Thursday's Truth or Consequences

I missed Wordless Wednesday yesterday. Had I have not missed it you would have seen the above photo. Although since I just took it, how could that be? Well, I guess I am trying to say on Wordless Wednesday much of the things in the picture were taking place in my life. I could just post a picture of a paint can and brush almost every day of the week and it would be appropriate for what is going on in my life.

I am too goal oriented. My husband tries to remind me when this goal is met there will just be another one waiting. I truly do know this but it is so hard for me to do anything about it. I want to see the finished product. --- One of the reasons I am so amazed I showed you the tub full of unfinished paper products--- still amazes me that they are sitting there--- NOT finished.

Anyway, yesterday I took my dad to breakfast. We decided that was a better time for us to share a meal as he wants to watch sports at night and I want to stay in my jammies and paint!

Lucky for me, he paid for both of us. Hummmm---I have some entertainment money. My brain steers the car to Costco on the way home. I purchased $60. worth of audio books and a paperback book that has been recommended to me ( The Poisonwood Bible -- anybody read it? ) After Costco, I headed to the printers to drop off some real work--the paying kind which allows me to purchase books and paper products. I had to pass right by Barnes and Noble. Being a member that gets 10% off ( I am still debating whether this is a good thing for me or not since I am not sure I actually spend $250. there each year, what with Sam's Club and Costco available to me--- yes, I have a membership to both )I had to stop and look for more of the remaining Anita Shreve novels I have not read. Got out of there just spending $40. You count it up. $100. for books ---- Even if I had paid for my breakfast and my dad's it would not have come to $100.

Yesterday I listened to eight hours of a book. I only have two disks left on that one, which is a long book. At this rate I will be going back to buy more in a couple of days! When I finish painting each night, late, I reward myself by reading a paper book in bed. Wondering if I should just be paying someone to paint. Never mind-- know it is way cheaper to buy the books. I included my ipod in the picture because I have books on it. Trouble is, it is dead-not charged. Have not used it in months so did not even think about it being dead. Listening to books makes painting much more fun. Like listening to books makes driving much easier. Remember me telling you my husband does not have the stamina I have when it comes to projects? This is really saying he is not obsessed. He is the one that caused the purchases yesterday in the way of books on CD. When I called him night before last to see how Pinetop was going I asked what he was doing-- He was listening to the rest of a book while he watched the Suns Game on television. He had the game silent. We had both forgotten our computers would play the disks. ------ Now, you see the picture----- I listen while working-----he listens while watching television------ I think it is a guy thing----- at least that is what I have been told-----

He will fix my drip mistakes though. I guess there is a lesson here--- sort of like the You get a better job if you are a college graduate lesson. He is a better painter than I am. He gets to be the supervisor. Bless his heart. As I said in my last post, he seldom, in our marriage, has gotten to be the supervisor with our household endeavors. He is past due-----and so with that truth spoken, I will go to my consequence. I will open that paint can, pick up that paint brush and paint. Oh Yes, first I will put the disk in my computer!

I Am A Drip

It is true. I am a dripper. There, I've admitted it. My husband hates it. I really don't mind it so much. I don't drip all the time--just every now and then. What is the big deal, anyway? Now, if you know me, at all, and you know my husband, at all, you know this is all out of character. I am the one that normally spouts the saying, " If something is worth doing, it is worth doing right." I am the one that wants all the baseboards caulked. My husband has latched on to my dripping and I can hear him over and over again, in my head, saying," SMOOTH"! Does he think I am not smooth on purpose? From what I can tell, it doesn't matter how many times I go over the area with the brush-- if I put on the paint, there WILL be a drip or two. He is a better painter than me. Trouble is, I have more stamina. Yesterday I painted from 2:30 in the afternoon until 10:00 at night, straight---well, I did stop to eat a bowl of chili. Anyway, it is sort of comical to me and it is sort of nice for him to be so much better at a craft type item than I am. I have been given the suggestion to do all the priming and I am to put on the first two coats of paint. I am to leave the final coat for him to do. This way he can sand and fix any of my drips. Sounds like a deal to me --- But wait a minute--doesn't that mean I am doing three coats and he is doing one? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh---what a drip I am to be setting myself up to do more of the work---- What kind of a drippy deal is this?

Simple Updates:

Cardiologist Appt. yesterday netted another appt. for a stress test. Doctor is 90% sure all if just fine but making sure. Liked Doctor, Liked Nurse, Hated the fact the Doctor looked young and everyone in the waiting room looked OLD. Seemed like I was the youngest patient around. I think what bothered me the most about it is I am not that far away from having someone thinking the same thing about me when I am ten years older and visiting the cardiologist. Maybe I won't have to visit one again or maybe by that time I will think I don't look as old as the 80 year olds or maybe, heaven forbid, I should evolve this much---it will be perfectly fine with me for everyone, including myself, to be the age we are.

Amber: Heard through the grapevine a couple of things.

1. The old truck she had been driving when arrested for the DUI had been retrieved out of impound ( by whom we do not know -- maybe the owner before Amber?) and was at a repair shop. It got stolen from the repair shop. The detective wanted us to be on the look out for Amber possibly driving the truck. Seems they think someone stole it that had a key.?????

2. Amber was driving some friends to The Lions Den ( local bar ) and got pulled over-- don't know why she was pulled over and don't know what she was driving. Anyway, she got arrested again for driving on a suspended license. Don't know anything else---

Pretty much it---must get back to my painting. May you have a smooth day without any drips involved!

Trick or Treat

I keep wishing this reality with my daughter was just a trick.

It most certainly is not a treat.

It is a treat, however, to have a part in making our grandchild's life as stable as possible.

Grandy and I are in the valley together for the weekend.Chandler is spending Halloween with his best friend so he is a happy camper. They are visiting Haunted Houses and what could be more fun on a Saturday night Halloween! Grandy will drive back up on Monday morning to be in Pinetop by the time Chandler gets home from school.

I have been thinking today of some much happier Halloween evenings when our kids lived just across town and we would go trick or treating with Chandler. This Halloween Grandy and I are hiding out in our den with the lights off ( I know, we are awful --- we really are ) as Grandy watches the Texas football game and I read blogs and work on my Christmas cards. Just not up to answering the door and giving out treats to all the ghosts and goblins. Fighting off the ghosts and goblins of my mind. Truth is though, I am doing alright. Much better of late since we have not had any Amber drama.

Painting took place today.

Painting will take place tomorrow.

Monday I go to cardiologist.

Monday afternoon I paint.

Tuesday I paint.

Wednesday I paint.

And so it goes---- we are making progress but it is slow.Trying to be alright with the slow part---

To our knowledge Amber has still not been served with our papers for getting shared guardianship of Chandler. Her next court date is November 18th. I hope we are not tricked again by another delay---

Happy Halloween and please know it is a treat to have this computer and this connection to each of you.

Round Two

Wordless Wednesday

Monday Monday

I slept better last night because I took a sleeping pill.

I am thinking about getting an alarm system for this cottage. There is one in the valley home and it helps me rest easy at night. When Amber was a teenager and on the streets running around keeping unsavory company I was always a little afraid. I did not think she would harm us but I was afraid someone she came in contact with or--- well--you can figure out the rest. Consequently I am uncomfortable. I think the alarm system would help relieve my mind at night.

Yesterday I spent two hours playing around in Photo Shop Elements. It was the first time I had done anything with it at all. I read a little magazine about it to familiarize myself somewhat and then I closed my Mac and opened up windows operating system. I had purchased tutorials and was going to begin my lessons. My tech guy ( husband) is not here and I was not able to open the downloaded files. Boo. I have figured out though that I love my iPhoto program on my Mac so much that I am going to purchase Photoshop Elements and the tutorials for my Mac. I am pretty excited about the upcoming possibilities of what can be done with photos and creating layouts. I have never done any digital scrapbooking and while I don't actually create 12x12 layouts I like to make little books and I certainly could use it in my business of creating packaging products.

My other time filler yesterday was working on a Christmas project/cards. I started this progect for my cards for last year and in October when we got the wind knocked out of our sails the project stayed put. I "made it over" for this year but I must say, it is much more time consuming than I had thought it would be. I am determined to get it done this year and out the door. I want that tin tub I showed you to be getting smaller in the next year!

I saw on the weather that it is going to get quite chilly up here on Wednesday. I think the highs are going to be in the 30's. We go down to the valley on Thursday after school. I am hoping it does not snow up here!!!

Saturday night I stayed up finishing the Anita Shreve novel, Light On Snow. It was very good. I just started her latest novel out only in hardback right now, A Change In Altitude.

That's about it. I am working on that Christmas project today along with correcting something on a packaging project to go to production. I am picking up Chandler from school this afternoon to take him to the dentist for a teeth cleaning appointment.

I hope you all have the nicest Monday possible.

Fresh On My Mind

Well, thankfully it is over. Traffic school that is. While I did learn something, I certainly do not think it was worth the $200. it cost me. I also was irritated right off the bat for the following reason:

We were to arrive at class at 11:30. When I arrived at 11:15 there was a line out the door and the classroom was almost full. There were seven seats left that I counted when there were about 20 people still in line. I put my purse on a table with an empty chair in front of it. Once I was signed in, seated, and just a few more people behind me got signed in, the teacher looked up, saw there were no more seats in the room and told everyone that was still in line they would have to re-register for a different date. He could not let them stay without a seat. Some of the students already seated immediately called out to the instructor that the remaining people could sit on the tables. The instructor told the people in line to go see if they could find other chairs ( the class was at The Holiday Inn ) and he would let them stay. Why did they register more than they could accommodate? Other chairs were found and that part ended well but I think all of us with seats were putting ourselves in the position of the people still in line as they were all in line by 11:30. I would have been wanting to ram the room with my car ( oops, road rage, another ticket coming ) if after I had legally registered, gotten my money order to pay and been there on time I had been told I could not attend class.

Alright-next- when talking about drunk driving, the different stages of offenses were presented along with the consequences and it was indicated the consequences were the bottom line, no exceptions. Well-----you know me and my big mouth. I asked the question what happened when the consequences were not followed, as my daughter had an extreme DUI , and we were still waiting for her to do her 30 days for the DUI. He sort of ??? Of course he does not know my daughter's case and I know the law is supposed to be the law but ??? Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Also, we were told police officers do not get off on tickets. They are sited like everyone else. While I think this is true much of the time I do not think this is true all of the time.

Then again, we all get warnings some of the time so I guess this is not a very good complaint on my part. I think my complaint is that it was brought up in the first place.

Below are some of the things I did learn ,which may or may not help you keep from getting a ticket:

You will not be stopped on a freeway if you are doing up to 9 miles over the speed limit. Do not however do 11 miles over.

When exiting a freeway and you come to the stop light and it is red stop before the intersection. If it is a No Turn On Red intersection and you are over the crosswalk line you can be sited for running a red light even though you have not actually made the turn. If No Turn On Red is posted there is no reason at all for you to be looking to see what the oncoming traffic is doing as you are not to turn until the light becomes green .

Those middle turn lanes are for left hand turns only. They are not there for you to pull out in traffic and wait until you can get in the right hand lane. While you might not be stopped for doing this, if there is an accident---well, you know the rest.

We were told how the cameras work for the red lights. There are sensors ( I am calling them sensors ) under the pavement. Do not think you can beat a ticket by going to court. You will not win. Actually, it pretty much sounded to me that if you get a ticket for any reason you were not going to beat it so -- pay it or go to school.

Do not go 16 miles in a 15 mile school zone. You do not even want to know what the fine is for this--and especially if children are present. The end of the school speed zone is the second line in the crosswalk--not the other sign in the road from the opposite direction. Once you cross that second line in the crosswalk you can speed up to the normal speed limit. I already knew the following but I will mention it here as I see this happen so often. When you are in a school zone you may not go by another car in the other lane, even if they are doing 5 miles an hour. That is what the no passing means. Not that you pull out and go around a car---don't pass a car, period, end of story, when in that school zone speed limit area.

If you are at a four way stop, and two cars arrive at the same time, the car on the right only has the right of way if the car on the left chooses to defer to the car on the right. It is not automatic. Also, if you wave a car on and then the car going gets involved in an accident you can be held 1/3 responsible so don't use your hands to indicate you are deferring to another driver.

I also learned there were other people in the class just as shall we say disappointed about being there as I was---especially about 1/3 of the class that got ticketed in I believe it is Star Valley , right outside of Payson. We also learned there are many and I mean many more cameras being installed all across the state so people watch out. The state has a contract with a company and the contract continues---

Oh yes, when you are pulled over, before the officer even approaches your car he or she knows already if you have insurance, if you are wanted by the police, etc. etc.

Other complaints by students were about the speed limit changing often from 45 to 35 to 25 and back again in a short distance.

It is in the works to make cell phone usage inside the the moving vehicle illegal.

On break I asked the instructor about the officer telling me he would have normally given me a warning but he was on a detail and no warnings were being issued. According to the instructor if he was on a speed detail he was required to ticket me.

You know, I really do respect most law enforcement officers and I would not be a policeman or woman for any amount of money but I must say, some of the tickets being issued are not in my mind about safety---it is more about revenue. I will not say the instructor verbally said these same words but I will say he was sympathetic with this view point. That was one thing that will stay fresh on my mind for a long time. I will also most likely be that person causing road rage as I go the speed limit ,to the limit, when I am not on the freeway. We will see how long this intention stays fresh on my mind!