Hi Ho Hi Ho it's back to work I go. It will seem kinda strange after being off work for a couple months. I think I'm ready. I've had a bit of a time out from work. A personal leave if you will. But after our Canadian thanksgiving (Oct.9) I will be back to the old grind stone. I look forward to seeing my co-workers again. At least most of them. Some , however I do not look forward to seeing. I am determined to change my attitude toward such offensive people. I'm going to try to kill them with kindness. You know the saying " you can catch more flies with honey" not that I want to catch flies. Maybe that isn't the right saying. The point is , I want to adjust my way of thinking about certain folk that try to purposely push the old buttons. Wish me luck! And those of you who believe in prayer, I would appreciate all the help I can get. Being off work for 2 months has not been easy financially. I am so thankful to family who have helped me in any way they were able. I just want to give a shout out to my fantastic parents who have been there for me. I love ya mom and dad. My kids have been great too. Just in the moral support I have had from you all has really gotten me through a tough time. I only hope that some day I will be able to turn around and help others the same way.

When you have to visit a public bathroom, you usually find a line of women, so you smile politely and take your place.
Once it's your turn, you check for feet under the stall doors. Every stall is occupied.
Finally, a door opens and you dash in, nearly knocking down the woman leaving the stall.
You get in to find the door won't latch. It doesn't matter.
The dispenser for the modern "seat covers" (invented by someone's Mom, no doubt) is handy, but empty.
You would hang your purse on the door hook, if there were one, but there isn't - so you carefully but quickly drape it around your neck, (Mom would turn over in her grave if you put it on the FLOOR!), yank down your pants, and assume "The Stance."
In this position your aging, toneless thigh muscles begin to shake. You'd love to sit down, but you certainly hadn't taken time to wipe the seat or lay toilet paper on it, so you hold "The Stance."
To take your mind off your trembling thighs, you reach for what you discover to be the empty toilet paper dispenser. In your mind, you can hear your mother's voice saying, "Honey, if you had tried to clean the seat, you would have KNOWN there was no toilet paper!"
Your thighs shake more.
You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on yesterday - the one that's still in your purse. That would have to do. You crumple it in the puffiest way possible. It is still smaller than your thumbnail.
Someone pushes open your stall door because the latch doesn't work.
The door hits your purse, which is hanging around your neck in front of your chest, and you and your purse topple backward against the tank of the toilet.
"Occupied!" you scream, as you reach for the door, dropping your precious, tiny, crumpled tissue in a puddle on the floor, lose your footing altogether, and slide down directly onto the TOILET SEAT. It is wet of course.
You bolt up, knowing all too well that it's too late. Your bare bottom has made contact with every imaginable germ and life form on the uncovered seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper - not that there was any, even if you had taken time to try.
You know that your mother would be utterly appalled if she knew, because, you're certain; her bare bottom never touched a public toilet seat because, frankly, dear, "You just don't KNOW what kind of diseases you could get."
By this time, the automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is so confused that it flushes, propelling a stream of water like a fire hose that somehow sucks everything down with such force that you grab onto the toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged in too.
At that point, you give up.
You're soaked by the spewing water and the wet toilet seat.
You're exhausted. You try to wipe with a gum wrapper you found in your pocket and then slink out inconspicuously to the sinks.
You can't figure out how to operate the faucets with the automatic sensors, so you wipe your hands with spit and a dry paper towel and walk past the line of women, still waiting. You are no longer able to smile politely to them.
A kind soul at the very end of the line points out a piece of toilet paper trailing from your shoe. (Where was that when you NEEDED it??)
You yank the paper from your shoe, plunk it the woman's hand and tell her warmly, "Here, you just might need this."
As you exit, you spot your hubby, who has long since entered, used and left the men's restroom. Annoyed, he asks, "What took you so long, and why is your purse hanging around your neck?"
This is dedicated to women everywhere who deal with a public restroom (rest??? you've got to be kidding!!).
It finally explains to the men what really does take us so long.
It also answers their other commonly asked question about why women go to the restroom in pairs.
It's so the other gal can hold the door, hang onto your purse and hand you Kleenex under the door.

This is so true it is humiliating! Guys you are so lucky.

Fall is such a beautiful time of year, yet it can seem so sad to me. I love the sunshine and colors, but at the same time I feel a sadness. Things are slowly dying! soon will come the death of winter. Dark, dreary, leaveless trees, snow turned and muddy brown. Yuck! as you may have picked up , I hate the death and brown of winter. Cold, brown sugar snow covered, slippery streets. The time of year one has to pre start cars and let them warm for 20 minutes before driving them. You all from countries that don't get - 30 below would not be able to relat to this at all. It is dam cold, and dam dreary. I can't focus on that though. It still is nice hear right now. Today was coolish, but very bright and sunny. I will take it. So cheers all. Happy fall and soon thanksgiving. I will get through the cold winter like I always do. One day at a time.

I just have to brag about my little dollykins. She is so cute. And so smart. We had dinner with her tonight at great granny and grandpas house. Abby was so adorable. She was so charming, giving us kisses, high fives, and later chased us with a make believe bee. She would come to us with her bzzzzzzz, and she even acted like a snake, sssssss. When I read her the book " old McDonald book " and tried to trick her with different sounds , she would correct me. She would point to a cow ,and I would quack like a duck she would say" no cow" or when she would point to a dog I would say " meow" Abby would say " No puppy" Can't fool her. What a brilliant little girl. She gives me such delight and joy. I am so happy that she lives closer to this gramma again. Abby is the light of this grandmas world, make no mistake about it.

Wordless Wednesday!

I can't believe how beautiful it has been here. We have had hardly any rain in 3 months. It is hot and dry. For Sept. it has been in the mid to high 20's. I love it . I want to hang on to it as long as I possibly can. Although I don't much like the hot, hot days, I 'd take them over the cold days of winter any time. With winter there is a sadness. It makes me feel blue. I love color, and the dreary grey drab days of winter make me sad.
So I will enjoy the last few days of warm weather that we have. Soon it will be many months of cold and grey. I do love fall. I love the fresh, crisp air and golden leaves. It is the yuck of winter I do not like. I just have to come to terms with it . I wonder how long that will take. I have lived here for 12 years now. Oh well, with winter, comes the promise of spring and summer. And so the cycle goes.

So you have all heard by now, my kids are back in the city. My precious little grandbaby is back in the city. She is so adorable. Does she not look so cute while sleeping. The family had a get together last week. I was so happy to watch my baby play in great grandpa and grandmas garden. She was so gorgeous. I know that I am bias, but if not me then who. I'm so proud to be a grandma of a precious grandbaby.I just can't wait to spend more time with her.