New Year Upon Us

           

I just love this tag from Chris. Thank ya, darling!

I`ve been reading lots of journals about this year, the upcoming new year, reminiscing about the past and looking with hope to the future. I suppose I`m no different. I have things I hope to improve on and do better in 2007.

                

The year 2007 should prove to be a year of transition for myself. For one thing, my treatments for leukemia will end. It`s been a long two years. I`m excited about this and something I don`t say much - also a bit nervous about it. In this, as I try to do with all things, I will lift it up to the Lord.

I`ve made some resolutions in 3 areas of my life. All of them will involve some renewed discipline from myself: My commitment to the Lord, my weight, and my finances.

I talked to Corey on the phone today. She`s been so busy on her trip that we haven`t had much time to chat. She`s having a grand time with her group. Already she is talking about summer projects with Campus Crusade For Christ, either stateside or abroad. My shy, quiet, little girl has blossomed into a young woman who is stepping out to reach some dreams! She seems to have really grown and come into her own person these last few years.

I don`t have any big plans for tonight but I am going out to dinner ( Olive Garden here I come! ) with a friend and I may do a little shopping. I have been wanting the Taylor Hicks CD.

I got ambitious today,  (a la pre New -Year- discipline- practicing ) and took my dog for a walk. Geesh, I`m outta shape! And I`m supposed to do this daily, or at the very least several times a week?? Ugh. I mean, er, Yippee!

Can`t wait.

Really.

Is it Bedtime Yet?

                             

I just got home from work and had dinner. I worked from 1:15 to 6:30. Not a long shift. I am beat! For nearly two years now I have been taking meds and been on some sort of chemo, so I forget how it feels to be really normal, but let me tell you, I am just tired.

And I`m tired of being tired.

Right now I am still receiving some disability pay, so financially I can get by. What concerns me is I don`t feel anywhere near being ready to work full time again. Not even close. I pray I won`t have to.

Corey is away for a few days with Campus Crusade For Christ. She will enjoy the fellowship of plenty of other Christian college students. They have a New Year`s Eve celebration and I`m happy for her that she is having fun in such a positive way.

                           

I myself am still feeling blah and I`m not sure why. I`ve just been sort of ho-hum ......

I have to let the puppy play for a while and I plan on going to bed early, esp since I have to be at work at 8:15 tomorrow. Speaking of my dog, she is so cute. She makes sounds that seem just like she wants to talk! Anyone else`s dogs do that? I`m trying to teach her to say MAMA, but no luck as of yet. lol Sometimes she makes a noise that sounds like "muh," other times it`s more like "unh."  She is a strange dog in that she loves me so much, yet she`ll get upset with me about something and show me all her teeth and act fierce. In which case I have to warn her I can still pick her up and spank her if I have to! (Which ofcourse will never happen in a million years and she knows that, too.) But I love that she is fiesty. Not really mean ..... I think it`s a game she plays with me to see if she can get the upper hand.

Upper paw?

                           

Obviously I am very tired to reduce my journal to this level of insanity.

Goodnight!

Post Christmas Blah-g

             

So it`s the day after Christmas and I`m out of holiday mode and ready to move on. Yesterday was a long day. A nice day, but nothing much went on.

Today Corey and I headed to Target for some post-holiday bargains. I bought my Christmas cards for next year. ( half priced, ofcourse! ) I also got some wrapping paper and a couple cute hand towels.

Last year after the decorations were down they all were put away very haphazardly. This year I must label things and have them organized. Drives me nuts!

Corey has a bit of a cold. She took some meds and went to bed. She is leaving in a few days - going on a little new year`s road trip, so I hope she feels better soon.

That`s it for now. Have a good night, everyone!

          

 

 

 

Merry Christmas!

          

Thanks, Donna , for this lovely tag.

 

I was tagged by Sugar to take part in this cute little entry I have seen in many of your journals, so here goes:

Three things I DON`T want for Christmas:

1. A country CD

2. Fruitcake

3. Pneumonia ( like last year! )

Three things I DO want for Christmas:

1. A sewing machine

2. Health for myself and family

3. Christian gentleman

( he keeps making it onto my wish list. Where is  he?? ) 

 

So I worked yesterday from 8-5;30. It was a very long day for my part time schedule, but it went by fairly well. We were busy - swamped! - and most of the customers were in good spirits. Everyone said "Merry Christmas", which I found encouraging , esp since hearing all this garbage in the news how Christmas scenes are being banned, and more people are just replying with Happy Holidays etc. That`s just crap! I think the majority of people don`t want that at all. Almost everyone I know celebrates Christmas in some way. And, okay, if you don`t....then you can still have a nice day and be wished a Happy.... < insert holiday >   I think it`s mostly the media playing up these stories and I find it very sad.

Anyhow.......

Last night the Girlfriendz and I met for dinner. The Girlfriendz are : Patty, Tina, Kim, Don, Deloris, and myself. I have known them  either since grade school, junior high, or high school. We try to get together 2 or 3 times a year, esp during Christmas. We had a lovely dinner at an Italian restaurant and some good conversation. This has been a tradition since we were teenagers. Ofcourse, our gatherings are relatively calm these days....but, back in the day.........!!

So now I must get the house cleaned up and get ready to go out. Corey and I are going grocery shopping. Since it will just be Corey, my mom, and me on Christmas Day, we decided to not cook, but rather to have appetizers, sandwiches, and things like that. Sounds good to me! I have 4 days off now, so I am looking forward to enjoying the holidays.

I`d like to thank these ladies for the Christmas cards I received this week:

Lisa Jo, Barb, and Shermeen!

Have a lovely Christmas, everyone, and remember - Jesus truly is the reason for the season. My prayer for you is that He remains in your hearts and lives all the year long.

Be healthy and well.

Much love,

 

   

 

Christmas Plaid

                  

 

So my Christmas preparations are complete. I like to enjoy Christmas and not be all stressed out. We had a lovely candlelight service at our church on Sunday night. I always look forward to that. Afterwards we met in our fellowship hall for desserts. Everyone brought something. It was a great time. Corey is home from college so she went with me.

                  

Speaking of which, I had asked her to make me a Christmas tote bag. I picked out the plaid fabric, red ribbon and buttons and this is what she came up with. I love it!!

     

 

I thought it would be festive to carry my lunch in to work, or a library book, whatever. :)  Since Corey is going to school for fashion design, she is used to sewing and making things like this. She even wears some of the clothes she has made now.

 

        

 

As I said in my previous entry, my chemo treatment went well on Monday, but whhhoa, I did not feel good that evening!  Stomach cramps and nauseous...ugh. But the next morning when I got up for work I felt great and have felt good ever since.  :0)

 

Tomorrow and Friday I work, and then Friday evening I am supposed to be meeting the Girfriendz for our annual Christmas gathering. More on that later.

Thanks to CHRIS for the adorable puppy tag.

Thanks to JENNY for the beautiful name tag....and also for the lovely Christmas card you sent me!

 

          

Hospitals, Soap, and A Rough Road...

           

 

Today I made my monthly trek to the Cleveland Clinic. Very busy hospital ..... So many sick people. Upon arrival, I usually head to the restroom. As soon as I step in, the smell of the antibacterial soap brings back memories of my lengthy stay there. Funny how a scent can bring back such vivid memories.

 

I was first diagnosed with leukemia in one of our local hospitals. I went from feeling just fine to feeling tired and weak, to feeling sicker than I have ever felt in my entire life - to the point where even standing up was a trial. So after some blood work and a painful bone marrow test, I am told I have leukemia. I wasn`t even sure what exactly leukemia was ( cancer of the blood ), but I knew it wasn`t good.

 

Not good at all.

 

When I was told I would have to be moved to the Cleveland Clinic for better treatment, I was scared. The only people I had ever known who were treated there were very sick people. I was told the condition was treatable, but that I would have a long and rough road ahead of me. I didn`t want a rough road. I wanted smooth pavement that I could travel along at my leisure.

 

So I was taken the hour - long ride by private ambulance, laying on a stretcher..... scared, in my pajamas, feeling very vulnerable and alone. There was an ambulance attendant who sat back there with me and I kid you not, he did not stop talking the entire time. He was one of those people who are just superb at what they do. He gave me no time to dwell on what was happening. Although I was teary - eyed, he just kept on talking about the weather....kids....school....work. Asking me questions about where I was from and so forth. I will never forget his kindness and the calming effect that he had on my nerves. I wish I could thank him.

 

Once I was admitted into my room, though, I was scared and crying. Fortunately at that time I did not know that I would have to endure a few more bone marrow tests and about eight sessions of chemotherapy being shot into my spine. Eventually a doctor came into my room and answered every single question that I had. I`m not sure who he was but I will never forget him either. He sat by my bed and chatted with me for a long time. I started to feel like I might be well one day.

 

I didn`t know that chemotherapy was given through an IV; that I could eat while having it done, or watch tv, or do a crossword puzzle or sleep.

 

Fast forward One Year and Nine Months Later to Today :

 

Today while having chemo administered I chose to just sit back in the recliner and listen to my iPod. I put the songs on shuffle, so each song was a surprise, as I had no idea what order they would follow. It was an odd assortment of artists and songs - Backstreet Boys, Queen, Bowie, Jack`s Mannequin, Johnny Cash, KISS, and Barry Manilow.

 

My bloodwork was very good.  :)

 

I now know everyone, it seems, when I walk into the cancer center. From the parking attendants, to the greeter dressed in a long - tailed red blazer and black top-hat ...... to the receptionist, the cleaning people, nurses and doctors. I am no longer sitting there in a wheelchair with a barf bucket, but strolling through happy and smiling ( with my own real hair on my head! ), hearing these dear people say, " You look great! " and " Merry Christmas! "

 

So, yeah, I`m no longer terrified of going there any more. I look forward to it because these people have become my friends and by the grace of God, they helped to make me well once again.

 

 

                 

Thanks to Donna for the adorable top tag and to Sugar for finding this lovely ornament for me!

Thanks, Chris, for the name tag from last year. Remember?

Thank you,  Sugar  and Sharon for sending me Christmas cards!

 

 

      

                 

Tuesday`s Tidings

    

I have had the past four days off work. I love to have time to do things. I treasure it. I love that I am all caught up with things I needed to get done. ( well, almost )  For years I never ever had enough time ..... always busy, always running, working ..... Now I am single, my daughter is in college, but I do have to spend time helping to care for my mother. This is not easy. For the most part I suppose we get along, but then again we have our moments. We are nothing alike. Night and day! So there are issues. But it`s okay.

                      

Today we went out to lunch and then to a couple stores and then to her doctor appointment. Her eyes have gotten very bad, she`s nearly blind in one eye. She uses a walker. Everything that I`d like for her to remember she`s forgotten, and things that I wish she`d never bring up again from twenty years ago she still talks about! In some ways she acts very childish. I suppose anyone reading this who helps care for an aging parent knows what I mean. But she raised me and cared for me so now it`s my turn to do my share.

                       

I had made a doctor`s appointment for myself today as well for this cold/sinus/throat thing that I`ve had going on. But I felt fine today so I canceled! :0)

Starting tomorrow I`m going to be busy. I`m working Wednesday through Saturday and I`m picking up my daughter on Thusday from college after work. She`s two hours away. Thank God she`s not any further away than that! It seems like I`m driving there quite often. Not that I`m complaining!

Thereare just so many wonderful tag journals here in J-land now!! Especially with the winter/ Christmas season upon us. If I saved every single graphic that I liked I`d probably have enough to last me through several Christmas seasons. LOL

Thanks to Cab's Creations ( Chris ) for the top tag.....  D's Designs ( Donna ) for the bells ...... and   Roxy's Links and Graphics ( Shelly ) for the sig tag. You ladies ROCK!

Love & God bless,

            

Join Me For A Cup of Tea?

   

                LoL..... Just me being silly.

 

Tonight I did a quick project that I have been wanting to do. It`s easy and didn`t take long.

I took an old bulletin board, covered it with fabric that matches some pillows on my bed and added some blue gingham ribbon. It certainly looks prettier than brown corkboard!

I like the way it turned out.

  

                      `Night!

Party

          

I love this tag. Every time I see it I feel a sudden urge to make a cup of hot cocoa. Thanks, Donna !

So last night was the work Christmas party. It was held at a bar & grill type place, so I was skeptical at first. But I have to say, it was nice and the food was superb! I think everyone had a good time. I received a lovely gift basket.

I drank root beer as opposed to the glass of wine that I really wanted, but that will have to wait until my treatments are all finished. I also still ....STILL..... have some sort of sinus infection/ scratchy throat thing going on. So I took some Benadryl and 2 Advil before I went to the party. It helped. I may go to the doctor for this again. Last Christmas I was in the hospital with pneumonia, which was the topper to spending Easter in the Cleveland Clinic with leukemia. So this year I`d like to just stay home and enjoy the festivites. :)

In church today I felt my eyes welling up with tears. Just to be able to be in church, singing and having a good time with my friends... that the Lord has seen fit to place me there with a happy heart full of gratitude. The feeling was overwhelming.

If you`d like, you can check out my entry entitled No Room In The Inn in my other journal:

http://journals.aol.com/penniepooh/let-the-earth-rejoice/

Love and peace!

Gift Exchange

           

I just wrote an entry and deleted it. I thought it was a funny story about a gift exchange we had last night at our church. But - in doing so, I may have represented someone in an unflattering light. So I couldn`t keep it posted in good consciousness. Oh, well.....

So last night we had our annual ladies` Christmas dinner and gift exchange. One of the women is getting married Christmas Eve, so we threw in a bridal shower as well.

The church looks beautiful, all lit up outside and with gorgeous Christmas trees inside. We are a fairly small congregation, but we have been blessed with a new church building and a wonderful group of people who attend.

Today at work we were treated to a pizza lunch since we have been such good boys and girls. One of our branches in my area was robbed this week. Very scary. I like my job at the bank, but sales is a big issue and that`s the only part of the job I don`t like. But it is a huge part of my job. We do get a pay out if we reach a certain goal of new accounts, but still.

Anyhow, tomorrow night is our work Christmas party. We are all going out to eat - and I`m sure drink, although I won`t be. I would like a glass of wine, but with all my leukemia meds, maybe not.

We have an inch or two of snow on the ground - nothing major.

I am off work until Wednesday! I feel so relaxed. I painted my nails a festive ruby red and had a cup of hot cocoa. Tonight`s plans include: playing with the puppy, slouching around in my pajamas, and having a hot cup of tea in the midst of twinkling Christmas lights.

May the spirit of Christmas be in your hearts all year `round!

                thanks, Missie!

 

Miscellaneous Muse

   

Another very cold day here in Ohio, but no real snow to speak of. Not in my part, anyhow. I am just far enough south from the Lake Erie/Cleveland/snow belt area to escape much of the blizzard - like weather. Ofcourse, one of the other tellers at work today and myself had the fan turned on, rotating back and forth. Doesn`t matter how cold it is outside, when the hormones tell your brain to have a hot flash, the body responds! LOL

The remainder of this entry is just me and my rambling thoughts.......

1. A pet peeve of Christmas decorating:

Those huge inflatable Santas and snowmen that lay in a heap on the lawn during the day.

2. Why is it that the children play with their dozens of Christmas gifts all year long, but have forgotten about Jesus the very next day?

3. It took up many many years of my life, being happily married and raising a family. Very strong bonds.

 It took about two years for it all to crumble.

4. I love the way Sunkist orange soda fizzes in my throat.

5. My favorite gadget really is not my cell phone, digital camera, or iPod ..... it`s the 'traveler toothpick' that I carry in my purse, which I use ten times more than all those other things.

6. I love to kiss my dog in the morning when she`s asleep, smelling all warm and like a puppy.

7. The guy I broke up with treats me better now, when I`m totally fed up with it all and barely talking to him than he did when we were together. Too little too late.

  

                     

Thank you, Donna for the beautiful graphic at the beginning of this entry.  And thank you, Missie for the signature.

               

A Bit Chilly

   

The low temperature today in my area of northeastern Ohio was 20 degrees. With the wind chill factor, it feels like it`s in the teens. Today was the first day that I have not felt hot. LOL  I kid you not.

                    

Over the weekend I put up our Christmas tree and finished all the decorating. I made some cute and inexpensive decorations for the windows. I just hung some ornaments with different colored curling ribbon, leaving the ribbon long enough to cascade down at least to the length of the ornament. I like the way it looks . Very festive!

Sunday I was lazy. I went to church and then after lunch I slept all day. Put on my jammies, curled up under a warm blanket without a care in the world and just slept. Ahhh.....

Speaking of church, we have a Christmas card exchange there, which I think is a great idea. It`s so fun to go in and check your mail slot and have it filled with cards!

One of my first Christmas cards I received in the regular snail mail this year was from Missie of

Missie's Upside Down World.  Thank you!

                   

AOL is really acting up for me. I still can`t use my file manager. Anyone else STILL having this problem? Ugh!!

Thanks to CHRIS for the tags....... And once again to JENNY for getting me some beautiful music for my journal.

Goodnight!

                  

Mandy Goes On An Outing

             

Wow! This is so much fun!

My Mommy is taking me Bye-Byes!

Car rides are sooo much fun. Ha Ha!

Oooh, let me look out this window....no, no, that window...

No, let me try to climb into the front seat!

Yum, this window tastes good. Let me lick it again....Yum!

Oh, look at that person. He`s a little close to Mommy`s car. I don`t think I like him. Grrrrowl! Ha Ha !

Hmmmm, this feels good when I press my nose to the cold window! Mommy says not to slobber. Yeah, right...whatev.

Oooh, oooh, there`s a little girl smiling at me. Ha, I`ll wag my tail and look cute. Maybe stick out my tongue. Ha!

What`s this in the seat? A tissue! I love to eat tissues. Yum.

This is the best day EVER!!

Windy Way

         

Today in Ohio we are having gusts of wind up to 50 MPH. It`s crazy! Ofcourse I`ve been out in it all day, taking my mom to a doctor`s appointment and running errands. We stopped at the drug store, Walmart, and had lunch at Friendly`s.

Ever seen a 77-year-old woman with a walker caught in a 50 MPH wind?? LOL

I want to thank Chris of  Cab's Creations  for the adorable Santa tag! I can`t resist a cute dog. :0)  You will never see a bird in my journal. I`m terrified of them. Dogs, yes! My own little Cocker Spaniel, Mandy, is my puppy love. It`s so nice to come home and have her greet me, her little body wiggling like a bowl of Jello, tail wagging, eyes shining. I really do believe that she thinks she owns this place and is doing us a favor by letting us live here and cater to her!

Yesterday I met my friend, Janice, at the Olive Garden for lunch. Yummy. It was a much warmer, nicer day than today weatherwise. I enjoyed my day off, with no schedule, no one to answer to, free to do as I pleased. I walked around the mall a bit. Didn`t buy anything, but I looked at many purses. My weakness. When I got home, I put some Christmas lights up outside. It looks very nice. I`m keeping it simple this year. I hope to have the tree up by this weekend.

Ah, speaking of spoiled puppies.....the princess is calling. I know she wants to play, as she spent a few hours in her cage today.

Hopefully AOL will be nice enough to let me save this entry......

~Penny                  

 

                    

`Tis the Season!

    

It`s been a busy week and I feel like I am just now getting caught up and catching my breath!

Last Wednesday I drove the 2 hours each way to pick up Corey from college. We spent Thanksgiving at home with my mom. Dinner was good even though I cooked it. :0)  Later that evening Corey and I went to visit with my friend, Sandy. It was a nice relaxing holiday.

I never shop on Black Friday -- too busy - plus, I am usually working. Well, never say never, because I did it this year. Yep, my daughter had me out right in the midst of it. She thought it was fun. LOL, it really wasn`t bad. We shopped all day. There were no lines at Walmart or Target. I did wait in line 30 minutes at Kohl`s and that`s because I found a coat that I loved ~ half price. We also hit Payless, T J Maxx, Jo Anne`s Fabrics, and then lunch at Friendly`s.

The day before Thanksgiving, Corey found a winter coat and some Cd`s at Target and some jeans and cords at Old Navy. So she is pretty much set for Christmas. I don`t have to buy for many people, so I breathe a sigh of relief once my shopping for her is done.

Saturday I had to work. Sunday it was grocery shopping and getting Corey back to school. I was just beat. Oh, did I mention I had chemo on that Tuesday? So I went to bed early every night after being busy all day. I felt good in general, it`s just that I seem to get tired easily.

I also picked up a bridal shower gift for a couple at church who are getting married on Christmas Eve. Then I found out I needed a baby shower gift for an old friend of my daughter`s. Well, they`re only 20, so how old of a friend could it really be? LOL But actually, they have known each other all their lives, as I went to high school with this girl`s dad. She calls us out of the blue - we haven`t seen her in ages - and tells us she is having a baby in February! I said, " My goodness, Rhiannon, you are making me feel old. I remember when YOU were a baby!"

So now I have 2 days off, Thursday and Friday and I`m really looking forward to it. I picked up KFC for dinner and then had a piece of cherry pie left over from Thanksgiving.I ate every single cherry out of it and left the crust.

Yep.....let the holidays begin!!!

Thankful

      

I`m going to be rather busy through Friday, so I thought now would be a good time to do this entry and to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

Today I made my monthly trek to the Cleveland Clinic for my maintenance leukemia treatment. My bloodwork was good.  :)     This nasty cold I`ve been battling for about a month now is finally starting to clear up. So I felt really good today.

This evening I went to church where we had our own Thanksgiving dinner. It was open to everyone, so I saw lots of new faces.....people just dropping in for a good meal, which was cool. There was turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, mixed veggies, rolls, and about a thousand desserts. We played some word games and then our Pator spoke briefly. The place was packed. Offer free food and they will come. LOL 

Tomorrow I will be on the road again. I`m picking up Corey from college. We`ll do lunch and take her computer by the Mac store to see why the battery isn`t working right. ( you may remember she spilled juice on her laptop. )

I have much to be thankful for. Living in America is a blessing in itself. We are free! I am thankful for my family and friends. I`m thankful that I have food and clothing and a comfortable place to live. I`m thankful to be alive. In March of 2005 I felt I was looking at death, but God has given me more time on this earth. Most of all I`m thankful for Jesus. Without Him I would be nothing.

Please check out my other journal from time to time. I try to keep it simple and Bible-based.

http://journals.aol.com/penniepooh/let-the-earth-rejoice/

Thanks to Missie for the lovely tag.

And thanks for stopping by. I know how busy you all are and I do appreciate you taking the time to read and/or comment.

Have a Happy and safe Thanksgiving!

   ~penny     

OSU Still Winning

  

I feel like a bad Ohioan, not watching the OSU/Michigan game. I mean, it`s on in the other room, I`m just not watching it. Last time I checked, Ohio State was still winning. Everywhere I went today I saw Ohio State shirts. I hope they win, being Ohio and all.... I just can`t get all caught up in it.

I have to confess that the kitchen pictured in my previous entry is not my own. Maybe I would actually do some cooking if I had a kitchen like that.

Nah, probably not!    <hates to cook>

A few entries back I mentioned my friend`s son-in-law who was shot in the head and the bullet is still in the brain, too risky to remove. Well, he is home and recovering. AND they caught the kid who shot him - a 16-year old. There were two others with him and I`m not sure if they have been caught yet or not.

In another entry I had mentioned I know a couple who just met not long ago and they are getting married soon. I`m happy for them, just wondering when my own prince charming will come along again. But yet I can`t help but feel that with this couple getting married, that one of the persons is getting the better deal. I`m not sure I could be as trusting and have as much faith in this person as they seem to have. Ah well, I guess that`s why I am still waiting for my prince to show up! I was married sixteen years, much of it happy, so I can`t complain. I`m basically happy being single, so I`m in no rush, esp when I see so many married people who are unhappy. Then I see a couple of my friends getting involved in relationships and now they seem to be fretting and emotionally hurting. I`m waiting for the right one to come along.  :0)

I worked all day yesterday in the drive-up at the bank. It was very busy and I was drained when I got out of there! I came home and went to bed! When/if the time comes when I have to go back to work full time, I hope I can do it. I`ve been taking leukemia meds since my diagnosis in March of 2005, so I don`t really know how I`ll feel once I`m off them. I`d love to just work part time, but what with a new car, daughter in college, and other bills.... who knows. The good thing is, I got my medical insurance back. When I was about half way through my chemo treatments, I lost my insurance. So I`ve been back to work since June, and was able to get it again. No more $400 a month for medicine!

When I get anxious about my future and working full time, I just have to remind myself that God has gotten me through this far - He`ll watch over me the rest of the way, I`m sure!

       Hebrews 13:5  For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

I`m going to peek at the game again. It`s been very close all along. I imagine the fans have been on the edge of their seats the entire time.

31-35 OSU winning with 6 minutes to go. I may not know a lot about football but I do know that with six minutes remaining, it will take a good half hour yet. lol!

GO BUCKS

Thank you, Missie's Magical Creations for the beautiful tag.

Preparing For Thanksgiving

    

I hope you don`t mind joining me in the kitchen for this entry. Can I get you a cup of coffee? Tea? A diet soda?

Today I bought most of the groceries that I`ll need for Thanksgiving. I like to be prepared ahead of time whenever possible. This year it will just be my mom, my daughter and me. I always make chicken because I hate turkey and (shhh! don`t tell anyone) really don`t know how to cook one anyhow. Pulling - uh, things out of a turkey and then cramming it with stuffing seems kind of gross to me. LOL Then again, I`m vegetarian for the most part.

Tomorrow at work everyone is taking in something to eat. I`m bringing veggies and dip. So I spent about an hour this evening cutting up broccoli, cauliflower, celery, red peppers, and carrots. I made the dip with a dry Knorr vegetable soup mix, sour creme and mayo. We also get to wear jeans tomorrow. Yippee! And Ohio State shirts or something red. I am wearing a red sweater since I don`t own any Ohio State gear.

I took my mom for her flu shot today. We stopped at Bob Evans for dinner. It was delicious. So my day off went by very fast.

Have a great weekend!

                 

Thanks to TONI for the tag!

Does it Never End?

   

I really don`t want to harp on this and sound like a broken record, but..... I`ve had this miserable cold for almost 3 weeks now. Two trips to the doctor, two different antibiotics. I guess it will just have to take its course. I missed work Friday thinking that would help. I suppose it did some.

Oh well.......

Saturday I did my first ever craft show at our church. We had an okay turn out, although the day was dreary and rainy. I was very disappointed, as I sold very little! I felt like it was a wasted day. But it was a trial run for me. I hope to do another one next year. I will change some things around and hopefully do better. I think it`s difficult with the beads because so many people are making bracelets and earrings.

Anyhow, my brother and his wife were here visiting from Indy. That was nice. They brought their puppy and it was quite chaotic with my two year old Cocker Spaniel also here! It was a bit like Romper Room gone berserk.

Next week will be busy. Thank God I have several days off. Tuesday will be my monthly trek to the Cleveland Clinic. Wednesday I will be picking up my daughter at college. Thanksgiving Day will just be her and I here at home with my mom. I`m off Friday, which is nice. I never usually have the day after Thanksgiving off. I will take Corey out for some Christmas shopping. We`re going to try and find a winter coat for her. Saturday I work and then sometime between then and Monday I`ll have to have her back at school. All this during the week I have chemo. I am tired thinking about it.

So for now, I am cozy sitting here in my pajamas reading journals and relaxing. I`m hoping to get caught up, as I haven`t been online a whole lot lately.

Congrats to all those who won a VIVI Award for your journal. I did not win in my category, but I certainly found some new and interesting journals along the way! Thanks to all who DID vote for me!

Thanks to Angel of Virgomoon Graphics for the adorable scarecrow tag.

Still Feeling Blah

          

Won`t you step into the parlor and make yourself at home? I`ll be right back with some hot tea and scones...........

I have had a blasted cold for two weeks now. The antibiotics I received last week didn`t help a bit. So I went to the doctor again last night after work and now I am taking a different antibiotic and a decongestant.  I hope this works!

My friend Janice and I had lunch today at the Olive Garden. I wouldn`t have gone out at all, but I had to pick up medicine and run to the bank anyhow. It was a nice afternoon, although I was glad to get home and rest. I may take a day off tomorrow.

If you haven`t already, please stop by and say Happy Birthday to my dear friend Chris-

A Day in the Life

I don`t know how many of you were reading her journal this past summer, or if you were reading my old journal... but for those of you who don`t know, Chris and I met in June. She is just as sweet in person as she is in her journal!  :)   HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!

Have a great weekend all.

   

 

 

 

Monday`s Muse

  

My thanks to Shelly - Roxy's Links and Graphics for this adorable tag. :)

I spent most of the early part of the day running errands with my mom. She can no longer drive, so it`s up to me to get her around. She surprised me today, saying she wanted to buy me sneakers, as I had mentioned some time back that I wanted a black pair. So I got thee coolest pair of Van`s sneakers..... black trimmed in white, with a bit of pink thrown in.

I still haven`t been feeling great. I`ve had this cold for two weeks now. The antibiotics seem to be working somewhat. They sure are taking their sweet time about it.

So I know this couple who just started dating recently and now they will be getting married in a couple of months. I`m happy for them and I hope it works out for them. It started me thinking about people and how they meet and why some seem to meet a match and others don`t. I`ve never been one to date continuously. I usually would go a while between boyfriends when I was younger and if I did have a boyfriend, it was serious and lasted a while.

I married at 25. He was my pen pal who I had written to for years...he lived in NY and I was in Ohio. We finally met and the rest was destiny! We married 6 months after we officially met. I moved to NY. I was 25 and he was 29. Sixteen years later we divorced, but much of the marriage was happy and loving. So... I`m thinking, well....if I never get married again...if I don`t meet another who is right for me.....at least I had that. I was pretty happily married for most of those years.

It seems as though it used to be easier to meet people. Or possibly, it was just that I was younger and there was more availability. Sigh... I know married people who meet other people they find interesting..... and I know men who meet other men that they find interesting..lol...then there`s Penny who meets nada. No one. Well, no one I`m interested in. Then I think - am I too picky? I don`t think so. I think that the right one has not come along yet. Although I do pray about this. Surely God has this really cool guy picked out for me. But where is he? Is he just not ready yet? Am I not ready yet?

One thing I`ve learned is that I need to be content where I`m at in life. I don`t want to waste a part of my life whining about what I don`t have. I want to enjoy what I DO have!

Sigh.... so the course of my thoughts run.....

I am reading a very good book by Anita Shreve called Resistance. It takes place in Belgium during WWII. These people are hiding a wounded US pilot whose plane went down. Any minute they could be caught by the Germans and taken away. Tortured. Can you imagine how many people lived like this doing war times? Do you think you would be that brave? Would I?

So I`m off to read some more and to relax next to some glowing strawberry scented candles.

By the way, I have started a new praise and worship journal. I hope it will be a place where you can come to relax and talk to God. To know that He does really care about each and every one of you!

Goodnight for now.

            

http://journals.aol.com/penniepooh/let-the-earth-rejoice/

It Really Works!

  

First of all, this is a picture that my daughter, Corey, took just recently. I loved it and wanted to post it for two main reasons. One is that it conveys the beauty of Ohio during this wonderful time of year - and two, it gives me a sense of appreciation for all the beautiful things that God has created. If you think about all the beauty and vibrant colors that are in nature, I think you will begin to catch a glimpse of God`s personality firsthand. So if the moon looks lovely, or the stars are twinkling; the leaves are a riot of color before your eyes, or the sky is a calming shade of blue ....tell Him thank you! It`s all there for you to enjoy and appreciate. May I never be in such a rush through life that I don`t take time to savor the goodness and beauty of all that He has made and given us.

 

So guess what? My $12 sewing machine really works! Here is a picture of it and the pillow I made tonight using it.

             

I`m really tickled about this. Obviously, it doesn`t take much to excite me on a Friday night. LOL!

Today I had a nice lunch with 2 dear friends. We ate at an elegant Italian Restaurant. To tell you the truth, the ambiance was better than the actual food. Not that it was bad, but I prefer the Olive Garden. Then we did a bit of shopping. I bought a Christmas tablecloth and some hand towels of the same pattern. I know it`s early, but I put it on the table with my red and white candles in their snowman candle stick holders and it looks quite nice. I really hate pointing paws at anyone, but a couple years ago a certain Cocker Spaniel ate the corner off one of my tablecloths. So far so good.

 

Oh......puhleez! Don`t let that innocent, cute sweet, lovable face fool you!  Huh, I fall for it every time. Just can`t resist!

 

Goodnight and have a spectacular weekend!