Rain Rain & More Rain

I have lived on the Gulf Coast all my life. I have lived thru Tropical Storms that dumped 3 feet of rain in 24 hours and Hurricanes that knocked out the power to a city of 4, 000,000 for weeks so I really should be used to rain rain and more rain....but I don't think you ever get used to it!

Could someone please tell me why a hurricane that didn't even come ashore in this country much less in the Houston area, is responsible for the rain we have been experiencing since Wednesday? Hurricane Ike didn't dump rain on us for 3 days and it was a direct hit!!!!

This city is a maze of bayous that are meant to prevent flood but somehow it never works. Right now most of the city is underwater...not a little water but a good foot or more. The people of this city don't do good with that much water.............the incredibly stupid people that think they can drive thru 2 feet of water don't do good with that much water! I don't do good with that much water!

I am TIRED of the rain. My kids are tired of rain, my husband is tired of rain, even Coby the Wonder Beagle is tired............he can't chase the squirrels, he can't even go out in his yard!

I NEED the Sun!

Half the Year Gone???

I can't believe it. 2010 is half over! This year has flown by.

But then it seems that each year is moving faster and faster. Three days ago I thought I was changing diapers.....and yesterday........my baby girl started Driver's Ed. Yikes! My baby boy, he is changing before my eyes. He's started that growth spurt and is that a change I detect in the voice???

Looks like most of the Gulf coast has dodged a bullet.....this time. Not very often we get a full fledged hurricane in June, but the "expert" say it is going to be a very active season so I guess no surprise. I do know that with all that oil floating around we did not need a dead hit.

Still hoping and praying that BP will get that well capped before we take a full fledged hit from a storm but it is getting harder to believe that this thing will ever be capped.

The Gulf Oil Spill

I can't tell you how much the awful situation in the Gulf of Mexico is to me. I am a lifetime resident of Houston and live less than 60 miles from the Galveston and the Gulf. I have a hard time watching the images of the animals covered with oil, the tar rolling up on the beautiful beaches and the utter destruction of the wetlands. I am heart broken for those that lost their lives the day of the blast and for the people whose very livelihood is been taken away.

I am afraid that even if that oil well were shut down today (not happening unfortunately) the impact on the people and the environment will stretch for years if not decades.

My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi & Florida as you battle this disaster. I also pray that we don't have a storm form in the Gulf that will make a nightmare situation even worse.

What's up with this weather?

Houston in April is typically hot and humid. Not as hot as May and certainly not as hot as July but almost always hot and usually the time where we turn on the old air conditioner for the first time. The light bills start their steady climb towards, oh say $400 a month and ceiling fans won't be turned off until at least October. This has to be the first April in at least 20 years that we have gone without a single day of no A/C. Totally, toally bizarre! Global warming????
Maybe. All I know is that this is weird weather for Houston!

Jury Duty

This past week I had the opportunity to do my civic responsibility.....Jury Duty.
Although I have been called for Jury Duty many times in the past, this was my first in the Federal Court System and my first where I was actually chosen.

It was a very rewarding experience. The case was extremely interesting, the Judge, David Hittner, was exceptional and I met some fascinating fellow jurors.

I won't go into too much detail as, unfortunately, we failed to reach a unanimous verdict. As is usually the case when you put 12 persons in a room, you will come out with varying opinions of what the evidence means.

The most important thing I learned this week, is how important our Justice system is and that it works.

This was truly a very rewarding experience and I am very glad I had the opportunity to serve.

It's Almost Here -- Girl Scout Cookie Time is Coming!

It's the crazy time of the year coming up!

No, I am not talking about the Christmas Holiday Season, I am talking about Girl Scout Cookie Season.

If you have never been involved in Girl Scouts you probably think I am crazy comparing selling GS Cookies to the Christmas Holidays but if you we ever a Girl Scout, a Girl Scout leader or a parent of a Girl Scout you know what I am talking about.

For the next 3 months, our lives will be consumed with selling Cookies. First you hit up EVERYONE you know and some you don't know to preorder those little morsels of goodness.

For 2 weeks you sell sell sell....followed by a few weeks of waiting waiting waiting for those little boxes of joy to come in. Then it's deliver, deliver, deliver! Get those cookies out to those who ordered.

THEN it's time to really get going.................Girl Scout Cookie Booths!!!!

Yes, everytime you go to your neighborhood grocery store, Walmart, Home Depot, Blockbuster or just about anyplace that is high traffic, Girl from kindergarten thru High School will be standing outside the door hoping that you have not bought so many cookies from your neighbor that you won't be able to resist just one more box of these delicious morsels.

Who can resist those cute little Brownies! But don't forget those older Girl Scouts too. They work just as hard and most times harder to sell those cookies.

New Year & Resolutions

Every year I go back and forth about whether to make resolutions. This year I am am going to give it a shot...AGAIN!

So here goes:

1. I want to remember people with Birthday Cards. I keep up with so many people's birthdate and I used to be really good about sending cards. This year I am going to get back in practice.

2. I am going to keep my personal checkbook balanced. I know, most people do this and I have Girl Scout accounts that I ALWAYS have balanced but my personal account, I always forget to write down those debit transactions! NO MORE!

3. We are going to have a Family Game Night....every week.

4. We are going to get healthy at home. We are going to eat healthy, exercise more and lead a healthy lifestyle.

5. I am going to get back on my Vitamin regiment. I had surgery 4 years ago and as such I am supposed to take many many vitamin's daily. I was good the first couple of years but have gotten out of the habit. That ends today.

So that it. I don't think they will be hard to keep. I can do it. I will do it!

Planet Houston Has a New Mayor

Planet Houston wakes up this morning to a new mayor, Annise Parker! Yay!! She should do a terrific job.

She takes over a city that is in pretty darn good shape thanks to a wonderful job done by outgoing mayor Bill White. Annise is no strange to Houston City Government having served 6 years on the City Council and 6 years as the City Comptroller.

She makes history as the first openly gay mayor of a major US city. Thankfully her orientation seemed not to matter to the citizen's of Planet Houston although her opponent did try to make it one as a last ditch effort to revive his campaign. In the end though, the voters looked at the candidates and based their vote on how they would best serve the city.

Yay Annise, Yay Houston Voters, Yay Houston!!!!!!!

Now it is on to the next battle....can Mayor White slay the evil dragon, Rick Perry and put Texas back on the right track? I sooooo hope so.

Two & Half Weeks until Christmas

I cannot believe Christmas is almost here! This is my absolute favorite time of year. I love all the decorating, the planning, the shopping (when I have $$$$), the baking....I just love the time of year. I know is sounds corny but people really are just a little nicer for a short time.

But, I am running so far behind this year. My kids, especially my oldest son, are not happy that I have not got everything up. It WILL get done this weekend. If I have to stay up 24 hours a day, my winter wonderland will be lit up this weekend!

It's been a While

Real life doesn't leave me much time to write down what is on my mind. But reading another blog about my beloved Stargate has inspired me to give it another shot.

I can't guarantee I will be able to write on a daily basis but I am going to TRY.

For now, I am off to clean house and decorate for Christmas.....there won't be another house in Planet Houston with more Snowmen or Angels!

Richard Dean Anderson & Stargate SG-1

For the better part of the last 10 years my favorite television show has been Stargate SG-1. More than any other show, I have enjoyed the adventures of Jack O'Neill and company. Last fall after this fantastic show reached the milestone of becoming the longest continuous SciFi show in US television history, the SciFi Channel & NBC cancelled my beloved show. Stargate fans around the world were shocked. Yes, the show had lost audience with the departure of lead Richard Dean Anderson but there was still life left in her. One has only to check the internet and find out just how popular this show really is. There are thousands of sites devoted to the show. Ebay has 100's of pages devoted to items for the show. Like Star Trek, Stargate has a worldwide fanbase and quite possibly is more popular around the world than it is in the US.

With the cancellation, MGM (the owner of the show) announced 2 straight to DVD movies would be made starting in April, 2007. The first movie will bring an end to the current storyline regarding the ORI and (and here's the best part) the second movie will star Richard Dean Anderson. I can't tell you how excited I am to learn that Jack O'Neill will be back protecting the planet along with Samantha Carter, Teal'c & Daniel Jackson! All seems right with the world today!!!!

It's All About The Kids

When you are a Mom, you reach a point in your life when you realize that your life is All About The Kids. Every decision you make, everything you do, everything revolves around the kids. I am not just talking about babies, I talking about a tween & a 9 yr old. I can't remember the last time I did something fun just for me. Haven't seen a movie in years that didn't have Disney or Harry Potter slapped on the side of it. Haven't been to a restaurant that didn't have a kids menu that didn't include a cool toy since oh....1994! It's All About the Kids. Don't believe me, take a look at my handheld calendar. It's full but it's not full of my appointments. No, it's full of flute lesson, trombone lessons, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, baseball practice, gymnastic practices. Gawd, I need a life.

Later