TWO BLOGGERS MEET

I'm so excited, I can hardly stand it! Guess who came for a visit tonight? Yep, my sweet blog friend, Tracey , her husband, Gary, their son, Zack, and Tracey's Mom, Marilyn. It was so much fun getting together.

It's late, but I'll post more tomorrow. Oh, I'm a happy girl.

YUM-O!

I'm trying hard to stay away from the big bad carbs, so I'm loving this time of year when salads are so good. When we grill out, I try to do a few extra pieces of whatever we're having so I can heat them up the next day for lunch. We had burgers last night, so today I just added a few sauteed mushrooms and some provolone cheese and voila' - a good and easy lunch. As Rachel Ray says "Yum-o"!

HUGS TO ANNIE!

My sweet friend Annie did the nicest thing for me just 'cause I asked. She helped me have my own signature for my blog. Isn't it the cutest?!

Annie, thank you...thank you...thank you! You're one talented friend.

CATCH OF THE DAY

Our friend Chris is visiting us this week from Knoxville. Look what we had him help us with this morning. I went outside to water plants in the planters by the pool and here's what I saw. Surprise, surprise. Another critter in my yard. He was sunning himself on the top step of the pool when I first saw him. He immediately dove deep. We had a heck of a time trying to "rescue" him. I'm sure his little heart was a'thumping! According to Chris, he was a heavy bugger too. We released him back into the wilds, but first gave him a peace treaty of yummy lettuce. Our way of saying "goodbye".

(I say him, but who knows, it could have been a she?)

MORE CHOCOLATE FUN

Love the Minnie Pauz cartoons! Sad, but true.

ON MY MIND

I watch very little TV. It's just not my thing. To me, it seems a waste of time. Don't get me wrong, I waste my time doing others things...like spending lots of time on the computer or reading, etc. When I do watch, it's mostly the news. Two exceptions are Grey's Anatomy and Dancing With The Stars.

A commercial I've seen many, many times for Rozerem has really been on my mind alot lately. You know...it's the one with the guy who is always tired since he has trouble falling asleep. He's greeted in his kitchen by a talking beaver, Honest Abe and usually a silent, but creepy astronaut (why?). In one commercial, the guy is complaining about his restless night and one of the characters (I think it's the beaver) says something like "what, you haven't changed a thing and everything is the same...amazing!".

I can't seem to get this commercial out of my mind. It's been driving me crazy. I really believe God has placed it there because there's some things in my life that I complain about or fret about, but just like this guy, I don't make a change and then I wonder why everything is the same.

God, please help me to make the changes in my life that I need to make.

WORKS FOR ME WEDNESDAY - ONIONS CAN USE SOME PANTYHOSE

I posted about this a few days ago and decided to use it again for my Works-For-Me-Wednesday because (a) a few friends suggested I should and (b) I'm too tired tonight to come up with another idea :-)

I love, love, love sweet Vidalia Onions! I picked up a big bag recently on the way home from Atlanta.

Here's how I got them ready for storage: I cut the legs off old (but clean) pantyhose and filled them with the onions. I tied a knot in between each onion. I was able to put seven onions in each leg. I hang these in my pantry. (I think it's best if you keep them in a place where it's cool and usually dark.) Whenever I need one, I just cut below a knot.

I read that the Vidalia Onion story began over 70 years ago in Toombs County, Georgia. In 1931, a farmer by the name of Mose Coleman discovered the onions he had planted were not hot…they were SWEET! It was a struggle to sell the concept of a “sweet” onion though. It took awhile for them to catch on, but I'm so glad they did.I love to make vidalia onion dip. I love to put these on burgers. I love to use them when I stir fry peppers and onions for our sausage sub sandwiches.

This works for me! Click here for more great idea.

BLESSED WITH RAIN

Rain, rain, stay awhile

I love you

You make me smile!

(It rained last night and it's raining again tonight. Wonderful!)

I'M MAKING RESERVATIONS - WANNA COME?

HE DIDN'T HAVE TO BE

Eric and his Dad

Happy Father's Day George!

George has always been a wonderful father to our four chidren. Like so many families in today's world, our family is a blended one. When we married in 1978, I had a small son, Eric, who turned 4 just three days after we married and George had two teenage children from his first marriage. Our daughter, Bree, was born in 1981. His daughter, Kim, lived with her Mom, but his son, George, moved in with us two months after we got married and I wrote about that here. I've always been honest about having to adjust to being a Mom to a teenager. There was no adjustment time needed for George though. He became Eric's Dad immediately and never looked back. He made it look easy. He never complained. He never (and I mean never) acted like Eric wasn't his "real" son. To Eric or anyone else. Eric was just one of his sons. He taught him sports, he taught him to drive, he taught him how to tie a tie, he bought him his first car, he sent him to private schools and college. Today they're still close. Father and son.

This Brad Paisley song always makes me tear up because it's so true...he didn't have to be.

He Didn't Have To Be

When a single mom goes out on a date with somebody new

It always winds up feeling more like a job interview

My momma used to wonder if she'd ever meet someone

Who wouldn't find out about me and then turn around and run

I met the man I call my dad when I was five years old

He took my mom out to a movie and for once I got to go

A few months later I remember lying there in bed

I overheard him pop the question and prayed that she'd say yes

And then all of a sudden

Oh, it seemed so strange to me

How we went from something's missing

To a family

Lookin' back all I can say

About all the things he did for me

Is I hope I'm at least half the dad

That he didn't have to be

I met the girl that's now my wife about three years ago

We had the perfect marriage but we wanted somethin' more

Now here I stand surrounded by our family and friends

Crowded 'round the nursery window as they bring the baby in

And now all of a sudden

It seemed so strange to me

How we've gone from something's missing

To a family

Lookin' through the glass I think about the man

That's standin' next to me

And I hope I'm at least half the dad

That he didn't have to be

Lookin' back all I can say

About all the things he did for me

Is I hope I'm at least half the dad

That he didn't have to be

Yeah, I hope I'm at least half the dad

That he didn't have to be

Because he didn't have to be

You know he didn't have to be

**** Eric's "real" Dad is and has always been in his life and is a wonderful person. I know Eric has always felt lucky to have two Dads.

IT'S TIME AGAIN

It's that time again. Remember to do your self breast exam.
Several months ago, through Rocks In My Dryer, I found Holy Mama's and boy does she have a good idea to remind us all to do breast self exams on the 17th of each month. (Her January 20th post explains why she started this.) As a breast cancer survivor myself, I know how important it is to do this every month and also to get a mammogram. I'm glad to be a member of Club 17.

JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL

I read this recently:

-------------------------------------------------
Struggles Strengthen
=====================

Understand that problems are a good sign. Problems indicate that progress is being made, wheels are turning, you are moving toward your goals.
Beware when you have no problems. Then you've really got problems. Problems are like landmarks of progress.

It doesn't matter who you are are, where you live, or how much money you have, we all have problems. Some bigger at times, but we all have problems. What matters is how we handle them. My way is to turn them over to God. I want him in the driver's seat. Every time. And He is.

VIDALIA ONIONS

I bought a big bag 'cause I love these onions!
I ended up with three "strings" with 7 onions in each. Enough to last awhile (I hope!)

I love, love, love sweet Vidalia Onions! I picked up a big bag last Sunday on the way home from Atlanta. I got them ready for the pantry yesterday afternoon. I cut the legs off an old pair of pantyhose and filled them with the onions. I tied a knot in between each onion. I'll hang these in my pantry. (I think it's best if you keep them in a place where it's cool and usually dark.) Whenever I need one, I just cut below a knot.

I read that the Vidalia Onion story began over 70 years ago in Toombs County, Georgia. In 1931, a farmer by the name of Mose Coleman discovered the onions he had planted were not hot…they were SWEET! It was a struggle to sell the concept of a “sweet” onion though. It took awhile for them to catch on, but I'm so glad they did.

I love to make vidalia onion dip. I love to put these on burgers. I love to use them when I stir fry peppers and onions for our sausage sub sandwiches.

YUMMY!

Yum Yum! Just washed cherries. I'm gonna have a few and then get busy with organizing some closets. Man are they good! I went to the store yesterday and loaded up on fruits - blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, grapefruit. I love this time of year.

George and I both played tennis this morning. VERY HOT! And humid. We took Miss Daisy for her daily golf cart ride and rode up to the village for lunch.

I want to just be lazy today, but I'm gonna be a good girl and tackle my closet instead.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME

According to a recent article I just read on nutrition, they said eating right doesn't have to be complicated. Nutritionists say there is a simple way to tell if you're eating right.... colors. Fill your plates with bright colors. Greens, reds, yellows. In fact, I did that this afternoon. I had an entire bowl of M&M's. It was delicious! I never knew eating right could be so easy. And today it was Peanut M&M's...you know, for fiber and protein.

I now have a whole new outlook on life.

FLAG DAY

Father, when I cast my gaze upon the flag today, may I see not only the beauty in its rich colors but recognize the depth of its meaning to our country.

No, Freedom Isn't Free
I watched the flag pass by one day.
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
And then he stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud,
With hair cut square and eyes alert
He'd stand out in any crowd.
I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers' tears?
How many pilots' planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?
No, freedom isn't free.
I heard the sound of taps one night,
When everything was still
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times
That taps had meant "Amen"
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend.
I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.
I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No, freedom isn't free.

I'M NEGATIVE ABOUT NEGATIVITY

Okay, I'm about to be negative about something that really bugs me…negativity.

One of the "gifts of cancer" for me (yep, there are gifts) has been an awareness of just how precious each and every minute, hour and day is. I'm really conscious of how many of us spend our time complaining about things that are so unimportant when you really think about it. It's just wasted time. I'm choosing not to be around people that always have a negative attitude. I've learned it's okay to choose who I want to be around and who I don't. I'm pretty proud of myself about it too. Life is just too damn short and too precious to waste time around those that make me feel bad/sad. I can't always stay away because after all this isn't a perfect world and even my family and friends can be negative sometimes, but I certainly can choose to make my time short when they are constantly being critical or negative. This doesn't mean I don't care about real issues, it's just the little things that people criticize about that really grate on my nerves. I hate being around someone who complains about other people and talks badly about them. It makes me wonder what they say about me when they're with the very people they complain about to me. I'm finding that now I look at things differently and try to understand why someone does what they do and usually there's a reason…maybe not what I would do, but it's their life. I don't want to be around people who only see the bad in people and are suspicious of someone who is different. I'm trying hard to be positive and I don't want their negativity to rub off on me. And it does…because then I start feeling negative about them and frustrated and angry about their negativity. Life isn't perfect, but it's pretty darn perfect compared to so many others. All you have to do is read the paper or watch the news to know just how lucky most of us are. I'm realizing this more and more. I don't want to fill my head with negativity. I don't want to end up a bitter old lady who spends her day complaining and missing out on each wonderful day.

I read recently about an engraved plaque in the catacombs of Paris which says:

Beware every morning that you may not last the day and every evening that you may not last the night.

Some might think this is a morbid or negative way to think. I think it's a wonderful reminder that each day is precious and we need to be thankful.

(Sorry….It's just that I've been around a number of negative people lately and I've found myself boiling inside whenever I do. I woke up early this morning, filled with thoughts about the whole thing and practicing in my head what I'd love to say to them, but know I shouldn't. I just couldn't sleep. Rather than open my mouth and get in trouble, I thought I would put it down on "paper" to get it off my chest and then move on.)

I'M HAPPY 'CAUSE I LOVE BOOKS!

I'm so excited! My friend, Jill, at "Who Could Ask for Anything More" has started Jill's Book Bag. We can win some cool stuff! I love books and I love to win. Perfect. Go here to find out more.

WHERE'S THE HAMMER HONEY?

Oh. My. Goodness!

My computer stopped working yesterday after a storm and between trying to fix it myself and being on the phone for hours (honestly) with tech support and then being told they would have to send a technician on Thursday, I've been ready to grab my biggest hammer!

This morning I was mad...I mean determined...so I unpluged every wire and rebooted everything and voila'...it's working again...for now. I'm not canceling my appointment for tomorrow though.

MEME

I have been kinda/sorta tagged by my daughter-in-law to do a meme. For this meme, each player is to list 8 facts/habits about themselves. Okay, lets see what pops into my head:

1. I wear lipstick all day long. From the time I get dressed in the morning until I shower at night. I feel naked without it. Silly, I know.

2. I'm super sensitive to bug bites of all kinds. If I get a mosquito bite today, it will look like a fresh bite three days from now and will itch like a new bite too. And it swells larger than you would believe. Something stung me on my left hand today and it's unbelievably swollen.

3. I'm a night owl. I hate going to bed. I put it off until I can't any longer. I'd love to stay up until 2AM at least every night and then sleep until 10AM, but it's not gonna happen. I'm a light sleeper, so as soon as I hear someone up, I'm up and there's no going back to sleep once I'm up. I sleep with ear plugs every time I'm going to sleep, even if I take a nap during the day.

4. I'm pretty sure I had a paranormal experience when I was a littl girl. I know…now I've scared you.

5. I'm an addict. Chocolate, diet coke, blogging. There...I feel better.

6. I'm still very in love with my husband, and we've been married almost 30 years and knew each other years before then. He's my bestest friend too.

7. I wash my hands a gazillion times a day. I really should own shares in Bounty paper towels.

8. I'm easy when it comes to food. There's very little I don't like. Maybe, beets, caviar, raw sushi, raw oysters, but pretty much everything else is okay by me. My meat has to be done though.

Consider yourself tagged.

WOW! WHAT A SHOW!

This one was taken before we left Sherry's house.

Sherry, Mom, "Other Mother", Me

The Stage. The big black box showing Respect became a video screen during the show and displayed photos to add to the show. The 3 member band played where you see the railing above the screen. They were awesome too!
Here's 10 of us after the show (two had to leave before we could round everyone up and take a photo).

Yesterday afternoon, I went to see the show "Respect: A Musical Journey of Women." If you get a chance, you MUST go see this incredible show! I saw it at the 14th Street Playhouse in Atlanta along with my Aunt Sherry, my Mom, "Other Mother" and 8 of Sherry's friends. (Sherry is a retired history teacher and all of these ladies were teachers in the same school. Most of them have been friends and co-workers for more than 25 years.) We all had a ball!

Vanderbilt professor Dr. Dorothy Marcic created the show based on characters from her own personal life and her book, RESPECT: Women and Popular Music. She analyzed all Top-40 female song lyrics since 1900 and this show tells, through songs and photos shown on a large video screen, how women have evolved through the years. There were only four cast members and let me tell you, ALL 4 ladies were incredible! The props, costumes, facial expressions, dancing and, of course, singing was amazing. It was wild to look around and watch everyone (myself included) hoot and holler and clap and sometimes even get teary-eyed seeing just how far we've come. I had never really thought about how much music really reflects what is going on in the world at the time a song is written and performed.

Here's a list of the songs they performed:

Animal Crackers In My Soup

As Long As He Needs Me

At Seventeen

Bend Me Shape Me

Bewitched

Bill Bailey

Blues In The Night

Bobby's Girl

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man

Dedicated To The One I Love

Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend

End Of The World

God Bless The Child

Greatest Love Of All

Hard Hearted Hannah

Hero

Hurting Each Other

I Am Woman

I Enjoy Being A Girl

I Fall To Pieces

I've Never Been To Me

I Wanna Be Loved By You

I Will Follow Him

I Will Survive

I'll Never Fall In Love Again

I'm Gonna Make You Love Me

I'm Sorry

If I Knew You Were Comin' Id've Baked A Cake

In My Daughter's Eyes

It Must Be Him

Johnny Angel

Johnny Get Angry

Lollipop

Love & Marriage

Mean To Me

Mister Sandman

My Man

Over There

Piece Of My Heart

Praise The Lord And Pass The Ammunition

Que Sera Sera

Respect

Someone To Watch Over Me

Stand By Your Man

Stop! In The Name of Love

Sweet Talkin' Guy

'Taint Nobody's Business If I Do

Tall Paul

Tammy

Tell Him

The Greatest Love Of All

These Boots Are Made For Walkin'

This One's For The Girls

Video

Whatever Lola Wants

Where Is The Love

Where The Boys Are

Wishin' And Hopin'

You Don't Own Me

There's something very spirit-refreshing and empowering about seeing your life experiences reflected in such an uplifting way live on stage. You can't help but feel good. You can't help but be proud!

A QUICK TRIP OF FUN

I'm leaving this morning for a quick trip to Atlanta to see the play "Respect" with my Mom, Sherry and "Other Mother" and a group of Sherry's friends. We're going to the Saturday matinee. It's supposed to be wonderful, so we're all excited.

I'm spending tonight though in Columbus and I can't wait to see Eric and Angela and the kids. Sweet Angela knows I love Mexican, so she's cooking a Mexican dinner for me tonight. Yum!

I'll drive back on Sunday, so this will be a quick trip.

A VIEW FROM OUT FRONT

A few days ago I posted a view from the back, so now here's a view from out front. We moved into this new house in November and we're loving it. Very Florida looking, don't ya think? As you can see, it was a gorgeous day although very HOT.

MISS DAISY'S DAILY RIDE

Aint' it the truth? We found this sign and just had to put it on the golf cart.

Our Miss Daisy loves her ride in the golf cart. George is convinced (or has convinced her) that we've got to take her for a ride EVERY day. She loves it!

DATE NIGHT

Mom, Sherry (my aunt) and Bet (aka Other Mother) left this morning. The week went by pretty quickly. We had lots of fun.

My sweet George is always so understanding when "the girls" are here. I'm not home much at all. I end up spending every day and every evening with them. He joins us a few times for dinner, but most of the time we do our thing and he does his. He never complains. What a sweetie pie!

Tonight we decided to have a date night. We went out to dinner and then to the movies to see Mr. Brooks. Kevin Costner is Mr. Brooks: a successful businessman; a generous philanthropist; a loving father and devoted husband. Seemingly, he's perfect. But Mr. Brooks has a secret--he is an insatiable serial killer, so lethally clever that no one has ever suspected him--until now. Demi Moore and William Hurt are excellent in this movie. I was a little worried about seeing this one, but it was very good. It really makes you think!!!!

LIVING WILL

Maxine has it right. Just fill in my name and follow the same instructions!

I, MAXINE , being of sound mind and body, do not wish to be kept alive indefinitely by artificial means. Under no circumstances should my fate be put in the hands of pinhead politicians who couldn't pass ninth-grade biology if their lives depended on it, or lawyers/doctors interested in simply running up the bills. If a reasonable amount of time passes, and I fail to ask for at least one of the following:

Glass of wine

Chocolate

Margarita

Chocolate

Coca Cola

Sex

Chocolate

Pizza

Fettuccine

Chocolate

Mexican food

Chocolate

French fries

Chocolate

Pizza

Chocolate

Ice cream

Coca Cola

Chocolate

Chocolate

Sex

Chocolate

Then it should be presumed that I won't ever get better. When such a determination is reached, I hereby instruct my appointed person and attending physicians to pull the plug, reel in the tubes, and call it a day.

A VIEW OUT BACK

I'm really loving my backyard right now. Everything is blooming and it looks so pretty. We just moved into the new house in November, so this is our first summer. (Click on the photos for a better view.)
This area is right outside the master bedroom. Miss Daisy loves to lay out here in the sun.

I love this statue I found for the end of the pool. I found the planters at Tuesday Morning and have two more on my front porch.

My "knock out roses" are looking so pretty and the ferns are doing well.

RIDING THE TRAIN

Me, Jeanette, Mom, Barbara, Sherry and Bet ("Other Mother")

Here's how we spent our night...riding the Mexican Train. We started around 5:00 and didn't stop until almost 11:00. Time flies when you're having fun.

And the food...oh my! We decided to forget dinner and just do appetizers. The hit was the hot vidalia onion dip I made served with warm crusty french bread.

We had a ball!

THE LIGHTHOUSE

Melinda with one of her "kids"

Today we had a guest speaker, Melinda Mayton, from The Lighthouse (a seaside retreat for children living with cancer and their families). This program is amazing. Melinda was a pediatric oncology nurse and witnessed the devastation that childhood cancer brings to the entire family – the stress on relationships, emotions, finances and spirituality. Inspired to help reconnect these families and renew lives, she founded The Lighthouse Family Retreat in December 1999. One of the families who was helped in the past also came today to speak to us. Very emotional, but so incredible. Now this family volunteers with the program.

A LITTLE OF THIS AND A LITTLE OF THAT

Wow! A fun week here! The PGA Champions Tour is in town, and Sandestin has put its best foot forward for seven days as national and international television audiences watch the action here at the newest gem of the golfing world. More than 70,000 spectators are expected to attend. We live on the 8th green and it's been exciting to watch everything right from our lanai. The traffic here in the resort has been a mess though. George predicted Jay Haas would win and so far he is.

**********

I've been a busy girl since my Mom, Aunt and "Other Mother" are in town. We've played tons of Mexican Train and Phase 10 and we've eaten more than the law allows!

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Good Grief! Another terrorist scare! This time the plot was to destroy the JFK International Airport, kill thousands of people and trigger an economic catastrophe by blowing up a jet fuel artery that runs through residential neighborhoods. Very, very scary!

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I spent most of Thursday at two different doctor's offices and then the pharmacy filling prescriptions. Nothing to worry about. (Thank you very much.) One was my regular check-up and one was my dermatologist, but it's kinda sad that when you look at the "d's" in my cell phone address book...it seems like every number is for one of my doctors! Sad.

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I mentioned in recent posts about seeing lots of snakes here in the neighborhood. Well, day before yesterday, "Other Mother" spotted one in my flower bed very near where I was standing watering plants in a planter by the pool. Yuk!

**********

We're going to early church in the morning, so I'm off to bed. Night Night!

JUST BECAUSE IT PRETTIES UP MY BLOG

Our two year old granddaughter, Karrigan............how cute is she!!!!!!

WHERE SHOULD YOU SPEND YOUR SUMMER?

Here's what mine said and it's so true!

You Should Spend Your Summer at the Beach

You're a free spirit who is always thinking of new ways to have fun. And you don't just love summer... you live for it. So, you really should blow off your responsibilities and head to the beach!

Where Should You Spend Your Summer?

NO, PLEASE!

Today's the first day of hurricane season. Please God, no hurricanes this year!

This is the only reason I can think of that it's hard to live on the beach.