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Tuesday, January 31, 2006
My Life Path number?

I haven't had anything to tell you all about for the past couple of days, so I thought I would let you in on a little secret. My life path number! What is that?

Your Life Path Number is 5

Your purpose in life is to life freely and collect experiences.

You love life - new adventures, new people, new ideas.
You are very curious, and you crave novelty in all forms.
You tend to make friends easily, and you enjoy the company of all types of people.

In love, you are fun and even a bit intoxicating. But you won't stick around for long.

You are impulsive and spontaneous - which sometimes leads you to do things you regret.
Sometimes you can be overindulgent with food, sex, or drugs.
You have many talents, so many that you are often scattered and unfocused.

What Is Your Life Path Number?
 
Saturday, January 28, 2006
A 91st birthday! Just imagine.....

Born in 1915, my grandmother made her 91st birthday today. She isn't as spry as she used to be, but her mind is still pretty sharp. I was thinking about all that she has seen in her nearly 100 years. These are some of the things I came up with:

The Great depression
On screen movies
TV
Color TV
Big screen tv
Early Refrigeration (other than just an icebox which she still calls it)
Airconditioning (they used to be lucky if they had attic fans
Cars changing (now they are electric too)
A new century/millennia
Cordless phones in the home
Cell phones
Jet airplanes
Space travel
Man on the moon
Space station
Computers that filled a room to a computer you can carry in your hand.
Drinking white gasoline (she did this when she was young because she thought it was a glass of water, the doctor made her eat butter and drink milk to coat her stomach and esophagus. From that day on, she never ate butter or drank sweet milk again. But she loves buttermilk! Go figure)
Death of her mother - Her mother died in child birth when my grandmother was about 11 years old.
Death of her husband/21 years ago when my grandmother was 70. She never remarried nor would she give another man the time of day. She has always been totally devoted to my grandfather.
Gave birth to one child/73 years ago (my biological father)
2 world wars
Korean war
Vietnam war
Desert Storm

and so much more I couldn't even begin to think of.

Hard to imagine all the changes in this world since she was born. I am 53 and I have seen so many changes during MY lifetime, but for her, there is so much more. It's totally amazing to me when I sit and think about all that she has seen and experienced. And up until a couple of years ago, she could still kick my butt at dominoes!

I wish I could capture all her memories and play them so that I could see them. She and my grandfather used to travel the world. They have been to so many places. I can't even begin to imagine their life together. They were married for over 55 years when he passed away.

Just thought I would share this with you.
 
Thursday, January 26, 2006
New Way to Work
I went a different way this morning to come to work. My car tried to follow the known path but at the corner, I MADE it go the other way. Something different. It really wasn't so bad except for the Now Paws (that is another term for anciently old men or Paw Paws) that get out there at 6:00 am and move at a snail's pace. When don't they stay at home at that time of the morning.....they ARE retired aren't they?

Then you go around them and they look at you like you are a creature from a distant planet that they have never even heard of. What's up with that? THEY are the ones holding up the working folks that need to move a little faster than a snail clip. Maybe they are going to buy a paper. They could have it delivered instead. Or they are going to pick up milk, eggs and bread. They should have gotten that in the middle of the day yesterday.

Now I can tell you that when I am retired, I will NOT be out in the world at 6:00 am. I will be asleep like you are supposed to be at that time of the morning.

Then there are the bitches out there that poke along until you try to pass them and then they speed up to try to keep you from getting around them. That's when I wish I had a bazooka. If I did, I would blow those bitches of the face of the earth. If you want to go slow, that's fine with me, but don't try to keep me from going around you. And then there's the ones that pull out in front of you like they are in such a big hurry, then 1/4 of a mile down the road, they want to turn left and they have to sit and wait for 13 cars to pass before they can. Why didn't they just wait until I passed them (since there were no cars behind ME) and THEN go? Why can't people just be nice and considerate of others?

Anyway, I didn't have to get on the parking lot they call the Interstate this morning and that was nice. I didn't have the Interstate slow downs (stops) to contend with. I know I am bitching a lot, but really all in all my drive to work went quite well. I even stopped and bought 3 dozen Krispy Kreme donuts for the office and still made it to work on time. Hooray!

I guess that's enough bitchin for one day. I think I will leave work early and go home and rest. I am tired and cranky, but I know you can't tell that. Probably from the sugar.
 
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Dirty Rice Recipe

INGREDIENTS:
1 to 1½ #s ground sirloin or ground chuck (something lean)
1 to 1½ #s plain ground pork (not Italian sausage) or ground venison
1 cup finely chopped chicken livers

1 cup each chopped – green onions, celery, white or yellow onions
(I also sometimes use Chef’s Blend pre-chopped veggies)

¼ cup chopped garlic

Salt, pepper, Garlic powder, onion powder, season all, etc. to taste

1 cup finely chopped mushrooms (optional)

2 to 3 cups rice (uncooked)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Sautee the onions and celery and garlic in about a tablespoon of olive oil until the white onions are clear.

Add ground meats and chopped livers to vegetable mix and brown completely. Add mushrooms. Cover with water and simmer meat for several hours (this CAN be done in a crock pot or slow cooker). Keep stirring often and breaking the clumps of meat into smaller pieces. The meat will eventually sort of ‘gel’. This usually takes about 4 to 6 hours of cooking time on the stove or longer with the slow cooker.

Cook the rice using the 2 to 1 method. 4 cups water to 2 cups rice. If you are using 3 total pounds of meat, cook 3 cups rice.

Once rice is cooked and meat is done, add the cooked rice to the meat, mixing completely.

There you have it! Dirty Rice!

It can be reheated in the microwave for a quick snack for lunch too.

Feeds between 10 and 15 people.

Some people use brown gravy on their dirty rice. It’s good with or without it.
 
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Red Beans for DaisyMae



In south Louisiana, most restaurant serve Red Beans and Rice on Mondays.

But why red beans on Mondays?


Here's what Chef Emeril Lagasse has to say about that:

"Monday wouldn't be Monday in Louisiana without red beans and rice.

Legend has it that since Monday was traditionally wash day, an all-day affair before electric washers and dryers, a pot of red beans spent the morning simmering on the back of the stove.

If there was a ham bone left over from Sunday's dinner, it was thrown into the pot of beans. The marrow from the cracked bone and a good amount of herbs and spices made the beans tasty; long cooking made them tender and creamy.

When the laundry was done, so were the beans.

Red beans ladled over fresh steamed rice with a pile of French bread for sopping up every last drop, is the dish and the day of the week that transplanted Louisianans miss the most..."

And here's a little langiappe! If you don't know what langiappe (lan yap), it means a little something extra for nothing.



ENJOY!
 
Monday, January 23, 2006
EASY Button

I need an EASY button. I get so tired of fighting with this company or that company, or this technical support representative and that technical support representative, this piece of equipment or that piece of equipment, this doctor or that doctor, this bank or that bank, this cable company or that telephone company. I am just sick and tired of it all.

Why can't things go smoothly and people hold up their end of deals they make and take pride in their work? People generally have the 'I don't give a sh*t' attitude which causes the rest of us much stress and frustration. I have had work done around my house in the last 6 to 8 months, that I have had to fight about getting it done correctly. I finally had to write a letter to this man and threaten to sue him (why did I have to do that to get his attention).

Another guy just disappeared off the face of the earth after he had his money. (I learned something from that....never pay for something before it is completely finished to your satisfaction). I trust people to much. I always think people are going to be like I am and be honest and when they give you their word, that they will stick by it. Not so.

Now, at work, I am fighting with technical support people from two different companies that both support the same thing and of course, it's always the other ones fault. I don't really give a damn WHO is at fault. I just want it fixed so I can do my work!

Another soapbox subject I guess.


Let's talk about pictures. That is a much more pleaseant subject. I found some more to share with y'all this morning.

This is a walkway through the swampy area near Gramercy which is south of where I live. You can walk through here and just sit and watch the wildlife. It's really beautiful.



This is my baby Cosby....he smiles a lot. He's a very happy little fellow. I adopted him after finding him on an internet site for an animal shelter in New Orleans (a few years before Katrina). He was badly hurt when someone found him but the shelter paid for his surgery for a broken hip (he had to have pins in his leg) and he has made such a sweet companion. Look at that smile. How could anyone not love that! He loves to play with his red dog.



Then here is a picture of the Mighty Mississippi River taken from the I-10 Bridge near Baton Rouge.


Well, I guess that's it for today.
 
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Thanks Mark!


At least I know I am not alone! Here is Mark's word verification interpretation.
ooybrphs = Oy burp High School
And he sent me this link... http://zrharc.blogspot.com/ So now I know there are other crazies that think like me out there. Sillyness....that's what it is and it's a great way to have fun.

I have been telling you all that I would share my fog pictures and I finally found the one I had been looking for and here it is. The lake is all covered in fog.

It was a pretty scene to me.

Here are some more from around here.....
The first one is near Angola State Prison, It's a dry creek bed. I thought it was pretty.

The next one is a drive way to one of the plantations (i just can't remember which one, sorry)


And the covered wagon passed in front of my house (as they do quite often) while we were having a garage sale.

This horse and rider were following the covered wagon.
I enjoy living out in the country because of scenes just like this right in front of my house. You don't see that kind of stuff in the city.

It's been a lazy rainy day and I haven't done much of anything. Tom is watching a boxing match I taped for him (he is watching it while he snores...lol). So I am off to cook some dinner. Have a great evening all!
 
Thursday, January 19, 2006
LazyDuckPaws
That is what this word verification reminded me of today - lzdkpawz - hehehe. I know I am crazy, but I just can't help myself sometimes.

I woke up this morning at 4:00 am shivering.... burrrrrrr..... Somehow, my leg had crept from under the covers and when it finally got cold enough (like it had been in an icehouse) it woke me up. I caught a hard chill, just like if I had had fever. Of course, the ceiling fan was on too and all I had to do was reach up there and pull twice and it would go off, but just to look at it going round and round made me even colder. I finally got up enough umph to make the pulls. I was still cold 30 minutes later when Tom woke up. He got me a another blanket and covered me up. He is so sweet.

I finally got warm again and went back to sleep just in time for him to wake me up again at 5:00. Cinnie, it's time to get up! I don't want to get up, I just got warm again. I know but you got to get up anyway, come on now...... and he pulls all the covers off me!!!!!!!!! SHIVERSSSSS AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't finally warm up good until I got to work. Even my hot shower didn't work. I hope I am not coming down with something.

As I type this, I am sitting at my desk with my heater on under my legs, my sweatshirt on...trying not to move too much. I am sleepy too. (Didn't I say I didn't have anything to complain about? or was that yesterday?) Well, here are a couple of pictures I took recently near my house....just thought I'd share them with you all.

This first one is a grasshopper we call a Devil Horse. They don't fly, but if I see one, it's scares me half to death. I see them crossing the road sometimes, and I try to run over them. BUG KILLER! That is the toe of Tom's tennis shoe. Those are pretty big grasshoppers.

A swamp scene between Baton Rouge and New Orleans near Gramercy. There are cypress knees in the foregrown with a spider web going from them up to the greenery of the trees. I don't know if you can see it in this picture. It's just one string.
This old barn and liveoak tree are located about 20 miles south of my house near Port Vincent, Louisiana. I love barns and have taken lots of barn pictures. My friends in Canada have taken a few for me too. Sweet friends. I have framed a lot of my pictures, given them as gifts, as well as hung them in my house. I have even had one of my photos published in one of those coffee table picture books! Exciting huh? I keep saying that I will do some of this when I retire, and maybe sell some at craft fairs and stuff like that. Who knows, maybe I will make a name for myself. Unlikely, but hey, I can dream!
I guess I am typed out for today. I will catch you next time. Have a great day!
 
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
uwwkbpsr


These letters we have to put in when we leave a post make some of the funniest 'sorta' words. Here's another one..... eufbgc. Try to pronounce that! or this one...... dflubrvj. Anyway, I don't have anything to complain about for a change, so I just thought I would share my crazy thoughts about the letter words.

I live work near the Capitol Building of the state of Louisiana in Baton Rouge. There are lakes that surround this area and sometimes they are right pretty. I love to take pictures around those lakes, because of the wildlife there. Usually at this time of the year, white pelicans come in from where ever they have been and settle into the lakes around the capitol. One day at lunch, I went over there, and this little elderly couple were standing by the lake watching the pelicans fly low across the other side. I took this picture and I love it. It is one of my favorites. I wish I knew who they were so I could give them a print of this. I think they would have liked it too.

Here is another shot from the same time. There are litterly 100s of pelicans here sometimes.

I have many more pictures I could share with you guys, but I will do that later. I will try to find some of my fog pictures of the lakes in the early morning hours just as the sun is coming up. There are benches with huge live oak trees near them around the lakes and I have some foggy pictures that turned our pretty cool. Today our weather is really nice like the pictures above, blue skies and cool, but not too cold.

Enjoy and have a nice day.

 
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
I know we need it!


It is such nasty weather this morning. It rained pretty hard all the way to work this morning. I hate getting out of bed on days like this. I would just rather cover my head and go back to sleep. It is supposed to clear up this afternoon, but turn steadily colder all day. We will have a light freeze tonight. Another reason to cover up my head and stay in bed. Had to get up though! Don't tell Tom I said this, but we really do need some rain. We have a burn ban on right now because it's so dry. Of course the more rain we get the more mosquitos we have when things warm up. I'll touch on that later.

Well, it's my first day back to work in over a week. I have 6 months and 26 days before retirement now. I just keep thinking...Will I make it.....Do I want to go ahead and do it now? Well the answer to the later question is YES, I would love to go ahead and do it now, but then I think...less than 7 months, Cindy. You can do that. One Day at a Time!

Tom spent yesterday cleaning up the fenced in area of the back yard, post house painting from last summer. He doesn't get much time at home, so things take a while to get done. He was proud though and did a great job. He also Kilzed the facia around the porch so that the installer can come and put up our awning over the front and back porches. Hurricane Katrina was nice enough to tear down the previous fiber glass cover so this time, we are putting up steel. Hopefully, that will stay up a while. Since we are having to do the back porch, I decided I want the front done also. I would love to sit out there sometimes, even on rainy days, but there is no cover right now.

I am also thinking of screening in the front porch. It would be nice to be able to sit out there without worry of bugs and mosquitos. The mosquitos here are big enough to carry you away and they HURT when they bite. Sometimes in the summer, you can't stand outside without them
swarming in your face and around your ears driving you crazy! Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!! I can't stand hearing that sound next to my ears. ARGHHHHHH! Slap Slap!

Last summer we had the outside of the house painted and the countertops replaced in the kitchen. This summer, we will work toward making outside more condusive to being able to BE outside. We have a pool, but once dusks sets in, so do the mosquitos. Therefore, no outside time after the sun goes down. Maybe this year though.

Well, I guess that's it for now. I should get some work done since that is what I am supposed to be here for. Have a great day and stay warm and dry!

 
Sunday, January 15, 2006
A young man's view....
This was written by my friend, Angele's son, Jonathan Booth, about his mother. He read it to her about an hour before she died. He also read it at her funeral. I wanted to share it with you all.

Sleep, Sweet Angel

An angel sleeps in this saddened place.
Silently she lays in peaceful grace.
Respite from pain, released sweetly from the fight,
Repose captured in the stillness of the night.

Like a painting she lays upon a bed of broken dreams.
In her heart a purity rarely ever seen.
Upon her brow, a halo pulses faintly and dim,
And her wings are tattered by a sickness from within.

She has suffered long and unfairly,
And yet she remains kind and saintly.
Her love is unyielding, never beseeching.
Quietly she smiles with a hope ever reaching.

We wonder and we question. We do not understand.
We cry and we grieve. We firmly hold her hand.
Her brethren sing softly not wanting to awake
As they wait by her side for her soul to take.

A light pours down, and the earth shudders in dismay.
She clings to us fiercely; for us she wants to stay.
But the Lord calls her gently for she has done her task.
Her light has filled a dimness; in her light doth angels bask.

We tiptoe and whisper for she sleeps as angels do.
Her sins are forgiven. Her fight is through.
Go quickly with your brethren towards that pearly door.
Sleep, sweet angel, sleep and suffer pain no more.


Jonathan Booth
 
Thursday, January 12, 2006
My Soapbox!
I was reading Mox's blog today and it really got me to thinking about what our children and their children are learning or being taught (or not)these days.

Remember being taught simple math in school? I don't think they teach that anymore. For instance, when you go the store and you purchase a case of something that has 4 cans going one way and 6 cans going the other way. The cashiers start counting 1 2 3 4 5 6 ...... all the way to 24. I want to SCREAM! Didn't anyone teach these BIMBOS to just multiply! 4 x 6 = 24. It's that easy folks!, and a lot faster than counting all the way to 24. They actually can count that high. That in itself amazes me.

And phone etiquette... I rarely ever hear the type of appropriate phone etiquette that I was taught anymore. You call and ask for someone and they put you on hold without saying kiss my foot, or please hold, or one moment please or... well you get the picture...... Sometimes you get a half a 'hol' ...click. The click the old button before they are finished saying the word. Once I asked for someone and the phone answerer said "She haven't came back yet!" I couldn't believe it! Doesn't anyone teach phone etiquette and proper English to someone they are going to have answering the phone in their office? Do they ever call their own offices to find out how the phones are being answered? I hear all sorts of jargon, such as 'uh huh'....'yeah'.....'I don't know' (with nothing else like...'but I will see if I can find out for you'). I was taught never to say that kind of stuff to a caller. ARGHGHGHGHHHGHHGH!!!!!

Thank you notes. Do you ever give a gift to someone for a wedding, a baby shower, a housewarming and never get even so much as a howdy do? My mother raised me to not only SAY thank you but to also send a WRITTEN thank you note. I get so irritated when I don't get a simple thank you note.

People don't say Please and Thankyou anymore. I work with someone that says things like "Give me some candy" or "Give me a paper towel" or "I want some of your butter" with never a 'please', 'may I' or a 'thank you'. And most of the time, she just helps herself to whatever is yours without a second thought. And never replaces it either.

I was taught a lot of this stuff in kindergarten. What is happening to our schools and our teachers..(no offense to you Candy). We have no rules for our kids, no consequences for bad behaviour. What is happening to the parents that teach good manners to kids? Are they a disappearing breed? We are the baby boomers folks and I KNOW we were taught better. What about the next generations?

Well, folks, we are loosing the fine art of properness and courtesy. Let's all try to practice a little of it in our every day lives. If you don't know what's proper or courteous, FIND OUT!

Ok, I'll step off the soapbox now. Have a nice day. Please.
 
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
I've been tagged!
I've been tagged by Frogola and I can't pass up a good list, so here goes:

Four Jobs I’ve had:

1. Long Distance Telephone Operator (telling my age now)
2. State Printing Production Manager(for 20 years)Oops, really telling my age!
3. Waitress (cockail and food)
4. IT Mainframe Programmer

Four Places I’ve Lived:

1. Natches, MS
2. Baton Rouge, LA
3. Mobile, AL
4. Walker, LA

4 Movies I’d Watch Again:

1. Little Big Man
2. Somewhere in Time
3. Finding Nemo
4. Pretty Woman

TV Shows I love to Watch:

1. Big Brother
2. CSI Vegas
3. Survivor
4. CSI Miami

4 of My Favorite Foods:

1. Boiled crawfish
2. Fried Catfish
3. Shrimp cooked any ole way
4. Baked Potatos fully loaded

Four Places I’d Rather be Right Now:

1. On the beach
2. Ontario Canada
3. Fishing
4. Retired

Bloggers I’d Like to Tag (sorry guys):

1.
Jules
2.
Woollymutts
3.
Candy
4.
Markd60
 
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Old Friends & Family members
First of all, Yes, Daisy...The Weather Channel is another one husband watches religiously. And if there is a hurricane out in the Carribean or in the Gulf, it is on 24 hours a day. He gets so angry when Storm Stories is on though because then they don't show the local radar nor do they give the updates on the storms. Those are very testy times indeed. Right now the weather is pretty good here, so we are doing great!

I heard from an old friend today. Haven't talked to her in months. We generally have short communications by email, but it was surely nice to talk to her (almost 2 hours) on the phone. We used to work together years ago and she is one of those people you always stay in touch with. It seems we always pick up right where we left off the last time we talked. Lark you are a bright light in my life. Thank you for calling me today. I love you girl.

I spoke with my sister, Susan, Friday to check on my grandmother who will be 92 years old on the 28th of this month. Susan and grandma are doing well. My grandma's mind isn't as sharp as it used to be and she can't hear worth a damn, but her general health is good. She lives at my brother's house in Loxley, AL and also spends time at my sister's some of the time. I am so glad they are taking good care of her. I know she is well cared for.

I was not raised in the same household as Susan (she had a different mother), so we really weren't close growing up. We have only really discovered our sister relationship in the last few years. We have a younger sister too (Shawnta), but she is not close to either of us. It's too bad really. Shawnta could be part of something really wonderful, but chooses not to. Oh well, maybe she'll come around one day.

I am rambling again, so I will close for now. Have a good day.
 
Saturday, January 07, 2006
The History Channel
YUCK! I have never liked the subject of history and now I am forced to watch it on TV. My husband loves to watch the History Channel. It has to be one of the most boring channels shown. All it is is still pictures of stuff that a person is talking about. If I wanted to see still pictures, I would read a book with pictures in it. BOOOOORINGGGGGGGGGGG!

Now, on the other hand, I love Discovery, and Surgery, and Trauma ER, etc. etc. etc. Those are usually exciting. I like mega structures usually. And of course, I like the chick flicks on the Lifetime channel. I consider watching those to be a brainless activity that I long for sometimes. Brainless activity is good.

Hee hee, husband must have gotten bored too...he is snoring in his recliner! Isn't he the cutest thing? He is so good to me!
Changing the channel, I am.

Today I have spent most of the day just lounging and doing brainless things....watching tv (husband was outside), sleeping, and little else. I did cook dinner though. But that didn't take much brain activity either. Now tomorrow will be crunch day. I will have to wash all the clothes and do things to get ready for the week ahead.

Have a great rest of the weekend folks!
 
Friday, January 06, 2006
In Loving Memory

This is a picture of Angele M. Dumestre, our friend and guardian angel.

Here is a poem my co-worker wrote 3 days ago about our friend and co-worker, Angele. I thought you all might enjoy reading it. It epitomizes exactly who she was and what she meant to us all.




Golden Angel

I woke up crying in the night.
Our Golden Angel's taken flight.
Reluctantly the wings release.
I feel their gentle beating cease.

.
.
.

They're drawn to us; they're drawn to heat.
They fan life's flames with gentle beat.
They cherish life, they nurture love;
reflecting light from up above.
We know that light, we know it all;
but sometimes we can not recall
until we feel the wings withdraw,
and then we find that we're in awe
of things of which we weren't aware
when gentle cov'ring wings were there.

.
.
.

She came among us bearing light;
a gentle warmth that just felt right.
We saw a loving caring soul
who made us feel that we were whole;
that if 'twas fault or lacking there,
then she should be the one to bear
whatever blame that there might be.
How eager she to set Us free.

Dispensing gifts to right and left,
she'd give it all ... she's not bereft.
She put her own life on the shelf;
esteeming others more than self.
And if her thoughts got lost in flight
(flutter of wings beyond our sight),
you knew if she forgot your name
she knew your spirit all the same.

For when I'd have those times of doubt
my Angel always found me out.
When cynicism had it's way,
"You mock", I'd hear the others say.
My Angel fixed me with a stare,
said "No. I see believer there."
And in my heart I blushed to know
that this one knew that it was so.

She'd smile at us as we made jest,
but she would put our words to test.
She would not bear an unkind word
(pretending that she had not heard).
We all should hope that He above
will show to us this sort of love.
And we to whom she has been lent
should wonder at what we've been sent.

.
.
.

Mother above on us looks down;
She often has good cause to frown.
Yet us She holds in palm of hand
until we reach that distant land
where once again we'll know the light
(we think we see, but oft' lose sight).
At need She'll send a Golden One;
to push us back into the sun.

Queen of Heaven on us you smile;
sending helpers for every trial.
They come among us bearing light,
protecting wings beyond our sight.
Why is it that we do not see
the Golden Angels sent from thee?

Dan
 
Thursday, January 05, 2006
New Orleans cemetary

It's been a long day today to bury our co-worker/friend, Angele. Here are a couple of pictures of what it looks like where she is buried in New Orleans at Greenwood Cemetary.














After the Funeral Mass at the Chapel, it was not a very far trip to the Cemetary. As many times as I have been to New Orleans, I have never been in one of the cemetaries there. It was very interesting to drive through and just look at the dates on those concrete and marble vaults dating back to the 19th century, maybe even older than that. I would like to go back one day, just to go through and check out the dates there. The driveways are barely wide enough for a vehicle to pass and in some cases, totally impossible. The casket had to be carried to the actual burial vault.

Truly amazing that the vaults are still in as decent a shape as they are even after the hurricane flood waters. But then, I am not sure the waters traveled to this particular cemetary. Speaking of the hurricane, we saw lots of damage down there, but we didn't go into the worst part of the area. What we were able to see was pretty bad. I can't imagine what those poor people went through and are still going through. As a matter of fact, Angele's sister who lives in New Orleans with her husband and son, lost her home too. I saw pictures of the damage and it is total devastation.

After we left the cemetary, everyone went to a local restaurant and stuffed our faces. I was famished. They served everything buffet style and it was so good. Good creole cooking! YUM! Angele would have enjoyed the eats. She loved her food, especially sweets! Chocolate in particular.

The traffic was terrible going down to New Orleans this morning, but it wasn't too bad coming back. Well, I am glad it's over now. We will always remember such a special Golden Angel that we were allowed to know for only a short time.

Dear Angele, we shall meet again.
 
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Blocked!
Here is the story:

The grocery store didn't have it (what is it?) but when I tried to by-pass checkout, it was blocked and I couldn't get past there. The lady in the wheelchair had 4 tiny dogs in her lap and under her lap blanket yapping their little tiny heads off. After a lot of struggling and pushing and pulling, I finally got out of there and thought my truck was gone, because I couldn't see it through the blinding fog...but I finally found it right where I left it. Trying to get out of the parking lot, I am going down a two lane road; a motor home is taking up most of the road, so that I almost get pushed completely off the road. My truck becomes a motor home and is now parked; it is blocked in the parking lot now by a boat with wings. The wing tips are touching the side of my 'motor home'. Got people to move the winged boat, very nice people, a big family traveling in the boat with wings (in the parking lot). Just about to pull out of parking area, have to go around a couple of trees and then come back through to get out. Wide open area, no problem.....Then the big white cadillac pulls in and blocks me again. I SCREAMMMMMMMMM!!!!

then I wake up.

Odd, but when I woke up and really started thinking about the dream, I had to write it all down because I had felt so trapped. Funny how our dreams take on the impressions of our lives. I guess I have been feeling a bit trapped. I do feel lots better today though. I went to sleep at 7:30 last night and slept till 9:30 this morning. I guess I really needed that. I feel more positive today while yesterday I just wanted to beat the crap outta somebody...didn't really matter who either! I don't like it when I feel that way because I have no fear. A girl could get hurt that way you know.

Anyway, thank you all for listening to me and helping me to realize that it's ok for me to feel what I was feeling. Your support is awesome and so appreciated. I think I am on the mend now. I do have to attend that funeral tomorrow, but I think I can do it now without feeling like the world is coming to an end. I have several people from work riding with me, so I won't be alone. That's a good thing too.

I am actually smiling today where yesterday I just wanted to crawl in a hole and stick my head in the sand. Thanks all! I love you guys and gals!
 
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
What Am I Feeling?
Am I blue or tired or getting sick? I don't really know, but I just don't feel quite up to par today. I am at work for the first time in 10 days. Maybe that has something to do with it too. I just had lunch and now all I want to do is lay down and sleep. I guess that could be part of being blue too, or tired, or getting sick. Hmmmmmm. Well, I guess I will find out which it is later.

I am glad I started blogging. I used to say I will never do that because I didn't necessarily want all my business on the 'street' so to speak. However, I have made some new friends, and have gotten a lot of support from all of you and for that I am greatful!

I am sitting here at my desk looking at my little bitty Christmas tree that needs to be put away and I just don't have the energy. It would probably take all of 5 minutes to put it all up but I just don't wanna. I'd rather go to the beach or scuba diving with Mark in the Cayman Islands. Mark, you know who you are.

A friend sent me some pictures today of the damage in New Orleans and it's just hard to even imagine the total devastation there. Flood waters to the roofs. It sure seems we are having a LOT of natural disasters these days. Floods and fires, hurricanes, ice storms, winds, tsunami. What is going on with nature. I don't think it's good, whatever it is.

I just found out this morning that my husband has been assigned a huge project at work. (he is a highway construction inspector) This job is going to require nights and weekends of work for many months. He already works so many hours that we don't get to see each other much. I think this may put a strain on us that neither of us are ready for. He said that he felt the same way and expressed that to his boss....trying to get the assignment to go to an unmarried employee. Didn't work out that way though. During the duration of this job, we will have to be very careful, that's for sure.

I think coming back to work, and having everyone ask me questions about our co-worker, is not helping my mood at all. I was coping better at home that I am here. Her funeral is not until Thursday. That's a long wait.

I am just rambling on and probably putting everybody on a downer. Sorry...maybe tomorrow will be better for me. Please just put up with me for a few days. I think I need a little sunshine!!!


 
Monday, January 02, 2006
Back in order.....
Tom and I spent the day today putting up Christmas decorations and getting the tree out the door. I am glad to be back to normal (whatever that is). I was getting tired of all the disorder, but I did enjoy the holidays, at least, for the most part. We had a lot of bad news but all of us were safe and well and we can be thankful for that.

We have to go back to work tomorrow, YUCK! I have enjoyed being off from work. It indicates to me how much I will enjoy retirement. This week will be a short week because I get off at 3:30 instead of 4:30, plus it's only 4 days long. One of those days will be spent in New Orleans at Angele's funeral. Final arrangements are still pending.

I will close for now. I think I should crochet for a while before bed. Or maybe I'll just go to bed and read a while. That sounds good too. Good night.
 
Sunday, January 01, 2006
A better day/a better year
Today was a better day, I think. Tom and I picked up my Mom and we three went to Heather and Allen's place for New Years Day dinner. It was nice. Allen's mother, dad and grandmother were there. We had our traditional black eyed peas, cabbage and ham with cornbread. mmmmmmmmmm....good.

The weather wasn't that great. It rained off and on for a little while and it was overcast and muggy. Everything was wet even before it started to rain, just from the humidity being at 150 percent. lol At least, that is what it seemed to be. It was so hot and sticky. Karen, I know it was cold up there in Toronto, but it had to be better than sitting in a steam bath.

We got back home just after dark and I started turning on the airconditioning to cool the house down. Yuck! Hot! We sat down and watched "Enemy of the State". It was ok, but it didn't really thrill me. Tom enjoyed the movie.

I am tired tonight. I think the emotional state I have been in has really taken a toll on me. It seems the emotional roller coaster has been going on since right after Thanksgiving. If you read back through this blog, you will see why. Too many deaths, and injuries to speak of again.

Today is the first day of the new year. It's got to be better that 2005 was in the last few months. Hurricanes, floods, roof damage, etc. etc. No good. 2006, here we come!

Happy new year to you all.