HALLELEUJAH!!!!! HE'S HOME!!

Praise God, Chance is home. This morning an older man and a young woman brought him home. What they said about how they got him didn't make much sense to me...contradictory statements, etc. But, I don't care. At least they brought him home. He stunk to high heaven, though. I had to bathe him right away. I think "they" took him to use for breeding purposes and kept him caged up. That's the only explanation I can think of for the way he stunk.

GOOD RESOLUTION

Resolve to be tender with the young; Compassionate with the aged, Sympathetic with the striving, And tolerant with the weak and the wrong; Because sometime in your life, you will be all of these.

DESOLATION

I am desolate! I miss my little buddy...my little foot warmer (always at my feet)...my little bed partner....my greeter when I walk in the door...those little black eyes that were always full of love when he looked at me.

I pray every day that God will take care of him. That whoever took him will love him as much as I did and be good to him. And I pray that he is NOT missing me as much as I miss him.

I LOVE YOU CHANCE! ( I even miss your irritating barking)

LOST DOG

I'm kinda bummed out. My dog Chance is missing. We let him out Saturday a little after noon and he's been gone ever since. The thing is, we have an electric fence and he had his radio collar on. So, if anybody took him, it had to be from our yard. We went to the Humane Shelter today, thinking they might have picked him up...but he wasn't there.

His barking irritates me to death...but right now, I'd give anything to hear him bark!

GROWING OLD

I don't like old age one bit. Who started the fallacy that these were the GOLDEN YEARS anyway? What's golden about being nearly house-bound? or crippled up with arthritis? Or getting out of breath just walking to the bathroom? or being afraid to drive out of town because you get body cramps?

I do Thank God that I'm still able to drive to walmart...I furtherThank Him for Walmart and Meijer providing electric shopping carts! Still, its frustrating to want to go to Indianapolis and have to depend on someone to drive me...and they always have their own problems and can seldom go when I want to.

Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy what little life I have. I can still read...play on my computer...enjoy having the kids over and, with some difficulty, work (babysit) the booth at the flea market on Friday afternoons when Tammy has to babysit Kadyn and Grant.

This Sunday, Easter, I'm going to roast a turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans and a salad. I'm not sure who will be here for dinner, but I'll have enough for whoever shows up.

OH...there's one positive advantage. I now have an excuse for not doing housework!

I'm trying hard to live by my motto: DON'T LET THE THINGS YOU CAN'T DO STOP YOU FROM DOING THE THINGS YOU CAN DO.

MUSLIMS

I got this in an email and have not verified it. But I've heard this before..and if its true, its very scary.

SATAN IS MIGHTY, BUT GOD IS ALMIGHTY>

SPREAD THE WORD>


Subject: Muslim Belief>

This is a true story and the author, Rick Mathes, is a well-known leader> in prison ministry.>

The man who walks with God always gets to his destination.

> If you have a pulse you have a purpose.>

> The Muslim religion is the fastest growing religion per capita in the> United States , especially in the minority races!!!>

Last month I attended my annual training session that's required for> maintaining my state prison security clearance. During the training> session there was a presentation by three speakers representing the> Roman Catholic, Protestant and Muslim faiths, who explained each of> their beliefs.>

I was particularly interested in what the Islamic Imam had to say. The> Imam gave a great presentation of the basics of Islam, complete with a> video.> After the presentations, time was provided for questions and answers.> When it was my turn, I directed my question to the Imam and asked: >

'Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand that most Imams and> clerics of Islam have declared a holy jihad [Holy war] against the> infidels of the world and, that by killing an infidel(which is a command> to all Muslims), they are assured of a place in heaven. If that's the> case, can you give me the definition of an infidel?'>

There was no disagreement with my statements and, without hesitation, he> replied, 'Non-believers! '>

I responded, 'So, let me make sure I have this straight. All followers> of Allah have been commanded to kill everyone who is not of your faith> so they can have a place in heaven. Is that correct?'

> The expression on his face changed from one of authority and command to> that of a little boy who had just been caught with his hand in the> cookie jar.'> He sheepishly replied, 'Yes.'

> I then stated, 'Well, sir, I have a real problem trying to imagine Pope> John Paul com-manding all Catholics to kill those of your faith or Dr.> Stanley ordering all protestants to do the same in order to guarantee> them a place in heaven!'>

The Imam was speechless!>

I continued, 'I also have a problem with being your friend when you and> your brother clerics are telling your followers to kill me!> Let me ask you a question: Would you rather have your Allah, who tells> you to kill me in order for you to go to heaven, or my Jesus who tells> me to love you because I am going to heaven and He wants you to be there> with me?'

> You could have heard a pin drop as the Imam hung his head in shame. > Needless to say, the organizers and/or promoters of the Diversification> training seminar were not happy with my way of dealing with the Islamic> Imam, and exposing the truth about the Muslims' beliefs.

> In twenty years there will be enough Muslim voters in the U.S... to> elect the President! I think everyone in the U.S.. should be required> to read this, but with ACLU, there is no way this will be widely> publicized, unless each of us sends it on! This is your chance to make> a difference..> > > > > >

NOTHING NEW

Same old, same old here. Tammy, Sarah, Kadyn and I went to Indy yesterday...boughts lots and lots of "stuff" for our flea market store. Got elec oil warmers, signs, plaques, candles...and two beautiful electric aquarium picture lights. We went to two distributors. It was a full day and I've been bummed out all day..spent most of it in bed. When we got home, it took me nearly 10 minutes just to walk into the house. My legs refused to work...or even hold me. Guess I better not do that anymore!

And what's new in your world?

REMEMBER THAT?

Yeah, I Remember That!
If you are old enough...take this stroll...Close your eyes. Go back...before the Internet ... Before semiautomatics and drugs...before SEGA or Super Nintendo...

Way back...

We're talking 'bout hide and go seek at dusk. Sitting on the porch, Simon Says, Kick the Can, Red Light, Green Light. Lunch Boxes with a Thermos...that broke, Chocolate milk, going home for lunch, Penny Candy from the store, Hopscotch, butterscotch, skates with keys, Jacks, Mother May I?Hula Hoops, and Sunflower seeds, Whist and Old Maid and Crazy Eights, Wax lips and mustaches, Mary Jane's, saddle shoes and Coke bottles with the names of cities on the bottom, Running through the sprinkler, circle pins, bobby pins, Mickey Mouse Club, Crusader Rabbit, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Fran & Ollie, Spin & Marty...all in black & white.

When around the corner seemed far away, and going downtown seemed like going somewhere.

Bedtime, climbing trees, making forts in the backyard... A coaster made from orange crates and an old skate, Backyard Shows, Lemonade stands, Cops and Robbers, Cowboys and Indians, Sitting on the curb, Staring at clouds, Jumping down the steps, Jumping on the bed. Pillow fights, "company," Ribbon candy, angel hair on the Christmas tree,Jackie Gleason as "the Poor Soul," white gloves, walking to church, walking to the Community Center, Being tickled "to death", Running till you were out of breath, Laughing so hard that your stomach hurt, Being tired from playin'...Remember that?

Not stepping on a crack...or you'll break your mother's back... Paper chains at Christmas, bobbing for apples and popcorn balls on Halloween, silhouettes of Lincoln and Washington...the smell of paste, book bags and Evening in Paris...What about the girl that had the big bubbly handwriting...who dotted her "I's" with hearts?? The Stroll, "fruit loops" on the backs of shirts & sock hops.

Remember when... When there were two types of sneakers for girls and boys (Keds and PF Flyers) and the only time you wore them at school, was for "gym." And the girls had those ugly uniforms. When it took five minutes for the TV to warm up. When nearly everyone's Mom was at home when the kids got home from school. When nobody owned a pure bred dog.When a quarter was a decent allowance and another quarter a huge bonus. When you'd reach into a muddy gutter for a penny. When girls neither dated nor kissed until late high school, if then. When your Mom wore nylons that came in two pieces. When all of your male teachers wore neckties and female teachers had their hair done everyday and wore high heels.

When you got your windshield cleaned, oil checked, and gas pumped, without asking, for free, every time. And, you didn't pay for air. And, you got trading stamps to boot

When laundry detergent had free glasses, dishes, or towels hidden inside the box.When any parent could discipline any kid, or feed him or use him to carry groceries, and nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it. When it was considered a great privilege to be taken out to dinner at a real restaurant with your parents.

When they threatened to keep kids back a grade if they failed... and did. When the worst thing you could do at school was flunk a test or chew gum. And the prom was in the auditorium and we danced to an orchestra, and all the girls wore pastel gowns and the boys wore suits for the first time and we stayed out all night.

When a '57 Chevy was everyone's dream car... to cruise, peel out, lay rubber or watch submarine races, and people went steady and girls wore a class ring with an inch of wrapped dental floss coated with pastel frost nail polish so it would fit her finger. And no one ever asked where the car keys were, 'cause they were always in the car, in the ignition and the doors were never locked. And you got in big trouble if you accidentally locked the doors at home. No one ever had a key.

And lying on your back on the grass with your friends and saying things like, "That cloud looks like a........". And playing baseball with no adults to help kids with the rules of the game. Then...baseball was not a psychological group learning experience, ....it was a game.

Remember when stuff from the store came without safety caps and hermetic seals, 'cause no one had yet to poison a perfect stranger. And...with all our progress... don't you just wish...just once...you could slip back in time and savor the slower pace ... and share it with the children of the 80's and 90's...??????So send this on to someone who can still remember Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Trixie Belden, Laurel & Hardy, Howdy Doody and the Peanut Gallery, The Lone Ranger, The Shadow knows...Nellie Belle, Roy and Dale, Trigger and Buttermilk...as well as the sound of a reel mower on Saturday morning, and summers filled with bike rides, playing in Cowboy land, baseball games, bowling and visits to the pool...and eating Kool-Aid powder with sugar.When being sent to the principal's office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited a misbehaving student at home. Basically, we were in fear for our lives but it wasn't because of drive by shootings, drugs, gangs, etc.. Our parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat, but we all survived because their love was greater than the threat.Didn't that feel good, just to go back and say, "Yeah, I remember that

HURRY UP SPRING!

It snowed today. I think it was just to make us appreciate the wonderful spring days when we do have them.

I worked our "store" at the flea market on Friday. It was very slow and boring, but I sold a few things...like 4 electric oil warmer touch lights. I was so proud of myself! Then, today, Tammy called me, all excited because she had one customer bought SEVEN of them!! Four weeks ago, we had an inventory of 54...now have five left. Looks like a trip down to Indy this week to our supplier is a must! I'm so glad we have hit on something that people really go for.

New Pictures

Here's some updated pix of our "store" at the Speedway Flea Market in Fort Wayne.

CRIME VICTIM

The other evening as Tammy drove up to the house to let me off after a shopping expedition to Indianapolis, we noticed that the license plate was gone off Buick. At first we thought maybe it had somehow dropped off. But after further investigation, we discovered it had actually been stolen! I had driven it to Walmart just the day before, and a police car was behind me, so I'm sure it was stolen during the night.

What a hassle! I called the police and was told I had to go downtown to the police department and fill out a report. The next day George took me downtown. a Policewoman took my report and gave me a form to take to the BMV. When I went to the BMV they said a replacement plate was $9.00, but a new one was only $49. When she looked at my registration, she said I had paid the wrong amount for the stolen plate. I paid $45 and it should have been $49.

Anyway, I got the new plate for $49 and now I'm good until December of 2010.

I don't like being a victim!

THE MOM SONG

I COPIED THIS FROM TIA (the6Bennetts.blogspot.com) Click on it and check it out. so funny.

the Mom Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7R9SFBLvIk

FLEA MARKET PICTURES

these are pictures of our booth at Speedway Flea Market. Tammy is standing by our new sign. The day it was finished and hung, she was so excited she called me and insisted I run right up and see the sign.

SENIOR ALPHABET

A for arthritis,
B for bad back,
C is for chest pains.
Perhaps cardiac?



D is for dental replacements and decline,
E is for eyesight--can't read that top line?
F is for fissures and fluid retention
G is for gas (which I'd rather not mention.)

H high blood pressure (I'd rather have low)
I for incisions with scars you can show.
J is for joints, that now fail to flex
L for libido--what happened to sex?


Wait! I forgot about K!
K is for my knees that crack when they're bent (Please forgive me, my Memory ain't worth a cent) ?
N for neurosis, pinched nerves and stiff neck
O is for osteo- and all bones that crack.


P for prescriptions, I have quite a few
Give me another pill; I'll be good as new!
Q is for queasiness. Wine or flu?
R is for reflux-- one meal turns into two

S is for sleepless nights, counting my fears?
T for tinnitus--I hear bells in my ears.
U is for urinary: difficulties with flow
V is for vertigo, that's "dizzy", you know.

W is worry, now what's going 'round?
X is for X ray-- and what might be found.
Y for another year I've left behind
Z is for zest that I still have my mind!

Have survived all the symptoms my body's deployed,
And kept twenty-six doctors gainfully employed!

TWENTY FIVE THINGS ABOUT ME

1. BLUE IS MY FAV COLOR
2. FRIED CHICKEN IS MY FAV MEAT
3. I LOVE THUNDERSTORMS
4. I DON'T WATCH MUCH TV
5. I WOULD RATHER READ THAN WATCH TV
6. I'D RATHER PLAY ON THE COMPUTER THAN WATCH TV
7. I HATE SHOPPING
8. I USE ELECTRIC CARTS WHEN I DO GO SHOPPING
9. MY MEMORY IS GETTING BAD...I MAKE LISTS SO I WON'T FORGET STUFF...THEN CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT I DID WITH THE LIST!
10. NOW I'M PUTTING PICTURES FROM GREAT GRANDKIDS ON MY FRIG DOOR.
11. I CAN'T CARRY A TUNE IN A WASH TUB...BUT I LOVE TO SING ANYWAY
12. I GET A GUILTY PLEASURE OUT OF JOE DOING DISHES EVERY NIGHT
13. OF ALL THE DOGS I'VE HAD, I LOVED KRISTIE MOST...BUT MISS FRECKLES MOST.
14. I THINK FAMILY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE HAVE.
15. I LOVED BEING A MOM...FROM CONCEPTION TO THE PRESENT.
16. I LOVE BEING A GRANDMOTHER...AND A GREAT GRANDMOTHER. BUT, IF KADYN ONLY HAS
12.5 PERCENT OF MY BLOOD,THAT MEANS HIS GRANDKIDS WILL HAVE BARELY A TRACE...AND THAT MAKES ME SAD.
17. I CAN TALK TO ANYBODY, EVEN PERFECT STRANGERS
18. I LOVE BIG FAMILY DINNERS
19. SPRING IS MY FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR, FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY FALL.
20. MY FAVORITE DESSERT IS ANYTHING CHOCOLATE...EXCEPT I DON'T LIKE CHOCOLATE CAKE.
21. I'VE ALWAYS LOVED WALKING IN THE RAIN...NOW I JUST STAND OUT IN IT!
22. I HATE MAKING BEDS
23. I WOULD RATHER TAKE A SHOWER THAN A BATH
24. I ACCEPTED JESUS WHEN I WAS TWELVE YEARS OLD...REAFFIRMED MY SALVATION WHEN I WAS THIRTY-FOUR YEARS OLD. (IS THAT WHAT I MEAN?)
25. I KNOW I'M GOING TO HEAVEN

WEEKEND

We had a pretty nice weekend. Tammy did a lot of work on our booth at the flea market. We moved across the aisle to a larger space...8 by 14 now...had 8 x 10. One of the vendors there made us a sign...TARAH'S GIFTS....looks really good. I'll post some pictures when I can. So many booths are selling jewelry...like every other one there...we've taken ours to a backseat..kinda...and emphasizing scents....scented rocks (sea salt crystals), fake perfumes, fragrance oils and the electric oil warmers-night lights. the scented sea salt is our biggest seller...but need to sell lots of it at $3.50 for six ounces to pay the rent! At this point, I'm still putting much more money in it than we're taking out. But...hope springs eternal!

Car Repairs

Egads!! I just had some work done on my car. Two weeks ago, when I left the flea market on Saturday, it wouldn't start. I finally had to get it towed in to a garage. Needed a new fuel pump. Also, the driver's door hasn't opened from the outside for over a year, so had that fixed...and they said the band holding the gas tank was nearly rusted through, so had to replace that. Totat cost was $595!!! For the life of me, I can't see how anyone raising a family could ever afford something like that. I remember once when a timing belt went out on Steve's Buick and it cost us $250 to repair it...we had to eat beans and macaroni for a month! That was a week's pay for the two of us combined!

MUSIC!!!!

I finally figured out how to put a music player on here. I hope you enjoy it.

I've been sick this past week and have not posted anything...nothing serious, just a cold, turned into asthmatic bronchitis. Thanks to the doctor and ClaritonD, I'm feeling much better.

The flea market has improved....it paid the rent for Feb!!

Since its late and I'm sleepy....after working all evening on figuring out the music player, I'm going to bed and will write more later.

THREE ABOUT ME

Okay...I stole this from Tia..who said she stole it from Steve Gall. I liked the idea, so here goes....Three about me.....

THREE JOBS I'VE HAD (and liked)....Legal secretary...when I first got out of high school, the lawyer also paid for me to go to night school and get a legal secretarial certificate.

Real estate secretary. I loved the job and my bosses. Over the nine years I worked there I became sales manager, property manager and they paid for me to go to school to get an appraisers license and my own real estate license.

Real Estate Salesperson. It was a wonderful job when my last child was born, Icould choose my hours.

THREE GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS.....Tammy, Buddy and Joey. I thank God every day for entrusting those precious lives to me....and for all His help in making them the wonderful adults they are.

THREE FOODS I could, but don't want to, live without.... Peanut butter M&Ms...should be one of the major food groups. Fried Chicken. Fried baloney sandwich.

THREE PLACES I've lived....Kentucky, Michigan, Indiana

THREE PEOPLE who have had the most influence on my life....Mr. Banks, my 4th and 5th grade teacher, Granny (my grandmother Polly Shepherd). Pastor Bob Hueni.

THREE PLACES I'd love to be right now....forget this one, I don't want to be anywhere else at this point in my life or with anyone else but Joe.