JUST ONE YEAR TO MEDICARE!

Today, I turned 64 years of age. I don't feel any older than I did 10 years ago for which I am very thankful.

I have been thinking all day about that Paul McCartney song, "When I'm 64". It says: "Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm 64?"

Age has never bothered me except when I went from 29 to 30. I sure did not want to leave my twenties for some reason.

Now, at 64, I am older and wiser and more comfortable with myself. I don't worry about what others think. I know what I like and don't like. I think I have mellowed and I am more accepting of life.

I have finally realized that I will not live forever and I need to do the things I enjoy now.

I have found that I can be silly with my grandson and make a fool of myself and people think it is just my age! If I don't answer right away it is my hearing. If I give a stupid answer or can't remember or talk about the weather too much that just comes with getting older. I get the senior discount at Kroger and they carry out my groceries. Most of the time, I get doors opened for me. I don't worry so much about eating that dessert as I once did. Once I started thinking about the good things I could go on and on.

I am so thankful that at my age I do not take any kind of medicine and as far as I know I am in good health.

I had a great birthday with cards and calls from friends and family here and on facebook and in the blog world.

In the words of the columnist, Ellen Goodman, "These are my good days and not-quite-yet old days".

How do you feel about your age?

MY 100th BLOG POST!

Today's post marks 100 entries I have made on this site! It is amazing how fast they add up. My first post was in April 2008. I have enjoyed blogging so much and have made so many friends out there in blog land from Scotland to Australia to the United Kingdom, India, Canada, and right here in the United States.

I appreciate each and every blogging friend and all the great comments you leave here. This has been a place to laugh, cry, vent, play, and express love for friends and family and get to know some wonderful people far and wide.

I thought for this post, I would show you my blogging place where I spend a lot of time reading your comments, writing comments on your blogs and just generally hang out when I am on the computer. We post pictures of flowers, trips, birds, and a zillion other things but this is where I am actually coming from! It is just a small room in my home that I use for my computer and my monster.

I hate the computer desk but it does the job for now. I plan to replace it in the future. I have all my cookbooks, recipes, and files in this room.

My "monster" is my pilates that looks like some kind of torture machine but actually works very well if I use it often. It keeps my arthritis from acting up and keeps me limber.

I have a small t.v. mounted up in one corner of the room so that I can keep up with my shows and be on the computer at the same time.

The shelves hold my cookbooks and family pictures.

These black and white framed pictures of my grandson, Thomas Wyatt, on the wall are some of my favorites.

Bob made me this little cherry table and I love it!

The picture below is a collage my son did for me. The girl is me when I was in grade school.

Now, you have some idea or thought in your head of where I am coming from when I write or comment.

I challenge all my blogging friends out there to do a post on their blog site! This has been fun to do and a great year for me just getting to know you all. Thanks again and hugs to you from me. I tried to make these pictures so they would blow up if you clicked on them but for some reason it would not let me do it this time. Does anyone else have problems with pictures on blogger?

GOOD BYE TO FAYE.

Just a quick note to my blogging friends to let you know I will be offline for a few days. My family sufferred a great loss on Thursday this week when we lost my niece to cancer. She had been battling this dreadful monster for several years and passed away on Thursday evening. I was just getting ready to walk out the door to go spend the night at the hospital with my sister, her mother, and got the call that it was too late and not to make the trip.

She was only 53 years old. We know that she is in a better place but our hearts are still very heavy and we will miss her so much.

I need to spend time with my family and will be back soon. Love to all my blogging friends.

AN OVERNIGHT VISITOR

Thomas Wyatt, my 21 month old grandson, came for a visit over the weekend. His dad, Rob, dropped him off around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday and he spent the night with his Nana Juju.

My niece had given me a small sliding board that belonged to her granddaughter and I could not wait to show it to TW. I was not disappointed. He absolutely loved it and played on it the entire time he was at my house. He went down the correct way in the beginning and then backward, head first, sideways, and any other way he could think of to try.

He loves Elmo and has several Elmo tapes here to watch. He doesn't like cartoons on t.v. but is totally mesmerized by Elmo for some reason. He likes to push his little trucks around on the floor and seldom takes a nap when he is here because he is so excited to see his toys and books that stay here for him when he visits.

TW has a small stool that I keep in the closet. He gets it out and puts it at the end of my coffee table and we put a placemat there so he can eat snacks, drink juice, and watch Elmo.

He loves bath time and when he is ready for bed, Nana stays with him until he goes to sleep. He slept from 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. He gets up in a great mood and we get him dressed and he has cheerios for breakfast.

Dad picked him up early and he was blowing me kisses over Dad's shoulder when they left. My only grandson has become such a joy in my life!

WHAT'S IN A NAME?????

What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. - William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

The first week in March is Name Pride Week. Today, March 4, is Learn What Your Name Means Day and the Friday of the first full week of March is Middle Name Pride Day. Many sources mistakenly think that Middle Name Pride Day falls on the same day every year but that is not the case. This year it falls on March 6.

A parent often selects a name to honor a friend or relative. That person may have possessed certain characteristics that they wanted you to inherit.

Until the Civil War, middle names simply were not that common in the United States. Sometimes, a mother will have all her children's first names starting with the same letter of the alphabet. In the past, hurricanes have been named for women. There are hundreds of websites that help you to find a name for your children, dogs, cats, horses, and even boats! I found funny names, celebrity names, happy names and unique names. There are many websites that tell you the meaning of names. Here is one you might want to check out: http://www.behindthename.com/

Many people don't like their names and some go so far as to have them changed. A lot of people never reveal their middle names to anyone and often just use the first letter of their middle name when signing a check, etc.

This week we should all take pride in our first and middle given names. Supposedly, one way to celebrate is to reveal your middle name to at least three other people.

My middle name is "Ann". There used to be a potato salad out called, " Judy Ann Potato Salad".

Several times, I had people ask me if I was connected with the company when they found out my middle name. I went to school with a girl named Clara Bell. She was teased to death because there was a clown on the Howdy Doody Show by that name.

Do you have any hangups about your name? Do you dislike it? Are you named after someone you know or a relative? Do you know any really funny names?

AN AWARD, A MEME, AND A CHALLENGE!!!

First of all I have received another, "I Love Your Blog Award" from Jeanne of I Like To Be Here When I Can. Please check out her blog. Thanks, Jeanne. I would like to nominate the following people: Clairz of The Zees Go West, Nancy at Life Is Good..., Ugich at gappa, Rachel at Sliding through life , Junie at Junie's Place, Amber Star at serenity days, Anne and Leigh at My Twin Daughters Blog, Twin Crossroads. Please check out these great blogs. If you were nominated and would like to participate, save the award and place it in your sidebar, and nominate the people whose blog you love.

Second, Kate of . . . . . . . . . SHAMBLES MANOR . . has nominated me to carry the torch for the meme to name five of my current addictions, so here goes:

1. Blogging - I love all my blogging friends and enjoy very much reading blogs.

2. Sweets - I love cake, cookies, ice cream, candy, chocolate. If it has sugar, I like it!

3. Tea - I drink tea all the time. It is my favorite drink.

4. Reality Shows - I love just about every one of them.

5. Consignment Shops, Flea Markets and Antique Malls. I can spend hours browsing through them all.

Now, I nominate 2 people to carry the torch for this meme. Jeanne of I Like To Be Here When I Can and Amber Star of serenity days. If you two decide to carry the torch, please nominate two people for this. Thanks.

Next, is a challenge from Clara of Clara's Corner asking, "Who Will Take The Challenge?" If you decide you want to take the challenge, you have to list 100 things about yourself. If not interested in this challenge or reading my list, just skip this post. I will tell you one thing. This is not easy. I had to make a list and add to it as things popped into my head and it was a challenge but turned out to be fun. So my list is below.

1. I have 3 children, twin girls and a boy, Anne Parker and Leigh Harper, and Charles Robert.

2. I have one grandchild, a boy 16 months old, Thomas Wyatt

3. I have a wonderful daughter-in-law, Sarah

4. I love all my family very much.

5. I am 5' 3" tall

6. I am a people person

7. I love God

8. I love to cook.

9 I love to read, non-fiction and biographies. Not much on fiction.

10.I graduated high school, real estate school, and some college.

11. I like to live simply but comfortably.

12. I color my hair but hate doing it.

13. I am very organized.

14. I like to fish

15. I love flowers

16. I like to work outside in the yard

17. I like to play gin rummy

18. I like lots of different kinds of music, but not rap

19. Tea is my favorite drink

20. Scent of a Woman is my favorite movie.

21. I do my own nails.

22. I am an early riser

23. I love retirement

24. I talk to my girls on the phone every day and sometimes more than once.

25. I am afraid of strong wind and storms. Too many big trees in my yard.

26. I am afraid of spiders, even the tiny ones. They sneak up on you.

27. I love reality t.v. shows, Big Brother, Survivor, Dancing with the Stars, America's Got Talent, Idol. Like them all.

28. I love my computer, a lot of my friends are in it.

29. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday

30. Fall is my favorite season

31. I used to deer, rabbit, and squirrel hunt but I am no Sarah Palin!

32. I love pottery

33. I can't work as hard as I once did.

34. I can't play an instrument

35. I love watching the sun come up

36. I love beaches

37. I love to walk

38. I don't like cold weather or snow

39. I like to hang clothes out to dry

40 I love shoes

41. I love handbags, new ones, used ones, cheap ones, expensives ones. Love them all.

42. I used to live on a farm and loved it. Raised a big garden and canned vegetables, worked in tobacco, and had chickens, horses, a cat and two dogs, and cattle.

43. I am a good speller (most of the time)

44. I owned and ran a country store for seven and a half years.

45. I retired from state government

46. I love a fireplace and woodstove

47. I have sold real estate

48. I don't take any kind of medicine.

49. I wear glasses

50. I used to be a runner and ran 5k races. Won a trophy in my 40s. Ran my last race 4 years ago.

51. I like comfortable clothes, jeans, and sweats.

52. I hate high-heeled shoes

53. I broke every bone in my left foot and spent 13 days in the hospital in 1993.

54. I have 10 screws and a plate in my left foot from the fall I took in #53.

55. I have weird dreams sometimes.

56. I get one lottery ticket on Wednesday and one on Saturday

57. New Orleans is one of my favorite places.

58. I did some freelance writing and was published in several magazines back in the 80s.

59. I am the middle child with an older and younger sister, no brothers.

60. I love my state of Kentucky

61. My favorite song is Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.

62. My favorite food is shrimp

63. I have a pilates that I work out on.

64. I am allergic to ragweed

65. I like helping other people

66. I like to take pictures and carry my camera with me most of the time.

67. My son is an very good artist, has acted in several movies, and works for a t.v. station.

68 My girls own a farm and horses, barrel race, are great horsewomen, and one works in the cattle industry and the other works for a magazine.

69. My daughter in law is a director at the Ronald McDonald House

70. I love my life

71. I am healthy as far as I know

72. I am mostly easy going but if pushed will come out fighting.

73. I used to smoke but quit several years ago

74. I may have a glass of wine or a beer once in a great while

75. I am left handed

76 I have a soft heart

77. I cry when I watch a sad movie

78 I have a sense of humor and love to make people laugh

79 My favorite color is blue but I like purple flowers

80. I used to love to dance

81. I admire people who can sing and play an instrument

82. I like poetry

83. I like to be around happy people that enjoy life

84. I absolutely love those little dollar hot fudge sundaes at McDonalds.

85. I made enough money on ebay one winter just selling stuff Bob and I wanted to get rid of to fly to Florida and spend 8 days on the beach.

86. I have a cell phone that only works half the time from my house. I don't like cell phones!

87. I admire people that are able to do things with their hands like crochet, knit, etc. I don't have the patience.

88. I am a Libra.

89. I take a one a day vitamin and calcium every day.

90. I have been single longer than I have ever been married. (That is a long story for another time)

91. I have green eyes

92. I have a wonderful man in my life and I love and appreciate him very much.

93. Bob and I have been seeing each other for 4 years.

94. My hair is fine and thin (Hence all the bad hair days on my blog)

95. I love clocks

96. I need to replace my carpet in my house

97. I am always getting rid of stuff and calling myself downsizing.

98. I am a very lucky person.

99. I would not change anything about my life.

100. I am glad I did this but glad it is finished!

Clara, This was a hard thing to do! I challenge anyone with the stamina to try this!

Twenty Things That Make Me Happy Besides Money!

1. Family

2. Friends

3. Sunrises

4. Smell of Rain

5. Books

6. Laughter

7. The Sound of Birds Chirping

8. The Satisfaction of Hard Work

9. Being Comfortable In My Own Skin

10. Getting rid of "stuff" I don't need

11. Giving

12. Good Hair Moments

13. Shoes

14. Coffee In The Morning

15. Cooking

16. My Home

17. Chocolate

18. Thanksgiving Dinner

19. Spontaneity

20. Handbags

Leave me a comment with some of the things that make you happy!