I Love A Good Massage

Every day I'm debating with myself whether or not to return my massage chair cushion to the store. It's so hard to do! It feels so very good but I end up with a neck ache. I'm not totally convinced it's from the cushion, is it because I don't want to be? If I don't decide soon, it will be out of my hands because it will be out of the allowable time frame for returns. This cushion is something I have wanted for years, finally found one, spent way more money than I'm comfortable with spending...
I realized today that returning this to get a bike is not that reasonable. I know I won't be outside while it's this hot, I hate the heat. And D's bike is still sitting here with a flat tire, if we won't go to the trouble to fix it, why should I buy another bike to leave sitting around? Maybe I'd better unpack that cushion again. After all, the cushion feels wonderful on my back, it has the revolving "knobs" that go up and down your back while rotating, what luxury! If I end up with a neck ache, well D has been massaging my neck for $$! Put the two together and it works out well, actually. I think I just made up my mind.

Where Have All The Recesses Gone?

In the series of historical fiction I've been having D read, there are a couple of times when school recess was referred to. One book mentioned two recesses in a day, later I'm noticing only one is talked about, a combined lunch then play time. That reminded me that kids used to get two recesses in elementary when D's brothers were young, then it went to one, now do they even get one? D's last school, for middle school was only a fifteen minute break!

So, we send kids to school, they sit all day, are not allowed to interact generally, then are made to clear their plates in the cafeteria (I doubt many schools do this but some do to avoid wasting food), have a very short time to be active, then back to more sitting. After that, they go home and sit to do homework much of the evening. Then we wonder why our American children need to lose weight?

Yes, I realize video games, computer games, TV, all that, contribute a great deal but where do children have role models or the chance to MOVE?!

Unbounded Laziness

My laziness astounds me at times. So often I think of clearing out some of the junk in this house that we brought in from storage. Yes, this stuff was in storage for years, I don't expect to finish everything all at once BUT I've had it for months now! I still have box after box after box that I haven't really bothered with. I think of things like if I die, my boys will have to deal with all this nonsense. I like having the bare minimum, just what we need, and a few things for enjoyment. I certainly have no need for old bills, spider-infested boxes of papers and junk, clothes that have been in storage that I can't fit anymore and way too much other miscellaneous nonsense. It's ridiculous.

Instead of setting some obvious goal like go through and completely take care of one box a day or even one box a WEEK, I read or sleep and worry about my job. The big giant air hockey table I need to sell is still sitting in my dining room; I actually DID put an ad up for that but someone took the ad and never called. You would think after discovering that three weeks or so ago, I would have put up another one by now! Not so. My laziness knows no bounds...

Horses and Playgrounds

The grandbabies were just here - little A and I were discussing the new park I found, she's excited about it. One thing I'm a bit worried about is that the playground is in the sun. This whole place has trees and shade but the playground equipment is right out to boil! We'll just have to make this a morning trip.

The other thing about this park she likes is that there are horses right beside it. They're in a fence, belong to the neighboring house, but the horses come up to the fence and littles pet their noses. Pretty cute. We didn't discuss how horses need a lot of room to run, plenty of fresh grass, horse supplements at times, or any of that, she's only four and she just wants to touch them.

Little D likes the horses but is more interested in cows, he had a toy cowboy and a toy cow today, so of course, the cowboy was riding the cow! Babies are so cute and adorable. I'm glad we have a new place to take them instead of always to the same neighborhood playground.

Even Dreaded Jobs Have Perks

Maybe I still hate my job but one thing amused me today. A guy called and had a question, he went on and on and ON. At the end he said, "I just want to know this, I've asked you five times and you haven't even answered." Well. For one, he hadn't stopped five times so that I could answer, he stopped twice and I DID answer then. Two, we are not allowed to interrupt a customer. Three, he had a really sexy voice and a sexy Aussie accent, I wasn't about to stop him from talking!

Adorable, Beautiful Babies and Their Stuff!

Today after work, I have to make sure I get to the post office again, I have so much trouble getting things mailed! I have a gift card for Barnes and Noble for my son, a pretty stationery set for my daughter-in-law, and of course, something for the baby!

This time it's a toy, earlier my daughter-in-law asked for bedding for the baby - she and my son were surprised at how many times a baby's sheets need to be changed! I sent several a few weeks ago, now I'm wondering if they need more, should I say I'm hoping?! There are so many adorable things for babies! This site has plenty of baby bedding, it also has pre-baby things for the soon-to-be-mommy.

Check this out on that page, it's HILARIOUS! Under Most Popular Selling Products, middle of the section, it's great! The pacifier, do you see what it says?! I work on the phones all day and that really struck me, I'm still smiling about it!

This is what Sleep should be

Time spent sleeping should be encapsulated in a bubble and bounce along only loosely attached to the timeline of life without counting against you. It should not affect nor be affected by the passage of one's usual life.

Where should I spend it?

My router may be trying to die on us. It's my son's really but whatever, we all use the same one. In the mail today, I got a card from my parents and wondered why, what holiday is coming up? It's almost my birthday, I had forgotten; they also sent a check! I had planned to take back my newly purchased massage cushion (it feels great but I end up with a headache, can't explain that), to trade it for a bike. With the check I could keep both or go get something to make my work setup better. Now i guess at least some of it's going to a new router. Perfect timing!

Scary, scary, scary -Job change

I'm feeling guilty. I think I'm going to quit my job. Yesterday I DID quit but they asked me to wait and think it over for 24 hours, so I worked today. The only reason I didn't definitively quit is because I don't yet have another job.

Today I found one to apply for, it should be the perfect fit. I feel guilty because where I'm working now is a work-at-home job, the people are great, the pay is what I need, the hours are perfect, everything would be fine if I could stand the actual work. But I can't. So after all their investment in my training, I'm going to quit? That feels so wrong! But if I can get this other job, I have to.
It's scary because this new job may not be a good fit either, I won't know until I try it. If it's not, I have no recourse! Oh, well, here goes, time to update and send in my resume.

Besides, I probably should leave my house once in a while.

Shrinking for Health and Happiness

On a forum I visit a woman posted about the heartbreak of not being able to have kids. I've never met her but it reminded me of a woman I knew "back east" who recently had a baby after none for so long. Their situations were completely different, the woman I knew was hugely obese and she was too unhealthy to be pregnant as a result. I never really had thought about that before but it makes sense. This woman was suffering in all kinds of ways because of obesity, I don't know what was wrong that led to it in the first place.
She moved away for a long time with her mother to be under a doctor's care and had surgery. I don't know if it was lap-band los angeles area surgery but there are centers in several locations. Now she's over 250 pounds lighter, her face is sparkling, she has energy and...a beautiful baby boy! Not that that will be the result every time :-) . I'm so happy for her!


I don't know what other health problems she had, obviously people that get that huge don't do it just from overeating. But just being normal sized helped her self-esteem enough to give her a better attitude toward her health - we all know how much of an impact attitude has on a person!

Is It Really So Hard To Send Mail?

Father's Day is coming, I wonder if I'll get things bought and sent in time? Probably should have already done it, true? I'm waiting now for a call from my parents telling me they received the package I sent, I wish I could write this part in smaller letters because it's SO BAD:

The package contained birthday cards, anniversary card, Mother's Day, pictures of the babies. Why is that bad? Their 50th anniversary was in FEBRUARY! Their 50th! That's major and wonderful so what kind of daughter waits this long to send cards and gifts?? One like me apparently.

It's not entirely my fault in a way. My dad hates holidays and attention, my son (not D) is the same way. Well, yes, D is too quite often. The boys' dad was too. Surrounded by males who don't want to be told when to acknowledge their loved ones or when to acknowledge BEING acknowledged as a loved one - well, that's my excuse. Are you buying it?

Outdoor Gear Time!

Anyone that has guys going hunting, fishing, hiking, any of that, ought to take a look here to find the tough clothes they'll need. Maybe the guys won't care so much about how durable/tough they are but who wants to be repairing or replacing ripped clothes all the time? Not me.
What the guys will like about these tactical pants is probably the fact that they're covered with pockets - okay, maybe they WILL care about how tough these are. They will appreciate not having to deal with bottoms ripped out of pockets they've stashed whatever equipment they need in. It says they're reinforced, double grommeted, all that.


Lots of other stuff here too, not just clothes. I've got a brother-in-law who's a prison guard in California, he's always looking at things like this too. You should see all the boys (my boys, his boys, their friends) with their eyes lit up looking at things he uses! His family is also seriously into back country hiking, way beyond the bounds of civilization, so tough and durable matters.

Is There Still Slavery?

Some tree outside is blowing cotton everywhere - there are so many bits of this white fluff that it looks at times as if it's snowing. At first it was amusing, now...

It made me start thinking of people working in cotton fields, workers, slaves. That led me to wonder about people who are slaves now, even if we call where they work a sweatshop. Are there really still these situations? I've heard references to it from those who are furious about outsourcing by "money-grubbing" big companies. It goes against what America stands for; to make a profit off of slavery is definitely anti-American. I've read about slavery all through history, in most ancient cultures. It sounds as if every group of people have been slaves at one time or another - Greeks, Celts, Africans, Jews... Does it really still go on? And I'm not talking about people who are kidnapped against the laws of their country, I know that goes on everywhere. I'm talking about where it's just a fact of life, maybe even legal.

All this from tree seeds blowing in the wind.

Reminders Of Home

A woman at my work mentioned that she has a gift basket shop or small company. I don't know the details but I remember seeing selling gift baskets listed as a great work-from-home business. I like the idea but I've never actually bought gift baskets for anyone. The first time I tried to put one together myself, I found that I was individualizing it to the point that it could never be a generic gift. But one would be perfect for giving to neighbors or co-workers in an office.

Just last night I read a blog written by a woman living in a foreign country; she was missing her home. Can't you just imagine how wonderful it would be for a friend or family member to send her a gift basket of things from home? That could even work in America for people who have moved to a distinctly different part of the country - send grits and magnolia scented somethings to a displaced southerner, packets of coffee from that special shop to a northerner who's moved...whatever feels like "home".

Truth or Rumor?

Once again, I'm thinking of that deal in Colorado, but this time I'm wondering how true it is. My friend in MD that follows the news as closely as she can with wild littles racing madly about the house, hadn't heard anything about it. That surprised me and made me wonder if this is yet another rumor flying about that I thought was from a reliable source.

If true, I still say genitals decide the bathroom!
If not, I thank God we haven't sunk as far as I feared!

They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To!

D and I have been watching TV a bit, and like everyone else, we're appalled at commercials. Things like products for women, incontinence supplies, products for men, don't need to be advertised like they are on TV! Except maybe they should. It's embarrassing to see them but how else do kids find out these things exist?
I've worked in a retail store and can't imagine how bad it would be for someone to have to ask for a product to take care of a problem they don't want to discuss with a stranger. At least they can see aisle headings and just go look for what they need. We sold a LOT of supplies for bladder control to old people. And I know of more than one woman that need things like that after having babies/surgery.

If these things are produced and people need them, I guess it's only fair that people see ads for them, even as distasteful as it may be. Are these physical problems increasing? Guess when it comes to human bodies, they don't make 'em like they used to!

I Want Traveling To Be Cheap and Easy Again

D is SO ready for a long trip. We need to go to California to see the newest addition to the family, my newest little grandbaby. I don't know why I'm so hesitant to drive to CA, I had no problem driving here to Utah from the east coast. Traveling is wonderful, I really enjoy it. The only reason I don't jump in the car and take off is that I'm not sure we have enough time to drive and that it would be better to fly. But even making reservations a month or two out is no less expensive. Plus, if we drive, we can take some of the myriad of boxes of books and assorted belongings my second son left at home when he moved out! THAT I can't afford to do on a plane now that they're charging for every box or bag you take.

Really I need to get online and check out distances, gas prices, cost of mailing boxes, all those things, before I can make a wise decision. I procrastinate because, so far, everything I discover says it will be prohibitively expensive no matter what I choose. So here we sit...

Daydreaming about Homes

When I consider buying a home, I look at all the homes I pass while driving, trying to decide where I want to live, what kind of home I want, how big. Mostly it's daydreaming, I'm not sure that I want to buy at all. The very "temporariness" of renting is attractive to me - I can take off on very short notice.

Something I've noticed is that I like brick homes, many are stunningly beautiful! But so many homes have vinyl siding instead of brick. The first home I owned, our "real" home where my babies were raised, was a 3 bedroom house with vinyl siding and I quickly saw the advantages. It looks as good as wood but comes minus the termites! The look of brick is beautiful but this is earthquake country - I imagine piles of bricks crumbling on our heads if a tremor hits! Maybe it wouldn't but it worries me anyway. Besides, vinyl is cheaper to buy and cheaper to repair.

I just have to decide where I want to live permanently and if I do at all. Somewhere with no mice, spiders, bugs, no deadly hot summers, reasonable snowfall, neighbors that disappear when I want to be alone and re-appear when I'm feeling like having company...