Thursday, November 05, 2009

Dona Nobis Pacem

Last year, at this time, I posted here for last year’s Blog Blast For Peace. The post was sad and filled of lost hope and desperation. But it was still a cry for peace.

This year, there is no desperation. Only hope. No worry about how I will pay the bills, no living in a box behind K-Mart… Just hope.

Hope for a world with peace. Hope for a day of peace.

I know now how little peace there is. I spend every day with people who have no concept of peace, people who cannot even fathom a world without peace. People who have murdered, raped, assaulted other and sold and used drugs. These people could care less about peace, which only makes me want it more. Despite the desperation of last year being with no job, wouldn’t it be super cool if the world was at peace and there were no more prisoners to worry about?

On this day, let us all take a moment and feel the peace in our lives…

Peace in knowing we have family
Peace in knowing we have jobs and can pay the bills
Peace in knowing that there are others out there sharing this peace today.

Today and every day…
Dona Nobis Pacem


Grant Us Peace

Thursday Thirteen



Thirteen Comforting Fall Foods

1. Macaroni and Cheese
2. Chicken and Dumplings
3. Vegetable Beef Soup
4. Roasted Turkey
5. Green Bean Casserole
6. Potato Cheese Soup
7. Chili
8. Bread Pudding
9. Pumpkin Bread
10. Chicken Noodle Soup
11. Corn Bread
12. Apple Pie
13. Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Life and Death

Today we held a memorial at work for an officer who passed away. Officer Solis was a nice guy. I only worked with him a couple of times, when I first started there. (He has been on sick leave for some time.) He was a little rough around the edges, but he gave me plenty of helpful advice that I still have not forgotten…

Always know your keys.

Take your time and do it right.

Always keep doors secure.

Never back away from a challenge.


The whole complex stopped work and the department heads took over our posts so we could attend the memorial. It was very nice. His family was there. The chaplains spoke. We gave him a proper officer’s send off. They fired guns, sounded the bugle, and sounded the final call. It was very touching.

Good bye Officer Solis.

***************

Today is also David’s 22nd birthday. We ordered pizza and Carolynn baked a cake. It is cooling now. I want to eat it really bad.

It is Wednesday. I have already worked 50 hours this week. Tomorrow and Friday are my days off. I am tired.

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

And On The Third Day She Worked

16 hours today. 10 yesterday. 16 the day before. I am tired. Still, it is better than last year...

Last year on this date... I didn't have a job, I watched a water polo match and froze and went to Winco. Mostly... I didn't have a job. I looked for a job. I didn't have a job.

Now, in three days, I have worked 42 hours already.

Now I have a job, but I am too tired for everything else.

But I have job.

NaBloPoMo... That makes three

Monday, November 02, 2009

Even My Boogers Are Spicy


It was a seriously looooooooooong day, filled of craptastic crap. I just wanted to come home, crawl in a hole and sleep.


Then…



Someone gave me some good news.



The best news I have had in a long time.




Probably the best news I have had since I got a job.




But…





I am totally not telling.


**************************************


Carolynn was hanging on the dead tree in the yard and a branch broke. She has cuts on her head and both arms. David is watching baseball. I don’t know when he became a baseball fan, but I kind of like it. It has a homey kind of feel, to have a guy in the house occupying my TV with sports. Catherine is in the shower.

But I am going to bed.

Look out NaBloPoMo… That was 2 days in a row!

Sunday, November 01, 2009

A Halloween Surprise

On Friday, David, the girls and I were going to go to a pumpkin carving party at David’s Friends house. Unfortunately, David’s friend’s kids got the swine flu and the party was canceled. I felt so bad for them. Their party was canceled, the kids won’t get to trick or treat, and they have to be sick. Poor things. Anyway, since I had already taken the evening off, and we already had cupcakes and snacks we had made to take to the party, we figured we’d invite some friends over. Tabi came and brought the boys and Jackie and Alan came and brought their nieces. Taylor came too. There was video game playing and snacks and chit chat. It was a pleasant evening. Not exactly the evening we had planned, but it turned out pretty good in the end.

Yesterday, Catherine had her last softball game of the season. They had fun. They made it 4 innings before they called the mercy rule. After the game, Catherine’s friend Katelyn came over. There was pumpkin carving. David made a Transformer, Catherine made a cat, and Carolynn made Jack Skellington. After te pumpkins were carved, they got in their costumes. Carolynn went as Mrs. Lovitt from Sweeney Todd and Catherine as a vampire. Catherine’s costume was quite the predicament. We didn’t find out until Thursday night, that the collar was missing from her costume. On Friday, I went to Party City to exchange it, but they were all out of that one and out of all other vampire costumes. So I looked at Toys R Us, Wal-Mart and Target for a vampire cape. No dice. Then I remembered I had an old adult sized vampire cape in the garage. So I cut the bottom off of it. Done. Carolynn did the makeup and they were off. David took Carolynn to her friend’s house and Catherine to Joe and Nicole’s house so she could Trick or Treat with Allison. I hope they had a good time. I was at work, and I was up before them all this morning.

Today is the first day of NaBloPoMo. I am making another fabulous attempt and blogging everyday for a month. This will be my third year. And to start it off, I am working 16 hours today, so I can’t add any cool pictures from last night because I will be in prison. Way to start off. Better than last year’s start… Which was windy and rainy and I spent the day searching desperately for a job in the rain with my mom. (on the plus side, we had some really good coffee.)

Until tomorrow, unless I work another double… then NaBloPoMo will be over for me before it begins. But I will have extra money…

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Camera Critters



What do you mean I am not supposed to get on the couch?
Drizella
October 2009
Apple Valley, California

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Thursday Thirteen



Thirteen Things My Kids Have Been For Halloween

1. A Witch
2. A Vampire
3. Spiderman
4. Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz
5. A Cow
6. A Puppy
7. A Devil
8. A Ninja
9. A Flapper
10. The Grim Reaper
11. Tinkerbell
12. A Pirate
13. Mrs. Lovitt from Sweeney Todd