QOTW 9/30

Do you lie about your age?

Well, that's a big fat YES.

:-D

It's rare that anyone asks.

I think I've helped make that happen. LOL

"You got your hairs cut Ms. Mel!"

Uh huh......I did. Too short, in my not so humble opinion, but there you have it--cut hairs!

"You don't like it?"

Absolutely not, but let's remember--it's just hair. Though....I did lie to the gal who cut it--which I've confessed to.

"Well, short hair looks nice on older women. Ummm...you lied?"

*raising eyebrows* Older than what?

*panicked looking child* "Older......ummm.....older than....older than..... Ummmmm...you lied?"

Dirt, perhaps?

"Ummmm.....Older than me! Older than me!"

Good save, child. Good save. *sticks out coffee cup*

"You want for me to take that to the kitchen?"

Nah. I'm giving you the vehicle for redemption. Fill 'er up! LOL And no, lying isn't exactly one of the principles I try to live by.

"Are you in trouble?"

Coffee? *waving empty cup* Hello?! Hello??? Coffee???!!

Darn kids..........

Pfffffffffffffffftttttttt!

Accepting full responsibility for our actions is one of the requirements of maturity.

Not always the easiest thing to do, but necessary to our further development.

An unexpected benefit of accepting our responsibility is that it heightens our awareness of personal power.

Our well being is within our power.

Happiness is within our power.

Our attitude about any condition, present or future, is within our power, if we take it.

Maturity?
Maturity?!

*shaking head*

Oh no...I am NOT growing up and you can't make me.

Wait. Lemme practice:
I didn't do it.

It's not my fault.

I didn't MEAN to do it.

He poked me first! Make him quit!

Whatcha talkin' about--I haven't seen your cuppa coffee. *batting eyes innocently*

Maturity?!
*putting fingers in ears*

Lalalalalalalalalalalala.......

:-P Pfffffffffffffttttttttttttttt!

Ah, fall!

*snickering*

Oh c'mon....how could we not go leaf watching?!

Close....but not quite there.

But we can see the 'nake hole.

There's a giant 'nake that lives in there and he sneaks out at night and eats cows!

*nodding*

THAT'S why there's so many cows around, dontchaknow.

Evil, mean 'nake!
k.......I mighta made that up. ;-)

Breakfast out with himself.

(yeah, yeah....two eggs over easy, hashbrowns with onions and wheat toast....*chuckling* Consistency is a good thing!)

A walk in the park......it echos real pretty when you yell 'LEAF!'.

AND we went to the pumpkin patch! :-)

It was a VERY good day!

Pretties at the pumpkin patch.....

And other assorted 'stuff'......

When all else fails....call 'em as you see 'em.
Gotta love red warty things. LOL
I'm sure that's their proper name.
I mean, c'mon...what else are ya gonna call 'em?

I found a place for some of the gourdy guys and the poor little pumpkin that nobody wanted.......'cept me.

Himself says it's hard to tell if anyone 'wouldn't want him' when it's still September and NOone's been out to purchase their pumpkins yet.

HA.

If NOone was out purchasing pumpkins in September whaddaya call US?

ummmm.....don't answer that!


And 121 trick or treat bags, ready to go!

Wooooohooooooo! We're half way done. :-)



Secretly I know ya'll are impressed.

LEAF!!!!!!

Leaf!!

Leaf!

Leaf, leaf, LEAF!!!

*pause*

Leaf!
Leaf, leaf, leaf, leaf, LEAF!

*pause*
LeafleafleafleafleafLEAFleafleafLEAF!

:-)

The leafs are falling, the leafs are falling!
Himself is missin' it cuz he's tucked all snuggly under the doona.

Leaf!
Leaf, leaf, leaf!
LEAFleafleafleafleaf, LEAF!


No worries. Since I know he wouldn't wanna miss it, I'm announcing their fall....
Awwwwwww......what a kind thing.
I know he's laying there, appreciating it a thousand fold.


LEAFleafleafleafLEAF!
LEAF!!!

:-)

TFTD

"That's what happens when you're angry at people. You make them part of your life."

For the good or not so good--true!

Chasing the storm

Day after day I'm graced to get opportunities to make a difference in the life of a child.

I know it's a privilege, I know it's not to be taken lightly.

I know their horrors.

I know their fears.

I know the tip of their iceberg traumas, the pieces of the life they existed in that they feel safe enough to share.

I cannot lurk in the shadows and wait.

I chase the storms in them.

I ride their winds.

I celebrate their painful journeys as they arrive at the gate, entering or exiting.

Tears happen.

Joy happens.

Emptiness becomes filled.

The hole in my heart isn't a bad thing.

It leaves room for more.

TFTD

There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self. So you have to begin there, not outside, not on other people. That comes afterward, when you've worked on your own corner. --Aldous Huxley

Envision the shaking head and groan.......

Wisepersoninmylife's alltime favorite way to accentuate his point is to put his head on the table, shake it back and forth in disbelief--and groan or mutter.....that's generally his response after I've qualified myself for a 'gosh that was DUMB to let that come outta your mouth' moment. I have a few of those......still.
I ain't done growing!
(that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.....and yep.....I'm talking to myself...LOL)

And nope, I don't expect anyone with decent vision to go screwing with it trying to figure out exactly what's written in teeny print in the photo below.
It's purely a reminder to me about what I said and what I need to take a good hard look at.

Sometimes I just need the record so I'm accountable.
How sad but true is that?!

I'd so love to escape being accountable and responsible, sometimes........

OH wait....I DO escape that!
Every time I do a sneak attack to steal the bestest pieces of popcorn from the bowl and run off laughing and going "WAHHHHHRRRRR"! ;-)

Remember to do this one, yadork.
(remember my arse! LOL Start doing it tonight? Sheeeshh!)

Talk's cheap, remember?!

(And yep......this one's just gonna make sense to YOU, Mel.......)

Translator, please!

"Cor' Blimey......talk about flash to bang time."

I think I have a bit of a clue....just a bit mind you.
And HE says he talks English?!

*shaking head and chuckling*
I don't THINK so....LOL

It was a tough choice....

....but Mr. Jack is the choice for this morning's coffee.

Ummm.....

He's new. Cuz I needed a new cup dontchaknow....
:-D

Excuse me Big Guy.....CA125's

.......are suppose to go DOWN when you're doing chemo-therapy.
NOT UP.

I'm a bit 'disturbed' and you know that's never a good thing, interpersonally.
Yes, I've said prayers and included the "but you know what I WANT".

Do me a favor and rethink your position.
I know it's not about what Mel wants, but c'mon...we're talking four kids and a gal that's done a whole lot of service to others along the way. I don't think we're done with her yet, thankyouverymuch.

Yeah, yeah....I know there's purpose.
I'M SELFISH and I want MY WAY.
*sigh*

k.....fine........Thank you for taking such good care of her.
BUT YOU KNOW DARN WELL WHAT I WANT.
Please?

*sigh*
Amen.
I think......

QOTW 9/24

How many coffee cups do you have and which one is your favorite?

Busted. LOL

Right. *going to count*

Two in the sink. ACK. Himself made us coffee last night and neither one of us bothered to take care of that.
So that's two.

There's six hanging from the coffee tree.

There's one that's sitting, ready under the pod maker.

One that's waiting by the coffee press for himself when he gets around to stumbling outta bed, the poor tired fella..

There's nine travel mugs. Yes, nine.....I have NO clue how those accumlated.

And there's 27 in the cupboard.

There's 10 that match with the fancy china. Yes, we have fancy china--WHY we have fancy china is a mystery yet to be unraveled. That's not true. I know WHY we have it, I'm just not sure why we continue to have it.
And there's six that match the regular ol' eat and run stuff we actually use. (the place settings, not the cups...they're too dang small if you ask me.....)

Oh.....and a half a coffee cup holding pencils. LOL

Gosh...and that's not counting the ones that are boxed up for holiday season use....whatever season the holiday is. (yes, I have a cup for Valentine's day, St. Patty's Day and Thanksgiving etc...make that another--yikes, ten cups)

And I'm sure there are other random cups stuck in boxes for safe keeping in the storage room.

*chuckling* They don't count cuz they're outta sight and outta mind, dontchaknow.

Small wonder when I snatched up the Frankenstein cup himself told me "Oh yes, we definitely need another cup!" LOL

I refuse to do the math. LOL You can't make me....

My favorite cup?

The one holding this morning's coffee, of course! :-)

After the sun sets.....

The graveyard. See the green monstery feets walkin' across the graveyard?

*snickering*
They're just too cool!

The purple tree and ghosties! Yep--we're all lit up with purple lights this year.

Though we DO have some orange ones in the inside windows.... It's kinda cool lookin' out front, I must say.
Two ghosties looking boo-ishly cute.
We have happy ghosties. And we have happy Mel. LOL

The wreath with monster/haunted house/bat lights/webs and SPIDERS...mwaahahahahah...
Our changing colours pumpkiny guy in the window looking all that.

And the star of the show----STUDLEY!

I might add one of the gals up the street stopped by last evening with her grandson who was elated that Studley was out.

He's been visiting Studley for the past three years....AND he says we have the BESTEST Halloween decorations. :-)

He's almost seven but he has impecable taste! ;-)

If some is good....

MORE is better!
Right?
(this is where ya'll come back with a resounding YES!)
Studley looked kinda lonely so his buddies decided to 'hang out' with him.
And just for the record we got a: "SAINTS preserve me....it's that time of year when I have to walk on the other side of the street ALREADY?!"
*shrugs*
Sounds like a personal problem to me......

Woooohoooo and wooooohooooooo again!!!

Okay, okay.....so it's NOT actually Halloween.......yet......
Himself wasn't home today and I.........decorated.
Now, keep in mind that September 12th the green flag comes out and it's ready, set, GO on the Halloween 'stuff'.
*checking calendar*
I'm doing GOOD!
Ten days later and I've got a huge chunk of the decorating done.
The inside's good!
The outsides......pretty good. LOL

Himself came home after five hours of outside decorating and made it all official!
Yep.......He tied the potato masher to the string attached to the windsock ghostie, pitched the masher over the limb of the tree out front and officially hung our ghostie. Wooooohoooooo!!!!!!!
(please be advised that this is the SOLE function of the potato masher....it's never touched a potato. LOL)

And I'm tired. OH BOY am I tired.
Crawling in and out, around and over....sheeeeeshhhh..... Somehow the 'less' that I did get put out, seems like a LOT.
k....it's cuz it IS a lot. LOL But nevermind...it's all good.
AND we bought candy like you wouldn't believe!
And TOYS!

I'd do a happy dance, but I think I'm too tired........

*doing happy dance*
NOPE...LOL
I still got it!

Wooooooohooooooo!!!
We have Halloween lights and pretties up!

Ghosties

No big surprises this year. A

Actually, there IS a surprise.
I've actually put out less this year. LOL

Yeah, yeah....it still took almost five hours to get this much done.
And I'm not convinced I'm done yet. :-)
It's early. And if some is good.....MORE is better!
Besides....is there any such thing as being "DONE" decorating for Halloween?! Nahhhhhhhhh......

Dum dee dummmmm...

Yeah, yeah...it's a bitty graveyard.
With monster feet!
They walk in the dark yaknow!

AND we have a new headstone this year.
A spidery one.
Go figure.....LOL

...and a few little extras.....

OH yeah.....the mummy guy. LOL Isn't he just too cute?
Annnnnnnnnd the wreath out back with spiders. :-)

Sick and wrong, I'm told. LOL *shrugs* I'd suggest those with spider phobias walk on the other side of the street.

Actually, folks with spider phobias DO walk on the other side of the street.....


And Studley is HAPPY!
This is his happy face.
You oughta seen him when he's miffed! ;-)

He's FREE!!
He's FREEEEE!!!!!!

Excuse me while I have a moment....

:-)

YIPPEE FOR FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!

Woooohooooooooo!!!!!!
*doing happy dance*



k......I'm done now. LOL

Brief reminders from the reading fairy

In the past, my reflex reaction was to try to manipulate the things and people around me into being more acceptable to me. Today, I realize that happiness can't be won that way.

One thing at a time.That's all we have to do. Not two things at once, but one thing done in peace.

And just for the record: My attitude is mine. I get to choose it. Not the circumstances around me, not the people that get placed in my path, today. There's a whole lot of power in the knowledge that you can say or do anything with me today and I STILL get to decide on my attitude.

G'head......just TRY to 'ruin my day'.....LOL Pfffffffffffffffffttttttt! :-P

The fairy invasion

What difference does it make how I am treated by life? My real life is within.--Angela L. Wozniak

It is said that we teach people how to treat us.
How we treat others invites similar treatment.
Our response to the external conditions of our lives can be greatly altered by our perceptions of those conditions.
And we have control of that perception.

No experience has to demoralize us.
Each situation can be appreciated for its long-term contribution to our growth as happy, secure people.

No outside circumstances will offer us full time and forever the security we all long for.
And in like manner, none will adversely interfere with our well being, except briefly and on occasion.
And now we have the awareness that our security, happiness, and well being reside within.

The uplifting moments of our lives may enhance our security, but they can't guarantee that it will last.
Only the relationship we have with ourselves and God within can promise the gift of security.

The ripples in my day are reminders to me to go within.

Ha ha. Very funny.

We're learning to let ourselves go!
We're learning to be spontaneous.

Spontaneity may frighten some of us.
We may be afraid of the loss of control involved with spontaneity.
We may still be operating under the 'rules' that prohibit spontaneity: be good; be right; be perfect; be strong; don't have fun; and always be in control.

We may associate spontaneity with acting out in a compulsive, self destructive, or irresponsible manner.

Positive spontaneity involves freely expressing who we are - in a way that is fun, healthy, doesn't hurt us, and doesn't infringe on the right of others.
We learn to be spontaneous and free as we grow in self-awareness and self esteem.
Spontaneity emerges as our confidence and trust in ourselves increase, and we become more secure in our ability to maintain healthy boundaries.

We need to be able to let go of our need to control others and ourselves and fully and freely enter into the present moment.

Let go of your tight rein on yourself.
So what if you make a mistake?
So what if you're wrong?
Relish your imperfections.
Let yourself be a little needy, a little vulnerable.
Take a risk!



Ohhhhhhhhh no. AIN'T happenin'.

You're NOT messing with my burnt hamburger!
*rolling eyes*

Confession...........

I went to lunch today with my leadership folks.

They're nice folks even if they DO think I'm a bit..........strange (musta been the pirate hat and the sword and all that 'arrrrrrrrrhhhh'-ing?).

One of them asked why I always order the same lunch.

Every week.

Same order.

Week after week after week.

*shrugs*

There's something weird about that apparently?

Right....well, I do and the waitress loves me. Not to mention they get the order right every time AND there's no waiting!

Hamburger, burnt --with lettuce, tomato and mayo.
And french fries.

Not very complicated. Not very fancy.

But yep..the same lunch. Week after week AFTER week.

I've noted that the world has a problem with the concept of consistency. :-D

The Brit has a slight problem with taking me out for breakfast--well, not with taking me OUT for breakfast, but that I (g'head and guess......yup.......) order the same thing week after week after week.

Two eggs over easy, hashbrowns with onions and wheat toast.

Week after week after week.

HE has a problem with consistency......apparently.

No, I don't eat the two eggs, ever.

And nope, I don't eat the french fries either.

Himself has encouraged me, harassed me and ultimately went for the experience of ordering something different FOR me.

One egg (since that's all I eat anyway).

I called the waitress back.

"Make that two eggs, over easy."

Oh c'mon...how wussy does "One egg, over easy" sound!
Very.
Even I recognize that!

Today the leadership folks attempted to get me to skip on the french fries that I don't eat even though I order them week after week after week.

After much harassment (apparently it bothers THEM more than it bothers me), I simply ordered my burnt hamburger with lettuce, mayo and tomato.

They were proud.

I put on my happy face and went about my business--after all, it's a 'work' lunch.

The waitress brought me my burnt hamburger with lettuce, tomato and mayo.

And she brought french fries.

BLESS her heart.

That burnt hamburger woulda looked REAL wussy on that plate all by its lonesome.

:-)

Alert the news media!!!!

Right.

Granola and yogurt.

I've decided these two things can go together.

This from the gal who props her plate up so her corn juices don't mingle with her potatoes. LOL

Yep.

Granola and yogurt.

IN the same dish.

Layer 'em even!

Toss in some fresh fruit of your choice--it even LOOKS pretty.

Yogurt, granola, fresh strawberries....more yogurt, more granola and more fresh strawberries.

It's pretty, it can touch AND it tastes good!

OMGosh!

:-O

Certainly this is NOT a sign of maturity?!

Wooohoooooooo! An alphabet game!

"players - you must list one fact, word or titbitwhich is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your name"
Then tag the same number of people as the letters you used.
(courtesy of ILTV....she's creative like that!)

Ready, set..........GO!


M= Mouthy

E= Extreme-ist

L= Liar, liar pants on fire

Okay, okay.....that was first shot, off the cuff....with very little thought or effort. (probably pretty honest, though....LOL)


M= Mastermind.....LOLOL (yeah, yeah....I flatter myself!)

E= Evil. *mwaaahahahahahahaa* (well, I AM a plotter and a planner...)

L= Laughable (now how true is THAT! LOL)

Third time's a charm!

M= Mushbucket avoidant. (true!)

E= Everloving Halloween. (oh c'mon.....how could THAT be missed?!)

L= Let me entertain you.....let me make you smile....lalalalalala EVERYbody sing!!! (apparently I'm verrrrrrrrrrrrry entertaining--go figure, huh?)


Ah well......we'll leave it at that.
For today.
Oh PLEASE let me leave it at that. LOL

Arrrrrrrrrrhhhhh!!!! It be Talk Like a Pirate Day!

We be gettin' t' talk like a Swashbuckler fer the day....

An' don't be thinkin' I be nay ready!!
Yep, thar`s th' hat, th' sword. Ready!
Pity th' secretary...pity th' poor wee things.

But there be no need t' feel sorry fer th' staff cuz I be feedin' 'em well this mornin' wi' a host o' treats I made.

Well, arrr......pity them as well. *snickering*

Arrrrrrhhhh....

*going to look for my hook*

Arrrrrrrrrrrrhhhh!

;-)

Young man, the secret of my success is that at an early age I discovered I was not God.--Oliver Wendell Holmes

20 questions......

Well, I can't grumble and ask who makes up these things--cuz I know who made this one up.

k.....Ready, set.....answer!

1. What is your all time favourite book, from childhood, as an adult?
Way to get me stuck on the first question!!!!

Oy geeze..... ummmmm.... Dr. Seuss' Butter Battle Book (can't remember my childhood so I'm stealing one of from the kiddos' childhood......so pffffffttt!) And Pat Conroy's books. Pick one. I just like how the fella writes.

2. All time favourite movie as above?
Oh c'mon.......LOL I didn't have time for movies when I was growing up.......nor do I make time for them now. Ummm...... Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (only cuz I have Burt Bacharach stuck in my head for some reason...LOL) and........ Phantom of the Opera (let's see if Burt exits my brain NOW....LOL)

3. Favourite type of chocolate, and how much of it do you eat a week?

Ick. Ack. PASS!!!!

4. Favourite drink, non alcoholic and alcoholic?

Coffee--one cream and one sugar in the morning, black after 11a.m. Alcoholic (yes...LOL) As I say with a smile in my eyes "I prefered 'more and yours', thankyou."

5. Where is your all time best holiday destination?

Anywhere on the coast of England. Or......Utah. We are sooooooooooo going back to Utah. And Arizona. And New Mexico......NOT FAIR.....I can't choose...*muttering*

6. Where is your dream holiday destination?

Tahiti. Well, wait.....that's not necessarily a 'dream holiday'. It's where I threaten to go when I don't WANNA deal in life and realities!

7. Which is the best Beatles track of all time?
UH oh.........for sure I'll lose Burt Bacharach with this question! I haffta PICK?!

Sgt Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band album.........ummm....When I'm Sixty Four? Wait....All You Need Is Love! WAIT! Oy geeze.....this is not the morning for picking ONE.

8. What are you most proud of having achieved (having children doesn't count)

Achieved? Dunno that it's achieved as in 'done'. I'm most 'proud' of the relationship that I have with the Big Guy today. From that GREAT works have appeared in my life and in the lives of others.

9. What would you want for your last supper ever?(assuming it's food you like now and not liquidized mush when you are 90!)

Popcorn and cheesecake. Yeah, yeah.......g'head and lecture me if you must! It's my last meal and I can if I WANNA!

10.How old were you when you had your first snog, name of snoggee if you dare?

Ummmmm....somehow I don't think 'snog' means 'nap'....and I'm thinkin' if I ask himself he'll burst out laughing......PASS!!!

11.Do you have an unfulfilled ambition?
*nodding* It's a daily quest.

12.If so what is it?
To let everything I say and do speak to who I am.
Wisepersoninmylife would tell me I JUST need to let things LOOK how they are.....*shuddering* ACK!!!!

13.What yer gonna do about achieving it?

*frowning and making the raspberry noise* Pfffffffffffffttttttttttttt!!!!!! :-P

Every once in a while I actually LET myself let it look how it is.....and then I run like the wind in the other direction--REALLY fast!
Yeah, yeah.......practice, practice, practice! *rolling eyes*

14.Describe the outfit that best describes you as you are.

Ummmm....good ol' faded and worn levi's. Bit ragged around the edges with a few holes, but comfy as all get out.

15.If you were on Desert Island Discs which one piece of music would you want to keep?

NOT Burt Bacharach! LOL

How about "Unforgettable"..........*happy sigh*

16. And what would the luxury item be, as in no use at all, on a desert island?

My popcorn popper. LOL

17. Outside of your partner, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Beyonce Knowles, J-lo who do you fantasise about?
Ummmmm......I don't.

Yep. I suppose that confirms just how much of an alien I am!

18.Describe the contents of your purse/wallet, ie receipts/ bus tickets/ plastic you never use/ and if your lucky enough money.(English use of the word purse here)
*locating purse* RIGHT then....
Photo of himself. Corporate Barnes and Noble card, tax exempt card for work, $178 and no change (just tossed it into the change jar last night!), driver's license, a sobriety medallion and an old English 'haypenny', bank card and a business card holder with several of my business cards, library card from 2000 (k.......must renew my library card!), insurance cards, business card with my physician's number on it, receipt from the visit to the Grand Canyon...... One ancient piece of gum which I don't chew. (longggggg story.....LOL) and a mushy stickey note from himself.

19.Outside of the family what item would you save from the inferno?
My Big Blue Book in it's carrier bag.

20.How much would you like me to stop now.?

Well, seeings how I need to get my rear up and get to work.....that'd be a good plan! LOL

Ah.

"A fight is going on inside me," the old Cherokee man said to his grandson "It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil. He is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, selfishness, arrogance, self pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego. The other is good. He is love, joy, peace, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith. This same fight is going on inside you and inside every other person."

The grandson thinks about it for a minute and then asks his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee replies, "The one you feed."


(Okay......... I'll be choosey about which wolf I feed today.....)

Pfffffffttttttttttttttt on that!

We're like a bouquet of flowers arranged in a common vase.

Each flower is different.

One might be blue, one white, one a rose, one a chrysanthemum.

But each adds to the beauty of the whole bouquet and enhances the vase that holds it.

It isn't important that we know why one flower is blue and one white.

We don't have to understand how a rose becomes a rose to appreciate the arrangement.

We just accept it for what it is.

Oy geeze....now I'm a flower?!

Can I pick which flower I am?

And exacly who decided what's a weed and what's a flower?

If I get to pick, I'm gonna pick a weed cuz I CAN. Pffffffffffftttttttt! :-P