Penny's Pieces of Ohio

Not So Sweet

2007-08-04T17:48:00.000-07:00

Hi again. I don`t really know why I haven`t posted an entry in so long.

Remember I said I was having headaches for like two weeks straight? I no longer have them once I figured out what was causing them >>> Aspartame - the artificial sweetener in Diet Coke! If you research aspartame online you will see that it is bad bad bad. Bad news. It`s in many products and has been known to cause severe migraines in some people. I also read where it can cause depression and mimic signs of MS and fibromyalgia! I stopped drinking the diet soda and the excruciating headaches went away.

It`s been hot here. In the 90`s kind of hot. I`m not a summer person. I`m not enjoying this. We have many festivities and concerts going on as Football Hall of Fame week is being celebrated here. I haven`t gone to any of them. Somehow the idea of strolling through a mass of smelly bodies squashed together in 90 degree temps while smelling cotton candy and corn dogs mixed with the scent of port-a-potties just doesn`t appeal to me.

I was asked to go see fireworks tonight by an old "friend." ( I use that term very loosely here. ) Okay, we used to date. There was a lot of drama. I declined. It just didn`t feel right.

I can`t wait until Corey gets home. She`s been on the other half of the world long enough!

I`m probably a tad old to be listening to these young emo bands but I love them. My favorite is Jack`s Mannequin. Andrew is 23 or 24 and survived the same kind of leukemia as me. We were both diagnosed in 2005. We are both well now. Please donate blood - it saves lives!!!

I also love The Academy Is and The All-American Rejects.

I have a great song of theirs playing on my Myspace page. Check it out. My page is pretty! :)

http://www.myspace.com/pennysplace2gogh

Have a wonderful weekend. I hope to catch up with journals soon!

Tags: Aspartame, Myspace, Jack`s Mannequin, Andrew McMahon, The Academy Is, The All American Rejects, leukemia, donate blood

Big Kosher Pickle!

2007-07-27T16:25:00.000-07:00

My friend Cathie and I had dinner tonight at Cheeseburger in Paradise. Do you have those restaurants where you live? ( Named after the Jimmy Buffet song. )

Cheeseburger in paradise (paradise)
Medium rare with mustard 'be nice (paradise)
Heaven on earth with an onion slice (paradise)
I'm just a cheeseburger in paradise

I like mine with lettuce and tomato
Heinz 57 and french fried potatoes
Big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer.......

Well, when this particular song started to play in the restaurant all the employees gathered round the bar to clap their hands and sing along. One brawny guy was especially fond of the BIG KOSHER PICKLE line. He just cracked me up!!

I had a festive drink with rum, fresh pineapples, and strawberries ... (Hey, keeping it healthy. Heh heh) The strawberry in my drink was wearing sunglasses. Very cool!

I`ve had headaches for 2 weeks now. I rarely ever get headaches until now. They feel like tension headaches, all around my head and down the back of my head into my neck. Help me!

I have some days off so I hope to catch up on journal reading. It`s been a very busy week here in my little piece of Ohio.

Thanks to Missie for the darling name tag!

Happy weekend. :)

Tags: big kosher pickle

Blue Skies

2007-07-20T16:05:00.000-07:00

Today was one of those beautiful summer days - blue skies, white fluffy clouds, green grass, and rows of corn dancing in the breeze. I`m happy to be off work and enjoying it.

In New Zealand it`s already tomorrow, so my daughter has some free time to shop and have some fun. It`s been a good week there, with warmer temps and no rain.

There hasn`t been much going on here lately and the things that have been going on I don`t much feel like writing about.

I took a couple days off to pick up Corey once she gets home next month. She will have just turned 21 so we will celebrate her birthday once she is home from NZ. Then back to college, beginning her 4th year - WOW!

I`m pretty sure I have some time off after Thanksgiving that I`m going to use to visit my brother and SIL in Indianapolis. I`m feeling the need for a little road trip.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Thanks to PinkCreations for this awesome tag and

Thanks to Donna for the marina dock graphic

Touch of The Master`s Hand

2007-07-18T14:05:00.000-07:00

Well it was battered and scarred,
And the auctioneer felt it was hardly worth his while,
To waste much time on the old violin but he held it up with a smile,
"Well it sure ain`t much but its all we got left I guess we ought to sell it too,
Oh, now who’ll start the bid on this old violin?
Just one more and we’ll be through. "

And then he cried," One - give me one dollar,
Who`ll make it two only two dollars who`ll make it three,
Three dollars twice now that`s a good price,
Now who`s gonna bid for me?
Raise up your hand now don`t wait any longer the auction`s about to end,
Who`s got four- Just one dollar more - to bid on this old violin?"

Well the air was hot and the people stood around as the sun was setting low,
From the back of the crowd a gray haired man,
Came forward and picked up the bow,
He wiped the dust from the old violin then he tightened up the strings,
Then he played out a melody pure and sweet, sweeter than the Angels sing,
And then the music stopped and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low he said now what am I bid,
For this old violin and he held it up with a bow.

And then he cried out," One - give me one thousand,
Who`ll make it two only two thousand who`ll make it three,
Three thousand twice you know that`s a good price,
C`mon, who’s gonna to bid for me?"

And the people cried out ,"What made the change? We don’t understand!"
Then the auctioneer stopped and he said with a smile,
"It was the touch of the Master’s hand."

You know there`s many a man with his life out of tune,
Battered and scarred with sin and he’s auctioned cheap,
To a thankless world much like that old violin,
Oh, but then the Master comes,
And that old foolish crowd they never understand,
The worth of a soul and the change that is rought,
Just by one touch of the Masters hand.

And then he cried out," One - give me one thousand,
Who’ll make it two only two thousand who’ll make it three,
Three thousand twice you know that’s a good price,
C`mon, who’s gonna bid for me?"

And the people cried out, "What made the change? We don’t understand!"
Then the auctioneer stopped and he said with a smile,
It was the touch, that’s all it was; it was the touch of the Master’s hand,

Tags: Touch of the Master`s Hand, Wayne Watson

To Part With A Port?

2007-07-16T14:21:00.000-07:00

Greetings one and all.

Today I went to the Cleveland Clinic for my 3 - month check up and bloodwork. This was my first time going there since my meds and chemo have been completed!

The drive there takes me about an hour and I did some reflecting along the way. I`ve been there so many times I feel as though I could drive it with my eyes closed! North on the expressway to downtown Cleveland by Jacob`s Field where the Indians play, merge right; go two exits and turn right .... and so the journey goes.

When I was first diagnosed with leukemia and taken to the CC I was terrified. I knew I was in bad shape when they transported me there. It was to be my home for the next month until I was discharged and then I would spend up to 4 or 5 days a week there after that . Long days of chemotherapy. Ofcourse I couldn`t drive there myself. My brother took me.

Bone marrow tests, hair loss, chemo shot into my spine several times, wheelchairs, barf buckets, shingles, dozens of blood transfusions, pneumonia, learning to give myself shots, sores in my mouth, mouth tasting like tarnished coins, blurred vision, weight loss -- just a few of the bad things.

The love of my family and friends, visitors, cards, flowers, magazines, teddy bears, food when it tasted good, new pajamas and slippers, new friends and fellow patients, amazing doctors and nurses, lots of prayers and more prayers and an abundance of blessings -- just a few of the good things.

So I`m thinking about all this as I`m driving along. The sun is shining, my CD player is blaring, my real hair blowing in the breeze! :)

My bloodwrok was good. I met with my doctor. We discussed whether or not to leave the port in my chest. The port is hidden under the skin. My blood is drawn from it and when I had chemo, that`s the way it was administered from an IV into my port. It`s a small surgical procedure to have it removed. Or it can be left in "just in case."

I told my doctor that I probably won`t be keeping it, that I didn`t plan on needing it.

He smiled and said, "That`s exactly what I was thinking. "

Tags: leukemia, prayers, Cleveland Clinic,

Too Hot

2007-07-08T14:07:00.000-07:00

Okay, it`s over 90 degrees here today. Thankfully I went to an air conditioned church - onto an air conditioned restaurant - onto air conditioned Kohl`s and now I`m in my air conditioned home! I do step outside now and then.

Funny thing is, I never used to care or even paid any attention to the temperature. It`s 90 degrees? So what, I was ready to get a tan and then go out and have fun. There`s a blizzard? It never stopped my friends and I from going anywhere. ( We even slept in the car once in a hotel parking lot in Detroit during a snow storm. Who heads farther north in February?? )

Anyhow, on the other side of the world my daughter says it`s really cold in New Zealand and she has purchased a winter coat! She loves it there, though. I have been researching NZ quite a bit over the past couple months and it is one place I`d really love to go.

So I bought pajamas today at Kohl`s. Nothing like new pj`s. I had a gift card so that`s why I went as I`m broke otherwise! I love Sundays and going to church, but I find I do tend to get a tad lonely later in the afternoon, so I tried to stay busy today and it has helped.

I`ve been divorced now for close to 5 years, separated a year before that. I keep hoping for that nice Christian gentleman to come along and fill the gap that I sometimes feel in my life. It is something I pray about and if it`s meant to be I know God will bring him my way when the time is right.

I hate to whine or complain when I am so blessed. And one thing I don`t do very often is make myself vulnerable or express myself emotionally in this journal. There are some things going on that I just don`t discuss here. But I`m definitely "the glass is half full" kind of a person. I`m learning more and more each day to truly trust in the Lord in all matters and it keeps me even.

Well, I`m off to read some journals and shower and have a big glass of cold Pepsi. :)

The latest good book I`m reading is River Angel by A. Manette Ansay.

Tags: New Zealand, God, blessed, Christian gentleman where are you!

Morning Aerobics

2007-07-06T08:32:00.000-07:00

At the start of your morning when the first alarm goes off, sit up in bed stretching right arm out to hit snooze. Relax. When it goes off again 9 minutes later, repeat process.

When cell phone alarm goes off extend left arm as far as possible and bob it up and down several times while searching for phone. Flex fingers over the dials until snooze setting is activated. Relax.

Repeat process for 30 minutes.

........ So my morning goes.

It`s rough when you`re not a morning person.

Today Mandy went to the groomers for a haircut. This morning I told her to hurry and go potty because we were going >>>>> (magic words) >>>>> BYE BYES. Wow, did she do her business fast and run for the car!

After dropping her off, it was on to McDonald`s for my morning unsweetened iced tea. :) Then I washed and dried my car. By 10 am it was already 80 degrees. I filled up my car with gas. It`s $2.93 a gallon but with my Speedway rewards card I get 5 cents off per gallon, so make that $2.88.

Later my mom and I are going out to lunch and picking up Mandy. Speaking of my mom, she fell again the other day. I cannot get her up when this happens. She wasn`t hurt. So we called 911 and 3 guys came and lifted her right up. I never saw such nice looking rescue guys in my life! Wowza! One of them actually made friends with my dog, which is no easy feat.

Corey, as you know, is in New Zealand. They flew to a different part recently and now they have access to phones and computers. I like hearing from her more often. :) They are helping to establish ministries at the schools while they are there. Much work to be done and it`s very exciting for her.

I do indeed have Swimmer`s Ear. Not that I swim, but whatever. The doc gave me ear drops and they are helping.

I just can`t quite get over my feeling of Blah-ness. Not sure what exactly that`s all about and it`s not like me. I feel like sleeping and it`s hard to get motivated lately. Maybe because I`m not on any specific routine in my life right now. Also, I know this sounds weird, but summer is not my season. If it could be like autumn year `round I`d love it!

I hope you have a wonderful day.

thanks, Donna!

Who Could It Be?

2007-07-05T17:43:00.000-07:00

Anyone you know?

She takes pictures of her feet

And reads a lot

..... And lives in Ohio .....

Happy 4th

2007-07-04T19:13:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July!

Independence Day is truly worth celebrating. How blessed we are to live in the United States!

Today`s a restful day for me. I didn`t have any plans so I slept in really ( really ) late. My mom wanted to go out to eat so we had dinner at Bob Evan`s. Later I went to Walmart to get a few groceries.

Today was cloudy and cool. We had a bit of hard rain in the early evening but it didn`t last long. So everyone who went out to enjoy fireworks shouldn`t be disappointed. I can hear then beginning now, but I can`t see them from my house for all the trees.

I logged onto the blog about the New Zealand trip and was thrilled to see that they had updated it.... and with pictures of my daughter, too! :)

Tomorrow I will be going to the doc. I`ve diagnosed myself with Swimmer`s Ear - which you don`t have to go swimming to get, by the way. Then I`ll be meeting a friend for lunch. And I hope to walk at the park again.

I hope you`ve all had a happy and safe holiday.

Tags: Independence Day

Tagged

2007-07-02T19:28:00.000-07:00

I`ve been seeing a lot of these tags in journals today and then lo and behold I go over to visit one of my favorite journals Good Morning Sunshine ! and find I`ve been tagged too! Thank you, my dear and fellow Ohioan. Your journal is so encouraging and uplifting. I look forward to reading it every day!

According to the Rules of the Award, I'm to pass the Award on to 5 other "girls" whose blogs I read and enjoy. And they, in turn, pass it on to 5 girls blogs that they enjoy.

That`s a tough one, I think. There are so many good journals out there worth reading.

I`m not sure who`s been tagged and who hasn`t but here`s my 5 girls >>>>

Good Morning Sunshine ! ( listed above )

Cab's Creations This is Chris` tag journal which has somewhat turned into her personal journal as well. Chris was one of my very first J-Land friends and I`ve also met her personally. She`s on a bit of a computer hiatus at the moment due to some personal stuff. Hey Chris, we miss ya!

visions This is a fairly new journal started by my friend Betsy who lives in Connecticut. It`s an interesting story of how I know her. We originally met as pen pals when we were teenagers! She visited me in Ohio, I visited her in Connecticut and we would go to NYC. Then I moved to NY and we would continue to get together. Then growing up and busy lives lead us apart and we have recently been in touch again over the past year or so. She is a wonderful photographer. I hope you`ll check her out! Maybe her and I will even get together again sometime! :0)

Damaged Goods Too Lisa Jo has gone private, but I have to include her in my list. Also a fellow Ohioan, she writes one of my favorite journals! It`s an honest expression of her thoughts, feelings, rants , and raves. Love ya LJ!

Missie's Upside Down World Missie tells of her daily happenings with her family and let`s not forget the pets! She`s a stay at home mom who keeps pretty busy with all that she has going on. She also makes some great tags!

A LITTLE BIT OF SUGAR, PLEASE... Stop by and say hello to Sugar, another of my favorite ladies. Her journal is full of uplifting stories, cute graphics, and prayer requests for fellow journalers. Stop by her other journals as well and shake some paws with her furr babies. :)

Times of My Life, One Nurse's Story Pam`s journal is private. I love her stories about work and her friendships. There always seems to be something going on! She lives in California and posts some beautiful pictures of her day trips as well.

Please don't take life for granted. Lisa is another fellow Ohioan. She suffers with chronic pain but still manages to keep the faith and pass on some encouraging words.

Be Still...... Know that GOD has ALL the answers.... :o)

Katie is - do you believe it? Another Ohio girl! Ohio rocks! This is a happy journal filled with funny stories as only she can write them. Her sidebar pics are just awesome and very inspiring. She`s one of my newer friends who I`m so glad I met!

OOOooooooops, did I say tag five people?

A New Me ( ...at least for today... )

2007-07-02T16:50:00.000-07:00

Hello and happy Monday! Many of us will have a shorter work week this week. Anyone have any fun plans for the 4th? I wish I did. But I don`t. And I`m off Wed, Thurs, and Fri. I`m sure I`ll find something to do.

I do have a doctor`s appointment scheduled for Thursday. I seem to have some sort of ear infection. My ears are itchy and sore!

On Friday I`m taking Mandy to the groomers to have her fur cut off again. I had it done about 3 months ago, but it`s grown out very much since then and I know she`s hot, even though she spends most of her day laying on top of the air conditioning vent!

The "new" me got off work today, changed clothes, grabbed my iPod and went to the park to walk. There`s really NO excuse why I haven`t been! If Betsy can hike 4 miles ( gulp! ) I can get my lazy butt out and walk at least a mile at the park! I`m happy to report that I did walk one mile. It`s the first time I`ve walked that far since I finished my treatments. I don`t kid myself that I`ll do this 7 days a week, but 3 or 4 times would be nice.

Then I came home and did some laundry and vacuumed up all the little bits of papers laying about as someone knocked over my shredder. I do hate to point a paw at anyone, but I know who the culprit is!

So for now I`m taking it easy and having a delightful glass of Chardonnay.

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o`er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils,

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

-william wordsworth

Tags: Wordsworth

Cooler Temps, Naps

2007-07-01T17:23:00.000-07:00

Hello again! It`s a sunny and cool day here in my little piece of Ohio. Right now it`s 66 degrees. Perfect!

I did absolutely nothing today except go to church, pick up some lunch at Taco Bell, and take a nap.

I talked to my daughter for about 30 seconds yesterday. They are safely in New Zealand! The time difference is 16 hours so it`s already tomorrow there (and winter.)

Church was lovely today - very patriotic, as we sang The Star Spangled Banner and many other such songs as the 4th of July draws near.

This may come as a shock, but I`ve decided not to buy any more handbags for a while. LOL, not exactly breaking news, but what I really want is a Dooney and Bourke bag! I can`t get one now as every cent I have has been poured into Corey`s trip and rent. But maybe once school starts again and she has her college loan money I`ll be able to. I would go for a Coach bag - they seem more prestigious, but honestly I much prefer the D&B bags. I don`t normally buy according to brand names anyhow; I buy what I like.

Speaking of money, I just paid $170 to have my car serviced. It was due for an oil change and 15,000 mile maintenance. ( So many miles and I`ve only had it 10 months! ) I hated to pay all that money to have a new car maintained, but what can you do? I have to keep it running well and I want everything to stay covered under the warranty with Toyota. The dealership did give me a loaner car for the day - a very nice Corolla. ( mine`s a Yaris. ) And ofcourse washed it for me.

Did anyone see the HUGE full moon last night?? I was reading that the moon was actually just very,very low in the sky, more than at any other time of the year, thus forming an optical illusion of looking so large. It was breathtaking!

I`ve noticed that since I`ve been working part time at the bank again that my fingers are often numb - Carpal Tunnel like. Sometimes I work my hand and wrist with a one-pound weight and that helps. My toes are still slightly numb due to a certain kind of chemo that I took for so long. I love working part time. I think more than that would be a bit too much.

I hope you`re all having a happy and safe weekend.

God bless---

Tags: New Zealand, 4th of July, Yaris, God bless!

Mixed Emotions

2007-06-29T14:13:00.000-07:00

I`m not sure how I feel about my daughter being so far away. She should be in New Zealand by now. With the time change, they actually lost a day by flying there. Isn`t that weird? And it`s winter there, which gives you an idea of how far away it truly is!

Even once she arrived on the west coast, she still didn`t have enough money raised to get to NZ, so we had a bit of a stressful situation. I scraped together what I could and an aunt and uncle in NY very graciously helped her out as well. She has been raising support money for this trip for 2 or 3 months and did pretty well. Thanks to a couple J-Landers who also contributed! It`s so exciting to think that because people stepped up to sponsor this trip, that lives will be forever changed; people will hear about Jesus!!

So I`m taking the advice that some of you gave me to relax now and enjoy some "me" time. I have 3 days off and boy, do I feel like I need it.

Today my friend Janice and I had lunch and ran some errands together. I got some good books at the library. :) I went to the bank, I paid bills, did laundry, and got through a mountain of paperwork.

I`m off to relax and enjoy my evening .......

Cheers!

ps --- don`t get me wrong, I`m happy she has this opportunity . I guess I`m just missing her.

And He said to them,

"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."

- Mark 16:15

Tags: New Zealand, Mark 16:15

A Happy Melancholy

2007-06-26T18:30:00.000-07:00

I know it`s a strange title for an entry, but it sums up how I`m feeling .....

My daughter has raised enough money to go on her trip, (although she still owes more and needs more sponsors.)

She left last night.

-- Happy that she got to go on her trip ......

Melancholy now that she is gone.

I miss her and feel alone.

Yard Sale

2007-06-23T10:30:00.000-07:00

It`s a pleasant day here in northeastern Ohio. It`s about 68 degrees and partly cloudy.

My neighborhood is having its annual yard sale. Corey and I ( well, mostly Corey. ) spent a lot of time last week cleaning house and going through the shed to see what items we could sell or throw away. Wow, did we throw out some junk!

Since she still owes money for her New Zealand trip, all of today`s proceeds will go toward that. We don`t have high priced items to sell - mostly books, Cd`s, beanie babies, some household items, things like that. I think she has made $45 so far.

My poor Mandy about had a fit this morning when I took her out potty as she saw all the neighbors out and people getting an early start on buying. Running in circles, barking, growling .... geez!!! Then once I brought her back in she cried for about an hour. lol. Poor baby. She`s so spoiled. No way was I letting her stay outside. I jokingly said I could put a price tag on her, but my mom brought up a good point; Mandy wouldn`t let anyone even get close enough to her to buy her!

So I have the luxury of doing what I want today on my Saturday off while my daughter tends to the sale. I was out there for a bit chatting to people and whatnot. I ran out to get some gas and a soda for myself and an iced coffee for Cor.

I`m reading a good book by Jody Shields called The Crimson Portrait. It`s a rather strange story about a doctor during WWI who collaberates with an artist in a makeshift hospital to help wounded soldiers with horrible facial wounds. One man will be made into the image of a grieving widow`s lost husband. Shields is a talented writer. This is the first book I have read by her. Somewhat in the style of Anita Shreve.

I hope you`re all having a good weekend.

Love & God bless,

Thanks to Sugar for finding Imagechef.com. Love it!

Tags: yard sale, New Zealand, Crimson Portrait, God bless!

Thursday`s Greetings

2007-06-21T19:04:00.000-07:00

Hi again friends.

Check out the above pictures. I had story time at the library today with some "friends." They`re a bit stony and inhuman until you get to know them.

Ahem -----

The other two shots are from a little store I visited in Amish country. Antiques, gift shop, and a wine shop that sells wines from vineyards all over the state of Ohio.

The sky darkened and the rain began to fall, so we headed home. Otherwise I would have had more pictures to bore you or entertain you with. ( Depending on your point of view. )

Saturday evening I met up with my friend Cathie at a local festival - hot rod show, bands playing, lots of carnival food and fireworks. It was a good time, but I was bombarded with hot flashes! What`s the point of getting ready, doing the hair and make up, only to feel like a sweat hog all night?? LOL

I have mentioned before that my daughter is leaving for New Zealand soon. It`s a missions trip so therefor she has to raise money on her own to get there. It`s almost time to go and she is still short on the financial end. She was in tears earlier and I felt so helpless. But then we prayed and things turned around.

There`s kind of a new phrase that we`ve been hearing for the past couple years - " Think outside the box. " That`s basically what God`s been telling us for years! Lean not on our own understanding!

Where we can see no way out of a situation, God can and does make a way where there seemingly is no way.

So to those of you who have been praying and/or are donating funds ..... thank you!! Lives are changed because of these trips .... not only the lives of those that are ministered to, but people like my daughter who watch in awe at what God does in people`s lives ( and in her own life as well!)

Anyhow, I hope this finds you all happy and well.

I`m feeling great physically.

And spiritually - I know God is in control.

Happysummer!!

thanks Jen for all the great name tags you make and find for me :0)

Tags: Amish country, God

Beauty Routine in Progress ......

2007-06-15T18:16:00.000-07:00

Hello and happy weekend to ye!

Thanks for your good wishes and suggestions for the minor health issues I`ve been having. The swollen ankles and feet mean that I`m getting old I think! The fluids in the body succumb to gravity and thus end up retained in my left ankle. Lovely. The doctor did prescribe a support stocking. I haven`t gotten it yet, although I`m sure it`s very attractive. I do prop my leg up when I can. Heh, somehow that doesn`t sound quite right ....... ô¿ô

My bloodwork was all good - cholesterol, thyroid and all that. Yay! The pain in my side is gone. Thank God. I can once again move and breathe which is convenient.

Anyhow, I don`t have much time to do a journal entry because tonight is All About Penny - the night that I am giving myself a pedicure, coloring my hair, filing the nails, plucking the unwanted hairs - ( Come on, ladies, you know what I`m talkin` about! Ugh. )

Tomorrow I have to work. In the evening I`m going to a local festival featuring live music, fireworks and whatnot. What`s summertime without doing that?

Have a great weekend.

God bless and be well.

Spring Cleaning and Rearranging

2007-06-13T11:33:00.000-07:00

I wish I could tell you that I have not posted an entry in a week because I`ve been busy with so many exciting things. The truth is that while I have been busy, nothing much very exciting is happening at the moment. But sometimes I prefer it that way.

I have had a pain in my right side for a few days now. It`s right by my rib cage. The doctor didn`t seem too concerned. Actually I think I may have pulled a muscle. I also wanted my doctor to look at my swollen foot and ankle. Again, there doesn`t seem to be a reason for concern there either. I went to the hospital yesterday to have an ultra sound done on both legs just to make sure there was no blood clot lurking around. Later I called off work. I was tired and my side was bothering me. I came home and slept.

Today we had the carpets shampooed. Everything looks so much nicer! Corey has been a big help to me lately. For one thing, she loves to cook, so she`s been making dinner. She also spent several hours sorting out all the junk that is stored in the shed. I moved to my current location about 4 years ago and whatever I didn`t know what to do with then went into the shed along with other miscellaneous items since then. We have bags and bags of stuff that we`re throwing out. The rest will go toward our yard sale in a couple weeks. I told Corey that any money we make she can use for her trip to New Zealand. This will be a missions trip so she has to raise the money to get there, plus buy her own plane ticket to LA, which is where they will be departing from. Please pray that she gets everything she needs. Our church is helping, as have many others. My ex-husband`s brother and his wife contributed $500!!

Also if you wouldn`t mind praying for the people that they will be talking with and helping while they are in NZ it would be much appreciated.

Today I`m catching up on the many things I wanted to do yesterday and didn`t ..... laundry, cleaning the patio, etc. Corey and I also re-arranged one of the bedrooms -- something I have been wanting to do for a long time now. It definitely looks better and there is more room.

I hope this finds everyone doing well. I plan on visiting journals today. I`m behind again.

The picture at the top is one I took at a nearby park. I know I`ve posted it once before, but it`s pretty and that`s how it looks here today. Beautiful weather. :0)

Love to all & God bless!!

Work and Hot

2007-06-07T17:50:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone and a very happy Thursday to you!

Are most of you having this same hot weather that we have here in Ohio? When it gets up to 90 degrees that`s way too hot for me, but it was a beautiful day. I worked all day but I did a bit of yardwork once I got home.

Speaking of work, most of us know what each other does for a living. Do you like your job? What is the hardest part about it or the area that you feel the most stress?

I`m a bank teller. I like the job. The pay and benefits are okay, and I`m in an office now where everyone gets along fairly well. Speed and accuracy is not a problem for me. I can do transactions quickly and I usually balance to the penny. ( Hence my name - lol. )

And although I do okay at getting referrals, this is the most difficult part for me. Talking up the products in order to get a customer to see a banker at the desk does not come easy for me. I`m not pushy or aggressive. If I look at it as an opportunity to help the customer get a good deal then the focus becomes easier. Anyhow, I did reach my quota in order to get a pay-out for the past two months. :0)

I like the professional atmosphere of working in a bank. I like that it`s cool in the summer and I`m not on my feet all day. I like being off most holidays. I do NOT like when a customer goes OFF because we ask for ID if we are not familiar with them. We have to be extremely careful about who we give information to and that we get ID for people making withdrawals if we don`t know them. I don`t talk about work much but decided to for this entry and to see how you readers feel about your own jobs.

Two other subjects that I could talk a LOT about are my daughter and my mother, but believe it or not, I`m a rather private person. It never bothered me to talk about the leukemia I had, though. I guess that was therapeutic for me and it`s my decision to tell what I want about myself. I don`t feel as comfortable writing about family or friends other than at a superficial level.

Time out .... a certain Cocker Spaniel is barking for her potty break .......

Anyhow - - - Corey and I went shopping earlier in the week looking for jeans. When she goes to New Zealand soon, it will be their winter. Mild winter, but winter nonetheless and she`s complaining she needs jeans.

I wanted her to look at Kohl`s since I had a gift card. She was skeptical but said okay. No luck.

A store at the mall she likes - again, no luck.

Old Navy , where she always buys jeans - again, no luck!

Those were the only stores she would consent to look at since I wasn`t going anywhere that would cost me an arm and a leg.

Me : How about Target?

Corey: ( huffy sigh ) No, Mom

She loves Target, but I guess their jeans don`t fit her right, or it`s a bad selection or who knows what.

Me: Okay then - Walmart

Corey: ( gives me the You`ve - Got -To - Be- Kidding-Me look. )

Me: Fashion Bug has cool jeans.

Corey: Ewww .......

Need I say she was getting a bit cranky? lol

She ended up getting them at Old Navy but by ordering them online. She found the same kind and style that she bought there last time and loves.

Oh yeah, while we were there at the real store, not finding any jeans, I did buy some flip flops. Lovin` me some flip flops!! They have every color and at 2 pair for $5 !! Between the two of us we have green, yellow, light pink, dark pink, black, brown, red, tan, blue .... Cheaper than purses that`s for sure!

Have a great weekend. I`m off tomorrow and have lots to do.

Ta - ta

God bless!

Thanks to my friend Chris over at Cab's Creations for the great (and very appropriate!) name tag. Chris visited me last summer and we had a great time. (Miss ya! I may just stop by and see you this summer sometime. )

Stormy Weather

2007-06-03T14:09:00.000-07:00

Ha Ha, you didn`t know I was on the cover of all those above magazines, now did you? What a fun new feature!

The weather here is being dished out in typical Ohio fashion; it`s bright and sunny, then it rains. Then the sun peeks out, then the dark clouds form, the wind gets fierce, thunder and lightening begins, then the downpour. Later the sun returns. And so it goes -

Yesterday my employer had a company picnic for our district. It was quite nice. The park where it was held was lovely, the food was good and the games were fun. ( water balloon toss ) :0

Later Corey and I went to Walmart where I bought a couple shirts. I love new shirts maybe even more than purses! Corey bought a set of luggage. She`s bound for New Zealand soon! Wish I was going. My baby`s going so far away for six weeks!!

I`ve been feeling great. Today I went walking. I get tired after a long day, but it`s a normal tired, not that down to the bone weariness I had during treatment.

I`m off to read journals and try to catch up some. Just been busy, don`t worry about me. :>)

Love & Hugs,

thank you, Donna!

Freedom

2007-05-27T16:05:00.000-07:00

I have fond memories of Memorial Day as a child. I was too young then to realize that freedom is a gift that many have fought and died for in order for us to have. My main memory is the excitement of the parade. That horses and marching bands, clowns, and fire engines were making their way - loudly - through my own little neighborhood was almost more excitement than my young mind could comprehend!

And even afterwards, it was fun to just stroll down the street seeing the aftermath of it all. The festive feeling that clung in the air was palpable. You could almost reach out and touch it with your fingers. To be able to catch a piece of it and store it in a jar would be a priceless gesture. When one grew older it could then be released into the air. Once again my eyes would widen at the sight of the marching band parading down the street. I would laugh as the clowns passed by and chase down some candy that they tossed. I would stare at the horses looking so elegant and grand as they clomp clomp clomped on the pavement. I would point at someone I might recognize and marvel at the fact that I was acquainted with someone who actually had the honor of being in a parade!

I would get a tear in my eye as the American flag was proudly being displayed. Red white and blue blowing in the breeze, glistening in the sun. Gentleman, remove your hats, all you citizens put your hand over your heart! Stand up and celebrate because you`re free!

Tags: Memorial Day, freedom

Holiday Weekend Begins

2007-05-25T16:16:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Donna for the tag. Isn`t it the cutest??!

Happy holiday weekend to all of you!

Any plans?

I`m working tomorrow. After church on Sunday I`m having a couple friends over for pizza. No plans for Monday, Memorial Day, other than my mom wants to go out to breakfast.

I got so much done today. The temps were right around 80 degrees. I bought hanging baskets of impatients. So pretty! I also got my hair cut and so did Corey. I bought some shiny pink polish for my tootsies. :0)

Yesterday when I arrived home from work Corey had dinner all ready. Yum. I could get used to that. She made chicken breast, peas and rice. Then she baked blueberry muffins. I`m not sure who she gets the cooking jag from - certainly not me! Her grandma, most likely.

I made a doctors appointment to see about my swollen ankle - but I can`t get in until June 11th! Today I wore capris and flip flops and I kept looking down at my left foot to check on the swelling. Really bugs me.

I`m reading a good book called Body Surfing. It`s the latest one by Anita Shreve. It`s about two brothers in love with the same woman. I love the way she tells a story. This particular family lives in a grand home in New Hampshire. It has a bit of a history, as characters from some of her other books have lived in this same home throughout the years. Kind of a cool thing that you wouldn`t know unless you have read some of her other books.

Gas went down 10 cents here. It`s now $3.39. I was going to wash my car today ( Corey and my mom both say it`s clean as can be, but they`re not looking at it with my critical eye. lol ) but the weather is calling for thunder showers tonight, so I didn`t.

I`m off to read a few journals and relax. I have to be up early tomorrow for work and I`m a bit tired. However, I have noticed an increase in energy since I`m all done with the leukemia treatments!

Have a lovely weekend.

God bless!

Tags: Anita Shreve, leukemia, God

A Busy Day Off

2007-05-23T16:47:00.000-07:00

Well, it was indeed a busy day and I accomplished much. Corey and I were out practicing driving, as she still doesn`t have her license. We also went to the bank, Verizon store, and to Olive Garden for lunch.

I wasted about an hour and a half at a local hospital trying to get a simple five minute procedure done - getting the port in my chest flushed out. Since I have just finished treatment, we decided to leave the port in for a while. It`s under the skin so it`s not visible and it doesn`t bother me at all. Anyhow, there was some mix up about the doctor not faxing in the order from the Cleveland Clinic. My doctor in Cleveland and I thought it was all set to go, but I guess not. So to make a long story short, I left. We did get it all straightened out a couple hours later. Now I have to go back a different day. Oh well.......

Then we went grocery shopping. Geez, having a college student home can run up one`s bill!

I`m off to take a quick shower and catch some American Idol.....................

Testing Out Picture Feature on Wittle Face

2007-05-22T19:05:00.000-07:00

Who`s Going To Win?

2007-05-22T18:55:00.000-07:00

The picture above was taken of Mandy just a day or two ago. Muah Muah, How I wuv that wittle face!!

So for those of you who watch American Idol - now that the last night of singing is complete, who do you think will win? I agree with what the judges said that Blake is the best performer and Jordin is the best vocalist. Personally, I would love to see Blake win. Either way, you know they are both going to release a record.

I`m off tomorrow and have many errands to run. The main thing that I have to do is go to a local hospital to have my port flushed. I still have a port in my chest to draw blood from, but since I will only be going to the Cleveland Clinic every three months now I`ll have to go somewhere around here to have it flushed so it keeps working. All that really consists of is putting a type of saline through the line which should only take about five minutes.

Gas went up to $3.49 here today. YIKES!! That is outrageous. I know in most places it is even higher.

Today was a warm one - in the 80`s. Tomorrow should be nice also. I should go to the park and walk again.

Have a wonderful evening! XO

Free Lunch, Pretty Drinks, and Great Mirth

2007-05-21T18:10:00.000-07:00

So I haven`t done an entry in over a week and AOL goes and changes everything on me!

I just wrote a very looong entry and deleted it by mistake. <kicking self>

Anyhow, my Mother`s Day was nice. I picked up Corey from college. Three years completed - where did the time go? We had a nice lunch at TGI Friday`s.

It seems like I`ve been busy ever since. I`ve picked up some extra hours at work too. Because of that and the fact that I got some good referrals, my manager and asst manager took me and another teller out to lunch on Friday. I thought that was very nice.

My branch did well last year so on Saturday night we all got together to celebrate. ( better late than never. ) We went to a bar/restaurant and had lots of food and drinks. There was ping pong to play, pool, and darts. I had my first drink in over 2 years. Now that my treatments are finished for leukemia I treated myself to a glass of white wine. Everyone cheered and clapped for me! It felt pretty darn good! Then I had what one of my co-workers calls a 'pretty drink' - a strawberry daiquiri. Yummy. :)

Sunday was a big day at our church. we celebrated its 20-year anniversary. We buried a time capsule that will be unearthed in another 20 years. We had special singers and a guest speaker. The children planted a tree. We honored those in our church who serve in the military. I made a collage of all our college students that was hung in the church foyer.

In the book of Nehemiah, there is a portion that speaks of a great celebration ... eating and drinking, rejoicing and great mirth. ( I love that word! ) So that`s what we did. We had a covered dish lunch and a time of fellowship. It was quite nice.

I don`t like what has happened to me this week for the first time - swollen feet and ankle! UGH! What do I do to prevent this??

Well, this entry isn`t as long as the one I deleted <Grrrrr> but it`s enough for now.

I missed you guys!!

Love & God bless,

Penny

Tags: church, Nehemiah, swollen ankles

For The Moms

2007-05-12T14:55:00.000-07:00

I thought I would say Happy Mother`s Day to everyone now since I won`t be home until later in the day tomorrow.

I`m blessed to have a mother who always took good care of me and still tells me to this day that she loves me. I have two very early memories of me with my mom. The first one is : I am laying in my crib as a baby and was sick. She was taking my temperature.

The second one is : We were going somewhere, not sure where, but I was wearing a dress. I must have been about three years old. My mom lifted me up and sat me on the table and then she put shiny black patent leather shoes on me. They were always my favorite when I was little! Such a simple thing, but it`s one of my favorite memories.

My own daughter was a surprise. By that I mean she came two months early! She weighed in at 2 pounds 11 onuces. When I went home from the hospital I couldn`t bring Corey home then as she was too small. How I cried.

She had to stay in the hospital for six weeks. Then she was able to come home - happy and healthy - at a whopping 4 and 1/2 pounds!

Being a mother is challenging. There`s no foolproof instruction manual on how to raise a child. But one thing I always told myself was - I need to do this right. Corey only gets one childhood and I want to be there for her, I want it to be a happy one.

We`ve had our ups and downs like everyone else, but I`ve always loved being a mom. My 'baby' is now 20 years old. She`s away at college and we still talk on the phone at least once a day.

Whatever your situation is I hope all you moms are able to enjoy your special day.

Love and hugs,

(Jenny, you rock!)

Not Hard To Swallow. Nope, Not At All!!

2007-05-11T15:27:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen!!!

( ahem )

It is my pleasure to present to you :

MY LAST TWO PILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Twenty six months after being diagnosed with leukemia ....... the pills are finished! The chemo is finished!

Some Mother`s Day gift to me, huh?! :0)

I`ve Been Tagged!

2007-05-08T14:48:00.000-07:00

Oh no! I was tagged by Lisa over at Please Don`t Take Life For Granted to list 7 random facts about myself. Hmmmmm......

I`ll try to list ones that you may not already know.

1. In high school I was voted Most Unique.

2. My (ex) husband and I were pen pals on and off for about 10 years before we met. I lived in Ohio - he in NY.

3. I have been a blonde, a brunette, and now a redhead!

4. I don`t eat red meat.

5. I once camped out all night in line for Backstreet Boys concert tickets. ( got `em! lol )

6. At the age of 19, I bought a one-way ticket to California and spent the summer roller skating, visiting pen pals and relatives, occasionally sleeping on the beach, and going to bars in Mexico!

7. I have been to DisneyWorld once and DisneyLand 7 times.

I`m not going to tag 7 others, but you should do it - it`s fun!

Would You Do It?

2007-05-08T14:23:00.000-07:00

For the mere price of $200,000 you can take a trip into outer space for 2 and 1/2 hours.

Supposing that money were no object, would you do it?

Here`s some info I copied from AOL news :

The spaceship will be attached to the belly of a jet carrier that will take off like a regular plane and then release the spaceship at about 50,000 feet.

There, a rocket will ignite and hurl the ship toward space at more than 3,000 mph.

The ship will peak at about 400,000 feet, and passengers will experience four to five minutes of weightlessness, Whitehorn says. They will be encouraged to somersault through the cabin.

"We are designing the spaceship to allow the passengers to leave their seats and look out of the different windows," he says.

Drawn by the Earth's gravitational pull, the spaceship will glide back for landing.

Waking up Early Is Nice!

2007-05-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

Hi folks. I`m not a morning person. At all. If it`s my day off I will usually sleep in. I did have to be at a 7am meeting today, so I was up early. The meeting lasted until 8:30 and then I went to the park to walk. It was so beautiful - nice, sunny, and cool. I am serious about building up my stamina again. Walking is the best way I know to do this.

I`m off soon to meet my friend, Sandy, for lunch. Then I must go vote. Today`s high is supposed to be about 76 degrees. If I really feel motivated, I`ll do some house cleaning.

Have a wonderful day!

"..... grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and

Savior Jesus Christ.

To Him be the glory both now and forever."

Tags: walking, vote, Lord, Savior, Jesus

Flip Flop Frenzy

2007-05-07T14:26:00.000-07:00

Here`s what`s happening in Penny`s piece of Ohio :

Current temp: 71 degrees

Current gas price: $3.09

Current weight loss for me: 6 pounds!!

Current read: Whitehorn Woods by Maeve Binchy

So today my mom wanted to go out to lunch and to Payless Shoes. I had nothing to do so I took her. Wouldn`t you know I found a purse on sale and flip flops?? I LOVE flip flops almost as much as I love purses! The picture at the top shows my latest purchase. :0)

Today I received a call from the Cleveland Clinic saying I was late for my chemo appointment and was I coming in for it? No, I won`t be coming in for it, as I had my last one in April thank you very much. My doctor said he would cancel it but obviously he didn`t.

I`d much rather be out buying purses and flip flops.

Yesterday after church I went out to lunch with some friends. We had a nice time at Cracker Barrell. ( I had a chef salad. ) I have been trying to walk some and eat healthier. Even so I was surprised when I weighed myself today that I had lost 6 pounds! I pretty much eat whatever I want for lunch then I try to eat a reasonable dinner, nothing huge - and something for breakfast because I have to eat to start my day. My snacks have been fewer and further between and they normally consist of celery, strawberries, pretzels, popcorn, or yogurt. I know the weight is not going to come off fast, but some of it MUST come off.

Tomorrow is another day off for me, yet I have to go in for an hour and a half for a meeting at 7am. Huh? Well, actually, I don`t HAVE to, they said they would postpone it if I couldn`t make it in. But I said no biggie. I didn`t really have plans for that time slot other than sleeping !

On Mother`s Day I will be on the road again. This is Corey`s last week of school, so I`ll be picking her up and bringing her home. :)

My church is having its 20 - yearanniversary this month and we have all sorts of cool things lined up. One thing that I was asked to do is to make a collage of all the kids from our church who are currently in college. So I have been rounding up photos from everyone and what school they are attending and what their major is. I think I`m going to buy a big frame and some type of fabric to use for the background. Then put the kids` pictures and info, some scrapbooking things to do with school and maybe some buttons or ribbons for decoration. Maybe a little glitter and a Bible verse. Anyhow, I am excited about doing this. I want to make it look good.

Another thing we are doing is making a time capsule to bury in the lawn and we will open it up again in another 20 years, God willing. The little children are going to plant a tree and some flowers. We`re also doing a tribute collage to our military personnel and we`ll be having a lunch that day and taking pics of the festivities. I love all the ideas everyone came up with.

Take care & God bless.

Thanks to Donna at D`s Designs for the top tag and to Toni`s Tags for the one below.

(((HUGS)))

Tags: Whitehorn Woods, Cleveland Clinic, chemo, Mother`s Day, flip flops

A Picture Perfect Day

2007-05-03T14:04:00.000-07:00

Wow, another beautiful day in Penny`s piece of Ohio!

I decided to go to the park and have some fun with my camera.

I have learned from Betsy and Greg that mid - afternoon when the sun is at its peak is probably the worst time to take a picture outdoors. Ofcourse this is when I was at the park - smack dab between 2 and 3 o` clock!

Oh, well .........

The dogwoods are in bloom, it was sunny and breezy with temps right around 70 - Perfect!

I walked around the lake as I took pictures. Now that all my treatments are finished, I am slowly trying to get back in shape and get my strength up.

I`ve also included pictures of my backyard. I live close to lots of places, yet I`m located off the beaten track, just a tad in the country. Very pretty and peaceful.

I hope the rest of you have enjoyed your day.

Love ya and may God bless you!

Have A Seat and Relax

2007-05-01T15:26:00.000-07:00

Hello there! Won`t you join me on the porch? There`s a lovely breeze. Can I get you something to drink? Iced tea, lemonade, a soda, coffee?

It was a lovely day here in Ohio - about 83 degrees and sunny. A beautiful day to be off work and oh, did I enjoy it! My mom and I went to lunch and ran a few errands. I vacuumed my car and washed it. Then I went to Walmart to buy a few groceries. ( okay ... and a shirt ... )

Then I came home and spread another bag of mulch. I`ll be happy when I get all that done. Now there`s a thunder storm heading our way. One of the neighbor boys was in the middle of mowing our lawn but had to hold off until tomorrow because of the rain. At least the front is done. My gosh, it grows like crazy, esp in the spring!

I hope you`ve all had a nice day.

Be safe & God bless!

Faux La La

2007-04-29T14:51:00.000-07:00

Happy weekend, everyone! It is a beautiful sunny day here in Ohio. After church I stopped at the store, then came home and made dinner - roasted chicken, baked beans, pasta and potato salad.

I got some summer things out of the shed to put on the patio - chimes, garden figurines, things like that. I would do some more yard work and mulching, but I do my best to honor the Lord`s day and not work, so I will get that done later in the week.

By the way, here is a picture of my faux flower arrangement that I said I was making a few entries back:

It`s rather large and simple. I`m happy with the way it turned out, though.

Last night I had breakfast for dinner. I met an old friend at iHop and we chatted forever. Her and I met back in grade school .... 3rd or 4th grade. Wow! I saw her for the first time in years about 2 years ago. Then the other day I received an email from her asking if Id like to get together again. I`m glad I did, as I really enjoyed it!

I finished reading vinegar Hill by Manette Ansay. She`s a very good writer although the book itself was somewhat dysfunctional and disturbing. Now I am reading a new book by one of my favorite authors, Maeve Binchy. The book is called Whitehorn Woods. I love her! All of her books are good. I signed up for this thing at the library where I list all my favorite authors - then when they come out with a new book, one is automatically reserved for me. How cool is that?!

This is a picture I took of Mandy that turned out weird. I am standing outside looking in through the door at her, which is why you see reflections of the patio table and chairs. Mandy looks almost surreal, like a ghost dog.

Cute as a button, that wittle face. Muah. Muah.

Did you hear about these peaceful protests that were going on in cities across America this past weekend where people camp out in parks to protest about people takenout of their homes and forced to live in camps in Africa? My daughter participated in this in Pittsburgh this weekend. They slept in a tent that they made out of cardboard and tarps. She said it was cold and muddy from Saturdays rain, but they had a good time.

Anyhow, I`m off to read journals

Love & God bless,

Tags: Ohio, church, Whitehorn Woods

Shopping, Changes, and a Cool Band

2007-04-26T18:45:00.000-07:00

Hello again. I`m sorry I blinded all of you with that last entry. It wasn`t intentional. I would have changed it if I could but heck if I could figure it out!

Last night I went to bed early and skipped American Idol. I watch it to see how they sing and who gets voted off, not for a fundraiser. Not that I have anything against that ; it just wasn`t what I wanted to watch.

Today was my day off so I slept in late until - - well, until embarrassingly late.

I had lunch at Friendly`s and did a bit of shopping. I desperately needed bath towels. I don`t know how exactly bath towels come up missing, but mine have seemed to be dwindling. So I found some on sale and bought mostly pink ones. :0) I was also looking for kitchen towels in red or with apples but didn`t find any of those. I didn`t buy a purse. Not because I didn`t find any I liked ( because believe me, I did look and did find )

After a stop to the bank and the dry cleaners I stopped at the auto store to buy a car vacuum. As often as I wash and clean my car, I`m figuring this will definitely save me money in the long run. When I came out of the store a guy was parked next to me in a pickup truck and he said hello, so I smile and say hi. Then, I`m not really sure how, but we ended up having like a 10 - minute conversation.

Then I was on my way to Walmart. By this time I`m sort of tired. I suppose it`s caused by all the meds and treatments I`ve had over the past two years. I`m wondering how it will feel to be completely off all of them. As usual, I`m standing in the check out line all in a hot flash. Does this happen to any of you ladies? Ugh, it sure is a nuisance!

Anyhow, I was thinking today how many ways I have changed over the years. I have always been sort of a neat freak, but not with the frenzy that I used to be. So much more mellow now. I mean, I still keep things clean and tidy, but now if I can put off vacuuming for a day I will - or if the dishes don`t get done by bedtime, that`s okay.

When I was going through my divorce I wanted very much to start dating again. So I did meet a few guys here and there and dated a couple of them. It`s hard to believe I`ve been single for over six years now. I guess you could say my bout with leukemia put a cramp in my social life for a (long) while, but I find that I`m happy being single. Don`t get me wrong, I`m always on the lookout for that Christian gentleman ( where IS he, anyhow?? ) , but I don`t mind not dating. It has to be someone special because I`d just as soon sit home with John Grishom <wink> than to just go out with someone for the sake of going out. Not to mention that most of the guys I see who are good looking and that I find appealing are - oh, half my age. LOL

Anyhow, I was bopping along in my car today to a really cool band.

>>>> TheAcademyIs <<<<

Tomorrow I have another day off, so I`ll be taking my mom to lunch and then to get her hair done. I didn`t mention that she fell down the other night. I hear her yell, "Help!" So I go into the back bedroom and there she is, sprawled out on her back. It seems that some little Cocker Spaniel, Mandy ( with that wittle face that Mama wuvs so much - muah, muah! ) was chasing a tennis ball and how that ball ended up under one of my mother`s feet just as she was walking into the bedroom is beyond me. To make matters even more hysterical ( I mean worse. Worse. ), Mandy thinks she wants to play. Why else would she be down on the floor like that? So with tail wagging and body wiggling, she`s all over her. LOL It`s funny now because my mother wasn`t hurt, thank God. But I could not get that woman up. Had to call 911. Mandy had to go in her cage for a little while because the excitement was just about too much for one little puppy.

Tags: American Idol, leukemia, Walmart, The Academy Is, Cocker Spaniel, puppy

Nothing Much

2007-04-24T17:42:00.000-07:00

It`s been a whole week since I`ve posted an entry. Sometimes I just have to stay off the computer and get things done.

The weekend brought with it some gorgeous weather. On Saturday I met a friend for lunch. We`ll call him "M". M and I used to date each other a few years ago, around my divorce time. Then we had a big fiasco. ( his fault ) Seriously, he would even tell you it was not cool what he did. So we didn`t talk for a while. Then we did. Then we started hanging out again. Long story short, I stopped talking to him and told him not to call me. Anyhow, Saturday we got together for lunch and talked and caught up with each other`s lives. And that`s pretty much it. ( and no, I will not date him again. )

Sunday after church I came home and had lunch and slept most of the afternoon. I felt so out of it from the mega dose of steroids I had been on. Thank God I am done with them!! By Monday I was feeling much better, which was good because I had to work all day.

Today was to be my day off, but I got a call at 9:00 this morning asking me if I could come in at least to cover lunches. One of the girls couldn`t make it in because her husband was in a car accident. So I went in and worked from 11-5:30. I figured once I was there, I might as well stay. I still have Thursday and Friday off, so it really wasn`t any great sacrifice AND as my asst manager so aptly put it - " Just think of the extra money you`ll have on payday to buy a couple new purses with! "

I just finished reading a wonderful book by W. Dale Cramer called Summer of Light. It`s about a man who loses his job and stays home to look after the 3 kids while his wife works. So between doing laundry and side projects and all the adventures he has while keeping an eye on 3 kids, their dog, goat, and chickens, etc, he also finds a new hobby and draws closer to God in the process. It`s funny and inspiring.

I just started another book which, by contrast, has started off rather depressing. It`s called Vinegar Hill by A. Manette Ansay. I`ll let you know how it is.

American Idol is on and I`m not watching it. I`m just bored by it and don`t particularly care who wins.

After work tonight I did some yard work. I have bags of mulch in the trunk of my car that I have been itching to get to. I did some weeding and got one of my small flower beds done. Looks good. I was happy that I`m feeling so well that I can come home from work and still feel like doing some gardening.

I will try to get around to your journals soon.

Have a great night!~

Ugh, I can`t figure out why this entry turned out this way with the blue highlights. Oh well...

Tags: W. Dale Cramer, American Idol, God

Tuesday`s Tidbits

2007-04-17T16:33:00.000-07:00

" Ain`t nothin` ever as good or bad

as you think it is "

From W. Dale Cramer`s new novel Summer of Light.

I forgot to mention yesterday that I have lost 2 pounds. Weight has been a real issue for me, esp with the steroids that have been part of my leukemia treatment. So losing 2 pounds was nice to hear! I hope to lose more since I will soon be free of the steroids!!!

I have been walking some and today when my mom and I went to lunch I ordered a salad. <patting self on the back. >

I bought a cute peach shirt and a pair of pajamas while we were out shopping. :0)

I was reading the news online about the whole Virginia Tech ordeal. It makes me cry. Such a tragic and senseless waste. The young man who went on the shooting rampage was very disturbed and showed many signs of just how troubled he was. I wish something could have been done sooner. I read that the school had even suggested counseling. Then again, hindsight is always 20/20. Horrific. I just don`t know what to say. I am praying for all of these families involved.

Also, to my dear friend, Patty. I know she`s probably not reading this in her time of grief, but her mother passed away on Sunday. Patty and I have been friends since grade school. Her mother went on to a better place where she is free of pain.

Well, I am off to clean the kitchen. I actually cooked today! Then watch American Idol. Everyone seems bored with it, myself included. I find myself channel surfing through it more and more. A lackluster season this time.

Thank you for all the wonderful comments lately.

Love,

Tags: W. Dale Cramer, leukemia, Penny

Surprising News

2007-04-16T18:39:00.000-07:00

Who couldn`t wuv this wittle face???

Mandy has been groomed since this picture was taken and got all her hair cut off for summer, but she`s still cute as a button!

So I go to Cleveland Clinic today for what seems to be - or maybe was - my millionth treatment. I had my bloodwork done as usual and then met with my doctors before my chemo. We start talking and looking over my schedule. I was diagnosed with leukemia in March of 2005. I underwent 7 months of intensive treatment. Then I went on maintenance, which consisted of treatment once a month. This was when my hair started to grow back in. There were some bumps along the way, but eventually I started to look and feel normal again. Maintenance lasts for 18 months.

Guess what?

It`s been 18 months!!!

I officially got my last dose of chemotherapy today.

Give me an AMEN!

Praise the Lord!

Whhoooo - hoooooo!

I have to finish my meds ( one month ) and then I will be off them too. After 2 years and 2 months ( in May, when I will finish all the meds ) - I`m done!

Please take a moment if you`re inclined to do so and pray that the leukemia never ever comes back.

I know there are many throughout J-Land fighting their own battles and I pray that they, too, will have their day when the treatments are done and they are well again.

Thank you for all your prayers, support, and words of encouragement along the way. It means so much.

Love you guys!

Tags: leukemia, prayer

The Mall

2007-04-14T17:28:00.000-07:00

Greetings from rainy Ohio! I hope your weekend is going well. I had a fun day. I got up early to run errands and got back home around 11:30 because that`s when my friend, Janice, was meeting me.

We had lunch at Olive Garden, which is always a yummo experience. Our waiter was like,

"Hey, I remember seeing you two in here before!" lol, really?

Our next stop was some out of the way mall that I rarely go to. Lookee what I bought :

This purse just caught my eye and it came with the 3 little zipper bags. Fortunately, it was 40% off. I wouldn`t have paid full price for it. Too cute! :)

Monday is my day to go to Cleveland Clinic again. It seems like my monthly treatment sure comes up fast. :/

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Thanks to Donna for the rain graphic.

Thanks to Chris for the sig tag.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

(You ladies rock!)

God bless,

.... And a big WELCOME BACK to

*** Sugar *** !!!!!!!!!!!!! <3

Tags: purse, leukemia, God bless

More New Technology For Me to Fumble My Way Through

2007-04-12T18:32:00.000-07:00

Thanks, Donna, for this beautiful tag. Wishful thinking, I guess, as Ohio looks nothing like this at the moment. It`s still cold and dare I say I saw snow flurries today?

Work went well, then I was off to see about upgrading my cell phone. I spent the better part of this evening trying to figure it all out. lol, I can just hear Chris over at A Day in the Life laughing at me already as I struggle with yet another piece of technology that makes my life 'easier!' I must say, I do love the phone. It looks sort of like a red iPod and even holds music like an iPod. The feature I love best is the navigation, where I can get directions, find local resataurants, etc, anywhere I go. This is great for me since I seem to be on the road a lot.

Dinner was at TGI Friday`s tonight. Bruschetta Chicken with tomato and basil sauce over angel hair pasta. Yummy.

Tomorrow I work again then have four days off. Happy, happy. Saturday I`m going out to lunch with my friend, Janice, and then shopping. I`m enjoying the single life, working part time .... and best of all - being in REMISSION!!!!!

I know there are many throughout J-Land who are struggling with many things, esp health issues. My prayers are with you guys. I have been there and I understand that it can be a long road to recovery.

To those of you who are healthy, please don`t take it for granted. One day you can be healthy, and the next you never know. Hug your kids, kiss your sweetie, give your pet a special treat and a pat on the head, forgive someone, listen to a special song, dance and sing and enjoy the feeling of the sun on your skin.

Thanks for stopping by.

My Post Easter Posting

2007-04-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

Isn't it strange how everyone wants a place in heaven but...
they don't want to believe, do, or say anything to get there?

I came across the above quote and really liked it. It`s funny how so many people just sort of 'expect' they`ll get into Heaven without giving much to God during their lifetime. We have so many blessings here in our lives! I would like to encourage you to give something back to the Lord.

I hope you all had a lovely Easter. Church was very intense yesterday. After the sermon, a robed man, portraying Jesus, struggled to the front of the sanctuary carrying a large cross.

We had each been given a small card, which we wrote our names on, and a nail.

We then lined up to go to the front of the sanctuary where the cross had been placed and one by one we were given a hammer and we nailed our names onto that cross. Let me tell you, it really made the whole death of Jesus become so real. It was very moving. There weren`t many dry eyes.

I believe the fact that He rose from death is the single greatest event in the history of the world. So Happy Easter.

It`s still cold out. What happened to spring?

I have to work today, so I better get going. I just wanted to leave a quick post and to update MySpace. I will change my sidebar soon.

Have a great day!

Thanks, Jenny, for the bunny tag. lol Too cute.

Tags: Jesus, rose from the dead, Easter

Love my J-Land "Peeps"

2007-04-07T19:19:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone and Happy Easter weekend.

I had to work today and it was a s-l-o-w day. It`s the first Saturday in a long while that wasn`t crazy busy.

Everywhere else seemed very busy, however. I stopped by Walmart and thank God I didn`t have to buy Easter candy, as you couldn`t even get near that aisle! My gosh, people were ravaging through it as though their very lives depended upon it.

I bought a very cute/comfy pair of white terry cloth capris and a pair of terry cloth shorts. And a lavendar T-shirt. This is mostly to wear when I`m home lounging around the house ( which is often. ) I`m addicted to pajamas but I can`t exactly be out in the yard with my dog wearing pink lady bug pj`s, ya know?

I also purchased a large glass vase, glass stones, and some very large faux flowers. Don`t you just love that word - faux? I could say fake, but faux somehow makes it seem more romantic. Anyhowwww ..... I wanted to create a large floral design to place at my large living room window. Lately I`m into decorating BIG - large pieces of artwork, and now my large setting of a FAUX flower arrangement. Once I get it the way I like, I will take a picture and post it.

So, let `s see, what else. I said I was going to meet Cathie for lunch at Panera, which I did. It was fun, except she has a bad cold. I had a Greek salad and broccoli cheese soup with a French baguette >>>> another cool word. Then we went to Target and I bought 2 Cd`s by a band I found recently called The Academy Is.

Tomorrow after church I`ll come home and make dinner for my mom and I. My daughter will not be here since she already had spring break, but she does have plans with a friend - church and dinner - so I`m happy she won`t be alone for the holiday.

So, to all of you - my favorite J-Land Peeps ....

( These particular two are Chris and Lisa Jo, I think. )

Or is it Missy and Mary? Missie and Phil? Jenny and Bella? Pam and Sugar? Or maybe it`s You and Me ?

Anyhow, be sweet.

Tags: The Academy Is, Peeps, Church, Faux Baguette!

Honoring Good Friday

2007-04-06T15:20:00.000-07:00

Jesus Dies on the Cross

Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink. The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying,

“Truly this was the Son of God!”

Droopy Daffodils

2007-04-05T20:33:00.000-07:00

"I`ve wondered why it is that some people

come through difficult times bitter and broken

while others emerge stronger and empathetic?

I`ve read that the same breeze that

extinguishes some flames just fans others.

I still don`t know what kind of flame I am."

This quote comes from a wonderful book by Richard Paul Evans called Finding Noel. I highly recommend it. You won`t be disappointed.

So you know what`s sad? What`s sad is seeing that the snow and bitter cold have made all the daffodils that were just days ago blooming and boasting with color droop to the ground. What a strange sight, seeing the green grass with snow scattered in between the blades and glorious yellow flowers just laying down.

I bought some scrumptious goodies at Bath & Body Works today. Pink Grapefruit body spray, Cherry Blossom perfume, Apple bath gel, and Peach bath gel.

Hey, a girl`s gotta smell good. :0)

Tomorrow I am meeting my friend Cathie for lunch at Panera. Which is right beside Target. Hmmm..... It doesn`t take a psychic to see that there may be more shopping in my future. lol

Tags: Richard Paul Evans, Finding Noel, a girl`s gotta smell good!

Checking In

2007-04-02T18:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone.

I haven`t been online much lately and I am so behind with mail and journal alerts.

I`m doing just fine, but have been very tired.

Par for the course.

My treatments will be continuing through the summer, so resting will continue to be part of my lifestyle. But that`s okay - as long as I keep feeling well!

Today was an absolutely beautiful day. Sunny and warm, but breezy. Tomorrow I`m off and I`m hoping for more of the same.

I just uploaded some photos from my camera.

Here`s a pic of the Indianapolis Museum of Art that I visited while on vacation.

This is the entrance and shows only a small part of the museum. It`s very nice. It was raining the day we went.

Here`s my car :

I have over 11,000 miles on it already, since I bought it in August. Geesh.

I will try to get around to journals tonight or tomorrow.

By the way, my dear friend, Betsy, has finally started her own journal. ( `bout time, girl! )

She lives in Connecticut and is a wonderful photographer. If you could visit her and help her to get started here in J-land, I know she would appreciate it.

Thanks so much.

>>>> visions <<<<

Love and God bless,

thanks, Angel!

And thanks, Chris for the spring tag!

The Letter P

2007-03-27T16:36:00.000-07:00

Use the first letter of your name to answer each of the following... They MUST be real places, names, things...

NOTHING made up! If you can't think of anything, skip it.

You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question.

Your Name: Penny

Famous Music artist/group: Pussycat Dolls

3 letter word: Pus

Color: Purple

Gift/present: Purse

(my new one)

Vehicle: Prius

TV Show: Perry Mason

Country: Panama

Boy's Name: Philip
Girl's Name: Patty

Alcoholic drink: Pink Flamingo

Occupation: Playboy Bunny

Flower: Pansies

Celebrity: Paris Hilton

Food: Pork & beans

Reason for Being Late: Puking

Something You Shout: Pleez shut up!!

Art Museum

2007-03-25T15:56:00.000-07:00

I never pass up an opportunity to visit an art museum, especially since it means that I will most likely get to see a Van Gogh. On Friday I went to the Indianapolis Museum of Art and the highlight for me was seeing this painting. I`ve learned that seeing a picture of a painting is nothing until you can see the original for yourself. I am mesmerized by his work - the brush strokes and colors and the way he painted so thickly.

This particular painting, Landscape at St Remy, was done in the late 1800`s after Van Gogh suffered a nervous breakdown in an insane asylum in the south of France.

Next to this were two or three paintings by Gauguin. Van Gogh was friends with Paul Gauguin. They even lived together for a short time until they got into a heated argument which lead to Van Gogh slicing off a part of his own ear.

I found it fascinating to see these original pieces of work side by side from the late nineteenth century and to know the story and the emotions that took place around the time of their creation.

Anyhow, our trip was great. I felt wonderful. I spent too much money.

Happy spring!!

thanks, Jenny

Tags: Van Gogh, Gauguin, Indianapolis Museum of Art

Road Tripping

2007-03-22T14:55:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

Just to let you know .... I am on vacation and in Indianapolis!

So far we`ve shopped a lot and visited some good restaurants.

Tonight I`m relaxing and doing some scrapbooking.

My alerts are off, so if I`m not commenting in journals for a few

days, I know you`ll understand.

Yesterday was sunny and warm in the high 70`s.

Today is cooler and it`s raining.

I`m enjoying myself. :)

Hugs,

Penny

Know It All In 10 Easy Steps!

2007-03-20T12:06:00.000-07:00

Most of you know that I love to read. A lot. Not just books, but also magazines. I subscribe to 2 or 3 that I browse through every month and occasionally I will buy one at the check out stand.

It occurs to me from reading said magazines that I am lacking in many of life`s important aspects.

For instance - I should know:

How To Have Better Sex and to

Know All His Hot Spots!

How to Lose 10 Pounds by Spring!

My closets should be totally organized by now.

Said closet should be filled with all the latest fashions, because I have learned that Gray is The New Black! And , ofcourse, I can`t go wrong with The Little Black Dress.

I`ll be able to afford these clothes because I should by now be able to Reduce my Debt By 20 % !

I should know how to relieve my stress in Every Situation.

My garden will be gorgeous since I`ve learned What To Plant Now and How To Transplant my Patio Into a Gardner`s Delight!

Dinner`s a cinche since I have learned 100 Recipes in Under 10 Minutes! ( on any budget. )

And ofcourse I should always look gorgeous from reading Easy Hair Tricks for Any Style! And my makeup should be flawless because I`ve learned How To Apply Make Up in 12 Easy Steps.

I should never be sick because I know How To Prevent Medical Emergencies and because I Know the Difference Between Cold and Flu Symptoms.

My house will be spotless after reading all the tips on cleaning products that Really Work and How To Make my Own for Less!

I should know by now How to Make My Small Rooms Look Larger, What paint to choose to Make A Bold Statement and Easy Tricks for Framing and Hanging Pictures.

For holidays I`m told How To Bake the Perfect Turkey, Thrill my Guests With Yummy Desserts, Make Snacks the Kids Will Love .... allonaneasybudgetyetstilllosetwentypoundsbysummerand

buyanewwardrobewithallthemoneyIhavesavedandbestress

freeandorganizedandhealthyandtrimandable

tosaynoandtogetthejobIloveandhowtohandle

problemswiththeneighborsandin-laws .....

In 10 easy Steps.

Should I demand my money back??

Accidents

2007-03-19T15:06:00.000-07:00

It`s been a busy time for me. My daughter is home for spring break. It`s funny because just before it started we had some unusual temperatures here in Ohio - high 70`s in March!

Corey: So, should I bring my winter coat home? I don`t want to.

Oh Wise Mother (me): Yes, you better. You might still need it.

Corey: Sighs ...... Okay.

Today we had rain and snow mixed with balls of ice.

Corey: I don`t understand Ohio weather!

So this morning as I was leaving the house there was a light drizzle. I wasn`t ten minutes away from my house when balls of ice begin pelting my car. I had to pick up Corey from a friend`s house about 40 minutes from here, so I kept going, driving very carefully.

Imagine my horror as I look in my rear view mirror as I am driving along the interstate and see a Jeep or SUV of some sort spinning and therefor heading in the wrong direction! Then it slides sideways and hits a semi truck that was cruising along at a pretty good speed. Then the SUV starts spinning out of control in the middle of the busy interstate. I sped up so it wouldn`t hit me, as this is literally happening right behind me. I`m not sure if anyone else got hit or not. I kept going, as the roads were ice and there was lots of traffic, but within seconds I called 911 and reported the accident and the location. ( It`s still happening behind me at this point but I was safely ahead of it all. ) I know the semi truck pulled over and as far as I know the SUV never flipped over. Man, was I rattled and praying everyone made it okay. If I hear anything on the news I will give you all an update.

About fifteen minutes later, as I`m approaching my exit ramp, traffic begins to creep along and I see flashing lights up ahead. ANOTHER accident and a car is flipped over on the side of the road! Upside down. I didn`t see anyone inside. There were people walking around near it, so I hope and pray everyone made it out okay. I was really shaken and you better believe I took a different route back home.

Please be safe!

Love you guys. Be safe and well.

Thanks, Angel!

Forever and a Day

2007-03-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

Yes, it does seem like forever since I have posted an entry. That`s mostly just because I have been working and sleeping. When I work a couple of full busy days, it just wears me out! Yesterday was my day off. I met my friend, Sandy, for lunch at Rockne`s and stopped at the store, and that`s all I was able to do. I had to come home and rest. Today my plans are lunch with my mom at Friendly`s and then I`m taking her to a doctor`s appointment. I`ll probably wash my car today also. The usual stuff. I slept for a long time, so I am feeling good today. Even though I only have chemo once a month now, I still have to take meds every day, hence the need for rest when I seem to overdo it. Other than the tiredness, I`m doing just fine. :0)

On Sunday after church, I met with a group of friends that I`ve known for many years, some even back to grade school days. The Girlfriendz. We had a lovely time chatting and eating - and for some, drinking. So here`s to: Deloris, Don, Patty, and Tina - thanks for a great day of freindship. I love you guys!

My brother and his wife and puppy were also here for a real quick visit again. I can`t wait to go see them in Indianapolis in a couple weeks!!

I stumbled upon a great sale at Kohl`s. I bought 2 pairs of jeans, a jacket, 2 prs of earrings and 2 shirts! The shirts were buy one get one free. The jeans were $24.99 a pair which I couldn`t pass up. It`s so hard for me to find jeans that fit. I`ve blogged before about my "sit test" with jeans. I have to sit down after I try them on. If they don`t literally cut me in half and I am still able to breathe after 30 seconds, it`s a go. Well, that`s not really true, because if they are comfortable, then that means they are most likely 2 sizes too big in the legs, but sometimes I get lucky.

Okay, what`s up with American Idol?? How can Sanjaya and Hayley stay in? What about Sundance?? And Sabrina??

Whaaaaaa ......

Well, I am off to plow through some paperwork and mail. I`ve missed out on reading your journals for the past few days. I guess there`s no way I could completely catchup, but I`ll be around.

Someone in J-Land has a new baby! If you`d like to stop by and congratulate him, tell him Penny sent ya.

BABY

Be well and God bless - -

Idol and a Day Off

2007-02-28T15:40:00.000-08:00

Today was a day off for me with no particular plans. My mom and I ended up going out to lunch and then did some shopping at Walmart. My brother had sent me a gift card from there for my birthday. I bought a rather large painting that I really love and hung it between my kitchen and living room. It`s a country scene - a barn, church, apples, children and animals. Very quaint. I just love it!!

I`ve been playing around with my page on MySpace. I don`t know why I ever thought it was difficult. It`s actually very easy, especially putting music on. I`m having fun with it.

Okay, so last entry I was saying how American Idol wasn`t exciting to me this year. But I have to say that the guys really stepped it up last night! There were like 4 that I really thought were great. My early faves for the guys are :

Sundance, the big guy who sang last -

Chris, I think his name is - sorta looks like Justin Timberlake. I could see him winning.

The Be-Bop Box dude, whatever you call that. He`s very unique.

The military guy - is it the Marines? I don`t think he will win but I think he will definitely be around for a while.

I think we are starting to see some improvement and some personalities coming out, as the really good ones start to move forward. We`ll see how the girls do tonight. No doubt about it, those two black girls can sing!

I have never been a fan of Dancing With the Stars, but I see where Olympian Apollo Ohno will be on the new show. I may have to watch. I have always liked him.

I have not felt so great on and off today. A little nauseous. I feel pretty good at the moment. I just polished my nails and I`m off to read some more of Dear John by Nicholas Sparks. It`s very good. I may go watch a couple of videos from cute guys that I subscribe to on YouTube. :)

God bless and have a great night!

thanks, Chris! xo

Tags: American Idol, MySpace, Apollo Ohno, Nicholas Sparks

Dear John

2007-02-27T16:56:00.000-08:00

Dear John, the letter read. And with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives changed forever....

So begins the new Nicholas Sparks book that I started reading yesterday. Yeah baby.

My birthday was nice, though relatively uneventful. I mostly ran errands and cleaned my car. Then I said hi to my friend, Cathie, online around 5:00 and we made a very spontaneous decision to go out to dinner. By 5:30 we were both at the restaurant. How fun! Who says we in the midwest can`t move fast?

Work was slow today. I spent a few hours in the drive up where I read some of the book mentioned above.

How can we face loss --- without giving up on love? Now, when he finally returns to North Carolina, John will discover that loving Savannah will force him to make the hardest decision of his life....

So goes the story.

I`m off to watch American Idol soon. Is it just me, or is it lacking this year? Last year seemed so - exciting, ya know?? I just can`t get into it so much this year and I look at these finalists and I`m not seeing a Chris Daughtry or a Taylor Hicks, a Clay or a Carrie. It`s still early, so maybe my view will change. But as Randy would say, "I`m just not feelin` it, dawg. "

An old friend called me last night. We went to school together and she moved away years ago, but we still keep in touch. Neither time nor distance has affected the depth of a friendship. We were on the phone for over two hours, with her doing most of the talking. She had a lot to tell me about her life, her family, things she is/was going through. Funny how you know people at such a young age, and then you follow through their lives - all the twists and turns that it takes. When I first met her in seventh grade, we were playing kickball and carefree. I don`t know where the time goes.

Her and I once went to a KISS concert and she painted her face like Ace. Wild times. Lots of parties. She moved to California and I moved to NY. She flew east for my wedding. I flew west for hers. Her daughter is my goddaughter. Parents die, friends get sick, I went through a divorce, life happens, and the friendship still thrives and a friend still calls to say, "Happy Birthday - I miss you!"

How Old??

2007-02-25T18:01:00.000-08:00

Hi again and thank you for the birthday greetings that are coming in. I turn $# years old tomorrow! I have the day off and I plan on enjoying myself.

I haven`t done much this weekend, unless you count sleeping. I did work Saturday and got some laundry done later in the afternoon.

On Friday I took my car to be serviced - oil change, tires rotated, things like that. It`s all set for my vacation next month.

We had some rain here in Ohio today. We never really got much of the ice that was predicted. I did head out for church this morning and it was a little slippery here and there, but not bad. By the time church was done, it had warmed up to near 40 degrees and the roads were fine. For the first time in what seems like ages, I can see the actual ground again instead of layers and layers of snow and slush!

Than you, Lisa Jo for the birthday card by snail mail. It brightened my day when I received it! So sweet.

Oh, okay ........ 46.

Blue Skies, Wedgies, and Chris Daughtry

2007-02-20T20:04:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning when I left my house it was a beautifully sunny day. The sky was a gorgeous shade of blue. Just looking at it I felt like it was a summer day. Gazing around, I saw the barren trees limbs and the snow everywhere like so many white blankets stacked upon the ground and the illusion suddenly disappeared.

Anyhow, I woke up feeling good. I put on my favorite jeans and my new pink shirt. (Always feeling good when I wear pink! )

First stop - Walmart. Where else?

It occurs to me that my bra is killing me. A quick stop into the bathroom to try and adjust this problem. ( to no avail )

It then occurs to me about half way through the store that my jeans are what my mother might refer to as "riding up." Possibly otherwise known as wedgy! Here`s the dilemma .... do I schlep half way across the store to the bathroom again? Or do I just slip into an empty aisle and give a tug? But then will I be caught on camera in this compromising, un-ladylike position? Come on, we`ve all been there.

I won`t tell you which I chose. I know you`ll all lose sleep tonight in a fit of suspense.

After a trip to the bank and the gas station, I am now on my way to the Cleveland Clinic for treatment.

On the way I am rocking out to Chris Daughtry. You are so right, Greg, it is really good! I might even say it`s the best release by an American Idol persona so far!

So I get to the hospital and I am informed that since my chemo and meds are doing so good and since I seem to tolerate it quite well ( their words, not mine ), that I will continue to do this for yet a few more months.

This hospital has come to be a place of many friends for me. As the nurse pokes a rather long, and might I add, sharp! needle into the port hidden just under the skin in my chest in order to draw blood samples, we chat about hair colors, the weather, pink shirts and dry skin. We laugh and giggle like old friends conversing over lunch. With this needle and wires taped to my chest, mostly hidden beneath my shirt, but not quite, I head out to another waiting room to see my two handsome doctors. Nurses stop by and say hi to me and tell me my hair looks great! How ARE you? How`s work? How`s your daughter doing? I love these people. We patients sit around and look at each other, and smile or nod to one another. It`s a bonding kind of thing. That look that says, "Yes, I know what you`re going through." We are all in our different stages of cancer. Some, like me, in remission, feeling good and looking normal once again. Others with no hair, others in wheel chairs, too weak to walk ... others with bad cases of nausea carrying little buckets just in case. I can relate, because 2 years ago I was in everyone of those different levels of fighting it.

My doctors ( handsome ) visit with me, ask me the usual questions, discuss my upcoming appointments and my progress. We then discuss books ... The King of Torts which I am reading by John Grishom. ( I love this book. I am fascinated by it, actually. ) and The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, which my doctor has read and loved. And I read it and loved it. We also have the same iPod.

Next stop is the actual treatment room. I wait about 40 minutes to get in. Lots of sick people. Another nurse then hooks up my already wired port to a machine that pumps saline through it. We wait for the chemo to come in from the pharmacy. This small bag of wonder drug. I must verify my name and birthday before it`s given to me. A second nurse must double check everything. My nurse must put on gloves and a special gown to administer it. I am shown the label with the name of the drug and the amount that will be given. It`s a go.

I lean back in the easy chair, close my eyes, relax, and let the poison slide through my veins ....

Tags: Walmart, Cleveland Clinic, Chris Daughtry, chemo, John Grishom, The Historian.

Lots of Driving

2007-02-18T18:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a good yet frustrating day. I visited my daughter at college, drove the couple hours to get there. We had many errands to run, some in parts of the city I had never been to. The streets had not been plowed, there was snow everywhere. Visibility on the highways was tough, too, as it was still snowing. I got lost about 3 times. Turning around on side roads was no easy feat, as there was snow and ice everywhere, and many people trying to shovel their cars out!

I gave up trying to find one store we needed to get to for art supplies. But we did manage to get to the post office, Panera for lunch, Jo Ann Fabrics, Best Buy, Walmart, and Red Robin for dinner. Traffic everywhere. Too many one - way streets. Snow everywhere. More snow falling. No place to park at my daughter`s apartment due to snow all over the streets.

But we did have a nice time together. We always do.

I got two CD`s yesterday ; Chris Daughtry, which I haven`t listened to yet and a band that I just heard of that I seem to really love called Umbrellas. WOW!!! Love them!!

http://www.myspace.com/umbrellas

Best CD I have heard in a long time.

Anyhow, I was beat when I finally got home last night. I went to bed at 10:00 and woke up at 11:30 this morning. I hated to miss church, but really felt the need to rest up. ( what else is new ) But I felt great today.

Tomorrow is chemo and bloodwork. Man, that monthly visit to the Cleveland Clinic comes up fast!

My car is a total mess. It`s covered with snow, salt, mush, goo, and road trip miscellaneous items picked up along the way. lol. I`ll have to wash it tomorrow. I just can`t take a dirty car. Drives me nuts.

Goodnight all!

Oh, like the tag above? Want to make your own?

http://www.signgenerator.org/books/dummies/

Tags: snow, Umbrellas, Cleveland Clinic

Congratulations To Andrew

2007-02-18T17:55:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite songwriters/singers/pianists, as most of you know, is Andrew McMahon whose bands include Something Corporate and Jack`s Mannequin.

I`ve only seen him in concert once, but I have to say, it was amazing. And a lot of fun.

Two months after I was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia, word came to me that Andrew had also just been diagnosed with the same thing. He was in his early twenties and I was devastated to hear this news.

Ofcourse I would have been sad to hear this at any time, but laying there in my hospital bed, with a port in my chest, pumping new blood and platelets into my body; sick, tired, and weak, with no hair ..... well, it hit pretty close to home and I cried for him, knowing that he, too, would have to endure this.

In August of 2005 when his Jack`s Mannequin CD was debuted, Andrew was in a hospital in LA getting a bone marrow transplant. The very same day. Life sometimes shoots us a cruel, ironic twist of fate.

I said a lot of prayers for him.

I`m happy to say that he is back on tour again and recently got married.

I love happy endings.

Or in this case, a happy ending with a bright beginning!

Tags: Andrew mcmahon, leukemia, Something Corporate, Jack`s Mannequin, prayers

A Long Week

2007-02-15T17:09:00.000-08:00

This snow and ice and "snow days" from work have made for a long week. The older I get, the less I like being thrown off my routine.

Today was a good day at work. I`ve been doing well, getting my referrals and had a good review last week, so I`ve been happy there. Plus today was the day we got our bonuses. :)( Well, at least those of us who received a good review. )

Tomorrow will be an early day for me, which is good because I have some errands to do. Saturday I am planning on visiting my daughter at college. It`s my only Saturday off this month.

Today was a good day, but honestly, I have really been struggling with being tired. Then I don`t feel as motivated as I should. Then I get upset with myself. Then I tell myself, ofcourse I`m tired, as I`m still taking meds and getting chemo monthly. Then I have flashbacks of being sick and the lack of energy that I had in the beginning of my illness. Scary, and I do not dwell on that! Then I get sad because I`ve gained weight from the meds. Then I just feel happy and grateful to be well and able to get on with my life once again. So this is how my emotions flow. And I even hate to admit that I sometimes feel overwhelmed or so fatigued because I am blessed with so much. I suppose, though, that my feelings and thoughts are flowing in a somewhat systematical order - the stages you go through as you get over any long illness. When I feel out of sorts I usually don`t write about it, either, yet here I am blogging away.

Anyhow, I am looking forward to a good weekend with Corey.

Thanks to Donna of D's Designs for the top tag. Isn`t it cool?

And I`d like to wish Missie a very Happy Birthday! If you haven`t already wished her happiness on her special day, pop on over and do so! :) Missie's Upside Down World

Be well and God bless!!

Penny

http://www.myspace.com/pennysplace2gogh

February 14th

2007-02-14T09:59:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to do a short entry to say Happy Valentine`s Day!

We are buried in snow and I am home from work today because I can`t get out of my driveway! I am waiting for one of the local boys to come and use the snowblower! I did go to work yesterday and it took me forever to get there and back. I really need to get to Walmart, though, and pick up a prescription.

So I`ll be using today to catch up on laundry, bills, etc. I have been around to most of your journals but I wasn`t able to comment in most cases. I received a big screen saying "Forbidden." Huh?? Never saw that one before.

I have been planning on going to NYC in March, but I am re-thinking that now. I hate not to go, but it will be a lot of driving. Then I`ll have to take my daughter back to college when we get back, then go to Cleveland that Monday for my treatment. I think it will just be too much. So I will probably still get away, but somewhere closer, maybe Indianapolis where my brother lives. That way I won`t have to put my dog in the kennel for an entire week. Just a few days instead.

Well, I`m off for now. I hope AOL doesn`t eat this entry.

Happy Valentine`s Day! And remember, it`s not too late to send me flowers, candy, cards, or that handsome Christian gentleman I`ve been waiting for! :0)

Love you guys xo

Packaging

2007-02-11T15:05:00.000-08:00

After work yesterday, I did absolutely nothing. I laid down in the late afternoon for a nap and pretty much slept on and off until this morning.

Tomorrow will be busy. I have to exchange a shirt that I bought at Walmart, pick up prescriptions for my mom, meet Janice at Olive Garden for lunch, then help her with some computer stuff. ( yeah, don`t laugh. )

Friday I got my hair trimmed. Since my leukemia, my hair has been growing back in for about 14 months now. It grew back curly and very thick. It really took about a year for it to get back to normal again. So it`s cut in layers and I`m letting it get longer. Soon it will be to my shoulders. Yay! I bought some new shampoos and conditioners. I like the look of very straight hair, so I bought a flat iron.

Which brings me to my next subject:

Packaging.

It`s bad enough that when I buy a CD, the artist most likely will have their next one released by the time I can get the current one unopened. The packaging for the flat iron was even worse. First I took scissors to cut through the plastic that it was encased in. No easy feat. I then proceed to try and ply the plastic apart. No go. More cutting. Tugging, cutting, pulling. Beads of sweat forming on forehead. Clock is ticking. (I`ve showered, moisturized, dressed, dried my hair.... Now all I want to do is run a straightener through it!)

Pull some more.

Cut some more. Voila`! The plastic packaging is partially opened. All I have to do is pull out the flat iron.

If I can wedge it out amidst the cardboard that surrounds it.

Pulling on the cardboard now while trying not to cut myself on the jagged edge of plastic that I cut into.

A few more tugs.

Clock ticking.

The cardboard is removed. There may be hope of me using this flat iron yet! Now I`m yanking it out of the package ....

cord is caught in more plastic and cardboard in the bottom. Yanking. Hands cut from jagged plastic edge. Nose running. Gritting teeth.

One last final tug in a heroic show of strength and:

The flat iron is OUT OF THE PACKAGE!!!!

Piece of cake. Kinda like having a baby.

Review

2007-02-06T16:27:00.000-08:00

Quite a bit of snow has fallen since I`ve been home from work. We are supposed to get 1 - 2 inches.

Work went by quickly today. The last hour of my shift was spent receiving my (gulp!) review. It actually went better than I had anticipated and I received a (small) raise and also a decent bonus. So I left work a happy girl. I think I will use the bonus for my trip to New York in March.

I have some laundry to do and some sprucing up of MySpace page before American Idol comes on.

Have a great night and remember ....

heh heh

Donna , thanks for the tag!~

C-c-c-cold Monday

2007-02-05T09:41:00.000-08:00

Okay, it`s officially cold here in Ohio!

Even by my standards.

This morning I awoke to the sound of a loud BOOM! It`s not my brother backing up in the driveway, so what could it be? My neighbors had a guest staying overnight and she parked her car on the street. Someone ran right into it! I live in a quiet neighborhood. The streets are wide, hardly anyone parks on the street, ever. Maybe that`s how he hit her car, just wasn`t paying attention and wasn`t expecting it to be there. Still, I don`t really see how you could miss a car. Right in front of you.

I`m off soon to run some errands..... library, Walmart, and lunch with a friend. I did absolutely nothing yesterday and I slept a lot, so I`m itching to get out today, despite the cold.

I`ve had myself on a budget lately. Notice I haven`t bought any new purses or gone clothes shopping much. Last pay all I spurged on was some Flair markers, because I love pens/markers. And I bought my daughter and her roomie a few things for Valentine`s Day. They will each get a small surprise package in the mail. Everything else went to bills or savings.

Ta-Ta for now. I have to go. Stay warm!

penny

Sometimes......

2007-02-02T14:34:00.000-08:00

Not often, but sometimes, I mourn the fact that I do not have a male companion. You know, when all the things I do just seem too much for one person .... or perhaps on a holiday ..... or all the trips I make back and forth for my treatment, or to visit my daughter. It would be nice to have someone to share events with and to chat with. However, there are times - many of them, in fact - when I am totally happy being single. Days like today, where I was off from work and had a day to myself to lunch, shop, relax at home. No obligations and nobody I have to please.

Most things have their ups and their downs. Being single is one. So is being married. You know I am still lôôking for that Christian gentleman, :) but until he comes along, I`m rather content.

My brother and his wife ( and let`s not forget their puppy ) were here visiting from Indy the past two days. It was nice to see them again. This morning my brother was backing his car up into the driveway. I am sitting at my desk paying bills when I hear a loud BOOM! I slip on my shoes and run outside. ( It`s 22 degrees, no coat needed - lol. ) I was sure he had backed into my new car. Whew.....it was the pole on the side of the car port. I wouldn`t have been mad anyhow - I love him way too much - but I`m sure glad it wasn`t my car he hit! No damage done to his car, although the pole is now dented. It sure is quiet now, with 2 less people in the house and especially one less puppy! My Mandy ( Cocker Spaniel ) really doesn`t seem too impressed with her "cousin", although by the second day they did seem to be friends.

Yeah, so, I`m kinda hooked on MySpace. I worked on my page last evening and left some comments to others. I guess I`ve gotten the hang of it now.

Thanks to Donna for the top elephant tag. I just love it! Please say a prayer for 2 of my favorite ladies in J-Land who have been sick -

Sugar and Pam. I know they would appreciate it. ( I hope you`re feeling better soon! )

Have a great weekend!!!!!

Love & God bless,

penny

Monday, A Day Off

2007-01-29T16:12:00.000-08:00

Today was a day off work for me. I slept in obscenely late .... I won`t even tell you just how late!

So I had lunch at Wendy`s and did some grocery shopping at Walmart. I finished the book I mentioned in my last entry, My Sister`s Keeper. Wow, what an ironic twist at the end! And since I am a total bookworm, I have already started reading The Summons by Grishom. I think it`s going to be good.

I found out if you go to AOL Settings and go to Environment, that you can get your own personalized greeting when you sign on or get mail. Now this man says to me,"Welcome, Penny. " He sounds nice, like he could be kinda cute. <looking around for him....>

I used to fly quite often. When I lived in NY, we flew out to California every winter. Or I`d take a quick trip to Boston, or wherever. Then, oddly, I developed a profound dislike/fear of flying. ( I attribute this to a horribly scary flight I once had. ) I bring this up because sometimes lately I dream that I am on an airplane. Usually it is huge, bigger than even the very large planes with several rows. The strange thing is, it has huge windows, like picture windows, on three sides, so I am seeing the entire sky stretched out in front of me and on both sides. It`s not a comfortable feeling. Not scary exactly, but unnerving. Kind of like the feeling one gets standing on the rim of a mountain highway looking down.....down....down.....afraid that you might fall or jump.

Anyway, I`m off to finish laundry and see why Mandy is barking (again. )

Have a good night!

Penny

My Father`s Chair

2007-01-28T13:42:00.000-08:00

I was just reading in Jeanne`s private journal -

A Journey to a New Me about how she has been missing her father.

My dad passed away in January of 1998. I did not do a tribute in my journal to him that day this year but I sure thought about him a lot.

When Rick Springfield lost his dad, he wrote a powerful song called My Father`s Chair. Anyone who has lost a loved one can relate to this. I`m sorry it`s sad, but death comes as a part of life.

This is so touching to me :

My father's chair's still standing there
All alone since the long night
Now it's three years on and I still feel
He'll come home, we'll be alright
So where's this healing time brings
I was told the pain would ease
But it still hurts like the first night

That night my brother, my mother and I
Were looking up at a distant star
And wishing we could reach that far
And back in the house
And alone for the first time
We told each other we cared
We avoided my father's chair

I watch my family, we hold on
We are strong and we'll be alright
The clock continues counting down,
All the while
And every child will share the long night
But do the spirits meet again
Why am I still so filled with doubt
Is my soul everlasting

And the far distant future
When I knew you'd be gone
Came too fast and stays too long
Why do they leave the weak of spirit
And take the strong

But wherein the world turns sour
And I get sick from the smell
And I can't find no comfort there
I climb into my father's chair

Simply Sunday

2007-01-28T13:13:00.000-08:00

Greetings once again. Not too much going on here. It`s snowing on and off in Ohio. I went to church and will probably spend the remainder of the day relaxing.

Yesterday was a good day at work. Banking is not what it used to be. As a teller, part of my job is getting sales, or getting customers over to the desk to talk with one of the bankers. Some days go smoothly, other days it`s like pulling teeth. If we reach a certain quota, we do get a pay out. I think I made it for the month of January. :)

I`ve spent some time this weekend on MySpace. I decided to try a page there again and get some friends added to it. I`m pretty lost over there, compared to how easy this AOL journal is. I ended up giving my daughter my account name and password and letting her set it up for me. But anyhow, I must thank Delaine over at Bluesmoke Inn for offering to help! I was able to find an old friend through MySpace that I haven`t been in contact with in over 16 years! How wild.

I am reading a strange book by Jodi Picoult called My Sister`s Keeper. It`s about a young girl who takes her parents to court. Her sister is dying from leukemia and this girl wants to have the freedom to say no to being used as a donor. Not her best book, aside from the fact that I`ve been treated for leukemia for nearly two years now. Next up is The Summons by John Grishom.

I`m tired of some things. I`m tired of hearing everyone bash the Presdient. How about praying for him and our country more instead?

I`m tired of so many people trying to be "politically correct." I`m not out to offend anyone but some things are just WRONG. Any lifestyle, any belief...as long as it makes you happy it`s okay. Not! I don`t believe in being mean to others and I think we should respect our fellow humans, but I will not compromise what I believe to go along with the flow. Just my little vent because it`s my journal and I can. :)

I hope this finds you having a happy weekend and that you`re all happy and well. I know the winter blahs tend to set in. I`m already making a mental note of what flowers I want to plant in the spring!

Tags: Ohio, reading, leukemia

Snow & Stuff

2007-01-26T18:00:00.000-08:00

This will be a quick entry. The last one I wrote would not save, and I`m not going through all that again!

Today was my day off and a busy one. I did a bit of grocery shopping and picked up a prescription for my daughter, only to find out that she was not listed on my insurance! It will take a few days to research and find out why this happened and get it corrected. In the meantime, I had to fork over $150 for her medicine. Thank God she had her loan check deposited for college this semester!

I also bought new pajamas at Fashion Bug. They have the best pj`s. I didn`t realize until I got them home that the buttons are heart shaped. ( Very excited about this. )

We got quite a bit of snow yesterday. What a mess my car was from the snow and salt on the roads! So I washed and vacuumed it today.

Well, I`m ending this here in case it doesn`t save again.

Have a good night!

Staying Warm

2007-01-20T16:09:00.000-08:00

Hello, my darlings! I hope this finds you all doing well.

It`s a refreshing 18 degrees here this evening in my part of Ohio. I`m in my comfy pj`s and slippers, sipping a hot chocolate. Toasty!

We have a bit of snow on the ground, but not much.

I had a nice day, even though I didn`t do a whole lot. I tried sleeping in, but ofcourse the steroids I`m taking didn`t want to cooperate, but I did stay in bed and rest. Then I met my co-workers for lunch at a nice Italian restaurant. One of the girls I work with is having a baby soon, so we had a luncheon for her. It was nice. I work with a good group of people.

I ordered salad and cheese ravioli. And they had the best bread at this place. Yummy!

I have been cleaning and re-organizing. Things are looking pretty good around here.

I just finished a novel by Beverly Lewis called The Brethren. I love her stories of the Amish.

So tomorrow is church and on Monday I have a day off. I`m thankful for the time to rest and catch up on things.

Stay warm !

Soggy Weather, Some Sobering Thoughts

2007-01-16T05:11:00.000-08:00

It is currently 27 degrees in Ohio and raining with a chance of snow flurries. I have been on the road for the past two days and the rain never stopped. The sky was a mirky gray, even in the early part of the day and the highway visibility was horrible with all the wet mist.

Anyhow, my daughter is back at college, so I am once again back to my normal schedule.

Yesterday I had my monthly leukemia treatment at the Cleveland Clinic. I know I speak of this often, but it`s just been such a major part of my life for the past two years. Meds and chemo, and being tired....it`s just become part of my life. Thankfully, I only have to go once a month now and I have often said this is a piece of cake compared to what I went through to get to this point. However, yesterday was a sobering day for me in a couple of aspects. Firstly, my doctor told me that he has 2 other leukemia patients whose illness has returned. I was very sad to hear that.(They have a different type than me. ) You just hope and pray that after all this extensive treatment that you will stay in remission. Forever! On second thought, I won`t even go into the other reason. It`s another much more disturbing story that I heard about treatment being administered wrong and ended up being fatal to the patient.

On the bright side, ( which I always try to stay on whenever possible ) my doctor gave me a good report. I was happy about that. I told him I was tired so often and he basically said it`s because they are kicking my butt with treatment!! I`m not complaining. It`s gotten me well!!

Oddly enough, I am wide awake this morning. I`m never wide awake in the morning. I have never been a morning person. For the next five days I will be on steroids and it`s difficult to sleep. When I do sleep, I am bombarded by the strangest dreams ever! One of the hardest parts of this whole ordeal are the huge doses of steroids.

WELL..... enough about that. Thanks for standing by me through all this. I would appreciate your continued support and prayers. Thank you.

Anyone out there getting hit with all this snow I keep hearing about on the news?

I am hopefully going to New York in a couple months. I would really like to be able to swing it. It would be nice to get away for a few days! Do you think I should pack an extra suitcase to bring home goodies in? Lotsa purses to buy in the Big Apple! <wink wink>

Have a wonderful day, my friends.

God bless.

Thanks, Angela for this sweet tag. :)

Ready Spaghetti

2007-01-11T16:43:00.000-08:00

It was a good day. My day off. :)

Corey and I went over to Janice`s house for lunch. On the menu was salad, garlic bread, and spaghetti. Snowman dishes and festive glasses along with lots of conversation and laughter made it a fun afternoon.

I have a very round face largely due to steroids that I have to take. "Prednisone cheeks." Can`t wait to get off these meds!!!!

Janice still has her tree up because she is having company this weekend.

Notice I have hair! This time last year I had hardly any due to chemo. I`ve had it cut a few times, but now I am letting it grow. :)

There is an email floating around that states if you are at an ATM machine and need assistance in an emergency that putting your ATM number in backwards will summon the police. Don`t believe it! I work in a bank and know that this is not true. The best thing you can do when at an ATM is just use common sense. Look for one that is well lit if it`s nighttime. If it`s a walk up ATM, get your money quickly, pocket it and get back in your vehicle. Then count it. If it`s a drive up ATM, keep your doors and all other windows locked. Don`t pick a pin number that is easy to guess, such as your house number, birthdate, last 4 digits of your social security number or anything likethat. Many people have had their wallets stolen with their ATM cards and personal information inside. The robber then uses the ATM card and tries to guess your pin number. They are often successful if you make it an easy number, such as your house number.

Just thought I would pass this along.

Tomorrow will be a busy day of appointments and grocery shopping. Saturday I work. Sunday I will be on the road, taking Corey back to college. Monday I have to go to the Cleveland Clinic for treatment. ( Almost done. I know I keep saying that. Almost!! ) Tuesday I work. Wednesday I`m meeting Janice for lunch.

I have been organizing my home.... cleaning out cupboards and closets...throwing out things.... filing papers and shredding others. I love being organized. Once my daughter goes back to school, I`ll do more. Right now there`s a lot of shoes and clothes laying around. And purses and scarves and make up and curling irons and flat irons. lol

Remember I told all of you that I bought a brand new silver Toyota Yaris. Well - the other day my daughter and I left Walmart. My arms were full so I hand her the keys and ask her to unlock the car. She says, "the key doesn`t fit!" I say , "What??" So I try it. Sure enough, my key doesn`t fit in my lock. What the heck??

"Oh my gosh, Corey," I say .... "this isn`t my car!" I yell as I look in horror at this silver Toyota Camry I am trying to break into! lol

We took off across the parking lot giggling like a couple of idiots - two rows over to my own car, where the key did indeed fit!

Been A While....

2007-01-08T06:26:00.000-08:00

Hello, darlings. Has it been a week since I posted? Geesh. Not a lot happening, just been busy. Feeling better, too. :)

I`ve just been working and going out now and then with Corey. We had lunch at Panera, which was nice. Sometimes I just have to take a break from the internet and get things done. LOL.

I see some snow flurries out there today. I`ll be leaving for work soon, but I just wanted to check in. I hope to get around to journals soon. I know I have missed a few days.

Thanks to Missie for the lovely snowflake tag!

New Year Upon Us

2006-12-31T12:38:00.000-08:00

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?

2006-12-29T17:22:00.000-08:00

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

2006-12-26T15:58:00.000-08:00

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!

2006-12-23T12:06:00.000-08:00

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

2006-12-20T17:16:00.000-08:00

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...

2006-12-18T12:45:00.000-08:00

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

2006-12-12T16:08:00.000-08:00

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?

2006-12-10T19:12:00.000-08:00

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

2006-12-10T12:23:00.000-08:00

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

2006-12-08T16:34:00.000-08:00

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

2006-12-05T16:07:00.000-08:00

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

2006-12-04T21:43:00.000-08:00

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

2006-12-04T16:15:00.000-08:00

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

2006-12-01T14:47:00.000-08:00

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!

2006-11-29T16:25:00.000-08:00

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

2006-11-21T20:11:00.000-08:00

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

2006-11-18T15:54:00.000-08:00

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

2006-11-16T18:51:00.000-08:00

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?

2006-11-14T14:47:00.000-08:00

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

2006-11-09T16:47:00.000-08:00

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

2006-11-06T15:56:00.000-08:00

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!

2006-11-03T18:56:00.000-08:00

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!

Let`s Makeup!

2006-11-02T17:08:00.000-08:00

My daughter was given this bear on her first Christmas. She was 4 months old. That was nearly 20 years ago! So it has much sentimental value to me. I was 25 years old, newly married, spending my first Christmas with my gorgeous husband and baby girl and many of the new friends I had made upon moving to NY who stopped by for our Christmas Eve party. Wonderful memories.

Today before work I had to run to Walmart to get yet another prescription. I also had to buy new underwear to send to my daughter at college because the washing machines in her apt building are not working. lol Then I had to zip to work. Why does everyone drive oh so S L O W when I`m in a hurry??

Anyhow, I thought this would be a fun entry for us ladies..... LET`S MAKEUP! Or, in other words.....what`s in your makeup bag? ( I can see the guys now, rolling their eyes...) ô ô

This is my makeup basket.

This is the routine, which I have down to a quick science:

First, cover up...foundation, whatever you want to call it. Generously! Especially under my eyes, where I tend to get a dark circle, much to my chagrin.

Second, concealer underneath my eyes and in the corner of my eyes, by the bridge of my nose.

Third, powder. Smooths it all out and takes off any shiny spots.

Fourth, eye liner. I like light blue. This is important because it highlights your eyes.

Fifth, eye shadow. Sometimes I wear it, sometimes I don`t. Usually a light shade at the top, under the brow, and a slightly darker shade on the lid itselfand in the crease.

Sixth, mascara. I usually use blue, but today I bought clear, so I am going to try that.

Seventh, blush. I have a big makeup brush that I use for this. Just a couple swoops of some color right at the cheekbone in a quick upward motion.

Eighth, Lipstick. I have many lipsticks. Sometimes I like a darker copper tone, sometimes pink, sometimes just a clear glaze.

I know many woman like a lip liner as well, but I don`t use one. You can also take an eyebrow pencil to your eyebrows to make them fuller if need be.

Ninth, Volie`! Gorgeous! :0)

So that is my makeup routine, which is always done AFTER drying my hair, but BEFORE getting dressed. ( We are such creratures of habit, no? ) The hair gets spritzed with a smoothing, shining gloss before I dry it. Jewelry goes on last.

Don`t forget to moisturize your skin after a shower or bath. That`s a great time to do it while your skin is still moist. Try not to shower with water that is too hot, as this is very drying for your skin. When moisturizing your face, use upward motions, especially on your neck.

It`s all maintenance and repair after the age of 40!

Sniffling Sneezing

2006-11-01T13:08:00.000-08:00

I was out doing errands today, driving in my car, when this street in the picture above caught my eye. So I stopped to take a picture. I love the way the branch on the left swoops over, making sort of an interesting arch. I am definitely feeling more comfortable with my camera, too. I may have actually gotten the settings right on this one.

Today I took my new Toyota Yaris in for its first oil change. ( So many miles already? ) And then it got washed as part of the service. Lookin` good and I was happy.

Since my cold hasn`t cleared up - (has gotten worse, in fact) I decided to drop in to see a doctor. It`s just what I knew it was - an upper respiratory infection, which I got an antibiotic for. I also had to pick up more meds for my leukemia treatment. I`m looking forward to the day when I can stop taking these meds. By springtime my treatment will be done.

I stopped by the library and picked up books by Anita Shreve, Jodi Picoult, and John Steinbeck. The Steinbeck novel is The Moon Is Down, which was written in 1942 during the Nazi era in Europe. Evidently this book became a very popular piece of Allied propaganda and if you were found to have a copy of the book on you in Italy, you were punished by death! This is true and I had no idea. Lately I have gotten interested in the history of wars and Presidents. I have been reading about WWI and WWII. No particular reason, other than I love to learn.

Today at Walmart ( ah...you knew I would stop by there!) I bought a sewing machine. LOL, Well, it`s not a real sewing machine. It was $12.93 and is battery operated. It`s pink! Big selling point. All I really need is to be able to run a hem to make pillows and whatnot.

So I`m off to rest and read.

Ta Ta.

Worthy of Love

2006-10-31T17:07:00.000-08:00

So.

I don`t know.

Maybe I`m too old.

Too fat.

Too uncompromising.

Too untrusting.

Too far gone.

And I don`t like when my emotions talk like that.

Because I know

I`m still young at heart.

With a few added pounds.

That compromising means settling for less than

what I know is right.

Trust needs to be earned.

And while there is breath left

no one is ever too far gone.

My Lord, my King of Kings,

You thought me worthy enough to give

Your Life.

Help me to see everyone as you see them.

We all seem to be worthy of Love.

Radio Contest

2006-10-29T11:56:00.000-08:00

Happy weekend,everyone! What`s left of it anyhow.

Thank you, Jenny of Sunshine Expressions... for this inspiring tag. Love it!

What happened on Friday was a first for me. I won a radio contest! I was at work at the bank, in the drive up listening to the radio when a trivia question came up. So I Googled it real quick, called in - and won. lol And the prize is cool - 5 free car washes.

My sore throat has cleared up, but the head cold is still hanging on. I slept most of the late afternoon and evening yesterday. I felt better after that.

Tonight I have to be at a covered dish dinner at church. We`re having a guest speaker.

My latest bargain purchase is a tote bag I got at Dollar Tree for a buck! $

It`s a perfect size for what I usually take along to work: A book, Nutri-Grain Bar, and a banana. :)

So I`m going to read some journals now and answer some emails.

Blessings!

Candles and Macs

2006-10-25T17:24:00.000-07:00

I woke up today sneezing and sniffling and with a sore throat. I guess that explains why I felt so blah yesterday. Nonetheless, it was a fairly busy day for me. I got up early to go to Walmart to do a bit of grocery shopping. Okay, I bought a pair of jeans and a sweater, too. :>) I hate to admit to buying clothes there, but the jeans are reasonable and I actually found a pair that fits good. Most of mine have a flair, which I love, only to find out that`s not the style now. Now the thing is tapered at the bottom. I asked my daughter last week when we were on vacation if my jeans, which had some flair at the bottom looked stupid now. She said, "No, mom, they look good. I mean it`s not like you`re 20. " Uh.....thanks. I think. Anyhow, I also got a greyish hooded sweater. Very pretty.

Note to self > Never throw out or give away clothes. They always come back in style eventually. ( SAVE FLAIRED JEANS )

So then I go to work. I was scheduled in the drive - thru. ( I work in a bank. ) So, figuring it would be relatively quiet, I buy 2 magazines to take with me so I can read when it`s slow. It turns out I was in the lobby all day, we were VERY short staffed and I barely had time to breath all day, let alone pop my Halls cough drops! Geesh.

One of our girls got promoted and went to another branch. She got everyone a goodbye gift, but I didn`t know this because I was on vacation last week. I was surprised when I got to work to see a lovely gift bag waiting for me. I got the most beautiful candle from her. Check it out:

The green pieces of glass on the top sparkle with the candlelight. I love it and it smells like Honeydew!

Being a bank teller is a lot like being a bar tender. We chat with everyone, hear their problems, talk about our kids,our lives. I swear, I should have a cup sitting there marked TIPS. ( One time at another bank I worked in, we used to laugh because this one teller, for some reason, was the one every person opened up to. Customers would stand there forever telling her their woes. We put a sign at her window: The Doctor Is IN. ) It was hilarious. ( guess ya had to be there. ) Anyhow, I was chatting with a customer, telling him about the juice Corey spilled in her Mac computer, and he says take a hair dryer to it. So I talked to her a little bit ago and told her. She tried it and it worked! lol! Another prayer answered. The computer is working!!!!

Note to self > Think twice before letting daughter buy expensive toys.

LOL, in all honesty, she almost had to buy it to do her fashion designs on at school.

By the way, I have decided, after my big pillow making extravaganza, that I want a sewing machine. I have no clue how to use one, but this seems to be the year that I`m learning all kinds of new things. I once stapled a shirt together in Home Ec class in junior high school and got a big fat F on it. lol. Teacher couldn`t take a joke, I guess. Watch some of my old friends be reading this entry...How much you wanna bet they`ll email me and snicker about it? They have never let me forget that. Never. We`ll see who`s laughing when Penny`s Pillow Factory makes it`s first cool million. Ha ha.

I`m off to find something for my poor sore throat. :/

Hugs!

Tired Tuesday

2006-10-24T17:56:00.000-07:00

Today has been sort of an "off " day for me and I`m not sure why. No particular reason. It was cold and dreary with a bit of rain.

I made the hour`s drive to the Cleveland Clinic. I feel like I could drive it with my eyes closed by now, I`ve made so many trips there! I received a good report. :) My doctor says to me, in reference to this whole leukemia deal, " Penny, you have sailed through this. I know it doesn`t always seem like it, but trust me, you have!"

I suppose that`s true, compared to how bad it could have been. Some of the side effects are caused by the combination of meds and chemo, which lower the immune system considerably. When I was first hospitalized, no one could come and see me if they had a cold or were sick in any way. If a family member was sick, but had to visit me to bring me something, they had to wear a mask. Once I finally returned home, I couldn`t eat at a buffet or any place like that because of germs. I couldn`t eat fruit unless it was washed thoroughly with soap and water.

I`ve had enough antibiotics in me to last a lifetime! I was in the hospital over Christmas with pneumonia. In January I got shingles and what a nightmare that was! I had to be hospitalized again. For a short time, all the steroids I took made me diabetic and I had to learn to give myself shots to control it. ( That lasted maybe 2 months. ) Yet all in all, I have sailed through this. I`m not being facetious. I`m truly thankful that it wasn`t worse. Being relatively young and healthy to begin with also helped. And let`s not forget a ton of prayer!

So I guess what prompted me to bring all this up and talk about it is because tonight I am tired from another round of chemo and I am dreading all the meds I must consume this week. On the other hand, being an optimist at heart, I am happy to take them because they have kept me well.

There are times that I may not feel well and fear tries to creep in andtell me I am getting sick again. I suppose that`s a normal reaction, one that I do not dwell on.

So, today is just a mixture of all kinds of thoughts and emotions.

Tomorrow I start back to work. I`ve been on vacation since Oct 14th. A nice break. Part time is nice.

My daughter calls me the other night in tears. She spilled juice on her new Mac laptop and now it won`t turn on. We`re praying that after it dries out a few days it will work okay. I know other people who have done this without ruining their computers. Corey does her homework on it and has the software that`s made specifically for Macs. She was pretty upset and so was I.

I made an AIM page last night. Had fun doing it. It`s not much different from doing a journal. Here`s the link:

http://www.aimpages.com/penniepooh/profile.html

Okay, I`m off to watch dog the Bounty Hunter.

~Nite!