I made a video today.   Of our son's toenail coming off. 

Now my eldest son and his wife and children are here.  I had a Déjà vu moment.  It's a piece of heaven at my house now.

My dad is here.  And Ann.  It's been such a nice visit.  I hate for it to end.

Went to first football game.  Been meaning to go for six years.  I don't really understand why people go to high school football games as I was never into sports in school.  But this night I watched and experienced as if outside myself.  It was sweet.  Kathy said, c'mere, c'mere, and we all stood in long line on either side of a giant Tigers banner.  The high school boys, the football team, came tearing through the banner running at top speed, all full of testosterone.  The people on each side hollered and cheered and let go of their balloons.  I clapped and smiled and accidentally started to cry.  It's something like what the sound of bagpipes do to me.  Chokes me up with emotion.  I don't know why.  I don't even like football.  But I do think it's wonderful that people go a support the team, watch their children, watch the neighbor's children, playing football.  The stands are so small.  They don't even extend half way around the field.  Only about an eighth of the distance I suppose.

The team got skunked.  Zero to 42.  It's not fair really - pitting a tiny school against a school that comes from a much larger city.  

The men are doing pre-algebra in the Zumba room.  Son will also be reading more of "The Light In The Forest" for school.  He rode someone else's horse tonight.  They've been having trouble with their horse and wanted to see how our son would do on him.  He said the horse gave him trouble only one time, and to top it off he encouraged a girl to ride uphill with him.  She was afraid to, but he helped her do it.  I'm glad.  It's good to be an encourager.

My friend and I talked a long time today.  I was of no help.  I felt bad about that. 

I dreamt of a large beautiful tree.  The air was crystal clear.  Green grass.  Keen horizon of blue and white.  Perfect clouds.  I kept trying to catch it with my camera but someone bumped me.  After that, I could not get the elements framed rightly no matter which way I tilted my camera.

Is there meaning to it?  Or is it one of the Microsoft desktop photos that came with my laptop.

I got two new tops for Zumba.  I like them both.  Discountdance.com.  One is blue (basically) and the other orangeish with purple.

The bottom one is my favorite.  They fit perfectly.  Snug but not tight.  I needed some tops with a crew neck for my kid classes at the Christian school.  I noticed the handbook says no cleavage allowed and almost all of my Zumba racer back tank tops show cleavage when I bend over.  I wish they'd stop making the necklines on the Zumba clothing bigger and wider and deeper.  My very first Zumba top that I ever bought is just fine.  All that I've ordered since that one have gotten lower and lower in the neck line.  I might stop ordering Zumbawear tops.

The order turned out so well that I went to dancewearsolutions.com and ordered a few more crew neck styles.  They were cheaper and I hope they'll fit since a couple were on sale and therefore, nonreturnable.

I had 16 students in my adult class Tuesday!  That's a jump up from the eight or so regulars that have stuck it out with me all through this miserable hot summer.  Finally the weather is decent and some peeps I haven't seen since May have come back.  Sold more toning sticks.  I'm so happy for that.  The toning routine addition has been a hit.  I want to add another one - the African song one.

My sis got to attend my class last night.  She was a hoot.  Noisier than most of my regulars and she made the class so fun with her clapping and woohooing.  She loves Zumba as much as I do.  She burned 500 calories.  I was disappointed I didn't make her burn more.  I wanna second chance!  I can do better!  She did say her bum is sore today and so I think I can take credit for that.  Yay!

Maranatha.  I looked it up.  It occurs only once in the Holy Bible at the end of the book of 1 Corinthians.  It means "Our Lord has come" or "Our Lord, come!"

Took my sister to the airport today and now we miss her a lot.  I have to sleep without her tonight.  I don't want to.

Son is excelling in horse lessons.  I think he's doing fair in school but has an Eeyore complex.  He's down talking everything about it. 

Saw the pills my dad is taking.  There are so many of them.  So many bottles.  Looked like a dozen bottles in a large Ziploc.  It took him an hour to get his pill box ready for the coming week.  The chemo pill is making his hair thin.  Gave him nausea one day.  His feet are swollen.  Today he feels fairly well though.  It's good for him to be up and about as much as possible.  Our son gave him a new, cool hat and he liked it especially since he forgot to bring his own hat.  Made me happy that our son did that and did it all on his own. 

My dad.

Today my husband drove with my sister to pick our new horse trailer! It purty.  It's pewter colored.  He said in the time they traveled my sister talked more in five hours than I did in the entire six years we were on the road.

How did all these dust bunnies get in?  Is there a secret entry somewhere?

My niche

I think I've found my niche.  The Zumba with kids went super duper well today.  It was a joy to have such a big group - about 25 kidlets age 9 to 13.  I think they liked it.  I heard the principal is pleased with it.  She was outside with us for a bit and when I saw her sit down I completely forgot my train of thought.  I had to change the subject.  I talked at length about good posture - head straight, shoulders down, chest open, abdominals held in, pelvis tucked under.  I named and demonstrated some dance steps and they did them with me.  I will review posture and steps next week and see if anyone remembers.  I need a little oven timer so I can watch the time.  My husband told me what time it was and I didn't realize I was talking so long!  The kids all listened well.  Oddly, none of them got antsy or looked bored while talked.  The principal did have to separate two teeny bopper girls.  I couldn't tell why but they did ignore me while I was lining them up at the beginning of class.  I had to say, "Yoohoo, you need to move."  I did perceive some attitude in that corner when I began class. Hehe!  I was ready for it.  I think their hearts softened a bit by the end of class.  It's nerve wracking, I know it is, when you're a teen and you're told you have to do Zumba.  I hope the teen chickadees will end up enjoying it.

When I entered the building to collect the kids everyone was talking about Zumba!  I could hear a general murmur going on about Zumba.  I couldn't see them but heard some girls saying, "Zumba isn't dance.  It's just shaking your butt."  I bet it was the talk of the school when I brought them back after class.  Several of the children on the way back told me they loved Zumba.  Bless their hearts.  Made me feel so good.  So good.  Especially the 10 and 11 year old age seemed to be very positive about it.

My wonderful husband put a cover out for me so I didn't have to stand in the sun.  Good thing too.  I don't think I could have done it in the sun.  That reminds me.  I need to instruct the kids on how to jump correctly to ease the impact on their skeletal system.  We're outside on cement.

I had a case of the almost-throw-ups before class.  Sheesh.  I had to lie down on the bed and relax myself.  It's just kids and I still got nervous.  Me and Adele.  I read she throws up before a performance.  I hear she's a very good performer too.  I've never actually thrown up though so I'm not exactly like Adele.  Haha!  She's very beautiful too.

I think I've found my niche.  Pastor says when we are older, kids are raised, we should be teachers.  Everyone has something to share, experience to pass on to younger people.  It resonated with me.  I think he's right about that.  Although I'm 52 and husband is 70 and technically we're not done raising the last one.  :)

If you have Jimmy Hoffa on your side, it ain't good.  Neither is an on-stage introduction that includes obscenities.  Obama says he didn't hear it.  He didn't hear his pastor for 20 years.  He didn't know the Republican debate was on the same night he scheduled (yet another) speech. 

At a week-end program of religious observances for 9/11, there will be a rabbi, a bishop, a lama, a hindu, an imam, the president of the Islamic Society of North America and a Muslim musician.  No Baptist or representative from any of the 400+ Protestant denominations in the world has been invited. The White House probably overlooked it.

And another stimulus is coming down the pike.  It's our president's best idea to turn the economy around.  It hasn't worked before and it didn't work when Bush was in office.  A stimulus (Pelosi has deleted the word from all publications) causes a blip as it gets spent then it's over - similar to Cash for Clunkers, but on a bigger scale.   Zero percent job growth last month - it's the worst since WWII.  Keep doing what you're doing and you get more of what you've got.

Over 1700 waivers for the Affordable Health Care Act have been given to companies who want special permission to not be part of it.  An unusually high number of waivers were awarded to businesses in Pelosi's own district.  It's such a good program that Congress has their own separate health care program instead of this excellent one passed on Christmas Eve for the People Of America. 

Chicago politics are transforming our federal government.  My United States government has gone corrupt.  I mean, more corrupt than usual.

This morning I'm teaching Zumba to the kids at the school.  I hope it goes well.  I'm going to start off talking about good posture and the names of various steps.

First day of school tomorrow

Our child is going to private school tomorrow after 13 years of homeschooling.  He'll be in ninth grade.

It's the beginning of a new chapter.  I've heard good things about the school.  I'm expectant, happy, and sad.

I love the Lord so much.  I've been studying tonight.  But will I retain anything?

My husband dried dishes during the commercials.  I washed extra slow so there would be less for me to dry.  He didn't notice.  I'm so slick!

Bella is learning how to walk.  You wouldn't think a horse needs to learn how to walk, but to become a trail riding horse they have to learn to walk up and down and over rocks and keep their balance.  Laura was riding her and she tripped and fell all the way down to her nose.  She was on her front knees.  Bella was wondering what to do.  Then she figured out how to get up!  They walked for ten miles today.  Bella was real tired after that.  She's realizing she had the good life when all she had to do was stand around, eat, sleep, and poop in her corral at home!

48"

I'm at 48" and it's in good condition still.  Go figure.  Just 7/8" more and I'll be up to my all time longest.  Then comes 50".  Technically, January 1, 2012, I ought to hit 50".  It grew 3/4 of an inch this month, but it's doesn't grow every month.  More likely, I'll hit 50 by, hmmm, March.  Meh.

Bella's gonna start taking biotin.  Laura recommended it for her feet.  They are cracking and biotin will strengthen them.  I told our son that a lot of women take biotin for their hair and that I'm going to take some of Bella's biotin.  Told him biotin for Bella will be cheaper than buying the identical stuff for people at the store.  He said, "Well okay, but you have to take half a can of it."  Haha!  It comes in pellets.

Man, did I waste the day or what. It's been an achy breaky day. Tomorrow is sure to be better. I've been in this recliner all day long and now it's time for bed. My husband was nice and got the reading lamp from the Zumba room and put it here in the living room. I got my new, cool archeological study Bible and it was worth the wait. I love it. I got it embossed with "Little Mamma." That's what my husband calls me.

So I found a lovely cool down song with choreo for Zumba. It's Psalm 100 in Hebrew. Really beautiful and I love knowing it's a Psalm. It will be good for everyone's ears and heart.

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Whew. Nice verses. Makes me breathless.

The best news about a friend. She is interested in coming to church. My wonderful new best friend is talking with her and giving her blessed encouragement. It's like the touch of a touch of a touch of God. It's wondrous. And I did a second Bible study with my friend. It went well. Exceedingly well. I am much encouraged. It's extremely edifying to share the Word of God with someone who loves the Lord. There are, I'm thinking, people who have fire in them for the Lord, but they need that spark of it to be lit. They need the right person to reach out toward them. And if maybe no one ever reaches out, think of that. That's a terrible thing. It's like treacherous. It's cruel.  Or maybe it's them reaching out, not me, and I was just the one there at the time. So then, if that's right, you gotta be ready.  You gotta study and talk and share and live it because you never know who around you is going to reach out and what their need is.  Because each person is a little different.  They are in a certain place and you need to be able to recognize it.  No.  It's not me, who recognizes.  It's the Holy Spirit.  I don't have the ability to know the right thing to say, but our Comforter and Counselor, the Holy Spirit, does.  Hmmm?  Okay, that's settled.

Some will, some won't, so what, keep going. That's how you have to approach it. I was so afraid of not doing any good that I did nothing for a duper long time, rather than something. It's easy to do nothing and likewise it's not that hard to do something. I suppose our adversary, the devil, is aware of that moreso than I am.  I just thought of that.

Writing is good for the soul.

I've got an M.O. (Modus Operandi).  I pray.  I say something.  I pray. Then I wait. And pray. See what comes of it. Be patient. Wait for a question. Wait for a look.  Then pray some more.

I invited another girl to church.  I wonder if she's thinking of it.  She's sometimes all broke up and sad and aching.  She should come with me.  Another woman, I want her to come, but she speaks Spanish and I speak English.  It's a problem.

I ordered new Zumba clothes.  Hope they fit.  I am set to start teaching Zumba to the kids at the Christian private school next month.  I hope it'll be well received.  Kids are fun, but teens can be a tough crowd.  I'm tougher than they are though.  Rawr!  We're doing Zumba in the hot sun for 30 minutes.  I better go try it tomorrow.  I'd hate to pass out and faint in front of everyone!

Came home Thursday and Petey the Pig was half way up the block.  He's moseying along like nobody's business.  I got home and told my husband and he phoned our son.  Son came home and brought Pete back home too.  There was a dog barking at Pete and I thought he might hurt him but my husband said Pete can take care of himself.  Then I remembered how Winston, our pig from last year, got in a fight with a pig in the pen next to him at the county fair, and boy howdy they can fight.  So I realized I was silly to think the dog could hurt Pete.  Pete's bigger than most dogs now anyways.  Sometimes he runs to me like crazy, ears a boppin' up and down, when I call him.  Likes to have his belly rubbed.

Son went trail riding in the mountains today with friend.  Had rain and thunder and a bit of lightning.  They left at 7am and got back at 6:45pm.  He's asleep now.  Sleepin' like a baby.  I'm so glad he's not sitting around.  That boy sure keeps busy.  I guess it's his gift.  There'll be no moss growing under that stone, that's for sure.

Oh.  I've been so proud that the trainer says Bella is smart.  She is a smart horse.  But we all have our weaknesses too, eh?  Well, the trainer says Bella is...lazy.  Shucks.  Our Bella?  Actually, I'm not too surprised.  Her mama is lazy.  And I hear her daddy is too, so she got a double dose of lazy genes.  We'll work on her.  She is a thinker though!  Laura says Bella thinks of things overnight and then does better the next day.  That there is a smart horse, for sure.

Tomorrow is Monday.

Cowboying

I'm feeling that I'm going to be the mother of a cowboy. The real kind. This wouldn't have happened in California. In California, the only people I knew who had a horse were either well off and had gorgeous homes with expansive, well-kept property or people who kept a horse in a rented stable. When we went to meet a 4-H mom in Redlands once, I completely missed her mansion because I didn't know that was the house she lived in!

Bella has been in training and is doing well. It will be two months of training by the time she's done. Laura, the trainer, says Bella is smart. She is. Although she hurt her leg a week ago by kicking the fence and it swelled up. The swelling is gone now and she's walking fine, so training resumed this morning. All the hours our son has spent with Bella, with friends Anthony and Laurie, and others like Manny, our old ranger, have affected the direction of his life path. Every morning he's up early to go to training. I'm so joyful that his summer is not wasted.

Well. Laura's husband asked our son if he wants to do some cowboying. Actually, I'm not precisely sure what the definition of cowboying is but I think it might mean rounding up cattle - actual, real cattle. Anywho, son said yes. And Joe said, "If there's nothing else you learn about being a cowboy, at least you must learn that the best thing for the inside of a man is the outside of a horse." I like that. It's an old cowboy saying. I used to think cowboys were complete dorks but I've met many that I like here. Some are mean and some are gross, but a lot of them are good and interesting men.

We bought a used saddle for our son yesterday. Got it for $300. Tack is expensive. Tack means all the stuff you need to ride the horse. We still need a bit and reins and I don't know what else. But first Bella is learning to whoa on command with voice commands only and no reins or bit. I think it's a wonderful way to train a horse.

And Laura's brother has offered to train our son on how to shoe horses. Bella got her first set of shoes yesterday. It's called getting shod. Every time I hear it it sounds like getting shot. My pastor said he shot his horses and I wondered why he wasn't crying, but he didn't shoot 'em. He shod them.

Which reminds me. Crystal, a sweet dog up the street got run over yesterday. She followed her eight-year-old boy master around all the time and took care of him. She was sure a wonderful dog and we'll miss her around the neighborhood. But Crystal never stopped running in front of traffic. Finally, she got hit.

Email dog

I got this in my email, but it's at YouTube too.  What a talent for putting in the words. It's a funny one.  And this dog has the sweetest face, has he not.

151 lbs

I have a friend and I'm thinking of asking her to church soon.  I would be so happy if she would come.  I told her I'd pray for her and she said okay and asked for more prayer.  I can do that.  For sure!

Little Petey is doing well.  He had two visitors yesterday.  The man we bought him from came and looked at him and the 4-H coordinator for the county dropped by and weighed him on a big portable scale.  Petey weighs 151 pounds.  The other day I got home from Zumba and called him and he ran to me!  So sweet.  Then he plopped down and rolled to his side for me to rub his tummy.  When he lays on his side his four feet stick straight out into the air.  He has a nice smooth tummy.  He's got kind of a lot of nipples though.  Twelve of 'em.  And he's a guy.

Zumba was good.  Only five people.  It's so, so dang hot.  I wonder if classes will grow when school starts and/or when the weather cools down.  During the week I had only eight or nine each night.   I'm doing a new routine next week with the song "La Loca" by Shakira.  It has one instance of "Oh God" in it that I wish I could edit out.  A guy online said he would but he hasn't.  I don't know if he's gonna do it for me or not.

Bella hurt her leg.  The swelling has decreased tremendously and it looks like she can restart her training on maybe Tuesday.   We sure miss having her in the front yard.  The other day I was walking through the yard to the pig pen thinking, I can't believe I'm here, I can't believe I'm here.  Our son is learning to be a horseman and I'm going to pet the pig.  I'm living in the desert in a little cracker box house, and we are content.  Then I noticed some trash on the ground.  The wind blows and I'm forever picking up bits of garbage off the ground.  How long will we live here and where will we go next?  I have no idea.  I know I don't want to move this furniture anywhere ever again.  That's fer sure.

Son got fine compliments from the woman who is the horse trainer.  She's had an extremely good effect on him: on his life and self-worth.  I rather dislike the whole "self-esteem" thing so I say "self-worth."  I suppose 'worth' has more to do with quality and 'esteem' has more to do with opinion.  He's so unlike me.  He doesn't sleep late.  He showers and goes to bed by 10 or 11pm to get up early for work.  He's earned at least $500 this summer.  All on his own.  Apparently word spreads.  He was asked to help pick-up a load of hay and earned another $25 yesterday.

I think I'll watch my new Zumba DVD that came in the mail today.  Hope they have a super routine I like.  I also ordered a new Bible for myself.  I ordered the Archaeological Study Bible (NIV).  I don't have an NIV Bible.  I have King James and Amplified in one.  I got my name on my new Bible too.  There's no tracking though.  I wonder if they mailed the book at rate shipping or what.  I wish it would hurry up and get here.  A lot of customers mentioned it's too large to be carried around much, but if I like it I'm gonna lug it around no matter how big it is.

I should have posted last night because I now I have two big thoughts and it would have been better to post one at a time.

My first one is about how I got an epiphany. A pastor I pray for went to Las Vegas. There are so many wonderful places to go for a vacation that I cannot understand him choosing Vegas to celebrate his birthday. It has a nickname: Sin City. I'm sure, surely, he partook of only wholesome activities while there with his wife, but as the shepherd of a flock why not simply avoid even the appearance of evil. There are 50 states to visit. So many wonderful destinations. To make a long story short, I realized I was becoming judgmental. So I'm convicted not to go to Las Vegas, but not everyone is. Apparently, he is one who is not.

Then the Lord brought to the forefront of my mind the fact that I went to play bingo last week and had a fun time. Dang. And what is it Jesus said? "How is it you see the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye, but not the plank in your own?" Haha! So, number one, I decided not to go back to play bingo. I shared my decision about it with a few persons who shall remain unnamed. One said, good decision. The other two thought I was a dork. Those words may not express their opinions justly, but it's how I felt. One person said I'm too conservative and the other simply thought it unnecessary to quit bingo. I could give a pile of reasons why I'm not going, but my best one is...if Jesus makes his return and I'm at the American Legion building playing bingo will I feel good about that? Not too verily, say I.

I want my whole life to be an offering to God, not just Sunday mornings when my bum is warming the church pew and I'm singing and taking notes. We don't really have pews, we have chairs, but anyhoo.

I have to go to bed now.  Mayela Skyped me.  We're going Bible shopping tomorrow!  I'm gonna take a look at the new Archaeological Study Bible while we're at the Christian bookstore.

I feel terrible today. We watched Ordinary People last night and I think I could have done without it.

I have two more zits.

Want to do a new routine Tuesday but not sure I have it down pat enough.

Should I go check the news this morning, or not?

A new, fresh day. How will I use it? I got my period and I feel like laying in bed all day. Can't though. I have a zit under my chin, so I wanna stay home all day but I can't do that either. I have Zumba tonight.

For the adults I'm working on a fun song called "Zumba He Zumba Ha." For the kids next week, I think I'll do a bit of dance history and teach them how to do the Twist. With style.

I ordered a new pair of pants for Zumba and I hope they fit. They look cute in the pic. They have a wide foldover waistband which might look good on me if it shows the curve of my lower back. Most of these kinds of pants make me look like a puffed up marshmallow because I'm short waisted. They're worth a try. Love the tie-dye.

I also ordered a top. Got a size large even though I'm not a large, but their tops run tiny a lot of the time. If it fits I'll wear it for the free class that I plan to give to celebrate my one year Zumba anniversary in August. I'm giving a free class for my Zumba people to thank them for coming to my classes.

I ordered black in adult size, of course. Ha! Who grows out of loving fringe?

Just found a note by the computer in the kitchen. Husband and son have gone to look at a used horse trailer! It's almost all the way in Alburquerque. They'll be home about 3pm. I hope it's a good buy at a good price. Bella goes to begin two months of horse training next week!

Here comes a Facebook post

I tried. I tried to do Facebook, but I just can't keep with it. People started posting more on my page and I can't deal with it. I'm a blogger at heart. I can't tolerate that smile that I call the 'Facebook Phenomenon.' It's a frozen grimace people do with the camera right in front of their face and they call it a smile. A lot of times they do it to themselves. What is this holding a camera in front of yourself and getting all the odd pictures: thoughtful, depressed, pretty, grimacing. It's constant, constant, never ending posing.

And since being on Facebook for nearly one month, I now can't stand a photo of two people kissing. Do I wanna see a big old lip lock over and over again when I visit a page? Don't get me wrong. I'm not against kissing. Kissing is good. I like kissing. But too much of a good thing, isn't good anymore. I have to stop going to the page until they change their photo.

The status, which says in light grey text, 'what's on your mind' - you can't type more then 420 characters! And face it, no pun intended, most of what people say amounts to less than 10 words. Descriptions of emotions and experiences are cryptically condensed into a single word or a few words that I guess you'll only understand if you know the person intimately. There's "Depressed." "Awesomeness." Or maybe it's a line from a song, seemingly disjointed because you have no idea what the context of the thought is. Do ants have emotion? I don't know, but I think if they did they are so small they could use one word. If a human being is going to express an emotion or a thought I really need more than a couple words.

Plus, I started surfing other people's pages to see what they did today. What an incredible waste of my own time. It's like everyone wants to be looked at. And I try to look at everyone. One click leads to another. It mimics a chemical high.

My favorite Facebook experience comes from a handsome young man named Forest. He's 16 years old. Our son asked him if he had a Facebook page. He said he did. He said it seems like everyone is on Facebook and he had a page and was really into it for two days. Then he forgot his password. Hasn't been on since.

Well, Forest is my hero!

Let's see. How do I say this. I was utterly disappointed by the turnout. Gosh, I was sure there would be more. Even the teen volunteers did not show up. Five out of five failed to show. Meh, teenagers. What can you do. I tell ya, I'm not feelin' the love, that's for sure. Fifteen kids came, total of both classes together. Where was everybody on this fine night? Earlier I felt like crying just a bit. Get a little cry done and move on, I thought. But my friend said what I needed to hear and the need to cry, poof!, disappeared. She doesn't even know the great disappointment it was to me as far as numbers go. God gave her the words to remind me of Him.

I did balloons and gave them away afterward. I should have given all of them away because it's not like I can use them. And I'll never publish ads in the newspaper again. They helped not a whit.

But the smiles on the children's faces made it worth everything. When they laughed I felt so good. I was exceedingly pleased that about four boys showed up and one was quite overweight and even though I'm not his mom or even related, this feeling of being proud of him washed over me. He was movin'! God must have put that in my heart because I've never experienced it before. It felt, how do I say this? It felt good.

So I will just keep on trying and doing what I love to do. I was so worried about having enough material and doing the speaking part right. Turned out I had plenty of material and I think I talked okay. I told them if you wanna be old like me and still able to dance, always do the cool down. Every single child did the cool down. Go figure. I guess they were listening.

47 1/4"

47 1/4" today. Humidity 43%. Hair likes it. Wore it down to churchity church this morn.

I have Zumbatomic on Monday. I have playlists ready for both classes. I'm getting nervous. I thought I was ready but now I'm not so sure. I did a practice run with a few kids on Thursday and it went okay. Just okay. The kids who stuck with the whole 30 minutes, about seven girls, seemed to love it. I think.

Basically, I'm worried. Even with the little group I forgot a few of my steps. No one knew it except me.

It'll be alright. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Repeat to self as many times as necessary.)

I got another birthday present today and it was oil for my hair! I'm getting to know so many people. Ladies. And it's because of Zumba. Tonight there were 14 in class. It's amazing. It's so hot and humid and we sweat buckets yet they keep coming back. Praise the Lord.

Today I went to a haircutter's place. I should say stylist. Or I should say cosmetologist. She is so nice. And I realized how many people are hurting on the inside but to look at them you would never know it.

I've been feeling stressed with my blog. I love my blog. It's me times three. But it's crept into my mind, what if someone in this little town finds it. Why, it would spread like wildfire. Not that I'm conceited or like I have anything much interesting here. But it's such a teeny town. And it would be my luck that someone would sit down and read through the whole thing.

I think I must just forge ahead and not fret over something that may happen. Worst case scenario, I could privatize my blog. That's sound officious. Privatize. When we traveled I wrote all about traveling. Now we've settled in a place and my life is becoming more about people. Gee, who could ever see that coming?

Seriously need son to measure my hair. It's the 14th. Where has half of July gone?

I know a namby pamby person. No. Wait. I know a person with a namby pamby attitude toward God. They know, seemingly, one piece of Scripture. I mean, it's a great verse, fer sure. But man, there's a whole entire Bible to keep reading. They've deemed the OT not worthy of reading. Says God is a loving and forgiving God and that's his God. That's it. Game over. Isn't that like eating the icing off the cake and then wadding up your napkin and throwing it in the plate so the rest of the cake in inedible?

My church is considering starting interest groups. I guess it's akin to cell groups but based on interest. So say for instance, bikers. There would be a Bible study group for bikers. I like bikers. Can I go if I'm not a biker.

I tell ya. I wish there was a small group that's mixed. When I studied in a home group my favorite meeting was when some teens were with us. Normally it was like the middle age group. It was, ohhhhh, a little dull. Let me say this about that. There were a lot of polyester pants.

Zumbatomic launch is July 25th. I'm swinging between great enthusiasm and excitement and on the other side, fear and anxiety.

I had the most wonderful Friday and week-end. It was a bit of heaven on earth.

I have made friends. Even, I have made more than one friend. It's all because of Zumba.

They made for me a birthday party on Friday. A surprise birthday party! Mayela was the prime mover. She made it happen. They were all so kind. There were presents. There was food. Cake. Balloons. And friends.

I got some Zumba scuttlebutt recently. The other instructor in town told everyone in her class to come on Thursday because there would be a big surprise. They went. The big surprise was free margaritas for everyone.

We're watching Fiddler On The Roof tonight. Such a good movie.

6

I have six friends online and they all made me feel better. I will keep concentrating and continue to feel more and more better. In my heart. Truly, a little bit of stumbling is good experience because it's the only way you keep moving. I didn't stumble actually, but I thought I'd feel different is all. Or maybe I didn't know I could feel bad like this.

My friend said I'm too religious and I felt blue about it. I know for certain that if she knew it bothered me she would not have said it and she'd say she's sorry. But I don't want her to be sorry! I would rather she say what she thinks. It's good to hear what people really think.

I can't stop being who I am. I love the Lord so much. I always think it doesn't show, but it must show. Although, I talk to her more than anybody else. She knows me better than anyone else here does. Doesn't take an Einstein for that.

On the up side a good thing happened in Zumba class today. A lady said she heard I have a Facebook page. She came up to me and said she heard from so-and-so it's got a lot of religion on it. I said, "Yup, I don't have many friends and I don't quite know what I'm doing on Facebook so I use it as a repository for my thoughts on faith." She said, "It's like witnessing, right?" She said, "Aren't you supposed to witness." I said, "Well, that's true. The Great Commission is that we ought to go and tell." And then she said, "You have that song in here that I love. I feel closer to God when you've played it. You're witnessing to me with that."

Knock me over with a feather.

So, life is all a mix of things, isn't it. Some will like, some will be lukewarm, some will be repelled, some unsure. This is okay. I'll get used to it. She made me feel so good. I guess the Lord let me trip a little, but he also sent her to me so I wouldn't crumple up completely discouraged in a mere two days time.

Well, at praise and worship practice tonight the pastor was adjusting his playing then he looked back at us and said, "You're all singing five part harmony, right?" I turned bright red. He was teasing for sure and everyone laughed. I continued to turn even redder and then the other ladies noticed and turned to me and said he's just kidding. Haha! Oh dear. Oh my. I love singing there!

I feel a little bad in my bones from my heart. It'll go away soon.

4th of July

I thought of Canada on July 1st. Went through some of my Canada photos. July 1st is their July 4th. Happy Canada Day!

And today I think of Ronald Reagan and how I miss him. London has a put up a 10' statue of him. Ronald Reagan was a man's man.

I sat on Bella for about 15 seconds yesterday. I might try it again today.

It was a good day

Had Bible study tonight. I always like it and learn a lot from it. We have a student from Oral Roberts University here on a summer internship and I would like to talk to him. He seems interesting.

My day was good.

But I got mad because I ordered two Zumba t-shirts for a total of $28.90 only to find a set of 12 for $42.95 on the Zumba shop site this morning. They weren't there last night. I have the worst luck with their shop.

Faith explosion

Due to things happening in my life and the recent responses to my last post, I'm having a faith explosion.

I can't stop reading scripture. I can hardly put my Bible away. I'm learning it remarkably efficiently and am finding verses I need to support my witness. One scripture leads to another and supports the one before and after.

I have five volunteers from the teen group to help me launch my upcoming Zumbatomic classes in July for ages 4-12, plus Mayela who blesses me with encouragement. The reaction from the teen group to my short demo was exhilarating. They clapped and smiled and had fun. This means I've picked good songs and choreography so far.

My uncle has blessed us with a large monetary inheritance.

I did wake up with the baby song "Chi Chi Ua" ringing in my head which could send me over the edge. I'm using it in my Zumbatomic class. It's terribly cute. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S03RFm1xKY&feature=related

It's been on my mind. Keeps popping in.

At the Renaissance Fair last month an old woman (I say old but she couldn't have been more than 10 or 15 years older than I) asked me for money to buy a drink. She was thirsty and she had no money. It was a hot day. I had purchased a lemonade for myself and a friend an hour before. It lacked ice and good flavor and the price was ridiculously high for what we got, but we were thirsty and we drank them all up. The lady asking me for money was thirsty.

I told her no. I told her, sorry, but I have no money. A lie. I had about $20 in my renaissance purse. I feel bad about it. I've felt bad about it since the moment it came out of my mouth. My heart had no compassion. Do I have nothing to give? I did have something to give, but I would not give it. I kept it for myself. I regret it. I thought to myself, why doesn't she get a job?

I had no compassion. Would it have killed me to walk with her to the lemonade stand and buy her a drink? I think not. Have I not been blessed enough to part with three bucks out of my wallet that day?

One day about three years ago I was in Albuquerque at a Jewish convention event. It was the end of the night and about ten of us were piling into the van to go home. A homeless man approached us with purpose and we rushed to get in the van all the faster. After all, what if he had a weapon with which to kill us? Our pastor stood outside though and gave the man some money. I still remember that. I suppose there was no need for us to be afraid. It was only a man begging. I had no compassion then either. But I remember what the pastor did. Does Pastor not pass judgement? Do I need to do the same. I think so. Otherwise the Holy Spirit would not be clunking me on the head about it.

When I get the chance I'm going to fix this. I will correct it. I will repent. A lot of people think repent means to feel sorry or admit an error, but its literal translation from the Hebrew is to turn away from. That is, in other words, to stop what you're doing and turn away from it. I can do that.

Next time someone asks me, I will find in my heart some compassion.

Went to the laser hair removal lady today. She is sure sweet. I always rather dread the appointment, then after it's over wonder why I get so nervous. She is just super nice. The lady who answers the phones is a bit of a dork sometimes though.

Getting a little anxious about my Zumbatomic class for the kids and it's still over a month away. Don't know the routines yet. ODing on routine memorization. I think trying to learn too many and none are getting in my head. It's like they're just not sinking in.

True Grit

We're watching it for the second time. It is so good. The dialogue is unusual. My husband tells me the dialogue was the same in the original film with John Wayne. I need to watch it a third time to catch more of what they're saying. And not a single "F" word in it. Unusual for our times.

My daughter-in-law sent me a video of family photos that she put together. It made me cry. The pictures, so pretty. I did not know when my son married her that she would be such a blessing. I am very fond of her. I love my daughter-in-law. She is very beautiful too. I don't think she realizes it. She has pretty eyes and hair and lips and body. Well, I suppose that pretty much covers everything, eh.

There were 12 in my Zumba class today. Quite a crowd for our area for a Saturday. The energy was excellent.

My friend. I call her my best friend as I have a best friend now. She went to Texas to see futbol and she met her family there. They brought her gifts from Costa Rica where they live and she gave me two Costa Rica tops and a bag of candy. The candy is chocolate with guava jelly inside and it is so delicious. I don't usually care for candy, but this candy is yummy. One of my tops is a racerback and on the back it says "Pura Vida." Oh I like it very much. I didn't get her anything for her birthday though because. I don't know why. Because I couldn't think of what to give her.

I want an ironing board that attaches to the door and you fold it up to store it and down to use it. Helen has one. It's a very fine ironing board.

My new pants

Here I go to work!  In my tie dyed supplex lycra flare leg pants. 

Jonah Goldberg: It's Obama's economy, stupid

Jonah Goldberg: It's Obama's economy, stupid

Obama's conceit (he's a legend in his own mind), jobs creation (most in Texas which is business friendly), a White House report that indicates the unemployment rate would have been lower if no stimulus bill was passed. Then you have Mark Halperin, an analyst for MSNBC and Time magazine who says, "The president's ideas are still a little bit up in the air."

And the prez insists that Obamacare is a boon to the economy. Um, why all the waivers then?

Land of Enchantment

Today we changed our driver's licenses and registration from Texas to New Mexico.  My husband decided.  Now we can vote on local and state issues.  Yay.  Best of all, I took a good photo for my license.  I've never, never had a good driver's license photo.  I've had a lot of bad ones.

This state's motto is "Land of Enchantment."  Locals call it "The Land Of Entrapment."  Hehe.  

It's duperly windy out today.  We got Bella a fly mask to keep the flies from walking on her eyes.  She doesn't like wearing it.  She'll get used to it.

Sunday at 6:00pm is the big day.  We're buying our piggy for the fair.  He's going to be named Winston just like Winston of last year.  His pen is all ready with improvements.  We're so excited to add a pig to our family.  Well, he'll be in our family till October when we sell him.  We don't want to think about that though.  We remind ourselves of the good life he'll have before then.  Here's what they looked like on May 9th.  They'll all be bigger now.  They needed more time with their mom.  There will be 8 kids and they will draw numbers for who goes first to pick a pig.  Everyone hopes they're picking a winning pig, but last year the child who got last pick won first place!  You never know.

This little piggy was the noisiest.  The owner said we would have to be patient and wait a few minutes while he feeds her because she's the runt and requires hand feeding.  We couldn't talk till he was done because she was squealing so loudly. She gets some milk from her mom, but not enough.  She will be sold as a pet, he said.  It was awful cute.  You can tell she's smaller than the rest.

My favorite things

Summer is here and I like it hot.  We're running the air conditioner 24 hours a day.  It was 100 degrees today.

My favorite thing is to do Zumba from 5:30pm to 6:30pm, come home, eat dinner my wonderful husband prepared, change into horse clothes and go outside and groom Bella at dusk.  Then, lay on the back porch and look at the sky.  The other day a single great blue heron flew overhead.  He was so big.  Tonight I saw a satellite fly by.  Angel the cat was off gallivanting across the countryside somewhere so she didn't lay on my lap or on my tummy tonight.  I missed her.  I called but she didn't come.  She's probably off mousing somewheres.

My hair and nails are doing well.  Tonight at worship practice the ladies all thought my nails were fake.  I ask you, do I remotely look like the type to wear fake nails.  I told them Zumba made them strong.  I'm so proud of my fingernails.  What an accomplishment to have them all the same length.  Wow.  They're blue.  When I break one I'll have to cut them all off so I'm enjoying them while I can.

This is my hair today.  Meh, messy.  It has avocado oil in it from last night. I put it up and went to Zumba after this pic.

I love Benjamin Netanyahu. 

Getting better

Looks like, indeed, it was stomach flu and stomach flu is going around.  No one told me about it going around!  I guess my inoculation was not for this flu.  And who gets flu in May, I ask you.

So today the cramps are just now and then.  And I haven't visited the bathroom since last night.  Thank you very much.

One of my students is in Cruces and has been taking classes there.  I always encourage people if they travel to take in a Zumba class and experience a new instructor because all instructors are different.  He's taken several classes there now.  Said he loved them.  Did say one had too much hip-hop.  Secretly, I did worry he will like someone better than me.  I put that worry away though. I kick it to the curb because it's sure to happen sometime.  That's life.  But at the end of his email he said he's looking forward to coming back to my class.  He can be sweet as can be.  It made me feel real good and makes me want to give a goooood class.

I'm sick

Yikes.  It must be the flu.  I was up through the night with painful cramps and, ugh, the diarrhea.  Then one time I was so grossed out, I barfed, but my stomach was completely empty.  I want to be better soon.  I'm doing the BRAT diet for babies.  My innards hurt so.

I had to cancel tonight's Zumba.  Four whole people from class were sweet enough to write me back well wishes.  They are awful nice.

I went

We're having revival meetings at church.  I went tonight.  I don't really care for the preaching.  It's a visiting evangelist.  Even his voice I find grating.  I prefer a black evangelist to a white one who tries to sound black.  Luckily, I took two Excedrin before I went.  I admit, he's highly successful in his ministry for impoverished children in other countries.  The world needs people like him.  But I don't like feeling like I'm being herded in church.  Tonight I got a nutshell of useful preaching, but it was mostly a small torture.  Also, the fan overhead made me cold.  I moved.  I moved to where a guy behind me spoke quietly, but loud enough for me to hear, in tongues half the time and crumpled candy wrappers a quarter of the time, and chewed hard candies up one eighth of the time.  He's a super nice guy so I didn't move for fear I might hurt his feelings.  It was driving me insane, but as my husband says, the ticking of the grandfather clock can do that to me too.

I'll probably go again tomorrow night.  My husband who can't understand why, says, "Why are you going again?"  Because all the things we remember him doing last year, things we dreaded, he did again this year.  I don't know why, but I'll probably go again.  I'm not inviting my friend though because she'd probably never come to church again.  lol.

I wore my hair in a side braid pulled to the front.

FB

Hmmm.  Son got a Facebook page.  I said okay.  He's using a fake name.  He checked the privacy settings.  He's going to the local Christian school for high school next year.  It's a very, very small school.  There will be about ten kids in grade 9-12.  There were three graduates this year.  All are going to university.

I find it striking how many Facebook profile photos bear very little resemblance to their owners. 

I reminded him that Facebook is a toilet.  Eh.  Could be overstating it, but I'm not fond of FB still.  We talked about how few of the friends on Facebook lists are real friends.  We know a wonderful man who passed away and he had over 1000 Facebook friends.  Donations were requested, just $10 from each FB friend could have helped his family tremendously.  Yet, few donors contributed.  I guess $10 was too high; too much effort to put in an envelope.  There were words.  Lots of words.  But the donors were almost 100% his family, church family, or very close friends he knew in town.  It's a pathetic waste of time this collection of added "Friends."

I'm a fan of Charles Krauthammer.  I read all about him this week-end.  Fascinating man.  Very accomplished and overcame such adversity.  I'm reading his Facebook page and bookmarked it.  Don't tell anyone.

I read up on Krauthammer's life and about the Israel's Six Day War.  Bible says, "I will bless those that bless you and curse those who curse you."  We need to be on the side of Israel.  We must stay on the side of Israel.  It's sobering to look at a map and see all the anti-Israel nations surrounding tiny Israel.  How did they win the wars since 1948?  It had to be God on their side.  I can fathom no other explanation.

Rag or cloth

I used my white wash cloth till it was nothing but bare threads in the middle.  Literally. I had to throw it away finally because it couldn't suds up or wash me very well.  But the very next day a new wash cloth appeared.  It seemed new-ish, not completely white, but I thought my husband was so nice to put a new wash cloth out for me.  I didn't recognize it as being one of ours.

Then when I mentioned the timeliness of my new wash cloth since my old one wore out, he said he wasn't sure if it was my wash cloth.  He thought it was, so that's why he put it on the rack for me.

But then I asked him, if it's not mine where it come from and he said he thinks it might be one of his rags - that he uses on the truck.  So I'm using a truck rag for a wash cloth now.   I guess that explains why it seems a tiny bit....rough.

Carefree

Those darn Carefree panty liners.  I can't see where to pull off the adhesive.  I fiddle around with all the edges, with one end then the other, then back to the first end again.  I still can't see where to pull the adhesive off.  I have to go fetch my reading glasses. They need to make some panty liners and mini-pads for old eyes. 

And I have three, count 'em, three zits.  One is on the bridge of my nose.  I barely, barely touched it.  Okay, I picked at it yesterday morning.  One time only.  And it scabbed over.  It's just wrong.

Erg

Aw.  I told a lie today.  I big, fat, bold-faced lie.  I feel bad.  My husband asked me where a certain document is.  I threw it away.  I'm pretty darn sure I did.  He says, "Did you throw it away?  You didn't throw them all away, did you?"  Because he knows I throw stuff away.  I tried not to answer, but there was a giant pregnant pause. It was such a long silence I was sure it would indicate my guilt, so finally I said "No."

It's highly suspect that I tossed them.  They're nowhere to be found.  It's just that, I didn't think I'd need them. He saves papers for like 80 million years. 

Starting now, from now on I'm going to keep all those stupid papers.

Infected

Ohmygosh.  My life was nearly ruined.  Or at least all of my music, my documents, my bookmarks, my photos, my email, and my videos were nearly ruined.

I was shopping online.  Surfin' around and checking out cute tops.  I followed a link from Overstock.com (I think) that went to a site called Fashionista and bam!  Got infected.  Man oh man, window after window was poppin' up and dialog boxes saying "Infection! Infection!"  And numbers were zipping by so fast I couldn't keep track of which window was doing what.  I never clicked Download or Cancel, but I clicked X to close out one of the windows and I think that's what did me in.  I think the evil people improved the malware so that no matter what you click it downloads to your machine.  I knew it wasn't really Windows trying to protect me because the icon on the top left was fake.  I turned off my computer.  Hoped I avoided infection.  Turned computer back on and bam!  All the windows and yada, yada, again.  Turned it off again.  Thought for awhile.  Decided to turn it back on, not open the browser but go to System Restore and reset myself to yesterday.  Couldn't do it.  I was locked out of everything on my own computer.  Couldn't open the browser window either.

My husband had the bright idea that I should call Eset Antivirus.  I did and it was the best advice he could have given me.  I got a super duper smart guy.  He got my browser back up.  Then he finished doing his thing remotely.  It was amazing watching what he did.  He was awesome.  And modest.  Before I hung up I said, "Your family and friends must love you."  He said, "Well, I am the "go to" man."  I'm sure he is.

So I'm happy tonight.  Not surfing for tops though.

Whuh?

I think I got called a Holy Roller today.  In Zumba class I introduced a new routine.  Unlike the TobyMac song I rotated out for this one, from the get-go there's no mistaking this one's a Christian song.  It starts off with a child's voice clearly repeating two verses from the book of James: "Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."  How do you like filling up the room with those words!  Yeah, buddy.  I sure do.  Then the choreography begins.

So one of my regular students came up to me after class tonight and asked for the name and artist of the song.  She says, "Usually I don't like Holy Roller songs.  I don't like Christian songs.  But I really like this one."  I told her it's not a Holy Roller song.  But praise the Lord.  It made me really happy.  She's a super nice lady too.  She's optimistic, funny, and interesting to be around.   I got a boot out of her.  I have such wonderful students in my class.

I was slightly concerned as to what the reaction in class would be to the new song.  There's always the chance of losing students if God's name is used.  I prayed about it.  There was no doubt in my heart that I wanted to use the song.  Dancing is a joy.  But dancing to a song with Christian lyrics is just different from dancing to secular songs.  It's like my heart is leading and I get pumped in a way that the secular songs don't do.

I'm working on a bachata and a pure salsa next.  Plus a toning song, plus a Zumbatomic song.  Boy, I better learn fast.  Actually, technically, I think I am getting faster at learning routines.  In July it will be one year that I'm teaching Zumba.

My daughter-in-law gave me a great, great compliment last night.  She told me that when my son went back home that he told her over and over how good I Iooked.  He told her that from the back I look 19 years old.  Hehe!  So nice of him.  Funny thing is, I'd never had known it had she not told me.  All he said was, one single time in his deep voice, "You look good, Ma."  I thought he was just being kind.

As my youngest one says, "Life is good."

Heavenly

We were in the parade on Saturday and our Zumba float was a big hit.  We played our music loud and nine of us danced on the float.  We decorated it all week with pink fabric, and gold hearts, and purple bows, and ribbon, and a Zumba poster board girl.  Actually she is a real life boxing fighter girl of some sort.  I don't know her name.  She had cool lace up combat boots and one of the women in class made a Zumba top for her.  We were going to do a poster board of me but it was $100 more than getting this wrestling girl.  Haha!  I asked Kerry to please make a top with a wee bit more coverage so we don't go through town looking like the Zumba hookers.  She did a super good job.  She's very creative.  Good with a needle in her hand.  Or scissors, I should say.

The spectators clapped and smiled.  It was great.  I hope we place, but there were 52 floats and I'm sure some better than ours.  Whenever I almost tipped over, about three people grabbed for me.  Haha!  They are very protective of me.  So sweet.

And after, I rushed home and changed into my renaissance costume.  I came in first place in the costume contest.  Pretty good, huh?  So I wish I could say I beat like 50 contestants, or even 20, or even ten.  But I beat two.  One was an 75 year old lady and the other was a belly dancer.  Haha!

It's very windy and my shoes and skirt are all dusty.  Those are my Madonna shoes from 1985.  They were the first anniversary gift from my husband.  I loved them.  I love him.  I've kept them all these years.  I will give them to my granddaughter someday.

Then my husband made jambalaya for me on Mother's Day.  And he let me order a whole bunch of horse grooming supplies tonight.  The weather is hot, and hot to me is better than cold for grooming.  I have to get back into a Bella grooming routine.

And my friend, Mayela, came to church with me.  It makes my heart sooo happy.  I think she's so pretty and so nice.  I like when she's next to me.

And the lady who took my photo for the newspaper looked exactly like Avrilon.  Exactly.  Except that she was my height.  I told her I had a friend in Georgia who looks just like her and she said, "Well, I am a southerner."

It's been a heavenly week-end.

When I hugged him good-bye I felt all the bones in his back.  Each vertebra of his spine was sticking out.  His back is like my back was when I was 17.  When I was in the hospital in traction for six weeks he used to rub my back for me and his hands were the strongest and gentlest of anyone who rubbed my back and he would do it for a long time.  My dad.

Tonight I was asked if I'm from the hippie generation - by someone older than me!  I replied that my husband says I'm stuck in the '70s, so there ya go.  Then we talked about the horror of '80s fashions.  That was the worst decade for buying clothes in my life.  Stripes I remember.  Everything was in stripes.  And those peg leg pants.  I was never so happy as when the flared legs made a comeback.

This video cracks me up.  It's a Pentecostal salesman.

I'm home.  It was a good visit and my dad is doing well.  Really well.  The diagnosis was correct and he's on steroids and is feeling the best he has felt since 2008.  He's been up and around.  Talkative.  In good spirits.  It is a delight to our eyes.

In San Diego I got to eat out every day.  We went out for Italian one night, sushi one night, Mexican one night, and Chinese.  It was delicious.

On the plane home I got a window seat and I saw the landscape all the way from California to El Paso.  It was neat.  I wished I knew exactly what features and cities I was looking at as we flew overhead.

San Diego has had lots of rain and was exceedingly beautiful.  It is one of the most beautiful downtown skylines that I've seen.

While in San Diego I had three inches trimmed off my ends by Dad's wife.  They look super duper nice now.  She did a good job.  I'm now at 46".  Again.  Can't seem to get out of the 40s.
  
Got my shoes back from the shoe repair and they're practically like new.

In San Diego, our eldest son flew in the same day I did.  One night we talked till 4:00am.  Makes me want to see his wife and his babies.  Makes me miss them.

Took Mayela to the Baptist Church for Good Friday today.  It was pretty good.  I don't want to go to my church because we have a visiting pastor that we don't particularly care for.  He's not the most dynamic speaker.  I'm gonna go to a different church on Sunday too.  I rather like visiting other churches now and then.  My friend has asked me to show her how to look stuff up in the Bible and I'm looking forward to it.

Went to look at piggies today.  They're still sucklings so we can't buy one yet, but boy, they sure are cute.  Our pen is almost ready.  We need a cover for it still and are thinking about upgrading the water drinking situation.  We learned last year that a pig who first drinks out of a bucket will never, never learn how to drink from a nipple spout.  Poor Winston would get so thirsty but it was hard to keep him with water because pigs always push water over to make mud.  A nipple spout would be better because they can drink as much as they want whenever they want, plus the water later in the day will still be cool instead of hot or warm.  Cool water makes pigs happier and maybe will help him grow better.

I have a Zumba training tomorrow.  It's Zumbatomics, so I will be learning how to teach Zumba to children ages 4 to 12.  I'm looking forward to it, but not to the drive or getting up at 6:45am to get there on time.  The classes are a little draining too.  I have genuine fun till noon or 2pm, then I want to go home!

I'm catching a plane at 1:40pm tomorrow.  Flying to San Diego to see my dad.  He went in the hospital today.  They think he has a rare autoimmune disease.  Doctors say they need to be aggressive in starting treatment with steroids and they will not wait for the results of the biopsy because the disease causes blindness so fast.  I want to go see him.

Psalm 121

 ¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
   where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the LORD,
   the Maker of heaven and earth.
 ³ He will not let your foot slip—
   he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.
 ⁵ The LORD watches over you—
   the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
   nor the moon by night.
 ⁷ The LORD will keep you from all harm—
   he will watch over your life;
⁸ the LORD will watch over your coming and going
   both now and forevermore.

I did some alterations to my renaissance dress and it fits even better.  I took in the vest 1/2 inch on each side.  Moved some buttons on the skirt to make it show more of the underskirt.  I made some elastic bands to go around the sleeves to hold them on my arms better.  The sleeves are super long and the elastic that's in the sleeves must be for a football player with giant forearms.

My Madonna shoes from 1985 will go perfectly with the dress.  They look old timey.  We need to get the heels repaired though because they've disintegrated.  I have a leather necklace to wear with it.  Need earrings kinda.  Have to figure out what to do with my hair.  I'm liable to be hot if the weather's hot.  It's a lot of fabric to wear on a hot day. But.  It'll be worth it.

I got the sewing bug and tacked down the back pockets on a pair of cargo pants that every time I washed the pockets stuck out.  That took like ten minutes.  Ten whole minutes.  I felt very accomplished.

Think I need to trim an inch off my ends.

Glenn Beck is going off the air.  I won't miss him much.  He's depressing and overacts for the camera.

I did my toenails and they look nice.  Dark blue with a layer of glitter.  I feel much prettier with painted toes.  It's the second time this year I've done them.  I was going to do them regularly, I think it was a New Year's resolution I made in a moment of weakness, but after January I promptly fell off the wagon.

It's never to late to jump back on.

I cleaned the bathrooms today.  Both.  They look better only I didn't have the energy to do the floors.  Used to take five minutes for the trailer.  Took me an hour in here.  Maybe over an hour.  Actually, I don't know because I lost track of time.

Got my period today.  Thank you, Lord.  Now I can be on the upward swing instead of continuing on the downward spiral.  Had sweats and a chill last night.  Legs ached.  Back ached.  Brain ached.

I want to cut a t-shirt today.  I didn't go sing in choir this morning.  I didn't go to churchity-church.  Partly chicken, partly just felt too bad to go.  I lay in bed till 11:30am.

I noticed on "Deadliest Catch" tv show that they bleeped out the word "God."  They bleeped it out when he said, "G-d*mn," however, they didn't bleep it out when he said, "Thank God"  which he said more than once.  Apparently it's okay to thank God, but not to curse him.  But why did they bleep out the word God instead of the word d*mn.  They edit out the cursing language, right?  To my knowledge, God is not a curse word, but d*mn is.

What was it the apostle, James, said?  Oh yes, "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." The first time I read that one I took a double take.

Got my new Zumba apparel and I love everything.  Even got cute little Zumba bracelets and I'm gonna give one to each person who comes and participates in the parade next month.  

I'm crazy about these tee shirt cutting videos.  I have two tees from the craft section at Wal-Mart.  Only paid $2.95 for each one.  Will practice on them

Talked with my sister who never calls me or emails me anymore.  I know she loves me though.  She's had health trouble and her work is highly stressful on top of it all.  It was a good talk.  She saw Dad.  He's by himself for awhile.  He spilled some coffee and dropped some of his prescription.  She cleaned it up and stuff.  She made him dinner.  It was good that she stopped by.  I think he had had a bad day.

I'm going to go to Mayela's now!

It happened.  I knew it would someday and that day came yesterday.  Twenty years it took and I thought I could ignore it.

Got my tattoo when I was 31.  On my arm.  Got script.  My husband's name.  My dad has a tattoo on his arm from when he was in the military which now appears as a complete blob.  He was thoroughly unimpressed when I got mine.  Can't blame him.

And 20 years later, that calculates out to yesterday, I was asked "What does it say?"  You see, it's all blended together now.  My holy temple of the Holy Spirit quite desecrated.  Many times over desecrated.  Thank you, Jesus, for redeeming my pitiful, lost soul.

In other news, I earned over 1k with Zumba last month.  Maybe I'll send some to the scammers from Africa.  Not.  I was so happy to pay my rent out of it.  I was really proud.  It's not a lot, but I earned it myself.

When I was paying rent for my Zumba space I mentioned that our son is going to private Christian school next school year and she asked me if I'd be interested in working for them.  She said they'd be advertising next school year and my being a homeschooler was good experience.  Wow.  I felt very good that just from talking me as little as she has that she'd like to have me on as an employee.  Very nice.

I went to a Catholic church this morning just for the ducks of it.  My friend wanted to show me a book they use there.  It was good, but not as good as my home church.  I felt pent up and I was afraid a little burp might come out of my throat and everyone might hear.  They sure have a lot of tradition there all right.  Went to my regular church for Sunday night study.  Got three nice comments on the length of my hair.  I wore it in a side braid.  Pastor spoke about end times.  Super interesting.  I have the best pastor in the entire USA.

My husband threw his credit card in the garbage at a New Mexico rest stop.  It's been a problem.  So he has my card.

I just ordered a beautiful outfit for the renaissance fair. 

Mayela is a good listener.  She has a soft heart and very good ears.

She came to church with me yesterday morning.  I've been wanting to take someone to church for ages.  I asked her.  She said yes.  She thought it over for weeks. Best of all, she liked it.  I think she genuinely did.  Her son performed in a drama piece and he did well.  She was proud of him although she was quiet about it.  I could tell she was nervous beside me too.  I was introducing her to people, and this being a small town, and she being involved with the school, everyone already knew her.  Good grief.  I want credit for bringing a new person and she knows more people than I do.  For eight years she's never come to this church.  She could have, but she didn't.  I like talking with her because she's interested in the Bible.  Iron sharpens iron.  I'm looking forward to some good debate with her.

I got a new chair for my desk and it cost $160 and I don't like it.  I'll have to return it if our son doesn't like it.  I have a nerve in my behind that gets pinched in this chair and makes my leg ache.  I'm bummed about it.  Hate to package it all up and drive 75 miles one way to make a return.  Maybe I'll buy one of those giant exercise balls and see if it makes a good seat.  The executive chair also takes up more space than I expected.  I don't wanna tell my husband because he was so nice to make a special trip to take me to the store.

Proud Mary was the new routine we did tonight and guess what.  Everyone loved it!  It is the most rewarding thing when the class really likes a song.  It's so worth all the practicing.  A lot of them were singing it and a lot of 'em whooped and hollered and then they clapped afterward.  Wow.  What a rush.

After cool down I reminded everyone that Zumba is for all ages.  I told them that in the workshop I took there were people from age 18 on up to their 60s and 70s and it's a true fact.  One of my students today mentioned that we have a wide range of ages in our class.  That's a compliment although not an intentional one.  I hope it stays that way.  I told the class tonight that there's a wide range of ages because they are understanding that Zumba is for everyone.  You simply must adjust the fitness level for yourself and make it high impact or low impact dependent upon your body.  Then I told them to all give themselves a hand for doing a good job and we clapped again!  I love being a Zumba instructor.  I have such wonderful students.

But tonight we had a little incident.  There are movies after Zumba.  The movie people come in at 6:30pm and set up their stuff.  I was running five minutes late because I couldn't decide what song to take out of rotation, so Proud Mary put us at 65 minutes.  Well, James the movie guy pushed the button to bring down the giant movie screen.  I was doing cooldown and the screen, if I didn't move, would hit me and crush me.  Okay, might not crush me but it was right overhead.  I asked (while I'm teaching) him if I should stop.  He said no, but he did not stop the screen coming down.  So I moved but then no one would see me if I was on the wrong side of the screen, so he said move in front of it.  I was a little close to the edge of the stage then.  Well, I am too quiet.  This is a known fact.  And I just tried to finish on the edge of the stage.

So class was done.  I did my little talk.  We clapped.  Class is done.  And a visitor, a lady whom I chatted with before class, well, my goodness, she went off on James for pulling down the screen on me.  Oh dear.  I ignored it because I didn't know what to do.  Then two gals came to me and told me I better say something.  So I went over and said, "It's okay, it's okay.  He's a volunteer."  Well, she wasn't buyin' it.  lol.  She went on for a good five minutes.  I let James fend for himself.

Truth is, he shouldn't have brought down the screen on me.  He's a little quirky that way.  But I don't want to make waves and get kicked out.  I called Nadine to give her a heads up on the incident just in case she hears about it.  Ya never know.  Better safe than sorry so I'll let her know what happened so she doesn't get any surprises.  It's not a real big deal anyways.

I don't like altercations.  I don't like arguments, disputes, noisy arguments, or controversy, thank you very much.

I talked with James and he seemed okay about it.  He wasn't mad.  I said I was sorry.  I'm not telling my husband I said sorry because my husband gets mad at me for it.  Says I say I'm sorry too much.  Know what I say when he tells me to stop saying I'm sorry?  I'm sorry.  Hehe. 

I can't help it.  I have a sorry problem.

I'm one of 10

Uncle Jim put me in his will.  Me, and nine others.  And I can't tell him thank you because he's not here.  I would never have thought he would include me and my sister in his will.  I feel really bad and really happy at the same time.

Sammy Hagar

Sammy Hager has been abducted by aliens.  He says they downloaded his brain, or uploaded it, or both.  Happened in Fontana, California.  I didn't know he was a member of Montrose.  We luuuuved Montrose in the '70s.  Rock Candy.  Rife with angsty, angry lyrics and head banging for the 17-year-old.

Excellent article at WSJ, "Why do we let them dress like that" today.

Saturday night we went to a Zumba master class in Cruces. It was good. I want to try some things Nathan Blake did. Someday. I want to learn how to split the class and dance two sides facing each other.

I have two friends. I think. And I thank God for that. They are beside me in the photos. I feel good to be with them. They are both beautiful to my eyes. Mayela drove. She offered and I said okay. I didn't tell her the lights hurt my eyes at night, so I was very glad she offered.

Yesterday I learned I am in Uncle Jim's will. I feel bad about it, but happy also. Shocked. Undeserving. All the nieces and nephews are named. Ten of us. I cried to hear of it. My dad, dear, sweet, tender Dad, said, "Aw %$#*, you're not gonna start whining and blubbering now are you." lol. I'm used to him by now! I am a new creature in Christ, praise be to God! Uncle Jim and Aunt Delores worked hard all their lives and accrued much. I wouldn't have guessed in a million years that my sister and I would be in a will, in his will. He left $100,000 to his dearest sister who is closest to his age. She is my Aunt whom everyone loves. I think she can't stop crying. She misses him. They were close. It was always cute to hear the siblings chide one another. I will miss hearing that banter between all of them. If only we could save time in a bottle. If only.

No looting in Japan

There's no looting in Japan because they are Japanese.  They set the highest example for the whole world.

Simply the best

I had simply the best Zumba comment ever today.  After class I walked outside to put my speaker in my truck and two of the ladies were chatting.  I overhead the word "inspirational" but I assumed they were having some kind of non-Zumba related conversation.  They stopped me and said how much they liked the class, that the music was so inspirational.  And then the lady with no hair told me she's had chemo and that she believed that coming to my class helped her avoid a blood transfusion recently.  She said her blood levels were good and she was convinced it was attributed to her coming to Zumba once a week.  Wow.

It made my day.  It made my week.  It made my month!

I have two Christian songs in my playlist.  One hip hop, one for cool down.  I pray each person is blessed when they come to my class.  I pray before class.  I pray after class.  Without fail.  Sometimes I even thank the Lord while I up there dancin'!

The mom of a 16-year-old boy in town told me her son told her I have the body of a 24 year old.  My, my, what a nice compliment.  Then he said, althogether, I look 45.  Well, I'll take it as a compliment too, being as how I'm going on 52.  Then he said the thing is, I need to color my hair.  Bwa hahahaha!  Sweet kid.

The hair is not getting colored.  Eveh.

I didn't get sick!  Our son was down one day with a fever so I know I got it from him, but it's gotta be the Zumba that helped me to not get fully sick.  Yay for Zumba.  It's so curious.  I wonder if my body is better at making antibodies or what. 

The newest routine I introduced Tuesday was a big hit.  It received the most claps of almost any song since I started.  It's always nice to find a widely popular routine.  Once in awhile you pick a stinker and I did that once too.  Class was silent after we did it.  Haha!  I was petrified because I was new.  Live and learn.  I dropped it completely after a month.

I hope my cousin stops by on her way to Nashville.

Husband had a basal cell thing taken off his back.  It was small but looked very weird.  Last year he canceled the first appointment I made for him.  They did a biopsy about 10 days ago and I phoned about it today and found out it was cancerous.  He goes in tomorrow to get it scraped and cauterized.  Well, I told him, from now on you better not cancel any more doctor appointments I make for you!  Very quietly, he said,  "Thank you, Honey."  :)

Don't get sick!

A sore throat and fever are trying to get me. I think I'm beating them though. I feel better now than I did earlier  I was emailing with my friend, Mayela.  I have a friend named Mayela.

Rectus abdominus. I've been waiting to use that word, er words, since I took the toning workshop. Tomorrow I'm going to say it in front of people. When the instructor said it at the Zumba toning workshop I laughed because before she finished the whole phrase I thought she was saying rectum.

I was the only one who laughed.

Tonight I had fewer people, 27, and made $5.00 more. I earned $135.00. Apparently my book-keeping is not so good. I better not let Yr do an audit on me. Anyhoo. I'm sooo happy. I'm taking my husband and son out to dinner tomorrow to a nice restaurant.

I have a little headache so I took a Tylenol PM.

There's a movie called Julie/Julia on tv and I always thought it was about a transexual or something so was never interested, but it's about a girl who decides in one year to cook everything in Julia Child's cookbook and she makes a blog about it. So far it's kind of a cute movie.

It was a bad homeschool day. For me anyways. Couldn't get him to write an essay. So I let it go. It's optional so, hmmm. He did get 87% on his algebra unit test with his dedah though. My husband teaches the mathematics. He got "daddy" backwards or something when he was a tot and so Daddy and been Dedah ever since. I was overtaken by math in first grade of homeschool and husband took it over. What to do about high school. I'm still not sure.

My iPod isn't transferring a particular song very well. I had to re-download it and add it in. Tonight during class I noticed it was missing. Stopped and checked my iPod. Couldn't find it anywhere. By then it had been a couple minutes and everyone caught their breath. I'll be more careful to check the list on my iPod from now on. I let 'em off easy tonight. Oh! Three ladies came up and danced on stage with me. It was fun!

Hair is 49 7/8".

ZumbaZumbaZumba

Can't stop thinking about it lately. Had 32 in my class Tuesday. I'm stoked. Floating.

There is a new girl in town got licensed to teach. I called her, congratulated her, and invited her to teach a few routines in my class. She was surprised and I think is looking forward to doing it. She'll be in my class Saturday. Had her over yesterday to make sure her iPod will work with my setup and we could hardly stop talking to each other. I like her. I hope it goes really well Saturday. I took the high road. I want to have a positive working relationship with her.

I just introduced a quebradita routine last week. Seems everyone likes it. It's high intensity. And next week I'm doing a reggaeton song. Reggaeton. It's a vast wasteland as far as lyrics. Full of misogeny and violence and raw sex. I settled for the violence aspect. Found a song with no profanity and it's only about a boyfriend threatening to shoot another guy if he messes with his girlfriend. Well, I need one serious reggaeton song to round out my playlist and I need also to keep class appealing to the younger crowd. Actually I love the reggaeton beat. It's the words that are so repugnant. I'm doing Prrrum and the routine is here. The routine is very good.

I already have my next two routines selected. One will be a second song routine, a merengue, from Zumba on their DVD. I like it because one step is where you hold up your arms as if you're at a concert and they're playing your favorite song. Okay, I sound like a blonde, I know it. The other! I wanna do "Proud Mary" by Tina Turner from 1973. Fantastic song. Starts with probably the most famous locution on a song ever. I found a base routine and I'm going to change it up a bit. Gonna add a bit more of original Tina moves to it. I saw some routines to this song with moves like a body roll, but to me, that doesn't work. I was there in 1973. You need to use some moves from 1973, not 2011. Man, it's musical history. Give it some respect.

A student in class asked me if I could come to the private school where she teaches and teach a Zumba class to little kids. I told her it can't be Zumba because I'm not licensed to teach little ones, but she said she didn't care. So I'm going to teach a movement class and not call it Zumba. I can do that. I've already picked some cute, cute songs and a game. I'm looking forward to it. Can't believe I'm saying it, but I'm am looking forward to it. Songs I've picked so far are Xibom Bom Bom," "Funky Town" by the Chipmunks, and "Magic" by Selena.

Bible study is going great. The Bible, it's like gold. Pastor made a remark that stood out to me. His son died only last year of leukemia. It's not right losing a child. It's been hard on him and on the family. I feel so bad for them. How they must miss their son so. He would have been 40 this year and left behind three kids and a beautiful wife. Well, someone commented on how God always has a plan and God had a plan when he took Pastor's son. Pastor said he prefers not to say God took his son, but that God received his son. Mmmmm. So true.

March 13 is the time change and March 20 is the first day of Spring. Time is moving so fast.