Google flying!

This wonderful internet that has linked me to people all over the world has now allowed me to "travel" without leaving my seat! I love "Google Earth" because I can follow my son's trip. I have the sites of the hotels where the group is staying, and it is fun to see where he is. Tonight they will be staying in a guest house in Gebsattel, Germany. Tomorrow they will be traveling to Munich, and the next day to Italy. I took a quick "google flight" to these places and discovered that he will be staying 2 days in a hotel right on the water close to Venice. When you google Venice, Itay you see that it really is a city of canals, you can't see a convential street anywhere! What an adventure! They are 6 hours ahead of me in Europe. (I have trouble with the concept of date & time - I still can't wrap my mind around Jelly already enjoying "tomorrow" when it is still "today" here!!!) I guess it is true when people say the the world is getting smaller -thanks to the internet. In the real world -I have to go now and take a bike ride. I continue to be successful with my weight loss program, and my knee is almost completely back to 100%! I figure if I can live another 100 years - I will reach my goal weight!

Somewhere over the Atlantic. . . .

As I write this I am thinking about Preston jetting over the Atlantic ocean in the "big" plane! I told him to take lots of photos of everything, even inside the plane! He will be arriving in Frankfurt at 9:25 AM tomorrow morning. There are 27 people in his tour group, and only a few of them are adults. (Pray for those poor folks) I got a hug & a kiss at the airport. When he was boarding the tram to go to the air side, he looked back at me - I hope he couldn't see the tear running down my cheek. (I kept thinking, "stop it - stop it!" - It's a damn trip, not a death in the family!!!) I have never been a cry baby - except when it comes to him. I was melancholy on the drive home from the airport. Of course when the Tuff gets sad, the Tuff goes shopping!!! - so I did! I am remodeling Preston's room while he is away, so I ordered some new carpeting and bought some cardboard boxes. Tomorrow I will start emptying his room. I am going to paint and buy him a new desk and eventually buy him a "murphy bed". I have plenty to do while Preston is gone. I will be keeping busy and trying not to worry. Thanks to you - all my blog buddies - for your kind comments!

European trip

I have been busy getting Preston packed and ready to leave for Europe on Wednesday. The teacher who is in charge of the trip wants us to meet at 5:30 AM. The plane doesn't take off until 11:05 AM from Tampa, which is about a 40 minute drive from here. She and her husband are taking 25 high school kids, and she has done this many times before (but why so early???) I guess she will be allowing for any last minute problems. I have volunteered to drive to the airport because I can fit six kids in my car. Preston has his passport and some Euros & Swiss Francs, so he should be OK if he wants to spend some money. Since he is on a tour, most of his activities are planned, and he will visit Germany, Italy & Switzerland before returning in 10 days. I just hope that he has a good time, because I think it is a trip that he will remember the rest of his life. Many people have asked me why I did not go with him. The truth is that not only can I NOT afford it, but I have never had the desire to visit Europe. My dream trip would be "down under", and I will do that before I die! I hope I can keep his luggage under the weight of 50 pounds! I have packed snacks for him in his checked bag and also his carry on! (I don't want my baby boy to be hungry!) Anyway it will be a quick ten fun filled days for him - and what seems like an eternity for me! He will return home to his new job at the GAP store, where I hope he will work a lot of hours this summer.

So true!

The "other mom" around here, who hardly EVER goes in the kitchen was baking cookies the other night. She was searching for the 1/4 measuring cup and I found it for her. I said, "just ask me, I know where everything in this kitchen is." She replied, "Except the countertop." I thought it was a witty remark, but I couldn't really argue with it!

I love my Mama. She is the greatest. At 88 she is slowing down, she can't hear, she pees in her pants because she can't get to the bathroom fast enough. She reluctantly wears adult diapers. (I tell her - "it's OK, even crazy astronauts wear them!") I went for a quick five day visit last week. While in Virginia, I got some things done for her. I took her to the bank and to the podiatrist. I bought her some bright yellow "croc" shoes the previous time I was there. She did not wear them at first, but on this visit she was wearing them all the time and she loves them!





She is not remembering what day it is, so I bought a clock with GREAT BIG numbers and the day, date, and temperature displayed. I put her daily meds in small zip lock bags with the corresponding day of the week printed on them. I told her to take them on the day that she sees on the clock. Both my brothers try to look in on Mom at least once a day, but she really needs someone to look after her full time. We hired a companion to come and take her to the store or hairdresser - whatever she wants. Mom said that the girl came a couple of times but then she called and cancelled her. She didn't like having a stranger in the house. It is clear to us (her kids) that soon she will not be able to live alone. I live in a small house; three bedrooms - four people. I am getting estimates to remodel my attached garage into a room. Then I will bring Mom down to Florida for a while. It may be a permanent arrangement - time will tell. I have told the rest of my family. My roommate, her son, & my son are all on board with it. They are supportive and I know they will help me as much as they can. It must be very scary for my Mom to have to rely on others when she has been so independent for so long.

Florida is on fire

When I went for my bike ride today it was very smokey. The wild fire smoke is carried by the wind all over the state. Usually I can see for a mile; today although the sun was out, it looked like a cloudy day.
This was a red-winged black bird, waiting for clearance to take flight. This is very sad to me and I wonder if this is our future. No rain in the forcast, the only thing that will save us. My thoughts go out to all who are caught in the fires. My clothes smell like a campfire. The smell is starting to creep into my house.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY EVERYONE Mother or Not - MAY 13TH, 2007

WHY GOD MADE MOMS
Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
-They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.
-She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
-Mostly to clean the house.
-To help us out of there when we were getting born.
How did God make mothers?
-He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
-Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
-God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.
What ingredients are mothers made of ?
-God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
-We're related.
-God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.
What kind of little girl was your mom?
-My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
-I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
-They say she used to be nice.
What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
-His last name.
-She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer? Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?
Why did your mom marry your dad?
-My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
-She got too old to do anything else with him.
-My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.
Who's the boss at your house?
-Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
-Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
-I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.
What's the difference between moms & dads?
-Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
-Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
-Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
-Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.
What does your mom do in her spare time?
-Mothers don't do spare time.
-To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.
What would it take to make your mom perfect?
-On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
-Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.
If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
-She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
-I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
-I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

My Bike

I haven't been blogging lately (I hope you noticed). I have been on a health kick, walking & biking a lot. I have lost 15 pounds, and that makes me happy. I feel a whole lot better and my knee problem is improving. I limped into the doctor's office last week with a sore knee that had been giving me a problem for four weeks. He x-rayed it, then told me that it looked good, maybe my knee cap was "out of it's channel". He told me that if it doesn't improve that I will have to come back for an MRI. I suspected that it was arthritis, but the doctor says my joint looked good on the x-ray, so I am relieved about that. In the meantime, the knee caused me to get real about my health, and start getting in good shape, hence the biking & walking. Saturday I leave for Virginia for a short visit with my mother. I will be back on Wednesday. I hope everyone has a nice Mother's Day.