Finally! A Tattoo

Guess what world? I've finally did it! I have a tattoo. My daughter promised me a couple of years ago that she would get me a tattoo for a Mother's Day gift. It finally happened. It hurt like the dickens. But now I'm a mark woman, a painted lady and I couldn't be happier. My daughter got the exact same thing on her arm. Now we are matching.

The tattoo is of the yingyang symbol with two lizards chasing their tails. What it means to me is balance in life and how we, as people, seem to be chasing our own tails. What goes around comes around and all that.

Everyone keeps asking me, "Why would a grown woman do that to her body?"

The answer is very simple: I did it because this is one of the things I want to do before I get to old to do anything. At 51 time is working against me now. I may have 5 years or I may have 40 years. But I don't want to go without doing at least one thing on my list of, I wish I had done that.

Number 2 on my list is to learn how to drive a motorcycle. We'll see what happens with that.

My Grandson's Birthday

My grandson was born on 8/12/08. It was a wonderful experience.

He was 6lbs 12oz and 20 inches long. He was awake and very alert.

My daughter came thru the event with no problems at all. She is now back at work.

We used a person called a Doola. This person did a wonderful job. She explained everything my daughter needed to know about what was going on in the hospital room. If you ever have an opportunity to use a doolay I would highly suggest you do so.

Where I Work (The Estates on Lake Granbury)

This is where I work. It's called The Estates on Lake Granbury. It's really a great place to work but it is also where I like to practice my other favorite past time and that is fish. I love to fish, however, I was only able to fish a couple of times this year. North Central Texas has been in a drought this summer and our lake is starting to get just a tad low. The water line is now almost to the boat house. (bottom center of the above picture).

This picture above was taken from the dock at my work. It's late in the day and the sun is setting. Near the center of the picture you can just barely make out the courthouse clock in downtown Granbury.

The picture on the right shows my husband's scarecrow tree. That's poison ivy growing all over it. The pictures attached too it are of sunsets taken while I was fishing at The Estates. The first time I fished there I got sunburned so bad I could hardly put on my glasses. I learned to start wearing sunscreen.

This is me in the atrium (front lobby) of The Estates on Lake Granbury. One of the residents took my picture because she knew she was moving to an assisted living place closer to her family. The community I work for is an independent living facility for people age 55 and older. I think now our median age is about 80 something years. But we have some youngsters of just over 55 years old. I know one thing for sure we have a lot of spry elders at The Estates. There's never a dull moment.

The next picture is of me on our boat dock with one of the huge carp that like to hang out around our shore line. Several of our folks like to feed the ducks and geese that call us home during the summertime months. The top picture of this set is me actually doing my job sitting behind the desk and doing all those things that helps me make a living.

The picture of me with the horse was taken at The Dallas World Aquarium. That horse was just about a foot taller than me. He was still friendly, for a horse.

I have worked for The Estates on Lake Granbury for little over 5 years. I learn something new almost everyday. One of my fishing buds showed me how to catch more fish. Some of his tricks actually worked. I'll try to find some more pictures of me and my fish. I've caught carp, catfish, all kinds of bass, a turtle or two, and anything else that swims in Lake Granbury.

If you would like to learn more about where I work check out:
http://www.theestatesonlakegranbury.com/

Television In My Home

Lately I've been really upset with my cable company. They took away 5 stations in one fail swoop. Oh! Excuse me! They didn't take them away, the stations are now digital and the only way to receive them is with a digital receiver. After much fanfare we finally got a digital receiver. Wait, what do I hear? My VCR not recording the digital stations that were made digital with no warning to their customers.

So more fighting with the cable company and we get a DVR. We still can't record using the VCR but the DVR can record two stations at a time and I can watch them when I get home from work at night.

The cable company kept saying that their customers will have to get a digital receiver to get any stations after the "big" digital conversion in Feb. '09. According to the Watchdog in our local newspaper that information is incorrect. Supposedly when the conversion happens the cable company will change the signal back to analog so our older model televisions can get the signal. That begs to ask: How many stations is the cable company going to convert? Those who don't have digital receivers may only get a few stations. Something to think about, isn't it?

My Wonderful Sunflowers

My new project this spring was to grow some giant sunflowers. I must say I did a rather smashing job. It took a lot of hard work but it was well worth it. Those suckers take a lot of water. My husband and I almost figured that out too late. When they don't have enough water their leaves droop like they are really tired.

However, when we got the water mix just right this is what happened. Wonderful, beautiful sunflowers. All the pictures I took are at the shown My Space page. They look really great.

I started the seeds in little starter pots. After they got a couple of inches tall I them in the ground.

Some of the flowers got over 10 feet tall. Those were the giants. The other flowers, they hybrids, only got a few feet tall. Those were the prettiest with all the different colors.

Oh well, those flowers are all drying up now. However, I do have lots and lots of seeds for next year.

Medicine in America

So, now my daughter is like extremely pregnant. She has been having labor pains for two days, but not very regular. She calls her doctor and gets the on-call doc. The on-call doc tells her in an accent that was so thick that all my daughter could understand was that you are probably in labor take to extra strength tylenol and go to bed. What's up with that?

Anyway, all day today we have been waiting for the wee one to be born. Still having pains but no baby. Maybe tomorrow.

Which brings me to another topic. I have a tooth that needs a root canal and crown. I have another tooth that needs a re-treatment of a root canal. I have to wait until my major dental kicks in in August before insurance covers any of the root canal and even with that it's going to be over $1,000.

Then I go in for my well-woman exam. I'm told I have to have a colonoscopy as I'm now over 50 years of age. I'm assured that my medical insurance will cover this test as it is part of my well woman exam. Okay so I'm scheduled to speak with the gastro. doctor. She assures me my insurance will cover this as it's part of my well woman exam.

5 days before this colonoscopy I get a letter in the mail saying it's going to cost me $640 for this medical test that's supposed to be covered by my medical insurance that is supposed to be covering my well woman exam. So I go to my medical insurance site. The normal charge for a colonoscopy in this area is between $410-$510.

My husband calls the gastro. place. They tell him we will be reimbursed after insurance pays thier share of the $640. Well this $640 is being saved for a root canal I know I absolutely need. The colonoscopy is because some doctor decided I needed this test. I had one 4 years ago when I was ill in the hospital. It was clear.

Now I have a decision to make-root canal or colonoscopy? I picked the root canal. My tooth hurts; My butt does not!

The Turtle Story

One night as I was falling asleep this twilight story came to me. It's about a young turtle who is curious about why he must always wear a shell. The shell is hot and itchy. He just wants to feel the air on his skin once. He wants to feel the wide open spaces of his life.



So the young turtle goes to the grandfather turtle to ask why he must always wear his shell.

Grandfather turtle has a very hard shell. It is dry and crusty. There are nicks in his shell but none have ever penetrated it. The young turtle approaches his grandfather and asks; "Why must I always wear my shell? It is hot and itchy. I want to feel the open air and experience life and all it has to offer on my skin.



Grandfather turtle shakes his mighty head. He dips his head low close to the young turtle's face and he says: "Young turtle, if you go out into the world without your shell you will look like your sisters and brethen on the highway of life. You will be totally and completely squashed! "



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