There's the Christmas Spirit

Spread the love. Bella is normally attacking Abby or terrorizing her. Today, she lay on top of her and loved her. There ya go.

This morning started out with a bang. I was sitting in the kitchen and I heard the next-door neighbor's little dogs barking at Frankie, my mom's dog. I smiled because the dogs have been in Los Angeles since the family decided to move this summer. It was nice to hear them again as they are all here for Christmas. Then, I heard the most God-awful sounds of dogs fighting. Scared me to death. I thought "Oh Lord, one of the little (chihuahua) dogs have come through the fence and Frankie (a fat corgi) got one of them!" I ran outside and Frankie was outside the fence fighting with Rocky! I screamed at Frankie and he stopped and ran to the side of the yard. When I looked to see how Frankie had gotten out, I noticed the gate was completely off its henges, still pad locked on the other side (since crazy woman, I put pad locks on the gates to the back yard and mom's apartment). After getting Frankie back in the yard, I looked at the gate. It looked as if someone had taken it apart to get inside the yard. Now, this worries me. First that it is so easy to take off its henges and get inside the yard, but second, who did it and why. First I thought crazy woman. It terrified me that someone was trying to get in the yard in this manner. After thinking about it for a minute, I remembered the kitchen idiots taking the old dishwasher down to mom's and at the time I wondered how they had gotten into the yard. I am hoping it was them and it was just the norm for them to forget to put the gate back together. Regardless, when I was coming back in from putting it back together the phone was ringing. It was our neighbor, with the dogs, asking where the emergency vet was as they were in the car with Rocky who was bleeding profusely. OMG. Frankie had literally torn the little guy up. When they said little Rocky was in a bad way, it just tore me up inside. I suppose losing Roo dog not so long ago is still so fresh in my heart. The thought of them losing their Rocky just killed me. Long story a little shorter, Rocky had six stiches (which is a lot for a little guy) and had to stay in the hospital all night. They had to wait literally all day in the emergency room. And then, the mother, after driving the kids home and heading back to the vet got in a car accident! OMG. All because of Frankie and the gate! She is ok, but I just feel absolutely horrible that any of this happened. I thank God that she is alright and Rocky is ok and will be fine. I tell you what though, if the kitchen idiots did leave the gate off its hinges, they will be paying for the veterinarian bill. Too much. And so, it's just been one of those days. Please keep Rocky in your thoughts for a speedy recovery, if you will.

I am keeping on trucking though. After three days of Christmas music and still not in the mood, I found XM has a new Led Zeppelin station--ALL Zep. Let me tell you, after a Black Dog and a You Shook Me, I was whipping the place into shape. After visiting my friends at the emergency vets, I ran down the street to Costco and bought some beautiful poinsettias--two white ones for the dining room and one red one for the front foyer (or wherever it may end up). They are lovely and after being so worried about the dog, I just threw myself into decorating the house.

I found this box with a new tree I must have purchased at an after-Christmas sale last year. I really needed it too. I put it in my study (feng shui travel room) with my fish. I normally just put these "house" ornaments around the table, just asking for trouble. I think it looks nice and I'm sure the fish are enjoying the new views--yea right. I also put my Sarabella family ornaments up, this year in the the dining room. It needs a little something else, but I will get to that later. I literally opened one box of stuff today. I have a long way to go.

I moved all the plants around to make room for the poinsettias and the tree (which I hope comes this week). I love all the green in the family room. The kid and his friend (yes the one who owns the dog our dog almost killed) put all the candles in the windows. I tell you one thing, I'm not feeling the lights on the outside of the house this year. The kid is going to kill me, but I'm just not feeling it. I will put the big old fashioned colored ones on the back deck for us to enjoy, but I don't think the garland and little pearl lights will be adorning our front porches this year. The thought of putting them up and taking them down is overwhelming. I don't do overwhelming. I think the window candles will look just lovely, don't you? Don't even think I'll put the wreaths in on the windows. Nope. Just don't wanna.

The hub is in Dubai but will be home soon. Today the teenager said something I thought I would never hear come out of his mouth (as he was lugging all the Christmas boxes up from the basement). "How does dad always figure the best time to leave?" All I could say is "You got that right." Finally, the guy feels my pain, lol. And thus, this is why I now order a Christmas tree. I've learned to just "git-er-done" in his pre-Holiday absence. It will be pretty and festive by the time he gets home. Now, ya think he really planned it that way? giggle. I'll be glad when he is safe at home, regardless.

And Today, I Smudged

Finally got a call from our wood guy who will be installing our hard-wood floors in the master bedroom. He'll be here next Tuesday! Nothing like giving a girl a little notice! Thank goodness the schedule couldn't be better. The hub is in town until Monday, at which time he sprints off to Europe. He asked if I wanted to go. Well, yes, I do want to go; but I have way too much going on right now. Way too much!

And, so, the hub will be here this weekend to help move ALL the furniture out. Joy. This is our chance to move the queen bed down to the guest room, where I will be sleeping until the floor is finished. He'll be out of town, hopefully, during the entire transition. Amazing timing. Hey, at least he'll be home to do the heavy lifting! Yea!! All I have to do is empty all the drawers and the armoire. Another joy.

I have already taken down the guest room. I took the bed apart and have it waiting for the teenager to move to the basement. While I was pulling up the rug, I found yet more remnants of the "crazy woman." I just can't rid myself of her. Every time I turn around, there is something there that reminds me of that sick time in my life. She had cut a piece of her pajama bottoms off and hid it under the padding. There was also a piece of gum stuck under the pad, right in the corner. Lord.

I had purchased some smudge sticks in Arizona last year and I knew this was a good way to begin the year anew. (I have yet to make my black-eyed peas for luck! Ooooh! I even had the peas and ham hocks ready to go and just never go around to it. I have been totally discombobulated since New Year.) And so, I did my first smudging with sage. I've used incense before never the Native American ritual of sage. Since I have a speck of Iroquois running through my veins, I decided now was the time to reach out to that part of my ancestors. I used some sand from Gulf Shores in Alabama from this summer and an old shell I found when the teenager was quite small from Sanabel Island, Florida. I began with cleansing myself and tried to rid myself of all negative thoughts and then moved straight to the guest room. While I was at it, I moved the smoke to each room and said a prayer in each. Sigh. I'm hoping this rids me of all negative thoughts towards her and allows my memory to fade in regards to that horrible stage.

Now I need to go out and find another rug that will fit in the guest room. With a queen bed, it would cover the entire one that I am now using there. Of course, we also now have to order a king size bed and another rug for the master. While I say that, I am stuck here at home waiting on the cable guy. "He'll be there between 12 and 4." Well, it's now almost 2:30. I know he'll show just after four, leaving me here waiting. I really do need to learn to meditate!

Ms. Arteest

Sunset from Kitchen Window

We have been having the most beautiful fall sunsets I have ever seen. Simply amazing. The one the other day was breathtaking--the one with the rays of sun shining down on the landscape. My oh my.

I have been unmotivated blogwise recently, and I can't quite put my finger on it other than I have a lot on my mind right now. I've been doing a lot of ATCs and other goodies. I've sent two packages to my Secret Faery in London and had fun putting both together. I'm quite intimidated by her, a REAL arteest and a LONDONITE, to boot! How green with envy can I be? hehe. I'm sure she thinks I'm a total loon. I've been all Halloweeny in her goodies. I spent Halloween in London and the outskirts several years ago. We had friends there and the kids were going to The American School not too far outside London. The kid and I took the train out to meet up with them and ended up at the school doing a "Trunk & Treat." All the cars were decorated and the children went from car to car Trick or Treating. It was a total blast, but most of all, it was wonderful to see my friend "Leenda." The English celebrate Guy Fawkes/Bonfire Night on November 5. Just a tad different that our unusual Halloween. At any rate, I thought my Faery might like some American goodies that we use to celebrate Halloween. You know how crazy we are here. Gee, I think Halloween is almost as big as Christmas! Whaa? I'm dying to get my pumpkins and gourds and mums and corn stalks and everything else loony that I do; but with us leaving next week for a bit, I'll put that off 'til our return. (I can't wait to tell you the trip that's brewing . . . get it . . . brewing??? ha)

Sweet Beth invited me to become a member of an ATC group. How fun. Now, I really need to start working on these suckers! I did six today. I went out this morning to get some supplies and got home and had lost my Kate Spade glasses. These are my {fairly} NEW, prescription, BIFOCAL, KATE SPADE glasses! Now how I lost them, I have no idea. I went to two art stores. I think I was wearing them for the first stop. Then I think I switched over to my old glasses that I have clip on sunglasses with, once I got back in the car. Then off to the second store. I always throw them on the passenger seat when I switch, but they are nowhere. Very strange. If I didn't know better, I would say crazy woman was back in town! I'm also missing my chapstick that I JUST put by the computer! Very strange, indeed. (She would take my things and mail them to various people.) What wonderful memories (NOT) that brings back from last year this time. Geesh. How naive I was.

Speaking of which (or witch), a couple of weeks ago when I went to Target, I saw her daughter. And you know what that means? They are still here. I heard, from sources up North and a copy of the Washington Post, that the son was arrested (down here and then extradited back to VA) because he had bought minors liquor and a teenage girl had died in a car accident because of it. Lord have mercy. After I heard that, I felt reassured that they had all gone back to Virginia. But, of course, not. The daughter is here, apparently. My saving grace is that crazy woman can hardly stand her. So, listen to this. I walk into Target and I'm pushing a buggy. I looked straight ahead only to see her coming my direction to a check out lane--her three daughters (by three different men . . . heh hum--no wonder crazy woman can't stand her!) I just about fainted. I think I lost all color in my face. I stared at her but kept walking. She had a grin on her face, but she never met my eyes; so I don't know if she saw me or not. From the grin, I think she did, but I don't know--probably paranoia on my part. Ok, so I go about my biz. I was in there probably about 15 more minutes and then checked out. I got to my car, I looked it over as I wouldn't put anything by that trash. I got in and pulled out. Damned if I didn't pull right behind HER truck! And damned if it didn't have a TN license plate from JULY! I know her brother was arrested in June. I followed her all the way to the interstate and I made sure to write her liscense plate number down in case of any disturbance. God wanted me to be behind her for some reason, I'm sure. Maybe she saw me, maybe she didn't. But in any case, I now have her number if anything strange comes up. Isn't it a shame I have to think like this? I never, in my entire life, had to fear anyone. Not since crazy woman attacked me with a hunting knife November 15, 2005 in my own house. Now, everything has changed. Perhaps all this is why I've been in a funk. Good reason, huh. Maybe now that it's in writing, I can let it go and move on. Let's hope.

We just had a wonderful thunder storm. At first, I thought someone was taking a pic outside. Nope, lightening! Funny for fall. Guess we are in the "Souf." Gotta go check on the babies--probably wet from head to tail by now! Have a glorious Sunday! The hub leaves tomorrow for London (boohiss). Of course, I gave him an item to get from Harvey Nichols that you can't get here. They had the best hair comb that fits my thick hair just right! Poor guy. "Excuse me, where are your Cherry Chau hairpins?" hehe The things he does for me. sigh.

Allergies, Again

Except this time, it's not me. Poor little Bev is afflicted with an allergy (or allergies)! Gee whiz. She's been through the ringer, hasn't she. Remember, she was on all types of antibiotics because she had been bitten by a mosquito? She was a really sick kitty. After she finished her meds, she started scratching. I thought, well, maybe a reaction to the antibiotics (been there), and so I waited. And I waited. It didn't get any better and I finally, I took her in to see the vet today. Poor little boo was starting to look like she had the mange. Ew. At first, they thought it was fleas. First of all, the cats wear Frontline; and granted, she had not been on it since June because of her illness and then the itching, but still, I doubted the flea scenario. Of course, they didn't find any fleas or signs of any being on her. When they checked her records, they noticed I had changed her to kitten food when she was so sick. Bingo. They think it's all the protein in the food. Otherwise, Lord only knows what she's allergic to (kinda like me). The vet brings out a sample bag of--get this--Duck and Green Pea cat food. Hello. DUCK and GREEN PEA! haha. I cracked up. These cats are going to be eating better than us. (At least, it's not PEKING DUCK! hehe) And of course, it's special order. Duh. I have to call a week in advance to get the stuff. Like I'm that organized!! (But I do know how to fold a t-shirt.) Lord have mercy (Lord have mercy). Is that not hilarious?

The sky around Nashville was bee-u-ti-ful today. I wish I had my camera this morning. Clear blue skies with white fluffy clouds dispersed about that you could almost reach up and touch. It reminded me of the sky in Texas. They made me feel so good and reminded me that fall is right around the corner for us. Fall is always my rejuvenation period; and last year's was taken away by crazy woman. I so look forward to it this year. I will rejuvenate--if it kills me! ha.

One little flower for you. I have had this hydrangea from my garden above my stove for almost a month! I can't believe it is still as fresh as it is. I love the gorgeous green and a pinch of purple. I am so thankful today for everything around me. I am, indeed, a fortunate soul.

I Know What Momma Said, But . . .

I think I just need to get this off my chest; it's just eating at me, for some reason. Grrr. First of all, most of my aggravation (today) is because of our alarm system. The fact that we HAVE to have an alarm system aggravates me to no end. If I hadn't been kind hearted and taken in a friend who was in need, we wouldn't even need an alarm system. Every time I think about it, it just gets me so angry. Spittin' angry (and I don't spit).

Why You Don't Open Your House to a Mentally Ill Friend:
To make a long story short(er) (which is not really possible), my childhood friend was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and I invited her down from Virginia several times last year. She gladly came down--staying once with her grown son here for two weeks, then came on our vacation with us in Florida, brought her son back down and both stayed at our house for over a month and a half while he looked for a house here; and then when he finally did find a house, she became manic at which time I invited her back to "get away from it all." (The FOOL that I am.) It exhausts me just thinking about it. Her family agreed to her staying here (I think in order to get rid of her) which is just beyond belief to me. No one ever said she was dangerous. Not one peep about her past.

I made sure she ate right, I gave her her medicines twice a day, I kept her from drinking as much as I could and basically I (WE) endured her illness for over three weeks. (My family was so understanding, and I apologize to them for putting them through all of this.) During all this time, I tried to get her into see a psychiatrist. Since she had no insurance, so no one would take her. I took her to my internist who practices holistic medicines and she tried reike--to no avail. I got her to go to group therapy (once). You see, I tried everything I could to help this poor woman. The entire time, she needed to be institutionalized, her husband refused to it--instead putting her off on me. The final straw came when she began spitting her meds out (or cheeking them, as her husband later told me). She began drinking any liquor she could find and began getting mad at me about things. The last night she was here, I had called her son--who now lived only a couple of miles away yet never visited the entire time she was here "getting well." I told him he needed to come and get her. She was getting aggravated with me at my telling her that she couldn't drink, asking her if she took her meds, etc. She was aggravating my mom (who gets upset easily in her ripe old age of 82) by telling her things like she was going to suffocate downstairs because she didn't have any ventilation (not true). She was aggravating me by taking items from my house and mailing them to various unknown places (mostly to her family in VA). I couldn't take any more.

Well, as she was waiting for her son to arrive, she became more irritated with me because I had pulled her bag inside because it was raining. She suspected I was doing something odd--Lord knows what was going on in her head. As she stood on our back porch, she pulled a hunting knife out of her bag and lunged at me and told me to leave her stuff alone or she would kill me or have her "son" come over and blow my "f)**&ing" brains out." The way she did it, it had to be planned. She didn't even take her eyes off me when she reached for it. She knew exactly where this knife was. I have never been attacked by anyone before and I just kind of lost it. Of course, I slammed the door on her; and sadly the kid was coming down the stairs when this was happening. She then threatened him! I called 911; but before they arrived, her son came. The "nice" (idiot) person I am, I told him to take her away before the police got there. I begged him to take her to the hospital (which is the only way you can get someone in without their consent--if they try and harm themselves or someone else). Of course, he didn't. And of course, I didn't want to press charges after they arrived and I didn't tell them where she was, blah blah blah. The husband came down the next day. He never did take her to the hospital.

This was back in November. There has not been one day or night that I don't think about her coming back here in some manic state. Therefore, I must have the alarm system activated.

I Love My Alarm System (NOT):
Now, this is why I'm aggravated today. We have an alarm system. It's never been monitored. I've never felt the need, obviously, until now. I've called the builder to see who to have come out and get it in working order. Joe Blow comes out and can't figure it out. (These are the same people who installed it only 5 years ago!) Okay. So I call the No. 1 alarm company in the United States. They come out, work on it for over an hour and then say, they can't do it. Of course, if we buy their system for over $700, everything would be fine. I don't think so, Scooter. Ok, so I call alarm company No. 2. They assure me over the phone that they can use our current system and monitor it. Then they ask if my husband will be home to in order to go over everything with him also. Wrong question! Don't even go there Mista.

So, today when the guy walks in the door and says he's never seen our system before, I just about blow a gasket. The poor guy. He knew right away he wasn't dealing with a little Miss Haus Frau from Nashville. I told him I wasn't going to spend 8 million dollars on a new system when this one was just fine. After I calmed down and he walked me through everything, he talked me into spending a little over $200 to get the whole system changed over to "their" premium system. I have to agree, our old system was very difficult to do anything with. I had never even had it on--only had the chimes for the doors on so I could hear the teenager sneaking out at night. I could never figure out any of the other stuff! Ok, so I spend a little for some peace of mind. It has three panic buttons on the keypad: 1 for the police (crazy x-friend), 1 for the fire department (teenager and his incense) and 1 for medical (hopefully just a pretty button that will never be used). So, in the end, I guess I shouldn't be so yucky today. It will make me feel better at night (and during the day) just knowing it's there.

But, still, I have that knot in my stomach. It really is a sad day when we have to have alarms on our homes to keep us safe from people we know. Very very sad.

I just want to move next door to Mrs. Staggs in Merryville where there is only good in the world. (If only it were ever that easy right, Mrs. Staggs?)

Baby, It's Cold Outside

Yes, that's snow on Rootie, not dandruff. Again with the snow! Today, when mom and I went out to lunch, it was flurrying very finely. I still get giddy with emotion, just like a little kid, when it snows. I had to "high five" mom as we were driving. Yea baby!

It's been so cold this week. Cold here is anything under 40 degrees f. I know, real Southerner. I never wear a coat outdoors, usually a denim shirt with a scarf and that's it--well, pants and shoes, of course, grin. This week, I've felt the nip at my nonwinter-clad body. So yesterday, after getting the kid off to school, I was in the laundry room. I could hear water running. "Hmmm, is a toilet running, did someone leave the faucet on?" Of course, at 6:30 in the morning, the mind tends to run amuck. I go through every bathroom, every sink to see where it's coming from. Nowhere. I go into the storage area in the basement and can feel it running through the main water pipe. Geesh. I start to think, ok, a pipe has burst somewhere, and I will find it....I will find it! I go outside (still in my pjs) to see if any of the hose bibs are running. Nope. It's really starting to worry me after about 15 minutes of checking everything. I think, "Should I just turn the main water off until we figure this out?" No, cause then mom will panic when there's no water. One more place I forgot. The hose bib on the Northern side of the house. Oh, Lord. Yes, there's water out there, for sure. It's running down the neighbors driveway at this point. Joy. Time for the hub to get his butt out of bed and look into the situation. Poor guy...dreaming away....."Get up! We have water running outside the house!" I'm praying the whole time he's out there that it's not a broken pipe, "Please not a broken pipe!" I start to count, thinking the faster he comes in, the less serious it is. It's not long before he's back upstairs in bed. Phew! Ok, you ready for this one? The hose must have been on since the fall (with the hose nozzle turned off, thank God!) and the nozzle froze and burst! I couldn't believe it! We barely dodged that bullet. It just goes to show how efficient (NOT) we are in this family! haha. We ALL pointed fingers at each other, "You must have left it on!" "Nuh uh, it was YOU!" We were laughing at dinner tonight when, in sinc, we all pointed to one another, "Your fault!" Oh well, no harm done, just have to buy another nozzle for the hose. It could have been a lot worse.

Today, one of my errands was to the hardware store (no, not to buy another hose nozzle). They had the sweetest miniature African violets.

Just last week, I had found these two vintage vasoline glass planters. Of course, I bought them; and the violets fit perfectly. You'll see the mini kalanchoe that I bought last year. (They haven't bloomed in quite a while.) And you'll also see my little one-armed gnome. I think my bipolar friend broke his arm off cause he had a pipe in it--go figure. He reminded me of my dad when he had two arms, pout. He's going in the trash today, I don't want to think about her any more. But, the thrill of the day, besides the flurries, was to find an array of primrose!

Last year, I waited too long to get them and I missed out. So, when I saw them today, I quickly picked out five to put in my living room. When spring hits, I'll plant them out front where they come back every year, amazingly. It was a fun day. The kids are hoping to get off school tomorrow. Wishful thinking!

2005-BAD/2006-GOOD

As the New Year began, I could feel in my heart and soul that this will be a better year. Isn't that what we tell ourselves each year? Well, not really. Last year I didn't--only because 2004 WAS a good year and I suppose I took for granted that it was. So, 2005 sucked. The hub began his "every-couple-of-years I hate my job mentality" which drives me absolutely crazy. I wait for the moment when he says (again), "Ok dear, we're packing up, selling the house and moving"-- you know that primal instinct men have to migrate to find a better watering hole, more fertile ground, whatever it is that they're looking for. So, over the years (20 to be exact), I've learned to ignore my fear of those infamous words being said and I stay positive through and through.

With the beginning of 2006, I did something that will absolutely ward off "Bad 2006." For the first time in my life, I made black-eyed peas. Well, let me tell you, coming from a mother born and raised in Georgia and a father born and raised in Texas, the Southern blood line runs deep in my veins. So, it goes without saying, but I will anyway, my mother always made black-eyed peas for New Year's. I can remember as a child, "honey, just eat one for good luck." The taste almost nauseated me, but I did, and it seems that luck has always been on my side. (My brother used to spit it under the table--his luck, not so good.) Well, to make a long story short, my mom moved in with us several years ago, let's see, Labor Day 2003. She's 82 years old. And with her age, she no longer cooks for us.......pout. So, last year, New Year's 2005, NO black-eyed peas. Thus, a BAD year.

The money was tight, which usually isn't that bad; but 2004 was, as I said, a very good year in more ways than one, but yes, monetarily. So, you feel the pinch coming off a good year. That doesn't bother me much, but it drives the hub absolutely NUTS. I grew up with my father owning his own businesses. Yes, it was feast or famine, that was completely natural for us. You learn to take both with stride. But watching all the natural disasters was tough. Having moved to Nashville in the summer of 2001 from DC, it was heartwrenching to watch from afar the destruction of 9/11. I grew up about a mile from the Pentagon; my hub's family all in the NYC area. I was guilt ridden for a long time not being there to help. It was really a strange feeling. I was truly missing my homebase. So when the hurricanes continued to pound the Gulf Coast, which we frequent each summer, I knew I had to help this time. I volunteered at the local shelter that opened up and housed over 100 evacuees. I felt good. I was giving back and making a difference. Good for me, but still very bad for all the people who had to endure the wrath of those hurricanes.

Well, as far as my bleeding heart goes, I suppose you can say it's a bleeding heart to a fault. Let me explain. Mid-way through the year, I opened my house to a childhood friend with Bipolar Disorder. She lived with us for over 2 months with her adult son. No episodes. I felt I was helping her escape her horrible home life. We took her on vacation to the Gulf with us. No episodes. It was as if we were sisters. We had known each other since we were two. So, when she became manic, I continued my support. I was helping her with her medication, taking her to her new found doctors, keeping her calm with our quite boring family life here in "little Nashvul." She was doing ok, until one night she flipped and pulled a hunting knife on me and my son which ended in me having to call 911. True friend (idiot) that I am, I didn't tell where she was, who she was and I didn't want to press charges. Since she has yet to fess up to her doing any wrong doing, I still fear that one day she may return. Perhaps it's time to get that alarm system in tip-top shape, eh? Anyway, 2005--BAD.

I will continue in 2006 to be a bleeding heart, I guess. (Could that be the primal instinct for women?)