Sometimes family isn't what we picture in our minds. Sometimes the family we have doesn't live up to our expectations. Sometimes we don't live up to the expectations of family.
My family isn't typical. I am not typical. I am not perfect. Trying to understand and deal with big events can be overwhelming and complicated at the best of times.
No matter how long it's been or how distant family members become, there is still a strong and powerful connection. It affects us in many ways.
I remember getting a call from my estranged father after many years and the second I heard the sound of his voice I was 13 and couldn't function as a 40 year old for several minutes. A death in the family and can't decide whether to attend a funeral because you don't know if the public reactions will result in drama above your levels of comfort.
Christmas is impossible. Those that have told you that you aren't welcome in their lives are angry when you don't lavish gifts on their child as you did in the past. And go out of their way to criticize when you do something nice for someone else.
I don't know how to deal with drama. I am inept at thinking in those situations I am in fight or flight mode and the brain shuts down. I don't put myself in places where I've been told I am not welcome. And once you say it, I believe it until that person explains to me it is changed in word and action. I have permanent twitches!
All in all I love my family in spite of everything. I just can't live with the drama and garbage. I prefer to enjoy the simple things like a good craft project or baking cupcakes. Don't expect much of me and don't mistake me for strong.
Merry Christmas
Remember the Christ child and the sacrifice he made for us all. Think of our Heavenly Father and know that he loves each of us as flawed as we are.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Skunk Saga of 2012 Continues
The joys of country life continue. The weather has taken a sharp turn and it is very cold tonight. Today we broke down and dressed warm including socks. I usually run around barefooted in the house but not today. It was COLD. I guess the skunks were put off by the weather and came in to feed a little early. We finally got a glimpse of them.
Hubby called to have us hold the dogs inside, and turn off the lights in the office so he could see in the dark to get a good shot. My two little dogs were so confused. They didn't like being yelled at and then when the lights went out and the shots rang out, well, they won't come out from under my desk. And that's just fine. They are sleeping with their heads on my feet.
That is one skunk that won't be back. Even with his military moves he was shot. His zig zag retreat from the yard wasn't as successful as his friends. He got to the trampoline and then went in a circle. Obviously hit. I usually have a difficult time seeing an animal hurt, but I have to say I have a totally different reaction to skunks being shot. We'll have to examine the area in the morning when we can see better. Disposing of a dead skunk is tricky but necessary to keep the dogs from getting into the mess.
I HATE SKUNKS! I have no use for them. They make life quite miserable, especially when they spray the rock wall right out my front door. The whole house is filled with the smell and your eyes will burn and you cough until it fades. And it takes a long time to fade.
We have used many things to clean up the smell when the dogs get sprayed or roll in the grass where one sprayed. Tomato juice works ok, but it takes a lot, and leather collars have to be thrown away as they hold the smell for years. Now we are using a baking soda and hydrogen proxide mixture that works really good and doesn't take as much. The rock wall out front was harder to clean up. Nothing seemed to work. I hosed it off, even bleached it. But finally I tried fabreeze for laundry. I used it straight out of the sprayer and it cut the smell. Surprise. Expensive as it is, it made my front yard plesant again.
Skunks dig holes in the grass, making it look like an abused golf course, then they spray the area to mark it, and if you have a little dog they can do damage to them as they have razor like claws and will spray and then claw if the dog doesn't retreat from the spray. So far skunks are the one animal I am sure I would like removed from the planet. I would mind that one bit.
We've had lots of critters come through, and I don't mind most of them. I enjoy the fox, quail are beautiful, I respect the big cats that have wondered thru on occasion. I love watching Eagles, Owls, deer, and falcons. But no skunks and no badgers either!
Hubby called to have us hold the dogs inside, and turn off the lights in the office so he could see in the dark to get a good shot. My two little dogs were so confused. They didn't like being yelled at and then when the lights went out and the shots rang out, well, they won't come out from under my desk. And that's just fine. They are sleeping with their heads on my feet.
That is one skunk that won't be back. Even with his military moves he was shot. His zig zag retreat from the yard wasn't as successful as his friends. He got to the trampoline and then went in a circle. Obviously hit. I usually have a difficult time seeing an animal hurt, but I have to say I have a totally different reaction to skunks being shot. We'll have to examine the area in the morning when we can see better. Disposing of a dead skunk is tricky but necessary to keep the dogs from getting into the mess.
I HATE SKUNKS! I have no use for them. They make life quite miserable, especially when they spray the rock wall right out my front door. The whole house is filled with the smell and your eyes will burn and you cough until it fades. And it takes a long time to fade.
We have used many things to clean up the smell when the dogs get sprayed or roll in the grass where one sprayed. Tomato juice works ok, but it takes a lot, and leather collars have to be thrown away as they hold the smell for years. Now we are using a baking soda and hydrogen proxide mixture that works really good and doesn't take as much. The rock wall out front was harder to clean up. Nothing seemed to work. I hosed it off, even bleached it. But finally I tried fabreeze for laundry. I used it straight out of the sprayer and it cut the smell. Surprise. Expensive as it is, it made my front yard plesant again.
Skunks dig holes in the grass, making it look like an abused golf course, then they spray the area to mark it, and if you have a little dog they can do damage to them as they have razor like claws and will spray and then claw if the dog doesn't retreat from the spray. So far skunks are the one animal I am sure I would like removed from the planet. I would mind that one bit.
We've had lots of critters come through, and I don't mind most of them. I enjoy the fox, quail are beautiful, I respect the big cats that have wondered thru on occasion. I love watching Eagles, Owls, deer, and falcons. But no skunks and no badgers either!
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Book editing
Finishing up the book editing. This has been quite a process. It's the first time I have worked with others to edit and finish up one of my books. I have learned a lot in the process. It is much harder to work with other people. I prefer to work alone. However, I have gotten more done and found more mistakes, therefore have a cleaner product in the end. The book is richer for the experience and so am I.
My cousins keep asking if they are nagging or becoming annoying but they aren't. They email me or post errors they find and I go in and correct the book. Then we do the process all over again. It is time consuming and tedious work but with fresh eyes looking it over it makes it so much better.
I would recommend working with others when putting together a family history book. Don't get offended when someone finds mistakes in your creation. You wouldn't want "your baby" to be riddled with mistakes and typos. You want it to be clean and accurate, so take a deep breath and ask your cousins to edit, add and give input to your projects. You will survive and be thrilled with the end project.
What a wild ride this has been. Along the way, I have learned so much more about my grandparents on my mother's side, and been guided through a maze of new family on my father's side. Overall a good decision to include rather than work this out by myself. (Hard habit to break)
Thank you to all that have helped! You have been amazing an thank you for your patience with me through the process.
My cousins keep asking if they are nagging or becoming annoying but they aren't. They email me or post errors they find and I go in and correct the book. Then we do the process all over again. It is time consuming and tedious work but with fresh eyes looking it over it makes it so much better.
I would recommend working with others when putting together a family history book. Don't get offended when someone finds mistakes in your creation. You wouldn't want "your baby" to be riddled with mistakes and typos. You want it to be clean and accurate, so take a deep breath and ask your cousins to edit, add and give input to your projects. You will survive and be thrilled with the end project.
What a wild ride this has been. Along the way, I have learned so much more about my grandparents on my mother's side, and been guided through a maze of new family on my father's side. Overall a good decision to include rather than work this out by myself. (Hard habit to break)
Thank you to all that have helped! You have been amazing an thank you for your patience with me through the process.
Monday, September 24, 2012
End of summer 2012
Wow, where did the time go? It's fall already. Sad to see summer gone. I was enjoying the warm days. Not sure if I am ready for coats and cold weather. Certainly not ready for heating bills and slippery roads.
I have been working on editting the family history books. There have been many late nights and oodles of changes. Have enjoyed seeing all the new photos popping up on the facebook page and in my email. Floods of memories being triggered and played out with each new photo. It would be wonderful to go back in time and enjoy those moments. (Taking a better camera with and making sure it was focused would be helpful too)
The leaves are beginning to fall off the trees in our yard and that marks the beginning of the raking project that lasts until the end of spring. We have fifteen large trees and they shed their leaves all month, leaving a thick blanket on the ground. It looks lovely, but is a lot of work to remove so the grass and rocks and plants survive.
Erin's room is done again. Her new Birthday computer and second monitor in place. Now she has a real command center and a computer that will play her Sims games. The room looks really good and she is enjoying it.
I have updated the links on the family history 2011 page of this blog to the new editted family history books, so take a look and let me know if you find any more areas that need adjustment. If anyone wants a PDF copy let me know. Don't buy the books, as one they aren't finished yet, two there are lots of sales coming, three I will give a PDF copy to you if you ask.
Bon Voyage to Summer............and hello autumn!
I have been working on editting the family history books. There have been many late nights and oodles of changes. Have enjoyed seeing all the new photos popping up on the facebook page and in my email. Floods of memories being triggered and played out with each new photo. It would be wonderful to go back in time and enjoy those moments. (Taking a better camera with and making sure it was focused would be helpful too)
The leaves are beginning to fall off the trees in our yard and that marks the beginning of the raking project that lasts until the end of spring. We have fifteen large trees and they shed their leaves all month, leaving a thick blanket on the ground. It looks lovely, but is a lot of work to remove so the grass and rocks and plants survive.
Erin's room is done again. Her new Birthday computer and second monitor in place. Now she has a real command center and a computer that will play her Sims games. The room looks really good and she is enjoying it.
I have updated the links on the family history 2011 page of this blog to the new editted family history books, so take a look and let me know if you find any more areas that need adjustment. If anyone wants a PDF copy let me know. Don't buy the books, as one they aren't finished yet, two there are lots of sales coming, three I will give a PDF copy to you if you ask.
Bon Voyage to Summer............and hello autumn!
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Smartest skunks ever!
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| They seem to know where we are at all times. If I go to bed at 5 am, then they show up at 6:52 , If I go to bed at 4 am then they show up at 4 am and 58 seconds. Really this is soooo weird. |
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| Think this one might be pregnant as it is a big too chubby compared to the others we have filmed. but don't know if it is the angle of the camera. I hope it is just the angle. |
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| This is the latest spotting yet. Nasty as this is the time the dogs and people are out. This might be a difficult encounter if they keep this hour in their schedule for eating our yard. I HATE skunks! |
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Finished is never finished
The best way to get input for a project is to announce it is finished! I have had an enormous amount of information now that I have finished with mistakes in print. Isn't that the way it goes?
Back to the drawing board and fixing all my errors and researching disputes of facts.
I love genealogy and love when new information comes together. This has been a great day for that. I added so much to my files, and found information that I wouldn't have found on my own. Love it!
Family is such an important thing.
Anyway, my previous post of finished books, turns out to be a lie. They are not done. Being revised and we'll see where it goes from here. I did put the links on my family history page in 2011 posts if you want to take a look. Let me know if you see any corrections that still need fixing. Don't know when it will be finished. Will keep you posted.
Back to the drawing board and fixing all my errors and researching disputes of facts.
I love genealogy and love when new information comes together. This has been a great day for that. I added so much to my files, and found information that I wouldn't have found on my own. Love it!
Family is such an important thing.
Anyway, my previous post of finished books, turns out to be a lie. They are not done. Being revised and we'll see where it goes from here. I did put the links on my family history page in 2011 posts if you want to take a look. Let me know if you see any corrections that still need fixing. Don't know when it will be finished. Will keep you posted.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Family History Books finished !
I wanted to finish the books I started on our family history. Time always gets away from me. I finally got them printed. I did rush in the end as Shutterfly sent me an email to say they were changing sizes and formats so anything I had in those sizes needed to be finished by the 10th of September. Well that was a fire to my behind. Then they added a 40% off incentive and free ship for orders over $30.00. Ok, couldn't pass those up. I ordered one of each. Hopefully they aren't riddled with spelling errors, and the low resolution photos won't look too bad. I will check out these and then decide if I want to order more for Christmas or start them over in a fresh look. I am never happy with the things I create. I can always find a better way once they are done. Story of my life. But at least I will have something in print and can relax for a minute about them.
Still have a few more books to do. Want to do one on my parents and my husbands parents then one on me and my husband. That should be enough for awhile. Crazy when you get working on them. There is never enough time and you always want one more photo or document.
I linked the finished book to my first post of family history so look back in 2011 under family history and you can look at the books I have finished so far. Let me know what you think. If there are errors and there are bound to be, let me know what you find. I apoligize upfront for any mistakes, or bad spelling. I tried but spell check doesn't fix everything. LOL.
Still have a few more books to do. Want to do one on my parents and my husbands parents then one on me and my husband. That should be enough for awhile. Crazy when you get working on them. There is never enough time and you always want one more photo or document.
I linked the finished book to my first post of family history so look back in 2011 under family history and you can look at the books I have finished so far. Let me know what you think. If there are errors and there are bound to be, let me know what you find. I apoligize upfront for any mistakes, or bad spelling. I tried but spell check doesn't fix everything. LOL.
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