Trail Ride Day!

Oh Wow! What a great day. Karla invited us to join her church group today for a trail ride and dutch oven cooked dinner. It was all great! Karla and Fred brought me a surprise too. They brought a lovely buckskin mare for me to meet. Her name is Goldie. Goldie gave me a great ride today and I'm really excited about her. Here we are together.



I was trying to take a photo of the line of horses and realized that I don't ride well enough to do this well, but I did get Karla and George in the edge of the photo...Karla is riding John and George is on Holly.



It was a great day...a little cold but you warm up on the ride and the facilities at Rafter D's are so nice...it was quite cozy for the dinner.

Thanksgiving Eve Eve

I'm starting to get that warm fuzzy feeling that comes with the Thanksgiving holiday. Our holiday tradition is not like everyone elses...first of all, at this point in our lives, we alternate Thanksgivings with the kids....But, no matter how few or how many we have,it's a hunting holiday for the guys. They hunt and then George deepfry's a turkey and I do all the other traditional Thanksgiving dinner fixins'. This year there will only be three of us...George, Ryan and Myself....after dinner (at noon), I'll decorate for christmas....

Our holiday may seem a bit uninspired to some and kind of lonely to others, but it suits us just fine. Our door is open to any of our friends and family that want or need a place to go for the holiday...

I'm starting off the food fest by baking tonight... I'm making some of George's Great Grandmother Dust's sugar cookies.... Ryan emailed me to ask if I would make some...so tonight is it...and he'll be home tonight as well.....

Happy Holidays!

I got tagged...

Kim at Kim's POV has tagged me...don't know that I can tag anyone else though because Kim and Karla have already been tagged....


Here is the tag list:
1- Show both left & right handwriting.
2- list 5 of your 50/50's.
3- 5 pet peeves and
5- 5 things that don't mix well.

Here is my handwriting using both right & left



I have broken my right arm, so I've had a little practice with my left hand...but it was a long time ago.

My 50/50's:
mornings/evenings
boots/flip-flops...love both of course the season makes the choice for me...
city/country life
birthday/christmas
(this is hard!...I think I must be very decisive because I can't think of anymore right now)

Pet peeves
1. rudeness - not using your manners..if you bump into me, please say excuse me; if I'm in your way say excuse me or politely ask me to move....you know...common courtesy stuff
2. people talking in code - just saying enough to make the other person feel excluded
3. being blamed for something I didn't do....please, I do enough...I don't need help
4. people not doing thier share
5. keeping secrets

Five things that don't mix well:

sport cars & country roads
lazines & ambition
me & coconut
milk & soda
deer & automobiles

Ok, my brain is disengaged today...that's the best I can do.

Crazy Gray's

I think Izzy has gone crazy! Her dead boyfriend is haunting her......And the interns have also lost their minds! They are practicing medicine on each other....like surgery!!!

I think I'm really lucky that I work at a college...if my co-workers practice on me then what could happen...I could improve my education...oh woe is me... hahahaha

Reading reading r--e--a--d--i---n---g

Oh, I so have the don't want too's and I hate it when I'm like this.....Nancy, just do what you are supposed to do...get it done and you won't have to do it again! I just have 3 chapters to read....and really, just one tonight or a good portion of one would be fine...I just have to get started again. I should have never taken that break....but dang, I'm so far ahead....once I read these chapters and take the test, I'll be done with this class....but the semester doesn't end until Dec. 12.....so I'm not behind but life is going to be so busy.....I just need to do it!

Of course, I have the other class with the crazy instructor that won't post our reading assignment.....I've done everything that has been assigned in that class too but she just won't post the rest of the stuff! Do I sound like I'm going crazy....might be just a little type A huh.....

Ryan & Nicole

A photo of Ryan.



A photo of Nicole.

It recently came to my attention that since Ryan is away at college and Nicole lives in Broken Arrow, I never have "recent" photos of them. I was looking for photos for a project that Betty is doing for Christas and realized this...it made me sad. I don't love them any less but it seems like photo ops just don't occur as readily when you have less time together. I have decided that I must make an effort to take photos when they are here. But, I don't want to be the crazy lady that won't stop taking our picture either...we all know how that feels, don't we.

I also have a big gap in photos too....when I moved here, my harddrive crashed...and I didn't have it backed up...so I lost almost all of the digital photos that I had taken.... lots of football pictures, lake pictures and just everything! It makes me sad.

Anyway......

End of the weekend

What a weekend? I had a great time riding horses/mules with Karla. We went to Rafter D's and it was beautiful...fall is my favorite time to be in the woods because you can see more with the leaves off but the leaves on the ground are still colorful. I wish I had brought my camera, but alas, I loaned it to a friend for a school project. I went to WM in Batesville to get my groceries and all that I could for Thanksgiving because I'll be out of town most of next weekend and didn't want the pressure of shopping for dinner during the week. George even took me to dinner (the new mexican place in Meblourne)...I was so tired after my full day that it was nice to grab a quick dinner somewhere.

It will just be thfee of us for Thanksgiving...Ryan, George and me....we issue a "if you don't have anything better to do" invitation to a few people but they ususally have other family obligations....sometimes they do come though....

We got a deer this weekend...a 6 point....our freezer is filling up...that's 2...(1 for George and 1 for me ;-) )

I've been piddling around the house today...my to-do list didn't get completed but almost...and I made plans for the rest.....I think I know what to do for the Cindy Lou Who hair girls...I watched a video today...I just need some fake hair...I'm sure I can get that in Branson/Springfield this weekend.....

Wasn't this a crazy blog....oh well.....I'll do better another day.

New feelings....

My photo posting has nothing to do with my blog today.....
This photo is at Dam 3 on Spring River...I took it a few weeks ago with Kim's camera.

I'm so getting psyched up for the holiday season....I've seen some really cool holiday decorations in some shops and I'm getting psyched! I made the winter flower arrangemets for my family cemetary plots ....I decided to go chritmasy and used poinsettia's and holly etc...they are so cheery. Tomorrow we decorate at the college so we'll be ready for all the holiday stuff to come....I dread putting the tree together but I'm excited to get it all started.

It's a really big year for me....I graduate with my Bachelors degree, turn 40 and it's Christmas!

A week of days

This has been a week of days already...day one, I learn that my boss is interviewing for another job....I wish him well, but that was the beginning of a tightening in my shoulder...my stress spot...the rest of the day went well enough....I was crazy busy and got a lot done but man......day two, I'm in granny mode...I think Mable is about to deliver her first babies....twins I hope!... I made a dash home for lunch to check on her....the spot in my shoulder is getting bigger....The question of the day is "what happens to us if he gets the job...who will be interim....who will apply....who will take his place"...speculation abounds and he hasn't even had the interview yet.....day three...oh wait... there's only been 2 days in the week so far..omg! will we make it?

On a good note, my friend Karla has asked me to go trail ride with her this weekend. I love horses but I don't know anything about them...I've rode before (well, I've sat on the horses back while it walked around...I don't know how to ride)....but I'm excited that we might get to go! I've met her horse, John, and that's who I get to ride...he's a nice guy.

Anyway....I'm about ready to go so I can hang out with Mable for a while...see if she needs some help or some kind words.

I love Ron White

Ok, I think I love Ron White....my feelings might be based on the fact that I'm bone weary tired and I'm again bone weary tired.... but tonight, he's so funny....tacky but so funny.

You might remember tha I'm cleaning my house very thoroughly right now...I was doing one room a day, however, we have had a very busy week, so today I worked from 6-6 cleaning the house.....I'm done with the downstairs..... yeah! I cleaned, reorganized, threw away, etc.....it's a very nice feeling..... I plan to go upstairs this week during the evenings to clean there....so, I'm tired...and Ron White is funny tonight.

A big day

Today, Russell is 18....we're having a birthday dinner at home tonight...my parents are coming to join us...I'm making Fried Chicken, mashed potatoes, salad, rolls and gravy...and we're having an Ice cream cake from Dairy Queen.

Today is also Matt & Betty's 19th anniversary! We had dinner with them last night...gourmet night at Ozarka College.

Today is also my Olivia's 4th birthday. Olivia is my best friend's (Belinda)daughter. Her party is tomorrow...I got her a book and the matching doll...Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy.....I got her the dress up stuff to match for Christmas.....It's so cute......Belinda is expecting another child in March...today we find out if it's a boy or girl....I'm hoping for a boy myself....but we'll take whatever we get and love it no matter what.

So, today is a big day!

No mojo

My mojo is gone...I just can't get motivated to be interested in anything....I need a good energy boost....It's not like I'm not doing anything...I just don't care about doing anything...aahhh...this too shall pass....

My friend Kim mentioned the big Four-0 in her blog...it's looming ahead for me...in just another month, I'll be hitting the big Four-0... and I'll also be completing my bachelors degree at the same time....I know I should be excited...and I am...can't you see me jumping for joy......I'm actually more relieved than excited...and dreading the big Four-0 as well.

Such a blah blog today.

As the Day Begins

I have a collection of this type of photo....I love the views of the sky and the seasonal changes of the trees and flowers etc...even the ice and snow. I have a great plan to scrap them at some point....maybe an 8x8 or smaller book....I'm thinking of calling it "My views"..... or maybe "My Changing Views".....anyway...I love the pink sky mornings and evenings.

I'm off to Pocy today for a funeral...it's sad but the lady lead a long full life...last night at the Rosary the Father mentioned that Ms. Ann had been making the baptisimal gowns for the church (St. Paul's) for the last 25-30 years...and at about 25 baptisms per year that's close to 700 (more or less of course) gowns...Can you imagine?....what a very sweet way to serve...It causes you to remember there is alwys a use for your talents.

Time change day!

(This was Saturday morning)

Time changed...Well, it was yesterday...but..... what a day it was for me...so refreshing! I worked my tail off all weekend... testing,studying and testing again(didn't do great the second time)....but....I still have an A...will probalby end up with a B. Good news was...I got first place in my simulation game for my class....way better than I expected....

Anyway.... after testing and going to Ash Flat to Wal-Mart for supplies....I started this huge cleaning effort....it will be ongoing thing for a while...I'm mass cleaning one room at a time...I started with our bedroom....and it took all afternoon...top to bottom, drawers, closets, moved the bed out, cleaned the blinds.... it's a lovely room again..... I also cleaned the stairway and upstairs hall (tons of pictures to dust).....anyway....I was so tired that I used my extra hour to sleep last night...went to bed early to relax....but it's so nice to start cleaning the house and getting that caught up....I still have homework but I'm so far ahead that it is no big deal.

After looking at this week's schedule, It will be next week before the cleaning ends but....it has begun....I've already got 1 tub for goodwill.....and I have room for more shoes now ;-)

Test Day

This weekend I'm forcing myself to take tests and get ready for tests...I have taken one...now I have to get ready for the next one....it's a great day to do it... everyone is gone and I have the place to myself (well, Tess, Sadie and the goats are here...and Daisy the pig...but most of them are outside).....

Speaking of Sadie....she got out last night and I've never seen a dog run so elegantly and so much at one time....she finally gave up and came back into the goat pen......

Here's a photo of George and Sadie from last weekend....Sadie's gettin a little Sadie love.....which she so greedily takes when you get within a few feet of her!