Bubble Yum

Hey. The next time you are feeling really tired from a long day of work and you have to run a bunch of errands and your feet are hurting and your throat is a little sore and you just.want.to.get.home.

Get in line at Wal-Mart behind a guy with just a few things in his cart who is obviously in a good mood. He is an older guy with gray hair but he has a wad of gum in his mouth and he is chewing merrily and humming as he unpacks his cart.

In fact. The gum looks so good that you think maybe you want some. Even though you don't really like to chew gum and haven't chewed gum in 5, 10, OK, a LOT of years.

So get to the register and look at the sugar-free gum and think about the Spearmint but decided that, oh yeah, good ol' bubble gum flavor! Buy a pack.

Unwrap it on the way to the car and stick about three sticks in your mouth. Chew. Enjoy. Then realize. This is BUBBLE gum. Put your tongue in the gum and marvel at the familiarity as you make a bubble shape, blow it up and then pop it with your teeth.

Blow and pop. Grin like a fool. Feel about 16. Blow and pop. Repeat all the way home.


You CAN'T stay in a bad mood. It is physically impossible.

"Dona Nobis Pacem"

Today is Blogblast for Peace Day. Bloggers all over the globe are going to post their own peace globes and write about peace. I don't have a lot to say. I'm not really very political. All I truly know is this. I want the world to be a peaceful place for my grandson. I never want him to have to die in a foreign country in a senseless war. I want him to live a long and happy life. And I would like the same for every grandson and granddaughter in the world. The whole world.

Well, That's A Coincidence

So, I've been reading this blogger, Shannon, who has a blog called Rocks In My Dryer. I really got into reading her stuff when I stumbled on the Fall Bloggy Giveaway a few days ago and she is really funny and a great writer. So, anyway. She and Boomama and Bigmama (who are also hilarious and great writers) were invited to this concert in Alabama last week so they could blog about this musical group. I idly read the information about this Christian Rock band called Casting Crowns and their new album, The Altar and the Door. I had never heard of them. I was not remotely interested.

Segue to Saturday. I'm out shopping and running errands and generally having a fabulous time all by myself, since, as you know, I enjoy spending time with myself and the Country radio stations were really bugging me because they had so many commercials and so little music, so I started seeking on my radio. And it found a channel. And a song was playing that I just loved. It had a great beat and you could dance to it. And I guess that sentence will only mean something if you are over 50. But anyway.

The song was over and yes, you guessed it. The announcer came on and said it was "Casting Crowns" and that was a song from their new CD, "The Altar and The Door".

Well, I'll be... What? How. I HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS GROUP. And then, within 24 hours, I am listening to them on the radio. Do you know the odds against this? Do you know how many times I have EVER pushed seek on my radio. Uh. Maybe once. Maybe twice. Do you know how often I listen to anything other than country or soft rock? Uh...never?

If that's not a strange coincidence. I just don't know what is. I guess I better start listening to this group. Maybe somebody is trying to tell me something.

Teamwork

I put all the comments for the Bloggy Giveaway post into a random number generator and it came out with #73, which was Julie Hudson. Julie does not have a blog, so I contacted her by email so I can send her prize. Thanks for everyone who commented and entered. It was a lot of fun and the number of comments gave me a blog high.

Now, to the subject of the day.


I think I might actually be able to keep losing weight now. I weighed this morning and have lost more weight in the last few weeks than I was able to lose on my own.

Tom has decided to join me in the dieting and exercising. His motive is not vanity like mine, but his health. A much better reason. His doctor had told him he would have to go back on insulin and that is just not acceptable to him. He thinks he can control his diabetes with diet and exercise, like he did when he was first diagnosed. Like me, he let the diet and exercise slide and gained back what he had lost.

Back then, when he was first diagnosed, he was dieting and exercising alone because I was basically just a lazy slob. He was fanatical about walking every single day, no matter what the weather was doing and finally gave up on asking me to go with him. He lost all his extra weight.

Then, I went on several diet and exercise binges and he was not interested.

Now, we in sync. In tune. Together in this plan. We want to be able to retire and be in good health so we can travel the world.

And I think that will make all the difference in the world.

I finally figured out a way to link to Amazon for the books I read and like and want to recommend to you. If you look over on the right at the top, you'll see the link. I'll update it as I find good books you might be interested in purchasing (or checking out at the library!). I'll talk about them more in the post if I think they warrant it. The one over there right now is really good and different. I think you might like it.

For Fun Friday

OK, it's Friday and I thought I would share some of the fun links and games which have come my way in the last few weeks. I thought this might be easier than emailing them to my friends and cluttering up their in boxes. This way, you can decide which you would like!

Now, on to some fun stuff. Let me know what you think of this post!



Which way is this girl spinning? Are you left brain or right brain oriented?

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,22492511-5005375,00.html?from=mostpop

I challenge you to play this game only once. If.I.could.just.turn.it.the.right.waaaaaaaay.

http://www.fetchnstretch.co.uk/

To all my friends who are moms. How many of these have YOU said?

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/ver/223/popup/index.php?cl=4274384


How smart are you? Apparently, I'm not nearly as smart as I thought I was.

http://www.allthetests.com/tests/smart.php3


Do you have a good vocabulary? Let's just see. I got an A-. How about you?


http://www.blogthings.com/howsyourvocabularyquiz/

Also. You know how I'm always writing about some product or some place or some fabulous thing and I say I didn't get paid to tell you how great it was? Well, that may change. If I'm lucky. I have signed on with a group at http://www.blogsvertise.com/ and they may be giving me things to advertise for them. I'm not sure exactly how it will work but I am completely willing to talk about shoes, any sort of make-up or bath products, a lovely and delicious food item (I'm thinking chocolate here), or take a trip to pretty much beach location and review it for them. Although it may not be QUITE like that. I promise I will only tell you about things I like. I promise. I can be bought but I do have some ethics. Unless it comes to some fabulous shoes. Then all bets are off.

A Warm Wool Coat Kind Of Day

It's a warm wool coat kind of day. The temperature has dropped suddenly and drastically and there was some light frost on the car windshields this morning. When I checked the outside temperature by stepping out on the deck, I withdrew hastily. And got out my warm wool coat.

It's an apple crunching day. A thick beef stew day. A fresh bread, warm cookies, spicy scented pie kind of day. A hot chocolate with whipped cream kind of day.
It's a leaf crackling, cold nose, smoky scented, bright blue sky kind of day.

It's a bundle up, gloves on, scarf tucked in, warm socks kind of day.
It's a good book by the fire with a light throw over your legs kind of day.

We just got back from Puerto Vallarta. It was warm and sunny and sea breezy. It was wonderful.
But this crispy, delicious, zesty fall day? Is pretty wonderful too.

Bloggy Giveaway

Do you like free stuff? That's what I thought. This post is part of the Fall Y'All Bloggy Giveaway hosted by Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer. Be sure to click here for a list of all the other bloggers giving away stuff. Maybe you will luck out!!


But first! I am also giving away some cool stuff. For the kids, I have a nice hardback copy of "A Classic Treasury of Nursery Songs & Rhymes" with a CD that accompanies it. For you moms, I have a pink Avon breast cancer awareness pack. In the pack, there are small containers of lotion, shampoo, conditioner, a lip balm and a little Aloe Vera soap. Both items will go to one lucky winner.


To enter my giveaway, just leave a comment for me. The contest ends for everyone at midnight on November 2. I'll use http://random.org/ to choose the winner and if you win, I will contact you for your address. Thanks for commenting! I hope you win something.

A Halloween Meme

Found this one floating around the blogosphere so I thought I would latch onto it.


1. What's the scariest movie you have ever seen?



Not a big scary movie fan, as all my family and friends know very well. I can do scary books, but the movies are just a little too real. Having said that, I did have an old boyfriend who took me to see "The Exorcist". When Linda Blair started talking in that growly voice, I got up and walked out. I have never seen the entire movie. Never will.



2. What was your favorite Halloween costume from childhood?



You're kidding, right? I can't remember what I had for breakfast this morning. I have no recollection of ANY Halloween costume.



3. If you had an unlimited budget, what would your fantasy costume be for this Halloween?



If I had an unlimited budget, I wouldn't waste it on a Halloween costume. Shoes, baby. Shoes.



4. When was the last time you went trick or treating?



Refer to #2 above. Although if you count taking my children trick or treating - more than 20 years. Long before people worried about x-raying their candy.



5. What is your favorite Halloween candy?



Oh, my God. How can I choose? Uh...let's see. I love anything caramel covered in chocolate. Love York Peppermint Patties. And Milky Way bars. And...well, actually. If it's chocolate. I am there.



6. Tell us about a scary nightmare you had.



My worst nightmares always involve falling or jumping into water and seeing a dark shadow in there. This was WAY before Jaws.



7. What is your Supernatural fear?



Oh, I don't know. I guess I'm just pretty much creeped out by anything when I am home alone. I have an unfortunately vivid imagination.



8. What is your creep-crawly fear?



Snakes. I don't even want to write about them.



9. Tell us about the time you saw a ghost. Or heard something go bump in the night.



I'd rather not. It might make those waking nightmares come back.



10. Would you ever stay in a haunted house overnight?



Not for a million dollars. Seriously.



11. Are you a traditionalist Jack 'O' Lantern carver or do you get creative?



I WISH I could be creative. But no.



12. How much do you decorate your house for Halloween?



I have a few decorations. Nothing overboard. Not like Christmas when the house is transformed.



13. What do you want on your tombstone?



Birth and death dates. Those who love me will remember me without some rock with writing on it.



OK, I'm tagging everyone reading this post. If you do this Halloween meme on your blog, tell us in the comments. Or just do it in a comment. I would love to read it.

The Sands Of Time Run Out Fast

We had an assembly at school the other day. Test scores and raising them are both the focus of our lives at pretty much any school nowadays. We had a pirate theme going on and everyone had eye patches and pirate hats and there was more than one "Aaaarr" to be heard. I was talking to a friend about the assembly last fall when we were all gung-ho about the Star Wars theme and I was thinking aloud that I didn't remember being there when that was introduced and I must have missed it and then...I remembered.

That was when dad died.

We went to the pumpkin patch the other day to pick out pumpkins and eat apple pie and take a hay ride with the little blonde boy who is the center of all our lives and I was trying to remember why I didn't go to the pumpkin patch last year and then...I remembered.

I was at the funeral home that day making arrangements.

Hard to believe it's been a year. And yet it's easy to believe as well. Time slips by so quickly, so quietly, so seamlessly knitting up the days that you don't notice it at all. The days and weeks and months slip through our grasp until a year has passed and it seems like just yesterday they handed that folded up flag to my mom while the Marines saluted and it was a cool fall day and we were all crying.

Things change. Life happens. When I handed Wes a little wooden toy train car I got free from Toys R Us the other day, he laughed aloud and said "Thomas!". Clearly. Understandably.

When dad died, Wes wasn't talking at all.

Things change. Life happens. Some of it is sad. But we have to remember. Some of it is good. Very good.

And They Were So Pampered They Did Not Want To Go Home. But They Had To.

It's going to be kind of hard to adjust to not staying in a fancy resort. Not being pampered every minute. Not having a phone in the bathroom.

Not having flowers everywhere you turn.

Not even having to get your feet wet if you want to cross a little stream.

Not having to sweep the beach yourself. I hate that, don't you?

Actually having to get up from your beach chair to shop. Instead of having someone come to you.With what looks strangely like a VCR on their head. And Tom totally made fun of me for hours when I said that.

And having even more flowers everywhere.

I just don't know how we are going to manage. It's going to be hard.

If only there was just someone to make me a tomato and mozzarella appetizer for dinner tonight. If only.

Bye, bye, scallops appetizer. Bye, bye coconut ice cream. Bye, bye frozen drinks brought to us on the beach as we lounged in our chairs. Bye, bye sleeping late and long naps in the afternoon and having someone make our bed for us and not having one, single, solitary responsibility. Except thinking about our next meal.

Sigh.