New Edition of Retirement Magazine!

Happy Retirement, Glenda!

My first cousin,

Glenda Page,

retired today after 30 years

of serving as the secretary for the

First United Methodist Church

in Grand Prairie, Texas!

Just click on the magazine cover

to enlarge it!

Glenda is a special person!

She is a beautiful person...

a loving wife, mother, grandmother,

daughter, niece and cousin!

Glenda is the kind of person who

would give you her last penny!

She keeps the entire family informed

of family news...

accomplishments, illnesses, weddings,

births and photo after beautiful photo!

I am so privileged to have Glenda

in my life!

I am inviting real family members...

and blogging family members...

to leave kind and congratulatory

comments to Glenda!

For those of you not bloggers,

just go to the end of this passage

and you will find the word

"comment" in small print.

Click on the word "comment"

and leave your message in the appropriate

script box. Then just press the post button...

and follow any other tricks which are

required!

Congratulations, Glenda!

Here are some parting thoughts

about retirement:

I'm retired — goodbye tension, hello pension!
— Unknown wise person

When men reach their sixties and retire, they go to pieces.

Women go right on cooking.
— Gail Sheehy

There's one thing I always wanted to do before I quit . . . .

retire!
— Groucho Marx

Retirement . . . is when you stop living at work

and begin working at living.

— Unknown wise person

Favorite Family Foto Friday!

This was not suppose to post until Friday...

but I hit the wrong button!

Oops!

Please be sure to read my

other post from today!

It is good to be back with my friends

at Favorite Family Foto Friday!

I have posted photos of my granddaughter,

Madisyn, in her cheerleading role...

along with a poem for Madi!

Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar…
All for the Tigers, stand up and holler!

Pom-poms down and pom-poms up,
You should win the loving cup!
Trophy for your pretty hair,
Your precious face with skin so fair!

Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar…
All for the Tigers, stand up and holler!

Your uniform is blue and gold,
When they made you, they broke the mold!

Your eyes are blue and shine so bright,
You yell and scream with all your might!

Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar…
All for the Tigers, stand up and holler!

You jump up in the air so high,
Your Mom is scared that you might fly!
You turn around and shake your booty,
The boys all know that you’re a cutie!

Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar…
All for the Tigers, stand up and holler!

You give your all for your Frenship,
Because those Tigers are cool and hip!
So keep it up and jump and yell,

Cause you got Grammy under your spell!

Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar…
All for Madisyn, stand up and holler!

To share your great family fotos,
contact Deborah at:
http://picturespotspens.blogspot.com/

Signs of Things to Come...

Anybody remember...

the Burma Shave signs?

These signs were very popular

throughout the country

in the 1930s-1960s...

They were great cheap

advertising...

you couldn't keep

from getting hooked on these!

And just to prove...

that the more things change...

the more they stay the same...

MARK IT ON YOUR CALENDAR!

...March 15th...

Moonlight Hollow's

TREASURE HUNT

Details coming this weekend!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MADISYN!!!

Madisyn,
You entered the world
six years ago!
Our perfect baby girl...
our gift from God!

You have grown into
such a beautiful young girl...
full of intelligence, humor,
love and charm!

Hope your 6th birthday
is full of MAGIC!

We Love You!

Grammy and Grande

All About Me!

This is a fun game...

courtesy of Linda...

of Linda Jo's Obsessions!

Be sure you check out her blog!

Here are the rules:
1. Type your answer to each of the questions below

into Flickr Search.
2. Using only the first page, pick an image.
3. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images

into FD's Mosaic Maker.

The Questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favourite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your Flickr name.

Here are my answers to the questions...

1. I have several names...

Malisa, Blondie, Mom and Grammy.

I chose Blondie...that's what Lurch calls me!

2. Mexican food is my favorite!

Cheese enchiladas...yum!

3. There is not a picture of my high school...

I picked a picture of my beloved

Texas Tech University...

4. Black

5. Johnny Depp...

a "little" younger than me...

but oooohhh!

6. Crown Royal...and Coke

7. Italy...sigh!

8. Tirimasu

9. A writer

10. My support system...

God, family and friends!

11. Funny...that's not my pic...

thanks for asking!

12. Moonlight Hollow

Here are the photo credits for my mosaic ..
. Blondie Expose', 2. 20050927 Enchiladas rojas, 3. Texas Tech University Student Union Lubbock Texas, 4. Black., 5. +[ Johnny Depp: drop dead gorgeous ]+, 6. Crown Royal, 7. View of Lake Como at Villa Carlotta, Italy, 8. Delicious Tirimasu, 9. writer's teeth, 10. Circle Of Friends, 11. IT'S A FUNNY, FUNNY WORLD, 12. sleepy hollow

Treasure Hunt!!!

To celebrate our 100th post...

Moonlight Hollow

is hosting an online

TREASURE HUNT!

Sunday, March 15th

Mark your calendars...

Details coming soon!

Pop Test Today!

Don't act like you didn't know!

You were warned!

You had all day to study!

It's Pop Test Time!

(Stop NOW if you are easily offended!)

Directions: Multiple choice answers...
you are responsible for answer D.

A. Do you want ANOTHER little wiener, Harold?

B. I don't care if you have a headache, Harold. Eat my wienee!

C. Harold, I was just thinking of you as I stabbed this sharpened stick into this tiny piece of meat!

D.

I'M BACK!!!

Yes, folks, I'm back!

But I'm not to be confused with her...

Yes, the Bitch is Back!

But I'm not to be confused with this monster...

My body is tired,

but my mind is ready to blog!

I'm working hard to keep up with...

my bionic man, Lurch!

Here is a sweet picture...

of Lurch and me...

playing around!

Aren't we looking rejuvenated?

Since I am back...

with a vengeance...

the teacher part of me is coming out!

You are having a pop test tomorrow!

Now get off this computer...
AND STUDY!

We Are Jumping For Joy!

Photo by Amitava Sarkar

Yes, we are jumping for joy!

We have several reasons to jump for joy:

1. We are jumping for joy because Lurch is out of the hospital! We are so happy that he is home with us! He is doing very well. Currently, we are staying with our son and daughter-in-law who live fifteen minutes from the Texas coast. Our daughter-in-law is a physician and that makes us feel safer right now. It is also very helpful that my son loves to cook and is serving Lurch as his "personal chef"!

2. We are jumping for joy because we had such wonderful medical professionals who provided exceptional care for Lurch! I have never been in a hospital environment where the staff is so caring and loving. If you are ever facing a major surgery, please consider St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in The Woodlands, Texas. They are the BEST!

3. We are jumping for joy because of the "strange" series of events which led to the saving of Lurch's life! Lurch has lived with bad knees since his football playing days. One knee finally got the best of him and he had agreed to knee replacement surgery on Monday, February 16th. On Wednesday, February 11th, Lurch went in for his knee replacement pre-op. His pre-op exam discovered the unknown heart condition! We were immediately sent to the hospital where a cardiologist and his team were waiting on Lurch so they could perform an angiogram. Two days later, Lurch was undergoing his heart bypass surgery! His heart surgeon, Dr. Mettauer, told me that if Lurch had undergone the knee replacement, the outcome would have been tragic! I am absolutely convinced that God had us in his loving arms!

4. We are jumping for joy because our two sons and their wives have been so supportive and gracious to Lurch and me. They took off work and were by our sides for the days before and after the surgery. Our oldest son drove ten hours to get here! Lurch and I are so proud of our children and their children. We are blessed to have a wonderful family!

5. We are jumping for joy because our grandson, Tango, is feeling better after having tubes implanted in his eardrums. He has been constantly plagued with illness due to ear infections and we are excited that he is on the road to recovery!

6. And last...but not least...we are jumping for joy because of the amazing support of my blogging family! You guys will never know how much your kind words and beautiful prayers meant to us!

My Hero is an Aggie!

Dr. Mark Mettauer

---photo courtesy of Cardiothoracic Surgery Network---

Texas Tech Red Raiders and Texas A&M Aggies get along like oil and water. Alumni of both universities bleed school colors and are famous for being intolerant of each other.

I plead guilty. My Tech family bleeds red and black.

Last week, our world was shattered as our beloved Lurch faced a life or death situation. As fear and doubt engulfed us, this tall, lanky, young surgeon sauntered into our lives.

I asked where he went to school...he said A&M...I said a four letter expletive. He said "I know. Don't think I haven't noticed your school ring."

We knew we had the right person.

The day of surgery, he showed up with his scrubs tucked in his steel toe work boots. He joined hands with my family and led us in prayer. Then he saved Lurch's life!

So I am proud to say that my hero is an Aggie...

Dr. Mark Mettauer

Thank You for Your Prayers!

We call him Lurch, Larry, Dad and Grande.

Today we call him blessed.

Your prayers have been heard...

Larry is resting in ICU following his heart bypass surgery.

I am spending all my time with him,

but want to take a few minutes

to say a big THANK YOU

to all our blogging friends...

and family!

WE ARE BLESSED!

We Need Your Prayers!

I admitted Lurch (Larry) to the hospital today. He is in congestive heart failure and only 20% of his heart is pumping blood. He is being stabilized now. They will perform heart bypass surgery on Friday. Please pray for my precious Larry and his family. I will be away from blogging for a week or so, but I can get comments on my Iphone.

My Daddy died during heart bypass surgery so this is especially traumatic for our family!

Malisa

Wacky Wednesday...Never-Ending Story!

It is Wednesday...
So it must be Wacky Wednesday!

So let's write the...

Never-Ending Story!

Directions/Instructions/How-To:

1. I will post a picture and then begin a story with 3 to 6 sentences...

2. Then I will stop in MID-SENTENCE...
3. The next person picks up (in MID-SENTENCE) where the last comment left off and will then add 3 to 6 sentences to continue the story...
4. And then she/he/it will stop in MID-SENTENCE
5. Don't end the story...it is a never-ending story
6. You may post as many comments as you want to continue the story!

Let's Write!

Mimsy was an overachiever. She wanted to be the very best she could be. She was determined to be at the top of her class and end up on the top of the world. Despite all of her accomplishments, it was rumored that last week, Mimsy was on top of...

Strongest, Hottest, Sexiest...

Superman, Halle Barry and Brad Pitt were all having lunch together.

Superman said, "I have always thought that I'm the strongest man in the world, but how can I be sure ?"

Halle Barry said, "I'm told I'm the sexiest of them all, but sometimes I wonder."

Brad Pitt agreed. "I'm pretty sure I'm the hottest man alive but I've never had it confirmed. "

They all decided that the best way to find out if their beliefs were true was to approach the Wicked Queen's mirror to confirm for them whether Superman was the strongest, Halle Barry was the sexiest and Brad Pitt was the hottest.

They agreed to meet again the next day for lunch to discuss their findings.

The next day Superman walked up with a smile. "Well, it's true. The mirror told me that I am the strongest man in the world."

Brad Pitt walked in, with a big smile and said "It is true! It has been confirmed that I am hottest man alive!"

Halle Barry followed last looking baffled and said...

"Who the hell is Debbie from Talking Trash???!!!!!"

Pop Test Today!

You had all weekend, kids!

Hope you studied!

Pop Test!

Directions: Multiple choice answers...

you are responsible for answer D.

A. Oh, crap! I sat on my jacks!

B. I'm Miss Prim and Proper!

C. Calgon, take me away!

D.

Dog Names, Part II

You remember Sweetie...

the protector of Madisyn!

This photo shows Sweetie

in her role of protector...

as Madisyn sleeps soundly!

Do you ever wonder how other dogs got their names? According to a recent article on MSN.com, the following names are the most popular dog names for 2008. They are listed from the #1 most popular name through the #10 most popular name.

Max

Bailey

Bella

Molly

Lucy

Buddy

Maggie

Daisy

Sophie

Chloe

Don't see any Spots or Rovers in that list, do we? These names all sound like childrens' names! Even more interesting is the following list which is comprised of the top ten unusual dog names in 2008:

Rush Limbark

Sirius Lee Handsome

Rafikikadiki

Low Jack

Meatwad

Peanut Wigglebutt

Scuddles Unterfuss

Sophie Touch & Pee

Admiral Toot

Spatula

Aren't those hilarious? I love Sophie Touch & Pee and Admiral Toot! Too funny! I get great mental pictures when I think of Low Jack and Meatwad! Poor dog who made his "owner" mad enough to name him after Rush Limbaugh! Bad dog! Bet that is one fat, loud, noisy dog!

Now all you doglovers...

Get on outta my yard...

Wag yore tails and...

Sniff out the goodies on these blogs!

*************************************

Talking Trash: Debbie is a Texas girl with a Texas size sense of humor! She makes me laugh on a daily basis! She is having her 100th Post Giveaway and a Blog Party to boot! Put your name in for the drawing and get yourself invited to the online blog party! This is what Debbie had to say about her pooch:

My baby is Jake and he is my junkyard dog. He's a silver mini-schnauzer that Cat Daddy bought for me on my birthday 11 years ago. We got him at Dog Alley in Canton and C.D. talked 'em down on the price since one ear is shorter that the other. He is my little man in a fur coat and I love him dearly. He's extremely social(I wonder where he got that trait) and has us trained well.

http://www.talkingwhitetrash.blogspot.com/

*****************************************

Woman in a Window: Erin is a snow-bound woman in Canada. She makes me laugh one day and cry the next! Her post are full of love, emotion and the daily trauma of being a woman. This is what Erin had to say about her family dog:

Our dog's name is Bones, Woof woof, Pony, Senungully Woof Woof, Vicious Killar, OH NO!, and whatever else sticks in our jaw at the time. And yes, we only have one dog (who is in desperate need of therapy!)

http://www.womaninawindow.blogspot.com/

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Just Practicing Random Acts of Kindness: Sue is a California girl who owns Country Roads, a collection of antique stores. She posts great pictures of goodies in her shops as well as sharing great pictures of her granddaughter, Riley, and her yet to be born granchild! Sue had some funny comments about her favorite dog:

My dog's name is "Sally the Cabana Dog", although now she is just "Sally" or "Piece of Shit Dog" which I know longer use since Riley repeated that phrase perfectly!! She's a pound dog and I wanted to train her to go fetch a cold Corona out of the refrig. That's never going to happen, she's not the brightest dog. My kids always give me a hard time in, "I can't believe you actually "chose" that dog"! Oh well, I love her just the same even if she looks like a super sized wiener dog that is mentally challenged!

http://www.mycountryroads.blogspot.com/

********************************************

Bubblin' Over: Claudie is another blogger who resides in Canada. Claudie has a very interesting blog! She features dogs one day of the week and cats another day! Be sure and check out her picture...Claudie has such beautiful hair! Here is what Claudie had to say about her pups:

Really? you want to know my dog's names?? I have 3 right now.Bella, Bonnie and Toby and on Dog's on Thursday I have been showing Bella & Toby's 5 babies from 2004. P.J. is another and on and on and on.

http://www.claudie.frid.com/

*********************************************

Short and Sweet: Loretta is from the beautiful state of Arizona! She posts great vintage photos on her blog! When you visit her, be sure to check out the photo of her as a child dressed up as a nun! Also check for her post on a family watch which was worn in family photos...then she shows the great photos! Loretta said the following about her multiple dogs:

I have three dogs: Lucy--a yellow lab who has latched on to me. She was supposed to be "therapy" for us when our daughter left for college. Our daughter called it "Puppies for Parents". Bishop--an old black female lab that is demanding and relentless when she wants something. We tend to baby her because she is so old and frail. Bear--an enormous male black lab that my husband couldn't pass up when he went with a friend to visit the Humane Society. Bear's real name is Baron Bearington Bradley Jack or "Bear" for short. He is a gentle giant.

http://www.nostalgicnana.blogspot.com/

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Pictures, Pots and Pens: Deborah is from the Southeast part of the United States. Each week she hosts Friday's Favorite Family Fotos. If you want to participate in this weekly Friday event, visit her blog and let her know! When you visit her blog, be sure and check out this amazing post: Pretty Boy, Parakeet Blabber Mouth...absolutely amazing! Although Deborah doesn't have dogs, she loves her cat babies! Here is what Deborah has to say about them:

We have two lazy cats - Miss Callie and Olivia..we love them!

http://www.picturespotspens.blogspot.com/

************************************************

Please visit Theresa at GardenAntqsVintage. She lost her precious dog, Sally Jane. I am sure she could use a few words of cheer!

http://www.gardenantqs.blogspot.com/

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Thanks for checking out my blogging buddies...

Now I gotta go take a nap...

Scratch behind my ears..

And lick my...

lips!

Family Favorite Foto Friday!

FronteraFest is Back!

Yes, the FronteraFest theatre event is in full swing in Austin, Texas. While I am playing nurse maid to my husband, Lurch,...my acting partner, Rhonda, is performing solo this season. Our pre-performance routine of magic words and comfortable rituals were completed via AT&T tonight! In honor of her solo performance tonight, I present:

Family FronteraFest

Foto Friday!

Some of my favorite memories of this event were

captured in pictures four years ago...

My acting partner, Rhonda, is very shy! She is posing outside of

the Texas Chili Parlor after our first night performance.

My group of best friends travelled to Austin to cheer us on. What was I doing with my hands? Making a W! We called ourselves WUSS...Wild United Southern Sistas!

Madisyn was still a baby!

Here she is on the plane flying to Austin.

Madisyn and Grande playing around

while Grammy was rehearsing.

Lurch with Madi and his oldest brother waiting for the performance to begin. My last words to Lurch contained the COMMAND...DO NOT BRING MADISYN TO THE PERFORMANCE! Since Madisyn was not even two years old, I knew that she would not understand what was going on. I knew she would be bored. She wouldn't know who I was because of my gawdy costume and outlandish make-up. Most of all, I knew she would talk during the performance and totally distract me! I was nervous enough without hearing a child babbling during the performance!

As I was standing backstage...in the total dark...right as my entrance onstage was coming up...I heard Madisyn in the audience! I froze. I was furious! How dare Lurch bring her against my request...but the show must go on! I made my entrance and there was Madisyn...on the front row! I could literally reach out and touch her! I had to restrain myself from reaching out and touching Lurch...real hard!

But the girl was a trooper...never said a word...not one sound! Madisyn sat there in Grande's lap...with big blue eyes following my every move. She laughed when others laughed. She clapped when others clapped. She was the perfect audience member! And then the most special thing happened...the end of Act I...the lights fade on the stage...blackout. As I exit the stage, this sweet little,inquisitive voice boomed out in the silence..."Where's Grammy going?"

It was the most special moment of my life!

I was backstage washed in emotion. I suddenly realized that this was probably, in fact, the most special moment in my life. I thanked the Good Lord for allowing my granddaughter and I to share this magical experience onstage. I cannot even describe the happiness I felt in my heart. When the lights came up and it was time for me to enter the stage once again, I took joy in the realization that Madisyn would always be an integral part of my creative process...always on the front row...always my #1 fan! By the way...thank you, Lurch.

Break a leg, Rhonda!

To share your great family fotos,

contact Deborah at:

http://picturespotspens.blogspot.com