Good Bye For Awhile........

Hi everyone ! Due to a situation which I can't control I will be unable to access my home computer after tonight for an indefinite length of time. Please keep Eddie and I in your prayers, as we have had a terrible tragedy happen in our lives. I will miss you but I will return when I can. (((HUGS)))

Love,
Jan

Ashley....

Many have asked who Ashley is. If you remember in another post, I had a picture of Barb and I've talked about Barb and her family. Barb is Ashley's mother. There is also Glenn, her daddy and her brother Brandon.

The Reynolds family has been apart of our lives for many years. Glenn and Eddie worked together and then Glenn married Barb. Then came the kids. They are not blood family but they are family in our hearts. I don't know what we would do with out them. The kids call us Aunt Jan and Uncle Elly..... LOL When Ashley was old enough to talk she couldn't say Eddie. She said Elly and it has always been that since and has carried on over to Brandon. Ashley turned 12 in December and Brandon will turn 10 next month. They have grown up fast.

We see them every week-end and spend every holiday together and we take a vacation at the lake with them. All of our blood family, except for my sister, who lives with us, live states away so the Reynold's family has become our family here. So, if I write about the kids coming over or seeing the kids, that's who I'm referring to. (((HUGS)))

Wordless Wednesday.....

Ashley Dawn Reynolds

innocense

Thank You Mariposa !

Sweet Mariposa awarded me this award and I am so thrilled !!
I try to make someone smile every day and to get this award lets me know that I have accomplished my goal. What better gift to give someone.... a smile and a feeling that someone cares about you, and then to be awarded for it ! I'm so happy !!!

Thank you again Mariposa. You're a special person. (((HUGS)))

Native American Flute Jeff Ball New Age music

If you haven't listened to Native American Flute music you have missed out on a wonderful experience. It is not only beutiful, but it is calming and gives you a peaceful feeling to your inner soul. Enjoy. (((HUGS)))

First Attempt at SOS........

When I was a young girl I was taken to church every Sunday. My parents didn't attend but i was ever faithful at Sunday School. I was a loner. I really didn't have anyone I associated with during my middle school years. One Sunday as I was sitting by myself, waiting for the activities to begin a very good looking high school guy walked through the room and on his way out.... he smiled at me !!! Oh My! My heart fluttered. You can imagine how I felt. Of course I smiled back and I just couldn't resist turning around in my seat to have a last glance of him. There he was.... this nice looking guy with brown eyes, fit body, sandy hair, wearing this light blue sports jacket, smiling , and watching me !!!
I quickly turned around.

At that time I had no idea what his name was. I didn't know anything about him but I knew he was different. Maybe I would have thought that about any guy who had smiled at me...

I was a very sheltered child. I wasn't like the other girls. I dressed very prim and proper and I had no experience with boys, except for the boys in my neighborhood, so this was definitely a NEW thing for me. Needless to say, I was confused. Why would this nice looking, older guy, be watching me?

Singular Saturday.......

With a 40 below zero windchill expected I feel

COZY

Update.... and Things.....

Some of you have asked how Eddie and I are doing after our surgery. I can report we are doing great. We are officially in Stage 3 now. This consists of flaky meat such as fish, tuna, chicken, and soft foods. I have to say I haven't been hungry while on the liquids. I thought I would be. Our stiches are all healed and the incisions look good. I have lost 17 lbs so far. Ed has not weighed but his jeans are baggy and he has taken his belt up 3 notches. Stage 4 starts on Feb. 3. That will start us back on regular food. So I guess this is working. Our check-up is Feb. 20th.

We have had some terribly COLD weather the past few days. It is now 15 below zero not counting the windchill. It is supposed to be even colder over the week-end. We did our weekly shopping on Thursday night so we don't have to go out. Smart people huh?? LOL

I don't have to work Monday !!! Eddie has a teacher workday but I get to stay home with my sister and relax. Whoopee !

I decided not to play The Writing Game this time. I can't even think of a good story line..... LOL Maybe next time.

That's about it for now....... (((HUGS)))

Wordless Wednesday.....

Memories

Last summer's vacation...... Eddie and my sister, Mary

Precious.......

This is my grandson Dominick. In another post I wrote about us being reunited with our son. Well, Dominick caused the reuniting. Kevin, the father, (and Ed's son), grew up and realized that life was not just about him, and Ed followed his heart and accepted Kevin back into his life. Thus, we now have this precious angel in our lives too.

I guess every family has a trouble child in some form. Kevin lived with us most of our young marriage years and became the son that I had lost so many years ago. I really love that boy. But we had to use "Tough Love" and it paid off with the help of Dominick. He's 2 years old. I can't wait to squeeze him !!!

(((HUGS)))

This and That........

Barb, Glenn and the kids came over today and Barb made us homemade chicken noodle soup. It was delicious even if we did have to put it in the blender to make it smooth.... lol We had a nice visit and played the game Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader. No, we are not !! LOL

Eddie and I are feeling pretty good. We are fairing ok on the liquid diet so far but I have to say, I am ready for stage three..... where we can start to introduce regular food into our system. That will happen on January 22. Neither of us have any pain to speak of. My main discomfort is my back for some reason. It is really achy. Barb said maybe it's the position I was in on the operating table. I hope so. I certainly don't want a reoccurance of my back problems. But, a little liquid Tylenol does the trick.

Not much else happening around here. It is colder tonight. 9 degrees outside. More like January weather. I'm ready for Spring. (((HUGS)))

Singular Saturday.......

Contentment

Day To Read Report.....

I read Stalemate by Iris Johansen. I have read all her books and she is one of my favorite authors. I'm an avid mystery/thriller reader. I especially like the forensic investigators. I find it so interesting in what they can find out about a person.

The main character is Eve Duncan, who is a forensic sculptor. She takes the skull and builds it up to make the person identifiable. She calls it "bringing the person home". It's a tedious job but the end result is stunning. It's the type of book that you can't put down..... at least for me anyway.

Here is what Amazon has to say about the story........

In the latest Eve Duncan forensics thriller from bestseller Johansen (Killer Dreams), the Atlanta-based forensic sculptor with an international reputation finds herself attracted, not always convincingly, to a sleazy manipulator. Duncan, who specializes in reconstructing facial features from skulls, has buried herself in her work since the disappearance and presumed death of her seven-year-old daughter, Bonnie, years earlier. That still-open wound is probed with sadistic skill by Luis Montalvo, a shady Colombian arms dealer, who offers to solve the mystery of what happened to Bonnie if Duncan agrees to attempt a reconstruction from a skull Montalvo believes was his late wife's. Despite the misgivings of her former husband, an FBI agent, Duncan accepts, and soon finds herself dodging bullets in a war between Montalvo and a drug lord rival in the Colombian jungle. Despite a shortage of the sort of meaty science that, say, a Kathy Reichs thriller typically provides, Johansen's faithful audience should be satisfied. (Jan.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

I sure do enjoy her books and I think anyone who enjoys a good mystery would enjoy it too ......... (((HUGS)))

January 10, 2008..... Day To Read

Shhh..... Quiet Please ! I'm Reading Stalemate by Iris Johansen.

Wordless Wednesday........

My Friend Barb

My Jasper Baby.....

This is my Baby....... Jasper. He has always been all mine. I've always called him my fat cat because his belly almost touched the ground. He's such a love. He's MY BABY !! In the past couple months though he has lost weight and he just acts old. He's 15. That really isn't old for a cat. His appette is good though and all his bodily functions are working ok. I love him so much.

Tomorrow we head back to work. The teacher I work with says the kids miss me !! They are full of questions as to why I haven't been back yet. She told them I had some minor surgery so I know I will have plenty of questions to answer tomorrow. It will be good to see them. I love those kids. We've had them in our class for two years now. Next year we'll start with a new group.

So wish me luck tomorrow. I know it's going to be a tiring day.

(((HUGS)))

Happy Birthday Baby

Just couldn't resist this one.. LOL

The Tune Weavers-Happy, Happy Birthday Baby

A classic song for a classy lady
Happy Birthday my friend. Love You !! (((HUGS)))

This and That.....

Today was the first real day of being on our own with this new way of eating. My friend Barb, the nurse, went to the health food store and brought us several types of herbal broths. I've tried the vegetable and the chicken and they are quite good. My sister went to the store and brought home several types of Crystal Light, some Italian Ice, popcicles, and sherbert. We're all set. LOL It hasn't been bad today really.

I picked the word anticipation because that's what I feel about this surgery. I anticipate good results along with more energy and being able to get off some of my meds.

I'm really looking forward to SOS tomorrow. Maybe one of these days I'll try it. (((HUGS))) to all...

Singular Saturday......

Anticipation

I Feel Loved.......

We're home and doing fine. The surgeries went well. We're just tired from not getting much rest in the hospital. If it wasn't them coming in to check your vitals, it was me calling someone to unhook those air bags from my legs so I could go to the bathroom... LOL Oh well, it's over and we've rested today. Eddie is already in bed and I'll be there shortly.

What a surprise I had when I logged on this evening !!!! I am so thrilled ! Thank you Mariposa and Jenn for my wonderful awards. I feel like a real blogger now... LOL It really made me feel special to get these. I am so honored. In the short time I have been on here blogging I have met so many nice people that I now consider my friends. Thank you all for making me feel so welcome. Thank You W B for suggesting that I come here. You are all wonderful !

Well, off to bed now... I'm tired. (((HUGS))) to all.

My Oh My........

I come to you tonight with a heavy heart. Tomorrow is our surgery day and I found out today that we can't get in until the afternoon. Eddie will go in at 2:30 cst and I will follow, so...... We Will Have To Stay Overnight !!! Wah !!!!!! I hate that !! What about my blogging? What about my Pogo Games ? I feel the withdrawals already starting......... I know it's only one day but when you're hooked, one day can be traumatic. If only I had a laptop...... LOL

W B sent me a message saying she would go to the Buffet in town to eat her last meal instead of Arby's so...... We went to town early and went to the Buffet and then stopped at Arby's and brought a sandwich home for supper. So I got the best of both worlds. Thanks W B !!!!

Well my friends, I"ll talk to you Friday evening. Wish us luck and keep us in your thoughts. Take care. (((HUGS)))

This and That.......

It's been a quiet few days around here. Tomorrow Eddie and I are going to venture into town to WalMart and pick up a few things and go over to Home Depot. We want to check out the radiant heat heaters. We have an oil heater here in the back room but I think it is wearing out...... LOL Kind of like me, it's getting old and tired. THEN...... we are going to have lunch at Arby's. We just had a new store open in town and we haven't been there yet. I LOVE Arby's !! So, for a final lunch out on the town before our surgery on Thursday, we are going to indulge ourselves in their glorious roast beef sandwiches. I may even buy one to bring home for supper too...... LOL

A news update on the kittens. I say kittens because I don't know which one did it, but we heard water running. When we investigated, we found the water running in the bathtub. Yes, one of my darlings turned the water on. Now is that talent or what? LOL

Talk to you tomorrow..... (((HUGS)))