I have always had a problem with time management. I look at others and they seem to have it all together. I know that it is probably not true but I feel inadequate anyway. I have tried various techniques but I have a hard time with follow through. I suppose the reason that this is on my mind is because I might have to work this weekend on a “rush” job. It is always hard for me to work on the weekends after tax season especially if there is no tax deadline. Well, I suppose I need to get busy and get to work so I can evaluate if I will have to work this weekend. I really would like to hear how others manage their time.
McDonald’s Strawberry Lemonade
After aqua Zumba, I knew that the only thing waiting at home was a sweltering house. So I decided to stop by McDonald’s to try their new strawberry lemonade. Actually, I thought I had coupon for a free one. Well, I dug through my piles and piles of paper to find the coupons only to discover they expired on June 15. No matter. I will splurge. Two strawberry lemonades-one for E. And one for me. The 16 ounce size costs $1.57. According, to a diet website the 16 ounce size has 270 calories. No problem – I am sure or rather hope I burned as many calories as they advertise when doing Zumba.
Posted in Diet/Exercise, Opinions
All the Plants Are Dying
I noticed something today. Actually, I heard a sound that I do not usually here this time of year. It is the sounds of the leaves rustling in the wind. That sound is all wrong for late spring/early summer. It has been so dry here the plants are beginning to die.
Pray for the drought here in Texas to end.
Posted in Interesting Tidbits, Pictures
We Are Having a Heat Wave !!!
Today is June 5, 2011. Summer officially begins on June 21. The song that keeps coming to my mind is –
We’re having a heat wave,
A tropical heat wave,
The temperature’s rising,
It isn’t surprising…
It already feels like August weather. The grass along the sides of the road are dry and brown looking. Today the thermostat read 100 degrees. It was the kind of day that you want to be inside the house with the air conditioner turned down. Since we had a new air conditioner installed this Spring, the house feels rather cool – that is if you are sitting rather still like you do when you watch TV. I did go outside a few times. Just for a few short seconds the warmth of the sun felt good upon my skin. But once those few seconds are gone, the air would start to feel heavy and hot. It was hard to breathe the hot humid air. It was such a relief to get back inside where the air is cool. The next few days are fore-casted to be just as hot as today. This summer is beginning or rather the end of spring is ending as a hot one.
Posted in Interesting Tidbits, Opinions
Book Review: The Help by Kathryn Stockett
522 pages.
I became interested in reading this book after going to the movies and seeing a preview of this novel. From the preview I could tell it would be a story that I would enjoy reading very much. I also recently joined a book club and this is the reading selection for the month of September.
The story in set in Jackson, Mississippi in 1962. (In 1962, I was only one year old.) It is a story about Abileen, a black maid and her friends and the work that they do during the time when the civil rights movement was just starting. A young socialite just home from college with the ambition to be a writer sets out to write a book in secret about what it is like for a black maid to work in the white homes of the South. Some stories told are heartbreaking and others quite humorous. The women who participate in the book writing take great risks in this endeavor with the hope that the world will be a better place from the stories that are told.
This is also Kathryn Stockett’s first novel.
I would highly recommend putting this novel on your summer reading list.
Posted in General
Home and Garden
My home and garden thoughts … I think my zucchini plants have had it. I think I will plant some okra, cucumbers, and eggplant.
I would like to freeze or put up…homemade spaghetti sauce if my tomatoes ever ripen.
I plant to work on the clutter in the house. I have accumulated a lot of “stuff” living in the same place for 26 years.
I have to absolutely….clean my office and office closet. This room has become suffocating with all its junk that I can not stand to be in it for very long.
Zucchini harvested from my spring garden!
Posted in Gardening
One of Those Days
Today was one of those days that I had the hardest time choosing what to wear to worship services this morning. Pretty sad since my closet is full of clothes. The first outfit was a floral skirt and coral colored knit top. Something must have happened to the knit top. I put on my slimming camisole but low and behold I had “boobs” on my back. Decided that I need to get serious about my dieting or better yet just buy a new top to go with the skirt. (Will most likely try to lose weight since it is that time of year that more skin is shown.) On to outfit number two – this one was a flowing dress that has one of those V-necklines. If I do not wear a camisole underneath then all the world would be able to view a part of my body that I personally do not want to show everyone. Anyway the dress has cream polka dots. I do have a cream camisole but nowhere to be found. Must be in the laundry and I am too lazy to dig it out – No I would not were something that needed washing to church. One to outfit number three – a new knit dress that has geometric designs. It is black, tan, gold. Slipped it on and I think it looks great. It is sleeveless. I had to find a black camisole to go underneath so everything was covered just in case I needed to raise my arms. Yes, a black camisole was in my lingerie draw. It is a go – I would post a picture but it look me forever to post some pictures yesterday so your imagination will have to do.
I think I will make it to worship services on time.
Posted in Interesting Tidbits, Opinions, Reflections
Trip to Galveston – A Little Late
Last month my husband and I needed to take a mini-vacation. Tax season was finally over. Marc was very busy working, too. It felt so nice to catch up on some much needed laundry in the morning and then to drive down to Galveston to relax in the sand and sun. Our first stop was on the way – Hitchcock cemetery. that is where Marc’s mother is buried. I just love the way the trees look with the moss hanging down. It makes me think that I should be driving up to a mansion instead of a grave site. After that it was off to Galveston. The waves were rough on this day. The upside to that is that the surfers were out in force and that is always fun to watch since that usually only happens when a hurricane is in the Gulf. I did not get any pictures of them actually surfing since I only had my little Sony DSC-W120. It was a good day!
Posted in Trips/Leisure
Thoughts From Today’s Devotional Reading
I have been reading “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young. This book was recommended by my coworker when we were struggling with all the changes in our office. It helped me when trying to get through what seemed to be horribly grueling tax season. This is what speaks to me from today’s reading.
1. I should not long for the absence of problems. This is unrealistic. Really touched a nerve here because I am always wanting a life right now free of problems.
2. The life free of problems come in heaven not earth.
3. Begin each day anticipating problems, asking G_d to equip me to handle these problems. What an eye opener – usually my prayer is this – G_d please just make this go away not G_d please help me through this so I can learn to depend on You to help me overcome my troubles.
Posted in Reflections
Book Review: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
The main character of the book is a young lady named MacKayla Lane. MacKayla is a typical twenty-one year old until her sister who is studying abroad in Ireland is murdered. MacKayla is determined to go to Ireland to find her sister’s killer. In this first book of the series, MacKayla discovers that she is a sidhe seer and begins her quest to find the book called the “Sinsar Dubh”. This book tells of how to open the gates between the human world and the Fae world. On this journey she meets Jericho Barrons who helps her in her quest.
This book is not the type that I would usually read. It is full of fantasy and mystical creatures. This book is the first in a series that Karen Moning has written. Every Sunday I like to read the best-seller list that is published. The fifth book in the series “Shadowfever” was listed as the #1 best-seller on February 6, 2011. The description read “In the fifth book MacKayla is caught up in the struggle between humans and the Fae”. This one sentence caught my attention. I did a little search on the internet and decided to read the first book in this series. It is not every day that I find a book that has “creatures” that are called by my name so I decided to read it.
Will I read the rest of the books in the series? I do not think so. I do not like to read about something that has uses my name and is full of evil.
Posted in General
Reflections 