I ordered my Nextbook on Sunday and chose free shipping to save a few bucks.  That usually takes awhile and they did give me a delivery date of April 5th.  I knew it would show up before then, but didn't expect it as soon as yesterday!  Needless to say, I stashed the box until Chuck went to bed and then spent 3 hours trying to make sense of it and downloading Apps.  The 1st App???  Why, Angry Birds, of course! I can see several things:

• Gonna take awhile to get used to it
• I haven't fallen totally in love with it yet (this isn't a good thing. meh)
• I need a screen protector
• I really need a case, but can only find black for this new model and I really want red! Or green, like my Nook
• Not sure about the Android OS, although it shouldn't matter
• I'm bummed that although I could install Firefox as my browser, I can't use my Yahoo  toolbar. which has all my bookmarks and I've used it for EONS.  I'm sure I can move them.

I'm not convinced that it's a keeper.  Maybe I jumped into it too soon without checking more models,  but it was hard to resist it when the Sug retail was $475 and HSN had it for $199.00.  I found it on eBay for both prices and everything in between, so I'm comfortable with the price.  I just need Poolie, or a handful of my grands to show me the wonders of it all.  If I didn't already have my beloved Nook, I would be much more enamored of it.  Geez......I sound like an old Geezer trying to make sense of modern technology!!  AGHHHH!!!  Just shoot me now!

Speaking of old geezers, this afternoon I get to go for a vascular screening of my feet.  How funny is that?  Because of my "toe issue" (which I'm not sure I ever blogged about, but wrote about on FB) the foot Dr wants to make sure that the circulation in my legs, feet and toes is okay before she confirms my problem to be from many years of frozen Alaska toes.  I sure hope that's all it is, but it could be directly related to all the damn cigarettes that I have, will and do smoke.  F*&%ing cigarettes, anyway!

I have to say that while I was in San Diego and my smoking was extremely limited, I felt a whole lot better.  But I'm not smart enough to cut back when I don't have to.  If I could just make myself go outside to smoke and not sit here at my computer puffing away, it would be such a big help.  And every night when I go to bed I say to myself, "Margaret!  Tomorrow is the day!  You will NOT smoke in the house anymore!!"  But that stupid Margaret won't listen.  I told my friend, D, the other day that I'll quit after my surgery and I get all healed up.  Then I won't have all the extra frustrations (the pain and limitations, blah blah, yada yada) to deal with.  Should be easier, right?  Yeah....right.  I doesn't matter what the circumstances are.  Smoking doesn't make it better at all, but it sure is comforting to reach for that pack of cigarettes and light one up.  Oh, well.  It won't be today cuz I just bought a carton yesterday.  Can't waste $48 now can I?????  Doh!

I must take my camera with me today and try to get some good shots of Spring Things in BFA.  There are pretty things blooming everywhere, and I need to take some pictures before it gets too damn hot for me to give a crap.

My beautiful girls are losing their winter hair and will soon be gorgeous and shiny equine beauties!  I wish I could be out there brushing them each day, but I can't.  Chuck does a little each night when he gets home, but I miss being able to do it.  Next year!  I'll be back at it next year! And the grass is growing nicely in their pasture, so that Susie is munching happily while Dixie looks longingly over the fence, watching her Mama eat fresh green yummies.  Dixie is on a diet again.  Poor horse is forever on a diet.  They need extra food in the winter to help keep up their body heat and Susie never gains, but Dixie blows up like a balloon.  She's on her annual spring time diet of hay and water....no grass, no grain, no treats......other than her morning carrots.   

There is a baby update, of sorts. Jin's contractions are too sporadic to amount to anything other than being annoying, so her Dr told her she could work if she wanted to.  That was her plan for today.  We'll see how long she lasts.  I'm making pretty good progress on the blanket.  I'm using a different pattern than I was originally and I like working on it much better.  That will make a difference!  Why?  Cuz that's how I roll!  LOL 

For now, I feel a wee cleaning spree coming on and shall knit a bit each time I need to sit down for a few.  Catch ya later!

Spring Cleanup & New Toys!

It was a beautiful sunny day here yesterday and Chuck got lots of yard work done.  Flower beds cleaned up, strawberry bed cleaned up and the garden tilled.  He also got a couple of leaf piles that had accumulated cleaned up so that I wouldn't have to worry about what may be lurking in them.  Copperheads tends to blend in very well with leaves on the ground.......Eeeep!

It IS my favorite time of year here in BF Arkansas.  I got back just in time to see the Dogwoods leaf out and they are starting to bloom.  The woods behind the house are just enchanting when all the Dogwoods are in bloom!

It would have been a perfect day for riding, and oh how I wish I could have hopped on my Susie and gone with him!!  He did have a 'victim' lined up to go riding with him, but he crapped out at the last minute.  It seems his wife had a honey do list that she insisted on being taken care of.  It's hard for Chuck to find 'victims' to go riding with him and that's a damn shame.  I've pretty much come to terms with the fact that I'll never ride again, but some days it's a real downer.

I got all my San Diego photos transferred to Flickr yesterday and actually got them all labeled, too!  I'm not always very good about that, in fact I haven't been very good about uploading my photos to Flickr lately.  I need to stay on top of that!  I didn't take near as many pictures as I intended to whilst in SD because of all of my careful packing, and remembering to pack my chargers for 3 other devices, I forgot my camera charger and extra battery.  Doh!   I will get it packed in one of my bags for my Alaska trip today! 25 days!!  Woo Hoo!!

Poor Gus puppy is depressed this AM.  He had to stay home with me for a trip to the vet.  He hates not going to work with his dear ol' dad!  But his allergies are acting up.  His eyes are running and he's got an itchy bare spot by his tail, so I wanna nip it in the bud early.  He'll snap out of it once he realizes that he will be going with me in the 'Ho and can guard it while I make a couple stops :-)


I was a bad girl yesterday and gave in to my desire for a new toy.  I've been wanting an iPad (or tablet of some sort) for quite some time now, but just couldn't justify spending that much on something that I could live without.  After seeing and playing with Poolie's, the desire to possess one increased tremendously!  And what did I find in my email when I got home, but a notice of a great deal on one at HSN......so.......I ordered this

If I find I'm not totally enchanted with it, I can always send it back......somehow I doubt that will happen.  When Poolie made the comment that since she got that, she never takes her laptop on trips with her anymore, I was 'sold'.  Between the tablet and her iPhone, everything is covered.  And every time I travel, especially by air, I find I want less and less to drag around with me.  I used to carry on all that I could and I just have no desire to do that anymore. 

Ready to FLY!

In 23 hours I will finally be boarding the plane for my month long visit to Terri & The kids! Yay! I'm nervous about the trip and how well I'll fair, but I did suck it up and made arrangements for a wheelchair to get me from the plane to my next gate and each segment of my flight.

As for my need for a wheelchair, I'll update you on my recent medical issues. My back surgeon finally sent me for X-Rays and finally looked at them and deemed my spinal fusion a total success. All had healed completely and properly and he doesn't feel that my leg pain/issues are connected to my back surgery at all. He has forwarded me to an Orthopedic specialist. Of course, the back surgeon's office screwed around for so long that I can't see the new DR until I get back from Alaska. So walking will continue to be a major issue for my entire visit, but we will all deal with it! AND! My GP, bless his heart, gave me some Vicodin to make the trip a little easier.

And so, I start all over with a new set of issues to deal with. sigh.....I swear that someone (or several someones) out there has a voodoo doll with my name on it and is busy sticking pins in it!!

I do still have some back pain but it all blends in with the leg issues and I often find myself wondering WTF I even had the surgery for to begin with! My GP feels that I had what is referred to as a "Failed Fusion" and that the surgeon (of course) wants me to think that his work was no less than perfect. We shall see, I guess. If the Orthopedic guy can't help me. or thinks I need more surgery, I will put that off as long as possible by going the Pain Management route. All speculation, at this point. I'll have to wait and see what June brings.

On top of all of that, my Cobra insurance ends July 31st and my Medicare won't start until the following March so in all reality, it may be another year before I can really accomplish much of anything. Lovely....just f&%$ing lovely!

Around here it has been raining for 40 days and 40 nights with much flooding of the area. Roads washed out, gigantic hail storms, tornados zipping around our heads, touching down NEAR us, but luckily not too close. And so, I shall leave the mess in Arkansas and go to 'break up' in Alaska, where there is much mud, many pot holes and melting of snow, layer by layer. The awakening of Spring in the Great Land is really lovely to behold. In a couple of weeks, it will be beautiful beyond measure.
But for me, the faces I see tomorrow afternoon will REALLY be what is beautiful beyond measure!!

I will sink into that welcoming home, full of love and comfort and enjoy and absorb every snippet of it! And there will be much celebrating while I am there! My birthday, Mother's Day, Terri's birthday and Riley's graduation!!! So much fun to be had! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

CAN WE GO HOME NOW????

I have mentioned on previous posts that I have been working on Hubby's tax info. As background for some of you, he has his own small construction company. His original plan, when we came to Arkansas 7 1/2 years ago (eeep) was to start a construction company, build it up, sell it and we would return HOME to Alaska. At that time he figured it would take about 2 years. So, we packed up all his tools and equipment on his flat bed truck, loaded the motorhome and headed for Arkansas in August of 2003. {side note....Morg@n Stanley had lost most of our retirement funds for us and this was his "fix" for that)

He did really well, but things took a bit of a different turn than I expected. Anyways, after a year and a half of living in the motorhome I finally told him that he had to "shit or get off the pot". It was my hope that he would 'get off the pot' and we would just go home! But NoOoOoO.......He decided to take a dump! Told me to start looking for a house. The one time in allllll these years I stand up to him and it back fired!

After searching and searching and spending all my spare time driving around the country side looking at houses (wish I'd had my iPhone with the GPS then!)I finally found this one and it was perfect!Out of town, but not too far. 5 acres, with lots of room for the horses he has always wanted. And a nice, well built, well laid out home......so. Here we are. Sold our dream home in Alaska (that we planned and waited so many years to build....sigh) and bought this place. Am I happy? Not usually, but most days I try to make the best of it. I miss my Terri and the kids SOOOO much! And I miss Alaska and the unique and awesome lifestyle. And I miss my friends. {Don't even need to get into missing the 70 degree summers and how I hate 100 plus with dripping humidity} Don't get me wrong. Chuck misses Terri and the kids, too. A lot. Alaska, not so much (the dork), but he calls himself a "realist" and this is the way it has to be. What he thinks is the right thing for us. OK.

Anyway, Hubby is happy. Doing what he loves and he is very successful and has a great business and a terrific reputation. He's all hands on but has 2 people working full time and a couple of part timers come and go. We are surviving nicely, in these bad economic times and are VERY fortunate!

So, back to our tax info. I was totaling up everything and when I was done, I turned to him and said, "OMG! You grossed over $237,000. last year!!" He said, "Holy crap! That's almost a 1/4 of a million dollars!". I got up, walked over to him, put my arms around his neck, looked into his eyes and quietly asked........."can we go home now?". The SOB laughed. But only until I wapped him upside the head!

I tried. What can I say? Never hurts to ask.

I do have to say that he is pretty amazing. He is 70, going on 50, I'd say. High energy,{pain in the ass}, hard working,{superior attitude} ambitious,{BIG ego}, healthy, generous {show off}......we are very fortunate, indeed. Gotta take the bad with the good and just let it go.........LOL

But seriously. 1/4 of a million dollars! The 1st year {2004} he did about $89,000. I think. It's been growing ever since, but then so does the overhead. Hell, just his materials this year came to almost $100,000., sub-contractors were $80,000, payroll, equipment, maintenance, vehicles, hay and horse feed! There's no end to it! So, yes....while we are pretty comfortable, his gross is NOT what we live on! I wish!! I'd be flying to Alaska every month!!

We've had some rough times since coming here. Things that put a huge wedge between us, when for over 30 years we had what I thought was the "perfect relationship". Things that made me resent him.....that I may or may not be 'over'. My Mom died in a damn Assisted Living home before I could get her down here (if she could have even made the trip). He put me in a precarious situation that turned around and bit him squarely in the ass, but I'm the one that suffered for it. Went thru the whole I filed for divorce thing and survived that, but the aftermath has been rough. I think my surgery was a big turning point for us and although our relationship is very different than it was, it's pretty darn good right now! Guess that's a story for another day......maybe.