* Wow...It's July 1st Already *

Happy July 1st! My son, Scott, did indeed make it home last night! I thought he looked good, (except for being too thin) especially considering everything he's been through and the long flight home, etc. His company flew him home first-class and he said that helped considerably. (I think he said his seat was kind of a recliner, which may be standard for first-class international flights.)

He saw his doctor today and has to go back tomorrow for some tests, so he's still not out of the woods yet. I'm still concerned about his overall recovery and possible infection, etc. So, please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. (I told him last night how many of my friends, blog friends, writer friends, relatives, etc. had asked about him and were keeping him in their thoughts. He was genuinely touched.) In honor of Scott's return back home, I only had one song on today's play list: Home Again, by John Denver....seemed rather appropriate!

I was so excited to see my 70th Follower today: Then the unbelievable happened. Follower #71. Thank you so much to Belle and TK for being the two newest "Blissful Becky Followers"! This definitely calls for another Give-Away! I'm not even sure if I had one in June. I think the month may have flown by before I realized it. Well, I certainly will not forget to have one this month. I already have some pretty good ideas, too.....and NO, you won't be required to swing on a trapeze in 1950's bathing suits!! I just felt the need for a funny picture or two.....

When I was young, I loved watching the TV show Hazel. I thought Hazel was a very kind woman, and a great maid. I thought her cute little bedroom, off the kitchen, was just perfect, too. What else could a woman want?!

The last couple of years, I've been lamenting: I need a "Hazel"!!  I just can't seem to keep up with everything anymore...especially spending so much time writing and blogging!!


"But, my dear, I knew when I was a baby what I wanted to do, and I'll tell you, kiddo, if you don't do what your heart tells you, you'll never be real." -- Shirley Booth

** Tidbits on a Tuesday Night **

Hey Everyone! I'm a happy mama tonight, because Scott is coming home tomorrow night!!  I heard about it from my daughter-in-law earlier today, and then he called me this evening. We talked for 19 whole minutes this time! Woo-hoo!
His plane is scheduled to arrive here at 6:15pm. I wanted to go to the airport, but will stay with Scotty instead. After he walks into his house, and I can hug him, I think I'll be able to breathe again......heavy sigh...

Have you noticed the "She Writes" button thingy on the right side of my blog? I haven't really gotten into it that much, being busy with all this blogging, you know, but they do have a lot of things going on that look well worth looking into. All you have to do is "join", but there is No Fee. It is nationwide. In fact, I was invited to a local get together this evening, celebrating the First Anniversary of She Writes. (I wasn't able to attend, but I hope to meet up with the local ladies sometime soon.) So, you can see it's a new organization, geared toward women writers. I'm particularly mentioning this tonight because they have a fantastic contest, beginning today and ending sometime in August. You do have to be a member, so jump on over there and sign up.The contest is called the Passion Project.  (*disclaimer: I'm not getting paid or anything for this. I just think it looks like a good place and great contest for us writer-gals!)

My last tidbit of the evening: One of my friends' husband was the lucky recipient of a colonoscopy yesterday. When I replied to her e-mail, stating that "everything went great".....my response was, "So glad the invasion of his private parts went well!! :)
Hey, I like to do all I can to spread cheer and laughter around the world. Maybe someone would like to use that as a title to their book or screenplay....You have my permission. Although, you could mention my name, too.

Labels: appendix, emergency, England, Scott, Stonehenge, Summer Solstic
"My feet are completely flat, but for most of my life they were still shaped like feet. Now, thanks to bunions, they're shaped more like states, wide boring ones that nobody wants to drive through." — David Sedaris (When You Are Engulfed in Flames)

** It's Tea Cup Tuesday **

Happy Tea Cup Tuesday, hosted by Martha and Terri. I'm also joining Lady Katherine for her Tea Time Tuesday. Although Katherine's posts are more about elegant table settings, I like to join her because she invited me!

My tea cup today is a darling, demitasse size cup. I think it's just adorable and has a beautiful pink floral pattern. I chose to show it, not only is it pretty, but it's special to me because it was given to me by my friend Lynn over at Present Letters. It was one of those "for no particular reason" gifts that don't come along that often. Lynn knows about my joy of tea cups and when she was antiquing and saw this adorable set, she said she just had to buy it for me! AND, she even got me 2 sets that same day! The other one is a miniature and it is darling, too. Thank you, Lynn, so much....for your friendship, kindness and thoughtfulness. I hope you can begin to blog again soon. I really miss your letters.

The bottom stamp says: Made in Liling China, with Chinese lettering.

* I'd also like to add another huge Thank-You to everyone who's been so thoughtful and kind about my son, Scott. I won't be able to truly breathe until he's safely back home. *

 * Oh, and one more thing. A friend from high school is having a kidney transplant today at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. Please keep Dee in your thoughts and/or prayers. *

"Your friends will know you better in the first minute you meet, than your acquaintances will know you in a thousand years." -- Richard Bach

* MY 12-HOUR SLEEP MARATHON *

As the quote at the end of my previous post says, ""A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work"...And, I've had almost a week's worth of worry, due to Scott's situation, then I must be... truly exhausted!

I mentioned to a couple of friends today, plus my husband this evening, that I think I need one of my 12-Hour Sleep Marathons, and I do believe tonight is the night!

I'm crawling into bed, with a book in hand...and hope to sleep for many, many hours. If not, and it turns out to be one of my long naps, then I'll most likely be back on my blog tonight.....but I honestly hope that won't be happening.

And to Estrella.....It took me forever to type this short blog post, due to my tiredness!!!

"A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book". ~ Irish Proverb

** Another Day In The Life....**

I was able to talk with Scott this morning… for over 12 minutes!! He sounded sooo much better than when we spoke last week. He sounded like the Scott I know and love! He said he's feeling much better, too! I don't remember when he said he might be released, but some of his stats still had to improve...and his flight is this Thursday.


He said his company has been wonderful through all this. They've had guys from Global Rescue visiting him and seeing how everything is going. They also upgraded his flight home to first class, and a Global Rescue team member will accompany him!

We had such a nice talk and I can't wait to see him in person!!

Thanks again to all of you who have e-mailed me and/or left comments concerning Scott. I truly, truly appreciate it.


Labels: appendix, emergency, England, Scott, Stonehenge, Summer Solstic

"A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work". -- John Lubbock

* Intentions & Actual Follow Through.....NOT! *

I just read the newest Searchlights & Signal Flares on Tiny Lights - A Journal of Personal Narrative, and boy, do I feel foolish!! I wrote about "my intentions" of finishing my book by July 16th....uh, that's like 2 weeks from now. I also proudly wrote about my Countdown Widget....."Although seeing it makes me a bit nervous and wary of my ability, it also makes me strive even more to meet it." Uh, yeah! It made me more than "a bit" nervous. It made me crazy. It made me feel silly. It made me feel like a fraud. I knew I wasn't going to meet that deadline, but I also wouldn't allow myself to actually face my failure. I removed it sometime ago, obviously after I sent in that piece.

So, this particular post is mainly for anyone who happens to jump over to  my blog from the Tiny Lights site. I apologize if you wanted to see my cool widget. The fact is, it really was cool....but all it did was make me perspire!

"I love deadlines. I like the whoosing sound they make as they fly by." -- Douglas Adams

* Several Thoughts On a Very Early Saturday AM *

Still no "new" news about Scott. I hope I'll be able to talk with or text with him sometime today.

Had lunch with Tammy and Teri Friday at a favorite "Girly" Tea Room, Miss Aimee B's. Besides the yummy food, being with them was so therapuetic. We talked about our writing, we laughed, we giggled....I might have snorted once or twice. It was wonderful! For those two hours, I didn't dwell on any worries. And I was pumped up and ready to work on my book, so that's exactly what I did when I got home. I got some good stuff written today!

Speaking of writing, I'm looking forward to attending the Saturday Writers monthly meeting today! Many times the day consists of an after-meeting lunch, where....you guessed it!....More great food and talk about writing!

I had a really fun afternoon with Scott's youngest son, Scotty, on Thursday. A week or so ago, I also gave him a "journal" that I put together for him. Believe me, it is nothing fancy! More about that another time.

I've been meaning to point out the new photo I posted at the top right corner....the stack of books, a pair of glasses, a tiny vase of flowers and a beautiful tea cup! After blog buddy and follower, Carmelina, commented on how much she loved a similar picture I posted a while back, I wanted to post one of my own belongings, not one I found on the internet.

One more thing.....The ever famous striped tents have popped up in our area again. The ones that sell fireworks. Every year I dread seeing them for a couple of reason. First, I think they are unsightly. And, second, seeing them makes me a bit sad, because I know it means summer is practically half-over already!

"If I did not wear torn pants, orthopedic shoes, frantic disheveled hair, that is to say, if I did not tone down my beauty, people would go mad. Married men would run amok."-Brenda Ueland

Labels: appendix, emergency, England, Scott, Stonehenge, Summer Solstic

(Frantic Mommy blog recently posted the above quote, and I just had to borrow it! Hilarious!!)

** Friday Bunny Wabbits **

I don't have any news to share about Scott. I guess I'll stick with the old saying, "No news is good news". I still feel myself barely breathing from time to time, and can only seem to perform mindless tasks around the house. Thus, dishes are getting washed (by hand!) and laundry is getting washed (by machine!)

I have lots of different things I've jotted down over the past week or so that I wanted to post on my blog. I decided to begin with some adorable Bunny Wabbit pictures!


Labels: appendix, emergency, England, Scott, Stonehenge, Summer Solstic

This first picture is one of our back-yard bunnies, stretched out and enjoying himself in a little patch of dirt, among the grass. This part of the yard is right next to our deck.

This little bunny is standing on our front door mat, right next to the front door! The glass is part of our storm door and I took pictures while hiding behind the front door. I took the pictures sideways, looking through the crack where the hinges are. (Hope that makes sense.)

This picture is of the bunny biting at and trying to get pieces of the mat! I don't know if he was eating them, or wanted to take some "home". He was jumping and pouncing on the mat and really pulling at it with his teeth. It was hilarious! I also managed to get a short video of it, on the same camera, which I've been wanting to post, also. BUT, I took the pictures and video sideways, and for some reason, my photo program won't allow me to flip/turn a video, like it will a photo! Anyone have any ideas??

Animals never cease to amaze me and bring me such joy...even the squirrels who steal a lot of the bird seed we put out for our fine-feathered friends!

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." ~ Anatole France