Boy does time fly!

I cannot believe it is almost the end of August already - we have been busy trying to simplify our lives. Had a yard sale and sold and gave away lots of stuff! My goal was to earn enough dollars to buy a new mattress for our bed, but alas, it was not to be. We had to spend most of it to repair the fridge, but that is okay - I know there is a new bed in my future.

My dear friend Julian is retiring and returning to Great Britian to care for his elderly mother. He has been a wonderful friend and mentor to me through the years and work will not be the same without him. He will be spending his energies taking his Mum on vacation to Cornwall and fixing her home up while spending his free time writing another book. I wish him well...

My Dex is doing great, working too hard, but I cannot stop him. He is going to wring every moment of life while he is here on this earth. I am thankful to GOD for answering all the prayers of family and friends to spare his life. It is wonderful to see him pretty much back to his old self.

I have lots of people on my prayer list - their are lots of needs out there and I am trusting God to bless and provide, heal and give hope to all those I pray for. Although I cannot understand all HE does, I know HE has good reason as he sees and knows all, and I continue to look through the glass darkly until we meet face to face, so in the meantime, I will trust him. He knows best...

Thank you daughter

I love it the new look to my blog! Thank you so much Mishka for all the things you do for me. I appreciate you and I am so happy you are only a hop, skip and a jump away although I know you would rather be elsewhere. I am very excited about taking a little time off to spend with you and your sister and William - I cannot wait to see the "Hobbit House" either! I love my family! They are exciting and interesting, wonderful, generous and intelligent!

My Dad Sept 1, 1911-March 6, 2011 - Elmer Byrd

He is gone now and there is such a void when you walk into my mother's house now. You do not realize how much space we occupy, until someone leaves this earth. It is not the same as when someone goes on a trip, or to the store, it is the eternal gone that makes its mark. I was privileged to witness my Dad's passing on into heaven. He really battled between staying with us and going on. When we told him to go, that we were all going to be okay, he left. I could feel his spirit leave. I know he is no longer in pain, seeing family that have passed before him - he leaves one sister behind and all of the daughters, son-in-laws, grandchildren. I am really going to miss him, but I have great joy knowing I will see him again!

It has been a long time

I have not written for a long time and much has happened since then. There has been much learning going on and I hope I am sending up Sparks of Holiness as that is one of the things I have been learning. My husband is fighting cancer, my dad is fighting dementia and just plain old, old age - he is 99. I am dealing with knowing the end on this earth will be coming for me someday. Growing old gracefully is a fantasy that sounded good to someone and they put it out there. Nothing graceful about it. You have many aches and pains, burdens to bear - they were just a lot easier to do when you were younger - yet the trade off is the stuff you thought was so damned important is not really - and you really stop sweating the small stuff. I feel an urgency to get my act cleaned up, living simply, giving away stuff, giving away some important stuff to the kids now and getting wills and what finances we have in order. There is much comfort in that and then you feel like you can coast a bit, and smell a bit more of the roses. I am working on that, I do not want my kids to have to deal with it. I am trying to be healthy, I am a happy and I truly appreciate every moment here and more importantly, I am not afraid of my next adventure in my coming life - I have Faith and Trust In God.

Things change so quickly

Well this year has been interesting so far. Time is going by faster and faster and in Winter I am always glad - It has been very mild so far and I see this every few years. I still cannot wait until spring arrives though. My birdies will be back and life renews, it is a cycle that never ceases to amaze me. GOD has been good to me and I thank him everyday for my dear family, for keeping them all safe and healthy.
Speaking of health - I have contracted Diabetes. I found it during my annual check-up. So important to have those check-ups. I am lucky and can control it with diet. I am still trying to find my bearings on that. Much of it is managing carbohydrates and portion control, which most Americans need to do. I did find out that if you have family members who have been diabetic that it ups the ante along with certain ethnic groups. Since I am part American Indian along with my English Heritage, I am predisposed. I am not a sweets hound, but I am a carb hound. I have been doing well testing my blood, but I feel like I am always hungry. If I can just get used to that...I will be okay.

It has been awhile

I haven't written much lately - all work all the time, but that is going to change. I have found if I just do a few little things for me - I feel so much better. I am eating better and less, reading, singing and of course playing with my pup. I am hooked on Mahjong and try a play a game or two on my breaks at work and a night when I get home - it really relaxes me and is good for the brain too! My goal is to get financially where I do not have to work full time and I have a 50 hour work week with my commute and it is wear and tear on my body, mind and spirit. Sooo...I keep plugging away at my goals and I know that I will accomplish them soon!

Thanksgiving Thoughts

My favorite holiday is fast approaching. I love this holiday as it is for me, a time of reflection. The changing of the seasons, time with family and friends, reconnection to those who love us, catch-up and feasting together is this season's great gift. This may also be the last Thanksgiving with my step-dad, so I want it to be extra special. My daughter and son-in-law living far away, will be on my mind - they always are, but at this time of year I really miss having them near. My daughter and son-in-law who live near, will be down for the holiday this year together. William will bring his video camera and take some video of Grandpa. That will be very important to us all in the future.

I am extremely grateful for the wonderful family God has surrounded me with. I am thankful I am still employed. I am thankful that I live in the United States of America. She has many things to atone for, but I still love her and am grateful for the opportunites she has provided for me.

I am prayerful for those who do not have the things I do. A warm bed and clothes, family, food or a job. I am prayerful for those who are ill and fighting for their lives. I am prayerful that I will never take for granted all the wonderful things God has provided me with.

I love you my family and my God and my country!

Happy Thanksgiving!

A Beautiful Fall Weekend

I want to thank my daughter for the beautiful pic on my blog page. It depicts what it looks like right now in our beautiful Illinois Valley. We have had a great weekend! Pine needles raked - I could help thinking I could make some money on those if I were in North Carolina!!! Gathered some wood to take to Chicken when we visit in a few weeks. Umbrellas and patio furniture put away, plants moved, some repairs made. Got the laundry done and a couple of shelves cleaned and organized. Angel went to the shot clinic yesterday and got the last of her puppy shots. We did not know if she had any as she was given to me, although he said she had some. We just started from scratch to make sure she is protected. So she is good for a year, then her rabies booster and she will be good for 3 years. Dex will make an appointment for her to be spayed this week if possible. I want to get her done before her next Estrus as otherwise we will be waiting another 6 weeks. She should be good to go on our trip to Shorty's & Bill's. I am looking forward to cooking for them and maybe a trip out to Savvy Island. This is my favorite time of the year to visit - it must be because this is my absolute favorite time of the year. Mild days and cool nights - we sleep so good! Thanks again Mishka darling for the fantastic pic of Fall.

A Prayer for Sarah

DEAR GOD,

I am offering up a prayer for Sarah - you know Sarah, a dedicated servent of yours. She is suffering greatly Lord and she is scared. Not of death really, but of what is going to become of her family if she is not around. Her husband Jim is not doing so well and is falling apart. I pray you give him strength so he can pass that on to Sarah. Her four boys know what is going on. The oldest will understand, but her other sons may not realize what is happening. I know you can fix this for us all here on the earth, and I know we will accept your will, but I still will ask for a miracle. I know they are possible, but I will never try to judge you for I know we see through the glass darkly. I must always remind myself that death is for the living and that we need to learn something from it. But being a selfish being I will still ask you to spare Sarah. She is such an Angel on Earth, do you really need her right now? Can we have a little more time with her here on this earth? We will accept whatever you decide Lord, but we will not stop praying for this miracle for Sarah.

Lord, I want to thank you for healing Gulshun. She has been in our prayers and will now live because you heard us.

Can we have another miracle...for Sarah.

In Jesus name I pray

The Moody Blues

Dex and I were given tickets by my boss, one of many, to go to Britt. He asked me who I would like to sit with, since he had another set to give and since my sis and Mark had plans I asked for Julian and Vera to go with us. Bella Union catered our dinner which was delicious and then we had reserved lawn seating awaiting us after we ate. Chairs were provided and we were sitting in a great spot. I knew Julian would love to see this group, being a Brit and growing up with this music first hand. They did not dissapoint us. Those voices still clear, brought back a rush of fond memories for me. They took me back for a moment to a place in time that I was willing to travel to. The night was warm and the company was great and music fantastic. Thanks for the memories, Moody Blues!

Your going to miss this

Maybe I am just being over sentimental...I am a bit by nature anyway, but tonight I was watching the CMT awards and heard a song by Trace Adkins, Called "Your Gonna Miss This" and it really touched my heart, because the words were so true. I remember as a young girl, daydreaming about where life would take me, 1, 2 or 3 years from now. I remember trying to imprint in my mind, my children's 1st tooth, step and words and that 1st day of school. How we all want things to get better and how hard it is to live in the moment and appreciate what he have at the time. I think we are suppose to live in the moment, and appreciate what we have no matter how hard things might seem at the time, because you may miss it. Maybe it is because God helps us forget how hard it may have been and let's us reflect on the joy in hindsight, I don't know for sure. I know I miss it though.

Michael Jackson and what he means to me

It is with great sadness that I have learned of his death. He brought such great joy to my family and did so much for Motown Records and revived the label. He wrote many of his lyrics, and of course when he teamed up with Quincy Jones he made his greatest album of all time. Needless to say, it was played a lot in our home since we had two girls who loved him so much. My daughter Mishka graduated from Middle School with a wonderful Blue and White dress and her signature white glove on her hand making a tribute in her way to one of her music idols. We were all very proud that day and understood why she wore that glove!
He gave his youth to us and he was robbed of his. His attraction to children to me was his desire to live his childhood. Children need that and I am concerned today, that our children are robbed of that and expected to make grown up decisions when they still need to be living as children.
I hope people will judge what good he did in the world and let GOD judge the rest as he knows it all and we do not. I know GOD welcomed you to his family Michael and I will pray for the rest of your family on Earth that they will not lose site of who you were and what you brought the world. I pray your children will be where GOD wants them to be also. Rest in Peace with GOD Michael!

My 15 Books

#1 The Bible

#2 Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis

#3 The Scarlet Pimpernel - Baroness Orczy

#4 Song of Bernadette - Fraz Werfel

#5 Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand

#5 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien

#6 The Red Tent - Anita Diamant

#7 The Color Purple - Alice Walker

#8 Out of Africa - Isak Dinesen

#9 A Brief History of Time - Stephen Hawking

#10 Contact - Carl Sagan

#11 Cross and the Switchblade - David Wilkerson

#12 Cannery Row - John Steinbeck

#13 The Shining - Stephen King

#14 Evidence that Demands A Verdict - Josh McDowell

#15 Green Eggs and Ham - Dr. Seuss

These are not in a particular order except for #1

Kenny Rankin RIP

Was so sad to learn of his Death - we had an album or two of his. I loved his versions of Blackbird and When Sunny Gets Blue, but there are so many that are wonderful. My sis is coming out this weekend and we will hit up Itunes and make a Kenny Rankin Tribute CD. I will send one off to my girls to, so they can put them in their music libraries. Have a listen if you can to a beautiful jazz voice and guitar!

Urgent Care Experience

I got my arm squeezed really hard between my treadmill and the door frame when trying to move it so we could paint. Didn't think much about it and expected it to be sore, but nothing felt broken. Needless to say, six days later it was still hurting like hell and I started wondering if I may have a hairline fracture. So off to Urgent Care in Grants Pass. I have insurance with a 1000 dollar deductable which hasn't been met yet, so I of course was expecting a hugh bill at the end of this visit. I was there for 3 hours which was the worst part. The doc was very thorough and had me view the xrays with him and even pointed out a bone chip from my childhood broken arm incident. He said I had a very swollen tendon and just needed Ibuprofen and an ice pack and give it some rest! Total cost 37.00 dollars! I was impressed, by the way, that included my co-pay of 25.00. So you can guess what the xrays cost and the price of a physician. It was a better experience that with my regular doc. The length of time was the only drawback. Dex and chua took a nap in the truck!

Amazing Weather!

This past week has felt like Monsoon season. We have had Thunder and Lightening storms for the last five days. Now this last weekend on Saturday Central Point/Medford had 2-3 feet of water come down in a flash flood. One person's home was hit by lightening and one person was washing dishes at McDonalds and was shocked. No one was hurt, Thank God! Today at work, it started raining again and with lots of Thunder. I called home and Dex was in the shop when the power went out. He went into the house to check on Angel, Buddy and Delta and turned off the computer and I reminded him to stay off the phone. The air is so refreshing and I took a big breath of all those negative ions. I smiled thinking of my family and how much we all loved storms and still do. It is mother nature at her best! We have a couple more days of it and I intend to enjoy every minute of it. Storm on!!!

Four Day Weekend!

It was very exciting to have four days off. A mini vacation of sorts. We actually slept in (until animals demanded to be fed and potty walked). We got many tasks accomplished and managed to not work the whole day. My sis and Mark came out to spend the night. Dex and Mark started on siding the back side of our house and Dex and I finished it the next day. The weather was agreeable, there was plenty of iced tea and water to keep us hydrated.

We decided to let Buddy be an outdoor/indoor cat. We tried to keep him in, but he has the wanderlust that Toms have. Even though he is fixed and we tried to keep him indoors, he was always trying to sneak out. He is so much happier now that he can come and go when he wants. I pray, he doesn't use up his nine lives to fast.

Dex had evidence of a Raccoon visitor in the shop. Prints on the window of Betsy, the 56 Chevy. I warned him of their aggressive nature when cornered and to have a broom handy in case he needs it. There have been no further signs of him, so he must have had a look and left.

I am really enjoying this weather, but know it will come to an end soon and then the hot days will be here. For now, I am enjoying the hammock and swing while I can.

Monday we put our flag out and I said a prayer of thanks for all those brave men and women who laid down their lives for our freedom. I said a special prayer for my loved ones and their friends and families who are making sacrifices everyday for all of us.

Chua - The Best Medicine

We went to visit with Gpa & Gma this weekend. Of course, Angel went with us. She feels like their home is her second home and is comfortable the minute she gets there! They were both glad to see her and it was good to see them both laughing and playing with her. She is so good for them. Gpa was moving the handle end of his cane across the floor and she was chasing it like a bunny rabbit, hopping up and down and back and forth. We were all laughing so hard at her antics!

I fixed Noodles Alfredo and fresh broccoli and Gpa even had 2nd helpings! It was a great weekend!

Now that Angel sleeps with us at night, I will be sleeping on the sofa at Gma's as there is not enough room in that double bed for the three of us! I keep thinking I am going to roll over on her, so I don't sleep as well at Gma's. It is fine when we are at home in our own Queen Bed!

Mean Virus

I have been sick for one week. There have been two different Virus going around our offices. My sis had the 48 hour intestinal bug and then there is this other bug which is what I caught. Started as a mild sore throat and a bit of ear ache on one side. I figured a regular head cold - no big deal, but the malaise that hit a few days later was amazing. I was in bed for two days! I came to work yesterday and today but still feel crummy. This bug has hit the valley and my co-worker Karen said there were only three children at her well daughter's daycare. Her other daughter is sick and so is Karen.
I no longer have fever and have been diligent about keeping my sneezing to myself and washing my hands, so I am hoping that I have not passed it along. I have been making Dex take extra C and hopefully my chua chua will not catch it either. I am praying it bypasses my lungs - one of our co-worker's daughter had to be nebulized - I sometimes get a bout of bronchitus, so I am going to take it easy this weekend and get myself well!

Dog Day!

My little "Angel" was smelling pretty "doggy" so I thought it time to give her a bath and nail clip. My niece Mickey gave me some good doggy soap (her mom and sister work for a groomer) and it doesn't hurt their eyes and it smells so good. I had purchased one of those rotary nail filers as seen on TV, but she was terrified by it, so I gave up on that and took her to Pet Smart 4 weeks ago and they did her nails for free. Not being the sort of person to give in too easily, I bought a muzzle and a pair of nail clippers that have a safety device so you do not clip in the nail quick. Today was the day! She did not like getting into the sink, but she did like the scrub she got. Then we got her rinsed and toweled. Next, came the nail clip and I needed Dex's help for this. We had the hardest time getting the muzzle on her snout, but we finally succeeded, You would think that would be the end of the battle, right? Uh...know not quite. Can you imagine how squirmy a Chua Chua Dog can be? Very! We ended up wrapping her in a big towel, Dex putting her on her back in his lap, her snorting away in the muzzle and me drawing those hind legs out, so I could push her toenails out and clip, clip, clip. She was no worse for wear and neither were we. I just kept telling her how beautiful she is and I think she felt pretty proud of herself. I have marked the calendar and we will do this again in 4 weeks. I can hardly wait!!!