Wordless Wednesday

Mystery Solved from last Wednesday

An old family photo - My father, uncle and all three of my children in 1984

Wordless Wednesday

In Arizona

Well, I finally made it to Arizona. What a trip!!!! I am so blessed.

I was planning on leaving Minnesota early Wed morning - around 5am - but didn't get going until just after 11am - I lost my bank card and had to wait for the bank to open to get cash and order a new card.

I drove around 700 miles - to Kansas City the first day - got there around 10pm. At my last fill-up before stopping - I found I had not put the gas cap on - ooops. I wanted to make up time, so I got up at 3:30 or so and headed out - at 7:30am I was already in Oklahoma City - going 70mph - which was the speed limit - in morning rush hour traffic on I-35W - and the front driver's side tire and brake assembly fell off. Goodness - luckily I didn't panic and it happened just at an off ramp and I was able to maneuver to the area between the off ramp and the freeway. My tire kept going, the brake stayed behind. I called 911 and they asked me if I was the lady who just lost the tire - yup that would be me. I only have liability insurance and no savings - no credit card - Uff da! Now what? A wonderful police officer stayed with me after calling a tow truck - he canceled one and got one that would fix the jeep for me that day.

The folks at the repair shop were awesome. They put up with Mika and with me from 8:30am until they finally finished the repairs at 6:15pm. One of the guys rearranged my luggage/junk in the back so I could use my rearview mirrors. I'd been trying to go by the side mirrors and Mika was always in my way. It ended up costing a little over $1000.00 - My friend (who had send me $300 cash, charged $300 on the repair bill. My ex-husband provided another $300 for the repairs - they took a personal check from me for $250 and I paid the rest in cash - which still left me plenty for the rest of the trip - I hadn't even made it half-way yet.

I made it to Amarillo Tx by 9:30 that night. I left there at 4am and got to Payson by 3:00 pm. Friday. Of course there is a time change there. I went to a job interview within a half-hour of arriving and started my new job Monday.

The reasons I say I am so blessed is:

1. I have such a wonderful network of family and friends who are always there when I need them - I hope they know that I will always be there for them also.

2. Although I had the car problem - I am blessed it happened during daylight and in a city rather than at night on a lonely stretch of highway.

3. Although I had the car problem - no permanent damage was done - no one was injured - no other vehicles were involved.

4. The police officer was wonderful - I need to try to find out his superiors to let them know what a great officer they have.

5. The people at the car repair shop went out of their way to make us comfortable and to get the work done as soon as possible and get me out the door quickly.

6. My dog, Mika, my faithful companion - kept me company and was a great traveler.

Praise God - thanks to the Lord! I'm sure there are many other blessings I could write about. We are here safe and sound.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

13 Things I took pictures of in Arizona

Family - Sister Gwen, Neice Karyn

Veterans Memorial in Fountain Hills

Indian Ruins on the Mogollian Rim

Best Friend

Tonto Natural Bridge

Blackberries

Cool Blue Bug

Really cool green bug

Shriners with camels

Shriners in cars

Shriners on horseback (I missed the motorcycles
A Totem Pole

My youngest son and girlfriend

home

Well, I made it back to Minnesota. I had a great time in Arizona. My sister is doing awesome. Praise God. I spent time with old friends and made new ones.
It was great to see the grandchildren again. My youngest - going on 2 yrs old - wasn't talking much when I left - it's amazing what 3 weeks will do! He held up his arms to get a hug - proceeded to leave a glob of dripping from his diaper on my white pants. When I set him down, he pointed to the mess and said "Oh, man". Too funny.
I'll post pictures later.
Mika was glad to me - I was afraid she'd give me the cold shoulder, but she couldn't.

Arizona

Look what I found in Arizona - just when it's time to leave to go home.

Arizona

Well, I've been here in lovely Payson for almost a week now. I guess it's about time I do a little blogging.
I'm sitting in my sister's "Makin' Room" - that is what her grandchildren call her craft room. Cute, huh? My niece just got the internet set up down here so I can spend a little more time on-line.
It is absolutely beautiful up here in Rim country. I've been taking quite a few pictures - I'll probably have to wait until I get home to post any of them.
I even found a store that makes caramels as good as the ones I buy at the local pharmacy back in Princeton.
I miss everyone back home, but I am enjoying my family here as well.
My youngest son, PJ and his girlfriend are coming up to visit today. I think we will pack a picnic lunch and head for the river. My suitcase will be heavier coming home with all of the "special" rocks I find.
Later,
Pauline

Arizona

Next week I'm going to Arizona to spend a few weeks with my sister. She went home from the hospital today, but needs 24hr observation for a while. She sounds great, but still a little hazy. I'm planning on encouraging her to be creative while I'm there, and I plan to take advantage of her art supplies and do a little creating myself. I haven't heard from Peg - the winner of my bloggygiveaway pet portrait - so I think I'll draw another one - I need the incentive.
(I'll still honor the giveaway to Peg - if I hear from her in the next week) I'm also going to be looking for another job when I get back - I work for a temp agency and have been working steady for the last few months, but family is more important.
I'm going to miss my Mika - my daughter just got a new puppy and Mika is jealous, and she is not going to be happy that I leave her behind.

Restrooms Around the World

Thirteen Bathroom signs
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Bloggygiveaway Winner

Peggy from PegsPlay won the pet portrait from the random number generator. There were so many entries that I would love to have chosen, I'm glad there is such a thing as a random number generator. I think I may choose another one after I finish Peggy's portrait. Thanks to those of you who entered.

Pauline

Bloggy giveaway Pet Portrait

Ok, I'm going to try to join the blogging frenzy. I'll start with a give-a-way for the Bloggy Give-a-way Carnival. I'll create a portrait of your pet - my choice of medium - either pencil sketch, water color, oil, acrylic or a combo. I'll let you do the framing. This is for U.S. only. Leave a comment about your pet. Make sure to leave a way to get in touch with you. The winner will need to email me a picture of their pet with information about it's habits and personality.

Giveaway will close on Saturday evening. Winner will be drawn by random number generator and announced on Sunday afternoon.

Here are a few of my sketches and paintings.

Update on sister

Yesterday I went to a cousin's funeral. All of the grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles have passed away - and the cousins are sure getting older. My cousin had been in a nursing home with Alzheimer's for awhile, and the pastor talked a lot about the disease - which surprised me. I liked his message about how she may have forgotten us, but we have not forgotten her - and most important of all - God did not forget her.

When my sister was not responding - I worried about her forgetting us - Praise the Lord - she knows us all. I am so glad that she knows Jesus.

She has been transferred from ICU at the hospital to the rehab next door - and is not happy. She gets confused, depressed, scared, alone and angry. I've been praying that she will feel God's loving arms around her giving her comfort and hope.

Thanks for all of your prayers.

Granddaughter's say the cutest things!

Saturday my youngest granddaughter was helping me play a puzzle game on the computer - she said she saw something that was obviously not on the screen - she said she "saw" it with her "back" eye. I'm not sure if she was referencing "eyes in the back of her head" or if she meant "in her mind, like behind her eye"?

Yesterday my eldest granddaughter - after hearing about her father's episode at the gas station - he started driving off with the hose still attached to his car - and broke the handle off the hose - she thought it was pretty funny, until her mom mentioned that the clerk in Coburn's laughed and said she was going to tell his mom - who comes in every morning for the paper. "Oh, did that happen in town? Am I going to have to move?"

Too funny.

Rebuttal to Senility

Thirteen Things about Pauline 1.... Start your list here! This is the List from my dd blog about me - can you believe it?- I think I need to clarify a few things. I can never get these font buttons to work right for me - go figure. Thirteen Things that point to my mom's (that would be me) senility My mom (over 50) moved in with us several months ago to get on her feet financially. I don't think she should ever move out, and here is why: 1. Mom couldn't find her phone anywhere, and she was starting to freak out at me because I had used her phone last. I told her I clipped the phone to her purse strap. Could not find it. She tore the purse apart, searched the car, her room, the computer desk. Finally I called the phone and found it clipped to her purse strap. Yes, the purse she had emptied looking for it. Well, come on - the phone is black, the phone case is black leather, the purse is black leather - the phone is small - it must have been dark in the kitchen 2. I got a call from my mom's cell phone one day, but there was a man on the other end, not my mom. She had left her entire purse, and cell phone, at the grocery store. Thank goodness she was with my mother in law so I could call and have her go back for it. That was entirely my granddaughter's fault - she was supposed to be watching me (and her other grandma) that day. That was why we let her come along. 3. One night I got a call from Pamida. They had found mom's cell phone in the parking lot. I probably wouldn't have dropped it i the parking lot if I wasn't busy taking (someone's children - because she was home with a "headache") my darling grand babies out of the cart - and besides, I was still stressed out from losing my phone earlier in the day at Cub Foods - dd called my phone for me and nice gentleman answered - and she didn't tell me it was there - I figured it out by myself - but he did tell me that she had called. (not the same guy from the day I left my purse.) 4. One day mom was really freaking out, she could NOT find her phone. (what's new, right?) She tore the place apart looking for it, and was just near spazzing. So I called it while she looked for it in her room. She had used it for a book mark the night before and put it on her book shelf. Now, you have to admit - that is a very creative use for a cell phone - the case has a really neat clippy thing on it. 5. Mom and I were visiting in her room and she wanted to show me something, so she went to her closet to get it. The closet is pretty big, it even has a window, but it isn't THAT big. I asked her "When did your curtain rod fall down?" She said "It didn't!" Then she looked and it had fallen, and she should have seen it when she walked straight toward it walking in, or when standing next to it digging in the dresser. You see, I am a very focused person - I was concentrating on finding some artwork that was buried on top of the dresser in the closet - I was not - I repeat NOT - looking for clothes. 6. Even after living with us for 2 months, my mom couldn't find her way around my house. She would head toward the bathroom when she wanted the dining room, and head to the dining room when she wanted the bathroom or stairs. She always got lost. She's stopped telling us now, but I don't know if she has it figured out or not. We were going to put up signs for her birthday, but decided to be nice. If they would quit moving the bathroom from one side of the house to the other, I wouldn't have that problem - geeezzz 7. We are afraid if she moves out that she will actually start on her plan to make a sequel to "27 Dresses" and make it 27 Wedding Dresses, always a Bride and Never a Bridesmaid. (she's been married 4 times, she is already on her way, we are going to start calling her a serial bride, lol, and she finds this funny, too, it's a joke) Who says it's a joke? I think Hollywood will love the story - did she tell you that every wedding was in a different state? 8. She lost her phone, again, and it was right next to her on the desk. This has happened so many times that I could do an entire TT on it alone, but it would get too repetitive, right? Again, tiny black phone, black case, and black desktop 9. In order to show the need to move her in the first place, we could ask her how many times she forgot her dog at work for the night and had to go back and get her. Don't ask me how many times - I don't remember. 10. Her driving is getting to the point that her dog won't get in the car with her. But if your head broke the windshield from slamming on the brakes, would you want to ride with that driver again? Her head didn't break the windshield - just cracked it - she just won't stay in the seatbelt. 11. Mom has breakfast at a cafe every morning with my mother in law. They both lived in the same area for many, many years and know a lot of the same people. In fact, they both owned the same house, at different times, of course. (that would mean that in our growing up years, both my husband and I spent time growing up in the same house at different times.) Well, they talk and talk and talk every day, and they never run out of things to say. Because they don't remember things so their repeat stories are always new. .How does she know if we repeat our stories? When we are at breakfast - her lazy behind is still in bed. 12. If she moved out, who would laugh at her comfort her when she comes home crying about seeing road kill after work? I will just pick up a couple of movies to drown my sorrows - like Bambi or Dumbo or Stepmom or Old Yeller 13. And if she didn't live here, I think the dog would get sick of being the only one to scare all the time. Oh believe me, they are very afraid of me down at the grocery store when they see me walking down the aisle pushing a cart with a very lost, scared look in my eyes - shaking my head and muttering "I know I had it when I came in here"

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Hip Hip Hooray!

I talked to my sister, Gwen last night.
She is coherent and able to converse.
Praise God,

Thanks for all the prayers!

She is still strapped to the bed with the tubes draining the blood, so we still don't know if there is any permanent damage to her right side - time will tell.

Oh, I am so grateful.

Pauline

Another update

Well,
We still need prayers - Gwen is not responding to voices yet. Her legs are moving - but not on command. They have had to put a tube down her throat because she is having trouble swallowing. I'm trying not to worry, and leave it all in God's very capable hands -but we are only human so we worry anyway. The nurses are still very optomistic, and it is still early.

Her children are there - her daughter just took a few hours off to go volunteer at a nearby soup kitchen. It helps to serve others when you feel anxious.

Pauline

Update

Thanks to everyone who kept us in your prayers!

My sister's surgery (bilateral craniotomy) went "textbook" according to her surgeon. That is an awesome thing. Her surgery was late yesterday afternoon - into the early evening.

Now we still have to wait and see how she progresses. I spoke with her nurse this morning (5am their time lol) and she is still groggy but her right side is moving and she is doing better than before the surgery. It will take at least 24 hrs before they will be able to tell much - there is still swelling in the brain.

Hopefully she will make a complete recovery - we'll just keep on praying.

Thanks,

Pauline

Subdural Hematoma

My eldest sister will be 70 in August. She's always been a creative inspiration to me. She did a little modeling when she was younger - then worked for many years as a hostess in a bar in Minneapolis. She moved to Phoenix and worked in a factory. She is always cheerful. She is a wonderful artist - at one point we bought a small windbell company together and painted windbells for the Cowboy Hall of Fame and for Lawrence Welk Village. She's been taking care of her grandchildren since then. She is active in her church and works part time running the thrift store for the American Legion.
Her husband passed away in February 2007.
For as far back as I can remember - she always drank. I wouldn't call her a drunk, but I would say that she is probably an alcoholic, as was her husband.
Right now she is in ICU in a hospital in Phoenix, AZ
She had been complaining that something wasn't right - she had headaches, had trouble forming sentences, was not steady on her feet. She had an MRI 3 weeks ago, but nothing unusual showed up on it. Yesterday morning her son, who lives with her, was making coffee when she got up - she was all bent over and her right hand was curled. She had trouble talking - He wanted to take her to ER, but she wanted a shower first - but needed help - she couldn't even get herself dressed.
She has subdural hematomas on both sides of her brain - they airlifted her from Payson to Phoenix yesterday. They have been monitoring her and she is getting worse - they were hoping that the body would absorb the excess blood, but it isn't. She will be having surgery tomorrow or Tuesday.
There are a lot of things that can cause bleeding on the brain - usually from a head injury - but in older people, it is usually caused from brain atrophy. The blood vessels stretch and start to ooze. The brain shrinks, but the rest of the skull doesn't. Heredity could be a factor, excessive drinking could be a factor, just getting older could be a factor. But, whatever the cause - in her case there is a probability that it will happen again.
Her right side is affected and her speech is affected. She is right handed - so now, she can't sign her name, do crossword puzzles, carry on a normal conversation. She is coherent, she knows what is going on and what she wants to say -but can't form a sentence. She is literally trapped in her dysfunctional body and my heart goes out to her.
My other sister, who is not the healthiest - nor is her husband, and I live in Minnesota. It seems light years away. We both wish we could be there - and will find a way if necessary - but what can we do for her but pray? Thankfully all of her children are with her to give her support and love.
I just needed to ramble, and cry, now I need to go pray some more.

Sketch of Cats

These are sketches I made from photographs of my Sister-In-Law's cats. I don't usually do sketches, I mostly paint - but this was a fun project.

Where is Home?

I've been feeling pretty depressed for a long time now - years actually. I haven't been able to put my finger on why.
I finally started going to counseling about 6 months ago - (about 4 or 5 times only) while still living in Maine. Of course - she wanted to start with my childhood.
I have taken anti-depressants off and on for years, but never consistently.
The overlying thought that I have is that I want to go "home", but I don't know where that is. I am always incredibly lonely no matter where I am. I honestly cannot remember the last time I actually felt like I was "home". I always felt like "this is not my house, my home, I don't belong here".
I'm always searching for that feeling of safety, unconditional love, comfort, acceptance. I always come up lacking - and usually blame myself for having too high of expectations.
I have finally decided that I have been looking in all the wrong places. I'm not going to find it in a man, my loving family, any structure. I will only find it in Jesus.
I need to start delving into His Word and to fully rely on Him. I know he loves me as I am and will continue to love me as I struggle to learn to rely on Him, serve Him, obey Him, trust Him, and love Him.

Wordless Wednesday

Three Generation at Graduation

Granduate, Grandma, Mom

Thirteen Random Things

Most of these are nothing to brag about

1. My first job was debeaking turkeys - yuck - especially since I was a teenager

2. I've been married and divorced 4 times in 4 different states - not that I'm bragging - I consider it a blight and yet I wouldn't change a thing. I've learned from each marriage and have beautiful children and grandchildren because of them.

3. I love to read - everything and anything

4. I am an awesome procrastinator - and I have passed it on to my children = another thing not to brag about :)

5. I am addicted to caffeine - mostly coffee - I also like tea and diet coke

6. I love to paint - I started with oil, then did some tole painting, then acrylics, and the latest - watercolors - I don't take the time to do much with the talent God gave me - shame on me

7. I am my own worse critic - about everything - have you noticed?

8. I love our Lord, and am always in awe of His magnificent creation

9. I enjoy my drive to and from work - I get to cross the Mighty Mississippi every day and see beautiful countryside and often a myriad of wild life - I listen to Christian Radio and visit with my Lord

10. I am super emotional - I have been known to cry over road kill - "Oh, no - what happens to their babies? or what if the mommy or baby saw the accident, sob, sob, sob"

11. I'm having a time adjusting to not having my own home - sharing with 9 other people. I just don't always know when, what, or if I should comment on things. I realize that the adjustment will take time and that there will be ups and downs. God doesn't promise us a rose garden without thorns - but if we let Him, he will remove the thorns from us.

12. I absolutely hate it if anyone is mad at me, especially my family - they are supposed to always love, like, admire, respect etc.etc.etc. me. I cry if I even think one of my grandchildren is mad at me or if I think they don't like me. Poor, poor, pitiful me. Another thing not to brag about.

13. Money, possessions, vocation - these are not very important to me. Relationships are the most important things to me - my relationship with Jesus, my children, my grandchildren, the rest of my family, and my friends. Now this trait can be like a double-edged sword. Because of what I consider not that important, I tend to put it so far on the back burner that it gets toasted and I end up in trouble for being irresponsible - like late bills, lost possessions, late to work. Not bragging!

New Boyfriends

I am seeing 5 gentlemen every day.

As soon as I wake up, Will Power helps me get out of bed



Then I go to see John .




Then Charlie Horse comes along, & when he is here,

he takes a lot of my time & attention.



When he leaves, Arthur Ritis shows up & stays the rest of the day.



He doesn 't like to stay in one place very long, so he takes me from joint to joint After such a busy day, I'm really tired & glad to go to bed With Ben Gay.

What a life! Oh, yes, I'm also flirting with Al Zymer

and thinking of calling JACK DANIELS or JOHNNY WALKER to come and keep me company.

now remember:

Life is like a roll of toilet paper...the closer it gets to the end,

the faster it goes...so have fun, think 'good thoughts' only,

learn to laugh at yourself, and

'Count your blessings!!!!!!!