HOME!

I am finally home!!!! I decided to drive home on Saturday, put my truck in Drive....put on Joel Olsteen Podcast and said a prayer and off I went! Made it home in three hours, non stop! I was so glad to be home, so much so that my body decided to get a horrible cold and test my sense of humor and sneeze my head off. Not to mention the coughing! Can you say OH MY GOD!!!! Nothing like having a hernia operation 10 days before and get a cold! At least my stomach is getting strong, in between screaming when I cough or sneeze!

Well since I am home bound for this week (Nothing is going to stop me from going to the village on Friday, I wait all year for this night) I am doing some research on a camera I want to get for Christmas .

I have done a lot of research and am looking at a Nikon D40. I have a point and shoot Cannon and am not happy with the blurry shots I take especially at night. I am obsessed with a website called: thepioneerwoman.com and her photos are awesome! So I think I am going to follow in her direction. I would like to expand my knowledge in photography and really take some nice pictures. I have asked via Internet for suggestions on camera types and the general summation is Nikon D40. With the price savings I can get a couple of really nice lens and focus (ha ha) on the details I want.

I will let you know what I find out and how the search is going!

Well off to sneeze again...and scream again. ..Enjoy your afternoon!

Just hangin' out in Vegas!

Just reviewing my blog and noticed I haven't written in a few days....Well I am in Vegas. I went here last Wednesday for (hopefully) my very last surgery! I had a hernia repaired from the original surgery of my gall bladder that popped in April. Was I terrified?!!!!!! Absolutely!!!! I had the same surgeon that did my gall bladder operation perform (I love Dr. Horsley!) this one. Andy took such good care of me until Sunday evening, then he went home and Rachelle and Mark came home from their vacation and have been here since.

I was going to go home today, but decided to take one more day and head on tomorrow. Eight days, not being home, Hum...as my BIL asks are you scratching at the bit? (He he). Yea but I know this will turn soon! I have been having a really good time with special time spent with my sister and BIL (brother in law).

Last night we took the dogs over to the District in Green Valley for dinner outside, Boy was it beautiful! I took some pictures and will post them when I get home. How pretty it was, it almost looked like Disneyland at night!

I went to lunch with my dad today. McDonalds....I haven't been to a Mickie Dees in about 8 years! Well when I was out of the garage door and out of the garage walking towards his car, I looked down and didn't have my shoes on! I said "I'm not wearing shoes!" My dad starting laughing so hard and so loud I thought he was going to fall! See why I am not leaving until tomorrow?!!!!!

With shoes on here we went to Micky Dees, and 2 1/2 hours later I am back home. Do you know why their chairs are so uncomfortable? So people will not hang out there, it works most of the time! My butt hurts!

Anyway, the operation went well, this time no pheumomonia and no blood clots (Considering I am taking two shots per day to make sure I don't get them. Ouch! In the stomach!

I am glad that Halloween is next week and I will be much better and then Saturday is my boys 18th birthday! 18 Where has the time gone!!!!

Have a great weekend!

Monday October 13th, 2008

Just reviewed my bog, realized I have not written in almost a couple of weeks. Life is good, just taking one day at a time.

I am leaving for Las Vegas on Wednesday to have my surgery on Thursday morning. Went to Las Vegas last week for a couple of days. Stayed with Rachelle and Mark one night and the next went to the Rio. What a nice couple of days! Not too many times do we get the chance to actually have the opportunity to play tourist.

We came home on Friday evening and woke up on Saturday to SNOW!!!! A lot of it too! Boy was it cold! It did not even get to 40 on Saturday and Sunday hit only to 44! Sunday morning we woke up and it was 18! What Happened!!!! So hopefully it will get nice over the next few days and it will return back to normal. The weather that is! I'll be in Vegas for a week after my surgery, the doctors are worried about me being in the high altitude so I will hang out with Rachelle and have a "little break", knowing me I will want to be home after a few days!

So we will see.

Anyway, I will write later to say hi and let everyone know what is going on!

Have a great Week!

I guess I won...won what?

Well, today being Wednesday....trying to clear my head from this weekend. You know I can't make stuff like this up, but as I often say, WELCOME TO MY WORLD!!!

Saturday afternoon, Andy went riding on his dirtbike (yes the first ride since his accident in June) with our friends Daryl, Kim, George and Sheila. Just a nice ride around the mountains, over to Rose Mine and just to poke around and enjoy the scenary. Well that did start out like that UNTIL......... Andy got hit by another motorcyle! They both got knocked off each of their bikes. Andy was able to get up and pull the bikes off the other guy shaking the "cob webs" off. A jeep showed up and helped get the second bike off the guy then a minute later the gang showed up. The cell phones don't work so far in the mountains so Andy took off came home and called for emergency help. The accident happened so far in that they couldn't get ambulances, firetrucks or cruisers back there. Andy told 911 that they would probably have to air vac the guy out....Well he was right, the others tried but couldn't get back there. Carl was the man who got hurt, when they finally got to him that sent him to Loma Linda and he broke his hip and femar bone in 4 places!!!! They had him in surgery until 1AM! We have called and checked on him and he is home now recovering.

So what did I win? When Andy was on the phone with 911 they put him on hold and Andy said to me, You won? I won, what did I win? They asked him if other people were involved in the accidnet and he said yes, one other person, him! My knees buckled! I just stood there stunned!

He looked OK, what the.... well after locating the ambulance and Carl's wife and sent them on the path (well sort off) the ambulance bent a rim and blew 3 tires trying to get there. We went back home (No, Andy refused treatment) and looked him over. Boy was he banged up! He went to the doctor's on Monday with tendant damage, probably a slight concusion and some really good bruises.

So that did it, he came to the conclusion to sell the motorcycle. Four near accident and two accidents, too many for comfort. My heart hurts for him because he loves this sport so much, but he said that God could not be yelling at him any louder for him to get rid of that bike before a real serious accident happened. Dr. Joe said that at 47 is when men start getting rid of their toys. Still hurts, but the words of Daryl to Andy is "your heart will heal". Good point. Hate to have that page turned, we all are getting older.

What happened with Daryl, Kim George and Sheila? They stayed with Carl the whole time!!! What angels they were! They kept him alert and from going into shock. What a life experience for them for these Orange County city people. Boy, have Daryl and Kim really "cowboyed Up" since they have lived here! With rattle snakes, fires, and now the accident in the mountains, what a wild experience! They didn't get back until after 7PM, dark and cold they had to drive in the forest to get out! Well they have a great story to tell for a long time. Good friends.

I do have some pictures that George took and when I get them I will try to put them on this post.

Well, Bruce is almost done with the tile in the kitchen! Steve was here yesterday putting the stone on the fireplace and today he will be finished with the grout and WE WILL BE DONE!!!

If you want a Susuki dirt bike at a fantastic price, it is over at Geared 4 U in Big Bear City.

Well, my feet are finally on the ground!

I am finally home from the crazy week!

I am writing to update everyone what has been going on.....my birthday week was fantastic! What an incredible town we live in. On Tuesday morning of the 16th, I received a call from the Post Office (can you believe the Post office called my house!!!) It was Guy and he said that there is a package that is sent to the Post office at is supposed to be sent to our home but since we do not get any mail here and only in the P O Box, he wanted me to know that the box was there! I go the biggest tickle out of that, and "Oh by the way" he says...Happy Birthday! What?!!! Found ot that Andy was at the Post Office the day before and told him it was my birthday and was waiting for this box to come in. Too funny!

My day was wonderful, we did go to Lake Arrowhead for lunch then down the hill in the afternoon for dinner at Linko's. Love that place!! We had such a good time with the boys, Kim and Daryl and of course Benard! We had some incredible food, thanks to Benards talents!

The weekend was busy with the Cowboy Gathering...my booth went well, thank Goodness for Chuck and Lavonne. I love them! What great friends they are of mine! I am so blessed to have them in my life! Long hours and a lot of dirt whirling around. Susie came over on Sunday morning and said that she woke up at 5AM that morning sat straight up and said" Oh no I hope Jeanine removed her food from the booth!" See, there were reports of a BIG POPPA BEAR sighted Friday around the PAC. When we came over to my booth and asked I said "Oh yeah, I took it all home and brought it back". Which I would of had to do anyway with the Heath Permit. The show was a lot of fun, except that I wanted to participate in everything and that just wasn't going to happen.

Monday, I went to my birthday lunch with Vicki, Blondies, I LOVE that place! That have the best Crab-Shrimp Loui I have ever had! The gifts were beautiful and I am truly blessed to have Vicki and Chuck as my friends, that just travel too much. (that is the selfish part of me!) Well now that the weather is cooling off, they will be spending more time home, YEA!!!

Tuesday I took of around 3PM and drove to Vegas. I arrived at Rachelle's house via Trader Joe's and made an incredible dinner and spent some much needed time with Sugar and Spice. They are so precious! Mark and Rachelle came home around 9:30. Visited with them for a bit then got up the next morning and went to Dr. Wojecks office. All blood work is FINE! So, now I schedule my surgery and get that done! Yea!!!!

Rachelle and I spent the rest of the day shopping at the Fashion Show mall. That night we went to dinner with Mark, Joey, Brenda and Gary and Pop at Green Valley Ranch in celebration of Rachelle's birthday. I was supposed to leave in the afternoon, but I was having so much fun with Rachelle, I decided to stay over. I am really glad of my decision. The next morning I left and stopped at State Line for a couple of more hours of shopping. See what happens when you live in a town that only has Kmart? Made it home around 5 to a glass of wine, dinner of Chicken Marsala and a very happy to see husband.

So today, I have sooo much to do, thank goodness that I have nothing planned this weekend except for taking care of my home and kind of doing a fall cleaning. I can't stand little nick-nacks around, it makes me edgy. So now I get to reorganize everything and get rid of a lot of stuff.

Andy is getting my fall stuff out. I love to collect the Halloween village. I have a few pieces and it is a lot of fun to get new pieces for my village. Ebay is great for that, well isn't Ebay great for EVERYTHING!

Bruce will be here on Monday to do our tile in the kitchen, Steve will be here on Monday for the rock on the bedroom fireplace and when it is done I'll post pictures. It is beautiful now! I can't wait to see the finished product!!!

Well, that is enough for now. Busy huh?

Good Morning!

I wanted to write for a moment. There is sooo much going on this week and in the past week!
As everyone knows we are doing a huge revamp to our home, (being that it is only a year and a half old). There were many things we wanted to get done before the winter hits, so we decided to jump off and get them done, BIG PROJECT!!!!

We took the tile off the kitchen counters (well they kind of took themself's off of the ends, at the worst times!) Andy went ahead and got the rest off the counter and the backsplash, we are having our "new" friend Bruce come up from Orange and do our new tile. I'll post pictures of it when it is done. Everyone asked me why didn't I do granite..well because I really like the varied sizes of tiles and a different pattern, reminds me of Italy. We bought a new stove, no it's not the regular 4 foot stoves like I have had in the other two houses. Can you believe that I got a 30" stove? I did all the research for MANY weeks and actually liked the Electrolux brand. It has the BTU's for my high boil point (being at 7,000 feet it takes FOREVER! for things to boil) and the simmer for my delicate sauces. I love the oven and the great gadgets it has, and look, it has a self clean option on it, Ye haw! The only thing that I really miss, or should I say Andy misses, is the griddle, he loved his 24" griddle on the Wolf and was satisfied with the 12" on the Jennair.

The garage: We finally have it finished! Tuesday the garage door guy came up and put the door in, YEA!!! Saturday, Andy painted it along with my little office. Now to get power to both buildings, which is being done today with Andy's employees. Another yea!

Steve was over on Saturday to work on my fireplace in the bedroom, he has it all framed up, it is HUGE!!!! I have to post pictures of it as the work is being done. Anyway, he decided to cut the boards in MY BEDROOM!!!! So when we were getting ready for bed, I looked at my bed, pictures, bed frame, floor and screamed!!! It was completely covered in sawdust!!!! What the.....? Why didn't he cover the bedroom furniture before he started working on it?!!! Well I am going over to Daryl's to pick up tarps to cover everything before I let him continue with the drywall, can you imagine what they will look like if I don't?

Bobbie came up yesterday for the day to celebrate my birthday early, it's not until Tuesday however, why not now!, what a nice afternoon! We went to lunch, did a little shopping and then went to the house and sat outside for a while before she went home. It is so nice to have her so close, an afternoon is doable.

Tomorrow Andy and I are going to Lake Arrowhead for the afternoon for lunch, then to Linko's down the hill for Sushi. Kim and Daryl will be joining us. I have a show at the PAC on Sat and Sunday for the Cowboy Poetry, I hope it doesn't snow like it did on Memorial Day when they were having the Storyfest! Speaking of snow, fall is on it's way, it is getting down to the 40's at night, almost cold enough to start having fires, I love my fireplace. Also just enough time to finish the one in our bedroom.

The Octoberfest is going on at the Convention Center, hopefully, we can take a weekend and get out there and have some fun! Andy has never been out to it, it has been a huge yearly event for the past 38 years. I havn't been since Linda and I went over 23 years ago! Wow seems like another lifetime! I'll write about it when I get around to going!

Next week will be just as busy, I am going to Vegas during the week to meet with the pulmologist for all the blood they took last week, 13 HUGE vials, those vials came out to over $1,000.00 Thank Goodness for insurance. It will be interesting to see how much at the end of the year this year has cost. I will also be making an appointment for my last (hopefully) surgery.

Well I'd better get goin for today, just wanted to write and say hi and let everyone know that I actually have more going on then just going to Mexico and hangin out!

Have a great day and I will be seeing everyone soon!

Love Jeanine

Stephanie's Birthday Weekend

Here are our pictures of Stephanie's Weekend. Picasa has a great new movie program and I have been trying to get it downloaded to my Blog. Still work in progress.
Hope everyone enjoys these pictures, we had a blast, except for the toll road being worked on so we had to take the "old" road, however, I finally saw the turnabouts in TJ!!!! I have been looking for them for years! But they were not as much fun as I remembered it. Considering it was 5 o'clock on a Friday in TJ!!! Took us over an hour that should have been 15 minutes. Thank God for Andy's driving!!!! Whew!

Video of Running with the Bulls, July 8th, 2007 Pamplona Spain

I can't believe I finally found the video of the running with the bulls! This is the day that Andy ran, however, I can't find him out of all those other crazy people. I tried to locate me I am on the right hand side right before the arena beside the medical guys in the red hats! Run Andy Run!

Remembering September 11th, 2001

This was sent to me from my girlfriend this morning. Strange in the sense that this was the first email I opened and when the tragedy happened seven years ago, she was the first one to call me and wake me up that morning.

From my home to all my friends and family. I thank God every day for your love and for you being in my life, I am truly blessed.

Take a moment to read this incredible message and tell your special someone you are thankful for them and for their gift in your life.

'MEET ME IN THE STAIRWELL'

You say you will never forget where you were when
You heard the news On September 11, 2001.
Neither will I.

I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room
With a man who called his wife to say 'Good-Bye.' I
Held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the
Peace to say, 'Honey, I am not going to make it, but it
Is OK..I am ready to go.'

I was with his wife when he called as she fed
Breakfast to their children. I held her up as she
Tried to understand his words and as she realized
He wasn't coming home that night.

I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a
Woman cried out to Me for help. 'I have been
Knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!' I said.
'Of course I will show you the way home - only
Believe in Me now.'

I was at the base of the building with the Priest
Ministering to the injured and devastated souls.
I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He
Heard my voice and answered.

I was on all four of those planes, in every seat,
With every prayer. I was with the crew as they
Were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the
Believers there, comforting and assuring them that their
Faith has saved them.

I was in Texas , Virginia , California , Michigan , Afghanistan .
I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news.
Did you sense Me?

I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew
Every name - though not all know Me. Some met Me
For the first time on the 86th floor.

Some sought Me with their last breath.
Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the
Smoke and flames; 'Come to Me... This way... Take
My hand.' Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me.
But, I was there.

I did not place you in the Tower that day. You
May not know why, but I do. However, if you were
There in that explosive moment in time, would you have
Reached for Me?

Sept. 11, 2001, was not the end of the journey
For you. But someday your journey will end. And I
Will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may
Be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are
'ready to go.'

I will be in the stairwell of your final moments. ...God

During the next 60 seconds, stop whatever you are
Doing, and take this opportunity. (Literally it
Is only 1 minute.) All you have to do is the
Following:

Stop and think and appreciate God's power
In your life, for doing what you know is pleasing to
Him. If you are not ashamed to do this, follow the
Instructions. Jesus said, 'If you are ashamed of Me, I will be
Ashamed of you before My Father'

If you believe 'Yes, I love my God. He is my
Fountain of Life and My Savior. He Keeps me going day and
Night. Without Him, I am no one. But with Him, I can do
Everything. Christ is my strength.'

Have wonderful day. Love Jeanine