She's Comin' Down

hey y'all!

on the way home from today's thrifting haunts, i drove by "my" old silver water tower as usual. it seems i've always lived nearby this water tower, ever since i was born. it was an icon of my childhood. a part of the scenery and background of my life.

when i was a little girl, i used to imagine it bursting and flooding the neighborhood ... but mainly i had happy thoughts and memories of it. the silver tower served as a beacon in many ways. i always knew HOME was close by.

well, i was gobsmacked to see HUMANS on top of it and quickly pulled over to take some pictures. then i drove closer to investigate. were they cleaning it??

i drove down the little side street leading to the fenced-in area at the bottom of the tower ... and discovered a full crew of worker men, cranes, etc. OH! they're renovating it, i thought to myself. how nice!

i noticed a clark kent-looking guy, notebook & pen in hand, interviewing what must've been a supervisor, because all he was doing was standing there in his hard hat, smoking a cig. it didn't take long for them to spot me and soon they were at my car.

i babbled on and on about how special this water tower was to me, growing up in the shadows of this silver giant, blah blah blah ... and then the reporter blurted out, "well you DO know they're tearing it down?!"

"uh, no. i did NOT know that. i thought y'all were cleaning it. or even better ... renovating it. you can't tear down my tower!"

"it's not being used," said hard hat. "they built a newer one over on lake road."

like. THAT. mattered. to. me.

clark kent started asking me reporter-type questions and scribbling fast and furious (i talk fast) about my history with the tower (oh, we go WAY back, all the way to 1961). my sweet little elementary school (fowler elem) is right across the street, where i spent 6 years of my childhood and many hours on the playground swings and slides, looking up at my huge silver friend and wondering what it'd be like to climb up that high. scary!!!

after chatting with hard hat and clark, i left the scene feeling a definite and significant sense of loss. tomorrow, i'm told, is when the "BIG" crane comes and "that's when things will really start coming down fast," hard hat had told me.

i don't think i can watch it. how do you watch an old friend just crumble (or clang) to the ground?? i circled the streets and took a few more shots of the silver giant, realizing this may be the last time i see her standing there.

keeping Perspective in check, i realize a water tower isn't a person or pet. i've lost both and nothing compares to that grief. but it's still a loss ... perhaps just a symbolic icon of my childhood and the fact that sometimes memories will have to do.

love and hugs,
terry lee

I Can't Talk Now. I'm Breathing!

Hey Y'all!!!!!!

It's been so long since I've blogged ... AND blogger has changed SO much since I've last written, that I don't know HOW or WHERE to begin!!

What I really wanted to write about is my CPAP machine, which is now history. Well, it's still in the house but will be gone just as soon as I can manage it.

I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea a couple of years ago, after a two-night sleep study. What a joke! The sleep study, that is. Sleep apnea is no laughing matter. It can lead to chronic health problems if untreated. Apparently, your body needs lots of good, restorative sleep. Who knew?!

Anyways, for two years I've been putting off the inevitable, mainly because I KNEW I wasn't cut out for a CPAP machine. I was right!

After some not-so-gentle nudging from my doctor, I decided to give it a whirl. After all, it couldn't hurt me, right? WRONG.

The medical supply girl came to my house last week and set me up. Instructions, supplies, a trial run with my "dosage" of air. It was all fun and games until I put the contraption on for the night. GAAAHHHHH.

Sure, I was medicated. To. THE. HILT. Like most sane folks, I do NOT care for anything covering my face/nose/mouth at any time of the day or night. But especially when I'm trying to SLEEP. So I figured the drugs would prevent any anxiety associated with all that garbage attached to my head.

No. Wrong again.

I lasted about 2 hours, if that. At 12:30am, I had drifted off and woke with a start. I yanked off the mask, tubing and whatever else was attached and bolted out of bed. That's when I realized that my nasal passages were sore and my right eye (I'd recently had surgery on this eye for a blocked tear duct) was uncomfortable.

The next morning, I emptied the water from the humidifier section, disconnected the hose/tubing/mask and packed it all away ... right back into its nifty black bag and zipped up the case, along with any desire I'd had to be a successful CPAP user.

Some users have concerns about their sleep partners. Some of those sleep partners have concerns of their own. Mine (my dear hubby) had only one: "will the machine make any noise that might keep me awake?" No, the thoughtful inventors designed it to be as quiet as a mouse. Or almost. And even BETTER: the user can't TALK while using the CPAP because the air flow will be disrupted ... something my hubby was happy to learn! Grrrrr. Not being able to talk or open my mouth at will?! Impossible!

But speaking of partners, this is where I'll add that the CPAP machine could be an effective birth control device. At my age and post-hysterical-ectomy, I'm no longer in need of those services, so it didn't immediately register with me that it serves dual purposes: it helps keep your airway open and all other by-ways CLOSED. See photos.

More than anything, I'm perturbed. Not at myself. I know that my body is sensitive and doesn't like anything new or foreign in or around it. I get that. No, I'm perturbed that in the year of our LORD, 2013, THIS is the best we can DO for sleep apnea?!

Scientists! Doctors! Researchers! All you Smart People out there!! WHY, oh WHY can't we figure out a better, less obtrusive way to treat sleep apnea?!

I pity the folks with severe sleep apnea who are definitely at higher risk for health problems ... the ones who MUST use these torture devices. I can chuck mine (gladly hand it back to the medical supply folks) and wash my hands of it. At least for now.

Anyhow, that's my rant for today. Feels good to be back in bloggie land. I knew I'd return some day, but I also knew that it was all in the timing. Welcome back, my maniacal muse! I've missed you.

Love & Hugs,

Terry Lee

 

 

the time has come ...

... the walrus said, to talk of many things.

and i guess i am the walrus. coo coo ca choo.

don't have much time or energy or motivation to sit here and write a long post, so i'll be quick. and i think i'll number my thoughts, so as to organized this scrambled mess of mush they call a mind.

1. i turned 50 since last we met. whoop-de-doo! it's nifty and i'm thrifty. and in the words of molly shannon's SNL character, sally o'malley: "i'm 50 years old and i like to kick and strrrretch and KICK! 'cause i'm 50 years old! 50! 50! book 'em danno, i'm 5-0."



had a good bday weekend. hubs had to work in prep for summer school so the FAGs and our FAGette tara went to austin to paint the town pink. spent saturday night in two lovely suites in a gorgeous hotel that had ... wait for it ... ROYAL SWANS swimming in the koi pond in the lobby!

there really was lots of eye candy at this hotel with a gorgeous atrium and glass elevators. great place to start a new decade of my life, especially surrounded by my best girls.

from the 6th floor, looking down at the lobby and the swans

see that gorgeous blonde in the elevator? her name is tara. :)

birthday girl dons the green (ack!) birthday hat (acquired from restaurant the night before), for The Opening of the Gifts

beautiful daughter with her old mama ... haha

jannetta hugs the birthday girl

bonnie's turn!

i'm 5-0!

group picture!

2. have been doing V. well on my Junk Flow Situation (as discussed in previous posts). selling fairly well on ebay and i shed myself of PLENTY at the last show (see previous post). i'm still working on the INFLUX PROBLEM but whatcha gonna do? a junker's gotta junk. but i'm truly focusing on scaling back and putting things back before checkout.

am in LOVE with this retro cool aqua bread bin/tin. found it at the barn for $1!!!

picked up this interesting copper set at a sale in austin on birthday weekend. i love it. but it's not budging on ebay.

3. am following american idol much too closely. am concerned about the intensity and depth of which i CARE about the show and the idols. i mean, really. i went into full-blown hysteria when casey got the boot this week (hi dee ho ... heave ho!). i find myself in a state of agitation should someone interrupt me while i'm watching. i vote more often than i should. i can't put my iphone down. just one more text vote. i worry about what will happen when the season is over. i want james to win because: A. he deserves it. he's so full of musical talent that it's oozing out of every pore. B. i'm so encouraged and heartened that someone with his disabilities can overcome sooo much and come sooo far. it gives me hope for my son ... that he can do ANYthing. asperger's, ADD, whatever ... it shouldn't hold you back and keep you from realizing your dreams.

4. said goodbye to michael scott of the office last night. yes, i actually cried. i know it's not real life (like idol ... bwahahaha) but i've watched this show for many years and i think steve carrol is one of the funniest guys out there. he WAS the office. will miss him on the show.

5. easter came. easter left. one of the first years i didn't make an easter basket for anyone. :( however, i DID receive this SWEEEEET pink vintage sewing basket for my bday from dear friend and fellow 1961 baby, mary valentine! OH!!!! and she also gave me THE BEST BIRTHDAY GIFT ANYONE could ever receive ... her first grandbaby!!! Sweet baby Olivia was born on MY birthday!!! whoop!!! congrats, grandma mary!!

isn't it lovely? and it goes perfectly with my little bunnies and chicks.

sweetness incarnate

6. had a precious afternoon with my two youngest yesterday. in an impromptu "picnic", the three of us grabbed some chick-fil-a and headed for the lake. we ate under the bridge but didn't get out of the car because there were a few fishermen (think deliverance) and three dogs roaming the area. in fact, one of them came over to our car (smelled the chick-fil-a probably) and tried to climb in the car window. he left multiple claw scratches on my dark blue camry. and no, i didn't bother to complain to their owners (see deliverance reference above).

however, we did drive around the lake to a nicer area and walked around a bit. gorgeous, sunny weather, the company of my babes and chick-fil-a.

yeah, 50 is starting out okay. :)

matt holds up a fossilized ear. nah, not really. but it's incredible how much it actually LOOKS like an ear!

tara looking cool in her shades. it was a beautiful sunny day

happy weekend, y'all.

love and hugs,
terry lee

Bye Bye, 2010 ... Resolution Time Again?!

happy new year, y'all!

hope everyone had a wonderful, perfect, drama-free (as if) christmas and that santa was v. good to you all. mine turned out to be quite lovely, spending time with loved ones ... family and friends.

having said that, i still feel like that poor lil gingerbread guy up there. he belongs to my daughter tara and i snapped a quick shot of him while visiting her v. sweet apartment recently.

wish i'd gotten him at a different angle, but you can see that he looks a tad, well, overwhelmed. maybe he ate too much? shopped too much? he's got icing dripping off his head and arms. poor thing.

anyhow, i can relate. i think i still have pecan pie goo (thanks jannetta!!) on my chin and pumpkin pie with whipped cream between my fingers. over-eat much?! naaahhhh!!! of course not!

i suppose this is where i talk about new year's resolutions ... eating healthier, establishing an exercise routine, keeping a tidier house (which would mean junking less). blahblahdiddyblahblah.

"new year's day ... now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual." ~~ mark twain
ack!! i simply can't handle any of that yet. i'm such a procrastinator, i usually don't make resolutions until valentine's day. if at all. i used to. when i was younger and healthier and had the energy. which, if you think about it, meant i didn't really need all those resolutions then anyhow. is that an oxymoron, honey (this means you, my dear english major husband o' mine)?

but i digress, as usual. i'll leave you with some memories of christmas-time 2010 ... and my best wishes to all of you for a happy, healthy, peaceful and joyous new year.

love and hugs,
terrylee

"he who breaks a resolution is a weakling; he who makes one is a fool." ~~ f.m. knowles

sisters, sisters! there were never such devoted sisters ... at the theater, after watching "meet the little fockers". i gave it two-thumbs-up!

my two favorite girls ... sissy belinda and daughter tara, visiting at tara's terrific apartment

my deliriously happy newlywed sister and her just-as-delirious new hubby ... belinda and teddy
around my house on a cozy christmas morning with my two youngest:

my silly matt imitating his new fireman nutcracker ... think jaw dropping up and down. heh heh

"new year's resolution: to tolerate fools more gladly, provided this does not encourage them to take up more of my time."~~ james agate

LIFE

hey y'all,

right. everybody i know wants an ironing board, santa! who even irons anymore?! and if you do iron, certainly don't waste a christmas wish on an ironing board, of all things!!

it's impossible to believe that i haven't posted in almost a month! what the what?! well, i'll tell you what's the what. L.I.F.E. not sure why i used periods. it's not an acronym. hey wait. give me a sec and i might get creative and think of one.

how about ... Life Is ******* Exhausting! or, maybe something not so profane (for my sensitive readers out there) ... Life's Insane, Forego Expectations. hmmm. still not what i'm looking for.

how about this? submit your favorite L.I.F.E acronym suggestion (in the comment section) and i'll choose a winner! of what? who knows. to be determined later, depending on the winner's preferences. vote early and vote often. wait, that doesn't make sense. never mind. it was the vicodin talking. (haha)

anyhow, have been junking, junking, JUNKING like a wild woman. sheesh! dragging stuff home every weekend. and now it seems during the week as well. somebody needs to come over here now and put a STOP to my insanity!!!!!!



lots of estates sales ... almost every weekend. who can resist?! not me. and certainly not the regulars i see at every sale (hey, coopers!). some have been a junker's paradise, some a complete bust. but isn't that the nature of the beast? you just. never. know.

here's one example then i'm dashing off. the harker heights GW barn is open today. gotta hit chick-fil-a and get myself out there. muy pronto. lots of vultures at that particular barn and they show absolutely NO mercy on those of us who aren't exactly ... well ... early birds.

last weekend, the FAGs were out in force (please, please, i implore you to click that link if you don't know what/who the FAGs are. no disrespect intended. it's just an(other) acronym that was born one day and has been our adopted name ever since).



so we landed at a yard sale, one of many on our hit list that day.
after a cursory glance about, i determined it was mostly gewgaws and whatnots that didn't interest me. however, i did notice a chandie sitting outside its box on the driveway. i moseyed over to it, with little enthusiasm. on closer inspection, i saw that it was a rather pretty glass chandie and inside the box, i spotted quite a few glass prisms. whaaaa?!

i asked the seller about it and she said she didn't know anything about the chandie except that her hubby found it in an empty house and dragged it home. it'd been sitting in their garage for a while and she never attempted to use it.

she priced it at $8, which i promptly paid her, we (the FAGs) loaded the heavy box in my camry and hightailed it out of the neighborhood. i'll be honest. i still didn't know much about the chandie, but i had enough sense to suspect that i had a treasure worth much more than the $8 i shucked out for it.

it took me 3 days, but i finally unwrapped all the pieces of my chandie (tons and TONS of crystal prisms!) and then it dawned on me to look for a name/brand on it somewhere. sure enough, on the inside of the top piece where it attaches to the ceiling, i found a sticker that said "tomia bohemia, emily".

ASSembly in progress. ack!! it's taking me forever!

some of the gorgeous crystals

so pretty! so blingy!!

they're so sparkly!!! yummy!!

lord help me getting it all sorted out! i'm not complaining, just sayin'. :)

i've been researching it and this is what i've discovered: if bought NEW, it's selling for over $2000. it was made in bohemia, czech republic where they make hand-cut crystals. here's the website which tells all about the history: tomia crystal chandeliers .

couldn't find ANY prices on the tomia website, so i looked around. here's one who's selling the "emily" on SALE:

almost makes me feel guilty that i paid a mere $8 for it. almost.

as i said, you just never know what you're gonna find when junking. that's why i love it so much. it's a lot like LIFE, eh? every day is an adventure. some days you hit gold, other days you hit rust. it's a crapshoot. either way, you wake up the next morning, put one foot in front of the other ... and try to remember to count your blessings.

"i have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days i do have are made all the more meaningful and precious. and for that i am grateful."

isn't it amazing what one woman and her friends can do?" ~~ both by elizabeth edwards (1949-2010)

i leave you with an adorably sweet santa from last weekend's estate sale:



love and hugs,
terrylee