To be retired or not to be, that is the question!!

Another rumor at work is going around.  This one has a great big bundle of hope with it.  The post office has paid billions in advance for health benefits for people who haven't even been born yet.  The rumor of the day is this:  If congress passes a vote, the benefits would be paid over a 40 year span.  They would take the money that has been paid in advance and offer a money incentive and add three years on your retirement wages.  If that is the case, I AM OUT OF HERE.

Then the next day comes and the rumors are, well maybe some money but not years, then it is years and not money, and then it is, well maybe not yet but pretty soon and then, etc etc etc.

I guess that the dream still lives on until the rumors are facts and what will be the best for me.  So, life goes on as normal.  A few more gray hairs and another day closer to retirement.

Argh.......House Hunting

Anyone know of a VERY CHEAP condo for sale on the main floor?  I am looking to invest my money in a home rather than rent.  My parents always described rent as: Buying a dead horse.  I am tired of my dead horse and I want to move.  If I was going to work another 6 years, I wouldn't have a problem, but I want to retire soon and want to get settled in for the latter years in my life. 

Prices in Utah are outragous, but that is where the family lives and I want to be by family as I age.  Buying a condo on retirement wages is tricky.  I want to be able to leave the house if a friend says, do you want to go away for the weekend and get away, and the prices for homes are not condusive to my idea of cheap.  So the search continues.

It is a waiting game and I never did have a very long patience level.  It matches my attention span...short.  I have found one I like, but it isn't the perfect one yet.  I am still hoping for my lottery ticket to come through.  Don't hold your breath though.  As a joke, I have an area at work that I call my "Karma Zone".  It has a plant and a little fountain and I look at it and hold my fingers together and chant, "I'mmmm going to win the lottery, I'mmmm going to win the lottery."  What the heck, it at least amuses me.

Dang Jingle!!

When I get ready for work each morning, I watch channel 2 news.  Just before I leave, there is an advertisement for a soap opera.  I don't even know which one.  But it has the catchiest jingle.  The last 2 lines of the song say: "Two can keep a secret, as long as one of them is dead."  Then it shows a woman underwater staring at you.

I have been singing that song in my head for the past 3 days.  No matter what other song I try and sing, that one comes right out.  Jingle writers are very creative and talented.  Wish I could create one so I could sing a different tune.

Orbs.....And Me.

Have you ever researched Orbs?  Most of the articles say that they are spirits, most think evil, but I think they are refractions of light, of dust or pollen.  But look at the picture above.  (Click on the picture to enlarge) If you look at it close enough, I captured some of them moving.  If they are spirits, I know they are good ones.  Look at Kenny's little face.  No way would something bad be hanging around that sweet innocent little boy.  This was taken at West Jordan Park about 10:30 at night.  No street lights or car lights, just a flash from the camera.  I think it is a cool picture.  If nothing else, very interesting to discuss.

I am an official member of the KMA Club

Today is my birthday.  I had forgotten all about it until my sister called and invited me over.  I asked her if we could do it Friday because I have too many shows to watch that I can't tape.  I know, I am pathetic.  My life revolves around the TV Guide. :-(    I forgot they were going out of town this weekend so Dale is going to tape my shows for me.  That is the problem with reality TV and being to cheap to purchase the big cable package.  There are no reruns.

I haven't worried about my birthday coming up, because I have waited all my career to make it to retirement age.  My mother use to tell me to not wish my life away, but this is a major accomplishment.  I have worked for the Postal Service for 35 years and now I can retire any time I want.  Being financially ready to go is a whole different story.  Unless something happens, I will be here another 3-6 years.  It is kind of scary to think about it when it is staring you in the face.  But I have dreams of becoming a famous watercolorist.  It may be that I am the only one that loves my stuff, but that won't matter, I want to travel somewhere and paint.

I have been looking into a lot of options of where I will eventually retire to.  The world is mine right now and I hope I am brave enough to do the things I have waited to do all these years.  Happy Birthday Carla.

Post Traumatic Syndrome 10 Years ago

I was writing a letter today for Shawn and I had this over powering feeling of love for him.  He is in boot camp for the Army right now.  He and I experienced a 15 minute horror story at Sea World when he was 10.  Shantel was at Space Camp and Shawn stayed with me for company while she was gone.  I had been in the Splash Zone for Shamu several times before, so I stayed up at the top and he went to the zone for his first time.  I had him in sight every second.  When the crowds started up the stairs to exit, he was about 6 rows down and got swallowed up in the mass of people.  I looked and couldn't find him.  The crowd had taken him outside the arena.  I waited a few minutes thinking he would come back in and he never did.  I went out looking for him and he wasn't there.  I came back in and he wasn't there either.  Oh how I panicked.  I prayed so hard to find him, to let whoever helped him, be good people.  I went out once again and no Shawn.  I finally decided I better get to security ASAP and when I went out after the eternity of minutes he was gone, (15 minutes) a British Couple had their arms around his shoulder and he was crying.  We ran to each other and just hugged one another.  He never left my side for the rest of the trip.  We were stuck like glue.  They saw him a few hours later and yelled out "Hi Shawn."  Friends for life and my prayer was answered, they were very good people.

A hint or advice.  Take Walkie Talkies, have a meeting spot, or suck it up and sit in the Splash Zone!

Liberty, Twin Falls & Searching for Americas 1st Woman Serial Killer Plot

Liberty called me up a couple of weeks ago and asked if I would like to do something with her for the 4th of July weekend.  So we started searching and came up with some fun activities in the Twin Falls area of Idaho.  It was really fun to see all of the things we could do.
    1.  Jackpot Nevada
    2.  Balanced Rock
    3.  Mammoth Cave
    4.  Iced Cave
    5.  Sun Valley Idaho
    6.  Perrine Bridge to watch them parachute off it
    7.  Shoshone Falls
    8.  America's 1st Woman Serial Killer Burial Plot  (Anna E Shaw)

Harlan and Sharyll were on their way to Seattle and so we met for breakfast in Snowville, Utah.  I didn't even know that tiny town had a place to eat.  It was good and the company was great.  Sharyll rode with me to Twin Falls were we met up with Liberty.  All three of them had never watched them jump off the bridge and Harlan and Sharyll had never been to Shoshone Falls.  Bringing them back to their cars, I drove them past the Temple.  So for a spur of the moment side trip, it was great fun to spend with them.

What can I say about Jackpot, Nevada.  The slots are so tight you couldn't get a penny to come out of them.  Good thing we didn't have very much money to spend there.  All the way there and Liberty had someone sit next to her that she knows.  Miss Christy that owns Kenny's daycare.  I am very impressed with what he is learning there and it was nice to be able to tell her in person how much I appreciated her. 

I wanted to go places that Liberty had never been.  She needed a vacation also.  So she wanted to go to Balanced Rock.  Driving through some of the most beautiful and prosperous farms and then around a corner, there you are in a dry, deep ravine and there on the mountain side was this picture.  Liberty hiked up to almost the top to get a picture of it on her phone.  She has 1000 times more energy than I have. 

I have always wanted to go to Sun Valley, Idaho, so the next morning we headed North.  We stopped at Mammoth Caves and went down into the deep, deep abyss for about 1/4 mile.  Liberty made it all the way, I knew I had to come back out, so I waited part way.  They have a lantern for you to hold, but it is pretty scary.  A young pregnant woman was going in by herself as we were coming out.  Both of them are pretty brave.  I'm not sure I could have gone in there alone or even went the whole way by myself like Liberty did.  I went to turn my light off when I saw the entrance to the cave and thought better of it because I couldn't see the floor.  It was nice and cool inside, so I liked that since it was a hot day up top.

Liberty hadn't been north of the Iced Caves, so the next part of the trip was all new to the both of us.  We drove to Sun Valley and I think it up and left town.  We saw all the signs that said that we were in Ketchum, but never saw any signs for Sun Valley.  I only saw one ski lift.  We drove on up to Galena and turned around and took a side trip to see a Pioneer Cemetery.  The road was really rutted, so we didn't go past the cemetery.  There were 3 graves and only one had a grave stone.  They died in 1890.  Coming down the road into Ketchum, I saw all the ski slopes.  Would have missed them if we hadn't taken the beautiful drive up the mountains.

We tried 3 times to find the burial plot of Anna E Shaw.  She was America's 1st Woman Serial Killer.  She poisoned like 7 people, mostly husbands to get their life insurance.  We had taken a tour of Boise a year or so ago and they had talked about her.  Then to find out she was buried in Twin Falls, just sounded fun to do.  Liberty went up and down reading names, asking people if they knew were plot 441 would be located and we just couldn't find it and the office was closed both days.  I forgot to tell Liberty that Hemmingway was buried up towards Ketchum.  Seems like there should be another trip in there somewhere for another date!!

Thank you Liberty for such a wonderful vacation.  We had s'mores at the KOA Lodge and really, truly loved her company.  I hope this will be one of those moments when I'm gone that you can reflect back on with joy.

Nervous Journalist

Well, I am going to attempt a blog for myself.  I have enjoyed reading other bloggers very much and have been afraid to put my thoughts out where others could read.  Mostly because I don't have that much to say.  I live in my little 2 bedroom apartment and immerse myself in reality TV and sometimes forget that reality is just outside the door.  It is easy to forget that when you are living by yourself.  I have never been married and I live life to the fullest, and thanks to my family,  I am never alone.

Family is the most important aspect of my life.  If I didn't have family around, I would become certifiable and not a nice person.  They keep me grounded.  I would sit and ramble off every member of my family, but I know the consequences of doing that.  You see, a few years back, I wrote a little book for me, that I shared with my family.  I planned it for a year and would randomly ask the grandkids this question, "How much do you love me?" during that time.  Some of the answers were hilarious and I will share them someday, but the book is packed away at this time.  But I took those answers and created a little kids story and had a friend draw some of the pictures.  I ran out of time for that part of it.  I dedicated it to my family and I listed everyone's name down to the last grandchild born.  I made 7 copies, hand colored them all, laminated them, had a binding put on and gave them away for a Christmas present.  It was the best Christmas that year.  Then one of the kids said, "Carla, I thought you had a sister named Stacy."  My heart sank a fathom.  I had left off my dear little sister who had passed away.  So, from now on, when I say all of my family, they know who they are and they know I love them.

You know, it is kind of theraputic to sit at a computer and just write.  I think that I am going to like this.