Tomorrow is That dreaded Day, December 30th.

Tomorrow is that dreaded day I dread all year long. You say why? It is right after Christmas and before New Years Day. Nothing too bad about that. But it is for me.

This is the day in 1978 when my sister died of colon cancer. I think she was just hanging on trying to make it until Christmas. The day after Christmas she went into the hospital and went into a coma shortly after. She died a few days later on the 30th. She was one of the nicest sweetest people I have ever seen.

Five years to the  day my daughter Julie died. She was nine years old. We had a house fire in Sweetwater and all of us got out except her. She was upstairs and there was just no way to get down. The firemen tried to save her. There was just nothing anyone could do. To lose a house with all your possessions is bad but to lose a daughter too is just such a tragedy.

It has been 36 years since my sister left this world and 31 since my daughter left. That is a very long time but still every time I think about it tears get in my eyes. I have talked about it. I have went to therapy over it. I think it has helped but to lose a child is something you will never get over.

I feel like I have went thru the very worst thing that can ever happen to a person. To lose a child is the very worst. Your life is never the same again. With time it gets better but you can never get over it.

I bought a elf on a shelf this year and gave it to Jana's kids. I named her Julie Lynn after both my girls that have died. Paula Lynn  was only 3 days old. Julie Christine was 9 years old. One of these days I know we will meet again. I am not ready to leave here yet because I still got to write that book. But when my time comes I know I will have some people to meet me at those pearly gates. My girls, my Mom and dad, two sets of grandparents, three nephews and my sister. That will be quite a reunion.

But first of all I still got to get thru tomorrow. Bad, bad day.

Christmas is Over, New Years Will Soon Be Here

Well we made it thru Christmas. It wasn't the same this year. I didn't get a lot of things done this year that I usually do. Such as I usually send lots of cards. I sent a few but not as many as I usually do. I have pen pals that I have written too for years and usually I send all of them a card. I did send some though like I said. Usually I make my entry way closet door a place for my cards. I put wrapping paper and a big bow in the middle and put my cards. Not this year.

One reason I didn't get to everything was I was still getting over the laser surgery I had I guess. It took  along time to get over even though I got out of the hospital after a few hours. Recovering was a month longer. But I was so happy at Christmas all of that is behind me.

My son Allen made my Christmas a lot better. First of all he sent me $500 to help out on Christmas. I got me a mani and pedi to make myself feel better. I got a Jewelry Armoire since my son John broke off the legs moving it back here from Sweetwater. Later Allen sent me $200 more to help a few people I knew who wasn't going to have a very good Christmas. My next door neighbor wasn't going too and she has a 15 year old daughter. I made them baskets of all kinds of stuff in it with gift cards. Then my daughter Jana knew two small children who wasn't going to have a very good Christmas so we bought for them. Allen does the angel tree every year so he said they would be his angel this year.

Guy and I had went our separate ways too for awhile. I was just so sick when I was in Sweetwater and on meds and was sleeping day and night. I just wanted to come back to my home here in Fort Worth and I am very happy here right now. Around family a lot. Guy and I are trying to work things out. So far it is great.

Wondering if I should take the tree down tomorrow or if it is better luck to keep it up until the new year. I want 2015 to be a better year than it was this year. I have new year resolutions to make. And I plan on eating cabbage and black eye peas with corn bread. How about you?

I love Christmas Movies

I been watching a bunch of Christmas movies. This year for the first time ever I watched "Its a Wonderful Life" with Guy.  It was a good movie. I didn't cry like he did though. And he has watched it before. He even cried watching "The Holiday". I love that movie but I didn't cry.

It was nice having Guy here to watch movies with me. Lots better than watching them alone. Now he is gone though and I got to watch them alone again. I will survive because I am a survivor. I really think I was meant to live alone too.

My Mom once told me she thought I was meant to be alone. She said I was way too independent to share my life with a man. I guess she was right. I been married three times and had a few long term relationships. I have often wondered how people stay with the same person for years. I only made it 7 years with each marriage. Guys just get on my nerves!

It does get lonely being alone so much though. What is one to do  if you cant get along with guys? Maybe a roommate? I always thought I wanted to be like the Golden Girls. I know it would be hard to find someone you can get along with. Living day in and day out with someone is hard whether it be  a room mate or a spouse. So I guess I will continue what I am doing. Watching Christmas movies alone. And liking it.
 

It's Certainly Looking a Lot Like Christmas

I love this time of the year. I love what it stands for and I love buying presents and I love getting presents. I love seeing people out doing things and being happy. Every once in a while you will see a Scrooge but not too often.

I love watching Christmas movies on Lifetime or Hallmark. But I do think right after Halloween is little bit too soon. Tonight I am watching " A Christmas Carol." I have never seen "It's a Wonderful Life" all the way thru.

I had a really good surprise this year. My son sent me money to help out on my Christmas buying. That was so very nice of him. I have twenty one grandkids and seven kids so that is hard sometimes. I am getting me a mani and pedi tomorrow with part of that. That always makes you feel better.

Four of my grandkids helped me decorate the tree today. I have done it so many years I don't really get excited doing it anymore. But they love to do it. Just like wrapping presents. I hate doing that anymore too. You got to do it though.

Jana and I went to Walgreens and Wal Mart tonight. The closer to Christmas it gets the further away you have to park at Wal Mart. I hate that. My foot is still giving me pain when I walk a lot. I wish just one year I could get thru early but that never happens. I am usually there that last day on Christmas eve still trying to find a present. Then home to wrap them.

We usually open one or two presents on Christmas eve and then the rest the next morning. When I was a child we opened all our presents on Christmas eve. I kind of like it better just opening a few and waiting until the next day to open the rest.

I am still a kid at heart when it comes to Christmas. I can hardly wait.......

Tomorrow Another XRay

I have had so many X Rays lately. I used to never have any.  Soon as you get that medicare card the doctors seem to find all kinds of things wrong with you. Is it all really wrong or do they just like to take tests?

Anyway after the CT Scan I had a lung X Ray before surgery. Then later have had two KUB's. Will have another one in a month. Tomorrow I will have one on my foot. Hope that is all for awhile.

I got to get this foot working right because I got a lot of shopping to do before Christmas. Everyone knows I am a shopper. Now ever time I shop for a few hours I pay for it for days. My ankle swells and I am limping. I don't know what happened to it. It started in the summer. Swelling and hurting.

You never really notice how many steps you take a day until your foot hurts every time you walk. I had eight tubs of Christmas decorations in the attic. My daughter Jana had to bring them down for me. Trying to find  a place for all of that has been hard limping from room to room.

It is so much fun to look and see what you bought last year after Christmas though. I have always done that. A real shopper loves a bargain. 90% off is exciting. I know this year I don't have to buy any bags, wrapping paper, bows or tags. I got plenty of all of that. All I need is presents.

So we are taking care of that foot tomorrow. I hope I don't have to wear one of those ugly boots. I will if I have too though. I got to be able to shop for all those grandkids. Of course some of it I can do online if I choose to do so. Life is so much easier these days....

Getting Back to Normal- What is Normal?

What is normal? I am not sure but it is not what I have felt in the last month. That night I couldn't sit down because I hurt so bad and kept walking the floor was the start of my misery.
I had not a clue that night what I was in for. I did go to hospital in Sweetwater and after a Ct Scan they knew I had a marble size kidney stone. They sent me home with pain pills.

Next day I called the urologist in Abilene and got an appointment for next day. Seen that doctor and they set my laser surgery for two days later. So back home we went and we waited those two days. I had mixed feelings. I had never had a surgery in my 69 years. With my Mitral Valve Prolapse I was scared to be put to sleep. But I left it up to God to see me thru this.

Day of surgery I thought it would all be done. Two hours after surgery I went home. That night I had bladder spasms which were horrible. The next day I found out just what stents meant. Painful ever time you go to bathroom. Not even the pain pill could make that pain go away. The more you stand the more you have to go. Doctor said to go back to work in three days. No way could that have happened.

I had the stent for 27 days. I lost ten lbs. When I went to get it out they said to keep it in for two and a half weeks. Still had chunks of stones. My gosh how could I stand that much longer with that stent? Finally I decided I was coming back to Fort Worth and see a urologist here. Thank God I did.

Last Tuesday I went to Dr. Moore here. He done an X Ray and my stones were all gone. Yay! I was so relived. So he took out the stent. Talk about pain. But he pulled it out. 18 inches long and no numbing.

I had no pain after that. Just soreness and bleeding. Next day though all of a sudden I had nausea day and night. I couldn't sleep at night. Runny nose and sneezing. Called my doctor and she said it was all from the trauma to my body.

Today it has been a week and still got the nausea. Hoping it goes away soon. It is getting better by the day. I will be so glad to get back to normal. But tomorrow I got to get papers to get my foot X Rayed, It has been giving me trouble every time I walk a lot. That messes up my shopping....I am falling apart at 69.

Being Single Is Okay

Everyone knows I came back to Fort Worth and I came alone. I thought it would be hard because I had been with Guy the last 9 months. It was hard. There is an adjustment to everything that you do I guess.

It is strange when you think about it. When you first meet someone everything is so great. You think this is the one. You will be with this person forever. He is so nice. He treats you like a princess. What ever person should do when they get with a guy that has been married several times is talk to his ex and see what she has to say about him. I am sure it is not good. Of course a lot of women would not be willing to tell you about the relationship. But then there are the ones who would like to broadcast how bad he was.

When I first met Guy I didn't even think he was the one. I liked him but not a lot. I guess it grew after that. The more I saw of him the better I liked him.  I had been alone for a couple of years. Sitting home alone not going out much since I didn't like going alone. I thought it was neat getting to go out to eat or to a movie. He always opened the door for me. He was a real gentleman. I was very impressed. I thought I was in love.

Then he got me an engagement ring. It was a square cut that was the prettiest ring I had ever seen. I would just stare at it a lot. I had never had one that pretty. I admit it was nice getting all that attention. I also thought it would be nice to have someone to share things with and not have to worry about everything by yourself.

Guy moved to Sweetwater with me and from there everything went downhill. I don't even know why. Maybe because just us two were there and my kids were here. He always said he couldn't wait until we were there by ourselves because here I always had some kid living with me. After we got there though I found it to be boring. Not much shopping in Sweetwater . We really didn't do much. How things could change that much I don't know but it did.

We had just got unpacked when I came down with a stomach virus and then a week later I got the kidney stone. Guy tried to help me but he wasn't a  good cook. He couldn't do much to help me. He sat outside a lot. I lay in bed because I couldn't even sit up I was in so much pain.

Finally I decided I had rather be single. I packed some stuff and I came back to Fort Worth. My time has went fast here spending a lot of time with my grand kids. I don't know if I will always be single but for now it is just  fine.

Back Home in Fort Worth

Tonight I am back home in Fort Worth. It is comfortable to be back in my house that I have lived in for twelve years. I thought Sweetwater was where I wanted to be mostly but I was wrong. I can go there now and then but not to stay.

Maybe it was getting sick and being there almost helpless for a month straight. No family around. I got where everything made me so sick to even think of. All I did was sleep . I couldn't hardly eat. And having pain from a kidney stone is one of the worst pains there is. I just have the stent now and it is very painful too.

Tuesday I go to a urologist and see if it is time to get the stent out. I hope so. This has been horrible. I will drink lemonade the rest of my life. They say lemon water keeps the kidney stones away.

After I got back here I been eating over my daughters and I think I have gained a pound after losing 11 pounds. I don't want to get down in the 90's again. It is so hard for me to gain weight. It has been that way all my life. I know lots of people have trouble losing weight. Just like I do gaining weight.

After I finally get well I plan on concentrating real hard on writing. I have a course I am doing. Trying to get good enough to write magazine articles. I will continue to write my blog. I will continue to get on facebook. Try to find things to keep my life busy.

Today my daughter Jana went to church with me and her three boys Kaiden, Connor and Colton. I wasn't feeling real good because with that stent I am sick to my stomach when I first get up and take the pain pill. Feeling sick to the stomach is not a good feeling. I felt weak and shaky but it is mostly just sitting and listening to the preacher. He does have us stand quiet a bit. I said I can do it. I am tough. Look what God has done for me. I can come to worship in his house. I made it. They had a Thanksgiving lunch there so we stayed for that. It was all very nice.

Tonight two of my grandkids are spending the night with me. I am watching the Cowboys play. All comfy on the sofa. My world is going great tonight and hopefully it gets better in days to come.

Kidney Stone Lasered and Stent is painful

The last two weeks have been a nightmare. Actually ever since I moved to Sweetwater has. At first I got a stomach virus and was throwing up then I was barely over that when all of a sudden I felt horrible pain that I knew could only be a kidney stone. That is what I told the ER doctor in Fort Worth a couple of months ago but he insisted it was a UTI . He was wrong.

When I went to ER here in Sweetwater they done a Ct Scan (something they failed to do in Fort Worth) and found a golf ball size stone. That had to be building up for awhile. I have heard a lot of people around Sweetwater say they would not ever go to Sweetwater hospital but I will disagree with them on that. They found what was wrong with me when Fort Worth doctors couldn't . That includes a urologist. He done all kinds of tests and said he didn't find a thing.

So now I am waiting to get this stent out on Thursday. Don't let anyone ever tell you those things don't hurt. I read online 80% are uncomfortable. I guess I don't tolerate pain very well because mine is more than uncomfortable. It hurts! I am sure it will hurt for a day or so afterwards too. But the worst has got to be over.

They say lemon water is good to prevent kidney stones so you can bet I will be drinking a glass or two of that everyday. Hopefully the doctor can tell me something to prevent it too. I never want another one of those things.

I had never had a surgery except for a D&C back when I had a miscarriage when I was about 23. I was doubly nervous about being put to sleep. All went well there. I remember breathing in oxygen thru a mask and next thing I know I was in recovery. Day surgery you get out in a few hours so that is good. And laser surgery not having to be cut on is great too. Now if they could just laser that stent out instead of dragging it all the way out. That would be great but not likely to happen. I am dreading that but looking forward at the same time. At this point things can only get better. So until Thursday I am going to lie in bed with pain pills and all the liquids I can find plus food and lots of books. Come on Thursday.

Guy Has Left the Building

I have been by myself since yesterday. Guy had to do his annual dove hunting. Next I am sure he will say he has to go deer hunting. I am not into hunting animals and killing them. I know lots of guys are but guess I have never known anyone who done that. My Dad didn't and my brothers didn't. I feel sorry for those deer with the sad looking eyes. They know what is going to happen to them I am sure.

I had started a job on Monday doing child care in the peoples home while they work. Tuesday night I got that stomach virus that is going around. There older child that I wasn't keeping stayed home from school that first day but stayed in her room. She had the virus. She only came out a few times to get something to eat so I didn't think I would get it.

The next night I started getting chills. I woke up at 4 am throwing up and feeling like I was going to pass out when I stood up. Not good since Guy had made plans to leave that day for Kerrville. He decided to stay home and help me that day. Wonders will never cease. I have to admit he done a good job of taking care of me. He went and bought me 7ups and soup. Waited on me hand and foot. I was very grateful for that. I could hardly eat anything because I was so sick to my stomach.

That stomach virus only lasts for one day at least. But it leaves you very weak cause it has just drained you. I still feel a little weak today. And Guy waited one day but he was not going to wait any longer. I really thought he would. I got surprised. He did take me to breakfast at Oak St. Café. After we got back home he was gone though.

I was feeling kind of down because I was just getting over being sick. He went to a friends ranch and I didn't even hardly hear from him yesterday at all. Finally last night he called to check on me.  By then I was a little upset with him.

This morning he texted me some saying he was trying to find doves to shoot. He only found one all day he said. I went thru all of this alone for him to shoot one dove? Makes me wonder how our married life will be? If the situation were reversed I don't think I would leave him alone for three or four days while I was enjoying myself with friends.  I have a little more compassion than that. Makes me wonder if I am doing the right thing.

Only time will tell......

Retired or Not?

I thought two or three years ago I would be retired but here I am at 69 and still not retired. I don't know if I would even want to be. I have always been an  active person and I think that keeps you healthy. I had a cleaning business for 15 years. I just finally quit altogether when I moved here.

I have to say it gets boring just being home all day. Don't get me wrong. It is nice not having to get up early and leaving on PJ's all day if you want too. Get online or watch TV or do whatever you want too. Then there is that little problem of not having enough money either. That presents a big problem sometimes.

Of course if I could make enough money writing I could be at home and feel retired even when I am working. To me  writing is not work. I love doing it. Sometimes there are too many distractions when you are home too. So I don't get a lot of writing done sometimes. I just need to set a time for it and not let anything get in my way. I am really working on that.

In the meantime I decided to do this little job of childcare. Two kids ages 2 months and 20 months. Hours 5:30 am  until 3:00 pm. I started it today and I can already say I need to get on my writing and make money doing it . This child care is not for me anymore. I have nine kids and  21 grandkids and 2 great grandkids and I use to have my license and had a day care in my home. That was okay back when my kids were small. But not anymore. Its okay to keep my grandkids now and then but not someone else's kids everyday. That is just not for me now at this stage in my life.

A few of my friends said no way would they get up at 5:30 to watch kids. I have always had to work so I guess it doesn't bother me as much. But it is bothering me or I wouldn't be writing this. I know if you don't like something you got to change it. That is what I got to work on.

I am probably one of those people who will never completely retire but almost retiring feels really good I think. Yeah that is what I will do....

Pros and Cons of Living in the Big City or Little Town

We have been here a week and I am enjoying being here in the small town of Sweetwater. Some things are kind of inconvenient but that is to be expected I guess. There are also things that are inconvenient in the big city. At least I am not real anxious about things like I was in Fort Worth.

In the big city people are not real friendly and some act like you are doing something to them or they are worried you might. I kept my doors locked all the time there and when I went anywhere I made sure my car doors were locked. Here we don't even lock our doors when we go somewhere if we are not going to be gone long. And at night I feel a lot safer. In Fort Worth I had heard of someone breaking in and killing someone quite often. That would be a bad way to wake up in the middle of the night. I lived there for twenty five years and guess I was lucky nothing ever happened.

Things not convenient there was the driving in traffic I guess. If there was a wreck on that freeway it might be a thirty minute delay or more. And drivers there are so rude. Then there is the parking and having to walk a mile if you happen to find a parking place. Waiting in line and I am not a patient person. You got to pay for parking most places too. Some places you go might be thirty or forty minutes away . And that is driving on the freeways and hoping no traffic jams. There is the convenience of being able to find anything you want though.

Inconveniences I have found here is like we were looking for a bug zapper and they didn't have one here. We went to Abilene this morning though and we got one. Got home and now my ATT cell is not working right. So it is back to Abilene tomorrow. You got to plan for unexpected emergences I suppose. I got to make  a list and be sure I get everything I need because that will only be a once a week trip.

I have always been a believer that if you do things all the time it seems so common and is not exciting to do them anymore. Shopping or eating out . When you go once  a week here it is a lot more exciting to get to go. Same thing on eating out. If you go once or twice a week it is nice to do that. If you do it everyday you get tired of it. That is just like a kid with a toy. If they have lots of toys they don't want to play with them. If they only have a few and just get new ones on Christmas or birthdays it is a lot more exciting.

Anyway there are advantages and disadvantages of the big city and little town. I am very grateful that I can be both places right now. I get tired of one place I can go to the other one for a little while. We will see how it goes. It is an adjustment from one to the other. It is like two different worlds.

Festival at the park

Guy and I went to the festival at the park yesterday. We had a good time. As we drove to park I was thinking how much easier to park here than in Fort Worth. First of all we didn't have to pay to park. Second we didn't have to walk a mile. Everything is so much easier than in the big city.

We walked to where it was all happening and I went up to a table and someone said, "Oh you made it back to Sweetwater". That was Lita. I know she does a lot for the town of Sweetwater. And Gayle Greer was there beside her. She ask me where I was living. Same house as last time. They were giving away a thousand dollar shopping trip. I gave a dollar for the entry fee and signed up. Guess I  didn't win because no one called me.

Went to the next table which was for USG. Free pens. Very nice. The lady said they were hiring starting out at $19 an hour. That is pretty good pay.

We walked by several other tables which didn't interest us. I seen a couple of people I knew and waved. We were trying to find out about the pie eating contest. Guy thought he could win that hundred dollars for the fastest eating one. One lady had schedules for each hour. It was at 4. So at 4 we went over to where everyone was gathering around. Come to find out you had to register for it. That left Guy out. Betty Myers came over and talked to us. She sat down at the table to try for it. You had to eat a piece of pie with your hands behind your back. She kind of cheated. Her hands were not behind her back. I got a good picture of her though with her cheeks puffed out. Some young guy won .

After that we went to get something to eat. They had chili pie, one of my favorites. Guy got sausage on a stick. He said it was very good. We took a few pictures and then we went home. It was a very nice and relaxing day . We topped that off with a movie last night on TV. We got Dish for our satellite and got lots of movies for three months. We watched Dallas Buyers Club. They sure talk bad in that movie but other wise it was okay.

So far life in Sweetwater is great! I am loving it!

We are in Sweetwater.....

It has been a rough few days since Sunday but we have survived. I found out it is hard to move at our age unless you have a lot of help. We had help leaving by my son Charles and my good friend Kim whom I have known for 40 years. She cleaned as we moved stuff too the truck. I couldn't have done it all without her.


I didn't take everything. Only about half and that filled up a 22 ft. truck. So anytime I am feeling like being in the big city I can go stay a few days then back to small town life.


We didn't leave Fort Worth until late Sunday which meant I had to drive after dark which I hate to do, We didn't get to Sweetwater until about 10 that night. I had a lot of anxiety on the way. Then we pull in to Sweetwater and go to our house and find out there is no  electricity. Pitch dark. What to do. I text Allen because he is the one we are buying the house from. He said his in laws would be glad to let us stay with them. The Gesins are really nice people. We spent the night there and next morning went over the house to begin our journey.


I have  a son John who lives in Sweetwater so he helps us some but the majority of it we had to do. He was real busy at the time. We went down the water office and they said the water was still on in the last person that had lived there. So my son Allen had to call them and finally we got that straight. Went down to pay the deposit and had to have cash. So back to the ATM. We had to go to Higginbotham's about four times before we ever got the right stuff for the ice maker.


Yesterday we spent most of the day  trying to get the internet on. ATT said we had to have a phone jack even though there would be no home phone. If they came out that would be another $99. My son John came over today and he did it. He had to climb under the house and he got very dirty. But he is a little man so he can work fast and quick. We finally got it going and I was so glad.


Still unpacking but we are getting there. I have a ankle that is swelling when I stand a lot on it for some reason. It is very painful by the end of the day. I had started buying new things for the house two months ago. So it was nice looking at what I had, some of it I had forgotten about. It will be very homey soon for Guy and I.


Everywhere I go I see someone I know. That is so nice after living in the big city and never seeing anyone I know. And I am so grateful for a lot of things. That I still have five fish left. Grateful for Kim and  Charles helping us. Grateful for the Gesins helping us. Grateful for my son John and his girlfriend Amy helping us. Grateful I get to have both houses thanks to my son Allen. Life is great in Sweetwater... And on the way down here I heard a song about Sweetwater, Texas on my sirrus radio. Isn't it strange sometimes how things happen?

Finally My Dream is Coming True

We have been getting ready for the move to Sweetwater for two weeks now. Almost there. After we get up in the morning and load up the rest of the stuff we will be out of here for a little while. The good part is we can come back anytime we want too.

This is what I wanted for a long time. I tried moving back to Sweetwater a few times. I always missed the kids and grandkids and I must admit all the stores so I always came back after a few months. Now I get the best of two worlds. I can live in a small town when I want too. When I want to do some major shopping or see the kids or grandkids I can come back and stay long as I want too.

My son bought this house in Sweetwater a few years back. When it came time to give up my new house I just couldn't do it. I had to choose between one or the other. I had redone every room in my new house just the way I wanted it. Hard to give up and go to an older house.

Now I am looking forward to working on that house and making it ours. I love wallpaper and bright colors and I have some great ideas so I know it will look great when I get thru.

I have a table my Granny used years ago that I am redoing just for that house. It probably is over a 100 years old. I am painting it antique white and then the chairs are all different colors. Then I got a stool for one side.

It is hard trying to figure out what I want to keep for the Fort Worth house and the house in Sweetwater but shopaholic I am I got  stuff for both places.

Dealing With People

It is so hard to deal with people. I have been all day trying to get the utilities on in Sweetwater. Some you can do online but sometimes it is hard to understand what you are trying to do. I was trying with Dish tonight. They have an online application to fill out. They want you to fill out your way of paying and say if your credit don't pass they will get the money back to you in three to four days. Uhhh- I don't think I want to do that.


Then lo and behold I seen a chat line and I explained to the man I didn't want to give out information like that. So he told me all about it. When it came time to answer questions he showed me a place with a padlock on it where you can put in your information and no one can see it. Amazing. We put in everything and he said if I qualified I would get $35 off of the cost for a year. I didn't think we had a chance of that. They would surely find something wrong. Then he says, "With your excellent credit you qualify". Could have knocked me over with a feather. Anyway we got $35 off for a year. After that though it will go up. So satellite we will have next Wednesday.


I done the gas online . It wasn't too hard. Just a $90 deposit. Electric I have already so just getting the same one down there and they can send the bills together. Water I have to get when I get there.


ATT was a bit of a problem. Guy talked to them though so we will have internet. Most things will be on right after we get there. ATT says they don't come out. We have to hook that up ourselves. Either one of us is not that great hooking things up. We will manage though.


Now I got to just make sure we just have the minimum bills here since we won't be here much. Tomorrow I got to deal with Charter. Having the home phone taken out and just have basic cable and internet for when we come. Water and electric shouldn't be too much.


Now we got to decide what we want to leave here and what we want to take. That is hard too. Cleaning out closets tonight trying to figure what to take. Decisions, decisions.....

Saturday night at the Stockyards

Last night we went to eat at Cattlemen's Steak House which is right off of Main over by the stockyard's. It is so crowded in that area you have to park way down the street and walk. I am not a steak eater so usually I just get a baked potato but the rolls are to die for. I got a dozen to take home too. Guy gets calf fries and no way would I eat those. I had never heard of those before I met him.

As we were sitting there eating I was looking around and I thought to myself this looks so familiar. Then it dawned on me. I had seen the Ewing men from Dallas go to that place lots of times. JR used to sit in this very place.

I have lived in Fort Worth for 25 years and I had never been in that restaurant or walked those streets by the stockyards. I have been to Billy Bobs which isn't very far from that restaurant. Lots of times. I have seen Loretta Lynn, George Jones and Dwight Yoakum just to name a few.

They have lots of shops right down the street from the restaurant. We walked quite a ways. Enough for my ankle to be swollen this morning. It was a brick street and the bricks were so uneven. They had one store that just had barrels of candy. A lot of western stores. We stopped at one and got  sodas. Very pretty bottles. I got a sprite and it was an aluminum bottle in bright green. Guy got a  coke in a red aluminum bottle.

They had steers you could take your picture with. I wasn't getting close to it. Did you see those horns? I did take a picture in front of a 56 Chevrolet Belaire. Pretty turquoise color. We had a car almost like that when I was a child.

That was a long walk and it was so crowded on the streets. Old people, young people. All kinds dressed all different kind of ways. Interesting. Some wore short shorts. Some were dressed like Cowboy/Cowgirl. Some had on dresses and high heels. Some were drinking beer on the sidewalk. I had never seen that either.

After we got home I was so tired. I was asleep before 10 pm. Awake before 6 am. And a swollen ankle. It was fun though.

Do Men Help Clean?

I thought I was getting some help today because Guy is here and he said he wasn't lazy but that remains to be seen. This morning we did clean the movie room. He swept and mopped. I did all the dusting and then windexing everything and furniture polish. That was okay.


I went to the kitchen to clean it and done the stove top, the microwave and all the cabinets as well as the sink. Done the dining room. Moved all the pet dishes and everything on the floor where he could just come in and mop. Meanwhile I went to the utility room which is next to the movie room and seen that he missed it. I told him and he went back and done it. He did sweep in the front by the door and the back patio.


Meanwhile I started on the living room. I dusted and used furniture polish. I told Guy since we had worked hard I would treat him to lunch at Chubby's. We would finish the rest of the house when we got back.


We were at Chubby's and while there we got in a disagreement about the flu shot. Guy had took a survey the other day about who takes the flu shot and who don't. He said if more did he would take it. More did by a long shot. But today he decided he was not going to take it. He gave me the flu in march after I had my shot. I guess it wasn't as bad but I did get it from him and with my heart problems that is not good to take a chance on it. So I did get a little upset about this.


We came home and I started to finish the living room. I thought he would come help me. I thought wrong. I used windex and swept and mopped the entryway. I then vacuumed . Still no Guy.


I started dusting the bedroom by now. Windexed and done furniture polish. Still no Guy. I went in the movie room to see where he was. He is sitting on the sofa with his phone of course. I went back and cleaned some more. Vacuumed. Then I cooked dinner. Oh, well. Surely he will do the dishes. Nope....

To The Mall With jana

Guy and I went to the mall with Jana today. He said he wants to see how a real shopper operates. He seen that when we went with her. Usually my feet are aching and my back is hurting. And I am a shopper too but not as good as her. She usually has some kind of coupons she has gotten from online plus a J.C.Penney credit card. Then it is on!

I went over and got her to do my hair this morning then she was going shopping so I went along for the ride. Hey it beats cleaning house which is what I had plans to do. I ask Guy if he wanted to go. He said yes not knowing what he was getting into.

In Penney's he was looking kind of bored as we were going thru the kids clothes. She was looking for Connor  some shoes or pants for church. He kept sitting down every time he found a bench. She said, "You wanted to come". Ha.

We left Penney's and went to Old Navy. She found a few things there too. I seen a lot of styles I didn't know they had now. We left there and were walking by other stores when I seen "Hollywood Classics". I love that store. Pictures of Elvis and Marilyn Monroe and lots of others. We went in there and I seen this shower curtain of Marilyn Monroe. Yes, that is what I want for my house in Sweetwater. I had been trying to figure out what to get. And this was perfect!

Guy found a big picture of Elvis and Marilyn Monroe and he got that. I found another picture of Marilyn that says "If you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure don't deserve me at my best'. I have seen that saying on facebook before. That was perfect for my bathroom. Get me some black and white rugs and towels , soap dispenser and toothbrush holder and I got my bathroom ready.

Isn't it strange how you don't know how you are going to decorate a room and you see something and it all falls into place. Same thing happened to my kitchen. I had no idea what I wanted. I found a big picture of a 50's diner on sale at Hobby Lobby and it struck me. 50's stuff. So my kitchen will be those colors. It was red with some blue and white thrown in. Ad my living room will be in those colors too with the main thing the picture Lora Williams took of the beautiful Sweetwater sky. It is all falling into place. We  will be taking some stuff down October 4th. I can't wait....

Am I Getting Alzhemiers?

I was looking on Amazon tonight for some books I heard of. I am a reader and got to get my new books. I had heard Joan Rivers had a new book out about a Diva like she was and I found it. Then I knew our last president before Obama had written a book about his Dad who has the same name almost and for the life of me I could not think of the name of either of them . I could see them in my mind. They look alike except one is older than the other. They are both my favorite presidents.

I was thinking and thinking and that is a terrible feeling to not be able to think of something that you know. I could see both of them in my mind. I can just imagine how  people that have that disease feel. And I hope I am not getting it.

About that time my son Charles walked in the  door and I ask him who the last president before the latest one was. He said Bush. I said what was his first name. And I couldn't even remember that. He said George. I thought to myself "I knew that. That was so simple".   I had been thinking about all the other presidents and I could say any of them. Clinton, Carter, Kennedy .Even George Eisenhower. Why couldn't I think of the Bush's. My very favorite presidents.

This is not the first time I have noticed me forgetting something. But it is the worst time. Usually if I think about it long enough it will finally come to mind but not this time. If Charles had not come in I would still be trying to think of them.  And if I was a multi tasker on this laptop I could have looked it up. I can't do that yet on here. Maybe someday .....

I Love HGTV

I have been watching the HGTV shows  a lot in the past few months. I especially like "Fixer Upper" that Joanna and Chip are in. They live in Waco, Texas. She does the designing and decorating. He does the hard work. They are so good together though. You can see the love there.


They start with a house that needs lots of work and ends up looking beautiful. I have watched so many of these shows lately. One reason because we are getting a fixer upper in Sweetwater come October 1st. And that is something I love doing. I am good at it too.


When we lived in Sweetwater long ago the house that burned we had done that house completely. It was a very old 4 bedroom house. We put in new windows and vinyl siding and just done a lot to it. Then it burned to the ground. We bought another house after that and we redone it too. I am really into French doors. That last house had three sets. Then we got this new house 12 years ago. I redone everything in a new house. We painted cabinets white. We wallpapered most rooms .It has four  sets of French doors.


This house we are getting I got lots of plans for it. Just need money to go along with it. It might take a while but it will be gorgeous when I get thru. I got so many good ideas right now. I also want to make a porch. I haven't seen a porch on a stucco house for some reason but we will have one. And a deck.


I want to make the yard nice too but I am not a good gardener. I got to learn. I want a pond. And this one house I lived had wildflowers all in the back and a pond and it was so nice. This house has a lot of stickers so I got my work cut out for me .


One day this house will be very nice. And anyone that knows me knows that will be true.

All Alone Am I

There is a song about that by Brenda Lee I believe? My situation is not quite the same as the meaning in that song. Usually I can communicate with Guy when he is gone but this time he has no phone service hardly at all. The bad part is he is only 32 miles outside of Midland.


Before this we could usually talk on phone or  text or even one time we sent messages on facebook. This time occasionally his phone will work for a  text. Never for calling. One time a guy that worked with him had a power booster and he used it to call me. He needs to get one of those. They also have air cards but only 5 GB for fifty dollars is not cheap.


Guy had been going into town when he is not working just so he could call me  but they put a stop to that too. They can't  go into town but every three or four days now. Today was one of those days. We spent two hours talking. The time goes so fast when we are having fun.


I am very grateful that we find lots of different ways to communicate or at least try too.  Used too it had to be very hard . If you couldn't get someone on the home phone you just had to wait. Of course we didn't know any better so it didn't really bother us either. Now you hardly ever see anyone without a cell phone. And land line phones are getting scarce. I still like to have one because I don't like to talk on my cell all the time. Most of the time it works out like that though.


It seems like to me on that job they treat the employees almost like prisoners. Guy works at night from 5:30 until 5:30 next morning. You would think the next twelve hours they could do what they wanted since they are not getting paid. But they can't. They have to stay there. Just go to town to get food and supplies every three to four days.


Guy says a lot of the guys have Sprint and there phone service is okay. I have never liked Sprint too much. I know in Sweetwater ATT works good. Most have power booster's too . He just has to get one and then we can talk.  This job will soon be over though and the next place might be okay. One never knows.


All I know is I don't like all this aloneness and no communication from him either. He has been able to text some tonight. Then thirty minutes later it might not work.   It has to get better though. Most  things do. That job will end soon....

Another Birthday

We have surely had a lot of  birthdays lately. Today it was my son Dustin's and he was 34. It was on that bad day too but that can't be helped. It seems like it was not long ago that he was just a little tike running around causing all kinds of problems.


With seven kids and 21 grand kids it seems like someone is always having a birthday. There is not many months we skip. Next ones coming up is in October. Some of the grand kids don't live close so I don't really get to see them. But if there is a party going on I usually go.


Today on Dustin's birthday I took them out to Spring Creek BBQ to eat. His wife Lana, his daughter Ella and myself. It was nice eating there. They keep bringing hot rolls to the table. So good with lots of butter. I don't really have to watch my weight as of yet.


I had enough left of my plate for tomorrow too so don't have to worry about lunch tomorrow. I think I had enough for two or three people. Some people say I eat like a mouse but I eat enough to get my tummy full and enough to where I am gaining weight. I remember a couple of years ago I could not eat enough to even gain a pound. Those days are over though.


My next child's birthday will be my son John. His birthday is in December. He should have been a Christmas baby. He was supposed to be born on December 24th just like his Dad. The doctor I went too in Abilene insisted on inducing my labor on the 14th though. He said we didn't want to be there at Christmas. That is ten days early and I don't think that is too good for the baby's health. He was okay though but weighed 6 lbs. 4 oz. Anyway come December 14th we will have another birthday for one of my kids. He will be 42. My goodness. It seems like a few years ago I was that age.

Tornado or just a storm?

When Jana and I came out of Target the sky looked weird tonight . Going west clouds were so low and very dark. It looked like a bunch of buildings all grouped together.  That was kind of spooky. The more west you drove the further away they looked so they were not so close after all. The wind was blowing hard  too. I just wanted to get home where I would be safe. Once you been in a tornado in your car it ruins you for life.

That reminded me of another time when it was Jana and I in the car. Jana was about 13 at the time. We had went to the Sonic and heard sirens while we were there. Found out it was tornado warnings. We went down to 6th Avenue and we were right in the middle of a tornado. Talk about scared. I seen dumpsters flying thru the air and signs and all kinds of debris. I pulled as close as I could to a building. We left our seatbelts on. My window blew out. Shattered glass went all over us. Nothing to protect us now. Winds 120 miles an hour(I found out later) blowing against your face where you can't even get  a deep breath is very scary. After awhile it got quiet. We were alive!

We drove home. Shakily we got out and went inside. Heard later that tornado went down 6th Avenue to downtown Fort Worth where three people were killed. We were very lucky that night. The next morning we looked in the back where all the glass was shattered. A huge sign with a sharp edge was in the back. I shudder to think what would have happened if that had went thru one of us.  I  was glad we had a big green Dodge Ram because if it hadn't of been big we would have been going thru the air like those dumpsters.

After that every time the wind blew hard and I was out in it I made a beeline for home. I never want to be out in a storm again and go thru what we did. Tonight it reminded me so much of that long ago night. Jana told me on the way home she loved storms. But she didn't like being out in them in the car. No that is not fun.

Sick Kids- Hope I am not one of Them

I done something I said I would not do today. I had watched kids for the last two years while my daughter Jana went to college. Several times I had to watch more than just Kaylee because one of her three boys would be sick and she couldn't miss college. So I would keep them knowing I would probably get sick. This school year I told her I could not watch the kids because in November Guy and I are going to Sweetwater to stay part of the time. I already have a house there. The house was leased until the end of October so I relented a little and said I would pick up Kaylee those two days a week because she got out before Jana did. Until I leave in November.

Today though two of the boys was sick and I kept them. I didn't want too because I can't afford to get sick. I have mitral valve prolapse and when I am sick I have lots of skips that are not fun. After they left I went and got Lysol spray. I sprayed down the  sofa and the air and everywhere else. They had bad headaches and throwing up and I don't need that in my life right now. So playing the waiting game now to see.

Meanwhile Jana text me and ask if I wanted to go to Wal Mart tonight. I told her I am ready to go anywhere. So I went. Guy is in Midland working so I am kind of lonely so I am just ready to go almost anywhere. I thought he couldn't call because he said there is no phone service out where he is working. He called while we were at Wal Mart and he was on his way back. Lo and behold he was able to talk to me the whole way. I was so relieved. To think of being alone at home and not being able to even talk to him was beyond what I could even imagine.

Usually we can text or call so life isn't too bad like that. Long as there is communication I can handle it. Sometimes he works 30 days straight without even a day off. I don't deal with this alonenesss too well. But somehow so far I have survived it. And I am  a better person for it. It makes me know when we are together it is a great time for us to be together. We also know it won't last long and then we will be playing that waiting game again. While we are together we appreciate the time we have.

Anyway tonight I am sitting here watching "Rizzoli and Isles". I got lots of magazines to read and books to read and shows on TV to watch. And a house to clean. So there is plenty to do.

My Guy is Gone

By 7:30 this morning Guy was gone. I knew it would happen . He had to go back to work. He was here for a week and a half. We went to a lot of places to eat. That was nice because I don't eat out much when I am here alone. I went to places I had never been. And we watched TV together too.


It seems like I am just  getting used to being alone when he gets off work  again. Sometimes he gets off all of a sudden, sometimes he knows. Most of the time he doesn't even know until an hour before. You can never really plan anything.


We had made an appointment for him to go to the dentist today. That had to be canceled. We were at Kaiden's birthday party yesterday when his boss calls him and tells him to be there today. So last night was spent getting ready to leave early this morning. We did make an appointment to see a doctor he needs to see though later on this month and he will have to take off a few days for that.


Then when he leaves again I have to get used too it all over again being alone. It is hard the first day. Every day after that gets a little easier though. Until he comes back and it starts all over again. At least where he works he can text me or call me. Thank goodness for modern technology. There are lots of ways to communicate. Back in the day I don't know how anyone ever kept in touch. Especially when guys had to be out in the middle of no where like he is.


My ex used to work in the oil field and back then we didn't think about it like we do now. There were no cell phones or any way to communicate so we were just out of touch until work was over for the day. Kids that were teenagers had no way to keep in touch either. No cell phones or computers. My goodness how did we ever make it?


Today  we just get online and we can find out anything and it keeps getting better and better. I have a lot to be grateful for. I am glad we found each other. I am glad we got ways to communicate. Glad I got someone to share things with. Glad I got something to look forward too when he does come home. So very grateful......

Another Star Gone

It seems like lately so many stars are leaving us. And the older ones seem lots better than the young ones for some reason. Just like 50's or 60's music seems like it sounded a lot better than the music now. Rock as well as Country.

It made me sad to read about Joan Rivers being taken to the hospital from a minor surgery place having routine surgery. I hear all kind of different  things about it. I know she was on life support and finally her daughter decided to take her off of it. I know that had to be a hard decision. She was the only daughter and only one grandson.

I had heard she was put in a private room so I thought she was getting better. Evidently that was just to make her more  comfortable. I read that she had flowers and ribbons in her room with music and a white faux blanket and got her hair and face done as well as manicure and pedicure. I know Joan would have loved all that.

Then at 1:17 we heard she passed away. I heard it might have been the same medicine that Michael Jackson died of. I also heard she had arrithmia's of the heart. No one knows for sure what caused her death  until later I guess.

I do know a great comedian we lost. I loved to hear her. I watched the reality show her and her daughter had on TV. She stayed with Melissa a lot to make that show. I know Melissa has to miss her so much. I also have a book she wrote that I have not read yet.

I have always heard Joan spared no one. If it was a joke someone could laugh at it didn't matter who didn't like it. She was a person that could make you laugh. And we all need to do that more.

I am sad to see her leave this world but we all have to go sometimes. Most of us won't have a nice send off like she did. At her funeral she will be on the red carpet and she will take some of it with her. And no one will ever forget her. Goodbye Joan and we will see you again someday.

Betty White is the only Golden Girl Left

I have always loved the Golden Girls. I used to watch them every night before I went to bed. I always said I wanted to be like them and have some ladies live with me like that. Of course nothing is ever like that in real life. You would probably get some ladies you couldn't get along with or left everything messy or something would be wrong. I know you could never find anyone as funny as Rose or as flirty as Blanche.

I guess I was used to a big family and don't like being alone. That is no fun at all. I have seven kids and still getting used to that empty nest. I have always liked shows that have lots of people living together. I always watched Full House or Threes Company or Golden Girls. I know a few ladies my age that like being alone but I am not one of them. I don't have to be alone now that I have Guy in my life. I am very glad of that. I did live alone for two years before I met him.

Today on Facebook it said Betty White had dyed in her home in her sleep. That is what got me to thinking today about The Golden Girls. She is the only one left now. And I love her to death. Tears started pouring down my cheeks.  Then I realized it said dye instead of die and it was talking about dying her hair at home. It was a hoax. I think it is cruel to write something like that but I guess they got nothing better to do.

Hot in Cleveland that Betty is in with Valerie Bertinelli is a pretty good show. I usually watch it. There was one flop she had after Golden Girls went off. I don't even remember the name of it but at the end of Golden Girls when Dorothy got married and left town the show ended. I guess Blanche, Sophia and Rose still wanted to be in a show so they got a spin off from Golden Girls. They were running a restaurant together and living there too if I remember correctly but it didn't last long.

I know someday it will happen to Betty  but please God not today. Betty is 92 and she has lived a good life but I hope to get to see her a few more years. It was a sad day when Sophia and Blanche and Dorothy were no longer with us. But at least we can still see them on reruns. And that will have to do.

Guy is Home

Guy came home on Friday night. We been eating out nearly every meal. It has been nice. No cooking. I haven't cooked one meal at home. Everyone says I must not be a good cook.  Probably not an excellent one but fair. He says I never eat out which is true and that is why we go a lot.


I went to a few places I had never been. Cattleman's Steak House. That is down at the Stockyard's. Guy had Calf Fries which sounds really gross. They had the best rolls I had ever eaten though. Then last night we went to Outback . I had never been there either. I don't eat meat much but I had a baked potato. Some weird Tostato that had tuna and guacamole on it. Not too bad but just five of them for $5.99. It was different at least.


Today we went to church and afterwards we went to SpringCreek to eat. After that we relaxed around the house and watched TV. Then tonight we went to Jason's Deli. I been going there about 16 years for at least once a month. I love the huge potatoes with brisket. That will make me  a couple of meals.We finished that off with vanilla ice cream cones.


Tomorrow we are going over to Jana's since it is Labor Day and cook out. That will be nice to be around the grandkids. Hamburgers and Hot Dogs, Chicken and Ribs . And of course watermelon. And lots of sides.


I will be sad to see Tuesday come because Guy will be having to go back to work. I have really enjoyed him being here. The time goes fast when he is here. Slow when he is gone. Maybe one day he can change jobs where he is not gone all the time. Maybe.....

Shopaholics That We Are

Jana might have a sprained ankle but that doesn't stop her from shopping! I ask her if she wanted to go to Wal Mart with me to pick up more antibiotic for me and my anxiety medicine. She said she had to pick up Kaiden's medicine too so I went over and picked her up. She only lives 5 blocks from me.

We picked up the medicine and then of course we had to go down a lot of aisles at Wal Mart. She was looking for a car seat for Kaylee since all of us have to pick her up or take her sometimes. After that we went thru the small girls clothes. Such cute little clothes for girls! They didn't have these kind of clothes when my girls were little. Then over to the boys clothes. Next adult women's. I found a Coca cola shirt I could not live without. It was so pretty and anyone that knows me knows I can't pass up Coca Cola  stuff! Top that off with a People magazine.

As we left Wal Mart I ask Jana if she needed to go anywhere else. She said she would like to go to this other store that is a flea market. Still looking for a car seat. I bought a Coca Cola opener that was real cute. Then we proceeded on down Cherry Lane to this other store that has some unique stuff in it. They had a Coca Cola clock like I used to have back in Sweetwater. They had a canvas picture of Elvis announcing back in 1956 when he was going to perform in Louisiana. Some really nice stuff but I resisted the urge to spend more money. I am trying to save money for the house in Sweetwater.

Then back up Cherry Lane and we stopped at Goodwill. I found a Nancy Drew Reporter DVD I just had to get . It said it was from 1939. I loved Nancy Drew as a child and she still fascinates me. I can't wait to watch it. Vasile called while we were in there and we went to Taco Bueno to get him something to eat.

After that we went back to my house and ate our lunch. Jana said she wanted to go to the library after that. We did and they had some books for 50 cents. Being the bookaholic I am I bought two of those. One was of Danielle Steele and I thought I had all of  her books. The other was an author I had never heard of but a mystery. I will see what kind of writer she is.

Then we went home and I rested. Very tired after all that shopping.......

Bad Day for Jana

Today was my daughter, Jana's first day of college. It was the three boys first day of school too. She had one in kindergarten, one in 3rd and one in 5th. Kaylee, the only girl started Head Start the day before . She is three .She is going to have her hands full with all the kids in school and herself in college. Anyway as she was trying to get the kids ready for there first day of school she was in Kaylee's room and tripped on a toy and fell down and hit the door too. She was stunned at first and just sat there. Her husband, Vasile came running when he heard the thud. He helped her up . Her foot was hurting bad and starting to swell.

Vasile took Kaylee to her school since it was the other  direction from the boys school. Jana took the boys and then she had to stop by Kaylee's doctors and get her shot records. By this time her foot was really throbbing and hurting. She text me and said she might need to go to ER. I told her she might as well go. It would probably get well a lot quicker. So she did.

She came by the house after she had got through at the hospital. She barely had enough time to get to the college she goes too by 12. They had X-Rayed it and said they thought it was just badly sprained. They gave her a boot to put on it for two weeks. At least it wasn't broken. only sprained. But it had to happen the first day of college. At her college she has to walk a long ways from the parking lot to the room.

I picked up Kaylee for her this afternoon and then she came by after she picked up the boys at school. I took her to Sam's to get her medicine for her foot. She has to pull the boot off to drive so makes it kind of hard. She has a pain medication and then one for the swelling. Maybe it will be lots better by the  time she goes back to college.

Jana only goes two days a week to college so that is not too bad. She is taking radiology. With Kaylee in school this year she will have lots more time to study. It is a pretty hard class to take .My grand daughter is a radiologist just fresh out of college and now working.

First day didn't start out too good but maybe it will get better. I certainly hope so for all their sakes.

Last Time to Clean For Mae

I went and cleaned a house today for the last time  that I had done for twelve years. I don't like change even when it is work.  I had a cleaning business for years. Jana helped me from the time she was 13. I hired other people when my business was going good but most were not very good. I could never find good help. When the economy went down a few years back I lost a lot of my work and didn't really try to get more. I was getting older and cleaning was getting harder and I was trying to get into writing more so I just kept houses I already had .  And today I lost one more. And I am okay with that. Mae is moving to a bigger house in Arlington and I could have kept cleaning for her but I will pass on that.

It is certainly a lot easier sitting here with my laptop with my glass of ice water with a slice of lemon in it.. Writing. So much easier.  Soon I will be studying though. I am taking a course in writing and by the time I finish it I should be able to write two articles. I would love to do that!

I started on a how to book two years ago. It is about cleaning of course. I figured in fifteen years I have had a little experience and know a lot of shortcuts and ways to get more work. So I wrote about it and maybe that will help someone . It was really hard at first getting my cleaning business started and I struggled a lot. I wrote about the ups and downs of it . I wrote all my chapters but I just needed to add to them. I still haven't done that but I am fixing to start working on that very day.

I think to keep doing something you got to pace yourself and make sure you do  a certain amount of whatever it is your doing every day. I can make myself work because I have always been motivated to work on my own. When I was cleaning I took college online. I done that at night. Got my Associate of Business Degree. It helped me in running a business. Just like now to get better in writing I plan on taking writing courses to help that. Best way to learn is to keep practicing everyday or  night. And that is what I am doing.

One of these days you will see my name on a mystery book. The Case of the Lady in White By Elaine Gray. When you see it please buy it, read it and see what you think. But for now I am plodding along. Doing a little cleaning. Writing my blog. Whatever I can....

Anothere Boring Sarurday

Weekends are so boring to me when Guy is gone. I don't know why it is more boring than any other day.On Saturday the mail runs. They have lotto tonight. It just feels like I should go somewhere or do something. When Guy is here all my days go  fast.

I did go shopping a little with Jana this morning. We went to Tuesday Morning. I forget about that store and  they have some really nice things there. That store is actually in the back of a small strip mall. I forget it is there sometimes . I got Coca Cola dishes there a long time ago. They had a Juke Box that lights up that was nice but kind of small.  Someday I hope to own a big one. I really like retro things like Jukeboxes or Coke machines and old cars.

I found these glasses that are really cute. They say "Water" on them. I got those and then I really like glass things too. I bought a picture frame that is made out of thick glass. I can hardly hold it in one hand. I wonder what makes us like certain things. For me it is glass stuff and I like movie room stuff like pictures of Elvis or Marilyn Monroe. Lots of others too but that is my main ones. I also like shows from long  ago like " Scarecrow and Mrs. King" and "Hart to Hart". I have always loved mysteries. In reading, mysteries have always been my favorite kind of books too.

After leaving that place we stopped at Mc Donalds and I got a Big Mac with fries to eat. I haven't had that in a long time. I went home and ate and then Kaylee came to spend some time with me. Jana and Vasile were taking the boys to the movies to see"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movie .Last time they took Kaylee they had to leave. So we had a nice time playing on the phone and the Kindle and watching Sponge Bob.

When they got back they came in for awhile. I had to get Vasile to help me with the new laptop I had just gotten. I could not figure out how to make the thing work but I am writing this blog  on it so  guess it is working okay now. Vasile is a whiz on computers.

Had French Bread Pizza for dinner with Pecan Pie for dessert.

And now I am watching the Cowboys play Miami. Pretty good game too
But they lost anyway but good start.  And after this I will get in my PJ's and start on a new book since I just finished Judy Alter's new book. Which I might add was a good book. Blue Plate Cafe` mystery. Murder At the Tremont House. Now I am going to start a non mystery which is "First Sight" By Danielle Steele. I do love her books and lately she writes four or five a year.

Not a bad day all in all. I will see what tomorrow holds for me.

Kaylee is Going to School

Today I went with Jana to meet the teacher for Kaylee since she will be going to Head Start.  She is much to young to go to school it seems to me but she just turned three. In  Head Start they play mostly and read books but they do learn things too. It will help her I am sure but I just think kids go to school a lot of years. Once they start they don't get to finish until they are out of college.


Jana really had to put her in there as she goes to college. She has two more years to go. The last two years I have kept Kaylee while she was in college. I can't do it this year because I plan on spending some time in Sweetwater. I told Jana I can pick her up in the afternoon when she gets out until I leave in November. I will miss watching her like I did last year. We watched SpongeBob so much and had such a good time.


I really feel sad thinking about her being a big girl and going to Head Start . She is not the baby anymore. She thinks it will be fun and it might be fun for her. And then again she might not like being away from everyone familiar. She has never stayed with anyone but family. It is an all day class. Her teacher seemed like a real nice lady.


I have been around Kaylee almost every day since she was born except  when I was gone to Sweetwater last year for a couple of months. I kept her when Jana had to have gall bladder surgery when Kaylee was only a month old. That wasn't easy keeping a new born baby plus three rowdy boys for a few days. The first two years of her life I kept her when they went on vacation for a few days. This was the first year they took her.


It is going to be hard letting go . I know she will learn a lot though and get prepared for when she does go to school. Jana will have more time to study and do homework in college too. It will be easier for everyone that is involved in her life I guess.


She will do good. You just got to let her get a start in her life. It is almost like when my kids left home and I had a empty nest. I am still getting over that empty nest. And I will get over this too. You just have to let them grow up.

Another Oil Field Accident

Tonight when I got on facebook I saw a title I didn't like . Oil Field Accident Killed 2, 1 Injured. I read on to hear that it happened in Westbrook. A crew moving a pumpjack to a new location when a cable from a winch truck hit a power line. The two were electrocuted and a third was injured. The crew was out of Midland.


My fiancé` works out of Midland on a well so that always kind of scares me to hear anything about oil field accidents. So many dangers are out there. On the Flow Back work he does there can be poisonous gas to come out of the wells and when that happenes it can kill you instantly. He has seen it happen several times.


Back when I was with my ex husband Johnny who worked on a drilling rig his brother at age 26 was out at a drilling site by himself and he was putting something way up in the sky and it hit a power line and electrocuted him. They found him the next day. So many accidents can happen out on the wells. Or on the way to the wells.


It pays good money but what good is that money if you lose your life? I don't think it is worth the risk.  Guy and I have had this conversation several times. He has worked on wells for eight years now. And most of his work is easy. A lot of sitting and waiting but it can be hard and it can be dangerous.


I also have heard of so many couples  that can't handle the long distance relationships too. I read tonight about Meg Ryan and John Mellencamp breaking up. He liked Indiana and she liked New York. It said the distance broke them up. That is kind of scary to hear about all the people that broke up because of distance when you are in a new relationship and you want things to work out.


Is it really worth maybe breaking up because of long distance  or maybe getting killed on the job? Or taking a cut in pay but being home every night? Money is not everything. But of course it is nice having enough money to do what you want or need to do. Without money life is not too great sometimes. I guess you just got to decide which is more important .

People Magazine-Robin Williams

I read People magazine every week. They are not like Enquirer where everything they say is false. You can usually depend on what they say to be true. I got one today and Robin Williams was on the cover. I haven't read it yet but looking forward to it when I go to bed. That is one of my luxuries I do every week. Another is I always do a few lotto's because I really believe if you don't play you are not going to win. Those two things may cost a little bit but I don't drink or smoke and I do learn things and take a chance on winning some money. Don't hurt a soul but maybe my checking account a little. It's only money and you can't take it with you.


It has really upset me about Robin Williams. He would have been the last person I would have thought might kill themselves one day. He made everybody laugh. But I guess inside he was not laughing. When Jana was small we watched Mrs. Doubtfire I don't know how many times. I loved that show.


I would have never thought of him as being the kind of person that would leave his family and not think about what his death would do to them. Or maybe he was in so much pain mentally and physically he just couldn't handle life anymore. No one will ever know the answer to that because he is not here and he was the only one who knows the answer.


My nephew killed himself at 40 years old. I always wondered why he did that. And again of course nobody knows why . He was living in Iowa and had just got married. He called me about two weeks before it happened and told me he was happily married and doing fine. I wished him well. That was the last I ever heard from him.


He left two boys without a daddy and a wife. Did he think about what this was going to do to them or was he in such pain he just wanted to end it all? No one knows.


I have always said if people that commit suicide would just stop and think about it for a  few days maybe they would change there minds. Things look a lot different after awhile and things have a way of working themselves out. I don't know if it is a brave thing to kill oneself or a coward's way out. I have heard both ways. I just know I would never have the courage to do that because I like me.

And He is Gone Again

Guy and I had a great time while he was here. We went to Sweetwater and had a fantastic time. Got back on Saturday and went to Kaylee and Delayne's birthday party. Then yesterday we went and bought groceries and went shopping at the mall. Got me a couple of nice shirts . I got to remember to keep my lip zipped because anything I say he will go get. While I was in a store buying a shirt he goes to a previous store and gets a picture I mentioned I wanted of Buddy Holly and Elvis and some other great singers.


We had just got back home yesterday and then he got a call from work saying he had to be in Midland today. Just like that. They don't give you any notice. We did have 12 marvelous days. Now it is the waiting game again for 26 days.


I had just about gotten used to Guy being gone when he got to come home early last time. Then after 12 days of going and eating out and having fun I got to get used to him being gone again. About the time I get used to it he will be here again. Maybe....


At least he didn't have to go to Ohio this time. It is right outside of Midland and he does have phone service. I am so grateful for small favors. I will be more grateful when we can move to Sweetwater part time and that will be  a lot closer to Midland.


Meantime I got a lot to do. Watched Dallas tonight. That was so good. I got lots of books to read too. I got an office that needs a lot of organization. That would take a full day. I got closets that need cleaning out. And there are lots of things I need to buy for the new place in Sweetwater. Being the shopper I am that should be fun. I got two and  a half months to do it in.


One day at a time and before you know it he will be coming back and we will be getting ready to get the house in Sweetwater. Lots to look forward too and lots of things to get ready for. And meanwhile I can enjoy my nice house here and my grandkids.

Our visit to Sweetwater

Guy and I went on a 3 day trip to Sweetwater. We just got back in time for Kaylee's third birthday party. We had a very nice time. First of all a lady I had met a few years before that told me any time I came down just for a few nights I could stay in one of her rent houses free of charge. Now how many people would offer that? She has lots of rent houses completely furnished with flat screen TV's and washer and dryer and all bills paid. Even Wi Fi. You can't beat that.


The first time I met Beverly we had moved into one of her rent houses. It was a hot day in August and we were unloading the moving truck. She brings over a silver tray with three glasses of tea in fancy glasses. A sprig of mint in the glasses. Beautiful serving tray with glasses. I had seen things like this on TV but never in real life.


Anyway this trip we were getting settled in the house and a young girl brings over towels for us . A little later she bring s pillow. Then zipper bags of ice. Beverly does make people know how to feel at home.


First night there we went to Mrs. Allen's who is famous for her fried chicken. I love the potato salad. We were sitting there eating and in walked Joie. She waved at me . Came over and looked at my ring. So very nice to see a friendly face. In Fort Worth I never seen anyone I know at a store.


The next day we were coming out of Wal Mart and I seen Christy that I have known for a long time. We took Debra to the BBQ place to eat with us at lunch the next day. That last night we went to Mrs. Allen's and ate again and Tami and Terry were there. It was so nice to be back in Sweetwater and see people I knew. I can't wait to come back in November and stay part time.


Like the old saying goes, "There is no place like home." Fort Worth has never felt like home to me even though I have been here for twenty five years.

Zoo with the Grandkids

Yesterday I went to the Zoo with Jana and the grand kids. It was 104 degrees. We have went almost every year but this year it wore me out more than it ever had. Maybe because it is August . It is not as hot as it usually is this year though. Plus I have had a sore foot all summer. The doctors had told me one year it was the flip flops. It is always the same foot. I still will not quit wearing flip flops.


We went about ten to the Zoo. We walked about a fourth of it and I was already tired. I was thinking to myself I don't know if I will get thru all of this. Kaylee is only two and short so I had to lift her up to see the animals over the fence. She would try to climb the fence.


At least she didn't want to get lost. She would grab my hand every little bit. She really enjoyed seeing the animals. She had never been before. The boys had been several times. I think Kaylee liked the gorillas the best. Kaiden wanted to see the insects he said.


About halfway thru there was a place with tables and chairs with umbrellas so we sat at a table and ate. Maybe after we ate we would feel better I was thinking. I had bought lunchables for the kids and Jana with chips and juice. Brownies for dessert. I had got me tuna with crackers and bottle of water. I was thinking I might just sit there while they went thru the other half. That was only for a minute. I knew Jana would have a hard time with all the kids. It would just be more fun with me along too. I wouldn't want to go with just kids. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. That is my motto.


Off we went to see the birds and fish then to the place where they show the short show. They let it rain on everybody so that cooled us all off a little. Lost Jana and Connor and Colton for a short while. I went across the street where Kaiden was and had Kaylee with me. She text me in little while. They had went to see the alligators. She finally came back. Took a picture of the kids in the stagecoach. I have always gotten pictures every year of that.


Then we started back. Went in the shop to get something for the kids. They all picked out something then we walked to the car. I was so relieved to get in the car. I had never been so tired. It was 4 pm. Six hours of walking.  Soon as we left the Zoo Colton and Kaylee were asleep. Very tired.


We stopped at Dairy Queen and got ice cream cones. Then on to the house. After I got home that night I didn't leave the sofa except to get water. Charles made me corn dogs and that is what I had for dinner. I don't want to go back for a long time. Getting too old for that!

That Feeling of Love

Is falling in love instantly possible? I have heard that people do but when I fell in love it kind of grew on me. The first few times I seen that person I didn't know if I would like the person that well. But after a few weeks things changed a lot. I think it takes time to know if that connection is really real.


Is there really such a thing as love at first sight? Many people claim it has happened to them. Is it sometimes sexual attraction instead of love? How does anyone know the difference? I guess if it lasts you might know but that takes time. And how do people fall out of love with someone when at one time they were so in love?


Love is described as a deep tender feeling of affection toward a person. A feeling of intense desire and attraction toward a person with whom one can make an extension of sex and romance.


I know when you fall in love it is the best feeling anyone can have. You want to see that person all the time. You want to hear there voice. You are happy when that person is around. You think things will never change but they do.


There are different kinds of love too. Some are very intense. Some is gentle. Then there is the love you feel for a child or a pet. Or even friends. Or family.


Then there is the old saying, "It's better to have loved and lost then to never have loved at all. "Do you think that is true? It is a wonderful feeling when you are in love. But when you are hurt by love you wish you had never been in love at all.

I Love Old Houses

I really do love old houses more than new ones. They have more character. The rooms are bigger. Some have front porches. My house I got brand new twelve years ago has no porch. Just a small patio. The bedrooms except for the master bedroom are very small. It had plain white walls and cheap faucets and door knobs but I changed most of that . Now it has color. I like wallpaper and bright colors.


The house we got in Sweetwater that we are moving too the end of October was built in 1950 I believe. It has big rooms and lots of windows. I think it has about 20 windows and is 1800 square feet. House in Fort Worth had a total of  8 windows until I put in four sets of French doors and two more windows. There was not one window in the living room. We made a movie room out of the garage with lots of windows.


I can't wait until we get that house. We plan on redoing it all. I been watching a lot of shows on HGTV about remodeling houses. When they get thru with the houses they  look fantastic. The only thing wrong with that house is they added on to the back. When you go thru the kitchen there is the laundry room and then the door is on the right to go to another bedroom and then sunroom and then half a bath. That is not a good layout. Somehow we have to change all that. There has got to be a way to get to the sunroom and half bath without going thru the bedroom.


I can't wait to decorate the rooms different from the way I have these in Fort Worth decorated. Here I have a sunflower room, a coke room, pink and black room and a lime green room.  I plan on buying new stuff for the walls. A little bit at a time during these three months I am waiting. I guess I should have been an interior decorator because I love doing this sort of thing. It will be so fun to decorate the walls and get new furniture and remodel.


One thing I don't like  about old houses is most don't have master baths. You have to share and I am not too good at that. We wont have anyone there though unless someone comes to visit so I guess that will be okay.


We will build a deck and a wrap around porch. I have a son that lives in Sweetwater that is good at remodeling and promises to help . I want to put in a pond and wildflowers too. Lots of yard work. It has lots of stickers which I never have in Fort Worth but Sweetwater seems to have them everywhere. Just like dust.  That house will be so nice when we get thru with it. I got lots of good ideas.


The good thing about all of this is I get to be both places. If I get tired of the small town life I can go to the city for a few days. See my kids and grandkids and do some major shopping . I got lots of friends in Sweetwater so when Guy is out of town I can eat lunch and go shopping with friends. The best of both worlds!

My Friend Kim

My friend Kim is coming down tomorrow to visit. I sure will welcome the company since I been missing Guy very much lately. It gets kind of boring sitting here alone night after night. I got plenty to keep me busy but still bored sometimes.


I met Kim when I was about 43 I think in Sweetwater.. She was a lot younger but she was married to a friend of mine whom I had known since I was 25. Shady was how I met my second husband and my next two  boyfriends. Anyway I met this guy thru Shady and went over to there house one night and then I met her. Back in those days she was a little wild. But she was young. I was the driver for everyone that was drinking in those partying days. I done some drinking but not too much.


 I met the second boyfriend that just happened to be at their house one night when I went over there. I ended up moving down to Fort Worth with him . And lo and behold she just happened to show up too. It was nice getting to see a friendly face as I didn't know many people here. I had lived in Sweetwater all my life too. A town of 12,000. Very hard to get used to the big city. It took me about a year to adjust to the big city life.


After awhile we lost touch. I often wondered what happened to her then one day about four or five years ago I seen her picture on facebook. I immediately ask her to be my friend and she accepted. We have kept in touch every since. She has came down three different times and stayed a few days with me.


I am really looking forward to it tomorrow.   I can't wait to have some girl talk. I haven't had much of that lately. It sure will make the time I am waiting for Guy to go by more quickly. Facebook has helped me to find a lot of people I would never have found again in my lifetime.

Shopping for a Good Computer

I started looking for a new computer yesterday . Never thought it would be so hard to find one. I wanted a laptop where I can do my writing somewhere besides just in my office. I wanted one that goes fast and I know nothing about them. I had help with my hunt though. My son in law Vasile knows a lot about computers.


I looked at some at Wal Mart. They were okay but nothing special. Later I went to Target and then Sam's. Nothing. Then yesterday afternoon I went to Best Buy. They were a little too costly  for me. Then to Office max. Same thing. Another Wal Mart. Nothing there either.


I always forget that you can shop online. No traffic, no waiting in line and walking all over the place. Jana told me to go to QVC.com. I thought that was just on TV. I went and with their help found a great one. And you can pay it out in 6 monthly payments. It is 17"Intel Core i7 8 GB Ram 1TB HD with Microsoft Office. I don't know what half of that means except I know I need Office.  Vasile said it was one of the fastest ones there are. It was blue and it was a Dell. I am excited about it.


The only thing I didn't like about it was I have to wait. Expected delivery August 28th. I hate waiting!I guess it will be worth it in the end though. I plan on working on writing a lot more than I have been doing. I can use it in bed or on the sofa or anywhere I please. I got no excuse now. Write, write, write.

My Granny was an Indian

Today was throw back Thursday and it made me think of my Granny because I put a picture on facebook of her and my sister Janice. My Granny was an Indian although I don't know how much. She had long black hair and was really dark so she looked full blooded. Her maiden name was Byrd which sounded like an Indian name. I kind of favor her with dark hair and dark complexion.


I spent my summers at her house and I have such good memories of that. My sister Janice stayed with her a lot even during winter. But I mostly stayed in the summer. When she got her social security check we would ride a taxi to town. We would have a day of  going to stores and eating lunch at a drug store. Back then they had soda fountains and grilled or pimento cheese sandwiches. That was such a treat.


Then we would go to a book store and look at magazines. She loved Debbie Reynolds. At that time   Eddie Fisher and Elizabeth Taylor had just  got together. She hated Liz. You would have thought she knew Debbie personally because that is what she called her.


Last stop we would go to the grocery store. She bought me bottled sodas  which I wasn't used to getting. Pickle loaf for sandwiches. I usually had one for breakfast. It was such a fun day and then when we got home we would read our movie magazines and drink pop. At home we never got to do that.


Back then there was no TV but what you don't know about you don't miss. We just had a radio. No air conditioners. Just fans. Granny would sit a pan of water in front of it to make it a little cooler. It didn't seem as hot as it does now without air.


She always had a pack of Kool menthol cigarette's up in her cabinet. She hid them from my Grandpa.She would ask me if I wanted one but I always declined. I was only about 13. Back then they knew nothing was wrong with tobacco.  


I inherited one thing from my Granny. I got the table I always sat at as a child. It was a square wooden table. It has a round big leg in the middle. One side had a bench. My Granny sat at the end and I always sat next to her. My daughter Jana has a bench at her table too. I had told her about Granny having one. It is just a tradition. I am fixing to redo that table and use it in the house in Sweetwater. My Granny was one of my favorite people in the world. I hope my Grandkids can say that about me.

Oil Changed Once Again

I got my oil changed in my Jeep yesterday. I have had my car for a year and three months and it has 14,000 miles on it. That is good. I used to go 2,000 miles a month when I had my cleaning business. So glad I don't have to  do that anymore.


I go to Moritz of Fort Worth . They sell Chevrolet-Chrysler-Jeep. They check everything under the hood plus rotate the tires and I just feel confident when they get through that everything is in fine shape. I got right in and went to the waiting area while they done it all. There was an older lady and her grandson and then an older man who looked like he just came off of a ranch. He had a Cowboy hat on and some expensive boots. Just the way he talked you could tell he was a real Cowboy not an imitation. Like Guy always says. "It don't make you a Cowboy by putting on a Cowboy hat and some boots."


I listened to there discussion . It was pretty interesting. The lady was saying how she had raised her kids and when her kids had kids she ended up raising them too. She said they wanted to have kids but then they wanted to leave them with her. Then her grandkids had kids and they left them with her too. The grandchild that was with her you could tell he really had respect for her. She said she had fell down stairs and broke her back and her neck but now she was working again. When they left he was holding her hand where she didn't fall.


The Cowboy was a cussing man. He was saying how all these kids wanted to have kids and then after having them they decide they want a career. He said why didn't they do the career first and then have kids last. Which is a good statement. But I could have done without the cussing part.


I guess it is good if you can get the career first but that is not always the case. Sometimes that can't be helped.. I have known some people that couldn't go to college until late in life. I done college online when I was 60. And my daughter Jana gave me a surprise graduation party that made me feel like I had really accomplished something. I made excellent grades after forty years of not going to school too.  Better late than never.

Killer Bees

I have never really thought much about bees. I know  a lot of people are allergic to them. My daughter Julie was. I have always stayed away form them as much as possible.


My son John called me last night from Sweetwater where he lives. He is buying this house and redoing it all over. Taking sheetrock off the walls and almost starting over. He took off the sheetrock in the bedroom and there was bees coming out of the walls by the hundreds he said. He wanted me to look online and see what he could do as a home remedy to get rid of them.


One thing was one of those zappers. That kills any insects. Another said to put Mountain Dew  in a plastic bottle cut off. They don't like it. Moth balls in panty house. Vinegar in a cup. Insect spray. Lots of different things to do but any would be hard without a professional bee keeper  doing it.


I contacted a bee keeper. He charges $400 for two hives. More is $500. He said most bees this year are the African killer bees and they are very aggressive if agitated. He said the only way to get rid of them is to remove all the comb and catch or kill the bees. Best time is late in the evening when they all return home. Fog bombs does work putting them in the walls if they are there.


He says in a house like where these bees were they hide in walls that are not insulated . My son was tearing down sheetrock off the walls and ran into them. They like it even better if no one lives there. John had just recently moved there.


Now he has a problem how to get rid of these bees. I would not want to be there!

To the Movies

My grandson Kaiden and I went to the movies yesterday afternoon to the Rave. We went to see "And so it Goes" with Diane Keaton and Michael Douglas. I love both of them. Not much of a kid movie but it was a comedy. Mostly old folks were there but Kaiden didn't care long as he had popcorn and coke. I just take me a bottle of water and I am fine.


The movie was funny and a couple of times I had tears in my eyes. It was good. Well worth the time and effort we took to go see it. I don't go to movies very often. I usually just see them on DVD when I can get the thing to work right. I am not good on electronic things.


I have always loved Diane Keaton movies. I think I have seen every one of them. She was still looking good but Michael Douglas was looking old. I read that she has never been married. She adopted two kids. And of course he has that lots younger wife. Is she wearing him down? He will always be good though.


Kaiden is the oldest of Jana's kids. He comes over lots of times and spends the night with me. Guy is gone for 41 more days so it keeps me company.


That is why I decided on a movie on the weekend. Weekends seem so long sometimes. We went late in the afternoon so by the time we got out it was almost 7 so that day was gone. Kaiden was saying for two days how excited he was about going to the movies.


He was real good at the movies too. Little bit hyper but he had sugar. When we were leaving he says," Next time we come lets see a kid movie."  As we were leaving the mall he said, " Who is your favorite kid? Connor, Colton, Kaylee or me?"I told him I don't have favorites. They are all the same.

It started with Nancy Drew

My love of mysteries first started with Nancy Drew. I loved the Hardy Boys too. I don't even know what age I started reading them now but I read the whole series of both of them. Now they have new ones that somebody else actually wrote but I haven't read them. I have started trying to get a collection of the old books just because I loved them so much.


I have loved reading all my life. Now I have graduated from Nancy Drew too Mary Higgins Clark, JoAnne Fluke , Carol Higgins Clark, Mary Jane Clark , Judy Alter and Laurie Moore. Lots more too but there are just too many authors. I always have a book I am reading on.


I really love to read a mystery that is set here in Fort Worth in places I know of. Judy Alter and Laurie Moore both write about Fort Worth. I got a book on my kindle I am reading right now because it is not in book form that is called "Ghost of the Axe Grinder" by Jon L. Brown. He grew up in Sweetwater  back in the 60's.That is my hometown.  He moved away in his sophomore year but Sweetwater stuck in his mind. He based his book on Sweetwater and it was years later that he wrote it. Another one came out lately too. "Opening the Windows of Time" set in Sweetwater too. His are a little more scary than what I am used too.


I have always wanted to write a mystery since I love them so much. Maybe one day I will. But not yet.