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Some Spices in Life…….

Sunday, January 7th, 2007

There is nothing more notable in Socrates than that he found time, when he was an old man, to learn music and dancing, and thought it time well spent.

Michel de Montaigne

For some reason I have always had more fun doing spontaneous things.

If I have time to over think or over plan an event chances are 1: it doesn't turn out the way I want it to or 2: I talk myself out of wanting to do it.

Martin and I are very different in the fact that he lives by plans and I don't. Planning trips he calls 5 times to make sure the rooms are right or the flights. Or if a concert is coming up he goes down this checklist of preparation.......transportation, hotel stay, tickets, call all his friends to go, go on the Internet for details, check tickets again. Seriously it can be annoying so I just ignore him.

I am much more moody so it is best to let me feel that I am not "locked in" to something. Truly most of the best times of my life, other than my wedding day, were things I just happened upon. Things that I couldn't have planned if I wanted.

A week ago Martin found out the rootsy, folk-rock band Donna the Buffalo was going to be at Ziggy's in Winston. This week he found out they were going to be in Floyd and opted to get tickets for that one. I love Ziggy's but I hate shows starting at 10 and 11pm....I'm too old for that crap. I want a 9 to midnight show. Not 11-2am.

Saturday night we had to go to the funeral home only to drive all the way over to Mount Airy and discover it had not been a "family night" but a "family day"....and we missed it. We headed out to one of my old haunts for a cheese pizza and an ice cold draft beer and I said "Baby if you'd like to go see Donna tonight I'll be happy to drive you to Winston to see it."

And so we did.....way, way overdressed for the "hippie" style dress Donna's fans normally wear but they are also not the type folks to hold it against you if you look too prissy for the gig! And oddly 50% of the crowd was over 50 years old. So when I say hippies I mean the real thing.

We had a blast and I danced in my high heel cheetah print boots just like I would have if I'd had on Doc Marten's or flip flops. I danced until 1am when I called it quits and told T-man his wife's feet had seen enough...........but what a dandy time they had getting there....and yes Colleen I did think of you! Spontaneity is indeed one of the great spices of life, right up there with dancing!

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Some Spices in Life…….

Sunday, January 7th, 2007

There is nothing more notable in Socrates than that he found time, when he was an old man, to learn music and dancing, and thought it time well spent.

Michel de Montaigne

For some reason I have always had more fun doing spontaneous things.

If I have time to over think or over plan an event chances are 1: it doesn't turn out the way I want it to or 2: I talk myself out of wanting to do it.

Martin and I are very different in the fact that he lives by plans and I don't. Planning trips he calls 5 times to make sure the rooms are right or the flights. Or if a concert is coming up he goes down this checklist of preparation.......transportation, hotel stay, tickets, call all his friends to go, go on the Internet for details, check tickets again. Seriously it can be annoying so I just ignore him.

I am much more moody so it is best to let me feel that I am not "locked in" to something. Truly most of the best times of my life, other than my wedding day, were things I just happened upon. Things that I couldn't have planned if I wanted.

A week ago Martin found out the rootsy, folk-rock band Donna the Buffalo was going to be at Ziggy's in Winston. This week he found out they were going to be in Floyd and opted to get tickets for that one. I love Ziggy's but I hate shows starting at 10 and 11pm....I'm too old for that crap. I want a 9 to midnight show. Not 11-2am.

Saturday night we had to go to the funeral home only to drive all the way over to Mount Airy and discover it had not been a "family night" but a "family day"....and we missed it. We headed out to one of my old haunts for a cheese pizza and an ice cold draft beer and I said "Baby if you'd like to go see Donna tonight I'll be happy to drive you to Winston to see it."

And so we did.....way, way overdressed for the "hippie" style dress Donna's fans normally wear but they are also not the type folks to hold it against you if you look too prissy for the gig! And oddly 50% of the crowd was over 50 years old. So when I say hippies I mean the real thing.

We had a blast and I danced in my high heel cheetah print boots just like I would have if I'd had on Doc Marten's or flip flops. I danced until 1am when I called it quits and told T-man his wife's feet had seen enough...........but what a dandy time they had getting there....and yes Colleen I did think of you! Spontaneity is indeed one of the great spices of life, right up there with dancing!

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Rollie, Jackson and some high school kids

Thursday, December 28th, 2006

"Do you remember in kindergarten, how you'd meet a kid, and know nothing about them, then 10 seconds later you'd be playing like you were best friends, because you didn't have to be anyone but yourself?" - Gabrilla Montez, High School Musical.

Tuesday night I saw High School Musical for the first time and 24 hours later I was at the live concert in Greensboro. And I actually knew the words to several songs. I have to admit I actually like a couple of the songs.....that "soaring" song is still stuck in my head.

This was Jackson's first concert (at six). Much younger than I started out. I am afraid he will be spoiled to all future events since our 6th row turned out to be a 3rd row the way the seats were aligned. I didn't take a zoom lens and you can see how close the pics are. Also it appeared to be sold out. And as I told Jackson it was quite a show...not like a normal rock and roll tour...these kids could dance. Really dance. And they are so cute. Very young, very talented.

I felt so bad for not thinking of bringing ear plugs and when it started it hurt Jackson's ears. Actually it hurt mine too! We had his coat on his head for the first song until he got used to it but last night drums were beating in my head as I drifted off to sleep. Not the ringing of normal concerts but a steady beat of a drum.

When Corbin's drum routine came on it vibrated our seats to the point I thought I would slide off in the floor!

I can only imagine Disney's profits....

$20 programs, $30 t-shirts, $5 green glow stick.....amazing.

I had a wonderful time and I hope Jackson made a lifelong memory. He knows almost every word to every song. And the lines.... I have promised him a photo album of all the pictures.

As soon as the video clips upload there will be a High School Musical montage on my sidebar.....he wanted his parents and cousins to see...anyone else feel free to check out the show!

I have never driven that far with one of the kids alone. I have never been to such a big event alone with one of the kids. I don't think I have ever been as conscious as to everything around me at a venue in my life. I guess being the sole one responsible for a child really stirs up those protective instincts. Driving home after dropping off Jackson in Mount Airy, the 30 minute drive here, I thought how long it had been since I had been out on my own that late. Man times have changed. A regular occurrence is now a rarity. I really am getting old and settled!

Working today at the closet today....gotta run. Isabelle is coming to stay with me tonight for some girl stuff....We got her the digital makeover for Christmas and we are looking forward to turning Toonces and Caleb into girls!

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Rollie, Jackson and some high school kids

Thursday, December 28th, 2006

"Do you remember in kindergarten, how you'd meet a kid, and know nothing about them, then 10 seconds later you'd be playing like you were best friends, because you didn't have to be anyone but yourself?" - Gabrilla Montez, High School Musical.

Tuesday night I saw High School Musical for the first time and 24 hours later I was at the live concert in Greensboro. And I actually knew the words to several songs. I have to admit I actually like a couple of the songs.....that "soaring" song is still stuck in my head.

This was Jackson's first concert (at six). Much younger than I started out. I am afraid he will be spoiled to all future events since our 6th row turned out to be a 3rd row the way the seats were aligned. I didn't take a zoom lens and you can see how close the pics are. Also it appeared to be sold out. And as I told Jackson it was quite a show...not like a normal rock and roll tour...these kids could dance. Really dance. And they are so cute. Very young, very talented.

I felt so bad for not thinking of bringing ear plugs and when it started it hurt Jackson's ears. Actually it hurt mine too! We had his coat on his head for the first song until he got used to it but last night drums were beating in my head as I drifted off to sleep. Not the ringing of normal concerts but a steady beat of a drum.

When Corbin's drum routine came on it vibrated our seats to the point I thought I would slide off in the floor!

I can only imagine Disney's profits....

$20 programs, $30 t-shirts, $5 green glow stick.....amazing.

I had a wonderful time and I hope Jackson made a lifelong memory. He knows almost every word to every song. And the lines.... I have promised him a photo album of all the pictures.

As soon as the video clips upload there will be a High School Musical montage on my sidebar.....he wanted his parents and cousins to see...anyone else feel free to check out the show!

I have never driven that far with one of the kids alone. I have never been to such a big event alone with one of the kids. I don't think I have ever been as conscious as to everything around me at a venue in my life. I guess being the sole one responsible for a child really stirs up those protective instincts. Driving home after dropping off Jackson in Mount Airy, the 30 minute drive here, I thought how long it had been since I had been out on my own that late. Man times have changed. A regular occurrence is now a rarity. I really am getting old and settled!

Working today at the closet today....gotta run. Isabelle is coming to stay with me tonight for some girl stuff....We got her the digital makeover for Christmas and we are looking forward to turning Toonces and Caleb into girls!

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10 Reasons I hate to wrap

Friday, December 8th, 2006

And when those blue snowflakes start falling
Thats when those blue memories start calling
You'll be doin all right, with your Christmas of white
But Ill have a blue, blue blue blue Christmas ~ Elvis

Still not number one, Blue Christmas is definitely in my top 5 faves....

Quick, quick post.....I have started volunteering a few hours a week at "My Friend's Closet" a very nice gently used clothing store ran by Martin's Presbyterian Church. The clothes are priced very, very, very low and they are all nice.....no spots or tears. These are truly gently worn. The place runs off donations and volunteers and it helps the community. All monies left over after rent and utilities are put back in to helping people in need in the county. I really enjoyed my first day yesterday and have to go back for training today. So I am rushing....much to do, much to do.

I've been wrapping like a wild fiend to cover the tons of gifts bought for the kids because they are coming over Saturday and they snoop. We truly look like Santa.

I am a really good wrapper. Good when wrapping the perfect size shirt box or nice game box. I love doing pretty little hand made bows of glitter and fur with bells attached. My mom's gift is always done very fancy. With big boxes or when in a hurry it is not so much fun and last night I ended up ill as a hornet and practically slinging my curling ribbon across the room.

Here are my top 10 reasons why I hate WRAPPING:

10- Big, over sized, odd packages that don't fit the normal roll in any way.
9- When you get said odd package done and an end pokes through the paper.
8- When your friggen' long haired cat climbs in the box with clothing in it and lies down to bath and when you panic and pick up said cat there is fur left behind!
7- When I can't remember that damned figure 8 move with the ribbon around the packages that my mom does.
6- Toonces, as sweet as it is that he has joined me, has the scissors every time I need them or has hogged all the cute tags that were for the children.
5- The plastic packaging coming on the ribbon that I can't get completely off and snares the ribbon.
4- Toonces and his crappy 5cent bows that he keeps buying and sticking on his friends gifts and then places them RIGHT in the FRONT of my lovely tree with my handmade bows.
3- getting my feet hung in the ribbon and dragging it across the floor when I get up to put the package under the tree.
2- You can't find the beginning of the ribbon or tape on the roll!
and the number 1 reason I hate wrapping- All that work and I forget whose present I have wrapped!

Have a nice weekend everyone!

I have the Christmas tree vs. baby Seth party tomorrow night. My sister said move the glass ornaments to the top...well my whole tree is practically glass ornaments. And Seth will have my puffy Angelina Jolie fish with big glittery red lips staring right at him. I am hoping the snow works as a boundary.....so we will see.

My ultrasound guided aspiration will be done first thing Monday morning!

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10 Reasons I hate to wrap

Friday, December 8th, 2006

And when those blue snowflakes start falling
Thats when those blue memories start calling
You'll be doin all right, with your Christmas of white
But Ill have a blue, blue blue blue Christmas ~ Elvis

Still not number one, Blue Christmas is definitely in my top 5 faves....

Quick, quick post.....I have started volunteering a few hours a week at "My Friend's Closet" a very nice gently used clothing store ran by Martin's Presbyterian Church. The clothes are priced very, very, very low and they are all nice.....no spots or tears. These are truly gently worn. The place runs off donations and volunteers and it helps the community. All monies left over after rent and utilities are put back in to helping people in need in the county. I really enjoyed my first day yesterday and have to go back for training today. So I am rushing....much to do, much to do.

I've been wrapping like a wild fiend to cover the tons of gifts bought for the kids because they are coming over Saturday and they snoop. We truly look like Santa.

I am a really good wrapper. Good when wrapping the perfect size shirt box or nice game box. I love doing pretty little hand made bows of glitter and fur with bells attached. My mom's gift is always done very fancy. With big boxes or when in a hurry it is not so much fun and last night I ended up ill as a hornet and practically slinging my curling ribbon across the room.

Here are my top 10 reasons why I hate WRAPPING:

10- Big, over sized, odd packages that don't fit the normal roll in any way.
9- When you get said odd package done and an end pokes through the paper.
8- When your friggen' long haired cat climbs in the box with clothing in it and lies down to bath and when you panic and pick up said cat there is fur left behind!
7- When I can't remember that damned figure 8 move with the ribbon around the packages that my mom does.
6- Toonces, as sweet as it is that he has joined me, has the scissors every time I need them or has hogged all the cute tags that were for the children.
5- The plastic packaging coming on the ribbon that I can't get completely off and snares the ribbon.
4- Toonces and his crappy 5cent bows that he keeps buying and sticking on his friends gifts and then places them RIGHT in the FRONT of my lovely tree with my handmade bows.
3- getting my feet hung in the ribbon and dragging it across the floor when I get up to put the package under the tree.
2- You can't find the beginning of the ribbon or tape on the roll!
and the number 1 reason I hate wrapping- All that work and I forget whose present I have wrapped!

Have a nice weekend everyone!

I have the Christmas tree vs. baby Seth party tomorrow night. My sister said move the glass ornaments to the top...well my whole tree is practically glass ornaments. And Seth will have my puffy Angelina Jolie fish with big glittery red lips staring right at him. I am hoping the snow works as a boundary.....so we will see.

My ultrasound guided aspiration will be done first thing Monday morning!

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10 Reasons I hate to wrap

Friday, December 8th, 2006

And when those blue snowflakes start falling
Thats when those blue memories start calling
You'll be doin all right, with your Christmas of white
But Ill have a blue, blue blue blue Christmas ~ Elvis

Still not number one, Blue Christmas is definitely in my top 5 faves....

Quick, quick post.....I have started volunteering a few hours a week at "My Friend's Closet" a very nice gently used clothing store ran by Martin's Presbyterian Church. The clothes are priced very, very, very low and they are all nice.....no spots or tears. These are truly gently worn. The place runs off donations and volunteers and it helps the community. All monies left over after rent and utilities are put back in to helping people in need in the county. I really enjoyed my first day yesterday and have to go back for training today. So I am rushing....much to do, much to do.

I've been wrapping like a wild fiend to cover the tons of gifts bought for the kids because they are coming over Saturday and they snoop. We truly look like Santa.

I am a really good wrapper. Good when wrapping the perfect size shirt box or nice game box. I love doing pretty little hand made bows of glitter and fur with bells attached. My mom's gift is always done very fancy. With big boxes or when in a hurry it is not so much fun and last night I ended up ill as a hornet and practically slinging my curling ribbon across the room.

Here are my top 10 reasons why I hate WRAPPING:

10- Big, over sized, odd packages that don't fit the normal roll in any way.
9- When you get said odd package done and an end pokes through the paper.
8- When your friggen' long haired cat climbs in the box with clothing in it and lies down to bath and when you panic and pick up said cat there is fur left behind!
7- When I can't remember that damned figure 8 move with the ribbon around the packages that my mom does.
6- Toonces, as sweet as it is that he has joined me, has the scissors every time I need them or has hogged all the cute tags that were for the children.
5- The plastic packaging coming on the ribbon that I can't get completely off and snares the ribbon.
4- Toonces and his crappy 5cent bows that he keeps buying and sticking on his friends gifts and then places them RIGHT in the FRONT of my lovely tree with my handmade bows.
3- getting my feet hung in the ribbon and dragging it across the floor when I get up to put the package under the tree.
2- You can't find the beginning of the ribbon or tape on the roll!
and the number 1 reason I hate wrapping- All that work and I forget whose present I have wrapped!

Have a nice weekend everyone!

I have the Christmas tree vs. baby Seth party tomorrow night. My sister said move the glass ornaments to the top...well my whole tree is practically glass ornaments. And Seth will have my puffy Angelina Jolie fish with big glittery red lips staring right at him. I am hoping the snow works as a boundary.....so we will see.

My ultrasound guided aspiration will be done first thing Monday morning!

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Happy Feet

Friday, November 24th, 2006

"Ladies, please avert your eyes. Cos' I've been known to hypnotize." ~Lovelace....Happy Feet.

I refuse to shop on Black Friday. My nerves cannot handle all those people. Instead I took all the little ones to the above movie today. And when I say all I mean ALL. I have nerves of steel where they're concerned. Even baby Seth enjoyed Happy Feet, the part he didn't sleep through anyway. I had help, of course, I could not manage all 4 so my sister Melanie and baby Seth accompanied me and Caleb and Jackson and Isabelle and Ben.

When we left we all danced through the parking lot to see who had the happiest feet to the delight of onlookers everywhere...(well they were smiling). Very cute movie. A bit darker at times than I expected but overall it was a perfect Thanksgiving Friday choice.

Beautiful holiday weather here but I am still very grateful to have my heat back. The nights are cold even if the days are back up to 70. Yes we are hooked up and I feel so much better! We are the proud owners of a heat pump now with an electric furnace for backup.....and many, many little space heaters stowed away.

This time last year I was holding two little black fur balls I'd already named Earl and Eudora. It was their first night with me. Little did I know they would be later nicknamed "the Thugs" but oh how I love 'em! They got extra pampering tonight. Like they could be any more spoiled!

Happy Weekend to ya! See if you can get happy feet! Come on....try a little dancing!!! Get your groove on!

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Happy Feet

Friday, November 24th, 2006

"Ladies, please avert your eyes. Cos' I've been known to hypnotize." ~Lovelace....Happy Feet.

I refuse to shop on Black Friday. My nerves cannot handle all those people. Instead I took all the little ones to the above movie today. And when I say all I mean ALL. I have nerves of steel where they're concerned. Even baby Seth enjoyed Happy Feet, the part he didn't sleep through anyway. I had help, of course, I could not manage all 4 so my sister Melanie and baby Seth accompanied me and Caleb and Jackson and Isabelle and Ben.

When we left we all danced through the parking lot to see who had the happiest feet to the delight of onlookers everywhere...(well they were smiling). Very cute movie. A bit darker at times than I expected but overall it was a perfect Thanksgiving Friday choice.

Beautiful holiday weather here but I am still very grateful to have my heat back. The nights are cold even if the days are back up to 70. Yes we are hooked up and I feel so much better! We are the proud owners of a heat pump now with an electric furnace for backup.....and many, many little space heaters stowed away.

This time last year I was holding two little black fur balls I'd already named Earl and Eudora. It was their first night with me. Little did I know they would be later nicknamed "the Thugs" but oh how I love 'em! They got extra pampering tonight. Like they could be any more spoiled!

Happy Weekend to ya! See if you can get happy feet! Come on....try a little dancing!!! Get your groove on!

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Happy Feet

Friday, November 24th, 2006

"Ladies, please avert your eyes. Cos' I've been known to hypnotize." ~Lovelace....Happy Feet.

I refuse to shop on Black Friday. My nerves cannot handle all those people. Instead I took all the little ones to the above movie today. And when I say all I mean ALL. I have nerves of steel where they're concerned. Even baby Seth enjoyed Happy Feet, the part he didn't sleep through anyway. I had help, of course, I could not manage all 4 so my sister Melanie and baby Seth accompanied me and Caleb and Jackson and Isabelle and Ben.

When we left we all danced through the parking lot to see who had the happiest feet to the delight of onlookers everywhere...(well they were smiling). Very cute movie. A bit darker at times than I expected but overall it was a perfect Thanksgiving Friday choice.

Beautiful holiday weather here but I am still very grateful to have my heat back. The nights are cold even if the days are back up to 70. Yes we are hooked up and I feel so much better! We are the proud owners of a heat pump now with an electric furnace for backup.....and many, many little space heaters stowed away.

This time last year I was holding two little black fur balls I'd already named Earl and Eudora. It was their first night with me. Little did I know they would be later nicknamed "the Thugs" but oh how I love 'em! They got extra pampering tonight. Like they could be any more spoiled!

Happy Weekend to ya! See if you can get happy feet! Come on....try a little dancing!!! Get your groove on!

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Almost Wordless Wednesday

Wednesday, November 15th, 2006

"I'll take this one please....just like it is. Do you deliver? to Virginia? Well, will you come do it for me then?"

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Almost Wordless Wednesday

Wednesday, November 15th, 2006

"I'll take this one please....just like it is. Do you deliver? to Virginia? Well, will you come do it for me then?"

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The Weekend Wrap

Sunday, November 12th, 2006

A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.

Mark Twain

As you cat people out there already know, cats believe that every new thing brought home is for them. So when I was setting up my back drop to see what I thought, and had put a director's chair out , Calista makes herself right at home. But I was tickled to be able to get these of her and D man.

I am a tired girl today. I told Martin our living room looks like it did back in our single weekend days....pizza box, newspapers everywhere, wood chips left in the floor from building a fire. Pop cans lying around......shoes, clothes....Uh. At least I did get the dishes washed before I took my 3rd nap.

Last night at 2:30am I was sitting in IHop having blueberry pancakes....you know it is a good night when that happens!

Toonces, a Robert Earl Keen stalker, has to hang out after the show to say hello to Robert and the guys in the band. (like an obsessed fan) Every time. This time they didn't come back out after the show and we sneaked out the back door as the crew was loading the equipment. Toonces peeks in the bus door, cracks it open, puts a boot in....me right on top of him....and suddenly these 2 guys just jump us SCREAMING..."STEP OFF THE BUS...STEP BACK OFF THE BUS NOW....THIS IS OUR HOME..." WTF? Scared the crap out of both of us. Toonces said we were given the bum's rush. (Rollie isn't sure what that means).....Normally they are nice, I guess something happened to make them need thugs guarding the door.

So we ran and ran and ran in cowboy boots in the pouring rain to the IHop to recover!

Friday was nice at the coffee shop. We hope to get out to as many as we can to help the community adopt some cool fun things. And last night, with the exception of some stupid drunk woman I wanted to drag into the parking lot and beat senseless for bumping me 50 times and getting her ashes on my boots, was a blast!

Scrumptious Leftovers.......

I can't wait for Desperate Housewives tonight! Last week had my mouth hanging open and tears streaming down my face....WOW!

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because I wanna be a cowboy, baby

Monday, October 16th, 2006

I like to ride my horses and shoot my gun you know a cowboy's work is just never done
I am in to basics and I don't like fads and I like to have women I never had
Hey I don't mean to ever do nobody no wrong
I was just born the son of a singing song
I do things to make people mad and I like women I never had.......Hank Williams, Jr.

Oh...look at Spirit. (my little Paint)...Ruby is T man's ride.

Yesterday, Spirit and I graduated on up to real trail riding. Toonces and I met with my trainer and some others from school at the trails at Fairystone park.

I think I should probably call it "trial" riding instead.

When Spirit's original trainer...Joe told us that he couldn't get him to cross a creek without more time we should've known. Everyone assumed he would follow the other horses when they crossed on a trail. Well Spirit called B***S*** on that one.

You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Elesia, Martin...all the horse people with us. No one had ever seen one as terrified of the creeks and streams as my baby boy. We are in the base of the mountain and there are 4 creeks back to back that we had to cross. First a small one...I had to get off for Spirit to leap 10 feet in the air to clear the tiny trickle. I get back on.

Another creek...a bit bigger. Martin and our neighbor riding too have to pen him with the other horses to get him to jump over (with me pulling the reins, that I dropped and screamed and threw myself over into the woods when Spirit flew by) I get back on.

When we rounded the next turn I thought Spirit and I would pass out. We literally had to walk through about 20 yards of creek. It was just bad. I leaned against a tree trying not to cry and wondered how I was ever going to get home.

I won't go into all the details but somehow by some miracle of miracles..and hours....Spirit found his way past his fears and walked around in the water...then played, drank and snorted. He truly was just terrified and it took love not beating to get him through. He wanted to do it, he was just afraid. You had to pet him, take a step, coax him, pet him, take a step. He is only a baby after all. I get back on. (after they force me to walk him back and forth through the creek myself)

I needed a Valium.

4th creek. I am behind the lead horse and it is our last big creek. I think we are okay but no. It did get better. I have learned to give him full rein, let him smell the water, and he actually did let me ride him through. Eventually. The thing I hate about training is they made Spirit and I do it over and over and over and over. Geez.

Other than that it was a perfect day. And Spirit and I trotted our little hearts out practicing.....and he is very sure footed. My little Spirit. Gotta love him. One thing about it. If we ever get trained he will be 100% my baby. We have come up together as they say.

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because I wanna be a cowboy, baby

Monday, October 16th, 2006

I like to ride my horses and shoot my gun you know a cowboy's work is just never done
I am in to basics and I don't like fads and I like to have women I never had
Hey I don't mean to ever do nobody no wrong
I was just born the son of a singing song
I do things to make people mad and I like women I never had.......Hank Williams, Jr.

Oh...look at Spirit. (my little Paint)...Ruby is T man's ride.

Yesterday, Spirit and I graduated on up to real trail riding. Toonces and I met with my trainer and some others from school at the trails at Fairystone park.

I think I should probably call it "trial" riding instead.

When Spirit's original trainer...Joe told us that he couldn't get him to cross a creek without more time we should've known. Everyone assumed he would follow the other horses when they crossed on a trail. Well Spirit called B***S*** on that one.

You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Elesia, Martin...all the horse people with us. No one had ever seen one as terrified of the creeks and streams as my baby boy. We are in the base of the mountain and there are 4 creeks back to back that we had to cross. First a small one...I had to get off for Spirit to leap 10 feet in the air to clear the tiny trickle. I get back on.

Another creek...a bit bigger. Martin and our neighbor riding too have to pen him with the other horses to get him to jump over (with me pulling the reins, that I dropped and screamed and threw myself over into the woods when Spirit flew by) I get back on.

When we rounded the next turn I thought Spirit and I would pass out. We literally had to walk through about 20 yards of creek. It was just bad. I leaned against a tree trying not to cry and wondered how I was ever going to get home.

I won't go into all the details but somehow by some miracle of miracles..and hours....Spirit found his way past his fears and walked around in the water...then played, drank and snorted. He truly was just terrified and it took love not beating to get him through. He wanted to do it, he was just afraid. You had to pet him, take a step, coax him, pet him, take a step. He is only a baby after all. I get back on. (after they force me to walk him back and forth through the creek myself)

I needed a Valium.

4th creek. I am behind the lead horse and it is our last big creek. I think we are okay but no. It did get better. I have learned to give him full rein, let him smell the water, and he actually did let me ride him through. Eventually. The thing I hate about training is they made Spirit and I do it over and over and over and over. Geez.

Other than that it was a perfect day. And Spirit and I trotted our little hearts out practicing.....and he is very sure footed. My little Spirit. Gotta love him. One thing about it. If we ever get trained he will be 100% my baby. We have come up together as they say.

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The Patrick County Agricultural Fair

Wednesday, September 20th, 2006

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.

Abraham Lincoln

Caleb, Melanie and monkeys.

"Wow, you hit one." Go Izzy.

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Change is in the Air!

Wednesday, September 13th, 2006

Fall is my favorite season in Los Angeles, watching the birds change color and fall from the the trees....David Letterman.

Hard to believe it is that time already. These are in the backyard!

Rollie felt change in the air and went with the flow. So here was my BIG creative project.....my hair has never been this straight...I love it!

Goodbye blonde ringlets, hello warm browns!

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Good Friends, Good Times

Friday, August 18th, 2006

Without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods.

Aristotle

Last night we drove over to Mount Airy to the Good Life to hear some tunes and see one of my favorite people in the world. I had a blast, as I always do there, seeing my old Perry friends and enjoying some music. Good times at the Good Life.

Story time with Rollie:

To the horror of my friends I have decided to tell a story today.

Between here and Mayberry we've spoken about Ice, Ice Baby and how the kids love the song because I put it on a cd for them. This is what I always think of when I hear the song mentioned.

My best bud (nicknamed Tate) had a 5.0 GT Mustang 1988. Loaded, fast, she even had the red detailing added to the black car. She loved that car. Still misses it.

When Ice, Ice Baby came out with its lyrics of "Rollin' in my 5.0 with my rag top down so my hair can blow", Tate just loved it. I mean she had the 5.0. One afternoon while playing her cassette (yes cassette) and doing the "more bopping up and down in a car than you should" dance, she literally rolled right out in front of another car. A much smaller car like a Fiesta or an Escort. The mustang was unharmed and it was a minor accident but the victim was immediately yelling for a neck collar...........with an irritated Tate rolling her eyes at the victim, answering questions for the cops and swearing to never listen to Ice, Ice Baby again because of her carelessness.

This is right before the Kibler Valley River Run. The victim has worried Tate's insurance company too death screaming injury and needing money. And even though it really wouldn't hurt Tate personally she was taking it that way. Not wanting anyone to scam her company or increase her rate over a fake neck and back injury.

Jump ahead to the River Run....the long winding dirt road along the Dan river in Kibler Valley. Back 15 years ago this thing really was just a throw down. We all had jeeps and camped and well we were a bit rowdy (only settled by the glare my dad would give us when he would ride by...he raced back then).

So we're standing by the roadside and who goes up the road on the back of a truck with a bunch of fellow partiers? None other than the victim herself. To which MY friend takes off running behind the vehicle yelling,

"Don't think I don't see your a** on the back of that truck!!!" (and of course she reported her back to her insurance company).

No more posting for the weekend. I've decided folks don't read alot on weekends anyway and a nice Monday morning catch all works best.

Tomorrow night is a birthday party here for dad and Martin's dad Fill.

Enjoy your weekend guys!

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Floydfest 5

Thursday, July 27th, 2006

"To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful. This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking."

~Agnes De Mille

This weekend is Floydfest 5. A festive music event we look forward to each summer. (If you are close enough by, check it out). It is also the weekend for the Kibler Vally River Run. So I am going to be busy the next few days. Cleaning, baking....getting my highlights touched up....searching for my old tent at my parent's and picking up glass that sorry low-lifes threw down along the river bank at our Kibler property. Littering equals a sorriness unforgivable by Rollie.

Tour of Homes begins tomorrow morning so I need to get my pics up tonight. Tomorrow night friends join us for the Friday Fry Floydfest style....a warm up party of sorts. Saturday morning we will head up to the river to check on Mayberry's progress in the race. Then it is up the Blue Ridge backroads to Floydfest.

We awoke to the smell of dead rat...thankfully T man found it in the attic. I was so delighted with the timing. Guests arriving to find the house smelling all fresh and dead rat clean. That would be wonderful.

Toonces and Rollie..........dancing the night away! (well that really looks absolutely nothing like Toonces....not much like me either except for maybe the "bug eye" sunglasses and flowers in the hair...well, anyway, the point is about dancing and having a good time)

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Not my normal post.

Tuesday, July 18th, 2006

"No quote?" no quote.

"No post?" no, not really.

I have a date with a couple of hotties by the pool today so I am doing something a bit different. Sorry....I hate to be a bore. Skip...it's okay.

1. FIRST NAME? Deana

2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? the Doc who delivered me...Dean Gayle Waters

3. LAST CRY? I kinda cried when the bee stung me Thursday. I rarely cry. Mostly at movies. It's been quite a while. When I used to drink alot I would cry over anything.

4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? ah, no. Very messy.

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? the honey ham I give my cat I guess. I don't eat the stuff.

6. KIDS? dogs, cats, 4 nephews, 1 niece.....and Spirit the horse.

7. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS
WITH YOU? Probably not.

8. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? my blog pretty much is.

9. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Well yeah, sometimes.

10. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? unfortunately I still have the scarred pitiful things.

11. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Lord No!

12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? being bad...:Lucky Charms. I love Nature's Path Organic Pumpkin Flax Plus granola.

Seriously, I do.

13. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Nope, never.

14. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Physically- for a women yes I'd certainly say well above the average. I strength train. Emotionally- extremely.

15. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? I like Ben and Jerry's at their store that funky monkey one. I don't do much ice cream but I also used to love pineapple orange.

16. SHOE SIZE? 8.5 to 9 depending.

17. RED OR PINK? I am more pink. But I love Reds in the home.

18. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My Perry friends. I miss my neighbor Claudia too.

19. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU?
only if they have the time to spare.

20. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
bright yellow gym shorts and bare feet. I am normally bare footed. Yes I am a hick.

21. LAST THING YOU ATE? ginger ale and some almonds. My tummy isn't so good today....

22. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The air conditioner. I like it quiet when I am on the computer.

23. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
   Periwinkle...I love the name. I would like to be called Periwinkle Heath Clark the fun crayon!

24. FAVORITE SMELL? Toonces in his cologne, the horses when they are sweaty, flavored coffees brewing, bbq, peonies, my flowers when the air hits them, and babies......oh and the new car smell!

25. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE
PHONE? Melanie, my sister, I think. I yelled at my buddy Eddie Turner on the phone through Martin.

26. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE
ATTRACTED TO? Eyes and smile.

27. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? no, she's mean. Just kidding Sissy!

28. FAVORITE DRINK? new drink- Mojito. Non alc. water, Perrier with lime, and Sweet Ice Tea.

29. FAVORITE SPORT? me playing?...fishing, golf, basketball...to watch NASCAR, NFL, ACC Basketball, the Red Sox playing the Yankees. I am very good at badminton and croquet, do they count? How about billiards and darts? That's fun for me.

30. EYE COLOR? green.

31. HAT SIZE? X large. I have a big head and thick hair.

32. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? no, nor glasses.

33. FAVORITE FOOD? fresh, organic...salads, salmon grilled...what I shouldn't eat but love would be mashed potatoes. I love veggies. A grilled hamburger with onions, slaw, and tomato. Yummy!

34. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING? They are pretty equal.

35. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED AT THE MOVIE THEATER?
   Superman

36. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? white....a wife beater (gym)

37. SUMMER OR WINTER? summer...I love Christmas but summer.

38. HUGS OR KISSES? hugs...I love squeezing the kids. Oh my husband? I like squeezing him too. Kisses are great too.

39. FAVORITE DESSERT? lemon meringue, pecan pie, yellow cake with chocolate icing, lava cake.....French apple pie. oh and blackberry cobbler.

skipping the email questions.

42. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? well, reading behind Martin's new one as he finishes each chapter. I still have to start my blog buddy Terri Duvall's "Lost Souls of the Witches' Castle" and "Daughters of the Mill"

43. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? I don't have a mouse. I have the pad on the computer thing.

44. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? Deadwood. (It was awesome!)

45. FAVORITE SOUNDS? the kid's when they get the giggles, my pups little noses sniffing, my birds singing, and the tinkle-tinkle-tinkle of the slot machine!!!! Well they don't use coin now but still it makes a noise when you win!

46. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES? Rolling Stones.

47. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? LA I guess. Is that further than Missoula from me? I suck with geography.

48. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? other than brightening a room?...(kidding, I'm kidding) I can't list my best talents... I am married now.

49. WHEN & WHERE WERE YOU BORN? March 25, 1966, Mount Airy, North Carolina. Yes I am a product of Mayberry.

50. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Joni in Richmond.

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