I just noticed that I had not posted anything since last September.

Poor neglected blog.  I guess I am just too busy living life to spend time blogging about it.

But maybe for my friends and family  I will try harder.

This last weekend was good for me. Friday night we went to Boomtown NV for all you can eat steak and lobster buffet.  I ate two lobsters and some desert. (Why would you eat salad or potatoes when you can eat lobster?)  Then I gambled with my sweetie and he won and I lost.

Yesterday youngest daughter came up and had dinner with us. That was very nice.  I am proud of her. She is both cute and smart.

Last week I ordered a two person inflatable kayak.  It should arrive on Saturday. Hopefully the nice weather will arrive also so hubby and I can take the new boat for a test drive.

Now it is time to go back to work.  I’ll try and update again in the next six months or so!

I had a very nice day. While I was watering my garden this morning I saw this pretty blue Morning Glory was pushing its way between the Okra. I just thought it was really pretty.

Totally different subject. I have noticed that my new husband sometimes backs the car in, and sometimes he doesn’t. We were coming home from the store the other day and he starts to back the car in, he suddenly stops, and parks the car nose in. I finally had to ask, “why is it that sometimes you back the car in , and sometimes you don’t? And it is not just random, it is deliberate. ”

He said, “most of the time I back the car in. But when I know you are going to be riding in the car, I don’t back the car in, so it will be easier for you to get in the car. You won’t have to push past the tree.”
Reason #102 why I love him!

I have recently moved into a new home and my new husband and I are spending a lot of time talking about TV. Specifically should we stick with the antenna and have free TV, or should we spend the money and get DIRECTV by DirectSatTV?  My frugal self says “Why pay for TV when you can get it for free?” My indulgent self says, “Over 100 channels and many in HD!”

Thanks to the dtv transition, you can get a fantastic, digital HD picture with just an antenna… if the signal is coming in. When the signal isn’t coming in, you don’t get squat. I really like the idea of free TV, I mean why spend $30 a month or more when you don’t have to? But I really hate it when I am watching my favorite show and the picture cuts out, right at the end. Just last night I was watching the Dancing With The Stars results show, the final results show where I learn who will make it to the finale. There are 5 minutes left in the show, the person being eliminated is about to be revealed, and the signal cuts out. FRUSTRATION! Who will it be? Adecheke or Robert? If it wasn’t for the Internet I still wouldn’t know! (Robert is safe, Adecheke goes home.)

Although I do have some reservations about paying for TV, when I can get it (sort of) for free, I am seriously searching for direct satellite tv offers. If I am going to be watching TV anyway, I might as well be able to choose from over a 100 different channels, rather than being stuck with whatever happens to be coming in.  I would like to know that I could watch a whole show from start to finish, without the signal cutting in and out, plus  I want DVR!

So it is decided.  My frugal self is off in a sulk, but I am signing up today!

Thanks to directsattv.com for supporting my blog!

I was in the AT&T phone store today, I finally get to upgrade my phone. (Note to self… next time, decide you hate your phone within the 30 days so you can return it and you don’t have to live with it for 2 years!) I was being helped, but the clerk was having some problems with the computer so I got to spend some time just waiting around.

At the next register a lady about my age (closer to 50 than I like to admit) was being helped by a young girl and they were talking about boyfriends, children, getting married, that kind of stuff. My clerk was busy with the computer so I passed the time eavesdropping on the other conversaton, adding a smile or a nod as appropriate.

The topic of the conversation wasn’t important, what I found interesting was how much the young clerk reminded me of myself when I was a young 20 something. She was talking about life, children, and relationships with the absolute certainty that she had it all figured out.

I remember feeling that way. I distinctly remember thinking that it was all pretty simple, I didn’t know why other people had so much trouble with their children, their relationships, life in general. It was easy! Just do what I was doing and it would all be a piece of cake.

Fast forward 25 years and I seem to have forgotten most of what I knew back then! The kids seem to have turned out OK, but I think that was more luck than skill or knowledge on my part. Relationships don’t make any sense to me at all, either it is working or it is not, Lord only knows why. And the meaning of life? Now I know that no one has that figured out.

I remember when I was young, telling my parents and other “older” relatives all about my opinions on life. I remember them listening and smiling, and even agreeing with me, just like the “older” lady in the phone store. Not once did they ever try and burst my bubble. No one ever said to me…”Live a little sweetie, let life slap you around a bit, throw you a few curve balls, and then come back and tell me about how you have it all figured out.” I love them for that.

So I finish my business at the phone store, happy with my new phone. I smile at the clerk and wish her the best. I hope it is a long time before she “forgets” how simple life and relationships are. I hope no one ever bursts her bubble, and one day she will be listening to some young girl, smiling and thinking to herself… “I remember when I had it all figured out”

A good friend called me today and told me that her son had died. Just 20 years old, he died of a rare form of cancer. At the end, he said no to the hospital and the breathing tube that would have given him a few more days of life and went home to die on his own terms with his parents and loved ones by his side.

His illness, and his death, reminds me that we really don’t know what the future holds for us. We do our best to try and predict what comes next, but life has a way of throwing us curve balls.

Not all of life’s surprises are bad. Some are very, very good. My recent life plan was to enjoy being single. Enjoy being able to make any decision I wanted to without consulting anyone. I was as surprised as anyone to fall crazy in love with an amazing man who is crazy about me. We got married! So much for me being single.

So my advice to you is, if life throws you some happiness, grab it and hold onto it, because you never know what tomorrow will bring.

Here is a song by Nickelback that has been playing a lot on my iPod:

If Today Was Your Last Day

My best friend gave me the best advice, he said each day’s a gift and not a given right. Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind, and try to take the path less traveled by. That first step you take is the longest stride.

If today was your last day, and tomorrow was too late, could you say goodbye to yesterday? Would you live each moment like your last? Leave old pictures in the past, donate every dime you have? If today was your last day.

Against the grain should be a way of life. What’s worth the prize is always worth the fight. Every second counts ’cause there’s no second try. So live like you’ll never live it twice. Don’t take the free ride in your own life.

If today was your last day, and tomorrow was too late, could you say goodbye to yesterday? Would you live each moment like your last? Leave old pictures in the past, donate every dime you have? Would you call old friends you never see? Reminisce of memories, would you forgive your enemies? Would you find that one you’re dreamin’ of, swear up and down to God above, That you finally fall in love. If today was your last day.

If today was your last day, would you make your mark, by mending a broken heart? You know it’s never too late to shoot for the stars, regardless of who you are. So do whatever it takes, ’cause you can’t rewind a moment in this life. Let nothin’ stand in your way, cause the hands of time are never on your side.

If today was your last day, and tomorrow was too late, could you say goodbye to yesterday? Would you live each moment like your last, leave old pictures in the past, donate every dime you have? Would you call old friends you never see, reminisce of memories, would you forgive your enemies? Would you find the one you’re dreamin’ of, swear up and down to God above, that you finally fall in love. If today was your last day.

Rest in peace Michael. Your short life and courageous death made a big impact on me and many other people. We love you.