65...Medicare and Wrinkle Cream

I've figured out why people get gray hair.

It's from worrying about their teeth falling out!!

Soon OH very soon I am going to be turning 65!! Hm!! Just a number most people say but this time it is MY number and not everyone else's. That does make a difference!! To me anyway!!

I need to see the humor in everything that is going on around me and not take it all so seriously so I thought I would sit down and see what I could come up with!!

"Inside every older person, There's a younger person

Wondering what happened"

Yeap that is me right there in that little verse written by Ashleigh Brillant...with that kind of name guess she has to keep coming up with something good all of the time.

Wrinkle Cream: About 2 weeks ago as I was watching a Dr. Oz episode, he started talking about wrinkle cream. He said that every woman OVER 40 (I am way behind) should start using this but to be careful of what is in the cream. He went on to explain all of the do's and the don'ts...Like a good person in his audience I went in search of a wrinkle cream that I could afford but that stood up to most of his recomendation!!

I walked and looked through all of the creams. There are more of those than there are cold medications!! When I have to look through all of the cold medications I wonder just how you can pick the right one...I am not a doctor!! You can pay almost any thing that you want for this magical cream. I kept looking picking up one jar then another one...putting one back and re-reading all of their claims over and over again. What a decision to have to make just because of some stupid wrinkles on your face!!

They put them in these little small jars. I finally choose one. I took it home and told Mike..."Look what I got today!!" Like all good husbands he looked at this small little white jar and said, "I think you need a bigger one!!" Sure, dear!! I knew that coming from him!! How terrible to hear that from my wonderful husbands lips!!

I am on about week 3 or so...but who is counting!! I am going to look like a 20 year old by the end of this month. Since this is my birthday month I think that would be a GREAT IDEA!! Mike can come home to the prettiest wife with the prettiest non-wrinkled face...oh and neck too!! You apply it to your neck..I guess the rest of you just well ...you know just....

Medicare Card: Tomorrow when I go to the doctor I will tell them that I am now the proud owner of my first and probably my last Medicare card. This is going to be my primary insurance now followed by our secondary!! Yeap it costs a lot to get old!! We are going to be paying more for health insurance than we have ever paid in our lives. Even when we were young and the insurance was cheaper...now you have to have all of this insurance because you are now OLD, wobbly, frail and you are going to need more help at the hospital and the doctor's office with all those bills!! Okay so I know that but I am just not ready for all of this yet. You need this coverage just in case you happen to fall down 14 steps and nearly kill yourself!!

SIXTY-FIVE: I am still young!! At least in my heart I am!! Soon and very soon I am going to reach that OLD AGE plateau of 65!! When I was a little girl and someone turned this lovely age, I figured that they would be dying real soon!! My ideas have changed alot since I am now so close to that age of dying!!

"Growing old is only a state of mind...brought on by gray hairs

false teeth, wrinkles, a big belly, shortness of breath, and being

constantly and totally pooped."

I am back to exercising at Curves and boy...WHEW!! It is harder than it was before I fell down those steps!! I think I knocked something out that night!!

"Life is easier than you think.

All you have to do is:

Accept the possible,

Do without the indispensable,

Bear the intolerable, and

Be able to smile at anything!!"--Source unknown

This is where I am at right now!! God is good and HE knows what my life will be and what He wants for me!!

Bless my blogger friends!!

FLIP FLOP

Thought for the day: "Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional."

Our new baby!!

Our new baby...Lily!!

Boy how I wish I could get back into blogging. Just so many things going on day by day here that it seems to take the last back seat!! Plus you know my life is just pretty normal keeping busy day by day with the grand kids and now back to working some at Curves. Unless I can think of something that I need to get on a soapbox about well then the rest is all kind of not very interesting to my readers (of which I know are few now)

We do have a new little one here in our home. Don't ever go to PetSmart on Saturdays because that is when all of those that have animals that need to be adopted...COME!! I went and fell in love with a cutie. She is about a year old and is a Maine Coon cat!! Her name is Lily!! I figured that we could not adopt her but Mike went with Becky, Garrett and myself yesterday and well Lily came home with us. She is a very sweet cat. Our cat, Annie, that we have had for some time is not at all happy with this new set up!! She has been hissing and being very unfriendly to our new little Lily!! I just hope that with time she will give up and they can be BFF's!!

Mike is getting close to having his training over. I am sure he is going to be happy about that. We are trying to get used to this new schedule of his. I am so excited when he gets a day off. We try to spend it together as much as we can.

I am still watching Madison and Garrett when their mommy has to work. I go over in the morning and take them to school then go in the afternoon and pick them up. They stay either with me at our house or I take them to their home. Becky comes home anywhere from 9-10:00..then I get to go home. Roger is still in Illinois. He says he loves his job...now if they can just get together as a family again! Not much going on with either one of our homes..trying to see them that is!! I am thinking that Spring will bring a new turn for us!! I would love to see them sell first since they do need to be a complete family once again!! Roger is fortunate as he gets to come home about every month...but then that just makes everyone so sad when he leaves!!

We are having pretty weather with my favorite...the SUN today!! I am not a winter person for sure. I need that beautiful sun to make my day even happier!!

Our granddaughter, Madison had a project at school to do. She had to make a poster about WWII. Since my dad was in the BIG WAR she did her project around him. She did a great job and made it to District here but did not go further. She received third!! Dad made a cassette tape for her and we had a lot of pictures she used!!

Been reading a lot this winter. I read all of the Twilight series and just loved them...Now I am reading, "The lovely bones". It is an entirely different kind of novel but I am enjoying reading it. I would like to see the movie. There are several movies our right now that were books first. I so enjoy reading the book BEFORE I see the movie!!

Not much left in this normal world of mine. I am happy to say that I live normally (whatever that is)!! I know so many people that are having health and marriage problems. I am so fortunate that I am doing great in those areas. I have the best of husbands!! But I have told you that before!! I still do not know how I have been so blessed to have been married to him for these 46 years now!! He is the BESTEST!!!

Off to get some things done today. Like my mother says, "Even if it wrong!!" Hope all is great in your world!!

FLIP FLOP!!

Thougth for the day: "We could certainly slow the aging process down if it had to work its way through CONGRESS!" How true...aptly stated by: Will Rogers

Back in this NEW YEAR

Here it is February 1st in the brand new year of 2010!! My!! I was so surprised when we got to the year 2000 and now look at it!!?? What a wonder to be living in this time and age!!

I have been so absent...Oh I know...but since my accident on Dec. 10th I have not felt very well nor have I had two hands to type with!! It is amazing how much you do with your left hand even though you are right handed like myself!! I learned how to type with my right hand and then when I got my splint off of my left hand I found myself still plucking away with my right hand. I had babyed that left wrist for so long that I forgot to use it!! Now I am back to typing away and loving it.

My wrist is still sore and will be until the stretching and re learning of it gets back to normal. My knee on the other hand still looks bad but my orthopedist told me not to worry about it. It still has a sack on it with blood hanging there. At least now I don't feel like I am carrying around a sack full of jello. It will just have to re-absorb on its own time.

This morning I went back to Curves after this long absence!! I knew it would be hard and I had to make myself go!! I went around twice slowly and also felt very stiff!! I know that I need to exercise but do I like it?? NO!! Just one of those necessary things that we all really need to do to feel better.

This month marks my upcoming big birthday too!! Really I have never had a problem with birthdays except for a couple that I do remember as a bit tramatic. This one is going to be one of those I am afraid. I will be 65 this month!! Guess I remember being a kid and if someone made it to 65 they were really considered almost dead!! Well i don't feel that way. This morning one of the Curves members said that it was just a number..Okay so just a number!! okay!! I am still trying to convince myself...Don't think it is working!!

We have been good here...Mike has been given a rare thing for his age of 65!! He has been hired through Lowes to do a brand new job that has just been institued there. It is called a Project Specialist Exterior!! Fancy name!! He started on the 11th of January. He has been training for all these weeks and will go into his new job on the 22nd of this month!! He is excited and I also believe a little aprehensive about it all at the same time. Any new job is like that. Only God gave this job to Mike. How many people do you know that get a new job at the great age of 65? Not many right? He just received his first paycheck. We had not seen money from working in about 2 months. We are so blessed that God has brought us through another bad time in our lives. He is just so good if you put your whole faith and trust in HIM and in HIM only!!

I live a lot on facebook and invite you to come and join sometime. It is a great way to re-connect with old friends. I so enjoy having friends and that is just one of the best ways that i have seen.

One time on facebook you were to have your friends leave you a one word about what they thought of you....OH!! But mine turned out great so thought I would share them with you. Here is the list: devoted; devout; cheerful; treasured; encouraging; positive; upbeat; sweet; friend; caring and the last one from my 16 year old granddaughter, Katie..."Oldie"!! Oh well someday she will be almost 65 too!! Smile!! Was really happy with that nice list.

We are having good weather here and are just far enough south and east to miss the snow. We have had some cold weather in the 30's but it usually is sunny so that always is a major wonderful and pleasant time for me. I really love the sun!!

Our home is still on the market as well as our son in law and daughter's home. We know that the right person will come along at just that right exact time. For now we just take one day at a time and go from there. We both will probably have to reduce both homes when the weather really gets nice but for now we are holding on.

Our son in law Roger has moved up to Illinois and is working in an ER there. He comes home about every 3 weeks. I watch the kids on the 2 days that our daughter, Becky works at the hospital here. Madison is 11 now and Garrett is 9!! Our grands are growing up so fast. No little ones around any longer. Sad!! They are all very sweet and great kids but of course I being the grandmother...I am prejudice!!

My blogging has suffered so much but I am going to try to be better at this from now on. Our life is not something that has a lot to talk about but I like it that way..Normal is a good thing!!

Blessings to all of you out there. I know you have had some awful things happen. We even lost one blogger this year....so sad.

Love from Flip Flop!!

Thought for the day:

"Understanding that God is at work in our lives takes the burden of perfection off our backs."--from our pastor Cam Huxford!!

It is really hard to believe that this is the last week of 2009!! Already!! How did this happen so quickly!!?? Time is just flying by!! This is the week that if you stop long enough you wonder what the coming year is going to bring your way. What will life be like in 2010? How will my life change? What has God got in store for me? I wonder!!

I am so glad that we do not know what lies ahead as the majority of us would probably freak out if we really knew. I don't want to know for sure. Just do like the bible says and go one day at a time. In some cases even one hour or one minute at a time works best!!

I have been thinking back about this year and know that it has been a difficult year mostly for us financially. For others in our family, it has been a very bad year for losing their family members. We all have different crisis in our families. Ours was just mostly in the area of trusting God to provide for us monetarily.

This past year was our 45th year together and God willing in January we will have our 46th wedding anniversary!! We are getting old together and to me that is the "ONLY" way!! We have went through a lot together this year and are still hanging in there once again together!!

We went through no jobs from the beginning of the year into May. I had to have my right knee operated on. It is still not right even with the operation. We picked up my parents and kept them here for a couple of months. We did all kinds of things that they had not done. Mother had her first massage!! She loved it!! We took them home and then came home to more work and trying to hold things together.

Our home has been on the market for some time now but it is not selling and we know that God has other plans for us now.

Two weeks ago, as you know, I had a big fall down all of our 14 steps and now am reaping the pain from that. I know that there is a reason for everything and maybe even this too.

After 5 years of being gone, we found our cat Sammy and now he is living here in our garage and seems to be doing great!! Mike is just in love with this big boy cat of ours. He is huge!! We have not figured out yet how to get him inside because of our little Annie. We are afraid for her. We do not want to upset her wonderful kind personality!! So for now Sam is in our garage!!

Mike has been blessed with a new job that will begin about the 11th of this next month. Till then somehow we have to hang on and pray that all the bills get paid!! So far so good!! We know that God is so good to us!!

I have not been a good blogger in 2009 and have lost a lot of blogging friends but I guess we cannot keep doing what we like all of the time and other things just get in your way...Like say : LIFE!! I think that is what has been going on here with me. I still keep in touch with most of you out there and really do appreciate knowing all about your lives.

Now as we are about to enter a new year I want to let you all know that I am blessed to have had you as friends!! Friends have always been very important to me and I feel that they will be just as important in the coming new year!!

I do wonder about 2010. I know that my Dad is not well and keeps getting so mixed up. My mother is having a time trying to maintain her sanity with this. They will be married 66 years this coming January!! What a message to marriage these days!! No one can seem to stay married but there are those of us that still manage too.

I want to wish ya'll a Happy 2010!! May it bring only good things your way!! Love you all!!

FLIP FLOP

Here it is a little over a week since my great "fall"!! I think each day that I get just a bit better than the day before. I hate this pain and want it to leave me but I know that I have to just wait it out until my body completely heals.

I have been getting out. Yesterday Mike and I went to see "Avatar" at the movies. We went to the 3-D one. I think that this movie needs to be seen in 3-D to get th actual fun of it!! I really liked it. Think that Mike was kind of on the fence with the whole thing. I am so intrigued at the new way that movies are going. So much imagination!!!

Today I got out a little and also yesterday in the morning we went to Walmart to get groceries. I got their little electric wheel chair thingy and rode it all around the place. That was fun!! I always wanted to do that but never had the excuse...This time I really did!! It is fun to do but at first driving is not that fun until you get "the hang of it"!!! I did a lot of jumping at first...trying not to hit people. I am going to be more aware of those people in those little things from now on. You really cannot see the things on the shelves very well. I would have to stop and stand up and grab and then back down again.

Tonight we went to church. My pain was not good so about half way through I did not feel well at all. Glad to get home and get comfy once again. Now things are better. It is just the pain that I am dealing with now...One of these days it will all be a bad memory!!

Hoping that you are all ready for Christmas. We are as ready as we can be. Oh today I had two very nice members from Curves stop by. They brought me a poinsetta and some baked goods. We really have some great members at Curves. I am hoping to try to work this Tuesday and Wednesday. I have not driven since my fall. I keep feeling like I am going to re-hurt my knee...crazy I know!! I can now finally go down the steps. That took a few days but am fine now. Just a small fear!! Never fallen like this before and now I feel so many things differently!!

Death Wish (NOT)!!

I have been wanting to write about what has happened to me...AGAIN!! I have been waiting for my left wrist to get better so that typing would be easier. It is better so thought that I would record my adventures since this past Thursday night.

Thursday night, December 10th, I was very happy. That is the night of my favorite TV shows...Bones and Fringe. I had just watched them. It was about 10:30 PM. Mike was turning off the lights so I went back to our computer room to check my email and shut my computer down for the night. I came back down the hall. I thought was turning into our bedroom when it was our stairwell!! I remember putting my right hand on the door frame so I must have led off with my left foot!! I started falling!! I just decided to relax and let myself go rather than trying to catch myself. I must have missed the first4-5 steps (we have 14) and then rolled head over heels. I hit the wall at the bottom of the steps and then flew out the partially opened door that leads to the garage. I remember hitting but never blacked out. Everyone wonders how I did not black out. I laid there and cried. My neck was hurting so I thought maybe I have broken it!!!

Mike came running down and somehow got me up the steps and into our bed. He started putting ice on everything that I said was hurting. I hit my left side pretty bad. My left knee is swollen about 3 times the size of my right knee. My wrist started swelling and of course my neck. The longer I laid there the colder I got with all the ice. My teeth started chattering. Mike covered me up with a blanket and then keep putting hot rags on my forehead. He called our daughter. (She is an RN) She was just getting off work so she flew over. She checked me out and thought if I took pain medication that I would be okay until morning.

Next morning I was awful...sore and felt like someone had just beat me up!! Mike was so sweet. He got me dressed and did whatever he could for me. Both Roger and Becky came over to check me out and thought I was okay. I made it through all Friday and Friday night. Next morning I was still in a bad way. The kids came over to check me out again. They did not like the looks of my knee so thought I had better get to the ER.

Mike came home. He had to go pick up our cat Sammy...get him out of jail. Remember he has been serving time at the vet's office because of biting me. Mike ran and picked him up and then got me dressed and ready.

Off to the ER we went. We got right in because of my circumstance. They put me in a collar cuff on my neck. I was x-rayed, catscanned, and just had pictures all over my body. They wanted to make sure that I did not break anything..ribs, toes, wrist, hips and this crazy knee. They could not find ONE broken bone!! Praise God!! I figured that my guardian angel has really been working overtime these past two weeks.

I have learned the TRUE meaning of TRUE LOVE in these past 2 weeks. My husband has been just wonderful. I have tried to take showers and I almost faint. He is there getting me out, drying me off and even dressing me!! He is right there for everything that I need. I am usually crying but he is there taking care of me. I found out what I always knew but have found out in a new way!! He is just special and entirely in love with me!! I am so special and I feel it from my husband more than ever.

YOu know when we get married we vow"to love each other for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health until death do us part!" Mike has been the ideal picture of that marriage vow to me!! He is just a very special person. I am so fortunate to have married such a wonderful kind man.

Now am I not only depending on God and on Mike but also my wonderful pain medication, ibuprofen and wrapping my knee. I will be okay...IN TIME!!

In the past 2 weeks I have had more x-rays than I could count; 2 catscans; IV; B-12 injection, Tetanus injection and well I know that I am missing something!! OH..yes two splints one was on my right hand for the cat bite and then on my left hand now for my fall!!

I want to be healthy again!! I want to get to feeling good. I have also formed a fear of our steps. I had Mike put up our half door that we had there while my dad was here but now I really need it back up. I have a hard time going down the steps now. I know that I will get over it but for now I have been sitting on my bottom and sliding down the steps. I am just not very sure of our steps any longer.

IN OTHER NEWS!

Mike will find out tomorrow, we think, about a new position at Lowes that he has applied for. I will let you know what happens.

This Christmas season has been very very lean. Each year seems to get worse for this season. Most of our family understands. Our home is still on the market and we are still trying to be understanding of our times right now.

I have learned that I must be needed a little longer here on this planet. I know for sure that God is good!! I am so praying this week will be a better week..for a change!! Smile

FLIP FLOP

My FUN week SO FAR!!

This has been a week of people poking me, injecting me, x-raying me and well just all around ..."something is wrong with Sandy" Week!!

The week started out on Monday like this: I was fine. The day was going well. Washing was getting done and I was soon off to work. Went outside to get the mail. Stopped and sat on the sidewalk with Sammy. He always sits either right beside me or on my lap. This time I put the mail down and he sat on top of it. I sat there petting him and he had his motor going really well. I got up and reached down to get the mail (that he was sitting on) and he bit me!! I was in his space plus he has been running free for 5 years and is on the defense at all times. I was so shocked that he done that.

I went in the house and ran up the stairs. Went straight to the Peroxide bottle and dumped it on my right hand. He bit me on the top of my right hand. It is just like a big puncture wound. I kept getting dizzy...funny because I never faint!! Had to get my head down between my legs fast. Finally once I got it cleaned up (there was NO BLOOD)!! I put neosporin on the puncture wound and put a band aide on it.

Went on to work. The more I was at work the worse my hand got. The pain was really bad!! I closed up shop about 6:45 and ran over to the Urgent 1 place. They said that they could not treat me but had to send me to the ER. Off I go to ST. Joes ER. I sat there for over 3 hours. Becky stopped by on her way home from work and stayed with me. I got a tetanus injection, anti-biotics and pain medication. I really needed that pain medication. The doctor put my whole right arm down to my elbow in a soft splint. I looked like I was waving to everyone all of the time!! I was to keep that on for 3 days.

Yesterday afternoon Becky stopped by and took the splint off. It is so good that she did because my fingers and knuckles were swollen and it did not look like my hand!! Now I have it all opened up but I am still swollen. Beck said to use my fingers as much as I can stand too. I have only 2 of them now that really are painful!!

Today I went in for my CT scan, drinking that contrast stuff plus had an IV too. So more poking and stabbing me!! I think that I have had enough of needles and such for this whole month...but next Thursday I am back at it again with a colonoscopy!! I should be okay once the doctors figure out how I am working on the inside!! I want this all over with!! This does not make LIFE fun at all...but you might like to know...I am still laughing!! Crying came once when I thought that the county was going to come and take Sammy away. You see he has not had his shots. He has been gone for all these years and honestly we had not got him shots because of lack of funds!! Now according to law, he has got stay at our vet's office for 10 days to establish that he does not have Rabies. After the 10 days he will get all of his shots and we bring him home. What a mess. I know there is no good time for things like this to happen...but at Christmas when we are already down in the finance dept. Well, not to worry...God is good and HE has this one all figured out too.

Off to work now!! Just wanted to get in a little bit of what has been my life this week. So thankful that I can once again type. That was about killing me. I tried with my left hand and well it just took way too long for me.

Thanks everyone for stopping by. I love your comments. Need to get over and visit ya'll and soon...

LOVE YA

FLIP FLOP FLOOZIE

"THE CAT WHISPERER"

Sammy as a kitten

You have heard of the "Horse Whisperer". Now you have heard of the CAT whisperer!! We have been working for weeks now once we found Sammy, our cat that we lost over 5 years ago. Today we finally have worked until we have Sammy here at our house!!







When we first moved to Savannah we did not have a pet. The year before we had to put our long time friend and pet down. He was about 16 years old and was just really sick. We had Tigger since our youngest daughter was about 8....this was a very hard decision to have to make. Tigger was a good cat!! He had a wonderful life. Sometimes I think that he almost had about 10 lives instead of the usual 9!! He had been through a lot but at the end he was so sick. We all knew him well. He seemed to know English even. At the end when I would ask him how he was he would just look at me like he was begging me to do something. I stopped by the vet's that day and paid for it. I cried through the whole thing. Mike went home and picked him up and just set the cage inside the vet's door and left. We were all in tears and so hated what we had to do.





When we moved here to Savannah we thought the timing was good because moving him would be a hard thing. He loved the outside so much!! Once we got here Mike said, "NO MORE CATS". One day I was getting my hair done. Becky and the kids stopped by saying that they had heard of some kittens that were at our vet. She wanted to go see them so I just could not resist.





We went and saw these cute little gray kitties. They were free of course!! I ended up bringing this cute little gray kitty with 4 white paws home that day. On the way home, everyone tried to name him. Finally we came up with Sammy!!



That was his homecoming day!! He was the gentlest of cats. Garrett and Madison were both little and he just let them hold him and he was fine with it all!!

Garrett and Sammy 2002

We loved that cat and he loved us.

Then we were robbed and he was let out!! We were heart sick. It was just before Halloween of that year. I put fliers with his picture on it in every ones candy that I gave out that year. I contacted some TV stations because I was so mad about getting robbed plus they let our family cat out!! WTOC called on Halloween and asked if they could come and do a story!! SURE!!

That night as all the kids were coming in to get their candy here was the big TV truck parked out front. We had a good interview and they even put up his picture...nothing helped. It seemed like he was gone. We were so sad.

So now FIVE years later I am driving and he walks right in front of me!! FIVE YEARS LATER!! I was so excited. We started feeding him at the home he seemed to have chosen and finally he decided that this is the home where he belongs. We both are so happy!! Funny to see Mike so happy to have him back home.

I forgot that right after I brought him home when he was a baby, Mike ignored him for about 2 days. Remember he had said NO MORE CATS!! He did not want to get connected to another animal only to have it die!! Well after about 2 days he gave in and Sammy had won him over!! Sammy is doing it again too!!

He is about 7 now!! He has grown into a sweet BIG muscular cat!! Today I was outside sitting on the sidewalk and petting him. I looked over at Mike and said, "Now if I could just get him to sit on my lap." It wasn't a second and here he came and plopped himself right on my lap. We sat there for some 15-20 minutes just loving the whole experience.

SO NOW I am the "Cat Whisperer"!! Smile!!!

FLIP FLOP

Thought for the day: "Thank you Lord for watching over your little ones. Thanks for letting him come back to us." Amen

Day After Thanksgiving!!

Our table for Thanksgiving

Tis the day after Thanksgiving...we are back home and enjoying just being here and being together!!

Yesterday we went to meet the kids and their friends in a campground!! We ate outdoors and had quite the spread!! I knew that my stomach is not in the best of ways lately...SO I only ate one plate which was not really full!! I really do not like Turkey so all I had was the side things which was plenty enough.

Beautiful view of the Lake

I had taken rolls which turned out just awful!! Also took pumpkin and peach pies with whipped cream of course!! We did not have to worry about eating!!

My rolls looked awful

This was a nice campground not too far from here. It was nice because we did not have to drive far at all. It is on a little lake. The kids were having a ball when we arrived. Garrett and his friend Ava were out gathering up all of the little lizards and anything that they could catch. Those two really get along because of their love for hunting and gathering up bugs and such!! They had to show me all of their finds.






We ate about 3:00. We got there just as the turkey was going into the fryer!! Poor thing!! Then it looked like it had suffered a massive heart attack when it came out. I just have never really liked a big turkey like that. I do not mind the sliced deli kind but that is about it!!

What a mess!! I am just not a BIG FAN!!

Afterwards it really started cooling down a lot!! I went for a walk with the kids. They had a neat little beach where they were playing in the sand making things!! We found the prettiest red mushrooms that looked like they had sesame seeds on the tops!! Never seen that before. The longer I live here I discover new things a lot!!

Finally the cold drove us inside to warmer things. We all sat there and watched some good old TV family movies. The kids enjoyed them all. Off to bed early as so many were ready!!



Mike and I slept with the kids in their end of the camper!! Maddie and Garrett were on the top bunks and the old people on the bottom (thank goodness). Sometime in the middle of the night here comes Garrett falling out of bed right above me!! He was fine. I tell you I have never seen Becky move so quickly. She came from the other end of the camper fast and was there in about a second!! Good mommy

Oh I forgot to tell you what we did!! I thought this was great!! When we got to the campground everyone had to go into the McCoys camper and take these cute placemats that Becky had made. Each had one of our names on them. Then we wrote on each on the back something that we were thankful for. It was fun. Then when we started eating everyone was given their place mat and could see what everyone wrote!! I have both Mike's and mine. I am going to take them and have them laminated...I thought it was such a good idea!!

We came home this morning after stopping at a house to do a measurement that Mike needed to get done. No Black Friday shopping for me this year!!



When we got home today Sammy was right here waiting for us. It is supposed to get pretty cold tonight..in the 30's so Mike put a cardboard box with a blanket it in. Hopefully Sammy will go in there and try to keep warm. Poor little guy!

Hopefully ya'll had a great Thanksgiving too!! Isn't it wonderful just knowing that we live in the greatest country!! I am so thankful for that plus my salvation!! I am also thankful for my wonderful family and how God is starting to bring us all back together again!! What a blessing!!

FLIP FLOP

Tuesday Thoughts

How Pumpkin Pie is made!!

I want to be a better blogger once more so I am trying!! Today is cloudy and dreary once again!! Guess this is winter here in Georgia!! I LOVE LOVE the SUN so I really miss it when it decides to hide!!

Today I am off to see a doctor about my abdominal pain! I was excited that my doctor actually got me in this quickly and now I find out that he is not the best of doctors..Oh, not that he is not a GOOD doctor but my daughter tells me that he is sharp and to the point and not much of a communicator! Well, at least I am going!! I need to get this process started. One friend of theirs went to him and he said that he was a "strange bird"!! Should be fun!! I just want to get some answers and get this whatever going!!

I was supposed to work this afternoon but with my appointment being close to when I go to work, I had someone work for me. Probably a good idea!! I would hate to be looking at my watch wondering if I would make it in time!!

We are feeding Sammy mostly here at our home now. I just get on the porch and yell and he comes galloping across the yards to see us..MOSTLY to get fed of course!! I took some cute pictures of him yesterday....

I was out at the mall yesterday (exercising) and I saw Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus. They were in regular street clothes. So i said, Hi there Santa Claus...He just smiled. After that I saw him all dressed up sitting waiting for his kids to come by. I thought that Santa did not come until AFTER thanksgiving? Hm!! I was coming down the esclator and took his picture. He looks pretty good for just a Santa "Helper"!! I would show you the picture but for some reason I cannot right click on my pictures..Oh I can right click just cannot get the CUT function to work!! Hm!! Oh well..

Have a great day!! If you know why I am having problems with the CUT function..I am open to suggestions!!

FLIP FLOP

Thougth for the day: " I wish I had the energy my grandchildren have, if only for self-defense"--Gene Perrot

Long time no blog!!

Yes, that is certainly me!! I just do not seem to have time for everything anymore. I thought as you age that you had more time!! SURE!! That is a big lie right there..but then again keeping busy is a good, good thing.

First I was so busy crocheting purses right and left!! Now that has all stopped. Over the years I have done little side jobs like crocheting and found out that I earned just enough money to do with it what I wanted. This time I saved along with my purse money and bought myself a new laptop!! I am so so happy with it..BUT let me tell you what happened before I got HAPPY!!

I had researched all kinds of computers. I knew what size of hard drive I wanted and how much memory...so off I went looking!! I found a Sony Vaio that I really liked (it was pink)!! Smile. It had 4 gb of memory and the hard drive was the size that I thought I wanted...plus it had Windows 7!! I wanted to advance and go from my XP to Windows 7..thus passing VISTA!!

Mike and I went in and looked at BEST BUYS last Friday the 13th!! (That might be why) Any hoo I found a GATEWAY that I thought looked good..price was decent...I bought it brought it home and was doing great...until I realized that it was VISTA!! I did not want that..but I thought..WEll I can live with this..The computer started shutting down all on its own..THAT IS NOT GOOD for a new computer!! Finally after working with it going down and the mouse on the pad was just awful..kept going its own way, I got angry and took it back to BEST BUYS!! I told them to keep this one..do not offer to fix it and give it back because I did not WANT IT!! I went and picked up that SONY VAIO that I had wanted in the 1st place and got it...Now my little computer HEART is happy and so is the computer!! It is GREAT!! The difference between the two computers is just like night and day!! I am in Computer HEAVEN now!! Smile!!

Also our son Jon went to Columbus, Ohio to interview for a job with Abercrombie & Fitch. He lost his job about 3 weeks ago in California!! He had 7 interviews yesterday. He has the job!! We are so happy. Now if we sell this house here in Georgia and move back to Illinois my kids will be close to us again!! Makes this mom a happy MOM!!

We are still working on getting our lost cat Sammy back over here to our home. I go outside and yell for him and he comes galloping to our house. He is a big guy!! Really grown up to be a muscular cat!! Still cannot believe that we found him after 5 long years!!

Our life is going along pretty well right now except for me not feeling too well. I had an ultra sound of all my organs and that turned out really well. (they said that I have good looking organs)!! I have been having pain in my side and thought it might be my gall bladder...turns out that is fine. Now the next tests are not going to be that easy. I am looking at a colonoscopy and also an upper GI test. Wish that they were over with. Please pray that if they find something that it will be easy to deal with...

Mike's job has slowed down. This is a little sooner than usual but we are just taking each day as it comes and hoping that all works out!!

I wish that I could say I would get around to everyone, but that might not work!! I miss ya' all a lot...I can try...

FLIP FLOP

Simplify!!

This Saturday one of the several TV stations here in Savannah is sponsoring a shredding day!! I love these events. You can clean out all of your old papers that you have been collecting and saving for years. Take them to the site and right there they shred them for you. I think it is great because it helps with others trying to steal your idenity. You can take old computers and they will wipe the hard drive clean. Then the computers can be given to people who really need them.

Mike and I have to get rid of a lot of things whenever our BIG move comes!! We went through our big 5 drawer file cabinet. We tossed and tossed papers into a big plastic bin. It felt so good to do this!! We have been carrying around from home to home old papers that we "think" we had better keep when in reality we really do not need them. Most everything is computerized anymore..any how..so why keep all of this "STUFF" and clutter up your life.

After we went through and cleaned out I thought to myself how good it makes me feel to un clutter things. I know that these papers are going to be shredded into little bitty pieces and will no longer be a part of our lives. As I was thinking about this whole process, it made me think that this is what our God does for us.

He takes our poor broken lives and takes our sins and "shreds" them into little tiny pieces and forgets them forever. I can go on from day to day knowing that He knows me and loves me but also knowing that my sins are forgiven and taken away...What a relief it is to know this about my God and also about myself.

Just like all of those old statements, papers, old paid bills and old checks...they will soon be gone and no longer in our lives. That part of our life is past and done with...I just felt like for some reason that this was freeing for me!! Sort of like losing weight...taking something away!!

Maybe this sounds crazy to you but some of these papers were ones that weighed Mike and I down at one time. Now that time is past and they are gone..never to be remembered...RIGHT!! If we have salvation through our Lord and Savior Jesus, then our sins are all gone and never to be remembered again too...YES!! FREEING!!

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Things have been good lately!! Only shown our home twice so far but that is twice. Our fliers out front just keep leaving so i guess that is a good thing. We just pray for God to show the right people to come by and buy our home. I know that i am going to have to move...i really do not want too..but sometimes we have to do some things that we really do not want too. Change is good and i have always been able to adapt and i will again.

Went yesterday to see Michael Jackson's "This is It". We all really liked it. When it is over you do feel sad to see such a vibrant man that was so good with his music to be gone at such a young age. I recommend it IF you were a fan of Michaels!!

We are experiencing such beautiful weather here in Savannah. The sun is wonderful and it always makes me so happy here.

Hopefully everyone is blog land is doing great too!! I wish that I could get around to all of your blogs...I would love to be able to do this...

Oh, remember Sammy our cat that was lost but now has been found?? I go over to the house where he is staying every day and feed him. They are not feeding him any more and trying to make it so that one day I will be able to bring him back here..Home. We are hoping that before it gets too cold that we will be able to do just that.

FLIP FLOP
Thought for the day: "The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak."--- Hans Hofman

Saturday PHOTO HUNT--Bags

My black and white purse which sells for $35.00
all washable except for handles

Little evening bag $25.00..also washable!!

Red with red and flowered purse handles
$35.00

Brown and Biege Bag
$35.00

What an easy picture for me to find this week!! I have been crocheting bags (purses) for some months now so I will just post them here for ya'll to see!! I love making them and would love orders if you are willing!! I am!! Great Christmas GIFTS!!

FLIP FLOP
Thought for today:

"If you look at what you do not have in life, you don't have anything.
If you look at what you do have in life, you have everything."

Tuesday AM

A dreary day in usually sunny Georgia today!! I love my sun so I miss it for sure today!! We have had some painters in painting our stairwell. It is so hard to do since the ceiling is so high. This way we will soon have it done and Mike will not have had to try to kill himself to do it. Sure is looking nice and of course clean!! We also had them paint the shutters on the outside of our home so that it might make our home look more attractive!! Now we still just wait until someone decides that they would love our home as much as we do!!

Just returned from feeding our lost cat, Sammy again. I go every day and feed him...pet him..talk to him. Today I got to pick him up and he just settled right into my arms, purring and making biscuits with his front soft feet. We had him declawed and neutered when he was a baby so now he has those soft front paws. I am hoping to get him over here as soon as possible. Where he is living they will be moving in about 2 weeks so I have to do something. It is like a project! I am working hard to get him back home where he belongs. I just hope that he will come. Someday i think he might follow me home...could happen!!

I have all of my purses done and mostly delivered!! I am hoping for more orders soon. Christmas is around the corner..I am afraid!! I really enjoy doing these!!

Mike's work is slow once again. I think in a way, it has been good so that his leg has had a chance to heal. It is getting better but is going to be a slow process.

Such is the life of flip flop right now!! Not a lot of interesting things. See why I don't blog much!!

FLIP FLOP
Thought for the day: "Your attitude toward life defines not only WHO you are, but the Quality of LIFE you are after."

Small Miracle Report

About FIVE years ago we came home from church on Saturday night and found that our home had been robbed. I knew the minute that I opened our door that leads from the garage, that someone had been in our house. We had just brought home a new kitten, Simon and had a very sweet older cat..named Sammy!! I ran up the stairs calling their names...I was more worried about them that whatever the robbers had taken...

I found the baby Simon under our bed hiding but could not find Sammy anywhere!! That upset me so much. The robbers had taken our big screen TV but that did not matter to me as much as losing my cat, Sammy...

That was just about 5 years ago now...I remember the date because it was right before Halloween. I was so upset about the whole thing that I called one of the TV stations here. They came out on Halloween night and did a story on it. Sammy's picture was all over the TV. I had also made little fliers and I put one in each of the containers when the kids came that night to get candy!!

We found him once but lost him again...NOW FIVE YEARS LATER...Here is he again!! Yeap, I was driving to Curves this morning and this cat just appeared...I thought that is Sammy and sure enough it is him!! I got out and petted him and talked to him...He has had a hard life but has grown into a BIG OLE guy now!! He is muscular and has had to take care of himself!! He found a home just really close to us with a neighbor that I know.

Sammy today after a hard life!!

The problem is that they are moving in 3 weeks. We are going to try to get him used to our home at least outside for now. He is still a sweetheart!! I was so upset when we lost him. I hated it that people could just walk into our home and do what they wanted and let Sammy go!!

My daughter and I walked over there this afternoon and took pictures. He is being called, "Kitty" now because the little boy that loves him is just a little thing and can only say Kitty. I am just glad that we found him and that he is still alive and happy!!

I am so happy about this that it made me almost cry!! Just wanted to share this wonderful story with you...

FLIP FLOP

Another Wednesday

Good Morning and Welcome to HUMP DAY...Wednesday!! Where someone came up with that title...I will never know!!

So much goes on here that sometimes my days just fly by!! I have no idea where they go!! I get up eat and then work on purses; house; bible study or something. Then it is time to get to work!!

My latest purse. I liked it so well that I am now carrying it!!

We have been watching Mike's blood pressure for the past month or so and it is just too high to please me. I finally got a doctor appointment for him in the morning. The doctor that he sees is like in a fortress when it comes to trying to get an appointment. The next aggravating thing is that once you get there and you are on time...you wait sometimes another 2 hours before you even get in the examining room. Once in there you sit for who knows how much longer..30 plus minutes. Finally the "man of the hour" shows up!! I so hated this and the way this particular doctor talked to me that I quit and found a great new female doctor that I just simply LOVE!! You go to her office..sit maybe 5 minutes... go in and she is right there!! That is the way it should be..Getting an appointment is just as easy too. I always think that when you are sick why should you have to WAIT!! Mike just will not switch and between you and me I think it is because MY doctor is a female..MEN!!

I have half of my orders for purses all finished now!! I have no time to make new ones which i would love to do so I just keep keeping on with the orders. I have one about half done but then again will have to line in once I get it completed. I LOVE doing this!!

Prayer request: Our 16 year old granddaughter, Katie is going to be having some tests. She just needs us to pray for her. Our almost 18 year old is having hip surgery on the 23rd of this month. Both girls are Julie's and she is a little overwhelmed right now with all of this!! OF COURSE...I would be too...but she needs to remain positive about it all!!

Our youngest daughter and hubby have decisions to make concerning moving!! That means that we will move too..We both have homes to sell and in this economy it is very very hard. We have had ours for sale for over a year now. Dropping the price again today to see if that helps at all!!

Always something in this life to make it challenging!! God is still in control and I know it!!

Enjoying our Precepts Study this Fall with Matthew!! We are doing the first half..then slipping in Titus before Christmas. We will finish Matthew after Christmas. Great Study!! If you ever find a Precepts in your part of the world GO!!!..You will not regret it!!

About as good as I can do for today!! We have a 90% chance of rain today!! So you reckon it will rain?? Smile!! We have been so fortunate with hurricanes this year!! So happy for that..Still have not been in one and really not looking forward to it either...

Take care ya'll!!

FLIP FLOP

An Angel says, 'Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice.'