I'm sick with a cold and no one wants to come near me!
WAAAAA!!!
I was sick for my anniversary, and then I was sick for Christmas too!
My sister mailed my Christmas present to me (a basket full of goodies), so I mailed her present to her too.
My parents came by and honked, because the wouldn't come in because they were afraid they'd catch it too. Which made me feel like a leper. So my husband and my daughter loaded up their car with the present we had for them, plus our present for my step-brother and his family plus a rum cake. And my mom gave us money, which endearing as that it made me feel like a little kid as well as a leper.
Then my Uncle who we were going to go see right after Christmas canceled on us because of my cold too. Then me came by my mom's unannounced and dropped off our gifts, so I had to mail his gifts to him yesterday.
My husband gave me a gold chain necklace, and my daughter gave me a costume jewelry pin. We bought our daughter the computer game Madagastgar, and she already has the movie and the music cd. And the Pink Panther cartoon too. My husband bought his own gift like he does every year, because he the only one that can please himself! And he got himself a laser blade leveler/bevel guide for his circler saw. Which to tell you the truth I'd never have thought to give him that.
The only thing that made it seem like Christmas, was the old movie with Bing Crosby, and Danny Kay 'White Christmas' was on TV. Watching that movie then I was happy.
I hope everyone had a nice Christmas!
Friday, December 30, 2005
Lady Jan's anniversary
My 26th anniversary was last week on December 21.
And I was sick! Darn it!
So I couldn't go out to dinner to celebrate, so my husband got take-out. He brought home Dicicco's calazoni which I just love and hadn't had for a while, so we at least had a special treat on our day.
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My Wedding story
In 1979 the year we got married, I was deperately looking for some place to get married.
I had always assumed that I would have my own church to get married in, but was astonished that we were having to meet in a BASKETBALL COURT???
You see our church had sold our old church building, in attempt to gather enough money to build the new church building. They where attempting to building on land in a better area, that someone had donated for that use.
The couple that bought our old building and were going to use it as a day care center, immediantly separated and started divorce proceedings.
Which stopped the building project, because it stopped the money flow. And we couldn't get our building back, because of the divorce proceeding froze all the assets!
Which greatly inconvenienced me!
My dad suggested we get married in the same place we were meeting for church. And I said, "But dad! I can't get married in a BASKETBALL COURT!"
I kept picturing the wedding party all lined up on the goal lines, and I would be stand under the hoop in my white dress and veil. Then at the end of the ceremony, when I kiss my new husband the buzzer would sound and a point would be given to the home teem. Then I'd move forward and toss the bouquet through the hoop, and the girls would all dive for it.
Um, no.
Then my Aunt Regina suggested we get married at the recreation room / club house where she was manager and my Uncle Arnold was asstant manager.
And we did and it was really nice too.
But it rained that day really hard, at least it held off till I toss my bouquet over my car to the waiting girls on the other side. Then a crash and doom of thunder and it started to pour.
How's that for timing?
Then a gust of wind took the bouquet out of the reach of the girls, and it landed splat! In the road. And my maid of honor (Sarah Pittman) who was on the other side, ran around behind all the girls and grabbed it up before anyone could react.
I'm not sure but I think she might still have it.
And I was sick! Darn it!
So I couldn't go out to dinner to celebrate, so my husband got take-out. He brought home Dicicco's calazoni which I just love and hadn't had for a while, so we at least had a special treat on our day.
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My Wedding story
In 1979 the year we got married, I was deperately looking for some place to get married.
I had always assumed that I would have my own church to get married in, but was astonished that we were having to meet in a BASKETBALL COURT???
You see our church had sold our old church building, in attempt to gather enough money to build the new church building. They where attempting to building on land in a better area, that someone had donated for that use.
The couple that bought our old building and were going to use it as a day care center, immediantly separated and started divorce proceedings.
Which stopped the building project, because it stopped the money flow. And we couldn't get our building back, because of the divorce proceeding froze all the assets!
Which greatly inconvenienced me!
My dad suggested we get married in the same place we were meeting for church. And I said, "But dad! I can't get married in a BASKETBALL COURT!"
I kept picturing the wedding party all lined up on the goal lines, and I would be stand under the hoop in my white dress and veil. Then at the end of the ceremony, when I kiss my new husband the buzzer would sound and a point would be given to the home teem. Then I'd move forward and toss the bouquet through the hoop, and the girls would all dive for it.
Um, no.
Then my Aunt Regina suggested we get married at the recreation room / club house where she was manager and my Uncle Arnold was asstant manager.
And we did and it was really nice too.
But it rained that day really hard, at least it held off till I toss my bouquet over my car to the waiting girls on the other side. Then a crash and doom of thunder and it started to pour.
How's that for timing?
Then a gust of wind took the bouquet out of the reach of the girls, and it landed splat! In the road. And my maid of honor (Sarah Pittman) who was on the other side, ran around behind all the girls and grabbed it up before anyone could react.
I'm not sure but I think she might still have it.
Friday, December 23, 2005
A sad Christmas tale--by lady Jan
A fifteen years or so ago, Mr and Mrs Smith (not their real names) found time weighed heavily on them around the holidays. Especially since their children were long time grown and had started family's of their own, and now even the grandchildren weren't so little anymore. And they missed the kids being small.
Then Mr Smith grew a beard, and people started saying how much he looked like Santa. That gave them an idea, a marvels, wonderful idea. Mrs. Smith went right to work, she was a wonder with a needle and thread. She sewed two costumes; a Mr Claus one for her husband complete with Santa hat with bells down one side, and a darling Mrs Claus one for herself complete with a red and white muffin cap that echoed Mr Claus hat.
They started by visiting the kids in the neighborhood, then they touring the stores and shops. They got invited to Christmas party's, and kids flocked to them where ever they went. They were a huge success, and they loved it. They became a staple of Christmas in Madera every Holiday season. People wanted to know where the Claus's would be, so they could take their kids to see them.
I remember taking my nephew to visit them at Wal-mart, and Mrs Claus gave him a candy cane after he was too scared to tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas. I told them how darling they looked in their costumes, and they told me how much they loved doing this every year. My own daughter got to met them too, but she doesn't remember them now, as she was very young.
After nine years (or so) the saddest thing happened, Mr Smith had a stoke and didn't make it.
I heard they were looking around for someone to play Mr Claus with Mrs Smith. But poor Mrs Smith said that she didn't want to do it anymore, because there were too many sad memories.
And sadly so passed a sweet tradition in my home town.
Then Mr Smith grew a beard, and people started saying how much he looked like Santa. That gave them an idea, a marvels, wonderful idea. Mrs. Smith went right to work, she was a wonder with a needle and thread. She sewed two costumes; a Mr Claus one for her husband complete with Santa hat with bells down one side, and a darling Mrs Claus one for herself complete with a red and white muffin cap that echoed Mr Claus hat.
They started by visiting the kids in the neighborhood, then they touring the stores and shops. They got invited to Christmas party's, and kids flocked to them where ever they went. They were a huge success, and they loved it. They became a staple of Christmas in Madera every Holiday season. People wanted to know where the Claus's would be, so they could take their kids to see them.
I remember taking my nephew to visit them at Wal-mart, and Mrs Claus gave him a candy cane after he was too scared to tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas. I told them how darling they looked in their costumes, and they told me how much they loved doing this every year. My own daughter got to met them too, but she doesn't remember them now, as she was very young.
After nine years (or so) the saddest thing happened, Mr Smith had a stoke and didn't make it.
I heard they were looking around for someone to play Mr Claus with Mrs Smith. But poor Mrs Smith said that she didn't want to do it anymore, because there were too many sad memories.
And sadly so passed a sweet tradition in my home town.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Seasons Greetings from Lady Jan
photo & card by Janice
And suddenly there was the angel,
a multitude of the heavenly host,
praising God and saying:
"Glory to God in the highest."
Luke 2:13
Peace, good will
and happiness for you at
Christmas and always.
Lady Jan's brand new avitar from Yahoo!
This is a fun new thing from yahoo, I tried to get her to look like me, but they don't have an over wieght avitar.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Lady Jan rants on about foggy day sequels and school buses
I don't get it!
Yesterday was the worst foggy day this year, and they canceled all the morning buses for Madera. Then Fresno cancels school for the day because of the pea soup fog.
Then today it's the same fogginess, 24th of a mile and no foggy day sequel, no bus cancellation. Nothing! Just get on the bus and forget it's foggy kids, just ignore all that gray fluffy stuff outside the bus windows-It's not there!
I don't know why I even care, as I drive my Daughter to school. I just have a beef with the buses in general, and we have bad blood between us.
I mean real bad blood. I think the bus shack is run by a bunch of idiots, and they think I'm a bitch!
It all started with my daughter getting spat on, on the bus. And not by one boy either! By all of them! Well exempt two who tried to protect her from the boys, by covering her head with their coats. I thought that should be the bus drivers job, and they thought "boys will be boys." Huh? I took her off the bus for a while, "after the spitting incident".
Next time I put her on the bus, it was when I thought that my daughter shouldn't be on the bus for three hours coming home from school. My goodness we are all of five minutes down the road from the school. Apparently the bus drive went and started dropping off kids in the opposite direction, and she had to sit there in the bus seat for that long as that, because she was dropped off last. And that was fine? How is that fine?
Couple years later I was gonna put her back on the bus again, and they thought that at eight years old she could walk a quarter of a mile at six in the morning, and cross a busy country road where everyone drives 100 miles an hour. And there is no side walk! Just broken pavement, and great big clumps of dirt. And did I mention the semi trucks that fly by dragging dirt and rock in their wake?
I tried to get them to pick up my daughter at our mail box where she use to be picked-up, and I was told that never happened! Then the woman yelled at me and slammed a receiver in my ear! Gees! I was talking in a normal voice, and all I just wanted to know was why? Can't she stand to be questioned?
Yesterday was the worst foggy day this year, and they canceled all the morning buses for Madera. Then Fresno cancels school for the day because of the pea soup fog.
Then today it's the same fogginess, 24th of a mile and no foggy day sequel, no bus cancellation. Nothing! Just get on the bus and forget it's foggy kids, just ignore all that gray fluffy stuff outside the bus windows-It's not there!
I don't know why I even care, as I drive my Daughter to school. I just have a beef with the buses in general, and we have bad blood between us.
I mean real bad blood. I think the bus shack is run by a bunch of idiots, and they think I'm a bitch!
It all started with my daughter getting spat on, on the bus. And not by one boy either! By all of them! Well exempt two who tried to protect her from the boys, by covering her head with their coats. I thought that should be the bus drivers job, and they thought "boys will be boys." Huh? I took her off the bus for a while, "after the spitting incident".
Next time I put her on the bus, it was when I thought that my daughter shouldn't be on the bus for three hours coming home from school. My goodness we are all of five minutes down the road from the school. Apparently the bus drive went and started dropping off kids in the opposite direction, and she had to sit there in the bus seat for that long as that, because she was dropped off last. And that was fine? How is that fine?
Couple years later I was gonna put her back on the bus again, and they thought that at eight years old she could walk a quarter of a mile at six in the morning, and cross a busy country road where everyone drives 100 miles an hour. And there is no side walk! Just broken pavement, and great big clumps of dirt. And did I mention the semi trucks that fly by dragging dirt and rock in their wake?
I tried to get them to pick up my daughter at our mail box where she use to be picked-up, and I was told that never happened! Then the woman yelled at me and slammed a receiver in my ear! Gees! I was talking in a normal voice, and all I just wanted to know was why? Can't she stand to be questioned?
My husband called the bus shack to complain about how I was treated, and the director apologized. And someone was going to call us later and we'd work something out. Guess what? Nobody called!
So anyway I drive my daughter to school, foggy days or no.Saturday, December 10, 2005
Lady Jan finally got her Christmas decorations up!
Santa by my baby's picture, she's 14 years old now!
photo by Janice
photo by Janice
Lady Jan got more of her Christmas decorations up!
My garlands on my window
photo by Janice
photo by Janice
You can see the smoke damage on my wall from our old propane heater circa 1930 I think.
Lady Jan finally got her Christmas tree up!
I finally got my Christmas tree up!
photo by Janice
photo by Janice
You can see my messy desk, right behind my dinning room table that our Christmas tree is perch on.
~
Around the base of our tree you can just make out all of the charectors from Rudolf, the Red Nose Rain Deer, (my husband bought them for me at a after Christmas clearence sale.) My all time favorite Christmas show. I don't know why but tears come to my eyes everytime I watch it.
~
Just in front of my tree you'll see a crystal Hersey's kiss decanter another gift from my husband. It's 'my Christmas kiss' I always get my 'Christmas kiss' early, when I bring it out for the Holidays.
Lady Jan lights a candle
We lost our power and lit a candle, then my daught and I took turns taking pictures of it. This one my daughter took. I have a small collection of candle holders. I just love candles.
photo by Sarah
photo by Sarah
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Lady Jan on we had our first frost of the season
Our California seasons don't always match other states, while the east cost was hit by hurricane after hurricane, we were having one of most mild falls on record. All day every day 70 degrees. Forget sending your child to school in a jacket, put them in shorts instead!
Then finally it happened!
The temps dropped and it became. . . Fall!
Last Sunday night early Monday morning we finally got it!
Our first frost!
hence the picture.
After I dropped my husband off at work I ran around the out side of my house with my camera, to take this shot. Then later after getting my daughter up, I had to convince her it was actually cold enough for a coat to school!
Monday, November 21, 2005
Lady Jan gives Thanks!
I got to get my house clean, and I might not have time to post anymore until after the holiday, so I'm gonna post this now.
I'm giving thanks for my many blessings:
My family, my daughter, and my husband.
My Parents.
My siblings, and how grateful I am that they both my sister Deanna and my brother John have both survived their leukemia.
My house.
My bran new appliances.
My car that still runs.
My husband's job that keeps the roof over our heads, and the electricity paid, the food on the table, and all the bills paid. And the money he made at his job bought the almost 18 pound turkey, that I'm gonna cook this Thursday.
Thank you God, amen!
I'm giving thanks for my many blessings:
My family, my daughter, and my husband.
My Parents.
My siblings, and how grateful I am that they both my sister Deanna and my brother John have both survived their leukemia.
My house.
My bran new appliances.
My car that still runs.
My husband's job that keeps the roof over our heads, and the electricity paid, the food on the table, and all the bills paid. And the money he made at his job bought the almost 18 pound turkey, that I'm gonna cook this Thursday.
Thank you God, amen!
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Lady Jan went to see the latest Harry Potter Movie!
My family and I went to see the latest Harry Potter Movie 'the Goblet of Fire'.
This one is darker than all the others, and has more suspence, and more dare I say action?
My 14 year old daughter reaction to the movie. . . .Awesome!
But I would suggest finding a baby sitter for the little ones, and hede well the PG 13 rating, as it is rated that way for a reason. The move is very intense, way too intense for the small ones.
There was a child of around five (more or less) who not only couldn't follow the action, but loudly kept asking what, why, and how-come through the entire move which was anoying enough as it was. Then came the intense scene with a really realistic CGI dragon, and he started to freak-out, screaming and crying. I'm sorry to say this but. . .that really put my teeth on edge. I don't know how his mother calmed him down, but I think she took him outside.
I rather not say anymore because I do not wish to spoil the plot, but I would like to give a warning to the parents reading this--someone dies in this film and it r-e-a-l-l-y sad. I cried. If you don't think your kids can handle that. . . please don't take them.
Other than that--go! It's a blast!
And it's very awesome too!
This one is darker than all the others, and has more suspence, and more dare I say action?
My 14 year old daughter reaction to the movie. . . .Awesome!
But I would suggest finding a baby sitter for the little ones, and hede well the PG 13 rating, as it is rated that way for a reason. The move is very intense, way too intense for the small ones.
There was a child of around five (more or less) who not only couldn't follow the action, but loudly kept asking what, why, and how-come through the entire move which was anoying enough as it was. Then came the intense scene with a really realistic CGI dragon, and he started to freak-out, screaming and crying. I'm sorry to say this but. . .that really put my teeth on edge. I don't know how his mother calmed him down, but I think she took him outside.
I rather not say anymore because I do not wish to spoil the plot, but I would like to give a warning to the parents reading this--someone dies in this film and it r-e-a-l-l-y sad. I cried. If you don't think your kids can handle that. . . please don't take them.
Other than that--go! It's a blast!
And it's very awesome too!
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Lady Jan's daughter has changed professions
My daughter has changed professions. She hasn't even graduated from the eighth grade yet, but she has changed her mind and changed professions.
It's that eternal question that adults are always asking children "What are you going to be when you grow up?" My daughter had wanted to be a veterinarian, but that was before she found out you have to operate on animals, and sew them up afterwards.
Oops! I guess I never explained about the surgery, and the stitching-up, and the shots etc. But then again we are always watching those animal show, and animal rescue. So I thought she already knew.
She had a dream that click all the information in place for her!
Her dream was about a cat that needed her help!:
"Dr. Sarah," they tell her, "your this cats only hope! You must stitch up this cats butt, or it will die! Only you can do this Dr. Sarah! Will you help this poor unfortunate cat?"
"Huh? I don't think so!" Sarah answers.
"But Dr. Sarah if you don't stitch up this cats butt it will die!"
"That's okay! It can just die! I'm outa here--bye!" And so exits the former Dr. Sarah-to-be.
Oh well, there is always another profession!
Now she want to own a restaurant and call it "the Cats Meow!"
Yes, sigh, cats again.
It's that eternal question that adults are always asking children "What are you going to be when you grow up?" My daughter had wanted to be a veterinarian, but that was before she found out you have to operate on animals, and sew them up afterwards.
Oops! I guess I never explained about the surgery, and the stitching-up, and the shots etc. But then again we are always watching those animal show, and animal rescue. So I thought she already knew.
She had a dream that click all the information in place for her!
Her dream was about a cat that needed her help!:
"Dr. Sarah," they tell her, "your this cats only hope! You must stitch up this cats butt, or it will die! Only you can do this Dr. Sarah! Will you help this poor unfortunate cat?"
"Huh? I don't think so!" Sarah answers.
"But Dr. Sarah if you don't stitch up this cats butt it will die!"
"That's okay! It can just die! I'm outa here--bye!" And so exits the former Dr. Sarah-to-be.
Oh well, there is always another profession!
Now she want to own a restaurant and call it "the Cats Meow!"
Yes, sigh, cats again.
Lady Jan Has Nightmares
I have been having the absolutely the worst nightmares, that I think I have ever had!
I think they have something to do with the stanky bugs and the mice, that we have been having a problem with in the house. The nightmares got worse just before Halloween which is creepy enough, and then the bugs and the mice seemed to thin out, and the nightmares sorta went away.
One nightmare seemed so real--it was of my husband dying. And what was worse was that I kept waking up, and then would go to sleep just to dream the dream again!
My dream went like this:
My husband works as a maintaince mechanic, and during this past crush season he was the night foreman. While he was at work he picked up a thick electrical cable called a coaxial cable, he made a noise like "Err. . .Err. . .Waa", then his head tilted back and to the side and he fell. I woke up sweaty and sick. Thinking 'Oh, God' he got electrocuted! After a trip to the bathroom I tried to go back to sleep, and then dreamed it again! Then again, and again! Then I dreamed of his co-workers dropping everything and running to him (I know most of them and it wasn't hard to see them clearly). It was so awful, that I didn't get a lot of sleep that night. I told my husband about the dream, I also told him sometimes my dreams come true, so you just be extra careful about the electrical cables at work!
He's okay, the crush season ended and he's fine, but I'm a wreck!
Then I had a dream about my sister and her live-in-boyfriend, (or life partner?):
They went over a cliff at the coast near where they live, and died. I had to go to there and pick-up my nephew, and tell the hospital people what I wanted done with the bodies. But this dream didn't have the same urgency as the first dream, and my sister wouldn't want to be where I was going to sent them, which was right here in Madera. And my nephew is a grown man now, and wouldn't need to be picked-up. Also my sister's boyfriend has family, and they would have claimed his body before I even got there, because they live so much closer to them than I do.
With so many inconsistencies it wasn't one of my 'true dreams', and I knew that right away.
But never-the-less it shook me up a great deal.
I had other nightmare, but I only remember bits and pieces of them.
The latest creepy thing was late one night, a few nights ago I heard something behind my book case. When I checked with a flash light I didn't see anything but I did notice some dirt, where there shouldn't be dirt! Oh, God! I thought, they chewed through the wall! Rats or mice--just what I need! My husband and I are gonna have move the books then the book case, and check behind it.
I just hope this latest thing doesn't trigger anymore nightmares!
At least my husband is done with the crush season and is home at night now, so now once again I have someone to sleep next to--that'll help.
I think they have something to do with the stanky bugs and the mice, that we have been having a problem with in the house. The nightmares got worse just before Halloween which is creepy enough, and then the bugs and the mice seemed to thin out, and the nightmares sorta went away.
One nightmare seemed so real--it was of my husband dying. And what was worse was that I kept waking up, and then would go to sleep just to dream the dream again!
My dream went like this:
My husband works as a maintaince mechanic, and during this past crush season he was the night foreman. While he was at work he picked up a thick electrical cable called a coaxial cable, he made a noise like "Err. . .Err. . .Waa", then his head tilted back and to the side and he fell. I woke up sweaty and sick. Thinking 'Oh, God' he got electrocuted! After a trip to the bathroom I tried to go back to sleep, and then dreamed it again! Then again, and again! Then I dreamed of his co-workers dropping everything and running to him (I know most of them and it wasn't hard to see them clearly). It was so awful, that I didn't get a lot of sleep that night. I told my husband about the dream, I also told him sometimes my dreams come true, so you just be extra careful about the electrical cables at work!
He's okay, the crush season ended and he's fine, but I'm a wreck!
Then I had a dream about my sister and her live-in-boyfriend, (or life partner?):
They went over a cliff at the coast near where they live, and died. I had to go to there and pick-up my nephew, and tell the hospital people what I wanted done with the bodies. But this dream didn't have the same urgency as the first dream, and my sister wouldn't want to be where I was going to sent them, which was right here in Madera. And my nephew is a grown man now, and wouldn't need to be picked-up. Also my sister's boyfriend has family, and they would have claimed his body before I even got there, because they live so much closer to them than I do.
With so many inconsistencies it wasn't one of my 'true dreams', and I knew that right away.
But never-the-less it shook me up a great deal.
I had other nightmare, but I only remember bits and pieces of them.
The latest creepy thing was late one night, a few nights ago I heard something behind my book case. When I checked with a flash light I didn't see anything but I did notice some dirt, where there shouldn't be dirt! Oh, God! I thought, they chewed through the wall! Rats or mice--just what I need! My husband and I are gonna have move the books then the book case, and check behind it.
I just hope this latest thing doesn't trigger anymore nightmares!
At least my husband is done with the crush season and is home at night now, so now once again I have someone to sleep next to--that'll help.
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Lady Jan went to the Kearney Park Renaissance Fair today
We Had a pretty good time this year at the Kearney Ren-fair.
The fair runs the second weekend every November, this year it's the 12th & 13th.
We were able to take one of my daughter's friends with us, and she had never been before. And it's always fun showning someone a ren-fair for the first time!
We saw what I want to call the bird rescuers, with hawks and owls. And we meet a barbarian, and her pet. Notice the leash? She actually offered to let me hold the leash, and I thought then what? So I'm really suppose to give him back? Are you kidding? I don't know if I could give back--a man trained to the leash! But I don't think my husband would let me keep him anyway. Aw, too bad he was kinda cute.
I'm the one in the green snood and chamise, and my hudband David is in the middle, and our daughter Sarah is on the left. My husband is squinting because he took off his glasses for the photo then couldn't see.
We saw knights and just missed the joust, darn the luck! But we did get to see the jugglers, sorry no photos we were eating our lunch right then.
My husband David likes to collect sword at almost every fair we go to, but hadn't gotten a proper belt for his sword. But today he was able to get himself a sword belt, and the man who sold it to him fitted the belt to his scabbard. He's so happy now!
The fair runs the second weekend every November, this year it's the 12th & 13th.We were able to take one of my daughter's friends with us, and she had never been before. And it's always fun showning someone a ren-fair for the first time!
We saw what I want to call the bird rescuers, with hawks and owls. And we meet a barbarian, and her pet. Notice the leash? She actually offered to let me hold the leash, and I thought then what? So I'm really suppose to give him back? Are you kidding? I don't know if I could give back--a man trained to the leash! But I don't think my husband would let me keep him anyway. Aw, too bad he was kinda cute.
I'm the one in the green snood and chamise, and my hudband David is in the middle, and our daughter Sarah is on the left. My husband is squinting because he took off his glasses for the photo then couldn't see.We saw knights and just missed the joust, darn the luck! But we did get to see the jugglers, sorry no photos we were eating our lunch right then.
My husband David likes to collect sword at almost every fair we go to, but hadn't gotten a proper belt for his sword. But today he was able to get himself a sword belt, and the man who sold it to him fitted the belt to his scabbard. He's so happy now!
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Lady Jan says "Darn that Schoolhouse Rock!"
Darn School House Rock!
My daughter has to memorize the preamble of the United States Consitution, as an eighth grade preliminary thing for graduation from the eighth grade.
The Schoolhouse Rock that ran in the 1973 through 1984, had one cartoon segment that had a song of the preamble in it. That Preamble song helped my sister Deanna breeze right through the reciting of the Preamble back in 1975. It hadn’t been on the TV as yet when I had to do it, so I had to memorized it the ‘old school’ way by route(I passed).
And now it has been released in VHS and CD as Schoolhouse Rock American Rock, so I smugly bought it for my daughter thinking that what a good mom am I.
http://www.school-house-rock.com/Prea.html
Guess what? There is a whole missing line in it!
The Preamble goes like this: http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.preamble.html
We the people of the United States of America in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United states of America.
The highlighted words are the word missing from the song, on School House Rock. The missing words caused my daughter to get an “F” on reciting the preamble.
So I ran off the preamble off the internet, and the song off the School House Rock web sight, and found that my daughter was right about the missing words.
So we--my husband and I worked with my daughter, so she could try it again at school the next day.
The next day my daughter actually sang the Preamble song to the teacher the next day! She said the missing words from the song in a sotto voice as she sang. Her teacher even bounced along with the beat as my daughter sang her song, and then told her that she had a nice singing voice.
Then he gave her an “A”!
Yay!
My daughter has to memorize the preamble of the United States Consitution, as an eighth grade preliminary thing for graduation from the eighth grade.
The Schoolhouse Rock that ran in the 1973 through 1984, had one cartoon segment that had a song of the preamble in it. That Preamble song helped my sister Deanna breeze right through the reciting of the Preamble back in 1975. It hadn’t been on the TV as yet when I had to do it, so I had to memorized it the ‘old school’ way by route(I passed).
And now it has been released in VHS and CD as Schoolhouse Rock American Rock, so I smugly bought it for my daughter thinking that what a good mom am I.
http://www.school-house-rock.com/Prea.html
Guess what? There is a whole missing line in it!
The Preamble goes like this: http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.preamble.html
We the people of the United States of America in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United states of America.
The highlighted words are the word missing from the song, on School House Rock. The missing words caused my daughter to get an “F” on reciting the preamble.
So I ran off the preamble off the internet, and the song off the School House Rock web sight, and found that my daughter was right about the missing words.
So we--my husband and I worked with my daughter, so she could try it again at school the next day.
The next day my daughter actually sang the Preamble song to the teacher the next day! She said the missing words from the song in a sotto voice as she sang. Her teacher even bounced along with the beat as my daughter sang her song, and then told her that she had a nice singing voice.
Then he gave her an “A”!
Yay!
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Lady Jan--My Daughter the winner!
My Daughter wins at the GEO-Bee
photo by Janice
photo by Janice
My daughter Sarah wins third place at the GEO-Bee!
We are so proud of her!
Out of 64 children my daughter made it to the top six, then to third place.
She was the only girl to make it that far, the rest were boys. So she was the smartest girl there!
Friday, November 04, 2005
Lady Jan asks is it okay to lust after ones own appliances?
Two weeks ago we found water on the floor and found out it was the hot water heater, it was rusted through! So we ran down to Home Depot with the help of my brother-in-law Danny, and bought a new one.
Then two days ago my clothes washer took a turn for the worst! My husband said it took a dump!
I looked through the sales papers yesterday, and there is a brand new appliance store which is having a grand opening today. We were going to go to the usual places; Sears, Home Depot, etc. But we went to this new store yesterday, and guess what? They were open! And not only open but willing to give us the sales price that we would have gotten today. I think that was mostly because I ask him what kind of a deal could he(the owner) give us on a washer dryer set. My dryer had died several years ago and I had been limping around using a small apartment sized one my mom lent me. So it was past time for it to be replaced too.
We had to call three of my husband's brothers before we found one that would help us get them home. My husband didn't want to use the stores guy, well. . . Because he was the one who took his high school sweet heart away from him, and then married her.
While we were waiting for my brother-in-law John to show up with the truck, I started looking at the stoves, just to kill time you understand? My old one is second hand almond (they call it bisque now) but still in real good condition. But it wouldn't match the new appliances because they are white, as well as my old refegerator. I found a REAL nice solid top stove with a real good price "still no sales tax", the sales lady informed me. And because this is a store that sell scratch and dent, everything is half off. I was chewing my lip thinking should we? I already got the washer dryer that I had been lusting after for some time,(they're like the Whirlpool version of the Neptune) and I thought that might be pushing our credit a bit.
Then my husband comes over and looks at it and says "you want it Hun? I'll get it for you--if you want it!" Then I go "'um....." Then he says "yeah, you want it." Then I say "well. . .Yeah, but." "Okay," he says, "I'll get it for you." My husband is really sweet, but he kinda 'over spends' if you know what I mean.
So then we had three to take home, and it was a good thing that my brother-in-law finally showed up when he did, or we'd have a new refrigerator too!
It seemed to take all day before my husband got the new appliances in, and hooked-up. Then we just stood back and looked at them. I've never had new appliances before.
Do you think it's okay to lust after ones own appliances?
Then two days ago my clothes washer took a turn for the worst! My husband said it took a dump!
I looked through the sales papers yesterday, and there is a brand new appliance store which is having a grand opening today. We were going to go to the usual places; Sears, Home Depot, etc. But we went to this new store yesterday, and guess what? They were open! And not only open but willing to give us the sales price that we would have gotten today. I think that was mostly because I ask him what kind of a deal could he(the owner) give us on a washer dryer set. My dryer had died several years ago and I had been limping around using a small apartment sized one my mom lent me. So it was past time for it to be replaced too.
We had to call three of my husband's brothers before we found one that would help us get them home. My husband didn't want to use the stores guy, well. . . Because he was the one who took his high school sweet heart away from him, and then married her.
While we were waiting for my brother-in-law John to show up with the truck, I started looking at the stoves, just to kill time you understand? My old one is second hand almond (they call it bisque now) but still in real good condition. But it wouldn't match the new appliances because they are white, as well as my old refegerator. I found a REAL nice solid top stove with a real good price "still no sales tax", the sales lady informed me. And because this is a store that sell scratch and dent, everything is half off. I was chewing my lip thinking should we? I already got the washer dryer that I had been lusting after for some time,(they're like the Whirlpool version of the Neptune) and I thought that might be pushing our credit a bit.
Then my husband comes over and looks at it and says "you want it Hun? I'll get it for you--if you want it!" Then I go "'um....." Then he says "yeah, you want it." Then I say "well. . .Yeah, but." "Okay," he says, "I'll get it for you." My husband is really sweet, but he kinda 'over spends' if you know what I mean.
So then we had three to take home, and it was a good thing that my brother-in-law finally showed up when he did, or we'd have a new refrigerator too!
It seemed to take all day before my husband got the new appliances in, and hooked-up. Then we just stood back and looked at them. I've never had new appliances before.
Do you think it's okay to lust after ones own appliances?
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
One hundred things about me!
I got some encouragement from Tina, who did one hundred things on her blog called 'the other Tina.' I thought my one hundred things might be boring, but Tina said do it anyway. So here goes!
One hundred things about me!
One hundred things about me!
- I was born in May of 1961 in the old Dear Born hospital. Which, I think now is a parking lot.
- I was born raised and still live in the same small town of Madera California, and I have never (sans camping and vacation trips) lived anywhere else.
- I have one brother and one sister, so. . .one each!
- My dad was married before, and I have a brother who is thirteen years older, and my sister is a year and a half younger then me.
- I'm the middle child to my dad, and the oldest to my mom.
- I usually tell people who get confused about this; that my brother's parents are divorced, mine and my sister's did not!
- My dad had a lot of hobbies, but he loved fishing the best.
- I use to stand up next to my dad at the kitchen sink, when I was just three years old, and watch him gut and clean the fish he caught. So stuff like that doesn't gross me out.
- My dad taught me how to fish, and one time I actually caught a fish with two mouths. My dad talked me into releasing it back into the water.
- We use to go camping a lot, but I had to go to summer school. And that interfered with all my dad's camping and fishing plains.
- Starting in the third grade I was then diagnosed with a learning difficulty, I'm technally educationally hadicapped.
- I had some awful teachers that didn't help my learning problem.
- My third, fourth, and fifth grade teachers who were about to retire, and just didn't care.
- One actually put a dunce cap on my head, because I didn't know the answer to a problem, and encouraged the class to make fun of me.
- My mom still remembers one of my teacher's saying "I hate the kids and the kids hate me!"
- Still another teacher lined our desks up to the grade we were getting, and proudly proclaimed who her favoites were--the 'A' students! No surprise there!
- I was blessed with a wonderful sixth grade teacher Mrs. Bozio! Who was a great help to me, as she actually made learning fun!
- Mrs. Bozio was young energetic and had a lot of wonderful ideas to help us to get excited about learning! 'I' would shrink in my seat when the teacher asked a question, would in mrs. Bozio's class jump up and say "I know it! I know the answer!" Just goes to show how much good a good teacher can do!
- Also when I was in the sixth grade the science teacher adminatered an IQ test. And he would have everyone come up one at a time so he could whisper our IQ results to us. When it was my turn, the students were so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. Then he whispered 85, and the room went wild with laughter! Then the teacher said, "I'm sorry." I guess he was sorry for making me a laughing stock.
- For the rest of the year I heard "see that tree or rock Janice? it's smarter than you are." Or "if your IQ was two points lower you'd be a rock or a tree."
- That was so mumiliating, but it gets worse.
- I was the target for every bully in the school, and it was a Mexican school. And I was just one of a hand full of white kids there.
- I was called 'cry baby Janice', because they would torture me until I cried. I've been made fun of, beat with sticks, and stones.
- When I went to bible class the Sunday school teacher would talked about people being stoned in the bible, and I would sit there and think I know what that feels like.
- I asked a girl why she was hitting me, and she said"because your prejudice." Then I said, "I am? But who is hitting who?" Then she laughed wildly like I had just said the funniest thing in the world.
- My dad had arthritis so bad, that he retired when I was almost twelve.
- I also lost my dad's oldest brother, my uncle Basil from lung cancer and he didn't smoke.
- I saw the Grim reaper in my bedroom after my uncle died. He doesn't carry a sickle.
- I went to Thomas Jefferson for junior high, which is a school I refer to as 'feely meally high,' because us girls got felt up just trying to get to class.
- I was almost raped because two boys wouldn't leave me alone, and I was too embarrassed to say anything.
- Then a teacher Ms. Williams who caught on to what almost happened said, "you have to tell someone when you are being bother like this. This should not be allowed. This your body, and you have a right to say who can touch you and who can't! It's up to you to tell someone--a teacher, parent, or another adult somebody to make it stop! So these young men will know, that they can't do this to you."
- I took it to heart, and never let anyone come near me, or try anything like that ever again.
- Years later one of my daughter friends asked me a question. She said her mom wouldn't answer it because she said she was too young.
- The question was "why do boys want to touch us girls on our butts or breasts?" I said something about hormonal boys, and the movies and music videos giving mixed messages on women and sex. And how that makes boys think we females aren't really human, but objects to be treated any way they please.
- Then I asked "who's has been bothering you?" She hemmed and hawed, but it turned out it was an over sexed 16 year old male cousin. He was trying to touch her, and showing his penis to her and asking her to touch it. So I gave her 'the Ms. William's speech'. And then told her in no uncertain terms, "Tell your Mother! This can't go on, and he might rape you! Promise me you'll tell your mom!" She did and it was taken care of.
- At Junior high the stress got to my sister and myself. My sister got an ulcer, and I got boils it took six months of penicillin to cure me.
- I fell in love with books when I was thirteen. They don't judge you, and they are always there when you need them, and they take you away to another world.
- Yeah, fantasy stories! That's my fave.
- I took my first art class at Thomas Jefferson, and won a trophy when I graduated from the eighth grade for art.
- That led me to take more in high school, and I excelled at it, and did well enough to win a plaque at the Chowchilla fair for best mod art at the fair.
- I have the ability to learn almost anything you can do with your hands, just by watching someone once.
- I wanted to take a photography class in high school, but my dad yelled at me when I said I might like to take pictures for a living. He said you can't make any money taking pictures, than you can doing your art work! That should be a hobby only! So I didn't take the class.
- Learning something intellectual takes more time, as I learned slow.
- My dad didn't want to pay for me to go to college because he said ALL I would take would be art classes. Then he sent my sister to Lubbock Christen Collage. My sister always got good grades, and she got a grant for collage. But she got kicked out before she finished her first year, something about being in the boys dorm after hours. Well, after all it was a Christen Collage.
- I got married in December 21, 1979 six month after graduating from high school. My husband and I have been married almost 26 years.
- When I was 20 I went to Fresno city college part time, and majored in art.
- My Dad got colon cancer, and I quit college to be near him.
- I felt my dad die. A piece of my heart painlessly pulled loose, and went with him to heaven. I can actually feel the hole in my heart where that piece pulled out, and it aches when I miss him.
- After my dad's death I saw my small family fall apart. My brother got heavily addicted to drugs and broke-up with his long time girlfriend, that we all thought he'd marry. Then my sister married someone she later told me she didn't love. My mom crumbled in on herself, and I was concerned that she might follow my dad. But I didn't fall apart, but I was depressed and missing my dad, as I was the closest to him.
- I was concerned for everyone, and I needed to be strong, for mom and for myself too.
- It's a sad thing, but I learned not to lean emotionally on anyone. Not even my husband, he's sweet and needy but not strong.
- I worked at the Madera Tribune as a human inserting machine. My job was to place the adds(inserts) inside the newspaper, as fast as I could.
- I've taught craft class for the parks and recreational department of Madera, for three years.
- My grandmother died, I mourned more for her, than I did for my dad.
- My husband and I owned a used appliance business. There I learned people are stupid selfish and mean, at least to women in a store like that. I was talked to like I was a dog, but they would talk real nice to my husband. There I learned to be strong and stand up to people.
- My sister came home again, and I watch her son at our store. That was until she went back to Michigan, and married her boyfriend that she had an hard off again on again relationship with. Naturally it didn't last.
- We closed our store in 1990 because we weren't making any money at it.
- Nine months later I found I was pregnate with our daughter.
- That same year I also found out that my brother had leukemia.
- Near the end of my pregnacy my brother asked if I would be a bone marrow donor for him if I was a match. I told him I'd be glad to do it. He would have to wait until my baby was born though.
- My brothers doctor wouldn't even check to see if I or my sister were a match, because we were only half siblings.
- The doctor broke my water and sent me to the hospital. After a nightmare-ish thirty-six hour labor, and much pushing on my part my cervix swelled shut! I had to have a c-section, and my beautiful brown eyed baby girl was born. I was thirty years old.
- A month after my daughter was born, my brother got his donor(a stranger), and his bone marrow. Fourteen years later he is still okay.
- I've had so-called friends bother me about having more children. I don't want to okay! I really don't want a repeat performance of last time. That was awful!
- The nice thing about being forty-four is no one bothers me anymore, about having more children.
- I developed problems with my back. From carrying my baby in my womb, then carrying her in my arms.
- My sister divorced her second husband, and I started watching my nephew again.
- My husband bought a computer, and I've learned about the wonderful world of computers and what I could do with them. Wow!
- I started doing a wood craft business out of my home. I got real good with the scroll saw, and painting and lettering. I used the computer to help with my lettering, and making up orders and all kinds of stuff.
- After three years with the last store that sold my work, they decided to close up shop. And we crafters had a going out of buiness sale, and I made 480 dollars on that last day. That was the most money I had ever made with any of my art or crafts.
- My sister moved to Fresno, and I was no longer watching my nephew.
- My sister remarried, and my sisters and her third husband came for dinner. I heard them talking as they left my house, "she's nice." he said, "yeah," said my sister "but she got a bad temper."
- It seems like I do and do for people, and all that's remebered is my temper.
- I started having problems with my hands, and I was dianoised with tendonitis. Which means my tendons are inflamed. And I stopped doing my wood crafts.
- I tried to go to school to learn to work in an office, but my hands hurt.
- Then my daughter started having problems in school, and was going to be held back. This was all decided by a teacher who only had my daughter for one semester. I quit school and was going to work hard to keep that from happening! She was held back anyway!
- 1999, I decided to try my hand at writing.
- A friend helped me by giving me a word processor, as our old computer had crashed by then.
- I bought books on writing, and I read and read and read!
- I started writing short stories and articles, and sending them in.
- My husband bought us a new computer for my writing.
- Then I took an correspondence class on writing, and later an on-line class too, and I did pretty good.
- To date: I still haven't sold any of my stoies as yet.
- The worse part on writing is that I had to learn the grammar, that I should have learned in school and didn't.
- My spelling and grammar is much better after the past six years, but it'll never be perfect.
- My sister got leukemia, that hit me real hard--I felt sick I thought I might threw-up.
- I volunteered my bone marrow right away.
- They took my blood at our Madera community hospital and sent it to the hospital that was treating my sister, and I wasn't a match! They used her own (adult)stem-cells(a new technology then) and now two years later she is still with us.
- Summer of '04, I got an e-mail address for the first time! It helped me keep in touch with my sister who lives 150 miles from me.
- I learned to use the search engines to surf the web for information.
- When I was trying to find Mervyn's web sight to register for the thousand dollars prize, I stumbled on to Gwen's blog. She was irreverent and funny, and half Mexican like my daughter.
- I kept reading.
- Then one day I couldn't post a message because I wasn't a registered user. Gwen was having posting that were really ugly(trolls), so she changed who could post on her blog.
- I couldn't post unless I signed up for a blog of my own. So I did!
- I've had my blog, this one your reading for a year now.
- Later I got two more; one is for my research on my family tree, and another is for my cartoons that I like to draw when my hands permit.
- I've just learned to copy and paste using my mouse, I use it for forming links in my blog.
- I also learned to set up links in a side bar on my blog.
- I took a tickle IQ test, and according to it I have an IQ of 126!
- I don't know how accurate it is, but it sure made my day!
Well that's done! Please post, and let me know what you think.
Monday, October 31, 2005
Trick or Treat!
My daughter's costumes that she wore today. My daughter wore the cat costume to school. But when she got to school to her horror she noticed no one else was wearing a costume!
So she begged her Dad, "Please take me home so I can change, because I don't want to look weird!"
Then after I picked my daughter up at school she said only one girl wore a costume to school, and that girl said that she felt real uncomfortable too.
When headed home we noticed one of the house's down and around the corner from ours was selling pumkins, for one and two dollars. Well, heck! We had to get a couple of pumkins!
So my daughter and I picked out two medium sized ones, and he only chaged us for one. Last day of the great pumkin sell I guess? When we got home we carved them right away. Then when we finished we put candles in them, to light as soon as it was dark. I always carve the same old dorky scary face, that I have been carving into pumkins since I was in high school. My daughter did a kinda cool three faces thing. Each side had a different face or carving. Real interesting.
Then My daughter got into her trick or treating costume the Angel one, and off we went. I took her to 'the interactive haunted house' thing they were suppose to do today, and it was 5:30 and no one was there! Shoot! So we left to go trick or treating.
I would have liked to say this being my daughter's last year of trick or treating, that we had a blast, but. . . I can't. We went to an unfamiliar area, there are lots of new housing in Madera thse days, and we got lost in a cull-de-sack!
My daughter had desided she had enough candy and our feet hurt, so we started heading for the car. Then we couldn't find the car! We kept looking and looking, and went in the wrong direction!
Then I had this uncomfortable surreal feeling that the side walk was a tread mill, and the costumed kids and parents were revolving with the scenery. And we're passing by the same ones over and over again, and this part of the cull-de-sack would just go on forever! Yikes! Let me off this crazy thing!
Then we turned a corner and saw it! My car! What a beautiful sight!
I used my Magic button and clicked open the door lock, then I slid behind the wheel with a sigh!
My car seat never felt so good to my tired 44 year old butt!
Then my daughter said, "the heck with the 'haunted house' let's just go home!"
Sigh, my daughter is certainly growing-up!
Sunday, October 30, 2005
Lady Jan says Happy Halloween!
Happy Halloween everybody!
photo by Janice
photo by Janice
This is a photo of my front gate.
Have a happy and safe Halloween!
Remember to check those treats!
As I will after I take my daughter trick or treating tomorrow night.
My daughter will be a black cat at school, and then an Angel for Halloween night.She'll finally wear those wings I bought her last year.
And don't forget to fall back!
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Lady Jan's Ghost picture!
I took this picture on Thanksgiving three years ago. My husband was preparing to carve the turkey that I had cooked. Then I asked him why he looked so scared as I snapped the second photo and he said "(he) didn't know."
Then when I had the film developed I thought "Oh my goodness! why! He looks like he inhaled a ghost!"
Lady Jan's Husband has a birthday today!
My husband David is now 47 years old as of today. My husband is one of those people that has to buy his own presents, well. . . because no one knows what he wants as well as he himself does I guess. So he bought himself a coverall for work, one of those quilted ones that you can work in the snown in and not get cold. Even though it is only 45 degrees at night here, but he works at night and he gets really cold. And he doesn't do the cold very well, as he's kinda thin skinned. The only thing was--the coverall was 140 dollars! Yikes!
My daughter and I gave him home-made birthday cards, then we took him to IHOP for his birthday because that's where he said he wanted to go. And his steak was a little greasey but the rest of the meal was fine, and so was my salad. But my daughter had a turkey sandwich, and she said it was dry--no manaise or anything and it made her mouth sore because of the dryness of it. The waitess said she take it off, but the bill was over thirty dollars for just the three of us, and here I thought if she took my daughter's meal off why was it still so high?
Then we rented some movies, and my husband was only able to see one of them before the Sand man hit him hard in each eye, and he had to go back to sleep before his work shift begain.
He said he had a nice day for his birthday. I hope so, as it seemed a little dull to me!
My daughter and I gave him home-made birthday cards, then we took him to IHOP for his birthday because that's where he said he wanted to go. And his steak was a little greasey but the rest of the meal was fine, and so was my salad. But my daughter had a turkey sandwich, and she said it was dry--no manaise or anything and it made her mouth sore because of the dryness of it. The waitess said she take it off, but the bill was over thirty dollars for just the three of us, and here I thought if she took my daughter's meal off why was it still so high?
Then we rented some movies, and my husband was only able to see one of them before the Sand man hit him hard in each eye, and he had to go back to sleep before his work shift begain.
He said he had a nice day for his birthday. I hope so, as it seemed a little dull to me!
Lady Jan's exploration of her name on the internet!
I have search my name and I have googled my name. I have found out that I can't write under my married name because there is already a lady using that name! So I'll probably use my maiden name for my writer name. Which isn't too bad as it is an interesting name Seagraves, so if you see a Janice Seagraves has a story out there read it as it maybe me!
The following postings are some of the Lady Jan's or Janice's or lady Janice that I have found on my search through the internet. Each one has it's own posting, and it's own link so you can check each one out if you like.
The following postings are some of the Lady Jan's or Janice's or lady Janice that I have found on my search through the internet. Each one has it's own posting, and it's own link so you can check each one out if you like.
This Janice wants to help with wieght loss
Think slim! Infromation on weight loss, and health. Good heavens! I probably need to read her sight!
This Janice wants to help you with your acne!
Acne news, all the infromation you'd ever want to know concerning acne.
A Janice: Wishing for a Baby!
Not her! She's a registered nurse who want to help infertal couple have a baby.
Friday, October 28, 2005
More on Mice and Bugs, and Lasagna?
I caught yet another mouse in my closet, but I know there is more of the little buggers around! I keep hearing them rustling around at night.
Then last night when I was deeply asleep in my nice warm bed. . .Clank! Something flipped one of the door pulls on my dresser, and then I was wide awake! Nuts! I had only been asleep for 2 and a half hours! Then just as I was drifting off again. . .Squeak!
Those nasty things are just waiting and watching--trying to make my life miserable!
So today I bought more sticky traps!
Heh, Heh, just try something now you miserable rodents, I'll be waiting for you and my sticky traps too!
_______________________________________________________
The stanky bugs now have a new name, as my fourteen year old daughter re-named them farting bugs! Well. . .Because they fart stinky feet smell of course!
The other night I was teaching my daughter how to make lasagna. And we both had a our own pan to make the lasagna in, and were doing really well and having a good time too. Then just after we finished making the lasagna, and then emptied the oven so I could pre-heat it--I noticed it! One of those stanky farting bugs had gotten into one of the lasagna pans!
Oh, no!
I tried to carefully and calmly extract the the bug with out exciting it too much so it wouldn't make a stink. But wouldn't you know it? The damn thing got excited anyway and ran around like a crazy bug, before I could get it out. Then when I sniffed the pan pee-u!
I smelled stinky feet!
Nuts!
Then last night when I was deeply asleep in my nice warm bed. . .Clank! Something flipped one of the door pulls on my dresser, and then I was wide awake! Nuts! I had only been asleep for 2 and a half hours! Then just as I was drifting off again. . .Squeak!
Those nasty things are just waiting and watching--trying to make my life miserable!
So today I bought more sticky traps!
Heh, Heh, just try something now you miserable rodents, I'll be waiting for you and my sticky traps too!
_______________________________________________________
The stanky bugs now have a new name, as my fourteen year old daughter re-named them farting bugs! Well. . .Because they fart stinky feet smell of course!
The other night I was teaching my daughter how to make lasagna. And we both had a our own pan to make the lasagna in, and were doing really well and having a good time too. Then just after we finished making the lasagna, and then emptied the oven so I could pre-heat it--I noticed it! One of those stanky farting bugs had gotten into one of the lasagna pans!
Oh, no!
I tried to carefully and calmly extract the the bug with out exciting it too much so it wouldn't make a stink. But wouldn't you know it? The damn thing got excited anyway and ran around like a crazy bug, before I could get it out. Then when I sniffed the pan pee-u!
I smelled stinky feet!
Nuts!
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Lady Jan's dog has a birthday!
This our dog Mitzi, she has has a birthday today.I can just imagine your eyes rolling about now, "Oh she is one of those bloggers that have to write about her dog or cat too."
That's not it, exactly. It's just that she has reached an extreme old age for a dog, and as such deserves some reconition.
My dog Mitzi as of today had reached the age of eighteen! And that's quite old for a Cocker spaniel.
She has had gone through a lot to get through to this ripe old age: she was born with immature cataracts, and we were told she would go blind and she has. She has had an intestinal virus twice that almost killed her, she got lost and was hit by a car when she was just a puppy. And she got lost again a few years ago, and was missing for almost a week, when she finally showed up at my mom's house (of all places), she had been bit on the face by what I believe was a coyote. She has also survived breast cancer, and had to have one of her breasts removed.
So she has a few scars, but as of today she is doing well enough for an eighteen year old blind deaf dog. Oh, did I forget to mention that she's a little hard of hearing? That's okay, I think it is the same kind of hearing loss my grandmother had. She couldn't hear a thing if you where right in front of her shouting "How are you Grandma?"(and she had a hearing aid) But if you went in the kitchen and spoke quietly with my Aunt on a subject that might upset grandma, grandma would answer you from the livingroom, "Yeah, I knew that man was no good!".
In other words the silly dog only hears when she wants to.
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Lady Jan's shoes
My shoes
Photo by Janice
Time to switch shoes!
It's cooler weather again, finally! And So now I've started wearing my birkenstock clogs instead of my birkenstock sandals.
I have a lot of problems with my feet, and with my wide wide e with it is really hard to buy shoes that fit. But I do like the Birkenstock's shoes, their comfortable and they fit, and they last! These that I show here I have had for three years and just had them resoled just a few months ago.
Photo by Janice
Time to switch shoes!
It's cooler weather again, finally! And So now I've started wearing my birkenstock clogs instead of my birkenstock sandals.
I have a lot of problems with my feet, and with my wide wide e with it is really hard to buy shoes that fit. But I do like the Birkenstock's shoes, their comfortable and they fit, and they last! These that I show here I have had for three years and just had them resoled just a few months ago.
They live again!
The Tule Fog is back!
Just when I got r-e-a-l comfortable driving--theTole fog is b-a-c-k!
It's worse than driving in the rain, I tell ya! Some times I can't even see the end of my car let alone anything else.
Photo by Janice
Photo by Janice
Here's a link to read more on our seasonal fog http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/hnx/newslet/winter00/fogseason.htm
Friday, October 21, 2005
Thursday's threesomes, but I'm a day late!
I got thses from Dan at his blog the back porch-- http://www.othersideofglenroad.org/backporch/
Onesome:
How many people live in my area?
According to http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/06039.html
In my home town of Madera Ca. the is population is 50.043 as of 2004.
In the country of Madera Ca. the is population is 138,951 as of 2004.
Our elevation is 275 feet, and we're located in the exact center of California.
Twosome:
Do you use the library system where you live?. . . . .Or are you one of those people that have to own your books? And do you use the net for some things?
I'm afraid of of the later camp with the books. I use to go to the Madera library alot but was disappointed because a great deal of the books where really old. So when I was able to buy my own books, through book clubs and the like--I did! And I prefer a hard backs, not only do they last longer than the paper backs, but you can't beat the solid feeling you get when you hold a hard back in your hands.
Are you kidding isn't every body on the internet? Unless you live in the dark ages! Which I did until a year and a half ago then I finally got on line! I do enjoying using the internet, a lot! And I now have my own blog too which I have had now for a little over a year, which is what you are reading now. Yay!
Threesome:
Hey, what system do you use to store/keep track of your books music whatev er. Is it that tends to out live it's living area? Do you alphabetize?. . .Sort by color? . . .genre?
I have a lot of book cases. One for my fansy books which I have a lot of, another one for my research books, and another one or two for everything else. Also my daughter has her own, which is bigger than she is, and my husband has one which is small than he is.
My cds are in a turn able storage system, that has labels for every section on it. Old rock, easy listening, my daughters, my husbands, my own; cletic, Irish, classical, and some stuff I liked as a kid but couldn't afford until now.
Onesome:
How many people live in my area?
According to http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/06039.html
In my home town of Madera Ca. the is population is 50.043 as of 2004.
In the country of Madera Ca. the is population is 138,951 as of 2004.
Our elevation is 275 feet, and we're located in the exact center of California.
Twosome:
Do you use the library system where you live?. . . . .Or are you one of those people that have to own your books? And do you use the net for some things?
I'm afraid of of the later camp with the books. I use to go to the Madera library alot but was disappointed because a great deal of the books where really old. So when I was able to buy my own books, through book clubs and the like--I did! And I prefer a hard backs, not only do they last longer than the paper backs, but you can't beat the solid feeling you get when you hold a hard back in your hands.
Are you kidding isn't every body on the internet? Unless you live in the dark ages! Which I did until a year and a half ago then I finally got on line! I do enjoying using the internet, a lot! And I now have my own blog too which I have had now for a little over a year, which is what you are reading now. Yay!
Threesome:
Hey, what system do you use to store/keep track of your books music whatev er. Is it that tends to out live it's living area? Do you alphabetize?. . .Sort by color? . . .genre?
I have a lot of book cases. One for my fansy books which I have a lot of, another one for my research books, and another one or two for everything else. Also my daughter has her own, which is bigger than she is, and my husband has one which is small than he is.
My cds are in a turn able storage system, that has labels for every section on it. Old rock, easy listening, my daughters, my husbands, my own; cletic, Irish, classical, and some stuff I liked as a kid but couldn't afford until now.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Lady Jan asks--Got bugs?
Last week we noticed that there was some water on the kitchen floor, so we tried to track it to see where it was coming from. We finally decided it was coming from the hot water heater. It's an old old house(a hundred years old) so somethings aren't were you'd expect them to be. So my hot water heater is next to our stove in the kitchen. My husband's kid-brother kindly helped us out, by bring our new hot water heater home in his truck.
What does this have to do with bugs you may well ask? Well. . . my brother-in-law had to go home right after bring our water heater to our house, and couldn't come back and help put the thing in for a few days. So when he did come back it was a signifying cooler day, then the day when they brought hot water heater home. So when my husband and his brother finally got the box with the water heater in in the house, and opened it up--all these bugs started pouring out! Apparently they had in-mass decided that the box was an excellent place to start their winter nap!
The good news--is the hot water heater is in, and works great!
The bad news is--now we have assorted collection of flying insects, flying around of an evening ramming in to the lights.
My personal favorite(read sarcasm here!) is what I refer to as 'the stanky bug'. They don't look like a typical stink bug, as they're a smaller and more flat-ish beetle, and they have a more cockroach appearce exempt black-ish, and with some Burgundy color on them. And here's the best part--they smell like dirty feet when you squish them.
I just had one in my hair and didn't realize it, and then when I ran my fingers through my hair--that pissed it off and it went 'phhsstt!' And now my hair smells like dirty feet.
Sigh!
What does this have to do with bugs you may well ask? Well. . . my brother-in-law had to go home right after bring our water heater to our house, and couldn't come back and help put the thing in for a few days. So when he did come back it was a signifying cooler day, then the day when they brought hot water heater home. So when my husband and his brother finally got the box with the water heater in in the house, and opened it up--all these bugs started pouring out! Apparently they had in-mass decided that the box was an excellent place to start their winter nap!
The good news--is the hot water heater is in, and works great!
The bad news is--now we have assorted collection of flying insects, flying around of an evening ramming in to the lights.
My personal favorite(read sarcasm here!) is what I refer to as 'the stanky bug'. They don't look like a typical stink bug, as they're a smaller and more flat-ish beetle, and they have a more cockroach appearce exempt black-ish, and with some Burgundy color on them. And here's the best part--they smell like dirty feet when you squish them.
I just had one in my hair and didn't realize it, and then when I ran my fingers through my hair--that pissed it off and it went 'phhsstt!' And now my hair smells like dirty feet.
Sigh!
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Lady Jan asks--Got mice?
Yeah, I got invaded by little gray fur balls that squeak!
Yuck!
I really hate mice! Their not cute, and they spread fleas, and chew on your clothes, and get into your food. I guess I can expect this living out in the country like we do, but we usually don't have this many mice.
The other night I heard squeaking from my closet, so I closed and blocked it off. Then sat in terror with my knees drawn up to my chin like a coward. Waiting, and waiting for my husband to come home from working the night shift, so he could take care of the little vermin for me. But to be honest there was so much squeaking, that I was really afraid that they might be rats having a party in there.
EEE, Rats! As much as I hate mice I am terrified of rats. We had rats in the walls and in the attic last winter--until we got smart and bought some rat poison. And happily that seem to take care of the nightly wall chewing, and scampering of little rat claws in the attic.
But I degrees, back to the mice; they have been into my closet, and I think they may have been chewing on my and my husbands clothes.
But the good news is as soon as my husband come through the door I pounced on him, and said I hear squeaking from the closet. And it turns out the little sticky pads we had in there really do work. Especially when you put a little piece of cheese on them. Because that is where we found the two mice, er mices, um meses? Well, the two furry suckers where stuck on the sticky pad and couldn't have jumped on me, or what ever it was I was so scared of.
Then two nights latter, I heard a scuffing noise and squeaking again! But this time I was brave and opened the closet door with my handy flash light to, er hand, and there was another one! So I took it outside to the cats, and couldn't find my cats! So I left it in a bucket, and my poor, dear, brave husband had to deal with that one too.
Then two nights latter--yeah you guessed it--another mouse in my closet again! That time my cats where home, and my old cat Pookey(she's 14) was real interested in it. After that I couldn't hardly sleep for the noise on the porch, as my cat violently did her best trying to remove the mouse off the sticky pad. The next morning we found the sticky pad with the feet and tail still stuck, but minus the rest of the mouse.
Eew!
Yuck!
I really hate mice! Their not cute, and they spread fleas, and chew on your clothes, and get into your food. I guess I can expect this living out in the country like we do, but we usually don't have this many mice.
The other night I heard squeaking from my closet, so I closed and blocked it off. Then sat in terror with my knees drawn up to my chin like a coward. Waiting, and waiting for my husband to come home from working the night shift, so he could take care of the little vermin for me. But to be honest there was so much squeaking, that I was really afraid that they might be rats having a party in there.
EEE, Rats! As much as I hate mice I am terrified of rats. We had rats in the walls and in the attic last winter--until we got smart and bought some rat poison. And happily that seem to take care of the nightly wall chewing, and scampering of little rat claws in the attic.
But I degrees, back to the mice; they have been into my closet, and I think they may have been chewing on my and my husbands clothes.
But the good news is as soon as my husband come through the door I pounced on him, and said I hear squeaking from the closet. And it turns out the little sticky pads we had in there really do work. Especially when you put a little piece of cheese on them. Because that is where we found the two mice, er mices, um meses? Well, the two furry suckers where stuck on the sticky pad and couldn't have jumped on me, or what ever it was I was so scared of.
Then two nights latter, I heard a scuffing noise and squeaking again! But this time I was brave and opened the closet door with my handy flash light to, er hand, and there was another one! So I took it outside to the cats, and couldn't find my cats! So I left it in a bucket, and my poor, dear, brave husband had to deal with that one too.
Then two nights latter--yeah you guessed it--another mouse in my closet again! That time my cats where home, and my old cat Pookey(she's 14) was real interested in it. After that I couldn't hardly sleep for the noise on the porch, as my cat violently did her best trying to remove the mouse off the sticky pad. The next morning we found the sticky pad with the feet and tail still stuck, but minus the rest of the mouse.
Eew!
Friday, September 09, 2005
Lady Jan's Poem for 9-11
This is in honor of the memory of that terrible day 9-11.
.
9-11
In God's Name
by Lady Jan
.
Allah--they yelled
ramming our planes into our towers
lost to the flames the building fell
with few survivors.
.
Oh my God!--we cried
as we watched horrified
trying to save them
many brave people died.
.
Jesus--thank you that they live
as people walked with feet of lead
dusty tracks of tears they shed
for what they suffered and fled.
.
Christ almighty!--we did swear
when the smoke then did clear
our stunned senses not prepare
titans once stood--nothing a nightmare.
.
God--there's more?
We learned--four planes
went out with evil intentions
the pentagon succum to a mutilation!
.
My God!--What happened?
a field in Pennsylvania was reshaped
ruin of flight 93 over the landscape
passengers and crew--no escape!
.
Allah--thank you!
prayed HE from a cave in a hill
for helping me to hurt them
where they feel it still.
.
In God's name we intrust--
flight 93 'loved ones' informed
hero's they were transformed
together the cockpit they stormed
showing us the courage in all of us inborn.
Lady Jan's heart goes out to the ones lives touched or that have been destroyed by the hurricane
I have just glued to the set for the last two weeks with tears coursing down my cheeks. Those poor people!
And I kept asking--where are the supplies for the people left in the supper dome?
We can get aide to people on the other side of the planet in a matter of days! So why oh why did it take a whole five days to get aide to people in our own country?
It should have taken hours not days!
In my humble opinion--The director of Fema is to blame! He was suppose to co-cordinate all the different rescue and emergency divisions. And he just sat on his thumbs? And let people die!
The director of Fema as of today has been relieved of duty, and presidential "yes" men wouldn't denounce him, but said "he(the director) was doing the best job he could do under the circumstances."
Huh? Who are they kidding? I don't think so!
And I kept asking--where are the supplies for the people left in the supper dome?
We can get aide to people on the other side of the planet in a matter of days! So why oh why did it take a whole five days to get aide to people in our own country?
It should have taken hours not days!
In my humble opinion--The director of Fema is to blame! He was suppose to co-cordinate all the different rescue and emergency divisions. And he just sat on his thumbs? And let people die!
The director of Fema as of today has been relieved of duty, and presidential "yes" men wouldn't denounce him, but said "he(the director) was doing the best job he could do under the circumstances."
Huh? Who are they kidding? I don't think so!
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Lady Jan suffers a loss--lossing her Aunt Edith
Remembrance Of my Aunt Edith 
The card they hand out at the funeral.
My husband stood up and gave a speach for her, and did very well, I'm very proud of him.
It was a very sad day for all of us.
Lady Jan suffers a loss
My Aunt Edith has passed away.
This is my Uncle Bruce, Aunt Edith, and their dog Moppy.
The dog has passed away about fifteen years ago, but remained in their heart as much as a child would have been if they had had any.
Edith was knowed for her cooking skills, and also for her no haggling philosopy in her sales-- either selling realstate as she did later, or used furnature in their earlier venture.
~
She had met my Uncle when they lived next door to her. And about the time when it was discovered that my Grandmother had cancer and was not expected to live. This was when Edith ran a resterant, and after she and my Uncle married(after my Grandmother passed away)--proceeded to fatten the skinny man up.
Edith had scolded me on several occations because my husband had remained skinny for years after we were married, and she proclaimed "that (I) wasn't feeding him enough, and a stiff wind wood blow him away!"
Well. I think she would be well pleased with me now, my husband has put on the pounds, and in fact has a little round belly!
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Lady Jan's daughter starts the eighth grade!
My daughter started school this past Monday August 15th. She really didn't want to go, but I couldn't move her to another school because of the housing boom. We have an influx of new students who live in the new houses, and the schools are just too full to transfer out or in a different school.
So it was back to Howard school for my daughter. "But look" I said, "this is the last year! Just make it a good one, and do all the school work. And work hard and make sure you pass! That way you wont have to repeat, and have to do yet another year here!"
And I spent s-o-o much money getting her ready for school! A hundred dollars on supplies, and that's back pack, folders, binders, pencils ect. And my daughter wanted the mechanical pencils. She found a pretty seat in metallic colors, I said"wont this get stolen?"
"Yeah, probably." she said, in that dry way teenager have.
"So, I should just get you these yellow no. 2's then," I said.
"Well, they steal those too."
Huh?
So I bought her the pretty metallic ones, and if they get stolen--I'm buying a package of the ugly yellow no. 2's.
So it was back to Howard school for my daughter. "But look" I said, "this is the last year! Just make it a good one, and do all the school work. And work hard and make sure you pass! That way you wont have to repeat, and have to do yet another year here!"
And I spent s-o-o much money getting her ready for school! A hundred dollars on supplies, and that's back pack, folders, binders, pencils ect. And my daughter wanted the mechanical pencils. She found a pretty seat in metallic colors, I said"wont this get stolen?"
"Yeah, probably." she said, in that dry way teenager have.
"So, I should just get you these yellow no. 2's then," I said.
"Well, they steal those too."
Huh?
So I bought her the pretty metallic ones, and if they get stolen--I'm buying a package of the ugly yellow no. 2's.
Lady Jan's daughter turns Fourteen!
A Birthday party for my daughter at John's incredible pizza!
We took my daughter and two of her friends to John's incredible Pizza.
They had a so-so time there.
Unfortunately I have to say the pizza wasn't incredible, and the games were not that great either. And I was appalled that some of the games there for 'children' look like the ones I saw at Table Top Mountain casino!(I was only there once!) I think they are teaching children to gamble! It makes me wonder who is running this restaurant? The gambling establishment?
~
At least my daughter got to enjoy time with her two friends. I took a lot of pictures and made a slide show using my computer and ulead a program that came with my first digital camera(I'm on my second one), and burned the DVD on our computer. And I gave the DVD's to both the girls that came with us to my daughter's birthday party, as a remembrance and a thank you gift for coming. Their reaction to the gift
"Awesome!"
Friday, August 05, 2005
Lady Jan--eats Chinese take-out so that means.....
Fortune cookie time!
Photo by Lady Jan
Fortune 1-
You are always welcome
at any gathering.
(who little o'l me?)
~
Fortune 2-
You have a strong instinct to
take care of the people you love
(An't it the truth, an't it the truth!)
~
Fortune 3-
The sun will always shine through
your heart, into your smile, and
warm your soul.
(Aw, I like that one.)
~
Fortune 4-
today will be pleasant, your
life will be prosperous.
(Ah, yeah, that's one I think everyone likes to get.)
~
Fortune 5-
You will be a winner.
(Yeah? Really? Hmm, maybe I should
reconsider buying lottery tickets.)
~
Fortune 6-
You have an important new business
development shaping up.
(I do? I have no idea what that ones about?
It must have been for another take-out order.)
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Lady Jan goes on Vacation: Mural at Monterrey fisherman's warf eatery
left side
Who ever the artist is he is really good!
I was totally intranced!
And it's new! Do you see the blue tape at the bottom?
It hasen't been removed yet.
Lady Jan goes on Vacation: Mural at Monterrey fisherman's warf eatery
Far right side of fabluless mural at Monterrey
I thought the artist really did a great job on the octopus.
Lady Jan goes on Vacation: the view of the beach board walk
The Famous beach board walk
Some of my photos got a little out of sequence,
but please bare with me.
Lady Jan goes on Vacation: our hotel room view
Isn't this disturbing?
This the view from my hotel's bathroom window, and I believe that is a homeless person camping out down there!
Lady Jan goes on Vacation: our hotel sink
One of the disturbing things about our hotel room was our hotel's bathroom sink.
I think that is the same stuff I line my drawers with!?
Would you like to brush your teeth at this sink?
I did!
Lady Jan's Vacation: Our fabulous view!
View from our hotel room, we are ten minuet walk from the beach board walk and the ocean,
so why is the hotel facing the wrong way?
Lady Jan sees a sea otter
A sea otter got very close to people, then he otta
The sea otter is that black thing that looks like a stick.
View of beach near Monterey's fisherman's warf
View of beach near Monterey warf
Here we were waded, my small family and I. but I don't have the slightest idea
what the beach's names is.
They have the pretty little beaches in Monterey.
The sand is a kinda orangy or citrine color, and the water is clear, and clean.
The tempature was just perfect just warm enough for wading, and geting a little wet with out getting too cold in the process. We really had a great day!
Monterey's Fisherman's warf
View of the famous Monterey fisherman's warf from the left side
Can you spot the seal in the water?
It's balancing itself on a rock.
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