after day? Is it because they are funny, or have the same interest you do ? Is it like making new friends...some you bond with immediately, some you have to take the time to get to know and others are just not your cup of tea?

I am considering not blogging anymore. It seems I have not found that group that wants to visit on a regular basis. I know a lot of people visit but do not leave a comment..but that does not seem to be the case here. There are several blogs I following on a regular basis because they are funny and so inviting, eventho I have nothing in common with these ladies (lots of them are very artsy)but guess my little venture into the blogging world was not so successful.

Not sure, guess I will give it some more thought.................

Reason for the Season

*Twas the month before Christmas*
*When all through our land,*
*Not a Christian was praying*
*Nor taking a stand.*
*See the PC Police had taken away,*
*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*
*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*
*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
* December 25th is just a 'Holiday'.*
*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*
*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*
*Something was changing, something quite odd! *
*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*
*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*
* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*
*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*
*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*
*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*
*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*
*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!*
*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*
* Forbidden to speak of salva tion and grace*
*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*
*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*
*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*
*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*
*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*
*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,
not Happy Holiday!*
Please, all Christians join together and
wish everyone you meet
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Christ is The Reason for the Christ-mas Season!

Fire Rainbow

This is a Fire Rainbow and appartenly are very rare. Everything has to be just right for 1 to occur. This picture was taken last week on the Idaho-Washington border. The temperature has to be exactly 58 degrees and the clouds have to be cirrus and at least 20,000 ft.....pretty cool..huh

Where has all the manners gone.....

This past weekend my daughter and I went to the Outlets to do some shopping. While standing in line to return a gown I had bought Mother, this young lady(use the term loosely)came pushing her way through to get in line with her Mother.
The lady behind me said "Excuse you" when the girl came through...she never acknowledged her. Another lady said "You must be a teacher"

"Why" ask the first lady....
"Cause you made a comment about her not saying excuse me....."

No the lady said... I just a parent who believes children should be polite....

We wonder why our world is in such bad shape.....maybe becuase simple things like being Polite is not important...parents are so worried about being thier kids friend that we have forgotten how to be parents....

How sad will our society be when being civil, courteous and polite becomes a thing of the past...........

God's Masterpiece

Have you ever seen anything as beautiful as this ? They are called "Glasswing " Butterflies and are found in Central America and Mexico. Can you imagine seeing something so splendid in your yard? What a joy that would be.

We just never know what magnificient beauty God will gives us.....

Looking for the thin me.....

Inside every large woman is a skinny woman screaming to get out.....but cartoon people lose so much easier than real folk....

I use to be "little", "thin", "tiny", skinny......long, long ago....vague memory
Went and saw my Mom recently and she made the comment " I never thought Carolyn would be as big as she is!"

Ok, I know Mama is old and old people are somtime blunt....even rude... but it's not like I am huge.

I mean, I am bigger than I was when I was 40 but I am still a size 12. They say the average woman is a size 14 so I am below average.....right????

I use to be Olive Oyl


Yep that was me...a stick..straight up and down...no curves..(kinda like my hair..see a pattern here).

I was a perfect 36......12, 12, 12...5"5" 110 lbs. Alright,probably 115 lbs....but thin!!!!!

Then I quit smoking...that is a good thing..but my body did not like me depriving it of all that nicotine(smoked a lot).....vengeful little thing...one's body....

So, the body said.....watch what I can do.....POOF!!!!!!!!!


I'll make you beefy...your body and fat will become BFF.....


I'm still a perfect 36....the numbers just grew a little...still straight with no curves but now more of a log...tree trunk. I am still a perfect 36 just now I am more like 36, 36, 36.

So dear hubby and I are dieting...he lost 16 lbs..I lost a finger nail...

Sitting on the couch, watching the Biggest Loser on TV..eating my 100 calories Blue Bell Moo Bar and thinking I sure would like to lose 6-10 a week.....but to many cigarettes(could not physically do what they do), lots of work, nobody to cook my meals for me, not enough time to measure out the food.....



Ya know size 12 is not so bad after all.

Could be a lots worse...............

Fall and Festivals

It has finally begun to feel like fall here...sorta...

It was in the low 50" last night and is suppose to be in the lower 70's today..
Went to a craft show in Fairhope,Al. with Grandson # 1. He is my 14 yrs old and is a budding artist....

The festival was at the pier ..which is so cool...this was taken before Katrina..not quite fixed yet...


We checked out all the tents and discussed (in depth at times)the color and shading of several painting....

We went to Mickey D's for lunch...sooooo very healthy......

No pictures cause daughter had camera for camp out with Grandson # 2(did not use it)..

I love Fairhope..it is a little quaint community with cool little shops...need to take a day trip and blog about it...


Anyway, this was my first "official" festival of the year....I love festivals...

HAIR..long beautiful hair......NOT

All my life I have wanted "model hair". Long, silky, sexy with curls. Soft and flowing just like in the commercials. That did not happen.....

When I was young I had middle hair..not long..not short. I was the page boy generation.....
But would my hair do that...NO !!!!!!!!!!!!

All my friend had this beautiful page boy and hair I had ....middle hair....straight(like a stick) fine..fine hair.....more boy.... less page.....

This is where the "PERM" comes in....


My hair was so tight ...it made my eyes slant...curled to the scalp and because the perms were so "ammonianey" it crackled.....

Enter the wire curlers......no blow driers, no curling iron...
REMEMBER DIPPITY DO.......

Curl the hair..put the cap on ...go to bed...roll anything up to lay on so the curlers did not stick in your head at night....

"Hair, hair long beautiful hair...come on sing along...I know you know the song.....
When the 70's came along and hair was long and straight.....mine was short and straight

I would have sold my soul to the devil for Farrah Faucet hair.....

But..... I had short,fine ..did I mention straight...like a stick hair.....

Then the 80's and the "FRO" oh yes...I had a "FRO".....for the second time in my life I had curly hair.....loved, loved ,loved the "FRO"....but alas...they did not last...

Next was the short, flippy hair style

I had the short...did I mention my hair is straight (like a stick)....no flip here!!!!

For years I kept a perm in it and wore it really short, curly on top (kinda like an old lady)until I got tired of paying $70.00 for a perm...for reallllly short hair....

Thought I had to perm it cause if it got to long...limp, dishrag..did I mention straight and if it was to short.....with no perm..stick straight up.....use that word a lot huh???
Enter 2008.....hair is still sexy and curly but for some of us ..or me at least..not so sexy and defiantly not curly.....
Before....lots of mousse,curling iron (very small) and lots of hair spray..not bad hair for about 2 hrs. ..then flat sticky up..did I mention straight ?

Last week went to my beautician and announced ....cut it....short...really short...

"You know if I cut it really short...it will stick straight up......

"Exactly!!!!!!!!!!!!"

At almost 61 my fight is over.....I have come to the realization that I am not destined for greatness when it comes to hair.....

Now I have "Wash and wear hair".....wash it and let it dry...out the door...no hassles...no gel ...no time ..no worries...

I love my new old hair.......it actually looks better than the picture but it had rained earlier......also I colored it so no more red

What I learned.....

This is my little dog Oscar. He is about 16 yrs old and recently has had trouble getting up and around. It is not uncommon for Daschunds to have back problems. We believe Oscar was abused as a puppy and that has added to the problems he is now having with his back. We think he may have been kicked across the floor when he was a puppy as he is afraid of any shiny surface. When we take him to the vet he will not walk on the floor at all. He will not walk in the kitchen or in the garage...he does not like our foyer....hard wood.

Back to my story.....recently he has had problems pushing up on his back legs. Once he gets up...he is really wobbly. He are getting him a shot each month for this and also have him on a special dog food that is suppose to help. I cannot see that these measures have made a lots of difference. Took him back to the vet and he gave Oscar some different medicine and we are going to have the shot every 3 weeks instead of once a month. He told me as long as Oscar could "poop" and "pee" he would be ok. You know people probably think I am crazy when I am excited my dog can do "Number 1 & 2".

On with my blog....I got this email today and it so fits the situation we are in. Oscar has complete faith that Mr Man and I will always take care of him....he's so right......soooo this is what I have learned from my little dog........

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy-ride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERYDAY

This is not Oscar or my dogs but love the pictures:


Oscar did look like this when we first got him at age 2.

September 11, 2001-IN REMEMBERANCE

Fall....

It is definately not fall here in the south....the temp today is suppose to be 90

But...I am ready for the look and smell of the fall....I have to go to North Alabama to get the true color but I love the change of the leaves and the crispness of the air.

I love homemade soup and cornbread.....

I love chicken and rice with those little rolls and butter...

I love chili and crackers.....

I love the smell of cinnamon and apple pie...

I want to put my new orange table cloth on and put out my fall arrangments...little pumpkins and my little wagon with the fall flowers....

And then there is Thanksgiving and right behind that Christmas....

Why is so much of the season's based on food?

I am so ready!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I are a College Student

I have decided that since I do not know what I want to be when I grow up....I am going back to college at the age of 60 to learn digital photography. I am pretty good with my new camera but there are so many features on it that I do not know how to work.

No I am not going to handle hawks or any other bird of prey...I may take pictures of them....
South..The University of South Alabama offers a Certification Program In Photography...think I might just take it...
Photography is something I have enjoyed for years but never taken to the next level. I think it is time to up the pot and jump in with both feet.

Who knows I may be a famous photographer of the Life and Times of the People of the Bay....

Gulfport and Biloxi

All you hear about is New Orleans and the parts of Louisiana effected by Gustav.....

Here is the damage Gustav did to Biloxi and Gulfport







Highway 90--which is the main beach road- is gone again....they just got it fixed from Katrina...
The whole first floor of the HARD ROCK is under water...Katrina wiped it out on the day it was suppose to open....now they are flooded.....

We need to keep them in our prayers because since they help themselves and do not complain....people forget about them

Waiting for Gustav

We spent our labor day waiting for Gustav to decide if it was going to Louisiana or Alabama. Since we live on the Gulf Coast, we were a little apprehensive as to the direction it was going to take.

Our Monday started out fine, just a little cloudy but got worse as the day went on.

Rain, wind...wind and Rain ....
At one time the rain was blowing sideways across the yard...



Gustav gave me a little pond in the yard where there was not one before

All day we listened to Tornado Warning for our area

But none came.......so very glad....

Read and awesome book..itwas so good....


Stayed in my PJ's allll day...never lost power or the TV....for a hurricane...it could not have been better......

Not everybody was so lucky but nothing like Katrina....

You want me to do what?????

Sometimes I forget that kids today do not work like we did when we were young. Grandson # 1(age almost 14) is wanting to buy a guitar. His parents told him he could have one but we would have to pay half. Smart move on thier part. This is him on the couch with Payten...they are the oldest and youngest of my grandkids...


I told him if he would weed eat the back yard(which is a jungle-apparently the people who lived here for 7 yrs were not yard people)I would pay him $ 20.00. I did not know that he had never used a weedeater, his Mom was the official weedeater of the house at 10.

Anyway, I showed him how to use the weedeater and sent him out to work. He came over in manly flip flop's and shorts. I ask him could he work in them and he said he could.


A few minutes later he came back in and ask if I had something he could wear. My grandson wears a size 10 shoe---his Paw Paw wears a 8 1/2...see a problem here? So I hooked him up with some of his Paw Paw's long socks and a pair of moccasins. I so should have gotten a picture.....
Out there a few minutes and back in...MiMi...do I have any deodorant here?? It's hot and I am sweating......
NO, but it will not do any good..you can just take a shower when you get done....

FINE... back outside he goes....

Out there a few minutes and back in the house....MiMi , there is a big bee out there...

Does he have a white face????
My grandson in his slow Southern drawl said....WELLLLL...it not like I am going to get close enough to see his face!!!!!!!

Go outside to check it out and is only a bee looking for pollen....assure grandson # 1 it is not a killer bee and he will bee (ha) fine....

Back to work........

Few minutes he is back......MiMi, there is this black thing with legs hanging down flying around out there....may be a wasp!!!!

No, wasp are red.

Could be a female wasp....you know they are the ugly ones....it a nature thing!!!!


Go out and check.....it's a dirt dobber (dauber if your not from the South)......


It's OK man...they will not hurt you....

HUH....that's what you say!!!!

2 hrs later the yard is weedeaten( is that a word) and he is ready to go home and take a shower.....

Ya just gotta love your grandkids.......