Sky Watch Friday #1

This is my first attempt at SKY WATCH FRIDAY
It was a stormy day here in Florida.

a funny thing happened

I think I have shown all the grandkids by now? This is so typical of twin #2 She is one of a kind despite being an identical twin-is that oxymoronic?

Well the funny thing that happened, did happen right here in the confines of my home! Cough cough sneeze, sneeze- that's what I have been doing since last week! I did go to the doctor and got meds! Yes a nurse who goes to the doctor! At any rate I got the meds on Monday, have really not been feeling too much better. Got that hot Toddie last night and felt soooo much better today! While sitting here reading blogs etc, the pharmacy called me and asked how I was feeling and did I have any questions about the meds. I am telling ya I was flabbergasted! I, yes I didn't know what to say. This is the first time in my life a pharmacy has called me to inquire how I was feeling and how were the meds working!

Recipe- Hot Toddie
Hot strong tea mixed with equal parts (brandy, whiskey) since we didn't have those on hand the big guy used triple sec & mint schnapps, honey, orange/lemon juice topped with cinnamon & cloves. He said if it didn't cure me it would kill me. Well here I am blogging so guess it didn't kill me!

Disertation- 'Is murder justified in the Bible'- only the big guy would research that! I did wonder why he kept asking my thoughts on that, now I know!

I do not have a psychiatrist and I do not want one, for the simple reason that if he listened to me long enough, he might become disturbed.
James Thurber, "Carpe Noctem, If You Can", in "Credos and Curios" (1962)
US author, cartoonist, humorist, & satirist (1894 - 1961)

cold COLD cold

WOW has it turned cold! I have a long sleeved shirt & long jeans on today. I had to wear a jacket while walking the dog! I thought I moved to Florida not the North Pole!
Where are all those folk talking about global warming? I know they cant be here today! The flag is blowing so hard it sometimes sounds like a gun firing. Other times it sounds like its gonna blow away down the street.

Maybe some HOT coffee, Hot tea or a Hot Toddie is in order for toady! UM Hubby makes the best Hot Toddie! Don't have a fire place here so cant build a fire and snuggle up to it. But the bed and quilts seem in order for today! after the Hot Toddie!

I even searched the cabinet for some comfort food- Oatmeal! None to be found so ended up warming milk & putting over some oatmeal squares!

I do have a cold so that makes it even worse, went to the doc yest and have sinus infection! So am on antibiotics-having chills- that doesn't help with the cold weather! Yep it's under the quilts, & hot toddie for me! Good book, music and being left alone!

The most important work you and I will ever do will be within the walls of our own homes.
Harold B. Lee (1899 - 1973)

monday

Granddaughter #1 holding Snickers

Worked over the weekend and found myself quite tired. By 2pm I felt like every bit of energy just drained out my shoes. Why is it we sometimes feel like that!? Guess it could be the many trips up and down the hallway? Or getting up at 4:45 am? or just not as young as I used to be? I felt as though I could simply lie down and take a nap.
Today was spent with hubby. We went shopping at the antique places he likes to go. Plus I added a new one. Which he liked immensely. Ya know I am not the one who likes to shop in this family! however always find myself doing exactly that. I would prefer to take a walk on the beach, but find myself walking stores.

Holding on to anger is like holding on to a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned."
--Buddha WHAT A WASTE IF TIME TO HOLD ONTO ANGER! NOT IN MY AGENDA!

A rainy Friday Morn

First may I introduce ya all to Twin #1 and my dog Snickers.

Now,may I introduce a new blog to you all. My daughter has just started her blog it'ss here http://shoebeeshappenings.blogspot.com check it out.

BIG, UNBELIEVABLE, SHOCKING NEWS! MY HUBBY JUST FINISHED HIS DOCTORATE PROGRAM! HE NOW HAS A PHD IN THEOLOGY. He has been working on it for the past 4-5 years, he told no-one, yes not even me. He was "afraid" he would fail! Him fail, I don't think so, he is too determined to fail! We are really proud! He loves school! & learning.

Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.
Anne Frank (1929 - 1945), Diary of a Young Girl, 1952

just rambling

If one speaks or acts with a cruel mind, misery follows,
as the cart follows the horse...
If one speaks or acts with a pure mind, happiness follows, as a shadow follows its source.
the Dhammapada

Couldn't understand why I was so tired the other day, just smacked my head and realised: we just drove back from Maryland, I worked the weekend, got up at 4:30 am for 2 days, had a busy day! Humm why am I tired?

Cut some of the bushes around our home the past couple of days, they have grown or doubled their size since we have been here, guess they needed a fall haircut. BUT hated cutting the flowers that bloom- but they only last a day those silly beautiful blooms.

The flag is really blowing/unfurling in the gentle Florida breezes! How pretty!

Having friends over for supper this eve, need to clean or at least clear off the table TeeHee.

Went swimming last eve- Oh that water was warm and delicious! and the hot tub too hot for this ole gal.

Guess we will be turning the clocks back soon! yuck I hate that!

Fall is def here, guess I have my first fall cold coming on, could that be from inhaling too much pool water at 8pm?? poor me! Haven't taken any allergy meds since in Fla, took it this am!

My Hero's!

This is but a little post to say thanks to my hero's from yesterday!
You see at the facility where I just started to work had a fire in the laundry room.
All the staff simply jumped into action. I didn't have to tell one person what to do. In fact, due to their fast action the fire was contained in the laundry room and not a single patient was injured! We didn't even have to evacuate the facility!
The first responder had to be taken to hospital via ambulance for smoke inhalation, and later came back to work.
I shudder when I think how much worse it could have been!
It all started at 7:30 am, with that undeniable alarm ringing! What a day! I was still doing reports @ 5pm, but all were safe!
Thanks staff!

Nurture your mind with great thoughts; to believe in the heroic makes heroes.
Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

Dead?

For certain is death for the born
And certain is birth for the dead;
Therefore over the inevitable
Thou shouldst not grieve.
Bhagavad Gita (250 BC - 250 AD), Chapter 2


This is an early Halloween story!? However Truth not fiction.
Thursday dau #2 went to the kids school, driving down her driveway
She saw their cat as flat as a pancake out on the highway
She called dear old dad to remove it before the children could see
He did, called me and we had an official burial out back

When she got the children from school and was returning with them
She told them of good ole Angel who had been hit by a driver and was now dead
Much crying ensued as one would expect from children, mom, aunt & grandpa
Where did you bury him? can we see? can we dig him up? can we have a funeral?
can we put put a marker on the grave?

We got home and round the corner strolled Angel the cat!
He isn't dead! who or whose cat did we bury?
Grandson #2 said- 'cats DO have 9 lives!'
Granddaughter#1 said 'I'm really happy our cat isn't dead, but am sad someones cat is dead"

Reading Habits/Book MEME

Reading, after a certain age, diverts the mind too much from its creative pursuits. Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking.
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)
May I make a disclaimer- I totally agree with Albert Einstein. I really don't like getting a book and curling up with it to read. They will never call me Well Read! Maybe I have a touch of ADHD or something cause I just can't sit that long. The book HAS to be a REAL grabber!

Do you remember how you developed a love for reading? Nope, never did!
What are some books you read as a child? Dick & Jane, Bible, Johnathan Livingston Seagull, Of Mice & Men, Call of the Wild.
What is your favorite genre? Medical Mystery, Spirituality Books
Do you have a favorite novel?Of Mice & Men
Where do you usually read? Car, easy chair
When do you usually read? When bored, when I see something I just can't keep my hands off
Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time? no only during research
Do you read nonfiction in a different place than you read fiction? Yes nonfiction is usually read while sitting up almost at a desk, Fiction is anywhere I plop myself
Do you buy most books you read, or borrow them or check them out of the library-buy and Library. Actually most from library
Do you keep most of the books you buy? If not, what do you do with them? Keep them, others I share with friends
If you have children, what are some favorite books you have shared with them? Were they some same ones you read as a child? Same as I read as a child. Also, love taking the grands to the library, pick up a book and then read with them(not to them, but with them)
What are you reading now? Nothing really, have been really busy, but have purchased some for when I get a minute
Do you keep a TBR (to be read) list? no unless someone says you MUST read this
Whats next?POP goes the Weasel by Patterson
What books would you like to reread? None, I can't stand to reread stuff. 2 of the only books I have read many times are Of Mice & Men & Call of the Wild
Who are your favorite authors?Robin Cook, Patterson,Clive Custler, Max Lucado

Ok now you are tagged: Shoe, Zelda Parker, Merci, & Pax

Memories

We arrived safely in Maryland- all were sleeping except the mouse running about. The mice come in for the winter, Yes it feels like winter here, but I know tis only fall. The leaves are turning yellow,orange,red and such! How pretty. Pumpkins & Mums are on the porches. You can even smell the wood burning stoves. The smoke is going straight up, no wind blowing this crisp eve.
This morn, the kids got up for school and found us all here, what laughter and screaming we heard- Was great for us all. Things hadn't changed in the couple of months I had been gone.However the had all grown taller, grandson #1 is now just barely shorter than me and he laughs at it. He is only 9 but is as tall as grandma!
We got them all packed up and ready to go.
Later in the day we got the bed off the roof of the car- it looked so funny up there, We had more than one stare from people looking at it. We played it to the hilt- we were either the Clampets or Ma & Pa Kettle, or how about plain ole red necks! One lady did such a double take I thought she would have an accident or break her neck looking at it.
Dau # 2 made a wonderful sour cream coffe cake- we have been trying to replicate my moms-I think she may have gotten it now. Went well with the second cup of coffee. Was even hot right out of the oven.

Own only what you can carry with you; know language, know countries, know people. Let your memory be your travel bag.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1918 - )

On the Road Again!

Haven't been online or posting for the past week or so.
I have been working & getting for our road trip to Maryland.
Hey we have a lap top now that we can play with while driving! OMAN!!!
I am waiting for Dau #1 to get in her wheelchair so we can make a pit stop
at the outlet Mall in Smithfield N Carolina.

The puppy is great riding the car. Almost better than me! teehee.
For the past 2 hours I have been reading blogs and getting caught up with my emails,
so when I can get back online I can blog some more & make comments to others blogs.

Later then She is almost done- Happy blogging ME

Pure Joy!

FLORIDA MORN

After the rain, lightning & thunder;
Cool gentle breezes flow
Making the air to breathe so crisp & right.

The grass is wet from the moisture we've been given,
Even the drains are cluttered this morn
palm tree fronds litter the ground
which just yesterday was mown.

The birds sound even more happy
as they fly thru the air
The woodpecker is really at work
on the tree he's hammering can be heard.

As I walk snickers he even
smells every blade of grass,
looks to and fro
for what is new in our neighborhood.

Nothing new can be found
its just a cleansing which has been done
sparkling as diamonds on this Florida morn.



"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky."
Rabindranath Tagore

UGH!!!

Ugh she says? yes, somehow, someway the computer shut down, and had to have everything rebooted,redownloaded! I have spent this entire day so far doing just that, and am not done yet. LUCKILY, hubby can do the major stuff like installing windows etc! What a man- Right now he is on the roof washing it! and the gutters and downspouts! Guess I will have to go swimming with him this eve!

OOO the flower /plant is a bougainvillea. I Even have to redownload the pics. Glad I was almost finished with guess the flower! I have one more but have to go take the pic. I don't know what it called so will have to find out along with ya!

Kennedy quotes? don't know why, just did!

Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.
John F. Kennedy

It has been said, 'time heals all wounds.' I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone.
Rose Kennedy

The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dream shall never die.
Edward M. Kennedy, Democratic National Convention, 1980

Each time a man or woman stands up for an ideal,
or acts to improve the lot of others,
or strikes out against injustice,
he sends forth a ripple of hope
and crossing each other
from a million different centres
of energy and daring,
these ripples build a current
that can sweep down the mightiest walls
of oppression and resistance."

Robert Kennedy

sat am musing

The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions.
Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809 - 1892)

The last one was a firecracker plant. The ends look like firecrackers, quite pretty. This is not and azalea which was what I thought when I got here

Me and the hubby got up pretty early this am as we are going further south for a Flea market. Usually we like to get a good start on the day. However whom we are going with hasn't arrived yet and it is already 10:40 am. So much for an early start!

We walked the dog and found to our amazement many folk were out and about early- these old folk get up EARLY. One woman had already done her mile walk @ 7am. A guy was washing the house next door before 8am! Gardening was being done, painting and such!

Man is it a beautiful day here! 80 degrees, no humidity, sunny. I keep getting messages from dau #2 about their Nor'easter and rain! and putting the heat on. Just opened up the windows and shut down the air conditioner!

Danny, #2 grandson, had his football game last eve. He made 3-4 sacks in the first 5 plays of the game. Shortly thereafter they took him out and changed him to a different position. A back I think. In flag football they are all about learning the rudiments of the game. Dan finally got to pull several flags and was sure happy!

Kenny, grandson#1, has his game today, and is all geared up for it. I spoke with him this am. He has gone from 104 to 93 pounds playing football- now that's a diet. He has also gotten taller- he looks thin to me on pics, but guess he is more muscle now. I know his doc will be happy! By now he is probably is as tall as me ! Boohoo- your 9 year old grandson taller than you!

Hubby put up his various diplomas in the computer room-Yikes who needs wallpaper or such. Looks very impressive! No wall space left for any of mine!

Reality??

this plant looks pretty much like it's name! a hint for this one. The last was a Jacaranda
Humankind cannot stand very much reality.
T. S. Eliot (1888 - 1965)

Humm Reality.

Some say that reality bites, however I agree totally with TS Eliot!

People just can't stand reality.

People have watched so much tv over the years and can't imagine real from fiction!

they don't believe the world is in crisis,

they don't believe there are devastating storms/hurricanes

they don't believe there are children going hungry

they don't believe there are people dieing from horrible diseases

Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955),

they don't believe we are in the most important election of our nations most recent history

they don't go out to register to vote nor do they go out and vote if registered

Wake up my neighbors/friends/cobloggers

We are in some tough times and it takes all of us to get together and fight these things!

I will quietly get off this soap box now! Just had to speak up before we loose!

lavendar blue

Whatever is in any way beautiful hath its source of beauty in itself, and is complete in itself; praise forms no part of it. So it is none the worse nor the better for being praised.
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121 AD - 180 AD), Meditations

You should see this tree when it is in full bloom! So pretty and fragrant! I really had never heard of it before coming to Florida. Name it, if ya can.

Potatoes! The other day I asked hubby to put some potatoes on so I could make Scalloped Potatoes & Kielbasa. Did he ever put potatoes on! He cooked 10 pounds. What did he think, I was cooking for an army?? We were having friends over, BUT!

We have been eating potatoes for every meal since then. I have made potato quiche, fried potatoes & kielbasa, home fries & eggs.

Was gonna make potato salad, but only have three left-OMY! so am gonna make potato, tomato, chicken & cheese quesadilla. SO what else could be done. I know I won't be having potatoes for awhile!

Weekend Notes

Bromeliad is the flower of the last post. Here's another one to view and guess. They were new to me here in Fla.

Work was ok on Saturday, nothing too bad happened. I didn't work on Sunday cause I was just orienting and they thought that was enough. So in two weeks I will be on my own. The nursing part of it is a breeze. It's learning the people and their paperwork. AND where they keep things that, I need to know most now. I have a really good staff so I should do just fine.

The weather here has calmed down a bit in terms of heat and humidity. Actually, it is getting quite nice. Folks say wait about a month and you will really like it. Raining now. Happy Autum/Fall to all!

Sunday we went to yet another church. We haven't found the right one as of yet. The search continues! Actually I thought I would really like this one, and was quite disappointed when I came out! I have been wanting to try this one for awhile. Alas! it was quite BIG, felt like going to church on a football field! Not for me I like it a bit more intimate than that.

My grand sons football teams both won, YEAH! for them. The little one is playing flag football, but wants to tackle! He gets through the line really great, but cant seem to get the flag. He gets quite mad about that.

My grand daughters were both baptised yesterday! Now that's exciting! to have your grand children follow in the faith! You should have heard them over the phone. Grandma we are COLD & WET and we were Baptised! They were having a baptism service, where they dunk them. Usually its scheduled, but the girls both said to momma- WE WANT TO BE BAPTISED! So they went and talked with the pastor, to make sure they understood. Low and behold they got baptised in their Sunday go to meeting clothes! I am sad I didn't get to see it, but I could hear the excitement in their voices!

Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.
Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC), The Confucian Analects

AH Yes Work

GUESS THE TROPICAL FLOWER

It has been my experience that one cannot, in any shape or form, depend on human relations for lasting reward. It is only work that truly satisfies.
Bette Davis (1908 - 1989), The Lonely Life, 1962

Well I've gone back to work! Only every other weekend, but work non the less! What is it they say? Once a nurse always a nurse! Actually I guess we need that little bit of extra income till the house sells or I collect social security, whichever comes first.

Last weekend, my first weekend at this place, we had the local police there each day!

Yes I am working at a nursing facility. I am the day shift weekend supervisor of nurses. We only have about 100 patients. Not too many to manage. The staff seems so nice so far! Seems so strange doing real nursing after my last job. I can't really explain that, but the ones who know me understand.

moving is more than moving

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright (1876 - 1944)

For those of ya who wanted to see the mommanator on the cycle! I just ride with hubby, haven't learned to drive one yet! Maybe in my next life!

On to moving-ya think when you get your stuff moved and somewhat sorted out, you are done with the move! OOOO NOOOO!

Next ya have to change your address on EVERYTHING.

you have to get new drivers' licences,

get new tags for the car, and new insurance.

you need new bank accounts and get all your direct deposits going to the new bank,

you need to go thru the process of getting your nursing license updated and changed

ALL of these wonderful things come with a price, of course, and you on a limited income!

You have to get acclimated to the new weather,

need new doctors, o and change the health insurances,

you meet loads of new people, mostly all you like,

you have to remember new names, new addresses

you have to remember you are now living in a community that have allot of grey haired people.

You have to get new vet and someone to groom the dog

AHA and now you have to pick up puppy dodo

whenever you take him for a walk.

You make lists and lists so you don't forget one item!

and even find yourself asking did I do that?

you even have to contact your last state employee so they

don't take NJ state taxes out any longer! guess I will have to find a new tax man too!

What bliss it is, BUT I could do away with some of these things!

I could go on forever, but guess you get the idea!

O Dear!

Recieved this pic from a friend and thought it was worth sharing! Can you imagine them in your front yard? They are quite beautiful, but surely belong in the wide open spaces! If they can find any! Hubby and I were just talking about how people have invaded the spaces of the 'wild' animals-where will they eventually go?just in zoos?

History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it illumines reality, vitalizes memory, provides guidance in daily life and brings us tidings of antiquity.
Cicero (106 BC - 43 BC), Pro Publio Sestio