Okay, So I'm nuts!

I did it! Yep, I did. I needed 187 minutes this morning to hit my exercise goal and I did it. With an extra 8 minutes to spare. It broke down into an hour on the treadmill, 93 minutes of walk away the pounds, 24 minutes core strength and 18 minutes on the stationary bike. Woo Hoo! I probably won't be able to move by tomorrow, but it sure is a good feeling to know that I did it. Back to work tomorrow morning.

Happy New Year everyone!

62 down, 125 left to go

Thats how many minutes I need today to achieve my goal. I hate missing it, but sure don't see that happening today. Maybe if John was working and I was home alone I would do it, but we are going to go visiting a bit today so I don't see it happening,however I am not giving up on it either..thats only 2 more hours that I need ...

187 Freaking Minutes

187 Freaking Minutes! Thats all I need to do yet to achieve my exercise goal for the month of Dec and chances are real good I'll miss it. I missed those few days due to the accident at the beginning of the month. Those few days cost me quite a bit. I do still have tomorrow, but think were doing some "treeing" and probably won't be home to get it in. Thats 3 hours I still need and tomorrow is the last day of the month. Darn, darn, darn. I am nit giving up though, even if it sounds like I may be. Think I'll get up early and try for an hour and then go from there, another bit in the afternoon would help. I think I'll go jump on the rebounder now for a bit..

Wah Wahh Wahh

I'm really pouting here today folks, its a gorgeous day for the end of Dec. The sun is shining, the birds are singing and my family is gambling. Mom, Cher, Paul and Nikki all took off this morning for the casino and I have to work today from noon to 8. Wahh! I sure hope they have fun and win lots and wish I was there!

On a brighter note, I'm finishing off the year with a good month at the store. I'm in second place for sales this month and thats with missing the first few days due to the car accident. Hope I can hold it there today and tomorrow yet.

Mike's treatments are going well and today is his last one for a few days so I'm anxious to hear how he's doing. The doctors do believe that they can put this into remission but with no guarantees. Keep praying please!

I'm still trying hard to live up to my goals physically and just did a half hour on the treadmill. Thanks again for that Hazel! We miss you!

Make it a great day everyone!

New doctor

I had a doctors appointment for my neck this morning, he thinks its time that I see a different doctor, so they made me an appt with one who specializes in neck and back pain and also wants me to start physcial therapy. I have an appt next week for the therapy and on the 18th with the specialist. Hopefully some of this will help soon. The doctor also wants me to start taking the anti inflammatory pills twice day for a week. He thinks this will help somewhat too, makes sense. He says the muscles are week and its easier for me to re injure them.

Cold here today, but guess we shouldn't complain for being the end of December.

Merry Christmas

Hope your holidays were happy everyone. Hope my mom isn't mad at me for posting this picture either, guess I'll send an email and ask her, better late than never.

WE had a nice quiet Christmas Day here yesterday. Spent most of the time at home alone, and later in the day Rick and Kathy stopped in.

John bought us a new squirrel feeder and went out and hung that on a tree so expect to see a picture of that soon, its neat and we are hoping the squirrels actually use it. So far we haven't seen them there but they are sure eating the bird seed.

It's back to work for us this morning, darn it. These holidays just go by entirely to quickly. Howie, Michelle and Bo all spent the holidays down in Arizona with Mike, and I am so glad that they all had the time to go. They will be driving home to Vegas sometime today, so I pray that the traffic isn't bad and they have a safe trip home.

Hope your holidays were happy everyone.

Christmas Eve

It's strange with no snow for Christmas Eve. I remember Christmases in the past when we weren't sure we could even get to my parents house with all the snow. There were times it seemed to take forever on the really bad roads, and times when it felt like we were pushing the snow with the bumper of the car. Today there is none and the temp this morning is 40 degrees.

My kids are not here, they are in Vegas and going down to see Mike today. Somedays, I wish I could "turn back time". I miss them so much.

John and I are going down to spend the day with my family, and tonight his kids will be here, tomorrow will be with his brothers and their wives.

Tuesday will be back to work already. On a brighter note, very surprisingly I had a really good sale day at the store yesterday. We did not expect to be busy but I ended up with close to $7000 in sales. So that was a nice surprise to haveing to be there. A man I had waited on early in the week came back in to buy the massage chair for his wife. I was glad we were still open, she has 4th stage cancer and goes thru 5 hours of chemo at a time. He wanted the chair for her for a present. I still had one left and we can deliver Tuesday so I made him a copy of it for him to put in a card for Monday.

We've got eggs cooking, were doing deviled eggs to take to mom's and I want to go get some real exercise in first too. This is my strength training day and I want to ride the bike and walk yet too. I need to average 62 minutes a day every day to hit my goal for the month.

Merry Christmas everyone! Make it a good day!

Congratualations Bo!

Bo, we are just so very proud of you. Congratulations on setting your goal and going for it! You did it!

Oldies

I am still in the process of copying old pictures for our picture wall. This one shows my sister, brothers and myself from years and years ago. We still lived in Ohio in this picture. I'd say maybe i was 13, or 14..a long time ago.

I've copied quite a few old ones here tonight so you can expect to see some of them in the next couple of weeks. This one is appropriate being as it was Christmas time then too.

What a cutie that Chet was.

Reading

I used to love to read. I remember days when I wouldn't get outside, or do much of anything but sit curled up in a chair and read. Even when my kids were little every chance I had would find me doing nothing but reading. Now, it seems like the last 8 or 9 years i was lucky to even look at a book, or magazine. That seems to be changing again now and I'm back to reading but its taken another turn here and I seem to be gravitating towards self help and motivational books, in the past it would have been love stories and romance. Right now I am reading three different books, 2 of them by Joel Osteen and one by Dale Carnegie. I am really enjoying these and I read now while I ride the recumbent bike. thats another thing that has changed. Exercise..I hated it when I was young. Now, I've learned that I love cardio and I hate days when I can't fit it in. I make exercise a priority and have ever since July 05 when I was in the hospital. It seems that I am bent on changing things in my life, maybe not things but myself. I am more inclined to work on improving myself spiritually, physically, and emotionally. These are the things I want to work on and my goals for 2007.

MRI

Well, I had a few days where I thought the neck was getting better, but it has been really stiff, sore and achy now since about Friday. I remember it hurting when I was looking for clothes in the closet and yesterday I added to it while filling the loaner car up with gas. I turned my head to see the gas pump and felt it. I called the doctor again today, we played phone tag on Friday, and the MRI is scheduled for Wed morning, plus they refilled my scripts.

Today its been pretty bad and I've taken the pain meds, the anti inflammatories, and the muscle relaxers and plan on taking them again before bed. I am beginning to think it could be a pinched nerve, the left arm is numb down to the elbow.

We are still waiting word on Mikes tests and should know something on Thursday. that day is also Bo's graduation from the police academy.

Make it a great day everyone!

Neck

I am having a rough day today with my neck. I did call the doctors office Friday and am going to schedule the MRI. The doctors office wasn't open and they did return my call but I was at work. I am going to call them Monday and have it scheduled for after the holiday. It is still sore on alot of days. Some things bother it worse, one of them driving any distance, the other trying to find clothes in the closet, hanging clothes out or anything that requires my head to be tipped a bit. Which as short as I am is quite a few things..LOL the wind and cold do not seem to help and today something as simple as putting gas in the car and turning to see the pump set it off.

Taken from Sparkpeople Web Site

Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.- Louisa May Alcott, authorWhat would you do if you knew you wouldn't fail?What would you do if you knew you could not fail? What kind of person would you be? What would at typical day look like? There's a reason that star-gazing provokes the most powerful dreams. They're right there for the taking, yet you can't touch them. Their distance only feeds an ability to inspire. Dreams may seem out of reach, but that's not the point of dreams. They're there to be felt, not touched or dissected. What a star is made of is meaningless to a moonlit dreamer. The epic possibilities are what are important. The payoff is not so much in the destination as it is in the journey. By following your dreams, you make their beauty a part of who you are. Your life begins to shine. You become a better person. By chasing that star, you've already captured its magic.

Free Mammograms

I've added a new link to the left side of this page. It is called Fund Free Mammograms and if you click on it, it will take you directly to a web site that pays for free mammograms for women that cannot afford it. One simple click of your mouse can help save some lives. They ask that we click on this site daily and the sponsors have their sites listed also. Take a minute and check it out.

I'm asking still for your prayers for Mike. He is still in the hospital awaiting test results. Hopefully we should hear something within a day or so.

Make it a great day everyone!

Weird weather

Cannot believe the weather we are having. In the 40's and 50's and the ponds are all thawed. Supposed to be like this for the next 7 days according to the weather on the computer. I will not be upset if that is the case. Am trying to figure out how to do some stuff on the blog that I haven't done before so gotta go.

Believe in Santa Claus

I received this via email this morning from a good friend down in South Carolina, I have no idea where it originated but I loved it and wanted to share it. Any of you who know me, know that yes, I do believe in Santa Claus. I hope you enjoy the story as much as I did.

BELIEVE IN SANTA CLAUS I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no SantaClaus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!" My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma alwaystold the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easierwhen swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true. Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" shesnorted...."Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been goingaround for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your coat, and let's go." "Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second world-famous cinnamon bun. "Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything.
As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars .That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buysomething for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car" Thenshe turned and walked out of Kerby's. I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother,but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big andcrowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for.I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church.I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me inMrs. Pollock's grade-two class. Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling theteacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat. I fingered the ten-dollar billwith growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat! I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that. "Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind thecounter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down. "Yes, ma'am," I repliedshyly. "It's for Bobby." The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby reallyneeded a good winter coat. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in abag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas. That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper andribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it.Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove meover to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of Santa's helpers. Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and Icrept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going." I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the presentdown on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby. Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That night, I realized thatthose awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said theywere -- ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team. I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95. May you always have LOVE to share, HEALTH to spare and FRIENDS that care... And may you always believe in the magic of Santa Claus!

7 squirrels, 2 crows and 3 woodpeckers..

That is what is in my backyard at this very minute. I am sitting here playing on the computer for a few minutes before going down to exercise and get ready for work. I just looked out the door and those are all out here having fun. The snow is gone and the animals are really enjoying this day. I hope all of you enjoy this day also. Make it a good one!

Tickers

Well, as you can tell from the bottom of the page, I deleted one of the tickers. I deleted the one tracking my steps. I ended up doing this because the ticker site changed things around and needed a password, and now it updates automatically when I update that site. It's a nice convenience not to have to copy and paste it in the blog, however, I cannot figure out how to have the two different tickers. I'm sure that my sister will get a chuckle out of that, but I have tried everything and it doesn't seem to work.

Anyways, my steps for the month are posted in the little blocks by walker tracker anyways. I must have had awful lofty goals when I set those goals anyways. So far this month I have walked a total of 103,992 and my goal is 600,000. I missed that big time. I'm going to blame it on the accident.

had a great day at work today, everything just seemed to fall into place and everyone bought everything. I love days like that!

I talked to Michelle for a minute tonight and Mike's cat scan went okay and he should know something from the doctor come Thursday. Thanks for all of your prayers.

Christmas Time

Well, I got the gifts for my kids wrapped and boxed up today. Just need to get the address labels on them and get them in the mail. Am hoping to do that Tuesday morning. I don't work till noon that day and should have time to get to the post office on the way in. Have two boxes to be mailed. The house is as decorated as its going to be and I guess I'm as ready as I'm going to be. Not really much in the mood in this year. Guess there is just to much going on.

Sunshine and 43

It is really hard to imagine a more perfect day in Pa. in December. I just came in from a walk, its sunshiny, and 43 degrees out there. A perfect day for a walk. I strapped on the cd player, headphones and out I went. Up 255 to the Y, down 555, over Redwood St to the bridge, and back, home on Plum and 255. We could surely use a few more days like this one!

Guessing here..

Ok, I'll admit I'm only guessing here, but I am almost sure enough to bet good $$ on it. I think that the person who signed into the guestbook today with no name except "me" is probably my Uncle Rob. Would think my mom, sister or Aunt Jo, but they all know how to spell, and Uncle Rob really doesn't. And I am sure he remembers me being three!

Well, some updates here. First off, we had four big huge elk in the backyard last night. I tried to get pictures but it was just to dark and I think I zoomed in to close. they were to blurry. I am really hoping they come back around in daylight hours so that we can get some good pictures of them.

Second, I am finally feeling better after the accident and have had two days without muscle relaxers or pain pills so thats a good thing.

Third and most important is that I would like to ask for your prayers for Mike. He is having some health problems right now and needs our support.

thanks everyone! Make it a great day!

Snow

It's snowing here this morning, we are supposed to be getting around 1 to 3" but I hope they are wrong. winter hasn't been to awful bad yet, and just don't really want it. I'm feeling some better today, but I was yesterday too until I went outside inthe cold. John is still off and is out Christmas shopping this morning. He is off Friday and Sat this week too, he took them off for my Christmas party which is Sat night. Guess he didn't see much sense in going in Friday night, then taking Sat off when he's been off all week anyways. I'm working noon to 8 today, so guess I better get moving, going to have to leave soon.

Marcus and Mack?

LOL, yesterday in the mail I received a letter and pamphlet from Marcus and Mack. they are the tv lawyers. Whoo hoo, thought that was pretty funny. I didn't read it but it is sitting here on the table. This morning I have to take the car up to see the insurance appraiser and this afternoon a lady from the insurance company is coming here to see me. What fun and all of this on a day off. Just don't really feel like doing any of this. However, since the doctor gave me the muscle relaxers on Monday I am feeling much better. A good thing.

Two years

Happy anniversary to our home! Two years ago, December 3, we moved in here. I remember working at the jewelry store and working from open to close and trying to move. I wasn't much help. John ended up doing most of it. But here we are.

We went Christmas shopping a bit today. Not for long, I am more stiff and sore than I realised and after a few hours I was really hurting and we came home. I am back into my jammies, with neck brace on and took a pain pill upon walking back in the door. Hopefully tomorrow goes better when I am back at work. I see the doctor tomorrow at 4, so am only working until about 3.

New Month

The first day of December. I always love the first day of the new month. It's like a new beginning. It doesn't matter so much what happened before, its over and done and time to set new goals. You have another chance to do better, to reach higher, to do more.

I've reset the step and minute counters back to zero and hope to achieve the goals I've set by the end of the month. 1500 minutes of cardio exercise, and 600,ooo steps for the month.

I'm still stiff and sore after the fender bender yesterday. Doubt i'll do much today and want to take it easy on the pain pills, they made me really sick to my stomach last night. Am going to just relax and take it easy today.

Make it a great day everyone!

Shopping again

Mom, Cher and I are going Christmas shopping again today. Everything just seemed to fall into place for today and its nice when that happens. I have a hair appt this morning in St Marys and had emailed them to see if they wanted to meet me in town afterwards to have lunch and do some shopping. They wanted to go to Dubois which works actually even better. I can look for a new outfit for the Christmas party and still do some Christmas shopping. I am hoping to find one of the two things that I want for John today and may find both of them with any luck.

Our weather has just been superb. It could not possibly get any better than this for November. And so late in November. We have had sunny skies and high 50's for a week or so now. Hopefully it will make winter go quickly.

Our Christmas tree is still undecorated, was planning on doing that today, but not with shopping. Hopefully maybe tonight if I'm home in time.

Window box

Ok, here is the picture of the fireplace windowbox in the living room. Not to sure I like it as much this year as last, but I used all the same stuff just arranged a bit differently I guess. Still it looks nice and its done. I still need to get the tree done and the downstairs done. Did accomplish alot today though.

All of that decorating and did get in 72 minutes of cardio exercise. Need to change the ticker for that tonight. Proably should take time and change the step one too.

Decorating

Well, these pictures show both sides of the fireplace and the decorations. Unfortunately it doesn't show up well with the Christmas lights on. Anyways, I did manage to get alot of the decorating done today while John was at camp. The tree still doesn't have any decorations on it, but am hoping by Wed that will be done too. I need to quit for the night, I need to go get some exercise in. Not to sure if its going to be the treadmill or a watp video, but at any rate its going to be some kind of cardio.

Camp

Well, its hunting season and the guys have been at camp since Friday afternoon sometime. John went down while I was at work. I had an email from my mom yesterday telling me that they stopped up to visit her and dad a bit, so am glad that they took the time to do that. I know John had been hoping to do that.

I've got big plans for today while they are gone and I am off. I'm going down and getting an hour of exercise in first thing, and then going to get some decorating done. John brought the tree up last week and I want it done. Also planning on doing up the window box on the fireplace with the Christmas flowers. May post some pics later of it.

Make it a great day everyone!

Flying Squirrel

Last night around 10 our motion lights came on. I looked out to see 3 deer in our back yard. While watching them I noticed my tubular bird feeder swinging back and forth and while watching it realised there was some kind of night creature there. I was actually quite fascinated with it and it took me a while to realise it was a flying squirrel. I actually looked it up on the internet to find it, and yep, thats what it is. They move quite quickly and are nocturnal creatures. John is at camp so hasn't yet seen it or even aware that we have them around here. They are actually quite ugly from what I could see.

Remember to scroll down to the bottom of the page and sign the guest book please. Thank you.

Changed the counter

Well, I changed the visitor counter tonight on here. My eyes could not see the little numbers very well, so I made us a bigger counter. Also added my brother Eddie's website to the links. He runs a charter service out of lake Erie and this shows his boat and some of the fish his charters have caught.

Thanksgiving Day Poem

I received this via email this morning and wanted to share it with everyone. I am not sure who wrote it so do not know who to give credit to, I thought it was very appropriate for the day. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. " 'Twas The Night Of Thanksgiving, I Just Couldn't Sleep...I Tried Counting Backwards, I Tried Counting Sheep. The Leftovers Beckoned - The Dark Meat And White, But I Fought The Temptation With All Of My Might. Tossing And Turning With Anticipation, The Thought Of A Snack Became Infatuation. So, I Raced To The Kitchen, Flung Open The Door And Gazed At The Fridge, Full Of Goodies Galore. I Gobbled Up Turkey And Buttered Potatoes, Pickles And Carrots, Beans And Tomatoes. I Felt Myself Swelling So Plump And So Round, 'til All Of A Sudden, I Rose Off The Ground. I Crashed Through The Ceiling, Floating Into The Sky, With A Mouthful Of Pudding And A Handful Of Pie. But, I Managed To Yell As I Soared Past The Trees..Happy Eating To All -- Pass The Cranberries, Please. May Your Stuffing Be Tasty, May Your Turkey Be Plump. May Your Potatoes 'n Gravy Have Nary A Lump, May Your Yams Be Delicious May Your Pies Take The Prize, May Your Thanksgiving Dinner Stay Off Of Your Thighs. May Your Thanksgiving Be Blessed!!!"

Happy Thanksgiving

Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us everyday.- (Sally Koch) You can impact more people than you'll ever knowToo many people sit on the sidelines of life waiting for that one great opportunity or the chance of a lifetime. We seldom realize that while we are waiting, we are missing the small opportunities to make a difference that surround us in our everyday lives. For example, you could pick up the litter on a street that you travel often, help someone carry her groceries to her car, or offer to help a child read a book. Of course, this list could go on and on. Your small action could make all the difference in the world to someone and you may never know it. Don't sit around and wait for the BIG CHANCE because you never know...one of those small opportunities might turn into the next chance of a lifetime.
I read this quote this morning on sparkpeople, one of my favorite sites and thought it was a good one to post on Thanksgiving Day! Make it a good day!

Thanksgiving Eve

A strange Thanksgiving Eve here in Pa. The temperatures today were up in the 50's and supposed to be tomorrow too.

I remember Thanksgivings when we ended up pushing through the snow with the bumper on the car to get to my mom and dad's. Not this year.

I could probably have the top down on the little red convertible. Chances are if I was a few years younger I would have.

Happy thanksgiving everyone! I miss you Howie and Michelle!

Me At Three

Wasn't I just such an adorable three year old? John and I are doing a picture wall in the basement and we have been going through pictures. This was one of me that we came across. I believe its the only one of me that I have from when I was young. However, I am going to go through pictures at my mom and dad's on Thanksgiving Day when I'm there so its anyones guess what may be posted on here after that. Lookout sis..I have one of you in mind that I'm hoping to find at mom's house.

I am just having such a good time with doing some different things on this blog. You will note I am sure that I now have a map of the United States posted with the steps I walk daily. Plus tickers of the exercise and steps done. These will only be updated on days off because it takes a while to do it.

I cannot believe how much of a health kick I have been on ever since being so sick in 2005. Since quitting smoking though it has made quite a difference. I actually enjoy all the exercise, the eating healthy, the green tea and the 8 glasses of water a day. I just wish I would have learned all this earlier.

Work, work, work

What a nutsy day today was. It seems that everyone always comes in together. It can be totally quiet with not a customer in sight and then that darn door dinger goes nonstop and we are all doubled up with people.

I am really looking forward to getting tomorrow in and having Sunday off.

Good News

Okay, Howie will be okay after a few days of antibiotics. These bacterial infections seem to be really wide spread anymore. thank God that it was nothing more serious however.

I have added another ticker to the blog, tracking my step goal for the month. Will update both of these on Sunday and Wednesday when I'm off. Am sure to be well below my goal for the month being as we are already half way through it, but then can start fresh in December.

Enjoy the day everyone

Keeping busy

I'm keeping myself busy tonight playing on the computer. I am waiting for a phone call from my son in Las Vegas and cannot sleep until I know that everything is okay or at least that it will be. I have added pictures of the kids to the blog and have posted a ticker counter across the bottom. This ticker will count my exercise minutes per month and adds some color to the blog. I've also added the picture of our house to the bottom of the pages. I will update the ticker as the month goes on although probably not on a daily basis. More than likely on days off.

Christmas Lights

John got the Christmas Lights up yesterday while we were both off. I'm sure it was much nicer for him doing it in 40 degree weather rather than freezing cold. I'll have to get pictures of it lit up and posted. Yesterday also he cleaned out both blue bird houses and moved the unused one onto a post for us. Hopefully this year we will have bluebird families in both. I used the day to do some inside cleaning, the hutch for example was driving me nuts. It seems that since moving in here and then being so sick that alot of this stuff has never gotten done. Now with the holidays coming I want it done.

Shopping Day

A day off work,and mom, Cher and I are taking off for Pittsburgh and the mall. It seems its been a long time since the 3 of us have had the opportunity to do this and we have been wanting to get back down to that mall for quite a while. We stopped there once in March on my way to the doctors. So today is the day.

I do wish Michelle was here to go with us. How she loved those shopping trips with all of us. I love and miss you dolly. John took this picture with the new camera from camp one day last week. I thought it was beautiful

Wonder what kind of step count we'll end this day with. I'd do better if i'd get off the computer and get moving.

Our neighbor Hazel

This was taken on Hazels moving day about a month ago. I thought she may get a chuckle out of seeing it. I was waiting to post it to make sure she had the internet hooked up. If you look closely you can see the guys standing in her garage. I took this picture through our living room window, I didn't want them to see me taking their picture.

It's weird here without Hazel being across the street. She was the first neighbor we met when we moved here. Actually John met her first because she snuck across the street to meet him while I was at work...LOL, I think she spent the next year and a half apologising to me for it. We got some good laughs out of it though. We had gotten in the habit of checking up on each other from time to time and I always looked to make sure her living room blinds were open in the morning. The new neighbors sometimes leave them closed till around 8 and it throws me everytime, it just doesn't seem right.

I heard from Hazel recently and learned she broke her toe within an hour or so of moving into the new house. What a way to start out in a new town. We miss you Hazel, and know that every morning when I open my blinds I'm thinking of you and wishing you well.

My dad

This is my dad. He's amazing and he's nuts. Amazing because he has twice the energy of men half his age. He's like the energizer bunny, he just keeps going and going. Nuts because he gets up at 4 in the morning, drives to New York to go hunting. This man actually makes more work for himself. But, he's my dad and I guess we'll keep him. Oh, and one other thing...when he wants to go somewhere he wants to go and he wants to go now..and heaven help mom if she's not quite ready. Love you dad! And mom too!

Oh, and the deer is from New York archery season and is an 8 point and sure to be mounted

Another Sale Day

Well, we did another direct mail but this one isn't going as well. Not as busy and we actually got to leave at 5 instead of staying to 6 or 7. I did however have a few sales and think I'm about $4000 for the day. last month was my best month ever since I've been there. Had over 72,000 so that made me feel much better about the entire thing.

I sure wish my anonymous sister would post her name when she leaves me comments. Just so that I would know for sure it was her.

I had 15620 steps for today sis.

Working Hard

Halloween Day at the store. We are working hard as you can tell from this picture, but actually we all did work. We were the only 3 in the store that dressed up. A bunch of party poopers there.

Happy Halloween Everyone

Dad always did call me a gypsy..guess its just in my blood. A few of us dressed up for work today, very few actually, only 3 of us in sales. Val cheated and just wore a ball cap and jersey.

Think everyone liked my costume though, it got lots of laughs. The guys all liked the long hair.

happy Halloween everyone!

Pileated Woodpecker

I was so excited to see this woodpecker in our backyard this morning. It's been a while since he's been here. I got quite a few different pictures of him before a squirrel chased him away.

Happy Halloween everyone, I'm hoping to post pictures tonight of my Halloween costume if it turns out!

Let It Snow

I'm not to sure you can see the snow falling in this picture, however, it was coming down pretty good at the time. I know that my kids really miss the snow so thought I'd post this for them.

A much better day at work yesterday, sold over $16,000 and it was really nuts. I put on 20439 steps during the day and today my feet feel it.

I'm off and need to get busy here, alot i want to get done today

A God Awful Day

Yesterday was a God Awful Day at work. We were busy, had this direct mail sale going on. Tons of people in and around and I couldn't sell a darn thing. Had two orders and then a phone call later to hold one till Monday when she comes back in to recheck her colors. It is a really hard thing to see everyone around you selling everything to everyone and your writing quote after quote after quote. Hopefully at least some of those quotes come back in this week. Some of them do sound quite promising, and my second sale yesterday was a lady who had been in earlier. She brought her husband in to see what she wanted.

I hate days like that though and it really makes me question myself, Can I do this? Why am I there? It doesn't help at all that the past two days I was scheduled out at 6 and was late both days, last night I was there till 8. Tonight I am scheduled in until 8. this sale is continuing through Monday.

I think I need to learn to shake it off, and to go have some fun with it and hope that helps.

16613

Well, I had a good day at work yesterday. It's funny how some times I do like this job and other days you can just shove it. We are having the direct mail sale going on right now and I had three good sales yesterday. It's funny though, Val was having a bad day and mine started out that way. You never can tell.

I had 16613 steps for yesterday. Not as many as a lot of days and being as I ended up working late I couldn't get any real exercise in at all. I was scheduled out at 6 but ended up there till about 20 after 7. That seems to happen to me quite often. At least I made the sale that kept me there.

Dumb

Okay, well that was dumb..forgot to post my step count for yesterday which was 17537

Any takers on posting it here?

Steps

I've decided to post my daily step count on here. That way those I am competing with can see how I'm doing and if they want to show me what they have done you can add a comment..my sister knows how to do that very well! My pedometer broke yesterday so I was glad to have a spare in the drawer out here and will be running to walmart soon for another spare. I have worn the pedometer every single day since january 1st and think I would not know how to walk without it.

Well, I am off today and hoping to see some deer or elk around the yard. John saw 6 big bulls on his way to work yesterday, so they are on the move. We do have elk prints in the backyard by the bird feeder. these are the two deer eating in our backyard.

I guess I better get off the computer and get dressed and get busy..Boy, do I ever love days off!

Bonnie and Clyde??

Or Cher and Jeff? Wish I would have asked which one of them had the idea to attend a Halloween Dress Up Wedding as Bonnie and Clyde. Either one of them could have come up with that. Either way though, a really great costume and they won Cutest Couple!

Homesick

My daughter is homesick. I thought maybe seeing this picture of her mommy would help. I know that she checks this site quite regularly, so hopefully she does soon. Michelle, now you can see how the tv room looks, which is now actually the den..I love and miss you honey! Remember to read your email and get registered for "The Daily Steps"

Leaves, Leaves and More Leaves

You sure can tell its fall here in Pa. The leaves are almost all off the trees in the backyard and on the mountain side. I spent a good part of Sunday raking them out of the yard and skimming them out of the little ponds. Today is a day off and supposed to be a nice one, I think this afternoon will be spent doing outside work and raking leaves is on the list again. Along with digging up the cannas and glad bulbs. I hate the thought of winter coming and being stuck inside for months and months.

I am glad that we got the basement carpeted and it looks so nice down there, I have been spending even more time there and really think once winter sinks in and we cannot be outside we will be down there even more often. It stays nice and toasty warm down there and I really do enjoy all the exercise equipment.

This morning I have a hair appt and am getting it just trimmed and frosted again. I really am trying to let it grow out a bit and now its long enough that it keeps my ears warm..Thats always a good thing.

Enjoy the day everyone!

And After..

Finally, this is starting to work again. Not the usual way, have to change the pics somewhat to be able to post them, but I guess its better than nothing.

In this picture you can see the new carpet, and the 10 gallon aquarium we set up on the new shelf John built. If you look behind the sofa you can see the treadmill we bought from Hazel, (boy, I'm going to miss her being across the street) and the eliptical and bike. Thats my fitness room.

I wonder how my daughter did today on her final. Bet she knows I'm thinking of her.

Michelle and Bo

Well, today Michelle has her first final in one class. Of course she is worrying herself half sick over it. I am just so proud of her for even having gone back to school and doing this. It ccannot be easy working and going to school and taking care of Bo..grin. Good luck Michelle, you will do well and I'm thinking of you honey.

Bo, is doing well in the academy and recently had to purchase a bullet proof vest. Not a cheap investment but a necessary one. He has got to have it in Dec when he graduates, they take roughly 16 weeks to come in and they are not supplied by the department. These poor kids have had to put out a bit of $$$ for this academy so far.

For my sister..

This one is for you Cher! Know how much you love those bird pictures. I didn't resize this one and it posted!!! Yippee! I am excited.

Holy Cow!

I changed the resolution on this picture quite a bit, but finally have a picture posted. Now I'm wondering if it was the resizing that did it or if they got it fixed. May have to try to post a regular size one and see.

Anyways, this is my sister and her husband sitting on the bench he made us for up by the big pond. I've got things in this house that he made for me probably about 20 years ago, maybe more.

Thanks Jeff.

Trying something

Ok, I just read on the blogger help group to try changing the resolution to the pictures and try to post it, so here goes. ok, still got the same message. So that didn't work either. going to try to publish and see if by chance the picture is here.

Cher, Jeff and Bench

Well, I cannot post pictures yet, just tried to put a picture of Cher, Jeff and the bench he made us on here. Maybe someday this site will work again and I can do the picture then. Anyways, was nice to see them and get the chance to visit a bit. Darn nice of Jeff to make the bench for us and its going up by the big pond. It will be perfect for up there.

Love that basement!

Well, unfortunatley ever since they updated the site I still cannot post pictures. Have even thought about using a different site but hate to change everything and lose all this. I keep thinking they should get it fixed soon. A few other people on the help group are not able to post pictures either, so at least its not just me.

The basement is absolutely wonderful, I love it. Just came up from exercising and its wonderful to spend some time down there. Except the new carpet still stinks. I just sprayed it with some Febreeze and hope that helps.

Cheri, Jeff and possibly Paul are coming up this afternoon sometime, will be nice to see them. I still have Jeff's camera and he wants it back. Poor guy owns two and has none, Paul has one, I have the other.

I love the new one we bought anyways. Yesterday I took pictures of two young bucks out in our backyard, would love to be able to post them and hopefully they get the pictures up and working soon.

Still no pics

Well, it seems that alot of the bloggers are having problems with posting pictures lately, so at least I am not the only one. I sure do hope they get this fixed soon though. Its my long day at work today and i am looking forward to gettting it in and over and having tomorrow off.

no pic

For some reason the site will not add pictures last night or this morning. The "after" picture of the basement is going to have to wait. It looks great and we are very pleased with it. Now have the small aquarium set up down there with angel fish, a polka dot cat, and a Columbian Shark.

Before

Fitness room before the carpeting..The guys are here now doing the carpeting and John is downstairs with them. I can hear them all talking. Hope this isn't an all day long job.

Sunflowers

John is learning to take some gorgeous pics with the new camera. this picture of the sunflower in our back garden really turned out beautifully.

Carpeting

Well, today is the day the carpet gets intstalled in the basement. I'm excited and up early. The guys are supposed to be here around 8 to get started. Yesterday, I was on the treadmill and it is so unlevel, we have moved it time and again to get stuff out of the way. I cannot wait until this is done and can get that downstairs back to normal.

John has been busy working down there the past two days, he built a half wall over by the exercise room, and I think I'm setting the small aquarium up on it. With some angel fish and a few others. He paneled the wall where the two areas meet and it looks great. Should be fun trying to figure out where we want things when its all back together again.

We are hoping to get some time outside today, weather allowing. We really need to get the ponds apart, the filters, pumps, fountains etc are all still up and running. Fall is coming quickly and I can't seem to keep up.

An absolutely gorgeous day

Finally got some decent shots of the bluebirds! Cannot believe they are still here today..
After I took these I came down to the house to hang out a load of clothes. Wish I would have had the camera with me, the bluebirds were at the birdbath right here by the clothesline. It's sunny, a warm 64 and a gorgeous day off! Got a few pictures of the cardinals in our yard too, but they'll wait for a different day.

A Quiet Week

It was a very quiet week at the store and yesterday we sold very little. It was a really nice, sunny fall day here and we think people were doing outside stuff getting ready for the weather to change.

It is supposed to be another nice day today and I am glad to be off and able to be outside. I really need to get the ponds apart and the filters out and away till spring.

The nuthatch here is one of a few that frequent our backyard.

Bluebirds and fish

Ihad just finished getting all the fish into the tank and was really thinking about jumping into clothes and running to Walmart for a new fish or two and some plants. The ones I have look really little in this aquarium. I walked into the living room and looked out the window and saw birds at the bluebird house. Really did not think they were bluebirds, but they were! I'm not real good with this camera yet and couldn't get real close, but I at least got a few pictures of the bluebirds. Yippee! I am really surprised that they are still around here.

New aquarium

Squeekers likes the new aquarium too. Notice there are not even any fish in it yet. Just got it home tonight and just finished setting it up..11:00 pm here, so the fish are going to wait till tomorrow to be added in. Hopefully will have time before leaving for work but otherwise will be doing it tomorrow night when I get home. It's 29 gallons. I am sure the cichlids and oscars will love it.
I do need a few bigger plants for in it, the ones I have worked well in the 10 gallon but too little for this one. Walmart had live plant bulbs for aquariums so did put a few of those in, they are supposed to start growing within 10 to 15 days. The new aquarium has fluorescent bulbs too, so it looks pretty neat actually. Kind of hard to tell where its at in this picture. It is on the shelf right inside the living room door, beside my chair. I'm excited to get the fish in it. Want to make sure the water temp is right first though.

Fall

Fall is definately in the air here in Pa. Leaves are dropping at an alarming rate in our backyard, we've been raking them as time allows, but there are alot of things that need to be done before winter sets in.

We have not had a frost yet, so the flowers outside are all still doing well. The bulbs will still need to be removed after the frost comes. The cannas flowers from dad have done very well and have spread like wildflowers this year. I know that my mom and Vicki both need some so hopefully will be able to divide them up. The mums pictured here have also done fantastic out under our little tree in the front yard. They have all grown and spread and I'm not sure if there will be room for impatiens next year or not.

The ponds need to be ready for winter also, the filters and fountains are all still running and those need to be taken out, cleaned and put away until spring. Again I hope the fish survive the winter months, but this year I do have a pond heater to keep a hole in the ice. Not thinking straight though, and I only bought one. We will have to move it from side to side in the little ponds to keep a hole open on both sides.

A very busy, but good day at work yesterday. I had people I had worked with in the past all come in for me yesterday. It just seemed like everyone was waiting for me. A good day for commissions with sales over $13,000. It helped to finish out a really bad, slow month.

Next week the new basement carpet will be installed and boy, am I excited about that. John has been busy working down there finishing a wall. He is putting in electrical outlets and covering over the brick with marlite and wood. It will sure look nice once its done.

A project that we are considering for next spring in enclosing the front porch in glass with possibly a skylight. I will be researching that! You can count on it.

Howies birthday

Happy Birthday to my son! 35? Wow! Where do those years go? Seems only yesterday he was a few years old, what a little cutie he was too. those years sure do fly by. I do wish he was closer and not all the way across the states, but hopefully maybe come spring, we'll get out to see both of the kids. Or fall, after my nephews 21st birthday. I am glad that both of my kids are living in the same town now, and it gives me peace of mind to know that they do have each other and have actually gotten much closer since moving away from home.

What wonderful kids I do have and how very lucky I am. A very proud mother here.

Treadmill

We added a treadmill to my exercise room today. Our good neighbor had one she was getting rid of and I wanted it. it is quite a workout, but i really enjoyed it. Will keep me busy during the long, cold winter months when I can't get out to walk. I did a half mile on it tonight, will do the full mile tomorrow when I have more time.

Clean bill of health

We went down to Pittsburgh on Thursday, Sept 14 and saw both of the doctors, cardiology and endocrine. The pheo has so far not resurfaced, the urine test numbers were all excellent and no signs of a recurrence. My heart is good and strong and everything is fine. I do not have to go back now for a year. No more pee test every 6 months..once a year is good. thank God. Dr. F, the cardiologist, said I really don't need to see him at all, my heart is great and nothing wrong there, but being as I have to go to see endocrine, he wants me to schedule an appt with him also, mainly for "social reasons" so he says..but he'll check my cholesterol etc. Remember, this is the doctor who researched diligently and found the pheo in the first place, if it was not for him I would not be here. I owe my life to this man.

From there on to Wheeling, W. Va and Cabela's where this picture was taken. I do love zebras.

Doctors

Well, tomorrow is my appt with both of the doctors. Am praying that the tests have come back normal and that she does the bloodwork for the thyroid while I'm there. Hopefully if the numbers are good she may wait a year before doing the test again instead of 6 months. That would be absolutely wonderful. Guess we'll just have to wait and see. Am sure looking forward to the time off work and having a few days to relax and unwind.

Koi and goldfish

Finally got a picture of the goldfish and koi up in the big pond. The yellow and black one in the middle of the pic is one of my favorites and I sure am glad the kingfisher, mink and heron didn't get him. I am surprised how many there are up there and the babies were a total surprise also. I hope they survive the winter. Am worried about that but not much I can do, with any luck we'll have a mild winter again.

Peggy came over this afternoon and installed a photo editing program and showed me how to use it, it works pretty well and is easy for me to use. The new camera is really great too.

New camera

The new camera came Wed. John took this beautiful picture of a flower on our Mandevilla Vine. He used a macro setting.

I tried to take a few pictures last night..the camera wouldn't work, it kept saying to turn it off and on..access was denied..I finally after 3 tries realised I had not taken the lens cap off!

Later I was trying to take a picture inside and they were to dark. The flash wasn't working, took me a while to realise I was holding my hand over the flash and it couldn't come on.

I'm sure that I will eventually figure it out and learn how to take a decent picture. I think this camera does everything but the dishes..

Enjoy the day everyone!

Baby Goldfish

last night I went up to the big pond to feed the fish. It's pretty neat the way they all come up now to eat, its like a real feeding frenzy. While the big ones were all out in the middle eating, I saw about 6 or 7 small fish swim by. They are about an inch to an inch and a half long, and you can see the colors in them. They've been there a while to be that size and to have the colors. Hopefuly, they survive. I have hopes for them, they've survived this long and I wonder how many more there may be.

Some of the fish up there are getting quite big. I've been feeding them a bit more often hoping to help them through the winter. Hopefully our winter isn't real severe again this year, but I still hate the thoughts of it coming.

New camera should be here tomorrow and I'm getting quite excited about that.

4 miles with Leslie

I just finished a 4 mile walk with Leslie this morning. For the first time I did the two mile walk strong with weights and then a 2 mile brisk walk. What a great way to exercise..in my pj's in front of the tv..feels great.

A day off today and no real plans but am hoping to see some sunshine. The pond filters really need cleaned, its been over a week because of my screwed up work schedule this week. They are sure to be a mess.

Nothing much happening here to write about lately, just rainy and chilly and seems like fall is here and its to early for it.

Blue Heron

WE had a Blue Heron in the backyard yesterday. I didn't get to see it, Margie called that it was there but it flew before I got to the window..darn it. Am glad that we still had the net over the pond and am thinking it will be there for a while yet, and back next spring. The fish up there are getting big and between the mink, the kingfisher and now the Heron they don't have much of a chance without it.

John ordered us a new digital camera with 12 zoom and I'm anxious for it to get here. I've been using Jeff's and its fun, but I want the zoom.

Done

Well, the pee test is done for this time..thankfully. Now we wait for the results. We go back to Pittsburgh in about 2 weeks and hopefully everyhting comes back just fine..always nervewracking waiting to see those results. Guess there is no sense in worrying though, sure isn't going to help anything.

WE ordered a new digital camera today, well actually, John ordered it while I was at work..has a digital zoom of 12 and 7.1 megapixels..am anxious to get it and hope its as easy to use as the one of Jeff's that I've been using. Guess we'll find out.

For sale

Hazel's house is up for sale. John and I sure hate to see her selling it, she has been the most wonderful neighbor and we'll miss her when she leaves. For her sake though, we do understand and hope that it all goes well for her and that she finds a buyer soon.

We have seen numerous people stop and take flyers so hopefully something good will come of it before to long. I know that she was anxious to be settled before winter and its beginning to look like that may not happen. We of course are also selfish enough to hope that if we have to lose her we at least get someone as nice as she is, and someone that is going to take extremely good care of the house.

And at least we can always email...right Hazel??

A Great Day

My sister, what can I ever say about her? I called her and "suggested" she go dig me up plants from my brothers, and bring them and my mom up to visit..Well, she did just that. This picture is of her and I up planting them by the big pond. The other picture is of my mom and my sis in law sitting on the porch. They brought Vicki along for a real nice surprise, sure enjoyed the day.

And it gets even better because they also brought me up Jeff's old digital camera to use and we sure had fun getting pictures of everyone.

A wonderful day for being a rainy one all day long.

Figures

Two days off in a row, and its raining..pouring actually.

The Female Mind.

I really do wonder about us sometimes. I know that JOhn thinks I'm nuts most of the time, and this morning I have to agree with him. Remember reading my post about the Betta Project? that was the project with the vases, fish, and plants..well, last night I managed to kill "Blue" the blue betta. I think I suffocated him. I was topping off the water in the vases for them and never gave it a thought and put the water all the way up to the bottom of the plastic cup..I think no air could get in..and later when I was out here, he sat on my credenza, he was dead...really do think if I had been on the computer soon I could have saved him. Here's the part that makes me think I may be a tad nuts...I really debated about running to walmart late last night, around 11 for a new fish for this vase...finally talked myself out of it, but went first thing this morning..Now have a new purple reddish one in that vase.. They didn't have another blue one and I didn't want to wait.

What makes this all even worse is that today is the first day of my two day pee test, otherwise known as the pee a thon. This does not make anything easy. I have to take a jar with me in case...cannot miss one time or have to do the whole entire darn test over..Am not allowed coffee, tea or a bunch of different foods, so I'm up and going on nothing..well, a sip of coffee..(I cheat once in a while) but just a sip..and to make that worse I couldn't sleep and was up before 6 this morning.

My mom and Cher are supposed to be coming up today and I am really looking forward to that..will be so nice to have a bit of time to visit without the guys.

1/2 cup

This diet for this test is a real pain, yesterday I ate a banana on my cereal, then read the paperwork and realised I'm not allowed bananas, apples, tea, citrus, chocolate, vanilla, gelatin, and the list goes on..of course the worst is NO COFFEE! For the three days preceeding the test and the two days of the test..are they nuts? I am doing like last time and have a half cup sitting here. Yesterday I think I did about 6 half cups throughout the day, washed down with plenty of water.

I don't want to goof up these results but I cannot make it through 5 days without coffee, even in the hospital they allowed me two cups..so am giving up everything else, but sticking with a couple half cups..

Two years

Well, Happy Anniversary to us. Two years ago today we were married in the Pocono's. Going back sometime too. We both loved it there and had a great time. John bought us some perenials today and some different grasses and we got the grasss planted up by the big pond, and the perennials in the flower bed between the drives. I took some pics so as soon as they are developed I'll post them

Resister at hopsital..

Well, this was fun..not. I had to go register for the two day pee test, which is coming up this weekend..has to be done every 6 months to ensure that darn pheo hasn't come back. anyways, got there this morning to register and the lady was having quite a time with the slip from the doctor..she couldn't read it and I offered to read it for her, having done this a few times i know what the test is for..she used the codes above the handwritten cause she couldn't read it and did the registration forms to test for diabetes..when I told her that wasn't what it was for, she had to go ask at the lab and finally just used the computerto find my last test, 6 months ago.

Then I got down to the lab to pick up the jugs and they told me I don't have to register before the test I have to register when I bring the jugs back, both days..last time thy had me register when I picked them up. So they cancelled the registrattion that lady had just done. What fun, all this and the tests haven't even started yet.

And now no coffee, tea, chocolate among other things for the next 5 days. YUck, like thats going to happen. I will be careful, but will have a coffee now and then..

A real walk and green tea

Strapped on the cd player and went for a real walk this morning. First time in a while, it was to hot and humid a few weeks ago and then this past week I was working long hours. Felt good to get out there and see the changes coming..its starting to look and feel like fall. A chilly 59 this morning, but a beautiful day. I walked 30 minutes and went a mile and a half. Met two elderly people down walking on the track at the school.

There is a new house, modular, going in on the corner of Plum St. They were working on that and its the first I've seen it. Noticed coming home that our grass is so much greener than the neighbors on both sides..it must be due to the fertilizer John put down. It looks very rich and green.

It's my sisters birthday, her 49th..God, what a pest she was when she was young..and boy do I wish she was closer now to be a pest again! This picture was from last year when we were all in Vegas with the kids..its a favorite of mine.

I'm still trying harder to do things that are more healthy for me, I seem to be on this kick since being so sick last summer. I've decided I need green tea in my life so am drinking a cup now. it seems to have an awful lot of health benefits, so need to research this a bit and keep drinking it. Gotta go get ready for work..

Perennials

I stopped at Lowe's after work this week and bought a bunch of perennials for the flower bed between the two driveways. John worked on enlarging in while he was off so it was all ready for new flowers. Got them planted today, and ended up moving the garden arch 3 times before I was happy with it. It's back where it was in the first place.

I am already planning out next years flowers and things that i will do differently..for example, the front of the house is going to be marigolds and geraniums. They are both doing great out there. The marigolds got planted late and the geraniums are in pots so next year they will be in with the shrubs. Possibly marigolds also under the little tree. The impatiens didn't do so well there, but think they would have been fine if I had watered them more and fed them once in a while. Time got away from me this year..

WE had a buck in the back yard this afternoon, right in the weeds at the edge of the yard. i didn't see it, but John saw it when he came outside. I was working in the flower bed and he tried to get my attention but it was to late. He says it was a nice one and in velvet he believes. Hope it sticks around and hope to see it. Do wonder if its the deer that was at my bird feeders earlier this year.

Been a while.

I haven't posted in a while. Too much going on and seems like no time lately. I always seem to be in a hurry and there are so many things I want done before fall gets here. This week doesn't hlep much, our owners did direct mailings for a really big special happening at the store and we are all working from open to close for 4 days. Right in the middle of the summer and the weather is gorgeous and we are stuck there.

I went and bought two more goldfish for the right side of the ponds. Only had two in there, my big black and white and one gold fat one. I bought a new white and orange one and a black and gold shubunkin. Wednesday while cleaning them and changing the filters I saw a fish in there I had never seen before, he's kind of silvery gray and I'm thinking must have been a baby born in there that survived. He's quite big for me never having seen him before.

I am starting again to wonder if they will make it through the winter, although they all survived last year. I have 5 in the left pond and now 5 in the right also. I think I am going to order a pond de-icer this year to keep a hole in the top of it. From what I've been reading you should do this to let gas escape.

The fish in the big pond now come up to eat when we feed them and its like a feeding frenzy up there. The pond is really low, we haven't had any rain in an awful long time, probably since my son was home..we should maybe have him come back for another week..he always brings the rain..

Indigo Bunting

Hey everyone..man am I excited. We had an indigo bunting in our vegetable garden this morning. A few other birds there also, so am wondering if we had a female also, but I couldn't tell. John had weeded the garden yesterday so were figuring he was after the bugs and seeds.

it figures that after I walked up to feed the fish in the big pond, the Indigo came down to the little ponds and sat on the rocks. The picture is from enature. One of the sites I use to log the animals and birds in our yard

Eliptical

This eliptical is a killer. I read on sparkpeople where one of the girls can do 12 miles in 90 minutes..I can't even get a mile in a half hour. I did manage to do .347 miles in 15 minutes and 13 seconds on resistance 6. Thats the pitts and gave me a new goal. I want to get to one mile in 15 minutes, but on resistance 5. should give me something to work towards.

Betta Project

John and I had a day off today, actually John has 9 days off and I have today. Anyways, this is a picture of a male betta, otherwise known as a Siamese Fighting Fish. We bought two of them today, and they are in neat vases..it was a project involving glass gem stones, large vases, and houseplants..but "Blue" now has a home on our credenza and "Red" is now living in a large glass vase my mother bought me years ago for my birthday, in our kitchen on the hutch. Unfortunately, this is not a picture of our actual Bettas, they are waiting to be developed, this picture was taken off the internet.

Neat things..

Finally, for some reason the fish up in the big pond have decided they will now come out and eat when I feed them. It's pretty neat to go through a handfull of food in and see all of the gold, silver and white fish come from what seeems like nowhere.

Yesterday at work I was working with two women from 11 to after 5. They did finally end up buying the entire living room which was a good thing after all that..LOL, but another benefit was that I ended up skipping lunch and this morning had finally gotten down to 111. YIPPEE!

Michelle and Bo's Fifth

Happy Anniversary to Michelle and Bo! Five years ago today they were married at the Country Club and this picture was taken. I am so proud of these kids. My daughter, her husband and my son are all now living in Vegas and doing well. I miss thembut am so very happy for them all. I'm not to sure that Bo remembers most of the reception and sure wish I had the picture of him hugging that toilet bowl. I know Howie remembers that.

An okay day

I had an okay day at work today. The morning was slow and quiet but then this afternoon it got better and I actually had a few sales and a be back. Was over an hour late getting home, guess there was a bad accident on the interstate and traffic was backed up so i decided to come home through town. Didn't help, think they had rerouted traffic and it took me an hour to get to DuBois. Think for the first time tomorrow I'm going to be in the hole with our commissions and draw paydays..last month was really slow with deliveries and I had missed a week and a half in June so didn't sell much then..darn it all. Did a rough estimate today and it doesn't look good.

Learned something new..

Okay, thats cool. I learned how to do that now, imagine I'll forget before I use it again, but may try to bring that deer in my backyard up closer..the picture of the deer I mean...

Play Day

Okay, its a day off, its hot and humid and I have nothing better to do than sit here and play..yeah right! Anyways, thats what I'm doing, am learning to cut and crop pictures and hope this works for my profile..lets give it a try.

Hunidity and 90's

A day off from work today and they are calling for high in the 90's and the humidity has been awful all week. Not complaining, winter will be here soon enough unfortunately.

Have some running around to do today, and am figuring on going up to town around 9 or so. Then can be home in the afternoon to do whatever.

The ponds are doing 100% better since buying the new filter. The one on the left with two filters is so clear that we can now see the fish all the way to the bottom. The one on the right is still a bit worse but much better than it was. I'm going to try cleaning the filters 3 days a week for a bit to see how much more it helps. Usually they get done on a day off, but am going to do them also now on Fridays. That way there isn't 4 days between them from Wed to Sunday and that should help alot. Had another water lily bloom yesterday. this picture is a favorite of mine. Deer eating the bird seed, this little bugger came all the way down the backyard one day.

Think I'm going to head outside and fill the feeders before it gets to hot, then can come and shower and get ready for the running around.

A real good day

Had a real good day at work today for one that started off so lousy. First off I overslept, didn't want to get up for anything. Then couldn't sell anything for the life of me. Ended up giving out quote after quote. Then this afternoon everything turned around and one lady came back in to buy, while she was there one man from Saturday came in ready to purchase and later this afternoon another couple. So, all in all a very good day. Ended up being with the couple till an hour after quitting time, but when I figured out what I made on that sale I figured it was well worth it.

Mom and Cher are at bingo tonight I'm guessing, and my dear brother in law, Jeff, left a comment on the blog..first one, pretty neat. Think the other one is from my friend, Lynn, on Sparkpeople.

Finally

Think I finally did it, think there is actually a picture on the profile..took me long enough to figure that out. I hate being so stupid with computers. Today was a day off and a good one. I don't know why I think I need to be busy every minute of the day anymore, but it seems to be what I do. I remember years gone by when I would nap and wouldn't wake up for hours...thats an impossiblitly anymore. don't even sleep good at night.

The zinnias are doing beautifully out back and think thats going to be one flower that we keep in the back garden. Along with the marigolds. The climbing rose bush flowered too, I took pictures of that today. Will post it once there developed if they turn out. Think I'm going to start saving and see about gettting a digital camera.

Picture of the mink.

Thanks to my neighbor Peggy, we now have a picture of the mink. It was in her backyard this afternoon. Pretty little guy isn't he, but he better not eat my fish!

Waterlily

This is a picture of the water lily in one of our little ponds. The first time they've bloomed. They are really unusual in the fact that they open up in the sunlight and close back up tight in the evening. They reopen again the next day. I've had a few of them flower this year but this was the first.