Be the Change

Wow, day 2 of cold and fridgid weather. Snowed all day but didn't amount to anything but slick streets when the sun went down. It is suppose to get to a whopping 9* tonight. Got a funny feeling it is going to be cold in the mroning to warm the ole car up. Sure do wish I had a garage but oh well. Being with Terry has spoiled me. I've never had a garage until I went to live with him.

Our co-worker from the Southeastern section of the State came over for a meeting on some updates we have within the State. TheState Public Health Lab has changed there testing program to a very sensitive test that will be able to pick up the antibodies os someone that was exposed to HIV 15 days later. That is better than the testing they did before, It was 30 day timeframe then. I'm really excited about this. We will be able to catch so many infections that we haven't been able to before. This is all good.

Well, I'm going to get off of here. Talk to you tomorrow.

Stress

It is cold. Nothing else needs to be said about today and tonight. Yesterday was 75 and tonight is 20. We had snow off and on all day. This morning I put a pot of ham and beans on and the house smelled so good when I opened up the door. Comfort food. I also sauteed fresh spinach in olive oil and garlic, sprinkling balsmic vinegar over it when it was done. Goodness nothing warms you up like a good meal like that.

I was down into the Ozarks today. Way deep into the hills. Lots of poverty in that area, down around Branson. There were 5 men that has been exposed to HIV, in their 50's. Lots of Meth use and all. I didn't feel threatened though. I think that area down in there is pretty though. We got lots of rain last night and the creeks that have been dry now have running water in them. There was this one creek running along the side of the road I was on with a railroad track not far from it. Some homes were between the creek and the tracks. The bridges these home owners had across the creek was pretty cool. Hope I get an opportunity to go to that area when the area starts greening up with Spring. I bet it is pretty.

Gained a pound this week. Am going to have to figure this out. I need to drink more water, I know that for a fact. Guess I will start with that. I do not want to quit using the dry creamer in my coffee. I know it has calories. I will just have to be better at figuring them out. Grrr. Wish it was as easy to loose as it is to gain. Anyway as fun. Still not bad. Have been doing this for 4 weeks and have lost 5 pounds. I need to quit beating myself up.

Got me an Immersion Blender today at Target. My supervisor gave me a gift certificiate for Christmas and that is what I used it for. Can't wait to try it out. Am thinking I can make smoothies with it too. All my neat kitchen gadgest are at the house in Harrisonville and sometimes I wish I had something down here. Well here I go.

Can't think of much to say. Just can't wait for ths weekend to get over with. Lots of stress is going to happen but hoping that most of my stress will be relieved afterwards. Keep me in your prayers along with Josh. It's tough sometimes being a mom.

Just depends on how you look at it!!!

Sitting at my desk today, working on the computer and all of a sudden I hear a loud "BOOM". Sounded like a cannon went off, making me jump in my chair. I turned around and there were two young men washing the windows. I noticed all morning people walking past the building looking up in the air. We are in a building that is 10 stories and I am on the first floor. They were finishing up washing the windows in the building. It was pretty cool watching them swing on their chairs outside the windows and when they finished up, it started raining. We needed to have them wash the windows a long time ago. I had an opportunity to enjoy the nice clean window for maybe 30 minutes. Oh well, they will wash them again next year.

The rain was beautiful. It lasted all day long, we got rain, thunder, lightening, tornado warning, tornado watches and wind. A little bit of everything. It will be interesting to find out how much we finally got. I hope it lasts for a while but sounds like it is going to turn off cold tonight and we are to get snow tomorrow morning. Crazy, crazy weather in this state I so lovingly call home.

Today when I was going into work I noticed that gas has gone up 10 cents. My friend at work and I were talking about how things have changed throughout the years with prices and all. Everything costs so much now, she was saying she was a single mother 30 years ago and lived off of $400 a month, her rent was $200. I told her I remembered going to the grocery store and getting $20 worth of groceries for three people and living off of that for a week. Tonight I went to the grocery store, picking up just a few things and my total was $60. That was just the staples and enough that will probably last me for a while, but still. It just doesn't seem right the way things are so expensive. Oh well, "It's nothing but a thang" or "It is what it is".

These are two sayings that I have been hearing a lot lately. Basically, there is nothing we can do about it and it is going to happen, no matter what. That is what these two sayings mean to me. Doesn't make the situation any better, just is saying don't worry. A little like the saying I always said growing up. "Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be. The futures not ours to see. Que sera, sera. What will be, will be." That was one of my brothers favorite songs. He loved Doris Day. I remember he had a reel to reel tape player and that was one of the albums on tape he had. Funny what we remember and what triggers that memory.

I am tired tonight. I couldn't go to sleep to save my life. Around 1am I think I finally dozed off. Then it was time to wake up. I am going to go to bed early tonight. Just because. Guess I'd better get off of here now. I have to run down around the hills of the Ozarks tomorrow. There is a clan of meth using individuals that have been exposed to HIV and I need to look them up and get them tested. It should be interesting. It always is.

I will talk to you guys tomorrow, take care and be kind to all you come in contact with.

Spring is in the air.

Today made me so ready for Spring. We had 75* weather, even though it was nice it had an erie feeling to it also. Like what Spring feels like when you could expect severe storms. I tried not to think to much into that direction though. At least down here in Springfield I have good protection in the apartment and at home also. Tornadoes scare me, I was in one once when I lived in Indianapolis. Oh well, I lived to tell of it and learned to respect them.

Anyway, took Lamar out once today to check the temp and we went over to the east side of the house where I have cleaned the iris' out. The Easter lilies, aka Jonquils, are coming up. The flower bed was so full of iris' that I wasn't sure where or how many jonquils we had. I will let them bloom and then dig them up and replant them. I want to put my garden on that side of the house. I won't plant a bunch of stuff yet. Mainly, red peppers, tomatoes, corn, spinach, cucumbers and not sure what else. I am going to do the square foot gardening I have been researching out the last couple of years. I loved the huge garden that I had in Garden City. I love growing garden, the veggies are so good. I am also going to start my plants by seeds. I have done it in the past but not seriously, if that makes sense. I get so dang mad when I go to buy my plant starts and they are so expensive. Plus I know where they come from, I am planting organic and heirloom seeds. Thank you my friend Annie Albright for giving me all these links, seed catalogs and such. I'll give you her link again, that is if you want a treat look up her site. Bright Hope Farm

Well, enough is enough. Found out last week that the library here in town has WordPress for tutorials to learn the program. I was so excited and went tonight to learn some things. I was like "Rock On" and then remembered that my computer is on the fritz. I am taking it in tomorrow. Can't wait.

Whelp, getting off of here. Hopefully tomorrow will be more newsworthy than tonight was. Love you guys and have a good one!!!

Do we really know the answers???

Why? I'm not sure of the answer to this question that I ask myself often, seems like a little more during this time of my life. Why are there so many people that are trying to find a need? What is the answer they are looking for and why are they looking for me for the answer? Why am I the type of person that likes to be alone more than around people? Why is it that sometimes it is so easy to speak from my heart and then others it is hard? Why am I in this chapter in my life?

I don't know the answer to these questions any more than I know what to tell a person they need to do to fulfill their lives. I know when I am in a point in my life when I am looking for answers I turn to prayer. I plug in Mandisa Radio on Pandora and listen to the best Christian Music I can find. I love Third Day, Toby Mac, Mandisa, Point of Grace, Amy Grant. Many, many more. Alan Jackson does an awesome job singing the old hymns that we all grew up with.

It seems like sometimes life gets extremely complicated and we cannot figure out the answer and then wham, something happens good and there you are. It's okay if you don't believe the same as another person. We are made the way we are so we can help individuals that another person cannot help.

“In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all and it often comes with bitter agony. Perfect relief is not possible, except with time. You cannot now believe that you will ever feel better. But this is not true. You are sure to be happy again. Knowing this, truly believing it, will make you less miserable now. I have had enough experience to make this statement.” – Abraham Lincoln

Good night all.

Don't apologize

A few months ago I went to a silent auction and bid on this journal book that someone hand made from really nice and soft leather. It was the perfect size to keep around at all times to jot thoughts down, using these thoughts to elaborate on in this blog. I was really excited when I won the bid. Last night, or maybe this morning I thought of something I'd like to write about, thinking to myself that I wouldn't forget it and it would make an awesome subject. Where was the pad? Have I ever used the pad? Did I write it down? Can I remember what it was I thought about? The answers are: Who knows, no, no and no. I'm going to find it when I finish this and get it out. I have got to start writing stuff down. I really have some good ideas during the day. Grrr

Oh well. Josh had the stomach flu last night and was up most of the night in the bathroom, needless to say I didn't get a lot of sleep. He is old enough to take care of himself but being the mother I am I would come in and see if there was anything I could do to help. Not help him to puke but help him to make him feel better. Terry has been sick with a cold the last week or so and had to get up early this morning to help the American Legion guys out. They were working the concession stand at an auction in Garden City. Josh was up not feeling that great this morning so I fixed some food today that wasn't greasy or heavy. Plus a sugar free apple crisp. It is all gone now and the dishwasher is going. Josh is feeling better and has gotten out for a little bit and Terry is sitting in the recliner with Lamar watching TV. Same ole night at the homestead but wouldn't have it any other way.

Getting off of here but remember...

I think I posted this song the other day so I apologize but I really like it and was in the mood to listen to them tonight. Really like this group.

Maybe this time.

Woke up at 4am instead of my regular time which is 5:30-6. Couldn't go back to sleep and I am so tired tonight. Can hardly stay awake and then when it is time to go to bed I won't be able to go to sleep. Grrr.

Am thinking about maybe making some terrariums this year. I've done them in the past but I don't know. We'll see, I thought this picture was neat.

I also use to do macrame. I may do some of that this year too. Can't wait to retire and work on all the things I like doing. Of course they say when you retire you won't have time to do all that you want to do. All I gotta say is try me. I think I can do it.

Heading off of here. Going to do something productive maybe. Not sure, am pretty tired and may not get anything done. Watching some cooking shows on Food Network. Love my cooking shows. Talk to you guys later.