Book Binge Christmas Contest

Book Binge Christmas Contest
The Christmas Season is upon us and we have one burning question: Have you been naughty or nice this year?
Regardless of your answer, we are inviting our lovely readers a chance to win an eBookwise eReader!All you have to do is answer a few simple (okay, 10) questions on your blog/journal and leave the link to your Meme in this post. If you don't have a blog or journal, you can email us your answers. The winner will be chosen on January 5th, so you can enter up until 11:59pm on January 4th.

Merry Christmas!
XOXO
Casee, Holly, Isabel & Rowena

Christmas Meme:

1. What is your favorite Christmas romance to re-read each year? Twilight Before Christmas by, Christine Feehan.

2. What is your favorite Christmas movie/show? The Muppet Christmas Carol

3. What is your favorite Christmas cookie? I like sugar cookies with icing decorated to look like trees and stuff.

4. When do you start Christmas shopping? Whenever I see something that someone would like.

5. Do you re-gift? Nope, never have.

6. What is your favorite Christmas song? Jolly Old Saint Nicholas

7. When do you get your Christmas tree? Whenever I feel like it, got this years a couple of days ago. We're decorating tonight.

8. Wrapping presents: Love it or hate it? That's my favorite part. I love wrapping the gifts and making them look cool.

9. Who is the hardest person to buy for? My uncle, he doesn't need anything.

10. Christmas tree: Real or artificial? This year real, most of the time artificial.

http://thebookbinge.blogspot.com/2008/01/holiday-contest-brought-to-you-by-book.html

Walmart at midnight

So last night I'm leaving Walmart just after midnight. My brother & I have done Mom's grocery shopping to see if it works out to be any cheaper. It didn't really. I'm riding one of the scooters and he's pushing the cart beside me. This is the conversation we had on the way to the door.

Him: "OH MY GOD!"
Me: "What?!"
Him: "You need your hair colored."
Me: "I don't have hair color money."
Him: " I'll give you some next week."
Me" " We're cutting out non-esentatials and hair color is non-esentatial. So I'm letting it go gray."
Him: "Well that wouldn't be too bad, but that stripe down the middle doesn't look right. "
Me: "STOP LOOKING AT THE TOP OF MY HEAD!!"
Him: " I can't help it, you're way down there." ( he says this even when I'm standing, he's 6' 5")

So should I kill him or what? LOL

Do you believe in fate?

I got a letter from my grandpa yesterday. He wrote pretty much the same stuff as always. His mind is more in the past now than the present. He talks about Grandmother a lot, mostly how he doesn't understand how they ever found each other. That's where the question comes in, here's the story.

He was born in the very small town of Adair, IA, raised on a farm. He didn't want to be a farmer, he hated milking the cows. So he left the farm for, mechanics school, he worked for Lockheed in CA before WWII. During the war his air crew flew 26 missions. After the war he settled in Lee's Summit, MO, about 20 minutes from Kansas City. He worked for TWA, married, divorced, and raised a son.

Now cut to Grandmother. Born in the equally small farming town of Agency, MO. As a child she passed out handbills to help make money for the family. She met and married a man from St. Joseph, MO, had 5 children, moved to Lee's Summit, MO. She was widowed young and had to go to work to support her children.

Now these 2 people lived in the same town for many, many years without ever meeting. Then she starts dating a loser, who gets arrested. She asks one of his cousins to give her ride to bail him out and that's how they meet. They date for a couple of years and eventually marry, they were together over 30 years.

So what do you think, was it fate or just coincidence?

P.S. They're lives were much more interesting, I just didn't want to bore you all. ;-0

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen things I find romantic.

1. Holding hands

2. A man who hold the door for you

3. Sitting on a porch swing at dusk watching the sunset

4. Old couples who still hold hands-- I know I said that already. ;-0

5. An expected gift --- it doesn't have to be anything big

6. Snuggling on the couch in front of a fire while and storm rages outside

7. Slow dancing

8. A light touch as he passes

9. Having someone cook a nice dinner for you

10. Someone who loves you even after seeing you at your worst.

11. Having a 'Honey Do' done, just because, not because you asked

12. Laying on grass looking at the stars

13. A moonlight stroll on the beach, or just sitting on the beach watching the star shine off the water.

Too Fat to adopt!

I've been following this story and think it's totally ridiculous! Taking a child away from the only home he's known and parents who love him because they are overweight. Okay so the man weighs 500 pounds, I know that's really really big. But he still does his job and plays soccer with his other son. The reason given on the news tonight for the judge removing this child was that the man 'might' develop diabetes or sleep apnea! So now you're saying that diabetics can't be parents? This has me so pissed off, and I know it doesn't have anything to do with me. But if that judge gets away with this can you imagine what will be next? The baby was born to his cousin, who realized she could not take care of him. So she asked him and his wife to adopt him, to keep the baby in the family. Now it's turned into a media circus and they can't even see the baby at foster home. The foster parents are afraid the media will show up and they don't want that at their home. Which I understand but, still keeping the baby away from people who love him and are totally capable of raising him in a good home is just about the stupidest thing I've heard. Here's a link to the article I hope it works. http://www.myfoxdfw.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=3878236&version=4&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1

Look at those curls!

I wish I had some of those curls now. This was summer of '67. That lovely cake is for Mom and my uncle's birthday. He was born the day before her 8th birthday. We were in Jacksonville, Fl at this time and Mom's baby brothers were staying with us for the summer. The boys drove down in Grandmother's car. I remember fishing, catching crabs, because they wanted a crab dinner. Dad was out at sea, for most of the summer. I think he was in Cuba or some place like that. We spent most of our time at the beach, of course. I have very good memories of that summer.

All I want

Is a couple of days of peace. No crisis and no one to bring me down, I don't need help being depressed I do just fine on my own.

All I want is:
a nice quiet room somewhere, with room service, a view of the ocean.
a cabin in the woods
a massage, my hair, nails done
a huge tub full of bubbles to soak in
a man to snuggle with on the couch
a horse ride on the beach
to go sailing for a few days
to take a road trip
a quiet place to do some primal screaming
thighs that don't rub together
a flat tummy
clothes that fit
a moonlight walk on the beach
a little poofy puppy
the horse I was promised but never got
to be loved for me, even when I'm acting crazy
to lay on a hillside and watch the clouds
to feel free
to go ghost hunting
to finish my family tree
to find what I'm searching for
to decide what I want to be when I grow up
to be able to feel joy again

Going to the Vet

Today Miss Scarlett had to go and see the vet to get her beak and nails trimmed. Now this involves getting her out of her cage into her carrier. She pretty much only goes in the carrier to go to the vet. So she's not real happy about it, plus it was first thing in the morning. She's not a morning person any more than I am. LOL As I put her in she whips around and tries to bite the crap out of me, this is just to show me who's the boss. Miss Scarlett believes she's the boss of me and everyone else in this house. ;-0

In the car, I sing with the radio and she talks to me, saying whatever pops into her head. She does this to get my attention because I'm ignoring her and that is not allowed.

As we sit in the lobby, she yells "Help!", everytime a dog walks in. We meet a very cute little yellow lab. And a huge great dane puppy that's as big as my full grown lab. LOL She's plays peek-a-boo, hiding her face and then popping out. They finally take us back only it's going to be a wait. I tell them fine I don't want to have to come back tomorrow. The vet comes and takes her away to work on her, they never let me watch. I think they're afraid I'll freak if she fights them, hell I expect her fight them. They give her a shot of laughing gas so it's easier to handle her without injury................to them. LOL This vet is new to working with birds, so she brings Miss Scarlett back wrapped in a towel and doped up to see if her beak is the right length. Have you ever seen a bird on laughing gas? When they give her back to me not only can't she stand on a perch she can't even stand period. She's kind of on one side with a foot in the air. The poor thing, she looked so pitiful. ;-0 But her beak is done and her toe nails are no longer lethal weapons.

We get back to the house and I can't even get in the door. Sunshine is halfway out the door inspecting the bird carrier to make sure that I brought Miss Scarlett home andd she's okay. Sunshine never pays any attention to the bird unless there's food involved. I make it in past her and Louie is waiting for me, now he plays with the bird. So I let him inspect her too just to make sure she alright. That's how I get caught, he discovers that I petted the cute little lab puppy. He is not happy at all. It took him hours to get over the insult. And then he only forgave me because of the raging thunder storm. LOL

Ever have one of those days?

This is going to go many different places, try and keep up. LOL


I was dragged out of bed way too early by pounding on my door.

Mom was in such a panic I'm surprised she didn't have a stroke. The nursing home my uncle (her brother) lives in had called. He had a doc appt. in the city and the transportation had cancelled. They told Mom if he missed that appt. that the doc would just wash his hands of my uncle. So Mom freaked out she doesn't drive out of this little town, hasn't for over 10 years. She doesn't know how to get to the hospital, neither do I. Certain family members were called for help but turned her down.

So I had to do it, which put us both in a panic. I don't do well with surprise changes or going places I don't know how to get to. Last time I took her up there to visit my uncle when he was sick. It took us hours to get there and we finally had to park and call the hospital to ask where the hell they were and how to get there. I looked up a map online and printed it but it didn't show all the streets just certain ones. Don't ask me why, I have no idea. So we picked him up and off we went with them trusting me to get them there. I worry about them sometimes. LOL I found it in time and they went up to the clinic and I sat in the lobby and read. Now we were told the appt was for 1:30, when they got there the nurse said 1:45. Not that it matters the doc didn't come in to see my uncle till 2:15 so we didn't get out of there till almost 3 pm.

Now that is important because it was my brother's day off work. Tomorrow is his birthday and we had a day of celebration planned. Most of that was scrapped because of all the doc crap. I did get to take him out for a Mexican dinner and to see Shrek the Third. I think he enjoyed it, by the time we got home for ice cream, cake and pressies it was after 8. I enjoyed Shrek, but I didn't like it as much as the first and second ones. I would have enjoyed it more if the people behind had either left their child at home or at least tried to control her. When they made her sit down she screamed. Now my common sense tells me that if your child does this you pick her up(she was about 3) and take her out of the theater. Not these people they just let her run back and forth along the row. Hitting my chair, pulling my hair and at one point smacking me in the side of the head on her way. When these people came in I must have heard the mother say 100 times she was worried that the little girl would fall down the steps. She wasn't worried enough however to keep said child from running up and down the steps. Now telling them to make her knock it off did no good. After the movie, I was in the ladies room I heard them in the hall. The girl started to scream and I heard the mother say "Oh just let her run." I really would like to smack people sometimes, not the child the parents who let her act like that in public. She doesn't know better because no one has told her. I do understand that small children are difficult to keep still I guess my point is why bring her when she obviously got nothing out of the movie? Just because no one could babysit?

On the subject of children in public. At the hospital today, I was in the lobby reading. A group came in, there were 3 women, a little girl about 8, a 2 year old boy and they had a baby in a carrier. Now one of the women took the 2 year old to the potty. Another woman got up and went down the hall for something the last woman and the 8 year old followed. So here's a baby just sitting there in his carrier and anyone could have walked by and picked him up been out the door before they even noticed. When the 2 came back they were joking that if anyone had taken they'd bring him back cuz he's onery. Now is it just me or should these women have been more careful with this child?

Now for some good news, bad news ;-0

Monday afternoon, my powerchair arrived. YAY!!! I was so excited I almost took it out in the circle and chased the little boy across the street when he was riding his bike. LOL Only I can't really use it yet because, it has taken me till just last Sat. to find someone who will put up a ramp for me. At least someone who won't charge an arm and a leg. Now just to get it done so I can get my chair in the house. I'm still trying to scrape up the money to get the rack for my truck.

I think that's all I have to say, who knows it's 3 am and I'm exhausted. ;-0

Crazy Bird

Okay, so I bought Miss Scarlett a little tent. She likes to slide through it and pop out the other side. The other thing she does is when someone comes into the room she hides. Only she just sticks her head in, and her whole body is outside the tent. She does this a lot with my brother and he sticks his finger in and she pretends to 'git' him by gently grabbing his finger. What does she do to me, her owner, cook, waiter, maid, toy buyer and playmate? She bites the crap out of me or at least she tries to. Stupid bird! LOL

Geek

So today my brother took me to a comic con for several reasons.

1. He doesn't drive so he needs a ride
2. He doesn't like to go alone
3. They always have someone I would like to meet

So I was up unusually early this morning. I had to wait till he got up, I insisted he rent a wheelchair for me. I wasn't gonna be sitting in the hall somewhere by myself. And I'd never have been able to walk it, they actually had a larger space this year.

There were many people in costume roaming around including one Captain Jack Sparrow. He looked good, but he was no Johnny Depp. LOL Lot's of Star Wars costumes and most of them were incredible. Some were store bought but I saw one I know the guy made himself. You could tell he put a lot of work into it, it was amazing. They were all very happy to pose for pics but my brother had decided not to bring his camera.

So we made a circuit around the room looking at various things and checking stuff out. They had a couple of booths selling knives and swords, I love those and have a collection of daggers. I even saw a whip at one that looked cool, until I got close. I don't know what it was made of but it wasn't real leather. And who needs a whip if it's not real leather.............am I right? LOL

There were several guests this year David Prowse a.k.a. Darth Vader, Richard Hatch from the original BattleStar Galactica being the main ones I went to see. David Prowse was a very nice man, though not nearly as impressive without the helmet. ;-0 And Richard Hatch what can I say, I used to have a crush on the man when I was a kid. He was also very nice and chatty. Then there was Robert Z'Dar who starred in the Maniac Cop movies with Bruce Campbell. We hung around with him for a while because sadly he wasn't very busy. People don't know what they were missing he's a cool guy. ;-0 Then there was Jim Lee a very well known comic book artist. I liked him and got a sketch book he did, but we didn't really get to talk to him he had the longest line of all.

Now my brother is pushing me around this room and occasionally just pushing me to a spot out of the way and leaving me. I did make him promise not to let go at the top of a hill. LOL He was mostly making sure I can look at what I want to, like action figures. Yes, I admit it I collect action figures, trading cards and I read comics. Which means I'm a total geek. LOL I don't know as much about the comics as some of those people though. Basically I just know what I read, I don't always know who draws it or writes the stories. I like to look for old comics from the 50's or 60's or even earlier. I really the westerns, and the movie ones.

We got some free comics, and a couple of posters. Then there are always tables lined up with new artists and publishers. My brother picked up the first 2 issues of a new comic that looked interesting and the guy threw in a poster and signed all of it. The guy said it's like Beowulf meets Mad Max, should be interesting. I love to look at all the art work, it fascinates me. Some of the stuff I saw today was just amazing. Jennifer Jensco was there and she had some amazing drawings. Unfortunately out of my price range.

So I looked at trading cards and just got a few loose packs, I couldn't afford a box of any I wanted. And I don't like to just get a set of them. I want the anticipation of opening the packs myself and finding that rare card. That only happens now and then but still. ;-0 My brother picked me up and button that says I love pirates and has Capt. Jack on it. He got himself one that says 'I love children, they stay crunchy in milk.' LOL I got a hemite anchor at one of the booths, it has a hole in top so I can wear it. I was just sort of sifting through a little bin and it kind of jumped out at me. ;-0

All in all it was a fun day, but I'm exhausted from all the input. ;-0 Just too many people and too much to see. I apologize if I misspelled anything as I said I'm very tired.

I won!

What a day today was!

First I won an argument with my brother. I made him take me to see the movie The Reaping, at least he says I made him. ;-0 All day he kept giving shit about it was going to be a crap Hilary Swank movie. Only when it was over he had to admit that he enjoyed it and it was an interesting movie. So WOOOHOOO I won! LOL I enjoyed it but knew I would as long as they didn't have all that build up and then a lame ending. Which happens a lot.

Second my Uncle Ken, who lives in the nursing home, has been looking for clothes. Apparently, most of his clothes were at Grandmother and Lloyd's in the laundry when Grandmother died and Lloyd left. Mom and I didn't know this so Lloyd's 'lovely' nieces got rid of his stuff. Anyway, we have looked in all the stuff they dumped on us, and couldn't find any of his things. So yesterday when he was over, he told Mom he had some money, and of course she wanted to know where it came from. He said his social worker had taken up a collection for him at her main office. She gave him $50, more than enough to get him the kind of clothes he wears and even have a bit left over.

Lastly I had my physical therapy evaluation today. My entire body hurts tonight, I'm soooo old. LOL Anyway the therapist determined that my arms are very strong. Well I never said that was the problem. She doesn't know if I will quailify for any kind of scooter or chair. But she listened to me, and she's willing to help if I need anything else. So I guess it went okay. In two weeks I have an appt. with a guy to come out and evaluate me in the home. He's also sending me forms to see if I quailfy for hardship discount. I should totally quailfy for that. ;-0

So I'm tired, and sore but the day didn't suck.

Personality

This is me.

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My quest for mobility

I've applied to see if I qualify for one of those scooters. So I can get around stores and such better. Apparently, I have to need one in my house in order for the insurance to pay for it. I've tried explaining to them that my house is too crowded and small for a scooter or even a chair. That I use the furniture and stuff to lean on to get around in here or I can sit when I need to.

So okay first I was told that someone would have to come out and evaluate my mobility in my home. Fine I can do that. Then I got a call from a physical therapist who said they needed to see me. So I made an appointment with her. Last night I get a call from the guy who has to come to my house, I don't need to see the PT lady. He'll just come and check me out here. Okay fine. This morning he calls to let me know that he's not coming I need to go to the PT lady, who has already cancelled my appt. So I have called and made another appt with her.

Please keep your fingers crossed that I actually make it to this appt. next week, before something else changes.

Don't ya just love red tape?

more old pics and stuff

This is a pic of my grandmother on the right and her twin. This was their high school gradutation picture from 1939. There were about 20 students in their graduating class.

I wonder if they had any idea where life would take them? I had no idea they'd been some of the places they went. But I've been sorting these pics. ;-0 They've traveled this country from shore to shore and back again. And Grandmother has traveled other countries. Just one of the benefits of marrying a man who worked for TWA for 40 years. LOL

Looking at all these old pictures has my mind in the past. So many memories, mostly good. ;-0 I'll be adding more of them to my blog.

New pics

This is me and my brother I was 13 and he was 9 months. These were taken when we were home on leave. He still looks just like that. LOL

This is me and Dad, I was about 3 and he was 24. He's been gone for almost 4 years now. I miss him everyday.

Then this is me and Mom. A photographer came to the house and took these. Most of the pics from that day are just me, with hands holding me up. But they got one of us together. Dad was probably out at sea when they were taken.

Who would've guessed?

We got a letter from my grandpa yesterday. He wrote it in Valentine's Day and was kind of sad missing Grandmother. He was telling us how they met, this is a story I'd never heard.

I remember the day I found out Grandmother was getting remarried. Mom and I were driving down the road and she said that Grandmother was bringing someone to meet us. His last name was Grimes and they were getting married. I laughed for 10 minutes at the thought that now she'd be 'Granny Grimes'. lol Not that I would have dared call her that to her face she was always Grandmother.

Anyway, in the letter Grandpa said that they got together when Grandmother's boyfriend was arrested. She asked him to drive up into the city to visit her boyfriend at the jail. No wonder she never told us how they met. LOL

People don't always suck

My Grandparents were selling their house. Everything of importance such as all the pics that were supposed to go to me should have been out of there. I found out tonight they weren't. The son of the woman who bought it, told my brother that there are a bunch of pics left in the house. And guess what? She said we can go and get them tomorrow! YAY!! Probably more pics of people I don't know. LOL I'm going to have to take some of the pics and go visit my grandmother's twin sister. She has alzhiemer's but, since that's the time she lives in she might be able to tell me who some of the people in the pics are.

Just makes me feel good to know that occassionally someone does something nice.

A warning.

A few months ago, after my grandmother died I recieved all of her old pics and papers. Now I loved my grandmother but the woman was a major pack rat. I now know where I get it.

Anyway, I'm going through all of these papers and finding all kinds of treasures. Pics of the grandpa I never knew, the reciept for the first car Grandmother ever bought. LOL There's a letter my dad wrote me when I was 8, and living with my aunt and uncle. He was telling me about being out at sea on the ship and to be a good girl. There are my grandpa's induction papers from 1942, Grandmother's original birth certificate. Did you know that in the '20's there was a space on the birth certificate that asked if the child was legitimate? And in case you are wondering yest she was. I only mention that because both my brother and my mom asked what it said. LOL Grandmother's high school letter, she played volley ball.

Some of Mom's report cards, and some belonging to her siblings. There's a poster of a great-great-grandpa. It's been torn up but it looks like he was running for office. There's Grandmother's diary, given to her by her mother when she was 14. I still haven't read all of it. But it's interesting to read about her daily life. These things can't be replaced. My family history is now scattered all over until I the pics scanned to share. And then scrapbook everything.

Then comes the part that almost blinded me. No not naked pics of anyone. ;-0 But love letters to Grandmother from someone she dated. I was looking at this letter trying to figure out who this person was and it started to get very personal. I knew that she dated but, this was really more than I ever wanted to know. LOL

So this is a warning if you ever inherhit someone's lifetime of papers, pics and such. Becareful what you read you may find out more than you wanted to know. LOL

I'm here

Okay so I've given in a started a blog here. Now what to post?

I know this is something that has been bothering me lately. I have a full leg brace it attaches to my shoe. This sounds awful but it's not, it actually keeps me from falling on my butt all the time. What bothers me is when I go out, complete strangers feel the need to comment on it. Sometimes they say something under their breath as they pass, they say it to me. But the ones who really bother me are the people who want to know every detail about why I have this torture device strapped to my leg. I mean think about it, would they walk up to a guy in a wheelchair and question him? Would they ask a blind guy how he lost his sight? Generally the answer is no. And that's what bothers me, why do they feel they can approach me when they wouldn't others?