Boo!

I have mentioned before that I grew up in a house with a ghost. Well, here is his story. The people who lived in the house before us had a bunch of kids to put into a three bedroom house. It is my understanding that they had three girls in the front bedroom and five buys in my room. To have sleeping space for all those boys they had a regular bunk bed and a triple bunk bed. It was kind of cute that when we moved into that room there was a small foot print on the ceiling. What I was told was that the boys were rough housing in the bedroom and one of the younger boys climbed up onto the top of the triple bunk. he fell and broke his neck and died instantly. A very sad thing. the ghost we saw was his little spirit running to find his Mommy and Daddy in their front bedroom. Very sad. What we would see out of the corner of our eyes was a little shadow running by down the main hall, past the front door.. You could never look straight at him. People have tried to explain it as the reflection of car lights or the sun through the patio door. But he was seen in all different types of lighting, night and day, sunny or cloudy.

My Mom, brother, sister and I had all seen him and were pretty used to him when my Mom married my step Dad. We didn't tell him about the ghost. I think my Mom was concerned he would think we were all nuts. Well one evening the ghost was particularly active. We were all in the living room watching TV. Every once in a while we would see my teps Dad glance over to the front hall. After this happened a few times my brother finally turned to my Mom and said, "He sees the ghost. You should tell him, Mom." The cat was out of the bag. At first he was a little skeptical, but after he thought about it he thought it was kind of cool. After that when would have company and we would see someone glance over to the hall, we knew. We shared the story with a few people who my folks thought could handle it.

Years later I worked on a haunted property in San Diego. right next door to the Whaley House. I would see or smell them around the property. Mrs. Whaley's perfume, the Mr.'s tobacco. There were others. Yankee Jim, a man who stole a boat. In a seafaring community like that , stealing a boat was like stealing a horse in the old west. He was hanged for his crime from a tree that used to stand where the Whaley house was built. Another ghost was of a little girl who was running down the hill to come play with the whaley daughters. She didn't see the clothes line. She hit it and broke her neck. In the hose there is a cold spot on the stairs where Mrs. Whaley was standing when she was frightened by men from new town who broke into the court house that was attached to the side of the building. The stole all the city records to move them to the new city center, threatening her and the children in the process. I have seen photos of floating orbs. I have been told that there was also the spirit of the last daughter who lived in the house. I worked in an antique building next door on the same property. My boss was a complete skeptic. But, it just happended she was very tiny and just about the same as a dress they had on a mannequin in the upstairs bedroom.Tthe ladies who worked with the historical society at the house talked her into trying the beautiful beaded dress on. She said that just as they were fastening her in she had a feeling that she had to get out of that dress immediately. The dress or someone did not want her in it.  She says it didn't convinced her, but it did shack her up. I liked working there, I never felt alone.

Celebrating Halloween always makes me happy. When I was a teen we used to do up our front yard for the Holiday.. We had tomb stones on the lawns that were on either side of a narrow front walk. We used a black light to shine on a spider web made out of white yarn. There was spooky music playing. My step Dad rigged up a ghost that could be manipulated to fly from the top of a magnolia tree at the side of the road up to the top of the front porch.  It only took a little practice to get it to swoop and dip in front of the trick-or-treators. My step brother and I would be in costume. Me, as a witch, vampire or ghoul with white face in the black light. My step brother would be dressed to look like any of the fake bodies we had around the yard. One time he was laying on the front steps in a disjointed way so that he look very fake. A little boy of about 10 or so was fascinated by the black light. At that time they were not that common. So he stepped over what he thought was a dummy. As he stood looking at the light., my step brother stood up, towered over the kid and growled. The little guy yelled "Mommy", threw his bag of candy and ran. Everyone laughed, including his parent waiting down the end of the walk. He composed himself enough to come back up and gather his bag and his candy. But he stayed clear of my step brother. We didn't try to scare the little ones. My younger step sister would be at the sidewalk before the walkway and she would give candy to anyone who was too afraid. They local news even did a remote broadcast from in front of our place.

So Happy Halloween.

Peace, Joy, Love, Happiness and a spooky good time to all ... here and on the other side.

Go deep.

I know that title has a double meaning right now during football season. Telling someone to go deep, to run way down the fields to catch a long pass. That would be a very happy feeling, to catch the ball and to make the touchdown to the cheer of the crowd. I'm talking about about another kind of going deep. Going deep into myself. I have a troubled soul. That is why I strive so hard to connect to happiness. Happiness is work. The easy path is to drop into depression and darkness. I know I'm not really unique. a lot of people have troubled souls. No one has had a perfect life. We are all the culmination of our experiences. There were some basic things in life that I did not get to experience. I'm not complaining here, I am just going over my background. I missed out on parental love. I had not been trusted understood or respected when I was growing. So, whaaa, get over it and move on. That is what I am trying to do. It will take a lot of prayer and going deep.

I am very happy to be in a safe place in my life that I can do this. Today I was apologizing to Paul for not being the kind of wife he deserves. He put me in my place. He told me that he loves who I am not what I do or how I act. He told me that he respects me. That made me cry. I don't remember ever being told that anyone has ever respected me. It makes me want to live up to his words.  There are some very basic beliefs I have about myself that have to change. I think it is no coincidence that I am heading for confirmation, not that that in it's self changes anything. I also know that it is no accident that I have the time to go to mass during the week. I am happy to be able to be more clear and at peace in prayer. I just need to put these changes in action. I'm not sure I have the strength.

Life is full of new beginnings.  It is also about learning new things all the time and finding out that what once was thought to be something turns out to be something entirely different. When I started to write this blog, one of my big motives was to make money. Well, I have learned that people who read it don't know how that works, and I was instructed to not tell how it works...so it doesn't make any money. But what I have learned is that writing this is for me, for my soul and spirit. Of course I need money but even though this isn't they way to do it, I will continue to write. And that makes me very happy.

Peace (of mind), Joy(of spirit), Love (of life) Happiness (of the heart) and the desire to Go Deep to all.

Party kids and fun

Tonight we had our trailer park Halloween party. On of the ladies even came as "trailer Trash." she made a dress from a big trash bag with trash taped here and there all over.  In the other adults we had hippies and flower children, a doctor in scrubs (a comfy costume), the teens went for a few witches and zombies, a Wendy - as in the hamburger place and twin teen girls wearing "Thing 1 and Thing 2" t-shirts.The little guys were super heroes and ninja but all them little girls were all princesses with the exception of one Mini Mouse. My witch hat was a success.

The food was good, salad spaghetti and garlic bread. Our neighbor brought her home made mac n cheese which I like but Paul doesn't care for. He likes the kind my sister showed him how to make. We made cookies, the Pillsbury premade kind you just bake - on sale for $1.25 pkg.There were a lot of cupcakes and someone makes candy dipped pretzel sticks. The big success in desserts was  large candy covered marshmallows.

There was a feeling of an old time Halloween party with games for the kids. They played pumpkin rolling relay races, a circle game, like hot potato, played with the kids passing a pumpkin. And finally, the big game, the best loved pinata. In this case a giant eye ball. We had fun. I hope we get trick or treaters this year. If not there is a lot of candy going to Paul's office on Monday. We were sure to get things we like. In memory of my Mom we always get a bag of Reese's peanut butter cups. Even though Mom lived miles away from the nearest child back in the hills, she always got a bag ... just in case.

Peace, Joy, Love, Happiness and enough treats ... just in case.

Left Handed.

This will be short and mostly left handed. A while back I hurt my left shoulder. I think I dislocated it.(I know where it is, it just doesn't work right. It sure TELLS me where it is.) I cant raise my right arm any higher then even with my shoulder or behind me to the right. I had it adjusted by my Chiropractor, but it is. taking me a long time to get better. I can defiantly work around it, but I think I just tried to do too much today. I hardly did anything at all. I met with a lady at church about my confirmation and Paul and I got the money together to pay the rent for November. I got the money converted to money orders and dropped it off. We next have to get the money together for the November mortgage. With his next paycheck we will pay off the payday loan, pay the money we own the neighbors for yard work and the phone and the car insurance. We won't have the mortgage until two weeks after that and by that time it is almost time for the December rent. I NEED to be bringing an income to this family.My medication runs out this week and I have no idea when that will be replaced. Where is my happy? In the belief that it is all in God's hands and the fact that, even though I am sorry that Paul is going through this, I know he is learning things about life and he is by my side.

Tomorrow I will work on Halloween costumes and we will have a party with our neighbors at the park clubhouse. I love dressing in costume I am looking forward to the fun and time with people.

Time to take my sore right arm and a slight sinus thing to bed.

Peace, Love, Joy, Happiness and ambidexterity to all

Two sides

I'm a little bit melancholy today. Yes, I am pretty happy most of the time, and I do still have an underlying level of happiness. But between my finances, needing work and a little sinus congestion I'm just mellowed out and, I don't know, kind  ... blah! It is so true that no one can make you happy but you yourself. The same with happiness, you have to make up your mind to be happy. Aside from true medical issues, mental attitude is pretty much a habit. Of course there are things that make us feel sad, but how we chose to react and for how long we react is up to us. It is OK to have emotional down time. Just don't get stuck in it. If there were no valleys how would we recognize the mountaintops?

I was going through my e-mail address list and I see that I still have a few people listed who have left the world. Not that Steve Jobs is on the other side I wonder if he will come up with an app to talk to the departed. That will put the Ouija board people out of business.

 I actually was in touch with the dark side at a time in my life. I can't believe that I was able to get out. I came face to face with Satan. he told me I would have anything I could earthly want if I would follow him. I was smart enough to run the other way. This was many, many years ago. I still remember looking at him. Here is a big surprise to most people, he appeared beautiful. Not pretty, but so compelling. I understand why so many people are caught by him. He had incredible charisma beyond any earthly measure. Even though I escaped that time I pushed the limits again a few years later. This time God sent Paul in to pull me out. I could have tried to pull him in, but we made the right decisions. We were in spiritual neutral for a while, but now we are in the grace of God and learning more. I have been to both sides of this battle and I will tell you good is the side to choose. I would say God is, and I would be telling the truth, but there are many people who don't know about God as most of us do. I will not exclude them from good. But the evil one - stay way, reject his offers, they are lies anyway. Satan's biggest victory is to convince people he doesn't exist. he (no caps on purpose) he does exist and can appear in any form. Years ago when people we really getting into angels on an almost worshipful level I was very concerned since he and his crew can appear as what people think an angel looks like.

I am much happier walking in Gods light, hand in hand with my husband. I will see my e-mail address book friends who have gone to the other side some day. I am so grateful I didn't make the other decision. No power and possessions on earth will ever measure up to the glory in heaven. What ever your belief system is there is a good and a dark, I just advise to do what you know is right.

Peace, Joy, Love, Happiness and the Blessing of the True Light to all. ... Be good.

Just Stuff.

Just some odds and ends that go along with other stuff I've talked about this week. We will be going to a small Halloween party here at our mobile park. I'm going a s a witch. Not very original, but I'll jazz it up. I got a pretty nice red witch hat in the discount section. For such a cheep item it is made fairly well. It is the typical shape, there are two rosettes on the brim and a lace veil all around. I'm going to add some gold beads and some spiders. I for the dress of the costume I will rearrange a variation of my pirate fest costume. I will also do the freight face make up I talked about before. Paul hasn't made up his mind. He will probably use one of the rubber masks we have. He still hasn't warmed up to me putting make up on him. I think some day he will, I can wait. I did tell him that to not wear a costume to a costume party draws more attention them to wear something. It doesn't have to be fancy. There will also be a pot luck. The park management is providing spaghetti, salad and bread. We are thinking of a dessert, but I see that drinks aren't listed. We brought a raspberry punch last year that people liked. I might call and see if that is what they need again.

On Wednesday we have a pot luck with our RCIA class. It was discussed if we need a sign up sheet, but most people felt they needed to think about it. We will get there early so we don't need to worry about eating dinner first. I might make my famous chicken pasta salad. It has protein, starch, and a little veggie. That way if everyone else brings junk food that pasta dish can be a main course. Then next Friday we have another party. Paul is going to make his stroganoff for that. The meat and sauce will be in a crock pot. I am trying to decided if the noodles should be mixed in or somehow served on the side. I don't know how to keep them from getting sticky. Hmmm, I'll figure it out.

I was watching a talk show today where they were talking about costume ideas. They brought up a very good point about being careful about not offending anyone with stereotypes. For example if you are white and decide to be a rapper or 'gangsta' (not a Prohibition gangster). Be careful not to make derogatory or insulting characterizations. Or if you were to wear an Asian costume  and to do it like Jerry Lewis did with buck teeth and thick glasses, that would be insulting. But you could wear a beautiful kimono and be respectful to the Japanese culture. Think about weather you are honoring the character or mocking someones race or culture. Just be a zombie, they don't get upset if you mock them.

Peace, Joy, Love, Happiness and Good times to all.

Potluck food and fun.

This time of year starts the rounds of pot luck parties. So many goodies ... and some baddies. It is fun to try new things and enjoy old favorites. There are usually favorite dips such as 7-layer or nacho cheese, or bread dips like spinach or artichoke. If you are lucky to have electricity for crock pots there may be chili or my husbands favorite, the little weenies in B B Q sauce. There are those tortilla roll up things, cheese and crackers and veggie trays. Munch, munch, munch. Oh, then the deserts! Cakes, pies, cookies and whatever sweets the mind can imagine and the tummy desire. But I have also been the witness of a few real clunkers. any food that pet hair, or human hair for that matter, has come in contact with. Things that have been way over spiced, over salted or seasoned in some weird way. I have seen processed meats that have been in someones refrigerator or freeze for far too long trying to be passed off on co workers or neighbors.

It is sometimes annoying to have a sign up sheet, because sometimes you just don't know what to make when that sheet comes around. I think it is cute to see a sheet with a few lines filled in with chips, soda, paper plates all filled in and then fifteen lines with the word 'something' written in. My favorite is the theme party. Halloween is next week and that is a lot of fun to showcase food for. Just taking ordinary pot luck food and adding food color or extra interesting ingredients can be fun. How about blue food color to potato salad? If it is the kind with that is yellowish, it could end up a sick green. Adding a Spanish olive to the middle of a deviled egg could look like an eyeball. One of my favorites is to take bread stick dough strips, cut them into three inch pieces. Roll each piece in herbs, such as Italian seasoning then place a slivered almond on one tip like a finger nail. make some wrinkle lines across the middle as a knuckle crease and bake. You will have witches fingers. Serve with a dish of marinara - chunky blood, and Pesto - call that what ever yucky name you want to give the green goo. These are great if someone just tells you to bring finger food. You have food that are fingers. Anything served in an unusual or imaginative way is good. A lot of party, variety and specialty stores have themed bowls and serving utensils. I have several bowls and trays with a web and spider motif and salad tongs that are mummy hands. Desserts are fun with the addition of gummy worms or bugs and crushed Oreo cookie dirt. Yummy! Happy tummy!

Some costumes, especially with a mask, make it hard to eat this good stuff. So make up is a good option. I wore a costume with a rubber mask, but I knew I would have to take it off at work, and because it was hot. I put on fright make up under it. I am not a profession make up artist, but I do know what awful looks like. I find that as I get older the ugly faces are easier to do. For me the best way to do it is to use basic gray, pale greens as a base. I use black or charcoal to make hard edges. I like to use my own lines, wrinkles and face contours to make it look real. As I said it gets easier as I get older. Then I highlight with a little red and pale purple. A lot of black around the eyes with red highlight in the corners looks cool.  Developing a real scary look is fun. Try opening your eyes very wide but keeping the the rest of your face blank. Don't point your face directly at anyone. stare at them from the side or tilt your head exaggerated up or down and look down your nose or through your eyebrows with the whites of your eyes showing. Remember to keep eyes very wide open at the same time. Practice in the mirror ... but don't scare yourself.  Have fun and bring happiness to others.

Peace, Joy, Love, Happiness and yummy pot luck food to all