LOST IT!

I was once again reminded this AM, as I left the weight room, that I could very well be losing it! I saw this VERY familiar face---she spoke---I spoke---we chit chatted before I made a hasty exit. DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHO SHE WAS!!!! I know I should know---but for the life of me----I don't know! Definitely had different hair color----definitely had put on some weight---BUT the name--what was the name?????

I had the same experience Monday at the grocery store, BUT I did figure out who that was. I always see her at the same location---and then we are at the store together and for the life of me I KNEW I KNEW---but could not come up with the name. FINALLY within 15 minutes---I KNEW who she was. I thought OK--perhaps I am not losing it......

BUT THEN TODAY-------I am back to square one-------BUMMER!

Stress or Dementia?????? I am still functioning on a good level in lots of other venues---but the names that go with faces------GEEEZZZZZZZ Perhaps I now know why some insist upon calling you "Sweetie" or "Honey" when it seems totally inappropiate!

MY LATEST REC FOR YOU!

I am not a fan of sit-coms or reality shows normally, but we may have hit upon a winner. We watched the pilot for "Harry's Law" last night with Kathy Bates. It is a winner----just quirky enough for my taste.

When telling the runners this AM about it, they immediately reacted negatively to Kathy Bates. Let me remind you all----we are not looking to Hollywood for intelligence, political views, philosophy or faith. We ONLY look to them for good acting----and this show has a plethora of great acting.

Monday nights at 9:00 CT---NBC or go on line and watch. It is really cute and I cracked up out loud---What more can I say?

Got to go-APPL is falling & I need to get in & play--where is my dilemma!

WHY???

I watched a couple of REALLY great movies this weekend. It occurred to me while watching them that usually the "Broken Heart" is a woman. I did think about "Forest Gump" & "Sleepless in Seattle" as the rarity when the man was mourning or broken hearted---of course Forest was a "little slow" and Seattle had lost his wife in death. WHAT DOES THIS TELL US ABOUT MEN AND WHOSE HEARTS ARE USUALLY BROKEN? Comments?

LIVING IN THE SHADOW LANDS OF SATURDAY

Living in the shadow lands of Saturday – trusting the Good News of Friday and praying for the glory of Sunday – Come quickly Lord Jesus.

TOP TEN REASONS TO NOT HAVE A PERSONAL TRAINER

1. They expect for you to arrive on time.
2. Their warm up does not consist of a cup of chocolate & conversation.
3. They expect you to do ALL their exercises correctly--no short cutting!
4. They do not allow bathroom breaks during the hour--expect you to do that ahead of time or after.
5. They are not friendly to all the others in the gym and don't allow breaks for conversations with friends much less a total stranger.
6. Their idea of a break between sets is to go to another exercise for a different body part.
7. They are not interested in conversation about all the current injuries your friends have nor of any of the injuries you might have had over your lifetime.
8. They expect you to have good form---and that doesn't have anything to do with posing in front of the mirror.
9. They all know how to count to 10 and don't ever do it by 2's AND they expect you to actually put some weight on the machine.
10. They expect you to actually work out the entire hour.

WHOLE LOTTA CHEATING GOING ON!

I went back to the weight room yesterday with friend Sonja. Could I give ALL of you "Weight Novices" a little advice----

CHEAT AND YOU MAY SURVIVE THE EXPERIENCE!

Always---Go second------you can then switch the weight to a lower one and your partner who has moved on to another machine will never be the wiser.

GO REALLY FAST with each movement. You can count on some law of physics to give you the rebound needed to finish a rep with not nearly the effort if you are doing SLOW movements.

Count by 2's---it doesn't take nearly as long to get to 10 this way.

While your partner announces time to work on legs---announce you are saving yourself for tomorrow's run.

Always be behind your partner's back when working on abs-----no need for her to see you do only a fraction of what she is doing.

Plead ignorance when it comes to a new machine and remember to take a really LONG time figuring it out.

Find anyone and everyone to talk with that you can. Yesterday I struck up a conversation with one of the Tech cheerleaders. He was more than happy to tell me all about his latest injury and I spent 10 minutes looking at him rather than being tortured on some machine.

ALWAYS have an exit plan--------when things get tough----it's time to get going.

SOMEHOW even using all my ploys--I managed to be sore ALREADY today. I suspect my "Bowl of Jello Body" is in stark rebellion!

BOOK CLUB

My book club met last night to review our latest read. If you remember, I was whining last week about having to read the book in a few short days! Actually got it done and quite enjoyed the book. It takes a little to get going------but stick with it----great read. The most amazing thing I found about the book was that the original author became sick and her niece finished the book for her. NOW THINK ABOUT THAT--you not only have to finish the book--another's "Baby"---BUT you need to find their voice to finish it correctly. It would reek of disharmony if you did not find their "voice".

The book is based upon historical fact---so that made it very interesting. Our hostess served us Baked Potatoes for dinner in honor of the book's name. I am happy to report that she did not attempt the Potato Peel Pie. My good manners might have fled had I been served that!

The night was full of discussion and getting to know new friends better as we sat by the fire and talked over the book. One wonderful finding was that one of our member's mother was in France during the occupation and had much information to give us. Since the book is based upon the German occupation of Guernsey Island-this added a wonderful "eye-witness" account.

Good read---easy read---highly recommend. Came home and ordered 4 new books based upon the evening's discussion. NOW WHEN AM I GOING TO HAVE TIME TO READ THEM?????? Perhaps during the 3rd + replaying of Fox News in the evening.

PAT MYSELF ON THE BACK!

For those of you out there in the WWW that do not understand running---just go ahead and go to your next blog for this will not be meaningful to you. SORRY--I will entertain you with long boring stories of my "Life in Eden" another day.

With new baby and long visits and I had a bad cold, and I had a flat tire, and I ran out of gas-------I did not run for 9 weeks. This is tantamount to starting over in my mind. I am proud to say that on my third run, I was back up to my 5 miles and even ran 5.5. NOW---in all honesty---I am SLOW----11 minute pace GROAN!

Today I ran with the "Big Girls" again and am happy to report that I came in with an average time in the 10's. NOW in "Honesty in Reporting" (LIKE ANY REPORTER IS HONEST IN HIS REPORTING) I must admit that I was nano seconds under that 11 minute mark---but HEY I was close and the average is still in the 10's This is all in the REALLY COLD LA weather and with ice on the ground.

GOOD FOR ME!!!!! Not bad for a 62 year old Grandmother!

DON'T TELL THE ERIE-ITES!

We have had a light dusting of snow and a little more sleet and freezing rain here in North LA today. This causes EVERYTHING to come to a standstill here! There was NO church today and we have not left the house ALL day. I have made the most and been busy on my LONG list of "Things To Do". I am glad to report that I did make a dent in that list. I have sat by the fire when not on the desk top computer working on that list. I have enjoyed the fire tremendously. BC has napped a LOT after sleeping until almost 10 this AM and thinks he may be caught up on his rest.

OH to be able to sleep like that! I was up before 7 working on my pot of chili that we have enjoyed today!

Hopefully the World here will get back on track as our bad weather is moving out as I write. WHATEVER you do--don't let our Northern neighbors know we shut the world down over a little ice. YOU JUST WOULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT THEY PUT UP WITH DAY IN DAY OUT UP THERE!

REALLY REALLY REALLY ALONE

Meredith on the left back

When I returned from my morning run (actually will get to sleep in tomorrow-as if that will happen), I told our adopted college student "Good Bye". Meredith has been a fixture in our lives for 4 1/2 years. She came to live with us this past September, but has now graduated and will be entering the "Real World" in Princeton, NJ next week. She is a sweet and Godly young woman who is VERY talented. As many artist are, she was a little zany and definitely out in left field occasionally----but at the same time--she was an "Old Soul".

SO after months of someone always here-----I am alone--truly---alone. I will once again be faced with the monumental task of "Thinking". Not that my mind doesn't whirl all the time, but most of the time I am thinking about my next task or two or five or ten. Something tells me that I will be "Thinking" of more serious matters............DAUNTING!

As for today, I am sitting by the fire and reading our book club selection -as if I had nothing else that needed doing. In my defense----I got the book Tuesday and the club meets next Tuesday-----must finish the book! I've got my lists though and when not doing---I will be

THINKING

AND

ALONE

WHO AM I?????

I may be losing it---wait-the dryer just cut off---I will be back---This seems to be the theme of my life right now---I have LOTS going on. This causes stress--even though I don't really recognize it as stress. Stress produces CRAZY! I find myself totally out of character and doing things I would NEVER usually do.

Example----and this is a DANGEROUS one---I emailed BC an option trade yesterday and told him just the opposite of what I wanted to do---DANGEROUS & EXPENSIVE. Thank goodness he was functioning as my broker and called and asked what I meant to do. I immediately KNEW what I had done!

Later the same day--I am cleaning out & organizing our house and plan to have a large garage sale of 40 years of accumulation---even when you are not a pack rat---it piles up. I have rented a storage unit to accumulate things in as I declutter our house. I took a load-put it in the unit and went to run the next of a long list of errands. As I was driving off from my second errand, it occurred to me that I had not closed the door much less locked the storage unit. LONG story short---I had to buy another lock.

Today as I was leaving from CSE and tutoring, it occurred to me that I had forgotten Nannie's dental appointment. The Nursing Home called yesterday as I was doing my last minute review for teaching our Small Group Bible Study and reminded me to tell BC of the appointment. Thankfully the NH took her and the dental staff are familiar with her---but I forgot to tell BC and he forgot also even after the dentist called to remind him yesterday.

I AM ON OVERLOAD! This produces stress and the applicable hormones that go with it. If I should disappear---see if you can figure out what was on my list of "To Dos" and then head in the direction that I was going and just keep on driving until you find me. I may have gone over the edge!

I NEED TO GET OVER---NICE!!!

MONA ON THE RIGHT

Sweet Friend, Mona, took me to lunch today to celebrate my birthday. It was a few days late-but not her fault-I have been slightly preoccupied during December. We had a wonderful lunch and laughed and talked. She also brought me a wonderful surprise.

Mrs. Mona makes the MOST DELICIOUS egg nog I have ever tasted in my life. I don't even like egg nog---but hers is a wonder to behold! Let's just say---egg whites, ice cream, LUSH THICK SO RICH YOU WANT TO SLAP YOUR MOMMA! It is DELICIOUS and that is SUCH an inadequate description.

She usually gives me a quart and I am thrilled. This year--I GOT TWO QUARTS---HEAVEN! That should leave me satisfied for the entire year with NO need or desire for more.

Then-----I GOT NICE! I felt bad and thought I should share. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME!!! This is MY birthday present---who in the world shares their birthday present??????And yet----I find myself offering BC and our college adoptee a glass. WAIT THAT'S LESS FOR ME!!!! NO GOOD TURN GOES UNPUNISHED----I catch BC in the frig for his SECOND glass----AAAAARRRGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

What is wrong with me----I need to get over NICE...........One for all and all for ME!

WOULD YOU????

If you will notice, the paper often contains sales on school supplies and yesterday a coupon or 2 in the sales inserts. I clipped a coupon from Walgreens to get Sharpie Highlighters or PaperMate Stick Pens for $.69 per package. I also clipped a coupon for PaperMate Mechanical Pencils for $.19 per pack.

In case you didn't know, the schools (especially those at risk schools such as my Adopted School Cypress Springs) keep a supply closet for those students who are unable to buy the needed supplies. It must be heart breaking and SO confusing for a student to hear that they can't afford to buy the needed supplies for school! This is a way to help-with LITERALLY little effort.

When you run by the store ANYWAY-pick up the needed supplies. NO NEED to immediately run them to school---just save them up and take a sack by and drop them off in the office anytime. THEY ARE SO APPRECIATIVE OF ANYTHING YOU DO TO HELP!

By the Way---always looking for readers or tutors. If you have a little time to spare to invest in the future of a precious child-let me know or contact the school near you-----SUCH A BLESSING TO YOU!!!!

LEFT OVER PEAS?

What in the world do I do with all these left over peas from New Year's Day?????

BLACK EYED PEA SOUP!

Dice 4 pieces of bacon and brown the bacon in a dutch oven

Remove the bacon from your pan & drain

Saute 1 diced onion, 1 diced green bell pepper, & 2 cloves of garlic in your bacon drippings

Add 32 Ou of left over peas (can use 2 cans of peas) & 2 cans of diced tomatoes (any kind-use the flavor you prefer)

add 1 t cumin

1 t dried mustard

1 t chili powder

1/2 t curry

1/2 t pepper

1/2-1 t sugar

salt/pepper to taste

NOTE--I play with the spices and NEVER measure exact amounts

Simmer until you peas are falling apart

NOTE--I also added chopped ham that I had left over

Serve with cheese & bacon sprinkled on top with cornbread

This recipe is saved to the "Recipe" tab on the top of this page.