This is what I have been up to

Pumpkin picking with all the boys

Taking random road trips to see the foliage

Braving crowds of people to go to the Apple Festival, and I only freaked out twice!

Being awed by the critters in my own back yard

Baking  with what few apples are around

And adopting Ichi.  The pic doesn't do him justice, he's terribly pretty.

So. What have you been up to?  And as usual...
Thanks for Noticing me!

Belief

I love this picture, it encompasses all the Elements... Earth, Air, Fire (sunlight), Water, and Love.

I'm not someone that is often vocal about my religious beliefs, I believe they are more personal than your sex life, (because, be honest, you enjoy bragging or complaining about that! lol)  

But this election season has brought up a major issue for me.  And that is mixing religion and government.  No matter what your personal beliefs are, what right do you have to tell me what I do is wrong because it doesn't mesh with your religious beliefs? I'm trying to keep this very general, because I know lots of people have lots of opinions, and beliefs on this score..

Let's be honest here, it's my blog, so I can say what I want, right? And hopefully we can agree to disagree, so I'm going to get specific on a point here.

Politicians want to legislate female reproductive care.  I've been having a friendly, spirited debate with an old high school friend on this point, because he believes that my body isn't mine, it's Gods' and I don't have the right to do with it as I please.  A point I have yet to make with him is "If  it's Gods', what right does the government have to say what happens to it?"  But the point I made was how come I should have to bear the consequences of what happens to it?  He believes if I'm raped, it isn't the "childs" fault, my point was, it's not a child.  Until it can survive on its' own, the thing growing in me is a parasitical mass, and as such should be subject to the whims of the host.  He thinks nothing of the fact that the government can say what I can legally do with the body I have, but that if the government suddenly mandated vasectomies, (therefore rendering any abortion other than one that threatens the mothers life completely unnecessary) it would be like withholding gas for cars.  Sure we wouldn't have vehicular manslaughter anymore, but how would we get along? How would we procreate and bring about new generations?  Ummm, vasectomies are reversible, therefore you could petition to get your right to get your wife pregnant.
Isn't this the flip side of his argument?

This is my favorite saying lately...
  

Let's face this truth, choosing the care I receive for my body, is my *right*!

And as usual...
Thanks for noticing me!

Bonus post!

Since I've been SUCH a slacker lately.  ( :

MEAT LOAF!

Tomorrow morning I am going down town to wait in line for tickets, and for the first time I get to see a favorite artist in a non-alcoholic setting.
(Update, I went, butt crack of dawn early [for me] and no one else showed until 20 after 9 for a 10 o'clock box office opening!)

  No, I like liquor, really... But I hate having to compete with drunken as5holes at a concert.  I came to see the artist, not you puking, or bashing into me, or standing in front of me, bobbing and weaving with your arms in the air... I am 4'11", and I dislike, greatly, getting trampled!

I have been to 3 rock concerts in my life... pathetic, I know. I've been to others, but those were certainly not the rowdy crowd type shows. ( :

  I went to 2 Cheap Trick concerts, the first one I almost killed the drunk in front of me by bashing his head in with my 15lb purse, when he gave me the finger for politely asking him to sit down so I could see the show.  Sadly, I was restrained by my husband, and 2 highly amused girls behind us.

The second time was in a smaller venue, and the crowd was so loud I could barely hear the band over them, even though I was directly in front of the stage.  I mean, Robin Zander sweated on me!  That time I was lucky enough to get in a little of my own when some pimp muscled me out of the way so his *ahem* "girlfriends" could get my spot... He ended up on his butt from a well placed foot behind him, and the *ahem*, "lady" lost many hairs when she whipped me in the face with her ponytail.
Please, don't mess with short chicks, we get mean.

Last year when we went to see Mr. Loaf, people couldn't remember that they had seats, and would rush up to the front, effectively blocking my sight considering the awesome 3rd row seats we had.

This theater sells wine, and craft beer.  Not exactly Budwiser and chips. YaY!

30 days... COUNTDOWN!

And as usual... Thanks for Noticing me!

A little lost

Eeek! Almost 2 months!  My brain's been a little lost lately... I think I might have caught it from my clients.  Dealing with clients that have senile dementia is... not as difficult as dealing with people without it. Surprisingly.

Honestly, my one client has about 4 stories she tells incessantly.  But hey, the details change from telling to telling, so it's perfectly okay.  She's so easy to deal with, she's such a pip!  She was a "Pilot Farmer" with her husband.  Married at 16 until 6 years ago when he died.  I've seen pictures from when they got married, and their 65th wedding anniversary.  We sit and watch tv, and talk about our hobbies, (well, I crochet and she tells me *again* about the sports she played so she never got to learn how to do any crafting. )

The one that has caused me to lose focus though is, thankfully, no longer my problem.  She was adamant that she didn't need anyone around, even though she would frequently leave the house and forget her keys, or even forget to close the door before going to bed!  She'd wander off in any weather, and sometimes forget the way home.  But the thing that bothered me most about her is her constant need to be occupied!  The boys didn't need that much entertaining as toddlers!  I understand in a way, she was always active, and now she's got nowhere to be active.  But for heavens sake, READ A BOOK!  okokokokokokok, I know, she can't.  She'd forget 5 minutes after reading, what she read.  *sigh* Like I said, no longer my problem.  *relieved sigh!*  But I got some great pictures out of the deal!

I've also bought a new car! Ok, not *new* but new to me!  An '03 Jeep Wrangler.
Wait, WHAT?!
Yes, I went from a comfortable little Hyundai, to a big(ish) hulking(like) Jeep that bounces around even when it's standing still.  I've wanted one since I was a teenager and was allowed to drive my dads'.  It even kinda looks like his did.

Well, I think that *might* be long enough. ( :
What have you been up to?  And as usual...
Thanks for Noticing me!

Endings

What a crazy month.  Last weekend we held the memorial for my father, and just before, on that Tuesday, we lost *his* father.  Sadly, I couldn't make it down in time for his funeral.  Happily, my fathers memorial was all I could have asked for.  We got to see family we don't often get to see anymore, and old neighbors, and I met my stepmother for the first time.  Old family friends came, and lots of smiles, and remembrances flew around the beach.













My sister and I waded out into the bay, remarking the whole time how we could hear him laughing 'til he fell over, (because he knows how much I just *adore* being in any natural body of water!).  Yes that's a bottle of beer in my hand.. A long-neck Schmidts, just like he drank when we were young.  Went right in with him.

Maybe now, my days can fall into some sort of regularity, but I doubt it.  #1 starts college in a couple weeks, and #2 starts school again shortly thereafter.  There will be schedule arranging, and shuffling, and homework and projects, and....... Oooh, I'm tired.

Hope you've had a wonderful summer!  And as usual...

Thanks for Noticing me!

Employed

Yes, I have re-entered the work force.  I'd like to say that I enjoy it, and have finally found what I have been looking for all these years.  Not so much, but, it's gotta be better than retail... Right?
I care for elderly patients, and out of my 3, 2 have senile dementia/ Alzheimers.  This is a trial.  It's not that I mind listening to the same stories 100 times in a row, because I actually find it amusing.  It's that they don't understand why I'm there, and they resent it.  And this happens in a circle... Every. Five. Minutes.  We'll be sitting there chatting away, hearing about little Suzies 4th grade project for the 5th time in half an hour, and suddenly, I'm being cussed and yelled at that I need to get out. Now!

I think, that this time, I might not be throwing down roots.  I'll keep trying for that civil service type position instead.  I have come to the conclusion that I don't mind making people that come into my sphere happy, but doing so repeatedly is too taxing on my limited stores of patience.  It's bad enough that these poor people have me invading their homes, but I *feel* like an invader.

  So far, in one case, there is already someone there most of the time, and I feel she's wasting her money having us there for so long, and so often, and in the other case, well, I'm sorry, I think she needs to be in a home.  She needs more supervision, and someone with more authority than we have, to help her, and I honestly fear for her safety when we aren't around.  I have yet to meet #3, that happens later this week.  Wish me luck!

Thanks for Noticing me!

Omigosh!

Okay fine.  Blogger wants to give me issues now that I have a spare moment to update. Whatever Google Gods!

Isn't it adorable?!

It's been interesting this year. For the first time, we're worried about drought. But the animals looking for water have ranged farther, and that's our gain!

A little later, it hopped over to the middle of the yard, and flopped down on its side!

This is our multicolored bunny, not that you can tell, the lighting was harsh!  I guess he feels pretty secure in our yard, because he took a good 10 minute rest, laying on his side, right out in the middle of the yard!

Baby blanket # 6

Yet another friend having a baby girl. *sigh*  I love the ripple for baby blankets, it's unusual.

I finally got a pic of it's face!

And Mr. Groundhog has made his appearance several times, but this was the first shot I got that wasn't his butt disappearing into the bushes.

The one pic I can't find, is the new project I'm working on.  Barefoot Sandals, they're going like hotcakes!  I already have 4 orders for them!

And although I kept losing them, I found my notes again from my retail life, which is now behind me!  I am now employed as a Home health Aide, to the elderly.  Yaaaayyyy! *Kermit flail*  Now I'll get *paid* to chat with my old folks, and to sit and play with yarn with any that do.  Wish me luck!

And as usual...

Thanks for Noticing me!