Surgery Tomorrow and Other News.

 Maggie goes under the wrench tomorrow for some much needed work.

I'm taking her in to the auto shop early and praying they can have her ready to go by end of the day so I won't lose another days work. 

I'm actually not losing my hours tho- one of my teammates has agreed to work for me and pull a double shift tomorrow if I return the favor on Thursday.  Only bad thing about it is I will be pulling a double and then doing what is termed a "Turn and Burn". Pull a late shift(or in my case a double shift) working until 11p, drive an hour and 20 mins home to sleep a couple hours, then get back up at 4 to drive another hour and 20 mins back to work to be there by 6:30am. Imma be a zombie by the time Friday is done.

BUT- next week I will have Wednesday off for my birthday. Said buddy wants to do the double thing again, but I honestly don't think I'm up to doing that mess two weeks in a row. Boss already has my shift covered for my day off, so I think we just going to leave it at that. I need a mental health day anyway.

So Valentines weekend was mostly quiet. Friday I got a yellow rose from my daughter and granddaughter, and chocolates from my son. I slept in on Sunday, but Saturday saw me and my daughter and granddaughter going to Easley to the old homeplace to pick up a couple of things, then on the drive home we stopped at a couple of Mobile Home Sales lots and did a bit of comparison shopping and when we got home- Numbers Crunching.

I'm all for the family compound thing, Just me and her and my son. Daughter wants a ready made home- I want something I can redo- a shed, a shipping container, a old school bus.....I can work  and make anything a livable home. It just takes hard work and imagination. I have no idea what son would prefer- but we do need our own space. And my Number ONE Goal in my life is to own my own home/property before I die. So we can start with one thing and go from there.

Somehow- Someway- I'm going to make that happen.

Continuation of Valentines Post....

  ....My previous post was about Valentines Day.....

This post is inspired by Evan 's post.....

I totally agree with all he said- every single word, especially the part about it being a forced commercial holiday(I paraphrased a bit)- Go read his post- he said it much more eloquently than I could. 

I realized that holiday for what it was early on after I was married. 

First Husband and I were broke young adults and lord knows prices get jacked up on gifts of all kinds on ESPECIALLY Valentines Day and Mothers Day and almost as badly on Easter, Halloween and Christmas. (I've never quite understood why Fathers day seemed to be the exception to the rule on all that but it certainly seems that way to me.(I ramble- Sorry)....  So neither of us was upset if we couldn't afford to get each other anything.

Second Husband-  Still young and raising my kids and he brought me gifts on random days so if we forgot Valentines Day we didnt even notice...He only asked for his favorite meal with all the trimmings which I could usually make happen anyway, but gifts didnt make up for him being mean to my kids. Package deal buddy- you knew that before you married me. I think if he had been able to have a child it would have softened him, but he couldn't, so we will never know.  To his credit- he has apologized over and over and still holds hope that someday we might possibly get back together, but I'm 1000% positive that will not happen. We can be civil to each other but it's too much water under that bridge to go any further.

Third Husband- Gave me expensive jewelry every single Valentines Day and Christmas. He was a Trust Fund Baby. But to him giving me expensive gifts made up for being a total control freak(in HIS mind- not in mine.)  There was a "Final Straw " moment -coincidentally on our last Valentines Day that I may or may not talk about one day but that's for another day. *(I feel I can openly and honestly write about some of the things that happened with #1 & #3 -  Their families have forgotten about me and the husbands themselves I have outlived plus I don't get too detailed- just generalities that might help me work thru some of my real life issues- like the one I mentioned with #2...... and I don't mention names or get graphic- privacy does matter still to some of us in this day and age....)

Fourth Husband-Felt the same way about Valentines Day as I do- thinks it's over commercialized and socially expected. I cannot complain about his gifts and cards on Holidays. Impeccable taste. Sometimes we would do Valentines Day- sometimes we wouldn't- usually if we saw something we wanted we would buy it no matter what day it was and say-  consider this my Christmas gift- or Valentines gift- and it worked for us.  

 I sometimes wonder if someone actually does give me a gift - are they doing it because they actually feel some kind of way or is it out of a sense of Social pressure? Like those hated elementary cards Evan spoke of - honestly I hated them for the exact same reasons he did....and also I had the same method for distribution ...lol- great minds think alike, eh, Evan??  

My birthday is eleven days after Valentines Day and call it vanity- but I would MUCH rather have someone remember and celebrate THAT day rather than a socially forced holiday- no matter WHICH holiday it is. 

All those things you mentioned Evan are what I (and what we ALL should )consider the most important love offerings- the togetherness- watching a movie, going for a Sunday drive, holding hands, snuggles and laughter- and what my yesterdays post was about was My Very First Honestly Romantic Gesture- it was so simple and understated  and perfect.....and it came from my sandy brown haired boy who set the bar high in so many ways. 

"Firsts" are a very important part of our lives. 

Trip Down Memory Lane...I was 14 Years Old...

 It was Valentine's Day in 1970-something ....and I was sitting out front of Junior High (Middle School they call it now)waiting for my mom to pick me up after school. This cute little sandy brown haired boy comes walking up to me and hands me a HUGE Yellow and Gold heart shaped box of Chocolates and says Happy Valentine's Day Vada. Then walks away. 

I had no earthly idea who he was, but I quickly fixed that little problem. His name was Allen and we started dating shortly after that.... I still have that chocolate box somewhere at my mom's house. 

Ongoing Saga of Maggie Mae...

 So yesterday my sister Nina and I brought Maggie Mae( My Mazda 3) to her Gynecologist appointment.....i.e.- the mechanic at the local garage.

Well, we was there for about 30 minutes total. The mechanic went up under her front end. Then under her rear end. Back and forth a couple of times  making these sounds like..."hmmmm"....."huh" .... and "Ahhh, I see" and  such.....A very thorough examination indeed.

I started giggling then turned to my sister and mumbled- "See? Gynecologist- that's the same things mine says while he's/she's doing an exam."

My sister literally strangled on her  mouthful of tea and said "I'm going to stand over there next to the door- you are being BAD!" 

 And she did. She was still laughing tho.

So, then the mechanic asked to drive it around the block and I handed him the keys. He did, then parked it and repeated the process. Then he asked his boss to take a test drive. He did then the boss parked Maggie and they conferred about 15 seconds and then told us exactly what we needed to order. Once the parts arrive my sister will call him and he will set up an appointment for "surgery". 

We went directly to the O'Reilly's Auto Parts store, ordered them and they should arrive today. 

So very likely Maggie will have shiny new parts within the week.

And I'll be able to drive like a normal person instead of an 85 year old senior citizen. 

I may get the discount- but I'm still a young driver in my mind. 

Maggie Mae- or The Lone Ranger?

 Well, I've put it off about as long as I can. 

As soon as my tax refund comes in, Ms. Maggie (yes I named her) is getting a new front end. 

Honestly, I'm scared to death she is going to just lay a tire over going down the interstate- thus I don't get over 45 mph and I don't go on the interstate highways because going 45 in a 70 would be suicide.

I've been debating whether to get my Ranger fixed or  Maggie fixed. The price for repairs is about the same. But I know what needs fixing on Maggie. The Ranger is a toss up. So I guess I'll  fix Maggie first and have the Ranger as a project car to repair a bit at a time. (The Ranger was my moms truck and she left it to me when she passed.) I know it needs the crack in the block repaired, but what else it may need is up in the air. 

So Maggie it is. 

Remember When?

 Remember when I used to go on Photo-walks and post some of the photos on here? 

I think I may need to start doing that again....

It's nice to go back and read some of my old blog-posts and be reminded of all the fun things I used to do that somehow got lost in the everyday happenings of life.....

My Granddaughter likes taking photos too, so maybe we can start doing it together!!! If my daughter will come it can become a family thing, like hiking, but not as strenuous.

I'll have to discuss with them later tonight.

The weekend is almost upon us- the weather forecasters cannot make up their minds what it's going to do... snow? Sleet? Ice??? Rain??? they seem to update their opinions(in chart form) every two or three hours and face it- I can predict what it will be as well as if not better than they can. My bones and arthritis and migraines tell me more than the weathermen...

And at the end of the day I just open the door or window and can tell exactly what the weather is.

 So my prediction for the weekend is- The sun will come up and a few hours later the sun will go down, and we will have some weather during ALL those times. 

Tell me I'm wrong. 

What's Normal????

 

What's a normal day for me????.....

Well,

5AM up for work

5:30-6:45am Drive an hour to work

6:45am-3PM Ride around doing patrols and answering calls.

3pm-4:15pm Drive home.

4:15p-6p- Dinner prep and dinner

6p-8p- Family time- usually a movie or a board or card game

8p-9p Shower and prepare for bed and work next morning

9p-5a- Blessed sleep broken by cats with zoomies or bathroom stops.

Weekends are have a lie-in until 7am!!! Then do some light housekeeping. Lots of Hot coffee(Folgers) with Caramel Macchiato creamer and then Sweet iced tea after 11am. That being finished will find me either working on my book, working on a painting, target practice, or vegging on the sofa until I fall asleep(usually several times) before finally dragging myself to the bathroom for a quick shower and heading to my actual bed which is as soft as a heavenly cloud!!

On Sundays I cook a family dinner attended by whichever family members can attend on any given Sunday.

I lead a FABULOUS life!!!!

How About NO?

I said NO- 2026 was NOT going to be a repeat of 2025....but then......it hasn't started off well at all

Yesterday my sister's home burned to the ground. 

She was on her way to her oncologist appointment when she got the call that her house was on fire, so she turned around and rushed home to find the entire property fully engulfed with all the departments on site....Fire, Police- Medics..... the whole shebang.

She lost everything- all five buildings, her two fur babies (Bit-Bit and Pita), her clothes, her meds, sentimental items-everything!!! She wasnt able to afford insurance on her place with the majority of her pay going to Doctor visits and meds. 

At least her two eldest kids(adults) weren't staying with her when it happened. I don't think she could have taken losing her kids with everything else piled on top of what's going on in her life.

This is the same sister who has Stage 4 Kidney cancer and a couple months ago was hit head-on by an idiot driver who wasnt paying attention and swerved into HER lane as she was driving to a patients home.....Tee is a Hospice CNA. 

This woman just can't catch a break in life- well, she can- but it usually comes with a cast attached to them. 

I just don't know how much more she can take before she gives up- I probably would have given up a couple of years ago had it been me- but not Tee- she just keeps hanging on to her faith and goes about her business regardless.. She is one of the strongest women I have ever known. 

I just wanted to ask y'all pray for her- we all are because we don't know what else to do right now other than offer her a place to stay until she gets back on her feet and decides what direction she wants to go in or what is and what isn't possible or achievable for her at this point in her life.

If I've said it once I've said it a hundred times- a Family Compound of Tiny Houses is looking more and more logical and sensible at this point.

Seriously y'all, thank you for all your prayers. They are so appreciated. xx

Dazed & Confused...

 I'm in a quandary right now. I have several situations ongoing and try as I might I haven't gotten a clue where to go from here.

One person has taken on a project I'm absolutely a thousand percent sure they can't handle. Yet it's their hearts desire and they've done it- completely ignoring the fact that they themselves had said a hundred times before that they couldn't ever do it again. Someone else is going to be expected to pick up the pieces of their life when they ultimately fail in this little venture. 

Another person is doing things that will ultimately harm their health in the future but only slightly affects them in the moment. No- it isn't drug related in case you are wondering. I try to insist they NOT do it- and try to steer them in a different direction, not constantly, but in my presence and enough so I KNOW I've done my part to circumvent the issue until they are old enough to take charge of their own life choices. I love this person dearly and it hurts my heart that the person who needs to back me up in this issue would rather lead a quiet life than do what's best for person 1.

Another person is thinking about going into a past situation and I'm worried about then getting too involved and in over their head.

I think I might be worrying too much about other peoples problems and just making myself miserable in the process. But that's what you do when you care about someone, isn't it? 

Isn't it? IJDK anymore....

Testing, Testing...One Two Three... Testing.....

 The Universe is testing my patience this year already.

Car insurance went up twenty dollars a month. 

On the way to work this morning had fiver drivers turn in front of me or almost sideswiped me- FIVE.

My best friend lost both her Fiancée and her dad on this date 7 and 5 years ago, respectively.  She would be absolutely devastated to lose me on this date too- and I say that humbly and respectfully. Our friendship/sisterhood has endure everything life has thrown at us for the past 59 years. And I daresay I don't think we would have made it through the disasters and catastrophes without each others shoulder to lean on. Our sisterhood has endured more and better than all my marriages combined.

I'm so annoyed & aggravated right now- my B/P is sky high, my heart is racing, I feel nauseated, in a daze and I am shaking like a leaf.  This small bit of a post has taken me almost 40 minutes to type out because I've had to go back and correct so many mistakes.......

I honestly think I'm on the verge of a panic attack. 

Going to do a walkabout and some deep breathing to try to calm down. 

At least if I'm on the floor with other people, if I collapse there will be someone there to  call for help instead of me being stuck in an office where someone might possibly see me after a couple of hours.

See, there's a silver lining to every scenario!

My Favorite Abode...

I’ve lived in over 60 different homes in my lifetime, and the one I hold most dearly in my heart is a spacious two bedroom duplex apartment on Oak Vale Street in South Carolina. 

I moved there by myself, then shortly after my youngest son and his best friend moved in with me.

Then shortly after that(all within the space of a month) events occurred that saw my eldest son, and his little family of three AND my daughter and her son move in with us. We were packed in like sardines, but it was, to ask any of us, the happiest times of our lives. We were all adults(except for the two under two year olds) and somehow, we just automatically made the necessary compromises and made it work for about a year and a half. It was like a party every weekend combined with a family reunion. We had a basketball hoop and a horseshoe set out back and a perfect sized yard for all of us to be entertained in.

We were so blessed to have had that time together before my youngest son passed a couple of years later, and if I ever get the opportunity buy that duplex, I will do so in a heartbeat with no hesitation.

Do you have a favorite home you think of as fondly? I'd love to hear about it!!