Well, there ya go........I said it and I did it. I started a new blog called "The Windemere Chronicles". I might change the name later...."The Memoirs of A Quintessential Boomer" comes to mind, but for now I'm going to leave it the way it is. If you know me at all from the Blogstream and you happen to find it, you may find the writing style the same. Someone told me once that I have a distinctive one so that even when I started my private blog a year and a half ago I kept giving myself away. So, I'll just be upfront about it and tell you that even though the "nickname" is different (PeggynJanie will get a chuckle, even if no one else does) it's me. I admit it.......it's meeeeeeeeeeee.

I was thinking as I was handling my finances (ah yeah, POH the financier, can you dig it? ) today that my husband actually did me a huge favor....and I'm not being sarcastic. Making me scrape and save all of those years was really good practice for what I'm going through now. I am soooo frugal and have learned to do quite well with little. Seriously! I am bordering on extremely grateful for the practice! I've never been the Paris Hiltonish kind to begin with but the training I have had at going without is really coming in handy. Again, I want to say that I am NOT being sarcastic. Like Paul said, "I know how to abase and abound". How true that is for me. I have always said that I could win $10,000,000 and still be looking for orange juice at 99 cents a half gallon. It's like with the eggs....I'm just always looking for the deal now. The only extra that I've really spent money on (no, not clothes even though 3/4 of mine were on the camper and I never got them back) is a few plants. I bought a small hibiscus for $5.99 and I named her Laquishetta. I had a larger hibiscus back in NY named Laquisha but I couldn't bring her with me. The suffix 'etta' means 'little' so this is a little Laquisha. She has the prettiest flowers when she blooms. I also bought another large vining plant similar to a hibiscus but I can't remember the name. I'll have to look it up. I bought a cheap tomato cage that I stuck in the pot to give it something to vine onto. It's gonna be purrrrrteeeeee! Wal-Mart had some different begonias on sale so I got some of them too. I always remember that my Mom loved those. They remind me of a simpler time in my life. All of them are doing extraordinarily well. Assuming I stay in this area (you never know with those housewives who like to stay in the fast lane, donchaknow) I will get me some palms when Wal-Mart gets a nice shipment in. I don't want to spend too much right now on things I can't take in the car with me if I have to suddenly up and take off somewhere. For the moment though I feel as settled as I've been of late. We'll see what the future holds.

In spite of the brokenness and pain of this situation, I have to say that the Lord has so "renewed my youth like the eagle". I feel so much healthier than I have in the past five years and my energy level has skyrocketed since last winter when I was so so sick. In fact, since this whole thing started I haven't been sick ONCE and I was getting sick all the time before with things that couldn't be fixed. At least by doctors. Good thing I know 'The Great Physician'. If I never have health coverage again after this year is out I'm actually not going to worry about it. God has done more for me physically, and in every other way, than any doctor could hope to do.

I know that there are people who probably wish they could see me suffering more, and that is not to say that I don't feel some heartache at times, but over all God has been extraordinarily close to me during this time, I've been praying more than ever, especially in my prayer language, and I know that I know that I know that He has not forsaken me. He has a future and a hope for me and I trust in that. He has saved my butt too many times in the past two months for me to question His love and care for me now. I have tasted and seen that the Lord is good and I cling to Him....if not to a bunch of people who want to put THEIR expectations on me....and always have.

One of my daughters told me recently that she would appreciate it if I would stop trying to contact her unless and until I am "truly repentant" for my actions. Say what? You want me to repent to YOU? For what? For loving everyone enough to stay in something for 36 years when I should have left years ago? You need to get another picture of God, my beautiful but deceived daughter. You need to realize that He is not HALF as judgmental as ya'll are. He luh-uh-uhvvvve ME, baby girl. If you choose not to believe that...if you choose to believe that I am a backslidden sinner that's fine. I don't believe that but MY Bible says that "God is married to the backslidder" anyway.

One thing I know....and I do know this....my prayer life has never been stronger. I've seen miracles I could have only hoped to see in my lifetime. God hears and answers my prayers and I thank Him for that daily.

Soooo, here I go again...off to meet the world. Hang in there with me, okay? I love you all.

Soooo, uhhhhh, is anybody out there likin' my sixties-ified background and music....huh?....huh?....huh?

Wow, is it steamy in the heartland of America! And to think that I thought New York was humid in the summertime! HOT town...summer in the city! Yikes!

I got a new shower stall in my apartment today. Did I tell ya'll that yet? The guy has been working on it for, like, afrikkinWEEK now. That's okay....the Y Membership comes in handy at times like this. Walking distance too.

Believe it or not, but I have moments where I half-way consider becoming a Foster Parent again for the state I'm in. Well, gosh, I've spent so much time over at Social Services lately getting services for MYSELF that it occurred to one of the workers there that I should be a Foster Parent HERE!

Yeeeeeaaaaaahhhhh, I gots ta give that a teensy bit more thought, whattaya think? I mean, if I was gonna do it, I'd prolly want a squalling crack baby (there IS a reason my mother thinks I'm mentally ill, donchaknow) like Gabriel but what would I do about an outside job? It's not like you can actually survive on the money they give you (about $400. a month). I'd have to find a work at home job or somethin'. I don't know though...I haven't given up the idea just yet.

The other thing I think about is that maybe I didn't do such a hot job on the ones I had since they all turned on me so quick like that. Of course, so did my biological kids so maybe I was just the "Bee-yotch Mother of the Year", after all. Sometimes I think that I must have been....then others I think about how much I love them all and how I loved them through all of their ugly times, even now, and I realize I couldn't be THAT bad.

Gosh, hearing from Peggy everyday by e-mail has been the best picker-upper I could ever have. She is an accomplished artist and has a web-site called "Memorial Birdbaths". I think that's what it's called anyway. Okay, I found it, it's www.memorialbirdbath.com or type in your search engines, "Memorial Birdbaths" by Peggy Weber. Oh man, just seeing her name....Peggy Weber....it's like seeing my own, you know? Anyway, it links you to another site that has her paintings. I remember that even as a child I felt so privileged to be friends with someone as talented as her. If you can find it, there is a picture of her on there that shows how absolutely GORGEOUS she is. I'll try to find the url before I log out.

I remember so much about growing up on Windemere Road, and it's mostly about Peggy and her family. If it's alright with her I might share some of my memories in the coming days about that. Gosh, there is soooo much stuff there. The Memoirs of POH. Baby Boomer's Extraordinaire.

Gee, Peggy, where should I start? Dirt City? Oh my gosh! Yeeeeeah! What about all those Halloweens throwing on our father's old suitcoats and just calling our selves bums? Remember the year I carried a big ol' clanky alarm clock in my pocket so we would know the time? Remember Wolfanger's ice cream machine and how we ate our ice cream cones to the next block of houses? What about the nights your Dad would come home and the whole frikkin' neighborhood would run to his car yelling, "The Candy Man is here! The Candy Man is here!" Oh man, I still laugh about all those times with Eddie and how we used to tease him sooooo bad and then run into the bathroom and lock the door, peeking through the keyhole to see if he would come storming up the stairs. Awww, he got us back all the time though, didn't he?

There is so much more.....so much more......

Well, gotta go now...the memories are coming too fast and furiously now....I think I better get back to my little apartment where I can plug my laptop in and write in documents. Just think, maybe it'll be a published book...........POH Unleashed, how does that sound? Okay, wipe that out. The Life and Times of POH and Peggy. Yeah! That's it! Yeeee-haaaa!

PS. Peggy, the whole soap opera is written in my blog. Just go to page 9, start at the bottom and read up, coming back to page 8, then 7, etc. Let me tell ya, it's a saga alright!

Sheeeeuuuuuuuuut, between my old friend Peggy finding me again after all of these years and playing the Lovin' Spoonful on my last blog post, I'm feeling all sixties-ified now. Someday I'll get back to my nature backgrounds...for now I'm just having too much fun I guess.

Again, I'm sitting in the parking lot of a local taco place (the KFC here has wireless too but it doesn't come in as clear) and scarfing internet. I don't feel bad about it though because they actually advertise free wireless and SHOULD know, whether they do or not, that wireless extends to the parking lot, donchaknow.

Too much to do and too much to think about these days. Bills, bills, bills. I understand from the divorce papers that I will be sued for child support one of these days. Let's see, I'm mowing the lawn to help get my rent down...what about I DON'T HAVE MONEY, are people not getting? Since 'the man' is making waaaaay more than me and won't give me any of it to survive on I don't suppose that you can make silk out of a sow's ear, huh?

I AM eating again though, that's always good. And I'm making enough that the Food Stamps have stopped. This cooking for one stuff though is crazy. I bought that flat of eggs at Wal-Mart for like $7.00. I mean, that thing lasts like twofrikken'months, but it is SO much cheaper per pound than buying by the dozen. Well, good thing I LOVE me some eggs and can eat them everyday. I can hear somebody telling me about high cholesterol right now. Who can spell 'lecithin'? That's why God put that stuff in the whites. Anyway, last I checked my cholesterol was 140. I don't think I'll take to worrying about it just yet, whattayathink?

Most of the time I don't even feel like eating when other people aren't around though. I'd rather read my encyclopedias. Did I tell you about those? I DIDN'T? Yikes, I canNOT believe that I forGOT THAT!

Well, I saw this ad in this little local paper for a set of FREE World Book encyclopedias. All I had to do was go and pick them up. Yay for me! I know that the books came from a very nice elderly couple who just wanted to see them go to a nice home but the truth is that they REALLY came from God just for me. I've always wanted to read an encyclopedia from A to Z. I used to ask and ask if I could buy a decent set (I'm not talking about that supermarket one we bought in the '70's when the kids were little either), but I was always told that I could, after we got the internet anyway, do it on-line. Maybe I'm weird but it is just sooooo much nicer to me to open the book itself. This set even came with yearbooks for all the years following after it was published. Yay...yay...yay...for meeeeeeee!

Soooo, anyway, I don't have too much furniture (a chair and a little side table and an airbed), but I have enough to eat, a place to swim, a car to drive, a lawn to mow and a set of encyclopedia's to read. Gee, life in POH-land.....it's almost serene, isn't it?

Oh, not to worry, things will liven up soon I'm sure!

You all know me well enough by now to know that I generally only post backgrounds related to nature and such since I love that the best, but I thought I would give you a hint, without mentioning the name, of COURSE, of the rally that was taking place last night in the great Mid-West. Man, three o'clock in the morning and the taco place I was at was HOPPING with business at their take out window! Thank God for ME, right? re:previous post. I hope you catch it today because by tomorrow I'm sure I'll have a flower or some such thing posted again.

So, today is going swimmingly....or at least should be if the Y around the corner will just open up. I need to mow the front yard of my apt. building too....it helps pay the rent, donchaknow. My Mom is fond of telling me that "hard work never hurt anyone".....well, okay Mom, yer so right about that. I don't remember ever seeing you mow the lawn when I was growing up but I remember doing it whenever Dad asked. Oooops, I just had a bad memory.....he bought an electric lawnmower when they first came out and I wasn't paying attention (DOH! What else is knew, right?) and I ran over the cord.
Not to worry, the mower I am currently using is gas operated. I've mowed the lawn all my life...believe it or not I actually enjoy it when I'm in the mood. The yard in question isn't that big so it's not too sweatifying.

I am also going to Barnes and Noble today. I haven't been there since I've been in town. Ahhhh, books + air conditioning.....what's better than that on a hot day, huh?

BTW, I really appreciate the people who have stayed in touch with me by e-mail......I love you all.

POH

Oh my gosh, people are soooo awesome, aren't they?

I was just catching the internet at a local taco place and I must have left my lights on while I was checking e-mail, etc. An hour and a half later my car is dead, dead, dead.

I humbled myself and went up to the cars waiting at the window (this is happening as I type) and asked several people if they had jumper cables. Two said no and then I got to this really nice young couple who couldn't be more than 20. They said yes! Here they come right now to help me! Yay for me!

I found out their names even! Mike and Katie....newly married and 24 and 29 years old (okaaaaay, so I was only off by a coupla-few years!)

Well, it turns out that he doesn't have the cables in his car but he only lives a few minutes away so he is going home to get them. Wow. Just think....you are getting the story LIVE from POH-land as it's happening! Do you feel special yet?

Can anyone say God is so good to meeeeeeeeee? My Redeemer LIVES, baby! I don't trust NOBODY but Jeeeeeeesus! Okay, well, here I am sitting here waiting for my newest best friends to come and save the day for me! Stay tuned!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can anyone say parrrrr-taaaaaay?????

That is exACTLY what this whole 'should-a been a fiasco but wasn't' turned into. First, Mike discovered, after returning with his battery box, that it didn't have enough juice to start the engine, so Katie, his totally gorgeous (let's just say "what a babe") wife starts flirting with these three guys on bicycles. Two were in town from Illinois and one lives here and all three were out on the town for a big festival of some kind. They were all, including Katie, a little on the whatchucall 'snookered' side. All except Mike and me. We were awesome, right Mike? *smooch* Well, some people think I'm high all the time anyway sooooooo.................

Okay, so, anyhoo everyone kept saying that Shane was "the man" and knows everything there is to know about cars so he was elected to fix the car in spite of the fact that he was so.....well, snookered out that he could barely ride his bicycle let alone drive. So, Mike to the rescue aGAIN and drives Shane to his house two blocks away, picks up the cables and comes back. I was just a leetle concerned about Shane touching the only car I've ever owned all by my lonesome self, because of his 'condition' as we shall delicately call it, but wow, the man really is 'the MAN' as they say. There was some serious whoopin' and hollerin' when the ol' engine turned over let me tell YOU! Whoooo baby!

So, after some exchange of phone numbers and e-mails I am promised some pictures for my blog (yes, you may even get to see a small one of the vehicle I have been so elusive about talking about) and you will DEFINITELY get to see one of the sexified (sorry, that was the only word that came to mind) Katie and another of Katie and Mike together.

Wow, what a night huh? Live and in person, on the spot coverage of life in POH-land.....it doesn't get any better than this, does it?

BTW, Katie and Mike if you are reading this? I'll try to call so we can do something, 'kay? I'll get a hold of Shane too....well, as long as he doesn't think I'm hitting on him. *blush* You know, those ol' common housewives....I haven't had a date in almost 40 years. It's a leetle more than scary out there, you know?