Sunday, August 31, 2014

Happy Birthday "Mummy"


I hope this day is as wonderful as you are!

Friday, August 29, 2014

Nothing To Do

Well Summer is officially over. I am very glad that the Labor Day Weekend is here.  This has been a really rough week and I may just sleep until Tuesday.

I have really not done anything at all this summer, and nothing water related. No pool parties, no weekends on the lake, no trips to the beach. I have had a few friends invite me to their pools, but something always came up at the last minute. I have a brand new bikini (that I can finally fit into and look decent in) that still has the tags on it.

W has been working on all his "free" weekends.  We have settled into a really great friendship. We can talk about anything and I appreciate the opportunity to bounce things off of him and get his unabashed, honest opinon. He told me not too long ago that he could tell me anything and he didn't mind being brutally honest with me, something he could not do with other women. We both have some "issues" between us (having been cheated on by the one person that we swore our eternal devotion to, being the first and most prevelent) that make having any other sort of relationship nearly impossible.

LG is still on the school project, though he did offer to come pick me up and take me along for a seminar he was attending in Atlanta. But he was coming through on a Thursday and because of our staffing situation, I really couldn't take off.  LG would be the perfect match, but there is that whole living 4 hours away thing that makes dating really difficult.

After the disasterous date with  The Tech Guy, I am really kinda glad I am not seeing anyone more than I do. So exhausting.

Now for the main male in my life: Zipper. After a week of wheezing and lethargy, an expensive x-ray or two has determined that he has COPD. Just like my dad.  He was also severely dehydrated. They put in an i.v. and set him up in an oxygen cage. At last report, he was doing much better and was starting to perk up. So after an expensive few days at the vet, I will bring him home this evening. COPD is very common in elderly cats. The doc said that his airway is very scarred, so he has had it for some time.  He also said that cats tend to "fake it" very well, until they can't fake it any more. That is most likely how he was so suddenly and dramatically symptomatic.  He said that if we can get him over this hump, that he could live just a few more months or very well could live a few more years. He told me that his is still very much a viable animal, and that he would not let me go beyond what is best for Zipper. Thank goodness! After all I have been through this year, I don't think I could stand losing Zipper too.

Yesterday was Scooter's birthday. It is hard to believe that he is 12. He is such a little comedian and I love how his mind works. Mother is always sharing something funny that he has said.

Speaking of Mother, her birthday is this weekend. The Chief swept her off to some secret surprise trip along the Gulf Coast this week. They had a great time.

Apparently I was not invited to the Jolie/Pitt nuptuals this past weekend, but I understand that neither was her father. I am a little sad that Brad is now off the market. Isn't that always the way? Once you become single, all the interesting, good looking guys get married.

Well, anyway I look forward to a long, quiet, weekend, but I am NOT going to turn down an invite to someone's pool....hint, hint.



Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Happy 50th Birthday Boss!



Today is my boss's 50th birthday. This will be my third milestone birthday with her.

We decorated her desk and all dressed in black in her honor.

Happy Birthday Boss!

Friday, August 22, 2014

Like Herding Cats...




Zipper, (pictured above, left)  has been a little under the weather these last couple of weeks.  He has been classified as "elderly," now, having been my "baby" for the past 17 years.

When his little wheeze recently turned into something more serious, I had to wrestle him into the cat carrier and haul him off to the vet.  Despite all best efforts, it is quite difficult to put ones hands on him. I realize that he is 17, but he has been in pretty good health and is stronger than an ox. It took two vet tech's and a laundry basket full of towels to hold him down. The vet says that his best guess is a respiratory infection.

We are treating it as such and I was sent home with antibotic drops and kitty prednisone to give him.  I have been reminded on a daily basis why I named him "zipper."  The marks on my arms look like a Union 76 road map of the US.

Anyone who has ever owned cats know that there are only two things that cat owners dread: bathing a cat and giving him meds.  I have done both this week.

Depsite only being up the road a few miles, Zipper always craps in the carrier. Nervous response I guess. He was covered in crap when we got home. I had no choice. I couldn't have "shitty kitty" running around my house!  The yowling alone sent JB, my tuxedo, (above right) diving for the safety of the cluttered garage.

Giving him his meds involves catching him in a large towel, insuring that all appendages are contained within, all with one hand, while trying to pry his mouth open and squirt the meds in with the other.  Zipper is surprisingly strong in his advanced age. I have taken to employing a method my grandmother used with her little dog Toy...smearing it on his lips for him to lick off.

W says he is amazed by my tenacity. amused by the display, but unwilling to help me. "It's a cat" he keeps saying, "just a cat. Why can't you let nature take it's course?"  W is obviously a dog person. Zipper always climbs up in his lap when he is at the house and lets him scratch his head. Even the first time W came to the house, which is neaerly unheard of, he hopped right up on the couch between us. Zipper Approved.  

I am dreading the day that I come in to discover him gone on to The Great Catbox in The Sky. He is a totally indoor cat, which extends their life considerably. I am hopeful that he will be with me many more years, as my neighbor's cat growing up, a toothless calico named Mimzy, lived to be 24.

I am told that cats do not go to Heaven bececause they have no souls, but I hope that the Lord allows them just because we do.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Shake It Off

Okay, I am not a Taylor Swift fan. Not even back when Kit-Kat was little and obsessed with all things Taylor Swift.  This is a little too bubble-gum pop for me.

But I like this song, and the message it conveys. Shake It Off.  I could have used this six months ago.

Maybe someone can use it today.



 
"Shake It Off" ~Taylor Swift
 To be released on upcoming album, 1989 = Big Machine Records 2014

Monday, August 18, 2014

No Good Deed....

The old saying goes "no good deed goes unpunished" and this week I guess that applies to my dad.

My dad has done a lot for me over the past few months, as has all of my family, and I am very grateful,  He has been very generous. 

I guess that has gotten ol' Forked Foot (aka....the devil)'s attention, and he is now doing his best to discourage my dad's generosity.

Saturday he got the call that his four wheeler was stolen from the local Big Name four wheeler repair shop.  for some reason, it was stored outside with many others, all linked together on a cable, bolted to the ground. Thankfully, they are well insured and that situation will be recified quickly, but I bet Big Name's night watchman is out of a job today.

Saturdary evening, while watching one of a slew of newly aquired movies (that $5 movie bin at Wallyworld, gets me every time) I had a hankering for some microwaved popcorn. I put the bag in the microwave, hit the 2 minute button and ZAP!! the lights went out. I went out to the garage, climbed over the assorted junk to the breaker box.

After many failed attempts to reset the breaker, I finally gave up and posted my frustration on FB.

There was lots of advice from friends as to what to check and what to do, when I got the message from Daddy that he would come see what the problem was.

It was 10pm. After removing all the plugs, switches and the flourescent light over my sink, and checking all the connections, the switch would still not reset.  It was nearly midnite when we decided that maybe we should look for other solutions on Sunday, when the local big box hardware store was open.

When Daddy came back the next day, I was deep in my Sunday project.


 
 
I had been needing some shoe racks to store my mountain of shoes, that are currently in several totes in my closet room.  Just someting to get them out of the floor. and arranged nicely so that I can see them and not have to spend my mornings digging through the assortment of totes.
 
 I was at this point, when he arrived. Let me just say, there is a tiny, frustrating screw that matches each one of these pegs. Well, actually, there are two.
 
 
 
In my zeal, I had already ignored the directions, so I was dealing with this project at it's full 5 feet, rather than dealing with two more managable 2.5 foot secections. I am not one for really following directions, and sometimes that is my downfall. But I digress. 


Our next course of investigation was the breaker switch itself. I had lived in that house 13 years and we had never had to change out a breaker switch so Daddy felt that might be the problem. A bad switch.   He unwired the suspected switch and sent me off to the big box hardware store.  He looks down at my project, and says to me "Do you want me to finish that while you are gone, or do you want me to cut your grass?" 

I kinda hate cutting the grass, so that was the option that I chose.

I set off for the store and Daddy went around the back to get the lawnmower. 

I was amazed when I returned, a mere twenty minutes later to find both the front and back yard completely mowed. Daddy was obviously bookin' it!  He was putting up the mower when I pulled in.

He took my new breaker switches (which I could have found all on my own had they been marked the same way...add to list "shop for electrical components with only minor help of a man") and swapped the bad one out.  Plugging a lamp into the outlet confirmed we had repaired the problem.

As Daddy was putting the outlets back in the wall, he called back to me. "I can't find my phone"
"Do you want me to call it?" I replied, dialing the number.  It rang three times and went to voice mail.
"Maybe it's in my chair, back at the house" he said, tightening wire nuts before pushing the outlet back in the wall.  I call my stepmother. She answered and I asked her if Daddy's phone was in his chair. No, was the reply. I walked outside why explaining my odd request.

And there, sitting under the bushes by the fence, I saw what looked like his leather phone case.
"Oh..." I said with a gasp, " I think I found it" and trotted across the yard.

Yes, I found the case, and the remains to the phone, obviously a victim of the lawn mower, strewn all about.  "Oh shit" I said, my stepmother still on the other end of the phone, "the lawn mower got it"
"Well, I take it that you found it" she chuckled, "Yes ma'am I did" I replied. We bid each other farewell  and I gingerly carried what I could find of it back into the house.  I deposited it on the counter next to Daddy.

"Oh no!" exclaimed. "I think the lawn mower got it" I said, frowning. "Yeah, I think you are right. Oh well, I have an old flip phone I can use til I can go phone shopping" I felt really bad. Daddy was just trying to help me out and for that, he wound up loosing his phone.

No good deed...



Wednesday, August 13, 2014

The Last Great Hollywood Starlett

I would be remiss if I did not mention the recent death of actress Lauren Bacall yesterday at 89.

Ms. Bacall was among the last starlets from the Golden Age of Hollywood. A true icon in every sense of the word.

Most of all, she was a lady, and a lady always nows when to leave the room.



Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Comedy and Tragedy

Both comedy and tragedy live within every soul.

They battle to take control of our lives and most obtain a balance between the two. But some, despite the best efforts to convince others and live a comedic life on the outside, actually sucumb to tragedy.

Such was the life of Robin Williams.

Monday, August 11, 2014

If Looks Could Kill

Today I just have to speak on the horrific accident involving Kevin Ward Jr. and Tony Stewart over the weekend.

But first a little background: I not only grew up practically in the shadow of  the  Talledega Superspeedway, I still live there today. Five minutes up the road is the prestigious Barber Motorsports complex, where everything from motorcycles to  Indy cars race.  Both my brother and father raced stockcars at the now demolished Birmingham International Raceway.. My daddy drag raced at the Lassiter Mountain Dragway. My brother also has experience racing just about anything with wheels, under a variety of conditions.

Though I don't really follow it, I do know a thing or two about racing.

After watching the only video currently available on the incident, I clearly see who is at fault.
The driver who, ignored safety precautions, climbed out of his car, and walked into race traffic.

Anger is a dangerous emotion and Kevin Ward Jr. apparently let his get the better of him. His attempt to "get back at" one of the other drivers, led him to ignore common sense and ultimately cost him his life.

I keep reading on social network that "Tony Stewart needs to be charged with murder" but ask yourself: Would this had been any less tragic had it involved another driver?

No. I think not.







Friday, August 8, 2014

TGIF

Thank Goodness It's Friday!!!

( I know, not the exact quote, but I try not to take the Lord's name in vain, even when it's positive)

What a rough week! I am so glad that it is over.

I have turned over a new leaf in the past few months:
I DON'T DO "DRAMA" ANYMORE!
No bickering, no ya-ya-ing, no gossiping, no histrionics, no games. ZERO Drama. Surprisingly, I am really happy now. And relieved to be far removed from all the foul-mouthed, second grade, finger pointing, crap-stiring antics. Grown adults that perpetuate these situations, really should be ashamed of themselves.

The call from The Ultimate Drama Queen (a.k.a. my grandmother) last weekend, convinced me that I do not want to grow up to be her.

I do not see how someone-who-shall-remain nameless---(read: D/H) managed to stir up so much drama the whole time we were together. There was always something that he was in the middle of, and if he wasn't, he would somehow manage to get drawn in.  It was almost like it was his life-blood: without some sort of constant drama, he would die or something. There was a steady stream of crap, that he could get me all worked up over, for the past 17 years. Now, it seems as if it was all invented or over-inflated just to draw me in too! But I admit, that we were never closer than all the times when we were "slaying dragons" together.  But when all the dragons are gone, that just leaves two people with nothing in common any more.

I was amazed at how simple my life became since he has been gone. The drama all but disappeared. It is so much healthier now, and I like it.

Anyway...

The temperature fluctuations have my sinuses all messed up. I am taking meds and they are making me groggy. I nearly overslept this morning for the 3rd morning in a row.

Cotton is out of the hospital. Thank you for all who prayed.

I watched "The Other Woman" last night. I highly recommend it. It is all about the other woman finding out that her man is married, befriending the wife, and eventually the other woman that he is cheating on them both with, and enacting sweet revenge.  Classic.

Speaking of last night....

When I turned on my tv, it was set on the channel that "So You Think You Can Dance." The opening number was a colorful, frenetic number set to THIS song.  I woke up singing the chorus (cause really, that was all I caught) Darn those hip hop hooks. They get you every time.

 
 
~EnJOY

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Super Busy

Sorry for the lack of posts this week, I have been super busy!

Some things going on in my world:

The Boss is back at work for half days this week. Yea!!!

The body found up the street from the office, was a gentleman who apparently lost control of his bike, fell off and hit his head and died of head trauma.  The police suspect no foul play.

A Coke bottle, bearing my son's name in the cooler at Wallyworld, caught my attention. I really miss him. Speaking with his sisters, they miss him too. He is not responding to anyone's text. That is very uncharacteristic for him. We know there are dark influences there. I am praying diligently that he can break free from it.  I pray that he does not inherit the dishonesty, mistrust, faithlessness, and negativity he has been surrounded by since he has moved. Precious Father, please surround my boy with a hedge of protection that no evil will penetrate. Amen.

Things with W are moving right along. But proving that I wasn't going to to tie myself down, accpeting a dinner invitation from a friend, lit a fire under him. After radio silence for the past few weeks, he has started calling again with renewed vigor. He admitted that he missed me. It's nice, because I really kinda missed talking to him too. I would catch myself thinking "Oh, I've gotta tell W about this..." or "I bet W would get a kick out of that..."  He says that he did the same thing.

If anything, that "date" proved to me that while I chose to be alone, I am not actually lonely.  I really like my life right now, and don't really need anyone to make me "complete." I am weeding out the drama-mongers. Ain't nobody got time for that! I let those into my life who I enjoy being around. And I am not so desperate that I would glom onto the first person that came along. I happen to be looking for a decent, honest, faithful, quality companion.

Cotton is currently in the hospital with an infection. Major IV antibiotics on board. Kit-Kat is severly stressed from the whole situation,  and was nearly unconsolable. Julz and I did get her to eat something last night and I hope she got some rest last night.

Speaking of the girls, both are enrolled in college. I am excited for them, and very proud that they are so independent.  Both are working steadily, and managing to keep rent and bills up to date. I am glad that they learned from the mistakes they witnessed growing up.  Currently trying to figure out the car situation. I signed her car, currently dead in my drive way, over to her so that she can sell it for parts. Praying dilligently for that.

My toes seemed to be almost healed, I am going without taping them and wearing my Ace sock. I still have a bruise on the sole of my foot and it huts if I step just right, but I am back in regular shoes. I still can't curl any of my toes, despite my best efforts.  I guess writing with my toes has become a thing of the past.  Oh Well.

 I am really looking forward to football season and now I may actually get to watch some games! I refuse to acknowledge the "jinx" that someone convinced me that I was under,  that would affect my Tigers when I watched. I am thinking positive thoughts!

Lastly, since I have chosen to be happy.....I AM!!! I am focusing on the positive and the Lord is allowing positive things to start happening.  How refreshing!  Isn't there real power in positive thinking?! When I no longer chose to focus on the negative, positive things started happeneing. When I started thinking about how lucky I was, my "luck" improved!  When I focused on the good things, more good things came my way!!

In closing, I remind you to be observant of the good things happening around you, be happy for your friends and family, pay kind deeds forward, share a smile with a stranger, encourage someone today, focus on what you have rather than what you lack, give thanks to the Lord for the blessings He has bestowed on you and witness the added blessings He will pour over your life.

It works...I promise you!

~EnJOY!!

Monday, August 4, 2014

The Body

There was a body in the road up from the office this morning.
Film at 11:00

Yeesh!

Sunday, August 3, 2014

So ...A Funny Thing Happened ....

Okay, so I went on my date with The Tech Guy last night. The more I had thought about it over the week the more I felt I needed to drive my own car. We met at a really nice restaurant and had a really nice meal. We talked. Well, some of us talked more than the other. And the other was distracted by all the big red flags.

Way Too Nice = Red Flag, Trying too hard to point out all the things we have in common = Red Flag Talking about us as if we were already in a relationship = Red Flag.  Saying that he would "always be honest with me"  Big... RED...  FLAG!

The realization that, although on the surface, it seemed like he was different, something about him, especially that last "flag" mentioned here, was very much the same as the effusively insincere glad-handing manner in which D/H had used to win me over.  I was not falling for that again.

The main thing I realized is that I like my life right now. No entanglements; no commitments; no one to answer to; hell....no one to clean up after, but myself. If I want to go to Wallyworld in the middle of the night, I go. If I don't want to eat dinner, I don't, If I get a wild hair and decide to drive to Waffle House for breakfast at 10:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning, I do just that.

I know that I can get a little lonely sometimes, but that passes. When it comes right down to it, I don't like being stuck up someone else's hind quarters all the time anyway. Maybe that is what D/H could not understand, primarily because he can't seem to be alone. He has moved from one woman's house into the next his whole life. Never truly being out on his own, with the exception of a very brief time in the Army, and the two years that we dated. But I am a loner, and right now, I am really enjoying being alone.

So no "Love Connection". Nice guy. Gonna make that "special someone" really happy one day. Just won't be me. Oh, well. Back to the drawing board, as they say.

But the funniest thing happened when I got home.

After a week of not talking to W, there was a message from him wanting to know how my date went.   I responded that I had a nice time. He replied that I deserve something nice. I told him thank you. And then he admitted that he had missed me. That was a big surprise from the "let's take this slow 'cause it is going too fast and let's not define it, 'cause I am not looking for a committed relationship" guy.

We wound up talking into the wee hours of the morning.

Back to the starting point
In more ways than one


~EnJOY your Sunday

Friday, August 1, 2014

T-Minus 28 Hours

T-Minus 28 hours and counting until my date with The Tech Guy.

I am a little nervous, a little excited, but also kind of dreading it. Why?

Well, he is older than me. He had been a Senior when I was a Frosh. Everyone else who you have been reading about here have been younger than me (W is the closest to my age by a mere 6 weeks, but is still younger). That is not bothering me so much as this next little factoid:

He's a grandpa.

Yeah, I know. I would give my eye-teeth for a grandchild, not that any of my children are at that point right now. But I would love a little someone, who would adore me, whom  I could spoil, and then give back to their parents.

Every time I think about it, I think of little old men with canes and wrinkly skin. Yeesh!  Nothing sexy about that. But he is a nice guy, and if nothing else, we will have a nice time.

And there is something else about him being a grandpa that brings me face to face with another little fact:

I am old too. 

(Shhhhh! We will not be convincing ourselves that we are old!! That begins to make us look old! I have seen the horrific damage that starting to think of oneself as old has done first hand, and it will NOT be happening to me!!)

He has a lovely evening planned (or so he keeps telling me) at a restaurant so ridiculously expensive I am not certain what to do. I certainly won't know how to act.

With the exception of  that first dinner in Mississippi with L/G, I really haven't been "out" to dinner with a man.  L/G cooked the rest of the time I was there, and W and I don't really eat, as much as we snack.

D/H would only take me out after we had our taxes done. Otherwise I would have to pay for it.  Always. As a matter of fact, I have had to pay for my own dinner for so long now, I would just be happy with a 12 pack of tacos from Taco Bell if I didn't have to pay for it myself.

So with that, wish me luck. If anything I will get a really nice, expensive dinner, and interesting conversation.

...Oh, And....

I have saved the very best for last.

Happy 55th Birthday to Def Leppard front man Joe Elliott
Regardless of how much time passes Joe, I will always remember you just like this

 
In honor of your birthday
 
 
 
Pour Some Sugar On Me ~ Def Leppard 1988



~EnJOY!