tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4908631417818582132012-01-25T10:51:55.910-06:00...whatever comes to mindDebbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.comBlogger801100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-34132458555275186332011-10-26T12:37:00.001-05:002011-10-26T12:39:28.090-05:00

Book Description: All that history knows of Grace Plantagenet is that she was an illegitimate daughter of Edward IV and one of two attendants aboard the funeral barge of his widowed queen.  Thus, she was half sister of the famous young princes, who—when this story begins in 1485—had been housed in the Tower by their uncle, Richard III, and are presumed dead. But in the 1490s, a young man

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-86216831650923824572011-03-26T12:04:00.001-05:002011-03-26T12:04:53.170-05:00

Book Description: England in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster.  If the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war.  Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years and marry Anne Boleyn.  The pope and most of Europe oppose him.  Into this impasse steps Thomas Cromwell:  a wholly original man, a charmer and a bully, both idealist and opportunist,

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-62311949322572072072011-02-03T12:18:00.001-06:002011-02-03T12:19:40.925-06:00

Book Description: In 1905 a young kitchen maid leaves Fairley Hall.  Emma Harte is sixteen, single and pregnant. By 1968 she is one of the richest women in the world, ruler of a business empire stretching from Yorkshire to the glittering cities of America and the rugged vastness of Australia. But what is the price she has paid? A magnificient dynastic saga, as impossible to put down as it is

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-72132157906818612392010-11-03T16:39:00.003-05:002010-11-09T09:26:52.490-06:00

I have eclectic taste in music — I like just about anything except rap and hip hop, which aren't really music at all in my humble opinion but chanting of poems or something!  But, I've never really liked listening to the same artist song after song.  So, I finally got an iPod Nano, and I set it to Shuffle.  I thought it would be fun to write down an hour's worth of music in its shuffledness!

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-88154285973861198652010-11-02T15:26:00.000-05:002010-11-02T15:26:27.115-05:00

The Center for Disease Control has issued a warning about a new virulent strain of this old disease.  The disease is called Gonorrhea Lectim, pronounced "Gonna re-elect 'em," and it is a terrible obamanation. This disease is contracted through dangerous and high risk behavior involving putting your cranium up your rectum.  Many victims contracted it in 2008...but now most people, after having

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-38513375705874633122010-10-26T17:29:00.000-05:002010-10-26T17:29:21.452-05:00

Now, I realize many of you may not find this as hilarious as I do, but I couldn't resist! This is a page from a very old craft catalog, circa 1973.  The LeeWards company doesn't even exist any more, having been bought out by Michael's many moons ago. Notice the *lovely* brown and yellow afghan.  Yes, we found things like that lovely in those days — don't ask me why!  We never claimed to have

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-34033868827870857052010-10-25T17:43:00.004-05:002010-11-19T08:56:39.044-06:00

I came across this poem I clipped out of the newspaper when my sons were babies.  I'd completely forgotten it, but I am thankful, and proud, to say I did not make this mistake, even though reading the poem still makes me cry!  My sons are now young men, and even though I love how they have matured and grown, I wouldn't mind a bit if I could go back in time to when they were just little. This

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-46754254594899238342010-10-07T15:31:00.000-05:002010-10-07T15:31:56.398-05:00

I just finished reading the first seven books in this series.  (I've been told the eighth book is not really a necessary part of the series.)  While I wouldn't classify these books with the usual historical fiction I'm partial to, they were still fun to read.  Some of the anomalies in the earlier books really grated on my nerves, but they got more historically accurate as they went along.  I

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-76574532400160700672010-09-29T18:57:00.000-05:002010-09-29T18:57:14.023-05:00

Beats me!  I'm enjoying my retirement and doing something every day -- I just can't figure out what! Here is a new needlework project to show off.  It is the 2000 DMC Christmas ornament, which I finally got around to stitching in 2010.  Ten years is not too bad, right?  The photo really doesn't do justice to the sparkly gold and red threads and the detail. This will go to my newest 'honorary'

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-19198527106936925152010-08-23T16:13:00.002-05:002010-08-23T16:48:00.766-05:00

I was so thin!  And Bob had so much hair!  The funny thing is, he only wore glasses for about 3 months and then switched to contacts, although he is back to glasses these days — just not quite so big!

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-12154016090792839042010-08-22T13:27:00.001-05:002010-08-22T18:01:22.787-05:00

Book Description: An astonishing first novel that traces the lives of a Scottish family over a decade as they confront the joys and longings, fulfillments and betrayals of love in all its guises. In June of 1989 Paul McLeod, a newspaper publisher and recent widower, travels to Greece, where he falls for a young American artist and reflects on the complicated truth about his marriage.  Six years

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-55590091326794952822010-08-18T20:53:00.001-05:002010-08-18T20:55:32.760-05:00

In 2005, I took my Dad to Norway.  We had a wonderful time and we met dozens of cousins!  And, I got a wild hare that I needed to cross stitch something for every one of the female cousins we met — all 14 of them!  So here is the bragging part because I finally got them all done (and the shame part, too, because it took me so long!) "Families are Forever" (Familier er Alltid in Norwegian) for 

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-90687440038437188192010-08-18T20:02:00.002-05:002010-08-18T20:05:58.248-05:00

For family members, here are the photos I took at the impromtu family reunion while I was in South Dakota.  Just click the photo and it will take you to a slide show.

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-16790349264560936922010-08-15T18:13:00.000-05:002010-08-15T18:13:54.356-05:00

Yesterday, I decided to hike to the Natural Well for a change of scenery.  It is a big black hole in the ground that is technically a "pit cave."  A pit cave is a type of natural cave passage which is vertical rather than horizontal.  According to park officials, Natural Well has an initial drop that goes more than 180' straight down and then goes 325' under the mountain. I always enjoy the 1.75

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-12263602309692240212010-08-11T19:33:00.001-05:002010-08-11T19:35:29.479-05:00

This little critter has been visiting our house nightly for the last two weeks or so.  We wouldn't mind that very much, except for the fact that our cat goes nuts, running from window to window, pawing at the blinds, knocking things off windowsills and just generally making a racket!  All at 3:49 AM... Last night, he showed up just after 9 PM.  He's not as mean as he looks in the photo; he was

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-11888703010478900202010-08-04T22:57:00.002-05:002010-08-04T22:58:52.547-05:00

So, the doctor said I could start running again at the end of July. I did 3 miles on the mountain on Saturday morning and 2 miles Monday night and again tonight.  The "innards" felt secure — no pain, no discomfort — but the knees didn't get the memo!  I walked more than usual tonight, partly because of the knees and partly because it was still 94° with a heat index of 100° at 8 PM!  What's up

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-74035397969269691822010-07-06T21:21:00.000-05:002010-07-06T21:21:02.369-05:00

I'm leaving in the morning for three weeks with my Dad in South Dakota.  Woohoo!

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-75931879206029958532010-06-28T19:15:00.000-05:002010-06-28T19:15:37.511-05:00

I had my final appointment with Dr Richter today, the doctor who did my last two proplapse surgeries, and she says everything is secure, and I can begin running again at the end of July.  I'm doing my happy dance!

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-82025625957193463792010-06-19T21:55:00.003-05:002010-06-27T13:19:51.418-05:00

I am slowly trying to get back some level of fitness, so I have been walking on Monte Sano, our over-sized hill that we lovingly call The Mountain.  Today at 8am, the temperature was already 80° and the heat index was 85°, so it pays to go early.  The Weather Channel said we had a slight possibility of widely scattered thunderstorms in the evening.  No problem, I thought! I hadn't even gone a

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-85415412784861448372010-06-13T19:44:00.004-05:002010-06-13T22:43:48.695-05:00

I made this pillow for my Dad for Father's Day.  He used to love hunting ring-necked pheasants, so I hope he likes the pillow!  This is really the first needlepoint I have ever done, other than two tiny little things.  I know my pillow is nowhere near the quality that my sister makes at C'est Chouette, but I did my best!  I even put a zipper in the back so he can take out the insert to wash if

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-24933046224682075922010-06-08T21:04:00.002-05:002010-06-08T21:04:58.094-05:00

Love handmade jewelry?  Have a look at this site, gals!

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-50482900090069709262010-06-06T13:55:00.000-05:002010-06-06T13:55:25.784-05:00

You may have noticed that most of my posts lately are book reviews!  There are two reasons for that.  First, I had surgery again at the end of April, and I wasn't allowed to do much; hence the copious reading. And secondly, I got laid off from my job of 20 years, right in the middle of my medical leave.  I'm not as upset about that as many might be, because I have been wanting to retire for

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-8842419201041547532010-06-06T13:41:00.001-05:002010-06-06T13:44:59.899-05:00

Book Description: Greece.  Ancient land of mystery, legend and myth.  It is here that businessman Jordan Chase visits an historic tomb, only to experience a dark vision of the future.  And it is here, amidst the beauty of the landscape, that Lelia, a gorgeous but dangerous woman, befriends a group of tourists . . . to lure them into a nightmare of pain and terror.  She lives to seduce and destroy

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-29989587604918937642010-05-26T16:30:00.001-05:002010-05-26T16:31:19.694-05:00

Book Description: Beware!  Honey Santana is off her meds, reacting rapidly to the bad behavior of others.  This time, the annoyer is a telemarketer from Texas.  Honey's revenge?  She invites Boyd Shreave on a paid ecotour of the Everglades, where a blue-eyed Seminole named Sammy Tigertail strums an electric guitar on a woe-begotten clump of shells, mangroves, and beer cans called Dismal Key. 

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-21703983637199433442010-05-19T20:57:00.001-05:002010-05-19T20:58:19.289-05:00

Ricky has graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Civil Engineering, just like Mom.  We are so proud of both of our boys!  It hardly seems like it has been 23 years since he was born...I guess your baby will always be your baby! Just last year, it was Bobby who graduated.  Now, they are both men, ready to take on the world.  {Sniff, snuffle, sniff...}

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-70299205236959384162010-05-18T13:17:00.003-05:002010-05-18T13:32:47.406-05:00

Book Description: On a clear morning in mid-June, Lord John Grey emerges from London's Beefsteak Club, his mind in turmoil.  A nobleman and a high-ranking officer in His Majesty's army, Grey has just witnessed something shocking.  But his efforts to avoid a scandal that might destroy his family are interrupted by something still more urgent:  The Crown appoints him to investigate the brutal

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-54649227102489065002010-05-12T14:28:00.001-05:002010-05-12T14:29:23.436-05:00

Book Description: Now that Geraldine Porter is retired, she's got time to devote to her favorite craft and her precocious granddaughter, Madison.  You'd think a world of shoe-box-sized high school hallways would be trouble free.  But Gerry's problems are anything but tiny... When bookish Rosie Norman asks Gerry to accompany her to her thirtieth high school reunion, Gerry looks forward to seeing

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-2783640464119102052010-05-09T13:19:00.003-05:002010-05-09T13:28:02.798-05:00

Book Description: In 1793, British Navy commander Nathan Peake patrols the English coast, looking for smugglers.  Desperate for some real action, Peake gets his chance when France declares war on England and descends into the bloody madness of the Terror.  Peake is entrusted with a mission to wreck the French economy by smuggling fake banknotes into Paris.  His activities take him down Paris

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-7943332192269697772010-05-05T13:01:00.002-05:002010-05-05T13:01:30.566-05:00

I just came across this heart-touching post.  Please read it...

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-37348187402298033802010-05-05T12:45:00.001-05:002010-05-05T12:47:17.168-05:00

Book Description: 'She looked absolutely pure.  Nature, in her fantastic trickery, had set such a seal of maidenhood upon Tess's countenance that he gazed at her with a stupefied air:  "Tess—say it is not true!  No, it is not true!"' A beautiful peasant descended from a decayed aristocratic family, Tess Durbeyfield is betrayed by two men.  The story of her violation by one, her abandonment by

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-83001715046275012142010-04-26T23:00:00.002-05:002010-04-26T23:05:25.728-05:00

I am just learning how to use my new Flip Video Camera, so pardon the quality!  Plus, it was dark in there!  Here's Colleen opening her gifts. John surprised her by organizing a get-together at Cantina Laredo...yum!  We did a good job of keeping it "hush-hush," and she was truly surprised.

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-87225623276001379452010-04-16T23:26:00.000-05:002010-04-16T23:26:34.681-05:00

My brother-in-law, Thomas Miley Higginbotham, passed away early today.  His fun-loving ways and infectious wit will be sorely missed. He was always the one who tried to make things better, to smooth ruffled feathers and try to get people talking to each other again. Please remember him fondly.

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-81125079002409490132010-03-11T12:43:00.002-06:002010-03-11T22:56:51.403-06:00

I'm going to have to stop reading books that get great reviews — I just don't seem to like the same things as everyone else. I just finished The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards.  I found this book depressing.  I don't enjoy reading about dysfunctional families — infidelity, teenage angst, unwed mothers, drug use, inability to communicate, misunderstandings, etc.  There's enough of that

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-2455938765122506762010-03-05T12:33:00.000-06:002010-03-05T12:33:10.566-06:00

My friend, Sharon, at The sunlit desk pointed me to this speech given nearly two years ago.  I had never heard J. K. Rowling speak before, and I was quite moved.  If you have a moment, listen for yourself.

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-56361752116618270952010-02-26T20:13:00.003-06:002010-02-26T20:18:52.864-06:00

I just finished reading Ahab's Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund.  I'm still trying to decide what to make of it. Some reviewers really loved it, some hated it.  I wanted to love it, but I didn't.  Her phrasing was lauded by many, but I found it cumbersome.  Perhaps I'm not as literarily precocious as some, but I dislike having to read a paragraph multiple times to glean its meaning.  I can appreciate

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-419096628814268162010-02-19T18:39:00.000-06:002010-02-19T18:39:40.141-06:00

So, I had my thyroid out yesterday.  I didn't really want to do it, but the doctor thought it was time. I'm doing pretty well so far.   The incision area is tight and sore and it hurts to swallow.  But my calcium levels were good, so the doctor let me go home a day or two early!  Yay! I'm starting to feel like I'm not a whole human being anymore, though.  Too many pieces/parts missing now!

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-65373437882620621172010-02-05T12:23:00.000-06:002010-02-05T12:23:40.718-06:00

My older brother had a heart attack on February 2 and had a quadruple bypass yesterday.  The doctor says everything went as expected and the nurse said his numbers are good. Please keep him in your thoughts.

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-21418575927323153092010-01-18T14:22:00.001-06:002010-02-26T20:20:42.412-06:00

I went to see The Book of Eli with my husband and son last night.  What an interesting movie!  It really kept us talking about it long after it was over.  It is one of those movies that makes you think, and one that you won't soon forget.

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-41023853223741366762010-01-15T13:05:00.003-06:002010-01-17T18:24:25.668-06:00

OK, so I punted the South Beach Diet.  I just can't eat that much protein! I lost 3.6 pounds in the 10 days I was on it, but I was miserable the whole time. On to something else!

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-44547519198091703902010-01-11T12:34:00.002-06:002010-01-11T12:36:22.624-06:00

I am having a hard time finding meals with only protein and vegetables!  I miss my lemonade for breakfast and I definitely miss chocolate!  And I am already sick of eggs, not being a big egg-eater to start with. Yesterday, I was down 3.8 pounds, but today I am back up 2 pounds.  What's up with that?!?! I feel sort of sluggish and my stomach is somewhat upset a lot of the time.  I'm hanging in

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-81195400953587356592010-01-04T12:49:00.001-06:002010-01-04T14:29:30.166-06:00

Well, I started the South Beach Diet with Bobby and Sara today.  We'll see how it goes. It seems like it will be hard on a runner to go without carbs for two weeks, but I do get to eat lots of vegetables!  And, I haven't been doing any running since I hurt my knee at the Tashka 25K, anyway. I had two scrambled eggs for breakfast and I had the Wild Salmon filet from Captain D's for lunch with

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-35520768403869476252009-12-23T13:43:00.000-06:002009-12-23T13:43:22.614-06:00

Wishing everyone a very happy holiday season!

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-59329214786146116682009-12-03T13:44:00.003-06:002009-12-13T20:18:56.492-06:00

So, I had some tests done to try to determine why I had the episodes of vertigo a few weeks ago.  I am firmly convinced these tests were invented in Guantanamo Bay! The first test, Transtympanic Electrocochleography, or ECOG for short, tests for Meniere's disease by playing loud clicks for about 15 minutes separately in each ear and measuring the brain's response through an electrode on the

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-30127053993780237522009-11-21T20:41:00.000-06:002009-11-21T20:41:47.555-06:00

My best friend's little dog, Roxie, has gone to heaven.  We will miss you!

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-60260647795058689122009-11-18T20:32:00.000-06:002009-11-18T20:32:08.046-06:00

This the 2007 Nashville British Car Club Show.  My movie-star husband makes his appearance at 4:59 in his spiffy 1975 TR6.

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-40775279734612690262009-11-17T12:53:00.002-06:002009-11-17T13:00:18.070-06:00

I have many friends at Make Mine Pink, and they have come up with a project to warm hearts and toes called the Pink Slipper Project.  Here is what I donated to the project. Many years ago, I thought I might like to try quilting, but, so far, I have avoided the all-consuming passion of getting caught up in yet another craft where I spend tons of money!  But, I did buy some fabrics about 20 years

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-62750292888551576572009-11-16T15:15:00.001-06:002009-11-17T12:55:29.977-06:00

Today is the International Day of Tolerance.  It is a day when we should all examine our hearts and adjust our attitudes for the betterment of mankind.  We are all part of the same human race, with the same feelings, hopes and desires. If we treat each person we meet with the same respect and tolerance with which we would like to be treated, think how much better this world would be! To learn

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-5743652492464411532009-11-15T11:32:00.001-06:002009-11-15T11:33:22.525-06:00

Well, I finished.  I wasn't really expecting to do very well, considering I've only been allowed to run for less than six weeks since my last surgery, but I actually did better than I expected!  I thought it might take me close to 4 hours to run, but I finished in 2:56:14!  I'm happy with that!

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-73366027624171317102009-11-05T12:25:00.001-06:002009-11-05T12:25:43.616-06:00

On Saturday and Sunday, some of my running buddies and I will be "sweeping" parts of the Pinhoti 100 Trail Race in the Talladega National Forest.  The race starts near Heflin, AL on Saturday morning and finishes 100 miles to the southwest in Sylacauga, AL on Sunday morning.  Our job is to follow the last runner, pick up the course marker flags and make sure no one has fallen by the wayside.  Two

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-6818764667174805432009-10-21T13:07:00.002-05:002009-10-21T13:09:47.466-05:00

Remember the old Alfred Hitchcock movie called Vertigo?  Well, I have been experiencing my own version the last couple of weeks! Apparently, there are small stones in one of the oval tubes of the inner ear.  They are supposed to collect at the bottom of the tube, but sometimes, they get stuck in other positions.  There are little hairs in the tube that, when touched, tell the brain what position

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-53362797105965633562009-10-16T16:20:00.000-05:002009-10-16T16:20:56.089-05:00

This is sooooo cute!  And clever, too!  Cowboys herding cats

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-91593052907261709492009-10-12T14:11:00.002-05:002009-10-12T14:20:05.797-05:00

My son Ricky's girlfriend, Crystal Cole, is now writing for the Auburn University newspaper, The Auburn Plainsman.  How cool is that!  She usually writes about sports and here is a sample article:  Students excited by Trooper Towels, new traditions.

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-62949665565428507702009-10-11T20:21:00.001-05:002009-10-11T20:22:23.324-05:00

Here is a great blog about the real Christopher Columbus.  Unfortunately, I don't even get the day off!

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-3504879454091829102009-10-07T14:50:00.002-05:002009-10-11T20:23:33.520-05:00

I have just returned from my high school class reunion.  In spite of my very youthful appearance, I graduated 35 years ago — can you believe it?  I hadn't seen most of my classmates in all those years.  I missed the 10-year reunion because I was (gasp!) pregnant, and I didn't want anyone to see me.  Stupid, I know!  And I missed the 20-year reunion because I was just too busy at work and couldn't

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-45785405289617427862009-09-26T22:40:00.001-05:002009-09-27T19:39:16.472-05:00

Ahhh!  It feels good to be racing again, even if I did have to walk the whole race!  I am being a good girl and following my doctor's orders — no running for another 10 days. But I managed to finish the course in 11 minutes less than I had expected, so I am happy.  AND, I got to see some of my running pals — what could be better! And I survived the deluge on the way home.  They say a cold front

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-91848307572824196382009-09-09T20:25:00.000-05:002009-09-09T20:25:33.723-05:00

Check here to see the sweetest baby-face and her "blasted blanket!"

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-63825433735906084042009-09-06T13:39:00.003-05:002009-09-06T17:04:36.131-05:00

My best friend at work had a baby girl in July, and I wanted to make something special, so, giving in to my occassional "I want to knit or crochet something!" urge, I purchased a kit called Little Bunny Fou Fou.  It was the cutest thing!  But, before I finished, it became "that blasted blanket!" I started working on it way back in March, and I worked on it diligently every spare moment I had.  I

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-89918131703192685282009-08-27T21:03:00.003-05:002009-08-27T21:14:07.795-05:00

My long 8-week medical leave will probably come to an end next week.  I see the doctor on Monday, and I should be going back to work on Tuesday.To tell the truth, I don't really want to go back very bad.  I feel like my leave wasn't very restful at all.  Too much going on!  Hubby bought a brand-new Toyota 4Runner (and I had to sign papers only 6 days after surgery), Bobby started his job the same

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-42121121541777927412009-08-20T11:57:00.002-05:002009-08-20T12:04:50.177-05:00

I have been quite ill.  It all started with a cough and sore throat which eventually turned into bronchitis and then a sinus infection.  Even while taking an antibiotic for the sinus infection, I had a fever over 103° for several days in a row.  It has been less than 100° for a couple of days now, and I am finally able to actually get dressed!  Still no energy at all because I spend most of the

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-743704069805021232009-08-12T20:21:00.002-05:002009-08-12T20:23:10.585-05:00

Tomorrow, I am going to have another fine needle aspiration biopsy on my thyroid.  If it is negative like the last two have been, I am going to put off having a thyroidectomy because I am afraid of the after effects.  Keep your fingers crossed!

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-46191812487397919882009-07-30T14:45:00.004-05:002009-07-30T15:21:57.075-05:00

I just finished reading The War of the Flowers by Tad Williams.  It is the first one of his books I have read, so I don't have any of his other works to compare it to, but I really enjoyed it.  Towards the end, I couldn't put it down!The War of the Flowers is about an under-achieving, 30-year-old musician named Theo Vilmos.  He plays in a band in Northern California with kids 10 years his junior

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-8442418843616358092009-07-27T09:36:00.004-05:002009-07-27T09:47:43.955-05:00

Are you Scottish?  Or maybe just a Scottish wannabe like me?  Here is a site where you can create your own tartan.Here is my first design which I named Heather Hills.

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-27807436306976342822009-07-25T13:46:00.006-05:002009-08-04T08:27:33.455-05:00

One more post from my recent trip to the Midwest and West:  Dad and I traveled up to Moorhead, Minnesota for the 32nd annual Scandinavian Hjemkomst (Homecoming) Festival.  This year, the focus country was Finland, but there were plenty of tables and exhibits from the other Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Saami Land and Sweden, too.  If you wanted to spend a little money, you

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-4539647931692208422009-07-13T16:05:00.008-05:002009-07-19T16:26:55.652-05:00

My home town, Milbank, has a festival every year named for the local lake, Lake Farley.  My husband laughs at the name Farley Fest because he says it sounds too much like Fart-ley Fest!  Which, of course, conjurs up some pretty hilarious images of tooting contests, "fragrant" clouds hanging over the festival, etc.This year, I ran the Farley Fest 5K which starts on the track at the high school and

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-77019673036117545902009-07-12T16:51:00.003-05:002009-07-12T16:54:05.933-05:00

Any time you need to be cheered up, watch this:  http://videos.komando.com/2008/06/04/mans-surprising-laugh/.  Guaranteed to improve your mood!

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-19932039348050807792009-07-04T23:22:00.009-05:002009-07-05T11:05:29.280-05:00

Since we were just in the Black Hills a year ago, Dad and I decided to visit some of the lesser known attractions this year — Bear Country USA and President's Park.Bear Country is a drive-through wildlife park with plenty of opportunities to get up close and personal with the critters!  There are fences to keep the animals apart from each other, but they can come right up to the vehicles if they

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-6382123260774540252009-07-02T23:54:00.011-05:002009-07-05T11:02:49.664-05:00

Well, after nearly two weeks with very little Internet access, I finally have time to post a few things.On our way from Sioux Falls, South Dakota to Sheridan, Wyoming, we took a little sidetrip to Mitchell, South Dakota to see the famed Corn Palace.  The Corn Palace is entirely redecorated every year using over 275,000 ears of corn and other natural materials.  This year, the theme selected by

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-87066410624606614342009-06-19T22:41:00.011-05:002009-07-01T23:35:19.094-05:00

My Dad and I are in Sheridan, Wyoming today.  Tomorrow is the Big Horn Trail Run, but today, we did the tourist thing with my Aunt Ethel.This morning, we visited Big Horn, Wyoming, a tiny town south of Sheridan, population 198.  We toured the Bradford Brinton Museum, a gentleman's farm of the 1920s and 1930s.  Brinton was a farm implement engineer and well-enough off to have a 2000-acre ranch in

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-49472431123785076462009-06-14T11:55:00.004-05:002009-06-14T13:08:28.711-05:00

OK, so I've been thrown yet another curve ball.I've had nodules in my thyroid for six years now.  I go have an ultrasound every year and the nodules have never changed...until now.  This year, I have two new nodules and two of the old ones have gotten bigger.  My doctor thinks I should have my thyroid removed.I had the thyroid uptake scan back when the nodules were first discovered with negative

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-37130510027872853062009-06-07T14:45:00.006-05:002009-06-07T15:06:51.333-05:00

What a hoot!  EuroCross is one of my favorite races each year, guaranteed to provide some dirt and mud and lots of fun.  The 5K is run as five loops on a 1K course with two creek crossings on each loop.  There are straw bales to jump over, one short-but-steep hill, another longer hill, and a little segment on pine-needle covered trail through the woods.That's me in the background, two years ago,

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-84908251084835306312009-06-05T09:04:00.009-05:002009-07-04T01:14:43.989-05:00

Lately, I've been training for my next big (and maybe last!) race, the Big Horn Trail Run 30K (18.7 miles) in the Big Horn mountains near Dayton, Wyoming on June 20.  I ran this race last year, too, and it was a blast!  There are also 50K, 50 mile and 100 mile races running simultaneously with different start times.  They bus us up to the start of the race at about 7600' and let us run down to

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-34305292590715678892009-05-31T20:22:00.006-05:002009-05-31T20:59:28.991-05:00

You know, the post office changes the price of postage so often, I have accumulated a number of old stamps, some of which do not have their denominations printed on them.  They're so old, I can't remember how much they were!  Here is a website that lists the value of non-denominational stamps:  Knottywood Treasures.  Nice to know!

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-30458099424988383142009-05-17T22:06:00.005-05:002009-05-24T16:57:32.496-05:00

Herbert Allen Johnson was born June 26, 1925 on the family farm near Marvin, SD.  He was the son of Elmer and Bertina (Barlund) Johnson.  He attended school through the eighth grade and also received an honorary high school diploma.  Herbert served in the United States Army, enlisting on May 14, 1945, and was honorably discharged on December 12, 1946.  He was united in marriage with Marcella

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-61608031644652190372009-05-14T12:11:00.004-05:002009-05-24T16:57:14.564-05:00

The woman who backed into my Miata last December was found guilty of leaving the scene of the accident.  Yay!  Now, we just have to see if my insurance company is as diligent as I would be about collecting from her insurance company.  Apparently, in Alabama, if you are found guilty of leaving the scene, you are considered liable for the accident.It was truly galling to have that loud, rude woman

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-66688001445975337382009-05-12T13:35:00.003-05:002009-05-24T16:56:58.286-05:00

You may be interested in a book swapping site such as BookMooch.  On this site, each user gets fractions of points for each book they enter into their inventory.  Then, when they have sufficient points, they may request a book from another user for which they will pay 1 point and the owner of the book will receive 1 point (slightly different for out-of-country mooches).  The owner of the book

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-48779486142020870082009-05-11T12:26:00.007-05:002009-05-24T16:56:44.112-05:00

Bobby graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Wireless Software Engineering on Saturday. It was wonderful to see him walk across that stage. I'm so proud of him!We were slightly to the right and back of the stage and up as high as the seats went, but they were actually pretty good seats because we were relatively close. They were showing the kids' faces on the big TV screens hanging

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-41533402713856778512009-05-07T12:22:00.005-05:002009-05-24T16:55:43.375-05:00

After seven weeks in the shop, it is so good to have my Miata back.  For those of you who don't know, a lady (and I use the term loosely!) backed into my car the week before Christmas.  Because she left the scene, she has been charged with a Class A Misdemeanor and we are supposed to go to court next week.  She also lied to her insurance company and told them it was my fault, so they wouldn't pay

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-31503653201761703812009-05-05T22:26:00.003-05:002009-05-24T16:55:28.920-05:00

I love books.  There are books filling every shelf in every bookcase in my house with extras stacked on top of the properly placed vertical books.  There are more books stacked on the tops of the bookcases, and there are books on my nightstand and books on my sewing table.  There are books stacked in the hallway and on the floors of most of the bedrooms.  And, of course, there are even cookbooks

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-697883136753857122009-05-03T12:39:00.001-05:002009-05-24T16:55:11.588-05:00

If you have a product or a service or a business, you really should read Jeff Jarvis' latest book "What Would Google Do?"I am only about halfway through, but it has so many ideas about how to go forward in the world of commerce as redefined by the Internet. These are lessons no one in business should ignore.

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490863141781858213.post-10227695720489131722009-05-02T18:33:00.001-05:002009-05-24T16:54:49.886-05:00

I know this will make me seem racist and definitely not politically correct, but I have a theory that if you act like a minority, you will be treated like a minority.Yesterday, I had a conversation with a co-worker about the swine flu we are experiencing in our area and how all the schools were closed -- bit of an overreaction, but still understandable. My co-worker mentioned that she thought it

Debbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08145735953197313094noreply@blogger.com0