Down Day

I got up at 5:00 AM. I was awake so why not? Maybe I did stay in bed until 6:00 AM. I had the exercise class today. My body thought it was dying when I asked it to move, but I had to make it move. The instructor had a pedometer on and said we went over a mile. Mine already had some mileage on it so I don't how far I walked.

Got your e-mail Mary Kate. That was a good site and I signed up for the e-mail newsletter. It will really be a challenge for me to keep on walking when I might not want to do it. Maybe if I keep waking up at these early hours, I could walk then. Where is that bag of inspiration and get up and go....?

Karen came over and we cut out some pictures she ran off from the Friend. She is making a quiet book for one of her grandchildren. Of course our mouths moved as fast as our scissors did!

I look forward to seeing Dr. Sharp tomorrow. I'm not really enjoying anything. It's not fun to force being pleasant. I'll stop by and have lunch with Trudy, and will see her again after I see Dr. Sharp and we'll go to Hobby Lobby. I bought a really large order from Stampin' Up! so I don't really have any money to spend.

Dad is still working with the computer trying to get his stuff off of the old one and onto the new one. I think he needs the help of someone else.

At Mary's House

At 9:00AM I went to Mary Regar's house to learn more about cards. She lives in an old two story house that is cluttered with good junk! I felt right at home. I placed a large order and then we made two cards. I learned how to cut the paper that you layer with. The first card I followed what Mary did. The second card we stamped three poppies on it and then water colored them one red and the other two pale yellow, with pale green stems and leaves. Then we chose the color of the card and then layered it with two more colors. At the end, we tied a red ribbon around the front and tied a red knot and two black and white checked knots. The card came to life all by itself. I ordered all of the colors of card stock so everything will match. It was a fun time.

Dad ordered me a pedometer and it came in yesterday. I've forgotten how many steps one needs to walk to be healthy. Do you know Mary Kate? Maybe someone at the Wellness Ctr. will know. Some days I walk quite a bit (according to me...) and other days I don't move much at all. I hope the pedometer will help me get healthier. I don't think it came with a bag of inspiration...

Begin Again

Sunday was okay, but I just waited too late to post.

I made about 6 cards this morning. I used Stampin' Up! card stock and some Stampin' Up! paper flowers and a stamp I already had. I copied a card we did Sat. at the card party. These cards turned out really nice. I see staying with Stampin' Up! products will make my cards superior than what I had been using.

I decided not to take Gert to the vet today. He's settled into his container quite will. He gets rambunctious around 5-6:00 PM and so we usually put the birds to bed early-6:00 instead of 7:00PM. The birds send us to our rooms each night! He's a very healthy bird and his leg should heal fine.

Tomorrow, I'm going over to Mary's house at 9:00 AM to make cards. I have a lot of questions about what supplies I need and I want her to show me how to do some new things. She is very nice and I'm looking forward to it. She doesn't live too far from my house. Remember the old log cabin on the highway? I think it once was a store and sold gas. Well, I turn left there and go to Holt Springer road and they live on the corner of Holt Springer and Fielding. I have spent too much money on things I probably don't need. I'm going to spend my money on Stamp' Up! things.

Card Day

Today (Sat.) was the day we met to make cards. There were only three of us and Mary (teacher) was one and Judy was the other one and me. I was glad because a smaller class is always better. We made 5 cards. One was for a regular sized envelop and the other 4 were for invitation envelops. We did some very pretty ones. Mary had all the parts cut out for us so we just assembled them. We had bought 3-4 pages of colored flowers and we used them to put on two of the cards. I think this will be my long time hobby. It's quick gratification for me and can still be a joy for others. The flowers were paper not 3-D.

Dad has been working with his computers trying to get the information and files off of Windows and onto Mac. The store will do it for him, but it would cost a lot and so he wants to try and do it himself.

Mary Kate called from a store wanting Consumer Reports information about washers and dryers. Dad was on both his computers and couldn't look up what they needed, but gave them his pass word so they could look it up themselves. One of their machines is putting black marks on their clothes so they need a new one.

Trudy and George are visiting with some of Georges family. She had a friend from high school call and want her telephone number so he could call her. I don't know if he got her because they were at George's family.

I kept hitting "enter" and the cursor wasn't in the right place and whole paragraphs would shift around. Then I would hit the"backspace" to get everything back in its place! Sometimes I don't know where my mind is when I need it.

I tried calling Frankie but his line was busy. Hope they are all well.

Early Mama

3:00 AM is getting mighty old, especially since I can't get back to sleep. It makes for a long day. I think I'll go see Dr. Sharp and see in my medicines need adjusting. I watched The Other Side of Heaven last night and cried all the way through it. It was a good movie but I didn't need to cry all that much plus I was crying about my sweet dog who has been gone for three years.

Mary Reger sent me a card made with some stamps I have and I have made three cards just like it. Tomorrow, we're having a card party, or we ( about 4-5 ladies) get together and Mary teaches us how to make the cards she has prepared for us. It takes 2 hrs. and the one I went to was good. I was on my toes trying to learn everything and not be the slowest one in the class. I am the granny of the class as it is!

I went out early this morning to take a pair of pants back to Wal-Mart. I hadn't tried them on and they didn't fit right. After that, I got another pair of knee pants that I knew would fit and a nice white shirt, with red stitching on the neckline. Then, I went on to Lowes to get some flower plants. I looked around, but I didn't know what I wanted and didn't want to buy something just to buy, so I went home. I think I need some kind of bush for that spot, so I wouldn't have to worry with it each spring. I'll have to get Karen to help me figure out what to plant there.

Slower Day

Ha-ha! I already had a "Slow Day" and now I have a "Slower Day"! I have developed a bad habit of waking up at 3:30 AM each morning. Sometimes I can't get back to sleep. This morning I got up and got some yogurt to eat. It helped me go back to sleep. Then after I got up at 7:00AM and fixed breakfast, I took an after breakfast nap. When I woke up, I didn't have anything to do! I wandered around and dusted, swept the floor, did a load of laundry and then it was time for lunch. I talked to Karen to see about her tooth and then had the entire afternoon in front of me. I had thought of going to Lowes to get some flowers and then planting them but now it's 3:00 PM and we have the garbage to collect. Ho-hum. I need a life.

I checked my e-mail and deleted a lot of old stuff and found two I hadn't read for a day of two. It's not like me to miss an e-mail!

Exercise Day

I sometimes miss Wed. exercise class but I went today. This instructor works us a bit harder than the one on Mondays so it's good. After exercise, I got a hair cut. I was going to let my hair grow out some but I had been cutting on it myself and it never looked good to me. Now, there's not enough hair to mess up! No, I think I got a good cut. It will be easier to let it grow some with a good cut. After that, I went shopping for groceries. I guess I could have waited until pay day, but I didn't want to.

I made two cards in the afternoon. The new paper is really pretty. Didn't get to see Karen today. She had to go to the dentist for a tooth that was hurting pretty bad. I hope she got it taken care of. Pain is not our friend.

Gert is being quiet now that he's covered up all of the time. If he stays quiet, maybe he won't have to go to the vet on Monday. I think this is harder of me than Gertie.

Dad is trying to recover from a chest infection. He got medicine for it, but he's still feeling bad with that plus his arthritis.

Pull Grass

I got outside around 12:30 PM and started pulling weeds from my flower patch. It wasn't too hot for the spot was in the shade be then. I had the little table to sit on and the top of a garbage can to put the pulled weeds in. Now I need to put some topsoil on the plot and get some flowers for the spot. I found some plants coming up from last year, lilleys, I think.

I called the vet again this morning about Gert. They called back and made an appointment for Monday. Maybe he can go back into a cage now. I guess she'll x-ray his leg again. He's an intelligent bird and to be covered all the time must work on his mind. I was supposed to get him out 2-3 times a day for company, but he is too wild to do that. He thrashes around when I put my hand into the container to change the papers. I wouldn't feel comfortable trying to get him out to love on. Hopefully, he'll get to go back into his cage soon. Maybe with the perches lowered so he can't fall off.

Next Tues. I'm going over to my Stampin' Up demonstrator's house and stamp with her. She said she was self-taught and back then Michael's and Hobby Lobby didn't have any rubber stamps! Imagine that! I look forward to getting to know her better. This Sat. we'll be having another stamping class at the Blackburn community center. I'll learn some new stuff then too.

Gertie,Gertie, Gertie

The vet said to cover Gert up, like at night, so he couldn't see me or the other birds. I did and that stopped his pacing back and forth. She also said to get him out three or four times a day. I can't do that for he gets pretty wild when I put my hand in to change his papers. He would climb up my arm in a second if I went to get him out and I'm afraid I would hurt him getting him off my shoulder. He'll be crazy if he has to stay covered up for a month. I'll call the vet again tomorrow for further instructions.

Went to exercise class today. I really didn't feel like it but I knew I needed to exercise so I went anyway. I wore shorts because my long exercise pants were too warm the last time I went. I was cold the entire time I was there! I think I'm rushing the season. I came home at 10:30 AM and took a mid-morning nap!

I made 6 cards today. Five of them were Christmas cards. I already had the front of the cards cut out and the saying for the front of the cards cut out too so I just had to assemble them and stamp a "Merry Christmas" on the inside. Then, I made a new card with the beautiful paper Trudy got for me at Michael's. I think pretty paper inspires me more than a saying. I need to study some layouts too. I made two cards like my SU demonstrator had sent me. I don't have a corner nipper (not the real name for that instrument) so I rounded the corners. Plus, I didn't have any place to put the ribbon like it was on her card. If you hadn't seen her card, you might think my look-a-like cards were pretty good!

I had more time on my hands than I needed today. I think I had looked at the calendar but all I saw was the days that had nothing on them. There was a cancer survivors dinner I had invited the Hills to at 6:00 PM and I didn't remember it until 5:30 PM when I was coming back from the pharmacy after getting medicine for dad. I came home and called the Hills to see if they had remembered it and I got the answering machine. I thought they might me coming to get me so I rushed and got dressed when Mary Lou called. She said they had forgotten it too. They had had family in for the week-end and had forgotten. That was okay for I should have called them earlier in the day to remind them, but I forgot too! I had time to go, but I didn't want to so I stayed home.

One Grandchild Minus Two Front Teeth

Nate finally lost his other front tooth. Last tooth, the tooth faerie forgot to make a stop! I hope she doesn't forget tonight!

We had Stake Conference today. Bro. Decker had to translate so he went early. Karen, Stacey and a friend of Stacey's came and got me around 9:15 AM and we got to H'ville close to 10:00 AM. We had to sit 11 rows behind the folding curtains. I couldn't see the speakers, being a short person. We saw Trudy and she came over and gave us a hug. Later I saw where they were sitting and saw George and Forrest and then when Trudy and George changed seats, I saw Forrest, then George, then, Trudy, then Sadie. Bro. Decker had to leave after church to go to the air port. We had a nice drive home.

I bought a pair of shorts for exercise class but I think it's still too cool to wear them. Plus, they are a bit short (come to my knees) so I may just wear them at home. I have plenty of knee pants to exercise in but I just wanted a nice exercise outfit. Vanity,vanity, vanity!

Gert isn't adjusting to his container. He does a lot to pacing back and forth, limping all the way. I'll call the vet. tomorrow to see if I need to do something for him.

Pictures From The Botanical Gardens

Aren't the golden pansies pretty! The big, white dogwood tree is 100 yrs. old! I think I may know how to put pictures onto my blog now! Yeah! I hope I can remember how to follow the directions that Trudy wrote out for me. This Mac is so different from her computer that it took us a while to figure it out.

The Oldests Strainer In The World

This strainer has been in my sink for years and years. One of the kids didn't like it and would always put it on the floor, out of the sink. It may be ugly. It may be old, but it works and I haven't found another one to replace it, so it stays!

Trudy and dad have worked all morning to get my pictures into the computer and then to find them to put them onto my blog. Whew! What a complicated mess. I still don't know how to do it. Trudy wrote it all down for me, but I don't know if I'll be able to do it by myself. I hope so, then my blog will be more interesting.

Hello Madison

Dad had a Dr. appointment to 10:45 AM in Madison. We took County Line Rd. instead on Huges Rd. and having to back track to Lanier. It's quicker that way, less traffic too. We got back home around 1:30 PM. The weather was warm but the breeze was a bit cool.

Gertie is not happy in his container. He would be wild if I took him out. He'll be so glad to get back in his cage. Maybe this month's confinement will go quickly for the both of us.

Trudy and the kids are coming over this afternoon and will spend the night. They have hair appointments tomorrow so they won't be here too long. Trudy's going to show me some things about my blog, I think.

A Day Of Rest

Yes, I did take an after-breakfast-nap today. I figured I might need the extra rest after my 4 mile walk yesterday at the H'ville Botanical Gardens. It was worth it. When the weather gets hot and muggy later on in the summer, I'll remember the delightful and delicious, cool and breezy, bright and beautiful spring weather we had at our visit to the Garden.

I hauled a small plastic table outside and sat on it and weeded between the rocks that surround the butterfly bush next to the porch. I had a big floppy hat on but the breeze kept blowing it off. I'm sure I'm a redneck now!

I was down on myself and my card making so I sent an e-mail to my Stampin' Up demonstrator, Mary Rager. She is so nice. She sent me a long understanding e-mail and an address to a card making site. All the cards I saw on the site are so rich and (can't spell the word I want to use!) mature and mine are child- like in comparison . I haven't found my style yet.

Garden Day

Karen got here at 9:00 AM and we go into my chariot and rode to Huntspatch. We went to the pain clinic to get dad's prescriptions and then to Magabits to get a card that tells dad how to set up his radio, and then to Hobby Lobby. I bought a Christmas stamp, some colored paper, 4 glitter gel pens, some ribbon and a template to make cards and envelopes. The templates will go back for I don't need them. After that we went to the Gardens. The electricity was off so we couldn't pay to get in but we got a map and went in anyway. We paid on the way out. We must have walked 4 miles! The weather was warm and breezy and we saw lots of blooming plants and trees. We walked and walked and walked and walked. We sat down on the benches and ate our sandwiches, talked and rested and then got up and walked again! I did get lots of pictures and we saw a Dogwood tree that was 100 years old. It was blooming and very tall and beautiful!

While I was gone, dad fixed a perch for Gert that is close to the floor of his container. He had rather perch on something than sit flatfooted. I thought I was doing good by trying to get him out, but he tries of fly or something, maybe he's just loosing his balance, but Dr. Jan said to keep him quiet so his leg can heal. Six weeks of this and Gert and I both will be batty!

I getting where I don't want to make cards anymore. I don't think I want to quit but I don't feel very creative. I'm getting down on myself.

Gert Is Home

I left the house about 2:00PM to go get Gert. His left leg was fractured. It'll take a month to six weeks to heal. I got a large, 30" clear plastic container with a lid to put him in. He needs to be relatively still. If he was in his cage, he could climb and perhaps fall and injure his leg again, so that's why he's in the plastic container. Dad drilled lots of air holes in the top. Its 8:00 PM now and the other two birds are covered up and Gert has a dark blue sheet wrapped around his container. He had some pain medication, like birdie Advil. I'm to put it on something he will eat, like a piece of bread or some peanut butter, but he really likes the small, round Nutra Berries we give the birds as a treat so he'll get his "Advil" dropped on that.

Earlier this morning Pauline Falconbury and I went Visiting Teaching. We were scheduled to see two sisters, but then the other two called and said we could come by. So all we lack is one, Susan Harris. She was just added to our route and she works. Pauline said she could run over and see her. I didn't get any blessings for I was there in body only. It was like I had just gotten up and hadn't had time to wake up before I was going fast-like-a-train! I got home about 12:30 PM and after I fed dad, I was off again to go get Gert.

Tomorrow Karen and I are going to the Botanical Gardens. I e-mailed her that I had to get dad's prescriptions and be home in time to get them filled. I asked her if she wanted to go on another day but she wrote back no, we were real women and we could do it all! She's coming over at 9:00 AM and I'll drive while she sleeps (so she said)! Hobby Lobby is having a 40% off sale so we'll have to stop by there. I have no idea what I'll buy, maybe some pens. It's hard not to buy something when there's a sale and you're going to be in H'ville anyway.....It's a sickness, I believe. I was getting down on my style of card making, and I was afraid I was loosing interest. But I still want to make cards, I just need some new ideas. Mary Rager, my Stampin' Up demonstrator, sent me a card using some of the same stamps I have, to give me some ideas. Plus she sent me a small catalog. If you buy one of a set of preselected stamp sets, you get a jumbo wheel that coordinates with the stamp set, free. I was thinking about getting a wheel, so I guess this will be the time.

Dad is working on his laptop. I asked him if he was glad he got it and he said yes. He is such a good person-kind and thoughtful and I glad to have his as my eternal companion.

Monday, Monday

I left at 9:30 AM to take Gert to Hartselle to the vet. I got there and explained what happened to him and asked that he be put into an incubator. Warmth helps birds get better. It's 7:15 PM now and we haven't heard from Dr. Jan. If Gert is in an incubator, he'll be okay.

I covered up the flowers again tonight. I hope the sheet protects the plants. I'll be glad when the chance of frost is gone. Tomorrow Pauline and I will go Visiting Teaching. We'll get to see Jan Laytham and Rachel Bathauer. Then we'll have three more to see.

Sunday All day

I had already had post named "Sunday" so I changed it to be different! Yes, it's been Sunday all day. I wore my new skirt today. The one I had to take up the waist band on and is ankle length and has a "swishy" feel. It was cool enough for a sweater so I didn't wear my new sandals. It's funny-there are more women and girls that go bare legged to church. It was custom to always wear stockings on Sunday. In the summer, I'll wear sandals and bare feet and legs. My dresses are usually long enough so not much bare leg is showing and I have some spray-on makeup I use to hide the spider veins in my legs. It was also custom to wear high heels to church, but when I got arthritis in my ankle, I couldn't wear heels so had to wear flat shoes. It seems that after I started to wear flats, more women started to wear them too. Maybe I'm flattering myself to think I started something! Ho-ho!

Last night I covered my new flowers with a sheet because it was going to be cold. Tonight they are covered too. I'll keep covering them until the weather radio says the weather will be warm enough in the wee hours of the morning so there'll be no danger of frost. It was hard to plant the little flowers. I don't want them harmed!

Sat., my bird Gert took a shower with me. After I dried him off with the hair dryer, I took him back to his cage. He was eager to get back to his cage and he fell off my finger and onto the floor. I didn't think too much about it because he seemed alright. Tonight (Sun) I noticed him limping when I got him out of his cage. He was definitely favoring his left foot or leg. I guess I'll take him to Hartselle to the vet. I hope he only bruised his foot or leg and didn't break it. Poor Gertie. I should have watched him better.

Wal-Mart Again!

I was up early and out the door this morning going to Wal-Mart. I needed to take back my sandals and get 1/2 size larger. I found the right size. I also got some exercise shorts and a top and a pair on short pants. I think I have enough clothes now for a while. After lunch, I took a little nap. Getting up really early takes some energy. I awoke to a noise that a large air plane flying over only to realize it was a lawnmower when the noise came back again! I got up and moved the truck so he could mow the grass under it. He usually mows down my small monkey grass, but this time, they survived. I'll get out and clean up around them so it will look like there's a plant there.

There's supposed to be a freeze Sun. night and I have some flowers I'll have to cover. I got them on sale because some cold weather had gotten them and I would hate to loose them now because they are blooming. I'll take a sheet out and crumple it over the flowers and hope for the best!

Wal-Mart Day

Got up bright and early and got to the bank by 9:00 AM. If I wait until after lunch to go to the bank on a Friday, there's a long line. After the bank, I went to Wal-Mart. I was shopping for dried foods, like bean and rice. I got enough beans that the lady behind me in line thought I was going to have a bean day! I also got several packages of brown rice. Of course, I had to look at the clothes and shoes. I bought three more pull overs for a total of five. Since I'm larger this year, last years pull overs are a bit tight. The shoes need to be a 1/2 size larger. I also got a skirt that is reversible. I didn't try it on, it was my size so I put it in the basket. They are making a "relaxed" size now and when I got home and tried the skirt on, the waist was too large. I loved the skirt so much that I'll just take it in. It's ankle length (on me) and the material feels so good and swishy! Karen is going to take the pull overs up about 4" so they don't make me look so dumpy.

The storms we were supposed to have lost their steam before they got to us so all we got was rain. One reason I got to town so early was that it was going to rain in the afternoon. It did, so I was glad I was through shopping.

Karen printed off a copy of the downstairs inventory she had done for me. Now, I can see just what I need to be buying in the way of storage. She's going to e-mail dad a copy of the program for our computers.

Empty

I went to Wal-Mart to get some weed killer. I'm going to spray the weeds in my flower patch and kill them. I don't have the stamina to get out and hoe them to death, so I'll drench them! It was too windy to do it today and it is supposed to storm tonight so maybe in a day or two I'll get to do it. Then I'll have to go to Lowe's and get some flowers to plant.

Trudy, I had a clerk help me look at the new, larger Cricket, and she couldn't find where it said it had two cartridges. It must because it is a larger size and the cost is on up there. It might be easier for you to order it, I don't know. They had some cartridges on sale for this week-end. It surely is a whopper of a machine. You might have to add on to your scrapping closet!

Dad's busy getting the taxes ready to send in. He hasn't had time to get his ham radio programed. Had to stop to do the taxes. I've felt great today.

Good Mental Health

I went to exercise class today. There weren't as many people there as were on Mondays. It was pretty fast paced for an old people's class (!) but I felt good after it was over.

Karen and I got together at 1:00PM and we went to Rogersville to run some errands. After we were through, we went back to her house and just sat and talked and laughed and had a great time. It felt good to laugh and feel good! After the bad time I had on the week-end, I was ready for some relief. I didn't want another day of self-medicating and waiting to feel better.

Trudy was looking for a larger Cricket and our Wal-Mart had two large machines but I didn't know what to look for, so I didn't get anything for her. Don't have much to say, just that it was good to feel good again!

What A Mother Wants

Trudy is counting down the days until she retires from teaching. She's getting happier day by day. George is going to a school to learn how to operate a crane, so his work is going well. The children are doing well...just being children...trying their parents patience but loving them all the time. It's hard to become your own person; to find out who you really are.

Mary Kate and Richard are getting ready to add on to their home. Mary Kate is busy with pre-school, Seminary, gym, being a mother. All is well. Richard, or Branch President Villamor, is taking good care of his flock and all is well again.

Frankie is keeping his job in management. He's not in the classroom but he's doing a good job where he is and his bosses are very pleased with what he's done. Rachel is busy taking care of 4 children and a husband. Luke is in an honors class. Kayla is impressing the teachers and kids alike. She is singing in an honors choir plus she takes piano at her dad's music studio and is doing well (she takes lessons from her father, and since it's not at home, she's learning. You know how it is when your parents try to tell you something...what do they know?!). Mariam is a cute, sweet 5 year old and Josh is going at the same non-stop speed a little boy likes.

There are problems in every one's lives but on the whole, I'm very proud of how my children have turned out.

Another Monday

I realized why I had such a bad week-end. Last Thursday., I had forgotten to take my medicine and it showed up Sat. and Sun. In fact I felt bad today and while I was getting the weeks meds ready, I took an extra dose. It worked and I have felt better. I have changed my routine a bit and forget to take the medicine at the right time. Now, I'm putting a sign in the kitchen and bathrooms to remind me if I've taken the meds. It's somewhat scary what happens if I don't get it on time.

Went to exercise class today. It was okay. I could tell I needed it. Tomorrow, I'm going to call the hospital and get an appointment with the dietitian to talk about the correct diet I need to be on. I've forgotten how to cook since all we eat is beans!

Had a nail come off today so went back into town to get my nails done. I had gone to Wal-Mart earlier in the day. I got a couple of pull overs and a couple of pair of shorts. I'm taking one pair of shorts back. I thought it was my right size but they are a bit too big. I need to shop at Goodies for a while. Maybe I'll find something that fits right. I do want to loose 5 lbs., so maybe I should wait to see if I can before I buy anymore.

It got up to 75 degrees today. The grass (or weeds) need cutting. I have weeds where I want flowers to be. The wasps are flying around looking for a home and I ran into a spider web when I walked out to get the mail!

Conference Week-end

This has been a great Conference! I have cried my eyes out all week-end. Hopefully, it's been spiritual tears!

I feed Danny Boy and the two cats for the last time today. I'm glad it's over. I'm glad I could help Maryleen out so she could go see her daughter out west.

I made one card today. It was in spring-like colors.

I've been so unhappy today. I don't know what I want to do. There must be more in life than staying home and doing nothing. I'd like to get my knee replaced, but I know it will be painful and I don't want to face that. You have to go through the bad to get to the good. It might be that I need to be doing genealogy but I don't want to. I would have to go back to the Windows computer and I hate it! Am I being like Jonah! Good thing we're not close to any water. I must be having a giant pity party. If that's true, good-by.

Good Day For A Saturday

It stopped raining this morning, so I didn't have to swim to feed the horse and cats. Got back home in time to watch the first session of conference. I got more out of the 2nd session. I thought it was Sunday already I had such a spiritual feeling!

I've make 6-8 more Christmas cards. I need to get more plastic shoe boxes to hold all my stash. Yes, Trudy, I'm using my Crop-A Dile. It's easy. I can show you how to do it (me showing you for a change!). I made some pretty blue Christmas cards that were plain on the outside, so I've been putting eyelets on them. I think that's what they are called. I had a Stampin' Up card party for today but it was canceled due to a death in one of the ladies' family. That was good not to have the party, because then I could stay home and watch conference. Dad taped it so I would have watched it anyway.

Our grass is getting long (actually it's probably all weeds, but they are green and they look like grass). Dad says he's watching it (that's how we get our kicks, watching the grass grow!). I'll be glad when it dries out so I can go scratch around in the yard some.

Mary Kate talked me out of going on the Kay Sheppard diet again. She suggested talking to a dietitian at the Wellness Ctr. about what I should be eating. I have no structure in my food life. The only thing I like to eat begins with an S and has eets in between! I called the Wellness Ctr. today and asked about talking to someone and the girl said any one of the trainers in the main place could help me. So, Mon., after Silver Sneakers, I'll go find someone who will talk with me. Watch out world, here I come!

Buckets Of Rain

I knew a storm was coming this morning so I went down and fed the animals before it came. And it did come! Nothing was damaged here but things were blown around in other areas of the valley. It's been raining hard all day. I went into town to the Post Office to mail a couple of packages and then on the way home I stopped to feed the animals. The road to the barn was almost a river. In the barn, the rain sounded even louder! On the way home from the barn, I had to stop and get the garbage can out of the ditch, all this time the rain was still coming down. Finally I got into the house, I felt like an old wet hen.

Yesterday afternoon, Karen came by and got me and we met Bro. Merrell and Bro. Mitchell at the church and we drove to the temple. At first, I had forgotten that it was temple day. Karen called and she was wishy-washy about going so I said,"Let's go!" and we did and had a marvelous time. I had found 5 cards that needed sealing to parents on them and got them done, thanks to Bros. Merrill and Mitchell. Got home at 11:30 PM. Slept 'til 12:00 noon. Hated to get out in the rain but had to do something worthwhile today.

I finally got the big book from the University of Alabama I had ordered. I found my name and my brothers name in it but none of my ancestors names in it. When I ordered it, I thought it went back to 1925 at least. I was stupid to order it. That's my one mistake I can make this year! One big crimson mistake!

Whew!

I had to go feed Maryleen"s horse and cats this morning, and them at 9:00 AM I was off to Wat-Mart to get some groceries. Then, I came home and in an hour, dad and I were off to Madison to see Dr. Morgan. I sat in the waiting room for more than an hour and then we had to go downstairs for a lab visit. After that, we almost drove into H'ville to this place called MegaBits. He got a replacement ham radio. His old one is not good and he participates in a MARA net talk each Sun. where several men get on their ham radios and talk. He got a good one that will last forever.

Brenda Adams requested a birthday card for her grandson, Dage, who is turning 12 yrs. old tomorrow. I had already made several children's b'day cards, so I just personalized it by putting, "to Dage" on the inside under Happy Birthday. Brenda said she liked it. I told her to give me a list of her birthday people and I can customize the cards. We can never repay all the work they are doing in our woods so I like to help out with the card, especially since she likes them!

I didn't go to the exercise class this morning because I had too many other things to do. I know I've walked a mile today. I sure feel like it.

Frozen Roast

I didn't throw the roast I cooked yesterday away, even though dad won't eat any of it. I put it in the freezer for when one of the kids come over! Around 4:00 PM, I got hungry but I was making cards so I didn't go get something to eat. At 5:00 PM, I was really hungry! I had cooked some brown rice in the rice cooker and I remembered how flavorful the roast was , so I got it out of the freezer and nuked it until I could scrape enough off to go on top of my rice. It was good and I woofed it down. Dad had rice, beans, and a little corn.

I took 3/4 lb. of margarine and a big container of Spring salad greens to my neighbor, Brenda. I had bought the greens at Sam's but didn't realize the container would feed about 50, so after two salads, I knew I needed to give them away before they went bad. I took two cards I had made today too. One card had "smile" or "hello" on the outside and the other one just had flowers on the front and was blank on the inside. I asked Brenda which one she liked best and she said she liked a saying on the front. Now I'll know what to fix for her. Kathy said she liked the blank ones so she could put her own verse or saying in it. I'm about ready to start making Christmas cards again.

While I was at Brenda's house, she asked me if I would like some of her homemade candy as she put a covered metal container near me. As I was about to get some candy, she flipped the lid off the container and a black rat jumped up! Not a real rat, just a plastic one, but I think I jumped! She said her cousin Nancy was afraid of rats and they were going to be at a family gathering tonight, and she was going to offer Nancy some of her homemade "candy"! I can almost hear Nancy scream now! I once put a grey plastic rat in the jar of peanut butter to "get" my husband. He opened the jar and there was a rat staring him in the face! Ha-Ha! I really got him then! He doesn't like me to have any plastic bugs, snakes or mice because he knows I'll try to "get" him, and I will!