Wednesday, July 18, 2007

I am ...

Fickle.

When it is hot, I wish it were cool.
When it is cold, I wish for the heat.

When my children are noisy, I wish they were quite -- yet when they are, something is missing.

Blogging -- I want others to read what I am posting and yet I am not so good anymore at reading others.

Work -- I need to, but I don't really want to.

Sleep -- when I can't I want to. When I can -- I always do something else.

Exercise -- ditto.

Fads -- I seem to latch on to things (and people) quickly, only to change pace the minute the wind blows in a new direction.

Socializing -- I often tell people to call me, but when they do - I don't answer. I want to socialize ... however when the time comes, I would rather stay in.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Tagged

Well, it isn't shocking that in my absence I have been tagged. Darlin' Ramblin' Rose who lives across the sea or is it the ocean? I am so not good at geography! Anywho, I am sure that Rose thought I needed some posting inspiration …

Here goes ...

Each player starts with 7 random facts about themselves on their Blog. People who are tagged need to blog 7 facts about themselves and post the rules as well. At the end of the post list 7 people you are tagging. Let them know they are tagged by leaving them a comment.

1. I do completely suck at geography and history -- but have a steel trap brain when it comes to useless pop-culture junk.

2. I really think I put my contracts in the wrong eyes this morning -- everything is fuzzy/blurry. I have done this before but when I tried to switch them today, it didn't seem to help ... I am also wondering if it is because when I went to put them in this morning I realized I didn't add any solution to them last night and they were hard .. so I added the solution and in 20 minutes they were OK to wear -- but they probably aren't clean are they? Hmmmm... is this random enough for you Rose ?

3. I have a really bad habit of painting my nails (finger and toes) and then almost instantly picking off the polish. Back when I was a career gal I always had acrylic nails and I didn't have this issue ... but I haven't had such glamour in many years.

4. I think if I had been born a decade (or so) earlier I would have been a hippie biker b*tch. I am always secretly envious when I see those gals on the back or a Harley or in one of those cool VW Vans.

5. The longer I am a stay-at-home-mom the more convinced I am that I will never be savvy enough to re-enter the professional work place. And the less I think I want to.


6. I can not stand the feeling of folding warm towels. Something about the texture makes my skin crawl. This is, of course, a huge issue in a household of our size. I also hate to clean out the lint trap for the dryer - same reason - much to Mr. Farmer's consternation.

7. For the first time in probably 25 years, I think I am sporting my natural hair color ... at least mostly, since I haven't done the Miss Clairol thing for at least 4 months or so ... amazingly it isn't too bad.


Now for 7 tagee's

Coffee House Chatter - Trish
Naive Helga
T Girl
QueenB2U
TTQ
Equipped to Fascinate
Jenster

and of course anyone else who might want to partake ...

Also, I am thinking of running a contest to give away my new, gently read The Starter Wife book. What do y'all think?? I know Manic Mom has done such contests to increase readership ... which I could use ... any thoughts??

Frannie

Knowing that we are fulfilling God's purpose is the only thing that really gives rest to the restless human heart. --Charles Colson

Money changes people just as often as it changes hands.-- Al Batt

The people served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the LORD had done for Israel.
Judges 2:7

Friday, July 13, 2007

Is it Friday again, already?

Yikes, the days are flying by .. and yet I can not even begin to describe what we have been up to.
Nothing major ... just the daily grind of summer.

We have had a heat wave in our area, a rare occurrence for sure. It messed with every one's (think: KIDS!) sleep patterns and we all appear to be slightly drugged during the day. It is cooling down now though and I think we will live.

One major accomplishment this week -- I have been asked to apply for a position, with a Christian organization, that would allow me to work from home. The pay is good - the caveat is that I would need to be on the telephone at least 3 hours a day and I am just not sure I can keep the monsters children quite for that long ... but we are truly at the point that I must do something for an income and this is a great opportunity that seems to be a fit for what I deem my calling. I will be speaking to the VP on Monday ... wish me luck.

I plucked -- in case you were wondering ... I did it. I am still a little shell shocked about the episode and continue to check the hairs on my head to see if there are any greys ...

Can you believe all of the emphasis that is being placed on the The Beckhams moving to the States? I can't get over ... it seems a little sick to me. That and the coverage of Eva & Tony's Wedding Swag. Come on ...

I have hit the weight loss plateau ... frustrating, it seems that no matter what I do I just can't get past this current weight -- I know that I am far better off than I was a year ago, but I would like to get into the 140's -- I would settle for 148 (then if I had water weight I might manage to stay below 150) ... I am at 154-157 these days - considering that I was 230+ when I started this mission, I know I am doing good -- but again I would really like to be in the 140's before I hit the big 4-0! Ok, enough.

I just finished a book about Lana Turner. Boy was she an interesting gal. I am not sure what prompted the read ... I think it was LittleMiss picking out library books for MaaMaa again ... but now I, of course, want to know more.

I also finished Jemima J by Jane Green - a good read ...
Jemima is umm ... a big girl. A really big girls at just shy of 100 pounds overweight.
Her roommates are rude social climbers who treat her like a servant. Her best friend (at work only) is the beautiful Geraldine. They work at the Kilburn Herald where the far less talented Geraldine gets Jemima to do her most important columns and, again of course, never thinks to give Jemima credit -- not that it would matter much with her sexist boss.
She is in love with Ben ... the handsome hunk at work who lusts after Geraldine and scarcely notices Jemima ...

The rest of the story includes Internet dating and romance - much weight loss, a move across the ocean ... a complete transformation of Jemima - inside and out. It is a funny book - but there are some sad and serious moments too ...

It vaguely reminds me of a older Oprah Book Club book called She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb, also a good book - a bit more tragic and graphic -- ok, maybe not the same at all ... but when I read Jemima, I couldn't help thinking of Dolores. Has anyone else read She's Come Undone? It was a great weight loss inspiration for me when I read it ... maybe I will explain why later ...

I just realized that it is Friday the 13th ... hmmm ... are you superstitious?

I can hear AngelBaby upstairs repeating (over and over and over) bye SweetiePie, I looovvee you ... Oh, it makes my heart glad -- especially since SweetiePie continues to say bye, I loovvee you too ... They have their good days. Perhaps that is my Friday the 13th!

Well, I know that I haven't been a good blogger, nor a good blogger friend -- I have only skimmed most of your blogs lately -- except for you TTQ I continue to worry about your health and hope that you are ok -- the rest of you I SO COMPLETELY MISS, but can not seem to get things together enough to comment ... I know I have apologized about this numerous times here ... so I won't blather on ... just know that I will be around and hopefully I will, some day, be back in full swing -- whatever that is.

Blessings to you and yours,

Frannie


There are years that ask questions and years that answer. -- Zora Neale Hurston

Never does the human soul appear so strong and noble as when it forgoes revenge and dares to forgive an injury.-- E. H. Chapin

You don't have to control your thoughts; you just have to stop letting them control you. -Dan Millman

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
1 Timothy 4:12

Thursday, July 05, 2007

Not by the hair on my chiny chin chin.

Well, it has officially happened. I have entered the club.

Some of you know it, some of you will and some of you adamantly deny knowing about the club.

You see, this morning I was wearily looking in the mirror .. contemplating a pluck or two in the eyebrow area and doing the overall facial scan ... come on, you know you do it too! No new blemishes, my cheeks are quite rosy since I got completely and utterly sun burnt yesterday ... anywho different story ... so I am checking away when I notice something foreign on my chin, well actually under my chin ... you can just imagine my shock! I don't yet have any of those upper lip hairs that some of my friends mention. Nor do I have any of those pesky grey hairs that I have hear of (not that I can tell at least -- thank you very much Miss Clairol). I did, while gestating AngleBaby, sprout some super pale, ultra soft peach fuzz in the side-burn area ... but it disappeared promptly after birth ...

As usual, I digress .... so here I am staring at this nearly 1/2 inch hair sticking out of my chin. Where the heck did that thing come from? It wasn't there yesterday. How did it get so long so quickly??

So, I plucked away. Does that mean that I will get 2 or ten back? Oh my heavens ... I hope not.

Is this the beginning of the rapid aging process? I am too young for that, aren't I? I am not yet 40! Doesn't your body got to hell after 40? Not before?

Ironically, I am just finishing up The Estrogen Underground: Reinvention, so I guess I was subconsciously preparing myself for this aging process ... or did I curse myself by reading up on it??

Hmmmm .... something to thing about.

Frannie


Life consists not in holding good cards, but in playing those you hold well. --Josh Billings

Good habits are as easy to form as bad ones. -- Tim McCarver

In him [Jesus our Lord] and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. Ephesians 3:12

Monday, July 02, 2007

180.

This is my 180th post. I can hardly believe it, really. What have I been talkin' about?

Mostly randomness I think. Which is fine, since it pretty much sums up my life ... complete randomness.

I am starting to get over that gutted feeling. Nothing that a few days away from children wouldn't cure, I guess.

That's right, Frannie flew the coop and took some much needed personal time. I traveled to a land far, far away ... no I didn't vacation with Fiona and Shrek ... but instead attended a women's retreat in another state.

It was great. Moving. Tiring. Exhilarating. Overwhelming. Incredibly motivating!

I couldn't wait to get home and now I am ready to leave again. Isn't that how it works? You miss those darned kidlets so much (the hubby too) and then you return to them only to discover that they get on your nerves in about 2.5 minutes ... well maybe not that quickly, but close.

Anywho ... I heard some of the most motivational speakers I have ever heard, some of the saddest (girl, you think your life is messed up - wrong!) life tales, and some of the most useful wisdom that a woman could ask for.

I heard a woman named Tammy Trent speak, and her story rocked my soul. I suppose you could say that she had the perfect life, if there is such a thing ... Tammy is a Christian artist who was married to the man of her dreams (Trent) she had a very successful singing career and a great love for God.

In 2001 her perfect life crumbled. Trent dove into the beautiful waters of Jamaica and never resurfaced. The following day her family, who were desperately trying to join and comfort her, sat trapped in the states ... horrified as the terror of 9/11 developed.

Can you imagine? Me neither. Just when I think things couldn't get worse, they do. But they have never gotten to that point. And through it all, she has managed to keep her faith in Christ and help others ... all with humor.

Her book Learning to Breathe Again now sits on my bedside table ... waiting. I will read it next. I am just gearing up for it, I am pretty sure I will not stop crying (and occasionally laughing) through the entire thing ...

There is more to tell ... and I will. But if you have a chance, check out Tammy's website, you might love her as much as I do.

Frannie


It's a sad day when you find out that it's not accident or time or fortune, but just yourself that kept things from you.
Lillian Hellman


“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” (Jeremiah 17:9-10)