Kentuckian Goober Award

Off to Kentucky we went today, more tobacco products for hubby...(baaaddd hubby). We had a great time and went out to lunch. Bill drove all the way to Salem on "E", but he is such a smarty britches, he made it just fine.

While we were in Kentucky there was a semi pulling out onto the road, we had the red light, so he was turning and from behind us coming fast like a driver in the Indy 500 was a car blaring on the horn at the semi. We started laughing as the said car screeched on the brakes after he realized how stupid he was...OUR light was still red....This is the recipient of the Goober Award (thanks, Kent)..*applause*.

When we got back home it was time for Melissa's Birthday Party. Happy Birthday 13th Birthday , Melissa.

Yanni out the Ying Yang

Went to Mom's today. We always have such a great time together. First we had lunch, while we listened to Clay Aiken's Christmas cd. We never get tired of it. Then we spent some time on the Apple laptop that mom brought home from California. After that we made CD's of Yanni's music, thus the title..ha ha.

Then we had some errands to run and that day was over. It has done nothing but rain for days now. I think Bill is getting cabin fever!

Just one more week and it will be Shelley and Cary's wedding. I am really looking forward to it. My little girl is so lucky to find someone who appreciates and loves her.

This is me....

Fa..la la....la la....lalalala....*raspberry*

Yesterday was the first day at the Christmas tree farm. We were pretty busy. It was a nice day and everyone was in the Christmas spirit, except ME...I don't want to be there!

The most exciting thing that happened today?...We saw a dog eat a styrafoam cup!

On the way to the farm someone spray painted on the bridge:
Happy 10 months (heart) Poopie...


That's all I got!...

Happy Turkey Day....Gobble...Gobble

Thanksgiving was at Dona's. Kent and Mom came too As usual..so much food, but it was yummy! After dinner was all cracked up at the laughing cat that Sylvia sent me!.

Shelley and Cary came over for a while. Darren's car was on the fritz so he didn't make it. Preston had to raise and lower the flag at Ft. Bragg, so he couldn't make it either. I talked to both of them though. Missed you guys...Hugs

Not much to report since vacation is over. Next big event? Shelley and Cary's wedding Dec. 11th. I am so happy for her, she deserves so much happiness.

Learning to Scrapbook, finding the pictures in your life

Today was spent transferring pictures from mom's ibook to mine. Well, that took a while!!!...after I figured out how to use the portable storage device..sheesh!

After that we had a snack and began printing out pictures to take to the scrapbooking party tonight!. Neither of us have ever done it before and we had such a great time!..Now we are hooked and will have to document all of our adventures on paper...what a novel idea!

Here are the two pages that I did, mom's were similar. We didn't even get to our picture of Yanni Yanson....ha ha...thanks, Sylvia!

Why do we wear high heels?

Someone on the Clayboard was begging for a comfortable high heel. I commented that men were the first ones to wear them....most people didn't know this so I had to find a link...it was pretty interesting so I am going to put it here....

Before I do I would like to say phooey to King Louie (XIV)....he wore 5 inch heels, names after him...what a guy!

http://users.powernet.co.uk/wingett/History1.html

There's no place like home...(click, click)

We flew home from CA today. Had such a grand time with Kim and Sylvia. Home seems kind of mondane now, except for Bill. He is just as entertaining as evah!
It's good to be back.

The Meeting of the minds...

Today was a very special day. Finally after 5 years of emails and phone calls I met my internet friend, Linda McAlvey. We had the best time ever! Linda came with her sister and we had coffee and laughed and talked like old friends. She was much prettier than her pictures and was just as funny as I thought she would be. She brought me a sweet little candle gift, which I will cherish. The funniest thing?..we are built just alike....I think she is my soul sister...only a white girl...ha ha..

We are waiting for Sylvia to come home and are having pork chops for supper. Tomorrow we are going to Sylvia's office and then to the airport for the flight home. We have had such a wonderful time. Kim and Sylvia have been the perfect hosts. There is no way I can repay them for their hospitality and thoughtfulness. All I can say to them is thank you very much for the best vacation ever.

Here is a picture of Mom, me, Linda and Brenda...

Hugs to Linda and Kim and Sylvia



Bill, if you're reading this...Linda says to tell you hello too!...I'm missin' ya...be home soon....*kisses and hugs*.

Einstein and the rest

We were very tired from our adventures this week. Sylvia had to return to work, so Kim, mom and I just stayed home and relaxed. So. here is a picture of Einstein.....


Kim and Sylvia's house is beautiful, so here is a picture of it too. The patio and garden area in back is also gorgeous.


Later that evening Sylvia's daughter, Amy and her husband and kids came for supper, also ex-son-in-law and his two kids. We had a great time, they were all so funny and interesting. Mom and I told stories on Kim and Kent.

Here are the grand kids acting silly down stairs. Kayla was sick, but smiled for me anyway.





Back home in one day...Bill, I miss you bunches...

The Butterfly zone underwater

First we headed toward Monterey to view the butterfly habitat where the monarcks were roosting. The trees were full of butterflies. It was hard to get clear pictures because the branches were all too high on the euclyptus tree, so here is just a branch with one butterfly. They were flying from one tree to the next, they were beautiful.


Next we had some lunch at a little cafe across from the Monterey Aquarium. It was beautiful and had lots of interesting exhibits. Here are a few of my favorite pictures of the aquarium.






After the aquarium we went to Santa Cruz and had chowder (mom and I had manhattan clam chowder.) The gull was one of our little friends. He was looking in the window at us and so we decided to feed him...what a mistake....first there was one bird, then 20, then 50...we fed them our left over rolls and oyster crackers and got the heck out of there..

CELLMATES UNPLUGGED

Today mom and I met one of our on-line friends, Doris. She lives in San Jose and we had met on the Clay Aiken board. Mom and I didn't know what to expect, but she was just so sweet and fun. She was a chinese lady and is the same age and me. We met for lunch and exchanged Clay gifts. We did lots of giggling and laughing and the people behind us kept looking at us, but we didn't care. After lunch we went shopping and had a grand time. We got "attacked" by the "herbal neck pillow" guy, he was so insistant and we finally just ran off and left him. We bought some candles and had our picture taken in front of the kiosk because it said "Light My Fire" on top and we thought that would be a good message for Clay....we had so much fun. Here we are....


We came back home and had a wonderful delicious meal with Kim and Sylvia and then watched Shrek2...it was time for bed...tomorrow..off to the butterfly zone and the aquarium in Monterey.

Let me out...I'm innocent, I tell ya....Innocent!

What a wonderful and busy day today. First, we went to Alcatraz, which is now a National Park, bet the past inmates would never have believed such a thing would happen to such a horrible place. Such and interesting, creepy and sad place, too. I took so many pictures, but I will only put this one here....


There is so much history to this place. Of course, everyone knows about the Birdman of Alcatraz, the famous "escapees" and the fact that Al Capone was once incarcerated here.

How ironic that the beautiful San Francisco skyline loomed so close yet so far in the distance. We spent several hours here and it was a lovely warm California day.

After we got back on our boat and returned to SF we went to Fisherman's Wharf for a while. Mom, Sylvia and I had such a great time "fishing" for an oyster with a pearl in it. We all got jewelry made with our chosen pearls. After you chose your oyster, there would be a little ceremony by tapping the top of the shell, three times and saying out loud "Aloha", and then they would ring a big bell...ha ha...what a racket!...we fell for it anyway, the pearls were beautiful, mine was pink, but mom's was a beautiful white one and bigger than mine...wahhhhh (that's my crying..)


Then we had to hurry to downtown San Francisco to attend the musical : Beach Blanket Bingo...it was a musical about pop culture...OMG...we laughed so hard...it was the funniest and cleverest thing I have ever seen! From Madonna to Elvis, they were all live over exagerated characatures...so funny!...Love it,absolutely!

For dinner they took us to a swanky restaurant by the ocean, called the Cliff House, due to the location on a cliff above the ocean...so beautiful. The food was very good and the desserts were to die for! Chocolate bruellie, cocoanut cake with shaved lime ice, a fruit parfait, I'm making myself hungry again!



Thanks, dear brother and sister-in-law for another wonderful day.

The "REAL" Miss Swan

We have been having a grand time!

Kim gave us a tour of Apple Computer, which Sylvia likes to call "The Emerald City", the windows were tinted green all around, but leave it up to her...lol!

We went to see Yanni last night.....he was fantastic....not as fantastic as our beloved Clay.....but we all really enjoyed it.

Today we just sat around in our jammies and drank coffee and talked and then went into San Jose to the convention center to a craft and merchants show. While we were at this merchant's show, we decided to buy some purses. The lady running the stand sounded and acted like Miss Swan, it was so funny we could hardly wheel and deal with her. In the end Sylvia "jewed" her down $20, when Miss Swan finally agreed to our prices, she acted like she was sorry she gave us such a good price....She said "Looka at my aface"...and then she grimaced like miss Swan would do when she said "He looka likea man"...too funny. We like our purses though...

We then watche "Finding Nemo", ate some snacks and went to bed!..Another great day in San Jose...hey, I'm a poet...

A picture of Apple Computer building....


Tomorrow we are off to Alcatraz,,,,,,, the musical: Beach,Blanket, Babylon,,and then supper at the Cliff house restaurant...wow, brother is keeping us busy.

The real Miss Swan, well, the back of her head, anyway......!

Yawning on the plane, Yanni in SF

We finally arrived at San Jose today, the plane ride was endless, and it was so hot on the plane! We are at this moment sitting here in Kim's living room, mom and I are both surfing the internet on wireless apple laptops. We are going to see Yanni tonight in San Francisco...will update later.

Bill I miss you already...kisses.

You will only understand this if you are a Clay Aiken Fan...

This a poem written by a friend of mine on the Clayboard. We have not been in prison and do not have a warden....this has to do with : CONCERTS, CLAY AIKEN...and CELL PHONES...so this is just for me, (oh, and mom).

WRITER ROSS AND PAL ARE BACK ON THE BLOCK
IT'S TIME TO PARTY, GATHER THE FLOCK.
C'MON ALL YOU CELLMATES GATHER ROUND,
WHERE'S CLAYPERFECT, OH SHE'S STILL UNDERGROUND.

GET OUT OF THAT TUNNEL, IT'S TIME TO PLAY
WITH YOUR CELLMATES THAT HAVE RETURNED FROM AWAY,
WR I DON'T THINK I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE,
I CAN TELL FROM THE WELCOMES YOU MUST BE A TREASURE.

WALLA, CMP, PACK, HG,TSU AND AA2
WERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT ALL OF YOU,
SPARTUS, TLC, CAC, KAB GA, AND PUNK
THE JOY OF THIS PLACE MAKES ME FEEL DRUNK.

WITH SPIRITS SOARING WITH JOY IN THE CELL,
WE ARE IN FOR A SPECIAL TIME, THIS I CAN TELL.
PLFC, AA, RENNE, YOAMO, EMOTING,CLAYSYCRAZY AND CP
WITHOUT ALL OF YOU THE PLACE WOULD SEEM EMPTY.

TO ANY CELLMATES NOT MENTIONED BY NAME,
MY BRAIN IS NUMBING SO I AM TO BLAME,
DON'T FEEL LEFT OUT AS I LOVE EACH OF YOU,
BEING HERE MAKES ME HAPPIER IN ALL THAT I DO.

LOVE

LLBUN

LET'S PARTY.

There IS life from other planets living among us....

Went to mom's today. We are getting ready for our trip to California, so I needed a skirt hemmed up, where else but to mom for that one!....While was there we decided to use the Nero burning program to make me a dvd of some Clay Aiken Montages....after 2 hours it gave us an error....rats!......so mom, so kindly gave me one of her dvd's she already burns (thanks, again, mom)....

We had lunch and made a tote bag for a friend we are looking forward to meeting when we get to Caloifornia.

I feel like I am in limbo right now, just waiting for my vacation to begin. I am really excited...

Got some halloween pictures from my brother , Kim, today....he and Sylvia love halloween as much as I do...here are some pix...


Alien inhabitants above....and Zeta Recticulum babe, below....Sylvia...she is such a hoot!

Aurora Borialis......

Since we celebrated Shelley's birthday yesterday, we are just home relaxing today. Due to the activity of the sun spots our skies are blessed with beautiful colors of the northern lights. Our local St. Louis station showed pictures taken in our area so Bill and I were anxious to see the lights ourself. We stood in the cold, dark night...and saw....nothing!....there was some fog and a few small planes blinking in the sky, but nothing else...what a disappointment. Therefore, I had to steal this picture from the weather channel....

A Day with the Amish...well, not really..

Mom and I went to Tuscola to meet Shelley and Cary. Tomorrow is Shelley's birthday, so today was our celebration. We ate at the Amish country Restaurant in the Tuscola Mall. The food was MAHVELOUS!...Lemon pie and coffee for dessert too!.....then we went to try on jeans.....yikes!!!

But, first we went to the many Amish stores in the same building as the resraurant. Such beautiful things! Everything was decorated for Christmas...already!...Cary bought some cheese and mom bought us a shirt! ( thanks, mom!)
Poor Cary, just sat on a bench and played games on his cell phone!...He was a good sport though! Mom and Shelley, love you both so much!!

Here is a picture of we girls....and mom, Shelley and Cary...





Shelley with snowman

And a view of the "street" inside the mall.


We all had a great time.....well, except for Cary...!!

Picnic anyone?

Today Bill and I went to an auction, which was BORINGGGG! However, on the way home we were driving down a road we don't normally travel and there on someone's front deck was a gazebo......made out of one of those old satellite dishes from the 1980's. It was turned up-side-down on a pole and had a picnic table built around it, now that's creativity for you and oh, yeah, it had ivy growing on top of it! I don't know why, but it made me smile.

I am So ready to go to California on vacation!..just a few more days!

Black or with scream and sugar...

Today I went to get my hair colored. Sally Beckman did it for me and I was asking her about the McMackin House being haunted, since I had heard rumors and there is actually a webpage that says that (it's at the bottom of this entry). Sally worked there a few years back and she told me that "Yes, indeedy"...it was haunted. She said there was one ghost that always like to make coffee. I just thought this was intersting and since that is the only interesting thing that happened to me today aside from looking beautiful (:-)...with my new do. I know, I know...yawn...yawn..! hee hee!




http://www.prairieghosts.com/mcmackin.html

Happy Burffday dear Mo-om...!

Today was mom's birthday. It was a rainy, dreary day, but we had fun anyway!.
We had lunch at Applebees...orange chicken with rice pilaf and vegetables, then, of course, we had to have "death by chocolate" cake and coffee.

After lunch we went to the "Salt and Light" candle and bathworks shoppe. It was really perfumy in there. There was a beautiful finch in a cage and I wonder how it could stand all of the aromas. The lady working there said that the bird like to sing, but I think it was really screaming : "get me out of here, I cant' breathe!". We got some soy candles and mom bought Shelley a gift basket for her birthday next Monday.

We went back to mom's house and watched "The Butterfly Effect" (drama and weirdness) and
"50 First Dates" (romanatical comedy)...with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore.

So, mom, I hope you had a nice birthday....I love you bunches...

ZZZZZZ zzzzzzzzzz

Sheesh, I stayed up until 3:30 this a.m....finally went to sleep and then woke up again at 6:00 a.m. I just had to know what was happening with the election. Finally about 10:30 a.m. Kerry conceded and called President Bush. So, Bush is once again our president for another 4 years. The rest of my day would also cause anyone reading about it to start snoring, so I am signing off, think I need some sleep.

Tick, Tick, Tick....

Today was voting day......nobody knows about Ohio yet, so we are still waiting for a decision..............tick, tick, tick....

Are we there yet?

Today begins November. We went back to Relleke and got our trailer, it was very windy and we had a hard time staying on the road, but we made it home before the huge storms came. It is 11:45 and it is still raining, but just quietly. So, to end the month of October properly here is the link to the whole month at Relleke....again....you must sign in and use passoword:

Sign in: halloweengirl
Password: halloween