Midnight Mass Sacred Heart 2006

Monday, December 18-Saturday, December 23, 2006

Monday we worked 8 hours but Tuesday through Thursday we worked 10 hours every day. Thursday was probably my worst day, sick-wise. I had a coughing fit in the morning that prompted me to make a quick trip to the CVS Pharmacy for more cold/cough medicines during my lunch break. Which meant that I missed our big Christmas/birthday-surprise dinner for Jeff, but then, it turned out that so did he, as he went down south and ate with Brenda in their pickup as usual. Heh! Valerie and Vickie let him "have it" for that. I told him, "You ran away, just like I did"...I must admit it was wonderful to get out in the bright sunshine and chilly fresh air for even a short 30 minutes. Or 33; I was three minutes late getting back to work--Shhhh!!! Don't tell!

By the way, on Monday Jennifer brought all of us goodie bags, and I brought mine on Tuesday. Kathy gave us candy bars on Wednesday, and Vickie, Valerie, Butch and Donnie gave everyone treats on Thursday. I gave everyone two scratch-offs, and Maria won $50, Valerie won $10 (she was quite excited and said it was her first time to win, ever), Kathy won $2 and Jeff also won $2. I also received gifts from Ann (horse rug and photo album), from Louise (wooden dog with dangly legs--sits on mantle or shelf), and from Earl Ray (buffalo nickel earrings). I guess Matt is officially gone--already. He was a steady worker and quiet and I'm sorry it didn't work out. He was bipolar by his own admittance, and one day could not stop crying; he said he felt bad and that he wanted to go home. I took him to see the nurse and he did go home, and he has not been back. I really can't remember what day that was--maybe last Friday the 15th?

Friday, December 22, began the first of ELEVEN days of FREEDOM for me! Yee Haw! Bob had a regular work-day and Sarah worked some this afternoon. But she met Prairie and Diana for breakfast, and she got her hair cut, too (in layers; real cute), so it wasn't all work for her today. Birthday-wise, Sarah turned 25 years old at 2:27 A.M. My cousin Teddy turned 55, and my co-worker/friend Jeff turned 30. For Sarah's BD, we ate supper in Gainesville at the Taiwan Restaurant--Me, Bob, Sarah, Doug, Lynda, Kat and Jason. I actually managed to use my chopsticks some, just for Sarah's amusement. After supper, Jason, Kat, Bob, Sarah and I went to Amy's house for a while. Kathy had a couple of blouses for her daughter to try on, and Sarah and I played a game of pool in the new garage/pool room--pretty sweet! Later, we took Sarah, Jason and Kat to their respective homes, and Bob and I went down to DOC'S for about an hour. Tony's band, Only In Texxxas, was playing there, upstairs. I am soooo proud of my cousin's son and his band! They get better every time I hear them. I especially liked their rendition of Cross Canadian Ragweed's "17". Good job, guys, good job! Bob drank a couple of beers but I only had a large Coke, as I am taking anti-biotics...Drats! What lousy timing! I won't be finished with them 'till well after all the Christmas parties are over.

Today I saddled Ranger and gave some horsie rides to the cousins from Missouri--Joe & Stacy Hess and their little children, Emily, age 7 and Joe, Jr., age 4. Joe's brother-in-law, Severin ("Sev"), Mary Sue's husband, from Iowa, was with them and also got a ride on Ranger. It was Sev's very first time to be on a horse. I led the two kids first, then Sev, then Stacy. Joe, Sr. and Mary Sue are grandchildren of Bob's Uncle Gary Hess. Stacy will be 28 on January 4, so she is 3 years older than Sarah. She gave me a great compliment while I was leading her around the horse pasture on Ranger: she said that even though my daughter was closer to her age than I was, she felt like I was their age, because I was so active, and doing the horse-thing and all, I guess is what she meant. That made me feel pretty good, I have to say!

The clouds began rolling in this afternoon and it got quite chilly. Bob and I went to the 5:00 P.M. Mass, and Sarah went to Denton to eat Sushi with Kayla and Debra, then to DOC'S. I finally got the livingroom CLEAN; it only took two days!

My truck!

It's been almost six months since Jeff took possession (on Saturday, June 24th, 2006) of my old 1978 GMC pickup. He's done a lot of "remodeling" since then, which I have yet to have the privilege of seeing. Well, yesterday after work, we happened to be side-by-side on Weber Drive, waiting for the light to turn green. It was raining, but I rolled down the window on the Yukon and stared and stared. I thought, "My truck! My truck!", because it will ALWAYS be MY truck in my mind. No longer a tame column-shift, the old '78 sports a floor shifter, and Headers, among other things, and is now a born-again HOT ROD. I couldn't stop grinning!! Jeff gave me a little "vrooom vroom" and then the light changed and our chance encounter was over. He turned east and I headed west, and I must admit that I had tears in my eyes!

This morning at work--we actually WORK together, we just happen to PARK on opposite ends of the plant complex--he says, "Well, you finally got to see the old truck". I said, "Yes, and last night I couldn't stop grinning, and now this morning I can't stop chuckling, as I think about what all those other people around us must have been thinking as they watched me stare and stare and grin and grin at you". Heh!

The old truck holds sooo many memories--28 years' worth! I was 18 or 19 when I bought it, brand new. I remember that I was working at the dress factory (Russell Newman) in Saint Jo at the time, and still living at home. Paying just under $7,000.00, it was financed by my parents, and paid off a few years later by my then new husband, Bob. We brought newborn Sarah home from the hospital in it; her first ride was taken on the floorboard, in a laundry basket, I believe, as we hadn't yet purchased a car seat, and I KNEW it was dangerous to HOLD a baby in a car! I remember being nervous the whole trip (she was born in Denton). Why we didn't just go out and buy a carseat BEFORE going to the hospital I'll never know.

Today I got up at 2:45, left for work about 4:25, and worked from 5:00 A.M. until 3:30 P.M. We ran RYR backs nearly all day, and that is my least favorite back to run. We also ran about 18 NKS backs, which is one of my favorites. We are still, in order, Doug, George, Me, Butch, Donnie, & Vickie in the cell, with Jeff, Valerie, Maria and Jennifer off-line. Jennifer took the day off.

After work I went to Wal-Mart, then to Betty Rose's for Jeff's birthday cake, then to Lora's for 3 Mylar balloons, then home. We're having a big Christmas Dinner/30th Birthday Party tomorrow at work, our last day of work until January 2nd. Bob went to the farm for some non-burnable trash of dad's after supper, and Stovall came to pay his rent around 9:00 p.m.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Got up at 4:45 on Friday; worked 8 hours at Weber. I am still in the #3 spot in the cell, going on the 3rd month in a row. Doug is in the #1 spot, followed by George, me, Butch, Donnie and then Vickie. Valerie, Jennifer, and Jeff are all out of the cell, as are the newest people, Maria and Matt. We lost Aricka this past week and gained Matt; people come and people go in our little world. Jeff took the day off.

Friday night I met Sarah at SHOOTER'S, where we ate supper, drank a few beers, and shot one game of pool. I really enjoyed that.

Saturday I went runnin' around with Rita. We went to Gainesville, Aubry and Denton. We hit all the horse stores. She bought some new stirrups and a saddle pad, and I ordered myself a new pair of Roper boots (called Horseshoes) from Smith Brothers. Guess who we saw there? Our friend, Mona. She was working there. It was her 2nd week. On the way back to Gainesville, Rita and I ate a late lunch at Miguelito's in Sanger, then we shopped some more in Gainesville, before heading back to Muenster. Rita had to go home to get ready for the Saint Jo Christmas Parade. I had enough time before the 5:00 P.M. Mass to tighten the Headers on my one-ton for the first time. I did it all myself except for one nut, the back one on the passenger side, which Bob had to do from the ground, using a ratchet. After Bob and I got home from church, then Sarah and Bob and I went to Carol and Gene's for supper (pizza). Dad was there, too, and so was Kat. After we ate, we read the murder mystery story that came with my birthday present, and worked on the 500-piece puzzle that will tell us who-done-it. We did not finish the puzzle, though, so we will have to go back another day. We got most of it done, however, and it was a fun evening. The only bad thing--Gene wrecked his car at the Kountry Korner sometime today, and crunched in the front end when he hit a pole. No one was hurt; that's all that matters.

Sunday morning I ate brunch at the farm, along with Doug, Lynda, Carolyn, Jacob, Kat, Carol, and Dad. Later, I drove my Big Red (1-ton) to the Bottom Pasture to check on the horses. They came crowding around and I gave them all two horse treats. I went back to the house and loaded up two bales and hay and went back down to feed them. They are plenty fat but the grass is short and the round bale of grass hay that they have is mouldy.

After lunch, Bob and Sarah and I went to the Cinemark in Sherman and watched The Nativity Story. It was really good and I cried, of course. Afterwards we came back to Gainesville and shopped at the Wal-Mart there. Now Bob is watching the Cowboy game at his mom's, and Sarah is trying to sleep as I type this. Good night!

Stupid Boy

Well, she was precious like a flower
(And) she grew wild, wild but innocent
A perfect prayer in a desperate hour
She was everythin' beautiful and different

Stupid boy, you can't fence that in
Stupid boy, it's like holding back the wind
She let her heart and soul right in your hands
And you stole her every dream and you crushed her plans
She never even knew she had a choice
And that's what happens when the only voice she hears
Is telling her she can't
Stupid boy, stupid boy (oh)

So, what made you think you could take a life
And just push it, push it around
I guess to build yourself up so high
You had to take her and break her down

She let her heart and soul right in your hands
And you stole her every dream and you crushed her plans
She never even knew she had a choice
And that's what happens when the only voice she hears
Is telling her she can't
(And) you stupid boy

Oh, you always had to be right
And now you've lost the only thing that ever made you feel alive
Yeah, yeah

Well, she let her heart and soul right in your hands
And you stole her every dream and you crushed her plans
Yes, ya did
She never even knew she had a choice
And that's what happens when the only voice she hears
Is telling her she can't
You stupid boy, oh, I'm the same old
Same old stupid boy

It took awhile for her to figure out she could run
But when she did, she was long gone
Long gone

--song by Keith Urban

Source: Stupid Boy by Keith Urban on Capitol