Butt Dial!

It is 4 AM and I am wide awake. Part of me could not sleep because I was selfish yesterday and was thinking of myself. If night time does not bring you sleep it certainly can open your eyes to what really matters.
Yesterday morning my cell phone woke me at 7:15 AM. I was sleeping in my grand daughter’s twin bed with her on the trundle bed attached to it and my grandson next to her on his sleeping bag. We had somehow managed to stop talking to each other and fall to sleep after a wonderful Christmas day.

I had no idea what time it was when the phone woke me but I could tell that it was still very early by the little light coming through the windows. Of course, with my brother going through Cancer treatments I immediately thought something had happened to him. Carefully slipping out of the room with my phone I had to see who was calling at that early hour. \

It was Gary’s number showing under missed calls so I hurried and returned his call. Much to my surprise and annoyance it went to voice mail. Doesn’t that just make you want to throw the darn phone when that happens to you! I mean they just called you and then not 5 minutes later you call them back and their phone is turned off. What’s with that especially when the call is at an early hour and you have reason to worry? So I dialed his fiancée number and same thing. By now all kinds of scenarios are racing through my brain.

My grandson woke up a short time later so we spent some alone time making each other laugh in between me trying to get hold of Gary. Finally his girlfriend Sherry answered and I asked what was wrong. She wanted to know what time I was coming back home that Gary wanted to see me. I gathered what information I could get out of her before she hung up because I thought it strange they would call me so early in the morning for that reason. All I knew at that time was for some reason or another Gary wanted me there with him.

All I could think of was myself and how I had just got there at noon the day before to see my family and now I was needed at my brothers but with no real reason as to why. You know how we get when we are being pulled in two different directions and we want the one that is fun. I finally realized if I stayed there with my grandbabies I would not enjoy it fully for thinking of Gary and so I tearfully left for home.

It turns out Gary was having anxiety attaches because his tongue was swelling up and he was afraid of not being able to breath. He was scared which I of course now I can see clearly why.

What this long story is leading to is after I left Gary’s and came home exhausted I went to sleep for a few hours. Of course something woke me up and I laid in bed for hours thinking of how selfish I was for not wanting to leave my kids and come back to the problems of home.

Then I thought of the things that had made me feel better while driving back home. I thought of the sweet comments, cards, emails, phone calls and surprises you guys have left for me over the last weeks and months. There is no way I can explain to you without writing another three pages of how these things have lifted me this year.

So when I woke this morning and could not go back to sleep I started thinking and laughing about the words you leave for me and what just a few words means to someone. I thought of how selfish I was for not wanting to leave when now I realize Gary just needed a hug and some words from his only sister. I kept thinking what can I do for him why am I going home but it was simple just words of kindness was what he needed.

I realized this morning words can change everything for someone. If you think it’s no big deal about leaving someone a comment think again. It could be just what that person needed that day even if you think they have it made in life. You never know what one word from you will do for them. Like me they may think of it one day when their down and out and then smile because of you and your words.

Even if it is just a butt dial it could still bring a smile to someone’s face. In case you are like this ole grandma and wondering what a butt dial is well don’t feel bad I had no clue what my grandson was talking about when he used those words. Turns out that can happen when you carry your phone in your tight fitting jeans and your butt dials someone’s number with out you knowing it. Lol

Thanks for being you and being there for me! I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and I am looking forward to catching up with you!

This week when I take Gary for treatments I will try to say the right words and be a little less selfish.
Love to all

Maggie

Merry Christmas To You!

Just had to stop a few minutes and wish YOU and your family a Very Merry Christmas!

The other night I was talking to sweet Susan from Georgia who writes the site Art of Mine and I was telling her that I only put up two small trees this year and one was my girly tree. She ask if I would put it on my site so here it is.
Just look at this flowering ornament. It is shades of pink with little pearls and sequins.

Here is one of my butterfly ornaments that I just love.

Since it is the girly tree I put it in the sitting room of the master bedroom.

Maybe in a day or two I can show you my other small tree. I did manage to decorate two of three mantles and will try to take pictures of them.

Thank you so much for all the beautiful Christmas wishes you have sent my way and of course for your prayers too. My brother Gary and I appreciate you so much. Treatments for Gary are everyday now so it is sad now watching how he seems to be going down more every day. Hopefully when this is over he will be back to his ole self and can enjoy life again.

This is the first time in my life that I can ever remember having more than a day or two off to prepare for Christmas. We celebrated Thanksgiving at the ole farm house so off to Austin to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my children and of course grand babies. It is so much fun being Grandma Yellow Hair! I can not wait to see everyone and enjoy their excitement of the day.

Christi's Birthday was yesterday and she was sick. We both suffer from Fibromyalgia and her doctors seem to think that her muscles are so inflamed they are causing her a lot of trouble with a sore throat and ear troubles. Hard to believe that this disease causes so many pains.

Love the Christmas cards I have been getting from you! Their lovely and I have enjoyed each and every one.

There was so much I wanted to do for you this year and time just got away with me. Hopefully not next year.

Trying my best to get by your sites and catching up with you but if I don't make it before Christmas Day just know that I am thinking of you and wishing for you the very best Christmas ever.

May God Bless Each of You and Keep you Safe!


Merry Christmas to You,
Love
Maggie

One of A Kind Christmas Gift!

Just had to share with you some slippers that our sweet Donna at Brynwood Needleworks has offered to make me for Christmas! I have bragged on Donna many times about how creative she is but I did not realize just how creative.

The problem is choosing the right style for me! Which one would you want? I am leaning toward the star but any of these would be great!

Donna being the sweetheart she is also included the instructions to these cuties. So if any of you want me to email you the step by step instructions just let me know and I will forward them to you.

I do know the first thing you need is pictured below!

Wow I am so looking forward to my pair!

What about you?

So missed talking with you this week. Hopefully you are finished with your shopping and can enjoy the rest of the week without too much stress. I do need to pick up one or two things then my shopping is complete.  Like I mentioned in an earlier post. Sometime at the end of the summer I am adding a page on my site for early Christmas shopping. Next year we will all be finished before Thanksgiving.  We are off to a great start with Donna's Slippers.

Hard week for me with my pain level plus Gary is now having both radiation and Chemo everyday in Houston so it is very hard on him and taking a toll on all of us. This has been a hard year for a lot of you too and I am looking forward to a New Year for all of us. One full of Joy and getting to know each of you even better!

Sweet Dreams,

Maggie

A Visit From Santa!

Let's hope you have not been Naughty this year would not want Rudolph to ruin your beautiful stocking.

I mentioned on my last post that I had found a site that you can go to and send someone a video of Santa talking to them. Of course, I sent it to Kaci and Bailey. I hope they enjoyed their visit from Santa.

If you would like to do this for someone special just go to http://www.pnp.com/  and you can even download their picture to be in Santa's Book. It shows their picture while he is talking to you. The ones you do for children are a whole lot cutier than grown up videos. So get busy and make one.

Click this site on to hear and watch my visit from Santa.
 

 http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/guest/PZGv2tVSUvngbK4xinJMVA

Hope all of you are well! I am totally nuts at this point because of not being finished. I searched and searched yesterday for a gift I wanted to find for Bailey but no such lucky. So my DL has offered to hunt in Austin for it so that is a big help. I have to tell you though while shopping for this gift I had two strangers and different times try their best to help me find what I was looking for. One was a man and the other a woman. Both probably in their 30's but I was so touched that they stopped their shopping to help me do mine. I can honestly say this year might have been a hard one for me but it has been the best for meeting new friends.

You are the best ever!

Next year I am starting a page on my site for everyone that wants to start Christmas 6 months early.

What have you asked for Santa to bring you?

Sweet Dreams

Maggie

Fuuny You Tube!

That darn Black cat caught me off guard again this morning but soon he is mine. haha....I hate to tell you what I chased him off with this morning. He was actually trying to pick a fight with one of the other Tom Cats who are twice his size so I should of left him alone but I threw open the front door and the only thing I could grab were the bells hanging on the door knob so brave Ms. Pearl throws them at him.  I have to say all I saw was a flying black furry butt running for cover. In the morning I am getting up early getting dressed before breakfast and fur will be flying around this ole farm house. Just hope its not mine.....

This morning I found this very funny You Tube in my email box. You will enjoy it I promise!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-0WVfj76bo


It was sent to me by my sweet friend Dulcy from Dulcys Doorstep . If you have not met Dulcy please click on her site for a lovely surprise visit. She is another one of my friends that is so very gifted. You would think some of these gifted friends would rub off on me.

Off now to play catch up! Not with the cat I hope but with Christmas! Tomorrow I need to share a Santa site with you that you will love to send your grandbabies.

Love to all

Maggie

Ms. Pearl Again!

You must visualize this story I am about to share with you because there was not time for pictures and lets pray together that no one from the road got any shots of Pearl either. I am sorry but I had to share some more Walmartian pictures. Sad Wal Mart is the only place to shop in this small town.

Last night after Gretchen and I volunteered for the arrival of Santa at the local library we went back to my house for a big bowl of homemade chicken soup and of course cornbread. Well while I was making the cornbread Gretchen ran over to her house to put her PJ’s on because we decided it was going to be one of those girly nights with pajamas and a girly movie. I decided instead of my regular pajamas I would give my mother’s old granny gown a try and to make Gretchen laugh when she returned back to the house. Well laugh she did but how cozy that gown was since it dipped into the 20’s last night. lol

Anyway the closer to the end of the year I always realize how unhealthy I have ate over the year so I change my ways for a few months. This morning I actually was enjoying a healthy breakfast of oatmeal still dressed in my granny gown. Before I could take my second bite I heard this heart wrenching scream from a cat underneath my house. I ran to the front door and there were my two Tom cats Pretty Boy and Casanova waiting to be fed so I was glad it was not one of them. I knew then it had to be the little new stray female that had wondered to the ole farm house a month ago. Pretty little thing and I have tried finding her a home because two Tom cats are enough for me outside.

The way she was screaming I just had to help her if I could so forgetting about being in my granny gown I ran outside and found the opening going underneath the house and a dang Black cat that belongs to the cowboy next door to me was yes raping that poor baby. Made me sooooooo mad Ms Pearl came out. She tried everything with her big mouth to help but the stupid black cat knew I guess she was safe under the house. Considered getting my gun but knowing that the chances of not just hitting the black cat was one in a million so after screaming her fool head off Ms. Pearl grabbed the water hose with the sprayer on the end and turned it on high.

It helped scare the black cat home but left me just furious. The poor female came out later and I fed her. Of course she had scratches on her face. I have never killed a animal or man but it will be tempting the next time I see the black cat.

Also after it was all over with I realized how stupid I must have looked outside for the world to see an ole lady running around with a granny gown on. Just hope all the people driving by knew it was Ms. Pearl and not Maggie.  Never have I worn the thing before but when I do I parade around the yard screaming like the cat underneath the house. Back into hidding again for the granny gown and Ms. Pearl.

Hope your breakfast was quieter than mine and you are having a good day.



Love to all

Maggie

Has It Started For You?

The Christmas Crunch that is starting for me has it hit you yet! Well it is freaking 3:00 in the morning and I have yet to close my eyes. Yep it finally hit me that Christmas is in two weeks and I am 6 weeks behind. Why on Why is it this way every year. I was laying in bed trying to figure out if there is 52 weeks in a year then why are the last 4 of them so crazy for me.

No outside lights this year because of my back so that upsets me and now I have my small little girly white tree up instead of my huge one because of my back and no one to help lift the big boxes. I did manage to decorate one mantle and the stairway but not pleased at how they turned out.

Gretchen actually told me the other night when we were sharing a frozen pizza that I was the most organized person she knew. Good gosh I must of looked at her like she had totally lost her mind. NO one and I mean No one has ever ever considered me organized. If so they sure durn kept it to their selves and we all know why.


One reason I can not sleep is I made the mistake and went to Wal Mart to pick up cat food and dog food. OMG was that a circus. I actually almost forgot the cat food and dog food. I spent three hours in that store because I thought I would shop for some things on Kaci's list. She wanted some new Barbie clothes and doll clothes.  After who knows how long I make up my mind between whether she would like the Cheerleading outfit, nurses outfit or out on the town outfits. hahaha Then I see the movies of New Moon and Eclipse and I stand there trying to remember if that is something Christi wants for her birthday coming up.

Now after those three hours everything on my body hurts and I am wide awake. Hard to believe this is what time I got up to go to work at the Sheriff's Department. Workers Comp gave me a man the other day to replace the woman. No not to keep but to be my whatever the heck they call it. Let's hope he does something to help me. I wonder if he could go Christmas Shopping for me.

I guess I should try to lay back down and see if I can sleep. If not I will get up and make Sue her fudge that she won from my giveaway. That was another reason I went to Wal Mart because she ask if I put nuts in it. I don't usually but since she said her grandmother put Wal Nuts in hers I thought I could do that little tiny thing for her. So don't tell her if you go by her site.

Enjoy some Wal Martians while I go back to bed ....wish me luck

Sweet Dreams

Maggie

Two Winners!

You all know me and I love love having giveaways. Giving to people is best feeling in the whole world. Right up there with visiting grandbabies. lol....The only bad thing about giveaways you have to pick a winner and I am always excited to see who the winners are but wish I could send each of you a gift.  You know without me saying YOU are all winners with me.

Okay enough with the suspense. I signed into Random Generator this morning and the first number that came up was for LuLu's generous gift certificate for $25.00 was a nice surprise. It was Kathy at Creative Home Expressions.  Yes you WON the gift certificate. I am so happy for you! Wow you will love whatever you pick out over at LuLu's. So Kathy email me at grandmayellowhair@gmail.com and I will get the ball rolling with LuLu.

My next winning number for my Chocolate was Sue at Sue's News, Views an Muse. Sue I was so surprised when I counted down and your name came up. haha... So you WON chocolate and all you have to do is figure out if you want fudge or peanut clusters. haha Sue email me honey with your choice and address.

I love all of you for entering this giveaway. Don't give up your name will come up soon. Also if you have not visited Kathy or Sue's blogs you must do so they are both wonderful ladies to get to know. I always enjoy my visits to their sites and you will too.

Hope you are having a wonderful week. Stay calm everything will get done in time I promise. This comes from a nutty grandma who is sooooo far behind. lol

Love to all
Maggie

Oh What A Night!

As I mentioned in my last post a friend of mine had an extra ticket to the Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly show last Saturday night and I joined her mainly to keep her from going to Dallas alone.

I do not follow Fox News but do turn it on now and then. I am familar with Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly but never had the desire to see them in person but it was quite the experience. Not following them like my friend I really did not know what to expect. The first part of the show Beck talked maybe 45 minutes and then O'Reilly came out for about the same length of time and after a short break they both came back together for another hour.

It seems when they were together they really got crazy and did not hold back on their views. Especially when it came to Obama and the women on the View. I knew their views about Obama and they assured the audience that even a jackass could run against him in the next election and win. They gave their views on who they thought would be the next President and then they started on the ladies of the View. I mentioned in my last post one of the things O'Reilly said about Joy Behar. Well that was bad but not near as bad as this. He said, " It's Saturday night and I guarantee Joy is at home with a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other talking to her cats. One day they will find her dead and eaten by her cats!"

Isn't that horrible to say about someone. Yet he got the laughs he was after. Then he had a few things to say about Whoopi which for some reason I can't remember but then he started on Barbara Walters. He talked about how old she was and that she should of retired 40 years ago. According to him no one her age should be in front of the cameras. He then said, "Everyday they hang Barbara upside down on a hook in a closet for at least four hours before she goes on the air." I gather he was saying they do this to get her blood flowing to her brain. I don't know but once again he brought the house down with laughs.

He also talked about Joy Behar and Whoopi walking off the stage when he was a guest on The View the last time and he said he loved it and he only wish the other three had disappeared so he could of promoted his book for the last 45 minutes of the show. I doubt very seriously he will be a guest on the View ever again. lol

Some of the program was interesting listening to their views but when they started pooping on people I was stunned and surprised that people paid what they did to see these two.

My friend loves loves Fox news. She goes to sleep listening to it. That night in the Hotel room I all but begged her to turn it off so I could sleep but she can't sleep without it. So it stayed on all night. lol

I have to tell you something really crazy about the two of us after the show ended we are sitting in the parking lot with a thousand other cars trying to get out of the parking lot. Barbara realizes that we have no gas. I look over and YEP we are past empty. Here we are stuck in traffic and on empty. We finally get out of the parking lot and instead of going back the way we came she decides to go a different route to find a gas station. I told her not too because I know little about driving in Dallas especially downtown and I know how easy it is to get lost in that city. Well she kept driving and soon we were in a part of town that no one wants to be in during daylight much less dark. Finally we see a station and we Praise God that we did not run out of gas. I made her stay in the car while I put enough in to get us to the hotel.

Would you believe that after we got the gas neither one of us had no glue clue how to find our hotel. Neither one of us knew the street it was on. All we knew it was the Marriott. We discovered this when I ask Barbara about her having a GPS in her car. She said she did but never had used it and then I ask her the name of the street and she did not know so I realized we were in the bad part of Dallas with no clue where to go to and what address. So we turn around try to go back the way we came and ended up really mixed up.

I hate to admit to you how long this went on. Poor Barabara was getting really upset so I made her pull over and let me drive. Not that I knew I could do better I just felt so bad for her. So while I am in the drivers seat I notice a ON Star thing on the rear view mirror. I asked her if she had On Star and she said Yes and I was like OMG we have been lost all this time in the ghetto and she has On Star. You just want to bang your head on the steering wheel. I pushed the button and explain to the young man our problem and he can tell we are both beside ourselves by this time and he tries to calm Barbara down. Finally he gets the addresses of the Marriotts for us and we realize the one we are at and he talks me street by street up to their driveway. I wanted to kiss the young man.

The way we were acting while he was on the phone with us I am really surprised that he did not call the police and have them pull us over. He had to have thought we were both drunk. I mean it was totally two ole women freaking out because this had been going on way too long.

I still can not believe that help was just a button away. Lord help me! Of course we could laugh about it the next day but boy was it not funny that night. hahaha

Then back at the hotel I am putting my Jammies on and realize that my diamond tennis bracelet was no longer on my wrist. I hardly ever wear it because I am always afraid of loosing it well I did loose it and whoever finds it will have a early Christmas present. I don't have a lot of diamonds so I really hate that I lost this.

Don't forget to enter mine and LuLu's giveaway. It ends today at midnight! Good luck to all of you that enter.

Hope your having a good week. I am trying my best not to panic wtih the holidays being so close. I have been known to do that. Been busy the last few days making candy. Take care and Love to All

Maggie

There Is A Name For It BUT What Is It!

How are YOU! Boy it is cold this morning so I going to write this post really fast so I can warm my brain and hands up.

This past weekend was a wild ride in more ways than one. My friend and boss had tickets to see Glen Beck and Bill O' Reilly for their Fresh and Bold tour around the country so after debating about it for several days I agreed to go. It was a roller coaster ride from the time we left the house until I landed at my door last night. If you can picture two ole women who function pretty good on their own mentally day to day but when you mix the two it is like an that oil spill in the gulf.

I know YOU call me a tease but I promise in a few days to write some of those spills we had on our adventure. This morning I have to tell you my experience on the way home from her house. First of all before you read this and judge too harshly remember I had just experienced more things in two days than I had in a lifetime. So with that said here goes my hopefully not too long story.

I left my friend safe and sound at her gorgeous Victorian home and started for my trip home.  My neighbor Gretchen had been waiting to hear about my trip so I phoned her while driving home. Well the two of us laughed and talked almost all the way home. In all honesty it was me talking and her laughing.....about 40 minutes later I can not for the life of me figure out my lights. It was turning dark and I had my lights on already but I could not see very well. I told Gretchen that something was not right. You know how your use to seeing everything a certain way when your driving and I was just not seeing it. Everything looked so different. Even the inside dash lights were barely noticeable. I kept fooling with my lights thinking this ole fool had forgot to turn them on but no they were in the on position and no one seemed to be having a problem with me and I could see the road but just not that well. I hate to admit this to you but this went on for a lot of miles and I even told Gretchen several times I just can't figure out these lights.

Well about 5 miles before I get to the ole farm house I feel something on my face. Yep I had glasses on. I reached up telling Gretchen why would I have my glasses on because I only wear glasses to read. I jerk them off and immediately I can see. It was like someone had turned the lights on. YOU guessed it! I had my sunglasses on the whole time. It seems I was so excited to tell her my adventures that when the sun went down this ole woman did not remove her sunglasses.

Is that not scary? Hope my kids don't read this it might get them busy choosing my rest home a lot sooner.

Of course, that just gave Gretchen another reason to laugh out loud but for me it was like OH GOD what is wrong with me!

About the Glen Beck show. I am not a Fox News junkie but my friend is and I know from the crowd that was there she is not the only one. I do have to tell you one thing he said that blew my mind. He was talking about the President and how he did not handle the oil spill in the Gulf and then he says," If they would have just used Joy Behar  mouth to cover the leak it would of solved two problems. ''

He of course got a lot of hoorays for that remark.  Joy Behar is the red head on The View. I don't keep up with that show either. In fact I am wasting my money by paying for Dish TV. 

Of course when Bill O'Reilly appeared on stage he joked about the women on the View and how they walked out on him while he was there on their show. He loved it that they did that just more publicity for him. Wait til I tell you what he said about Barbara Walters. WOW

Keep in touch for my continued coverage of my trip. But right now I want to remind you of my giveaway that ends on the 8th. Have not a clue what day the 8th is on this week but I am sure it is soon. So if you have not entered please go to that post and sign up to win a very generous gift certificate from our friend LuLu Kellogg.

Off to clean my bedroom and find something warm to put on I am freezing. lol....I need to make candy and decorate too. Christmas was so much more fun when I was a kid and all I did was search the house for hidden gifts and wait on Santa. Now it is run here, buy that, do this, don't forget that, make this, order that, decorate everything even the cat. hahahaha

Love to all

Maggie

One of A Kind Giveaway with Two Winners!

Coastal Sisters Etsy Shop

If only you could see the smile that I have on my face right this minute while doing this post. You know by reading my site that I think that the friends I have on here are the best in the whole world. Every single one of you that follow me are truly one of a kind and that is exactly what this giveaway is ONE Of A Kind! 

One of my dearest friends on here who most of you know from her site LuLu Kellogg  has offered a generous gift certificate to her Etsy Shop. How sweet is that to do for me and you.

 If you are familar with LuLu's work then you know how gifted and creative she is with her pieces. Her work is truly one of a kind and I am lucky enough to have one of her neclaces that she created just for me. Now if your the lucky winner you can own one of her signature pieces.

Don't miss out on your chance to win this generous giveaway! LuLu will also be adding pieces to her Etsy Shop so click HERE  to keep checking in with her site. The first winner will be selected from the Random Generator for LuLu's Gift Certificate by leaving a comment on this post only.

Second winner will win my famous Ms. Ruby's Chocolate Fudge or Peanut Clusters.

 Extra chance to win put this giveaway on your sidebar or post about it.  Be sure and come back and let me know that you have put this giveaway on your sidebar.

Good luck to all of you in winning LuLu's $25.00 Gift Certificate or Ms. Ruby's Chocolate. Giveaway ends midnight central standard time at midnight on December 8th.

I can not thank Lu Lu enough for giving me the chance to offer this special giveaway.  Also thank you for entering.

Love to all
Maggie

My Secret Guest!

Do you recognize this lovely lady?

How about now? Maybe if she had her pink hat on you would know her.

If you guessed Marydon at Blushing Rose you got it right!

This is Marydon and Harold Ford who surprised me with a visit while they were here in Texas. Needless to say when she told me they were coming to see me I was stunned and it actually did not sink in until they were here.

Marydon and Harold make quite the pair. They can actually finish each other sentences and are a joy to watch them together. It is comforting to know that there are happy loving couples still existing together and that is one thing I have enjoyed from all of you is reading about your happy marriages.

Marydon surprises her fellow blogging friends with visits. Mine was preplanned but she told me that all of her other visits are just a knock on their door. She then tells them they have a delivery and she gives them one of her beautiful Christmas Ornaments. Thank goodness I had a few days to pick up around my ole farm house because that girl took some pictures. lol  Being in law enforcement I don't show my pictures very often but hard to tell this Maryland girl No!

Since this was such a special visit I had to cut some roses and bring out the best China and Crystal.  Of course I had to use my pink china since I know Marydon is a pink lady too. Blogging friends deserve the extra attention. I even took off my patch work quilt that I use for a table cloth and put my favorite one that my Aunt Dorothy made for me years ago.

I changed the menu three or four times after talking to Marydon about what she could eat. Turns out I went simple with a Chicken Salad, cold cuts, different cheeses and crackers with lots of fruit. For dessert I made a cheesecake with cherries on the top.

We visited for several hours and got to know each other better. It was my very first time to meet a online friend and it is a day I will always look back on and smile. If you follow Marydon at Blushing Rose you know how sweet and kind she can be. Well let me tell you once you meet her you know instantly that she is a good good friend to keep.

What a blessing this visit was for me and it made me want to meet all of you. Two days and seven months ago my life changed forever when I hurt my neck and back at work. It was a horrible accident and I honestly think that I have ruined my back and may never be able to work again. Today proved my fears when I could barely get out of bed this morning.  What I am getting to is without you out here in this world of blogging I would of never made it through these 7 months but you have left me generous notes of encouragement and you even read my post that are just plain silly. hahahaha Believe me when I say I appreciate each and everyone of you. I am so very Thankful for my dear sweet friends out here and looking forward to being like Marydon one day and just knock on your door. lol

Gretchen invited me over for Taco's tonight and so I am looking forward to catching up on her writing and trip to London. She mentioned having Tommy Lee Jones as the main actor and director for one of her screen plays so I volunteered to be his wife. I mean someone has to do it. Right?

Love to all
Maggie

Offended by the book Simple Times!

Hello to all of you. I hope you had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed all the leftovers from Thanksgiving. Myself if I see a Turkey anywhere near me in the next few weeks I will have to run the other way. Too much eating for me in the last few days. Now I have a inner tube look about me around the middle of my body and I am truly upset with myself.

Been wanting to do a post about a book I had bought to giveaway on here but after getting the book home and taking a closer look at it I have decided it would be in bad taste to give it as a gift to my friends.  The book is Simple Times by Amy Sedaris(crafts for poor people). I bought this book thinking it was a book about crafts and that you might enjoy it. I was offended by the contents of this book not only with the pictures but the writing.

Yes Amy Sedaris is a well known comdedian but this grandma did not recognize the name when I bought the book and if I could get my money back on it I would. One Chapter is about the craft of Making Love. The pictures are way tacky for a craft book and while reading this chapter and others I could not believe that I was holding a CRAFT book in my hands. Very misleading to someone not familar with Amy Sedaris.

Here is a small paragraph from the book. Please note it is offensive so you might want to pass on reading further.

Sexual Missteps:

A healthy sexual encounter can be a frezied affair, an unrestrained flurry of senseless depravity. In the moment, gripped by a chaotic orgiastic euphoria, it's easy to cross the line of good judgment. This includes playing too rough, screaming out past lovers' names, or attempting to lodge an appendage or toy in an orifice where you have not been thoroughly invited.

CAN you believe this is from a Craft book. I am still in shock that I bought it and was going to have a giveaway with this as the gift.

Also through out the book there are inserts by two other people Jean and Gene Woodchuck and the language these too use will make you want to wash their mouths out with lye soap. In one insert their talking about U.S. grade-A humping except not with each other they believe in an open marriage, wide open; the swinging door has come off the hinges open. They say we found it is that the best way for us to share is by sharing ourselves with strangers. Do you believe this? Yes this is part of a book I thought was for crafters.

Sure there are some pages devoted to crafting but their nothing you would want to make. One chapter I found also offensive was the Crafting for Jesus.

I googled reviews on this book and this is one I found. Wish I could remember who wrote it:

Do not be fooled. Amy Sedaris' latest book, Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People (out November 2) isn't about crafting with a twist. It's just twisted. Sedaris says it best in the introduction: "It's often been said that ugly people craft and attractive people have sex. This book is not going to dispel that ridiculous fact." Indeed, notable Sedaris do-it-yourself-at-home crafting ideas include a Cut-Rate Sandwich Bag Condom made from Saran Wrap and Franco's Clothespin Jesus, a crucifix made entirely of — duh — clothespins.

What is particularly damning about this parody is the fine line it walks, interspersing its madness with recipes and crafting ideas that might actually be plausible to that special sock monkey doll enthusiast in your life. Gift buyers could run the risk of offending an authentic craft hobbyist if its pages hit too close to home. But Sedaris fans familiar with her last book I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence and nostalgic for the "hand-woven bread, homespun rocking chairs, oven-baked slippers, butter-churned pillow shams, and embroidered patchwork crisps" of their childhoods will not be disappointed.s.

Sorry Amy but I found your book totally offending and beyond anything I have ever wasted my money on. Now what to do with this book! Let me know if you have read this book and what do you think.

Sweet Dreams
Maggie

Burlesque!

Just got home from the movies with my daughter Christi and a friend of hers Tammy from her high school days.  We saw Burlesque with Cher and Christina Aquilar and with risking my reputation here in blog land I actually enjoyed the movie. I know it has received terrible reviews but the three of us really liked it.

Those two girls are in the living room laughing and catching up on old times. It is fun to hear them laughing just like the ole times.

It made me feel young and that I could get up out of that chair and swing my legs up and shake my boobs just like they were doing. Well you will be glad to know that because of my back I kept seated. lol

Cher has no wrinkles so I guess Botox does work. Chrsitina belted out some good songs and Cher preformed two long ones herself. The costumes were everything I always wanted to wear when I had a figure but never did. Now I would be shot if seen in one of them.

This short wig that Christina put on for several songs was too cute. I wore my hair similar to this at one time and have wanted to again. You can not see how cute a cut it is from this picture.

I am glad I did not read reviews of the movie before seeing it because it would of kept me at home. It reminded me of the movie Chicago but of course not as good.

So yes I liked it. Silly as it may have been it was fun watching to the three of us. Let me know if you have seen it and what you thought of Burlesque.

Hope you had as nice of a Thanksgiving holiday as I did with my family. Everything was good about the day especially Kaci and Bailey entertaining us. They played sherades and were too darn funny. I had them write our names for place settings on some cut out pumpkins. Then I let them decide how they wanted everyone to sit. It was great fun for them and turned out great how they had us setting. I loved it.

If I had not fixed a lot of things a head of time there is no way I could of enjoyed my day. Who wants to be in the kitchen cooking the whole time. I found the best ever corn recipe from a blog that Christi fixed for us and I thought it was better than any corn I had ever eaten. It was a big hit. I will have to find the site and give it to you.  My son Chad made the best Pumpkin Cheesecake too. Wow yummy. My dressing thank goodness was really tasty and yea for leftovers. lol

The best thing about this week is Christi came here for the whole week to help me so I would not over do it with my back. What a big help she was with everything. She will be leaving tomorrow evening and I will miss having her here. She even offered tommorrow to put up my Christmas tree and my take her up on the offer.

Well I am off to try a piece of that cheesecake again. haha  Starting in January my goal is to loose 36 pounds by October of next year. Gary and Sherry are getting married at her home place in Tennessee so Sherry and I have made up our minds to do it. Want to join in on the fun? It will be hard but I so want to do this.

Gretchen finally made it back from London and she loved it there. Can not wait to catch up on her trip.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend

Sweet Dreams
Maggie

Adults Only!

Good morning! My brain is still not working so thought I would share some pictures today instead of my long stories.

Hope you are having a wonderful day! I promise my brain can not stay scrambled forever or could it?
Still thinking of all of you and hoping your not in a fog like me. You don't think the pain pills have finally damaged the ole brain do you?

Like this morning I was putting my make-up on and talking to Christi in the other room ...double tasking or anyway whatever...I was telling her about not sleeping last night and I went on a site where a woman was talking about having a birthday and was really really old so I kept reading it and then she says she just turned 40. Of course, Ms Pearl came out and thought this woman thinks she is OLD! How then would she relate to me. What would she call ME! A freaking dinosaur! So I tell Christi about this post and then I say, "Just wait til that woman is a grandma getting out of her grandsons lower bunk bed after reading him a bed time story and farts so loud and long the guys next door call to check on their neighbor!" Seriously thats when she can complain Right!

Love to all
Maggie

My Lucky CSN Winner!

Sorry I am just now posting about my winner for the $65.00 CSN gift certificate. I made it home good but now feel like a truck ran over me but a little rest will take care of that. Plus Christi came home with me to help with preparing Thanksgiving so life is good. Seeing my children and grandbabies was such a great blessing and one I so appreciate.

Now on to the winner.  Life is also good for Susan at Art of Mine . She was selected by the Random Generator widget and if you don't already know Susan you must because she is a lovely lady from Georgia. Susan could not believe your number came up but I am delighted you won honey and hope you have fun shopping with your gift certificate. Just shoot me an email  to grandmayellowhair@gmail.com and we will get your winnings to you.

I want to thank all of you that participated in this giveaway. CSN supports a lot of giveaways for bloggers and I am grateful that they give me a chance to have these giveaways for you.

Need to regroup my brain so I can do a post. So much has happened in the last few weeks that I have been wanting to write about and hopefully soon.

I do have to share a funny thing that Bailey (my grandson) said while we were eating lunch yesterday at Razoo's. It was where Kaci had picked to eat for her Birthday weekend and I ask her brother what was his favorite thing about Razoo's and he answered, "They fill me up." lol  Love it when they answer so honestly.

So much to do this week to prepare for Thanksgiving. Tell me some good side dishes that your having.

Love to all
Maggie

Grandma Heaven Tonight!

You will never guess where I am doing this post. I am sitting in my granddaughters Kaci's closet! Yep today was my precious Kaci's birthday and while she is catching a few hours of sleep before her big birthday party tomorrow with all her friends I thought I would catch up with my friends. What better place to hide but in your granddaughters closet full of all of her dolls (well not all of them), stuffed animals, books and of course the cutest little outfits in the world.

I am tonight in Grandma Heaven. Bailey my grandson and I played a few games of something with rabbits falling in a hole. Of course the trick is not to fall in the hole. Then I read him and book and he went right to sleep. Kaci and I laid in her bed whispering to each other until she fell a sleep. I of course was too excited to sleep so I thought hey free WiFi and so the closet seemed like the perfect place to play without waking anyone up.

Kaci ask for a doll for her Birthday so off to Target on Monday when I went to the pain doctort. I found the cutest doll that does everything but wet her diaper. She walks, talks, giggles, drinks her bottle and if she falls over on her face she tells you it is okay Mommy I can get up and that is just what she does too. Kind of creepy watching this doll fold herself up until she manages to stand and start walking again. lol

While watching Kaci laughing and playing with her I could not help but think about the dolls I had and none of them could do anything but lay there and look at me with their big blue eyes. I remember one doll I washed her hair so much that towards the end of her life she looked like she had stuck her finger in a plug and had been lit up. Her hair just stood straight out. hahaha I still have my Tiny Tears doll and she is wrapped in a baby quilt my grandmother made for her. One day I will have to part with her and the quilt and let Kaci add it to her collection.

I have missed visiting with you this week. I have lots to tell you about my week but will do it another night. Probably not in a closet though.

Gretchen finally returned to the North Forty last night and then I ran away today before she and I could really visit about her trip to London. So looking forward to visiting with her Sunday and hearing about what kept her away for three long weeks.

Before getting here tonight I stopped by my daughters Christi's  house and she had a date with a very handsome fellow and they insisted I go with them to dinner. If it had been a first date I would of got out of it some way but she has been seeing him for a little while and I enjoyed my chance to get to know him. I was hoping maybe he could spend Thanksgiving with us but he is going to Calif.

Tomorrow I will get to be with my oldest son for a while since he has moved back here to Austin again. I am so looking forward to our visit and then Sunday I think all of us are getting together for brunch to continue our big Birthday celebration.

Hope you are having a fun weekend too! These are the times that I just love to have with my family. Hard to believe that I am so blessed.

Do not forget to enter my CSN giveaway that ends Sunday night at midnight. I do wish I could send all of you a gift certificate to this wonderful store but someone will be the lucky winner.

Well I need to close I am starting to see double. Plus in the morning will come early and the party is at 10:30 and grandma yellow hair needs to get some rest.

Sweet dreams

Maggie

CSN Giveaway!

Have you been naughty or nice? Yep you know me I have to ask. So one way we can find out is by having another CSN Giveaway.  If you have been nice most likely Santa will draw your name for this giveaway.

You all know that I truly love this company. Not only do they have everything you could possibly want for your bathroom they even sell  bathroom cabinets. Living in my ole farmhouse this will definetly be something I am going to have to check out on their site.

CSN has generiously given me the opportunity to offer to one of my friends out here in blog land a $65.00 gift certificate to be used in any of their 200 stores on line. I know can you imagine winning such a great gift right here during the holiday season.  What would you buy? Would you buy a Christmas gift for someone special or treat yourself to a gift. It is all up to you and all because you have been nice this year instead of naughty

So in order to win leave me a comment telling me how much you love Just Between Me and you    love CSN for taking care of us bloggers. Only comments left on this post will be put in the Random Generator. In fairness to my friends now you must be a follower of my site too.

Also for an extra entry you can add this giveaway to your sidebar. Just leave me an extra comment telling me you have it on your sidebar.  Please only leave these two comments to make it easier on me using the Random generator.

This giveaway willl end Sunday night November 21st at midnight central standard time. Sorry but this contest is open only to the US and Canada but in my upcoming giveaways I will be having everyone is invited to enter.

Show your support for CSN and enter this generous giveaway. Who knows you could be my next lucky winner.

Hope you are all having a wonderful week. I am excited to be asked to have this giveaway and wish you the best of luck on winning.

Love to all,
Maggie

My Blogazine Guest Kathy!

This is a special day for me because I have a new blogazine guest. It has been way too long since my last Blogazine Guest and I am excited that Kathy agreed to do this post for me.  Kathy is a very gifted artist and you can see more of her art at  The Artist blog site.

I am so honored that you would have me as a guest. I have always love art and through the years it has always been a part of me. My husband of 33 years and I came from Kentucky to Tennessee 21 years ago. I had painted a few things and did a few murals,till we came here and my art took off. The first mural I ever did was on my moms bathroom wall. She thought it was beautiful. Well,as I remember, it was not that special.


I am self taught so the old adage the more you do the better you get can apply to me. At one point I was painting murals so much they had to put my arm in a cast.

Three years after we came to Tennessee my mom passed away. I stopped painting until my hubby told me either use it or loose it. I picked up my brushes and haven't stopped since. In 1998 I was the Guest Artist at the Tennessee Valley Fair and was asked to display some canvases. I still do murals but now I do a lot of canvas work,that can be shipped out.

Four years ago my sister in law had a client at her kennel to ask if I would go to Vieques Puerto Rico to paint murals in her home. Along with my sister in law and my niece,we went,and have become such good friends with the lady we have gone back every year. It is 10 miles off the coast of Puerto Rico and is only 53 square miles. Horses run free,no traffic lights,no fast food,just a paradise. I have my work in two gift shops on the island.

Last year we went back to KY on a visit and stopped in at a state park near our home town. I now have my work in their gift shop. I once was shy about talking to people about selling my work, but now I find it easy.

A few years ago I found out about blogging. Now I have met so may people from places I could only dream about. People that create amazing things,so thanks for letting me tell my little tale of a girl with a paintbrush and paint on her face. Thanks
 
Kathy

Thank you Kathy for writing such a wonderful story for us to all enjoy. If you would like to be my next blogazine guest be sure and email me with your story. I think there were two sisters from MN who were going to do a story for me but geezz what were their names .....something like Lib or Libbie and Kate or was it Katy ...I don't know but when I remember I will go after them.



Hope you are all having a great weekend. I am catching up on some things that need to be done. Nothing big but it feels good just to finish even little things. Since my kids are coming on Thanksgiving Day this year I am thinking about making my MaMa's delicious cornbread dressing tomorrow and freezing it . I have found that if you let this dressing set in the freezer for about a week or more it soaks up those seasoning and after tasting it you reach over and slap the one next to you!  lol Seriously my Mama made holidays special just by being there but boy did we all enjoy her dressing.

I have so much to be thankful for this year and of course you are top on that list and my kids all coming to see me for Thanksgiving is such a treat for me that I am already counting the days.

Don't forget the giveaway coming this week.

Love to all
Maggie

Pat Searches!

The other day I came across ole Barney in one of his many bloopers with Andy Griffith. As Andy's sidekick deputy he could really do some crazy off the wall things. It brought back some funny memories of  my days as an Officer.

If you have ever did a Pat Search of someone you will know that the first few times are always the most intimidating. I thought of my first one ever and wanted to share it with you today.

It was a male about 6ft 1" tall and thin build. I ask him to put his hands up on the wall and spread his feet. I always did the neck first and work my way down hopefully not finding anything on the individual.
I got to his knees just fine and then I felt something really hard on the right leg. You might say my eyes lit up exactly like Barney's did when something was not quite right. I took a step backwards to get out of his way in case he tried to move his hands toward me and I grabbed my handcuffs. When he realized what I was going to do next he then explained to me that he had a wooden leg.

Now what are the chances the first time you do a pat search and the guy has a wooden leg that makes you think OH God what now. Anyway I then pulled up his pant leg to confirm that this was true. I honestly was so relieved to find sure enough a big wooden leg.

Turns out months later he tried to beat a guy to death with this leg and was charged with a new crime and shipped off to another unit. Can you see the headlines. Man beats man with his leg. Weird.

Another time I did a pat search I recognized a name on the guys tag of his waist band. It was a name you don't see or hear much and I immediately remembered the name from a fellow high school classmate. I thought no way could this be him but you know Ms Pearl is going to find out. So she ask the guy his first name which checked out to be the same name. Then next I ask where he was from and yep he was from the same place I grew up. Wow! This guy had been voted the Class Clown and was very popular. I had always liked him along with most of the kids I graduated with. By now of course he is curious about my questions and I tell him I thought for a minute he was someone I knew but was mistaken.

I of course had to report this to the Unit Warden that I knew someone locked up there and he called me in his office and drilled me about how I knew him. I explained to the Warden that I was positive the guy had no idea who I was and would do everything possible to keep it that way. After thinking it over he decided not to transfer the inmate and so for several years every time I saw this guy I could not help but think of how things must of went so far wrong with him. Turns out this was not his first time down and after he got out that time if he was arrested and sentenced again he would be classified as a Habitual and serve a long long time behind bars. Needless to say I never saw him at any class reunions.

Hope you have been having a great week! I have to tell you yesterday I had a visit from a very special lady and I loved every minute that she and her husband were at my home. Looking forward to telling you about the sweet lady in the near future. Right now I will just leave you in suspense. It was the most wonderful visit and I shall always cherish that time we spent together. When I can I will post pictures of  the special day.

I am now at the library trying to finish this post before they close. My bytes are driving this ole grandma up the wall. Take it from me limited Internet service should be banned from our country. lol

CSN contacted me also about having another giveaway for them so be sure and watch for this. You will not want to miss it. I love this company and how they let me give you such great gift certificates. I think this one will be the same amount as the last one $65.00. What a great time to win that around the holidays.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend and do whatever it is that makes you happy.

Love to all
Maggie

It Only Takes A Minute!

How are you? I am so behind here in our world of blogging. I call it my friends world but most people call it blogging. Not myself for a week now so have not been on here like I would love to be.

Even though I have been absent does not mean I have not been thinking of you! Actually when I think of you it makes me smile.

November is already here and that means Veterans Day. As I write this I am lucky enough to be sitting where I am looking at our American Flag and it is waving ever so proud as it hangs there to remind us of our freedom and those who have died for us giving us Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness.

This week I am asking you to go to this site http://www.letssaythanks.com//  where you can pick out a card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services
How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! It is FREE and it only takes a few seconds.  A few seconds or minutes to put a smile on one of our men and women who are fighting for us today.

Also as always please add these men and women to your prayer list as they certainly do need our love and prayers.

Went to the pain management doctor today and he poked around on my neck and back. I am not healing the way I should be which is very discouraging to say the least but I can still get around enough to take care of myself and drive so I am ok. I just get upset not having the strengh to get a lot of things done as I did in the past. I am use to working two jobs and now to tire out so easily is like I have advanced in age of twenty years in six months. Hard to believe that after 6 months my back and neck hurt some times like it just happened this week. Somethings not right but who do I turn to when your dealing with Workers Comp.
 Not good but I am not giving up just yet.

Also those darn Verizon bytes have got my goat again. I have really been doing good not getting close to my 5000 bytes each month and have not went over in a long time but today I am already at 4200 with 11 days yet to go. Now you know that being a blogger there is no way you can do less than 800 bytes in 11 days. lol
Whoa is me! I do know one thing this unlimited internet is not for the the free world. hahaha

So if I don't get to your site in the next week or so do not give up on me I will catch up with you!

Had the sweetest conversation with my Kaci the other day. She told me to Thank everyone for supporting her in her Juvenile Diabetes Walk. I ask her how it went and she said,"Good but very Hot!" Bless her heart walking in 80 plus weather to raise money for Diabetes. While she was talking to me all of sudden she had to get off the phone because her blood sugar had dropped to 32. Wow I of course hung up and a few minutes later she called me back to let me know she was okay. What a sweetheart! She was coloring a picture for me to hang in my bathroom. Bailey came in and was trying to mess with her but she held her cool and managed to not let him get her goat. haha I told her sometimes brothers just test us to see if they can get our goat. She agreed totally. hahaha

I wanted to say hello to Bailey but he was in and out just like a boy at his age does. lol He is his Dad inside and out and I say that with love for both of them.

Love to all
Maggie

My Cooking Class!

How are you? Things have been sort of out of balance here at the North Forty this week. You know the famous saying if it’s not one thing it is another.

At night I find myself waking up and the ole brain starts thinking about dozen different things and then I can not go back to sleep for hours. Mostly been thinking of you! Life for me changed when I started this online journal and never guessed I would end of with so many kind souls as friends. Now I hurt when you hurt and a lot of you are hurting and going through so many things in your lives right now and I so wish I could make things better for you. Just know my thoughts are with you and I am just an email or phone call away.
Last week I mentioned to you that I had gone to a cooking class at Festival Hill. The Chef John Reynolds was the former Executive Chef to Vice President Spiro Aqnew. This was their first time ever to have a cooking class at Festival Hill therefore with a couple of suggestions from the ladies that attended I am sure the future classes will be even more interesting and informative.

Before the chef gave his demonstration on cooking Stuffed Pork Loin he and his staff served a delicious lunch with of course the main dish being Pork Loin. My favorite side dish was a brown rice dish that had raisins, green onions, and pecans in it. It was so good that if I had been at home I would have had seconds or thirds of this. If I ever get the chance that recipe is going to be mine.

I have to admit to you that at times he totally lost me. There was a lot to this dish not anything like I imagined. I guess because he had so many different things going at one time. My hope was to leave with a hand out of this recipe but it was just everyone taking notes and to be honest I would have to borrow someone else’s notes to fix it exactly like he did. In truth while trying to write this post I can not make heads or tails of my notes. lol

Totally confusing what I am looking at to pass on to you. Sorry I had no idea my notes were so scattered.

What I do remember he started out by cutting the loin right down the center and then butter flying it where it would lay flat. His favorite knife in the kitchen is not the $300.00 one he showed us but a Dexter Knife that cost around $20.00.

He does not cook by recipes and therefore this meant no exact measurement of anything he used. A normal work day for him starts at 8am and does not plan menus ahead of time so when he gets to work then he makes the decision on what he will be serving. According to him his meals are always on time for over a hundred people, most often healthy as well as delicious. I had no idea that large group of people work, live and volunteer out there on a daily basis.

The stuffing consisted of a moose that he pureed consisting of the ends he cut from the loin, eggs, and thick cream. While this was being pureed, he sautéed onions, and mushrooms. To the onions and mushrooms he adds Sherry Wine (or you can use Brandy), tarragon, salt and pepper. If I remember correctly he mixes these two mixtures together to make the stuffing. Confused yet? After putting the stuffing on top of the loin he adds pistachios and sliced green and red peppers. Your now ready to close it up and bake at 325 for 1 ½ hours. He closes it up with wooden skewers and places in a deep pan with foil over the top.

Sorry this was a poor post about my cooking class. It was interesting to watch but with these notes I have are very confusing. If you still reading this your truly are a dear friend of mine because I would of probably left about 5 paragraphs ago. hahaha

The weather has changed in the last few days and I am already dreading ole man winter. Tonight the weather man predicted it will get down to 38 degrees tonight and I know to some of you that is nothing but to this sissy in this old house that is cold.

My plans for this winter was to have my room upstairs finished before it turned cold but it is a long way before I can sleep up there. Hopefully it will not be long. I am so wanting to hide up there this winter. lol

Before I go I encourage you to click on my friends on the side bar under followers. You will enjoy any of these sites.

I have missed doing my Temptation Mondays and was thinking I should do something like that with the holidays coming. Can you believe this is November?

Stay warm, snuggle up and sweet dreams
Maggie





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