Manic Monday ..

What is the most useful gift you’ve ever been given? On Mother's Day, 2 years ago, I received an I-pod shuffle ..(yes by now it is EXTREMELY outdated, with everything that is out there .. it has 512MB!!! LOL!) My shuffle is my escape partner for running.

Name the most terrifying moment of your life so far.
OHH, on Aug. 31, 2005 .. my son suffered a severe asthma attack, never having been diagnosed with it. To watch your child struggle, while his lips are turning white and have 4 people working feverishly around him, and him just looking at you with those eyes ... IT WAS HORRIBLE!! (After 2 days in ICU .. and a maintenance program he is doing great now.)

One hot summer afternoon, while walking through a parking lot at a large shopping center, you notice a dog suffering badly from the heat inside a locked car. What would you do?
Where's my cell phone....

The View

The View

I know this is an old picture, but I haven't found anything to replace it. This is the view from my dream house on Moosehead Lake in Greenville, Maine. When I went up for the summer last year, my dream house was for sale .. it was right next to the private beach that I would go to. This dock is part of the property ... how awesome would it be?? I would take my kayak right in the middle of the lake .. and just float. The house itself isn't anything fancy .. I am sure no granite counter tops .. no stainless appliances .. just the basic 4 bedroom, 2 bath camp/house .. not bigger than 1800 square foot .. but oh! was it my dream house!

I just found the listing online ... the price has dropped $60,000 ....it needs to drop a few more dollars ... lol! (one of those wishes!)
Not the most modern built .. but it was the view .. peace and serenity!! My kayak would fit perfect here!

Something different ...

This came from fondofsnape

Brandt!..
1. needs… an evening with the girls to have pure laughter and lots of alcohol!
2. has a dog named… Bruce (and of course Demi)
3. drives like… a woman with a purpose

4. craves…. all that is not good for me!

5. favorite TV Show is… the Office.
6. alcoholic drink of choice is…daily RED WINE .. BOLS Jong Genever (a dutch gin)…various martini's .. (oops ... it was drink of choice, not drinkS ..)
7. NON alcoholic drink of choice is… room temperature H2O

8. favorite musical artist is… depending on the moods .. Toby Keith has the sexy voice
9. hair is… starting to need something ...
10. celebrity crush is… Kevin Costner mmm..

11. favorite book is… most recent Randy Pausch Last Lecture.
12. favorite color is… eggplant purples or burnt oranges ..
13. wishes… for too much!

How about you? What are yours?

Fill In Friday ..

1. _Cooler weather, the feeling of Fall, (maybe more candy corn?)_ are some of the things I'm most looking forward to in October.
2. Sometimes I _contemplate what it would be like if I allowed my hair to go completely gray .. then I think of my mother who would probably disown me, considering she already thinks I have let "my skin go" .. I guess I am not ready to be a "natural beauty" yet!___.
3. _Never had I thought I would drive from Texas to Maine (and back), just me and the kids .. but we did and it was one of my best summers EVER_ and that's why there is a saying, "never say never"!
4. When I'm down, I hit the pavement either walking with the dogs, or running by myself__.
5. _Lately, in the truck__ is where you'll find me most often.
6. A rainy day is good for _wrapped in a blanket on the couch ..__.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to __wine, pizza and the debate_, tomorrow my plans include _maybe a run, a visit to Sam's Club___ and Sunday, I want to _relax_!

Things That Make You Go ...."hmmmmmm.."

These flowers were almost two weeks old ...
Those who know me, know that I have nothing that resembles a green thumb ... in fact, nothing survives in my care! (Although, I have a Peace Lily that seems to like me ...) On Saturday I was looking at these flowers .. and was struck by them.
I love watching flowers bloom; how they come into their own beauty.. every piece of a flower has it's own unique beauty ... I love how they just know what to do ..
Wouldn't life be just grant if you could just stand there and be beautiful ... or wait! Is that what we are? As we grow up we are like a flower ... we have a point where we peak at our beauty .. .and then we slowly wither away? .. .. .. hmmmmm .. too philosophical for me! I will just enjoy the flowers .. Things that make you go hmmmmmm! What makes you go hmmmm?

Manic Monday ...

Pick out the most important item you have in your purse/wallet and tell me why it's important to you.
I never realized the value of my pocketbook/purse and the items in it until the day it was stolen at the local smiley face store ... so my thoughts immediately went for my green card .. because it represents so much, and I know what a PIA it would be to get it replaced... (the story ended well .. they only took my $3.00 cash and my keys, and a thumbdrive ...and they eventually caught the jerk, and now he is in jail)

What would you take from your house if you knew it would be flooded tomorrow? ... memories? pictures?

If you were stuck in a room for an hour with a chalk board, what would you draw on it?
Hmmm .. depends on my frame of mind! I tend to doodle hearts ...
but if I am impatient, then a list will start forming of what needs to get done .. or a grocery list! Why am I stuck in a room again?? lol

A Question ..

I made pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips and butterscotch chips again today. Why is it that the butterscotch chips come out of the muffins when I take them out of the muffin pan? (Not that I am complaining ... there is nothing like a warm butterscotch chip, melted in the center ..)

I grease the pan .. the muffins pop out, but the chips stay in the pan .. the chocolate chips stay in the muffins. Things that make you go "hmmm" ...

What lays ahead on this new ROAD ...

PhotoHunt - Road

This is a road that is being built from within our subdivision, leading out to one of the main roads. We have all been really ready for it, because the neighborhood next to us ride up our street to get in and out of our subdivision ... with this road they DO NOT need to drive up our street .. they can get on this road, and exit the subdivision.

Every day we walk on this road .. every day it changes. It reminds me of the "new road that lays ahead ..."

On either side of the road will be more homes, the fourth and final phase of the subdivision. Eventually this road will have little ones riding bikes, and parents screaming "CAR COMING ..." and "SLOW DOWN!! THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD"!! There will be new stories on this road ..

I have changes coming in my life .. just like this new road .. where will it take me? what will my stories be?

Photostory Friday - Thank you!

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Neighbor A bought me this as a thank you gift for watching her dog for a weekend. I just love it .. the more it sits on the counter, the more I appreciate it. Little does she know that her thank you gift will be a forever "thank you .." gift ...

The boot will remind me of Texas, The fact that it holds a bottle of wine will remind me of the wine times in Texas(neighbor A doesn't drink .. so she never partook [is that really a word??] in our little bit of fun!) It will remind me of so much more than just a "thank you gift" ... I am so grateful for the friendships I found in Texas .. those of A and T.

Friday Fill In ..

1. There is no need _to scream_.
2. Where in the heck did the _cold medicine go??_.
3. __Sit on the couch_ is all I managed to do.
4. Prospects for _a flat belly is looking pretty grim .._.
5. _"you are what you eat"_ is the message.
6. Simplicity and tranquility are _the essentials for a peaceful mind _.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to __pizza and wine__, tomorrow my plans include __cleaning house, and catching up on my blogs_ and Sunday, I want to _watch my honey (Peyton)_!


This photo is my simplicity and tranquility reminder ... Mt Katahdin and Moosehead Lake .. and an Adirondack chair to remind me to relax.. this sits on my kitchen counter, very visible .. so that I can remember to "chill"! It's all about creating the energy!

Manic Monday ..

What's worse, physical or mental cheating? Why?
I think the mental is harder than the physical ... Physical is easier to walk away from.


Do you think men and women can be just friends? Why or why not?
I believe there is such a thing as being able to have a best friend of the opposite sex and not feel the threat or worry of anything more. .. ... wait! is that when you get "friends with benefits"??? ... lol ... sorry .. I couldn't resist!

How do you feel about dating co-workers?
It all depends on company policy .. ha ha! Seriously .. people meet .. if they are meant to be .. then company policy won't stop them .. so then it depends on the professionalism of the co-workers and company policy... and hopefully the company is large enough to move them out of the same building. Most couples wouldn't want to work together anyway ... usually a great relationship breaker!

PhotoStoryFriday ~ on Sunday ..

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

It's that time of year .... the Halloween candy is out .. .. .. I am a believer in "we are what we eat" .... and this weekend I am Candy Corn! I try to eat food that is "natural" .. fresh fruit, fresh vegetables ... balance out the red meat with chicken and fish ... I look at the color of foods ... if it is not a 'natural' color ... than it isn't "real" food ... silly, I know! I heard someone say this past week that corn syrup must be good for you, because it is made from corn .... WELL .. let's follow this thought process ... Candy Corn ... it must be good for you .. it's corn with corn syrup! Look at all those beautiful colors .. corn grows in all colors!(Did you see.. they now grow corn in brown, red and green colors too!)

In order not to deprive myself .. and to remain in balance .. I allow myself one bag of candy corn a year (of course I did share)! So .. a little early this year .. I have successfully succumbed to the sweet sugary taste of Mother nature's very own Candy Corn !

Happy Birthday Pa!

September 14 would have been my dad's birthday .. He passed away five years ago this summer .. I miss his phone calls. It always seemed that when he called, I was busy .. and the moment wasn't always right to talk to him, but yet we stayed on the phone.
I remember certain conversations .. one of the last real conversations was
about Iraq .. post 9/11 .. and his thoughts about going into war. He was
a very intelligent man .. knew a lot about everything, always knew better .. He knew how to live .. always made sure to have a good time.
My favorite moments .. riding in the car with him in Holland, while he taught me how gears work (at age 12!) .. I remember his smile at my high school graduation (youngest of four girls .. he was officially done!) .. after a my first heartbreak, he told me in his dutch way "the sun will rise again in the morning" as he sat there with his arm around me. (Please understand .. my dad loved my sisters and I, he just had a difficult time expressing it.) But I loved how he handled that moment, it was quick and brief .. while his voice was calm and reassuring.
I miss him now .. I wish I could talk to him now ... ask him some questions .. hear his thoughts .. .. what would he say to me today?

Photo hunt's Wild ..

Today we had Ike visit Texas ...WILD .. he was almost the size of Texas .. WILD how we had just had some gusts of 30-40mph, while in other parts of Texas they were experiencing 110 mph! WILD how strong mother nature's forces can be.

Last week's Photo Hunt .. Strings

Another picture from the Oasis ..

Friday Fill In ..

1. I enjoy _my glass of red wine!__.

2. _Things happen for reasons .. please show me this one_ is something I wonder about often lately.

3. In your heart, you knew there was no turning back__.

4. Take _vanilla ice cream with crushed Oreo cookies, hot fudge sauce and caramel sauce___, add a little _heated big brownie_ and you end up with _my most favorite dessert_(it's almost as good as the 'better-than-sex' cake!!)_.

5. Life has gifted me with _a loving family, life-long friends and strong running legs! ___.

6. __Laying in a tanning bed_ is an instant vacation.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to _wine_, tomorrow my plans include _enduring Ike__ and Sunday, I want to _watch football_!

Manic Monday ..

If you could choose only two movies to watch ever again, what would they be?
Movies to me are meant as an escape, and generally I like to laugh .. so right now, today .. I would say Mama Mia because it takes places on a sunny island .. lots of laughter and song and the second movie would be Young Frankenstein .. because it is just so silly and Marty Feldman and Gene Wilder are just hilarious in it.




What have you found to be the best way to relieve tension?
ohh .. this is toss up.. I used to bake a lot when I was stressed out. Now I would have to say that running is my stress reliever .. I have always said "the pavement is my friend"

If you went to a beach and it turned out to be a nude beach, would you stay and go swimming? Would you swim nude?
My first question is ... "is the water cold???" and the next question is "who am I with???" ... next question .."are there adult beverages involved??"
Answer me those, and I will get back to you!!