Loose Lemon's New Addition or Best Laid Plans Part Deux

That's it folks...I heretofore give up on any plans I may make today or in the foreseeable future!
How many errands did I have to take care of after work on Wednesday? Where did I end up instead? This is the culprit...

This little "pest" was found near the warehouses in our shop yard. A shivering ball of wet fur. He spent a great part of the day under my desk and wrapped around my feet or Carl's feet. My husband looks at me, like, Honey, PLEASE...and I am emphatically shaking my head and saying NO, NO...NO...NO! After many sad looks from my son in law, he calls the animal shelters...well now you know the rest of the story. Before I could blink my eyes, the son in law is preparing a box with towels for me to take puppy home (also promising he will fix the gates at my house) and I am calling our vet. Puppy, who is still nameless, is ensconced in Villa Loose Lemons. Moe Kitty has been checking him out and he is not sure about the invader. Darling Husband and I had to reassure a needy Moe (what's up with that, cats are NOT needy)

Ball of fur is not yet named...suggestions welcomed (I am terrible at naming pets) I am thinking maybe Dugan or Duncan. I wanted to call him Satchmo, however I am afraid that would be shortened to Moe and confusion would reign. FYI, the vet thinks HE is about 6 weeks old, he still has a lot of blue in his eyes and that he is a lab maybe chow mix (his tail curls)

He slept in the laundry room under a blanket and a pile of "dirty" towels. He had a big day and was so tired last night. This morning he was frisky and ready to play!

How does this "stuff" keep happening to me? I am changing my name to push over!!!

So what do you think his name should be? The puppy not the husband!

P.S. The grand darlings were delighted that we have a puppy. Michelle, Kevin, the kids and Heather all came by the house to greet the newest member of the family.

The Best Laid Plans

The best laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft a-gley.--Robert Burns ("To a Mouse")[Popularly misquoted as: The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray, or The best laid plans of mice and men go oft astray.]
An extra day in a weekend, yippee!!! What does one do with a whole extra day...? The possibilities are endless! Woohoo...what did I do during a long weekend?

Homecaring (sounds better than housework) on Saturday...watched the rain...read...more homecaring. I was a substitute for a substitute for a Sunday school class of 9 year old boys (food always works and that is all I am sayin) Special family visits. Brandi and her soon to be husband Jamie were visiting from Colorado. She will soon be deployed to Iraq and we pray for her and all the men and women serving our country.

My darling husband tells me Sunday night..."this is what we are doing tomorrow"...well we all know how this would go over with me...my comment, "whatever" hmpf.

Morning dawns and husband is still insisting I go with him. It wasn't spending time with him that annoyed me...it was taking time away from what I thought I would like to do! Sometimes we do things to make the other person happy, however I was not pleasant...WHAT??? I was downright unpleasant, can you imagine, me, the epitome of sweetness and light being unpleasant?

The in laws are both terribly ill and Carl takes them breakfast every morning. Carl says he forgot his cell phone and I am still being the grouch master and asked him, so what is your point? (I know, I know...petulant doesn't even begin to describe my behavior) I am bitterly complaining about his choice of clothes, the things I am NOT getting done blah, blah and blah. He, with great patience, asks me to call his parents to let them know we are coming and what would they like for breakfast. As soon as I hear that sweet voice on the other end say "Hi Honey" I start to thaw a bit, a little more thawing occurs as the conversation continues...breakfast is delivered and much gratitude is expressed from both parents...some more thawing...Carl's big plan for the day was to introduce me to Mrs. D who was a second mother to him. I was dreading this visit so much...in my mind (please, please forgive me here) I was thinking, Oh great old people and sickness, darkness, waiting for death. (It has been a rough couple of years). Imagine my surprise and delight to be greeted like a long lost daughter in a house full of brightness, light and love. Mr. and Mrs. D were so interesting and so delightful. We talked about art, baseball, music, flowers and all the antics Carl was up to as a young boy! It was clear that Mrs. D considered Carl to be one of her children even if he was a Republican! We walked around the yard and admired the beautiful and fragrant flowers. Promises were made to return and enjoy lunch one day soon.

Our next stop was to deliver some books to my mother and give her a ride to a Memorial Day party. Carl and Mom are great pals and you cannot stay grouchy amidst their zany antics.

After dropping off Mom we were ready for lunch and a nap. Lunch was eaten and Dear Husband claimed the sofa...my intention was to get started on one of my projects... just let me rest on this bed for a minute...2 hours later...all motivation has fled and I decided to read a book. Dear Husband and I played with the cat, watched the rain, laughed and simply enjoyed each other's company.

It was not the day I planned instead it was A PERFECT DAY spending time with those you love.

All of those projects will still be there next weekend or the next.

Balancing Act

Life is such a huge balancing act. Time and time again I am hearing from friends of their frenetic, busy lives. Time to cut back on something...many say they spend too much time on-line and the first place they look to cut back is on their blog posts. In the beginning I posted three times a week. Currently, I am sporadic, posting anywhere from once a week to three times a week. I suspect that some of the social/networking sites are partially responsible...for others life is so full of things that MUST be done. In between the MUST BE DONES are we taking time to be nice to ourselves? Are we taking time to do the things we most enjoy?

(flock of blackbirds frantically taking off en masse - this was a pure frenzy!!!!)

I no longer have children at home...an empty nester I am...Am I less busy...NO...for now I work full time and have aging in laws with serious illness and a mother that does not drive. One of my blog buddies from across the Atlantic tells the tales of shopping with her elderly rellies and being the parent of a teenager with her hilarious British humor. Others tell of their exploits of moving, sick children and the myriad trials of everyday life with great aplomb. Everyone has a full life. Are we busy LIVING it or are we surviving day to day doing what is necessary to get to the next thing. How is your TO DO list stacking up? Do you consistently add way more than you can possibly do in one day, one week or one month. I DO!!! In an e-seminar given by Christine Kane, she suggested that I spend 15 minutes each morning and choose the three most important items that needed priority that day and focus on those three items. Also to plan the day in my mind before taking off running at top speed. It works. Instead of feeling frustrated by the items not checked off...I feel productive and less stressed. She also suggests being "bodaciously" nice to yourself. For example, buy yourself flowers (I have kept flowers on my desk since around 1979)

I had a little medical procedure on Monday, so naturally Tuesday was full steam ahead...catch up day, if you will. My friend, Jayne invited me to attend a Kershaw County Show Choir Concert on Tuesday evening. At one point I was feeling too tired to even think of going out that night. My daughter called and asked if I was going to the concert as well. I am so glad I took a deep breath, freshened up a bit, picked up Michelle and met Jayne. The concert was absolutely fabulous with singing and dancing performed by students of three schools in the county. Several of the choir members also attend our church and we felt it important to support them in this endeavor. Another bonus to a great evening... Jayne, Laresa, Michelle and I enjoyed ice cream sundaes and much laughter afterwards. Michelle announced on her blog that EVERYONE should have ice cream for supper at least once a week! I agree...it was decadent!!!

Yes, we have jobs. Yes, we have children or aging parents. Yes, we must shop, eat and cook.

Yes, we must maintain our homes. Between all the yesses we must strike a balance...say only YES to those things that are truly important, to those people that are truly special, to the events that give us joy...LIVE instead of SURVIVE.

P.S. The first picture is of Carl's daughter Brandi jumping out of an airplane in combat gear! The rest were taken in various places by me.

The Price of Children

Mother's Day passed in rather a blur this year...from The State Newspaper I am sharing excerpts from a Mother's Day article that was funny, sweet and in honor of Mom's and "mom-like" women everywhere...to those with their own children I honor you, to those without I honor you (most of you are "moms" anyway)

the following comments are from a group of second graders:

Why did God Make Mothers?

1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is

2. Mostly to clean the house.

3. To help us out of there when we were getting born

What ingredients are Mothers made of?

1. God makes Mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world - one dab of mean.

2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

What kind of little girl was your Mom?

1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.

2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.

3. They say she used to be nice.

What's the difference between moms and dads/

1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work

2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.

3. Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friends.

4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your Mom do in her spare time?

1. Mothers don't do spare time

2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?

1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.

2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it, not me.

The Price of Children:

"The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. That doesn't even touch college tuition...(skipping some)

It breaks down to about $24.24 a day, just over a dollar an hour...What do you get for your $160,140?

Glimpses of God every day. Giggles under the covers every night. More love than your heart can hold. Butterfly kisses and velcro hugs. Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds and warm cookies. A partner for blowing bubbles and flying kits. Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.

For $160,140, you have an excuse to: Keep reading "the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh". Watch Saturday morning cartoons. Go to Disney movies. And wish on stars. You get to frame rainbows, hearts and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day. For a mere $24.24 a day you get to be a hero for: Retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof. Taking the training wheels off a bike. Removing a splinter. Filling a wading pool. Coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs. In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power - to heal a boo-boo, scare aways the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost. That is a quite a deal for the price." (May5, 2009 The State)

ALL THAT AND SO MUCH MORE AND IF YOU ARE REALLY LUCKY YOU MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOUR GROWN CHILDREN! YOU HAVE GRANDCHILDREN AND GET TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN (except for the yucky parts and we let THEIR Moms and Dads handle that stuff)

I am thankful for ALL the women that have impacted my life and those that continue to do so...Thanks Mom! We all nuture each other in so many ways. I hope each of you has a glorious weekend!!!

As the Days of Our Lives Turn Around the World

Natalie of CurlyWurlyGurly fame has thrown down a challenge for the rest of the mere mortals.

She has suggested a themed posting for our otherwise manic or marginal or magical Mondays. My title gives little hint as to the theme...give up...SOAP OPERAS!!! The Sassy Ladies of Blogdom are a clever, amusing and resourceful group with a dash of competitiveness thrown in for good measure. I am a good sport so I'll play along.

Yes, my name is Connie and I have watched soap operas. It began innocently enough with my SAHM (stay at home mom)...during my middle school and high school years I would come home, get a snack and watch General Hospital with Mom....during the Summer, I would watch Days of Our Lives too. Time to graduate, figure out what to do with your life etc. and soap operas are not thought of in a very long time. Fast forward to the 8th month of pregnancy with daughter #2 , yep while daughter #1 was napping I partook of the daily drama that is soap opera land.

Fast forward a bit more, between all nighters with a baby and chasing a toddler around I was feeling frazzled, frenzied and frumpy. Picture a light bulb above my head...I will dress up like they always do on my "soaps" As morning dawned, hot rollers were stuck in my head, make up applied and a lovely satinesque blouse with ruffles was donned. It was the eighties, after all so everything was a bit overdone. I put on large dangly earrings and affixed a giant rhinestone brooch to my blouse. Feeling good and ready to tackle the day. Daughter # 1 says I want pancakes for breakfast, yes dear. Mommy you look pretty...can we go play in the sandbox, want to go swing in the hammock, FINGER PAINT? Daughter # 2 (a mere babe) YAK!!! I don't think soap opera moms play outside or finger paint. Can you imagine the dry cleaning bills? Soap opera moms have someone else to change diapers and wipe up puke. Soap opera moms don't wear sweat pants not even to work out their glorious bodies. Soap opera moms have matchy matchy outfits to wear to the gym or tennis court. Soap opera moms aren't cleaning up after kittens, dogs and rabbits. Or picking green beans with their children in the 100 degree heat of the South. That time is so fleeting and days were filled with the more important function of teaching and entertaining my children.

In the days of "DVRing", Tivo etc. I could easily record soap operas...as an empty nester I have the time to watch them...what is lacking is desire...I'd rather be a participate in my somewhat frenzied, frazzled sometimes frumpy life than to watch the drama of a made up life. Real life is messy, disappointing...real life is REAL, beautiful, joyful and dramatic enough for this gal!

P.S. Besides after 20 years you can tune in and pick up the story line...Have fun...I am going to create something!!!

Not 2 Day

Darling Husband and I went for a lovely drive after weeding and planting flowers and more herbs. Darling Husband thinks I should race cars...since I enjoy driving so fast...this tag was seen at the track...nope, not racing cars 2 day...not doing anything adventurous 2 day...Mercury is in Retrograde...it is highly recommended that one uses extreme caution whilst transporting and communicating or beginning new projects during this planetary alignment or misalignment...do I believe the planets have a direct influence on our lives...verdict out on that one...let us just say...many coincidences do occur when the Moon is full or the Moon is void of course or Mercury turns Retrograde...just sayin...

I really, really like this tag!

There is a class for anyone who wants to race from weekend warriors in Hondas to Formula One type cars. I saw several Porsches outfitted with roll bars for racing. A spin/burn out pit is kept wet for practice...sure wish I had known about that when I spun my Boxster round and round and round...nobody was hurt, car was good...crazy scary! May take the new car in there for a test spin...

Husband pretending to be Mario Andretti...his ear looks huge from this angle.

Ahhh...the glamorous life I lead...

In case you are wondering (and even if you are not) this was my hood ornament...poor guy was hanging on for dear life when I noticed him.

He began crawling to the front of the car near the windshield with feet hanging on like suction cups and tail flying over his head. Lest you worry about our little lizard's fate...yes I did...I pulled over and gently prodded him to the safety of the woods.

Thank goodness he was riding on the Grandma Car...it would have been too bad so sad if my alter ego was driving the other car, course he might of landed in the car with me which may have induced a slight freak out! What is your driving style...fast, speed limit, cautious, radio loud, car dancing, singing or circumspect? Do you brake for turtles, frogs or squirrels? Do you ever drive just to enjoy the journey rather than racing to the destination? Do tell...inquiring minds want to know...