Sunday, January 3, 2010

** Need Help with Followers Photos **

For the past few days, my Followers photos have not been showing on my blog, nor are they on other blogs I look at. The word "followers" is there, but no photos....just a large blank area.

Does anyone have any ideas as to why this began to happen? I even removed that gadget and reinstalled it, but it was still the same. It's one of those little things that is really aggravating me! I hope there's someone reading this that knows the answer and can tell me how to fix it!! Thanks!

** Erma Bombeck Writing Contest **

Calling all Humor/Human Interest writers! The day we've all been waiting for arrives tomorrow, January 4th. That's the opening day to enter the contest named for the fabulous, uncomparable Erma Bombeck! Gosh, Erma you are sorely missed..... Entries will be accepted until January 31st, so don't hesitate....get those fingers flying!!

Find out all the pertinent info at this link: http://www.wclibrary.info/erma/index.asp



Photo courtesy of goodreads.com

"My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint." -- Erma Bombeck 

Saturday, January 2, 2010

** Baby It's Cold Outside **


We're in the midst of an arctic freeze with high temps in the teens and lows in the single digits....with no warm-up in sight.....Brrrrr!!
Fortunately we have a fireplace and we use it, tonight included!
(photo taken last Sunday 12/27/09)

"Perhaps I am a bear, or some hibernating animal underneath, for the instinct to be half asleep all winter is so strong in me." -- Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Friday, January 1, 2010

** Happy Birthday To Our Beloved Dog! **

A few years ago, we got our beloved dog, Tiger, at a local animal shelter. It had only been about a month since we had said good bye to our first and only dog, Rocky. He had lived to be fourteen, I missed him terribly, and said I did not want another dog for at least six months. Well, that all changed when my husband told me about a dog he'd seen at the shelter and that I should come see her, too. You've guessed the outcome: We fell in love with the puppy and took her home. We let our youngest son, Mark, name her, and he chose Tiger. His reasoning was because of the movie: Rocky and something about the name of a song in the movie was "Eye of the Tiger". (although "Tigress" would've been more appropriate!)

Since Tiger's exact age was unknown, the vet estimated her age to be six months. It was summertime and so we chose her birthday to be January 1st. Over the years, none of us have really thought about her birthday or having any kind of celebration for her. I had even lost track of her age, but knew she was getting pretty old, so I looked on one of the past vet bills.....we have plenty of them!....and saw that she was born in 1997!!....And so, Happy 13th Birthday, Tiger!!

I will continue to spoil her, enjoy her, and love her every single day, as I have for the past 12 years.

(P.S. I finally got my photo program to work correctly, and this picture is brand new and current....taken during the evening of Tiger's 13th birthday)

"Happiness is a warm puppy." -- Charles M. Schulz

** Happy New Year! **

How many of us are saying, "I can't believe it's 2010."  It seems like just a year or so ago that the song 1999 by Prince was so appropriate!  ".....so tonight we're gonna party like it's 1999". Wow...that was 10 years ago!

My husband and I "partied" last night with 4 dear friends......snacking, playing cards and listening to "the oldies". I even got up and did a crazy dance a few times.....mostly when we women won the round of cards! The one moment of the evening that wasn't funny or silly was when Rita's husband said something so profound.......that we can all be happy and celebrate that Rita is still with us! (I've mentioned Rita various times on this blog and also in my writings. She recently had open heart surgery, plus a benign tumor removed that was partly collapsing one of her lungs.) She's had an amazing recovery!!....Especially for someone her age!! Sorry, Rita!!

There's nothing better than having friends that are also our family.

"Just thinking about a friend makes you want to do a happy dance, because a friend is someone who loves you in spite of your faults." -- Charles M. Schulz

Monday, December 28, 2009

** My Plan For 2010 **

I’m not one to make New Year’s resolutions. I know that 99% of the time, people just say what they think others want to hear, or what they know in their hearts they should do; such as quitting smoking, exercising and losing weight. Luckily, I’m not fighting any of those battles. (I quit smoking many years ago; I do exercise, even though it’s quite minimal; and I’ve already lost 10 lbs. and am on my way to my goal of 20 lbs!)

I do have some definite plans, though, as to how I will live my life in the year 2010. I’ll call them Steps 1-2-3.

1) I will not waste so much precious time. I am awake approximately 18 hours every day, and some of those days, I certainly don’t accomplish very much.

2) I will get my home office organized and keep it that way.

3) I’m going to consistently write my memoir and get it completed.

All three steps basically boil down to one thing: More Time for Writing!



"There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing." -- Brian Tracy

Sunday, December 27, 2009

*** LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW! ***

Oh, the weather outside is joyful
And the fire is so delightful.....
And since we've no place to go....
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Ahhh. I couldn't ask for anything more on this beautiful Sunday afternoon. I'm enjoying every task I'm performing....such as laundry, straightening up different rooms, cooking, watching a little NFL football on TV, answering e-mails, helping to keep the fire in the fireplace roaring.....all while watching those beautiful snow flakes falling, swirling, looking like a favorite snowglobe of mine!

I hope everyone is also enjoying their day as much as I am!

Friday, December 25, 2009

*** Christmas Day 2009 ***

** I got my wish! We're having beautiful snow flakes!!! Some are light at times, some really large and heavy at others! (It truly looks like the photo I posted below!)

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Seasons Greetings....whatever fits your style and mood!

We'll be with all our kids and grand kids later this afternoon. I can only imagine the excitement and noise going on in their homes this morning!

Peace, Joy and Wonder to all of you.