On This Date 9/23: Vegas 2000

Oh to think back nine years ago on this day. The day Brian and I took the plunge, said "I do", 'til death do us part, forever and ever.....Amen. I wouldn't change a thing. Sure, our marriage has had it's ups and downs, twists and turns....but REALLY...what marriage doesn't?





Our wedding day was so much fun. We were married in the MGM Grand chapel at 2:30 in the afternoon. I was ready by noon. That's the Virgo nature in me and I'm ALWAYS early, never late. So....I proceed to go to the hotel bar for a Martini in my shorts, T-shirt and curled up hair with tiara. I belly up to the bar and of course all the people surrounding me are dudes. I hear, "So, you gettin' married, huh?" I nod and proceed to gulp my raspberry-lemon drop martini. "Let me buy her a round," typical Vegas dude that looks like half cowboy half pimp says as he rolls out a twenty from his wad. I try to say no, but the 'tender is already shakin' up my 'tini and other "Vegas" style dudes are wanting to buy me more drinks. I say "Hold up! I can only handle two of these and then I'm outta here!" They all laughed and hooted with stories of why I shouldn't do it and I've done it once am I stupid enough to do it again?





Yep. I was confident. I was sure. I had no feelings of regret. This was the man I was going to be with for the rest of my life. And 2:30 couldn't get here quick enough.





The ceremony was precious. Not at all cheezy like you would think a typical Vegas wedding would be. We chose music and flowers ahead of time and pictures were professionally taken at a modest price. My dear dad even walked me down the aisle and you can see in the video just how proud he was to do so.





Proceeding the "I do's" we went up to our Honeymoon Suite and had a little party for everyone. My step dad, Rodney and Brian's uncle Mike provided the snacks and booze (which was really nice of them). And now it's Saturday and I'm finishing this post...sorry. We all munch down on our snacks and beverages and have our little party and disperse for the evening. Let the Honeymoon begin :).

The next day was spent lounging in the many MGM pools and lazy rivers sipping on yard long concoctions, readily getting sun baked. I remember this day fondly as my mother wasn't raving drunk, as normal, she lounged quietly and serenely telling stories of "the old times".

So here we are nine years later. Still in love. Still in bliss. Still on our Honeymoon. Still with no regrets. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Isn't She Lovely?

She is my sweet baby girl. The successor of my first baby girl, Gizmo. Lilly is her name, sweetness is her game. Of course I am intentionally biased, but there is no other dog quite like her in the world. She can sit on my lap for hours and indulge in scratchin' and lovin' and snuggle with so much goodness coming out of her little soul.

As I write this, I am sitting on my patio table and she is scurrying across the yard chasing squirrels with our big dog Skipper. Skipper weighs about 45 more pounds than she does and stands about two feet taller, but she keeps up with him quite steadily barking all the way. Her beautiful blond mane is now straggly with dew from the grass and clumps of mud from the garden. Prissy she is not...hunter dog with Skipper she is.

I have chosen purposefully not to have children and to have a "zoo" instead. During my first marriage, when the "baby" itch sort of hit me, my mother suggested I get a dog and so she bought me a Pomeranian for Christmas 1993. I have loved the breed ever since. I have been fortunate with my Pomeranians for mine have not been yippy, high strung and stupid. They have been loving, content, smart and give me the most unconditional love a human could ask for.

So now my lovely Lilly is staring contently at me from the opposite deck chair at me from the patio table. Do you think she knows I'm telling a story about her? Probably not. Well, time to get both she and I in the tub.

09/09/09

It's a magical day, numerology speaking. And, of course, I have to throw in there it is my birthday. I have been waiting for this day to come all year. Waiting for something unusual to transcend. However, at 11:00 am this morning still no dice.



But wait, the magic did happen yesterday. Birthday money in the mail...that's always a blessing and something magical. My good ol' dad pulled through on that one for me. My friend is cooking something of a surprise for dinner tonight and having us all over....that will be yummy and good.



I over 20 people on Facebook wish me bday greetings making my heart melt. It feels so good to have so many take the time to say a little something to me. And then there is my "adopted" Wichita dad who sent me an email and a text sending me a happy one.



So I'm going to embrace the day, relish in the happiness, buy a lottery ticket, take a long, hot shower, paint my toenails, let someone else cook for me and have a super, magical fantabulous birthday.

Sacrifice

My husband comes home either tonight or tomorrow after a long stint of working in Kansas City for about two months now. They are caught up on the job they are working on and he is able to come home for about a week. This makes me so happy as living apart and being a "single" mom to his two teenage girls can wear on you after awhile.

Brian took this job mainly for financial reasons. One, I'm unemployed and my unemployment checks ran out two weeks ago. I've applied to over 100 different jobs....it SUCKS out there right now. I can't even get a job at Wally world. Two, he can work weekends and get plenty of overtime which means more $$$ in the checking account. BUT, (and there's a BIG but in there) he's become very ill lately, for almost a month and has missed several days of work so ding ! there goes that extra $$$ we were planning on. I'm very concerned for him. He's lost alot of weight (down to 150 pounds) and is at the point of dehydration because he can't keep anything in him. He's been to the doctor three different times. We find out what is in his blood samples today and his stool samples (yuck) Thursday. I just hope it's nothing life threatening. I just don't know what I'd do without my big B.

So these are tough times for many people right now. I am grateful for what we do have and the investments we made when we did have money: house, cars, appliances, etc. We eat hamburger meals alot, but the girls don't seem to mind. I was able to buy them one top, one bottom and a pair of shoes for school this year and they were happy with that. Brylea turns 16 on Thursday and we are going to get her license then. I rearranged our auto insurance and homeowners insurance to get better deals and it will only cost us an extra $40 a month to add her to our policy (which I thought wasn't too bad). That way she can drive herself to a job (which she applied to several on Sunday) and help out paying for her own gas money.

I shop at the DAV and Goodwill for clothes for me since I've lost 55 pounds. Got 3 pairs of shorts for $5 the other day.....I am the bargain hunter. Having a garage sale the weekend after Labor day so I can earn some $$ to possibly get a couple pair of jeans. I don't want to buy too much 'cuz I'm still losing weight....yippee!!! I want to drop about 15 more lbs. Went from a size 22 now to a 14.

Sacrifices, we all make them, rearrange them, prioritize them, turn them inside out and upside down. It's a part of your reality that can't be ignored. I think I've become a more responsible being because of them.

Welcome to my blog

I found it interesting to read what was on everyone else's mind in their posts on their blogs, so I thought to myself, "What the hell? I may as well do one of my own!!!". For one thing I think it will be very therapeutic and for another it will keep me in touch with all of my pals across the nation.

It's Monday. A new week. Time to get motivated. Although I sit here at my computer still in my pajamas drinking coffee, smoking cigs and it's almost noon. That's my life in my unemployed world. Sure I've got plenty to do...but this is going to take precedence for now.

I've actually got a busy week. I'm going to have a garage sale with my friend Stacy on Fri and Sat. and I've got stuff going on every night this week. Then my house is a wreck and two teenagers don't help. Then we're out of food so there's the never ending grocery shopping....etc. etc. So I guess my unemployed ass will have plenty to look forward to.

So welcome to the world of the chiquita banana (that's my nickname from my wonderful father up in North Dakota).