Just Simply Holly

As most of you who know me well probably know, I am a self proclaimed news junkie! I watch the news on TV often, and read it online several times daily from various local and national websites! I try to absorb as much information as I can, and occasionally I come across a story that really touches me!

Last weekend I came across a news story on Yahoo News about a set of twins that were born 17 weeks early. It was a two part story with the first part running on Saturday, which you can find HERE. I was totally drawn into the story of two tiny lives that fought against the odds they were given, written by their father who obviously adored them. As I got to the end of that first part I couldn’t wait until Sunday, when the second part of the story would be released. As soon as I got up Sunday morning I hit Yahoo News, and sure enough, there was part two, which you can read HERE.

I will tell you that both parts of this story have the potential to bring you to tears! It has to be one of the most amazing stories I have read in my life, and proof of just how precious life really is! When you’re done reading both parts of the story, be sure to visit the family’s website at http://www.jakeandjosh.net, I promise you it’s well worth the time!

You may ask why I’m writing about this. First, I’m a person that LOVES happy endings, so many times we hear and read about all of the bad endings on the news! Second, the story left such an impression on me that I felt compelled to contact the family through their website, just letting them know how special I felt their story was and thanking them for sharing their amazing story! A few minutes ago I received a personal reply from the father thanking me for the message that I had left for them and telling me how thrilled he was that their story moved me so much! Yes, people often do reply to comments and messages you send them, but something about this story and the fathers reply reaffirmed to me the importance of getting their message out there!

I LOVE going to yard sales! For some reason or another OODLES of people in the area are having yard sales this weekend, so I’ve had fun running here and there checking them out! Some have turned out to be REALLY awesome ones, while others made me shake my head and wonder what they were thinking!

One of the best ones I went to is what I’d call a “true” yard sale. A huge mish mash of stuff that was priced CHEAP! They had one table that was full of all kinds of Mickey Mouse stuff, none of which was priced over $2, can you say CHA CHING!!! My daughter made out like a bandit on that one, even managing to find a really cool Mickey watch for $1!

There was another one that we stopped at that had a TON of womens clothes, some of which were actually my size, but they were priced a bit higher than I wanted to pay. I actually had a couple of items in my hands when the lady that was running the yard sale came up to me, telling me that I needed to check out some shirts and pants that she had on a hanging rack that I hadn’t noticed. As she was walking me to where they were she actually turned to me and said “So when are you due?”, which totally blew my mind! When I looked at her and let her know that I wasn’t expecting, she was obviously very embarassed and said that I wouldn’t need to look at the clothes on the rack then because they were maternity clothes….LOL! OK, I can take the hint, it’s SERIOUSLY time for me to start loosing weight, either that or stop wearing such loose fitting tops…LOL

It’s been four days since we carried my sister in law’s belongings into her new home. It’s MUCH smaller than where she’s been living the past 4+ years (read: large old farm house compared to a 2 room apartment), but she’s safe now and that’s what matters the most!

We were amazed to find out, however, that it was going to take the phone company 5 business days to flip a switch so that she’d have phone service VS the cable company physically having to come to her apartment to hook up cable. Thankfully the cable company also offers phone service, so she’s getting that through them rather than the phone company. (read: You snooze, you lose)

She’s also going to get high speed internet through them and we’re going to get my hubby’s old laptop back from my brother in law, that way she can keep up with things online and have access to important websites and stuff. Good thing we have plenty of extra CAT5e cables lying around, that’ll be one less thing she’ll have to worry about buying!

I ended up spending over 8 hours with her yesterday, which I really enjoyed! I had honestly forgotten how much I enjoyed talking to her and spending time with her! She’s such an admirable woman and I’m still amazed with all of the rough cards life has dealt her that she still holds her head high and hasn’t given up! I look forward to spending many more days with her!

Before I start “talking” I want to share a photo that I just managed to take that shows the beauty that I am surrounded with on a daily basis.

I think the way the sun is shining through from the side of the house into the woods is just beautiful!

I’m sorry that I haven’t been around the past few days, last week ended on a sort of “rough” note, and the weekend was extremely busy! My sister in law moved back to the area from Northern Michigan this weekend and finally removed herself from a very unsafe and volatile situation, so the weekend was spent helping her get moved in and unpacked. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was apprehensive about her moving back to the area, but it wasn’t until seeing her face to face that I fully realized the toll that the past 4 years have taken on her, both physically and mentally. I am truly thankful to have her back in the area and will do everything within my power to make sure she stays safe!

I hope that any of my readers that are dads had a wonderful Fathers Day yesterday. My husband and I don’t really celebrate Fathers or Mothers Day, about the only thing that we do is let the kids get us cards, and we also get a card for my Mother. But both of my husbands parents have passed away and I lost my own father almost 30 years ago, so both holidays are somewhat bittersweet for us.

This week is looking to be a very busy week! I’ll be heading out this morning in just a couple of hours to help my sister in law get things settled down here. She needs to open a bank account as well as get utilities connected and pick up a few things from the store. With the near loss of one hand from a gun accident a few years ago, getting around in her regular wheel chair is nearly impossible. So my daughter and I are going along to help her with her chair and keep her company.

Before I wrap this up I want to share another picture with you all in hopes that you can help me figure out what something is. I’m not a fan of bugs, but I do realize that since we live in the woods, amongst nature, bugs and other critters are simply a part of life. That being said, there was a very interesting looking bug on the inside of the screen of the sliding glass door this morning.

Does anyone have ANY idea what the heck this is? At first I thought it was a spider, but I’m not so sure now after I’ve looked at it a little better. The legs seem a bit “thick” for a spider and I’ve never seen a spider that has antennae either…LOL.

OK, to be honest, I won’t forget about California, but after looking at the beautiful Winter Park real estate homes that I’ve just looked at, I’m ready to head for the mountains!

When I was in my 20’s I went on a sort of cross country adventure with my original destination being the Denver area. I’ll never forget my first view of the Rocky Mountains, it was one of the most amazing sights I’ve ever seen in my life. The pictures I had seen over the years couldn’t come close to doing justice to their true beauty! And I swore that that would not be the last time I viewed the mountains in person!

My husband and I have talked a few times over the years about what we’d do if we ever struck it rich and won the lottery. I told him that I’d buy some land near the Rockies that would allow me to build my dream home and enjoy a view of one of nature’s most beautiful scenery on a daily basis! Only time, and the right lottery ticket, will tell whether or not that dream will come true.

I don’t know what’s going on with me lately. I’m tired all the time, yet when I go to bed, I can’t sleep. When I do finally fall asleep, it’s almost like I can’t wake up. I’ve had a few days this week that I’ve slept later than I have in MANY years!

My poor husband, I don’t know how he’s dealt with me this week. Tuesday morning he left me a note with a couple of things he needed me to take care of by 5:00. He’d have taken care of them himself except that he was going to be working a 12 hour day and wouldn’t be home until nearly 8:00 PM. I honestly had every intention of doing what he had asked me to, I put the note in a place that I could clearly see it so that I wouldn’t forget, and guess what? I FORGOT!

I really wish it was possible to get a memory upgrade for my brain some days! No matter how many reminders I write and send myself about things, I still end up forgetting to do them!

After going through 3 bouts of pouring water coming in through the slider door the beginning of the week, and finding out that my husband hadn’t yet called the landlord about it, and hearing that we had more storms coming in overnight and today, I took the situation in my own hands last night…LOL!

I found a tube of indoor/outdoor silicone caulk last night and we put that in the thin gap at the top of the door as well as partially down the sides. Then while I was talking to her on the phone, my mom gave me a heck of an idea. She said something about finding a way to affix a tarp to the house above the slider door in a way that the water couldn’t come through the top of it, instead it would just run down the tarp as it laid down the side of the house over the slider door. While that was a great idea, I couldn’t deal with the thought of totally blocking the view and the light that comes in through the door.

So what we ended up doing was cutting a piece of heavy plastic sheeting that was a little wider than the slider door and about a foot or so long. We then cleaned off the siding above the door and used some white duct tape to attach it so that the water couldn’t come through up at the top, then simply let the remainder of the plastic drape over the slider door on the outside.

I woke up around 9 to heavy rain hitting the bedroom window, so I came rushing out here to the family room to see if our “quick fix” worked and was THRILLED to see the rain running down the outside of the plastic sheeting we hung over the door rather than pouring in like it did the beginning of the week. I know this is just a temporary fix to the problem, but with more storms coming in today, at least I won’t have to deal with major flooding in the family room! I need to call my mom and tell her thank you!

Today’s economy has brought on some rough financial times, to the point of putting our country into a recession if you ask anyone, except our President. Many people, myself included, are looking for ways to bring some extra income into their homes. One of the ways that I do this is by writing paid blog posts and one of the companies that I occasionally write these posts for is Bloggerwave. If you have a blog and would like to earn some extra income, you might want to check them out!

I thought we could use a little smile….LOL

You Are Bare Feet

You are a true free spirit, and you can’t be tied down. Even wearing shoes can be a little too constraining for you at times! You are very comfortable in your own skin. You are one of the most real people around. You don’t have anything to hide. Open and accepting, you are willing to discuss or entertain almost any topic. You are a very tolerant person. You are accepting and not judgmental. You should live: Somewhere warm You should work: At your own business, where you can set the rules

If You Were Slightly Different, Your Name Would Be:

Hope

You are a Hippie

You are a total hippie. While you may not wear birks or smell of incense, you have the soul of a hippie. You don’t trust authority, and you do as you please. You’re willing to take a stand, even when what you believe isn’t popular. You like to experiment with ideas, lifestyles, and different subcultures. You always gravitate toward what’s radical and subversive. Normal, mainstream culture doesn’t really resonate with you.

What Holly Means

You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out. Success comes rather easily for you… especially in business and academia. Some people find you to be selfish and a bit overbearing. You’re a strong person. You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life. You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you. At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself. You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow. You are light hearted and accepting. You don’t get worked up easily. Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is. You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in. You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising. You may miss out by not settling down, but you’re too busy having fun to care.

Your Native American Name Is…

Nahimana Alawa Your name means: Mystic Pea

You Should Be a Politician

Confident, assertive, and dedicated - you know what you want in life and how to get it. Stubborn and opinionated, you can stand your ground… even if it’s unpopular. And while you have strong views, you never overwhelm people with your opinions. A true charmer, you subtly influence people into seeing things your way. You do best when you: - Work according to your own rules - Can change the world with what you do You would also be a good lawyer or talk show host.

You Scored an A

You got 9/10 questions correct. It’s pretty obvious that you don’t make basic grammatical errors. If anything, you’re annoyed when people make simple mistakes on their blogs. As far as people with bad grammar go, you know they’re only human. And it’s humanity and its current condition that truly disturb you sometimes.

Yes, I know that warm temps are part of summer, but come on, it’s not even summer yet! Yesterday we had an actual temp in the upper 90’s with “real feel” temps over 100 degrees. Those type of temps just aren’t my cup of tea, not at all!

I’m glad that I thought to have my husband put in the air conditioners last week because if I hadn’t I sure wouldn’t have to worry about having to take any type of diet pills in order to lose weight. With as high as the temps have been, my extra pounds would have easily have melted off. OK, so maybe putting in the air conditioners wasn’t that good of an idea LOL!

From the looks of the weather forecast, today is the last day of really really high temps and humidity. We’ve got another chance of strong storms later this afternoon and this evening, but considering the last two basically skipped right over us, I’m not going to worry too much about them. UGH, they just came on the news and said the current temp is already 90 degrees, and it’s only noon. Sounds like a great day to stay inside and keep cool, well, except for when the dogs have to be let out that is!