Thursday, March 27, 2008

How Rain Can Make a Kentucky Girl a Little Blue

It is raining today. Earlier it was storming. It was storming while I was still in bed. JoJo was safely tucked next to my feet and snoring, and when the thunder began there was a large golden lab tucked next to my body. I had to put my hand on Chewie's head for him to stop shivering. Sometimes I get so sorry for him because of the life he led before he found us and a really good home that my heart just floods with love and compassion for him. When he did stop shivering he fell asleep with a paw over his nose and his body pressed up to my side like a little kid. Gabby came into the bedroom while it was storming, as did Cappa, the cat, but it wasn't to be comforted I don't believe, but to comfort. Gabby went around the bed and checked on everyone, they lay down in the next she has made for herself in the bedroom and began snoring loudly in about five minutes.

I just lay there, surrounded by love, and thought about how my life has changed. There was a time when I would lie in bed or hide in my room and listen to the storms and wonder if I was ever going to be free. Free from a small town and prejudice. Free from feeling as if I genuinely did not belong. Free from feeling so trapped in my life that death seemed like the only answer. Today it was easy to genuinely see how my life has changed for the better and I am so very thankful to God for not giving up on me.

Then, without expecting to, I thought about my Mom and Dad and how they sacrificed so much for me. Their sacrifice always makes me feel a little sad because I didn't appreciate it when I was younger, not the way I do now. Perhaps this is part of growing up and realizing just how much life you have lived and just how much you can appreciate the life you have now.

I said in the title to this entry that the rain made me blue, but it didn't. Not really. It made me reflective and quiet. It also gave me a peaceful feeling, so that when I did get up and start moving for the rest of my day I did so without worries of what would happen if this or that wasn't done, and it also helped me see just how much I care about this home of mine and the people and creatures who help to actually make it home for me. I am genuinely blessed.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Looks Familiar

Humorous Pictures Last night was the first night back to class for me to Sullivan. I could not have gone or actually been relaxed in any sort of way had not Sniffles gone with me. If I had her permission I would actually speak her name and laud her praises to the sky until the end of time.

CSC 104 in class is just as boring as on-line sadly. There are tons of projects to do and have e-mailed to the instructor and, luckily for me, I am a week ahead already because we did the first week and then the second week last night as far as homework is concerned. Now all I have to do is finish the homework before Tuesday of next week. I am working on that today with breaks here and there.

Being back in the classroom was beyond awesome, even if it was boring. Not only do I run on sunshine, as some friends have happily proclaimed for years, but I also run on social gatherings whether that is in school, at Church, at tai chi, or anywhere else I may happen to be. For the first hour I was enthused, juiced with electricity, and then the reality of the class hit and I slowed down considerably. After a break though I was ready to go again. Sort of.

Tomorrow night is Tort law and Hubby is going with me. I am going to be enjoying it tremendously, but I am not at all sure about him. He will either sleep or go to the lounge until I text him and tell him I need him or something I suspect. Either way I won't be alone. Not really: Last night I learned I am going to need someone with me in order to help me get to the rest room during those quick, short breaks, and to help with the crutches and other little mundane things I hadn't even thought about prior to going, because I didn't know if I would have problems or not. Isn't it strange how that happens? You discover something you didn't expect and then meet the need as quickly and efficiently as you possibly can?

However, I suspect Hubby will change off Thursdays with Sniffles so he can game. We shall see. Now back to the homework.

see more crazy cat pics

Monday, March 24, 2008

Monday...It's Monday...

Today has been one of those oddly nonproductive-productive days. Hubby went to work and didn't come home for lunch because he has lots of work to do and he also wants to go to service tonight. This has meant I have had one of those (now) unusual items of a day completely alone except for the animals. Even though it has been most refreshing it has also been something a little off kilter for me for some reason. Perhaps Hubby coming home for lunch has become something of the norm? At any rate, I do understand we will have to begin to pack him a lunch several times a week in order to save money since gas has gone up over $3 here in Lexington. Can anyone remember when it used to be under $1? I can. And I miss those days. Hopefully this will encourage people to purchase hybrids so we won't have to worry too much about gas and petroleum fuel for a while in the near future. I can hope can't I?

Made it to tai chi Saturday. We got there late because...I'm not sure why exactly. We had time and then we didn't. At any rate, we got there, and it was SO wonderful to be able to practice and to move. Just Bill was encouraging and I really did miss everyone! *sigh* Now I must practice alone, with Hubby or with Hubby and...The ShowMan. This isn't going to stop my tai chi practice, but at the same time it does put a different spin on it, which is OK for now. It is only a temporary stall to learning. Plus, Hubby and I will be going to the Kite Festival in Georgetown and spend a good part of the day there, after class of course.

Tomorrow is the beginning of classes for me. It is the repeat of the CSC class. I am looking as forward to it as possible. Surprisingly you have no idea how really "possible" that is right now. The nerves are really kicking into over-drive, which is normal I suppose.

Friday, March 21, 2008

Not a Happy Friday Overall

Today has been one of those days where I could really have been happier to have been doing anything than what I was because I have been fighting a virus all day. It was a stomach thing I probably picked up from the game last night.

Ah, the game. There is much I would say about the game, but this will have to wait until later.

So, today has been a day of illness, and tomorrow is the last Saturday Hubby and I will have together because of stupid school.

More later, Dear Readers. Now I go sleep and hope this crud is seriously over with.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

I Remember When....

... My guy had to do shiftwork. I am SO happy he has a good job now.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

You have not been forgotten, Dear Readers!

funny pictures
moar funny pictures

A lot has been happening of late. Not all of it has been good, and not all of it has been bad.

School
According to the registrar I did not pass CSC this last quarter. It appears that when I fell and hit my head that I missed two tests instead of one, and since I could only make up one of them I was sunk from the get-go. OK, I can deal with that if necessary, which it is necessary, of course, to do.

So, my class schedule has changed. I will have night classes this quarter, as well as a Saturday class. I tried my best to get out of the Saturday class, but there is nothing I can do about it. I must have a full class load and the only options available to me are the ones I have taken, including the Saturday class.

It doesn't really sound horrible, in many ways, but the class begins at eight o'clock in the morning on Saturday and is over at 11:40 a.m. Eight flippin' o'clock in the morning! And the subject matter - litigation. Yep, you got it, a hard ass class early in the morning on a Saturday!

Hubby isn't pleased either. He doesn't want anything to do with the Saturday class, but I think he is going to drop me off at class where Sniffles is going to be waiting for me to help me get to class. Sniffles has been a God-send so far this quarter. She is going to help me on Tuesdays and Saturdays and Hubby is going to drop me off on Thursdays.

What does this mean in general? No tai chi or Stone's Throw for me until the end of this quarter. Hubby is probably going to go on to tai chi, but he isn't happy about anything about this quarter because it has thrown everything off we would normally do - Saturdays are usually the days we spend together. It is "our" day.

I can't do anything else, and Hubby is unhappy.

I am somewhat unhappy, too.

This quarter stinks.

Plus, we haven't heard one single thing from Medicare about the power chair. You know, I really miss my life, the life I used to have.

Life in General
The arthritis pain has been pretty rough. Sunday I sincerely felt as if I had had as much as I could handle. Monday I was grumpy as sin, which Hubby detested and yelled at me for (this was also the day we found out about the changes in the school schedule). I guess I deserved being yelled at for being grumpy: I let myself give in to the seemingly never ending pain and discomfort.

Thankfully, today has been a little better, even though it is still raining and the temps are flip-flopping like a yo-yo.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Finally

The final in CSC is over. It was taken yesterday. I must admit I am not at all pleased with it all, but there is little I can do about it now - what's done is done. If it must be re-taken, then it will be so and I will endeavor to do my utmost and pull an A out of that silly creature!

Gah!

Letting that silly class go in my head has become something a little trickier than I thought. Still, evening classes and one on-line class begins on March 24th, until then, however, I am free.

Free? You mean there is actually time to sit and do what I want and need to do? My poor head and heart won't know exactly what to tackle first, you know. Cleaning and organizing are going to be on the top of the list, and then writing. There is a short story that has been knocking around in my brain for the past couple of weeks, and it is about time it actually makes it to paper. I did try putting it down just on the computer screen, but it felt as if it was running away from me into uncontrollable spirals, so I am going to whip out the old reliable pen and paper, get it down, then type it up. It may come out in spurts, stories tend to do that you realize, so there will be spurts of writing and spurts of typing. About the only thing I can genuinely say here, comfortably, is that this story is most definitely a short story.

There might just be one more thing I can say about the story - I am sending this one off. I don't know where, but once it is finished it is going out to face the world. It has been several months, almost an entire year, since I have received a rejection slip, or an acceptance letter. Cheyenne has already received two rejections for a poem he has sent out. He is ahead of me this year. I might not be able to catch up, but I can give it a serious go.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

S.C. Church Fighting to Evict White-Supremacist Store

There is a video from Yahoo News/AP Press about a store in an old theatre in Laurens, S.C. that is a white supremacist store. There you can purchase anything you could possibly want or need for a good ol' cross burning, including the white sheet costumes.

The rub is, the theater is owned by a black pastor and black church in Laurens (which was named after a slave trader). In the video the store owner, a young white man says, "If this store falls, the nation will fall." Yeah, right, gimme a break! When has any insignificant little store been the downfall of an entire nation. Some might even call this delusions of grandeur.

Why people try to keep a "race war" concept going is beyond me, especially in this 21st Century. We are a nation of all kinds of skin colors and origins. It always has been. Who actually believes it was just pure white people who colonized this nation? The pure white people took the land from the Native people here and even now refuse to accept the true responsibility of what was done to an entire people. Yet, the white race is supposed to be superior. What superior thing has the white person done for the good of humanity? Has it been only white people who have helped make the advances that we call the modern age? I don't think so - we have cell phones and computer technology that comes from a think tank of advancements from all over the world. I hate to burst your bubble, people, but America is a little bit behind on the technological advancements in computers and cell phone arenas, as well as in health care for the common person.

Besides that, we're fighting a war that has no purpose or base and putting out own people into harms way because...ooops we made a mistake?

No one skin color is better than any other skin color. We are all just people God created. What do we have the right to fuss about it if God looked upon what he had made and called it Good?

Monday, March 10, 2008

A Monday Without Pepsi

OK, I feel like this bunny looks. You can check out the full caption over at Disapproving Rabbits. Just click the title of this entry and it should take you right to the site. It amazes me how angry and determined a bunneh can look!

I ran out of Pepsi on Friday and because of Lent we have not purchased any more because I decided it would be a good idea to give it up for a little while. Saturday I had a Coke, so it wasn't so bad, but not one single Coke or Pepsi has been had since Saturday. I have tea, mind you, and it is good tea. I made it just the way I likes it. But it isn't a Pepsi.

It isn't a loss of caffeine either because I have had a good strong cup of coffee. I miss having my afternoon Pepsi and reading over my e-mails and going through the knitting sites, and news sites. Until you say you aren't going to do something for a while you really don't see just how much something is a comfort until you can't have it for a while. As of right now I definitely know one thing that is going into our Pascha basket.

I don't have a caffeine headache, but there is a headache present: It seems the headache from my fall has come back. It just loved me so much it couldn't leave me alone. *sigh* Yes, I realize this isn't a very spiritual admission, but it is very much a true one. Pepsi is one of my daily comforts, and without it I realize just how much a comfort it is, and I miss it. However, at the same time I know I can do without it for a while and will learn how to make it through with other things.

One reason why Pepsi is important is because of my Mommy, and I didn't realize it until today. When I was growing up, and during those years of when I was at home before going to college, my Mom and I would take a break during the day, but not with coffee -- we would have a nice cold Pepsi, either over ice or straight from the fridge. We would relax and talk about problems, or gossip about what was happening on Stinnett; and sometimes we would talk about the Bible and what we thought certain passages meant. I know I will never get over missing her, but I didn't realize just how much of my Pepsi addiction was linked with relaxing with her, as well as finding that one special time during the day to let everything go that wasn't overly important in preparation of greeting my guy when he gets home from work, and then cooking supper.

Perhaps now I will appreciate my afternoon Pepsi just a little more, since I've realized just how special it truly is for me.

Sunday, March 09, 2008

Orthodox Lent

Today is the official beginning of Orthodox Lenten observance. It is known the world over as Cheese Fare Sunday because this is the day we give up the dairy and egg products if we have selected them to be in our regimen. Since I have protein issues, I am keeping those, but I always enjoy this day, this beginning. Tonight is the most wonderful of services called Forgiveness Vespers. We ask each other's forgiveness, and we give it ourselves. It is a most humbling service, and one of the most beautiful. I will be missing it this year because of the snow. I don't do snow very well because of the crutches and the wheels, but the snow is melted. However, I had already decided I wasn't going, because I have decided I am actually going to look after myself this year, especially since that fall. Some effects are still felt, such as the bruise on my back, and my left arm is still sore, but, thank God, it is better. And, I can now say in all honesty my headache is gone!

To celebrate the beginning of Lent, I have made myself some wonderful iced tea. The old fashioned Lipton iced tea, but decaffeinated because this will be my beverage of choice for Lent since giving up Pepsi and carbonated beverages. I did it my Mommy's way - boil the water, then put the tea bags in, then, before it completely cools, put the sugar in and let it melt. I had already prepared my pitcher by adding ice to it and just a little cool water. When I poured the hot tea over the ice the smell that came up made my mouth water!

The snow we received night-before-last and yesterday is practically all gone today. The temperature has risen to 37*F and the sun is shining like a new beginning. I am really going to work at this Lent being a new beginning for me spiritually. Everything has a chance of being better for me, and I genuinely want to increase that chance by doing everything I can to establish good habits and practices on the inside as well as the outside.

The outside has always been a problem for me until the retreat with Mother Gabriella. She said that one thing a lot of people didn't realize was that the nuns and monks have a duty to keep their bodies as healthy as their souls. It doesn't mean they have a killer exercise regimen because they do everything for themselves such as grow food, made products to sell, and do their own fishing. They are doing hard work instead of just exercising. Since nearly every movement is hard work for me, I thought I would add to the movements and do some extra exercising and get my body and my spirit in better order. By the time Lent is over I should have lost at least a dress size and feel better about myself and life in general.

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

The Beginning of Eastern Orthodox Lent

In a way, this past Sunday, called Meat Fare Sunday, is the beginning of Lent for many of us Eastern Orthodox Christians. On that day we give up all meat, if possible, and after Cheese Fare Sunday, which is this coming Sunday, everything else we are taking out of our diet as well as the things we have decided to add in for the Lenten observance begins.

Since there are some certain health issues I must be very aware of, I am keeping fowl, dairy, and eggs in my diet. However, this Lent I am trying to be very aware of the times I eat chicken or fowl. So far this week I have not eaten any chicken and I am actually quite proud of myself. Instead of chicken I have been adding in nuts, fruits, and just being very careful of what I eat. Tomorrow I will make certain and eat some chicken and on Saturday.

One of the things I am giving up this Lent is Pepsi. Luckily I don't have to give it up until next week. It is going to be most difficult to give that silly beverage up, simply because I depend on it when going out to eat. And it isn't just Pepsi in particular, but ALL carbonated pops/beverages. Sometimes some of the hardest things to do during Lent is giving up the standbys we have all come to depend upon.

Another thing Hubby and I have decided to give up is a good amount of television programs. Since I watch a lot of television or have it on during the day, giving up the TV is going to be difficult. Hubby suggested I keep *How Clean Is Your House?* and *You Are What You Eat* because they are helpful, and, of course, the noon news for the weather reports.

Since a lot of things I cannot take out of my diet, this Lent I have added in several different things to make sure I am doing something productive in my faith and honoring what this season truly means: I have added in Bible reading, and my prayer rope of the Jesus Prayer each and every day. True, there isn't a set time for doing either, but my day is usually a little different, but, so far, I have been able to do this relatively well. Keeping it going, of course, is going to be the interesting part.

This Lent I am actually looking forward to - a new beginning for me and my faith, belief. It is difficult to have faith in this day and age, and seasons such as this help us re-define ourselves with the faith and belief we have. It is important, I believe, to participate in them.

Monday, March 03, 2008

Knitting Alert!

A finished object is over here.

Self-Explanatory

Humorous Pictures
Enter the ICHC online Poker Cats Contest!