Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Happy New Year Everyone!!!!








Well Wishing


The Perfect Evening


Dressing to impress....

Have your transportation lined up.....


Do a little dancing.......
Have a champagne toast at midnight......


Welcome in the New Year with style.

A Great New Year's Past



One of my favorite memories that involves my ex, concerns ringing in the New Year for 2000. I had been mentioning to him for a week or more that I wanted him to make sure he was home early enough so we could celebrate together that night. As it grew dark, he still wasn't home, so I called him on his cell phone. He was still hanging out with his coke dealer buddy. I wasn't that surprised but a little miffed. He promised he would be here, but I didn't put much faith into it at that point in our relationship. I decided I would start early without him. About 8pm, I fixed myself a strong rum and coke. I flipped through channels getting an idea of what was scheduled for the evening. There was all kinds of stuff from around the world as the global community prepared to ring in the new millennium. It was awesome. If I had to watch this unfold by myself, I was gonna beat him when he got home. Nine o'clock came and went. Still not home. I called again. Same story, he would be here. At 10pm, he rolls in. I'm already buzzed from a few drinks but when he showed up, my anger subsided. We talked, drank, watched the tube. Hanging out together. The celebrations were spectacular. Some sent shivers up our spines. The moment was historic and brought tears to my eyes.

At 11:45pm, I had him open a bottle of champagne I had been chilling, while I got the glasses. He poured, as we stood in the middle of my living room watching the last 10 seconds of 1999 slip by. Then we toasted. As "Auld Lang Syne" played on tv, we hugged, then kissed. The kind that takes your breath away. We slowed danced there till the song ended. Our arms wrapped tight around each other, just swaying to the music and listening to each other's heartbeats. We had great conversation, great entertainment and plenty of drinks. We rang in the New Year together as he had promised. We had fantastic sex as well for the first time in the new year. I think the reason that particular night means so much to me, is because that was the first time he had ever put me before his drugs. And it was the last News Years we spent together. He moved out in December of 2000, before Christmas.

Like Falling Off A.............

Don't overdo the drinking tonight.
No point in ringing in the New Year
if you wind up dead.

Faux Water Feature

One of the blessings of my property is this gully. It cuts deep through the center making for an interesting feature.
I want to place a simple bridge over it that leads to my mediation/memory garden.


Edge it with some Lady Fern and Lily of the Valley plantings.



Then fill in the base with rip rap and Powder Blue Festuca Grass, to simulate a river. Water only flows when it rains really hard or for a long time.

Music Videos

Haddaway - What is Love?

Real Life - Send me an Angel

Happy Holiday



Reflection of a Life That Use to be



As the end nears, I wanted to reflect on my life in 2008.

The year started off rough with my grandfather recovering from a broken hip. In January, I had to let my the car I purchased in May go back. I could no longer afford the payments. Thanks to my father's generosity, it was a surprisingly quick transition into another he had bought for me. Finding a job in March, after losing one in December, I was faced with giving it up in less than three weeks of starting to help care for for my grandfather. As he slowly declined in health, my mother and I looked after him. It took a physical and mental toll on both of us. Neither of us, despite the hardship, would have missed that time spent with him in the final months on this earth. He passed away July 5, 2008, just shy of his 91st birthday on July 9th.

Family members celebrated birthdays, just as in any year. School stopped and started for the kids and myself. The exception being the kids all passed their classes and I failed in mine for the first time ever. My grandfather's estate was settled and my parents begin renovations on his former home of 37 years. We made plans to start construction on my house on 2.8 acres of land he and my grandmother gave me 20 years ago. My parents had all but stopped visiting the lake house in 2008, but my sister has enjoyed it. There were the ordinary things of trips to the grocery store, video stores, errands to run. My father finally had prostate surgery before Christmas and recovered quickly, without complications.

The year was overhung with clouds of sadness. A dreariness that still lingers even today as it ends. Yes, it had both it's ordinary and extraordinary moments. The loss, the gains still haven't balanced themselves out yet. I'm not sure they ever will. Even in my darkest hours, I had faith that it will get better. I still do. As the calender flips to a new year, new hope arises. I have goals and plans to tend to for the coming year. I still have my health, my family, my dog, my classes and my medication. And my great blogger buddies. It will be a glorious New Year!

Oops!...Over, Out of Time


Gonna party like it's 2008!

You Dirty Rat

The Year of the Rat Ends (1/26/09)
The Year of The Ox Begins (1/27/09)


End of the Year


Tuesday, December 30, 2008

My Goodness....What do I Say?

You could have knocked me over with a feather! Over 5,000 visitors, 1,300 profile peeks, 14 followers, 371 comments and 351 post! That's amazing to me! All since September 13th, 2008!

I never could have imagined any of that!

I want to thank every single one of you who visit, leave messages, or follow my blog for making it all possible. My goodness, it's hard to find a proper way to say "Thanks". It has really meant a lot to me. Thanks for sticking around to see what's next. As this year ends, despite some of the bad that has happened, all of you have been a high spot. I wish you all the best, from the bottom of my heart! Bless you!

Going For The Gold in '09



My goals for 2009.

  1. Continue with school.
  2. Learn Tai Chi.
  3. Learn Yoga.
  4. Lose 40 pounds.
  5. Exercise regularly.
  6. Stop smoking (again).
  7. Start construction on house.
  8. Fight depression.
  9. Read more.
  10. Make more friends.

I'm also going to try to be as forgiving of myself as I am of others.

Crash! Bang! Boom!

My father ran over something in the road Sunday morning. He thought it was a STOP sign laying in the road. The officer that wrote the report said it was an aluminum ladder. I don't know what it was, but it messed up the front and driver's side of his truck. Needless to say he isn't very happy. The estimate to repair it is $3500.00! I don't know which upset him more, the $500 deductible or having just paid $4500.00 in property tax before this happened! At least he wasn't hurt, except in the wallet.

Lost a thread plate. The side step is barely hanging on.
There are some deep scratches along the side that don't show up well in this picture.

Knocked out a fog light, head light, dented one side of the hood.

Yes, he taped it down. Made a mess of the front end.

Must Love Dogs







Never Thought of it That Way


How Much Have You Changed in 10 Years?




You've Changed 48% in 10 Years



You've done a good job changing with the times, but deep down, you're still the same person.

You're clothes, job, and friends may have changed some - but time hasn't changed you.

Welcome to Tuesday



Welcome to Tuesday! I can't believe how quickly 2008 has passed. Here it is almost 2009 in just 1 more day! There has been a lot of changes in my life this year, some good, some bad and change in the country as well. It has been a roller coaster ride to say the least. I'm looking forward to the new year with a sense of hope and a little trepidation. The unknown can be unsettling at times. Change is like that. 2009 promises to be all about change it seems. The way things are shaping up, it will be an interesting time to be alive. I expect some historic events for the new year. A lot of dreams being fulfilled and not just my own. I'm ready to embrace them and see where they lead.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Garden Thoughts

I'm debating if I want some sort of entrance to my garden space. If I decide yes, I'm fond of the moon arch.
I've decided to go with a self contained bubbler fountain, similar to this. I prefer a rounder one or even an antique grindstone. I also want to be able to turn the water off and use it as a place to sit and meditate.

This is the Pleurant, the eternal mourner. I ordered this today. It's about 24" tall. I guess I'll put it in a closet till needed. I have no place to display it here. It was on sale, so I couldn't pass it up.


Sunday, December 28, 2008

Cosmic Truth



Eternity in an instance......

Forever in a dream....

Waking up to oneself.......

Discovering your soul......

Wisdom from experience.....

Knowledge from study.....

Empowered by doing.....

Immortality is achieved.

Suddenly, A Light


I was glancing around the trailer today, I realized I have a lot of useless crap! I'm not sure how it multiplied while I wasn't looking, but my goodness at the stuff. I surmised, that when it comes time to move, I'm only taking what I really like and have a place for, the rest is going in a yard sale. Maybe I can recoup some of the money I spent on all this junk. Right now, there is so much stuff, that I rotate things in and out of storage so I can enjoy some of it. Occasionally I even surprise myself by rediscovering something I forgot I had. It sounds easy, but I know how I am. I'll talk myself into keeping it "just in case", I need it. I guess I'll just have to be brutal when sorting out what stays and what goes. I have a while to make peace with the process. It will be a while before the house is built and ready to move into.

Morning Giggle

Do you really want to know how your dishwasher works?

Animal Snickers




Inspiration











If these pictures don't make you feel something, you're dead inside.




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