Stick Horse Cowgirls

I'm so glad C has been posting fairly regularly lately, because frankly, I just haven't felt like it. She has been encouraging me to write and I've promised to, but I just haven't wanted to share my downer mood. For the past six weeks, I've suffered from chronic hives. I've had them before, but it's been about 5 years since I've had the misery of itching, burning skin resulting in sleepless nights. Believe me, it takes a toll on one's mental health. I have researched the causes of hives because I have experienced them due to drug and food preservative allergy and one allergist I consulted believes that they are often an autoimmune disorder. I do believe that stress can induce hives in susceptible individuals. One of the articles I came across in my internet research by Shelly M. Brown-Riddle states that: "When the body stressed for too long, it expresses its imbalance as disease." Dr. Christine Bennen, wellweb.com. So, what's goi

Several of you were kind enough to say continue with this saga; so, here goes: Vee of A Haven for Vee (see my blog list to the right for link), said of my last post: So, pray tell, what kind of woman was your maternal grandmother? She looks as if she's carrying the weight of the world upon her shoulders. Here is a detail of the picture Vee asked about: Yes, I think my grandmother, Jenny Gertrude (“Gertie”), was accustomed to the weight of the world. This is not to say that becoming accustomed to that weight made it feel any lighter. Let’s consider just the outline of her life: She said to me that her earliest memory was of her parents’ move from a northern part of our state to the central location where they settled in the early, early 1900’s (1902, maybe?) The Arkansas River cuts right through our state, and her parents came by boat. Her description fascinated me as a child—in a mildy-horrified type of fascination. She was just a little girl of three or four years, with one

Well, when you sit down to write one of these pieces, you never know where it will lead. Right now what's on my mind is my wonderful family: where we've come from and where we're going. I am thinking about the deaths of my father and father-in-law all in one year (2007), and of the future with my mother and mother-in-law, two remarkable women whom I trust unequivocally. Right now I'm so very happy and optimistic about that future, but I do think about it and find it remarkable at how things have changed and have wondered at the differences in our generations. I am a baby-boomer—57 (yikes!) years of age. In many ways, I believe we boomers have been a very blessed generation. We were the children of post-war, of back yard barbeques and stay-at-home moms. Think "Donna Reed," and "Father Knows Best," (" Honey, I'm home !"). Look at this picture-perfect Donna Reed family: Face it, there were no lives as flawless as the ones depicted o

At Easter my sister-in-law brought a dessert that was a huge success. It was so good that one of my health-conscious friends exclaimed, " You can NEVER bring this again!" Yesterday two of my friends came over for dinner and an evening of conversation on the porch. We budget-splurged on steaks, which is a treat but simple enough, and had some tasty appetizers out of the usual (you know, to fuel conversation). To end this simple meal, I had dreams of making some gourmet dessert. But, reality hit. My house was a wreck after a long week of work. It became apparent that my energies had be spent on making it presentable--not necessarily clean , mind you, but presentable. This reality dawned on me Friday afternoon as the day was ending, the weekend approaching and I took stock of all I had to do to get ready. Plans switched. I called my sister-in-law for the "recipe," such as it is. So, yesterday morning early, I got up and threw this together for the evening meal

First, the disclaimer: I am not the photographer for these pix…they are Word clipart. Sadly, I have no poultry to photograph. I am fairly new to blogging, but what I am finding is that it is a valuable resource for me in several ways: it gives me a “rant” outlet (you readers have been so kind and tolerant of those), it is informational—I am learning so much as I read what you other bloggers write, and, last but certainly not least, you inspire me to think (maybe overthink) and to share my musings. I have become so very interested in the lives of those I read about in the blogs, and you are kind enough to indicate you care about what I write! The connection is wonderful! Now, at the risk of revealing how very random my mind can be, I thought I’d share my thought processes from reading blogs this morning (when I should be getting ready for work)! One of my favorite places to visit is 3 Acre Homestead . You can visit, too, by clicking the link in our list of blogs we follow, to the

This morning I awoke to check on some of my "never-met-on-line-friends" in whose lives I have become interested through blogging. I am unsure as to how to "link" here, but the two that got my attention this morning were Four Miles North of Nowhere and What Matters Most . You can get to these by clicking on them in the sidebar to the right (sorry, I will learn to put links in here soon, I hope!). Anyway, both these posts were about girlfriends, and it made me want to say "Me, too!! Me, too!!" So, here goes: You've got a friend in me, You've got a friend in me When the road looks rough ahead and you're miles and miles From your nice warm bed, just remember what your old pal said Boy, you've got a friend in me, You've got a friend in me You've got troubles, well I've got 'em too There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you We stick together and we see it through You've got a friend in me --Randy Newman Wonderful

Here's the newest report, continuing from my post below about my mother-in-law's move back to my home: Yet again a new experience! I have now overseen the installation of a utility pole! I had NOTHING to do with the technical part, mind you, but just the being around and part of the planning part of this endeavor is life-expanding! (See utility pole in pix below!) My mother-in-law and I were in contact by telephone a couple of times today to discuss voltage (?) of the pump for the well, placement of outside faucets and electrical outlets and the purchase of her shed. It is exciting to see the place take shape. We still have to arrange the installation of the underpining and the construction of porches, but it's getting there. A neighbor on the hill behind us heard today about my mother-in-law's return (I mean, the mobile home is in full view from the road!) Our neighbor offered to come down "when she is settled" and bring plants to help her put in around he

My mother-in-law is moving back with me. Some of you have read my post early this year about the cruise I went on with her. To many who knew I was getting a divorce it was odd that I would cruise with her (or she with me), but not to us: we’ve been close over forty decades. We are each a habit to the other that is hard to break. Five or six years ago, when my father-in-law really began to fail in his Alzheimer’s, my husband and I invited them to move here from about four states over, intending that they would live out their lives on our little farm with us. They bought a fancy double-wide and settled into a peaceful life right down the driveway from us. Then, two years ago all our lives fell apart. My husband had begun an affair with a woman young enough to be our daughter. Not only was I grief-stricken, but the ripples of this earthquake tore through the whole family—my side and his. He flatly, unblinkingly told his parents and my 77-year-old mother who also lived here that the

Warning, this post may need to be a series... (and, by the way, forgive the clipart, but I can't figure out how to do actual photos on this one and preserve privacy...) As you may know, I am a lawyer. "Power" needs to be my middle name: I have to persuade judges (and, infrequently, juries), I have to scream at other lawyers. It's just, generally, not a good thing for a lawyer to appear to be powerless. Here I am, the bringer of justice (just kidding!): My mind has gone back fifteen years or so ago. There was a "pioneer judge" (we'll call her "PJ," for short) on the bench of a court in which I practiced. I call her a "pioneer" because she was one of the first women lawyers in our area. The rough-and-tumble of being one of few women in this rough-and-tumble profession had given her an edge and tough skin. She was smart, and she was forceful. She was feared by many lawyers and known for a short temper. She and I got along just fi