OH WHAT A NIGHT

Since I have no grandchildren I have been babysitting on Friday evenings for my friends Dawn and Bryan who have 3 children, 1 boy Taylor and 2 girls Cailey and Cassidy. Taylor was just a little guy when I first met him and he is now all grown up and helps out Mom allot with his sisters. He is not usually around on Friday evenings as he is busy with sports and other things. Cailey is 4 and has such an imagination, We play games and make believe allot and it amazes me how smart she is, very intelligent for sure. Cailey definitely will not let me get bored as we move on from one pretend game to the next.





Cassidy will be 2 in May. She is a bit more stubborn than her sister and will let you know if you don't get it just the way she wants. Also living in this household is a big white lab named Lucy. Lucy is huge, she eats lots of treats and leftovers that Cassidy and Cailey drop on the floor. Lucy is probably the most gentle dog that I have ever encountered. Lucy will be sleeping on her back on her sofa and Cassidy will be trying to pull her ears ,tail or trying to poke out her eyes. Lucy just stretches and yawns and goes back to sleep.





This past Friday evening I had just gotten the girls settled down in bed, Cailey was watching the Muppet's in her bed while waiting to fall asleep and Cassidy was out like a light. I went into the living room and settled down to watch a little TV. I kept noticing bright flashes of light and it was weird. I watched a few minutes of the TV show and kept seeing flashes of light. I got up and looked out the window toward the main road and it seemed to be very bright outside for a cold winter night of 18 degrees. I saw nothing and then looked out the side window facing the yard and the house next door.





I was totally amazed and quite speechless at what I saw on this bone chilling January night. The neighbours house next door was ablaze and the whole front section of the house and roof had flames shooting up and out from every direction. I yelled at Gary to dial 911. We watched in amazement as we awaited the fire trucks,ambulances,news reporters and who knows what or who else might have been there with lights flashing. The house had a long steep driveway and sat on top of the hill. The driveway was covered in snow and ice and I watched in deep thought as the brave firefighters climbed up that icy driveway and put their lives at risk to perhaps save others. The fire hydrants were quite a distance away at the beginning and end of the street so they had to keep sending more fire trucks to keep up with the demand for water. It was exhilarating,terrifying,sad, and beautiful too. I was hoping no one was in the house and I haven't heard for sure yet but I do not think anyone was home. Lucky for them because this fire was raging. It was so eerily beautiful on this frigid night with flames dancing in the wind so high in the sky with red embers flying around like fireworks, I saw the windows blow out and after it got air it got more fierce and raged and swayed in the cold night. There were blue sparks flying from the front side near the front door and I am guessing this was the electrical wires connected to the power poles burning. I felt so bad for whomever lived there as it was clear that this fire was not going to be put out easily. I felt bad for the firemen who fought with their huge fire hoses to put it out and it seemed the more they sprayed water into and onto the house that the huge billowing clouds of smoke just rolled and covered the night. When I saw the roof cave in I knew it was hopeless.





I felt bad for the homeowner who had lost everything as I knew now the fire was just being controlled and that the home and everything inside it was a total loss. How sad.





When I was in the 6th grade my parents house caught on fire from some sort of electrical problem and all was also lost in this blaze. I was not at home that night as it was the weekend and I spent most of my weekends at grandma Lula's house. I was more than lucky that night as I had all my Barbies and their clothing with me. I had no clothing for myself anymore other than what I had in my overnight bag but Barbie was set and Ken as well. I stood at Dawn's house and watched someone else's hopes and dreams go up in smoke just like my parents dreams did many years ago. Even though I was not at home when our house went up in flames, I have been terrified of fire and always make sure to double check things to make sure it doesn't happen easily.





People from our neighborhood got together and found us a place to stay and made sure that I. my two brothers, sister, and my parents had food and clothing . People were very kind and just took us underneath their wings and helped us along for the next few weeks. Dad eventually rebuilt a new home where the old home stood and Mom was very happy to have everything new again. I remember how she shopped for carpet, paint and furniture with a smile on her face.





One can only hope and pray that the people on this street will ban together and do the same for who ever lived in this house, who has lost all their clothing, furniture, and mementos. I will always remember my mom saying that she would have liked to have gotten out our family photos as material things can be replaced and memories cannot.





Gary and I have decided that we will never again be without a camera. We did not have even the cell phone with us this night and we got no photos of this terrifying event.





The photos would have been great and we had a perfect view. Dawn had a camera but no batteries so we ended up with no photos to show you. It is hard to understand the magnitude of this fire without actually seeing it with your own two eyes..





Pray for the family who lived here as they are going to need all the blesings they can get.
Will take and post photos of the girls and Lucy for next week.

The best looking man in Daytona Beach and his wife Karen

My husband's BFF Mike used to live here in Charleston and later moved to the Daytona Beach area. He dubs himself the best looking guy in Daytona Beach.

Mike is a crazy guy and will have you rolling with his jokes, one must wonder how he has made it thus far in life as he is always the life of the party. He gets up to visit us in Charleston at least once a year as he has lots of children and now lots of grandchildren. Mike has 4 boys and a daughter. Can't you just imagine how this poor young lady got pranked growing up with all those males, not to mention the Dad figure who probably put the guys up to it as he is still an overgrown child himself.

Karen is Mike's wife and she is really a nice, patient lady. I asked her one time how she puts up with Mike as I don't think I could do it on a daily basis. I am quite sure he would drive me insane and that I would be headed to the loony bin tied up in a strait jacket and babbling nonsense all the way. Karen just shrugged and said " Oh, he doesn't act up quite as much at home."

You would have to experience his witty humor to know what I am saying. One must wonder how he can think up all the funny things that come out of his mouth. or where he finds the time to come up with his latest saying or joke. I myself have trouble even remembering jokes.

He is also a very stubborn man and when he gets his mind set it's Mikes way or no way.

Karen on the other hand is very soft spoken, gentle and sweet. This lady is a keeper and will have a seat on the right hand side of God when she goes to heaven just for the fact that she has put up with Mike and all those boys.

My husband Gary was on the phone with Mike today and I could hear him laughing from the upstairs bedroom. You would think that after all the years that they have been buds that he would not still be laughing at all those jokes. I don't think that anyone else in the world could make his funny bone be as tickled as his BFF Mike.

We love you Mike and Karen as you keep life interesting. I could have told a few things on you Mike for the world to see just how crazy you really are, but I will be good and not embarrass you as I am afraid the payback would be a bitch.

Friend or Acquaintance

I am sure it has happened to all of us at one time or another in our lifetimes. We have all these so called BEST BUDS or BEST FRIENDS who we take underneath our wings and confide in and share our friendships with.

After being a shop owner for the past 10 years I have developed many friends and alot of acquaintances too. I seem to be one of those people who attract nutty and weird people and I do not know why or how this happens. I can go to a party or event and the strangest people come up to me and befriend me, by the time the event is over I could be on my way to writing a book on these peoples lives, Not only do they befriend me, they clue me in on everything that has happened to them in their lifetimes, I know what they had for breakfast, dinner last night and last week as well. Like I said I do not understand why this happens, I had a shrink who shopped at my shop on occasion and I asked him about this problem one day while he was browsing in the shop. He explained it as a real thing and told me I do not imagine it and that it is my aura, shining brightly for the world to see and it in turn attracts people to me and they then have a need to open up to me and tell me all about things that I do not need to know. Aura, Karma, whatever, I wish it would go away. This shrink then said to me * I am a fool with a lot of money and I do make a great date."

I have a girlfriend who has been to marriage counseling and who has been to counseling for every thing you can imagine. She gets so mad at me for telling her that I do not believe in shrinks or counselors. I do not think that a person who has studied a book can help me in my real life. That counselor has never been in my shoes, lived my live, and cannot get inside my mind to see how I am feeling. The only help for me is myself and I would have to want the help in order for it to benefit me. My friend on the other hand keeps trying to feel better with an educated opinion of someone else other than depending on herself for the help. I have seen her go to many shrinks and counselors and nothing ever seems to get resolved for her.

Back to the friend thing, Have you ever had a friend who wants to be only your friend and he or she only wants you to have him or her as your only friend? They seem to get jealous if you have anyone else in their presence. I have never understood this and never will. I like to have lots of friends and feel the more the merrier.

My used to be best friend from high school was the one friend that I thought I would have a good friendship with forever. We were together with our husbands almost every weekend until about 10 years ago. Then the time in my life that I really needed her friendship she was definitely not there for me. My husband suffered a serious illness and was in the hospital for months due to a stroke, He was in a wheelchair for many months afterwards. My best friend called and showed concern but never once did she come to visit him in the hospital or at our home while he was in the wheelchair. When I opened up my gift shop she also never one time came to see it or wish me well. Every week I would get an invite to bring him to her house for dinner and to visit. I would tell her that It was to complicated to get him in and out of the car and that he would do much better at our house, that she should come to our house to visit, she always had an excuse and I think she must have finally gotten the message that I thought she was very selfish, and inconsiderate and she finally stopped calling at all. This is a best friend alright.

I met another so called best friend who was a good customer at my gift shop, over the years we became quite close and I thought we would always be friends. Well she had a lousy marriage and I wish I had a quarter for all the stories and listening I did through the years about her lousy husband. I suppose miracles do happen and somehow they got back on track with their relationship and put the marriage back together with much help from the little blue pill that men take. Guess what happened then???

Although I was very happy for her as I knew that she had been hoping to get their problems resolved for quite a long time. Her husband decided that she didn't need to have any friends now, just him. A grown man became jealous of our friendship and worst of all she let him. I told her that when things blow up and she needs me to be her friend again, to listen to all that crap again, that I definitely will not be there for her.....

Another good friend who becomes a past acquaintance. Last but not least I am sure that you have all had a friend like this next one.

You are best buds, you do nice things for each other and can talk about anything and everything. The good friend goes and does something really stupid and inconsiderate, they know when they do this that you are going to be upset with them, so rather than face the music they who have done the stupid thing that they know will piss you off, gets mad at you because they have done the wrong thing.

Think about it. Friend or Acquaintance? A true friend is always a part of your life whether it be good times or bad times.A true friend is there for you no matter what may happen. A true friend takes your feelings into consideration. they are not selfish only thinking about themselves or about what might benefit them, A true friend certainly will not do stupid things to piss you off and then get mad at you because of something they did by choice. A true friend will not owe you $ that you loaned to them weeks ago and avoid the issue by not keeping in touch or returning your calls.

I hope all my best friends out there get to read this. There is no need to bring up names

as you know who you are.

.

Happy Birthday To Me

January 23rd is my birthday and a girl just never admits her age. You are all welcome to guess I think that is a fun game, I will never tell though.

I got lots of cards from my friends and my favorite one is a singing group of cats and kittens singing Happy Birthday with meow, meow, meow. My girlfriend Dorlinda sent it and it is sooo cute. I also got new clothes, some books, Stephen King and one book entitled WHAT DOES YOUR CAT THINK? WHAT IS HE OR SHE TRYING TO TELL YOU? I do not know if I really want to know the answers to this question. The book looks interesting though and has lots of cute kitty photos too.

I also got some makeup stuff, and a Hello Kitty ring with diamond accents, Now I will be in style like all the movie stars wearing the Hello Kitty. Oh joy.

The gift I loved most was the weather, It was 59 degrees and quite pleasant outside for a day anyway. It has been very cold and yucky here and I am so ready for spring and to get outside and enjoy sunshine. I have never been a fan of winter as it seems my hands, feet, and nose are so cold that they never seem to warm up. I wonder sometimes how one can stay so cold and still be alive. If my birthday wasn't in winter I could have a cook out and a celebration in the park.

A winter baby I am though. AQUARIUS the Water Bearer.

Happy Birthday to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WITH MANY MORE TO COME.