Last night a friend on twitter posted that she didn’t know how to say goodbye, I knew immediately to what she was referring. Saying goodbye to someone you love is always hard, when my mom was leaving this earth, she told me it was not goodbye it was see ya in a little bit. In my family we have always referred to dying as going home. A home where there is no sense of time, so it would only be a little bit to the ones waiting for us there.
My mom had one hard request for her funeral, that at the end every person there stand up and sing “I’ll Fly Away”, she always said she just knew that song is what would propel her all the way to heaven. So, we did, we sang our hearts out, I am sure they could hear it all the way to heaven and she was smiling as she approached the pearly gates. I have no doubt that my friend will see her loved one in a little bit as I will see my mom in a little bit.
I have given up so much in the past year I have decided I will not give up anymore, I have given up sugar, most coffee treats at Starbucks and my beloved sour skittles. I refuse to give up my once in a while treat of Taco Bueno with Elizabeth Anne, so there you have it, no resolutions for me. I am just going to continue to live my life to the best of my ability and continue to move forward.
Did any of you make any resolutions you plan on keeping??? Some you plan on breaking rather quickly? Or are you like me and just sticking to your guns and going about your life without giving anything up? Would love to hear from you!
A New Era
Day two of new year, so far so good, no huge catastrophes, no crisis, nothing above do I watch Star Trek the Next Generation on Sci-Fi or do I watch the Christmas Dr Who special again? I know, difficult decisions I must make.
I have off tomorrow as well, a full 4 days off, I am heady with the freedom of it all! What shall I do tomorrow? Shopping, a movie, pajama day? these are the burning questions I must ask myself.
I love my new coffee maker more each day, it just rocks, everything works and works well on it. I am going through two pots a day now! I wish I had an emoticon with a person running on fire, because that is how I feel right now! I could do anything! accompish all I need to in about an hour! If Chewie would cooperate I could even brush him! maybe vacuum him. The possibilities are endless!
Well not a lot going on today, must take down Christmas decorations and vacuum and get things together here, clean, laundry, make cookies for Elizabeth Anne. Little things like that, coffee will enable me to do it all in a flash! After I take my mega-doses of vitamins I will be even flashier!
Happy New Year!
I hope everyone had a safe and happy new years eve, I was asleep before midnight, so I know I was safe!
As you all know I have had a long love affair with coffee, it continues today in a big way. It may come as a shock to all of you, that although I love coffee I have never invested in an expensive coffee maker. Until now. I saw a Cuisineart coffee maker that I fell in love with, had to have, so I got it! It grinds the coffee beans and makes the coffee all at once, how amazing is that! You have the option to use already ground coffee or you can use the fresh coffee beans. This morning I have already finished one pot of freshly ground coffee bean coffee! I think I am in love, the coffee maker is courtesy of Alex’s Christmas present to me.
Yesterday we tried the Twisted Root hamburger place everyone has been raving about. Well let me tell you, it lived up to the hype, wow, that burger rocked! it was perfection and I am not a big hamburger person, but I will be going back to this place. It was so big I could only eat like a fourth of it! Well worth the price and well worth the trip, we went to the one in Fairview. Love that place as well, will have to go back with Elizabeth Anne and make a day of shopping and lunch. They have amazing shops and lots of stuff to look at there.
We also went to Grapevine to the British Emporium, another well worth the trip scenarios. We found the Irish sausages I am in love with, American sausage just cannot compete. I can’t even begin to describe the flavor, it is just smooth, American sausage tends to be gristly, but this is not. I am in love!
We also went to the movies, we saw Sherlock Holmes, it was good, I love Robert Downey Jr, he is just greatness, loved the very last scene. Will not spoil it just in case you have not seen it.
We had a whole day of running errands, from the Apple store to Costco to the afore-mentioned happenings, it was our anniversary and it was a simple day.
It was nice, we hardly ever get to spend the day just running around and being slightly carefree.
I am making my 15 bean soup today, which only Elizabeth and I love, I don’t know why, because it rocks. It is a tradition that I make on New Years day, Elizabeth comes and takes half, then we feast, for a while. She told me yesterday she has been craving it, me too Elizabeth, me too. It is cooking as I write this. I hope everyone has a great day, a great start to the new years and a great year.
Testerman
With this being New Years Eve, I find myself in a reflective mood, as is normal with humans this day. Or at least I am told. What I am really thinking about lately is family, in particular my family, my cousins, my long-lost cousins with whom I have reconnected with on Facebook. I didn’t realize how much I have missed having these people in my life. I know I try to keep my anonymity on this site, but today, and today only I am going to tell you who I was, maybe who I am, and definitely who I come from.
Jason, you inspired this entry with your Facebook post on who we are, as a whole. We are Testermans, anyone who has the last name Testerman can tell you exactly where we came from. We all have the same story, from Virginia to California, if you meet one of us, we can tell you who we are, where we come from and how proud we are to be one.
As a whole, we are crazy, not the scary put us in an insane asylum crazy, but the fun, welcome to the nuthouse kind of crazy. We love hard, we tend to play hard, and everyone is welcome to the madness. We are loyal, we will do anything for you, if you need something we will move heaven and earth to make sure you have it. Even if it means we will go without ourselves. Typically, we are intelligent, articulate, and funny as all get out. We tend to be very good-looking, and we all stick together. We may fight amongst ourselves, however, if an outsider wants to pick on one of us, you will have to take on all of us. And that is a formidable number.
I have missed my cousins more than I can say, Cindy was and remains my favorite girl cousin, there I said it, and Pat, well Pat was my favorite boy cousin. Jason was always my favorite second cousin, yes there are layers, he was the cutest little boy and I am happy to say he has grown up to be a man of faith and integrity.
I love them all, and cannot wait for the family reunion this year, I will be there!
Tammi
Whenever I think of my friend Tammi, this is always our theme song. For those of you who do not know, that while, yes, this is the theme song to Golden Girls, it was a hit song before that. Tammi has always been there for me, she is the person in my life that knows every single thing about me and still loves me. So, Tammi, I love you like a sister, you are my best friend and have been since we were 13 years old. When we are old and gray, you will still be my best friend! So, this one is for you:
Thank you for being a friend
Traveled down the road and back again
your heart is true you’re a pal and a confidant
I’m not ashamed to say
I hope it always will stay this way
My hat is off, won’t you stand up and take a bow
And if you threw a party
Invited everyone you knew
You would see, the biggest gift would be from me
and the card attached would say,
Thank you for being a friend
Thank you for being a friend
Thank you for being a friend
Thank you for being a friend
If it’s a car you lack
I’d surely buy you a cadillac
Whatever you need, anytime of the day or night
I’m not ashamed to say
I hope it always will stay this way
My hat is off, won’t you stand up and take a bow
And when we both get older
With walking canes and hair of gray
Have no fear, even though it’s hard to hear
I will stand real close and say,
Thank you for being a friend
(I want to thank you)
Thank you for being a friend
(I want to thank you)
(From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/a/andrew-gold-lyrics/thank-you-for-being-a-friend-lyrics.html)
Thank you for being a friend
(I want to thank you)
Thank you for being a friend
(I want to thank you)
Let me tell you bout a friend
(I want to thank you)
Thank you for being a friend
(I want to thank you)
Thank you for being a friend
(I want to thank you)
Thank you for being a friend
And when we die and float away
Into the night, the Milky Way
You’ll hear me call, as we ascend
I’ll see you there, then once again
Thank you for being a friend
Thank you for being a friend
(I want to thank you)
Thank you for being a friend
(I want to thank you)
Thank you for being a friend
(I want to thank you)
Thank you for being a friend
Whoa, tell you about a friend
(Thank you right now, for being a friend)
Thank you for being a friend
(I wanna tell you right now, and tell you again)
Thank you for being a friend
(I wanna thank you, thank you, for being a friend)
Thank you for being a friend
Happy Birthday @RealNichelle
Today is Nichelle Nichols birthday, for those of you who do not know, Nichelle Nichols was Lt. Uhura on the original Star Trek. She was also a pioneer, a pioneer in the way she showed young girls at the time you could be more than a nurse, or a secretary or a housewife. Not that there is anything wrong with those occupations, however, Nichelle showed all of us we could be on the bridge of a starship, and work our way up to Captain, as her character became in the movies.
As a young girl that fell in love with Star Trek when I was influenced by her character, she was strong, yet kept her femininity, she was outspoken but not labeled a loud mouthed broad, and she was Captain Kirk’s link to Star Fleet. She was the keeper of the information highway. Plus she looked good in the uniform that also influenced me to want to always be able to look good in a Star Fleet uniform.
She has continued to be an influence, she is always classy, and she never says an unkind word about anyone that I have read. I now follow her on twitter and I can assure you she is still classy and informative and still a role model for me. She has never once put down her Star Trek roots; she welcomes fan interest and answers them on her twitter. She is always kind, considerate and an incredibly classy lady, I want to be like that as I grow older.
So happy birthday to the first lady of space travel, may you live long and prosper and continue to influence little girls everywhere to one day stand on the bridge of a starship.
Fluff
Here I sit mentally preparing myself to go back to work, I am having coffee, reading the funny paper and Dear Abby, yes that is how I mentally prepare myself. And yes, I said funny paper, it might be online, but that is still what I call it. I read three comic strips, I have read the same ones for years, and I love them, they are what we call gentle humor. Gentle humor is necessary to get my day started the right way, nothing jarring, no bad news, no outside world, just me, my coffee and my funny paper.
Yesterday I did absolutely nothing, it was a total pajama day, I did watch my movie Elizabeth Anne got me, Just Go With It. I love that movie, I don’t know why, I can’t explain it, but I love it. I love Jennifer Anniston, I am total team Jennifer all the way, I believe what Angelina Jolie did was wrong. She is nothing but a two bit homewrecker, I don’t care how many kids she adopts or gives birth to, one day they will realize what she did, and it is not ok. She is gross, and dirty, and disgusting. I have said it before and I will say it again, if you knowingly break up a home there will be consequences, we have yet to see Angelina’s, and we may never see them, that is between her and God.
Too deep for what is my Monday this week, I shall be light and fluffy from this point forward.
I am having my Godiva Breakfast Blend coffee that Elizabeth Anne gave me for Christmas, it was in my Christmas stocking! I love it, have I mentioned lately what an amazing daughter I have?
Her birthday is coming up on February 1st, I already know what I am getting her, she will not be surprised. Maybe I will find one thing that will surprise her. I did manage to surprise her a little on Christmas. I can’t wait to see the pictures she takes with her new camera! I know she will be taking a ton of her animals! She is the Ellie Mae Clampett of Bonham, Texas. She got that from my Grandpa, he had a way with animals as well. So glad to see something of my family heritage passed down. She gets that whole farm girl thing from them, it skipped a generation, totally. I am not a farm girl, I know she gets irritated with me when I wear the wrong shoes whenever I go visit her. But what am I supposed to wear? I don’t have country shoes, oh, country shoes, I shall have to find those!
Happy short work week people!
Stuff
Well Christmas has come and gone, it was a huge success and I loved seeing my children and Tessa. Yesterday was spent at Rachel and Richards home. She is from Ireland, like the Irishman, and he is American, so the opposite of us. It was so much fun, the people, the food, wow the food, it was an Irish breakfast. The sausage was amazing, I am not even kidding, the sausage was Irish sausage. Very different from the sausage that we have here. I can’t even begin to describe it, but I am hooked. I am going to have to get the site that they ordered it from, because it was just amazing. The company was even better, so much laughter, my sides still hurt from laughing so much.
I still have not gotten dressed today, I am sitting here in my pajamas and new slippers and my robe, drinking my coffee and deciding if I even want to get dressed. Perhaps today is the day I do nothing outside of this apartment. I’ll let you know tomorrow. I go back to work tomorrow, I work four days then off for 4 days, however I am still deciding on next Tuesday, I might give it up and just go to work on Tuesday. I can’t decide. Or maybe I should just take a road trip and go to Oklahoma. Or maybe I should take that day and go shopping. Decisions. I think for right now I will go refill my coffee cup and continue to infuse myself with caffeine.
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas everyone, I truly hope that this Christmas is filled with peace and love for everyone. Christmas Eve is the day that my children and I gather for our family Christmas, well, gathering. We eat, we laugh and we exchange presents. We have been doing this on Christmas Eve for a long time, it started a few years after the divorce, that way they could enjoy the presents they got at our house before going to their home with their dad on Christmas day. We didn’t have to rush Christmas morning, or Christmas dinner, we had it all the day before. It worked well for us as a whole, and I believe it continues to do so, much less pressure on the kids if they don’t feel they have to choose a parent on a holiday.
Alex was missing from last nights festivities, and I missed him an enormous amount, but he was doing something that is important to him, I cannot fault him for that.
I believe everyone had a good time yesterday, I know my children well enough to know if they did not they would let me know in a heartbeat. I hope everyone liked their presents, I know I did, I have the most thoughtful children on the face of the planet.
Elizabeth Anne gave me Wonder Woman socks! And Godiva coffee and new slipper boots and a new coat and Starbucks coffee and sour skittles and one of my favorite movies. Jeffrey gave me a gift card to Macy’s, after Christmas sale here I come! Tessa was so funny last night, she and Elizabeth together are a comedy duo! I was laughing so hard watching those two, it was hysterical, I wish I had captured it on video. At one point Tess tells Elizabeth, your mommy is crazy. She was talking about me. I was like What!, I said who is her mom? she said you. Tess is 4 by the way. That is her new thing, everyone is crazy, I have no idea where she got it, but it is funny as all get out. We colored in her new coloring book, played with her new My Little Ponies and her new Barbie RV. She is a funny little girl who is bright, articulate and intelligent, of course she belongs to us!
I hope everyone has a great Christmas, not only for the presents, but to take time to reflect on why we have Christmas. God’s son was born this day, a son that would grow up to give His life for our sins. It is hard to be as unselfish as that, however, I shall strive to be a little more understanding of the people in my life.
Happy Friday, Happy Cookie Day!
Well it is upon us, cookie making season, the season where I make 5 batches of cookies to get one to turn out decent. Sugar cookies are a tough one, I have a tendency to make food the way I like it, and I like crispy things. Cookies, bacon, really everything except steak. I like that medium rare. But I love crispy cookies and bacon, my children however like their cookies soft. it is really had to make soft cookies. I don’t even know how to do it. It is no wonder they seriously hate my cooking. except for my dressing and green bean casserole, those are the two things they do like, oh and deviled eggs. I know how to make those.
Today I drove the Irishman to work so I could take his car and run last minute errands, I need my nails done so bad, they are way long and look bad. I need to go to the store and get the stuff to make the deviled eggs, on thing I forgot. And a few stocking stuffers.
a week from Saturday will be mine and the Irishman’s four year anniversary, I have nothing planned, I know he doesn’t. I don’t think it means that much to him to be honest Every time I say something about it he starts mumbling, which is what he does when he is trying to avoid a subject. That tells me all I need to know. The date is not that important, so he is going to see if I will forget it. So I guess I will be doing nothing for New Years Eve. Sad, that is what it is, I guess this is what you get after a while, dates are not important to the other person.
Well I am off to get dressed and get my errands done, then it is more cooking making and present wrapping. I hope you all have a fantastic day!
Angie World 