A moving journal entry

Please go here and visit Jeff at Polished Words.  He has posted a moving journal entry to honor the brave soldiers who died in Mogadishu. 

Bathtub Shrines

This entry is not meant to insult, denigrate, or otherwise cause harm to anyone's personal beliefs...

The past couple days, while driving home, a Bathtub Shrine has caught my eye.  Yes, it was an actual bathtub, buried halfway in the ground with probably a Virgin Mary inside.  I can only see the tub part driving by.  You used to see alot more of these things a long time ago, but not as much.  Usually you will see a smaller version of a shrine or grotto type thing with the Virgin Mary, St. Francis or someone else inside.  Now I may be ignorant, but is sticking a statue of the Virgin Mary in a bathtub the best way to show your love for her?  Its a little gross and tacky to me.  I am not a Catholic, after doing some research  I found that it actually has a history!  Well, to each their own.  As far as tacky yard ornaments go, I'll stick with my resin toads and birds..  No pink flamingos yet, but if anyone has one they want to send me let me know! 

Oh at court today, I was awarded $68 a week in support plus $5 a week retroactive ($350).  Now we wait until Thursday to see if the judge will let me continue to have primary physical custody. 

Isn't that a sweet little girl? 

Feeding the birds

 

With winter rapidly approaching, my birdfeeding activity goes way up!  I have tried to keep the feeders filled through out summer, however the evil squirrels keep popping open the lid on my sunflower seed can I have outdoors.  Then it rains and everything gets wet.  I went out this morning to see what I could salvage.  Thankfully, with the cold weather, the seed is just wet, not moldy or growing!  I put the best in the feeder and a block of suet dough.  I heard a white-breasted nuthatch outdoors too.  They make a beep-beep kind of noise when going around the trees. 

Tarzan is busily kneading my coat right now.  He enjoys the texture of it and sleeps on it when he can.  Brownie is on bird patrol at the window.  She can spend hours there watching them come and go.  I have the feeder pole set up right outside the window and I can watch while online too.  I got my love of birds and feeding them from my mother.  She had us help her fill the feeders and taught us the names of many of the birds that visited.  When I was young we were visited by large flocks of evening grosbeaks.  Now it is quite rare to have flocks come this far south in the winter.  It is a real treat to have them at all. 

We had a frost last night and the field behind the park is a ghostly white color.  The heater has been coming on and I am not happy about that at all!  I am hoping the judge will give me something I can live with today for support.  The genius e-mailed me and told me that he got his first unemployment check last week and if "I take it all" he will put the house into foreclosure, and I will have to pay all the back lot rent, and the dogs will go to the pound.  Now how is that for a guilt trip?  He then sent me another e-mail stating that he was never "served" papers so therefore he doesn't have to show up.  Also his "girlfriend" has been in the hospital because she has had two heart attacks in the last month and he was with her.  Thats why he hasn't been visiting Sarah.  He has some real bad luck with girlfriends it seems.  His last one "died of cancer" and the one before that had a "husband come home from Iraq".  I wonder what will happen to the next one?  LOL!  Ok I promised not to write about him here.  I guessI couldn't help it...  My bad...

 

Busy weekend...

 

Yes, I spent the weekend driving Miss Sarah around to various parties.  On Saturday she has a birthday party and a Halloween party.  Today she had another Halloween party to attend.  We then went up to the stables and took a turn riding Mac.  He is such a great horse and a treat hog too.  I had my back to him and I guess he felt I wasn't paying enough attention to him and he kept butting me with his head and lipping me.  After that we went over to Dave's for his Mom's birthday party.  I had gotten her a Twisted Whiskers notepad and pen and a set of 3 nesting bowls.  They have a fall leaf pattern on them.  She liked them it seems.  I wish I could see MY MOM on her birthday!  I miss all those important things.  Birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter etc...  I did get to spend Easter with her a couple years ago.  For those of you that get to visit your Mom's, be grateful!  I miss my Mom so much.  I guess I should be grateful I still have her, and I am.  There are alot of you out there that lost thier Mom's too.  Ok I'm rambling now. 

Court tomorrow for child support and then again Thursday for the other matter.  I did get an e-mail from the ex.  I won't discuss it here however.  I have decided and it has been advised by someone who's opinions I value that its probably not a good idea to talk about him here.  He is receiving unemployment though, so I hope I will get some child support.  Ok everyone have a GORJUSS week! 

Trick or Treat through J-Land

Donna has reminded me it is Trick or Treat time in J-land.  That means visiting old friends and making new ones as you go!  What could be better than that?!  They say one is silver and the other is gold.  So join in and make the rounds.  If you're not sure how, here's some instructions: 

Snag the tag, make a trick-or-treat post in your journal that links back here.  Don't forget to leave a comment here including a link to your trick-or-treat post.  Then visit all your friends.  Hopefully they will have their treats ready!  Make sure you check back here often to see who else is leaving comments.  Go visit them and wait for them to come and visit you.

Hint:  Don't forget to trick or treat Donna and thank her for the cool graphic!

Have a safe and fun Halloween!

I got this from Barbara!  Click her name to visit her!

John Scalzi Weekend Assignment! Amuse Me!

Video is not working, Click HERE

Go to John Scalzi's webpage to see the other entries.  Hope this amuses you John!

 

Photo Scavenger Hunt

I am participating in Val's Photo Scavanger Hunt.  She is doing the theme of Halloween or Something Orange.  I have a little of both her in my entry! 

Peak Fall foliage time

My friend David and I took a ride today after breakfast at Denny's.  The foliage is at peak color and alot of leaves are falling off the trees.  I bet by next week, most of them will be on the ground.  I'm glad I got out today to capture the colors.  We have mostly oranges and yellows this year.  The cows and pigs are owned by the Arnold Farm in Greenfield Center, NY.  The cows are of a mixed lot.  I think some are Herefords and Holsteins.  I'm not sure what the spotted freckly calf is.  If anyone knows, let me know!  Its raining now and that will bring down alot of the leaves also.  I went to Wal-mart today and managed to spend about $100 dollars.  Ouch.  I got some Halloween decorations and candy.  Also some toiletries and a heavy duty brown hoodie for Sarah for part of her costume.  I should of gotten the lighter weight one because she will be indoors alot.  Maybe I can bring back the heavy one and get the lighter one.  I was planning on using real antlers for her costume but now that I'm thinking of it, she may accidently poke someone in the eye with one at the parties she is attending!  I hope everyone enjoys the photos! 

Here is my Mom and her friends cooking up something special for Halloween!  Hi Mom, teehee!

So tired...

I am just dragged out tired.  I worked on a unit today doing personal care on residents.  Its hard work and I'm dog-tired.  I want to try and get out tomorrow and get some nice fall scenery pictures to share.  I also need to get to the grocery and maybe to Walmart.  I'm expecting a propane delivery soon also and will have that bill to pay.  Its hard to get ahead.  Those two kids in the graphic above remind me of me and my brother and sister when we were kids.  We had huge maples in our front yard and would rake up huge piles of leaves and jump in them.  Some of the piles would tower over us and we could dive into the middle of them.  It was fun to rake when we could do that, but funny how it turns into a chore quickly when told you HAVE to do it! 

Halloween is just around the corner.  Sarah has decided she wants to be a deer!  I have to go out and see if I can find her a plain brown hoodie to wear.  I believe she already has brown pants.  If I can only find a brown hoodie with a design, it can be turned inside out because the fuzzy inside will look like fur.  I want to see if my friend Dave can rustle up a small pair of antlers for me.  I think she will look cute.  I will also see if I can get some brown and white felt and make her a tail. 

Travis is going to be the Grim Reaper again like he was last year.  I think this year will be his last one, because he might be getting a little bit too old to be having Mommy taking him Trick or Treating ( he is 16).  Maybe I'll dress up and score some candy too.  Several years ago, when I lived in a different town, we got alot of people at Halloween come to the house.  One year after I put candy in their bags, I noticed my Trick or treaters were a couple of older women!  They had face paint on but I could see the wrinkles right under it!  I vowed that the next year, I would catch them, but darned if they didn't trick me again!  Shame on them and me!  Maybe I'll do my hillbilly costume again this year.  I dress in old jeans and an old flannel shirt and stuff it to give myself a big beer belly.  I weara hat and put on face paint to make it look like a beard and moustache.  Thats always fun and the seniors at the nursing home get quite a kick out of it.  One year I even brought a whisky flask and was dragging a stuffed bear around on a rope.  The flask was empty of course, but I kept asking people if they wanted a toot on it.  Well, time to go... 

News... what news?

Yes, I most unashamedly stole this graphic from Jeannette at Welcome to my Travels.  For some reason, it looks smaller than the one at her journal.  I stepped outside this morning after seeing that AOL was saying there was a meteor shower.  I saw one streak down and then didn't see anymore.  I had to come in and get ready for my day.  I've been working some overtime lately.  2 1/2 hrs here and there.  It adds up.  I still have one more week before I go in front of the support magistrate.  I'll probably end up with a lousy $20 bucks a week.  I suppose its better than nothing however.  Sarah has been over at her grandmother's since Thursday waiting for her Dad to come visit her.  After he doesn't show up, she comes home and spends the night.  She spent the night at her Grandma's last night however.  Still no visit.  He will probably show up today.  I'll be sure to mention this to the judge too.  There really isn't much more news. 

Hope everyone has a nice day...  Linda

hi mom

No lawyer for court

Good Morning everyone.  I spoke yesterday with the public defenders office.  Apparently they don't cover modification petitions.  So they told me I have to represent myself.  Considering that I can't afford a lawyer thats what I will do.  I feel I have enough proof to present my case. 

I really haven't been doing to much.  I brought pizza from Pizza Hut last night over to my friend Dave's house and we had a dinner with his family.  His Mom "retired" from Wesley, where I work and is going to work at another facility.  She got a $500 check from Wesley for "retiring".  She has worked there nearly 30 years, so I think giving her something is appropriate!  I've only got 5 more years to go and I can "retire" from Wesley too!  Haha.  I wonder what they consider retirement?  20 years?  I have 15 now. 

My son is making me so angry lately with his laziness and general disrespect.  He expects me to wait on him and get him his clothes and food.  I tell him to do it himself.  So he just lays on the couch until the last minute before school and barely gets the bus on time.  I took away his computer priveleges the other day.  He pretends he is sorry but I know he isn't.  He is on the other hand getting good grades in school.  He is getting 80's in his main subjects and in Criminal Justice he got a 79 and the instructor said he is attentive and has excellent attendance. 

I really dont' have too much more news.  I hope everyone has a nice day...  Linda

Monday photo shoot

John Scalzi Monday Photo shoot is Someone or something lounging...

Here is my entry!

Here is my grand-nephew William doing what babies do best! 

A beautiful fall day!

What a beautiful day it was yesterday.  It was cool and sunny with just a little breeze.  I brought William home and took Sarah and her friend on a Geocaching adventure.  The first involved looking for the different grave sites of Jane McCrea and collecting information from them to get the numbers for the final cache.  Next we went to Moreau State Park and worked on the Prints/Chaws cache.  I must of gotten a number wrong somewhere because I could not find the final.  I think I know my mistake, but I need to go back and re-do some of it to make sure.  The pond was covered with hundreds of migrating geese.  They honked away as they foraged for food at the pond.  Then off we went to home.  It was a really nice day.  I hope everyone has a good week. 

Court, William and Turkeys

Court on Friday was pretty much a non-event.  It has been adjourned until Nov 1st until both parties have representation.  I think its pretty amusing that he is asking for a public defender after he blasted me about mine when he had his high payed one.  He said mine was no good because only lousy lawyers are public defenders.  He came to court looking all scraggly with a long, scruffy beard.  Enuf of him.

I saw a flock of turkeys yesterday and snapped some pics of them.  It was raining so they didn't come out to good, they were far off too.

I have William over today for an overnight visit.  He is 6 months old now!  Hard to believe.  He is getting so big.  He can roll over and hold him self upright on your lap, he is very wiggly though and has to be held.  He eats alot too!  Sarah was unhappy because she wasn't getting enough quality attention today and went to her Grandmother's.  Makes me feel awful because she spends so much time there already.  She was "bored" here.  I wouldn't be surprised if Grandma keeps track of how much time Sarah spends there when I'm not at work.  She claims she doesn't mind, but I bet she will stab me in the back first chance she gets.  She has done it before and I'm sure will do it again. 

There isn't much more for news.  Hope everyone has a nice Sunday...

This is messed up!

Watch this video, hang in there all the way and you will see some pretty messed up stuff for a few seconds when you look away! 

http://www.killsometime.com/video/video.asp?ID=545

Really bad day for Allergies!

My Allergies started in first thing this morning.  I took some Benedryl and took Sarah over to her grandmothers to get ready for school.  When I got home I crashed and didn't wake up until after 11:00 AM!  Then I got up and went over to my Aunt Janice's house.  We went out for breakfast/lunch at Dennys.  Then we went to the house of an old friend of hers that had passed away.  She had permission from the family to take what she wanted.  She had me look and I got a painting, a TV and a couple pillows.  There is still some furniture there that hopefully someone can use..  I may take some myself.  We saw some free stuff on the side of the road and we stopped and I got some nice frosted glasses with fruit on them.  Also a handmade bowl from Turkey. 

I am still wiped right out.  Allergies take alot out of me, not to mention the medicine dopes me up too.  I'm ready for bed again and its only 7:30 PM.   I'm just useless.  LOL!  Linda

Busy weekend, time to relax...

I had a busy weekend, worked a little bit of overtime.  Not much as Sarah hurt her foot and I had to take her to Urgent Care.  Her father did finally pick her up and visit with her for a couple hours on Sunday.  I have sent him numerous messages regarding child support etc.. but he just ignores them.  I was feeling very desperate yesterday.  I had 3 "Wesley bucks" I received at work for good performance and cashed them in for $15 in gift certificates for a local convenient store.  I sold one for cash to a co-worker so I could have lunch.  I had $14 dollars left on my child support card from Travis' father and I bought some essentials at the grocery.  Now I am broke.  I am really upset.  I will call over to EOC today and see if I can get a couple bags of groceries from the food pantry. 

I will get my paltry check from the Haunted Hayrides next week and get paid again next Wednesday.  We go to court Friday too.  I hope something gets done and its not put off so he can hire his expensive lawyer again.  I wonder if his new girlfriend knows or cares that he doesn't pay child support?  Probably not...  He is a skilled liar.  Probably has me made out to be the bad guy while he is the innocent victim. 

I had a dream last night involving alot of feces tracked into Wesley (the nursing home I work at) and also on residents etc.. 

Also dreamed about a summer lover of years ago.  Summer of 1990 actually!  Francisco Cortez Ramirez...  He was a sweet young man...  Long black hair and light brown skin.  He had a lovely accent and these deep brown eyes.  I hated to see him go at the end of the track seaon. 

Francisco.. I met him one night at a club in downtown Saratoga.  He had a fake ID because he was only 19.  I was there with my brother.  I saw him standing there, he looked like a Native American to me.  So beautiful.  I finally struck up the courage to ask him to dance.  I remember I had on this pink and white top with fringe on the bottom and it said Playgirl on it.  The song was Love Shack by the B-52's.  I remember telling him that this song reminds me of where I live.  At the time I was living with my cousin John and his wife Ginny up in an old house in Gansevoort.  It was such a wonderful summer, full of friends and parties.  Anyhow...  I arranged to meet him the following evening and my brother took us up to the Alley bar and we played pool and drank Tequila!  My brother nicknamed him "Paco".  I was falling in love with Francisco and I think the tequila helped!  I took him over to my brother's apartment and went up and fooled around with him in the bedroom!  We got together every chance we could.  We would make love in my bedroom at John's with the sunlight streaming over us.  I can see his skin now and how I marveled at the difference in our complexion.  I had just gotten out of the AirForce at this time and my sense of freedom was enormous.  The only time he ever got angry with me was because I kept calling him "jerk" in a playful way.  I liked to tease him too because in his language there is no "J" so he pronounced everything with a "Y" instead.  So he was a Yerk in a Yacket!  I used to laugh. 

I remember when we parted.  I dropped him off at the track and he kissed me and he ran off.  He told me he was trying not to cry.  I got a couple letters from him and a few phone calls.  I got pregnant with Travis that fall (not by him).  When I told him, he said he was sorry and told me he was engaged to marry someone.  I still think about him and dream about him on occasion. 

His horse at the track that he took care of was called Fly so Free.  He won the Juvenile that year down in Belmont. 

Well, enough reminicing.  I probably have my Mom all blushing by now when she reads this!   Love you MOM!   :)  

Linda

Happy Columbus Day!

Good Morning!  I hope everyone is having a nice day today.  Its nice and cool out here but a thunderstorm is passing to the north and east of us.  I stepped out to see if I could see the moon, but all I saw was a reddish glow in the east from the rising sun and I heard thunder rumble north and saw lighting flash west.  I felt good though.  It was so quiet and still.  I could hear crickets singing softly but other than that I felt like the only being on earth at that time.  Well almost, I heard a car go by on the road and it ruined my moment! 

Today is Columbus Day!  Back then I guess people must of thought he was a real kook.  Sailing off into the nothingness and probably falling off the edge of the earth.  It was flat back then!  He discovered the Americas instead.  Thus began hundreds of years of whites pillaging and rampaging across Native lands, usurping the Indians and kicking them off their land...  Our ancestors were certainly greedy.  I guess back then Might made Right.  I guess alot of that still happens today..  Now I'm not a Columbus hater by any means!  I don't want anyone to think I'm some sort of fanatic, that was supposed to be humorous!  True, but humorous. 

I worked 2 hours overtime last night.  That will equal about $40 in my paycheck for extra!  Now if I do that again tonight or maybe go in Tuesday and work a few hours....  I don't like working overtime, but I have kids to provide for.  I have a sense of responsibility, unlike some people who squander all their money and don't think they have to pay child support. 

Really not to much more going on.  I hope everyone has a good day, especially those who have the day off!  I for one, have to work!  Bye for now!  Linda

A couple of my favorites

Here are a couple of my favorite Robert Frost poems...

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Nothing Gold can stay

Nature's first green is gold
Her hardest hue to hold
Her early leaf's a flower
But only so an hour

Then leaf subsides to leaf
So Eden sank to grief
So dawn goes down to day
Nothing gold can stay

 

 

Deadbeat Dad Deluxe

How much is that scumbag in the window?  The one who won't answer his door?  How much is that scumbag in the window?  He will get his pretty soon! 

Yup, had to go up and see if he was dead (unfortunately not) because he didn't bother to come visit his daughter these last two days.  So he was sitting there watching TV with his new girlfriend and they were eating pizza. He wouldn't come to the door, they both pretended they were deaf as they sat there stuffing their faces.  The dogs were barking up a storm. Must be nice to be able to afford to buy pizza for your girlfriend.  Never mind giving me money to buy groceries for his daughter so she can eat too.  I got a court date for the child support and its Oct 29th.  So from Oct 3rd when the papers were filed, it starts adding up.  I'm sure he is conveniently not working too, so he can tell the judge he isn't employed.  Still can afford pizza tho! 

Ok anyhow.  I spent some time Geocaching with my Dad in eastern NY and Vermont.  We only found 4.  I also saw the grave of poet Robert Frost.   

 

 

 

He is buried in an old cemetary in Bennington VT.  If you click on his name it gives details of his life there.  I love his poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening".  The foliage colors in the mountains were absolutely beautiful!  I wish I had remembered my camera.  These are not my pictures, they are from the website. 

I quit my job at the Haunted Hayrides.  I decided that it would be more advantageous of me to work overtime at Wesley and get time and a half then to work for minimum wage at a job I have to travel 20 minutes to get to.  I would be making 3X the amount of money doing time and a half. 

Wishing everyone a good night...  Linda

My Tarzan caught a mouse!

I guess I have a mouser in the family!  Tarzan was under the couch this morning playing around and wouldn't come out.  When I peeked under there he had a dead mouse!  Knowing from experience and from his low growl, I wouldn't be able to get it away from him.  So I let him keep it.  Disgustingly enough a few minutes ago, he ate it!  I haven't seen any leftover.  I hope there isn't a mouse head hiding around somewhere.  GROSS!  Now he will probably vomit it up somewhere.  I guess I'll have to get a tapeworm pill from the vet to give him just in case.  Have a nice day everyone!  Linda

Nasty, evil headache

I have a nasty vicious sinus headache right now.  Feels like my head is going to explode.. My allergies have been flaring up the last couple days and now the headache.  If it keeps up, I will have to go to the Dr.  I took some cold/sinus/allergy medicine, so it will help somewhat. 

Work was ok today, but I was tired and lethargic all day again.  I'm wondering if I have sleep apnea.  I do snore and snort in my sleep.  I can only sleep in a couple positions or I feel like I can't breath.  Sometimes I can feel the back of my throat relaxing down and I make a popping noise when I breath.  Very annoying! 

The trees are looking very pretty up here about now.  The colors are nice this year. I would like to take a trip to the Hudson valley I think to take some photos.  Or the Catskills.  The Adirondacks right now are about 75% color.