Category Archives: General

I have always worn makeup when going out.  At a minimum I would put on some foundation, blush, eye shadow, and mascara. Nor too heavy, just enough to even out skin tone and add a bit of color.  The idea was to look natural. Since I  work in an office looking presentable meant makeup. Especially since I never know when I would be meeting with clients. 

The morning  makeup up routine is no more. Giving up makeup is not because I am depressed and no longer care about my appearance. It is because it is so dang hot here in Texas. Well, maybe being in my 50’s is helping out too. It seems that every morning when I’m standing in front of the mirror that I breakout is beads of sweat. Do you know how hard it is to put on makeup as sweat is rolling down your face….well, let me tell you it is pretty dang hard. So until the weather gets a little cooler I’m just using moisturizer – no eyeshadow, no blush, and no mascara. Hallajuh!!! I’m glad I got that out….

It has been a long time since I lasted posted on my blog.  Good intentions are just that…intentions and no action. I always dream that I will write some fantastic post but that never happens because time just keeps on slipping through my fingers like sands in an hour glass. (Sounds a little bit like a soap opera that I used to watch a very, very long time ago) The good intentions I had were to post regularly on my blog. Haha!!! I did have moments thinking about the blog. Sometimes while I was exercising I would even think of something that I wanted to share. But by the time I showered and rushed out the door for work the thought vanished and before I knew it the day was gone. Thinking about this makes me feel like a hamster on a exercise wheel. Going round and round…never getting anywhere and feeling exhausted for my efforts.

By the way, it was  the annual renewal fee that prompted this post. I was thinking about deleting everything but a small part of me still thinks I can do this.

So I’m starting a 31 day challenge, with today being the first day. The challenge is to see if I can post something on my blog everyday the whole month of August.

Wish me luck!!!

This morning my dogs were barking like crazy. Of course it is 5:30 am and pitch black outside. I was also waiting for my weekly call from Australia so there was nothing that would make me go out to investigate until aftee my call.  An hour later they were still at it and this is why….ugly little guy!!!

Being married to a fireman allows me to have a lot of time when I can do things I like without dear hubby around. For example, watching Hallmark channel sappy movies, not watching sports, shopping with no out someone saying are you done yet.  Don’t get me wrong I love having hubby around in the evenings. I’m just having a hard time being with him and doing the other stuff, especially watching sappy movies.

A few updates. I love the new garage door. Yes, we did replace it because Marc accidentally ran into last weekend. But it is so nice not too have to open it up by hand….which I have been doing since we built the garage.

Garage door going up by itself

This weekend the weather was a little cool but sunny and bright. Every year we plant a garden but because of tax season it is neglected. Maybe it will be different this year. Hubby has worked on the garden boxes and yesterday we planted some cool weather plants.

We planted kolrobi, kale, rosemary, lavender, and cilantro. The boxes look great.

I have been thinking about how I’m going to work the long hours of tax season with a retired husband.  I guess I need to just take it one day at a time but that is so hard for me….

Well, today is the first day of dear hubby’s retirement. The guys at his station celebrated his last day in grand style. I think he was touched by all the people that came by the fire station to wish him well. Here are just a few of the surprises they had in store for him.

1. His son was able to ride on the truck for the day and make fire calls.

2. They sent out the world to all for anyone who was available to come by wish him well.

3. Dear hubby does not do Facebook but friends posted many well wishes for him..

4. A final steak dinner for his family at the fire station. 

The official retirement party is in February….this celebration was just with his station. It is true. The guys at the station are your family, too. Thanks for keeping him safe through the years.

  
Congratulations to Lieutenant Marc Faber on his retirement from the Pearland Fire Department. Today is LT Faber’s last shift with the city in his current position. LT Faber came to Pearland in 2010 as a part time Firefighter and promoted to serve as Battalion Chief commanding over A shift. Last year, Chief Faber took a position as a Lieutenant on B shift so that he could close his career working on the line and training the young firefighters as they enter the profession. 

LT Faber is retiring following 35+ years in the fire service. His employment history includes Texas City FD, Missouri City FD and Pearland FD, as well as serving as a volunteer firefighter in Friendswood VFD. 

Thank you LT Faber for your commitment and dedication to our community, department and citizens. Your passion for the job has inspired so many of our firefighters and officers. Good luck in your travels and we look forward to seeing you on a part time service level in the future.

I decided to replace the word goals with resolutions. Maybe changing the word will help me actually accomplish something.

1. Almost decided I did not have enough time to post today. Then I remembered that I was going to post more in 2016 so decided to allow 10 minutes to do this. So please forgive me for any grammatical mistakes.

2. I have lost 4 lbs so far. My weight loss goal for January was to reach 177. It helps to weigh first thing on the morning. I’m trying to be very good about logging in all the food I eat using the myfitnesspal app. I’m not too successful with the not eating after 7pm rule. Also, I went a little crazy with the produce this week. I think the 4 lbs lost is from all the kale I have been eating.

Lesson learned – there is no way I can eat a pound of kale before it goes bad. I was too lazy to buy the leaves and then cut them up myself. So I bought this huge bag to save time but will probably have to toss a lot of it….talk about a wasting money along with throwing out food…just because I was trying to save time.

3. I’m still struggling with time issues. This Monday I think all the clients I  work on have decided to bring in all their work. I guess I’m going to have to start working weekends.😩

4. No I have not started the card ministry I was thinking about. Time issues. I’m still trying to figure out when I’m going to get dear hubby an anniversary card.

5. Nothing done with learning photography or with my guitar.

Yikes spent longer than 10 minutes….time to get ready for work….I guess I will skip the shower…just kidding.

This past week has been wonderful.  My boss gave the staff the whole week off between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day.  I wonder if I would become bored if everyday was like this past week.   I did not use the alarm clock to get up.  I did not rush breakfast – meaning  – I did not take a granola bar or take a smoothie to work to eat at my desk for breakfast. I had time to read the Bible, read devotions, and play word games.  I had time to write on this blog. I exercised in the afternoon at the gym with my dear hubby or used exercise tapes. I did not care if I spent over an hour doing something.  I organized my horribly disorganized office.  (It still needs work but I can see progress.) I did the household chores in the afternoon not in the evening. I cooked supper and most importantly, I spent evenings playing games or visiting with family.

Today, I kept on thinking that tomorrow I was back to using that alarm clock to wake up at 5:15 am.  I would need to leave the house at 5:30 am to get to the gym.  I will come home from work at 5:30 pm and do the household chores.  Before I would know it, it would be bedtime and then the cycle starts all over. Anxiety and worry about tomorrow has started to set in.

Part of my anxiety has to be with work. I have a love/hate relationship with it.  I love it because it provides the money I need to pay my bills but I hate it because it makes me feel like all I care about is money. It is really hard because as a CPA money is a big part of the job – I am always accounting for it.

Below are inserts from a short devotion in my inbox.  What is it about – you guess it  …Money…..

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust don’t destroy and thieves don’t break in and steal, because where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:19–21)

It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven than it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. Money is dangerous. If you have it and depend on it, it will kill you. If you don’t have it and crave it, it will kill you. Money can kill us, because it reveals our hearts.

If you are looking about for where to be rich, focus on God. He is your great reward. He is your riches. Therefore, laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven would be living in such a way as to maximize God as your treasure. Handle your money in such a way as to show that God, and not money, is your treasure. ”

John Piper

So tomorrow starts the big test.  Will I find time tomorrow to be kind to my family? Will I have time to be kind to others I meet though out the day? Or will I be so wrapped up in work and making money that I do not notice the blessings that God has given to me.

I pray for a good day tomorrow and to just take it one moment at a time.

Another year has come and gone. I do think that for a couple of years now it seems like I have been in some kind of funk.  (By the way I looked up the word funk to see if I was using it properly in a sentence.  No I do not mean a strong offensive smell but to be afraid of, to shrink back from an undertaking.) For the last two years I had two surgeries and have had a hard time with getting back to feeling like myself. I have not felt strong or fit – just old. Also, this year a good friend moved away and I have felt a little lost. We shared a lot together and since the move I realize how much I miss her.  So since it is the first day of a New Year, I have decided that I  am going to change my funk attitude. I am tired of feeling like life is speeding along at record speed and somehow I am being left on the sideline. 

I love resolutions. I make them and break them just as fast.  This year can I do it…make a resolution and keep it. I will make just one for now.

1. Lose 5 lbs.

I could really lose about 20 lbs. But decide for only five. So if I’m successful in January, I will try to lose 5 in February.

I have also thought of a word for 2016. I first thought of words such as kindness, thankfulness, and mindfulness.  All good words but I decided that the best word would be time. I’m obsessed with not spending it well.

Well I’m wishing everyone a Annus Mirabilis (a remarkable or notable year) Year!

              Imagine the possibilities!

I hate it when I have an idiot moment.  Well this morning at the pool I had one. Of course, I was all ready to start swimming.  Swim cap on – check. Earplugs in -check. Kickboard – check. Ready set go. Start swimming.  Somethings wrong.  I can’t seem to get my breathing going. I open my eyes under the water and everything is blurry. My eyes are stinging.  I’m thinking what’s wrong. I can’t seem to breathe under water or see. I swam a few feet trying to figure it out….then the light bulb went off….I forgot my swim goggles. I thought – what an idiot!!!

Finally, it is up. Every year at Christmas time I believe that I am surrounded by Scrooges. I was afraid that I might fall into that rank this year. I like to put the tree up on Thanksgiving weekend. I had forgotten that I gave away the old tree. I was able to persuade dear hubby to take a trip to Walmart to buy an inexpensive prelighted tree. I finally got the tree out of the box Saturday.  I thought I could just pull the tree out of the box and plug it in. Tonight I finally found all the plugs and got them plugged in correctly.  The end result….

Looks pretty good. ☺

I thought that I would get out early and do some shopping. At Kohls by 8:00 am. Have I mentioned I love Kohls. I purchased a few items and with my Kohls cash and coupons only spent $7.29. I’m hoping to persuade dear hubby to go back and look at some curtains. I also so there great hot chocolate cups that might make some nice office gifts. Now I’m sitting at Ulta waiting  for them to open….got to go…store is open….then home here I come.