Expensive stuff made cheap...

I love bean dip, yet the cost keeps me from buying it very often. Not that I can't afford it, its just that I never could see the value in paying for something that is so cheap in other forms. Last night I learned how to make my own and it was awesome! and cheap. Youtube is the place to go if you want to learn how to do something. Now I can have bean dip whenever I want it. Turns out it is made nearly the same way as hummus, something else that cost way more at the grocery store than it really should. And I owe most of my gratitude to my mom-in-law for buying me a food processor four years ago. It has been such a great thing in my food preparation. Thanks MIL!

Hard-boiled eggs...

This morning I looked up how to cook hard-boiled eggs in the microwave. Found a couple of different ways, picked one and I cooked the best tasting hard-boiled egg I have ever eaten. Just another thing the microwave does better than a stove. I love me some sweet potatoes! Growing up I never wanted to eat them. Now I can't get enough of them. Not the holiday candied yams, those are way too sweet for me. I just peel, dice, and microwave in a zip lock bag. Then mash them up with some butter, salt, and pepper and dig in! Love, love, love them.

Cheap doesn't always mean cheap...

A couple of weeks ago I bought a "new" used camera for my collection. Even at 10 years old it is better than most cameras you can buy today. Then last week I came across a ball-head tripod at Amazon, lists for over $60 yet with all the discounts I got it for just over $20. I was skeptical that it would hold my "new" camera, which weighs 2.5lbs even though the tripod is rated to hold a maximum of 13lbs. Yet when I set it up and mounted the camera the small ball-head did hold it. Now maybe it will weaken within a few months and no longer hold it but for now it works quite well. Now I only need to find somewhere with some nice color to go shoot! The company that sells the tripod also has a small beginners lightroom (table top model) that includes a camera stand and 2 photo lights for a very reasonable price. Soon I will have this too as I have a birthday coming up in a few months!

Christmas 2009 after the snow storm

Short slideshow I made showing Wayne and Barb's ranch after overnight snowstorm.

This has to stop...

The following statement applies to what I went through, however this comes from Ohio.

"Some students say the problem is the culture of conformity in this city of about 50,000 people: If you're not an athlete or cheerleader, you're not cool. And if you're not cool, you're a prime target for the bullies."

This is not a right of passage in life, it is about teaching our children how to be good people. All those of you that bullied me, I now think would your mother be proud of you if she knew what you did? I would think most would not. Our children are not believing ending the pain by suicide is preferable to continuing to absorb the pain. There were times I would have agreed with them.

What goes up must come down...

That would be our emotions currently as Tammi finished 3 days of testing yesterday. It is called an Indium test and it is performed to reveal infections and abscesses. Basically 60cc's of blood is drawn, sent to a lab for white blood cell culturing, reintroduced into the body. Then 24 and 48 hours later the body is scanned. Anywhere there is infection the white blood cells will flock to and show up on the scan. Well, there is activity in her left hip region, which has been very painful for at least a month now. We have not yet had the discussion with her doctor over exactly how much and what type of activity, however that will be coming soon. So we know that her pain is real and there is a name for it, we just don't yet know what that name is. Looks like round 4 will be starting with this enemy.

Whoa!

Tammi, me, my Dad, Tammi's Dad and Mom...we are all doomed. Report out yesterday states diabetics that take insulin are 50% more likely to develop cancer. They don't know why, just that the research indicates it is true....Live life as if it were our last day!

Friday!

Not too much to write about today, more of the same. Hot outside, shoulder still hurting considerably and more work to be done around the house than time or energy to do it. Leaving early in the morning to work on Jess's car. It will be good to see Baby G, she is such a joy. Hope to be back home by 10:30, washed and relaxing.

More of the same, a whole lot more...

Today was a footrace from the moment I walked in to work. I have developed a system (really simple yet effective) of making a printout of each and every item that needs to be addresses, as soon as it comes to me. This way I can track what I have left to do and simply discard when I have finished the task. Work is so busy I don't need a complicated method of tracking what is on my agenda. When the pile is finished, I am finished. However, today's pile became so large so fast I never was able to get back to yesterday's pile! Oh well, tomorrow is another day!

Tam is still hurting fiercly, and today she added mental anguish as well. Yesterday she was in such pain she just stayed in bed when her attendant was her doing the chores. Turns out the young woman got on Tam's laptop and was playing on her myspace instead of working! We discussed our options and decided she had crossed the line, that you do not borrow someone's computer without permission. While she is a nice young woman, she could have downloaded a virus, even unintentionally, or visited webpages she should not have. Bottom line, doing that is like going into someones purse or eating their food without asking first. It has cost this young woman her job. I took pictures of Tam's laptop showing the page she visited as the girl never closed the web browser. Tough lesson to learn.

Weather is still hot, hot, hot. And the humidity just makes it unbearable. I will be so glad when September gets here.

A Wednesday like so many others...

Today was like most days of my life, uneventful, yet fulfilling. I try to find enjoyment in everything I do in life. While my job is just that, a job, by always working to do it better I find fulfillment in the smallest things. Soon I won't even remember this day or its events, however for a short while it was a day to cherish.

The pain in Tammi's lower back has vastly increased over the last several days. She has a slipped disc and I have been pressing her to hound the doctors to continue testing until they find a treatment to ease her pain. Pain medication and muscle relaxers can help her cope, yet they will not fix the problem, only cover it up.

Gabby was such a joy to have over last night. I love her so much, as I love all our grandbabies. She is just adorable, always smiling and eager to play. She has this little thing she does when I sit on the floor where she looks at me, opens her arms and then runs toward me, at the last moment launching herself against me. She does this over and over and it is such a joy to be a part of it.

When I got home tonight Tam told me someone had called for me. It was my old old friend Alan. I have known him for over 20 years, yet have not spoken to him in 8 nor seen him in about 15 years. I returned his call, however I got his voicemail. It would be nice to speak to him again. When I last spoke to him it was right before we went on vacation in 2002 and I told him I would call him back when we returned. I never did. I meant to, however things were going down hill with Jess right then and I just never got back to him. When I later thought about it I was too ashamed for not returning his call and just let it go. One of those things you regret and just move on in life, wishing you could return to that time and change the outcome. Maybe I will get that chance now.

New accounts, New issues

The transition to my new account is going well, better in fact than I thought it might. Eight months and there is still so much to learn, it does get frustrating at times having to ask what to do. Each new question brings more knowledge which is the key to increasing my earnings.

Tonight we have Gabby for what we hope to be a weekly overnight stay. We picked Tuesday's so it would give Mom, Dad, and Daughter nearly 2 full days off.

Wife is hurting quite a lot, her ruptured disc is really causing her problems and pain. I have stressed she needs to push the doctors to test until they figure out what the true cause is.

Dems vs Repubs...

Republicans want less government oversight, yet it is coming out that is exactly why our beautiful Gulf of Mexico is becoming an oil stained cesspool. Shame on those that believe people in charge are fully capable of regulating themselves. Greed is human nature and without outside sources to monitor any situation, even those with the best intentions will slowly lose discipline and give in to greed. It is the devils work and there is no one that can stand up to the devil alone. We all as mortal humans need some assistance.

Way too infrequent of postings...will strive to do better

this past weekend I bought some cilantro (coriander) and have starting incorporating it into my daily cooking. researching it I came across this information from wikipedia: Coriander has been documented as a traditional treatment for diabetes. A study on mice found that coriander extract had both insulin-releasing and insulin-like activity.[17] Coriander seeds were found in a study on rats to have a significant hypolipidemic effect, resulting in lowering of levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides, and increasing levels of high-density lipoprotein. This effect appeared to be caused by increasing synthesis of bile by the liver and increasing the breakdown of cholesterol into other compounds.[1 so not only is it adding new flavors to my food, it is actually very healthy for me. maybe this is part of why my eyes are straining, my sugar is under even better control and my eye prescription has changed.

Amazing Grace

Leann Rimes records a wonderful version of Amazing grace, my all-time favorite song. Beautiful.

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Today was our granddaughter Gabby's 1st birthday. We had a really good time at her dad's mothers home. It has been a rough year and things are still tenuous but it is getting better.

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I am suffering such sadness and despair, I truly believe I suffer from clinical depression but without insurance how can I get help? I hurt so bad about mistakes and decisions I made in my past. I cannot go back and redo them but I just cannot escape the regret and heartache.

Almost forgot...

I started a new job this past week! Hurray for me! Office/clerical work, not too hard but seems to be a great group of people to work with. The lady training me is getting antsy though as she has a lot of work to do and having to slow down to train me is really putting her behind. I know what it is like to be in that situation, it is so hard to slow down and think about what you are doing. But I have already picked up enough that once they have my workstation going I can be left alone so she can get caught up with her work. I think this will be a good thing.

Passages of time...

My son's birthday was yesterday. He turned 12 years old. I have not seen him the past 11 years. The decision I made then was the right one for then, but it is not the right one for now. Yet I have to live with the consequences of the decision made then as the hurdles I have given to be a part of his life now are just too great for me to overcome. I hope his birthday was a joyous one and if he spent even one second wondering where his father is, I want him to know I am here and did think of him, as I do each and every day of our lives. Some may think it is impossible to miss a child you have not seen for 11 years, who was only slightly over a year old the last time you saw them, but it is possible. And very painful. One more burden to carry, one more desire left unfulfilled.

A sign of the Times (pun intended)...

I just read that the NY Times is once again going to charge for content. I am at a impasse in my feelings about being charged for online content. I truly understand that the entities that make content available really need to be able to make money at it or they will not be able to provide said content. Its just that there is so much content available on the web that I personally cannot pay for each and every web magazine and newspaper out there, yet I want to read quite a lot of it. I also know that if every major news organization such as the NY Times charged for there content, I can find more than enough private user generated content to satisfy my needs. I mean, if a person in Haiti shoots video with there little digital camcorder and then uploads the video to Youtube with commentary, why should I pay a news organization just to watch the same video? Can websites such as the NY Times or my local Dallas Morning News join forces with others sites and form a clearing house where I could subscribe to the clearing house and I am charged for each article I choose to read, but charged a reasonable price, lets say a penny per article? That way I am only charged for what I read and they earn something for what they have provided. I just do not think that charging for access to their site will work as the youth of today will be in a position to dictate the rules in 10 years or maybe less. There just has to be a way to make all of this work.

What a shame....

Brett Favre and the Vikings had a chance to show the world what a class organization they are, and instead proved how immature and classless they truly are. When leading in the closing minutes with a large lead and the other team cannot stop the clock, you take a knee a couple of times and then go take a shower. Instead, they go for it on fourth down, then sing a dumb song in the locker room rubbing it in. Favre in only 4 years younger than I am, and makes more money in one game than I will make in a lifetime but he proved just what an immature little boy he is. He wanted everyone to forgive him when he admitted to popping pills and drinking too much. He may win a superbowl this year and he definately will make the hall of fame, but I will forever use this game to teach my grandchildren the definition of class, or rather the lack of it. p.s. what goes around comes around. If he returns for another year you can bet a defensive player (Brooking?) will take a shot at him no matter the consequences. and as for Williams large mouth (which is as big as his fat gut) Brooking was not going to get his ass kicked at the end. New Orleans is now my favorite team for a week.