Just a Thought... no more Procrastination!

Okay... so I have gotten a lot of requests from my friends (possibly enemies too that enjoy reading about my not so great days) to keep Just a Thought going. I logged into my account and saw that my last post was made on March 2nd! Wow! If this had been a Webkinz that needed fed- well, mine would have been long gone!

So much has happened in my life over the last few months. As you can see by my last few entries, I started a newspaper. Sadly, now it is closed.

This was so hard for me to accept. The reason it was so hard for me is because I know what my paper could have been a year from now if I could have held on. The reader support and small business support I got was beyond belief. The problem was, I couldn't get the "big money" advertisers to go with me. Why? I don't know. I do know that banks I have banked with since I was eighteen years old and that my family has used for generations, wouldn't give my endeavors the time of day. This was a major issue being that it costs about $2000 per week to keep a paper in business and I was only taking in about $500 per week, the last few weeks.

Well, enough about that. Now on to since then.

I am currently at home. My oldest daughter is expecting the first baby to come into our home in more than a decade. A little girl. She is expected the first week in August. I am so excited. At first, it was hard admitting that I was going to be a Nana, Mimzi or whatever she calls me, at the ripe old age of 36, but I have learned to love the idea. I think it will be neat to take her out places and others will never suspect me of being a granny. She will have an eleven year old aunt. How cool will that be? Not to mention, my sisters will be great aunts while in their thirties. When I think of Great Aunts, I think of my Aunt Roberta. Trust me, my sisters aren't anything like Aunt Roberta. They don't bag up pennies in sandwich bags tied tight with rubber bands or anything.

I think Just a Thought may just continue after all. I mean, if it weren't for this form of therapy, I might just end up paying for the real thing. Love to you all and I will keep you posted regularly.
Love and Blessings,
Becky : )

My fading color

Okay...so I have neglected my blog lately...terribly. I mean, if it were a goldfish, it would have been down the toilet a week ago.

So much has been going on. First off, the first two issues of my paper, Towns Tribune, have been published. Like a happy Mama Bear, I am proud.

Even beyond the craziness of starting a new business, I have faced the death of my grandfather and then a "stomach virus" or whatever you want to call it. I call it, "The Hurt so much you want to scream" virus.

Tonight, it is nearly 12:30 a.m.; well past what should be my bed time. I have been losing lots of beauty sleep lately and apparently you can see it all over my face. I have never gotten so many, "You need to rest" or "You look tired(s)" in all my life. All of which, leads me to tomorrow.

Tomorrow I am going to get my hair done. Really, that shouldn't be a big deal but for me, during this time, it is.

See, the kids will probably once again be out of school tomorrow, which means my phone will ring at least 3 times during my hour long appointment. The kids can't go over fifteen minutes without a blow out arguement when they are home all day, on yet another snow day. Secondly, my phone will probably ring 2 more times besides their calls. Those will be from the office. Someone needing something or needs a question answered. I think I might just cut the phone off during that time. I mean, really- there isn't a whole lot I could do short of running out of the salon with foils sticking out all over my head, right?

Anyway, I am sure all will go well. Worst case, all my hair falls out during the color treatment due to stress, right? (Okay, so I really hope this is an exaggeration.)

Until the next time I catch a minute to write.. pray for me. Pray that I can maintain the strength to keep up with my rambunctious children; do well at my new business, get supper prepared every night and keep at least two towels clean at all times. (One for drying and one for my hair- the rest of them can drip dry). Lastly, pray that I keep my sanity... lots of days I feel it fading faster than my hair color.

Papaw Junior

I am fortunate enough at 36 years old, to still have 3 out of my 4 grandparents with me. The only one that has passed, is my paternal grandfather that we all called "Big Daddy". Big Daddy aquired his name for a reason. He was a big man- a really big man. That was a part of why his health failed him so miserably. He passed away 15 years ago, in his sixties.

My paternal grandmother is in the nursing home. She is in fairly good health, although she calls my mother every night with a new ailment. My mom pretty much just listens to the latest problem and sympathizes- only to listen to a new condition the next night. My dad, although it is his mother, isn't near as patient with her.

My other set of grandparents, my mom's parents, live only about 3 miles from me. I run by often and help with errands. I go to the bank and pay their water bill for them each month. Sometimes I run medicine by; or a loaf of bread. I see them fairly often because I live so close by. I don't see my maternal grandmother near enough. Although I know the excuse is poor, it is still the truth- I can't stand going to the nursing home. It is depressing to me and I constantly worry that my kids will get sick from going with me. On top of everything else, I honestly just have a hard time fitting it into a typical day. I tried to go by during my lunch break before but unfortunately, it was Nannie's lunch time too- as she soon reminded me. "Why don't you come back after lunch.." that was Nannie's position on me interrupting her banana pudding solitude.

A few years back, we all started noticing a difference in my Papaw. The little man with a fascination with keeping everything and pinching every penny, all of a sudden was forgetting things. He was doing some "off the wall" things that just didn't make since. After insisting on a trip to the doctor (against his will), we come to find out Papaw would only get worse- he was succumbing to Dementia.

Now, as time has gone on, he has progressively gotten worse. He is just a fraction of the Papaw that I grew up with. He is still in the small framed package God wrapped him in but he only shows portions of the grandpaw that used to let my sisters and I pump gas with him at his filling station.

Yesterday, Papaw fell down. He fell fairly hard, to hear my Mamaw tell it. After Mamaw and Papaw's nurse, Sandy, insisted that he needed to be checked over at the hospital, he was taken to the local emergency room. All the while, my sweet little Papaw never even knew he was hurt. It turns out the leg he kept rubbing after the fall was indeed a broken hip.

I am ashamed to admit that I can't remember for sure how old Papaw is. I believe he is 82 years old. It is either 81 or 82. It doesn't really matter. Papaw couldn't tell you how old he is either.

Tonight, he lays in a hospital bed at a far away hospital following his hip surgery. He is in ICU. He was told to press the button for pain medication as he needs it. Papaw will never remember to do that. He will just moan when he is in pain and I will say a prayer that the nurse listens to his sounds and presses the button for him.

While Papaw is resting after his surgery, I am remembering. I remember when Papaw bought us the scooter to ride up and down their street when we came to visit. I remember Papaw letting us "work" at the station and paying us a few dollars to go spend at the gameroom. I remember Papaw and Mamaw lugging my sisters and I around the fair in ninety degree weather.

I know Papaw's hip will heal. His mind is what I worry about. That's okay though... I know God fills Papaw's heart. As far as his memory... I can remember enough for the both of us.

Never let your teens babysit...even for an hour

What a crazy week. I have missed a couple of nights writing but honestly- I have a good excuse. Thursday was opening day for my new paper- The Towns Tribune. It went fantastic! I couldn't be prouder of how opening day went. We had subscribers coming through all day long and such much needed display ads were contracted.

Following the big day at the office- I covered my very first event for the Tribune. It was a meeting at 5:30 that same day. I was crowded with people asking about the new paper (including the competition- LOL). Like a proud mommy, I was telling everyone about our new plans.

Friday was slower- primarily due to weather. We had yet another snow and of course with that- the kids got out of school at noon. I kept the office open as long as I could but when 3:00 rolled around and the white stuff was sticking- I decided to call it a day and head home. I am not one of those grand drivers that insist they can drive in the stuff. I know I can't, at least not well.

So last night, two of my daughters had friends over. My 15 year old, Whitley, had her long time friend Lauren over and my youngest daughter, Madison had a friend over. This was the first time that Lea had spent the night with us, although she and Madison have been friends for about a year. Well, I know her mom well, we are friends, so I was not concerned with the "It's a new friend" rule- you know, the one where everyone has to be on their best behavior so the new guest isn't scared off. I knew Lea would stick. Evidentally I should have told the other kids that the rule did apply because they were not well mannered at all.

John and I had to go get a small amount of firewood and the girls were insisting on Slushies from the nearby convenience store. Since we only had one of our four wheel drive trucks available, we couldn't seat everyone in it so we told the older girls to watch the younger ones for about an hour while we dug our way through the snow and went on the much needed Slushie run.

Imagine my horror when we pulled in forty five minutes later to find the younger girls seated in the middle of the living room floor, back to back, with snow hats pulled over each of their heads and tied up with the horses' lead ropes. To beat it all- the little Yorkie dog (that looks like an angel but acts like the devil) had the ball on top of Madison's hat tight in her mouth and was pulling with all her might.

At first I just stood in the doorway with my mouth hanging wide open. I thought, "What in the world have those girls done!" Just as I screamed "WWWHHHIITTLLEEYYYY" at the top of my lungs, the younger girls died laughing. I knew then I had been pranked. The older girls appeared from the dining room dying laughing and pointing at my pathetic attempt to grin at their joke. The girls wiggled free and giggled about their conspiracy to trick me all night.

It seems the new guest fit right in- she was just as warped as the rest of them. Gotta love them!