Have a very special one!

My Valentine’s Page

We have glorious sunshine this morning – but OH MY did the wind ever come over night – high gusts, the trees just swaying like crazy. And this morning, as I sat in the livingroom to have my first cups of coffee, I watched a couple of parts of the neighbors roof loosen and fly into our yard. I do hope he realises he has lost a couple of patches later on today, as we do not have that kind of contact for us to tell him. At least it has died down considerably now, so just maybe we will have a beautiful day.
We also will be going out for lunch, as we will be joining son John, daughter Angela,  to help GSon (their son) Brandon celebrate his 22nd BDay. (As I write this I realise this may sound a bit confusing as they are both our children. My daughter, Angela, married Elmer’s son John, and it is through them that we got together and married. This makes me John’s Step Mother and MIL LOL)

Meanwhile, I have finally put the last of my photos from my trip into an album. Brings back warm, sunny days and good times with the rest of my family in the South. Hopefully, with these winter days still with us, these photos will help to brighten up the day.

                     http://www.care2.com/c2c/photos/view/449078385/S_California_Flora_and_Fauna_/

As I look over all that I have shared so far, I see I have broken the Calif Trip into 10 Albums. I also see where I could have taken many more photos in different areas, but am happy with the ones I have to share.
Photo taking is quite a process for me. I ask myself – am I taking them to share? Do I take them just because I have a camera, and it is fun to snap away? If this was the case then what do I do with them afterwards? Am I interested in doing photos that look professional and can be framed? (I do not really even consider this aspect any more as it is not my thing) I do not print them out, except for a special few of family to put into a “hard copy” Album. I have looked at so many others who post their pics online – everyone has a different approach to what they do with their cameras. No two people are exactly alike, and I enjoy everyone I look at.
Slowly, over the last couple of years, I have seen that what I like to do is tell my adventures through them on line. I like to share myself in this way with people, and this would not be accomplished via printed material. So each photo is what caught my eye and interest. Yes, I do have the occasional pic that is just to show one thing I want to tell about, but this is not often. And these are usually displayed in my Xanga blog. I am always aware that my albums are being viewed by a variety of people, which is probably why I do not take more photos of the places I visit, as, at the back of my mind, I do not feel they would be looked at if too many.
For those of you who have taken the time to look at what I share, I cannot tell you enough how much I have appreciated your comments and feed back. It makes it all so very worthwhile for me. Thank you.

We had a dreadful storm pass through yesterday – wind over 90K and rain in torrents. All kinds of havoc on the coast which was declared a disaster area in some sections. Today we woke up to calm – and Yea! even a few patches of blue showing through the clouds – just had to take a pic to show it off   Now it has clouded all over again, but they do say some sun is coming our way for the rest of the week. That will be so wonderful!

We have been adding a new program to our computers – the family all seem to have gone into one called Skype. Ever heard of it? It is getting really bad when we contact each other this way through computers instead of all the old ways but this is the modern way, so – to keep in contact – we have it now too. It is more than just an IM. Also has phone features, so we can talk to each other and not have a screen up on our monitors (as long as you have a microphone which we do) We tried it out with son Gerry who helped us set it up and it was so neat. just like a phone, no delays like the old one we had tried a long time ago. Might take a bit of getting used to, but now we have a new toy on our computers to play with, and Gerry passed on the contacts for the rest of the family so we did not have to go searching for them. Will just have to see how this works out as the days go by. For now I see only one big problem – we are on the computer in the mornings, and the rest of the family work and come on at night   Will have to be mostly weekends I guess that we will co-ordinate.

For a very short while yesterday, the sun came out. WOW it was wonderful! after nothing but gray days and rain, it seemed unreal. Elmer had told me that my Iris was flowering again, so I grabbed the camera and went out to see.

Poor plant just keeps on blooming – see it has several flower stalks tying to produce, even if it does look a bit worn from lack of sun and all that rain – two months worth if I recall correctly. At least it feels that way.

Next to it some reseeded calendular are also making a show

They too look a bit weather worn, but are a pretty splash of color right now.
Both of these do not normaly flower till much later in the year.

Otherwise life is quiet – Elmer is slowly getting his speech back after a bad stroke a week ago, and his hand is functioning fairly well. He is taking everything he has to to keep going, stubborness alone will bring him back each time for now. I think I at least have come to place where I must accept that this is his path, and just take it day by day.

Sunday I went to one of the GDaughter’s Ice Hockey games – it was a good one, but neither team scored. Many almost goals made it quite exciting. Afterwards, Elmer and I joined Sheilagh and family for dinner at the Mandarin Gardens Chinese restaurant to help Katie celebrate her coming birthday. We had a great meal and good sharing.
Just have to recount GD Laura’s telling about her new class she is starting. Tested as exceptional, she was offered an afterschool course from a selection to choose from. She has taken story writing and publishing. In explaining why, she could not remember the term accelerated, and instead used extra-terrestial. How we laughed as this is often what we think of what she is like as she so often seems “out of this world” with the things she comes out with. (Grandma’s have to boast occasionaly about their GKids)

I was looking back at some of the photos I have and came across this one

   This is Granddaughter Katie

I posed with her for this to show off the outfit I had made for her and her doll – a constant companion for her when she was little. I can hardly believe she will be 13 on Feb. 1st. How she has grown. A great little Ice Hockey player, very much into crafts too.
I look at myself and see the years do show

Meanwhile here is my next Photo set Album – a mix of all the different transports we took

Plane, Bus, Car and Train

Still raining! Oh do I wish for those sunny days! They did not say anything on the news, but I beleive we stopped for the 27th day, and had a few hours of sunshine the next day too, so we did not officially break the record - otherwise, very cloudy. Now it is back – rain and more rain.

There really has not been that much going on in my life. Everything is so quiet lately.
Elmer has his computer all done the way he likes it, and the other has been given away. We were just delighted and surprised to hear our eldest son has now started to work on computers, something he has avoided all these years and Angela (wife) was having to share hers when he wanted on, so they asked if he could have the old one for himself. It was with great pleasure we handed it over. Now they have the chore of getting it cleaned up and put the way he would like   I do not envy them at all. It is always so much harder to clear up an older one filled with things than to start fresh. Just hope we gave them all the disks they need to do this, as one never knows which ones belong when you have so many around for different things. At least he has a lot of help in this area, and Angela can do a fair amount. Though she was talking of asking brother G to help if she ran into problems. 
Meanwhile, I worry about Elmer – seems he has been having minor strokes all month, at least one a week now that I know of (he does not always tell me unless it is obvious) but his speech is now affected quite a bit, and his right hand does not want to work most of the time. I just do not know what to do any more, as he still refuses to see a Dr. At least he has now agreed that travel is out of the question for him, and has not renewed our yearly membership for the Camping Club we belong to. 

Meanwhile, here are my latest albums from the trip I took to Calif.

   Long Beach Aquarium       Skirball and Apt. Scenes

I cannot believe how fast this last week has flown!! Elmer reminded me it is Friday already! where has it gone to? So I stopped to think, what have I been up to?

With it raining almost non stop now – going towards a record of over 28 days, which was last recorded in 1956, it is already 26 days today and still going strong with no end in sight for the next week, I tend to stay indoors and emerse myself in my own world, trying to catch up with everything I have involved myself with online. Still have not caught up

Meanwhile, Elmer had run into problems with his computer – it simply ran out of space and would no longer function properly. For a year I have been telling him it was time to check into another, but stubborn! he said his was working just fine, so why change a good thing even if his was 6yrs old or more!  We get up one morning this week (don’t ask me which day ) and announced it was time he indulged himself in a new one! So off we went to look at what was on the market, and if any were on sale. Found a deal at Staples – HP with one of those neat flat digital monitors, and a printer (we already have too many of those but it came in the package) all kinds of goodies loaded, for uner $1,000.00 right within our price range, so we picked it up. Now for the last few days we have been working together to try and get all the things he uses onto it and get it into a working machine the way he likes it. Where did we put those disks for this particular program? Oh here it is, now where is the next one?  I guess you get the picture   Resigning all those registrations, looking for all the info needed for this, trying to find all the old favorites, which are all the sights I belong too? Can you remember my passwords in this one? The joys? of changing onto another computer is never one to look forward to, but the effort is well worth it in the end.

Meanwhile, in-between working with him, I have now put more of my vacation pics into an album. This is a long one. I have lumped the majority of what we did for that last week there into this one, as there was not that many of each activity, except our visit to the Aquarium which is the next album.

Our Stay in Long Beach

I just received this in my mail – wish I knew people from this State, but in lew of that I am posting it here. Just makes me ill to think this goes on, even though I know there are all kinds of people out there.

* * * DO NOT ADOPT TO REBECCA OR TONY WILLIAMS * * *

Tony & Rebecca Williams (e-mail: JaRuleW@aol.com ) claim to have a rescue in Rocky Mount, NC and are trying to get dogs from all over the Eastern Seaboard. (She offered to take 14 dogs since Monday) She continues to take dogs, most are pit bulls, with some offers to adopt Presa Canarios, Rottwiellers, Dobermans, and Wolf hybrids. In addition, she had previously posted that her roommate was looking for a Great Dane or Great Dane mix. She also posted that she was “desperate” for a Chihuahua and she really wanted a Mini Pin and a Jack Russell.

She claims her rescue is a pit bull rescue, but another pit rescuer
called the local Animal Control. Animal Control’s comments:
“She’s been barred from taking any dogs from the shelters in her area. He also said she has a long criminal history, has been selling Pit Bulls on street corners for 15 or 20 dollars and has been under investigation for dog fighting.”

Atlantic Rescue has now banned her, after finding out this information. These are the breeds she has asked for:
a.. Pit Bulls
b.. Rottwiellers
c.. Dobermans
d.. Presa Canarios
e.. Tea Cup Chihuahuas
f.. Jack Russell Terriers
g.. Shar Peis
h.. Min Pin
i.. Great Dane (Pure Breed or Mix)

She uses the little dogs as bait! Please cross post
Please check for your breed above and notify all rescues.
They are going out of their area looking for dogs to adopt. 

Over the new Year Holidays (it always happens this way right?) we had some very scary electrical problems. A whole section in the house went out on the Friday before New Year, and we could not find what was wrong. Had to wait till everyone returned for work again before we could get an electician (SIL Brian) over to fix it the following Wed.. Turned out some wires near Hubbie’s computer plug had melted their coverings, fused together and were glowing. Ouch! We were so lucky it had not started a wall fire before it was found and fixed. (While we were waiting, Elmer had to use a long extension plugged into another area of the house to use his computer) My side of the computer room was not affected, but I worried all the time regardless.
While I could have done nothing to save anything if this had happened, it got me to thinking about all the photos I have on my computer. I was long overdue in backing them up onto a disk, just in case. This meant I had to do some major re-organizing of my photo section to get it all into an order that could be accessed/browsed through easily as I am always looking for an old pic for some of the projects I get into. Also found out (I had not been keeping track, and with the digital, they are now bigger files too than they used to be) that I have so many there now that it took 3 almost full CDs to put them on. At least I now have them done – next thing is to go through my graphics and other documents to back them up too – hours of work folks, but well worth it in the long run. Will give a lot of peace of mind knowing I will not lose everything if by any chance I had a computer problem.

Meanwhile, I have decided to go back to Aquafit. My efforts at going for a walk with Elmer every day just does not seem to take off, and ends after a couple of days. So I started on Wednesdays for now. Will have to still decide whether I want to go more often each week or not yet. I really do have to incorporate more exercise into my life, but Oh it is so hard to get moving on this one.

We helped GDaughter Crystal celebrate her 18th on the 4th. We both joined her and the family for a dinner at Red Robin Restaurant. I did not take my camera, just left it to her Mom to record the event and do hope we get to see the results later. These children are all growing up so fast now. Seems like just yesterday we were celebrating her birth. I thought of how cute she was as a baby, showing me her first steps, her sweet attempts at drawing and writing – my but it does not seem possible she is now considered an adult in the eyes of the world (and herself ) She is my fourth one to become an adult, and some of the others are not that far behind.

 I have also completed another Album of my Calif. trip. Here is the link for your viewing pleasure.

Santa Monica Beach

With almost a week gone already into the New year, I felt it was time to do some catch up again.
Then I thought, I do get myself into a lot of things. I feel scattered! Too many different subjects, too many different projects, too many distractions, I love variety, I get bored easily if it is always the same, yet how can I limit myself to only a couple of things that I can give full atention to on a more regular basis? While I have always been a multi-tasker, seems lately I have slowed down in this regard a bit.
Time – it is a strange thing.The more I had to do, the more I used to get accomplished. Now, with the days all my own, and anything in it just mine to use for the most part, I get less done in a much longer time period. On the one hand, I feel as if time is running out quicker than ever, and on the other hand, there is so much of it to fill, I can do things a whole lot slower.
One part of me is always thinking of the concrete things in my life, another is always looking at myself, analyzing what is going on inside me at all times, trying to sort out what I am doing that may be needed to be looked at and possibly changed. Does this or that make me happy? Sad? Frustrated? Angry? Am I following concepts that were given to me from childhood that are no longer valid in my life? Am I being honest with myself and others where different things are concerned, or, if not, do I need to continue what I am doing so that I make no waves. Is what I am feeling at any one point real or just a passing emotion that is not based on any true reality of my inner feelings? It is all so convoluted, and intertwined in my head. I even wonder why I have to question myself so much. I so envy those that seem to know where they are and where they are going. Maybe somewhere in my life I used to do that too, but it has been so long ago, if so, that I do not remember it. Even as a child I questioned so much, but I did know what I wanted when I was an adult, only to find a lot of that was not where I wanted to be once I had the oportunity to fullfill those dreams.
Perhaps these dreams were supposed to be followed, but life changed the pattern and they became invalid. If this was so, then I have to look at other patterns that are inside me that may need to be re-evaluated. One of my dreams was to explore my psychic side. Develop my potentials in this area and help others with it. I had come a long ways in this, until life took a big wallop, and now I have blocked a lot of it off. I still wish I could be involved in this area, but I have a major wall there now, and cannot get beyond all the reasons I did this. They may or may not be valid. It is an area my mind touches on regularly, but shys away from just as quickly.
Introspection has always been a way of life for me, but I sometimes wonder if I do too much of it. No-one else can truly give me any answers to what I am looking for. It is personal, and based on experiences, my own personality and conclusions only I have had, no matter how many times I ask others to help me sort some of these things out. I realise each and everyone has to form their own conclusions and way of handling their lives. I respect that.
I also like to hear what anyone likes to offer me of their philosophies, as this may hold a key for me. It may not be exactly the same, but it can trigger another line of thought.
But I am not asking anyone for this, just writing what is going on a bit about what is going on inside of me right now.

This past year (or more) there have been so many things going on both in my immediate sphere and worldwide that has brought out all kinds of emotions. I am still trying to sort through them all and assimilate much of it. Sorting out what is valid and what is something I do not need to incorporate into my being. Why has so much affected me in so many negative ways? And yes a lot of it has been very negative. This was not like me, I always looked for the best and the positive, and found good things in all. So much anger inside me has been trigered off, much of which I never realsied existed inside me. A lot of it is not even about what brought out the anger, and while I looked at it, found it goes way deeper. How much deeper I have no idea at this point. Only bits and pieces will surface at any one time, and they too stem from something even deeper than them.

This is what the idea of a New Year, a New Beginnings does to me. A sorting out of some of the chaff that has stuck to my psyche, an overall look at some of the things I have been going through inside myself. No conclusions, no major insights, no big Ah Ha! Just maybe this New Year will bring me some of them, and changes for a clearer view of where I am and where I am heading.

I simply wish all have a brighter happier 2006.