Little Blessings

I came across this picture and note in my emails (from over 2 years ago, I really need to clean out the files). But, this is why I save stuff I guess. The email was from my sister Mary and it was entitled "Little Blessings".

"Just wanted to let you know that I was thinking of you this morning. Though are lives are sometimes complicated and frustrating, it helps to find peace in the little blessings of the day--like a freshly peeled orange, fresh brewed coffee, the warm winter sun, chocolate covered booger kisses, good music, the love of a sister...etc.....
Hope things start to look up for you soon---follow your heart--you were meant for Something More! (another good book to read). I'll bring it along with Simple Abundance(by the same author) on Sunday. Hope to catch up with you at Mom's.
Peace,
Mary"

I was going through some tough times, a mid-life crisis of sorts. Coming up on 15years at the St. Cloud Hospital pharmacy (20+ years in pharmacy life) and not happy, fulfilled or monetarily benefiting from it either, really. Mary, always the optimist and looking out for the soul, spirituality and mentality of others sent me this simple and precious, yet poignant photo that she had taken before her morning breakfast.

Within 3 months I was hired at the Great River Regional Library and on my way to a new career and happier times!

PIGS IN THE MUD!

Oh, wait! That's "KIDS in the MUD!"




The mud brothers









Graham, Graham the Mini Mud Man!

Jack, Graham, Rose and Josie creating a mud hole in our back yard last weekend when it was super hot outside!



And, I did manage to get their swim trunks nice and clean again (after much scrubbing).

Happy Birthday to you

...you look like a monkey and you smell like one too!

Graham was singing the classic kids lyric to his daddy for his birthday. Of course, Chris did not want to be in a birthdy picture. Tuesday Chris turned another year and it was also our 19yr anniversary! Yikes, next year is the Big 20...






















Since Cub didn't have any clearanced out cakes, Graham and I got daddy what he really likes anyway-Little Debbie Swiss Cake Rolls!

Graham helped me decorate and set up the birthday rolls for daddy.

SOLD!

Sold the old Volvo yesterday for a whopping $750! Whoo-hoo!

Some guy was suppose to come and get it weeks ago and we could barely squeeze $650 out of him. After promising several times he was coming to get it, I gave up. I posted it on Craigslist Mpls for $900/o.b.o. and then later on Craigslist St. Cloud. After a few inquiries and some more promises to come up to see it- some woman from Annandale came over yesterday and offered $750 cash and she'd take it away at 3pm. SOLD!

Ah, now we are not the TT of our neighborhood anymore and another Clampettmoilbe has left the premises. Oh wait, our house looks pretty crappy still, so maybe we still are the TT of the neighborhood. Well, it's good to aspire to be "something", right?

Evil TV?

Well, I haven't updated for a while. Let's see?

What's up with evil TV? It's not evil like you may be thinking ...let me tell you a story.

Sometimes, when we are desperate or think we are desperate, we do not always make brilliant decisions. I find that I often drag my feet on things. I'm not one to change my mind, my hobby or surroundings often. I would categorize myself as stable, predictable. And maybe the following story isn't out of desperation so much, but lack of planning. That I'll admit to not planning or procrastination-this much is true. So, I was telling my beloved father my woes about TV's dying and going on the fritz all to often these days. Says I, "I wish they made them like they used to. Give me a good old Zenith or Curtis Mathis". My father says that they have had issues of late with their TV as well. We received a call from Dad a few days later about a "free" TV ad he saw in the paper. I called, checked it out. It's big, but free and figure it would work. And, perhaps I could send it to Mom and Dad if Chris nixed the idea. Chris borrowed the 2-wheeler from work to get it out of her apartment. It's a console- not a huge, ginormous console, but in a cabinet and heavy. Off we go, with the back end somewhat not secure, only "slightly open". Only 8 blocks or so to our house- no biggie, right? Chris was still quite miffed with me about agreeing to pick this thing up. Did it fall out of the back of our soon to be sold Volvo wagon? Smash into a thousand pieces on University Drive? Read on.

So, gingerly I made each stop sign so that it wouldn't take on some back-sliding motion out the cargo area. I made it home, but what happened next took me by surprise. While deciding how this TV would make it in the house we came to the conclusion that we should try to just take it on to Mom and Dad's. Chris pushed it in a little further as having the hatch "slightly open" would not do going to down interstate 94. Tough as he is, it was a very tight fit and he could barely push it in further. But, he did clear the latch on the cargo floor. I closed the hatch door (which needs to be held up or it slams down). So, can you imagine what happened next? Yes, I didn't really get a chance to close the hatch, it more or less goes down on it's own momentum. The top of the TV actually didn't have the clearance needed- the damn back window smashed out! No problem if one has comprehensive insurance- but on a 14 year old car with 226,000 miles? Not likely. So, basically my free TV cost me my car!

I called my Dad and he chuckled (not to be mean)- he told Mom as he handed her the phone to be really nice to me and not give me a hard time (like that would ever happen) because I was having a really, really bad day.

Still waiting on a guy to pick it up for "parts" or to fix-

Bubble's nephew, though he has been under the tutelage of Ricky

- all that's missing is the hockey stick to clear the trash off the car and maybe toaster oven to cook some chicken fingers. You can help this young man come into his own and donate these items- God knows Ricky can't spare anymore of his goodies on this urchin!