one more day

There is only 1 day left before Whitney, my last kid, graduates from High School...yesterday was my last official day in 22 years that I will ever awaken a "child" in order to get them somewhere...or, right now, THEY ready themselves to get "somewhere" on time...this feels very good...it is also a little bit sad....this is a big passage...very big.

And so, Wednesday's "Sr. Chapel and Honors Program was bitter sweet....it was filled with "last things"....but it was good.

Whitney led, along with a young man all the songs for the Chapel portion...who knew? She did wonderfully...we were so proud. Then they began handing out the Awards...then I was really proud....I LOVE academics...and I really LOVE it when MY kids do well...somehow I think it has something to do with me....so I beamed.

She...

• received straight A award certificates in: Honors English IV; Economics & Environmental Science;



























• received the "Presidential Award to Academic Excellence", and plus a medal that she gets to pin to her "gown" at Graduation;




• received St. John's "Senior Academic Excellence Award";
  



• received a medallion medal for being a member of the National Honor Society;
  



• recieved her "yellow cords" for maintaining a GPA of above 3.5..more Academic Excellence

Woot woot....shout it from the Mountain Tops....we are finished...and she finished well....there were no drug overdoses, no illegitmate children, no jail time, (these things matter VERY MUCH to me) ....but there were some tickets...and they were doozies...I better count my blessings now....college IS coming....until then, watch over her LORD!

observations

I don't like this new "economy"...nope...see, I'm used to being a spoiled American...where we can have whatever we want...as long as we can pay for it....whatever it is....it's made and I can buy it...and I am satisfied.

Well, not so in this new economy. The "bottom lines" of Companies are hurting...with no end in site to the "badness"...(thank you B. Hussein Obama for creating this crappy socialist environment for us spoiled Americans to live in....) soooooooo they are trying to squeeze a little profit into their end of year earnings...just to stay alive...well, this consumer is feeling it...and I'm not happy.

I have some places I need to go this weekend and I have some things I had to buy....an dI noticed....Here is what I found:

• boxes of Graham crackers are more narrow AND they don't put as many crackers in as they use to. I know this because when I make "chocolate eclair"...I always have about 6 crackers more than the recipe calls for...now... I use them all...and they are skinner!



• "jumbo" cotton balls are NOT jumbo...they are not even average...they are small...takes 3 to do the job of 1 "jumbo"



• Victoria Secret's "5 for $25" is now "5 for $25.50"....really?




• The "nursery" in Indiana (where I have been calling for years to order flowers for my Mother....#1 because they know me, #2 they know her and, #3 they know where the "green house on Mulzer Camp Road" is..without me having to give directions or a street address, plus they just "bill" me) decided this year...they would charge me $20 for the delivery fee....are you kidding me? It's 7 miles...grrrr....



• Gasoline....do NOT get me started there...I worked in the oil industry in Houston during the "boom" and I know the REAL story....can we pleeeeez drill now Mr. Socialism?

That was all I saw today as far as pricing....BUT another annoyance I ran into was this....I was running errands around 5 PM instead of during "working hours"....People at that time are in a very big hurry...and they are not patient, nor are they kind. They will not let you "merge" AND they will NOT pause to let you pull out ...no, they are hell bent on getting somewhere and they want to get there fast...so I did alot of waiting....for the hurrier's.

guck!

Oh, and 1 more thing...Mr. Schwartzenager, YOU are a bad man....2 babies in the same year with 2 different women? I only know of one other deadbeat Dad who has done that....and he's bad; very, very bad....AND, there is no heart beating in his chest...only a stomach that wants to hold beer.....that's all! The end!

can there be more to do?

Whitney sings at the baccalaureate service, and we celebrate at the "beach party" afterwards.....turns 18 and eats a Betty Cake and is celebrated well at home...no party this year...Marc creates "chicken marsala" for me for Mother's Day and delivers up planted hibiscus plants...my favorite...woot woot

Ok....Whitney's birthday, Adrianne's graduation, Mother's Day, Marc's birthday, now Whitney's baccalaureate and Senior Chapel AND graduation THIS week.....deep breath...here weeeeeeeeeeeee gooooooooooooooo!!!!

and he is celebrated...

The man only wanted shoes...and he got them. He did not want to be fussed over...and he wasn't...really...the man didn't want a party...we took him to dinner...alone....at the end of the day....he said, "Hmmm? I think I like it better when you fuss"....so, next year...I'll go back to fussing...who knew?...after 20 years of me fussing ...and him complaining that I "fussed"....it would all be solved if I would have just stopped.....wait til next year baby....

various and sundry

my 2 favorite Easter girls.... 1997 (ages 4 and 8)

I have a little bit more spare time these days...or is it that I am finally NOT on painkillers and I can do the "normal" things of life that used to bring me pleasure.?..like documenting life...which, if I am honest with myself...really is just "stand up"...with no live audience...do you know I think "in blog" mode? Is that crazy? My best blogs are never written but only "thought" while on a walk? Crazy stuff. I'm not really sure...because when you are on painkillers...well, you are not really "here"....trust me on this...

Today is titled, "various and sundry"...why? Becuase it's been 100 years since I've written anything...all I've done is "healed"...while my best buddy AND my kid have been on quests to "be all they can be" AND have achieved it....argh....I try NOT to think about it...I'm better when I re-read my "other" buddy's text that reads, "I've gained 10 pounds because of all the festiviites that have been taking place'....to that I say, AMEN sister..I'm with ya...where's the cake? Where's the margs?....but no....the 2 closest women to me have faced weight square in the eye and WON??? Oh, it pains me...I want to be where they are...but I am not...and ....funny as it sounds...I am making peace with "puffy"....never and I mean it .....never has it been ok to have 1 extra pound of weight on my body....after this setback....well, I'm still not ok with being "puffy"...but I am sure as h---- ok with being where I was......strong at 49...ok....take that!!

What follows is the 'various and sundry events' we've attended of late....seems all we've done is attend "events"...which I like....but I would trade it in a heart beat for a great back yard party with some great friends...ok, I'm not longing for Ashevegas...but I am longing for the ease of time with great freinds...but....feeling "blessed"...not lucky...because I recognize it really is from God....we are making new friends here...and they are special...and I believe, long term.....BUT...still wish my best buddy was here....oh how I yearn for my C2 time....

I digress....

various and sundry....

Cattle Baron's Ball (Munroe's "Cancer" awareness fundraiser) "rubies and boots"

Lady's in Red (Munroe's "Ocala Heart" fundraiser)

this photo made it into "Ocala Mag's Social Page"...woot woot!!

flavors of Munroe (Munroe's "Foundation" fundraiser)

ok, I missed this ONE........oh, thanks John Travolta, local Ocalan...for showing up for this one...I was at my OWN daughter university graduation..yeah, like I can miss that......grrrrrr...but thank you for your oh, so generous contribution to the foundation!!!! We love you..come back often!!! Munroe LOVES you...and so do I...can we dance...please? mmmmm

Adrianne's Florida State Graduation.....congratulations doll, well done, good and faithful servant!!!!

Women's Pregnancy Center Fundraser....ok, no pics from this but not only did I attend it but I created a "powerpoint slide show" on a digital picture frame bulletin board for our church for this one....and it was goooooooooood....just ask me.....ok, or others..."they" really did like it....it did turn out well....maybe, what is his his name?...hmmm, can't think of it ...but he was the one who directed "frankenstein" and it was wierd....but maybe the introduction of Pain killers makes you more creative...or is it when you are "pressing thru the pain" that makes you stronger??? I'm not sure...but my best work has been while I have been injured.....children...do not take note...

Marc's 54thBirthday...Latinos E mas...yummy Cuban food...ran into my "favorite" cuban...ummm, she only said, "hello" to Marc...he acted as if he'd just ran into his best friend....AWKWARD............but Ira and his family showed up (as a surprise) and made it great...the "Carvelle" cake ("carvelle, the "taste of happiness" was NOT decorated...um, sorry)

a man and his pups....delight~~~

Easter in St. Augustine

a man and his pipe...a very good thing...

Easter buckets for my small children....:)

Easter break...oh, so wonderful....limited cell phone usage, sunday service at a local PCA church and lots of "quiet"...oooooooo delight!!!

Grad Bash....

St. John's Senior "Grad Bash" at Universal Studios...woot woot...Whitney's comment..."most fun I've ever had....ever"....yay!

MOTHER'S DAY...PICS TO FOLLOW...I STILL CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THE PICS FROM WHITNEY'S CAMERA TO THE 'PUTA....SUCH A NERD...

and this has all been in the last 3 weeks...what lies ahead? Um...I passed on a FSU baseball game tonite at Stetson...only a 6 hour event......bacalaureate (which I don't know how to spell), Whitney's Graduation, Graduation party IN INDIANA, AND Katelyn's wedding in Ashevegas and HOPEFULLY .....oh please , a closing on a house , a very LARGE house in Asehvegas, please remove that albatross from our necks Lord, we need it....please!

"lucky day"

Ok....today is my "lucky day"....I know I know....Christians don't believe in "luck"...but with all the "fakes" out there ...saying, having a "blessed" day now kinda sticks in my throat...Satan has stolen that line...and now it sounds...hmmm?....dumb..."blessed" has lost the wonderful, magnificent meaning it once had because the "posers" over-use it.

So, today I had a "lucky day"...I'm on my walk....."lucky" because I haven't really been able to walk since OCTOBER...good nite....but now I can....AND it's relatively pain free....soooo..I'm walking along and there they are...the trash pick up guys...now...in the past I have run into them on my walk home....both times only about a mile from home...we are walking in the SAME direction and soooooooooooooooooooo I can never get past them...I stay WITH them....because I'm walking and they are starting and stopping every 20 feet...have you ever SMELLED the trash pick up truck? Uh, let's just be kind and say it smells like..hmmmm?....BUTT!!!!

Yep, that's putting it nicely....so...in the past I've been within 1 mile of home and we have to walk together...that is, of course, unless I want to turn around and walk the "circle" in the opposite direction....which is 2 miles instead of the 1 mile I have left...now that I have done it twice...the extra mile would have been worth it...because you CANNOT get away from the rancid smell....but....today......my "lucky day"...they were going in the OPPOSITE direction...I would pass them and NOT see them again for 3 miles...in which...for whatever reason, they were excited and decided to honk, wave AND smile when they saw me....I waved back...thinking to myself how very "lucky", (really blessed) I was...that for 3 solid miles...we were moving in opposite directions....only THEY had to smell that horrid, rancid smell...America...our trash....we stink...but, oh how far we have come from the days we poured our "chamber pots" in the streets.....and oh how not far the Middle East has come....they still won't shake your hand with their right hand...because, well,....that's their toilet paper.....ewwww.....bye Usama...sorry, you are going to spend your birthday on top the birthday cake WITH the candles ....forever.....did you REALLY expect to see the 21 virgins? or was it 100? Men, good nite! crazy.

that's all.

Oh, on a totally different note....I ALWAYS say what ever I think.....very difficult to keep secrets...but I can when it's very important...but I just want to throw out 1 code word for a "follower"...and you know who you are...this one is for you...."hey Brazil....how's it goin? Love you :)

k...I'm ready

procrastinator? ...check

A.D.D? .....check

but do I get the job done?...and always on time?...check

ready with gifts wrapped, cake frozen, candles ready, paper products with big "fun factor" ready, party flag in the yard as well as birthday balloon....ready snacks, showered, dressed and dinner reservations made...complete with a surprise drop in visit from his brother...oh yeah, I'm good....

You may now come home Mr. Millah...uh, you should be here in, uh, 10 minutes!!! yessssss!

no cure for ADD....ever!!

Well, sigh...haven't been on here for awhile....but today ...had to.....

and, of course, it's another story...."life and times"...you know....

Today is My beloved's birthday...Marc turns 54....I've known him for almost half of those years....I love birthdays....he loves ORDER and saving money...I have learned this over the years. When he says, "the best thing you could do for me for my birthday is to NOT spend any money on me." I know he MEANS it.... Well, that sucks the joy right out of it...for ME...but...alas, it is not MY birthday.

Also, HE wants gifts for his birthday...but he wants ONLY what he picks out..and being a spendthrift...he waits allllllllllllll year to buy these items...crazy, I know. This year...he wanted shoes...2 pair...they cost over $250...but that's what he wants...oh, and cigars....but only the ones he likes.

He likes cake too...LOTS of cake....we bought it yesterday. He ONLY likes Carvelle ice cream cakes...VANILLA....and no chocolate, I know....BUT they only had vanilla AND chocolate...he said I could eat the chocolate...yeah, sure...I can just see him NOT eating the choco choco part.

("Carvel, it's what Happy tastes like")

So, today..being in a VERY lazy mood....I decided that although I CANNOT buy him anything FOR him for his birthday...I can do some things that he will appreciate. He likes "tasks complete" (why again did he marry ME?) I did fold all his laundry (so he doesn't have to continue to get dressed from either the dryer or the laundry basket.....I HATE laundry).....and put it away.

Also, I did want to give him the usual "Miller Birthday spread" at the table....tradition holds that the kitchen table contains the baloons, cake, presents and whatever decorations I feel like adding....so I went to the garage where all the "party paper products" live...thank you Florida for not having basements nor ample storage inSIDE the home.....and picked out some fun plates/napkins, etc., etc...while I was out there I saw a teddy bear with a sweater w/a heart on the front...we used it last year for "Muffins on Mondays"....I thought, "this poor teddy bear shouldn't have to live in the garage"...so I brought him in...he was going to be a part of the "table spread" decor.....

BUT right before I took my trip to the garage I was unloading the dishwasher...before I was cleaning out the sink before I was starting to set the "party table"....before I went to the pantry to see if there were any extra plates in there....only to discover the HORRID rotten smell of rotten potatoes...I'm sorry, they just smell like cat diarhea....I grabbed the bag of potatoes and set them on the counter...gonna throw them away "in a minute"...ADD people NEVER complete tasks in order.....so in the midst of the dishes on the sink, the half prepared table, the dishwasher open...I head, of course, to the garage...for paper products.....I pick up the potatoes and take them with me...when I return with the bear in hand...I set him on the counter...and go back to emptying the D/W then back to setting the table and I grad the bear....what's that smell? Ewwww...yep....sure to form....I set the bear in the one spot on the counter where the cat

di-a-rear juice spilled......yep, Mr. Bear NOW smells like, well, butt!.....grrr...soooooo

before I can finish the table, or unloading the D/W...the bear needs a bath...and, of course, I have to type this....and just what is THAT smell? Oh, yeah, the papertowel IN MY HAND was the same one I used to wipe up the stench off the counter...forgot to throw it away....

so now...the bear is clean, the blog is typed and it is time to go finish the chores...Oh, and of course, it's 3 PM and I still haven't wrapped the presents...actually have to go buy the paper...because while he does pick out AND buy his own presents....they must be wrapped....argh.....gotta go...have chores TO DO and wrapping paper and cigars to buy....so DO IT ALREADYYYYYYYYYYY!!! F - O - C - U - S!!! focus focus focus focus focus..what?, oh yeah, focus focus focus......

oops, wait, dogs have to go out....AND they need a treat...

Happy Birthday Mistah Millah!!! Here's to another 54!!! mwah!!

Time for a little whine...

thought Iwas relaxing...but I think I see "pain" in the eyes....

Alrighty....Since 1980 I have prided myself on being physically fit AND healthy...ok, not perfectly fit and not perfectly healthy...but it IS my lifestyle. BUT...having had my g-bladder removed in October, which, by the way INSTANTLY removed the chronic back pain that I've had mysteriously (to all my Primary Care Physicians) for 10+ years....put me out of commission for 5 weeks...then came Christmas break...wasn't feeling 100% yet so I took some more time off...hitting the gym occasionally and eating lots and lots of fun Christmas goodies...ie hot choco w/marshmellos, baked goods, gravy...breakfasts...you know..allllllllllll the forbidden foods...then it happened...Dec. 14 while Miss Joann, my favored cleaning lady was mopping...and I was "tracking" repeatedly...I decided to tip toe quickly just one more time over her freshly mopped floor when all of a sudden I WAS a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader and I DID do my jump splits...perfectly....who knew this almost 50 year old could get all the way down to that tile floor? I KNEW...that's who...I KNEW I COULDN'T...but surprisingly...I did...and here it is 5 weeks later and presto bada-bing...I'm STILL in pain. Yep, pain scale of 1-10...I live life at an 8...

Last week I decided to read the Motrin bottle...just to amuse myself....Since I've been hitting that little bottle every 4-6 hours for 5 WEEKS....it states, "Do not take this product for more than 10 days without Drs. approval".....ooopseys.....time to call the Dr. for some pain relief that won't rot my liver...

Almost forgot...2 weeks after the fall I DID make a little trip to the Dr.....my primary Doc was out but at this point I was desperate...I will see any Dr. that is in...you see every thing in life had become painful...I'm trying to do everything Christmas-like and I can barely walk....I'm needing to work off all the "gush" from post surgery PLUS all the extra "gush" from eating all the fab-u-luh baked goods the girls and I baked PLUS all the yummy stuff that just automatically comes rolling in just because it's Christmas...and I CAN"T....time to see the Dr.

Did I break something? How did this happen? I left his office not any wiser than when I went in....all the pain was in the hip socket...I was convinced something was bruised, sprained, broken, torn, SOMETHING....He was convinced I was a pampered Hospital Exec's wife in need of some attention...argh... doesn't he know me????? False attention seekers should be hanged by their toenails......... ANYWAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY...he prescribes a muscle relaxer and 5 days of steroids, says he'll put in for some phys. therapy and off I go........later...all the drugs gone...still no improvement.. week 4...no p.t. has been scheduled ...and now I CANT live on Motrin (I've since switched to ex-strength Tylenol...go ahead, rot my liver I need ReliEF!!)

SO...FINALLY I call back to my Doc....get some pain meds, go to pt...and discover that I am truly NOT a pampered lady of leisure (ok maybe a little but I wasn't crying to a Dr for attn...I was really hurt) I have a "bulging disk"...yep...a real live injury BUT NOT to my hip...to my back. The PHD P.T. says, "the pain in the hip is just the pain pattern"...the pain originates in your lower back....thus explaining why MR. Dr didn't think anything was wrong...he checked my hip movement, flexibility, etc. and found nothing...I guess in med school they don't teach about "pain patterns"....grrr

So, I AM on the road to recovery....pain meds in hand, pt scheduled thrice/week...that's a fun word, "thrice"...how many people use that on a regular basis hmmm? AND, so what happened today might just not happen anymore...fell OUT of the car onto the garage floor...yep....my leg just didn't want to support this 2-ton-tessy today...nope....fell right onto the floor...take that Mr.Dr. ..ye of little faith.

But, my favorite part of the whole story is what happened yesterday. I'm lying on the pt bed, I have electrodes attached to my bare back and buttock (another fun word to say) with a 8 lb heating pad on my back and the 20 minute timer on...next to me...just on the other side of the curtain I hear the next patient come in....you can hear everyone's convo's which is fun bc everyone is old and they talk very loudly. I hear a man come in with a friend and he says, "I'll just put my chair here out of your way and sit down. She agrees that's a good idea then I hear another man talking and I think to myself..."are they gay? Why is 1 man accompanying another? Why do I really care or need to know is what I asked myself next...but I do...the next thing I hear is the Therapist asking the man sitting outside..."Can I take off one of these shackles?" He answers "yes" and then I hear the clanging of chains....what? Yes, Ladies & Gentlemen...there is a prisoner 4 feet away from my electrode strapped bare buttock...and he had to be shackled to comne to physical therapy.............NURSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! come unhook me now pleeeeeeeeeeeeeez....hahahah moments later I am finished so upon exiting my little curtained off pt room I glance to see "the man seated outside"...yep, it's the Sheriff....ahhhhhh, life and times of a florida housewife indeed....


I just want to add I'm feeling all snuggly and warm...why? you ask...well, I was all cold and chilled from taking the dogs out for "a break" as Tye Buckley calls it....so I came in from out of the cold winter and flipped on the fireplace, grabbed my Seminole Snuggly...then happened to glance at the thermometer that is mounted to the window...it reads...60 degrees...what? I am now all cold and uncomfortable when it's 60? Oh my...I am becoming a true Floridian. Oh...and the reason I got so cold is because I was chasing not 1 but 2 dogs..both a little afraid of me so they stayed just out of my grasp as I tried to pick them up...why were they afraid? Well...because I was yelling at them to "come here" because now that Lucy is a squirrel hunter like Ollie she chases squirrels..then today got distracted by the golfer across the street so she ran over there to bark at him (all 3 lbs of her)...this made me run after her which made Ollie run after me which made Ludy run back home! then an Escalade was coming from the right and a truck from the left so my yelling pitch is going UP.. Ollie takes off down the middle of the street...the SUV stops, opens the door all kids pearing out of the windows and the Mom picks up Ollie....I'm running...yep well, limp-running to get Ollie...the truck stops...and I...of course just look like an idiot...BIG baggy sweat pants, sweat shirt, house shoes...running after dogs that WON"T come.....grrrrr

now where is that painpill? that's all!