Creepy Crawlers....

I went out on an little adventure with a good friend a few months back and we ran into a little old barn that was tucked into the woods... not sure how we didn't run into HER at the same time but we didn't. Which is probably a good thing cause my little crew was poking and prying just a tad deeper and running into someone would have surely caused an accident of the PIMP kind.

I am not sure what the little barn was ever used for other than storage but a couple of things have called it home over the years. One being this little creepy crawly... good think she didn't see it.. or it is a shame she didn't and I wasn't there to record the spidey dance that I am sure she does so well.

I loved how the sun light was playing on the web and just made it pop right out.. thankfully this little creepy crawly liked napping in the sun and didn't try to get any closer to me or I may have had to fling something at it.. like my friend.

Now we all know I am not one to leave well enough alone. I can't just take the damn picture and walk away. I have got to know. I HAVE to know or I lay awake at night wondering, was there a body in there. Did I just run across someone's torture chamber and walked away. Has someone stashed the stole bank loot in that little building?? Yes I actually stay awake thinking these things. (I am starting to think I need to consult a professional) Oh Oh either way.. I was not going to allow myself to do such a thing on this little building so... WHAALAA..

There you have it folks... there was a body in there .. sorta.

Happy Halloween Eve!

The label.

I like to label myself, I have done it for as long as I can remember.. One label at a time please.

I am a writer... wait no I am not.. I am a sewer (yes I can sew a fact I keep rather hidden).. wait no I am not... I am a cross stitcher.. wait... painter... wait... knitter... wait ... photographer.... this list could continue for a very long time.

do you see the pattern here?

What I mentally (yes I said mentally.. this does not mean I am mental, then again it also does not mean I am not) NEED to do is turn all those Waits into ANDs!!!! Such as I am a writer AND a sewer AND...

A very good friend pointed out to me today that I am not just one thing... I am many things that I should be very proud of! So the next time you need something done and you aren't quite sure if you can do it yourself.. TRY!!!! Because in the end I think we all want to have a lot of ANDS!

Hanging on by a hinge....

This is truly how life has been for this family the last week or so. There is only one thing to do when life gets this way. Pick up a screw driver (aka a glass) and a can of WD40 (aka a bottle of wine) fix the hinge and the squeak and keep on getting it.

I hate it when people post about how they haven't been posting and they are sorry and blah blah blah. I wasn't sorry I didn't blog I was just sorry I didn't have time to blog and I am sure the 4 of you that read me occasionally didn't miss me much. :)

Having said that I am hoping I am back for a bit of a stretch. Blogging is a medium for me to let loose some of the crazy brain cells I have, for people to actually hear the voices that talk only to me. I read blogs for the exact opposite reason, to hear the thoughts that people have that you would never have the pleasure of knowing unless of course you are a mind reader, which I will neither confirm or deny I can do.

I need to blow the dust off of my camera again too, I participated in a camera related activity that quite honestly I hated (can't believe there is anything about a camera I hate but it is true I do) and I have not picked the thing up since. I have been giving it time to let the bad juju melt off of it. I think it is time! This weekend the juju should be gone. LOOK OUT WORLD HERE I COME!

Friday!!!!!!

Ok people what is so special about Fridays?

I still get up and get excited about the day and I call to the waterkids.. It is Friday!!! and they jump right out of bed and get ready for school and run out the door like the school day is different and I flip the computer on like the work day is going to be different. But is it?

Typically Fridays are more hectic for me in the work area of my life. I shouldn't be exaclaming IT IS FRIDAY!!! I should be saying ... #$%#$@%^#$ it is Friday.

Typically Friday's mean test at school for the waterkids... they too should be saying.... #$%$#^#$ it is Friday. (not that waterkids would ever talk that way cause their mama raised them better.... yea right)

However, this is not how it works, we all get up and are excited because it is Friday! I would say on my part it is because I get to drink tonight, but that would not be different than any other night. I could also guess it is because the kids can stay up later tonight, but they do that behind my back anyway.

So why are we so happy that it is Friday is it because the end is near, but do we really want anything in life to actually END? Maybe it is because there is a light at the end of the tunnel, or is that a train?

Come on people.. lay it on me what makes Friday so special?

Maybe if I had one of these waiting at the end of the day I would be happier.

Do you know

how many paper cuts one can get from printing 50,000 plus barcodes? Well let me tell ya.. it is a LOT.

Do you know how many bottles of wine needed to be consumed to get through that process? Again a LOT but that was much more enjoyable and it led me to the find of this. Which in it self is quite funny because I am a middle sister but not a middle sister at all. My little sister is also a middle sister but not a middle sister at all. Yes yes.. confusing. Let's see how I can make this make sense for you..... Hmmm it is probably not possible but I will try.

One group of siblings... 3 sisters ... I am the middle sister.

Another group of siblings.... 2 sisters and a brother .... she is the middle sister.

This is her.. the middle sister that isn't my middle sister but my baby sister... Kinda prissy looking don't ya think?

Get it? Oh good.

Back to whatever it was I was talking about.. oh yes the wine. I have to say it is the most wonderful stuff that ever came squishing out of a grape and I am seriously contemplating a trip to Cali just to go see them. I do have to say that my favorite is the Mischief Maker and for the life of me I can't figure out why. I have never made a bit of Mischief in my life!

This is what is on the label.. doesn't describe ME at all.

Have you ever dated brothers? Worn leather pants to a wedding? Paired white wine with red meat? Then you just might be a mischief maker. You keep us up after bedtime on a school night. You change your hair color like most people change their socks. You make lives more complicated, but less boring. You'll be in the stories we tell our grandchildren. You love trouble. And we love you.

Interesting stuff on that wine bottle isn't it? I mean seriously never in a million years would I dream of doing anything like that label says but when I have that bottle in my hand ready to pour it in a glass I get a shiver knowing that I am about to partake in the perfect wine for me. Not because of the name just because it tastes good.

Ahhh shit. I can't even make myself believe that load of crap. Here's to all the middle sisters that aren't really middle sisters and the mischief makers out there.. let's stand strong and proud!

Not Mischievous looking at all am I? Muwhahahahahahahhahah

Sooooooo

I can at least say I did post....

So busy with work can't see straight... be back soon.

Some days I wonder...

Why I can't make my living with a pen and paper... or camera and film... or a craft room and many supplies ... or with the internet and well... this!

Well I will tell ya why.. Cause I am a big fat chicken! I am afraid to take that step that leap off of the side of the cliff to say I do _______. Even if it is on the side for now. Apparently it is easier for me to just dream about it. The problem is every year this time Market Days rolls around and every year is another year that I do not have a booth with something I made or did in it. Would you believe that after 38 years I still have no confidence in myself? That I would be the booth that people walked by and laughed at?? 38 years ago and still that 12 year old little girl who wouldn't put her foot out the door cause she knew that someone was going to laugh at her shoe! (granted my mother dressed me funny so I can't blame them but still)

I have 10 months from today to get it together once again and bring to Mathews something new.. something different ..something completely 21st century. Mathews Blogher/photography/craft/framing/you name it, it is here Womans Club of 2010!

I am certainly not talking about your Grandma's Woman's Club cause I do not know any of us who quilt (not that there is anything wrong with that if there are) but what if.. just what if it happened.. what if there was a group that was here for each other and the community who had talent real live talent and gave back to Mathews? What could we change.. how could we help each other and other women who need it.. what could we produce as a group with the talent that is out there.

Oh hell what if it was just two of us.. what could those two do?

Sis... Watergirls first football game.

Now that I am no longer a bundle of nerves or in a drug induced fog I thought that it would be a good time to show off Sis the amazing Cheerleader Watergirl!

She starts high school on Tuesday.... HIGH SCHOOL! Ok maybe I need more drugs! I do have to say she is a good kid, a bit boy crazy, but a good kid (at least compared to me at that age she is a good kid) She made the Cheer Squad or whatever the heck you call it last June and I could not be prouder and the kid is pretty darn good too!

So Happy Friday and Enjoy the shots!

One of the Moms made ribbons.. aren't they cute

She has nice form...

Tee made her laugh.

Time for a halftime shot with a good buddy...

Where did THAT come from?

Ok.. it is Weird Wednesday around here today because I have had something on my mind for quiet a few weeks now. During a wild round of RummiKub and maybe after hanging out with Jose for at least half a bottle or so, something crossed my mind. Why when we are upset do we call other people body parts and are those seriously any worse that any other body part?

Let's take Boob... why are we calling people BOOB? Why not Elbow Fat?

Butthead.. why not Crusty Eye Socket?

Ass... why not Stinky Ear Wax?

I could do this all day long people and let's look at this closely! If you are in an argument with someone even a stranger who cut you off on the road and you are getting ready to scream ASSHOLE out the window.. pause and think of another body part... Yell out... Blistered Pinky Toe! I bet ya that you are going to make yourself laugh and completely forget about him cutting you off. In an argument with your kid over homework instead of calling them a stubborn butt head... not that I ever would do such a thing... scream you are such a sore shoulder blade! The chances of you walking away and not laughing are slim to none.

Come on everyone let's give it a whirl I am thinking that you will have many arguments ending in fits of giggles!

Have a lovely day all you clipped finger nails and LHK to a scabby knee out there!

Windows... cause I did doors last week

win⋅dow

[win-doh]

–noun

1.	an opening in the wall of a building, the side of a vehicle, etc., for the admission of air or light, or both, commonly fitted with a frame in which are set movable sashes containing panes of glass.

I love the old swing out window in this house, I am ashamed to admit that I don't have a better picture of it but when you are being chased by a man in a golf cart you take what you can get.

I can't say this is entirely how I feel about windows, this definition to me leaves out so much of what a window can be. Windows can also be used for the deadmission of young people who didn't want to use the door because of one parent or another.

Directly on the other side of this house is another window that my sister and I climbed out of so we could say we snuck out, we came back in through the door cause at the time no one cared that we were even gone.

Windows can be used to peek inside of the world of other times, I like peeking in old windows that are filmed in a bit of dirt and imagine what happened in a room 100 years ago. I am a bit weird like that.

When I look in this window I see a little girl looking back.

Windows also give us means for escape a place to look out of when we feel trapped and long for the trip that is going to take us away from the place we are today even if that place is no where physically different.

Two seeing eyes you can almost see the soul of the house through them.

I can't even venture a guess on this one, Such beautiful frame work to be spoiled by an intrusion of brick.

The house that Jack Built.

Dude... and not like Duuuuddddeee but like Dude.

Why are you laughing at me?? 1998

Today was supposed to be a post about a hawk but instead it is a very late birthday post for Dude the baby of the water people. Why so late.. cause I am a great mom like that.

Happy Birthday August 27th 2005

For 12 years this little person has been part of my life, oh pfffftt who am I kidding the kid has pretty much been my whole world and I his. As I look back over those years now there have been so many high spots and just as many low spots. I can only hope as his mother that I am doing the right thing in getting him through this rough rocky road called life, because as special as the kid is he did not come with a handbook either.

Out on the boat 2006

Out of the three waterkids he is the only one that actually looks anything like me, the other two not so much, I like to tell people that I kept trying until one finally showed some sort of resemblance to me and when they say "He doesn't look THAT much like you either." the reply simply is.. but he is weird like me so good enough.

November 2008 Christmas picture.

Six years ago in the first grade of school Dude was diagnosed with severe ADHD and we began working to control the symptoms enough to get him through school and activities. To say this diagnosis was shocking is putting it mildly because no one else in my family showed any such signs of not being able to sit still (comes back from getting spoon) or paying atten... LOOK AT THE KITTY!!!! Ok Ok.. it was me.. I did this to my child he resembles me in the brain area. To say this has been a rough road would be putting it mildly so I will not bore you with details of how we got to where we are today and how many teeth we had to pull to get here and what not, but six years ago his diagnosis was a bit off, and now today at the age of 12 we will be starting to learn new skills to deal with the trail ahead. Dude has Asperger's Syndrome and in case you can't say it like he couldn't... think of it like this Ass Burger and you got it. (I will not admit or deny actually telling that to my kid)

Asperger's is a mild for of Autism but this too... we will conquer.

Hanging with Mom August 2009 out taking pictures.

Happy Birthday my sweet boy.

Copycat in the making...

Ok that is a lie I am not in the making cause I actually already am by the time you read this. This morning as I looked through my photos wanting something to pop for me to blog about. I have done the sadness of graves twice this week even if half of mine are slightly funny so even though there were hundreds of them I passed straight by.

Then I had a GREAT idea and was going to do a fun Friday.. that was too much work.

I kept plowing through the multitudes of swimming images and finally saw this:

It lead me on my way and before I could blink twice I had copied these two lovely ladies Chesapeake Bay Woman and Daryl... but isn't Imitation the greatest form of flattery???

This picture was taking in Aldie, VA while giving instructions to cook Ravoli to a kid who was 200 miles away.

I wanted to open it just a tad and peek inside.

Why does this one seem so inviting to me.

On the way out..
Some doors aren't doors anymore... they are just ways.
Hanging on...

Last but not least... EEKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!! AAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH RUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNN!

Thoughtless Thursday...

Why cause the one thought I had to post today was in one of the many brain cells I masacuered with obscene amounts of wine and cigarettes last night.

Sister, I love you but sometimes I could kill you... how dare you TWIST AND WRING on my arm like that, if I remember correctly one of the four parents we had taught us never to physically abuse each other. (explanation for you confused people out there: I very nicely requested we stop drinking after the first glass she woman handled me into helping her drink 4.... bottles)

Going to crawl under my desk for a nap now.

Wordless Wednesday???

Me Wordless?? Not really possible. Truth is I am in a hurry on my way out the door to visit my sister person over night and looking forward to TWO nights of adult conversation and good wine! Special Treat stopping by HERE on the way home... anyone know where that is?

Friends are the people who walk in when the rest of the world is walking out....

History...

A few days ago Dude and I went on a little adventure where we took some shots of old houses and went to local public cemeteries that required no fence climbing to get to. And quite frankly the sign did not say Keep Out or Posted or No Trespassing.. it SAID No Tres. Now I don't now much Spanish but I know a wee bit, enough to know that we were Tres but we were Dos so we were good to go.

The other day I posted some of the weird names that I found while on that excursion and This Lovely Lady thought it might be a good idea to tell me to dig for an obituary of one in particular. Little did the lovely lady know I would actually take the time yesterday to go to the local library and do just that.

Pocohontas Hudgins

A funeral Service was held at 2 pm Saturday in Bethel United Methodist Church for Miss Pocohontas Hudgins 80, of Onemo, who died on Thursday, March 10, 1977 in a Richmond hospital after a long illness.

Miss Hudgins was a member of Bethel Church.

Survivors include a sister Mrs. James T Davis of Onemo.

The Service was conducted by Rev. Ralph Rice and the Rev. William Hindman. Burial was at Pear Tree Cemetery.

So there you have it.. no nickname mentioned... she probably went by Po or something cute like that..

WARNING TISSUE ALERT!

Now that that mystery is solved I moved on to another one.

Do you notice anything unusual in this shot? It took me a minute to grasp the magnitude of what I was actually seeing and even then I looked AGAIN. My first thought was .. this is a carvers mistake (it happened a lot back then) and then I saw this

which confirmed that either

a) the carver was a COMPLETE idiot.

b) someone filled in the order form for this stone wrong

or

c) There were twin babies buried in that teeny tiny little plot.

So the research began... First to the Clerk of Court who had a very LARGE very OLD very STINKY book of death. It was all of the recorded deaths in the county from the late 1700s to roughly 1874. Which as you can see.. 1874 did not cover me. So then it was on to the Health Dept. to ask what they could do to help because apparently THEY are the peeps who are the holders of death now. Not sure how they got that lovely job but they do. HOWEVER, they only hold records as far back as 2007 THAT certainly was not going to help me. But the nice lady there directed me to Richmond .. 800 Broad St to be exact where I would have to GO to get what I was looking for.. OH PFFFFFT. I seriously did not have time to go running off to Richmond all willy nilly yesterday afternoon. So I packed that mystery back in it's pretty little box and tied it with a little light blue bow for the boys, realizing I may never know which option from above had occurred.

Then it was off to research an obit on Pocohantas which I knew I would find even if she did not make it easy on me. You see she died in March 1977 so if you are using Microfish you would start at the January paper and only have 12 papers to thumb through before getting to hers and waalaa all done. That would be if anyone other than ME were doing this... I put the film in the machine and what do I see.. END the mirror image of END. Ummm this isn't right... "Hey nice library dude... this isn't right is it?" Nope it isn't. "Well what do I do?" Nothing you can do it was put on backwards and upside down "WHAT??" You will have to research it that way "WHAT??? I am good but I do not want to attempt to read 52 papers upside down!" Oh I can fix that but you will have to start at Dec 31 issue. So you see.. to find her I had to read 40 papers! UGH.

During that time I got up and walked around the room a bit cause well.. my eyes were crossing and I found a Mathews County Record of Deaths book that ended in 1874. Nice I thought I could have come in here and not had to deal with the stinky book at the other office. I still couldn't figure out why death records stopped at that year but there was a fire of some sort and some records were destroyed I think. Then... peaking out from behind a book where it did not belong I found.. Mathews County Death Records though 1896!!!!!! WOOHOOO... I was going to be able to prove it was just some idiots mistake!!!

I didn't.

John Williams (wh) age: 10 mos Cause: Complication of Disease Place: Haven Recorded by: Thomas Williams Head of Family Parents Thomas and Betty Williams

Richard Williams (wh) age: 10 mos Cause: Complication of Disease Place: Haven Recorded by: Thomas Williams Head of Family Parents Thomas and Betty Williams

My heart broke in a million pieces at that moment. So all you moms out there.. go hug your kid or give them a call and tell them how much you love them, and be grateful that we do not live in a time or place where death is so rampant that it could take both of your boys in one fail swoop.

What's in a name...

Well apparently a lot more thought than what my parents put into mine. My name is a compound of my grandmother's middle names which I do like now that I am older (try growing up with my country bumpkin name for a day or two it was not fun) and I adore my nickname which all of you are welcome to call me. Re. Isn't that cute and short???

Anyhooo on with this story which has nothing to do with where I am going with this.. one day my son realizes that my great grandfathers boat had a name very close to mine and tells my father.. Hey My mom was named after a boat! My dad being the comic that he is agrees with him and now everyone that my son could get to listen thinks I was named after a boat. Nice.

Today as pay back of rendering my name nothing more than something my parents read off of the boat I woke said son up at 6 am and told him to get dressed in long pants and tennis shoes we were OFF to take pictures! (wow I managed to tie this all together... I am quite shocked.)

We visited a couple of local cemeteries that were not quite as local as driving down 14 and screaming.. LOOK there is a cemetery lets stop. One actually required texted directions from a BFF who is not even in the state and I still got it wrong and had to stop and ask and another required not one set of instructions from my dad but TWO when I made a left in stead of a right and ended up in a wooded lot that had no markers. But alas we found them... and I am really glad we did because I learned a couple of things.

1. I have no sense of direction (I knew this but it was just once again brought to my attention)

2. It is fun to drag a kid along while trespassing while visiting local public cemeteries

3. There are many people who were much more imaginative than my parents when it came to giving names.

4. I am thinking that I can not pronounce some of these as it appears phonics was not taken into consideration during spelling.

5. I think I am now in LOVE with my name...

and without further ado... I give to you some of my findings of the day.

Oh wait one more thing... if any of these people are your family.. I am not making fun of them I swear, I am empathizing with the suffering they had to so obviously deal with at roughly age 7, and just to prove that MY family was definitely not immune to the naming without thinking sickness of the day.. soon I will post their names.

Obed? I can't even give you anything on this one without getting really bad.. I will leave this guy in peace.

Elkanah? Ok where in the stick can line up do you think this poor kid got picked? I took this one before I even realized that he had such a fun name.

I really wanna know if they were related..... but he got picked last too I am sure of it.

Beuna .... do you think the V is for Vista?

Bet he got called Ru....

This one I got nothing but.. Dude looked at me and said.. Mom I didn't realize that Pocahontas was buried in Mathews... and for pay back of the boat thing I said.. Well... you see it with your own eyes don't ya?? Let's see him have THAT conversation with his History teacher this year.

Balta? I hope she went by Lela which is a beautiful name.

This poor girl had no fall back.. Effie AND Maude??

Ok.. the only way I can figure this is pronounced is.. Whore... Tense... Can you imagine that kids nickname?? Hey Hor... poor kid.

I really need to go back and look at this one.. cause it LOOKS like Columbia lived to be 150 which can't be right..

Is there even anything that can be said about this?

Jehu? I am not even sure ..

Zadoc? I kinda like that one.. Now I have a name when I get to the Z in the alphabet other than Zeb.

Just in case any of you wondering how Sheddy Hodg got his name... and just so you know it was spelt Shedrack on his wifes tombstone. I got to see Sheddy today on his yellow bike..

Zipokah.. I really think that this lady was tired of having babies and was trying desperately to let her husband no of this by naming her children things he should take as hints.. Zipokah... do I have to explain??

And finally she had had Enogha! Ok it really says Enoch A... but it was funny...

And this poor kid.. how confused was he growing up.. Can you imagine that first PTA meeting..

This is my Parent Frances and my Other Parent Francis.

I can hear it in my head.. Ora Bora Ora Bora...