Following thru

It's 6:30 am on a monday morning. I now have been sitting at the computer for 45 mins and I am 15 mins away from having to log off. I am struggling with balance. I have an all or non mentality and am finding a very hard time with balancing the things that I enjoy vs the things that have to be done. There is something both good and bad about maintaining a strict schedule. I almost typed fairlystrict but the very fact that I nearly used "fairly" shows that I am not ready to commit to following the rules. For the longest time I had a pretty good handle on the schedule, however recently my little world has been rocked. My hubby who has been an over the road driver now is home every night. I have almost gotten over the loss of the remote but I will admit it's a bit hard at bedtime. I like a movie he likes that Earl show. It's funny, it used to take me about 2 mins to fall asleep, now that another show is on it takes me longer. I have no idea why. I used to walk every morning but now sometimes I stay in bed a bit longer as it's nice to be with Dennis. After my walk I would ran about the house and do some cleaning chores, now I have a cup of coffee and a game of hearts with Dennis. Then go to work, return home maybe have a bowl of cereal or a frozen dinner do a few more chores and then watch a bit of TV. Now I return from work, make dinner (not cereal) eat dinner, play another game of hearts then watch TV. What that all means is I'm gaining weight (no will power, NONE, nada), our home is more hairy and dusty, and I am feeling sorry about my self. What has been a good thing hanging out with my Poppy has shook my little world. See mention about willpower. So........I decided last night that I was going to fight for balance in my life, so why can't I have it all. Several years ago after a bout with depression and some professional consoling I learned that ultimately I and only I am in charge of my own ship, that as much as it's easier to blame others for our perceived short comings when it all comes down to it's up to me. So here I go, a schedule for me with a hearty promise to hold myself accountable. Times up and my 15 mins is done.

Garden Girls gone Wild

Yipeeeeee. I found my pictures. All it took was a bit of patience and voila. Years ago after moving to Shelbyville I met up with these gals. Karla (on left), (Marla on right), and Dizi (in the middle)Dizi was my cohort at work. We were much younger with younger kids and all the fun that goes with that. Somewhere before your 40th birthday and around the time you baby gets his drivers license gardening becomes a good idea. I happens when a pot of petunias just wont do ya any more. Gardening evolves with age. We started out touring gardens and garden shops looking for certain special varieties of hosta. Became overjoyed with the knockout and was over the top with the Endless summer hydrangea. From there adding a few spendy trees for winter interest. Saturday Lifetime movies gave way to HGTV and we became fairly sophisticated. We would go to shows on container gardens, special sales and lunch after. My 42nd birthday included a limo to do our fall shopping. That was fun, tuned up on Mimosa's, traveling down the highway to Springfield only to pull up to Prairie Gardens and have the chauffeur let us out. Then after a goodly amount of time he loaded our purchases (10 or so plants) back in the trunk and we were off. The limo was a birthday surprise from my hubby (cool huh). We have been together for years now. I don't get to make the trips anymore because of the flower shop. It's very hard to make any plans in this business, something always comes up. BUT these girls still invite me to everything, they haven't given up on me. We are friends. Just like the Steele Magnolia's. Lots in our lives have changed. Kids are grown, and some have kids of their own. We endured problems with those cute little minions, overcame them. Had boyfriends and girlfriends enter and leave their lives. Lost a parent. Got another grandbaby. Healed a sick kid, and sent one off to war. We get together less and less it seems. From several times a year to 3-4 times. But they are still the same girls. Ready to jump in at a moments notice and bail me out of a bind. God Bless these girls, their hubbies and their children. I love them.

Stop and see the Glitter

Since I can't find my new pictures here is one I dug up. Yes that's snow and ya'll know how I love the snow but, do you see the sparkles. No it's not the flash it's glitter. Here's the story. Amy and I took off one afternoon for some Holiday shopping. In the decoration aisle I found Martha Stewart Glitter. It comes in big bottles in really cool colors. I bought gold and limey green oh the things I can do with this beautiful glitter. Well anyway we got home late and I left the bags in the kitchen. Next day I lock up the dogs in the same room and head off to work, all long day at work only to arrive home turn on the light and what do I see...........green glitter everywhere over the floor on the dogs in sprinkles and in piles. I I grab the broom and begin to clean, carefully folding up the rug.. I took it out to shake it in the yard when it caught my eye. My yard sparkled, not just like new snow but a pretty green. So pretty I grabbed my camera and voila. It was kind of a mess but gosh it was pretty.