The Eve of The 4th of July

Sitting home, inside....listening to the fireworks...it sounds like a war zone. Watched awhile outside on the steps, but couldn't see but the tops of them. Two of the neighborhood cats were visiting and getting their midnight snacks. Inside my cats were trying to find a good hiding place to feel protected from the booming fireworks. I went through the house and shut all the windows, to try and silence them. When they are done, I will go back through and open up all the windows to let the cool night air in. For being the beginning of July, we can't complain about the nice cool nights, as it lends itself to my comfortable sleep.

Happy Fathers Day

Happy Fathers Day Dad.......

Its been almost two years since you left this world.

I think of you every day...

I know you live on with me in memories, in the things you

taught me, the lessons I learned. Your love of nature,

animals, and working with your hands....you live

through me...

I am

my

fathers

daughter....

I love you dad.

Early morning clemantis....

After I came back from my walk this morning....documented on http://speakswithpencil.blogspot.com I sat outside with a fresh cup of coffee, enjoy the morning sunrise, and the warm breeze it brought with it. I noticed how beautiful the Clemantis was basking in all its glory, so I got my camera to document it, and its intricate inner beauty...It is a beautiful morning, and I feel much better than I did a mere 4 hours ago.

More than a month later...

and it seems like the previous post could still apply....Yesterday, and in fact, the last few days have been beautiful, and 80's...slightly warmer than I like...today at 10:13am it is 60* it rained all night, (badly needed)...and I am looking at another grey morning, with the promise of a clearing afternoon, and temperatures rising into the high 70's. Yesterday I weeded around our little pond, and need to continue today, before the weeds get a stronger hold than they do. I bought my blue morning glorys for the trellis, some sedum and a rosemary plant. I still would like to get a white dogwood. I had some baby hostas coming up and I transplanted them yesterday. I should post pictures of the mama's, they are beautiful. I know I should divide them, but I don't have the heart to...
So today the day before Memorial Day....I will go plant my flag in the garden, and say a silent prayer for all the service men currently fighting for our freedom, and the ones that have fought in previous wars....Thank you.

Rainy laidback Sunday

Its around 42* and rain is starting to edge in. Grey, overcast....its going to be a long sigh of a day, which is needed sometimes. Time needed to sit back and relax... no place in general to go, nothing that absolutely needs to be done kind of day....(in the background I hear the agitation of the washer, the hum of the dryer)...they are working behind the scenes. Yes, things do still need to be done. I am not sure how the day will unfold, there are things to be done for sure....so we will see. I am not much for letting a day slip through the cracks, and I am sure once I get moving around this day will be no different, but for now....I am in contemplation

Happy Easter

I spend too much time on http://speakswithpencil.blogspot.com that I feel I neglect this one. I wanted to separate the two, so that one could be all art related and this could be just rambling thoughts...
Well, within the last three weeks I was told I had narrow angle glaucoma, and have had laser surgery to help with that. I had a hole lasered into the top of each iris to create a new *drain*, to relieve the pressure in my eyes. After each surgery the pressure spiked to 50-60, which with the second eye I had extreme pain in my right gum below my eye and a headache located around the bone of that eye...I called after (thank god) I decided that this wasn't right and being a Friday, I better have it checked. They gave me a pill and two different drops. Apparently I was having an attack, which gone unchecked could have cost me my sight. My pressure is at 21 and I have a followup apt in two months, I am still taking one drop at night. It is of course a tier three drug, which my insurance does not recognize...and $115.00 a month.
No prospects on the job front for my husband yet...He is still working until the end of June, but the company has been terminating people before that time, so it is almost a day by day situation. They are trying to get **Hollywood**to come to Michigan, with the tax breaks, which would be fine, if it would create jobs. We had one movie filmed here in town, and even had kin, in it as an extra. So can't wait until that comes out.
It looks like a beautiful Easter Sunday morning....a little frosty out there, but promises to get into the mid 50's today.....go out and enjoy your day...

THEY HAVE HIT HOME.....hard times

We'll, given enough time, preparing for the worse, hoping for the best....It has happened. My husbands shop is closing the end of June...200 people added to the already bulging Michigan unemployment line, which is the highest in the nation. Even tho as we seen shops crumble around us and tried to brace ourselves, nothing compares to the stark bald reality of it. Its a numb feeling, a feeling of helplessness, of confusion, shock, panic, tears, uncertainty....spinning in all directions, in a coma like panic, stuck in fear of which direction to go, to even think...we need time to let this new reality sink in, to fully encompass it, and settle in to a game plan. Thank GOD I still have my job, and time to be inventive, and creative...
its a fine line...don't take your job for granted, the money in your pocket....its a fine line, we all need to fold our hands and pray for this country.....

Tough Times

They haven't hit our family, but it is all around us. I am not trying to be pessimistic, but rather realistic...and prepared, because you never know. I am trying to live more simply, to question if I need something. Most of the time, I can do without or manufacture it out of what I have. In my grandparents day they didn't have nearly all the accomodations we have, not even indoor plumbing and they managed, with little, and I might add were very happy. I challenge myself to go one more day without going to the grocery store, and make a meal out of what I have on hand...and then I go one more day. I try not to leave the house on the weekends....it is so cold now, that one is easy. We don't eat out, if we do it is rarely...we don't go to the movies. We drive to work, unfortunately. My work is a little further than I can walk in the winter time, or ride my bike. In the spring and summer I can start up again. Try for a few days a week. I don't eat out at work, and I take my snacks; apples, nuts, cheerios. I drink water out of the cooler. I am always looking for ways to make money, and the best way I have found is, to not spend it right now. *A penny saved IS a penny earned*. I know there are many more ways to cut; cable, phone, internet, ect...but we choose to cut other things first, knowing we can always cut deeper. I plan to keep putting money away...they say six months wages....this is a goal, as is my one credit card to pay off....when that is paid, IF I use it, it WILL be paid off the same month. Credit card companys aren't going to keep getting my money in interest anymore. I am going to increase my direct depost into savings accounts also...I find after awhile I manage on a smaller paycheck...and I don't concern myself with the growing saving accounts, I know they are there...but they are **hands off**. Pay yourself first, and adjust to the smaller paycheck, you can adapt.

Action Plan for 2009

How is your brand new year going...10 days into it? I hope all is well in your little corner of the world. I have yet to make any new years resolutions....or at least committed them to paper....so I will ramble through it now...These are things I would like to resolve to do this year. They don't appear in any specific order.

1. Be more organized
2. Finish what I start
3. Exercise; Starting at three days a week on the treadmill, for 1/2 hr 3.5-4.0MPH
4. Learning crochet
5. To eat less meat, more vegetarian
6. Get back to journaling
7. Get back to drawing
8. Lower cholesterol
9. Find more creative ways to get by, to save money
10. Consume less
11. Keep up on my blogs
12. Donate more
13. Simplify....THIS ONE SHOULD BE NUMBER ONE

I did move the treadmill into the house, and have been using it, three days a week, mostly walking with intervals of running. I would eventually want to run on it consistently. I am learning to crochet with some beginner books; Teach Yourself Visually Crocheting, also picked up a learning to crochet starter kit with hooks. It keeps my hands busy at night. I know I will always want to sit down in the evening and watch *my shows*, so at least my hands with be busy and I will be doing something. I created the blog http://www.cholesteroldown.blogspot.com/ but durning the holidays I *fell off*, I plan to get back into that, and keep up www.sparkpeople.com to enter my daily eating plan. I thought I could make it through the holidays but I was weak. As far as saving money, one hint...don't leave the house. Period! Of course that is an easy one for me in the wintertime, especially when it is so cold. I am pretty well stocked with enough crafting supplies to keep me doing something everyday for a long time. Motivation, I am still working on.
Drawing; has always been something I want to do well, and I have http://speakswithpencil.blogspot.com/ for that, which I need to keep up with as well. All these blogs I made to *have the courage of my convictions*....to keep me honest. I find the Take One Day at a Time approach works well. To be in focus during that time to the task at hand and make that time the most important thing you have to do.