Wigging out

Momma's hair has started coming out, so we went wig shopping today. Don't ask why, but I wound up with her wig at my house. I don't think I like myself as a blonde...

Tennessee Twisters

I had planned on posting several pictures of the tornado damage to the area, but there are already so many on the web, I'll just direct you to them.

These pictures were made by someone who lives near some of the damage. There are 6 pages of them, if you feel like looking around.

This blog is chock full of pictures and videos.

The Jackson Sun has several pictures to see as well.

I took these pictures on my way home yesterday. If reports are correct, the tornado hit here just a few minutes after I drove through. It was a long drive home that night! (Sorry for the poor quality. I forgot my camera and had to use my phone.)

Wednesday Wanderings

I don't have a lot to say today, so we're going on a little tour.

I'm doing Fast Draft this week and next, hoping to push through to the end of this WIP. And Candy Havens, the Fast Draft guru, is celebrating the release of her latest book today.

Chapter-mate, Patrice Michelle, has a great cover for her latest book.

Here's an interesting interview another chapter-mate posted to her blog. Psychics, anyone?

Go join my friend Vanessa Jaye and the other Southern Fried Chicas in a discussion on dialogue.

Enjoy your trip!

Happy Super Bowl Sunday

Here's a couple of clips to keep you entertained, while you wait for the pre-game show to start:



and:

(you have to click on the picture to watch Ickey Woods do his Ickey Shuffle.)

treatment

Today is momma's first chemo treatment and I'm just about to jump out of my skin waiting to hear how it went. I'm sure she'll call when she feels up to it, or dad will call when he thinks of it. ::sigh:: I hate waiting.

edit: Momma made it home, well, actually, she went back to work. She called and said she was feeling fine for the moment. She picked out a few hats and scarves while she was there, they said that she would be losing her hair. I'm curious how it will come back. Will it remain the wavy, blonde locks I'm used to? Will it come back straight, and gray? Will it be as curly as mine and as beautifully snow white as my grandmother's was? Anyway, she's in good spirits and I think that's half the battle!

Into the Night

I know I don't usually post on Sunday, but

Sasha had this on her blog and it looked like fun!

Directions:
1. Put your iTunes, Windows Media Player, iPod etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS

1. IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
Fallin On (Finger Eleven)

2. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
Hell's Bells (AC/DC)

3. WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Red High Heels (Kelli Pickler)

4. HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Before He Cheats (Carrie Underwood)

5. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Beautiful Girls (Sean Kingston)

6. WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
White and Nerdy (Weird Al) *too funny!*

7. WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Pickin' Wildflowers (Keith Anderson)

8. WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Figured You Out (Nickelback)

9. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
The Carpal Tunnel of Love (Fall Out Boy)

10. WHAT IS 2 + 2?
Cyclone (Baby Bash feat. T-Pain)

11. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR EX?
In the End (Linkin Park)

12. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Break My Fall (Breaking Benjamin)

13. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Eruption (Van Halen)

14. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
You're Crashing, But You're No Wave (Fall Out Boy)

15. WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
I Hate Everything About You (Three Days Grace)

16. WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
4^th of July (Shooter Jennings)

17. WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Never Again (Nickelback)

18. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
Heart-shaped Box (Nirvana)

19. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Catch Me When I Fall (Ashlee Simpson)

20. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Hero (Chad Kroeger feat. Josey Scott)

Now press Next one more time and use it as your title.
Into the Night (Santana feat. Chad Kroeger)

Scattergories

I was looking for a way to extend my morning procrastination this morning, and Heather had just the thing on her blog:

SCATTERGORIES…it’s harder than it looks! Copy and paste into a new email/blog. When you are done, send it on, including to the person who sent it to you. *Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following… *they have to be real places, names, things…nothing made up! Try to use different answers if the person in front of you had the same 1st initial. (WHICH BY THE WAY IS HARD IF YOU ALREADY READ THEIRS. You CAN’T use your name for the boy/girl.

1. What is your name? Trish
2. 4 letter word: Time
3. Vehicle: Tank
4. City: Trenton
5. Boy Name: Tom
6. Girl Name: Tina
7. Alcoholic drink: Tequila
8. Occupation: Taxi driver
9. Something you wear: Tie
10. Celebrity: Tom Cruise
11: Food: Turkey
12. Something found in a bathroom: Toothbrush
13. Reason for being late: Tree Down
14: Cartoon Character: Tigger
15. Something you shout: ta-da
16. Animal: Tiger
17: Body Part: Teeth
18. Word to describe you: Talented

do you heel?

Heeling used to be something you sent your dog to obedience school for. Now it is riding on the wheels in your heels in your Heelys shoes.

Last week my son found a pair on e-bay. He's been begging for these shoes. I gave in and he got his Heelys. It took him about 2 days to become a pro at heeling.

Last night my daughter gave them a try. She was heeling across the floor at lightning speeds in about 10 minutes.

Now it's my turn. I can roll across the floor with them, but I'm not sure the awkward motions I make could be termed heeling. It's more like trying to balance on a tightrope without any grace. But I'm not going to be outdone by my kids. I'll practice while they're at school and I WILL learn to heel like a pro. If I don't break any bones first... Maybe I'll wear them to Wal-Mart this afternoon and wheel around the store like a kid.

Been away too long

I meant to get back in here on Wednesday, but it's been a busy week. Here's a taste of what awaited me when I got in from work on Tuesday night:







My entire family was also here. It was a real surprise party, and they got me good! I still haven't figured out where they hid all the cars!

On the Nightstand

I never read just one book at a time. Do you?

Some days it's really hard to get any work done....

She's just too pretty to be ignored, isnt' she?

I think she wants her nails done....

Conversations with a 13 year old

Last week my daughter's cell phone died. She counted up her money, picked out a new one and I ordered it for her. Here's what she said to me last night:

C: Mom, if my phone gets here today, don't open it, ok?
Me: Are you sure? I thought you'd want me to go ahead and activate it as soon as possible.
C: Well, yeah, ok. But wear gloves, 'cause I wanna be the first one to touch it.

planets aligned against me or not?

I've been running like a crazy woman since the first, with hardly a second to myself. Here's my mini-journal entry from today:

Work, 9-5
Straight to Olive Garden for dinner with [aunt and uncle from out of town], then home to help C study science and help J get started with blackboard. Is fate conspiring against me, or is it an elaborate form of self-sabotage?

Personally, I'm going for fate right now, 'cause I don't wanna take responsibility....but we all know the truth, don't we?

Happy New Year!!

Merry Christmas!!

I wanted to get in here and wish everyone a Merry Christmas while I had the time. Our gifts are bought, most of them wrapped, and I've begun my baking for the day. We begin our celebrations with supper tonight with the in-laws. Then our own family Christmas tomorrow morning before we head out for a late lunch with my family. Despite anything I've said to give the opposite opinion, I really do love this time of year! Not the hectic preparations that go on before Christmas, but these days when most everything is done and I just feel relaxed in my final preparations before we spend time with our families. Now that's what Christmas is all about for me!

Have a good one!!

Who said the Holidays were supposed to be Happy?

It's been crazy around here. More crazy than usual, but you know, that's life. I've been battling the cold from hell and I'm beginning to think I might have licked it, but I'm reserving judgement until I'm positive. I've almost finished up my mom's Christmas shopping, but am having serious doubts that I'll ever finish my own. Let alone the wrapping!!

Momma's lymph nodes popped positive for cancerous cells, so she is scheduled to have the rest of them removed tomorrow morning. Another morning sitting around the hospital. I'll take my Alphasmart with me again, and maybe this time I'll get some writing done.

On the up-side, I'm off work until after Christmas and the kids are out of school for the next two weeks. Goodbye 6 a.m. alarm!!

And in case you managed to miss this post, go take a look. You know we've all felt this way!

R&R

Momma's surgery went fine yesterday and today is a day for a bit of rest and relaxation. I'm taking it easy for a few hours, and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it!!

an explanation for my procrastination

OK. So I don't usually need any reason to procrastinate. I'm a natural at it. But this week has been particularly difficult. I've found it very hard to settle down to any real work. We found out on Monday that my mother has breast cancer. She will have a mastectomy on Tuesday. For a few days, it took the wind out of my sails. We were trying to reconcile the big C with Momma's name attached and scrambling to figure out how to make Christmas the tradition it has always been with my family, yet still keep Momma comfortable and out of the kitchen. (No, that's not selfish talk. Momma doesn't want any changes in how we do Christmas.) It will take some doing, we'll probably have to tie her to the couch, but between my brothers, my aunt, my SIL and myself, we'll have a traditional Christmas. No problem, just a shifting of some of the responsibilities.

The good news is, that now that we've all digested the information, we're dealing with it. Momma is in good spirits and actually looking forward to having the surgery behind her. She is not expected to have to undergo any chemo or radiation treatments. We've been very lucky that they caught this early. It will be a blessed Christmas this year. I think we'll all appreciate it more!

And this is my reminded to all my girlfriends to keep your checkups current. You just never know what they'll find. (I think I'll go call my doc and schedule my own appointment.)

Take care!

was trying

to figure out how to add an RSS feed to my blog. Haven't gotten it working yet and have to fix my daughter's blue jeans right now. Wish me luck later.

stuck

This is where I am with my WIP (work in progress) right now.