Three Things (and) New Year's Eve ....

I don't know if I want to continue this series in 2017 - what I'm thinking is to write out daily gratitude, but perhaps not to limit it to three ... or to write extensively on one.  Hmmm.  As for this day --

1.  Altho sore, my legs are working, to where I'm able to walk around; and I'm very, very grateful that despite any & all physical limitations, I was able to help out a friend last night when she truly needed help +

2.  Delilah, 

3.  and Big Mom,

4.  and those who love them as much as I do!

Three Things Friday the eve of the eve ;)

1.  Christmas presents! that include a new vacuum via gift card, and --

2.  -- the opportunity to have the greatest burger evah! if I felt up to it.

3.  The ability to make that road trip at all.

Three Things Thurs Dec 29th

And God bless all my friends having a rough time of it +

1.  Netflix serving up even more tv that I'm actually interested in, than Amazon Prime :)  (Wait ... I haven't checked their Bluebloods situation - but, so far ....!)

2.  With a melted cat on the lap or curled up on the desk AND

3.  A 'spare' ;)  in the kitchen (for right now, anyway ...)

Three Things December 27th

1.  One sleeping cat on the desktop, another taking a refreshing microwave-top nap.

2.  So much available online @ the ends of my hands!

3.  Surprise gifts, like Christmas wreaths (please see my Facebook status for that story!)

I forgot ;- ! Three Things Christmas to Tues December 27th

1.  Peacefulness within my own home.

2.  A (usually ...) working internet.

3.  Plenty of kitty-cat food!  Meoooow!

Three Things Christmas Eve 2016

There are those in this small community tonight who lost their apartments to a raging fire - I am saddened for them; grateful for the others in this and nearby communities who will reach out to help them in whatever ways that they can (meals, clothes, a place to sleep, the necessities of life - there's a donation bin already @ Family $  ...) ... grateful that I have the proverbial roof over my head, for myself, Delilah, and Big Mama!!!  Grateful for everyone that has so much blessed us this Christmas, beyond anything!!!  ... Can I possibly think of three more things?! --

1.  That - when someone thinks of my cats - the first thought that comes to their mind is "entirely edible" ;)

2.  The winning shows I can access on Amazon Prime (tho there should be far more available, Amazon!) until mid-Jan.

3.  Sitting and marinating with one (sometimes two!) cats while I do the above!

Three things Friday December 23d

1.  That everything turned out with Dave's eye last night (and that I was able to assist)!  My friend///neighbor was rushed to hospital by ambulance because some cleaning solution got splashed into his eyes when he was struggling to open a new bottle.

2.  Amazon Prime !

3.  Lap Delilah while I watch #2!

Three Things for Thurs Dec 22d

1.  Santa arriving early with gift cards - that buy cat food AND a book on prayers for anxious hearts!

2.  The ability to drive, and 3.  The vehicle to drive (LORD, preserve it!)

Three things Weds December 21st

1.  Christmas invitations!

2.  My friends new-to-him jeep, from a surprise loan!

3.  As frustrated as I am with what's not on Amazon Prime, there are good things to watch that are!

Hey ... where's her Three Things?! ;)

These big companies like to give you the big come-on, but there's always a catch - take Amazon, for example.  "Try Prime free for a month!" - sure, sure - but you need plastic to hold that free month!  Well ... I received a gift card for filling out a survey and so NOW I'm buried in the tv shows I started watching and have missed the last two, three seasons of :)  I'll cancel it in just a few weeks, because I can't afford Prime ... but, for now, I'm watching Bluebloods and The Americans!  (another come-on: one show I can only watch if I'm subscribed to Showtime - boo, hiss!!!)  So I am very, very grateful, and tv watch binging, and haven't even been on Facebook for a couple of days, which is unheard of for me ;)  

Ok, so WHAT ELSE am I grateful for?!! 

1.  A library of magazines, catalogs, and books - and considering I often read while I watch ...

2.  Good things to eat for kitty-cats and person!

3.  The God-given gift of my writing ... fan-fiction, they call it; I call it "fixing what the writers did wrong"  ;)

It was the cat's pajamas!

A while back now, a dear friend was invited to a house party ... and - when she was filling me in on the event - she ALSO spoke about how wonderfully clean and pretty the house was! which was in sharp contrast to where and how she was currently living en famille  ...

This is one of the things that went through my mind last evening, as I went to the country house beautiful, something out of a magazine, house, of two friends of mine, for a Christmas party ... It wasn't the Jeannee-clutter of having the contents of a house, squished into a 3 room with bath, apartment .... And it was something else, too:  it was a testament of the "made with love" that this couple has had over the past 30 years of marriage and everything that has gone into building a life, together.  I've lived around that, visited extensively around that (as in last evening, with an abundance of grab and go foods that were perfect for visiting over!) -- but I've never had that, because no other human being has ever decided that aging (gracefully or not!) with me is worthwhile.  Dear Sweet CoCo hung in nearly twenty years, God bless her! but no one who has ever claimed that they love me in a couple relationship ....

So last night was many things - Christmastime-energized!  Fun fellowship under God's aegis! my most favorite, YUMMY!, style of Christmas cookies!  Energetic singing led out by my dear friend and truly talented, coffeehouse-style, singing friend Rosemary! -- but it was also the above ....................................................................

(Early) Three Things for Friday December 16th

I have a dinner party invitation tonight, and - even tho it is bitter cold, with the kiss of the artic blast making even my heavy coat and bundling up nearly noneffective! (as I discovered this a.m., around mid-morning, NOT early, early) -- I have been looking forward to this since I was invited! So, I'm publishing early (and maybe later???) ....

1.  My fingers can type, my keyboard works, my electric works, my computer works, my brain works,  my Internet is ON!

2.  I have a phone - not something I'm always grateful for, admittedly!, but I know I should be very, very grateful because It. Has. Been. Provided.

3.  Every single time I feel the holidays are taking an X-Acto knife to my heart, God shows up - in friends, in videos, in my cats ... God is EVERYWHERE!!!  (Gee, that reminds me of the old saying - 'Jesus Is Coming - Look Busy!'  ;) )

Three Things, Thurs, December 15th

1.  Good naps! ... and apartments that finally warm-up, when you do it the "Poverty Flats" way ;)

2.  Finding more notebooks to write in.

3.  Drinking out of the same cups my parents once did.

Three Things Weds, Dec. 14th

1.  I am tremendously blessed, to have the friends that I do!!!

2.  I'm online, and thus I'm connected to so many, many terrific persons :) plus information and "tv" (Youtube videos).

3.  Delilah and Big Mama ... whenever I'm upset, our bonds have deepened with there constant attention - especially from, but not limited to!, Miss Delilah (after all ... she learned it from her cat-mom : ) !)   Delilah is very much 'the necklace' when I need one ... and Big Mama is a great comfort on her side of the bed, with her pillow, her blanket, and her Raggedy Ann's ;)

Hey! What happened to Three Things for Tues the 13th?!!

The Brits cover everything from an infected hangnail, to recovery from quad bypass surgery, when they say "oh ... she was unwell."  So, essentially, that's what happened to me on Tues!  However, I can still recall Three Things --

1.  Loving friends!

2.  Being able to pray and see what Providence is, in my life  + + +

3.  Plenty of food in the house :)

Three Things Sunday December 11th

1.  Christmas pierogi's!  A dear friend unexpectedly surprised me with $ inside a Christmas card.  I'm no Martha Stewart, doing a pictorial with Big Martha on making them completely homemade ;)  I'm that girl who buys them frozen and then boils them - but at $10 a bag now ;-  So you can see why I'm so happy!!!   YUM!  (As I tried to draw a word picture for someone, think of them like Polish Ravioli's, with cheese and potato inside.)

2.  NOT grateful about seeing freezing rain in the forecast for later on this week BUT grateful knowing I should have enough supplies to stay inside :)

3.  PLENTY of cozy blankets!

Three things Saturday Dec 10th

1.  Online friends who become friends of the heart (I know, I know ... I'm repeating myself, but it's on my list again today because.)

2.  The gift of a little baby Christmas tree!  My dear friend is moving and she doesn't want to take it with her. (Oh dear ... let's hope my black thumb doesn't do away with it!)

3.  Christmas cards in the mail!  Christmas cards to write!

Three Things Friday December 9th

1.  Today is the birthday of a former work friend that I remember being so supportive and a really nice guy, so that brings a happy memory and a prayer that all is well with him + grateful he was in my life! especially at a job that I truly grew to despise!!!

2.  I've been going through an IBS 'attack' - its slowed down some, but is still going on, somewhat ... why am I putting that on my Three Things list?!  .... well, as I've mentioned, I've been doing little bits of cleaning here and there - and last evening I found a box with more bathroom spray - just when mine was almost out, too ;)  Three (or four?) different varieties, no less!  Even found some Jean Nate splash (ironically, because its also the birthday of an old friend who used to call me that as a nickname ;) ) and now my bowl smells really nice ;)~~~

3.  So ... I'm going through this IBS attack ... and ... my walking has been pretty darnedy good! with only a couple of near-whoopsies!  

Three Things Thurs December 8th

1.  Its truly amazing how even a tiny, tiny bit of housekeeping can make a HUGE difference (at least, to the one residing in it - mebbe not to 'outsiders' ;)  )

2.  Friends of the heart you can meet online, especially ones that by geography and/or circumstance, you may not have otherwise met.  We truly do live in amazing times!

3.  Plenty to read (and pass along, too - bless you, Booksavers!!!) !

Three things, Weds, Dec 7th

1.  Judy's miracle!

2.  Filled out a supermarket survey and won a gift card :)

3.  Two cats who love to be by me (stop being so annoyed when they hog everything, Jean!)

Three Things Tues. Dec. 6th

1.  The absolute power of prayer +  the power of a God that knows no time - no past, present, or future - but is timeless + the power of the Internet to be utilized for such things as prayer and spiritual food - praise God, indeed!  +  From Denis & Cathy Nolan, to Slice of Lyme & The Frey Life - the examples are BOUNDLESS!!!  Praise God, indeed + + + + + + + 

2.  Big Mama taking her perch on top of the computer so that I can type this out with the keyboard flat on the desk ;)  thank you, dear!  nice getaway you have - up higher, that kitty-cats purrfer!

3.  And Delilah - how can I not name the soft and quite warm 'melted cat', that sits so often on my lap? ... and is learning to gently tap (well .. sometimes!) instead of grabbing me with a paw with nails out (no! no!)

Three Things Monday December 5th

I am a sad woman today ... I almost positive this has been behind (pun intended!) my IBS attack over the past several days.  I was just journaling it out, to get it out.  And now the daily alarm has been set (the one where I pray for my country and my minister) and - now, along with that - I have self-'promised' to write three things.  This is a tough, tough day for it, but I'm sure its going to help! so, here goes .....

1.  That I WASN'T that woman who fell in Food Lion around 5.30 this afternoon, when my shoe hit what turned out to be gum someone had rudely spit on the floor - my foot did go flying, but my two hands on the carriage and amazingly, my other leg, supported me, until I get my shoe off and figure it all out.  So yes I am grateful I'm not at RMH, I wasn't rushed by ambulance, my friend Rosemary got to say hello to me and didn't see me in a heap, and that I am home to type this out, with Delilah on my lap!!!

2.  That I KNOW - I absolutely know without the shadow of a doubt - that my God is beside me in each and every one of my challenges - I am never, ever alone - and often the receiver of miracles + 

3. The practical things - coffee, non-dairy creamer, saltines for my stomach.

Three Things Sunday December 4th

1.  That I can express God through the gift of writing He has blessed me w/

2.  That I'm NOT hitting the bottle; that there are online places to go, for sobriety.  MANY!  Staying Cyber is one.  There are email groups, too ... and real-time meetings!

3.  That - if my health holds - I can go with someone this week to be a support person at an extremely difficult challenge-time of her life.

three things sat dec 3

1, 2,3.  having 2 type this in awkward position because of two loving cats - one on top of my desk!

Three Things Friday December 2d

1.  There's no shortage of Brit crime on Youtube - thank goodness!

2. A gorgeous gift of a CASE! of shrimp raman noodles :)

3. Being able to nourish my girls w/ special Fancy Feast today!

Three things Weds Nov 30th

1.  I am typing this early because I don't want to forget to thank God for an ADDITIONAL! can of cat food on a newly revised sale :)

2.  Plenty of Thanksgiving leftovers to eat - yum!

3.  Lots of spiritual videos to watch (and to read, too)

Three Things Tues Nov 29th

Right about now, I'm so mad, I could spit ... so hopefully this will remind me that I have at least three things to be grateful for!

1.  The 'treatment' of two loving cats on my wounded soul (especially Delilah the melted lap cat)... and having just enough food for now, for them, too!

2.  Being someplace dry, with heat, with locks, with safety.

3.  God's people that act like it - 'nuff said!

A P.S. to this is that - after I posted this - a dear friend knocked on my door with two overstuffed plates of Thanksgiving food, and that put another blessing, another piece of gratitude, on this day that especially needed one!!

Three things Monday November 28th

1.  All that good Thanksgiving food I had to eat!  Its all gone now, but the good memories remain :)

2.  Books to read (especially spiritual); videos to watch.

3.  Being in my own apt. while it is so gusty and chilly outside!

Three Things Sunday November 27th

1.  2 cats that love me, one melted on my lap as I type!

2.  Friends, especially but certainly not limited to! those that are long-distance that I stay in touch w/ via telephone & social media.  AND especially! for the friend that provides the phone in the first place !

3.   The God-given talent to write, and multiple pens to do so w/.

Three things Saturday November 26th

1.  Plenty of Thanksgiving leftovers!

2.  My Facebook memory recalled a year we had a heavy, wet snow on this day ... I'm glad that's not this year ;-

3.  People to write ty cards for #friendsthatlove

Three things November 25, 2016

1.  Time spent with friends in a project, having fun while doing so, is the literal more fun than a barrel of monkeys ;)  Mebbe it was such an enjoyable day too because I didn't try to put myself into doing what I knew wasn't my strength, but turned those things over to those alongside me, who held such talents ...

2.  People who give gifts for cats!

3.  Cats who hang on you when you return!

Three Things Thanksgiving

1.  The easy-going, at-home, holiday that I wanted - WITH! a surprise THREE PLATES OF THANKSGIVING FEAST! from a friend!!!  From the sample I've had, I can truly say I like Ruthie's cooking style! ... and ... God bless her and her loved ones +

2.  Little bit of dizzy earlier but the legs are doing ok and if they're not, I have another blessed friend to thank for helping me put my best foot forward +

3.  My tummy says HELP! I'M SQUISHED! YOU NEVER EAT THIS MUCH IN ONE LITTLE DAY ANYMORE ;)  Thank you, God, and bless all my benefactors who made all this food today possible + + +

Three Things Eve of Thanksgiving

1.  Spoiler Alert ;)  I have everything in-house for a quiet, comfy Thanksgiving @ home, including for BIG Mama and Delilah (Fancy Feast!)... and God extra-bless those who have helped to put this all together$!

2.  Being able to read the notes on this page - and God be with those, who are blind + all they struggle with, not knowing day from night, medical procedures that can be worse than what you've already got!, and especially their caregivers + + + 

3.  Feeling chic in a Tastees Sub shop t and purple 'home' pants ;)  

Three things Tues Nov 22d

1.  That there was sun today - a chilly, winter sun, but nevertheless ! - and that I was able to see it and to experience it a bit, too (always trying to remember what my dear friend Morning Song taught me ... 15 minutes a day ...)

2.  Beautiful Thanksgiving cards in the mail!

3.  The bulk of food I'm piling-up, for my own special, quiet, just me and the cats, holiday (only two more days! )

Three Things Sunday November 20th

1.  The ability to sit and bingewatch videos (even if some of the tv shows are ones I've already watched) w/ Delilah on my lap (the sensational melted cat syndrome, you know :) ) and Big Mama nearby.

2.  Voluminous cat food, thanks to benefactors!

3.  Text messages popping up with everything from coconut cake, to prayer requests!

Three Things saturday November 19th

1.  Teaching the young man stranded at the register @ Dollar General what washi tape is ... and then being able to make my dear friend Hil laugh, in the midst of her circumstances, when I repeated it ;)

2.  Finding someone exactly dead on point with me vis-a-vis voting and Donald Trump (A Catholic in Brooklyn) AND reading it with a Delilah sleeping on my lap, too!

3.  Food in the house.

Three things Friday November 18th

1.  I got not one but TWO! jars of peanut butter at the local food pantry today :)

2.  My friend Mary came down and Delilah -the original scaredy-cat - not only has 'warmed-up' to Mary so much - she knew she needed cat snuggles ... jumped up on her lap, curled up, and slept in all sorts of interesting, 'only a cat could sleep like THAT!', poses, for quite a long time :)

3.  Being able to assist a couple of neighbors @ 4:11 this morning (and isn't THAT a story! ...)

3 things Thurs, November 17th

1.  That I have a good friend like Kevin that I can cry my little heart out to about a changing life situation and be completely upfront ... with Delilah lap-hugging me 

2.  That I'm free of being upset about not hearing any invitations to join someone & their family for that holiday next week ... already in my kitchen I have a box of Stovetop Stuffing (on sale at Wal-Mart), a can of corn, frozen rolls, and a box of elbows (the last three, all thanks to the Blessed Sacrament Food Pantry, God bless them!)-- for which I plan on getting tuna and making a generous sized noodle salad because thats what I like to eat, too!, in addition to turkey lunchmeat for sandwiches.  May wipe my eyes at past holidays but then again I most likely won't be walking into any heavy-duty family situations that can be 'delicate', and I can keep up my classic pattern of eating all the stuffing :)  This is on my list because it all just started falling together earlier today.

3.  Sobriety; (mental) sanity; GOD.

Three Things

I've been experiencing problems with Blogger - i.e. videos no longer post (or go missing!), as well as other content I try to export ... so ... that puts me back to posting original content!  I was reading a devotional that said to name three specific things from your day's events for which u r grateful!  Since Delilah and Big Mama are so usual for me to always list, let me find three other things from today, Weds, November 16th :

1.  When I did get really, REALLY sick today - I was home.  It didn't happen while I was out and about - thank GOD!

2.  As much as I'm disappointed I can't share content, I am grateful that I do have the computer and the electric! to watch content ... while so many things I can't see because of my ongoing problems with trying to figure out Adobe flash plug in updates (my eyeballs are already almost bleeding, talking about it ... ), there is still a lot!!! I can watch on YouTube :)  

3.  Because of an offer on one of those videos, I may just be able to get 20 custom-made cards - free!  IF that works out, I'll be very, very grateful :) because I want them to have my current picture and especially be able to send them to people I love who don't have computer access.

Chosen (BAFTA Winning Documentary) - Real Stories

Kristine's Story - Battlefield of the Mind

Slice of Lyme 10-17-16: Keep Courage Even When You Feel Sick

More kitty cat Halloween decor

Why its better to pray, pray, pray +

Dreams & Visions - Jane Hamon (J1636)

Dreams & Visions - Jane Hamon (J1636): Author and Pastor Jane Hamon shares how God has supernaturally used dreams and visions in her life, and, how we can begin to understand the dreams and visions God gives to us.

Life today in Vilnus, including pizza & 'American Cheat Day'

Episode 23 - Love Is Love

In such a visual age, we can all see the discomfort of disabling illnesses ...

25+ Ways to Celebrate National Coffee Day

25+ Ways to Celebrate National Coffee Day

My new favorite song: XELΛRΛIN - Coffee Shop

XELARAIN - Purple Magic - Chill Instrumental

Ode to the near-perfect vacuum ....

My sweet little Delilah sometimes likes to sleep on the kitchen counter, with her head protectively hovering over the dish of dry kibble I leave out all the time in case of a 'cat snack attack' ... well, when I woke up this afternoon, I discovered that apparently her head had gone all the way in (must have been a good dream!) and - pop! overended the dish and now I had kibble-carpet : ok, almost anything would be an improvement on this rug, but ;)

... not a problem, I figured:  I'd vacuum it up ... now, me and vacuuming are not usually friends, because of my back problems ... over the years, I've 'test-driven' many a so-called 'lightweight' vacuum, and even the high-end Oreck was too much for me to push and pull!  This vacuum I purchased from Wal-Mart when I moved here; I didn't need to plug it in, just push it back and forth - you should have seen the looks I got in the store when I did that ;)~~  I believe it was called a stick vacuum; it cost around twenty-two bucks; and - for almost the past five years, it has repeatedly shown me that even a nasty indoor-outdoor rug can actually look halfway decent after it has a pass at it!; that it can suck-up the kitchen lino, too; and even did a fine job, when borrowed for a temporarily vacuumless friend w/ a 70s shag ....

.... said sort-of-turquoise-y odd colored vacuum generally lives in the closet, when it's not being "Fred" that would scare the daylights out of CoCo, previously, and Delilah, currently ... however... the last time I went to put it away - sigh.  Look:  there was a bunch of Jean-clutter by the closet, and I was having kind of a wobbly day; ergo, I sort of did a short toss over everything, it landed leaning against the closet door, and - ok! that works! .....

.... so, now we have the kibble avalanche ... and ... I reached over everything and grabbed "Fred" - only to find out my previous toss had broken it ;-  I was half-surprised - because you have to smack the dust catcher bin back on and that's never hurt it - half-not, because of the whole "disposable trendwear" line of how things are stitched together (or not!) currently .... 

... well,  I thanked the vacuum for its cleaning service, and walked it to the dumpster ... and came back in to try to sweep up the cat food - which worked surprisingly well!  --- 

-- but -- yeahhhh.  Will I be able to find (ok - afford?!!!)  another Fred?!! --

-- ahhh, Fred:  even if I didn't tell you I loved you, as you sucked in all the stuff that landed on this skin-ripping-textured rug - you were very much appreciated!  Sorry your ending was so --

-- ruff.

Why Being Broke Has Been A Blessing

Manasquan Beach. The Surf, The Sand, The Sounds, The Serenity. The Memor...

The most intense documentary, on the most important subject

"You always hear about it" ------

You always hear about it—
a waitress serves a man two eggs
over easy and she says to the cashier,
That is the man I’m going to marry,
and she does. Or a man spies a woman
at a baseball game; she is blond
and wearing a blue headband,
and, being a man, he doesn’t say this
or even think it, but his heart is a homing bird
winging to her perch, and next thing you know
they’re building birdhouses in the garage.
How do they know, these auspicious lovers?
They are like passengers on a yellow
bus painted with the dreams
of innumerable lifetimes, a packet
of sepia postcards in their pocket.
And who’s to say they haven’t traveled
backward for centuries through borderless
lands, only to arrive at this roadside attraction
where Chance meets Necessity and says,
What time do you get off?



"Love at First Sight" by Jennifer Maier from Dark Alphabet

YOU'RE NOT ALONE! (9.10.16)

Jeremy Kyle 9/11 families 10 years on from September 11th

9/11 Remembered - A Day of Infamy ... but also Miracles!

Holly Hofmann, Flute | Mike Wofford, Piano

Looking out the clear window, on the 3.10 train to Yuma

 Note: The following commentary includes details from the movie 3:10 to Yuma. Do not read on if you prefer not to read about the film before viewing it. The first image in the film 3:10 to Yuma shows a teenage boy in bed, reading a dime novel called The Deadly Outlaw. As this remake of …



http://catholicexchange.com/seeing-film-through-a-worldview-lens-and0151-310-to-yuma

Best UK crime show ever! 30th anniversary lookback

Walking Through Auschwitz | WARNING: Actual footage of entire camp

Esther Day 2016

Turning around a stressed, frustrated day

Stanley's Wake-up Call: Triumph, over Adversity

What the end of the road looks like ... beautiful!

THE FREY LIFE - YEAR ONE

Prophetic???

Let me preface this by saying that I've researched dreams since I was 15 - nothing quite as profound as a John Paul Jackson or Perry Stone, but 'enough to be dangerous' ;) ... so this one truly disturbed me, yes it did!  One friend with sensitive leanings said it could be within my family and not directly related to me ... but considering how small that family is ;-  I absolutely could not get myself back to sleep for over 12 hours after I had this dream, because I certainly have had dreams that continue ... and I didn't want to hear anymore ;-  So, without further ado --
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was sitting here @ my desk on my computer as always ... and there was a knock at my door.  Opened the door and --

There was my beloved Dad!  (Yes, he was wearing the clothes I buried him in.)  He looked the same as always except he had a black eye - which he attributed to changing my license plate ... he came inside, and I was very excited and happy to see him, and we were hugging, laughing, and talking, and he met my two cats, and even Delilah who is man-phobic took to him right away (I'd seen that happen in real life with a doggy like that) and then -- all of a sudden I stopped and said, "You're dead.  Oh my God, have you come back to take me?!"

He sighed and smiled at the same time, and replied, "Well yeahhh ....I asked them to send me back a few days ahead, because - I know you, doll!  You need to clean that desk off there and just leave the papers that those who find your body will need; what to do with your cats...."  He was exasperated with me when I said I hadn't filled ANY of them out - I quickly replied that if I wrote a letter, stating my wishes - even not notarized or anything - if I left it on top of my desk, and then - something happened to me ... - it would be considered a 'dying declaration', wouldn't it?! and I could put in there what to do with my cats and all the stuff that I have, et al.  "Alright, doll ... I'll give you a few days to do that ... and then I'll be back - alright, honey???"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What happened at that point was a dear friend woke me with the phone - and I was ever so grateful!!! ...  

Was Dad poking me in the eye, so to speak, telling me to get stuff together that I should've?  Or....???!?????

Grace, when life goes upside-down

" they didn’t live as victims"

Beilue: Gillette twins overcome mother's murder, graduate top of class at Bushland | Lubbock Online | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Reagan Gillette was asleep in her bedroom after 1 a.m. Aug. 22, 2010, when she was startled by three Potter County deputies with flashlights. Do you know where your mom is, they asked. There were noises in the garage.

Whom Do You Trust??? ... To trust means, to put confidence in.

Writer's note:  I was so hurt & so upset when I wrote this, that it's actually taken me a week and a half to figure out what happened here - and I almost wanted to then delete this post ... but have instead decided to leave it up and simply add ... "Hello"
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I can name at least one dear friend - I'll call him 'Mr Maps' - would tell me not to write this post ... but, ya know what, now???  Its my blog!  So here it goes ... sad to say, I guess I'll have to get into a dissertation (AKA Edith Bunker story ;) ) for this to make sense why it's upsetting me so ...

The year my beloved daddy died, I was very grateful to have 'Dr Belgian' in my corner ... because ... in addition to losing him (bad enough, that!), I lost a number of friends, too:  some died (some unexpectedly and too early, a theme in my life, but nevertheless, hard stuff!); some turned their backs on me - one a friend of 19 years who was supposed to have co-conducted my father's funeral but didn't, who gave me a reason - seeing a flag in my life that I seemed to be ignoring - but in all the time since then, has not reconnected or given me 'the WHOLE story' .... an on-again, off-again, friend of 13 years, who was nevertheless dedicated to staying plugged-in with my dad even when we weren't talking ourselves, and who did so via email after I dragged my grieving self all the way to her house for two special days I just didn't feel like celebrating ... my fellow coffee-lover, my daughter, who had finally come back into my life, praise God! answered prayers! and who then went squirrely ... and at the end of going round and round with all these huge losses - including the loss of my childhood home, because I couldn't afford to pay the taxes and I refused to rent out rooms to Craigslist strangers if I couldn't trust a blood relative!, a friend of double-digit years, who helped me relocate above and beyond, and then - completely turned her back on me and stopped talking.  In a city and state where I had never been and knew only one other soul.  My gut said to recycle myself and my two doggys back to our home state - because it happened so soon, I wasn't even unloaded or unpacked - but I felt 'maybe God wants me here ...???' and so I stayed for 3.5 years and while there were a couple of truly God things about living there -- I should have listened to my gut, because at the end I was so stuck I could hardly put food inside the kitchen cabinets.  And, speaking of listening - have still not heard from that friend and have no idea why she did what she did, either.  This was the friend who sent me a package faithfully every Friday for years, with all sorts of wonderful things like doggy treats, address labels she printed out herself, newsworthy items, and etc., and you see I wasn't going to miss that, was I?!, because after all! we would be living and seeing each other all the time! - weren't we?!!

In the time I've lived here now, my life has been quieter ... the phonograph record of grief and loss has pretty much stopped spinning, except for my beloved CoCo, and I've had time to. just. be. to. just. heal.  And I knew that it would work this way, here, that I would become 'an adaptable bird', because I've lived here previously, and returned for the beauty of the people and the beauty of the area ...

A year ago, someone else moved here, too .... someone I didn't know, but who became a very, very cherished friend.  Oh, there were so many things to like about this person!  From a surprise postcard and remembering me with newspapers when he traveled, to traveling to the places I'm now able to access because of his photographs, to shared interests - even to the unshared interests .. because this person isn't a clone.  And there are areas we are wildly divurgent on.  And that was even something that made them a good friend! because we would hit those spots -- smile -- say 'we agree to disagree!' -- and change the subject.  No dramarama, which my sensitive self truly can't take any more of, and wants to put in the ancient history file, thank you! so - how truly welcome that all was!

Yes, past tense.

The day that the tragedy in Nice happened, we were sitting outside on a lovely summer evening with a mutual friend ... and, naturally, the event came up in conversation.  To the best of my recollection, we weren't even at a point of nearing any wildly divurgent viewpoints - we were simply discussing the facts, 'Joe Friday' ... and then --

He did something he had NEVER done before: he cursed at me in a foreign language (that I actually caught a few words of, and it wasn't 'Happy Birthday') and stormed away, back into his apartment ;-  Said mutual friend was gobsmacked, and she continues to remain bewildered, and slightly hurt (its a sensitive time of year for her - one of her sons died at 49 years old at this time, last year), and dropping broad hints that even I can't miss, about - where is he?! - meaning - don't you two have an email connection?!!  

I was - astonished ... but honestly didn't think what I couldn't translate meant "the end".  So ... I waited.  An email.  A knock at my door.  Something .... Mr. Maps at one point advised me to 'make the first move', and I couldn't!  It was like with what happened with Nan, and with Pat -- what the hell happened?!  I don't have a CLUE!  Where's Vanna White so I can at least buy a vowel?!!

As this has gone on, I've tried -- I've tried to pray.  I've tried to let it go.  I've tried talking about it (in briefer forms) to those whom I confide in.  I've tried not to feel like it's the days of yore again, when that terrible awful year happened that had Dad and Yolanda and Donna and Nan and Brianne and Sue and Pat and moving, but the tsunami has knocked me sideways, just the same.  I can't put a fastener over my heart, put on a happy face, and go on with everything - I've never been the poker-faced gal, anyway.  I'm no Sigourney Weaver fan, but just walking through my own apartment and seeing little things from this person threatens to rip my heart through my stomach, like in the movie 'The Alien' ... so I've been cleaning other things, and burying myself with my cats and my computer and my coffee and my cigarettes.

Wondering how I arrived at this place again.

EMOTIONAL SUNSET CRUISE! �� (7.19.16)

How Kimberly got clean & sober ....

Sorry, Charles - it just makes it feel -- long ....

"We believe the LORD is in control, and keeps His promises, then we must trust ... that our hardships have a purpose ..."  Charles Stanley

Facebook has come up with this new feature in which it brings up to your newsfeed, some status update you shared years ago, and gives you the option to reshare it again ... several of my friends have done so, usually with updates ....

This morning I logged on FB and I saw a memory I did not necessarily want to recall:  the day that I went out in 100 degree heat, to the Community Action Board, to obtain a borrowed window a/c unit, so CoCo and I could survive without getting heatsick.

This woman here knows that it's a spot of gratitude, that they had such a service available, and that it is a reminder to stop and pray for them and all the good they do for others in the previous community where I resided .....

But this is not one of these recalled memories that have me looking wistfully back at another time and place - it reminds me of financial hardship; it reminds me and brings back up all the resentments I have against a certain a/c service dealership that manipulated and misinformed me into a system that took the last of my money, was actually delicate and needed babying, and when that didn't happen - because the pretending-to-be-my-friend serviceman didn't bother filling me in that this new heatpump needed constant and professional upkeep - the whole, expensive system blew, leaving us without cooling in the blazing summer, and heat, when the weather turned (we moved right before Thanksgiving, and we were heating with space heaters then), and reduced the sale price of the house itself, because it didn't have a working unit..  And -- I'm sorry, Charles:  it just makes it feel long, when a so-called 'memory' like that pops up on my Facebook feed .... long and tired and hard as nails, and I guess I just need to take a deeper breath and as I said in the last paragraph ... recall the GOOD ONES that have been there, and asking the God of my understanding to bless those, who've been a blessing .....

It was a joke ... or so I 'thought' ....

One of my favorite things are documentaries - not a real surprise, considering I prefer reading non-fiction 9 to 1, and generally only pick up fiction if it comes recommended ... Last evening, I watched a documentary on Gilberto Valle, the so-called 'cannibal cop' in NYC; once you started watching this particular film, especially when you saw that the title involved the words 'thought police', you could see that perhaps the filmmaker was leaning towards the defense's side - i.e. what is said online is pure fantasy and if we convict this man, than we are being Orwellian thought police and going down a slippery slope - or - was it, now??? .......

Let me start by telling you that I thought I knew what the particulars were, but it wasn't until I started watching this movie - and also doing searches on another webpage - that I realized I didn't - and for me personally, that was a caution:  I'm one ready to give my opinion, to tell you what I think, what I believe -- but I didn't have all the facts in this case.  Just. the. facts. m'am.  Yeahhh -- being a writer, there are several fictional detectives - from Andy Sipowicz to the devout Catholic Irishman in 'Naked City' - that I would like to write this out as fiction and 'with him as a boss' ... to work out all the horror and grossness and looming fear I have now that I have the whole story in front of me ....

There was a wife with a newborn who was looking at a husband never joining her in there martial bed, but instead staying up all night long on the computer - so she did what any intelligent woman would do: she installed spyware.  What she found, she brought immediately to the FBI AND moved herself and her baby out of harm's way - kudos to Kathleen!!!  Because what she read was about her husband and these online friends with lists of women, including pictures, including herself, with recon he had been able to do because he was a cop and could access the police database and follow women around the city, and exactly how they planned to kidnap, rape, and then cook and eat, these victims.

The jury heard all of this difficult testimony ... and - while they were all agreed that he had misuse of a police database, so "guilty" - the conspiracy to kidnap was one they had to work-out ... and this movie takes you through that process, including an interview with "Juror X", who remained in darkness, and understandably so! ... Along with this, there were interviews with all types of top psychologists and writers in the field, and you started to put pieces together on your own:  He says he's had these thoughts since he was six - that's around the time of his parents divorce, because his father was verbally abusive to his mother - but this was the first safe place - DarkFetish Net - he ever felt safe enough to talk about them.  And that this was his relief from a highly stressful job - and his mother concurs with that ?!! saying that some would go to a gym but her son did this instead ?!!!  My God, my God!  Its a miracle he actually didn't do any of this, but he sure was highly capable, he sure had more power and access than the average fetish writer, and that trip to Maryland with his wife and daughter wrapped up as an innocent "seeing my old friends from college" trip, surely was recon on one specific potential victim!!!

The jury finds him guilty, and you think that's a blanket statement, and that is THAT.  If it were, I possibly may not even be writing this blog piece ... because a judge overturned it, and he was acquitted ?!!!  Which immediately sent me googling and trying to track him down TODAY .. apparently, he has 'a job in another field', a GIRLFRIEND?!, and is trying to reestablish contact with his child, who is now four years old ... and I for one am scared several ways from Sunday on this subject - are you???

I Am Woman 2016 - Nicole Crank

I Am Woman 2016 - Nicole Crank: Watch Nicole Crank deliver an inspirational message from the 2016 I Am Woman Conference in St. Louis, Missouri.

What a Glass Giraffe Taught Me

Back in the last century, I had a glass giraffe: I collect them, and this one was unique!

And then, she fell, and a couple of little glass legs broke-off ;(

I wasn't ready to let go of her!  She was still beautiful - and now she was disabled, just like myself! ... But - how could she stand up?!

I carefully lay her down (possibly in a drawer) until I could figure something out ...

We traveled - possibly NJ, maybe even OBX - and - being the ocean person I am! - I brought home alot of sand.  Deliberately.  Brought home a good-sized bucket ... which I poured into a fancy bowl and - I buried the glass giraffe upright in it!  No one knew she didn't have all her legs - she was standing proudly on a mountain of beach sand, surrounded by seashells!

I thought of my glass giraffe just a few moments ago when my arm sagged, caught the Virgin Mary in the kitchen who looks with serenity and prayerful hands out on my apartment and towards the front door, and - crash!  She lost her bottom foundation (and slammed my ankle, too, may I add).  She was a Christmas gift and she is a valued part of my home!  But, now ...???

I rushed into my bedroom, one of the places where I have a fancy bowl of seashells - in fact, the same fancy bowl that once held a certain glass giraffe!  I brought that into the kitchen ... dug out a section ... 'planted' the BVM (she leans-up against the wall slightly), and surrounded her with shells - even placed a red Rosary in her already-statued-Rosary hands, that I found buried in the seashells :)

My Protestant friends look askance when they come in here ... but the Lady has been with me (not this actual representation, but the Mother of God herself) since early childhood ... and - at times when the dirt and the casualness of the Catholic institutionalized church disheartens me - I go to God ... and the Lady.

Many crosses and holy pictures in my apartment - oh yes!

And one BVM, standing in a fancy bowl with seashells, where a glass giraffe last lived out her days.

Happy Father's Day in Heaven!

Whatever happened to that 14 year old boy who filmed Marilyn Monroe???

Peter Mangone, Hairstylist to the Stars, Loses Battle with Cancer: Hairstylist to the stars. Salon owner. Guinness World Book of Records-holder. Speed skating champion. Roller Derby star. Throughout his life, Peter Mangone of Fort Lauderdale wore many hats. But what he may be best remembered for was his life-long...

Home Sweet Home, tag

There is a video tag going around YouTube, started by Hilary @ 'My So-Called Home' ... I'm enjoying watching all the stories - but just about everyone seems to be an owner!  I've owned homes before, but not in my current situation ... nor do I record videos.  But - I'm a writer :)  So I'm tagging myself and responding to this tag:

Tag Questions:
1. What is your living situation? Do you rent, own your home, live at home, etc  I'm a renter - something my mother said I'd never be able to do, as I'm so noise-sensitive! 

2. What type of house do you live in? (apartment, townhouse, house, tinyhome, etc)  A brick apartment building, where I am 1 of 16

3. Do you live in the city, suburbs, or country?  Country!  

4. How many people live in your home...who do you live with?  Myself and my two cats, Delilah and Big Mama ... which is a complete sea change from when I moved in!  When I first arrived, I had dear CoCo, a Rottie-Beagle mix, who yes was over the weight limit BUT I was given the geriatric dog exception ;D

5. If you own your home, when did you buy it and how old were you when you bought it?
(if you don't own your own home and rent, when did you move to your home)  6. How long have you lived in your home? Right after Thanksgiving four years (plus six months) ago

7. How many bedrooms? 1

8. How many bathrooms? 1

9. What was the selling point for your home? (what sold you on this place) The last time I lived in this area, I was in a house, in a nearby city ... but had visited someone who lived here - so I already knew the layout and the size of the rooms and what furniture would fit, etc.  And then - I'm on the ground floor - not even one single step! - which is exactly what I (and CoCo at that time) require (d) for health reasons!  

10. What is something you love about your home?  The ground floor-ness ... and that it's a short distance to the most immediate-need stores - 4 miles round-trip!  I often say I go in circles ;)  I moved from a city that was so spread out, it was between three counties (!) and 280 miles in size ... and am originally from very congested and getting worse! central NJ, so ...

11. What is something you hate about your home?  I have this belief that especially any older guy should be a perpetual Mr Fixit Handyman, like my beloved Dad was, and so many others of his generation, but this landlord does no maint. whatsoever - he doesn't even like to spend any money on a permanent maint. person OR have safety in place when his own relatives are doing repairs!  This is a big thing for me, as part of the reason I transitioned to a house was I'm not a handyperson!  If he just did maint., these apartments would be fabulous!!!

12. What is a future project you plan on completing in your home? Clearing up my clutter! which is not too difficult to have in an apartment with only four rooms !

13. What is something you changed in your home immediately after moving in? Curtains, and that was a bear!  First of all, I never even heard of an apartment anywhere being rented-out without standard boring venetians OR hardware in place - until I arrived here, that is!  And you can't go into these walls without a drill, which I don't own!  However, being on the ground floor puts me in the "spotlight", especially in the living room ;-  I first went with a spring tension rod, like you use for showers ... but as the living room window gets all the sun, and the windows are wooden, they "grow" and "shrink" ... so, after the curtain crashing down one too many times, I realized that the packing paper is the exact size of the window and thats what I have taped over it, in the living room!  It works, too, because it can be easily removed - and because I have lots of them!

14. What is something you always wanted to do to your home and never get around to? More bookshelves, but in creative spots, like over closet doors.

15. If you had to do it over again would you rent/buy your current home. If not, why not?  This is a complicated question for me, actually ... I regret selling the home I used to own in a nearby city and wish I had held on to that one, at least!  HOWEVER - if I hadn't moved into THIS building, in THIS town, I wouldn't have had the gift of some very special friends who have been life-changing, even, in some aspects #bffs

16. Does your home have any quirks, if so what are they? Do you like those quirks? Why or why not?``Oh, surely! - and some of which are because he does no maint, so - no! I don't like those quirks! That includes a bare concrete bathroom floor! A neighbors common-wall bathroom flooded through, and what was there, OBVIOUSLY!, had to be ripped-up.  In a small bathroom where I sit on the toilet and my knees almost touch the tub, the landlord said I would need to be out of here three days to replace the floor.  I said - no way! - and went and bought throw rugs from the dollar store to try to warm-up the concrete. ... MY FAVORITE QUIRK :  What "sells" these apartments are the extremely long kitchen counter, which gives separation between an open-area living and kitchen area - and tons of room, obviously!  The surprise I like to spring on people when they first move in is - have you found your secret cabinet yet???  On the living room side, there is a cabinet, and as its right up against where the wall L's, most people don't even realize its there, and just put furniture in front of it, and then they're like - OH!  ;)  

Ahhh....but did they wear sunglasses ...???

An English Girl Rambles 2016: SO, THERE WERE THESE THREE DOGS....: Charlie and Fred discussed politics, world events and beer for the next three hours.   Eventually their wives called ...

Having church in a jewelry store

Its not the evil tidings I'm afraid of - its the healthcare system!

Jeannee shall not be afraid of evil tidings, because her heart is fixed, and she trusts in God ~ Psalm 112:7

"These are the same symptoms you presented with in Jan.," my primary care - about as frustrated as I am - said earlier this afternoon when I handed her a list of my symptoms ... and filled her in on the neuro who said one thing in his office (you probably won't present with lesions, so we'll go by symptoms) and then another thing through his nurse (essentially, you have SEVERE fibromyalgia, and I really am needed for the serious MS patients - you need to see a rheum.) ....

This is the only brand of healthcare within an hour (they've swallowed everything) and I have complete confidence in my primary care (Donna) even tho she works in the system --

-- and that's where she got jammed up, too ... Ok, Jean, we'll do THIS:  We'll do a blood draw to rule out lupus, et al ... we'll refer you to rheum ... and then after you see the rheum, call for an appt and come back to see me.

I've had fibromyalgia since 1988 - dx 1990 - and these are completely new symptoms that have been getting progressively worse over the past several years - and she knows this, too, of course...

And so ... here we are.   

Mebbe Donna and I should sing "Stuck in the Middle With You"?!!

Litany of Compassion for the Sick, by Father Peter John Cameron

Response after each sentence:  LORD, be close to give Your comfort.

When pain or distress is overwhelming

When the healing process goes slower than hoped

When terrified of treatments or therapy

When it's hard to let go of long-held plans

When the feeling of alienation arises

When worn out or weary

When troubled by impatience and negativity

When loneliness leads to anxiety

When sickness makes it difficult to communicate

When discouragement or despondency sets in 

When fear makes it impossible to face the future

When the ravages of disease attack self-esteem

When anger & resentment assail

When beset by worry or fretfulness

When it's hard to rely on others for care

When envy arises toward those who are healthy

When pessimism or cynicism holds sway

When anguish is intensified by the need for reconciliation

When sickness is mistaken for punishment

When loved ones are far away

When sickness causes financial hardship that leads to worry or despair

When afflicted by the feeling of nothing to hope for

When weakness makes it impossible even to think

When friends draw back fearful of disease

When illness makes those who are suffering moody or irritable

When haunted by regret and the shame of past sins

When its difficult to sleep

When there's loss of appetite

When there's resistance to necessary change

 When tempted by denial

When nobody seems to understand

When bound to home or restricted in movement

When listlessness and apathy threaten

When medication seems to make things worse

When all that's needed is a caring touch

When it's impossible to maintain familiar routines

When it's hard to find the strength to go on

When it becomes difficult to pray

When suffering of any sort becomes hard to bear

When death draws near

Most merciful Father, your beloved Son showed special compassion to lepers, tenderness to those long sick, and healing to the infirm laid before him.  We place before you all those who are ill and in need of healing grace.  May the love and mercy of the Divine Physician raise up all who suffer from sickness and restore them to health and peace.  We ask this in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

At The End Of Myself There's God

Like speaking Italian ...

I had a very dear godfather, who was Italian and liked to pepper his verbosity with his native language ... and - altho I was around him all of my life - I couldn't converse in Italian.

I felt the same way as a single mother in my very early twenties - me! the prize babysitter of the development! the one with so many hopes and dreams and ideas for my baby girl!

That's why Michelle Lodzinski's story of what happened with her son Timothy Wiltsey, when she took him to a carnival, always, always resonated with me ... you're young, and you're life hasn't turned out the way you expected, and you're just trying to do the very best job of parenting that you can ... and then something goes horribly wrong.  Your kid goes missing.  And the police come down on you like something out of a bad movie, and twist your words, and confuse you - I understood that part, too, because - altho I never had the unimaginable heartbreak of turning around and your kid is suddenly gone - I did have my own encounter with the police where they turned and twisted me like I was the criminal, instead of the good citizen putting puzzle pieces together.

You grow-up.  You get married again.  You move.  In Michelle's situation, you have two other boys... and by the way, they've never gone missing.  Need I point that obvious statement out - like the other obvious statement: what about that bodybuilder bruiser boyfriend she had at that time in her life, when she was petite and scared and felt like he could be the Boaz she hadn't found out in the Midwest, with Timothy's father ...

They just found her guilty.

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All I can do is pray for her - pray for her family - pray for her two boys, Daniel and Benjamin - and pray, pray, PRAY! that someone submits her case to the Innocence Project.

We are "fierce & indomitable" - and we need to let go of what's from last season

Serving up hope from an old food truck

"When people have known the light, they don't tolerate the darkness for very long"

Love Melina's story, too!

99 years ago today +

First Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima - May 13, 1917 | ANF Articles

Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook, the only female chaplain on the NYPD - Being BLESSED

“B” is for balance –We are mind, body, and spirit. We have put a lot of attention on the mind and the body in life, but now we must also give attention to the spirit.

“L” is for love –Love of God first and then love of yourself. There is a strong emphasis on love care, doing things that matter to you and that matter to God.

“E” is having the energy for the assignment – I believe everyone has an assignment and a season; some are blessed to have more than one, but you have at least one in life and that is why you are spared. You have to have the energy to do it, so whatever it takes, whether that is exercising, sleeping well, eating well, the things that will keep your energy up for God.

The first “S” is for spirit – That is who we live and move and have our being in.

The second “S” is for success – We measure our success by Christ’s standards, not by the world’s.

The second “E” is for encouragement – Keep in the midst of encouraging people who will keep you focused on your journey who you want to be around and who want to be around you and to also be an encourager. One of the biggest things we saw during 9/11 was that people became depressed and really stressed out, so you have to be an encourager and also be in an encouraging environment with people who will nurture you and not beat you down.

“D” is for devotion – Keep your devotional life as a priority. If that means getting up an hour early and spending time with God so that you can go out and face what we have to face, the 9/11s of the world, then have the devotional time, because you can’t make it separated from God.

“My prayer for people is that they will make the time they need for themselves, because we are really not good for others unless we think for ourselves,” Cook concluded. “I thank God that I was a vessel that He felt He could use in a time of crisis. I hope that He knows that He can use me this time.”

"180" Movie

Abortion - Dr. Alveda King (J1390)

Abortion - Dr. Alveda King (J1390): Are minorities such as African Americans being targeted for abortion? Joni and the ladies welcome back speaker and author, Dr. Alveda King, to expose the truth behind the abortion agenda and the focus on minority communities. This is one show you can’t miss!

Miss Vintage 2014: Dress Like A Lady To Get Respect

Don't Commit Spiritual Suicide

Revenge porn: Chrissy Chambers and the search for justice | Guardian Fea...

DEAR INGRID NILSEN

Especially for Brianne, Heather, & Crystal

Tag: Questions No One Asks

*QUESTIONS*
:Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?  ... Both!

:Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotel? ... I do.  They're great things to donate to places like women's shelters, where women really need anything at all that will help them feel beautiful again & regain there self-confidence!

:Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out? OUT!  I can't stand it to have my feet tucked in!

Have you ever stolen a street sign before?  No.

:Do you like to use post-it notes? Yeahhh ... but they usually need a little help from tape, too!  

Do you cut out coupons but then never use them?  ALWAYS use them!

Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of a bees?  I've been through the bee swarm deal (another story there!) - hmmm ... neither one sounds ok ;-

:Do you have freckles?  A few random ones.

Do you always smile for pictures?  I try to! but I'm not a poser - I've known THOSE

:What is your biggest pet peeve? Stupidity, which unfortunately comes in many stripes

:Do you ever count your steps when you walk?  No, but I've known a couple who did - & for very different reasons!

:Have you ever peed in the woods?  What about pooped in the woods?  Oh, Lawd!  Peed, yes ... and not well, either.  DO NOT PEE IN THE WOODS IF YOU'RE WEARING JEANS WITH CUFFS AND YOU ARE UNDER THE INFLUENCE - enough said!

:Do you ever dance even if theres no music playing?  Occasionally

:Do you chew your pens and pencils? Not a chewer

:How many people have you slept with this week? Hah!  R u kidding?!  None!

:What size is your bed?  Queen

:What is your Song of the week?  Don't have one this week ... check back ;)

:Is it okay for guys to wear pink?  Very few guys can carry this off without looking like there hair is straight-up in flames ... the one I knew that could - married, three kids - was in NJ, and named James :)

:Do you still watch cartoons?  Very rarely

:Whats your least favorite movie?  Wow, just one?!!  Shrek.

:Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some?  In my heart.

:What do you drink with dinner?  Water or coffee (which is made with water ;) ) 

:What do you dip a chicken nugget in? Sorry - I'm in a nugget-free zone ;)

:What is your favorite food?  Beef!

:What movies could you watch over and over and still love?  Them!  The Deadly Mantis (hmmm I'm detecting a theme ...)

:Last person you kissed/kissed you?  Oh boy ... yeahhh I can answer this, but it wasn't in the context that I think this question is asking!

:Were you ever a boy/girl scout?  Yeahhh ... part of my mother's campaign to make sure I had the best that suburbia had to offer, which was completely unavailable to her growing up in the city

:Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine?  Who would be interested?!

:When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper? Within the last couple of months ... but I'm behind in doing so!  Eeps!

:Can you change the oil on a car?  Noooo

:Ever gotten a speeding ticket?  Noooo - almost!  it's a miracle AND a very funny story why I did not, too!

:Ever ran out of gas?  Yeahhh ... in the parking lot of the old Muhlenberg Hospital, because it was so cold, I was sitting there talking with the heat running.  Thank God I was not alone! because by the time that happened, it had been such a long and unsmooth 24, I literally could not function and would have just sat there until I froze over solid ... in fact ... I probably would have still been sitting there when they came to do construction!

:Favorite kind of sandwich?  #83 at Jetson's; #5 at Tastee's

:Best thing to eat for breakfast?  French Toast!

:Do you have any magazine subscriptions?  Oh, yes!

:Which are better legos or lincoln logs?  Actually, the real wood, painted bright colors, blocks I had as a little kid

:Are you stubborn?  I refuse to answer ;)~

:Who is better...Leno or Letterman?  Neither!

:Ever watch soap operas?  YES  :Are you afraid of heights? OH YES :Do you sing in the car? YEAHHHH

:Do you sing in the shower? No :Do you dance in the car? Noooo  :Ever used a gun? NO!

:Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer? 2004, I think

:Do you think musicals are cheesy? No

:Is Christmas stressful? It can be! especially if you have to go to the MAUL

:Ever eat a pierogi?  LOVE these !

:Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid?  Teacher

:Do you believe in ghosts? Not really - but a certain doorknob thinks I should ...

:Ever have a Deja-vu feeling? Certainly!

:Take a vitamin daily? Should!  

:Wear slippers?  No :Wear a bath robe?  Not at the present time

:What do you wear to bed?  Usually a version of sweats and a t shirt ... you know its summer, when I go to sleep in a housecoat!

:First concert?  Styx

:Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart?  Maul-Mart

:Cheetos Or Fritos?  Fritos!

:Peanuts or Sunflower seeds?  Peanuts

:Ever hear of the group Tres Bien?  Isn't that a brand of sunglasses?!

:Ever take dance lessons? No

:Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing? Hah!  What future spouse would THAT be?!
 
:Can you curl your tongue? Yes (isn't that genetic?)

:Ever won a spelling bee? No
 
:Have you ever cried because you were so happy?  Surely ... please pass me the tissues ;)

:Own any record albums? :Own a record player?  Used to!  

:Regularly burn incense? No, but I have a very dear friend who does!

:Ever been in love? Of course!

:Who would you like to see in concert?  Celtic Women

:Hot tea or cold tea? Hot

:Tea or coffee?  Coffee!

:Sugar or snickerdoodles? Neither

:Can you swim well?  yeahhh

:Are you patient?  Can we please hurry up with these questions already?!

:Whats your favorite color?  PURPLE!

:Do you miss anyone right now?  Lawd have mercy, YES!!!

BONUS JONAS QUESTION: something that happened to you in middle school. ... Well, it was called jr. high school - and maybe that's about the best and only thing I should say about THAT.