Palm Harbor

Link to NEW Journal

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 04:17:36 GMT

Click the graphic above for the link to get to my new Palm Harbor Journal.

And, yes, same meaningless chatter.

Holiday Edition

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 21:32:35 GMT

Yep, a Meme...I got this from a fellow Floridian, Brenda of

Brass Butterflies. She has never seen snow!

2007 Holiday Edition of Getting to Know Your Friends

Welcome to the 2007 Holiday Edition of Getting to Know Your Friends! You know the drill. Please Cut and Paste. Don't be a Scrooge!!!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Definitely Hot Chocolate..the darker the better 2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa wraps....I am Santa's "Helper" 3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White 4. Do you hang mistletoe? No…that shriveled up stuff I see in the stores grosses me out 5. When do you put up your decorations? The week before Christmas 6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Scalloped Oysters....Yummo 7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Going to a Christmas shop in Schroon Lake Villiage with my Grandmother. Schroon Lake is in the Adirondacks of New York and were I'd go camping with my grandparents each summer. Grandma bought me a nice miniture Nativtiy Scene Ornamet that I still hang on the tree 8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I was 8 yrs old when I woke up to go to the bathroom. I went out into the hall and heard my parents talking or wrapping. I saw them putting the gifts under the tree. Nice things didn't happen in my house very often, so I was afraid if I said anything the holiday would be gone.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? One on Christmas Eve, givers choice. The rest Christmas.... morning. 10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? As my children were growing up, I bought or made Christmas ornaments for each of them. Each year it was the ornament that would reflect something significant that happended that year. I would mark the year on the back and each year the kids would place their special ornaments on the tree Now that my tree is lot smaller & the kids are no longer kids, I've boxed up most of them and given them to Marc and Nicci. Since Marc usually spends Christmas with me, I still have his favorite...his first sneaker laced with a red ribbon. 11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? I love snow on Christmas when it is truly magical. I love to make snowmen, and using the snowblower. Don't mind driving in it if I can get past the hump at the bottom of the driveway. What I don't like; Getting to work in the morning, shoveling first, warmming up the car, then having to drive around the cars that couldn't 'deal'. What made me nuts is when I couldn't get home to my kids after work. Freezing rain is what drove me to the Sunshine State. 12. Can you ice skate? <FONTCOLOR=#33CC00>I skated as a child and well into my 30's. Started at Antioch Park, Overland Park Kansas; at a rink made by the Scotia Fire Dept at Lincoln School; a pond at Central Park in Schenectady; and at an indoor rink the city built later in downtown Schenectady.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? A "Chatty Cathy", I received when I was 7 yrs old. Unfortunately, my brother gave her a bath one day and she never chatted again 14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Being with my children 15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Pumpkin Pie um-um-um -um- ummmmm... 16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Christmas morning together.....We open gifts them then kids & I prepare brunch 17. What tops your tree? An Angel 18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? White Christmas...I'd rather dream about snow then actually be in it 20. Candy Canes? Yes, Cherry flavored ones 21. Do you feel Christmas is too commercialized? Or Is it still magical for you? Far too commercial. It gets starts getting magical for me the week before

What is a Dora?

Sun, 02 Dec 2007 22:57:08 GMT

Today I am looking for Dora. Since I don't have a little girl anymore I will admit I am a little "out of the loop" of what is cool in a 4 year old's life. I've been invited to Little Blonde Trike Tike's birthday party.

Her father is a permanent resident here .

WoW...that sounds like we live in a nursing home..LOL

Art is my age, married 5 yrs to a woman who already had 4 girls. Then had a fifth. Living in a household with 6 little women couldn't have been easy. He has visitation with his blonde cute daughter 2 days a week and I imagine he pays child support. Sandy told me that he can't afford much and hinted that perhaps I could make a Birthday Cake for his daughter.

So that is what I am doing.

Little Blonde Trike Tike gave me specific orders as she wagged a finger at me, "a Pink Cake, a Pink Dora and NO Monkey!".

OK : / I've got my orders.

What is a Dora , and what's with the monkey?

Art just grinned & told me the monkey is Dora's friend and goes on her "adventures.

Mama Snowbird called a few minutes ago, while I was on the Wilton web sitefiguring out what to do about "Dora". We are going to go out for lunch tomorrow after my Activities Committee meeting. Then we'll go to Michael's to get some food coloring & yarn I need to make my Son-in -law an afghan. I am trying to decide if this is a good idea, since I will either have to ship it to Chicago or carry in luggage. I could make him a hand made Christmas stocking as I did for my kids (way bakc when). I know his mother does do handmade things.

Time to go make DoBs dinner, I guess. I could get out of doing it tonight, he has enough food in the refrigerator and he went out for lunch with his Church Buddies. I think I'll make enough for 2 dinners tonight. I'm sure I am going to be tired and my legs will hurt tomorrow after shopping.

Tags: dors, michael's, little blonde trike tike

If Norman Rockwell were a Redneck

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 06:07:00 GMT

Bud, baseball caps, cigs, clevage, and KFC. What a holiday!!

A Good Date

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 05:45:25 GMT

Tonight I had a date. Not just a date, but really A Good Date. I just hadn't found anyone that I have been interested in being around. I met this guy a year ago in here in the park (he's not old & not a Snowbird), but didn't think anything of it. We've been talking more and more and this afternoon he call to know if I like to do something.

We just went out for Beer and Buffalo wings then drove across the street to a neighborhood that Sandy had found with some houses with huge lighting displays. Yep, some of them required thier own power grids! No we didn't go parking! We actually a nice comfortable time. Talking, holding hands, and laughing. As Forrest Gump would say....And that all I've got to say about that.

Tags: 1st date

~Crazy Busy Week~

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 20:19:00 GMT

This past week has been crazy busy. Starting with last Monday....After a very long Activities Committe meeting I went to a doctors appt with Mama Snowbird. Sh ewas impatient and irritable as usual. After the appt she wanted to go to lunch in Tarpon Springs at nice little Mexican restaurant on the "Sponge Docks".

Tarpon Springs is a Greek community with has a long history of sponge diving and fishing. The "Sponge Docks" is not only a wharf, but there are small shops and restaurants. Most restaurants serve a Greek faire, others are pastry shops, seafood restaurants and a truly excellent Mexican restaurant.

The drive is only about 5 miles north from my home. Mama Snowbird was talking about how much she owes on each of her Credit cards and how much her credit is. Then she said that I wouldn't be responsible if any of the money if something should happen to her.

Back up!

Last year, while talking with my brother he let it slip that she had given her $10,000 after the sale of her house. A secret 20 years old now. After she sold the house my grandfather built, her plan was to travel in her motor home. I had paid her campground membership (plus utilities and other expenses) while I was college. She had planned to use the membership but after I moved out, she let her payments slide and now all the money I invested is lost. Last year I had asked her if she could bring some of the old family pictures for me to scrapbook and save to archive paper. She brought a little old brown suitcase full of tin types and generations of photos. While going thru the the things I found a copy of her life insurance. Shementioned last year she had a life insurance policy, enough to bury her with, a thousand dollars. To my surprise, the "copy" I found was for the amount of 10,000...the only name on the policy, my brother. I understand she lives with him 6 months out of the year. When she decided she wanted to come to Florida, I found a nice trailer for her, made arrangements with the RV Park, found good doctors to care for her, I organized all of her health care and I am the primary care giver the other 6 months, cleaned the trailer before she moved in, and arranged for storage when she leaves. I felt badly, but hadn't said anything. Maybe I was numb. So when she told me that I wouldn't have to pay anything on her credit cards when she dies.

I said, "Why would I !?! Steve's on your insurance policies, why would I even think of taking responsibility?" She was taken aback.

Then she said that Steve will share. I don't care if he shares or not. I just told her, "It isn't money. It's the thought. You have two children, you don't do that to a child. I would never do that to either of my children. Mothers just don't do that. It was a slap in the face when I found out about both these things." Then she said that she had to two life insurance policies and the second one wasn't for as much money, but was for a couple of thousand. HUH? She would have to have my Social Security number for that and I told her I knew she didn't have my number! She stopped talking at that point. I had caught her in a lie. I think I have closed my heart, I really have. Enough has happened and there is a whole lot of other stuff. Abuse and neglect, broken arms and legs stayed broken without medical attention when I was a kid. Attacks with irons and ketchup bottles...anger by my father. She denies it all happened. It was our life, it's our history. I've learned from it and moved on. But, I don't denied it happened, she does.

That was the drive up to the restaurant. Lunch was very good, a little tense. We didn't talk about those things anymore and I said what I needed to say. That is the way she is, nothing I can do about it. And I don't care to. So, I brush my hands of it.

I have started my Christmas shopping. Somethings for my daughter and her new hubby. A few small things for Marc. He has another car accident and just wants money to repair his Jeep. ::sigh:: I knew it. I knew when he hadn't called. I knew when mail arrived from his insurance company and motor viehicle, not much just a couple pieces, I knew he had had another accident. Mom's intuition never fails me. What I don't know he when he is going to realize that cars can be weapons.

Now the Good NeWs

A couple of weeks ago I had purchased a steel garden cart for trucking DoBs laundry, groceries and whatever else I have to truck around for him. When Sandy and I brought it home she said that Art would probably put it together for me. Art works at the exclusive Innisbrook Golf Resort in Palm Harbor that is on the PGA tour. So he is in charge of all the pools and has tools, air pressure machine for the tires, and just knows how to put things together. She also told me that I could offer to do the cake for Heathers Birthday. So that is what I did. Then it turns out the Art has liked me since we met a year ago.

You've heard about our "Good First Date". Our 2nd date, we went out for Chinese last night and he has asked me to accompany him and Heather for a car ride tonight to look at Christmas lights.

He has visitation with her from Monday evenings to Wednesday evenings. Art told me had planned on just being on his own after this past divorce and just take care of Heather. He learned that his children really have to get along with whom he's with. Apparently that was a big problem in his marriage. His kids didn't like her. Her kids didn't like him. He told me that Heather doesn't hug anyone but family members, but when she hugged me goodbye.... not once but twice one day, he said he thought about going out with me. Friday night his 18 yr old son was in the RV Park and I was talking with him and Art for a while. Apparently I have his seal of approval as well. He even told his father he should go out with me. So here we are. So there you have it. The guy I'm going out with.

~My 3 Month Anniversary ~

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 06:29:19 GMT

I don't know why I thought of this today and not at 1 month or 2 months, it's my 3 month anniversary in JLand. A man I once dated pointed out that I like things in 3's. As in....meat, vegetable, potatoe...he, she, it....father, son, holy ghost...red, yellow, blue...green, orange, purple...appetizer, main course, dessert : ) I have noticed in my photos that I always have people and still life arranged in odd numbers for balance and compositon. I find somehow I naturally "just do it".

Lets101 Quizzes - online fun quiz

Hehee..."The Tramp" : ) Ssshhhhh...don't tell Art!

~Where to Start~

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 08:18:03 GMT

Oh, where to start.....

Weather.....heavy rain, lightening, tornado warnings until 6 a.m. It's raining fairly hard with gusty winds, lightening, lots of thunder. Normally that is Florida in the summer.

Thank you Olga!

My Yahoo Weather alert is down. And I haven't been able to clear my mailbox for at least a week without the server going down.

Thank you Yahoo!

AOHell.....I haven't been able to enter an entry for a few days or read journals due to AOL's problems ::sigh:: It's always something with AOL.

Last July I was working for a man who does hurricane inspections. Just setting up appointments, filing, & computer work. He put me on his AOL account & gave me this S/N. Well, I haven't been happy with the S/N as people have a tendency to call me Tampon, Tampax, Tampoon and.....well, you get the idea. Saturday, I received another AOL Email saying the account is suspended. I've received warnings in the past and forwarded them on to him. This time I decided to open my own account. About time I guess, I don't want to leave JLand. I tried all sorts of things with my name. Initials, first name, last name, never the 2 together. AOL didn't like any....so I went back to my Disney ID, when I danced and simply have a S/N as DisneysDancer for right now. If I get booted off his account I've added this S/N as a writer for my journal.

Health.....

I've had a rough week health wise. Jazzy and I are both now on prednisone. Jazzy has Hot Spots, that didn't resolve even after I shaved all her pretty white Maltese hair.

I want to go to Chicago and not be complaining about the pain ans swelling of my legs Prednisone is so bad for the liver, kidneys, pancreas and the eyes. I had cateracts from past use. Didn't even know of that cateracts were a side effect until I went to the Doctor at age 45 and was told I have a bad one in the right eye. Eye Doc told me to stay out of the sun (YeH, right!!) Or....wear those wrap around sunglasses like the old Snowbird tourists...I don't think so.

I do wear the sunglasses with the 100% UV filters. and will get the Transitional Lens in January.

B/F?

Art and I see each other every day. I know we are the talk of the RV Park. People give us those all knowing little smiles. I'm sure there are a few people here who have us having lots and lots of sex. More sex than fornicating monkeys in trees : /

Shopping with a 4 Yr Old.....

Art drove me to Sweet Bay to grocery shop for DoBs. Heather went with. Tuesday, I realized I may be too old to hang with a 4 yr olds. Art kept her occupied by putting her in a shopping cart shaped like a car. I was checking things off my grocery list as Art zoomed by with Heather.

She'd yell out "Bethe, You know what? We saw Lobsters!!"

"Bethe, You know what? We got Pizza!!"

" Bethe, you know what? We got donuts!!"

"Bethe, you know what...?" Bethe, you know what.......??"

Later that night we took a ride to show Heather the Christmas lights in different neighborhoods. Heather wanted Jasmine to come, too. I opened the back door, Jasmine jumped in, and sat right down beside Heather so she only had to reach down to pet Jaz from her car seat.

Heather only complained of being bored during the dark parts of the "tour". That's when she'd sing.

"Deck the halls with rows of POLLY...Fa, lalaalala"

After about 20-25 times of listening to "Deck the Halls with Polly", I decided to start singing Jingle Bells and was able to add teach her a few verses before she went back to

"Deck the Halls with rows of POLLY"

The next day, Heather asked if Jasmine could play dress up. Hmmm? I dug out jasmine's clothes. "Clothes" consisting of doggy scarves, sun visors, a raincoat, Princess Jasmine sunglasses, a wizard hat, and a couple of funky little dresses I bought after I shave her hair off last month. Jasmine laid there, only once lifting her paw to remove the sunglasses placed haphazardly on her face. She occasionally gave me a dirty look as if I were to blame.

HeHee....I guess I was.

~Scams and Spam~

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:19:53 GMT

Hi Peeps!

Saturday I received a notice that my AOL account was on suspension du to lack of payment. Now my S/N is on Earl's (the Hurricane inspector I did work for) account & I do receive pop-ups from AOL when a payment cannot be processed. This was different.....it was an Email. Russ of Inner and Outer Demons provided an AOL addy to report abuse an I forwarded that problem to them (TOSreports@aol.com ). I haven't received any return comment from AOL as of yet. But that doesn't surprise me as Alerts, mail, and Journals have been down all morning.

Sunday I received an official looking email from "My Bank" saying that due to recent activity on my account, my account is suspended until I update the "account information on the link provided". WTF!?! I then went to my Bank's secured site to check my balances, but did not see anything indicating a problem. I really haven't done all that much power buying, yet (I'm waiting to get to the Windy City). So, I called the Bank this morning & was told by Customer Care to forward the Email I received to Abuse@BankofAmerica. Ok, I have BOA. Normally I would not give out the info, but the Trolls have it anyway...WTF!

Just wanted you all to know that this is hitting close to home. I am very careful, I do not open forwards, advertisements, or promotions. Sometimes I receive forwards from people in JLand. I delete everything except from the Deb & Steph's Designs group. I have one Yahoo email addy that will get over 7, 000 emails a month from Nigeria, Zimbabwa, England, China with all sorts of scams. That Yahoo account seems to catch teh majority of Spam & Scams.

Sorry Peeps who are being helpful and send forwards with warnings about hackers or religious thingys. I appreciate the thought, but please remove me from your Address list, I simply don't open the forwards. I am only protecting myself.

"The Ring Master Graphic" is a snag from

Cab's Creations & Chatter . Thank you Chris!

Just like Monkeys : )

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:03:02 GMT

Guess what Art and I did last night : ) Yep, we went dancing! !