I'm Bugged!!

Before you start to read, here is my disclaimer....the topic is disgusting and gross. I am not writing this to keep you from visiting us, but just to let you know the situation I am in at the moment - buggy!!

Pennsylvania, especially our home, has been inundated with beetles that look like ladybugs - I call them "faux" ladybugs - they are small with dots on their backs and when you pick them up they smell so you want to use a kleenix or papertowel to get rid of them. But since we have so many, we just keep the vacuum out to suck them up.

Today I went into our bathroom and it looked like a combat zone - it was scary to walk in because of all the bugs on the floor, window and walls. So I got out the vacuum and started counting. I have been counting in the past but today I could see a record being made! Now there are some flies in the head count here because they are as disgusting and bothersome as the beetles. Are you ready? 168 of those horrible creatures!!! I sucked them up and then went to my bedroom to take care of the problem (about 2 minutes away from the bathroom), went back to the bathroom and found more!! I don't know where they come from but I am ready to call an exterminator.

Okay, so now I go downstairs to my living room. There is a bird outside the window, trying to get to the bugs that are inside the house flying around and sitting on the window sill. I couldn't believe it! I pull out the downstairs vacuum and get to work....at least 70 bugs and flies. Finally, I have them all which is difficult to do because they seem to come out of the woodwork so you have to look very carefully.

Done...or so I think. I put the vacuum away and glance down...and there's a bug on the front of my shirt....aarrrgghh (a Charlie Brown favorite saying).

Life in Pennsylvania.....come and visit anytime!

Prevention is the best medicine

I forgot to write about the "Prevention" challenge that Emma, Molly, and I are doing (Hannah and Shauna - are you in the loop?). Molly found an article in Prevention magazine about walking a marathon which included a day-by-day plan to prepare for it. I can't imagine myself walking for five hours one Saturday, but we'll see what happens when that day arrives - I'll probably be busy that day....

Anyway, here's my update. Day Three has been accomplished - I'm right on target, having started on Monday. I hope to keep you updated on my progress. The day I don't write about it will be the day that I quit, fail, give up, don't see any progress, sleep in, get lazy, all of the above. Wish me luck!! And good luck to all who try this program.

The last few days have been busy - played dominoes with my nursing home buddies (and won four out of seven games!). Dad asked me once if I let them win, and I usually do, but this time I decided to win if I could - not that dominoes is very hard to play...Anyway, I won four and could have won another one, but decided to draw more dominoes instead. I just told the ladies that I must have gotten up on the right side of the bed that morning. It doesn't take much to get these women to laugh. I then played a little "dinner music" for another group for an hour before going home to spend some time with Gma and Gpa Siebach.

I took Gma to the library with me while I did my volunteer work - she sat in the reading room and enjoyed books about the history of Ford City, Kittanning, and Butler. When I was done we all went to Brookville for dinner at Fox's Pizza.

We watched American Idol too - Gma and Gpa had never seen it before. Kristy has got to go. I had control of the remote (unbelievable!) and would switch back and forth between American Idol and The Biggest Loser. At the end of that show, Gpa decided he wouldn't have to watch that show again. I think the tears and hugging of the men didn't appeal to him too much - pretty dramatic.

I visited with another library volunteer today while I worked - for some reason we were talking about books and then it turned to war and she mentioned her brother was a POW in Germany for six months during WWII - he fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was captured then. He didn't talk much about his experiences and I remember my dad (who also served in WWII) didn't talk about it either. I guess they just did what they had to do and fortunately survived. We are lucky we live where we do and have not had to experience war in our backyards.

You're Never Too Old

I guess it's time to catch up with my kids and try my hand at 'blogging'. I enjoy reading everyone's blogs - and that's all you'll be doing with mine, at least for now - because I don't know how to add pictures. Give me some time.

Today I spent time with four women at a senior living center. We lift weights together for about an hour and it's been great for me (and hopefully for them). I like to ask them questions about their lives, families, and sometimes we just laugh and talk about food - like ice cream and banana cake (which my mom made for me on every birthday - we didn't get gifts, just our favorite cake and ice cream to go with it). Growing up with six brothers and sisters didn't allow for a lot of presents and we were alright with that - I never knew anything different. I think these women probably had similar upbringings - not a lot of money but a treasure of memories. One of the women's parents owned a candy factory and she worked there and remembers eating lots of candy. Her name is Wilma and she is tall and thin. When I first started the class, I asked them each their name and told them to tell me something about them so I could associate it with them. Besides the candy factory, she told me to think of Wilma Flintstone - and it was a perfect fit! I can't look at her now except to think of Fred and Wilma. She's very nice and very active and is in her 80's. I admire these women for their energy and willingness to try new things.

More later....