I Twitter, therefore I am?

So yeah, I've succumbed to Twitter, and am now tweeting. See? Over there on the left of the screen? That's Twitter. Big deal, huh? But you know, I'm kinda liking it so far.

Last week was sooooo long! "How long was it Bailey?" Well, since you asked. I guess if I were used to it, or if I worked a less physically demanding job, it wouldn't have been so bad. I worked Monday - Friday 9 - 5. By the time Friday came around I was so sore - my hips and knees were a mess. I spent most of Friday going up and down the step-ladder. I didn't get a thing done at home, and spent most of today (that being Sunday) trying to rest AND catch up on chores. Thankfully, this week will be sort of back to normal.

Saturday Bebo and I went to my cousins house for a going away party. My cousin Michael is in the National Guard (Navy) and is being shipped out on his second tour overseas. We don't know exactly where or when yet, but he leaves for Gulf Port, MS at the end of this month. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.

So, what's the hardest job (either mentally or physically) that you've ever had?

My Brother David

I know that I've mentioned him a few times, but I don't talk about the good things - like he's my favorite brother, always will be - he and I are the most like my mother. David had a few strokes in 2003, strokes that left him disabled - the left side of his body not functioning as well as it should. His left lung and side of diaphragm is paralyzed. A lot of the time he is on oxygen. His speech is very imperfect and his short-term memory is totally shot. But there is still something there inside of him, something that is very important to almost every member of my famiy - music. He still has the music in him.

Wanna hear?

My own goodbye

Yesterday I listed those "notables" that the world had lost in 2008.


Today it's my own personal losses of 2008 that I say goodbye to, so here they are.


My mother's sister Alice O'Connell Proudfit

July 2, 1923 - June 18, 2008
(mom on the left, Alice on the right)



My father's brother Robert Charles Mardis

July 30, 1915 - December 15, 2008




My mother's brother Thomas Elmo O'Connell

February 14, 1921 - December 29, 2008

Each of you in your own way contributed to who I am today. You will be missed.

I'll see everyone on Monday. Have a great weekend!!

It's a Labor Day

Labor Day - a holiday created so that some people can labor so that other people who are not laboring can go to stores and make them labor. Right?

Labor Day used to mean a lot to me. I used to watch the Jerry Lewis Telethon way into the night and then the next morning when I woke up. I couldn't miss a minute of it. Big stars performed - I mean big names. Now? They don't even show the whole thing anymore. And stars? I caught it a couple of years ago and it was ... a telethon. No real spectacle any more. They're still raising the money, bless their hearts, but the sparkle is gone. We also used to have family gatherings on Labor Day. Up to 30 people would fill our house, food, laughter, games. On Labor Day evening I will go over to Bebo's for supper. That will be my Labor Day. It's only on holidays, no matter what holiday, that I really understand the fracturing of my family.

Speaking of my family ... my brother David informed me tonight that he will probably be going on oxygen full time now. He really only has one functioning lung because of his strokes. He has pollution caused emphysema. He also has another blocked artory in his neck that will have to be operated on. And speaking of David, read below.

I have a special concern about Gustav and his path. You see my nephew, David's step-son David (don't be confused LOL) lives on a boat in the Galveston Harbor. As the winds approach Texas I can't help but think about him. And worry. His car is broken and he can't leave. 32 years ago when my brother married David's mother, this little 5 year old boy looked up at me and said "When I grow up, I'm going to marry you." He was my first nephew, my first little love. Hey Dave? As you can see, you old Aunt is still waiting. LOL Be safe honey, be safe.

Have a safe and happy Labor Day everyone!

Deja Vu all over again

Well I was trying to figure out a title for tonight’s blog and thought of “This and That” and then I realized I had already used it, so it would be like “Déjà vu all over again”. So that’s where the post title came from.

The only thing I have to add about the apartment is the chimes that I bought at Scarborough Faire. I tried to take a picture of them the day that I shot the patio, but they didn’t show up at all against the cloudy sky, so I had to wait until a sunny day. Even then, they still don’t show up well unless you click and enlarge the picture. The colors aren’t right – I don’t know why the camera isn’t displaying them right. They are leaves and they are a rusty color and a light green. Very pretty and the sound they make is beautiful.

Oh, wait, I do have this wall between the bedroom and bathroom. This is my tribute to dad. And yes, that is a real December 8, 1941 newspaper in that frame.





I had a bit of disconcerting news this weekend. My Aunt Alice was in the hospital. It seems she’ll be okay, but it still scared me. Mom was the first on her side to pass away, and the first death since her mother died in 1980. We’ve been very lucky there. In my lifetime we’ve lost my grandparents and an aunt-in-law, uncle-in-law, and then mom. That’s it. On dad’s side there’s the grandparents, dad, two of his brothers, three of his sisters, and six in-laws. Plus two cousins. So you see how unnerved I became to have first my mother’s brother in the hospital a couple of weeks ago, my aunt, and then to find out today that the oldest was in the hospital too. Confused yet? Anyway, they’re all getting up there and it’s only a matter of time before mom’s side begins to drop, for loss of another way to phrase it. It was the elders that have kept the family together, and as they die, or move away, it’s like we’re all “breaking” up. We no longer have family get-togethers like we did when I was growing up. We probably never will. Dad had 2 brothers and 1 sister living here when he died. Now one of the brothers has moved back to Iowa to live with his daughter, and his sister is moving to Alaska to live with her daughter. That just leaves my Uncle Kenny, and he doesn’t live in town – I haven’t seen him since 2006. In fact, I’ve hardly seen any of my extended family since mother died. And except for my Aunt Alice and one cousin, mother’s family doesn’t live here. I guess I’m just feeling a bit nostalgic this weekend. You see, I woke up Sunday morning with the realization that it was Howard’s birthday. It wasn’t anything I thought about, I just knew when I woke up without thinking about the date. Happy Birthday Howard. He would have been 56. Bebo and I talked about him for a little bit today. The date hadn’t gotten past her either. I saw my niece in March, which was the first time I’d seen her since 2006. And my nephews? Haven’t seen them since mom died either. It doesn’t bother me unless a holiday is coming up. And next weekend is Memorial Day. We got together every Memorial Day to celebrate both Howard’s and my dad’s birthdays (May 31). And now it’s just another day. They’re all pretty much just another day.

Egads, I’m so morose. Excuse me. Let’s end this with something funny, okay?

But do they bloom??? I wonder if they come in different colors? I wonder about the fragrance?I wonder if it would help to put those preservative packets in the water? I wonder if they bloom?I wonder whether they would look better on the kitchen table or in the entry? I wonder if they're cheaper by the dozen?I wonder if they come in long-stemmed?

Captured at 115th and Allisonville Rd. in Fishers (Indianapolis). The sign is real and was up for two hours before someone stopped and told them how to spell PE O NI ES

Last, Part Three

Friday night will be my last night in this house. I'm feeling a bit melancholy tonight. Mostly, I think, because of what this house symbolized. You see, once there was a family of six, now there are three. Once there were family gatherings with in-laws and grandchildren and gr-grandchildren and aunts and uncles and cousins. Now there is only Bebo and I. Once there was a little girl with dreams. Now most of those dreams have slipped by.

Now there will be new dreams, new memories. But I'll always remember that once there was a family. Once.

McCartney and Lennon said it best:

There are places I remember
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places had their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life I've loved them all

Aidan's Turn

Aidan here. Mother was going to have Seamas blog again, but I begged her not to subject you to any more of his “LOLz” cat speak, so to say. I hate that site; it’s such an insult to us superior felines. Anyway, we’re adjusting fine without Neely Shae, although I must admit that I do miss my favorite target. Bailey and Seamas aren’t as fun to attack. And I said Bailey. I don’t care if there’s some sort of mix-up with his and mother’s names. BooBear is ridiculous. How could any self-respecting feline hold up his head with a name like BooBear? I know, mother calls me Aidan Maiden, so who am I to speak, right? I.hate.Aidan Maiden. In case I’m not clear enough – Aidan Maiden sucks eggs. She even has a little poem for me: Aidan Maiden, pudding pie. Kissed the kits and made them cry. When Aidan Maiden came out to play, all the kits they ran away. Can you imagine going through life with that sticking to you? It’s either that or Secret Aidan Man. If I have to have one or the other, I’ll take Secret Aidan Man because at least it’s male.

Mother has been having a bit of a bad week. The sale of the house isn’t going through as soon as she, and obviously Uncle David, thought it would. So here’s mother packing to move into an apartment she can’t afford. It’s all Uncle David’s fault and if he were here I’d pee on his foot. He doesn’t like cats anyway, so what harm would it do? I could leave a little present in his shoe too, if you know what I mean. I don’t mind getting a little crass when it comes to protecting my mother.

I heard mother say the other day that she just doesn’t get to blog as much as she used to. What with all of this packing and cleaning, she doesn’t have the time. I know, you see her on MySpace a lot. She’s not always there. Mother has this habit of leaving the computer on and logged into the site. Whenever she gets a message or something, it “cachings” (that’s the closest to the sound I can get) rather loudly and she comes running to answer it. It’s pathetic if you ask me, sort of like Pavlov’s dogs. Anyway, once she’s settled into her new place, she’ll get back to a routine. Whatever that is. And she’ll be able to look for a job again. I’ve been told she needs one badly. I don’t know why, wouldn’t a purr, nuzzle and lick get her most things in life? It works for us.

Post about nothing

A couple of hours ago I realized that I needed to write a blog for tomorrow. It’s now 8:30 p.m. and I still don’t know what to say. So call this the post about nothing. I had a good day today. The only blemish was a visit from a beloved cousin who had only stopped by to drop off my birthday present and ended up spending the entire day and eating dinner with Bebo and me. Now don’t get me wrong, I love my cousin Janet very much, I often call her “mom” (she’s much older than I and has children my age), but she can be rather insensitive at times. On the day that I miss my mother the most, she chose to tell me all about our aunt who she thinks has Alzheimer’s and could I give her some tips on how to handle her, what to do with her, who can take care of her (which I very promptly said “not me, I’ve gone through that once already”). I didn’t need to be reminded of my mother so much, especially today. She also gave me a 3-piece microwavable spa set. Huh? What am I going to do with that? Talk about white elephants … although for my birthday she gave me this gorgeous sofa pillow with St. Nicholas on it. It will go well with my collection and is the perfect color. It’s also a present for the cats as it has tassels on it.

My sister gave me the complete first (and only) season of the Dresden Files! Yay!!!!! Bebo gave me Borders gift cards for both my birthday and Christmas presents. More yays. Let’s see – Brandy sent me this cute little box of candy. Thanks sweetie. My brother didn’t send me anything, not even a card. I suppose he considers calling me up and singing the Merry Birthday song was enough. Not. I sent him an ecard for his birthday AND called him. Men.

Oh, and I started the day by going out to the nursing home to see my sister. See, I’m being a good girl. (For those of you who are fairly new to the blog, I don’t get along with my sister – she thinks we do …)

See, look, you made it this far without barfing, so I guess its not that bad. So now I’m sitting here watching The Christmas Shoes for like the third time this season (it wasn’t what the TV guide said would be on), I’m too lazy to put this laptop down and find the remote.

Oh, and now my cousin wants to be included when Bebo and I go out! She wants to make it a threesome. Every once in a while yes, but not on a regular basis – please, not on a regular basis.

So here it is, my blog about nothing. At least there’s spam for Friday, right?

What did you get for Christmas?

btw - I bought Bebo "The Gift of the Magi" for Christmas. Thanks Devon!

Strange Day

Had a very pleasant Sunday. My mother’s sister Alice came in and she, Bebo and I had a nice lunch. I hadn’t seen my Aunt Alice since January, so it was wonderful to catch up with her, but at the same time it was kind of sad. She and mother were best friends, and she was married to my favorite uncle who we lost in January. It was … different. There’d been many potluck dinners in this house over the years, but never with just three people. It’ll take some getting used to. Cowboys didn’t play today, so no football to write about, so I guess this is it.

Bebo's a Granny - #10

And I'm a new Gr-Aunt!

Hayden Elizabeth

Born 3/20/07

Time: 08:20 7lbs. 12 oz.

Proud Parents

Eric and Amber

A new little baby

to cuddle and love

To spoil just a little

and think the world of.

A bundle from Heaven

to simply adore

Now who in the world

could ask for more?

Siblings: J.D., Harley and Matthew

Horrors of Horrors ... And a Happy Birthday too

(Cue Vincent Price type music)

So, we’re off to The House today. Can everyone say Yay? Thought not. This 2 – 3 hours every Sunday is going to take us forever. I think I have a little under a half of the kitchen packed, although if you ask me (which The Sister wouldn’t) all of that stuff will have to be disinfected before use. Everything. Altogether we probably have about 50% of the house packed. Then there’s the garage. Can everyone say Fun? Yeah, I saw that smirk. I’ve been told there’s a cabinet with a lot of their wedding gifts. Huh? Married for a little over 20 years, divorced for about 10 – when does one decide that wedding gifts should be used? Whoever buys this house (and it will be one of those “cash for homes” people) will have to do a lot of work. A.lot. Not to mention disinfecting.

Well, let’s see, what else is happening? Did I mention my toothache was back? Out with the cloves again. The writing has been sort of, well, um, it’s – OKAY I HAVEN’T BEEN WRITING. So there. I’ve realized what the problem is and I’ll be dealing with it hopefully this week. I haven’t done a storyboard on my characters. I’ve never written without one and in fact, didn’t have it on the last MS. Problems with it too. Anyway, I’ve also been doing some thinking about the WIP too. I’ve got a germ of an idea for Taylor’s story (my hero’s brother), and maybe for the series as a whole. I even have a small inkling of the first scene for Taylor. I’m also fighting an old demon. Yep, I’m thinking about dragging out The Devil You Know, which is the most completed MS I have. But that’s not quite true. It’s the most completed all right – it’s also the one that has to be reworked entirely. I fell in love with my secondary male character to the detriment of my hero, so I’ve got to go back and re-write it, or at least re-write my hero. And heroine. She ended up being a little wimpy, so she needs a backbone. And it’s not funny – I’m not sure if I’m going to leave it as a romantic suspense or entice it to the lighter side.

That’s it for awhile. I’m off to find a hazmat suit.

Oh, and ….

Happy Birthday Pam! I hope you have a great day. You’ve been a wonderful friend and deserve all the best there is.