Weirdness

      

It was bound to happen. I have been tagged by Shelly to list six weird things about myself. LOL, that shouldn`t be too difficult.

 

1.) I am terrified of birds. Can`t be near them, can`t watch them on TV.

2.) If I wear socks, I color coordinate them to my clothes.

3.) If someone wears sandals, I always look to see if their toenails are kept nice or if they are ...ewwww...gross.

4.) I talk baby talk to my dog and make up little words that I say to her.

5.) After I paint my nails I look at them with a flashlight to make sure I didn`t miss any tiny spots.

6.) When reading a book, I look ahead to get a hint of what`s going to happen.

Hey, that was fun....and kind of- well, weird.

~penny       

So This is The Culprit........

  

...... Who chewed the sleeve off my favorite black shirt!!!!!

 

Introducing The Digital Whisperer

 

                                 Park Gazebo

Today was a picture perfect day - literally. As you can see, I was out taking pictures. Unlike Greg, I don`t travel with 30 pounds of camera gear. I travel with my digital, which is roughly - oh, a few ounces. Actually, I didn`t even really travel, as these are pictures from my own town.

My new camera has so many buttons and gadgets, I haven`t even begun to know what they`re all for. I don`t know when the lighting is great for a picture and when it`s not. Unlike Greg, I can`t consider myself a photo trekker ( check out his journal, the guy is a great photographer. ) I`m more like a digital whimperer. ( which doesn`t sound too cool, so I upped it one. ) I hereby proclaim myself to be The Digital Whisperer. LOL

 

                  A Walk In The Park 

 

           

                      Church Tower

I do hope you`ve enjoyed this small slice of  my town, my pieces of Ohio.

 

"Everybody wants to go to Heaven

    but no one wants to die." 

                              - David Crowder Band

 

      

It`s Not Exactly A Van Gogh, But.......

........ Happy  fall anyhow !!!!!!

      

Answers Part III and Shopping

  

 

Hi everyone. Just a quick entry ( yeah, right ) before I`m off to church.

Jenny threw out a few more questions for me. First one: If you dedicated a song to your daughter what would it be? Wow, you`re all so good at this question thing. I`m stumped. I would want it to be the very best for my daughter, so I am going to pick a song we sing at church called Lord I Lift Your Name on High.

http://www.walkthroughlife.com/midis/christian/lordilift.htm

Lord I Lift Your Name On High
Words and Music by Rick Founds

Lord I lift your name on high
Lord I love to sing your praises
I'm so glad you`re in my life
I'm so glad you came to save us

You came from heaven to earth
To show the way
from the earth to the cross
My debt to pay
from the cross to the grave
from the grave to the sky
Lord I lift your name on high

It`s the first thing that came to my mind. My first and foremost desire for her life is to trust in Jesus in everything that she does.

What song makes you cry every time you hear it?

I`m not a big cryer when it comes to songs, but one song that always gets me emotional is Jesus Take The Wheel by Carrie Underwood. Love it! There`s also a song by Savage Garden called Two Beds and a Coffee Machine. An unlikely title for a beautiful song, it`s about a woman who flees an abusive relationship with her small children.

And she takes another step
Slowly she opens the door
Check that he is sleeping
Pick up all the broken glass and furniture on the floor
Been up half the night screaming now it's time to get away
Pack up the kids in the car
Another bruise to try and hide
Another alibi to write

Another ditch in the road
You keep moving
Another stop sign
You keep moving on
And the years go by so fast
Wonder how I ever made it through

And there are children to think of
Baby's asleep in the backseat
Wonder how they'll ever make it through this living nightmare
But the mind is an amazing thing
Full of candy dreams and new toys and another cheap hotel
Two beds and a coffee machine
But there are groceries to buy
And she knows she'll have to go home

Another ditch in the road
You keep moving
Another stop sign
You keep moving on
And the years go by so fast
Wonder how I ever made it through

Another bruise to try and hide
Another alibi to write
Another lonely highway in the black of night
But there's hope in the darkness
You know you're going to make it

Another ditch in the road
Keep moving
Another stop sign
You keep moving on
And the years go by so fast
Silent fortress built to last
Wonder how I ever made it

Jenny`s last question is: Do you believe in soul mates? I`m glad you asked this. No, I don`t! I think this term has given people the unrealistic idea that there`s this perfect person out there waiting for them somewhere. It goes right along the lines of "the grass is always greener." I am romantic at heart, I believe in love and that a deep, caring nurturing relationship between two people is very attainable.... But, let`s face it,  people who get along well and have been together for a long time in a good relationship do so because they are committed to doing so. They learn to compromise and overlook faults. They communicate well and are sensitive to each other`s needs. That`s my take on it, anyhow.

 

Today I bought Clay Aiken`s new CD. I haven`t had a chance to listen to it yet. I love his new look with the dark hair! I also got a new aqua sweater and a rust colored shirt - one of whichI am going to have to put on rather quickly and get to church. Bye!!

 

Two-Word Answers

  

 

Here's a fun game to play that everyone's been doing. 

Type the first 2 words that come into your mind...you can only type 2 words....no more....no less.

1. yourself:  Kind, Sensitive

 

2. your husband:  Ex, Friendly

 

3. your hair: Red, Thick

 

4. your mother:  Somewhat Difficult

 

5. your father:  I Loved

 

6. your favorite items:  Books, Computer

 

7. your dream last night:  Roller Coaster

 

8. your favorite drink: Unsweetened Tea

 

9. your car: New Toyota

 

10. the room you are in: My Bedroom

 

11. your ex boyfriend/girlfriend: Good Riddance

 

12. your fear: Birds - Ugh!!!

 

13. where you want to be in 10 years: Healthy, Married

 

 14. what you're not: Mean, Short

 

15. your best friends: Janice, Cathie

 

16. one of your wish list items: Christian Gentleman :)

 

17. the last thing you did: Ate Pretzel

 

18. what are you wearing: Flowered Pajamas

 

19. your favorite weather: Cool, Cooler

 

20. your favorite zoo animals? Panda, Giraffe

 

21. your thought for the day?  Jesus Loves

 

22. your favorite book: Too Many!!!!!

 

23. last thing you ate: Pretzel Stick

 

24. your life: Always Learning

 

26. your body: Healthy,Chubby

 

27. what are you thinking about right now: Doing Laundry

 

28. your crush: Backstreet Boys

 

29. what are you doing at the moment: Thinking, Typing

 

30. your fall schedule: Enjoy Weather

 

Anyhow, I`m anxious to get my new digital camera going. I have taken some pictures but haven`t loaded them into my computer yet. I`ve been rather busy today. I took my mom a couple places and you know I had to make a stop somewhere. Starts with W - - - - - -  and ends with T. :)  I bought a KISS CD. LOL. What`s up with that? Am I 16 again? I don`t listen to lots of music at home, but I do in my car.

Good luck to everyone in J-Land with the VIVI Awards. I think it`s nice to be nominated and recognized, but there are just so many good ones out there that I enjoy for various reasons that may not fit into any specific category.

I have gotten some very nice comments lately. Thank you. I have made so many great friends through journaling - people that I would have never known otherwise.

Thanks to Shelly for the top tag and to Jenny for my closing tag.

Be well, my friends!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers Part II and Other Tidbits

  

 

Hi again. I thought I`d answer a few more questions that came in. Here goes:

Phil asks Do I regret deleting my journal?

He is referring to Penny`s Place that I deleted after almost a year of having it. Ummm, not really. I just wanted to start over. Wellll...okay, maybe a little. It had some good stuff in it. I felt like something was missing, though, once I deleted it, so I had to start another one!

Phil the Thrill also asks What was I doing on August 1st, 1972 at 1PM? lol  Wiseguy!!

Jackie asks Are you dating and/or interested in anyone? I dated a couple guys since my divorce, but as of right now the answers to these questions are: No and Yes. I know I can be rather long - winded, but I think I shall leave it at that for now!

Bella asks: If you could have just one moment in your life to live all over again what moment would it be and what would you do differently?

Hmmm... Well, the first thing that comes to mind is this: I was once hurt quite badly by a guy who I had dated for about six months. Eventually we started to talk and get friendly again. Then we were on again/off again in seeing each other for quite some time. I didn`t have the strength at the time to just walk away. I should have and wish I would have! ( Which I finally did! )

In other news....

I did buy a nice digital camera. :0) It`s got lots of features and cords that I`m still not sure what to do with ~ lol. I`m loving it and eager to get some pictures of my bits and pieces of Ohio on here. I`m by no means a photographer, but I think I will have some fun with this and unlike some of my other shots,like from my cell phone, these should be clear and sharp.

Today my friend Janice and I went to a big arts and crafts expo called The Yankee Peddler. We walked forever, browsing through hand made rugs, chimes,and candles. We also saw pottery, Christmas ornaments, jewelry, and so many other things. It was fun but I was tired afterwards. Last year I wanted to go but since I was in the middle of chemo, I just couldn`t do it. I was way too weak and tired. I felt good when my friend said to me, "I`m just so happy that you`re well now and can do this."

It was a beautiful day to enjoy.

A beautiful day to live my life.

Love and God bless,

~penny    

Answers Part I

  

So here are some answers to a few questions I received concerning my previous entry.

 Sugar`s question was first and I was already stumped! She asks: What is your favorite song and why?

Geesh, I have TONS of favorite songs. This is a very good question, but a tough one for me. I will chose "Just One Victory" by Todd Rundgren. I have seen Todd dozens of times, especially back in my youth and he would always close the concert with this anthem of a song. Near the end of the song,while one verse is being sung, a completely different set of lyrics is being sung at the same time, which I find to be brilliant. My friends and I knew never to leave one of his shows until he performed this song. ( rookies would leave after one or two encores, but not us! We knew better! ) My friends and I would have our arms linked as we sang out this song and everyone in the audience was up on their feet. We were young and happy and singing our hearts out. We have become known as the "Toddettes." lol

So I salute my fellow Toddettes, both past and present : Kim, Nancy, Tina, Betsy, Patty, Janice, Scream, Deloris, and Diane!!

I have to mention a couple other songs - " Me and the Moon " by Something Corporate ( awesome song!! ) and "I Want it That Way" by the Backstreet Boys. You know I MUST mention my Boys!! I love their happy, upbeat songs. While going through my divorce, listening to them always made me feel better.

 

Next is  SHELLY `s question. She asks: What kind of girl were you in high school? What clique did you hang around? Did you make good grades, did you skip school, how did you dress, were you ever sent to the principal`s office?

( Ahem, correct me if I`m wrong, but is this not 6 questions?? lol ) You guys are good at this!

Let me start off by saying that in high school I was voted " Most Unique. " lol, Not entirely sure if that was a compliment, but that`s how I took it!!

I hung around with the COOL crowd. You had to be into a certain kind of music to be in my circle and if you liked to party and have fun, that certainly helped. I know, I know what you`re thinking - " Our Penny of J-Land? "  Well, this was back in the day, folks. We had FUN. I liked music, I had long blonde hair, and it was all about going to concerts, getting autographs, and drinking some wine along the way. I made good grades when I wanted to, but it wasn`t exactly my highest priority. I didn`t skip school much, mostly because my school was very strict about things like that. ( go figure ) But my friend Chris and I did once have a contest as to who could miss the most days. ( He won ) I was only sent to the principal`s office once and that was in Jr High because I was reading a book that he felt was inappropriate. I was for the most part a jeans and T shirt kind of girl, usually band shirts, as I went to just about every concert there was, usually several a month. But by my senior year I was into looking nice - skirts, nice shirts, dressier things.

Thank God I lived through it!

LisaJo asks: Tell us a story about one time in your life when you were completely happy.

The first thing that came into my mind was December of 1988. I was living in New York, married a couple years by this time and my daughter was 2. I was 27, my husband was 31. My friend, Brenda, who lived in California was getting married and I was to bein her wedding. ( Yep, she had flown to NY to be in mine - this was to fulfill a promise we had made to each other in 7th grade, that wewould be in each others wedding. Who knew from Ohio that she would move to the west coast and me to the east??) 

Anyhow, we took a 2-week vacation to California. It was the first time my hubby had flown and he was a nervouse wreck. ( sadly, we divorced 14 years later ) It was such a fun trip!! I had several other friends who were also out there at the time to attend this same wedding. We went to LA, Hollywood, Palm Springs, San Diego, Disneyland, Universal Studios, Anaheim, Long Beach.... it was fabulous. We were young and happy and so in love. We took our daughter everywhere with us and were happy to do so. We had such a wonderful time that we flew out to California every winter after that for the next 6 years!

Last question for this entry -

CHRIS asks: If you had to move to a foreign city and live there for a year what city would it be and why?

I didn`t have to think about this one much because it is a place I`d love to see - Tuscany, Italy. That`s why I put the picture at the top. (It`s called 'Dreaming of Tuscany.')

Tuscany is referred to as the 'medieval heart of Italy.' I have read of its enchanted castles, sprawling vineyards, and centuries of art apparent everywhere you go there. Sounds very romantic, quaint and peaceful.

So anyone else who has a question, just ask. This is fun! :)

Fall is in the Air!

  

The weather is starting to get cooler and I noticed this week the colors of the leaves just beginning to change. Fall is my favorite time of the year. I love the cool air, the pumpkins and mums, the outbreak of gorgeous colors.

A rather uneventful week thus far. I was off Monday, worked Tuesday and off today.

By the way, September is Leukemia Awareness Month. Go on out and donate some blood! For those of you who might not know, leukemia is cancer of the blood. I never really knew that until I was diagnosed and I sure never wanted to find out that way. A year and a half later and I am almost done with all the treatments. I feel in my heart that I want to be able to help others going through similar situations. I`m not sure yet how God is going to use me, but I`d just like to be able to offer some hope and a smile to others.

So I decided to crank out my iPod tonight. There`s this beautiful song I`m listening to by Darren Hayes, who was the singer for Savage Garden.

It's such a hard life in most of the time
I'm just surviving
That's why I want you to know
In the world where sincerity has lost its meaning
You fill my world with so much hope

 

I noticed some of you now have videos in your journals. With my phone line connection, I can`t watch them. Aarrgh!! Too slow. So I will be calling to see about getting high speed. Not only because of the videos, but basically the fact that I just can`t take it no mo`!!

I have also noticed in many journals this 'Ask me any question' thing. Okay, I`m going to play along. Ask me a question when you comment and I will answer. Did you ever ask yourself, "What have I gotten myself into now??" That`s kind of how I feel with this game. lol  Be nice. Be gentle. Ha Ha

Thanks, Chris for the lovely tag.

Peace ya`ll ---

In Memory...

          

In July of 2001 I left New York, which had been my home for about fifteen years, and moved back to Ohio.

I was settling in as best I could - my daughter and I - after the move and with divorce proceedings soon to start.

I got a job and that was where I was, at work, on the morning of September 11, 2001 when I heard the news.

At first a customer had come into the bank and said that one of the Twin Towers in NY had been hit by a plane.

What??     

More news started to dribble in - mostly by word of mouth, and then, later, with an old TV that we tried to hook up at the workplace and get some kind of signal on.

Apparently not just one tower was hit, but two.

And it was done intentionally.

How could this be?   

I tried calling some of my friends and relatives in NY. I had trouble getting through. My husband ran to turn on the TV when I called him. He was right there on Long Island, yet had not heard the news yet.

I called my sister - in - law who lives just outside of NYC. She was crying and saying it was crazy and that her daughter, my niece, was stuck in the City and had no way to get out, that it was chaos. I did not personally know anyone in the WTC at the time of the disaster. Thank God. My relatives were okay and my niece did get home.

What could possibly make people hate other human beings so desperately that they would deliberately not only kill them in such a horrific way but also take their own lives in the process?

It was unfathomable.

So today, on this very sad day for our country, I pray for the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives - not only in NY, but also those involved in the plane crash in Shanksville, PA and in Washington. I pray that our country remains strong.

                                             

Dear Lord Jesus,  please keep us safe. I ask that you would put a hedge of protection around us. Comfort those who are hurting. Amen.

 

Uh, I bought a purse....

I must be making up for lost time here - - Another entry!

Thanks for all your lovely comments. I will be around to journals tonight and tomorrow, reading and commenting.

Anyhow, I`m loving my new car. It`s a Toyota Yaris, a new model, of which I have seen very few out on the roads yet. Here is a not-very-good photo of me and my car.

   

Among other purchases, I did buy another purse. :)

   

I almost bought a new green one today at JC Penney`s. Ahh, it was gorgeous and on sale! But I put it back. I have bills to pay. Geesh. I did get some cute earrings at Target and while there, I found the digital camera that I want. So, maybe in a week or so I can buy it. I will also get a memory card so that I can have prints made.

I have a week off in October. I was toying with the idea of going to NY, the Big Apple, but I think I will go to Indianapolis to visit my brother. I have never been there and it`s closer than NY. I was thinking about once I visited him in Indy, I would just keep driving west and see how far I could go in the time that I had, but my daughter is going with me and I will have to have her back for school, so maybe not.

Years ago, on my day off, some friends and I would drive up to Niagara Falls, then onto Toronto, Canada and back again. ( About 7 hours each way, if I remember correctly. ) This was on my day off! I`d be half dead if I tried that now. lol It was 1985 and I had a brand new Ford Escort, my first totally new car. I was 24 years old. I drove it to Florida, too. I guess that road trip bug is still with me.

I really need to clean up this room and figure out what I`m wearing to church tomorrow.

Love & God bless,

       

Getting Started

Well, I couldn`t stay away for long. Welcome to my new journal. I deleted my old one. Just wanted to take a break and then start over.

I felt very lost, knowing I was "journal-less." It was like.....like..... peanut butter without the jelly, if you will. Like Bert without Ernie....like a pizza without pepperoni....like knowing there were no Walmarts. <shudders>

I do have to say, it feels good to start off with a clean slate. My other file manager where I had my pictures stored was atrocious. The weird thing is, I tried and tried to start a new blog with the screen name I had previously used ( and still have, by the way ) but AOL would not let me. Not sure why. So I guess I am stuck with this ridiculous Pennie Pooh screen name as I dive into this new batch of text.

My plan is to buy a new digital camera and put some pictures of my own in here. My daughter gave me her old digital for a reason - it stinks! LOL So.... thank you for stopping by. I hope that you will continue to drop in, stay a while ... hopefully finding something here that makes you smile.

I`m just a simple mid-west girl, trying to live an uncomplicated life in my little corner of the world.

Welcome to my bits and pieces of Ohio.