I See Dead People ...

I have been going through the few photographs I have, in an attempt to make a family representation for those coming behind me. I have 23 actual photographs, thanks to my cousins Janet and Suzie. Many of the pictures I have are shots of photographs that I took on a trip to Minnesota about 7, maybe 8 years ago. I took the shots in a hurry, as there were so many of them and so little time to do it. In my hurry, they didn't all turn out as well as I hoped. The photographs were at another cousin's home.

I've tried to take pictures of the actual, physical photographs that I have. (Like the one of my mom and dad in the lower left hand of the collage.) About the only way I can get a better shot (if at all) is to buy a copy stand for my camera. After pricing them, I have decided a slightly imperfect copy will have to do. After all, the shots that I took of my cousin's aren't all that bad.

While putting the collage together, I realized that in the upper left picture, only 5 of the youngsters are still alive - I guess. On the right hand side, in the middle, I believe the youngest of the little boys are still around - I would hope, but maybe not. As a child, I knew most of these people. My children really don't have a clue who they are. Oh, I'm sure they can point out a few, but they never really met very many, and my youngest none at all.

Am I wasting my time trying to save these for them? 

Beauty Parlor

Jill 042716

Jill is one tired girl tonight. Yesterday, DH drove her down to Pet Smart  for a shampoo and pedicure, but they returned unwashed and sharp footed. They were too late in the line up. Seldom going anywhere besides the vet, it was an adventure for her. 

This morning, DH took her again. He says she was extremely timid about the whole ordeal. He brought her back, smelling good and tapping less. She wore a watermelon print bandana and was happy to be home. Long story, she is one tired, slightly traumatized girl. 

Less words for Wednesday

Mom and Dad

I remember when they looked like this, before rheumatoid arthritis crippled my dad and my mother still 'cut up' with us kids. She would take a bath every afternoon, after cooking and cleaning all day, and get dolled up - just waiting for my dad to come home for supper.

Good-bye Moon

Alright, I concede. I have a face, one that will change on a whim, but a face, nonetheless. Jill and I had a 'Photo' session one day - back in November of 2010. I tried my best to get her to acknowledge the dog on the computer screen, but she was having none of it. After about an hour of 'Look at the dog,' she leaned her head on me as if to say, "I love you, Mommy, but I'm so tired of this game."

Jill 101110

 Well, anyway, I have a face of sorts. I hope everybody is happy that I have conformed to the 'Norm.'

On a lighter note: We are still being bothered by Mice. Yesterday, I watched this cheeky little thing running around in the kitchen and living room. (I still think they are cute) This morning, Jill caught one - didn't kill it, because as soon as DH asked her what she had she was worried that she had done something wrong and dropped it. We have been praising her with 'Good Girl' since. I hope she will continue - I know she kills outside, so maybe ...

Busy, Busy, Busy

 Dear Friends,
It has been a busy week here. I must admit I will be glad when DH gets another job. He does get antsy sometimes.
I finished Tidewater and enjoyed reading it. I guess it is supposed to be as close as a person can get to the whats and whyfors, but I wished for a better ending. Very realistic as near as I can tell. It was rated 4.5 stars and I agree. Not quite a 5 but better than a 4.

 Picture of "Brad" taken through the dirty, webby window in a hurry this morning. DH decided to take the Dodge to a car show first thing this morning. Only those who have seen the insurance commercial will understand the name.

Men and cars! DH and J decided to go check out this 1963 Mercury Comet as long as J was here to drive ours home. I will admit it looks pretty good, but Gee Whiz. I have been pleading with him to get rid of the other red car. This is all getting to be a bit MUCH!
 

J found a jardiniere on Mad Men and decided it looked like mine. I had to email him this picture for him to compare. I think mine is much prettier than the one he saw in the show. (Even with the dust and cobwebs) The one he showed me had a pedestal base, I have no idea if there ever was one for this one. (Long before I was born, probably before my dad was born.)

My little netbook arrived. For some reason, I cannot shut off the touch pad for the cursor. J says I should put electrical tape over it.  There is nothing in the files on disabling it, so maybe I can't. I prefer a regular wireless mouse. I cannot control the cursor with those stupid pads, I shake too much. The slightest wrong move on my part and the words start wherever ...

While going through my stuff yesterday, I found (again) some pictures that I need to scan and email to some family members. I don't know if I want to try out that scanning mouse or not, not until I can have absolute quiet to concentrate on the instructions.

Have a great weekend!

Dead Zone

DH is busy with J today - they are picking up his Mini after repair of a recall. They had to go almost to Nashville. I took the time of 'no interruptions' to begin sorting books, computer accessory stuff, and old mail - in my womb. I ended up with 2 full boxes of garbage, 2 boxes of books, and 1 box with a brand new, never tried, scanning mouse and pad. (?) Hmm ...

I still have time to watch at least one episode of Dead Zone. The youngest lent me his copies of all 5 years before he went to CA. I am on year 2. Nice to watch w/no commercials. My new TV has a player built in. Very handy!

Have a great weekend!

 

Personal Relationship

I wasn't going to do this, but it has been a few really nuttso days, trying to get this afloat. I believe there were over a dozen emails between me and the support team at the Book Patch. After an 'Internal Error' and having to start the process all over in the middle of the night, I managed to get it in there. I put the little 'Buy it Now' button on my page and checked it out. Worked fine. The next day, I went to the site itself to check out how it looked with the two other books I have. I couldn't find it. Then I had the bright idea to put in my (gasp) name. Low and behold, there it was, all by itself with my name.

My mind went a little blurry. Why would I bother using the S. J. if I was going to tell the world my name was Sharon? After emails and changing my name on my account to S. J. I was told, "All better now." Now, if by some extremely odd quirk of fate, I was ever sent a royalty check - will I be able to CASH it? I feel like I know this person that I am emailing and figure he/she must sigh every time they see my email address. All fixed? Yeah, I think so, after this afternoon when I did a search on the bookstore site and couldn't find my book by the book name, my name, or even the name that should have been up there. My helpful helper had entered S J without the periods and has included them now.

Now, I am not saying the company is a bad one - I may have done something in the midnight hours when I first tried to make it and it had a domino effect. They are always courteous and helpful and I will use them again. I liked that I could offer pdfs and believe me, I can't figure out mobi or epub - it was an option I could handle. 

Have a nice evening/morning whatever. Now, I get to clean up the deceased baby spiders on the ceiling. Have a good one!

For Wordless Wednesday

My ceiling - with zoom

Monday Babbling

The goldfinch are back. I checked last year's pictures and it was about time. Not going to make myself nuts, trying to get perfect shots. There were a bunch of them in the bones of the old fig and I decided they were pretty and you would believe me - I didn't have to have proof, one's good.

Monday, garbage day, DH had a bunch to gather today. I wish I had the energy to clean like a Tasmanian Devil in my womb - the spirit is willing, but ...The fountain is going, hopefully. I guess a really heavy squirrel or something made it fall over and it broke.

I was reading some post for writer's on Facebook - we (writers) need to make our face known. Yeah, my face is wrinkled, my brows are bushy, my neck ...Well, you get the idea. I've liked using the moon - it's almost a trademark for me. My face? I don't want to give anyone nightmares or turn them off. The picture of me on my books is 2 1/2 years old, it's awful, and now I look a lot worse. (I'm good for Halloween) Need I really subject people to what I look like now? Or should I do an Ann Landers  and show a photo of me 30 years ago? (Isn't she dead?)

Old Photo, Blech!

I'm reading another one of my old books. I barely remember it, although it's only 1 1/2 years old. I am surprised that it looks professionally written. Hmm, maybe I'm not as lousy as I thought. I'm going to change the few little problems and resubmit it to the book patch. (problems such as - ma'am instead of Ma'am, and getting rid of ; in the middle of dialog, I didn't know you weren't supposed to use them - at the time - I guess some things that I learn, do stick to me.) 

We are in for another beautiful day. Yesterday was fantastic. DH took his motorcycle for a ride - it doesn't get out much - first time this year. Well, anyway, it will be another good day to open the windows and add pollen to the dust in the air. ;-)

I went shopping (online) yesterday. DH bought himself a nice bed in a bag when he went shopping. He offered to go pick one out for me. I told him thanks but no thanks. So - I sat looking in the various sites and maybe I found one. Read the particulars and it only came in a twin size. I knew I should have bought the one on Craig's List when I bought the bed! DH discouraged me. I've looked at comforters, spreads, quilts and even blankets. You may think me overly picky, BUT I know it will be the last I buy for the bed and I want to really like it. I have been stuck with the one I've got for nearly 20 years, so I know. Yeah, I know that I could buy a new one every year, but that's not the nature of the beast.

All for now, I need to get this posted and get dressed for the day! ;-)

Have a great day/night/whatever!

The Gamble

The circulation in my legs and feet has been a problem for quite some time. I noticed that when I began reading so much this winter, I was so much better. I was reading in/on my bed.

I also noticed while I put my latest book together and spent days in my office chair - the old problem was coming back. I had suspected it before, now I was fairly certain. Something about sitting in that chair was putting pressure on some vein and causing the problem.

Last night, I took a gamble. I ordered an old (gasp), used, little bitty (to me) netbook. I figured I could keep it by my bed and write (or whatever) in my bed with my legs stretched out straight. I don't know if it will make me crazy, being so small, but it only weighs about 3# and supposedly the battery (or the new one I buy for it) is supposed to last for 9 hours. I am really not into the thought of lugging this Dell around, even if it is only a matter of a few feet.

The best part of it - is that it has WinXP or Win7 on it! Is supposed to come with Win 7, but there again - being used ... I can write to my heart's content and transfer my files to the Dell. (In a perfect world) There I go - planning again.

No, not wood.

Sparrow showing off the new feeder.

I drew a feeder for DH, but guess he didn't feel like making one. He bought this yesterday, put it out (yes, I know it's crooked) and within 10 minutes the birds were all over it. (Mostly cow birds at the time) The feeder has space for suet cakes on either end - DH couldn't find any. 

He pulled out the crooked hook and put this single one closer to my window. We, the birds and I, like this better. :-)

Enjoy the weekend ahead!

NOT Wordless Wednesday here!

My morning was filled with angst - not mine - all DH. He still hadn't gotten his unemployment. He kept getting these letters from TN office stating how much he owed KY and they were taking his money and sending it to them. We're thinking ????? Nearly two years ago, KY gave DH an extension and after a good while, they said "Our bad, you have to give it back." So they got paid - Wish I could find the receipt for it. They said he couldn't get for a year. Again ????? So, he filed late this fall with TN, as he hadn't worked in KY. No check ????? Let the games begin! For some reason he has received two checks all told. Letters keep coming from TN saying he still owed KY. Now he was getting really BLEEPED. He talked to KY and they sent him a letter stating he didn't owe anything. A few days later TN sends another letter contending he will not get any unemployment until he pays $870! ????? He has been on the phone, hanging over my shoulder instructing me on emails, and had me worried he would go postal over all this. He even faxed a copy of KY's letter up to TN office.

Finally, it is resolved ????? TN is going to send him a couple of checks. There was some problem about his bankruptcy -  ????? (He never in his life had one) and then there was a problem that somehow his last name was spelled with XXXX on the end. They pulled his debit card for benefits and we were told he could get direct deposit for his unemployment. Went to the site to change it and we got The name and social security number do not match. I tried it 3 times. Back to the phone, they must know our number on sight by now. The woman said to try again tomorrow to change it. I told DH that I wanted Chinese for supper and nothing more about unemployment!

Meanwhile I am trying to make a cover for my second Dusty Trunk and coming up empty. I thought I would list The Pear Tree pdf for sale on the BP site. so I did that, trying to mellow out a bit. The cover can wait for tomorrow, right? I noticed that The Pear Tree was still listed on a google search. Curious, I did a regular search and found this:

 What? Is this a scam or what? Bleep! I didn't investigate much, but they had other books from other folks there. I was afraid of some nasty virus or something. I hope they are shut down. If this is/was truly a site, they should be bleeped and then bleeped some more! No wonder I never had any sales! I am never giving any of my stuff away again! I love to write but it is bleep hard work! I hope I can sleep tonight, but this puppy is so wired up now - I doubt it.

If I was a drinker - I would be passed out on the floor by now or at least mellowed out and not giving a bleep! Snot running and not caring.

So - you think I just lay around all day, being waited on and reading, HAH! I usually don't bleat it out all the time. Tonight, I can't be a nice, little, old, gray haired lady. Enjoy your day/night. I plan on taking one of my Xanax and let the world go by tomorrow.

Almost finished!

What a day, night, you name it. I am one whipped puppy. I dug out my old (and one new) short stories and compiled The Storyteller's Dusty Trunk II. I imagine a lot of you have seen some of them and would remember them - like my Halloween stories. The shortest is my one page wonder, My Sailor which is a page and a half in pdf book size. The longest is not even 5K words. I'm (dare I say the words?) planning to republish my first dusty trunk. The thing is, I can sell the pdfs on the website IF I have the books there. I'm hoping to make enough to pay for the copyrights. I'll see.

I still have to make the cover, that's worse than anything for me. Even though I am an old lady, I am still a novice writer. I did clean up Back to the Land and put in a couple pictures. I have been at it for some time. I just want to see my work in print, on my shelf, my 'mark' on the world. I was here - you know? Pitiful, I know. I may be pipe dreaming, who knows? I should go to bed. It's late.

Summer '83

 

It's Alive!

You have to look closely, but some new leaves are almost hidden among the dead branches of Sparrow Hall. I think I see other signs of life springing up from the basement. Everything out there looks pathetic, but I will wait a bit before I get real excited. Those suckers may not be worth anything.

The bird feeder has bitten the dust - or at least the hanger has. The whole thing is trying to fall apart though and I question putting out good money for something that is only good for a year. Think I will have DH make a simple one out of scrap to hang off the hook and forget about 'Cute'

Still plagued by my allergies - ahh, spring!

Burned Food and Bang Up Job

I don't know how you are, but when I don't feel well, I want comfort food. My mouth was craving a tender beef roast, smothered in lovely gravy with browned carrots, potatoes and onions on the side. Doesn't that just scream, "Eat Me?"

First of all, I took this beautiful hunk of beef (that should feed six) and began to brown it before putting it into the crock pot. After searching my entire kitchen and coming up empty - I called DH asking where the bleep my crock pot was. He had no clue. I would have to make it in my new, stainless dutch oven. I should have quit there. I looked for the vegetables - DH had purchased a total of six, flimsy, anemic looking carrots. There was also a small bag of four - yes - 4 - smaller than medium sized potatoes. (The kind with eyes that have to be dug out) The large onion was almost soft, just on the verge of being ready to rot. DH's ears should have been burning from all the unkind thoughts I was having. My thoughts of leftover veggies to add to the left over meat to make a lovely roast beef hash had left the building. I eyed the contents of the pot, gauged how much water it should need then turned it on low.

45 minutes later, I had a stinking, burned pot - it had gone dry! It shouldn't have. I bought that particular pan because it was supposed to be like the old waterless cookwear. I managed to salvage the little vegetables. The roast, however, was still bleeding (NOT juices) and I had to finish cooking it. I figured I could finish off the cooking. I stupidly cleaned the pan and started over. Wrong. I burned it yet again. My lovely roast had shrunk to half the size and it stuck to the pan. It was actually nice and tender - what was left after the burned part stuck to the pan. The onion slices were the only thing perfectly cooked.

I shouldn't be allowed in the kitchen anymore, period.

I was all set to give DH a 'talking to' when he came home, about the whereabouts of my crock pot and the small amount of veggies he had purchased. I couldn't do it. He limped into the house, pants torn and wincing when the dogs went to tell him 'Hello.' Seems he stumbled whilst trying to avoid metal debris on the stairs that shouldn't have been there. He landed at the bottom of the stairs. His left knee is swollen and sore. His right shin is skinned  and there is a dandy little chunk of flesh missing. I really couldn't say anything, except that I was sorry about the supper.

One never knows what goes on in others lives, you know?

Wednesday

Shades of green

That time of year

My allergies and arthritis have me in a knot.

My sinus and nostrils - running snot.

I'm hurtin' all over

In this bloomin' clover.

 Don't say you're sorry ...

It's not your fault!

Okay, that last bit didn't rhyme, you want Humpty Dumpty? No can do. If any have tried warm wax treatment and it worked - let me know, it's the only thing I can think of that I haven't tried. Thanx!