Single Saturday #1

At 34-years-old, being single is a little bit different than it would be if I was 10 years younger.  For some, 34 would be more depressing; they would probably be more desperate for a date/mate and would probably be tired of the looks of pity from their married friends. For me, I am content. If God chooses to drop the perfect guy for me right on my doorstep, I'm willing to give it a shot, but I don't go looking for dates or worry about being an old maid. However, even though I might be perfectly happy being single, there are always a few things that being a part of a couple would make easier...

I am currently staying at my best friend's house in NC. I am so glad to be here, but being single does make a few things more difficult. First of all, it was a long trip...even though I managed to make it halfway across the country in record time. I kept myself busy by listening to two audio books. I started out with Nicholas Sparks' The Guardian, and finished up the trip with Kathy Griffin's book, Official Book Club Selection (quite the variety, I know). I am, however, under no disillusionment that the drive would have been more fun if I had someone to ride with me (assuming I got along with that person...we're not talking about just anyone here).

Another minor consideration is that my bestie is still pretty much a newlywed. Since I haven't seen her in a long time, I forget how her and her husband act around each other. There's nothing wrong with it, and it is cute, but it does make me feel like a third wheel sometimes (only when they are being all lovey-dovey though). I am sure the situation would feel more normal if it was two couples hanging out together instead of a couple and a single person.  Even a group dynamic would be quite different.

This has been one of the main issues I have with being single at my age. Almost all of my good friends are married. Most have kids. It may be wrong, but for the most part I just assume they don't want to hang out with me anymore. While that might not be true, I still find that relationships aren't quite the same after someone gets married. 

While I don't like being the third-wheel, I don't think it is a good reason to feel forced into finding "Mr. Right".

So I'm just wondering how other singles feel in similar situations. How do you deal with it? Have you lost friends when they marry?

Don't forget to be a part of Single Saturday. Join in by writing your own blog post and linking back to Single Saturday. For more info you can check the link at the top of the page or read this post.

I Made It!

I made it to North Carolina!

There had been much speculation on how long it would take to drive halfway across the country from southern Missouri to Goldsboro, NC. Google maps said just under 16 hours drive time, so I figured with stops and driving a little over the speed limit, 16 hours would probably be just about right. I had one person tell me it would take 21 or 22 hours and I shouldn't drive it, but fly instead. Several of my friends had already made the drive and said they did it in 17 hours...with two small children.

I figured 17 hours was doable. I would just get out and walk when I needed to, and if I couldn't make it, or got too tired, I would just get a hotel (although that defeated the purpose of not flying to save money).

I left Missouri at 4:30 in the morning (5:30 NC time) and started driving. Every time I would stop for either gas or a bathroom break I would call my friend and we would re-assess my arrival time. At first I was just hoping for before midnight (NC time), but I kept shaving off hours at every call. Ended up that I made the drive in under 13 hours! A definite record. I only stopped 4 times and each time for less that 10 minutes, and I kept in the fast lane.

I would have driven here long ago if I had thought I could do it in 13 hours.

About Single Saturday

I am excited about starting this weekly blog (meme). My hope is that other bloggers will join in and write their own Single Saturday post and link back to Single Saturday here at Single in Small Town America. Then make a comment giving a link back to your post (not your just your web sit).

You can link back in two ways. You can add a link back to Single Saturday in your post and/or you can add the Single Saturday button on your blog; just copy the button and add a link back to Single in Small Town America.

I hope you join me for Single Saturday!

The Raccoons Are At It Again!

Two nights in a row I have had a raccoon coming into the house and eating the cat food.  Yesterday I woke up to a mess. Raccoons love to clean their food, and when they put cat food into the water bowl, it makes an absolute mess. It tracked muddy cat food prints everywhere.

I only wish mine would stay outside!

Last night I put the cat food up on the counter and slept with one ear listening for the raccoon to come in through the cat door.  Oh, and the gun sitting next to the back door.  I woke up twice and chased it out of the house but didn't have the time to get the gun ready...mostly because I was still half asleep. One the raccoon's third attempt to get it, I was finally able to get off a shot, but it ran off into the woods.  I only have a 22 caliber rifle, so it has to be a good shot to kill a raccoon.  

When I got up this morning, I found that it had tipped over the cat food storage container, but I'm not sure if it did that before I took the shot or if it came in again. I am betting on before because I would have heard it otherwise.

This big problem is that I am leaving early in the morning to go to North Carolina, and I don't want to leave a raccoon coming into my house for my mom to deal with...

New Domain, New Look

I have finally introduced my new Domain and Look for my blog. There is still some work to do, but I was anxious for the change.  You will be able to access the site either at the old URL: http://livingsingleinsmalltownamerica.blogspot.com/
or the new new one:   http://www.singleinsmalltownamerica.com/

Feel free to look around. I am especially excited about the new weekly posts, Single Saturday and Small Town Sunday. I hope that you will join in one one or both by linking your post/blog.

It's Almost Here

I am almost ready to release the new upgrade to my blog. For now I am going to stick with Blogger because I do not have the time to learn a whole new system with WordPress, however, I may be switching in the future when I have more time. 

I don't have it exactly like I want it, but it is a start.

I am also going to be introducing two new weekly posts: Single Saturday and Small Town Sunday. I am hoping that people will join in and write their own posts and link back to my blog so we can share our stories.

Progress Is Being Made

I'm not spending time writing a real post because I've been working on the blog update. I've registered my new domain name, started a WordPress blog to test out how it runs versus Blogger and have started working on the graphics for the update.

I would really like to spend most of my time on this, but I also need to edit wedding pictures. I have to sort through close to 800 pictures to figure out which ones to edit.

Wish me luck on both!

I Am Soooo... Tired

A week of living in a dorm room surrounded by 13-17 year old girls has done me in. Then I got home only to have to take pictures at my friends' wedding, so I couldn't catch up on sleep.  I didn't even have the energy to write a post for Saturday. And honestly, I don't have much energy for a Sunday post either.

 This is how I feel.

I will say that I have made some exiting decisions on my blog update and can't wait to get started on it.  I still have to decide if I am sticking with Blogger or switching to WordPress.  I keep going back and forth based on different opinions found when searching the web.

I'm Going To Be Shooting At A Wedding!

Well...I'll be shooting my camera anyway.

I am going to be taking my first wedding pictures Saturday. At least they will be the first wedding pictures where I'm the professional photographer.  I'm not really set up to do most weddings (strobes, umbrella reflectors, etc), but this is for a friend and she doesn't really want to spend the money ($500-$1,000) for a professional photographer and their assistant to come shoot the wedding, so she has asked me.

Also, she is really pressed for time, so I will be pressed for time as well. She told me she is mainly hoping I get some good shots of the wedding ceremony. There isn't much time for all the family shots, and bride and groom shots.  I hope I can get some good ones in considering I won't have much time because they have to leave for their honeymoon shortly after the wedding.  I will have to have specific shots in mind and exactly how to set them up so they can be done quickly. I will know more after scoping the venue out today at dress rehearsal.

I have shot pictures for her before of her and her daughter. I have them posted on my Gifts of Nature Photography site. She knows what I can do and that there are limits, so I'm not too nervous. Normally I would only shoot outdoor photography. I don't like being hampered by having to use false lighting. I like the look of natural lighting, but the wedding is in a church. I told her I wouldn't do this for many people. 

So... I am nervous and excited. I can't wait to get to the editing stage and really see what I can do with the pictures.  Once I am through, I will post some on Gifts of Nature.

Time For A Change?

Now that I'm back to blogging full time, I'm really feeling the need or a change, an overhaul really, of my blog.  I'm considering a few things:

1. I am thinking of getting my own domain name instead of using blogspot.com
2. I really need to re-do the whole site. Blogger has made a lot of upgrades since I built my site.

Okay, so that is only two, but each one comes with its own variables...

1. Do I want to keep the same name as I have currently? Do I want to shorten it, but keep it similar? I wonder because I don't write exclusively about either being single or living in a small town. I get requests all the time to host or try out some singles website or product(s). I assume they haven't really read my blog if they are asking; they are just going on its name. Which makes me wonder if I need to find a real focus for my blog or is it okay that I just discuss things that happen in my life? Should I find some larger focus even if I decide to not limit the posts to a specific focus (did that make sense)? I really did put thought into the name of my blog before I started it, but I have found that there are a lot of things I want to discuss that aren't specific to people who are single or people living in a small town. I guess I could try to always throw in a little bit about either or both, but that seems forced.  I feel if I want to take this to the next level, it needs some sort of focus.


2.  I haven't done anything but cosmetic changes to my blog since I first built it. I had to teach myself how to edit the html and I worked really hard to get it like I wanted it, but that's just it...like I wanted it. Blogger now has more options. I've always wanted to have multiple pages on my blog and maybe even pull in my photoblog as an extension of this one. It is time to do that.  I am sure it is going to take me awhile to figure out how to do all that without losing some of the personalization I've made to my blog.  I also want to really come up with a good look for my blog. I'm creative, although not a professional graphic designer. I know how to use Photoshop and think I can come up with a reasonably good look for my blog. I already have some ideas. I am definitely going for a cleaner look. I'm looking forward to the challenge, but still a little overwhelmed right now.  I had thought about trying out WordPress, but after looking at the comparisons between it and Blogger, I am going to stick with Blogger...at least for now.


I would love your opinions on all of this.  What would you like to see?

Time For A Mac Upgrade

It is that time again...time to upgrade the ol' computer.

I haven't checked the balance on my credit card lately (yes...I'm one of those people. I have it set for auto bill pay and pay more than I usually charge per month, so I never really pay attention to statements...if I even open them), but it is time to purchase a new MacBook Pro. My old one is getting ready to hit 3 years old soon (if it isn't already, but I think I bought it in October).  It is starting to act up a little.  It keeps doing this thing where it goes to a black screen when I open it. I have it set to require a password on start up because I take it to work with me, and I don't want kids getting on it. Every once in awhile it won't show the log-in screen. I sort of wonder if it would stop doing that if I didn't have the password protection on it, but somehow I doubt it. 


Anyway (or "anyways" as the kids would say), I have to shut it off, turn it on (sometimes more than once), and sometimes even take the battery out to get it to work right when it starts doing that. I think it is some fluke my Mac has always had. I've talked to other people who never have had this problem.  It used to do it once every 3-5 months or so, but now it is doing it at least once a week for the past few months. It is nothing that I can't deal with, but it is annoying and I don't like that the frequency of the occurrences is getting higher.  So...time to buy a new one.


Now the only real question is if I'm going to get a 15" or 17". Okay, no one really believes that I'm going to get anything but a 17" computer... 


I went on and Configured a new MacBook Pro with the additions I need (not want) and it is under $2,400 (before tax). I buy mine through the Apple education store. Students and educators get 10%! Not a shabby deal. 

Still, I know that's a lot for a computer, but a Mac is worth it. It would cost more to get the same stuff on a PC. If you go to Dell and build a computer that will compete with a Mac, the Dell is usually a few hundred dollars more. It is just that you can't buy a stripped Mac, but you can easily buy a stripped PC with nothing on it you need and everything you don't. I have students with this problem all the time. Their parents buy a cheap PC and then they can't get anything they typed at home to open up on a school computer because they don't have a real word processor on their cheap PC and they certainly don't have Word.


I really want to get the newest Photoshop as well while I'm at it (or at least CS4). You used to be able to get it pre-installed, but they no longer have that as an option.  I'm wondering if I can claim both as an expense for my my photography business? Not that I made enough money to even really claim the business...mostly just expenses.


Not sure yet what will happen with my current Mac. I may try to sell it to a student or put it on Craig's List or something, not that I expect to get too much out of it. I may just give it to my mother...she wants a laptop...

Let's Try This Again...

So I tried sending a post from my Blogger app on my phone, but apparently it didn't go through. Which kind of makes me mad since I spent all that time typing it on a small, virtual keyboard...

Anyway, I'm at the Saved By Faith Youth Camp (SBFYC) at Southern Baptist University in Bolivar, MO this week.  I'm not at all used to this conference. New church, new youth conference.  I am used to going to Move, put on by Christ in Youth (CIY).  I think SBFYC has more challenging and deeper curriculum for the students than CIY does, but the production level isn't as high.  The speaker is great, but the worship team isn't as good as some of those I've seen at past Move/CIY conferences. Mostly I'm bumbed that they aren't singing ANY songs that anyone has ever heard of before... This truly is more like a camp put on at a college campus with only about 200 kids and half of those are junior highers.  I'm feeling a little out of my comfort zone. 

One thing that is the same is the dorm rooms!

That is my side of the room. I hardly got any sleep last night. It is the same thing every year. I never sleep well the first night in a new environment. I probably got 2 hours of solid sleep and a lot of 10-15 minute snoozes.  I kept waking up every 5 minutes and checking the clock thinking that 30 minutes HAD to have passed by now...uh, no.

I am starting to feel like less of a fish out of water this afternoon and hope that by tomorrow I will be glad I came. This wasn't something I really wanted to do this year, but try as I might, God wouldn't let me out of it. He must be expecting me to learn something!

You Can Be Fat OR You Can Be Tall

I know I've talked about my struggle with weight and my current life as a Weight Watcher, but I was thinking about the specific challenge of being both abnormally tall and overweight.


First of all, think about how many women you know who are 6 feet tall or taller. How many do you know? I know myself, and I've come across a few others, but not many.  Being tall is not all bad and it isn't all great either. In school I dealt with being taller than 90% of the male population. That was always made for an interesting time. Boys hated that I was taller than them and insisted that I was taller than 6 foot because "I'm 6 foot." Yeah, sure you are. I wore ballet-type shoes to prom my freshman year because I was at least 4 inches taller than my date.  But on the other hand, I can reach the top shelf at the grocery store.


As the years went by and I started gaining more and more weight, finding clothes went from being difficult, to near impossible and expensive. Apparently it is okay to be tall and it is okay to be fat, but you can't be tall and fat.

There are just very few options for tall people who are overweight. Shirts weren't that hard to find, although sometimes I felt the hem line wasn't long enough and when I would sit down or bend over, my lower back would show. Well, shirts were okay as long as I didn't try to get long-sleeve shirts. They are never long enough.


Pants were (and still are) the big problem. At 6 foot tall with most of my height in my legs, it's hard to find tall pants to begin with, but to find them in plus sizes becomes almost impossible. Most of my pants had to be bought at Lane Bryant at an average of $60 a pair.


Once I lost some weight, I was able to buy pants at JC Penny for only $20. Just as good of a quality pant, but at a third the cost. I'm really looking forward to dropping a few more sizing and not having trouble finding clothes anymore. And if I can find clothes at a third the cost... that's another great bonus!

A Trip To The County Fair

The county fair always brings about nostalgic memories. At least it does for me. I remember the sights, sounds and smells and it always takes me back. For some reason, it just doesn't seem the same anymore. There doesn't seem to be as many booths, I now notice the carnival side of the fair is rundown and gross, the rides are crazy old, etc. In fact, the only part of the fair I still like is watching the evening shows. I love a good demolition derby or tractor pull!

This week my Mom and I took the kids to the fair on dollar day. The carnival opened up at 1pm instead of 6pm, with tickets for *only* a dollar (that was sarcasm).

Mom and I had it all planned out. The fair opened at 10am, the expo centers opened at 12pm and the carnival at 1pm. We decided to take the kids for a picnic lunch at the park first. We should have just ended it there. The kids were having a blast playing on the various jungle gyms, slides, etc. and weren't ready to leave. It was a new park for them, so they were thrilled. We were then going to go to the fair and look around at all the booths and animals for the next hour until the carnival started at 1pm. The kids were warned they would only get 2 rides each.

I tried to tell mom we were getting there too early, but she didn't listen to me (it's probably been 10-15 years since she's been to the fair...or longer). We arrived about noon and were among the first 15 cars there. That right there should have been a HUGE warning sign.

Nothing was open. The fair GROUNDS open at 10 am...that doesn't mean there is anything to do! We went to the expo building that had the fruit, veg, canned goods, sewing, etc.  As the kids said: BORING! That took 5 minutes. Then we went to go see all the farm animals. We had promised them cows, pigs, sheep, horses...there were 5 cows and 2 sheep; they see more on my parents' farm. Apparently the sale had been the night before and the animals were all gone. We never could find the petting zoo, even though we were told where it was. Just one more thing we'd promised the kids that didn't happen. I told them all about the Conservation building where you get to see snakes and fish and other things...not open. I was really upset about that because I used to work for the Conservation department in the summers when I was in college and had helped catch the fish that would be used in their giant tanks at the fair grounds. The 4-H expo was open, but that lasted about 10 minutes. The only reason we stayed stayed for that long is because some of our extended family was there with the two younger boys competing.

Finally we decided to check out the rides so the kids could know what to pick from. With 15 minutes left until the carnival opened, we were in desperate need of shade and a short rest. Did I neglect to mention that there was a heat advisory and it was over 90 degrees? Oh, and I was carrying around Nephew J, who refused to walk; at almost 3 years-old and 29 pounds, I was worn out! We sat in the shade for a few minutes until the rides were going.

Guess what you get for a dollar ticket? Two minutes of pure carnival enjoyment on a kids' ride from 1974. Seriously...TWO MINUTES!!! There wasn't even a line of kids waiting to ride. Surely they could have gone for at least four minutes...

 Nephew L on the motorcycles

 Nephew L had first pick and chose the motorcycles. Those two minutes had to be thrilling for a four-year-old who gets to drive a full-sized 4-wheeler around... (note that sarcasm again). Then Nephew J wanted to ride the horses (carousel) and Nephew L rode along. That should have been NL's last ride, but Niece E didn't want to ride and NJ had chosen the cars for his second ride and needed someone to ride with him, so NL got a third ride. We finally convinced NE to ride the baby rides and bought 5 more tickets so the boys could ride with her (she would have never done it by herself, even though she is turning 6 in two weeks...way too sheltered).

On the Love Bugs

This is a kids ride! Shame!

As soon as the kids were done with those two rides, we were out of there and on the way to McDonald's for Ice cream for the kids and giant Diet Dr. Peppers for mom and me!

I'm not sure Mom and I will want to do this again, but I'm sure the kids will.  Next year we will know not to show up until just before the carnival opens...because there's nothing else to see!  I really wish I could take the boys, especial NJ, to the tractor pulls, but their parents don't let them out that late...maybe in a few years.

* Note: I know my pics are not great, but I chose ones where you can't see my niece and nephews' faces very well. I don't post face shots of my kids. I find it creepy...

My Boob Lamp Is Leaking!

Wow! I bet that caught your attention. The word "boob" is in the title...and "leaking". And what is a boob lamp anyway? It'll be easier to show you than to explain.

See! It looks like a boob! No joke. I'm not sure what this lamp shape is officially referred to.  I'm sure if you go to Lowe's or Home Depot, they don't have a Boob Lamp section, but what else could you call it?

Anyway, mine is leaking. I went into my bedroom the other day and noticed a wet spot on my comforter. At first I thought one of my cats had peed on it (but it has been since the youngest ones were kittens since that's happened), then I noticed the wet spot was right under the lamp. So I touched to "nipple part" of the lamp and sure enough...it was wet.  It has been several days since it has rained, so I'm not sure what is going on. I guess I'm going to have to kill the power to the bedroom and take the lamp down to see what is going on underneath that boob... Somehow, I think that is a project better suited for a man.

Just another thing I have to do because I'm single.  If I had a husband, I would make him take the boob down and fix the leak!

Have An Original Thought Once In Awhile!

I love Twitter. I have practically thrown Facebook out the window because of Twitter. Well, that's not quite true, but I find I have to remind myself to log on to Facebook at least once a week to see if someone has left me a message that I should respond to. Not so with Twitter. I'm on there all the time: posting, reading, checking, etc. It's great. I've met knew people...sort of (Shout out to Stacy and Holly!), I find it is easy to keep up with what is going on in the news, there are always interesting links to follow, etc. But I do have one big problem with other people's tweets...


There are some people out there who insist on retweeting all the time. If you are unfamiliar with Twitter (poor you), then I should explain what retweeting is. A retweet (or RT) is when you copy and paste another person's tweet and send it as your tweet (all while giving credit to the original tweeter). That's great. If someone you follow has something awesome to say, RT it by all means.  My problem comes when people ONLY retweet. Come on people. Have an original thought once in awhile. If I want to know what someone else is saying, I'll follow them. If you never have your own original thought, then why should I follow you?

The only thing worse is when someone retweets a retweet. I've seen it done! Ridiculousness.

I've also noticed some people who RT a tweet instead of Replying to a tweet. For those of you who don't know what a Reply is, it is similar to sending a text message. You are replying to someone's tweet. Not only can that person see your reply (response to their tweet), but anyone who follows you can see it (or they can opt out in Twitter settings...I do because some people reply WAY TO MUCH, and I don't want to read all of them). But I've noticed some people RT a tweet, then tag on their reply at the end. Well, at least that way people who follow you aren't just reading half of a conversation, and maybe some people appreciate that.  I find it annoying. I don't necessarily want to read your conversation with someone else.

Besides, if I already follow the person you RT, then I already read their tweet the first time!


Okay, so maybe I've gone off in a big way here. I'm venting, I know. It just drives me crazy. Just like people who only tweet links drive me crazy. It is a big UNFOLLOW for me. Everything in moderation people.


Do you have any Twitter rules or Twitter pet peeves?

Other People's Fustration Is Making Me Frustrated!

Google the word "Fustration" and Google lets you know that there is no such word and directs you to links for "Frustration". As I type this, the spell check lets me know in no uncertain terms that "Fustration" is not a word by putting a nice red line underneath it.  If this is true, then why do I keep coming across people who pronounce it without the first R?

I first came across this while watching Little People, Big World. While I love Amy Roloff, I am constantly annoyed by her use of the word "Fustrated". Evidently it is one of her favorite words because she uses it all the time. Since hearing Amy say it, I have become more sensitive to hearing it, and now I seem to hear it all the time.


Let's ban together and spread the word that "Fustration" isn't a word. Let us start a "FRustrating" movement!

Becoming Type-A On The Internet

Have you ever noticed how easy it is for people to argue on the internet? Sometimes I read through website or blog comments and wonder who those people really are. Some of them get really intense.

I think it gets very easy for people to bicker, argue and gossip when they are being anonymous.  There is a website that my students often get on and cyber bully each other. I got on there once to see what they were talking about and it was the worst thing I've ever seen.  You pick your geographic location and log on as any name you want and can say anything you want. It is like the world's biggest gossip/slander/anger site I've ever seen.  Adults get on too and join right in talking about people in the town, who has done what and with whom.


There are even sites where you can discuss local hs sports teams. From what I've heard, it is also anonymous (if you so choose) and has a lot of back biting. As if hs athletes need that.


This all came about because of a comment I replied to on a popular Christian blog I follow. I don't like to stir stuff up (well, not on the internet anyway!), so I thought really hard about if I should say anything, and if I did, what I should say. I only did so because the original comment was about how bad the Twilight movies are for girls and how there was no reason for the characters to be going around shirtless in Washington.  

WHOAH... hold on there. There is a very real and legitimate reason for that and I just had to explain it (if you want to know, ask). Then someone replied to my comment saying the books are the source of the problem, but I could tell that neither one of the ladies who had commented negatively had even read the books, so I had to comment back about how the books have nothing sexual in them and parents should read books first if they question if it is acceptable reading for their kids or not, probably not suitable for pre-teens...blah, blah, blah. 


Now, all the comments on that thread were very calm, no name calling or yelling involved (no all caps - internet yelling), but that is probably because it was on a Christian blog. However, that made me think about how that thread could have gone on some other site.


Have you ever been involved in an online (anonymous) argument? Do you think people are more likely to argue behind their computer screen than they would in person?

Fixed Pet Peeves Link

I was clicking through my "Important and Informative" post links, only to discover that my Pet Peeves link was messed up.  I have fixed it now. Be sure to check out those posts. They tell you a lot about me!

Eclipse...Better Than a Root Canal!

I finally went to see Eclipse with one of my besties, Jess, on Saturday night. We feel we have to go see the movies because we loved the books so much, but we spend a lot of time griping about the movies: bad acting, poor adaptation of the novels, Robert Pattinson...

I spent a whole post griping about how Robert Pattinson is NOT Edward Cullen (and all my other issues with the movies), but I really must say that bad acting aside, he is probably my main gripe about the movies.  His profile alone is enough to make me cringe. 


We love going and listening to the crowd during the movie. You can tell exactly who hasn't read the books by their reactions to the movie (a HUGE mistake IMHO).  Eclipse is the best of the three so far (although that's about like saying you'd rather go to the dentist than the proctologist...). The acting is getting better. Kristen Stewart doesn't seem to be using heaving breathing as a way of showing emotion as much as she used to, and the connection between Bella and Edward is a little more believable now.  Sheriff Swan lends some comic relief to the movie with some great one-liners. In the end, I was left looking forward to seeing the last of the four movies, Breaking Dawn.  


If you've seen any of the movies, let me know your thoughts.

My Life is No Longer On Hold

The newest addition to the family, NieceM, has finally arrived! AFTER her due date! She is super chubby and super perfect! She was born Friday afternoon and finally got to come home on Sunday.

8lbs 10oz, 21 1/2 inches

I don't normally post face shots of my nieces and nephews, but newborns are a little different. This is the first picture I took of her to send out to everyone else in the family since there were only four of us (including my SIL and brother) at the hospital.

Mom and baby are doing well. 

Now that she is here, my life can now move on. I've had to reschedule my trip to North Carolina, but I'm still going to get to go.  Summer is over half over, but I'm going to end on a high note!

Money For Nothin'

In my big storage room clean-up, I have finally gotten around to sorting through a pile of old cards, pictures and other memorabilia.  I had gotten the big part of the storage room sorted, but still hadn't gotten around to sorting through all the papers, etc. All the stuff I hadn't sorted yet was still sitting in my living room and I was starting to feel like a hoarder...at least my living room looked like a hoarder's room!

While watching The Hurt Locker (which I didn't really "get", so I was bored), I decided to start sorting through all the old papers, etc.  I had user guides, important paperwork, school records and other stuff that needs to be filed; there were old bills and paperwork that was no longer needed that had to be tossed, but the fun stuff was going through all the old cards.

I have a policy of never throwing away an old card until I check it for money.  I always seem to find at least one card that still has money in it when I get ready to throw away old cards.  I hit the jackpot with this mess of old cards.  I found $25, a $20 gift certificate (that is years old, but I hope they will still accept because I don't see an expiration date), two $2 bills and a Morgan silver dollar from 1887.

My great grandmother had given me the two-dollar bills and the silver coin five years ago for my college graduation. I'm pretty sure at the time I wasn't sure what to do with them, so I just left them in the card.

The gift certificate was from one of my aunts who loves to give gift certificates.  I remember getting this, but never could find it again after my birthday.  I'm glad I at least know where it was.

I love finding money like this.  It is like a present for cleaning up! I also like it when I find money in the pockets of coats or jeans.  That's fun.

Here's hoping you find money you never knew you lost!

Knock, Knock, Knocking on Families' Doors

Benjamin Franklin said, "Fish and visitors smell in three days." Good advice, but I don't think he ever said anything about how family members should act when visiting another family member's house.

I bring this up because twice in the last week I have had an aunt (two different ones) show up at my door, knock twice and immediately open the door.  No waiting, nope, not for them. 

Thursday morning was the worst. My dad's youngest sister showed up, knocked twice really quietly and then just opened the door.  I wouldn't have had time to react if I wanted to.  I was asleep in my chair in the living room because I had just taken my strong pain medication because my hand was hurting really bad.  When she opened the door, the sun came in and pierced my eyes like a dagger.  She apologized and immediately left, but I was mad.  Even if she is family, she should at least wait for me to tell her to come in.  What if I was naked or something? It is one thing if you are expected, but it is entirely different if you are popping over to someone's house unexpected.


Now I go to my parents' house and will usually just walk in the house, but I used to live there, so it is a little different.  Even so, I still usually holler that I am there. 


Am I alone in this assessment? Has anyone else had family members that insist on barging into your house? 

Blogging Again!

I've been doing much better with my blogging.  I was really missing it and I am glad to be back in the game on a regular bases.

I'm doing something a little different, and it is working for me.  Whenever I feel the urge to blog, I make multiple smaller posts and schedule them to be posted on different days instead of writing one long blog post about multiple things.  

I used to have a few more followers, but they have dropped off and I don't blame them since I wasn't blogging very much. I'm hoping that blogging on a regular basis will garner me a more loyal group of followers.  I hate to think I'm blogging for no reason.


Let me know if there is any topic you want to know more about!

The Return Of The Wolf Spider...Mwwhhhaaahaha

If you remember my previous post about wolf spiders, you will remember I was afraid of all those babies growing up to be adult spiders, so I bombed the house.  Either my fears are coming true and that bomb didn't work, or other wolf spiders are getting into my house.

I haven't seen another pregnant one (thank the good Lord), but  I have killed two or three wolf spiders in the last few weeks. I'm not really scared of spiders (it is cockroaches that I cannot stand), but I still don't want them startling me or crawling on me in the middle of the night...especially when they are as big as a wolf spider. 


I'm keeping my eye out for more of these spiders, and if i see another one, it will be tme to bomb the house again!


What are you afraid of?

I'm Still A Loser...Baby

I have been doing Weight Watchers since the beginning of the year and have lost 60 pounds. I'm not losing as fast as I was at the beginning, but I'm still losing.

I'm only a pound from my next mini-goal of 245 pounds.  At that point I will truly know that I am below 250 pounds, never to see it again.  Then my next goal is to hit the halfway point in my weight loss (66 pounds lost, or 240 pounds). After that, I am setting my mini-goals at 25 pound intervals until I hit my ultimate goal of 175.  At 6 foot tall, that puts me pretty close to my high school weight...and I was skinny then.

At this point, I can now see myself actually getting under 200 pounds. I don't even know how long it has been since I've been under 200 pounds.  I really need to start exercising again so that my weight loss will go faster.  Being on vacation means I don't have much of a routine as well as feeling like "I'm on vacation, so I'm not going to exercise", but I know I need to.

I am starting to really feel and see a change in my body, both in appearance and how I feel.  I am down two dress sizes and have had to buy new clothes.  I've given away three trash bags full of clothes that are too big.  I can see the change in my face.  I am really glad that my face is thinning. It used to be one of my best features.  I can actually start to look at myself in the mirror again.

I would love to hear people's weight loss success stories.

Women And Romance Novels

What is it about women and romance novels? Well, any romance really...movies, tv, music...

I've been caught up in reading romance novels this summer.  I only read regency romance novels. I love immersing myself in the world of the British aristocracy, or being swept along the Scottish highlands. I like to pretend I am a poor maid who eventually becomes a Countess.  A woman who eventually falls in love with the dashing rake; the rake who is secretly a romantic, thoughtful guy.  Aaahhhh...romance!

I just finished reading A Rose in Winter by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, one of the very first romance authors (as we know them today).  This is one of my all-time favorite romance novels. It has intrigue with a dash of mystery as well as a great romance story. I only wish I could forget the big twist in the story, so I could experience the revelation each time I read it.

I love to read series. I always hate it when a good novel is over, which is why I like to read either long novels (600+ pages...no Harlequin romance novels for me) or a series of novels.  One of my favorite series is The Wakefield Dynasty series by Gilbert Morris.  This is a Christian Historical series that follows the Wakefield family through seven novels starting in 1513 in England and going through each generation of the family.  This is my favorite type of series. I love that you get to know what happens with all the characters throughout their lifetime because the next novels will still be centered on that same family.

I really want to re-read The Wakefield Dynasty series this summer, but I can't get it in Kindle format, and I really don't want to have to read the actual books...even though I already own them.  Although I like to read books on my Kindle better (it's more convenient in many ways), normally I wouldn't mind reading an actual paper novel.  Lately, I've been having a lot of pain with my left wrist and hand and it is so much easier to read on my Kindle because I can easily do that with one hand.Hopefully my hand starts feeling better soon so I can read it. Until then, I keep downloading free Kindle novels and reading those. You never know when you will find a winner!

I'm always looking for a good novel, especially a good Historical Romance, so if you have a favorite, let me know.

Why Me?

I have been going through my own personal trial lately. God puts people through trials all the time, and I think this is mine. 

I have been in almost constant pain since last November.  Back pain, bursitis, carpel tunnel and now an undiagnosed pain in my left wrist and hand.  I have been doing my best to get over each pain as it comes.  It has been a constant and discouraging battle.  As soon as one pain is gone, another appears.

Back pain is something I will battle for the rest of my life, so it is something I have learned to live with. Bursitis is a new pain, and thankfully I haven't had any relapses in a few months. I have been eating better and taking vitamins, plus the weight loss have all been things I have done to help with the bursitis. I went to the doctor for the carpel tunnel, but they were of no help, so I asked my chiropractor.  He adjusted my wrists and the carpel tunnel went away; unfortunately, ever since then, my left wrist and hand have been in almost constant pain. 

The chiropractor doesn't know what is wrong.  Nothing shows up on the x-ray, and he says he has never seen anything like it.  The next step is to go to the doctor to see if he has any ideas.  I'm pretty sure something got popped or wrenched when the chiropractor adjusted it for carpel tunnel, because the pain I feel almost daily for the last month and a half is the same sharp pain I felt when my left wrist was adjusted.  The cruel part is that my left wrist hardly even had any carpel tunnel problems; it was my right wrist that had severe pains from carpel tunnel (enough to keep me awake at night). The adjustment to my right wrist completely relieved me of all the carpel tunnel pains, but now my left wrist and hand are so bad that I can barely function at times.  It is hard to get dressed; it is hard to fix my hair.

At this point, I'm basically turning to God for the strength to endure and the faith that he will only let me endure what I can. 

The Local "Yoga Cult" Is At It Again!

I've talked before about the local "cult" down the road. It is time again for their summer retreat.  I hate this time of the year.  My quiet little country road becomes a highway with all the traffic.  People from all over America come and set up camp at the "retreat center" or whatever they call it.

As I've said before, there is nothing wrong with the people who live here year around, but it bugs me that just a half mile down the road there are an unknown amount of strangers. I don't like it. They walk past my house; caravans of vehicles speed past my house.  Sometimes at night I can here them.  I swear they set up an outdoor sound system. 

So, once again, my quiet little country road has been turned upside down. A road that only has two houses on it (mine and my uncle's) and usually gets very little traffic (no more than 4 or 5 cars a day), now has 15 vehicles driving by in less than five minutes spewing dust all over my lawn.

I can't wait to get my neck of the woods back...

Best. Hamburger. Ever.

I've been doing Weight Watchers since January (down 58 pounds!) and I am just now getting comfortable to add some of my regular foods (with some variation) back into my diet.


Lately I've been really hooked on turkey brats and turkey dogs.  They are only 3-4 points each (depending on type) and a whole wheat bun is only 2 points. Toppings don't even add up to a point, so I can have a brat for just 5 or 6 points! I have had one almost every day since I discovered them.


Last week my Mom told me they had the new beef in.  My parents raise beef cattle (Angus). They butcher enough for our family plus some to be sold at a local health food store...and it is GOOD! I refuse to buy meat at the store. I can sooo tell the difference. Besides, I know exactly what my beef has been living off of and how well it is treated. Plus, my hamburger meat comes from the same cow.  That cannot be said for most of the hamburger meat purchased at a store (sometimes 100s of cows are mixed into one batch of hamburger and from multiple countries!) Not ours. This is high quality, lean meat.


So when Mom told me they had hamburger in (it had been awhile), I grabbed a package and decided to make some burgers.  I made four quarter-pound burgers and used whole wheat buns (6 points without cheese).  I decided to get a little creative with these burgers, and it paid off.

 (not my burger, just a random pic found on the web)

Here's what I did:


1 pound ground beef
5 mushroom caps, finely chopped
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
about 2 Tbl Worcestershire sauce
seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic salt, season salt and Greek seasoning  (I never measure, I just KNOW)


Mix all ingredients together and make into four patties.  Place in a hot skillet on medium heat. Cover.  I only flip my burgers once after there is no longer any pink showing, then cook the other side until it is browned. Covering the burgers while cooking them keep them super juicy!

I only put cheese, ketchup and mustard on mine, but I would love to add a tomato slice and maybe some lettuce (just didn't have them).  I use a whole wheat bun.  I can't tell the difference in taste, but they are better for you.


I am going to make my next batch with more mushrooms.  The more mushrooms, the less points.  I would like to add twice as many mushrooms and then get 5 burgers out of a pound of meat. 


Let me know if you have a great summer recipe to share!