Catzpjs

catzpjs @ 2009-02-06T06:59:00

2009-02-06T13:00:10Z

It's clear and 48° here this morning, the high is forecast to be around 64° this afternoon.

I got my hair cut yesterday afternoon and did my grocery shopping for the family dinner on Sunday. Doesn't sound like a lot to do, but I was more tired from that than I have been on the days we were dragging limbs out of the yard. I'm going to clean up the patio today, the high on Sunday is forecast to be around 65° so we should be able to use the tables out there for additional seating. I have to run by the church today or tomorrow and pick up a few folding chairs, too. And there's still some limbs that need dragging to the brush pile...a woman's work is never done, LOL! BJ was feeling better yesterday...in fact, he felt pretty good to me.

catzpjs @ 2009-02-05T06:36:00

2009-02-05T12:37:27Z

It's 30° this morning, the day is supposed to be sunny with the high around 61°.

I'm going to town for a girly day. I'm getting a manicure and my hair cut, gonna shop and lunch with a girlfriend, too. My tough old cowboy has a stomach flu and I've been told to stay away so I don't get it...as if. I'm going to check on him before I go to town. Cousin Bobbie Lea arrives tomorrow evening, and Saturday we'll start preparing for the big family dinner on Sunday. OOOOH, this is going to be so much fun! I love doing this kind of thing. I sure hope the cowboy is feeling better by then.

catzpjs @ 2009-02-04T07:04:00

2009-02-04T13:04:55Z

Brrrrr! It's 13° this morning and the high is only going to be around 37°.

Whoooo! Tractors ARE sexy! Especially ones with glass cabs and heaters on them. I had a good time yesterday, riding around with BJ while he and my son cleared the driveway and several other large limbs that were down. I also found that, when it's the right person doing it, I don't mind sitting back and letting someone else do the work for me. It was nice being pampered for a change...the most difficult thing I did was climbing out of the cab and opening the gate to the north pasture.

Today is Meals on Wheels and a little house cleaning. We've been tracking in more mud than usual this week and it won't wait for Linda to come Monday. I'm having a family dinner on Sunday.

catzpjs @ 2009-02-03T07:42:00

2009-02-03T13:42:43Z

It's cold out this morning, 32°, and the high is supposed to be only 38°.

BJ is going to bring his tractor over and clear the drive to the garage for us. I didn't want to ask him, he still has a lot of fence to rebuild, but he insisted. I decided that it's ok to let him take care of me a little bit when he wants to. I don't have to be rabidly independent all the time.

catzpjs @ 2009-02-02T08:52:00

2009-02-02T14:52:57Z

It's sunny and 27° this morning, the high is forecast to be around 47°.

We still have lots of limbs to move around and burn but we did get the last of them off the power line yesterday and got the meter loop reattached to the house. The next big job is clearing out the driveway to the garage. There are so many limbs down across it that it looks like a brush pile.

First this morning, tho, I'm going up to the nursing home to see Cousin Eugene...it's his 90th birthday and we're taking him a cake.

catzpjs @ 2009-02-01T08:35:00

2009-02-01T14:36:11Z

It's sunny and 45° this morning, the high is forecast to be around 54°.

Wooo! I have electricity! It came on sometime yesterday evening, I noticed the yard light shining around 9 p.m.. It will still have to be shut down at some time so the wires can be reattached to the eaves, but at least it's working again. BJ and a lot of other people are still without, my co-op estimates that around 24,000 households are still dark.

We started cutting up and dragging limbs to a burn pile yesterday. We got the west side of the house cleared but still have a lot to go...I doubt that we have 1/4 of the yard cleared.

catzpjs @ 2009-01-31T08:04:00

2009-01-31T14:04:44Z

It's sunny and 32° here this morning, the high today is forecast to be around 58°.

It's melting!!! About 90% of our ice is gone with only a bit left in shady spots. Yesterday we bought a new chain saw and my son and I will start clean-up today. The generator has been working great. My DSL line was out for about 24 hours yesterday, but it's back up now. This little regional phone company is good. My cowboy stopped by yesterday, he had his chain saw in the back of his truck and in just a few minutes he had cut most of the limbs away from the power line to the house. I love a man who just starts doing things without being asked. There's still a ton of stuff for us to clean up, tho. I hadn't planned to ask him for help, he has a lot more to be done at his place than I have here. A lot of his fences are down, either just from the ice that formed on them or from trees and limbs falling on them, and he has cows that would just love to go walkabout. He's working from can to can't to get it all fixed and I hadn't expected to see him for a few days, but he had to get gas for his generator and stopped by. Said he just needed to see my smile for a few minutes. Isn't that sweet!

catzpjs @ 2009-01-29T18:25:00

2009-01-30T00:34:56Z

WE're still covered in ice here, the temp got up to 32F today and a little melting started but nothing significant yet. No electric yet and they're projecting mid-February for "out-lying areas". That's me. My DSL line went out yesterday afternoon so I'm now confined to bluetoothing my laptop through my cell phone for internet access...still, I can't gripe. I know people who don't have generator for minimal power or any phone service at all now. I have been lucky to maintain a semblance of civilized living. I promised pictures.

http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-tIFLVE8yerI4rplDIaXluw--?cq=1

That is my Yahoo360 blog. There are pictures posted there and I'm going to try to upload them to Facebook, too.

BJ is working like a mule trying to keep his place going. He has fence down from the ice and cows that would just love to go walkabout. Trees down across his drive...the whole half mile looks like a brush pile...and sagging powerlines above it. He told me this morning that he wanted to see me but couldn't get free, he has to work from can to can't, but wanted me to know he would rather be with me. I told him that knowing he wanted that was almost as good as having it.

catzpjs @ 2009-01-28T07:36:00

2009-01-28T13:37:44Z

It's cloudy and 16° this morning, the high is forecast to be around 28°. Looks like the storm is over.

We have about an inch of ice here. My yard looks like a war zone, tree limbs down everywhere. Power went out around 11 yesterday morning. I got on the phone and started trying to locate a generator (yes, I know I should have bought one earlier). All of the Lowe's stores in the area were sold out. I called Home Depot. They were unloading a truck that was supposed to have some but they didn't know how many or what size they would be...call back in an hour. When I called back the guy said they had two 5500's left. I gave him my credit card numbers over the phone and we headed to town to pick it up. Roads were still clear when we left here around 1 p.m., the sanding trucks had been out all day. By the time we got to Fayeville, the roads were getting slushy and the temp was dropping. Picked up the generator, stopped by WalMart for some comfort food, and back home. Got to Lincoln and stopped to get gas...power was out in town now, too. Shoot, should have filled the cans for the generator in town. Decided to try Westville, OK...about 5 miles west of the house before we attempted another 30 mile drive to Fayetteville. Thank goodness they had power there still and we were able to fill the cans. Got home, set the generator up on the patio and got partial power set up. We have extension cords running all over the place, but I have lights, my fridges and freezers are running, and a working computer...what else do I need? This generator gets good mileage, too...it's been running since about 6 last night on the first 5 gallons of gas. Talked to BJ a couple of times yesterday, he lost power before I did and is in as bad or worse shape than me. He's got fence down from the ice and cows to tend, he had dragged limbs off his drive 3 times yesterday and more were down plus a power line sagging so low that he could hardly get his tractor under it. At least he already had a generator and didn't have to go buy one.

My son has once again won the Son of the Year Award as far as I'm concerned. When we got back limbs were down all over the yard and we couldn't get to my usual parking place but we were close...under a big oak tree. We unloaded the generator and he was working with it while I unloaded the rest of the stuff in the car when we heard a loud crack...he looked up and saw a large limb...about 12 inches in diameter...beginning to fall right above the car. It was still partially attached, but tearing loose. He ran to the car, jumped in and got it started and moved just in time for the limb to miss it. I

I'm going to take pictures after I've had my coffee and I'll post them for you all to see.

catzpjs @ 2009-01-25T16:39:00

2009-01-25T22:39:38Z

catzpjs @ 2009-01-24T14:43:00

2009-01-24T20:46:27Z

Who would of thought that an old cowboy could be so...ummm...GOOD!

I'm keeping him, that's for sure! Not that I think I could run him off if I tried...he did seem to enjoy getting to...ummm...know me better.

Gawd, I feel like a 15 year old in the throes of first love.

catzpjs @ 2009-01-23T09:27:00

2009-01-23T15:31:50Z

Good Morning, Everyone!

I got a new computer yesterday and will be tweaking on it for a while to get the settings the way I want them. My old computer had a motherboard failure several months ago and I got a refurb. It was a good computer but too slow so it is going to be hooked to the LCD TV I got for Christmas to run movies off Netflix, etc. It is plenty fast for that. This new computer is screaming fast, I'm quite pleased with it.

I'm waiting for a call from my cowboy...I wonder what he has in mind for today.

Y'all be safe now, hear?

catzpjs @ 2009-01-20T13:55:00

2009-01-20T20:02:52Z

Copied from Psychofogqueen...

Welcome to the new 2009 edition of getting to know your family and friends. (I snip the part about emailing it all over the internet.) Have fun and be truthful!

(I don't know how to hide long posts)

1.What is your occupation right now?
Internet entrepreneur and retired

2. What color are your socks right now?
black

3. What are you listening to right now?
Queen - Who Wants To Live Forever

4. What was the last thing that you ate?
Cheese and crackers

5. Can you drive a stick shift?
yes

6. Last person you spoke to on the phone
BJ

7. Do you like the person who sent this to you?
Yes.

8. How old are you today?
61.

9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV?
Don't like sports.

10. What is your favorite drink?
Iced sweet tea.

11. Have you ever dyed your hair?
Yes.

12. Favorite food?
Sushi.

13. What is the last movie you watched?
Mrs. Henderson Presents.

14. Favorite day of the year?
I have to pick one?

15. How do you vent anger?
talk to myself, talk to friends, journal

16. What was your favorite toy as a child?
bicycle

17. What is your favorite season?
Spring

18. Cherries or Blueberries?
Cherries.

19. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back?
N/A

20. Who is the most likely to respond?
N/A

21. Who is least likely to respond?
N/A

22. Living arrangements?
alone for now

23. When was the last time you cried
About a week ago.

24. What is on the floor of your closet?
junk.

25. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending to?
N/A

26. What did you do last night?
Watched NCIS, talked to BJ, chatted with friends online

27. What are you most afraid of?
snakes

28. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers?
Cheeseburgers.

29. Favorite dog breed?
I'm a cat person.

30. Favorite day of the week?
today

31. How many states have you lived in?
Four...AR, OK, CA, TX

32. Diamonds or pearls?
Diamonds

33. What is your favorite flower?
Peony.

catzpjs @ 2009-01-19T19:41:00

2009-01-20T01:46:00Z

It's becoming a game. BJ throws out some line like "I'm just a lazy old cowboy" and I reply "Isn't it nice that I like lazy old cowboys".

One more thing about the recent crisis and then I'll let it die. I prayed that God would give me a negative test result, instead he gave me BJ; a man who loves me no matter what, who just says "Don't worry about it, we'll work it out together." What a wonderful gift!

catzpjs @ 2009-01-16T19:25:00

2009-01-17T01:32:22Z

Well, I know a lot more this evening than I did this morning, LOL. The main thing is that my Dr. has started me on Valtrex 500mg daily. My cowboy is happy, I'm happy, the HSV2 and HSV1 should be suppressed. Since I had much more trouble from the HSV1 than I ever did from HSV2, that's very good news. My dr. says that with a little caution me and my cowboy should be ok. Cowboy was happy to hear that and we're planning a celebration in a couple of days, LOL.

Hugs to all of you and thank you for your support and advice. I would have been a basket case without all of you in my corner.

catzpjs @ 2009-01-15T21:30:00

2009-01-16T03:48:32Z

Ok.

Had a long conversation with my cowboy this afternoon. He assures me that the diagnosis doesn't make any difference to him and that we will work it out. That was after I told him that I would understand if he wanted to call it quits. What's not to love about this guy? I'm going tomorrow to find out what my options are and to get educated a little about this disease. I'm woefully ignorant. I know bits and pieces from gossip with friends and from reading news stories, I need to know much more. I'll find out somehow, it's that or be celibate the rest of my life and my cowboy doesn't consider that an option...neither do I.

So, on to happier topics...

Have I told y'all anything about my cowboy? He's a sweetie. One of the things he said to me when he first came courting was "I'm just a broke down old cowboy who doesn't have much to offer." My response was "Aren't you glad that I like broke down old cowboys, then?" and he's been my cowboy ever since. We neither one like bars or being cooped up in movies (and at 6' 3" he's downright uncomfortable) so we do movies at home, drive back roads, take walks...and talk. And talk and talk! He calls me every morning and if we can't get together then in the afternoon or evening, too. He plays violin and guitar. His favorite is Faded Love, so I found that for his ringtone on my cell phone...aren't I just too teenage-crushy? He thinks I really am The Cat's Pajamas and I think he hung the sun and moon. Mushy, too, huh?

Life will go on, it won't be the same but it will go on. I'll still be sober, I'll still be in love, and most of all...I'll still enjoy living One Day At A Time!

catzpjs @ 2009-01-15T10:21:00

2009-01-15T16:32:28Z

Well, it's positive for HSV 2. Have an appointment with Dr. Tom tomorrow to discuss it. I'm ok.

catzpjs @ 2009-01-14T19:00:00

2009-01-15T01:10:06Z

No phone call from the doctor's office today. However, one thing I had been dreading was telling my friend about this and I had planned to put it off until I got the results. I was dreading it terribly, convinced that it would be the end of 'us'. He called this afternoon and while we were chatting asked how my dr. visit went...thinking it was just a checkup. I found myself telling him all of it, in tears of course. He told me not to worry about it, that it was ok. He assured me that he still loved me and it was not a problem no matter what the final verdict is. I would have told you yesterday that I couldn't love him more, but today I find that I can and do. And, I shall be calling the dr. first thing in the morning for the results.

catzpjs @ 2009-01-13T21:08:00

2009-01-14T03:12:57Z

Ok. I saw my doctor today. He says that 7 years ago the test for HSV did not differentiate between HSV 1 (cold sores) and HSV 2 (genital herpes). Because I had occasional cold sores and hadn't had any blisters or lesions they decided that I had HSV 1. Now they have a test that can tell the difference between the two. We drew blood for it today and should have the results by tomorrow afternoon or Thursday morning.

Pray for me.

catzpjs @ 2009-01-12T20:45:00

2009-01-13T02:51:58Z

No, I haven't forgotten you all again so quickly...life has just been busy the last few days. Thursday and Friday I was on the road all day both days. Saturday I didn't leave the house and I didn't do much online either. I had a new entertainment center to put together and then I read and napped the rest of the day... I was exhausted. Yesterday was taken up with church, a potluck dinner, a visit to Cousin Eugene in the nursing home and some Cowboy time. Tomorrow I go to the Dr. to discuss the STD issue and see what he recommends... Last time I was obsessing about something he wanted to put me on antidepressants but I really don't think I need them this time. I just want a little reassurance. I'm actually obsessing less since I talked to y'all about this altho it still bothers me somewhat.

catzpjs @ 2009-01-09T06:23:00

2009-01-09T12:59:48Z

Dang.

We're back to the STD issue, it seems. I hadn't realized how profoundly that whole episode had effected me...or I was in denial. Maybe that's why I took so long to open myself to a new relationship. Anyway, I discover I have a terrible fear that there is something lurking in my body. I have this wonderful man in my life whom I love dearly and who says he loves me too, and I'm afraid to make love to him again for fear that something that has been lying dormant all this time will raise it's ugly head and infect him. I have decided that I need to make an appointment with my doctor and discuss this issue. Maybe I should see a counselor, I don't know. I do know that I'm obsessing about this and it isn't good. Over the last few years I've had yeast infections and a UTI, nothing else. You would think that if anything were there, it would have shown up during the last 7 years. I can think that logically but the fear won't go away. I remember how I felt when it happened. Soiled, dirty. Even tho my brain told me that it wasn't my fault, I still felt that way. I'm feeling that way again altho I had put it out of my mind for so long. This is definitely going to need some work.

catzpjs @ 2009-01-08T06:35:00

2009-01-08T13:08:23Z

It's clear and 30° this morning, the high today is forecast to be around 50°.

I don't know why I stayed away from here so long, just missed a few days for some reason and then got out of the habit, I think. Now I come back and see that this place may be closing. I'm Catherine Venable on facebook...that seems to be where everyone is migrating to. I also have a Yahoo360 blog, http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-tIFLVE8yerI4rplDIaXluw--?cq=1 but I haven't kept it up much better than here and it's under threat of closing, too. Has been for nearly a year and nothing has happened yet.

My, how things can change in 6 or 7 months. I've always sold on eBay, but I'm becoming more and more disenchanted with their new management team and policies. I keep threatening to shut down the account there and probably will someday soon. In anticipation of that, I've begun selling on Amazon, specializing in discontinued products. That is doing quite well. My son is still living in my garage apartment, there are plans afoot to build a house on the southern end of our property. He's thinking about a straw house.

As you read yesterday, there's finally a man in my life again. I can't really say he's a new man, I've known him for years, but our relationship has taken a new turn and I'm enjoying it. I love him very much and he loves me, I'm just not sure exactly where this is going to lead but I am open to all possibilities. He did run afoul of my rabid independence the other day. My "I can do it myself, I'm not a shrinking little powderpuff who needs someone to take care of her" attitude. When I tried to apologize later he said, "No need, it's one of the things I love about you." Is he a keeper or what? I'm going to have to practice up on being a Steel Magnolia somewhat...

Steel Magnolias: Southern women that are Mack trucks disguised as powder puffs - Reynolds Price

catzpjs @ 2009-01-07T12:36:00

2009-01-07T18:36:27Z

Take a pair of cowboy boots and a hat. Put 6'3" of slender strength between them, add a sharp mind under the hat and put music in the fingertips, then fill it with a loving heart...

Help!!!

2009-01-07T14:12:19Z

Some of you are old friends and have known me forever, it seems. You were around during the meltdown of my last divorce...could it really have been only 8 years ago? Seems like forever.

Anyway, if you remember, during my husbands affair before we separated and divorced (twice) I contracted Chlamydia. There was also an odd bump in my genital area, no blisters, no open sores, just a bump that hurt and went away in a couple of days. After we separated, I had my doctor run all sorts of tests, for everything we could think of..gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, aids and I don't know what all else...it felt like they took a pint of blood for all the tests. All those tests came back negative. I thought, "Thank God, I'll never have to tell anyone about this."

I can hear you wondering why I'm bringing this all up now.

I have met a man. A wonderful, loving, caring, man who thinks that I am purrrfect.

He's a widower, I've known him for years and had such a crush on him. Now I find that he's felt the same way but was too honorable to act on it while his wife was alive. They were married 48 years. He's never had sex with anyone but her. Well, not until a few days ago, anyway. Now I'm worrying about it. Not because I think I'll give him something so much as I think I should be open with him. Should have been open...I think I should have told him this first, but I had almost forgotten about it. It was part of a far distant past that just doesn't exist any longer.

Please, I need advice.

catzpjs @ 2008-05-07T07:43:00

2008-05-07T12:43:47Z

It's cloudy and 65° this morning, the high is forecast to be around 74° this afternoon with a 90% chance of rain.

We had the first bit of broccoli out of the garden for lunch yesterday. Delish! It was the first time I've had broccoli picked 5 minutes before it was cooked and eaten. It's definitely going to be one of the things I grow every year from now on.

I bought a trailer load of stuff at the auction yesterday, paid $14 for the whole lot. I'll be trashing probably 3/4 of it but the rest is a gold mine. It was a pile of stuff that looked and smelled like it had been rained on some time back, maybe someone's rained out yard sale. There was a ton of Home Interiors products in it, tho, and that stuff is plastic, it will clean up great and sells well on eBay. I saw 2 items that I know will pay for the whole lot and the rest will be profit. I'll start sorting and cleaning on it tomorrow.

After I deliver meals today I have to go to town and get my glasses replaced, it's been 3 or 4 years since I got new ones and I feel like I'm not seeing as well as I should through these. I'll probably keep the same frames, I love this pair and they're still good.