I just realized I haven’t journaled in here for a few days. Chase re-designed my website. I’d like your opinion on whether or not you like it this way. This is actually what I had in mind when he set up the Whine Bar but I couldn’t exactly express myself correctly, so he did what he thought I wanted. He’s a good guy, isn’t he? Even if he wasn’t my son, I’d love him anyway. Oh well, feel free to visit the other parts of the website.

And remember, you can still click on “Whine Bar” and come here (like you just did, apparently) and post replies or new threads for the rest of us to read. Actually, I’d LIKE to see ya’ll register and put your ideas in a new post rather than just reply via email to one I posted. Okay, okay … so I’m nosy! I want to know what’s going on with you, too, okay?

Well, well, well … looks like the joke was on me, apparently. When I posted that I would build a snowman, I had no idea it would REALLY snow here! We had about 3″ in La Porte when it was all said and done. And Galveston Island had 5″ of snow, if you can believe it. So here are some pictures:

This is Erica and Victor, her boyfriend. It had just started snowing when we took this one:

This is a snow angel:

This is our completed snowman. He’s wearing a Texas A&M beanie cap, he has a muffler around his neck, a hot dog for his nose, almonds for his eyes, and twigs for his arms. In the picture with him, left to right are: Erica, Damien, Sara, James, Kristin and Crystal. (Damien and James live next door.):

We finally went to bed about 2 o’clock this morning.

After it finishes snowing, I’m gonna build me a snowman … or maybe more, depending on how much snow we get …

Believe it or not, we’re actually having snow flurries today! I can’t believe it. I mean, we’re practically right on the coastline. Of course, the snow melts the minute it hits the ground but that could be bad in some ways. If the streets stay wet from the melted snow, and if the temp drops as low as they say it will tonight (21), then we could have ice tomorrow.

Anyway, it’s kinda reminiscent of Indiana to see the snow flurries. Everyone around here (all our neighbors) are outside making a big deal of it. To us, who spent 5 years in the Midwest, it’s really no big deal other than the fact that it NEVER snows in this part of Texas.

Merry Christmas to all of you! Remember the REAL reason we celebrate Christmas … JESUS!

Awesome!

Just thought I’d let you know that I’m in the “SnapDragon” part of life now. Part of me has “snapped” and the rest of me is “draggin’.”

I heard from an old friend (not old in age) today. We met them when we lived in Indianapolis. Their kids are grown just like ours. Tammi emailed me a picture of her boys and I scarce recognized them! Really! I guess I still remember them as little boys like they were when we left Indiana. They probably remember Erica that way, too.

Here’s a picture she sent. Douglas (on the right) is the oldest and will graduate this May. He’s a couple of years younger than Chase. Philip (on the left) has just completed his first semester of college so that should put him around 19 (???). They both go to Oklahoma Baptist. Their sister, Maggie, is 15 but I don’t have a picture of her yet. Maybe Tammi will find it and email it soon so I can post it.

I’ll let you in on a SECRET … Philip used to have a crush on Erica when we lived in Indianapolis. She was about 5 and he was about 6 or so! Hee hee hee hee!

My mother had a traumatic experience today. She was so confused that she thought she had been dropped off at the nursing home and left by some man who told her he would come back and kidnap her. It took my sister and the nursing home administrator quite awhile to get her calmed down. She also didn’t have on a diaper again. Of course the aides blamed it on the previous shift. The administrator said he’d find out who was responsible for that and take care of it. It’s really hard to see my mother deteriorate like this.

I called an attorney today to inquire about my chances of filing a lawsuit against the City for firing me. He told me I have to file with the EEOC first. In Texas you have 300 days to file. So I checked the calendar and I have to have the paperwork to the EEOC by January 15, 2005. I got all my stuff together today and hope to mail it tomorrow. I hope I have a good case and I hope they rule in my favor. I guess I’ll find out soon enough. Lucky me … Praise Team rehearsal was cancelled for tonight so I get to watch one of my favorite shows … “Lost.” Of course, I saw an advertisement about it on the TV today and tonight they’re going to air the first 2 episodes again. Looks like I won’t be seeing a new episode after all. Bummer! Oh well.

Here’s a picture of the dress that we plan to order for Erica for Military Ball and Prom. It’s $300 which is a ton more than we usually spend on a dress but I figure since this is her last year, and since she’ll use it for two events, that $300 isn’t too bad. Anyway, we found one essentially just like it when we went shopping yesterday so we could see what it would look like on her. Since we’re going to order this one on-line, we also wanted to know what size to order especially since she’s lost some weight since school started.

I got a call yesterday afternoon from the company I worked part time for a few weeks ago. They want me to continue part time until the end of January. So that’s good. It’s not alot of money but it’s better than no money! And I won’t have to work 40 or more hours a week.

Okay, enough of the funny stuff. (I just couldn’t resist posting them. They’re so cute!) I got back from Giddings this afternoon. Yesterday my sister and I sat in on a care meeting with the nursing home. Things went well and the Nursing Home Administrator, Ronnie, pretty much kissed our butts and promised us that all the concerns I listed in my letter would be taken care of.

This morning I went to see mother before I left to come back home. I stopped at McDonald’s and got breakfast, which is our usual custom. When I got to the nursing home, the nurse told me mother was still in her room and refused to get out of bed to get dressed because (according to my mother) the aide who came in to dress her, “was too rough” with her and “hurt her ankle. ” (My mother has a sore spot on her ankle that the doctor is treating and yes, it is tender.) My guess and Glenda’s, too, is that the aide either (1) didn’t know mother had the sore spot or (2) forgot she had it, and touched it by accident when she was helping mother get dressed. Whatever happened, mother was madder than a wet hen. I finally calmed her down and got her dressed and we ate breakfast. I stayed until about 11:00 and then left for La Porte.

And how was YOUR day?

1. Pass My Shotgun

2. Psychotic Mood Shift

3. Perpetual Munching Spree

4. Puffy Mid-Section

5. People Make me Sick

6. Provide Me with Sweets

7. Pardon My Sobbing

8. Pimples May Surface

9. Pass My Sweatpants

10. Pissy Mood Syndrome

11. Plainly; Men Suck

12. Pack My Stuff

And my favorite one…

13. Potential Murder Suspect

THE HORMONE WARNING:

The Hormone Hostage knows that there are days in the month when all a man has to do is open his mouth and he takes his life in his own hands! This is a handy guide that should be as common as a driver’s license in the wallet of every husband or boyfriend!
=======================================================================================

DANGEROUS: What’s for dinner?

SAFER: Can I help you with dinner?

SAFEST: Where would you like to go for dinner?

ULTRASAFE: Have some chocolate

=======================================================================================

DANGEROUS: Are you wearing that?

SAFER: Wow, you look good in brown.

SAFEST: WOW! Look at you!

ULTRASAFE: Have some chocolate

=======================================================================================

DANGEROUS: What are you so worked up about?

SAFER: Could we be overreacting?

SAFEST: Here’s my paycheck.

ULTRASAFE: Have some chocolate

=======================================================================================

DANGEROUS: Should you be eating that?

SAFER: You know, there are a lot of apples left.

SAFEST: Can I get you a glass of wine with that?

ULTRASAFE: Have some chocolate

=======================================================================================

DANGEROUS: What did you do all day?

SAFER: I hope you didn’t over-do it today.

SAFEST: I’ve always loved you in that robe!

ULTRASAFE: Have some more chocolate.
=======================================================================================

For those of us who enjoy a story of true love read on.

They were together in the house. Just the two of them.

It was a cold, dark, stormy night. The storm had come quickly and each time the thunder boomed he watched her jump. She looked across the room and admired his strong appearance and wished that he would take her in his arms, comfort her and protect her from the storm. She wanted that…more than anything.

Suddenly, with a pop, the power went out. She screamed. He raced to the sofa where she was cowering. He didn’t hesitate to pull her into his arms. He knew this was a forbidden union and expected her to pull back. He was surprised when she didn’t resist but instead clung to him. The storm raged on…as did their growing passion and there came a moment when each knew that they had to be together. They knew it was wrong. Teir families would never understand. So consumed were they in their passion that they heard no opening of doors .. just the faint click of a camera……

Well, here it is Sunday afternoon. I’ve been doing some “spring” cleaning even though it’s winter time. Our small group Bible study class is having a progressive dinner Tuesday night and the dessert portion is at our house. So I’ve been busy cleaning floors and baseboards … that sort of stuff. I’m pooped!

I’m planning a trip to Giddings Thursday. The nursing home has what they call a “Care Meeting” every couple of months. So Thursday is the day. I’m wondering what they thought about a not-so-nice letter I sent them a week or so ago. I’m sure some of the items I mentioned will be topics of discussion. At least, I hope they will. I was pretty blunt with them. Up until now, my sister has been the one calling them on the carpet about things because she sees mother every day and sees the little things that SHOULD get done but DON’T get done for our mother. So it’s my turn now.

I’m sure I ruffled some feathers with my letter. One main thing that really irritated me was the fact that when the aides dress her, sometimes they fail to put on her “depends” underwear. When Glenda challenged them on that, they told her that they do put the underwear on her but mother takes it off. Now bear in mind, these are the same people who tell us she can’t get around by herself or get out of the wheelchair without someone being there. At any rate, regardless of whether she does take them off or doesn’t (and I don’t believe she’s capable of doing that), obviously they’re aware of that fact so why don’t they check her more often to make sure she still has them on??? If they think that’s going to be an excuse to get them off the hook, they’re wrong.

Glenda also heard a “rumor” if you will, that they were thinking about moving my mother to another room. Her roommate passed away recently and they were afraid it was going to upset mother. But she doesn’t even realize the lady isn’t there. Anyway, I told them in my letter that they were absolutely not going to move her again. Everytime they do, she just gets more and more disoriented which ends up making their job harder in the long run. The next move she makes will not be to another room at the nursing home. It will be to the funeral home. Can’t be more blunt than that, can you?

Well, enough whining for now. Gotta go.

Ya gotta love this!

=================================

Dear Abby:

My husband is not happy with my mood swings. The other day, he bought me a mood ring so he would be able to monitor my moods. When I’m in a good mood it turns green. When I’m in a bad mood, it leaves a really big freaking red mark on his forehead. Maybe next time the jackass will buy me a diamond.

Sincerely,
Bitchy in Boston