Thursday, June 18, 2009

No, I'm not dead or in a coma...

So what, you might ask, have I been doin' all this time since I obviously have not been bloggin'. Well, the answer is that my health problems worsened for quite some time and I have been tryin' to get to feelin' better. I was diagnosed almost 6 months ago with fibromyalgia...on top of the multiple sclerosis I already have. It's the fibromyalgia that has been kickin' my be-hind!! I have also been havin' some problems with my new neurologist and am thinkin' about changin' docs. Add to that, trouble gettin' Medicaid to pay for some of the meds and you can see why I just haven't had the energy to blog. However...things began to look up a short while ago and I am beginnnin' to want to focus on some of the things I've been meanin' to do. Like blog. And, work with the clay again...it's been about 9 months since I've felt like workin' with it and I'm findin' it difficult to get back into.

Also, Sebe (my son) has left home and gone to live with Cally (my brother) in Corinth, Ms. That is in the hills and his asthma is so much better there. He's actually able to run outside there...somethin' he's never been able to do much of here. He's also plannin' to attend college! He's to start slow with a couple of classes beginnin' in July and go from there!! I can't begin to tell you how proud of him I am!! It's not been easy for him...he had to drop out of high school at the beginnin' of the 11th grade due to health problems. He had missed 30 days or more ever
y year but one up to that time, includin' the last 2 months of the 10th grade and when he had to be hospitalized for 2 weeks after the first week of the 11th grade, it was decided that he was just too far behind to continue. At the time I thought it was the best thing for him but I failed to understand that it might made him feel like a failure, and it did. He is on disability and really could just coast thru life on what he gets from the government...and he did this for a few years...but eventually he decided that wasn't enough for him and he got his GED and studied for almost a year on his own before takin' his ACT. It's an adjustment for me and Nanie and Pop with him gone, but we are all so proud of him and happy that he's workin' toward achievin' his goals!!

I have started a couple of endeavors with differin' amounts of success. The first is the harmonica! I had more than one reason for wantin' to learn...the first is th
at I'd love to be able to play with Sebe while he's playin' his guitar! Then, I also think it will be good for my breathin'...it takes a lot of breath control. I can play Oh When The Saints Go Marching In v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y and that's about it so far. But I've got an instruction book and a cd and I'm pretty determined to learn. I'll let y'all know how it goes! ;o)


Nanie and Pop and I also started to learn some sign language. Some of Nanie's family are deaf and she's always wanted to be able to sign with them. Her dad knew how but never taught her. We began by learnin' one thing a night...so far, we can sign "Hello. My name is ________. What is your name? How are you?" We've been extremely lax lately but I'm hopin' we'll pick it back up
!

The other thing I've been workin' on is my garden/bird sanctuary in the back yard. My computer is set up by french doors that look right out onto this area and I wanted to be able to take photos of birds close up, so Nanie (my mom) and Pop (my dad) and I built a platform feeder right outside the doors. I recently was given a lot of planters and decided to start a container garden. I have more than 15 potted plants out there includin' 2 tomatoes. I've already gotten a couple of small tomatoes and they taste sooooo good!! All acid-y like they used to taste...like sunshine in your mouth!! I could eat them with cottage cheese every day if I could grow enough! I'm really enjoyin' this space and I water every day so get a bit of exercise that way...speakin' of which, today is fertilizer day. Guess I better go get busy! BTW, if any of y'all wanna see photos of the birds that I've attracted there or the flowers, go here. If you do, please leave me a comment or two so I'll know what you think!!

'Til next time...and I promise I'll try to write much more often...y'all keep smilin' and try to get outside and enjoy the beauty all 'round!! Smoooooches and hugs!!


Sunday, February 1, 2009

Some things I've done and many things I haven't

I was at a friends blog, Argon One, and he had a list of questions that someone had sent to him and he wanted anyone interested to answer and post to their own blog. This ought to be really interesting since I have the most abysmal memory. Well, here goes!

01. Start your own blog -- Yes
02. Sleep under the stars -- Well, if this means have I camped then, yes, many times with my family. If it means sleeping without a roof over my head, I'm not sure. The memory thing, you understand. Not that I can recall.
03. Play in a band -- No, but I am teaching myself to play the harmonica...AKA harp, to those of us in the know. HA!...so, if you're in the market for a geriactric harp player for your band, give me a holla in about 10 years. I figure I might be somewhat proficient by then...as for now, I can play when the saints go marching in very slowly.
04. Visit Hawaii -- Nope
05. Watch a meteor shower -- Um, not that I can recall.
06. Give more than you can afford to charity -- Any time I give to charity, it's more than I can afford. :o)
07. Go to Disneyworld -- Yes
08. Climb a mountain -- OMgoodness, No!! I can barely climb the stairs!!
09. Hold a praying mantis -- No, but I've taken a picture of one from this far away. *holds fingers about a half inch apart*
10. Sing a solo -- Oh, no, and I never will!! Everybody can relax now.
11. Bungee jump -- Heck, no...I'm not a complete idiot! Apologies to all you idi...um...folks out there who have. Actually, I'm just kidding about the idiot part...I am not and never was that recklessly brave!
12. Visit Paris -- Nope
13. Watch a lightning storm at sea -- Nope. That one was easy since I've never been at sea!
14. Teach yourself an art technique -- Yessiree, bob!
15. Adopt a child -- Nope
16. Eat sushi -- Nope...Sebe keeps trying and I keep resisting...er, make that, contemplating it.
17. Walk to the top of the Statue of Liberty -- Nope
18. Grow your own vegetables -- Yep with very little success. My tomatoes are legendary for their small size!! It's very sad. *sniff*
19. See the Mona Lisa in France -- Nope
20. Sleep on an overnight train -- Nope
21. Have a pillow fight -- More than likely...I was young once and I had a rambunctious younger brother so it's definitely probable. I kinda like that...definitely probable.
22. Hitch hike -- Nope, too smart for that! Ha! More likely, too afraid!!
23. Look at the rings of Saturn through a telescope -- Nope
24. Build a snow fort -- Nope, I live in Mississippi, people!
25. Hold a lamb -- Nope, but I'm pretty sure I'd like to. Even more than that, I'd love to hold a baby pig!!!
26. Climb to the top of a lighthouse -- Nope
27. Run a Marathon -- Nope
28. Ride in a gondola in Venice -- Nope
29. See a total eclipse -- I think so
30. Watch a sunrise or sunset -- Sunset, yes...sunrise, doubtful!!
31. Hit a home run -- Nope
32. Go on a cruise -- Nope
33. See Niagara Falls in person -- Nope
34. Visit the birthplace of your ancestors -- Nope...don't even know where that would be.
35. Visit an Amish community -- Nope
36. Teach yourself a new language -- Not yet but I have a pc program to learn sign language
37. Have enough money to be truly satisfied -- Nope, but I'm pretty much satisfied anyway. Not that I wouldn't like to have bookoodles of money...I would...but it'll probably never happen so......
38. See the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person -- Nope
39. Go rock climbing -- Nope, I am afraid of heights!!
40. See Michelangelo's David -- Nope
41. Sing karaoke in public -- Nope and, again, I never will!! And, that's a promise.
42. See Old Faithful geyser erupt in person -- Nope...I think it should be obvious by now that I'm not much of a traveler.
43. Buy a stranger a meal at a restaurant -- Not that I can recall but I'd like to. I'm a little nervous of strangers...
44. Visit Africa -- Nope
45. Walk on a beach by moonlight -- Surely I have? If not, I'd like to.
46. Ride in a helicopter -- Yes, yes I have!!
47. Have your portrait painted -- Yes and I didn't enjoy it at all.
48. Go deep sea fishing -- Nope
49. See the Sistine Chapel in person -- Nope
50. Go to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris -- Nope
51. Go scuba diving or snorkeling -- Nope
52. Kiss in the rain -- I'd like to think so. It's sad if I did and can't remember it but it's kinda the story of my life. Now, don't get all teary, it's not that big a deal!
53. Play in the mud -- Most assuredly!
54. Watch a movie at a drive-in theater -- Yep
55. Be in a movie -- Nope but I did star in my Senior play...does that count?
56. Visit the Great Wall of China -- Nope
57. Start a business -- Well, yeah
58. Take a martial arts class -- Started to say nope and then I recalled that I signed up for one in college and attended at least one class before dropping it. Bad Mel!
59. Visit Russia -- Nope
60. Serve meals at a soup kitchen -- Nope
61. Sell Girl Scout cookies -- Yes, I was a real Girl Scout
62. Go whale watching -- Nope =(
63. Get or send flowers for no reason -- Probably. This is what I know I have done...picked flowers for someone for no particular reason except that I knew they would make the person happy!
64. Donate blood, platelets or plasma -- Nope, too many meds in my blood
65. Go sky diving -- Nope but my brother has. I rest my case about idiots doing this kinda thing! Hahahaha! Aww, just kidding, Cally! I'd never have the guts to do that!!
66. Visit a Nazi Concentration Camp -- No
67. Adopt a pet from a rescue shelter -- Yes, many! I recommend it!
68. Pilot an airplane -- No, I don't think anyone would want that!!
69. Save a favorite childhood toy -- I don't think I actually saved any...my mother gave all my trolls away!...but I started collecting trolls several years ago and now have over 5000!
70. Visit the Lincoln Memorial -- Nope
71. Eat Caviar -- Nope...ewww, fish eggs!!!
72. Make a quilt -- Nope
73. Stand in Times Square -- Nope
74. Tour the Everglades -- Nope
75. Visit the Viet Nam Memorial -- Nope
76. See the Changing of the Guard in London -- Nope
77. Drive a race car -- Nope! Race car driving + me = a recipe for disaster!!
78. Ride on a speeding motorcycle -- Yes, I actually drove one as a teenager. Oh, wait...you said speeding...that would be NO!
79. See the Grand Canyon in person -- Nope
80. Publish a book -- Nope but I've written several children's books and can no longer find them. We have a lot of junk in our house!
81. Visit the Vatican -- Nope
82. Buy a brand new car -- Nope. The only car I ever bought was a piece of cwap Gremlin...straight shift and no air conditioner or stereo. It did have an am radio. Yeah, the joy I felt in being a new car owner didn't last long.
83. Walk in Jerusalem -- Nope
84. Have your picture in the newspaper -- Yes...me, my chihuahua Jose and a whole buncha trolls! Musta been a reeeaaaall slow new day.
85. Read the entire Bible -- Nope
86. Visit the White House -- Nope
87. Kill and prepare an animal for eating -- Euwwww, not on your life!! I don't even like eating meat that much, I'm certainly not gonna kill something and eat it.
88. Hike the Appalachian Trail -- Nope
89. Save someone's life -- Yes!
90. Sit on a jury -- Nope
91. Meet someone famous -- Yes, Morgan Freeman
92. Join a book club --Yes, I belong to 3 now and have a ton of wonderful books I've gotten from them!
93. Own an iPod -- Yes, hard to believe isn't it?!
94. Have a Facebook page -- Yes, indeed I do.
95. See the Alamo in person -- Nope
96. Swim in the Great Salt Lake -- Nope
97. Cross country snow ski -- Nope
98. Hold a snake -- Yes
99. See DaVinci’s Starry Night in person -- Nope
100. Read an entire book in one day -- Yes, I am an avid reader! I've averaged somewhere between 3 and 5 books a week since I was a child. The day I don't read will be the day I'm in a coma or dead...I even read while I was in labor. I actually left my book in the delivery room!

If any of you should be inspired to answer these questions, copy and paste this into the comments section of this blog or into your own and change my answers to your own and let me know...I'd love to read your answers!