a little INXS

I admit I watch reality TV. Survivor, Canada's worst driver, Tall Ship Chronicles... the list goes on. Although there are many I don't watch to. I loved the Mark Burnett shows on ecochallenge to and although my husband hates this one Temptation Island. I say couples in strong relationships wouldn't be on temptation island in the first place... although a few did leave the show as they discovered that they really did want to be together and one couple got married after doing it. But my favorites were Rock Star: INXS and Nashville star. Here's a little of the new INXS. I liked the old and like the new.

A little extreme kindness

I met these four guys a number of years ago when they came to help Salmon Arm try and get into the Guiness World Book of Records for acts of kindness committed in a day. Our friend ran a kids club (RAK Pac --- or randon acts of kindness) and brought them in. What a great group and a good inspiration to us all.

check them out at http:www.extremekindness.com

A little bit of randomness

I am in the process of making my new work schedule. Me... once again the boss has decided that I should do the schedule. I wish he would make up his mind about that. LOL.

I am sitting at the computer and my puppy came over just to snuggle. Gotta love it.

While I working all weekend. :-( I am going to my friends parents sunday for a birthday party for her. She was by BFF all thru high school. We have grown apart as happens in the "real" world but stay in touch. I am very glad to visit with her and her family. They are all very nice people. I am doubely glad to see her as she is 31 and has been undergoing treatment for breast cancer. She is doing well at the moment and I cannot wait to give her a big hug!!

I am planning my menus for next week so that I make healthy ones and actually eat. I am in process of using up a bunch of processed stuff in my cupboards and attempting to eat more real food and less packaged. I have switched to whole grain pasta etc and am looking forward to more grains. I do like most... just have to convince the hubby he does't need meat all the time. LOL. This is not too hard as 8 years have brought him around to my way of thinking more. LOL. that being said, I am looking forward to grilling some good steaks this summer. Got some good recipes from Canadian Living to have sides.

some good friends moved and another is moving back this way. funny how these things work out.

I have reread the same trilogy over and over again in the past week. I love it and can reread it all the time. It never gets boring and I always enjoy it.

Tonight I am going to have a bubble bath and read while the hubby baby sits the kids (read DOGS here)... aaaahhhh can't wait.

Early to bed early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. Well I sorta have 2 but the wealthy part hasn't happened yet. Somebody lied to me. LOL

A little flashback

I always loved this show: thank you to whomever made this.



Cause we always need a hero!!

A few everyday miracles

Sunshine
my love for my husband
children in our lives
mexican food (made the north american way LOL)
authors who find a story to tell
people who are brave enough to tell their stories to us
gifts that are granted to us
humility
that cats can purr and dogs can smile
for lifes little moments
for beautiful scenery like that out my window everyday
that I can freely walk the streets and work unlike some places in the world

a little homemaking

I am watching the dogs while hubby mows an elderly lady's lawn. I have done dishes, made dinner, made his lunch for tomorrow, organized the laundry again, fed the dogs... it is not unusual to do this but I feel bad. I am in a down period and my poor hubby is a bit at a loss. He wants to help, which I love about him, but cannot understand that it is not something specific that is causing this. It is life. It is work, money, the dogs, a need for a holiday, a sadness that good friends moved, a wish we got to see our friends here more... a little lack of direction in my life that I need to focus on.
We watched a movie last night at church called Facing the Titans. It is aabout a football coach who is having everything in his life moving against him or just not go his way. He really focusses his life on prayer and God and things start to change in his life. In his relationships at home and work. It was actually what I needed to hear right about now. I do not pray as much as I should. But I have seen the power of prayer in so many areas of my life and the lives around me. I know lots of people who may or may not agree but for me, I can see things working in my life that are hard to explain. It is not a miracle cure, LOL, but I am not alone in my struggles.

The Late Nite Movie (midafternoon)

Another installment of Chad Vader:



I had my doubts but this is funny.

A little Wierd Al

Just felt like something funny:

A bit of honesty

6 Wierd Things That I Do Before Bed Or While I Am Sleeping:

1. I obsessively, compulsively set three alarm clocks so that one will ring for sure and I am not going to be late for work.
2. OK truth time here: I hog the covers... so my hubby doesn't hog them first.
3. I drool and then get grossed out as our dogs always try to lick the pillows.
4. I quite often dream about all manners of things but rarely is my husband in them.
5. I wear polar fleece pj's almost the whole year. My hubby thinks I have a sick obsession with them... but hey I like to be warm... that or nude. LOL
6. I love to read in bed or have our pets snuggle for a while, and then feel bad when we put them into their crates to sleep.

So today I am at home with the dogs, the sun is shining and I am tired but functional. To that end I am planning my taco dinner, making chicken noodle soup from scratch (finishing it from yesterday), hoping to make choc chip-pecan cookies, going for coffee with my Mom, phoning some friends, and probably once again for the eigth time this morning sweeping the floors. I love my dogs but sure wish they could do the sweeping. LOL. I am back to work tomorrow. Here is a summer song for you from Katrina and the Waves (or if you have kids by Aly and AJ)

A little flashback

A little more 80s TV:

No Regrets

I have always liked this song and actually found it while scanning my CD colelction for any songs that mention rain. Yes it rained all night. While I do love the sound of rain on the roof, it was cold. This is summer... or not as it seems. So I found the CD and started reading words from the different songs. Here it is, a little classic Tom Cochrane and a good song to remind us of how we should live life.



I will admit that I am still feeling down today. But not so much as yesterday. I find that there is too much to distract me. Which is good. Playing with the dogs. Putting pics into facebook, tidying, looking at pics of my neice to scrapbook, making chicken noodle soup from scratch. I just try to be aware of when I feel a little unhinged. I When my lived away for a period of time, the first time, I had pretty much all the signs of depression. I just never went to get help about it. So when he went away again before we got married I tried very hard to be aware of those feelings and have a plan in place. I fall into those cycles periodically but don't want to feel like I did then. It was such a dark place to be and really wasted so much time I could have been putting energy into something else. But as the songs says no regrets... so there was a lesson learned if only I pay attention to it.

I have friends who talk about growing up and having regrets about the things that did or didn't do. I have found that there are things that I should have shouldn't have done. But I don't regret them, because they all combined to make me the person that I am. I am not perfect, and I do things that aren't always the best but, we are all that way and just have to strive to do a little better and make situations we create better as time allows.

Today I am thankful for my family and friends, for afternoon naps, dill pickles, my dogs who can be irritating but also make you smile, for my cat who is snobby but last night decided that I needed a long purr filled cuddle, and rainy days.

A little country

I am feeling very shut in today. I love where I live and my life, but I need a break. A change of scenery. I always know when I get to this point because I start to feel a little unwound. Everything starts to get to me and I start to feel a little like running away. LOL. Not for long, just a day or two, to go and site see or just do something fun. I miss the fun I used to get in my life. I get it in small ways everyday as we all do. Visiting friends, watching the dogs, playing on the computer, hanging out with the husband. But I do miss the going away for the heck of it, going out dancing, just having friends over for drinks for no reason at all. To that end I have been planning a party at our cabin, but I have a feeling really no one will come. That seems to happen quite often. Life just gets in the way for everyone. Which I have to say adds to the feeling... of being insignificant. Do I really matter in anyones life?

So to cheer me up I am putting in this next song. It is me in so many ways, not that I look like the woman in the video. But I am a whiskey girl... oh I'll drink a fruity drink now and again but nothing beats a little rye and coke.



A little nothing: today we walked on the mountain and enjoyed the limited sunshine; I had a 3 hour nap and watched the family channel, I tidied my crafty room a bit so maybe I will work on some projects, read a book, tidied my kitchen so I feel like I accomplished something. Life really is not too bad around here, at least I did not have a close encounter with a bear today like a friend of mine (who is also a relative). We visited with her last night which was nice. It had been a long time since we had a chance to get over there and hang out.
A blogger whose page I have read once in a while lost his son this week and then a friend of mine had a baby girl. Life just keeps on turning despite everything that happens. We really do need to take the time each day to be thankful for the things that we have.

Songs for summer

So today has been a good. One it was sunny and warm and two I am now on my days off. Hooray!! I was very happy planning my husbands and I's trip this fall to discover that when I planned we could go he will be doing a month long practicum for his class at college. Bummer, my only chance at a holiday this year dashed by school. So to cheer me up I have been thinking up good summer music. Here is one for those of us among the many who work all summer...



I am a country music fan. I love it. Old...new... doesn't really matter. I enjoy listening to it, but especially loud in the summer time with some beer. Here's a fun one:



This is not necessarily a summer song but most of the ones that I post will be ones that make ME think of summer and good times.

A little flashback

So we had dinner tonight at the pub by our house with my folks. I went all out and had a strawberry margarita. It was very good...mmmmmmmmmm...strawberry. It is strawberry season here so we should be eating fresh ones any day now. While I compile my list of summer tunes, here is one that reminds me of summer. And road trips to see friends and hit the bar out of town. Of parties and the good old days.



I even like the new version done by Rascal Flatts. Lots of my friends don't as they are purists. But I am fine with it. I also enjoyed the movie greatly. Especially the tractor tipping. have you ever gone cow tipping? I grew up in the country and have to say I know no one who did it. We all knew how much a cow was really worth and that it really is bad for them... and that we didn't want bird pellet up the ass when the farmer came out. One time some guys I knew from college came to visit while playing semi-pro ball. We all went out for dinner as they all were hitting on my friend "D". Some things never changed. They then decided they wanted to go cow tipping. I wonder if any of them remember this? City kids... how ever did I marry one?

Sun... at last... wonderful sun

So the sun has finally broken free of the cloud. I am very delighted. I am heading out to sit on the deck in the sun and watch my dogs play. Perhaps I will have a cider. I was all excited to come home today and post a song by Dr. Hook on my blog, only to find that I cannot embed it in my blog. The person who put it on youtube won't allow it. Boo to you says I. So I am thinking of good summer songs. So many to chose from. But here is a fun one. It is clipped from Legally Blonde but was also in Blue Crush, which is what I was thinking of when i found it.



So cheers for now!!

a little homemaking

So I am making dinner. While I make nanaimo bars for my husband. And cleaning the kitchen. I also swept the floors and fed the dogs. I am suzy the friggin homemaker. LMAO. Truthfully, I am tired today, which is normal... or should I say so fatigued I could go to bed now at 4:58. I need to see a doctor to figure out what is actually wrong with me and deal with it. But I have managed to find excuses not to go for a long time but am gradually running out of them. Is it depression which can cause lots of how I feel, chronic fatigue, or something worse? It is the something worse that also keeps me from going. What if it is something worse? And more and more I feel like I am cheating myself and my husband out of the best of me. I don't like being the one that goes to bed every night at 9PM and declines going out and doing things because I am toooooooo tired. Also a little more I am simply doing things anyway. I am tired of letting being tired run my life. So I have been busy the last number of weeks with all sorts of things... but then I pay on my days off... but that is OK.

I am still addicted to facebook. It has found lots of people I have always wondered about and led to lots of good memory reliving. Highschool and college. It reminds me that things don't always turn out the way we want or imagined but that it turns out the way it does for a reason. A reason not always understood by us but it's there nonetheless. I like big words on occassion. It reminds me that once I was a smart girl... not just someones coffee fetcher or pet caretaker. LOL. On that note, I am looking into a couple programs. I do not really know what I want to be when I grow up but dealing with animals feels right. Not as a vet, but maybe as a vetrinary assistant or animal welfare officer. Although, that may not be the best place for me as people who do not properly care for their pets piss me right off. If you are going to neglect, abuse your pet etc... why do you have one? Or many. and laws are frigginly small for people who abuse pets. Does everyone forget people who do bad things to animals often later turn that into bad things to other people.

Anyway, things I am thankful for today: chocolate chip cookies, tuna casserole (can you tell it is dinner time?), the sun actually shing today

Alcohol

I have this song quoted on my blog. I have always loved this one by BNL. I guess I am in a mood to reminiss as I am reconnecting with a number of college friends and classmates. I do not go out drinking much anymore, truthfully I usually always choose water. But I did have lots of fun at college going out and having a great time with friends. Too many nights at the Well... And then too many nights dancing at the Dive in my hometown. The good old days and all that... LMAO. Now I do feel old.

A little Jeff Foxworthy

I always get a laugh from this guy.

A little flashback

So on my first trip to Disneyland in Grade 2 we went to Universal Studio and did a tour. I was very excited to see Jaws, and the A-Team van, Conan exhibit etc. My favorite thing though was seeing KIT and getting to sit in and talk to him. I have a picture of me in there having a great time... even after I saw the man with the microphone who was really the one to talk to us.

A little flashback

A little sadness

The husband and I have some good friends who are moving this week. I am very sad to see them go. They have become great friends and we shall miss having them close to spend time with. However, they are moving closer to their families and other friends which is so good for them. And gives us a good reason to get out of the province for a holiday.

As usual it seems it is raining so here is another one that I hope inspires the sun to come out again. Sunny Shuswap my ass...


I am not sure what my new musci theme will be when(an if) the sun ever reappears here. So today I am going to have a nap. play with my dogs, and while away the aftenoon reading and playing on computer.

A little CCR (for R who suggested this one)

From another rainy day in my hometown some more songs about rain.



Another classic from one of my favortite bands ever. A little rock sound from San Fransisco

More songs about rain

I am still listening to the rain on my roof... great reading and scrapbooking weather. Although the dogs still want to play outside 24-7. Here's another golden oldie.

Rain

Some Beatles for you

Songs About Rain

It is rainy once again in the sunny Shuswap. Not so sunny right now. We had lightening and thunder while we were for dinner with my folks. It is nice to watch but our day off at the lake tomorrow may be nixed. But then again it is fathers day and we need to do something with the dads'. So for now I am enjoying the rain on the roof and not having to water the flowers in my boxes.

I took the puppy to get groomed today. He is a sweet whiny little boy. And now very handsome. The other two were home alone, listening to the family channel on TV. Our JRT used to get up every morning when I left for work to watch Spiderman. A little spoiled? Nah... then he would go back to bed as they are often reruns. And people think dogs aren't smart.

The last two days I have found a number of college friends on facebook. Crackbook indeed.... but I never would ever have reconnected with any of these folks. It is a lot of fun to see where we all are at now. Many of them I never even would have remembered their names but to see them brings back so many memories of studying and spending hours at the campus pub with everyone.

here's a little phil collins

Brocket 99

I can't believe that this is still around. It was made in 1986. I know friends of mine had copies going to college which was years after that. Crazy.

For D

A little 80s

I loved TV in the 80s: Knightrider, Airwolf, The A-Team, Dukes of Hazard, Dallas, Falcon Crest, Miami Vice, Macgyver.

TV is so not the same now. Don't get me wrong there are lots of shows I like right now. The CSIs, Criminal Minds, Supernatural, LOST, Jericho, Scrubs, My Name is Earl, How I met your mother. It just doesn't grab me in the same way. The wonder.... maybe I am just old. LOL

A little flashback

For fun

Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

It's the end of the world

So do you ever feel that way? Some days I sure do. i feel like I am in a rut and I just cannot get out. I have so many things in my life to be thankful for and have so few concerns compared to a lot of the earth's population, but today I am not thinking about them, I am thinking about me. I am, like most people, worried about money. Did you know women are more likely than men to worry about finances? I certainly live up to that. I am looking realistically at a future where my honeymoon is never coming... well at least not for the next 30-50 months depending on how everything else goes. But on the positive side, my hubby is home this summer and we can spend lots of hours out at the lake (for free). We can also hike and many other things in the area we live as there is lots to do in summer that is low cost. And that way we can save for a good trip later. We also have lots of people to visit, so while there is exspense getting there, we have places to stay. As an added bonus, the sun is shining and I have managed to sit in the yard and see some sun for a change. So I guess at the end of the day I really do feel fine.

The Late Nite Movie

A little frustration

I will admit that the last few days I am finding a lot irritates me. Bad drivers, yet again. My car is red, bright red, how can you fail to see my car and just about run in to me. The fact that my house is always full of dirt and never appears clean because I have three dogs. I love my dogs, but the dirt is getting too me. Luckily my awesome husband cleaned the floors for me. Hooray. So back to the irritation list: My neighbors who do not trim thir hedges so you can barely walk on the sidewalk, Potholes, bad lukewarm coffee, dogs who barf on my foot under the covers, dogs who pee upon the covers, having no washing machine and having to go to the laundry mat to wah said covers, living in the first world and not having fully functional water, friends who do not add me to their friend list on facebook, people who do not look after their animals, war, famine..... ok maybe I am going a little overboard.
On the other hand, I spent the day doing dog stuff which always cheers me up. Until the end of the day when I am now just tired and wanting to go to bed. I did rally and formal obedience demos with the bestest ESS ever. So many people thought she was smart and pretty, which of course she is. We also were vending stuff for sale. We didn't sell very much which was a bummer but that is OK. You do have to start somewhere. Don't be discouraged me.
Then I came home to work withmy puppy. Cute he is, bright?... the jury is still out. Lazy more like it. But he will grow up. Despite it all he is sweet and can make me laugh. That is the important thing. Who can resist a warm snuggly puppy? Well I do know some people who can but I can't. There is nothing like a little unconditional love.

So here are a few thankfuls to end my day: my husband who steps in when I am feeling too tired to do anything, my dogs who will always snuggle me, dinner out, a good rye and coke, some good music, Dennis Leary (who always makes me laugh),

Facebook

I have joined the facebook craze. I am I would say a little addicted. OK lets be honest here. Really addicted. But I believe that it will pass, the novelty will wear off. I am usually this way. Way too gungho on something and then I get bored and move on. A friend has compared facebook to highschool. Waiting to see who will like you today. Who has added you as a friend. And why those others haven't. That cheeses me off. When you know someone and have for years what exactly are you saying when you ignore that friend request? OK probably exactly what they were saying in highschool. You are not cool enough for me to hand around with, or be "friends" with.
It is funny how you can reconnect with people though. I have found some friends (really) that I have not seen in years, or heard from. I also get quite a kick out of seeing everyone now. Where they are, how many kids they have....

For those working women and the men behind them

Now I suppose I should clarify, this is not about prostitutes. It about all us women who hold down jobs (or families... or both) and get everything else in our lives done. To be honest, I would love to work always 4 days a week. But financially and realistically that will not happen. Unless of I win the lotto....

A little reflection

Have you noticed that we so rarely hear any good news on the news? There are very few stories about good things that are happening in the world today. As we see wars, famine, disease, natural disasters occuring almost daily it makes one appreciate so much more where we are. So today I am thinking about all the blessings that are in my life. First off I would have to say that I rededicated my life to Jesus. I am by no means a stellar Christian (if there is such a thing) but I am learning more each day and working on living my life as I am meant to. You don't have to believe that but I have been able to deal with many things in my life so much better as a practicing Christian as when not. Second I would have to say that I am blessed by the friends and family that are in my life, especially my husband who is always supportive of my endeavors. Thirdly I am able to work at a job I like (for the most part) and live a lifestyle that I can be comfortable at. Of course I want more... that is the way we are made, to never be satisfied. But I can pay my mortgage and my bills and not be totally in the whole. Sure I have to work hard to save money so that I can finally one day go on my honeymoon, but there are so many other things that I can do around where I live to get away.
I live on a country that I can practice my religon safely, walk around freely as a woman, not be persecuted due to my race.... now that I look at the news again. I sure am blessed.

A little road rage...

I live on a small street in a decent sized town. But the drivers here think we are in Vancouver. They fail to yield, turn without looking, follow too close, run stop signs, fail to adhere to school and park zones etc... I cannot count how many times I have almost been hit in the last week. Wake up people!! You are not the only cars on the road... quit taking my life in your hands. This includes those of you who continue to drink and drive...
This song is for all of you:


There is an old woman who lives around us who is one of those who needs her liscence taken away. I do not know her but she has almost hit me. She just about took out my Dad while ago to... he gets his hair cut at the barber shop and when he ws talking about it there to blow off steam... the little old guys all said "oh he ran into ____ " . At the same time I live on a thru road, the streets that interconnect to us all have stop signs. Get that people STOP signs. When I drive thru with the right of way do not eveil eye me because you had to stop.

A little advice from Dennis Leary

For those days when you dwell on what could have been instead of what is.

The Late Nite Movie

These are funny. I'll admit I was sceptical but it won me over.

From The Pursuit of Happiness

I think this is the theme song for so many of us. Not all of it relates to me of course as it is a male lead singer, but it is an anthem nonetheless.

Shut up and Sing

I put the Dixie Chicks on my blog yesterday. I always liked them as artists and I have to say liked them even more after watching the documentary Shut Up and Sing. I was very impressed at the way the group stuck together during the enormous backlash that occured after Natalie Maines commented that she was ashamed that the president of the US was from Texas. It would have been very easy for the other ladies to insist she apologize as they watched their career take a nosedive. The very cool thing is that they did a great record and were embraced by a totally different group of fans.
I had known about all the fuss but not realized the extent to which it went. They were basically dropped by the country music industry for using their constitutional right to free speech. Everyone had an opinion on the topic: Bruce Springsteen had it right when he said that he did not support what she said but that he supported her right to say what she thought. The sad thing is that it was made into a huge thing about them not supporting the troops in Iraq. They made it very clear that they supported the troops for doing their job but not the decision that sent them there in the first place. I understand that many people were outraged she spoke up about the president, but two years later, everyone was saying the same thing. The fact that she criticized the president seems to me way overblown. Citizens should be able to question the decisions of their leaders. That is what keeps them accountable. The fact is the US hadn't had any real right to invade Iraq, that the government had knowingly lied to the American people etc. I have to say that I personally don't feel that the invasion of Iraq should have taken place, but the troops are there and giving their lives. They and their families deserve the support of all. To me this would include decent pay when so many of the serving troops families in the US (and Canadian) army live under the poverty level. This should shame us all. They are doing work none of us want to do and risking their lives to protect us, they should not have to worry about their families not having enough to eat.
Natalie Maines, my hat is off to to you for not being afraid to voice your opinion.

Songs About Rain

So a few days ago it was so friggin hot I could not sleep well all night. It was a beatiful day. I spent time the lake... camp fire until midnight... then the toss and turn. Oour hot sunny where cute clothes weather then turned into rain. Our town had the heaviest rainfall in BC apparently, even out doing the Lower Mainland where there is all sorts of flooding expected.
Now I have been stuck inside playing on the computer (facebook is killing my me time) and entertaining pets who are stir crazy. Put them in the yard you are thinking. I would but then I have to clean everything I own due to muddy feet. There is a trade off I suppose. But at least unlike all my friends and relatives with kids, I can lock the dogs outside and then into the garage to dry off. Do that with kids and you just might find social services at your door. And rightly so I guess.
Since it is raining here are a few song titles to search for if it is rainy in your part of the world:
Songs about Rain Gary Allan
Raindrops keep falling on my head ( a classic)
Blame it on the Rain (a little Milli Vanilli for ya)