Happy New Year 2009!!!!!

Recently I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said, 'I love you and I wish you enough'.

The daughter replied, 'Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom'.





They kissed and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the
window where I was seated. Standing there I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking, 'Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?'

'Yes, I have,' I replied. 'Forgive me for asking, but why is this forever good-bye?'

'I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral,' she said.

'When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I wish you enough'. May I ask what that means? '.

She began to smile. 'That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone'. She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail and she smiled even more. 'When we said, 'I wish you enough', we want the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them'. Then turning toward me, she shared
the following as if she were reciting it from memory.






I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting
I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.




She then began to cry and walked away.




They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them but then an entire life to forget them...

TAKE TIME TO LIVE.....



To all my friends and loved ones ,
I WISH YOU ENOUGH

Women over 40 by Andy Rooney

In case you missed it on 60 Minutes, this is what Andy Rooney thinks about women over 40: 60 Minutes Correspondent Andy Rooney (CBS) As I grow in age, I value women over 40 most of all.

Here are just a few reasons why: A woman over 40 will never wake you in the middle of the night and ask, 'What are you thinking?' She doesn't care what you think.

If a woman over 40 doesn't want to watch the game,she doesn't sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do, and it's usually more interesting.

Women over 40 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you if they think they can get away with it. Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it's like to be unappreciated.

Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a woman over 40. Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 40 is far sexier than her younger counterpart. Older women are forthright and honest. They'll tell you right off if you are a jerk if you are acting like one. You don't ever have to wonder where you stand with her!

.. Yes, we praise women over 40 for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, it's not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed, hot woman over 40, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some 22-year old waitress.

Ladies, I apologize. For all those men who say, 'Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?', here's an update for you. Nowadays 80% of women are against marriage. Why? Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage!

Hooray!!!!! I like his way of thinking, don't you?

Well, I am off to Goodwill to see what old stuff people have dropped off since they got new stuff for Christmas and have to make room for it. The manager told me they get 400-500 donations a day during this time of year. Thank goodness for Christmas! All that is old at goodwill is new to me!!

Somebody PLEASE read my poor little blog. At least I am getting in typing and spelling experience. HAPPY NEW YEAR to all my fellow bloggers!!!

Monday's Funnies

Gotta love them southern folk just like me!! Here is your Monday funny to get you going this week. Enjoy!!

Dear Ma and Pa,

I am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Army beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before all of the places are filled. I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m. but I am getting so I like to sleep late.

Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot, and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay. Practically nothing. Men got to shave but it is not so bad, there's warm water. Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc., but kind on weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, pie and other regular food, but tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by the two city boys that live on coffee. Their food plus yours holds you until noon when you get fed again. It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much.

We go on "route marches," which the platoon sergeant says are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it's not my place to tell him different. A "route march" is about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks. The country is nice but awful flat The sergeant is like a school teacher. He nags a lot. The Captain is like the school board. Majors and colonels just ride around and frown. They don't bother you none.

This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why. The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don't move, and it ain't shooting at you like the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don't even load your own cartridges. They come in boxes.

Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat training. You get to wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real careful though ugh, they break real easy. It ain't like fighting with that ole bull at home. I'm about the best they got in this except for that Tug Jordan from over in Silver Lake . I only beat him once. He joined up the same time as me, but I'm only 5'6" and 130 pounds and he's 6'8" and near 300 pounds dry.

Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before other fellers get onto this setup and come stampeding in.

Your loving daughter,

Alice

Yes, Virginia there is a GOD

Some people in this world doubt the very existence of God. I always ask myself how can that be. All you have to do is open your eyes and look around you, no matter where you are at the time. The animals, the flowers, the oceans, the mountains, the redwoods and the giant sequoias, the sunsets, the mountains, PUGS, the miracle of birth and the fact that 2 people made that baby, elephants and tiny little sugar ants, great blue whale. The list goes on and on. God is everywhere. I have my beautiful daughter, Meagan, thanks to Him.

God made a special trip to our house this morning. The story goes like this. Last night we went to Goodwill. My cousin Tricia had called to tell me all Christmas items were 50 % off. No, Libby, I didn't buy any Christmas stuff. I bought 4 very nice bears, in gently used condition for $4.50. I am going to donate them to the John Winters and Rough Riders Teddy Bear Roundup in Tampa. The local Radio Shacks have a dropoff bin here in Lakeland, right down at Grove Park. Could it be anymore convenient?? They said the bears could be new or gently used. So, I am killing 2 birds with 1 stone. I helped Goodwill and the children will have bears. They give out the bears all thru the year not just at Christmas.

And now for the rest of the story. After we left Goodwill, we stopped at the United Methodist Temple to see what the trees were going for. The very kind man said they were just taking donations now. I got a 8ft Frazier fir for $15. I had told the man I wasn't going to buy a tree this year but my daughter wanted a real tree. We started talking about the tough times and I mentioned that I had lost my job, his daughter lost her job too. They tied the tree to the top of our little car and off we went. I thought nothing more of our talk. This morning the church had called. I called them back thinking I must have left my checkbook there or something like that. The nice man told me they were going to deliver us a food basket. Are you kidding me I said to the man. He said No, they had an extra basket and they wanted us to have it. After I hung up I started to cry. I told Meagan to get the door as I have a very bad cold. Matter of fact I am multitasking right now, I blow my nose then type. They gave us a big box filled with eggs, hot dogs, buffalo chicken tenders, pork chops, lemon pepper chicken breast, hamburger patties, and steak, carrots, green beans, a vanilla creme cake, rice and much more PLUS a big box of fresh apples, oranges, tangerines and pink grapefruit. And there is more, they gave me back my check for the tree and a gift card to Publix!! THANK YOU GOD!!! GOD IS GREAT!! I think I cried for an hour and just kept shaking my head, I couldn't believe it. They don't know us from Adam's housecat. I am so moved by their thoughts of kindness. I had been wondering about groceries and He provided for us. Two hours later I still find it unbelievable. Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus but more importantly there is a God!! Merry Christmas to all!!!

Everbody's favorite topic...HaHa

For those of us who have been there and for those who will be!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't have to do this again for awhile, my sister had hers Monday the 15th. All is well and I am sure she wants to share her good news with the world. The stuff I had to drink was bad enough but not like Dave Barry's. Enjoy and laugh cause it's your turn next!!!

This is from newshound Dave Barry's colonoscopy journal:

I called my friend Andy Sable, a gastroenterologist, to make an appointment for a colonoscopy. A few days later, in his office, Andy showed me a color diagram of the colon, a lengthy organ that appears to go all over the place, at one point passing briefly through Minneapolis . Then Andy explained the colonoscopy procedure to me in a thorough, reassuring and patient manner. I nodded thoughtfully, but I didn't really hear anything he said, because my brain was shrieking, quote, 'HE'S GOING TO STICK A TUBE 17,000 FEET UP YOUR BEHIND!'
I left Andy's office with some written instructions, and a prescription for a product called 'MoviPrep,' which comes in a box large enough to hold a microwave oven. I will discuss MoviPrep in detail later; for now suffice it to say that we must never allow it to fall into the hands of America 's enemies.

I spent the next several days productively sitting around being nervous. Then, on the day before my colonoscopy, I began my preparation. In accordance with my instructions, I didn't eat any solid food that day; all I had was chicken broth, which is basically water, only with less flavor. Then, in the evening, I took the MoviPrep. You mix two packets of powder together in a one-liter
plastic jug, then you fill it with lukewarm water. (For those unfamiliar with the metric system, a liter is about 32 gallons.) Then you have to drink the whole jug. This takes about an hour, because MoviPrep tastes - and here I am being kind - like a mixture of goat spit and urinal cleanser, with just a hint of lemon.

The instructions for MoviPrep, clearly written by somebody with a great sense of humor, state that after you drink it, 'a loose, watery bowel movement may result.' This is kind of like saying that after you jump off your roof, you may experience contact with the ground.

MoviPrep is a nuclear laxative. I don't want to be too graphic, here, but: Have you ever seen a space-shuttle launch? This is pretty much the MoviPrep experience, with you as the shuttle. There are times when you wish the commode had a seat belt. You spend several hours pretty much confined to the bathroom, spurting violently. You eliminate everything. And then, when you figure you must be totally empty, you have to drink another liter of MoviPrep, at which point, as far as I can tell, your bowels travel into the future and start eliminating food that you have not even eaten yet.

After an action-packed evening, I finally got to sleep. The next morning my wife drove me to the clinic. I was very nervous.. Not only was I worried about the procedure, but I had been experiencing occasional return bouts of MoviPrep spurtage. I was thinking, 'What if I spurt on Andy?' How do you apologize to a friend for something like that? Flowers would not be enough.

At the clinic I had to sign many forms acknowledging that I understood and totally agreed with whatever the heck the forms said. Then they led me to a room full of other colonoscopy people, where I went inside a little curtained space and took off my clothes and put on one of those hospital garments designed by sadist perverts, the kind that, when you put it on, makes you feel even more naked than when you are actually naked.

Then a nurse named Eddie put a little needle in a vein in my left hand. Ordinarily I would have fainted, but Eddie was very good, and I was already lying down. Eddie also told me that some people put vodka in their MoviPrep. At first I was ticked off that I hadn't thought of this is, but then I pondered what would happen if you got yourself too tipsy to make it to the bathroom, so you were staggering around in full Fire Hose Mode. You would have no choice but to burn your house.

When everything was ready, Eddie wheeled me into the procedure room, where Andy was waiting with a nurse and an anesthesiologist. I did not see the 17,000-foot tube, but I knew Andy had it hidden around there somewhere. I was seriously nervous at this point. Andy had me roll over on my left side, and the anesthesiologist began hooking something up to the needle in my hand. There was music playing in the room, and I realized that the song was 'Dancing Queen' by ABBA. I remarked to Andy that, of all the songs that could be playing during this particular procedure, 'Dancing Queen' had to be the least appropriate.

'You want me to turn it up?' said Andy, from somewhere behind me. 'Ha ha,' I said. And then it was time, the moment I had been dreading for more than a decade. If you are squeamish, prepare yourself, because I am going to tell you, in explicit detail, exactly what it was like.

I have no idea. Really. I slept through it. One moment, ABBA was yelling 'Dancing Queen, feel the beat of the tambourine,' and the next moment, I was back in the other room, waking up in a very mellow mood. Andy was looking down at me and asking me how I felt. I felt excellent. I felt even more excellent when Andy told me that It was all over, and that my colon had passed with flying colors. I have never been prouder of an internal organ.

On the subject of Colonoscopies...
Colonoscopies are no joke, but these comments during the exam were quite humorous..... A physician claimed that the following are actual comments made by his patients (predominately male) while he was performing their colonoscopies:

1. 'Take it easy, Doc. You're boldly going where no man has gone before!

2. 'Find Amelia Earhart yet?'

3. 'Can you hear me NOW?'

4. 'Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?'

5. 'You know, in Arkansas , we're now legally married.'

6. 'Any sign of the trapped miners, Chief?'

7. 'You put your left hand in, you take your left hand out...'

8. 'Hey! Now I know how a Muppet feels!'

9. 'If your hand doesn't fit, you must quit!

10. 'Hey Doc, let me know if you find my dignity.'

11. 'You used to be an executive at Enron, didn't you?'

12. 'God, now I know why I am not gay.'

And the best one of all.

13. 'Could you write a note for my wife saying that my head is not up there?

The Angels called him Home

My dear, dear friend Libby

I gladly gave up ER to talk to you, you should know that. I needed a pick me up that night. My uncle passed away Saturday afternoon, not long after I left their home. My sister was with him when he drew his last breath. His daughter had just walked out of the room. It has been just like losing my Dad all over again. He looked so much like my Dad laying there. I never thought that before, they looked so different to me when they were side by side. My Dad passed away at 88, so did Uncle John and both in December, 4 years and 10 days apart. My sister went to the hospital on Thursday night. She said she felt our father's presence in the room. He was there waiting for his brother to come home to Heaven. Today was the memorial service and that was hard. Kathy, my sister, spoke about how much Uncle John affected our lives. I was crying and no tissues to be found anywhere. This very nice young woman sitting next me did her best to console me. After my sister finished speaking, the young woman asked if Kathy was my daughter??? I think it is high time I highlight my hair again and get rid of the gray!! I am 57 and Kathy is 51, does that tell you anything about my hair. Usually everyone thinks I am the younger one.

My car had to be towed back to the shop Sunday night. I took Elvis with me to the credit union. Yes, on a early Sunday evening. As I was leaving the ATM, the lights seemed to be dim. Then the speedometer dropped to 0. I pulled into the parking lot at Fred's. Called my brother and roadside assistance. I was afraid I wouldn't make it home safely. My brother brought Elvis and me home.The towtruck took the car. Monday the mechanic told me a wire was corroded due to the oil leak. The alternator wasn't working due to this so the battery wasn't charging. I get the car back on Wednesday if the part comes in.

Had to turn on the AC today. 80 outside at least and very muggy, inside the house too. Tomorrow is another day. Love to all of you out there in blog land...

Typos

I hate typos and looked over the previous post, thought everything was okay and posted it. Guess what??? I missed some!! Is it me or my keyboard?? Could it be my glasses, I am used to wearing contacts and haven't lately. I can't see a thing with these darn glasses.

Surprises and Freedom

I had the most wonderful surprise Thursday night, it was a little after 10pm when the phone rang. I was engrossed in ER as it the final season. I wasn't expecting anyone to call unless it would be Meagan wanting 0money. I rolled off the sofa and got to the phone. Looked at the caller id and it was Libby, my most wonderful friend. She had moved to Lousiana almost 2 years ago and I miss her terribly. She is a fellow dog lover and one of daughters is the same age as Meagan(18). Libby and I have decided we are twins separated at birth. Gosh, it was so good to hear her voice. She told me of the snow they got at home with that freaky snowstorm across the south but didn't reach us in Florida. Libby is in Alabama, visiting another daughter and family. Steve, her DH, took pictures of their neighborhood and she sent them to me. I thought it was beautiful. Her pug, George, wanted nothing to do with it and Gracie, the carolina dog, loved it. Wish it would snow in Florida again. That was neat when it happened so many years ago, twice I can remember. A white Christmas wouldn't that be wonderful, just once!!!

On the other hand, as some of you may know I have been unemployed since July(just one of the 19 million in the US), then my car bit the dust in September. I have had to rely on daughter to haul me around when I needed to go somewhere. I had no extra money to fix my car, thought it was just the alternator. Finally called the mechanic several weeks ago to tell him of my dilemma. Had the car towed to his shop, he called me in a few hours to tell me the news. Not only was the alternator gone, I had a small leak in the radiator and a valve seal leaking, needed 2 belts. My brother came to my rescue and helped me out. Now I have my little speed racer back. Now I can drive myself wherever I need to go in peace and quiet and take my dogs for a ride if I so chose, especially Elvis, he absolutely loves to go in the car. Fuji, the pug, is a wild woman jumping all over the place, Sassy is terrified to be off my bed and the others can take it or leave it.

I have taken a break in my cleaning for the past several days. That is where I am headed now. The dining table hasn't been seen in some time. We don't eat in there anyway but I am going to get to the bottom of it. That means more hidden treasure, money would be nice!!! TATA for now!!

Just rambling on....

I found a great way to build up your pectoral muscles. If you do it long enough I have no doubt your boobs would benefit, too. And your arms, great upper body workout. Of course you would have do the whole neighborhood and then some. In the midst of my cleaning I finally found the loppers I have been needing for so long. So many things in the yard needed to be trimmed back. I thought the last yard man I had used must have taken them. So off to the back yard I go to play Paul Bunyan. I cut back so much stuff you can actually see the fence and the sun comes through the trees where some little oaks and small chinaberry trees had grown up. And the dogs all helped. Meagan took pics of the dogs as they ran all aound the yard. This was Saturday late in the afternoon.

When I got up Sunday my chest area was so SORE. I had taken Motrin the night before hoping to ward off the soreness. I am so out of shape. I need to get back to the gym. Will try to when I get a job. Actually I could walk the block twice, one with Blitz the boxer and another trip with Cozmo the schnorkie. Cozmo doesn't like his harness but I feel safer with that than a collar. Blitz does really well on a walk. He won't even lift his leg on a tree, just waits til we get back home. Good boy, Blitz!! Fuji is too fat, Elvis is too old, Sassy is way too tiny and Diesel has bad knees. Fuji doesn't even have a waistline anymore, just like me!! I have cut back on her food but she doesn't seem to lose any weight, maybe it is an age thing since she is 10 now. Good old pug! Gosh, I really love my little four footed friends and really hate that we are all growing older by the minute. I have no idea how old Elvis is, wish he could tell me. He is losing his hearing and sleeps a very deep sleep. I check him often to make sure he is still breathing. I really love my dogs, cats too. Cats are so independent though. Meagan's cat, Taz, is 12 now. She was just 6 when we adopted him from the SPCA. Then there is Elmo, Bijou, Tiger Lily, Jack and let's not forget Sasha, she lives at the neighbor's behind us. She still comes around to eat once in a while. Okay, enough about the animals on S Wilson Avenue.

I need to go wash the dishes since my dishwasher is on the fritz. I don't mind dishes but hate the silverware and glasses. Thanks for letting me ramble on! Love to you all!!

Hidden Treasures

I have been cleaning for several days now. I found things I haven't seen in a long time. Pictures of Meagan when she was in elementary, kittens that are now old ( pictures of them ) , Christmas ornaments that I had forgotten all about, books that I bought long ago and never read. I found two old blouses that I had been wondering where they were. So much dust everywhere and can't find the extra bags for the vacuum. I have to hunt a little harder or dig a little deeper. I could drag out the Rainbow but it is so much easier to use the Eureka. I have moved some things around and hauled some things outside. I am going to have a yard sale, maybe this weekend. Too much stuff !! I have to take control of my home again and not let the clutter take over.

I did something exciting today. I bathed 2 giraffes and the elephants are next. In the sink, of course. Figurines, of course. I would love to bathe a real baby elephant. They are so cute and playful. I love elephants.

The weather is wonderful outside. Hope it doesn't warm up too much or my Christmas spirit will disappear. The lights look so much better when it is actually cold outside. I need to test the strings before putting some outside. I hate to string them everywhere and then some of them don't work! I guess that is the sentiment of everyone. The Christmas parade is tonight but I won't be going. Meagan is going with her boyfriend, John. He works at Lakeland Cash Feed on Lake Mirror. They can get up on the roof and watch as the parade passes right in front of them. Can't get better seats than that. Better get back to the task at hand !! Yippee...yahoo..

I'm Back

Sorry, I haven't contributed to the blogging world in quite awhile. The cold weather we are experiencing in sunny Florida has inspired me to try to write. I am dragging out the Christmas stuff, haven't found the Christmas flag for outdoors yet. Wonder why?? I have so much stuff everywhere. I need to get more organized and have a gigantic yard sale but I just can't seem to get rid of my PRECIOUS stuff. Meagan won't want it after I leave this earth one day, not anytime soon I pray as I have a lot of living to do!! Who would take care of my dogs and cats and 1 little betta fish? NOT Meagan.

This blog gives me good typing experience. Can you develop dyslexia late in life or did they change the keyboard since I took typing in high school. I won the spelling bee in 6th grade and went on to the bee at the junior high. You would think I could remember the word I missed but Nope, I have no idea. I can't stand to see a misspelled word, drives me crazy. I was always a very good speller, now I wonder, so I check and recheck anything I write.

Yesterday I found another pug lover's blog. Her name is Lori and she is at www.pugsplace.com.
Not long ago, she lost her precious pug, Puglesy, aka the Sausage. He was 14 and her lifelong 4 footed best friend. I look at Fuji, who just turned 10 and hope that she will be with me for many more years. All my dogs are getting on in age. Diesel, the Pom, is the baby of the bunch. He will be 1 on Dec 17th. The good Lord is the only one who knows how old Elvis is! He is sleeping more and more in a very deep sleep. Sometimes when I call him and he doesn't stir, it scares me. I have to wake him up. I think he is getting deaf too. Doesn't bark as much or maybe his barker is just worn out! poms are very hard to housebreak. No matter how many times I let him out, about 20 times a day at least, he still manages to leave me something somewhere. Tread lightly or you might find a surprise on the bottom of your shoe or worse, your bare foot.

Enough for now, back to the tasks at hand ! Christmas is just around the corner.