But Of Course!

What other surgery would a book lover have?!

I'll be back when the fog of anesthesia and pain meds wears off!

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I'm Not 23 Anymore!

I've been working some 12-hour shifts in a local hospital as part of a refresher course to update my RN license since I've been a SAHM to raise my kids.

Turns out, the hospital is an excellent place to do these shifts, for more than one reason!

I'm definitely not in my twenties anymore!

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The Week I've Had

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Thursday Thoughts

Thursdays seem to be a random day on the blog lately. . . . Here's what has crossed my mind and my path lately.

November is National Alzheimer's Awareness Month and National Family Caregivers Month. This is such an insidious and heartbreaking disease that affects so many. And once seen only in the elderly, Early Onset Alzheimer's, which is the label given to the disease when it strikes before the age of 65 seems to be more prevalent, disabling folks in their 50's and even in their 40's. Or maybe I'm just more aware of it. Visit Alzheimer's Association website to learn more. And please pray for and reach out to support those you know who are impacted by this disease.

On a lighter note, I smiled with delight when I walked into Starbucks last night for my weekly hour of reading while my girl was at her small group Bible Study. Peppermint Mochas are back! And the skinny tall one is only 100 calories. Of course, we won' talk about the whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles I let them add on top. It was the first one of the season, after all!


I know several dads who only have daughters. I had to laugh and share this with them when I saw this on a friend's Facebook wall:

Today on day 3 of the Giving Thanks Challenge, I'm giving thanks for books. It is no secret that I am a huge bookworm, and I have been for as long as I can remember. There are few things as satisfying as curling up and becoming engrossed in a good story.


Have a great Thursday!

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Three Things on Thursday

This made me pause:

A pharisee is hard on others and easy on himself, but a spiritual man is easy on others and hard on himself. -A.W. Tozer

This made me laugh:

And the recipe for these cookies made me want to bake, eat, and gain back every pound I've lost in the last few months!

Have a great Thursday!

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Wednesday Hodgepodge on A Fall Morning

Just so y'all know, fall has finally arrived in Texas! In fact, this morning it's downright nippy with the temperature dipping down into the 40's! I'm pulling out my denim jacket and making soup for dinner!



1. How do you typically react in a sudden, extreme, pressure-filled crisis? Would we want you nearby in an emergency?

I usually go into organizational, get-it-done mode. Yes, you would want me nearby, especially if it were a medical emergency. I can see big pictures and anticipate problems.

On the other hand, if the "sudden, extreme, pressure-filled crisis" were something like a snake in the house or yard, or some other uninvited non-human creature (or even some human ones!), then all bets are off!

2. Caramel apple-caramel sundae-caramel corn-caramel macchiato...of the four, which carmel treat would you choose?

Caramel corn. Especially if it's the Boy Scout Caramel Corn with nuts!

3. Is there such a thing as destiny? Explain.

You mean this kind of destiny?!



Uh, I don't think so!

But this kind? Absolutely!

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

. . .being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

4. What's your favorite piece of furniture? I'm referring to something currently in your possession as opposed to something on your wish list.

I really love my leather recliner. It's "my space."

I also really, really, really love our grand piano, which was my wedding gift from my man way back when. But I don't think of a piano as "furniture." It is so much more than that!

5. Wednesday night marks the start of the 2011 Baseball World Series. Did you know? Do you care? Will you be watching? Ever been to a professional baseball game? If you're not an American do you find the title 'World Series' annoying or amusing?

a. Vaguely - I knew it was soon.
b. Not really.
c. No.
d. Yes, as a child - Houston Astros.
e. I AM an American and I have still always thought it was funny that it is called the World Series when all the teams are essentially US (are there still a couple of Canadian teams? See how much I pay attention?!)

6. A sound that takes me back to my childhood is____________.

Cicadas and lawnmowers on a summer evening.

7. On average, once you've linked your hodgepodge post to mine how many other participant blogs do you visit? Do you ever come back to the Hodgepodge later in the day or even the day after to read posts?

Oh, now Joyce is going to start prying and pulling out confessions! Is she trying for the death of the Hodgepodge?! To be honest, I have been a horrible Hodgepodge hopper lately. Ever since life kinda imploded in the spring with everything going on in my life, I have barely been getting my own posts written. I have not been able to visit other blogs nearly as much as I would like to. i miss that. I miss the camaraderie and the fellowship, not to mention the witty answers each Wednesday! I try to pop in on a few blogs at some point for the Hodgepodge, but I have been way too invisible. I appreciate those of you who still visit my blog more than you can possibly know!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Saw this on Barbara H's blog and it cracked me up. Had to swipe it for my random thought!

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Monday Miscellany

Heading to bed on Sunday night with a to-do list a mile long for a busy week ahead. But I have not felt well since about 5:00 Saturday afternoon, and it seems to be a repeat of what happened earlier last week. Not really a stomach bug. But enough to slow me way down. But I'll spare you the listing of symptoms!

And I just found out that my girl's viola teacher, who has also become a friend as they've enjoyed some movies together (she's a sweet single Christian gal in her early 30's), is on a ventilator in ICU in a local hospital as the flu turned into pneumonia and then into ARDS (Actue Respiratory Distress Syndrome). She's stable and they expect her to be okay, but it's going to take awhile. If you'd lift her up in prayer, I'd be grateful.

On the bright side, my kids had a wonderful time at our church's D-Now weekend. My girl said it was the best ever. And GG, our exchange student, absolutely loved it. For me, it was a bit bittersweet as I realized it was the last one for my boy and the other guys in his group who have been together and had the same leader for these past four years!

And my man and I enjoyed a lunch date Saturday after we picked up my new minivan! I love it, although it's got lots of bells and whistles for me to learn! God's hand of provision and grace has been very evident throughout this whole process.

This has been making the rounds on FB, so I'm sure you've seen it, but since I am such a word geek and spelling fanatic, I couldn't resist posting it here!



Have a great Monday!

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Wednesday Hodgepodge

Those of us who loved participating in the weekly Random Dozen hosted by Lidna at 2nd Cup of Coffee have been at loose ends since Lidna sent the meme into hiatus. Fortunately, Joyce at From This Side of the Pond has created a similar-but-different meme to cure our withdrawal symptoms.


As Joyce says,

Wednesday Hodgepodge will be slightly different than the RD because for starters, its not a dozen. A dozen random questions on a weekly basis may not sound like much to you but I suspect it could become overwhelming for me so I've settled on a nice even 8 with a twist.

Because I have a whole head full of my own random thoughts on a daily weekly basis that may or may not fit into question format I've decided to make question #8 a freebie. I will come up with seven random questions each week. You will then you add one random thought of your own in slot #8. Not a question...a thought. Anything at all. Well, keep it clean and keep it nice because this blog has been rated G by the motion picture association of America.

And Joyce's daughter created the cute button.

1. Do you think you're more like your mom or your dad?

I'm definitely a mixture but I think I have more of my dad's characteristics, such as his memory, his sense of direction, his height, his cold hands & feet, and more.

2. Do you like roller coasters?

No. I hate the downward sensation. I prefer for my stomach to stay in my torso and not jump up in my throat. And when I was in college the Texas Cyclone at the now-defunct AstroWorld park in Houston was so vicious that my head got whipped into a funny position and I couldn't counter the force of the roller coaster to straighten back up. I could hardly get out of bed the next day because my neck hurt so bad.

3. How did you name your blog and do you now wish you'd thought about it maybe another five minutes before you hit publish? Would you change your blog title if it were not a huge pain in the derriere? (French makes everything sound a little nicer doesn't it?)

I wanted something that would reflect what I wanted my blog to be - a conversation as comfy as two friends enjoying a cup of coffee. I'm pretty satisfied with it.

4. What is the best wedding gift you received? Not married? Didn't get any gifts? Then what is the best wedding gift you've given?

My wedding present from my man was a grand piano. 'Nuf said.

5. What is the one bill you most hate to pay?

The trash pick-up. They send it on this little perforated postcard, so it's easy to overlook, and since it's a postcard they don't provide the envelope so I have to get one and address it. And I can't pay it online. At least it only comes every three months or so.

6. Is the glass half full or half empty?

Half-full. But I sometimes worry that it will become all-the-way-empty!

7. What is your favorite word? Okay okay. Calm down. How about one of your favorite words?

Juxtaposition. Onomatopeia.

And grace.

8. Now, this is where you insert one random thought of your own...maybe something that struck you as funny, something that recently had you scratching your head in confusion, something that annoyed you a teensy bit, something on your to do list, something you are looking forward to, whatever. As long as it is in keeping with the friendly tone we've all come to know and love on Wednesdays then we're good. Don't make me get out my wooden spoon.

Speaking of word fun, my MIL sent me an email full of paraprosdokian sentences. A paraprosdokian is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected. They are frequently used by comedians. I'd heard one or two of them before, but they're always good for a laugh! Some of the ones I liked:

I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather. Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

Why do Americans choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?

You're never too old to learn something stupid.

The car stopped on a dime, which unfortunately was in a pedestrian’s pocket.

Where there’s a will, I want to be in it.

I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn’t it.

Feel free to add your own!

Go visit Joyce and join the Wednesday Hodgepodge!

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My Heroes!

A friend alerted me to this, and I couldn't resist posting it here. These guys are my heroes!

And no, I don't mean guy's.

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There's One in Every School!

In honor of Back to School, here's a great clip of Mark Lowry spoofing Amy Grant's song Every Heartbeat. Did you know someone like this when you were in school? (Or were you the one?!)

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FIRST - In the Big Inning

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Mike Thaler (Author)
and
Jared Lee (Illustrator)

and the book:

In the Big Inning: Bible Riddles from the Back Pew

Zonderkidz (February 1, 2010)

***Special thanks to Krista Ocier of Zondervan for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Known as the Riddle King of America, Mike Thaler is the author of the popular Black Lagoon books and the Heaven and Mirth series. He lives in Portland, Oregon, and travels nationally, speaking in schools, libraries, and churches.

Visit the author's website.


Jared Lee is an accomplished illustrator with experience working for the likes of L.L. Bean, Procter and Gamble, Hasbro, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster, and the U.S. Postal Service. He currently resides in Lebanon, Ohio.

Visit the illustrator's website.

Product Details:
List Price: $4.99
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Zonderkidz (February 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310715970
ISBN-13: 978-0310715979
Product Dimensions: 7.8 x

MY THOUGHTS:

How do you know they played tennis in the Bible?

If you have a child in elementary school, there's a good chance he or she has brought home one of the Black Lagoon books (The Teacher from the Black Lagoon, The Principal from the Black Lagoon, The Cafeteria Lady from the Black Lagoon, et al.) from the school library. In the Big Inning: Bible Riddles from the Back Pew is written by the same author and will likely please any kid who likes riddles and jokes. Clever puns and wordplay make this a fun read. My girl, who is waaaay past this stage of her life but who loved the Black Lagoon books immediately declared that she "needs" this book and has claimed it for her own!

Oh, the answer to the tennis riddle? Because the Bible says that Joseph served in Pharoah's court!

Press the browse button to view the first chapter:

Z

Browse Inside

Browse

Info

Add

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Happily Ever Laughter

Happily Ever Laughter:
Discovering the Lighter Side of Marriage
Ken Davis, General Editor
(Focus on the Family/Tyndale House Publishers>)
ISBN: 978-1-58997-580-4
June 2010/148 pages/$13.99

June is the month for weddings, and this would make a delightful gift for newlyweds. While marriage should not be entered into lightly, a sense of humor is an important ingredient in a strong, lasting marriage. Written by a variety of contributors such as Chonda Pierce, Kendra Smiley, Jeff Allen, and David Dean and others, each chapter provides a peek into some of the foibles and frustrations they have experienced. When you don't know whether to laugh or cry, choose laughter! From toothpaste to sleep habits to asking directions to critters and children, this book shines the spotlight on what happens when two become one. Sprinkled throughout the books are various quotes on marriage; my favorite is the one from Billy Graham's wife, Ruth Graham:

I'm certainly glad my husband and I are not exactly alike; if that were the case, one of us wouldn't be necessary.

Each chapter ends with a Laugh Lesson which hones in on the spiritual or practical "homework" you can apply to your own marriage. Whether you are newly married or have decades of marital miles under your belt, you'll recognize yourself and your spouse in many of the stories, and be reminded that living Happily Ever Laughter is possible with God's grace and forgiveness, not to mention separate toothpaste tubes!

Happily Ever Laughter is available from Amazon and other bookstores.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Random Days and Wednesdays

1. Would you rather host party or simply attend a party?

Host. I love making the food and being the hostess gives me something to do besides mingle and chat, which I am so not good at!

2. Tell us about the most memorable party you've been to.

My wedding reception.

3. What is one thing you hope for in the after-life?

Heaven is enough - it will be beyond anything I could ever dream of.

4. What do you enjoy most about sunshine?

The light. I tend to get SAD (seasonal affective disorder) if there are too many gray days.

5. When you attend a bridal/baby shower, do you prefer to bring your own gift or chip in with others to buy a larger gift?

Bring my own.

6. Would you rather have a FREE week of having your house cleaned or all of your meals cooked for you and your family?

House cleaning. No contest.

7. What song describes your mood today?



8. What is something you received for your own bridal shower/wedding that you still own or use? (If you are not married, feel free to sub a gift you received a long time ago.)

The piano my man gave me for a wedding gift.

9. Your favorite flavor of ice cream is?

"Classic vanilla ice cream with a combination of dark chocolate chunks, creamy caramel chunks, roasted pecan halves, chopped almonds and walnut pieces."

Although Blue Bell's Cookies 'n Cream runs a very close second!


10. When was the last time you felt "tested?"

If I were my kids, I'd say this morning's final exam! Otherwise yesterday. And since this will post overnight, this seems fitting:

So far today, God, I've done all right.
I haven't gossiped, I haven't lost my temper,
I haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or over-indulgent.
I'm really glad about that.
But in a few minutes, God, I'm going to get out of bed,
and from then on I'm going to need a lot more help. Amen.

11. "[Fill in the blank] is a food that once I start eating I find really hard to stop."

Popcorn. Pecans. Warm chocolate chip cookies.

12. "-----" is the best motivation.

Grace.


Check out some other folks' answers at Lidna's!

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ONE Random Dozen - Updated to Explain!

I do believe that our dear sweet Lid has a bit of a sadistic streak! Almost every week the R.D. has a question where we are asked to list one [fill-in-the-blank]. And most of the time, some of us "cheat" and put more than one answer. I can just hear her maniacal laughter. . . ."I'll give you a whole dozen of those, my pretties!"


1. What is one really fast, know-by-heart "go-to" meal to fix in a pinch?

Chick-fil-A. Hamburgers on the grill.

2. What is one item you won't leave home without? (Purse and license do not count.)

Cell phone. (I would add a book, but that would be more than one item. Sigh.)

3. Where is one place you never tire of visiting?

My mother-in-law's home.

4. Share one factoid of your family's history.

We have the same wedding anniversary as my husband's brother, just 11 years apart!

5. Complete this sentence: "Once upon a time I ...."

. . .bemoaned how thin I was and how hard it was to gain weight. Sigh. Oh, for the metabolism of a 20-year-old!

6. If you could win a one year's supply of anything, what would it be?

Sweet tea from Chick-fil-A. Or from Rudy's Bar-B-Q.

7. "One quirky thing you may not know about me is ...."

I like having my fingernails squeezed.

Update to explain what this is: Grasp a finger with the thumb and forefinger of the opposite hand, placing the thumb on top. Gently squeeze the two fingers together, which puts pressure on the finger in the middle. It feels better if someone else does it.

I know. I'm weird. Don't ask me how I discovered it; I was probably holding hands with my man and he inadvertently squeezed the ends of my fingers!

8. You have one dollar in your pocket. What will you buy?

This gum.

9. "One thing that always makes me laugh is ...."

This is one of my favorites from Mark Lowry.



10. What is one thing you could do today to help yourself reach a personal goal?

Figure out how to exercise without getting a migraine. (I already do Mark Lowry's version of sit-ups!)

11. What is one thing you could do today to bless someone else?

Write a note of appreciation and mail it.

12. What is one thing you're looking forward to soon?

The end of school - only 8 more days!


Well, I think I did it! And not that I would stoop to revenge or anything, this is especially for Lidna, since she loves musicals so much! Ahem.



Go visit 2nd Cup of Coffee and see if some other folks kept their answers to just one thing

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It Never Ceases to Amaze Me

While out and about today I had a couple of experiences that left me shaking my head.

I went to Kohl's this morning in a desperate attempt to get some shorts and capris that fit, thanks to one of my new anti-migraine prescriptions which has made my weight change, not for the better. I've even been really trying to watch what I eat, which makes it even more discouraging. At least let it be due to something fun, like a bowl of cookies & cream ice cream! But that's a whole 'nother bunny trail. . .

I love how Kohl's has a rack immediately outside the dressing room for you to put your rejects on. It's not 2 feet from the entrance to the dressing room. Apparently this is still too inconvenient for some people. When I went to try some things on, I bet there were at least 10 swimsuits in the only "stall" that was available. At least they were on hangers. How hard is it to pick up your stuff and hang it on the reject rack?! The penalty should be working retail on a Saturday! (I was never a "trash out the dressing room" type, but my first job at Sears absolutely cured any latent tendency I might have had!)


Then just a bit ago I popped into the post office to mail a book. The woman in front of me purchased one stamp for her letter (this after standing in line probably 10 minutes). One stamp. Forty-four cents. And she paid for it with her debit card. Am I just completely out of touch with the way things are done now? I know folks don't pay hard cold cash for a lot of things in this modern era, but can't a person generally scrounge up two quarters? What does this woman do at a soda machine?!


(Reminds me of the time I got some type of refund from a company; I think it was from an overpayment. It was a check for something like 32 cents. It cost more than that for them to cut the check and mail it!)


And finally, I usually stay away from politics on this blog, but this totally flummoxes me. You know the Arizona immigration law is a hot topic. Today another cabinet member, this time Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, has joined Attorney General Eric Holder and State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley in the rapidly expanding club of Those Who Have Not Read The Law Yet Publicly Criticize It. It would be laughable if it weren't so pathetic.


I'm sure glad I don't have any quirks!

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Here We Go Again!

They're baaaack.

I saw this Dillard's ad today:



Just a few weeks ago, I mentioned the maxi dress of my younger years in the fashion edition of Flashback Friday. And now they're the hot new item this summer. I've lived through the 1970's once already, and that was sufficient, thankyouverymuch!

[In addition to clothing, does that ad mean the language is coming back, too?! Are my kids going to start saying to the max all the time?! (Gag me with a spoon!)]

This style is really an oxymoron. In ads, in the stores, and in Googling, the most common maxi dress involves a halter-top or a strapless style. Without even going into modesty issues, let me just say that here in Texas (where summer temperatures tend to soar past 100 and shatter perfume bottles left in parked cars), when the weather is warm enough to flaunt bare shoulders, one certainly does not want an additional 3-5 yards swirling around the legs! I guess it's a hot new style in more ways than one! (Although I can see one advantage: not having to shave one's legs every day in the summer!)


It must be time to dust off this old song from the 1970's as well! (Note that Anne Murray is wearing a maxi dress!) I inserted a few, er, observations in the lyrics!

When trumpets were mellow
And every gal only had one fellow
(And she didn't sleep with him, either!)
No need to remember when
(I'm still gonna do Flashback Friday!)
'Cause everything old is new again

Get out your white suit, your top hat and tails
(But no white hose or shoes, please!)
Let's go backwards when forward fails
(Some "backwards" should stay that way!)
And movie stars you thought were long dead
Now framed beside your bed.

Don't throw the past away
(My closet's too small to keep it!)
You might need it some rainy day
Dreams can come true again
(Apparently, so can nightmares!)
When everything old is new again

Once again, the Bible is right:

What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 1:9

Solomon should know, since he had 700 wives and 300 concubines!

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TSMSS - Mother's Day Weekend

Happy Mother's Day weekend! I'm sure most, if not all, of you have seen one of the many videos of Anita Renfroe's singing her Momsense song. (It's the second video below. And someone has added the lyrics to help you listen fast!) I discovered she has recorded a sequel, which is posted here as well. Stop back by here tomorrow for a more "sacred" tribute to moms.






You'll find more songs at Amy's!

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Old is in the Eye of the Beholder

I went to get my hair cut today, and the woman with the appointment just before mine had a precious newborn - well, he was 5 weeks old, but that's young enough to still have the newborn cry. I was telling her how cute he is and commented that it's sometimes hard to believe my kids were that little. She responded with one question.

"Do you have grandkids?"

Asking someone if they have grandkids when you've just met them ranks almost as high on the "foot in mouth" disease scale as asking a woman if she's pregnant. I don't recommend it!

* * * * *
Speaking of aging, I'm trying to wrap my mind around the fact that my brother will turn 60 tomorrow. Sixty. (He's not too crazy about it, either!) While 60 is definitely getting younger every day, it just sounds weird. Especially since I'm "just" in my 40s.

Happy Birthday to my old geezer brother.

* * * * *
When I was growing up, my mom taught a Sunday School class of women who were mostly 35-40 years old. I always thought it weird when my mom would say "A girl in my SS class." Those were women, not girls, to my not-even-teenaged mind!

Now, of course, I get it. And my girl has a similar reaction if I call a friend a girl. It just sounds so weird to say "a woman" or "a lady" about someone who is my age.

And apparently, it won't get any easier. I laughed when, a year or two before she died, my mom mentioned another resident at the assisted living facility and called her a girl. "Mother, she's 80 years old!" I said. My mom did acknowledge that indeed, she could no longer be considered a girl.

But she had the same reaction to living there as every other adult I've known in a similar situation. "This is a nice place to live, but there sure are a lot of old people."

"And some of those "old people" are younger than you, Mother."



Please pass the Geritol.

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Why I'll Never Dye My Hair Blonde

Please tell me this was rigged.

If not, please tell me that this gal is not allowed to vote or reproduce!

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Friday Fun

(Woohoo! I'm so thrilled for Joannie Rochette and her bronze medal!)


Words are such fun. And it can be hilarious when their placement has an unintended meaning. One of my daily must-reads is author Angela Hunt's blog. This week she's been sharing some headlines and article excerpts that make one wonder if copy editors are now extinct. Some of my favorites are below.

Remedial math, anyone?!


Your one-stop shop!


Wonder how much they charge for this!


The definition of denial!


Now I know where to wear all my old bridesmaid dresses!


I wonder whose side he'll represent!


That's some powerful paint!



And I don't remember whose blog I saw this on, but I thought it must be rigged. Until I did a Google search and found the actual article in the newspaper online! (Besides, a child's honesty is funnier than anything an adult could make up!)



In the article, the boy says:

“I wouldn’t do it again,” the second-grader said as he spun nickels on a tabletop while his sister, Meghan, related the story. “She’s been a pain this week.”

Hindsight is always 20/20!!

Enjoy your day!

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