Random Thursday

This photo from yesterday's christening of Prince George hit the media today. How precious is that boy? Am I the only one who thinks how sad it is that he will never know his amazing Grandmother, Princess Diana? Am I the only one who thinks it's amazing that Princess Diana could be a grandmother? I'm still stunned that people I grew up with are grandparents. I guess since I was a mom before most of my friends, I assumed that I would be a grandmother first, too. Not that I mind the wait. I'm really not in a rush. Everything in it's due time.

Austin spent the night away last night so I was alone in this big house by myself all night and most of the day today. It doesn't really bother me to be alone. I sorta like it. Logan stopped by this afternoon to pick up his phone charger and we had a long talk. The gas men came to fill the propane tank. The trash men came. So, even when you're alone out in the middle of nowhere, you're never really alone. Especially if you have high maintenance cats.

My food fascination of the week is instant mashed potatoes. Comfort food. It's cold out there, people! I've also shifted from my constant cup of juice over ice and am now enjoying hot tea and hot chocolate. I quit coffee earlier in the summer and I haven't missed it yet. When you don't have to get up until you want to get up, you don't have as desperate of a need for coffee. Who knew?  We're also beginning the eggnog season early and I bought real nutmeg to grind over it. It's one of those love 'em or hate 'em dishes and for me, it's true love.

Speaking of true love - where are my readers falling on the Kimye engagment? (Kanye West + Kim Kardarshian, for those who aren't in the know on such things). I pretty much abhor Kanye and see him as a narcissist who could easily cross over to abuser. I say, "take the baby and run, Kim". I did enjoy Golddigger, though. My favorite song of that ilk. Kim, to me, is just a phase. Sure, she doesn't really DO anything but she's carved out quite the celebrity for herself by doing nothing so I've got to respect that in the smallest, tiniest way. She's more notorious than famous but... whatever. I'm fascinated by the dynamics of that kind of blended family but I'm sure much of what we see on their reality shows is scripted. Fact or fiction, it's an interesting story.

Today has not been a bad day as far as back pain is concerned but I'm having sort of a fibromyalgia flare in that I keep feeling fluish and really run down and have random aches in places that don't usually ache. All of this could be attributed to other things too but just like my doctor told me when he finally diagnosed me with fibro - it becomes the reason for everything. Today it's sore throat, headache, the flu-ey thing I mentioned before and... yeah. I just don't feel good. I even contemplated taking a nap and just couldn't do it. I also thought about an early bedtime but I want to see the new Grey's Anatomy.

I'm trying to keep this blog fresh... I've been using this format for Five YEARS now and I've been blogging for nearly nine years. I enjoy giving the daily recap... I also enjoy pontificating on subjects that interest me. I had a conversation yesterday that enlightened a reader as to how much of my life's drama I DON'T share. I try - I'm not always successful but I try to keep the blog restricted to My Story without sharing something that someone else in my life might not want me to share... and I try to say things in a way that wouldn't be offensive to people I knew read here. A lot gets censored. So while confiding in a trusted Mother Hen yesterday she was surprised at how much goes on behind the scenes that doesn't make it here. There's a whole lot more crazy below the surface! I'm not going to change THAT aspect but I would like to share stories with you that you might find interesting. Would you like to hear about my college years? Also known at the time that I was a working mom with three kids - of course I didn't go to college! But those were fun years nonetheless. How about my time working in theatre? Some of the behind the scenes secrets that can be revealed. More about family history? More about the characters that make up our huge, diverse family? If there's anything you want to know more about, just let me know.

And now I'm ready to tuck into bed. I may not make it all the way through Grey's but I'll give it a shot. Happy Weekend-Eve, y'all! Love and hugs!

Overcomer

I've always been someone who found inspiration all around me. Back in the years when I was a single working mom there were a lot of people in my orbit and a lot of places to draw inspiration. Since I'm mostly home most of the time now, that orbit has shrunk quite a bit but thanks to the magic of the internet, I am exposed to a lot of people, many of them providing inspiration.

From the blog, "I Life Up My Eyes to the Hills"....
Here's what I read in my Jesus Today:  "I am taking care of you.  I know how hard this is to believe when conditions that are troubling you get worse instead of better.  It's easy to feel as if I am letting you down-as if I really don't care about what you're going through.  You know I could instantly change your circumstances, and you can't understand why I seem to be so unresponsive to your prayers.  But I repeat:  I am taking care of you.  

She's battling ovarian cancer and things are not looking good. She's one of so many warriors. Everywhere you look on the internet (and in real life, I suppose) there are people who are suffering, facing disaster, discouraged, lonely... and in every mess there is the potential for a message. I'm listening to a lot of those messages lately. 

I'm not really into popular music. It's not that I have anything AGAINST popular music. I mean, there's a lot of stuff out there that I find offensive and some of the lifestyles of the performers are particularly disgusting *cough*JustinBieber*cough*.  Mostly I listen to Contemporary Christian music because I need the encouragement. However, there is a song by Katie Perry that I really love - "Roar". I'm going to try to embed a video for you that was made by a group of kids with cancer. 

If you have a few minutes, listen to this. I promise, there are no bad words and you can actually understand what she's saying. Katie Perry seems to be really good at doing this kind of enthusiastic anthem. She's not pulling me back into the secular music scene but this song is a great encouragement for people - any people - who are suffering. 

I hate reading lyrics but I'm going to put them here for those of you who don't/can't pull up the youtube link. You'd rather listen to it, though. This video is amazing. 

I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath
Scared to rock the boat and make a mess
So I sat quietly, agreed politely
I guess that I forgot I had a choice
I let you push me past the breaking point
I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything

You held me down, but I got up (hey!)
Already brushing off the dust
You hear my voice, your hear that sound
Like thunder, gonna shake the ground
You held me down, but I got up
Get ready 'cause I had enough
I see it all, I see it now

I got the eye of the tiger, the fire
Dancing through the fire
'Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion
'Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar!

Read more: Katy Perry - Roar Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

Good stuff. There is another song out right now on Christian radio that has this same theme of being strong and... well, being an overcomer. It's actually called "Overcomer" and it's by Mandisa. She's been a favorite of mine for several years because she can belt these big anthems and out of the three CD's I've bought in the past five years, hers is one of them. Here's a video with lyrics of Mandisa's song. 

And lyrics... just part of them.... but they're even better than "Roar", if you ask me. (And since you're reading here, I'm going to assume that you're semi-interested in my opinion on things.) 
You're an overcomer
Stay in the fight ‘til the final round
You're not going under
‘Cause God is holding you right now
You might be down for a moment
Feeling like it's hopeless
That's when He reminds You
That you're an overcomer
You're an overcomer

This just piggy backs on my entry from yesterday. I've got a lot of reasons to be pretty miserable right now and I just can't be. I went out this morning to buy groceries and I was able to buy groceries. I was able to put gas in a car that I own. I'm able to insure that car despite not having worked in almost six months. I was in a good bit of pain by the time I got home but I did what I had to do. 

There's a chill in the air and we're headed down toward freezing tonight. The cold air is refreshing. There are white caps on the lake from the strong wind. It's so much better than the constant rain we had all summer. The leaves aren't at peak yet but they're definitely changing colors and everywhere I look there's all this incredibly beauty. 

So what if my body doesn't work like it used to? I'm still getting where I need to go, finding lots of beauty and inspiration in the world around me and that makes every day worth waking up to. 

Thanks for inspiring me to gather my thoughts everyday and share them with the knowledge that there are people out there who want to hear what I have to say. Love and hugs, y'all. 

All I Can Do

It's been quiet and cool so far this week and I've been nesting more deeply than usual. Austin's Basement Clown Posse is otherwise engaged and so it's just been me, the kid and the cats. Very quiet.

It was so quiet today I sat in the living room this afternoon and watched two deer wander through the front yard. Since there were no dogs barking they lingered in the yard for awhile. I caught pictures of them through the screen door. I didn't want to startle them away by opening the door. I'm wondering... minus them eating the garden (which, didn't do anything this year anyways)... and the unfortunate deer vs. car accidents, is there any reason we wouldn't want deer in our yard? I'm just contemplating putting something out to attract them since I enjoy watching them. And then I realize how old and sedentary that makes me sound... wanting to commune with nature in that way.

I had a call from the disability attorney yesterday making sure I had received the second denial. Yep. We began the appeal process. They just reviewed what we've reviewed a half dozen times since May and made an appointment for a conference call on November 4th to complete the paperwork. I can't even say that I'm frustrated or disappointed with the process at this point. I knew from the beginning that it would be a long process and that very few people get approved on the first or second attempt. I worry about running out of money (which seems to be flying out the door way too fast between grocery shopping and Christmas shopping) but I don't worry about the process. All I can do is all I can do. That applies to working and not working. I can't make myself better. If I could, I would have done that 33 months ago. I can't make the government easier to deal with. I can just keep getting up everyday and doing the best I can.

I had a rough time over the weekend but yesterday and today the pain hasn't been as bad. I made stir-fry yesterday for dinner (since peppers were on sale at the grocery store) which involves more prep than most things I cook. I've been able to keep on top of the dishes and cat clean-up (although I've considered cutting back on their food to reduce the poop and puke - Stubby throws up at least once a day). I've slept pretty well the past two nights. Being able to prepare meals and clean up from meals without being miserable is something I don't take for granted. I've pretty much got the kid trained that dirty dishes bypass the sink and go immediately into the dishwasher. I run the dishwasher first thing in the morning and empty it before he gets up so that all the dishes he uses after I go to sleep can go right in the dishwasher. Just not having dishes in the sink does a lot for my sanity.

Little Kitty always stands on my Nook

Honestly, that's the key for me for this season of life, I think, just managing the things that I can and avoiding stressful situations. I can live under the "all I can do... " mantra when I truly have done what I can do. Some days I can't prepare meals or clean up. Some days I am in too much pain to really feel hunger and I have to just eat what I can to keep from getting nauseous from meds. Some days food is my only vice, the only real indulgence I have. I spend a lot of time playing Farmville2 because it gives me a way to measure success. It seems trite but it does help. I watch a lot of tv because it does help pass the time. I try to stay on some sort of routine - not because I have to or because it matters what time I get up or go to bed or fix dinner - it just makes life seem more structured and normal. I don't make apologies or excuses for what I can't do because it's not in my control.

And while I was typing all of this I just burned a batch of popcorn  of smelled up the house. So much for multi-tasking. That skill has left me.  I think I'll have a bowl of cereal instead.

Anyways... we're headed down toward freezing temps this week and I'm looking forward to it. We've brought out the warm woolies and the electric blanket and shifted our mentality from staying cool to staying warm. Austin still hasn't put his winter wardrobe back together so he ends up looking like this...

He would only let me take the picture from the back view.

I'm settled in for a night of PBS watching and then I'll tuck myself in to watch a few more episodes of Mad Men. I'm still in the first season. I think the little bit I pay to Netflix every month is money well spent!

That's about it for now. Happy Tuesday!

Is It Ok To Have A Little Whine On Sunday?

You know, it's really hard to complain when you start your day looking out at this.

It was a chilly 43 degrees when I got up today. I lounged in my fuzzy Grinch pj pants all day (which I'm sure I've modeled here before).

I got the birthday book ordered with a few copies to share. It posted here without me knowing today so if you stopped by, you got a sneak peek. I'm trying to wait to share it until after the birthday party. I have my typical creativity hangover... worrying that I didn't include enough pictures of parts of the family... worrying that I may have included something Grandma wouldn't want to share. When you put yourself out there "creatively" you can't help but feel a little vulnerable.

Austin's girlfriend came over today with her baby. She was so tiny! And so precious! And unbelievably beautiful! And perfectly behaved! And I got not one picture.

I've had a terrible headache since the first minute my eyes blinked open today. I think it's sinus stuff because I'm congested but it will not go away. I've thrown everything I've got at it today. I've laid with my eyes closed (because I can never manage to nap). I've taken advil migraine which always works. It didn't. I took my tramadol. No relief. I took percocet. Not one bit of improvement. I took more advil migraine. (goodbye liver, it's been good knowing ya!) I told Austin that if he came upstairs and found me with my face drooping to call 9-1-1. It hurt that bad. It still hurts but it's eased up a little since then. But I'm feeling achy and sort of dizzy/sick to my stomach and weak. All of this can be just part of a fibromyalgia flare. Or it could be a sinus infection.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) I have absolutely nothing on the agenda for the week. The girls are out of school tomorrow so no after-school pick up for me. Austin's girl is coming by tomorrow after school (she's going to be a nurse). One of the Basement Clown Posse members is spending the night tonight. He's been gone for a week because he works in Helen and things are currrazy there this time of year so he's getting a lot of hours which means he can't play in Austin's all night gamer club. But he's off tomorrow.

And that's about all I have to share. Just wanted to pop in, share my lovely photo and whine. Hope your weekend was lovely.
Love and hugs, y'all!

Our Lovely Saturday: Road Rage, Football and My Clean Car

Eddie the Cat takes over the dog bed

The doggies have gone back south and it's just me and the cats and the kid that lives in the basement. We made a grocery run today and you would have thought I was buying for a fraternity, not a grown person + half grown person; chips, cracker and cheese tray, little debbies, guacamole and chips. I did, however, buy carrots to dip in hummus and they had colored peppers on sale so there is a stir fry in our immediate future. It was nice to have the basement kid along for the grocery shopping, though. He even wore real shorts and not pajama pants.

The beginnings of fall color but nothing dramatic

I would like to make a public service announcement to all people who will be visiting our lovely Northeast Georgia mountains this Autumn. In the words of my former spouse: act like you've been here before. I took the scenic route home from the grocery store, not because it's scenic but because traffic around the town square was stacked up and I wanted to avoid the square. Instead I got vacationers from Fulton County, Georgia and somewhere in Virginia who were neither familiar with speed limit (as in, driving AT LEAST the speed limit) or the reason their cars have blinkers. It's rare for me to have road rage up here in the hills but I surely had a raging case of it today. Then I turned on the road we live off of and got stuck behind someone whose car was apparently missing a gas pedal. It was pure insanity. I told Austin to remind me to avoid going to town on the weekends until at least Thanksgiving.

Hey Oscar: I got your BLANKET! Love, Little Kitty

I know that I should be grateful for the tourists. Tourism saved this little corner of the world. I'm grateful for tourist dollars but it's amazing how inconsiderate people get when there's a little color on the trees. And honestly, there's not that much color yet. There is some. The weather feels very fall-like. I had to actually close the windows this afternoon.

It's like when Americans go to Paris and they can't speak French and they expect all the French people to just figure out what they mean. Our language here is niceness. It's a slower pace but that doesn't mean you drive twenty miles under the speed limit. Not an exaggeration. And to really appreciate this part of the world, you have to have consideration for your fellow drivers. By not driving twenty miles under the speed limit. Or pulling out right in front of them. Or turning right from the main lane and not the turning lane. Without a blinker. Or changing lanes without using a blinker. All of these things happened.

So I came home and ate guacamole and chips and drank warm apple cider and watched football. And when I got tired of football I watched a Modern Family marathon.

Austin wanted to buy a cinnamon broom at the store and he placed it on the mantle behind my lovely little Fall themed decor and it looks really awesome. It's like... the kid is Pigpen... and then he has these little bursts of greatness that make me think that all the gay men in his life growing up did more for him than teach him the value of a mani-pedi and the words to every show tune ever written. Every now and then the kid has real style.

This afternoon he offered to clean out my car. He's offered to clean out my car about twenty-eleven times in the past three years and has not actually cleaned it ever. Also, "clean out" is a subjective term. My "cleaned out" and his cleaned out are different animals. Like a cat and an orange, different animals. He actually did a decent job. I mean, it still needs the upholstery ripped out and replaced shampooed. That car has been through a lot... I can't tell you how many times I ate all three meals in the car between rushing to get kids to school before work... taking my lunch break in my car... having dinner in the car while waiting for a kid to get out of sports practice or dance rehearsal or... whatever. It's taken me to Florida and back more times than I care to remember. It's been a good car and I haven't been a good owner. MY KIDS have not been good owners with all their drips and spills and trash left behind. Austin had the audacity to lecture me about not keeping my car clean. I'm like... pot meet kettle... his room usually looks like he could be on Hoarders.

I'm watching the Florida State / Clemson game. I explained why it's important (rankings) and Austin said, "so is this the game I need to watch to be able to have something to talk about with my brothers?" I said, "well, it's a start."  That child does not get sports. He just lives in a different dimension, the gamer dimension. His brothers are rabid Florida State fans. I am not sure why. It's random. I just buy things for them with FSU on it and listen to their long analysis of reasons why they're the best team ever. I suffer the Gator hate. I even let them burn one of my Florida shirts. But... to be fair... it was really my ex-husband's and there was a little retribution in it for me too.

Just had a quick chat with my grandma. She didn't have any new information about Kathryn Holmes but she did want to let me know that her cousin Kate Hall used to own a millinery shop in Columbus, Georgia. I don't know if that gets me any closer to Kathryn but I haven't given up on figuring it out. I love a good history mystery. Grandma wanted to know if I would be at her birthday party brunch. I told her I wouldn't miss it. I explained that it was going to be painful and that I'm trying to arrange it so I don't have to drive so that I can take pain meds - which take the edge off but don't make me loopy.

I'm actually closer to my old self when I'm on drugs because the pain isn't so bad that it distracts me. Without pain meds, the pain is always there. You can't help but look for the escape hatch in every situation because you know there is going to be a point where you just can't take it any more. Going out to eat, especially in a large group is a big old floppy pain souffle for me. I'm looking forward to seeing her... seeing family members... a good  meal that I didn't have to cook... but I am so afraid of the pain. My pain doctor wants to put me on anxiety meds and I just think it's a waste. Give me better pain meds or... here's a thought - FIX ME... and then I will cease to be anxious.

Anyways... I guess I've rambled on long enough. Happy Weekend, y'all. Love and hugs!

At Least They Aren't Cat Pictures

Me and my mom, Christmas 1970. How cute are we?

Last night I didn't sleep. Well, maybe for an hour or so but it was interrupted by Little Kitty and cold. It got chilly overnight and I was too tired to get up and close the window but I was too cold to sleep. Little Kitty was just really needy and any time I wasn't sleeping like we were siamese twins, he would repeatedly tap me on the arm until I moved closer to him. Sleep interruptions are HUGE for me because they set off a cycle of misery that I won't bore you with but trust me... my body needs sleep in the worst way. I can't nap. Our house has too much activity and it just makes me ill to get to sleep and be awakened before I've gotten sufficient sleep so it's no bueno.

Aunt Claire, Pop, Uncle Bruce, Cousin John Ward 

On the up side... I managed to transcribe the rest of the info for Grandma's book last night, wrapping things up around 4am. I went back and corrected a few typos today, rewrote the inscription to make more sense, changed the way that I listed family members... (sidebar) you know, it's hard when there is divorce in the family. I don't want to have to list my kids' dad in my grandma's memory book. I just don't. I don't want to come across as some scarlet woman with a bunch of fatherless children but honestly, that is my Grandma's story too. Her kids' dad left her with three kids too. All three of my cousins on that side of the family have children with a person to whom they are not wed. I don't want to have asterisks all over the place. So what I did is just list the names of the people who are still in the family without any explanation. It's not like she thinks the stork dropped them off.

my dad's dad on a horse as a child

As a result of the no sleeping thing, I didn't go to my niece's birthday party tonight. I needed the strong pain meds today - haven't had them since Monday, which is a good thing, I always try to put days between doses when I can. I knew that if I didn't take the meds I was going to be not just sleepy but also in pain all day. I can't take handle being two dwarfs at the same time  (Sleepy and Dopey - or maybe Sleepy and Grumpy, take your pick). And she's a big girl now. Parties are more about her time with her friends and not about hanging out with relatives. We get lots of quality time together. Of course, not going meant I was dogsitting which meant that I was actually moving around a lot more than I would have been at a party. It doesn't hurt the dogs' feelings when I'm grumpy with them.

I got notice from Social Security today that they denied my appeal. On to round three. Again they say that they can tell from my medical records that I can't work as much but they can't tell if I can work at all. I had sort of prepared myself mentally for this and so it wasn't a huge surprise or disappointment. I would have loved an approval but honestly, I had expected each round to take six months and instead I've gotten through two rounds in less than six months. So at least the no's are coming faster. I've heard lots of stories about people who are more profoundly disabled than me (in a wheelchair, for instance) who had to go through several rounds as well. It's part of the game.

I chose this for the book cover. she looks nice, doesn't she?

After working hard and getting Grandma's book ready to go to press, I discovered another photo album that had much better pictures than the ones I was using, especially of her as a child. I took another hour this afternoon to go back through and rework some of the layouts and I'm pleased with how it came out. Honestly, working on yearbook staff in 8th grade helps a lot in putting these kind of things together. I'm using Shutterfly which is relatively user friendly but for some pages they didn't have a layout that would work for what I had in mind so I had to create my own page. I'm pleased with how it came out.

While I was sorting through the archives this week I came across a collection of photos of a lady named Kathryn Holmes and her Mother, Father, Brother. She was born around 1901 so these were OOOOOLD pictures. I had seen her name in some of Grandma's writings and she is always described as a distant cousin. I figured... since I'm a pro at ancestry.com that I could figure out the exact link that her family has to ours and perhaps share some of these old treasures with her other relatives. I won't bore you with every step in the process but suffice to say, I haven't had any success. I asked my dad and he got Grandma on the phone but all she could tell me is what was she had already written - she's a distant cousin. I asked if it was a legitimate family link or was it one of those Southern things where you call folks, "cousin" or "aunt" if they're close enough friends that they seem like family. She thinks it's legitimate. She had a few other things she wanted to share with me but Pop had to go - and I was on his phone - so I'll call her back tomorrow and see what we come up with. I do know that Kathryn never married. She worked for the U.S. Navy as a civilian employee during WWII. She lived part of her life in Macon, Georgia. It's just a big mystery to me how we connect. I'll share those photos with you, tonight, if you're not bored with my throwback photos this week.

The old family homestead: 1001 Oakdale Rd. It was my dad's first home, my brother's first home, my first home...
It's in a lovely section of Atlanta

Anyways... so that was my day. Hoping to feel well enough to go see my niece cheer tomorrow morning. Then Mawmaw and the doggies are heading back home for a week or so and it'll be just me and the kid for a bit.

Happy weekend... love and hugs, y'all!

 Great-Grandma Sarah Ward and her daughters - Jane, Bette and Leta.  Leta is my grandmother.

Great-Granddaddy Charles P. Ward (I think) with Bette, Leta and Jane kneeling

 From left - Bette, Grandma (acting goofy) two people I don't know and "Sis" - my grandmother's half sister, Cynthia.

 This would be two Steel Magnolias in training: My Great-Aunt Bette and Grandma

 Asbury Park High School graduate, my grandfather.

 Leta and Bruce while dating in Washington, DC

My Grandparents Wedding Day

 Honeymoon Cottage loaned to them by cousins. It was in Cloudland, GA.

Aunt Lucretia Bullock, sister to my great-great-grandfather George Washington Bullock. 

Holmes Family Photos

 Julian - age 16 months.  Lucien

 Kathryn Holmes

 Kathryn Holmes with a friend. She never married but at one time Grandma was in possession of all the love letters she had received. I didn't find anything juicy like that.

Kathryn Holmes drives a car!

 Kathryn's mother Mary Kinchen Holmes

 Lucien Holmes. Not sure if this is the elder or the younger.

 Mary Holmes as a young woman. I believe she was born around 1870.

. Kathryn's grandparents. They look relatively young here. Her mother was born in 1870 (around then) so I would assume this picture was taken around that time period. They look relatively young and in love. 

 Dapper looking Lucien Holmes. Is it the father or the son?

 Mystery part deux, Annie Lou Holmes - "Mrs Hardison". I couldn't find her at any point listed in the census with Kathryn's immediately family. Mary Holmes DOES answer on a census record that she had given birth to four children, three were still living. We've only got photos of Julian as a small child - did he die young and Annie Lou is the missing sibling?

  See... little Julian

 These photos seem to be me be squarely in the 30's. That would be about the right time/age that younger Lucien would be.

That's all folks! Now that my project is over I'll be back to pictures of cats and trees. Good times!

Groundhog Day

Yesterday was pretty much like yesterday... lots of searching through stacks of photo albums, lots of reading through handwritten essays and letters. Lots of little gems mined. I'm about... oh... 14 hours or so... into this project and I'm really at the stage where it's just a matter of putting together all the pieces. I added four more pages today but I have the stuff I need for plenty more. I'll get there.

I even ate leftover chili for the umpteenth time today. It was really good chili, y'all. Add in fritos and cheese and it's a real feast. Such a feast that Lily, the old arthritic dog followed me downstairs twice trying to get dibs on scraps. It's a real pain because she will come down the stairs but she won't go up them so somebody has to walk her around outside.

I took photos of the lake and the gorgeous trees that are turning color. I pulled them up on the computer and just hit delete. They look just like yesterdays and the day before but I swear, it looks way different out there. It looks much more like fall.

If not for my pill divider thingy, I wouldn't know what day it is.

Tomorrow Austin's new girlfriend is coming over for dinner. He's cooking breakfast for dinner because she's never done that before (and because his specialty is french toast). She's bringing her two month old baby with her. We told her it was fine. Actually, we told her she couldn't come back until she brings her to see us. I'll be honest with you... I don't think this girl is going to be around for a long time... we're not going to bond and stuff. But she has a baby and I'd be a jack-a$$ not to acknowledge that or make her self-conscious about it. I'd be a hypocrite, in fact. And I am many things but I try to not be a hypocrite. Sometimes young girls have babies. She didn't abort her and she seems to be actively caring for her and I want to support that. And discourage her from having any more any time soon.

Since so much of my day today has been about scanning photos... I'll share a few more with you.

Don't you love this photo? I mean, she is the stereotypical little old lady, isn't she? This is my great-great-grandmother, Sarah Donahay Shafto. She was born in 1870 in Glendola, New Jersey and died in 1953 in Bradley Beach, New Jersey. Their address was 609 McCabe Avenue. I'm 1/4 Jersey Shore.

My grandma and her sisters and their beaus. My grandma is second from the right and my grandfather is right behind her. I never knew him. They divorced in 1956 and we didn't know where he was or what had happened to him until 2003. He had passed away in 2000.

My grandmother in Arlington Cemetery in 1944.

This picture was fun for me because of the fashions - it looks like they all shared the same dress pattern - and because it was a whole bunch of family members lined up. L-R is my Great-Aunt Cynthia "Sis", my Great-Grandmother, three cousins - Carrie, Lucia and Gertrude, and Great-Uncle and Aunt - Cliff and Agnes Britt. The note on the back of the picture guesses the year to be 1946.

 Grandma's second wedding. This is my dad, Aunt Claire, Uncle Bruce, Aunt Cynthia and Aunt Bette walking down the aisle. I am just in front of my dad. We all acted as attendants in the wedding.

My dad in between his two siblings, Grandma's wedding to Harry, 1985. When they were young... and thin... *grin*


(I'm going to get in trouble for that one.)

Speaking of young and thin... this was Christmas 1986. That itty bitty baby that my dad is holding is my about to be 27 year old son. I'm on the left in the white sweatshirt. I remember thinking at the time that I was SOOO fat and what I wouldn't give to be that size again! L-R - Me, the boys' dad, my mom, Uncle Gary, Pop and Ryan, Cousin Michelle, Aunt Claire and Cousin Donald and Grandma. Honestly, I have no recollection of going to Aunt Claire's that year for Christmas. I was obviously a sleep deprived mama.

My Steel Magnolias, 1995

This one isn't all that long ago - Cody and Marquee's wedding three years ago. This is Grandma, apparently deep in conversation with my brother.











And... fun document of the day.... this is my great-grandparents' marriage license. They were married November 6, 1917.

That's all for now... have a great day! Love and hugs!