Things happen for a reason...

I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason. This weekend sure pointed that out to me several times.

In searching for things regarding "microwave etiquette" I stumbled upon the "Shelfari" widget on someones blog.

Boy, is that right up my husbands alley. It is pretty cool, I put it on my blog too! If you are a reader I recommend you check it out. You may very well find many more books you would love to read.

Also, my husband is in search of a new watch. We went to Sam's Club, but struck out. Yet, found something there that we both really want for the yard which...it is a raised bed for gardening...me I think it will work great for herbs, or tomatoes.

Since we struck out in the search for watches we went to the mall. Now our mall here in Ocala is really not the biggest mall, and we had no luck with the watch hunt but stumbled upon something that worked quite well in the bedroom.

A new bedside lamp for my nightstand. I had ordered one from JC Penneys but was quite disappointed when it came as it was much smaller than it appeared online. So, that went back. This one was quite a deal and...the colors just work so great with the colors on our wall and in our bedroom.

Yep, things happen for a reason...from microwave mishaps...to watches needing to be replaced.

I sure wish my husbands watch did not need replacing as he really liked it though....but it got us too the mall....sorry babe about your watch....

My husband....is he lucky...or am I?

Oh, my poor husband. It’s Sunday morning…only two days of the week you get to sleep in.

I of course and up early…well…early as in around 9am. I of course…let the cat in, the cat who just seems to like to misbehave. Claw at the furniture, meow at the bedroom door behind which you are trying to sleep.

Your wife starts a project with pictures for a collage frame that you bought…oh…what 2 ½ years ago. Then…you get sucked in…the minute you come out of the bedroom…before the sleep has left your eyes and before you know it…a couple of hours have passed.

But…at least the three collage frames that have been sitting empty are now filled with smiling faces and memories.

The wall in the bedroom no longer looks like it is a display from Target!

Thank you my wonderful husband for your love, time and patience….

You truly are the best….

a wish for teenagers...

You know, I have one wish for teenagers....


I wish you could see, and truly appreciate what your parents do for you.


Some have parents that make them do their share around the house, you know, certain chores assigned to them. Or help make dinner, or set the table, or clean up after dinner.


Yeah, I know you really wish you did not have to do these things, no, they are not fun...but...it is a part of life, a part of being a member of the family. They are all things that you will have to do when you are out on your own...hey...better to learn it now then when you have your own place and before you know it your new pad is looking like a toxic waste dump site.


Believe me you will see that your parents really did you a favor.


Some have parents that don't want you to have to worry about lifting a finger, want you to be pampered and sheltered. Your dinner is served to you, all you have to do is sit down at the dinner table and wait for the meal to arrive and then get up and leave the table when you are done, you don't even have to help take things to the kitchen after dinner, not even your own plate.


Worst thing is...you often take this type of parent for granted...rarely offer up a thank you for serving you...your often quicker to thank a waitress at a restaurant than you are your parent.

Meaning you treat the wait staff better than you do your own parents.


Yeah, sure this sounds great...but in the long run...what do you learn from this? Not a whole lot...and when you are out on your own...who is going to do that for you. You won't really even know how to wash dishes.


I know full well I was a spoiled child, there is no way I will deny that. I may have made my mom wait on me from time to time. I think I am a mixture of the two types teenagers I have mentioned....I think my parents were a mixture of the parents.


Who is to say which is the better way? I am not saying one is better than the other, well, in away I am because yeah teenagers do need to learn book smarts from school and focus on that...but they also need to learn to manage life, take care of themselves....some of them are going to go off to college and be in for a very rude awakening...I feel sad for them.

There were a lot of times I wish I had been more responsible around the house, and...yeah...I sure wish I had been more responsible in school too...we live and learn.


I just hope that they don't realize too late how much they have to thank their parents for. I know I did not thank my parents enough for all they did for me and I regret that. For me it is too late.

I sure hope that others learn to be thankful for their parents.....before it is too late for them.

Okay, so I guess I have more than one wish for teenagers...


Sure it is great to be waited on, pampered...but...remember to be thankful for it...a little "thanks dad/mom!" sure would be great...your home is not a restaurant....your parent is not a waiter/waitress.

Microwave Etiquette 101

So, you work in an office environment that has a small kitchen area with two microwaves. You put your food in to warm it up, for say, two minutes and run to the restroom. You get back and someone has taken your food out of the microwave set it on top and put in theirs.

Me, well I personally find this a little rude.

Some people agree with me that it was a rude thing to do, but some say if it was done and just sitting in the microwave unattended than they had the right to take mine out.

Me…I would have waited until the person came back and then taken my turn.

There must be some type of microwave etiquette. I was a little surprised to find several things pop up when I did a search for microwave etiquette, some rather funny experiences people have had. I am sure that those involved might not have found it as funny as those just reading about it.

I have gathered from some that I have read that I think most will find that I am wrong, that since I left it unattened the microwave was fair game.

Me...well....maybe it is more "who" took it out, yet...me...I still would have waited for the person...I just think it is a little rude to handle someone elses food.

What do you think?

When does the knife blade loose its edge?

We are approaching the five-month mark since my mother passed away. It literally was like my worst nightmare come true.

My father passed away thirteen years ago, and that was like a sucker punch to the heart. But mom was there, and even with as much as it hurt her to lose dad we has a parent to turn to for that parental support that you just always know is there.

For years I told my mom that she could never die! I know, as if she had control over that. But, I just knew that it would hurt so, so, much to lose her.

Last summer I flew up for a long weekend when my mother was going to have a procedure done, which ended up being postponed until the next week so, I missed being up there for it. She came through that with flying colors- little did we know that there was something else hiding in her brain just waiting to take her from us. I look back at when she took me to the airport. I checked in early then went and had breakfast, and still got back to the airport early. Rather than make her hang out at the airport I sent her on her way. I remember looking back at her as she got in her van thinking that this could be the last time I see her…and…it kind of was. It was because the next time I saw her she was in a hospital bed in a coma.

When it did happen, and suddenly, I never got say good-bye to her. It was fairly sudden with my father too, but he had been ill and in our hearts we knew it was a matter of time. Now that I think about it you would have thought that would have taught me the lesson to say the things you don't say. You know, like, thank you for all the support you give me, for the unconditional love, for forgiving me for hurting you when I never meant to. So many words that just get left unsaid, and then- it is too late.

I was very blessed with wonderful parents. Yes, I will be the first one to admit that they spoiled me. I did not want for anything.

They are even taking care of me now. I just wish it was in person rather than in spirit. I wish they could see how happy I finally am with a wonderful husband, who I must say spoils me more than they did. Mom did get to meet Sam. I wish they had been able to get to know each other more closely though. It was hard for her to have to learn to share me, and to have to split time between two families. Something I never managed to do, with out hurting her. I just hope she knows I never meant to hurt her. I think she knew that she could rest assured that Sam will always take good care of me.

The knife cut from losing mom is still so fresh, I just wonder how long till the blade of the knife begins to dull….

Part of the scenery....

Have you ever felt like you are just part of the scenery?

Me, I feel that way quite often. It has happened all my life, it is not like it is something that has just started to occur.

Now that I think about it, maybe that is why I often interrupt people. Which, is one of the things I need to work on. I wonder if I started doing that so I would not just be part of scenery.

Often I will start to say something, or will be saying something and it was like I never said anything. And again, as I said it has happened all my life.

Do you know me? I am that person you know who blends into the woodwork...becomes part of the scenery...I guess there are worse things though...

the funniest things are out there....

You sure can stumble upon the funniest things when you are looking for photos on the internet....

The best...

Sou Chef-- that is my husband.

Emeril, my sou chef is better than your sou chefs!

And mine loves me!

I picked out recipe from a cookbook we bought, "50 great curries of India". On a Saturday night, when we have certain British comedy's that we watch, me, I picked out one that looked complicated for my cooking skills.

Did I mention it was 5:30 our shows start at 8:00 and we would still need to run to the grocery store for a few things....?

Well, we did the dash to the store, got back, and Sam got everything prepped for me. He is the best.

The timing turned out pretty good, and my Sou Chef even served us...which...well....okay, I confess he pretty much serves us everynight...boy...are we spoiled or what....?

Worth a look....

This is a movie Sam got for Christmas, it is one of his favorites, "Crossing Delancey". We watched it tonight and I can see why it is one of his favorites. If you get the chance to watch it. I very much recommend it!

Those who touch our lives...

Another thing that we think back on at New Year's is those people who have touched our lives but have passed on.

Many touch our lives in small ways. Through our televisions, on the movie screens, on our stereos. Some were our teachers, or our friends, or family.

It is amazing how people can touch your life. You don't even have to meet them in person, or even know them and yet they have touched your life. Yes, sometimes not for the better, but for some reason they have touched your life.

I grew up watching television and there were a few that touched my life through television that we have lost: Suzanne Pleshette, Tom Posten, Harvey Korman-- the Carol Burnett show was always a favorite-- and Paul Newman. I can remember my mom taking me to the movie theater to see "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid". Some of them had led long lives, like Eartha Kitt (81), and some died young. Heath Ledger was only 28.

You also think about those who passed away in years passed. You never stop missing them and they are still very much a part of you, part of who you are. My father, my sister, my in-laws whom I never got the chance to meet. Even they are a part of me because they raised the man that I now share my life with.

This year I lost my mom. Day by day it is an adjustment, losing someone from your life. I still miss calling her on my break at work.

Thank you to all that touch our lives. You are forever in our hearts.

On Star....things that make you go hhhmmm...

An amazing technology that can do diagnostics on your car, right down to the tire pressure, make hands-free calls for you while you are driving, or tell if you have been in a wreck and get assistance for you. It can find a wife that has been out shopping longer than the husband had thought she would be.

I remember hearing that my Uncle Richard used it to find out where my Aunt Coralie was…Boy, she was not too happy. Sam has told me how someone in the sports world had the car locked with his wife inside it if I remember correctly…. another unhappy wife, I bet.

I just bought a new Saturn Vue. She has been dubbed "Vanna Vue". Yes, I am one of those people who name their cars. First, okay, the first was not my car, it was my parents Delta 88 who I named Robert. Then, they bought Joey for me to make payments on…well…I did not get to pick out Joey, so I did not really keep him long, but he was a great little Chevette. He was traded in for Mickey, who then was traded in for the only car that did not get named, who was then traded in for Shelby, who was then traded in for Nellie. I left Nellie at the Saturn dealer in Gainesville and left with Vanna Vue.

Boy, I guess I have had my share of cars.

But, I have strayed from what I had started to write about. This is my first car with On Star. My mother had it on her van and it came in pretty handy for her one time, she had to take it to the dealer and they told her it would be cheaper/easier for her to just back out, call On Star, and have them tell her what was wrong.

So far I have only used the phone feature last week in Michigan. The roads were not so good and it was a new car to me, so I opted not to use the cell phone and keep both hands on the wheel.

I was amazed when I just checked my email. They will send you diagnostics checks on your vehicle.

Vehicle Maintenance

Remaining Oil Life: 78%
Mileage: 3,119

Tire Pressure Monitoring:Normal
Recommended tire pressure - Front: 30 psi, Rear: 30 psi
No issues found.

Left Front:31 psi
Right Front:31 psi

Left Rear:31 psi
Right Rear:31 psi

This is an amazing technology to me, and yet, it kind of makes me think of a sci-fi movie where the powers that be can track people….what do you think?