January 31, 2006
Take Me Back, Tuesday
Grammy Awards are coming.
Name three grammy winning artists that are on your playlists.
Phil Collins
Don Henley
Tina Turner
It was hard to pick 3; I chose these randomly.
Name three grammy winning songs that are on your playlist.
What's Love Got To Do With It
Addicted to Love
Land of Confusion
Randomly chosen out of so many again...
Name three grammy winning albums that are included on your playlists.
Thriller
Joshua Tree
Graceland
I just wanted to say thanks to Scott, who left me this comment:
Hi,I love your Grammys, especially Thriller, which I haven't heard in decades. Actually, though, I was coming here to tell you that for the past 3 weeks I've been coming to your blog to see your various meme postings and have not been finding them. Because you don't create seperate posts for them, they are hidden to the average viewer, and only pops up when you go to write a comment. So I suspect others have had the same difficulty. You may want to put the meme posts in a seperate post to avoid the problem.
Revolution
Remember that old Beatles song? The one that begins
You say you want a revolution Well, you know We all want to change the world You tell me that it's evolution Well, you know We all want to change the world But when you talk about destruction Don't you know that you can count me out Don't you know it's gonna be all right all right, all right ...
You know, there needs to be some kind of revolution in the fractured reasoning of some of these middle school administrators and security guards. Three of these 5 kids caused alarm among 2 security guards who apparently have little to no common sense:
Yesterday was Kristin's first day back to school since last Wednesday. We have been totally flattened and steamrollered by a very nasty virus. TB and I still have it and both the girls are still hacking too. Anyway, the middle schoolers apparently misbehaved and were very noisy at lunch time on Friday and so the kids all had to have a "silent lunch".
Time Out: okay, if this is the best the administrators can do it's pretty pathetic but I'm supportive of it. I frankly think they should have come up with a better discipline on Friday which is when the problem actually occurred.
Back to the action: Kristin and two of her friends took to writing notes back and forth. That was allowed, talking wasn't.
Time Out: that was dumb--to me, if you're going to have the kids not talk then it should cover notes too. But that's just me...
Back to the action: the kids had some discussion about their favorite anime and what have you. They sort of compared their principal to a Nazi. That's teenage kids for you. Someone must have made a noise because the next intelligent pronouncement was "No body noises" (like mouth farts, etc). Kristin's friend wrote "kaboom" in response to that...and that's where the security guard comes in.
She sees the word and freaks. Does she ask for the notebook then? No, she scurries off to find another guard. Meanwhile, the kid puts the notebook away. The two guards come back and demand to see the book. The kids are nervous as the guards read the messages. They're worried that they're going to be in trouble because of the Nazi reference. Sure enough, one security guard marches up to an administrator with the notebook...
But guess what? It's not about the Nazi reference at all. The security guard thinks "kaboom" means the kids are going to blow up the school.
As Dr. Phil would say, Are you kidding me?
So the three had to write out explanations about what they were doing and that they hadn't intended to write terrorist messages and blah blah blah.
I said to Kristin that it was wrong to write about the principal and Nazis although it's understandable that the kids were irritated by the punishment. It would have been better to write "this isn't fair" and Kristin agreed. Inwardly, I was thinking: this is so stupid, these kids didn't intend to harm anyone. We need better security guards, ones with common sense. Duh.
So, yeah, I'm calling for a revolution in the way administrators handle junior high school students. There's got to be a more effective way of disciplining them and they certainly shouldn't be putting thoughts into the kids' heads that weren't there to begin with (blowing up the school).
January 27, 2006
Feline Friday: Puppy Love
Nobody has any idea how much I looove this puppy!
Whenever no one is around, I just "knead" my puppy!
He's just so nice and soft and furry!
ACK! What is up with the camera?
No, it is not a case of puppy love! Why, the very idea that a regal feline such as I would denigrate herself over a stuffed dog!
He's nothing but a pillow as you can plainly see.
But oh well, who can resist such a cute face, stuffed puppy or not?
More Cat Friday stuff? Try these:
The next Carnival of the Cats is being hosted at Political Fred
Wow, there are lots of cool memes for Fridays!
Q1 - Moving: According to a recent report on American Public Media’s ‘Marketplace,’ in New York City, landlords and developers are paying big money (in some cases upwards of six figures and more) to convince renters to vacate their rent-controlled apartments. The practice, which makes way for property owners to then raise rents or build luxury condos, is now commonplace in many cities where rent-controlled housing still exists. Do you like your home or apartment? If so, what would it take to get you to agree to move?
I do like my home very much but if the price was right and the timing was right (i.e. my youngest graduated high school), I would take big money to move. I think TB would be okay with that too because where ever we are together, that is "home". We'd probably be able to get a nice place for less money by moving to a less expensive area too.
Having said that, I want to add that I think it's terrible that housing is so unaffordable for so many Americans. Our county in NJ is the second-to-least expensive in terms of renting 2 bedroom apts and yet, the price is still too high for many residents: over $900/mo. Where are people supposed to live, especially when they work minimum wage jobs in expensive areas? It's a deplorable situation but I don't know what can be done about it.
Q2 - You Choose: Which is more important to you... Liberty or Security?
My husband and I have been talking about this. Of course we want us to be safe from terrorists and so we'd probably choose security. Yet, at the same time, we know that once we give up some of our civil rights it won't end...it'll go on. We'll lose more of our liberties for safety's sake--how far will it go? Ultimately, we wouldn't be secure from even our own government. It's scary to contemplate.
Q3 - Drinking: If you could drink anything right now--alcoholic or otherwise--what and how much of it would you drink?
I could go for a 2 liter bottle of that new Black Cherry Vanilla Diet Coke!
Q4 - Counting: How many light bulbs are in your home, and when was the last time you had to change one?
Oh boy, Oma would know this one--she used to dust all her light bulbs. I have no clue how many bulbs we have in the home. The last time I had to change one? Probably around Christmas!
Top 5 "Classic Rock" Bands (and your favorite song by each if you feel so disposed)
The Who -- Baba O'Reilly
The Rolling Stones -- You Can't Always Get What You Want
The Beatles -- Across the Universe
Creedence Clearwater Revival -- Fortunate Son
Eagles -- Hotel California
January 26, 2006
Love My New Look!
TB didn't have any work today so he helped me with my template and I love the way my blog looks now! I think it's a keeper! 
I think Heidi and I are a lot alike in many ways. I think I was rather pessimistic when I was younger but somehow I learned to look for "the silver lining"...maybe it takes years to see that bad times are followed by good times and you have to learn to appreciate them when it happens. I got this in my email today and it's something I would share with my half-empty glass child:
Healthy Aging Tip: Coping with Negative ThoughtsAre you a "glass half empty" or a "glass half full" kind of person? Research shows that looking at the positive side of things is better for your health - optimists have been shown to do better than pessimists in almost every aspect of life, including how well their immune systems function. If you tend to be negative, there is good news: Optimism can be learned. The process begins with the identification of self-defeating thoughts. Once you become aware of habitual thoughts that lead to negative emotions, you can begin to substitute positive ones. For example, whenever you notice yourself ruminating on a negative theme like, "I am worthless and this latest setback just confirms it," you can consciously substitute, "This setback is just something that happened; I will get through it, because I am capable and resilient." A trained cognitive-behavioral therapist can help you in your process of viewing the world in a positive light.
It's true that thinking negative thoughts most of the time will make you sick, I can testify to that. Some of my health problems just might be a result of cumulative negative thoughts over the years. One thing I noticed was that when something "bad" (like financial trouble) happened, I would get into an intestinal and emotional uproar, worrying and wondering 'why me?' Things always eventually sorted out...and there I'd gone through all that upset and made myself sick. Was it worth it? NO. I wish I could convince Heidi that this is so.
::Certainly Worth the Drive::
Onesome: "Certainly-- is there anything in life you are "certain" about? Firm in your beliefs? Strong in your convictions? Tell us...
I am certain that Jesus is my Savior, that I love TB and he loves me, that I love my kids & grandkids and they love me.
Twosome: Worth-- what do you value? What people or projects are "worth your time"?
My life, my health, my husband, my kids, honesty, other people--it's a long list
Threesome: the Drive-- and from where you live, can you "get" to places easily? Is it an event to drive to the store? Do you live in a metropolis where everything is close?
Almost everything is at least a 20 minute drive away!
January 24, 2006
14
Time sure flies when you're having fun. Kristin is 14 today. Her Model Congress group went on a field trip today to debate bills kids wrote. They're getting some real hands-on experience with government. Later, we're taking her to get her ears pierced and go out for dinner. Happy birthday, kiddo!
Fourteen years ago:
And over the years, sunny smiley faces....
and goofy expressions...
as she grows into very much her own person!
Ten Great Things ABout Being A Kid:
1. Birthdays! (what a great 10 on Tuesday today, lol)
2. Summer vacation--freeeeeeeedom!
3. Field trips
4. Road trips with your family
5. Recess
6. Christmas!
7. Thanksgiving at Grandma's
8. Hanging out with friends
9. Freedom from heavy duty responsibilites like bills!
10. Sticky gross stuff like cotton candy is fun to eat
January 22, 2006
A very nice visit
Linda and Tomas came to visit for a few hours yesterday and we had a great time. TB and I had gotten some toys to keep here for the grandkiddies. Tomas enjoyed playing with them. He also had fun with your everyday items, like wallets, Linda's cell phone, and kitchen cabinets.
He enjoyed petting Mouse and he was really gentle with her too, which was good.
Mouse seemed to appreciate the attention, too.
It's sorta mind boggling that the little guy is going to be 2 in less than 2 weeks!
It's great to hear that Linda's doing real well. She's got a Toyota Camry, has a lot of responsibilities were she's working especially now that the company is expanding and is about to finish her dipoloma work. We're so happy that she's getting herself together and is doing so well!
We'll see them again soon to celebrate T's birthday.
I say...and you think...
- Alone:: solitary
- Science:: faith (this comes from a Lost episode)
- Deposit:: withdraw
- Faithful:: loyal
- Tender:: money
- Chocolate:: sweet
- Homework:: practice
- Tamper:: meddle
- Friend:: pal
- Wire:: bug
January 20, 2006
Feline Friday: Begorgeous
When I want attention, I know exactly where to place myself.
Check out the pose.
Now, how can Bejewlled 2 compete with Begorgeous?
More Cat Friday stuff? Try these:
The next Carnival of the Cats is being hosted at Meryl Yourish
Q1 - Teachers: The Houston Independent School District (HISD) is about to become the largest public school district in the United States to tie teachers' pay to their students' standardized test scores. How do you feel about this? Do you feel HISD and other school districts around the country should be able to tie teacher pay to student performance, or should merit or something else aside from student performance figure into the equation?
I do believe that teachers' salaries and student performance should be tied together but I'm not sure using standardized test scores is the answer. Merit and experience should also have an influence on how much a teacher makes but I frankly think now that most of it should be based on students' performance. A tenured teacher with a masters could be an ineffective teacher and why should that person make so much more than a teacher with less credentials but is more effective? I mean, the point is to teach kids, right?
Q2 - Osama: Do you honestly think Osama bin Laden will ever be captured or killed by U.S. troops?
Maybe when a cold frost sets in hell.
Q3 - Emotion: When and why was the last time you screamed at the top of your lungs?
It was sometime after Rich died. I was alone in my car, parked, and I just started screaming my head off. I felt better for a little while.
Q4 - Your Bed: Is your bed really comfortable, or do you live with poor sleep caused by the quality of your bedding?
My bed is really comfortable!
January 19, 2006
Looking forward to Saturday
This two season weather is kicking my butt. One day it's warm and within hours, it's freezing cold. My joints are going crazy and it's affected my mood now too. I feel really awful. But I am looking forward to Saturday, bad weather or not. We're having a visit with T. His mom sent some new cell phone pictures last week:
What a cutie, he just photographs so well!
Yum!
Looks like he'd like to get the camera and take a few pictures himself! :)
January 17, 2006
Bad Weather and Bad Books
This cold weather is kicking my butt and all my joints. This morning all my joints were inflamed and the ibuprofen didn't work. I've become spoiled by the mild weather and I sure will be happy to see it return! I slept for a couple of hours this morning (my one escape when the ibuprofen doesn't work) and I feel a little bit better.
It seems like a good time to talk about As The Crow Flies by Jeffery Archer. Boy, what a disappointment! I picked it up for a quarter at the library thinking that it was a book on my wishlist. It sat around with a ton of other books while I bought and traded other books over the last 6 months or so. Finally, I decided NO MORE new-used books until I started going through the pile I already had.
This book is a rag-to-riches story about a young man growing up in the East End of London, becomes a self-made "honest trader" by the time he's 16, goes off to fight in World War I, comes back, gets married to his "childhood sweetheart" and then builds a department store empire while fending off a bitter enemy. It was the male version of A Woman Of Substance which was a much better book.
The synopsis I just gave is just about the way the book was written too. This happened then that and so on and so forth. The story was told by about 5 or 6 different characters which made it even more annoying because these characters would go back to repeat their versions of the same story--which wasn't all that engaging to begin with. Worse, these characters were all flat, there was no depth to them. There was plenty of tragedy in the book but the characters just seemed to breeze through each crisis unruffled.
Eh.
It's an okay book to read if you don't want to think or become emotionally involved. Otherwise, I would not recommend it to anyone.
10 Favorite Current Shows
Fun and easy this week!
1. Lost
2. Criminal Minds
3. CSI--the original
4. Invasion
5. Surface
6. Survivor
7. The Amazing Race
8. Supernatural
9. Cold Case
10. Battle Star Galactica
January 16, 2006
Washing those clothes blues
I hate going to the laundromat to wash & dry our clothes. Before, it was because I found it time consuming. With my own washer-dryer, I could multi-task. At a laundromat, I'm stuck for a couple of hours and hopefully have a good book to read. I have a bladder the size of a peanut these days--laundromats do not have restrooms. Why? I haven't figured that one out yet.
Our dryer needs to be fixed. It began making the most gawdawful noise just before Christmas. It sounds like something (like a chain) got stuck inside the drum and we haven't been able to use it. The repairman came out last week after we'd already had one tense trip to the local laundromat, owned by an Asian lady with a big attitude. To our complete dismay, the repairman said he needed to order parts and wouldn't be back until the 25th, necessitating another trip to the laundromat!
On our last trip, the owner hassled us about using more dryers. She said we had to make sure we could see a "hole" in the clothes pile as they tumbled or we might set her place on fire. She had us stop our dryers, take out some of the clothes and put them into other dryers. I was embarrassed and ticked off but it's her place so we were stuck. Next time, I thought, I'll go somewhere else.
There are two other places in town, both located in not so great areas. One of them is pretty dingy. The other one seems bright on the inside and I thought to go check that place out. I should have. We went back to the first place because I figured the owner would be there to give us change. The banks were closed today because of the holidays.
We had a lot of wash accummulated and no one was there, not even the owner. We put the clothes into the super washers and I gave the girls all the change I had. I went to the 7-11 next door to get more change. Meanwhile, someone pulled up with 5 jumbo loads of laundry. When I got back, Heidi said I needed to give the owner $10 because she'd come out and had a fit when she saw two of the machines weren't going. I went back to look for her and she wasn't there. Another lady showed me how to "call" the owner.
The owner lives upstairs from the laundromat. This is how she's able to keep the place so clean and to keep such close tabs on it. Anyway, down she comes and I give her a $20 to get another roll of quarters. I tell her that she wasn't here and I'd gone next door for the quarters. "That's okay," she says. But don't put clothes in the washer without having the quarters to start the machines.
Yeah. Already my hackles are up.
The owner comes back to warn my girls that there is a minute left on the first two washers--like maybe they are idiots and can't read the time remaining for themselves. It didn't matter that the girls were watching the washers intently. So, in a very timely manner, they move the wash over to the dryers. Meanwhile, someone who's using one of the super washers left the load behind and the machine stopped. I pettishly pointed that out to the owner. It's not my kids who are being "inconsiderate".
Now, about the dryers--I told the girls they had to use 4 dryers--two for each machine. They rolled their eyes at me but I didn't want a repeat of the last time. There was going to be a hole you could drive through in those tumbling clothes!
The owner has a system of colored clothes pins that she puts on the dryer handles. "You green," she told me, clipping 6 pins to the dryer handles. I told her I needed 2 more. She looked at me and I said we still had more washers to empty. Okay, so we get 2 more. What that means is, if all the dryers have colored pins on them and you have a wash you need to dry you are SOL unless you were assigned a color. I learned that on my last trip, too. I'd washed my laundry at home and brought them to dry--and I had to wait. All the dryers had already been assigned. That's why this time I didn't use my perfectly good washer. :P
Well, now it's beginning to get a bit crowded and people are waiting to use the super washers. Now, why didn't they use the little washers? There's a couple dozen of those. I guess the reason is that if the owner sees you've got 3 loads of laundry or more, she wants you to use the super machines. I think she doesn't trust anyone to know how to divide their wash into smaller loads for the older machines. Yeesh. Last time, Kristin was going to split her bag between smaller machines but the owner stopped her. "No, no, no, you use big machine, you wait." So Kristin had to wait for one of the big machines to go free.
Some guy came in with a comforter. You're not allowed to wash comforters in anything but the big machine. Well, now, that makes sense because it can cause a smaller machine to jam. The owner's eyes got huge as she saw him coming and she groaned, "Oh God!" As he came in the door, she went to meet him. "No machines right now, no machines free, you come back, so sorry!"
And so the guy left.
Well, what are you going to do? It's her place, she has the right to run it the way she wants to. But I'm not going back there next time, no way, no how!
Upgrade & Update
Over the weekend, TB updated our MT program and I'm just giving it a try right now. The blog won't look different because I still have the same template. So far, I notice that my font size as I type looks smaller. It's okay except for being a little harder to proofread. In my spare time, I'll play around with it and learn what's new and what I can change and what have you. I'm so hoping that spam--especially porn messages--will be easier to eliminate and block.
What a crazy weekend. In one 24 hour period, we went from 60 degree weather and sunshine to plunging temperatures, high wind, a tornado watch, rain, snow--you name it, we got it. Yesterday morning we got up to take Billy to the bus stop to go back to school and there were 2 inches of snow on the ground! Over the weekend, my arthritis and fibromyalgia flared up and I didn't even have to move to be tormented with throbbing or burning pain in all my joints. I'm feeling better today, thank you, God, for nicer weather and the sun!
I just IM'd with Billy a little and he has 3 new packs of books--5 for his physics class, 2 for German, 2 or more for the next engineering class, etc etc etc. One of his roommates moved out--either to his frat or back home, who knows? and took the fridge with him. Luckily, Billy doesn't use the fridge so it's no big deal. Classes start tomorrow.
I'm going to mess around with a new template I'd like to use for this blog. It's really adorable but it uses these tiny little frames and, to me, is a big waste of space because I'd only have this teeny little space for my entries. So we'll see because I don't know anything about the tags I need for MT. Time for MT template kindergarten!
January 10, 2006
Chuzzled
I've become hooked on a game I bought and downloaded from Yahoo, Chuzzles. Do you have frustrations, hostilities, anger you need to dispel? Check out this game! These chuzzles are the cutest little guys in the world. They remind me very much of the tribbles from Star Trek. Anyway, you line up three or more in a row and explode them. The more you can line up, the louder they are when they blow up. It's quite therapeutic. If you pay for the game, you get some extras--fat chuzzles, rainbow chuzzles, and chuzzles with cool dark glasses.
On the game we downloaded, TB learned a trick with the fat chuzzles. If you bang them against one of the walls long enough, fast enough, and hard enough they yell for mercy. All of the chuzzles' eyes whirl round and round in frantic circles.
Do I seem frustrated? I am. Heidi is on the warpath and no one is happy. Time to explode some more chuzzles!
10 Favorite Dishes to Eat
1. Shrimp & broccoli with cashew nuts
2. Prime rib with garlic mashed potatoes
3. Lean Cuisine Chicken with peanut sauce
4. Weight Watchers Szechuan chicken
5. Manicotti
6. Corned beef & cabbage
7. Split pea soup
8. Chili
9. Made to order omelette from Prospector's
10. TB made this delicious breakfast dish, I think it was called eggs in a basket or something.
January 09, 2006
Cool Popper
Linda sent pictures of Tomas enjoying that ball popper. It really isn't fancy or elaborate and isn't that the way with the toys little kids become enchanted with? Linda supplied the captions.
I love this thing!
It goes in and then the ball comes out again!
This is the toy of my dreams!
We're so glad he's getting a kick -- or a pop -- out of it and look forward to seeing him again soon!
Check out TB's entry about the mouse who got back at a homeowner that tried to barbecue him!
Random 10 - Week 38
10 songs that sum up your weekend...or were on your weekend playlist...and one picture that relates back. (oh, and if you feel like it, tell us why you picked the songs you did)
I was in a Celtic music mood this weekend:
1. Factory Girl by The Chieftains/Sin顤 O'Connor
2. The Shores of The Swilly by Phil Coulter/Sin顤 O'Connor
3. In A Lifetime by Clannad & Bono
4. I Will Find You by Clannad
5. The Rose of Tralee by Nightnoise
6. Isle of Inisfree by Celtic Woman
7. May It Be by Ryan & Rachel O'Donnell
8. Danny Boy by Celtic woman
9. 12 O'Clock by Vangelis
10. Circle of Joy by Lisa Lynne
January 06, 2006
Happy Birthday to my Teddy Bear!
Happy birthday to my love!
A sea around my heart:
Part shelter, part enduring word,
Part mirror of my art.
You are the calm that drains my rage,
Bliss upon my shores,
Immensity immutable,
Rush that life restores.
To you I wish to be a welcome
Harbor for your ocean,
Destiny and origin,
Aim of your affection,
Yearning of your motion.
Now...I wish I could say that I wrote it, but I didn't. I'm not much of a poetry writer. :P
January 05, 2006
It's Always Something...
I think I ate something that disagreed with me...or I have a lingering virus. I feel really yucky today.
TB's work is experiencing a slow down or some other kind of financial thing. He may be laid off again, off one week and on the next.
This stuff always seems to happen at the worst possible time. :P
::Hook 'em Horns!::
Onesome: Hook-- Just to get us back in the swing of things after the holidays: when you're at home, where do your keys hang out, on a hook by the door? ...or do they have a special place? ...or do you find them wherever they landed the last time you walked in
I put them on top of the entertainment center, behind the pictures.
Twosome: 'em-- Do you use contractions like " 'em " in your daily conversations? ...or do people use a contraction or phrase that particularly bugs you past the point of rationality?
I'm sure I do use those contractions. I can't think of any that bug me enough that I would get irrational about it. :P It's not that important compared to other stuff going on.
Threesome: Horns-- On the Horns of a dilemma: if you had only one movie you could nominate for the Academy Awards for 2005, which would it be? ...and why? The screenplay? ...the lead player(s)? ...the setting?
I would nominate King Kong because of the superb directing Peter Jackson did, along with the wonderful special effects. The actors were all terrific but so were the group of actors in Lord of the Rings. I think Peter Jackson and his crew really made the movie fantastic.
January 04, 2006
Our Trip To Tennessee, Part IV
Off we went to Douglas Lake and Dam, which wasn't too far away. TB and Heidi were eager to take pictures. Brandon was our tour guide for part of the trip and he was very knowledgeable about the area!
Heidi took this picture out the window of our car.
"I'm six feet under!" This is normally where the swimming area would be.
Ouch! I wouldn't want to step on this--fortunately it's not in the swimming area though. It makes a rather cool picture.
It was an absolutely gorgeous day for an outing.
We went up to the dam for more pictures. Brandon told us how the Tennessee Valley Authority built the dam in 1942 and pointed out a sign that gave us other vitals, like the height and length.
Heidi and Kristin got a lot of that good red Tennessee mud on their shoes from tramping around on the lake bottom and had to scrape it all off before getting back into the car.
There was so much more to see but we were getting hungry and so we decided to go pick up something to eat. I took this picture out the passenger side window as we left.
On our way back to Sevierville, there was a rather scary accident that happened right in front of us! One vehicle cut off another. That driver jammed on his brakes and the fellow driving right behind him was following too close. We heard a screech and then bam! as the 3rd vehicle smacked into the back of the second. The first driver was probably totally oblivious, as is usually with careless drivers. Anyway, none of us were hurt.
After lunch, we visited some more and then as it got dark we had to say some reluctant goodbyes because we had a long drive back the following morning. Next time we'll stay longer!
There was still a lot of traffic on the way back to our hotel but at least we finally knew why! We looked for a place to have dinner but were out of luck as every place we wanted to stop was totally crowded. There is a Shoney's right up the street from our hotel and we finally ate there. The food was just okay but not terrible.
The next day we went home and once again TB drove the whole way back. We made some great time, even when we hit some traffic around rush hour in the Baltimore-Washington area. The only problem we had was a wrong exit off the highway once we got into "home" territory--isn't that always the way? Anyway, we ended up on some street in Collingswood and wouldn't you know there was some kind of police action going down right there in front of us. It was a very tense few minutes until we could get past that, find Rt. 130 North and then get going in the right direction again.
In spite of all the traffic in Sevierville and that little excitement in New Jersey, we had a wonderful time and look forward to going back!
January 03, 2006
Tomas
Lin sent a cell phone picture of Little T. He is so cute!
A few more pictures that TB took on Christmas Eve:
Just a ramblin' man!
More pictures to follow on Nana & Pop-Pop's blog!
Our Trip To Tennessee, Part III
After a fine breakfast at Bob Evans (and it was so good I picked up a map of the whole south & middle Atlantic states because they show the locations of all the BE restaurants 
) we drove over to finally visit with Michele, David & the kids. TB was so excited, he was taking pictures before we even got in the door.
We haven't seen each other since June so it was a joyous reunion. I'm sharing several pictures here but plan to upload more to Nana & Pop-Pop's House, showcasing the grandkiddies.
Michele
David & Nikolas
Taylor in her gorgeous Princess room
Ryan
Brandon
At first, we all got caught up and got to see some of the things the kids got for Christmas.
We'd gotten Nikky a rocking horse
Taylor showed off her new Bratz doll
Ryan loves his new Star Wars light saber.
Brandon's cool truck was a big hit
Everyone got a kick out of playing with the new toys--and the cats. Sylvester was so cute. He batted his catnip mouse all over the place, chased it and carried it proudly in his mouth like it was the real thing!
About midmorning, Michele and David asked us if we'd like to see Douglas Dam and Lake. TB could shoot some pictures. We said sure, we'd love to! And so off we went.
10 Goals For 2006
1. Forget the resolutions, they're useless. But keep track of the goals each month to see what progress I've made.
2. Join the water aerobics class at the gym on Monday, Tuesday & Thursday and attend each one
3. Swim and practice the exercises 2 days a week
4. Lose 1/2-2lbs a week
5. Attend Weight Watcher meetings every week
6. Continue to lower my blood pressure and hopefully get off the medication
7. Finish the kids' photo albums this month
8. Read all the books I have here before getting any new ones
9. Keep in touch with friends at least once a month by email or phone calls or some way
10. Finish organizing all the other photo & online picture albums this year
January 01, 2006
Our Trip To Tennessee, Part 2
We spent almost an hour at Ruby Tuesday's and at first it seemed like the traffic was lighter...until we pulled back out onto the highway. We continued inching along at an unbelievably slow snail's pace. We finally came to the intersection where David worked and turned the corner. Now, surely the traffic would ease up...but no. We still had no idea why the traffic was so jammed. Along the way, we admired the lovely Christmas decorations. We were inching along so slowly I was able to snap some pictures.
It was around 8 o'clock when we got to our hotel and checked in. It was off the main road and I was glad--it wouldn't be noisy. It was quite a nice place. It had an indoor swimming pool and every morning a continental breakfast was served in the lobby. I'm sure it had other amenities as well but we hardly listened because we were there to see family.
The girls posed for pictures in the elevator.
Okay, sort of.
I was tired but happy to be where I was.
This was the first time I'd stayed in a suite. It wasn't very large but it was comfortable. Now, we were supposed to have a queen sized bed in our room but it sure didn't look or feel like one. Well, that's okay. The girls shared the sofa bed in the living room. They could stay up to watch cartoons while TB and I totally crashed. It was hard to get to sleep that first night because of being in a strange place, a smaller bed and because we were eager to see Michele, David & the kids. But sleep did come eventually and in the morning, we were up and ready to go!
I say...and you think...
- Celebrate:: rejoice
- Resolve: promise
- I need to:: lose weight
- Call:: phone
- Token:: parking
- Brand:: name
- Comparison:: which is better?
- Far away:: Tennessee
- Artful:: skillful
- Fantastic:: wonderful