SOME SAY I AM "BOSSY"

There are those individuals that say that I am "Bossy" and I don't moo, so not the cow, Bossy. I must say that I probably missed my calling in life, I should have been a "Life Coach". There are people out there that pay good money to have someone tell them what they should be doing. I have done that for my kids and most anyone else that would listen for years FOR FREE! If you need someone to line you out and tell you just what you need to be doing-GIVE ME A CALL. I am your woman! I am sure this is a genetic thing since we called my mother, "Boss" 40 years ago. My brother, Robbie, watched a "Wild Kingdom" special about elephants and came up with that name. It seems to establish dominance and who is in charge in an elephant herd, they throw their head around and swing their trunks back and forth while blaring out a trumpet calll at top volume. Reminded him a lot of Momma. She could give orders with the best of them. What was truly amazing is that she did not lead by example, she lead by intimadation. Momma was a little woman-shorter than me by almost a head and most of her life skinny, but that did not stop her from throwing her weight around when it came to her kids. Come to think of it, I saw her do the same thing with non-family members as well. She had no problem letting you know what you needed to do and how she wanted it done. If not done right, you got to do it again. I never saw her do any physical labor-NONE-ZIP! Amazing! Now my method of leading, with my children, involved doing it myself and being huffy because they did not want to help. 1000 excuses! To this day, I can work rings around all three of them.

OK-I got off the subject. I have a new project and someone put me in charge-POWER! Now with non-family members, I can actually get people to co-orperate and do what I say. I LOVE IT! Get on the phone-make a call-"I need you to --fill in the blank- on the 12th. Does that work for you?" Hard to say NO! I really like e mail-send a short authoritative note-We need -------and I knew I could depend on you! Please put this on your calendar. Give me a list of volunteers and a list of jobs and I am loving it. ORGANIZING & ORDERING-what I do best!

It was cold this AM while running down the road. Babs ran off and left me, but I have an excuse (some of us always have an excuse). My right leg is in a major wad. The pain now extends from my hip all the way down to my calf and there is a big knot in my calf. I am sure all of this radiates from my hip, but have spent the day analyzing what is going on. Perhaps I am pronating in an effort to take the pressure off the hip and that is causing the calf problem. Our new toys are really neat. I didn't get chimed at until I had gone over 3 miles and my leg had started hurting. Then I sounded like the "Bell Choir of Notre Dame" running down the road. I have the heat pad out and I am on the meds including alleve and I am stretching. Don't know what else I can do. Just keep on running and complaining and moaning and groaning! What is truly amazing is that all of this started after the marathon. God got me through all of those long miles. Truly amazing the power of prayer!

MARDI GRAS 2008

Today ends the annual fesitval of excessiveness-Mardi Gras. While growing up, Mardi Gras was confined to the towns in south Louisiana. In the rural central and northern Louisiana, the pagan fesitval was completely ignored. As a sign of the blending of societal lines, Mardi Gras has slowly but surely moved north. Most of the larger towns in Louisiana now celebrate Mardi Gras to some extent. I personally have never been to a Mardi Gras celebration. I had just as soon stay at home and enjoy the warmth and comfort of my den, but I am glad that folks have the opportunity to attend local parades and balls. We tend to be much more sedate about our celebration in North Louisiana. As far as I know, there is noone flashing the float riders in order to get a few trinkets. Tonight at midnight the party ends and tomorrow begins the clean up. I wonder how the street cleaners in New Orleans feel about this annual celebration. Probably something along the line of -MORE WORK!

Tomorrow begins Lent with the celebration of Ash Wednesday. It is tradition to give something up or forego some pleasure during the period from Ash Wednesday to Easter. I have actually tried this in the past, but do not feel the need to do so today. This denial is to serve as a reminder of the passion and death of Christ. I think about that ultimate sacrifice every day and do not need anything to jog my memory. This sacred season of the church is a celebration of the final days of Christ in His earthly form and is an important reminder of the grace we have been gifted with. I personally think the celebration and party should be postponed and better celebrated Easter Sunday. What greater thing could we celebrate than the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. Many are out celebrating tonight thinking that this is the end of the party season. My personal belief is that everyday is a party and celebration knowing the gift of eternity was completed those many years ago. HAPPY MARDI GRAS !

IN CASE YOU MISSED THE NEWS!

"As I look around me, a bright sky I see, and a shadow beside me. Six more weeks of winter it will be!"

Punxsutawney, Pa. -- A record crowd of nearly 30-thousand people waited hours in the pre-dawn cold to find out from Punxsutawney Phil . . . "Six more weeks of winter."
Despite low clouds, fog and freezing Drizzle the nation's first prognosticating groundhog saw his shadow. Phil has seen his shadow nearly 80% of the time since he began forecasting the spring weather in 1887.
Gobbler's Knob, just outside of downtown Punxsutawney, was alive with a large bonfire, live music, fireworks and plenty of coffee and hot chocolate.
The windchill was 14 degrees as Phil emerged from his home to the cheers of thousands of followers.
Scott Harbaugh Meteorologist WPXI Severe Weather Team 11

I am sure Phil has a good life for 365 days 23 hours every year, but the one hour he is on stage must be torture. You should look at the web site and read all about this annual fesitval. What we humans will not do! The poor animal is thinking life is great and then WhAM-back on center stage in the middle of a crowd of tens of thousands of screaming NUTS! What must he think!

FOUR HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE!

Four of us runners have a new toy-Garmin- Forenunner 205. This baby is "Nifty!". Unfortunately when you get to be AARP age, the learning curve for these electronic gadgets can be steep. If only Grandson Caleb, lived a little closer! When you are 7, these kind of gadgets are not the least bit intimadating, in fact it seems to be instinctive as to making them work. This is a GPS computer for running. WOW. You can track your distance, track you speed, track the calories burned, program types of workouts, and alert yourself to a range of pace and on and on. IT IS SO COOL! The four of us got together today at lunch and after a quick bite (cannot forego eating), we proceeded to figure this baby out. After 2 hours of trial and error and collabration, we have it figured out. This could turn around and bite me in the rear, since an alarm will go off if I am not running fast enough. The other 3 girls look at their GPS's during their runs. I am able to completely ignore it while running but the alarm will go off if you don't stay within the parameters. We might end up sounding like a "Bell Choir" running down the road.

Friend Sheila's son, Andrew, is selling firewood. I am rapidly burning through my rack of wood, so I asked to buy a truckload. When Sheila and Andrew delivered it today, she backed into the woods by the woodpile. OOPS-the leaves covered the soft and wet ground and the pile is on the side of the hill we live on. She couldn't get the truck out of the woods. Now I have been around other stuck vehicles, so knew to put a piece of wood in front of the tire. She actually almost got out of the woods-but only almost. Andrew called his Dad to come give them a pull out. When Rob arrived, I noticed this "grin" on his face. You know the "you girls don't know what you are doing" grin. One little pull and out she came. Personally I think Sheila knew just what she was doing and if we only had another truck we could have pulled it out ourselves. I am sorry it was dark and I couldn't get a picture. A GOOD LAUGH!

BS

Did the title catch your eye? Naughty-Naughty! I am actually talking about my BS in accounting that I received all those many years ago. Thought you might like to know just how that happened.

I was a single mom with a job in a bank-not making much money at all, even after 3 years. I had to make a living and support my little family, but the money I was making and no financial help from anyone made this a struggle. It occurred to me one day that I was training the young men, fresh out of college, in their jobs at the bank. The fact that I trained them, while they started work making more money than I did not set very favorably with me. I decided I needed to try to finish my degree. I had finished 1 1/2 years of college when I got married and had a child, so there was 2 1/2 to go. I began school by trying a couple of night classes to get my feet wet and see if I could handle all the responsibility I would have. That went well, so after much thought, I made the plunge. Barbara was a tremendous help with baby sitting and I will be forever in her debt.

I went back to school in the fall of '71 with plans for an accounting degree and student loans to finance that education. I was able to get a job in the controllers office since I had banking experience and worked when I was not in class. I had no help from Momma and my step-father, Bill. In fact, Bill asked me did I know how long it would take me to make up the bank salary I would be foregoing once I got out of school. I was disappointed with their lack of encouragement, in fact discouragement, but stepped out anyway. I was dating Bobby by this time and he was very encouraging. He actually bought a small two bedroom trailer and put it by his parents house for Scott and I to live in while I was going to school. He has always been my champion and I will always be grateful for his encouragement. Once I had been in school for a few months, Bobby and I married and moved to Ruston. OK now I had added being a wife to my other jobs. I must have thought I had a few extra minutes in each day.

The next two years were difficult to say the least. Not much sleep while going to school, working and being a mother and wife, but I was young. When I graduated in May of 73, after taking as many hours and more as allowed every quarter, it was a great relief. I went to work for a local CPA and made up for the lost wages at the bank in about 6 months. During the 2 years I worked for Mr. Holladay, I learned much and even passed the CPA exam. Going back to school, as hard as it was, was the best decision I ever made. When I think back I am not sure how I was able to keep all those balls in the air, but I am thankful that God pulled me through it all.

I used that education well and was able to grow my own CPA practice into a very nice business that was financially very rewarding. There came a time to sell that practice and finish funding my retirement. I now enjoy retirement to the fullest, but one of the best decisions I ever made was to go back school and get that BS!

YUMMYLICIOUS!

It is always a lot of fun to cook with one of your best friends! When The Thompson's came last night, I had a dinner menu planned that would enable Barbara & me to be in the kitchen cooking together. The meal always tastes better when it is prepared with good conversation! We cooked chicken marsala and risiotto rice with a spring mix salad with balsamic vingar dressing. It was fun cooking together and we all enjoyed the fruits of the labor.

The marsala chicken is a delicious dish that is really not that difficult to prepare. If you would like to come over and help me prepare this dish sometime, I would love to cook and eat with you!

We had a wonderful visit with The Thompson's picking up where we left off and instantly catching up. How many friends do you have in a lifetime that you can share anything with, without fear of judgement and always with good advice attached on the other end. We are planning our annual summer vacation together when their son and his family and all three of our children and their families coming along (If you will pay they will come)! We are looking forward to a great time together as we make new memories and reminensce over old.

My hip is causing GREAT discomfort today! Hopefully it will begin to get better tomorrow as promised by the "exercise terrorist". A tough massage on Thursday and 10 miles on Friday = Pain on Saturday!

SWEET FRIENDSHIP!

Our dear friends, Mark & Barbara, are coming for a visit and spending the night in Vienna. We are so excited to have them with us! Our friendship goes WAY BACK! Mark, Bobby, & I worked together at a bank when Mark was in college and then after his graduation, I was a single Mom and then went back to college, and Bobby was our boss. When I started back to college, I went to night classes and worked full time. Barbara picked up Scott for me and took care of him until I got home. Bobby & I courted in their living room. They were our witnesses when we "eloped" after the bank stockholder's meeting. We have raised our children together and lived life together. We started going on vacation together when Gabe was 18 months old. He is now 31 and this summer will be our 29th vacation. We know all about each other and yet they still love us! We celebrated Thanksgiving together until this past year. We have LOTS OF HISTORY! They live in south Louisiana, so we do not get to see each other daily. When we finally manage to get together, we pick up where we left off and love every second. In these days of kids being scattered all over the country, grandchildren to visit, and aging parents, it is more and more difficult to get together, but well worth the effort!

The neatest thing about our friendship is how we have grown "In the Lord" together. When I think back to where we were in our faith in the beginning and where we are now it is unbelievable. You have to know that God had this in His plan and pulled us together for this very purpose. We have spent many a late night discussing theology and stretching each other to think. Truly we are blessed to call them Friend!

BC is most anxious to see the replies to his blog from last night. I told him that for some strange reason, most people do not comment, even knowing it can be annoymous. Bobby is the best writer of the family. Of course, that minor in English, probably didn't hurt his abilities. I am looking out at the woods from all of my den windows and thinking about that very night and how the woods were filled with cars, trucks, and teens. MOST MEMORABLE!

We ran our first double digit run this AM since the marathon. After running that 10, REALLY SLOW, in the cold (Ice on the puddles), it is really hard to believe that 3 weeks ago I ran 26 miles. I am having lots of problems with my hip again. I went to the massage terrorist yesterday and almost cried it hurt so bad. He FOUND the spot-right in the hip socket. He told me if I did not get some better by Sunday, it probably was arthritis. My old friend "Arthur" has me in a major wad! How strange that it did not hurt while in the later stages of training for Houston, but once I came home and quit taking the medicine (HMMMMM) it is once again killing me!