May First

Wow, time sure flies when you're having fun.

The last day of school fast approaches. Monday. Yay. I'm so ready to move forward. Really. My finals didn't go too bad, for the most part. I think the worst I did was on my advertising class, and that should be a C. Not that the class was too hard or anything, it was just one of those classes. Ya know. Ah well.

No final exam on Monday. Well, we took it already. A week early. Teacher didn't feel like lecturing so he gave us the final exam instead. "Feel free to talk amongst yourselves, discuss your answers." A few of us worked on it together. I feel real good about that one, LOL. Gotta love group tests! LMAO

Graduation commencements will be at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Huge place, no having to worry about getting tickets for my guests due to limited seating. There's seating for everyone (and then some). Those who don't have front row seating may view the jumbo-screen television as their loved one trips on stage. And to remember the moment forever, there will be DVDs available by pre-order. Get yours today!

Whatd'ya wanna bet I'll be the one tripping across the stage? I'm klutzy like that.

Still waiting to hear about that job. I have to go through certification. Long boring story as to why it's not happened yet. Ah well, patience is a virtue, right?

Married Son, DIL and Grandson have no moved in yet. They are waiting for the stress of my finals to end (I haven't told them about Monday's final being done already LOL) before they bring chaos and confusion back into my life. How nice of them, right? Until then, my blogging material is pretty scarce.

Which may be a good thing. Typing is a bear these days. I'm not quite sure what I did (and no insurance to have it properly checked out) ... but I have weakness and numbness in my right ring and baby fingers. To the point that pressing the P key is a pain (oy, could I type any more Ps there?) Question marks are out of the question, as is most anything that requires a downward motion from the pinky. I did talk to a medical person I know and he believes it's either the ol' arthritis is acting up ... or ... the nerve pinch in my neck/shoulder is worst than I thought. Being a diabetic doesn't help.

Regardless, since I live in Michigan and no longer have children under 18 ... I DO NOT qualify for medicaid any more. Hmmmm, I didn't know I'd be miraculously healed when my youngest turning 18.

So ... anything else? Hmmmm ... let me take a sip of my Starbucks while I think ... nope not a thing. Ya, Starbucks. Me. Who'da thought? I don't usually buy over-priced coffee. Single Son wanted to go hang out at Starbucks but didn't wanna go alone. So he invited me. Even offered to pay for my coffee and a cookie for me. And it's not even Mother's Day yet! How sweet is that?

LOL... Starbucks. We had to write a paper called "Fixing Starbucks". Teacher liked my ideas, said I had some pretty radical ideas. LOL. Radical? I don't think so. More like realistic. Modeled after McDonald's business plan (which I've studied for my three years as a business mgt major, LOL). And don't knock McDonald's ... they've continued to make a profit during these economic difficult times - so you know they know their business. Anyway ...

I'd love to get paid for "Fixing Starbucks" ... I've got some damned good ideas, but I'm not sharing for free. LOL.

On that, I'm outta here. Hand is past being sore and tired. Coffee is getting cold.

Have a great weekend everybody!

Friday's Ramblings

Been a while, eh? I can't say nothing is going on. It's been hectic around here. No drama, just busy. At least no drama for now (tomorrow is another day, LOL).

So, the Easter plans ended up with us visiting my father in the hospital. Gall bladder problems this time. Ended up they put a stint in his g.b. to help drainage. It seems to have helped a lot. He was in the hospital for about a week. He's still very week all this time later. Keep him in your thoughts and prayers, please?

It looks like Married Son and family may be moving back in again. He and his FIL got into a huge fight. I'm not sure who said it would be in the best interest of all if he and his family left. They have no where else to go, so it's looking like it's back to Mum's house. But, and what confuses me, he's back on the road driving his truck, and DIL is at her folks house. So, where do they live? I dunno. Here when Married Son is home, there when he's not I'm guessing.

Empty nest. Where's my empty nest?

I can handle Single Son's being around, I barely see him. He's either working long hours or sleeping. It's almost like he's not even here, lol.

I'm finally a week (and one day) from graduation. I'm so ready. I'm burned out. Big time. Finals should be pretty easy. Three teachers have given study guides that we can actually use during the exams. The fourth teacher has decided we'd do a take home exam. Turn the exam in and head on over to the bar across the street. Yay! My kind of final exam!

Not a whole lot else really going on here. Kids, school and my dad. I'm still waiting for training for my new job to begin. When that happens is anyone's guess. Hopefully soon. I can't see staying home much longer, especially if I'm homework free!

Hope ya'll have a great weekend.

Saturday Ramblings

Oh geesh, there were a few updates I wanted to share. Do you, for the life of me, think I can think of any of them now that I'm sitting at the keyboard? Of course not.

The onset of early senility? Oy ... guess I have to wing it. ::looks around room for ideas::

Spots a new teddy bear I have. He is wearing an OCC Graduate t-shirt. Oh!! Yeah ... So I bought my cap and gown. They had a grad pack with it. Picture frame, the teddy bear, an alumni travel cup and a window static cling decal. Our colors are green and white, the same colors as my high school had. I'll be able to hang my 2010 tassel next to my faded 1978 HS tassel.

I'm thinking that I may have too many OCC travel mugs, though. I just went to grab the green cup I *thought* had the soda I had just poured into it, only to grab the other green cup that I have dish soap soaking in. Yup, I didn't discover my error until I took a sip. I didn't swallow .... but I sure have the cleanest mouth in town now. Yuck!!

No big plans for Easter. I talked to my mom the other day and she was telling me she'd been trying to call Brother Deere all week with no luck. Bro has only a cell phone and he often leaves it in his truck when he doesn't want to be bothered by the outside world. Ahhhhh, the luxury of living in the country ... closing out the outside world when you want to. Can't seem to do that as well in the crowded city (well, the crowded 'burbs in my case). So ... Mom's thinking Brother Deere is so totally ignoring her calls because he doesn't want to get stuck hosting another holiday meal. I can't say as I blame him ... some of our cousins come over, eat his food, never help clean up and have never offered to so much as bring a dish or offer to help with a donation to the large grocery bill (nor have they ever hosted one family meal in five decades) ... not that we're really keeping score, but certain patterns tend to develop over time. He complains about their kids treatment of his bachelor pad ... and a beautiful pad it is. The cousins do not monitor the kids - it's pretty bad when almost 5 year old Grandson is policing the other children. It's funny in a way to watch Grandson bark out orders (get off the couch, no drinks in this room, WALK, etc). Sad, but funny.

And I'd rather just stay home, too. The spring holidays aren't my favorite since my brother died. I'd be happiest with a ham sandwich and reruns of old Star Trek shows.

LOL, this is how long since I've blogged here. I actually had to go look to make sure none of said cousins were actually on my friends list!! They are over on facebook ... so I watch what I say there.

Not much else going on.

I have the windows and front door wide open. Started out with sunny and warm. It's now overcast, the temps feel as if they've dropped a few degrees and boy, is the wind picking up. Could it be an April shower is on it's way?

I hope so ... I love April Showers!!

Well, I still haven't remembered everything I wanted to blog. Guess I write it down should I remember what it was and blog it later.

Until then ...
I hope ya'll are having a good Easter weekend.

One Baking Dish Chicken Dinner

Description:
This is a very easy one pan dish. I found the recipe on one of the local news food segments. It's fast become a family favorite. So easy and delish!

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup (any brand)
8 ounce bag shredded cheese - your favorite type of cheese.
1 box stuffing mix

Directions:
Make stuffing according to direction on box.
Put chicken breasts in a glass baking dish. Cover with cream of chicken soup. Sprinkle all of the cheese over top of soup. Spread stuffing over all.

Bake in oven at 350 degrees for one hour.

Cherry Fluff Dessert

Description:
This is a quick and easy dessert salad that my friend Penguin Girl shared with me. It's not only quick and easy but delish too!!


Ingredients:
1 can Cherry Pie Filling (21oz)
1 can Crushed Pineapple, drained (20oz)
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk (14oz)
1 Container Frozen Whipped Topping, Thawed (8oz)

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix the cherry pie filling, sweetened condensed milk, crushed pineapple and whipped topping.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

New Beginnings

Originally I was going to call this “end of an era” but decided that this isn’t an end. Endings can be sad. This is good, so … it’s a beginning. A fresh start to my life. A very welcome change to the last half a decade or so.

As most of you know, I’ve been back in college for a long time now. I’ll finally be graduating in May with that associates degree that has was 32 years in the making.

But that’s over. No more. By gawd I did it!!

I may even consider taking a few additional classes that I had wanted to take (more management classes, a business class or two, a few more jewelry classes, etc). I may even decide to go to the  university to get my bachelors. Notice I said MAY. I’m taking time off before I commit to that! LOL. And then it wouldn’t be full time like I’m doing now.

I admit this last year has been hard for me. I’m burning out. I need a break. Honestly had it not been for my dad pushing me and rooting me on, I don’t know that I’d have not taken a year off (and we know how that goes, take time off and it never gets done). I’m grateful, too, that Dad’s health hasn’t given out totally and he’ll be able to attend commencements.

So, what next? Well that’s funny. I am a business management major. I should be going into the business management field, right?

Nope.

I was offered a job as a security officer. You bet your sweet a$$ I took it, too! Michigan’s job market isn’t such that one should pass up any opportunity that comes your way. And what an opportunity this is. Okay, so it’s not my chosen field. I can live with that. Really. I start April 5. I’m geeked.

I’ve survived on child support, government food benefits and occasional earnings from Elsie’s Attic for too long. That’s under $500 a month (not including EA income) for food, bills, meds, gasoline and anything else I may need. Lots and lots of sacrifices, but I never had to sacrifice my internet. LOL! I’ve gotten real good at squeezing a penny until Ol’ Abe cries out in pain!

To now go to a job that, in less than a week will pay what I used to get in a month, is actually a little on the overwhelming side for me. What will I do with all that money? LOL … besides pay bills, not a damned thing. Save. Save. Save. Yeah, there’s things I want. But not that bad that they can’t stay on my wish list a while longer.

I’ve lived below the federal poverty level for too long. I’ve cried myself to sleep too many nights worrying if I’ll have money by the end of the month to keep the lights on or be able to buy groceries when the cupboards were bare. I’ve lived five months with NO gas to heat my home (or the water). I won’t ever experience that again.

And  yes, I’ll keep Elsie’s Attic going. The thought of extra income is always welcome. I’ll be graduating finally from catalog sales to eBay. And I’ll have time, too, to really work on Elsie’s Attic. The security job will afford me a lot of free time (at work no less) to pursue other interests, too. Gotta love a job that allows you – encourages you – to bring other activities with you while you’re on the clock.

Who knows, maybe I can even get in some Multiply blog time? LOL … “Blogs From the Field” as I’m guarding whatever they assign me to guard. Talk about excitement, eh? Could ya all handle so much excitement? LOL.

So … what else is going on in Lisa’s world these days besides that soon to be associates degree and a killer (not literally) new job?

Let’s see … the kids and grands are doing well. Grandson and Butterball are both growing way too fast. Grandson will be 5 in May and will be starting kindergarten in the fall. My goodness! Where has that time gone? Butterball is already seventeen pounds – at three months old. Butterball was the right name for that boy, I tell ya!

My folks are okay. We’ve been having issues with my dad and congestive heart failure. He just had a stint put in his left ventricle earlier this week. He’s home from the hospital. I babysat Dad yesterday so Mom could run some errands. He’s looking so much better than he has in the past few months. What a way for Mom to spend her 80^th birthday, running errands. LOL. She even brought carry-out dinner home. Mac and cheese from a local restaurant, a tub of the Colonial’s fried chicken, and a few other goodies. Yum!

My brother stopped by their condo early yesterday morning and left Mom a beautiful bouquet and a box of chocolates for her birthday. Mom made me promise to eat them all by the time she got home from her errands – save her from the evil chocolates. Geesh. There wasn’t much damage I could do to the pound and a half box Brother Deere left there.

I just realized … next year I’ll be able to actually afford to be able to do something special for Mom for her birthday … and for Daddy’s birthday this July. And holidays … damn, it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to actually spend money on my family for a holiday.

And a vacation … a real vacation. That’s definitely on my must-do list!! I wonder where I’ll go?

Yup, new beginnings. Ain’t they great?

Long overdue entry

Oops, time sure does fly any more. It's been ages since my last blog entry. I do apologize.

Not a lot going on here, just homework, homework, and more homework. I am honestly burning out and am very glad this is my last semester. I don't know if I could do another full semester or two. I'm getting way too old for this crap, I tell ya!

But ... once I'm past the burn-out I'm sure I'll end up signing up for a course or two. I want to further pursue jewelry making. There's also a few e-commerce business courses I wouldn't mind taking with one of my current profs.

Other than burning out, life is good. LOL. Rather boring lately. No drama. And I'm loving that. I don't miss it a bit. Even the Gremlin seems to have moved to places unknown. Just too boring for him around here. LOL.

I got my hair cut and colored it. I love it. I've had more than a few people say deep auburn is my color, and that I look years younger. Hmmmmm ... wonder who paid them off to say that? LOL!

I bought a smart phone with my student loan refund check last month. Man, as computer literate as I thought I was ... this is a whole new world for me. It'll take me weeks to figure it all out (like I have time to sit and play with it, geesh). It's not a cell phone ... it's a freaking miniaturized computer. Of course, there's been a lot of laughs as I figure it out. Mostly the kids laughing at me, but I've been laughing, too. It took me two hours just to figure out how to access voice mail that first day! Talk about funny. Took over a week to figure out how to put my MP3 playlist on it. I'll let you know when I figure out how to transfer photos to it.

Last night we got hit with a snow storm. Today is a snow day for some four hundred (plus) schools. Mine included. I don't dare venture out, as the last snowfall I managed to bottom out my car, doing damage to the catalytic converter cover and the oil pan cover. Thankfully it wasn't worse, but I'll not be trying to drive my little Mercury in a half foot of snow ever again. It's the only real complaint I have about that car - the low clearance.

The kids and grandsons are fine. I spent last Friday hanging around the Maul with Married Son, DIL and Grandson. Grandson had never been to Jeepers before. For those of you who don't know what Jeepers is ... think Chuck E. Cheese - vintage Chuck E. Cheese with all the climby toys, slides, bumper cars, roller coaster and such. We had a ball. Granted it was during the day when most of the kiddies are in school, and only a handful of pre-schoolers were there. Otherwise I don't think I could have handled the screaming kids.

I haven't seen Butterball in a while, not since Christmas. We're supposed to go out to lunch on Friday ... me, Alien, Butterball and that fool that impregnated her. I would prefer to have him stay at home, but he follows Alien everywhere. And I do mean everywhere. Jerk even had the audacity to suggest where we'd go for the lunch I am paying for.

You know, I made a few promises to start blogging again with some frequency. I really need to, I miss it and I miss ya'll too. Now to find blog-able topics in my mundane life. I really need to get back into it. I'm losing my creative flair ... not even being able to find material in the normal things that go on in a day (or even week).

Hugs!!