Life is a Meme-ingful Experience

Grandma Nina tagged me for this Mama Moomoo Meme..
I have probably answered most if not all of these questions, and I can hear you screaming...

..."please, spare us any more details about life in the Compound JJ and Phil, or your failed diet and cancelled trips to Colorado and Las Vegas".

I promise to share new and exciting details about my life as seen through the warped mind of a retired public servant who has no idea what she's talking about. Stage II?

Here is what Grandma Nina wants to know:

What are your current obsessions?
Duh....you mean besides blogging? Chicken wings.

Which item from your wardrobe do you wear most often?
I like to hang out in pj's or yoga pants. When I go to church or out to eat I were pj's or yoga pants casual clothes.

Last dream you had?
I dreamed that my first husband came to visit our daughter here in Texas, but she moved, or he couldn't find her, so he came over my place and wanted to wait here for her. Aren't dreams scary?

Last thing you bought?
I bought chicken wings Freedom Stamps the day before the two cent rate increase. I had to drive eight miles each way to buy them so I'm not sure I saved anything.

What are you listening to?
Huh? Oh, music? Andrea Borceli

Favorite holiday spots?
Home...if your talking Christmas. The beaches of So. CA will always be my favorite place to be.

Reading right now?
The Yankee Years, Joe Torre

Four words to describe yourself.
Spiritual, shy, silly and short....oh wait, it's not S week?

Guilty pleasure?
Ice Cream, and more ice cream, and maybe a slot machine or blackjack table.

Who or what makes you laugh until you’re weak?
I love people watching, and laugh when they fart do things when they think no one is looking.

Best spring thing to do?
Plant flowers, or buy fresh cut flowers along with my other produce in the market every week.

Favorite drink?
Coffee and water. Although, I love a Fruitista from Taco Bell on occasion.

Favorite ever film?
I don't have a favorite, and I don't watch movies more than once. I do love nonfiction movies the best. Since there aren't many nonfiction movies produced, I will settle for a good comedy.

Care to share some wisdom?
Wisdom from Grandma J? Just be who you are, and love your children and grandchildren, and let them know you love them. Don't play favorites, unless it's the dog.... everyone will be jealous but that's OK.

Something you are looking forward to?
Outside of my current trip to the VA blogfest in July, I like to make every day special, especially today. I don't focus on long term stuff like grandkids graduating and getting married because, hello.....that makes me that much older, and I don't want to waste today planning tomorrow.

What is the strangest thing you have ever eaten?
I don't eat "strange" ever. The very reason I had to turn down being on Survivor was because of the food issues. Once back in the early 80's someone gave me a piece of dog beef jerky and I ate it, thinking it was real beef jerky. Fool Grandma J once, shame on you, fool Grandma J twice, you're a goner shame on her.

One wish?
For world peace and off-shore drilling.

Favorite TV Show?
Forever and ever, it's Big Brother. Do not expect me to be at a ball game, wedding, funeral (not even my own) when Big Brother 11 starts in July. I know it's the lamest reality show, but I love it and go through terrible withdrawals when each season ends.

Now, I'm supposed to tag six people to do this meme. I'm not good at choosing people to do it, so please feel free to pick it up and make it your own. Let me know so I can learn something about you.

Please go visit Grandma Nina's blog. She blogs about her family, home, quilting, knitting, and life in Pennsylvania. Thank you, Grandma Nina for thinking of me.

HAPPY EASTER

Grandma J and all her peeps wish you a Happy Easter.

Here's a closeup of my basket with all my Grandkids (10), Phil and of course my beloved JJ!




And here's Phillip Johnny Bob with his ? Mom? GF? Sister? Your guess is as good as mine.

Please check the previous post and submit an entry for the book giveaway!!

Afternoons In The Fast Lane

Since retiring, my afternoons are just a tad bit laid back.

When I worked, I spend my lunch hour doing stuff like paying bills, running errands, and sometimes I actually ate lunch. Once a week I did important stuff like getting pedicures mentoring little children, or donating blood. Every so often I would actually sleep work at my desk.

Since retiring, things have changed ever so slightly. Now, I try to go out to lunch at least once a week. I do my Friday Matinee Reviews.....hey wait, where did this week go? OK, so sometimes I do my Friday Matinee on Mondays.

JJ gets so lonely during the day and misses his Mommy and sister and brother, so I try to swing by and take him for a ride, and then play for a while....which always involves plenty of kisses and treats. If his sister is home, I'll let her do the driving around the immediate neighborhood. Hi State Farm Agent!

I take up the slack for my daughter on chauffeuring the kids home or to work, or maybe even a play date with Grandma J a dinner at Chili's or Cheddars.

This week I've done some afternoon baking because Ree, over at Pioneer Woman, invited some bloggers to come to her ranch and bake with Barbarella Bakerella. I was snubbed decided to virtually play along and bake with them...sort of. Besides, today we had plenty of rain, which gives me a good excuse to stay in and get creative.

Besides my daughter and grandkids, I have some other human contact here in Texas. Yes, I do...and I'm not just talking about Gary at ATT, Dr. Bob or the cable guy.

I have a few semi friends here at the Compound, we might do something once a month or just visit. But really most people here are old. I have two friends outside the Compound and get this! All four of them are named Michelle!!

Michelle #1 is my daughter's neighbor across the street. She's an RN and works long hours. Her husband is deployed so I help out when needed, picking her daughter up at the high school.

Michelle #2 is a baseball mom, and her son is on my grandson's team. She is a new friend and might be reading this...."hi Michelle". I'm not sure she knows she's my friend.

Michelle #3 is another baseball Mom who I' have known for almost two years now. She and her husband own a T-Shirt printing shop and she also moonlights at Starbucks. What I really love about Michelle #3 is the fact that she calls me to come get her free pound of coffee every so often because she doesn't drink coffee. She's also a fun person who likes to go to bingo every six months.....a real plus? She's not old. Hi Michelle.


Michelle #4 is this gal. She has been doing my pedicures and manicures since before I moved to Texas! I used to get my nails done on my visits to Texas, and it's possible Michelle is the reason I moved here. Not likely, but possible. If you can't tell, Michelle doesn't want her picture taken because she's in a witness protection program very shy. Hi Michelle!

Yesterday, I went to see Michelle #4 at the nail salon for my bi-weekly pedicure.


She likes me to soak for two hours because I won't let her use the cheese grater on my heals. So, I soak until the blue stuff melts away the callouses.

See? Being retired is exhausting! And just so you know....I don't watch Oprah, Ellen or Dr. Phil.

NOTE: Just so you know....commenter loxandlo is my old boss...not that she's old, because she's not.....it's just that I have to clarify, any goofing off or slacking was never, ever done while I worked in Geomatics. I waited until she retired, and I went to Administration...we all know that's where the gravy train is. And now we are both retired and good friends.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME....almost

On March 16th, I put my very first blog entry on the Internet. Up until then, I was happy being a commenter on other blogs. A few people kept bugging me....saying things like, "hey get your own blog", and "quit hogging everyone's bandwidth with your silly off topic comments". So I eventually got the hint and jumped in.....

Remember when I looked like this?

Four of those blogs were my commenters that first day in the history of Grandma J. Heartshapedhedges, is my daughter and her blog sprung forth from her son's Caringbridge site (yeah leukemia survivor!). LMNOP, is another blogger crossover from Caringbridge, (whose daughter is also a leukemia survivor). Then The Cortney Chronicles is a follower of HSH and LMNOP, and My Training Adventures, a wonderful marathon fundraising woman who I met through her support of several Caringbridge sites.

So there you have it...my first four commenters. The amazing thing is, after reading that pitiful first post, all four still come back a year later. So thank you....to those first four, and the other two rest of you who check in on a regular basis to see if I'd been committed kicked the bucket, or to be more politically correct, dove into the deep end.

Over the last year, I have posted 380 entries, with 64,879 visitors. Ok, I know, there was that day back in July when I have over 15,000 hits! All because Michael K from dlisted put a link to my Shamwow testimonial on his site. Just because of that I'm now engaged to best buds with Nick, who lives somewhere in the Heart of Dixie in Charleston....with his new puppy. I've also become good friends with Hollywood, who really lives in Albuquerque. Ummm, where's that blog of yours Hollywood?

Now, here's the exciting part that includes all of you. Yes even you, and you too. Over the past year, I've reviewed several movies, given testimonials on a plethora of products. God, thank you for the word plethora, I love it more than you know.

I've keep you abreast of current events...like the Yearning For Zion dilemma here in Texas, and the tragic toilet malfunction on NASA's space station. I've talked about my grandchildren and JJ til I'm blue in the face....with much more to tell you! You know all about my Uncle Jack, and the escapades of my Mother, Rita. I've discussed personal stuff like my sex life colon, pinkie finger, and mustache.

Several times over this past year I have honored our Service Men and Women...specifically my son-in-law, 1SGT John, who is currently serving his third tour of duty in Iraq.

I took a road trip to visit Cortney and Briana here in Texas, and I met up with Jason, Pumpkin Delight, and Hula Hank in Los Angeles. I'm trekking to Virginia in July to partake in the Virginia Blogfest hosted by Big Hair Envy, and Chesapeake Bay Woman.

With all of this in mind, I want you to tell me which post you liked the best. I know, they all kind of blur together. But seriously, I have to know....so take a minute to jog your memory or look in the archives. I'll make it worth your while with a contest/drawing.


That's right, a $50 gift card from Bed Bath and Beyond. the winner will be picked by a random picker thing on March 16th....the anniversary of the day everyone's Grandma J's world changed....forever.

THE LETTER G

I was going to do the obvious and tell you all about my grandchildren...but since I already do that four days a week, I'm taking a pass. Oh, pleeeze....no need to cry, there will be plenty of posts about teenagers, toddlers and t'weens in the future.

Today is extra special because my G is all about goats......

Not just plain old pictures of goats, but an actual tutorial in true Grandma J fashion.

Are you ready? Let's get started.....

Here we have the "Total" Anatomy of a Goat from the outside. click to enlarge

You can also practice drawing a goat....adding one more morsel of talent to show off to your relatives at the next family gathering.

Did you know that your horse might want a goat to pal around with? ser.i.ous.ly.

Just maybe your boxer needs a goat to smother with hugs?

How about this cutie...Can you believe some guy traded his wife for this goat?

Throw away your expensive wrinkle erasing serum....there is such a thing as Goat Milk Soap to replace it. This gal is living proof that is can make you purty.

Wasn't that fun? You too can participate in A to Z Mondays. Go ahead, I double dare you!