Tiramisu - An Italian cake, translated means "pick me up" or "pull me up."

I was feeling a little down this morning; a combination of just being tired from lack of sleep (insomnia, Grrrr!) and a little disappointment in my 2nd day of Week 3 of the Couch-2-5K. I was able to complete it okay, but it was sooooo hard to keep going, especially the last 3 minute run. I guess I was hoping it would get easier. And, the insomnia, well, it could have been that I just couldn't get back to sleep after having to clean up the kitchen.

Let me back up a few hours. At about 3:00AM, I woke up because my hip joints were hurting and decided that I would take some ibuprofen this time. I walked from the bedroom, into the hall, then through the living room without turning on a light and as I crossed the living into the kitchen in my bare feet, I felt something sticky on the tile floor. My first thought was, Goldie had an accident and peed on the floor. I reached over and turned on the light and it took a second for me to realize that the floor was covered in red spots, that looked like paw prints and I thought,Goldie had hemorrhaged from her spay surgery, so I called out to Tom and told him that I thought we had a problem. He came into the kitchen and at the same time we realized the sticky liquid was darker than blood and it was all over the counter, the floor, the table and it was dripping from the wine rack above the counter. Tom pulled a nearly empty bottle of wine from the rack. I started cleaning up the mess and Tom got a bucket of water and another rag. We had a huge mess. Apparently the bottle exploded. The bottle didn't break, but the contents of the bottle were under such pressure that it blew the cork out of the bottle, through the kitchen and across the entire living, where it landed on the edge of the carpet. We cleaned up what we could last night and went back to bed. I finished up this morning, trying to get the black stain out of the grout in the tile and the dark stains off the wall, cabinet doors and wine rack. I think the wall, cabinet doors and wine rack will have to be repainted. I don't know what I am going to do about the grout.

So, anyway, I was a little down this morning until I saw this on another blog...


Britain's Got Talent 2009 Aidan Davis Dancing - Funny bloopers are a click away

The stained grout is still black and ugly, but I am now smiling and feel so much better.

People who love sausage and people who believe in justice should never watch either of them being made. ~ Otto Bismark

At 10:15 this morning, President Obama will nominate United States Court of Appeals Judge Sonia Sotomayor for Supreme Court Justice. And by this afternoon the Republicans will announce why the President’s choice is the embodiment of evil in all the history of the world.

Let the games begin...

The Simple Woman's Daybook for Monday, May 25, 2009

I'm thinking I'm not so simple. In fact, I'm very complicated. So complicated that sometimes I can't even figure myself out.

But, of course, I never thought the title of these posts meant I was simple or simple-minded or a simpleton. However, I do enjoy many of the simple things in life: my garden and the critters that inhabit same, a warm, breezy summer evening on the patio or sitting under the pergola, long walks and hikes on the beach or in the mountains and floating lazily in the water of some lake, among other things.

I don't know why I felt the need to clarify. Maybe it was just for me. Maybe I'm feeling just a little bit insecure and neurotic...maybe...just a little. As the saying goes, This too shall pass.

FOR TODAY...

Outside my window...it is raining yet again, but that hasn't stopped the squirrels from eating the corn on the squirrel feeder. We have a pregnant...VERY PREGNANT...squirrel that makes her way to the feeder twice each day and she is going through one ear of corn each day by herself. Can you say feeding frenzy?

Waiting…for the rain to stop so I can begin Week 3 of my Couch-2-5K.

Catching up on…watching movies we've purchased. We just watched "The Reader" last night and it left me wondering how "Slum Dog Millionaire" could have won best picture. Also watched "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" which was good, but not as good as "The Reader."

I am thinking...about all of our service men and women in Iraq, those who have returned and those who will never return. I am thinking about the enormous sacrifice each of them has made and that of their families.

I am thankful for...not ever having to lose either of my children in a war. I can't even imagine what that must be like for the spouses and parents.

From the kitchen...tonight we are having Antipasto, a huge tray of Italian meats, cheeses, veggies and an array of olives, plus some hot rosemary and sea salt focaccia bread.

I am wearing... brown cotton crop pants, a brown and white t-shirt and I'm barefoot.

I am creating... not much of anything.

I am going... to go to WalMart with Tom where he will buy some new work jeans, then we are going to Kohl's to look at more new plates to add to my obsessive collection and somewhere during the day when it stops raining I'm going on my Couch-2-5K walk/run.

I am reading...Divine Commodity by Skye Jethani.

I am hoping...to have some kind of vacation this summer.

I am remembering…my mom today and thinking about what a blessing it was that she passed away before my sister, Kim. Mom would not have been able to cope with Kim's death.

I am hearing...Tom cursing, struggling to repair the big drawer in the kitchen island that makes a loud rubbing sound when you close it.

Around the house...it's cool, but sticky, so it makes the air feel kind of warm and on the verge of yukky.

One of my favorite things... seeing progress as we remodel, even though it is taking longer than we anticipated.

A few plans for the rest of the week …I'd like to take some time and re-organize our office; move furniture around; get rid of some of the things that are just stored in here; maybe even paint the walls.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... I've been going crazy with my new camera. This is a clematis that is growing up our fence behind the garden...



To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman’s Daybook

Couch-2-5K, Week 2, Day 3 and a Stupid Meme

Whew! I finished Week 2, but I'm tired. I didn't sleep well last night. I kept waking up because my hip joints hurt...and I sleep on my side which aggravates it. I wind up flopping around in the bed like a fish on a dock, from one side to the other. I should have gotten up and taken a couple of ibuprofen, but I was too tired.

My hips hurt before my run/walk, but not now. I'm going to take some ibuprofen anyway, just in case.

Just as I finished my 4th interval, I could feel a side stitch coming on, so I slowed down some. I think I also need to drink more water. I might be a little dehydrated. I'll really have to work on that over the weekend because Monday I start adding 3 minute runs.

Well, it's Memorial Day weekend. We have nothing planned except taking Chris to the airport tomorrow. He's anxious to get home to see his wife and kids and his garden. This is the first year he's planted a garden in his back yard and since their growing season comes earlier than ours, he's already had strawberries and a couple of small tomatoes. This morning he said he had a dream last night that when he got home the zucchini had grown long vines and he had zucchini growing all over the back yard fence and the tomatoes were as tall as trees and he was ecstatic and thought, I did it!!

And here I am nursing my garden along, coaxing it to just stay alive through all the rain, although I did see some small tomatoes this morning...

Yes, I'm jealous of his garden. I admit it.

So, for the rest of this post, I'm just going to do a meme I found...I don't remember where. When I see these things, I copy them down for another time. This one was kind of different.




1. YOUR REAL NAME: Terri

2. WITNESS PROTECTION NAME (mother and father’s middle names): Kaye Earl (makes me think of My Name is Earl...)

3. NASCAR NAME (first name of your mother’s dad; father’s dad): Vernon Leonard (now, that is one damn good NASCAR name!)

4. STAR WARS NAME (the first three letters of your last name, first two letters of your first name): Powte (Pouty?? So not Star Wars sounding!)

5. DETECTIVE NAME (favorite color, favorite animal): Green Cat (That's just stupid)

6. SOAP OPERA NAME (middle name, town where you were born): Kaye Fresno (Dr. Fresno, calling Dr. Fresno)

7. SUPERHERO NAME (second fav color, fav drink, add ‘the’ to the beginning): The Black Water (Just sounds like someone needs to take me to the emergency room)

8. FLY NAME (first two letters of your first name, last two letters of your last name): Ters (When did we start naming flies??)

9. ROCK STAR NAME (current pet’s name, current street name): Goldie Heather (Not cool at all. It's about as "rock star-ish" as "Kris Allen".)

10. PORN NAME (first pet, street you grew up on): Wooley Boo Del Mar (Sounds like a hairy dude. Goldie Heather would be better.)

11. GANGSTA NAME (first three letters of your real name, plus izzle): Terizzle ("Fo shizzle ma nizzle" is a bastardization of "fo' sheezy mah neezy" which is a bastardization of "for sure mah nigga" which is a bastdardization of "I concur with you whole heartedly my African american brother." It's true. It says so in the Urban Dictionary.

12. IRAQI NAME (second letter of your first name, 3rd letter of your last name, first two letters of your middle name, last two letters of your first name, then last three letters of your last name): Ewkariers (Ewe Carriers sounds more like farm vehicle to me.)

13. GOTH NAME (black, and the name of one of your pets): Black Goldie (Black nail polish, black lipstick, black eyeliner...yep, I'm all that!)

14. STRIPPER NAME (favorite perfume, favorite candy): Beautiful Licorice (Oh, God! I am not touching that one with a ten-foot pole....pole, get it? Ugh, sorry.)

Your turn!

And Then The Fight Started....

My new washing machine and dryer are hooked up, thanks to Tom and Chris. Yay!!! *\o/* *\o/* *\o/*

I took photos yesterday with my new camera and posted them on my food blog, Terri's Table. Yay!!! *\o/* *\o/* *\o/* But there is definitely a learning curve.

Kris Allen won American Idol. Ask me if I care.

Terri, do you care?

No.

And, it's been a few days since I've read the 131 posts that have accumulated in my Google reader, so this morning I decided, before I head off to the grocery store, to sit down in front of the computer and try to get through them. Sometimes it's a recipe that I will never attempt...delete. Sometimes it's just an interesting or thought provoking article...read, contemplate, delete. Sometimes it's a post with which I completely disagree or find offensive...read half of it, fume, delete. But, sometimes it's something funny that I just have to share with my readers...copy and post, then delete. The following is one of those posts. It was posted by Wendy @ View from the Grove. Enjoy!

My wife sat down on the couch next to me as I was flipping channels. She asked, 'What's on TV?'

I said, 'Dust.'

And then the fight started...

My wife and I are watching "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" while we were in bed. I turned to her and said, "Do you want to have sex?"

"No," she answered.

I then said, "Is that your final answer?"

She didn't even look at me this time, simply saying, "Yes."

So I said, "Then I'd like to phone a friend."

And then the fight started....

Saturday morning I got up early, quietly dressed, made my lunch, grabbed the dog, and slipped quietly into the garage. I hooked up the boat up to the truck, and proceeded to back out into a torrential downpour. The wind was blowing 50 mph, so I pulled back into the garage, turned on the radio, and discovered that the weather would be bad all day.

I went back into the house, quietly undressed, and slipped back into bed. I cuddled up to my wife's back, now with a different anticipation, and whispered, "The weather out there is terrible."

My loving wife of 10 years replied, "Can you believe my stupid husband is out fishing in that?"

And that's how the fight started...

I rear-ended a car this morning. So, there we were alongside the road and slowly the other driver got out of his car. You know how sometimes you just get soooo stressed and little things just seem funny? Yeah, well I couldn't believe it.... He was a DWARF!!!

He stormed over to my car, looked up at me, and shouted, "I AM NOT HAPPY!!!"

So, I looked down at him and said, "Well, then which one are you?"

And then the fight started.....

When I got home last night, my wife demanded that I take her someplace expensive...
so, I took her to a gas station.

And then the fight started...

After retiring, I went to the Social Security office to apply for Social Security. The woman behind the counter asked me for my driver's license to verify my age. I looked in my pockets and realized I had left my wallet at home. I told the woman that I was very sorry, but I would have to go home and come back later.

The woman said, 'Unbutton your shirt'. So I opened my shirt revealing my curly silver hair. She said, 'That silver hair on your chest is proof enough for me' and she processed my Social Security application.

When I got home, I excitedly told my wife about my experience at the Social Security office.

She said, 'You should have dropped your pants. You might have gotten disability, too.'

And then the fight started....

My wife and I were sitting at a table at my high school reunion, and I kept staring at a drunken lady swigging her drink as she sat alone at a nearby table.

My wife asked, 'Do you know her?'

'Yes,' I sighed, 'She's my old girlfriend. I understand she took to drinking right after we split up those many years ago, and I hear she hasn't been sober since.'

'My Goodness!' says my wife, 'who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?'

And then the fight started...

A woman is standing nude, looking in the bedroom mirror.

She is not happy with what she sees and says to her husband, 'I feel horrible; I look old, fat and ugly.

I really need you to pay me a compliment.'

The husband replies, 'Your eyesight's damn near perfect.'

And then the fight started.....

Couch-2-5K, Week 2, Day 2 and a Rant

I'm doing much better than I thought I would. I started Week 2 on Monday, walked when I was supposed to walk and ran when I was supposed to run. I am passing the 3/4 mile marker on the 3rd run (finishing the 3rd run is half-way through and the 3/4 mile marker is my usual turnaround spot for Week 1), so I'm going a little further because I am running one minute longer than Week 1. Plus, the tempo of the music is a little faster, so my walks are faster than Week 1.

I still struggle with wanting to push myself to run every day, but I am sticking to the plan: 3 times a week with a day in between each one to let my body recover. But, you know, I'm 62 (soon to be 63) and I'm not so sure my body understands recovery mode any more.

After my shower and some lunch, I went to church to work on the newsletter, but there is something wrong with the computer I use there. Tammy thinks it might have been a power surge because of the lightening storms we had last week. I think she might be right. She decided to go home and get a disc to do some diagnostics on it, so I left early and stopped at the store (Kroger ~ I'm naming names) on the way home just for a couple of things.

At the check out, the cashier runs all of my items (romaine, bread, avocados, green chilis), the bagger puts them in two bags (when one would have been fine), then I pay for my items with a $20 bill and open my hand to receive my change.

Now, first of all, I hate it when the cashier shoves the receipt and change in my hand all at the same time. It's like Here's your change, here's your receipt, get out of the way! Which means, I am standing there with one hand full of change and paper and the other hand holding an open wallet, ready to put my money away and get out of the way! But now I have to find a place for the receipt so I can put my money away and it's either shove it in a bag, which is usually out of reach in the buggy in front of me, or shove it in my purse, or wad everything together in a ball shove it in my wallet and sort it out after I've left the cashier's lane and I'm in the middle of the exit aisle.

I don't know about you, but my wallet has specific places for bills and coins, so I have to put the coins in a zipper pouch and the bills inside my wallet. But, you know what? It doesn't really freakin' matter, because once the cashier hands me my change and receipt, before I can even shove the whole mess in my wallet or purse or bag, and sometimes even before the bagger has removed my bags from the checkout belt in front of the cashier, that cashier is already checking somebody else through and the next customer is nudging their buggy uncomfortably close to my ass in order to intimidate me to move the hell out of the way!

I know I'm old, but I'm not so old that it takes me 15 minutes to put my change back into my purse. I'm a person who's almost always in a hurry, too, so I try to move as fast as I can...coins in the pocket, zip it up (so all my change doesn't fall out in the bottom of my purse when I toss it back in), shove the bills inside the wallet, crumpling them up just so I can close my wallet without ripping the corners off the bills (no, I don't have to put them in order of denomination; I wait until I'm home to do that), shove the receipt in my purse (anywhere in my purse, I'm not fussy), then grab my buggy and move out of the way of the next customer's buggy that is now actually bumping me in the ass. Oh, Sorry, ma'm... she says like she's surprised her buggy hit me. Oh, sure. I wanted to turn around and ask her if she'd bump her mother in the ass with a cart like that...but I didn't.

As much as I dislike shopping at Wally World (yes, WalMart), at least they will load the groceries (or bags of whatever junk I've purchased) from that rotary bag thingy to my buggy while I'm putting my change away and the cashier and I generally finish at just about the same time. More often than not, I'm done first and help load the rest of the bags in the buggy.

I don't know where I'm going with this. Looks like nowhere because there's no way to finish a rant except to say "I hate grocery shopping!" Okay, I'm done for now...

We Closed!!!!!!

We closed escrow, got our check and it is now in our bank account. My washer and dryer are on the way. They will be delivered Wednesday. And I have a new camera!!!

I am doin' the happy dance!

The Simple Woman's Daybook for Monday, May 18, 2009

FOR TODAY...

Outside my window...the sun is shining...finally!!...but it's a little cool, only 58 degrees this morning. The stormy, rainy, yukky weather brought in a cold front :(

Waiting…for 1:00pm today. We are supposed to close escrow on our flip house. We've owned the house for nearly two years (spent about 4 months renovating it, then put it on the market where it sat for nearly a year and a half). The buyers handled their part of the escrow by mail, have signed their papers and sent them back to the title company. All we have to do is sign our papers this afternoon and pick up a check.

Catching up on…blogging. I have felt a little out of sorts lately. I don't know whether it was the weather or just a creative slump, but I have accomplished very little in the last week.

I am thinking...about my afternoon. Deposit a nice big check, come home, log on the internet and click the "Buy Now" button on the Best Buy website for a new washing machine and dryer that are saved in my wishlist. Tomorrow, I will go buy a new camera that will replace my sorry little digital point and shoot. HooRay!!!

I am thankful for...the great job the clinic did on G-Doggie. We had her spayed last Saturday at the Humane Society clinic rather than at our vet's...only because it was less than half price. Anyway, when Tom picked up G-Doggie, the vet who did the surgery came out and told him that she did fine, but he could tell that she was, at one time, a one dog puppy mill because she had excessive bleeding in her uterine area, a sure sign that she has been bred since her first heat and never given a rest in between. No more puppies for that girl!!

From the kitchen...NOTHING!! I am not cooking tonight. We are going out to dinner to celebrate!

I am wearing... brown cropped work out pants, an over-sized brown and white t-shirt and flip-flops.

I am creating... a new light fixture for over the kitchen island. Actually, I'm not creating it, but I'm going to tweak it a little to match the color of the light over the dining table.

I am going... to finish this, change my flip-flops and put on running shoes, and go to Tucker Creek Trail for Week 2 of my run/walk. I haven't been there for two weeks because of the rain, but I'm still going to try Week 2.

I am reading...nothing at the moment. I'm sort of between books.

I am hoping...the real estate Karma Gods have been appeased and everything goes smoothly for our closing this afternoon.

I am remembering…the great festivals and craft/art fairs in California. Two weeks ago, here in Conway, we had Toad Suck Daze, which takes Tom and me about 36-1/2 minutes to completely walk through, although we haven't been in probably 5 years or so (when it's not raining) and Memorial Day Weekend is Riverfest in Little Rock, which often has some really good concert performers (this year Willie Nelson, 3 Doors Down, Heart and the B-52's, among others, will be performing ~ a really good, diverse line up), but the craft fair part just sucks and isn't worth the time. The craft fairs and festivals here cannot compare with the events we used to go to when we lived in San Diego County ~ the Fall Fair and Spring Fair in Carlsbad, the Harbor Days Street Fair in Oceanside, the San Diego County Fair, the Valhalla Renaissance Faire at Lake Tahoe, the San Diego Home and Garden Show. I suppose I'm feeling rather melancholy this morning, ya think?

I am hearing...Rod next door, as he is pulling stuff out of his garage and gets ready to work on his house again today (he's a professor at a local college and has the summer off, so he has lots of time on his hands).

Around the house...it is quiet.

One of my favorite things... is just sitting on a beach somewhere watching the sunset.

A few plans for the rest of the week …painting the baseboard in the kitchen and dining area, sewing the tiller cover for Tom's boat, making some market bags out of old t-shirts and starting another church newsletter.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...



This is me and my sons when we took one of our many trips to San Diego Bay. If you guessed it was in the mid-80's you would be right. Look at those sunglasses!

To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman’s Daybook

“We usually get what we anticipate.” ~ Claude M. Bristol

Now, Mr. Bristol, if that were true, I'd have won the lottery years ago, would have two homes (one on the east coast, one on the west coast) and my sons and their families would never want for anything!

Be that as it may, my anticipation is growing and I hope I will get what I am currently anticipating, what with our history of lousy real estate Karma and all.

Tom got a call from our realtor this morning. The buyers of our flip house have signed all their closing papers (they are out of town and doing their part of the closing by mail) and the title company has already received them back from the buyers. We could have closed this afternoon had the title company not dated everything for Monday, the 18th, our contractual closing date. We apparently only need to show up on Monday, sign our escrow documents and pick up a nice check.

The anticipation of finally selling that house after nearly two years is making me nauseous!

Stupid Is As Stupid Does ~ Forrest Gump

Okay, I'm stupid. Or maybe I've just stuck my head in the sand. I don't know. I wrote yesterday that I watched the finale of Grey's Anatomy. I was lying. I didn't really mean to lie, but I was lying just the same. I just THOUGHT I watched the finale. Izzy got out of her hospital bed to marry Alex...looked just like a finale to me. But, then Tom read yesterday's post and came out to the kitchen and said, "That wasn't the finale. The finale is on tonight!"

Are you freakin' serious???(aren't I articulate?)

So I ran to the tv to check upcoming recordings and there it was...a two hour finale of Grey's Anatomy. But we didn't watch it. I wanted the whole program to record all the way through so I can fast-forward through the commercials. So, we watched Coach get the axe on Survivor (Hooray!! He's such a pompous ass!) and Danny win on Hell's Kitchen (I would have much rather Paula won, but I'm okay with Danny ~ as if my opinion really counts). Tonight we will watch the finale of Grey's Anatomy and I will have my box of Kleenex by my side. I just love that show!

The smallest bookstore still contains more ideas of worth than have been presented in the entire history of television. ~ Andrew Ross

Well, then, Andrew has not seen Grey's Anatomy!

Did you see the finale? I did. I have a DVR and it was recorded so I fast-forwarded (is that a word?) through the commercials. I should have just let the commercials run to give me time to recover between each segment. I cried through the whole episode. It was just like old times!

Oh my God, the old Grey's Anatomy is back! This season I complained that it was getting so boring and so stupid ~ you know, the whole Denny reappearing thing week after week. Stupid and creepy. Even though you were getting the idea that Izzy had a brain tumor and Denny was an hallucination. It was still stupid and creepy. And I just got so sick of wishy-washy, whiny Meredith and I thought, I don't think I'm going to watch it anymore after this season. But something happened like three or four episodes ago and the writing got better and the acting got better and now...the old Grey's Anatomy is back!

Now, that I have that off my chest, I know I haven't posted since last week. We picked up Chris at the airport Monday morning and the rest of the day was busy, so no Simple Woman's Daybook. Then, well, things just got away from me. I finally posted on my food blog yesterday for the first time in two weeks. I seem to have hit a dry spell, so to speak. But, like Grey's, I hope I'm back.

As I mentioned, Chris got here Monday and he will be here for two weeks. He's here to help Tom get caught up with all of work he has scheduled. Construction in this part of the country has not been hit as hard as others. It's slowed down some, but there is still building going on all over. And it seems that all the other stair building companies have gone out of business and there is only one guy left and that's Tom. He's always been lucky like that.

And the extra room where Chris is staying is not finished. The walls are painted; the ceiling is scraped and painted; the trim is in but not painted; the closet is primed, but not painted; but I did manage to finish painting the cement floor (long story shortened: previous owner pulled up all the carpeting after the water heater flooded the house; she "sponge stained" the concrete slab foundation a brownish color with ordinary wood stain; I primed and painted the bedroom floor white ~ for now).

Our flip house is supposed to close Monday afternoon, barring any unforeseen circumstances. But we all know that Tom and I have really, really, really rotten real estate Karma, so anything can happen between now and then. I am just hoping that the $5,000 we're ultimately losing in this sale is enough to appease the Karma Gods.

And, it's been raining for two weeks!! Not, just a drizzle either. As of last Friday, May 8th, we had received 10-1/2 inches of rain for the month of May. The fish love it, my garden is drowning, the ground squishes under my feet when I walk across the yard and G-Doggie is muddy and wet 24/7 and she's an indoor dog! Last night we had more thunderstorms ~ wind, thunder, lightening, blowing rain ~ and more rain is forecast through the weekend. I don't think our lawn care guys will show up to aerate our lawn today and I suppose we will be missing the Greek Food Festival this weekend. Waaaa! Waaaa! Call the Waaa-mbulance!

Finally, have you seen this movie??



I haven't either, but I'm going to Blockbuster and rent it this weekend. I'm in need of a little pick-me-up.

I Know It's Not Sunday, But I Won't Be Back From Memphis In Time, So...

I want to wish all of my family, friends and readers who are mothers a very Happy Mothers Day.

Special warm wishes and heartfelt hugs are for my family, extended family and friends: Helen (my mother-in-law), Sally (my aunt), Donnie (my aunt), Robin (my sister), Kathy (my sister), Christina (Tom's sister and my sister-in-law), Carol (Tom's sister and my sister-in-law), Nancy (Tom's sister-in-law), Kathy (my daughter-in-law), Kelly (my daughter-in-law), Rickey (my cousin), Debbie (my cousin), Randy (my cousin), Fran (Kelly's mom), Ellen (Kathy's mom), Bekah (Kelly's sister), Nicole (my niece), Kris (my niece), Leah (my nephew's wife, which would make her my niece-in-law?), Jennifer (my niece), Lori (my niece), Chris (a friend), Marsha (a friend) and Tammy (our pastor and my friend). Thank you all for all you do as loving mothers and the love you extend to others.

Happy 16th Birthday Jacob!!

Well, I almost missed this post. I've been so busy getting the bedroom ready for Chris and getting the church newsletter done that I haven't posted since Monday.

But, it's Jacob's birthday today. 16 years old. Holy cow! First Zak turns 18, then Jacob turns 16. It's enough to make a person feel old.

So anyway, I talked to Chris (Jacob's dad) this morning and he said that Jacob's girlfriend, Hannah, put up a "Happy Birthday Jacob" sign in their front yard before Jacob got up. Tonight the family is going out for sushi, Jacob's dinner request.

Jacob, I hope you had a wonderful day and got all the attention you deserve, even if you really didn't want any and weren't in the birthday spirit! The rest of us had enough birthday spirit to go around.

Happy Birthday. Love you, Grandma

The Simple Woman's Daybook for Monday, May 4, 2009

Today we were given the choice of the regular
Simple Woman's Daybook
or
20 Of My Favorite Things

Due to my inability to make a decision, I'm doing both.

I'll start with my Daybook...

FOR TODAY, MONDAY, MAY 4, 2009...

Outside my window...it's cloudy and it's not supposed to rain. I hope not. It rained non-stop all weekend long.

Waiting…for the telephone repair person. Our home line is out...again.

Catching up on…everything.

I am thinking...I'm putting too much pressure on myself to get so much stuff done. I need to just make a list and do one thing at a time and stop trying to do everything at once. I'll drive myself nuts like that!

I am thankful for...Tom's patience.

From the kitchen...after last night's disaster...this Seafood Chowder from Bon Appetit magazine, the 6 tablespoons of green curry paste made it so hot that we threw it away and Tom went out to Shorty Small's for burgers...tonight will be something we know is delicious. Pasta with a white wine clam sauce.

I am wearing... black cotton crop pants, a long sleeve orange and white t-shirt shirt (the big weekend storm brought in cooler temperatures) and yellow and orange flip-flops.

I am creating... a mess! But just for a short time. By the weekend, the extra bedroom should be ready for a new bed cover and valance.

I am going... to stay home today except for driving over to Tucker Creek Trail to begin week 2 of my Couch-2-5K run/walk.

I am reading...nothing right now.

I am hoping...our flip house finally sells. It is in escrow. Tom and a friend of his are going over there tomorrow to repair some things that were discovered in the inspection report. Escrow is supposed to close on the 18th of this month. We'll see.

I am remembering…that my grandson, Jacob's birthday is Thursday and my son, Chris' birthday is Saturday and next week (Thursday) is my daughter-in-law, Kathy's birthday. May is certainly birthday month for our family.

I am hearing...nothing but the hum of my laptop and my fingers on the keys. Not even a bird. I suppose they are all worn out from all the rain, too.

Around the house...it's quiet and I need to dust.

One of my favorite things... is what I'm having for breakfast: cold leftover plain white rice, sugar, cinnamon and milk. I used to eat it for breakfast when I was a kid.

A few plans for the rest of the week …finish painting the extra bedroom, start the new issue of the church newsletter, finish organizing our bedroom closet (which means I have to start throwing some stuff away if I'm going to give Tom more room for his stuff), re-arrange some cabinets in the kitchen to make room for the pots and pans hanging over the kitchen island (we're putting in a light fixture instead).

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... Tom made a "Squirrel Feeder" under the trees in the back yard. Basically, he just hung a bungee cord from the bird feeder pole, put an eye hook on the end of it and uses the screw part of the eye hook to screw into the top of dried corn on the cob. He hung it just high enough so the squirrels can reach the bottom of the corn cob, but to eat from the top of the corn cob, a squirrel has to hang on and lift himself up off the ground with his hind legs dangling. This one isn't at that stage yet...





Now for My 20 Favorite Things!

1. Color: I love the color green, particularly lime green.

2. Dessert: Tom's Creme Brulee!

3. Smell: Honeysuckle. It's growing over my fence in the back of my yard!

4. Flower: Day lillies.

5. Animal: I love my golden retriever, Goldie, but I love cats.

6. Month: July. It's the middle of summer, not much rain, lots of days on the lake. Can't beat it!

7. Beverage: Non-alcoholic - Sparkling water with ice and lemon. Alcoholic - Lemon martini.

8. Pair of shoes: Flip-flops, all kinds!

9. Snack: I don't snack much, but what gives me a little pick-me-up in the afternoon is a drink I make: fill a tall glass with ice; fill to 1/4 full with pomegranate juice; fill to 1/2 full with orange juice; then fill to the top with diet ginger ale. Very refreshing.

10. Song: Right now it's "Rich Woman" by Robert Plant and Allison Krause.

11. Book: A Time to Kill by John Grisham. His first book and I still think his best.

12. Fruit: Oranges

13. Hairstyle: Short, short, short!

14. Piece of clothing: I have three pair of Nike cold weather sweats that I practically live in during the fall and winter. But, I have a sheer, flowing top from Chico's that makes me feel wonderful when I wear it, like I might actually look really good.

15. Store to clothes shop: Chico's!!

16. Season: Summer.

17. Hobby: Cooking, reading, gardening, crochet, counted cross stitch.

18. Thing to collect: Dishware, books, salt & pepper shakers and pepper grinders, recipes, wind chimes and t-shirts.

19. Movie: The one movie I could watch over and over again ~ Love Actually.

20. Restaurant: In Conway, Mike's Place, hands down. Great food, great service. My most favorite place on the planet is Frenchy's on the beach in Clearwater. The Buffalo Shrimp are to die for.

To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman’s Daybook

Dear Saint Anthony, please come 'round; something's lost and must be found ~ A Child's Prayer for Lost Things

Yesterday, I completed my final day of week one of the Couch-2-5K. I'm ready to start week two on Monday.

The walk/run went very well until I started my cool down. I finished my last run interval and was headed for the last 1/4 mile marker when I reached down to the waistband of my pants and realized my car keys weren't there. Ruh, Ro!

When I do my walk/run, I take three things: My iPod Shuffle with the cued music; my cell phone, just in case I fall down and break a leg or hip and need to call 911; and my car keys, which I routinely put in the waistband of whatever pants I'm wearing. Putting my car keys in the waistband of my pants has worked very well up until now. You see, I'm pretty chubby and my chubby tummy pushes quite firmly against my waistband. Usually, when I put something between my chubby tummy and my waistband, it STAYS PUT.

But, apparently without noticing it, because I no longer step on the scale because I hate being depressed for weeks at a time, my chubby tummy has shrunk ever so slightly and, consequently, released a little pressure against my waistband.

So, back to the car keys situation. When I realized my keys were not in my waistband, I tried to be calm. I, ever so discreetly, started feeling around in my pants, thinking the keys could have slipped inside my pants without me feeling it. After all, I was really focused on my workout. I searched inside the front, groping desperately for my keys while I was looking around to see if anyone was coming. I didn't really want to be caught with my hand in my pants! Then I felt around the inside of the back of my pants. Nothing. Shit! I thought, I just traveled a mile and a half, they could be anywhere!

I turned around and started retracing my steps along the trail, eyes to the ground searching for anything shiny or black. It's cloudy and it's supposed to rain. The further I walk, the more desperate I feel. I walked later than usual so there are fewer people on the trail, but I finally pass two women pushing strollers.

You haven't by any chance seen any keys on the ground, have you? I asked.

No, ma'm They were young. I'm old. It's the south. Ma'm is appropriate.

I continued walking, my eyes glued to the trail moving from one side to the other. I hear a car behind me and move to the side of the trail so that a city maintenance truck can pass me. As the truck passes me, I'm thinking, Oh God, please do not let those truck tires find my keys, crush my clicker and bury my keys in the mud! The truck passes by and stops about a quarter of mile in front of me. Six young guys jump out and start unloading weed-eaters and shovels.

As I reach them, three of them yell, Hi, how are you today?

I'll be fine when I find my car keys, I so cleverly respond.

You lost your keys? the obviously brightest one of the bunch asked.

Yes, somewhere between the parking lot and just after the 3/4 mile marker.

We'll keep an eye out for them, he responded.

Thanks I said, passing them and heading up the hill for the 3/4 mile marker.

A couple of hundred feet from the 3/4 mile marker, I saw a jogger, a young man in a green shirt. I recognized him as the man who passed me going to opposite way as I was headed back to the starting bridge in the second half of my workout. But, I went back to scouring the ground for my keys.

Just before he reached me, he called out, Hi! I looked up, said hi back to him and resumed looking.

Lose something? he asked.

My car keys, I responded.

What kinda car? he asked.

Weird question, I thought, but said, Chrysler.

Here you go, he said as he tossed me the keys. I found them near the first quarter mile marker. And he just kept on jogging past me.

Oh my God! Thank you! Thank you so much!

You're welcome, he called back.

What's your name? I yelled to his back.

He turned around, running backwards, and yelled, Dan McKaye

Thanks again, Dan!

I was nearly in tears. I was so relieved. I stopped for a minute to just take a deep breath, then turned around and started back.

So, since my workout was finished and I had already walked an additional 3/4 of a mile and had to walk another 3/4 of mile to get back to my car, but I could now do it at my leisure, and since I still had my phone, I thought I would take some photos for my readers so you could see what I see during my walk...

Looking down the trail...



The creek and the brush on the other side...



Looking back at a grove of trees...



A little man-made waterfall...



I'm nearing the starting bridge and the parking lot. There's my car! The red one! I can open the door and drive it home! Thanks again, Dan McKaye!



And on Monday when I start week two of the Couch-2-5K, I'm not taking any chances. Two words. Safety. Pin.