Good bye 2010 and good riddance

Looking back to last year in review it seems that I was busy, but was I busy with things I wanted to do? January, February were uneventful with no entries on my calender. NO ENTRIES? How could that be? I did not have a new calender or else I did not make any entries.

In February, I started back to therapy for my blues that hold me hostage during the Christmas holidays. For the last two years, I have not been able to shake these feelings. I don't like that I am a Grinch. I love the holidays, but I have to tell you that this year nearly choked the life out of me.
Why? I haven't a clue? I can't really pin it down, but I think it has to do with all the hype of the season.

BTW...I am still as confused as ever with this computer. I am beginning to not like some of the prompts it leaves me.

Why can't Christmas be like Easter? Now there is a holiday I can enjoy. No gifts, no large gatherings of family, just a beautiful holiday celebrating the Resurrection. Everything seemed to be a huge effort to do. My tree was never complete. I lost the tree topper angel, the lights went out on the tree, just to name a few of the mishaps this year. I finally just walked away from that stupid tree and gave up. I told myself that next year I am not going through all of this hassle. I can't believe I said that. Hmmmm....we'll see next Christmas. I hope and pray that I have an attitude adjustment by then.

In February, we had Valentine's Day. I barely survived because I was the only designer. I was in disbelief that my little boss did not have more help. We are already talking about my schedule for V.Day. The only endeavor in my life that I always thrive is in my work. I am a die hard work my self to death florist. It is all I have ever known with the exception of running a food pantry for the needy. I don't know how to do any less than my best. I wish I had balance in my life.

Balance, that is one area of my life that I have been trying to improve in. I am an all or nothing kind of woman. It makes me insane, I know it does and yet I continue to live my life like a woman out of control. Some of my finest moments are my worst moments.

March, I injured my knee while leaving work. I stepped down the stairs funny and immediately I was filled with pain. This turned out to be worse than I thought. The doctors wanted to do surgery, I did not want another surgery so I set out on a different route. I started going to a Chiropractor. It has taken months to get better, but at least I am finally there. I still aggravate it every now and then, but at least I avoided surgery. I am immobilised by this injury. I am home bound for three weeks. I have to tell you this is really depressing. Pain and immobility are not my best companions. This is the first time ever that I feel like my body has let me down and I am really worried if this will be permanent. My ramblings enable me. I start to believe that self talk. I am my worst enemy.

By April, I am walking with a cane. Off the crutches and hobbling along. I am still feeling down and out. Come May, I am better. I am looking forward to Spring and getting my patio plants in order. As you can see, my calender is full. I took off from work because I could not stand and design full time. I was ready for a break from work, but I also missed it immensely.

Then the Summer from Hades arrived. This killer humidity and heat. It sucked the life out of me. I am frazzled from it. Hubs grew an incredible garden full of luscious vegetables. Me. I stayed inside. I shelled lots of peas and the meals were really good. I was a recluse in hiding from this over bearing heat. So there went the Summer. Argh! I hate this heat. I know I am melodramatic! What can I say? See why I need therapy?


By now I am ready to move to the North Pole forever because of this stinking heat. I hate it.
Wait...I feel a little cooler weather? No, it is just Fall. No cooling yet. Our weather bounces around from the one hundreds to the sixties. That can sure make me a grumpy woman. Argh! I don't want to be this way, but I am so hot that I dream of loads of snow and cooler weather. This has been the hottest summer ever. Where is Fall?

Alright it is still warm, but not scorching hot like the summer. I have to prepare for Thanksgiving. My boss ask me to come back to work. I am glad, but reluctant. Back to work I go. I don't want to relive the holidays. You know they were bad.
Need I say more?

I found out that I am diabetic. That is not good news. I am so overwhelmed with all of these emotions. I am in denial for a while about it. I am angry with myself. I am not a very happy person. I guess you all know the rest of the story.

In the bad news dept. Carmen our beloved Dobie was diagnosed with breast cancer. That is the worst thing about the whole year. I want to thank you all for the love and support and prayers you have shown Carmen and our family.

On a good note, I did loose 16 pounds. It was a huge struggle. I have thousands of pounds to go or at least it feels like that. This year, I want to continue to get healthy. Be happy once again. Enjoy my life and not feel any guilt for not doing what others want me to do. I think to much. Why don't I just beat my head against the brick wall?

This is Baby, a little orphan cat that we adopted the week before Christmas. Yes, I know...I don't need another critter, but honestly...could you say NO? Of course she has incredible luck in her young life. She was found by my sister's friend. She was clinging to life in a shrub. She did not have her eyes open and the friend took her in and fed her by a dropper. She can't have any more animals because she is in an aptartment and besides the lady has a dog. This little baby has brought lots of laughter to us.

The newer kinder me is scary. The old me was not very tolerant of others. I was impatient and very opinionated, but I had a sense of humor. Or so I thought. I am at odds with the new me. I have learned to stop, think and listen before I speak. I usually just react. Now I am learning a new way to communicate with those I love. I am trying to be aware of others feelings instead of being a bull in a china cabinet. Oh, Lord help me. Nobody said it would be easy, but little did I know it would be such a challenge, too.

In closing, I am wishing all of you a Happy New year full of possibilties. Full of hope, full of life and full of love. I happily say good by to 2010 and welcome the new year 2011.

Bad news about Carmen

I have some really bad news about Carmen, our Doberman. She has cancer. Oh my gosh! I don't know what my sister will do without her. I never dreamed that her biopsy would be so bad. She has Adenocarcinoma in her breast. The lady at the vet's office told me the news. She could not even pronounce it. The doctor will not remove the rest of the tumor because it would spread.

We will keep a check on it in two months. The lady said that it was a really bad tumor and fast growing.

I ask about treatment. They did not recommend anything. I am still in shock.

I am asking for prayers for Carmen. I know she is a dog, but she is not just any dog, she is our beloved pet and we love her so much. Some of you may not know that I found her on the road in the country. I stopped to give her some water and in she jumped into my truck. I remember my sister laughing so hard at that dog that day. Little did she know that she would wind up with her. Little did we know how much she would bring to our lives. That was almost two years ago.

It was love at first sight. You could tell that someone had abused her because she would not even look you in the eyes and she cowered when a man was near. Something about this wonderful dog spoke to my heart. She did have a collar on and I thought I would just take her home and call her owner. I came to find out that Carmen was from another state, Louisiana, and the vet did give me her owner's number, but it had been disconnected. We were able to get her age and name from the other vet.

I took the dog to the vet only to discover that she had heart worms. We had her treated. That is when I really came to love this big beautiful dog. Her spirit of love and never giving up. Her silliness, her intellect, her attitude. So it is in this spirit that I pray that Carmen will over come. She has over come so much so far and that is my prayer that she will over come this too.

Have any of you ever heard of this cancer? Please leave me a comment if you have any information to help her.

Look what I won in a give a way!

My friend, Xmichra, had a drawing at her blog http://xmichra2.blogspot.com/

I was so excited to win this beautiful hand made necklace. It came all the way from Canada. She is most talented in her jewerly business and her blog is so great to read. If you have time, please go and visit her and tell her that I sent you.

She is the best. Thank you again, Xmichra for this lovely necklace. I will think of you everytime I wear it. I just wish that my photography skills were better so everyone could see how beautiful this necklace really is in person.

Here's the darling shop where I work

Front parking and entry to porch.
The blue building is a manicure, pedicure and all things wonderful that go with a beauitifying salon.




My beautiful little boss. She is so much fun to work for. We think so much a like. She does an awesome job on managing this shop.


Fireplace and mantel in the front room.


This is the front room and it is where most of the home accessories are displayed.

The french door to the left side of the shop houses the hair dressers and tanning booths.

Home accessories at the front door of the shop.

This is the middle room where Courtney sells clothes, jewerly, designer bags, and other accessories. She puts all of this together. She has a great eye for details.

Antiques fill the shop and create a lovely warm atmosphere.

See why I love my job and this amazing little shop.

And the people I work with are just the best folks ever.

Looking from the middle room to the front door. This is the center of the shop.

My design station is to the right behind these plants. It is a wonderful little room in the center of the house. There is a big walk in cooler there. It steps down in to a wash room where the balloons and wrapping paper are located.

News about Carmen

A few of you ask how Carmen was doing. I picked her up Saturday from the vet. I was happily surprised that she was doing as well as she was. She has one of those big collars on and it is somewhat hard for her to navigate through the doors. She acts and looks fine. The doctor removed half of the mammary tumor because there was not enough skin to stretch over and stitch.

We have to return in two months for another check up. The test results on the tumor will be back in about ten days. I guess we will go from there. Carmen was not spayed and I guess that the other surgery took precedence over it.

As I write this she is laying on the floor next to me asleep. At night she stays in the guest bedroom and sleeps like a queen on the king size bed. I took pictures of her and sent to my sister. She was relieved to see how well she was doing. I am thankful that she is taking her medicines because Sissy has trouble getting Carmen to keep the pill and swallow it. I covered the pill with a little peanut butter and she is looking for more.

I am thankful that she is doing so well. I am glad that nothing is oozing or bleeding because that would be gross. She gets to wear this lovely collar for ten days. I think she will be a champ at getting through the doors with this big collar on.

Another good note is that my granddaughter, Ali, phoned me this morning and she is feeling much better. Her big brother is sick now. I hope he won't be sick too long.

A day in the life

This week has been a total blurr to me because of all of the things that Sissy and I had to get done. It felt like a marathon in that we left early in the morning and came home at dark each day. Whew! Let me catch my breath.

Our errands went from A to Z with as much as we could cram in each day. Doctor's appointments, blood work, refills on her medicines, then a little shopping, grabbing a bite of our favorite mexican food, meeting with an old friend for lunch,going for as many Chiropractor adjustments as possible,add in a little more shopping, get her hair cut and colored to taking all three of the dogs to the vet at one time for their Parvo booster,worm check and heart worm medicine.

Sister was a little sad because she had to leave her dobie, Carmen, to have surgery for a mammory tumor and get her spayed. One is related to the other in the fact that a female dog not spayed has too much estrogen and other hormones and it causes tumors to grow in her breast. I will pick Carmen up tomorrow. She has to go back for more surgery in a few weeks. I am not sure why, but I will find out tomorrow.

Sister had to return home to keep her grandson. I will keep her dog until she can travel and then I will take Carmen to sister and visit her kids and those cute little grand kids.

We have probably driven 400 miles in three days.I had planned on having a very low keyed day with no stress and that is what I did today.

Well that is about it for me this week. I hope you had a wonderful week. I have to call my little grand daughter because she is sick with Scarlette Fever.

My New Red Hair

I have tried every which way I can think of to get a picture of my hair by myself. Geez, it is really hard to do when you have short arms. LOL! I took my camera to work today and ask my boss if she would take some pictures.

I don't know why my glasses are turning dark.

I took this one that is why it is so goofy. Oh, wait I am goofy.


Back of hair do

The Queen's Meme #63 ~ The Frivolous Christmas Meme

The Queen's Meme #63 ~ The Frivolous Christmas Meme

Welcome to The Queen's Meme #63
Let's talk Christmas. I'm in a naughty and nice mood. Some are one-word answers, others need a little explanation. Feel free to elaborate when the blog spirit moves ya. And above all else...Have fun!



1. Amazon.com or the Mall? More like specialty shops
2. Bows or ribbons? Bows and lots of ribbons
3. Expensive or sale tags
That depends on what I am looking for.
4. Long list or short? It is pretty short this year.
5. Wrapped packages or gift bags
Wrapped

6. Eggnog or vodka

Eggnog with some bourbon if you please?
7. Have you finished your shopping?Of course I have finished.

8. A Christmas Carol or The Bible Story ? I like both

9. Are you Scrooge or Santa's Helper?
I like to be Santa's helper.

10. Did you ever catch Santa Claus in the act? You mean delivering the presents?

11. Tell me about your Christmas tree...gotta pic?


12. Christmas carols or Rock Station

I enjoy Christmas carols. Falala,lalala,lalala

13. Do you believe in Elves?
Of course I do believe in elves. How else would I get all the decorating done?

14. I am looking for Santa. Describe him for me.

Well, Santa is a very jolly fella with a belly full of jello and a big white beard and he wears a red suit.

15. Do you leave cookies out or bourbon? I leave bourbon so he can stay warm and some home made sugar cookies for the reindeer.

16. White lights or multi-colored White lights
17. Wreaths on the doors, windows, outside? Yep, all of the above.
18. Who are the 3 wisest wise men in your life? HUBS, and my two sons.
19. Is Christmas religious or commercial for you? Religious
20. Ever kiss under the mistletoe? Who hasn't?

21. Stars or angels on top of the tree- Angel

22. Who deserves to get a lump of coal for Christmas and why? He knows who he is.
23. Who is #7 in the 12 Days of Christmas song? Seven Lords a Leapin or maybe seven swans a swimming. I think I got into the eggnog?

24. Snail mail cards or e-cards? snail mail cards
25. What do you want for Christmas?
PEACE ON EARTH AND GOOD WILL TOWARDS MEN.

A day in my life

I worked last week and made a lot of lovely gift baskets. I had a very nice day hanging out with everyone at work. My beautician is in the same wonderful old house, along with another beautician, as the place I work in. I went in and had my hair cut and colored with red highlights. I really wanted to go festive for the holidays.

I am getting bolder in my old age. In my thirties, I would not have had the courage to go so hot. However, once in high school between my junior and senior year, I decided to have my long brown hair bleached. That was a mess,I don't think I need to say anymore. LOL! Some of my pictures I am brunette and some blond. Argh...I was not thinking and I had it dyed back that summer.

This morning my boss's mother called me to tell me how beautiful the gift baskets were. She said she can always tell when I have been there because of all of the pretty stuff I make. Well, you know, I can't take a compliment. I didn't know what to say except that the man that custom ordered everything really pulled it all together. This man's wife is dying of cancer, and he is so precious in that he gives her the most wonderful and thoughtful gifts. Sometimes flowers, other times gifts of luxury for his wife. I am always touched by his love for her. I keep them in my prayers as well.

I am so excited because my sissy is coming to stay for about a week. She has been sick. I haven't seen her in over two months. First thing, she wants to do is eat Mexican food at Posado's. We usually just get one puffy taco a la Cart with guacamole. She gets the puffy sopapillo with honey for dessert. We will also do some Christmas shopping for her grand children and my great niece and nephew. Of course, we will have to go to Sam's and look for books and get pizza for lunch.

Her grand daughter/my great niece will be turning three this month. Her parents are having her party at a tree farm. I think that is a really great idea. They provide all the cake and goodies, and the kids get to ride on a hay ride type thing and pick out trees.

We will go to the chiropractor as many times as we can to get her back in shape. I think we will go and see the million lights on the court house in Marshall, TX. http://www.visitmarshalltexas.org/

That is about it for me. I am still trying to pull my home together for the holidays.
I keep you all in my thoughts and prayers.

Have a great week.