Day 51: October 17th, 2009

Quote of the Day:

“It is idle to dread what you cannot avoid.”

-Publius Syrus

The big camping trip… who would have thought when we planned it that it would turn out like it did??? We ended up leaving the house around 8 this morning, and had to stop off at WalMart for some lantern batteries because we were out, and ended up arriving at the lake around 9 or so. Not too bad, right? Well, yeah, except for the fact that I completely underestimated the amount of rain we have had in the last few weeks. And let me tell you, that was a BIG underestimation, because I did the total female thing and got the truck stuck in the mud. Ron’s going to hate this part, too….. some old guy in a Ford that lives out here pulled me out. He just happened to be on his way home from somewhere and I was able to flag him down because I was only like 50 feet from the road. DUH, CARMEN! ANOTHER BLOND MOMENT!

After we got pulled out of the mud and were able to find a better road back down to the lake things went much smoother, and we were able to really enjoy the day. It didn’t take too long to set up camp because I didn’t bring a whole lot since we were only staying the one night. We got to go for a really nice stroll and and hang out together and just relax, which was a really nice change of pace. It’s funny, but the kids actually get along out here. So when can I move here???



We’ve seen lots of interesting things, and noticed that it is super green here compared to normal. Our first campsite we camped in at this lake is nearly 90% grown over now with weeds, grass, and small trees. I almost wouldn’t recognize it. And since there’s still a clear path out to the island-that-is-no-longer-an-island because of all the drought we’ve had the boys and I were able to walk out onto the island and take a look around. Not much there, but we had fun skipping rocks and taking tons of pictures. I can’t believe how many flowers there are growing right now, you’d actually think it was spring! I took a lot of pictures of them, but I don’t know how many of them will actually make it onto here. I have taken somewhere over 200 pictures today so far… enough that I had to plug in my battery to charge. NOT FUN!!!! So I’m going to try and put as many on as I can tomorrow, but I’m roaming so we’ll see. It all depends on this crazy computer.  Nothing like trying to blog while you’re out camping, with a less-than-dependable internet connection!



Tonight is S’Mores night, so Cody’s already been asking me several times when I can start the fire. We’re doing hot dogs too, so it should be a lot of fun for them. Just waiting for sundown…. Was considering telling ghost stories around the campfire, but we’ll see how it plays out. I’ve never been camping without my other half before, so maybe all I’ll manage to do is scare myself and make the kids laugh. Oh, and Ron… completely off-topic, but do you know what Cody said out of the blue this morning on the way here? He said, “You know what sounds really good right now? Eric’s gumbo!” Think maybe you can talk him into coming and visiting you when he gets back? ‘Cause I’ve got to admit… that gumbo really is good! LOL So I propose that the two of you have a gumbo cookoff… totally selfless of me, of course. I’m thinking only of you guys, not my tummy. I swear! 

Day 50: October 16th, 2009

Quote of the Day: "“If any man tells you he loves America, yet hates labor, he is a liar. If any man tells you he trusts America, yet fears labor, he is a fool.” - Abraham Lincoln

Right now I should be sitting around a nice, warm campfire roasting marshmallows and listening to the small waves hit the shoreline. I should be under a big, beautiful black sky full of little white stars and making wishes.  But instead, here I am at the computer, again... LOL It's becoming a habit! I just can't help myself. Well, that and the fact that.....  We didn't get to leave for camping today. 

The plan was to go to pick up food as soon as Cody got home from school and get to the lake in time to set up the tent before dark. However, Cody decided that he would stop off at the pumpkin patch on his way home, after sticking around the school to pick up football gear, which I wasn't aware of.  And of course, his phone was off. So he came strolling in around 6.  By the time we got to the store and picked up the food we only had half an hour or so until dark, so we have to leave tomorrow morning.  Seems a shame to put up the tent for just one night, but a promise is a promise. So we'll go first thing in the morning, and get everything all set up just to tear down the next day. Oh, joy. What fun.  But I'll still be able to take lots of pictures for Ron while we're there. 

Spiderwebs in my Rosemary

The only problem is that I didn't go walking today because I was busy getting things all ready to go and cleaning up the house a little. And I didn't go walking yesterday either because of clinicals.  Sooooo, I can either give up on it altogether for the day, or I go right now. It the dark. And the cold.  Hmm, tough choice. Literally, because I really want to get in shape!  Sigh.  What to do, what to do.....  I heard the coyotes out earlier tonight, real close to the house. I hope everyone has all their pets inside, because they're closer than they've been in a long time.  Then again, it seems like they're always close by in the winter time.  Not sure why.  Maybe I'd better forget about walking?  Nah!  They stay away from people. If I were a cat, though, I'd be worried.

Look what Chloe did to my salvia bush! Dang dog!

The town is definitely starting to change with the seasons.  A slight few of the trees in the neighborhood have begun to change colors, getting all red and yellow.  The strip of trees at Friendship Park are splotchy red in some parts while still being mostly green, but I have a feeling they'll start changing quick. Most of the town's still green, but it won't last long either.  I still think we are in for one heck of a winter, but who knows what the weather people say.  We'll see how bad it gets, huh?  Maybe I'll be able to put some really pretty snow pictures on here. You KNOW I'm looking forward to going around getting the really good shots!

My favorite trees in this area... the first to go red, and when they go, I'm telling you, they GO! I love it!

Day 49: October 15th, 2009

Quote of the Day: Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which have been overcome while trying to succeed. - Booker T. Washington"

Ever do something where you think at first that it's the best thing you've ever done, and then later start to think that you're making the worst mistake you could ever make? I am so down right now about school that I just want to crawl under a rock and not come out until school is over. I am truly hating school right now more than I ever have before. I'm not even excited about it anymore, and that says a lot.
Today's clinicals were horrible, and I'm glad they're over. I've not been feeling very well today, so it seemed like the longest day in history. And I was very disappointed in how everything went.  HOWEVER, we splurged and had McDonald's (with a Coke) for dinner, and watched the new Scooby Doo movie. It was a very nice, relaxing evening that really made up for my long and miserable day. I'm really wondering if this is all going to be worth it, or if I will even like nursing. Some of the nurses I've dealt with are HORRIBLE backstabbing people. Sigh.

I did get the kids to sit down and make out a list of foods to take with us on our camping trip... I haven't checked it yet, but can't wait to see what they think of as good camping food... Cody was asking if ice cream was an option! What a goober!
Other than that, I can't wait to go to bed and get this awful day over with.  So I'll see you all tomorrow.

Day 48: October 14th, 2009

Quote of the Day: "It isn't enough to talk about peace, one must believe it. And it isn't enough to to believe in it, one must work for it.- Eleanor Roosevelt"

Today has been a pretty good day. I took my third test today, and to my complete surprise the teacher actually had our grades posted by 4pm today. I am sad to say that I failed the test, getting only a 76 on it, but I knew that it would happen because I had so much homework to do that I never did get a chance to study.  Too bad that I missed getting a C on it by one question, but at least I still have an 80 average in the class. And better luck on the next test, which I will have much more time to study for due to NOT having to do a concept map for clinicals between now and the test.  Thank God for small miracles!  Tomorrow I have clinicals, though, and I get to go do a rotation in the ICU again, which was my LEAST favorite rotation of all of spring semester. But since that was only because it was so slow and boring, and I was assigned to a bad nurse,  I am going with an open mind that it will be different tomorrow.  Maybe knowing more than I did last time I went will help too.  Won't know until I try, right?

I sat down with the boys tonight and had a heart to heart with them.  I felt that things were getting out of control around here and that they weren't doing their part not only to be a part of the family, and that they also have not been showing me the respect that I feel they need to.  Especially Cody, as he is only 13 and has begun to act as if he thinks he is 30.  I explained that I want Damien to spend more time at home, and to not hide out in his room when he actually is home.  I explained that Cody now has to have my permission to do things, and that he no longer has free reign. On the days I do not have school or clinicals I will drive him to school, and I will also pick him up afterward.  If he wants to go to church I will drive him there and pick him up as well.  I am re-implementing family movie night. I am re-implementing allowances.  I feel that if we start spending more time as a family, maybe there's hope of things getting better and not feeling so wrong all the time.  They actually took it pretty well, so we'll see how it works out.  We're going on a little camping trip this weekend together, so I gave them the chore of making out lists tomorrow of any special foods they may want to take, games they may want to play while there, or things they may want to do.  I told them they have to be home tomorrow night when I get home from clinicals so that we can plan the trip. I'll be taking the dogs with us, too, since I don't have anyone to watch them.  Should be interesting, to say the least.  We'll see.

I've got to get to bed now, because getting up at 4am tomorrow morning is going to come awfully early.  I'll leave you with just a couple pics, one of which is of the back of our property, where Ron recently installed a new drain pipe for the pool's backwash system.  He planted over the dirt with grass seed, but what I find funny is that the grass is a different color, making it appear that it has gotten a lot more water than the rest of the ground, which under any other circumstances would indicate a water leak.  If it were a pressurized pipe, that is.  Kind of funny!  But anyways, off to bed I go.  Goodnight, everyone!

Spiderwebs with raindrops trapped in them

Mocha listening to the neighbors

The strange-coloration changes in the grass

Chloe just chillin' out in the backyard

Day 47: October 13th, 2009

Quote of the Day:  "Friendship is the most constant, the most enduring, the most basic part of love. - Ed Cunningham"

I went out back today to see if there was anything that needed done or worked on, and found to my dismay that Bandit's headstone is all cracked up! I can't figure out what caused it, unless it was the intense summer heat followed by all the rain we've had.  I'm not sure.  But here are the pictures, so maybe you can figure out what may have caused it and what can be done about it.  And as usual, you can click on any of the images for a full-size close-up.

Side view... see where it looks like something lifted it up off the concrete slab part?

The view from directly above.

 

View from the other side.

Another side view.

I'm trying to get the shadows to show you the damage, but without the sun, that's the best I can get. Sorry! :)

We are also going to have to secure the rose trellis as well, the weight of the rosebush has started pulling it away from the wall. Could be worse, but not too bad right now.

And as I promised, here's one of the groups of worms that found their way into the pool on account of the rains we've been having lately.  This is the largest mass of them, but there are four or five smaller groups at the shallow end.  This one's about the size of my fist.  That's a lot of fishbait and fertilizing gone to waste!!!  But it gives you an idea of how much rain we've gotten.  That, and the four inches in the rain guage.  Either one are signs enough, right?

On a happier note, though... Ron, you have your first bell pepper! Can you see the little guy there in the center of the picture?  There have been lots of blossoms on the plant for a couple of weeks now, and finally they're starting to grow. I don't know if this is late in the season for them to be starting out or anything, but at least I know that we can grow them. It'll be interesting to see if they get big enough or not.

The little pepper

And just look at all those big old peppers sitting there on the plant, that I WILL NOT take a bite of ever again! I learned my lesson the last time, thank you VERY much.  But you can have them all, if you want. I'm going to try to package one up and ship it to you so that you can have one of your fresh peppers.  Hopefully they make it!  And speaking of sending things to you, did you ever get your package? I still haven't heard anything about it. I'll be getting you another one ready here in the next week or so, but I'm not going to send it until I'm sure you've gotten the other one. Just because, I guess. I'm not sure why. Maybe I'm just being lazy? hehehe

Anyways, I'd better hit the bed, tomorrow's our third test. Wish me luck... I had so much homework during this one that I didn't have time to study much.  Oh, well... maybe it'll sink in through osmosis tonight if I fall asleep with my head on my book... what do you think?

Day 46: October 12th, 2009

Quote of the Day: "As contraries are known by contraries, so is the delight of presence best known by the torments of absence. ~Alcibiades"

Welcome to fall at the Nason house!

It sure does feel like fall, that's for sure. It seems like it's been cold and wet for weeks now! I've been happy as a clam running around in sweatpants, though... I need to buy about ten more pairs, and then I'll be content. When I've been going on my walks at night I can smell people's fireplaces burning, and it smells soooo good. I can never tell whose it is, though, because it's been so misty and rainy that you don't even see smoke coming out of chimneys. But it's there, anyways, that wonderful smell. Sometimes you can smell hickory, sometimes pecan, and sometimes oak, but there's been a lot of mesquite burning too. I just can't help but take a big huge whiff while I'm out and about. Makes me want to run home and build my own fire. Almost. That's a lot of work to do when it's not cold outside yet. I haven't even turned the heater on at all yet. And the house has been staying in the low 60's, so I'm not too worried about it.

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My favorite fall angel, guarding the candy dish which the boys have been staying away from.

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Some of our fall colors... Mums!

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Went to study at Vernon College this evening with Delia and Carol Ann, and it went okay, until we went to leave at around 8:45. We walked out into the parking lot and this guy was out there near the back of the parking lot in a hoodie with the hood over his head. Normal, except for the fact that he was walking around aimlessly like he was in slow-motion, and that he was blowing raspberries every few seconds for no apparent reason. We weren't sure if he was on drugs, drunk, crazy, or all three but we got out of there QUICK!!! What a creepy thing to have happen that late at night in a nearly-empty parking lot, huh??

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As promised, here's one of me for ya, babe! **********
I saw the healthiest coyote tonight that I have seen in a long time. Cody called me at around 10:15 to come pick him up out at his friend Nathan's house, who lives out in the middle of nowhere, so off I go to get him. When I got to where Daniels Road meets up with I44 there was this really big, healthy-looking coyote crossing the road. The funny thing is that he (she) stopped just off the road in the grass and stared at my car as I went by. I drove really carefully the rest of the way out to Nathan's and back.... this, of course, after I nearly wrecked my car into the curb earlier on the way to the school because a spider came dangling down in front of my face on its little web. And we all know how I feel about spiders ever since being bitten last year, right? :)
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So here's another me, in the process of my weight loss, not looking much different yet, but the scales are definitely heading on a downward trend. Way to go, me! hahaha Notice: jeans, and bulky sweater with another shirt underneath, and I STILL don't look that bad! :)

Day 45: October 11th, 2009

Quote of the Day: "When I go away from youThe world beats deadLike a slackened drum....~Amy Lowell, "The Taxi"

It's been another one of those dreary days. The kind where every time you look outside you think it's only been 5 minutes since the last time you looked because the sun just isn't leaving any shadows. Or even any hints of where it's at in the sky. Which is fine, because I had MAJOR HOMEWORK to try and finish up today. Of course, I have still got two little tiny things to go on it, but it is 99.6% done, which sounds good to me! Because that means that I can use the next two days to finish studying. Which I really need now because I had to take so much time off to work on this stupid homework from clinicals. GRR! I know they help you learn, a LOT, and it's the only way a lot of people will even look at the inside of their books, but MAN they are a lot to do. When something is 20 pages long and takes you 4 days to work on, that's big.

Here's Cody, horsing around in the living room again.

I took Cody with me for a short bike ride today to take a break from studying, and it was a good way to get some exercise. We rode 3.34 miles together, and the whole time I was scared to death that he would either swerve into me and knock me down, or swerve out in front of a car. THE BOY CAN'T RIDE A BIKE STRAIGHT TO SAVE HIS LIFE!!!! I'm tempted to go buy him rear-view mirrors for his bike, because every time he'd turn his head to look behind him he'd swerve MAJORLY toward the direction he was turning. I don't know about you, but to me that's completely insane! On a bike? Especially in a town where half the people just can't drive to save their life! Maybe they need to make airbags for bicycles. Hey, it can happen.... or at least an airsuit. ;)

Cody's "almost" perfect handstand.


Damien and Cody BOTH accompanied me on my walk tonight, too, which was a nice change of pace from my same old boring self. It was nice to have someone to talk to when I was walking. I can't wait until Ron comes home... then I can drag HIM along with me! I've always loved walking with him, it makes it go by faster and he's good company. I just hope he knows that he's going to walk with me when he gets back... I forgot to remind him that he wants to! LOL (Just kidding, babe, but.... would you please? hahaha)

"No pictures or autographs, please!"
I am so sleepy right now that I feel like my eyes are going to explode right out of my head, and I still have those two questions staring at me from a little blinking window indicator at the bottom of the screen. Guess I'd better get back to work, or the nursing school fairy will come and press my memory dump button in the middle of the night and leave me completely clueless for the test on Wednesday. 'Night, all!

Day 44: October 10th, 2009

Quote of the Day: "Every parting is a form of death, as every reunion is a type of heaven. ~Tryon Edwards"

Today's been a busy day, I've been trying all day long to get my homework done, and I still have a little bit left to do, but not too much. Cody was after me that we are out of milk and therefore there is NOTHING to eat. So it was off to the store for just a little bit of stuff. Which, I'm sure that Ron will love to hear ALL about. So here we go....


Here we are at the only grocery store in town, United. Ron's usually the one who does all the grocery shopping in our family because he's better at finding deals and saving money, so I'm sure that he will recognize this place. It really isn't much different than any other grocery store, but it's all we have. It's been here forever!

But of course, the school pride is great around here, and you can tell that everyone supports our team, even the big chain grocery stores. Ron, you aren't really missing out on too much in the sports department since we never go to any of the games, anyways. But look, they've got a wheelchair waiting for you at United for your shopping ease, old man! ;) hehehe

Here we are at MY favorite part of the store... the produce section! YUM!!! All the fruits... the vegetables... the ready-made salads... the party trays... I can spend a ton of money in this section. Even more than on meats, which Ron loves. EVERY MEAL, EVERY TIME, NO EXCEPTIONS. He'll end up having a major heart attack by the time he's 40 if he keeps it up. You hear that, Ron? You need to stop with the meat, already! How about some fish once in a while? I hear it's great for ya! ;)
Even Cody agrees that it's fun to go to the grocery store. You can tell that by how many different things he asked for in the twenty minutes we were in the store. I lost count after saying no for like the 30th time. (Okay, it was only six or seven, but still) And I made it through the whole store without buying ANY junk food at all. No chips, no crackers, no cookies... nothing fun at all. Sigh. I just keep telling myself that it will be worth it when I'm done. And if I wake up tomorrow morning and haven't gained any weight after today (I had a homemade pizza with enough cheese to clog even the largest of arteries) then maybe I'll treat myself to a small bag of chips or something. Plus, I can always go and buy some light popcorn or something. Just can't add salt to it.

Other than the shopping trip, there hasn't been anything happening around here. Same old, same old, blah blah blah. Oh, yeah - I did spend a little time this morning looking at clothes to pick Ron up in at the airport... SKINNY CLOTHES! I CAN'T WAIT! :)

Day 43: October 9th, 2009

Quote of the Day: "There can be no rainbow without a cloud and a storm. - J.H Vincent"

Things are rolling right along. I made it through class and clinicals without gaining weight, which is a first since I first started keeping track. It's quite amazing, actually... I'm sticking with it for once. And I'm doing good, too. I've been watching what I eat and have walked in three days almost what I walked all of last week. If I can keep walking 4 miles a day, I will hit my target weight in no time, and then it will be just maintain and eat healthy. The no soda part of it has been the hardest for me, but my weight literally quit with the ups and downs when i quit drinking it, so I know that it really affects how much water I retain. Must be the sodium content in the carbonation.

Sweet little sleepy Tiny man

Look, Dad, he DOES know how to do dishes!

Damien came home today and actually did the dishes. He has been a little up and down lately, with all the problems he's been having with getting hours at work. He just doesn't know what to do about it, and I think he just doesn't have it in him to confront his managers. He says that he is trying hard to find a new job, but we'll see. I just hope that something happens soon, because something's got to give so that he can take care of his bills. Otherwise, he's just getting nowhere. Fast. And he needs to stay home a little more, too. That room could use some cleaning!

Cody busy being angry with me.
Cody and I have had it out today big time, if you can't tell by the picture. He has been trying to manipulate me for the past couple of weeks, and I have finally had enough. The whole time he has been trying to do what he wants to do whenever he wants without asking me, he's been calling for rides all the time, and he tries to tell me that he told me this morning he was going to go hang out with his girlfriend after school. When I specifically told him this morning that he was supposed to come right home after school. He tried to tell me that he DID tell me he wasn't coming right home. He SAYS that he had his music playing and didn't hear me tell him to come home. THEN he started complaining nonstop about me grounding him all weekend on a three-day weekend. Oh, well. It's time he remembers who's the boss. I've caved in long enough, and things are going to change. Or he'll be spending ALL his time at home if he's not at school. AND I will start driving him to and from school every single day that I don't have class to make sure that he is at home. Like I told him, I have no problem with him going out and doing things after school, if he comes home first and does his chores. Why can't he get that? Why does he have to be so much like his Dad? Well, like his Dad USED to be, anyways. But there's no denying he's his father's child.

Day 42: October 8th, 2009

Quote of the Day: "Love reckons hours for months, and days for years; and every little absence is an age. ~John Dryden"

I had clinicals today, so it has been go, go, go from the time I got up. I had a good enough day, I guess. I woke up to my eyes doing really strange things for like half an hour, so it took a while for me to get ready. Then, as I was getting out of the car to go into the hospital I realized that I had put on the wrong shoes, so I spent the entire day worrying about it. But I had a relatively easy day. The only bad thing that happened in MY book was that my instructor told me that I was too negative about myself and had to start talking and thinking more positively. Sound familiar to any of you? I've always been too hard on myself, and I know this, but I guess it really aggravates her. So I've REALLY got to watch it, especially around her.

I can't write very much tonight because we have some massive thunderstorms tonight. It has been thundering and lightning since around 4 this afternoon, and hasn't let up yet. So I can't keep my computer on. I'll have to make up for it on tomorrow's blog. So have a great day, and I'll write more soon!

Day 41: October 7th, 2009

Quote of the Day: "Thou art gone from my gaze like a beautiful dream.And I seek thee in vain by the meadow and stream.~George Linley"

TIGER TRYING TO INTIMIDATE MOCHA.. AND SUCCEEDING!

It's been an interesting day so far. School went as usual, except first thing upon getting there I smashed my finger in a door, and the very tip of my finger turned purple under the nail and on the pad both. It hurt like CRAZY!!! It was one of those throbbing, burning pains. I was miserable! UGH! I can be such a klutz sometimes! It's awful. But then again, my hubby is too, so I don't feel so bad. And if he denies it, there are several instances which I can easily name that would prove otherwise! ;) hehehe

THE RED HIBISCUS TREE

My hibiscus trees are finally starting to bloom again. I think they need to be put in the ground, myself, but I'm just not sure where to put them. And I'm not sure they'll make it - they supposedly are only cold hardy to 40 degrees. But there are a lot of other hibiscus around that are in the ground and they seem to be doing just fine. So I'm thinking of a place to put them. Any ideas???

CODY PLAYING HIS "DRUMS"

We had a little bit of excitement tonight, actually. Damien went on my walk with me, and we were just on our last little bit when we got to the corner of the street leading to our house and we witnessed some yahoo in a white truck rear-end another parked truck and then drive off. He must have slid on the wet roads or something, I'm not really sure what happened. I'm assuming it was a kid, because whoever it was had a little difficulty driving, and was driving like someone who was learning to drive a stick shift. And it was a guy wearing a baseball cap. But it was dark, so we couldn't tell you anything more. Except that we got the license plate number, so we knocked on the lady's door and gave her the license plate number and that it was a white truck, not sure what kind. I also left my name and address with her in case the police needed it. I didn't really see any damage on the truck, but it was dark out so I'm not sure if there was some that I may have just not been able to see. Who knows? Gave me something to talk about for a few minutes, though, didn't it?

Day 40: October 6th, 2009

Quote of the Day:
Your absence has gone through me

Like thread through a needle

Everything I do is stitched with its color.

~W.S. Merwin, "Separation"

POOR, POOR TIKI!

We lost a member of our “family” today. Please take a moment of silence for Kalamena Big-Tooth Tiki, who lost his head this morning at around 6:30 am in the pitch black. As you can see, when he blew his top there was no turning back. Sigh. Now we have to get Ron another Tiki, and I don’t think that Hobby Lobby is going to sell them anymore (from what they said, anyways) so we may be stuck having to order one off the internet. Not that “Fred” (as Ron calls him) can be replaced in our hearts (hahaha) but we can try! :)

MOCHA'S NOT SURE ABOUT THIS WET STUFF.

Today has been another rainy, icky day. Again. I had my dental appointment today for my teeth cleaning, and for the dentist to tell me his plan for my teeth. He gave me a referral to an oral surgeon up in Lawton to have my molar yanked out (too expensive for a root canal and crown), and then I have 5 cavities which need fillings. He says that I have to wait ‘til my tooth is out and healed before I can do the fillings. That really stinks! But oh, well. I’ll just have to do what I have to do. Right? Because I am DEFINITELY not willing to fork out a couple grand to have another filling put into a tooth that I can’t reach to brush, and don’t even use half of the surface of to chew on anyways. The x-rays proved that. So….. maybe I’ll be able to brush my teeth better with it out! One would hope, anyways.

I TRIED TO CATCH A PIC OF IT RAINING WITH THE SUN SHINING... YOU CAN BARELY SEE THE RAIN HITTING THE POOL, THOUGH, AND NONE IN THE SKY.

My scale this morning told me that I had lost 4.8lbs since last month. I’d like to think it’s true, but I think it’s going by my weight the night before I actually started recording my weight, because I only record my first thing in the morning weight. In which I come up with a loss of only 3.6lbs. Sigh. Just have to work harder, that’s all!!! I almost dread weighing in tomorrow, but this morning’s weight is another lowest-to-date, so maybe my body is finally giving up and saying “OK, I know you are serious now about losing weight, so I’ll help you out.” Gotta say, though, it really does feel like I’m getting somewhere, at least a little bit. We’ll see. I’ve taken measurements and will be making comparisons monthly.

Tomorrow I’ve got school, and I am really DREADING that long drive to get there and back. Especially after no sleep! UGH! Gonna go get that coffee going real quick and hit the sack. Morning is going to come SUPER early for me. ‘Night, all.

Day 39: October 5th, 2009

Quote of the Day:

"I walked a mile with Pleasure.
She chattered all the way,
But left me none the wiser
For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with Sorrow,
And ne’er a word said she;
But oh, the things I learned from her
When Sorrow walked with me.
-Robert Browning Hamilton, "Along the Road"

Today I went out into the light rain to check on my pepper plants, knowing that it has been a while since I checked on the. I was afraid that Chloe might have gotten at them again, since the temporary fence that I put around them is pretty small. But to my surprise I found that I have about twenty peppers on one plant that are really getting big, and may be ready to harvest soon. So I’ve thought about it, and decided that I am going to freeze them until Ron comes home, so that he can enjoy them too. I found a website that details how to do it without damaging them, so I’m just going to do it and hope it works. If not, then I’m really not too worried about it… I’ll have the seeds, and next year Ron will be home and we can grow them together. And build a better fence, of course. I could do that now, if I really wanted to, but what’s the point? It’s already fall, and winter is just around the corner, so it doesn’t make much sense to do it now. If I wait, then we can get all the preparations done that need to be done to grow vegetables back there. Right now, I just have two little Rubbermaid tubs filled with dirt. Next spring, however, we’re going to be making actual planting beds that are elevated off the ground so that we can grow even more things. And, of course, the fence to keep veggie-dog out. That will definitely help! I may actually start on some of the preparation pretty soon, as far as getting the grass out of there and taking measurements, things like that. But if I do that it will turn into a mud bog back there…. Hmm. Maybe I should put up the fence after all… if anything, just to save my house from muddy pawprints. I’ll have to think about it and get back to you.
Mommy and ChloeMommy and Mocha

The Girls in the Yard
The sprinkler out back is STILL not fixed. I really need to get out there and just do it, but it’s hard to force myself to when it’s all cold and rainy. Playing in the mud: no problem. Playing in the mud in the cold: BIG problem. I have absolutely no tolerance to cold whatsoever. I don’t know if it’s a product of growing up in Arizona where you can wear T-shirts pretty much year-round, or if it’s a thyroid issue, or what. But I am positively miserable in the cold weather! UGH! That’s okay, though, I have lots of “warm” clothes now, so it should be fine. And I’ve got to keep reminding myself to buy some wood so that I can have fires this winter, it really will make the house more bearable without cranking up the heat and running up the electric bill. Lord knows it’s high enough as it is. Oh, and the yard guy just called me tonight to let me know that he is moving to Chickashea, Oklahoma and won't be doing the yard anymore... great timing, since it's nearly done growing for the season, right?

Sigh. There’s never a break in this stupid house! Maybe I’ll spend some of the extra money from Ron’s deployment and have a TON of blow-in insulation put up in the attic. THAT would be a very good idea, as I was up there with the A/C repair guy the other day and saw where some parts of it aren’t even 4 inches deep, while others are about two feet deep. Or so it seems, anyways. So I was thinking that if I called them out to suck out all the old insulation and put in new it would solve two problems: Our allergies would get better without all that dusty insulation sitting up there, and the house would be properly insulated. What do you all think? I’d get up there and rake the high parts down to the low ones, but I can’t tell where all the wiring is, and that’s one thing I DON’T want to mess with. It’s going to be hard enough finding all the trash the other residents have left up there and getting rid of it. Who leaves a rowing machine, anyways? I’ll have to look at it. If it’s not broken, maybe I can put it to some use. But that’s a big maybe, as well.

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"Okay, now remember, you go ten paces that way, and I go ten paces THIS way, and THEN you turn around...."

I’ve been having a hard time coming to grips with my exercise regiment lately… as in, I have lost NO WEIGHT in the last week. I weighed exactly the same today as I did last Monday. And I have been walking up a storm. I haven’t had any sodas. I have limited my junk food AND my sodium… for a month! What in the world do I have to do to lose weight???? Stop eating? I already barely eat anything. I’ve started eating breakfast, which they say you’re supposed to do to lose weight because it kick-starts your metabolism. I walk in the mornings. I walk in the evenings. I’m going to have to start walking every single day, I guess. It’s not bad, I really enjoy walking. But, still… I’d love to actually lose SOME weight, otherwise I’m NOT seeing any benefit from pushing myself so hard. For all I care, I can sit around all lumpy on the couch just like always if it’s not going to help me lose weight. Dangit!!!! Although, if I add up all the days in one week, and then divide them by seven, each weekly average shows a decrease, but only by ounces. Maybe THAT’S the way I should measure it. Or something.

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Something wicked this way comes.....

On a different note, I went ahead and pulled one of the peppers off the vine, thinking I’d give it a try. I’ve put a picture of it on here for you. I took just a tiny little bite of it, and thought “wait a minute, this tastes like a green bell pepper, did I get my seeds mixed up at planting?” But it looked like a pepper, not big and round like a bell pepper. So I took another tiny nibble, and…. Nothing. Was this pepper plant supposed to be a weak, mild pepper? Feeling braver, I took another small bite. AND THAT IS WHEN MY MOUTH EXPLODED INTO FIRE! OH, MY GOD, THE FIRES OF HELL COULDN’T POSSIBLY BE HOTTER THAN THIS STUPID PEPPER!!!!!!!!! It took an hour for my lips to get feeling back in them! So, being the nice person that I am, I think I’ll just give it to Chloe the veggie-dog, since she loves peppers. Wrong answer!!! Even SHE won’t touch it! She took it in her mouth and ran off with it, then suddenly spit it out and sat down in front of it, licking her mouth and staring at it. I’m assuming she was trying to get rid of the burn. I looked out the window and she was laying with it between her paws, guarding it, but she still hadn't eaten it. Have I cured the pepper-loving dog of her love for peppers? Only time will tell, right? I know that I cured MY curiosity about that particular plant. Ron, you will LOVE them!!!! They’re instant heartburn waiting to happen! Incidentally, I bet they’d be great in a Mexican Cornbread!

Day 38: October 4th, 2009

Quote of the Day: "No distance of place or lapse of time can lessen the friendship of those who are thoroughly persuaded of each other's worth. ~Robert Southey"

I have been soooo cold all day today! The weather here's been really dark and moist all day long. When I got up this morning it was 61 degrees inside the house! UGH! Let's just say that I've been in sweats all day, and loving it! I got out and went for a really long ride this morning. The problem is, when I mapped out the route, I only accounted for distance. So, of course, I was shocked to find out that it was 5 and a half miles of mostly uphill! UGH! I was hurting sooo bad by the time I was done I thought my legs were going to fall off! But that's okay, a good burn never hurt anybody, right? And then after dinner tonight I went out and walked 1.75 miles, hoping that maybe it would help get rid of some of the kinks before bed and I won't be so sore in the morning. We'll see... I know that I worked myself a little too hard today. But I was bored to death of sitting in the house and studying, so it was worth it just to get out and about.

The blue morning glory has finally decided to bloom, so we now have red, white, and blue... but not all at the same time, unfortunately. I've got to see what I can come up with for here in the spring.

They're like an electric blue! Really pretty!

One of my Don Juan roses... isn't it pretty?

I can't remember this one's name, but I put it right next to my Don Juan so that they could intermingle. I can't wait until next spring to see how big they get.

What a really dreary day it has been!

I am excited for tomorrow, I can't wait to weigh in. It's the weekly weigh-in time... and this morning's weight was the lowest yet, so if tomorrow's is about the same I'll have lost a total of 4 pounds in a month. Not too bad. Wish it was more, but what can you do? I don't want to take the weight loss pills on account of my heart, so this is what I am stuck with. At least it's not been too difficult to cut out the sodas. Wish I could say the same for the chips, crackers, and Chex Mix, but I just keep telling myself it will be worth it in the end. Just to be a size (or hopefully more) smaller. We'll see if I can keep it up, and just how much I can get down to.

I'll let you know! :)

Day 37: October 3rd, 2009

Quote of the Day: "Individual commitment to a group effort -- that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.-Vince Lombardi"

I finally got to go to the Burkburnett Friendship Festival, for the first time out of all the years we've lived here. And I think I can safely say that it really isn't all that. As a matter of fact, it seems more like a community swap meet or something. But I did enjoy the quilt show! There were two of them there that I would have loved to get my hands on....

This one because I LOVE the wedding ring pattern, and the color is fantastic!

And this one, because, well it's just too darn cute! :)

There were a couple of things for the kids to do, such as bounce toys... The little ones loved the pony ride.

This shark slide was a favorite.And look who I ran into there! It was great catching up!

There was mud volleyball competition for the jr high and high school kids.

And live entertainment! I actually have a (REALLY) short video of these guys I'll put on here.

For a price there was lots of different food vendors. All in all it was something to pass the time, and would be great if you wanted to find a purse to buy, almost everyone was selling those. And makeup. And jewelry. Not much representation for the guys, though.

Still, there's something to be said about living in a town where the WHOLE TOWN shows up for something like this. Either it says "our town is so small that even THIS can be the social event of the year," or it says "We just love our town, and want to socialize as cheaply as possible." By the way, there WAS a longhorn here which you could sit on and take your picture, which I was planning to do for Ron (yeah, I know I'm scared of cows) but by the time I got off the computer from talking with him they had already taken it away. I waited too long. So, sorry folks, no picture of me with a terrified look on my face on a longhorn. Maybe next year.

The rest of my day has been boring as well. Did some laundry, studied. Not much else TO do since it started raining and getting all dreary outside while I was at the festival. I didn't even go walk, but I figure that I had to have walked about a mile at the festival, so I'll just count that as my exercise for the day and walk twice as far tomorrow. Sigh. No rest for the weary. That's okay, I'm discouraged with my weight loss anyways. Not getting anywhere fast really stinks when you're trying. :(