Quote For the Day

     I went to church this morning and heard something I thought would be good to share.  “Today may be the worst day of your life, but it won’t be the last.” 

     So, with all of the awful things going on in life, the bright side is that it will not always be this way- at some point, it will be better.  And, this all goes right along with my motto in life- “everything happens for a reason”.  I may not always like what’s going on while it’s happening, but it never fails that somewhere along my life journey, I always look back and realize that I would not be where I am if it hadn’t been for the path I took- twists, turns, bumps and all.

     I could babble on about all of this.  But, I think I’ve said all that really needs to be said- the rest would all just be babble.

Craigslist

A few months ago, I planned the garage sale I was going to have a year ago.  Actually, I didn’t really plan it.  I just decided that’s what I was going to spend my Saturday morning doing.  So, Friday night I gathered all of the old treasures (junk) and went through a couple closets and went to bed.  Early Saturday morning, I got up and set it all outside.  Around 8 or so, I sent my son on a mission to make signs and post them around the neighborhood.  Now, I realize this is past peak time for garage sales since most of the good stuff is gone by 8.  But, I figured it would be better than nothing.  Well, a few hours later, I realized that was not the case. 

Since I had to take care of my grandma starting that afternoon, the sale only lasted until about noon- maybe 1.  And, I made a grand total of (drumroll please) about $3.  Yes, the money I was hoping to get for gas since I was using so much going back and forth to my grandma’s did not even by me a gallon of gas! 

It wasn’t that I had useless or bad stuff.  I had the key items- kids clothes, books, furniture, along with household and nicnac items.  I simply didn’t have anyone driving by to see my wonderful sale. 

That leads me to today- months later- when all of my garage sale items are still sitting in my kitchen waiting for a new home.  My dh told me he knew of people who had great success on craigslist.  So, I was excited to try something different.  OK, I admit it.  I was excited for HIM to try something different.  But, mmonths later and still no craigslist selling.  So, I decided to check it out for myself.  And, I’m just warning you- if you don’t see me blog for awhile, I may be getting addicted to it!  It looks like you can find anything on there!  I’d love to write more, but I have to get back to craigslist and see what else is there!

Cake Wrecks

There isn’t really much I can say about this site.  You know when you see an accident, a train wreck, some other catastophe and you just can’t look away?  Well, think of that and then think cakes and you have this site described to a tee.  Some of these cakes you have to see to believe!  And, then you just have to wonder about the person who made the cake.  Now, what they really need to do is show the cake and then the person who made the cake!  I think that would be like watching an explosion or something!

So, without further delay, here’s the site.  I know, you’re trying not to click the link but you just can’t help yourself… http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/

Family Blog

With the unfortunate deaths in our family comes the fortunate time of seeing people who haven’t been together in years- sometimes from childhood.  Today was one of those days.  Some of us jokingly said nametags would have been helpful!  People change alot in 20 years or so!  Still, it was good to be with family, to see their families, and share stories.

The other wonderful thing that has happened is by getting together we have begun to share the pictures of the past.  There is an abundance of pictures from my grandma and now from my great aunt.  The question is, who gets them all?  The answer?  Everyone!  My cousin started a site for our family to put pictures, stories, geneology, and even family recipes on!  http://hinearchive.blogspot.com/  It’s really a great way to share everything with everyone.  And, if someone wants a picture all they have to do is print it.

It’s amazing what the world of technology lets us do!  There are things that date back to the 1800’s.  Can you imagine what our ancesters would think if we told them of all of the possibilities of the times now?  It kind of makes me wonder what the future possibilities are!

The Truth, the WHOLE Truth, and Nothing But the Truth

Here is an e-mail my dh wrote.  I thought it was worth repeating as I, too am frustrated with the “dirty politics” rather than getting all the facts right.  I want the whole story- the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Recently I have received allot of e-mails about the presidential candidates. Specifically about Barack  Obama. I usually don’t involve myself with discussions about politics or religion because I find it personal but as of late I’ve found that I just need to say something.

     I am a supporter of Barack Obama and I’ve not hidden that. I am entitled to that opinion as much as anyone else. All the candidates have good and bad qualities. That’s why we have debates and campaigns and elections so that an individual can quite frankly choose the lesser of two evils.

     Recently I have received more than one e-mail about this jet thing. 5 so far. So I did some research and found that yes indeed Barack Obama did remove a flag symbol from his jet. What none of the e-mails included was that the flag was a company logo and not really the American flag. Yes it looked like the American flag but it was cut off and didn’t show the whole flag and like I said it was the logo of the North Americans Airline company. Apparently it’s common for a candidate to use a jet to commute from place to place during a campaign. It’s also common for the candidate to retrofit the jet with their personal logo’s. Bob Dole, George W., John Kerry and yes McCain did this as well. Obama did retain the American flag next to the registration number.

     My point is that the e-mails just reported that he took the flag off the plane and what a horrible person he was. They didn’t include the whole story. That’s what upset me. I believe in the right to free speech and if there is a horrible truth about Barack Obama then I will listen to it. To any truth about any of the candidates. But lets just make sure that it’s the truth. If someone want’s to change my opinion about my choice then I welcome a debate or discussion but when I find out someone is just giving me part of the story so as to make me think the way they do then it just makes me believe in my choice even more.

     Who ever wins this election will be the person I inevitably stand behind and support because he will then be our commander and chief. Also, as someone pointed out recently, the president is one man and it takes more than one man to change laws and enact polices. The president answers to someone too and congress has a say in laws and policies. I can guarantee that if Obama wins that in four years people who supported him in the beginning will be complaining about him. The same can be said about McCain and anyone else. That’s just the way it is and the way it always has been. Nobody is perfect.

     Like I said, I don’t typically write e-mails like this so thank you for reading and putting up with my tirade. I’d also like to give you all the link for snopes. It has truth about all the candidates on it. I read it today and found some things about Obama I didn’t like. I was glad to be informed.

 

Just so you don’t think it was a fluke, here I am again!  I’ll make this short and sweet since it’s late and I should be sleeping.  Also because I really have nothing to say!

Thanks to those of you who didn’t give up on me and commented on my last blog!  It’s nice to see I wasn’t forgotten!

I went to another funeral today.  That makes 3.  Later this week or next will probably be #4.  It’s the reverse of the movie.  For me, it’s 4 funerals and a wedding.  (I like the movie better)  I found out my husband’s cousin’s daughter is engaged. 

I promise the next entry will have something intelligent or humerous (I won’t promise both in the same blog) to say.  but, I’m too tired for either at this point.  I just wanted to keep up my momentum.

Just Like an Old Friend

I know, I know!  It’s been a long time!  Yes, way too long!  But, it seems like blogging is like getting in touch with old friends.  I think about it often.  I wonder how they are doing.  And, the longer I’m away, the harder it is to just come back again!  It’s hs been on my mind for awhile to start writing again, but the thought of it has seemed awkward almost to the point of impossible to accomplish.  But, here I am!  So, obviously not completely impossible.  Maybe, since I accomplished the other task, writing doesn’t seem so awkward.

This weekend was my class reunion.  So, I saw people I hadn’t seen in 10 or even 15 years!  The result- I’m still the same- only my hair is shorter.  Is that good or bad?  People have convinced me that it’s good- that it means I’m aging well.  OK- I’ll take that!

But, here’s the truth.  I’m not aging well.  This past year I’ve aged 100 years and I feel it.  When somebody starts to say “nothing worse can happen”, don’t let them! It’s only a sign- a challenge- a guarantee- that something worse will happen!  So, that, I think, is part of my absence from writing- the words were to hard to say- to look at in black and white.  On the good side, while talking to my cousin last night, I realizd something else.  For awhile, I think I had no need to write.  I was too busy talking to people to write anything.  I was being comforted, comforting, taking care of everyone else, and they were taking care of me.  So, where was the time or the energy or the need to comunicate any more than that?

So, for a quick review of my life in the past year or so, I’ll give you the condensed version.

It started with my husband having heart surgery in December- which I wrote about so I’ll spare you the details.  He is doing well now, but still on the road to recovery- it’s a long process back to normal.  A month and a week after his surgery, his sister was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She lives in the same town as us and since my husband and I got married, we have become pretty close.  Not too many days go by that we don’t talk- even before she got sick.  So, although it didn’t happen to me, in a close family what happens to one is fely by everyone.   Luckily, she’s an amazingly positive person and is doing really well!  She’s done with chemo and going 1/3 done with radiation.  Sadly, they say things happen in 3’s.  And this was the one that has me thrown- there is no real happy ending to this one.  Well, I know there is but, it still doesn’t feel like it.  My grandma- the person I admired, loved, tried to model my life after- got sick.  She got to the point where she needed 24 hour care and so, i spent as much time there as possible- savouring every moment I had left in her presence.  And then, the moments were gone.  So, I know she was ready, I know she is in a better place and there is the happy ending.  But, for me, right now, I am still reeling from the intense loss I feel.  She was someone I talked to about anything and everything- she always knew what to say and what to do.  Her unconditional love got me through so many things that I would not be who I am today had she not been there to offer it to me.  And, last, and hopefully least, my husband is currently unemployed.  After working for the same company for 7 years, the economy and company politics has sucessfully made him currentlly without a job.  So, hopefully this is the least of my list of things because it will be a short lived “vacation” for him. I’m glad he left there.  This gives him a chance the other opportunitied out there.  He’s looking at starting his own business and in the meantime has had an interview and has filled out some things online.

The good news is life has gone on.  Homeschooling is going well.  My son is now taller than me!  I should have listed that in my “tradgedies of the past year”!  He is still working at a farm and volunteering for Habitat for Humanity.   In all of the hard times, the family and friends that have been there have been an amazing thing and I really do feel very blessed!

I guess I’ll end here- enough for one blog- and my husband is anxious for us to leave.  We are going to my in-laws for the afternoon.  And, I plan to hit the beach since it’s going to be a hot one!

One more great thing going on- Cubs are in 1st place and well on thier way to a world series victory!!!