Me

As of this "ME" update (7/10/2011) I am 59 years old.  In my head, I'm 30 something but my body has betrayed me and for the past 3 years I have been living with back & hip issues that have resulted in a couple of surgeries and basically put my life in a very painful holding pattern, of sorts.A back injury about 13 years ago or so, which seemed totally insignificant at the time, resulted in my need for a 4 tier Lumbar Spinal Fusion, which was performed on 3/29/2010.  That was a big improvement for awhile....then my hips started up.  Long story, short....Congenital Deformity and some serious arthritis resulted in "bone on bone' situation in my right hip and my left hip is about 3/4 of the way there.  I had a Total Hip Replacement of my right hip on 6/20/2011 and am currently in the recovery process.  I still have some pain, but I can say that it is 1000% better than it was!  Hopefully my left hip will give me a few years before we have to do it again.

I am currently a Defective Domestic Engineer, but my past work history includes Bartender and factory worker (70's), photo processing goddess, office supply sales person and Operations Supervisor for 15 years at same office supply store.  Came to Arkansas and got into banking for 5 years, then a couple misc jobs and THEN I began my 1 year career as a Wal*Mart cashier.  That was done to acquire the medical benefits required for my much needed spinal fusion surgery.  It was a very long and painful year, but I wouldn't trade it for anything!  Worked with some awesome people, made some great friends, and got first hand experience at viewing and dealing with all the W*M craziness!


1. I am mother to 1, my sweet darling daughter, Terri (aka Irisheyes ) and Grammy to her 5 totally awesome children; Riley (18), Maggie (14), Emily (12), Timothy (10) and Xander (5).  You will hear about them often! They still live in my beloved Alaska.

2. I am a Pepsi-holic.

3. I am a coffee-holic, but also a coffee snob. Has to be GOOD beans and freshly ground. NO Folgers or Maxwell house for me!

4. Another addiction Cinnamon Lattes with extra cinnamon.

5. I have over 200 Boyd*s Bears

6. I collect depression glass

7. Hubby and I have been together over 43 years. Will be married for 34 in August '11.

8. Cats:  I recently lost my 13 year old Black Smoke Persian, named Princess Esmeralda (aka Puss Puss) to kidney failure. Wish I had about 6 more. I LOVE cats!!

Also have Murphy, my Maine Coon cat that I rescued from a local shelter.  She was about 1 1/2 when I got her (Nov '10) and the most adorable terrorist one could ever hope to meet!

9. We have 2 horses. Missouri Fox Trotters. Mama Susie and her filly Dixie. You will also see and hear about them a lot here!

10. We have 1 dog. Gus. 5 year old Cocker Spaniel (as of Feb 13, '11). Black with a white chin and a white blaze on his neck and chest.

11. I was born and raised in Unadilla (upstate), New York.

12. Moved to Alaska with Hubby and daughter in 1976 at age 23.

13. My real name is Margaret (after my maternal grandmother). Always been called Peg or Peggy. (and always wished I’d been called Maggie!)

14. I love all things Mary Engelbreit.

15. I love quilting and need to spend a lot more time doing it!

16. The love of quilting also makes me a Fabric Hound. I have a humongous fabric stash, alot of which was purchased in our traveling days. And I can tell you exactly where I bought each piece! Now if I could just remember important stuff! LOL

17. I love fun socks.

18. Never wore socks much until I moved from Alaska to Arkansas. Figure that one out! I can’t…

19. I LOVE to take pictures and am sadly disappointed in most of the results!

20. Hubby & I were once co-owners of a photo processing lab.

21. One of my favorite Alaskan memories will always be tearing up the back woods turf (or tundra) on my Suzuki King Quad 4 wheeler.! I was hot!! Our friends called me “Gramma Mudder” :)

22.I love flowers and gardens.  The planting of and harvesting of.  Hate the rest of it!  Thankfully Hubby likes that part :)

23. I love to cook and bake (but, why must I do it everyday!?!?!)

24.  I used to crochet a lot, but am getting into knitting.  I really think it's all about buying beautiful yarn to keep my fabric company in my sewing room!

25. Hubby 1st retired in the fall of 1999 after 40 years in the construction trade.  We bought a motorhome and spent the next 4 winters traveling all over the Unites States, before he decided that he wanted to come to Arkansas and start his own small construction company.  Still have the motorhome, and some days I look at it and wish we had never stopped driving!

26. Have discovered a fantastic sport to LOVE.  Roller Derby!  Terri and Riley are team members and it is amazing to watch.  I love, love, love that they are into this and Riley is SO good!!  Maggie & Emily are learning and we are all hoping for a Junior league for them and several others to make up a team.  

I'm sure there's more.....I'll be back!