Okay so now what....

Hello People!

How is every little thing? I hope this blog finds you well. I got to come up with a catchy opening for this blog I use to say how is every little thing when I was bombarding my friends with emails but this is blogging so I will have to work on a new opener. ANYWAY it has been a long weekend my sister was sick so we stayed at home Friday instead of going to the 'big' small town! I have a cramp in my arm and hand from playing bejeweled blitz on Facebook ALL weekend long... I gotta get a life! I did go horseback riding/walking on Friday and a tractor show on Saturday does that count as a life? I didn't think so. The horse tried to brush me off during the ride/walk he made a point of walking as close as possible to every object, which in this case were trees, as he could so I would get brushed or rubbed as we went by. I think he wanted me off his back?! I don't know maybe it was the 80+ degrees we were in??? The horse in front of me stopped and took a dump, if you have never seen that DON'T! The horses smelled...they smelled bad I have never been on horses that smelled before not even when I rode in 100+ temps! BUT it was a nice ride in the pines and you would be amazed what you can see while riding/walking on a horse. You would also be surprised how strong your thighs are when you have use them to hold onto a horse that wants you off!!!

SO speaking of getting a life, I have a second interview on Monday (tomorrow) with the attorney I interviewed with a couple of weeks ago. They are taking me to lunch, isn't that special! I have been told that lunch interviews should be done like dates, no food that affects your breath and avoid food that can get stuck in your teeth. SO no Caesar salad with anchovies or spinach dip. I never heard back from the County so I ass-u-me they hired someone else...wait a minute and I will be surprised! BUT I could be wrong. YEAH right...okay that was amusing.:P)

Gary had some people come over just a little bit ago to look at his van that has been sitting for the past four (4) years on the corner of the property. It has rabbits living in the engine and maybe some on the inside too...probably pack rats who knows what all is living in that thing. He wants to GIVE it to this kid so he can have a way to get his business started doing re-upholstery (is that how you spell that?) cars and painting them. Gary said he told me these people were coming but I don't remember that conversation and when they showed up I had my pajamas on and my hair was sticking up all over my head. The sad part is that when I ran upstairs to try and comb/brush my hair down it wouldn't lay down! It is a good thing I have a HUGE selection of hats! I threw one on and came down stairs to find Gary introducing these people (all men, Grandfather, son and grandson) to my sister. My sister is mentally handicapped but you can't tell it by looking at her, the only thing she can't do is talk. ANYWAY...he is introducing her to these people and my sister makes a bee line for the grandpa of the group she puts this man in a choke hold, a headlock kind of thing and presses his face into her breast. This man is wearing bottle cap glasses and he is bent over and frail. I am thinking OH MY GOD she is going to kill him! WHY? I don't know why she took a 'liking' to him she just did. I tried to get her away from him and she strong armed me and jerked away and went right back for his head! HELP ME! Finally I got her away from him and I took her to the couch and SAT on her until they left! I was thinking okay now what do I do if she hurts this man...we are in the middle of no where and the hospital is 45 miles away...will he make it that far if she hurts him? Jeez my nerve! THANK GOD they all made it out alive and they may even take the van. I don't know.

I hope you all enjoy your week there is a three (3) day weekend coming up so enjoy it!

See ya when I see ya!

Peace! Mattie

Be careful of what you say...

Hello People! I hope all is well with you and yours! It has a been awhile since I posted a blog on this site about 7 days ago or so...I guess I should do better. I think I was thrown for a minute when I talked to two friends and they both told me they enjoyed reading my blogs. I don't know why that threw me, I put the blog out here for people to read it but I guess it just never occurred to me who would be reading it other than the people I use to bombard with emails. I was wrong. ANYWAY to whomever is reading this I appreciate it! I would appreciate some feed back too that will give me an idea of what 'stories' you all want to hear.

SO here is an update I have been among the ranks of the unemployed since November of 2008, and I have recently started looking for employment. The search has been interesting to say the least in the small town where I live there is nothing and in the small town that I come to everyday there is not much more. I have however had some interviews, one they chose to go with someone else as you may have read previously and the other two have not made decisions yet. In one of the interviews they requested that I take a 'Personality Test'. A Personality Test...what is that? Prior to beginning the test it states that most employers hire people based on their experience and skills, only to have to fire them later because of their attitude and behavior. I thought that was called life. I guess we are trying to avoid real life now-a-days. The test itself is a series of statements and you are suppose to choose the statement that MOST describes you and then the one that LEAST describes you. A statement in the test could be anything, i.e. "are you easily led, are you a follower" or "are you aggressive" or "are you laid back and easy going", etc. Now without these statements being put into some sort of context I am sure we all agree that any of these statements could "most or least" define you based on the situation. (I can't recall all the statements there were random and unless put into some sort of context there was really no way to answer them because any or all of them could mostly describe you or least describe you.) I have been telling everyone that I talk to about this test that it is hard to say, you know if you are going over the edge and no one is taking charge I think you would step up and take control of the situation which may be considered by some to be aggressive. BUT if someone else has the situation under control you would obviously sit back and let them do their thing. I don't know what my results were for this test I would be interested to see but I haven't gotten a call back from that attorney's office. I told the lady when I was done taking the test that the results would probably say I was crazy! She laughed and said she has never taken a personality test and would like to do so. I thought well if you work here and you didn't have to take this test then why am I? Oh well we all know it is an employers 'market' so they can do or request what they want now because people are desperate for jobs. SERIOUSLY! You have people with Masters or Doctorates applying for jobs at the local fast food restaurant. SAD! But now is not the time to give up! I know things are going to change and they will work out the way they are suppose to. If you don't know that NOW you know!

I went by the attorney's office where I last worked to thank him for his kind words to my potential new employer, I said I don't know what you said but the attorney I interviewed with told me "You come highly recommended!" so whatever you said must have been good! He then told me that he told them, "she works hard, she will get the job done, etc. BUT she will also tell you what she will NOT do." I guess you should be careful what you say and do because at some point in time it will come back to you. Lesson learned. But regardless of that comment by my previous employer the potential new employer was still impressed.

Time will tell which one of the two jobs I interviewed for is the one I am suppose to have and I will let you know. If it turns out that neither of them come to fruition then obviously there is something better out there for me. This same philosophy goes for you as well, if whatever it is you are hoping for does not happen, don't worry there is something better!

See ya when I see ya!

Peace! Mattie

Friends....how many of us have them...

HEY! Just how is every little thing....it couldn't be better if you ask me!

I got a phone call from my friend my BFF from high school...she makes me laugh ALL the time!!!! I love her she is funny! REALLY FUNNY!!! (Actually I love all my friends and family...but don't tell them they will want to borrow money. Just kidding!) SO my question is this...how many of us have a real friend? I am sure that you all have seen the emails or email that says a real friend will be sitting beside you in the jail saying...Oh yeah we messed up! But it was fun!!!! We all need a friend like that who will always be there for us. SERIOUSLY! Family is good but sometimes you need a friend you can laugh with, get in trouble with and one who knows some dirt on you to keep you honest. You know a keeping it real friend that will say to you when you are getting to big for your britches..."you know I knew you back when you were eating boogers and paste so you might want to come back down to earth Boo you are NOT all that!" Oprah could use one of those friends 'cause Gale is falling down on the job.

ANYWAY... remember that everybody is not your friend no matter what they may say there is a difference between a friend and those who are just acquaintances (people you are friendly with but they don't really know you and you don't really know them)! I have my blogs linked to my facebook account and in order to communicate with people or see their information on facebook you have to be their "friend"...don't get it twisted. In my opinion if you don't have some kind of history with someone they are probably not your friend. My friend in North Carolina...I have known her since I was little her mom and my mom know each other, her mom had permission to whip out the belt and whip on me if I got out of line. A tradition used by some people back in the day...this no doubt is something that is missing with kids today.

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. You can trust your real friends so the distance is irrelevant... your enemies on the other hand should be really close so if they try to put a whammy on you, you can smack them down first.:P)

See ya when I see ya!

Peace! Mattie

Sunday and NASCAR...gotta love it!

This story was brought to you back in November of 2007...it still insights fear when I think about it....

Anyway...we go to the NASCAR race and I decide to wear my Longhorns t-shirt that I got in Houston because my Jr. shirt somehow was TOO TIGHT! Heinekens... I tell ya! I also figured that wearing the "Hook 'em horns" shirt would be no big deal. WRONG!

I am standing in line at the Jr. trailer waiting to buy some stuff and I hear this HEY! I look up and there is this man standing there with his hand up making the international signal for longhorns... Now this gesture is made kind of like making the Hawaiian aloha sign you know your pinkie finger and your thumb are extended outwards and you shake them back and forth.... well for longhorns you do the same you put the pinkie finger out and the index finger out while using your thumb to hold down the two middle fingers....YYYYeeeeeeee HHHHHHHHaaaaaaaa!!! Help me!!! I am caught in some realm of hell I had no idea existed.

SO I get my Jr. stuff and I go to my seat and after a few laps I go outside and stand, it's a courtesy thing most people just smoke in their seats in the stands I go outside...so to speak... WRONG ANSWER! I am walking back inside and this man, I have no idea who he is walks up to me and smiles and proceeds to hold my hand. I am not talking about you know he took my hand in his and held it...NO this man clasped his fingers into my fingers and started walking with me swinging hands back and forth and smiling... WHY? Because of the freakin ' longhorn shirt! He said, "how did they do last night?" I got this deer in the headlights look on my face and I am thinking if I talk slowly and don't make any sudden moves perhaps he won't hurt me! I said they didn't do to well. He said with a disappointed look on his face, "that is too bad I know Michigan didn't do to well either and that is a shame." I shook my head and pleaded with my eyes please let go of my hand! He walked away, AFTER we knocked knuckles as some kind of camaraderie or something... "The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want... Yea, though I walk the valley of the shadow of death..." HELP ME! Is it over...NO! I went to get a scanner list so we could hear the drivers over our radio and as I am walking a man grabs my arm... "you are the third person I have seen with a longhorn shirt on!" Insert the longhorn sign here! I smile and pick up the pace....

After a few more laps of racing I go back out and down to the trailers to do some more shopping cause seriously they were selling Jr.'s stuff for $3 and $5 bucks! T-shirts, hats, jackets... HELLO! Anyway, I was looking for something for Gary's daughter's son and I was looking at Earnhardt Sr.'s trailer and I couldn't find anything so I turn to go back to Jr.'s trailer and guess what....YUP as I turn around I get stopped again this time by the Sheriff! He said, "Did you actually go to that school or are you just wearing the shirt?" I am thinking if I take off this shirt here and now would you leave! I said I graduated from there in 1987, he graduated in 1997... I said AAAhhhh you are just a baby and I walked away... I don't even know where the University of Texas is... I mean I know its in Texas but what city... I DON'T KNOW!

Note to self.... NEVER WEAR MY TEXAS SHIRT TO A NASCAR RACE AGAIN!!!!!!!!! It brings out the real Bubbas!

I hope you all had a lovely weekend!!!!! Mine was filled with Bubbas and Jr. stuff!

See ya when I see ya!

Peace! Mattie

Okay so now we get to the truth....

Hello People!

I don't know if you all know but I am among the ranks of the unemployed unfortunately I am in the company of millions of other people, which means I am not alone BUT it is not exactly the best company to be in. ANYWAY... I had an interview with the County and I thought it went well, but I always do. SO today I got a phone call and a message was left for me because I didn't hear the phone ring that they chose to go with someone else. SO I called them and asked because I wanted to know, "Did I do something wrong or say something wrong or what is the problem, is it me?" As I said I wanted to know because I keep applying with the County and get the interviews but never seem to "close the deal" as it were. The lady was kind enough to answer this question for me I told her it was for me personally because I didn't understand....She said, "Oh no, you were very confident, you were in the highest percentile of those interviewed and we want to keep your resume on file, which we are not doing for everybody only a few, and you answered all of our questions appropriately, even the question I threw in there...you answered spot on a couple of people picked up on that..." I guess the question she "threw in" was a trick question but I still answered it correctly.... She couldn't say EXACTLY why I didn't get the position she only could give me positive feed back on the interview process that I went through... Based on the foregoing it is apparent to me that I was meant to do something better. (I had said that if they offered me the job I was going to take it whether it was the Justice Court or the County Attorney's office...still waiting on the County Attorney's office but....) If you can't tell me what I did wrong and can only tell me that I am in the highest percentile for interviewing and answered all the questions directly AND correctly something better is meant for me.... That is my conclusion and I am sticking to it!

Onto better things I saw Julie & Julia with my friend J (thanks J for the free ticket and popcorn) and my nephew and sister. It was a good movie, I was pleasantly surprised and I would recommend the movie as a go see or purchase. I might even buy it. The other thing I am compelled to buy now is Julia Childs cookbook... I really enjoyed the movie and I kept saying during the movie HEY THAT IS ME! The blog was me and the cooking was me and I think it was talking to me! What do you think????

I need to get serious and figure out what I was put on this earth for...time is ticking and I am getting old and whatever it is I am suppose to do I want to be able to do it well and enjoy it!

See ya when I see ya!

Peace! Mattie

Is this an Abbott and Costello routine....Seriously

Here is a story I sent my friends back in May of 2007....this is a good example of how I like to entertain my friends with things that happen to me....CRAZY things that happen to me....

Well as some of you know I have been working at the Chamber of Commerce this week..... HELP ME! Anyway I get to help people find their way to the Grand Canyon, Sedona, the Indian ruins, etc.... YEAH its a thrill a minute.

Today a lady came in and she spoke broken English with a Spanish accent and she said, "We want some information on how to find that place where sumting' fell out of the sky.... you know sumting' fell out of the sky now there is a hole there...." I said oh .......Meteor Crater is that what you mean? Meteor Crater! SERIOUSLY! Something fell out of the sky.... WHAT?!

But the funniest thing that I have had so far is this lady who spoke perfectly good English and lives in Snotsdale (Scottsdale) who called and wanted information (I think she was blonde). She said, "I want to know about some hotels there in Flagstaff that are close so when we get up and get ready we can be on our way to Sedona, can you tell me the name of some hotels?" I said SURE! We have the Hampton Inn & Suites, La Quinta Inn, and the Hilton. (I know these are the more expensive hotels BUT when working at the chamber you can only recommend people/companies who are members of the chamber of commerce...who knew?!) She said "Okay so the last time we were there we went up this real winding road, is the road real winding up there?" I said well if you come up through Oak Creek that road is winding, BUT if you come up I-17 it is only a few curves around the Bumble Bee area and maybe a couple of other spots. She said, "Oh okay so if we come up I-17 which hotels are there that are close to stay in that will be on our way to Sedona?" I said Hampton Inn & Suites, La Quinta Inn, and the Hilton. She said, "Okay I have heard about the Hampton Inn do you have a Hampton Inn?" I said yes we do but it is on the other side of town in the opposite direction of where you want to be. She said, "Okay so the Hampton Inn is on the other side of town? about how far is that..." I said yes it is on the other side of town 6 or 10 miles in the opposite direction of where you want to go.

Lady: "SO if we come up I-17 what would be the closet hotels?"

ME: Hampton Inn & Suites, La Quinta Inn, and the Hilton.

Lady: "SO if we come up through Sedona, which hotels are the closest hotels?"

ME: Hampton Inn & Suites, La Quinta Inn, and the Hilton.

Lady: "The Hampton Inn & Suites, La Quinta Inn, and the Hilton are the closest hotels on your way to Sedona?"

ME: Yes.

Lady: "If we come from I-17 Hampton Inn & Suites, La Quinta Inn, and the Hilton are the closest hotels and if we come up from Sedona Hampton Inn & Suites, La Quinta Inn, and the Hilton are the closet hotels....."

ME: YES!

After about 3 or 4 rounds of this I am thinking what is this an Abbott and Costello routine? Have you ever heard that routine Who's on First? Who's on First? What's on Second..... I Don't Know! I wanted to scream THIRD BASE!!!!!!!

Tomorrow is my last day.... yes there is a God! I got a call today from Kelly Services they had a special request, requesting that I come back to one of the previous employers I have been to! Isn't that special! They called now to book me ahead of time and make sure they got me. The job doesn't even start until the 18th of June.... DAMN I am good!

Okay its late and I have to be back at the Chamber tomorrow, bright eyed and bushy tailed so.....

See ya when I see ya!

Peace! Mattie

ALWAYS REMEMBER ABUSE IS NOT OKAY!

This will be short and to the point remember that ABUSE is NEVER OKAY! Also remember that when you think that YOUR situation sucks...look around it is probably not as bad you think! SMILE it is free.:P)

SO these remarks are brought to you by someone who was feeling sorry them self for a while and then called up a 'friend' to give them a hard time only to find out that comedy is not always appropriate as they had just been advised that their child may have been molested... by a family 'friend'. THEN upon going to dinner with some old high school 'friends' finds out that one of the friends parents is being emotionally and mentally and perhaps even physically abused by the person who is suppose to be there to take care of them... their 'friend'/husband. It is just SAD all the way around and there is not much you can do for them other than, listen, sympathize and advise one of them that NO YOU CANNOT CALL YOUR FRIENDS AND GO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM! If you suspect someone is being abused take a stand and step in...speak up or if possible remove them from the situation if possible. Tell the people you care about that it is not okay for someone to berate you, tear down you and your self esteem, or mess with your mind in anyway shape or form. No "Gaslight" treatments and no isolating you from your family and friends. DEFINITELY do NOT allow anyone to disrespect you! You are important just as you are and as the old saying goes, you might be one person in this world...but to ONE person you might be the world! (I think that is how it goes but you get the point...)

Remember who you are, keep yourself safe, keep your loved ones safe and if that fails remember that it is not "just us" who can take care of the problem but JUSTICE will take care of those we can't!

And for those of you who don't know Gaslight was one of the old movies that came out where this man tried to make his wife think she was crazy, by doing things to her and around her and then telling her she is imagining it... and I used ' ' when saying the word friend because I am sure that you all know everyone is not your friend and good friends are hard to find!

See ya when I see ya!

Peace! Mattie

Cutomer Service...whatever happened to it???

I sent this in June of 2008....BOY don't you just miss customer service or should I say GOOD customer service!

Hello People!

It is only 3 count them THREE days until my birthday! Aren’t you excited! SO what did you get me?! COOL I like that…..

Let me tell you this story…

I called Dish Network yesterday to see what they would give me as a loyal customer being with their company for the past FIVE years! APPARENTLY THE SHAFT! ANYWAY…. I call the 800 or 888 number and I get “Bradley” on the line… now mind you when you call this number you will be speaking to someone over in India…or Pakistan or somewhere over in the middle east! NOTHING IS MORE ANNOYING THAN CALLING “CUSTOMER SERVICE” AND GETTING SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT SPEAK ENGLISH OR EVEN LIVE IN THIS COUNTRY!! SO I am talking to Bradley and he is having all sorts of trouble pulling up my account, I give him my name, Gary’s name… that doesn’t work! I give him my address old and new… that doesn’t work… I give him my phone number and Gary’s phone number… that doesn’t work! THEN Bradley asked me if I could give him a credit card number…. Now why oh why do you need my credit card number to pull up my account? According to Bradley he “may” be able to pull the account up that way… PULL UP THIS! I want to speak to a manager at this point… after 25 count them 25 minutes of speaking to Ahkmad… I mean Bradley he miraculously pulls up my account… I think that happened when I said well BRADLEY if I said cancel this bitch could you find it then! IDIOT! I said Bradley I have been a customer of your company’s for five years now and I have talked to Direct TV and I can get the same package I have with you PLUS a DVR at the same price… what can you do for me that will make me want to stay a Dish Network customer…. DO YOU KNOW WHAT BRADLEY SUGGESTED… oh you are going to love this… Bradley said to me “Well if you DOWNGRADE your package you wouldn’t have to pay so much.” Have you ever seen those cartoons where the person gets so angry that their head explodes? YEAH I was there…. I said I call you and tell you that I have been a customer of your company for five years and ask what you can do for me to make me want to stay a customer of yours and the BEST you can suggest is that I DOWNGRADE my package so it won’t cost so much….are you serious? Did I say I couldn’t afford the package I have? NO! Did I say ANYTHING about cost at all? NO! And downgrading the package is the best you could come up with…. MANAGER! I WANT THE MANAGER NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bradley of course couldn’t help me, because he is the king of idiots his picture is in the dictionary next to the word, so he proceeds to “transfer” me to an “account specialist”… guess what the next thing was I heard on the phone…yup you got it dial tone! MOTHER$^*&%^#$&%! SO I call back and I am loaded for bear…. Now I get “Olga” on the line… tell me this if you could make up any name in the world to be called because no one could pronounce your real name would you choose OLGA?! SERIOUSLY! I said in a tone that I am sure she picked up on… your name is Olga? “Yes it is, may I help you”… yeah my name is Sister Christian Mary Magdalene and I want to speak to someone about my account… what are you kidding me! Olga then proceeds to take the SAME INFORMATION that Bradley took and guess what…. 15 F$%&()*!minutes later she still can’t pull up the account! I said OLGA I want to speak to a manager and you have no idea how quickly for your sake you should put them on the line! SO she keeps piddling around and I call Gary and I ask him to look on the receiver and get me numbers and Olga is getting excited because I am yelling at her and Gary at the same time… I am telling Gary that we are going to cancel this bitch with the quickness! Olga is saying… “I don’t understand why you are yelling… what is the problem…” OLGA WHY ARE YOU TALKING TO ME IF YOU ARE NOT THE MANAGER THEN YOU NEED TO BE SILENT… see you are here (insert the hand gesture that shows mouth open) and you need to be here (insert hand gesture that shows mouth closed!). In other words… shut the &*(&( up! SO Olga transfers me to an “account specialist” and guess what… all of sudden and I am back in America speaking with Don ID# XE2 in case I have any problems with this call… and he despite the fact that Olga said they don’t have any specials going on Don says they have all these specials which I can get at an even more 'special price'…. WHY? Because I have been with them for 5 ½ years!!!!!! BUT more than that because I am an angry customer who they have probably deduced by the use of profanity and slang am more than likely an angry Black man in khakis!

I am getting pissed off again just talking about this… I have to go to lunch now or something so I can regroup and calm down….

What is the deal for my birthday… I am open for breakfast, lunch and dinner on MONDAY JUNE 23 MY BIRTHDAY!!!! where are we going people what are we doing? I can’t think now I am confused and I am seeing anger right now…. Have you ever seen anger…

Have a lovely!

Peace! Mattie

Here is an observation for you...

This is a story I sent my friends back in July of 2008...I have some interesting observations don't I?!

HEY! Have you ever noticed…….

What is up people it has been really quiet on here lately just the occasional forward but no chit chat… don’t tell me you guys are “allegedly” busy?! I will accept that from the one person listed on here who is an attorney but the rest of you….PLEASE!

I have stories to tell but right now I have an observation… have you ever noticed that when you have to go to the bathroom… really… REALLY bad how your misfortune of having a bathroom emergency sends an invisible signal to the bathroom gods and the toilet either overflows or the shit won’t go down? I hate that! The other observation or comment I have is this… I went to Subway yesterday don't go there...just kidding… ANYWAY... I go into Subway and I order a sandwich and I am standing in line waiting to pay and this lady comes up to me all timid and kind of nervous and she asked me, “Do you know who is singing this song?” Now at this particular time my mind was somewhere else so I didn’t even hear any music because I was wondering why the workers in Subway insist on counting the items they put on your sandwich? I mean I can understand them rationing the meat portion but… I asked for pickles on my sandwich and she put two on and I am thinking what the @#%*! Are you kidding me you are going to charge me $6 or $7 bucks for this sandwich and only give me two pickles, two tomatoes and a sprinkle of lettuce and ONE ring from the onions… get the @#%* out of here! BUT I digress… so I look DOWN at the woman and I said what… “The song do you know who sings it?” Now my thought is what the hell are you asking me for? I guess you think because Black people are good dancers they are also up on the latest music…SERIOUSLY…. So I then tune my ears into the music playing and hell I don’t know… they were singing what about love don’t you want it to do or be or maybe they were saying what about love don’t you care… I said well I think its Celine Dion?! I figured it was a good guess since Celine has sung just about every song made at some point in time… The lady looks at her daughter and says “honey she says it is Celine Dion too, so that MUST be who it is… I was right.” I guess because I said it that makes it so… SO then I say no wait a minute it could be Hart or Heart(I don’t know how they spell it)… you know those sisters who formed a group… the lady’s face lights up with the look you get when you realize something or your memory becomes clear… “THAT’S IT!” The lady goes on to explain that her daughter is taking piano lessons and she wanted to get the music to the song so she could learn to play it… I just do my polite smile and move over to the drink dispenser and think to myself the neon weirdo light is obviously flashing on my forehead again… I hate when it comes on and I don’t know it’s on until I am accosted by some nut job!!!!!!!!!! And YES there were other people in Subway she could have asked…

Okay I will send you my Oregon stories later… I have to do some things for B since he is taking the day off tomorrow to spend with his daughter for her birthday… and he wants it done NOW… but you know when he left for the CLE by the Sea and vacation and was gone for 10 days and I needed something it was like oh well but when he wants something it’s a NOW kind of thing… BOY please!

PEACE! Mattie

Sometimes life is not funny.... or is it?!

DISCLAIMER: The following story may not be suitable for small children or adults who are lovers of animals. This story is true but it does deal with the death of a animal... Just wanted to put that out there in case someone read this and became hysterical. This is a story I sent to my friends in August of 2004.

Hello People! I know you are all just a twitter because it is Monday and the sun is shining and the birds are singing and the bees are buzzing!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Life is good!

SO! Let me tell you about the weekend. It was pretty uneventful to start off nothing to do and lots of time to do it in.... that is a good weekend! On Saturday the traffic out by the house was just horrendous! (Now keep in mind where we live traffic consists of about five (5) cars in as many hours)...Cars flying by coming and going..... I was saying, "Gary who is that?!" He would say that is the neighbor up on the hill... "Who is that?!" I don't know who that is maybe the people who bought the property below us.... "

Gary look there is a back hoe going down the street! Gary looks out and he says "OH! I bet Reed had to shoot his horse....he expected it to die last winter but it hung on!" I said oh... SO Gary is looking out the window and he sees all the neighbors have gathered..... He said yeah he probably had to put him down. SO the day goes on and the neighbors start coming out and Gary stops one and sure enough they had to shoot the horse! I said I didn't hear any gunshots.... Gary said you wouldn't from that far away....

SO it is just about dark....dusky dark.... not really dark but you can't see much either kind of twilight! I am sitting by the window watching TV and I hear this braying! I turn the TV down and listen...nothing! I turn it back up and I hear this braying again.... and some trots..... I am thinking to myself, "AH HELL that horse got up and now it is standing outside the window!!!!!!" I kind of look out but not really cause I am thinking night of the living dead kind of thing....... SO I yell at Gary that there is a horse outside..... he doesn't think it is funny cause you know he has been crying about the horse since they shot it!! He said, "THERE IS NO HORSE OUT THERE AND THAT IS NOT FUNNY!" I said Gary I hear a horse outside.... so he asks me "WHAT DOES A HORSE SOUND LIKE?!" I said oh NO he didn't! THERE IS F$%)$&% HORSE OUTSIDE NOW!!!!!!!!!

He gets the spot light and goes outside and sure enough there is a horse out there!!!!!!!!!!!!! The horse that was shot was female, the mother of the horse that was outside braying and crying looking for its mother!!!!!! I said Gary call the neighbors and tell them their horse is out.... GUESS WHAT?! He can't call because he is crying!!!!!!!! "That horse is looking for its mother.... he can probably smell the blood down there and thinks she is hurt and he is looking for her!" I said Gary they didn't bury the horse or get the blood up? He said, "Dee pulled the horse down so that Bob could shoot it, 'cause Reed couldn't do it because he has had that horse for 20 years!!!! So there was probably some blood on the ground!" I said why didn't they just dig the hole...push the horse in and then shoot it!"

All night you could hear that horse outside braying and running and crying...... it was spooky!!!!!!!!!!!

Other than that....it was a pretty good weekend..... got some cleaning down and some work done on the porch... got the car cleaned out.... you know piddly stuff!

See ya when I see ya!

Peace! Mattie

Just wondering to myself.....

So yesterday I took my nieces to a birthday party for a friend's daughter, it was a nice small gathering. Mexican birthday parties are usually more for the adults than the children, once the pinata was busted and all the candy was snatched up by the kids, big and small alike it was adult time. We sat out on the back patio watching the kids play and drinking... I was watching my nieces one is 4 going on 40 and other is 10. The 10 year old has down syndrome and since her 'dad' is 6'5" she is tall for her age, so is the 4 year old, BUT the 10 year old is close to be as big around as she is in height. BUT we won't discuss the problems with that situation at this time...

ANYWAY...the house that we were at has a park just out the back gate, maybe a half a block away, but you can see the kids playing just fine from the patio. So they all ran down to the park to play including my nieces...the four year old was running like speed racer the 10 year old was lumbering along behind but having just as much fun it seemed as the other kids. I wonder does she know that she is "different" than the others???? When the kids were eating some of the other kids were watching her eat out the corner of their eyes...no one verbally said a word tho. Then when the birthday girl was opening her presents you would have thought it was my niece's birthday party as excited as she was about each gift that was opened...WOW!!!! she said after every gift! The 4 year old was hardly paying attention because there was a Flintstones car in the backyard for her to play with so she could care less if the birthday girl unwrapped a million dollars, she had her car so as far as she was concerned she had a million dollars too. At the park my niece (the 10 year old) is hugging all the kids (strangers) so I make my way over there just to be sure everyone is okay and that there are no misunderstandings... She will hug anybody, wave at anybody or just start talking to ANYBODY...she does not know stranger danger or if she does she forgets.... SO we got back to the house and I ask my niece if she is ready to go home and she says yes, then she starts hugging everybody good-bye and saying THANKS! I called her dad to come get her and her sister, because when the adult portion of the party started I had some drinks....I had too they brought me Heineken... While we were waiting for their dad to show up the boys at the party were playing video games, I asked my friend's son if he would help my niece play and he said he would....good kid even tho his mom is CRAZY and his dad is and IDIOT! My niece was excited to play the video game with them I am not sure if she knew what she was doing the but the host said when he went in the house she was yelling...FIRE! They were playing a game that required shooting people and killing, I don't think they make any other kind game these days.... During the party I spent most of the time watching out for the 10 year old as the 4 year old is an adult trapped in a child's body, but as I was watching over her I wondered...what is she thinking? Does she care if the kids whisper around her? Does she notice that some seem afraid....maybe its just me being overly sensitive because I know how I felt when I was growing up and people would make fun or act afraid of my sister... If my niece did notice anything you couldn't tell it by looking at her because she had the biggest smile on her face the whole time!

It is August now and kids are going to be starting back to school soon...those of you who have kids big or small and those kids were BLESSED to be "normal" I am sure you are thankful...right?

See ya when I see ya!

Peace! Mattie