Thursday, December 31, 2009

YIKES! Where's the will power???!!

I've always known that around sugar I'm a weak person. I can resist almost anything else but something sweet gets me every time. This time it was Braum's. And I didn't have 10% less!! My husband might have because after I finished mine I started on HIS. Oh, well, it didn't cause me too much grief, I'll just do better today. And tomorrow. I know that I'm going to slip up but it won't cause me to throw in the towel.

I LOVE snow, I think it's one of the most beautiful things on earth. I love to watch it fall, I love to see it on the ground, I just love it. My daughter Lucy has the gift of being able to "smell snow", she can actually smell the air and tell if it's going to snow. She is always correct in this too. It's an amazing gift I think. She loves snow too, she's like a snowbunny--she's always out in it playing. She has a great gift for playing too. Not everyone has that gift. I think I have it, I love to play--and will drop everything I NEED to do to go play. That is the best gift of all--the ability to play and enjoy life. True, my house is a mess, but my husband likes to play too so we're ok with it.

And the last thing I want to say is...HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Resolutions!!

I am not one for New Year's Resolutions as a rule, and this one is not one of those either, but I guess, a New Lifestyle Resolution. As is very common for many people, I have gained weight and need to remove it. So I'm going to blog about that for a while and see if it helps me. Since I found out that I have Celiac I have gained weight. Don't know if it's from "comfort eating" or because food "replacements" made without gluten have more fat and sugar in them to make them taste good, or a combination. I'm NOT going to weigh myself--I'm going to take it from what I weighed the last time I went to the dr. and see if I can go from there. Hopefully my clothes will get looser. I'm going to take Dr. Joe Murray's advice--he's the director of the gastroenterology department at the Mayo Clinic and evidently the top guy on Celiac in the world. His advice is what he calls 10-10-10--eat 10% less, no eating after 10 at night, and walk 10,000 steps a day. I can do the 10% pretty easily, and I don't eat late at night as a rule, it's the 10,000 steps a day that's going to be tough one. I plan on getting a pedometer, and then watch out AMOS!!! He's going to have to join me in SOME of those 10,000!!! He could use a little reduction himself although he's not chubby. I know that I will feel so much better both from exercise and weight loss. Wish there were an indoor pool here in Glenpool, I hate to drive to Tulsa to swim, but that may happen. Or I may wait till summer and use the community center pool. We'll see. Wish me luck!!!!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

The kindness of relative strangers!!

I mentioned to a very nice young lady a couple of weeks ago that I was gluten-intolerant--she's a sales rep for a natural foods distributor. She brought me some WONDERFUL gluten-free items--made by Shabtai-Gourmet--and they are FABULOUS!!! You cannot tell that they have no wheat or gluten in them. I am going to work hard to get them distributed in Oklahoma--principally at Akin's. They are THAT good that it is worthwhile trying to get them locally. So...hence the title Kindness of Relative Strangers. It is also inspiring me to come up with some more random acts of kindness--I LOVE those!!! It is pretty easy to do kind things for those you love and know...and also easy to not do them for those you love and know. So I'm going to make an effort to be kinder to my family and friends as well as people I don't know. And I'm going to try to blog every day!!! That's going to be my random act of kindness to myself.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Where does the time go???

Oh, MAN!! It's been TWO months since I've blogged. Well, some things have been going on and I just feel like doing it. We went to Rochester Minnesota to the Mayo Clinic to get Lucy checked out. She's had "stuff" going on all her life. She still has a little going on but all in all, she's in pretty good shape IF IF IF she takes care of herself--but then, that's true most likely of all of us. I've just been diagnosed with Celiac Disease--which means I can nothing made from wheat, rye or barley, no beer, no rye whiskey, no donuts, no bread, no onion rings etc. LOTS of stuff has gluten in it, which is the thing in wheat/rye/barley that my body has an autoimmune reaction to. But i haven't found it too awful so far. I FEEL sooooo much better!!! I'm no longer immensely tired, my stomach no longer aches, I no longer have to know where every bathroom in the country is (unless that is, I eat...GLUTEN!!!). Lucy is most likely gluten-sensitive--she does not have celiac NOW but does carry the genes for it.

After getting back from the cool weather in Minnesota to the hot hot hot summer heat/humidity of Oklahoma we had to get her ready to move to Stillwater to go to college. That has been AWFUL. It's time for her to get out and have a place of her own, but it's hard to let 'er go!! I'll miss her, I've had kiddoes for 35 years so this is something way new for me. She's been snarling at me, I've been snarling at her, her dad has just stayed away from it all but it's been AWFUL. I'm sure we have all kinds of emotions going on, she's ready to get out there, I'm ready to get her out there, but I'm also going to miss her a lot!! It seems like just YESTERDAY that she was running around in a diaper with my nightgown draped over her like a little princess. I keep telling myself that just a few generations ago a "girl" ("woman"???) her age would have been married for several years and most likely would have kids of her own. BIZARRO!!! I cannot imagine that for her. And she told me that when she got out of college she's going to move to San Francisco!!! My gawd--that's a LONG way off!!! That made me even sadder. OH, well, time flies and then you grow up, and your kids grow up. It's not sad... not really...I keep telling myself that...it's natural, but I'm still sad. Where is my baby??? She was just here a few minutes ago...or was that really a few years??? Wow. Anyway, I love ya baby, I love all my babies.... and their babies. Time...where does it go?

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Fergie--the Duchess of York

I've just finished reading a great book by the Duchess of York. It's called What I know Now and really really spoke to me. Each chapter is short--mostly about 3 pages but each is filled with lots of wisdom and caring. She has learned a lot in her life--she's made many mistakes but has benefitted from them--she took her mistakes and made them into a learning experience, she didn't blame others for her errors, somehow she realized that mistakes are human and that it is important to learn from them so you don't keep making them over and over. She looks within herself, changes that which needs to be changed and has evolved into a very caring woman of depth.

I would love to have an opportunity to meet her and get to know her, but of course, that is not going to happen. But her books can give me a glimpse, and I do plan to read her other ones too.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

VIVA LA CHANGE!!!

I've found letting go of some things to be hard, but it's sooooooo nice to have some clearing going on too. I've been watching "Clean House" and I've learned some tips from them although I do find that they MAKE people get rid of some things that it would be "ok" to keep--such as pieces of NICER furniture. My house is nowhere near the houses they show on Clean House so I'm luckier there!!

Letting go is sometimes about more than letting go of things, it's also about letting go of some memories and some people. That's the really hard thing. There are some people I've needed to back away from for my own peace of mind and health. Not all things and people are good for you, just like anything that is edible is not always good for you. And of course, you don't have to give them up for good, just back away for a while and re-evaluate and then taste/see them in small but good quality ways. I let go of my "career" when I retired--and let go of a lot of people there, but I do see SOME of them occasionally. I've found a new wonderful career for myself now, that I love and cherish. So change IS good!! VIVA LA CHANGE!!!!!

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Yikes, yikes and YIKES!!!!

Wow, I can't believe it's been a month since I've blogged!! And I FORGOT how to log in also!! I had to really work at it to get logged on. Well, several things have been going on, I've been trying to declutter my house and get it clean--and I ALWAYS seem to fall short on that. I have no organization skills and I have too much stuff!! But I'm letting a lot of it go.

Also my daughter and I are going to the Mayo Clinic next month--we're excited about that. She's had some health "issues" all of her life and we've been trying to get to the bottom of them, and I think we'll get there now. It's been a powerful struggle to get to this point. We're going to try to make it a fun trip too, have some side trips planned--the Mall of America for starters. Then I'd like to go to Mankato to see the Betsy-Tacy houses. If you've not read the Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace, you need to. They are great. I was also born in Minnesota so would like to make a "pilgrimage" to my birthplace. (should take a bronze marker and put it on the spot too!!!).

I'm also mulling over a "mission" in my mind. I need one. And i have a couple in mind. It might keep me out of the casino!! NOT!!!

Well, Have fun!!!

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Feng Shui and CLUTTER

I took a training course in Feng Shui from my cousin a year or so ago. She's a Master Feng Shui trainer. It was very interesting, although I haven't done too much with it. But I think it's time now to Feng Shui some areas of my house--the front porch in particular. It's very cluttered and messy right now so even if I didn't USE FS on it just cleaning it and clearing it would be beneficial. And I want to move my plants out and repot some of them. My blooming jasmine gave me the urge. It's time to trim it and try to propagate it, and repot it. And since it's spring it's time for that ole major spring cleaning!!! I'm not very good at that but I REALLY need to do it.

Now for the second topic--Clutter!! I've been wondering what makes people collect things?? I do collect some things--dolls, books--although I've been weeding those out, anything to do with Paris or France. My husband collects pottery. Is it the love of the game of searching pieces out?? I know that sometimes after I've acquired something I've REALLY wanted that I lose interest in it. So...is it REALLY the search for something that we love??I don't like taking care of something after I've gotten it, I don't like to dust it, and I'm afraid that something will happen to it, and I don't like "all that stuff cluttering up my house". Is it that we THINK we NEED to have stuff?? In thinking about my parents' house, for the most part they didn't have clutter OUT where you could see it, but after they died I realized they were "closet clutterers"! They had all kinds of stuff crammed in their closets/basement/attic. Of course, they grew up during leaner times--the depression and WWII, so they saved everything--it might come in handy, we might need it, it's too good to throw out--but they didn't collect anything. They didn't "redecorate" like people do now. They painted and then put their old pictures right back on the wall. This might be one reason why they both left their kids a pretty hefty inheritance!! They didn't spend it on "Home Decor" and redecorate every year with imported stuff from Pier One, Hobby Lobby, Walmart, Target or wherever. In fact they avoided those stores like the plague--except for "necessities" from Walmart and Target--and necessities didn't include home decor!! Oh, well, it's time to get after MY clutter and see if I can send it packing!! I'm ready to Feng Shui the krappe out of here!!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Jasmine blowing through my mind

Well, Dear Blog, it's been a while since I've written. But today I had the sweetest thing happen. I was dusting in my living room and kept smelling something sweet, and that was unusual in itself!! I finally looked at my poor jasmine plant that was wintering over in the dining room and it had a BLOOM on it!! And ONE bloom filled two rooms with a wonderful light delicate scent. I've sadly neglected it the last month or so and it still rewarded me. I'm hoping it is not it's swan song!! I can't wait to get it back outside and repot it and give it some tender loving care, but not TOO much!! It seems to thrive on my neglect. For the most part anyway. Jasmine is such a wonderful scent and is very calming. My friend MG found the most wonderful Jasmine perfume when we were in France at the L'occitane store, fortunately there are some L'occitane stores in the US, or maybe it's not so lucky, we MIGHT have had to go back to France for more!! OOLALA!! I could be packed and ready in 30 minutes!!

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Irish and Okie From Muskogee

I just have to ask, what is it with the Irish and the song Okie From Muskogee??!!! My husband and I went to Ireland about a year and a half ago. The first night we stayed at a really neat little old hotel with a courtyard bar and there was an Irish band. The first song they sang was Okie From Muskogee!! I could not believe it! I just wanted to hang out the window and yell "Hey, this Okie from Muskogee wants to hear IRISH MUSIC!!!". I did live in Muskogee a couple of times a couple of lifetimes ago. Then last night on the tv show Ballykissangel, there it was again!! Okie From Muskogee!!! Is it just that this song seems to be the "perfect country/western song" or what?? Maybe I'll find out someday.

It's been quite a while since I've posted. We went to Eureka Springs and set up at an antique show there and did quite well. The weather was ok, rainy on Saturday but that may have been to our advantage as it was too wet to work in the yard so people may have come to the show instead. We did sell more than we ever have before which was very good esp considering "the economy". Took our daughter and a friend of hers, and then my oldest son and his wife came down and spent the night. We ate at Gaskin's Cabin which is a fabulous place to eat. The original cabin was built by...Gaskin in about 1849--he was a trapper and bear hunter. Now it is a great place to eat--steak, prime rib, fish, and shrimp cocktail. The night before we ate at Rogue's Manor which is also a fab place to eat. We HAVE to eat at both of those places every time we go to ES and I highly recommend them. They both have vegetarian offerings that are outstanding just in case you don't eat meat. I usually have the Mediterranean Pasta which is vegetarian at Rogue's Manor, and it is outstanding! And then prime rib at Gaskin's which is fork tender and to die for.

And I had to visit Little Bo Peep's yarnshop, I always spend a small fortune there. It's a tiny shop but Michelle has a wonderful selection of yarn. She also has some antiques. And she hosts the Knitwits knitting group, I keep hoping to make it down there on a Tuesday for a meeting.

It's never a dull time in Eureka!! We go at least 3 times a year and there's always something fun and relaxing to do. Well, I'm going to go look at the snow falling!! Roz

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Requirement # 11 GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

http://www.librarything.com/catalog/rmthomps

Ok, here's the link to my LibraryThing catalog. My head is SPINNING!!!!! TOO MUCH TOO MUCH TOO MUCH!!!!! We're SOOOOOO near and yet so FAR from being finished with this next part. And I'm still WHINING about it. Thank HEAVENS for Land of Fluff's Amy!!!! Now on to 12-15.
Plus, I think Joan of Arc standing here is appropiate too!!!
AHHHHhhhhh, yes, my brain is all full of blogging and RSSing and this is what it looks like. But I've FINALLY got the image generator down, I THINK. YIKES!!!! BEAM ME BACK TO THE 60's, SCOTTIE!!!!

RSS Feeds

Well, This one I'm not too fond of at this point. For one thing, the video was GONE--and all I had was the audio part and I'm more a visual person so...that was hard for me. And I'm not sure that I will use this part of the techno-stuff very much. I'm also not sure that I want that much stuff coming at me. So I'm a bit of a whiner about this part. I'm coming into the 20th century rather slowly, I STILL have a ROTARY PHONE, and I sorely miss the card catalog, and dates actually STAMPED in the front of my library books. I used to love flipping through the card catalog and find a book that I would never have found otherwise. But I AM enjoying the "23 things" as a whole.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Technology, I hardly know ye!!

Well, as far as technology is concerned I've come a far ways--for me anyway. I've learned to blog, and it's FUN!! I've learned how to post pictures even though they don't always go where I WANT them to go. I've recently bought my third digital camera--although since I have an 18 year old daughter I didn't get to use the first two before she broke them. I'm afraid I've forbidden her to touch this one. What a mean mom!! Hmmm...that might be a good birthday present for her.

I'm listening to my first book on CD--never even listened to any on cassette. I'm not sure I really like listening to books--my mind tends to wander and I have to really force myself to focus but I do like the freedom to do something else while I'm listening.

I'm probably the only person left to have a ROTARY PHONE, yes, one with a DIAL. My daughter's friends do not know how to use it!! It was really kind of a hoot to watch their faces when they asked to use the phone but now since everyone has a cell phone (me too!!) they don't use ours anymore. I will have a rotary phone until I absolutely HAVE to get a touch-tone one, it has such a great ring.

All in all, except for the phone thing, I've enjoyed technology!!! Roz

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Hmmm....I can see that I'm NOT very good at the picture lay-out thing, in fact, I have no clue how to place them where I want them. BUT they are there. I hope you enjoy them. We saw soooo many things in our two weeks in France. We didn't have a guide in Paris and I think we enjoyed that. I know we missed a lot of things, but how could you not in only 1 week?? We DID see a lot of things however that we wouldn't have IF we had been on a tour. We got pretty good at finding our way on the Metro--after the first try where we sorta did a Laurel and Hardy routine of getting on the Metro and then discovering we were going the wrong way and then getting off and TRYING to figure out which way we really wanted to go--this included running up and down the platform and UP and DOWN steep stairs SEVERAL times and trying to figure out the schedule. FINALLY we realized that we needed to go towards the END result--which is what people had TOLD us but we didn't quite get at first. When we did get really good at it--it was time to go home. OH, well. BUT first we went to the south of France and met up with a group of knitters--well, mostly knitters. This was a great group to join. Generally very flexible. We knitted 3 mornings with a pretty well-known designer from England, Louisa Harding, who was designing for her latest book. That was really interesting to watch. Then in the afternoons we toured the south of France--we sorta had a schedule but if we wanted to do something else, we did. We heard about a woollen mill up in the hills one day so we took off for there, it was quite interesting, we bought yarn by the pound from a little man who really did speak no English, but was quite helpful anyway. Then after that, we went to the Mediterranean Sea--close to where we were staying. Oh, my first glimpse of the MED!! LOVED IT!! It was Sept so it was a little chilly but I still got in up to my knees or so. We had Flat Stanley with us--that will be another post but I will just say, water and wind is a dangerous thing for Flat Stanley!! But he did ok. Our guides and hosts for the south of France were Phil and Kristeen and their son Deva--Kristeen is also a knitting designer and has a new book out--French Girl Knits--and the name of this part of our trip was the French Girl Knits Tour. There is a picture SOMEWHERE on my blog of Phil and Deva. I have to say also, that Deva and Phil coped quite well with all of us 40ish-50ish women and toted us wherever we wanted to go. THANKS SO MUCH!! This was really where being with a group was great, we saw things here that we wouldn't have if we had been by ourselves. I STILL have great dreams of France. I hope that I can someday go on another French Girl Knits Tour. Well, enough for now of France, VIVA LA FRANCE!!! Oh, I do have to say, the French people were very nice to us--even in Paris where the pace is faster. Roz

Friday, February 27, 2009

Ahh, the pictures are at the BOTTOM of the page, at least a couple of them are. So scroll on down, WAY down. Roz
Well, I've been thinking of France and my trip there last Sept. I just found out that Frenchgirlknits is not going to do the south of France knitting retreat this year--because of the economy--ICK!! I hate that--both that they are not going to be able to do it this year and "because of the economy". I wasn't planning on going this year, but it was fun to THINK about going. And "because of the economy", well, I just don't like that phrase, I guess maybe I just want to stick my head in the sand (preferably the MEDITERRANEAN sand in the south of France) and I KNOW deep down in my heart that ignoring the economy won't make it go away, but I'm going to try. I THINK I've posted some pictures I took in France, I don't think they are WHERE I wanted them, but they're there somewhere.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

This and That

Sometimes I just have some quick random things that I want to rant about. One of them is plastic parts in plumbing etc. Why can't plumbing parts be made like they "used" to be long long ago so they don't wear out?? Why do the moving parts have to be plastic so that every few years you have to have someone come replace the plastic valve that no longer works and really is no longer made so you have to buy the "new and improved" as well as the "adaptor kit" so it will work new and improved???!!! My parents lived in an old house built in the 30's in midtown Tulsa, they NEVER had to have some plastic part replaced on their tub--sure they did have "other issues" with plumbing but I have those issues too. Well, that's one rant.

Here's the other. Estate Sales. I know the goal is to make as much money as possible BUT when people are leaving an estate sale with nothing in their hands by droves, something is amiss. Many people wait till the 3rd or 4th day of an estate sale to even go. Many estate sales I've been to lately could be mostly completed in ONE day if the prices were reasonable to begin with and if offers would be considered close to the end of the day. To me, it's a waste of time AND money to have an estate sale last 3-5 days UNLESS it's a HUGE sale. I know there is a HUGE amount of work getting an estate sale ready so why not get the actual sale over and done and stuff out the door on the FIRST day??

These are just a couple of my peeves that have popped up lately.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

library things

Well, I figured it was time to get to the "library things" of my blog. Oh, how stoopid we are when we are young and don't listen to our elders!! I'm experiencing that with my 18 year old daughter now. I got a degree in English Education--which was quite all right. Then I went back for my Master degree. Hmmm... I LOVE reading and Reading Specialist was supposed to be quite the coming thing back in 1977--so that's what I went for. I was also getting certified in Elementary Education sorta to cover all bases so I had to take Children's Literature in the Library Sciences section. My professor, Polly Clark, tried so hard to convince me to change my Master major to Library Science, but NNNOOOOOOOOO, I wouldn't listen. And I have somewhat regretted it ever since. Although I LOVE reading I didn't like teaching Remedial Reading. I LOVED teaching Literature and LOVED taking my students to the library. I LOVED reading children's books, juvenile books and young adult books. I LOVED matching my students up to a book that I was sure that they would love. Well, I did a pretty good job at teaching I think, I hope, I mainly taught Literature and then Social Studies which I also loved and we used the school library a good deal. So I retired a couple of years ago after 29 years of teaching. I subbed in a small school system last year and really liked that. I had planned to do that again this year but in checking the TCCL job openings I noticed a JOB in the little town where I live and applied for it. AND GOT IT!! WOOHOO!!! I'm now the "Teen Library Associate" at my branch--about a mile from my house!! Another WOOHOO!! I love still working with kids and I LOVE LOVE LOVE my job!! Everytime my husband and I drive by the library I have a phrase that I say--"There's my library, I LOVE my job!!). Now he just points at it and waits.

As for my daughter listening to her elders, well, I know that is a rite of passage, we'll still keep flinging advice at her in the hopes that some of it sticks. I also know that she is probably going to major in what she wants to right now, and in a few years, she may do a career change too. That way she can have the best of both worlds, which is what I think I had/have!!! WOOHOO!!! Plus, I have to say, the library system has EXCELLENT books on KNITTING!!! Roz

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Next Topic--Knitting and how it took me to France!!


Well, this picture is rather shameful, I think!! It's a partial view of my knitting "stash". You can't see all the drawers under this stuff of yarn and needles and totes full of yarn etc. Not to mention the closet behind it!! ICK! Anyway, my fascination with knitting started out with a book--what else??!! It was called the Mary Frances Knitting Book and was a reprint of a book from the early 1900's of patterns teaching girls to knit for their dolls. Then I moved on to REAL knitting stuff. I got 3 of my friends hooked on knitting also and we started having knitting weekends--which were more exciting than they sound. One friend has her grandparents' old farmhouse (it actually belongs to her sister but we borrow it). It was built from a Sear's kit in 1904 and we often go there for an overnight or sometimes even a weekend. It's a really neat place semi-out in the country. We have a campfire and hear the coyotes howl (and we even howl back!) and we knit. Among other things. We also sample some really good wine and food. We've gone on knitting retreats that one of the yarn shops puts on, those are a lot of fun too. Then one time I was looking on the web for a "knitting retreat" a little further afield. I found one in Canada which sounded really great and one in Wisconsin and then the one in FRANCE!! OOLALA!!! So...I put it out there for my friends, just really joking at first, I didn't think they would really take it seriously, but one did! She mulled it over, and we got the details and checked on airline tickets, and another of us told us about a really great hotel she'd stayed at in Paris, one that Rick Steves likes and we thought "PARIS!!!". We could do PARIS too!!! So we leaped and did it. We had all kinds of adventures, Charles de Gaulle airport was on lockdown, and the train into Paris was emptied by the garda (yes, the one we were on!!!) and then the Pope was in Paris so we went to his Mass and SAW him--he passed RIGHT in front of us!!. We almost got scammed but my friend had read about this scam in Rick Steves' book so that saved us. We bought French perfume and saw all kinds of wonderful things!! Then we went to the south of France for a week on the knitting retreat--just knitted in the morning with Louisa Harding who is a designer from England--and then toured all around in the afternoons and saw all kinds of wonderful things. Ate tons of good food ( and some that was quite different!!), swam in the Mediterranean Sea and met lots of wonderful people. The French people were very kind to us and very helpful whenever we needed directions or any kind of help, and we often needed directions! It also turned out that I said Je T'aime to a man who was helping me in a street market when what I REALLY wanted to say was that I appreciated him for helping me, not that I loved him!!! Well, I think he got the general idea eventually but he did turn all kinds of red before that!!! I had no idea that a simple little passion for knitting would lead me several thousand miles away--most likely I would never have gone to France without this "excuse". And I think I forgot to mention the best thing of all about France--the incredible chocolate!!! OOLALA!!! Roz

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Saturday and NOT in the park!!


Since my blog is called corgis, knitting and library things, I'm going to start with the corgi. This is a picture of Amos, the tri-color Welsh Pembroke Corgi that I got after my trip to Wales and to France. My friend Susie has a corgi that I just loved, and my husband and I went to Wales--and the rest of the British Isles--and we actually went to Pembroke, so I was pretty sure I wanted a corgi. Then after my trip to France where EVERYONE had dogs and walked them, I decided I HAD to have a dog of my own. We'd had the kids' dogs etc but it'd been a long time since I'd had my own. I didn't really want a puppy--they are too much work and I'm not good at training a dog so I happened upon a wonderful lady in Broken Arrow who shows Corgis and breeds once a year (responsible breeder!!!!) and she had an adult dog who needed to be an "only" dog. This is the perfect dog for me, he's lazy, does not like to walk but will go if you show him a FULL bag of "cookies" and shake them at him every once in a while. Very laid back. He's not a herder like some corgis and he gets along with my cat. He even knows some tricks, he can "whisper", sit, lie down, and I'm working on teaching him to howl. He's a little hesitant about that but we're working on it. So Amos is why I've included corgis in my blog. Next up--knitting!!!! But that's another day.

Friday, February 6, 2009

blogging and other things!

Well, here is my first attempt at a blog, and my first post. I was amazed at how easy it was to set it up! I have to say, I've learned soooooo much in the first 6 months of working in a library.

Let me tell you a little about myself. I was a teacher for almost 30 years and retired from that. I'm not a "stay at home" person so I substituted the first year I was retired and then this job came open at the library. I've wanted to work at a library for such a long time, should've been a librarian in the first place but...now I am--well, really a library associate which is great!! I also never travelled the first 50 years of my life but I'm making up for it now. My husband and I have driven to California twice--and had fabulous trips. Stayed on the Queen Mary in Long Beach and went to Catalina Island. I've taken 3 cruises, one with my daughter, one with my daughter and 3 of my teacher friends and 1 with my husband, daughter and step-daughter. All were fabulous. My husband and I also went to England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland in 2007 and then I went to France in 2008 for 2 weeks with a girlfriend, so I'm making up for lost travel time!!

I have 4 children--2 boys who are 34 and 33, a daughter who is 18 and a step-daughter who is 25. I also have 4 grands--2 naturals and 2 steps--all boys between the ages of 6 and 9. YIKES!!
I have a darling little Corgi named Amos. My favorite hobby besides reading is knitting. A day without knitting is like a day without chocolate.

My husband and I have also opened a little antique/junque shop in Tulsa called Heebie Jeebies, because all the glass and pottery gave me the heebie jeebies when we were moving it in. We decided that was the perfect name for our shop. I ran it for a while until I got hired at the library and then my husband "retired" and started running the shop. We both love our jobs now!!

Well, I guess that's it for today!! WOOHOO, I'm a blogger!!!