Zeta

Walk for a Cure for Diabetes

2011-03-27T13:56:00.000-07:00

We went to the zoo to meet my co-workers so we could all walk together for a fund raiser supporting a cure for diabetes. Coffee, fruit, green wrist bands, and tee-shirts where issued after we turned in our money. Several other booths lined the fence under canopy’s served donated food; all sugar free. This was paradise to me. We woke up most of the animals as we gathered while walking through the zoo’s entrance gates. We figured the animals were not used to several hundred people waking them up before breakfast was served. The lions were roaring for their breakfast, or at least we think that is what they wanted. Their deep roars echoed throughout the park as we walked away looking over our shoulders. They sounded as if they were right behind us. The weather started out very cool, but by 10:30 a.m.; it was warming up quickly. Piccadilly restaurant donated noodle salad mixed with chicken along with a cherry cobbler at the end of the walk. The food was served in cups with fruit and a sugar free drink. An announcer was describing a set of found on the ground Toyota car keys as we all finished our food. Someone was going to be very surprised when they got to their car. All of my things seemed to be in check. At least that is what I thought. I placed my phone and money on the dining room table when we got home. We did our usual Saturday running around. We went to breakfast the next day after taking the cat to the vet. While we sat at the table ordering our breakfast, I realized I lost my drivers license somewhere at the zoo. I could picture the announcer calling my name after we left. I looked up the phone number and called the zoo from the breakfast table. My license was never turned in. I ordered a new drivers license online for $25.

Whats Happening!

2011-03-16T19:03:00.000-07:00

Steve and Elissa performed last night! The concert was beautiful. Elissa sat first chair while playing her flute solos despite her cold. Amaze in Grace, wow. Steve moved around the percussion section perfectly. Ghost Train! A masterpiece of music which is whimsical. Solos for both of them, priceless! This was a gathering of musicians who enjoy sharing their talents with an audience who enjoys listening.

Hello......... :)

2011-01-30T18:10:00.000-08:00

After I picked up m iphone, I sat down to write this post and looked for a picture of the cupcake tree. Oh, oh. Why can't I find one? Maybe I didn't take a picture after every ornament I own was placed on the tree. I'm sorry!
We went to Pet Supermarket yesterday to pick up nutritional serum for the cats. In one of the cages was a black cat with one eye missing. A few weeks ago, the Cat Network posted a cat which was missing from Ft. Lauderdale with one eye missing. I emailed the owner of the cat after we arrived home with the address and telephone number of the Pet Supermarket Store. He responded this was not his cat; however, he did receive additional telephone numbers of other areas that may have his cat. He thinks his neighbor took his cat for a ride. The cat at Pet Supermarket was a female and his missing cat was a male. Hopefully, I will be able to post Anthony found his cat in the future.
The weather has been wonderful! A few of the cats like to sleep under towels to stay warm even though we have the heater on. Bodyguard took an extremely long nap the day I took this picture. Zorro’s extreme close-up is of him asking if I have seen his LOL luggage.

Oh my.

2010-12-04T14:51:00.000-08:00

I found a cupcake Christmas tree today! It’s resting in the backyard drinking water since Mark had to work today. I tried to pick up the tree and place it in the tree stand, lol; it was too heavy for me to lift. Publix had just received 200 trees this morning which allowed me to purchase Christmas tree number 16 by 9 AM. I drove the PT Cruiser ten-miles under the speed limit to protect the branches at the very top. I had the tree placed inside the car with the seats down. The tree was too tall to close the hatch so I drove with the hatch slightly open. I thought the hatch was heavy enough not to lift up in the air while I was driving. Suddenly, I could hear the traffic racing past me much louder than when I first started driving. So, I looked behind me and yikes! I pulled over at the next right-hand-turn so I could tie the hatch down preventing the glass from breaking. Pictures will be posted as soon as I can get the tree in the house to decorate.

Sad news. Kim fell while doing her rehab exercises which allowed her to walk from her previous leg fracture. She is wearing a cast and is back in the hospital which is the same place she went when she broke her leg the first time. We had a very happy occasion during Thanksgiving when she walked into the house in front all the guests. We all clapped with joy. She lost her cell phone the same day. We ordered a new one for her already. The cell phone will be red instead of purple which is her favorite color. Mark couldn’t get the replacement in purple this time. Our prayers and thoughts are with Kimmie as she recovers in the hospital.

Feels a little like.........

2010-11-28T14:11:00.000-08:00

Two Christmas gifts and cards were purchased today at BJ’s Wholesale Club. This felt wonderful as if I’m actually going to finish early. Awww, the Christmas tree; however, I didn’t find a tree since I’m looking for a cupcake. The wish list of family & friends names was printed today along with a budget. Next, bows, boxes, and wrapping paper are next. The smell of spice caking baking, bling-bling decorations, and lights will more than likely happen by next weekend. My goal is to stand the tree in the middle of the living room window full of bulbs, flickering lights, shiny garland, and candy canes. My guests are used to finding candy canes on the tree as they walk in the house. If the candy canes are missing, they will ask me what happened to them. “Did you eat them?”

2010-11-27T18:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Anniversary to my parents! May they have many more.

I called both my parents today to wish them Happy Anniversary. I was also able to speak to my Grandmother which was a bonus. She survived a mild stroke and is learning to talk while adjusting to the use the left side of her body again. I told her I know she would surprise us and arrive back home. She just laughed. Her tone was the same with the sweet sound of inspiration.

Thanksgiving. We had eight family members for Happy Thanksgiving this year. I kept wondering around the kitchen wondering why everything seems so organized and simple. No mishaps this year. Thirty family members arrived last year and we had a wonderful time as well. This year the menu consisted of candy, corn bread, broccoli casserole, deviled eggs, green beans, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing with gravy, turkey, key lime pie, and pumpkin pie. Ranger makes the best stuffing and gravy in the tropics. Adam and Veronica even enjoyed second day left-overs are after work with our blessing.

Christmas is just around the corner. My goal is to buy a Christmas tree in from my neighborhood before they are sold out. Otherwise, we will have to drive North or South of our area to find one. My goal is to purchase a cupcake tree. What is a cupcake tree? A cupcake tree is very tall, thick and wide. We had a tree like this two-years ago which required more ornaments than I’ve collected over the past years. I even went out and bought some more thinking this will fill up the remaining areas of the tree. Hum, I couldn’t believe the tree was still not full. The magic of decorating a tree is precious.

How long has it been?

2010-10-31T19:56:00.000-07:00

Woe as me. My crown came off Friday morning while I was eating breakfast at my desk. Okay, granted....it was a temporary crown I was going to replace with the final one as soon as I returned for an appt. That was oh, hum, about three years ago. Ops. I have an appt this Friday at 8 AM. The good news is I'm not eating like I usually do and may lose some weight. The bad news is, I'm going to have several shots to numb my gums. Well, I hope the crown will still fits. I have a feeling a lecture is about to occur from my dentist. Yes, I’m pretty sure about that.

New York!

2010-09-11T11:33:00.000-07:00

Today, September 11th, 2010 marks the 9th anniversary of the New York Twin Towers.

Move those cars faster! Push the pedal!

This is the view I have two days a week on my way to Court Reporting class. The PT Cruiser goes putt, putt, putt, along I95 with my music, iphone, and snacks. The cars in front of me are going toooooo……..slow in order for me to use the turbo. {Except in situations when public schools have teacher work days.} Many parents take these days off to spend time with their children, or so they won’t have to pay a babysitter. I’m fairly sure parents take these days off to spend quality time with their children. In the back seat are the following items. My carry bag on wheels full of my books, a goal, and different color steno paper. Yes, I’m FINALLY in level four! There are six levels of speed to accomplish before I can walk and receive my Associate of Arts Degree. There are the occasional, “You must repeat the semester since your speed is not what was expected.” ;./ My memory of steno has improved this semester. I was so surprised when I sat down to practice my Jury Charge which was reading a speed of 100 wpm. But…..wait, I could read the screen with a few mistakes. My in-class speed is much faster, but I want to be able to read what I write.

2010-08-28T07:57:00.000-07:00

Sad Eyes ^..^

2010-08-28T06:57:00.000-07:00

A new link as been added to Zeta’s blog called “The Cat Network”. I’ll be attending an appointment in September for our first Vet visit. I’ll be joining the network and more than likely help by voluntary my time. An appointment was made for surgery to help reduce the cat homeless population at Zeta’s place of residence. More than likely medication will be issed at a reduced rate as well. The tech told me they will be glad to help me after I mentioned how many cats I had which were mostly homeless at one time. The first cat showed up in our backyard pregnant and hungry. Her pregnancy was not noticed until a few weeks later. Yes, I still would have fed Buttons along with a warm place to sleep.
Mark noticed a car stop in the street abruptly while walking outside to get the Sunday paper. While picking up the paper, he noticed a man with white trash bag. He thought “Great, your dumping your trash in the street right in front of my house”. The man drove away as Mark yelled “Hey”. Then he saw the white plastic bag was moving. Next, three kittens appeared and approached him. He walked to the house with the kittens following behind him. He spoke to them so they knew it was okay to follow him to the house. Now, they are three quarters grown and love to play in the Kitty City we bought a few weeks ago. One of the kittens has sad eyes as if the stress of life was just too much for him. Now his eyes are filled with joy, but we mentioned his sad eyes to much that he responds to those words. So I guess the name will stick unless he responds to another name. The kittens are starting to trust us. Can you blame them after what they have been through? Sad Eyes is white and has a black strip on his back as if he was carrying one lane of the highway on his back.

New items for renovation in progress.

2010-08-15T06:12:00.000-07:00

The bathroom is now down to the bare-bones of our renovation. All of the fifty-year old items have been removed and new items have been purchased pictured above :). Mark wants the renovation to be perfect. Awesome. Three layers of paint are being scraped off the walls in preparation for kills-it and new paint. Life does not stop just because you start a new project. Guests still arrive, the home phone rings, and the cats still expect to be fed. Monday morning arrives before you realize the weekend is over. Thank goodness we have a second bathroom to fall back on. Occasionally, I’ll walk into the bathroom and realize, oh yeah. In my defense I'm usually milt-tasking when that happens.

Lost and found.

2010-08-04T16:05:00.000-07:00

I’ve manage to join the ranks of bloggers who have found excuses not to post. First issue, one of my kittens past away who were just nine-weeks old. I took her to the vet not realizing she was going to pass away no matter what I did. My heart sank as if I just lost a dear friend. Her name was Charlotte and I will never forget her sweet face and personality. She was the sister of Charlie who is very happy in Elissa’s home. Elissa and Steve are great parents. Then, several family members went into the hospital. Next, I hurt my back and I’m still feeling the aches and pains of muscles that just won’t relax. All the birthdays in July went well. Steve, Adam, Ranger, Nana, Mark and David all in the same four week period. Lots cake, food, and fun. It was great to see Aunt Alisha and Uncle Ron as we combine families at Bahamas Breeze. We went to Sebastian to join David for a Birthday Party his wife gave for him. The next day we all gathered at Rock Fish Grill to bring in Marks and my Moms birthday. We also went to Calder Race track for Nana’s birthday. Mark and I won $60 and cashed it in so we could walk out with more money than we walked in with. Body Guard is an official inside cat with his LOL luggage totally unpacked. He’s a morning cat and wakes up between 5:30 to 6 am everyday to eat his breakfast. “More food please.” Body Guard is sitting on his new cat scratching post compliments of Ranger. He adores his new toy and uses it several times a day. The cat nip stored inside the cardboard also entertains the kitten inside him.

Welcomed house guest.

2010-07-05T06:55:00.000-07:00

Charlie…….. Elissa and Steve’s new kitten and our welcomed house guest this weekend. He loves people, to play, and to sleep. BodyGuard gave Charlie a mini lesson on how to clean his face with his small paw. He would look at BodyGuard while trying to clean his face at the same time. He meows in the morning when he wakes up to remind folks he needs to eat breakfast. Elissa and Steve purchased adorable food and water bowls; perfect size for a kitten. He’s sleeping now in a cute little ball on top of his warm bedding his parents provided for him. We took tons of pictures, but I’m going to let Elissa share the joy of Charlie with her blog. I’ve really enjoyed my time with Charlie and am looking forward to our next visit.

Bodyguard! Welcome Back!

2010-06-27T11:09:00.000-07:00

We had been monitoring Bodyguard’s arm for slight swelling along with the amount of food he was consuming. The food intake never changed, but his arm swelling looked like he was starting to go down. Bodyguard’s arm seemed to take a turn for the worse when we arrived home on Monday evening. So we decided to make an emergency visit to a Veterinary Specialist. We made a call to the Veterinary Office to inquire about our dilemma. We were advised to bring Bodyguard in the office that evening. So we wrapped in a towel and he sat in my lap in front of the PT Cruiser. He looked very happy as he sat in my lab staring out the car window at all the passing street lights and trees. We were pleased with his great behavior during the car ride. We parked in the back and walked into the front door relieved we were the only clients in the waiting room. He sat in my lab while we waited for the Doctor to see his new patient. He meowed once he saw a small Golden Retriever behind the counter lying on his soft bed. We were taken to a small room in the back where an employee examined his arm. Bodyguard stayed calm while his temperature was taken. I kept reassuring him with my voice hoping he would continue to trust me. The Veterinary Doctor arrived to examine his arm and give us his evaluation a few minutes later. We knew in back of our minds surgery was a big possibility. We were told an incision would be made to allow his arm to drain. We were also told a small tube might have to be placed into the side of his leg to help continue the draining. We returned to the waiting room with anticipation, concern, and relief. All the employees took an interest in their new patient. What a great combination of people gathered together to help pet owners give their pets the best health possible.  Several hours passed and I kept looking at the doors hoping someone would tell us he was fine. One of the Doctors came out to advise us that Bodyguard was fine and should be ready to go home once the anesthesia wore off. We were guided to the very back of the office were all the other pets were resting. We notice the tube resting on the side of his arm which already looked smaller. We noticed twelve different cats and dogs residing in against wall in separate cages being very quiet. Were told this was an unusual night and the silence was a nice change. I noticed they were all awake as I glanced at their faces while taking Bodyguard in my arms. He was extremely glad to see us while still under the slight influence of anesthesia. We were given a white collar protector for Bodyguard to wear so he would not pull out his tube. He was fine with the white collar until he meds were off. We took turns holding him throughout the night in several hour intervals. Ranger was so gracious and took over the early morning shift so we could go to work. We purchased a new collar and leach to take him on walks to take his mind off his arm. Bodyguard is very healthy thanks to the Veterinary Specialists, Mark and Ranger.

Miami Beach, DSW therapy, Panera, & Publix

2010-06-12T19:40:00.000-07:00

Mark and I decided have an early morning breakfast at Miami Beach on Saturday. We were going to eat at a restaurant called Nexxt, but they didn’t open until 10 AM. We decided to eat at Van Dikes since they open at 8 AM with coffee and food ready to serve. The environment morning cleaning crews where sweeping the sidewalks from the dinner crowd with tons of candy wrappers from Ghirardelli in small piles every 12-feet. The employees who work at Ghirardelli shop will give you free candy as you walk inside their front door. They will hand you more candy if you look as if you could really use more chocolate. More please…..hum. The World Cup started their pre-game celebration with Van Dike patrons very serious about spending an entire month following soccer. Our food arrived along with my ice-coffee to help keep me cool. It felt strange to sip coffee through a straw, but I still enjoyed the caffeine. We decided to walk several blocks to the beach after paying for breakfast. The water was cool with no oil in sight. Not yet……..The crowed was light without any Life Guards on duty at any of the pavilions. We left after about an hour since the sun was on the warm side. We also noticed this water fountain was repaired while fully operational so I took a picture of the gorgeous blue collage of stone. We noticed an construction employee using a jack hammer while tearing up the road to install new pipes under the street near the parking garage. None of the construction employees were wearing ear plugs while the man holding the jack hammer arms were bouncing up and down from the heavy vibration. We drove away in the PT wondering how they could stand such a loud noise without wearing ear plugs.
Our next adventure was DSW for shoe shopping therapy. I didn’t have any luck since I could not find any shoes I liked in my size. Grrrrreeerrrr. So we headed to Panera for some soup before we headed to Publix. I decided to glance at my FB to see what was going on with my family and peeps. Elissa posted she had arrived to DSW. So I posted back we had just left DSW and now eating at Panera. After Elissa left DSW, she went to Publix. While she was at Publix, she read my post that we were now shopping at Publix. Good minds think alike. She was at the Publix near her home and we were at the Publix near ours. She called me and we laughed about how similar our afternoons were. She also found great deals on her shoes. Yes, at least one of us had a great therapy session.

Why is there ice on the stove top, how did it get there?

2010-06-06T09:37:00.000-07:00

Small amounts of hail bounced off the roof though a small vent opening and on to the flat surface of my stove top while I was in class. Mark took pictures so I could see the golf size ice melting on the stove. He is working today so I’ll have to post the pictures another time. At first I thought he meant the stove vent fell on top of the stove top due to the weight. Whew. His text wasn’t very clear and I left class early to drive home and check out the damage. Thank goodness it was just a text misunderstanding.
We went to Deli Lane on Saturday for a relaxing breakfast. I managed not to spill an ounce of coffee on myself this visit. We found front row parking before 9 AM so were didn’t have to put quarters in the meter for about 45-minutes. The fee for not placing money in the meter at 9:01 AM is $18. Now how do I know the fee for a sixty-second delay of not placing your money in the meter is $18? One time and only once did this happen to us. The ticket writers have the car tag information pre-typed in their ticket machines just a few minutes before 9 AM. Once 9:01 AM hits, you are now officially an owner of an $18 ticket. Putt, putt, away in their golf cart they go; zoom…… zoom….. to the next victim.

He demanded I open this door in my office.

2010-05-23T11:14:00.000-07:00

Time can be too fast, or too slow.

2010-05-22T19:14:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day weekend is arriving soon. Mark and I plan to do small projects around the house so we can place a check mark on our 18-year old “To Do List.” I’ll post pictures if all goes well with our projects.

Yahoo, Burn Notice will return on June 3rd, 9 PM and then Mentalist right after. Will my professor understand the urgency of the class hour ending on that particular evening?

Court Reporting continues.

2010-05-15T20:27:00.000-07:00

Summer time college classes are now in session. My motivation level has picked back up and thank goodness for that. Finally, we have found a Court Reporter who uses the same modern system I use for steno. She has given me five actual trail tapes and as many phone calls as I need to survive. She will receive my first e-mail tomorrow. Plus, my friend Kat is always encouraging me with new ideas how we can become the best Court Reporters as possible. I love this profession, but am leery of the unknown. The Court Reporter who is helping me with my system mentioned about an internship. Yes, oh yes, I will defiantly need that, too. Her firm handles trials and she mentioned this would be the best experience I can use to enhance my profession. What if the attorneys speak 280 words-per-minute? Naah, that surely won’t happen. Besides, a tape recorder will help with fast talking attorneys who just want to get through the day.

To all mom's and my mom "Happy Mother's Day!"

2010-05-09T08:55:00.001-07:00

How much?

2010-05-01T02:22:00.001-07:00

One of the most common statements I hear from my patients are “I’m young and didn’t think I was going to be sick and need better medical coverage.” Most folks choose their medical insurance coverage by the size of their deduction taken from their paycheck. The deductible and out-of-pocket figures are just for their viewing pleasure. What about the unforeseen future? Mark and I will have double coverage since I’m going to subscribe for additional medical coverage next year. His employer will be changing insurance plans next year with a deductible and out-of- pocket expenses. The deductible and out-of-pocket expenses seem confusing to most people who don’t realize what they are. The deductible and out-of-pocket are just two different ways insurance companies ask for money from their clients. The deductible has higher priority over out-of-pocket request. Most deductibles can range from $100 to $10,000. A $10,000 deductible usually connects to an individual policy for most people. Ask your insurance company if your deductible is part of your out-of-pocket so you won’t pay that twice. Ask your insurance company if you have a co-payment on top of your deductible and OOP expenses. If you do have a copayment, then this amount will be applied to your OOP. If you visit your PCP and pay $25, this will be applied to your OOP. You will be covered 100% once your deductible and OOP are paid in full until the following year. Then the process starts all over again.

Caution, it’s hot!

2010-04-26T21:58:00.000-07:00

The day seemed pretty normal as we drove to Deli Lane this past weekend to enjoy our breakfast. The street lights were green for most of our drive down US1. We found front row parking right next to the restaurant’s front entrance. We were even offered a table as soon as we walked up to the front desk to issue our name for a table. I mentioned to Mark maybe we should play the lotto that day since we seem to have a streak of good luck. As I glanced at the menu, I noticed my lack of coffee not entering my body and how my brain function seemed pretty good without caffeine. We ordered our food and received our first cups of coffee. My hand hit the spoon resting inside my coffee cup as I reached for a splenda. WOW, I stood straight up after the hot coffee landed in my lap while most of the people around me took a deep breath as they handed me napkins. Some of the napkins had cold water on them and that felt great. One patron yelled at the waitress to get me a punch of napkins quickly. The burning sensation started to ease off as I sat back down in my chair. Mark kept handing me napkins with cold water which felt great on my legs. The lady next to me told me she spilled her drink the evening before all over her dress. I felt a little better, but still embarrassed. Looking back, I wish I would have thanked the people who were very kind to help me. I kept apologizing when I should have said "thank you for your help." The waitress also attends MDC Court Reporting in my night class kept telling me not to worry about it. Our food arrived and I was extremely cautious while drinking my remaining cups of coffee. The coffee will be ready and waiting next Saturday morning before we leave the house for any reason.

Please do not adjust your monitor.

2010-04-21T17:32:00.000-07:00

This was the view as I drove to work last week around 7 AM on Sunset Drive. Sunset Drive had a much clearer view than the view I had driving past the canal. It felt as if I was driving with blinders all around me except for three feet in front of me.
A car hit the wall on the Gratney Expressway as I was driving home from class last night. The car struck the back of his car against the wall and then spun around slamming the front of his car into the wall. Meanwhile the car next to be slid into my lane for a few seconds to avoid contact. The car in my lane quickly went back into his lane as I hit my horn thinking……..miss...miss...miss me please. Luckily, the first car only hit the wall and missed the rest of use trying to get by. It was raining and all the cars were doing the speed limit or a little under. My IRL video games have paid off.

More....more.....more time....please....

2010-04-12T02:31:00.000-07:00

I have tried to develop several new schedules in order to create more time for my days, weeks, or months. Setting the alarm earlier in the morning has given me a little more time in my schedule. The problem, by the time I arrive home from school and work, I have fallen asleep earlier in the evening. Unfortunately, I’ll lose the time I have tried to create by changing my daily routine. I would like to have my hair cut and styled every once in a while. Maybe even schedule a pedicure, or yoga class. I have even arrived to Publix on a Friday evening in order to create more time over the weekend. How to create more time while working full-time has become such a challenge. My eyes opened up at 4:45 this morning so I decided to pay my bills and post in my blog. Now……I feel a little better. Now it’s time for a cup of Starbucks coffee from my kitchen.

Pay attention while driving on I95...please...thank you.

2010-03-28T19:33:00.000-07:00

Finger Drills, Jury Charge, and Lit have been what we have been practicing in school. The problem I’m having is arriving to my class on time. I’ll leave my office exactly 4:30 P.M. driving on US1 to I95 to exit off on 122ND. Sounds like a walk in the park. Three different car accidents were on I95 on Thursday; not to mentioned one speeding ticket for a new Porsche. The first car accident contained three white cars; maybe they just couldn't’t see each other. The second car accident was due to rubber necking the first car accident just a few feet away. Meanwhile, I’m just staring at my watch thinking it will speed up traffic in some miracle. The third car accident involved a rear-end collision because one driver was just not paying attention. Now I’m thinking “I’m home free!” Traffic speeds up and I’m watching the speed increase to fifty-five miles per hour. Next…….it started to rain. At this point I’m wondering if I should just turn the car around and give up. Then it stopped raining and all the lights were green as I drove off 122ND. To my surprise and intense moments of stress, I was only ten minutes late to class. Next, it’s time for a warm up before we take our test. Now I know why college students live on campus.

Yawn.....want my hour back, now.

2010-03-17T18:53:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, sure. Take our one hour of sleep and pretend we won't even notice. Sure no problem. Sometimes I'll wake up at 4 AM instead of 5 AM, when I really need to wake up at 6 AM. At least the alarm on the coffee not is not out of sorts. At last, we have reached the end of the week. AAhhhhh. Yawn....ops.....gotta sleep now......can't stay awake any longer......zzzzZZZZZZzzzzzz

Your getting sleepy...... Stop, its only one-way.

2010-03-08T17:40:00.000-08:00

I’m finding myself fighting sleep at night while waking up earlier in the morning. My eyes were not able to stay open long enough so I could watch the end of the Oscars. The employees talked about who wore what designer gown and whose hair was a bit frizzy at our lunch table. Am I the only person who could not stay awake until midnight? Or am I the only person who actually sleeps longer than I should?

The bridge located on the canal on 89th avenue allows cars to cross over which leads to Sunset Drive. There is a four way stop before and after the bridge. The county placed a curb barrier on the side of the block just after the bridge to slow down cars while diverting the flow of traffic. This means you can only drive out of this block to the bridge, but you can’t drive toward this block. You have to drive around either side of the block to reach the other side. Confused yet? Today while I was stopped at the bridge looking to my left next to the barrier that does not let traffic enter, a car almost hit me head on. He was making a left turn into my single lane were I was stopped. My instant reaction was to hit my horn and move over. The man looked stunned. He couldn’t believe this barrier appeared out of nowhere. His face expression read “it wasn’t there before!” The car behind be backed up. I thought to myself “chicken.” Then I realized he was just protecting his car payments. The man pulled his car off the road and on to the grass while he collected his thoughts.

1950 to 1959 due by Wed. for a meeting at work.

2010-02-28T19:18:00.000-08:00

I’m in search of ideas for a theme from the 1950’s. I’ve found a Sock Hop theme, and a Rock n Roll theme. I’ve discovered bingo, word search, and charades as a few games. We may also include a raffle. Poodle skirts, blue jeans, Dior, Chanel, and Givenchy. Pony tails to flat tops or crew cuts. Men were wearing gray flannel suits? Roy Rogers, Davy Crockett, and drive-in movies. Disneyland opened along with Sharpstown Mall, or Gufgate mall. Elvis was in the house. Hula hoops, silly putty and western gear. There were some new technologies in the fifties. Television was just one of them. “Peanuts,” the comic strip, Singing in the Rain, and High Noon. Tomorrowland in Disneyland opened in 1957. Tropical fish were the most popular pets. 1950’s candy = Mars, 3musketerrs, M & M’s, Pez, Saf-T-Pops, and Whistle Pops are just a few of them. Any suggestions please help.

Boom, Its Italian

2010-02-21T08:23:00.000-08:00

It’s been a long time since I feel down and went boom on the ground as I sprang my ankle. My ankle is healing very well with swelling just once in a while. The small step was hidden in the dark of night just past a flight of stairs. My ankle only had pain that evening despite the small golf ball creeping around my ankle. Yes, this small hidden step will never be forgotten again.
Mark and I went to a spaghetti fund raiser Saturday night for the Marion Center which is the living facility for Kim. Caribbean Cruise Line donated a seven-day cruise for the raffle tickets sold. A Wii Fit game was also donated as raffle prize. Two flower pictures and a few jewelry items as well. The Italian feast was donated along with the cake and wine. A few of the patrons donated their prizes back to the raffle since they were family members of the President. The seven-day cruise was won by the Presidents mom. She donated the cruise to the couple who prepared the donated Italian food from their company. The owners also worked the banquet with their two children and allowed a few of the Marion Center children to help as well. This was the highlight of my evening. You could tell this family worked very hard and were shocked by the nice gesture. We hope they enjoy their seven-day cruise with lots of beautiful pictures. The Wii Fit was won by a happy seven-year old who kept jumping up and down after he won.

A small tribute to Danika Patrick. I was pondering how I was going to keep up with the NASCAR race while I was at the fund raiser. Twitter has a gentleman named Reggie who posts for Dankia while she is racing. So, I tried my luck and sent him a text explaining I will be at a fund raiser and he would please tell me how she is doing. He responded back to me that she was in 16 place during the trials and good luck with the fund raiser. This made my day. I felt as if I was part of the team. She finished 31st and had a few speeding penalties for speeding in the exit end of the crew pits. She didn’t realize she was speeding out of the pits because the orange cone that marks the yellow line had been moved forward for safety reasons. NASCAR also left the original yellow line on the track which was the clue to increase speed. This was the main was the reason for the confusion. Other drivers also received speeding tickets as well. As much as Danika didn’t like the circumstances, this made the race extremely interesting. Thank goodness for U-verse. I recorded the race and tried to watch the race when we returned home. Oh, how I tried to stay awake and watch the race. Needless to say, I watched the full race this morning. :)

A Birthday Wish.

2010-02-13T13:29:00.000-08:00

........Happy Birthday to you......pause.....Happy Birthday to you......pause.....Happy Birthday Dear Dad.....pause.....Happy Birthday to you......pause......and many more!........The End......................

UM and a early morning fishing trip.

2010-02-06T14:35:00.000-08:00

This was my first Friday evening I didn’t have to work in five years without requesting a vacation day. Last week was my first week of working my new shift change from nights to days. It felt great; however, I did take a $1.60 an hour pay cut from losing the night differential. Going from part-time to full-time gave me an increase in pay in the scheme of all this; I came out ahead financially . What to do Friday evening? Mark told me he felt like having an Italian dinner. Then we decided to drive to Big Cheese which is also known for posting famous UM memorabilia on their walls. The atmosphere was casual with the wonderful smells of garlic and pasta. The sunset was beautiful from our table with perfect 70 degree weather outside. Our waiter was funny, but he forgot to bring Marks glass back for a refill. He looked so shocked when he realized what he did. He was wondering if he blew his tip into the ground. Na, he didn’t.

A loud banging sound outside our house back window occurred at exactly 4:44 am. I thought to myself; this better be important to wake me up so early on a Saturday morning. When I looked outside, I saw my neighbor connecting his boat to his truck so he could go fishing. I wanted to ask him if he had to connect his boat to his trailer outside my bedroom window in order to see if this process would actually bring him better luck at catching fish. It was just thought and I went back to sleep.

You didn't ask permisison to park there!

2010-01-31T08:59:00.000-08:00

Florida Power and Light are adding more poles to the neighborhood since a new bank is opening on the corner. Truck one, Zeta zero. I had to choose which yard full of grass to drive over in order to leave for work from my driveway. You can't tell from this picture, but there is another truck behind this flatbed blocking the yard as well. A UPS truck pulled up in front of the flatbed truck while I was trying to leave. That was great! He was carrying my new flip flops I ordered last week :]

With permission of course.

2010-01-24T19:19:00.000-08:00

As we walked past this shelf inside a department store today, Mark asked me if Steve and Elissa wouldn't mind if we bought this drum set for our future grandchild? This brought back memories of a drum pad aka reversible card table on bus band trips of the past. I'm still trying to figure out how he smuggled the inching powder on the bus. I bet he bought the inching powder after parent inspections. Yes, hum, in Boston there were several magic shops. As a bonus, the Band Teacher he had at the time thought it was funny as well. Steve was told not to do this again and did he use it all. No punishment issued. Just combined laugher.

Warm weather creates a faster clock.

2010-01-19T17:23:00.000-08:00

My professor was summoned to Jury Duty today. Now, we are wondering how long she will be on a jury if she was chosen. Will we have class on Thursday? I’ll have to check my college email to see if we have an entire week without school, or just one day. It was so nice to arrive home like a normal person and eat dinner while watching the news with my hubby. But……..I did miss the time I spend in class typing to a dictation along with my other constituents.
The bone chilling cold weather has given me a now profound appreciation for my flip flops. Yes, I've even ordered a new pair of Reefs online which should arrive by Friday, ready for me to wear by the weekend.
We had busy weekend. Friday evening, I went to Publix after work sorta tired. I accidentally called Ranger thinking if I was calling home to find out if we needed detergent. She told me she had no clue. LOL. Saturday morning, we went to a viewing for David and his family. His father past away two-days earlier. David was wearing his US Air Force Uniform and looked confident.
Next, we went to lunch at Sams Country Kitchen in Homestead since it was close by. Boy, I felt over dressed in my suit. Then we went home changed our clothes to denim. After resting for a little while, we went to pick up Kim from the Marian Center. Next, we all drove to Coal Fire Pizza to met up with Marks Mom, David and Lynn. Then we drove Kim back to the Marian Center so she could check back in to her room. We drove back to the house and waited for David and Lynn since they were spending the night. They drove Marks Mom back to her home, then drove to her house. Sunday I prepared breakfast and we talked for a few hours. Boom, weekend was complete...
The picture of us behind bars is in St. Augestine at the Castillo San De Marcus Fort. Open to the publc.

2010-01-12T16:40:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday Dear Ed, Happy Birthday to you, and many more................

Tick tock......Sleep....Tick tock....sleep....

2009-12-27T18:06:00.000-08:00

One of my co-workers called out sick last week one day before Christmas Eve. So I worked her shift and mine. My day started at 6:30 a.m. so I could print my surgery schedules and get an early start on my day. By 7:15 p.m., I was more than happy to punch the time clock. Next, I drove another employee to the metro-rail station so she would not have to take the bus on US1. When I got home and walked inside the house, Mark had my dinner waiting for me on a plate covered in foil. A few minutes after I ate dinner, I was asleep. Boom, I blinked my eyes, and it is now 6:00 a.m. Once more, I am on my way to work before the sun rises. This time, its Christmas Eve. I chose to work so Moms with young children could be home and enjoy the memories they will collect for their future. The patients I called that day were happy despite any aliments they were concerned about. Many of them thanked me for working on a day they knew I'd rather be home. It was worth every moment of my time once the family gathered to celebrate our holiday. We have many blessings to be thankful for.

It works.

2009-12-27T17:52:00.001-08:00

Yes, here is how to post for the verification work for Elissa’s blog. Please click on the verification word and type the letters. Then his tap until you reach edit. Click on edit and then click post comment, and it should work. I’m going post a comment again.

PICCPIPER: CRASH

2009-12-24T01:12:00.000-08:00

PICCPIPER: CRASH: "test"

Boom and finished shopping.

2009-12-19T16:12:00.000-08:00

One of our family members was in a car accident on Friday. Both airbags deployed and the car was totaled. She went to the hospital by ambulance. Thank goodness she is okay. I'll let her talk about the experience on her blog. Please allow her time to heal from her injuries before she posts.

We finished Holiday shopping today. Yahoo. The wrapping process continues. I've already wrapped six gifts. Whew, people are driving as if they all of a sudden can't remember how to drive! We were stopped at a red light with several cars blocking the intersection. Once the cars passed, all of a sudden, a lady took the red light. We stopped along with the other rows of cars allowing her to continue breaking the law. Boy, that was a close one. Did she really need to cross to the other side at all costs? My mind went to the thoughts of our family who who was struck by a driver who didn't see her as we drove away from the intersection. My heart feels heavy since she is in pain. The accident was not her fault.

We are experiencing a cccooollddd front this evening. Time to break out the heavy feather down cover, and possibly turning on the heater. Still wearing my flip-flop, ha.

Hum, wonder if my Dad started is tree yet?

Productive weekend.

2009-12-07T07:10:00.000-08:00

Wow, we have our Christmas tree in the living room drinking water without decorations. This task is on my list of things to do by this weekend. Pictures will be posted once the tree had been completed. We went to Home Deport to discover most of their trees had already been sold. Then we went to Lowes to discover the perfect tree. I drove the PT Cruiser around the side near the area where the trees were being loaded to make it easier for the employee to place the tree in the back of the car. Mark went inside Lowes to pay for the tree while I moved the car closer. After I open the back door, I walked to the area where the trees were being cut on bottom. All of a sudden out of the corner of my eye, an employee was placing the wrong tree in back of the PT. OOPS. I said "Wait, wait! That’s not my Christmas tree, it’s this one." Everybody laughed including the owner of the wrong tree being placed in back of the PT. Whew, then it started to sprinkle as we drove back to the house. Luckily, it was not a down pour.

Giivng Thanks.

2009-12-01T17:44:00.000-08:00

First day of December....now is the moment we must count down to all of the things we have to do by the…..23rd, 24th, .25th. Thanksgiving Day was wonderful. Having the family together for a big reunion was spectacular. Only three family members were unable to arrive due to their job schedules. The raffle created excitement with anticipation who will win next. The amount of help given to the gathering was wonderful. My plan is to send out Thank You notes to show my gratitude for all the help received. Having family from Atlanta drive to Miami and join us was so grand. We had a great time with everyone.

Piccpipper :)

2009-11-30T20:16:00.000-08:00

Please welcome Piccpipper to the world of bloging. Her Blog attachment is listed below.

Welcome Piccpipper!

Pumpkin Coffee?

2009-11-11T05:55:00.001-08:00

We have been updating our guest bathroom since we are having at least 21 people for Thanksgiving. I'll post pictures when we finish the hall bath; which will hopefully this weekend. I've been planning the food, games, guest list, and counting chairs. We are having family drive from Atlanta which is so exciting. Marks two sons are driving down with their wives and children. Family pictures for sure. My next mission is to spruce up the guest bedrooms. Since its Veterans Day, many insurance offices will be closed for the holiday. I'm still heading to work to help patients who will be home so I can pre-reg them for their surgeries of next week. Starbucks has pumpkin coffee which I would like to try if I have time this morning. New Starbucks flavors are always fun to try.

Bodyguard, I see you !

2009-10-24T10:31:00.000-07:00

I mentioned to Bodyguard that this new condo in his chair may not be hurricane proof enough for the tropics. He climbed sideways from the bottom into this chair on his own.

Dedicated to past memories of the Orange Bowl!

2009-10-18T05:30:00.000-07:00

The picture of family and friends was taken at Coal Fire Pizza. The big round metal holders on the table were for our large pizza's to rest on. Why aren't the employees of Landshark Stadium wearing raincoats? Thank goodness I've lost ten pounds since this picture was taken.

2009-10-18T05:21:00.000-07:00

IRL on a sunny day !

2009-10-11T19:48:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at the IRL race on Saturday in Homestead. Plus, we have connections and credentials that allow us to roam around the track in a golf cart. We also have a pass which allows us to access the garage. Mark told Danica it was fine to help herself pass in front of our cart since people were starting to follow her. Her crew allowed me to enter the garage and Mark took this picture of me next to her car. Another fan asked me to take his picture next to #7 Danica’s car as I started to walk away and I said “Sure.” I'm kicking myself for not curling my hair for this picture. This was the first IRL race I can remember ending without any cautions. The only fender bender (which was NOT Danica's fault), was when #4 Dan Wheldon's spotter told him to leave the pit when she was turning into her spot for a quick tire change. My heart sank. “How on earth,” then I remembered I was in the press box surrounded by important people. Quietly, I expressed my “It’s not fair" tantrum. We believe since there are two cars orange and black, it confused the spotter. I was confused during the race which one was Danica’s car since they look so much alike. The picture I took inside the press boxes looks neat and you can even see the track through the windows. The AC felt wonderful, and I so grateful that we have several of the best seats on the track.

Wake up people.

2009-10-07T06:21:00.000-07:00

Our teacher is a wonderful steno advisor for our night class on Tuesday and Thursday. My seat is in the very front row since it was the only spot left when I arrived a week late to class due to hours in the office. When I turned around to see our teacher last night, I smiled and said "Everyone looks so tired." Most of the students shock their heads as in "Yes you are correct." It is not easy, but.....one day.....will be worth the trouble. One of my friends is now working as a Court Reporter and she loves her job. She even wrote this on Facebook for everyone to see. My last steno test of last week did not proceed as well as I expected. My office issued a flu shot to me in the left arm free of charge. So the pain I felt in my arm did not require any money, just my signature, some fear. I’ll blame the side effects of the flu shot for my terrible grade of "No Pass" on my test of last week.

New additon to the office.

2009-09-28T21:27:00.000-07:00

We decided it was time for an upgrade after I spent many hours in my previous office chair working on my first transcript. We compared prices between several stores before we found this great bargain. I realized the rest of the office could use an upgrade after rolling the chair in to meet its new resting area. Everything else looks so small compared to the big showroom in the store. That's okay, it's comfortable.

Two tests and a student question.

2009-09-01T19:20:00.000-07:00

It was raining when I arrived to the school parking lot with some lightening. My Nike blue umbrella kept my hair dry, but my feet seem to be swimming in puddles of water. My professor handed me a test with 222 theory words. She mentioned she had a second theory test that was a few less words than the first test. They were makeup tests since I missed school last week. I took both tests the same evening. Why not. I needed to catch up. When I got up to hand both tests to my professor, one of the students asked me "Did you answer every question? I think I did terrible." I told her "Yes. I answered to the best of my memory." Many of the words were blank when I looked down at her test paper she was handing the professor. I wondered how she got this far in court reporting if she didn't know the theory. As I left to arrive back to my car; it started raining again. This conversation took me back to my beginning days as a student reporter and the eagerness to learn. I pondered over the summer if I can handle family life, school and work. Now, I know one day, I will be a Court Reporter.

Can I help you? Did you say computer?

2009-08-22T14:40:00.000-07:00

Early to rise and off to breakfast so we could shop at Brandsmart for a few items we needed for our home. We found our coffee pot on sale, an iron on sale, and bags for the seal-a-meal. The store was packed full of shoppers running around with newspapers looking for the sale items. Sales people would ease drop on our conversations trying to figure out what they could sell us. Some of the employees were really funny and we had a few good laughs. We left Brandsmart and headed to BJ's Wholesale Club. This kind of shopping requires helpey-selfey-plan. So I had Mark lift the H20 cases. You never now about hurricane season. One minute your living your normal life and the next you are preparing for a Storm.

Shopping while tired?

2009-08-21T05:58:00.000-07:00

I decided to stop by Publix as I was driving home from work yesterday evening. Our food supply went down to zero since I no longer have two boys reminding me they need to eat. I glanced at the time on my iphone as I pulled in the parking lot around 9:15 pm. I didn’t remember I placed my iphone on sound instead of silent about an hour before I left work. I heard a sound the Woot app makes and jumped about an inch out of my seat. I must have touched the Woot app before placing the iphone back in its holder. Plus, in my defense, I was tired from a long day at work.
I managed to leave the deli and order lunch supplies without incident. As I was walking down the juice isle, my purse hit a display on wheels of boxed juice. I felt my purse and display rock back and forth. Thank goodness it did not fall. After that, it was a smooth shopping experience.

Sparks and a telephone call.............boom.

2009-08-17T05:51:00.000-07:00

I have to shop on the weekends now that I have joined the ranks of full-time employment. Wow, I couldn’t believe how crowded BJ's Wholesale Club was on Sunday. As for the long lines, seems like such a waste of time. Next time, I'll carry my steno homework in the store to read while standing in a long line.

My new neighbors are very quiet and polite to everyone in the Kendall Hood. One of their two sons had a birthday yesterday which now called for a Birthday Party. They rented a bouncy toy fun house which stood tall full of blown air. While I was talking to Ranger on the phone, we heard boom, spark, boom, over and over again. Ranger asked me, "What are those sounds?" I told her "I'm not sure, let me check out the backyard.” The tall bouncy full of air fun house was causing the wires from FPL to send out white sparks and very loud sounds. Next, the bouncy house full of blown air was sitting in the front yard full of playing children. After a while of children playing safely, it started to rain.

Hello, can you hear me now? Yes, no. YES you can.

2009-08-10T05:51:00.000-07:00

AT&T did not go on strike; however, the employees are working without a contract. District 4 settled. All the other districts did not settle and held strong until midnight. Many of us stayed up past our bedtime out of curiosity.

Our banks ATM was temporarily out-of-service. All I we wanted to do was deposit a check, not even request cash back. SOOooooo, we placed the envelope in night deposit box. Hopefully, the bank employees will deposit the check into our account. Or the check will fly to a place of No Return.

Under the weather.

2009-08-02T13:50:00.000-07:00

Finally, I'm starting to feel better after an illness that just would not go away without a little help from medication. SO....... now life is starting to feel normal again.

Three more weeks until school starts and boy, I'm glad. Plus, I'm behind on steno homework because my back would not allow me to sit more than five minutes at a time.

We are on our way to Coal Fire Pizza with Ranger and family. Bye.

Happy Birthday to you....Happy Birthday to you....

2009-07-30T17:55:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Dear Maaarrrkkk; pause, Happy Birthday to you....and many more.....applause.

Love, Zeta.....

Mark, too is just a little older than the breakers that Ranger had.

Pizza, Pizza,

2009-07-22T07:46:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at Anthonys Coal Fired Pizza. The well done pizza crust tasted so good. They can coal fire a pizza in three minutes. In real-time according to Mark, that would be four minutes. All parking in the Kendall area is FREE. No coin parking meters to pay or tickets to dodge. The to be seated waiting line moves fast since the turn around time for cooking a pizza is quick.

http://www.anthonyscoalfiredpizza.com/index.html

A birthday wish.

2009-07-16T06:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to you!, Happy Birthday to you!, Happy Birthday Dear RangerMom......Happy Birthday to you...........Love Zeta.....

Reading, writing, and no arithmetic.

2009-07-15T06:11:00.000-07:00

We have gone from surfing the net to Blogs, Face Book, or Twitter. One of my co-workers had no clue what this sensation was all about. She had heard about these items but had never gone to visit them. She prefers to shop in the mall, take her children to a movies, or watch T.V. Is she challenged by the tasks of computer posting updates, or is she just not interested!

Another co-worker of mine feels obligated to watch her Face Book page all the time. Its not a contract, so I don't worry about what is happening on Twitter or Face Book if I let them slide without updating. One of my favorite tools about writing a blog, is creating a book with factual journeys which may be read later in life by a friend or family member.

Biged wondered if the blogs of today are going to stall or start to not exist. Blogs rock and are great source of therapy. All the therapy sessions are free which is a big perk. One of my college friends moved to back to Tenn; however, when she lived in Miami, she was paid to write a blog for a newspaper. Lets keep reading, lets keep writing, and best of all, lets communicate!

Someone's Birthday?

2009-07-06T10:53:00.000-07:00

Yahoo, Happy Birthday Steve!!!!! May you have many more.........

Happy, happy, joy, joy......Love Zeta

What a great mover!

2009-06-29T09:37:00.000-07:00

Yahoo.....happy happy joy joy.
Yes, we went to see the movie Star Trek on Saturday evening. The Transformer movie sold out completely while I was standing in line to receive my movie tickets for Star Trek. Suddenly, the long lines were smaller as people walked away and boom, my tickets were in my hand. We walked in the theater and picked out great seats. The theatre did have very few seats left over before the movie begin, but proper planning prevents poor performance. "Will police be able to pull me over while riding a hover craft in the future?"

Cirque du Soleil - Saltimbanco Arena Show 2009

2009-06-07T19:29:00.000-07:00

Cirque du Soleil - Saltimbanco Arena Show 2008

What a grand show. Spectacular. Mark and I went to the Saltimbanco Cirque de Soleil on Saturday. Worth every cent we spent. We didn't want the show to end. It rained on us, but that did not stop us or the show. :)

Cirgue de Soleil
Circus of Sun

H20

2009-06-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken at the Ft. Lauderdale Riverfront dining area. The draw-bridge paint color must have faded from the sun since the color didn't match anything else in the area. We ate a delicious meal at Briny's Seafood Restaurant as yachts left the river. A few of the restaurants hosts receptions and weddings.

How many patients are in the sleep lab?

2009-05-20T06:44:00.000-07:00

Last night around 8 pm, I received a call from a sleep-lab tech who was overwhelmed. He had admitted patients to the sleep lab who's insurances were not verified. The patients were not pre-reg-ed either. Oh my goodness. I walked over to the sleep lab cabinet and pulled the files of the four patients. Yep, the day shift forgot to verify the insurance and call the patients. SOOooooo, I verified the insurance of all the patients and even had to send one patient home since he did not have a referral. Oh my goodness. So the sleep tech asked me to call the patient and tell him which I did. I actually called the patients while they were resting in their comfy beds. The patient I had to send home took the news very well since I explained why the referral was so important. Then I had to collect the co-payments over the phone, pre-reg patients and scan the paperwork. Fax the receipts to the patients for their records. I was in my car by 10:01 pm. Therapy session over. I'll send myself a small bill.

Wedding Day PIcs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-05-03T08:09:00.000-07:00

2009-05-03T08:03:00.000-07:00

Wedding Day Pics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-05-03T07:43:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Ranger.............

2009-04-23T07:31:00.000-07:00

I'm in class stealing a moment to read a few of my favorite blogs. A big Thank You to Ranger for allowing us to borrow your car while the PT was in the shop. Mark and I both are now attached to your car now and miss the "Hello. Welcome to Camry". We also miss the silver smooth ride, leather seats, and newness. We did miss the PT as well. The Royal Blue car had to have have several belts changed to prevent leaks leading to overheating. When I arrived home after work work, I told Mark "This cant be a good sign". Steam was everywhere in the darkness of night. The light turned on just as I turned in the driveway. I took the expressway most of the way home which kept the car cool under stress. Mark looked at me and wondered what I did to his car silently.

Next, Ranger and I went to pick up the PT from the repair shop. The PT was making a screeching noise it wasn't making before I turned in the car for repair in the parking lot of the dealer. So, we left the car again, plus I just turned in my rental to Enterprise. Ranger to the rescue. She loaned us her car a second time while the PT was being repaired. This eased the stress level for both of us. The customer service department employee; Paula, was wonderful during this whole process. Ranger and I arrived to the dealer at 6:30 AM to retrieve the car a second time. The car runs just fine. Most of the repairs were under warranty, thank goodness. Back to school, work, and planning a reception. Thank you RangerMom and Dad.

Bows, Coach, Dresses, and a Wedding.

2009-04-20T05:12:00.000-07:00

Elissa and I went shopping at the Dolphin Mall yesterday to purchase our dresses for the wedding. We had a great time, and we did find several beautiful dresses. We also went to the Coach store and found shopping tranquility. I did find a small Coach treasure. A small brown Coach Leather purse for $25. Fifty-percent off plus a markdown was a great find. The original price was $128. This markdown may have been a mistake; however, it was in my favor in their store ink color. Sold.
This will be a small wedding of family and two friends. The amount of people in total is thirty. We ordered chairs three round tables which will be placed between the dining and living-room areas. Thank goodness we have extra chairs in the laundry room in case we need them. We will have ivory table clothes with gold over-lays. Ivory chairs, a guest sign-in table, cake table, and a sweetheart table.
Ranger, you have wonderful craft skills and we appreciate your help. The small & large bows look spectacular, plus the tool across the front and back of the room will look fancy as well.

Green grass, shopping, and steno.

2009-04-01T06:46:00.000-07:00

Finally, the grass grew after a few days of rain. This created the next step of our lawn company folks to show up to create a neat and trim yard. Only a few homes in the area have a sprinkler system connected to a well.

The three shoppers of Kendall gathered items from David's bridal and Micheal's craft store over the weekend. The wedding dress looks.....beautiful. That's all the groom needs to know. Heheheh. Micheal's has a atmosphere similar to Disney once everyone starts brain storming. My flip-flops are so much more comfortable than flat shows. Wish I could wear them 24-7.

Steno world is improving with accuracy. Off to finger drills and Members of Congress statements.

Zoom Zoom eerrrhhhh........

2009-03-28T20:29:00.001-07:00

Busy is an understatement.

Steno has consumed my world. That's okay. Getting paid for a job I really enjoy and want to do will pay off eventually, after I graduate from school. My professor has been very accurate figuring out my steno problem when I get stuck on a certain speed.

Mark and I went to see the movie "Taken." This movie was fantastic. The edge of my seat is where I sat during the entire movie.

Tomorrow, I will be shopping with Elissa and Veronica. Our first step is of course Star Bucks, Davids Bridal, lunch, and then to Micheal's Craft Store. We are looking forward to our day of planning and shopping.

Finally, it rained. The grass in the front and back of our home is green again. Yahoo. I'm sure our lawn man appreciates the rain since we have not seen him for a few weeks.

My conclusion with the music video I was trying to attached to this blog is, the file is too big. Must consult my guru.

Greater M. Symphonic Band

2009-03-18T05:14:00.000-07:00

Mark and I attended the GMSB Concert which was fantastic. Wow, we were mesmerized. Steve plays every percussion instrument with such control. The Star-Spangled Banner left tears in my eyes as Steve played his rolls on the snare. Elissa plays the flute with grace and perfection. She is also a wonderful band director and her students know they are lucky to have her guidance. Her melodays also left tears in my eyes. She plays so beautiul. Wow.

Robert Longfellow, Conductor

Overture to Candide.............Leonard Berstein aar. Walter Beeler
The Star-Spangled Banner........John Stafford Smith arr. Henry Fillmore
A Longford Legend...............Robert Sheldon
Irish Tune from County Derry....Percy Aldrige Grainger
"Shepards Hey" English Dance....Percy Aldrige Grainger
The Irish weasherwomen..........Leroy Anderson

Col. Arnald D. Gabriel, Guest Conductor

Hands Accross the Sea............John Philip Sousa
Slavonic Rhapsody No. 2..........Carl Friedemann aar. W. J. Duthoit
A Gershwin Fantasy...............George Gershwin aar. Ralph Martino
Italian Rhapsody.................Julie Giroux
Finale (from Symphony in F Minor No. 4) .....P. I. Tschaikowsky aar. V.F. Safranek

It was the Italian Rhapsody or the Finale in Minor 4 music which was also played in Rome in front of 60-thousand people and the Pope. Col. Arnald D. Gabriel was the same conductor for Rome and last night's consert. What a wonderful concert. I can't wait to see them play again!

Is it cold enough yet? Where can I park my car?

2009-03-05T04:53:00.000-08:00

Finally, warm weather. Mark's (son aka Mark III) who lives in Atlanta, told his Dad that they lost power for two days after they finished their telephone call. They just turned on the BBQ grill to cook their food and bundled up for two days. Sounds like Andrew minus the heat and add the freezing snow. Alicia said she would send pictures of their land with the snow over their property. I believe they lost power before she was able to send the pictures because, we have not received them yet. Oh my goodness.

Due to a Job Fair at the college I attend for court reporting, "no school today?" A line of 2,400 people applied for 50 positions at the cafeteria. Where did these people park their cars? Does the college have 2,400 spots? Did these people show up in groups of 500? I'll solve my curiosity next week when I return to class. The media announced the Job Fair which helped increase the number of people arriving for employment.

Rangermom, I've heard you have continued to enjoy your water splashing? Mark mentioned that when he called your home, the Toshiba was close at hand.

DW need Dr.s appointment.

2009-03-04T06:41:00.001-08:00

Steve is now tackling his dishwasher which is locked between hardwood floors and a granite counter top. He plans to fix the DW himself just in case there are a few more miles with his appliance. Removing the wood floors is an option he is trying to avoid, we understand. Why did the previously homeowner add an appliance without an escape route? All of my appliances have an escape route. I'm just saying!

Tropical ops stop sooner then now!

2009-03-03T10:48:00.000-08:00

An unusual small fender bender happened in front of me while I was driving the Taurus to the mall to pick up a gift certificate. A young man was trying to stop before he hit the car in front of him since he was not paying attention to the traffic. I noticed my surroundings immediately since there were blue flashing lights of top of the car he was about to rear-end. I could see the driver turn the wheel, smash the brakes as hard as he could and still, boom. The State Trooper he hit was helping another driver whose vehicle had broken down. Right after the slight bump, the officer jumped out of his car arm extended, fingers wide open, as he unsnapped his gun holster with his other hand. Oh my goodness. I looked in the left lane next to look for an escape and was unable to change lanes. I kept wondering if he wanted to me get out of my car as a witness. Who was he actually pointing to? My eyes just kept looking at his hands to make sure all would end well. The driver who hit the officer’s car jumped out and kept apologizing over and over again. The officer realized he was just trying to apologize as sincere as possible. The officer said "How could you not see the flashing of blue lights on all points of this car?" Next both of them look at the vehicles and the officer told him to be more careful and he could go. Whew.

Its official!

2009-02-23T09:33:00.000-08:00

Adam stopped by our house Friday afternoon to visit on his way to met a friend who was a pilot. They had made arrangements to met while Veronica was at work to place the glasses and champagne in the plane before they were to take off around 6 pm the next day. Veronica only knew Adam made weekend plans and what type of clothes to wear. It was a surprise with lots of anticipation.

Saturday morning appeared and the rest of us woke up knowing this was going to be a grand day for them. The clock didn't seem to move very fast for some reason. The plane took off headed towards FT. Myers as the sun was starting to set. Veronica sat in the front seat with the pilot so she would not see Adam preparing the campaign and slide the ring inside the glass to land gently at the bottom. Yes, he proposed in the air and of course she said yes. I'll post pictures as soon as I receive copies. This will be a wonderful story for their children to hear.

Adam requested that Steve, Elissa, Mark, Mike, Amy, and I meet him afterwords at a restaurant on the beach. Adam called his dad while we were in route to the restaurant to let him know he had completed his task with great success. May both of them have many more wonderful stories to share with their family and friends.

Congratulations to Adam and Veronica!

Tropic weather and Court Houses

2009-02-18T06:21:00.000-08:00

Temperatures for this week are perfect. Yahoo, windows are open and fresh air is arriving inside the house.

Being a student court reporter has its perks. I just smile whenever a summons arrives in the US Mail for jury duty. My laptop has a letter ready to go stating I am working on my Associate of Science degree on Court Reporting Technology which is very time consuming. A letter is always returned from the Federal or Civil Courts stating your excused and please continue your classes. Plus I note in the letter that I maybe a future employee of the Federal Courts as a reporter.

Extra bonus for private bankers.

2009-02-15T05:24:00.000-08:00

Ever reach a point in your life where you know whatever decision you make will influence the rest of your life? A big decision of mine in the past was, to choose a reliable bank when I decided to have a banking career. This decision would also help me learn how to manage my money at a young age. Why not; might come in handy someday. So off to SunTrust I went and was given a severance package sixteen-years later. Hence, now studying court reporting.

In today’s paper, Leonard Abess gave all of his employees present and retired, $60 million dollars to share. The bank was City National Bancshares. If I had only..... The employee total was 399 which was calculated in dollars by years of service. May they enjoy their new gallery of money and their boss be a great example to others.

Crunch, boing, boing, swish.

2009-02-11T05:15:00.000-08:00

We are wearing our summer attire and hanging our jackets back in the closets. My boots were replaced with my flip flops in the shoe closet. The neighborhood yards seem to have grass frozen brown from lack of water. Hopefully, it will rain next week or sooner. Crunch.
We are having a luncheon today for one of our employees who decided to transfer to Cutler Bay. Free lunch for everyone! We all signed a Hallmark card from the office and included a Visa gift card inside. This will interfere with my steno practice, but I will have to change my schedule today.
The cats are now basking in the sunshine instead of trying to get warm from cold wind. We have a piece of plywood resting against the fence in the backyard leftover from hurricane protection. A few of the cats use the plywood as a spring board to jump on and off of. Boing, boing. Velcro kitties.
Steve and Elissa are now official home repair experts. They are in the process changing wallpaper and replacing bathroom equipment. Being polite, something you sit on every morning. S. replaced this feature in his hall bathroom without any errors. Way to go S.
Mark is on vacation next week and is thinking of accomplishing a few house projects. Wonder if driveway is at the top of his list.

Bonjour

2009-02-04T05:24:00.000-08:00

Kim has transferred her telephone language to French by accident. So we answer our cell phones with a French Hello to remind her not to hit the buttons without a reason.

Back in Steno World. Why on earth does it have to be so cccoollld on 02/05/09. I'll be in the Taurus wearing many layers wondering what happened to our tropical paradise as I drive to class in the morning. Q. and A. test at 120 wpm.

Lake City 40
Kendall 48
Atlanta GA 16 They are missing a few numbers.
New York 18 They are missing a few numbers too.
Cupterino 44 A city in California; arrived on my I-phone when purchased.
Alabama City -8 oh oh, they are in the red.

All we need now is snow.

Give me chicken!

2009-01-26T12:04:00.000-08:00

Last night I gave Mini-Me a piece of chicken while I was cooking with the BBQ grill. When we walked inside the kitchen; I gave her the usual cat food meal. She meowed “No Chicken!" Oh, oh, I realized she doesn't suffer from short term memory loss. So, I tried again to give her the fresh open cat food with encouragement. I received the same reaction with negative body language. OK, she ate chicken last night, but she had cat food for breakfast. Her short term memory is only 12-hours.

Is it snowing yet?

2009-01-23T05:21:00.000-08:00

How much cold weather can we handle? It was 32 degrees in Kendall yesterday morning. There was a thin layer of ice on top of both cars. I ran the car heater while driving to school wearing my leather jacket, gloves, cord pants, and closed toe shoes. Oh, how I wished my Long Johns that I had worn while visiting New York on a band trip where still in my closet. My hands did not want to move quickly as I was warming up for my steno test during class. I could only feel one side of my finger tips which was not the side used to hit the steno keys. Oh, oh.

The PT Cruiser battery does not like the cold weather either. We have to take the car back to Sears so they can give us a new battery while still under warranty of five years. We have 14 months left on the battery warranty. Yes, we even have the receipt. Breakfast first, then road trip to Sears tomorrow. Putt, putt, flash of battery, putt, putt, then dimming of lights. OK, we get the hint. Rest for now PT, you will see the Doctor in the morning.

Lake City low this evening will be 44.
Tropic City in Kendall this evening will be 54.
New York will be 32 this evening.
Atlanta low will be 35.
Records from I-phone.

test

2009-01-21T07:37:00.001-08:00

Closing stores

2009-01-17T05:28:00.000-08:00

Circuit City Stores are going to discount their merchandise before laying of four-thousand employees as they close their stores. Tony Roma's, Bennigan Restaurants, Linens and Things, Eckards on Sunset aka CVS, Jofferies, Bagel Shop, are a few businesses that have gone under over the last several months in my neighborhood.

Booming businesses in the area are Dollar Store, Burger King Dollar Menu, not for me, Starbucks always crowded but good coffee, Publix "gotta eat", J C Penny Home Store, New York Restaurant, Panera Bread, Cheesecake Factory, Old Navy, Container Store, and a few other stores in D.L. Mall.

Panera soup in sour dough bread, very good, especially the broccoli and cheddar. Hum.

Should have never said "Whats next!"

2009-01-16T05:42:00.000-08:00

The Taurus had a tire deflate while Steve was working in his office. This is the last thing you want to see after a ten hour day. He placed a new tire on the car, so far so good. Sometimes it just seems items fall in categories of three. Yes, the PT is starting to act up as well. The lights on the dash are starting to shine bright to dim. At least it starts.

When I punched the time clock and glanced up at the TV, I saw a plane floating in the water after leaving New York. I spent the entire evening feeling sad for the passengers. Then when I arrived home and saw the news, I smiled. Everyone survived and the employees of US Airways were heroes. That is what happens when you assume the worst.

Zoom, zoom 2009. Life starts at 225.

2009-01-12T08:28:00.000-08:00

Yahoo, tomorrow is the first day of school for me. Class in the morning and work in the evening. This is a much easier schedule for my family to follow. Thank goodness for my wonderful professors.

The 1996 Ford Ranger with around 150,000. miles has finally stopped providing transportation. S.s truck is now resting in the carport as its last resting place before its taken away. It was difficult to watch S. take a few items as he walked away from his truck. We towed the truck to our house since we would be home while a mechanic looked at the engine. Plus, Steve and Elissa went to a teachers conference over the weekend which was planned a long time ago. They had a great time at the conference. S. and E. are now entering the world of buying a vehicle with many options. Our hearts went to both of them while we gave them the news the truck was not in such good condition.

Doing fine in 2009. New Year.

2009-01-05T04:23:00.000-08:00

What has happened since the 24th?

Kim received news from her Doctor she might go home on Jan. 6.
Dave and Lynn spent the weekend with us and we all had a good time.
My Grandmother and Biged went with us to the Xmas party at Marcia's house, we had a good time.
My parents were sick over the Christmas Holidays; but, now they are fine.
Steve and Elissa had their first anniversary. They went to see Circue Du Soleil, Corteo.
Mark and I had out 18th anniversary. We went to Circue Du Soleil, Cortero.
The new year rolled in. Boom, there it is.

Cortero is a grand procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown. The large with the small, the ridiculous with the tragic and the magic of perfection with the charm of imperfection, the show highlights the strength and fragility of the clown, as well as his wisdom and kindness, to illustrate the port of humanity that is n each of us.

2008-12-23T19:20:00.000-08:00

Happy Christmas Eve......

May your day be filled with joy and family memories combined with pictures.

Kim is so excited about her day pass out of the hospital. We purchased a cell phone as our gift which should arrive tomorrow around 3 pm. Its cutting it close; however, AT &T goofed the order and will not charge us for the FEDEX fees. Its purple just as she inquired since she is a Donny Osmond fan, it was an appropriate option.

Is it really Dec.

2008-12-14T21:28:00.000-08:00

Where did the time go. The last two weeks are a blur. The Christmas tree is standing tall in the living room requiring a few more decorations. Christmas cards are in the mail. As for Christmas shopping, hum, in a few hours this process will begin.

Happy Anniversary to E. and S. :)

We went to see Kim and she knew exactly how long she has been in the hospital since her surgery. She gave us a detailed description of her journey. She has also mastered the wheel chair and were the brakes are. David and Lynn also arrived to visit the same time we did with homemade chocolate cake. Of course I ate a piece. Every bite was wonderful.

Small paragraphs.

2008-11-30T09:15:00.000-08:00

"Happy Anniversary" to my parents of "50 Years", which was on turkey day. Wow, what an accomplishment not many people can claim. Ranger, Dad, Biged, Mark, Adam, Veronica, Steve, Elissa and I all joined for a feast of turkey fixings. Hum, Rangers stuffing and butternut squash was very, very, good.

We went to see Kim in the hospital with turkey fixings, plus a key lime pie Thanksgiving Day afternoon. We also brought a game which we knew she would win. Kim received a turkey sandwich for dinner with vegetables just as we arrived to her room. I whispered in her ear we had a real Thanksgiving dinner for her and her Mom in the cooler. She had a big smile on her face while expressing appreciation for family attention. Adam and Veronica brought their laptop so she would check her mail while using an air card. Hum, air card nice.

The heavy winds are bringing a cold front for the tropics to enjoy this evening. We noticed the gray sky with rain on its way as we unloaded the groceries from Publix into the kitchen. Publix was not crowed even though it is a Sunday several days after turkey day.

Awwwhhh, PowerPoint

2008-11-21T05:26:00.000-08:00

YYeessss. My last conquest will be a PowerPoint presentation which will be 24% of my grade. The sound of the door closing for my computer class is on the horizon. New respect for the computer guru will be initiated for Steve. Also for Elissa. Mark and I went to see them play professionally with the Symphonic Band they practice with every Tuesday. A CD was recorded which they do at every concert and sold for profits so the band can continue buying equipment, etc. Wow, I cried with happiness, we were so proud of them. The patrons around us who attend often, asked us many questions including who we knew in the symphonic band. Keeping our location private is why I did not list the name of the symphonic band. Elissa plays the flute and wow, she sounds so beautiful. Steve plays most of the percussion instruments, and he to sounded wonderful too. Solo's too. Steve was wearing a tuxedo he purchased, and Elissa was wearing a black outfit to match, and she looked so beautiful.

The phone rang as I was walking out the door.

2008-11-18T08:44:00.000-08:00

The telephone rang as I was about to head out the door to work around 11:15 am. Oh, oh, the caller ID had my office phone number with three dots after the number. My boss received a phone call from another co-worker stating his Great Grandmother had passed away. SOOoooo, I will skip school this evening to cover for the missing employee during the night shift . My professor has already received a phone call and email so she won't wait for me in class. We are still down one person; however, we do not have enough work to hire another person.

The weather was cccooollllddd this morning. A 7 am computor test was waiting for me at Miami Dade College. Then, I hit road work construction on 88th. Three lanes down to one lane with bright orange cones as the guidlines of where to drive. WHAT, are these workers crazy, or do they just enjoy watching cars squeese into spots that are too small.

Answer questions, or you will not pass.

2008-11-15T02:20:00.000-08:00

The Access chapter test will not let me pass due to four questions the system keeps freezing up on. My professor said to skip these questions when asked about this problem in class. The program just moved the questions to the end of the test waiting for a response. We just started the test in class and did not finish due to time, so we were instructed to finish the test at home. The four questions did not allow me to pass the test at the end of the test because I did not answer them. The test requires me to answer all the questions in order to pass. The system will not allow me to answer the four questions because it freezes up and will not continue. The next steps will tell be about how I was unable to solve this diploma.

Sent emails to my professor, no response yet.
Called Pearson for IT help and was instructed to hang up and go online into chat room help.
Nobody would be available to help me over the phone with this type of error per phone recording. No way. A recording actually responded these exact words.
Went online and was transferred to another employee. Placed on chat room hold.
Disconnected from chat room hold while waiting for new employee to arrive.
Went back online into help chat room help, again.
New employee did apologized for the dropped chat threads.
He was not able to figure why the system kept freezing up since he could not find the folder my test was placed in. Gave up at this point with chat room help.
Wrote to my professor a third time. Still waiting for response.
YIKES.

Life is good.

2008-11-08T18:33:00.000-08:00

Whoo, hoo, Adam received good news from his last Doctors visit. He can now return to exercising routine as long as he does not run, but lifting weights is OK. He plans to eat healthier so he can loose some weight along with visits to the gym. His next Doctors visit is in January for an uls test; just to make sure all is well. Thank you for keeping him in your prayers. He will continue his meds for three more months which will go by quickly.

What are the odds.

We will be attending two different weddings for our co-workers the next couple of weekends. Last C. to the rescue in search of the perfect dress. Oh, what a great store. Bling, Bling. I tried on one outfit after another in my search of seeking the perfect dress. Finally found an oufit. Silver beading is hand stitched on the edges of the dress along with the jacket. Once the jacket comes off, its a nice party dress. The first wedding is located at a ballroom, and the second is at the Hotel Sofitel. Almost a year for S. and E. They are such a cute couple. No really, they are.

Macros Security Alert

2008-11-06T06:11:00.000-08:00

The world of Access 2007 contain a series of steps unique from any other program I have ever encountered. Macros stopped me in my tracks without any warning. Beep Beep, stop. My laptop thought I sent myself a virus. Now the Access charts are resting on my desktop, just until I finish with it. My USB and laptop didn't communicate with each other about who was in charge. Enable this content, NOT.

The weather is wonderful today. Now: Mostly Cloudy, 70'F with just a slight breeze. Scratch the remaining part of my day and head to Miami Beach for a cup of Starbucks while watching the waves, priceless. No, I will be responsible and head to work and my second class for today.

1 2 3 4 5 no hanging chad here.

2008-11-04T05:24:00.000-08:00

We went to see Kim in the hospital again, and she seems to have made a little progress. She visits her Doctors office today to see if her leg has healed enough to start her walking rehab. She is so homesick and afraid of missing the holidays with her family.

I decided to take a quick peek at the voting line around the corner 8:30 this morning as I drove home from class. The line was not long at all which surprised me. Many employers are letting people leave at 1 pm today so they can vote and still be on the time clock. That is probably when the lines are going to multiply by a few thousand.

Number 20!

2008-11-01T16:26:00.000-07:00

We went to the library and voted early this morning. There were about twenty people ahead of us from the ballet area. The weather was nice, parking was very close, and everyone was polite. The voting line surrounded the entire block when we left to visit Deli Lane for breakfast. It was a nice experience, and most people said they did not mind waiting so their vote would count. Adam has a Doctors note stating for health reasons he cannot stand for long periods of time and should be able to walk right in and vote. He really can't stand for long periods of time since his leg is still swollen. S. and E. told me they were going to vote on Sunday. Hopefully they did. November 4, is just around the corner. Whew. . . .

Halloween haircut!

2008-10-31T04:52:00.000-07:00

Thank you RangerMom for text messaging the phone number to Peter of London so other vehicles would not notice me using my iphone to look up the phone number from the Internet. The Internet requires more of my attention which could be a problem if I get distracted while driving. Just kidding. My hair cut appointment is at 1 pm today, and I am so excited because I can't wait to look normal again. My hair is out of control at the moment.

Trick-or-Treat give me something good to eat. Hopefully Pubix will lower their price of candy since this is the actual Halloween deadline to purchase sweets. Hum M&M's sound good, I mean for other people.

Confession

2008-10-29T04:36:00.000-07:00

OK, I confess, my heater is on this morning. Its 52'F outside which tropical folks do not appreciate when they wake up in the morning. Lets try to stay 60'F or above. The wind is not as strong as yesterday, plus the sunrise is beautiful today. Wonder if Aunt Doc01 and Uncle T. survived the cold without any problems. S. is probably wearing a long sleeve shirt today. He must have a built in heater tucked somewhere inside his body.

Good news, I past my computer test! It was such a mission. The practice test had one-hundred questions and only thirty-eight of the hundred are on the test. When I realized math problems would be on the test, I panicked. Oh no, I was promised no more math questions since I finished all of my math classes required for college. Sure, order of operations is easy, but combined with excel. Power Point is the last chapter which I am looking forward to.

Berrrrr... socks are comfy on my feet.

Where is my jacket?

2008-10-28T06:09:00.000-07:00

Berrrr......... At 6:50 am, I went to school while walking in 58 degree weather temperature to take a test. What a nice change of pace, but the wind needs to calm down a little. We are not the windy city; we are a tropic paradise. Wish we could head to the beach and watch the waves, or even a few surfers. Surfs up dude, lets go. A few drivers with surf boards drove past me this morning headed to the beach. They were skipping class which is something I have not done yet. SSSssshhhh. Ok, maybe once.