Good Old Days
Things have gotten busy for us here. We’ve had to tighten our boot straps and dig in deeper than in times past. Everyone is feeling the crunch of the economy and that includes us.
I’ve noticed that gas prices have gone down some but I wonder if they’ll ever get down below two bucks a gallon again.
During these difficult times I’m reminded (strangely) of the more simple times in my life … the good old times, as some would say … I remember when you could buy a Coke for a dime. I remember when cigarettes were 55¢ a pack … not that I smoked back then … I remember when we all thought it was a tragic that gas shot up over two dollars.
Times they have changed. I feel pretty blessed to have lived and grown up in that simpler time. I just miss it so from time to time.
I’ll be glad when things get back to normal again … whatever that is. As if normal had some sort of meaning.
On Politics
I’ll be so glad when this election is over. I hate politics. Regardless of who wins, it’ll be a relief to have it come to an end. In my opinion, no matter who wins, I believe we’ll be short changed, although I lean toward the more conservative side.
I understand that my focus should be on McCain & Obama and it is, but Sara Palin has slammed into this political arena like nothing I’ve ever seen before. She has demonstrated great strength & grace. Her values are those that I myself hold dear. If I were a betting woman, I’d bet there are more of us out there than anyone would imagine. We are not all “women’s libbers” and she has shown that you don’t have to be to achieve the goals you set your mind to.
Anyway, I like her. I like McCain. Heck, I even like some of what Obama says. It’s confusing to say the least and how many presidents have actually done what they promise to do when they’re campaigning. Change needs to happen, not just with the president, but all over.
We are living in scary times. I wonder what it will be like 50 years from now.
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Hurricanes
After being skirted by hurricane Hanna I feel pretty blessed. The other recent ones ended up in the Gulf. Poor people. They’ve really had a tough time with the weather. Ike has hit Arkansas today after slamming into the Texas coast … Galveston, Houston, etc. I called LaRue in Dallas this evening to make sure they were ok. She said they just got some rain and it was a little windy. Then I called Mama. They had just been issued a tornado warning for their county and she was prepared to go into her closet if it got bad.
Rachel and I went to get gas for the gas can early Thursday evening. Joe was fixing to mow the yard. Traffic was awful and all the gas stations were crammed with vehicles trying to get gas. We didn’t know what was going on. Soon we found out that gas was supposed to go up to $5/gal by the next day and everyone was rushing to fill up their tanks. (I am assuming this was due to hurricane Ike).
Cleve was out-of-town, couldn’t find Jerriod, and Cathy was at a Business After Hours. Joanne called and asked if I could go take pictures. She didn’t have her camera. So Rachel and I played photographer. Got some good shots but it was crazy!!
Hopefully, things will settle down and get back to normal (whatever THAT is) soon.
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Oh, By the Way…
I forgot to write that my trip to Charleston with Cleve for my birthday turned into a surprise party at a dear friend’s house in town. I had no clue at all. Maybe I need to start paying attention to what goes on around me.
Anyway, it was a great time and Betty did a wonderful job of “putting on the party” … as usual.
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It’s My Birthday
Today is my birthday. The big FIVE OH! (50).
Nothing spectacular happened and there were no bad emotions about turning 50 like everyone said there would be. Betty made me a cake at work and another friend filled my office with black balloons. Cleve gave me flowers and the new Eagles CD, which is awesome, and he’s taking me to Charleston this Saturday to celebrate.
When I look at turning a half a century old, I feel blessed to have even made it this long because you never know what’s around the next corner. Every day that I can wake up, breathe, walk, love, go to work, talk and feel, is a great day.
I’m blessed to have my health, my wonderful husband and a loving family and friends.
Fifty was great! Now I think I’ll go curl up with my book and go to bed. 
Tomorrow I’ll be 50 and a day. Imagine that….
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Go On … Read It!
If you’ve not read the Harry Potter series, I encourage you to do so.
Rachel loaned me the first book about three years ago and I just did NOT want to read it. So I didn’t. Then, when she and Joe moved here, they would tell me things about the books and the story and how good it was so, eventually, I conceded to at least give it a shot.
What a pleasant surprise! I found myself getting sucked into the fairy tale like story with the very first book. I am now on book six. I have one more after this and I have to say, I’m a little disappointed that it’s going to end.
It’s the type of story you can get lost in and reacquaint yourself with the child inside you that somehow gets buried as you grow older. As the books progress it’s obvious that they’re not just children’s books. It’s a very smart and complex story of a young wizard, his trials and adventures with his friends and foes, as he tries to figure out what his purpose in life is.
J.K Rowlings is brilliant! I hope she continues to write.
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Been a Long Time
It’s been a long time since I’ve written here. A lot of things have happened since last summer.
My friend, Barbara, passed away last summer. My brother has gone through ups and downs. Joe and Rachel got married in October and moved here which is very nice. I’ve never lived around either of my boys before and I have to say, I’m loving it. Joe started his landscaping business this past January and that’s starting to pick up a lot. Spencer & Orie are doing good. Spencer got a promotion and is plugging away at his schooling … doing quite well with it. He’s gotten into shape and has lost a bunch of weight and looks and feels great. Skye is growing up too quickly. She’s beautiful and gets more and more that way every time we see her on the web cam. They have one year left in England. We had planned to go see them while they were there but haven’t yet. We may have to wait until they move.
Our (newspaper office) first year in our new digs was great! We have some new people and have lost some. Cleve has been and is extremely involved in things around the county. I, on the other hand, tend to keep to my computer work and work at the office.
It’s been a good few months with just a few bumps.
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Life Comes at you Fast
After a week long trip to Arkansas and Texas last week, we are home. I stayed in Arkansas all week while Cleve drove to Dallas to see his mom and sister for a few days.
I can only describe my visit as bittersweet.
It was so good to be around family again but while I was there, my emotions were all over the charts.
I actually held myself together pretty well until Thursday evening when Fred, Paula and Laura, and Missy came to supper. After they all left, I lost it. To see my brother in this weakened state hurts my heart and although we got a good visit in going back and forth to ACRC (American Cancer Research Center) and then again at Mama’s, I found myself tearing up frequently. You know the feeling … when your throat constricts to the point that you can’t talk.
I’m glad I went and plan to go back more often. I helped Mama around the house with a few things and we talked about a lot of stuff … Daddy, her health, Fred, Missy and Mark and other family members. She got me caught up in my family history book and I found myself wondering what in the world will we do when she’s gone.
She gets around pretty good but is in pain most of the time because of her back and Lord help us … she’s still driving at age 84!!!
It was truly a blessing to be able to spend time with her.
I also said goodbye to an old friend while I was there. She’s in the last stages of cancer and I know I’ll never see her again although we talk on the phone a lot. We were stationed together with our spouses at the Panama Canal Zone 27 years ago. There were lots of tears when I left (mostly from me). I found it odd that she was the one who ended up comforting me. How strange. She knows exactly where she’s going and is not fearful in the least.
Cancer is a nasty, disgusting disease that consumes the body and leaves nothing in the way of dignity or peace. it ravages not only the body but the spirit and soul as well. It plays no favorites. It can invade anyone at anytime.
I don’t know how I’m going to leave this world but if God sees fit for me to go by way of cancer, I only hope that I will weather the storm as courageously and gracefully as the two victims I left behind this past week … my brother and my friend.
Never in a million years would I have every thought that one of my siblings would end up with cancer or that my mom would ever slow down. Life comes at you fast. I think the older I get, the faster it comes.
I’ve lost a lot of loved ones to the dreaded disease but it seems that only now, in the place I am in my life (both spiritually and emotionally), do I understand the overall complexity and harshness of it all and am able to accept it.
God bless the sick and the dying … give them peace and comfort.
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Lots o’ Changes
My writing has been hampered lately by a busy schedule, traveling and just plain laziness!
This weekend I poured over some InDesign tutorials and I have to say, I’m excited about switching over. We’ve always been hard core Quark fanatics but they’ve gotten so expensive and full of themselves that we figured this summer would be a good time to make the change. After all, we have all the apps, all we have to do is use them.
My first attempt was to redo our classified section. I have to say, I’m loving me some InDesign! Not only was it easy to do but it just looks better. It reminds me of a cross between Quark and Photoshop. Anyway, everything with that went off without a hitch so, hopefully, come July or so, we’ll be able to switch everyone else over.
I know we’re a bit behind the times in switching but better late than never and I can not see us spending any more money on a Quark upgrade.
We don’t have CS3 yet but I feel sure that once everyone learns CS2, we’ll be upgrading.
We also have new faces at our office. Brian left this past week to take a job up north with a daily paper and one of our ad reps is leaving June 8th to work in an attorney’s office out of town. She’s actually moving. We’ll have a new reporter starting in two weeks and from what Cathy says, he’s fabulous! Plus our new ad rep started today. There will also be a new face in my department just as soon as i can find a talented graphics artist to take Analisa’s place. She just graduated high school and will be going off to college in August.
Lots of changes going on at the ole work place but they’re changes for the good and that’s always a blessing.
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I Like it when …
Sometimes, it’s the simple things in life that give me pleasure … sitting on my porch in the quiet, listening to nature or the occasional water sprinkler that Cleve has set about our yard.
I like it when things go smoothly as I’m sure is the sentiment of most people out there. Something as simple as packing up some wine, cheese and crackers and going for a drive tickles me.
I guess I’m getting old. Well, no. I KNOW I am. So be it. Life catches up to us in our middle age bliss and forces us to realize just how precious our youth was. It’s a shame we didn’t appreciate it at the time. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could be born with the knowledge and understanding of how our bodies would be changing over the years … and our minds. Maybe then, we would take more care, listen more closely and love life more passionately. Back then, it seems we were running here and there, chasing kids, seeking one thrill or another and I don’t remember appreciating it. Maybe it’s just a right of passage. The way it’s supposed to be.
I was just sitting here thinking about how we’ve slowed down. How content we are in what we do, where we are and where we’re going. Age maybe? I think so. Age and wisdom … some more than others.
Simple things, simple gestures …
The little things … I like it when there’s peace in our lives.
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