The Customer Is ALWAYS Right!

Heh.
So last night I had one hell of an evening. Went for groceries, and when I got out it was sleeting freezing rain & snow all over. There was a good 3 inches of slush on the ground, and I was 20 minutes from home, and needed to pick up dinner to boot.
No problem. I am from the superiorly awesome state of Michigan, so I ignored the blaring sirens on the highway and took the backroads home.
Took me twice the time to get to McDonalds to pick up dinner for the fam.
Made the order, paid, got up to the window & was told it would just be a minute. 5 minutes later, they ask me to pull ahead and wait. It would be 2 more minutes.
2 cars pulled past me with their orders in the 10 minutes I sat there.
Patience time is over.
SO, I throw the car in reverse, back up just enough to stop up progress, PARK the car & walk in with my receipt.
The manager first raises his voice and says I cant park there (he was like a hot minute from 17 years old).
I raise my eyebrow at him with the universal symbol for 'oh really? you gonna stop me?'
He immediately asks if he can help me. I hand him the receipt, he looks it over real quick and slightly irritated  says 'how long have you been waiting?' I told him to check the damn time stamp.
He jumps and takes care of the order quickly.
The stoned out chick that was supposed to be taking care of it in the first place tries to offer up some lame excuse about the fountain machine is broken ... to which I point out I had no drinks on the order, so try again.
I thank the manager and head out the door.

NOW. A few things.
I know I didn't have to block the drive thru, but my kids were hungry and had asked for McD's, and the last time they botched an order, they tried to stiff my mom and were yelling at HER in the restaurant because they screwed up and didn't want to fix it. THIS is why I decided that I needed to be sure I had their attention.

I know plenty of folks that have worked at McDonalds at one point or another. Some even stuck around long enough to be management -- and did a FINE job of it, even in their teens.
I know teenagers (the right ones) can do a great job running that restaurant. I've seen it done. This poor kid trying to run the place had maybe 1 other person on with him that didn't have their head up their ass.
I felt bad about causing him trouble. However, the stoned out moron that literally was doing NOTHING for anyone but standing around, acting bored, not trying to help ANYONE in any way .... unacceptable.

So, the kid running the show ... you did great kid. In fact, if I ever see that one again, I'll be sure to let him know, but I was in one helluva rush to get home to the boys.
Of course, when I told Ma what went down, she laughed her arse off, as well she would seeing the trouble that particular branch has given her.

I turn on down the road, pointed to home, when I end up behind a 4x4 SUV with a teenage girl driving it.
HOO-BOY.
She's texting and driving in a snowstorm going about 5 miles an hour.

It's not that bad out.
Well, maybe it is, but if you need to text, you should pull over even when it's clear, let alone in a damn snowstorm that you CLEARLY don't know how to drive in.
So, of course, first chance I get, I pass her. In my front wheel drive. In the now near 6 inches of heavy freezing slush.

Took a few minutes extra to get home, mostly due to the chick in the 4x4, who I should note DID end up pulling over into a parking lot ... I saw it in my rear view.

When I got home, had to wake up the littlest boy who'd gotten tired and fallen asleep waiting for his nuggets.

Please, if you don't know how to drive in a Michigan winter, DON'T. Or, practice in a parking lot with an experienced driver. Don't creep down a public road at speeds where someone can walk faster. You WILL end up in an accident if you're impeding traffic just as easily as if you were speeding.

End Rant.

This Kid

This kid is getting frustrated. So far he's learned 2 or 3 different ways to multiply and because of it, he's confused. He is starting to panic when it comes to which method he's supposed to use.
It's not his fault. It's not his school's fault. I actually wish that there had been options like the ones he's got way back when I was little. Back then there was one way to do it and you damn well better learn it. FAST.
So, he's trying to hide his homework when he's done with it. In the last marking period, his grades have gone down one notch just about all across the board.
I love his little school. I just am starting to think he needs more laser focused attention than what is possible there. The problem is that there isn't anywhere else for him to go. Our local public systems that are a quicker drive are much far below the kind of attention he gets now. So that can't happen.
I could work with him more when he gets home from school, but then the poor kid is spending all the time he's at school working AND all his time at home after school until dinner time re-learning all that he didn't quite catch.
It's not that he isn't smart --- he just needs a slower approach and someone willing to try various approaches until the lesson sticks. THAT combined with someone who's stubborn enough and slick enough to realize when the little punk is trying to get you to do it for him. Clever little punk. He does that a lot.
Last night, we had to go over an english page about nouns - common and proper. He just couldn't grasp it. I did find a way for him to get it  --- I think. we'll have to see.
But right now, it looks like we need to re-approach just about everything. Like he needs a little extra push in just about the entire day in every subject.
I don't quite know what to do, but hours of tutoring after school that often ends up going on after dinner until bedtime is depressing for everyone. He's a KID for cry-eye.
He should have time to BE a KID after school. What kind of miserable existence is it for a kid that only eats, sleeps and does school work? GAH.

Some of the stuff they have to learn is a little ridiculous too. I understand the push the schools have going now for mulitculturalism, but come on. Why does that mean ONLY people that are a different shade than me and my kids?

Newsflash .... even within different areas of Europe there are vastly different cultures. Why aren't the Romani mentioned? I don't mind that my kid has a basic understanding of different cultures, but he should ALSO be able to explore his own roots and heritage.

While I'm on it ... why is there a whole month dedicated to Black History? It's spread throughout the entire year's curriculum, so why is there a month dedicated to glorification of just the one 'color'?

Why isn't there an Asian History month, or Latina History month? Why not a SCANDINAVIAN History month??

THAT one really burns me. Ask any American kid who discovered America and of the 99% that *may* answer, will all answer with Chris Columbus. Um. NO. That would be wrong, and it's been proven wrong, so why is it not taught that the  TRUE first  european to set foot on North America was Leif Ericsson?
YES. The Vikings were here long before the English or Italians or Spanish or any other european.

That's what all those freakin' cool as hell rune stones are scattered all over Canada & the UP on the way to the west coast.

Nearly ready to pull the kid out and teach him myself again. If I do, these kids have one hell of a path ahead of them. One thing I have going is that this time, I feel like I can get them into a group or two with the urging of a few kickass homeschool moms I know.

I won't do it though unless I have a solid plan in place. That was my mistake last time. Shot from the hip and had NO plan. There will be a plan next time around. And I am blessed that I know some great gals that are not afraid to direct me a little if that's what we decide on again.

GAH. Analyzing all this stuff makes my head hurt.

Just Sayin'.

To Do Sooner rather than later

So, who aside from me that is, has some unfinished projects to attend to?

If you said you don't you're a damn liar and you know it.

I know I have several. The problem is that even though there is a list about an arm's length of what needs to be finished, I keep coming up with new things that I'd like to do, then I jump into trying the new things out before I can finish the last new things that I started.

NO, I'm not ADHD. I'm artistic. That's right. You heard me ART tistic. Un-organized. Scatter brained.

I'm probably one of the most right-brained people you'll ever meet. I just attack things differently.

But I'm working on it. Trying to think a little more in the box for a change.

I have work to do for cry-eye. Important work, like, finishing the siding on the house, and making Hubster put lights up outside.
Finishing my head & foot boards (because we made our bedframe, and haven't finished it yet)
Repairing and refurbishing the barn so that the girls are more comfortable, putting in raised beds so I'm not growing out of dirtbags this year, starting the garden in my closet (we're talking veggies here, ya big stoner. I'm not that girl.), and about a hundred art projects that I have begun and left as 'work in progress' for ages.

Anyone else want to cop to what they have neglected to finish?

Feel free. I'm here for you.

DISCLAIMER:: That is not my photo. That is not my house nor my projects. I WISH my projects were that neat!!!

I'm not making any promises.

I keep saying I'm going to blog more, but then I make a liar out of myself every time.
I am NOT going to try to blog more. I am taking more pictures, cooking more, riding my horses more, playing with my kids more, snuggling my baby more and loving on my family more.

WAY more important than blogging more.
Come on, if you had a little snuggle bug like this at home, would you be thinking of BLOGGING?




Ya, me either.

The boys are pretty farkin' cute too. My problem with them is that right now, they're doing silly things when I pull out my camera and I can't seem to talk them into doing any kind of an honest portrait. Just goofiness.

So, I'll be working on that.

This blog will remain my sounding board from time to time, for whatever the hell I feel like putting up.

I started a new one for the budding business o' mine at kbollmanphoto.blogspot.com
I have a giveaway happening there right now until the 16th, and am going to try to use that as a means of conveying neat photography sites I find, tutorials on photoshop, and some general neat stuff.

I'm not saying I've got some mad skillz with my camera OR photoshop, but I know some basics and there has been a few people that have asked for some help, so I will try to share the little that I know with you, and display lots of pics in the process to make it easy.

Why don't you head on over and enter my contest? Share it ... the more the merrier, I say!

Happy Groundhog Day, folks!!

Welcome, Little Sweet One

I am VERY overdue in putting up my follow up post to the baby name game. 

I don't feel to badly over it though, as it's just NOW that I'm able to begin to get into a solid routine with my punkin's. 

I really went through the knot hole with this one, friends. 

I fought with the docs, nurses, myself ... everyone BUT little Flash. 

With some health 'problems' ... I won't get into detail, but it was a load of BS, essentially, just padding the bill for the insurance co, I am convinced. It got to the point that I fired one doc about 2 months before having  the little one, then nearly fired her replacement when he got confrontational with me without reading my chart. 

OH, you just gotta love attentive docs. 

I was *this close* to just packing up and spending the last few weeks of my pregnancy holed up in a hotel room in Escanaba waiting to go into labor and drive across town to OSF hospital for an emergency C. 

But, I did not. I tangled with the doc, gave him an ultimatum to do it as previously discussed, rather than hospitalize me for a week pre baby with no reason (other than bill padding) and off we went. 

She was born *technically* on the full Harvest moon ... the morning of October 1st, a very healthy 9# 1.8 oz., and 20.5" 'tall'. 

I was out of the hospital a day and a half later, as I was pushing to get out as soon as I could feel my feet. 

She is very healthy, thanks. Super sweet, and quite wonderful in my own opinion, seeing as she's spoiled me rotten with her sleep habits. oh yeah, she was sleeping a 5 hour stretch the first week home, and has slowly increased that. It's still just around 6 hours, but for a 6 week old, and a mom that's used to only 4 or 5 hours ANYWAY, I'm a happy girl. 

SO. Here she is. My little punkin' ... she looks very much like my baby pics, only she has LOTS of dark hair, and I was bald, then blonde, so... she's my little dark haired beauty. 

Happy Holy Deer Opener, by the way. I made it out today. Didn't see anything but a trespasser, some crows, various obnoxious birds, rabbits, a renegade squirrel, and some 3 to 4 day old deer tracks. Meh. Better luck next time, I suppose. 

Little Girl Name Game

So, last time, I said I'd tell you about how I came to my new little girl's name. Well, it's been a long time coming.
When I was pregnant with my first (10 years ago) I still had one of my grandmothers with me .... literally. We were together every day. I woke up, gave the hubs a kiss, did my chores and had breakfast with her -- spent  all my spare time with her, and she was for all intensive purposes my best friend in the world.
She was the one who went with me to my ultrasound. She helped me to pick out names, and name possibilities. We tried for months to come up with a good girl's name. I wanted to find a way to mesh her name and my other gramma's name. It was impossible. We tried every single combo. Especially hard when you consider the whole story. My bff gramma that I lived next door to was named Mary. No middle name. well, later in life, she said her middle name was Evangeline. HOWEVER, it was a middle name she gave to herself, after her godmother. So, technically, not really her middle name. All I had to work with at the time for her, was Mary.  My other grandmother, whom, she didn't really get along well with for years *though they did have a pretty good understanding of each other, and were civil, and even friendly when I was a kid, and growing up* had passed away a few years before, so I couldn't consult with her too, or I would have. Probably would have started a huge fight between the two of them all over again. Anyhow, her name was Lily Ranghild. WELL. I'm down with Lily. Ranghild is old Norse for 'war council', so .... that was out. Mary Ranghild -- um, no. Mary Lily --- no. Lily Mary ... also, no.
During all this, Gram got a little teary eyed (killed me)and told me 'don't ever name a baby Mary. It's too tough a name for any baby to carry'. Well, that threw the whole thing out the window. She told me to name her after my mother instead. I'm sure Mom would be thrilled with a little Christine Lynn.
The name I had in mind for my first was Anna Rika. After both of my Swedish great grandmothers, but it didn't matter. We had a boy, and named him the highly original exactly after his father with a JR tagged on the end.
The 2nd baby we lost ... never got to see her in any way, (don't know if it was a boy or girl for sure) but in my mind, I named her Emma.
Third baby was a boy again. He was named for my father, which was great, partly because Gram was still with us, and loved it. She got to know him, and hold him, and he matched up closely with her description of how my father looked at her in the delivery room when he finally made his appearance, but also because I couldn't come up with a great girls' name, and I couldn't use my girl's name I came up with for my oldest since she had a little girl not long after my 1st was born and named her Hannah. WAY too close to Anna. Couldn't do it.

Now, this one. I couldn't possibly NOT find out ahead of time if it was a boy or girl. I would have lost my marbles. No, really. We knew ahead what Davey was, to prep Lar Jr. I couldn't handle it wondering about it  any longer than absolutley necessary. Now, i have a girl on the way, and the girls' name problem reared it's ugly head. This is the first baby in our family with Gramma gone. I lost my partner in crime. She passed away last year. Ma is spending time with me & the boys, but it's just not the same. I love Ma, and we get along great, but her perspective is so close to my own sometimes that there just isn't that different angle that I always got from Gram. I miss both Grammas so deeply that I knew that this is my one and only shot at honoring them both with a little girl named for them. My rule was simple. No naming after just one. It was both or nothing. So it started. Add to that, Gramma's request to NOT name a baby Mary added to the challenge. I ran through the names. Lily was going to be the first name. How could I get Gram in there? She had no middle name and Lily Mary just doesn't work right in my mouth. 

I had almost settled on Lily Christine out of sheer frustration, but a google search educated me that Lily Christine was once a stripper in the 50's. Oh, hell no. That wasn't going to work.

Then it hit me. 

When my folks were dating, my mom gave Gramma Mary a nickname. One that she embraced. So much so that I thought her nickname was her name until I was probably 9 or 10 years old. I would get angry when cousins called her by her given name, because it wasn't her name. If it was good enough for her to sign just about every single card she ever gave me, good enough to answer to for maybe 40+ years of her life -- WHY couldn't I use that for my baby's middle name? 

After all, there are millions of Mary's in the world. There has only ever been one Flash. 

So, her name will be Lily Flash in honor of both of my beloved Grandmothers. The pictures represent the names .... the lily for, well --- Lily. And the shoes? well, Gramma Flash once had a pair of gold high heels she had pictures taken in. She must have loved them, because she had them in her closet for decades. When I saw these little suckers at Target, I had to have them for little Flash/Lily. The timing was just too perfect. 

SO. Now you know. That's the story. Lily Flash will be here in the fall. I will be proud if she follows the example set by either one of those fabulous fantastic women.

Surprise, surprise!

I recently (well, not too recently) had a moment when it became necessary to re-arrange my summer schedule. It involved a cake, somewhat like the one below, that announced to my closest family that in addition to the inital surprise of becoming parents (again), we could even tell the family WHAT kind of baby we were expecting unexpectedly. 

After 2 super sweet little boys, I wasn't sure what we should have. Another boy would be great --- I'd have 3 little cowboys, the opposite of my mom's 3 little girls. This was the result of our ultrasound, though officially, I won't 100% believe it until little Lily is in my arms. 

YES, we are supposed to be having a little girl.
As I said --- I won't totally believe it until I've got her. NOT at all in my immediate plans. We were going to wait a year so baby would be 4 years from Little Guy.
However, it wasn't my idea. It wasn't hubby's idea. Nope. I was on birth control pills --- took them religiously, same time every day, never missed one. Didn't matter. Not complaining too loudly about the whole thing though because
1) we were planning on one more, even if the timing wasn't as I saw it
2) It hasn't interrupted TOO much of my normal routine. I haven't been sick at all --- I was tired for a while during the first, but that was remedied with an afternoon nap most days. Horse training is out, just because the little mare is green, but come October, oh, little one you watch your ass -- I've got pent up training to deal with!!!
3) Even after figuring out I was unexpectedly expecting, my math was WRONG. We're farther along than I had initially thought. In fact, as of Friday, we will be in the 3rd trimester. Apparently, I hadn't seriously considered the possibility of pill failure until I was damn near out of the 1st trimester. OOPS. Good thing I'm not a drinker.
and finally ...
4) She's healthy. She's a SHE. I have wanted a girl since first finding out about my Big Boy. I wouldn't trade him for the world --- or his brother, but a girl. wow.

Officially, I am fa-reaking the hell out about that single fact. I have my little cowgirl comin'. Oh shit. I have a little cowgirl comin! that means dresses & skirts & bows in addition to the bluejeans & cowboy boots.
Oh hell, I hadn't considered the clothing aspect. When the boys picked out an outfit for her, my oldest wanted to get her a pretty dress. As I turned around and noticed the dresses in the store, I suddenly and inexplicably had a tiny panic attack. Dresses hadn't even crossed my mind. Yet, my darling young man had considered it. Oh hell.

We had to leave immediately. too much stress for me at the time.

Next time, I'll talk about my foray into girls names. makes me think my migrane is coming back considering that one.

525,600 Minutes

How do you measure a year?

This has been a rough one for us - loosing Gramma in March, watching my older sister disappear into the deep south, and finally, my sweet hubby losing a job due to trying to HELP someone out the week of Christmas.

On the positive side, we did get to play with a litter of puppies and found excellent homes for ALL of them, I got Little Dona going OK under saddle - I'll feel better when we can have some good solid trail time. My big boy is doing well in school, and my little boy is 100% on his potty training now. So, I guess in the end, with the exception of loosing Gram, it's been an OK year.

I am watching in trepadation as to what this year will bring. The first songs I heard on the first were 'Sweet Emotion' (Aerosmith), 'I won't back down'(Tom Petty), 'NO, You Don't'(NIN) and 'Love you Just the way you are'(Bruno Mars).

Selection of bands aside, interesting message in all 4 of those.

So to those I know, and those I don't, Happy New Year. My hope is that this will be a year of luck, love, optimism, financial gain, and familial & equine induced happiness.

Rosie's Big Trail Ride

Poppin in for a little mo.... I know I haven't gotten to this lately, but I will try to do this more as I get my schedule in line for once (oh sure, well, I can dream)

This last Friday, it finally happened. Dad. He let me take the truck. And, of course, I ran off to Dona's with Ma for a trail ride. WOO HOO!!!!

Now, this was kind of monumental on several levels. 1)I got the truck for an afternoon 2) Mom went with me 3)We got Rose on the trail.

I was tickled. I didn't bring my camera, well, because I love it too much to have any possible chance of dropping it. The slight possibility of falling off a 16hh horse to me, constitutes too much of a risk. So, no pictures. Here's how it went though.

We were late right out of the gate, even though the horses were great to load, because Dad decided at the last minute to change the drop on the hitch. It WAS for the best, the trailer rode much better that way, and we always seem to be late anyhow.
When we got to Dona's, we ended up riding in the arena for a while. Velvet was, well .... velvet. Rosie, after two laps around the ring wove the barrels and walked over the ground poles without any hesistations. Fly spray on, and off we go. Down the road, over the bridge, and to the trail. We didn't ride much on the trail, but took some much more fun 'off road' type trails that wove through the woods, fields, and lots of road riding. We walked over smaller fallen trees, branches, through ditches, and portions of fields that were over grown with weeds so tall that the horses couldn't see over them. The only incident I can report is on the way back, Rose decided she wanted to take the center of the road, even if the Minivan had the right of way, she was ready to sit or shit on their hood if they got too close. Funny girl.

My fly spray was nearly 100% perfect too. I missed the base of Velvet's ears, and she was the only one without a fly mask on, but after snapping a little tree branch off, she held her head still so I could knock off any deer flies that irritated her.

We will be going again soon .... maybe I'll have someone take pics of us leaving or returning?

Comcast sucks.

I no longer have a high speed interwebz connection. But, that's cool. I've been gardening for myself & others, playing with my horses, and causing trouble where I can.
IMy connection was crap anyhow. Cable went out all the time, phone didn't work for beans either. SO ... I have a land line again as of yesterday, but no interwebz. I go to Ma's to check in from time to time. I will write a real check in and update of events when I have more time. But not today.

Just had to put up that I am still around, but in a lesser capacity for now :D

Days 16 - 17

Day 16 is a Picture of someone who inspires you - easy. I'll even pick someone that I'm not related to/consider family. In fact, I'll pick 4 someones that are incredible to me. Then, of course explain myself.

Stacy Westfall.

She is SUCH an incredible horsewoman. Her reining performance with her horse, Roxy, makes me cry every time I see it because it so perfectly illustrates what riding your horse is SUPPOSED to be. Pure trust & partnership. GOD I love her.
Westfall Horsemanship

Chris Cox.

This gentleman inspires me just because his training style is very much like the one that I was taught to use. He explains things differently than I do, but I love the man's style and after meeting him, I have to say, he really IS the class act he appears to be. God Bless 'im.
Incredible gear, and dvd's can be found here: Chris Cox Horsemanship

Ree Drummond

The Pioneer Woman. Radical rambunctious redhead of Oklahoma. I found her website quite by accident, before all the hubbub about the cookbook, and love story came out. About 6 months before, so I can't really say that I was a fan from the get go. I found her site by finding her love story. That was the first exposure to PW for me, and I was hooked from the story --- and then I saw her recipes!!! I never .... NEVER try other folk's recipes. It's just not me, but I tried hers, and she is good. She cooks in a style similar to what I'm used to, and I have learned from her website - some cooking, but mostly photography & PS tutorials. Thanks, PW, even though you do not know I exist. :D You can find her at The Pioneer Woman

Maggie Dammit

This woman right here..... this woman is inspirational, strong, and OH, so supportive & sensitive. She is the founder for Violence Unsilenced. It is another blog that I found quite by accident, but it totally changed my outlook. It helped me in ways I didn't know I needed help, and let me speak out as well. Thank you, Maggie. You are so loved by so many. Please, keep up the great work!!! She also bloggs at Okay, Fine, Dammit.

Day 17 is a pictureof someone who has made a huge impact on your life. Well, that's easy too. Only, I don't have pics of all of those folks. All I can do is name them: Larry, Larry, David, Daddy, Ma, Gramma Flash, Grampa Clyde, Gramma Lil, Grampa Harry, Gramma Valenti, Dona, my MIL - Barb, and FIL, Larry (though I never did get time with them before they passed), my sisters - Laurie & Jennyfair, my BFF's Jennie, Deanna, Nikki, Jenn, Blondie, Amy & Crystal. Mrs.Ball, Alex & VK. Huge, important people, and there are so so many more. I have been blessed.

31 Days ---- Day 13 ... no, wait .... 14.

Day 14, well. I'm skipping that one. It's supposed to be a pic of someone you can't imagine your life without, but I'm already living that with Gramma gone, and I don't want to jinx anyone else that I love.
Day 15 is something I'd like to do before I die, and I 'll give you 3 off of my bucket list. 2 kinda go hand in hand though ... like they could be done on the same voyage. I hope.

I'd like to do a Norwegian or Icelandic fjord crossing at low tide on horseback. This isn't the pic of the dream vacation, the dream vacation involved 2 horses for the day of riding b/c the 1st would get tired. You ride one horse across the fjord at low tide, ponying the 2nd along, swimming where needed, then picnic, trailride & enjoy the scenery before galloping back on the 2nd one. Sounds like FUN to me!!!


Cattle drive. Oh yeah. Sounds fun - pay someone else to do their work for them. But, I'd try it once anyhow.

And finally, visit the family that is still in Eslöv, explore the country side that my family came from, breathe in the farmland air over there .... and find my roots.

How do you wish to Sparkle?

Jamie Ridler over at Jamie Ridler Studios asks today: How do you wish to Sparkle?

WELL. That is a loaded question, Ms. Jamie.
I wish so many things to help me to sparkle. SO SO many things. Feelings, really.

I wish to sparkle by both losing weight, and loving my body more - accepting what I can't change all the while, fighting like hell to change it anyhow.

I wish to sparkle by being the most incredible, supportive mother to my kids that they need me to be.

I wish to sparkle by supporting my husband in his dream to go into law enforcement, though it scares the tar out of me.

And, for my self .... I wish to sparkle by having more time to myself this year to do what makes my heart sing the best.



I sparkle when I ride. I sparkle when my heart beats in tune with my mare's, as I give her free rein and total trust to run with me as her precious cargo, guiding her gently without force, pain or fear.
I sparkle when we fly together, when we rest together, and when we unwind together.

And I wish for a means for the finances so that I can share that sparkle with others by teaching them about my most kindred animals. Teaching others to fly on horseback, to trust their mounts, and to dance with their horses.

That's how I wish to sparkle.

31 Day thingy ... Day 13

A picture of your favorite band/artist.


Paul Stanley of Kiss, of course. OF COURSE!

P!nk is one of my favorites as of late. She's sassy. I like that.

Trent Reznor. His music rocks me. Oh, and he's a stone cold hottie too.

Brooks & Dunn are on my country picks. Awesome.

George Strait is also on the top of my country picks. He's a classic.

And artists ... well, so I take things literally.

One of my favorites of Vincent VanGogh. "A Night on the Rhone"

AND, Dale Chihuly is a freakin' glass genius. I AM going to learn how to blow glass. I mean come on. The stuff he has that is pure glass is incredible, but when he mixes it in with natural surroundings? Breathtaking.

31 Days ..... still

A picture of something you LOVE. It would be redundant to post up family pics or even horse pics here, because, well .... that's a given. So, here are some details.

I love ALL flowers. This actually isn't too far from what Gramma's funeral spray looked like.


I love the UP. ALL of it, but the west & central areas especially.


I love riding my horse on the beach ... though there are not many places where that is permittable anymore. Shame.


I love me my black bears. They are truly my brothers & sisters.


I love my anniversary present from the hubster. I have looked for this, or one like it for nearly 15 years, so I am thrilled. It's about 2 inches long. So, it a big ol' honkin' moonstone. Cleansed under the super moon, a-thankya very much. Oh, and it is THAT particular pendant. The place makes only custom one of a kind pieces. That one there .... that's mine now. I have it on. It's good.


I would apologize for so many pics, and so much explanation, but I won't. It's not like me. If one pic is worth a thousand words, thoughts or feelings, well .... this is a step better.

Day 11 of the Picture Thing

A picture of something you hate.


Chicago. I freakin' hate Chicago. And, most of the trash that comes out of it..... largely people like this:



Spoiled jackasses that think the world owes them just because they were born.
I'm sure if I lived closer to the east side of the state, it would be Detroit that was the bullseye of my hatred, but I am on the west coast of Michigan, living in the dead center of FIP (F*cking Illinois/Indiana People) vacation territory. Basically that means every weekend all summer long, our area ... our peaceful farm land area ... is invaded by loud mouthed, drunken jerks that park in 2 spaces at a time at the grocery store, cut you off on the road, then slam on the brakes, talk down about the locals and do all that they can to screw you over.

I say this from experience. My family's building business has suffered more at the hands of true FIPS than anything else. They act like you are a blessing, then try to get the whole job done for peanuts - seemingly forgetting that this is how we make a living. It's not a hobby - it's our livelihood. They just don't get that. We're stupid locals to them and we should be paying them for us to work our asses off on their deck, or shed or garage, or addition or whatever. JACKASSERY.

** disclaimer*** I will admit, not all people from Illinois/Indiana are FIPS. There are a handful of people that I truly love from Chicago. (You know who you are .... and you know the kind of people I'm talking about here too, so don't take offense if it doesn't apply) It's just that it's like finding a diamond in a box full of cut glass & zirconium. So rare, and hard to ferret out, while all the true fakes, losers & FIPS are doing their damndest to look like they are the precious stone.

Day 10 of 31 Days of Pictures

A picture of the person you do the craziest things with.




Well, by sheer volume, and to get away from blood family -- Jennie wins. Although, there are a number of people I really enjoy doing crazy things with. Mom, Dona, Nikki, Jenn (different Jen - she knows who she be), Deanna, Beeg Seester, Leetle Seester, Larry - sometimes, and Daddy & I are completely obnoxious & unstoppable when we get on the same wavelength & get to picking on something/one. I will only elaborate by saying that the twin towers were not just buildings in New York that eventually fell.
I guess I am just one that likes to be silly. And, I enjoy the people that I surround myself with.
I would also like to spend much more silly time with those that I love. We all collectively deserve it.

A Break In the Picture Challenge. Good News & Bad

A break was required. So, I guess I failed the 31 day picture challenge. Boo. That's OK. I have good reason. Good news, and bad news.

First, the bad news, so I have a way to look up.

At the very tail end of February, my Grandmother, as pictured in the post immediately before this one, had a massive heart attack, followed by a very abbreviated stay in the hospital. Abbreviated, because she refused any and all invasive treatments. Basically, if it wasn't treatable with medication, she wanted no part of it.
So, she went onto hospice, and came back to my folks house. That was on Sunday. She passed away early the following Friday morning.
So, I have been trying to grieve. And not doing such a great job at it. Partly because, well ... she lived and died the way she wanted to. She was 89/90 depending on what record you believe.
I had to keep it together. For the family. And, for myself. You see, I pushed myself to try and speak at her funeral last Monday.
And, I did it.
Kind of. I did speak, though not eloquently, and not to the degree that her memory deserved, but I gave it my best shot, and did well enough .... until I spotted her coffin. I lost my voice, and my composure.
But, not one other person in the church that knew her could even try, so I think I did well enough.
God bless you, Gram. I know you're OK now. I know your wait to see Grampa Clyde is over, and you're together again. And, that 51 year wait to see your firstborn son is over now too. The three of you are back together, and I promise I will do my best to keep mom & dad happy enough.



Now, the Good news, and ironically, something that I would like to think Gramma would have been proud of me for.

I spoke out.

I spoke out against violence on women. Actually, I did this months ago, but now it's my turn to be featured on THE most incredible blogs I have had the pleasure to read.

I heard from MaggieDammit - the genius behind Violence Unsilenced that it was my turn.

I am honored to be a part of this incredible movement. Maggie is inspirational, as are all of the folks that have been guest speakers/authors/survivors on Violence Unsilenced.

Now, I will try to warn you that although I do not have as terrifying or heartbreaking a story it is still an insight as to WHY I am the way I am. It was certainly a pivotal moment in my childhood that I can't quite get out of my head. It was a moment in time that damaged the way I view men that aren't part of my family. But, it's also a moment that I constantly remind myself of .... that it could have been worse. It could have been horrible.

Please, support the brave souls that speak out, and back them up. Even a few kind words can be all the difference.

31 Day Picture Challenge --- Day 9

A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most.




Absolutley ZERO disrespect towards everyone else that falls on my very short list. (Mom, Daddy, Larry, and the other Grandparents)
It's just that ... Gramma Flash was there for us kids every day after school, every weekend, all summer long, every break from school. She was always there. She is there still for me. When I go to Ma's house, it's not disrespectful to Ma - I love Ma & Daddy, but I always go straight to Gramma.
She is not doing so good, healthwise, and it tears up everyone. And I just want to see her smile. I just want her to know that I am there for her just as she's always been there for me.
She's been the one I talk to when I've been fighting with my folks, my sisters, my husband and my nephew. She's always had good advice, a kind ear and a killer sense of humor about all of it.
And I love her so so very much.

31 Day Picture Challenge - Day 8

I'm a little behind. Too bad. There is life outside the interwebz.

So, Day 8. Right, right. A picture of something that makes you laugh. OK> I'll do better than one, I'll do THREE.






That last one makes me laugh every. single. time.