My Independence Day

Today is the two year anniversary of the day my life changed. I consider it my own independence day.

I admit that when I first learned that my husband was cheating on me, I fell apart. This was the man who swore before God, our family, and friends,  to love, honor, and cherish me and then he broke all of those promises.  As I learned more and more about him, the drinking, the constant lying, gambling, the stealing, and the never-ending affairs, I was so humiliated,  I felt like I would die.

But here I am on the other side of this two years and I lived to tell about it. I am stronger, smarter, and I realize that I am worthy of real love.  Life could not be better!

For the first time in a really long time, I am truly happy. I have reconnected with old friends. I am getting to go places and do things that I would not have gotten to do otherwise.

 I finally got to take Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. I have a lovely little nest egg and live very economically. All of my utilities are paid up, for nearly 4 months in advance. I bet they wonder who has moved into my house. When I need something, I can buy it. I had been more than willing to be part of the struggle to build a family. Now I no longer have to struggle.  This year I was not only able to give my kids one pretty decent Christmas present, I also helped 4 people on the Christmas "angel" tree: three teens in Bulgaria and a local elderly resident. Blessings abound!

When I buy something to eat, it is still here when I get home. If I buy the ingredients for a meal, rest assured that there is no mad dash to the grocery store to replace something that someone ate because they were bored. I no longer have to skip lunch because someone needed lunch/gas money. If I don't want to eat dinner, I don't. If I want surf and turf at the local steakhouse, I go get it. And I usually do that on Wednesdays.

The house stays clean for weeks. I am finally getting decent furniture. When I put something down, it stays right where I left it. Nothing goes "missing" anymore. If I want to, I can rearrange the furniture without sparking an argument. I planted the flowering pear tree in the front yard. I replaced the roof.

I have found a wonderful church family, who appreciated my gifts, I am back in the Word of God and learning more than ever before. I am making many new friends. I get to do the things that I want to do, when I want to do them. "Why Not?" has become my new motto.

What about my "love life?" I have met  men who know to open doors without being reminded and willingly pay for dinner. Who ask about my day, and are truly interested. Who don't constantly belittle me around others. Who seem proud to have me on their arm. I date when I want to, but strangely, I kinda prefer to be alone. Like "Justin Matese" says in Hope Floats, "being alone ain't for sissies."

I know now that all relationships are work, and one must be willing to do the work to keep them going. Oh sure, they usually sail along, problem free the first few years, but eventually, issues arise that require compromise or down right hard labor. I know that I can do the work, but right now, I:m enjoying the ride.   Life is no longer a never ending series of  struggles or stalemates. No one to answer to. No one trying to incite an argument. No one to start fights moments before going to gatherings of family or friends so that we both show up grumpy and distant. No one else's bad behavior to apologize for.  I never realized that life could be free of drama.

Actually, I was surprised how easy it is to live drama free. How easy happiness is when one looks for it in themselves first. I have learned to enjoy my own company .I no longer expect someone else to "make me happy."  Any one who comes into my life now will do so because I want them there, not because I need something from them.

Best of all, I am finally getting the life I am worthy of having. I am finally seeing the benefit of all my hard work. The light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

To quote a famous song, "Like Frankie says I did it my way.." That's what it boils down to: doing it my way.

IT'S MY LIFE

On The Light Side of the Force

I have been getting more  in touch with the Light side of the Force this weekend.

I have been to see Star Wars The Force Awakens twice now. Once in 3D at a regular theater and then once at  the IMAX. This was not my original intent.

I got my first ticket for opening day two weeks ago. I bought it in advance on Fandango. If you had never used Fandango before, I highly recommend it. Usually all one has to do is present their credit card that the ticket was purchased with, and collect the tickets, but I chose to print my ticket instead. I also highly recommend this method, as I was able to bypass the line and go right in.

Around the same time, my company announced that it had bought out the 4pm showing.  The powers that be had decided to sell the tickets to raise money for our Employee Assistance fund. This fund benefits employees who have faced a tragedy. It was established after the tornado of 2012 when several employees were impacted, myself included.

Because Birmingham's IMAX was one of only fifteen in the country showing the movie, I thought it would be a unique experience. I called my mom and brother to see if they wanted to go. I purchased tickets for that showing as well. The fella at work in charge of the tickets said that there were only six people who managed to buy tickets before my company bought out the theater. The rest would be coworkers and their families.

Unless you are living under a rock, there is no way to avoid all the hullabaloo over this premier weekend. Commercials for everything from new cars to soup, reference it.

Several friends had gone to the midnight showing on Thursday, so I had heard  some good things from them (but no spoilers)

I went to the noon matinee, and like I said, waltzed right in.  Given this was the last school day for the neighboring schools, it was no where near as busy as it was usually. I chose a 3D version. I collected my glasses, bought my popcorn and drink and headed for my seat.  There were maybe 20 other people in the theater.

There were no posters or cutouts for the movie, anywhere in the building, which I thought was really odd. I was reminded of the last three movies, all released in May. We saw "Phantom Menace" on rainy day during our honeymoon. "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith" had both been after anniversary dinner entertainment.  I remember there being many more cut-outs for those.

 On the way to the theater, I took a moment to grab a quick selfie with the poster for "JOY," a Christmas day release of the biopic about business mogal and HSN regular Joy Mangano (Miracle Mop, Huggable Hangers, My Little Steamer, the Roly Kit and the Clothes It All luggage system, just to name a few.)

 



After all, how often does one find one's own name on a movie poster? I couldn't resist, even though I take horrible selfies.  But I will definitely be seeing this one on Christmas.

After sitting through 30 minutes of trailers, mostly sequels of other movies, the main event finally started. Aside from the occasional person getting up to leave the theater for bathroom or snack runs, it was really quiet. As the stars of the original movies came on screen, there were no cheers, and the few humorous moments were met with silence. I will admit, after a full bag of popcorn, I was a little drowsy. I nodded off for a minute during, of all things, a particularly nasty battle scene! There is a particularly disturbing plot twist, that left me nearly in tears, and the ending was a little anticlimactic for my taste, but opens up the story for a sequel. I waited through the credits, but there was no stinger. (That little bit of film, usually included post-credit. Think of the "Go Home" scene at the end of Ferris Bueller's Day Off. That is a stinger)

When I emerged from theater, there was quite a line for the 3:30 p.m. showing.

Today, I puttered around the house, doing laundry and such,  waiting until time to meet the parentals. . I understand from my mom, that the Chief was so excited, he was almost like a kid. He had been humming the traditional Star Wars theme music all day.


We arrived at the McWane Center an hour early to ensure we got good seats. Some had gotten there much earlier, and were sitting on the floor in a line, that snaked around the glass projection room. The film was on a huge spool, that I am told weighs 450lbs.

 I also ran into Middle Stepbrother, his wife and her parents. They were four of the six random viewers who bought tickets before my company bought out the theater!

We chose our seats just to the right of the big box in the middle of the dome. The woman in front of me had commented on how odd the seating was and if she was to lean over too far, that she felt as though she would tumble to the bottom.  I tried not to think of that, but could not help but feel a little bit of vertigo. But we had good seats.

The upside of seeing a movie at the IMAX is that there are no previews. The downside was that everything on the screen is much bigger and the sound would vibrate your seat. The most disturbing was once you exited the theater, you were not allowed back in. I chose not to drink anything. Once the movie started, a cheer rose up from the audience.  The scrolling text was nearly impossible to read, as it wrapped around the screen. I commented to Brother that I was not enjoying seeing actors nose hair. There were times that one had to decide what to look at and the edges of the picture blurred into the sides of the walls.  The herky-jerky flight and battle scenes made Mother nauseated.  The theater was cold and I soon had to borrow a jacket to keep warm.

The IMAX experience was falling really flat with me.

There were a few of my coworkers taking photos with the movie poster in the lobby.

I have no idea why I am holding the souvenir popcorn bucket, but mother handed it to me.

 The movie was actually filmed for IMAX and then later reformatted for traditional theaters, which I thought was pretty cool. One thing is certain, it was an experience.

I doubt that I will ever do that again.

BANG!

I think that it is funny that the writers of "Big Bang Theory" decided to chose the night before the new Star Wars opened to allow "Sheldon and Amy" to be intimate.

Quite a conundrum for folks in line for the midnight showing.

LOL..geek problems

I Guess Things Could Be Worse....

Had a little mishap with the car. It died Sunday right in the middle of town.

Thankfully, my brother came to my rescue. His somewhat educated opinion was that my fuel pump was going out. Luckily, the new O'Reilly auto parts store in town happened to have one and after a few hours of wrestling my quarter-filled gas tank out from under the middle of my car, my brother and my daddy replaced it.

That lasted about two days, when the car died on my way home from work.

I think the problem made me think of a similar situation when me and D/H  were  tag-team -driving my car after his car mysteriously "died." It turned out to be a failing sensor, that would shut the engine off and dump us in the most inconvenient of places.

 Sooooo my next stop will be the local repair shop, for yet another $300 part.  Thankfully I have the money for it

That has put a halt to temporary halt to the paint, lumber and siding purchase that I was planning to make.

It could always be worse.

I could be selling clothes on ebay to make ends meet.

Playing Catch Up

Sorry all,

I have a very busy couple of weeks.

I guess a good place to start is by congratulating my dear friend LG on his recent nuptials to the beautiful Mrs LG. I know what you may be thinking. What Happened? Nothing. really. We have always been great friends. The physical distance was just to great to try to explore anything more. He has been a voice of calm stability during a time when my life was in turmoil LG told me that I am an incredible woman and that the Lord is going to send the perfect person into my life when the time is just right and that he would always support me.  He met her not long after my visit, and he knew right away that she was the one. She is a very sweet lady. I could not be happier for them.  Despite the invite to share in their joy, I could not attend, thanks largely to prior commitments. The pictures he sent me were beautiful. She is truly a lucky lady, as LG was the ultimate gentleman.

Julz and a buddy got to go to the Kentucky Derby for her birthday weekend. She came and raided my hat collection and left with four hats.  They had a great time and I got this really cute picture of them.

I am super proud of my oldest nephew, who earned an academic scholarship to a military college.
I hate that we couldn't be there to see him accept his scholarship.

 

 

I guess here is a good place to bring up" Huck", the latest fella in my life. A friend of a friend, we have been busy getting to know one another. Aside from being an Auburn fan (score!) he is easy to talk to and we have a lot in common.  He is my age, owns his own business, volunteers his Saturdays, and has three grown children....and is a grandfather to two little boys. They live in Knoxville, but from their pictures I can tell they are precious. "Pop Pop" is obviously smitten and wishes that they lived closer. The dates that we have been on have been fun. He sheepishly puts on readers in order to read menus, and that makes it easier for me to wear my own glasses. Despite commenting (three times)on my height when we first met, he assured me that he likes when I wear heels. "You have great legs" he said with a grin. In my flats, he is just a hair taller than me.

 

 This past weekend we went to see "Mad Max: Fury Road"  I only have one word to describe it: LOUD. Not exactly a remake as much as a reboot. Max (Tom Hardy) reluctantly accompanies a group of ghoulish desert inhabitants who escape from a Darth Vadar-esque villain under the guise of collecting gas, They instead go in search of The Green Place where Furiosa (Charlize Theron) was born. The kid from that zombie movie (Warm Bodies own Nicholas Hoult) as an unlikely hero. There were a few big plot holes that I would have liked to have been filled.  The make up and special effects were cool. The vehicles were very "Road Warrior" worthy , especially the "War Rig" a battle ready 18 wheel tanker truck.  Huck and I both agreed that the vehicle  covered in woofers and tweeters, carrying six drummers and a bungee-swinging guitar player, was the craziest. Who wouldn't want to travel with their own theme music?! It leaves a huge opening, that producers could drive a truck through, making the way for future sequels. Very interesting,  We opted for the regular viewing and was later glad that we did. Not sure I could have stood the 3D version. Can you say Sensory Overload?

 

In more recent days, I have been tied up in preparing for my BFF's middle daughter's wedding. The Divine Miss M will be married in less than two weeks time. So far I have been on hand for the purchase of TWO bridal gowns,  made six bridesmaids bouquets, gone fabric shopping till all hours of the night, searched high and low for a nude leotard, and stapled lace hem tape on countless programs. And after work tomorrow, I get to do it all again. Yea.

 

So the next couple of days are going to be really busy.

EnJOY your week!

 



Four Years Ago

Four years ago today I was dealing with this tornado situation

Today there are sunny skies, both literally and figuratively.

EnJoy!

Well, well!

Down to just one car, are we?   Has it been a year already?!?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Did it just die one day?  Yeah, I fell for that lie myself.

So glad to be rid of THAT drama!

International Day of Happiness

 Today is the International Day of Happiness!

Woo Hoo!

Read more about it HERE.

It happily coincides with the morning after a date with an uber-hottie I will call Gib. 

Gib is a regular at the Super Popular National Chain Wings establishment that Julz works for. He saw me at the Globetrotters game. His parents had taken them all for a family outing, just like us.

Gib is younger than me by almost five years. divorced with two young boys. He is a former football player for Ole Miss, and is everything that implies. Tall, broad shouldered, athletic, with a megawatt smile, and cool, blue eyes.  He was truly too cute to be real.

We chatted over French fries and naked tenders, while March Madness raged on around us.

He had been a lawyer, just like his father, but didn't really like it.  When he relocated to Birmingham from just outside Jackson (yes, Jackson, again) his college roommate suggested he come work with him, just to get the bills paid He loved it and has been in sales ever since.

His marriage of 14 years broke up a year and a half ago after he and his wife grew apart.  Unlike my friend Jody, it was not an amicable break up.

He was sweet, and polite, and engaging.

I hope our next date is somewhere not so loud

In the meantime

Let's Celebrate HAPPINESS!!

It's Valentine's Day...woo hoo...

Okay, so today was Valentine's Day. Woo Hoo

As several of my other single friends have pointed out, today is also Single Awareness Day, because nothing shines a spotlight more on being uncoupled than Valentine's Day.

In celebration of Single Awareness Day, I had brunch with my favorite fellow uncoupled male friend W.  I wanted Waffle House, which he thought was funny, but he was game, so we went. I am economically minded and practical, which I am sure that he appreciated.

I had my usual Hashbrowns-All-the-Way while he had an omelet.

We had a great meal, and even better conversation. Every now and then, we just need a good gripe session. Given my profession, I have proved to be a pretty good listener. We have similar points fo view.  He lamented over how stressful his job had suddenly become, and how he was being stretched too thin. He gave me the low down on the new "American Sniper" movie he had seen recently.  Everything was great with the notable exception of the waitress pestering us constantly.

In the interest of pampering my favorite person (ME) on Valentine's Day  got myself some (inexpensive) flowers and a box of chocolates.

 

 

And then the mail lady delivered the last of my Valentine gifts to myself, this awesome and descriptive t-shirt.



 

Hey...I'm a Southern girl, armed and fabulous,.....no judgments okay?

 

I spent the rest of the day watching my newest cache of DVD's with the main male in my life, JB.  He  lounged happily by my side for the whole day as I watched movies and washed clothes.

 

All and all, I'd say it was a pretty good holiday.

 

After all, I spent it with the most important person in my life

 

ME

 

~I hope everyone else En JOY ed theirs



In The Spirit of Christmas

Last night I had to go to the funeral home to say goodbye to a man I had grown up with. Actually, I had grown up with his younger brother and younger sister. He had been one of those unattainable schoolgirl crushes. For the sake of the story, I will call him "John."

His younger sister had died young, after a raging infection set up in her diabetic body.  And now his mother was burying another child.

I may have made mention of the neighborhood that I grew up in. The close knit group of friends who's ages spanned nearly 10 full years.  The family that shared our circle had three children, a girl my age, whom I will call "Pam", a younger sister, and a brother who was 2 years older than me.  He was a popular jock, and other popular jocks often congregated at their home. He had are large iron weight set with a base worthy of any gym around. Afternoons were often spent hanging out on the perifery of this group of young men, trying not to get in the way but still being close enough to be notice.  John was one of those boys.

I had been 12 when I moved into this neighborhood and I don't really remember much happening until the summer I turned 13. Every day our culdesac was filled with cars, boys all new to driving, and the collection of cars were as diverse as they were.  Pam and I were the envy of our friends, a giggly group of pre-teens who would have given their eye-teeth to hang out in the driveway and observe.

As I crossed the threshold of the funeral home, I was suddenly 13 again. The boys are long since grown, with families of their own. All welcomed me with open arms, like a band of big brothers welcoming a little sister back into the fold. The first to greet me was an old band mate, a drummer. The last time he had seen me, I was well over 60 pounds overweight, and he complimented my weight loss. He told me he had heard what Darling Hubby had done, but that I was "better off" and obviously thriving. In my high heeled boots,  I towered over the two Italian boys I had such crushes, on back in the day. The oldest commented not remembering me being so tall.  The younger was every bit as handsome as I remembered, with his thick black hair and chocolate eyes. An unexpected hug from one I did not immediatly recognize caught me off guard, but I soon realized that he was the son of one of my mother's friends. His wife is obviously a very good cook. The boy from my neighborhood, who had told me that one day I  would break the hearts of men, greated me with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Then his wife, who had never met me, did just the same.

They all congregated at the space between the door and the casket and swapped stories about John.  And they all had one. Funny ones, som that had to be shared in whispered tones, so as not to offend. His mischevious side, his wild streak, his compassionate nature.

I wonder if John ever knew what he meant to his friends.

So with that in mind, I challenge you, dear reader, in the true spirit of CHRISTmas to set aside your differences with those who have slighted you, bury the hatchet with those who have wronged you.  Tell those whom are special to you, that you love them, and then love without limits. Forget the hurt, anger, bitterness, resentment. Forgive the shortcomings. Be willing to meet that old enemy halfway. Be the bigger person. Make the first move.  CHOSE to live the rest of your days in peace, positivity and happiness.

Life is too short.
Go out with no regrets.

Share His Love

We believe the Christmas story because it is part of our Christian history. We are looking at it from the BIBLICAL view, but few Christians ever stop to consider the WORLDLY view too, which is what Mary was actually dealing with at the time.

When people are down on a young girl who makes a mistake and finds herself pregnant and decides to have the baby, I remind them of Mary's situation. In reality, she was an unwed teenage mother.

When someone talks about how it is sad for the baby, I remind them of the potential that baby may one day have (though not quite as great at Jesus...LOL) Many have heard me say "This baby may cure cancer!" I mean that.

When someone talks against men/women dating someone or marrying someone who already has children, I remind them of Joseph, who could have easily left and chosen someone else, but chose to stay and raise "someone else's" child.

So Christian, before you pass judgment on someone, remember the very same "scandals" that are part of our own history. Jesus himself said "...the greatest among these is LOVE"

Show His LOVE to all and leave judgment to Him.

Deep thoughts as we approach Christmas

Chinese Fortune For The Day

Last night I met a friend at a local Chinese buffet for dinner.

I love this Chinese buffet.  They have an awesome selection to pick from and there are more than enough to satisfy my taste for the exotic without glutenating myself.

We discussed the stresses of the day and how, starting this Friday, I have at least one someone off everyday until the end of the year. Couple that will being in our "season" and potential for disaster is high.

The waitress brought out check and our fortune cookies. Now I do not place a whole lot of store in fortunes any more, but do find the coincidence of them all amusing.

This one read

Interesting...

As I stuggle to find meaning and a positive application of this sentiment, I pray that you have a good day today as well.

~EnJOY!

Go Vote!!

Those who don't vote on November 4th have no right to compain on November 5th.

As big a fan of Lady GaGa as I am (yes, I am a "Little  Monster") I had to laugh when I found this spoof of "Bad Romance" on suffrage.  My generation takes this for granted, but give a listen and learn something. Every woman of voting age should do it.

But Aaron G pretty much sums it up here.

Get out, Go Vote, Be Heard

Out With The Old

I sucked it up, and went out furniture shopping. 

I needed to (finally) replace the 30 year old sofa, disentigrating before my eyes in my living room. 

W teases me often about the state of my sofa. to the point it was almost an inside joke. I haven't even dared to have LG come over from Jackson.  LG has really, really, nice furnature. "I like what I like," he says whenever I comment on something, but I know that he can afford it, so furniture shopping must be easy for him.

I feel so grown up all of a sudden.  With the exception of a few small pieces, I inherited most of my furniture. And I am happy with that. Furniture shopping is....well....boring.

One would think that I would love furniture shopping, because of my love over other shopping, but I really don't. In fact,  I loathe it.  I am like the kids that you see, dragging along behind their parents in the furniture store with the "just-pick-something-already" looks on their faces. I think it's primarily because furniture is so flipping expensive and I have really expensive taste.

I am happy to report that I finally did pick out a couch and love seat for my living room that I feel that I can live with, and paid for it outright.  That must not happen much. The sales guy had to go to some hidden office in the back to find a sales slip, rather than pull  yet another page off the stack of credit aps on his desk. "Wow" he kept saying, wiping his forhead.  I guess no one pays cash anymore.

To save the delivery charge, and avoid having to take a vacation day, I had my brother and dad go pick them up for me. They met me after work at the store. What a funny little caravan we were. My dad in his duely, my brother in his F150 and me.

There were some minor assembly required, as neither piece came with the bun feet installed.  They were in a little bag, tied to the cushion, along with many very long screws.

I was very pleased with how beautifully they had matched stuff I already have (maybe some of that magic Cyn has is finally rubbing off on me!!) , including the new area rug that I purchased 2 or 3 weeks ago.  It is a blue-tinged gray (they describe it on the tag as "slate") and they came with four, blue and gray striped throw pillows. I was going to ditch those, but they blend with my living room so well, I just might keep them.  I will post pictures here later.

I am not sure if it was because it had spent most of it's life bound up in plastic, but it eminated a very odd, chemical-like scent. It made my eyes water.  Like new-carpet-smell. I guess it's New Couch/Loveseat smell. I had already taken my maximum allowable allergy medicine for the day so i was kinda stuck. I hope it passes because I would hate to be allergic to my first, big purchase.

When JB finally came out of hiding, he walked big, cautious, circles around them.
His eyes were wide and unblinking as he skulked around in a low crawl. He would crane to sniff them and then look at me with an expression that said "What exactly is going on here?" Even my best coaxing (and eventually picking him up to place him on the carefully placed towel beside me) could not convince him to come near.

Some time during the night, he apparently got over his fear, because this morning I found a large, fur-covered area on the right-hand seat back that corresponded with his "spot" on the previous sofa.  The towel I had placed there to prevent such a spot, was laying in the floor in a crumpled heap.

I was surprised at how much they fill the living room but also how much space there still seems to be. As my mother would say, "It looks like a grown up lives here."

Yes, it is the year of changes to better things.

And I do deserve better.

~EnJOY

No "Ragrets"

 This oft-quoted line from "We Are the Millers" is always sure to get a few laughs.

 



(Yes Mother, I know that is misspelled)

 

But a recent article about the 37 Top Regrets of the Dying is no laughing matter.

Life is too short.

Live Large

~EnJOY

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.

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.

Over the Hump....Woo Hoo!!

What day is it?! What day is it?!
That's right, it's Hump Day!

Despite having a really rough start this week, I am "naming and claiming" right now that this day will be better!

Armed with the advice of some really good friends, I now know how to combat some issues that need addressing. My answer was right in front of me all along. I really don't know why I never thought of it before. It is deceptively simple and for the most part, it is something that I already do.

I have the most amazing group of friends. You never know how God will use the people in your life, especially when you are a teenager and never really live beyond the weekend. But God placed these people in my life way back then, to be trusted allies, with the right advice  for just this moment.

Both W and The Tech Guy have provided some valuable insight, both suggesting a scenario that I have never thought of before. Both also offered nearly the exact same advice. I have decide to follow that advice today.

One friend of those friends I knew from my high school job. The Lord keeps placing him in my life. After graduation, when I married Hubby #1, he had moved out of state. I ran into him again sometime later when he was married to one of my friends, and was among those that D/H played weekend softball.  We lost touch after his wife died and reconnected recently though the miracle that is FB.

Imagine my surprise to learn he became a business consultant and author, who does motivational speaking on the side.   I also sought his advice. He listened to my issue, and gave me his take (which was suprisingly alot like W's and The Tech Guy's....either all guys think alike or I was missing something as plain as the nose on my face).   His most valuable piece of advice: PRAY FIRST.

After chatting for close to four hours, I came away with new eyes, and a fresh perspective.

Things will be better....starting today.

I have already claimed it!

Pageant Parody

A big shout out to all my pageant buddies competing this week as Mrs United States and Mrs. International.  Good luck to you all!!

On a related note THIS STORY popped up on my home page today.

It's been 15 years since the "mockumentary"  Drop Dead Gorgeous hit the screen.

The dark comedy about the catty, underbelly of the pageant circuit, is a cult classic among us pageant girls. We quote lines from it as if we were quoting the Bible.

One of the most glaring inconsistencies in the movie, is it's depiction of Lincoln, Alabama, supposedly the home of the American Teen Princess Pageant. As the bus rolls past a series of high rise buildings and rolls up to the doors of the pageant office, I could not help but laugh. The real Lincoln, Alabama, just west of the Talledega Super Speedway, actually looks more like "Mayberry. "

Having competed in pageants myself, I can honestly say, I have seen it all. I have witnessed things so amazing and things so heinous, I can not adequately describe them. 

I have seen damaged dresses, dictator-like directors, and heard the hiss of malicious gossip. I have helped sew folks into dresses with busted zippers, lent out/borrowed jewelry (sometimes meeting the lendee/borrower back stage to hand them off so she could wear them too), been offered everything from shoes (that I couldn't use because my feet are so big) to spare gowns.

 I have also been voted"Miss Congeniality" twice. This would have been three times but I had tied for it my very first pageant when I was 15. They came around for the tie breaking vote and I humbly voted for the other girl.

That was also the pageant where I was more interested in chatting with my fellow contestants, than "being proper" and removed the enormous centerpiece from our lunch table right in front of the judges. The gasps and the giggles from the snooty pageant pros, who all thought I had just committed pageant suicide, were left with mouths agape.  I guess the centerpiece had been a test. All eight of us at that table made the top 12.

I have had girls, taking advantage of my helpful nature, treat me like their servants just to get into my head.  I'm sorry to say that it worked.

 I have learned some very valuable life lessons from pageantry.  Ambition is good, but can be equally dangerous. Looking for the good in all people can sometimes get you hurt. Sometimes the bad guy (or girl, in this case) wins. Three to five people's opinion that day, is not a direct reflection on who you are. Dressing the part does make a difference. Prepare for every scenario and things will work out fine.

But more often that not, I have walked away with some amazing friendships.  Life long friendships and on more than one occasion, had someone remember me because I had been "that nice girl from Leeds."

 Like the winner of that first big pageant. now a state director to a large national pageant. I went to introduce myself to them after their prelim, but they already knew who I was...30 years later.

Winning might have been cool, but the crown I know that I  have earned in Heaven will be far better than any rhinestone creation I could get here.  And after all, isn't that what it's all about?

~EnJOY

Musings After One Week

I am one week out from the accident in which I broke my toes.  I think that I am healing fine. Since I have broken them before (twice now to be exact) I am pretty confident with my "buddy-taping".

But THIS is new

 

 

See that lovely, large bruise in the middle of my foot?

 

Yeah, didn't have a bruise there last time.

 

I also don't remember it still swelling a week out. I am having to put my foot up every night so the swelling will go down. I am still awfully stuborn about going to the doctor. I mean, the last time it cost me upwards of $500 in co-pays. I've complained about it for the past few nights to W.

 

He has no sympathy for me because I refused to go have it X-rayed.

 

W isn't paying for my doctor visist, so he can just kiss my foot, if you will.

 

Another strange phenomon is that it is July 17th and it is 60 degrees outside this morning. In July.

Global warming my behind! I hate summers like this because it will be 75 at Christmas and snow sometimes next April, just like it did in 1986.

 

Oh well

 

~En-JOY