New haircut

THE HAIRCUT

It has taken me three days to figure out how to import this picture that my husband took of me then. I had to inlist his help, so, I had to tell him about waiting to see how long it would take him to notice the drastic difference in my hair. He said I am always beautiful in his eyes! Ahhhhh....

I didn't think to do a before picture. Trust me though, my hair was six or more inches longer and was either in a ponytail or hung down sadly. I wouldn't be making such a big deal about it, except that figuring out how to post this picture out of Photoshop (the only change I made was cropping) has been so consuming.

'

NOT YET

He still hasn't said anything but I think I noticed a, "Something is different look", as Z suggested would happen. I am amused and curious how long before he says something. He did call me from work and thanked me for being the mother of his children! He suggested he should go with me to PT today to make sure they aren't torturing his Sweetie! How sweet is that. The thing is, I am sure everyone at PT will notice the drastic difference in my hair.

Started plowing through the piles of treasures that have been deposited in my "studio", which was previously called my junk room, until a dear friend suggested the new designation. This was before I actually started doing watercolor. I get distracted easily with the clearing process. For instance, I started practicing calligraphy when I came upon a poem I've been meaning to do in calligraphy for my son for years, but keep misplacing. Then I started thumbing through catalogs that I forgot I had.

I keep believing that there is hope for my studio. I have been successful before, in different homes, states, a lifetime ago! Has anyone out there finally, conquered their cluttered, disorganized "studio", who are willing to advise and share?

"Oh, he'll notice alright!"

"Oh, he'll notice alright!"


Yesterday, after I had finished at the physical therapist, I took the plunge and went in to the new Fantastic Sam's here. My hair has just grown and grown for almost a year, for a few reasons, one being that I didn't know how I wanted it cut and another that I didn't know where I should have it done. I bought a hair magazine and cut out possibilities. I went on line and printed out possibilities. I carried them in my purse for months. Meanwhile, I was unable to feel good about the way I fixed my hair. It just hung there, pulling everything with it. A couple of weeks after I started PT, the assistant that usually does my ultrasound treatments , told me that she had worked part time as a receptionist at the new Fantastic Sam's. She highly recommended them. For a few weeks I looked for $ off coupons for Fantastic Sam's in the newspapers. Yesterday I couldn't stand it one more day.

I showed the hairstylist all the pictures of possibilities I'd been carrying around in my purse. I indicated the one that I liked best. She washed my hair and even massaged my head. I was anxious for a while when the cutting started. At one point, when I thought she was finished and standing back to admire her work, I said, "Oh, that's not short enough!"

After some discussion it hit me, "Oh, you aren't finished, are you?"

As I looked at her in the mirror. She smiled indulgently and shock her head no.

I was happy with the cut even before she blew it dry. When it was dry I was thrilled and felt ten years younger. My hair had been shortened at least 6 inches. I said, "Let's see if my husband notices."

The hairstylist said, "Oh, he'll notice alright!"

The hairstylist next to us assured me he'd notice as well.

So far he hasn't noticed. He came home from work about 2am. There was, as usual, "Hi Honey!" and my reply, "Hey Sweetie!", as he went about his ritual of putting his stuff away, then going in the bedroom to change. He got himself something to eat and joined me in front of the TV: he in his recliner and me at about a 45 degree angle, 6 feet away on the sofa. We watched TV until about 3:30am, when he started to fall asleep. We went to bed. He got up before me. When I woke I went in and kissed him on the head, where he sat in his recliner watching TV. I cleaned the kitchen, started the dishes in the DW then sorted out the pantry shelves, to remind myself what is in there. I came into the office and sat down at the computer. If he leaned forward and looked to the right, he would have been able to clearly see me.

So, he has gone off to work now and still hasn't said anything about my drastically different hair.

Maybe I will email this to him!

Where was I?

Where was I?

I was walking around like a cripple for several months. About ten weeks ago I started going to Physical Therapy(twice a week), for what I learned after x-rays last week is "Severe osteoarthritis of the right hip"(Too much, "I can do it myself" and carrying many babies on my hip, neither of which I regret!). At the same time I was doing Oprah's online class on "The New Earth". The rest of what has been going on with me, I determined, was pretty much, whine, whine, whine and I chose not to share it with you. So, I have been posting secondhand stuff or not at all. I'm sure you can tell.

I am making a change.

Buying Gas

This was emailed to me by a friend and I immediately wanted to share it with you.

GAS

I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline.... but here in California we are paying up to $3.75 to $4.10 per gallon. My line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of your money's worth for every gallon.

Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose, CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.

TIPS ON PUMPING GAS

Tip #1: Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role. A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.

Tip #2: When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. You should be pumping on low mode, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created
while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.

Tip #3: One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL. The reason for this is the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.

Tip #4: Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up; most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally
settles on the bottom.

WHERE TO BUY USA GAS, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW.
READ ON:

Gas rationing in the 80's worked even though we grumbled about it. It might even be good for us! The Saudis are boycotting American goods. We should return the favor.
An interesting thought is to boycott their GAS. Every time you fill up the car, you can avoid putting more money into the coffers of Saudi Arabia. Just buy from gas companies that don't import their oil from the Saudis. Nothing is more frustrating than the feeling that every time I fill-up the tank, I am sending my money to people who are trying to kill me, my family, and my friends. I thought it might be interesting for you to know which oil companies are the best to buy gas from and which major companies import Middle Eastern oil.

Companies that import Middle Eastern oil:

Shell............................ 205,742,000 barrels
Chevron/Texaco.......... 144,332,000 barrels
Exxon /Mobil................ 130,082,000 barrels
Marathon/Speedway.... 117,740,000 barrels
Amoco.............................62,231,000 barrels

Citgo gas is from South America, from a Dictator who hates Americans.
If you do the math at $30/barrel, these exports amount to over $18 BILLION! (Oil is now $90 - $100 a barrel. Don't buy from CITGO).<>

Companies that DO NOT import Middle Eastern oil:

Sunoco..................0 barrels
Conoco.. ...............0 barrels
Sinclair.................0 barrels
BP/Phillips............0 barrels
Hess.......................0 barrels
ARC0....................0 barrels
If you go to Sunoco.com <http://sunoco.com/> , you will get a list of the station locations near you. All of this information is available from the Department of Energy and each is required to state where they get their oil and how much they are importing.

To have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of gas buyers. It's really simple to do. I'm sending this note to about thirty people. If each of you send it to at least ten more (30 x 10 = 300)...and those 300 send it to at least ten more (300 x 10 = 3,000) and so on, by the time the message reaches the sixth generation of people, we will have reached over THREE MILLION consumers !!!!!!! If those three million get excited and pass this on to ten friends each, then 30 million people will have been contacted! If it goes one level further, you guessed it..... THREE HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE!!! Again, all you have to do is send this to 10 people...and maybe we can make a dent in this gasoline dependency.

Look what I found!

April 10, 2008
I meant to post this a looooooooooooooooong time ago.

I came across this comment by "cheesy" http://cheesewoods.blogspot.com/ on someones blog and thought it deserved a more prominent place, so I am posting it.

"You are Gorgeous!
Several of us do not take the time to observe and recognize how beautiful we are as humans. We may be grand lovers of splendor, seeing it in the people, places, and things around us, while completely missing it in ourselves. Some of us sense that it is vain to think about our appearance too much, or we may find that when we gaze at ourselves, all we see are imperfections. Frequently we come to the mirror with expectations and fixed ideas about beauty that shade us from seeing ourselves clearly. As a result, we overlook the beauty that is closest to us, the beauty we are. Sometimes we see our beauty in a trivial way, noticing how well we are in compliance to public norms, but failing to see the deeper beauty that shines out from inside and that will persist to shine in spite of how we measure up to society’s model.
If we can bring ourselves to take the trail to self love and we can hack through all these obstacles and simply value how beautiful we are, we free up so much power. We also become less reliant upon the opinions and criticism of others since we become our own greatest admirers. Some of us know that after a long, deep meditation, we are more able to see how lovely we are. This is because we have freed some of our baggage, as a result unburdening ourselves and summoning forth the spirit that dwells within us. It is the thrilling combination of the divine spirit and the human body that conveys beauty more precisely than anything else.To keep ourselves in touch with our personal beauty, we can envelop ourselves with images that echo our beauty back to us—photos of a relative or child who has our eyes, images of teachers who embody spirit, or self-portraits that capture our core in a way that allows us to see ourselves anew. The finest way to keep ourselves in touch with our own beauty is to keep looking deeply into our own souls and opening our eyes to the human being we see in the mirror every day.
Please...
remember to love yourself this year!
cheesy"

I have been doing the "A New Earth" online class and "summoning forth the spirit that dwells within".....all of us.

AUtiSm

Please

You should read this.

Thank you

Testing the waters....

This is a picture of some of the watercolors that I have done and I thought it was time to share them with you. It is part of what I call my "Journey" series.

The top left is a barn in Pennsylvania that I saw when I was on a trip with my dearest friend. The day was a bit drippy and dreary. The road was two lanes with hardly any shoulder. When we saw the barn in the distance we turned onto a small road so we could admire it, which eventually resulted in this painting.

The painting on the bottom is of a road in Virginia near my dearest friends' home. This is a place where the road turns a reddish color and for me is a reminder that we are getting near her home.

The top middle is my favorite painting of Lake Tahoe. The small one is of a spot on the road that circles Lake Tahoe. I have always been a lover of rocks and I especially love the ones in that area.

Yesterday I went through the process necessary to unload the pictures from my new camera onto the computer. First, I went around taking pictures to unload. When I saw this one I thought, "I could post this one and maybe find out if what family and friends say is only because they love me. They think I am brilliant. There were also a bunch of strangers who I was told thought so too when I was unable to attend a showing of some of my work. I even amaze myself sometimes. Perhaps your comments will encourage me to get back to painting.

Car Jacking Warning

You walk across the parking lot, unlock your car, and get inside. Then you start the engine and shift into REVERSE, and you look into the rearview mirror to back out of your parking space and you notice a piece of paper stuck to the middle of the rear window. So, you shift into PARK, unlock your doors and jump out of your car to remove that paper (or whatever it is) that is obstructing your view. When you reach the back of your car, that is when the car-jackers appear out of nowhere, jump into your car and take off! Your engine was running and they practically mow you down as they speed off in your car. And guess what ladies? I bet your purse is still in the car... BE AWARE OF THIS NEW SCHEME THAT IS NOW BEING USED. Just drive away and remove the paper that is stuck to your window later, and be thankful that you read this email. I hope you will forward this to friends and family... especially to women! A purse contains all of your identification, and you certainly do NOT want someone getting your home address. They already HAVE your keys!

This is something I wrote just over a year ago and never posted for obvious reasons. I am posting it now because I no longer feel this way.



JANUARY 1,2007



Now this would be amazing if I posted this because this is a pity party.

I have been at a pity party for a very long time because it is easier than trying to deal with the reasons I've been feeling so sorry for myself. I have been feeling sorry for myself because:
My husband ignors me.

1.I have gained so much weight (because of #1).

2.I have no enthusiasm to do anything with the house (because of #1).

3.My throathurts and I am afraid that I have something horrible, like cancer. And I haven't made an appointment with the Dr. because

4.I feel that my husband doesn't care (because of #1).

5.Ditto about the pain in my heel and leg.

6.I keep scratching holes in my head.

7.Nobody cares whether I exist or not.

Really. If I were gone they would feel bad, not because they cared about me, but because I wasn't there anymore to use or blame or do for them. I am really feeling that right now. I really would like this pain to stop. I mean well, but I seem to just piss people off, especially my husband; or not say the things they need to hear, like my son; or embarass them, like my daughter.

I am just so tired of disappointing people that I love. There surely is something I am missing here or why would the pain keep happening over and over? I just want to love and be loved. My husbands idea of that is to pretend that everything is ok and sweep everything else under the rug. Oh, I can imagine what he is probably thinking, "She's got it made. Nice home and all, not having to work. Buy her whatever she wants. Gambling money up the yump yump."

Right now I am just existing. When I start to think about how illogical I am being and of how scary it would be to start moving forward I start to back down and think about eating or watching TV, something to distract me from my feelings.

Really, I so want to get up from this chair and go eat or .......This post I started the day after the last one I posted.Three weeks ago (12/31/06).

The Day the Levee Broke

I woke, that afternoon, to the sound of rain and thought, "How lovely", because, growing up in or near Seattle, the sound was kinda like a comfy ole' shoe to me. My husband was at the computer (exactly where I am sitting now). I greeted him cheerfully and set about emptying the dishwasher in the kitchen. I paused occasionally to watch the rain fall and to take in our view out of the kitchen windows. (I will now attempt to insert a picture of our view here. Wish me luck!))

Tah dah!

As you can see, I can see our neighbors yard from this window. I noticed that rain was pooling in her yard. I wondered momentarily if there was any danger of it getting into their house. Then I walked to our patio doors to the left, pulled aside the curtains and checked the rain level in our yard. I could tell that some rain was not being absorbed on a few spots of our lawn. We have had to reduce the time that our automatic sprinkler system waters this area because of that, so that wasn't a worry. I turned around and sat down to work on the puzzle spread out on our table. It was a Christmas gift (1000 pieces), that my husband decided we should "do" the day before. That was the end of my thoughts of danger. It continued to rain heavily. At 11 minutes to midnight I set the microwave alarm so I could sing Happy Birthday to my husband. I went to bed about 4 am or so (as usual) and my husband stayed up a little later. I woke at 6:17 to the sound of a helicopter. I went potty, then back to bed wondering about the helicopter. The sound of helicopters woke me again about nine and then once more around noon when I got up.

I got on the computer and started to blog. I wrote a birthday post. The birthday boy got up and I sang Happy Birthday to him again. Then his Mommy called. Moments after he hung up our daughter called (1:47pm) and he answered. He thought she was being silly when she asked if our house was flooded. He called to me, "Lucky says the national news says that 35,000 (I am so sure I heard 35,000 though my husband later insisted that he said 35 hundred) homes were flooded in Fernley, Nevada when a levee broke".

From the table where I was back working on the puzzle, I said, "Wow, that must be what all the helicopters were about"!

He said, "What, helicopters". I told him about all the helicopters I'd heard. After he got off the phone I also told him about the rain pooling in our neighbors yard. He got on the computer and read aloud the news. Sure enough a levee had broken through at 4:30am and flooded an area of about a mile in our town.

We immediately assumed that it had happened in an area on the other side of town from us, where, before we bought our present home in Fernley, we were actually under contract to have a home built on half an acre adjacent to the "canal", for less than 24 hours. We canceled it because my husband wasn't comfortable with the one sided terms of the builders contract.

It began to snow hugely. We had planned to drive the little over thirty miles into Reno for my husbands Birthday dinner, like I said in my last post. We decided to get ready to go (Shower, dress, makeup, hair) and then decide. The streets were clear when we were both presentable. So, off we went.

Just past the third entrance onto the freeway a portable sign flashed saying,"accident ahead, Caution". We drove for 25 or more miles without seeing any accident, so we figured they must have cleared away the accident and forgot to take down the sign. Wrong. Screech.......

I don't know if you remember the graduation we were unable to attend because of the wildfires. This was very near the same stretch of freeway. The right lane was full of semi's for several miles. The left lane was creeping then stopping, creeping then stopping. My husband said, "Well, it's a good thing I didn't have to go to work and we don't have to be anywhere, like you know when".

I said, "I was thinking the same thing".

By the time we reached the scene of the accident it was pretty much cleared away. We wouldn't know until the next day that it had been a 17 car pile-up in which 3 people were injured.

It was not until the next day, also, that I was able to find out where the break in the levee had occurred, by following links on the computer. I also saved some pictures and will now attempt to post them now, though they may appear at the top again:0)

Wow. That was an exciting challenge.

Today I followed the "canal" on the Google satellite map. I believe I found the place where the levee broke because the water changes color only in that spot. And it is my uneducated but highly intuitive guess that the reason the levee broke is because for whatever reason the depth of the levee in that spot was not as deep, possibly because of sediment build up, because someone dumped something there or gophers.

I wondered how we could help. There were announcements on TV saying not to go near the area so as not to get in the way. They announced that they had enough clothing, blankets and coats. Good thoughts and prayers are always helpful though.

Happy Birthday

To My Husband



And to my son-in-law.



Because of New Years Eve,my husband has had to work six days in a row, when he usually works four. He would be working today, though, if he hadn't had to do that. We will be going out to his restaurant of choice for dinner tonight. Work wife (if you remember her) made him a beautiful cake and gave it to him Wednesday(she used to do cakes professionally), before she left for a trip with her family to Texas. It is as delicious as foreplay! Chocolate with a creamy filling, chocolate mousse frosting and then covered in a dark chocolate genache(well, I couldn't find how to spell that), decorated beautifully.

He also received his gifts early; two tricky folding sawhorses, because they were what he wanted and on sale.

His mommy just called to wish him a happy birthday. So things are looking good.

A Real Find

While clearing clutter I came across a journal where, on August 14, 1995, I wrote the following.



"God created me in his image. Perfect. Then the moment I was born the world began it's quest to prove Him wrong. Yet, through it all I managed to figure out that I was receiving the wrong message. I went through a long and arduous process to come to the realization that all people have the ability to become totally and unconditionally loving to all people. We just have to decide to do so , starting with ourselves. If I don't believe it of myself, I can't believe it of others no matter how hard I try."



That was like a dozen years ago and I am still on a quest to reverse the negative messages buried in my subconscious. I have uncovered so much wrong thinking; stuff that was never true and stuff that is no longer true. Anyway, I just thought I'd share this.

Christmas Eve

Twas the night before Christmas
and all through this house,
not a creature is stirring
cause my husband is at work
and I am at my computer blogging
with my trusty mouse.

Feeling sad....

It's All About Cookies

It just isn't quite Christmas time without my "cheerren" around. I made a stab at creating some cheer by baking the traditional gingersnaps last night. Figured that if that worked I might graduate to baking some sugar cookies and maybe even decorate them. But then my mind swiftly went to the memories of my kids decorating them with me. I still have the Avon cookie cutters than leave impressions in the cookie dough. I would pipe a hat and scarf on the snowmen and they would dip them in sparkles. Then I would pipe on eyes, nose and buttons and they would stick on raisins and redhots. Then there were the Santas, trees and angels. I continued to do them myself after they refused to participate anymore. They still loved to eat them and kept reassuring me that they were way better than any of the cookies their friends moms made. Then they moved into their own places and I still made them and they came home for Christmas or I sent them to them. Then my husband retired, started a new career and we moved to Nevada.

So, really, I think I have been faking Christmas for a long time now. Last year I didn't even send out Christmas cards for the first time since I was probably 18. Our Christmas tree is one of those artificial prelit trees in a plaster planter that is supposed to sit outside. Last year I decorated it. So far this year, we're lucky if someone plugs the lights in. We've decided no stockings hung by the chimney with care for the first time (It's a gas fireplace anyway).

Maybe I should try making "the little white guys". They are my version of Russian teacakes or Mexican wedding cookies. I shape them into little logs and bake them a little longer than most. As soon as they come out of the oven I set them in a half inch layer of powdered sugar, then I sift another half inch layer on top of them. I decorate them by piping on two green leaves to represent holy and add a redhot. My husband always warns, "Hold your breath when you put them in your mouth or the powdered sugar will suffocate you". He would walk over hot coals for these things. They melt in your mouth and take you to a place you should only go during sex. Well, that may be an exaggeration!

31st Anniversary

Celebrating today! 31 years with tall, dark and handsome. He came home with roses and a beautiful Waterman fountain pen I had been eyeing. We will go out to a " tablecloth place" for dinner tonight. Our anniversary and my birthday in three days, always get rushed because of holiday festivities. Tomorrow there is a party we'll be attending. When I was 40 my husband arranged for a birthday cake to surprise me at a Christmas party and I had a birthday party when I turned 16. That's OK with me though, I would probably have a heart attack from the shock of another. Likewise, I just now realized that my husband, whose birthday is January 5th has had pretty much the same fate. Where is this going?



Hmmmmmm.......Both our children have had birthday parties. When our daughter was around eleven and every year after, she declared that her birthdays were "no big thing". I continued to make them big things though. That year she insisted that she didn't want a cake, so I decorated cupcakes and had a few of her friends over. She scowled the whole time. Then she left home and her birthday became a REAL big thing!

I just realized that I tried to make up for, with my kids, what I didn't get as a child. We were very, very poor and Christmas gifts were never much. When I was in the third grade we rented a small house from, and next door to "Bull and Aunty" who were very, very not poor. At Christmas, gifts for their four grandkids were stacked to the ceiling around their angel hair smoothered tree, most of which I had helped wrap. So, with my own kids, I really went over the top, though my husband always declared, "Too much".

For most of my life I wanted something other than what I had. Granted, I started out life with a lot of reasons to feel that way. Even when there were no more reasons, I looked for or imagined them. I still have my moments. I have made a major switch in my thinking that I wish had'nt taken so long. LIFE IS A GOOD THING!

Tis the season

I have given up on posting the pictures that are on our Christmas letter. They are from different sources and I have yet to figure out how to convert them to what blogger will accept. Since you all have become my friends I am

WISHING YOU HAPPINESS

AT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

AND ALWAYS

WITH LOVE,

LUCKYZMOM

2007

Tis the season

This year has been full of visitors, visiting, trips, sorrows, joys, frustrations and above all learning.

We are proud of the people our children have become. Our son continues to live and work in Spokane(WA). He has a new passion, his new Scion X-Box. Our daughter, her husband, and our two perfect grandchildren recently moved back to the Seattle area.

Chris graduated THE top of his MBA graduate program at UNR this spring. I am successfully continuing in my critical position as "Domestic Goddess"!

You will just have to imagine the fabulous pictures that I cropped, lightened, corrected the contrast on and then was unable to transfer to blogger#%&@*&@%#

I have been trying to create a post including pictures and am very frustrated.

Not my usual excuse for not posting

When we returned from Las Vegas there was a message on our answering machine saying that the aunt who my husband has always been closest to, had had a massive heart attack. She died around 6 am yesterday morning. We will fly out of Reno around 2 Tuesday afternoon and arrive in Spokane at almost 5 pm. Our return flight is at 4:45pm Thursday.

This has been difficult for my husband and I.

For 32 years she has been someone I loved, admired and adored. I weep.

"It Ain't Easy"

I will post about our trip to Las Vegas as soon as I get caught up with reading blogs. It makes it more difficult that so many of you are doing the every day in November posting thing!

Las Vegas Convention

Off to Las Vegas tomorrow for five days to attend the gaming convention. Will be driving my new Motor Trend car of the year! So if you miss my sage comments on your blogs you will know where I am!

you are lightcyan #E0FFFF

Your dominant hues are green and blue. You're smart and you know it, and want to use your power to help people and relate to others. Even though you tend to battle with yourself, you solve other people's conflicts well. Your saturation level is very low - you have better things to do than jump headfirst into every little project. You make sure your actions are going to really accomplish something before you start because you hate wasting energy making everyone else think you're working. Your outlook on life is very bright. You are sunny and optimistic about life and others find it very encouraging, but remember to tone it down if you sense irritation.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

Losing a decade.

A couple of days ago I got the biggest compliment from a slot attendant I am friendly with at the Atlantis Casino. Stopped in for a little video poker after a shopping expedition and buffet meal. While Iftikar and I were chatting he asked if I worked.

"I haven't worked in over 30 years".

"Then that must mean you never worked".

"Oh, I have worked".

"Well, not very long cause you're about 50, take away 30"......

Well, I didn't hear the rest. I gave him a gentle fist on his shoulder and a Cheshire cat grin.

"Thank you, I am 61 and will be 62 the 14th of next month".

"No, that can't be," he said as he looked closer at my face. "You can usually tell by the skin and ...... Well, I don't believe it".

"I could show you my ID!!!"

It is clear to me at this point that he is really sincere in his disbelief .

"You have just made my day"! (But, really he made my year or so!!!!).

Just before he walks off to help someone I look into his thick glasses and for a moment question if maybe he doesn't see well out of them. I decide to dismiss this negative thought and continue to walk on a cloud for awhile.

When I told my husband he said,

"See, I've told you. Eternally youthful".

When I told my son he said,

"Mom, he was hitting on you."

I didn't argue with either one of them and continue to smile about it all.

Waht the......

I have been organizing and rearranging, tossing some stuff and remembering I had other stuff. Just last week I used the last sheet of the magnified list pad that I keep on the refrigerator. I remembered having another somewhere but couldn't remember where, so I bought another one. Just a few minutes ago I found the one I remembered having. This is the precise reason I am doing the aforementioned. Well, actually that is only part of it. It really all started off because I was looking for something I had written about my childhood that I was going to post on my blog. Haven't found it yet. Perhaps when I do, that will be the end of the aforementioned activities!

Guilty

Epilogue

"A Dayton man, found guilty of first degree murder last week after a six day trial in Third Judicial District Court in Yerington, has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole (with parole available after a minimum of 20 years served).

A seven-woman, five-man jury returned the guilty verdict against Christopher Deyerle, 26, who was charged in connection with the May, 2006, murder of his wife, Heather......

Also prior to the penalty phase of the case, defense attorney John Schlegelmilch argued against the use of penalty phase testimony being allowed from a former girlfriend, the mother of one of Deyerle's children, and about prior acts of alleged abuse from Deyerle, charging that notification wasn't offered, as the State had withdrawn Jessie Wilkinson as a witness for the trial and, as a result, he didn't expect her to be called as a penalty phase witness.

Schlegelmilch argued he could call at least one woman who had a relationship with Deyerle to testify he never was abusive or violent toward her, but that he didn't have time to get her there that day. He also asked for a continuance, saying she could come but would have to arrange time off work. Judge Estes denied the request; however the woman, Jamie Sherman, was allowed to testify on behalf of the defense over the phone........

Deyerle, who took the stand on the final full day of the trial, said he simply "lost it" the day of the shooting---after an argument with his wife about his spending and lack of a job, and during which, he testified, she revealed a relationship with another man, He testified after the shooting he didn't think he'd killed Heather and was simply scared and ran after her father came out of the house.

Closing arguments:

The argument both during trial and during closing arguments was not whether Deyerle committed the act, but whether he did it in a fit of passion or with aforethought. The difference determined first or second degree charges and, as a result, the sentence for the defendant.

During the closing statements, District Attorney Robert Auer argued the defendant was possessive of Heather and had told several people of his intent to kill her if she was caught cheating on him.

The crux, of the case rested in the moments leading up to the shooting and whether a final fatal shot occurred, Auer argued, charging Deyerle had walked up and shot Heather in the head after a previous bullet had knocked her to the ground. The defendant's attorney, though, said witnesses recalled hearing successions of rapid gunshots rather than several shots followed by a single shot.

Schlegelmilch also contended the defendant was arguing with Heather, and she said something to infuriate him and push him over the edge.

Auer contended at least two neutral witnesses saw no provocation; and lastly, he questioned why the defendant did not simply leave when the first rapid shots missed Heather, charging that lended (that is what the article in the newspaper said folks) support to a calculated killing.

Schlegelmilch countered that the victims father described Deyerle as appearing scared in the driveway immediately afterward; and that after the defendant ran away, and upon his arrest near the Carson River, he first inquired about Heather's health, which indicates Deyerle did not mean to kill Heather.

Testifying on behalf of the victim in the penalty phase were her father, mother, younger brother, her step-brother and a friend.

Testifying for the defense in the penalty phase were Deyerle's mother, a close friend, his grandmother and grandfather. His friend testified that Deyerle had a tough early life, including a brother who abused him, and that he had been diagnosed with ADHD and a learning disability. She said he had never been violent.....Schlegelmilch asked family members if Deyerle had ever expressed anything other than regret about the killing of his wife, and they all said no. "

Not verbatim, but a summary for you.

My question is what would make someone think, even in a fit of passion, that shooting at someone, other than in self defense, was an option. Which is why I have read a lot of crime books and watch so many of the crime and detective shows on TV. For years I have thought that along with the reading, writing and arithmetic, the subject of human decency and respect should be a required subject in the curriculum of all schools, starting in the earliest grades, everywhere. Perhaps the UN could work on that.

The Journey Into Jury Duty

The notice I received said that my name had been drawn for the jury panel for 2007. It went on to say, "When you are summoned for a specific date, be prepared to stay all day or for a number of consecutive days..."! I set the notice aside without much notice as I had served jury duty 7 years before in Spokane County in Washington State. Also, my husband had been selected for jury duty last year and was summoned for a case which was settled out of court. I was expecting the case I was summoned for to be settled out of court also. When I made the call to the clerk's office though, I was told that the case would go on as scheduled. PANIC!



What am I going to wear!!!!
Consistent with the dignity and decorum of the Court, the following attire will be required for Court appearance:
(A) Male: Long or short sleeve dress-type shirts; slacks or dress-type denim trousers, shoes or boots.
(B) Female; Dresses, slacks or shirts and blouses; dress shoes.
In no event will t-shirts, tank or halter-tops, shorts, soiled or unkempt clothing thongs, sandals or casual exercise apparel be allowed.



Let me be clear. I didn't have to have instructions in order to dignify this serious duty with appropriate apparel. What I did initially think was that I needed to loose 30 pounds in three days in order to fit into any of the appropriate clothing I now possess. And if it turned out that the case required us to be sequestered for several days.....!



So I went into the mode I usually go through when I prepare to be away from home for vacation or such. PANIC!!!! I try on all wardrobe possibilities, make lists, go through my toiletries, make more lists and on and on until it is 1:35 of the night before and I have to get up at 6:45 the next morning. Well, I got into bed and tossed and turned until, of course, 5:38 when I had to get up and pee. Healthy REM was out of the question now. I dressed in black RL slacks, a pink RL long sleeve blouse with black stripes, white collar and cuffs adding a black Claibourne tie from my husbands huge collection, the knot hanging loosely several inches below the collar of my blouse. I was pleased with my dignified appearance. I slipped into my navy Crocs, intending to change into black dress shoes before entering the courthouse (but, I forgot until I was sitting in a jurors seat and unable to do anything about it).



Anyway, I drove off. The drive was pleasant and uneventful. When I turned onto Main Street behind several cars I had been following and or had been following me most of the way, I realized we must all be going to the same place, The Lyon County Courthouse. The setting was straight out of that Grisham book where the lawyers house gets burned down. What was the name of that book? Excuse me a minute. I must go to Amazon.com and find out. (A passage of time.........) "A Time To Kill" is the name of the book.



I was transported a hundred years as I stepped through the huge wooden doors, then the more modern glass ones. A worn wooden staircase loomed before me. Typed instructions taped to the front doors had directed me to Court Room 1 on the second floor. I climbed the stairs and waited with the others circled against the walls around the landing, inspecting the interesting pattern of the worn black and white marble floor, the elaborate dark wood crown molding, wainscoting and paneling while waiting for the door to Court Room 1 to open. When it did , we all herded in and took a seat. There were more people than the 112 seats, perhaps three dozen more, and they all crowded around the walls. The architecture here was as equally fascinating to me as the rest had been. The movie "To Kill a Mockingbird" immediately came to mind. I wouldn't have been surprised to see the lawyers in suspenders when they finally came out.



The defendant was sitting alone at the defense table when we entered the courtroom. He wore dark rimmed glasses, a short sleeve white shirt that obviously had just come out of a new package, a tie of horizontal stripes in various shades of blue, chinos and a dark belt. His hair was shaved almost bald, but it was obviously very dark and a fraction of an inch longer like a rice bowl on top of his head. From the jury seat I later realized that initially I sat directly behind members of his family. I had wondered about that when I noticed that two of the girls in front of me looked related to each other and were whispering to one another and at one point I saw one of them quietly crying. (I have always been intuitive like that).



I wanted to take this time to apologize for all the years that I smoked and sat next to people smelling like an ashtray. I seem to have chosen a seat surrounded by smokers and I couldn't just get up and move. So now I know. Sorry.



We were instructed to stand. The judge entered and sat behind his imposing podium, then instructed us to sit. We sat. He greeted us cordially and thanked us for coming. He asked us to respond with "here" when the court clerk called our name (The people in front of me never responded....another clue to their identity). And then he told us. And I could physically feel the heavy onus that was felt in the room when the judge announced that the case we were here for was one of "Murder in the first degree".



The jury box on the right side of the courtroom consisted of two rows of six old swivel wooden arm chairs attached to the floor with a smaller box on the right having four more of the same chair. There were two rows of brown folding chairs set up in front of the jury box. The clerk turned the handle of a tumbler, opened the door of it and pulled out a small piece of paper, then read aloud the name on it. My name was the sixth to be called and I took my seat.

When everyone was seated the judge explained how the selection of the twelve jurors and two alternates would be selected. He would ask us some general questions. The defense attorney would ask us more specific questions and then the prosecutor would ask us questions. We were instructed to raise our hands if we had a positive answer to the questions asked. I felt like I raised my hand more often than most. In my previous jury experience, most of the questions that the judge asked had been answered on a questionnaire before we filed into the courtroom. Also in my previous jury duty they told us what the case was about before they asked if we had heard about it. If you were only told that it was a case of murder in the first degree how would you answer the question, "Do you have any knowledge of the facts in this case?"

As the questions were asked some people would be thanked for their honesty and excused. The clerk would reach into the "Bingo like" drum and call another name. After we had been seated for a little over an hour the judge called for a fifteen minute recess, instructing us to not discuss the case amongst each other or with anyone else, not to read any newspapers or listen to any TV or radio news and to sit in the same seats we now occupied when we returned from our break.

As we were filing out I was standing next to the prosecuting attorney when some perspective jurors complained to him about a group of people who were talking with each other, obviously not in the jury pool and were very distracting. I had noticed them when we were waiting to come in to the courtroom and questioned whether they were perspective jurors because they all reminded me of Ozzie Osbourne and wore medal medallions around there necks that were five point stars inside a circle. When we returned from our break they were no longer in the courtroom.

The questioning continued until there were no more positive answers and no more questions. I was still seated. The judge excused the remaining jury pool still in the audience and called for a thirty minute recess, instructing us to sit in the courtroom seats when we returned.

We waited maybe ten to fifteen minutes in the courtroom before the accused, the deputies, lawyers, stenographer, clerk, etc and finally the judge returned. The judge reassured all of us that we shouldn't feel bad because we had all been deemed worthy to serve. Then the twelve jurors and two alternates, that had been selected, took their seats as the clerk called their names. It felt a bit like choosing up teams for a baseball game, "will I be chosen?" I wasn't. I was sorta disappointed and relieved at the same time. The thought of not having to possibly be sequestered for a week and a half or more, or having to get up unnaturally early (for me) and driving an hour each way every day for that long was relieving. I drove home.

That next night on the news the accused was shown in black and white stripe prison garb, hands in cuffs clasped in front of his body, shuffling into the courtroom (not the same one I had been in the day before) with ankle restraints to be arraigned, last year. And the newsman said, "A Dayton man accused of killing his estra