AWOL

Is everybody but me getting in the Christmas spirit?!   I don't know what it is, but I am having a hard time feeling it.   Just like so many of you, Christmas is my favorite time of year and I normally love putting up the tree and decorating and baking and all that stuff.  So far this year, though, I could just care less.   Maybe because it's still November.   Maybe on December 1 (tomorrow??) I'll magically ooze with Christmas spirit.   I thought I was getting there yesterday when I turned my radio to the all-Christmas songs station.   I even put up a sign outside my office door warning of the Christmas spirit within.   (My boss pretends to be a scrooge.)   And I listened to Christmas music for a few hours.    Then I turned back to talk radio.   Bah humbug!

  

We have two huge trees.   They are gorgeous . . . BUT . . . they drop a bazillion leaves in the fall.  If you like to rake leaves, then it is perfection!    However, neither me nor my husband like to rake (who am I kidding??!!  I never rake!  My husband does it all!).   This fall he raked for hours, hauling the leaves out to the street to be picked up.  You could see our lawns again!   Then the wind came . . . and blew them all back.   Curse the wind!   This happened three times.   By the time he was done with the third (and last) time, he looked up at me with this exhausted face and said, "I am NOT putting up Christmas lights this year!  I am too tired."   And he was.   Tired, that is.  He worked hard, and the thought of working even harder to put up the lights was too much.

So, maybe that's part of it.   Not having Christmas lights up.   Or maybe that has nothing to do with my lack of enthusiasm.   I don't know.  I only know that this sucks.  I don't like it.   The Christmas spirit within has gone AWOL.   I'm hopeful it's just temporary.

Group Therapy

I'm trying to make up for my downer post this morning :)

Blank

I am at a loss as to what to write about this morning.   I can usually sit down in front of the keyboard and just start typing and something always pops into my mind.  It might not be interesting, but still . . .   Not today.   Blank.  

I spoke with my mother a few minutes ago.   My parents are elderly.  They've been married for 64 years.   My dad had hip replacement surgery a few months ago . . . it didn't go well.   He's had two more surgeries since and has been in either the hospital or rehab almost the entire time.  Besides his hip, he was very healthy.   He is healthy no more.   My mother, who is a healthy, vibrant awesome woman, has been there for my dad . . . driving back and forth from the hospital a couple of times a day.   He never wants her to leave his side, but she must.   She is my hero.   But she's getting tired, exhausted, really.   I could hear it in her voice.  They live a thousand miles away from me and my other siblings. 

So, I'm just feeling a little sad right now because I want so badly to hop on a plane and give my mother a break for a week.   Get her to laugh a little, and maybe get some sleep.   And maybe eat.    But, I can't . . . not yet. 

Alright, so maybe my mind isn't quite blank :)       

One Big Happy Family!

I was sitting at my desk this morning kind of feeling sorry for myself because I had to say good-bye to my children again.  We had such a great time being together at Thanksgiving and saying good-bye was bittersweet. 

But then . . . my mind seemed to open up to all of my blessings.   My children are healthy and happy and doing the right things for their futures.   Three specific blessings were brought  forefront to my mind . . . No. 1 - my husband.   An awesome, humble, handsome man who actually likes to spend time with me!    No. 2 - something a friend said - "look forward to the time when your children will come back - - because they WILL come back."   Three weeks.   Christmas break.   YES!    And . . . No. 3 - opening up my blog this morning and being able to read YOUR posts and see the most amazing photographs from around the world, and read YOUR thoughts on life.   And knowing that we are all the same, no matter where we may be or what our circumstances are.   We are all part of the same family.  And that is awesome!!   Thank you all!

Rewards

This is my view from the front porch of my mansion in heaven . . .

Happy Sabbath Day.


Forevers

Standing O

Here's my standing ovation to all of you Black Friday shoppers who lived to tell about it.

(I'm the one in the balcony, far left, reading my brand new Kindle that I bought online for $15 . . .)  Yup, I'm just that good.


humor

Black Friday

I married into a family of Black Friday shoppers (you know who you are).   I, on the other hand, hate to shop.   Seriously.  I hate it.   Unless, that is, I have tons of money and can spend it all in the home and kitchen departments.   But, I don't have tons of money, I don't even have pounds of money.   So, I don't like to shop.   And, even worse than shopping, I hate to get up early . . . especially to shop.   Doing one thing I hate is bad enough.  But having to do something else I hate in order to do the first thing I hate is just not gonna happen.   I would rather eat live cockroaches than stand in line at 2 a.m. to buy something that they will be all out of by the time I get to the front of the line.  Okay, well, the live cockroach thing . . .  maybe a slight exaggeration, but I'm still not gonna shop.

So, to all of you who live to shop on Black Friday, I tip my hat to you and hope that you do not get trampled by the stampede of people who are all trying to get that laptop for 99 cents (you know, the one that doesn't really exist). 

I, however, will be tipping my hat to you while I sleep in my nice warm cozy bed :)

coziness

A Moment of Silence

In memory of all of the turkeys, or other poultry, fish, cows (for those of you eating Island Burgers and shakes today) who gave their lives so that we could merrily and gratefully feast on this Thanksgiving day, I propose a moment of silence.   Okay, that's enough.  Now go eat!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!


tastebuds

Help Wanted

Am I the only one?   For the life of me I can never figure out what to have for dinner.   Of course, Thanksgiving is one exception.   But almost every other day of the year I feel helpless to come up with ideas.   It's almost like the part of my brain that used to be able to plan a menu and make a grocery list has died off.   It's that dire of a situation.   It's just my husband and me now, so a lot of times we'll get take out.  But two of my children are home for the Thanksgiving weekend.   They are extremely poor college students who have been living on top ramen.   I want to feed them good.   Thanksgiving?  No problem!   Friday?   Leftovers?   Saturday?   No idea.   Although we'll watch football so I could probably do something footbally, like nachos or something.   Sunday?   I don't know . . . leftovers again?

I need someone to plan my dinner menus.   Maybe I should put an ad in the newspaper.   Of course, we'd probably starve before someone responded.    Guess I just need to dig down deep and try to revive those brain cells.    Sigh.


health  

Sock + Fetch = Joy

My dog taught me a lesson last night. I was sitting on the couch watching my husband play fetch with Izzy, our Pomeranian (the sweetest dog ever - EVER!). Izzy would bring my husband a sock (her favorite fetch toy) and patiently wait until he noticed and picked it up and tossed it across the living room. It would only go about 20 feet but Izzy would race at full speed to get it, bring it back and then wait patiently again . . . This would go on forever, it seemed. It was fun to watch.  Izzy, tail wagging, got such joy out of that game of fetch. Such a simple thing.  And that's when it occurred to me -

Why can't we humans find joy in simple things?  In the here and in the now.  Sometimes I find myself saying "I can't wait til . . ." or "When 'this' happens, I'll be so happy.".   But I want to be like Izzy and be happy now and be grateful for and find joy in a simple game of fetch - you know what I mean :).   (And by the way, I do find myself smiling ALOT each day reading certain blogs - - and looking at beautiful photographs - thank you all!)  The simple things. 

Anyone have a spare sock?!

reunions

Sliver. Ouch. Husband. Hero.

What an awesome day for a cozy fire.  So, I went to the garage yesterday afternoon to get some wood for the fireplace.   Should have worn gloves!   Itty bitty teeny weeny sliver in my thumb.   How can something so microscopic cause so much discomfort and annoyance?

Even though it was in my left thumb, and I am left-handed, I was willing to let it (hope that it would) work itself out and just try to forget about it.   You know, be a martyr.   Although, I really don't know if enduring the discomfort and slight pain from a nearly invisible sliver would count in the martyr column.   But, that's kind of the only way I want to be a martyr.  Not in the BIG kind of way, just the little sliver kind of way.

However, my husband had other ideas.   Out comes the needle, out come the tweezers, out comes the sliver.    So, although the whole martyr thing was kind of moot, at least I didn't have a sliver anymore.   And I did have a hero.  

AND, the fire was indeed cozy! 


friends

What's For Dinner?

It's almost Thanksgiving!   Just imagine your plate full with all sorts of yummy goodness!

And now imagine your heart full.   Which feels better??


Sabbath

Let It Snow - Not

I love college football, but so not looking forward to today.   We are driving to Pullman, WA to watch the football game, which is fine.  It's close, our son is there and I can't wait to see him.  What's not so fine is that it's been snowing and, although I like the snow, I do not like to sit in the snow for three hours.   I do not like to drive in the snow.  I do not like to be a passenger in a car that is being driven in the snow.   I have anxiety about it.      Wish me luck.


sunshine

To See or Not to See

Here's my dilemma . . . I just got to work and reached into my purse to get my glasses out.   Uh oh.   No glasses.   I can now visualize them on the table next to my couch.   Oh crud.  I cannot see without them.   I'm doing okay now, but in another ten minutes my eyes will get all blurry and I won't be able to work.   I will get a(nother) tremendous headache.  

So, do I go home and get them, driving the car that makes me fear for my life every time I get behind the wheel?   Or do I sit here all day at work pretending to work?   Okay, I think I know the answer to that, but it's not what I want to do.   Besides drive the death-car, I know that when I get home I will not want to come back!   It is Friday.   And I know I can find a whole lot of stuff to do at home.   Only I don't think my boss would like it if I didn't come back.   

Vision/blindness.   Death car/stay put.   Job/no job.   Man, the choices I have to make! 

sight

Occupy Wall Street, I Mean Car Lots

My headache . . . may be due to thinking about having to buy a car and deal with car salesmen . . . validated!

My son and his wife bought a new (to them) car less than a week ago.   Yesterday the electrical was showing signs of problems, so they took it back to the dealer and asked "what can you do about this?"   The sales manager pointed his finger in my son's face and in a very loud voice said "Don't you cop an attitude with me or I won't help you at all!"   Holy moly, man!   What is wrong with people??!    Needless to say, I was extremely angry when my son told me this.   I wanted to go down to the dealership and rip him a new one.  But, I didn't think my grown, married son would want his mommy to go yell at the mean man for him.   

Man, just thinking about it is making my head ache.  I just want a horse and buggy so I don't have to deal with car salesmen.  Or roller skates.   Or a skateboard.  Or a bike.   Or maybe just do what my mom did for so many years . . . take a taxi. 


feet

Pass the Excedrin, My Car Is Stalling

Okay, so I've had a headache for the last . . . oh, I don't know . . . 30 years or so.  Not continuously, of course, but off and on for what seems like forever.   Pretty sure it's genetic.  My mother suffered from headaches, and at least one sister and my brother do, too.  And now it seems I've passed that lovely gene on down to my children.  It could be worse, though.   The headaches could be brought on by some horrible disease or illness.   But, fortunately, they're not.  They're just headaches.   No real cause . . . maybe a little stress . . . but my headaches don't really need a reason to show themselves.  They seem to invite themselves into my world whenever they feel like it.   No formal invitation required.  

However, this morning as I was driving to work in our one and only car, it suddenly dawned on me.   My headache has a reason for being this time!   The car!    I may have mentioned before that we used to have three cars.   We sent our best car off to college with our son.   We sold the van we had for a million years (which promptly exploded on its new owner - I think it missed us. I don't feel too guilty, however, because we DID give the new owner full disclosure and he bought it anyway.)    So, now we are down to one car.   And it is falling apart.   It needs new brakes, it stalls all the time, it guzzles gas like I've never seen.  We know we need a new car.  There's really no getting around it.   Hence, the headache.   Trying to figure out what kind of car we should get.   Trying to figure out how to fit a car payment into our already very stretched budget.   And maybe the worst part - - thinking about dealing with car salesmen.   Too much stress for this poor little head to handle.

So, I think I'll just pop some ibuprofen and think about it later.   After all, tomorrow is another day!   And the sun'll come out tomorrow.   So, I'll just Wait Until Tomorrow  (Jimi Hendrix).   See, I told you I had a headache.


Parents

Keep On The Sidelines, Women!

We are a family of sports lovers . . . mostly college sports.    We lived in (and still live near) a college town for many years.  Our children learned at a very young age to love the sound of the roaring crowd!   There is nothing like sitting in a stadium on a cold, fall Saturday afternoon, listening to the band play your fight song, looking at the sea of crimson which is the student section, and standing up at kick off hoping your team runs the ball back the length of the field for a touchdown!    Heaven on earth!

Once in a while we'll still get to a game.  But we mostly watch our college sports on TV these days.   Saturday afternoons in the fall are filled with college football.    And then it's college basketball.    It's almost always on in the background as we do our Saturday chores.   It's comforting.   Until, that is, I hear the sound of a woman's voice commentating.    I don't know why.   I myself am a woman.  I'm all for equal rights, equal pay, respect, and all that stuff.   Just not where sports commentating is concerned.  It just seems wrong.   It grates on my nerves and kind of diminishes the happiness I get from watching college sports.   It's just one of those things I'm really not able to rationally explain.   Don't get me wrong.  I like Erin Andrews.   I think most women sideline reporters are fine.   Just don't do play by play or color commentating.   Please.     

And I guarantee you that if a man just said what I wrote, I'd be really mad.    Go figure.

They just shouldn't be sports commentators.

 

  God

Long Island Medium

I was flipping through the TV channels the other day and came across "Long Island Medium." I love reality shows, so it caught my attention.  Just your average brash, bleach blonde New York housewife named Teresa who speaks to dead people. You know that I believe in that stuff and that I like those kinds of paranormal-y  shows. So I thought I'd watch for awhile. Honestly, I was expecting it to be kind of stupid and fake. And I was expecting that her accent would make me want to stab my ears with a fork. I was wrong. On both accounts. Her accent was endearing and part of her charm. She was genuine and real.   People liked her.  She made them feel at ease and she uplifted them with her gift. You could literally see their burdens become lighter as she relayed messages from their departed loved ones.   Sounds corny, I know.  But watching Teresa joyfully using her gift in that way made me want to find my own gift, whatever it may be.

I wonder why I don't feel that way when I watch The Real Housewives of New Jersey?!  And I wonder why they call them the "real" housewives when they are about as real as their silicone implants?  But I guess that's a topic for another day. In the meantime, though, I kind of look forward to seeing that brash bleach blonde New York accented housewife again.


trees

Self-Indulgent

I'm sorry for doing this - - but I have to post these pictures from my son's wedding!  I couldn't control myself - I'm just a proud mother!








Happy Sabbath Day!

marriage

Brain Freeze

Rain by Shel Silverstein

I opened my eyes
And looked up at the rain,
And it dripped in my head
And flowed into my brain,
And all that I hear as I lie in my bed
Is the slishity-slosh of the rain in my head.

I step very softly,
I walk very slow,
I can't do a handstand--
I might overflow,
So pardon the wild crazy thing I just said--
I'm just not the same since there's rain in my head.

This is how I'm feeling today . . . except it's not raining.  

chocolate

 

Do Not Disturb

I'm off visiting another world . . . for exactly 130 minutes.   Harry and I have some serious catching up to do.

Movies

Wannabe

I think I want to be the Pioneer Woman . . . you know, the pioneerwoman.com woman.   That one. 

I want to live on a big ol' ranch out in the middle of nowhere.  And even though it's in the middle of nowhere, everybody knows you.   Kind of like Cheers.   I want every single picture-perfect-postcard family holiday celebration to take place at my ranch. 

I want to have dogs who can roam outside without fear (mine) of being run over by a speeding car.  Or being dognapped.   And horses . . . I want horses.

And I want to be able to cook like the PW.   Seriously.  I want to be able to make pumpkin soup - and have it look as beautiful as hers.   I've never actually had pumpkin soup, but it looks delicious.  

I want to wear jeans everyday.  Well, I'd really like to wear sweatpants everyday, but do you wear sweatpants on a ranch?

I already have a handsome husband and awesome children, so I don't need hers.   I just want her lifestyle for . . . oh, I don't know . . . maybe a week.  

Man, I think I'm just kind of tired.   Maybe I can vacation on the PW's ranch for a week and let her cook for me.   And then after I feel rested and pampered, I can go home to my nice little home that I've come to love.   And live the rest of forever with my awesome husband and not even care that I'm not the PW and that I don't live in the middle of nowhere on a big ol' ranch.  

 
Honesty

11/11/11

I love you, Harry!  Just two more days and you'll be mine!

Yes, I am a Harry Potter nerd.   


Books 

Do They Really Think We're Stupid???

Okay, so I went grocery shopping the other day.   And one of my biggest pet peeves was brought forefront with a BANG to my brain as I went home and looked at my receipt!

I shop at a well-known chain of grocery stores, which I shall not name.  Well, okay, I will.  But only because I know that they are not the only store that does this.   I like this store, I have grocery shopped at this store for years and will continue to shop at this store . . . at least until I find a better alternative.  But they need to man up.   It begins with an "A" and ends with a "sons."  

So, I got home and was looking at my receipt, and was so happy to see that I had saved so many dollars!   Wow!  I must be such a good shopper!   Then I started to look at my receipt a little more closely.   I bought a half gallon of ice cream.  The regular price on my receipt showed $7.99!   It was on sale - - 2 for $7, which, if my math is right, makes it $3.50.  So, my receipt showed that I saved $4.49!   Wow!  That's good, right?!  Wrong!   Who buys a half gallon of ice cream for $8 anyway???   Nobody, that's who!   And why?   Because no half gallon of ice cream is worth $8, that's why!   And that doesn't even take into account that the "half gallon" of ice cream today has a much smaller "half gallon" container than it used to!  So, anyway, I began looking at my receipt, item by item.   Most of the items on sale appeared to show INFLATED "regular" prices - - so that when you looked at your savings, you were totally amazed and in love with "A" . . . "sons" because your receipt showed that you saved A BAZILLION DOLLARS!!!!!  

That's my pet peeve . . . why "inflate" the prices at the grocery store just to make it look like we saved so much money with the sale price?   When, actually, the "sale" price should be more like the "regular" price in the first place.    Just be honest with us, "A" . . . "sons."   Because we are not stupid.   We know when you're playing us.

PLUS - - don't make us use that stupid rewards card - - EVERYBODY should be able to pay your "sales" prices without having to swipe a card or punch in a number!


America

Spiders Are Not My Friends

I have this thing about spiders.  The thing is . . . I hate them.  I'm not really afraid of them - well, I guess that depends on the size and color :).  But the spiders that you find in your house occasionally - I just step on them - or have my husband do it.  Okay, fine.   I always have my husband do it. 

When we lived in a desert dump of a town in Southern Nevada about ten years ago, I was bitten on the hand by a spider.  I remember because I spent a week in the hospital because of it.  I was bitten on a Sunday night (the truth is, I'm just assuming it was a spider because I didn't see it. But I suppose it could have been a centipede. Either way - not fun).  I woke up during the night and my thumb was throbbing, bring me to tears.  By Monday morning I could see a little colored line starting at my wrist and beginning to make its path up my arm.

I went to the only clinic in town, and boy were they excited to see me!   (Not sure why, really, other than they were all standing around doing nothing when I walked in.)   I was given iv antibiotics for about three hours and told to come back the next day.  By Tuesday morning the poison was still making its way up my arm so the clinic wanted to send me by ambulance to Las Vegas. No thanks, my husband can drive me. So, I got my husband out of school to drive me with haste to the hospital.

Well, it was election day.  Bush v. Gore.  Remember that?  Of course you do.  My husband felt it was our patriotic duty to stop and vote first.   I also think it's everybody's patriotic duty to vote.  However, I had spider venom coarsing through my veins.  To be fair to my husband, though, I don't think he had yet realized the seriousness of my condition.  But, to his credit, when he saw my face turning white and my arm turning purple and swelling bigger by the minute, we immediately left the voting line and headed straight to the hospital, with haste :)

They had been waiting for us at the ER and I'm sure wondered what took us so long.  Long story short - I didn't die. And we didn't get to vote (our man won anyway).

So, when I saw that spider in my bathroom tonight, I thought of that night over ten years ago . . . And then I stepped on it.

Democracy

Vote here, but only if you don't have
spider venom coarsing through your veins!

Precious Babies

Happy Sabbath Day!

Purity

"Come On, You Have Four Minutes!"

This is what I looked like all day long
except not nearly as cute.

I am so glad that it's Saturday.   I've started to walk to work again, but lately I've felt a little under the weather.   Yesterday, I had intended to walk, and I woke up at 7:21 a.m.   It was still so dark.  It felt like midnight.   I still didn't feel well.  I didn't want to walk.  We only have one car, and my husband has to leave the house at 7:25 in order to get to work on time.   Okay, . . .it's 7:21 and I just crawled out of bed.  My husband has to leave in four minutes!  He said, "just throw on some clothes and I'll drop you off."   Normally, I would say, "Are you CRAZY??!!"   Instead, I said, "Ok."   I hurriedly put on my clothes, brushed my teeth, did the deodorant thing, and put a brush through my hair.   No make up.   No shower.   No curling iron.  I didn't even wash my face!   How gross is that?!    I didn't care.  Fortunately, I have an office in the basement of our building (most everybody else is upstairs) and if I don't drink too much water, I usually only have to go upstairs once or twice to use the bathroom.  

Using my ninja-like powers, I made it upstairs a few times, but I was always on the lookout for people, so I could ditch them before they had a chance to see me. 

Yes, I am really glad it's Saturday.   Think I'll go take a shower now.

Weekends

Mean People Suck



These guys don't suck!

Okay, so I've felt kind of sick the last day or two (I know, it's a bummer).  So, this morning I was moving kind of slowly.   I knew I had to go to work because I have no sick leave until January (again, a bummer).  And I like money, and I like to eat, so that's a good motivator to go to work sick.   But, I took my time getting ready.   I got my blanket and layed  (or is it laid - - I never know) on the couch and turned on the TV - - Animal Planet, "Animal Cops - Detroit."  (I don't know why, but Detroit always scares me a little.  I've never been there, so my fear is not founded on personal experience.   And  I like Motown.  I love the Lions (this year).  And they make amazing cars (they DO make cars, right?).   I guess it's just a little weird phobia that I need to work out - - maybe I'll have to visit Detroit on my way to Pennsylvania some day and make peace.)   Anyway, back to Animal Cops.  They went to a house where there were suspected dog fights in the backyard.   There were 19 pit bulls chained up and, although pit bulls scare me (kind of like Detroit), my heart broke when I saw them.   They were so beat up, and bitten, and bleeding, and hungry, and mistreated that it made me tear up.  And it made me want to beat up somebody.   Thank goodness for those animal cops.  They rescued every single one of those dogs.  They are animal hero/cops. 

And then they went to another house.   The house had been abandoned but there was a dog inside, starving, and had obviously given birth not long before.   The house was like out of "Hoarders" - garbage and filth everywhere.  It was gross.   Again, those heroes rescued the mama dog and all 14 of her pups - - yes, 14!   They were so cute!   And I cried.   They visited a few more places and rescued a few more dogs and it all made me cry.

The reason I tell you this is because I used to hate  dislike dogs . . . very much.  All dogs (not just pit pulls) scared me.   When my children were little they begged for a dog (okay, well maybe not begged, but they really wanted one).  But being the selfish mean mother that I was (I'm awesome now), I would always get my way - - no dog.   It wasn't until a year and a half ago that I finally gave in and we got a dog.   And it was instant love.   You'd really have to know me to understand what a miracle that is!   My sisters think that the heavens parted and "someone" thumped me on the head.  And now I don't just love my dog, but all dogs.   And, thus, I cried when I watched "Animal Cops - Detroit" (no, not because of Detroit).   To think that people can be so cruel and mean to animals is . . . well, unthinkable.   And when I finally left for work, I felt a little guilty leaving my dog home alone . . . even though she was very happily sleeping on the couch, snuggling with a blanket.

I've conquered my dislike for dogs.  Now, I guess maybe I'll work on cats.   I don't like  hate cats.   I'm thinking that cats (for me) may be a lost cause.   Really. 

Izzy

Live Friends and Dead Ghosts

After 30 years, I have reconnected with a friend through facebook.   We shared an awesome spiritual experience many years ago, and it's been fun to get to know her a little . . . now that we're all grown up!  

And . . . she blogs AND shares my interest in the paranormal (or at least doesn't think I'm a total weirdo!).  She lives in Pennsylvania and told me recently that there is a haunted old state mental hospital near her hometown.   Hmmmm.    So, I did a little googling and found that there is more than one haunted state mental hospital in the great state of PA.   Old Torrance State Mental Hospital, Polk Mental Hopsital, Byberry Mental Hospital . . . and the infamous Pennhurst State Hospital.    PLUS . . . Eastern State Penitentiary, which I really really really want to visit someday.   I kind of wanted to go with Zac and the guys from Ghost Adventures, but they did their investigation without me.   Oh well.  Their loss. 

But maybe when we're done with Olalla, we'll have to hit Pennsylvania!   Do some ghost hunting and some catching up!


Relationships

Remember

The first day of November was yesterday.   Meaning, the first day of the holiday season!   (Although, if you have been in ANY store lately, you probably will already have seen Christmas decorations in the aisles!).   But, for me personally, before I can think of Christmas, I like to enjoy Thanksgiving and all that goes with it.  And I think that the month of November and everything leading up to Thanksgiving is the perfect time to remember.   To remember how blessed we are.  To remember how much we have to be thankful for.   So, I think what I want to do each day of this month, at the end of my blog, is leave a word with you.   Just one word.   A word that signifies something that I personally am thankful for.   That will be a challenge . . . to express thanks in just one word.   But, know that behind that one word is a mountain of "whys" that go unexpressed in writing, but overflow in my heart. 

So, that one word for today is . . . 

Family.  

Starvation Heights

Starvation Heights

I have found my next vacation destination.   Have I mentioned that I believe in spirits and the paranormal?!   Well, I thought it would be so fun to go on a ghost-hunting investigating vacation!    So I googled "haunted places in Washington state" (since I live in Washington).   And I was not disappointed.   I live in a very haunted place!

Just a small sampling of what I found - -

There's a place in Sedro Wooley - Cascade Job Corp.  They weren't always a Job Corp.   In the early 1900s, they were the first mental institution to offer a frontal lobotomy.   ("Offer" a frontal lobotomy - kind of makes it sound like a liposuction procedure.)  Back then it was known as the Northern State Hospital.  Many unmarked graves are supposedly below the gymnasium.  A little girl playing with a ball, an apparition of a man apparently looking for the girl.  Voices in the nurses dorm.  And a body hanging in one of the windows.   AND, a haunted underground tunnel system.   The makings of a great vacation!

In Port Townsend, at the Manresa Castle (now a bed and breakfast), is the ghost of a woman from the 1900s.  Her name is Kate.  After she found out that her fiance had been killed in the war, she jumped out of the third story, killing herself.  Despite the whole fiance/suicide thing, she seems to be a happy spirit.   Her singing can be heard at night coming from the bathroom.   A guest caught who they think is Kate in a photo, staring out the window toward the ocean.   There is also a monk spirit.   He supposedly hung himself in the attic after becoming "disenchanted with society and himself."   He, unlike Kate, is not such a happy little spirit camper.   He can be heard rattling chains and moaning.   Poor monk. 

Okay, now to my vacation destination:  Starvation Heights in Olalla.   It used to be a sanitarium, run by a husband and wife team, Linda and Sam.  Linda believed that fasting cured all diseases.   So, all her patients were starved for weeks, and sometimes months, at a time.   Many died.    In the beginning, she would bury them and plant a tree over each body.   Soon, though, she ran out of room and began throwing the bodies over a ravine.   Nice lady.  She also had a sweet little racket going.   She would forge her patients' wills and put herself in as an heir and collect their money upon their death.  Hmmm.   Sounds like fasting had more than one purpose.    First starve them, then collect all their worldly goods when they died from the fasting/starving "cure."   (There is a special place in H E double hockey sticks for people like her).  And if burying their bodies or throwing them over a ravine were not enough, she also burned bodies in an incinerator, which incinerator is still in the building to this day.  Needless to say, Starvation Heights is haunted by many very unhappy and extremely hungry spirits. 

Now, I just need to convince my husband that Olalla is a wonderful vacation destination.  
And find out where the heck Olalla is!!