The Contents Of This Blog Are Copyrighted

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Poo-Pourri


As most of you that know me I am no young chick. I guess the name Grandma Yellow Hair gives that away. I lived a lot of years, seen and heard a lot, have been blessed many times but never in all my sixty years have I received such a gift.

Yep I walked to the mailbox and there was a package from our friend Marydon and Harold from Blushing Rose blog. I was excited walking back to the ole farm house to tear open my little package.
Inside I found this little bottle of  Poo-Pourri. Now you can scratch the fleas off of my dooper but I ain't  never heard of Poo-Pourri. What will they come up with next.

 With the little bottle was this note from Marydon.

"My precious Maggie when you have to POO in the LOO use this DOO!  Chuckles Love you Marydon

The card alone cracked me up. hahaha...On the back of the bottle it says

There once was a young lad from Rhone whose odor he'd rather disown now he's taming his poo by anointing the loo and now happily sits on the throne.

This Before-You-Go blend of Natural Essential Oils creates a barrier to embarrassing bathroom odor.

To ANoint: Shake well, lift throne (toilet) lid and seat, spray directly onto the surface water until covered. Proceed to use throne as usual.

LOL..... Needless to say Marydon has been to my home and knows I need this.

So I guess my next review will be about Poo-Pourri when I try this out. Can't review until you use it!

Marydon thank you for thinking of me and saving Tinkerbell a few runs out of the bathroom. We all know she is a fat cat and needs to run but by using this she can hang around longer in the bathroom with me.

I don't know about you but this week has been one of those weeks where if I could run away from home I would do it and only take the time to grab a change of underwear and Tinkerbell. Oh and of course my Poo-Pourri.

Dealing with Doctors, Therapist and Workers Comp has made my white hair thinner and if they keep this up I will be bald in a few weeks. One Echoes between the ears and the other is 12 shy a dozen.
Who seem to talk out of both sides of their dooper....sorry I meant mouth...no I am pretty sure I meant dooper. hahaha  Actually the adjuster at Workers Comp has really been nice to me and put out some effort to help me deal with this so who knows for Christmas I may send him some Poo-Pourri.

Enjoy the rest of your week. Weekend will be here soon...

Love to all
Maggie



Monday, March 28, 2011

Memory Lane Monday's


Thank you for joining me for another Memory Lane Monday. I am linking up with Donna from Brynwood Needlework's . If you have a chance hop over to Donna's and check out her post about her dancing lessons as a beautiful young girl.

My memory today is about my grandmother who I always called MaMa.. When my children were little they called her Little MaMa.

My MaMa was only 4'11" but as they say dynamite comes in small packages and I am guessing that saying was originated from someone that knew Ruby.  She shared her birth and life with a identical twin sister and this picture was taken at their 80th birthday party. Ruby on the left  and her sister Pearl sitting on the right. Funny thing about their names there was another sister older and she was named Opal. Their mother named them all after jewels.

I can remember picking out these dresses with my Mama for this special occassion. We were on a hunt for the prefect dress and found it we both wanted Pearl to have one too. It was the first time since they were teens that they dressed just alike.

MaMa told me once that they looked so much a like that when they went on double dates to dances that they would go to the rest room and come back out and switch partners for a while. Oh how I wish I could of seen her back then doing just something as crazy as I would do. lol

Mama of course even at the age of  80 as seen in the picture had her hair colored. Her sister Pearl wore hers natural which was a beautiful white. She wore it up all the time in a bun where my Mama kept her hair short.

The memory I wanted to share with you today was of how she would cut loose and be fancy free when it was only the two of us around. One summer day while spending it at her house she brought out some old records and she tickled me to death by doing the Charleston. I am guessing she was probably then in her 60's but that little ole lady never missed a step and danced on and on.

To this day if I am quiet and close my eyes I can still see her in her little house dress swinging those legs and arms to that music. She had a grin on her face that was usually shared at really happy times and I know that she enjoyed her dance as much that day as I did.

If you ever get the chance to spend a day alone with your grandbabies just put on a record you love and dance with them. When Kaci was around 4 or 5 the first thing she would do when she came to my house was take my arm and lead me to the back bedroom where she wanted me to put on the music and the two of us would dance until someone found us.

Even last year she brought a note to me while the house was full of friends and relatives and I opened the note and she said, "Grandma Yellow Hair do you want to come upstairs and dance to Elvis with me?"
Walking up those stairs that day I had my MaMa's same grin on my face and I knew I was making happy memories.


Here is a picture of my brothers Gary, Tommy, MaMa and Me in the front row. My brother Doy in back was graduating from High School 1967. 


This is me taken at MaMa's house in Freeport, Texas. I have the pink lamp on top of the TV sitting by my bed now.  What do you think of my boots with my dress? hahaha

Hope you have a wonderful week and you make a lot of good memories.

Love to all
Maggie


Friday, March 25, 2011

My Review of the Iwave Cube Microwave!

   You know it takes a lot to get this ole grandma excited these days but let me tell you when I came home from therapy and found a box from UPS waiting on my front porch I was surprised because I knew I had not ordered anything.



Well to say I was surprised is an understatement. It was from  Iwave Cube. They make the new paradigm in small microwaves.  They are famous for their mini microwaves and they sent me one to review and maybe in the near future do a giveaway for them too.  Now that would get even an ole woman excited ...I mean really who doesn't love to own something as cute and handy as this microwave.

This innovative, cute little microwave is popping up in households across the country. In addition to its widespread popularity among consumers, the iWavecube has made numerous appearances on talk shows and has been recognized by many popular national and regional magazines. I recently saw it on a blog for a giveaway and entered.  What better way to get the word out but through our wonderful blogging world.

The Iwave Cube  is the smallest microwave on the market today with a footprint of but 10.5 inches high, 10 inches deep, and 12 inches wide. Additionally it weighs an amazingly low 12 pounds. A fold away handle on the top of the unit allows the unit to be easily carried. 

I like that on the top of my unit are the classic tactile buttons of start, pause, stop, etc. with timing keys of 10 seconds, 1 minute, and 5 minutes. Additionally there are also preset times for heating your coffee, hot sandwich, popcorn, soup and gel packs

These cute as button microwaves come in many colors such as silver, red, black and white. They sent me the black and I love it.  As you know for a while now I have been trying to move my office upstairs so now I can put this cutie upstairs where I don't have to carry my hot cocoa or soups up the stairs to enjoy while writing you. 



My girlfriend saw it and went online to order her one for her camper. I know it is popular for that use as well and wouldn't it be great to have this for heating baby bottles in the middle of the night upstairs instead of having to run downstairs to do everything. I am showing this to my son who has a really nice game room upstairs with a mini fridge he can put this little microwave on top of his fridge and my darling Kaci and Bailey can heat up their hot chocolate that they love so much.

So far I have used it for heating up popcorn, soup, hot chocolate and breakfast tacos and I found it heats every bit as well as my big microwave in the kitchen. I would actually love to have one for my tiny kitchen too because you know I have no cabinet space. 



I hope Iwave does send me another one so I can share one with you in a giveaway because I truly do love mine I mean I really do.....lol. It is a small powerful lightweight and versatile microwave. If you can stop by their site and read more about this unit. 

Hope you have a fantastic weekend. Thanks for stopping by and reading about Iwave Cube and thanks Iwave for giving me such a lovely surprise in the mail. It is great and I will enjoy using it for years to come.

Be sure and leave me a comment so Iwave will know how many would love to win one of these wonderful microwaves.

I know that it is warming up in most areas so maybe you can plant a few flowers or just take a walk in the sunshine.  Warrenton/Round Top Show is here this weekend but unless I over dose on my pain pills I will not be going but for a little while. lol Of course I could maybe talk Gretchen into taking me out there and we could have lunch one day.

I need to call Chad and see if he wants to come down for the show. He loves shopping for junk and treasures like I do.

Love to all
Maggie

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Keeping Up!


Fairy Dust Pictures, Images and Photos



For a while now I have been wanting to ask you how you manage to keep up with your blogging. I visit you and you have such wonderful post and picures. You always somehow manage to visit and leave the best comments so what is your secret?

Come on you can share it with me because after all I am sharing some fairie dust with you.

 Just today I found an email in my inbox saying that I had until 6:00PM to respond to a giveaway I had won. Well naturally I found it a day late! I understand bloggers putting a time limit on their giveaways so I have no qualms about that but it reminded me of what I have been wanting to ask you but keep forgetting. How Do you Keep Up?

So do you set certain days of the week aside to blog or do you have certain times everyday. Just trying to figure out how I can get better at visiting you and catching up on whats going on.

Another question do you always leave comments when you visit or do you save time by skipping the hello's?

I know this is a post with a lot of questions! So be kind and play along and tell me your secrets.

Another thing I have been wanting to ask yep another question is  Where is Marla at Always Nesting? I have went by her site to say hello and it is no longer there unless I am doing something wrong. So Marla are you out there blogging and if not I hope your okay. I have missed your visits.

What really amazes me about you is that most of you have children, hubbies, work, school and hobbies yet you turn out the best post. There has to be a secret to it. Now I am repeating myself.

Another friend I have been looking for is Marilyn. I just know a while back she visited and told me she was back to blogging and to come visit her but I can't find the comment. Did I imagine this Marilyn or are you back. lol

I am behind on catching up with most of you but I promise after you share your secrets with me I will do a better job of visiting.

Yesterday I started a new session of therapy that they call Work Conditioning and it is for two hours a day five days a week. After the two hours yesterday I could not move this morning to go back and boy when I called and told them I could not make it you would of thought I was canceling a life subscription to their gym. Geezzz did they get their panties in a wad and told me I was not following doctors orders. I told them if I could barely walk to the bathroom this morning how did they think I could drive to their gym and exercise with them for two freaking hours. Well maybe I did not say freaking but I wanted too. So I guess I am off too bed so I can get up and make it the therapy so they want have two days of wadded up panties.

Sweet Dreams
Maggie

When In Doubt Look Up!



I owe you an apology and since I could not sleep tonight after my hard day at therapy I thought what better way to use the time than to write you.

When I read Julia's comment tonight which by the way Julia I appreciate your honesty. I thought what have I done by putting these chapters on my site and offending my friends. That of course was not my intentions at all and I hope you can forgive me.

In all honesty before I started writing this tonight I looked up at my shelf above my desk and the first thing I see and read is the saying When In Doubt Look Up! I have had this for a long time and should of course live by it more often. Especially before writing a post.

First let me explain something that I should of explained before I showed these chapters. The rest of the book is not like the first chapter. It is about a young man that discovered things about his father that led him to do horrible things. The other characters in the book are just normal people like ourselves (if I can put myself in that category) and there is even romance but the holding hand kind so far.

Actually the book I am working on now is not this one and it is about a young girl coming to our country from Germany and the hardships she and her family suffer through out her life.

I knew the consequience's of showing these chapters and I think now that I was wrong because I would not ever want to offend anyone and I have for that I am sorry.

Back to bed now my therapy comes early and they are really working me hard and yes Ms. Pearl almost came out today because of how much they were putting us through. lol

When I was looking for a picture to use for this post I could not find one that fit and my camera was not near by to take the picture of my saying over the desk so when I feel down I always turn to Mary Ellen's work and this is one of her paintings. M. E. is what we called her and what a blessings she was in my life.

Sweet dreams
Maggie



Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Which Chapter Do I Start With?


Wow how do I thank all of you for the awesome comments you left me about my writing. As I mentioned in my previous post this was something I was trying to write years ago and had written 24 Chapters. Then when my husband left I could not sit down and finish this except I did one chapter and I slit a man's throat from ear to ear which was my 25th chapter. Sorry I just had to share that. lol

Now that I have tried to start writing again on another story I have in mind I dug these chapters out and thought I wanted to do something with them also. Thanks to your kind words I will now have the inspiration I need to keep writing on this story. The title I have been playing around with for a long time on this is A Father's Son but will probably change it before it is finished.

When I did pull it out and reread it I thought maybe the first chapter the one I posted on the previous post was too long so I wrote this one here. Now I am trying to decide between the two.  Which one of these chapters would make you want to keep reading.

Chapter 1

It was the night before their high school graduation and he and his buddies had gathered at their favorite hideaway to drink beer and smoke pot. Tonight would be their last time together partying as high school friends but he was ready for the change. These parties had started to bore him since he had discovered a better high that had nothing to do with drugs.

After a few hours of listening to the same old bull shit, he knew that he needed something stronger tonight than what he was getting from his buddies and the beer. He made his excuses to leave so he could end the night with the new found drug of his choice.

Leaving the party and driving to a nearby town luck had been riding with him when he found her working the streets alone. It took less than a minute to persuade her inside his truck and maybe another fifteen minutes to have her inside his Dad’s old cabin that was used only during deer season.

Slowly he led her to the small iron bed where he had waited for her to undress. Seeing her naked standing in front of him had almost caused him to burst wide open before he climbed on top of her.

The feeling he got from the warmth of a woman’s naked body lying helplessly beneath him was now the drug of his choice. Tonight’s habit had been younger and prettier than the usual whores he found on the streets.

Like the others before tonight he liked knowing that he was in total control of when a whore would take their last breath. This was the ultimate sensation of being high.

Hours later in his own bed he relived the night. The look in her eyes when he grabbed her throat made his hate tool hard all over again. He had seen that look before on others. They all seemed to be begging for him to stop. Instead the look only increased the intensity and hardness by which his tool of hate entered their bodies

Thanks again for taking the time to read this and give me your thoughts. I know it is a lot to ask but if and when I ever finish and if I am lucky enough to publish it I will of course send you a signed copy. lol

Like they say we have to dream and that is my dream....

Hope you are having a great week.. My therapy was really hard today but I managed to do the whole 2 hours.

Warrenton/Round Top show is here again but for the first time ever I feel like I will not be out there much this year. Just too hard on my neck and back to walk around the fields. I will of course have to try it one day at least.

Love to all
Maggie








Saturday, March 19, 2011

Would You Keep Reading?





Years ago I started a murder mystery and wrote 25 chapters. This was the first chapter. I found it the other day while working on the another story that I want to write. I had promised you that I wanted to share something with you so here it is. I totally re-wrote it and I think I like the other first chapter better. My question to you is if you picked up a book and this was the first chapter would you continue to read it or toss it aside. Honesty is what I am looking for in your comments. I promise you will not hurt my feelings or keep me from writing. I let a girlfriend do that to me after I sent the whole 25 chapters to her and her reply plus Wayne leaving kept me from continuing with this story. Do I continue now are trash it?

Adults only should continue

Chapter 1  

She lay helplessly beneath him as he continued to squeeze the life from her. His large hands felt good wrapped around her throat. He found it amusing how her brown eyes grew larger and darker the harder he squeezed her. He could feel how warm and sweaty her body was up against his.

He regretted that the fun was almost over because he liked the way she had fought him. At one moment she had almost succeeded in giving him a swift hard kick in the balls.

Now the only sign of life were her eyes reeling with hate and fear as she grasped for another breath.

He was listening for her last breath….when suddenly he was awaken by a loud voice calling out his name.

It was the voice that keeps his mother reaching for her pills every morning. The pills that help her get through the daily routines expected of a preacher’s wife. His mother believes only three people know about her pills. Herself, good ole Doc. Burdick and Jay Kettler, the pharmacist.

The voice that caused his sister Tabitha to runaway to Dallas on a Greyhound Bus two years ago this month. Calling home eight months later to tell their mother about her new grandchild.

The same voice that causes the old pane windows in the Twin Oaks Baptist Church to rattle every Wednesday and Sunday during worship service.

The loud voice that he has grown to hate over the past seventeen years.

Like most Sunday mornings the voice made him wish he had either stopped after the first six pack of Bud or never quit drinking at all.

He laid there, listening to the voice preaching to his mother about how the sinners of the world were still sleeping at this hour on the Sabbath. He knows this sermon and many others by heart.

No doubt this is the same sermon; Faye Jones has had to endure since she and his dad were joined together in Holy Matrimony over twenty years ago.
The thought of his dad and mother being joined together in any way made him feel like he was going to loose his last nights supper. Supper was the usual on Saturday nights, a burger basket down at the Dairy Queen with a local girl, Sarah Roberts. She was his steady date on weekends and just thinking about her made him feel if he moved that very moment he would barf. He found almost everything about the Roberts girl objectionable. Sarah and her family were members of the Twin Oaks Baptist Church and every Sunday without fail would drop their weekly tithe into the offering plate and nothing made his dad smile more than a plate that runneth over.

As long as he can remember his dad had talked about the Roberts family coming from Old money and that Norman, Sarah’s dad, never worked a day in his sorry life. Dating her met with his dad’s approval therefore he rationalized if spending a few hours with her on Saturday nights eliminated one sermon in his life then so be it.

He usually tired of Sarah easily and after taking her home, he would spend the rest of the night drinking with his buddies, Melvin Rogers and Tommy Oliver. Melvin and Tommy have been his close buddies since they fought over the little weevil wobble people in the church nursery.

Melvin’s old man, Johnny Rogers, deserted his family when Melvin was only five leaving his mother, Shirley, to raise him and two sisters alone. His other buddy Tommy wishes some days that his dad would hit the same road that Melvin’s dad had taken twelve years ago.

Saturday nights were about the same in Leona as most small Texas towns. The old saying that the sidewalks rolled up at sundown held especially true in this little East Texas town, population 499 on most days. The local Dairy Queen parking lot, on Main Street , was where you will find the local teenagers most nights of the week. Like this Saturday night the streets of Leona are really a sleep because most of the teenagers have all driven thirty miles to Huntsville .
This East Texas town is home to Sam Houston State College which of course means a party town for the surrounding local teenagers. Especially for the females since Huntsville also is the home for the Texas Criminal System where thousands of young men seek jobs in Criminal Justice.

Except for catching a movie or going bowling, he and his buddies had given up on Huntsville a long time ago, too much competition to suit them. They preferred hanging out and getting drunk, at Tommy’s old mans fishing camp located about five miles out of Leona on FM 630 near the best fishing hole in the county. Last night was no exception and he had managed somehow to drive home and sneak into his room without waking up his old man.

His old man was awake now and hollering for him to be dressed and downstairs in ten minutes. He could hear the boards in the hall way creak and knew that his old man was now coming to his room to check on him.

Lifting his head from the pillow reminded him of his pounding headache and his dry fuzzy mouth. Lucky for him, that he managed to reach his bathroom door at the same moment he heard his bedroom door open.

A long hot shower is what he needed along with a few aspirins that he found on the bottom shelf of his small but handy medicine cabinet. While swallowing the aspirin he stepped into the steamy shower and let the hot water run down the sides of his throbbing head and realized that his hair actually hurt. My God how many beers did he and his buddies drink last night.

Reaching for one of the blue towels hanging near the tub, he lost his balance but somehow managed to keep from falling. He pulled himself back up and managed to grab the nearest towel.

While drying himself off he was muttering, “Why in the hell do you suppose he insist I sit and listen to him preach every sermon when it’s as obvious as a Herd of Bird Dogs flying over that these sermons are directed at sinners.”
Like most guys his age he knew the biggest sin he ever committed was in the back seat of the family car trying to get a handful of Judy Marshall’s big breast. But hell all the guys in Leona , Texas were getting more than just a handful of Judy’s breast. He did not see any of them knocking the doors down to the Twin Oaks Baptist Church .

Brushing his teeth the voice he hated almost as much as his dad’s voice was back again. Whispering to him the voice said, “What about the crazy dreams you have been having time after time? I bet that ole man of yours would give you more than one of his sermons, if he knew about your dreams. Why only dream of bad things that you can do? Isn’t it about time to give the ole man something to really preach about?”

Why not he thought while pulling up his pants! He figured even if he started sinning today, he could never make up for the 1,768 sermons he has set through the last 17 years.

He then realized buttoning his pants that he had suddenly gotten a woody on just thinking about the ways he could sin.

YES, it was time, he heard himself saying out loud.

Just at the same moment the church bells began to ring.



If your interested I will post the other chapter that I wrote just recently thinking maybe it should be the first chapter and not this one.

Have a wonderful weekend

Love to all

Maggie

Please know that I have two different copy rights to my post so please do not copy. Thanks



Friday, March 18, 2011

More of my First Night Locked Up!


Where did this week go? I had no idea that it has been this long since I wrote you last. So much to tell you but first thanks for all your comments about my first night locked up which was my previous post.

Most of you ask if I would continue about what happened during my first night. Actually in truth my first night was probably one of the few nights that not a whole lot happened.

I did have one incident that occured during count time. Count time is one of the most crucial jobs you are assigned to do. As you can guess it is the only means of keeping track of the 2000 or more inmates in your facility.

If your working the dorm as I was the first night when count time is called every inmate has to go to his house which is a cubicle . These cubicles have a partition that stands about three feet around their bed and a small area to sit at a shelf attached to the cubicle for a writing desk. It is what they call their house'. When Count time is called no matter what that inmate is doing he has to return to his house and sit or lay on his bunk. Count is done in this way so an inmate can not be missed or counted twice.

Prison counts of course are the only way possible to make sure there has been no escapes and therefore crucial that you get it right the first time. I do remember on my second count that night lights were out and everyone had been turned in for the night. The only lights on in the dorm were from the ones in the restroom area. I started my count and about half way down the first aisle I passed a cubicle with a bunk empty. It of course startled me because I knew that no one had left their cubicle. My eyes did a fast search and there on the floor lay the inmate right at the opening of his cubicle. He was lying face down wearing only his boxer shorts.

I immediately ordered him to stand up. I really believe he had been sleeping but I did not know this for sure. It was very dangerous for him laying there on the floor because he could of grabbed my leg when I walked by. Thank God that was not the case and I don't think his intentions.

Of course, I ordered him to put his clothes on and after I finished count that he and I would talk. He claims that he was just trying to cool down by lying on the concrete floor with out his uniform on. I explained to him that I could lock him in solitary for this act and of course when you mention lock down you get their attention.

It was a hard decision but I let this slide but made a note of who he was and where he lived knowing that if I ever had anything else happen concerning this inmate I would show no mercy. Turns out he never gave me any trouble so I guess I made the right decision. The thing that I remember the most about him was that there was not a place on this man that he did not have a tattoo. Believe me when I say from the top of his head to his feet was solid tattoo's with different colors and patterns. Honestly I had never seen anything like it and that alone was frightening. lol

Also that very first night in that dorm I met an inmate by the last name of Waldrop. Turns out after ten years of guarding this inmate he was paroled. He was serving time for killing his girlfriend. After his parole a  detective was getting ready to retire and he wanted so badly to close some cold cases. Most of these cases were horrible murders of young women in that area. Studying these cases he found Waldrop's name in a couple of the cases which should of caused a red flag to someone years ago but he diuring his investigating he found out Waldrop had served time for murder and now was paroled so he managed to get a DNA from him and it matched at least fourteen of the killings.

Another post if your interested I will tell his story. You can imagine my surprise when I found out this information. I also had several inmates that were once pro football players and two actually had super bowl rings on if you can imagine that.

Most of you mentioned in your comments how you could not have done this job. YES if I could do it I truly believe that you could do it too. That is if you had to do it. There is the difference. It takes people skills more than courage and from getting to know you like I have I know that you could do it. Thank goodness though you did not have too.

I wanted my three children to get a college degree and living in a small town with only two years of college there were no jobs that paid women enough to send three children to college especially if at one time they were all three enrolled in college. I knew if I could do this job they could have a better chance at life than I did so for that reason I knew I had to do it. You would of done the same too for your kids. For that reason I am so grateful I did it because they all have done well with their educations.

Speaking of my kids. Christi finally had her knot removed yesterday. That is one reason I have not posted. She did really good through the surgery and her doctor explained to me that he thought everything looked good even though it was a large tumor. He feels positive about it not being cancerous. They sent it off of course to the lab and we will know for sure next week. So once again thank you so much for all your prayers and well wishes for Christi. I spent two days with her and hated to come back home but I could not miss any more of my rehab and Tinkerbell was here doing who knows what so I came home this evening.

I did get to see my two sons and grandbabies for a short visit. As all of you know even a short visit with family can lift your spirits. 

Our friend JoJo is having a Spring giveaway on her site that she is excited about so if you get a chance go by  My Random Insanities and enter. Hurry it ends I believe Sunday.

Hope you have the best weekend and I will write again soon. I have something I want to share with you and hopefully my next post.

Sweet dreams
Maggie





Monday, March 14, 2011

My First Night Locked Up!



You know this saying is so true! I always have been fortunate in life to have good friends. Most I don't see very often but their always a phone call a way if I need them and like you their always there for me. Loved all your sweet comments and of course the funny ones too about the post Droopiness. Who can be droopy with friends like you.

This evening I think I will share with you my first night as a Correctional Officer in a prison here in Texas. In case your wondering No I did not dream of being an Officer when I was a little girl it just happened.

Don't you hate that when you ask a question and the answer is It Just Happened! I do and here I am using it! Truth is it did just happen!

Okay back to the first night! Ninety nine out of a hundred when you start work in law enforcement especially in a prison they are going to assign you to the night shift. The shift that no one wants to work on but if your a New Boot most likely your first year is nights.

I can remember putting on my uniform making sure I did not leave anything off and kissing my hubby and kids goodbye for the night. I worked nine to five and we had to be there thirty minutes early for our shift briefing. The Lieutenant or Sargent would fill us in on what had happened the shift before and then in roll call assign us our place of duty for the night.

Sitting here now typing this I can feel my stomach churn as sometimes it did when waiting to here where I was going to spend the next hours of  work or hell as most of us called it. You could look at your fellow Officers and see the expressions on their faces when the roster was read and their assignment was called out. Some showed relief others showed fear or disappointment.

Me I never gave my Lt. the satisfaction of showing my feelings one way or the other. He was very much against women Officers and from day one he tried his best to get me to quit.

The very first night he put me in C Wing Dorms. Which meant I would spend the next 8 hours with the worse of the worse locked inside their housing area with them. No one else with me but inmates.

Common sense would tell you that you don't assign a New Boot to the worse Dorm on the first night. That is asking for trouble and could easily get someone hurt badly. Not only did he do that to me but I was the first woman ever to work inside a dorm there at night. Of course, I did not know that until months later.

I am now walking down the long dark halls of the prison in procession with my fellow Officers and one by one when you get to where your assigned you drop out of the procession. Something to see your first few times then you take it for granted. Finally we enter C Wing and not many of us are left because C wing was towards the end. In C Wing they housed the hoe squad inmates. These inmates were in there for anything and everything. From drugs to murder.

In front of my grey steel door now and I have a hundred big eyes on me. Of course, to me they were big. To them they could not figure out a woman was entering their private quarters at night. I had no idea it had not been done before my first night.

Up above me there was a boss that worked the cat walk and he was waiting on me to tell him to open the door.  I stood there for what I know must of seem like to that Boss a very long time and he finally said, "Are you going inside?"

I stood there thinking well do I turn around and leave or do I say Charley Wing Boss. It was finally Charley Wing Boss and the loudest click I have ever heard in my life opened those steel bars for me to enter.

Praise God eight hours later another Officer came to that same door and said, "Charley Wing Boss and I walked out of my first night of many locked down with 108 men.

Hope you have a wonderful week! Another time I will tell you about some of my nights locked in with the inmates. Of course, there are stories of Ms. Pearl making an appearance now and then. One time I well remember with that very same Lieutenant.

Love to all,

Maggie




Saturday, March 12, 2011

Droopiness!



This has been one of those weeks where I could not be me! Does that make any sense to you? I hope so because I think if you read  my last few post and perhaps this one too you might see where I just can't write or visit with you the way I want too.

Some issues have come up over my back and working or not working that have left me asking myself is my life over. I don't mean as in dying but as in living a strong independent life I am use too. Several things have come up that until they are finalized I can't write about them just yet but wanted to explain the droopiness in my post. hahaha  Is that such a word?

Droopiness! After writing this word it makes me realize that maybe thats a good word to describe  how I am feeling. Then tonight I found Calendar Girls was on Dish  and thought  hey this might be what I need to do is watch this movie.

I know most of you are familiar with Calendar Girls. It was filmed mostly in England based on a true story. I loved the film back in 2003 and enjoyed it just as much tonight. 

Of course you know me while watching it I was trying to figure out which of these old ladies was me! Then I had to wonder if I posed nude like they did what would the photographer use as a promp in front of me. I can tell you now it would not have been one of the cup cake scenes or fruit. I am thinking more of something like a huge fern that droops like I do now.

In fact I was just telling Gretchen yesterday that I had to buy the biggest bra ever for myself this week and that is just one more thing my mother and grandmother never told me about aging. Geezzzz marie who knew when body parts start drooping you have to buy larger sizes to solve some of the problems.

No wonder I am feeling droopness this week it just occured to me while typing this about my bra experience. Good gosh what you discover about yourself while your writing a post. Maybe it had nothing to do with all these decisions I have to make in the next month maybe it was having to buy the biggest bra I have ever laid eyes on.   hahaha

I feel like I now have my own Discovery Channel going on right here on Just Between Me and You and did not even realize it.

OKAY enough on me lets talk about this cute movie.

  Helen Merrin and Julia Walters star in this movie about two friends whose lives are shattered when one of their husbands die of leukaemia.
Both are active member of the local Women’s Institute, in England and enlists the support of their fellow members in a fund-raising initiative for the local hospital. Their idea was to produce a calendar, with a different woman photographed for each month. Each one will be engaged in a classic WI task, such as jam making, flower pressing and knitting. Sounds traditional enough, but the idea has a radical twist - the women will be in the nude. Before they know it, the women are hitting the headlines at home and abroad. Whisked off to Hollywood on a whirlwind publicity tour, they take their turn on the talk shows and in magazine photo-shoots. Amidst the hype and glamour, the friendship between Chris and Annie is put to the test.

Of course they figure it all out and kiss and make up.

So would you pose nude for a calendar to raise money for a good cause like these ladies did. They actually raised enough to build a whole new wing onto the local hospital when in truth they set out to raise money to buy a new sofa for the family waiting room.  Way to go girls!

When I googled this movie I found these great pictures of the original Calendar girls.
Six of the eleven women who were pictured in the original calendar sold the rights to their stories. They were Angela Baker, Tricia Stewart, Beryl Bamforth, Lynda Logan, Christine Clancy, and Ros Fawcett. In addition to the calendars, they also posed for a postcard known as "Baker's Half Dozen."

.


Not only did I love the movie but the shots they showed of the country side in England just made me want to watch it  over again or fly to England. I was wondering about some of my friends that live near London and have blogs if this was filmed near where they are living.  The soundtrack too was fun like the movie. I have two of the songs added by the Temptations and Beach Boys to my play list.

Sweet  Sybil who lives near Bath has the lovely blog A Day in the Life of Syb's. and also a fellow Texan Debi has a site called A Tale of Two Cities! . Debi is lucky enough to live both in Texas and England. Now what a life that sweet lady lives.  Be sure and check these two sites out you will be glad you did.

I feel better now that I have did this post. It brought a new light of my droopiness out. I guess these blogs are just really good therapy. Now I am going to forget everything but living for the next few days and even then I am leaving all of this up to God because I know he will never give me anything that he and I can not handle together.

Enjoy the weekend. I pray you have sunshine and warm weather. If not I pray you have someone to snuggle up with if not I am babysitting my daughters dog Toby this weekend and I can send him your way. He loves to cuddle.

Love to all
Maggie


PS: Don't forget to spring forward with you clocks.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Maxine on Winter!

Thought I would share with you some winter cartoons from our friend Maxine.









Silly I know but thought you might need a laugh or two today. Myself I am staying of the phone for some peace in my life. Only humans are allowed in my life today. Nice ones only I should add.

If you get a chance check out my new Temptations page. One of the contributors to this page Carol, at  Firecracker Kid Primitives  has given it a whole new face lift. I like it a lot better. Thanks for your hard work Carol. Hope your Huge giveaway is going a big success.  

Love to all
Maggie



Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Good Grief!



Good morning or I guess now that I have finally got off the phone it is probably afternoon. I am guessing if you live on this universe you have experienced some what the same experience I just had with trying to contact a HUMAN's voice while calling Verizon and Lowe's this morning.

I had a question about my internet bill with Verizon and I kid you not I know it took me over thirty minutes to get to talk to a human. Not a computer with press one if you speak english or 2 if you need to be directed to Mars. Good Grief.....what the heck! I kept pressing those freaking numbers and pressing and then I never got what I wanted so then I started hitting the O for operator thinking someone would come to my rescue.

Finally I get the computer to understand that I have a question that by hitting a number will not give me the answer so then they tell me for quality assurance this call my be monitored. If they have the extra people to monitor these freaking calls then why don't they use them to answer the phone in the first place. Do they not know they took 30 or more minutes of my life this morning that I can not get back because I wasted it pushing 1 then 2 then 4 then 7....hahahaha

Plus not only did it waste my time but it shot my blood pressure up to where Ms. Pearl was starting to raise her naughty self and we all know she needs to keep quiet.

I finally got hold of Shantell and she helped me figure out my bill I still don't get some of it but she did manage to take off ten dollars that was not suppose to be on there. Then there was a charge for a text sent to me on my internet service. I told her I don't get text messages and for sure don't send them on here. I tried to explain to her that I can barely do what I am suppose to do on the internet. I would not even know where to go on here to send a text or recieve one. So she said she could block all incoming text from now on but could not give me credit for the ones I already received. Forgive me Shantell but where are the freaking text I recieved and who are they from and why would someone text me on the internet isn't that what emails are for. Anyway so I finally calm down pay the bill minus ten dollars and hang up.

Then I need to talk to Lowes to find out about get a water well reserve tank and if I need one as big as is out here now. Low and behold even Lowe's has press 1 and press 2. I pressed what I thought I needed and I get another computer voice. By then Ms Pearl grabbed the phone and threw it.

Would you believe now I have to call Sprint because I am sure my phone will not work after Ms Pearl got hold of it. Lord please help us all. Thank Goodness when I pray and talk to him he does not ask me to Press 1.

Sorry hope you are not having a bad day too. If so press 9.

Love to all
Maggie

Monday, March 7, 2011

What Is This?


Hello, hope you are had a wonderful weekend!
Several years ago we bought this box out at the Round Top/ Warrenton Show. Actually it was at the Marburger Tent where my ex found this and had to have it. To me it was way too much to give for a box but how could I say anything when he never complained about my purchases. lol


I wanted to get a picture of this box without the help of Tinkerbell but as you can see she was acting as if this was the first time she had ever laid eyes on it.



As you know I have been cleaning out my closet and getting rid of things but knowing what my ex had given for this I can not just disgard it.  I have used it as a wine holder years ago but would really like to know what the original use of this box could of been. Any ideas?


Some letters on on side look like the word ends in ERBY for sure EBY RBY.

The vendor I believe told us it came from the Northern part of the East Coast but too many years ago for me to remember exactly what state.

So let me know if you have a clue what it is and if it is worth $40.00. lol

I met Gretchens friend the Director. Fell in love with him and promised I would not show pictures of him and Gretchen. They are just friends working on a movie together but since she is trying to hide out and write this screen play I will keep my mouth shut for now.

It was terribly funny watching the two of them together. They were on and off doing little skits for me and of course I loved it. 

Gretchen took Frank around different parts of Texas the short time he was here and how they covered so much territory in a short time is beyond me. You can tell their young. He has been to Texas one other time to film something in Austin but she wanted him to see where she is wanting her screen play filmed.

Frank fell in love with this ole place and told us he would love to move here and give up LA but that is where his work is for right now I told him he was young and someday he could own a place like this of his own.

Gretchen of course made me really smile when she told me how he adored me and that immediately he knew he would love me. hahaha.....Smart Director friend she has don't you think. He knows about me trying to write and he ask a lot of questions about that. Gretchen filled him in on my writing so far and he was very nice about pretending to be interested. Like I said he was a nice guy.

Seriously I enjoyed the short time I was around him and looking forward to seeing him again. As much as he and Gretchen cut up over here at my house I thought maybe they had something to do with the sneezing in the bathroom incident.  Of course, I told them about it and they claimed neither one of them knew what I was talking about yet I am not so sure. Makes more sense than a ghost sneezing  Of course I did go out side and walk around but I am not ruling them out..

Someday I would love to tell you some of the hollywood gossip that those two shared with me but I don't know if you guys are ready for some of the things I heard. You may be too young.  A few they talked about was Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

Need to go and do some research for my writing that I am working on. But I just have to say one more thing. You and your comments are just toooooooo funny. I laughed and laughed about the ones left about the sneezing ghost. Priceless is what you are to me!

Sweet Dreams

Maggie


Saturday, March 5, 2011

Do Ghost Sneeze?


Happy Weekend to you my dear friend! I hope you are not involved in all this severe weather that is wrecking havoc across a lot of states today. So many storms, flooding and even more snow. Hard to believe!

When I was younger I use to wish quite often that my dad would move us to the East Coast. I am talking around Maine. lol....This wish was from a young girl who never in her life has been to Maine. They say be careful what you wish for because if my wish had come true I don't see how I would of survived the winters there. Now as I am older I wish for a least a trip to that area but of course in the summer months.

I have to share with you how stupid I can be and  then to the Ghost Sneeze. Yesterday was not a good day for me. In fact it was an awful day so in order to deal with it I decided to get rid of clothes in my closet that I have not worn for at least a year and clothes that were worn too much. One pile for Goodwill the other for the dumpster.

The main reason for doing this besides venting was in this ole farm house I only have the one closet. Yep you read that right. I moved from my home in town with maybe 8 closets to 1. Also no cabinets in this house well there is a small one in the bathroom over the commode. So on to the reason of me being stupid. I got rid of all of my warm up suits that I had worn this past winter and at least last winter. Maybe the winter before but who cares. lol

So this morning I wake up with the wind howling and my nose cold. Mind you I went to bed with no heat because the temps were in the high 70's yesterday afternoon. Even turned my AC on for a very short time while in the closet. Turns out some darn storm was blowing through here and yes it was cold. Not cold like you guys have in up North but cold! Immediately I thought WHAT am I going to put on for today and possibly tomorrow. Now I felt totally stupid for getting rid of my winter wear. Honestly this was only the second time in my life that I got rid of so many clothes. The last time was when I moved out here.

Wonder if I should raid the dumpster out front....hahaha...leave it to me to do something like this. Have you ever did this. Come on it's just you and me so tell me!

OK about the Ghost sneeze! I know I know this house in not haunted but then again it does have some times when I know I could be wrong in believing it is not. Like just a few minutes ago I was trying to get my hair combed so I could do a post for you this morning. Well I am in front of the bathroom mirror and I hear this really loud sneeze. Naturally living alone when you hear another human sound you immediatelyy think OH Lord where did that come from or something similar to that thought. So naturally I am thinking it must of been Tinkerbell that sneezed. To make sure it was Tink I did the bathroom search for her and no Tinkerbell. Not good so I look out the window thinking maybe someone was in my back yard. I don't see anyone.

Did I hear a sneeze? I tell you at my age you do ask yourself these kind of silly questions. Back to fixing my hair. Achoo achoo it happens again. By the second sneeze I was out of the bathroom door into the front part of the house.

There is Tinkerbell lying on the arm of the sofa sound a sleep after keeping me up half the night. By now I am clueless as what was sneezing or worse yet who was sneezing. So I go out side to take a walk around my house because could it have come from outside. I did not think so since it was so loud. Not creature was stirring not even a mouse. (sorry I could not help myself)

Make myself go back to the bathroom and look behind the shower curtain. Something a normal person would of done to begin with. No one uses that shower in the front bathroom and I am like a kid when it comes to looking behind it. Seriously I don't like doing that but I did and nothing there well nothing that could sneeze that loud. haha

Now an hour later I am just praying I don't have to use the bathroom for a while because I really don't want to hear another Achoo. So that is why I ask Do ghost sneeze?

Funny how I have a post in mind for you today and then a crazy yes crazy story like this happens. If I don't write down on a note pad what I wanted to post about today I will for sure forget it. It has happened to me before when I wanted to talk to you about something else and then I do another post.

Before I go away I wanted to tell you that Marydon at Blushing Rose husband Harold has been having some health issues and he had surgery yesterday. She was kind enough to send me a email and tell me how he was doing after his surgery. So if you can go by and wish Harold a speedy recovery he is a sweetheart.

Also my friends that are on my Temptation page are really working hard to get that site going. Some of them have wanted to be contributors to the site which I welcome anyone to do that because after all it is a site for their use. It is to support their hard work and their shops. So if you have not clicked on my Temptations page at the bottom of my headboard be sure and check these ladies out. You will be surprised at how gifted they are and if you want your site to be added to this page just let me know.

There are several wonderful giveaways going on now that I have put on my sidebar. I think one of them may end today. After you have throughly read everything possible on here then go to their sites and enter their giveaways. lol

Now what do I do today. Get rid of more clothes, call ghost busters or visit blogs.

Love to all

Achoo achoo

Maggie

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

This and That!




How are you this beautiful day? I have so much to talk to you about this morning but I will try to keep the post short because I can tell by the look in your eyes you have more things to do today than listen to me. lol

So I don't want that to happen to you and me your being bored and me rambling like roses in your gardens.

Glad you liked the picture of me and Clint on the previous post. Thank you for all the Happy Birthday wishes to my son. The picture is one of my favorites from his wedding day but after I scanned it to display on here it has a lot of shadows on our faces. Funny I never noticed those before in the original picture.  Clint is the only one of my children that has my cold black hair. They were all born with it but Chad and Christi lost all of their hair after a while and when it came back it was a blonde.  Of course now mine is about as far from black as you can imagine but at least I don't have to color it which is great.

Birthdays and holidays is when I realize how I miss being married. Maybe that is why I have been feeling low the last few weeks because I love deeply and that makes me sad to know he misses out on all these precious memories. Don't get me wrong I would not have him back but being married is nice....reading all of your post makes me realize what I miss.

Christi had to fly to Boston yesterday for her work. She could not get over all the snow that they still have in that area. I told her to dress warm but she like most of us here in the South don't have the clothes we need for the weather up North. On the 8th of this month Christi is having a tumor removed and once again this ole woman is asking for your special prayers for my family. I know in my heart the tumor is nothing to worrying about but extra prayers are always appreciated.

If you guys did not love me I don't know how I would get through some days. Your prayers certainly lifted me and Gary while he was going through his treatments. He seems to be doing good. Actually started nibbling on a few things yesterday. What a blessing soon he will be able to swallow again.

Gretchen went to the airport last night to pick up her director friend and I am suppose to meet him sometime today. I sure hope I behave while the man is here. It is exciting to have her director friends come out here to the north forty. I just know he will pick me to be in his next movie. lol

After watching Charlie Sheen on 20/20 last night I would say that he could do worse than having me on a set. What a disappointment watching Charlie make a complete fool of himself in front of millions. Sad so sad at least I only do it to a small crowd.  Could write pages about that interview but will spare you this time.


I hate to admit it but I am one of the millions of people out there that loved watching Two and Half Men. The show was cancelled by the network because of Charlie and all his problems. I know Charlie you don't give a rats a** about people like me being disappointed in you but what about your five little children you were blessed with in the last few years. Grow up!



Sunday while celebrating Clint and Bailey's birthdays I made the mistake and stepped on Clint's bathroom scales. Good gosh how I wanted to scream but being I was not at home I just muffled the scream with my hand.



How oh how have I gotten so big in these past months. I knew after my accident that it would be a while before I could work or exercise but good golly I did not expect this to happen. Can you believe next month will be a year since my fall and I am no stronger than I was six months ago. Even the people at rehab are puzzled over my not improving. This time of the year is when I worked 12 hours a day at the Sheriff's department and would come home and work out here. On my days off I would mow and work out here 12 hours and get up the next day and do it again.  You know because you got bored reading about all my mowing. lol Now what is going to happen out here. Maybe Gretchen is right about wanting us to get some goats.



Speaking of weight gain I still have done nothing about adding that page to my site but I feel it is getting closer day by day. I need the advice and someone to do it with me. Bought some slim fast Monday but I think it only makes me hungry. hahaha  I will make the page where you can join as a contributor where you can do post on it also. So are we ready to loose the pounds.

I miss stopping in on you and visiting. Hopefully the weekend will be a time for me to catch up. Rehab takes up most of the afternoons and my writing takes up my first few hours of the morning. I enjoy that I am putting chapters together again. It has been good for me.

Well I could go on and on but will stop for now. Enjoy your week and remember this ole yellow hair grand ma loves hearing from you. Your comments are better than anything I could possibly write.

Love to all

Maggie