Pre Preps

Pre preps for imminent, irritation Irma are on going this weekend.  I’m writing this on my phone Sunday night, as my desktop apparently decided it was time to desert this earthly travail.    Argh!!          (update:   Monday it came back to life, after I gave it mouth to USB port resuscitation!)

Talk about frustration!   How am I supposed to blog about hurricane preps on my tiny little phone keyboard??   Vewwy vewwy cawefully!!

Anyway, I took pix, and since I’m on my phone, they should be easier to insert.    Let’s hope!!

Water is always a first essential.    Got it covered.

Fresh water- yay!

My new best friend!

TY PopPop!              That’s for drinking.

Second essential is potty. Got that covered:

(I was gonna take a pic of all the tp, but you know what it looks like!)

Flush water- sooooo important!!

Next is food.

Brownies!!         Then peach Coke- of course!           I think that’s all we need.       ( I have lots of other food, it’s just not that important!   lol)

Lights:

Lights- check!

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DD1 took babies out of state.  So I know they’re safe.   DD2 was already out of state, so all’s good there.

XH had to evac his mobile, so I demanded asked him over here.   After all, somebody’s got to piggyback my fat butt outta here if the flooding is too bad!   Plus he has a 4×4 truck!

Us!     Partying like it’s Hurricane Charley!

(He certainly seems to be happy to be here, doing all the prep work, doesn’t he???)

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PopPop is safe at his work.

Grandmama’s building IS a shelter.  So she’s all good.   She’s having a sleepover with friends, in the laundry room!

Sister’s house is Cat 4 rated, so her and kids are safe.   Bubba and Shirley have a sturdy block house, so they’re good.

Let’s see who did I forget??   Oh yeah, Rose was already overseas, so she’s good.   And neighbor Jeannette went to a safe place as well.

All’s well that ends well, for us.    God protected us!!  

Praying for the millions still without power, and that lost their homes.

And still praying for Texas, and Louisiana.

Thanks everybody for all the prayers for us!!

❤  ❤  ❤

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An Irma post.

#1        #2- Pre Preps, this one 

Fish Fatality

Today I’ve decided to tell you why I hate fishing.     No, better than that, I’ll SHOW you why I hate fishing!

I don’t know what I was thinking- maybe that we were fishing for pets??         I certainly don’t remember!

All I know is:  My Daddy KILLED my fish!!

And I was traumatized!    And to this day, I still hate to fish.        But that has never stopped you from tearing up some fried mullet, or catfish, has it??        Nope!!         Those fish on my plate are not Freddy (May he RIP)!!       They come from the kitchen, or the store or somewhere.   They didn’t innocently eat my worm, and be murdered!, right in front of me.

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In an effort to not poison my girls, for life, I agreed to go fishing with them.       BUT!!   I made Dad promise “No head cutting off of fish in front of the girls.”

They look like they’re having fun, don’t they?       I even baited hooks for them.        That’s not the part that bothers me.      Look!    I’m even smiling!       But ya sure don’t see me with a line in the water, now do ya??       NOPE!      Ain’t happening!

(I have such cute babies, don’t I??      Never mind that now they are both grown adults!     They are still both my cute babies!)

DD1 sure looks happy, and proud of herself!!        And Grandmama is proud of her too!!   And then the fishy went back to his family, and we all lived happily ever after!

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(I know fishing is an excellent survival skill to have.       I’ll be grateful to know how, if I ever get stranded on a desert island.     Which, btw, is HIGHLY unlikely, since I like boating just as much as I like fishing!!      I’ve made it a long term life goal to never have to do either one ever again!       But, if the worst happens, sure hope I have my babies with me!     At least I’ll stay fed!!)

DD2’s a Doctor!!

YAYAYAYAY!!

As of May 20, 2016, DD2 is a Doctor!!   If you heard a tremendous noise that Friday, around 5 pm, EST, it was our family screaming for her, as she walked on stage to receive her doctorate!

Just hearing her name being called, (for the 3rd time in a graduation ceremony!!!) made me tear up with pride!   She is so smart, and dedicated!!   After HS, she has persevered, and labored for 9 long years, for this achievement!!

Kim has always been determined.   When she declared she was going to be an eye doctor, I knew she’d do it!!   When she puts her mind to it, nothing is impossible!

Here we are, after the ceremony.

Proud Mama and Doctor!!

 

(Lookit the pretty flowers.  They’re a whole nother story!!)

Here’s some of the family.   (At Golden Corral, after the ceremony.   Can’t celebrate without food, amiright???)

Me, Cuz Britt, Aunt Sherry, Dr. Kim

YAY, Grandmama! Thanks for the flowers!

 

Celebrating!!!   {I just can’t get enough of saying Dr. Kim!!   My baby is a Doctor!!}

 

 

“Good night, y’all!”

 

Dr. Kim saying a final bye.  

[Oh yeah, Vanronica is photobombing!  OR is it Dr. KIM who is photobombing Vanronica??]

Dr. Kim’s on her way to being the Surgeon General of Optometrists!

What??   There’s no such thing??    Trust me, she’ll MAKE it a thing!!

 

Congratulations on your success, Dr. Kim!!!

 

Pudding Pop’s Playful Pastimes

PP loves to come to my house.  Whenever I visit her, she asks, “Howzz, howzz?”   (And who can blame her??? I’m an awesome Omie!!!  If I do say so myself, who shouldn’t!!)

And, I love to have her!

One of her favorite activities:

Playing with rocks!  When DD1 told me that, I couldn’t believe it!  But it’s true!

Picking them out of the garden, throwing them,

hiding them,

The Hidey Hole

Sleeping (!!!) with her pet rock!  No pix of this, because she was in the bed with me, as I was trying my best to sleep too!  In a twin bed!!  But here’s the rock.  At least it is smooth, and no one ended up with a goose egg!  Yay!

Night-night lovey

More of her favorites: Taking a bath.  A daily must do!!

Enjoying herself at children’s Museum.

Picking perfect periwinkle posies.

Purple Periwinkles

 

Ring around the rosie, with a pole as partner.

Decorating Omie:

Decorating Omie

I’m a more than willing canvas!

 Chalking a masterpiece.

And last but not least:

Eating is an all time favorite!

No pix of that either, since it would require showing her face.  DD1 nixes that for security reasons.  I certainly understand after hearing some horror stories.

Hope you enjoyed seeing how my precious plays!

Mama Mia

My Mama- so many memories…

(She always has bright ideas!!)

Also known as “Grandmama”.

(Notice how I made sure to post the pix with me in them??)

We were poor growing up, but not as poor as her family.  They were dirt poor.

Chaney Siblings, 5 out of the 11

It’s funny, my Sis, the baby of the family, never knew we were poor!  Brother says all we ever had to eat was beans!

Mama was a young wife, mother,  homemaker, teacher, driver, police officer! (more for Brother, than us girls! HA, don’t let me fool ya!), seamstress, head cook and bottle washer.

No, her food isn’t rotten!  WE requested black deviled eggs for Brother’s 50th Birthday!

And she ALWAYS make biscuits, or hoecake, every day!  And a lot of times dessert daily, too.  (Where were you for that, Brother??  In his defense, we did eat an inordinate amount of beans.  They were cheap.)

But she was NOT a dumb bunny!  She loved to read, and instilled that in us.  Also, she raised us to expect to go to college, as a matter of course.  She never had a chance to go, as a young ‘un, but she wasn’t going to let anything stand in our way!  Sis and I both graduated from Southeastern University, straight out of high school.  Then a wonderful thing happened!  Mama quit her job, sold her house, and went off to college at 55 years old!   While she was there, she became an author, in the school’s publications.  We were all so proud!  She was the oldest student in her graduating class, and as she crossed the stage, she received a standing ovation!!

(No, I don’t have a pic of that, unfortunately.)

Then Brother got on board, and went to our Alma Mater.

When she graduated, she became an English Teacher in China, and a missionary.  God had called her as a missionary when she was 12 years old, and she had begun to think it was too late.  God always carries out His plans.

Now she’s a licensed minister, with the Assemblies of God.  And she speaks at Christ Cafe, about once a month.

Mama speaking at Christ Cafe

Go, Mama! She amazes me with all she has accomplished in her life!

Bye Bye Pantry

Last Friday evening, my pantry went bye bye.   (But you already knew that, didn’t you?  Thanks Captain Obvious Melinda!)

It was a huge cabinet in my living room.  When everyone all still lived here, we needed it for food storage.  Now that I’m by myself, not so much.  So, it went the way of all unneeded things.  The wall looks absolutely barren now!

But I feel more free.  It’s amazing how purging things makes my spirit feel lighter!  I really don’t need as much as I thought I did!  (Besides, I have a pantry closet in the kitchen, so I’m not hurting for storage space!  Thanks for worrying for me, though.)

Also, my 35 year old Lane cedar hope chest

Walnut hope chest. (Cassone) Nymph carving. 1570 – 1600, in Northern Italy. -. Budapest Museum of Applied Arts. – Üllői Avenue, Hőgyes Endre Street, Kinizsi Pál Street, [[Budapest]] District IX , [[Hungary]]}}{{de|1=Kunstgewerbemuseum in [[Budapest]], Ungarn}} {{hu|1=Kelengyeláda (cassone) – folyamnimfa ábrázolásával. Leltári szám: 5354. Készítés ideje: 1570 – 1600, Észak-Itália. Anyag: diófa; vaspántokkal. Iparművészeti Múzeum. – [[Budapest]] IX., Üllői út 33-37., Hőgyes Endre utca 10-12., Kinizsi Pál utca 31

(This one is NOT mine.     I forgot to take a pic, before I shoved it out the door.)       😦

has traveled outside my realm of influence. The feet were damaged beyond repair, and in the apartment I’m moving to, I’ll have no room at all for it.  So,  I said goodbye with a lump in my throat.  It’s been a part of my life so long. ( Grand)Mama covered the seat with purple velvet.  (You can imagine how dusty THAT is by now!!  As you know, cleaning wasn’t my style.)

That much more room in my home, and life.

Recovery, Two Ways

Lately, (since May) recovery has meant 2 things around here.

My learning to declutter and clean, recovering from slobbery, and healing physically and emotionally, recovering health.

Both are important.  Both are extremely hard for me.  I’m not used to being a cleanie, which I am NOT yet!! By any stretch of the imagination! But I am working twards it, which is an improvement, ask any body EVER who has visited me on a non-party day!  Putting myself first so I can heal is also difficult.  I’m more accustomed to helping others.

So, if I talk about physical recovery, it’s still under the definition of my blog, to my way of thinking.  If you disagree, well… my blog, etc,etc

Trying to decide how to show a pic of my physical recovery.  (whirring sounds while brain works. Yes, like everything else these days, my brain makes audible noises while active.  Joints creaking, anybody?)

I had to have this pic cuz Mama loves giraffes!

I love my zebra legs.  While I was in rehab for my knee  surgery 2 years ago, I asked my sis Michelle, to get me some purple duct tape to personalize my walker.  (In the nursing home, everybody and their brother had one, and I didn’t want mine to get lost in the shuffle.) Sadly, the store she chose was out of purple that day, so she chose zebra print, which just happened to be my niece’s favorite.  So, she got the rest of the roll.

When I graduate to a wheelchair, I’ll just spray paint the whole sucker.  (I asked Hoveround about their color choices, none of which were purple.  I think if you pay that much money for something, they jolly well should make it the color You want.)  But if not, I’ll take care of it myself.

Bandanna Ways, Reprise

Okay, the votes are in.

Not an accurate graphic, but I had to borrow one, since I don’t know how to create my own.  A terrible failing on my part.  I’m so ashamed.

(And in at least 1 case that I know of, the double votes are in!  Thanks for confessing Michelle.  I forgive you, but your penance is to write, I will not cheat by double voting for my favorite bandanna style, 200 x.  Oops, is my teacher voice coming out again??)

Drum roll please.  (Long pause while I go hunt up the drum someone who shall remain nameless, cough, cough, Grandmama gave to a certain little person.)

Okay, here’s the eagerly awaited results.  (Are you on pins and needles of suspense??  How much longer can I draw this out before the big reveal???)

Ta Da!!

Aunt Jemima it is, by a landslide!!

(Jan C. I’ll see what I can do about making sure Willie reappears sometime!)

Oh, look! there he is now!!

duck lips, beard and all

You will be seeing more of Aunt Jemima, I promise.

Oopsie, Did I Just Declutter?

Sunday, I accidentally decluttered a pair of purple shorts.  (No, not Daisy Dukes! Just shorts, not that short.)

Let me tell you the tale.

Grandmama came over to visit after church.  She changed PP’s diaper, but as sometimes happens,  didn’t get the new one in place in time.  Yucky!

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiI0dvJ5JfPAhXF6SYKHd2GDagQjB0IBg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thirstiesbaby.com%2Fblog%2Fchanging-toddler-diapers%2F&psig=AFQjCNETbNHpSwu4QISI903dSQMr7ZLsQQ&ust=1474249229184257

Obviously, not the real PP!!! 🙂

The upshot was someone had a soaking wet skirt  Not wanting to go home like that, Grandmama borrowed the purple shorts.  I told her not to bring them back, because I never really wear them, due to the fact that they’re, well, short.  (I wear capris or long pants, because nobody wants to see my knees!  Including me!)

Topic 2

Yesterday and today, I only mopped right in front of the recliner, and high chair.  Bad me, I know.  But some is better than none. 

PP has decided to change her schedule  to include 2 hours of fun time between 2 and 4 am. 

     (Not PP either.)

(Fun for her, for me, not so much.)  So, losing sleep like that, puts a damper on my motivation.  Excuse, I know, but it’s all I got right now.

But time and motivation for blogging?  Got that  by the ton!!    Funny how that works!

Green Thumb, Black Thumb

My mama, more commonly known as “Grandmama” (please read with a French accent), has a green thumb.  She grows all manner of plants, and they flourish.    (yes, my real mama).

She loves to have her hands in the dirt.  (So would that make her a black thumb?)

Flowers make her happy, fresh flowers on the table make her ecstatic!

When she had a house, and then a garden apartment, she had beautiful flowers surrounding her.

On the other hand, my sister, brother and I have true black thumbs.

And it’s spread all over our chests! AAAAUUUUUGGGHHHH!!! We’re rotting!!

I’m a tad so dramatic.

Anyhooo, as kids we tried to grow veggies.  Never worked, NEVER!

I wonder if it had something to do with Brother pulling them up to see if they were growing???

Naaah, that couldn’t be it.

Granny Chaney gave me African violets after I got married.  One by one they bit the dust.  Then she gave me a Purple Passion plant. (yes, it’s a real plant! Google it.)  Surprise, surprise! (not) it died.

Finally, in exasperation, she gave me a cactus, declaring “Now, I know you won’t kill this.”

Who knew?????  Watering a cactus kills it.  Color me surprised.

I have a black thumb.  So, I’m the Death Angel for plants.  I’ve accepted it.

So, if you were planning to send me a plant, go ahead and kill it, and send me the obituary.

RIP all the plants past….