Getting to Know Me

Since we all could kinda of use a little break from all that has been going on I thought I would answer some questions about myself. Wanna play? Copy my questions into your blog and then answer the questions - but hey let me know so I can learn more about my cyber buds.

I have got some new cyber stranger friends lately (who by the way I think y'all are great), and I think these questions are a little bit different than those I have seen before and maybe you will like or hate me even more :-)

1. IF YOU COULD BUILD A HOUSE ANYWHERE WHERE WOULD IT BE?
I would love to have a home in Italy or Spain - if I have to stay in the states - then either in Colorado or California (What not Texas?).

2. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ARTICLE(S) OF CLOTHING?
I have to dress professional at work all week long (dresses, etc.) so I love just a big ole t-shirt, jeans and flip flops.

3. IF YOU COULD HAVE CHOSEN YOUR NAME WHAT WOULD IT HAVE BEEN?
I like the name Amelia - which is my daughter's name. I get too many jokes about mine especially being from California and now living in Texas - I always here - Dixie, good ole southern name.

4. WHAT IS THE LAST CD YOU BOUGHT?
Journey - Greatest Hits, Easy Rock (compilation CD of 70's soft rock), Green Day - American Idiot, and the newest Rascal Flatts (yeah I am all over the place music wise)

5. WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO BE?
Home - it's where the heart is. Next, walking on the beach or in the woods.

6. WHERE IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE PLACE TO BE?
Anywhere stuck in traffic (after what some people went through this past week - I guess sitting in traffic for 45 minutes seems like nothing - but it is still a pain and don't like to be there)

7. WHAT TIME DO YOU WAKE IN THE MORNING?
The alarm goes off at 4:o5 a.m. I hit snooze twice and get up at 4:20 a.m.

8. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE KITCHEN APPLIANCE?
My crock pot. I love being able to throw a bunch of stuff in it and come back later in the day and it is all cooked.

9. WHAT MAKES YOU REALLY ANGRY?
Mean people - and some really dumb politicians (you know who)

10. IF YOU COULD PLAY AN INSTRUMENT WHAT WOULD IT BE?
When I was younger I played flute - I would like to be able to still do that.

11. FAVORITE COLOURS?
Pink and purple - can't you tell :)

12. FAVORITE CHILDREN'S BOOK?
Toss up between Green Eggs and Ham and Horton Hears a Who

13. FAVORITE SEASON?
Spring - everything is new in Spring

14. IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE SUPER POWER WHAT WOULD IT BE?
X-ray vision.

15. CAN YOU JUGGLE?
If juggle means throwing items in the air and catching them, no. If it means juggling my bank account, managing my life, making dinner, shopping and every other thing going on in my life - well hell yeah I can juggle.

16. THE ONE PERSON FROM THE PAST YOU WISH YOU COULD GO BACK AND TALK TO?
My father - he died when I was three months old. I just would like a big hug from him.

17. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DAY?
Friday - cause it is time for a drink, time to kick back, you don't have to get up too early on Saturday.

18. WHAT IS IN THE TRUNK OF YOUR CAR?
Don't have car - have truck and in back seat is a lot of junk and my blanket (I sleep in the truck on trips out of town).

19. SUSHI OR HAMBURGER?
Hamburger with lots of cheese and pickles.

20. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CARTOON CHARACTER?
Scooby Doo - I used to wear a scooby costume - one of my first jobs was being him at a pizza place like chucky cheese - used to dance and entertain the kids.

21. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEAL?
Another toss up - enchiladas or lasanga - yummy.

22. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ANIMAL?
dogs, cats, bears, lions, tigers - i love them all - everything.

23. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TIME OF DAY?
early in the morning - no one is at work and I can get a lot done.

24. WHO IS YOUR HERO?
My mom - she has been through a lot in her life but she has always been a good person. i love her.

I hope that tells you a little more about me. Tell me about you.

All Is Well

All is well here in Houston. We made it through the storm and I didn't kill my in-laws. We did not leave the city as many did - being where we are we decided we were safe. I spent Thursday and Friday cleaning the house (you know I wanted it clean in case it got dirty from the storm). My husband invited my his family to come and stay with us (I think he didn't want to be alone with me for that long - ha) - so I had to prepare for them as well. I had to clean my children's rooms. They were not with us - my daughter was celabrating her birthday in San Marcos (hurricane what hurricane - give me another corona) and my son decided to stay on his side of town with his girlfriend. Needless to say their rooms were a mess (you see once they became adults their rooms were their responsibility - bad mistake on my part), cleaning them took longer than anything else I have ever cleaned. I must have been a horrible child when it came to helping around the house because my kids have given it back to me three-fold. Anyway off subject there sorry. My in-laws came, my mother and father in law, my sister in-law, and my other sister in-law and her family of three teenagers, two large dogs and one husband. My mother and father in-law also brought their dog. So here we all are in my three bedroom home, five dogs, 4 teenagers (one of my sister in-laws is only 19) and 6 adults all stuck together. My mother in law was nervous and so she was cooking up a storm, you know in case the power went out - so that there would be plenty to eat - of course if the power went out we would have to eat it all pretty quick cause the fridge was not going to work. We all made camp all over the house Friday night - 1 a.m. the power went out. 10:00 a.m. the next morning my father in-law decides that the storm was not that bad and he was going home - so everyone packed up and left because my sister in-laws did not want them driving home by themselves. He gets antsy that way.

So now it is just me and hubby and our 2 dogs and no electricity. We open windows - play our little hand held video games, listen to radio, read books. Eat everything in site because we don't know how long we are going to be without power. Around 3 p.m. he gets a call from work - they want him in tomorrow. It is getting hotter in the house - my little dogs (who are very pampered) are starting to wilt as am I (I hate to sweat unless for something good - you know) - so we go for a small ride in the truck. Around 10:00 p.m. we realize the lights are not coming on anytime soon. Hubby going crazy cause he can't watch sports and me cause I can't see for shit in candle light and laterns. We finally decide to go to bed - naked (we looked like to beached whales floating on my bed) with our windows open (I hope that our neighbors across the bayou were not peeping) - around midnight the street lights came on and about 3:00 a.m. our lights came on - I was so happy - I sat up and read and watched tv until 5 a.m.

I can only imagine how people who were in Katrina, or in Rita for that matter, must have felt - I was only without power for a few hours - times that by 100 and you just feel lucky. I hope everyone who was here and possibly affected by our little Rita is all right - STB and Kimmy - I hope y'all are all right. I have to go back to work tomorrow - my downtown law firm well they just have to get back to billing clients - though I will probably be only one of a few that do make it back as a lot of my co-workers did evacuate.

It has been a ride - I am glad to get back to normal. Thanks to everyone who worried about me - it means a lot to know that people who just read my life care - I care about them as well. I will write again soon. Peace and love to y'all.

Where Have I Been

Lost - I just got so stressed dealing with all my family stuff and with all the hurricane stuff. Not that things are better - not with Rita heading some of our ways. Trying to get things in order just because you never know. Insurance policies - check, water and supplies - check, food for us and dogs - check, gas in vehicle - check, candles, lamps, batteries, radio - check, extra cash - check - will we even get the storm - it remains to be seen. As of this morning - yes - though not in Galveston - I am close enough to get a lot of rain and a lot of wind, et al. Plus with a nice big bayou right behind the house, not too mention a river (San Jacinto) not too far away and a lake (Houston) - you can see why I am a little bit worried about flooding. I was in a different house when Allison hit and was one of the lucky ones whose home did not flood in the area I lived in - because people who lived right next store to me did flood. I was here when Alicia hit - I was 21 and had a 16 month old son and lived in a little bitty wood home. I remember the tree in the front yard was bending over so much from the wind that we decided to go to my in-laws - when the water finally receded - that tree was were my car had been. So yeah I guess I am a little worried. But you hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

My step father is not doing better - they moved him up to hospice, he is still refusing to see any of us although he did see my niece who is his daughter (explanation - my black sheep sister had a baby when she was young and my mom and my step dad adopted her - so she is my sister/niece) - he did tell her that she was not allowed to talk about any of us and if she did or if she got upset he would make her leave. He did sign the paperwork to let my mom do what she needs to do to prepare. She was not going to go to funeral (when the time comes) because she is so upset with him but she has since changed her mind and asked that we all be there with her which of course we will - where else would we be. He has been asking for his laptop but my mom has told him the only way he can have it is if she can bring it to him - so they are going around about that. I can understand where he is coming from - if he doesn't want us to remember him in the hospital then we shouldn't go see him but to not want to see my mom does not make sense to me. I hope that he will change his mind. I know he thinks he is making it easier for both him and my mom but - well I hope he changes his mind.

Any good news - well yes - today I am officially old - I no longer have any children - my daughter turned 21 today. My little girl is no longer little. Of course she really wasn't at 18 but no that she can "truly" drink without having to use her fake i.d. (little thing didn't think I knew about that) - well it kinda makes me feel old. I am only 20 and 23 years old but to have grown kids well that just seals it. So today she can drink and probably will - I will have a nice glass of wine tonight and toast her -

If you are in the storm's path - please take care - even if you are not sure - please take precautions. Mother nature as we have all seen here recently can be a real bitch when she wants. Thanks for stopping by. Peace to all. Take care and be careful. Will blog again soon.

Help for the animals

If you can further help:



Thank you and have a good one!!

Hard

It has been so hard to post lately. There is so much going on here in Texas and in life in general. I have been reading other blogs and posting there. STB's posts have been remarkable. He has put so much of himself out there. Volunteering and donating. I believe he walks the walk and talks the talk. Being that he has been down there in the thick of things I wanted to give him props on my blog. While I have donated money and given clothes, food and anything else I could, I have not had the chance to volunteer. Between my job and traveling every weekend to see my Mom and step Father (who as most of you know from my previous posts will not be with us much longer) I have not had the time. My husband is going to take two days off from his job and go and volunteer at the local food bank. I have had the chance to help two people on a personal level. One is staying with a friend and like me is large and since they are so short on bigger sizes I have given her about two weeks worth of outfits. And I have given several t-shirts and big size clothes to a friend whose company is helping out a family and the boys need larger size clothes for school. That has felt great. We have also donated dog food to the local animal shelters. It breaks my heart to see the animals. These people that had to leave their homes some of them had no idea that they would not only have to leave everything behind but they also had to leave behind four-legged family. It is just heartbreaking to see. I love my two little dogs and I think all the time what if something happened and I couldn't get to them, would someone come to their aide. I hope so. My step father is not doing well - they are not going to be able to let him come home - he will be staying in the hospital. They will be able to move him to the hospice floor by the end of the month. The doctor told him when he is moved up there he can have whatever he wants - if he wants a beer, they will get it for him, whatever food he wants, he can have. Whoopie fucking dooo, he can't have what he really wants though, to come home and be better. I understand they are trying to make his last days pleasant but come on... He is trying to disassociate himself from all of us - he has asked hospital not to let anyone see him and he doesn't want to talk to anyone. He has asked for his computer which we hope he will get and send emails on. I hope and pray that he will have a change of heart soon and want to see or talk to us.

All of the above and other things have really stressed me out so if I put some crazy comment on your blog please forgive me. My words are so jumbled lately - I know what I want to say but it does not seem to be coming out right. I am barely functioning properly at my job. I am not sleeping well and am just generally ill - depression. Please pray or send good thoughts to all the people and animals that have been through so much lately - from Katrina or just otherwise in their lives. Please pray or send good thoughts to my step father that he not suffer so much and that he while he can't have what he really wants (to be well, come home) he can find humor in what they will let him have (bring on the beer, wiskey, tequila and steak and lobster) and that he will want to see us all (or at least my mother) before his time with us for now comes to an end. Peace to all. Will blog again soon. Thanks to all my blogging friends who care so much..

Bloggin for Relief

Blogging for relief. If we all do a little something we could make the day a little better for someone.

I've registered my blog (you can as well, but you don't have to in order to donate) and I've chosen The Humane Society as my charity.

Why animals instead of the people who so desperately need help? Because the animals cannot speak for themselves so we must speak and help them. When you domesticate an animal you make a promise to take care of it. But some, for whatever reason, are or were not able to take care of their animals in the wake of this event. This is where the Humane Society can help.

From the Humane Society:

"Some people were forced to leave their pets behind. Others were never able to evacuate at all. Now, in Katrina’s aftermath, The HSUS's Disaster Animal Response Teams are primed to help the pets and other animals left behind in the region’s most devastated areas.

In response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, The HSUS has begun a massive relief effort to rescue animals and assist their caregivers in the disaster areas. Our highly trained Disaster Animal Response Teams are in Mississippi and Texas coordinating a multi-state animal rescue and recovery effort. Our 38-foot Disaster Response Unit, and other rescue vehicles affiliated with our teams, are in Mississippi.

Your tax-deductible gift will be used exclusively for our disaster animal relief work."

I've made my $25.00 donation and I hope you will consider making a donation as well.

For a round up of participating blogs see Instapundit

Add your own blog at Truth Laid Bear

If you are unable to donate - which in these days and time it truly understandable. Please pray for or send good and healing thoughts to the victims. Everything small or large helps. Peace!!

Katrina

Mother Nature - ya know she can be a real bitch!!! She showed us that this past week with Katrina. Now so many are without so much. If you can please donate to the Red Cross - or if you are so inclined the Houston Food Bank has an online grocery store where you can make a donation and with them for every $1 donated - they can purchase $25 worth of food and supplies, which I think is awesome. They will be working to help feed those that are now being put up in the Astrodome. You may find that your company is offering a matching program for your donation - an excellent way to go. While Mother Nature has had her way, we now how the opportunity to show our compassion for one another. Events like this bring out the best and worst in people. The looting is awful, not for those who are taking food, but for those who use this event to steal without thought or care (i.e. the ones stealing 10 pairs of shoes and televisions, etc. - hello you don't have electricity or a home for that matter what are you going to do with that TV?) - those taking to feed their family - you feel for them. Also don't forget those that can't speak for themselves - the animals. Many of them are without the families that once took care of them. I believe anything we do, whether donating, volunteering, or just praying or sending good thoughts helps. I know that there are many who want to help but just can't, and I believe that just a prayer or good thought is just as good when it is all you have to offer. The good in people is there and now is our time to shine, again. I wish peace and comfort to all.