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Wordless Wednesday Using a Life

Gorgeous Apron!

The Apronista is giving away this incredible apron from Heavenly Hostess for the Fall, Y'all giveaway!
The apron is reversible and comes with a matching headband. Aside from the fact that it is really very adorable and fashionable, my dd thinks she would look really hot in it.
So, hopefully I can win it and give it to her for Christmas. Even if she does know I've won it, lol. And she will have to wait until Christmas.



Or maybe I'll keep it for myself. So I can be a hot grandma.

Cute giveaway!

Amanda is giving away one of these adorable tag blankets from her website Simply Sweet Bowtique.

I'm thinking blue minky for little Samuel.

Wordless Wednesday

Thirteen Things about Pauline1…. Start your list here! Links to other Thursday Thirteens! Thursday Thirteen Thirteen things I have to get done before my husband gets home some time tomorrow. I work 30 min. from home, get off at 4:30 – Leave for work at 7:00 am tomorrow morning. Think I can do it? Deposit my paycheck Complete paperwork at our rental office – write out rental receipts and attach them to invoices and file Cub Scout meeting at my house at 6 – making posters Wash Cling-on’s hair and braid it for school pictures tomorrow Wash sheets Put clean sheets on all beds Clean bathrooms Vacuum Living room Clean fridge Clean up after scouts Straighten out basement where we went through toys Clean off countertops Hide all my excess paperwork Oh my gosh – I need to do way more than 13 things – I need to sweep basement floor, clean the cat box – empty all garbage cans – organize Tupperware cupboard – clean out bread drawer – kids showers – clean off computer areas – make sure kids rooms are clean - I’m sure I’m missing somethingsssssssss Help - pray for me please. 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Autumn View for Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday - Ribbet

Commercial?

This morning my grandson asked me if Poppa was in commercials. I said, "no, why would you think that?" Well, he is a Commerical Fisherman after all.

Wordless Wednesday - Noah's Ark

I've been painting on this wall in the nursery at our church for 3 years now. By the time I finish it they will decide to use the room for something else and have to paint over it. I have actually done more since these pictures. The lions are done, the dolphins are done, there are chickens, loons, hippos, zebras, an otter, some parrots, and raccoons added. There is more detail done on the ark also.

Menu Planning giveaway!

Nell is having a give-away on her blog, Casual Friday Everyday.
Win a free year to a menu planning service called “menu planning central!” They plan the week's meals for you and even provide the grocery list! This is exactly what I need as a busy grandmother raising grand kids and working full time and running real estate businesses on the "side." What a time saver this would be to me.

This is a very generous gift, enter by Sept 15. ($239.64 value)

Thursday Thirteen - Messy Desk

Thirteen Things about Pauline 1. 13 reasons I can’t see the top of my desk at work. 1. A grocery bag full of grapes – both red and green 2. A margarine tub with dry dog food for when Mika comes with me to work. 3. An empty diet pepsi can I plan to bring home for the kids to recycle – been there about 2 weeks. 4. A kleenix box 5. An open bag of Carmel Corn Flavored Crispy Rice Chips 6. An apple 7. An orange 8. Files I need to file 9. Empty coffee cup 10. Napkins – to put my fruit or chips on 11. Empty blueberry container 12. Recyclable paper 13. A multitude of pens, pencils and sticky notes not where they belong

Wordless Wednesday

Thursday Thirteen

These weird facts were sent to me from my sister-in-law from a much longer list of wierd facts or sayings.

Thursday Thirteen

#1 The "sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick" is said to be the toughest tongue twister in the English language.

#2 Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times

#3 In every episode of Seinfeld there is a Superman somewhere.

#4 Most lipstick contains fish scales.

#5 If you keep your eyes open by force, they can pop out.

#6 It is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky

#7 Horses can't vomit

#8 On average, 100 people choke to death on ballpoint pens every year

#9 It's possible to lead a cow upstairs...but not downstairs

#10 Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.

#11 The electric chair was invented by a dentist. (FIGURES)

#12 A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.

#13 On average people fear spiders more than they do death?!

Cuttin' Scallops

Wordless Wednesday photo by Devon

Thirteen things I did today

Thirteen Things about Pauline1…. Start your list here! Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. Woke up before the 5:30 alarm and finished a book I was reading 2. Hit the snooze button about 13 times in order to finish the book - so had to rush to get to work on time. 3. Saw a crane or egret or something in the fog on the river and wished I could reach my camera - it was on the floor on the passenger side of the car. 4. I worked for 5 hours instead of my 4 hours for a Thursday. My boss wasn't crazy about me taking a whole day on Tuesday - I used a vacation day to take my granddaughter to the airport in Boston and picked up my Grandson. A 3.5 hr drive each way. 5. I picked up the mail and stopped at our office to see if any tenants paid - they didn't. 6. I went home and picked up my grandson and Mika and went to town. 7. Went to the bank to deposit my check - kept out $40 - gave grandson $20 - part of what his parents sent along for him. 8. We went to McDonalds to eat - spent $9.00 9. Went to put gas in my car since my idiot light (dummy light to Cling-on) was on - couldn't find my debit card so put the remainder of the $20 I had left -$10.00 in the car. 10 Got lost trying to find my accountants house in the country - passed it 3 times - used up most of the $10 gas I put in the car. 11. Went to one of our rentals to meet with two contractors - one needed my permission to doze down the lilac bushes - boo hoo. 12. Took my grandson for a ride to see some wild turkeys - he took lots of pictures 13. Intended to sew up 13 wipies for Qtpies7 - my daughter - to use for my Thursday 13 - and sewed 14 by mistake - Sorry Qtpie :) 5. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Wordless Wednesday

This is my son - the one in the car accident where the airbag didn't deploy and he broke off some teeth on the steering wheel. Now he has an infection from the broken teeth. He is in a lot of pain with no insurance to go get it taken care of. I'm sending these to GM, but I doubt if they will do anything about it - they don't stand behind there products or there customers - obviously.

Contest

So a Blonde Walks into a blog is having a contest with lots of great prizes, cookbooks, apron, hat, for blonds,from Another Blonde Moment,. Open until August 12, just for a comment.

Pets I've Loved

Thirteen Things about Pauline1. Capper - I was a toddler and we got a white Spitz - my sisters wanted to name him Casper - but I couldn't say it so Capper it was - I have a scar on my hand from him 2. Dan - a golden retriever left at a farm place we lived at. Great dog - hunters came to borrow him. 3. Lassie - a mutt I got - we lived on a turkey farm and she started killing baby turkeys - just one here or there - my parents told me a nieghbor found a home for her - when he came to get her he put her in his trunk (so his car wouldn't get dirty) that night while home alone - Lassie came crawling home with a gun shot in her neck. 4. While pregnant with qtpies7 we got a St. Bernard and named him Moose - did he ever look funny sitting on the loveseat. 5. When qtpies7 was a toddler we got her a black kitten - I would call - here kitty, kitty, kitty - and she would call "He kaliddiditty. so that became it's name. 6. We moved to a Dairy farm and got a great German Shepherd named Judge. He was very good with the kids. 7. After moving from Minnesota to Arizona we got a little terrier mix named Mandy - She loved to dress up in the kids t-shirts. I mourned for a week after she died. 8. Then we got a desert tortoise named Sherman - who loved bananas. 9. Then came Randi - Mirandi Cecille - she was a Pomeranian. When I was pregnant with my youngest she would only eat crackers - just like me. 10. Blaze came next - a Curly Coated Retriever who insisted on getting our newspapers and if one of us didn't know he'd been out to get it - he'd end up getting the neighbors also. He also helped carry in groceries. 11. Another black cat - Bagheera. He was declawed but still took birds out of the air. 12. I got Mika - you've probably seen her in a previous post at the Arizona Humane Society. The best dog I've ever had. 13. And now we also have another black cat - Midnight aka Nightmare. He's also great. Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Wordless Wednesday

This is my son's car - his airbag did not deploy and he broke some of his teeth on the steering wheel - granted his teeth were in really bad shape to start with. But my point is that he would not have taken a bite out of his steering wheel if the airbag had deployed. GM says that the airbag was not defective and that the car has to hit in a certain way before the airbag deploys. Excuse me??? How hard does it have to hit? This car is completely totaled. Head on with a light pole.

Thirteen Ideal Ways To Spend Free Time Without Spending Money If I Had Any Free Time

Thirteen Things about Pauline 1…. Read - uniterrupted - all day 2. Take a nice leisurely walk in the woods with a camera and a backpack with snacks 3. Paint - leave the paints out all day and paint in all my mediums: oil, acrylic, water colors, pastels, and try out my new Chinese Inks 4. Go window shopping - most of day in Barnes & Noble 5. Go to a nearby beach and walk along the shore picking up seashells, turning over rocks to see the critters living there (being careful not to disturb them, stopping now and then to lay in the sun and read, bring camera for beautiful sunset 6. Spend the day looking at photos - memorabilia I have boxes of photos taken over the years and tons on my computer and on disks I like to sort them, then sort them over again in different categories 7. Watch movies - I have tons I haven't watched yet and some I'd like to watch again. No interruptions, just a pause here and there to make popcorn 8. Go out and pick wild berries - We just finished the strawberry season, raspberries are almost done, blueberries are starting, and then the blackberries. Bring bug spray and lots of containers. 9. Play cards with friends - all day. My favorite is Hand and Foot. Board games are fun to - I do love Pictionary 10. Spend a day pampering myself - A nice long bubblebath - with a glass of wine, candles and a good book - give myself a pedicure and a manicure. How about a facial while I'm at it. Make some good herbal tea - do some stretching - maybe dance to a few Richard Simmons tapes. Take a nap. Spend the day talking to our Lord. 11. Crafts - Like quilting, scrapbooking, needlepoint, pressing flowers, I used to like to do macrame` 12. Go for a drive and explore local roads I've never been on - again take the camera to take pictures of old barns, animals, the river views around here. 13. Blog - blog, blog - read everyones blog - What I wouldn't give to have a whole day to surf the net instead of grabbing a few minutes here and there.

Wordless Wednesday Wish I Were There

Thirteen websites proclaiming to eliminate cat urine odor

Thirteen Things about YOUR NAME 1…. The rental unit that the tenant from *&%#@* left such a mess is saturated in pet urine/feces odor that I can't get rid of. The odor comes out the screen door as you walk past. Help - I'm looking for solutions. It's not just in the carpets - it's under cupboards, under the floor - the cats crawled through holes by pipes and got under the floor. 1. www.stinkfreedirect.com Instantly, completely and permanently remove pet & cat urine odor - guaranteed. Uses oxidation - 32oz $13.49 2. www.SCOE10X.com - Immediate & Permanent Odor Eliminator - non-toxic Concentrated - guaranteed. 13oz - makes 1 gal. $29.95 3. www.chemdry.rtrk.com - P.U.R.T. - carpet cleaning company out of Boston 4. 222.cleartheair.com - Earth Care Clear The Air Odor Remover - Doesn't need to come in contact with urine - Sprinkle on - leave over night - vacuum - done. 14oz $9.99 covers 100sf 5. www.Urine-off.com - Smell & Stain Reved Permanently - use black light to locate urine. Hifh performace, bio-enzymatic product - guaranteed - As seen on TV 1 gal $39.95 6. www.justrite.com - The 1-2-3 Odor Free Kit Guaranteed - $39.95 plus $9.95 UPS 7. www.firstchoiceokc.com - just air fresheners 8. www.planeturine.com - Prove It Kit $19.95 - Black Light $9.95 If all you want is a cheap "two week temporary fix", please don't buy our products. 9. www.redhotcarpetcleaning.com - Odorcide 210 Concentrate Cat Urine Odor Remover - Removes cat urine odor permanently. $19.99 16oz concentrate. 10. www.odorbegone.com - Carpet shampoo - removes cat urine odors 32oz $12.95 - No-risk-guaranty 11. www.futurepets.com - Simple Solution Cat Spray & Urine Stain & Odor Remover 32oz $5.79 12. www.catsodorfree.com - Spray to put on pet food to make their urine not smell 13. www.stinkypets.com - Order a make your own recipe for $9.99Start your list here!

Wordless Wednesday

Is it a heart or a fox or a raccoon? I call it Mika's revenge. The Captain was driving and she was trying to see between the seats and slipped and tried to keep her balance by digging into my arm.

Midnight

I saw my daughter's (Qtpies7) post about new pets - they stole the name of my cat - but he did look like their Midnight when he was younger.

ducks

My ducks! My ducks! I saw three little ducks in the pond - maybe the foxes or fishers didn't get them after all. I am toooooooo excited!

What I wantED to be when I grew up

I took the grand kids down to Massachusetts to see the Captain's new boat. Long drive - 4.5 hrs. On the way I was musing about how I wanted to be a veterinarian when I was young. And now, at age 55, I can see the wisdom of God telling me "no". He knows how I love animals, I am passionate about them. But obviously I was not cut out to be a vet. Heaven's I cried in Dumbo and The Jungle Book as an adult even.

But thinking about the past week, made me understand that God definitely knows me better than I knew myself. On my way to work one day I saw a bird by my neighbor's driveway - it had been hit by a car and was flopping around on the side of the road - that in itself was not my undoing - but the other bird that kept flying down to it and then leaving and coming back as if to say "Come on, get up, you can do it! Please get up!" started the tears. Then another day on my way to work I noticed a duck with three babies swimming in a pond - a few days later she was swimming with only one baby - now I don't see any of them, and I'm ready to cry again just thinking about it.
Yesterday we went to a little country fair and a cow gave birth while we were there. The owner sat by her head and comforted her while she was in labor - I think it was her first. I have never seen a cow so loving to a person - she licked her and snuggled to get the comfort she needed. She seemed to be having such a hard time - I didn't understand why they didn't help her deliver. Sometimes she would look around and I could imagine her thinking "I wish all these people would quit staring at me - leave me alone - I hurt - this is a special time for me and I don't want to share it with strangers" I had to leave and let her have some dignity - but of course the other 40 people stayed around staring at her. We saw her beautiful calf a little later. But she wasn't in the pen with the new mamma - and the new mamma was not very happy - she reached through the fence and tried to nurture the baby.

My heart is too soft to be able to be a good vet. I cry watching animal planet - I would be emotionally spent if I had to watch animals suffer or die on a daily basis. I understand the survival of the fittest - but my heart breaks and I would probably do more harm than good - I'll let those who are more gifted in the healing area and be content to love and cherish the animals. I'll just have to be something else when I grow up.

Thursday Thirteen~ Crazy Wallpaper Edition

There are 13 different black and white wallpaper or borders in our master bedroom/closets - We've lived here almost 5 years and haven't had the where-with-all to change it because all of our money and efforts go into our rental properties instead of our own.

this wall is part of my walk-in closet

1. flowered border
2. brush stroke wallpaper











3. Paisley border
4. Heart wallpaper
5. Gingham base border












6. striped wallpaper
7. gaudy border around windows
8. striped with a touch of gold wallpaper
(some border like just below stripes is also on another wall as is the bottom base border)








9. Checkered wallpaper













10. Newsprint wallpaper
(more stripes and borders)
11. Flowered wallpaper in background










12. Another kind of striped wallpaper in the Captain's closet














Details of the different papers by the double windows above






Details of the flowered borders near the master bath


















13. Another striped wallpaper in my closet

Wordless Wednesday~ Rock climbing

The Captain took this photo of me rock climbing - guess Gameboy came by his picture taking naturally. - Or else they are both "leg" men. See a previous WW for a history of bad pictures. Gameboy and the Captain can't get pics of heads?

13 Categories of 13 Things I'm Getting Rid Of

Thursday Thirteen

The Captain will be home today – so I decided to clean up (he’s a real neat nick) I knew just tossing out 13 things wouldn’t make a dent – so I decided to find 13 things in 13 different areas or categories around the house.
1. Kitchen
Set of 3 bowls with lids (alright, they were whipping cream containers), a ladle and whisk – must be for an army mess hall they are huge, a metal scoop, a wooden spoon – still in the paper wrapper from the ice cream cup,
Set of 7 corks from wine bottles – I think I got them in a $1 box at an auction, a rubber ring from an old canning jar, a paring knife – broken tip,
a rusty butcher knife, bear honey container with too dark honey, plastic cap from a cough syrup bottle, clear plastic tube from ????? – it’s cracked, and a broken night light with an extra cover

2. Books - this took the longest – I must have over a thousand books – but I have a hard time parting with any:
Cinderella Complex, A Gift to Myself, Healing the Child Within, Home Coming, Webster’s Secretarial Handbook, Brasco Book of Design – promotes windows and hardware, Cabins & Cottages, Flower Gardening 1 2 3, Healing a Parent’s Grieving Heart, 1994 Farmer’s Almanac, New England, The Perfect Storm, and The Hungry Ocean

3. Clothes – from my closet – after already discarding a lot yesterday
Pair of gray shoes and tan shoes, a Butterscotch, a beige, and a black wool skirt, White Jeans and blue jeans, 2 blue shirts, Plaid Slacks and black slacks, Green plaid flannel shirt and a Multi colored striped shirt

4. Dresser
A bathing suit, 4 Pairs of panty hose, Pair of hospital slipper socks, Pair of polka dotted panties and purple panties, Bra, Cloth bag, Pair of socks, Score card from mini golf, and a bag of panty hose.

5. Down stairs bathroom
Glitter hair gel, Empty Rubbing Alcohol bottle, Child’s mirror, Broken comb, Monkey fingers – hair clip, Cotton balls – loose, Grape shower gel – almost gone – bottle dented, Nail glue, head band, Kids wipes wrapper, Cardboard from hair clips, Stretched out hair ties, Got 2 be Glued – spiking cement

6. Upstairs bathroom
Broken comb, Old foundation – like 5 yrs old, KFC towelette, Headbands, Old broken watch, Plastic jewelry, Scrap piece of paper with phone numbers I don’t need, Guidepost magazine, Red lipstick, Empty hair spray, Motel shampoo, really old burn relief gel – hardened in the bottle, AA Battery

7. Bedroom
An audio tape, Pair of earrings, Stuffed animal, Candle, Heart shaped and Butterfly shaped cardboard boxes, Empty jewelry cardboard box, Sudoku puzzle book, Paperback book – Ralph’s Party, Another old watch, Suncatcher, Old keys I have no idea what they are for – perhaps the house I had in Virginia 5 years ago, empty plastic kool-aid container

8.Games
Town & Country, Scrabble – I have 3 of them, The Trumpet Game, A Cribbage Board, A Jigsaw Puzzle, Poker Chips, Plastic Card Holders, Deck of cards, Another deck of cards, Another deck of cards, Another deck of cards, Another deck of cards, A nice double set of cards in a case

9. Basement
A cassette holder with 13 cassette tapes in it, Table cloth, Back pack, snowmobile suit, 2 wine bottles, Plastic coat hangers – the kind from the store with the clothes on it, sweat shirt, 3 pair winter Boots, Long dress coat, Parka, Windbreaker, 3 rolls of Wall paper, and Sneakers

10. File Cabinet
Old bank statement, Privacy statement from bank, AARP letter, A birthday card, Junk paper, More junk paper, Planet Fitness brochure, Old checkbook register, blank envelope, Brochure on lowering cholesterol, DVD that skips, Mosaic paper teddy bear, Old envelope – whoops I’d better keep that – it has some phone numbers I might need, Family issues publication

11. Craft Room
2 bottles of dried up glue, grocery bag of pine cones, bonnet made for a skit, dried up Christmas Swag, dried up Christmas Wreathe, broken pine cone kissing ball, Dried Autumn Leaves, Pink Bathroom Rug, Paper Gift Bag with tissue paper, Hand Bag, Package of ironing board clips, An egg crate – cardboard, Cardboard tubes from wrapping paper

12. Old Emails
I deleted 13 emails from my friend Bev from 2005
Then I deleted 13 more emails from Bev

13. Laundry Room
13 odd socks


Whew – All that – and I still don’t see where it made a difference

Wordless Wednesday

Best Friend

Watching tv with dad

My Dad loved westerns. We also liked to watch wrestling. Does anyone remember The Vachon's - Mad Dog and the Butcher? How about Vern Gagne or Bobby Heenan or Jesse "The Body" Ventura - Pretty Boy Larry Henning, The Crusher/The Bruiser Tag Team? Dad also like to read - of course his favorite authors were Zane Grey and Louis L'Amour. Funny, I really don't remember my mom watching much tv - other than a couple of soaps. She was usually busy crocheting (she made beautiful doilies and wall hangings - like the 23rd Psalm) or doing jigsaw puzzles. She also like crossword puzzles and belonged to a reader's digest book club.

Thirteen Westerns I used to Watch with my Dad

Thirteen Things about Pauline Some of my fondest memories of time spent with my dad, was watching westerns on our little tv - no remote - 3 channels 1. Bonanza 2. Gunsmoke 3. Have Gun Will Travel 4. High Chaparral 5. Zorro 6. The Rifleman 7. Rawhide 8. Big Valley 9. Davy Crockett 10. Wagon Train 11. The Virginian 12. Maverick 13. The Lone Ranger Of course there were other programs we also liked - such as Sky King, Sgt. Preston of the Yukon, Rin Tin Tin Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Wordless Wednesday - Ouch

Watch out for the spaghetti sauce!

Tagged

Qtpies 7 tagged me with the following 5 random questions. Curious daughters just want to know, I guess.

1. What was it about your spouse that made you decide he/she was the one? This will be tough, since I've decided 4 - yes, 4 times that this one was the one.
a. Hubby #1 - dd's daddy. I was 16 - my mom died when I was 15, I was roaming from dad to sister to sister to dad and just wanted to be loved and have a "normal" home. I meet this guy who rides a Harley, has the most amazing, crooked smile, an absolutely buff bod, he was joining the army, ended up a hero, wounded in Viet-nam. All of his friends were marrying my friends and through letters we "fell" in love. I just knew he was the one for me and would make me happy and I could make him happy. I was 17 when we married. Lasted 5 years, best thing - 2 beautiful children.
b. Hubby #2 - He drove a really nice car, took me to fancy places to eat, always include my 2 beautiful children, found out he had been in a hospital for severe depression - attemped suicide, and I was his new tranquilizer - he needed me. I could change/help him. I just knew he was the one for me. Lasted 14 years - a lot of verbal and mental abuse, didn't want to fail a second time - best thing - another beautiful child.
c. Hubby #3 - The marlboro man - cowboy from Wyoming (he really didn't smoke). He worked for American Express, had been wounded in Viet Nam, lost a son in a tragic shooting accident, and had a daughter with mental and physical disabilities. He needed me and he'd give me respectablity and financial security. I just knew he was the one for me. I was in my mid-forties and ready to settle down. Lasted five years, he didn't have it in him to smile and didn't get along with my son - best thing I saw a lot of Arizona and Wyoming that I never would have seen, and learned a little about money management.
d. Hubby #4 (present one, and hopefully last one) - The Sea Captain - now, how romantic does that sound? I was attracted to him at first by overhearing him talk to his grandchildren on the phone - what a character! He can really make me laugh. We went on a vacation to Maine from Virginia, and toured some old cemeteries. He is a neatnik and wants to be placed in a vault and have his children come and clean and dust it all of time. I said I didn't care, any plot would be fine for me. He said he would come and talk to me every day - made me cry. I just knew he was the one for me. We started planning our retirement - which of course is off track now because we have custody of the grandchildren.
Obviously I sure don't know *#@**&**#!.

2. What was your favorite pet in your entire life? And why?
This is a hard one. I would have to say my pomeranin "Randi" Her name was Miranda Cecile. She slept with me, when I was pregnant with my youngest she would only eat soda crackers. We had routines for begging. I bawled for days when she died. I swore not to ever get close to a pet again. But now I have Mika - and she is a real gem.

3. What one thing should you give up? (coke, cookies, computer?)
This a no-brainer. I need to give up playing solitaire on the computer. It is my drug of choice. I don't play on-line. But I can get on for just a few minutes, only one game each of my favorite 3. The next thing I know, it's been 3-4 hours and I haven't accomplished anything at home and missed out on much needed sleep.

4. What is you most embarrassing moment? Ok, at lease name an embarrassing moment.
I'm glad I don't have to name the REAL most embarrassing moment. But I was embarrased when I sent off an insurance payment (late) for our business and forgot to sign the check. The next month, I did the same thing.

5. What is your favorite/most interesting/weirdest job you've ever held?
I would have to say Scalloping with The Captain. It was the most physically hard work I have ever done, but also the most interesting and profitable. I'll have to blog about that experience and share some pictures.

Whew!! That's done - Now to tag you all -- anyone who reads it - consider yourself tagged with these five new questions.

1. What is your fondest childhood memory?
2. What accomplishment are you the most proud of?
3. What is one thing in the past that you did that you are the most ashamed of?
4. What was your worst nightmare?
5. What is your favorite hymn or scripture and why?

Thursday Thirteen ~ 13 things I'm whining about

Thirteen Things about Pauline 13 things I'm whining about Break out the cheese, I'm about to whine! My weight – since getting the grandkids 2.5 yrs ago – I have gained 35 lbs. Yikes!!!! – but, the doctor wanted me to gain at least 10 – and I’m pretty healthy and still weigh less than most Maine women in their 50s lol No privacy at home – since getting the grandkids, I can’t even go to the bathroom in peace… but, before they came I was incredibly lonesome with The Captain gone to sea so much. My job – my job used to be my haven, things have changed so much it gets really tense… but, I still get treated well, good pay (better than most women in Maine lol – by about $6more an hour), help with insurance premiums, paid holidays and vacations, great co-workers. The price of gas!!! It costs me about $60 a week to get to and from work. My car is a gas hog - … but, it is 4-wheel drive and gets me up my steep driveway in the Maine winters. I miss my family – I have a son who lives on the west coast, a son and sister who lives in Arizona, a daughter and sister who live in Minnesota and I don’t get to see them very often – not even once a year sob, sob, sob. …. But, I have unlimited long distance phone service and yahoo for the internet email. My car is old – no air bags, no cd player and I drive for over a half hour each way to work and would love to listen to different programs on cd since they don’t make them on cassette tapes anymore boo hoo …. But, I do have a lot of tapes and my car gets me safely to and from work and I don’t have any car payments. My dog doesn’t want to travel with me anymore – I have to practically force her to get in the car – she’s getting older (and perhaps wiser – and doesn’t like my driving – see a previous post)… but she has been a faithful companion and guardian for the past 8 years and she still loves to see me when I get home. My house needs so many repairs! Both decks need to be replaced – a lot of wood rot, the kitchen door needs to be replaced – the double pane window in it has gotten moisture inside and always looks foggy and dirty, we get sand in the tub and sink from the well, we have no a/c and lots of lots of windows that don’t open…but, we have a roof over our heads, and a fantastic view. My closet is a disaster! I have way too much in it. A lot I can’t wear anymore – see #1, and some I just haven’t worn for years, some I should pack away for next winter, my shoe rack keeps falling off the door…but, I have an abundance of clothing and resolve to give some to good will – I guess you could say my closet runneth over. My husband is hardly ever home to help me with the kids or the housework or deal with the tenants or just to talk to and to hold … but, he is a hard worker, he loves and provides for us – he makes us laugh (when he isn’t pushing us towards excellence) My driveway (actually a shared dirt road leading down from the mountain that we share with 2 other families) is so full of potholes, my car is eventually going to fall to pieces…but, I never tire of the wonder of the narrow mountain road’s offering of wild life – deer, partridge, wild turkey, daisies, blackberries, pine, birch –totally awesome! Tenant problems! See a previous post here and pictures here – tenants can be nightmares! We have 11 rentals right now – one is empty and needs a lot of work before it is habitable again… but the others (well, one has a whiny tenant) are all rented with excellent tenants – they keep the places neat, pay their rent on time, don’t complain – most have been in the same unit for years. I’m not great with math but the percentages are definitely on the good tenant side. My computer at home is soooooooooooo slow – I have dial-up service and an older computer, I have trouble downloading or uploading pictures or even blogging much … but, I do own three computers, do have access to the internet so what in the world do I really have to whine about?

Wordless Wednesday - Our blue lobster