Of Mice and Men and Random Things...

This has been kind of a tough season.

There are days when I feel like I'm going down for the count, but somehow, God sends somebody or something along to lift my head and my heart. 

Lucy broke her knee. She was in a cast (actually about 4 casts) from the beginning of August until the end of September.

Not just in a cast, but the poor little thing was confined to her crate for at least 6 of those 9 weeks.  They wanted to do surgery on her. The projected cost was $2000. I’m sorry, but we now have a little dog that hops around on three legs most of the time. It’s cute in a pitiful sort of way. I can live with a three-legged dog. But $2000. Just. Not. Happening. As it is, we’re into it for about $600. $600 that we can ill afford right now. She’s happy and doesn’t know that she’s differently-abled. It hasn’t slowed her down one little millisecond, and she isn’t in pain. If we hadn’t already re-named her about five times, I’d call her Tripod.

Then, right before the Pagosa Mom’s Trip (In an Effort Not to Kill Our Families), Ted tore his meniscus at work. It’s a complex tear. He is on partial disability. The injury was on August 24. Tomorrow is October 13. He sees the surgeon tomorrow. It was the first available appointment. Yes, you read that right.  Forty-nine (49) days.  He's been working half time, cleaning planes from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.  It pretty much stinks.  They are playing games with his paycheck. Badly. We are sweating out each week, but God is good and keeping me busy. I’ve already done more closings in October than I did the entire month of September.

And speaking of the signing agent gig…I am one of the lucky selectees that the State of New Mexico, in their infinite wisdom, has chosen to be the subject of what is called a managed audit. For the tax years 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. The hits just keep on coming.


Ted’s uncle died on Saturday morning at the age of 82. It was relatively quick, but a painful passing. Because of the long wait to get into the surgeon, Ted elected not to travel to Texas for the funeral and re-schedule his ortho appointment. But the in-laws drove through on Sunday night and used the Hoyle abode as a hotel. Somebody left a sinkful of soapy water when we went to bed. Coulda' been me. Just sayin’. (Sorry Lidna; I know this may make you gag). When Ted came home from his half shift of work at 1:30 a.m. on Monday he found a mouse. Drowned. In my kitchen sink. With a few dishes. Ick. Ick. Ick. Ick. Ick. He was kind enough to toss little mousey (in the top of my trash so I could see him in the morning, albeit), and bleach the entire kitchen down. But…Ick. Ick. Ick. Ick. Ick. Ick.

That’s a brief recap of just a few of the highlights of my season thus far. Amy just changed schools yesterday, mid-year. I’ve had some strange things happening health-wise. I’m struggling with some major decisions. And yet, through it all, I’m filled with a peace that truly passes all understanding. If you’ve been praying for me, please don’t stop! I’ve felt them and hope for the Holy Spirit’s grace and mercy to fill me….





And now, on to the dozen random questions that Lidna from 2nd Cup has posted for the weekly meme….These are an amalgam of questions she's solicited from friends and family.  To play the game, answer your own and link to her blog....then comment on some of the other answers.  It's the right thing to do.



1. Is there a word which you initially mispronounced? Were the circumstances in which you made the faux pas embarrassing? By the way, that's not "foax pass." (I know you know that. Just jokin' with ya.)

I vividly remember telling my mom that chocolate cake filled me with ex-STAY-see when I was about ten years old. She laughed and laughed and it kind of crushed my little soul a little. But I am still filled with ex-STACY-see at the thought of chocolate cake.



2. How do you feel about the use of texting shortcuts and trends? (ex: "I've got ur notes. Get them 2 u 2morow.")

Ubetcha. TheyR my fav way 2 talk.  I am 2bz4uqt to spell evrythg.  I use them all the time. Sometimes I think that I would not communicate with my kids at all were it not for texting. The auto-complete function on my phone doesn’t work properly, so I abbreviate all the time….and use lots of ellipses…if you can imagine. I love ellipses…I find ellipses to be full of expression...



3. Tell me about your high school senior picture. Please feel free to post.

It wasn't terrible.  And, my how I wish I had that skin now!  I was totally rocking the Farrah Fawcett wings in 1979, but thought my picture was ok.

5. Share a high school or college homecoming memory.

I went out for court my senior year. I remember I wore a beautiful maroon wraparound disco skirt that was really flow-y and was shorter in the front than in the back.  I was not voted on to the homecoming court.  It did not break my heart. Went to the game though…it was my first date with Ted. We both do not like football. Don’t be a hater. Our school won. Highland beat Valley 28-7. I still have my pink crocheted over-sweater that I wore on that first date. Go Hornets. Rah.


6. Linda at Mocha with Linda wants to know: "Do you prefer sunrises or sunsets?"

Wow. Which one of your children do you love the best? Both sunrise and sunset tend to be spectacular here in the Land of Enchantment. I think maybe sunrise because it’s like the dawn of a new day and a fresh start. You get to wipe the slate clean from yesterday’s junk.


7. Lea at Cici's Corner asks, "What is something you have not done that you desire to do?"

Go on a cruise. Someday. Sigh.

8. Carol at Wanderings of an Elusive Mind ponders, "If you could come back [in another life] as an animal, which would it be?"

Ugh. Maybe as a little spoiled rotten three-legged toy poodle who is loved by someone as much as Ted loves Lucy.


9. Joyce from The Other Side of the Pond is curious: "Where were you 10 years ago?" Please feel free to elaborate more than just your physical location.

I was struggling with depression and heavily over-medicated by a well-meaning CNP…I was taking four (4!) different anti depressants at the same time and was pretty much a zombie.  I felt nothing.  No. Thing.  On the bright side, they suppressed my appetite. A lot. To the point where at 5’(almost)6” I weighed about 115….I was able to wean myself off of them, but sometimes still struggle.



10. When you are proven to be correct in any contentious discussion, do you gloat?

Usually. I wish I didn't, but it happens that I'm right so often....tee hee...



11. What is your favorite food which includes the ingredient "caramel?"

Yes. Seriously…I think possibly Caramel Macchiato from Starbucks. But that is more drink than food. Yes to caramel. MY question…do you pronounce it CARE-a-mell or CAR-mul?

12. From my 17 year-old daughter to you: "If you could be part of any fictional family, which family would you choose and why?" (She's so cute. And clever.)

I used to dream about living with Porter Ricks (from Flipper) because I had a huge crush on Sandy (Luke Halpin) Yes, I am showing my age…

(Looks a little like Josh Holloway…with maybe a touch of Zach Efron?)

…but I think maybe the Brady Bunch because they had Alice to cook and clean. The whole one bathroom for six kids would have to be remedied. Been there done that with the Texaco bathroom saga….

So, sorry the beginning was such a downer.  I had fun with the Dozen (I always do!).  Play along an link on up!