Have a Happy Fourth of July!

Say a prayer for all of our soldiers overseas today.

Very Very sluggish today. It took all I could muster to do dishes, take out garbage, feed and change kitties. I got up at 10 and took a nap at 2! I am one lazy broad today. I had a dr. appt late afternoon and then went to my girlfriends house. We just bs'd for a couple of hours.

I wanted to drive in this weekend, but I am feeling like doing nothing INSTEAD!!! My body just feels dreadful. No life! No energy!

I do need to take care of the dress fitting for Bridezilla before she chops my head off. What a bloody mess that would be.............

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My cousin emailed me these thoughts on where to live for retirement (Yes, I can dream)

You can live in Phoenix, Arizona where...
1. You are willing to park 3 blocks away because you found shade.

2. You've experienced condensation on your butt from the hot water in the toilet bowl.

3. You can drive for 4 hours in one direction and never leave town.

4. You have over 100 recipes for Mexican food.

5. You know "dry heat" is comparable to opening the oven door.

6. The 4 seasons are: tolerable, hot, really hot, and ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

You can live in California where...
1. You make over $250,000 and you still can't afford to buy a house.

2. The fastest part of your commute is going down your driveway.

3. You know how to eat an artichoke.

4. You drive your rented Mercedes to your neighborhood block party.

5. When someone asks you how far something is, you tell them how long it will take to get there rather than how many miles away it is.

6. The 4 seasons are: Fire, Flood, Mud, and Drought

You can live in New York City where...
1. You say "the city" and expect everyone to know you mean Manhattan .

2. You can get into a four-hour argument about how to get from
Columbus Circle to Battery Park, but can't find Wisconsin on a map.

3. You think Central Park is "nature,"

4. You believe that being able to swear at people in their own language makes you multi-lingual.

5. You've worn out a car horn.

6. You think eye contact is an act of aggression.

You can Live in Maine where...

1. You only have four spices: salt, pepper, ketchup, and Tabasco

2. Halloween costumes fit over parkas.

3. You have more than one recipe for moose.

4. Sexy lingerie is ;anything flannel with less than eight buttons.

5. The four seasons are: winter, still winter, almost winter, and construction

You can Live in the Deep South where...
1. You can rent a movie and buy bait in the same store

2. "y'all" is singular and "all y'all" is plural.

3. "He needed killin'" is a valid defense.

4. Everyone has 2 first names: Billy Bob, Jim Bob, Mary Sue, Betty Jean, Mary Beth

You can live in Colorado where...
1. You carry your $3,000 mountain bike atop your $500 car.

2. You ask your husband to pick up Granola on his way home and he stops at the day care center.

3. A pass does not involve a football or dating.

4. The top of your head is bald, but you still have a pony tail.

You can live in the Midwest where...
1. You've never met any celebrities,&n bsp;but the mayor knows your name.

2. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor.

3. You have had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" on the same day.

4. You end sentences with a preposition: "Where's my coat at?"

5. When asked how your trip was to any exotic place, you say, "It was different!"

You can live in Florida where...
1. You eat dinner at 3:15 in the afternoon.

2. All purchases in clude a coupon of some kind -- even houses and cars.

3. Everyone can recommend an excellent dermatologist.

4. Road construction never ends anywhere in the state.

5. Cars in front of you are often driven by headless people.

Whew! I have had a very busy day!

My aunt brought her maid "glossie" over to spend the morning cleaning some on my house. This is always nice! I only get the luxury every few months....I did hire a lawn crew they came yesterday and did a GREAT job! So I have a clean yard and house. Lord have mercy that helps!

OF course I have yet to do my spring cleaning---mainly my closet---yet to do. A LONG AND TEDIOUS PROJECT.

When they left, I went to see my principal. I had not spoken to him since the LAST day of school (a month ago). I left him damn near hysterical with the mound of shit he dumped in my lap for this up coming school year. On the last day after his plans for me next year---I seriously considered going to the super and getting out of my contract. Having to deal with my mom's cancer has taken so much life out of me. All I do is worry and wonder and pray. This second SET of chemo has been so tough on her physically. ( He knows what is going on with her, i broke down on him in April at school, and I took a week off for her surgery) Lets just say he had other options....but I was easier to deal with and to dump on.

After leaving his office I spent the afternoon at the public library with my partner from Grad school. I set up an interview with the Public and Community relations chair. We video taped it and I had a set of like 20 questions. We have a research paper and PowerPoint presentation to put out there in 2 weeks. We did get alot accomplished today. WAHOOOO

After all of this I brought my aunt some fresh gumbo and ran a few errands. Yes, I made fresh gumbo today. YUMMY!

There is only one rule that remains constant in making gumbo: First you make a roux. The roux, a flour and oil or butter mixture, which acts as a thickening agent, is the gumbo's base. There are no other hard-and-fast rules for the ingredients used in making gumbo - anything that flies, crawls, creeps, or lies still may end up in the gumbo pot. There are as many recipes for gumbo as there are cooks in Louisiana. The making of gumbo draws out the competitive streak in most Louisianans, and most cooks closely guard their recipes.

How many of my weight loss bloggers keep a food diary? Did it help?

I am thinking of going back to New Orleans this weekend. I desperately need to be around some people I love! I need my friends that I hold dear to my heart. My class was cancelled for Thurs evening...so I could go that morning and come back Tues or Wed. I could have cold milk and a beignet at Cafe Dumone on Jackson Square. I could hit some of the galleries on Royal Street. I could shop and shop and shop...I could have a Fleur De Lis painted on my face.

If you find a true friend, hold on to them for dear life. They come into your life so infrequently, especially as we age.

As I MATURE










I've learned that you cannot make
someone love you. All you can do is
stalk them and hope they panic and give in.

I've learned that no matter how much I care,

some people are just assholes.

I've learned that you can get by
on charm for about 15 minutes.
After that, you'd better have a big willy
or huge boobs.

I've learned that you shouldn't

compare yourself to others- they are
more screwed up than you think.

I've learned that you can keep from vomiting

long after you think your are finished.

I've learned thay we are responsible

for what we do, unless we are celebrities.

I've learned that regardless of

how hot and steamy a relationship is at

first, the passion fades, and there had better

be ALOT of money to take its place!

I've learned that 99% of the time when
something isn't working in your house, one

of your kids did it.

I've learned that the people you care most

about in life are taken from you too soon

and all the less important ones just never go AWAY.

Do you guys have any favorite flowers, plants or trees that are lovely blooming and enjoy seeing in your yard or a neighbors yard?

OK, so my best buddy seems to have found LOVE. I am excited for him. I have know him for 5 years now and I always thought the FOREVER bachelor. A friend of ours set him up on a date last week and now they have spent every day together for a week. WOW. He's told her he loves her and vice versa. HE's 46 and she is too. She is divorced with a 19 yr old daughter in college. He is crazy about her. I think its wonderful for him. I hope it turns out to be his dream relationship.

No plans for me this weekend. I am waiting on a yard guy to come and check my yard out and give me 6 months of regular lawn maintenance and maybe spruce up the place. I hate gardening!!!! No green thumb here.

Do you guys have any favorite flowers, plants or trees that are lovely blooming and enjoy seeing in your yard or a neighbors yard?

I have a couple dogwoods, a red maple, a japanese magnolia, a few day lillies....but want something besides azealas. I tend to like rich colors. Send me your suggestions. Many thanks and have a good weekend.

My couson sent me this along with a few other Maxines this morning...so I thought I would share over the next few days.

I have class in a couple of hours. Thank God it's a small one, but as we were to read 75 pages in our book, we'll see what kind of class discussions she is looking for~

I ate something funky last night and hurled for an hour or so. UGHHH. I had a left over pork chop and half a baked sweet potato. Good lord I was miserable.

My choices for celebrity would have been Emeril (I agree with Rach-some body has to be resourceful and cook), Matthew Mcoughnay (spelled that wrong I think) well for obvious sexual fantasies and either Jack or Karen from Will & Grace for comedy and bitch sessions.

Off, I go to paint my face and gather my stuff for class.

If you were going to be stuck on a deserted island for two years, what 3 celebrities would you choose to have with you and why?

Tuesday

I'm home again.

My aunt and I went to visit with mom and dad. I took everybody out for fathers day. I picked up some stuff for dad when B and I were in Savannah. He got a sailing t-tshirt a mild teal green. I also got him some of the cucumber dill dip/dressing of Paula Deens. When my mom had surgery he was doing SUDUKO. So I found a cd-rom for it and a couple of books. He said Thanks.

Mom really has a short fuse these days. I have never had a snippy mom. These last few treatments my goodness, she has no patience and VERY irritable. But ya know, if I were in her shoes- I'd be a straight out bitch. She started to grow back about 1/4 of an inch of hair, but the nurses warned her it will come out again with this chemo. Sure enough while I was home she started losing the little she had.

I was up till after midnight working on some of my grad class assignments. There will be lots of writing analysis and reflection. I think I can make it. I am happy it is a small class. AMEN.

Nothing going on in my life but mom..oh ok wait. Across the street an elderly lady lives, her daughter (must be 50's) moved in to help take care of her. Well I keep seeing a guy over there my guess late 30's early 40's. We have said hello a few times, but last week I went to get my mail and he came out as well and we started talking. His name is Bill. He's divorced about a year now. He's been staying with them until he can get back on his feet. (Last weekend my house alarm went off--ADT called my 2 people on the list in case of emergency-My aunt and T...well my aunt was over here and did not hear the alarm or her phone---the police came--and Bill was home to see all of this) He talked to my aunt and such before our conversation...He asked about my trip home and my aunt and who I lived with.....After talking letting him know I am single, it turns out he is best friends with one of my favorite students dad. I loved this kid 2 yrs ago. That is a plus.....We'll see. My luck she kicked him out, he's CRAZY, and it would never work.

I had to share.

I'm here temporarily. I have had a busy week. I came back from New Orleans on Monday. Last weekend was my parents wedding anniversary, so we went out to eat at one of N'awlins top dining establishments. One of my best friends from high school and college came back to Ga with me. She works on movies doing lighting...and well has the month off. So we have had some stories to share and memories to mull over. We went and got facials, shopped and relaxed. I really miss having her close.

I started Grad school as well. I only signed up for one class, but I think mentally that is all I can handle. It's only one night a week and we met last night. The teacher seems very scattered, but at least I don't feel a TON of pressure. So we will see how it goes.

My aunt, Amy and I go back to N'awlins tomorrow for a few more days. Mom had chemo this last Wed so she will be drained. We are hoping to help some. I also told dad I would take him out to dinner for Father's day. He wants a steak.

Well, I'm off for a shower and some photo albums.
Hope you are all well!
I will see you soon~ I promise!!!!

Hi guys.

Yes, Mick I am ok. I am in Louisiana visiting family. My mom is happy to have me. It is a needed break for me. I do however start graduate school one class (at least that is what I am thinking today-I registered for one summer class). I'll be home at the beginning of next week and will talk about life.

Hope all is well with ya'll.
See you soon. Sorry I haven't been around to anyone's blog, please don't take offense! I still LOVE, ADORE and MISS all of you!