Dominican Republic Bits and Pieces

1. 2.5 milliion people live in Santo Domingo.

2. Children in the Dominican Republic attend school only half of the day, either morning or afternoon.

3. You cannot drink the tap water. Everyone drinks filtered or bottled water. It is even necessary to brush your teeth using bottled water.

4. Joe and I stayed at our condo six days before we realized that we had A/C.

5. Traffic stops when the Dominican Republic flag is lowered.

6. The DR was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492.

7. Trash is a major problem in the DR.

8. Although I swore I would never get on another horse, I did in the DR. I rode through rocks, mud, and water.

9. Motorcycles serve as cabs, and they weave in and out of the traffic. They're everywhere! They're everywhere!

10. People walk up to your car at traffic lights selling everything from phone cards to kites.

11. They're are two stones that are mined in the DR--amber and larimar. Amber is actually fossilized tree resin. Larimar, or blue pectolite, can only be found in the province of Barahona, in the south-western region of the Dominican Republic. Of course, I came home with a little of both!

Scattered

Sometimes my mind is so scattered
It jumps from here to there
It’s hard for me to focus
It’s not that I don’t care!

I start out at the computer
To balance my checkbook
Then I head to my email
Just to take a look.

I check out my favorite store Chico’s
Advertising jeans for nineteen ninety nine
I wonder if they might have my size
But then I notice Brett’s online.

I send him an Instant Message
And ask “How are you?”
But then I notice that Michele’s online
So I send her a hello too!

Next I happen to look at the clock
Where has my morning gone?
I tell Brett and Michele good-bye
And head for the telephone.

I need to call my doctor
But decide to check on Sue
But once again she’s not home
So I’ve got some emailing to do

Now I’m back online
And I happen to see
That my friend Marion
Has sent an email to me!

I open up the email
Just to take a quick look
But then I remember
It’s time for me to cook.

I head to the kitchen
To begin preparing dinner
But then remember my lottery ticket
I wonder if I’m a winner.

I head back to my computer
To find out if I won
But decide to play a game of Gin
Just to have some fun.

Before I start my second game
I run to make up the bed
I put on a load of clothes
And remember Chloe needs to be fed.

I clean out the litter box
And then I run to get the mail
I sit down at the counter
and discover a new bill from Dell.

I hear Joe at the door
But before he comes inside
I run to my computer
And quickly let it hide.

Joe asks what I've been up to
I say I've been busy the whole day through
I'm just getting ready to start supper
We're having chicken stew!

Mardi Gras Day 2008

This year Joe and I opted to stay on the ground for Mardi Gras rather than ride on the awesome float "Cajun Yacht Club." Since we were on the ground we got to see the floats, catch beads from our grandchildren, and visit with our friends.

We had a nice crowd and lots of good food to eat. Buster (my dog) attended his first parade and had a great time----at least that's what he told me!

Bits and Pieces

1. Joe rode in Endymion (a New Orleans Mardi Gras parade) this year which gave me the opportunity to go to the Extravaganza, the party afterwards. The Dooby Brothers, the Go-Gos, and Kevin Costner and his band played. One more item can be crossed off my list.

2. I'm on a liquid diet today because I have to go for a Colonoscopy tomorrow. Yuck, yuck, yuck!

3. Joe and I leave for the Dominican Republic a week from today. We are meeting my sister, Alice, and her friend. Alice's husband, David, will join us later in the vacation. We will have one week in a RCI resort and then travel south to the area that David has been doing his missionary work.

4. For Lent I gave up Starbucks. I'm saving some money as I was having a sugar free vanilla latte 3 to 4 times week. Brett or Michele, how much am I saving a month?

5. I volunteered for the Mother's March of Dimes Walk on my street. I thoroughly enjoyed it as I got to meet a lot of the neighbors that I did not know, and to top it off I collected $74.

Buster's List

My Mother has a list
Of things she wants to do
But she doesn't know
That I have one too!

I've already gone camping
And swimming in a lake
I attended a birthday party
And drooled over the chocolate cake.

I flew in an airplane
Rode on a four-wheeler with my dad
I went to see Santa Claus
With antlers on my head.

And now I've been to Mardi Gras
I can cross it off my list
The smell of all that delicious food
Put me into a state of bliss!

Empty House

Thanks to everyone who submitted a title for this poem. I decided to go with "Empty House." My son, Brett, suggested this and I think it fits the poem perfectly.

This poem is untitled right now. I would appreciate ideas for a name if anyone has one. The poem came to me at night when I was trying to go to sleep. I got up right away and wrote down my ideas.

The day before Joe and I decorated our neighbor's mailbox. He came by to say "thank you" and to bring us a wooden reindeer he had in his attic. Most of the poem came from our conversation that day.

People say time will heal,
but I only feel despair.
I’m so terribly lonely.
I walk around without a care.

People really mean well.
They tell me to get a pet,
but they don’t really understand
how empty a house can get.

The Christmas season has come
but I won’t be celebrating this year.
I’m just not in the Christmas spirit.
I can’t find a bit of cheer.

We were married for such a long time.
You were my friend and lover.
When you passed away,
I felt my life was over.

I wake at night to my empty bed.
wishing you were here.
I cry myself back to sleep.
I miss you so much, my dear.

Lord, I apologize for being so weak.
I pray that I can become strong.
But so much as changed in my life
I ask myself, "what else can go wrong?"

How long will this continue?
When will I begin to feel relief?
God please send me an angel
to help me with my grief.

I pray for guidance with my future.
I need someone to show me the way
to find happiness and strength
to begin another day.

Triple Scoop Moment

Recently Nancy, who is my sorority sister, a close friend, and a distant cousin, told me the story, "Triple Scoop Moment." The story tells of a father that is picking up his daughter from day school. Much to his dismay when he arrives to pick up his daughter, he sees a bully grab her ice cream cone and throw it to the ground. Of course, by the time he gets to her, she is in tears. He tells her, "Don't worry, I'm taking you out for a triple scoop ice cream cone."

Nancy went on to say that this is how God makes up for all of our trials and tribulations that we face. When we least expect it we're given a "Triple Scoop Moment" that makes us forget the bad things that have happened. Nancy referred to our recent Chi Omega reunion as a "Triple Scoop Moment."

Some days it appears
From the moment you arise
That everything goes wrong
Right before your very eyes.

You might be out of coffee
There's no gas in the car
You're late for work
And your money doesn't go far.

And then there's the saying
That trouble comes in three
Including illness, death, and accidents
Bringing you down to your knees.

You pray to the Lord
Saying I can't take anymore
Please give me the strength
To face what is in store.

And sometimes it appears
That God is not there.
Your prayers go unanswered
And it doesn't seem fair.

But He was listening
And thinking of what He could do
He knew a "Triple Scoop Moment"
Was due just for you!