Hillbilly Gothic

The End of Words

2011-10-12T06:10:00.004-04:00

It really should say welcome back...

Have you ever heard the saying End of Days? Surely you have, I have felt that way about my true "words" for some time now, like I just got to the end of them and there were no more. It was very much like getting to the end of the rainbow and finding no pot of gold.

I thought after "the ordeal" was over that life as I knew it would get back to normal and the words would be there in over abundant stock. This is where I have to tell you that I was wrong, very very wrong. Firstly, and mainly, because "the ordeal" is not over nor will it ever be over in a sense that it no longer has an impact on my life because it was a huge part of my world and it played a role in making me who I am today. For awhile now I have allowed "the ordeal" to almost completely define who I am, even when that is not the case. It has taken me almost 2 years not to be prisoner to "the ordeal" any longer and by breaking the binds that held me for so long now I almost feel as if I was part of some mass covert operation to FREE THE WORDS!!! (Yes I just saw picketers with signs marching around my brain)

A beautiful friend once told me "once you get settled mentally there, it will flow just like the tide" she was right. As I walked the beach this past week (and fell victim to my wandering brain and rogue large waves) words started flying at me.. at first they were ARRGGGHH! COLD! WET! IDIOT! but then they calmed down a bit and the frighten shrieks of the hidden voice in my head calmed to a whisper and the words flowed more like the tide and less like a tsunami.

So as the words come I will let them flow here where you have the joy (aka excruciating pain) of reading them but if you come by just to look at the pretty pictures you can try here Gone Coastal... One Shot at a Time. While there will be a photo on all my posts it is more about the words here and me being me and it is more about the photos there and what I see. I was going to mix the two but lets face it some people just don't care about my words much.

On that note.. MUCHO LOVE TO ALL OF YOU who do care about my words and endured the pain of reading every last word today and who have been waiting patiently for me and my words to return to my new normal.

Proof this photographer is an idiot....

2011-07-15T06:41:00.004-04:00

or maybe proof I do not deserve the title of photographer!

Ok so "you ain't gonna believe this shit...." this morning I set my alarm extra early on the first day of my vacation so that I could go capture the sunrise. I am typically an early riser to begin with so not much of a big deal getting the shots most of the time, however, this is a special vacation so there is a chance I will be sleeping until noon the rest of the time. By special vacation I mean the first REAL vacation I have taken in ... well ever... with no children, no parents, no agenda, no plan (unless of course you consider getting up at 5 am to take pictures a plan). The motto for this little trip of mine is "Arrive Thursday, Leave Sunday" which has absolutely nothing to do with the real days of arrival and departure but everything to do with arriving and leaving being the only plan there is and really those are subject to change.

The alarm clock goes off this morning, which is the sound of waves now thanks to CBWs alarm clock and my inventive mind to record it to my phone. You, however, would not believe how confusing it is to someone on the ocean that can hear waves outside the window to all of a sudden hear waves in side the window, I am considering changing it for the duration of my stay to something more suitable, like nothing. I am up and grab my camera off the table and my phone because I do enjoy sending Good Morning photos via text sometimes and out the door I go!

The sky is beautiful, pinks and oranges glowing, as I make my way closer to the beach the waves get louder and I am full of anticipation of that first look over the dunes, that first perfect shot. Apparently I have more anticipation than I do common sense because as I lifted the camera to take that last shot right before you crest the dune my camera reads.. E. E FOR ERROR! WTH??????

You ain't gonna believe this shit but I left the damn memory card in my computer!!!!!

I do not deserve the title of photographer.

Much to my complete and utter..

2011-07-14T06:49:00.004-04:00

(or is it udder?) dismay the very first "You ain't going to believe this shit... " story is UNBLOGGABLE! The madness that ensued last night is beyond words actually, however, it would probably make a good in person story, sorta like the Madd Dogg 20/20 story but different. If you need to understand how completely unbloggable the story is, please see the title of this post and the fact that I am not sure which to use, "udder" or "utter".

My trip down was pretty unevent..... WAIT! STOP THE PRESSES! I do have an "You ain't going to believe this shit..." story I can throw at you.

You ain't going to believe this shit but, in my travels yesterday there was involvement of cheap clothes, wine, a hula hoop purchase, and a pit stop to take tractor pictures and that isn't even the cool part! I was more than what you would call excited about arriving at my destination and spending much needed Sisper time, well, with my Sisper. My mind was on the prize HOME TO MY SISPER, ok ok, my sisper and an ice cold Smirrinoff but that is beside the point.

I was flying down 168 ~~on my broom~~ in the Acura and making some really good time when upon the ~~Washington~~ Wright Memorial Bridge I do descend. The sky was beautiful with an amazing sunset that I could not stop and capture due to being on the bridge but that, again, is beside the point... thump thump thump over the bridge I go (you know that sound your car makes on a bridge right?) then up the big hill on the bridge and WAM!!!! there they are.. HUNDREDS... THOUSANDS... BUNCHES.. of bats flying out from under the bridge! BATS! Have I mentioned I LOVE BATS!!!!!!

I didn't hit any bats because bats aren't something you easily hit. I did, however, want bring the ~~broom~~ Acura to a screeching halt right there and get a shot or 346 of the bats with this amazing sunset! I glanced behind me and it just wasn't going to happen. sigh.

Ok so not the best "You ain't going to believe this shit..." story but it is going to have to do!

So today you are stuck with an OBX sunrise and a tractor.

Update: Here is another photo of last nights happenings that was found after the original blog post.. does this say anything????

Cleaning...

2011-07-13T07:05:00.002-04:00

Varrrrruuummmmmmmm (running vacuum)
Swish swish swish swish (sweeping)
Poff poff poff (dusting)
Squee squee squee (mopping)

Ok that should about do it... all cleaned out and off, ready for a fun filled stay in OBX. Photos and stories to ensue shortly with many a post probably starting with: "You ain't gonna believe this shit...."

Self Portrait Project

2011-02-23T07:11:00.006-05:00

I know that some of you saw these on Facebook and wondered what in the world is all that about.. well I am here on the blog to tell you, not that it was any big secret because I think most women have this issue but I hate the way I look in photos. (ok that is a fib I just typically hate the way I look in general but for the sake of keeping this short we will just say in photos ok??)

I have been working on trying to stay in a more positive mind set recently (four days really but who's counting) and while it is hard work I am determined to see this through and wake up in the morning with a positive thought and go to sleep with a positive thought, and have the other thoughts in between positive as well. I am sure I will miss the "I am going to spork your eyeball out if you don't shut up!" thoughts from time to time but for right now I am packing them in a trunk and moving on to warm puppies and rainbows.

So here is where the project came in, I realized that one of the things I am most negative about is ME. I actually had THREE people in two days ask me why I was so hard on myself. I didn't even realize I had been that negative about my thoughts of myself, but apparently I have been, according to Facebook. I couldn't think of anything specific I had said and while I asked them to point it out they really couldn't find a post (I mean there are thousands ya know) but I figured with three separate people saying it, that were not connected, there must be some truth in it.

On Monday I was feeling a bit more like the old me than has been the norm for months so I hopped in my car and went to Haven Beach to take some photos of ~~ghosts~~ whatever caught my eye, when nothing seemed quite right for photo taking, I did the unthinkable, I turned the camera around backwards and took nothing but photos of me. I called it the "Self Portrait Project" for lack of a better title and decided I was going to process them and post some on Facebook regardless of how I felt about them. The longer they have stayed up the better I have felt, not because of the comments (which were great by the way) but just because I was seeing me in a bit of a different like (aside from the fact that I have realized I have freaky ass blue eyes that I never noticed until I removed all color except from my eyes in a photo) but I feel like that little project in it self has helped me, I can't promise I won't run from a camera pointed at me anymore but I am going to try to be a little less camera shy and not so critical of myself.

The way I figure it, in order for other people to love me the way I want and need them too, I need to also, it is not fair to ask them to do something I don't really do myself. Ya know?

Anyway without further ado, the photos.

Weird things just happen to us...

2011-02-18T06:53:00.006-05:00

First let me back track and say that a certain sweet young lady contacted me directly yesterday about where my blog had been. I had to explain that it fell into the large dark hole I like to call life and that I just did not emotionally have it in me to write squat. Unfortunately at a very young age she already knew what I was saying and understood completely, however, it sparked something in me and I thought to myself "Really?? Why is it when you blog you focus on the yucky? Why when you write does it come out depressing? There are still amazing things happening around you all the time yet you tend to focus on the tragedy that has been the last year." I answered myself because that is what I do.. I said.. "I dunno." Yes I still wonder daily why that is my children's only answer to anything, knowing full well they get that from me.

So here I am again, asking your forgiveness for a too long break, for not being able to oversee... wait a damn minute this is my damn blog .. if you don't like the fact I took another long break click the X!

So right around the time that the conversation surrounding my blog was going on something happened.. I got an email from CBW who I have a bizarre connection with that none of the adults in our lives (I say adults because they were adults when we were born) will neither confirm nor deny is biological. I always find emails from her an extra special treat but in this one she actually asked me to work. (Like I really need something else to do besides wallow in my own stinky self pity).

The email started like this..
Hey stupid get out of that pool of pity and do something for me... Ok Ok no it really didn't but it probably should have.

The email actually said..
"Hey help me out here will ya?" in so many words :)

So I scanned down the email which was from a lovely yet slightly confused gentleman in Seattle named Mark. It was a long email and I was in the middle of wallowing so I just skimmed it at first I picked out words like Mathews, brothers, Hudgins, photo, lighthouse, trash, Guniea, and fish. I figured by those that some how this dude was connected to Mathews in some way and had a photo of Hudgins brothers that he took on top of the lighthouse as they were collecting trash that the fish from Guinea left there.

What?? I said I was busy when I was reading it. I figured I would take a glance at the photo and then archive it for when my Daddy was close by (that is CBWs boyfriend by the way) and ask who the dudes were. I scrolled down the email and glanced at the thumbnail and my heart skipped a beat.. then another.. and as I opened the photo to full size I let out an audible *GASP*. This wasn't any old ordinary set of "Hudgins" brothers I was looking at!

I immediately let my fingers fly over the keyboard with a reply back to CBW which in turned stopped her heart for a beat or two or 50 cause it took me that long to actually call her after getting the email that said..
ARE YOU F'ING (insert whole word here) KIDDING ME??? IS THIS IS SOME KIND OF JOKE??? WHERE CAN I CALL YOU???
Yes that is exactly what the email said.. to the letter and looking back on it, it does read more like I am going to choke her out of anger than it was simply shock but shock it was. So I finally call the poor trembling CBW and screamed into the phone IS THIS A JOKE??? I think she squeaked I am not all together sure at that point cause I just kept rambling on.

Below is the photo that was attached to that email and I won't go into the rest of the conversation with CBW because it was slightly uneventful after that build up (it was filled with lots of NOO! NOOO! REALLY?? NO!!! WOW's) but let me just end by saying that she hung up with relief and her heart beating again.

I am going to include most of my email back to Seattle Mark so you have full understand of why the shock and why I called him a little confused and why I keep referring to the men as "Hudgins" in quotes like that is a bad thing (it isn't.. he was just wrong).

Anyway Janice looking for a little help forwarded me the photo of the "Hudgins" brothers for help in identity.
First let me say.. Last name isn't Hudgins.. it was Burroughs and while my name is now Ann Marie Haywood it WAS Ann Marie Burroughs.
That photo was taken on Davis Creek in Bavon (or Motorun depending how old the map is) at Morris Snows Dock (his boat was the Linda Carol) the boat in the photo is more than likely the Virginia considering the amount of junk in her. The house in the background now belongs too Bill Battle and he has bees.. lots of bees.. he is the local honey man.

The very handsome gentleman to your right there.. I called Pop until the day he died on July 5th 2005, my daddy called him Daddy, his given name was Lemual Winn Burroughs (which was recycled by my great grandparents as they had another son who died at a young age with the same name) but everyone called him Snooks.

The other handsome friendly looking fella is my Uncle Bill, he was Pop's brother and technically my great uncle but calling someone Great Uncle around these parts just is not done. So he was uncle Bill. I still have the silver quarters he and another brother (Bubba Duck don't ask... I couldn't tell ya) gave me as a child on that very dock. When I would go down to help sort the fish pay was a drink from the drink machine.. the old kind where you pulled the bottle straight out and it had the bottle top opener on it, you were given 2 quarters one silver one regular one for the machine one to take home. Good thing they had the key to that little box cause more than once a mix up happened.

So there ya have it.. Burroughs Brothers not Hudgins and they were pound net fisherman.. along with my Great Granfather Henry Owens (not Pops daddy.. my grandmothers)
They ran Burroughs Brothers Seafood.

And now you all know why I cussed and scared poor CBW to with in an inch of her life and that I ramble on in email as badly as I do my blog and that yesterday while getting a shock I got a very special secret treasure!!!!

Happy Friday!!
Re

Hey there Ho there...

2011-01-19T06:46:00.002-05:00

noooooo NOT me. Jeesh.. It is just a saying people.

So I have a question for you guys, just because I am at a stumbling block right now with this. "Are words ever meant to be trusted or does action have to take place prior to belief?"

I ask you this because over the past couple of years I have heard words repeated to me over and over in the forms of "It won't happen again." or "I am truly sorry" or "I love you" and there was no actions taken to show me that any of those words were true and that has left me with what appears to be the inability to trust or believe the words of anyone. What's that saying about one bad apple again?

You may walk up to me and say something as simple as "Your hair looks nice today." and I will spend the next hour in the bathroom trying to figure out what is wrong with it. Maybe you said "You are really funny" and my brain hears "Will you please just shut up you are making my ears bleed, you couldn't make a hyena laugh!" and lets not forget the "You are pretty." thing because quite honestly that is supposed to be followed up sometime shortly with "You are the nastiest thing around I don't know why you are alive." I suppose my biggest place of untrust (it isn't mistrust I haven't trusted to mis it yet LOL) is when people say "I will be here for you" I THOUGHT that was what "til death do us part" meant too, trust me when I say that isn't necessarily the case if you can manage to escape.

I hope that one day I can trust in words again, words are a beautiful thing, in the form of a book, a poem, a song, a story, a speech, and a simple 3 word phrase (not to mention blogs). Trust is something I always had when it came to words I believed in the passion and love and knowledge behind them, now I have had to face to darkness, the hatred, and the abuse behind them and much like a large rabid dog would rip apart a sweet fragile dove, my fragile belief in words has been shattered.

Some of you are probably reading this thinking to yourself well isn't she just a bitch for not believing I am here after all this time, after every time I told her to call, after every time I told her that I would always be here. I just want to say to you all I truly truly apologize, this is NOT the way I wanted to feel this is the road that life has taken me down at the moment and I am sure that there has to be a path to the road of trust again but at this moment I have not found it.

I at least pray there is a path back to trust because I really do not enjoy being this way, until then, I suppose I should be from the "Show Me State" or maybe "Eastern State" who's to say.

Welcome to hell where it all starts to come out...

2011-01-12T07:41:00.003-05:00

Today is Wednesday which is another day closer to Friday which is another day closer a three day weekend which is 3 days I can actually sleep in but probably won't because by then my insomnia will be back and I will be wide awake at 4 am.

Most of you know I have moved, as in physically away from the little township I called "home" for more years of my life than I can remember. Bavon for me was where I felt I belonged where I felt I could breath, where I felt I could be me. I think part of that feeling had to do with being close to the water. I have always been close to the water when I lived here in Virginia within walking distance and for the last 5 years spitting distance. (yes I measure things in spitting distance sometimes.. doesn't everyone) Today I am much farther than spitting distance and walking would just prove to be a burden, because the closest water to me is flanked by private property and I am not sure the current owners would even begin to understand my draw.

I can always get in my car and drive to the beach or the water but some how that feeling is just not the same. Not being able to look out from my office window and see a tiny sliver of water is disheartening to me. I know it sounds like a tiny little thing in life but to me it is just much bigger. The water is yet one more thing that has been ripped away from me by no fault of my own, unless you consider love a fault. Which these days I consider it a curse so I can see how someone may feel it is a fault.

Someone close to me told me that through this process of grieving I would feel many feelings but the three main phases I will shift through as this process goes on are; sadness, anger and just plain "I don't give a damns". For the first week or more it was complete sadness, I thought over and over that I would never get to anger or the "I don't give a damns" but I am here to tell you they come, even when you think they won't. You could be sitting there minding your own business yakking away on Facebook making a fool of yourself and all of a sudden you are so angry that the only thing that you see is red. Over nothing... someone could have just posted how pleased they were that their spouse changed their drawers (by drawers I mean underwear people) and you could be so angry that you just want to tell them and their clean drawers clad spouse to take a flying leap. I don't think this anger has anything to do with the fact that someone has changed their skivves, but the fact that the other someone has someone in their life that they can be proud of. It has been too many days since I was able to say I was proud of my spouse.

I am sure this is just the beginning of a long twisty turny road on the way to happiness but the truth of the matter is it is happening. It is happening to me. It is not something I can actually hide as I am a typically in your face kind of person and while I do in a sense hide behind laughter and jokes the rest of this is right here at the surface all waiting to spill out. Just this week I received a text asking me why I had posted on Facebook that I had moved. At first I didn't really recall posting that specifically but I may have, then I was asked why I would put something so personal about THEM out there for the world to see. "Excuse me.. about YOU.. ABOUT YOU?? You are kidding me right... so this is still all about you.

I was the one that had to leave my home, I was the one that had to explain to the people closest to me the truth, I was the one that wakes up at night to traffic not frogs (not that I like frogs mind you but I dislike traffic more), I am the one that daily finds something I wish I had with me, from something as big as my baby dog (which by the way I wish you would stop using as a pawn) to as little as my cutting board because it is red and cute. Yet some how, you feel you are the victim in this scenario and I have no right to talk about how I feel, where I am or better yet WHY I am where I am. Guess what buddy.. I woke up angry so SCREW YOU."

Today I came back here, to this blog after posting yesterday for the first time in months wondering if I existed.. wondering if my thoughts were still alive.. wondering if my life needed telling.. I have mulled that over since and I have decided there may be many things I may lose in the situation as it stands today, my water, my home, my dog, even my cute little red cutting board but the most important thing I won't allow him to take is ME, and part of me is this part of my life and I won't apologize for that to anyone.

So for now.. I am back.
Re

Do I even exist?

2011-01-11T07:20:00.002-05:00

I am trying to figure out if I even exist here anymore.
I used to have this funny little witty side to me..
I have lost that.

I need to find that in order to keep this blog alive cause really who wants to read about sadness, upheaval, chaos, and drama all day every day.. hell I don't even want to write about it.

Miss you all much.
Re

With Regret

2010-10-27T14:31:00.002-04:00

Technically it was with mockery but whatever, I have written my obituary. I am hoping that between now and then it will be filled in with yet more fun facts but for now here we go.

Please feel free to send me any edits you would like made, I will approve or reject and squeeze them in when I can make time over the next 60 plus years.

With deepest regrets this obituary is running to inform you that Ann Marie Burroughs Haywood has perished.
Re died unexpectedly late last evening while entertaining a guest that should probably remain nameless.
While Re lived a long life of 90 plus years (none of us are supposed to know she is really 103) she still was spry enough to seduce the youngest of men, and did so frequently in her home in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and her summer cottage in Italy.
She leaves behind 3 children, two sons, Drake (76) who is still going strong in the competitive video game circuit while donning black hair and Dustin (81) who is made millions creating video games that only his brother Drake can beat and a daughter Deanna (79) who still wonders daily if this bizarre creature was really her mother. Also in her wake she has left a trail of men who may never get over her untimely departure from this life, one Sisper who is still laughing at the fact Re predeceased her and her OPM who loved Re unconditionally but who did not share with her the survival juice so she could make it to .. well let's just say older, so now OPM will be haunted for eternity.
Re will be met in the afterlife by her loving father, Henry Burroughs, her fake mother (who is still rolling over in her grave) Ruth Ann Hutson, her real mother who shall remain nameless as well to protect the not so innocent, a beautiful half sister who helped Re figure out the mystery of her parentage, her sweet angel Dustin Stilwell, and countless envious friends and relatives.
Please plan to attend the HomeGoing Party to be hosted by Ms Haywood's Sisper Phyllis Marsh at her Estate in Mathews County "Firefly Manor".
In lieu of flowers please plan to bring booze.

Soulmate

2010-10-12T07:42:00.004-04:00

This post is brought to you by the letter W for Wine (probably too much of it) and the number 4 for how many too much.

Do you have a soulmate? What are your actual thoughts on what a soulmate is?

Is it someone who is in your life for a long extended period?
Is it someone who no matter how long or short they were in your life just had a profound impact on your life?
Is it someone who you are in love with and fall into a marital type relationship?
Is it someone who through life and death you still have a connection to?
Does your soulmate have to be of the opposite sex?

This is for you people out there that I see reading who don't always comment too.. I see you so leave a comment let me know you what you think.

In loving memory of Pansy Boy.
1964-2009

Happy 70th Birthday John.

2010-10-09T00:01:00.001-04:00

Thank you for continuing to touch the lives of people 30 years later.

Mathews County Blog

2010-10-08T08:40:00.002-04:00

So apparently in order to have a blog come up under any search for Mathews County Blogs you must have a Blog post with Mathews County in the title. Even if that blog post is about a pot bust it comes up in a google search, me I don't get so much as a blip on the radar screen of google.

Let's see if this helps change that.

If you landed here by searching for Mathews County well.. enjoy the rest of the blog this is just a book mark!

Re

Adventures with kitties...

2010-10-08T06:05:00.007-04:00

For those of you who don't know my cat, Kittem was rescued out of a crab pot, very dehydrated and starving, she was but a wee little thing then.

As time has gone on she has grown and flourished and ~~ate the entire end of my sofa~~ scratched up a few things, but alas she is just a sweet baby; one who spends 75% of her time curled up on my bed in a ball and the other 25% of the time divided between howling at whatever it is she is howling at, scratching up my sofa, drinking water straight out the faucet (do not ask) and eating, all in all not such a bad life for a cat who was doomed to starve in a crab pot. (that is the longest sentence in history)

Now lets turn our attention to this little kitty, we will call her Muffin, just for the sake of calling her Muffin. I took this photo of her over a year ago by my neighbors house while ~~trespassing when they weren't home~~ taking photos of their pretty flowers. Muffin was just sitting there under a bush looking at me like I had lost my mind, which is quite possible. I attempted to catch her but my camera was not making very good bait and I didn't have a crab pot handy at the moment so I let her go on her way.

I have heard that Muffin still roams the neighborhood and is all grown up not to mention doing quite well for her self ~~living in a mansion on the hill and driving a convertible Mercedes~~ eating all the fish she can hold from down the dock, and staying warm at night by sneaking in boat cabins for a safe spot to nap. Now while this sounds like the life of luxury for one little stray kitty lets keep in mind that she must get up VERY early in the morning to ensure she is safely off of the boats before the watermen come down to go out for the day, this means one must turn in fairly early if you are going to get enough sleep especially if you spent the day ~~wheeling around town in your Mercedes~~ eating as many fish as you could hold.

This plan works out well for the most part except then THAT day happened, the day that Muffin was awaken by ~~the car alarm on her Mercedes and she knew Kittem was back to take what was rightfully her's~~ the low rumbling sound of the engine and the roll of the boat as it made it's way out of the creek! Muffin quickly thought to herself "How could I have over slept??!!". With a quick glance around the cabin she realized the door was open and there was light from the big ball of fire in the sky still streaming in, "This can't be possible." Muffin thought, as she decided to hunker back further in the cabin to keep out of sight. As she listened to the men discuss their work and what was going on she pieced together that she had not in fact over slept they had decided to go and set one more net!!! "What to do? What to do?" Muffin pondered over and over for what seemed like eternity, and finally that fateful moment occurred when she had no more recourse but to run for it.

Muffin found herself cornered in the cabin, trying desperately to hide from the men on the boat, but as they made their way to where the net was to be set they would be needing their gloves. In Muffin's haste to hide from the men she had backed herself right on to what the men were going to be reaching for next! As the waterman reached down to retrieve his gloves from the dark corner of the cabin Muffin had no choice but to make a break for it. Out of the cabin she ran like a dash ~~causing the watermen to fall on his ass and think he was having a heart attack~~, up on to the washboard and up on to the dock.... What wait we are almost to the bay.. there IS NO DOCK. Unfortunately for our friend Muffin she figured this out about the same moment she went SPLASH! Muffin in her panic had made the dreadful mistake of jumping straight overboard with land no where in reach, and in her attempt to figure out how to get out of that cold, rough water that kept going over her head, in her ears, and up her nose, she began swimming in circles.

Lucky for Muffin she had one thing going for her, the kind hearted waterman that operated the boat, after he recovered from ~~what he surely thought was a heart attack~~ the shock of having a cat dart at you from the darkness, he went to check on Muffin and see if he could help her. What he
found as he looked for the mysterious diving cat was Muffin struggling to stay afloat, the kind waterman turned the boat around and with in minutes he and ~~the piece of crap~~ the dude that works with him had returned Muffin safely to dry boat where she went and perched on the bow until they were with in 5 foot of the dock where she made a flying leap to dry land and safety.

I haven't seen Muffin since, I betting that she has found a safer place to call home at night and I am sure she is still getting her fill of fish from down the dock, but there has to be some small part of her that wishes she had landed herself in a crab pot when she was just a wee thing.

Just a few more shots of Kittem I took yesterday.

Two of my greatest loves...

2010-10-07T07:10:00.005-04:00

I have a long list of great loves and I won't bore you with those details but yesterday my wonderful cousin Robbi aka Dumplin (I just got disowned again) posted this video on face book and I have watched it over and over since.

I have never embedded a video on my blog before so lets hope the gods of rock are up there watching over me.

First off we have Ozzy.. there is nothing more to say.. it is OZZY! I could have been a Sharon easily and happily. I would have had to change my name though because him screaming Re does not have the same ring as ShaRON does.

Photo take by Dustin Taylor 2010 NYC Sr Trip

The other, Mr John Winston Ono-Lennon himself. The coming Saturday, John would have turned 70 but as we all know his life was cut tragically short AT THE ENTRANCE of his home The Dakota's in 1980. When I was younger I listened to his music and thought the world should listen as well but as time moved on John and the Beatles just didn't always fall on my playlist and they were pushed to the back of my mind, until one day my oldest son expressed an interest, and that interest grew to a massive CD, book, and poster collection.

Thank you my son for reminding me that we all just need to "Let it Be", "Come Together" and just take the time to "Imagine".

Photo take by Dustin Taylor 2010 NYC Sr Trip

Imagine there's no heaven, it's easy if you try
No people below us, above it's only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries, it isn't hard to do
No need to kill or die for and no religions too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger a brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing for the world

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
Take my hand and join us
And the world will live, will live as one

~John Lennon
1940-1980

PS. This post is about two OF my MANY great loves and in no way puts my Sisper at the bottom of any list NOR does the songs utlized in this post in anyway indicate my list of FAVORITE Beatles songs in any particular order but it has been brought to my attention that one could NOT have a Beatles post without mentioning this one.

LHK!!!!

A touch of fall

2010-10-06T07:04:00.005-04:00

Tuesday evening I was coming home from a very important meeting and while cruising down the road while talking on the phone with my mother, (don't ask me what the argument was about, they are so countless I can't remember one from the other anymore and they just all pile up into one big she just plain hates me fest) I noticed the trees looked a bit odd. Me being me I threw the phone on the seat (no I don't think I said goodbye) and ~~frantically slammed on the brakes~~ slowed to a safe speed and found a safe place to pull over.

~~Yanked~~Slowly removed the camera out of the bag and stood ~~right in the middle of the road~~ on the shoulder of the road out of the way of traffic and took these shots of the odd light on the tree and well someone's house I don't even know.

For some reason I think this particular tree was in the Sun god's favor Tuesday evening.

This is just the same shot toyed with a bit.

Dear People who live here next to Mobjack Farm, I am sorry if I invaded your privacy, I did not mean too but LOOK how pretty this is! The sky was just incredibly pink and gorgeous and looked like marshmallow clouds and gum drops. PS. I may have left a bit of my tire tread in front of your drive way, again, I apologize. Love, ReVogel the one who is not scared to really trespass.

Mrs BlueJ.. hmm or are you Mr BlueJ? I am going with Mrs as you appear to be wearing a boa in this shot and well I am not sure I am comfortable with Drag Queen BlueJs hanging out in my front yard.

Fall is in there air people, so much so I took out my *GASP* fall/winter clothes yesterday and put away all of the shorts and bathing suits and muu muu's until next summer.

The one good thing about fall... I LOVE taking photos of it.

The smell of money....

2010-09-29T07:18:00.002-04:00

My post today is just a follow up to a few of the unanswered questions people may have from Life in Mathews today.

1. Oyster tongs.. clam rakes.. so you get a point there CBW.
2. HOWEVER, if your gill nets fit in a bucket... well that is a premature infant gill net.. when you have put them in a 50 gallon barrel then come back and talk to me :)

Gill nets how do you explain gill nets.. they are long nets that the men (or in the case of CBW and I, small children) run out of a boat with buoys and anchors and weights attached to them (unless of course yours are in a bucket then I doubt you have buoys and anchors) you allow them to sit for a bit (over night if it is not too hot and the crabs aren't eating your fish right out of the net) then you haul them back into the boat untangling very smelly fish as you go.

By smelly I mean almost make you puke smelly but as my grandfather said.. that is the smell of money.

The reason for the NAME gill net is that what is supposed to happen is the fish attempts to swim through the net and kinda like a fat kid trying to get a piece of cake through a doggie door gets stuck half way.. when the little fish tries to back out he gets all tangled up in the net with his gills.

As must of you know, the waterman well he works on the water and right this minute he is out there in the bay fishing a gill net. When he gets back to the dock today he will smell so incredibly bad that even after he takes a shower he STILL STINKS.

If you have any more questions about how bad of a stink that really is or just about how a gill net works ~~come see me and I will send you out there and you can stink too~~ just ask!

Pre Approval Needed

2010-09-27T07:37:00.002-04:00

Yea yea I don't blog enough whatever.. haven't felt like it so sue me, however, I could NOT get through another day without putting my approved and UNapproved obituary terms out here in cyberspace so when I "croak" (oddly that was not on the list) there will be something to reference back to when one writes my obituary. I would really like to approve the thing after the first draft but since I will be dead and my Sisper is afraid of Ouija boards I think I am out of luck.

So without further ado.. the list and the reason why the verbiage is accepted or tossed out.

asleep,- I am not terribly fond of this it could scare small children.. they may wonder why they are putting me in the ground if I am merely asleep
bereft of life,- this one I could go for.
bloodless,- use this only if I am attacked by a vampire
bought the farm,- don't bother with this one either because well lets face it.. I am never buying a farm I hate horses
breathless,- maybe if I die from lung cancer.. teach others not to pick up the nasty little habit I have
buried,- only if I have been buried pre obituary
cadaverous,- please don't use this for me.. we could however use this for my mother as she has dictated she wants her body donated to science.. IN WRITING
checked out,- NOW THIS ONE IS A KEEPER
cold,- no.. I am never cold.. down right mean and hateful but not cold.
cut off,- Dear lord in heaven.. please don't ever ever ever let me be cut off.
deceased,- I could go for this one.
defunct,- NO WAY.. THAT IS LIKE CRISP.. just a nasty word
departed,- hmm no thanks.. I don't want to depart that doesn't sound like fun.. that sounds like I legally left or left mad
done for,- Maybe so... not bad.
erased,- i REFUSE to be erased.. those that I predecease better ensure that I do NOT become erased.
expired,- I am NOT a dairy product
extinct,- Nor am I a dinosaur
gone,- I don't think I would just be gone.. that is too.. oh i don't know.. final.
gone to meet maker,- my maker.. my maker.. nah I am not feeling it.
gone to reward,- only if someone can ensure me there is booze in heaven
inanimate,- I do NOT believe that I will ever be inanimate even if I am deceased
inert,- I don't know what this one even means
late,- LORD HELP ME IF I AM LATE I will be dead cause I will die of heartfailure at the prospect of having another living being I am responsible for.. where is that booze again
lifeless,- ya.. I could do that.
liquidated,- Only if I die in a vat of acid
mortified,- no.. nothing mortifies me
no more,- I just don't like this one.
not existing,- not this one either
offed,- use this one only if I meet an untimely demise
out of one's misery,- please only use this if old husband did not predeceased me
passed away,- I have NEVER PASSED a thing in my life.. why start now.
perished,- that one always made me giggle maybe use that.
pushing up daisies,- umm HELLO i do not like flowers so NO
reposing, again.. not sure about this one.. I think not.
resting in peace,- again with the sleep thing .. it will scare little children.
spiritless,- nope I will still have a spirit I will come back and show you.. promise.
stiff, - dude seriously this is another on of those only if young handsome husband is around.. cause I haven't had anything stiff in awhile now
unanimated, I was animated the day I was born no vampire is going to suck that out of me
wasted- this may be utilized if I die intoxicated which in all likelihood will happen so lets settle this right now..

Ann Marie Burroughs Haywood deceased and she was wasted.

I am just stopping by

2010-09-08T06:50:00.002-04:00

to let all of you know that I HATE school. Seriously.

While I know it is essential for my children's future does it HAVE to be so damn difficult on ME. I have already been through school (while it took my poor sister everything in her to drag me through it I did do it) and I do NOT recall my mother at 16 having to ask me if I had my shoes for gym, only to turn around to ask me if I had my shoes for cheer and have BOTH answers be NO.

I may be stupid or just a bit insane but by NOW I thought that I would not have to keep up with each and every little article of clothing, homework, or assignment for these teenagers. Apparently I was dead wrong. Not to mention I didn't think I would have to say.. "go take off all that crap off your eyes you look like Flo from Mel's Diner" (of course the reply to that was a blue eyeshadowed covered blank stare).

So as of yesterday the lazy summer life as I knew it has ended and my morning time has been invaded with things like spilled juice that someone watches just run on to the floor (seriously didn't even TRY to use the towel that was sitting on the table to stop it... watched it run by the towel onto the floor), someone screaming "SHUT UP" at the top of their lungs to which my reply was "NO YOU!!".. yes I know soooo mature, then having to get up 3 TIMES during the night to tell the youngest one to "PLEASE go to bed" the last time was 2 am.. I then gave up. I have not yet figured out how exactly I am going to make it through the next 178 mornings of this, I will be COMPLETE INSANE by the end of the first month.

In reality I need advice, I have never claimed to be mother of the year material but this seems to be just a bit insane, how do you get your kids to take responsibility for themselves and their work? How do you get them to set the clock for the time to get up and NOT the time the bus comes (seriously punk girl has her clock set for 10 minutes before the bus gets here but wont set it for the time she has to get up, this is so that if she goes back to sleep after getting ready she won't miss the bus)? How do you get them to ensure they have their "things" they need for sports or school ready the night before not 2 minutes before the bus comes when Mom asks.. do you have ______ and the answer is no. How do you get them to give a rats ass that their breath smells like a rats ass because they haven't brushed their teeth until Mom says.. BRUSH YOUR NASTY ASS TEETH.

I have to stop whining now because it is 2 minutes before the bus gets here and BOTH OF THEM ARE ASLEEP!!!!!

I am at the end of my rope... I didn't sign up for this.

Tis' Thursday...

2010-08-05T08:06:00.003-04:00

and I got nothing.

Well I got the fact that I totally forgot someone's birthday today and I am trying to cover for that blunder (I think it was a case of physiological revenge... or maybe it was just me being physco.. either way)

I got the fact that I made coffee this morning and returned to my computer while it was brewing to read HER blog. Only to go ~~running~~ shuffling to the pot with my eyes half closed to discover I had made a pot of hot water. I am serious about the fact I need to pre-game coffee making.

I got the fact that tomorrow I am going to meet my Ya Ya with both of our college boys for DINNER even though both of our boys thought I said BREAKFAST... must check with Ya Ya to make sure she knew dinner.. Who goes to the Crack Bar for Breakfast.. (apparently lots of people btw)

I got the fact that I have fallen in love and not with a person... with an area.. and that area ain't here, but I will give you a clue because these lovilies live there and I can't wait to go back and see them again.

So I suppose the point is if I disappear and you just don't have a clue where to look.. go talk to the Wild Horses they may have a clue.

I am...

2010-08-02T06:30:00.002-04:00

back here and not there which makes my head spin and hurt really badly.

I want to give a big old birthday shout out to my favorite sister person in the world! Miss Phyllis Marsh who turned 29 yesterday! It seems weird to me that we will be celebrating our 30th birthday's next year around this time. I was talking to a wonderful woman yesterday, the owner of The Mystic Jewel, (by the way the store turned 19 on my sister person's 29th.. how cool is that!!) and she made the comment to me that she remembered when her mother was at ____ age and how she felt like she was a mom and old. I remember that feeling, I still have that feeling. I have a theory.. anything older than 20 years old that you are at any given time in life is OLD.. when you get there it isn't so much anymore.

hehehehehe

I am rambling.. badly.. I will stop now and say happy birthday Sister Person, I hope I get back there to you before I miss you too terribly bad.. cause I already miss you!!!!

LHK
Re

MURDER at Whalehead...

2010-07-30T00:01:00.000-04:00

View of the Whalehead Club from Currituck Lighthouse

While I have been on my vacation that is not a VACATION but is a vacation I had the pleasure of having a book plopped in my lap with the exclamation of "YOU MUST READ THIS!!!"

My first thought was "Where the hell is Whalehead?" I seriously had never heard of it at all but figured what the hell why not. As I dove into the pages of the book by Joe C. Ellis I had mental images pop up of the way things were supposed to look.

Last night I finished the book and am happy to say I knew whodounit from chapter one. I have talent like that. However, lets back the train up just a tad, to where I said I don't know where Whalehead is.. I do now. Whalehead is the Whalehead Club located right here in Corolla beside the Currituck Lighthouse that I featured in photos yesterday of that little climbing adventure. What I did not tell you was that after Drake ~~stopped threatening to kill me~~ shaking due to the incredible heights I made him climb to, we continued on our little afternoon fieldtrip and decided to check out the tour of the Whalehead Club. It was amazing but, you can not take photos inside the building, so let me just tell you it was worth every moment. Stepping back in time AND living out the pages of the book that I was so engrossed in, it was just WONDERFUL!

Here are a few photos that were taken during our tour in legal photo taking places.

I love it when houses look like they have faces, this one has a long nose and vampire teeth
(i will now stop smoking the doobie and get on with my post)

Loved loved loved the windows... I could just imagine living there 80 years ago and waking in the morning to the beautiful view of the sound. Those windows you see were the bedrooms on the second floor.
"Kenny Queen" I actually ran into a character from the book while at the Whalehead.... seriously READ THE BOOK.

Drake said that this was part of the Mystery and that we needed the Mystery Van to figure this out.. I am sure Phyl will not be so pleased to hear that.

On a side note.. my mental images matched up perfectly to what really stood in front of me while I was touring ... I HATE IT WHEN THAT HAPPENS...

Not my legacy...

2010-07-29T05:59:00.006-04:00

This is not MY family's legacy but I am sure it is someone's families.. but I enjoyed visiting just the same.

Yesterday after work Drake and I took out on a little adventure ~~you know one of those adventures I could take weekly if I say LIVED HERE!!!~~ we drove a little bit farther north than where we are staying and saw four people from Mathews no KIDDING... and they were NOT in the same group.. three different groups, four different people I thought I had ~~returned to hell~~ taken a wrong turn and ended up back in Mathews. Alas, we had not and we kept on our merry way and did not even wave at the people we saw, hey it is my vacation I will not wave if I want to!

After parking our car we hopped out and looked at the very tall looming building above us at which time Drake said ~~there is no way in hell I am going to climb to the top of that thing so you can take a few lousy pictures.. not happening woman!~~ "We are going to climb THAT???" It was at that moment I realized that the sound in his voice was not exactly excited but one tinted with a bit of fear. I told him we would be fine and off I flew to throw $20 bucks at a man older than Methuselah and he made me sign a form saying ~~if I dropped to my death that he was leaving me there for the Osprey's to eat~~ .... well to be honest I don't really know what it said I just signed it.

Off we went.. up up up up up... up up up up up... up up up up... SCREECHING HALT just one platform from the top. I look back and Drake is plastered to the side of the wall shaking his head and mumbling ~~this bitch is crazy.. this bitch is crazy.. this bitch is crazy~~ I can't do this! I can't do this! I can't do this! So I make my way back down 20 steps that I had just lumbered my way up and explained to him that there was only one more tiny flight and that he could make it and that there was a platform there he could stand on while I went out and took the photos, I explained I would be really fast and we could head back down. He mumbled something under his breath then I didn't quite catch but there were some not so nice words I can promise you and in a broken little voice he said... "o-o-o-ok"

Back up those 20 steps I climbed and then up 20 mor.... oh shit... this is not happening... where is the platform??? Why is there a door that wind is howling in?? WHERE IS THE FREAKING PLATFORM? I glance back and Drake is right behind me with the look of complete fear and wild look that I know says "I can overcome this fear thing just to throw you off for lying to me!!!!" I had just trudged up more than 200 steps I would be damned if I was going back without one single picture, so I again said "Drake there is nothing to worry about honey I promise! Just stand here REALLY close to the side of the building and hold on to this handle I will run around and take the photos and we will RUSH back down!!" He replied with an evil look that would have curled your toes.

But without further ado.. here are the shots from Not My Legacy, The Currituck Lighthouse...

The Keeper's Home
Views as we ascended.
From the bottom looking up....

From the top looking down...

Views from the Platform outside..
Photos from my weird ass view...

I am sorry but I do believe that there photos I got were worth my painfully cramped curled toes that resulted from the evilness in my son's stare!!!

QT

2010-07-27T07:45:00.004-04:00

My baby ain't so much of a baby anymore....

It is a goooood thing.

This week so far has been full of wonderful little moments like these.

Hope to post more of these later....

All of a sudden the world just melts away and all you are left with is you and your dog.
I stand here today with the whole world ahead of me for the taking... I just need to take that first step.

"Yes I just said "Chhhheeeessseee!" but no one is going to believe you when you tell them I actually talk.." *Wink*

New Point Comfort Light a different view...

2010-07-25T00:01:00.002-04:00

The shots I didn't show you yesterday.. Just some random things I took shots of that I liked...

The abandoned baby... I think he just didn't make it. It made me rather sad. The nest was built right on the little dock.

It is really just a window frame but I adored it..

Hmmmm this looks a bit lived in... like it is someones current home... nah...
Stand stones and a peek of a window (I hid the dead bird that was hung up in it)

Am I in a dungeon???

What apparently happens to paint in salt air..

Sand Stone steps.

Underneath the steps...
Ladder to the top.. umm yea I used the thing...

See... I used it.. by the way that is a LONG way down.
Loose brick..

ACK!!!! We ended up NOT ALONE.. I knew that little home looked lived in!!!!

This little guy was MUCH more calm than the other dude...

Even when he doesn't look like such a little guy!!!!!

hehehehehehe

Legacy...

2010-07-24T00:01:00.000-04:00

Everyone wants to leave some sort of legacy in this world my family left a huge one and hopefully it will continue to stand for many years to come. We may not have fame and fortune but we have roots in this community that have stood the test of time and elements for over two centuries now.

The Historical Information was found at The New Point Comfort website and will appear in italics.

Looking down from the top.

In 1802 Elzy Burroughs (the brother of my GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT Grandfather.. there I got that right.. SHEW.) had just completed building the Old Point Comfort lighthouse and was aware of the need to build another to the North. He acquired then sold 2 acres of land at New Point to the Federal Government with the understanding that he would be awarded the contract to build the lighthouse and keepers dwelling.

Burroughs was a stone mason by trade, and his proposal to build was submitted hand written without drafted plans or drawings, and based primarily from his experience of building the Old Point Light.

Looking up from the bottom

A final note at the end of the proposal- "I agree also to put down four stones for landmarks lettered U. S. to designate the boundaries of the public land, and to paint the lantern with three coats at my own cost without any additional charge," is a testament to his character and dedication to the project.

Don't ask how I got this shot you do NOT want to know.

With the appropriations of $150.00 dollars for the land and $8,500.00 for construction Burroughs set out in the spring of 1802 to build his second lighthouse.

Burroughs and his men persisted these and other unforeseen difficulties, and on January 17, 1805 the 63 foot Lighthouse was completed and lit. The first lantern was an octagon shaped cylinder 6 1/2 feet in diameter and stood 8 feet tall. Within its light chamber were a series of lamps suspended by adjustable iron chains. Each lamp was powered by burning fish, sperm whale, or lard oil. The illuminated beacon could be seen for up to 12 miles.

President Thomas Jefferson personally appointed Elzy Burroughs to be the first keeper of the light, and he remained there for ten more years. Since then many keepers have come and gone, some serving for many years while others could not endure even one. In 1854, James White lasted a mere 3 weeks until his appointment was revoked for reasons that are unknown.

Since the lighthouse was built, it has steadfastly withstood the relentless forces of the wind and waves. The sandy beaches on which it stands have not held up as well. In 1847, a succession of strong Nor'easters began to carve out an inlet in the beach near the lighthouse. By 1852 the tip of the peninsula was cut off by the sea and the lighthouse and dwelling now stood on a new island.

In August 23, 1933 a great storm descended over the Chesapeake Bay. By 9:00 am. the sky at New Point darkened and torrents of rain began to fall. When the fury had passed the larger island had been torn from the lighthouse. 24 days later on September 16, another mighty tempest passed just offshore the Virginia Coast. New Point Comfort was again pummeled by the raging seas. Winds rose to 87 mph at Cape Henry, and tides reached 8.3 feet above mean low water. The combined force of the two storms dramatically transformed the New Point Comfort beach. Two islands now lay at the end of the peninsula. Heavy damage was seen with this storm in Virginia. The lighthouse sustained severe damage to its foundation and tower. Repairs were soon made and it continued in operation.

The erosion of the sandstone

My absolute FAVORITE shot of the day.. I like odd angles.

Post Blogfest Funkiness

2010-07-23T07:16:00.002-04:00

I have determined that "Funkiness" is a word and a proper noun it seems by the capitalization I gave it for some reason. This is not the same kind of funky that refers to the stink of someone who has been outside in 103 degree heat such as we will be having today. This is not the same kind of funky that refers to the green cloud that is lingering behind someone's neither regions after SHE asked if someone needed to Poot. This funkiness is the kind that will send a grown woman into a Hissy Fit for no other reason that she just doesn't feel the same as she did last week at this exact moment, surrounded by more friends that you could shake a stick at!!!

It is the same feeling that I remember at the end of 4H camp in the summers of very very long ago. That feeling of my friends are leaving me.. when will I see them again? Why can't they be my neighbors and not that pesky funky boy? Why do they have to live soooooo far away? Back then so far away was the next COUNTY over.. now it in some cases it is the next STATE OR TWO OVER or COUNTRY even.

We are a scattered bunch of ladies and some of us, like me, are even scatter brained and didn't take many photos of the weekend to share other than a sun rise I got because of a certain Goose who kept going WANNNNKKKKKK in my ear before 6 am. So to those of you I see next time.. PLEASE loop my camera around my neck tightly if you must and tell me just to take continuous pictures of EVERYTHING. Because right now as I sit here missing each of you I wish I had the photos hanging in a frame above me instead of just precious memories in my other wise alcohol riddled brain.

To shake this Funkiness I am going to spend a considerable amount of time with my Sister Person and drink an OBNOXIOUS amount of wine and make killer Cheese Plates and take her presents and make her Perfect Bacon and make her Bloody Mary's, as many as she wants, and Margarita's and maybe even do some Kararoke in which someone may say MOOOOOOOOOOOOO simply because MOOOOOOOOOOOOO really belongs there and take Corn Hole boards even if we just look at them and don't play them, and beads to make her Pretee Lovilies and take my camera and take the amount of pictures I should have taken this past weekend... in other words I am going to be so busy that Funkiness will have no room to get me down.. (Get on up♫♪♫♪.. Get on up♫♪♫♪.. Get on up♫♪♫♪.. Get on up♫♪♫♪.. where did THAT come from???)

I was asked more than once this weekend what it was that we all shared in common other than our blogs, was it the topics, was it something else? At the time all I could come up with was that the only commonality in us was the fact we all blogged and had a ~~desire to cook~~ dislike for a certain Goose. I will have to admit that I was so incredibly wrong because the truthful answer should have been ... The common trait in all of us is "We are Friends".

Sometimes things just come to me outta the closet....

2010-07-22T07:40:00.003-04:00

Last night as I was watching some freaky movie on lifetime a thought (yes a thought as in one thought because while watching lifetime you really aren't supposed to have thoughts at all, you are supposed to be not thinking because that is about how much of your brain is needed to watch one of those movies that come on at 8).

Anyway, that thought was so good I facebook posted it ~~because I facebook post every thing down to the fact I put on two different socks this morning~~. Then I realized this morning that it was not only facebook good but it was blog worthy.

So my lovilies here is the thought that went through my head last night as I was trying to forget that it took effort to breath.

"Life is what ya make it! Even the bad times help mold you into a unique individual! Remember this and have no regrets of past choices! Move forward be the best you can be and learn from everything!!!!"

Personally I think Jill was saying this from where I had her tied up in the closet because she had been getting on my nerves all day, because it is just NOT possible that I came up with something that made some sort of sense, but there you have it... my brain, the one that stays on the verge of a mental break each and every second of the day came up with something positive for me to hold on to. I think it will be my new motto.

Re

somehow....

2010-07-20T23:25:00.001-04:00

this is all Jill's fault.. the end.

She really is not hallucinating... or dilusional

2010-07-20T06:32:00.003-04:00

Ok Ok she very well may say she is both of those things but NOT with the canoe.

I actually thought I was hallucinating a few months back when I was driving down the road and saw this so I quickly grabbed my phone and snapped a pic (which reminds me I want a baby camera to keep in my car cause the phone just isn't cutting it) and quickly texted it to a friend and said "WHAT do you see in this picture?"

He replied with "An idiot?"

I thought maybe I had sent one of me by accident so I resent and said "Please be more specific."

Seconds later I receive a text that says "An idiot with a motor on a canoe?"

DING DING DING he wins the prize ~~for making me feel like I was not completely insane for a moment or two~~ for answering correctly. Now I am hoping to alleviate any thoughts of the beautiful CBW hallucinating or being delusional because I mean really, WHO puts a motor on a canoe.

APPARENTLY THESE PEOPLE...

Even my little bear Phoebe fell over from shear surprise!

Blogfest 2011

2010-07-19T07:23:00.002-04:00

That is not a typo.. it does really say 2011.

Now that 2010 is over and the memories are forever etched into our brains I can concentrate on 2011.

While some of you are going THAT'S A YEAR AWAY (technically it is 361 days away) I have come to realize that it will take me that long to recuperate enough to be able to get any of the thoughts out of my head that are cramped in there. I may even have to resort to writing a list.. (GAG!)

While I will NEVER EVER EVER be close to the hostess that CBW is... I do hope that she will allow me to co-host with her in 2011. (pssttt cbw I will make coffee and bloody mary's every day if you let me)

I would like to thank each and every one of you Blisters for the amazing time this weekend you all make up a group that I am proud to call my friends!

A good morning apology

2010-07-17T06:48:00.005-04:00

Good Morning House Blisters,

I would like to take this time to apology to you for being such an early riser regardless of how much I have had to drink or how late I happened to have stayed up, there is something encoded in the DNA of a New Pointer that just says it is TIME TO GET UP!!! This happens even when we really ~~really really really fucking REALLY~~ don't want to.

fyi. when I went to type my strike I kept typing STINK... thanks Noe Noe.

There are a few things I would like to point out in my defense...

While I am up and no one else is I :
a: am being very quiet ~~at least as quiet as I can when a cat hurdles itself at you through a screen~~
b: make coffee ~~even though it is bad because I am spoiled and no longer know how to measure pre ground coffee~~
c: use my preground coffee to make the first pot so the grinder doesn't make even more noise ~~even though it turns out REALLY REALLY REALLY bad I drink it~~\
d: I quickly move to the deck ~~to type this post so as not to make anymore racket~~
e: am NOT running around your room honking at you unlike my neighbor Gustav ~~the Goose would will be roasted on the barbie tonight... (no I do not know why I am talking aussie all of a sudden~~

So while I would like to apologize for waking up and making as little noise as I possibly good other than if I had just peed my pants by not coming in the house at all which I really didn't wanna do.. I really need to talk Hounddog into up grading to a Winnebago with a potty, a shower, and a personal size coffeepot with grinder

I would also like to say I am sorry that you missed these shots...

And I may as well apologize for the wind that is in the bay today that is going to hinder our boat trip... sigh.

And it has begun...

2010-07-16T08:04:00.004-04:00

And for now this about sums it up! More to come.

And this is how my Tuesday went...

2010-07-14T09:10:00.002-04:00

I had a blueberry crisp that just didn't crisp but turned out to taste just fine... (gag! I said crisp three times now... please hand me a xanax before I start saying things like squat and bruise and saturation!)

I had fig preserves that didn't preserve they souped but turned out to again taste just fine.. (make it another xanax please cause preserve is on the edge of the word line)

I came up with my own version of the Hokie Pokie called the Twisty Turny moments after I took my shower..

It goes like this..

You got one boob in
You got one boob out
You got one boob in
While the other shakes about
You do the twisty turny and get it back in place
Thats what it's all about.

Lesson.. one should NOT attempt to put on a sports bra moments after a shower.

After these incidents I requested that the men in white coats just come and get me! Little did I know that I would have requests to send them to my friends homes too so I am making the statement that if I don't make it to Blogfest 2010 all of you can come visit me at Eastern State and we can have a SLUMBER PARTY!!!!

Somehow I am in shock...

2010-07-13T06:56:00.002-04:00

that the time is upon us for THIS!!!!!!

It is hard to believe that this year has gone by already and that it is time for our quiet little down to be visited by lovely women from all over. (see side bar for full list of blisters)

In the last year I have done ABSOLUTELY nothing to get ready for this either.. (go me) and unfortunately as far as I have gotten in the last week to get ready is to buy an obnoxious amount of CHEESE and wine and Smirnoff. Which means that I have absolutely no plan for my children who will be in attendance with me.. Will they hang out while we tour? Will they ride around and take up two more seats while complaining the whole way? Will they come here and hang out and play games during the days of boring adult stuff? Yea maybe I better concentrate on that for a bit.

I have not purchased a new memory card.
I have not purchased the beads I had every intention of purchasing so the ladies could get a PReTee Lovilie if they liked.
I have not purchased food for my children to eat (they can eat cheese crumbs right)
I have not lost the 80 lbs that I needed to lose before this event and there are 25 camera flying around that I won't be able to duck all at once.
I have not figured out where CBW would like for me to park my camper in her yard but waking up to a water view would be amazing .. hint.
I have not figured out if my camper will have electricity for a fan.
I have not packed.. do I need to pack.. will I just come back here and shower and what not?
I have not gotten up to see what that loud crash the cat just made was because surely it will add to the list of things that I need to purchase.
I have not logistically figured out how I can be at CBWs house Sunday morning yet have my rear end on the beach by 9 am with a Smirnoff in my hand. This one is an important one.

In other words like I said I have done nothing but buy cheese.
WHO DOES THAT!!!!!

Excuse me while I have a panic attack.
Much love, see ya soon, if I am not there have CBW give you a quick tour of Williamsburg.. specifically Eastern State.

Re.

The Pet

2010-07-12T08:15:00.003-04:00

The Pet

By
Renee Callis

Have you seen her
She is the best one yet
Used her for years
Fishing my net

There never was a fisherman
That she met
That did not mind her
Getting them wet

She would get out there and back
Didn’t worry or fret
Used her for
Many a pound net to set

When it came to fishing
She was a true vet
Her beautiful lines
Her greatest asset

Even though I don’t use her now
I never will forget
Early morning sunrise
Out in my boat Pet

Many Many thanks to my friend Renee for sharing her poem with me. Love her to pieces.

I love you Pop.. For Always.

Ellen Marie

2010-07-09T07:35:00.003-04:00

Let's go back 85 years ago.. oh what the hey it could be fun.. just roll with me here k?

That would be 1925 for all of you who aren't so great with math.

This man below had a daughter who was 8 years old at the time. She happened to be my grandmother.

My great grandfather had his newest boat built by Lennie and Alton Smith for use while pound net fishing. This wasn't the only boat that had been created by Lennie and Alton that my great grandfather owned and worked but this is the only one of conversation today.

The Ellen Marie. My grandfather had his latest boat named for his only daughter.

Fast forward 84 years... That would be 2009 again for you non math wizards..

The man below had a daughter who was 38 years old at the time. She happened to be me.

My daddy had his own boat built as a to scale model of the boat above. While Lennie and Alton didn't have any hand in the one below I am sure they can be proud of the work and love that was put into the replica.

Hey he was only 30 years late.. My Ellen Marie does not live with me yet but one day she will sit proudly in my living room where I can gaze upon her and remember the days gone by out on the Chesapeake.

I wish I could sit down with my great granddaddy and hear the stories of his time on the water and speak with my grandmother about important matters of the heart but alas they have both been gone for many many years now. I hope they know that their memories live on with each of us who had the pleasure to share a part of their lives.

Re

PS. i do these post every so often so CBW can get her Ellen fix.

Recipe 4th of July weekend...

2010-07-07T07:11:00.008-04:00

While this post is a bit late considering the 4th is past, it would be my wish for you to learn a lesson and put this in the thinking bank for next year.

Add ONE HUGE heaping scoop of Sunshine!
Mix with wavy water... not the sprinkling kind.. must be the heavy kind that stays down.
Toss in two boats and handful of fireworks.

A cooler of Smirinoff and sand on the feetsies!
A surprise visit from a lil ho... love her.
One Captain that did as he was told.. :)

Stir all of this together and serve with 23564 other boats and countless good friends and you CAN NOT go wrong.

Beach Buddy Babes...
Chillaxin!

Bestie...

Some of the crew...

A boat ride with good friends to the fireworks in Yorktown...

This recipe will leave you longing for more every time and quite honestly a basketful of great memories.

Now if we just get people to pick this crap up when they leave... and...

These to be finished.... that will make for....

VERY VERY HAPPY RE!!!!!

Come back 4th of July... come back.. I miss you terribly!

The proof I am officially insane...

2010-07-03T22:17:00.002-04:00

The Town of Stinksnomore.

Before you were born there were these crazies that used to live next door and one night.. oh wait that isn't right.. let me try again.

There once was.. no that just doesn't have enough umph.. I have to have something better...

I think I have it this time so go grab your blankie and a drink of water cause this is it..

Once upon a time in a land far far away (there that is it) there stood the tiny little town of Stinksmore. Stinksmore sat in a little valley between rolling hills with quiet little streams. If you climbed to the top of the hills and looked out towards the horizon for as far as you could see there was only open space of hills and forests. The hills and forests were quite alive with creatures that no man had named or ever thought to try to tame, late into the night if you listened close you could hear them out and about.

It was spring in Stinksmore and close to the time of the annual Cornhole Tournaments and everyone was a bustle preparing their boards and bags and gathering grapes to take to The Sisters to make the special wines! Our hero Sir Dustin Pootsalot was training rigorously to become this years Cornhole King, thats King Cornholio to the peasants of the town. But alas our poor hero had a serious problem, he well.. he.. umm how do I say this.. had gas. You see Sir Pootsalot had a favorite sandwich of red robin that the fair Lady Linda made for him daily and while partaking in this lovely sandwich gave him much delight it also gave him terribly raunchy farts. Unfortunately this was a terribly problem for Sir Pootsalot as no one wanted him to enter the tournament of the century because no one could throw their bags correctly and hold their noses. This made Sir Pootsy very sad.

As the tournament got closer Sir Poopypants started practicing day in and day out but he had been banished to the outskirts of town so others could practice with both hands free, his only contact with the towns people was his daily delivery of his red robin sandwich by Lady Linda and even she would only come close enough to leave his lunch on the stump of a fallen tree. Sir Poot was getting more concerned that he would never be able to enter the tournament because of his rather pungent tummy problem and late one night he sat there on the stump and exclaimed.. "Whatever will I do! My towns people will never allow me to enter the tournament of the century but I just can not leave my beloved red robin sandwiches made by the fair Lady Linda.. they are just too good!"

Suddenly, much to the surprise of our stinky hero, there appeared a huge pink fluffy creature at the edge of the clearing, while Sir Stink stood in stunned silence (well except for that poot that sneaked out) the creature made her way closer. "SSSSHHHHHUUUUUWWWWWYYYY boy that stinks! I wouldn't let you enter the tournament either! Hi you can call me Mama Pink."

"Wha.. what.. WHAT ARE YOU??" shrieked the shaken Sir

"Why I am a Mama Pink, I just told you that.. what exactly are YOU STINKYPANTS?"

"I am Sir Dustin Pootsalot of the township of Stinksmore!"

"Well I have a feeling you have a lot to do with the name of that township little one."

"As a matter a fact they say the town is named for me and I aim to be the future king.. King Cornholio."

"My dear child you will never been entered into that tournament with that viscous smell coming from your rear."

"I know I know.. but the sandwiches made by Lady Linda are too good to not have! Whatever shall I do???"

"I heard your cry from the edge of the forest and I have come to share a tale with you from many many moons ago."

Sir Stinkorama and Mama Pink sat down in that little clearing and Mama Pink began unfolding a tale of stink for our hero, one that lead him to understand that there was hope of him becoming King Cornholio after all. It seems that years and years ago there was a Big Chief Ganna and she was so (YES girls can be Chiefs.. now hush and keep reading) afraid that Sir Stink would one day rule the world that she had broken into his room as he slept in his tiny little crib and taken a special amulet that would change things forever for Sir Gagmany. Together Mama Pink and our hero came up with a plan to confront Big Chief Ganna, a plan that would be both risky and fulfilling at the same time. A plan that would be set into action on the next full moon... which also was the next night.

Mama Pink and Sir PU met in the clearing the next night and made their way to the Castle of the Big Chief Ganna and knocked upon her door, they were led in by the most gigantic pond frogs that anyone had ever seen.. Mama Pink was considering running at this point but her love of Sir Gasmister made her move forward. As they quickly approached the BCG on her thrown they realized that she was flanked on both sides by short legged little black and white minions that snapped and ran in circles to scare off just about anyone that came near. Mama and Sir weren't deterred and continued on with their plan.

"What do I have here before me?" asked BCG

"It is just two of your faithful towns peopl.. er.. creatu.. umm it is just us." replied Mama Pink

"And what exactly is it that you interrupt my evening ritual of napping before sleeping for?" asked BCG

It was then that Mama Pink and Sir Funkalious presented BCG with a case of the finiest brew from the rockies.. (the light kind of course) and this delighted BCG so that she was willing to hear the plea of the two before her. After many hours of haggling over if it was truly time for our Sir to rule the world and set out on his own the BCG finally agreed, well sorta by then she was kinda mumbling about something that neither of them could really understand but they took it mean that it was ok.

During their conversation it was learned that a special amulet was hidden in the attic of neverfindathing and as BCG nodded off to continue her nap before sleep Mama Pink and Sir Cantholditin crept off to explore and find the amulet. After what seemed like forever and 18 years and much digging through box after box of anything you could possibly name a small box was found. They knew they must have the right box because it was labeled Special Amulet. Our friends grabbed the box and ran out the front door of the castle with the two minions barking their displeasure and nipping at their heels.

Pant Pant Pant...

"Sir Stinkalot, try on your amulet let's make sure this is the right one!" exclaimed Mama Pink

Sir Funk slid the amulet over his head and he felt the change, his tummy felt better!

"Ok.. let's give this thing a try. Cut one!" as Mama Pink took off her gas mask, what.. you didn't think she was just dealing with the funk did you???

RRRIPPPPPPPTTTTTTTT!

Sniff..

"IT WORKED IT WORKED!" As they sang and danced around

Sir Dustin Stinksalot's poots were transformed from a foul odor to the sweet smell of spring flowers! The next day Sir Notsostinky walked through town and signed up for the tournament of the century as all the towns people followed in his unstinky wake.

Mama Pink was to watch the tournament from the outskirts of town hidden in the shadows of Lady Linda's Red Robin Sandwich stand and as Sir Dustin Pootsalotbutitisok came by for his daily sandwich she wished him well and bid him ado and said it was time for her to return to the forests but for Sir Sweetsmelly to never forget that she was always there for him when he needed her.

Our hero went on to win the tournament and was crowned King Cornholio! His first order of business was to change the name of the town to Stinksnomore.

Happy 16th Birthday My Sweet Angel

2010-07-02T06:25:00.003-04:00

You were 4 in the picture above... you wanted that bicycle so badly that year. A blue bicycle. We spent the whole week at the camp ground in New Point like we often did because your Dad and I had the week off and the only way we could think to spend our time was with all of you kids.

I remember doing the laundry and having two of everything just one set a little bit smaller, the two Dustin's always had the same outfits on during those summer vacations. Even though it was you and Dustin Taylor who dressed alike people always assumed that you and Deanna were twins you were so close in age. I am sure those people are still probably trying to figure out why your Dad and I would name two of our sons the same exact thing.

We had so much fun on those vacations, the pool, the beach, Ganee's for birthday cookouts with homemade ice cream and cake! What I wouldn't give to turn back the clock and to spend one more birthday .. with one more bicycle.. with one more blue cake.

Today, 12 years later, is your 16th birthday and the only thing I can give to you for your birthday is my love. So baby.. my love I send to you on the wings of angels. Happy Birthday.

It's July....

2010-07-01T07:14:00.002-04:00

really.. no shit. JULY.

This month is full of things that I just can't seem to wait for and things that I would just as soon not face.. you know like the house payment! So today for the fun of it I am going to make a pro and cons list.

Pros
Blogfest
4th of July
My birthday
Trip to see sister person
Yorktown boat races
Missoula Theater Play

Cons
tomorrow
Saturday
I will be a number divisible by 3 and that freaks me out

So as you can see if I can make it through Saturday I will likely be ok and I have got and the rest of the year to worry about being divisible by 3... (yes it really does freak me out.. the number not the age, the age I could give a rats ass about.. but the number.. yikes)

The point of all of this is... if you don't hear from me until early next week don't worry I am just out hanging with Gustav's distant relative who isn't really even his cousin trying to get by with a little help from my friends.

Peace Out Ya'll
Re

(fyi I did post yesterday but my updater wasn't working right so if you didn't read about my bathroom antics take a moment or two and enjoy.)

Now for the rest of the story...

2010-06-30T13:30:00.000-04:00

Well not the REST because seriously I would be very boring after the first sentence or two that ended with and then I gritted my teeth, so how about Now for "a bit more" of the story.

So as you know we made it there and interesting enough there was very little duck tape involved in the actual drive there... a couple of rolled eyes and a few giggles as someone did just as predicted on the previously fictional agenda. A few of those include:
- Asking us to turn down the radio before we got out of Mathews
- Threatening to use a port a potty less than 40 minutes from home (i think she found a real bathroom I am still not sure)
- Eating at a place with neon lights...

As time moved very slowly through the time we spent at GMU with constant interruptions as I tried to speak to people, and an untold number of digs at my emotions, my level of anxiety and just plain anger rose to a level that I was not completely sure I could contain and at one point shortly before lunch on day two I knew that I was flirting dangerously with exploding superlatives all over the Dewberry room in front of about 200 other parents. It was at this point that in my head a tug of war of sorts was going on, "get up and leave" or "sit here until the end" eventually when the lady said "One more question and then we are headed to lunch" I figured this was a good a time as any to duck out and compose myself for a minute or two before having to deal with lunch.

This is where things get interesting.....

I gather up my belongs with out a glance to anyone in particular and head directly for the door behind me hang a left, then a left, then another left into the bathroom. (Keep in mind that all those superlatives that were screaming to get out just a mere minute before were being muttered the whole time I was turning left) The first thing that hit me was .. "this bathroom looks a bit different than all the others ones I have been to since getting here", the second thing that hit me was "Why would someone leave the toilet seat up in the girls bathroom", the third thing that hit me was "Ahh shit... wrong bathroom." At this point there was not a lot I could do but finish what I had come there to do and politely leave.

As I was finishing up I realize I am not alone in the boys bathroom... hhmmm what to do... what to do??? After a quick second of analyzing I realize that I have to just make a dash for it and HOPE that the dude is at the sink and not at one of those weird things that are hanging on the wall right as you walk in.. you know those things that I did not see as I was muttering about nails and eyeballs and such. I knew this was my only hope of getting out of there with minimal damage as they were getting ready to break for lunch and the rest of the crowd would be headed in shortly!

I took a deep breath (not a bright idea in a boys bathroom by the way) and started out the stall and much to my relief the dude was in fact washing his hands at a sink and not watering his lizard, unfortunately he did not miss the fact that some half crazed blond lady was making her way out of the bathroom. It was then that I did the only thing I knew to do.. I smiled and said "Hi! There are absolutely NO lines in this one!" and walked right out the door!

I mean really what would you have done??!!??

There are a couple of things I would like to mention before I finish up for the day.
1. I walked straight into the girls bathroom across the hall and washed my hands!!
2. The boys bathroom doesn't smell very nice
3. The girls bathroom has a baby changing station and a lactation room.. the boys bathroom does NOT... I am sorry but they should have to change dirty diapers AND feed babies too.
4. There was in fact a sign on the door that said BOYS or MEN or something.. I didn't look at the sign.
5. After trying desperately to figure out how I ended up in the boys bathroom and not the girls after being on campus for a day in a half, the mystery was in fact solved... every other girls bathroom on the campus was .... ding ding ding ON THE LEFT! My theory on why it is on the right in this particular hall way was so that I would have something to write about regarding the time at GMU other than saying.. I gritted my teeth the WHOLE TIME.

Peace out.
Re

For all of you patiently awaiting an update.....

2010-06-24T21:05:00.003-04:00

She is alive.. I am not in jail.. yet.
I have one word and only one word to describe how I am feeling at this exact moment.
AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Ok more later.
Re

There is something compelling me ...

2010-06-23T06:40:00.002-04:00

to sit down here today and type words, for a few months now words have been incredibly jumbled up inside of my head, screaming to get out yet fighting to stay in.

I won't go into the roller coaster ride of where my life has been lately because for one thing it just is not worth rehashing and in the end the ride just continues anyway until we get off at that final platform with the pearly gates and cute dude known as SPete with sunglasses and his summer tan from working at the amusement park says... "Welcome to Heaven.. I hope you have enjoyed your ride." On a personal front regarding this ride I hope to come into the platform with my hands in the air, hair a wind blown mess, with a huge smile on my face it is just that lately it wouldn't end that way, but there is always hope.

Today the Canned Turtle and I embark on a road trip of sorts to visit GMU for his college orientation, while normally I would be looking forward to the trip with great pleasure and planning the fun things he and I could get into, there is but one little hurdle in our way.. my mother. While it has been told to me that she is great fun ~~if you take orders extremely well and stick to the plan,~~ she is not such great fun when you are dealing with well.. me.

You know how sometimes mothers and daughters are referred to as "two peas in a pod" or the saying "like mother like daughter" or "they came from the same mold"? Well NONE of that applies here. It is more like "different as night and day" or "Ruthie... did you find that child in a Gypsy camp?" which is starting to become my best guess. Now please do not get me wrong, I love the woman, she is my mother and has been there for my kids and my sister person and my friends and my niece and her sisters and her brother and my brother the list goes on and on and on; the only problem with all of this is there is ALWAYS A PLAN or an AGENDA or a TIME LINE... please see above where I believe I was stolen from a Gypsy camp.. I don't do any of these things well!

I am sure you are sitting here reading this going.. ~~"Why am I reading this again?"~~"Seriously this is what her first post back is about the fact that she is a serious flight risk in her own head and simply a free spirit that can't help herself??? UMM HELLO I KNEW THAT." and for that I am sorry but those are the words that needed to get out of my head this morning before I drive up New Point Comfort Highway those last few miles before stopping to retrieve the ~~Plan Nazi~~ my mother so that an hour into our trip I won't be on the side of the road screaming "GET OUT.. GET OUT OF MY CAR NOW.. WALK YOU PLANNER YOU." My goal (yes I can do goals) is to make it all the way to NoVA without screaming SHUT UP SHUT UP JUST F'ING SHUT UP.. hey I can dream can't I?

And for those who would like to be in the know of my every move please see the following schedule that I received in my email this morning:
3 pm leave your house
3:15 pm drop off Waterboy
3:30 pm pick me and Dustin up
3:31 pm everyone go to the potty one last time
3:50 pm drop off Deanna
3:55 pm try to go to the potty one more time
4:00 pm turn out of drive way
4:05 pm realize I have to potty now and stop at Get N Zip
4:10 pm I will ask you to turn down the radio
4:10:01 pm you give me that evil look you have
4:12 pm I turn down your radio anyway
4:12:01 pm you turn your radio back up and i will sigh that sigh you hate
4:15 pm I will start to sing in my too high pitched voice and you will turn the radio off
4:15:01 pm I will grin cause I win
4:30 pm it is too quiet in the car so I tell you and the canned turtle to remove the i thingys from your ears so we can "talk" a sigh will be heard in China as you and the canned turtle remove the i thingys
4:36 pm mid sentence I squeal because there is a car 300 ft ahead of you that turned on a turn signal
4:36:01 you slam on brakes because you think you are getting ready to hit a deer or something screaming WHAT WHAT.. WHAT THE FUCK.. WHAT..
4:36:02 I say you drive like a crazy person and why are you screaming
4:36:03 pm you start tail gating the car in front of you and I hold on to the dash board
4:37 pm I ask Dustin a stupid question that will make you both roll your eyes
4:37:01 pm I will sit here and sulk until one of you speaks to me again
4:39 pm I can't take the silence anymore and ask you a stupid question
4:39:01 more eye rolling and return of the i thingys
4:39:02 pm I will try to talk to you with those things in your ears an I know you must hear me cause you keep nodding
5:00pm I ask you to stop because I have to pee again
5:00:01 you hand me a to go cup
5:00:02 pm I say nooooo i need to stop I don't need a drink
5:00:03 pm you point at cup
5:01 pm your phone goes off and you read a text message while I scream at you about how you are going to kill us all.
5:01:10 pm I gasp audibly as you REPLY
5:05 pm I reach in my purse and pull out printed itinerary and point out that we are 2 minutes ahead of schedule and that you need to slow down but you have also missed the 5:00 pm rest stop and insist that I put that on there because I knew I would need to potty at that very moment and fuss at you for messing up my body clock.
5:05:01 pm you floor board the car and again toss the cup at me
5:05:02 pm I sit here and pout
5:10 pm we are now THREE WHOLE MINUTES ahead of schedule I pull out printed itinerary point this out to you
5:10:01 pm you snatch paper out of my hand and blow your nose on it and toss it out the window
5:10:02 pm lights flash and sirens sound
5:10:03 pm I say I knew it I knew it could not get an hour from home and the cops are after you...
5:11 pm cop comes to the window with crumpled snotty itinerary in hand and kindly says Miss you lost your Printed itinerary
5:11:01 pm I thank the officer and reveal to him that it is ok because I have ten copies
5:11:02 pm Cop says well you can never be to careful by the way you are ahead 2 minutes it is a good thing I stopped you.
5:13 pm we leave again as the cop says that it is now time to pull out to stay on schedule
5:14 pm you drive on but for some reason your knuckles are white as you grip the steering wheel.
5:15-6pm you refuse to respond to anything I say including I REALLY HAVE TO GO you simply throw a depends at me you have stashed under your seat
6 pm I point out that it is now time to stop and eat and we are in Fredericksburg as planned there has to be somewhere around here that we can stop and I turn to ensure that the Canned Turtle is still alive he is he has i thingys in and his eyes closed no wonder he has not screamed or gasped at your driving.
6:05 pm you don't stop where I tell you to even though there is a perfectly nice K and W cafeteria right there where we can stay on schedule and not have to wait on our order. I even called ahead to make sure they would have prunes on the bar.
6:15 pm you pull into some local dive that has a neon sign flashing
6:15:01 pm I start protesting that I will not step foot in that sort of establishment you and the canned turtle look at each other shrug and walk in
6:15:02 pm I start calling your cell phone
6:15:03 when I call back it goes straight to voicemail
7 pm you and the canned turtle return and toss a greasy bag at me and a roll of toilet paper
7:01 pm I inform you that you are desperately OFF SCHEDULE and before I know what to do...
you make a gag out of the printed itinerary duck tape my mouth shut!

What can I say.. we may be as different as night and day but the woman knows me.

I was told to update so update I did.

2010-06-04T14:37:00.004-04:00

All I can say is someone better bring my damn hat....

26.25 Miles

2010-05-24T06:32:00.002-04:00

Which equals 105 laps around the track at MHS. I truly wish I had a pedometer with me but I suppose I can go calculate that once I can walk again.

On Saturday May 22nd 2010 a group of Mathews residents joined hands to begin the Relay for Life events for our town, as I was standing there holding hands with my cousin Kathy Gwyn and my Mom Ruth Ann Hutson during the opening prayer, with my hat in my hand (because Edwina Casey yelled at me to take it off..I think she was channeling my daddy) and my cell phone ringing (some people have the worst timing) I had absolutely no idea what I was getting ready to do or accomplish.

After the opening I had my mom finish writing the list of people I was walking in honor or memory of on my legs (hey it is the largest part of my body other than my rear and I didn't think anyone wanted to be hanging out there all day) I started walking... just walking and before I knew it I had three miles in.. then I started on the next three but didn't stop and kept going until I hit ten miles and I figured if I hit ten miles I could do another five and I did, it was about then that I decided if I had gone fifteen miles that there was no reason I couldn't just keep going and walk 100 lap which was 25 miles and if I walked 25 miles why stop there I should just walk a marathon and that is exactly what I did. I walked a marathon.

I will say that I could not have completed it without the help of some people walking with me a few laps and just talking so thank you to Sandra, Lynne, Cindy, Kelly, Kelly, the dude that just started talking to me, Tammy, my husband, Mrs Small, my daddy, Angie, Chelly, Anita (who cheered me on the entire day) and my mom who walked the final 5 with me and the entire group of ladies that fell in and walked that final lap with me, it meant the world to me just to have you all walking that final with me. I want to thank each and every one of you for not only your support in helping me finish something I didn't even know I had started but also for supporting such a worth cause.

On Friday I spent 10 hours at the hospital while my best friend had surgery for breast cancer on Saturday I spent 10 hours walking a track to help defeat and beat the same disease.

The ugly part of the whole day was when I actually got home, I hurt so incredibly bad that I didn't think I could stand in the shower my whole body just ached which luckily didn't happen until when I stopped, I figure I just should have kept walking and walked home and fallen on the bed. After I stood in the shower and got the layer of track dirt off of me I laid on the bed and had my daughter cut the bandaids off of my toes. As I was laying there just aching I said to her "I don't know what I was thinking trying to walk a marathon." She replied with "Mom you didn't TRY to walk a marathon you DID walk a marathon and you were thinking about each person that you have written there on your legs." The child has never said anything more true.

I will share with you now the list of people who walked that track with me on Saturday and I truly believe that some of them were the angels that helped carry me around that track.

Kris Summers Ashberry
Anita Cecil
Anthony Busic
Eric Greene
Faye Burroughs Duncan
Bernard Cannon
Rita Alice Thomas
Annabelle Cannon Sutton
Alice May Cannon Miller
Teenie Cannon Johnston
Doris Cannon Respress
Weldon Cannon
Weldon Cannon Jr
Bryon Thomas
Susan Cox
Henry Burroughs
Betty West
Tucker Armstrong
Gene Haywood
Angie Summers

Begging is not beneath me ya know.

2010-05-19T09:40:00.006-04:00

Hey there.. Hi there.. Ho there.. (heheheheh I just said Ho)

Yes yes it has been awhile.. again. I know you aren't surprised by now that I just can't seem to hold it together long enough to breath much less post but I am still out here lurking and doing my best to live. Cause that is what it is all about right.. living while we have the time and the chance.

I personally don't want to look back after I leave this place and think to myself CRAP!!!! I meant to __________. I want all the __________s filled in with completely amazing and insane stuff. So I am working on it. I won't be holding back hugs or slugs anymore (the balled up fist kind not the kind that she finds in her shower) you are going to get exactly what I think you deserve out of me. Too many times in my life I have wished I had done something to stand up for someone or to put someone in their place or just let my voice be heard and I didn't do it. I stood back in the corner or the shadow and just watched. I don't want to be the fat girl in the shadows anymore. It is time to step up to the plate and take a stand for the things I believe in, and believe it or not one of those things that I do believe in is me.

There is another thing I believe in as well.. I believe with all my heart that CANCER SUCKS.

There just is not another way to put it, I have lost loved ones young and old. I have watched friends fight and struggle to beat the nasty disease out of their body. I have cried when I had to let go of a hand that loved me as this dreadful thing yanked them away. I have smiled at memories that I wish could have been just a tiny bit sweeter if cancer had not taken someone special away. I think we all have.

On Friday I will be getting up extra early and heading out the door to support my best friend as she goes into surgery to have cancer removed from her body for the second time in a year. I will stand by her as she goes through this process and fights for her life again, but at the end of the day I will kiss her check and tell her that I love her and I will come home to rest because on Saturday from noon until midnight I will be at Mathews High School taking a stand against what is holding my lovely friend down.

So I do suppose you could say that my first slug will be thrown in the direction of cancer. Now here is where the beggin comes in (if you keep reading you will also see I am not above bribery) Please Please if you have a couple extra dollars in change floating around the bottom of your purse, or found $20 bucks in your jacket you forgot you had, or even if you found 63 cent while digging around your sofa cushions of that piece of pizza you hid from the kids (i wonder where that 63 cent really came from... hmmm), let it go for a good cause.

I am asking that you sponsor me in Saturday's Relay for Life Event so that one day in the future a daughter, a niece, a friend, a granddaughter, a wife, a sister, a brother, a husband, a mother, a father does not have to let go of that hand as cancer takes a piece of their heart. Please CLICK here and make a donation, your thoughtfulness will not be forgotten and it will be appreciated by so many.

Mathews Relay for Life events will be held on Saturday May 22nd from noon until midnight, please come out and show your support, have a brownie or two, and bring bandaids for the blisters.

Oh and one last little thing.... for you wonderful Blisters out there... the ones of you that donate I will make you extra deviled eggs during blogfest.. hehehehe told ya I was not above bribery.

Post 200 and a special request...NAME THIS TEAM!!!

2010-05-04T05:04:00.005-04:00

200 posts.. that means 200 rambling entries by me. I am sorry if you endured all of them :)

It only took a bit over 3 years to get there sometimes blogging daily sometimes blogging bi monthly, but we made it. Now the next goal is to raise some cash.. aww come on you didn't think you could keep coming here for FREE did you???

It is for a really great cause, you know the one, the same one those sexy ladies strutted their stuff the other night in front of a room full laughing adults and traumatized children. It is for the daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, constant fight against cancer. Relay for Life.

After the other night and witnessing what those men... ladies.. men.. oh whatever.. did for every survivor, fighter or tragic loss from this horrible disease, I could not help but think to myself .. you idiot why are you sitting on your rear end doing nothing!!!! I have in the past participated in the Susan B Komen Race for the Cure events that focused solely on breast cancer, I do not recall ever participating in a Relay for Life event and I seriously don't know why. Fear maybe.

Now it is time to put that fear aside and tie on my tennis shoes and let my big mouth do some good, I have decided to start a Relay for Life team, I know that it is late in the "season" to do such a thing. I know my team may not be full at the 15 full participants. I know that my team may not raise the most money or have anything to raffle off or have any talent contests or car shows. HOWEVER. I do know that my team will have heart and soul and we will do the best we can in the few short weeks we have to raise money.

UPDATE!!!! we have decided to JOIN an existing team that both myself and my fellow blogger CBW have been asked to join... so disregard the other yammering below.. well read it just disregard until September when we have our own Blog Team!!!!

The question is ... what the heck is our name???? I suppose I could come up with something on my own but that doesn't seem entirely fair. I know of three of my fellow Blisters who have already agreed to join me and considering it IS a Relay I think we can incorporate Blister in there some where some how.
Blister's for the Cure?

I thought that was kinda cute (sorry sis.. I am sure that is sounding a lot like Crisp's for the Cure but what can I say except sorry)

Leave your team name thoughts in the comments section .. one will be chosen by tonight.

I am sure it is no surprise to you that I have lost loved ones to this horrible disease, I am not sure that there is anyone around who hasn't, and while my love for them will never die and I will miss each of them for the remainder of my time here and while I will walk this event with their name on my shirt or arm or leg or wherever I can find a free space to write as a walking talking living memorial to them, I am not walking this walk just for those who have been lost.

I walk this walk for my best friend, my Daddy and an old long time childhood friend all of who are currently living with the disease in different shapes, forms, and degrees. For them I walk this Relay.

So please join me on my team (yet to be named but will be by tonight and will be up on the Relay website) or donate a dollar or ten or twenty to the effort of stomping out this horrible thing called cancer. Even if you go to the Relay for Life site and donate to another team.. please help.

If you would like to join me or donate please comment, email me (amhaywood@wildblue.net), give me a call 804 725 1599, text me 804 854 1753, or send a carrier pigeon.

Thank you to all in advance..
Now please.. NAME THIS TEAM!!!!!

For a Good Cause... Relay for Life... Mathews

2010-05-03T07:17:00.006-04:00

While I have been a bit of a slacker lately when it comes to blog posting, today it is for a good cause. Well actually "causes" here are a few of them.

1. Cause if I don't share this with you it will be a tragedy.
2. Cause I had to witness this first hand and I am now traumatized.
3. Cause it really was for a good cause.
4. Cause cancer just plain sucks.
5. Cause I would say it is safe to say that all of us have lost a loved one to this disease in our life.
6. Cause I have friends and family would are fighting as I type this to beat this ugly thing.
7. Cause I am trying to find a team to join to be part of this thing.. better late than never RIGHT?

Let's talk about number 7 for a moment. While my family to some degree has a team in place they are full so I have reached out to a friend to see if they need any help on their team, so I will just go from there, I am sure there is a team somewhere who is in need of someone to walk around the track and raise a dime or two to beat this thing.

Anyhooooo having said that if you want to help support myself and whatever team I happen to land on squash this thing just let me know there are a lot of ways to contact me.

Home Phone: 804-725-1599
Comments on the blog
Email: amhaywood@wildblue.net
Or Post office.. PO Box 87, Port Haywood, VA 23138

And seriously if I don't get on a team.. why can't I start my own I have enough sister people, and friends, blisters and relatives that we can make it work some how.. I think.

And without further ado... your traumatization for the day...

The lov.e.ly Ladies and I use the term LOOSELY
Ms. Not Quite Good Enough
I so wanted to take her to a hootenanny!

I think this pic says it all

Mathews meets NFL meets I am so not sure...

LHMBJ!!!!

Why is he.. I mean she I mean he prettier than ME????

Umm he is loving those boots a TAD too much.

Awww.. how cute piggy tails !

Got to hand it to a lady who loses her hair and can still smile.

There is just nothing I can say except NAIR NEAL NAIR!!!!!!

They are growing UP....

2010-04-22T06:58:00.003-04:00

My children.. my friends children.. all around me the kids are getting older but I know for a fact I am not. At least I don't act like I am so I am not right?

While I have been hiding under my rock lately feeling completely sorry for myself and like a complete loser as a mother, friend, sister, wife, daughter.. you name it I felt like I sucked at it, I realized all I am doing is allowing more time to pass by with my head in a bag of chips and that I just needed to toss them out and get on with it, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

In June my oldest son graduates from high school and will then be whisking off on a road trip with some friends. I gave him a bit of advice none of which made a bit of sense considering the fact the things I told him were not at all hypocritical and basically amounted to go have fun and if you get in trouble and are in jail call me I will post your bail. (hey someone did it for me)

Would you believe that absolutely none of this is the point of this post.. well other than our kids are growing up. One of my very dear friends (waving at Tee) has a daughter who is the same age as my oldest son and I had the very special privilege of taking some Senior Photos of her a weekend or so ago. While under my rock I did not have internet so there for I have not posted them here until now.

So without further ado.... I give you Bethie.

Haven Beach I removed all but blue.
Same here just different pose. She is just beautiful.

Black and White this was my fav.

One of the first shots... the child could be a model.

Happy Friday!!!!!

2010-04-07T06:33:00.003-04:00

In response to CBW once again.. maybe I would make mine an ocean view! Picture taken exactly 3 years ago yesterday.

What??!?? You say it isn't Friday? That is what YOU think.. it is in fact MY Friday and tomorrow, and the next day and the next day are all SATURDAY! Woot Woot!

In some ways I am not at all sure why I bothered taking off as it is supposed to rain on both days but then again I am trying to come up with a couple of things to do with the kids. Maybe a trip to Richmond tomorrow to go visit Hollywood Cemetery. Drake would be all up for that.. Deanna probably not so much. Maybe I will just get in the truck and show up at sister person's house anyway and just chill. Maybe a trip to Busch and dodge the rain storms in shops with 10 bazillion other hot sweaty stinky sticky people (maybe not a good idea). Maybe a trip to the skate park so he can really learn and a wander down the street with the girl while the boy plays.. See there are too many damn maybes. Maybe I won't do a darn thing and I will do the whole can't beat 'em join 'em thing!

The point is I have two days off with no plans and really don't want to be just stuck in the house with two kids who really haven't done a darn thing during their time off but sit in front of a TV or a computer. Anyone have any ideas???

Hmm... after typing this all out.. maybe the best idea is for me to ditch the kids and go sit in one of the chairs above or one of the ones shown over at CBWs spot today and just enjoy me.

A poll of sorts..

2010-04-06T06:30:00.002-04:00

So it all started yesterday evening, with a quick little IM to a certain someone saying that I had just mutilated 3 miles by listening to techno while walking, the response was "Wow." followed quickly by "Dumpster Diving." That was all.. the end no more explanation needed, the child seriously meant that she was in a dumpster going through it's contents and could not talk at the moment.

I am sure that the most logical response to such a statement would be "WHAT THE HELL???" however mine was "Cool.. buy me something pretty." After a moment or two of silence I was posed with a question.. "If you find something in dumpster A and take it then in dumpster C find something better and want an exchange do you have to take the first thing back to dumpster A?" My long thought out conclusion to this was "Nah.. just dump it in dumpster C garbage is garbage unless you are the dumpster diver looking for non garbage." I don't know it just seemed logical. Now this is not your poll of the day however I wouldn't mind if you gave your thoughts on the matter as well.

All of this "would it be ok to do blah blah blah" talk got me to thinking last night as I laid in bed trying to enjoy the sounds of the birds, and little night critters, and little baby frogs (shutter), while the sounds were right on queue the lighting was way off for my taste. You see I live in the middle of no where.. seriously if you go by my house more than a half a mile you are in the water period. The end of the Earth. I do not live on a city street, I live in the country, it SHOULD be dark outside. It isn't. Someone (again I am not naming names to protect the innocent as I am sure they had some kind of good reason for performing such an untasteful act) many years ago put a friggin street light right in the middle of my damn yard! You heard me right a FRIGGIN STREET LIGHT.. not on a corner or an intersection (cause there isn't one of them around here) IN MY YARD! It is never dark, I never get to enjoy the light of the moon and when we do have lightening storms which I ADORE they are dulled by the glow of this monstrosity right in the middle of MY YARD.

Did I mention I get to pay $11 a month for the said monstrosity?? Did I mention that one time something happened to the wiring and it went out and the Waterman was on the phone with the damn light company that day to have it fixed?? Did I mention I HATE THIS STUPID ASS LIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY YARD????

Now for the polling part.. Would you think it is illegal to shoot out your own street light if it is in the middle of your own yard?????? Part B. Do you think the act of shooting out ones own street light would scare the Waterman into realizing it would not be a good idea to have the stupid ass thing fixed???

Signed,
I hate that damn street light.

Mathews Monday! Updated with a slight correction!

2010-04-05T06:37:00.006-04:00

Welcome to our first Mathews Monday post.

While I am sure the idea is not even close to original I was happy that it popped into my head Saturday as I wandered around the Mathews Farmers Market taking in the sounds and sights and sometimes smells (no live stock just perfect daffy-dils from CBW and some baked goods from a lady who I walked by so fast all I caught was a wiff of heavenly goodness and gained 3 pounds just that quick.. next time baked goods lady I will stop.. just please don't sell me anything) Even though there is a plethora of local characters to meet at the Farmers Market there are plenty of others just around town that I want to introduce the blogsphere to. Friendly local florist, retired military men, actors who had the pleasure of cutting a rug with Sandra Bullock! Our town is full of stories from the past, present, and many more to come in the future.

So lets move on to our first character, who is from Mathews and was a participant in the Mathews Farmers Market this past Saturday and let me tell you not only is he cute he is friendly as well! While the sky was overcast that day and didn't help in the way of perfect shots Mr Buz of Bloody's by Buz was just a ray of sunshine in the middle of a foggy Saturday morning. CBW pointed me his way with the alluring words of "Best Bloody Mary Mix.. EVER."

I will admit my initial response was.. PFFFFTTTT not possible because *I* make the best Bloody Mary's EVER. However, after just a couple of minutes of speaking to Buz he made it completely clear to me that he had no intention of replacing my homemade recipe because no one could ever replace a homemade Bloody Mary, and that he was simply looking for a better mix, one that was easily accessible for those mornings when you just don't have it in ya to figure out what you should put in the darn glass. (ok that last part was what I came up with)

Buz handed me a little taste of what appeared to be a nice mixture of ingredients for a Bloody Mary, it wasn't to red, it wasn't to transparent (yes I have seen them that way.. my advice step away from the bottle), it seemed to have just the right amount of spices to make it a beautiful sight in my glass (I like my Mary's to have a bit of texture). Next like ~~any great connoisseur I swirled the nice little glass and sniffed~~ the redneck that I am, I down the cute little cup and let me be the first to tell you.. WOW! That stuff was knock your socks off, or flip flops if that is the case, GOOD! I think before I even set my little cup down I was pulling what little bit of cash I had in my pocket out and saying I want this much.. however much this much will buy I want it.

Ladies and Gentlemen, if you like Bloody Mary's, as an afternoon pick me up, or during a leisurely Sunday brunch with friends, go visit Buz at http://www.bloodysbybuz.com/ or if you are lucky enough to happen to be in Mathews between 9 and 1 on Saturday April 17th swing on by the Farmers Market he just may be there to knock your socks off as well.

There are a couple of little side notes to this first Mathews Monday that I would like to point out.

1. I was in no way prepared on Saturday while speaking with Buz to actually "report" on this on Monday. I had no note pad and only my camera in tow which should have been enough, however, the heavenly goodness of Bloody's by Buz made me forget who I was much less what the heck I was doing and I didn't take near as many pictures as I should have or obtained important information.. I will try to grow as this little project grows and if I ever happen upon Buz again.. I will be doing a bit more detailed post.

2. Sunday afternoons after a 5 mile bike ride and a 4 mile walk is the PERFECT time to partake in a nice tall cool Bloody Mary while reading a really good book and relaxing, I can't tell you how nice it was not to have to put away the 50 ingredients I put in my Bloody Mary's!

3. I will try to get better at this.. I promise.

And to Mr. Buz... I thank you kind sir... I thank you.

Saying Sunday

2010-04-04T09:12:00.004-04:00

It is Easter, today.. this Sunday. A couple of things have Risen today... my weight for one.. lets not talk about rising things mmm k.. bad topic. Holiday's do that to me and the scale.

Now for this weeks saying "Lord Help Me Baby Jesus!" shortened version LHMBJ!

I probably picked the wrong holiday for this one and probably should have saved the Baby Jesus for Christmas and come up with something about 33 year old Jesus for now but what can I say I never quite do things right, but seriously I am not sure that 33 year old Jesus had a saying I could use... for some reason I just got the vision of 33 year old Jesus walking down the street doing the gangsta point at some dude and saying "word to your mother." I need help. Desperately.

So back to the LHMBJ! This can be used in many many situations... many!
Scared.
Shocked.
Full.
Sad.
Hurt.
Happy.
Excited.

You name it and the Baby Jesus is around to help out... well when you call him anyway.
So give it a try... stub your toe today, don't cuss, send up a little plea for help!

Not only does it feel better it sounds much better than the barrage of curse words you were probably getting ready to spew and quite honestly if you say it in front of the right people it will bring on hysterical fits of laughter because they probably haven't heard that phrase since 1973 when their granny passed away.

So for those of you who get to go spend the day with the extended semi crazy families you have... LHYBJ!!!!!! Me? I wasn't invited, seriously, thanks for that Ma.

Now on to some more fun stuff. Yesterday I went to the Mathews Farmers Market for the very first time. Many because CBW and CWD were going to be hanging out there selling the most beautiful daffy-dils Mathews County has ever seen (See those GORGEOUS daffy-dils that make my Easter table complete? Those are theirs. Perfect I tell ya).
Little did I know I was going to fall in love and vow to go back many more times this summer and speak with and talk to people who bring their "wares" to our little town square to sell.

As I was wandering looking at all the sights and people around, the light bulb came on in my head and I thought to myself Mathews Monday! Perfect!!!! On Monday's I will do a post about something entirely unrelated to the drama that has been following me around the last 38 years, including the large rear end that is also following me and devote that time to something I found right here in Mathews. I already have a couple lined up and have quite a few more ideas in store so stay tuned for Mathews Monday's and "meet" some great people who from time to time stop by these here parts of the world!

Happy Easter All.

She needs to get by with a little help from her friends.

2010-04-02T06:33:00.006-04:00

Now this doesn't look to bad does it... That is what she thought...

So this morning I was up bright and early and thought to myself let me hop over to see what CBW has been up to.. and low and behold she gave me a shout out... in more ways than one. So I am going to help her out a bit today and fill her in on a few things.

What you see above is NOT a big white spot.. click it.. open it full size. Took it the day I found Bailey who I would not have known was my cousin if this hadn't happened. And she thinks she will be fine if she goes back.. MUWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

1. She is very correct the little swamp she ended up in is in fact the haunted place I have told her about before. She was good to be scared, not of the ghosts but because she only saw FOUR of about 15 stones and one tomb is open and exposed and has a big gigantic hole in it that would have eaten CBW alive, and then she would have had a heart attack and been dead but she would already be buried so I would just take her Daffy-dils from time to time. See I am a good friend.

Gapping hole that is covered over in brush.. but big enough to eat a CBW

2. If she only got as far as the tombstones she had a very very very long ways to walk and that walk gets worse and worse and muddier and muddier and more obstacle coursy. Trees down, large mud holes, alligators, and a bit of quick sand.

It just keeps getting worse and worse.. the traveling that is.

3. CBW would have been INCREDIBLY disappointed when she got to the end and realized her new view was absolutely NO BETTER than from the observation deck.

Bink doesn't particularly like when we visit.

4. It was going to be no better because she didn't say hello to Cousin Bailey on her way down and he wasn't going to let her know where she needed to go.

Hi my sweet cousin.. I will come see you soon.. mm k? Love you baby.

5. I am NOT like Cousin Bailey who just so happens to be an 11 year old little prankster, I help my friends out, this time I am helping by saying.. CALL ME YOU NUT YOU ARE GOING THE WRONG WAY!!!!!!

Just a shot I took of our little place a couple of years ago... the clouds were weird that day.

6. As a side note... I am wondering if I should be sad that CBW was this close to me.. was having trouble.. and didn't even CALL! Hmmm made I should take her back to Bailey!

RE'Sycled Wednesday

2010-03-31T05:09:00.002-04:00

She has been gone over two years now and I still miss her tremendously.
Til we meet again Binky Boo...

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Let's put this in Perspective...

My dog and the phone are just about the same size!!! She is being such a good little girl, she is trying so hard to go potty where she is supposed to!!! I can completely understand why she isn't liking the paper training thing.. she gets her feet wet! I am sorry but peeing on your own feet is NOT acceptable! Especially for such a little princess. I am trying alternate things and will see what happens.

The infamous "THEY" say that these little dogs are one people dogs but I can honestly say she loves her Mommy and Daddy equally. She spends part of the time snuggled up to me while I am either on the computer or knitting and part of the time with her Daddy while he is snoring or eating. I think she got seriously afraid something was wrong with him yesterday when he fell asleep on the sofa and started snoring. She stood in the floor in front of him whining and then jumped up on the sofa and snuggled down and took a nap herself.

I have also decided that in order to get REALLY REALLY good sleep one must learn to sleep like this!!!

In knitting news.. I have done more rip rip rip than knit knit knit. When I actually get past row 3 on something I will show it to you, until then you only get pictures of the Baby.

I am also a little worried because the REAL 9 year old baby comes home on Saturday from FL. I am sure there will be good pics of him then, but what is he going to think about not being the BABY anymore. And is it possible to teach a 9 year old to play GENTLY with something so small???

I have a problem with numbers....

2010-03-30T06:56:00.003-04:00

Please please please take me on a walk. I will be good.

I have a problem deciphering if they are going up or down apparently and when they are in fact going up I decide not to worry with it until it becomes some astronomical number that I can no longer deny or hide from. The point I am getting to here is leading directly back to the post a week or so ago where I declared myself unfit to ~~even breathe~~ eat cupcakes.

Shortly after the day last week in question I did in fact lace up my tennis shoes and put on clothes other than pajamas and have been going for a walk just about every day (except the two days I thought my face was melting off with some kind of slow burning acid, but after I felt better I headed right back out). Now I am a bit different when it comes to walking, and I have tried it "the other way" and I don't like it. I walk with no iPod, no phone, no nothing with me. It is my quiet time. Don't get me wrong.. I completely understand why some people like it and I used to until I realized that time could be spent reflecting on me and what I am trying to accomplish. I have also realized that I get in a tremendous funk if I stop doing it for any length of time, so I am hoping that my daily walks in the sun shine, or not so sun shine as it happened yesterday will increase my happiness level. Not to mention it makes a little tiny dog VERY happy to get out for a walk.

Anyhoo, there is as point to all this rambling about what I like and I don't like and what I do and I don't do... I was thinking the other day that I am having a bit of an issue being accountable to anything, including myself. At this age I should be able to reach a goal by just being accountable to me, but it just doesn't work that way. I can come up with a bazillion excuses as why something isn't going right, or why i am not doing the right things to get where I need or want to be. A friend mentioned Weight Watchers, another friend is applying for the Biggest Loser, other friends do it all on their own and everyone is amazed by them. Me... none of those are a good fit for me.

Weight Watchers (and this is just to ME mind you so please let me explain before you get angry and ~~storm off~~ click the x.): I envision ten or fifteen older ladies sitting around with knee highs that you can see at the bottoms of their dresses with little paper books and those little itty bitty pencils with no erasers (you know the kind .. the kind where if you try to fudge your info you can't erase it) in some church hall discussing what they ate that week. There is good reason why I envision it this way... because that was the picture in 1981 when my mother drug me off to my first Weight Watchers meeting. I was ten.

I have since tried Weight Watchers in their newer settings and with their new rules and what not but it is still not for me, I can't be happy losing a quarter a pound a week and don't like it when it gets announced in front of a room full of people who are going to applaud that.. I actually think they applaud when you gain too. Those people applaud everything. Also Weight Watchers is completely and totally about numbers, you have to eat this number of points a day but not over this number of points and heaven forbid you don't reach this many oz of water.. I CAN'T DO ALL THOSE NUMBERS! I think you get my point.

Now lets move on to Biggest Loser, thankfully and unfortunately in the same breath, I don't weigh quite enough to get on the show. I won't be telling you WHAT I weigh but I will say this much it is what the typical woman weighs on there about 6 weeks in I would guess. So trying out would be pointless, the way those women work I would be at goal in 8 weeks and booted off. I wish I could do this in a setting where it happened in 8 weeks but I know that isn't possible. So I am going to quit sniveling about it and be incredibly happy for my friend if she makes it on the show and I will cheer her on with everything in me. (I will also cry at her feet to give me tips when she comes home but that is another story)

While I know what works for ME and SHOULD be able to do the last option and just work it out on my own, there is something in my brain that does not quite click right and I don't find myself all that accountable to me. If I hop on the scale in the morning and it is up 2 lbs.... I just say to myself "pffffttt it is water weight it will be gone tomorrow" knowing damn well it was the ~~three bottles of wine .. never four~~ cheeseburger and fries I had the day before for lunch. So yesterday while I was walking I formed a plan in my head, it is probably the most open plan I have ever come up with in my life for losing weight. In the past I was on forums and message boards and I posted my weight daily, well technically my loss or gain of the day, you heard me right.. DAY. Not week or month but DAY. That was as open about it as I really got, announcing in front of a whole board fully of ladies who were on the same road, fighting the same battle I was, who I didn't even know. In other words not open about it at all. Then one day last week I saw that an old school days friend posted on Facebook that he had gained that week when he stepped on the scale. I was incredibly proud of him for sucking it up and posting regardless of the numbers not going in the direction that he had hoped, and I thought about doing this weekly weigh in thing myself.

Did you see the word THOUGHT about it up there, I quickly dismissed the idea because I knew what a weekly weigh in would be for me. It would mean if I weighed in on Monday morning I would not eat all day on Sunday cause I had chowed down the rest of the week, in other words pointless. So yesterday as I was on my walk with my favorite four legged creature I started thinking about it again, what could I do to be more accountable to me when me isn't worth being accountable to (give me a break this is a conversation that I had with the dog.. jeesh) I threw out a couple of thoughts, join Weight Watchers anyway and not exactly follow their plan but go in weekly and get applauded at.. nah not for me. Start a journal and record daily what the scale said... well you wouldn't have to buy one you could just blow the dust off the 10 you already started.. nah that isn't going to work. Post weekly what you lost or gained and possible never get anywhere cause you are just starving your self the day before.... no no no bad idea. Then the dog spoke up and said, well what if you do it DAILY? And after a moment or two of thought and trying to figure out if that meant I had to publicly announce what the scale actually had on it I realized I could do that. I wouldn't have to tell a blasted soul what the number actually is, just a post of + something or - something daily. Why the hell not. I have tried everything else in the world.

So to those of you who are my facebook buddies, first thing in the morning you should start seeing some number postings, and if you don't could someone please pull a Jillian on me and ask me what the hell my problem is??!!???

One step forward.

Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall

2010-03-29T06:52:00.003-04:00

Photo taken of my favorite place on Earth, no matter what season, during Summer I am not alone in my love for the place.

There are seasons, four in all.

Weather changes, sun and rain and snow,
Leaves fall down and flowers grow.

Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
There are seasons, four in all.

Look outside and you will see
Just what season it will be!

Today that weather is cloudy with a high chance of ~~meatballs~~ lots of rain, but I am good with that.. I think we all need a good spring rainy day. Spring rainy days are much different than winter rainy days, I can't fill you in on the hows and why fors of it all but it is true. Winter rainy days can lead to a vegetative depressed state as mentally the winter rain makes it appears as if winter is never going to end and we are going to be stuck in the house with ~~these people who are getting on our last nerve~~ our family from now until the end of time. We are passed that now, winter is gone and spring has arrived and this rain today is different.

Spring rain has a cleansing affect, when you wake up in the morning and the clouds have moved in and there is thunder and lightening a depression does not fall over you.. (well at least it doesn't fall over me) I get the feeling of a good hot shower, you know that feeling you get the minute you step out of the shower, that you are clean and fresh and ready to face the world again. That is the way spring rain makes me feel, like all of the winter blues are being washed away and it is time to start singing again (metaphorically of course, those who have heard me sing know that it is quite similar to the noise the cats outside make when they are ... errr hmmm playing late at night).

As all of you know this winter has packed on its fair share of blues on my family and me, it is time that we shower those blues away and start putting one foot in front of the other and move forward, while the whole family is no long with us on this particular plane I have no doubt that our sweet angel is watching over us and would not want us to stay in "winter" for another second. He is ready for us to move forward to spring and begin life again even if it has to be just a bit different.

I was discussing seasons with an old friend last night on Facebook, and I made the statement if we didn't have winter we would not appreciate summer as much, and while that is true the realization hit me that I don't really have a favorite season. I like them all equally, I like them all for each of their unique attributes. Spring has a way of waking us up and making us stretch our wings and fly, Summer has a way of making us run and play and relax in the evenings with friends and just enjoy what is around us, Fall has a way of making us slow down and take in all the smells and colors that nature can present and gives us a time to just mellow out, Winter has a way of making us hibernate with in our homes and spend just a tiny bit more time with out immediate families and the people who mean the most to us when we go out. I can't pick one season I like the most, they all have such wonderful qualities.

What about you? Do you have a favorite? If you do, why?

Happy Monday All.

Smooch

What is today again??

2010-03-25T08:31:00.003-04:00

Photo taken the other evening on a beach walk.... kinda how things feel right now.

Oh yea.. Thursday but it is also today. And so far today I have the following to be happy about...

1. Woke up on the right side of the dirt. (I think)

2. Actually got dressed.... as in clothes... not jammies.. clothes.

3. I reminisced about the lovely evening I had with some very dear friends who hadn't read yesterday's post therefore did NOT smack the shit out of me.

4. I drank a really nice cup of coffee.

5. Got the children off to school without any major melt downs.. minor but no major.

6. I laced up my tennis shoes and walked the dog .. for 2 miles.

7. I have the most wonderful people in my life, including distant cousins who are new to me but are quickly becoming one of my favorite people on earth. I have a gaggle of Blisters (sorry Phyl). I have the most wonderful Sister Person in the entire world. I have facebook people who I adore. I have peeps coming out of the wood work, who like me for me...

The point is regardless of yesterday's post I do have very positive things in my life.

The problem is.. not that other people don't like me.. the problem is not that I have a mess in my life.. the problem is not my kids.. not the weather.. not lack of money... or food or shelter..

THE PROBLEM IS ME.. I don't like me and that is just the bottom line of it. Yes Yes I get that you should love your self blah blah blah... well I don't. I don't like what I see in the mirror, I don't like my lack of will power, I don't like relationships I have with some people (not including the people from above), I don't like I have a clothes full of lovlies and the only thing that fits is a Muu Muu. I suppose it is time for me to work on me..

I just don't know where to start... I guess at the likely spot. With me.

Help! I need somebody...

2010-03-24T06:29:00.004-04:00

Note: the glove in this picture was found exactly like the photo shows... I was scared to see if there was a hand in it.

Help... Not just anybody!

Ok Ok what I really need is to drag my Muu Muu clad ass up out of this chair and strap on my tennis shoes and start exercising, or duct tape my mouth so I will stop shoving in very thing in sight.

I am such an emotional eater it is not even funny, happy.. cake! sad... cake! bored... CAKE! I think you see the point here. If I wake up in the morning and I am still breathing that is a good reason to celebrate .. with CAKE! (or homemade chips with blue cheese and bacon, or purple haze cheese, or a large cheese plate, I could continue on for hours but I will spare you because I am making myself hungry). Things have been a bit crazy around the Waterfront the last couple of weeks and has really impeded my weight loss efforts, March is typically the time when I hit the run way and the gym and the bike and the veggie isle full force getting ready for summer. That did not happen this month and the whole month is GONE GONE GONE. Which also means I am 30 days behind and 30 lbs ahead. Yes I said 30, the same day 30 I lost and gained in 2009, 2008, 2007.. I think you are seeing the pattern here too, so I will stop.

There is quite possibly something mentally wrong with me (ok ok we KNOW there is something mentally wrong with me, but I am referring to the whole weight loss thing, not just normal typical every day life). I don't understand how I can walk around so incredibly miserable, hating the way I look, not looking in the mirror, feeling ashamed to go out to breakfast, lunch or dinner with friends because I think they are looking at what I am eating, hating the way I feel and NOT CHANGING IT... WHAT THE HELL IS THAT ABOUT?????

I realized yesterday that my entire life I have had a skewed self image, and I have just given up because I will never in my life be thin, or skinny, or pretty, or in shape. Why should I spend 4 hours a day exercising when it doesn't matter, why should I write down everything I eat or drink each and every day of my life if in the end I am still going to be a Muu Muu clad Oompa Loompa.

The reason I feel like I have such a skewed self imagine and have completely given up on it all is that I ran across THIS:

This was in a box I looked through yesterday while putting some things together for my mother to take to Florida with her. Now please look past the hairdo and I will admit that it took 3 cans of white rain to hold it like that which probably added about 5 lbs of stickiness to my head, but when this photo was taken... I thought I was fat. Not chubby, not had a couple of extra pounds, not I am a size larger than my friends, I thought I was OBESE.. to use the phrase that I was taunted with in school.. I was as big as a wart hog.. not sure how big one of those actually is but I have a feeling it is not the skinniest animal on the play ground.

So you see, if that looks obese to me, imagine what I see when I look in the mirror now. Hopeless. While I wish this blog post was about how I put on my shoes and used my Nordic Track two days in a row, or how I had ran 7.5 miles yesterday, or how I had even gotten dressed. It isn't. It is a post about how incredbily depressed I am. It is about how I have dug a hole in the sand and continue to dig because I can't see the top anymore and it is all just caving in around me, one doughnut at a time.

Most of my family left this morning to make a trip to Florida to spend time with extended family and to join in the wedding celebration of my cousin. A cousin I grew up with. A cousin that was proably as close to me as my own brother growing up because it seems we were always together, Reedie and Ruthie seemed to always be together back then, or maybe we just thought they were when they were dumping their kids at the others house while they went squealing out of the drive way to get away for an hour or so. Either way that is not the point, the point is I am not going to Florida. I couldn't face the family, the family I haven't seen in years. I have another wedding to attend in June... at this rate I will go to Florida in June so I don't have face the family here. I will probably be in NC during the Mathews High School graduation ceremonies for the class of 2010 so I won't have to face the Cndturtl and so he doesn't see on his day that I failed once again.

Each and every morning I wake up and say.. "Today is the Day". I will do this today, I will not eat like my life is a pie eating contest. I will put on my tennis shoes today and exercise. I will actually put clothes on today. Each and every night I go to bed and say to myself after an audible sigh .. "Maybe tomorrow is the day." I keep telling myself that I deserve more than this that some way some how this time I will suceed. This time never happens.

There was a video recently made of me, it is probably one of the most priceless videos on the plant to me, worth more than any amount of money that someone could pay me. I have been told that it is worth a life insurance policy and a checking account should it ever get out in the public because it has instant heart attack written all over it but to me it is priceless and sweet and probably should be shared because it is down right funny. What the other person who is in the video doesn't know is while I watch it repeatedly because it was one of the best memories of my life I cry through the whole thing every time. I hate the way I look that much.

I am sure that some of you are reading this post thinking to yourself.. wow I didn't log on to read this shit. Well guess what.. see the little X up in the corner.. click it. I didn't ask you to come here and read this, you came on your own, and the last time I checked I was the only author of this blog so if you want flower shaped poo, and rainbow farts.. you might want to look somewhere else for awhile.

I guess if you didn't click the X by now, you are wondring if I have a plan to get myself cleaned up and shake this off. I don't. I don't have a clue what to do or where to turn. Maybe one day the answer will magically appear in my mailbox or fly through an open window tied to a carrier pigeon or maybe it will appear in a bowl of alaphabet soup.. but for now I have no answers. Just an overwhelming amount of questions to myself.. but no answers.
Help.

Out of Order

2010-03-17T06:57:00.003-04:00

Yes I think my photography brain cells are out of order.
Seriously... big time.

I went to OBX over the weekend and I have like all of three photos in my camera of the ocean. Three... as in ONE, TWO, THREE. Not three hundred, not three dozen, just three.

I think I need to go back as soon as my brain is back to "normal". Granted I have not a clue if it ever will be close to what I called "normal" again but I am trying. The kids are trying, we all are trying.

The Baby Waterboy was diagnosed with Strep yesterday so that explains the high fevers and the massive amounts of sleeping, he honestly has not been awake 2 hours straight since Sunday night, me on the other hand I don't think I have slept two hours straight ~~since 1974~~ in the last two weeks. I am hoping that he feels a bit better today and can start working on the 473 assignments I picked up from school for him yesterday and I hope that I have enough sense to help him with it.

To all of you... when you see an old friend or are sending the kids to school or the man/woman in your life out the door.. Hug 'em and tell 'em you love 'em.. everyone needs that.
So Hugs and Love to you all.
Re

Why I love my Sister Person

2010-03-16T05:06:00.002-04:00

(I stole this idea from another Mathews blogger, you can read her list here.. stop by and say hi to her)

1. In times of crisis she doesn't say.. GO HOME. She says come here I will help you deal with things.
2. She thinks I am beautiful even when I don't.
3. She loves my kids even when they are pukey.
4. She is the only person who can make me snort when all I want to do is cry.
5. She repeatedly post on TFLN about our past and refuses to stop even when I ask.
6. She has the same size feet I do.
7. I get text messages from Dad when Call me Al comes on the radio at random times.
8. We can laugh over Mooooooooooo! from now until the end of time.
9. She is the only person I would ever be caught dancing in a video with.
10. She knows the difference between 3 and 4 and had the wisdom to ensure 4 didn't happen this weekend
11. After 3o some odd years we can still sit around for hours and talk about the silly stuff we did growing up and make other people laugh.. cause it is damn right FUNNY SHIT.
12. When I need her she is there.
13. We agree on Stinky Feet coffee.
14. We both miss Dad and understand how it feels when the other is sad about it.
15. She used to make me Stove Top stuffing and put it in the fridge for me.. best hangover food ever! Cold Stove Top.
16. She doesn't like scary movies even though I love them.
17. She would rather say screw the dishes and walk on the beach when the sun is out.. the dishes will be there later.
18. She is a good person through and through and would give me the shirt off her back.. if you don't believe me.. peek in my closet.
19. She believes in me when no one else does.
20. I love her because she loves me.

The kid just needs to catch a break...

2010-03-15T07:32:00.003-04:00

We are all home safe and sound, sort of.

After spending a four days in Central NC and then OBX, the Waterfamily is finally home. While we are all here safely I am not so sure about the soundly. The Baby Waterboy informed me last night that he didn't "feel quite right", and by quite right he meant that his brain was on the verge of melting and oozing out of his head by the time he let me know something was wrong. One look at him and I knew that he had a fever and yes he did... 103.5.

So the little one is tucked in his bed this morning instead of returning to school. I am not sure he even remembers where school is, he has been out so long.

I would like to say that my Baby Waterboy, the one with the Ass Burger Syndrome, has handled the events of the past week and a half with nothing short of miracle strides. There have been no major melt downs, no withdraws, no lock yourself in closets with a bottle of wine (oh wait that last one was what I do in times of stress). What I am trying to say is the Ass Burger dealt with the greif of the situation much more normally than I was expecting.

I think he was ready to head back to school today, to face the challenges of the classmates, the assignments, the teachers, and the questions.

The kids just needs to catch a small break... just not on THIS!!!!

I will be back

2010-03-12T07:14:00.002-05:00

I wanted to drop in and let you know that the Waterkids and I are all in OBX until Sunday.
When I return I will have stories and pictures, we are all hanging in and doing ok.
Thank you for your love and support...

Much Love
Re

A letter of thank you...

2010-03-08T07:11:00.004-05:00

Good Morning,

While I know I have not had much to post about the last couple of days other than sadness, you have all hung in there with me and offered support and kind words and prayers. The Baby Waterboy and Watergirl and I have made it safely to NC and are now surrounded by so many who loved Little Boy Blue. While this week is going to be long and trying and not something I would have wanted to do, I am glad that I came. I am glad that the Waterkids came.

During a family moment yesterday a woman walked up to me who I had not seen in many years and she softly whispered, "You know Little Boy Blue had only one thing on his mind for when he got his drivers license. He was coming to VA to see Baby Waterboy." I thought this was a nice gesture and one of those things that sometimes people say to get people through things, until I heard it three times.... from three different people... who were told at three different times. Little Boy Blue had it in his heart that he was going to come to VA this summer, he never forgot us, never stopped loving us, now it is our turn to never forget and never stop loving.

Today will be a busy day filled with flowers and photos, busy work to keep from sitting in the floor and crying all day but being with the people who loved Little Boy Blue and sharing the stories and the photos and the love will make the day a little bit brighter.

On a lighter note.. on the way to NC yesterday Baby Waterboy leaned up and asked "Mom? How many stars is our hotel?" I could not even begin to discribe the look of disappointment on his face when I said... "Oh I don't know.. a One... Maybe."

Much love to you all and thank you all again for keeping us in your thoughts.
Re and the Waterkids

Little Boy Blue

2010-03-06T21:18:00.003-05:00

One never dies, if you were loved and if you loved, you will forever remain and baby boy you were loved.

Thought of you with love today, but that is nothing new. I thought about you yesterday, and days before that too. I think of you in silence, I often speak your name. All I have are memories and a picture in a frame. Your memory is a keepsake, with which I'll never part. God has you in His keeping, I have you in my heart.

I'm gonna miss you my son
Even though it hurts the way it ended up
I'd do it all again
So play it sweet in heaven
'Cause that's right where you want to be
I'm not cryin' cause I feel so sorry for you
I'm cryin' for me

I will be traveling tomorrow to Thomasville, North Carolina to attend the funeral of a child who I raised and loved as my own. I am not sure when I will post again, it may be tomorrow I just don't really know. There are no words for me to say right now that can even begin to describe the way I feel, so I am borrowing words that I have been sent to me, or I heard in a song, or saw on tv.

Please bare with me until I return.
Much love to you all and a warm thank you to all of you have left words of kindness to me and my family.
Re

I sit here in stunned silence.

2010-03-05T00:01:00.002-05:00

Warning: I feel it is appropriate to leave a warning that this post may produce tears to anyone reading it and more specifically me, so please leave now if you are sensitive or don't have tissues handy. If you can handle incredible sadness read on and excuse my blubbering and incoherent post.

Yesterday morning at 8 am I decided to take Razzi and snap a picture of a teeny tiny crab I had rescued from the beach before the water could come and take her out to the bottom of the bay. She was fully in tack just no longer alive. I thought it would make a great addition to my collection of tiny beach finds, not to mention the photo I envisioned her producing. After only snapping a couple of not so great shots my phone rang and I dashed to answer it, and by dashing I mean walked into the bedroom with a sigh and read the caller id before picking it up. Blocked Caller.

I snatched up the reciever knowing full well who was on the other end before he even said hello. Blocked Caller. That is the calling ID of my ex, he only calls for one thing, bad news. My heart leapt into my throat and I muttered out some sort of greeting and quite honestly I don't remember if it was even hello. He starts every call the same way.. "Hi. It's Mr 10 years ago" like after 15 years I don't know that it is Mr. 10 year ago calling. This morning his voice was heavy with greif and shock, I could hear it in the Hi. I knew that the call was not a good one, I knew that my next statement would be "I am so sorry to hear about your _____." I was filling in the blank mentally with mother, father, aunt, uncle, while no doubt any loss is painful I just had no idea I was going to have to fill in that blank with "son".

While he went on to explain that last night the child that I helped raise while we were together had died. I stood there in stunned silence. No words would come. There was nothing to say. How do you tell a parent I am sorry that your child is no longer alive? How do you console someone on the other end of a phone 300 miles away when you are the one who can't breath? I have to hand it to him, he knew me well enough to know that I would want to know exactly what happened and that I was just merely in a state of denial and wouldn't ask, he rambled on with facts and times and exact details as I sat there just holding a phone. He knew me well enough to understand when the only thing that I could say when I got my words back was "I don't know what to say" repeatedly for what felt like a life time.

His son was 15 years old last night when he got in a car with his 15 year old best friend and headed out to just have some fun. He didn't make it home. While he didn't suffer last night, this tradegy has left a stain on my heart and a fear for the other young children in my life who have a love for speed. Please if you read this let his life be a lesson, goofing off behind the wheel of a vehicle is not a game. You are taking your life and the life of everyone on that road in your hands.

There are so many memories I could share about the sweet little boy I had the pleasure of knowing but I am not sure I could form the words right now even if I needed to so I will share with you a photo of the crab I found today while out walking on the beach trying to get my thoughts together. While I have probably seen hundreds of crab sheds in my life today I happened on one that was partially a bluish purple and pink I am not sure that I have ever seen one quite like it before. I brought that little shed home. Blue and Purple were his colors, Pink mine, we were both Cancers in the Zodiac... I couldn't resist.

I will forever hold your memories in my heart Little Man.

I Take Requests...sorta

2010-03-04T00:01:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I posted a Re'sycle from November 2005 and while I did take photos ~~four years ago~~ way back when, I didn't have Razzi and was yet to become obsessed with photographing anything in my sight, so there were no pictures of said Popcorn Bowl on the post. This oversight lead to a couple of request for Popcorn bowl photos so instead of digging through the ~~4,745,787 I now have~~ 27 photos I took in 2005 when I knew there would be none of what I was looking for, I took out Razzi and being as lazy as I was I didn't bother changing the lens (Hey! I just didn't feel like it).

I can say honestly I ~~got off my rear end and did something other than stare blankly at the wall~~ took these shots because:

While the popcorn bowl was a hit Christmas 2005 it became the sad victim of bad kind of hit in Summer 2009 and a big hunk got knocked out of it. (thank goodness for super glue)

If anyone has future requests for their own personal popcorn bowls I am really not sure what to tell you cause ~~like a big huge idiot moved 300 miles away from anywhere civilized enough to have a make your own pottery place~~ live in Mathews now.

I will tell you that there are two more with the names of the Cndturtl and the Watergirl on them and I am sure each of them would sell to the highest bidder, this does come with a small warning though if your eyeballs even shift in the direction of Baby Waterboy's you are likely to lose a limb or three. That kid eats popcorn ~~EVERY FRIGGIN NIGHT AT 9PM~~ only when I allow it as a healthy snack at an appropriate time.

RE'Sycled Wednesday

2010-03-03T00:01:00.000-05:00

Friday, November 18, 2005

No doubt the kid is mine

"Mama, That is my popcorn bowl, it has my name on it."
(As he is gazing at a just cooled popcorn bowl from the kiln with his name on it.)

"No Dude, This isn't really yours. You see I was looking at you when I painted this and I accidentally put your name on it in stickers, painted it, had it fired, and didn't realize what I had done. So now I have to take your name off and fix it."

"Oh.. ok."

(As he is gazing at another popcorn bowl with his brothers name painted into it a week later)

"Mama, you know I really like these bowls. I wish you would make me one."

GOD I LOVE THIS KID!!!

Happy 30th Birthday Wes!!!!

2010-03-02T05:44:00.004-05:00

Thirty years ago today in the middle of a clean clear blizzard one of the larger than life members of my family graced us all with his presence. Since then this family has never been the same.

Somewhere in between painting Pops truck with copper paint and spending countless hours at a ball game, you grew up, and even though your struggles have not been easy on you, your mama, or daddy the lesson's we have learned from you as a family have been many and great. We all learned to love each other a little bit harder, and to be a little bit more understanding of our differences, to spend just a few more minutes at dinner instead of rushing off to whatever seems to be important. Wes for those lesson's in life I want to thank you.

On June 19th I will be participating in the Wesley Ashberry Twilight 5K Run/Walk Benefit again, so Wes you can look forward to laughing at me as I am laying in the ditch begging for help. I am asking all of you readers who are in close range to please come out and participate and spend a little time ~~laying in a ditch~~ hanging out with my wonderful family, getting a little exercise and chowing down on some good food.

Date:	Saturday, June 19, 2010
Time:	4:00pm - 9:00pm
Location:	Williams Wharf Landing - 1039 Williams Wharf Road

But back to the real point of this post.

Happy 30th Birthday Wesley. I love you. Re

Side Note: In the coming weeks I will post the link for the entry application.

Manic Monday...

2010-03-01T06:27:00.003-05:00

Yes that is what it is, another Manic Monday, which I am starting to think that every day of my life is Manic in some form or another, but that is a totally different situation. This particular Monday happens to be a Monday when some particular tax forms are due to be stamped at the Post Office and if they are not and you own your own business with employees and what not, you are totally SCREWED A MUNDO.

That sounds like an easy task for someone who is pretty well organized doesn't it? Well it probably would be if it were my actual paper work but here is a outline of what happened, fill out everything in triplicate by hand, only to realize that someone didn't give me the correct information and fill it all out by triplicate again. It is THEN that it is noticed that not all information was provided in the first place and a gazillion phone calls had to be made to track down one little tiny piece of information on two separate people, at about 10 pm last night I finally had all of the information and I am what I think is done.

So that might lead you to ask, why Manic today then if you are done? Simple, anyone who knows me knows that until I get to the Post Office and have these stamped with today's date so that the ~~devil does not come and each my children~~ IRS is happy with me, I will be staring at said papers in triplicate repeatedly scouring for mistakes. Cause that is just how I am.

Not all things this weekend were bad though, I had a great time with my family last night and by family I mean half of Mathews. We all went to my wonderful Aunt Ann's house for dinner and I couldn't tell you how many people were there cause this country princess can't count that high. Oddly last night I think we were all present, which comes close to never happening unless it is Christmas and even then the Richmonder's aren't there. So thank you Aunt Ann for putting up with the madness that is us, each and every one of us loves you more than you will ever know.

Apparently, I am writing the weekends events backwards, which is perfectly ok maybe my
~~alcohol soaked~~ old brain will remember it better this way. I took a little trip to Kilamonark and had lunch in a cute little seafood spot that is closing down soon, for about 30 minutes my party had the place to ourselves and I was free to wander and look at the John Barber paintings when it was noticed that one was a painting of a close friends boat before he sold it and another belonged to a friend of days gone by and he and another friend were painted working on the boat. It was quite neat.

Saturday I spent wandering around the woods looking for things to snap with my new lens, I happen to love this alone time and I met a couple of characters that I would have never run across if it weren't for that camera of mine. Hello Married in Moon, it was so nice to meet you the other day. Then there was Mr Ed who let me tromp around behind his sheds looking at old cemetery stones.

There were a few other run ins but they weren't as nice as Married in Moon or Mr Ed, I think this set thought I would be delightful as lunch.

I also stopped in on Chesapeake Bay Woman for a few minutes which is always a delight.

So I have to admit .. all in all I put this weekend in the WIN column, onward and upward, there is just another weekend around the corner from today!
Happy Monday all.
Smooches.

Saturday Update: What the Sam Hill is that??!!??

2010-02-27T16:48:00.004-05:00

As promised here is a Saturday update of what the new toy can do..
Anyone have any guesses as to what exactly these are?

OH before we start can I just say I LOVE this thing.
How did THAT get in here???

They were trying to figure out What the Sam Hill I was.. then they figured it out.. possible lunch.

Leave a Message at the Beep

2010-02-27T07:16:00.003-05:00

*Ring Ring Ring*

Hi! You have reached Re I am not home right now cause I am out playing with my new toy.
So leave me a message and I will let you know later today when the new toys produce has been posted here via email, phone, text, facebook or carrier pigeon which ever will get to you.

And Nemenim you are not allowed to NO COMMENT ME.
EM K? Thanks

BEEP!!!!!

Fun Facts Friday

2010-02-26T00:01:00.000-05:00

Well everyone it is Fun Fact Friday once again and guess what the first fact is.

1. I have not a clue what to write about today.

2. I have been sitting here staring at the screen again for 10 minutes.

3. I have been sitting here staring at the screen not trying to think about what to write but thinking about what I can play with next.

4. I have spent too much time the past two days playing with PSE6.

5. I am posting a few pics of the Impish Grinny Person cause I know some people who adore it.

6. Today is day two on the running plan schedule, someone pray for me, if you do that sort of thing.

7. This is my Ex Step Granddaughter.

8. I hate using the phrase Ex or Step so she is just my Granddaugther, Sophia Nicole.

9. I hope to find something better to write about tomorrow.

What are your plans for the weekend? Mine are to try not to play with my new lens too much!!!!!
Smooches and Happy Friday!

In Training

2010-02-25T00:01:00.002-05:00

Vintage

Yesterday morning I got up had coffee and decided to ~~clean off 3 months of dust from~~ lace up my tennis shoes. What in the hell was I thinking???

Color Pop

Well the good news is I made it back the bad news is I found it quite difficult to run while holding Razzi with the 70-300 lens on. Yes you read that right, run, not walk, run. I started THIS today in preparation for the Wesley Ashberry Twilight 5K Run/Walk Benefit. If you would like, you can find more information at the Mathews Land Conservancy under Events. I encourage everyone to come out and participate, no you don't have to run or walk, you can just spend some time with some great people and eat some BBQ. (I don't see me eating much as I will probably be ~~puking in the bushes~~ too busy drinking water.)

Classic Blue

Tomorrow will be a bit different, I think I will wait on the coffee until I get back and I will probably leave Razzi at home and take the dog with me instead.

Light Pop

I would also like to take this time to again let CBW, Noe Noe Girl, and Big Hair should the event of my demise occur due to this venture in running that you will all be joint custodians of Razzi, she will spend 4 months of the year with each of you.

Color Pop

To the Sister Person who I love dearly, ~~so help me if you have me cremated I will come back and haunt you FOREVER~~ I give you back all of the things I have of yours and you get the Princess Bedroom (cause well half of it is yours anyway), I also leave to you my phone and my MAC please do what you need to do with those. (Just please keep in mind that every picture I have ever taken is on there before you do what you need to do.)

Honey

To the rest of the people who read this mumbo jumbo... oh forget it who am I kidding.

Moody

After I returned back home from ~~my date with torture~~ my walk/run I started reading some of my favorite people's blogs and this little badge on HERS said Coffee on it so I had to click it. Imagine my surprise when it had nothing at all to do with coffee but were actually Actions to be used in Photoshop Elements and even though I vowed never to retouch a shot again I couldn't resist.. IT SAID COFFEE COME ON CUT ME SOME SLACK!

Original

So today throughout my ass or rated post I littered two of my favorite shots from yesterday's adventure with actions I used, over all two turned out AMAZING and I think I will actually enjoy using them again now that I have been away from them for awhile.

Pink

What do you think? Which is your favorite? Do you have one that you just HATE? Let me know leave a comment say Hi.

Original

RE'Sycled Wednesday

2010-02-24T00:01:00.000-05:00

Friday, November 18, 2005

Random Thought...

I am afraid if I grow up I will realize that I am absolutely insane and go get therapy and they will turn me into a normal person just like everyone else..

Guess what... I did.. and they didn't.
Shocked aren't you?

B and E

2010-02-23T06:34:00.003-05:00

Ok I will admit it I do my fair share of "trespassing" which is fairly evident from the photos I take. I would like to bring to the table a few rules I have for myself and I so wish others would follow (and by others I mean the fire strating, paint ball playing, beer and booze drinking idiots who were there before me)

1. I never do the Break part from Breaking and Entering. EVER. If it is not enterable or broke already I certainly will not do it. Even when the temptation is HUGE I don't do it. WILL NOT DO IT.

And if you think the temptation was not HIGH at this old place so you are soooo wrong. So strong in fact I am going back to see if I can figure out who the owners are.

2. Leave it as you found it. That would be my second rule. If there is a bucket that is turned over on the kitchen floor and your OCD level wants you to turn it upright. I am telling you.. DON'T. you probably don't wanna know why the bucket is upside down in the middle of the floor.

You may close and secure a door that is left open, but if the door was shut when you got there make sure you shut it when you leave. You weren't raised in a barn were you.

3. Do as you will but harm none.

Cute door right? I loved it, and the OCD in me wanted to shut it, but well.. it was buried in about 4 inches of dirt at the bottom, there was no shutting without breaking, I did no harm and left it right where it was.

My point is yes I am a bit bold when it comes to getting a shot (the phrase brass ovaries comes to mind at times) but I will never ever vandal, destroy, or harm anyone or anything in the process. These properties that I take photos of unfortunately will not be around much longer due to nature and the idiots I mentioned above, so while they are Razzi and I will be out rambling around in the woods looking for a bit of the past to hold on to for our future.

So I beg of you property owners, if you see a large pink elaphant in a pink hat with what looks to be a large camera trapsing across your yard. Please... don't shoot.

Happy Tuesday

"I would holler but the town ain't big enough... "

2010-02-22T00:01:00.003-05:00

I spent most of my Sunday alone wandering the woods in parts unknown, except for a nice lunch date and a run in with a good friend at Chef Todd's, then another run in for an on the side of the road chit chat with an old family friend who I happen to adore. You know the saying they just don't make 'em like that anymore? He fits that bill, wonderful wonderful person. (I am such a kiss up).

During all that wandering alone I didn't do what I normally do, which completely and utterly shocked me when I got home. A typical wander alone with Razzi in hand means I come back with 70,982,340 pictures, today I came back with roughly 70. I am not sure what happened, all I can say is that I was lost in a space in time that just wasn't a place for Razzi.

I went to some lovely places and took some lovely shots that will mark a place that in a few years just will no long exist so all in all I call that a win.

While beside the road chit chatting with the wonderful friend he mentioned a few things to me, one was a story about Captain Mac and burying his vehicle on the beach during a hunt club party; (more on that later as Hounddog reported in later in the afternoon with more details of said beach party) another was regarding a house right down the road from him, I was not 100% sure I knew where he was speaking of so I listening intently to his directions and said I would go check it out. After making sure that he did not want me run over his mail box for him I took off in the correct direction and made a big circle right back to my friend and reported that I had spent most of the morning right where he sent me.

Here are some of the shots:

I loved the way the light came through the trees as I walked up to the house.

Even though the front of the house is now a funky shade of gray, it is my understanding that under the porch was once painted red, white and blue and another time each board was painted a different color.

All I kept hearing in my head as I looked at these door was my mother yelling at me when I was little. "Either in or OUT!"
I happen to adore door knobs. This is A door knob but not THE door knob for those of you in the "know"

As I mentioned before my friend and I discussed Cap'n Mac a bit, it was brought up because I had spent some of my time that morning visiting with Cap'n Mac at his house as well. He was a good old man, bit of a drinker, but was happy as a clam as long as the sun came up. What I am sad to report is that his house is in a terrible state of disrepair and there is talk of tearing it down. Unfortunately the temptation for young vandals is a bit much and most of the walls are filled with holes and the windows have been knocked out, and at some point in time the house was set on fire. Thankfully the fire department did manage to put it out as it was smoldering but they had to cut and chop out the entire floor from one room and some of the wall.

I might mention that I did hear tell of a few of the holes in the downstairs ceiling may have been made by Cap'n Mac himself, I am glad I wasn't upstairs when he decided to do that. Anyway on to what was reported by Hounddog, apparently some time ago at the end of hunting season the boys would get together and have a beach party down at Haven Beach, Cap'n Mac was in attendance and a few beers were shared by all, and by few I mean a few dozen dozen (yes I know I wrote that twice). Cap'n Mac was having such a good time that his line of the night was repeated numerous times "I would holler but the town ain't big enough!" The town might not have been big enough for him but he wasn't going to let the party end that night due to a minor issue of a camp fire flame that was dwindling. Being the hunters that they were (and boys) the amount of fire wood that would be required for a party of such magnitude was misjudged and Cap'n Mac just was not having the party end due to a thing as little as running low on wood. After a minute or two Cap'n Mac found someone with a truck (and by truck I mean someone who had a truck that didn't have a dog box in the back) to give him a ride back to his house up the road to "get more fire wood" and fire wood he did get. Cap'n Mac returned to the party with the front steps from his house and threw them right on the fire! I gotta say that is my kinda dude.

Here are a couple of shots of Cap'n Mac's home.

Some of you locals may remember that in the upstairs window of Cap'n Mac's there was a card board cut out of a monster from Where the Wild Things Are in his upstairs window. This was the monsters view for a very long time.

Charred edges of wall paper from the upstairs hall way... I have to wonder is that Wall Street Journal Wall Paper, Cause that would just be too cool.

This was where the hole had to be cut in the floor due to idiots who don't know the meaning of DO NO HARM! (side note.. if you look close you can see THE door knob for those who need to know)

I would like to end this by saying I am so grateful to have such wonderful people in my life to share such colorful tales of a time gone by with me, I am so happy that "I would holler but the town ain't big enough!"

Saying Sunday

2010-02-21T08:27:00.002-05:00

I am sitting here staring at a blank screen ...
Note to self: write down the sayings as you hear them because ~~the alcohol~~ your age has finally affected your memory.

So I needed a little help this morning with exactly what I was going to write about I may as well start getting used to it my Daddy keeps telling me it will only get worse. The good thing is I have good friends who always come through for me, one who made the lightbulb come on this morning and the other who actually gave me the story to write about.

Technically I don't suppose this is a "saying" but it will do and the story is rather funny.

Cut in the Butter.

Cooking phrase right? Yes I know it is but what the hell this is my blog and I am already rambling so who gives a hoot if I don't really use a everyday phrase right? I mean I could start something and make Cut in the Butter mean something other than Cut in the Butter but I won't cause I don't have the energy, and we already have cutting going on in Phrases (note to self read the note to self above and write these down NOW) we have Cut the Cheese, or Cut a Rug, or Cut a Rip see plenty of Cuts we don't need to Add Cut in the Butter.

A few years ago I was hanging out with my very special sister, (I won't name any names here cause that is just wrong) and she was making me.... making me... making me.. (oh lord I forgot I had to type that word.. I hate this word... ick) she was making me *gasp* apple crisp. (the fact I hate the word crisp has nothing to do with the story by the way and is a long post for another day) So as she was going along she was reading the recipe out loud to me and then actually performing what it said. Add 1 Cup Sugar and she would measure the sugar and dump it in, after a few minutes I got a bit bored of watching this little play so I wasn't paying much attention until I heard "Cut in 1 stick of butter" and I perked right up. I sat up straight on the edge of my chair cause I just HAD to see what happened next. As expected she walked over to the fridge and pulled out a stick of butter (that she hadn't softened by the way cause we all know when making such recipes it helps to soften a tiny bit.. and by all I mean everyone but my sister) unwraps the butter and holds the stick of butter in one hand the largest knife I have ever seen in the other and started cutting tiny pieces off of the butter stick into the dry mixture.

All I could manage to do was sit there and laugh and finally after she got finished with the task at hand managed to muster out.. "What the HELL are you doing???" (see how I filled in the blank there) her reply of course was "CUTTING in the butter!"

(insert eye roll)

Would you believe that *I* am the blond???

So, do you have any recipe fiasco's you can tell us about? Do you have a favorite recipe that you would like to share? Or maybe you found a 100 year old 500 lb heart attack in the disguise of a dessert recipe you could tell us about.

Happy Sunday Ya'll!

Wordles....

2010-02-20T07:44:00.003-05:00

Top Wordle Made from Hillbilly Gothic

Second Wordle taken from the old one. (look close ladies you will see some good ones

This post is brought to you because of this lovely lady who pointed me here.

I enjoyed sifting through the words from Hillbilly Gothic so much last night that I went back and did the same thing with my old longer blog and loved it as well. I have decided I am going to be printing and framing these words and hanging them close to my "office space" which is really no more than a corner of the Princess Room. (which is just fine with me cause the Princess Room ROCKS!)

So today have fun.. go play here for a few minutes and think about the words you use the most.

This evening I am taking the Watergirl and her friends to see Dear John and out to eat, which means Jauns here we come. That child would eat Nachos 3 times a day 7 days a week if I let her.
I am not sure I am up to such a sappy movie but hey this is for her not me.

Happy Saturday all.
Smooches!
Re

Fun Facts Friday

2010-02-19T06:25:00.003-05:00

One of the greatest waterman to ever grace the bay with his presence. Great Grandaddy Henry Owens

For the record the pictures on today's post have absolutely NOTHING to do with my post and everything to do with HERS. I do things like this cause I love her.

This is the way the bay used to look when you were going out in the morning, see all the boats? Sadly if you are out there today you are probably not going to see anyone until you come back to the dock.

Ok there is nothing really FUN about my Facts other than they are FACTS and it is FRIDAY so thereby making them FUN by association alone.

These are shots of the Ellen before she had the house built on her and yes those men have on suits and hats it is Christmas after all.

There are also rules to my FUN FACTS, who has fun fact rules you ask, the answer would be me. The rules are for each FUN FACT I will also ask a question and you are supposed to leave a comment and answer said question (I like comments... I don't care if you don't answer it truthfully just answer and let me know you are around... as an ex's voicemail once said "If you took the time to call take the time to leave a message"... he didn't like those hang ups on his answering machine it annoyed him ...guess what I did for 6 months after we split up.) Oh sorry the squirrel got me again now where was I? Oh yes.. facts.

The Ellen Marie all dolled up and at Owens and Sons dock Davis Creek, Bavon VA (did you think that is was just by chance I happen to live on Davis Creek in Bavon VA??)

1. I have a favorite song Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls it will remain my favorite song until the day I die there will be no other song that can take it's place. ever. I also can't listen to this song without crying or listening to it twice so that I smile the second time and that is always the way it works cry the first time smile the second. If it comes on the radio I have to change the station quickly because I know they aren't going to play it back to back and I will cry for hours.

What is your favorite song or what would you consider to be your "theme" song?

Great Uncles and Great Grandfather and Jelly on the Thomas E. Jelly had hands the size of dinner plates, no kidding.

2. 99% of the furnishings in my home are either A. Hand me Down B. Borrowed C. Heirlooms D. Just flat out stolen from the sister person. I like it this way, it means that just about everything in my home has meaning and a story and some kind of depth to it. These are the things that I like to have around me all the time it is kind of like having people around that don't talk back!

Look around you, is what you see new, was it always yours or once belong to your great great uncle, or is all sparkly new straight from Ikea?

You are probably thinking wait these are people not boats. Yes of course they are people but people who the boats were named after :)
The real Thomas E was my uncle Everette there on the left.
The real Ellen Marie was my grandmother in the white sitting beside Great Grandaddy Henry Owens.
On the right is Uncle Taylor oddly no boat had his name.

3. I live in Bavon, which is also known as the end of the friggin earth. I decided to live here for a reason, I liked it, I liked the quiet, that lasted all of 3 days. I miss the city, I miss having a mall on the way home from work, I miss having a Starbucks on every corner. I miss my state of the art gym with the indoor pool and the rock climbing wall, I even miss the traffic. I will probably end up back in the city some day, but for today it is beaches and quiet nights.

Where do you live and is it where you want to be forever?

Thats a lot of fish! Far right my grandfather Lemual "Snooks" Burroughs

4. Today is Friday and I am happy it is Friday for no other reason than it is Friday plain and simple. No big plans tonight just Friday. I do have some plans tomorrow Watergirl turns 16 on Monday and she requested Mexican dinner and a movie for her birthday plans so she and some of her friends will be going out to eat and a movie on Saturday on me. I didn't think that was bad for a 16th birthday much cheaper than those Sweet 16 shows she has been watching on MTV. Oh wait I forgot to mention the car she asked for. Yea that.. she is getting a car.. sigh. This leads to 2 questions.

What did you get or do for your 16th birthday?
and
Do you have any plans for the weekend?

One of my favorite pictures of all time. Pop doing what he did.

Thanks for playing along and again if you took the time read take the time to comment.. I like comments HAPPY FRIDAY!
Smooch!!!!!

Just another day on the bay.

A Lesson in Proper Adjectives

2010-02-18T06:36:00.003-05:00

Good Morning Young People.

That is the way one of my high school teachers started EVERY class, regardless of time of day. Good Morning Young People! Keep in mind this was the same teacher that passed out cold on her bar stool one day and had to be rushed to the doctor for "taking too much medicine". It does not escape me that in some households a good full bottle of Jim Beam is considered to the Miracle of all Medicines. Either way this post is not even about the Good Morning Young People teacher (there will be more to come on her in the coming weeks as there is much to tell) this post is about a lesson given to the Baby Waterboy this past week.

Proper adjectives while they seem to be easy little things some of them are a bit confusing to a ~~38 year old who hasn't picked up a grammar book in 20 years~~ 12 year old. This particular assignment was technically given to him last Thursday and I promptly forgot that he had homework until 9:30 pm Sunday evening which lead to ~~massive screaming fest to try to find the agenda and books and paper and pencil~~ an organized walk to the table to complete the assignment.

Assignment: Change the following words to Proper Adjectives.
Rome
Celt
Inca
Shakespeare
New Year's Day
Victoria

Here is Waterboy's Answers

Roman
Celtic
Incan
Shakespearean
New Year's Day
Victoria's Secret

Yes.. you read that right.. Victoria's Secret.

I came so close to letting that paper be filed right in the homework folder just for the fun of it. I mean come on.. the 12 year old Victoria's Secret.. that is good stuff right? Let me explain why I did not, this will only be relevant to those that ever went to school in Mathews in the 7th grade but I want you to know that the English teacher you had 30 plus years ago... same one Baby Waterboy has today. While I love her to pieces as I have known her all my life there is just something about that look and that little disappointed shake of the head she can give that still just gets to me.

So sadly that night I took out an eraser and handed to the Baby Waterboy and said "erase.. that one is not right", at that moment something odd happened, something that has never happened before in life, the Baby Waterboy did not scream at me that he was right and I didn't know what I was talking about and he knew it was right and he wasn't going to change it and on and on and on, instead the miracle of all miracles occured, he took the eraser from my hand and began erasing. I stood there in shock for a couple of minutes trying to digest exactly what had happened and how I was time warped into someone else's kitchen with someone else's little boy doing the same exact homework assignment because this certainly was not my child .... that is until he looked up and saw me standing there in disbelief and said "What??!!??" it was that moment that I saw that little gleam of mischief in his eye, it was then that I saw what was really transpiring here, it was that exact second that I realized Victoria had been used for a small little bit of shock value.

It was then that once again he proved to me that he could be non other than exactly what he is.. my kid.

RE'Sycled Wednesday

2010-02-17T06:29:00.003-05:00

I am tired..

So I am going to go with my second favorite movie line

Cowboy: You're so drunk you couldn't hit me. As a matter a fact you are probably seeing double.
Doc Holliday (pulling out second gun): No problem I have one for each of you.

Original Post date: Monday, February 27, 2006

I could watch this movie 1,345,349 times... oh wait I have.
There is a thing I have for good ole Doc... a family thing.
One day I will have to explain that family thing but it won't be today.
Today I am just going to state the obvious...
Apparently I wasn't sleeping in February 2006 either hence the title of the post.
If I don't start sleeping and I mean SOON I am going to be tired in 2013 too... or dead.

Excuse me while I go have some more coffee.....

Standing on a hill in my mountain of dreams

2010-02-16T06:34:00.002-05:00

And what a growing mountain it is.. Between the dreams I have for my life and the dreams I have where my mother forces everyone in the family who rides roller coasters to shower after every ride my dreams are many and plentiful.

Something has shifted in my world where night dreams are concerned, it has been no time ago that the Waterman and I were having a conversation about the outrageous dreams he has nightly that include some bizarre behavior such as crab potting in the front yard and not being able to catch anything because the grass hadn't been cut (don't ask me I didn't dream it) or maybe the tornado that came by and picked up the house and kept spinning it around and around only to set it perfectly back on the foundation with nothing harmed (again I have no clue). Anyhoo the contents of his dreams were not the point, the point was he dreams multiple times... NIGHTLY.. me being the expert on dreams that I am told him that was not normally that people only dream once or twice a year (people being me but I didn't tell him that) The truth is for years.. well for as along as I can remember I would only remember one or two dreams a year and I convinced the Waterman that he was weird and that something didn't work right in his brain for him to remember his dreams so vividly nightly. Karma.. it is a bitch cause my little fib came back and bit me right in the ass.

Nightly ... multiple times NIGHTLY I have some sort of drama, comedy, lovaorra, myst-fi.. SOMETHING going on in my brain. It is like living in a weird twisted multi plex that shows the oddness that is what I like to call my brain. Unfortunately the showings at the multi plex are directly related to exactly how much sleep that I manage to get.. the more shows the less sleep, untimately the dreams they are so real they wake me up no matter how dark and twisty they are they appear very real, the goat that kept trying to tell me it was really Baby Waterboy.. REAL.. to real.. I could still smell billy goat when I woke up (this could be in direct relation to the topic of which I posted yesterday) but who knows.

I have been told I should write my dreams down in a little book when they happen because if you don't they slip away, and I have had a few where I woke up and thought.. WOW I got to tell so and so about that only to try to remember it later and can't. So I do get the concept of writing them down so as not to forget but the question is do I really want to remember some of these things? My would anyone want to remember having to hide in the closet for 3 hours from the Wolfman, or walking into a concert drunk and dressed for Motley Crue only to realize it was an Opera, those are 99% of the dreams I have, nothing worth remembering. Except then that 1% happens and someone stops in my dreams that I never want to let go I would stay there in dream world with them from now until the end of time, those have I chosen to write down, those I have dared to put into words the feelings that were felt and the physical element of feeling tears in my dreams, the heart wrenching sadness when I had to let go and say goodbye again, those words will be written, those words will be passed to my children one day when I am long gone.

You see... Dreams I have them.

Monday Morning Blah's

2010-02-15T06:50:00.002-05:00

What is the point in having a day off to celebrate dead presidents and still having the alarm clock go off in your ear at 6 am. It makes you want to flip the damn think off with BOTH hands. Snow foiled things for me once again, kids have school today so someone had to get up and referee the morning activities.

I am a bit lost as to why my children at the age they are need HELP getting ready for school, when I was their age (yes this is going to be one of those let's look back in time days) I was already staying on my own a majority of the time, and by on my own I mean with the sister person who was the same age. We did not need anyone to say each and EVERY DAMN DAY to complete the following.

1. Take a shower .. why because you smell REALLY bad.
2. Brush your teeth.. why because there is green stuff growing on your teeth
3. Put on clean clothes.. no that is not clean you wore that yesterday and that shirt that you wore last week and shoved behind your bed and took out to wear today didn't get cleaned by magic fairies either.
4 Get up... (5 minutes later) GET UP.... (5 minutes later) GET THE %#$^$%^%#$# up (responded with YOU DON'T HAVE TO YELL)
5. Do your homework (no one told me this one.. but maybe they should have cause I never did it)

I just don't understand how two teenagers can be soooooo damn lazy they don't even care what they look like.
Happy F'ing Monday people.

Saying Sunday

2010-02-14T00:01:00.001-05:00

Today I am sharing with you two little known to the public phrases from my life. Hate me if you want for one, but he is my kid I know his humor and trust me he prefers it this way.

In December the Baby Waterboy was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, nothing to worry about it just helps explain a few things and it does in fact help you (you as in the two people who read this mess of mumbo jumbo that is in my head) understand how in the world the Valentine's story I am sharing today even happened, but for now back to Asperger's. When this all started a few months ago I picked up every book I could find on Asperger's and read and read and it was technical and clinical until I found one in particular titled Look me in the Eye and I finally felt some sort of connection. Not only had I read other books by the author's brother but the things that this author wrote about hit home and everything started to look up and make a bit of sense to me. At some point in the book it was pointed out that the name Asperger's could sound an awful lot like Ass Burger and I had my hook. Since that time I have used that little phrase to get me through the rough spots and believe me.. I need something to get me through those. So there is phrase one of today's post Ass Burger.

Definition
Ass Burger- everything and anything that you can not possibly understand that happens in this household which are many.
Example of usage
"Mama I can't figure out what in the world that Baby Waterboy is talking about."
"Don't worry about it Watergirl it is just an Ass Burger."
(fits of giggles all around)

Now, remember where I told you above that the diagnosis did not come until just this December? Well the below story I wrote about the Baby Waterboy back in February 2006 back when he was just a Dude.

Every now and then there is proof..

That the kid is really mine. Well other than the fact that he looks just like me that is.

For Valentine's Day my roommates Ex Husband.. (yes we are all friends.. talk about putting the fun in dysfunctional) gives Dude a box of chocolate (oh and I got some too) Anyway this is about Dude not what we all got for Valentine's Day. So here is Dude sitting at the bar looking at this box of chocolate that he just received via me because the Ex Husband wasn't there at the time. I had already said.. here this is from E so he wouldn't get confused and think I had actually purchased him anything. After about 30 seconds of him looking at the box he looks up at me with those brilliant green eyes and says..

"Mama, how did E know I liked Ass- Or- Ated chocolate".. That is right.. ass. or. ated! After 30 minutes of laughing at him.. I composed myself enough to look at him and say..

Yup.. You're mine.

Phrase Two of today's post Ass Or Ated.

Definition
Ass Or Ated- a combination of things in a mumbo jumbo mess
Example of usage
What you are reading today are the Ass Or Ated thoughts in my mind.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY PEEPS!
Smoochies all around.
Re

Keeping with the theme....

2010-02-13T07:18:00.002-05:00

Dearest Sleep,

Thank you sooooooo much for visiting last night. I can't even begin to tell you how much that meant to me. I am sending you flowers and chocolates later today so that maybe you will visit again tonight. Oh and how could I forget.. a bottle of wine! We will be sharing a bottle of wine this evening.

Hugs and Kisses Sleep! I love you so much.
Hope to see you later tonight...
Re.

Side note: apparently sleep stretches that last over 6 hours cause me to completely lose my mind. Need proof? See what I wrote above. On the serious side of it all I haven't slept well in WEEKS it has really started taking a toll on everything around me so when I woke up this morning and it was not pitch black outside and I realized that 6 hours and 15 minutes had passed since I put my book down I was incredibly excited!

Some times it is the little things. Happy Saturday Everyone.

The week of Letters...

2010-02-12T06:24:00.003-05:00

This week has taken a turn that wasn't expected. It has been the week of letters on my blog. I have felt the need to vent my frustrations and let it be known exactly how I have felt in forms of letters directed to exactly where my frustrations and feelings lie. Today will be no different from that other than the fact I can't address the letter correctly because someone felt compelled enough to leave me a message on my blog but didn't have the balls to leave their name so I could let them know exactly what I thought of their little statement.

So I am doing a public reply to you and giving you the name I think you deserve in response to your anonymous post as quoted below.

"why are you calling your kid's the water kid's what because they know what water is? they never have worked on the water a day in there life..you have to earn the rep not just take it."

Dearest Clueless,

While I do believe you and I would agree on the fact that the "Water" title needs to be earned as in a Waterman or Waterwoman (and yes I do know a fe. Shout out to Cheryl, Amanda, and Karen you ladies are amazing) the title of Waterkid is bestowed on you directly from your parents status, very similar to an Army Brat. It is a title that the children earn their own ways much like the title of Watermans Wife. While we are not out on the boat every morning battling the weather and tides and facing the fact that what they are is a dying breed. We are the ones that are there at the end of the day, we are the ones facing the end of a era with them, we are the ones that know all to well how little there is out to catch out there.

My children get up and go to school every day and walk through school with the surname of a Water family, no one can strip them of that. When they go places they are referred to most of the time by their last name... hey look there is that _______ kid. Not only are my kids the children of a waterman, they are also greatgrandchildren, greatgreatgrandchildren, nieces and nephews, cousins and brother and sisters of watermen, so if that doesn't give the right to be called waterkids I don't know what else does.

Now that I have gotten that off my chest, I will also let you know that in a way I do agree with you and if you had been smart enough to read all of my posts prior to posting you would have seen that on the Oldest Waterboys 18th birthday I bestowed him with a new blog name as he was no longer a Waterkid and it was time for him to make his own way in the world, the plan is to do the same with the younger two... in the mean time they will be The Waterkids the title they EARNED.

Sincerely,
The Watermans Wife.

Dearest NYC,

2010-02-11T07:18:00.003-05:00

My Dearest NYC,

I am so sorry I will not be gracing you with my presence this weekend. So incredibly sorry! Please forgive me... and blame Mother Nature... that evil bitch.

(insert picture here that blogger didn't allow this morning)

Your Friend,

Re

The NYC trip was officially canceled last night when I hit the cancel button on my train ticket, I was the last one to cancel.. I was hoping for some sort of miracle and that all of a sudden they would introduce a new train that flew over the tracks with the trees down on them. (Come to think of it I think these are called planes but that isn't the point here.) I was looking for a miracle.

I needed this trip more than I could possibly even put to words, so you peopled will have to please forgive me for the ensuing funk that I am about to go in... The Dark and Twisties.... I will have the Dark and Twisties for awhile it seems (except for when I am Drunk and Toasted)

I will be doing something this weekend if it is nothing.

Now I need to go fix a Coffee Royal to make through the morning... Dark and Twisty... time to meet Drunk and Toasted!

RE'sycled Wednesday

2010-02-10T00:01:00.001-05:00

I know that some of you know I had another blog not to long ago... well even longer ago than that I had another one. I wanted to share with all of you some of the things that I wrote way back then ... Wednesday's will be Re's Recycling day.

June 18th 2006 - blog- Drake's Mom Knits and Wears Combat Boots

See?? You really can't fix stupid.....

and on top of that it is hereditary. My mother actually had me explain to her yesterday what exactly a blog was. At first she wanted to know what the letters stood for. Uh.. they stand for nothing.. it is a word. A word like.. word. She says "I don't understand" I say "I don't understand what you don't understand. Blog is a word not letters.. Well it is letters but the letters don't mean anything .. well the do mean something but only if you smoosh them together.. separately they mean nothing." She makes me move along at this point. Right now I am not sure that she understands that the letters only mean something if smooshed but that is her problem not mine. So she says "what do people do with blogs?" Well I myself I read them. It isn't like you can take them out on a date.. or to the movies .. or to dinner.. well I suppose you could if you had wireless but I prefer human contact at these places not just the warm glow of my laptop screen. She replies with "I don't understand." You aren't understanding a lot today are you ma. Ok.. seriously a blog is short for web log.. Before I can finish I get.. "Why did they take away the WE part of it?" Shit. I am never going to finish this conversation. "Because Ma there is no WE in Blog a blog is about ME or I never WE. Well maybe some blogs are about WE.. but MY blog is ABOUT ME. So I didn't like WE on there so just drop it ok!" Ok back to the conversation.. I explain that blogs are online journals BREAK IN AGAIN "Why didn't they just call them that? It sounds better than Blog."
"Christ woman.. SHUT UP ALREADY. I don't know and I don't care. It is a blog now.. just call it that!!!" Back on topic. I explain it is where people go online and share experiences and thoughts and memories and stories and opinions. You can write anything to a blog.. anything at all. And you can write it BADLY like I do. I don't even have to use any punctuation and Mrs McDaniels is not going to come up behind me and give me an F like she did that one time when I tried that just to be creative. She didn't like me much. I explained that some peoples blogs (get over it and quit shuttering every time I use the word blog.. it is what it is called) are serious.. some are funny.. some tell of sickness .. some tell of happiness. There are about everything and nothing. It is a world in which I can get lost and forget who I am supposed to be and be who I really AM. She then says.. "OH you have your own blog?"
"Yes ma I do."
"What is the name of it?"
"Doesn’t matter ma.. you don't want to read it.. it is about me."
"Yea.. you are right."
After an audible sigh on my part I get back on topic.
"So do you now understand what a blog is?"
"Yes I think I do.. it is one of those annoying things that pops up when I am trying to find something online and I have close about 20 of them."

Goodbye ma.

A Letter to a Train

2010-02-09T06:42:00.000-05:00

Dear Amtrak Northeast Regional 84,

I do understand that this past weekend put a crippling dump of snow on your beautiful tracks that stretch from Richmond to NYC, and for that I am very sorry. I know that the trees that have fallen over your tracks have to be heavy and probably bruised you in places. It does not escape me that the snow laying on you is cold and you could probably use a Meespurr or a good stiff shot of Brandy to keep you warm. For all of these things I am incredibly sorry.

It is my understanding that Mother Nature is not quite finished beating you up and calling for another round of 10 to 20 inches of the white not so warm stuff to fall along your NoVA corridor later today and into tomorrow. I am offering to go beat up Mother Nature for you at this point, I mean she is just being down right MEAN, and you are my friend and I like to protect my friends.

Because I have offered to protect you and stand up and fight for you, I believe this means you can come out of hiding. There is no reason for you to hide in the garage like a coward anymore! Get out of there and back on your run ... remember the little train that could? "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!!!"?? Now is your turn little train.. THINK YOU CAN.

Your Friend,
Re

PS. If you don't come out of that garage by Thursday morning at 6 am... I will in fact turn to other means of transportation to get me the HELL OUT OF HERE and our friendship will be OVER.

Hillbilly Gothic

The End of Words

Proof this photographer is an idiot....

Much to my complete and utter..

Cleaning...

Self Portrait Project

Weird things just happen to us...

Hey there Ho there...

Welcome to hell where it all starts to come out...

Do I even exist?

With Regret

Soulmate

Happy 70th Birthday John.

Mathews County Blog

Adventures with kitties...

Two of my greatest loves...

A touch of fall

The smell of money....

Pre Approval Needed

I am just stopping by

Tis' Thursday...

I am...

MURDER at Whalehead...

Not my legacy...

QT

New Point Comfort Light a different view...

Legacy...

Post Blogfest Funkiness

Sometimes things just come to me outta the closet....

somehow....

She really is not hallucinating... or dilusional

Blogfest 2011

A good morning apology

And it has begun...

And this is how my Tuesday went...

Somehow I am in shock...

The Pet

Ellen Marie

Recipe 4th of July weekend...

The proof I am officially insane...

Happy 16th Birthday My Sweet Angel

It's July....

Now for the rest of the story...

For all of you patiently awaiting an update.....

There is something compelling me ...

I was told to update so update I did.

26.25 Miles

Begging is not beneath me ya know.

Post 200 and a special request...NAME THIS TEAM!!!

For a Good Cause... Relay for Life... Mathews

They are growing UP....

Happy Friday!!!!!

A poll of sorts..

Mathews Monday! Updated with a slight correction!

Saying Sunday

She needs to get by with a little help from her friends.

RE'Sycled Wednesday

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Let's put this in Perspective...

I have a problem with numbers....

Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall

What is today again??

Help! I need somebody...

Out of Order

Why I love my Sister Person

The kid just needs to catch a break...

I will be back

A letter of thank you...

Little Boy Blue

I'm gonna miss you my sonEven though it hurts the way it ended upI'd do it all againSo play it sweet in heaven'Cause that's right where you want to beI'm not cryin' cause I feel so sorry for youI'm cryin' for me

I sit here in stunned silence.

I Take Requests...sorta

RE'Sycled Wednesday

Happy 30th Birthday Wes!!!!

Manic Monday...

Saturday Update: What the Sam Hill is that??!!??

Leave a Message at the Beep

Fun Facts Friday

In Training

RE'Sycled Wednesday

I'm gonna miss you my son
Even though it hurts the way it ended up
I'd do it all again
So play it sweet in heaven
'Cause that's right where you want to be
I'm not cryin' cause I feel so sorry for you
I'm cryin' for me