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A Black Coffee Kind Of Life

Oct30

I drink my coffee black…no cream or sugar. It is very simple, just straight coffee.  As I have gotten busier of late  with building my Avon business, I’ve started to see the need for my life to go black coffee as well.  Simple and easy, just straight without all the extras that simply are filler that make it taste sweeter but in reality just add unwanted, drag me down pounds.

One way I have already done this is to clean up my Twitter account. I stopped following over 100 Tweeters.  It isn’t anything personal, just that I noticed I was scrolling past oodles of tweets that I had missed because I didn’t have time to read them.  If I am not reading them, no point following them.  I am following a number of folks that I look to for inspiration and marketing ideas, in addition to family and close friends.  Those  are the tweets I wish to find in my feed at the moment.  No offense if I  stopped following you, just too busy right now.

Over the coming week, I will be making time to clean up my Facebook account.  I follow a lot of people on there that I simply ‘know’ in passing and really don’t have anything to do with in my life, those will be going too.  I will also be cleaning out my closet and drawers, purging a bunch of clothes I have no use for any longer.  Many were from a former time in my life that I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing them now.  Others are things I haven’t worn in the 17 months since I moved into this home, so they obviously are not needed.

Scaling back and simplifying is something I’ve done periodically throughout my life, it is like cleansing the soul and mind.  Not necessarily bad things just ‘stuff’ that is cluttering up my mind, heart or time that I need to let go of so I can grow and move to the next chapter or stage in my life.  Even my television habits have under gone some purging, I only have a few shows that I really enjoy and care to spend time watching, and when I do have them on I am usually working on something at the same time to make it a profitable time spent.

I’ve not had the kind of time to devote to writing, which has to change as my blog is my therapy and being neglected.  In order to do that I need to make some adjustments to the way I am doing things and eliminate things I do that are just time wasters.

*sipping black coffee*  Time to start purging…

T.G.I.F. Coffee Musings

Oct21

THANK GOD IT’S FRIDAY!

This has been a long week, and yet a short week.  Long in the sense that last week I only worked 3 days because I left Thursday morning to go camping so a full 5 days of kids and I am ready for the looney bin.  Short in that this week has flown by.  But again, I am so thankful it is the end of the week, I am totally worn out.  Some what from camping, and some from just not going to bed at a decent hour all week.

It has been an interesting week as well as long and short.  I’ve taken up reading again, an all time favorite hobby.  This time I am reading books that are recommended by those who have been very successful in sales.  My Avon idol, Lisa Wilber, and Joe Girard.  She is one of the ‘rich and famous’ of Avon, he is the record holder for world’s greatest salesman having sold over 13,000 cars in a 15 year period.  If these individuals and a short list of others were to recommend I stand on my head in the corner every day for an hour, I would do it.  They didn’t get to be making well into the 6 figure incomes, even when the economy is in the toilet, without knowing how to do sales and do it successfully.  So in reading the past few weeks I learned about the importance of writing down my goals.  Those that write their goals down, then keep them in front of them every day, almost always succeed.  So, I wrote mine down, all of which at this point pertain to my Avon business, and each night I grade myself.  I am a solid ‘B’ this week.  I have also seen ‘B’ results.  So, I know that if I push for the ‘A’ then I will see equivalent results for the effort.  Remember my name, you’ll be hearing it as one of Avon’s top sellers one day, mark my word!

My mom always encourages us by reminding us that the landscape of our lives will be very different in a year, and when I look back to a year ago today, yes things are very different.  Last year at this time I was looking back yet another year to when I was, at least I thought, happily married.  I was job hunting, having been layed off and was looking for a year at that point with no real luck.  But I was happy.  I was doing laundry, cleaning, and even *gasp* cooking!  I was enjoying being home with my daughter even if she was a college student, getting to know her all over again and enjoying being someone’s wife.  My spouse was the center of my world and heart.  A year later I was living with my mom, sister and 2 nieces in a new home, my divorce was final for about 2 months and I was struggling with peeling back the layers that I had hidden myself under for 22+ years.  I was rediscovering me and in the process making some really bad choices for myself.  I was in the midst of a rebound relationship that would leave me hurting all over again.  Later I’d become a brief rebound for someone else, and be hurt yet again. I was missing what had been my home, my kids, and the life I had for such a long time.

Now here I am yet another year out and things have changed.  I am no longer an office manager, after 2 more jobs fell victim to the economy.  I am a daycare provider and Avon representative.  My days are full of putter-butter filled diapers, baby formula puke on my shoulders, Backyardigans episodes, breakfasts, carpool, lunches, naps and snacks, stamping/dating/tossing brochures, building and motivating a team, learning sales techniques that work, meetings, recruiting, selling, ordering etc.  I know what it is like to work for myself, be my own boss, make my own hours, goals and I love it.  I’ve gotten past my shy side and can more comfortably approach strangers in an effort to get my brochure and name in anyone’s hands that might be a customer or recruit.  It isn’t easy but I’m getting better! Every other week I pick a day, put all 3 car seats in my back seat and load each with a baby or toddler, then pack several hundred rolled brochures into the front seat and I’m out throwing them on drive ways.  I have a good arm and aim, the paperboy is jealous I’m sure!  It only takes about 45 minutes and sometimes I’m riding along singing to the radio, throwing those books, and surrounded by the odor of a dirty diaper on one of the kids.  I am certain one day I will find this all very amusing as I share my story of rising to the top of success.

I am in a very special relationship, one that is committed, and so different from anything I’ve ever known.  Love and respect is mutual, things are unfolding at a steady pace, not too fast and not too slow. I know what it feels like to be spoiled now, with affection, attention, and little gifts of love, and to be important to someone.  I know what respect is, and I gladly give it.  We have each other’s back and heart, and it is truly something special. (you know it has to be true love to get me to sleep in a tent for 3 nights!)  I don’t know what the future holds, and don’t want to get my hopes up too high, but when you start out from the first meeting, knowing when you look in someones eyes that you’ve met a soul mate, it’s hard not to dream just a  little. :)

Another year from now, it will be interesting to see where things sit on my life’s landscape! Some things I ‘know’, I’ll have a daughter-in-law and a step-granddaughter.  Of course that could change too I suppose but that is the one thing that looks at least like a for sure since the wedding date for my son is set.  Everything else will  have to wait to be seen.

Saturday Morning Coffee Musings

Sep24

Today has started off great.  3 of us Divas met up with a fellow Avon lady and good friend for breakfast.  2 hours of laughing, sharing and brain storming, my kind of morning meeting!  I went to the credit union after and now I’m in front of my computer pouring over blogs and Facebook, soaking in the ideas while inwardly motivating myself.  Scary, I know.

One of the blogs I read is by Lisa Wilber, my Avon idol.  She started out in the trailer park, she is a millionaire now.  Yes, she is lipstick diva, she sells vanity crack, like I do, but she has a 6 figure income and gets to travel the world.  All because she believed in herself.  I  was reading her one blog post, Motivational vs. Instructional, and realized that part of my problem in life has been I didn’t ever believe in myself, in my own ability to succeed.  I spent most of my life buying the negative comments said about me rather than embracing the positive ones.  Oh, she has another post, The Bad Stuff Is Easier To Believe, that goes hand in hand with the motivation one and with my self destructiveness at times.

My self confidence is something I have struggled with all of my life.  Those few negative commentators throughout my life have done a number on me…because I allowed it.  My wonderful, amazing honey told me something important that I’ve had to work hard not to do, but has made a difference in how I see me.  He does not care for it when I speak negatively about myself.  He sees me as pretty, sexy etc.  If I focus on and verbalize the negative traits about myself, it’s like telling him that he is wrong, and it will effect how he starts to see me.  So, I no longer talk about my negative traits.  We both know that they exist, we all have them.  Instead I focus on the good stuff.

Right now, I am focused  on my personal success.  My mom and sister met one of the millionaires in Avon recently at a rally of sorts.  I follow one on Facebook and her blog.  These are real people, that really work hard and make a heck of a lot of money.  I plan to be one of those women.  Oh but not just one of them, one of the top 5 in the country.  I know that I can, if  I want it enough to work for it.  I know that I am good at selling things, promoting etc, and I know what I want.  I want to make 6 figures.  I want to be a success.  SO, I will be.  I refuse to fail, or even consider failing.

I realize to do this I need to be organized.  SURPRISE! I am very organized lately.  The past few weeks I’ve been getting my business in order, purging stuff and setting up things so that I can find them.  I have that side in order.  On my closet door is a white board and bulletin board.  I have a day planner, and I have several tote bags.  One is for meetings, one is for product and samples.  I also have a zip up organizer.  I have paperwork in order and put away.

Next is to set reasonable goals.  No use setting them if they cannot be achieved or that is just setting up to fail.  My goals are written on the white board where I see them daily, in fact many times through the day.  As those goals are checked off new ones will replace them.

I’m reading everything and anything written by successful Avon reps, why try to reinvent the wheel?  They all do things similar and yet have many different ways of making this work.  So, I am soaking it up and will try two or three ideas.  If they work, great. If not, NEXT?

My first goal is to achieve President’s club.  To do that I need $10,100 in sales in a year.  This is doable, it is on my horizon already, within my grasp and I WILL achieve it.  As soon as I achieve this, I start making 40% commission on my sales, fixed, for the next 12 months.   That also means I will make $4040 just on sales if I maintain $10,100 in the coming year of sales.  Not bad.  But NOT enough.  My sales WILL be higher the next year because there are a lot of great perks with that recognition.  Once I have those, I won’t want to let go of them.  This means some sub-goals that have to be met, like distributing brochures, and shameless self promotion wherever I go.  Done. Shirts with the logo, buttons, carrying brochures, samples and business cards and giving them to anyone that is breathing.  All on the board, all part of the making the goals.

I also have entered leadership, I’m building a downline.  There are women in this business with several hundred people in their downline.  With a larger downline comes more $$, promotions etc.  The two areas combined, sales and leadership, are how one makes it to those 6 figure incomes.

Go ahead, laugh and make the jokes about Avon ladies and soap on a rope.  The Lisa Wilbers of the world are laughing all the way to the bank with their millions in sales and profits.  Be skeptical, because I, too, will be laughing as  I cash those checks.

Sunday Coffee Musings ~ Of Dogs & Football

Sep11

There is a reason my daughter tells me to not give her puppy, a 9yo Yorkie, anything that is not on her strict little diet….because when I do this it results in middle of the night,  gotta go potty NOW trips to the backyard.  But I am a slow learner with a big heart that melts for those beautiful brown eyes that plead with me for just one piece of kettle corn, or a puppy treat from the ‘unapproved list’.  Yes, I am a softy…

Yesterday I spent 14 hours at Harvest Home Park for the annual Harvest Home Fair, working our Avon booth.  Seems at some point I had agreed to also watch my granddog for my daughter this weekend so I had no choice but to make an executive decision that Penny, the dog, was the booth mascot.  She looked so dang cute with her little patriotic bandana around her neck, sitting on one of the bins on a pink towel over seeing our activities all day.  Unfortunately, she doesn’t really handle loud noise well, and with live bands, rides, tons of people, and folks in the booth next to us over filling and popping balloons she was a basket case.  She also feels it is her duty to protect her pack, and I am the number one person she thinks she needs to protect.  Sadly, she doesn’t understand that people approaching the booth are not trying to hurt me, and she launches into a barking frenzy and even chased one guy away.  It was rather comical to observe this 20 something kid running from a 7 pound dog, but hey, she does sound pretty ferocious when she wants too.  She only could run so far, her cable had her boundaries within our booth, which she quickly established as our ‘den’ for the day, that needed her watchful guard.  But with so many approaching at once, she was a mess trying to observe everyone to determine friend from foe so she is grounded with me to the house today to rest.  I think the few pieces of unapproved food yesterday were less of an impact on her belly than the stress of the day on guard duty.  Either way, her digestive track is a bit upset over it all.

So, today, rather than working the booth, I am home trying to fight what might be a cold, or might be allergies.  Being at a fair with a bunch of barnyard animals nearby, hay, and being outside all day when my guess is the mold count is likely high due to the damp weather lately, has left it’s mark  on me.  My sinuses are out of control.  Doubled up on the allergy meds for the day, and flushing my sinus cavities multiple times with a Netty Pot in hopes of keeping away whatever is trying to knock me down.

This year's jersey

That brings us to football.  First Sunday of the regular football season!!!  I used to be a dyed-in-the-wool Bengals fan but I just cannot do it anymore.  For the first time since they came into existence they are NOT my number one team.  My number two team, the Indianapolis Colts, has taken over the top spot, bumping the Cincinnati Bengals off their throne.  The Bengals play in Cleveland today so the game will be on my TV and not the Colts game which airs at the same time.  This irks me.  I will have to find the Colts on live stream on my computer so I can watch them and the Bengals at the same time.  I think we need to get Direct TV and the NFL package they have so I can watch any game I desire.

After my morning coffee here I will be getting dressed  in my Colts jersey, the personalized one, and my sparkly, blue sequenced tennis shoes, in team spirit!  Then I will turn on the Bengals on the TV and the Colts on the laptop and keep track of both.  I may regret throwing my loyalty to the Colts, since Manning is out for the season but I’ll try to survive.  Even with a second string quarterback the Colts have a better shot at a win than the Bengals ever do.

I AM READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!!!!

Join the meme/hop, Tiki Hut Sunday, come over and have a virtual drink while you watch the games!

Morning Coffee Musings ~ Holiday Weekend Edition

Sep3

Y..A..W..N….  it felt SO good to sleep in this morning.  Weekdays for me are truly more of a job than I think even I realized.  My hat is off to the stay-at-home moms, not sure how they do it with no break on the weekends.  Face it, MOST dads out there don’t have a clue what their partners do all day and rarely think to give her a break.  Not to mention that trying to sleep in, in the house with all the activity, even if the other parent is handling it, is likely close to impossible.

While I do manage to find moments to check Facebook, proof a blog before I publish it, etc, most of the time I am busy and don’t have time to concentrate on anything in depth.  Between 7am when the first one arrives, till 5:30ish when the last ones leave, I’m busy!  Feedings, changing diapers, getting breakfast fed to 3 of the 5 that will cross my day, putting one on the school bus, packing 4 in the car to take one to school, coming home and changing diapers, kids from pajamas to clothes (on 2 of them), feeding the baby again, holding and burping her, keeping the toddlers occupied and not fighting over toys, cleaning up breakfast, unloading and loading the dishwasher, wiping down the kitchen, start some peppermint iced tea brewing on the stove,  put the baby down to sleep, change the litter box, feed the cats, start some laundry, break up a toddler squabble, check Facebook, stamp  and date some Avon brochures, get mini Try-it kits together to give customers, flip the laundry, get the 1yo a bottle, feed the baby, burp and change the baby, get baby settled in bouncy seat or in the front chest carrier because she is gassy and wants to be held, fix lunch, feed the toddlers….. yes that is just the morning.  It is why my blogs have not been posting as frequently.  I work on them at night but it is rare I have them ready to submit and during the day my brain is just too occupied with other things to devote much to them.  My idol is Mama Kat over at Mama’s Losin’ It, she is one of the best bloggers and runs an at home daycare as well.

In between there I do manage to keep the fun, loving,  flirty texts going with the Count as he is working, which is keeping our relationship FUN.  Somewhere in there I even manage to eat something and keep the coffee flowing.  On a good day, my sister is around working on her Avon business and will pick up my slack somewhere when she is able.  That is a huge help.

Throughout the day I am hunting down and thinking up new ideas for working my Avon business, and now contemplating doing Thirty-One Gifts as well.  I know, when? LOL.  My goal is to one day be one of those ladies in Avon that doesn’t do anything else. She is a beauty consultant and sales representative full time and making BIG money!  I watch the Avon stories, chat forums etc, there are women making 6 figure incomes at this, I want to be one of them.  No wait, I WILL  be one of them.  I realize it takes a few years of dedication and training, along with hard work, but that is okay with me!  It is something I love doing and want to be a success.  Sometimes I start to get discouraged, forgetting I have only been at this 6 months.  I lose sight of the fact that I am on the fast track to making President’s Club, the first major level of achievement in sales.  I just want it all, NOW!  :)

I wish I was able to spend a bit more of this holiday weekend doing NOTHING but enjoying the presence of the Count. But he is working some of it, and I have to work too.  Instead of 2 days, I have 3 to work on Avon, keep taking the online training so I can indeed be a beauty and skin care expert and consultant that knows her stuff!  But I will be with the Count too, and get to enjoy being the center of someone’s attention and love for a while, and make him the center of mine.

Life certainly is no where I even imagined it being this time last year.  I was an office manager for Color World House Painting, had been living in the Diva Den with mom, sis and 2 nieces for 4 months, divorce final for 1 month and hurting badly.  I didn’t think I’d ever love again, especially not deeper and better than anything I had known before.  I had no idea where my life was headed and I was a mess.  Who knew so much good was headed my way and so much happiness with a new love?  Who knew I’d finally ditch corporate America and do something I had often thought might be rewarding (daycare) and start into a job in sales with products I absolutely love and believe in?     I am the most blessed, and fortunate woman I know.  AND the most loved by the most wonderful man.  I love being me, I LOVE MY LIFE!

Thursday Morning Coffee Musings

Aug25

Hang on to your panties and boxer short bands, I’ve had my coffee and the weekend is almost here.  No longer  standing on my toes to see it, I can almost reach out and touch it!

Ah nothing like waking up to more goop on my eye, it draining like there is no tomorrow, and now the other one is puffy.  Oh the joy!  Hoping that the camomile tea bags are going to help with this but honestly just not feeling it.  A friend saw it on my Facebook status and dropped off drops from when she recently had it, YEAH ME!!! No worries now, it will clear up.  Oh, but the camomile tea bags DID sooth the itch and the soreness so if you are experiencing allergy issues that bug the  eyes, they are amazing for relief. Oh and it reduced the swelling too, very sweet.

What was in your spam/junk email folder this morning?  I had 2 emails advertising penis enlargement/male size enhancement products.  Not something me or the Count is in need  of, but hey, if you are a guy and looking for such products, while I cannot endorse one, I can hook a brother up!  Forward your email addy and I’ll forward the advertisements to you.

My sinuses are draining like day 21 of the 40 days and 40 nights of rain during the great flood.  Pleasant visual, I know!  You’re welcome.  Stupid allergies, and of course Pixel just had to lay all over my pillow looking for love as I was going to bed last night.  She is lucky I love  her so much.  :)

I am still kicking myself over Farmville, I cannot believe I did this to myself.  I even get an email now when my crops are ready to harvest, how insane is that?  Don’t answer, and please do not judge.

Found a new application thanks to a Twitter buddy,  Run Keeper.  Logs via GPS my walks or run, and calculates some other things too.  I also have added the SparkPeople app and their recipe app too.  No more slacking, I am getting the weight off if it kills me!  I need more energy too and what better way to do it?

Day three of NO makeup, and if  it weren’t for being an Avon rep I might just blow it off completely except for when going out.  But I am a walking billboard for my products so I like to wear the Imari perfume and all my makeup is Avon.

Anyone else have this issue?  You get a catalog with the intention of ordering  ONE item, in this case it is a  Thirty-One Gifts catalog, and you suddenly think you NEED everything they make? OMG what a great bunch of items.  And one of the current fabrics matches my room decor!!! I am having to exercise serious self control.

Okay off to see what trouble I can land myself in as far as blogging topics today.  Several hops/memes and of course Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop.  Off to find inspiration that I can actually write about, which in this case is NOT the stuff I found on my son and daughter’s Facebook status updates and resulting comments last night, we have a family reputation to protect.

Saturday Morning Coffee Musings…

Aug13

YAWN…S-T-R-E-T-C-H…Finally I had a good night’s sleep!  Been struggling with that insomnia thing again but last night I crashed, early and hard, and woke up refreshed :)

First let’s just clear up the football issues.  The Cincinnati Bengals have always been my #1 team.  They were established when I was a little girl and my daddy watched them and we were raised on them.  I love the team, always will.  When I met the former prince (ex hubby), he was living in Indianapolis, and his second team was the Colts.  They quickly became mine as well.  Fast forward 23 years, today in fact (yes, would have been my 23rd wedding anniversary) and I’ve had it with the Bengals  and the Mike Brown family.  I am sick of buying Bengal merchandise and spending money on a team that SUCKS.  The former prince got custody of the season tickets (poetic justice as someone on Facebook put it).  Last season I gave my last $1 to that team in the form of a personalized jersey with my lucky number on it. I AM SO DONE WITH THEM!!!  This is a new season and I have flipped things.  The Indianapolis Colts are now my #1 team and will get my $$$.  My personalized Colts jersey will be  here any day, with lucky number 13 on it.  I will still root for the Bengals, but only if they are not playing Indy, as the Colts are my #1  now!!! Still an Ohio State Buckeyes and UC Bearcats fan!

Yes, as mentioned, today would be my 23rd wedding anniversary to the former prince charming.  One year ago, on 8/4, the divorce was final.  Just shy of the 22nd anniversary.  I  could go into a lot of things but just don’t feel it…the pain is gone, the  wounds have all healed over, I moved on and I am HAPPY now.  Happier than I ever was, with someone incredible and new.  I am way down the rails away from that train wreck now and so thankful for it.  Though I must admit  my plans for this  evening’s full moon are kind of amusing to be taking place on my former anniversary of the marriage that is now dead.

Plans for this evening:  Full moon, moon light tour of one of the local cemeteries.  The Spring Grove Cemetery‘s 5th Annual Moonlight Tour.  I cannot wait!  We will be touring the Civil War section, as that is the tour we signed up for tonight.  But surely you can see the irony, touring a cemetery on the anniversary of the dead wedded bliss? Yeah, I found it highly amusing but then I am warpped enough that I wanted the divorce to be final on our anniversary.  I’m kinda ‘sick’ that way as far as my sense of humor rolls.

Tomorrow I will spend  with The Count.  Headed to the Cincinnati Museum Center to tour and  see the Omnimax/Imax show, Tornado Alley.  Not sure what else but frankly we could sit and do nothing, as long as we’re together, and I’d be happy just being with him.

I had a nice surprise this morning, I received another blog award, so a post about that will be coming up later today.  I have a whole day to myself to do things I need to get finished, so I’ll be making good use of it by preparing some blogs to post this coming week.  My daycare business increases by one this week so I will be very busy during week days and not have the time to write that I am used to having.  I also need to kick up the Avon business a notch so I am taking advantage of the  free time today to  get the writing portion of my life caught up.  Hmm…and some hooking (crochet) and reading later if there is time.

But first…more coffee!

Coffee Musings & Writer’s Block

Jul6

Wine & Cheese is taking a day off, I have nothing to whine about other than having a bad case of writers block.  Cannot come up with anything that  has any substance to write about today.  Thought about explaining why I support gay marriage, but not feeling that one.  I will, though I have touched on it in the past.  I know it won’t agree with some of my church family’s perspective, but we’ll talk about that later when I get around to that post.

I’m back in crumb cruncher care mode today.  Had a 4 day weekend,  now we are back in full swing.  We have a bunch of ‘new’ toys and there is  a lot of discovery going on as they explore the boxes.  I am very much enjoying watching this.  Mr. Man loves puzzles fit for his 2 year old age, and there are a few in there for him.  Lots of little cars, trucks and even a fire fighter puppet.  He is in little boy, toy heaven today.

Mt. Washmore is slowly disappearing from the 3rd floor.  That means I am getting one hell of work out again, lugging loads of laundry from there to the basement and back.  My $1 says that tomorrow morning there will be a whole new mountain in the making, as the 17 year old will suddenly come home from work and clean her room.  I won’t venture in there, it is against Prince Palace protocol.  Privacy is respected here, no Diva enters another Diva’s royal bedchamber without permission.  I didn’t ask for permission because I didn’t think of it so her laundry will have to wait if it is sitting behind her door rather than in the hamper.

For lack of anything better to write about, I am going through the questions from the countless emails I receive on the sites. Not that most of those guys will see them, I don’t give out my blog address to just anyone.  No, not afraid of the big bad wolf or the Boogie Man.  But really not looking for a reason to have to shoot someone so why risk it?  That edition of The Dating Diaries will be coming up soon.  The Q & A, not the  target practice one.

But first, must finish feeding Miss Thang.  Love watching her little facial expressions with new foods.  She looks like she has baby angels in her mouth it is so good, and so adorable!

Random Coffee Musings…

Jun7

I cannot seriously believe it is only Tuesday morning, I am more than ready for the weekend.  Thankfully it IS ladies night at my favorite bar.  I’m thinking a few cold ones with some best girlfriends is seriously in order. Heck at this point I’ll go hold down a bar stool alone if I have too.  Followed by SLEEP.

Never start the week going into Monday morning on a mere 4 hours of sleep, it is not a good omen for the rest of the days to come.  I need to learn to turn OFF my cell phone so that those 11:45pm texts that get me fired up hold until morning when I NEED that adrenaline high to wake up, not stay awake until 2am fuming.  Grrrr…..MEN!  Enough said.

Yesterday was a complete blur, kids, diapers, and looking forward to another ‘get acquainted’ date.  That would be the 4th one in less than a week.  But I will save that for the Dating Diaries.   It was a Monday with a vengeance so I should have known things would only get more interesting.

So how does one take it when, as you are getting in the shower to go on this date, your paramedic baby brother is taking your mom to the firehouse to run a 12 lead on her because she is displaying symptoms that she might once again be having a heart attack? Good or bad omen?  I know, right? REALLY?  I get out of the shower get dressed, get the face applied and outside of the window I see the squad pull up, mom is back and baby bro is loading her butt in the back doors of the ambulance.  I am literally ready to walk out the door when this goes down.  He is just being cautious, he says, go have fun he has it under control.  Now mind you, anyone else tells me this I’m not buying what they are selling, but when he says this, well I take him at his word.  He is the the 2nd of 3 men I trust with my life, so I calmly text my date a shot of the image out the window, say  I will explain in a few but I’m going to be 10 minutes late. I told you, my life is never boring!

I received yet another wonderful check from Avon yesterday, bonus money because my downlines are doing so amazing.  I seriously LOVE this job!  Not only the money but all the high energy women involved!   I cannot wait for the big sales rally this month in Dayton, going to be a total blast!!!!

I have SO much I want to write about, just have to get my thoughts all organized and into some sort of filed order in my head.  Then I can start my “therapy” sessions (read: extensive sessions in front of the laptop typing rapidly).

Oh wow, just passed the base of Mt. Washmore, guess I know what I’ll be doing this afternoon while the little ones are napping.

For  now, a few rounds of Farkle on Facebook should help.

And another cup or 6 of coffee.

Monday Morning Coffee Musings

Mar28

It is Monday, and back to the daily grind for many.  It is my first real, full day of  ‘work’ at the new professions for me.

I’m getting a taste of what the childcare experience will be and frankly if they are all  like this great little girl I think I’d love it.  She is about to be 6yo and a total joy, with a contagious giggle.  I  only have her today as her school is off and her mommy is working.  Come fall I will have one new born for sure and hopefully several more little ones in my care.  I need to advertise and get some children to care for, I could get used to this quickly.  Already showered, made my bed and have the dishwasher unloaded and reloaded, breakfast made and cleaned up, most of which was done before my little charge arrived.

All weekend I was hooking my heart out on 2 blankets I was commissioned to make.  I’m almost finished with those then on to the next.  Mom was gone for the weekend and the girls were out so it was a sister weekend with hooks and coffee, and a lot of  laughs.  I really enjoyed it and will miss my sister during the day!!

Been working the Avon business and have several customers and orders already.  2  of them online, which of course I think rocks because they will get their products shipped so quickly.  Not to mention I love technology and the ability to shop online means I have potential customers all over the country!  *Shameless plug – orders over $30 (today is the final day of campaign 7 with this offer) ship for FREE! My Avon Site so take advantage of that!*

I hosted my first give away over the weekend, and a winner was chosen from the entries. Thanks to all who participated, I’ll be doing that again  soon!

 

Keep Your Fork

Nov24

I have no idea who the author is,  so I cannot give credit. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live.So as she was getting her things "in order," she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.  She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

"There's one more thing," she said excitedly.

"What's that?" came the Pastor's reply.

"This is very important," the young woman continued. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."

The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.

That surprises you, doesn't it?" the young woman asked.

"Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the Pastor.

The young woman explained. "My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.'It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming.....like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie.Something wonderful, and with substance!'

So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder "What's with the fork?" Then I want you to tell them: "Keep your fork, the best is yet to come."

The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye.

He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge.She KNEW that something better was coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, "What's with the fork?" And over and over he smiled.

During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her.He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.

He was right.

So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come.

Coffee Thoughts…

Oct24

Sitting here enjoying a cup of coffee and thinking over my weekend.  I really hate when the weekend comes to an end.  It isn’t that I don’t like working, I just enjoy my time off so much too, and the weekends just never seem long enough.  I am learning to really relish each minute of each day and embrace life, and finding that the more I do that happier I am.

Friday evening my baby girl came to visit, which was exceptionally nice as I never feel I get to see enough of my kids.  She concerns me because she looks so tired, but she has been sick herself with this flu/cold bug all the past week.  And between being in school all day and working in the evenings I think she is just getting a bit run down.  She was sporting one of the pink shirts the Delhi Fire Department is wearing for October for breast cancer awareness.  I know a lot of departments are doing this, which I find rather cool.  My brother made sure we all were able to buy the  shirts in the Diva Den too.  Real men DO wear pink, and most look great in that color.

We’ve been on a quest in the Diva Den to find a particular Highlander Grogg coffee.  The one we like was served up at Perk On The Pike before it closed.  This one has a slight butterscotch aroma and taste.  After Perk closed we were able to get it through The Front Porch Coffee House, but then they closed too!  That depresses me, I love going to a cozy coffee house and miss my Saturday mornings at Perk with my sister, crocheting and munching on stuff that was not real healthy and sipping coffee.  Mom finally found a place in Mt. Healthy, The College Hill Coffee Company.  This place not only carries our coffee flavor but it is flat out adorable!  I have determined that I need to frequent that one, even though it is a bit of a drive.

I’ve gone a complete week without going to Chipotle, I cannot believe it.  Mostly it is a money issue, just don’t want to be spending the cash at the moment with trying to get Christmas shopping done for my kids while I am still employed.  I might have to treat myself on Friday when we get paid again.

I’m actively looking for another job at the moment.  Once the season is over for out door painting I’ll be looking at being laid off and that won’t work, I have too many bills  to pay.  Hopefully I can find something soon, that carries benefits too, as this flying without health insurance is scary.

Best  part of my weekend was getting to spend time with Mr. TSASA last night.  We let him join the Divas for wine night, and then I got him all to myself out on the deck, which was nice.  We talked quite a lot, but I’m not sharing the discussion.  He also got to go where no man has gone before…to my room.  :)   Okay so nothing naughty went on (only because others were home) but I did get a very nice kiss and Pixel let him hold her, which was also rather unusual.  I was bummed when the night ended. But again, relishing the time I do have and enjoying it very much.

Laundry is all caught up now, bedding changed, room cleaned, we even cleaned the house today.  Dad came to watch the game with us and have dinner. I am growing very concerned about him, he seems to be declining in health.  Sadly the weather is going to shift in coming weeks and we won’t be able to get him out as much.

Coming up this week are all the normal memes and hops I participate in, and my own periodic posts.  Wine and Cheese will be back on Wednesday, I was not feeling well enough to put together anything this past week.  I’m also going to be posting a book review.  Not my norm but the author asked me if I’d like to do one so I am reading it (great book!) and will be posting a review near the end of the week or Saturday.

I feel an early bedtime coming my way, though I know that once I  close my eyes the weekend will be over and the next thing I am aware of will be the alarm clock rudely pulling me from my sleep to start the work week.  I’ll likely stay awake as long as I can for that reason alone, to make it last just a few more minutes.

I Am A Ninja Warrior

Sep6

I am armed and dangerous  to my prey.  I hunt them down, a lethal assassin I am, stalking quietly until the perfect moment to attack.  I show  no mercy when I kill my targets, often leaving behind their mutilated bodies as a warning to others.  I am a ninja warrior…

My sister is deathly allergic to most types of bees, wasps etc.  Over the years, when she would get stung, the reactions grew more severe, causing her to always be in possession of an Epi-Pen when outside.  The reactions now are deadly, she must carry two such pens to be administered immediately while a life squad is summoned, as the contents of the pen will only hold her over until the paramedics can arrive and take over life saving efforts.  I am allergic as well, though my reactions are far behind hers in severity, but they do worsen with each sting just not as dramatically as Diva Boo’s.

My Ninja sword is swift and powerful, and when I swing it, it crashes into my unsuspecting victims, filleting them into many pieces, ending their tormenting of others….

We in the Princess Palace keep a fly swatter handy when on the deck for killing any pesky insect that happens along at the wrong time.   We are territorial women when it comes to our food and personal space and frankly don’t care for anything that has more than 4 legs (and then you better have fur!).  Flies, bees, spiders, moths….we refuse to share our space, it is us or them, and it is always them!

I am well  trained, having a double pink belt to my name and my attire strikes fear in the heart of those I hunt along with my cold, black eyes…

So there I am this morning, sitting on the deck enjoying coffee with my mom and sister, when a damned bee comes along and begins to torment my sister.  Had it just flown on by after we shooed it we would have not had any issues.  However it has been very chilly of late over night and the stinger brigade is getting vicious as their time nears an end.  This one was persistent, guess he didn’t know who he was messing with here!  I grabbed the fly swatter, game on baby!

Now picture this scene…3 women, in jammies and bath robes, bed head, and coffee cups.  I have on my flamingo pajamas…white tank top with one little pink flamingo embroidered on the lower side of the top near the hem.  The shorts are mint green and white stripes, then covered with embroidered  pink  flamingos all over them, 3 cute little pink buttons and a pink elastic waistband.  I am also sporting my pink, fluffy bathrobe that just happens to be the same color pink as that of the flamingos, complete with a pink belt.  My bed head could take the gold medal at the bed head international games and my eyeliner and mascara are smeared on my face and eyelids because I was too damned tired  to wash my face before I went to bed last night.  One so very sexy sight to behold, I’m just scary sexy!

And there I am, armed with  the pink fly swatter, I nailed that little bastard in one swipe leaving him in about 6 pieces on the plastic.  One good tap  on the deck railing and his mangled  remains fall to the lawn as fertilizer.  Damn I am getting good, that is the 3rd one in 24 hours that I got on the first smack down.  Granted not nearly as impressive as when I squash wolf spiders with my bare fist but a stunning display none the less.  Hopefully  no one got that on video for YouTube.

Called into action by the screams of a damsel in distress, I bear down on her assailant and attack with my deathly sword, sending him to meet his maker.  Be afraid, be very afraid…

Don’t fuck with me…..


jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I Am One With The Bean

Jun28

It is Monday and it helps to be caffeinated.  VERY caffeinated.  That is the other thing about working and significance to days of the week, Monday means something again.  It means if I am smart I went to bed early Sunday evening.  Note:  Seems I’m just not all that bright? I am burning strong at night light wattage brilliance when it comes to getting a good night of sleep.

Coffee – just get the IV drip bag and I should be good to go, my liquid jumper cables, something to get me going again.  I am kind of shocked that I’m not a lot more sleepy, I did not get to bed at 9:30 last night as planned.  It was 10:30 and then I had insomnia.  I could not fall asleep even though I was so comfortable and tired.  I listened to an impressive storm roll through, watched Pixel kitten freak out over the lightening flashes outside of the window, ducking between me and my body pillow now and then.  When I did finally fall asleep I kept waking up all night for some reason.  I intend to be in by 9:30 tonight, but we shall see.  My grandmother used to say the road to hell was paved with good intentions.

Coffee is the life blood of the Princess Palace.  My mom, sister and I are huge drinkers of java.  We like it all, regular and flavored, if it is ‘leaded’ we drink it and entirely too much.  Some where out there is a study my aunt read that indicated adults who consume a lot of coffee could be ADHD and the caffeine is working like a medication would for them.  I wouldn’t doubt that at all just based on unscientific observations of my family.  My sister found a Bunn coffee maker for home that is the most prized possession in the house.  In less than 3 minutes it brews a full pot of coffee!  We stop just short of paying homage to it each morning, we need to give it a name it is so special to us.  There is no crisis that cannot be overcome if we gals have coffee in hand!

It doesn’t matter that it is in the upper 80s and humid outside, after dinner it is coffee on the deck.  In the mornings, before anyone has anything to eat, we are reaching for the coffee.  Have a problem to work through and need the other Divas in the household to talk it over? Get the coffee pot and some cups.  Working on a blog isn’t happening without a hot cup of coffee on the desk.  Had a great day at the office or shopping for bargains, by golly it calls for some coffee!  Yes, we DO have an addiction issue here.  You know you have a problem with the bean when you drink a lot of coffee before bed and sleep like a brick.  Hmm…maybe that was the issue last night, I didn’t have coffee, I had a beer.  Note to self: Coffee before bedtime.

It is Monday, caffeine will help, I am one with the bean!