YOU CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN

What does the expression, “You can’t go home again” mean? We moved so often when I was growing up and I craved returning to each previous home for a visit. Those visits only left me recognizing I had become a stranger. Friends had either filled in or smoothed over the space I left behind.

Other blog posts about friends today:
Stella by Starlight
Past Imperfect

(Exercise continues. I am up to 40 minutes on exercise bike and 9 pound loss reported at this sixth week.)

HIDDEN CAMERA VIDEO

Here is a Spring break tale. Our granddaughter Hope (the brunette) and our neighbor's granddaughter Trinity (the blond) did not know I was videoing them from the kitchen door with my camera on zoom. I swear no children were harmed in the making of this video and the hole is not as deep as it appears. Seems like the girls had carved out a nice slide in Rooster Hill.

THE SURVIVORS WILL BE??????

Goliath

LIL' BEAR

New people are coming your way, and you might find that someone changes your mind about something big. Expect to go through a bit of confusion though! Work through it and you'll be fine soon. Gemini Horoscope for March 13, 2010

In case you wonder why I posted my horoscope for today it could have to do with five grandchildren being here for their Spring break. I shall be absent from blogger for at least this next week -- maybe longer depending on how much recovery I'll need.

If you missed my last post it has lots of reading linked to it. I celebrated my fifth blog anniversary and listed titles of some of my favorite posts. You can click on those titles if you happen to need a Granny Annie fix. LOL

Also just to update you on my fourth week of exercise, I am up to 35 minutes on the bike, still stretching, still feeling lots better. I have plateaued at the 7 pound loss but I know more will follow if I continue my efforts. Holding myself accountable to all of you, my blogger friends, keeps me motivated.

LET'S SHARE A FIFTH

Today marks my Fifth BlogAversary. March 9, 2005 FOOLS RUSH IN by Granny Annie was born. My initial idea was reporting on children and grandchildren then it almost became a Chicken Annie blog as I updated on my fowl friends. Now it is simply a montage of potpourri.

My God daughter Jessi introduced me to blogging and she ran circles around me in the beginning for the number of posts. Both of us inspired other family members to start blogs but alas I am the only one remaining who posts on a regular basis.

Today I celebrate my 1655th post. I cannot celebrate the exact number of visitors to my blog because I lost the original counter in November and had to start fresh. However just in the past four months I have been visited over 5,000 times.

My blog is full of children and grandchildren stories, pictures, events and awards they have won. There is a bit of our time in Kansas as well as events surrounding our move to Oklahoma. Many of Ron’s ship reunions we have attended are documented here. Some of my artwork is displayed.

Here are a few of my favorite essays posted over the last five years. (Click on each post title to read.)

WHAT IS YOUR MAKEUP COMFORT LEVEL

APOLOGY REJECTED

IN SEARCH OF CLEAVAGE

SHADOWS OF MY MIND

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE (Pictures and stories about this were published in Countryside Magazine)

BUTTERMILK MORE THAN THE NAME OF A HORSE

IS FIFTY THE SEASON FINALE

EXPRESSING THOUGHTS FOR NO REASON

CHANGED FOREVER

PERFECTION IN PEELING FARM FRESH EGGS

ABOUT THIS DREAM

THE YOUNGEST GODFATHER

TODAY AND YESTERDAY

THERE GOES JESUS

DEAD CHICKEN EPITAPH

“You do not even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while then vanishes.” -James 4:14 NRSV

SEE UPDATES WITH PICTURE AND YOUTUBE LINK OF MY GIRLS AT THE OSCARS BY GOING BACK TO AWAITING THE REST OF THE STORY

AWAITING THE REST OF THE STORY

CHELLE ON THE RED CARPET. SHE IS IN THE BACK AND HAS A SMALL STAR OVER HER HEAD.

HERE IS YOUTUBE LINK TO JESSI AND CHELLE ENTERING THE RED CARPET AT 1:05.

The girls sent me periodic texts from the 82ND Academy Awards last night. They walked in with Cameron Diaz and George Clooney. Jessi spoke to Clooney and he returned a comment. Later they made close contact with Quentin Tarantino and then made actual eye contact with Woody Harrelson. Now it is simply a matter of finding photographs of Chelle and Jessi lurking behind celebrities and hearing stories about the after party they attended, etc. What I learn I will share with you.

This glamorous Hollywood life is second nature to Jessi as she encounters celebrities often. The Academy Award show is just another day for her. Chelle returns to boring Oklahoma today but I have a feeling she will embrace the real stars in her life, her children and spouse. I know that Jessi and Chelle will forever treasure this adventure.

THE GUINEA FOWL TAKE THE FIELD

All we have to do to gather the guinea fowl in the evening is start a game of ball with Slim. You can tell I'm already out of breath when the birds decide to join us. They begin to take the field and Slim hates to share our game. The pearl grey guinea almost gets the ball in the last frame.

INTRODUCING E.B.

No E.B. doesn't stand for Easter Bunny. E.B. stands for Exercise Buddy. Rachel of Sliding Through Life decided I needed all the encouragement I could get for this exercise program so she sent me this active yellow duck to keep me motivated. What a surprise when I opened the big box to this uplifting, joyful critter. Rachel has once again proven Bloggers are the best.

This is my three week exercise anniversary and I'm still on the right path toward fitness. As an added bonus to feeling good, I have lost 7 pounds.

Now my eyes are on the upcoming Oscars. I will have two of my girls on the red carpet this year. My God daughter, Jessi, who works for the Academy and my daughter Chelle who will be Jessi's guest this year. I'm hoping to get some photos as good as the previous years. Chelle flies out to LA tomorrow.



Better scheduling of my computer and blog time to work in my fitness program has also allowed me to finish reading QUICKIE by James Patterson, LONG LOST by Harlen Coben and I've started reading THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett. I also finished listening to audio book THE WOODS by Harlen Coben and I am managing to keep my blog reading and commenting up between my own weekly post.

IN SEARCH OF SPRING

A PROMISE OF NEW LIFE IN THE PECAN TREE.

A SINGLE DANDELION.

Don't miss my last post titled: WHAT IS YOUR MAKEUP COMFORT LEVEL?

WHAT IS YOUR MAKEUP COMFORT LEVEL?

Tammy Faye Baker closeup

Not only have I been exercising every day (two weeks today!) I have also been paying closer attention to my appearance. My husband and the dog, chickens, cats, should not have to always see me at my worst. But most of all I shouldn’t have to look in the mirror and see myself at my worst. Therefore it is makeup time again.

Putting on makeup was a daily routine when I worked in the bank. I celebrated not having to do that anymore when I left banking. Plus Ron told me he didn’t like all that makeup (even though he fell in love with me when I was wearing makeup) and so, unless we are going somewhere besides Wal-Mart, I don’t bother.

The problem now is how much makeup is acceptable these days? I am 63 and have always gone the full gambit. I know there are rules about makeup in the daylight and makeup in the evening but I usually do whatever it takes to cover my flaws, which takes a LOT!

Question 1: What is your gender?

Question 2: What is your age?

Question 3: On a scale of 1 – 10 (with 1 being Ellen and 10 being Tammy Faye Baker) what is your makeup level.

Question 4: Do you wear makeup every day?

Question 5: If you’re a guy, do you like your spouse/girlfriend's appearance best with makeup or without? If you're a gal, what would your significant other say?

NO PRIZE FOR FIRST PLACE

2010 has seen a “first” for the year on NOL-NOC Estates. When you call it a “first” then you know there shall be more to follow and I’m not talking about a pleasant race to win. We lost our first bird of this New Year yesterday.

A strange pack of dogs have been in the neighborhood but they do not appear to have “done the deed”. Our fine young guinea fowl was likely a victim of vehicular homicide. We have a “Chicken Crossing” sign out but we cannot fault the driver. Our birds have an entire ten acres to enjoy but seem to need some shiny morsel in the middle of the inviting black-top road.

And so it begins:(

ASK THE OTHER PARENT

Slim, our very intelligent BMC (Black Mouth Cur) knows when the table scraps are going out for the chickens. Slim cannot go outside at that time and she makes no effort to get me to let her out, but she will go to Ron when she thinks I’m not aware and let him know she needs out. I have informed him that the chicken’s scraps are out and not to let Slim out.

Yesterday Ron had been out for a drive. I was preparing the bucket for the chickens and Slim was staying away, knowing this was not for her. Ron came inside and went into the bathroom. I yelled at him, “Come talk to me when you’re out of there.”

“Okay, I will.”

Next I heard him in the den so I walked down there and said, “You were supposed to come talk to me”

He said, “I was going to but Slim met me outside the bathroom door and led me down here because she wanted out. I thought maybe you were outside and she wanted to be with you. What did you need?”

“I needed to tell you NOT to let Slim out.”

Would you say the dog worked us right on this one?

Yesterday was the one week anniversary of my fitness program. It has been going great thanks to your encouragement. However flu-like symptoms hit me last night and all through today so I missed my exercise. I SHALL get right back to it as soon as I am well!

FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME

Out of the snow I rise, past the computer I walk, onto the launch pad I climb. It is fitness time again and I MUST make some changes in my lifestyle. Exercise is the key element missing from my daily routine. Today I vow to get busy once again and so I shall be taking a sabbatical from my blog in hopes that I can report at a later date that things are under control. Don't wish me "luck" but please do wish me "willpower".

AND THE QUESTIONS ARE?????

I worry more about sneezes than heartbeats. I heard once that brain cells die every time we sneeze.

I started writing poetry at age ten and ran out at age 52.

When children outnumber the care givers they need to thrive then there are too many for love to reach.

Gather all the sunsets you can.

Society needs to stop making rules when they replace common sense.

My spouse can trigger that kind of laughter in me very often. It is the blessing of our marriage.

They say jokes are all variations of 720 of the same. I think love songs are all variations of one.

It is a sad fact of nature that good news does not hold our attention the way bad or gory facts call to us.

I have grown far too old when I cannot supervise my own care.

I am like Goldilocks at the last bowl, the last chair, the last bed that are all just right. (I try not to think about the bears coming home.)

Tabor of One Day At A Time has the questions that I have answered above. See what YOU would say in response to her inquiry.

My god daughter Jessi gave me this link to a live streaming video of puppies. Who can ever get enough puppy watching?

Happy, happy Tuesday. Ron and I celebrate the 578th Tuesday since we met.

DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE

We are seeing SNOW again! (Most of the previous snow has melted and I don't believe temps will get cold enough for this to stick.) Besides that old worn out story of woe, here are some other things I see on blogs that you might enjoy.

It was an honor a while back to be invited by Monica to post on her blog STRINGS. I failed to make other than a minimal contribution but she has turned it into a delightful place to stop for thoughts on acts of kindness and feeling good. It is a quick and delightful read and you can catch up in no time. She also is the author of Changes In The Wind.

Nancy doesn't have her own blog, but she writes occasionally for THE ELDER STORY TELLING PLACE and today she has a great story that I find in keeping with my recent blog on siblings.

MARILYN'S MONEY is having a nice give-away of a book called WEALTH WATCHERS and you only have to leave her a comment plus add yourself as her follower and then if you mention her post on your blog you will get three more entries. I have followed her for quite a while and she gives many money saving tips, coupons, free products and discounts.

If you are all a follower of 24 you won't want to miss the video Adam of THE JACK SACK made about how Hitler would review Season 8 so far. It is hysterical.

If you are up to an unbelievable number of questions, go to ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE and see if you can attempt to answer. Wine is recommended before beginning.

If you are a follower of BONNIE'S BLOG you will know how exciting it is to welcome Rossi Jean, Bonnie's new grandaughter.

Do you ever search a blogger's sidebar? Judy of IMAGINE has the most interesting link ANSWER TIPS that we all will want to add to our blogs. I would have missed this if Tabor had not pointed it out.

And, in keeping with the mention of sidebar links, do you have one or more on your blog you would like to share with the rest of us? I try to look at each blogger's sidebar information but I don't do a very good job of it. Tell us what you think we might enjoy.

I SAID I NEVER WOULD BUT I DID

These are the hijackers of United flight 93 on September 11, 2001.(I have removed the pictures because they are too horrible look at each time I open my blog.) I vowed never to watch any of the movies or dramatizations of 9/11 but yesterday I broke that vow and watched the movie UNITED 93. I don't remember who told me to watch it saying it would not be what I expected but they were right and now I'm glad.

It was my expectation that the movie would get us all deeply, emotionally attached to the characters on the plane. We knew they were going to die and therefore the melodrama would be more than I could take. Actually the movie was about the air traffic controllers and the military scramble and other events swirling around all the confusion and flight activity of that day.

We know a lot about the heroic passengers on the flight because many of them were relaying events as they occurred to their airlines, their friends and their family members by phone. There is no doubt that these passengers caused the hijackers to fail in their mission and by their own sacrifice averted an even greater tragedy that day.

Everyone should watch this movie at least once. It keeps us mindful of the events of that day "lest we forget". Everyone should also go to google images and search the pictures of all the 9/11 hijackers as well at the picture of the shoe bomber and the panty bomber and ask again why we are searching old women and children at the airports.

SHOCK AND AWE

Ron, Slim and I were standing looking out the front window the other morning and a scene much like the picture above (from google images) unfolded before our eyes. The only difference was the coyote we saw parading itself before us was strolling right down the middle of the main road in front of our house. It was walking as if it owned the place and was enjoying the cleared pavement as opposed to the snow that was everywhere else. This arrogant wild creature seemed to know that Ron did not have his gun, I did not have my camera and we were not going to be able to get the frozen front door open to send Slim. By the time Slim got outside she was following a phantom trail down toward the lake. At least the chickens and guinea fowl were safe and sound in the hen house.

(Hum, I wonder were the term "safe and sound" comes from?)

DO YOU HULU?

There are thousands of new and old television programs and movies on Hulu. Most of the time I share information here and learn that I was the last to know. Forgive me if you are all way ahead of me on this but I must post it in the event you haven't found Hulu yet.

If you miss a show and fail to record it (of you don't have DVR) or if you hear of a new show and want to preview it, simply go to hulu.com and enter the name of the show and 9 times out of 10 you will find the episode you want and be able to play it free right there.

My son had heard of Hulu but never went there because he thought they charged you for membership. That might be something they plan for later, but right now they do not. I guess they pay for this service with the 30 second commercials in the episode and that barely detracts from watching.

MDS (My Dear Spouse) controls our remote on the satellite television so Hulu allows me to simply open my lap top and watch the most recent episode of THE GOOD WIFE (because I don't get CBS at all on my digital antenna TV) or see TWO AND A HALF MEN that we missed last night watching 24.

As you hear me tell of my television shows, my Netflix movies, my Hulu programs, my audio books (and my chickens of course) you may wonder how I have time for housework. All I can say is, "What's that?"

(Yes I do manage the care and feeding of MDS but only when he can tear himself away from the History Channel)

DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

My sister, me, my brother.

Called to my daughter’s parent teacher conference in her elementary school , the teacher took out my son’s folder and began to compare her work to his. “Put that away” I told her, “We’re here to talk about my daughter”.

My sister was a bit of a rebel in college. My first year at OCU, I was called to the Dean’s office for a conference. As soon as I sat down the Dean pulled out my folder and inside the front cover in big black letters it read “Elenore’s sister!”

Forget it when my sister and I were compared to our brother. Let me just say that we have always called him Saint Jim and neither of us can hold a candle to his reputation.

My siblings and I seem connected at times by ESP. Other times I have to wonder if we were all three raised by the same parents. Setting all differences aside, we share compassion and love and that is what matters.

We also each share having married the perfect mate because none of the three of us would be worth a hoot without our practical, loving spouses who anchor us and keep us humble. Ron defines me best by saying I was running amok until he found me.

I have heard that we are more influenced in our growing up by our siblings than by our parents. Also our sibling placement plays a large role in how we turn out. Were you only, oldest, middle or youngest? Did your siblings affect you in a positive or negative way? If you were an only child, who inspired you?

HERE WE GO AGAIN

MORE SNOW? YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!

WHAT SLIM IS SEEING OUT THE WINDOW THIS MORNING.

The first event arrived last night. It was the "ice event". The second event is here now. It is the "snow event". The bad news -- my Oklahoma City family members are hard hit once more. The good news -- our area is not going to get it as badly as originally forecast. It is now all up to Punxsutawney Phil on Tuesday to let us know how much longer this winter is going to last. I'll use this boring weather post to update you on the movies I have seen through all these home bound conditions.

The following are the movies I gave four or five stars:

INTO TEMPTATION (Jeremy Sisto)
MERRY GENTLEMEN (Michael Keeton)
500 DAYS OF SUMMER (Joseph Gordon-Levitt)
NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH (Kate Beckinsale)
SUNSHINE CLEANING (Amy Adams)
THE WAY OF THE GUN (Benicio Del Torro)
JULIE & JULIA (Meryl Streep)

I gave these three stars but debated between that and four stars:

SUGAR (Algenis Perez Soto)
THE INFORMERS (Billy Bob Thornton) Giant "R" rating so go there with caution.

What movies have you seen lately that you would recommend?

Oh and let me tell you this. I have had HURT LOCKER on my Netflix list since in first became available four weeks ago. It has a "long wait" and I can't get it. I mentioned it to my sister and she added it to her list and she got it the next day! Again, the story of my life.

DON'T LET THE BED BUGS BITE

I did not manage to catch David the cat and the big fat hen together so I captured these shots of our birds at bedtime. Some will roost on the poles and others in the rafters. It is dangerous to go inside and count them every evening for fear of droppings from the ones in the rafters. That is where the guinea fowl love to roost so it doesn't conflict with the chickens. However you can probably guess that Jack Bauer requires the highest level so he's found an ideal spot were he can keep and eye on everyone.

Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite .....or the droppings light.