About the bathroom.......

Nothing is work unless you'd rather be doing something else.

George Halas

It started with a small project. The shower needed to be replaced because of an irreparable crack. Well, since we replaced the shower, the flooring would no longer fit close to the shower so we replaced the floor. The floor moulding had to be lifted and hammered back into place so it would need to be caulked. Well, now the moulding needs to be repainted. During the installation of the new shower, the wall was damaged because, the shower is a very tight fit. Now the wall will need to be repaired and of course that will require a subsequent paint job. We will have a new bathroom. Repairing is always more than you could possibly anticipate. The end will be so worth it.

Be vigilant.....always....

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.

Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln said this almost 150 years ago. What I have seen in education withing the past 10 years, as a teacher, is our increasingly uneducated and thoughtless young people. I have students that shine with intelligence and thoughtful opinion and expression but, they have become fewer and farther between. I believe that this quote of Lincoln's is so appropriate for today. It has always been said that "If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything." And in the same manner of thinking, if one has little knowledge he will believe almost anything. We need to have an education revolution. I am trying to do my part but, I am only one. My children are thoughtful and educated. I wish more parents would take an active part in their childrens education. Parent apathy is rampant. Whoever reads this, take heed. Our culture is destroying itself from within.

Do no harm.........

If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins.

Benjamin Franklin

Yesterday, my husband and I voted. Last night we had family over for dinner and, we watched the election returns. I didn't vote for our new president. The reason is because I've read the constitution and our new president believes in instituting change that is not sanctioned by our founding document. Our founding fathers were brilliant. The constitution does not need to be changed. It espouses freedom and individual liberty without trampling on the rights of others. The constitution does not guarantee that we will not fail but, if some assume that it does, we as a nation will dig a deeper hole for ourselves. My country owes me nothing, nor to anyone else, but to establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote (not provide for) the general welfare, and secure the Blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.

To be continued......

It's easy, right?

My formula for living is quite simple. I get up in the morning and I go to bed at night. In between, I occupy myself as best I can.

Cary Grant

Well, we are still working on the bathroom. The light at the end keeps moving futher away. One thing leads to another. The more that we do, the more we find to do. But even though it's not finished, believe it or not, it still looks better. God gave me this remarkable gift of actually envisioning the finished product. For me that's all the inspiration I need. My honey, boss, husband, love of my life, etc., did not receive his "patience" quota that is required on any job (this only applies to our home--he's a builder and always finishes the jobs that pay.) He gets really frustrated when things take more than a day. I think that when I can continue working happy even frustrates him further. He's watching a football game right now. Let the bear lie--do not disturb. I just want to make him happy. I'm glad he's not a girl because he wouldn't make a good one.

Back to the bathroom.......

Work, work, work....

Marrying for love may be a bit risky, but it is so honest that God can't help but smile on it.

Josh Billings

My husband is my hero. If I wanted to be a guy, I'd want to be like him. He is truly a manly man. Put him in a dress and, he could never pull it off. Nothing whimpy, no fear, all muscle and he loves me (except when I'm making a wedding cake.) I have strict instructions to NEVER do that again. I guess that's okay by me--it was a little stressful--maybe more than a little.

Anyway, we are changing the floors in the bathroom. I'm so excited. It looks so much better. I really like physical labor especially floors because I'm sitting all the time. My honey and I work well together, as long as I agree that he's the boss. No problem. I never wanted to be the boss, ever in my whole life. I only like to help and I'm a really good helper. Just ask my last employer. When I was diagnosed with M.S., I couldn't work in surgery anymore. I do keep in touch with him often. He's on a ship in the Mediterranian around Greece.

Back to the floor, I'm so excited about it. I think we'll finish today. Hot dog!!!!!!!! I have also been acquiring a few new items like pillows. When the kids came over, they stayed in our bedroom because, there is more area in our room and the bathroom is attached. When one lives with a certain item long enough it becomes acceptable even though it's not. Well, my daughter said that my pillows were really flat. I thought about it and I dont think that I've bought new pillows in 25 years. Well, it's amazing how much a new pillow can do for you. So, baby girl, when you read this, THANK YOU. I love my new pillows. They are the bomb!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back to the floor......

Whew...I have been bussssy.......

Children make your life important.

Erma Bombeck

I looked at my last post and, I just didn't realize how long it had been since I'd written. This month has been a doozey. My son was married on the 18th. I feel like I've been cleaning for a year. California (my daughter, her husband, and the two grandchildren) came to stay with us. Three days before the wedding, my daughter and I made the wedding cake and the groom's cake. This was no small feat. My daughter and I are both really good bakers but, there was a difference this time. It HAD to look professional. We had a couple of meltdowns but all turned out beautiful. Both cakes were delicious and gorgeous.

It took me about a week to recover from the festivities but, it was all such a blessing.

Today, at 12:16 a.m., my beautiful daughter turned 30 years old. That just doesn't seem possible. Where did all of that delicious time go? I am so proud of both of my children. They are so well grounded, smart, honest, wonderful human beings. If they ever did anything wrong, I don't think that I remember--oh, wait--I just remembered something. It's minor now--not even worth mentioning.

I read my daughter's blog about Halloween. I have very fond memories of Halloween. Each year the kid's would decide what they wanted to be and I would make their costumes. Believe it or not, I still have them. I just recently archived them so that they would remain preserved and unharmed. I remember clowns, bunny rabbits, princess lea and some others. Unfortunately, I don't have my son's T-rex costume nor his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle costume, which in all honesty, were masterpieces. That was a really fun era of my life. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Husband's hungry, gotta go. Later........

I will win...

A loser is a winner if he conquers himself.

Bob Gass

I just read my daughter's blog this morning. It is such an awakening to realize that we change physically as we age. When I was young and was not yet diagnosed with M.S., I juggled a physically and mentally challenging career, an extremely demanding boss (who is now one of my best friends), a marriage, two magnificent children (one of which I might say had an "attitude"). I was my own housekeeper and cook and all taking care of all of the accoutrements that go with that job. In my spare time (this is funny--did I have any? It's a blurr...), I was a long distance runner (a mental health requirement at the time), I played the piano and guitar. Then....

I was diagnosed. The symptoms had been creeping-up on me. In about one day, I lost my job. I must say that my boss was (still is) the best in crisis along with my husband. Not the same husband in the first paragraph. The point of all of this is, in the beginning, everthing changed except my husband (the best). He treated me exactly the same as before I was labeled.

But, there was no more running, no playing piano, no job. All of those doors closed. I learned not to dwell on what I could no longer do but, what I could accomplish. I had to change my methods of doing things. The fatigue associated with this disease is overwhelming. I accomplish, much slower now, but I accomplish many things. I went back to school, got a degree in Anthropology. It takes me about a month to clean the house but, I do what I can when I can.

I never let M.S. conquer me. I have done all that I can to remain healthy. I told my children that there may come a day when I can no longer do for myself but, it will never be because of something that I did to or did not do for myself.

It's been 32 years since my first symptom, and I'm still walking (not pretty but, still walking). I have great faith in God and the Holy Spirit guides me all day. The only credit I take for my good heath, at this point, is that I follow the good directions--physically and mentally and most important, spritually.