Bad Blogger!

It's Friday!  I'm hooking up with Mrs. 4444 for Friday Fragments.

First of all, blogger isn't letting me leave comments at all this morning so that stinks!  The really sad thing is that I'm not sure if it's blogger or me.  Anyhow, I'll be back later to leave comments......wondering if he (of course blogger is a he when it's messing up) will let me link up today.


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Today is my brother's birthday.....Happy Birthday Tommy!


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Good news!  The superhero and I are still walking every nite after work and I'm starving myself  dieting so I've lost four pounds in the last several weeks.


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Bad news......I seem to be seeing my cousins only at funerals lately.  I do love seeing them, but I'd rather it be at a family reunion!


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Hardest lesson ever learned........I can't fix my adult children's problems.


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The bathroom remodel continues and soon I'll be showing pictures of my new and improved master bath.  You know how you start remodeling and you find more and more that needs to be done?  Yes, that is happening.  It's like the new makes everything else look bad.  But the new will be so nice!


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Yesterday afternoon when we were getting mama to go to the funeral visitation, she looked at me and said


Are you and the superhero in love?


I said of course, mama, I love him so much.


She said......well, does he love you?


I replied, he adores the ground I walk on! 


I have no idea what makes her wonder about that.


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Go over to visit my new friend Elisa and buy her books.....I've just finished ready The Golden Sky and it's a great read!  She has a new book out that I haven't read yet, but I plan to soon.   You will love her writing style and you'll laugh and cry.....both excellent emotions.


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I'm printing my blog slowly using Blog2print.com which seems to be awfully difficult for me.  Not sure if I'm just too challenged or if it's a hard site to use.  It certainly isn't user friendly to this user.  I want my blog in book form so I can look back over the years and my children and grandchildren can read my thoughts.  


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O.K. friends......once again, I'm all fragged out!

Season of Loss

There are many seasons in our lives and it seems for our family this has been a season of loss.  Back in November we lost my daddy's youngest brother, Uncle Jack, shortly after he and Aunt Ada lost their son, Barry.  Then in January, we lost my mother's sister, Aunt Bernice.  

This week we lost our dear Aunt Frances, my daddy's last sibling.  It's hard to think all daddy's siblings are gone now.....and daddy.....a new generation are the elders of the family. 

Aunt Frances lived a long life.  It seems she was a well of information, especially about our family.  You could ask her any question about any one of the many of us and she knew their story.  Even the Sunday before she died, when my brother and two sisters and I went to see her, she knew who we were and asked about mama.  I think that's pretty incredible at 96!

Our Cmama, her mother, always lived with Aunt Frances and Uncle Wilkie and their children Ellen and Claire.  They lived just around the corner from our church and we could walk over after a service.  I guess we did sometimes, my memory isn't the best anymore.  I do remember going for Sunday lunches where all us kids were delighted to drink iced tea!  We didn't get tea at home, only milk, so tea was a real treat!  

When my daddy married my mama, they lived with them for a while too.....along with Uncle Jack who was the youngest of the siblings.  Must have been interesting around that house! 

Here's Aunt Frances on her 95th Birthday with her two daughters Claire and Ellen.  They have faithfully cared for their mother and been right at her side.

This is a picture of a picture of Aunt Frances with Ellen as a baby.

 Just a few of the thousands many cousins and Aunt Evelyn.  Seriously, there are a lot of us.

Aunt Frances was a real southern lady with a very pronounced Georgia drawl accent that was lovely.  One word in particular was mayonnaise.....she pronounced it myonaise.  

This is mama and Aunt Frances at mama's birthday party last September.  

Below is Aunt Frances with her brothers and sister and their mother, our Cmama.  There were two more sisters who died as young children.

Mama is the last of her siblings and Aunt Evelyn and Aunt Ada along with mama are the last of the sister's in law.  We deeply miss all those who have gone before us, but know they are all together once again.


I was thinking about this song as I have been remembering those who have gone on.....


This world is not my home I'm just passing through
my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue
the angels beckon me from Heaven's open door
and I can't feel at home in this world anymore


They're all expecting me and that's one thing I know
my savior pardoned me and now I onward go
I know He'll take me through though I am weak and poor
and I can't feel at home in this world anymore

Just up in Glory Land we'll live eternally
the Saints on every hand are shouting victory
their song of sweetest praise drifts back from Heaven's shore
and I can't feel at home in this world anymore

O Lord you know I have no friend like you
if Heaven's not my home then Lord what will I do?
the angels beckon me from Heaven's open door
and I can't feel at home in this world anymore.


In loving memory of Frances Duncan Jennings
1915 - 2012

Fragments of my mind.....

I'm linking up again with Mrs. 4444 for Friday Fragments.  Only I must confess, up until now I haven't read the instructions and I didn't realize it was things left over from your week.  Smack!  I thought it was just fragmented thoughts, which is pretty much what all my thoughts are.  So my fragments may be a little different, but I'll try to stay on task......or not.

We're having our master bathroom remodeled and that means my whole house is a mess.  Also that I had to move everything out of our bathroom and into another bathroom......before we move it back in we're throwing some stuff out!  Why does my husband have fourteen things of deodorant???  I have noticed he smells good but this borders on the ridiculous.

The Superhero built this house before we were married.  It has three bathrooms.  That is one of the reasons I fell in love with him.

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The Superhero and I have been walking every night after he gets home from work.  I hope it yields some results before bikini season.  That was a horrible joke.....you wouldn't want to see me in a bikini.

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This is a true story......there is a couple that is getting divorced in a nearby town and are in a huge custody battle over their dogs.  The soon to be ex husband actually kidnapped and kept them for several months, but now they're back with their mommy and soon they will each have them two weeks at the time.  If my husband and I get a divorce, he can have the dogs.  I hope they didn't hear me say that.

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A few years ago, I joined WW and lost a lot of weight.  I got all my stuff out to start again.  Hope I can stick to the plan!  I do love it that WW now has frozen breakfasts.  Even if I don't stick to it, I'm enjoying eating breakfast.  

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Remember my turtle friend?  Our friend who is remodeling our bathroom told me he saw a water turtle on my back porch while ago.  I guess I'll have to watch for him so I can rescue him if he gets in the pool.  


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The end of tax season is in sight.  That makes me smile.

Lost?

Have you ever been lost?  Found yourself in a big place that you aren't familiar with and suddenly you start falling and end up over your head?

You suddenly feel like you're drowning?

You feel like you're hitting walls even though you're really trying to find a way out of this situation?

You feel pressure from others and you just try to hide inside your self.

Feel constantly under attack?

Try to get out of the shadows into the light?

Feel all eyes on you?

That's how this turtle felt after he wandered into our pool. The dogs were fascinated and thought they wanted to get their paws on him, even though I told them he looked like a snapping turtle and I didn't think we were due to have thunder any time soon.


The pool net and I came to his rescue and helped him to safety.


It made me think that life is often overwhelming and it seems like we are drowning in worry and it doesn't seem like there is any way out.


Look up.....our safety net is right there.

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.   Psalm 121:1

Friday Fragments.....

I've been joining in with Mrs. 4444's ....pronounced Mrs. fours.....because frankly by Friday all I have are fragments.  O.K. most of the time that's all I've got anyway. 


It's tax season and to an accountant's family all we have are fragments of time.  Little bits of time we spend with the accountant.  So we learn to make the most of those times.  Sometimes....then again sometimes we just watch him sleep!  But the superhero sleeping is better than most people awake.
We keep a picture prominently displayed!
And, we're very,very thankful that the busy season is busy!  


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Last night, I went to a women's Bible study.  I honestly had forgotten how I love to be with a group of women studying the Bible and just being together.  The last year has been so traumatic and I'm still reeling from it, so I cried on the way home from the sheer joy of being with women I love and sadness for what was left behind.


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We're (well not us exactly) remodeling our bathroom and I'm doing a lot of picking stuff out which is very uncomfortable for me!  My friend Laura has been helping me and she's really good so thanks!  Her husband will be doing the actual work. We're starting Monday and I'm supposed to be out putting in orders for light fixtures and such.  Instead here I sit at the computer.


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Summer has arrived here in the panhandle of Florida.  We are having beautiful weather and the grass is growing fast!  I guess mowing will be in my weekend plans.


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Just a little soap box here.....
Cursing is one of my pet peeves.  Hate it.  I've been cursed at in my lifetime too many times to recall by people who should never even think of cursing at me.....no, no, not the superhero!  He would never even think of cursing at me...the worst thing he ever called me was an irritant, irritant, irritant....yes, the triple I as my friend laughingly said!  Seriously, I do not see the point in cursing.......isn't there another way to get your point across?  So many young parents cuss like sailors and I hope they aren't surprised when their children follow suit.....and I'm sorry, but I read several mommy blogs and some of the mommy's need their mouths washed out with soap, not all by any means, but some!  O.K. stepping down from the soap box now.


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I love Fridays!  Fridays are date night no matter what!  That means I don't cook and even though I don't cook much anyhow, it just seems better not to cook on Friday!  


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Well, I'm all fragged out....

Vacant or occupied....that is the question

I'm reposting part of an old post from 2007......this is especially for Melynda so she won't think she's alone in her bathroom adventures!  By the way, if you've never visited her, go over and visit and buy her book....you'll be laughing the whole way through. 

Several years ago, I was trying to comfort a friend who was flying for the first time in years and while driving her to the airport I told her to be sure if she went to the bathroom to push the vacancy/occupied latch on the door securely! 

That is because 15 years ago,........  which would be almost 20 years ago now..... I, a very unseasoned traveler along with my younger son boarded a plane to California to see my brand new granddaughter.  I was scared to death of flying, Granddaughter was the ONLY person or thing that got me on that plane. 

We stayed for 8 days, do you hear me people? Eight days with a newborn, a couple of new parents, one of which was my son who can be very temperamental and my younger son who was very hyper!  Even though it was the thrill of my life to take that baby in my arms for the first time as a new grandparent, 8 days was too long, take my advice, 8 days is TOO LONG. On top of that I turned 40 while we were there. Three days into the stay, I slipped upstairs to a phone and begged the airline to change our tickets to go home earlier, but no deal. So after 8 days of sleeping on a cot, playing with and loving on a new baby and driving all over San Diego in 25 lanes of traffic going very fast (I may have exaggerated about the lanes)  a very tired grandmother and her son boarded the plane for the trip home. 

I was exhausted beyond, well beyond. I needed to visit the rest room, so I got up slithered past the stewardess, I mean flight attendant and got in line. Finally, my turn came and I went into the rest room for the first time ever in a plane. I pushed the latch and was sitting on the you know what with my head resting on my arm so so tired, when suddenly the DOOR OPENED, that's right folks, you have got to push that latch hard! When the door opened and the very embarrassed man jumped back and pulled the door closed, I turned my head to the mirror and thought, man I look tired. Then another thought ran through my poor, tired mind.....well, I can pull my big girl panties up and go back to my seat or I can sit here until the plane lands which was about 5 hours away. So summoning up all the dignity I had left, and trust me there wasn't much left, I walked out with my head held high....the man was no where to be seen, I figure he jumped out the emergency door, but a young girl was smirking at me from her place in line.  I'm sure SHE knew how to securely lock the door!

The point of that very long story is that I told my friend to make sure the rest room door was securely locked. She had not flown in 30 years. She called me when she got to her first stop and told me that she had to hold hands with the lady sitting beside her the entire trip and  to heck with the rest room visit! 

I said all that to say this, there must be laughter........there must always be laughter! 

So thanks Melynda for reminding me of this story and I'm laughing as I type....at you as well as myself!  Glad to know other people have embarrassing moments!

Friday Fragments....

I'm joining in Friday Fragments over at Mrs. 4444's today because all I GOT are fragments.  Especially in the memory section of my brain!


I saw this picture in my doctor's office yesterday....

I had nothing else to do while waiting in the exam room and this picture reminded me of having sisters.  I have two so it actually reminded me of my own sisters,  and how fortunate I am to have them.  I don't know how people function without sisters, or at least friends who are like sisters.


Anyhow, yes I take my camera to the doctor's office and everywhere else I go.  If you blog for any length of time you know you go nowhere without a camera.  Oh, yea....I have a sinus infection and was feeling horrible when I went!  Now the superhero who is ever so funny and doesn't go to the doctor unless he's on the brink of death, called to check on me and asked if she admitted me to the hospital.  I was just too sick to laugh.

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It is officially spring break here and we've already beaten the Guiness book of world records by having the longest bikini parade!  I am so proud!  I'm not sure if you could hear the sarcasm dripping or not.

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I happened to be on an errand the other day and a car with two very happy young men, obviously on their way to the World's Most Beautiful Beaches for spring break, passed me........a mustang convertible with the top down and the bass beating and NO SEAT BELTS ON those boys........they were smiling and cruising and I could tell they just couldn't wait to get to the bikini contest beach.  You should probably know that it is one of my purposes in life to see that everyone has their seat belt buckled.  I happened to pull up right beside them at a red light and just looked over at them until one of them looked (they would have never heard me if I'd rolled my window down) .....as soon as he looked, I grabbed my seat belt and held it out and smiled sweetly.  My husband says that I'm going to get killed doing that, but honestly just as usual, that happy boy grinned and put his seatbelt on and then had the driver do the same, they both gave me the thumbs up and went on their way.  I said a prayer for those boys, that they would have a good time and not drink too much or drown in the Gulf or jump from any balconies and that they would return to college after this week as happy as they were when I saw them!

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My mama has a great sense of humor.  One of her caregivers called me to let me know that she had fallen out of her chair.  So when I saw her, I said ........ so, I hear you fell out of your chair.....she piped right back.....news travels fast around here!  Thankfully she wasn't hurt.  I reminded her that she can't walk and she said.....that's what you keep telling me!  Oh, mama!

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Do you remember this girl?  My daddy told me that he named me after her.....let me know if you remember her.

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And that's all for now.....even my fragments are fragmented!  

Is it just me????

Or do you have days when you just feel frozen....like you can accomplish nothing?  Cause that is how I feel today.  

But last night, superhero and I took our once a month walk.  We are so determined to be healthy that we walk two miles no less than once a month...and usually no more.  

Of course, one of us has the excuse that it's the busy season....the other, not so much.   She doesn't seem to need an excuse!  But just in case you are thinking I never do anything, I have evidence that some days I'm really productive.  Like this....

Yes, some days I cook supper......healthy supper.  I cooked once last week.

Then I package it up and take it to the superhero's office and if I'm feeling romantic, I even take mine and eat with him.  During the busy season, he takes a ten minute supper break.  I'm just kidding, but it seems like it's awfully fast.

Then I come home to wait for him to finish for the day.  I'll be the first to admit it's a lonely time of year, but we're blessed beyond measure that he has work when so many don't.  My way of saying that even when I'm complaining, I know I shouldn't.

Oh, and one day I made my bed!  Mikey doesn't really appreciate the effort because he would much rather be on my blanket than the bedspread......but he manages.

Matt's new puppy came to visit.  Before she could come, she had to go to the vet and get thoroughly checked out to be sure she was safe from all puppy diseases and had no fleas!  A basic requirement to bring any animal into my home.  

While she was here, she found her tail and Mikey lost his.....he hates her and that's putting it mildly.

Both our boys couldn't wait to get out of the kitchen and into the part of the house where Gracie wasn't allowed to go unless one of us had eyes on her.

Gracie learned to fight with her rope toy

That cats aren't to be messed with because they just don't get intimidated and they slap hard!  Best to stay under someone's legs when Max is around

But, why can't I go where the boys go???

She is a cute, sweet puppy, but reminded me of why I don't want a new puppy to raise.  At least human babies wear diapers!

In the background, I can hear lawn mowers and since I know they aren't in my yard I'd better go out and get mine cranked!  Maybe I'm thawing out a little. 

I'm constantly reminded of this in my life!  

The Blended Family.....

I'm linking up with Kelly's Korner today for SUYL...step moms.




When my husband and I started dating my children were twenty two and fifteen........his children were seven and ten....and though we couldn't know it on that first date we were actually starting our journey to becoming a blended family.

Sometimes, it actually felt like someone had shoved us all into a blender and turned it on high.  Other times we were just gently stirred.  


My oldest had been out of the nest for about three years when Russell and I met and he had lived away all that time.  My youngest was in high school and Russell's two were both in elementary school.


We dated two and a half years which gave us plenty of time to get to know each other and for our children to get to know one another.  As much as anyone can know one another before they actually live under the same roof together.  


Russell had custody of his oldest when we started dating and within the first year, the youngest came to live with him.  When we married, I was becoming a full time mama again and helping raise two more sons.  I didn't think about it at the time, but our children now had two sets of parents each.....and how hard must that have been?  Our children don't sign on for their parents splitting and a complete stranger joining the family, so any rough times are understandable.


Three months after the wedding, I resigned from my job and became a full time wife and mama.  


When Russell and I went in to speak to our pastor before our marriage, he gave us a book titled... The Blended Family... by Tom & Adrienne Frydenger.  I am going to admit right here that I read parts of it, but probably should have finished the book.  But I was busy living the blended family and didn't take time to read about what another family had done.  Do all the research you can and then let your natural maternal instinct guide you through the pitfalls.


Did we have issues?  Yes  Did we work through them?  Yes.  Was it easy?  NO!  


In my family of origin, acceptance was part of our everyday lives....so Russell's children were just added into the mix and are part of the family.  


I've been part of their lives for more than half their lives.....I love all our children and I seriously don't like the word step anything.  Like....you're one step closer to something or one step away from something??   Never really got that.  I know that sometimes it is appropriate to use step mom to explain our situation.....but more often they just call me Nancy and I just call them my children.  My two older children have to call me Mama!  
ALL the grandchildren call me Nana...


There are usually enough issues to go around and we had our fair share....but we've managed with God's help and a lot of laughter and tears to get all the children grown and for the most part all healthy and intact.  No limbs were lost during the making of this family.  A few bumps and bruises maybe, but they all healed pretty quickly.


If you are considering marrying someone with children, try to remember this.....a child always loves their biological parent....always.  The biological parent is NOT your enemy, in fact you can actually be partners in the art of parenting.  But if not, then you can at least be civil.  Try remembering who the adults are in this situation.  You will ALWAYS share times with the biological parents......graduations, marriages and the birth of grandchildren are just a few.  Our family has been through all of these. So get along from the get go and life will be much easier.   I didn't always do this as well as I should have, I guess none of us really do.


 I will say I'm sure Russell made things much easier by being a very consistent, hands on daddy.  One funny story and that's all.....I was once having an issue with one of my younger children and turned to demand ask Russell for his help.  I was obviously upset and his reply was......if you're going to let a sixteen year old tromp on your feelings, I don't know what to tell you....he let us work out our issues.  He's good like that.


Through it all, good times and rough times, pray, pray, pray!  


This year our children will be 42, 35, 30 and 26.
You would have to ask them to be sure, but I think all the children love us and no matter what, they'll all always be our/my children!

Life as we know it....

I asked my husband yesterday if he knew what was a constant in my life....he replied my love for you???  O.K. he got points for that, but I was talking about laundry.   The never ending laundry!  No matter how much laundry I do, there is always more peeking over the edge of the basket, just waiting it's turn.  Accusing as I pass by, knowing I have no intention of washing it right at that moment.

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I've been waxing nostalgic lately and when I do that, I always seem to gravitate toward old pictures.  

Things were so hard when my brother was a baby that he had to drive his own stroller!  That was a few years before he had to walk barefoot in the snow to school.  He has a birthday this month but he might not want me to tell which one....sixty seven.

***** Thanks to Mary for letting me know this stroller is a Taylor Tot*******

Looks like my sister had a birthday guest who could hardly contain his excitement at being invited to her party.

Enough of that.....

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Yes, as a matter of fact, THIS crashed again and I had to go back to give the techie youngsters something else to laugh about......and yes, they fixed it with the push of a button or two. 

And yes, it is very frustrating to an old woman.

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We're still debating over bathroom tile.......our friend has given us until March 18 to decide, get it ordered, actually get it and he's starting......which means I'm going to start saying eenie, meenie, miney, MO.

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Matt got a dog!  A labradoodle he named Gracie. Isn't she cute and calm?  That lasts until bedtime and she cries all night.  :)  Oh, the joys of training a new puppy!

We were invited over to meet Gracie and took our boys who were astounded and indignant that they weren't the stars of the night!

Good luck on the housebreaking.

Just a small sample of life as we know it....

And I'm thankful for this life!