Great website...

Tired of hearing about frivolous lawsuits? It angers me to hear about these things and the millions of dollars that are being awarded for some of the craziest things! I hope this site is going to be able to help people who are victims of those suits.

www.facesoflawsuitabuse.org

Happy New Year?

New Year's Eve in Brasstown, NC looks like it would be a blast! I've never been to a possum drop before. I mean, I HAVE seen a possum drop before...late at night...while I was sitting on the porch. He fell out of my big old oak tree and scared the hell out of me. My dog took off after it...thinking he was protecting me and all. Anyway, that possum wasn't all dressed up in Christmas lights. He snuck that one in on me and it was no fun.

BUT...if I was prepared for a possum to drop a midnight on New Year's Eve, I might enjoy that. And that's what they do down there in Brasstown.

 

See? http://www.clayscorner.com/new-years-eve.shtml


Here's a shocker, they don't serve no beer! Not even for the little critter that's gotta do the stunt for our entertainment.


And people dress up in funny outfits on purpose!!!! With absolutely NO BEER!


And no fear either! They'll face Peta totally sober. Ain't that cool?


Wish I could go, but oh well. There's next year.


Happy New Year!!!!

Don't poke the penquin!

Just another cheezy Sunday...

I've got my butt firmly planted on the futon in the "Man Room." Hubby is watching football with the boys. I figured since he had a 65 inch Hi Def TV in the man room...and he aint here...then he wouldn't mind if I watched Lifetime Movies on something other than a 32".

Well, no matter how big the TV screen, Lifetime movies still suck. Predictable pieces of fluff that usually star Melissa Gilbert, Jacqueline Smith, Tracey Gold or Josie Bissett. But it's my guilty pleasure. And I'm going to act like I can't guess the plot of any of this crap.

Only thing is missing is the chocolate. Kids ate it all. Dang.

Chia Pets everywhere!

I thought I would post my story on this here blog about my traumatic experience with a Chia Pet (it's a pretty funny story, actually)...but decided to include it as a last minute entry in my new book "Big Dummies: Volume 1." Sorry. I'm trying to make some money to help find a cure for breast cancer and if there is a chance that a Chia Pet is the key, then I'm gonna use it. :D

Big Dummies: Volume 1 will be available in February. Keep watching this spot for more details!

Be careful what you wish for!

All I wanted was some peace and quiet. Just enough peace and quiet so I can actually get some things done that I've been putting off for so long. So here I am. Allie at work, Gabby at school, husband at work, Tucker in the backyard. Just me and Sharkbait the cat. And I have a PILE of big-azzed presents that need to be wrapped! YIKES! I need HELP! The only help I have is Sharkbait...and I tell you what! If she doesn't quit getting into all the ribbons and paper and boxes, I'm going to wrap her little butt up and give her to the boss for Christmas!

I'm getting NOTHING done.

Merry Christmas.

Crap. I'm going to have a Merry Christmas...dagnabbit!

I've been hibernating in my Pink Ribbon room for the past few days. Thinking, contemplating, writing. It's been a pretty crappy couple of days.

This past Monday, I had 4 doctor's appointments. Just needed to get them all overwith in one shot. Didn't think much of them until all of the calls that pretty much told me that I am falling apart little by little. An arm here, a leg here, yada, yada, yada.

I had two cardiologists appointments to find out why I have atrial fibrillation. Well, my heart looks fine...that's the good news. Still have to take medication for potassium deficiency...and now I've been diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Okay, so I'm on Synthroid for the rest of my life. I can deal with it. I have to deal with that. I should have known. It runs in my family.

Well, the breast clinic called too. The compressed area in the right breast that was biopsied a couple of years ago doesn't look so great right now. I need more films done this Friday and more tests to find out what's going on. Good grief. Can I catch a break here???

The good news is, I KNOW I'm going to come out on top. I trust My God. I'm just going to do what I have to do and not worry. As my sister Ginni used to say, "Stay in today."

So, I'm going to have myself a Merry Christmas...and after this is all over, I'm going to have myself a great big beer...on somebody else's tab! Cheers!

Holy carp, I'm never gonna get any sleep.

Not that it's a bad thing, ya know. My husband gave me one of my Christmas presents early. A nice 32 inch flat screen TV for my pink room. He and our radio engineer friend John installed it on the wall on Sunday, and I've been in here vegging ever since. I even added a little electric "wood stove" with alleged realistic flame in my room to make it more cozy. And it IS. A virtual mini-vacation in here! So here I am, at midnight, hanging in the pink room...which is now being dubbed as the "woman cave" by my co-worker Mark McKay. I may never see my family again!

All I need is a garden tub. There's still time to talk to Santa.

uhhhhhhhhhhhhh muh gawd.....

Gentlemen, please don't get mad at me for what I'm about to say. I love all you guys and I'm sure in your own way, you understand. Shopping for Christmas presents for you guys sucks! Good grief.

I asked my hubby what he wants for Christmas and he gave me that same old crispy answer he gives me every year. "I really don't want anything dear." Please. What the heck kind of answer is that for a woman with a mall to conquer and a credit card to max??? Is he really trying to kill me? It's the ONLY time of year I can get away with spending money without getting yelled at til at least February. Please guys. Don't deny us this fun. We're going to find out what you want for Christmas anyway. Don't waste our time. Tell us. If you tell us now, we may be able to find it at a HUGE discount on Black Friday! And we'll leave you alone and go up in the attic and dig out that sleeping bag we're gonna use to sleep out in front of that store for 36 hours. You save money, we're not in your hair on Black Friday, it's a win-win situation. And we can all have a Merry Christmas.

Your Friend,
Karen

I practice what I preach...

Well...most of the time anyway. LOL. When it comes to this, I really do.

I do...from the bottom of my heart...want cancer to go bye-bye and leave us all alone. I am an advocate to help fight breast cancer and childhood cancer. There are others who lend their voices to help fight other cancers. The reason we choose to devote our efforts towards one cancer or another is not because we don't want other cancers to be cured first, it's because we have experience in that particular area. It's what we know. Our lives were affected and we know more of those big words and more about side effects of certain chemos than we wanted to know. So we don't throw away that experience. We use it for good. We need all of us in all areas to keep speaking. We're helping others in need. The newly diagnosed, the caregiver, the new volunteer, the medical community, etc. ALL of us need to speak out and raise the awareness that cancer can strike anyone, anywhere, anytime. It's time for us to fight back.

So here are my words to you today. I am having my yearly mammogram at 3:15 today. If you are due or overdue for one, call and make your appt. today! Okay? Okay.

Until next time,
Karen

Some may think I'm crazy...but that's okay.

I'm comfortable in my own skin.

Tomorrow night...

(photo courtesy of Monica Cusick)

I believe in angels. And you will see how much I truly believe in them tomorrow night at 11 on WVEC-TV 13 news. I want to thank LaSalle Blanks of 13 News for taking an interest in my story and the time and compassion he put into it to tell it for me.

For those who are out of the area and want to see the story, it will be available this week at www.eagle97.com as our video of the day.

Again,thank you LaSalle.

It's Coming....

Do you believe in Angels? I definitely DO!

November 11th at 11 pm. WVEC-TV 13.

Thank you SOOO MUCH!!!

(photo courtesy of Todd Meigs)


I want to thank everyone who volunteered, donated and walked with Max Media/The Race 4 Ginni at the Komen Affiliate's Race For The Cure last Saturday!

Together, we raised $500 OVER OUR GOAL!!! And secured the largest corporate team for the THIRD YEAR IN A ROW! But MORE importantly, we are doing big things to help put an end to breast cancer FOREVER! What a wonderful birthday gift for my sister. And what a wonderful celebration of life gift for ALL of our survivor friends and families!

I can't thank you all enough for all the hard work this year. I'm sending you a virtual BIG BEAR HUG! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!

Angels...

Do you believe in angels?

I do.

11/11/08 at 11.

More....

I believe in Angels....

November 11th.

~*~

Do you believe in Angels?


I do.


Watch this space.

Happy Birthday, Sweet Ginni

I love you and I miss you so much.

Love,
Sis

Squirrels. Flippin' squirrels.

Squirrels are cute, fluffy, loveable from a distance...but oh the aggravation and damage those little boogers can cause.



I have this big ole oak tree in my front yard. I mean, HUGE...I mean, has more than likely been there for a hundred years or so. Okay, it's been there a long time. Big dang tree.

And it's seriously full of acorns. I don't know why I'm just now getting around to complaining about it because this mess happens every year:

Squirrels. Hundreds of them. Stocking their supply for the winter. Constantly pelting my head when I sit on the front porch.



And some of those furry-butted critters have the nerve to come up to me and stare. Like they're daring me to say something. Brats.



Whenever I take baby Emma out of the house, I have to put the cover over the car seat so she doesn't get it either.

Yesterday, I sat on my front porch with an umbrella. Listening to the acorns hit the polyester like water torture. No rain, unless you count that it was raining acorns. It was the only way I could enjoy the outdoors.

All of the sudden, from the backyard, I heard my dog Tucker crying the blues. I thought maybe he wanted to sit in the front yard with me. Nope. Seems that the squirrels have begun throwing acorns from the top of the house into the backyard so they can continue to bury their spoils there. And hitting poor Tucker in the head in the process.

I humbly apologize to all the squirrel lovers out there...but right now this is squirrel-hatin' season for me. I'll go back to thinking they're cute and fluffy in the spring, I promise.


I need a motrin for this bangin' headache. And hard hats for me and my dog.





Til next time.

Karen

Why I walk....

This is my 3rd year as team captain for the "Race For Ginni." Some have seen this video before, but for those who haven't, this one is for you. I made it in 2006 to introduce my team members to my sister Ginni. I'd love for you to meet her too.
And if you can spare some time on October 18th, I'd love for you to walk with me at the Tidewater Affiliate's Race For The Cure. You can sign up today at www.eagle97.com. The last day to join team Max Media/The Race For Ginni is on Ginni's birthday...October 10th. If you are not able to make it, you can still be a part of the team in spirit. All members are welcome. Thank you so much from me....and my angel Ginni.

Update: Thank you!!!!!!!

You are all proof that there is power in numbers. Prayers were answered. Grandma came through her procedure with flying colors. She's going to make a full recovery. Thank you so much for the prayers. And thanks so much to Mary Immaculate Hospital for the awesome care!!!! I cannot say enough about what a wonderful facility it is.

Another grandchild came into the world yesterday 9/23 at 4:38 pm. His name is Daniel Ian. He is 7 lbs 7 oz and 20 inches long and boy is he a cutie! New cousin Emma came by to visit Daniel. I think she likes him!



Daniel (left), Emma (right)


Whew. It's been a long few days, but I see the light at the end of the tunnel now. The only thing I need now is a little more sleep and the antibiotics to get rid of what's left of his flu and I'll be just fine.

Thank you again for all the well-wishes and the prayers. I don't know how I could have done it without you. But I do know that whenever it becomes overwhelming again, I can depend on you to be there...as you always have.

Love,
Karen

So happy, sad, tired...and need prayers.

I haven't shared what's been happening in my life lately, but maybe it's time...since I found myself in tears in the boss' office this morning. Right now, my mind is so tired and is craving a day or two of silence, peace of mind, and sleep.

First, the happy part. My new baby grandchild was born at 7:55 am this past Sunday 9/21. Eight and a half pounds, 20 and a quarter inches long and full of dark hair. Her name is Emma Jean and she is just adorable. First child for my daughter Allie. I was in the delivery room. I was the first voice that Emma heard. Now Emma opens her little eyes whenever she hears me. Maybe she listened to my show in utero, I don't know...but it brings me to tears to know that she already knows who her Nana is. Allie and I were up for nearly 3 days straight. So...we're all very tired.



Happy part two. Another one of my daughters Laura was due to have her baby in a week. Well, due to complications of thyroid disease, she is in labor and delivery right now. Her son should be born sometime this afternoon. I'm still awaiting word and praying that she won't have any problems. :(

Now the sad part. My grandmother...the woman who raised me after my mother died...my sweet grandma who I let ride in the front seat of the Malibu...is in the hospital right now. She has been there since Friday. Congestive heart failure and pneumonia. My heart has been so broken. I have been alternating my time between two hospitals since Friday. Happy for the grandbabies, crying for my grandmother. The good news is, doctors were able to get the fluid off of her lungs. The bad news, we saw her heart doctor last night at 8 pm and he wants to perform a heart procedure this afternoon at 3 pm. It is a very necessary surgery. I'm worried. The good thing is, my grandmother is a very strong woman. She has been through so much and has been able to stand on her two feet. I'm just praying that the procedure goes well. I'm ready to bring her home.

Ginni's birthday is around the corner. I'm thinking about her so much right now.

And, I'm still fighting the flu and have been for about 3 weeks. I'm on my second round of antibiotics. Whatever prayers you can share...whatever words you can offer...I will gladly accept them. I'm on the air today and the tears are coming and going. The boss has said that I can go home if I need to...but right now, being with you...this may be good therapy. It was good therapy to get this all out in the open.

Thank you for letting me share.

Karen

In Memory of Ginni, In Honor of Survivors

To all of my dear friends:

You may know that one in eight women will be stricken with breast cancer in her lifetime. What you may not know is that you can help these women and thousands of others in the fight against breast cancer.

On October 18, 2008, Max Media For A Cure/The Race For Ginni team (in memory of my beloved sister and in honor of survivors) will be celebrating our 3rd big year at the Komen Tidewater Race for the Cure at Neptune's Park on 31st Street at the Virginia Beach oceanfront with a great team of dedicated people. Join the fight by registering as part of our team or by supporting our efforts with a pledge contribution. You can walk, run...or walk in spirit! All members are welcome. The money raised through the Race will fund vital education, screening and treatment programs for underserved women in our own community and support the national search for a cure.

Please join us! There will be special perks for Max Media team members, but more importantly....together we can put an end to breast cancer forever.

For Ginni's story, visit Trace's Journey

To join Max Media For A Cure/The Race For Ginni, visit The Race For Ginni

Playing catch up! UGH!

Gee, I haven't been HERE in awhile. Life just got in the way, I guess. Busy time and I'm sure most who have a lot on their plates can understand.

Anyhow, shooting for this fall for the official release of my book "Big Dummies, Volume 1" to benefit our local Komen Office. It is loosely based on my show feature "Big Dummy Award" that you can catch at 11:20 am weekdays on 97-3 The Eagle. I originally intended for it to be released this past spring, but had to put it on the back burner. We will begin shooting pictures for the book and cover next month and will hopefully have it all together by October. I am planning to have it available just in time for holiday shopping! :D

Okay, enough of my lamenting about being all behind and stuff. I asked my 22 year old daughter Laura to give me an interesting subject to talk about on my blog so I can take my mind off of my honey-do list. She says to talk about "pie." Pie??? What kind of pie? Apple? Cherry? Pie Chart? Pie in the face? Whut? She said talk about pumpkin pie. I said okay, I'll try. So here goes.

Ode to Pumpkin Pie

Oh...pumpkin pie,
You are so yummy!
But you remind me of Thanksgiving
And the deadline for Big Dummies.

Crap. Maybe next time, Laura.

To Gabby

I know how sad you were yesterday, baby. You didn't say anything...and you didn't have to. Your friends were celebrating Father's Day with their fathers and you were remembering yours. Believe me, I understand what you are feeling. I lost my mother when I was 13 years old. The same age you were when your father passed away. I know it's hard. Especially when so much is going on in your young life...your sweet sixteen birthday coming up in just a few days and how you wish so much that your father could be there. I've been there too, baby.

Just know that though he left this earth, that he never ever left you. He loved you more than his own life...and he continues to love you in heaven.

I Love You,
Mom

Heat Waaaaaaaaaaaaave!

Yesterday, we had 100+ degrees in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Today we have 85. They say: If you don't like the weather in Virginia, MOVE TO BOISE, IDAHO ya big dummy!

Yeah, that'll learn ya to complain about the weather.

Until next time,

Karen (see ya at the beach!)

Oh Mah Garsh

I'm going to non-bloggin' hell. I haven't written anything in over a MONTH! Well, if it helps ease my mind, I haven't done my laundry in over a month either. I'm just wearing all the clean stuff I got and when it runs out, I'll load it in the trunk of the 2008 Malibu I'm driving courtesy of Chevrolet (plenty of trunk space! Seriously! Need your laundry done too? It'll fit! LOL) and I'm gonna drive down to the laundramat and do it all in one afternoon. Okay, now that THAT plan is made, I'm gonna recap the very busy and adventurous month I've had.

* Been to the dentist three times. Had to squeeze fillings and cleanings in after my radio show so I wouldn't need to take any days off.

* Was in bed from Memorial day Monday thru Wednesday with FOOD POISONING!!! I was so sick, I was talking to dead people and pets. (Yeah, I was that sick). I never fully recovered till the following week. We're not quite sure what took me out but some CHEESE is suspect.

* Laundry piles were staring me in the face and I was ready to go for it until I got a phone call from my daughter. She needed to go to the doctor. She was ill. She had suspected food poisoning just a few days earlier. (What? What are you lookin' at? I DIDN'T cook! I NEVER cook! We ate OUT, thankyaverahmuch! :P )

I need to stop recapping. I'm depressing myself!!!! Hope this month is a better one! Stay away from bad cheese! And tomatoes! And go to the dentist every six months so you won't have to do it in three easy sedated appointments!

Until next time...and I promise it won't be a MONTH,

Karen

Gonna go do my laundry now. The only clean shirts I got left are 2005 Beach Patrol T-shirts.

Let's try to tidy up our email inboxes...

Everyday I delete several emails from people I like. And some from people I love. Why? It ain't cuz I don't like 'em anymore. It's cuz they done forwarded me some of them email hoaxes and chain letters that's been floating around the internet since before Al Gore invented it.

Word to the wise. If ya read an email that gets yer britches in a twist, chances are...it ain't real.

As a rule of thumb, I ALWAYS use snopes, urban legends and/or hoax-slayer to check the validity of an email forward that is touted as truth. MOST of the time I'll find that the contents of the email is nothing more than crap and I will email the person who sent the forward with a link to the real story. It's my way of trying to tidy up our email inboxes. If we ALL would do the same thing, we might be able to make a small but significant difference.

Here are a few examples for ya. Click on the links to get the real stories:

Radio Stations Declined To Play Diamond Rio's "In God We Trust" Because Of It's Subject Matter.

Missing Child Evan Trembley

Cancer Info From Johns Hopkins Hoax Email

If you have a friend that keeps sending you that dusty old crap you've seen a million times, you have my permission to send him a link to this blog, cuz I have a message for him:

Ya BIG DUMMY!

Hope this helps you out. Heck, I hope it helps ME out!

I need to go back to deletin' now.

Love ya!

They're here! They're HERE!

The bird eggs in my husband's motorcycle helmet have HATCHED!!!!! FIVE baby birds! AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! I want to take a pic of them, but momma bird looks like she could whoop my butt 9 ways to Sunday. And my husband ain't getting near it. Momma bird laid down the law to him too. So we're still trying to find somebody brave enough to get the picture without disturbing the nest.

My best friend Tammy. Yeah. That's the ticket. If I promise to make her a big pan of rice pudding, she'll defy death. So, I'll give her a call this afternoon.

Momma bird may end up putting Tammy in traction, but we'll have a pic the next time I post.

Oh mah gawd! Tidy Cats!

The new Tidy Cat's commercial is hilarious! The one with the woman who talks baby talk to her three little felines and they are trying to figure out what the heck she is saying? That one? Have ya seen it? No? Here ya go:



Ya know? I had to wonder. What is my cat Sharkbait thinking whenever one of us starts acting the fool? So...just for fun, my daughter Gabby and I tried this little experiment:



Okay, so it was embellished a bit. I'm sure if this was for real, we'd need a 10 second delay for Sharkbait. She'd probably make Ron White blush.

That was my fun for today. Until next time.

(No cats were harmed physically in the making of this video. However, she may need therapy now.)

How you know your bike has been in the garage too long!

Well, spring has sprung. Unfortunately, my husband and I have had way too many rainy days to take the Harleys out for a spin. Plus, whenever there has been a good day thrown in the mix, one of us is at the job.

Anyhoo, here it is a beautiful Sunday. We're both off, and my best friend and her husband are ready to ride too.

My husband has pulled both of the bikes out of the garage to give them a nice little cleaning.

It's going to be a good day, right?

Well, just one small little hitch....

My husband grabbed his helmet and got a little surprise....

That's right ladies and gentlemen...a bird had set up housekeeping! And she's expecting too!

That's his FAVORITE HELMET!!!!!

What to do, WHAT TO DO! Well I told him he couldn't disturb the little family so he'll just have to wear another helmet.

Sad face.

"Well, you can't just kick her out, honey!"

He gave me that look like he was smellin' bad cheese. "It wouldn't be so funny if it were YOUR helmet."

"Nope." I said. That's why I keep MINE in the house!

Doofus.

I'll let you know when the babies are born.

TAGGED! You learn something new everyday.

Today I checked my favorite messageboard "Gumbo Ya-Ya" to see if I had any shout outs. I don't usually get a whole lot of them, but today I got one from one of my favoritest posters "Cabana Boy."

He said, "I have tagged your blog for a meme. This is new stuff for me, so feel free to ignore it if you wish... but thought you ought to know so it isn't a surprise."

Well, the first thing I thought when I saw the word "tagged" was, "Tagged? What's that mean? Did I do something wrong? Did I write something obscene or something???" So I read through my thoughts again and saw that I had indeed written something obscene. "Wheatgrass juice!" That's right. The stuff that the Backstreet Boys claim is good for you. Then I thought, "Oh...mah...gawd! I'm going to blogger hell for that."

Seriously, I didn't know what being "tagged for a meme" meant and I wasn't going to come right out and ask Cabana because I didn't want him to think I was a dork. So I looked it up. It's actually something GOOD. Whew. I dodged a bullet.

So, in short, being tagged for a meme means: somebody likes your blog. COOL!

So it's my turn to tag those I blogs I love!

And here's how we say thank you for the honor:

1. Link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post these rules on your blog.
3. Share six unimportant things about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your entry.

Well, I've done the first two already...so here's the unimportant stuffs about me:

1. I'm a packrat when it comes to memories. I save little things that remind me of good times. Like a receipt, a letter, a card, etc. And I put them in pretty little boxes. If I have a particularly sad day, I pull a box out of the closet and look through all of the memories.

2. Every time I color my hair, it comes out some shade of red. Doesn't matter what color I use. Doesn't matter if I strip it and start from scratch...it's always some shade of red. It's my destiny to be a redhead.

3. I'm addicted to Tru-TV. (formerly Court TV). Love Forensic Files, The Investigators, and the Case Files of Dale Hinman.

4. I can't even go to the bathroom without all of the pets following me! Seriously. They're spoiled rotten. They think I'm going to go somewhere without them.

5. If I knew he could win, I'd vote for Earl Hickey for President.




6. The big question going through my mind right now is this: "What the heck happened to Victoria Principal's face???"


Now, it's time to tag my faves!

DixiePeach She brings up some notalgia that triggers some happy thoughts!
Midlife Ramblings, Sanity Optional I can identify!
Adventures of the Coconuter He has been places I've only dreamed of going.
Because I Said So! The funniest mommy blog I ever read in my life!
Olga, The Traveling Bra Very uplifting.
Thoughts From The Corner Office My boss. He hasn't written much, but he's got good stuff! I look forward to his new posts. I know, I know...y'all think I'm kissin' butt. Normally, that would be true...but since he's my boss and has known me for years, the old kissin' butt thing don't work with him. Anyway, I have to give him even more kudos because his blog doesn't have any typos. You should read his memos, though. Those are murder!

So, there are my 6 for good readin'!

Thank you for the honor Cabanaboy I enjoy your Michael stories! Keep 'em comin'!

Stuffs

First of all, I want to go on record and say that I am glad that stupid April Fool's Day is OVER. I got punked twice. Was caught off guard both times...and was very busy both times so I was not prepared. Anyhoo, next year, I'm going into seclusion for a day!

I feel better now.

Now...Trace Adkins on Celebrity Apprentice. Even though Piers won (because he raised more money), Trace was the most entertaining on the finale in my opinion. And maaaaaaaaaaaan, was he calm with those Backstreet Boys. If I were in his shoes, I would have handled them a LOT differently. "Wheatgrass juice? To clean you out? HERE, drink this prune juice and LIKE it, k? Nobody gets special treatment around here!" You can tell I'm somebody's mom. LOL.

And black nail polish? I would have just gone through my make-up basket and offered them a pretty pink. "Here...wear this and LIKE it. Nobody gets special treatment, 'round here...ya hear?"

And then I'd take away their computers and Ipods and TV privileges. Okay, they are not my kids...but like what Trace says, "They still callin' themselves BOYS?" Yeah, they'd be grounded.

Here's the best highlight from the finale. I just had to include it here. TRACE, YOU ROCK!

Root for Trace TONIGHT!!!!!

Check out the two hour finale of "Celebrity Apprentice" tonight on NBC starting at 8 pm. It's down to the final two! Our cowboy Trace Atkins and Simon Cowell wannabe Piers Morgan!

The winner will receive a $250,000 check for his favorite charity.

Trace's charity is FAAN (Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network).

The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) was established in 1991. FAAN's membership now stands at close to 30,000 worldwide and includes families, dietitians, nurses, physicians, school staff, and representatives from government agencies and the food and pharmaceutical industries. FAAN serves as the communication link between the allergic patient and others. The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) is the largest charity in the U.S. dedicated to helping and advocating for the 12 million Americans with food allergy. Trace's 6-year old daughter had a severe, life-threatening reaction to peanut butter when she was just 9 months old, an experience Trace called "terrifying." FAAN has played an instrumental role in the lives of families like Trace's and thousands more across the US.


GO TRACE!!!!!

Pics from my vacation to Ocracoke Island, NC!

Granted, they're kinda crummy cuz I forgot my REAL camera and used my camera phone. But my camera-phone pics aren't near as stinky as John Shomby's. Here's yer proof right here! At least you can make out what I was attempting to capture! Anyhoo, here ya go!

From our visit to the Blackbeard Museum. The wax big dummy is almost handsome like Johnny Depp's Capt. Jack Sparrow. Unfortunately, that can't be said for the real Blackbeard. All accounts say that he was a yukky stinky smelly kind of guy and folks often begged him to bathe if he was gonna hang out on the island. But he wouldn't. Would take away from his pirate mystique, ya know. He probably stunk so bad that folks willingly handed over their booty just to get the boy to move upwind. And we hear that his breath could kill seagrass forever. Too bad there weren't Tic-Tacs in those days. ARRRRRRRRRRRG!!! Yeah, okay...moving on.

Here are some beautiful pics of the marina just before a big thunderstorm was supposed to roll through. BIG emphasis on the word "supposed", okay? The wind kicked up, the sky looked threatening and we ran like mad women back to the room before we could get our hair wet. And all we got were two drops. All that exercise for nothing??? What a tease.

If you look closely, you can see the lighthouse at sunset. This was the view from our deck. Actually, it was MUCH closer and prettier than the pic shows. But once again, ahhh the woes of a camera-phone. Still, my pic doesn't suck like John Shomby's.

My daughter Laura asked why I kept taking pictures of this cat. I told her I've been coming to Ocracoke for over 10 years and I have enough pics of that danged lighthouse. So, meet Zack the Ocracat. Legend says that the first Ocracat came over on Blackbeard's pirate ship and all of the cats who run free on the island are decendents of that cat.
Anyhow, Zack "works" at the hotel where we stayed. He is "Guest Greeter" as you can see here. He may be pirate cat decendent, but his breath ain't kickin' like Blackbeard's.

This is my daughter Laura trying on a sweet hat at "The Pirate's Chest." I think she looks fabulous in it and I don't know why she wouldn't let me buy it for her. Oh well, just for THAT, I'm going to tell you a funny story about her.
This happened on the day we were coming back from Ocracoke. Anyway, we were in line waiting for the next ferry. Laura decided to take a potty break before the ferry arrived. As she got out of the car, she quickly realized that she had forgotten to WEAR HER BELT because when she stood up, her pants dropped to her knees and there she stood, wearing a pair of red boxer shorts with hearts all over them. The lady behind us laughed so hard, I thought she was gonna fall out of her van. Of course I had to call my best friend to share this little gem!!! Too bad I didn't have the camera-phone ready to roll when this happened because you KNOW I would have posted it.

Laura now thinks that maybe she should have let mom buy her that goofy hat.

Need Creative Ideas!

I need Easter basket help. You see, the Easter Bunny does NOT visit anybody over the age of 15, so I am stuck with the grueling job of doing HIS job for my daughters. (Wish I liked rabbit stew.) Last year, I was a very boring Easter Bunny. (And I've spent months after easter picking up that plastic green grass off the floor and furniture.) So I need help. This Saturday, I'm going out to buy things for my daughters easter baskets and I need creative ideas. Your help COULD win you a $100 gift card from K-Mart. (read rules at end of this blog.)

Keep in mind that I have OLDER children. 21, 19 and 16. And they swear they still believe in the Easter Bunny. (And Santa and the tooth fairy...blah, blah, blah. They'll say anything to keep getting presents. They're just like their momma!)

Can you help me come up with some creative ideas?

Here is a little bit about each girl:

Laura (21): Doesn't wear make-up (she's just a pretty girl. I don't think any of my girls need make-up...but two of them wear it.) Occasionally, she will wear a clear lip gloss. She doesn't wear jewelry either. She loves Harry Potter, she loves to read, PERIOD. She's a Monty Python and Johnny Depp fan. She adores striped knee socks and sandals (worn together) and t-shirts with funny sayings on them. She also draws. Mostly anime and she is extremely talented.

Allie (19): Loves to wear make-up. The more, the better. Wears her hair up most of the time. Listens to all types of music, mostly rock, but likes Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift. She likes big earrings...and a lot of bling. Loves funny looking bedroom slippers and pajamas...and scary movies. She's a "Sun Chip" addict.


Gabby (16): Wears make-up sometimes. She has to be in a mood. Loves hoodie sweatshirts, jeans and funky shoes...but has been known to wear dress up in pink occasionally (for her Aunt Ginni.) Is addicted to her I-Pod. She also loves fun jewelry. Mostly chunky big jewelry. Is an avid reader of teen fantasy books. Along the same lines as Harry Potter.


All THREE of them love those little marshmallow PEEPS. (Not to EAT...those things are just GROSS! And they have a shelf-life of FOREVER.) They dress them up and take pictures for their myspace pages.

All three are chocoholics like mom. Laura and Allie like the Cadbury eggs. (That commercial sold them years ago.) Gabby loves "Robin Eggs." We've still got 10 year old jellybeans. They will eat "Jelly Bellies" but jellybeans are reserved for decorating "Peeps." (They say regular jellybeans are yukky too.)

Okay, so there you go. Some clues about my daughters. I need some great creative ideas to put in the Easter baskets. I want the girls to either say "I've got the coolest mom in the world" or I want them to laugh themselves silly! (We love to laugh). I will take all 5 emails out with me on Saturday, March 22nd and do my shopping!

Send your creative ideas to karen@eagle97.com with a phone number where you can be reached. I will choose one in the 12 o'clock hour today through Friday. The one I choose will win a $100 gift card from K-Mart! Send your entries now to karen@eagle97.com. (contest open to Hampton Roads and surrounding areas only. Must be 18 or over. See contest rules at www.eagle97.com)

Thanks in advance for your help!

Note: I will be on vacation from 3/19 thru 3/25. I will still have access to my email and will still choose one during this contest week. Amanda Meadows will be sitting in for me during my vacation and I will be calling her with the winner of the day!

Edited 3/27/08

Congratulations to all of our winners this week!!!! Keep listening for more cool contests like this one on 97-3 The Eagle!!!!

BIG DUMMIES! GRRRRR....

I'm gonna let it all hang out here. I'm annoyed and pretty darn hot about this.

The past two days, I have taken a little detour from my long roadtrip to the studio to treat myself to a Starbucks Venti Skinny Vanilla Latte. I took Harpersville Road going past Peninsula Catholic High School as the route to my nearest drive-thru Starbucks. What has happened to me in the past two days should NEVER HAPPEN...EVER! At the time of my commute, the speed limits near schools are dropped to 25 mph. (if the big dummies I am about to refer to are reading this, THAT means SLOW THE HECK DOWN! PRECIOUS CARGO ARRIVING AT SCHOOL! C'mon Flashing lights, the whole nine yards....get a clue!) Speed limit on Harpersville's two lane road is 35 anyway. I was going about 38, maybe 40 in the 35. And for TWO MORNINGS IN A ROW, SOME idiot was in a big hurry to get NOWHERE. Rode my bumper down that two lane road. When the speed limit dropped in the school zone, I dropped to 25. STILL had that somebody riding my bumper...I mean SO CLOSE, I could get a back massage!!!! I was seriously afraid that if I had to stop, my car would get totaled by the moron behind me. Yesterday it was a small Honda, today it was an older blue truck. What part of SCHOOL ZONE did they not get??? To top it off, that is only one of THREE school zones on that small stretch of road.

Once they saw a chance, both of these idiots managed to cross a double yellow line and squealed tires to get around me. STILL in the school zone! Did I mention yellow lights flashing...signs everywhere???? I've got a daughter in school myself. I don't care if the person riding my bumper does NOT have children...the law applies to EVERYONE! I can only pray that they were caught before the next school zone.

I am SO MAD I could spit nails!!!! And if this makes you angry too, feel free to post a comment on this blog entry. I'm not a cop so I can't do anything about it on the road...but I can sure make an example out of them here.

Okay...Guess who else is a "Hannah Montana" fan...

Of course my daughter Gabby is. But this is ridiculous.

The family dog. I'm mortified.

Thank you so much!

Thank you for all of your prayers for my daughter. Her thyroid medication has been adjusted and she seems to be doing okay. Her doctor plans to release her from the hospital today, but will be doing frequent follow-ups to make sure the medication is working as it should.

During the three days that Laura was in the hospital, my family, friends and I have come together to help care for her nearly 3 year old daughter (my sweet grandbaby) Jade. She has been so much fun, but I do have to admit, I almost forgot what it was like to care for a little one! They are so BUSY BUSY! Which kept ME busy-busy! Jade's a very happy little one and loves to giggle. With the worry we've been through in the last few days, Jade's little giggles were a big blessing.

Jade is visiting with my crazy friend Tammy today...and Tammy has three cats! Well, Jade LOVES cats! Right now, she is having so much fun with cat toys that it's easy to figure out what to get her for her 3rd birthday next month! Rubber mice and cat tunnels! Nana gets off cheap this year! LOL!

Prayers needed...

My daughter Laura is in the hospital right now and we're unsure when she is coming home. She is 21 years old...was diagnosed with thyroid disease when she was 14. She has been on medication since her diagnosis, however, she has had serious problems lately. Please send your prayers for my daughter's recovery. It's a very rough road for us right now.

Thank you so much.

Martina In Concert on WHRO!

Tomorrow night at 8 pm as part of WHRO's fundraiser, they will be broadcasting Great Performances “Martina McBride: Live in Concert.” Between 8 and 10, I will be co-hosting the fundraiser and during the concert, WHRO will be offering some great Martina incentives including concert tickets to her show October 5 at the Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater. (Tickets for her VB concert will not be on sale until later in the year.)

Pledge your allegiance. Support Public Television! Join me tomorrow night (Wednesday March 12th) for Great Performances, Martina McBride: Live In Concert on WHRO channel 15...at 8 pm.

From WHRO and 97-3 The Eagle!!!!

Yep, sometimes "embracing change" is for the birds!

Well, it seems that I'm not the only one with a grievance with "new chair." As of today, "new chair" officially sucks.

In the years I've known Jennifer Lewis, she has never ever complained about anything. Not even Jimmy Ray. That, my friends, is NERVES OF STEEL. I envy her sometime.

But today, Jen spoke her peace about "new chair." It ain't happening, no way...no how.
And you know how serious she is about it? She would rather sit in THIS chair! And she is. That's right. Sweet, precious Jennifer would rather sit in a beat up, taped up, falling apart at the seams, piece of crapola before she would ever consider sitting in "new chair" again.

Pretty sad, huh?

But alas, "new chair" is still in the studio and according to engineering, it must stay there. (Maaaaaaaaan, what did Jen do to reap such crummy Karma???)

Anyway, we have decided that we would give "new chair" to Jimmy Ray as a gift when he returns from his vacation. He doesn't read my blog...so don't nobody say nuthin', k? Just let him think we're thinking about him. Thank y'all!

"Embrace change."

"Embrace change." That's a phrase I have heard time and time again. To me, "embrace change" means "Something's gonna happen and you probably ain't gonna like it, so suck it up and get over yourself." I haven't met too many people who don't cringe at the thought of "change." Some do well, others don't. For the most part, I do well with change. Not without kicking and screaming, but I do eventually adapt.

BUT...today, I'm going to kick and scream about a "change" I'm not willing to make!

Well, we had a very comfortable chair in the Eagle studio. A little old...it's been here for about 7 years, but nonetheless, very comfortable and still looked good.

Well, this morning, "old faithful" was NOT in the studio and replaced by a brand new chair.

I hate new chair. It's hard. It hurts my butt. I don't wanna embrace new chair. I wanna toss it. But I sit in it hoping I may come to love new chair. After an hour, I realized why Jombi stood up for his show this morning. It didn't get any better. My backside fell asleep and I had a heck of a time waking it up. I looked pretty ridiculous to passerbys.

So, I did what I had to do without causing a major catastrophe. I complained to our engineering department. Assistant Engineer John said old chair had a broken wheel and he just fixed it. Minutes later, he brought it back in the studio and now I'm sitting comfortably again.

New chair is still in the studio, though. Apparently it's JEN'S new chair. Sure hope she can "embrace change."

Rules For Grieving: Thank you Ya-Ya sisters.

My heart has been particularly heavy the last few days. I've been thinking and praying for the parents of the two Menchville High School Students who lost their lives in a tragic car accident last weekend...and the parents of the two who are continuing to fight for their lives. As a parent myself, I'm crushed when my children are sick or have injured themselves. I could not help but feel a deep pain in my heart upon hearing of this story.

As one who has not lost children, but has lost SEVERAL family members in 2005, I am not a stranger to the grieving process. Even three years later, I still grieve. And through my own pain, I have also witnessed the pain that my former mother-in-law
(and best friend in the whole world) and my grandmother endure with the loss of their children. My grandmother has lost THREE of her four children (including my mother) and even though all three of my grandmother's children have died 28 years or more ago, it doesn't mean she should be through talking it out or having "moments." It's her right. I enjoy offering my ear to both of these precious women because through their memories, I am able to find peace myself.

I have found with some people in my life, it is hard for them to believe that we are not "over it" yet. I have learned quite a few valuable lessons during my own grieving process and from others who are learning to live again as well. The biggest lesson I learned is that we will NEVER get "over it." We will get through the best we can, but inevidably, our lives are changed forever.

There was a quote from the piece "The Mourner's Bill of Rights" posted on Gumbo Ya-Ya just a few days ago on a thread called "Rules of Grieving." Gumbo Girls Discuss Grieving. Those of us who posted on that thread agreed wholeheartedly that there are NO rules.

I managed to find the whole piece by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. and have posted it below. I'm surprised that I never knew anything about this piece until an excerpt was posted by my friends. Anyway, I hope it will help others find even a morsel of hope as it is helping me.


The Mourner's Bill of Rights

As a bereaved person, you have certain rights that others must not take away from you. In fact, it is the very upholding of these rights that makes healing possible.

1. You have the right to experience your own unique grief. No one else will grieve in exactly the same way you do. Don't allow others to tell you what you should or should not be feeling.

2. You have the right to talk about your grief. Talking about your grief will help you heal. Seek out others who will allow you to talk as much as you want, as often as you want, about your grief.

3. You have the right to feel a multitude of emotions. Confusion, disorientation, fear, guilt and relief are just a few of the emotions you might feel as part of your grief journey. Know that there is no such thing as a "wrong" emotion. Accept all your feelings and find listeners who will do the same.

4. You have the right to be tolerant of your physical and emotional limits. Your feelings of loss and sadness will probably leave you feeling fatigued. Respect what your body and mind are telling you. Get daily rest. Eat balanced meals. And don't allow others to push you into things you don't feel ready to do.

5. You have the right to experience grief "attacks." Sometimes, out of nowhere, a powerful surge of grief may overcome you. This can be frightening, but is normal and natural. Find someone who understands and will let you talk it out.

6. You have the right to make use of ritual. The funeral ritual provides you with the support of caring people. More important, it supportively sees you off on your painful but necessary grief journey. Later rituals such as lighting a candle for the person who died, can also be healing touchstones. If others tell you that rituals such as these are silly or unnecessary, don't listen.

7. You have the right to embrace your spirituality. If faith is a part of your life, express it in ways that seem appropriate to you. Allow yourself to be around people who understand and support your religious beliefs. If you feel angry at God, find someone to talk with who won't be critical of your feelings of hurt and abandonment.

8. You have the right to search for meaning. You may find yourself asking "Why did he or she die? Why this way? Why now?" Some of your questions may have answers, but some may not. And watch out for the cliched responses some people may give you. Comments like, "It was God's will" or "Think what you have to be thankful for" are not helpful, and you do not have to accept them.

9. You have the right to treasure your memories. Memories are one of the best legacies that exist after the death of someone loved. You will always remember. Instead of ignoring your memories, find creative ways to embrace them. Write them down.

10. You have the right to move toward your grief and heal. Reconciling your grief will not happen quickly. Remember grief is a process not an event. Be patient and tolerant with yourself and avoid people who are impatient and intolerant with you. Neither you nor those around you must forget that the death of someone loved changes your life forever.

Things I'm looking forward to.

I have found that the best way to make it through a particularly rough day is to look at my list of things I am looking forward to in the next few days, weeks or month. (You need to actually make a list of things that are feasible. Within your reach. And once you've made that list, set dates, make plans and follow through.) I look at this list often since it seems that my household "honey-do" list is getting LOOOOOOOOOONGER. When I look at my "cool" list, my "honey-do" list doesn't seem to suck so badly! I consider it my rewards for good behavior. LOL.

So, here is my "cool" list:

1. March Vacation in the Outer Banks with all the girlfriends!

2. April Pink Tie Gala for Susan G. Komen For The Cure. (I got a COOL NEW DRESS for the event!)

3. Mother's Day Dinner with my Grandmother.

4. Todd Stadium Relay For Life!

5. Opening night of the movie "Nights In Rodanthe" with Diane Lane, Richard Gere and Chris Meloni!!! (June 6th)

6. July family vacation in the Outer Banks!

7. BUSCH GARDENS!!!!!!! WOOT!!!!!

8. Riding my motorcycle to the Blue Ridge Mountains this season!

9. Walking at the Race For The Cure at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront!

10. Releasing my new book to benefit Susan G. Komen For The Cure.


My "honey-do" list is available by request only if y'all are willing to take on all those chores.

A woman's response to her husband's SI swimsuit issue....

GAH-GAH!

Homina-homina-homina!

Ahhh-OOOOOO-gah!

Bow-chicka-wow-wow!

Aye-yie-yie-yie-yie-yie!

Whew.

Need chocolate now.

Hopes & Dreams, Plans & Goals

Meet my friend Tammy:



She is cute. She is sweet. She is funny. And sometimes she doesn't have the sense God gave a gnat, but I love her anyway.

Last week, she and I were discussing things we would like to do within the next two years. Something we've always wanted to do. I told her that my goals are to go to Mackinac Island where my favorite movie (Somewhere In Time) was filmed...and to take my youngest daughter to Germany so she can finally meet the family she has always heard about.

I asked Tammy what she'd like to accomplish within the next two years. She said she wanted to learn a foreign language. I thought that was very admirable! I'm thinking travel and she's thinking deeper than that.

So I says, "Which language would you like to learn?"

She says, "I'd like to learn to speak Australian."

(crickets)

She says, "They have a really cool accent!"

(crickets)

I had to think about whether I should tell her or not. I really didn't want to break her heart considering she thought long and hard about her two year goal. But I gave in.

"They speak English, you idiot."

Did I mention I love her anyway?

Painting your home tips from Karen

None of these tips were ever covered by Heloise or Bob Villa and I honestly think it is information we all need when we're beautifying our homes on a budget. Print out these tips and keep them handy before your next painting project. You're welcome.


1. It's never a good idea to let the pets watch you while you're painting. Sure, they enjoy your company...but they also want to help. Case in point, Sharkbait the cat felt there was a bit too much paint on one section of the bathroom moulding and decided she would lighten it up a bit by constanting rubbing up against that section until the excess was no longer on the moulding...but on her fur. And Tucker the dog showed me that he has a built in paint brush. His long Golden Retriever tail. I'm grateful for the help, but when painting a small room, it should be a one person project in order to keep brush stroke consistency.

2. Never paint your window sill when it's raining buckets outside. It doesn't matter that's it's indoor painting you are doing. It takes forever to dry and the condensation from the window may cause your sill to drip and streak...causing you to add more paint to cover up the streaks until you are up to 8 coats of a losing battle. Foul language generally follows this practice and that's not good for the pets.

3. Have a little patience. Never hang the brand new white curtains on the window that has just been painted with 8 coats of green paint even though it has been 30 minutes and the paint is supposed to dry in 20.

4. Never let your husband get away with calling you "Earl Scheib." Next time, give him the paintbrush and quietly go to your room and watch Lifetime movies.

Monday Blues....

I'm WEARING blue. I ain't got the blues. I'm perfectly happy that I have another Monday on this earth. Therefore, I never complain about Mondays.

I DO complain about other stuff though. Like my husband killing a good ghost story with "logic" and my dog passing gas all night while I'm trying to sleep...but I'm grateful that I have another breath to complain with. I was blessed with another day to enjoy family and friends. And I am grateful to God that he has blessed me with the patience to get over petty stuff quickly.

Life ain't always beautiful...but it's a beautiful ride.

Todays blog posting is dedicated to the memory of Ginni Michek and Claus McKenney. Thank you for teaching me what's really important.

Killjoys!

Dang. My friend Tammy and I thought we had a cool ghost story to tell our grandchildren in the future...until our engineer husbands spoiled the party! Grrrr.

Last night over dinner, Tammy and I discussed the mysterious falling pictures with our husbands. My husband, God love him, explained that he had hung a calendar above the picture the day before and apparently it fell, hit the picture and that's why it hit the floor. Then he explains that he hung that calendar with SCOTCH TAPE! Whutthe? SCOTCH TAPE? A heavy calendar on a plaster textured wall? I'm thinking "Oh Gawd tell me he didn't. I feel a 'big dummy' coming on." I just assumed he understood the law of gravity! I mean, even Tammy and I get THAT one! And we can't find our cars in a parking lot with only one car!

Then Tammy's husband chimed in. Her pic was hung with an eyelet screw and was coming out of the wall anyway. That's why HERS hit the floor. Who hung that pic in the first place? Her husband.

So there's no more cool ghost story. No one to blame stuff on. And even worse, Tammy and I have to hide the all the scotch tape and eyelet screws. Otherwise, we're gonna have crap falling off the walls all the time.

Creepy!!!!!!

My kids have been telling me for years that our house is haunted. Yeah, I've heard weird stuff going on but I just chalk it up as squirrels re-enacting "Fiddler On The Roof." I told them if the house is REALLY haunted, it wouldn't kill Mr. Ghost if he could do the dishes and a load of laundry every now and then. Otherwise, he would just be a freeloader. Everybody has to do their share, knowwhutimsayin?

Well, this morning as I was getting dressed for work, I heard a crash. I went downstairs and blamed Sharkbait the cat for getting into trouble, but she looked up all blurry eyed from her favorite chair. Apparently, she had been sleeping. I searched through the house. Finally, I saw the problem. In the "man" room, a picture that my husband had hung YEARS ago had fallen off the wall. It was on the floor leaning against the wall like somebody placed it there. The nail still in the wall. This pic hasn't been moved in 6 years, man. It just fell off the wall for no reason. Okay, I let it go and left for work.

My friend Tammy called me and told me that the same thing happened to her last night. A pic that had been hanging on her wall for over 4 years! And it's not damaged either!

If I were a superstitious soul, I'd be duct taping my butt to a well grounded chair with a year's supply of Cheetos and Dr. Pepper by my side.

But, I'm not superstitious. And I ain't hanging that danged picture back up. If Mr. Ghost doesn't like it, he can just replace it himself. I'll have to send him over to Tammy's house too since he seems to be freeloading in both places now. Maybe we should make up a chore list?



Brillo pads and dish detergent under the sink, Mr. Ghost. Get to work!

Edited to add: My daughter Laura reminded me that the Ghost has a name. It's Bob. I'm not sure if the kids named him or if that's his name, but yeah.

I was also reminded by a loyal listener via email that I need to apologize to Sharkbait the Cat. I did. With a half a canister of cat treats. I think we're good now.

DOG CAM!!!!!

She's just being "Gabby"

My daughter Gabby says the darndest things sometimes. She's like her mom. She thinks out loud and most of the time it's stuff that's waaaaaaaaaaay out there, ya know?

We were driving back from her Grandmother's house and out of the blue she asks, "Hey Mom. Can we be Methodists?"

I say, "We're Baptist. Why do you wanna be Methodists? Your friends Methodist? You visit the Methodist Church with your friends or somethin' and ya like it better?"

She says, "We Baptists only have Spaghetti dinners. That Methodist Church that we just passed back there is having a pancake dinner. I want pancakes. Can we be Methodist?"

I say, "What if I just ask our pastor if we can have a pancake dinner next time. Then will ya not jump ship?"

She says, "Okay, can ya do that? I just love pancakes."

I say, "Uuuuuuuuuh, okay."

She says, "Werd."

I guess I'd better call the pastor tomorrow so we can still be Baptists.

Added note:

I just want to thank God that my child is healthy and silly. I am so grateful. Please think about us and help us help the children at St. Jude during our 17th Annual Eagle/St. Jude Country Cares Radiothon and become a Partner in Hope. 1-888-270-HOPE. We want to win the war against childhood cancer!

Thank you.

Whine, whine, whine...

Today, I was a sissy-crybaby-lala girl. Yes, I would like some cheese with that.

* Had a sinus headache all day and too much of a big dummy to take something for it until the sun blinded me on the ride home.

* The cell phone bill came in. I need to shut up or speak in shorter sentences.

* My DVR didn't record last Thursday's "My Name Is Earl" episode.

* And the big screen TV in the great room downstairs is dead. Gone. Never coming back. Had somebody look at it yesterday and I was told that it would be cheaper to buy a new one.

BUT...I want to thank God for allowing me this day to whine. A whiney day is better than the alternative. No day at all.

Yes I do mean that. I truly am grateful.

Now, did anybody see Earl last week? I need a recap here!!!!!

Meet "Roadie"

The newest member of the family! He has been home for almost 24 hours and has adapted very nicely.

I met "Roadie" yesterday at our 1st ever Eagle Winterblast at the Hampton Coliseum. Country music star Chris Cagle brought him to our radio booth and told us the story of Roadie and how he came to take to the roads with Chris and his band. While Chris told Roadie's story, I was bonding with the little guy. He's such a lovey little sweetie! I remember mouthing the words to Chris, "Oh my God, I love him so much!" I wondered who in the world could NOT love him.

Obviously someone did not. Chris said that his girlfriendJennifer was driving down the road and saw someone throw this sweet puppy from a car and kept driving. Jennifer nearly hit him because it all happened so fast. She pulled over and rescued him. He was shaken and bloody.

God was looking out for our little Roadie because he was nursed back to health and loved by Chris and Jennifer...and the members of Chris' band.

How I got him happened so fast. I wanted him so much, and I was sure that Chris was not going to part with him. I could tell that those two had a bond...but when he asked me if I was serious, I told him I was VERY serious. He said he would call his girlfriend and see what she thought.

About 30 minutes later, It was a done deal. Roadie was going home with me! SWEEEEEET!

I can't tell you how much I couldn't wait to pick him up. But it did break my heart to see Chris say goodbye to little Roadie. It looked as though he may have had a second thought for a moment, but Chris gave me the rundown on what he had done for little Roadie already. And had him dressed up in a sweet little sweater when he was ready to go home with me. I promised I would post pics on my blog so Chris can watch the little guy grow up and I will keep that promise. And you can be sure that I'll be taking him to Chris Cagle concerts.

What does my husband think about Roadie? He adores him too.

Dang, I hate camera phone pics, but it was all I had at the moment.

Anyway, my husband held him close and zipped him up in his jacket to bond with him. My daughter begged him not to turn Roadie into a Paris Hilton dog. That won't happen. Soon as Roadie is a little bigger, I'm sure he'll have the Harley Davidson jackets and sweatshirts like his older brother Tucker. We're already shopping for the Harley collar.

Bummer.

Well..."Sparky The Snowman" is dead now. Gabby's not allowed to have any more pets.

Let's give the poor man a break...

Most of America have viewed the video of Former President Bill Clinton dozing during a Martin Luther King event. But in case you haven't viewed it (or want to view it again for giggles), I have conveniently placed it here for ya:




And with this, I want to talk about speeches in general. I enjoy listening to a good motivating speech as much as the next guy. It inspires me, moves me and gives me the initiative to continue paying forward good deeds. But let's discuss something that is NEVER brought up about speeches. Physical discomfort.

Think about it. Most of the time, events of this nature (like the one in the video) are held in large venues. And MOST of the time, we're sitting in a small hard seat and squished between two other guests (except for Billy there...he had a primo seat). Most of the time, there are hundreds of people listening to this speech....all breathing at the same time and using up all the carbon dioxide in the building! Most of the time, we are wearing darned uncomfortable clothes and shoes cuz it's a dressy situation and we gotta look cute, right? And MOST OF THE TIME, it's darned HOT in there! AND I repeat, everybody breathing at the same time. I'm ready to curl up just talking about it!

I don't know about you, but...no matter how great the speech, if it has gone on any longer than 14 minutes and 30 seconds, my body breaks down into a mass of Alpo and I'm ready for a 3 day nap. Seriously.

Anyhoo, I watched the Billy video several times. I turned the volume way up...hoping I could catch him snoring. Anyway, this is how I see it. Besides having that tie around his neck cutting off the oxygen to his brain and those hot tv lights in his face, he was probably kicking himself for staying up to watch Conan the night before. Therefore, his poor ole body gave out. And there ya go. A logical explanation of why Billy needed to recharge. So I say we need to give the poor man a little break here.

And to my boss John...if you are reading this, I hope you understand my explanation and will forgive me for my behavior at our staff meetings.

For the record, I do not snore! I just have sinus issues.

YAAAAWN! Boredom!!!!

A lot of stupid stuff just floating around my noggin'. So let me just get this mess out now so I can move on to thinking about other dumb stuff I got no business thinking about.

Email forwards. Gawd I hate those things. Mainly cuz I've seen 'em all. And I've received them all 84,000 times over. The ones I really hate are the ones that say I need to send it out to 10 people or my dog's tail is gonna fall off or something. So I usually send 'em back to the same person 10 times and call 'em a different name each time. I don't know if that counts, but my dog's tail hasn't fallen off and I still got the same dumb luck, so I'm guessin' it works.

I did have a particularly boring day recently. Nothing big happened 'cept I was stuck in three traffic jams going to work and two traffic jams coming home. Like I said, I had a particularly boring day. Anyhoo, I opened one of those email forwards from my friend Richard...with the intention of sending it back to him 10 fold along with a big ole can of you-know-whut. But you know whut? I'm not going to drive down to Texas and whoop his butt cuz this is pretty darned entertaining! So, I'm posting it here for you to enjoy too. K? K.

If this one landed in your email inbox before and you're tired of watchin' it...my apologies, John, Paul, George, Ringo, Jerry, Elaine, Kramer, Jed, Ellie May, Jethro...

Now that I'm on the subject of being boooooooooored, lemme tell you what my daughter did to add to my boooooooooooooredom on the interstate. She got this song STUCK IN MY HEAD! So now I'm returning the favor and sticking it in YOUR head. Why should I have all the fun? You're welcome.