I'm in Desperate Need of the 'ber Months

 

         Only two more weeks until The Autumn months. Yes, I know Florida doesn't participate in Fall, but I am allowed to at least decorate as if it were and enjoy all the Autumn flavors, like pumpkin spice, apple cider, caramel, and cranberry. Oh, and the soups!!! I adore making soups. Those I excel at LOL.

          Back to school for me in the morning. This semester, Personal Nutrition and Healthy Cuisine. So, my Autumn recipes will be better for my family and me. 

          My brother is finally coming to visit me again!!! We talk lots on the phone, but I have not seen him in seven years. I am very excited. Now I have to start planning activities for us. He and his friend will be here for a whole week. The only day I don't have to plan for is the 12th LOL They are going to a 49rs game in Tampa. That will be the day I just try and work. After he leaves, two days of work for me, then I am off for my Autumn refresh. Eighteen days of vacation!!! I am so ready.

Trying to Not Lose My Mind

 

          I have noticed more and more that I jumble up my words, or I forget the word I am looking for. I never used to have a problem with that. At least I am trying to stay nice about it. My grandmother and my mom both did that, and would get so upset, especially if somebody pointed it out. My kids tease me all the time, but I just laugh and tell them it is genetics and their time is coming LOL. 

          I take vitamins to help me with my cognition, and I play puzzle games to try and stay sharp. School helps as well. I start back to classes next week, while my daughter started this week. I am taking two different types of nutrition classes this semester. Going to learn more about brain food.

          My daughter's group therapy is going well. We have been there twice now. The leader tried to make me sit with the other parents LOL. He said it was like a free support group. Not for me LOL. I don't like people. I am perfectly fine on my own. I have no desire to take on other people's troubles. I get enough of that at work. My daughter is totally opposite. She craves social settings and people. So off to therapy we go. The leader started a group chat just for the teens and put my daughter in charge of it LOL. I guess she is the most normal one there. Not saying the others are not right, but they all have quirks that I have noticed. Anyway, I thought it was cool that she got put in charge of something. Made her feel special.

Back to School

 

          I cannot believe summer is over already. Back to school on Monday. We are tackling 11th grade this year. How is my baby already a junior in high school??? It is going by way too fast for both of us. She is nervous about all the career prep assignments they are giving her. I know it is time for her to begin thinking about this stuff, but dang, it is stressful going into the adult world. She has enough anxiety as it is.

          The only class I am interested in with her is her U.S. history course. I love American history. She also has music theory, personal finance, physical science, English, and algebra. 

          In addition to her classes, I start my classes on the 18th. I will be taking two different nutrition courses. I am going to learn to provide healthier meals over here LOL. I am hoping they will be interesting classes, but not too intense. 

Sweet Sixteen

 

          How has it been sixteen years??? It seems as if time has just vanished. I could swear you were just my little girl last week, long blond hair flying all over, so curious about everything, so happy and loving. Now you are a teenager with dark blue hair and hesitant about life. You have a multitude of emotions and seem afraid of everything. It breaks my heart that I cannot give you the confidence you once had. I wish you could see yourself the way I see you. You are so smart, loving, funny, creative, gorgeous, and amazing. I am so very proud of you in every way possible.

          This past week has been a challenge. My sweet girl is so anxious and stressed that I had to start taking her to therapy. I don't want her to be sad, afraid, or lonely. So, we now go to therapy, or rather, she will on Monday nights. I found a social anxiety therapy group just for teens. I am hoping this helps. The therapist also recommended some vitamins that have been shown to help with anxiety. Magnesium, calcium, L-theanine, and DHA are the ones she has to take now. Big freaking pills. She does not like them LOL I hate pills myself. I wish they came in gummy form. 

          I hope and pray this next year is better for you. Tomorrow, on your actual birthday, I am excited and a little envious of your brother taking you to Universal Studios. You are going to have so much fun. I would melt in the heat LOL. I will meet up with you guys afterwards for us to celebrate at City Walk in the evening. Today I am going to make your birthday cake LOL. Hopefully it tastes as sweet and good as you.

Cucumber Mania

 

          Well the mystery of what my chaos garden is producing is partially solved, lol. I now have cucumbers galore LOL. Yes, those are the actual cucumbers I grew. The knife is to show how big they are LOL I picked those on Sunday, and Monday I found three more. I have more cucumbers than I know what to do with. I am afraid to go look today to see if more have appeared LOL.

          I have been looking up cucumber salad recipes LOL. I found an Asian one made with soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil, and garlic. A sweet  spicy made with sriracha, garlic, sesame oil, and honey. I also have some dry ranch dressing to sprinkle on some, and then some Skinny Girl balsamic dressing to slice some up in LOL. So I will be busy making all of those today.

Tuesday Tweets

 

          Well I definitely sunned myself pink yesterday mowing my lawns LOL. By the time I was done with everything yesterday I had walked over 18,000 steps. My feet are still sore. I felt very accomplished though. Today, however, I am taking it a bit easier. I just want to relax and enjoy the rain that is forecasted. 

          Speaking of the rain, it is making my chaos garden live up to its name. It is insane in there. My son and I think that tomorrow we will have to move the fence further out to accommodate all the growth. One part of the fence we are not getting back, LOL, Seymore, that's what we call it, has completely taken it over. It has vines now woven all through it. I figure we will just cut that section loose and lay it down on the ground, vines intact, and then just go around it with more net fencing. We still have no idea what we are growing. All we know is we have three types of vines with huge leaves and big yellow flowers out there. We can't wait to see what they turn into.

A Cardinal in the Morning

       I saw an actual cardinal in my backyard when I woke up. I was shocked. It was sitting on my fence, inspecting my chaos garden. I have always heard that when a cardinal visits you, it means a loved one is visiting from Heaven. I immediately thought of my mom. I miss her a lot. I figured she was checking out my backyard LOL. She would have liked it. She would have liked a lot of stuff around here. She would have liked getting to walk around the neighborhood, going over to the lake. She would have enjoyed sitting on the porch with a cup of coffee in the morning. She would have made friends with my neighbors. She would have gotten very involved with the HOA. So many things I wish she had gotten to experience. I will never forgive myself for that day. 

The 'Ber Months are Coming

 

          We are officially past the 4th of July festivities, so now it is okay to start thinking and planning for the "ber months LOL SeptemBER, OctoBER, NovemBER, and DecemBER.  I cannot wait for Autumn. It's way too hot here in Florida right now, and I know we're still preheating for Summer. 

          The rains are helping a bit. They are also making my chaos garden grow like crazy. I think I have pumpkins, cantaloupes, and watermelons growing. Oh, and my two stalks of corn LOL. I am hoping my tomatoes survive, but the vines for the squash types are covering everything. They keep trying to escape the enclosure. It's quite fun to see how much they grow daily, LOL.

          I finally took down my Spring tree. Now I just need to find all my sunflower stuff and recreate my summer/autumn tree. It is my favorite one that I do. I like it even better than my Christmas one. The sunflowers, birds, and butterflies look so pretty. The decorations have to be around here somewhere, LOL. I swear I am too talented at hiding stuff from myself. 

Naps Are Awesome

 

          I love naps, LOL, maybe a bit too much. It is my favorite pastime. I miss naps on the weekend when I have to work. For some reason they frown on me napping while on duty. Haven't they read the research that naps make better employees LOL?  

        I did have an epiphany, though, yesterday. I've realized that when I'm out and about, I feel healthier and more motivated. I need to figure out things that get me out of the house more, LOL. It seems making my home my happy place has a downside. It makes me want to just do nothing. When I am out in the sunshine, I do feel more energized. I just wish it wasn't so hot. I also wish I liked driving more, LOL. So many places I would like to go. I guess I will just have to force myself.

Salutations Summer

 

          Well, it is officially summer. I'm not really excited about that. LOL, I prefer Autumn. Work has released hurricane teams. Thankfully, I am on the B team again. I won't be going out in the storm; I much prefer staying home and watching it.

          OMG the present lost his freaking mind this weekend. He went and bombed Iran. I don't mind him helping Israel out, but I do fear retaliation. It would be naive of me to not know there are sleeper cells already in the USA who could be planning something. I fully plan on staying away from people-packed places. 

          My chaos garden is growing!!! I have no clue what, LOL, but there is a lot going on in there now. I love it.

          Okay, I really have nothing useful to say today. I just wanted to use the picture because I love flamingos, LOL.

Stressful Strep

 

          Oh my goodness, strep throat is awful, stressing my whole family out. My son got the flu last week, with temperatures over 101, vomiting, coughing, and a sore throat. Well, he tried to keep to himself, but he gave it to his sister, and oh boy. Her weakened immune system led to her getting strep throat on top of it. Her temps were over 102. So she got a trip to urgent care and is now on antibiotics for ten days.

          Life over here sucks currently. He is better, but she is miserable. Her throat is so painful that she cannot eat or drink anything. Which, of course, has her crying, which makes everything feel worse. I cannot tell if she is just being overly dramatic or if she is really in that much pain. It is hard when they are teenagers.

            Thankfully, this morning, she woke up not in agony. I think the antibiotics are finally working. She managed to drink some tea without crying. She has also discovered that naps are good. She sleeps and wakes up a tiny bit better each time. I thought man flu was the worst illness. LOL, nobody mentioned teen flu. It is ten times worse. 

Father's Day 2025

 

          Happy Father's Day. It was never a big holiday in my home. I grew up with just my mom. I had a dad, who I saw occasionally, but we were never close. It wasn't his fault, though, or my mom's; it was the Army's fault 100%.

          Right after my mom married my dad, the Army sent him to fight in the Vietnam War. He was there when I was born. He didn't come home until I was a few months old. I am told he did not come home the same. Before he left, he was a fun guy they said. He laughed and enjoyed life. After the war, he, like most guys there, came home with so many personal issues. I am sure he had PTSD. He was angry and never really close to anybody. Almost immediately after my brother was born, my parents got divorced. I think he had escalated from verbally abusing my mom to physically hitting her. Before the war, he was a great guy. After the war, he was a jerk.

          I wish I had known him prior to him going. He never hit me or my brother. Sometimes he yelled, but in the normal way. He just did not really know what to do with us. He tried for a while, but then just gave up. I resented that. I tried to get to know him when I was in my 20's. I moved back home to Arkansas and stayed for a few years. He still did not know what to do with me, but he tried. I worked at his restaurant and his bar for a bit. I was part of the family up until my Nanny died (his mom). She was the one who included me in activities. When my son was born my dad wanted to be grandpa to him, but by then I was back to being angry at him. I decided that since he never was a father, he couldn't be a grandfather.

          I regret that now so much. My son never knew him and neither has my daughter. My dad passed away back in 2006 I think. I sobbed when I found out. I instantly regretted never healing that rift. It took me years to understand that he had psychological trauma. I am sure he saw too much over in the war. He was just barely an adult when he was sent there. I sincerely wish I had gotten to know him better.

Friday the 13th

 

          It's Friday the 13th, and I'm trying my best not to get the flu like my kids have. Luckily, there are plenty of nurses on tonight, so I'm not leaving them short-staffed. Now, I just have to figure out some way to get them both better as soon as possible. I think they're tired of chicken soup, LOL.

          I like the fact that it is a spooky day. It makes me feel ready for autumn and fall fun. I know it is a week away from the official start of summer, but I am ready to fast forward through it to my favorite time of year.

          Okay, now I really don't know what to do with myself LOL I am not used to calling off. I have nothing planned and cannot really go out with kids, so I must find something around here to keep me entertained, or I am going to go hunt for a black cat to adopt, LOL. Orlando Cat Cafe has a few in...

It Never Fails

 

          I should never make plans, even tentative ones. I do not like the pressure that comes with them. Case in point, normally I wake up early every day I am off work, like 4:00am early, and I am up puttering around until 10ish. Today, I set a possible plan for the coworker to come get some baby stuff from me between 7-8am, and all I want to do is sleep now, LOL. It is only 6:30. I haven't heard from her, but I don't want to text her at work since she is a trauma doctor and most likely super busy. So, I am waiting to see if she texts me to say she is coming over. Anytime I make plans, I instantly regret them, especially if other people are involved.

          I am tired today because I mowed my front yard yesterday to get it to rain, LOL. I swear my way of mowing looks like I am doing Mambo #5, and to Mother Nature, that is a rain dance. LOL. It worked. It went from just being a 15% chance of rain to pouring last night. My grass seed got some much-needed water. 

          So, today's plans are to make some chicken soup for my son who has the flu, thankfully it is not the man flu LOL. He's learned I have no time to be bothered with that crap. Result of growing up with a nurse for a mom. I also need to meal prep for work. Before I do that, I have to figure out what I will make LOL, so much easier when I know what I am doing.

Garden Girl

 

          If I had to say I had a hobby, it would have to be gardening. I am by no means any good at it, but I still like to try LOL. Today, I am planning on planting more grass seeds in some sparse areas, and I have a couple of gardenia bushes to plant. They smell divine. Hopefully, I can get the grass to grow and the bushes to survive. My chaos garden seems to be doing nothing. So far I have not seen any chaos LOL.

          Work was wild last night, and I swear some people should not be allowed to procreate. Seriously, it should be against the law for them to do so. That's all I can say without violating HIPAA. Ugh!!!

          Well, made it through though and now I get to relax. No school to do, already have laundry going and have tidied up. Just have to figure out dinner now. I am thinking delivery since I just got paid LOL.

Finally!!!

 

          I finally saw the live-action Lilo and Stitch movie!!! I loved it. Yes, they did change some stuff that I wasn't a fan of, but the CGI Stitch was amazing. They nailed him perfectly. He was so adorable and funny. The movie had lots of easter eggs for fans of the original cartoon.

          Yesterday I was good, I did everything I was supposed to and stayed on track within my points. I was happy when I went to sleep. I forgot that when I stay within my points, I am more relaxed because I know I am at least trying. So, here is to day two of being good. I have already walked over 6000 steps and prepped some meals for later. I have lots of veggies to cut up, so I have my own salad bar in the fridge, LOL. Kids will get turkey tacos tonight since that is healthy and within my points.

          I would like to tidy up my backyard today. It is a mess. I just need it to not rain for a bit LOL. Otherwise, I leave footprints everywhere. I did check my chaos garden. I do not see anything really growing. Some pumpkins may be trying to survive, LOL. I guess the seeds were a bit too old to produce. I still am going to leave that area be. I threw some cantaloupe seeds there from one I cut up. Maybe those will grow LOL.

I Can't Believe I did It LOL

 

          I cannot believe I cut all my hair off yesterday LOL I went from having hair down to my lower back to now it is chin length. The lady cutting it kept asking me if I was okay and if I was sure before she would make the first cut LOL no clue why I said go for it. So, now I have short bob haircut and surprise surprise, it even has a bit of wave to it. It's also very fluffy LOL.

          OMG I have such a headache now. The storm brewing needs to hurry up and start so my headache will go away. With all the rain my backyard is looking like a jungle. One of the days soon, I hope it is dry enough to mow LOL. 

          Okay, off to take some pain med and pray for relief :)

The Best Laid Plans...

 

          Well, my week did not go as planned. I have yet to see Stitch LOL. I was supposed to go on Monday, but then my daughter got a migraine. I learned my lesson long ago that when my kid has a migraine, NO MOVIES. Last time we did that, my son ended up in the ICU, and we got a lifetime of worries. So, if my daughter has a headache, that means no go.

           We were going to try again yesterday, but unbelievably, the rain caused the theater roof to collapse. You can't make this stuff up. LOL. Nobody was hurt, but it made a mess. 

          Today is a no-go as well since it is my daughter's gala at church. She gets to dress up and have fun. I tried to get her in a dress, but with little notice, we ended up just finding an outfit she is comfortable in. As much as I would love to dress her up, I will instead let her be comfortable. Her feelings are more important.

          OMG I have it in my head that I want a haircut LOL. I know logically that is a bad idea. I will end up hating it because I will have to style it. I do not like styling my hair.  Plus, I have no clue how my hair will handle being short. It seems to have grown into a weird texture the older I get. It is like it wants to curl, but doesn't know how, so it is just frizzy.  I am hoping the urge will pass soon LOL.

Memorial Day 2025

 

          I wish you a meaningful Memorial Day. It is not a day for being merry or happy; it is a day to remember the people who made the ultimate sacrifice in battle. I thankfully do not know anyone personally who died in combat. I have a long history of family members who served, but they all returned home safely. 

          I have no problem with people and families getting together to enjoy each other's company. While I am not grilling out, I am going to be spending time with my kids. After my son gets off work, we are going to go see the Stitch Movie!!! I am so excited. We all have our Stitch shirts and accessories on, and tickets are waiting for us to get there. The movie looks fantastic. 

          Afterwards, in honor of O'hana, I am thinking Hawaiian food for dinner might be good LOL. I have chicken already that I can grill in the oven, and I can get some pineapple to go with it. My son always has rice on hand. I can make some sort of coconut dessert to go with. I need to get my daughter to watch the cartoon version of the movie as well. She has no real clue how awesome Stitch is. 

          He has always been my son's favorite character since he was little. He was seven when the original movie came out in 2002. Our first trip to Disney World was Stitch-focused, LOL. We got to have breakfast with him and met him in person at the Magic Kingdom. He signed my son's Stitch hat. We still have that hat. We also collected so many Stitch pins over the years. Stitch is a character we have definitely bonded over. He is just so cute and mischievous.

Summer Self-Care

 

          I always have such good intentions when the season changes, LOL, but then I get too busy or too lazy to remember what I wanted to do in the first place. I need to find that happy, median place. I want to try to focus on taking care of myself this summer while not forgetting my kids, of course. 

          I know the heat will be outrageous, so hydrating will be so important. I definitely do not drink enough, so that must become a priority. It will flush out my system of toxins and lbs, plus my skin will look so much better.  

          I still want to get outside at least once a day, especially with my dogs. I got them a fancy double leash so I can handle walking both at once, I just need to use it LOL I am thinking early morning or early evening walks will be best. It will just take willpower to do, and I am definitely lacking that. I like sleep too much LOL.

          I need to meal prep more. I have been awful about watching my points, mainly because I just want something quick. If I can take the time to prep stuff beforehand, it will make it so much easier when I am craving food. 

          I managed to get roped into being on the HOA board again, LOL. So, now I have to figure out some time to deal with that. I am not president this time, thankfully. I am just a body to maintain the quota needed. I am not really sure how much I will be needed, I am hoping not a lot. I am only doing it again so we don't get stuck with a conservatorship, which costs big bucks.

          I just want to have a nice, relaxing, yet productive summer. I do not want September to come around and me be disappointed that I missed opportunities for memories. Those are very important to me now.

Don't Stop

 

          "It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop".

                                         - Confucius -

          I do so well during the week with my health, but on weekends, I fall apart at work. I blame all the treats the hospital has been leaving us for Nurses' Week and then Hospital Week. It is very hard to say no when I am tired. So, once more, I am trying to get back on track. I didn't go up, but I didn't go down either. I need to be like my kids. Those two have whipped themselves into shape. They have such willpower. They got it from me, but the problem is, they left me with none LOL.

          Yesterday was fun. The kids and I went to Ikea. My son had never been there before. I swear he sat in every chair or couch possible. He regretted not buying his new couch from there, LOL. I bought a few gadgets for around the house, daughter got some plushies and cookies, while my son ended up with a $60 pillow LOL. That thing better be super soft and sing you to sleep for that price.

          Last week, my son and I planted a chaos garden, some grass seed, and flowers. Everything has already sprouted!!! It is awesome. Now we just have to keep it growing. We keep watering it because it is so hot lately. It is supposed to be close to 100 degrees this week. I am staying indoors LOL. Now way am I going out in that willingly. Too darn hot!

I Love Flamingos

 

          Flamingos are just so colorful and funny-looking. My favorite is the Caribbean Flamingo. It has bright pink, peach, and orange feathers. The coloring is so gorgeous. There is a flamboyance at SeaWorld that I always have to visit when I am there.

          My room is also decorated with flamingos, LOL. I have them everywhere: on my curtains and walls, lining my shelves. It is one of my favorite rooms. My son got me a new flamingo for the backyard. It was my Mother's Day present. It is solar-powered and so pretty day or night. 

          Before I could place it in the yard, I had to mow first, LOL. All of the rain made it a jungle back there. I got sunburned in the process. When will I learn to put on sunscreen first??? There is a spot in the back where I used to have a plant that is no more. When I pulled it up, it left a small crater that no matter how much I tell myself to be careful, I always forget and step in it when I mow. One of these days, I figured I would break something when I did, so that is where my lawn ornament has landed LOL. Now I have a visual reminder to be careful. 

          Another benefit of mowing the backyard is now I get to plant my chaos garden. I just have to find the energy to do so LOL. I have purchased all sorts of veggie seeds, about eleven different kinds, and we will just see what survives. Not sure if that project will get done today or not. I might end up just raking the dirt up to get ready for planting. I also need to figure out how much area I can block off. If I don't, it will be the first place my pets want to explore. They are so noisy LOL.

Hurricane Season Is On It's Way

 

          It has been raining since yesterday afternoon. While I love rainy weather, it has reminded me that hurricane season starts in just two weeks, and I need to get prepared again, LOL. Hopefully, nothing will be too bad this year. Last year, I don't think we got hit with any big mess here in Central Florida. I am hoping this is a repeat.

          I looked, and once again, I am on Team B for the hospital, so that is good. They're crazy if they think I would come in and leave my kids and pets home alone in a hurricane. I love watching the storm, knowing I am safe with them. I also enjoy the byproduct of the upcoming storms, that being the people are more concerned with each other. It becomes a shared experience. 

          Last year, on the one night our power did go out, I realized I should have brought all of my solar-powered yard stuff inside where I could have used the lights LOL, instead of storing them in a pile on my patio. I am going to remember to do so this year, LOL.

          Looking at the infographic I found, I think I need a lantern. Last time, I used this sunflower decorative lantern for light, and while it was pretty, it was probably not the best for the job, LOL. I also need to ensure I am stocked up on flashlight batteries. I think the biggest money that will be spent is on canned goods and water. Oh, and drugs LOL. Need to restock my OTC pain and allergy meds just in case. Now, if it would kindly stop raining so I can go get some stuff LOL.

          

Happy Mother's Day

 

          Happy Mother's Day 2025. This is my 29th Mother's Day LOL 30 if I count when I was pregnant. Thirty fantastic years of having the privilege of being my son's mom and sixteen of having the most amazing daughter. I am truly blessed beyond what I ever could have imagined. Both of them are beyond my wildest dreams of what I wanted my children to be. They spoil me every day.

          It is a low key day over here since I worked all weekend and am wiped out, plus my son goes to work in a bit. He did however get me not one, not two, but three different types of deserts LOL he couldn't decide on which of my favorite treats to get, so he got all of them LOL so much for my diet. My girl is definitely going to help me eat them. She so skinny now that she can easily handle the extra calories.

          I finally got a double dog leash so I can start walking both dogs at the same time. I cannot handle both on separate leashes; I get all tangled up, so I just don't take them for walks. Now, with one leash, we can all go for a walk together in the mornings before it gets too hot.  Healthier for them and me. They are going to be so happy. Not today though LOL I am too tired. I have only had 3 hours' sleep. I need more before venturing outside.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...

 

          Proud momma over here. My daughter rocked her two EOC tests, with only one more to go. Got almost a perfect score in biology. She is so smart :) now there is nothing to stop her from graduating. I am not sure why the 10th-grade tests are the important ones. Now she has passed all the required tests, so she is good to go.

          I suppose we should really start thinking about what she wants to do after high school. College is the usual route, but these days even a college education is not a guarantee for a job. It is a guarantee for debt. My son has two degrees and cannot use either one so far. I don't want her in the same situation.

          

Whoops it's Wednesday

 

          How in the world did it get to be Wednesday so fast? For that matter, how is it already May??? This year is zooming by way too fast. I cannot believe we are almost finished with the 10th grade. We are doing state testing this week, and it is stressful. Two more tests to go, a sign language portfolio, and a final, and that is it. My baby becomes a junior in high school. So weird. 

           Speaking of weird, LOL, my blond little princess went and dyed her hair black. She insists it is blue, but even in the sunshine, I see no blue whatsoever. Thankfully, she got my complexion, so she is able to pull it off. She looks cute, but she went from being Aurora to Snow White. I told her I draw the line at tattoos and piercings.

          Payday this Friday!!! Then Sunday is Mother's Day. Oh, and lest I forget, last few days of Nurses' Week at the hospital. I am wondering what they are giving us as a reward. LOL, probably points that we can trade for something we don't need. I tend to save mine up for an Amazon gift card, LOL. I miss the good old days when they actually treated the nurses to something special. Nursing is nothing like it used to be. I would never recommend it as a career now.

Happy Cinco de Mayo

 

           Buenos Dias!!! Feliz Cinco de Mayo!!! Espero que tengamos un gran dia!!!

          I cannot wait for the Stitch movie to come out. It looks so cute. There are a few movies I am excited to see. The new Superman looks cute, I cannot get enough of Krypto LOL, he looks adorable. Fantastic Four, Karate Kid Legends, The Naked Gun, Animal Friends, and Zootopia 2. It's a good thing my son gets us free tickets, LOL.

          Going to be a hot holiday here today. I was promised storms by my weatherbug, but instead it is sunny and going to hit the 90s. My lawn needs the rain. 

          It is also the beginning of Nurses' Week. I cannot believe I have been an RN for 27 years now. That just boggles my brain. Silly activities are going on at the hospital for it, but no way am I willingly going there, LOL I am still having nightmares about this weekend's patients. I think I will stay home and just make tacos LOL.

What Makes Me Happy

 

          Doing what makes me happy is a challenge. People are hardwired to think that is wrong, that they must think of others instead. Poodle dump LOL it is okay to be selfish at times and take care of yourself. If somebody falls apart because I put me first, then that is on them. There are only two people who come before me, and those are my kids. Their happiness comes before mine, but occasionally I do think of myself. They love me enough to let me. 

          So what makes me happy? Well, them of course LOL, then comes my pets. All five of them have different personalities, and each one is so lovable. I am happy when I am just relaxing in my chair, and I have found the perfect comfy position, LOL, put on a show I enjoy, and I am totally relaxed. I am also happy after I have done yardwork, LOL, not during. I am so glad at the end of the day when I have gotten everything accomplished. I am happy when I manage to cook something that both my kids like, LOL I am happy on Sunday mornings after I get off work, and nothing went wrong. I am happy when there is a storm outside and I get to watch it. It is strange trying to think of things that make me happy. More challenging than I thought it would be.

Super Sunday

 

          I am so confused about what day it is. LOL, I got cancelled last night, so yesterday felt like Sunday to me, and yet today is Sunday. So I guess I have a supersized Sunday. Bonus is I am awake for it. The weather is gorgeous outside, and I have no real plans other than enjoying the day in a relaxing way. I finished up my college courses for this semester, so my brain is on a break for a bit. 

          I am going to try and change up my decor for the summer. I have got a new wreath for the door and welcome mat, my flowers I planted are doing well, and I don't have to mow, LOL so the front yard will look good. Inside, I have got new sunflower pillows and flowers for my living room. Normally for the summer everything is black and white buffalo plaid with sunflowers. My tree gets sunflower garlands, butterflies, and birds on it. It is my favorite tree I do. I have table cloths and runners in buffalo plaid and sunflowers as well, so it is a whole theme LOL my home in no way is typical, but it makes me happy to look around. All of the bright sunshiney colors put me in a good mood.

          Okay, off to do grocery shopping. I want to make some zero point breakfast bread and maybe turkey tacos today. If I go now I will miss the church crowd LOL.  They tend to wipe out the deli foods LOL.

Earth Day

 

          Yesterday was Earth Day, only I forgot. LOL, I still managed to celebrate it unknowingly. My kids and I planted some special grass and catnip for our cats to enjoy on the patio, and in the front yard, I planted flowers—some pretty red ones mixed with some greenery. Most of my neighbors were also outside the past few days planting flowers in their front yards. The trees on our street are also green and fluffy again. I guess it is officially Spring here. That means Summer will be arriving any day now, LOL.

          Due to the heat coming, I need to mow the yards before it gets too hot. I have a love-hate relationship with mowing. It is hard and I hate having to do it in the heat, but I love the look of my yard afterwards and the sense of accomplishment I feel at having gotten it done all by myself. Plus, it burns lots of calories :)

          I really enjoy puttering around my house, LOL I did not understand that when I saw my grandparents doing it. They always wandered about their homes, finding things to do. I do that now. I look for anything I can tidy up or make look better. Or sometimes I just look around and feel good about what I have accomplished all on my own. I am truly thankful that I managed to buy a home before the housing market went crazy. It is the best financial decision I have ever made. Plus, I simply love turning it into a home for me and my little family.

Fresh Start

 

          Oh my goodness, I finally broke and overindulged yesterday and am paying the price now. I still feel full from yesterday. I had a rough weekend though. I got punched at work by a dementia patient (jerk). It was my friend's birthday, but he is no longer around to celebrate it, and it was the first Easter in 30 years that I did not celebrate in a silly way. My kids have officially outgrown the Easter bunny. 

           I did manage to get over 8,000 steps in, at least, LOL, and I finished up one of my classes. I ended up with an A for the class, yay me. I got all the responsible stuff done before I gave out to sleep.

          I am back on the Weight Watchers wagon today. I feel better knowing I am at least trying. Before, at night, I would feel so disappointed in myself because I was not being good about being healthy. I was always beating myself up over it. Now, I am better because I am succeeding. It is going slowly, but I am doing better. My blood pressure is great, my pulse is no longer tachycardic, I am down 20 lbs, and people are starting to notice. I have to keep reminding myself that slow is good because it will last. I hated how I felt at night before starting this journey. Now, I am much more at peace.

          Okay, time to start tackling my To Do list. First up is finishing up my other class so I will be free until the Fall semester. Then gardening and grocery shopping. What a wild day ahead LOL. 

Wednesday Woes

 

          Today is the last day of my vacation :( Poodle dump. I am so not ready to go back to working. I have enjoyed my sleepy time off. I did all my spring cleaning, as well as much as I wanted to LOL, and caught up on LOTS of sleep. I also did not spend a fortune doing stuff just to do stuff. Now I just have to wait patiently until my big vacation in October.

          I actually did plant some veggies yesterday, LOL after my daughter and I were done making salads, I had the bottom parts of the celery and romaine lettuce left, so I went and planted them in a pot outside just for fun. Cost me nothing. Now I get to see if they will grow. I might have a better chance if I remember to water them, LOL.

          My poor dog is limping, and I have no idea why. She does not act like she is in pain. She will let me touch her paw and leg. I cannot find any injury. She was running around last night, favoring it a bit, but still not enough to stop her from playing. So, I am at a loss for what to do. Dr. Google advises watching it to see if it worsens. It might just be she tweaked it somehow. I am hoping that is the case and she gets better over the weekend. I don't even know what a vet will see that I don't. Like I said, she doesn't act hurt, just is limping a bit. I did get her some glucosamine chondroitin drops for dogs to see if that helps. On a side note, my other dog is a goofball. She noticed her sister limping, so she decided she had to do it too, LOL. She lifted up the same hind leg and was hopping around on the other three legs for a bit. It was hilarious.  

Spring Fever

 

           This picture just makes me want to go and grow some veggies in containers. Tis the season to do so. It is totally Spring, almost Summer here, so the weather is perfect. My only problem with growing stuff, aside from my lack of a green thumb, is I do not know where to plant them so they get sun and the pets can't get to them. I used to have a small greenhouse on my patio, but my cats managed to break in. LOL, little jerks. I would put them in the backyard, but then the sun gets so hot that they fry instead of grow. This is very frustrating. 

          I will end up talking myself out of it. LOL It would be fun for about a week, and then it would get to be a hassle once I see stuff not growing. Plus, my kids no longer think it is fascinating to see stuff grow. Oh well. Guess I will just settle for making me a salad bar in my fridge, LOL.

          Last couple of days to my vacation. I am so not ready to go back to work, LOL. They said I would be bored at home with no job to do. Hell no!!! I love having nothing to do. It is awesome. I could totally be a rich person. LOL.

Saturday Sillies

 

          Today I am feeling the pangs of my babies are all grown up. It is the week before Easter and all over there are various egg hunts and I have no child to take to them. Mine have outgrown them, which is so sad. I have no excuse to go play and do kid stuff anymore. Most my age have grandchildren to continue playing with. Nope, not me. My kids do not want kids, so I am out of luck. Poodle dump. Oh well, I have my furbabys.

          I actually did not even realize it was Easter next weekend LOL maybe I will color me some eggs today. Those can be turned into egg salad or devil'd eggs LOL. I also think I will decorate my Spring tree :)

          Vacation is winding down I guess. It has been so relaxing getting to do nothing LOL. Well I haven't done nothing, but I had nothing pressing on me. I also had the freedom to sleep as much as I wanted. LOL I heard the kids wonder the other day while I was napping if I was dead LOL I asked why nobody checked my pulse LOL they said I closed my mouth. At least I wasn't snoring. 

         

Inner Peace

 

          I have to remind myself of this all the time. I will see something going wonky or find out somebody is doing something they shouldn't, and I start to say something and then bite my tongue. It is not my problem. Not my circus, not my monkeys, even though I recognize a few of the clowns LOL. I figure why stress myself out over it. Most of the time, it is at work. I have to remember that it isn't going to affect my job, so who am I to care? Others at work always try and go above and beyond for no reason. Management doesn't appreciate it, and neither do the patients; all they are doing is causing more stress for themselves. They always ask how I seem to be calm all the time. It is because I learned long ago to not care too much. If it doesn't affect me, then let it go. Keeps me from going crazy.

          I cannot believe it is already Wednesday. Vacation needs to slow down. I am not done relaxing yet. Danged if I didn't sleep almost all of yesterday LOL too much work, then mowing, the sunshine wore me out. It felt great, though, to just sleep with nothing pressing for me to do. I did my school assignments for the week, I did cleaning, I did grocery shopping, and I did yard work. All my responsible stuff is done. Now I get to just relax and do as I please. Today, I am making myself some soup and planting some flowers I got last night in my front yard. Simple stuff. No drama, no stress :)

Too Soon to be Tired LOL

 

          After mowing on Sunday and then yesterday at Gatorland, I am worn out. Too much sun is draining to this night owl. I just want to stay home today and relax. That is the whole point of this mini vacation, LOL.

          Perfect weather for it, too. It is rainy and overcast. So I get to have the a/c off and the back door open. Animals are thrilled. My daughter should be as well since she thinks I keep it too cold inside. LOL. Wait until she is menopausal.

          I have to research white collar crime today, but all I am inspired to do is watch Matt Bomer and Tin Dekay in White Collar. LOL I love that show.  The research is for my criminal justice class. I am ready for it to be done. Too many papers in this class. There is one every week. It is taxing to the brain. Okay, off to handle that, and then make me some Texas Caviar. LOL is a zero-point recipe.

Vacation Time!!!!!

 

          Well, I made it to vacation, finally!!! WOOOHOOO!!! I desperately needed it after this weekend. Work was rough. Sometimes, I feel like I work in a psych unit. I don't have much planned beyond Spring cleaning, but at least it's not work.

          Today, though, we do have plans. We are meeting my aunt and uncle at Gatorland this morning. I just wish it wasn’t going to be so hot and humid today. That place is already a swamp, and this weather will just make it worse. Doesn’t help that I mowed my front and backyard yesterday. Of course, I got sunburned, LOL, but my yard looks good again.

           I am going to have to get me some more flowers to plant up front. I think I also need to figure out how to paint my porch where the color has chipped off. We have the paint left over from moving in if it is still good. LOL, my son says it should be. I have doubts. I also think I have figured out how to put my welcome sign up. LOL, hopefully, people don’t see that as an invitation to knock, though. LOL, I hate people coming to my home. It is my sanctuary. Dogs get it. LOL they bark at anybody who dares enter constantly LOL. 

Happy April Fool's Day

 

          LOL. I have already pranked my kids three times today. They should have learned by now that I love pranks. I used to do some really good ones when I was young, but now they are pretty tame.

          The weather outside keeps pranking us. It can't decide if it is cold, rainy, windy, or just hot. We hit all of those every day, which is making yard work challenging.

          It's the last month of school; I'm very glad about that. I am tired of using my brain, LOL. I know it is necessary, though. If I don't use it, I lose it. I have no desire to get dementia like my grandma or mom. I want to keep my wits about me. Of course, if I do end up in the hospital, I am going to fake dementia so I can get away with all sorts of stuff, LOL I have a list of conditions I am going to claim, LOL most of the psych. I have found myself lately saying I deserve this because I am old, LOL I have earned the right to blah blah blah. I never thought that was a real thing until now. I must be careful about using that superpower LOL.

Don't Worry, Be Happy

 

          OMG, do I ever do this. I really do not mean to, but I complain. Often, I am venting; no point in keeping it bottled up, but then again, there is. Keeping the negative thoughts inside will keep others viewing you as a negative person. I do not consider myself to be a negative person; I am just sarcastic, LOL.  I see something stupid, and I comment on it. I do try and stop my mouth, but sometimes the stupidity is too much to keep bottled inside, LOL.

          A brand new week and a new month to play with now. I had hopes of going peach picking today, but the torrential rain messed that up. No desire to go traipsing around in the mud for fruit, LOL. I can get peaches at the store and not ruin my shoes. Plus, I would probably get more peaches than I could eat, LOL kids would go crazy picking and then I would have to figure out what to do with them LOL I do not know how to make jam LOL wish I did though.

          Jeepers, my Grammarly extension is going crazy. Apparently, it thinks my writing is all messed up, LOL. So far, it says I have 28 mistakes in this post. Hopefully, my daughter is better at writing than I am; she has her state writing test this week. I cannot believe she is getting so close to being out of high school. She is growing up too fast. Okay, the writing suggestions are fixed. Now, I am off to do my criminal justice and peace studies assignments. 

Proceed With Caution

 

          So, we went to the vet yesterday to get these two furbabies their vaccinations. Both are very mild-mannered but hate going in the car.  They did not enjoy the trip. They were well behaved though, even when surrounded by lots of dogs much bigger than them. It was our turn to check in and the lady came to us with a muzzle??? Out of all the huge dogs there she wanted to put a muzzle on my little chihuahua LOL. I am talking about the small one in the picture. She barely weighs over 10 lbs LOL apparently somebody put CAUTION in her chart. No idea why, she has not been without me when I take her in and she never has bit anybody except for my ex-husband LOL They were all afraid of this shivering little baby. There was a pitbull, a shepherd, a mastiff, and a great dane there, but it was my tiny chihuahua that terrified them. I could not believe it LOL the vet and tech were brave though and did not put the muzzle on. My little baby did not even try to nip or growl at them. She just stayed calm and shaking while they gave her the shots and oral vaccines. Caution??? She was perfect angel. Moral of the story "make up your own mind about something, don't take other's views as truth".

Spring Has Sprung

 

          Happy first day of Spring 2025!!! Though it has felt like Spring already here in Florida for a bit now, LOL. The weather has been nice, and my trees are getting so full of leaves in the backyard. Today, it is super windy and sunny—perfect for Spring. I just wish I could be out enjoying it, but alas, it is off to work with me tonight.

          Hopefully, work goes smoothly. It seems so many violent acts against nurses are being reported these days, that it is getting a bit scary to go to work. We even have the police and security rounding on our floor every couple of hours, ensuring we are safe. All I know is I already have my hiding spot picked out and if anybody even slightly is threatening, then I am walking away. No job is worth my life.

          Ack, that was too depressing for a Spring post LOL. I like Spring and getting my yard blooming. I have a couple of big pots I want to plant some flowers in. I mowed the backyard on Tuesday so it looks good. I really would like to figure out what veggies I can grow but with the challenging summer heat. This year no theme parks for us. Too much construction going on with them. We will wait until it is all done to go back. Until then, we will just enjoy stuff around Florida LOL that is if I can get motivated enough to drive and get my kids in the car LOL we are such homebodies.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

 

     "May you have all the happiness

And luck that life can hold
And at the end of all your rainbows
May you find a pot of gold.

May the roof over your head
always be strong
May you be in Heaven a half hour
before the Devil knows you’re dead!"

          Top of the morning to ya LOL it is a high holiday around my house today. My kids and I are Irish so we love celebrating St. Patrick's Day. We all have on our glorious green outfits and the animals have as well, though they aren't too happy about it LOL. 

          I will of course be making corned beef and cabbage with potatoes and Irish soda bread LOL. We have the living room all decked out in green and gold. Shamrocks are everywhere LOL. I consider myself very lucky to do this with my kids. They love being Irish. We have our family tree dated back to the 1600's in Ireland. It is very cool to know that we have such a rich history.